Warhammer 40k - Detachment Review 11 - Chaos Knights, Tratoris Lance
Hello everyone! Zak Ludick here from Cape Town, South Africa and this is a Warhammer 40k - Datasheet Review post!
What is it all about? It is not there to just give a stat. It is there to give MY review of the unit in the game of Warhammer 40,000
The last of the Indexes! A new challenge!
Right, I am finally ahead and by my best estimations as I explained in this Post, I should be able to keep ahead of the release curve and get the remainder of the Indexes reviewed before those Codex releases.
So I embark on a new challenge. I have calculated that there are roughly 148 reviews to do. I have chosen my frequency and have given myself 96 days to review them all. That means that I am aiming at Day 96 being the 21st of July 2025!
Today is Day 5/96.
I have reviewed 8/148.
Time elapsed: 5.20%
Review Completion: 5.40%
A sliver over par!
Hobby Fund - Working myself into the clear
With my hobby posts, I generate a hobby fund. 50% of the income goes into the fund. At the moment I put all my HBD earned from Warhammer posts into my alt account @zakl.hobbyfund.
I am collecting funds in the following ways:
- Blogging about Warhammer to earn HBD
- Accepting donations - Can be sent directly to @zakl.hobbyfund in HBD
- Selling some of the collection to friends.
At the current count I am paying off some hobby debts. I still have $245 to pay off!
Every bit counts!
Back to the review!
Army Rule Recap
In the Chaos Knights Army, they have the Harbingers of Dread where you make it easier for the enemy to fail leadership tests and you get buffs when the enemy is Battle Shocked.
Detachment Rule - Forged in Terror (Aura)
In the Battle-Shock step of your opponent's Command Phase, every unit within 12" of a Chaos Knight from your army that is below Starting Strength must take a Battleshock Test as though they are below Half Strength.
Units that are single models count as below Starting strength when they have lost one or more wounds.
Thoughts
So this is a clear synergy between the Army rule and the Detachment Rule. The Detachment Rule forces that Battle Shock test and then they lower the chance of a successful Leadship check!
Enhancements
Every Detachment has their own Enhancements to put on Characters. You cannot put 2 Enhancements on 1 hero, Epic Heros cannot take them either and you are limited to 3 of the 4.
Here are the Enhancements for the Tratoris Lance:
Lord of Dread - 15pts
At the start of the Fight Phase, you can select one enemy unit within Engagement range of this model, this enemy unit must then take a Battleshock test!
Of course this is great of course, potentially weakening the enemy attack and strengthening your own as well. A good fit.
Aura of Terror - 25pts
This Enhancement gives the Knight sticky objectives so the objective can stay under your control even when you walk away from it.
Additionally, the "Tainted" Objective marker also gives off the Despair Aura like the Army Rule gives.
Always good to have Sticky Objectives when your army is low on model count!
The Traitor's Mark - 30pts
In your Movement Phase, select an enemy unit within 12" of this Knight. That unit must take a Battle-Shock test.
Just like that. Short and Simple and effective. Of course, move in during the Movement Phase and so it after you have made sure that the target first!
Panoply of the Cursed Knights- 40pts
Each time an attack is make against the bearer, subtract -1 off the enemy units Armor Penetration.
This is awesome. Really will go a long way to keeping a Knight alive!
Stratagems
Stratagems are used in the battle as an elective rule that can be employed in crucial moments. All armies have access to Universal Stratagems but each Detachment has their very own Stratagems that they can use.
This is what the Tratoris Lance can do.
Dread Hounds - 1CP
Used in either the Shooting Phase or the Fight Phase. It must be on Two or more War Dogs and they must target One enemy unit. This is a gang-up move.
They can only allocate all their attacks into this one enemy but their attacks gain Sustained Hits 1.
If the enemy is Battleshocked, they Crit on 5+ to Hit instead of 6+
This rule epitomises the non-honourable way that Chaos Knights operate, ganging up and overpowering a single enemy before moving on to the next, sowing terror and destruction.
Disdain for the Weak - 1CP
Used in the Fight Phase on an enemy unit that is about to Hit your Chaos Knights. Until the end of the Phase, your model has a 6+ Feel No Pain against those attacks. If the enemy unit is Battle Shocked, they get a 5+ Feel No Pain instead!
Notice a theme going on?
This particular ability assists your big knights to survive by sawing off some wounds off the total dealt to the knight!
Pterrorshades - 1CP
This can be used in any phase, right after the enemy unit has failed a Battle Shock test and a Chaos Knight within 12" of that unit.
Roll 6x D6 Dice, for every 4+, cause a mortal wound to that enemy unit and the Knight regains that many wounds!
Again! Feeding off the fear and then repairing your Knight! Very good, but you have to get in close!
A Long Leash - 1CP
Used in your Command Phase. Select one big Knight and up to three Wardogs in your army.
Until the next command phase, those Wardogs count as being within the big Knight's aura and count as having the buffs. of the Knight.
Knights of the Shade - 1CP
Used in your Movement Phase. You may select either one Titanic unit or 2x War Dog units.
Until the end of the phase, the Knights selected can move horizontally through models and terrain features as though they were not there!
Usually terrain is a huge problem for Chaos Knights and Imperial Knights. This allows you to burst through a Ruin, come out the other side and shoot and charge the enemy!
Diabolic Bulwark - 1CP
Used in the Shooting Phase to give one of your Knights a 4+ Invul save against ranged attacks until the end of the phase.
Another way of surviving concentrated anti-tank firepower. Short and simple!
Conclusion
So many rules work better when you Battle Shock something and the amount of times you can force the enemy to take a Battle Shock test it looks like you should be able to use these at least most of the time during the course of the battle.
Thank you for reading this post!
Warhammer Review Library
Link Container Post: Warhammer 40k Links Container Post! 26/03/2025
I shall leave Army and Detachment rules here as well as The Space Wolves Datasheets I did before.
Army Rule and Detachment Rule Reviews
| Faction | Detachment | Review Number |
|---|---|---|
| Agents of the Imperium | Army Rule #2 | |
| Aeldari | Army Rule #4 | |
| Astra Militarum | Army Rule #1 | |
| Astra Militarum | Combined Regiment | Detachment Rule #1 |
| Astra Militarum | Bridgehead Strike | Detachment Rule #2 |
| Chaos Knights | Army Rule #8 | |
| Death Guard | Army Rule Review #6 | |
| Death Guard | Plague Company | Detachment Review #4 |
| Death Guard | Flyblown Host | Detachment Review #7 |
| Space Marines | Army Rule #3 | |
| Space Wolves | Champions of Russ | Detachment Review #9 |
| Space Wolves | Champions of Fenris | Detachment Review #10 |
| Thousand Sons | Army Rule #7 | |
| Thousand Sons | Cult of Magic | Detachment Review #5 |
| Thousand Sons | Hexwarp Thrallband | Detachment Review #8 |
| World Eaters | Army Rule #5 | |
| World Eaters | Berzerker Warband | Detachment Review #3 |
| World Eaters | Vessels of Wrath | Detachment Review #6 |
Datasheet Review list (Alphabetical)
Thank you for reading!
** Images in this post are from the Warhammer app, or Warhammer.com or otherwise referenced.
Tag List:
@aussieninja, @new.things, @alonicus, @dungeondog, @xenowolfza, @riesakashiya, @tomster-17, @exptrader, @borsengelaber, @jacobtothe, @fredfettmeister, @mirroredspork, @kheldar1982, @surrealis, @oblivioncubed, @owen-turner
*PS, Should you wish to be removed or added to the taglist, please let me know!
Cheers!
@zakludick
great synergy with the army rule and scary if used correctly.
Yup. It all works together!