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I run 3 units of genestealers in my Nidzilla list, and they tend to take some indirect fire before they make it into battle.  I'm always looking for a way to minimize this, and it occurred to me the other day that there might be a better way to deploy them so my opponent can't hit as many.

Normally they get plunked down behind the big bugs like this:

X  X  X  X

X  X  X  X

X  X  X  X

Easy to work with and space efficient, but much easier to hit a bunch of targets with a pie plate.

So I thought of this:

X  X  X  X  X  X

X  X  X  X  X  X

This reduces the potential number of hits a little, but stretches them out a bit, making it hard to fit three units behind the big bugs.  Can be bad for flamers too.

Then of course theres this:

X  X  X  X  X  X  X  X  X  X  X  X

Which reduces the hit potential a lot, but spreads them out when I would rather have them concentrated.  Also bad for flamers.  With this formation I can form three rows behind the big bugs, and that's not too bad. 

Then I thought of wierd formations, like this:

X  X  X  X  X

    X     X

X  X  X  X  X

I've been keeping them together mainly because they're more effective when I can get more into the fight, and spreading them out keeps me from doing that.  I've been thinking of starting in one formation, like the line, and moving to the ranks formation in subsequent turns, to keep casulaties down early in the game when my opponent's firepower is at its peak.  When I used to run hormagaunts in large numbers, I kept them in ranks mainly because it was easier on me.

So, what troop formations do you use?  Anything you found that helps against AOEs? 

Some untested, food for thought:  Perhaps a loose formation that resembles a ring would fit your needs? The arty commander cannot place the template over empty space; it must be centered over a model. This formation has no center to drop a pie plate on top of. If properly executed, the formation will take less hits than the "II" shaped formation (the third in your post).

For sake of complying with the above format, this is what I mean.

Or stay behind the TMC's to block LoS....

Another formation you may want to consider is the flying V (datailed below). If you arange it so the ends (rather than the point) of the V is facing your opponent's army, you should have pleanty of guys to pile into hand to hand without exposing too many to pie plates. The beauty of this formation is that if someone aims for the point of the V (where they will get this most hits should the shot not scatter), scatter in 3 of the 4 cardinal directions will take the shot completely off the rest of the squad. Just keep in mind that you want to keep something like a 45 degree angel (or larger) and as close to 2 inch spacing as is practical.

X-------X
-X-----X-
--X---X--
---X-X---
----X----

The "V" is also does a pretty good job of keeping your models hidden behind the TMC.

i actually tried out some of these formations in my last game...

i made giant O's with my spinegaunts on one side
and some flyings V's on the other side...but due to terrain i ended up running it point first

i was thoroughly impressed with how the O's worked...my opponents stopped laughing at my silly formation when they noticed my spinegaunts withered the hail of 3 indirect firing things doing virtually no damage at all to the swarms...

the flying V however didn't fare so well..but that was due to squads opening fire on them..out of the 20 i was running in that squad the front of the V was virtually wiped out except for the very front gaunt (who is named Defiler Killa) ...the front gaunt was assaulted (which was sorta the ploy) leaving a very unsuspecting squad that just brutally murdered a single spinegaunt stuck in a silly close combat they couldnt escape

if i get any chance at all im going to be running my hoards in the giant O formation

thanks for the tip dakka guys

giant O's or cha-cha lines is how I do it. pretty simple. try to keep max spacing between models

the O's for slower units, or if I'm up against multiple indirect attacks, the cha-cha lines for faster moving gits or a lone bassie (or its like)

however, both of these are pointless if it spreads you out into enemy's line of fire. (especially against weapons which can tear you open, HB for stealers, bolters of gaunts, ML for marines...)