Strange Idea for HQ Choice

[Illithid]

I have been contemplating running a HQ choice of 3x Malanthropes supported by Deepstriking Zoanthropes or Plain Hive Guard and accompanied by 2x Tervigons at 1500+ points. I have finally finished painting my third and now an idea has started bouncing around in my head.

I understand I would lose the Flyrant to deal with other Flyers, but the tactic that I am looking at is as follows:

The HQ brood will bring me 12 Wounds with a 3+ save at 330pts. I will be wounding most things on a 3+ reroll and have the chance to regenerate wounds and have Toxic Miasma to dish out a possibility of further wounds. They are also MC's with Fleet and therefore can Smash and are AP2.

Now this doesn't sound like much, but that is where the Tervigons come in with Biomancy. Hopefully I would roll Endurance on at least one of them and be able to keep that on the Malanthrope Brood.

It would add FNP to the unit and 'It Will Not Die' on-top of the regeneration.

The unit will not pact as much of a punch as the Swarmlord with 2x Tyrant Guard, but that is 70pts more and has 3 less wounds.

An Armoured Shell Tyrant w/2x T/L Devourers is 360pts with 2x Tyrant Guard are 4 less wounds and 30pts more expensive.

Like I stated, it is just an idea, but what do you all think? Add in a Trygon and maybe some smaller broods of Ymgarls and it may work?

[t⊗theark]

I've tries malathropes and they really work for me. They get under estimated (toughness 5 strength 5, that isn't a monstrous creature!). Except they're as fast as a trygon, and new smash rules.

[rpricew]

Sounds like a fun idea, without eternal warrior, watch out for the Str 10 pie plates when your "MalanStar" reaches 24" range.

You could add a Tyranid Prime for challenges to really make it over the top (of course you would lose fleet though )

[Deleted]

The only hindrance I see to it is T5, S10 pie plates wiping them all out instantly. Combined with the fact that they are CC only and aren't psykers that means there will be games where all theycan do is hide in a corner and hope no one comes looking for them unless you have some support psykers nearby to keep EW on them. 330 points is a crapton to invest for a handful of T5 wounds so you better make sure you have support psykers escorting them in anygame where there be S10. Even a unit of Broadsides will ruin your day.

That being said, show us a pic of the trio! Preferably with some gants running amongst them for scale!

[blindmage]

I love running Malanthropes as my HQ granted they're the perfect thematic unit for me

There is one issue my group has noticed. They're not characters, and the Warlord must be a character HQ model, not unit...so if we run 3x Malanthropes in a unit for HQ (awesome fun times) we, technically have no Warlord...that's good, right?

[daffan666]

Arnt malanthropes and those FW creatures only for apocalypse gaming and not 40k?

[Illithid]

No - Malanthropes are 40k approved and that is not a debate I am going to enter in this thread.

Here are the trio!

[carados]

I want.
Wait, I see 2nd edition Hormaguants there as well, nice!

I think I will order some this week. How's the quality of the mould and are they relatively easy to put together?

[blindmage]

Gorgeous models! Well done! I approve x pi^R where R = the number of Rippers I have

[Illithid]

I unfortunately only have 20 ripper bases.

330 points is a crapton to invest for a handful of T5 wounds so you better make sure you have support psykers escorting them in anygame where there be S10.

The thing is, it is not just 330pts for a handful of wounds, it is the potential 12 wounds. We pay 250-275pts for a Flyrant with 4 wounds. He has the potential to increase his toughness etc, but that will not help when he crashes and takes that S9 hit (and likely whatever hits him will possibly wound him).

This unit would be used charging up the centre of the board, hopefully playing wound shenanigans by swapping the lead Malanthrope. With psyker support, they have the potential to have two forms of regeneration and FNP. Str 10 templates will be a bane, but hopefully with Tervigons walking up the board and a Trygon charging ahead of them (providing cover), there will enough threats.

Even a DoM dropping in Turn 2 may see the focus taken away from these guys.

[gazick]

plus the little benefit of giving PE too

(it's something)

[blindmage]

and, (as I mentioned) if it's your only HQ, then you have no Warlord for your opponent to slay

[infornography]

I believe you are REQUIRED by the rules to have a designated warlord. it isn't a legal list without one.

[daffan666]

Dec 3, 2012 22:37:58 GMT @60mm said:

Combined with the fact that they are CC only and aren't psykers that means there will be games where all theycan do is hide in a corner and hope no one comes looking for them unless you have some support psykers nearby to keep EW on them. 330 points is a crapton to invest for a handful of T5 wounds so you better make sure you have support psykers escorting them in anygame where there be S10.

Dosnt iron arm only work on the psyker itself? Which is only on that one model?

[WestRider]

Dec 4, 2012 11:19:05 GMT infornography said:

I believe you are REQUIRED by the rules to have a designated warlord. it isn't a legal list without one.

Yep. It's clarified in the IG FAQ for a different reason, saying that they can't have their Warlord be a Model that doesn't take up an HQ slot, but the requirement that the Warlord be a Character is just as strongly worded in the actual Rule.

And yeah, there's no way I know of to give Eternal Warrior to another Unit. Iron Arm only affects the Psyker himself, and Endurance doesn't provide it.