Monsters against the Waaaagh @750

[Rahab]

I've been trying to get my tyranids fully painted before they ever see the tabletop. Some termagants are all I need to get a starter game in, hopefully versus my pal's Ork list. Thus, at 750 points:

Hive Fleet Vargan (Every cool monster name I wanted to use is taken, so I made something up)

Tyrant: LW & BS, TL Devourer, toxin, 2+ shell, biomancy

10 termagant
Tervigon: cluster spine, 2x biomancy

Carnifex: 2X TL devourer

Hive Guard
Hive Guard

They will face.... (keep in mind I'm new and don't know the right names)

Ork king: super claw, large gun, better armor

30 Orks: extra hand weapons, 2x heavy weapons, leader w/ claw
30 Orks: better guns, 2x heavy weapons, leader w/ claw

3x robots: Missile launchers (2x shots, S6 blasts), buzz saw hands

I tried a practice game against them with my another friends' Grey Wolf space marine list, and got smoked off the board by turn 4. Not that I'm really expecting anything different here...

My guards will plink away at the robots with relative impunity from behind walls. We use a ton of ruined buildings for terrain, so I'm hoping to dodge the tyrant and carnifex down field and thin out one of the ork groups before jointly smashing into them. Tervigon & pups can park on an objective or two; with any luck he'll ignore them for a while.

I know this isn't exactly a competitive list, but it's what I have painted so far. I'd like to stay low model count if I can; we'll see how this battle goes and take it from there as to what needs painting next.

[Deleted]

I think your small amount of troops is what will hurt you to be honest. I'm not sure what you're looking for with this post but I highly doubt he'll ignore your Tervigon and Gants. If I were him, I'd focus-kill your Gants and Tervigon out of the picture and basically win by default since you'll have no ability to hold objectives. He'll be able to tarpit your Fex and Tyrant easily.

[scrotatohead]

Low model count is normally not a great strategy against Orks. His whole approach is going to be to get those green blobs onto your Tervigon as quickly as possible. 60mm is right - he takes out your troops and you simply can't win the battle. And since five of the six scenarios in 6th edition are objectives and not kill points based, you're going to lose way more often than win. Also, with your low model count principle you aren't going to be throwing out enough shots/slashes to keep up with his attacks back. Assume you shoot his two blobs down to 20 models each when they finally Waaaagh into assault with your Tervigon and Termagants. Each 20-Ork blob will be dealing out 80 attacks to your most likely 20-25 hits back. Not a recipe for success.

Shooting wise, a BS3 Carnifex even with twin linked isn't going to take out that many orks, especially if you're focusing those shots on his Warboss and, I'm certain, surrounding Nobs. And don't even think about charging him into combat with a mob of Orks. His four attacks on the charge aren't going to do anything against the 40 coming back at him. He'll just be one big, spooky looking speed bump. Same for your Tyrant. Armored Shell is nice and all, but you'll never survive against all the saves you're going to have to roll. It's really all about the numbers.

I don't mean to be a downer, but I've played Orks often enough to know that the best counter to them is a shooty swarm of your own, not MCs.

[Rahab]

Well, 60mm, this is exactly what I was going for with this post: Sage advice guiding me away from the path of abject failure. Now, what to do about my list...

Herein lies the problem: I really don't want to paint a bunch of lil guys. I am, however, coming to the sad and inevitable realization that one tervigon just isn't going to cut it if I ever want to win a game. Warriors don't seem to be that hot of a troop option without some considerable investment, though...

So, approximately how many termagants am I going to need per tervigon, including the initial ten? Between the chances of an eggsac blowout and impending casualties, I was hoping to keep it at 3-4 boxes per; granted, I'm sure I'll not want to hatch every turn, but I also hate the thought of not making the most of an ability I paid points for.

Thanks for the replies, folks.

[Deleted]

15-20 Termagants per Tervigon for spawning is good if you wanna be able to use all that you spawn. As for painting lots of little guys, kinda' unavoidable with Nidz There are low model count armies, we ain't one of them.

Also, try to get some Biovores in your list if you're facing Orks. Pie plates crush hordes!

[casteel]

60mm hit it on the head. If you want to keep model count down vs Orcs? Biovores. Also, you can throw in some spore mine clusters just to be a prick.

Next, in terms of Gants w/ Tervigon, 15-20 is a nice medium. Two packs. Note that you also need the models if you are going to spawn them so, even if you don't initially field them, they will also have to be complete.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

[Anggul]

Yeah, painting lots of models is an inevitability of playing Tyranids. You'll be surprised at how quickly you can get into a little routine with Gaunts though. Even if you just paint a few a day, painting them becomes a little practised ritual that you can get done without thinking too much and the number of painted Gaunts will soon rack up.

And don't forget that it's cheaper to buy a bunch of the little boxes of snap-fit termagants than it is to buy the bigger box, so unless you really, really want those biomorph sprues, get the little boxes of five. For the same cost you get 15 Termagants rather than 12.

You don't get to dictate their posing but well... they're Gaunts. No-one cares how varied they are, and the only difference in a posed Gaunt is the head being turned slightly and maybe the gun raised or lowered.

EDIT: Oh, and they take a hell of a lot less time to build too.

[Deleted]

^ I use the 5 model boxes for Fleshborer Termagants and only use the bigger boxes for Devgaunts. Definitely cheaper.

[Rahab]

Hey, thanks for the feedback. I've gotten a second tervigon and another box of craplings now. Kinda wish we could spawn hormagaunts, as they have a much better model. I'm also looking forward to a tyranofex in bigger games; I think the acid spray will carve a nice swath through them.

In the mean time, I'm still gonna try a suicide run at the orks as soon as I finish painting the initial batch of termagants as planned. Last game with the Wolf Marines I lost 4 out of 5 2+armor save guys the first time they got shot at, so it can't possibly go any worse...

Can it?

[Jabberwocky]

I think your list looks fine against them. The tyrant will be relatively safe in combat, particularly with iron arm. 5s to hit him, 6s to wound (if even possible) then 2s to save. Challenge the nob first round to safely remove him from the picture.

He may want to reach your Terv but a blob of 30 infantry has a massive footprint. It will be nearly impossible to reach your backfield with your other 2 MCs to intercept.

[gigasnail]

i wish i'd have known about the 5 to a box termagant thing. i just put 30 of the little bastards together this afternoon.