Warhammer 40K: This Week’s Meta Hotness – Drukhari Cronos
Here is a unit that isn’t a waste of time, lets take a look at the Drukhari Cronos.
In the ever-shifting meta of 40K, armies rise and fall. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about armies that are hot or not, but a lot less time looking at units that are running the show. Today let’s take a look at one of the hottest units currently running around the tabletop.
The Unit
The Cronos is a heavy support unit of mid-weight monsters. These flying beasts are stitched together by the Haemonculus Covens and are among their largest creations. They are similar to the older Talos, but focused more on close-range firepower.
Why They Are Good
Right off the bat, the Cronos has a lot of the same strengths that light vehicles do. While they aren’t vehicles, they share a lot of the same buffs, having solid toughness and a decent amount of wounds. They are pretty hard for light weapons to hurt, and need some dedicated firepower to bring them down. The Cronos also has the added buff of flying making it a little more agile. It heals itself, which is a nice buff, and supported by a character can get extra healing and go up to T7. Starting at a 3+/6++/5+++ save these guys can be super annoying to kill, and it is possible for a properly supported one to go from 1 wound back up to full in a single round. They also don’t degrade.
The Cronus also comes with a number of weapons and some options. Normally people take them with the additional Spirit Vortex. This gives them an S5 AP -2 flamer, complete with auto hits. On top of that they’ve got a slightly longer range gun with the same stats, but blast instead of auto-hit. It’s got an unremarkable close combat weapon. All of its weapons have a rule that on an unmodified 6 to wound they got up to D2. At first glance this doesn’t seem too crazy, its a moderate amount of decent firepower. That is until we add in Dark Technomancers (oh right, that thing again). Suddenly this guy is rocking a ton of D2 weapons that can jump to D3 in a pinch. Best of all (or worst) one of its guns auto-hits getting ride of any downside (remember they had FAQ the last gun that did this). At S5 with a +1 to wound these guys wound MEQ on a 2+ with D2 and AP-2, meaning they can plow through MEQ units with ease. Sitting at a current 80 points , you’ve got a hard to kill and deadly unit that is very efficient.
A Sample List
Saying a unit is hot is all well and good, but let’s take a look at how players are using it. One list that highlights Cronus is the list that Matt Root ran to take 1st place at both the recent Gateway Open and Flying Monkey COn. (via 40kstats.com)
++ Patrol Detachment 0CP (Aeldari – Drukhari) [17 PL, -2CP, 300pts] ++
+ Configuration +
Detachment Command Cost
Obsession: Kabal of the Obsidian Rose: Flawless Workmanship
Raiding Forces – CP Refund
+ Stratagems +
Stratagem: Prizes from the Dark City [-1CP]
+ HQ +
Archon [5 PL, -1CP, 85pts]: Hatred Eternal, Huskblade, Overlord, Splinter Pistol, Stratagem: Tolerated Ambition, The Djin Blade
. . Splintered Genius (Obsidian Rose): Splintered Genius
+ Troops +
Kabalite Trueborn [8 PL, 135pts]
. . 6x Kabalite Trueborn: 6x Splinter Rifle
. . Kabalite Trueborn w/ Heavy Weapon: Dark Lance
. . Kabalite Trueborn w/ Special Weapon: Blaster
. . Kabalite Trueborn w/ Special Weapon: Blaster
. . Trueborn Sybarite: Splinter Rifle
+ Elites +
Incubi [4 PL, 80pts]
. . 4x Incubi: 4x Klaive
. . Klaivex: Demiklaives
++ Patrol Detachment 0CP (Aeldari – Drukhari) [22 PL, -3CP, 435pts] ++
+ Configuration +
Detachment Command Cost
Obsession: Cult of Strife: The Spectacle of Murder (Restricted)
+ Stratagems +
Stratagem: Prizes from the Dark City [-1CP]
+ HQ +
Succubus [4 PL, -1CP, 75pts]: 1 – Adrenalight (Combat Drug), Dark Lotus Toxin, Precision Blows, Razorflails, Stratagem: Tolerated Ambition
. . Show Stealer (Strife): Show Stealer
Succubus [3 PL, 60pts]: 1 – Adrenalight (Combat Drug), Competitive Edge, The Triptych Whip, Warlord
. . Agoniser & Archite Glaive
+ Troops +
Wyches [6 PL, -1CP, 105pts]: 2 – Grave Lotus (Combat Drug)
. . Hekatrix: Agoniser, Morvaines’s Agoniser, Splinter Pistol, Stratagem: Hekatrix of the Crucibael
. . 9x Wych: 9x Hekatarii Blade, 9x Plasma Grenades, 9x Splinter Pistol
+ Elites +
Mandrakes [3 PL, 75pts]
. . 4x Mandrake: 4x Baleblast, 4x Glimmersteel Blade
. . Nightfiend
+ Fast Attack +
Reavers [3 PL, 60pts]: 3 – Hypex (Combat Drug)
. . Arena Champion: Splinter Rifle
. . 2x Reaver: 2x Bladevanes, 2x Splinter Pistol, 2x Splinter Rifle
Reavers [3 PL, 60pts]: 3 – Hypex (Combat Drug)
. . Arena Champion: Splinter Rifle
. . 2x Reaver: 2x Bladevanes, 2x Splinter Pistol, 2x Splinter Rifle
++ Patrol Detachment 0CP (Aeldari – Drukhari) [70 PL, 12CP, 1,265pts] ++
+ Configuration +
Battle Size [12CP]: 3. Strike Force (101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points)
Detachment Command Cost
Obsession
. . *Custom Coven*: Dark Technomancers (All-Consuming)
Raiding Forces – CP Refund
+ HQ +
Drazhar [8 PL, 145pts]
+ Troops +
Wracks [3 PL, 50pts]
. . Acothyst: Hexrifle, Wrack Blade
. . Wrack w/ Special Weapon: Ossefactor
. . 3x Wracks: 3x Wrack Blade
Wracks [3 PL, 50pts]
. . Acothyst: Hexrifle, Wrack Blade
. . Wrack w/ Special Weapon: Ossefactor
. . 3x Wracks: 3x Wrack Blade
+ Elites +
Incubi [4 PL, 80pts]
. . 4x Incubi: 4x Klaive
. . Klaivex: Demiklaives
Incubi [4 PL, 80pts]
. . 4x Incubi: 4x Klaive
. . Klaivex: Demiklaives
+ Heavy Support +
Cronos [12 PL, 240pts]
. . Cronos: Spirit Vortex
. . Cronos: Spirit Vortex
. . Cronos: Spirit Vortex
Cronos [12 PL, 240pts]
. . Cronos: Spirit Vortex
. . Cronos: Spirit Vortex
. . Cronos: Spirit Vortex
+ Dedicated Transport +
Raider [6 PL, 95pts]: Coven, Dark Lance
Raider [6 PL, 95pts]: Coven, Dark Lance
Raider [6 PL, 95pts]: Coven, Dark Lance
Raider [6 PL, 95pts]: Coven, Dark Lance
Using the Unit
This army makes use of two three-model units of Cronos. They are the most expensive units in the army (while still not being “that expensive” ) and they are absolute wrecking balls. They’ve been thrown in a small Dark Technomacers detachment to get the buffs and that’s about it. They don’t even have a Haemonculi to buff them. Still, they are strong enough to survive on their own, throwing out a lot of damage. Dealing with them will take dedicated firepower, which means you aren’t shooting at the Raiders or dealing with the Incubi about to overrun you. On the other hand if you don’t deal with the Cronus they will eat you alive. It’s a powerful list that shows off the unit well.
Let us know what units you think are hot right now, down in the comments!
