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Here's a theoretical list based on the new genestealer cults! The bulk of the force is centred around the S6 rending metamorphs - I have seven units of six of these guys. With so many MSU I've added on two sporefields and a tyranid CAD to provide some reliable shooting and even more mucolids. The idea is that there are so many MSU threats that at least some of it makes it to combat.

If I'm going second I'd be tempted just to deploy the sporefields and hide some out of LOS so the entire cult could turn up by cult ambush turn 2... Thoughts?

Brood cycle – 446pts
Iconward 75pts
Acolytes 40pts
Acolytes 40pts
Acolytes 40pts
Neophytes with autocannon 60pts
Neophytes with autocannon 60pts
6 Metamorphs with claws 66pts
Purestrains 65pts

Subterranean uprising – 278pts
Acolytes 40pts
Acolytes 40pts
6 Metamorphs with claws 66pts
6 Metamorphs with claws 66pts
6 Metamorphs with claws 66pts

Subterranean uprising – 278pts
Acolytes 40pts
Acolytes 40pts
6 Metamorphs with claws 66pts
6 Metamorphs with claws 66pts
6 Metamorphs with claws 66pts

Tyranid detachment
Flyrant with wings, devourers, brainleech worms and electroshock grubs 240pts
Flyrant with wings, devourers, brainleech worms and electroshock grubs 240pts
Mucolid 15pts
Mucolid 15pts
Mucolid 15pts
Mucolid 15pts
Mucolid 15pts
Mucolid 15pts


Sporefield – 135pts
3 spore mines 30pts
3 spore mines 30pts
3 spore mines 30pts
Mucolid 15pts
Mucolid 15pts
Mucolid 15pts

Sporefield – 135pts
3 spore mines 30pts
3 spore mines 30pts
3 spore mines 30pts
Mucolid 15pts
Mucolid 15pts
Mucolid 15pts

Purestrains are 70pts min.

Spore fields are 90 pts min not 135.(3 spore mines are 15 not 30)

This gives you 85 more points. I would suggest a ml2 magus with crouching for buffs/summoning shenanigans. Also brings you to warp charge 6.

Sporefields work well for flyrant lists because often the flyrants do not go into assault so they are largely unaffected by the explosions.

Most of your army is assault oriented, you have a lot of MSU but you are going to hurt yourself more than the opponent with most of the spore mines. For this list it just seems like your spending 270 pts to null deploy- which I am not sure is that great.

I know people are all nuts about the 1/6 chance to cult ambush deploy and assault the same turn, which you can re-roll to be slightly worse than 1/3rd chance for the cult subterranean uprising units- but this still ends with most of your units being assault oriented and ending up close to enemy units and not being able to assault for a turn. This will lead to many games where you have units get shot up and assaulted before they can assault.

I think you will lose pretty big to any other MSU army or any army that has decent overwatch (tau/dark angels/ things with lots of template weapons (salamdanders/DW). against an MSU force, you will tie up half or so of their units in assault, and most of your units which do not roll a 6 for ambush will be gunned down. The problem is even with the re-roll for cult uprising you will average across many games 3-5 units being able to infiltrate and charge. Against some armies you will see those wiped out before they get to strike from OW fire, or interceptor. T3 and 5+ armor with maybe FnP and low model count units is not pretty.

I think against some armies which have few units and you get first turn you have a chance to win big, but its not a competitive tournament army list, and honestly I don't see it as a fun list. You will either win big, or lose big- and that will mostly be determined by who/what you are playing against and the roll for first turn.

Some tournaments limit to only 3 detachments. Can you squeeze something similar into that? The big detachment of formations only counts as one so maybe you can use that with a required Core Choice?

I would drop the spores and go with 2 broods of 3 ds rippers for some os troops. Then put the remaining pts into a zoanthrope or two and some upgrades for your troops maby a few rock saws or more boots on the floor. Even an adl with a quad gun wouldn't hurt.

I would consider dropping the sporefields completely, and giving some ranged weapons to your acolyte units that can do damage should they not roll a 6 on the cult ambush table- being close and shooting with a threat is better than firing S3 autopistol shots with your hybrid butt in the wind in rapid fire/flamer range with T3, 5+ armor.

Hey, thanks for the feedback

There's not a lot of love for the spore fields! I can't honestly say I've used them before, but they seem like a very attractive use of 270pts to me... (thanks for the points catch btw!) I think they'd help deny a lot of overwatch by charging the same unit as a metamorph/acolyte squad and dying to ensure the charge happens. Just the thought of 18 MSUs (over half of which have the chance to respawn) would be very disruptive to a lot of my lists! I guess there is the opportunity for friendly casualties, but there'd be no reason I'd be forced to charge with them if it wouldn't benefit me. They can always be saved for a turn or two later...

@timeshadow - thanks for the points clarifications! A Magus would be nice. Either that or more metamorphs anyway!

@blaktoof - good analysis, thanks! First turn charges are pretty strong, even if there's only about 4 happening turn 1 / turn 2. The idea would be to overwhelm one area of the board (ideally the one with the best chance of gunning down my MSUs). If there were no good areas to deploy, any units that didn't get a six could always hide in the backfield and return to the shadows the turn after. Could set up some more instant charges on T3/4 anyway. I really don't think getting T1 is that big of an issue. I'd just reserve everything but a few spore mines to prevent being tabled and bring everything in T2 And I'd certainly find it fun to play. I like the dynamic of return to the shadows too. Could be interesting late game.

@axis of entropy - I'd drop a sporefield and use the points for more metamorphs or maybe a doting throng.

@timeshadow - do you think more deep-striking troops are needed? Admittedly the cult units aren't obsec, but they do the same job as the rippers pretty well. Not sure what I'd do with an ADL. I guess zoanthropes are an option though.

@blaktoof again - what kind of ranged weapons would you advise?

 DoomMouse wrote:
but they seem like a very attractive use of 270pts to me... (thanks for the points catch btw!)

180 pts. They're 90 pts per min Sporefield.

I was counting the 90pts invested in mucolids in the CAD too for that total