Tau Units – Knarloc Riders

Welcome to the only cavalry unit the Tau (or the Kroot) are ever likely to field. But are you likely to want to do so, too? Read on.

Knarlocs roam wild on Pech, forming savage and dangerous packs up to ten in number who can bring down prey of almost any size. If you think Velociraptors from Jurassic Park, you’re 9/10ths there. If you think Krootox with less S, a weaker gun and a 12″ charge, you’re 10/10ths there. They are cunning, powerful and successful (or as successful as any dead-end Krootaptation can be), and Kroot hold them in high regard. The Kroot who ride these beasts are the elite of their kindred, forming a swift and agile vanguard of any Kroot force, and it is a considerable status symbol among the Kroot to be a master of a Knarloc.

Unit Basics

Knarloc riders are a 0-1 choice for any Tau army, and you’ve got to have at least one Kroot squad as a prerequisite. They are Fast Attack so, right away, there is a good chance you can find room for them in your army list.

You can buy the models in packs of three from Forgeworld, although the cost is one of the highest of any Tau army selection outside the flyers. You need two packs to get the unit maximum of six Knarloc riders, but you might need to rent out advertising space inside your own eyes to afford it.

They are cavalry, which means they are fleet, and can move 6″, fleet D6″ and charge 12″. Each rider has a Kroot rifle (which counts as an additional close combat weapon, of course) giving each Knarloc rider 4 attacks on the charge. They get the usual +1S and +1T from being cavalry, so their attacks are all S5. And they get 3 wounds each!

That’s pretty decent, no?

Allow me to answer that question with a section I call, “Options and Special Rules”

Options and Special Rules

Knarloc riders get no special rules for charging and cannot take any special weapons or assault options, so their attacks are at the usual I3 and they have a 6+ armour save. Assault grenades? Don’t be silly.

And if that doesn’t answer your question, I heard there’s a section called “Uses” that will.

One of my own Knarloc Riders, assembled, primed and basecoated in Knarloc Green

Let’s charge a 120 point unit of 3 riders into 122 points of space marines (7 tacticals, including a sergeant) and ask Mr. Mathhammer what happens. The marines attack first: 8 attacks, 4 hits and 2 wounds and the Knarloc riders make no successful saves. One rider is left with only one wound, but no models are lost. The Knarloc riders get 12 attacks, 6 hits, 4 wounds and the marines make 3 successful saves. The Knarloc riders lose the combat by one and have to test Ld on a 7. If they fail, they will fall back and with their lower initiative, are more than likely to be wiped out by sweeping advance. If they succeed, or if the combat is drawn instead, the marines will do another two wounds next Turn and the riders will get only 6 attacks back and kill nothing. The end (of the riders).

So they are not there to charge power armour. Let’s charge them at some orks. 14 Boyz plus a Nob with a Power Klaw (standard ork unit) is just under 120 points. The Knarloc riders will hit first: 12 attacks, 6 hits and 5 wounds against T3, killing 5 orks, assuming no successful 6+ saves. The boyz strike back with 42 attacks, 21 hits and 7 wounds. Even if one save is made, that still kills 2 Knarloc riders. The nob then gets 4 attacks, 2 hits and instakills the remaining rider. Twice.

So they are not there to charge hordes. Let’s charge them at some Imperial Guard: everyone’s favourite chargee. How about a multi-charge against two infantry squads? Let’s give the sergeant a power weapon in each case to make it an even 120 points. Everyone attacks at the same time (unless the guard are in cover – and when are they not? – but let’s pretend the two squads have been caught in the middle of a football game). The riders get 12 attacks, 8 hits, 6 wounds and the marines make 1 successful save for 5 dead guardsmen. The guard get 22 attacks, 4 of which are power weapons, but given the armour save on offer here we’ll just pretend the power weapons are normal CCWs. 22 normal attacks are made, 11 hit and 4 wound. Assuming no successful saves, one rider dies and another takes one wound. The riders win combat by 1 and both guard squads get to test leadership on a 7 (assuming no wargear etc). If they both run, the Knarloc riders have to pass not one but two leadership checks to pursue. Fail one, and they can only consolidate (Eaters of the Dead special rule – I know I said they didn’t get any special rules, but I meant ones you would actually like). If the guard squads stay in, they will likely beat the Knarloc riders next Turn.

So, in summary, the Knarloc riders are only any use at charging squads that are considerably cheaper than the riders are. They are an assault unit that can only usefully assault the weakest of opponents and, even then, not on a point for point basis.

Obviously, with only S5 and no power fists or grenades they cannot charge walkers. They can do some damage to vehicles at S5, though. Infiltrate forward and charge on Turn 1? Outflank and get into those artillery units with an up to 24″ move and charge? Sadly, no. Knarloc riders do not have the Infiltrate USR, so either you will need to charge them across the table or wait for the enemy vehicles to come to you. Both options have their – how shall I put it? – contraindicating factors.

I’m going to take a momentary diversion, and have a look at what other armies get when you see “cavalry” (or “beast”) in their codex. Not many armies get them, but a fair few do. Imperial Guard get a super fragile unit with S5 I5 power weapons on the charge. Chaos Daemons get Seekers with S5 I6 rending attacks. Space Wolves get, well, they get whatever they want, and probably get re-rolls on the rending and free ponies. Warp Beasts aren’t great, but for 120 points you could get 8 of them for 32 I5 attacks on the charge. Tyranids have got assaulty beasts sewn up, thankyouverymuch. Okay, Chaos Spawn have a whole cult devoted to how crap they are, but let’s not beat up the poor Spawn any more than we need to – I think the pattern is clear. Cavalry units are there to deliver a fast, powerful punch to an enemy unit. They are elite shock troops that can expect to put a dent in any kind of infantry unit they charge.

Except Knarloc riders.

But let’s be positive. They might be crap, but even crap is right twice a day (or is that broken watches?). Anyway, the best use of this unit might be to sit in reserve. From nowhere they can come on and assault 18″ to 24″, moving through forests and jungles as if they weren’t there (which they probably aren’t if you’re playing at your local GW store – boomboom!). Provided you pick your targets very carefully, the riders might not die in the assault, and if you are already charging in with Kroot and hounds, the riders might just tip the balance of the combat in your favour (so might crisis suits, but now you’re just being mean – give the riders a chance!). If you must start with them on the table, the usual Kroot tactic of keeping them in forests or jungles for a 3+ cover save works even better than normal, thanks to T4, although battlecannons will still ruin your day.

Size comparison. Unintentionally, the crisis suit looks pretty worried that the Greater Knarloc is about to gnaw his arm off. He's not so bothered about the Knarloc Rider, because they don't get Rending...

With a full unit costing you 240 points, you would expect something that could punch above its weight, but sadly a combination of low numbers, low armour save, low initiative and no power weapons or rending renders the Knarloc riders a vanity unit at best. They are like the last of the Polish cavalry charging Panzers at the Battle of Krojanty(*) – gallant and noble, but destined to be torrented to death in a hail of futuristic weapons fire long before reaching their goal.

But as vanity units go, they are among the best models currently available. The detail is razor sharp and they are imposing models on the tabletop, with all their cunning and agility perfectly conveyed by Forgeworld. For all these reasons I just wish I could find a way of getting them to achieve anything on the battlefield.

(* – before you say it, I know this didn’t happen, but people believe it did. So there)