Daboarders Nid Review and Tactics

[Tynskel]

As I said, when you get stuck in, it is a great power. Just doing wounds to multiple unit. *Someone* will fail, and that's a couple wounds there.

It is really silly to think of it as 'only 40%'. Look at Tyranid Guns... most of them don't penestrate armor, so a couple wounds on marines is usually saved. If you hit targets like Centurios, or Terminators, Psychic Scream is painful.

[Deadlift]

This has been interesting reading Daboarder, while I have no intention of playing Nids your review has been a good resource for fighting against them.

[Sly]

I'm liking Psychic Scream a lot.
First of all, in this Codex, AP2 firepower is at a premium.
Second, you would want it on a Flyrant (probably only there), who has the ability to threaten multiple units with it.
Third, on a Flyrant with its SitW, it's a real threat to other Psykers (as stated).

I wouldn't keep it on everything, but with a Flyrant, you want other units with Synapse so that you don't have to limit its mobility. So you're not depending on it for Synapse all that much. Trading it out for Dominion doesn't seem worthwhile.

[daboarder]

Morning all,

Please allow me to address some of the issues you've raised.

the wording in the german ´dex implies it´s worse than Battle Focus - there it says you may "run and then shoot", but no word on the opposite (which we probably need less than the fragile Eldar, but still would have been useful to have...). Is it the same in the english version?

Thank you again tyrendian, I am aware of that, I was trying to say that battle focus has shown how powerful this can be not that it is the same, I see not to much reason to ever be "defensive" with Tranids however (never have) and feel that only being able to run fist is no major drawback for the power. But I'll put it in the notes.

Dude.

Daboarderereererer,
you are totally wrong about Psychic Scream. I have been using Psychic Scream for years now. It was my favorite power in the 5th Edition Codex, and it was improved upon now in the new 6th Codex.

Never gunna hit anything? Bwah? I usually hit 3 units at time!

If you are able to maneuver that zoanthrope or tervigon to hit 3 units with a 6 nova enough game turns to not swap it out for Dominion then good for you, Personally however as I said unless its on a fast psyker (ie the Flying Tyrant) I'd rather have the synapse safety net that is dominion.

Furthermore as the the chances of causiing wounds, it is 2D6, Roughly 50% of the time your rolling 9 (7+2), even against the worst Ld units in the game (US!) your only doing 3-4 wounds half the time you get through a units defenses.

With shriek you have 3D6 the average is a very loose probability curve that peaks at 10.5 (ie you will roll 10 and 11 equally) but is broad enough to reliably spread form 9-12. that is a HUGE difference in the damage output, yes its a directed power not a nova but we are talking about these powers on ALL Tyranid platforms ie: Walking Tyrants, Flying Tyrants, Tervigons, Zoanthropes, and the Swarmlord.

Its not a bad power, but its a pretty niche direct damage weapon in a list full of much needed force multipliers therefore I stand by my initial assessment.

This has been interesting reading Daboarder, while I have no intention of playing Nids your review has been a good resource for fighting against them.

.....Wonderful!

nah, joking aside I'm glad you liked it, after I've done the units I'm thinking about doing an installment on how to look at a nid list, determine its biggest weaknesses and take them apart. Should be good for both Tyranids and others to see how a Tyranid list can most effectively be taken apart.

But that will probably be last, and as a nid player I hope no one I play against read it, cough cough

[Tynskel]

what's shriek got to do with anything Bugs?

And, I would use Dominion on a Tervigon if I rolled that power.
Considering bugs 'converge' on a point (unless people have forgotten completely how to play bugs), there's no reason why you would need to put Dominion on a Walking Tyrant. Keep that Nova Bubble.

Synapse is *not* a force multiplier. What you do with Psychic Scream is you run into the middle of their army, and screaaaaam. The rest of your army pounces on the units that are hurt most by the scream. It is a great end game power. Unless things have gone horribly awry, you want to be in the middle of their army by turn 3ish.

[Halollet]

what's shriek got to do with anything Bugs?

And, I would use Dominion on a Tervigon if I rolled that power.
Considering bugs 'converge' on a point (unless people have forgotten completely how to play bugs), there's no reason why you would need to put Dominion on a Walking Tyrant. Keep that Nova Bubble.

Synapse is *not* a force multiplier. What you do with Psychic Scream is you run into the middle of their army, and screaaaaam. The rest of your army pounces on the units that are hurt most by the scream. It is a great end game power. Unless things have gone horribly awry, you want to be in the middle of their army by turn 3ish.

If your synapse it covered, I might keep the scream on a Tervigon solely for the fact that Line Breaker exists. Something is going to try can get to your side of the board. Having a nuke power in waiting wouldn't be such a bad idea. Also, there are things that like to deep strike on you as well. Remember you can tie up units with gaunts and still Scream them, like the gaunts that the Tervigon keep producing!

[daboarder]

what's shriek got to do with anything Bugs?

And, I would use Dominion on a Tervigon if I rolled that power.
Considering bugs 'converge' on a point (unless people have forgotten completely how to play bugs), there's no reason why you would need to put Dominion on a Walking Tyrant. Keep that Nova Bubble.

Synapse is *not* a force multiplier. What you do with Psychic Scream is you run into the middle of their army, and screaaaaam. The rest of your army pounces on the units that are hurt most by the scream. It is a great end game power. Unless things have gone horribly awry, you want to be in the middle of their army by turn 3ish.

I have compared it to shriek as that is what most people reading this will be familiar with, and mechanistically it operates on very similar principles.

Bugs do not HAVE to converge on any point and doing so is likely detrimental to your game play, I mean if you just "converging" how do you deal with enemy skirmish units that out range you (snipers), or opponents who out maneuver you (eldar) or opponents who are able to split their forces and attack you (Pod marines in your back lines)

And finally DOMINION, is a force multiplier, not only does it make that synapse creatures coverage roughly 50% larger, it also means that you have the opportunity to obtain synapse coverage on creatures who wind up outside synapse when parts of your network die. And if you are playing a competent opponent parts of your network WILL die.

Again, please read everything I have said, NOWHERE have I said scream is a bad power, but given a choice of it and dominion I will more often than not take dominion. You are comparing a damage power that is short range and does 1-2 wounds statistically, compared to a power that can prevent the entire army from crumpling.

[Tynskel]

Dominion is useful, I agree, on something like a tervigon. On a Hive Tyrant, no, because that guy should be converging on your enemy.
it does 1-2 wounds statistically *per* target. Hence why you want to be in the middle.

people who spread out their forces are asking to be isolated and destroyed. Snipers? Seriously? You worry about snipers? Throw a barrage of spore mines at them. Boom—dead.

And, no, Synapse is *not* a force multiplier. Here's an example of a force multiplier: Broodlord casts The Horror on a squad. Then the Hive Tyrant Charges, and goes at Initiative. That's a force multiplier. or Harpy charges the same unit that Carnifexes are charging.

You should have enough synapse to be covering your force. It isn't hard to do with bugs. If you are not taking enough synapse, then you really need powers like 'dominion', or the Norn Crown.

[daboarder]

alright Tynskel we're done here,

You've made your position know and I feel that I have more than elaborated upon why on a slow model that can only move 6+D6 a turn (or only 6 if you want to use that power your so fond of) is a bad spot for it.

DOMINION, is a force multiplier, not only does it make that synapse creatures coverage roughly 50% larger, it also means that you have the opportunity to obtain synapse coverage on creatures who wind up outside synapse when parts of your network die. And if you are playing a competent opponent parts of your network WILL die.

[Tynskel]

alright Tynskel we're done here,

You've made your position know and I feel that I have more than elaborated upon why on a slow model that can only move 6+D6 a turn (or only 6 if you want to use that power your so fond of) is a bad spot for it.

your statement is condradictory. you are saying that if your opponents want the synapse dead, they will die. then why not use a power that KILLS instead of does nothing but DIE.


I just find it silly that 'slow' means bad. I don't know what kinda warhammer games you have been playing, but the business is happening for 3-4 turns (aka close combat).