Monstrous Beasts - 1996

Here's something I am preparing for my next few games over the coming weeks. Still having fun trying new combo's and ideas:


Baron
Haemie, Liq, VB
Haemie, Hexrifle

3 Trueborn, 2 Splinter Cannons in Venom, 2nd Splinter Cannon
3 Trueborn, 2 Splinter Cannons in Venom, 2nd Splinter Cannon

6 Wyches, HWG in Raider, NS
6 Wyches, HWG in Raider, NS
6 Wyches, HWG in Raider, NS
3 Wracks

4 Beastmasters w/ 5 Khymera, 6 Razorwing Flocks
6 Reavers, 2 HL's

Talos, CF, TL HB
Ravager, NS
Ravager, NS

w/ Allies

Farseer on Jetbike, Runes or Warding, Divination Primaris Power
5 Pathfinders
Wraithlord, Scatterlaser, Wraithsword

-- 1996 --


OK, plan is; Baron starts with Wracks, Haemie's and Farseer start mixed into the Beast pack. Haemie (Liq/VB) walks away, leaving PT with Beastmasters. Baron snags Wracks PT and joins Beasts. 2nd Haemie (Hexrifle) remains attached but trails behind, unit is now Fearless. Haemie shoots from the back (had 15 spare pts).
Baron positions himself at the front, contolling the wound pool onto either Khymera, Razorwings or himself (depends entirely on opponents set up as to how I position the Beasts for LOS! wounds)

Deployed right behind the Beast unit is the Talos, then behind him is the Wraithlord. Beasts (2 or 3 Beastmasters/Farseer) provide cover for the Talos, the Talos provides cover for the Wraithlord.

Both Talos and Wraithlord snipe at tanks from range (T1, T2), as they close in and more then likely line up troop targets for CC later in the game.

Rest of the list (Wyches, Ravagers, Trueborn, Reavers and Pathfinders) do their thing. Plenty of Anti-MEQ, Anti-TEQ and Anti-Hoarde.


Questions/Comments always welcomed

I would add few more khymeras to beastmaster unit, and also take at least one razorwing, because thats the best way to counter enemy flyers, and it also has 4 missiles as a default which is nice. Otherwise your list looks nice

I wouldn't say slowing your beast unit down with the trailing Haemie is a good idea. Unless you're really careful with how you move them, you'll probably only manage to move a few of them 12" the first time they move. You get that third pain token, but it could well be at the expense of getting them shot to bits as they advance slower than they should, and it's speed that will get them to where they're needed, quickly and in one piece (hopefully).

My point is, they don't need to start with three pain tokens - the way you've worked it out so that they can is very cunning, but means that they're slowed down, can't ignore difficult terrain (as the haemie will still have to test for it) and aren't fleet. And if you break him off before the charge, he'll take the third token with him anyway.

You might be better off putting the haemie with the Pathfinders so they all gain night vision, or with a squad of wyches to increase their survivability. The beasts will get that third token if you get them into the fight fast enough anyway.

Yeah I originally started with 10 Khymera, but had to cut some pts. A few options to bring them back could be:

Decrease all the Wyches down to 5, that would get me 1 BM and 2 Khymera.....

Drop one Trueborn Venom for 1 BM and 5 more Khymera.....camp a Splinterborn unit

Drop a Wych unit (just the troops as the Raider can then be unlocked by the Wracks) so that opens up 1 BM and 5 Khymera.....


With the Beasts, Talos and Wraithlord deploying altogether, they are gonna be the focus of a lot of firepower, hence the Fearless. I think more Khymera would give me more defence against Flamers, as blobs tend to attract them LOL.

With the focus being on them, this should give my Wyches and Ravagers an opportunity to flank one side. I would imagine big guns at the MC's, small arms/Blasts at the Beasts...


@ Mr Believer: yeah trailing the Haemie does have its downsides; speed (which can be mitigated somewhat early on due to model placement/base sizing), Loss of Fleet (roll a "1" for Run.....but does Farseer Jetbike allow for Run rolls?) but these can be offset by forcing him to bite the bullet first up.....

Just thought of an another idea:

Dropping 1 squad of Wyches and a Ravager and bringing in 10 Scourges with 4 Haywires.

They too will hang behind the Beasts for protection, moving at the same speed and the Farseer can cast Prescience on them for T1 and T2 shooting phases, pretty much guaranteing 4 glancing hits at 36" away per turn. Should stop a LandRaider in its tracks and essentially they are Twin Linked when shooting at Flyers. Even just a unit of 5 w/ 2 HB's that can reroll To Hit may be a good investment.

But no-one in my meta brings LandRaiders so for won't be a huge benefit, just thought I'd share the potential.