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I am really looking to make a few of these buddies work for me.

I was contemplating running 2 x2 units with 2 units of stealers and building a list up from there.

I am looking for stories, tactics, and ideas that are working for you guys.

I know there are "better" elites but lets stick to Lictors here...

Thanks Dakka.

I like Lictors myself, I think they're an underrated and underappreciated unit. Personally, I would take 3 full broods (assuming you're not using your elites for something else), and deepstrike them all (without scatter) into your opponents backfield at close range (and/or into cover) and flesh hook some targets of opportunity. S6 can put the hurting on rear armor 10 (especially if you're taking 18 shots from 9 lictors), but they are also useful for opening holes in your opponents line. I am a strong advocate of using 'lictor shock' to disable enemy Aegis Defense Lines and quadguns in order to open up the skies for your FMC's to operate with impunity.

Basically drop in 'danger close' (preferably into cover), open up with flesh hooks, and pray you survive your opponents counterattack. If they do, you know have some really capable cc critters running around your opponents backfield. If they don't survive, unless serious shenanigans were utilized, chances are your opponent just committed far too many resources into stopping them for it to have actually been worth it, and thus the rest of your army is largely unscathed. I consider it a win-win. Add deathleaper in for some extra fun with that.

There's a dataslate coming out too...

chaos0xomega wrote:
and deepstrike them all

Don't do that. Put at least one of them on the table so you can benefit from their Reserve tinkering.

Would 1 x Lictor be able to take out a loan techmarine? allot of my opponent's leave that guy away from the rest of there army totally un defended...

Some nifty little tricks I noticed in the Nid dex is to infiltrate the Lictors then deepstrike either a full unit of spore mines or the mawloc. Would be kinda neat to get an assault with a spore mine cluster that pops a large strength 10 ap4 blast. Not really competetive but would be fun.

chaos0xomega wrote:
I like Lictors myself, I think they're an underrated and underappreciated unit. Personally, I would take 3 full broods (assuming you're not using your elites for something else), and deepstrike them all (without scatter) into your opponents backfield at close range (and/or into cover) and flesh hook some targets of opportunity. S6 can put the hurting on rear armor 10 (especially if you're taking 18 shots from 9 lictors), but they are also useful for opening holes in your opponents line. I am a strong advocate of using 'lictor shock' to disable enemy Aegis Defense Lines and quadguns in order to open up the skies for your FMC's to operate with impunity.

Basically drop in 'danger close' (preferably into cover), open up with flesh hooks, and pray you survive your opponents counterattack. If they do, you know have some really capable cc critters running around your opponents backfield. If they don't survive, unless serious shenanigans were utilized, chances are your opponent just committed far too many resources into stopping them for it to have actually been worth it, and thus the rest of your army is largely unscathed. I consider it a win-win. Add deathleaper in for some extra fun with that.

Why deep strike? They come with infiltrate.

BTW-the only units in the new nid codex that have assault grenades are-Warriors/Lictors/Carifexes :(

bodazoka wrote:Would 1 x Lictor be able to take out a loan techmarine? allot of my opponent's leave that guy away from the rest of there army totally un defended...

You'd have to rend a few times to get through the 2+, but it's possible. Not sure if you mean the Master of the Forge with Conversion Beamer or if you're talking about the gunner on a TFC, but if the Tech has a servo arm you're pretty toast if he survives. S8 vs T4 = Splat.

y0disisray wrote:Some nifty little tricks I noticed in the Nid dex is to infiltrate the Lictors then deepstrike either a full unit of spore mines or the mawloc. Would be kinda neat to get an assault with a spore mine cluster that pops a large strength 10 ap4 blast. Not really competetive but would be fun.

If only Spore Mines could actually deep strike directly onto their target, rather than having to land near them, wait a turn, then try to assault.

 streamdragon wrote:

y0disisray wrote:Some nifty little tricks I noticed in the Nid dex is to infiltrate the Lictors then deepstrike either a full unit of spore mines or the mawloc. Would be kinda neat to get an assault with a spore mine cluster that pops a large strength 10 ap4 blast. Not really competetive but would be fun.

If only Spore Mines could actually deep strike directly onto their target, rather than having to land near them, wait a turn, then try to assault.

As rules are currently written, spore mines don't deep strike, they are placed as if they deepstruck...but that's YMDC so we won't get into it...regardless, I have been using deathleaper to strategically place little 15pt kill or die treats for fire warriors and it's been very effective.

Sidenote: The deepstrike isn't worthless, but infiltrating is going to happen more often than not with their synergy.

And...I wouldn't try to kill a techmarine with a lictor, even deathleaper...try to stay to 3+ save enemies and yes, definitely stay away from S8 combat.

chaos0xomega wrote:I like Lictors myself, I think they're an underrated and underappreciated unit. Personally, I would take 3 full broods (assuming you're not using your elites for something else), and deepstrike them all (without scatter) into your opponents backfield at close range (and/or into cover) and flesh hook some targets of opportunity. S6 can put the hurting on rear armor 10 (especially if you're taking 18 shots from 9 lictors), but they are also useful for opening holes in your opponents line. I am a strong advocate of using 'lictor shock' to disable enemy Aegis Defense Lines and quadguns in order to open up the skies for your FMC's to operate with impunity.

Basically drop in 'danger close' (preferably into cover), open up with flesh hooks, and pray you survive your opponents counterattack. If they do, you know have some really capable cc critters running around your opponents backfield. If they don't survive, unless serious shenanigans were utilized, chances are your opponent just committed far too many resources into stopping them for it to have actually been worth it, and thus the rest of your army is largely unscathed. I consider it a win-win. Add deathleaper in for some extra fun with that.

As a part 2 to your Lictor-Shock : Go to Ground! Lictors aren't fearless, and Ld10. Therefore if you G2G with stealth in a crater or ruin you'll have a 2+ save from (most) of the incoming enemy firepower. Now here's the trick - get a flyrant or other synapse creature with dominion in position the turn the lictors arrive, so that they can move up on their turn (after instinctive behavior tests have been taken) and put the lictor brood that went to ground back into synapse. Ta Da! They become fearless and immediately act normally, which includes movement, shooting, and assault. That 3-bug lictor brood just became a huge threat for any enemy backfield unit or tank.

FeindusMaximus wrote:

Why deep strike? They come with infiltrate.

BTW-the only units in the new nid codex that have assault grenades are-Warriors/Lictors/Carifexes :(

Because while i prefer to infiltrate them nowadays, you can only in most cases get them 18" away, and not necessarily in the best position or terrain you would like them to be in. So while it is dependent on the table and enemy, sometimes bringing them in from reserve with no scatter is the preferable way to introduce them to your opponent, because they can do the 2+ cover trick as listed above.

 tetrisphreak wrote:

chaos0xomega wrote:I like Lictors myself, I think they're an underrated and underappreciated unit. Personally, I would take 3 full broods (assuming you're not using your elites for something else), and deepstrike them all (without scatter) into your opponents backfield at close range (and/or into cover) and flesh hook some targets of opportunity. S6 can put the hurting on rear armor 10 (especially if you're taking 18 shots from 9 lictors), but they are also useful for opening holes in your opponents line. I am a strong advocate of using 'lictor shock' to disable enemy Aegis Defense Lines and quadguns in order to open up the skies for your FMC's to operate with impunity.

Basically drop in 'danger close' (preferably into cover), open up with flesh hooks, and pray you survive your opponents counterattack. If they do, you know have some really capable cc critters running around your opponents backfield. If they don't survive, unless serious shenanigans were utilized, chances are your opponent just committed far too many resources into stopping them for it to have actually been worth it, and thus the rest of your army is largely unscathed. I consider it a win-win. Add deathleaper in for some extra fun with that.

As a part 2 to your Lictor-Shock : Go to Ground! Lictors aren't fearless, and Ld10. Therefore if you G2G with stealth in a crater or ruin you'll have a 2+ save from (most) of the incoming enemy firepower. Now here's the trick - get a flyrant or other synapse creature with dominion in position the turn the lictors arrive, so that they can move up on their turn (after instinctive behavior tests have been taken) and put the lictor brood that went to ground back into synapse. Ta Da! They become fearless and immediately act normally, which includes movement, shooting, and assault. That 3-bug lictor brood just became a huge threat for any enemy backfield unit or tank.

This sounds especially fun if you deepstrike a Trygon Prime on them


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, adding a Firestorm Redoubt to my list has allowed me to set up an infiltrate zone for lictors, or stealers...you can infiltrate in the building itself and place it 12" from enemy lines...I didn't realize that at first.

I play a lot of people who can't handle AV14 at all.

 ductvader wrote:

 tetrisphreak wrote:

chaos0xomega wrote:I like Lictors myself, I think they're an underrated and underappreciated unit. Personally, I would take 3 full broods (assuming you're not using your elites for something else), and deepstrike them all (without scatter) into your opponents backfield at close range (and/or into cover) and flesh hook some targets of opportunity. S6 can put the hurting on rear armor 10 (especially if you're taking 18 shots from 9 lictors), but they are also useful for opening holes in your opponents line. I am a strong advocate of using 'lictor shock' to disable enemy Aegis Defense Lines and quadguns in order to open up the skies for your FMC's to operate with impunity.

Basically drop in 'danger close' (preferably into cover), open up with flesh hooks, and pray you survive your opponents counterattack. If they do, you know have some really capable cc critters running around your opponents backfield. If they don't survive, unless serious shenanigans were utilized, chances are your opponent just committed far too many resources into stopping them for it to have actually been worth it, and thus the rest of your army is largely unscathed. I consider it a win-win. Add deathleaper in for some extra fun with that.

As a part 2 to your Lictor-Shock : Go to Ground! Lictors aren't fearless, and Ld10. Therefore if you G2G with stealth in a crater or ruin you'll have a 2+ save from (most) of the incoming enemy firepower. Now here's the trick - get a flyrant or other synapse creature with dominion in position the turn the lictors arrive, so that they can move up on their turn (after instinctive behavior tests have been taken) and put the lictor brood that went to ground back into synapse. Ta Da! They become fearless and immediately act normally, which includes movement, shooting, and assault. That 3-bug lictor brood just became a huge threat for any enemy backfield unit or tank.

This sounds especially fun if you deepstrike a Trygon Prime on them


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, adding a Firestorm Redoubt to my list has allowed me to set up an infiltrate zone for lictors, or stealers...you can infiltrate in the building itself and place it 12" from enemy lines...I didn't realize that at first.

I play a lot of people who can't handle AV14 at all.

Luckily I own a copy of Stronghold Assault, which allows occupants to assault from a building.

Now here's the problem - If i'm playing someone who doesn't WANT me to assault from the bastion or redoubt or bunker etc, all they have to do is say "let's just stick to core rulebook rules, i don't feel comfortable using that expansion". Suddenly my tactic of assaulting from the building is nullified and I have to re-think my strategy. So while it's a great trick it's not one i'd rely on until GW FAQ's the main rulebook rules to match what's in the Stronghold Assault book. less arguments that way.

Well, then just sit behind it?

Prettymuch. Unless the opponent is using artillery -- then i just would get as close as possible and try the go-to-ground/synapse yo-yo until i could assault those tanks.

I personally find dakktyrants and dakkafexes a bit aged and boring.

The Redoubt has given me a huge tool to do whatever I want with the rest of my list. And is freaking awesome if you can put it in the midfield and magae to run a zoey or venom into it.

 ductvader wrote:
I personally find dakktyrants and dakkafexes a bit aged and boring.

The Redoubt has given me a huge tool to do whatever I want with the rest of my list. And is freaking awesome if you can put it in the midfield and magae to run a zoey or venom into it.

Do you feel that it is worth 200 points for the investment? It's after only 4 shots at bs2, (bs3 with upgraded machine spirit) that you don't really get to control.

 tetrisphreak wrote:

 ductvader wrote:
I personally find dakktyrants and dakkafexes a bit aged and boring.

The Redoubt has given me a huge tool to do whatever I want with the rest of my list. And is freaking awesome if you can put it in the midfield and magae to run a zoey or venom into it.

Do you feel that it is worth 200 points for the investment? It's after only 4 shots at bs2, (bs3 with upgraded machine spirit) that you don't really get to control.

It's because I can't control it and my opponent can't control it that I love it.

Sure, if there are no fliers it might be shooting at kroot or something...but it's also an AV14 bunker that grants heavy cover too.

It's autonomous and shooting down enemy fliers like crazy...it should get 2.2? Lascannon hits on any flier.

The Crone is excellent for killing fliers sure...but he's also very hard to use against them and difficult to keep alive...reminds me a lot of my Crimson Hunter actually.

The Redoubt lets you build you bug army without any other AA and feel fine about it.

I guess i'd have to see one in person with my models to get a better feel about it. Does it block LOS to a hive tyrant? Carnifex? bringing your own sight blocking terrain to me is the biggest reason for fortifications. It's probably the most useful thing for a bastion, aside from sticking a venomthrope inside for shrouded buffing .

 ductvader wrote:

 streamdragon wrote:

y0disisray wrote:Some nifty little tricks I noticed in the Nid dex is to infiltrate the Lictors then deepstrike either a full unit of spore mines or the mawloc. Would be kinda neat to get an assault with a spore mine cluster that pops a large strength 10 ap4 blast. Not really competetive but would be fun.

If only Spore Mines could actually deep strike directly onto their target, rather than having to land near them, wait a turn, then try to assault.

As rules are currently written, spore mines don't deep strike, they are placed as if they deepstruck...but that's YMDC so we won't get into it...regardless, I have been using deathleaper to strategically place little 15pt kill or die treats for fire warriors and it's been very effective.

Well, I was referring to the Fast Attack option, not the ones from Biovores. They do deep strike normally, which for some stupid reason includes mishapping if they land on top of an enemy.

 streamdragon wrote:

 ductvader wrote:

 streamdragon wrote:

y0disisray wrote:Some nifty little tricks I noticed in the Nid dex is to infiltrate the Lictors then deepstrike either a full unit of spore mines or the mawloc. Would be kinda neat to get an assault with a spore mine cluster that pops a large strength 10 ap4 blast. Not really competetive but would be fun.

If only Spore Mines could actually deep strike directly onto their target, rather than having to land near them, wait a turn, then try to assault.

As rules are currently written, spore mines don't deep strike, they are placed as if they deepstruck...but that's YMDC so we won't get into it...regardless, I have been using deathleaper to strategically place little 15pt kill or die treats for fire warriors and it's been very effective.

Well, I was referring to the Fast Attack option, not the ones from Biovores. They do deep strike normally, which for some stupid reason includes mishapping if they land on top of an enemy.

My bad, that was obvious in context...darn my skimming.

I have to admit that the redoubt has become a huge part of my army. It is pretty much in all my lists now. I have played it several ways and it has never let me down.

I put biovores in it up until the new dex. I started putting a venomthope in them now.. due to its size it has a pretty good range for the shroud.

 ductvader wrote:

 streamdragon wrote:

 ductvader wrote:

 streamdragon wrote:

y0disisray wrote:Some nifty little tricks I noticed in the Nid dex is to infiltrate the Lictors then deepstrike either a full unit of spore mines or the mawloc. Would be kinda neat to get an assault with a spore mine cluster that pops a large strength 10 ap4 blast. Not really competetive but would be fun.

If only Spore Mines could actually deep strike directly onto their target, rather than having to land near them, wait a turn, then try to assault.

As rules are currently written, spore mines don't deep strike, they are placed as if they deepstruck...but that's YMDC so we won't get into it...regardless, I have been using deathleaper to strategically place little 15pt kill or die treats for fire warriors and it's been very effective.

Well, I was referring to the Fast Attack option, not the ones from Biovores. They do deep strike normally, which for some stupid reason includes mishapping if they land on top of an enemy.

My bad, that was obvious in context...darn my skimming.

All good. If the FAQ sorts out Spore Mines deep striking, I think they'll be one of the more buffed entries in the book.

Which really doesn't say anything good. :(

@Steamdragon

Going off topic for a moment: I think that all players really wanted out of the book were some new tricks and quirks...all we got was a streamlined and easy to understand book that sits solidly in the middle tier of armies. With the ultra importance of synapse in lists the way the book is currently written, I think it's powers should have been expanded as well...possibly handing out an additional USR like preferred enemy (your choice for the game duration). I think the book is decent...as fun as it ever was...but not much more than that...

If you want my advice, never look for anecdotes about how well a unit works. Get testimonials for how they impact on a competitive player's psyche, but don't ask about what they did in that game.

For example, ask not "what did the land raider do before it blew up turn three?"

But ask, "what didn't happen because it was blown up."

So, what will your lictors do before they get destroyed? who will be so afraid of them they are a primary target? if they're not a primary target, what can they do to make the opponent pay for ignoring them?

If you are runnings 3 broods of lictors you are running at least one mawlock.

 DarknessEternal wrote:

chaos0xomega wrote:
and deepstrike them all

Don't do that. Put at least one of them on the table so you can benefit from their Reserve tinkering.

Thats IF you need their reserves tinkering. In my lists, I rarely do, hence why to me its better to deepstrike all.

Why deep strike? They come with infiltrate.

Because infiltrating doesn't get you into your opponents backfield, it only gets you closer to their front line. If you need me to explain what the difference is, and why its problematic for a lictor to be in front of your opponents army rather than behind it I can, but it should be easy to figure out.

I'm not saying you shouldn't infiltrate lictors, or that its a bad idea, just that in a lot of cases its more advantagous to take the deep strike.

As a part 2 to your Lictor-Shock : Go to Ground! Lictors aren't fearless, and Ld10. Therefore if you G2G with stealth in a crater or ruin you'll have a 2+ save from (most) of the incoming enemy firepower. Now here's the trick - get a flyrant or other synapse creature with dominion in position the turn the lictors arrive, so that they can move up on their turn (after instinctive behavior tests have been taken) and put the lictor brood that went to ground back into synapse. Ta Da! They become fearless and immediately act normally, which includes movement, shooting, and assault. That 3-bug lictor brood just became a huge threat for any enemy backfield unit or tank.

OMG I love you!

The fearless / go to ground trick is even neater when you have some deep striking zynapse. (Prime, shrines etc.) They will arive on the feramone trail of the lictor. :-)

 Niiai wrote:
The fearless / go to ground trick is even neater when you have some deep striking zynapse. (Prime, shrines etc.) They will arive on the feramone trail of the lictor. :-)

That is a fantastic reason to deepstrike some shooty shrikes.

 ductvader wrote:
@Steamdragon

Going off topic for a moment: I think that all players really wanted out of the book were some new tricks and quirks...all we got was a streamlined and easy to understand book that sits solidly in the middle tier of armies. With the ultra importance of synapse in lists the way the book is currently written, I think it's powers should have been expanded as well...possibly handing out an additional USR like preferred enemy (your choice for the game duration). I think the book is decent...as fun as it ever was...but not much more than that...

I agree with the majority of what you said. My basic feeling is to believe the rumors of the book getting rushed out the door incomplete. I'm also of the opinion that Tyranids are a test codex for the "see if we can make them buy dataslates", which GW seems to be pushing heavily with Nids. That things like Warriors and Raveners saw literally 0 appreciable changes shows that either they didn't know what to do, or didn't care what to do.

I'm not saying that Nids are unplayable or will never win games. As a fantasy Beastmen player I know that even the "worst" codexes can and will win games. But that doesn't mean that the army is good or where it should be. Tyranids, to me, firmly fall into that category. I thought the Space Marine codex was a good example of what a codex should be. Tweaks to existing units that needed them, new stuff for long time players to get excited about, and new ways to use existing models/units to get players to think. I think the Nid codex failed in 2 of those 3 categories, for the most part.

Which is sad, because I really wanted something to drive me to put ~150 - 175 gaunts together, instead of letting them languish on sprues. -_-

So...let's look at building a list that utilizes the lictors.

Thus far we see that they combine well with:

Shrikes
Trygon Primes
Mawlocs
Flyrants
Spores

And from my own knowledge they also pair decently with

Deathleaper himself
Spinefist Sky Slashers (I haven't seen a flamer in forever...)
Genestealer shock
Raveners
Tunneling Rippers

Now I know we don't want to hinge the entire army's success on the survival of lictors...but would anyone like to give list building a go?

Bonus points for including the Redoubt! It's the cost of a stock tervigon with cluster spines.