35 Pt Coven - needs tweaking

[Vermithrax]

I started out with a 35 point Coven list that looked like this:

Coven
Deathripper
Deathripper
Leviathan
Cankerworm
Bile Thralls (6)
Bane Thralls (10)
Tartarus
Necrotech & Scrap Thrall.

In playtesting I found that the Leviathan really doesn't work well for this list at 35 points. I also ran into the typical problem with Bile Thralls where 6 of them just isn't enough and even with Occultation its difficult to keep 6 alive long enough to do something.

I altered the list by swapping a Seether in for the Leviathan

Coven
Deathripper
Deathripper
Seether
Cankerworm
Bile Thralls (6)
Bane Thralls (10)
Tartarus
Necrotech & Scrap Thrall.


This list played much better. The extra focus on the Seether along with its free charge really freed up focus for other things like Stygian Abyss to blast solos (it works well at that). However the bile thralls still suffered. In games with this list I did put them to use but then found the other flaw with 6 bile thralls. They clear the field and because they too are removed from game they leave large charge lanes for your opponent to exploit.

So now I'm looking to move the Bile thralls out and something else in. I'm looking for suggestions. I want to keep the Seether and really don't want to upgrade to a Deathjack yet.

Anyway I'm looking for suggestions.

[ResurrectioN]

When you need more bodies to put between Coven and enemy there is no one better for the job then McTs and Necrsurgeon.
Problem that i had when playing with Coven is that they have no spell for crowd control so support that can kill units is necessary.
Biles being expensive these days can be replaced with 2x Bloat or Bloat + Gerlak.
Just make sure that Bloat shoots before McT's activation in case of bad deviation so that Surgeon can patch them up.
I would drop Canker for another node; you can go with having less nodes with other node dependent casters as they have either high speed and free strike immunity or high armor or stealth so they can go closer to action for that last push, but this girls really need to stay back.

So some sort of example list

The Witch Coven of Garlghast
Deathripper
Deathripper
Deathripper
Seether
Skarlock Thrall
Bane Thralls (Leader and 9 Grunts)
Bane Lord Tartarus
Bloat Thrall
General Gerlak Slaughterborn

Now if you want those McTs in there you could drop Tartarus and Gerlack and thus have 2 full units to rush up the field with both of them having stealth.

[Vermithrax]

Thanks for the suggestion. I think you pinpointed the problem I've been having with the Girls. Lack of crowd control. So I went with biles but I have not been able to get 6 to do the job. In one game I actually managed to use 5 of the 6 and blasted a giant hole in the middle of the field. It was beautiful. Unfortunately it also opend up a giant path straight to the Coven that was exploited by my opponent's only remaining cavalryman...

I like the Bloat Thrall. Wish he was faster but his AOE blast does benefit from Curse of Shadows.

Haven't played with Gerlak yet. Been itching to try it.

[GaspysInhaler]

If crowd control is an issue, I would seriously look into a Harrower to plug that gap. AOE gun with Ghost Shot, Reach, Thresher, soul collecting, Pathfinder, good armor and damage boxes (for a Cryx Heavy). They do tremendous for me when I play the Coven.


I tend to sit back a bit with them lobbing shots, and then when the enemy is within striking distance, I slap Infernal Machine on him and charge + Thresher. With this awesome spell, the Harrower will be SPD 7 with Reach, making him a MAT 8, soul collecting thresher jack, with a 12 inch threat range. The Coven might be the best jack caster we have in Cryx now.

I don't really see the need to take more than 2 arc nodes with the girls. The Skarlock should be able to shadow the Bane Knights and cast occultation each turn, while the first arc-node spreads Infernal Machine around to those that need it. I would keep the second in reserve for the eventual Stygian Abyss assassination. In my experience, a third arc-node really is unnecessary at 35 pts and below considering how expensive they are.

Hope this helps.

[Vermithrax]

Funny you should mention the Harrower. After working on this list some more I realized the gals can carry more than one heavy. Especially if one heavy generates its own focus. So here's what I ended up with. I'll give it a try this weekend.

Coven
Deathripper
Deathripper
Seether
Harrower
Mechanithralls (10)
Brute Thrall
Brute Thrall
Brute Thrall
Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls
Necrotech & Scrap Thrall

[Malfunction]

So Vermithrax,

How did this last list work for you? Did you miss the banes?