2k competitive kraken

[ausnid]

Ok, so looking to make a competitive kraken list, and am considering the below - would very much appreciate c&c. General intent is to overwhelm with speed both on offensive and to grab board position.

Options I am considering:

A) drop the genestealers and lictor for another screamer killer - less utility, but three SCs May give me critical mass in getting them into the enemy lines?
B) do I need the harpy? Atm it’s my main shooting platform, but I could buy another unit of raveners and a pyro/biovore instead?
C) what secondaries have people had success with in kraken? Does behind enemy lines become viable with the movement tricks?
D) is keeping the d3+3 advance the better option, or does the kraken strat (and the bulk adrenal glands) provide he mobility required and mean I should look to one of the other adaptive physiologies?

Thanks in advance!

++ Vanguard Detachment 0CP (Tyranids) [101 PL, 2,000pts, 4CP]
Battle Size [6CP]: 3. Strike Force (101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points)

Hive Fleet: Adaptive, Kraken

+ Stratagems +

Hive Predator [-1CP]: Extra Warlord Trait

Relic [-1CP]

+ No Force Org Slot +

Zoanthropes [7 PL, 150pts]: 3x Zoanthrope

+ HQ +

Neurothrope [5 PL, 100pts]

Winged Hive Tyrant [11 PL, 225pts]: Adrenal Glands, Lash Whip and Monstrous Bonesword, Relic: The Reaper of Obilterax, Warlord

+ Troops +

Hormagaunts [8 PL, 120pts]: Adrenal Glands
. 12x Hormagaunt: 12x Hormagaunt Talons

Tyranid Warriors [8 PL, 170pts]: Adrenal Glands
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Dual Boneswords
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Dual Boneswords
. Tyranid Warrior: Lash Whip and Bonesword, Venom Cannon
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Dual Boneswords
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Dual Boneswords

+ Elites +

Genestealers [5 PL, 80pts]: 2x Acid Maw, 2x Flesh Hooks
. 5x Genestealer: 5x Genestealer Claws and Talons

Lictor [4 PL, 70pts]

Tyrant Guard [8 PL, 135pts]: Adrenal Glands
. 3x Tyrant Guard (Scything): 3x Two Rending Claws, 3x Two Scything Talons

Venomthropes [5 PL, 105pts]
. 3x Venomthrope: 3x Toxic Lashes

+ Fast Attack +

Raveners [8 PL, 175pts]
. Ravener: Deathspitter, Rending claws
. Ravener: Two Rending Claws
. Ravener: Two Rending Claws
. Ravener: Two Rending Claws
. Ravener: Two Rending Claws

Raveners [8 PL, 175pts]
. Ravener: Two Rending Claws
. Ravener: Two Rending Claws
. Ravener: Two Rending Claws
. Ravener: Two Rending Claws
. Ravener: Two Rending Claws

+ Heavy Support +

Screamer-Killers [7 PL, 140pts]
. Screamer-Killer: Adrenal Glands

Screamer-Killers [7 PL, 140pts]
. Screamer-Killer: Adrenal Glands

+ Flyer +

Harpy [10 PL, 215pts]: 2x Heavy Venom Cannon, Adaptive Physiology: Synaptic Enhancement

++ Total: [101 PL, 4CP, 2,000pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe

[tombspider]

I would drop the vanguard detachment for a Battalion or Patrol > check the "command benefits" in the core rules for the detachments. With this list you pay 3CP for the detachment you won't get back.
- Consider the "Dermic Symbiosis" for the Harpy for a 4++ Save. The synaptic enhancement is usually a pick for Leviathan.
- I never give up the d3+3 advance because it is just too great.
- Secondarys: That's the tricky part with tyranids. It is better to choose the secondarys first and tailor the list for them. I always take Rise the Banners, Warp Ritual or Psychic Interogation and a third one depending on the opponent (grind them down etc.)

[ausnid]

Oct 26, 2022 20:57:24 GMT tombspider said:

I would drop the vanguard detachment for a Battalion or Patrol > check the "command benefits" in the core rules for the detachments. With this list you pay 3CP for the detachment you won't get back.)

Cheers - I need the vanguard at the moment due to the number of elite slots, but with the warlord in there it doesn’t cost anything?

[ausnid]

The synaptic enhancement was there to allow warpshielding for a turn, so dermic symbiosis would only really be relevant t2 onwards…I suppose I could drop a warrior to fit it in though…

[No One]

ausnid said:

Cheers - I need the vanguard at the moment due to the number of elite slots, but with the warlord in there it doesn’t cost anything?

That's what they were saying with 'check command benefits': vanguard's don't refund unless you're fancy.

The easy fix is going slotless with the t-guard and then dropping either the lictor or the stealers, or just squeezing out some more points to run a bat. But I think lictor and stealers both do effectively the same thing (i.e. early banners and a disposable unit early on points): stealers better for pre-game stuff/mission 11, lictor for...everything else.

Dropping stealers and the extra horms/AG gets you...100 pts.

The synaptic enhancement was there to allow warpshielding for a turn, so dermic symbiosis would only really be relevant t2 onwards…I suppose I could drop a warrior to fit it in though…

It means you don't need to pop zoan going 2nd if everything else is hidden, and if you do get 1st to position around ranges, do some damage, get 5+++ up etc, you'll often survive to get multiple turns use out of the 4++. And 4++/5+++ -1 to hit possible trans aircraft can be very difficult for armies to deal with.

[ausnid]

Ah, cheers for the clarification on the vanguard, I thought all detachments that had the warlord got refunded . 

So with the shuffle of the tyrant guard and the dropping of stealers or lictor, I'm left with a few points to play around with even after giving the harpy the 4++.  Seems your suggesting keeping the utility piece (as opposed to dropping both to get another screamer killer)? If so, the question is where do the handful of remaining points go? A lone biovore? Make the 1 x 5 warriors into 2 x 3?

Cheers. 

[piersonsmuppet]

I would strongly consider Unstoppable Swarm for your adaptive. The Kraken Fleet adaptive is better with flying units, your Ravs/SKs are vulnerable to difficult terrain and strats that reduce your charge roll.

For the extra points, I’d recommend upgrading a Lictor to Deathleaper with Alien Cunning. Count-as 5 model Obsec and adv+action lets DL drop late banners pretty easily or you can just swipe objectives to deny Primary.

[No One]

ausnid said:

Seems your suggesting keeping the utility piece (as opposed to dropping both to get another screamer killer)? If so, the question is where do the handful of remaining points go?

Definitely: Kraken will often just be able to statcheck, but you need a fallback and/or something to secure an on table lead into a VP lead. Which means primary/secondary scoring, and both of those offer good scoring options.

As for options...piersonsmuppet's suggestion of Deathleaper isn't bad if you've ended up with enough spare CP (which...you probably want to spend for either res barb or tendrils on the neuro as well. And the only reason I say 'probably' is with only two Char psykers I don't know if you want psy int, so neuro could just 3d6 itself for the important stuff). Another idea would be to take another venom or two: I'm a fan even outside Kraken, and Kraken extra mobility and AP is pretty big for them.

Also, don't forget the rav deathspitters

piersonsmuppet said:

I would strongly consider Unstoppable Swarm for your adaptive. The Kraken Fleet adaptive is better with flying units, your Ravs/SKs are vulnerable to difficult terrain and strats that reduce your charge roll.

Eh, I don't think there's enough movement reduction to warrant taking it unless there's a lot of midfield-positioned difficult (which I don't think there would be, though it'd of course depend). The only relevant ones are Tau and Custodes I think, and that's too niche to go for.

[ausnid]

Thanks - from what I understand the next tournie I'm looking at is noted as GW terrain, with the demo tables seeming to have a big open space in the centre of the board - any forests or craters look to be on the far corners so unlikely to impact movement too much. This leaves just the tau and custodes strats, which like you say I'm not sure are worth getting insurance for if it means giving up the 4-6 inch advance...