Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I threw this army together before i went to sleep today and would like to know what people think. If I was gonna change some things right of the bat it would involve swapping a gaunt squad for another trio of warriors, other then that though, the biggest problem is anti-tank it seems to me and my synapse number is kinda lower then i'd like it to be. I would like advice on a viable alternative to the spine gaunts in keeping with the armies format(No Genestealers though )

oops posted it without army

Swarm list-1500
HQ-1x3Warriors-115
Elites-2x3 Warriors-115x2=250
Enhanced Senses, Toxin Sacs, Venom Cannon, 2 Deathspitter, Rending Claws
Troops-6x32gaunts-960
spinefists
Heavy Support-3 Zoanthropes-195
Synapse,Warp Blast

The thing is, spinegaunts are useless, you'd be better off with fleshborers up front, and toxin-sacs + devourers behind (so the more expensive gaunts get a cover save)

That said, you may just want to wait until the new codex comes out in january before making decisions/buying stuff. Gaunts and warriors are currently considered sub-par, especially compared to the monstrous creature choices. Based on the trend for cheap ork and guard troops, you can expect all gaunts to get cheaper and/or better in january, and very possibly the options and points for warriors will change about a bit too.

I'll post a list I had designed for a 2k pts game that was focused on Swarm and doesn't use Stealers.

Click for Swarm List

Hope it helps some. I know its 2k pts and you're looking at 1500, but it might help.

Cheers

Ok, Hows about this getup?
Swarm list-1500
HQ-1x3Warriors-124
Enhanced Senses, Toxin Sacs, Venom Cannon, 2 Deathspitter, Rending Claws, adrenal glands
Elites-2x3 Warriors-115x2=250
Enhanced Senses, Toxin Sacs, Venom Cannon, 2 Deathspitter, Rending Claws
Troops-2x32gaunts-320
spinefists
Troops-2x26gaunts-312
fleshborers
Troops-2x16gaunts-320
Devourers, toxic sacs
Heavy Support-3 Zoanthropes-195
Synapse,Warp Blast

Added some altered gaunt swarms, dropped 38 models, but now the warriors are a little faster in the HQ group and i have flesh and toxic devourers gaunts.

units or warriors are much stronger when in groups of 5. You can change the weapon load outs on them to abuse wound allocation...besides the fact that 5 W2 ID immune models are much better than 3, especially since swarm lists needs synapse.

You may also want to consider without number for a unit of gaunts and put that one up front so it can take the first turn or two of shots and then come back on the board and take a back objective while still moving everything else up.

You'll of course run into lists you can't fight at all (read: mech, land raiders)

Swarms are great fun but Altimera is right you have almost nothing but very squishy Zoantrhopes that can handle heavy armor, and at 1500 pts SM and MEQ armies will most likely run 1 AV14 vehicle (if they have one). 1 or 2 Low cost fexs with Venom Cannon and Scything Talons can really help, if at least to just stun the crews and keep those big nasties from demolishing your little ones.

Keep the warrios cheap, and use Barbed Stranglers on them in place of the Venom Cannon as they don't have the high Strength a 'Fex does to maximize their effect. I would give them:

Squad of 5:
Rending Claws and/or Scything Talons (ALL)
1 Barbed Strangler
4 Deathspitters
(+1 Save if you have the spare points.) Its nice to have them stick around after all.

It also looks like you're not putting in a single MC choice. (ie. no tyrant, or carnifex.) Is there a reason for this? I mean you can still build a swarm army with those choices, but if you were going for a non-MC HQ choice take the Broodlord, far better than a Warrior squad for that role.

I would think:

Broodlord (w/ retinue if you want) HQ

2 Warrior squads at 5 models each. Elites
Rending Claws and/or Scything Talons (ALL)
1 Barbed Strangler
4 Deathspitters
(+1 Save if you have the spare points.) Its nice to have them stick around after all.

4 Gaunt Broods at 16 models each, with Fleshborers and WoN. Troops

3 Zoanthropes, Synapse Creature and Warpblast. Heavy

1 Carnifex with Venom Cannon and Scything Talons (w/ +1 Save and +1 Strenth if you can afford them)

I don't have the exact make up (points wise figured out), so you might have to make some changes on the warriors if they're to expensive. And/or take one off the warrior broods and make them 4 strong if need be.

Cheers

Swarm list-1500(1493)
HQ-BroodLord-100+186=286
Adrenal glands(I), Extended Carapace, Feeder tendrils, Flesh Hooks, Toxin Sacs
6xGenestealer retinue-186
Acid Maw, Extended Carapace, Scything Talons, Toxin Sacs
Elites-1x4 1x5 Warriors-155+190=345
Enhanced Senses, Toxin Sacs, 1 Barbed Strangler, 3&4 Deathspitter, Rending Claws
Troops-2x14gaunts-288
Fleshborers, WoN
Troops-2x14gaunts-288
Fleshborers, WoN
Heavy Support-3 Zoanthropes-195
Synapse,Warp Blast
Heavy Support-1 Carnifex-163
Venom Cannon, Barbed Strangler, Enhanced senses, reinforced chitin

You guys are killing me... Hows this then?

Heh, sorry Ryokkeno we're just trying to help you out man, cause no one likes going to a game and getting stomped because they didn't bring the right things.

This one looks good, you made your 'Fex a Sniperfex, works well.

And you have a good bit of Synapse that can cover the board to your broods that need it. Luckily your 'Fex can move without having to worry about the Instinctive Behavior rule.

Should be a fun little running group.

Cheers

I'm gonna say if you wanna run swarm, wait for the new dex. As it is Nid swarm lists is pretty weak. You'll get tooled by mech pretty easily! Zoanthropes are not reliable anti-tank