2k 9th Psy-Bomb

[zimko]

After trying a more traditional list at a recent 9th tournament, I've learned a lot about 9th secondaries and how the meta is shifting. So here's a list idea to take advantage of the current state of 9th.

Leviathon Battalion
- Neurothrope: Warlord, Catalyst 95
- Broodlord: Psychic Scream 125
- Malanthrope 135
- 3x Rippers 36
- 3x Rippers 36
- 3x Rippers 36
- 6x Zoanthropes: The Horror 270
- 6x Zoanthropes: The Horror 270
- 6x Zoanthropes: The Horror 270
Kronos Patrol
- Neurothrope: Resonance Barb, Symbiostorm 95
- 3x Rippers 36
- 5x Hive Guard 250
- Exocrine: Voracious Ammunition 170
- Exocrine: Voracious Ammunition 170
Total 1994 pts, 9 CP

I'm leaning heavily on Zoanthropes here. With the meta being all about super resilient units, mortal wounds are very valueable. Leviathon I think is the best choice for Zoanthropes just to give them a little bit more survivability. The Malanthrope of course is providing them with -1 to hit.

The Broodlord is in there to score Psychic secondaries. I found him to be excellent at either Psychic Ritual or Pierce the Veil depending on the map. His speed allows him to begin using the psychic actions on turn 1. He could also be decent at Teleport Homer with Outflank if your opponent is playing a low model count army which seems to be very common right now.

Ripper Swarms were awesome at Linebreaker. People don't have the models to cover their deployment zone for 3 turns. Everyone is fighting for the middle. So it's extremely easy to get 15 points from 2 units of Rippers deep striking behind LOS terrain in the corner of the map.

I found that the primary objective is not that hard to max. If you can hold 2 objectives the entire game, then you're already getting 40 points. The maximum is 45. So if you can just get 1 turn of holding more, then you can max. The hard part comes when your opponent is able to remove your models from objectives. This is why I want to try Zoanthropes. 3 units can spread across two objectives, and they have the staying power to stick around. Rippers are also very small and can hide on some objectives.

I went with Voracious Ammunition on the Exocrines for a couple reasons. For one, this list isn't going to be great at killing units with a lot of models. So I at least want the Exocrines to be able to deal a few extra mortals. Plus, against very resilient units, those 3 extra mortals are good value. The other reason though, is because I don't think Dermic Symbiosis is worth it anymore. With so many lists tooling towards killing resilient units, the Exocrine just can't survive the punishment that can be thrown their way, with or without a 5++. Outflanking is the best option for making sure they get their shots in. With that in mind, we might as well make sure they get the most bang for their buck and go with an offensive adaptation rather than a defensive one.

Hive Guard are in a similar situation. In two of my games they weren't touched by anything shooting. In the Nurgle Death Guard game, my opponent took 3 plagueburst Crawlers and they managed to kill 3 Hive Guard on turn 1 despite ignoring AP -2. (Sidenote, Plagueburst Crawlers are extra nasty now since they can fire their flamers in melee. I can no longer just touch them with Genestealers to turn them off. The Genestealers get torn apart by the flamers. Touching them with a Monster though still works ok.) So I decided to just double down on Exocrines offense and stop taking defensive adaptations. Hive Guard are a scare tactic, and my opponents are certainly afraid of them... but their damage output in this meta is pretty lackluster. It feels really bad spending 2 CP to shoot again and only dealing a few damage. They're still in the list because there's still good utility in having LOS ignoring fire, but I'm ok dropping 1 to fit in another Exocrine and to keep my Zoanthrope units at max 6 models.

I wont have another tournament until later next month, but I like the look of this list for 9th missions.

[N.I.B.]

I'm not sold on Voracious Ammunition. 1d3 extra wounds doesn't make them good anti-horde and it doesn't do anything againts tanks tanks and dreadnoughts, which I'm seeing a lot of currently. It's good against elite infantry though. But I think I still rather have Dermic, the extra survivability should mean more damage output, provived it buys at least an extra round.

Hive Guards don't like Dense Cover, that's for sure. Other than that, they are great.

[zimko]

Your mileage may vary. Elite Infantry is pretty much all I shot the Exocrines at. It really sucks that we can't choose each game anymore.

[cmob208]

Jul 26, 2020 18:44:02 GMT N.I.B. said:

Hive Guards don't like Dense Cover, that's for sure. Other than that, they are great.

Don't Hive Guard ignore cover? Or do they not work against Dense cover because units aren't actually in it?

[cmob208]

Are you using the Psychic Barrage strat, or is plain smiting usually more effective?

[zimko]

Most likely plain smiting. However, if there's a REALLY good target of opportunity, like a bunch of characters close together, then I will consider the barrage.

Hive Guard dont ignore Dense Cover. The wording on their ability is that they 'ignore the armor save bonus from cover' which according to the 'Rare Rules' section in the new CA book, that means they ignore Light and Heavy Cover, but not Dense Cover.

[cmob208]

Ah okay, thanks - I didn't notice that wording on the Impaler Cannons.

[bestaltan]

Hmmmmm.......I wonder if there is some play with them ignoring line of sight. They can shoot at units behind obscuring terrain with no penalty, after all.

[zimko]

Yes, that's why I haven't removed Hive Guard completely. Their ability to ignore Obscured Terrain and the smaller boards means they can apply constant pressure throughout the game.

[N.I.B.]

Make your Leviathan Neuro your warlord and you'll save 1CP.

Your Zoans looks a bit lonely on the forward objectives, I think they need some kind of screen to hold off enemy cc units. Zoans looks really good in 9th and I'm also planning to test 3x6 or 3x5, but I'm not sure they can be our only objective claimers. 3 Zoans would buy you 5 Pyrovores which are decent mid-field objective wrestlers now. But you'd have to make the Patrol into a Vanguard, setting you back 1CP.

[zimko]

Jul 26, 2020 20:21:59 GMT N.I.B. said:

Make your Leviathan Neuro your warlord and you'll save 1CP.

Your Zoans looks a bit lonely on the forward objectives, I think they need some kind of screen to hold off enemy cc units. Zoans looks really good in 9th and I'm also planning to test 3x6 or 3x5, but I'm not sure they can be our only objective claimers. 3 Zoans would buy you 5 Pyrovores which are decent mid-field objective wrestlers now. But you'd have to make the Patrol into a Vanguard, setting you back 1CP.

Oh yeah, I forgot about warlord needing to be in the battalion, good catch. 

I want to try just Zoans as the main front line. After my games I felt like it's fine if they get into cc. I'll hold judgement until I try it.

[hiveoverall]

Jul 26, 2020 19:19:48 GMT zimko said:

Most likely plain smiting. However, if there's a REALLY good target of opportunity, like a bunch of characters close together, then I will consider the barrage.

Hive Guard dont ignore Dense Cover. The wording on their ability is that they 'ignore the armor save bonus from cover' which according to the 'Rare Rules' section in the new CA book, that means they ignore Light and Heavy Cover, but not Dense Cover.

How many smites per unit do you have in mind ? I hear a lot about "more than oone smite per unit will get FAQed" but I have not read any truly reiable source saying so (perhaps I didn't look hard enough)

I think Zoanthropes may be worth it even if smites oges back to one per unit per turn (like in 8th ed), but perhaps not 3*6, I dunno. I have the models so I am highly interested in the concept. 

Also with smaller boards, leviathan most def for the 3*6 zoes, especially for damage 3 stuff (helverins for example wreck them). In 8th, kraken could be good to get them in range, or move from one place to another for area denial / obj grabbing.   

[zimko]

My local TO ruled against multiple smites per unit and I think most TOs for major events will do the same. Magnus would be just insane. He'd pump out 4d6 mortals per turn without breaking a sweat. My TO is in the same chat with TOs for NOVA Open and many local GTs. So FAQ or not, it doesn't matter what might change since the TO wont allow it.

3 units may be unnecessary. The goal is to sit on and hold 2 objectives for 40 points on the primary while other units go get secondaries. So 2 units could accomplish the same. I'm really considering removing a unit to add Biovores, or reducing each unit to 4 to add Biovores, in order to play with my opponent's ability to move.

[hiveoverall]

Jul 27, 2020 14:15:12 GMT zimko said:

My local TO ruled against multiple smites per unit and I think most TOs for major events will do the same. Magnus would be just insane. He'd pump out 4d6 mortals per turn without breaking a sweat. My TO is in the same chat with TOs for NOVA Open and many local GTs. So FAQ or not, it doesn't matter what might change since the TO wont allow it.

3 units may be unnecessary. The goal is to sit on and hold 2 objectives for 40 points on the primary while other units go get secondaries. So 2 units could accomplish the same. I'm really considering removing a unit to add Biovores, or reducing each unit to 4 to add Biovores, in order to play with my opponent's ability to move.

Yes I see what you mean. 50 points per biovore though...

[zimko]

I know, it's rough. Another possibility is to include a counter-charge threat. Maybe 16 genestealers for 240. Then I can put the 6th Hive Guard back in. Also, being leviathon and using Zoanthropes, I might be able to utilize the leviathon stratagem on the Genestealers for rerolling 1s. If something charges the Zoanthropes then I already have a fly unit within 1". Then if the Genestealers charge that unit, that'll meet the criteria for 1 CP to reroll all 1s to hit and wound.