Most effective at low cost?

[Sonikgav]

Im going to be hitting up a 1000pt mini tourney in the near future and im stuck with a decision to make. I almost never play games this small and im wondering what I have that can be effective that low.

What I have to choose from is.....

Space Wolves (various builds)
Biker Marines
Gargoyle heavy Tyranids
Tau
Orks (walking infantry horde)
Immortal based Necrons
Purifier based Grey Knights

Obviously I can spot the costly armies that risk instantly being outnumbered but I need opinions. Personally im leaning towards Nids or Orks. Possibly Space Wolves though that depends on a few things.

[CrimsonTurkey]

If you have some genestealers to go with those gargoyles I'd do Null deployment nids. I run a list that I win most games with that's more or less as follows.

Tyrant
Wings, 2x scy tals, hive commander

10 Ymgarls (best unit in the codex and really hard to deal with at 1000 points)
10 Ymgarls

24 Outlflanking Hormagaunts
5 Warriors with deathspitters and scy tals

[thecactusman17]

Wow, I didn't realize that ymgarls could take more than one unit. That could be a nasty list.

The smaller the game the more specialized you want to be. Bike marines for example can suddenly be great. Invest your points in to something that either does one thing amazing it several things great, but lever your merely good models for those last few points.

At 1k, lists trend to either grind it a win or just annihilate stuff. Seriously look at lists that might table a similar opponent even if they can't score, because that is harder to prepare for.

[Sonikgav]

If I could afford it id be tempted with Wrath of Kan but its gonna cost too much to put together before the tourney.

2 Big Meks with KFFs
2 Deffdreads with cheapo Big Shootas as Troops
3x3 Kans with Rokkits or Zookas.

Just about 1k points on the dot. No scoring units but pretty stompy.

[DarkLink]

Not Purifier based Grey knights. Crowe sucks, and the lower the point cost the bigger that 150pt cost hurts you. Purifier spam is overrated anyways.

[bethor]

The 1k can wall shouldn't have the deff dreads. You only need the 9 kans, kff big mek, 20-30 shoota boys (behind the kan wall w/ mek), and 1-2 truck mobs for objective grabs and open topped dakka madness.
a unit of reserving gretchin is also recomended.

[CrimsonTurkey]

Bethor has a good idea there. That sounds like a tough list to dismantle at 1k. I also agree with the assessment that you should focus on killing first and objectives second at 1k. I usually table my opponents with my 'nids.

[Sonikgav]

If you have some genestealers to go with those gargoyles I'd do Null deployment nids. I run a list that I win most games with that's more or less as follows.

Tyrant
Wings, 2x scy tals, hive commander

10 Ymgarls (best unit in the codex and really hard to deal with at 1000 points)
10 Ymgarls

24 Outlflanking Hormagaunts
5 Warriors with deathspitters and scy tals

I like the look of this actually but youre a good 35 points over costed here. Would have to drop the Gaunts down to 18, or the Warriors down to 4 i suppose but if it plays as i think it does that Hive Tyrant is gonna be very Exposed to Turn 1-2 Firepower.

So as it stands i have a choice of.......

Big Mek - Eavy Armor, KFF - 90

Shoota Boys x30 - Rokkits x3 - 210
Trukk Boys x 12 - Trukk, Stikkbomb Chukka, Big Shoota - 117
Trukk Boys x 12 - Trukk, Stikkbomb Chukka, Big Shoota - 117

Kan x3 - Grotzookas, Riggers - 150
Kan x3 - Grotzookas, Riggers - 150
Kan x3 - Rokkits, Riggers - 165

or

Tyrant - Wings, Twin talons, hive commander - 255

10 Ymgarls - 230
10 Ymgarls - 230

Hormagaunts x24 - 144
Warriors x4 - Deathspitters, Scything Talons - 140

Both are exactly 999 points. Obviously the Nids are the more sneaky, Ymgarls getting in close and killy while the Orks are more the Stomp up the table and see what happens type of army.

[CrimsonTurkey]

I like the look of this actually but youre a good 35 points over costed here. Would have to drop the Gaunts down to 18, or the Warriors down to 4 i suppose but if it plays as i think it does that Hive Tyrant is gonna be very Exposed to Turn 1-2 Firepower.

So as it stands i have a choice of.......

Big Mek - Eavy Armor, KFF - 90

Shoota Boys x30 - Rokkits x3 - 210
Trukk Boys x 12 - Trukk, Stikkbomb Chukka, Big Shoota - 117
Trukk Boys x 12 - Trukk, Stikkbomb Chukka, Big Shoota - 117

Kan x3 - Grotzookas, Riggers - 150
Kan x3 - Grotzookas, Riggers - 150
Kan x3 - Rokkits, Riggers - 165

or

Tyrant - Wings, Twin talons, hive commander - 255

10 Ymgarls - 230
10 Ymgarls - 230

Hormagaunts x24 - 144
Warriors x4 - Deathspitters, Scything Talons - 140

Both are exactly 999 points. Obviously the Nids are the more sneaky, Ymgarls getting in close and killy while the Orks are more the Stomp up the table and see what happens type of army.

Thanks for doing the math for me. I didn't have my 'dex handy when I penned the original post.

[Sonikgav]

Im actually thinking about dropping the Gaunts down to a straight 20 and giving the Warriors Boneswords and Devourers and letting them Outflank.

The Gaunts are fast enough to keep up with the Flyrant and should be on for a Turn 2 Charge and S5 firepower isnt gonna add that much. Plus it leaves a more tempting footprint to lure some firepower away from theFlyrant.

[CrimsonTurkey]

I've often gotten my best use out of the warriors by reserving them to claim back-field objectives. There are only so many weapons that can ID them at lower point levels. Not that I'm saying you can't play around with the concept.

The gaunts seem to get horribly shot up unless they outflank.

[Sonikgav]

Im just not sure I like the idea of my Flyrant being the only thing on the board. Does Hive Commander work if he is in deserve as well?

[CrimsonTurkey]

That's the wonderful thing about hive commander. I deploy nothing with this list.

[Lord Severus]

Wolves are always tough at smaller points, as you only need 1 LF squad, a rune priest with lightning, and the load up on grey hunters and most armies cant deal with that much at that level.

Foot orks also give people fits since they dont have enough guns to deal with all those models.

[Sonikgav]

Ive decided to go with the Tyranids simply because the list im using is something different.

Orks and Wolves would have been cool, and i worry about the lack of shooting and relying on Rending/MC's to deal with Tanks but it could be a laugh to run a 0 deployment list.

As it stands now....

Tyrant - Wings, Bone Sword+Lash Whip, hive commander - 255

10 Ymgarls - 230
10 Ymgarls - 230

Termagants x18 - 90
Tervigon - Catalyst, Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands - 195

Tervi Outflanks and Spawns, Termagaunts advance from Reserve onto an objective in my deployment zone depending on mission and the Tyrant Flies in from Reserve or Deep Strikes once the Ymgarls and Tervigon are sowing some confusion and engaging their heavy guns.

Final choice to make is if im going to split those Ymgarls into 3 units. 2 7's and a 6 as i think 10 will be too much for a terrain piece to hold and id lose units upon entry.

[CrimsonTurkey]

I don't have the minis to go with the tervigon but that looks like it could be really nasty. There's a lot of stuff in that list that's difficult to deal with at 1k. Let us know how this list work out for you.

[Sonikgav]

The only thing I worry about is that I just KNOW there's gonna be an eggs in one basket type with Shield Termies in a Landraider or pair of Leman Russ tanks etc that is gonna blow me off the board.

[CrimsonTurkey]

The only thing I worry about is that I just KNOW there's gonna be an eggs in one basket type with Shield Termies in a Landraider or pair of Leman Russ tanks etc that is gonna blow me off the board.

Y-Stealers can take down tanks with RA 10-11 fairly easily. With my list I've managed to take out those sorts of IG armies without too much fuss.

Against termies use the +1A and try to get them when they're out of cover. You can get 40 attacks on the charge and at WS6/I6 they're bound to fail some saves. If you're feeling unlucky try to find points to take Old Adversary on the tyrant.

AV14 is a *****. I've taken to ignoring raiders and monoliths when I can. The MCs are the only way to get pens. The stealers can glance when using the +1S. I've popped a weapon or two that way. Sometimes I've used these sorts of vehicles just to get that extra 6" of movement though.

[Kaiserdean]

I'd go with the Ork mob.

Make sure you've got a couple of claws in your units, a KFF and perhaps some deff copters to mess with your opponents and tarpit them.

[herigonz]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Nob bikers at 1000 points. You could technically even take 2 Warbosses and still have all sorts of wound allocation shenanigans. Conversely just a single death star unit with some grots in reserve for late game objective grabbing. Nothing too fancy, just 2 groups of 10.

[Sinistermind]

ive use tau effectively (dont laugh) at 1k battlesuits ftw

[Dwarflord17404]

This was a good read as i too am preparing for a serious 1 k tourney as well. I never knew that this level was hotly contested. so people think that killing is m ore important than scoring. Also Nob bikerz were not consider becasue the number of st 8 weapons has increased to the the point that they almost become a liabilty. My big units of boyz have more succes against death stars amd chasing tac, infantry dev and other units off the table with a 800 point unit seems silly. Just my 2 cents