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How To Field Imperial Knights With A Chaos Army

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Imperial Knight Chaos

The Imperial Knights have arrived in Warhammer 40K in all their gothic glory. I am building a Knight and, as of this weekend, been studying the new Imperial Knights Codex.

Among the most frequent complaints I heard, is the harsh restriction that prevents Imperial Knights from forming an alliance with Chaos armies of any kind. But…

But… the Warhammer 40K 6th Edition allies-matrix is not really designed to cope with all the fancy “detachments” and “formations” and other extensions of the allies-system we’ve seen since … well .. starting with the Codex Inquisition, I believe.

If you are cheeky, you may be able to abuse this and field Knights with Chaos nonetheless. How? Build your army from a primary detachment of Imperial Traitor Guard!

A Chaos Knight Army

Guard Primary Detachment – 275 pts.

  • Command Squad (with Master of Ordnance, Vox-Caster)
  • Veteran Squad (with 2x Missile Launcher)
  • Veteran Squad (with 2x Autocannon)

Chaos Space Marine Allies – 855 pts.

  • Kharn the Betrayer
  • Helbrute with Power Scourge (because.. new model)
  • 9 Khorne Berserkers (3x Chain Axe, Icon of Wrath, Rhino)
  • 1x Heldrake
  • 1x Forgefiend

Imperial Chaos Knight Detachment – 370 pts.

  • Knight Errant

Cheating For The Chaos Gods

As noted, the idea runs on an overtly literal reading of the allies rules. The Imperial Guard are Battle Brothers with the Knight, and Allies of Convenience with Chaos Marines.

Of course, Come the Apocalypse – rules as clearly and obviously intended – will forbid you to make an army that includes both Imperial Knights and Chaos, but strictly speaking, the rules for the Allies Matrix in the rulebook (p. 113 mini-rulebook) note that the chart is used by cross-referencing “your primary detachment” with potential allies.

I don’t recommend “bending” the rules like this on unsuspecting fellow-hobbyists, but this might be a way to wing a Chaos Knight with fellow-players “in-the-know”, without throwing out the allies-matrix entirely. Especially if the army is themed nicely.

Of course, it helps, helps that with only 1 FA, HS & Elite Slot, it’s had to build a Heldrake-spam list, or something along those lines, with this.

Let me know what you think!

Z.

Image: Chaos Knight Conversion by GW Hobart (Facebook)
Zweischneid

Zweischneid

I am Zweischneid. Wargame Addict. Hopeless painter and founder of Pins of War. I hope you enjoyed this article. Don't forget to share your favourite miniature pictures and wargaming videos at www.pinsofwar.net.
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  • MRF84M1

    Unfortunately, you cant do this via the rules, as in the Knights codex, it specifies this sort of thing (Im pretty sure) and that any allies and allies of allies shall be treated via the matrix in their codex… unless I have misread it..?

    • anon1

      Also, this^.Sorry Zweischneid, this list is just a no go.

      • Anon

        You need kharn in your primary detatchment for berzerkers to become troops.

  • Hive Senteniel

    so wait by allying a knight to a Guard army then allying them to Chaos you can therefore add Knights to a chaos army? I suppose you could technically but it sounds kind of iffy.

  • anon1

    Cant do this, you would need another primary detachment of guard, and only at 2k points or higher can you have two primary detachments

    • anon1

      Remember, knights are not a detachment, like the inquisition. They are an army into themselves and DO take up an allied slot.

      • D. B.

        Nope. The codex clearly states that they are a named individual detachment (p. 60), like Inquisition.

  • Joseph Norton-Jones

    I wouldn’t give 2 hoots about who or what was allied here, I f someone brought along a chaos knight as nice as that one in the pic it would a pleasure to play them.

    • D. B.

      Amen, brother! There are way too many rule-lawyers around as it is. I always say that if it looks great and fits the fluff, let people field it.

  • kaptinscuzgob

    this is like when you make a D&D character that uses twelve different splatbooks to get loads of weird abilities.

    this is also how im getting a looted knight for my orks

  • Kaptain Badrukk

    Just found this (as I was sifting for converted knights) and noticed that in the knight codex it states;
    “Note that the Imperial Knights may have a different relationship to the models from an
    army’s primary detachment, and the models that make up that army’s ‘regular’ allied
    detachment (assuming there are any). ”
    Now that doesn’t say that they can ignore their allies rules, but who the fumble knows.

  • Eric H

    I think its important to point out that even though this is likely to not work in a tournament setting GW has always encouraged players to come up with ‘house’ or ‘match’ rules that all parties can agree upon. Fantastic conversions like this one and just general thinking outside the box are always welcomed and encouraged whenever I setup matches. Rules are there for a reason yes, however, using them as general guide lines while being creative and having is never a bad thing. Unless its actually a ‘Pro’ tournament, rules Nazi’s tend to kill the fun more than foster it.