Inquisitor and Retinue Build Suggestions

[RedsandRoyals]

Thanks to the miracle of disposable income, I've been able to breath a bit of life back in to my 40k collection. I've got my Marines, still, and I'm in the procees of adding a small Guard/Scions force (not sure which yet, but it's nearly done), a respectable Sisters army, and a very small Inquisition task force. The problem is that I more or less couldn't be bothered with 6th Edition (which turned out to be a good call since it went by the wayside so fast), and haven't really touched whatever 7th (or 6.5 or whatever). As a result, I'm pretty out of the loop on what are, and are not, useful builds for Inquisitors and their retinues. I'd like to hear from you guys if you have any suggestions for what I should go with.

A few caveats, though...

- I'm probably going to end up with one Hereticus, one Xenos, and one Malleus inquisitor, so it would be ideal to have different builds for each that compliment one another and utilize their unique wargear options and so forth. They probably won't be on the table all at the same time, but I'd like them to have a nice synergy if they ever hit the field as a group.

- I'm trying to avoid using GW minis. I've found companies that make high quality minis I like the look of for less than what GW sells at. This might slightly hamper my wargear and retinue options, but if anyone has minis they think would work well as proxies for specific units or builds, feel free to share a link. Even if I don't use them, someone else might seem them and decide they like the look of it.

- I'm going to build at least one retinue for close combat (because who doesn't love crusaders/death cultists?), but the rest are sort of open ended in terms of what they do.

- I'd like to avoid anything obviously heretical or ridiculous for fluff reasons, so no demonhosts, Space Chimps, etc.

- I don't particularly care if it's the 'best' build. I'm more interested in it being interesting, fluffy for my force, and still effective.


So, with all that in mind, any thoughts?

[yvain]

I don't know about fluff because doesn't a retinue just use what ever you make up for him? For me, I use a female Inquisitor with 2 stormtrooper crusaders, and some two weapon armed catachans with camo paint to act as counts as death cults that were acquired from the rest of my catachans force. I also made some custom priests from Catachans as well. The stormtroopers use Scion bodies and heads with Cadian legs and a riot shield I got from anvil minis. I also built a female Coteaz from spare parts and a female head from cut off from a Warmachine model. Coteaz is really awesome still and worth using in game.

Inquisitor model is this one: www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/Sci-Fi/oldest/50001

I don't use these, but I saw them the other day and they look cool: www.trolls.cz/collections/sci-fi-miniatures

For builds with close combat, Crusaders, Death Cults, and Priests make a good combo. 2 crusaders, 2 death cults, and at least one priest is a good base. A second priest and a bunch of regular guys for bodies and a servitor for AP 2 works well. The priest gives re roll to hit and the crusaders absorb wounds with reroll 3+ save in close combat. This is a vicious MEQ killer with 8 S4 AP3 attacks at INT 6 as well as the Crusader and the Inquistor. This build pairs well with the Xeno Inquisitor with his two grenades and can be very powerful.

An opposite build is one that relies on 3x Servitors with PC and a conversion beamer xeno inquistor or Mali inquisitor with hell rifle can put out a lot of fire from the safety of long range and a chimera. The Inquisition codex Chimera still have like 5 fire points. It would be better with the monkey, but you don't want one so it is probably out. You could always in another model for the monkey and call it a drone or robot.

There is another build you could use with acolyte pretending to be stormtroopers. The acolyte build with hotshots and special weapons is okay, but it is kind of a dud as it is too expensive for what it is. I just use regular stormtroopers with my Inquisitor as it is more fluffy in my opinion and they benefit from servo skulls.

[RedsandRoyals]

I'm probably going to build my own Coteaz, somehow (most likely using TGG bits). Another TGG mini will probably serve as my Hereticus Inquisitor. I actually have the same mini you do from Reaper, and I've been considering using it as Rogue Trader, while using the Xenos inquisitor rules when on the table. I could also use a Heroforge custom mini, but I'm not sure how detailed they'll be, and I want my Inquisitors to 'pop' on the battlefield, like a good centerpiece mini. I may also co-opt my winged Canoness mini, since it's very well painted (and therefor obviously not painted by me), and the configuration is no longer legal in the current Sisters codex as far as I'm aware. Other options include cobbling something together from GK bits (my single squad of GKs are not, in fact, GW minis, so there'd be no thematic redundancy in the minis), or rounding up the stray reaper and other non GW minis I have and using something from there, so I can sort of pick and chose depending of the feel I want for the Inquisitor and retinue.

I sort of came to the same conclusion about retinue types, although the Priest addition never entered my head for some reason, and I didn't know about the Xenos inquisitor's grenades; I was thinking of using Xenos as a support unit more than melee, so I'm glad you mentioned it, I'll have to revisit it. The xeno inquisitor with conversion beamer and Servitor retinue seems like a good fire support build, so I may opt for that instead. I share your opinion on the basic acolyte swarm; too expensive for what they do.

Another question, though. Should I run Scions or Vets? Even with the hell rifles, scions seem... underwhelming, for the price, and Vets are more flexible. I'm going to run them in BAE Warrior models, as I mentioned elsewhere, and those are easier to proxy as Chimeras than Tauroxes anyway.

[yvain]

I run my Inquisition with Stormtroopers because it is fluffy. I use a Stormtrooper, four Assassin, Insquistion force. Most of the time it is a dud, but some times it just murders.

Veterans are pretty much better in nearly every case (like 90% of the time). Stormtroopers are very hit or miss and work better as an allied force than a solo one (Stormtrooper orders from the MT book are pretty sweet). It is nice to have a few Stormtrooper units as an ace in the hole deep striker, but most of the time you should be using Veterans.

The Taurox prime is way overpriced and really only worth taking because it is all Stormtroopers have. The regular Taurox on the other hand is actually a decent option. The reason is that both the Chimera and Taurox are over priced and neither are very good. When it comes down to it what are you paying for with a Chimera? That is +1 AV, lasgun array, and orders. For 15 points less you gain a TL AC and a free dozer blade. +1 AV seems more important until you realize that no one has ever had a problem killing a Chimera. It is also really easy to just get side armor on the thing and then advantage is wasted. On the other hand, the smaller Taurox (the real model is around 50% smaller) just rolls straight into heavy terrain and gets a cover save and becomes infinity more survivable. Also there is a weird hidden advantage of the vehicle being so crappy no one wants to waste strong fire power on it. What usually seems to happen is it gets immobilized and dropped down to 1 HP and just sits there plinking away with its TL AC all game. Having a mix of A few Taurox with a Chimera has served me pretty well so far.

[RedsandRoyals]

You've swayed me, I think. I also double checked the weapon options on the minis I'll be using, and I can proxy enough different special weapons with the kits to go with Vets. The proxy transport I'm using also fits the baseline Taurox better (with the added bonus of a low profile and slim sides, even if it is longer). Thanks!

[treadiculous]

wow.. thanks for the link to HeroForge!!

Inquisitors.. meh, a good sergeant is all you need.

[cheminhaler]

I'm actually with Tread on this. Even though you can get a few dubious bonuses with an inquisitor - and the base model is quite cheap in points - you're probably better off trimming the excess fat off of your lists and trying to get a second Combined Arms Detachment in there.
It's harder to do with guard infantry platoons but veteran guardsmen, sisters and marines are all easy to write multiple detachment lists for, and then you have access to 6 or even 9 heavy support slots, depending on points. (The new Skitarri have 4 HS slots per CAD but conversely their walker tanks are better off in multiple squadrons rather than each to their own slot; new GK, I believe, only have 2 HS slots)

-Your last bullet point ; 'still effective' is hard when you're playing against lists with access to so many heavy support slots. In those instances I'd load up like crazy on anti-tank weaponry, especially as Knight armies are a thing now. Fortifications are another consideration. Empty tells me of a local Dark Angel player who uses a large fortification with a built in missile silo.

[Paimon]

My basic inquisitor load out is to grab two Hereticus inquisitors with Null Rods and Psyocculums, and to fill up on Servo Skulls. This, along with a handful of Death Cult Assassins and crusaders is intended to fill my close combat and psyker defense hole, as with Sisters and Guard, both are needed. If I go guard as primary instead of allies, then I get all the basilisk templates. That is, two CCSs with MoOs, and three actual Basilisks. This means that my Ordinance is all super accurate, and my killy things can't be debuffed or killed by psykers, while also being highly good at shooting them.

With Sisters primary, the Death Cultists (and priest, who goes with them) get a shiny Land Raider Crusader, since there are far fewer explosions that need servo skulls, and a whole inquisitor can be dropped. The Cultists don't need to hang back as counter assault, and get to ride in behind the Dominion Squads to blend anything that the melta fails to melt. The Inquisitor here goes with the single blob squad that squats in the centre of the world and uses BS10 las rifles with FRFSRF against any psyker or psychic pilot that comes close.

[cheminhaler]

How long do the servo skulls usually last?

I was reading that they get removed instantly as soon as enemy get within 6" (?); would be interesting to see your list vs a White Scar biker/ outflanking army.

[RedsandRoyals]

@chem: Look at it this way; In the event that I decide I want to run an inquisitor, probably for fluff reasons, I want the build to be effective. That's why I'm soliciting advice. I most games, I'd be fielding my straight marine force. The other army elements in my collection either haven't arrived, or aren't self contained or useful enough to warrant fielding below, say, 1750pts.

[Paimon]

May 22, 2015 7:42:27 GMT -5 cheminhaler said:

How long do the servo skulls usually last?

I was reading that they get removed instantly as soon as enemy get within 6" (?); would be interesting to see your list vs a White Scar biker/ outflanking army.

With six servo skulls you can disallow any infiltrating or scouting outside of the deployment zones. If they last long enough to have a couple of ordinance blasts scatter d6 less, then that's gravy.

[RedCuffs]

Reading this thread with interest as I'm looking at an Inquisitor for my Drop Troop list, bit like D99.
Anyway, I thought I'd mention, for those who don't know yet, that my local gaming store tried to order some SM codex ... none in stock, out of print.
I'm led to believe that it means there's a new codex looming on the horizon.
Should post this in rumours really shouldn't I ... ?

[cheminhaler]

May 25, 2015 16:21:17 GMT -5 Paimon said:

With six servo skulls you can disallow any infiltrating or scouting outside of the deployment zones. If they last long enough to have a couple of ordinance blasts scatter d6 less, then that's gravy.

I might try out a minimal Inquisitor allied list using servo skulls. It'll be easy enough to make them with the spare ones in the devastator marine box.

[mannimal]

Have been looking into this a bit before checking for posts.

I'm looking to run a xenos in a blob of 30 with a couple min priests as a assault unit.
Using rad grenades and hammerhand, together with the priests zealot and chants to gain crazy bonuses.

However can anyone help with the difference between hammerhand in the inquisitor codex and hammerhand in the 7th rulebook?