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Hi there,
Right, bear with me.. This is my first battle with Nids in Epic, sooo...
We played a longish (6 turns) game with a friend, and it was the first time both of us saw the nids in Epic.
Since the occasion was quite unique, I proposed him we play a little scenario. We have an ongoing campaing Guard vs Space Marine. So I wrote a few things, and voila, here come Hive fleet Scylla poking his nose around.
Since he had no idea of the list, I proposed we play blind, ie, without him knowing what exactly he was fighting against. He had no access to the list, and only when faced with the units could he learn something. At the end of the battle, his xenobiologists did some research and for the next battle, he'll have the full stats of the nid's he has already met... but new ones will keep popping up.
Actually, this was a unique occasion, and it worked really well. He was really paranoid, as any Guard commander should do when he first faces Nids. It is something I suggest, provided both players trust the other.
To the point :
I created an army from an early invasion stage, using the figures of 5.4 list (modified... see below).
I had therefore
Synapse :
2 x 3 young synapse ganglia each (270 pts)
1 Hive tyrant
2 x 3 warriors
Independent
3x 3lictors (450 pts)
1 x 8 Genestealers (200 pts)
Swarm
4 x Carnis (200 pts)
6 x Hormagaunts (90)
6 x Gargoyles ( 120)
14 x Termagaunts (180)
6 x Mycetic spores (180)
I was facing 1 mechanised company with hellhounds and leman russes, 1 infantry comp with leman russes and heavy weapons, 3 manticores, 3 basiliscs and a titankiller big tank (shadowblade whatsisname?)
As you may notice, I used the lesser synapse nodes in formations of three (90 pts), rather than 1 for 30.
I also used the Lictors in three per formation against two, and for the same price.
Other changes that where done :
The lictors have only two attacks in CC, one normal and the other MW (instead of 1 normal and 2 MW, if I got it right)
The Carnifex and the hive tyrant are light vehicles rather than Armoured vehicles.
Objective : Rather simple :
The guards were on a city, in the center, and had to survive to the initial attack.
To make it short, the lictors and genestealers wiped out the southern garrison (manticores and infzntry company), whereas the north garrisson stood firm and after 5 turns, managed to wipe out all synapse creatures (bar the nodes), with minimal losses.
At the end of the battle, I still had the 2x3 small synapse nodes, one formation right in the middle of the city, able to muster, and the other far away hidden behin cover and unable to do much thing for the battle.
Our comments:
First and foremost, me and my opponent found the list, even tweaked for a "early assault" is fun, plays well and feels very 'nid.
A few things we agree on : It is bizarre to have lictors with 2+ on CC, and stealers with 4+. I think for the next battles, I will put both of them at 3+ in CC.
Having Carnifex and Tyrant as Light Vehicles felt right. I think I will keep this for my next battles also. SOmebody else has given it a try?
A few things we disagree :
I, for one, dislike the idea of loosing the synapse nodes when they send their swarms ahead. I would push for a modification of the rule : Syanpse creatures of 0 cm mvt are not concerned by the formation cohesion rule (unless they teleport). That or give them scout ability
My opponent find them way too resistant (equivalent to a leman russ) and actually never tried to engage them (bar through artillery, with little success). He would rather see them 5+ RA. WHen he understood that they vanish if the formation looses its coherency, he said all right. 4+ RA is correct. Hence the prop: Give them the special rule, and make them 5+ RA... Comments?
He also thought that somehow, the spawnig ability should be linked to the number of synapse creatures. Three synapse nodes should not spaw as much as one. Else, he had no motivation to try to shoot them...
Anyhow, once again, we both felt the army is almost ready, and lots of fun. We'll see if he keeps saying the same thing after he faces my arty.
All right, comments welcome...
Cobalt
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Cobalt
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