This final part of my Deathwatch review will take a look at the formations available in the new codex. Most of these formations are based on different Kill Teams available to the Deathwatch squads.
Kill Teams
The majority of the formations available to the Deathwatch are in the form of Kill Teams, made up of combined units from the codex.
All Kill Teams are fixed at a maximum of 10 models in the unit, excluding transport vehicles. Each member of the Kill Team forms a single unit that can't be combat squaded and cannot be broken up as the game proceeds.
Aquila Kill Team
This consists of a unit of Veterans and one or more of the following:
Librarian
Termintors
Vanguard Veterans
Bikes
This kill team gets the Aquila Doctrine, re-rolling to Wound and AP rolls of 1. This is a decent generic kill team that gets a bonus on its wound rolls. Adding a Terminator will limit the transport options of the kill team and adding a bike will limit the mobility of the bike.
Furor Kill Team
This consists of a unit of Veterans (one must have a Frag Cannon or Infernus Heavy Bolter) and unit of Terminators, along with any number of the following:
Librarian
Vanguard Veterans
Bikers
This kill team gets the Furor Doctrine, allowing it to re-roll all failed to Wound and AP rolls against Troops. Full re-rolls to wound for this unit are great and you will definitely want to target troops for maximum effect. You will probably want to arm the Terminator with an assault cannon and/or cyclone missile launcher for maximum effect. The compulsory Terminator squad will stop you taking a Rhino or Razorback to get them round, but this unit would be well suited for a drop pod strike on a troops unit holding an objective.
Venator Kill Team
This consists of a unit of Veterans and unit of Bikers (must include at least 2), and any number of the following:
Librarian
Terminators
Vanguard Veterans
This kill team gets the Venator Doctrine, allowing it to re-roll all failed to Wound and AP rolls against fast attack. I'm not wild about having to attach a unit of bikes to infantry as it will seriously hinder the mobility of the bikers. Split fire is nice, allowing you to take a Heavy Weapon and target one enemy unit while you bolters target another. This unit is designed to go after Fast Attack units, but you may struggle to catch most of them unless you put the unit in a Corvus Blackstar, as it cannot take any other transport vehicle.
Dominatus Kill Team
This consists of a unit of Veterans and a unit of Vanguard Veterans (must include at least 2), and any number of the following:
Librarian
Terminators
Bikers
This kill team gets the Dominatus Doctrine, allowing it to re-roll all failed to Wound and AP rolls against Elites.
Unlike regular Vanguard Veterans, Deathwatch Vanguard come with Jump Packs as standard (they are listed as jump infantry, despite not having jump packs in their wargear). This again limits their transport options in this kill team. This kill team does get to re-roll failed charges and ignores disorded charges thanks to the Vanguard Veterans. I would be inclined to arm this unit for assault and go after enemy elites.
Malleus Kill Team
This consists of a unit of Veterans and a unit of Terminators, and any number of the following:
Librarian
Vanguard Veterans
Bikers
Two models must be armed with Thunder Hammers or Heavy Thunder Hammers. This kill team gets the Malleus Doctrine, allowing it to re-roll all failed to Wound and AP rolls against Heavy Support. This kill team seems very well suited for taking on enemy tanks and monstrous creatures that are heavy support choices. Again, the terminators limits mobility options for the unit, requiring a drop pod to close with enemy tanks quickly.
Purgatus Kill Team
This consists of a unit of Veterans, a Librarian, a unit of Terminators, and any number of the following:
Librarian
Vanguard Veterans
Bikers
This kill team gets the Purgatus Doctrine, allowing it to re-roll all failed to Wound and AP rolls against HQ units. The Librarian in this kill team might be better suited with Witchfire powers to take on enemy HQ characters to try and kill them.
Overall, I am not wild about the Kill Teams. Mixing units of infantry, terminators, bikes and jump infantry is a bit odd to me as you are inhibiting the mobility and transport options of all the units involved. I don't think that any of the bonuses are worth the loss of Objective Secured on the Veterans or the loss of mobility for the Bike or Jump infantry units.
One bonus of the Kill Teams is that it gives you an easy way to field lots of Librarians if you want. This is not as useful as the Librarius Conclave as you get no power sharing or casting bonuses, but it is one way to get a lot of power dice for your army.
Strategium Command Team
This formation consists of:
One Watch Captain, Librarian or Chaplain
One unit of Veterans or one of the Kill Teams.
The formation special rules give you:
Fight to the Last Breath- If led by the Captain, all non-vehicle models get 6+ Feel No Pain while he is alive.
Suffer not the Alien to Live- If led by a Chaplain, all non-vehicle units get Furious Charge as long as he is alive.
Pure of Spirit, Strong of Soul- If led by a Librarian, all non-vehicle units get Stubborn and Adamantium Will while he is alive.
Some nice bonuses depending on which leader you take for the formation. I like the Librarian one, he will be able to block powers against the unit on a 4+ and Stubborn is very useful for the morale of the unit. The Captain bonus is nice, if it was a 5+ FNP, it would be a very strong choice!
Watch Company
This formation consists of a Watch Captain and four units of veterans or any of the kill teams.
The Watch Company gains the Decapitation Doctrine, giving them re-rolls to wound and AP rolls against enemy units containing the Warlord, a Psyker or independent characters.
This is a nice bonus when added to the individual Doctrine bonuses of the kill teams and should provide you with a good number of re-rolls against a variety of enemy units.
Corvus Dropship Wing
This formation consists of 3 Corvus Blackstars.
The formation gains the Burning Skies Doctrine, giving them re-rolls to wound and armour penetration against enemy flyers or flying monstrous creatures. This should help you obliterate any enemy flyers with your three flyers.
Black Spear Strike Force
This is the Decurion-type formation available for the Deathwatch. It consists of 1+ core and 1+ auxiliary formations and 1-3 Command Formations.
The Core formations consist of a unit of Veterans, any of the kill teams, the Watch Company, or the Strategium Command Team. The auxiliary formations are a Corvus Blackstar, Dreadnought (including Venerable) or Land Raider. The Command consists of any of the HQ units or a Dreadnought (including Venerable).
The Command Benefits for the formation allow you to re-roll your warlord trait on the Deathwatch table, allows you to change your Mission Tactics and allows all non-vehicle units to Deep Strike.
This formation my be the cheapest Decurion available in 40k. You could take this with a single unit of Veterans and a Dreadnought. This Strike Force allows you to build your army exactly how you want and there are no real "tax units" in the formation. If only it had objective secured, this would be a must take for the Deathwatch.
Overall
The formations for the Deathwatch give some nice thematic ways to run your army and some decent bonuses for each formation. There are none that I see as must have and I would probably not bother with most of them.
Deathwatch Codex Review
Kill Teams
The majority of the formations available to the Deathwatch are in the form of Kill Teams, made up of combined units from the codex.
All Kill Teams are fixed at a maximum of 10 models in the unit, excluding transport vehicles. Each member of the Kill Team forms a single unit that can't be combat squaded and cannot be broken up as the game proceeds.
Aquila Kill Team
This consists of a unit of Veterans and one or more of the following:
Librarian
Termintors
Vanguard Veterans
Bikes
This kill team gets the Aquila Doctrine, re-rolling to Wound and AP rolls of 1. This is a decent generic kill team that gets a bonus on its wound rolls. Adding a Terminator will limit the transport options of the kill team and adding a bike will limit the mobility of the bike.
Furor Kill Team
This consists of a unit of Veterans (one must have a Frag Cannon or Infernus Heavy Bolter) and unit of Terminators, along with any number of the following:
Librarian
Vanguard Veterans
Bikers
This kill team gets the Furor Doctrine, allowing it to re-roll all failed to Wound and AP rolls against Troops. Full re-rolls to wound for this unit are great and you will definitely want to target troops for maximum effect. You will probably want to arm the Terminator with an assault cannon and/or cyclone missile launcher for maximum effect. The compulsory Terminator squad will stop you taking a Rhino or Razorback to get them round, but this unit would be well suited for a drop pod strike on a troops unit holding an objective.
Venator Kill Team
This consists of a unit of Veterans and unit of Bikers (must include at least 2), and any number of the following:
Librarian
Terminators
Vanguard Veterans
This kill team gets the Venator Doctrine, allowing it to re-roll all failed to Wound and AP rolls against fast attack. I'm not wild about having to attach a unit of bikes to infantry as it will seriously hinder the mobility of the bikers. Split fire is nice, allowing you to take a Heavy Weapon and target one enemy unit while you bolters target another. This unit is designed to go after Fast Attack units, but you may struggle to catch most of them unless you put the unit in a Corvus Blackstar, as it cannot take any other transport vehicle.
Dominatus Kill Team
This consists of a unit of Veterans and a unit of Vanguard Veterans (must include at least 2), and any number of the following:
Librarian
Terminators
Bikers
This kill team gets the Dominatus Doctrine, allowing it to re-roll all failed to Wound and AP rolls against Elites.
Unlike regular Vanguard Veterans, Deathwatch Vanguard come with Jump Packs as standard (they are listed as jump infantry, despite not having jump packs in their wargear). This again limits their transport options in this kill team. This kill team does get to re-roll failed charges and ignores disorded charges thanks to the Vanguard Veterans. I would be inclined to arm this unit for assault and go after enemy elites.
Malleus Kill Team
This consists of a unit of Veterans and a unit of Terminators, and any number of the following:
Librarian
Vanguard Veterans
Bikers
Two models must be armed with Thunder Hammers or Heavy Thunder Hammers. This kill team gets the Malleus Doctrine, allowing it to re-roll all failed to Wound and AP rolls against Heavy Support. This kill team seems very well suited for taking on enemy tanks and monstrous creatures that are heavy support choices. Again, the terminators limits mobility options for the unit, requiring a drop pod to close with enemy tanks quickly.
Purgatus Kill Team
This consists of a unit of Veterans, a Librarian, a unit of Terminators, and any number of the following:
Librarian
Vanguard Veterans
Bikers
This kill team gets the Purgatus Doctrine, allowing it to re-roll all failed to Wound and AP rolls against HQ units. The Librarian in this kill team might be better suited with Witchfire powers to take on enemy HQ characters to try and kill them.
Overall, I am not wild about the Kill Teams. Mixing units of infantry, terminators, bikes and jump infantry is a bit odd to me as you are inhibiting the mobility and transport options of all the units involved. I don't think that any of the bonuses are worth the loss of Objective Secured on the Veterans or the loss of mobility for the Bike or Jump infantry units.
One bonus of the Kill Teams is that it gives you an easy way to field lots of Librarians if you want. This is not as useful as the Librarius Conclave as you get no power sharing or casting bonuses, but it is one way to get a lot of power dice for your army.
Strategium Command Team
This formation consists of:
One Watch Captain, Librarian or Chaplain
One unit of Veterans or one of the Kill Teams.
The formation special rules give you:
Fight to the Last Breath- If led by the Captain, all non-vehicle models get 6+ Feel No Pain while he is alive.
Suffer not the Alien to Live- If led by a Chaplain, all non-vehicle units get Furious Charge as long as he is alive.
Pure of Spirit, Strong of Soul- If led by a Librarian, all non-vehicle units get Stubborn and Adamantium Will while he is alive.
Some nice bonuses depending on which leader you take for the formation. I like the Librarian one, he will be able to block powers against the unit on a 4+ and Stubborn is very useful for the morale of the unit. The Captain bonus is nice, if it was a 5+ FNP, it would be a very strong choice!
Watch Company
This formation consists of a Watch Captain and four units of veterans or any of the kill teams.
The Watch Company gains the Decapitation Doctrine, giving them re-rolls to wound and AP rolls against enemy units containing the Warlord, a Psyker or independent characters.
This is a nice bonus when added to the individual Doctrine bonuses of the kill teams and should provide you with a good number of re-rolls against a variety of enemy units.
Corvus Dropship Wing
This formation consists of 3 Corvus Blackstars.
The formation gains the Burning Skies Doctrine, giving them re-rolls to wound and armour penetration against enemy flyers or flying monstrous creatures. This should help you obliterate any enemy flyers with your three flyers.
Black Spear Strike Force
This is the Decurion-type formation available for the Deathwatch. It consists of 1+ core and 1+ auxiliary formations and 1-3 Command Formations.
The Core formations consist of a unit of Veterans, any of the kill teams, the Watch Company, or the Strategium Command Team. The auxiliary formations are a Corvus Blackstar, Dreadnought (including Venerable) or Land Raider. The Command consists of any of the HQ units or a Dreadnought (including Venerable).
The Command Benefits for the formation allow you to re-roll your warlord trait on the Deathwatch table, allows you to change your Mission Tactics and allows all non-vehicle units to Deep Strike.
This formation my be the cheapest Decurion available in 40k. You could take this with a single unit of Veterans and a Dreadnought. This Strike Force allows you to build your army exactly how you want and there are no real "tax units" in the formation. If only it had objective secured, this would be a must take for the Deathwatch.
Overall
The formations for the Deathwatch give some nice thematic ways to run your army and some decent bonuses for each formation. There are none that I see as must have and I would probably not bother with most of them.
Deathwatch Codex Review