GW just sent out an email reporting that something special for Orks and Goblins will be arriving in May.
To quote the posting:
Orcs & Goblins are one of the most popular Warhammer armies and it's not difficult to see why: they can field warriors of all shapes and sizes from tiny Snotlings to Giants, and every shape of Orc and Squig in-between. They have access to a bizarre array of war machines and mounts, and some of the most entertaining special rules of any Warhammer army. And thanks to their inclusion in the great-value Battle for Skull Pass set, are often the first army a hobbyist collects.
So this May we're celebrating the Orcs & Goblins in all their choppa-wielding glory. We're under orders from the Big Boss to keep quiet about exactly what's going on so be sure to check out games-workshop.com in April when all will be revealed and pick up May's issue of White Dwarf for an in-depth look at all things green.
Just a quick note to say that with the deadline for Origins events coming very quick we here at 40kOrigins Labs are hard at work with planning. Our new idea is to greatly raise the number of events by working with other groups. The upside to that is that if there is anything that might interest when it comes to 40K (and perhaps something else GW) you'll likely see it this coming year!
Expect a lot more information early next week after the deadline has past -- and start making your preperations to have a great time at Origins in Columbus, OH -- June 23-27
I guarantee you'll enjoy yourself and be supporting GW games at Origins in general. The more attendence and excitement we get the one year the bigger and better things becomes the next. My hope is to turn GW at Origins into one of the top ten premiere events in the USA. We just need your help and fun to get there!
Keep tuned in!
Sat down tonight with a Carnifex box and some extra bug arms and built out a Tervigon. I would like to say it was a difficult, skill intensive job, but in fact it was easier than dirt. To wit:
(Click for Larger Versions)
He's basically a carnifex with two monstrous creature scything talons placed in such a way as to allow them to help "support" his weight. Take away the Termigant emerging from the chest and this Tervigon looks exactly like the illustration in the new codex.
Speaking of which I plan on modeling that (not as if I don't have plenty of extra Termigants around to use!), but I wanted to post this basic version to show how easy it is to construct a Tervigon. Thus, there's no excuse not to from a skill point-of-view not to have one and given how essential they are when you plan on bringing Termingants I expect many of these walking bug factories to make an appearance on the gaming table. Likewise, I certainly don't plan on stopping at just one!
For those who might have been getting a bit depressed over the generally unenthusiastic reviews of Tyranid units so far take heart -- I feel far more positive about the Fast Attack choices. They are also easier to review as two are just other units with wings and when it comes to Spore Mines how much can you really say about floating gas bags?
If I have any general criticism of these Fast Attack units is that you can't take them as part of a unique flying army. It's another of those -- to my mind -- "obvious" rules that the codex does not have.
Tyranid Shrike Brood
Rundown: Tyranid Warriors but with wings their stats are the same as their Earth bound brethren save that they have just 5+ saves and cost a base of 5 additional points. You can also take them with Boneswords and Lash Whips, but in this case it does require dumping the ranged attack.
Opinion: What can I say -- speedy, potentially power weapon wielding units (say that ten times fast) are definitely impressive. They are the sort of units that will give opposing generals fits. At 45 points for Shrike and paired boneswords they aren't cheap and are still subject to krak missile instant death, but since you probably won't be taking more than a single group anyway you should be able to protect them long enough to get into battle.
The one "weakness" of the unit is that it's hard to come up with a reason to use them any other way. Leaving them with just regular attacks won't frighten anyone and Rending is a poor substitute for a power attack. Likewise, don't bother with the upgrade to a heavy weapon -- you aren't picking flying Warriors to take potshots from afar.
Ravener Brood
Rundown: This is a much improved unit from before. Not only has the base cost gone from (effectively) 38 to 30, but you even get an extra Wound and Attack in the deal. They are still Beasts and you can take as many as 9, three better than previously. Otherwise, they have much the same options -- Rending and/or a built in infantry gun. Finally, they are now made in (admittedly pricey) plastic, definitely a good thing compared to the old top heavy models.
Opinion: In the old codex Raveners looked better than they were. At usually 40 points (for Talons and Claws), a mere 5+ save, and just 2 Wounds they tended to be too fragile to be worth the points. The new unit is definitely a step in the right direction even if the old weaknesses are basically intact. With a 4 Toughness they are yet again prime targets for instant kills, but that was often true in the past anyway when you used Deep Strike to bring them in -- and away from Synapse.
Still, you will need to use them carefully. A smart opponent will pick them out from a horde so just mixing them in with the other bugs isn't likely to prove good protection. A better choice is to run them through terrain. They have Move Through Cover and as Beasts are Fleet while having a 12" charge. You should be able to move through the brush and trees without a problem, popping out when within range of a juicy target. Since they will make their living slicing and dice in close-combat getting them Rending Claws (just 5 points) is a no-brainer.
In general I wouldn't bother with buying a ranged weapon, although something cheap like a Spine Fist isn't bad if you have a few extra points looking for something to do. Just understand you'll only be using them right before charging in for the kill.
Sky-Slasher Swarm Brood
Rundown: Rippers with little bat wings. Oh, how cute!
Opinion: For an extra 5 points Rippers become jump infantry. Nifty I suppose, but I still don't care much about them. They are otherwise exactly the same as regular Rippers with all the limitations that implies. They can get into combat faster, but won't be any more effective when they do.
The one role I can see for Sky-Slasher Swarms is as speedy attackers who tie down an enemy unit for a turn or two until your heavy hitters arrive. Unless going after cannon fodder they won't kill much. You use them for tactical reasons, not to improve your body count.
Gargoyle Brood
Rundown: Effectively Termigants with wings, Gargoyles are a good deal cheaper than before. They aren't quite as effective -- Fleshborers are now wimpy and their Bio-Plasma is gone. However, they do now automatically wound on hit rolls of 6. You can buy them in groups as large as 30. Their only two options are the ubiquitous Adrenal Glands and Toxin Sacks.
The major change is their Leadership. It dropped from 10 to just 6. Given that they are Fast Attack and (if you aren't careful) prone to being out by themselves the chance that they will just stop and take in the sights is substantial.
The major bonus is that they are now in plastic. From a point of price and practicality that's huge. They were expensive metal monstrosities that were notoriously top-heavy. Now you can actually afford to get a lot while not having them topple over the moment anyone within ten feet takes a breath.
Opinion: I find it hard not to like these new Gargoyles if only for the new models. They are tremendous improvement over before and make the unit actually affordable in terms of $$.
In practice I suspect they will act as fast Termigants meant to tie down enemy troops or grab objectives -- they aren't likely to survive to do both. At Toughness 3 and a pathetic 6+ save they will die early and often, but at least their speed gives you some hope for getting them into cover between moves. You certainly don't want to rely on them for firepower.
That there is the Gargoyles main weakness -- their low leadership and therefore tendency to just lurk if Synapse isn't around. With the new Fleshborers which are as short ranged as before, but without Living Ammunition you don't want Gargoyles shooting any more often than necessary. If this reason you'll want to be as clever as possible when it comes to keeping them within range of a Synapse Creature. Since their advantage is being fast that may not always be possible, but don't run them off alone without good reason.
Normally I tend toward not giving schmuck units any bio-morphs to keep costs down and numbers up, but since Gargoyles will tend to be single purchases and you want them to be effective in close-combat getting Adrenal Glands and/or Toxin Sacks is a good option. It will at least give your opponent a reason to not casual dismiss them.
Likewise, I suggest taking full sized units (top size is 30) whenever possible to give them lasting power and some resistance to moral checks from shooting. While they may be numerous and cheap Gargoyles are also fragile and can fall apart faster than you think.
Harpy
Rundown: Imagine a Trygon with wings and that's more or less a Harpy. It's a flying monstrous creature with a bunch of special abilities and the power to once a game drop a d3 barrage of Spore Mines as it passes overhead. It otherwise carries a twin-linked Stranglethorn Cannon, some Stinger Spines, and counts as having grenades when charging. It has 4 Wounds and a 5 Toughness, but oddly only has 2 Attacks.
Opinion: This is yet another unit that sounds better than it is, although not as badly as some previous examples. If I had to make a single criticism it is that the Harpy doesn't do anything particularly well, yet costs 160 points.
With just a 5 Toughness it is susceptible to one-shot kills, although strength 10 weapons are far less common than strength 8 or 9. Still, when facing some armies such as Tau (who tend to bring along big guns like Broadsides) a Harpy could easily be an embarrassing disappointment.
I have a winged Hive Tyrant in my collection and even with T6 and Warp Field (which is no longer available for a Tyrant) I've learned the hard way that you can't just run it up the middle of the board. Since a Harpy has only a 5 Toughness and a 4+ save it faces the same situation only worse. You'll need to be moving it from cover to cover to keep it alive long enough to be successful.
Twin-Linked Stranglethorn Cannons are respectable, but actually a bit wimpy if you ask me when mounted on a Monstrous Creature. You can upgrade these to dual Heavy Venom Cannons for anti-vehicle firepower, an option that I find appealing. With the ability to move fast and gain good firing positions using it as an anti-tank sniper is a natural choice, better than having the Harpy pick off infantry. For that you have your Spore Mines. While you could end up dropping a lot of the exploding gas bags the limitation is that you actually have to fly over your target, a requirement that is apt to open the Harpy to a lot of fire. Even if your opponent has no strength 10 cannons just a single turn of fire from a few heavy weapons is likely enough to ruin the Harpy's day.
In close combat it has the obvious advantage of being a Monstrous Creature, but its surprisingly low dual attacks mean it won't be able to use its ability to squish heads all that much. Thus, you'll need to go after high value targets or objectives to make the charge worth the risk. For these reasons giving it Adrenal Glands (it will almost always get the charge rather than be charged) is probably a good idea even if it does cost 10 points. Anything to raise the kill total.
I wish the Harpy had 4 Attacks or was a Synapse Creature -- in that case I could enthusiastically recommend the unit. As it is I find the monster a tad disappointing. Cool idea and certainly with the potential to be effective in combat, I fear the Harpy will too often be a letdown, falling, say, to a strength 10 cannon or accomplishing little in close combat (it only takes a few bad rolls).
Still, it does make for a great model (take a Trygon, just add wings and sculpt some egg sacks on the bottle side) so I plan on constructing at least one regardless.
Spore Mine
Rundown: It is a floating bag of gas that meanders around and goes boom when a non-bug gets close. 'Nuff said.
Opinion: Not that they were game winning units to begin with, but the new rules actually reduce their effectiveness even more. You can now only take what amount to frag spores which in turn cost 2 points extra. Otherwise, they are pretty much the same as the old codex.
Spore Mines strike me as too random to be particularly interesting. If they don't hit the target the first time they float around in random directions while being easy targets to shoot. I suppose you could use them for area denial -- drop them in front of an enemy in an attempt to close choke points or generally slow them down -- but I am not optimistic about their chances of doing so effectively.
It's worth noting that the rules for Spore Mines (as a Fast Attack unit, not shot out by Biovores) say nothing about them being exceptions to the rules for Deep Strike (except for the worse). That means you can't just drop them directly on to a target enemy unit without rolling on the Mishap table! Instead, you have to place them by themselves and hope they end up within 2" of the enemy sometime during the game.
One Last Pet Peeve: What are the rules for the Red Terror? All the other old unique Tyranids have their own listing except for Red -- and of course that's the model I own. Grumble.
Next Time: Heavy Support
It's time to take a look at the real meat of any codex: Troops. They often serve as the backbone of any force, especially nowadays given that you need them to capture objectives. So, how do the bug troops do?
Tyranid Warriors
Rundown: Now suddenly finding themselves counting as Troops, Tyranid Warriors have changed in many other ways as well. Compared to before they have +1 WS, Attacks, +1 Wounds, and a base 4+ save! They also get access to nifty new toys, none better than the ability for the entire squad to take power weapons (e.g. boneswords)! Squad sizes are the same as previously and they are no faster than they were, but at least they can crash into battle in a Mycetic Spore. The downside is, of course, that their prices have skyrocketed to a base of 30 points as compared to just 14 in the last codex.
They come with Devourers now, but if you want to stay shooty you can switch them out for Spine Fists or Deathspitters. You can even give one per squad a Barbed Strangler or (lesser) Venom Cannon. For those more hand-to-hand inclined you can give them Rending Claws, a pair of boneswords, or bonesword and lash whip. Finally, they can receive Adrenal Glands and/or Toxin Sacks. As always they are Synapse Creatures and have Shadow of the Warp.
Opinion: With all these heightened abilities it's hard not to say things have improved for Warriors. Likewise, being Troops is handy. I always took at least 10 with my usual armies so that's a lot more points allocated to Troops.
Of course, it is also a lot more points in general. Here I am of two minds. On the one hand Warriors are beefier to be sure, but at a substantial higher price. I modeled my own Warriors with Scything Talons and Rending Claws plus Extended Carapace. Keeping that in mind (and taking nothing else) my usual group of 5 warriors went from costing 23 each to 30 -- or a raise of ~23%. For those extra 7 points I get one extra Wound and Weapon Skill. At first that sounds reasonable, but in practice I suspect the change is not quite worth it. After all, previously I knew that my Warriors had to be hit at least twice before going down. Now even with that extra Wound they can be one-shot kills. The WS bonus is nice as it will allow them to hit elite troops like Space Marines more often, but is that worth taking one less Warrior for the same points? Maybe, but the improvement is debatable.
More subtly, for a force that is stereotypically a "horde" higher points totals for Warriors and having them as Troops will encourage people to take small(er) 'Nid armies. On the positive side players of 'Nidzilla armies might encourage such players to avoid the tacky and common tactic of just taking a few token minimum size gaunt troop choices in order to load up on monstrous creatures. It would make such forces more colorful and authentic, but given that Warriors still cost a fair bit I tend to suspect things won't change in that regard.
The big thing with Warriors is that you can now take them with power weapons. That is potentially huge -- troops that can ignore armor! Doing so means having a base 40 point cost and giving up an attack unless you dispense with any ranged attack. Still, that sounds pretty nasty and no doubt can be in many cases. However, Warriors still suffer from being one of the slowest units in the bug army and can't typically get across the field in less than 4 turns. Taking Mycetic Spores is the obvious solution for this, but not only does that mean having them sit there for a turn as a target, but it also means possibly having your best source of Synapse across the board from the rest of your army.
Still, it's a possibility that makes Warriors truly scary and thus has to be respected. In fact, I wonder if anyone will even take shooty Warriors from now on (not that they were so popular before) -- when you choice is between a few shots unlikely to kill anything serious or the power to slice and dice through power armor which would you choose?
Genestealers
Rundown: On the surface not much has changed for 'Stealers except something good, namely that they are 2 points cheaper than before -- and that is with all the same base stats. However, when you take a look at accessories things are quite different.
One is that the Broodlord has been demoted to just a leader figure for any and all Genestealer broods. He loses his power attack, but gains some psychic abilities and retains his otherwise superior characteristics. He does still cost almost as much as he did as a HQ choice, however.
The other big change is that you can no longer take Extended Carapace for your Genestealers. That is huge.
Opinion: How huge is huge? Let's put it this way -- against AP5 weapons without that 4+ save you take twice the amount of wounds. That's 50% more! Thus, for example, a squad of double-firing Space Marines that used to kill an average of ~3 'Stealers now can count on killing ~7 (I rounded off). Even if the remaining 3 of 10 then charge into combat they will only slice up 2 Marines as opposed to 4 the surviving 7 would kill. Again, a drop of 50%.
The simple conclusion is that Genestealer armies are no longer viable. The forces that were as-many-Stealers-as-I-can-take can't possibly hope to hide everyone in cover going in. As a result when facing the ubiquitous AP5 infantry weapon your exposed Genestealers will melt like the Wicked Witch of the West in the rain.
So, at a stroke Genestealers have been reduced to support or commando roles, but even these are now more iffy than before. A smart opponent knows that close-up 'Stealers are deadly and will go after them unless there is something else even worse like a Monstrous Creature nearby. Thus, hiding your genestealers behind waves of gaunts just isn't going to work. The alternative is to only use them as commando units that start off in cover and can leap out at vulnerable targets.
Things are even worse when you consider that the Broodlord has traded in his power attacks for a couple of mediocre psychic powers that can make his head explode. Why-oh-why did GW think it made sense to not allow a premiere Tyranid unit to upgrade to a leader model who can ignore armor? That's an obvious ability, especially given that Rending has been reduced already. And, the Broodlord costs a base of 60 points!
I hate to say it, but Genestealers as they used to be (in 4th edition) have indeed been nerfed. Yes, they do still have a role as commando units, but how you use them has changed greatly and at the same time been reduced to only a single worthwhile niche. Two less points cost does not give you enough extra 'Stealers to make up for their vulnerability to bolter fire.
Termagants
Rundown: Did you know that 'termagant' is Tyranid for 'cannon fodder'? In this they haven't changed. They are still Imperial Guardsmen with even worse armor and compressed air guns that can fire maybe as far as a toddler can throw a baseball. Points totals have changed slightly and you can give them one extra sort-of special weapon now. And, of course, you can team them up with Tervigons.
Opinion: Believe it or not but on average the cost of Termigants has actually gone up. Not if you loaded them out with Fleshborers -- they are now 1 point less, but at the cost of losing Living Ammunition. However, if you equipped your models with Spine Fists (like I did) you are now spending 1 extra point a model and if you used Devourers it is now 3 points more. Apparently, my disposable Spine Gaunts were over-priced. Imagine my surprise. For that extra point I get nothing extra. Likewise, the new Devourers are perhaps slightly better, but hardly worth 3 extra base points.
This is important -- the only useful ability to gaunts was that they were cheap as dirt. Now for many of us they are a little less cheap, enough so that now I get 16 where I used to have 20. If I had used Devourers I would only get 14 for my previous 20. That means my horde is no longer as big for the same points while my gaunts are otherwise as pathetic as before.
Take it from someone who regular plays 'Nids with 60+ gaunts -- they die in droves and often without doing much on their own. That's okay as they were usually soaking up fire that might take down my real killer units, but with Genestealers now bolter fodder and much of my force vulnerable to one-shot kills it is harder to believe that role will still work. Yet, on top of all that I now get less for my points. Wonderful.
This might be okay if Termigants could take a leader unit with a power attack or some truly nasty weapon, but all they have is the Strangleweb which is just a poor bug's flamer. Or, they could have benefited from a larger possible brood size so that you could take large amounts at a single time (and have them all benefit from powers from other bugs that affect whole units), but in fact the top size is 2 less than before.
There is one cure for all these problems -- the Tervigon. Given that it is big, hard to kill, and bestows enough abilities on nearby Termigants to actually make them a threat you'd be insane not to combine Tervigons with your horde.
Which is the problem -- any time you can say to yourself "you'd be insane not to take X" you are looking at something broken or just badly written, perhaps both. By themselves Termigants are actually a bit less effective than before and can certainly not take over the role of hard-hitting troops from Genestealers. With Tervigons they are respectable which is why I prophesize the two units types will now always go together.
Hormagaunts
Rundown: Let's face it -- in the old codex the most worthless unit was Hormagaunts. They were just faster Termigants with an extra attack that died just as quickly and cost a base of 10 points each! Thankfully, their base cost is now down to just 6, although they lose being Beasts and a point of WS. This at least makes them an option to fill out your horde quota as opposed to merely being expensive cannon fodder that can't kill anything meaningful.
Opinion: However, they are nevertheless stuck with the fact they still won't be killing anything meaningful. Faster Imperial Guardsmen with an extra attack aren't going to frighten anyone when all they can do is run across the field being shot up. If they had retained being Beasts I'd be far more enthusiastic about them -- they might be fragile, but at least they could get into hand-to-hand as soon as the second turn and pin down the enemy. But, they are only a bit faster than Termigants and they don't get to benefit from nearby Tervigons. They also don't even get a leader figure at all, let alone one with a power attack.
So, Hormagaunts have gone from a never-take unit to a merely mediocre unit. I guess that is an improvement, but there is nothing about them that excites me. Then again, maybe Genestealers were nerfed in order to encourage you to take more Hormagaunts. Yippee.
Rippers
Rundown: Living garbage disposals, Rippers are much like they were before -- swarms with lots of teeth. They cost as much as they used to and have much the same stats, although they can now fall apart when out of Synapse range. You can give them the Deep Strike ability, but that only matters if you can use it in your scenario.
Opinion: I've never been big on Rippers, in part because they couldn't take objectives and as swarms were vulnerable to templates. At least they now count as Troops for scoring purposes, but are otherwise no better (or worse) than before.
As for recommendations I really have none. If you played with them in the past or just want to have something for those extra bits you get with your gaunts to do then go right ahead, but I don't foresee a sudden increase in their frequency on the battlefield (in no small part thanks to the inability to buy them separately). I don't see them as replacements for any other Troop choice, that's for sure.
Mycetic Spores
Yes, technically they aren't Troop choices, but now is as good a time as any to talk about them.
Rundown: Bugs finally have real vehicles -- living drop pods! They can carry as many as 20 infantry or one Monstrous Creature (although the only MC that can use them are Carnifexes) while being able to mount a wide range of guns. They even count as Monstrous Creatures themselves and thus ignore armor in close-combat. That's just cool! And, at a base of 40 points they are nicely affordable.
Opinion: At last I reach a unit in this article that actually excites me. A bug vehicle was on my list of wanted changes and this one is even pretty good. It comes with a triple 6 attack -- 6" range, 6 Strength, and Assault 6 -- and the ability to ignore armor in hand-to-hand. Both are limited thanks to the fact that Spores can't actually run after prey, but you can buy them bigger (mostly anti-infantry) guns with greater range that vary in price from 10 to 20 points. Their one limitation is a meager 4 Toughness thus making them yet again -- sing along if you like -- potential krak missile bait. Still, all-in-all it's pretty damn good.
Of course, the primary allure of Mycetic Spores is having a drop pod bug army. Unfortunately, you get no special rules for doing so ala Space Marines, but if you take certain units you can at least improve the odds of arrival. Unless you are going to have an entire army use Spores I see them as best used to allow choice -- and slow -- units like Carnifexes get at the enemy more quickly than normal. It gives the bug player more tactical options, always a good thing.
I would tend to pass on the larger gun options given it only has a 2 skill and even with 3 Wounds is unlikely to be around long enough to use it much. On-the-other-hand, one nice tactic would be to drop the Spore near your opponent's close-combat specialists and see if you can't goad them into attacking. Being a Monstrous Creature with Lash Whips, 3 attacks, and a 6 strength it has the power to take on anything. The trick is actually getting it into combat, not the easiest goal given Spores can't move. At least make sure to use them as cover for your arriving units and then hope your enemy feels lucky and decides to do the tango with your living drop pods.
Next Time: Fast Attack
Mass Effect 2 came out from Bioware a few weeks ago and I've been having a complete blast playing it. It may quite frankly be the best first person shooter I've ever seen. Not just because the shooting part is good, but because of the depth of story and cinematic action inherent to the game. It's a game that often has the look and feel of a full scale science-fiction movie -- and in this case that is definitely a good thing! Take a look at this clip I posted from the game:
(Warning: If you are actually playing the game this is a spoiler so you may want to return after you've finished)
Keep in mind that you are watching cutscenes from a PC game, not an actual (if computer generated) movie. As a movie it is pretty good, but as part of a first person shooter it is amazing. Add in the rich background of the setting and you get a great game.
So, any and all 40k version of such games should keep Mass Effect 2 in mind when developing their games as something which to aspire -- and hopefully excede. It shows you what is possible and with the incredible depth of the 40K universe there are stories ready to be told that should blow all of us away (at least figuratively -- literally might hurt).
I'm going to be awfully disappointed if after seeing a 40K shooter I am still left thinking "Mass Effect was better". The 40K Universe is rich enough to beat anything out there if presented right.
We move on to the Elites in the new book and right off I want to offer one obvious criticism -- there are too many of them. Likewise, while most are at least "pretty good" none really stand out. In one sense that is a good thing as there might be more reason to take any particular one compared to another, but on the other hand you could easily end up just ignoring them for other things.
There are two clear changes that should have been made to the Elites -- One, offer Hive Guard as a variation of Tyrant Guard, and; two, keep Zoanthropes as Heavy Support. More information on both below.
Hive Guard
Rundown: Basically Tyrand Guard with guns Hive Guard seem to be a compromise between various ideas. One, make them T-Guard like in appearance and Toughness. Two, give them a big gun, but don't make it too big in order to retain the Tyranid inability to defeat Power Armor (or better) at range. Finally, don't give them any particular close-combat heft save for pretty good stats. The end result of all these compromises is a unit that is overall competent without really excelling at anything.
Opinion: I really like the models, but overall I find it hard to come up with a compelling reason to take Hive Guard. They do have a strength 8 ranged attack, but it is still only range 24" and, more importantly, merely AP4. That means that against power armor it is really no better than strength 6 as 2/3 of your shots will just bounce off anyway. Likewise, while they do have a strength of 5 they have no other hand-to-hand pluses. That makes them more a nuisance than threat against any opponent of note. They are sort of like miniature shooty Carnifexes, but without the Monstrous Creature ability of the later to make them scary in close-combat even without close-and-personal bio-morphs.
So, they really don't fulfill any role all that well. They can be deadly to light vehicles, but useless against anything heavy. They can wound anything at range, but with only AP4 that often won't mean much. And, they only have a 4+ save themselves and thus are fodder for things like Heavy Bolters and Autocannons.
What should have been done is to make Hive Guard just another choice for Tyranid Guard. Why not be able to mix and match the two as part of a Tyrant's entourage? It would allow them to protect the Tyrant while providing some ranged punch. Or, make the cannons AP3 and you suddenly have a unit that will summon the horror of the swarm in most any opponent. As it is many armies can practically ignore them while those that cannot are likely better dealt with using more numerous and less expensive alternatives.
Lictors
Rundown: Just like the old Lictors, but noticeably better GW has at least made an honest attempt to make them more appealing than before. In the past they were just one-shot-wonders that would pop out of some trees, maybe kill a few models, and then get shot down. This basic role hasn't changed, but now they clearly do it better.
They can now appear pretty much anywhere thus allowing you to get around the common enemy tactic of just avoiding deep brush. With a new ranged attack while keeping Rending they can be expected to do more damage, although they still lack the punch to go up against anything substantial without quickly dying. Hit and Run is nice as are the abilities to get through cover and use it to their advantage. The most interesting new power, however, has to be the Pheromone Trail. It not only adds one to your reserve rolls (only a single +1 is allowed), but a bug unit can Deep Strike without error within 6". This finally makes the Lictor a true advance reconnaissance unit.
Opinion: For Deep Striking or Flank Marching 'Nid armies Lictors become a must have. They just make concentration of force easier than otherwise in such cases.
That said, don't expect Lictors to accomplish much more than before on their own. Yes, they aren't quite the pushovers of before, but they still suffer from 5+ armor and a mere 4 toughness. They do have an extra wound, but on-the-other-hand will attract swarms of krak missiles that balance that out. I suggest using them with finesse and resisting the temptation to just leap out at the first yummy target, at least until there is nothing else you need to bring in from reserve.
Deathleaper
Rundown: It's baaaaack. The Deathleaper is like he always was, a pumped up regular Lictor. He is more than twice the cost of a regular one, but for that you get better stats and a number of extra abilities that if nothing else are big on drama. He is a unique, but you wouldn't want to take more than one anyway.
Opinion: I have no doubt that the Deathleaper would be fun to play, but he is definitely a unit to be used with great care. That's because he is still as vulnerable to damage as his more average brethren. Being that he is so many points you definitely can't afford to lose him casually. That means having good cover becomes even more important -- and more of a problem if you are playing on a board without much (or which doesn't block line-of-sight).
In the end I think taking the Deathleaper is a judgment call. If he works with your army design then go for it, but otherwise he is more fun than effective.
Venomthropes
Rundown: This is yet another interesting unit with vulnerabilities that can seriously reduce its effectiveness.
The good is that not only does it have poisoned attacks, but just getting near the thing can cause damage. The even better is that it can grant any nearby unit an automatic 5+ cover save and defensive grenades. It even forces the enemy to make a dangerous terrain test to charge any of your units benefiting from this power.
The bad is that it is another bug with a glass jaw. With just a 4 toughness, 2 wounds, and 5+ save it will take damage fairly easily. And, of course, it is meat for missile launchers. For example, a single krak missile from a Space Marine has a 37% chance to one-shot the Venomthrope while an Imperial Guardsman has a 29% chance. That's pretty high when we are talking about a base 55 point model.
Opinion: So, just keep them under cover then, right? Problem is that to get the most of their Spore Cloud ability you'll want them within 6" of as many of your units as possible. It's hard to do that and always remain under cover. Likewise, they are half decent in close-combat and you aren't going to find that while cowering behind a rock. Finally, you can only join them with up to two more of their brethren, yet at 55 points that sounds less like a viable strategy to keep at least one Venomthrope alive and more like one to hand over extra victory points to your opponent.
Therefore, the problem is how to get the most out of their Spore Cloud ability while keeping them alive. I see this as being possible, but tricky with things like the layout of terrain on your play board going a long way toward determining the effectiveness of your V-thropes. The more you try to take advantage of the Cloud the more Krak missiles they attract, but the less they do so the more waste of points they become.
So, it's another judgment call. If you think you can make it work give it a try, but don't be surprised if it fails more often than you'd think.
On a more positive note it turns out that the model itself is better balanced than I originally feared. If you make sure to place its weight properly on the base it is surprisingly resistant to being tipped over. The metal tentacles are still prone to popping off, but then again that's why god created super-glue.
Zoanthropes
Rundown: The old floaty heads are back and more or less the same except that they now have fixed 3+ saves -- and, more importantly, they have fixed abilities also. Unlike before when you have a choice of abilities to pick from you now get Synapse Creature, Warp Field/Blast, and Shadow in the Warp -- period. It's all for 60 points.
Opinion: The basic point to Zoanthropes has not changed. Their job is to blast things and now that they can use a full 4 BS to do so they are better at htting the target. On the flip side they now have to take Psychic Tests so they end up being about as effective in this regard as before. Sure, you will hit more often during regular combat, but you also have to worry about them occasionally exploding.
The fact they come hardcoded with a certain load of psychic powers is disappointing, but not killer. You were always going to take Warp Blast anyway and Synapse is not a bad choice for a second power. It is also cheaper than before if you were going to take those two anyway. Still, I am going to miss having a trio of Z-Thropes with Psychic Scream.
There are two downsides to this new floating brain which echo what I've said elsewhere: One, with a Toughness of a mere 4 they are vulnerable to one-shot kills, but their 3+ invulnerable save gives them enough protection to balance things out -- at least they aren't Plasma Gun fodder any longer.
Two, they are Elites. This is unfortunate as there are already a bunch of Elite choices and there are not any good yet cheap Heavy Support choices (Biovores are no better than before -- which is to say bad). A unit that would be a regular choice as Heavy Support is going to get less use now as Elite (or, more likely, other Elites will never appear since Zoanthropes are more tempting). Again, I see this as a sign of a codex that wasn't really thought through properly.
Nevertheless, Zoanthropes are still effective and I expect them to be a popular choice for Elites.
Doom of Malan'Tai
Rundown: A monster version of a Zoanthrope, the Doom has one of the nastiest boom powers you'll ever see -- Cataclysm. At its worst it is a 24" ranged large template attack at S10 AP1. Yowza! It does cause d3 automatic wounds to the Doom, but fortunately it has the Life Leach power which can suck wounds from anything within 6" and give it to itself -- up to a maximum of 10. At first glance this seems rather damn nasty!
Opinion: However, at second glance the Doom becomes far less appealing. For one thing it might have a bigger bug brain and a base 4 wounds, but it is still Toughness 4. Thus, whether it has 4, 10, or a thousand wounds it can still be a one-shot kill to anything as good as a krak missile or better. Likewise, the Life Leach power only has a range of 6". That means you have to open it up to fire to be most effective, but any opponent with two brain cells to rub together is going to put the Doom high on his hit list if he is facing having a couple of units potentially devastated.
As a result I don't see the Doom being all that effective in practice. Yes, it could theoretically be and I am sure that if you use it you'll have the occasional game where it is truly amazing, but most of the time it will either be hiding behind a rock not doing much or making a short, if glorious Deep Strike attack where it does damage and is then immediately vaporized. Either way that's more of a gimmick than a real unit if you ask me.
Pyrovores
Rundown: A unit that looks nastier than it really is, you can think of the Pyrovore as a Space Marine scout with an extra wound, heavy flamer, and power weapon. But, even this is not as good as it sounds as the creature has a whopping 1 attack and its flamespurt can potentially blow up when it dies. It has no special movement abilities and can only be taken in groups of 1-3.
Opinion: The Pyrovore is my hands-down choice for unit with the dumbest rules. Honestly, if the designers spent more than five seconds thinking through this concept I'd be amazed. In a codex where power attacks are rare why do you give one to a unit with a measly single attack? Aren't there better and more consistent ways to have a Tyranid close-combat threat than a rule so painfully clunky?
The flamespurt isn't really any different from a heavy flamer besides that it can explode -- and it requires the Pyrovore to get close and personal with his targets. You can use it even if the creature falls into instinctual behavior, which is good as his leadership is just 6. Still, a 4 toughness, 2 wounds, and 4+ save does not usually make for an obvious hand-to-hand monster, yet to be effective at all the Pyrovore is going to need to be within a foot of the enemy at all times. Then there is the fact that its two means of attack are an odd pairing. One is clearly meant to kill a lot of little things while the other is meant to go after guys in good armor.
Bwah? I just don't get this unit. How could anyone have thought this was a good design? Too bad as I do like the model, but at 45 points each I won't be fielding any.
Ymgarl Genestealers
Rundown: The unit with the unpronounceable name (Isn't "Ymgarl" the sound you make when coughing up mucus?), these Genestealers are the only ones you can find nowadays with 4+ armor. They can also pop up in terrain pieces in a convoluted sort of Deep Strike that carries a bigger risk of losing models on arrival. They do get a +1 to their toughness, strength, or attacks that you have to rotate around from turn-to-turn.
Opinion: These fellows are a mediocre substitute for not being able to take regular Genestealers with 4+ armor. Yes, they get it naturally, but cost 23 points each, three more than having it cost before. The do get that rotating +1 for those extra points, but I'm not sure if that makes the overall high price worth it. Another limitation is that you can only take 10 per unit (but, at least they aren't unique). If they were another Troop choice I could see taking them on a regular basis, but as yet another Elite option I don't see them making frequent appearances.
If they do show up you'll of course want to use them as a sort of commando bug unit that pops up in the enemy backfield to pounce on a juicy target. Not sure how well this will work. These Genestealers are going to be hit-or-miss depending on the force you are facing and the scenario.
Next time: Troops
Here is the current -- and quite tentative -- list of events 40K Origins is planning on running this Origins.
Main Events (One time events):
The World's Largest Apocalypse Game -- Friday all day
The Second Annual Origins RTT -- Saturday all day
Table Events (Running off and on all weekend):
40K Space Hulk
Tyranid Attack
The last event is a new one where a group of Imperials must attempt to beat back wave after wave of assaulting Tyranids. It is modeled after movies like Starship Troopers or Zulu.
We would also like to run a third table game. One possibility is the afore mentioned English Civil War demo, but this table is still up in the air. We want it to be a demo game where everything is provided, so it ultimately has to be limited to what we can produce/have. However, at this point we are willing to take any suggestions. So, suggest away!