Tyranid Unit of the Week: Winged Warrior Prime

[Brother Nathan]

++Winged Warrior Prime++

 

 

 

 

 

We have a new unit of the week! the winged warrior prime. Have you found a use. Has it seen use outside of combat patrol... 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?

 

Edit. Apologies for formatting as only mobile access. Will correct when im back at work nextweek.

Edited August 18, 2023 by Brother nathan

[Brother Nathan]

Whilst im glad to see the return of a shrike character... this misses everything atm. As a character its bland as. It dosent hit hardenough on its own and its boosts are fairly wasted. 

Gargoyls make it t3 which makes it far worse option than the neurotyrant joining neurogaunts. Sustained on them is also... not gonna change much that its points in garygoyles wouldnt... ofcourse its fast synapse but meh. 

Warriors make its wings pointless and extra hits whilst appriciated more here(if you dont already have it via army rule) isnt massive on the guns that hurt(vennom canons)and the guns with enough shots likely wont be boosted enough(everything else) and combat... would likely just be better served by more warriors in general...

So complete swing and miss. Nice model. Has me hoping something is missing for codex release like full shrike unit. (Upgrade sprue for warriors would do it... works for some other armys) 

 

The best thing atm is its so bad and available that we can pick them up really cheap for making cheap shrikes and even making normal warriors its just so available (picked up 2 sofar for less than £5 posted)

[Xenith]

Agree that this unit feels like a bit of a let down - the units it can travel with are poorly suited to make use of it's bonuses, aside perhaps the melee warriors, but then as you say, more warriors might be better.

 

We can only hope that the codex has something good lined up for them like Shrikes. 

[ZeroWolf]

Thirded. I like the model well enough but the rules...they really are a let down, especially given we see it make short work of a terminator in the promo. Ap-3 on the talons might have helped in that regard. If memory serves, the data sheet is relatively unchanged in combat patrol where the leapers do better things than it.

[Arson Fire]

It's decent enough in combat patrol because there it has a very good enhancement that makes it a lone operative, gives it a 4++, and -1 to be hit in melee. With all those defensive buffs it's fine running around by itself.

 

In big 40k though it's lacking a good unit to lead. It would have made a lot more sense if they had released a unit of shrikes for it to flap around with, but for whatever reason we didn't get those this time around. Now it either gets slowed down by a squad of warriors, or is a very confused addition to a unit of gargoyles.

[Brother Nathan]

The sad thing is... melee warriors are 90. Winged warrior prime is 80. Ranged warriors are 70... the units are 3... so does a prime with its own stats and buffs add more than say another warrior unit? Gut say no. 

[ZeroWolf]

It needs either a stat buff or a really good ability to justify the things, as currently, more bodies on the board is better...unless you plan on taking 60 odd Neurogaunts

[Brother Nathan]

down 15.. anyone thinking of it even with some of the new detachments perks/enhancements?

[Xenith]

On 8/15/2023 at 4:35 PM, Brother nathan said:

The sad thing is... melee warriors are 90. Winged warrior prime is 80. Ranged warriors are 70... the units are 3... so does a prime with its own stats and buffs add more than say another warrior unit? Gut say no. 

 

This has long been the issue with Tyranids - is adding a model to buff a unit better than just adding another of that unit? The answer was usually no, even in 8/9th where a character could buff multiple units. Now they can only buff 1 it's pretty much always no unless they add something outstanding. 

 

Adding sustained hits to a unit that already probably has it is...bad. If it added all three synaptic imperatives, and cost 50pts, and you could take units of 9 warriors again, then maybe. 

[ZeroWolf]

Yeah, I doubt I'd take it if I didn't have to. It's its stats that need altering to make it a better option.

[Brother Nathan]

Iv heard its giving a bit more use in the vanguard detachment...

[Xenith]

It gets fall back and charge there I think...nothing Warriors don't already have. Maybe on melee warriors? Unfortunately I don't see anything in the codex, enhancement, strat or otherwise that makes the WWP an attractive choice. It needs to drop to about 45pts. At 60/70 I'd rather than a unit of shooty warriors every day. At ~80 and needing a character, I'd take a broodlord.