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Here’s my nid army:

HQ
1 Hive Tyrant (2Twin-linked Devoler, +1S, +1BS) - 166
+1 Tyrant Guard

1 Broodlord (Feeder tendril)
+6 Stealers retinue (acid maw) - 187

Elite
3 Warriors
(2 Deathspitter, Talons, 1 Barber Strangler, Toxin Sacs, +1S, Ex. carapace) - 109
3 Warriors
(Same as above) - 109

Troops
8 genestealers (Scuttler, Feeder Tendril) - 160
8 genestealers (Scuttler, Feeder Tendril) - 160
14 Termagaunts (Fleshborer) - 84
14 Termagaunts (Fleshborer) - 84
14 Termagaunts (Fleshborer) - 84
15 Hormagaunts - 150

Heavy Support
2 Zoanthropes (Warp Blast, Synapse Creature) - 130
1 Carnifex (Barbed Strangler, VC, +1BS) - 148
1 Carnifex (Talon, Crushing Claw, +1W, +1T, Tusked, +1Ws, Fresh hook) - 168



Total: 1739 pts, 96 models (i think)

got any comments? I know it seems not a balance list. For my gaming experience, I like that CC Fex to use as a tank killer and marine slayer. I don’t know how should I spent that 11 pts left over.

General strategy for the army?

At first glance, 14 Kill Points seems a little high.

tactically swarm them totally?

Hormagaunts are bad. They'd be great if they were 6pt base models, but they aren't. At 10 points a piece, minimum, they don't bring any value to the table. They need upgrades to make them good, which makes them about the same price as a Genestealer which is much better on all counts.

Why so many Termagaunts? Fleshborers are only marginally better than Spinefists, and they're both pretty bad overall. You won't be shooting with these guys often enough to make the extra 42 points you sank into Fleshborers over Spinefists worth it. Two squads of Gaunts can effectively camp an objective, but you'll usually only have one or two objectives right near your starting point anyways. A Gaunt swarm trying to take a far objective is going to get shot on the way there or run into a meaner troop choice upon arrival. If you're using this third squad of Gaunts to screen your Genestealers, then the Fleshborer upgrade is even more of a waste of points since you're using them as cannon fodder anyways.

Hormagaunts are bad. Spend the 150 points on another squad of Genestealers. If you'd like to see in better perspective than me just saying it...

Kirbinator wrote:15 Hormagaunts, 150 points, fighting 10 Marines to keep point cost even and because that's the only size Marine squad you'll ever see from now on. For simplicity's sake, I kept everyone in the Marine squad as CCW+Pistol as the vanilla Marine will soon be. If you have doubts of that upcoming change, look at Chaos Marines.

45 attacks on the charge, 22.5 hit, 7.5 wound, 2-3 dead Marines. Since you're both I4, they'll get 20 attacks back because a standard marine will have 1+1 base attacks. 10 hit, 6.6 wound, 4.4 dead Gaunts. So you've successfully killed two Marines and lost five.

Round two, 10-11 Hormagaunts vs. 8 Marines, need I go on?

Now let's look at Tendril Stealers-

9 Tendril Stealers assaulting 10 Marines:

27 attacks on the charge, 22.5 hits (after re-roll), 11.25 wounds, 3.75 of those rend: 6.25 dead Marines, at I6. This leaves 3.75 Marines left to swing back, and you annihilate them during their next assault phase.

For math's sake, those 3.75 Marines get 7.5 swings back, 3.75 hit, 1.87 wound, 1.2 Stealers die.

This quote comes from this list where the subject was brought up near the beginning of the discussion.

Obviously, the numbers are slightly off for your scuttler Stealers... 16 Hormagaunts for 8 Scuttler/Tendril Stealers, so let's try that out.

16 Hormagaunts: 48 attacks on the charge, 24 hits, 8 wounds, 2.67 dead Marines.
8 Tendril/Scuttler Genestealers: 24 attacks on the charge, 21.33 hits, 10.65 wounds, 3.56 of those rend, 2.36 dead from failed armor, 5.9 dead Marines.

Even in the situation where Hormagaunts literally double the number of Tendril Genestealers, the Genestealers are still better. This doesn't take into account the fact that your Genestealers have Scout, can tear up MCs, and can eat up light tanks, all of which Hormagaunts cannot do. Not to mention being at I6 instead of I4, so the ones you kill don't get to swing back. If you started adding upgrades to your Hormagaunts to make them more effective, then you could instead spend the points on more Genestealers which would greatly increase their kill-rate effectiveness.

Hormagaunts are bad.

Your Warriors are bad, too. Two deathspitters and a barbed strangler from them will not do the damage that a Dakkafex would do, and the Dakka comes in at only four more points. Switch these guys out for Dakkafexes or a Dakka and Ninja if you want. If you're really wanting the scattering large blast template in your elite choice, go with a Boomfex, barbed strangler and talons for 113, but a Dakka will almost always do better instead of these, too.

Your monster CC 'Fex is overall a waste of points since he will be only marginally more effective at troop killing than a Ninjafex (2x Talons, Toxic Miasma, +1WS) would, and he both costs 55 points more and he takes up a Heavy slot. Against tanks I'd go so far as to say a Ninjafex is better simply because when a 113 point model takes out that 160 point tank, he has already more than paid for himself.

From the points you save switching the Termagaunts to Spinegaunts, and maybe even dropping one of the Gaunt squads, and definitely dropping the Hormagaunts, you could get another squad of Scuttler/Tendril Genestealers, add a few more Stealers to your Broodlord's retinue, pay for the extra 8 points to take your two Warriors and input two Dakkafexes, and probably still have some to play with.

Kirbinator wrote:Hormagaunts are bad. They'd be great if they were 6pt base models, but they aren't. At 10 points a piece, minimum, they don't bring any value to the table. They need upgrades to make them good, which makes them about the same price as a Genestealer which is much better on all counts.

your right, those little bugs are really disappointing me during games, they always died.

Kirbinator wrote:Why so many Termagaunts? Fleshborers are only marginally better than Spinefists, and they're both pretty bad overall. You won't be shooting with these guys often enough to make the extra 42 points you sank into Fleshborers over Spinefists worth it. Two squads of Gaunts can effectively camp an objective, but you'll usually only have one or two objectives right near your starting point anyways. A Gaunt swarm trying to take a far objective is going to get shot on the way there or run into a meaner troop choice upon arrival. If you're using this third squad of Gaunts to screen your Genestealers, then the Fleshborer upgrade is even more of a waste of points since you're using them as cannon fodder anyways.

true, i see most of plater use to do so. however i have to kit them to Spinefist, and how much number per brood would be good?

Kirbinator wrote:Your Warriors are bad, too. Two deathspitters and a barbed strangler from them will not do the damage that a Dakkafex would do, and the Dakka comes in at only four more points. Switch these guys out for Dakkafexes or a Dakka and Ninja if you want. If you're really wanting the scattering large blast template in your elite choice, go with a Boomfex, barbed strangler and talons for 113, but a Dakka will almost always do better instead of these, too.

i'd think about for not use Warriors, because i had enough Synapse for this list. So you suggest me to spend more money to buy more Fexes.

Kirbinator wrote:Your monster CC 'Fex is overall a waste of points since he will be only marginally more effective at troop killing than a Ninjafex (2x Talons, Toxic Miasma, +1WS) would, and he both costs 55 points more and he takes up a Heavy slot. Against tanks I'd go so far as to say a Ninjafex is better simply because when a 113 point model takes out that 160 point tank, he has already more than paid for himself.

Too bad that CC 'Fex with crushing claw looks so cool, and i already glued on its socket. i should make it magnetized before stick on.

Kirbinator wrote:From the points you save switching the Termagaunts to Spinegaunts, and maybe even dropping one of the Gaunt squads, and definitely dropping the Hormagaunts, you could get another squad of Scuttler/Tendril Genestealers, add a few more Stealers to your Broodlord's retinue, pay for the extra 8 points to take your two Warriors and input two Dakkafexes, and probably still have some to play with.

afterall, if i follow what you suggest me, i could save more points on order to fill more useful units. Wow! you're really good at this.

Never was a fan of Warriors for 113 points you can have a Dakkafex or barb fex which does more damage and is harder to kill. I can see having one group of Warriors for Synapse for the Gaunts if you feel it is necessary.

I like my Genestealers with Flesh hooks so you can assault units in cover in initiative order. More rends doesn't matter if you get killed before you can strike.

I been testing Spinegaunts without number to take Objectives and offer cover. They work out pretty well so far but can be a liability in kill point missions.


I have to agree that Hormagaunts are bad

If you want synapse, get another Zoey.

Your warriors are geared for shooting anyways, and since your gaunts are fleet, if your warriors are keeping up with them, they're not shooting. Waste of points right there. If you're set on keeping them around (Warriors do have their uses), go for a leaping/scything talons/rending claws with toys combo.

Dakkafex wins over shooty warriors any day.

Listen to what Kirbinator says, he knows what he's talking about

I think i should.

Actually, i don't really tested this list because i just got my new Fex and make it to godfex. But kirbinator said that is waste of point overall.

If you like your godfex, try him out as you made him or have him "count as" a Ninjafex with your friends. Modeling and enjoying how your models look is definitely a big part of 40k. I'm just big on making the most out of points available and a godfex has never impressed me.

Kirika brings up a good point with Flesh Hooks vs. Tendrils, especially if you try to assault large unit of something in cover. This also has very much to do with your playstyle. I personally shoot anything I'm about to assault to whittle down their numbers before I move in, so going second with my Genestealers doesn't bother me as much. Drop Pod armies, Daemons, terminator squads, quite often Marines too... these units often have people who don't believe in cover, relying only on their 3+ armor to keep them safe or since they just used Deep Strike they're sitting out of cover.