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My brother recently got me a pyrovore, but I've heard that they suck when it comes to gaming. I was thinking that it would make a cool looking biovore, but I don't know how they play. So what sort of list would I use them in, and how would I play one?

I used to run 'Nids for a bit, and used Biovores some.

I think they have a place in either a hard-hitting CC list or a long-range firepower list. In the CC list, they smack the enemy with some large 4/4 plates every turn until you can get locked in. In the range list, they smack the enemy with some large 4/4 plates every turn until they're all dead or you're dead. Since they're cheap, they don't need to kill much to each back their points, they have the best range in the codex (48 I think) and they will generally be lower priority for most opponents once they see all your big bugs and your little dudes sprinting at them every turn (if that's in your list).

Solid unit. If you can squeeze it in, I think it can be a good addition.

I used to run my Tyranids with 2-3 trygons. Now I currently use a tyrannofex and 3-6 biovores instead (depending on the points levels). They're great!

The thing is, you need to complement them with a shooty list. Hive Guards and a tyrannofex are some of the best units to run with biovores. They destroy tanks at range, and then your 6 biovores drop 6 big pie plates on the "newly disembarked" occupants. They especially thin out hordes pretty efficiently. And you know those very annoying long fangs that your guns just can't quite reach?...

Mainly, it comes down to style-of-play. If you want to play an assaulty-based list, I'd probaby go more with the trygons and hordes, with some hive guards and zoans to pop open vehicles. If you want to play a shooty-based list, then the biovores fit the bill perfectly.

Biovores are great fun to run with. They're well worth their weight against GEQs and don't do too bad against MEQs either. Your biggest worry will be return barrage. Being t4 w2 makes them a favorite target for those S8+ pie plates. Stick 'im under a building or ruin if you can, and don't be too bothered if they still die to some krak missles. Those are less shots munching down your cc-monsters smashing down the field!

Edit: to clarify, so long as you stick them under a building or ruin, you're opponent is unlikely to bother firing at them all until everything else big is dead, so they usually make it to turn 4+. Also, don't expect to get many pin results, it nice when it happens, but every other army out there is ld10.

And is it alright to use one, or do you need a full squad to be useful?

Mr Nobody wrote:And is it alright to use one, or do you need a full squad to be useful?

Yes. I have played against a lists with 2 squads of single biovores, or 1 squad of 2 biovores. Single biovore squads in theory bleed kp, but they are usually a low priority target that is in cover and a single biovoree can cause pinning checks.

Biovores are really inexpensive for a hs slot, and nid hs slots are rarely filled as 3 trygons is hella expensive.

Playing against biovores I have found the best way they have been used is in combination with the doom and genestealers. Spreading out to minimalize biovores and the doom will result in units being way too close to a board edge resulting in them being eaten by genestealers. Clustering in the center of the board away from the short edges keeps troops safe from the genestealers but maximizes the effect of the doom and biovores. Either way is a win for nids, my 2 cents is the genestealers are way more dangerous and most players will agree with me which makes biovores and the doom a good addition to a stealer list.

schadenfreude wrote:

Mr Nobody wrote:And is it alright to use one, or do you need a full squad to be useful?

Yes. I have played against a lists with 2 squads of single biovores, or 1 squad of 2 biovores. Single biovore squads in theory bleed kp, but they are usually a low priority target that is in cover and a single biovoree can cause pinning checks.

Biovores are really inexpensive for a hs slot, and nid hs slots are rarely filled as 3 trygons is hella expensive.

Playing against biovores I have found the best way they have been used is in combination with the doom and genestealers. Spreading out to minimalize biovores and the doom will result in units being way too close to a board edge resulting in them being eaten by genestealers. Clustering in the center of the board away from the short edges keeps troops safe from the genestealers but maximizes the effect of the doom and biovores. Either way is a win for nids, my 2 cents is the genestealers are way more dangerous and most players will agree with me which makes biovores and the doom a good addition to a stealer list.

I don't have Doom, but I do have lots of genestealers, this can be useful.

I have found 2 to be a lot more than twice as useful as 1. I always use them in broods of 2 or (usually) 3 when I field them.

The multiple barrage rules + large blast allows for even shots missed by a large margin to still "hit". Rolling a hit on ANY of the scatter dice (not to mention low numbers, or a good arrow) makes it rather hard not to hit SOMETHING.

Also, they are really pretty funny in a bunker.

The only thing to watch out for is LD 6 IB tests. It stinks to have to fire them at a land raider or somesuch. They do work well enough with a group of warriors to sit on an objective in your deployment zone, however.

As others say, biovores are very useful. With the upgrade to thee large template, they can lay down a serious bombardment.

And a pyrovore isn't complete rubbish. I tend to run 2 in a brood in my list, in a spore pod. Drop them as close to an enemy unit as possible, and fry the hell out of them. With the pod backing them up, they can make their points back pretty quickly. Since they don't need to be in synapse range to do what you want them to, they are a great distraction piece that will still do some damage. The only group the doesn't work as well against is MEQ, since they have smaller squads and better armor. But against Guard, or Orks especially, you can fry a couple squads in a round.