1500 Points - Is this list auto fail?

[scrotatohead]

My group allows Forge World models and 40k approved units. I have one Malanthrope and picked up two more for a killer price on eBay and so I threw the following list together:

== HQ ==
Malanthrope Brood (3) = 330 pts.
Tyranid Prime (1) - Devourer, Lash Whip And Bonesword, Regeneration = 105 pts.

== Elites ==
Hive Guard Brood (2) = 100 pts.
Hive Guard Brood (2) = 100 pts.
Ymgarl Genestealer Brood (6) = 138 pts.

== Troops ==
Tervigon (1) - Scything Talons, Stinger Salvo, AG, Toxin Sacs, Cat, Onslaught = 215 pts.
Termagant Brood (10) - Fleshborer = 50 pts.
Tervigon (1) - Scything Talons, Stinger Salvo, AG, Toxin Sacs, Cat, Onslaught = 215 pts.
Termagant Brood (10) - Fleshborer = 50 pts.

== Fast Attack ==
Gargoyle Brood (15) - AG = 105 pts.

== Heavy Support ==
Biovore Brood (2) = 90 pts.

== Total ==
1498 pts.

Malanthrope are MCs and so get all the 6e goodness. They have toxin sacs, toxic miasma, regeneration, fleet, move through cover, and a statline that isn't awful. S5 and T5 could be better, but three attacks and Initiative is 5. That's right, 5. With Smash attack on the first round of close combat and most likely going first those three attacks by any surviving models should do some damage. Save is only 3+, which isn't any worse than most of our other MCs but I plan to screen them with the gargoyles. At 110 points each I just have to give them a try.

The Prime will join a brood of Hive Guard for majority toughness 6 and trail behind the 'thropes. When the units get close enough the Prime will shift and join the thropes for challenges and/or to lashwhip a model or two.

So is this list just ridiculous or what? Suggestions on how to make it better?

[Deleted]

Looks like a fun and very viable list to me!

[kenji10000]

A little red light is coming on about needing rippers to field malanthropes, but I might be confused. Otherwise seems fine.

[rpricew]

What does the Malanthrope do again? LOL.. does anybody know what Toxin Attack he get's as a minimum? 2+, 3+, 4+?? It used to be 2+ Instant death, but in the new book, it only says Toxin Sacs. In the Tyranid Codex it says Toxin Sacs give us a 4+ poison. So I'm assuming that's the one.

I'm just trying to clarify... Thanks!

[Deleted]

Yeah, just 4+ poison. They are just CC MCs with a special rule that probably isn't too helpful. Whenever a Malanthrope brood destroys a unit of infantry they, and all tyranids in synapse of them, gain PE against the enemy type they destroyed.

[scrotatohead]

I really don't know much about the older verions of the Malanthrope. I have Apocolypse Second Edition so I know their current profile. They don't need Ripper Swarms to be fielded, which is a plus. They have no ranged weapon, which isn't really a drawback as they're meant to be pure close combat MCs. Having a weapon would have me wondering if I should stop and shoot. Without a gun I know I've got to Run Run Run. I don't have the 6th Ed rule book with me but isn't poison a little different now than it was in 5th?

[Illithid]

They also have Toxic Miasma and Regeneration. A HQ Brood of x3 would give you 12 wounds. They are a little fragile due to Toughness 5, but would be wounding on 3+ with Toxic with rerolls.

[blindmage]

It looks ok. A part of me is cringing at the lack of rippers and disregard of fluff, but go for it if that's your thing.

[scrotatohead]

Sept 27, 2012 20:52:11 GMT rpricew said:

What does the Malanthrope do again? LOL.. does anybody know what Toxin Attack he get's as a minimum? 2+, 3+, 4+?? It used to be 2+ Instant death, but in the new book, it only says Toxin Sacs. In the Tyranid Codex it says Toxin Sacs give us a 4+ poison. So I'm assuming that's the one.

I'm just trying to clarify... Thanks!

Their profile says they wound on 4+ due to toxin tacs. Checked the rulebook last night and it says that models with poison wound on a set number unless a lower number is required. Which I interpret as, with Strength 5 vs. Toughness 3, Malanthropes would wound on on a 2 with poison because that's the required number. That is the benefit of poison right, ignoring the benefit of higher toughness models.

[scrotatohead]

Sept 27, 2012 22:29:13 GMT blindmage said:

It looks ok. A part of me is cringing at the lack of rippers and disregard of fluff, but go for it if that's your thing.

I'm a fan of Tyranid fluff but I admit when I built this list I wasn't thinking about fitting in Rippers. To do that the only option would be to drop the gargoyles and use the Rippers to screen the 'Thropes on the way in. Does anyone know if the Rippers would in fact screen the models and provide a cover save?

Following fluff with Malanthropes is a bit of a challenge. They are designed to follow in behind the battle, soaking up genetic material from the corpse strewn battlefield. In order to create a narrative around that fluff for a battle you would have to select other 'nids that realistically would be present in the wake of an advancing army. I think that list would have to include:

Tervigon: Described in the codex as units used to wander the Hive Fleet vessels as self contained guard units. It's reasonable to believe that these same units would remain in smaller numbers to protect key 'Nid "bases". Not sure they would be hanging around a freshly abandoned battlefield to oversee the clean-up so not as HQ. Perhaps as Troops choice, which is our normal preference anyhow. Additional synapse to keep the Rippers from popping like overstuffed pinatas.

Hive Guard: Protecting capillary towers and biomass digestion pools, as discribed in the codex.

Venomthrope: Spreading their toxic clouds around to break down the vegitation.

Pyrovores: Consuming the dead that the Rippers don't get to first.

Termagants: Consider them the 'Nid equivelant of military police in guarding the clean-up forces.

Ripper swarms: Self evident.

Sky Slasher Swarm: Same reason as the scuttling rippers only going after biomass in those hard to reach upper levels.

Spore Mines: Aimlessly wandering, mindless living bombs that just havn't managed to find a target.

And that's about it. All the other models are designed to be part of either an advance or main fighting force. Tough model sellection for anything other than an absolutely max-fluff build. Would be hard but not impossible to win with given there's no fluff justification for the other heavy hitters to be present. But arguably if a Space Marine assault force touched down behind the main Tyranid lines I think its realistic they would out-gun anything that they would find.

[scrotatohead]

Here's a fluffy list based around Malanthropes and their clean up crews. Still not as fluffy as it should be, but I'm keeping it at 1500 points. Even going fluffy I can't bring myself to field pyrovores. Not without a spore pod, which would break the whole narrative.

== HQ ==
Malanthrope Brood (3) = 330 pts.

== Elites ==
Hive Guard Brood (3) = 150 pts.
Hive Guard Brood (3) = 150 pts.
Venomthrope Brood (2) = 110 pts.

== Troops ==
Tervigon (1) - Cluster Spines, AG, Toxin Sacs, Cat, Onslaught = 210 pts.
Termagant Brood (10) - Fleshborer = 50 pts.
Ripper Swarm Brood (9) = 90 pts.
Ripper Swarm Brood (9) = 90 pts.
Tervigon (1) - Cluster Spines, AG, Toxin Sacs, Cat, Onslaught = 210 pts.
Termagant Brood (10) - Fleshborer = 50 pts.

== Fast Attack ==
Spore Mine Brood (3) = 30 pts.
Spore Mine Brood (3) = 30 pts.

== Total ==
1500 pts.

[scrotatohead]

My first battle with this list was against Chaos Daemons.

Two Heralds
Demon Prince
Soulgrinder
Flamers x 5
Bloodcrushers x 3
Bloodcrushers x3
Four broods of Nurglings Plaguebearers
The player was experienced but not with 6ed so we spent some time going over rules and really taking our time with assault phases and such. Only finished two game turns.

My list performed fairly well. The Gargoyles did their job tarpitting the Bloodcrushers with the help of a brood of buffed 'gants. The twin Tervigon held the center of my line One would have helped take down the Daemon Princeif we'd gone one more round of close assault thanks to two broods of buffed 'gants just piling on die rolls. I kept the Doom's codex psychic ability in order to have a chance at taking out the soulgrinder. The 'grinder never came in and so the DoM dropped next to some Nurglings and took two of them out.

My malanthropes really didn't get a chance to show anything. I assaulted through cover against a sqaud of Nurglings along with the help of a brood of 'gants. I was only able to get two 'thropes into close combat. The nurglings had been whittled down by fire. The 'gants took the squad down to only one model. And the two 'thropes whiffed their attacks scoring only one hit which the Nurgling made his invulnerable against. Weapon skill three is going to be a challenge but I think at only 110 points each they wil earn their points more often than not. And if the enemy is going after them they aren't going after scoring or elite units.

Our gaming group is going to hold a tournament in December. 1850 points and FW approved models are alllowed.

Here's my first list at 1850:

== HQ ==
Malanthrope Brood (3) = 330 pts.
Hive Tyrant (1) - Twin-Linked Devourer - Brainleech Worms, Twin-Linked Devourer - Brainleech Worms, Wings, Paroxysm, Leech Essence, Hive Commander = 285 pts.

== Elites ==
Hive Guard Brood (3) = 150 pts.
Hive Guard Brood (3) = 150 pts.
Doom Of Malan'tai Brood (130 pts.)
Doom Of Malan'tai (1) = 90 pts.
Mycetic Spore (1) = 40 pts.

== Troops ==
Tervigon (1) - Scything Talons, Stinger Salvo, AG, Toxin Sacs, Cat, Onslaught = 215 pts.
Termagant Brood (10) - Fleshborer = 50 pts.
Tervigon (1) - Scything Talons, Stinger Salvo, AG, Toxin Sacs, Cat, Onslaught = 215 pts.
Termagant Brood (10) - Fleshborer = 50 pts.
Genestealer Brood (5) - Scything Talons = 80 pts.

== Fast Attack ==
Gargoyle Brood (15) - AG = 105 pts.

== Heavy Support ==
Biovore (1) = 45 pts.
Biovore (1) = 45 pts.

== Total ==
1850 pts.

Flyrant is meant to get into their flank or backfield quickly. Depending on the scenarior One Tervigon will outflank.

I'm not sold on the genestealers. I've never played with a brood so small. It does give me added flexibility to put a unit in my enemy's deployment zone or camp out near a unit in no man's land.

Thoughts on the list?