2k Fun with Hierophant/Harridan

[zimko]

Kraken Battalion
- Neurothrope: Warlord, Res Barb, Catalyst 95
- Swarmlord: Onslaught, Paroxysm 240
- 10 Hormagaunts: Adrenal Glands (I had 10 points to spare) 70 60
- 10 Hormagaunts: 60
- 20 Termagants: Devourers (deploy inside phant) 140
- 30 Termagants: Devourers 210
- 3 Warriors: Scything Talons 51
- Lictor 37
- 3 Venomthropes 99  (swapping for more bugs)
- Dimachaeron: Accelerated Digestion 255
Kraken Super-Heavy Aux
- Hierophant: Dermic Symbiosis (yes he already has an invul, but counting as double wounds for degradation is still worth it)

I have a GT coming up. And of course, some of the highest ranking players in the world are going to be there (my local meta includes the #1 ITC ranked players for Admech and Imperial Knights). So I don't have much hope in winning. What I can do though, is have fun and make a 'gateway' list that might catch some people by surprise.

I love the Hierophant, he's fun to play. I don't play him with a base (he therefore has an imaginary base between where the legs meet the table) and he has fly. So with that in mind, he can actually move around on the board. The local TOs are also lenient on allowing large models to move around the board. Their 'house rule' is that if the model can fit, but the base can't, then it's ok to move thru a gap between buildings. 

With that in mind, and with the change to super-heavy aux changing from 3 cp to 1 cp if it's the same faction... I built the above list. The hierophant is of course the center piece, but I also have Swarmlord/Dima combo and a healthy number of devgants.

Venomthropes: Let me explain my reasoning for including these. For their cost, I COULD have 2 infantry units instead, and that is a good thing to have with the newer secondaries. BUT, that -1 to hit will be very helpful for the Hierophant and Dima since neither can hide from obscuring terrain. The Dima will of course be out of range after turn 1, but the Hierophant will continue to benefit from their aura the entire game as long as I keep them hidden. Also, they can perform actions and still provide their aura. I think, in this particular list with a Hierophant, they will be useful enough to give up 1 extra infantry unit.

[purestrain]

Jul 27, 2021 17:57:29 GMT zimko said:

Kraken Battalion
- Neurothrope: Warlord, Res Barb, Catalyst 95
- Swarmlord: Onslaught, Paroxysm 240
- 10 Hormagaunts: Adrenal Glands (I had 10 points to spare) 70
- 20 Termagants: Devourers (deploy inside phant) 140
- 30 Termagants: Devourers 210
- Lictor 37
- 3 Venomthropes 99
- Dimachaeron: Accelerated Digestion 255
Kraken Super-Heavy Aux
- Hierophant: Dermic Symbiosis (yes he already has an invul, but counting as double wounds for degradation is still worth it)

I have a GT coming up. And of course, some of the highest ranking players in the world are going to be there (my local meta includes the #1 ITC ranked players for Admech and Imperial Knights). So I don't have much hope in winning. What I can do though, is have fun and make a 'gateway' list that might catch some people by surprise.

I love the Hierophant, he's fun to play. I don't play him with a base (he therefore has an imaginary base between where the legs meet the table) and he has fly. So with that in mind, he can actually move around on the board. The local TOs are also lenient on allowing large models to move around the board. Their 'house rule' is that if the model can fit, but the base can't, then it's ok to move thru a gap between buildings. 

With that in mind, and with the change to super-heavy aux changing from 3 cp to 1 cp if it's the same faction... I built the above list. The hierophant is of course the center piece, but I also have Swarmlord/Dima combo and a healthy number of devgants.

Venomthropes: Let me explain my reasoning for including these. For their cost, I COULD have 2 infantry units instead, and that is a good thing to have with the newer secondaries. BUT, that -1 to hit will be very helpful for the Hierophant and Dima since neither can hide from obscuring terrain. The Dima will of course be out of range after turn 1, but the Hierophant will continue to benefit from their aura the entire game as long as I keep them hidden. Also, they can perform actions and still provide their aura. I think, in this particular list with a Hierophant, they will be useful enough to give up 1 extra infantry unit.

Highly suggest changing Dermic to Murderous on his Lashwhip pod. 10 str 6 ap2 2d attacks are pretty good at clearing anything right now and hes bulky enough to stay high up on his charts to get stuck in after peeing out gaunts

[zimko]

That is definitely a consideration.

The downside is the lashwhip pods may never see action in many games. And for those games where it does see action, 10 attacks isn't that much when you consider that dermic could be buffing 16 shots from his 3 damage gun or the 6 attacks from his 6 damage talons. Dermic allows him to take an additional 9 wounds before he degrades to 4+ to hit. That's 26 wounds total compared to 17. And in the event that 2 damage, ap 2 weapons do have an ideal target... well the flamer with 2 cp does the same job.

In the end I'd rather have the potential of buffing 16+6+10 attacks with additional chance to hit rather than increasing the damage of 10 of those attacks that only work in melee.

[beetlejuice]

I think this would be fun except for the current broken meta. What chance do you have vs admech infantry with enriched rounds (works on unmodified hit roll) and chickens?

[zimko]

I don't have a chance. That's why I'm bringing a Hierophant.

[anfauglirpainting]

Depending when the rules cut-off is, it might not be as bad, the Admech FAQ dropped today. Enriched rounds is now on 5+ and 2cp for larger units, both types of chickens lost core and solar blessing only applies if you're not already in cover.

There were some other changes but those jumped out as obvious positives (for non admech anyway)!

[zimko]

Yeah I saw. Honestly I'm excited to use the Hierophant and don't feel like bringing the conventional tyranid kronos patrol. There's a guy at this tournament that has won GTs with Imperial Knights and I'm curious how the Hierophant would do against him.

I swapped the 10 hormagaunts for 5 genestealers.

[anfauglirpainting]

Yeah I've got a 1500pt local tournament next month and Im tempted to take the hierophant (mines freestanding too) but I think its too much of the army to be worthwhile and when it dies the rest of the list will collapse 🤔

[zimko]

I've decided to ditch the venomthropes in favor of 2 more infantry units. There's too many secondaries that need actions and not enough units in this list.

Kraken Battalion
- Neurothrope: Warlord, Res Barb, Catalyst 95
- Swarmlord: Onslaught, Paroxysm 240
- 10 Hormagaunts: 60
- 10 Hormagaunts: 60
- 20 Termagants: Devourers (deploy inside phant) 140
- 30 Termagants: Devourers 210
- 3 Warriors: 51
- Lictor 37
- 3 Venomthropes 99
- Dimachaeron: Accelerated Digestion 255
Kraken Super-Heavy Aux
- Hierophant: Dermic Symbiosis

[zimko]

I am currently 3 and 1 at the 'Your Hobby Place Major GT - Presented by the Mid Atlantic Tournament Circuit'.

[zimko]

My round 2 opponent was this.

++ Battalion Detachment 0CP (Imperium - Adeptus Mechanicus) [102 PL, 1,995pts, 5CP] ++

+ Configuration +

Army of Renown - Skitarii Veteran Cohort

Battle Size [12CP]: 3. Strike Force (101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points)

Detachment Command Cost

Forge World Choice: Forge World: Ryza

+ Stratagems +

Stratagem: Archeotech Specialist [-1CP]: Archeotech Specialist

Stratagem: Artefactotum [-2CP]: 2x Artefactotum

Stratagem: Host of the Intermediary [-2CP]: 2x Host of the Intermediary

Stratagem: Mechanicus Locum [-2CP]: 2x Mechanicus Locum

+ No Force Org Slot +

Brotherhood of the Cog [4 PL, 80pts]
. Tech-Priest Enginseer: Artisans, Mechanicus Locum, Warlord Trait (Codex 4): Necromechanic

+ HQ +

Skitarii Marshal [3 PL, 45pts]: Relic (Skitarii Veteran Cohort): Cantic Thrallnet, Warlord, Warlord Trait (Codex 1): Multitasking Cortex

Skitarii Marshal [3 PL, 45pts]: Relic: Exemplar's Eternity

Tech-Priest Manipulus [6 PL, 105pts]: Magi, Mechanicus Locum, Transonic cannon, Warlord Trait (Skitarii Veteran Cohort): Calculate Without Diversion

+ Troops +

Skitarii Vanguards [9 PL, 210pts]: Enhanced Data-Tether, Omnispex
. 19x Skitarii Vanguard: 19x Radium Carbine
. Vanguard Alpha: Radium Carbine

Skitarii Vanguards [3 PL, 50pts]
. 4x Skitarii Vanguard: 4x Radium Carbine
. Vanguard Alpha: Radium Carbine

Skitarii Vanguards [3 PL, 50pts]
. 4x Skitarii Vanguard: 4x Radium Carbine
. Vanguard Alpha: Radium Carbine

Skitarii Vanguards [9 PL, 185pts]: Omnispex
. 17x Skitarii Vanguard: 17x Radium Carbine
. Vanguard Alpha: Radium Carbine

+ Elites +

Sicarian Infiltrators [8 PL, 170pts]
. Infiltrator Princeps (Flechette/Taser): Artefactotum, Host of the Intermediary, Relic: Temporcopia, Warlord Trait (Codex 5): Firepoint Telemetry Cache
. 9x Sicarian Infiltrator (Flechette/Taser): 9x Flechette Blaster, 9x Taser Goad

Sicarian Ruststalkers [8 PL, 170pts]
. Ruststalker Princeps (Blades): Artefactotum, Host of the Intermediary, Relic: The Omniscient Mask, Warlord Trait (Codex 6): Eyes of the Omnissiah
. 9x Sicarian Ruststalker (Blades): 9x Transonic Blades

Sicarian Ruststalkers [4 PL, 85pts]
. Ruststalker Princeps (Blades)
. 4x Sicarian Ruststalker (Blades): 4x Transonic Blades

Sicarian Ruststalkers [4 PL, 85pts]
. Ruststalker Princeps (Blades)
. 4x Sicarian Ruststalker (Blades): 4x Transonic Blades

+ Fast Attack +

Pteraxii Sterylizors [4 PL, 95pts]: Pteraxii Sterylizor Alpha
. 4x Pteraxii Sterylizor: 4x Phosphor torch, 4x Pteraxii Talons

+ Flyer +

Archaeopter Fusilave [7 PL, 130pts]: Command Uplink

Archaeopter Fusilave [7 PL, 130pts]: Command Uplink

+ Dedicated Transport +

Terrax-Pattern Termite [10 PL, 180pts]
. Terrax heavy Flamers

Terrax-Pattern Termite [10 PL, 180pts]
. Terrax heavy Flamers

++ Total: [102 PL, 5CP, 1,995pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe (https://battlescribe.net)

I won 89 to 27. I'll give more details once I'm done. The flamer is super effective.

[zimko]

Round 3 and 5, lost to drukhari. So 3 and 2 finish.

[zimko]

The tournament is over. I placed 13th out of 50. I was hoping for 4 and 1 but alas...

The Hierophant performed better than I expected. It's hard to kill and does a lot of damage.

What surprised me though was how useful it was to have 2 units of 10 hormagaunts inside the hierophant. I hadn't played a game since Scramblers changed to Octarius where you need to perform an action in each table quarter. The Hormagaunts, using Metabolic Overdrive, were able to move 19" from the Hierophant and perform an action for Octarius and score Engage. This worked well even when Lictors were blocked from arriving where I wanted them. I was also able to take some objectives with this tactic though that wasn't often achievable due to units being in the way.

So now I'm left to consider... what about a Harridan? We've seen it's success in a GT before. So what if I removed the 850 point Hierophant, and added the Harridan with 2 units of 10 Gargoyles. It's 10 fewer points, but now I have extremely easy ways to score Octarius and Engage. For 1 CP, those Gargoyles can move 27" from the Harridan and perform an action. They can also body block units using their larger bases. They also can fly over units to reach objectives that your opponent doesn't have obsec on. They could deploy on top a building to thwart chargers.

But what about the Dima? IMO, the Dimas aren't doing enough in most games. In my games, they run in and do some damage, but then die way too easily (incubi mulch a Dima for example). I've tried being very cagey with them, and only committed him when he can get a good kill. The main problem though is once it's committed to a fight, it's not going to escape unless you've killed all of your opponent's units that can harm it. At 255 pts, it's a very expensive trade unit.

Instead, I'd like to take a Barbed Hierodule. The Barbed Hierodule has decent ranged firepower, capable of finishing off vehicles or units that the Harridan/Hierophant damaged. In the Drukhari Matchup, the big guns on the Harridan/Hierophant can sometimes kill 2 raiders. But sometimes they leave a raider with 2 wounds. The Hierodule would be great to finish that off, or to shoot at whatever comes out of the raiders that are destroyed. He's also much harder to kill than a Dima due to having T8, a 2+ save, and not needing to be in your opponent's face to deal damage. He can sit safely back and affect the game from afar. The Harridan and Hierodule would be great To the Last options as well.

The next change I'd like to look at is swapping 20 of the 50 devgants for 12 genestealers. If I don't have a Dima, then I don't really have a good use for Swarmlord's Hive Commander other than himself. A unit of 12 genestealers would give me a hit and run tool to take out small units hiding in building, or exposed characters. I could use Gargoyles to create a screen, allowing space between them for the Genestealers to kill a unit and use Overrun to run back behind the Gargoyle screen to prevent a counter charge. Then I might be able to keep the Genestealers from being a trade.

That's all the thoughts I had making this next list.

Kraken Battalion

- Neurothrope: Warlord, Res Barb, Catalyst 95
- Swarmlord: Onslaught, Paroxysm 240
- 10 Termagants: 50
- 10 Hormagaunts: 60
- 12 Genestealers: 3 Acid Maws, 12 Scy Tals 156
- 30 Termagants: Devourers 210
- Lictor 37
- Lictor 37
- Gargoyles 70
- Gargoyles 70
- Barbed Hierodule: Dermic Symbiosis 275
Kraken Super-Heavy Aux
- Harridan: Dermic Symbiosis 700