Goatboy is Bullish on Codex Tyranids
Goatboy takes a look at the Hive Fleet’s new codex – and hisses in satisfaction.
Goatboy here again and before I jump into the broken down pool of my homeworld lets start with a small bit of history. I have always been enamored by the pull of the bad guy in any video game. If I get a chance to do something evil – I usually pick it. I think it has to do with doing something I would normally never do as well as the bad guys always having the coolest clothes, outfits, and conversions. But right after my dance with the Devil in the pale moonlight there is always this hunger. Most of my armies usually revolve around some kind of big fat monstrous creature that I push, shove, and hopefully utilize to win the game. I’ve been know to cover the table in a plethora of big bases usually surrounded by some friendly gribblies. And I want to be the first to tell you that this new Nid book lets me do this and it might actually be good.
Big Bugs Return?
A ton of the book has been leaked out already. I won’t go over separate things that excited me and instead try to look at the initial style of list I want to play. I have an old Nidzilla army from back in the day and I am excited I could bring that monster back out with a few tweaks and hopefully get a chance to bring the fear of the Carnifex back into the hearts of my enemies. My favorite armies to paint are Chaos stuff, Ork Stuff, and finally Nid stuff. The bigger the monster and more organic the army looks – the better I feel by slathering it in the graffiti/graphic style I love to work in.
Currently my build thoughts revolve around Kronos, big monsters, and ways to board control while I move forward and get ready to eat the buffet that is my opponents army. Lately my army styles revolve around a Horde mixed with some hard hitting hammers to try and control the battle scape as well as let myself always have a chance to go for the “easier” missions in ITC. I do worry a bit that I might have too many “big” units but with a few pieces of Synapse, large enough units sizes, and other more important threats I might be able to limit the amount of points I give up. Of course this could all change if GW gives some amazing missions in the upcoming Chapter Approved book. Or people just really use specific Open War missions. Still let’s look at some army thoughts as I build out a list.
First – the mission for this list is fit as many Carnifexes in and still have something decent. We call this plan – Goatboy only paints Daemon Prin… I mean Carnifexes.
Kronos Feeds
Battalion – Kronos
Neurothrope – 70pts (I think you can only get this out of a box of Zoanthropes… One per box – sooo Conversion time?)
Neurothrope – 70pts (Need to have some access to hidden Synapse and I am trying to ignore FW for now)
Termagaunts X 30 – 120pts (Bubble Wrap is Key for tiger Victory)
Termagaunts X 30 – 120pts (I hear Dipping is where it is at for blobs of Termaguants)
Termagaunts X 29 – 116pts (Gah… this unit size just kills the OCD kid in me)
Carnifex Brood – Carnifexes X 3, 4 Devourers, Spore Cysts, (editors note: GB left out Enhanced Senses, but he paid for them) – 345pts
Carnifex Brood – Screamer Killers X 3, 2 Sets of Monstrous Talons, Bio Plasma, Spore Cysts – 345pts (Hooray for something Fluffy and decent)
Carnifex Brood – Carnifexes X 3, 4 Devourers, Spore Cysts, (editors note: GB left out Enhanced Senses, but he paid for them) – 345pts
Supreme Command Detachment – Kronos
Hive Tyrant w/Wings, Devourers X 4 – 198pts
Old One Eye – 200pts
Neurothrope – 70pts
1999pts – 7 Command Pts
NOM NOM NOM – STOMP STOMP STOMP
Here is a basic list with my normal play style – lots of bodies to control the center, big hitters, and cool looking monsters. I like the idea of using Old One Eye as he makes my Fex’s hit better and he can just be a pain in the butt. Plus it gives me Fex number 10 to add to the army – and makes it feel like a True Carnifex beast machine. The Hive Tyrant is just there as you can Deep Strike him in, he can flank someone and just be a pain in the rear. With all the Hidden Neurothropes to help keep the blob moving forward he isn’t really needed as much and thus he can Yolo his way through the enemy. This army will set up the same most games and just like the old Nidzilla it will deploy as a layered cake of death. I would call it the Twinkie of Death with multiple layers of “fodder” that hide the juicy monsters in the middle. With Carnifexes going down as one unit and each one then acting independently it becomes a bit of an issue for an opponent to try and deal with each individual monster. Plus Spore Cysts make all of them -1 to hit and thus a real pain the butt when dealing with some bad BS skills in some of the current – good armies. I do have 4 Smites which is a good thing as this army does suffer some with ranged “ignore save” damage. I really feel like the good level of Smites or Mortal wound dealing in army needs to run 3-4 to help deal with some of the big things we see from time to time. Plus I get the feeling the Smite Nerf will probably be a limiting factor on the ability so trying to build an army around 6+ is a fool hardy endeavor.
Hissing Happily
Overall I feel this book is a nice upgrade from the Index book. I thought the Index book overall wasn’t too bad – it just needed some point fixing and tweaks to their overall build. I am kinda sad we don’t see a Crazy non FW Lord of War as we have always been dancing with the rumored Dominatrix for as long as I can remember. I do think Kronos will be heavily taken unless we see something curbing some of the Psychic issues we see in the current meta game. I know there will be a lot of players that activate the Stratagem as soon as “Warptime” is said to be activated. I think the book is pretty good and I currently see nothing to really “FAQ” with it. Just like Death Guard I expect this army to stay the same through the upcoming Chapter Approved book.
~NOM NOM NOM!
Dominatrix – maybe next time…
