Bonesword & lash whip - it any good?

[mercer]

Ok, here's the deal. I've got a flying hive tyrant and was thinking of taking 2 pairs of scything talons, though due to some thought I'm now taking old adversary abilitiy, which gives preferred enemy special rule - so the 2 pairs of talons are redundant.

I've managed to squeeze in a single pair of twin-linked devourers but I've kept the bonesword and lash whip. Looking at the sword and whip combo I'm struggling to find a huge amount of use for it. The tyrant doesn't allow armour saves as its a monstrous creature any way, and most things with multiple wounds tend to have a decent leadership any way i.e space marines, nobz and warbosses etc. The lash whip might make a few things go last, but the real damage comes from power fists thunder hammers and a-like, which strike last anyway.

So should I give the bonesword and whip combo a go, or just ditch it and get another pair of twin-linked devourers?

[BuFFo]

So should I give the bonesword and whip combo a go?

Yes.

[rle68]

it does give you the ability to insta kill that which doesnt have eternal warrior...as for the whip that will work on most people/armies... be careful of a rune priest led space wolf assault with storm caller on, as both groups would go same time regardless of the lash whip...but other then the wolves id say its good to go

[MVBrandt]

Mercer, I actually like your logic.

The lashwhip/bonesword is arguably a "crutch" to convince you to go into combats you probably shouldn't anyway. That's to say, charging things that are going before your tyrant with weapons that can meaningfully threaten him. You've got other units to deal with such threats. The devourers are probably a better choice.

Remain mindful of the fact that while the Tyrant is better in combat and can be better in combat, his base stats are still better than the base stats for him in 4th edition, and in 4th he was perfectly functional in combat WITH OR WITHOUT close combat upgrades. That's generally still the case, so passing on potent and meaningful ranged weapons just to make him a little better in combat (and things that force opponents to go after you that already have a lower I than the tyrant anyway is a tad redundant against most things, hence the "little" better) is a bit of a waste.

[Mycroft Holmes]

I agree that taking the Bonesword/Lashwhip combo on the Tyrant isn't amazing. I think the combo is really intended to be used on Warriors, where forcing your opponents to go at Int 1 will allow you to go first and get the power weapon hits first and severely reduce the number of attacks coming back at you.

[mercer]

Bonesword and lash whip on Warriors is the way forward. Things which will be charging them will be decent initiative and probably not thunder hammers and a-like.

As for the Tyrant I'm going dual twin-linked devourers. I've weighed up that taking scything talons will only get me re-rolls for 1's against vehicles as I'm taking old adversary, so they're not that important. The sword and whip as I've already mentioned don't do a lot for the Tyrant.

Thanks for the comments!

[Ssyrie]

If I recall correctly, the Hive Tyrant can upgrade to Acid Blood which would make the Lash Whip very useful.

[mercer]

Hmmmm perhaps I am misunderstanding you. Acid blood forces a inititive test on the enemy unit for every unsaved wound on the tyranid model, if they fail they suffer and wound with no armour saves. If the Tyrant is going first because of the lash whip it means it would strike first and possible not receive any wounds if the enemy unit is wiped out, or very little wounds. So if the enemy unit is destroyed or has little survivors to attack back then acid blood won't be that affective?

Acid blood is best when you don't go first and receive wounds which can be put on a unit while it is still as maximum strength before you strike back, not against a already weakened or finished squad.

[MVBrandt]

He's thinking that you would test off I1, since wounding by Acid Blood is an I test. Don't know if it works that way, though.

[Sir Biscuit]

He's correct, actually. Characteristic tests are taken no whatever the characteristic is at currently, not the unmodified characteristic. Lash whips reduce I to one until the end of the assault phase, and acid blood goes off in the assault phase so... it works. Pg 8 of the BRB has all the relevant information.

So yes, lash whip plus acid blood is quite nasty. What a wonderful "revenge" build.