Rack em up Rack em up
Total Points: 2000
Army Analysis
Strategic Analysis
Army Grade
Army Strength
The primary strength of this list is its tactical flexibility and powerful character synergies. The combination of the Watch Master with The Tome of Ectoclades, a Storm Speeder Thunderstrike, and various Kill Teams allows you to designate and eliminate almost any high-priority enemy target with shocking efficiency. The list also boasts significant durability through its two T6 Indomitor Kill Teams and multiple units with Storm Shields, allowing it to control the mid-board effectively. Finally, the Judiciar with the Beacon Angelis provides an incredible repositioning tool that can steal objectives or escape untenable combats.
Army Weakness
This army is highly character-dependent. The loss of the Watch Master, Gravis Captain, or Judiciar will severely diminish the effectiveness of their respective units and break key synergies. The army has a relatively low model count, making it susceptible to being overwhelmed by horde armies or bogged down by cheap, disposable units. While possessing good mobility options, the core Indomitor Kill Team anchors are very slow (Move 5"), which can be exploited by faster armies that can dictate engagement ranges.
Overview
This is a well-rounded Deathwatch 'toolbox' list designed for mid-board control and attrition. The game plan revolves around establishing a durable presence with the Indomitor Kill Teams, screening the deployment zone with Infiltrators, and using the army's flexible damage output to dismantle the opponent piece by piece. The two Terminator squads provide deep strike threats, while the Veteran squads act as specialized scalpels—one a teleporting melee bomb with the Judiciar, the other a versatile hunter with the Watch Master. Success with this list relies on correctly identifying priority targets and layering buffs from characters, the Thunderstrike, and Mission Tactics to achieve decisive kills each turn.
List Balance
The list is exceptionally well-balanced, presenting a credible threat in both the shooting and fight phases. It has dedicated anti-tank in the Thunderstrike and multi-meltas, excellent anti-elite/infantry from Frag Cannons and massed power weapons, and durable objective-holding units. The inclusion of Infiltrators for screening and Incursors for early board presence and buffs demonstrates a strong understanding of mission play. It doesn't lean too heavily into one strategy, giving it the flexibility to adapt to various opponents and missions.
Statistics
- Total Points: 2000
- Total Units: 14
- Total Models: 57
Critical Units (Auto-Includes)
- Watch Master: The brain of the army. His ability to manipulate Mission Tactics is central to the Deathwatch game plan.
- Judiciar w/ Beacon Angelis: Provides an unmatched tactical redeployment ability that can win games on its own.
- Storm Speeder Thunderstrike: The +1 to Wound debuff is a massive force multiplier for the entire army's shooting.
Anti-Vehicle
- Storm Speeder Thunderstrike
- Indomitor Kill Team (Multi-melta)
- Deathwatch Terminator Squad (Cyclone missile launcher, Thunder hammer)
- Deathwatch Veterans (Deathwatch thunder hammer)
Anti-Elite
- Deathwatch Veterans (Thunder hammer, Frag cannon)
- Deathwatch Terminator Squad (Thunder hammer, Power fist)
- Indomitor Kill Team (Power fists)
- Judiciar
Elite
- Deathwatch Veterans
- Deathwatch Terminator Squad
- Indomitor Kill Team
- Vanguard Veteran Squad with Jump Packs
Infantry
- Captain in Gravis Armour
- Judiciar
- Watch Master
- Deathwatch Veterans
- Intercessor Squad
- Deathwatch Terminator Squad
- Incursor Squad
- Indomitor Kill Team
- Infiltrator Squad
- Vanguard Veteran Squad with Jump Packs
Role - Fire Overwatch
- Indomitor Kill Team (Flamestorm gauntlets)
- Deathwatch Veterans (Frag cannon)
Role - Screening & Chaff
- Infiltrator Squad (12" deep strike denial)
- Incursor Squad (Forward deployment screen)
Ability - Scout
- Incursor Squad (Scout 6")
Ability - Infiltrators
- Infiltrator Squad
- Incursor Squad
Unmatched Tactical Flexibility
The combination of the Black Spear Task Force's Mission Tactics and the Watch Master's abilities allows the army to pivot its strengths to perfectly counter the most pressing enemy threat on a turn-by-turn basis. This makes the army highly adaptable and difficult to plan against.
High Durability
Two large Indomitor Kill Teams (T6, 3W) form a resilient core, while multiple units equipped with Storm Shields and Astartes Shields enhance survivability. This allows the army to absorb punishment while controlling key objectives.
Powerful Redeployment
The Beacon Angelis on the Judiciar is a game-changing enhancement, allowing a potent melee unit to teleport across the board at the end of the opponent's turn. This provides immense pressure and scoring potential in the late game.
Character Dependency
Many of the army's most powerful combos are tied directly to its characters. Losing the Watch Master or the Storm Speeder Thunderstrike early can cause the army's synergistic damage output to collapse, turning efficient kill-teams into mediocre squads.
Low Model Count
As an elite army, every loss is felt keenly. The list can struggle against horde armies that can absorb its high-quality attacks and overwhelm it on objectives through sheer numbers. It is also vulnerable to being 'screened out' by cheap, disposable units.
Slow Core
The Indomitor Kill Teams are the durable anchor of the list, but their 5" movement speed makes them ponderous. Fast-moving opponents can potentially play around these units, forcing them to spend turns walking rather than influencing the game.
Synergistic Overkill
The opportunity exists to layer multiple buffs onto a single target for a devastating blow. By marking a target with the Incursors (+1 to Hit) and the Thunderstrike (+1 to Wound), then using the appropriate Mission Tactic (e.g., Malleus for re-rolling wounds), you can ensure the complete destruction of an enemy lynchpin unit.
Late-Game Objective Stealing
Hold the Beacon Angelis teleport as a trump card. In the final turns, this can be used to move the powerful 10-man Veteran squad from a safe position onto a weakly held enemy objective, swinging the primary score decisively in your favor.
Precision & Character Sniping
Opponents with access to high-damage Precision weapons are a major threat. They can bypass your durable units to eliminate the characters that provide crucial buffs, effectively neutralizing your key synergies.
High-Volume, High-Strength Attacks
While durable, the army's units are not invincible. Armies that can output a high volume of S10+ shots with AP-2 or better can overwhelm even the Toughness 6 Indomitors and punch through Terminator armour, quickly attriting your forces.
Army Strength
This Deathwatch list is defined by its flexibility and synergistic damage. It can adapt its buffs turn-by-turn to efficiently counter whatever you present as the biggest threat. Its core units are very durable (T6 Indomitors, Terminators), making them difficult to remove from objectives. Furthermore, powerful character combinations and the Beacon Angelis enhancement provide surprising mobility and melee punch.
Army Weakness
The army's greatest strength is also its weakness: it is highly reliant on its characters and key support units. If you can eliminate their Watch Master, their buffing capability is halved. If you destroy the Storm Speeder Thunderstrike, their ranged damage output drops significantly. The army is also elite, so trading units effectively and focusing fire to remove squads will hurt them more than a horde army.
Overview
Expect this army to play a cagey, tactical game focused on controlling the center of the board. They will use their tough Indomitor Kill Teams to anchor their position, while mobile elements like Terminators and Veterans threaten your flanks or drop into your backline. They will try to 'mark' your most valuable unit with their Storm Speeder and Incursors, then focus fire it down with multiple buffed squads. Be constantly aware of the Beacon Angelis threat – a powerful 10-man Veteran squad can teleport across the board at the end of your turn to steal an objective you thought was safe.
Army Rule
Oath of Moment: Like all Space Marines, they can select one enemy unit at the start of their Command Phase. Until their next Command Phase, they can re-roll all Hit rolls and all Wound rolls for attacks targeting that unit. Combined with their other abilities, this makes them exceptionally lethal against a single high-value target.
Detachment Rule
Black Spear Task Force: At the start of each player's Command Phase, they can select a Mission Tactic. This grants their army a bonus against a specific Battlefield Role (e.g., Infantry, Vehicle). The main bonuses are Lethal Hits, Sustained Hits 1, or Precision on Critical Hits. The Watch Master character allows his unit to select a different tactic, letting them hunt two different unit types effectively in one turn.
Core Flaws
The army's effectiveness is a house of cards built on synergies. By removing a single key piece, you can cause a cascade failure. Their core objective holders, the Indomitor Kill Teams, are extremely slow and can be outmaneuvered. The army can also struggle if its turn-one plan is disrupted, as it lacks overwhelming numbers to recover from early losses. Forcing them to spread their buffs across multiple threats, rather than focusing on one, will dilute their effectiveness.
Top 3 Priority Targets (Kill Order)
- Storm Speeder Thunderstrike: This is Target #1. It is relatively fragile (T7, 9W, 3+ save) and removing its +1 to Wound debuff is the single most effective way to reduce the lethality of the entire enemy army. Kill it immediately.
- Watch Master: As the army's primary force multiplier, eliminating him neuters their tactical flexibility. He will be embedded in a unit, so you'll need Precision weapons or have to destroy his entire bodyguard squad to get to him.
- Judiciar's 10-man Veteran Squad: This is their primary melee hammer and game-stealing utility piece. It is a large, threatening unit that must be dealt with before it can charge your lines or teleport to a vital objective in the late game.
Counter-Deployment & Movement Cues
Deploy to deny deep strike lanes for their two Terminator squads, especially in your backfield. Use cheap units to screen out at least 9" from your board edges. Be mindful of the Beacon Angelis; any objective within 24" of the Judiciar's unit is at risk. Try to deploy key units out of line-of-sight to protect them from a potential turn one strike by the Thunderstrike. If possible, deploy your forces to one side of the board to force their slow Indomitor units to waste turns walking to get into position.