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My buddy and I are gonna play a 4k game of Apoc: he's bringing Nids with a Hierophant (using the original stats from the 1st Apoc book: T9, 2+, 6++, 10W and 16 S10 AP3 shots...) and he's letting me use a baneblade-type tank as a Shadowsword (120" D cannon, 5" blast)

I'm gonna field a terminator-heavy list to keep the model-count low and hopefully win the 1st deployment; my list is a mix of BTs and DAs + a Grey Knight Techmarine (for the orbital strike):

BTs: EC (AACNMTO), Marshall (TDA, TH/SS, Mantle), MoS (LC/PF), 10x Assault Termies (7x TH/SS, 3x LCs, furious charge) in a Spartan LR

DAs:

Damocles Rhino (re-roll DS scatter + 1 orbital bombardment)
Company Master, TDA, storm bolter, Monster Slayer, SS
DW command squad, 4x TH/SS, CML, champion, DW banner
DW Termies x10, all storm bolters, 2x CMLs
Command Squad, SoD
LRC
Techmarine, PFG
Contemptor Mortis, dual TLLC, CML
ADL, quad-gun
Stormeagle, TLMM, TLLCs

Grey-Knight techmarine, orbital-strike

Shadowsword Super-Heavy Tank (14/14/12, BS3, Volcano Cannon)

Here are my overall tactics: create a stronghold with the ADL, put the LRC (with dakka banner), Shadowsword, Contemptor and both techmarines behind it to gain the 4++ save from the PFG and hopefully be able to fix items with the techmarines, there will be a couple of interceptor units there and I thought about using the disruptor beacon stratagem to give me a chance to relocate some of the pods and/or outflanking units he might throw at me.

Send the Spartan forward and DS the DW elements up front, I hope that the deathstar in the Spartan can take down the Hierophant and the DW keep other units busy.

Main question is: do I use the D cannon from the Shadowsword to take wounds off the Hierophant? Or should I use it to wipe out some of the other MCs or blobs? He has a very wide choice of models when it comes to Nids so I'm not sure what he might bring, he could go horde-style or all MCs or combination...

Any feedback will help, thanks!

Entirely matters if he plays it as its intended 5++ or the 3++ that the zoanthrope has due to the change in codex. If its the 3++, dont bother playing. Almost nothing in the game can effectively take down a heirophant with a 3++. You can fire titans and baneblades at it for most of the game before finally taking it down after it wrecks half your army.

Use the D weapons to kill tervigons. The psychic backlash will also kill some of the gaunts around it allowing you to clear hordes fast. I would have taken the sponsons with the Shadowsword as the lascannons are always useful, but to each his own.

We're using the original stats on the Hierophant:

WS6 BS3 S10 T9 W10 I3 A8 LD10 Sv2 and a 6++ invulnerable save. 2 bio-cannons (48" S10 AP3 assault 8 each)

We'll be using the new rules on Gargantuan Creatures from the FW update.

Thanks for the feedback on the D cannon, the model doesn't have sponsoons so I'll use it as side-armour 14 instead.

Do you think the assault termies have a chance?

Assault Termies with Storm Shields? Yes. Otherwise, no.

See above 1st post:

7 assault termies with TH/SS, rage and furious charge (that's 28 S9 AP2 attacks on the charge)

Combined with the Marshall and MoS who both have: 6 S8 AP2 attacks (actually MoS has 7)

The game is fast-approaching and I'm wondering if anyone else has any tips/experience dealing with the Hierophant?

I updated the list (forgot the Stormeagle).

Thanks.

Assault it with hammernators, even 3++ hierophants do not like being assaulted by hammernators, there's also the titan hammer formation which will absolutely wreck it's face.

Lost the game overall but very fun battle.

The Shadowsword is awesome, specially against nids (who don't have many units with invulnerable saves)

Unfortunately my Spartan got popped before it could deliver its payload safely, so the deathstar got dwindled down by other MCs...

But fear not! I'm working on an alternate list with a Thunderhawk!... Stay tuned.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Here it is:

Black Templar elements:

EC, AACNMTO
Marshall, TH/SS, adamantium mantle
MoS, LC, PF
7x Assault Termies, TH/SS, furious charge
Chaplain Dread, dual DCCW
In a Thunderhawk with laser destructor (D strength large blast)
Stormtalon CML

DAs:

Company Master, TDA, storm bolter, Monster Slayer, SS
DW command squad, 4x TH/SS, CML, champion, DW banner
DW Termies x10, all storm bolters, 2x CMLs
Command Squad, SoD
LRC
Techmarine, PFG
Contemptor Mortis, dual TLLC, CML
ADL, quad-gun

And from the good ol' SMs:

TFC