Jabberwocky Rises: The Consuming Wraith

[Xenith]

And my Psyrant (Psychic Hive Tyrant) dubbed "The Consuming Wraith" using the Blood of Baal name generator is complete. I'm super proud of this one, and it's probably my biggest tyranid conversion, and best paint job on them, so far.

Arms are magged as well so I'll eventually be able to change loadout, but I think the one it has now is effective.

[The Pounder]

Looks amazing.

Might “loan” that idea!

[Xenith]

Go for it! Carving out the carapace was nerve wracking, but needed to make the head look a bit more forwards.

 

Next up, I think I need to paint my next 3 zoanthropes I want to use in a game on Monday...

[Xenith]

I have a 75 PL Crusade game scheduled for tonight, the Supply Limit is currently at 95pts so I'll be using most of the force, it should be fun, and the Consuming Wraith will be hitting the table for the first time.

 

I'll be against summoning spam Emperor's Children - the same force I played before, but this time on my own. Board control might be tough with this one, but I have my asassin Hive Guard in case he leaves his summoners exposes again, some Gargoyles to snarl up movement lanes, then a bunch of gaunts...and the Endless Swarm strat to bring back my big unit of gaunts or gargoyles if needed. My Tyrant also has the reroll all misses against a datasheet trait, so I can pick Daemonettes and go to town.  

[Xenith]

And for the next project, 3 more Zoanthropes to round out my unit to 6 strong for that sweet sweet D3+3 mortals.

I, Xenith, Commander of Hive Fleet Jabberwocky, pledge to paint a unit of three Zoanthropes to the value of 7 PL or ~150 points in the month of June 2021

Venomthrope will likely be a later vow.

[Xenith]

So I managed to get a Crusade game in on Monday against the CSM summoning spam player, as I really wanted the challenge. We got pasted in the last game, so I wanted revenge, and to see whether I could deal with it.

++ Patrol Detachment 0CP (Tyranids) [75 PL, 3CP, 1,788pts] ++

+ Configuration +

[Reference] Discipline: Hive Mind

[Reference] Extensions of the Hive Mind

Battle Size [3CP]: 1. Combat Patrol (0-50 Total PL / 0-500 Points)

Detachment Command Cost

Gametype

Hive Fleet: Jormungandr

+ HQ +

Hive Tyrant [9 PL, 195pts]: Adrenal Glands, Monstrous Scything Talons, Power: Catalyst, Power: Lurking Maws, Power: Smite, Toxin Sacs, Two Devourers with Brainleech Worms, Warlord, Warlord Trait: Instinctive Killer

Relic Devourers (6 to hit = mortal wound)

Neurothrope [5 PL, 95pts]: Catalyst, smite, Lurking Maws

Master of lore (+1 Power)

+ Troops +

Genestealers [8 PL, 186pts]: 2x Acid Maw, 2x Flesh Hooks, 4x Scything Talons, Toxin Sacs
. . Adaptive Physiology: Adrenal Webs
. . 10x Genestealer: 10x Rending Claws

Hormagaunts [6 PL, 180pts]: Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs
. . 20x Hormagaunt: 20x Scything Talons

Termagants [3 PL, 90pts]: Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs
. . 10x Termagant (Devourer): 10x Devourer

Tyranid Warriors [4 PL, 114pts]: Adrenal Glands, Flesh Hooks, Toxin Sacs
. . Adaptive Physiology: Enhanced Resistance
. . Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Lash Whip and Bonesword
. . Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Lash Whip and Bonesword
. . Tyranid Warrior (Bio-cannon): Boneswords, Venom Cannon

+ Elites +

Hive Guard [12 PL, 306pts]: Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs
. . Adaptive Physiology: Enhanced Resistance
. . 6x Hive Guard (Impaler): 6x Impaler Cannon

Headhunters (+1 to hit ad wound characters)

Lictor [2 PL, 37pts]

Fast - +1" to move, advance and charge

Zoanthropes [7 PL, 150pts]: Power: Smite, Power: The Horror
. . 3x Zoanthrope: 3x Claws and Teeth

+ Fast Attack +

Gargoyles [3 PL, 70pts]
. . 10x Gargoyle: 10x Blinding Venom, 10x Fleshborer

Spore Mines [1 PL, 30pts]: 3x Spore Mine

+ Heavy Support +

Biovores [6 PL, 150pts]
. . 3x Biovore: 3x Spore Mine Launcher

Tyrannofex [9 PL, 185pts]: Acid Spray, Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs

regeneration (+1wound / turn)

++ Total: [75 PL, 3CP, 1,788pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe

Emperor's Children:

Chaos (60PL)

Dark Apostle (WL)

2 dark disciples

Lucius

Fabius + attendant

5 CSM - 4bolters, autocannon

10 cultists - flamer

10 cultists - flamer

Hellbrute - mm+hf, ignore mortals on 5+

Forgefiend - autocannons

Helldrake - autocannon

Venomcrawler

Rhino

5 raptors, plasma pistol, flamer, melta,

10 Noise Marines - 10 sonic blasters

3x Spawn

Mission: Retrieval (search action on objective, roll a d6 on a 6+ that's the target, +1 for each objective already searched)

Agendas: Nids: Priority target (2XP/unit per vehicle kill); Survivor (Zoanthrope); cull the hordes (+1XP each time a unit kills 6+ models in a phase)

CSM: Cull the hordes, Reaper, Witch hunter.

Not too many pictures from the game, but it was pretty one sided in the end. We rolled off and my opponent chose to be the attacker. The mission allows half the board for the attacker to deploy in, leaving 12" no mans land then 12" for the defender. most objectives were to my right, I'd clumped them to hopefully swamp them and check a few at once. My opponent I think underestimated tyranids at close range and deployed pretty much at the edge of their DZ, 13" from most of my stuff. This includes the noise marines, venomcrawler and forgefiend, largely shooting units. I'd banked on my opponent doing one particular thing in this game, the same as the last, and it happened. He deployed all 3 characters, on their own at the back to try and summon stuff. That's 3x 3+/4++, 4/5W characters. I deployed Hive Guard in the middle behind a wall to block LOS.

Then I play Sporefield and drop 18 spore mines down. My opponent has ositioned extremely well, so I can't get near him. Mines go down in front of my stuff to screen.

DEPLOYMENT - Post-Sporefield.

I win the roll off for first turn, and the carnage commences. Both spore mine units advance forward to block movement from his spawn, forgefiend and hellbrute. Stealers advance to within assault range of the crawler and noise marines. warriors move to central objective held by hive guard, biovores and terms moveto claim the east objective. Terms and warriors start the search action. Horms are deployed broadly up front to block charges, but they move forward to swamp the raptors.

3x smite (inc 1 super smite) and warp scream knock the forgefiend down to a handful of wounds. Catalyst on the tyrant. Tyrant double devs the raptors and kills 2. Tyrannofex doesnt have to move to hit the noise marines, so double sprays them killing 6 along with spinebanks netting 1XP for cull the hordes. Hive guard open up. The first vollev, 2 models are in range of the dark apostle, so 2 into him and 4 into the forgefiend. Apostle is taken down to 1W and the fiend is wiped after eating like 6 wounds (+2XP). Then I SMA to wipe the apostle (+1Kill) and roll worse to only wound the hellbrute a little. Biovores target lucius, 1 hit as they moved but luck out and roll a 6 then a 5 for 3 mortals. Other 2 bombs drop near him, ready to pounce. Gaunts charge raptors who get overwatched with the flamer, ~4/5 die. Gaunts do diddley. Stealers charge the venomcrawler and noise marines. I put 7 into the marines and 3 into the crawler, should have done it the other way,b but I forgot I had acid maws. Noises are massively overkilled, crawler eats some wounds then kills 2 back. I use the -1AP strat when you kill a unit to boost the stealers to a native AP-2 to help with the crawler.

T1 I'm sat on the objective, killed forgefiend, warlord, 10 noise marines. +20 VP for 2x complete search actions.

CSM T1.

Lost he apostle so I'd cut summoning potential by a third. Lucius summoned something..but the presence of 2 spore mines either side meant all that could be placed was the masque in the very table corner. Fabius summons a unit of 5 seekers. cultists and spawn charge and wipe the hormagaunts. Hellbrute MM's the TFex for 6 damage. Cultists target a unit of spores, between them and some other shooting wipe one unit. Rhino shoots some spores and kills a couple more. Lucius kills both spores near him - shame he doesnt get XP. Stealers kill the venomcrawler (+2XP) then 2D6 consolidate towards lucius using adrenaline webs. Helldrake moves to near my objective, flames the hive guard for none, then assault the warriors, killing 1.

CSM has killed 20 gaunts and ~12 (free) spore mines.

Nid T2.

+20 vp for holding the courier. Tyrant moves to intercept the dread. Stealers get danger close to Lucius. Warriors fall back bad spychic phase sees 2 failed smites but the drake gets warp screamed. Cata goes off on the tyrant though. Endless Swarm brings 20 gaunts back on my opponents board edge near bile, though stupidly out of synapse. Lictor appears and fails a charge on the dark disciples, despite the reroll and +1 from his battle honour. Hive guard double tap into the helldrake, wiping it (+2xp). Tyrant double devs 10 cultists killing 6 for +1XP. Tyrant charges hellbrute and does 6 damage, despite full rerolls from voracious. Hellbrute got lucky and rolled a 6 for fire frenzy, attacking twice and swings back for a mightly 9 damage (forgot to do catalyst). Stealers charge and kill Fabius. I'd attacked with my tyrant first to avoid counter assault, so fabius killed 3 stealers before dying in return.

CSMT2

Not much left. Masque doesnt summon so charges the stealers. Bile managed to summon a keeper, which might have swung things back. Seekers charge gargoyles wiping them after they got shot up. lone raptor jumps forwards. CSM charge and kill some gaunts who fail morale. cultists and spawn charge the tyrant and do 1 wound. Tyrant then kills the hellbrute (+2XP)

Nid T3

+20 vp for objectve. We'd run out of time so called it here. The score was 60 - 0 in favour of the nids, and I'd lost maybe 150pts of models. We resolved some fights to see who would get XP - The tyrant shot the cultists in melee with him, killing them, then killed the spawn with 3 hits, 3 wounds, 9 damage. Stealers killed the masque, Hive guard had to move to hit Bile, so managed to take him down to 1W after FNP's, so no kill there (should have double tapped the rhino or Keeper)

All in all, a huge victory for the nids, and my swarm got a shedload of XP: Tyrant, Hormagaunts, Genestealers and Biovores all need upgrade rolls. As a victory reward, the next CHARACTER I add to the army gets a free Warlord trait, specialist reinforcements ot Relic requisition for free. I'm looking at a Broodlord with either Adrenaline webs or Ymgarl Factor. As soon as possible this guy gets the Enhanced bionics upgrade for shennanigans.

My custome rules for this campaign is that instead of markig your own unit for greatness, you pick one of your opponent's units as the MVP, and they get +3XP. It can lead to the situation where killer units keep getting it, but it's something possible to do anyway. Maybe next time we need to revise this to spread XP around other units. My gaunts, who dont kill much, are really struggling for XP while my tyrant, stealers and hive guard are rolling in it.

CSM T1 movement.

Edited August 11, 2021 by Xenith

[WarriorFish]

I did think the summoning gambit wasn't one with legs, but this shows a particular weakness. With numbers and speed you really limited options quick not to mention the general killing. The game was probably decided a lot with the deployment - most armies don't want to be closer to nids :P I'm not 100% on 9th yet, can you charge on the first turn if you go first?

[Xenith]

can you charge on the first turn if you go first?

 

Yea, I think this was a rule in 6th perhaps? Nothing to stop you from doing it - I think which is why they made reserves come on from T2 only. They were start of T1 at the start of 8th, so everyone was deepstriking with 9" charges. 

 

Summoning was pretty strong, and this army has devastated a couple of other players in the crusade, so much that the campaign kind of stalled. I'm a bit more experienced, perhaps, and had the tools to be able to take out the characters. My opponent said it was hard as he had to either choose t get look out sir on his guys, or move up the table to get objectives - in the end he left the characters unprotected and they got got. 

 

Interestingly, some see Genestealers as a liability and not great for their points, but they've been absolutely savage in2/3 games they've been in. One they got show down by custodes, but in the two others, albeit both against this opponent, they have just torn through stuff, getting 3 unit kills per game. They're due an upgrade, and I'm praying to the hive mind for the +1" to movement, charge and advances to give them an effective 14" autocharge range, maximum 29" charge range. 

[WarriorFish]

It was a rule at some recent point, one of the problems with games being few and far between currently is that it you have to keep retreading them as you don't get the chance to use them etc so they sink in...

 

I feel this is abusing the PL format for summoning somewhat so I can't shed any tears for this loss Genestealers are still good I think, their speed is great but unfortunately this is as much a necessity as a strength. They will get blasted off the board otherwise so must close into combat where they can do good work. Their other issue is multi-wound models I think, mine almost bounced off some Marines... a boost to help them return as the fearsome elite killers of yesteryear would be most welcome Until then they'll have to settle for eating through lesser foes

[Xenith]

Yea, Crusade also helps nids out with that - every unit that can gets Adrenal glands and Toxin sacs built in, so the stealers actually hit at D2 with their -3AP rending hits, so chuck enough dice downrange and each 6 to wound will generally kill a primaris, and a lot of stuff also has this and the additional +1 to advance and charge. 

 

As a unit of 10, they've managed to eat some non-dedicated combat units, but they generally get shredded with return attacks. They could do with the assassins 4+ dodge save, really, and keep the same points. Might put them into the same design space as Harlequins. - albeit with zero ranged threat. 

 

I'm yet to decide what we do with the summoning in the campaign. My first thought is to place a cumulative  -1 to each dice roll for each summon after the first, so a 335 becomes a 224 on the second caster, and a 113 if they're the third summoner. It also makes rolling a 1 2x then 3x as likely, so increasing the rate of mortal wounds in addition to greatly reducing the amount of daemons you can try to summon if spamming. 

[WarriorFish]

That's why I've not tried Crusade yet, seems it becomes every unit gets upgrades out the wazoo :confused: When everyone is upgraded nobody is. Except the poor units and armies that don't have many upgrades...

 

Could do a simpler solution in limiting how many units can be summoned a turn? A reduction in effectiveness for each summon roll should work, at least in limiting things like an ending game suddenly getting turned around with two Greater Daemons appearing? It'd be worth doing some tests to see how it might play out, to make sure it isn't too limiting but also is effective.

[Xenith]

And I'm here after one evening painting session / 3 episodes of Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Gotta love contrasts.

That's why I've not tried Crusade yet, seems it becomes every unit gets upgrades out the wazoo When everyone is upgraded nobody is. Except the poor units and armies that don't have many upgrades...

I can fully reccomend giving it a go. It's a little paperwork/admin heavy for some in our club, but I enjoy it, and I'm enjoying having my characters and unit turn into insae killing machines. Yea, eventually everything will be super experienced, and the end result is that stuff will be roughly the same, but it's more the fun of having each unit be unique, tracking their kills and agenda completing, etc.

Could do a simpler solution in limiting how many units can be summoned a turn? A reduction in effectiveness for each summon roll should work, at least in limiting things like an ending game suddenly getting turned around with two Greater Daemons appearing? It'd be worth doing some tests to see how it might play out, to make sure it isn't too limiting but also is effective.

Yea, possibly - looking at daemons, a KoS is only 12 PL, so will be summoned nearly 50 % of the time, which is crazy.

One option might be to declare what you;re summoning before you try. If you don't mee the PL requirement then it fails. What might be fun is saying that if you can't place the summoned unit, then they possess the summoning character instead, and destroy him.

[Xenith]

Family shot of the zoanthropes! Just the bases to go. I also went back and updated the carapace on my older zoans, who were basically just pot codex grey/grey seer without the fnal blend to the much brighter white I use. You can also see the change in purple I used for shading the carapace, gone from darker...Hormagaunt purple to two thick swipes of magos purple, and I keep the deeper purple for the talons etc.

[Xenith]

Phew, got my zoanthropes based and complete before the end of the month!

And all the creepy bois in a line.

These lil' buggers will be a nightmare on the gaming table. I don't think the unit has ever been wiped out in a game yet.

[Xenith]

Managed to get another crusade game in this week, this time vs the grey knights against a returning player from 3rd ed. We didnt get too far into the game as this was only their second game since 3rd, and there's a lot for them to take in, especially with Crusade.

Deployment was table quarters and 4 objectives.

My army, 1000pts

Hive tyrant

3 zoans

TFex

10 stealers

10 devilgants

20 horms

3 biovores

Opponent

NDK Grand Master

5 terminators

2x5 interceptors

1x5 strike squad

MM Dreadnought

Hive Mind View.

Tyrannofex butt.

The Consuming Wraith directing it's underlings.

Gribbly.

Really loving this model.

My Hive Tyrant decided to have a stand off showdown with the nemesis dreadknight grand master

Dreadknight tried to charge - my warlord trait allowed full rerolls to hit vs one datasheet, the NDKGM, and my relic devourers give bonus mortals on unmodified 6's to hit...out of 12 shots I managed six 6's and stripped 5 wounds from him...and he failed the charge!

Giving my opponent a good fight, the Tyrant then shot up the terminators before charging into the NDK...Failing to wound entirely as I forgot to use the ravening hunger strat. After a prolonged slap fest, they got one another down to 1 wound, the game ended but we rolled for the fight, with the NDK killing the tyrant, just, as I couldn't get through the 4++ save. rending claws might be a much better option on the tyrant, making it more reliable.

We called it a draw in the end, I'd come off an objective to go chase down some interceptors, so my opponent was gaining on primary, however he couldn't afford to do actions with his low unit count so I was winning there.

All in all, dice were rolled and fun was had!

Learnings about this game:

Might be old hat, but I havent played against GK since 5th ed.

• Aegis blocks a ton of mortal wounds, don't rely on them, but if you can spam them, great.
• Shooting is sub-par, mostly storm bolters, especially at this small point level
• With a straight 3A/model now, and everyone with a flat 2D force axe, essentially, GK are lethal in combat. They ate through those gaunts like nothing, sacrifice smaller units, dont charge with chaff, let the deal with them in their own turn (dont give them a free combat phase) charge in with monsters when you know you can wipe them, or at least put a big dent in them.
• Nid shooting is still good. Brainleach devs with the pathogenic slime strat (that I totally forgot this game) will be useful, same with the acid spray fex.

Edited September 9, 2021 by Xenith

[Xenith]

Hive Fleet Jabberwocky - Crusade Upgrades:

 

Hive Tyrant - Accelerated Digestion; Instinctive Killer; Artificer devourers; unstoppable (+2" move, +1" advance&charge)

Neurothrope - Adaptive Biology; Master of Lore (+1 power)

Broodlord - Ymgarl Factor; 

3 Zoanthropes - 

6 Hive Guard - Headhunters (+1 to hit and wound CHARACTER models); Master Worked, Armour Piercing Impaler Cannon (+1D, -1AP)

Lictor - Fleet of foot (+1" to move, advance and charge)

20 Gaunts - Fleet of foot (+1" to move, advance and charge)

10 Devilgants

10 Genestealers - Grizzled (6+ FNP)

4 Warriors - 

10 Gargoyles -

3 Biovores - 1 Autoloading, Improved Sights Spore Mine Launcher (6 to hit = 2 hits, +1 to hit)

Tyrannofex - Acid spray with accelerator (+6" range); regenerates.

[Xenith]

Getting some nids made after getting my Thousand Sons units undercoated - lat night I made up 10 ETB termagants with FB's to fill out the unit, then 10 normal gant bodies which will get devourers, then also did most of the assembly on an exocrine - I'm going to magnetise it so I can switch between Crine and 'Spex, however I lack a 5mm drill bit - one's en route inthe post, so will hopefully finish this bug this week, then make my Maleceptor/Toxicrene. 

[Xenith]

Got a game vs a guard opponen later - the same I've played with my Thousand Sons twice already. He's said he'd love to fight against a nid horde, so I thought rather than bring my Sons I'd put the fear of the Hive Mind into him:

 

+++ Tyranids 1500 v Guard (Warhammer 40,000 9th Edition) [86 PL, 10CP, 1,500pts] +++

++ Battalion Detachment 0CP (Tyranids) [86 PL, 10CP, 1,500pts] ++

+ Configuration +

Battle Size [12CP]: 3. Strike Force (101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points)

Detachment Command Cost

Hive Fleet: Kraken

+ Stratagems +

Bounty of the Hive Fleet [-1CP]: 1 Extra Bio-artefact

Progeny of the Hive [-1CP]

+ HQ +

Broodlord [7 PL, 125pts]: Power: Onslaught, Resonance Barb

Neurothrope [5 PL, 95pts]: Power: Catalyst, Warlord

+ Troops +

Genestealers [16 PL, 208pts]: 4x Acid Maw, 4x Scything Talons
. . 16x Genestealer: 16x Rending Claws

Hormagaunts [9 PL, 132pts]
. . 22x Hormagaunt: 22x Scything Talons

Ripper Swarms [2 PL, 36pts]
. . 3x Ripper Swarm: 3x Claws and Teeth

Termagants [6 PL, 120pts]
. . 10x Termagant (Devourer): 10x Devourer
. . 10x Termagant (Fleshborer): 10x Fleshborer

+ Elites +

Hive Guard [12 PL, 225pts]
. . Adaptive Physiology: Enhanced Resistance
. . 5x Hive Guard (Impaler): 5x Impaler Cannon

Lictor [2 PL, 37pts]

Lictor [2 PL, 37pts]

Zoanthropes [14 PL, 250pts]: Power: Smite, Power: The Horror
. . 5x Zoanthrope: 5x Claws and Teeth

+ Fast Attack +

Gargoyles [3 PL, 70pts]
. . 10x Gargoyle: 10x Blinding Venom, 10x Fleshborer

+ Flyer +

Harpy [8 PL, 165pts]: 2x Heavy Venom Cannon

Created with BattleScribe

 

The goal is to dominate the table and win on objectives - Harpy is left field, but I'm hoping it might be able to swoop over and engage the inevitabl manticore or pair of Basilisks he'll bring (or both). Plenty of bodies to bring to the party, Kraken for advancing fun. Zoans to hold the table centre, stealers to run about and kill stuff. While maybe mean against a newer player, I'm still bringing 5 zoans and 5 HG to anchor the list and provide some durability/damage output. HG will likely be in Strat res to come on T2 and then shoot the manticore if I can. 

Edited September 27, 2021 by Xenith

[Xenith]

*The next evolution of the Hive Mind.*

The hive mind, frustrated from constant defeats in 9th edition 40k realised it's issue. To win in 9th edition, you need hands. One cannot repair a teleport homer, deploy a scrambler or raise a banner with talons alone, one needs prehensile digits, and so the Grabbergaunt was born - a fast moving brood species born entirely to speed into table quarters and activate scramblers, homers, and retrieve data.

This is a thought I had a while back, after running out of scything Talons but still having plenty of Hormie bodies. This was a proof of concept, but I'll be making a full unit soon, just 10 gaunts, count as Scytals, to be fast, annoying, action performing ObSec.

I've also finished another Lictor, ready for they Make Lictors Great Again.

Doneskis!

Well, to tabletop standard anyway...

[Majkhel]

Ha, ha, loving the Grabbergaunt!
"Chesco, Sebulba" - should be fast if only they can finish the race ;)

[Xenith]

Thanks, should be a little fun in games at least. 10 will die fast, but if they can retrieve some data before they do, they've served their purpose. 

[Xenith]

A Tervigon in 2 nights! Just the belly sac to go.

Last ditch power move: I pledge a Tervigon!

I Xenith, vow to paint that big ol' Tervigon before the end of the month, glory to the swarm!

Got the blue down!

Messy job as there's lots of hard to reach places - i got this model pre-assembled. I'd definitely leave the front talons off, or magnetise them.

[Xenith]

Over night, the magos purple has dried really shiny -  I noticed this on my lictor as well, leaving reflective, glossy purple in the crevices of the plates. I'm pretty sure this was because of me not thoroughly shaking up the magos purple. There was a decent layer of pigment settled at the bottom. I guess I got more of the gloss/medium/flow agent and less pigment, causing the glossy sheen - I recall this happening with nuln oil in the past? I've given it a good 5 min shake up, and reapplied, and thankfully it's going on a lot more matte now. 

However I still have to go back and re-shade all the white plates on this thing...

[WarriorFish]

I think I've had something similar with a wash though it wasn't a gloss one. Always worth giving them some good agitation to be on the safe side :tu:

[Majkhel]

Definitely the shaking issue. And yes, it happens to non-gloss Citadel washes from time to time as well.
Are you varnishing your models? If you were, the gloss finish would not be an issue unless needed for some reason. I can happily recommend Vallejo Premium varnish (in that bigger container) for brush applications as it flows really well out of the bottle. 
Besides, it's always worth to varnish minis that are being played with.