Escalation League

[whoadirty]

We have an Escalation League starting up in my area and I'm looking for some advice. It's going to work in 500 point blocks, and anything you add in the previous blocks can't be reduced. For example, if you had a unit of 15 Genestealers in your first 500 block, you couldn't have a smaller block of Genestealers, but you are allowed to change the upgrades.

The first 500 is a combat patrol style, so allowed is 0-1 HQ, 0-1 Elite, 1-3 Troops, 0-1 Fast Attack, 0-1 Heavy Support and 0-1 Floater (one unit of any of the 5 types). Other than Troops or swarm units, nothing can have more than 2 wounds.

This is what I was thinking of for the first 500:

10 Termagants with Devourers
10 Termagants with Devourers
3 Warriors + Barbed Stranger
2 Hive Guard
1 Zoanthrope
1 Biovore

I wouldn't normally play with Warriors, but I thought I would try them out and I didn't think just a Zoanthrope was enough Synapse.

Second 500 I was thinking of adding:

Hive Tyrant with Wings and 2x Twin Linked Devourers
Tervigon with Catalyst, Onslaught, Scything Talons, and Toxin Sacs
Biovore

Third 500 I was thinking of adding:

Tervigon with Catalyst, and Toxin Sacs
Add Crushing Claws and Adrenal Glands to the Tervigon with three Psychic Powers
2 Hive Guard
2 Mycetic Spores for the Termagants
1 Zonathrope
1 Biovore

At 1500 the army would look like this:

- Flyrant with Devourers
- 2 Hive Guard
- 2 Hive Guard
- 2 Zoanthropes
- 3 Warriors plus Barbed Stranger
- 10 Termagants with Devourers in a Spore
- 10 Termagants with Devourers in a Spore
- Tervigon with Catalyst, Onslaught, Crushing Claws, Adrenal Glands and Toxin Sacs
- Tervigon with Catalyst, Toxin Sacs, and Scything Talons
- 3 Biovores

I only have 20 Termagants with Devourers and 32 Termagants with Fleshborers and I really don't want to build anymore for a while if possible. I have most everything else, and was trying to work some Gargoyles in there somewhere, but got stumped on how to do so.

Any thoughts?

[gigasnail]

looks good, i can't find anything wrong with it.

[Jabberwocky]

Looks fine. If you could put that troop Terv into your first 500 though, you would have a serious advantage.

[FTGTEvan]

I think opponents would be less than pleased about inclusion of a Terv in the 500 pts. Take that as you will.

Looks pretty good to me. I definitely agree that you need the warriors as a second Synapse unit to begin. Regardless, those restrictions on the 500 might make it a little tough on you at the start. You'll inevitably be facing groups that have things that can hit harder and take more. The Hive Guard and Biovore lend themselves to camping in terrain as much as possible.

[revx]

with those rules i'd probably go 3 hive guard, terv as troop with AG, TS, 2 powers, and 14 devilgants.

[revx]

by 2 powers i mean pay for the extra 2 and have 3 total.

[whoadirty]

Oh wow, I'm extra slow this week, it wasn't even clicking that I could use the Tervigon as a Troop and get around the 2 wound rule.

Thanks for the replies, what if I started with this?

10 Termagants
Tervigon with Catalyst and Toxin Sacs
2 Hive Guard
Zoanthrope
Biovore
11 Gargoyles

I'm still not sure I want to risk raising the ire of the other players by using the Tervigon, I might run it by the guy running the league to see how he feels about it.

As an aside, is the Barbed Strangler strictly better in all cases than the Venom Cannon for the Warriors?

[Jabberwocky]

Yes in all cases except vs DE vehicles basically.

Sometimes you will have use for a VC, but not often.

[GuardDog78]

Venom cannon is effective against Necrons as well if they field lots of warriors... It can also ID most Elder units and the S6 is nice against T6 warlocks. The usual problem we have...most lists we face off against are 3+ or better...and our biggest/baddest guns are typically AP4...<sigh>

[Jabberwocky]

Strangler will on average hit at least twice as many models, plus AP4 is worthless if they are in cover anyway.

I'd still take the strangler.

[vecuu]

I have to agree with the sentiment that a Tervigon at 500 points might be considered unsportsmanlike.

I also really like your initial 500 point list, and think it looks incredibly fun.

[coredump]

Nov 29, 2012 4:11:23 GMT whoadirty said:

... I could use the Tervigon as a Troop and get around the 2 wound rule.

Thanks for the replies, what if I started with this?

10 Termagants
Tervigon with Catalyst and Toxin Sacs
2 Hive Guard
Zoanthrope
Biovore
11 Gargoyles

What '2 wound rule'?

And if the Terv is a troops, I don't see an HQ in your list.

[revx]

im not sure how a tervi is unsportsmanlike when orks can bring junk like a deff rolla (D6 s10 hits or 2 D6 s10 hits if you death or glory)for very little points

[whoadirty]

I'm not totally familiar with the Ork Codex, but I don't think I would see a Deffrolla. Here's the full set of rules for the first 500 points:

Armies will consist of 500 points or less, and must conform to the following Force Organization restrictions:
⇒ 0-1 HQ
⇒ 1-3 Troops (you MUST bring at least one Troop choice)
⇒ 0-1 Elite
⇒ 0-1 Fast Attack
⇒ 0-1 Heavy Support
⇒ 0-1 ‘Swing Slot’ (this maybe be used to field one additional Troops, Elite, Fast Attack OR Heavy Support choice)
• Armies are not required to take mandatory unit choices. All other unit restrictions (i.e. 0-1) apply.
• You may spend remaining points on units from anywhere in the Codex.
• No Special/Unique/Named Characters are allowed in the Warhammer 40K Combat Patrol event.
• With the exception of Troops and models with the Swarm Universal Special Rule, No model can have more than 2 Wounds.
• Psykers may only attempt ONE psychic power (or activate a force weapon) per game turn.
• Aside from Troops choices and dedicated Transports, only vehicles with a maximum of 11 in any armor facing may be taken.
Dedicated transports and troops may have a maximum armor facing of 12. Vehicle Squadrons and Artillery units are
permitted provided every unit within the unit individually would be permitted. Vehicle upgrades that increase an armor
facing may only raise the armor value to a maximum of 12 (this includes Necron Quantum Shielding).

[blindmage]

ohh, go with:

2x 9 rippers with everything
1x hive guard

You know you wanna! You can even put one of the squads in reserve and DS them, then shoot the ever loving (please do not swear) out of them