The 'Tar-pit' units

[Levitas]

I was playing a doubles game recently, and watched my team mate use a maxed out guard unit to simply hold up a unit of crushers in combat. Of course the Guard had Yarrick to help.

The guard were never going to win, but they did hold up a lethal unit in combat, while the rest of the armie blew other stuff up.

Sometimes you can't beat them, but a cheap unit that wont budge can simply tie them up - the tar-pit.

What are the best 'tar-pits' to hold up units like nob bikers, TH termies etc?

[Chumbalaya]

Stubborn Guardsmen, Nurglings, Dreadnoughts (only for things without multiple PFs, hello Bloodcrushers!)

[Xas]

AV12 sentinels

especially against those cow-mounted khorne deamons with their S5! ^^

the usuall comissar+3*10 guardsmen is nice as well but only works against small attack-units (like SS/TH termies if they are only 5 or a carnifex or avatar. dont try to tarpit a big unit of nobz or khorne berzerkers...).

[Katie Drake]

Dark Eldar Wyches have to be one of the best tarpit units in the game. Wych weapons and a 4+ Invulnerable save in close combat make it very difficult for the enemy to deal with them reliably. Their only real weakness is to shooting of any kind.

Also, the Armored Sentinel suggestion is bang on. Those guys are awesome tarpitters and can do some good damage if given heavy flamers.

[Levitas]

Playing marines there is no obvious unit, maybe a chaplain with full squad. Or as said, Dreads against units that cant hurt them with fists.

[Craz]

I like to think of my tactical squads(with ld10 Rites of Battle) as good tarpit units. Unless they're going up against a bunch of power weapons, they can hold off against most. Heck, I've had one tactical squad hold up both Harlequins and an autarch in the same game, keeping them in combat long enough to kill them or just hold them up until the end of the game respectively.

[Alien]

Playing marines there is no obvious unit, maybe a chaplain with full squad. Or as said, Dreads against units that cant hurt them with fists.

this one has been a bone of contention with my gaming group, we constantly have dreads tying up broods of gaunts or similar and it is always a sore topic.

One of my group says his gaunts are much faster than the dread so they should be able to break away, since they cannot hurt it at all, why stay and fight.
I say if it caught you in the first place it is obviously fast enough.
we have devised a rule for this, if you roll straight up initiative test at the end of cc against the locked unit that you cannot beat, if you win, you can fall back, if you lose however.....well see ya later, sweeping advance style.
this gives those tarpit moments some added climax in an otherwise and often boring ending.

[Katie Drake]

this one has been a bone of contention with my gaming group, we constantly have dreads tying up broods of gaunts or similar and it is always a sore topic.

One of my group says his gaunts are much faster than the dread so they should be able to break away, since they cannot hurt it at all, why stay and fight.
I say if it caught you in the first place it is obviously fast enough.
we have devised a rule for this, if you roll straight up initiative test at the end of cc against the locked unit that you cannot beat, if you win, you can fall back, if you lose however.....well see ya later, sweeping advance style.
this gives those tarpit moments some added climax in an otherwise and often boring ending.

Yep, voluntary fall back was something that was suggested as an option in the 3rd edition rules. If it makes your gaming group happier, then more power to you. I should suggest though that your Tyranid playing friend try to avoid finding his Gaunts in those situations in the first place, though. Introduce the Dreadnought to a Flyrant with two pairs of scything talons and toxin sacs and the little 'uns will have much less to worry about.

[Old_Paladin]

One of my group says his gaunts are much faster than the dread so they should be able to break away, since they cannot hurt it at all, why stay and fight.
I say if it caught you in the first place it is obviously fast enough.
we have devised a rule for this, if you roll straight up initiative test at the end of cc against the locked unit that you cannot beat, if you win, you can fall back, if you lose however.....well see ya later, sweeping advance style.
this gives those tarpit moments some added climax in an otherwise and often boring ending.

You mean a little like 'hit and run'?
Really though, I know what you mean. I think it's just meant to add a bit more of another tactical level to the game; keep the weak units away from something they cannot beat.

Which is another thing. I've seen people toss gaunts into a Dread because it can kill max 6 (and thats with no retreat losses). Better its tied up all game then blasting around with an assault cannon and pounding on injuried 'fexes with its fists.
It's all about how you see the game; one persons goal is another persons headache.

[darth_papi76]

Two maxed out Storm Guardian squads supported by an Avatar are great for holding up elite close combat units.