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While many people have shared ideas on the new nids, I plan on using this topic as an evolving tactica as I play my way through the new nids. I will try and keep each post on just one topic at a time, with some crazy mathhammer in support.

For my inagural tactics post, I will cover the Carnifex, and why, in my opinion, he is the best heavy support (despite the shiny new stuff we get)

First and foremost, the carnifex gets a spore pod. A 50 point spore pod with cluster spines has decent shooting with its 18 inch s5 large blast and 6 s6 6 inch range attacks. It makes the carnifex a 210 point buy; not terrible compared to the 170 point base mawloc that gets to shoot 3 times max, or the 200 point min trygon.

Second, nids need anti tank. While the tyranofex does have 2 s10 shots, the t-fex package is utter garbage. Averaging 1 s10 hit a turn, the t-fex needs 3 turns to expect to kill a rhino, and 6 turns to kill a raider. Thus, you can not EXPECT the t-fex to do much before your opponent accomplishes his vehicle's mission. Against eldar its even worse, as energy fields take away your s10. While the Tfex is hard to kill thanks to the 2+ save, dedicated assault units will kill it in one turn and lesser units bog it very easily (5 outflanking scounts can hold the tfex for 5 rounds fairly easily, and potentially kill it if they have a pfist) With the t-fex ruled out, the poding fex or the trygon is the next best bet.

When comparing the carnifex to a trygon, when facing a vehicle both get rerolls and a similiar number of attacks (5v7) However a fex's base s9 means that you autopen av10, and you crack monoliths and raiders better. If facing each other, the trygon will come out on top thanks to the larger wound pool, but unless the fex dies without swinging the trygon will be hurting fairly bad. Fex's also ID t4 models, meaning they are much better versus things like nob bikers, thunderwolves, and even nid warriors. So for most metagames the fex will be superior.

As for variants of the carnifex, the dakka fex is perhaps the most common fex model that tyranid players own. The good news is that the Dakka fex in a pod is still good. It kills the rear or side of a rhino/chimera better than a trygon prime's 12 shot s5 ap5 gun, getting 3 pens (with a -1 sadly) vs armor 10 compared to 1 versus the trygon prime. True, you lose the rerolls to hit by making a dakka fex, but 12 twin linked s6 shots is great versus almost anything in the game save land raiders and monoliths.

Things to avoid:
First, regen. Regen encourages your enemy to focus fire, and provides less benefit than on 6 wounders. We dont want to encourage focus firing whenever possible.

Second, HVC/strangler. It takes 15 heavy venom cannon blasts to expect to kill a single rhino. The range is not a benefit because you can spore pod. You are better off keeping your rerolls to hit and running towards your enemy than fiddling with a HVC. The Heavy venom cannon is one of my biggest disapointments with the nid's--id rather have the old venom cannon any day of the week. As for the strangler, take 3 biovores for much less points, get 3 large blasts, get pinning, get indirect fire.

Third, Bioplasma. While very cool, competitive players will spread out and or be in cover and or be in a vehicle. Meaning, you will kill one model at a time with a cover save, and when firing at a vehicle, even av10, you need ~10 bioplasma shots to expect to kill it.

Fourth, old one eye. This carnifex loses the pod option, and has a great regen that does an even better job of encouraging focused fire, meaning he actually dies faster. While the potential for 16 attacks is funny, the low ws and no real rerolls mean its not worth the points.

Fifth, broods of 2-3. While they can be fun, they lose the pod option, making them very expensive footsloggers. The t6 wall is best accomplished with tyrants + tyrant guard, and hive guard. In really large games they become more viable as the FOC gets tight and the board gets cluttered.

Finally, a note on the metagame. Basicly, space wolf jaws owns t-fexs, tervigons, and carnifexes. If you wish to metagame against jaws, then your list can include none of those 3 units. Death Leaper is not proof against jaws--while the -d3 ld is good, and shadow in the warp is good, neither can be counted on to prevent jaws from crippling your MCs.

What about the Pyrovore? I think it's something of an ace in the hole, but to be fair I'm not exactly a competitive gamer, so you may well disagree (and indeed feel free to do so. I'm not preaching, just discussing).

So why do I like it? Suicide Missions. I genuinely struggle to think of any unit better suited to winkling the enemy out of an objective. Stomp one or two up to the objective, give the target a roasting with the Flamespurt, before charging into combat. Granted, you are going to get your arse totally handed to you, but that would be my aim. First of all, you have a Power Weapon, so there is every chance of doing some damage when Initiative favours you. But the real treat here is Acid Blood. Comes on a large base, which means lots of people get to gank you, hopefully leading to lots of wounds caused, and thus, Acid Blood spurting everywhere (check your book, this is awesomesauce, not Acid!). Then, to top it all, the beasty might explode. I'm willing to wager that unless up against something really hard, like Terminators, the beasties frenzied death throes ought to do quite a bit of damage.

DevianID wrote:
Finally, a note on the metagame. Basicly, space wolf jaws owns t-fexs, tervigons, and carnifexes. If you wish to metagame against jaws, then your list can include none of those 3 units. Death Leaper is not proof against jaws--while the -d3 ld is good, and shadow in the warp is good, neither can be counted on to prevent jaws from crippling your MCs.

... Right; So I was ok with your content, if a little underwhelmed by your tone up until this point.

Why not just stick this at the top of your post and save me the time?

So, in summary DevianID's opinion is the 'Fex is good, in a pod, but the current meta (wolves>MC's) means the NID HS slot is useless.

Further you imply competitiveness, but your post is light on analysis, which is what I expect from a "competitive" poster. if I wanted fiat's and overblown assertions I'd be reading a different site.

Ahh..

DevianID wrote:First and foremost, the carnifex gets a spore pod. A 50 point spore pod with cluster spines has decent shooting with its 18 inch s5 large blast and 6 s6 6 inch range attacks. It makes the carnifex a 210 point buy; not terrible compared to the 170 point base mawloc that gets to shoot 3 times max, or the 200 point min trygon..

The mawlock gets one str6 hit vs a vehicle compared to 6x BS2 6" str6 shots. Its infantry blast is ap2 & it has a larger wound pool and better suited to chopping through I4. The Tyrgon altogether serves a different purpose than just hitting stuff.

DevianID wrote:Second, nids need anti tank.

Outflanking adrenal glanded hormagaunts. I would say about 5 glances should cripple a vehicle, if not luckily glance it to death. There any many more unorthadox options with the new codex.

DevianID wrote:While the Tfex is hard to kill thanks to the 2+ save, dedicated assault units will kill it in one turn and lesser units bog it very easily (5 outflanking scounts can hold the tfex for 5 rounds fairly easily, and potentially kill it if they have a pfist)

What what what? T6 + 6W + 2sv. Which dedicated assault unit will take it out? A full 10-strong warlock squad could take out 3 wounds. Assault marines.. just no. You'd need massed powerfists, ideally assault terminators. Only powerfists would do it. 5 scouts would last 5 rounds? The t-fex kills 1.25 a turn, on average. Thats 4 "rounds" of combat ignoring the potential for loosing combat. I wouldn't say 5 rounds + fairly easily.

DevianID wrote:When comparing the carnifex to a trygon, when facing a

walker, The tyrgon just wins. Surely you meant to argue it both ways, or does the local meta game not include walkers at all?

DevianID wrote: Fex's also ID t4 models, thunderwolves,

Are actually T5, Including models upgraded with TWC models as per the FAQ.

As for the JotWW meta; Flyrants, outflanking tervigons, reserve based tunnel-jumping shoot-death units (Some form of warriors, Hive guard, Zoeys), I4 +1MC Mawlocks/Trygons, Harpies.. there are quite a few good counters to aggressively combating that psychic power.

The drawbacks of a fex are pretty glaring:

-WS3 means any WS4 PF or Dread CCW (most of them) are hitting on 3's. This reduces the viability of the fex against one of the most common metagame units, the 10x man tac suqad with a meltagun. The unit shoots and probably gets 1 wound with the melta, then charges and the PF racks up 2 and between assorted bolt pistols and vanilla melee attacks the joes will probably manage 1 more wound for the kill in 1 round. This is a serious problem as these units are everywhere and have good odds of dropping a fex in a round and this isn't even going into the more fighty marine units.

-Expensive. For 40 more points in the form of a Trygon you can get 2 additional wounds, higher threat range and the ability to eat a marine squad in 2 turns easy. Also when you talk about a spore pod for the fex, it then becomes the same price (unless you upgrade weapons) as a Trygon also DSing. The Trygon fights harder and doesn't give a free KP in the form of a T4 spore pod that any random meltagun can drop and still has the garauntee to not mishap short of going off the table. Cost also diminishes the viability of squads as you still need to fill other roles in the bug army (popping armor, taking objectives etc.) even with a bunch of T6 guys walking around.

-Instinctive behavior and low ld are an issue. You don't want your fexes, especially if you have a ranged weapon, wandering off to fight the closest unit. This means you have to babysit these guys or they could end up chasing fast skimmers like a slowed puppy or charging things they have no business charging for the remainder of the game. Trygons have more respectable Ld and an option to be synapse.


The latter happened to an opponent in a recent game when he spore podded a Dakkafex. He failed IB check and instead of charging a vendetta with it's last remaining wound it decided to fight some guardsmen who ultimately put the last wound on. This really kinda highlighted a weakness in the spore podding fex as losing control of your unit is anti-good by any standard which means you get into further logistics of having to drop synapse nearby to keep him from going stupid. Fexes are good for adding wounds to the army, but pound-for-pound the trygon is simply better.

By far the worst post in this thread is the first one. 4th ed mentality, Woooo....

DevianID wrote:First, regen. Regen encourages your enemy to focus fire, and provides less benefit than on 6 wounders. We dont want to encourage focus firing whenever possible.

I'm not going to go through point by point, so I'll offer just one example.
The "competetive players" you reference repeatedly will focus fire on the Fex because that's how you win at 40K (and many other tactical games). When the enemy is out of its effective engagement range, split fire. When they enter their effective engagement range or come close to doing so, focus fire.

wow, some painful replies...
1: Mad Doc, when it comes to the pyrovore, as an elite choice he gets outperformed by the better zoanthrope and hive guard options, so while he is an interesting model with fun rules, he doesnt make the cut. Now if the flamer was s6 ap3 with 2d6 armor pen, it would be another matter entirely.

2: skipmcne, I agree that my post is light on mathhammer. My first version of the post had lots of math to back up my points. Sadly, when I posted the reply dakka had logged me out, prompting a relogin and killing my whole article. Thus, I was a bit miffed and rushed to put the article back together, leaving a lot of math details out sadly... now that I know the dakka relog issue, the future posts will be better. As for the metagame, how many space wolves with multiple jaws priests are you seeing in your area? If you see so many jaws that low init critters are a liability every single tourney, then ya tyranids are boned, carnifex or trygon.

3. Razerous, while I agree that a s6 ap2 blast can be good, it only fulfills one roll, that of killing elite densely packed infantry with poor cover/invuln saves. I know in my circle such an overspecialized attack can simply be countered with a 2inch coherency for units. This leaves the Mawloc with only its melee, and its melee is horrid. As for the other purposes of a trygon, I can only assume you mean the prime's ability to get synapse and ld 10, as I already debunked that the 12 shots it gets are worse than those of the dakka fex. Also, the hole the trygon leaves is very unpredictable and disallows assaults, so the only other thing the trygon has going for it is its close combat. As for the t-fex, dedicated assault units are multpile pk ork nobs, terminators (Chaos or GKT too), almost any daemon cc units, any number of space wolf units with characters, and eldrad/Yriel + doom + harliquins or banshees.

4. Sour Clams, you dont actually add anything, so thanks for the encouragement. Chaos, are you agreeing or disagreeing that regen is good on a fex?

5. Mastershake, you have some good points about the trygon versus the fex. A naked fex with cluster spines versus a trygon with furious charge is tough. Both offer similar shooting, with the 6s6 and s5blast from the pod coming ahead of the trygons 6s5, but the pod needs to shoot the closest target while the trygon needs to shoot the unit it will assault (precluding running). As for IB, its true the fex is a bit worse off than the trygon with lower leadership. And in close combat, against most regular units the trygon, with higher WS, more attacks and more wounds, will again do better.
However, I still pick the fex over the trygon. This is simply because the nids, in my opinion anyway, dont need help with units like a tac squad, they need help with the heavy armor and multiple wound units that are running around. And while many seem to like t-fexs for this, the 1 s10 hit you get per turn for the price of an upgraded land raider seems underwhelming. So I recommend the carnifex, as it deals with land raiders, nob bikers, and the like. As for thunderwolves, I suppose I disagreed with their ruling that +1 T doesnt count as a modifier, so I play s8 is instant death, but as a house rule I shouldnt have mentioned them. As for the trygon itself, in my opinion anyway the trygon doesnt do anything that equal pointed toxin genestealers dont do better, other than survive bolters better (and when was the last time an army hinged on its bolters, lol)

Since I rambled on a bit, I will conclude with my own overview of the fast attack section.
First, the Harpy--why they ruined the harpy with only 2 attacks is beyond me. The heavy venom and stranglethorn cannons, per my previous post, are lackluster, and with only 2 attacks the melee is also lackluster. The harpy could have been great, but instead falls into the same category as the pyrovore for me--fun model and fun rules but mostly useless.

Then, the 3 different 3 wound critters, skyslashers, raveners, and shrikes. All suffer greatly from instant death, and while the shrikes with boneswords are deadly, none have enough oomph to be great versus all comers.

That leaves gargoyles. If your not going for super gaunts, then gargoyles at 8 points I think perform well in their place, but 2 upgraded gargoyles is 1 toxin genestealer, and toxin stealers can kill vehicles, leaving me in the stealer camp.

As a side note, the spore mine entry can be very frustrating. having to move 18 random mines is just silly to me, and as the mines no longer have an anti-armor version they seem more an annoyance than a credible addition for a nid force.

Thus, I wont be taking any fast attack entries for a while.

Thoughts?

I think the Harpy could be good, situationally. I don't much like the look of the heavy venom cannon, but I think the harpy is the least bad platform to put one on, since its mobility should let it pick its targets nicely for some side armour shots.

Chaos was most likely arguing against your disapproval of Regen, his point being that regen doesn't affect most player's behavior when it comes to focus fire because most experienced players learned to do that as a habit since it is an effective method.

I for one, disagree with both your rulings on regen and bioplasma. You are looking primarily from a dakkafex perspective, and not realizing that most carnies come with 2 pairs of scytals, making them a close-combat-only creature (at the base price anyway). They are monstrous creatures, and thus are not going to benefit from cover. Even in spores, they will not be getting to assault from the first turn they are on the board, so having a means to punch some holes in stuff from the getgo is a pretty even trade for the points. Regen isn't neccessarily bad in my opinion, but it isn't neccessarily good either. I recognize that it has its merits, depending on the synergy of your list. If you have sufficient target saturation (I.e. lots of warriors, hive tyrants, primes, and other high-priority targets to take some of the heavy fire off) then regen comes in handy. It forces the player to either A) Ignore all the other high-priority targets to put down the ones that have regen with focused fire or B) Fire elsewhere, knowing he won't be able to kill the MC outright.

If we really want to use the carnie, we hope for B.

This codex has a lot more to do with synergy, rather than "this unit is bad" and "this unit is good". It should read "This unit is good when taken with this, these, and these other units".

DevianID wrote:3. Razerous, while I agree that a s6 ap2 blast can be good, it only fulfills one roll, that of killing elite densely packed infantry with poor cover/invuln saves. I know in my circle such an overspecialized attack can simply be countered with a 2inch coherency for units. This leaves the Mawloc with only its melee, and its melee is horrid. As for the other purposes of a trygon, I can only assume you mean the prime's ability to get synapse and ld 10, as I already debunked that the 12 shots it gets are worse than those of the dakka fex. Also, the hole the trygon leaves is very unpredictable and disallows assaults, so the only other thing the trygon has going for it is its close combat. As for the t-fex, dedicated assault units are multpile pk ork nobs, terminators (Chaos or GKT too), almost any daemon cc units, any number of space wolf units with characters, and eldrad/Yriel + doom + harliquins or banshees.

Rarely will you get to position models so effectively in 2" coherency but it is somthing to do; Plus I dont think the Mawlock allows cover-saves as the models are automatically hit; It isnt a blast weapon as it doesnt have the "blast" weapon profile. But thats for YMDC.

Its 6-12 shooting attacks are somthing & will nicely cripple a side armour chimera, for example. But the ability to provide mobile placeable synapse which can then support the Shooty elements that arrive through the tunnel, thats its worth. Although shooters mostly lurk so even a standard trygon could well be sufficient. The hole is mainly (Solely?) about deploying short-ranged shooting, IMhO.

As for dedicated assaults.. A full 10-strong squad of harlies with doom will kill it, banshees should just kill it. Eldrad or Yriel is a bit silly overkill, a simple farseer will provide the necessary doom. You only need 3 PK nobs & a T6 W6 model should go down, but of you need a massive number of standard str 4-5 hits to get past T6 & the 2+. When you say most demon CC units; 10 bloodletters or 5 soul crushers should do it. 6 fiends fall short, princes & HQ's dont have enough attacks on their own (to fell it on the very first round of combat. It would get slaughtered in subsequent phases). /End rant (Sorry!)

FoxPhoenix135 wrote:This codex has a lot more to do with synergy, rather than "this unit is bad" and "this unit is good". It should read "This unit is good when taken with this, these, and these other units".

QFT!!! I cannot agree with this statement more!!

5. Mastershake, you have some good points about the trygon versus the fex. A naked fex with cluster spines versus a trygon with furious charge is tough. Both offer similar shooting, with the 6s6 and s5blast from the pod coming ahead of the trygons 6s5, but the pod needs to shoot the closest target while the trygon needs to shoot the unit it will assault (precluding running). As for IB, its true the fex is a bit worse off than the trygon with lower leadership. And in close combat, against most regular units the trygon, with higher WS, more attacks and more wounds, will again do better.
However, I still pick the fex over the trygon. This is simply because the nids, in my opinion anyway, dont need help with units like a tac squad, they need help with the heavy armor and multiple wound units that are running around. And while many seem to like t-fexs for this, the 1 s10 hit you get per turn for the price of an upgraded land raider seems underwhelming. So I recommend the carnifex, as it deals with land raiders, nob bikers, and the like. As for thunderwolves, I suppose I disagreed with their ruling that +1 T doesnt count as a modifier, so I play s8 is instant death, but as a house rule I shouldnt have mentioned them. As for the trygon itself, in my opinion anyway the trygon doesnt do anything that equal pointed toxin genestealers dont do better, other than survive bolters better (and when was the last time an army hinged on its bolters, lol)

You completely missed the point with the tac squad. If a creature DSs in your opponent is unlikely to have dedicated fighty units nearby so you're more likely to eat a vanilla troops choice. If your opponent sees a Trygon he has to get something fighty into position giving it more longevity and more chances to do damage. You're right that bugs need help against heavy armor, but how does the dakkafexes array of AP- weapons help? Even if you manage a pen hit you only destroy on a six, if you glance, just save some time rolling dice and call it shaken. A single S7 shot doesn't go very far to adding validity to tank hunting with a creature that isn't built for it. Neither a fex or trygon are popping armor with shooting on any basis that can be considered reliable, so you'd fiar better fielding the unit that your opponent actually has to come up with a response to rather than the one he simply has lying around.

Drop poded fexs don't cut it, they can't assualt out of the pod. And if they drop too close to a gun line they get shot faster than anything.

But they can shoot when they land. A Dakkafex will unload 12 shots, rerolling misses, wounding on 2s, and causing your Morale Check to be taken with a -1 modifier. Or those 12 shots go into rear/side armor, at Str6. The pod he comes down in Also gets to shoot, albeit with less reliability, but with good placement, it can then also provide cover to the Fex.

For the points it seems that a podded fed still isn't worth it primarily due to his lack of synnergy with other units. I only say this because I've playtested several proxy nid armies against a range of different armies at the 2k points level on my way to writing a list. (still work in progress, but I should expect to post one soon.) the only heavy support that I've found to be worth it is the trygon prime and that is mostly due to synapse beleive it or not. I'd have to agree with the post above mentioning synergy as so far the nods have only really worked effectively against competitve lists when using several units in conjunction with one another.

The only unit that I've seen work well enough alone is a smallish (8-10) brood of 'stealers w/ broodlord and furious charge/scything talons, but even that requires out flanking and MC threats on the table to not get shot up.(that and it is a very expensive unit) I do think everyone's preoccupation with ranged tank cracking is overlooking the ability of a rending /furious charging units ability to do the same fairly easily.

@DevianID


Honestly I think you have it all wrong...

. A 50 point spore pod with cluster spines has decent shooting with its 18 inch s5 large blast and 6 s6 6 inch range attacks

The only viable choice for spore pods is a TL deathspitter. With BS2 and having to fire at the closes enemy model, you are more likely to scatter on itself or the models you podded. Furthermore the TL DS hits 54% of the time, thats better than having BS3.

While the tyranofex does have 2 s10 shots, the t-fex package is utter garbage. Averaging 1 s10 hit a turn, the t-fex needs 3 turns to expect to kill a rhino

You propose wasting a heavy slot on a normal carni in a badly equipped Dpod over a T-fex? First a normal carnifex drops in and sits around for a turn taking shtos to the face OH BOY THATS AWESOME!! Next he moves 6" and doesn't get to charge anything on account that vehicles move faster than him so he run.... No fleet... fourth turn running has paid off and he can charge... 6s to hit, .66 hits... thats fantastic!

Now on the the Tfex, why on earth would you be firing Str 10 at a Rhino in the first place? Second the cannon only needs to restrict movement or shooting (depending on the target) to be effective, you may have forgot that it is an assault weapon... And that he does have 2 other weapons standard that gear towards killing swarms.

Second, HVC/strangler. It takes 15 heavy venom cannon blasts to expect to kill a single rhino. The range is not a benefit because you can spore pod. You are better off keeping your rerolls to hit and running towards your enemy than fiddling with a HVC. The Heavy venom cannon is one of my biggest disapointments with the nid's--id rather have the old venom cannon any day of the week. As for the strangler, take 3 biovores for much less points, get 3 large blasts, get pinning, get indirect fire.

There you go again assuming the job of things with venom cannons is to sit back and only shoot... They are assault, so all it needs to do is stun the tank until it can get into CC.

Now for stranglers they are fantastic. First they don't use a heavy slot. Second they are cheap in warrior squads, and third they pin.



Finally in conclusion, Tyranid heavy weapons choices ARE NOT dedicated tank killers. They in fact blow at killing tanks. If you need to kill a tank take 2-3 zoans in a pod and call it a day. If you want to kill a rhino 3 Guard will do the job nicely. If you are playing against an all mech force you use the options I mentioned and then you use your heavies to stun tanks and get into CC.

Back again!

This is my take on Nids overall, but do bare in mind that I'm just coming back into 40k after getting all caught up on Fantasy, so my thinking might be a bit rusty. So be kind in your criticism, or at the very least constructive

It's all about mixed swarms. Between the rather important Synapse rules, Venomthropes, Lash Whips etc, I fully intend on mobbing up a variety of units into a loose whole, and unleashing them on enemy units that way.

As an example, in my army my main Swarm Brood will be 3 Tyranid Warriors with Deathspitters, 16 Termagants with Fleshborers, a Venomthrope, plus something pokey to deal with armour, either at range (hello Hiveguard!) or up close (say a Carnifex or two). Mutual support here is the key, with the Venomthrope obviously being the weakest link in the chain. Tactics become fairly obvious early on. If I need to whack something to death, I mob it with the big thing (Carnifex) and something with a Lash Whip (Venomthrope could do it, but I might upgrade me Warriors a bit). Lash Whip makes it I1, and the Fex gives it a good stomping. You can't hit me on a three if your head is resembling a pancake. Gaunts here are the surprising muscle, as I seriously rate Devourers on them. Sure they get expensive, but I cannot turn down that level of Firepower, especially given the -1 to Ld tests caused by them!

This can also be bolstered by the Pyrovore. Quite apart from it's Flamespurt being useful for softening up objectives (and making it easier for the Gaunts to force that Panic test* with the -1 Ld) should the enemy send over some Terminators etc to give me a good shoeing, I can bung in Mr Burny first, and make them regret that particular fight!

Also, disposable units strike me as a good idea. Gargoyles are a pretty clear choice for me here. Blinding Venom ups their game somewhat in HTH, and for a paltry additional point, I can give them poisoned attacks, making my opponents day even worse. Given a bit of luck, the flappy ones ought to bring down even a Wraithlord in short order, and even if they don't, they cost me 70 points, I'm not entirely sure I care how well they perform overall.

I'm also considering leaving certain units outside of Synaptic range deliberately, though I must confess I shall have to double check the Lurk rule before deciding. Got a horrible feeling they have to shoot the closest enemy target, which limits it somewhat as a plan.

Deathleaper is pretty much essential for me. To be able to disuade my opponent from entering terrain lest he jump out and stab up an IC is priceless. Everything about him appeals to me. Plus the amount of time it took me to get the sod built means he WILL be featuring heavily in my games. He owes me.

As for the Trygon, unless seriously short on points* I will always make it Prime. Double the shots, plus being able to open up a new Synaptic Web is just too good not to take. Pricey sure, but hey!

Another unit I think I will use surprisingly often are Spore Mine Clusters. Like Deathleaper, it's all about trying to control certain areas of the board, making my life that little bit easier. Whilst obviously unlikely to worry Marines and Terminators, the times I play armies of lighter armour ought to make their inclusion well worth it.

Adrenal Glands are very close to a must have for my lighter guys, up to and including the Warriors. That extra spot of Initiative, not to mention helpful S boost ought to swing otherwise ropey combats my way. But having said that, when it comes to Hormies, one or the other when it comes to their upgrades! I have 10 point Gaunts, and I'd like my Hormies to stay cheap!

So yeah, loose conglomeration of broods to offer mutual support and hunt stuff down, 2 or 3 disruption units (Spore Mines, Deathleaper, Gargoyles) and then other stuff (Genestealers, Tyrant) to deliver muscle where it's needed, or generally give my opponent a hard time.

Got my first game some time next week, against Imperial Fists led by Lysander, so I'll find out soon enough whether I'm talking a load of rubbish. Either way, I'll endeavour to report back on how it went!


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Clthomps wrote: the models you podded.

Did you know that in Britain, if you have 'podded' someone, it generally means you've just kicked them right in the male reproductive area of the body? Seems highly appropriate!