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After laying my hands on an irresistibly cheap just-primed ebay tervigon, I did some calculations concerning its effectiveness:

A little excel sheet shows that a Tervigon produces around 22-23 Termagants in a game (most probably in round one and two). So in principle a Tervigon with its point costs of 195 P includes around 92 P of Termagants.

An alternative would be to buy 17-18 Termagants and a cheap Carnifex (scything talons, twin deathspitter) instead, which offers similar range, but better close combat performance. Or do you think Tervigon synapse and psy outhweights the Fex&Termagant-Combo?

What would you prefer? Any thoughts or experiences?

All ground based Nids are in a tough spot. But the ability to be obsec and affect the game from farther back while getting in the opponents head a bit in those games where they just don't stop spawning gives the edge to the Tervigon.

If I did not misscalculate, the probability for a Tervigons number of spawns is:

once: approx. 44%
twice: approx. 25%
three times: around 14%

more often approx. 17%

Bear in mind that with a Tervigon, you know that you have almost that 50% chance to clog up on the first spawn, so what you can often do is wait until turn 4 or so to begin spawning if there is little chance the Tervi will get killed. This prevents enemies easily offing the 3-18 gaunts (usually about 10) spawned with their low str firepower that would have minimal impact on a Tervigon or your other MCs. Creating them late is essentially like holding your reserves off as long as you can to grab objectives.

Snertus wrote:
After laying my hands on an irresistibly cheap just-primed ebay tervigon, I did some calculations concerning its effectiveness:

A little excel sheet shows that a Tervigon produces around 22-23 Termagants in a game (most probably in round one and two). So in principle a Tervigon with its point costs of 195 P includes around 92 P of Termagants.

An alternative would be to buy 17-18 Termagants and a cheap Carnifex (scything talons, twin deathspitter) instead, which offers similar range, but better close combat performance. Or do you think Tervigon synapse and psy outhweights the Fex&Termagant-Combo?

What would you prefer? Any thoughts or experiences?

Really, it heavily depends on the rest of the list more than anything. Tervigons offer better threat concentration when dropped in via Tyrannocyte or delivered by outflank (via Hive Commander) since they can deploy a second squad alongside themselves while providing synapse coverage for other backfield threats, but as part of a foot slogging hoard I'd probably go for the Carnifex since its smaller profile makes it easier to get cover saves with the current errata (leave off the Deathspitters though, they are horrible on any MCs not named Tyrannocytes).

A Tervigon is a nice durable backfield synapse that acts as a battery for warp charge and holding an objective with ob sec.

While yeah, a Fex might deal more damage potentially, it does not provide any synapse, is nowhere near as durable, and won't hold anything.

If the enemy can get some units into your backfield to try to kill your Tervigon it should take them at least 2 turns to kill it. That is a lot of time spent hunting something that just hangs out in the back and potentially grabs victory points or denies them from the enemy.

I would take a Tervigon over the fex any day.

I don't mind Tervigons, if you are running a horde army they just add more to the horde

I know I have won games purely buy, having two of these and just pumping out more gaunts, and just clogging up the table to my opponent couldn't move.

Just made sure I kept a venomphrope or two near each one and sucked up all the cover saves I could.

But unless you are playing Horde.. I don't think they are worth it

Start the Tervigon in reserves to keep it safe for a turn or three.

Just a warning, don't bother theoryhammering. It will never work in your favor. I've been running Terviogns for about 15 or so games, because I think hey are cool. I've never spawned more than 10 guants before rolling a double, in the last two years.

Luck is luck.

They are also fun to use with the 30 gaunt tax to make a basic troop choice and give one of your flyrants hive commander to give it outflank. Having an OB Sec monster that spits out more screening troops show up in the opponent's backfield mid game is fun.

At least it is worth the try...

IME, one thing you can't calculate about Tervigons is the psychological effect they have on opponents. Many people I have played are just uber-paranoid about anything that spawns additional models, so alot of times they select the Tervigon as a very high target priority. The amount of fire my Tervigon diverts from my more bruising units almost always pays off.

On top of that, it's just plain fun to poop out gants, and the model is awesome (IMO).

I have a casual 152 model mid list at 1k with nothing but tervigons and termagants. It's quite fun. Having tervigons crap out screening units is often fairly valuable. I've had games where I have had more models on the field then when I initially started. Just remember that shooting over units adds cover, especially multiple ones. Just remember to have plenty of spare models. Most of my games have my girls give 3+ spawnings.

Tervigons are trash. Point for point they are some of the least durable Synapse in the dex. You need to support it with other Synapse or else they are just a big red expensive "push here to win" button anyway, and they still backlash on the gants they spawn anyway. They are heavily overcosted for everything.

On the flipside, tl Devourer Carnifexes are one of the best units in the dex.



There is real units in your dex that provide Synapse. Zoanthrope, Malanthrope, and Hive Tyrant are your best units for it.

If you still feel you need more, 3 man units of Warriors will have much more offensive impact, and for the same points can cover more synapse ground, more objectives, and take more to kill than the Tervigon.



That being said if you are playing casually, Tervigon's might be some fun. Competitively he is subpar tho.