We here at 40KOrigins labs are always hard at work planning for the upcoming Origins convention. This includes designing possible scenarios for the games.
Here is a basic design for a 40K tournament scenario I call "Battlefield Courier." Tell me what you think.
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Starting Locations: Opposite diagonal sections. No unit may start within 6" of the middle point or 12" within an enemy unit (the first should generally make the second work).
Special Mission Rules: None (Therefore no reserves or Deep Striking as scenario options)
Objective: Each side has an important package -- battlefield intelligence, ancient technology, etc -- that needs to be transported to headquarters as soon as possible. As it happens both of the detachments on either side carrying this objective have run into each other in a section of no-man's-land. Both sides are tasked with: A) Carrying their objective across the battlefield and exiting with 12" of their enemy's starting corner; transporting as many units as they can along with the package off the board, and; capturing the package of the other side and taking it with you.
The objective can only be carried by infantry -- or a Troops choice if you have none. Either way it cannot be carried by a unit that infiltrated at the start of the game. The infantry can be in a transport, but the nature of the package is such that it takes an entire round to load it so you cannot enter a transport and move (or vice versa) in the same round. Likewise, the enemy can detect where the item is at all times.
If the unit carrying the objective is destroyed, its transport destroyed, or is forced to retreat it drops the package automatically. It can be picked up by any infantry unit outside a transport as a free action -- meaning that the unit can otherwise move as normal (save for the transport limitation above). You pick it up during your movement phase and can pick up the objective as long as no one else has it -- even if an enemy is right there within 1". When dropped it is placed at the feet of the unit that just died or is retreating.
Victory Conditions: Uses victory points with the following additions -- Exiting the map with your objective and/or the enemy's gains you 250 victory points each. Any of your units that succeeds on exiting the board from within 12" of the opposite corner counts as half its victory points for you.
Scenario Points (These count toward your final tournament score):
Difference between Winner and Loser:
> 1851 = Crushing Victory -- 20/0 points
1850 - 1251 = Major Victory -- 15/5 points
1250 - 626 = Minor Victory -- 12/8 points
< 650 = Draw -- 10/10 points
Scenario Bonuses:
+1 Have Exited Board with Enemy's Objective or have it in your possession at the end of the game
+1 Your most expensive unit survived the game in any condition short of destroyed
-1 You managed to not exit with any units or even have any in your enemy's starting quarter at the end of the game
It's (finally) time to take a look at the last type of Tyranid unit -- the heavy lifting and fire-support of the bug horde.
If I have one general criticism of bug Heavy Support it is that it is almost all super-expensive -- the one exception being the still-mediocre biovore. Whether or not the cost is worth the return doesn't get around the problem that most games do not have an open-ended army point total. So, if you want as much Heavy Support firepower as before you need to somehow come up with an extra hundred points or more. Good luck.
Carnifex
Rundown: The most obvious change here -- and one I've pointed out more than once already -- is the near doubling of the base price of a Carnifex. Yikes! Was it really that badly underpriced? Personally, while I usually took two per horde, I preferred Gunfexes as I saw the Close-combat versions as too slow to be effective.
Well, that really hasn't changed -- Carnifexes are just as plodding as ever, but with the exception of a Mycetic Spore. That is indeed nice and certainly helps get the carny up close and personal with the enemy before turn five, but it does mean that your Screamer Killer is going to stand there for a round getting shot. At least with the same old toughness of 6 you don't have to worry about a one-shot kill.
As for my Gunfexes their price went up a massive ~70 points for no real improvement. Likewise, similar load-outs face similar bouts of sticker shock. You can take pretty much the same guns as before (which is nice as that means lower risk of having models with outdated weapons that need to be switched), but there are less overall options. For instance, that tail on your Carnifex is now purely for show.
Opinion: Let me add my voice to the chorus of those going "bwah?" over this latest price increase. Some increase could be reasonable, but twice the old base price (even with better stats)? My two ubiquitous gunfexes now go for the low, low price of three. Where am I going to find those extras points? Probably by stealing them from Troops -- not the best solution fluff-wise, but what I expect to be the popular choice.
This price change really represents a fundamental alteration to the Carnifex as it forces you to not just reassess how you use them or how many you can afford, but even if you will want to take them at all. Consider the classic "Screamer-Killer" design -- that is, a cheap-as-I-can-manage version meant to get the most out of the basic abilities of the 'Fex. The price for one has practically doubled and thus the whole rationale for buying it in the first place is gone!
In light of this the ability to take up to three Carnifexes in one group is frankly a joke. Except for high point Apocalypse games who in their right mind is going to spend a minimum of 480 points for a single squad? Well, I guess a Nidzilla player might, but even there being a brood is still a bad thing as it basically makes for an extremely expensive infantry platoon that must all move together and attack the same target. That's insane for gunfexes and only marginally less so for their close-combat brethren. Do you really want to be sending a third of your force to destroy just one enemy unit a turn? Given that 'Fexes can't move any faster than before an enemy is probably best served by just sacrificing a few bits of cannon fodder while everyone else gets out of the way.
Another new problem is that with just a 7 leadership falling into Instinctive Behavior is much more likely now unless you go to the trouble (and accept the resulting tactical limitation) of keeping Synapse nearby. For gunfexes going Instinctive is a disaster since it negates the reason you took those guns in the first place, but even for up-close-and-personal 'Fexes it can be a problem. A savvy opponent will use this to draw off your Carnifex against low-worth targets. Even if you catch and destroy them your pet MC may find he has to hike a long way (that is, spend multiple turns running) to find any new playmates.
This is not to say that Carnifexes are now useless. They are still very tough and have effective attacks. The can also Deep Strike in a Mycetic Spore, something that makes hand-to-hand 'Fexes more viable than before. Nevertheless, I don't see any veteran player somehow feeling better about using his Carnifexes than last edition -- and the newbies are going to hear from the Vets just how things were in the good old days. If nothing else it's a matter of psychology -- no one likes being charged more for nothing extra.
Old One Eye
Rundown: An excuse to pull out that old model returns! Of course, that old model doesn't quite fit with the new style Carnifexes visually speaking, but that's why it's called Old One Eye -- an old edition monster brought back for another go.
In game terms he is just a bigger 'Fex with some better stats, some bio-morphs thrown in by default, and some of those improved -- most notably Regeneration on a 5 or 6. He can also use his leadership of 8 at range (yippee) and get extra attacks when he hits in combat (much better). Beyond that he is bug monstrous pit bull looking for a fight (since he can't shoot anything) that costs an eye-popping 260 points.
Opinion: This bug Cyclops is the option for those who want the best possible hand-to-hand Carnifex and are willing to spend an extra 90 points to get it. Overall, I think you get your points worth -- a potential nine attacks combined with a 10 strength will scare anyone and with his super-regeneration and the 'Fex's usual 6 toughness he ain't going off to bug heaven anytime soon.
However, you can't load him into a Mycetic Spore and he has no special movement abilities. That means you have to march him across the board to accomplish anything -- and even with a one-point better leadership going Instinctive is a real danger unless you send along a Synapse Creature as a chaperone.
I've never been a big fan of close-combat specific Carnifexes and fielding one that cannot take a Spore seems an iffy proposition. If you can get him into combat he could be quite useful, but it is unlikely you'll be able to go after the juiciest enemy targets (if they are smart they'll go somewhere else) and just slaughtering cannon fodder is an inefficient way to earn back his points. Personally, I would reserve One Eye for Apocalypse games.
Biovore
Rundown: These theoretically Ork derived (I know green skins grow from spores, but sitting back and lobbing exploding basketballs doesn't sound very orky to me) spore launchers are pretty much what they have always been. They effectively cost 5 points less than before, but then again you only have one available type of spore mine to use. But, by far the biggest change is that they have lost their Brood Telepathy -- which makes for a big limitation.
Opinion: Why is that? Because it means they have to test for Instinctive Behavior and given that they have both an amazing 6 leadership and that their design encourages you to leave them outside Synapse range they will fail their test more often than not. The result is that they'll be forced to fire at the closest enemy unit, one that could easily be an inappropriate target for a modest S4 AP4 attack -- even if it is a large template. Even if it is a good choice the biovore attack is just too meager to scare anyone. Likewise, leaving floating bombs to wander aimlessly across the field is more weird than effective.
I've never liked biovores and felt they were in dire need of improvement, but if anything this new version is a step backwards. The biovore does have the one "advantage" of being a Heavy Support choice actually less than 160 points, but in this case who cares? It's more distraction or curiosity than threat.
Trygon
Rundown: Admit it -- if there was one model that excited you about the new Tyranid codex it had to be the new Trygon. Sure, there was a Forge World version already available, but like everything they make it was pricey (as of this publishing date two-and-a-half times the cost of the new kit) and made of resin which tends to be harder to work with than plastic. With the ability to not just buy what thematically passes as the bug Baneblade for just $50, but play it as part of your regular 40K games how can you not like that?
Even better, the Trygon rules look pretty good. For 200 points you get a Monstrous Creature with 6 wounds, 6 Toughness, 6 Strength, and 6 attacks. That adds up to a creature that can slice and dice pretty much any and all infantry. The only thing it has a potential issue destroying are vehicles since the final result can vary so much, but on average it can harm Armor 11 and will penetrate even a Land Raider with a roll of 9+ on two dice (or an 11% chance). Yet, even the possibility of destroying anything forces your opponent to react and thus opens up tactical options.
Beyond this the big ability of the Trygon is "Subterranean Assault". It not only allows you to Deep Strike (sadly, only if Deep Strike is available), but in subsequent turns you can bring in one additional unit in reserve from the same location that the Trygon entered play. Again, this is nice for its tactical possibilities -- now the enemy has to worry about killer bugs popping up from an additional location. Too bad that the power only allows one unit to come in this way per turn.
Add to all this the creature's Bio-Electric Pulse -- an Assault 6 Strength 5 attack -- and the fact it can Fleet and you get something that is nasty no matter how you slice it. You can also upgrade the normal Trygon into a "Prime" which makes it a Synapse Creature, gives it Shadow in the Warp, and upgrades its ranged attack to Assault 12 while adding 6" to the range.
Opinion: A Trygon is basically a super-sized Ravener -- fast with many attacks and the ability to Deep Strike. The important difference is that its attacks ignore armor saves thus making it about to kill just about anything. With its ability to Fleet and Deep Strike it can get places fairly quickly (especially for a Monstrous Creature), so unlike the Carnifex which might spend four turns meandering toward a target the Trygon can perhaps get to grips in the second and at least third turn. Plus, of course, it's an awesome model.
Given all that it can do and the greatness of the figure I predict we will see a lot of them around, especially as it is thematically an Apocalypse monster at half the $$ price of what other players pay for things like Stompas. It is cool enough to even have a simple psychological factor as your opponent may tend to obsess over it just because it's on the table. You can use that to guide the direction of the battle.
I also think that the "Prime" option is worth the points as it gives you an additional Synapse Creature and an Assault 12 weapon good to 18". Fortunately, the differences between building the Trygon in its regular and unleaded forms is minor meaning you should be able to get away with using one as the other.
Mawloc
Rundown: Think of the Mawloc as a Trygon with a big mouth -- literally as that is the most obvious difference between it and its brother who otherwise use the same model. The Mawloc does also use smaller arms, a reference to the fact that it comes with only half the attacks as the Trygon. It also has a lower skill, but the same toughness, strength, and armor. Yet, the biggest differences between the two types are that the Mawloc costs 30 points less and comes with what you might call a Deep Strike Bomb.
The actual term for the ability is Terror from the Deep, but what it adds up to is the ability to Deep Strike on top of enemy units and cause them to eat a strength 6 AP2 Large Template. Plus, you still get to land safely nearby ready to attack. That sort of attack is certainly impressive and deadly -- it can nuke an entire squad of terminators in one blow! That sounds awfully nasty...
Opinion: ...but turns out to sound better than it really is. This is because of the limitations on the ability. For one thing it requires that you Deep Strike and while the Mawloc can do so it can't do it automatically at the start of the game unless it allows Deep Strike. That's not a killer as the beast has the ability to go into reserves any turn it likes and automatically Deep Strike next turn no matter the scenario rules, but it means it won't necessarily start off board.
Then there is the fact that it can't Deep Strike and then go back into reserves in the same turn. Therefore, it must Deep Strike, sit there doing nothing -- it can't do anything else after it bursts out of the ground as it has no ranged weapon and can't move just like most any unit Deep Striking -- until next turn when it disappears at the start of the Movement Phase only to Deep Strike the turn after. As a result it can't use its super-template attack more than every other turn and only at the cost of otherwise not doing anything else.
So, is 170 points worth dropping 3 big templates of death? I personally don't think so, but you might. The alternative is to rush into battle, but in this the Mawloc is definitely second best compared to the Trygon. It only has half the base attacks, no ranged attack, only a WS of 3 (compared to its sibling's 5), and no Fleet or similar move fast ability. You will certainly want to use its automatic ability to go into reserve and then Deep Strike next time at least once to get it into position, but in the worst case that means: Turn One, do nothing but go into Reserves; Turn Two, drop pie plate and otherwise sit there being shot, and; Turn Three, charge into battle with only 4 attacks. While that's not terrible the Trygon is better, able to move effectively no matter how you want to use it (although it cannot automatically go into reserve), shoot up the enemy as it comes in, and then charge with 7 attacks.
It's not that the Mawloc can't be effective -- after all, if you can get lucky with the template bomb you could destroy one unit outright and then next turn start to chew up another. However, the Trygon overall is more consistent and dependable. When in doubt I'd go with it over the Mawloc.
Tyrannofex
Rundown: This brute with a big gun is the biggest thing you can take that is not unique -- and the biggest price at a base of 250 points. Its stat line is the same as the Mawloc except for an Initiative of 1 and a 2+ Armor Save.
What sets it apart are the guns it brings to the fight. The basic version packs an Acid Spray that is a regular flamer template you can set up to 12" away. It is also flamer like in its stats except that it is strength 6. If you don't care for spitting in the eyes of your enemy the Tyrannofex can instead bring along a Fleshborer Hive -- an Assault 20 bolter with a range of 12" -- for an extra 10. An extra 15 will get you the biggest possible gun (both for the T-Fex and your army in general), namely the Strength 10, AP4, Assault 2, 48" ranged Rupture Cannon. Ouch!
Beyond this the monster comes with a Stinger Salvo (think an Assault 4 Heavy Bolter with just a 18" range) and Thorax Swarm (a regular template with 3 possible effects depending on what you choose to take at the start of the game). You can trade out the former for Cluster Spines which turns the Assault 4 into a large template, although one with no AP value.
The end result is a gigantic Tyranid monster bristling with guns while having the general heft in close combat of a Mawloc. Pretty cool, eh?
Opinion: Sure, it sounds pretty cool, but again this is yet another new unit that I think was designed for "cool" without much thought as to the actual rules.
The basic problem here is that the Tyrannofex is an ungainly mixture of big brute and big gun that in the end does both inefficiently. Frankly, the only gun that really stands out is the Rupture Cannon. Your other two choices require you to get fairly close and take on a close-combat role, yet without any way to move faster than base speed and with a meager 3 base attacks.
Alternatively, taking the Cannon gives you a truly potent threat -- and with the range to hit most anything. Yet, for a big gun it comes with a far over-priced chassis to ride in. Do you really need a 6 strength plus attacks that ignore armor if you just want to sit back and blow things up at range? And, if you do try to get in close to take advantage of these bug muscles why are you packing a gigantic gun with a four foot reach?
Remember, the base price is 250 -- and that turns into 265 with the Rupture Cannon. That's a huge part of your force for something that isn't properly optimized for close-combat while also being needlessly beefy for fulfilling the niche of bug basilisk. It's not that the Tyrannofex wouldn't be lethal -- pile on enough weapons and eventually anything would be. The problem is that it is badly inefficient in doing so. The Trygon is a better choice for a close-combat horror while a Carnifex with a Heavy Venom Cannon would be almost as nasty and almost as hard to kill, but for 65-80 points less.
The last straw for me is that it lurks when it goes Instinctive. That's crippling if you try to use it as a hand-to-hand threat. One gets the feeling that the designer assumed that the Rupture Cannon would therefore be standard issue, yet in that case he should have toned down its abilities and then its cost by 100 points. That would be a worthwhile mobile bug gun. As it is the Tyrannofex may be "cool", but is a badly designed high-priced monstrosity that does nothing in particular as well as it should if it was properly optimized for a specific role.
This isn't one of those "I have a blog, hear me rant" kind of posts. It's one of those "don't let this happen to you" kind of posts instead.
Let me first say, I absolutely LOVE bartertown.com. You can take unwanted gaming material, leftover bitz, and even completely unrelated stuff and exchange it for used stuff you DO want, all without messing around with ebay or paypal. And they track all the positive AND negative ratings of each person who trades, so someone doesn't get away with pulling a scam more than once.
But you still have to be cautious. I pulled a large deal the other week, roughly $500 in trade value going each way. Now they tell you to watch large trades with users that don't have an established trade history. Trade small for a while til you build up a good rep, then you're ready for larger trades. But this fellow wanted old collectible toys in exchange for some premium 40k stuff, so I took a chance.
I didn't get screwed, but I didn't get exactly what I bargained for either. I was supposed to get a large bitz box and 30-50 sprues of stuff (much of it partially used), and the fellow took pictures of most of it. But then a lot of what he described and took pics of simply wasnt' in the box I received. I'd received descriptions and pics of things like a complete techmarine, aquila lander terrain, "tons" of tyrranid sprues, etc, etc. None of that was in there. And a fair number of the sprues contained things like "one single space marine head", or "single left arm and a grenade". Plus "tons of tyrranid sprues" apparently meant "three", and mostly stripped.
Now I got enough decent stuff in there that I don't think I got screwed, as I said. I'm also not ticked off enough to out the fellow by name. (That's just bad mojo anyway, and I would never go there.) But instead of a great trade for a box of toys I hadn't opened in 10 years, I got a poor trade instead.
So the moral is... bartertown.com is good, just make sure not to trade big unless the guy you're trading with has a great track record.
On a related note... coming soon, home made Sternguard veterans! Stay tuned...