"Hey Kirby,
Been a reader of your blog for a few months now and I really enjoy the content, especially since it's all solid tactics and lists not filler. Keep up the great work!
Hopefully I can get some advice on a list I am considering for a tournament at the beginning of December. Ive gotten a few games in with the new codex and it's been alot of fun compared to the book (ahem, pamphlet) that I've been using for the last 8 or 9 months. With this list I was hoping to achieve a force that is aggressively moving forward while having enough backfield support to hold a rear line in the case of C&C or even Seize ground.
The thought is if I go first the 3 wytch squads turbo boost forward (haemy in squad with 9) with the incubi following behind either boosting turn one or moving 12 if there's exposed targets worth shooting. Trueborn move up behind them possibly getting turn one shots in depending on deployment. Scourges sit on one or both flanks move up behind some intervening cover between them and most/some of the enemy army, while shooting their haywire blasters at potentially hazardous targets like leman russes or predators and stun lock them (well most likely anyway). Ravagers find optimal positions to do what they do best. Wracks are there to hold a rear objective should one be present, and in the case of something coming in from my back edge like wolf scouts or kommandos I can always jump the scourges back and easily support the position with fire.
If I'm going second I will start the scourges on the board out of LoS and the wracks in cover. There should be a sufficient terrain piece or two to fully hide at least one Trueborn venom and give another one cover; the ravagers go behind them even for cover. Incubi could start on board or in reserves to turboboost in; wytches will always start in reserves and turbo boost on looking to clean up whatever guys have hopped out of their vehicles.
The wytch squad with shardnet and haemy for FnP will go after squads with large volumes of mostly non PW attacks for a 4++/4+, whereas the razorflail squads will go after things that they will be killing. I tried hydra gauntlets in a few games but the reroll to hit/wound is much more productive for killing MeQs than the +d6 hits.
Also I'd like to hear your thoughts on the haywire blaster. Sure it's not going to kill anything (like reliably ever) but with our awesome armor plating technology (lol) a shaken/stunned vendetta/predator/etc is going to make all the difference. With BS4, and the haywire ability getting a glance 2/3 of the time, with said glance being a result of a 1-2 2/3 of the time it seems like a safe bet. Also if I'm reading this correctly you could theoretically get 2 results on an AV10 vehicle per hit; C:DE pg. 58 "If a haywire blaster hits a vehicle, resolve it's effects as normal, then roll a further d6. On a 1 nothing happens. on a 2-5, the vehicle takes a glancing hit. On a 6 it suffers a penetrating hit." So if I shoot an AV 10 vehicle and roll a six on the pen roll (Haywire Blaster is str 4) I get a glancing hit, plus the haywire effect happens; not that it will happen that often but when it does it'll be awesome.
Without further ado here is my list, any comments/criticisms are much appreciated.
Thanks,
Mizzrym
Haemonculus 50
4 Trueborn 173
4 Blasters; Venom w/ 2 Sp. Cannons
4 Trueborn 173
4 Blasters; Venom w/ 2 Sp. Cannons
5 Incubi 175
Venom w/ 2 Sp. Cannon
9 Wyches 190
Shardnet & Impaler, Hekatrix w/ Agonizer; Raider
10 Wyches 210
2 Razorflails, Hekatrix w/ Agonizer; Raider
10 Wyches 210
2 Razorflails, Hekatrix w/ Agonizer; Raider
5 Wracks 60
Liquifier
5 Scourges 130
2 Haywire Blasters
5 Scourges 130
2 Haywire Blasters
Ravager 115
Flickerfield
Ravager 115
Flickerfield
Ravager 115
Flickerfield"
I'm not sure about this list. I both like it and don't like it lol. The single Incubi squad helps the Wyches break units but well it's a single squad. Other than that you've got a lot of anti-tank across multiple ranges which is good but perhaps a bit light on anti-infantry (Wyches in assault and Trueborn Venoms). I think dropping the Incubi and one of the Wych squads for another Wrack squad, with Venoms for both provides some more anti-infantry firepower whilst not having a singular stand-out combat unit. I'd then replace the Scourges with Reavers and give them heat lances which gives you some good anti-tank whilst also having a unit capable of whacking around infantry.
We could then drop a Wych squad if we wish and be more aggressive with the Wracks by buying them some combat HQs to provide some more beef behind the Wyches though the 3 squads works, too. I'd make all of the squads Shardnet/Impaler though as it improves the survivability of the squad by reducing incoming attacks and the combat weapons vary a bit on effectiveness depending upon what drug you roll (the shardnet is always good however). Whilst you do rely on torrenting from the Wyches in combat to kill things, three squads gives you a lot of torrenting and a good defense is a better offense (or whatever the saying is :P).
I don't have my codex on me atm so not sure how the points add up but if you need to shave some points dropping a trueborn+blaster from each of the squads can save some points. I'd also try to put in some flickerfields on the Wych Raiders to make them more useful after they drop the Wyches off but not necessary as you'll be moving fast early on.
With regards to Haywire blasters, their best place is on Talos' as they are twin-linked. They do give a very reliable shakelock but on units like Scourges heat lances, dark lances, blasters, etc. are better weapons.
