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This is a list that i am thinking of playing in a local league it is fixed list 1500pts and there are allot of veteran players in it.  THere will be at leas 2-3 Armoured companys, and allot of space marine armys.  So i built a list that i think will be able to deal with them. 

HQ:  Hive Tyrant, enhanced senses, toxic sacs, venom cannon, scything talons, warpfield   180

TROOPS: 

16X hormagaunts, adrenal glands (+1IN), Toxic sacs   208

16X Hormagaunts, adrenal glands ( +1 IN)  Toxic sacs   208

10X Genestealers, scuttlers, extended carapace,    230

9X  Genestealers, scuttlers, extended carapace,   207

ELIETE

carnifex, enhanced senses, 2x Twinlinked Devourer

HEAVY

Carnifex, enhanced senses, Reinforced Chitten, Extended Carapace, Venom cannon, Barbed strangler   188

3X Zoanathrope, Warp blast, Synapserant are for

The army has some heavy guns to deal with armour and stealers and gaunts to deal with infantry,  The Gaunts are mostly a distraction unit that may allow the stealers more time to get to combat, while the zonathrops are there for synapse and warp blasts.  The carnifexs and the tyrant are there for support role and cleanup.  Any tips on changing the army are welcome i am trying to stay away form godzilla and swarm nids.just dont have the modles to do it. 

 

 

 

If you put wings on the tyrant, you probably won't need 3 synapse zoes. It'd be good for catching and assualting tanks, too. I'd also try putting a few psychic screams in there, they can work wonders.

If you want the gaunts to be a distraction then you really need some faster synapse.  They arent really that hard to beat in a round of combat, and with ld5 they will just bounce off (possibly followed by IB the following round ).

If you know you are facing a lot of heavy armor (13/14) then id go for twin-linked VC on the fex. Its far better against heavy armor than the VC/BS combo. It's also not subject to psychic hoods etc like the zoeys are at tank busting. 

I still think you should not go with the TL VC.

Yes it is better against 14 armor, but even against 13, the VC/BS has the same chance of destroying the tank, and the same chance of stunning the crew. Yes, the TL VC will hit a *little* more often, but that is a heck of a trade off since the VC/BS will be better in almost every other situation. Besides, if you are hitting 13/14, you have better options.

Take off the VC from the HT, and give it another ST and wings. *that* will give the tanks something to worry about.

If the IG has lots of infantry, the HGaunts are a good idea, but if it is lots of tanks or against SM, you want Stealers, not HGaunts.

Your stealers are expensive, I would drop the scuttlers. They sound like a good idea, but usually just make them more of a target. It also makes the stealers faster than the HGaunts, so the stealers will be screening the gaunts, not the other way around.
If you really want "scuttlers", try a Broodlord infiltrating with a small retinue.

BTW, that screening usually doesn't work so well, since Stealers are just as fast at HGaunts while advancing. And SM can usually make their target priority test with annoying consistency


I would go with 14 HGaunts (total), drop the scuttlers, and add more stealers. Or if you have them, raveners. Or you can try some ST/RC/EC/Leaping warriors, but take at least 4 in a brood.
Some times some rippers following behind will get ignored until it is too late.

If they tend to hug the back line with tanks, a lictor or two can change things a bunch.

edit: SInce you have the slots, make the elite fex a HS, and give it EC.

Posted By coredump on 03/30/2007 8:04 AM
I still think you should not go with the TL VC.

Yes it is better against 14 armor, but even against 13, the VC/BS has the same chance of destroying the tank, and the same chance of stunning the crew.

Very strictly speaking the T/L VC has  a better chance of an outright kill vs AV13, by 0.24%. Same with crew stunned.

 Yes, the TL VC will hit a *little* more often, but that is a heck of a trade off since the VC/BS will be better in almost every other situation.

The TL VC is 19% more likely to do something to AV13 than a VC/BS in any given turn (with a decent 1 in 4 chance of 2 rolls on the damage table, compared to 1 in 6 for the BS) - I think thats a bit more than 'little', though its a subjective opinion.  Not bad for an 8% increase in the cost of his fex.

Against AV14 the TL VC is considerably better.

The poster said several ACs were likely, and that presumably means plenty of games against multi heavy vehicles, so I reckon the TL VC is worth it.  Even against marines it will prove useful in dealing with preds/raiders reliably. Whilst I wouldn't exactly tout it it as a speeder killer, the TL VC is also better vs fast AV10 speeders than the VC/BS.

Well, per point of weapon upgrades, the VC/BS and Twin-Linked VC options are almost identical, at ~ 0.01 glances per point against AV 14.

What if i where to drop the Hormagaunts that gives me 416 pts to play with. and what if i added

9X Stealers, scuttlers, Carapace    207

carnifex,  Enhanced senses, Extended carapace, Chittinious armour, Mace tail, tuskes, Scyting talons, and Venom cannon, 191

and give toxic sacs to the gunfex,  THat gives me 12 points extra

My tyrant and carnifex are unfoutunatly glued and painted already so they are going to have to stay as is for the time being but what can i do with the twelve extra points i have laying around?

Very strictly speaking the T/L VC has  a better chance of an outright kill vs AV13, by 0.24%. Same with crew stunned.

Check your math, they are the same. (assuming you count destroy and explode as the same) (BS*Pen*Dmg)

BS (3/6*1/6*1/6)+(3/6*1/6*3/6)= .0555555

2nd VC (3/6*4/6*1/6)=.0555555

The TL VC is 19% more likely to do something to AV13 than a VC/BS in any given turn

Yes, and that is significant, but implies equal chance of damage. And the fact is that each turn, the VC/BS has the same chance of stun/kill; Much of the 19% is shaken results; which are still helpful, but...
Yes, the TL VC will damage more often, and thus double damage more often, but the VC/BS hits are more likely to do more damage

Whilst I wouldn't exactly tout it it as a speeder killer, the TL VC is also better vs fast AV10 speeders than the VC/BS.
Unless they are open topped.....

Yes, if Warhammer was Latin for "One fex vs. one Russ down a long corridor" I would say go with the TL VC; but the problem here is that the Nids have better solutions to each of these situations. If the nid player needs to take out three Russ's with a carnifex, he is already in trouble.
RC/ST/Leaping warriors
scything flyrant
raveners
lictors
genestealers
All better ways to take out those Russ tanks.
Heck, even spreading out your carnifexes so you get a side shot is a better choice.

And there are lots of other targets for a gunfex, and good ones.Use the Gunfex to take out things it can kill. A TL VC Fex against the front of a Russ can only glance, and will do nothing 25% of the time. Give it a better target.

Posted By coredump on 03/30/2007 11:47 AM
Very strictly speaking the T/L VC has  a better chance of an outright kill vs AV13, by 0.24%. Same with crew stunned.

Check your math, they are the same. (assuming you count destroy and explode as the same) (BS*Pen*Dmg)

BS (3/6*1/6*1/6)+(3/6*1/6*3/6)= .0555555

2nd VC (3/6*4/6*1/6)=.0555555

My maths was correct, A VC/BS combo has 3 shots with 1/18 chance of a kill, the TL VC combo has 2 shots with 1/12 chance of a kill.  VC/BS = 15.76% of an outright kill, TLVC = 16% of outright kill (actually did a bit of rounding on bothfigures)

The TL VC is 19% more likely to do something to AV13 than a VC/BS in any given turn
Yes, and that is significant, but implies equal chance of damage. And the fact is that each turn, the VC/BS has the same chance of stun/kill; Much of the 19% is shaken results; which are still helpful, but...
Yes, the TL VC will damage more often, and thus double damage more often, but the VC/BS hits are more likely to do more damage

Most stuns get downgraded, extra armor is hardly what I'd call rare. In practical terms against AV13 VC/BS has the same chance to outright kill, but the TL-VC will stop the tank firing more often, immobilise it more often and take off weapons more often, it is just more reliable.  Against AV14 - likely when facing 2 or 3 armor companies, the TL-VC win hands down.

Whilst I wouldn't exactly tout it it as a speeder killer, the TL VC is also better vs fast AV10 speeders than the VC/BS.

 

Unless they are open topped.....

Which the marine speeder isn't!

Yes, if Warhammer was Latin for "One fex vs. one Russ down a long corridor" I would say go with the TL VC; but the problem here is that the Nids have better solutions to each of these situations. If the nid player needs to take out three Russ's with a carnifex, he is already in trouble.

Agreed - but if he only has one heavy fex, make it that much better for the sceanrio given for a just 15 points.

RC/ST/Leaping warriors
scything flyrant
raveners
lictors
genestealers
All better ways to take out those Russ tanks.

They are useful, 'better' is a bit of a leap - most of them need to get into CC to do their business, against mobile targets.  I'd rather be shooting from range, from turn 1.

I'm not saying he should replace all of therm to get a single TL-VC fex.  I simply suggested that his lone heavy fex that he has sounds like it would be better with TL VC given the armor he knows he is going to be coming up against.

Heck, even spreading out your carnifexes so you get a side shot is a better choice.

How do spread out 1 carnifex?

And there are lots of other targets for a gunfex, and good ones.Use the Gunfex to take out things it can kill. A TL VC Fex against the front of a Russ can only glance, and will do nothing 25% of the time. Give it a better target.

A VC/BS can only glance AV14 Russ's as well, but it will do it considerably less often.

And just to correct your maths again - the TL-VC does nothing 39% of the time vs AV14. opposed to 51.5% of the time for the VC/BS.

Posted By Buoyancy on 03/30/2007 10:40 AM
Well, per point of weapon upgrades, the VC/BS and Twin-Linked VC options are almost identical, at ~ 0.01 glances per point against AV 14.

Well I can't field 'dancing' Vc or BS, I have to pay for the platform as well.

Av14:

The heavy fex listed cost 188pts and averages 0.5833 hits per turn, 0.0031 glance per point (322 points per hit)

The TL-vc fex would cost 203pts and average .75 hits per turn, 0.00369 glance per point ( 270 points per hit.)

(Just for comparison, the zoeys listed by the OP pay 284 points per hit, though they are of higher quality due to penetrate ability, but also shorter range and countereable by hoods etc).

Nemasis,

If the IG have any infantry at all, the HGaunts may still be worth it. But eh...

You really want those scuttlers....
Remember, they are costing you 4 more stealers; and while it seems like a useful thing, it usually has no effect. It is only helpful if it allows you to assault one turn earlier, and that isn't all that likely.

Don't give the Gunfex TS, it is a waste of 11 pts.

Take those 11, and the 12 you have, (and steal 2 pts) to get EC on your elite fex. (unless you are getting that second gunfex.)

If you are getting it, don't do it like that. Nids are bugs, they get to specialize. Don't mix ST with VC; (whether on fex or HT) A CC fex tend to be a bad idea, too slow, too useless until turn 5-6 maybe. Any CC upgrades are also wasted until then.

If you get into a 'big gun' shooting match with AC, you are going to lose, it is what they do. You need something fast and CC oriented to handle those tanks. Something with rending which will also help with MEQ. Warriors, raveners, lictors.... do you have any of these?

You may want flesh hooks on at least one Stealer brood.

If no wings, EC is better on the HT. And you may want to give some Guards.

My maths was correct, A VC/BS combo has 3 shots with 1/18 chance of a kill, the TL VC combo has 2 shots with 1/12 chance of a kill.  VC/BS = 15.76% of an outright kill, TLVC = 16% of outright kill (actually did a bit of rounding on bothfigures)

If you are going to claim my math is wrong, and yours correct, you should at least put some effort into explaining you math. I showed you how I found mine, and you neither checked it nor refuted it. Since you didn't explain yours, it took me quite awhile to find your mistake.
I will show it another way.

TLVC gets 1.5 hits
1.5*2/3*1/6=.1666667 kills per turn
VC/BS gets 1.5 hits
(a)VC: 1*2/3*1/6=.111111111
(b)BSGlance=.5*1/6*1/6=.013889
(c)BSPen=.5*1/6*1/2=.041667
a+b+c=.166667 kills per turn

They have the *same* chance to destroy/explode

but the TL-VC will stop the tank firing more often, immobilise it more often and take off weapons more often,
Yes it will. (but not much more, most of the 'more' is 'Crew Shaken') I have always agreed to that. It will keep it busy and occupied. But you keep missing the point. We are *not* limited to 'what fex is best against AV13'; the question is 'what is best for the army list'
If the plan to beat AC is to shoot the Russ in the front, give up now. There are better targets for a Gunfex, and there are better things to hit a Russ with.
And for most of those better targets, the VC/BS is a much better choice.


Agreed - but if he only has one heavy fex, make it that much better for the sceanrio given for a just 15 points.
Only if you assume that the Front of a Russ is a good target for a GUnfex, and only if you assume there is nothing in the NId army that would be a better choice to attack the Russ.
Neither of these are particularly true.

They are useful, 'better' is a bit of a leap - most of them need to get into CC to do their business, against mobile targets.
Yes, and that is what Nids do, what they are good at. Unless you go all Nidzilla, you can't try and outshoot AC. (and even then..... yuck) It will basically take all game for one Gun fex to take out one Russ. Better hope you have more Fexes than they have russes.

I'd rather be shooting from range, from turn 1.
Yes, so would I, but not at the front of a Russ. I would rather target something I may actually kill. (It isn't always a bad idea to target a Russ, even the front, but not likely the best idea.)

I simply suggested that his lone heavy fex that he has sounds like it would be better with TL VC given the armor he knows he is going to be coming up against.
I understand, but you are thinking like a Marine, not a Nid. His lone heavy fex is better off moving for a side shot, and in the meantime, targeting units he can damage, while the better tank killers take out the Russ. (Again, there may be times where the Russ *is* the best target for the Fex. But even the side of a basic Russ is better with VC/BS; and just about every other target is better with VC/BS.)

And just to correct your maths again - the TL-VC does nothing 39% of the time vs AV14. opposed to 51.5% of the time for the VC/BS.
Sorry, but again your math is off.
TLVC hits 1.5 times and makes the AP roll 1/2 the time
1.5*1/2=.75 damaging hits per turn
Thus .25 Non-damaging turns

There are other ways of showing the same thing....

I'll ignore the opinion on which is the prefered fex for this scenario for the moment- its subjective and we disagree.

My maths was however correct.

Posted By coredump on 03/30/2007 6:32 PM
My maths was correct, A VC/BS combo has 3 shots with 1/18 chance of a kill, the TL VC combo has 2 shots with 1/12 chance of a kill.  VC/BS = 15.76% of an outright kill, TLVC = 16% of outright kill (actually did a bit of rounding on bothfigures)

If you are going to claim my math is wrong, and yours correct, you should at least put some effort into explaining you math. I showed you how I found mine, and you neither checked it nor refuted it. Since you didn't explain yours, it took me quite awhile to find your mistake.
I will show it another way.

TLVC gets 1.5 hits
1.5*2/3*1/6=.1666667 kills per turn
VC/BS gets 1.5 hits
(a)VC: 1*2/3*1/6=.111111111
(b)BSGlance=.5*1/6*1/6=.013889
(c)BSPen=.5*1/6*1/2=.041667
a+b+c=.166667 kills per turn

They have the *same* chance to destroy/explode

You did not show me how you found your figure in you first reply was calculated, you just showed that a BS has a 1/18 chance of an outright kill, and a single non TL VC shot also a 1/18 chance of an outright kill. Neither of those explain how you worked out the chance of the FEX killing the tank. 

First off the VC/BS fex has 3 shots with 1/18 chance of a kill, the TL-VC fex 2 shots with 1/12 chance of an outright kill. The quote above explains where you are going wrong on the chance of an outright kill. You are not calculating the chance of a kill, but working out the average number of kills rolled, that is not the same thing. Using your averages for example doesn't account for the fact that either fex could roll multiple kills in one turn - which is utterly irrelevant as the second is wasted.   The easiest way of working this out is the chance of getting zero kills in a turn:

VC/BS = (17/18) cubed.

TL-VC = (11/12) squared.

Thats the chance of not killing in a turn, therefore the remainder from1 is the a chance of killing. 15.76% for the VC/BS, 16% for the TL-VC. 

And just to correct your maths again - the TL-VC does nothing 39% of the time vs AV14. opposed to 51.5% of the time for the VC/BS.
Sorry, but again your math is off.
TLVC hits 1.5 times and makes the AP roll 1/2 the time
1.5*1/2=.75 damaging hits per turn
Thus .25 Non-damaging turns

There are other ways of showing the same thing....

 You fell into the same trap as before, averages are not the same as probabilties. The TL-VC has 2 shots each with a 3/8 chance of doing something. The chance of doing nothing is 39% for that fex, whilst he will indeed average .75 hits per turn, some of that is from multiple hits in 1 turn.  The chance for the VC/BS fex doing nothing is 51.5%.

Posted By coredump on 03/30/2007 6:32 PM

but the TL-VC will stop the tank firing more often, immobilise it more often and take off weapons more often,
Yes it will. (but not much more, most of the 'more' is 'Crew Shaken') I have always agreed to that. It will keep it busy and occupied. But you keep missing the point. We are *not* limited to 'what fex is best against AV13'; the question is 'what is best for the army list'
If the plan to beat AC is to shoot the Russ in the front, give up now. There are better targets for a Gunfex, and there are better things to hit a Russ with.
And for most of those better targets, the VC/BS is a much better choice.


Agreed - but if he only has one heavy fex, make it that much better for the sceanrio given for a just 15 points.
Only if you assume that the Front of a Russ is a good target for a GUnfex, and only if you assume there is nothing in the NId army that would be a better choice to attack the Russ.
Neither of these are particularly true.

They are useful, 'better' is a bit of a leap - most of them need to get into CC to do their business, against mobile targets.
Yes, and that is what Nids do, what they are good at. Unless you go all Nidzilla, you can't try and outshoot AC. (and even then..... yuck) It will basically take all game for one Gun fex to take out one Russ. Better hope you have more Fexes than they have russes.

I'd rather be shooting from range, from turn 1.
Yes, so would I, but not at the front of a Russ. I would rather target something I may actually kill. (It isn't always a bad idea to target a Russ, even the front, but not likely the best idea.)

I simply suggested that his lone heavy fex that he has sounds like it would be better with TL VC given the armor he knows he is going to be coming up against.
I understand, but you are thinking like a Marine, not a Nid. His lone heavy fex is better off moving for a side shot, and in the meantime, targeting units he can damage, while the better tank killers take out the Russ. (Again, there may be times where the Russ *is* the best target for the Fex. But even the side of a basic Russ is better with VC/BS; and just about every other target is better with VC/BS.)

Trying to respond to specific points is driving me crazy with this qoute system!

The given envirnment indicates an awful lot of AV13 and 14.  The list has just one heavy fex, therefore IMO it should be of a type that is best against AV13/14. For this environemt best fex against AV13/14 and best for list are almost synomous.

The plan is obviously not to shoot russes in the front, it is to be able to obtain the best chance of 'neutering' tanks each turn, with whatever shot you can get. Manouvering for a flank shot makes sense in either list, but manouvering for a flank and getting a flank are different things.  The OP also indicated a lot of veteran players - that means to me that you will have to work hard to get a flank shot.

For the first couple of turns there is nothing better to take out a russ than the fex.  The stealers etc will still be on the way and the Zoeys will still be out of range. IF they get there then, yes, you will have better things to take out russes (although the suicide nature of explosions makes that arguable), but why essentially give up on the first 1/3 of the game, the VC/BS is hopelessly outclassed against the front of russes, I would happily ensure all my tanks that can be hit by the fex are facing it and just shoot the snot out of the other stuff before it reaches me. The TL-VC doesn't exactly turn a lone fex into an uber AC killer, but it costs less than single stealer extra, yet gives a significant increase in its reliability of doing something.

I'm not intimately familiar with AC's (no one round me plays them that Ive noticed), but I'm under the impression that they can have all russes, in which case I'm not sure what better targets would present themselves. Against the marines, there is obviously a range of infantry to shoot at. Theres also a good chance you will have Preds/raiders/speeders to shoot at. In that scenario I don't see that it is obviously better to shoot at power armor infantry with a BS3 strangler, rather than have something to more reliably pound the armor stuff from turn 1.

I realise all of this is subjective. It may of course depend on what aspect you prefer to focus on.  Most fights come down to maximse your strength and minimise your weakness whilst doing the reverse to the opponent. All of these are opposing aspects, maximising strength usually means maximising weakness and your opponent will being trying to do the reverse to you. I like the TL-VC fex (assuming you are having a heavy fex) as it is not detracting anything major from the strength of the list (a BS3 strangler) yet the extra reliability does go some way to minimising your ranged AT weakness against a lot of vehicles you will meet - any fast, any AV13/14. And the cost is only 15pts.  A lone TL-VC is not going to dominate an AC, but neither is anything else you could get for that 15 points, it will however provide more assistance than anything else will for those points IMO. Against a marine army it can immedately start to dominate against the odd pred or raider, which again is far more useful than anything else you might buy for 15pts whilst not giving up that much IMO.

My maths was however correct.

Well... okay. Not only is your math correct, it was a much simpler and 'elegant' solution than what I did. And no, what you have seen is not how I calculated it. I understand the principals involved, but don't trust my assumptions sometimes, so I went into (painful) detail, and missed a factor.
My 'answer' matched the 'shortcut' so I posted the shortcut. They were both, however, wrong.

So, I apologize for all of that.

Love how every one comes out with these math equations of blah blah blah. Thats great IF your rolling on vegas approved board and using perfectly balanced dice and no one in the room farts causing air distortion on the dice. Statistics are ok for analysis but since people are using and handfull of mass produced dice tossed onto various types of uneven boards....

Take peoples math with a pound of salt and play what you think is fun.

Posted By Goony on 03/31/2007 10:29 AM
Love how every one comes out with these math equations of blah blah blah. Thats great IF your rolling on vegas approved board and using perfectly balanced dice and no one in the room farts causing air distortion on the dice. Statistics are ok for analysis but since people are using and handfull of mass produced dice tossed onto various types of uneven boards....

Lol - of course unless you know how your dice are mishaped or how to throw them on the uneven surface, or precisely how onions or baked beans affect your dice then you just have to assume that the overall effect on the mass of dice rolls will all average out.

WOW, i wish i had a calculator with me at every game, then i'd always win for sure :S

so your original list come to 1465, which already gives you some room to move.
Do you have any more models? IF not do you have the $$ to get some? It is a pretty small force and i doubt your stealer/hormie squads will do much with such small numbers.
consider buying some more on eBay, thats how i got a lot of mine at almost 60% less than retail. all new still on sprue or unassembaled too, didn't have to strip down a single one.

Consider some warriors too, you need some mid-speed synapse or your troops will be turning around the 2nd turn and moving backwards.

this is what i would do with your list assuming you have the $$ and time to fill the numbers....

HQ: Hive Tyrant
   1 Hive Tyrant @ 180 Pts
      Enhanced Senses +1 BS; Toxin Sacs +1 St; Scything Talons (x1); Venom Cannon; Synapse Creature; The Horror; Warp Field

Troops: Hormagaunts
   16 Hormagaunts @ 160 Pts
      Scything Talons

Troops: Hormagaunts
   16 Hormagaunts @ 160 Pts
      Scything Talons

Troops: Genestealers
   10 Genestealers @ 160 Pts
      Rending Claws

Troops: Genestealers
   10 Genestealers @ 160 Pts
      Rending Claws

Troops: Genestealers
   10 Genestealers @ 160 Pts
      Rending Claws

Elite: Warriors
   3 Warriors @ 114 Pts
      Adrenal Glands +1 In; Extended Carapace +1 Save; Leaping; Rending Claws (x1); Scything Talons (x1); Synapse Creature

Elite: Carnifex
   1 Carnifex @ 113 Pts
      Enhanced Senses +1 BS; Twin-linked Devourer (x2)

Heavy Support: Carnifex
   1 Carnifex @ 163 Pts
      Enhanced Senses +1 BS; Reinforced Chitin; Barbed Strangler; Venom Cannon

Heavy Support: Zoanthrope
   2 Zoanthrope @ 130 Pts
      Toxic Miasma; Synapse Creature; Warp Blast; Warp Field

Total Cost: 1500

OK, dropped a Zoan, dropped the ext cara on the carnis, as any weapon that is aimed at them will be AP2 anyway, added warriors for the extra synapse, dropped the scuttlers/ext cara from the stealers as scuttlers isn't as good as it sounds, all it does it bring you 6" close to enemy gun fire, its best for the stealers to hang back slightly, and ext isn't really needed, better to use the hormies as a meat shield and get those extra rending attacks in there.
Dropped the AG off the hormies as striking first wont make them cause any extra wounds, nor will it make anymore survive, may as well strike at the same time and get the same result.

added more numbers so you can choke down their squads while the big guys move in.
don't forget carnis need synapse coverage to move.

hope this helps, let me know if you need any more help

mothergoose

Nemasis, sorry for hijacking your thread. Math geeks and all that...

TLVC vs. VC/BS
Against a wall of Lemon Russ tanks, a gun fex is a poor choice. It doesn't matter what type of gunfex. Assuming Side Skirts, they have 14/13 armor, Yuck. Against that AV 14 front, there is almost a 1:6 chance of having no effects from 2 rounds of shooting.
Pick a better unit to go after the Russ's, and pick a better target for your gun fex.
Get a shot at those Stormtroopers in the Chimera
Get some nice double penetration shots at the Basilisk. (From the Blast/opentop combo, you perverts.)
Take out that infantry unit that is trying to slow down your stealers.

For the Russes, you are limited because of what models you have, but you want a Scything Flyrant, or raveners, or winged warriors, or stealers, or lictors. Raveners can get a 40" assault in 3 turns. 2 Lictors can reliably take out the AV13 side armor, and then hid in the wreckage for a 2+ cover save, the Scything Flyrant... just kicks butt.

For your Carni's you are better off with +Sv than +T or +W. It is a nice theory that you only get hit with AP2 weapons, but it just doesn't work out that way. Remember, it only takes ONE AP 3 wound, *OR* two AP 4/5/6 wounds to make EC the right choice.
The entire unit/tank needs to shoot everything at the same target, you will get hit by all sorts of weapons.

Against MEQ, EC on the stealers will likely be useful. I tend to skip it, but I don't think that is the best choice. All those damn rapid firing Bolt guns are AP 5. EC cuts their effectiveness in half.
Carni's do have to make IB checks to move, but no matter what, they can still shoot.
You don't really need more synapse, what you need is faster synapse. Since you can't really get it, stick to cover, and make sure you don't out run your synapse. (Broodlord maybe? Or quickly glue wings on your Tyrant. :-) )
Hgaunts are most effective against MEQ with +I and +Str. If I can find the math, I will post it and let Puree look it over. You have dropped your HGaunts, and looking at your Synapse, that might be good. Stealers benefit from synapse, HGaunts need it. Besides, Gaunts make lousy meatshields for stealers.
Oh, I would switch Warp field for EC on the HT, but eh... either way.

Hope this helps.

Your hormaguants need extra fast synapse, because the are to fast for a walking hive tyrant. I always pick a flying hive tyrant with two twin linked devourers.

its better to let the carnifex shoot with his vennom cannon to cripple tanks. its the best way to prevent tanks to shoot at your hormies and genies. its all about numbers with tyranids. hormies dont need extra upgrades..because the are only meat. genestealers dont need extra upgrades because the are good enough. shooty carnifexes dont need a lot of upgrades, only a 2+ save will do.

I ended up droping the rgaunts for another unit of 9 stealers and another carnifex W/ VC, Carapace, Senses, Tailmace, Tusked, Toxic sacs,   Played a few leage games withe the list and both i won.  In one of the games i blew up three hammerheads in one turn.  In another i blew the heck out of a marine army with turn two assault with the Stealers.  All the units were below half after turn one but it kept the fire off my big bugs.  but i may change out the zoeys any good thoughts