DW win a GT!

[Trollbeard]

Hey guys, I’m sure some of you have seen this already, but a DW list just won a GT. Here’s a link to Auspex Tactics review of the list that was ran at the tournament.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/deathwatch40k/comments/o5jy5t/turns_out_you_can_win_a_gt_with_deathwatch/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

 

Interesting use of the proteus Killteams teams, I’ve always seen the shotguns as not a very good choice, clearly I’ve been missing something!

 

What are your guys thoughts?

[superwill]

Yeah, what an interesting list hey? Most of the units I’ve been getting excited about (indomitors, spectrus) are not there, and instead of maybe 1-2 support dreads he’s rocking 5 and everything else is kind of supporting them. I’m half way through watching the battle report between him and a sisters army on their art of war channel and it’s interesting seeing how he pushes the dreads so aggressively. I’d be interested to know which armies he versed at the GT and which army went first.

 

I guess the thing about the dreads is that they may only have average/decent damage output, but they are much tankier than many other comparable options. Where other popular units (plasma jnceptors, VVs, Eradicators etc) are much more potent point-for-point with a higher damage output, they’re all a lot squishier. I do feel like that will work well against most balanced lists, but if there are armies that can show up for big Alpha-strikes and drop 2-3 dreads in one turn it would be hard to imagine him recovering from that?

 

The proteus teams are interesting, I guess the main upside of them is that they’re cheap obsec action monkeys and therefore don’t really need any damage output as that’s not what they’re for.

 

My own gut instinct would be that while his list is a smart and creative way of making DW work and still has some strong damage and can absorb most light-medium punishment, it probably worked so well because he’s also a good player. Definitely doesn’t seem likely that it will be a hugely successful netlist IMHO, but one which can clearly work well in the right hands.

[TheUnlikelyGamer84]

Nice breakdown of the list on goonhammer.

https://www.goonhammer.com/competitive-innovations-in-9th-onslaught-gt/

[superwill]

I wonder whether a 5 dread list works best with DW, IH or something altogether different?

 

Obviously the 5++ DW aura is good and pretty unique (I think? Psychic Fortress is around but that’s no good if you get second turn), and the fact it can put it on redemptor as has got to be one of the main exploits of being DW. But I think IH would still be better from a pure survivability perspective. IH FNP is better against AP 0, 1 and 2, whereas DW invuln is better against AP 4 or more. But, DW’s invuln is restricted to the aura range of the character, who can also just die and take the relic with him. And for units who already have an invuln (like the contemptors) a 6+++ would be much more useful.

 

The infantry squads are cool and pretty unique, but at 250ish each they’re hardly top tier - just a solid choice. The tome of ectoclades is almost in my mind the biggest plus of using DW with this list. There are a handful of stratagems that would be useful, and it’s nice to pick the turn you use you dev doctrine, but there’s probably some IH strats and unique factors that would also work well.

 

What do you guys think? Is 5 dread DW clearly a style of list that makes sense, or do you think it’s just a solid list run by a very good player? Curious as to whether we’ll see lists like this more regularly as a way to run DW/SM

[TheSauce]

Skill of player is probably to biggest factor, as well as meta matchups.

 

+1 to hit vs Fly is going to be a big bonus in a Dark Eldar dominated meta

 

I think some of the special sauce could be the split proteus kill teams? 4 bikes plus 1 vanguard still counts as infantry due to the weird kill team infantry abstraction, which is a bit of power-gaming that most players wouldn't expect (as those bikes can now move through/in buildings, get cover, do actions, etc.)

[Trollbeard]

I believe John (the player who won the GT) was playing the KTs combat squaded. The bike and Vanvet we zipping around the battlefield, with the shotgun wielding vets holding objectives in the back, performing actions, and denying enemy deep strike. Having fast moving and tough troop choices definitely seems interesting.