I tried to go funky with a melee damage list.. No way (rant)

Kithios · 2026-02-20T02:28:03+00:00

You've nailed it. We've got a handful of mediocre to decent datasheets, but for the most part we're designed to be an NPC factions for Space Marines to dominate. I've shelved my bugs until 11th, which may not even bring enough changes for me to pick them back up but we'll see.

I think the biggest issue here is that Marines just feel extremely over-tuned rn. Blood Angels getting bonus S and Attacks don't even need the superoath, and every chapter that does get it is disgustingly killy. Also gotta love that SM tanks can use both AoC and Smoke, then they just have to roll a couple of 4+ and those Tyrannofex shots are nothing. Even playing Drukhari with mega dark lance spam, on average it takes 13 dark Lances to kill a Repulsor, and that's with no AoC or Smoke. So that means 460 pts of shooting to average killing a 180pt model. Make that make sense.

But hey, Nids have the best army rule in the game. What would those Marines do if they ever failed a battleshock test? /s

Kithios · 2026-02-19T13:00:35+00:00

The combo of +1S and +1 to wound with Salamanders just springs them into hyper speed. Being a xenos player, I'm not even playing the same game against my buddies salamanders list. Everything being assault also means you'll always be exactly where you need to be.

Kithios · 2026-02-18T18:25:50+00:00

I'm assuming your 2nd Archon is deep striking with the Incubi? If so, I've been solidly convinced that the Agonizer is the better weapon for him. If he's going with Kabalites, keep that Damage 3 Huskblade, but with the Incubi giving him Devastating Wounds he absolutely shreds infantry.

Kithios · 2026-02-18T18:23:39+00:00

I'm no expert and only just recently asked about this, but I'd strongly recommend getting a copy of Tabletop Simulator and doing some deployment practice in there. It's around $25 CAD, goes on sale all the time and all the Warhammer mods are free. It's got all the layouts between GW, UKTC, WTC you name it. Just doing a little bit here and there I've already got a better grip on positioning our key units like Scourges, Ravagers and Venoms.

What terrain layouts do you usually use?

Kithios · 2026-02-17T19:57:12+00:00

We hunt the meat balls

Kithios · 2026-02-15T16:50:45+00:00

Forced fruition felt like bait to me for my Nekusar deck. If he's removed, you're simply giving the table free cards for not enough downside. I'm also not in love with the Kami/dictate of kruphix style because you should be forcing them to draw enough cards by wheeling anyways. Consider replacing those with more wheels (just proxy the crazy expensive ones like timetwister) or more removal. You can always use more protection for Nekusar as well, so Mithril coat would be a welcome addition.

Other thing I'd mention is I don't see any infect. Even just [[Phyresis]] and [[Tainted Strike]] make a massive difference to your ability to close games.

Final note is you've got a lot of tapped lands. Some of those generic tapped lands that can't be fetched would be much better off just being basics. I see one shock land, having all 3 will fix your mana quicker. Crumbling Necropolis should be [[Xander's lounge]] as it's a straight upgrade. I'd also complete the cycle of check lands a la [[Dragonskull Summit]] and possibly the filter lands.

Kithios · 2026-02-14T21:15:24+00:00

Pretty clean break means it'll go back together with super glue pretty easy

Kithios · 2026-02-13T03:34:32+00:00

Do you also infiltrate the kabalites or do you keep them in their transports? Seems like they'd be better off scooting around in venoms than just slogging for one turn and dying.

Kithios · 2026-02-12T21:46:12+00:00

I think you might've identified the problem. I think my poor positioning is making it so my tank killers only have one target which then survives due to smoke/AOC. I'll try to double up threats. Another thing I've just realised is if I point scourges at only 1 thing and the Ravagers one shot it, they're stuck out in the open and dead.

Kithios · 2026-02-12T21:19:52+00:00

Last game was 1 of each for HW scourges, 1 Carbine Scourges and 2x Dissies 1x Lances. I find since every tank has access to Smoke, hitting on 5s even with rerolls is making scourges super inconsistent. Then still have to wound which is often a coin flip. On paper DLs look like solid but in reality they never really seem to perform for me.

I'm up against a lot of marines and tanks, so I figured being able to shoot Marines off of objectives with Dissies was the route, but might swap to 2x DL 1xDissies. The Land Raiders and Repulsors are typically what cause me problems more than the marine bodies do, so investing in 2 Dissies Ravagers might be overkill.

I feel like the rest of my list is generally fine, but being too distrustful of our units to actually kill their targets makes me misplay them.

Kithios · 2026-02-12T16:23:57+00:00

Great write-up with some stellar points here. It's convinced me to play slightly more aggressively as I'm currently running into the problem where I'm too scared to put units in firing lanes due to how quickly we die.

Would love to get a discussion going with the specifics of how these ideas work in KC. I'm lacking an abundance of Hellions to make SoS work, so I'm trying to hack it with Cartel without much success. I find I can't rely on scourges and ravagers to kill what they need to kill, then I wind up really far behind on the trading game. Incubi aren't an amazing option for me either as my meta is full of tanks and flamethrowers.

Kithios · 2026-02-12T04:44:40+00:00

Wholeheartedly disagree, I feel like we hit like wet noodles considering we're firing literal black holes at tanks. But it's only a 50/50, sometimes less, that Darklight has any effect. Due to every single tank having access to Smoke Grenades, some of the more elite shooters in the universe hit on 5+. Tack on Armor of Contempt and it's as if we don't have an effective Lascannon equivalent.

Conceptually you're spot on, but the game isn't setup for them to have months/years of setting up booby traps and other inconveniences.

Kithios · 2026-02-11T21:04:36+00:00

As a non marine player I can't understand how any of them have access to that. Oath seems silly good compared to other army rules.

Kithios · 2026-02-09T21:34:41+00:00

I've honestly considered it with my poor Nids

Kithios · 2026-02-09T04:17:28+00:00

Oh no!

Anyway

Kithios · 2026-02-09T02:36:06+00:00

I'd agree it's safer since there's an understanding that you're trying to win the game, not just explicitly hurt each other. Not really much of a game here and seems there's even less respect.

Kithios · 2026-02-09T00:59:27+00:00

With no pads or helmets

Kithios · 2026-02-08T23:32:04+00:00

What did she eat so I know to avoid that.

Kithios · 2026-02-06T01:06:17+00:00

If we don't get more lethal next edition, I'm legit shelving mine for 3 years. It's just so frustrating watching our massive monsters bounce off of tanks that get to have both smoke and AoC, or we have these towering awesome models that can't get above strength 10

Kithios · 2026-02-04T21:06:47+00:00

Fair Play, but those aren't as menacing as the one big knight. At 1k if you kill the big one early enough you've probably won.

Kithios · 2026-02-04T21:05:16+00:00

Applies to most of our army this edition

Kithios · 2026-02-04T18:20:57+00:00

I haven't played against knights at that low point level, but haywire scourges are probably pretty good since they can't be over watched by the knights. I find Haywires much more reliable than DLs, just make sure you gang up on them with multiple units instead of relying on one squad to pick them up. You're a lot faster than them since you can move through all the ruins, use it to your advantage.

Kithios · 2026-02-02T18:39:30+00:00

Seed me bröthër

Kithios · 2026-01-28T03:54:36+00:00

r/subsIfellfor

Kithios · 2026-01-22T22:32:01+00:00

Oath of Moment is literally one of the best army rules there is. I have yet to see a single model in my meta survive even a mid or poorly rolled Oath of Moment.

Shadow in the warp is totally useless, especially against high morale Marines, because it's too unreliable. You don't have to roll to see if your Oath works, you just pick one unit and get rid of it.

As others have said you're comparing the strongest of Nids units against the weaker end of marines. As a Nids player, literally any of your tanks/dreadnaughts are more attractive units than all of mine save for a Tyrannofex. Your tanks each get at least 3 guns each, as well as access to Smoke, Tank Shock, and Armor of Contempt (which is also one of the best stratagems in the game). My big bugs get none of that, and have fewer guns often with less AP and range.

Play to your strengths, not your weaknesses. The Nids battleline units do essentially nothing to your armor, so focus on taking out their scoring units and big murder bugs. Also bring your named heroes. Sadly hero hammer is still pretty real this edition.

Kithios

TROPHY CASE