BA Librarian opinions

[Sanguis militis]

Hey guys n gals, I have a question that in really curious to hear everyone's opinion on..

 

So I have a pretty large game coming up against a tyranid player, 3000pts. I used to run a reclusiarch and a names character like astororth to support my squads but have recently switched over to dual divination librarians for cheaper with great success.

 

Now the question I have is what type of power weapon do you think would be best to use on each of my librarians to tackle a heavy monstrous creature list? A regular power sword may not be reliable enough in getting wounds onto his trygons, tervigons, tyrants, etc. once any wounds go trough unsaved they'll be turned to force attacks for the instakill so I'm trying to find the best type of weapons to get the job done..

 

For quick reference:

Force sword strength=user, ap=3

Force axe strength=+1, ap=2 (unwieldy)

Force stave strength=+2, ap=4 (concussive)

 

I'm torn between the axe or the stave. Is ap2 worth -1 strength AND sacrificing initiative? On the same note however is +1 strength to the axe and base initiative going to even make a difference with such a garbage ap? Granted these monstrous creatures have a base save of 3+ (without upgrades) I don't like the idea of striking at strength 4 even if they won't get their armour save.. The toughness 6 will be enough to prevent most if not all the attacks from going through and that's if he doesn't take biomancy and rolls iron arm.

 

Now before anyone suggests I give the sarg in the squad each librarian is attached to a power fist to ensure some attacks go through, I'd like to give them either a sword or axe to help them wipe through groups of his infantry be it gaunts or warriors or those goddamn jive guard pricks. More importantly, again, my plan is to activate the force weapons for the instagib.

 

So what are your opinions? What would you give your librarians to take out MCs on the charge?

[Demulos]

The staff is a favorite of mine, the increased strength along with the concussive is a great bonus. Librarians in general can have a tough time against Tyranids because of "Shadow in the Warp". Knowing what you are going up against here is a great bonus. Load up with big guns and don't necessarily rely on close combat to take them down. I would load up on tactical squads and devastators to try and whittle them down with fire power. The devastators should be equipped with missile launchers since they're cheap and can fire with krak missiles to take down the big ones, or frag shells for the swarms. Assault Squads can be good to tie up some of the specialized units, but the volume of the swarms can give you trouble. I've found that against Tyranids I prefer to play more defensively with a more dug in approach. As they approach my firing lines then I engage them with close combat assault squads and special characters. They must wade through my long distance heavy support fire before getting to me though. The tactical squads make short work of gaunts and genestealers, especially if they wander within 12 inches and can get blasted twice. The missile launchers immediately aim for carnifexes, hive tyrants and larger critters. My suggestion is two devastator squads at a minimum, with added marines for wounds to keep the missile launchers up and running.

[knife&fork]

No right answer to that one :)

 

Have you considered Mephiston?  Or maybe just going for codex powers on at least one lib? S10 force weapons is something even Iron armed up MCs fear and you don't have to give up the AP or I of a sword.

 

Failing that there's also Librarian dreads that have the nice AP2 S7-8 forceweapon and high WS. 

[Sanguis militis]

The staff is a favorite of mine, the increased strength along with the concussive is a great bonus. Librarians in general can have a tough time against Tyranids because of "Shadow in the Warp". Knowing what you are going up against here is a great bonus. Load up with big guns and don't necessarily rely on close combat to take them down. I would load up on tactical squads and devastators to try and whittle them down with fire power. The devastators should be equipped with missile launchers since they're cheap and can fire with krak missiles to take down the big ones, or frag shells for the swarms. Assault Squads can be good to tie up some of the specialized units, but the volume of the swarms can give you trouble. I've found that against Tyranids I prefer to play more defensively with a more dug in approach. As they approach my firing lines then I engage them with close combat assault squads and special characters. They must wade through my long distance heavy support fire before getting to me though. The tactical squads make short work of gaunts and genestealers, especially if they wander within 12 inches and can get blasted twice. The missile launchers immediately aim for carnifexes, hive tyrants and larger critters. My suggestion is two devastator squads at a minimum, with added marines for wounds to keep the missile launchers up and running.

Your strategy is almost point for point the same as mine for dealing with almost every tyranid listbive played against but in this case, I know for a fact he's bringing molochs which will tear my fixed positions/ defenses to shreds so my plan this game is to opt for going second (in the dozens of games I've played against him he always chooses to go first) and overwhelm his forces with two ravens and mass vanguard vets screenig heavier hitting units, although the vets won't be any joke themselves. I do plan on hanging back with some (2-3 squads) devestators on the top of some buildings to negate the molochs burrow strike to help soften up 2-3 particular targets for my vets and friends.

 

Kinfe&fork brought up a great point and I actually was planning on trading my normal contemptor dread for a furioso librarian not just for the utility but also for another unit capable of instakilling his big guys.

 

I'm expecting two molochs, a flyrant, the hive commander tyrant ( I forgot the name ), trygon prime, and atleast 3 tervigons. Ideally I'd like to soften up the tervigons with mass krak missiles so that my boys coming down in the first wave can finish them off, let the ravens shoot down the flyrant, and then slug it out with him instead of waiting for him to come to me and tear my army to shreds.

[Sanguis militis]

No right answer to that one :)

 

Have you considered Mephiston? Or maybe just going for codex powers on at least one lib? S10 force weapons is something even Iron armed up MCs fear and you don't have to give up the AP or I of a sword.

 

Failing that there's also Librarian dreads that have the nice AP2 S7-8 forceweapon and high WS.

Mephiston was an idea, but I ultimately decided to scrap him because of the points I save taking a standard librarian which went to much needed upgrades elsewhere throughout the army. The more and more I think about it however the more I picture him tearing about units 10 times his size one by one

[Memento Of Prospero]

your libbies will have a problem with Shadow in the warp. you might as well get mephiston, he can kill TMCs with Transfixing gaze. Remember that spyker MCs are considered characters

[Theredknight]

I always seem to suggest these, but sternguard? The rapid firing poisoned 2+ really puts the hurting on big gribblys. I'd place them better than vanguard vets personally.