Grey Knights — Warhammer 40k Guide

Grey Knights Lore and History

The Grey Knights are the most secretive and elite Chapter in the entire Adeptus Astartes, designated Chapter 666 and founded using gene-seed derived from the Emperor Himself. Created during the final days of the Horus Heresy under the direction of Malcador the Sigillite, the Grey Knights were forged from the most incorruptible warriors available—including some drawn from among the Traitor Legions who had remained loyal. Their sole purpose is the eradication of daemonkind, and in over ten thousand years of warfare, not a single Grey Knight has ever fallen to the corruption of Chaos.

The Grey Knights operate from Titan, a moon of Saturn that was hidden in the Warp during the Horus Heresy and returned to realspace only after the Traitors’ defeat. Their fortress monastery, the Citadel of Titan, houses forbidden knowledge about daemonkind that would drive lesser minds to madness. Every Grey Knight is a powerful psyker—a requirement for combating the daemonic entities they face—and they undergo the most gruelling selection and training process of any Space Marine Chapter. For every thousand aspirants who begin the process, only a handful survive to become full battle-brothers.

The Chapter’s existence is one of the Imperium’s most closely guarded secrets. Entire populations have been sterilised or mind-wiped after witnessing Grey Knights in battle, such is the lengths the Inquisition goes to protect the knowledge of their existence. Their Nemesis Force weapons are specifically attuned to banish daemons, and their Aegis armour is inscribed with wards and hexagrammic protections that shield them from psychic attack. Grand Masters, Brother-Captains, and legendary figures like Supreme Grand Master Kaldor Draigo command forces of unparalleled psychic might, making the Grey Knights the Imperium’s ultimate weapon against the horrors of the Warp.

Grey Knights in the Current Meta

Grey Knights have become an increasingly potent force in the current competitive meta, leveraging their unique combination of psychic powers and elite melee combat to dominate specific matchups. Their army-wide psychic abilities allow them to stack devastating mortal wound output while buffing their own units with protective powers, creating a force that hits hard while being surprisingly resilient.

Competitive Grey Knights lists typically revolve around Nemesis Dreadknight spam, with these powerful walkers providing both mobility and devastating combat power. Strikes and Interceptors form flexible troop choices, while Paladins and Terminators offer elite staying power. Grand Master Voldus and Castellan Crowe provide powerful character support. The faction particularly excels against Chaos and Daemon armies, where their specific anti-daemon rules provide significant advantages. Check our Warhammer 40k faction tier list for current rankings.

Collecting Grey Knights

Grey Knights offer a unique collecting experience focused on an elite, low-model-count army where every unit is a powerful psyker warrior. The Grey Knights Combat Patrol is the best starting point, providing core Strike Squad marines and essential characters that form the backbone of any Grey Knights force.

Nemesis Dreadknights should be a top-priority purchase—these towering walkers are both the Chapter’s most iconic models and their most powerful units on the tabletop. Paladin squads provide elite Terminator-armoured warriors with exceptional psychic abilities, while a Librarian offers enhanced psychic support. For centrepiece models, Grand Master Voldus or a Grand Master in Nemesis Dreadknight armour makes for a stunning focal point. The relatively small model count of a Grey Knights army means you can invest more time in each individual model, making it ideal for painters who enjoy detailed, high-quality work.

Painting Grey Knights

Grey Knights’ distinctive silver armour and blue force weapons create a visually stunning army that rewards careful metallic painting. The armour is best achieved with a Leadbelcher base coat, washed generously with Nuln Oil, then layered with Ironbreaker and highlighted with Stormhost Silver for a polished, consecrated steel appearance.

The force weapons are where Grey Knights models truly shine—Nemesis weapons should be painted with a glowing psychic effect using blues and whites. Start with Kantor Blue at the base, blend through Caledor Sky and Teclis Blue, and finish with white at the extremities for a convincing power weapon glow. Gold details on Inquisition symbols, book clasps, and ornamental elements add richness to the silver scheme. Red accents on purity seals and eye lenses provide warmth. For detailed techniques on achieving the perfect Grey Knight finish, visit our Grey Knights painting guide.

Who Are the Grey Knights?

The Grey Knights are the most secretive and elite Chapter in the entire Imperium of Man. Designated as Chapter 666, they are the Emperor’s ultimate weapon against daemonic incursion. Every single Grey Knight is a psyker — a feat unique among all Space Marine Chapters. They wield Nemesis force weapons, wear silver-grey Terminator armour, and are trained specifically to combat the horrors of the Warp.

The Grey Knights’ existence is one of the Imperium’s most closely guarded secrets. After any engagement where mortals witness them in battle, those witnesses are typically mind-wiped or eliminated to preserve the Chapter’s secrecy. Only the highest-ranking members of the Inquisition know of their true purpose.

On the tabletop, Grey Knights play as an ultra-elite, psyker-heavy army where every unit can cast psychic powers. They have a very low model count but each model is extraordinarily powerful. If you want an army where every warrior is a hero-level combatant, the Grey Knights are for you.

History and Origins

The Grey Knights were founded during the Horus Heresy on the direct orders of the Emperor of Mankind. Recognising that the Traitor Legions would bring daemonic forces against the Imperium, the Emperor tasked Malcador the Sigillite with creating a Chapter purpose-built to combat daemons.

Eight Space Marine veterans and Imperial heroes were gathered as the founding Grand Masters. Their gene-seed was drawn directly from the Emperor himself, making the Grey Knights the purest Chapter in existence — completely incorruptible. In ten thousand years of constant warfare against Chaos, not a single Grey Knight has ever fallen to corruption. This is an extraordinary record, given that entire Chapters have turned traitor.

Their fortress-monastery is located on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. During the Horus Heresy, Titan was hidden in the Warp by Malcador’s supreme psychic sacrifice, protecting the nascent Chapter until they were ready to emerge and fight. When Titan reappeared, decades had passed inside while only days had passed in the real world.

Organisation

The Grey Knights are organised differently from standard Codex-compliant Chapters. They maintain approximately 1,000 battle-brothers, but their structure reflects their specialised role:

The Grand Masters — The Chapter’s supreme commanders, each leading a Brotherhood. Grand Masters are among the most powerful psykers and warriors in the Imperium.
Brotherhoods — The Grey Knights are divided into eight Brotherhoods rather than the standard ten Companies. Each Brotherhood is a self-sufficient fighting force.
Purifiers — An order of Grey Knights with the purest souls, believed to be incorruptible even by the standards of an incorruptible Chapter. They burn with holy psychic fire.
Paladins — The finest warriors in the Chapter, equivalent to First Company Veterans. Paladins form the Grey Knights’ Terminator elite.
Interceptors, Purgation Squads, and Strike Squads — Standard Grey Knight tactical formations, each combining psychic ability with specialised battlefield roles.

Notable Grey Knights include Supreme Grand Master Kaldor Draigo, who is trapped in the Warp fighting an eternal war, and Castellan Crowe, the Champion of the Order of Purifiers who carries a daemonic blade he can never draw.

Key Units

Grey Knights have a focused but powerful roster. Every unit in the army is a psyker, which gives them unique tactical flexibility.

Grey Knight Terminators — The iconic unit of the army. Power-armoured warriors in Tactical Dreadnought Armour wielding Nemesis force halberds. Tough, powerful, and capable of casting Smite. The backbone of most Grey Knight forces.
Strike Squad — Power-armoured Grey Knights who form the standard battleline. Cheaper than Terminators but still elite by any other army’s standards. Excellent for objective control.
Nemesis Dreadknight — A towering walker piloted by a Grey Knight. Armed with heavy weapons and massive fists, the Dreadknight is the army’s centrepiece model and primary damage dealer. One of the most efficient units in the entire game.
Grand Master in Nemesis Dreadknight — A Grand Master piloting a Dreadknight, combining the walker’s power with enhanced stats and a Grand Master’s psychic abilities. One of the most powerful HQ choices in Warhammer 40k.
Purifiers — Elite Grey Knights whose psychic purity allows them to unleash devastating mortal wounds on nearby enemies. Excellent against horde armies and daemon forces.
Interceptors — Grey Knights equipped with personal teleporters, giving them exceptional movement range. Perfect for grabbing distant objectives and flanking.

How to Play Grey Knights

Grey Knights play as an ultra-elite army where every model matters. Your army will be outnumbered in almost every game, but each unit hits far harder than its points cost suggests thanks to the combination of strong melee, psychic powers, and deep-strike capability.

The core Grey Knights gameplan revolves around:

Deep Strike — Many Grey Knight units can teleport onto the battlefield via deep strike. Use this to appear exactly where you need to be, avoiding the dangerous approach march that other melee armies must endure.
Psychic Dominance — Every unit casts psychic powers. This gives you an enormous volume of Smite mortal wounds and access to army-specific psychic powers that buff your units and debuff opponents.
Concentrated Force — With few models, you must focus your force rather than spreading thin. Hit one part of the enemy line with overwhelming power rather than trying to contest everywhere.
Nemesis Dreadknights — These are your primary damage dealers and force multipliers. Protect them, buff them, and use them to break the enemy’s strongest units.

Best Grey Knights Units

The following units form the core of most competitive Grey Knight lists:

Grand Master in Nemesis Dreadknight — Arguably the best HQ in the army. A monster in combat and shooting with strong psychic output. Most lists run one or two.
Nemesis Dreadknight — Efficient, durable, and hard-hitting. The workhorse of the army.
Strike Squads — Cost-effective battleline that can deep strike and cast psychic powers. Essential for objective control.
Interceptors — Their personal teleporters make them the fastest Grey Knight unit, ideal for scoring secondary objectives and rapid redeployment.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

Every unit is a psyker — enormous psychic output and flexibility
Exceptional deep-strike capability for precise deployment
High-quality melee and shooting on every model
Nemesis Dreadknights are among the most efficient units in the game
Low model count means the army is relatively cheap to collect and fast to paint
Completely incorruptible in lore — the ultimate “good guys” of Warhammer 40k

Weaknesses:

Very low model count — losing even a few models is devastating
Limited unit variety compared to larger factions like Space Marines
Struggles to hold multiple objectives simultaneously
Anti-psyker abilities counter your army’s core mechanic
No cheap screening units — everything is expensive

Related Armies

If you enjoy the Grey Knights, you might also be interested in:

Space Marines — The standard Astartes Chapters. Less elite but far more versatile with a huge range of units and subfactions.
Chaos Daemons — The Grey Knights’ eternal enemy. Understanding daemons helps you understand what the Grey Knights were created to fight.
Custodes — Another ultra-elite Imperial army. Custodes are even tougher than Grey Knights but lack psychic powers. If you like “every model is a hero,” Custodes offer a similar experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Grey Knights Space Marines?

Yes, Grey Knights are Space Marines. They are a full Adeptus Astartes Chapter (Chapter 666), but they operate independently from the standard Chapter structure and answer directly to the Inquisition’s Ordo Malleus. Their gene-seed comes from the Emperor himself rather than any Primarch.

Are Grey Knights good for beginners?

Grey Knights are moderately beginner-friendly. Their low model count means fewer models to build and paint, and their straightforward “deep strike and smash” gameplan is intuitive. However, because every model loss matters enormously, positioning mistakes are punished harshly. They are more forgiving than they seem thanks to Terminator durability.

How many models are in a Grey Knights army?

A typical Grey Knights army at 2,000 points contains approximately 25-40 models, making them one of the lowest model-count armies in Warhammer 40k. This makes them fast to collect and paint compared to horde armies.

Can Grey Knights be corrupted by Chaos?

In ten thousand years of fighting Chaos, not a single Grey Knight has ever fallen to corruption. Their gene-seed — derived from the Emperor — and their extreme psychic training make them uniquely resistant. This is a defining trait of the Chapter and a point of immense pride.

What is the best way to start a Grey Knights army?

Start with a Grey Knights Combat Patrol box if available, or purchase a Grand Master in Nemesis Dreadknight, a Strike Squad, and a unit of Terminators. This gives you the core of a competitive force that you can expand with additional Dreadknights and Interceptors.

Who is Kaldor Draigo?

Supreme Grand Master Kaldor Draigo is the Chapter Master of the Grey Knights. He was banished into the Warp by the Daemon Primarch Mortarion, where he fights an eternal war against daemons in their own realm. He occasionally returns to realspace during moments of great need, making him one of the most powerful — and controversial — characters in Warhammer 40k lore. Read more about the Grey Knights’ enemies in our Emperor of Mankind guide.

Community Advice

Drawing from the collective wisdom of experienced players who have spent years mastering Grey Knights — Warhammer 40k Guide, here are some practical tips that will help you get the most from your army on the tabletop.

Start with a core: Veteran players consistently advise building your army around a reliable core of units that perform well in most situations before adding specialist choices. This gives you a stable foundation that can handle a variety of opponents, and you can then tailor your remaining points to address specific weaknesses or lean into particular strengths depending on the meta you expect to face.

Play games early and often: Theory-crafting army lists is enjoyable, but nothing replaces actual table time. Many units that look mediocre on paper perform excellently in practice, and vice versa. Start playing games with whatever models you have painted, even if your list is not optimised. The experience you gain from understanding movement, positioning, and timing is far more valuable than having a perfect list that you do not know how to pilot effectively.

Learn your matchups: Understanding how your army interacts with different opponents is crucial for competitive success. Keep notes after each game about what worked, what did not, and what you would change. Over time, you will develop an intuitive understanding of your army’s strengths and weaknesses against various factions, which will inform both your list building and your in-game decisions.

Magnetise key models: Many experienced hobbyists recommend magnetising weapon options on larger models and vehicles. This small investment of time allows you to swap loadouts between games, giving you flexibility to adapt to different opponents and meta shifts without purchasing and painting duplicate models.

Resources and Links

Staying connected with the community is essential for keeping up with the latest developments, finding opponents, and improving your play. Here are the best resources available for players interested in Grey Knights — Warhammer 40k Guide.

Faction-specific subreddits on Reddit are treasure troves of information, featuring army list discussions, painting guides, conversion inspiration, and tactical advice from players at every skill level. The community is generally welcoming and happy to help newcomers find their footing with the faction.

On Discord, dedicated faction servers provide real-time discussion, list reviews, and the opportunity to arrange games through Tabletop Simulator or other online platforms. These servers often have channels dedicated to competitive play, casual gaming, hobby progress, and lore discussion, making them a one-stop resource for all aspects of the hobby.

Content creators on YouTube and Twitch regularly produce faction-focused content including unit reviews, battle reports, painting tutorials, and tier list discussions. Following creators who specialise in your chosen faction gives you access to expert analysis of new rules, points changes, and emerging strategies as soon as they develop. Podcasts dedicated to specific factions or broader competitive play are also excellent resources for keeping your finger on the pulse of the community.