Shrikes in the middle of 8th

[harry4tw]

I don't hear a lot of talk about shrikes since they were relegated to the index. They can't take primes or benefit from Jormungandr's hive fleet bonus (which happens to be very effective on plain warriors), and the Blood of Baal book kind of gave them a backhand slap when it introduced that really good warrior/prime strategem that doesn't work on shrikes.

Then again their cost did go down. They're a relatively cheap source of synapse that can keep up with the likes of advancing carnifexen and whatnot. They remain easentially warriors, whihlch means access to an assault '24 heavy bolter equivalent and a decent number of attacks with AP. And with the plethora of new strategems and psycher powers and whatnot I'm wondering: Does anyone think they're usable at this point.?

Bear in mind I'm not interested in tourney level play but I don't like awful units either.

EDIT: I'm also interested in discussion of loadouts. Deathspitters and boneswords with venom cannons sprinkled in seems like the hotness with warriors but this still seems like a unit that wants to fly around, possibly advancing (obviously without a prime). Seeing as they'll be shooting at 4+ or even 5+, I'm wondering if this unit really wants to shoot. I'm also wondering if for any reason talons or rending claws would work with them.

[No One]

Seem like they could be decent, but not great. They cost more, lose dam reduction strat, can't get Jorm buff and don't have ob sec, making them bad for warriors main job as a midfield objective holder. 12" move and Fly is good, but I don't know it makes up for the difference.

And no, the deathspitters/VC is still worth more than advancing most of the time.

The other big kicker is it's Index, which isn't allowed everywhere.

[irondreddknight]

There could be some potential for them with membranous mobility, although that sacrifices kraken and it wouldn’t be enough to move them up a tier. But it does add durability, couple it with enhanced resistance (Wait, can index units take adaptations?)

[mule]

They're not troop which is the biggest issue with them. So while their points went down they still have a troop tax.

[sniddy]

If only they also triggered off a prime too - membraners could be fun but...that's it - fun

[harry4tw]

Jan 15, 2020 13:34:59 GMT sniddy said:

If only they also triggered off a prime too - membraners could be fun but...that's it - fun

Yeah, I feel like they got snubbed by the codex and Blood of Baal. I was holding out hope for a model, or rules for a winged prime, or at least for something like the unyielding chitin strategem that would include them.

If by membraners you mean membranous mobility, I have mixed feelings. It's an interesting trait in a custom hive fleet situation, definitely one of the more creative and fluffy ones. But -1 to hit against our fly units in melee does little to protect them from tau, guard and the majority of MEQs who were just gonna fall back and let the rest of the army shoot us to hell anyway.

Additionally because synapse can only be provided by monsters with the same hive fleet keyword, taking the M.M. trait locks you out of providing synapse for anything that isn't a gargoyle/harpy/crone, or a now gimped non-fly unit that wasted a trait on M.M. And cheap(ish) synapse is one of the few things shrikes do have going for them.