Grey Knights | Warhammer 40,000 Tactical Guide

• Augury of Aggression- Let’s one CORE or CHARACTER within 12” hit on 4+ when Overwatching. You still need to activate the Stratagem to Overwatch, and at 20pts it’s not too cheap, but this can cause a big dent in a charge if used on the right unit. 
• Heroism’s Favour- For 15pts you can give a CORE unit within 12” the ability to Heroically Intervene for a phase. Useful to add a deterrent to your lines or for a unit to support another or help retain control of an Objective. 
• A Noble Death- In your Command Phase, you grant all CORE and CHARACTERS within 6” Objective Secured, the ability to Set to Defend, and to count as 2 models instead of 1 if they’re already ObSec, until the start of your next Command Phase. For 20pts this is a great ability to help turn the tide on an Objective or help with some incoming charges. Be wary of the timing, as this turns off at the start of the Command Phase, so it will help you hold a contested Objective, or move to turn off a held Objective, but won’t last long enough to be active for scoring Primary in the following turn, so make sure you time it well. 
• Omen of Incursion- Let’s you shoot at an enemy unit that arrived from Reinforcements within 12” of a CORE or CHARACTER this turn. Expensive at 30pts, and short ranged, but does affect pretty much any unit on the board so you have flexibility in who uses it. A good deterrent to have, and can dent a unit attempting to do Secondaries or charges, if used on the right target.
• Presaged Paralysis- One enemy unit you select at the start of your Charge Phase cannot Overwatch or Set to Defend that turn. Not bad for 15pts, and can be important to ensure a unit makes it to melee unscathed.
• Foretelling of Locus- Redeploy 3 CORE units after deployment is finished, or put them into Strategic Reserves for free. Any redeploy abilities are fantastic, and for 30pts this is a fairly cost effective ability. Needs to be done before determining first turn so can’t use it to too great of advantage, but is great for shoring up a weaker flank, or putting pressure on another part of the setup your opponent left open.

• True Name Shard- A DAEMON unit within 6” of the bearer at the start of the Fight Phase must Fight Last. Cheap as chips for 10pts for a powerful rule, but obviously very limited on it’s application. Probably not worth binging unless you’re expecting to see tons of DAEMONS.
• Temporal Bombs- Pregame you can set up a trap on an Area Terrain piece not in your Deployment Zone, secretly noting it on your Roster. The first enemy unit to start or end a move in it takes D3 Mortal Wounds on a 2+. It’s fine, but not all that powerful for 15pts, and will generally not be too much of a disincentive for many armies.
• Servant of the Throne- The bearer gets a 3++ for a turn. Fantastic at 20pts, even if for only a turn this makes a Character particularly tough to shift, and can keep them around in the face of powerful attacks far longer than they should, really scuppering your opponent’s plans and target priority.
• Deluminator of Majesty- A Bolt Weapon fires only 1 shot, but if it hits a DAEMON it turns off their Auras until the start of your next Shooting Phase. Pretty limited, especially given most DAEMONS don’t have amazing Auras to begin with, or aren’t targetable in the first place, so for 15pts you’re not getting a huge amount of benefits from this.
• Gem of Inoktu- The bearer gets +2 to Cast Dominus Powers for a Psychic Phase. Great at 15pts to ensure a crucial power goes off, giving you good reliability. Best of course on a Librarian who can use 2 powers innately, thus getting more mileage from this.
• Severance Bolt- Pregame you pick an enemy CHARACTER, then you can fire a single shot from a Bolt Weapon into that CHARACTER, ignoring Look Out Sir, doing D3 Mortal Wounds on a hit. If they’re a PSYKER, they also forget a random Power if you roll over their Ld on 3D6. Not cheap at 30pts for what it does, and narrow in scope given it applies to that one selected CHARACTER.

• Psychic Channelling- Roll 3D6 picking 2 when a PSYKER manifests any powers. Whilst most units are only eligible to cast 1 Power, this is great on anything capable of casting more, or when combined with Mental Focus, and for 1CP this is affordable and potent to ensure key powers go through, or to fish for enhanced effects like Super Smites. 
• Psychic Onslaught- When a PSYKER Shoots, all their Psi weapons get +1Str and AP. A good offensive boost for a cheap 1CP, but will depend on the target in terms of returns. A single Psycannon is not really worth it when compared to a full unit in a Purgation Squad, or on a Dreadknight.
• The Steel Heart- A TERMINATOR unit gets +1 to Hit in the Fight Phase. Any accuracy boost is great, be it for maximum hits or to offset possible minuses, and 1CP makes it affordable in most scenarios.
• Death from the Warp- For 1 CP a PSYKER that arrives via Teleport Strike (and only Teleport Strike, not any other redeploy type abilities) gets +1 to Hit with their Ranged Attacks. As with the above, any accuracy boosts are great to ensure greater carnage on arrival. 
• Powerful Adept- Adds +6” to the Range of any Powers a PSYKER casts for 1 CP, useful for when an enemy thought themselves safe from damage, or if you need to split your forces whilst still benefiting from certain buffs. Can also be useful to make certain powers a threat from Deep Striking as well, such as Purifying Flame. Doesn’t make Vortex of Doom splash to 9”, don’t be silly. 
• Sanctified Kill Zone- A PURGATION SQUAD gets +1 to Wound in the Shooting Phase when targeting a unit within half range. A couple of hoops to jump through, especially since this is on a model by model basis, and costly at 2CP. Useful if it comes up, but not something to really use all that often.

• Final Justice- Fight back with a CHARACTER when they are slain, provided they’ve not already attacked this turn. Given most of your Characters are pretty beefy in combat, this helps in ensuring they can still make an impact on the battlefield before being removed. Doesn’t work on CROWE as he does it for free anyways, and DREADKNIGHTS will attack on their bottom profile, assuming precedence from other similar rules and the timing of when this happens.
• Shadow of Undying Legends- Gives a DREADNOUGHT a Grand Master’s or a Brother-Captain’s Aura for a round, letting CORE units in 6” reroll 1s to Hit or 1s to Wound respectively. Useful when needed, and can let you spread out your forces if there’s a Dread nearby to support units out of a character’s Aura, or to make up for a missing or dead Character. 
• Purity of the Machine Spirit- A MACHINE SPIRIT acts on its top profile until your next Command Phase. Land Raiders and Stormravens degrade quite badly, so for 2CP to keep them fully active isn’t bad, if you have one that is key to your plans, and it isn’t destroyed outright.
• Empyric Declamation- A CHAPLAIN auto passes a Litany at the start of any Phase (except the Command Phase), provided they haven’t recited a Litany already, and the Litany in question has not been recited elsewhere. Expensive, but if your battle plan absolutely hinges on a Litany going off the cost often outweighs the risk. Also can be used to make Chaplains able to use Litanies from Reinforcements, not something they’d normally be able to do, so offers you some flexibility, albeit at a high cost. 
• Chirurgic Resurrection- An APOTHECARY brings back an INFANTRY model back to life from a unit below Starting Strength within 3” at the end of the Movement Phase. Obviously he needs to be nearby, which can limit your maneuverability for a bit, but bringing someone back for 1CP can be important, especially if it’s a model from a powerful unit like Paladins.
• Psychic Locus- Your BROTHER-CAPTAIN grants +1 to Cast in a 6” Aura for a Psychic Phase. Whilst costly at 2 CP, this is a fantastic force multiplier, great to ensure key powers go off, or to assist in damage dealing by making repeated Smites easier to use. Only affects BROTHERHOOD units though, so doesn’t work on units like DRAIGO or PALADINS, so be aware of that when positioning. 
• Finest Hour- +3” to a CHARACTERS Auras for a Phase, to a max of 12”. A nice boost to ensure units are in range of important auras, or can move into more advantageous positions and still receive the benefits. Useful to have for only 1 CP, though not something necessary every turn or indeed every game.
• Thunderous Stride- A DREADKNIGHT rolls a D6 after Charging, doing D3 Mortal Wounds to an enemy unit within Engagement Range on a 2+, or flat 3 Mortals on a 6. For a single CP it’s fine, though Dreadknights are generally good enough to kill most things they touch without the help.

• Armoury of Titan- The standard “Extra Relic” Stratagem. Grey Knights have some decent enough Relics that can help define Characters, but going heavy on them is usually not necessary as most can hold themselves up without one.
• Exemplar of the Silvered Host- Gives a second Warlord Trait to your WARLORD. Pretty dependant on your Brotherhood, as generally taking 2 of the main Traits isn’t really worthwhile, whilst some combinations of Brotherhood and standard Traits can make some particularly nasty combat or support characters. 
• Shield of Humanity-  A non-Warlord CHARACTER in your army gets a Warlord Trait, which is fine but again dependent on what you want to do and army composition, as some Traits are pretty superfluous or just not worth looking at. 
• Endowment in Extremis- Gives a unit Champion a Relic, discussed in the Relic section, though the selection is small and generally none of them are worthwhile using on a squad.

• Mental Focus- A PSYKER can manifest an additional Power in a Psychic Phase. For 1 CP for most units this amounts to either an additional Smite, or their Brotherhood power, though for Grand Master esque Characters who know more than they can cast, this is helpful to use their full repertoire of powers, particularly if it’s a power they won’t need to use every turn like Warp Shaping. Handy to have, though not always needed.
• Untainted and Unbowed- Gives a PURIFIER SQUAD -1 Dmg for a Phase. Potent vs D2 and D3 Dmg weapons as it will effectively double your resilience, though of course useless vs Dmg 3+ Weapons. For 2CP regardless of squad size, this can keep your Purifiers active for a lot longer, or force difficult decisions on your opponent regarding targets and what weapons to use. 
• Psy-lance Bombardment- A once per game, expensive Stratagem that requires your WARLORD to be on the Battlefield. Place a marker anywhere on the battlefield, and in your next Command Phase it essentially explodes doing D3 Mortal Wounds to all units within 6” on a 2+, or D6 Mortal Wounds if you roll a 6+ (with a +1 to the roll for units within 3” and -1 to CHARACTERS). As with all these air strike type Stratagems, there’s a lot of hoops to jump through for often minimal damage, though the real strength comes from the board manipulation it can cause when placed at a choke point or on an Objective. Whether that’s worth 3CP is down to you and the situation the game is in.
• The Need to Know- After revealing your Secondaries, you can spend a CP to change one of yours, following the usual rules on categories etc. Can be done multiple times, though realistically you should have 1, maybe 2 in mind as a backup. Won’t always be useful, especially since you should generally be choosing Objectives that you can achieve independently of what your opponent might choose, but at least you have the option for those niche instances. 
• Alloy of Disciplines- A PALADIN unit can swap out one of their powers for another Sanctic Power. Good flexibility on a unit that already has good flexibility, so they can always have something available, though with a choice of 2 already and still only casting 1 they might not need to use this often. 
• Martial Presence- When a unit that Sets to Defend is attacked in the Fight Phase, you can use this to do 1 Mortal Wound back to the attacker for each unmodified 6 made to Save. Whilst this has a few prerequisites, and basically necessitates slow rolling Saves (you can’t roll saves if you’re dead), there is no limit on the number of Mortals done, and even if there is no chance of making the Saves, you are still eligible to roll. For 1 CP, it’s not bad to help add a bit of extra damage to a unit. 
• Steely Advance- An INFANTRY unit counts as Remaining Stationary instead of making a Normal Move. Costly at 2CP, but avoids minus for Heavy weapons as well as letting their Storm Bolters always Rapid Fire, so a squad can always contribute a fairly meaningful amount of shots, even across the board. 

• Hexagrammic Wards- Roll 3D6 picking the 2 highest for a Deny the Witch. Stacking with your built in +1 makes it a tough ask for enemies to get an important power through, so save it for those crucial ones – a Twist of Fate on a Dreadknight is far more important to stop than a Tzeentch’s Firestorm, for example. 
• Teleportation Shunt- For a not insignificant 2 CP, you can redeploy a TELEPORTER unit instead of making a Normal Move, once per game per unit. A great repositioning tool, though can’t be used to get out of combat (as you can’t do a Normal Move there), so this is predominately for utility or offensive plays, though still useful to get out of dodge should the unit be unable to get away from an impending attack quickly enough. 
• Mists of Deimos- Smokescreen, but named after a moon!  The usual a -1 to Hit against enemy units that target a SMOKESCREEN unit for a Shooting Phase. A god defense buff for your tanks. 
• Truesilver Armour- A CORE INFANTRY unit can only be wounded on an unmodified 4+. A fantastic defensive ability when there are strong weapons that would normally be wounding on 2s or 3s, or to counteract any bonuses to Wound via special rules or Stratagems. If there’s a key unit that needs to live, accept no substitutes. Expensive however, at 2 CP base, or 3 if if there are 6+ models in the unit, so this can burn through your CP very quickly. 
• Psybolt Ammunition- Supercharges a unit’s Bolt Weapons for a phase, granting them -1 AP and any 6s to Hit autowound. Helpful to get through extra wounds on a tougher unit, but the main draw is the AP, letting a unit tear through lighter infantry. Costs 1 CP, or 2 on units with 6+ models, this can add up quick on bigger units, but even on smaller squads lets them add a bit more punch to their ranged assaults.
• Zone of Warding- A unit with a Warding Stave gets a 5++ vs Ranged Attacks, or a 4++ if they’re a TERMINATOR, costing 2 CP on units with 6+ models, or 1 CP otherwise. A good defensive boost, making it worth having a Stave in all your units just for the ability to access this when needed. Lasts the whole phase after being targeted, so can be worked around by the opponent by just shooting elsewhere, and not really useful vs AP 1 or 2 weapons, but still useful to have up your sleeve.
• Psyk-Out Grenade- A unit with PSYK-OUT GRENADES that is not in Engagement Range, can lob one of them at the closest visible enemy PSYKER within 6” in your Shooting Phase, causing them to instantly Perils. Not always useful of course, and the short range keeps it a little limited, but the potential to kill or heaviliy wound a Psyker for a single CP is nice to have, and even when they explode you have your shrugs to help you survive the fallout. 
• Frag Assault Launchers- An ASSAULT LAUNCHERS unit picks a non-VEHICLE/MONSTER unit within 9”, and that unit chooses to either take D3 Mortal Wounds, or be unable to Overwatch, Set to Defend and suffer -1 to their Attacks until the end of the turn. With the choice being your opponents, and only being usable by 2 Land Raider variants, this will rarely see use.

For CHARACTERS only, these are otherwise a normal Discipline. 

1. Gate of Infinity (WC 7) (B)- Pick a PSYKER within 18” and redeploy them. Great for offensive repositioning, getting out of unfavourable combats, opening up shooting, or making plays on the mission, whilst it is a high cost it’s well worth having, as movement is key and being able to threaten almost anywhere on the board is a powerful tool to have. 
2. Empyric Amplification* (WC 7) (M)- A visible enemy unit within 12” is marked, causing all Nemesis and Psi weapons to get +1 Dmg vs them. An army wide Damage boost for some of your most common weapons is very powerful, and helps shore up the generally weaker anti ‘big thing’ Grey Knights can have. Short range and high cost can make this tricky to pull off at optimal times, but can drastically swing a shooting phase or combat in your favour when used on a key target. 
3. Sanctuary* (WC 6) (B)- Grants a 4++ to a unit within 18”. A great defensive buff on any of your units really, barring those with a 4++ already of course. Best off on a unit that is liable to take a battering in a coming turn, or needs to survive in order to enact a plan or hold an Objective. 
4. Vortex of Doom (WC 7) (W)- The nearest visible enemy within 12” takes 2D3 Mortal Wounds, and then every enemy unit within 3” of them takes a Mortal Wound as well. Great for cascading damage along a battleline, or just inflicting significant hurt onto a unit. The splash doesn’t hurt your own units, so feel free to use this at any opportunity. 
5. Warp Shaping (WC 4) (B)- Changes your active Tide of the Warp to another of your choice. Obviously very important if you’re looking at changing your Tides, and the only way to do that, so this is pretty important to have access to. Note you cannot go back to another Tide, so once you’ve come out of a particular Tide you can’t use it again, so just be wary of what you use when. 
6. Ghostly Bonds* (WC 5) (M)- A visible enemy unit within 18” halves their Movement. A potent battlefield control ability, helping to prevent charges, ranges, getting to objectives or limiting sections of a battlefield. Woe betide the opponent that sticks everything behind a screen which then clogs up their battlelines.

Each non-CHARACTER has one of these powers assigned to them, except for PALADINS who can choose 2 of them. Only LIBRARIANS can choose Powers from this Discipline, although most of these only affect themselves, so won’t be too useful for them. 

Psychic Confluence- Similar to Smites, any of these powers can be cast multiple times by different units, but the WC goes up by +1 each time, even if the power is failed. Given there’s a lot of overlap of powers, this helps ensure units will have the option at least. 

1. Astral Aim* (WC 6) (B)- For your PURGATION SQUADS, giving them Ignore Cover, as well as rerolling a single Hit roll when they Shoot. The second part isn’t all that useful due to the high rates of fire these units have, though ignoring cover (both Dense and Light) is a nice buff.
2. Purge Soul (WC 6) (W)- The only power not attached to a unit, and so can only be taken by PALADINS and LIBRARIANS, you pick a visible enemy within 12” and roll off, adding your respective Ld. If you lose, nothing happens, on a draw the enemy takes 1 Mortal Wound, and D3 if you win. It’s fine, but nothing special given it’s low range and unreliable output. A unit can only be selected once per Phase with this as well, so no multiple Paladins trying to nuke down an enemy Character. 
3. Hammerhand* (WC 5) (B)- The “mainstay” power, available for STRIKE SQUADS, TERMINATORS and DREADKNIGHTS, giving them reroll Wounds in melee. A powerful boost for those about to make it to combat, and usually better than a lone Smite or Brotherhood power in those instances (with some exceptions). Always useful regardless of target. 
4. Purifying Flame (WC 5) (W)- As the name suggests, PURIFIERS can use this to unleash a half range Smite that always does 3 Mortal Wounds, or D3+3 on an 11+. A potent close range damage dealer, though dependent on being up close, which is where they want to be, but useless from Deep Strikes unless you’re using Powerful Adept to bump the range. Smite on your way in, then unleash this as the gap closes. 
5. Armoured Resilience* (WC 6) (B)- Make your DREADNOUGHTS a bit tougher by adding +1 to Armour Saves. A decent enough boost, granting them at least a 5 or 6+ Sv against the common AP anti tank weapons. Won’t help them too much in the long run, though useful to discourage lighter firepower trying to get chip damage through. 
6. Ethereal Castigation (WC 6) (B)- Grants the INTERCEPTORS their fantastic movement abilities, letting them Shoot then immediately make a Normal Move, at the expense of doing anything else later that turn. You don’t have to do either of these, so you could just move if that’s all you need. Don’t forget that you can’t do this after any teleport type abilities, and any Stratagems used in the Shooting Phase do not work here, so no double dipping, but likewise this can be useful to bypass defensive abilities the opponent might be looking to use.