DISTRACTION CARNIFEX

This page is in need of cleanup. Srsly. It's a fucking mess.

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"Remember- SHOOT THE BIG ONES." ― Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer on Tyranids.

DISTRACTION CARNIFEX!

EVERYONE START SHOOTING!!

Overview

A well-known tactic from 4th Edition, which was actually kind of clever for use by Tyranid players. The idea was to use the reasonably-priced Carnifex of more as a gigantic distraction during games. It worked pretty well, since the first inclination of any player seeing a Carnifex on the table is to blast the ever-loving shit out of it with every weapon they have. Because it was very easy to back up the Carnifex's 6 toughness with a 2+ armor save, it was actually pretty difficult to bring down one without using shit like Lascannons. Every round that you had say, a Leman Russ Battle Tank firing all its weapons at it and NOT at your swarms of Gaunts was generally a good thing, and since it was easy to make a distraction Carnifex mildly intimidating with nothing more than a weapon biomorph (giving it a barbed strangler was a good example), this tactic was very successful against smaller but more elite armies and helped considerably to deal with certain offensive builds.

Why It Doesn't Work Anymore

In fifth Edition, Carnifexes don't get extended carapace (so their armor save is, at best, 3+), and they cost a lot more. This generally prevents Carnifexes from being used in the DISTRACTION CARNIFEX role they used to occasionally serve in. The higher cost for biomorph enhancements is another reason it doesn't work. The big reason, though, is the combination of costs and armor reduction; a lot of weapons that were only reasonably likely to put a dent in a Carnifex in 4th (Missile Launchers, Battle Cannons, etc) are now quite capable of fucking its shit up en masse now. However in 6th edition the new haruspex can perform this role well as it can regenerate and nomnom on precious space marines to regenerate another wound. So the new unit replaces an old one that can't do it's job any more JUST AS PLANNED

Haha WTF

During one particularly notorious game, full of hot women post-codex update in New York - a Guard player allegedly killed a Carnifex on turn 1 by hammering it with Hunter-Killer Missiles after CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED-ing a mechanized platoon into position. Just as planned. Something like this also happened in the Ultramarines Omnibus, with a PDF soldier, Pavel Leforto, grabbing a missile launcher, running up beside the Astartes and firing point-blank into the open mouth of a Carnifex right before it could fire a blast of bio-plasma. He then proceeded to pick up a dead commissar's chainsword and fight the Tyranids along side the Ultramarine captain... and he kept up with the captain.

This isn't that weird, though. I mean, the Carnifex only has four wounds and it doesn't get saves from anything AP3 or better. You'd need, what? Four accurate missiles to kill one? Thanks to higher vehicle survivability and the Imperial Guard being the most frustrating heroic and invincible mechanized army out there - more difficult to bring down than Nidzilla ever was, so thanks Robin Cruddace - most all-rounder armies have more than enough heavy weapons to kill a Carnifex on a single turn.

...Albeit not on turn one from across the board. Using only Chimeras. Jesus.

Variants

• Distraction Furisio Dreadnought: Drop podding these guys with double frag cannons and Blood Talons is hilarious vs anything that relies on blob armies. Needless to say, these guys will either waste your opponent's time or their tarpits trying to stop these things, which is good for you either way. Now with the new Blood Angels Codex the Blood Talons no longer have extra attacks that generate extra attacks that generate extra attacks. All they are now is glorified Powerfists without unwieldy. No longer viable just like the tool namer.
• Distraction Wraithlord: It's big, scary, 3+ save, T8 and capable of fucking shit up.
• Distraction Wraithknight: It's bigger, scarier, 3+/5++ [edit: the Wraithknight does not have a natural ++ save] save, T8, 6 wounds and WILL be targeted by any weapon big enough hoping to harm it, even by the cannons of the Empire vs Dwarves game on the WHFB table.
• Distraction Hive Tyrant. 2+ armour and a +3 to toughness from Iron arm (assuming that he doesn't die before he can cast it)He can't do that anymore, thank you so very bloody much Cruddace. Also intimidates people like the Carnifex used to.
• Distraction Stonecrusher Carnifex - Someone in Forge World was pretty sad about Distraction Carnifex doesn't work anymore, so they create their own with 2+ armor and 5+ regeneration. It's cheap, durable, intimidating, but a bit slow, meaning it draws a lot of fire. Just as planned.
• Distraction Battlewagon. Simply give it some guns, a Deffrolla and put some nobs in it and your opponent will shoot at it like no tomorrow.
• Distraction Deathwing Knights. Put Belial with them, deepstrike them right next to all the most dangerous units in your foe's army, and watch them squirm to murder them all. They may all die either by the sheer amounts of firepower or melee directed towards them, but it's worth watching your foe ignore Devastators, Deathwing Terminators, Ravenwing, and other such unit, just for the sheer infamous reputation that the Knights have gained.
• Distraction MURDER SWORD: Chaos Space Marine one. Give a MURDER SWORD to a (random champion (NOT LEGAL)) chaos lord or DAEMON PRINCE, stick it in a nest of Cultists, and laugh as the enemy targets it for the rest of the game because they don't want it getting within 400 clicks of their special snowflake character. (Though you are fucked if the enemy has good snipers, fucking Vindicaires.)(wont work anyway because it only works on 1 character that you have to declare and fex isn't a character(lol wut? this is CSM we're talking about)). Still decent for removing faggots like papa smurf.
  • (clears throat) "Look Out, Sir!" - on a 2+ for special characters. Even against Vindicaires (but with a -2 penalty so ICs get 4+ LoS while everyone else gets a 6+) and Precision Shots. Yes, I checked before posting.
• Distraction Riptide: the advent of the new tau codex means you can field a T6 MC with a 2+,3++ save combo and 5 wounds. Give it stimulant injectors and it can shrug off anything you can throw at it for not much more than its base cost.
• Distraction Darkstrider: Enemy has a charging focused army and you only took one Pathfinder squad, stick this guy in there with a Grav-Inhibitor Drone and laugh as your opponents thrashing, snarling wave of hate never comes anywhere close.
• Distraction Stealth Suits: With the advent of the new Tau Codex this is arguably far more inferior to the Distaction Riptide above, but a team of 6 Stealthsuits, with 3+ Armour 4+ Cover, one Burst cannon each (24 S5, AP5), 2 markerlights for support, their hardpoints filled with Stim Injectors, and they just started within their 18" range, wellee bob, I think I just saw a first turn rape happen. (and they're probably gonna stick around for at least 1 or 2 more turns with those saves)
• Distraction Autarch: Autarch on jet bike with mantle of the laughing god, and lance. 2+ re-rollable cover save, and you can move it up to 36`. It can bust tanks pretty well, and will be targeted due to slay the warlord, although there's a one in 36 chance that it will be killed, so hah. (ignores cover S8+ says "free points!")
• Distraction Dreadknight: Take a T6 W4 Termi with a weapon for ~170 points and see the enemy focus him without really damaging him fast.
• Distraction Ogryn Deathstar: 10 Ogryn with 2 Primaris Psykers (faq stated each get 2 rolls) with biomancy for toughness and allied dark angel psyker for rerolls on everything and 4+ invulnerabilities. Watch it absorb loads upon loads of fire as your tactical units sneak up on the enemy.
• Distraction Eversor: With the neuro-gauntlet and melta bombs nothing is safe from the Eversor's indiscriminate rape, be it snowflake characters, tanks, or infantry. Because of this, your opponent will most likely focus every damn gun he has into stopping this drug-crazed junkie of pure murder before he gets anywhere near the bulk of his army, which is more time for your heavy hitters to move forward without the fear of getting an instant-death hit to the face (can also work the other way around. A single Eversor is capable of crapping all over your opponent's army should he close the distance.)
• Distraction Devastator Centurions: Three of these guys all with grav-cannons and watch your opponent panic as they try to hide their precocious heavy armor and low Av troops while trying to out right murder these guys. Be warry, however, that this wouldn't work if your opponent have S10 AP1-2 blasts, linemakers or guns
• Distraction Lone Wolf: Give your Lone Wolf 2 Fen Wolves and Terminator Armor and just let him roam. If you feel generous, slap a Chainfist on him. The fact that you gain points by letting this guy die means you can expend him without much consequence.
• Distraction Nurglings: Take 6-9 bases of these cute little shits,Infiltrate them as close to the enemy as possible behind ruins, enjoy a tasty 2+ cover save while your army moves up. Just pray they don't have flamers or ignore cover weapons.
• Distraction Devil Dog(s): Take a nice cheap squad of 2, (270 points) and run them up the side of the board. Give 'em camo gear, and keep them in cover. When they get there, watch as your opponent who has a fetish for tanks (Just Like you!), cries as his precious hammerheads get owned by these tanks. But if he shoots them, the your other, awesomer tanks have a turn or two of not getting murdered. Really doesn't work on swarm armies. Like 'Nids.
• Distraction Russ(es): Usually done with a Demolisher or Executioner, but can be done with almost any Russ variant. Give it Extra Armor, Recovery Gear and Relic Plating and watch as it slowly crawls it's way up the battlefield dispensing death. As the saying goes - if it hasn't absorbed at least six attempts to destroy it by Turn Two, you're doing it wrong.
• Distraction Summoning: Drop a bunch of demons in your enemy's face the he'll have to deal with or get charged to death. bonus points if you force a tau gunline to waste most of there shooting on some plague bearers that are in cover, Bonus points for literally be free except for the cost of the psyker.
• Distraction Talos Pain Engine: For something so cheap it might work as a fire magnet. If someone played DEldar that is.
• Distraction Daemon Engine: A Forgefiend, Maulerfiend, Defiler or Heldrake will be a guaranteed fire magnet. Fortunately, they all have It Will not Die (tied for best name for a 40k rule ever with He Has A Plan, beaten in the category of best overall rule name by My Will be Done) and the Drake has the added bonus of being a flyer when Skyfire is still a relative rarity. The reputation of the Defiler and Heldrake in particular will ensure that literally everything the enemy has will be hurled at you, including the models, the table, the dice, the players at the WFB table, and chairs. Lots of chairs.
• Distraction Mutilator: Pretty much the only use for Mutilators with the new CSM book, Deep Strike one behind the enemy (bonus points if it's a Tau or Guard gunline) and it will die in style as the enemy wastes a turn of valuable shooting which could have been better spent trying to bring down that Land Raider full of Terminators, or the rampaging Maulerfiend in the corner
• Distraction Angron: like this needs explaining.
• Distraction Drop Pods. Basically the current meta of spess mahreens, which involves sticking everything in drop pods. Whilst not technically distracting, messing up your opponents game plan before the game has even begun is pretty damn cool
  • If you want a cheap drop podding unit that will scare the shit outta hordes, take a 95 point assault squad in a drop pod with 2 flamers. Good times.
• '"Distraction Chaos Vindicator"' Throw in a havoc launcher and daemonic possession and then watch your opponent devote retarded amounts of firepower to keep the Khorne-incarnate rape-engine down.

Warhammer Fantasy Battles

• Distraction Hellpit Abomiantion - a giant scary monster, which can wreck whole hordes of infantry with some luck. Any sensible enemy with focus it down... buuuut, it is so adorable in has a chance to RISE FROM THE GRAVE, making the enemy freak out and focus it again - this time with EVERYTHING is has.
• Distraction Treeman - Being worse than it was in last edition, it is still big and tall, and is a fine monster killer, and its shooting can wreck small elite units, so it is likely to attract much dakka.

Warmachine and Hordes

It can be done here too!

• Distraction Centurion: The Cygnarian Heavy Warjack Centurion is made for this - Though reasonably killy in and of itself, it's main job is absorbing stupid amounts of fire and hits while your shooty army gets into place, and with defensive buffs up the arse, Cygnar can easily make it even tougher.
• Distraction Beserker: Khador is nothing but inventive - Though the Beserker Heavy Warjack is unstable and technologically weak compared to its predecessors, it can still majorly fuck up some unlucky sod with its twin axes. That is not why you use it, though - It is because it have a tendency to explode when given focus. It is fairly cheap too, so send it after whatever you want and watch as it gets blown up by anyone on the field - Your enemy if they manage to bring it down, or you, for the lulz.
• Distraction Ghordson Basher: This might just be the epitome of distraction - A rather fast Heavy Warjack made for one thing, smashing things with its head. Really. That is what it does. Throw it into the enemy and watch as it bounces the enemy about like gravity went on a break.
• Distraction Avatar of Menoth - Arguably the best of the Character Heavy Warjacks (The Cryx Deathjack being the only other real contended for the title), it is big, scary, hits like an a freight train and is hard enough to endure the return fire. Throw the Choir Hymn of Passage, the Vassal of Menoth's Enliven and, if you are playing Grand Scrutator Severius, put Defenders Ward on it for a 12/23 monster that's immune to non-magical shooting, can move after taking damage and can lock enemy units in place/force them to move towards you for your next turn when shit is going to get fucked.