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Well, I'm (finally) almost done with my orks; all I need is a few more kanz and I'm good. Thus, I'm plotting to start my next army, being a Nidzilla, with some stealer shock just for fun. What I'm thinking is

HQ

Dakka Tyrant
Barb Strangler, Extended Carapace, Warp Blast
Possibly some tyrant Guard if I can be convinced that they are worth it on a dakka tyrant lol.

Broodlord + a retinue of 11 stealers
Tendrils + Implant weapons

And.... I'm stuck. Lol. I know I want SOME gaunts, but I'd really like to go mainly genestealers and a couple of dakkafexes. I'd like zoanthroapes too, but I don't know how they fit into what i"m envisioning. Which, since all I've given is HQs which shows nothing, I'm thinking waves.

1st wave is the Broodlord and his stealers, possibly two more broods to annihilate shooty backup, then the dakka fex and tyrant and zoeys nuke the melee before they can counter and cook the stealers. 2nd wave would be DS raveners to back up the stealers and mop up. Specifically I'm looking at a 1500 to 1750 point list; what I've given is what, 500 pointsish? I also think some shooty warriors may be useful as well, but i'm unsure. Clearly I need help as this codex is new and intriguing and completely rokkit science compared to the boyz, of which I knew I wanted either a KoS or dreadbash after reading the book (and now I have both almost fully painted).

I'm not sure how this list even synergizes, but I think it works. If someone has tried similar and had it flop or bring great success I'd be much obliged.

EDIT- The ravernor build I'm looking at is 6 Ravernors, Devourer + two sets of scything talons. I want them to be shooty if they need to be, and with 3x2x6=36, they can spit quite a large amount of fire power when they deep strike (you can shoot but not assault when you deep strike IIRC.

Sorry to double post but I just constructed an actual list which I guess counts as reason for second post. Will accept smack across head from mods if they disagree =)

HQ

Hive Tyrant
Barb Strangler, Extended Carapace, Warp Blast

BroodLord
Implant attack + tendrils, 11 Stealer retinue with tendrils

Elite

DakkaFex
Twin Linked Devourer, Enchanced Senses

Melee Fex
2x Scything Talons, Toxic Sac, Adrenal glands

Troops
2x 12 Genestealers, Scuttlers + tendrils

Fast Attack
1 x 6 Ravernors, Devourers + Scy talons

Heavy Support
2 x Zoanthropes with Warp Blast

The Zoanthropes and the dakka tyrant have warp blast to take care of any AV 13+, as well as our big angry melee fex. The Stealers all infiltrate with the brood lord and bash up the enemy lines, starting with shooty goodness (I may toss in flesh hooks, if I can figure out where to cut points lol). The Dakka fex is mid-lines, taking care of any assault troops trying to sneak up to the tyrant and zoanthropes. The Ravernors DS where needed, and have the Devourer Upgrade to be able to shoot up the enemy when they DS (as they can't DS and assault same turn).

Thoughts? Comments? I kinda don't know if the fexes fit in tbh, but I do like the models and want em in.

your tyrant has to have another weapon symbiote, he cant have just one. he also really really needs warpfield to keep him around a bit longer. does your combat fex really need toxin sacs? the difference between S9 and S10 is negligible. the only thing it will make a difference on is wraithlords, that you will tear appart anyway. appartf rom that it looks ok.

finally, all your stealers scout, not infiltrate. only the ones with the brood lord infiltrate..

The Monstrous Creatures need 2 symbiote weapons each, and twin linked weapons that are brought twinlinked only count as 1. I'm pretty sure the elite fex you can't afford enhanced senses and take two twin linked devourers - remember the elite fexes can cost a maximum of 114 points each. The Tyrant in that build I'd give him Scything Talons as the other weapon. With the Ravenors, split them into smaller units, if you want 6 and no other fast attack units drop them to 2 or 3 units as they get shot up easily. You might consider some scuttling gaunts with fleshborers as a cover for the genestealers as they advance, and if you want a bit more expensive but still solid and surprisingly effective gaunt ranged weapons then a small unit or two of strength 4 gaunts with devourers acting in support of the main advance is a great way to do this - the extra range is surprisingly effective with 2 str 3 shots re-rolling to wound.

If you are going to hold the genestealers in reserve so as they can outflank then a lictor or two would be a good suggestion to get them turning up at the same time. I play a pure shooting nid force that occasionally subs in genestealers to act as a distraction and both builds for me work surprisingly well...You can't fault undefeated after all. On that point I'd consider giving your zoanthropes Psychic Scream as well to increase the likeliness of you winning assaults.

Auretious Taak.

Um...you can put two twin-linked devourers and enhanced senses...it's known as the 'dakkafex'.

Replace your toxin sacs with a toxic miasma on your Melee Fex, and I hope your Adrenal Glands are already for WS.

Your Hive Tyrant doesn't really synergize. A long range weapon symbiote plus a short range psychic shooting ability.

Not a Nid player myself, but just some thoughts

Just remember, your Broodlord may not have both biomorphs Implant Attack and Feeder Tendrils, since they both have the * by them with the note saying "Broodlords may only have one of these biomorphs). The Genestealers with the Broodlord may have both Implant Attack and Feeder Tendrils, since they are not both * in their entry.

Interesting though I think you will be hard pressed to win objective games as your genestealers need to be used not sitting on your objectives.... Only two troops is going to be hard to handle.

I would suggest not to make the units max size instead split your two units of 12 into 4 units of 6 and then lower the broodlords retinue and try to get a 5th unit of 6 out there.

I am assuming you are looking to use outflank to bring them all in on the flanks, deep strike the raveners and just have fexes and the tyrant out there at the beginning... Another I would suggest is at least 1 lictor... the feeder tendrils can help other units that charge in and the pheromone trail helps with the reinforcements getting on the table.

Your army is small so the other suggestion would be a fex with talons and a barbed strangler instead of the tl devourers... you get one nice big templat at S8 only at BS2 but now that just means it scatters... All that in it still qualifies as an Elite Fex coming in at 113. This is good for lightening the load you are asking the genestealers to handle if you play orcs or some other hoard army.

Another suggestion would be to get a small unit of gaunts in the army just make sure they are without number. That way you can plant them on an objective and if they die, they just come back on and sit on the objective again. Good for the one mission where you need to hold the objective in your deployment zone. With 4 units of genestealers, hopefully 1 can keep it together and hold the one in your opponent's zone. You will be playing deny in the 3-5 objective game so that should be fine. Only real downside to the 4 small units of genestealers is handing out the kill points but the 4 or 5 units will be much more flexible.

The cool thing with your army is you don't really need hive mind for anything but the raveners to avoid S8 instant kills.

Will be interested to see how this turns out for you.

orchewer wrote:Um...you can put two twin-linked devourers and enhanced senses...it's known as the 'dakkafex'.

Replace your toxin sacs with a toxic miasma on your Melee Fex, and I hope your Adrenal Glands are already for WS.

Your Hive Tyrant doesn't really synergize. A long range weapon symbiote plus a short range psychic shooting ability.

Not a Nid player myself, but just some thoughts

If you like it keep the warp blast but I would lose the strangler... I think it is a bad choice for a tyrant overall, -1 S and ROF 1.
If you want shooty to keep medium/light army dinged, take the venom cannon .. only bad point is nothing but glances.

If you want the close combat monster, do talons and then whip and sword. Cuts down the attacks your opponent's get and gives you a free Catalyst within 6 inches... great when you hit something in terrain and don't have flesh hooks or just go for the gusto with another set of talonsand toxic miasma.

Haven't figured out what you are paying for this but think about a small brood of shooty tyrannid warriors... your genestealers and CC fexes should do the job and keep them off your back. For about 185 you can get a brood of 5 warriors with 4 spitters and 1 barbed strangler... not bad to drop 4 S6 blast templates and 1 S4 Large Blast Template, again makes the job easier for your genestealers.

orchewer wrote:Um...you can put two twin-linked devourers and enhanced senses...it's known as the 'dakkafex'.

Replace your toxin sacs with a toxic miasma on your Melee Fex, and I hope your Adrenal Glands are already for WS.

Your Hive Tyrant doesn't really synergize. A long range weapon symbiote plus a short range psychic shooting ability.

Not a Nid player myself, but just some thoughts

I looked in the codex, and indeed it can be done, for some reason I thought the enhanced senses were 10 pts bring you to 115 pts and not being able to take it. Me, I've been running dakka fexes with 2 twin devourers, and either spinebanks or spore cysts for more flexibility and more firepower. Still hita surprising amount with only BS 2 with all the re-rolls, but the poison spore mines is also fun. I can see why the Tyrant has the ranged and the warp blast, it's a good flexibility when you look at it, he has 2 blast weapons. a strength 5 AP 5 5" pinning and a str 5 AP 3 blast, it's good flexibility of anti-infantry shooting, and has a chance of churning out a solid strength 10 anti-armour shot as well. I'm going to state I like the Tyrant with a Barbed Strangler and Warpblast, it's nice and could work really well against a variety of enemies.

Let us know how the first games go, and don't necessarily put everything together for the first games, sub if you can to figure out what works for you, it's usually a good practice and will save you bugger loads of time and money. Though GW are arse's when it comes to subbing, lol.

Auretious Taak.

Well, I haven't actually bought any of this stuff yet lol. All I've gotten in the CC Fex via ebay (very nice looking OOP one at that), half the nids from Macragge, and 18 OOP stealers I also got on the ebay. If my list totally blowz, keep that in mind lol.

I like Warp blast because it provides Str 10 relatively long range, and I want a Shooty tyrant because I've got a butt-ton of stealers who will cut anything to shreds. Hence why the fex has S10- he's anti-land raider, monolith, so on.

I thought about venom cannon, but Idk that glance only thing kinda sucks... I guess he's more for IC assasination, but eh. I'll consider it once I acquire said tyrant.

I honestly thought that scuttlers let you infiltrate... scouting lets me outflank which is close enough though. As for the few troops I typically play annihilation, where holding objectives means nothing.

As for the ravenors, they are backing up the broodlord, and thus will fall into his synapse

I have had a lot of luck with some units you might want to consider:

Minimum size gaunt unit(s) with "Without Number"

...in an objective game this unit(s) will make it all but immpossible for you to loose any objective in 12 inches of your own board edge. It doesnt matter what guns they have just keep them cheap as their only job is to take OBjs by your board edge in the 2/3 rds of the missions where you will have put them there. Try and go for woods or ruins and go to ground in them for the 3+ save every turn.

Basic 30 spinegaunt unit,

...ironically this unit can sometimes contest an entire battlefield worth of OBJs and in practice it seldom gets shot at because people don't want to waste the shots, and it is an instant 4+ save for all the stealers behind it. They are really NOT impressive at shooting or CC, but for cover, obj. taking, board control and synergy they are actually really great.

DAKKA tyrant,

...if you want a shooting tyrant, I recommend the 2x twin linked devourers, that single unit shoots 12 dice, rerolls hits at BS4 and wounds too at S5, it is unreal, with wings it also moves 12 and has an effective range of 30 inches. It's the best tyrant I have ever seen.

Deathspitter Warriors,

they are OK, not really great in shooting or melee, but the hivemind they put out is really helpful, and hiding them behind advancing TMCs or smaller gribleez works great, in the shooting role they dont need any CC or armor biomorphs making them cheap and they get 4+ saves from your own stuff. Shooting 5 S5 templates is actuall pretty good, I have been able to shoot down light vehicles, immobilize transports and splatter S3 guys all over the place with that units, mine is only 122 points.

Good luck.

Augustus wrote:I have had a lot of luck with some units you might want to consider:

Basic 30 spinegaunt unit,

...ironically this unit can sometimes contest an entire battlefield worth of OBJs and in practice it seldom gets shot at because people don't want to waste the shots, and it is an instant 4+ save for all the stealers behind it. They are really NOT impressive at shooting or CC, but for cover, obj. taking, board control and synergy they are actually really great.

DAKKA tyrant,

...if you want a shooting tyrant, I recommend the 2x twin linked devourers, that single unit shoots 12 dice, rerolls hits at BS4 and wounds too at S5, it is unreal, with wings it also moves 12 and has an effective range of 30 inches. It's the best tyrant I have ever seen.

Deathspitter Warriors,

they are OK, not really great in shooting or melee, but the hivemind they put out is really helpful, and hiding them behind advancing TMCs or smaller gribleez works great, in the shooting role they dont need any CC or armor biomorphs making them cheap and they get 4+ saves from your own stuff. Shooting 5 S5 templates is actuall pretty good, I have been able to shoot down light vehicles, immobilize transports and splatter S3 guys all over the place with that units, mine is only 122 points.

Good luck.

30 Spinegaunts, a definitely good unit to take for aforementioned reasons, damned cheap too.

The Dakka Tyrant, when you equip it with Psychic Scream and take a second Dakka Tyrant with the scream and both with toxin sacs, and 2 twin devourers and BS 4, they take out on average a space marine squad a turn if they target the same unit. It's damned fun.

The Warriors, with basic stats and a Deathspitter are really useful, and very cheap. take rending claws and you can even deal with up to armour 13 vehicles with luck. at 28 points a model, you can get 5 at 140pts assuming I have remembered the points right, it's a great unit very flexible, throw a Barbed strangler in there for more pinning goodness.


HERE IS THE BEST ADVICE:

Find a group of players who will happily play you with substituted models, plastic army men make the best and quickest substitutes for alot of things, or use other models, just put a paper label of the unit next to it to avoid confusion. Play the army througha few times till it feels right, THEN buy it. Works exceedingly well, and you don't get ripped off either.

Auretious Taak.