Getting Genestealers Into Assault

[wraithe]

I have an idea to get Genestealers into assault.

If you took say, 1 small brood of Genestealers, and 2 full broods of devilgaunts.

You'd also need two Hive Tyrant with Hive Commander (but let's face it most of the time people take 2 Flyrants anyway).

You first outflank the termagant broods, onto the side of the table you wish the Genestealers to assault from, but when you outflank, you need to make sure you leave a small pocket free just on the edge of the table.

Then you outflank the Genestealers into that pocket, so that they are surrounded by 30 Devilgaunts.

Then you fire the Devilgaunts at the target you can do the most damage against, to attract the most attention.

In the opponents turn, they hopefully ignore the Genestealers, as they aren't the most immediate threat, and instead focus everything they have at the Devilgaunts, and if they do decide to shoot at the Genestealers, they have a 5+ cover save from intervening models.

Then in your next turn the Genestealers move like crazy until they're in assault range.

Obviously it's not guaranteed but I think it's more likely to get the 'Stealers into assault than infiltration, especially on a board that lacks terrain.

Opinions?/Improvements?

[purpleshaza]

I like the idea but there is a reason Stealers get shot at, the fear factor. It still might work though, it depends on what they have got to shoot at them with.

[schneider]

The most immediate problem is the reserves rolls/outflank. Although you have good probability, there still isn't a guarantee the stealers will arrive on the same turn as the termagants. Then there's the rolling for table edge with outflank. Unfortunately Nids don't have the ability to re-roll table edge, so each group could possibly end upon different sides of the table.

I will be watching this thread though, I want genestealers to work, but so far I haven't had much luck with them.

[wraithe]

Scneider taking the Swarmlord would minimise some of the risks but like you said, not the table edges...

[krimson]

This is a target priority issue.

And god forbid he has a few flamers that can reach your stealers... or even worse some templates.

You have the right idea in creating a target and then giving your stealers a shot. but the way you are going about it in this particular instance, just seems too unreliable.

However, if there is one thing the nids have... it's threats if left unchecked. So using what the enemy does not focus will determine how our games play out

[eskimo]

Nice idea, but sketchy as said. Using terrain or the formations still seems best.

You could try the venom shroud and trail the Genestealers up to the enemy along with GTG. Infiltrating midfield and moving them slightly back and forward to get into venom range is another idea. But again too many factors involved, moreso than yours.

Oh mycetic spores, where are you. DS shrouded!

[sloth]

I run 2 broods of Genestealers w/ Broodlord in my 1000pt army and no matter what i do the opponent waits for them to come on then targets them with what ever they have. They are afraid of the rending and Horror and tbh rightly so. As mentioned as much distraction as possible and Venoms help soo much when going cove to cover. The real killer is over watch imo.

[jaysic]

Hormagants+venom+genestealers. 3+ cover save from shooting and the horms should get into combat turn 2. Stealers come in turn 3 to break the hormagant tarpit. That or Manufactorum Genestealers, but 350 is a lot of points when the above example is 185.

[creatureboi]

Like all Nid tactics I think it comes down to target saturation. Give your enemy too much to shoot down in a single turn and something will get through. If you're allowed data slates this gets even easier as we can have so much out of FOC. Outflanking genestealers, plus manufactorum genestealers, plus FMCs in his face. Something will get through

[wheresthebathroom]

For what you are suggesting I would almost go with warriors with boneswords. I don't have my rules in front of me. But I think that would wreck more face. But you lose rending for vehicles.

[jaysic]

3 warriors with bs = 135 pts, 5 GS = 90

Depends on how tight your points are

[gigasnail]

...reading comprehension. My bad.

[Hunger]

The thing with Genestealers is that their reputation, especially among older gamers, is utterly fearsome. We remember how absurdly destructive they were in previous codices, and they are also one of the most iconic monsters in the lore as well - emblematic of many different types of fear. The thought of them getting into assault range of anything sends shivers up the spine. The fear is often grossly disproportionate to the actual threat they pose; people will go to great lengths to avoid them simply because of their almost-mythical threat potential.

Aliens said:

God damn it, if even one of those things gets in here then that really will be all...

This fear is a weapon in itself. I use my genestealers for area denial, forcing my opponent to change his strategy and sacrifice ground. I use two broods of 5 stealers and infiltrate them inside buildings on one half of the table. The opponent has to clear them out of the buildings if they want to move around in that half with any degree of safety. This requires them to demolish the building by using a heavy weapon on it. If they don't clear them out, then any unit approaching within a foot of a building risks being eviscerated by the most feared monsters in the galaxy. Of course, players are hesitant to waste their heavy weapons on terrain - they need them to stop the actual killing power of my army. A handful of genestealers who don't appear to be much of a threat and aren't making plans to leave their cosy accommodation any time soon seem like less of a priority than the 5 monstrous creatures already tearing up their deployment zone. My list is:

Flyrant + Devourers + ESgrubs
Mawloc
Mawloc
Crone
Crone
5 Genestealers
5 Genestealers
_________
1000pts

In the six games I've played with this list, the stealers have never left their buildings or done any damage, but it is the THREAT of what they COULD do that is their contribution to my strategy. The fear they inspire in the enemy general encourages him/her to bunch the food up in the other half of the board, well away from genestealer territory, making it easier prey for mawlocs, flyrants and hive crones. Anything deployed into the genestealer's half is shut out of the game while 860pts of MCs tear apart a smaller part of the enemy force.

Use the fear.

[coredump]

Stealers sitting in terrain, means they get to attack at I6 if something assaults.

[sloth]

Hunger - that is a great idea! i had never thought of using them that way. thanks for sharing