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Last week I played the aformentioned game and it was an eye opener. I was running a modified 'zilla list.

1 Hive Tyrant w/Sword & whip & Venom Cannon + 2 x Guard
3 Carnifex w/TL Devouers and Scything talons
1 Carnifex w/Venom Cannon & Barbed Strangler
1 Carnifex w/Venom Cannon & Scything Talons
6 Tyranid warriors, 5 w/Death spitters, & 1 Barbed Strangler
20 Spine Gaunts
10 Hormagaunts
10 Ripper Swarms
8 Genestealers w/rending claws

My opponent (good guy that he is) ran a all Nurgle Daemon army.

Epidemius
20 Plaguebearers
10 Plaguebearers
10 Plaguebearers
3 Daemon Princes
3 Beasts of Nurgle

We rolled up Annihilation with Dawn of war set up. I he won the roll and had to go first, good for me. The first turn went well for me. Epidemius and his retinue of 20 Plaguebearers and the 3 Daemon princes showed up first turn. I killed on prince with shooting and the look on his face when most of my templates landed on target was great. We are both still new to the 5th ed rules though we know them pretty well. He forgot to run the plaguebearers so they were clumped up.

The second turn was ok. The rest of the Plaguebearers showed up. The princes scored some kills on my little guys and they took out a Carnifex, but I wounded another prince and moved up my assault troops.

Turn three is where it started to fall apart. I play alot of Warhammer and I even run a Daemon army. I use Epidemius as a herald and know his rules. He is much better in 40k. Every kill caused by a model with the mark of Nurgle (his whole army) adds to Epidemiuses tally. After so many kills the whole army gains buffs. By the end of turn three, I couldn't stop him any more. My shooting killed a model or two and then I assaulted. I didn't realise that the Plaguebearers had FNP. So I didn't take too many down. I won the assaults but was pinned there. By the end of the turn his troops had the ability to wound on a 2+, counted as using power weapons, and FNP on a 3+. This includes their 5+ invulnerable save. 'Nidzilla, or anyone else for that matter, cannot hold up to that.

Turn four started the great Tyranid retreat. I had to start backing up to stay out assault range. Not a tactic I thought I'd ever use with my army. With run I couldn't move fast enough and still shoot. He ran at me. I killed another Daemon prince and he wounded a Carnifex.

Turn five had his Plaguebearers assaulting my Tyranid warriors and wiping them out and I killed his last Daemon prince.

The game should of gone on to a sixth turn but he was ahead with four Kill points and I had three. There was no way I was going to kill two more units as most of his were in assault range. So we ended it.

I don't know why you'd run a Daemon army with anything but Plaguebearers and Epidermus. He's a 110 points and boosts all the Plaguebearers. With T5 its so hard to get rid of that FNP. I did it with the Genestealers, but he made is Invulnerable saves.

Now I'm not going to say the sky is falling and call any of the above broken. But wow, that is tough. Fun game, was hoping for an objective game, but must rethink my tactics. The Hive Mind with digest this information and devise a solution. -K

Did you remember that he doesn't get feel no pain from the attacks of your monstrous creatures or rends?

Nidzilla vs Poison Weapons won't work well at all, PBs will be wounding at worst on a 4+. You also have enough models to build the tally rather quickly to make cleaving your semi-shooty TMCs fairly easy.

I"m curious as to what gifts he took on his Princes. With wings and either Breath or Gaze, he'll be causing havoc pretty quickly with a moderate amount of survivability. Not to mention "suiciding" a prince into any of your swarms just to utilize Aura of Decay.

If you go up against him again, focus your Venom Cannons and Barbed Strangler against Epidemius early and often. Your rippers & gaunts should be able to tie up his lines for a few turns while you pluck away at him. Your Tyrant & Warriors should be able to provide enough synapse for you to do so. He is PRIORITY!

Not going with two twin-linked devourers on your three elite Fexes is not a good thing.

Good luck on your next encounter!
Paul

Did you remember that he doesn't get feel no pain from the attacks of your monstrous creatures or rends?

I did remember about Monstrous Creatures ignoring FNP and rending. But I only got 2 rending hits which he saved with Invulneralble saves and by the time I could get my Carnifexes in to close combat he was up to 2+ to wound and power weapons, including invulnerable saves. It was the invulnerable save and FNP the did me in.

If you go up against him again, focus your Venom Cannons and Barbed Strangler against Epidemius early and often. Your rippers & gaunts should be able to tie up his lines for a few turns while you pluck away at him. Your Tyrant & Warriors should be able to provide enough synapse for you to do so. He is PRIORITY!

I couldn't target Epidemius since he was hiding in a unit of 20 Plaguebearers, in the back of said unit. He's not a monstrous creature according to my oponent so he was safe.

I"m curious as to what gifts he took on his Princes. With wings and either Breath or Gaze, he'll be causing havoc pretty quickly with a moderate amount of survivability. Not to mention "suiciding" a prince into any of your swarms just to utilize Aura of Decay.

No wings, but Gaze I think, 3 shots a turn at range.

Not going with two twin-linked devourers on your three elite Fexes is not a good thing.

I don't know. 4 strength 6 shots with re-rolls to hit and wound served me well. Thats what did most of the damage to the Daemon princes. Those are on my elite 'fexes and I like to give them some close combat ability. I was using one heavy 'fex with out 2 big guns because I like to be different and he's good to assault with.

Nidzilla vs Poison Weapons won't work well at all, PBs will be wounding at worst on a 4+. You also have enough models to build the tally rather quickly to make cleaving your semi-shooty TMCs fairly easy.

Yah, the poison thing is tough. I'm not sure I want all shooters in my army just incase I run in to an army like that one again. I was hoping for an objective base game with enough to grab and hold 2+ objectives while contesting enough to win. I'm still formulating new tactics with the new rules, but as long as I have a good time its all good.

Does anyone know if Epidemius can hide in a unit? I don't have the Daemon's codex yet.

Thanks for reading and giving positive comments. -K

MC could ignore rending?

Sorry, it was worded poorly on my part, but the OP got it. Rending ignored feel no pain

Yes, Epidemius is an IC and can join a unit (and should always).

No I worded it badly Somnicide, but you have it the right way about. Thanks for the heads up about Epidemius being a IC. I didn't think I was lied to, but after everyone told me I should have shot him, I was wondering how. Next time he'll be lunch. -K

Yes, unfortunately if Epidemius is part of a unit then he can not be targeted. You would have to whittle your way through the unit. That unit of course would be a priority target. Concerning your elite Fexes, having one extra close combat attack with a scything talon pales in comparison to four strength six shots with rerolls to hit and wound. And you get all this for 2 extra points. Your elite Fexes need to be geared for shooting not close combat. The last thing you want them involved in is close combat especially against large units or plague bearers which only require a 4+ to hit you. 12 extra shots can make all the difference.

Something to think about.

Best,
Paul

Yes, unfortunately if Epidemius is part of a unit then he can not be targeted. You would have to whittle your way through the unit. That unit of course would be a priority target. Concerning your elite Fexes, having one extra close combat attack with a scything talon pales in comparison to four strength six shots with rerolls to hit and wound. And you get all this for 2 extra points. Your elite Fexes need to be geared for shooting not close combat. The last thing you want them involved in is close combat especially against large units or plague bearers which only require a 4+ to hit you. 12 extra shots can make all the difference.

Good point. I'll give it a go. 5th ed is making me rethink alot of things and I like it. -K

One other thing worth remembering is that as an IC if the unit is charged he has to move first to get into base contact with the enemy - Shep does that to me regularly to get my IC into contact with either his orks or eldar and then focuses attacks there.

just an preference, but it might be better to replace the venom cannons with barbed stranglers, much better for killing large ammounts of troops, and can still damage a vehicle (since venom C's only cause glancing they arent much use)

also, if you want a nice troop killing fex:

enhance senses
spine banks
twin devourer x2

thats a nice 10 gaks, 8 get re-rolls due to living ammo rule, and they are a fairly nice strength.