Spore Mine Uses?

[FTE-Charge!!!]

Im entertaining the idea of using 3 clusters of Spore Mines as a cheap way of area denial to my opponent.

Has anyone used these before? How many clusters, and spores per cluster?

I have checked the FAQ for further clarification and it helps a little.

Basically, as I understand it, Spore Mines do not trigger the explosion in other Spore Mines. Otherwise they would explode as soon as they Deep Strike. Makes sense, right?

The main weakness I see for this unit is that when DSing the unit is extremely close and has a very good chance of exploding all at once on the first turn if the opponent shoots at one SM in the cluster. Since this is a pregame DS, I dont think they get the chance to run and scatter (nor do I think they can run).

So with 3, 6 Spore clusters in the opponents zone that is a good chance at disrupting their deployment plans. But if they are canny they could deploy something like a Dreadnought outside of 1 inch (per FAQ), then immediately trigger one SM on the first turn, which would then blow the rest of the bunched cluster without causing any damage to the 'nought.

OR if the opponent doesnt have any units like a 'nought they could shoot one SM on the first turn and blow it, which would again trigger the others in the bunched up cluster.

Thoughts, feedback, tactics please?

[fuzzbuket]

well im guessing their best use would be area denial, behind cover as a sort of shield for your shooty bugs?

however with less moving they would be better in dense terrain (e.g. in or behind buildings?)

sadly these metal bawxes can counter them i think?

-fuzz

[Wildeybeast]

I think you pointed out the main problems of using this tactic. I honestly don't see the point of it. Sure it's going to annoy your opponent, but is it really worthwhile, given how easy they are to get rid of? What value is there in area denial? Sticking them on objectives has some merit, but most opponents will simply shoot them off or take the hit to get the objective. And I think there are better things you can spend your 180 points on, namely stuff that runs a serious risk of killing itself before th game begins (any deep strike mishap autmoatically kills them all). If you really want annoying spore mines buy 3 biovores for that price. However, I'd go for another unit of bugs - 18 ripper swarms will pay back their points cost far more than than your spore mines ever will.

And no, they can't ever run.

[Necron_Lord]

I actually played a game last weekend where my opponent deployed two groups of 6 spore mines in my deployment area. I had some footslogging Necron Warriors, so they could hurt, so I had to deploy them away from the clusters. At the end of the day, they really didn't do much except kill an Immortal or two and inflict a wound on a Wraith. Bear in mind we were playing a 2000 point game and he went first, so the spores had a chance to move before I could shoot them. If you go second, the size of the game is small or your opponent has lots of mech, they really aren't worth it. Get some Gargoyles, or something.

Having said that, they can be nasty in larger games against certain foot lists and against armies where the best save is 4+ and you have first turn.

[evilamericorp]

Basically, as I understand it, Spore Mines do not trigger the explosion in other Spore Mines. Otherwise they would explode as soon as they Deep Strike. Makes sense, right?

Where are you getting this interpretation from? Nothing in the FAQ changes the fact that they are removed if they move onto a friendly unit. They deep strike into B2B, and the first time they randomly move, there is a large chance they will drift over the base of another mine (which became a separate unit as soon as it landed) and kill themselves. Until they are faq'd to not kill each other, spore mines are terrible.

[FTE-Charge!!!]

Sorry, could have worded that better. What I meant was that Spore Mine's proximity to other SMs would not trigger the explosion. I believe the rules state they trigger when a friend or foe moves withing a certain range- but I consider this null and void with SM bc they start off in close proximity.

But I do understand your point- it doesnt specifically state otherwise so we could assume they do indeed blow each other up. Looks like Biovores are the way to go.

[Cavematt]

Here's where spore mines come in handy. Dawn of war deployment. Put them down along the center line in a few small clusters near where you want to charge your bugs at them. They sit there in the middle of the field and force your opponent to deploy 18" away from them, giving you the center of the table an a good place to start fighting from.

[St.Germaine]

I may be missing something here but if so, one of you will need to quote some rules to clear it up. The current codex is quite clear under the Living Bomb rule (pg 48 under the Biovore entry) that it explodes if it "suffers a wound, touches an enemy model, impassable terrain, or it ends any Movement phase within 2" of an enemy unit". There is absolutely no reference to spores mines being detonated by friendly models that I can see. It makes no sense that they wouldn't be bio-engineered to ignore Tyranid entities as targets because the Hive Mind has no interest in blowing up it's own troops. (If they happen to get caught in the blast when enemy troops get blow up, oh well...)

This is the way our group plays these goobers and in larger games (1850+) they are very good at keeping troops out of an area. In a recent game where I was testing out an all bike force, they did a very good job of forcing my bikes into a more circuitous path than I had planned as I had no dreads/vehicles that could clear them out safely.

[canoebuilder001]

I have had similar experiences as St. Germaine. Spore mines rock at keeping an opponent from moving into an area. My local tyranid player loves them for dropping on objectives on the other side of the board, while his horde comes across. This delays me from getting set up on objectives until I can clear them off. If I am shooting at the mines, I am not shooting at his horde.

[dragonkain]

yea, I can add to the consensus from my own experiments with dropping in clusters. They plopped in and forced my Salamander enemy to route around them or take potshots to clear them out. Good for a distraction that you can chuck into their faces and forcing them to route around them, or waste time shooting. I tend to prefer Rippers though, since people underestimate the little *******s.