Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So thought I'd put together a 9 Carnifex list.I thought putting HVCs on them would give me some long range threat and turn 1 damage. So here goes:

Tyranid Prime: Deathspitter, Norn Crown 160

Warriors: barbed strangler 100
Warriors: barbed strangler 100

Venomthrope 45
Venomthrope 45

3 Carnifexes: 3 HVC, 3 Devourers 450
3 Carnifexes: 3 HVC, 3 Devourers 450
3 Carnifexes: 3 HVC, 3 Devourers 450

ADL 50

What do you think? Viable?

I wish you could fit old one eye in there just for laughs. I assume adl goes midfield or thereabouts and having the venomthrope dish out Shrouded for a nice cover save while you advance. Good idea.

Prime is a good choice for this list as he can dance around the different fex units; congrats on finding one of the only viable ways to use him these days.

Of course you are weak on Troops but you know that. Besides, in big guns never tire you should be OK

I run into lots of storm Ravens and scythes in my meta so I need some anti flyer, but you might be able to ignore flyers all together. Again I'm sure you are aware of this.

Objective games will be a challenge (though glorious big guns never tire would be hilarious) but with 9 fexes you got a chance. Exception of course for our triptide and wraith knight spamming friends. ..That goes without saying these days I feel however.

I would drop just one carnifex, (I know I know 8 isn't nearly as fun as 9....) to get more troops. Otherwise looks good and fun

I thought carnifexes were really bad or something lol ?? let us know how it goes!

What happens when the Tyranid Prime dies and your carnifexes can't use their VCs at best, and at worst start mauling each other.

I love the idea, and in honesty I want to run as many Carnifexes as I can - I would suggest dropping one Carnifex to get another source of synapse and troops (Warriors!) and considering the lack of anti-air, maybe put a set of devourers on all 3 members of a squad of 3 carnies?

6 warriors is all your scoring? WTF?

What happens when the Tyranid Prime dies and your carnifexes can't use their VCs at best, and at worst start mauling each other.

Since the Prime sits in the Carnifexes he shouldn't die before they do.

I love the idea, and in honesty I want to run as many Carnifexes as I can - I would suggest dropping one Carnifex to get another source of synapse and troops (Warriors!) and considering the lack of anti-air, maybe put a set of devourers on all 3 members of a squad of 3 carnies?

I quite like the idea of running 1 squad as pure dakkafexes that still leaves me with 6 S9 blasts a turn to do damage in the early game.

As for running more troops I'm not hugely bothered. I've spent similar points on scoring as I have in my Tau, Marine and Necron armies at this point level and scoring is rarely a huge issue for me. MTO seems to do the trick to keep troops alive. Plus I usual play to table (in 2 of the last 3 Tournaments I've been to I've tabled every single opponent) and you don't need scoring to win in 6th. Nids are in a great position here because you can contest with literally everything and you should have Line breaker every game, if not you've been smashed in that game anyway...

Redsox84 is right about how I use most of the army. I don't see Triptide as a massive problem. They aren't overly well equipped to deal with MCs. And Wraithknights are likewise a little Meh against this army. Trip Dreadknight practically auto beats me though and that is a massive concern.

An ADL isn't going to save you against a lot of ignore cover and your 2+ cover save will be gone fairly quickly along with first blood.
To viably use a Venom he needs to be hidden behind something so perhaps your Carnifexe's can provide BLOS for him...

Your scoring is also too weak.
So is your Synapse, I kill the Warriors and now you have little control over your army.

I could potentially tie up all 9 Carnifexe's with one 20 man squad of Gargoyles with Blinding Venom.

I think rather than spamming you need to consider a mixture of options.
You need something to contest with, better scoring, better synapse.

If you are driving Carnifexe's up the field they need to get to where they are best needed.
You may want to consider an anti assault unit like Gargoyles. Say for instance if you had a Wraithknight or another assault unit that you don't want to tie up your Fex's then you can send the Gargoyles in and then continue marching up the field.

Building in options into the list and a way to protect your assets might help the list become viable.
That potentially means dropping some Fex's.

On a side note, T'Fex with Adrenal is 190 points!
x2 = 380, that's only 20 more points that 3 plain Fex's!

Not everything ignores cover. Not even everything in a Tau army ignores cover. If they come at me to deny cover then great. Yes the Fexes BLoS for the Venomthropes. I figured that was obvious.

You have to kill the warriors and 9 carnifexes to finish off my Synapse. If you do that I lose anyway.

I don't see the gargoyles holding me up at all. 20 charge all 9 that's 72 S6 shots coming at you which is 18 wounds before any cover saves you get, let's say its a 5+ from a Venomthtope (so you're not going last) 12 dead. That's before you even make combat. Then 8 attacks if you're using the Venom is 4 hits you're lucky if you force me to take an armour save let alone any blind tests. Then you die and all you've done is get my fexes d6" closer to you aand thrown away a 120 point unit.

Though using the gargoyles as anti assault sounds viable. Though Hormagaunts would achieve much the same for less and as troops.

Yeah Tfexes ate awesome sauce now. Shame they can't take devourers.

Some fair points Flingit, didn't see your Fexes also had Dual Devs.

"You have to kill the warriors and 9 carnifexes to finish off my Synapse. If you do that I lose anyway".

Carnifexes don't have synapse so you are still weak in this department.

Scoring is still weak. I can still kill most of your synapse and take out your scoring at the same time.

I like the amount of Fex's, just think you need to drop a couple or drop a few upgrades to make the list have better balance.

The Prime hides in the Fexes with his 37.5" bubble of Synapse...

Scoring is weak, I accept that and am OK with that. The list isn't about balance it is about threat overload and asking the question can you deal with 9 Fexes. It will be a rock paper scissors list and that is inherent to the Spam list.

 L0rdF1end wrote:
Some fair points Flingit, didn't see your Fexes also had Dual Devs.

"You have to kill the warriors and 9 carnifexes to finish off my Synapse. If you do that I lose anyway".

Carnifexes don't have synapse so you are still weak in this department.

Scoring is still weak. I can still kill most of your synapse and take out your scoring at the same time.

I like the amount of Fex's, just think you need to drop a couple or drop a few upgrades to make the list have better balance.

The prime joins the Fexes.

 FlingitNow wrote:
So thought I'd put together a 9 Carnifex list.I thought putting HVCs on them would give me some long range threat and turn 1 damage. So here goes:

Tyranid Prime: Deathspitter, Norn Crown 160

Warriors: barbed strangler 100
Warriors: barbed strangler 100

Venomthrope 45
Venomthrope 45

3 Carnifexes: 3 HVC, 3 Devourers 450
3 Carnifexes: 3 HVC, 3 Devourers 450
3 Carnifexes: 3 HVC, 3 Devourers 450

ADL 50

What do you think? Viable?

I think its horrendously beautiful.

i also think the HVC option is a great way to utilise what is an awesome mobile gun platform and a great way to deal with things like venom spam early rather than hoping to get into range turn 2-3.

I'd probably just take 6 and get 3 biovores.

I can help make your list better....


Tyranid Prime: Deathspitter, Norn Crown 160

Warriors: barbed strangler 100
Warriors: barbed strangler 100

Venomthrope 45

3 Carnifexes: 3 HVC, 3 Devourers 450
3 Carnifexes: 3 HVC, 3 Devourers 450
3 Carnifexes: 3 HVC, 3 Devourers 450

Bunker 55, + 2 Barricades 20

Put the Bunker 8 inches from your front line. Turn 1 walk your prime and your venom 6 inches forward and embark into the bunker, volia your two most fragile units are secured behind AV14 and surrounded by Carnifexs. Barricades are 6 inches wide and provide 4+ cover, depending on the size of the bunker you might even fit a Fex squad on the battlements for a 3+ save

So you get your same 2+cover save for your fex's and better protection for your lynch pin units.

That sounds interesting my issue is if I don't go first this version is a lot more exposed. It could work though.

This list looks like a lot of fun and I'd like to play something similar. Too bad all my carnifexes are modeled with scytals and crushing claws.

 misschill wrote:
I thought carnifexes were really bad or something lol ?? let us know how it goes!

They've always been pretty good, they've just gone from way undercosted in 4th to way overcosted in 5th and are now priced just about right. You don't see a lot of ultra-competitive lists because they're overshadowed by Trygons, T-Fexes, and Exocrines, but they're not a bad choice.

This army sounds exactly like one I'm planning on running friday night at my FLGS, if you play before then, please tell me how it went, even if it was awful, i just want to forge me some narrative!