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If you were going to use these, how would you set them up, and which would you pick over the other?

I have a bunch and I am trying to decide how I should kit them. As tyranids don't generally have trouble scoring, Warriors are so necessary for that.

I wouldn't use them at all, they die so easily to S8... But if I had to I'd take shrikes with bonesword/bonesword & toxin sacs for MC and IC hunting.

They're just an astounding lack of S8 everywhere I look right now and so it seems like the opportune time to use them...I was thinking about the uber expensive lash sword shrikes

I am actually in the process of including them into my 1850 tournament list. I think they are going to do great, I just have to do some play testing.

3 might be a little too few, so I'm going to run 4. It's important to run Flryants to distract fire against them and hopefully you'll have reserve units that arrive T2 that'll distract further.

If you don't have them in combat by T2 or T3 at the latest you're playing them wrong.

I'd say 5 2x BS shrikes with Toxin are a good choice. Not great, but you're correct to note the lack of Strength 8 in some "top" armies. But, I think they absolutely NEED a few things.

1. Good area terrain. They must be in cover or in assault at every point of the game, or will die.
2. Bigger threats: Shove more fast and tough units in front of them to distract their firepower, it'll help you survive through target priority.
3. Psychic Support: They need FnP, at all times. Or else. Seriously, this has to happen. Invisibility from Swarmlord, if you can, also works.

Why 5? No more or less?

I was thinking they'd be great alongside 2 similarly sized units of raveners...perhaps lagging just behind them?

Just take rending claws and take lots of them. I have a nid list that runs 14 warriors and 12 raveners and does really well.

 ductvader wrote:
Why 5? No more or less?

I was thinking they'd be great alongside 2 similarly sized units of raveners...perhaps lagging just behind them?

More could work, sure. But I'd be wary of investing too many point in them, as they'll become fire magnets. Too few points, and they got shot down too easily.

I used 6 Shrike all with devourers and one barbed. Deepstrike, shoot and die. If they can distract a troop for one turn or two, they did there job. If you want to keep them, have a brood of gargoyles if front of them.

I've found a single brood of 3 Warriors with a Barbed Strangler to be decent sitting in terrain backfield providing Synapse and camping an objective.

 PrinceRaven wrote:
I've found a single brood of 3 Warriors with a Barbed Strangler to be decent sitting in terrain backfield providing Synapse and camping an objective.

Actually ran that in a tourney horde list. They showed a surprising abiltiy to stay alive.

I run a 5 brood of rending devourer shrikes. They tend to be very extreme, either doing really really well or really really poor. I miss my 4e codex warriors to much run 5e codex warriors on a regular basis.

I use warriors and raveners a lot now as I like the models. I often find they do quite well. Particularly if the Warriors are led by a Prime (2 units of 6 with a prime, all with Deathspitters).

I am also int he process of building some Shrikes, and Im gonna go with LW/BS and ST for the reroll to hit, and TS for the reroll to wound. I think ill use 6 in larger games. Making the opponent I1 will be very useful on a unit that is only I4, which is the same as any Marine.

Buh...55 pts for a w3 5+ model...ouch

 ductvader wrote:
Buh...55 pts for a w3 5+ model...ouch

Why having high point cost for a warrior. Keep it low and have more warriors.

That's not for a warrior.. That's a shrike with LW/BS. T2 he'll be turning your paladins into garbage. 165 for a unit of 3 with TS is a bargain for want they can do.

I am not doubting their capabilities...I have gotten the turn 1 charge with these guys and it was brutal...but they overkilled and died to return fire...not so much my playstyle...thinking I'll play them as warriors and see what the new book holds

roxor08 wrote:
That's not for a warrior.. That's a shrike with LW/BS. T2 he'll be turning your paladins into garbage. 165 for a unit of 3 with TS is a bargain for want they can do.

IMO, for 175, you got 5 shrikes with devourers, mean 15 shots when they deepstrike and I for me is better than Shrikes with LW/BS and moving to go up to close. I preferred number vs deathstar.

I use spore pods to drop warriors onto objectives or hotspots. Even barebones, warriors are nasty.

I would never deepstrike shrikes...too unreliable and loww damage output for what they can do...if i was doing that 15 podded devilgants would be triple the damage output for comparable survivability, and just 15 points more...in a more reliable delivery system


Automatically Appended Next Post:
...warriors are a different story with a 4+