The Black Buzzards - 1500 point list (attempt 7)

Not sure which option would work best for my grots/archon. A, B, C or D? Or something else?

Option A:

HQ
Archon, venom blade, shadow field - 95

ELITE
3 grotesques
1 aberration, venom blade - 155
Raider - 60

Option B:

HQ
Archon, huskblade, soultrap, shadow field, combat drugs - 145

ELITE
3 grotesques - 105
Raider - 60

Option C:

HQ
Archon, huskblade, venom blade, shadow field- 130

ELITE
2 grotesques
1 aberration, venom blade - 120
Raider - 60

Option D:

HQ
Archon, shadow field, venom blade, blaster - 110

ELITE
4 grotesques - 140
Raider - 60

Rest of the list:

TROOPS
10 warriors, splinter cannon - 100
Raider - 60
10 warriors, splinter cannon - 100
Raider - 60
10 warriors, splinter cannon - 100
Raider - 60

FAST ATTACK
9 Reavers, 3 heatlances, arena champion, venom blade - 249
9 Reavers, 3 heatlances, arena champion, venom blade - 249

HEAVY SUPPORT
Ravager - 105
Ravager - 105

Total: 1498

Thoughts?

I like D; gives the Archon's unit enough hitting power without sinking too many points into any one aspect of the unit.  Any reason you went with a blaster over a splinter pistol?  You basically loose an attack, and I just don't see one Str 8 lance shot being worth that, just my 2 cents though.  Like the list a lot, look forward to reading your bat reps

Have you considered ditching venom blade on grots and taking scissorhand?

Finn wrote:

Have you considered ditching venom blade on grots and taking scissorhand?

Don't see the advantage it's 10 more points for wounding on 3s, rather than 2s against T4 (if you don't have furious charge) and 1 more attack. Just not worth it in my opinion.

Still, in most instances you'll be rerolling to wound, which gives you a good chance of making good use of that one additional attack.

Venom blade is v. good. But if I had the points left, I'd take the scissorhand.

I will only talk about the balster option, as I am a (returning) noob player and I don't have much experience. Blaster Archon is what I used recently with 4 blasterborn in a venom, as an anti-tank unit, not a close combat unit.

On your list, close combat Archon seems to be the option you took with grots.
It may be weird but I think a blaster could be helpful. It is a cheap AP2 shot before assaulting with venom blade which could be useful against TEQ. But, for the same purpose (and +20 pts argh!), a Huskblade may be better due to the number of attacks of the Archon...
1 grot = 1 huskblade, the choice is here I guess.

Do you have any idea what you will be playing? At 1500p you might not always face of vs a lot of MCs/ICs rendering soultrap useless. I generally like the abberation as this can soak challanges if needed whilst archon goes to town on infantry.

For me it's either List A or B as the use for ranged MIGHT be limited, you might need to run etc.

Archon has some of the best wargear availible and i constantly have to remind myself of WHAT is my goal with the unit as you overspend easily.

I like option C, looks like the most bang for your buck.  4 grots and a tooled up archon...go beat some peoples heads in.  I run something very similar.

I misread your OP...I would choose A or B I suppose.

Mushkilla wrote:

Finn wrote:

Have you considered ditching venom blade on grots and taking scissorhand?

Don't see the advantage it's 10 more points for wounding on 3s, rather than 2s against T4 (if you don't have furious charge) and 1 more attack. Just not worth it in my opinion.

If he could get one more Smash! attack from scissorhand, that'ld be cool. But if my math is right, he won't get one more.

I vote option C as well, I believe having more body guards to deliver the archon is vital.

Option E
Arcon, huskblade, shadow field, 125
2 Grots, Abe, venom blade, 120

Might also add drugs for archon?

Consider also running less number of special weapons for your Reavers.

But who am I to tell you what to try since you have ran your list a quite a few times already.

Vasara wrote:

Option E
Arcon, huskblade, shadow field, 125
2 Grots, Abe, venom blade, 120

So that would be option C then (same thing with the 5 left over points spent on a venom blade).

Vasara wrote:

Consider also running less number of special weapons for your Reavers.

Now there you overstepped the line!

I would go with option D. I recently ran almost the same unit, I really like that Archon build but mine also had drugs and ghostplate because I had some points available, and I only had 3 Grots.

But I always have a LG with my Grot squad.

I would be more tempted by B simply because it would give you a really scary hammer unit that will wipe out lots. Its a lot of points but other players will see this as a target priority which could increase the survivability of the rest of your army as they move up. I tend to find that a lot when I use my Archon (same build as B) with 4 Incubi. Particularly after they munch though some special character or expensive squad.
You are a pretty experienced player anyway mush, go with your gut

Question, have you thought of take duke for this list instead? You could throw him at the start with one of the warrior squads to give them some better shooting. You would have better drugs for your reaver jetbikes, and he is pretty darn good in close combat. The only problem would be if the grots decided to go berzerk first turn before you could get duke with them.

Mushkilla wrote:

Vasara wrote:

Option E
Arcon, huskblade, shadow field, 125
2 Grots, Abe, venom blade, 120

So that would be option C then (same thing with the 5 left over points spent on a venom blade).

No it would not be the same because I didn't make the option C.  
I just read through the list and didn't find my favorite so I made it. Should read more carefully peopples posts.

Allmost all choices have gotten some support so it's up to you again to decide witch way to go. My opinion is that three grots are enough support for the archon. And drugs before vb to ensure that your archon can be unkilly too when needed.

I like A or C. I don't generally find the blaster that helpful in a unit I want in CC, but it does make it much more versatile. I also hate when I kill the closest model and fail my charge. I probably like the husk blade best because it gives you some ap2 attacks in addition to the poisoned/high strength attacks from the grots.

A Moer wounds needed!

facelessabsalom wrote:

Mushkilla wrote:

Finn wrote:

Have you considered ditching venom blade on grots and taking scissorhand?

Don't see the advantage it's 10 more points for wounding on 3s, rather than 2s against T4 (if you don't have furious charge) and 1 more attack. Just not worth it in my opinion.

If he could get one more Smash! attack from scissorhand, that'ld be cool. But if my math is right, he won't get one more.

I vote option C as well, I believe having more body guards to deliver the archon is vital.

Woah wait what? Grots with Smash! attack? That would be super!

I musta been off when I wrote that...