Unit of the Week: Gargoyles

[Xenith]

++Gargoyles++

 

 

We have a new unit of the week! Seeing as I've just assembled a unit of the winged blighters, this week it's onto the flappy annoyances the Gargoyles. What are you thoughts, and how best would you use these?

• To compliment a list, or to build a list around? Will the beta rules affect your list(s)?
• What size unit? Will you be running multiple units?
• What Hive Fleet Traits, Adaptations and Stratagems do you prefer and how much does it depend on the above choices?
• Are you buffing this unit? If so, how?

Over to you.

Edited April 12, 2021 by Xenith

[Xenith]

As I said, I've just built a unit of these for my crusade campaign, in which I'm keen to try out some of the under-used units from the codex. I think there's definitely potential for these as a fast moving annoyance/screen, especially if you decide to use the Membranous Mobility Have Fleet Adaptation for some reason - a large unit at -1 to hit in melee will be very annoying for opponents, especially if you combine with the hardened carapace (6++ for gaunts species) and catalyst.

 

Other than that, they're not really a grade A unit, and might be better placed in the Troops section rather than Fast Attack, seeing as they don't move much faster than a Hormagaunt or Genestealer. 

 

As an objective holder, they're more expensive than rippers or a Lictor, with a much larger footprint, so I don't see potential. 

[WarriorFish]

I'm interesting in trying some Gargoyles as I use the 6++ gaunt trait, but even with that I don't think they'll be achieving a great deal. Zipping around hunting objectives and (very) vulnerable units to mess with could yield some results, but I don't see you writing back to the Hive Mind about them...

[Xenith]

hunting objectives and (very) vulnerable units to mess with

 

Yea, if you can keep them in synapse, and your opponent has units that really benefit from the charge, you can definitely tie them up, or at least stop them scoring in their command phase - with metabolic overdrive you can get a minimum 26" move+ advance from them, enough to contest, flip, or take an unguarded objective. 

[Arson Fire]

At 7 points per model for what's basically a fast moving termagant, they're not great.

The main problem aside from the points cost is that the fast attack slot means they don't get Obsec. So they often can't use their numbers to flip an objective.

 

Rushing a wall of them forward on turn 1 to move-block the enemy in their deployment zone is probably the best use for them. Although you can do that almost as well with Hormagaunts, which are both cheaper and don't have the obsec problem. I guess the gargoyles bases are slightly larger, so they can cover a bit more ground.

 

You can use them to help get Engage on all Fronts on turn 1. Although if that's all you're doing with them then skyslasher rippers do the same job for cheaper.

[Xenith]

Yea, they're in the same tricky spot as a lot of units for nids - if there's a single role you want them for, then there's probably another choice that does it cheaper - I'm keen to try and get the most from these, though, what Hive Fleets and Adaptive Physiologies are useful for them?

 

Kraken is great for advancing and getting into position, they maybe dont benefit from Behemoth too much, Leviathan is a great all rounder for the 6+++, Hydra doesnt do much as they dont really have melee weapons, Jormungandr does nothing, Kronos does little.

 

Obviously the 6++ for gaunts custom trait, membranous agility for -1 to hit in combat could turn the screen into something more problematic to get rid of, also possibly fall back and charge means they can cover a lot of ground, assuming they live. 

[AtlasTelamon]

I don't have any experience using gargoyles, but their concept reminds me of mutalisks. Which are essentially strike and fade units. Theoretically they would be valuable if held back until late game to surprise an opponent with a cheap, shockingly fast unit that could rip an objective away from an unfortified unit, such as a unit of eldar guardians, or small unit of chaos space marines. It would be nice if they could move again after shooting and really step into the role of a harassing unit that can't do enough damage to be worth hunting down.

[WarriorFish]

An improvement to help them perform such a role would go far. Sometimes there is merit in a unit that can register low on the threat radar as your opponent must chose to ignore it or divert some firepower better used elsewhere. For example in a list with a decent number of gaunts that could create some target saturation allowing you to threaten with the goyles at the right moment to try and draw fire from the assault, or if left alone send the goyles in to mess with things.

 

Perhaps this is the best way to use them, as a gaunt horde can only go so far with numbers when it comes to moving and getting into combat. Gargoyles being able to flit over terrain to access more places/units could let the gaunts head for the better targets without concern. As I run out of Troop choices quickly this might work for me to boost my "gaunt" numbers. Still feels like a bit of a stretch but worth a try I reckon.

[Evil Eye]

It's never going to happen but I wish we would see a homage to the old flamespurt-toting Gargoyles of 2nd edition as a weapon upgrade for them. Fast moving flight-capable flamethrowers seem like they'd be pretty neat as a harassment tactic, and more to the point would just be really, really cool. That or homage the 3rd and 4th edition versions having bio-plasma with an optional upgrade to trade in the blinding venom for a short-range plasma-equivalent weapon.

 

Ironically, the main thing stopping me from playing Gargoyles is the lack of any affordable, decent-looking, suitably scaled insect wings for them to tie them in with my army theme of all the things with wings having insectile pinions.