The Words of Faeit is a weekly post, dedicated to my thoughts on the strategy and tactical side of the game. They are not to be written in stone as "No plan of operations extends with certainty beyond the first encounter with the enemy's main strength" (or "no plan survives contact with the enemy"). Quoted from Helmuth von Moltke.
OK, the Psycannon is not an Autocannon. Fluff wise, it is based on the Bolter. Here is an excerpt from wikia on what a psycannon really is, after all the codex fails in its description. (I need visual images to really get into an army, as I am rather cinematic when it comes to my gaming)
The Psycannon is a weapon created specifically by the Imperium to combat daemons. and the other entities of the Immaterium. The bolt is devastating to the psyches and physical bodies of psychic creatures, such as psykers, daemons, and daemonhosts, those individuals who have been possessed by the daemonic entities of the Warp. The Psycannon is a more powerful version of the Bolter, equivalent to a Heavy Bolter, utilizing high-caliber, psychically-charged, ritually-inscribed silver-tipped bolts.
The Psycannon can also be used in conjunction with a device called a Mind Impulse Unit. The Psycannon is linked to the mind of the user and is fired by his or her mental volition. This has the advantage of allowing the user to fire the weapon while keeping both hands free, and allowing the user a greater intimacy with his weapon's internal workings, such as its current amount of remaining ammunition or its barrel temperature. Also, if the user is a psyker, they can infuse their own power into the weapon, adding to its already devastating effect. This is a common technique used by the Grey Knights, the only Astartes who are all psykers.
The Str7 AP4 makes it very similiar to a short ranged autocannon, with the exception that it can be fired while on the move, and it comes with rending. This alone removes the one disadvantage that the Autocannon has, killing powered armour guys better and breaking high armour values. Literally it trades range for rending and stronger firing options.
Can an army be based on the strength of the Autocannon. Yes, but you must include other options.
Can an army be based on the strength of the Psycannon. Yes, but you are going to need to deal with the range issue.
So here it is, a list that deals with the range issue.
2500 Pts - Grey Knights
1 Grey Knight Grand Master @ 220 pts ((C:GK, pg. 22); Unit Type: Infantry; Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades; Iron Halo; Terminator Armour; Nemesis Force Sword; Psycannon; And They Shall Know No Fear; Grand Strategy; Independent Character; Preferred Enemy (Daemons); Psyker (Mastery Level 1); The Aegis; Hammerhand; Psychic Communion)
1 Grey Knight Grand Master @ 180 pts ((C:GK, pg. 22); Unit Type: Infantry; Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades; Iron Halo; Terminator Armour; Storm Bolter; Nemesis Force Halberd; And They Shall Know No Fear; Grand Strategy; Independent Character; Preferred Enemy (Daemons); Psyker (Mastery Level 1); The Aegis; Hammerhand; Psychic Communion)
2x Purifier Squad @ 330 pts ((C:GK, pg. 31); Unit Type: Infantry; Brotherhood of Psykers; Combat Squads; Fearless; Preferred Enemy (Daemons); The Aegis; Rhino; Cleansing Flame; Hammerhand)
1 Knight of the Flame (Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades; Power Armour; Nemesis Force Sword; Storm Bolter)
4 Purifier (Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades; Power Armour; Psycannon)
5 Purifier (Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades; Power Armour; Storm Bolter; Nemesis Force Halberd)
1 Rhino ((C:GK, pg. 33); Unit Type: Vehicle (Tank); Transport Capacity: 10 models; Access Points: 3; Fire Points: 1 (2 models); Smoke Launchers; Storm Bolter; Psychic Pilot; Repair; The Aegis; Fortitude)
3x Grey Knight Strike Squad @ 260 pts ((C:GK, pg. 28); Unit Type: Infantry; And They Shall Know No Fear; Brotherhood of Psykers; Combat Squads; Deep Strike; Preferred Enemy (Daemons); The Aegis; Rhino; Hammerhand; Warp Quake)
1 Justicar (Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades; Power Armour; Nemesis Force Sword; Storm Bolter)
2 Grey Knights (Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades; Power Armour; Psycannon)
7 Grey Knights (Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades; Power Armour; Nemesis Force Sword; Storm Bolter)
1 Rhino ((C:GK, pg. 33); Unit Type: Vehicle (Tank); Transport Capacity: 10 models; Access Points: 3; Fire Points: 1 (2 models); Smoke Launchers; Storm Bolter; Psychic Pilot; Repair; The Aegis; Fortitude)
3x Purgation Squad @ 220 pts ((C:GK, pg. 29); Unit Type: Infantry; And They Shall Know No Fear; Brotherhood of Psykers; Combat Squads; Preferred Enemy (Daemons); The Aegis; Rhino; Astral Aim; Hammerhand)
1 Justicar (Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades; Power Armour; Nemesis Force Sword; Storm Bolter)
4 Grey Knights (Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades; Power Armour; Psycannon)
1 Rhino ((C:GK, pg. 33); Unit Type: Vehicle (Tank); Transport Capacity: 10 models; Access Points: 3; Fire Points: 1 (2 models); Smoke Launchers; Storm Bolter; Psychic Pilot; Repair; The Aegis; Fortitude)
Total Roster Cost: 2500
Grand Strategy
Most people take a Grand Master in order to use its Grand Strategy ability and make other units scoring. I tend to think of this as a way to compensate for a weak list. Instead lets really use our Grand Masters for what they should be used for. Thats giving as many units scout as possible, so that they start the game in strong firing positions.
By giving 2-6 units scout, they pass this on to their dedicated transports. This gives you an opportunity to move those units forward and into optimum firing range. So Purifiers and Purgation squads start the game in range of your opponent. Your average will be a roll of 4 on the roll for how many units will be given scout, but in order to take advantage of a good roll, I put 5 units with 4 psycannons in it.
These units scout forward in a pregame move, and deploy. Purifiers are forward hopefully into cover, but it matters not, and the purgation squads are behind them somewhere optimizing their first round of shooting. The reason is of course, the purifiers can handle being assaulted, and there are 10 of them in each unit.
Strike Squads
Did we ever see a unit more perfectly suited for being in a rhino? With two models being able to shoot out of the top we have a strong troop choice that can stay inside the rhino as long as it survives, firing from where ever it needs to be.
Grand Masters
Put them in with a purgation squad that is not scouting.
Overall
Not counting moving shots, there is enough psycannon shots to go around. Have to move, don't worry, you have plenty more shots and there is nothing they cannot take out. The grand total if the army does not need to move is well over a 100 psycannon shots. If you have to move everything, 50+ is not a bad amount of firepower (it actually dwarf's most other armies potential)
Bring lots of dice set out in groups of 8 and 16. Shoot it up.