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I have finally painted up all the models I need for a full 5 beastmaster, 2 razorwing flock, 20 khymerae unit led by Baron Sathonyx. Now, I am trying to learn how best to advance with them. I would like to keep the Baron in front to utilize his 2++ save, but don't really know what else to do. I have currently settled on this:



The Baron is in base contact with 2 khymerae and 1 razorwing flock. The idea is he'll 'look out sir' the first four shots of strength 5 or less to the razorwing flock, and then begin taking the rest himself. If the unit takes a strength 6+ shot, he'll 'look out sir' it to a khymerae. Will this work, are there any suggestions? I know the base sizes are a bit off but I'm using a counts-as army so this is what they will look like on the table.

My advise is to not put the Baron at the front of the unit. Yes he has a 2++ save, but with only 2 wounds and if he dies the beast pack lose all the bonus's he gives them, which far outstrips saving a few bolter shots. Because that's what he would be tanking isn't it? Anything high strength will be fobbed off to Khymerae and low strength could be fobbed off onto different Razorwing flocks, what specifically will he be saving?

Also as a note, Razorwing flocks are AMAZING. You WILL want more then two, and the baron adds more to them then he does to Khymerae as there invul makes Stealth less useful. They also tank wounds from bolters very well because it takes 4 wounds before you risk losing one, and even if you lose 4 wounds, your combat effectiveness isn't reduced. Not saying Khymerae are bad, they aren't at all with 3 strength 4 hits on the charge high I, just saying there is a reason that people use them as sponges for razorwings, they are just soo good!

I personally would want the baron as protected as possible, right in the middle, with beastmasters at the front. Think, what do they bring? Nothing. What they USUALLY bring is a leadership score worth a dam, but the Baron has that. And since they are characters if they are at the front you can use the strategy mentioned, only on a 4+ instead. Maybe keep 1 BM back with baron, so he can take challenges.

Final note, I'd highly advise an allied farseer/Eldrad (preferable) to roll on Telepathy. Telepathy has 3 amazing powers which make the beastpack a match for almost anything in the game. Mental fortitude brings fearless, anyone can see the massive benefits of that. 2 is terrify, which takes away fearless. This lets you sweep away big units which would normally bog you down. 30+ hoard of orks? Terrify, win combat by like 8 and run them down. Even funnier when its a tyranid monstrous creature! The other is Invisibility which grants stealth and shrouded, which makes everything in the unit a Khymerae. Any cover turns into a 2+ cover, cover which you ignore and with assault grenades don't care about, no excuse not to have a 2+ save with a 12 inch move. Not to mention that your enemies are at WS 1 meaning you hit everything on 3's and they hit you on 5's, that's amazing. Invisibility has great synergy with new farseer with that special spirit stone which makes a 2 warp charge power 1 warp charge at the cost of your Invul, but with *only* (lol) 3 powers its only a 50/50 chance to get it. If you did go with allies I'd either suggest a farseer on bike with Mantel of the laughing god (2+ re-rollable cover for the win! TROLOLOL) and soulstone with allied jetbike unit for scoring, or Eldrad with big guardian unit behind an Aegis defence line.

Sorry, that reply kinda turned into a tactica, but I really like the beast pack, my Meta has learned to hate it.

Thank you, that was exactly what I was hoping to hear! It takes me a long time to build and paint stuff, so I will begin fielding this unit as-is and then work on improving it as time goes on. I already have another 2 razorwing flocks in the works, and was considering a jetbike farseer. Since the Baron has a 2++ save, why would you want to keep him protected so that he never gets to use it? I understand the bonuses he brings to the unit (and he will also be my warlord), but if he can stop 5/6 of the wounds against the unit, isn't that worth his points alone?

Thank you for the advice about the beastmasters, I will heed it. Unfortunately, my beastmasters are my favorite models in the unit, so it becomes difficult to use them as cannon fodder!

I'd hate to tell you the amount of times I have failed my first 2++. There are also stories of tanking extraordinary amounts, but not as many. For example I once charged a dreadknight with a fortuned Archon (2++ re-rollable) only to die....to overwatch with a heavy incinerator. What you need to remember is that its 5/6 chance for EACH dice, he wont save 5 then fail the 6th often. He is only as survivable as 1 terminator with a guardsmen attached to the back (2++ then a 5+ armour). Do you want to risk that too 4 bolter shots?

P.S Read your battle report, Love the idea. Space Chickens for the win! Cluck Cluck!

Edit Idea for Jetseer, maybe you could use a shaper modelled on a KrootHawk (Warhawk wood elves) & jetbikes being normal riders.

I have assumed I would need a jetbike farseer in order to keep up with the beast pack, but a lot of people are talking about using Eldrad even though he isn't as fast. I'm still not sure exactly how that works but it must have to do with not limiting every model to the lowest movement speed in the unit anymore?

Eldrad doesn't walk with the beastpack, that would slow it down to much. But all of telepathy's powers are all 24inch range, so they should be in range for the first few turns, and by then you are in combat. I would like him in a unit of dire avengers with an exarch behind an aegis defence line and roll 4 on telepathy. this gives you a better chance then a farseer to get some of the powers you want as well as good anti air with an Icarus las cannon shot by the exarch with his high BS of 5. This would be good for most armies but for yours I'd go with Jetseer because its quite an easy fluffy conversion I mentioned and will fit with fluff better.

The Jetseer solitaire cannot join units but you get so much for it. Stealth and shrouded granted by mantle of the laughing god + jink make a 2+ cover just for moving which gets to be re-rolled. Pack up a singing spear and go tank hunting while buffing beastpack to hell. Just stay the hell away from thunderfire cannons/Tau, they ignore your cover and will eat him for breakfast. But anything else wont even bother shooting at him. Fly him along side the beastpack to buff them and troll, Isn't that the whole point of eldar ^^