tyranids unit of the week Tyranid Unit of the Week: Screamer-Killer

[Brother Nathan]

++Screamer-Killer++

 

 

We have a new unit of the week! An updated classic  the screamer killer. love it hate it? does it fill any gaps in your army? let us know, 

 

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

Edited August 27, 2023 by Brother nathan

[ZeroWolf]

I can happily report that the Screamer killer is a beast (what I can't confirm is if its a better beast than the carnifex etc). Having the bio-plasmic scream is super helpful to get that target nice and mushy before charging in with the 10 attacks (technically the ability to make a unit targeted by the bio plasmic scream take a battle shock test should be useful if battling for an objective, but results may vary on its effectiveness depending on your target.) 

 

This and the Terminators were the models I was most looking forward to from Leviathan and I'm glad it didn't disappoint.

 

As far as stratagems go, anything that helps keep this beast alive will be useful. Your opponent will probably try and shoot him off the board as soon as able.

[Brother Nathan]

Model wise amazing and i lookforward to getting 1... maby 2. Rules wise pretty decent. Points wise... terrible atm. Id rather 3 fexes over 2 of these. The current points kill it as an option for me tbh

[ZeroWolf]

I do wonder if the reason it was priced so high was because GW were trying to inflate the points value of the nid side of Leviathan. 

[Brother Nathan]

i do wonder if that wa spartially it vs they forgot its the closest thing to antitank vs the dread but forgot it dosent even have anything antitank... how much damage is it likely do do vs the dread? whereas the dread can mostly relatively safely pew pew off everything the nids set in front of it.. least the big stuff... 

[ZeroWolf]

4 hours ago, Brother nathan said:

i do wonder if that wa spartially it vs they forgot its the closest thing to antitank vs the dread but forgot it dosent even have anything antitank... how much damage is it likely do do vs the dread? whereas the dread can mostly relatively safely pew pew off everything the nids set in front of it.. least the big stuff... 

Best think going for the S-K is the high strength so its wounding the dread on 4+ (other tanks are still 5+, its attacks could use anti vehicle +3 to even out). The dread is saving on 4+ however. 

 

Sadly though, it is possible for the dread to kill the Screamer Killer with 2 shots (if luck prevails).

 

Close combat is where the S-K needs to be as the 10 attacks (hitting on 3+, wounding dread on 4+ with D3 on each hit) could kill in one phase. How likely you'll get the chance is where the situation sucks (unless you're playing on a terrain heavy table and can hide easily)

[GenerationTerrorist]

I use the Alien Cunning enhancement on my Broodlord and stick two of these in strategic reserve to cause flanking havoc from turn 2-3 onwards.

 

Screamer Killers are not the punchiest of Carnifexes, but they can tie up stuff for ages and have that "fear" factor that has caused my opponent to worry about them more than they technically, for the points cost, should.

 

Plus the model is an absolute stunner.

[Brother Nathan]

tbf i keep forgetting that show that works and a probably one of the more viable units for it to work on/ if it make them castle it could make objectives easier... 

[Xenith]

I've only used one, once and it underperformed - however my dice rolling was atrocious. T9 and 2+ save means it can suck up a lot of firepower and keep other things protected, epecially if you can keep it near a psychophage or venomthropes for cover or a 6+++. With the size of it, it could really do with being T10, however T9 is a critical break point v powerfists. 

 

The 10A and 3Dam are great, however you're really looking at ~4 dead marines from this - it's low compared to 9th edition, however I feel compares favourably to 3rd (arguably the greatest edition). That's also 6 dead guardsmen, which might not be enough to flip an objective. I think you need a very specific target for this. 

 

As has been said here, and I've said elsewhere, the carnifex is a contender for this role, however a full scytal build fex gets you 8 attacks, 4 hits, maybe 3 dead marines...however for 30% fewer points. however it also gets free moves, and some shooting with spinebanks. 

 

Point for point, as above you get 3 fexes for the cost of 2 screamers.

3 fexes have OC9, 24 wounds, 24A and kill ~9 MEQ/combat

2 Screamers have OC6, 20 wounds, 20 A and kill ~8 MEQ/combat. 

 

If you consider a unit of 2 fexes a 40pt upgrade to a screamer to get +6W and kill 2 more marines per turn, you'd probably do that every time. 

[WAdams2152]

I agree that whilst the model is ace and a lot of people will include them because they came in the Leviathan box, point for point in a tournament list they aren’t competitive. Interesting to see if the upcoming codex will address this or not…

[Brother Nathan]

I mean i think 50 points cheaper needed for competative but 30 would do it... then again i expect hauspex to go up by that points level... thoughts?

 

Am also interested to see how/where the screamer gets repackaged as it shares with the neurotyrant  and when theres no more of them with leviathan being limited  etc... im v curious...

[Zoatibix]

I suspect it will be an over-priced sprue that’s direct only. Eventually we may  get a multi part OOE/fex kit.

[ZeroWolf]

It'll be definitely available sprue only at first, a lot like the Necron Skorpeh Destroyer Lord and Co.

 

It may be part of the Hatchett part work however, which will give a cheaper way to access it.

[Brother Nathan]

Possibly but anything with it requires a sprue redo due to howparts overlap with the neurotyrant. I suspect an upgraded kit over the monopose because for the way they positioned them it could have easily enough had both on their own section

[ZeroWolf]

Yeah, unless GW are nice enough to put out multipart kits for them both during this edition, they may be 11th edition releases. Meaning anyone in the meantime that wants different looking poses/models will have to get converting.

[Xenith]

Same way they do the obliterators+venomcrawler pack I think - probably some kit called "Brains and Brawn" for £40, however available in the next version of Warhammer Imperium. 

[ZeroWolf]

Speaking of that, we'll probably start hearing whispers of the next partswork next year. Will be perfect to reinforce the swarm.

[Brother Nathan]

But also the more worrying thought is how long did that kit take to come out for the oblits and venomcrawler... never mind master of possession... . Its grand atm when theres a surplus and can pick each thing up for £10but then that pool drains...

[ZeroWolf]

Best to get it in while you can, especially now the spectre of a price rise comes again

[Zoatibix]

Yeah, if you want to get one or two now, then grab them while the Marine obsessives are still throwing them on eBay for a song.

Edited September 2, 2023 by Zoatibix
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