Thursday, March 10, 2011

NOVA list #2 .. a Baby Sealswarmlord?

As ever, tweaking my list endlessly for NOVA.  My first list is fun, but it lacks a center.  Finding that to be a bit of a playstyle want for me - something big and obnoxious I can bait my opponent with.  Fortunately, we have just such a bait, all fat and wriggly:  Ye olde Swarmlord.

A lot of posts lately have covered the nasty potential of Swarmy and ravs, stealers, and ymgarls - probably no better example of the potential than a very tasty stealer shock list here by Kevinmcd28 on Jawaballs' blog.  Reposting here for brevity:

Hive Tyrant w/ Wings and Hive Commander - 255
Hive Tyrant w/ Wings - 230
2 Zoanthropes in a Mycetic Spore - 160
8 Ymgarl Genestealers - 184
8 Ymgarl Genestealers - 184
8 Genestealers w/ Toxin Sacs and a Broodlord (w/ Toxin Sacs and Scything Talons) - 184
8 Genestealers w/ Toxin Sacs - 136
8 Genestealers w/ Toxin Sacs - 136
8 Genestealers w/ Toxin Sacs - 136
Trygon Prime - 240


As GraveMind helpfully points out - this list practically begs out loud for a Swarmy variant.

Unfortunately - I'm not posting that variant yet as I foolishly tried to apply the concept to my NOVA list, which I like, but think needs more cowbell.  This is an experiment with both shooty and nasty things for Swarmy to boost.  

Swarmlord + 2 Tyrant Guard w/LW: 410
Prime w/LW, BS, DS, Regen: 110


2x2 HG: 200
3x Zoanthropes: 180
Tyrannofex w/Rupture, DL, Spines: 265
2x Biovore: 90


Tervigon w/Cat, Tox, AG, Scytals: 200
12x Termagants: 60
16x Stealers w/tox: 272
6x Raveners w/Rending: 210

I'm a bit horrified at the lack of bubble wrap.  I liked this idea until I started to try mock deployments.  What I came up with:  Swarmy and his flunkies, behind the 3++ zoans led by the Prime for wound allocation, flanked by the HGs, tervigon on one side, tfex on the other.  Raveners ahead of that line, then termagants out front; genestealers infiltrate.  Biovores in the rear.  Definitely a walking blob intended to take and hold the center.

I'm still tweaking the swarmlord version of the shock list...   might finish that late this week.  Hope to hear from ya!

9 comments:

  1. Glad to see the Raveners. Swarmy loves Raveners.

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  2. I had also been trying to think of a decent Swarmy variation on the Stealer-shock list. I just find it difficult to get him into combat if he does not start on the board.

    I was thinking of replacing the second Tyrant & Trygon with Swarm his guard and a Gargoyle screen.

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  3. Ah, Lyracian beat me to it....Gargoyles.
    Best screeners ever.

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  4. @Lyracian - tyrant/swarmlord at 2k is rough. I worry about swarmy's ability to get anywhere near combat in a list like this where everything else is so much faster/pre-positioned.

    @Purg - your comments on how much fun a big stack of S5 ravs would be made me replace my dubs warriors with ravs.

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  5. @Ghostin,
    So do I. I have played a DoW game where he arrived turn two and spent three turns walking across the board. The question is can you funnel enemy towards him with your other forces or get enough support he can start on the board?

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  6. @Lyracian

    Why reserve him during DoW? If anything, this is when you put him forward in cover with your tervigon and genestealers, haha.

    I think when you take Tyrants, I would really consider taking drop pod zoanthropes. Saves you about 20 points and you get them pretty reliably turn 2 where ever you want.

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  7. @Benton.english,
    Because he can not deploy with his guard and my opponents had Obliterators and other heavy weapons on a fairly open table. I reserved everything so my opponent had nothing to shoot at for two turns.

    See game twelve for details -
    http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/290241.page

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  8. Hey, Ghostin.
    I was hoping maybe you'd see this, and do me a quick favor (I promise to keep linking your blog! Lol).
    I'm having a debate of sorts with my good buddy Purgatus (he of the knuckle-shaped head) over at Best Overall.
    It's linked here on your page, I see ;)
    Perhaps you could offer your opinion in our discussion.
    It would be much appreciated- thanx if you can!

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  9. lol - commented. I think back to MVB's commentary on how easy it is to take down HGs with Manticores/Vendettas. I can't see a really good player not just blitzing the tyrants early and then dealing with the unbuffed remnants; but that doesn't take Purg's skill into account. Methinks he can be tricksy with his tyrants.

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