# Are lictors worth it



## warrior-of-hope (Dec 20, 2006)

I have played against nids a few times now and it seems to me lictors are a waste of points. People seem to think hoping for 6's and bundling a tank is goign to work or that if they charge a dev unit they wont get jumped on by angry marines.


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

Lictors are quite worthwhile. They're playing them right if they're jumping Devastators with them. Not tanks, though. If you use the Lictors to engage a heavy weapons unit such as Devastators, they're most likely going to lose a turn of shooting dealing with the Lictor. That'll protect your more valuable units. For example, if the devastators have four heavy bolters, that's going to save your Warriors and gaunts a whole lot of hurt for a turn, which lets them get in closer unmolested by a heavy weapons team. Basically, a Lictor jumping heavy weapons squads gives you a good chance to get more bodies to your opponent's lines.


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## Skcuzzlebumm (Dec 21, 2006)

Lictors are defo worth it, as said above catching the side of a dev unit (to limit intial attacks) while keep them out the game for at least a turn and you may kill a few - good news while the rest of your army moves in to charge.
They do work well against tanks, its a bit balls out as your often needed 5's or 6's to pen but killing a 130-180pt battle tank is fantastic when you only cost 80pts/
Also as unit support they are evil, charge a unit with a lictor then mob around him with hormaguants - hello preffered enemy.
Finaly if your ever faced with escalation, like been at a UK GT, then having a re-roll for your reserves is wonderful to make sure your slow fex's, Mega tyrants and hordes of hormaguants all get on the board and into the enemy early.


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## pathwinder14 (Dec 27, 2006)

Stupid me. I never thought about assaulting the side of a squad with my lictors before. That wwill deffinitely increase its surviveability. Maybe it won't die the turn it comes out.


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## the cabbage (Dec 29, 2006)

I use three in a 1500 point tyranid army with no guns.

Under the old codex I would bring them out together and use as a squad.

Under the new dex they can still do a bit of damage. My friend jumped my 263 point HQ suits unit and chewed them up. He did roll 6 rending hits in two turns though. I will continue to use them for the psychological and fluffy aspect of them appearing out of the bushes.


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## Jezlad (Oct 14, 2006)

The only Lictor i've faced was played really well by Skcuzzlebumm. 

Only a few crappy dice on his part stopped it ripping the arse out of my Baal Pred.
I lost that game so you could say I respect and fear the lictor.


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## NecronNidMarine (Jan 25, 2007)

the experience's i've had with lictors are varied.against softer units like dark reapers or guard hevy weapons, they've shined. However, everytime i've used a lictor vs. my friend's chaos havocs, it gets pwned.Nice.


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

Lictors really aren't in the army to do direct damage. If you can tie down an enemy unit that's heavily tooled out for shooting for a turn, that lets you gain quite a bit of ground with more models. For example, you use the Lictor to charge a Devastator Squad with four heavy bolters. They most likely won't kill the Lictor. Thus, they'll be locked for the turn, and your mob of 20 hormagaunts can jump in without worrying about taking twelve heavy bolter shots beforehand. 

Clever use of Lictors also helps in missions, since Reserves tend to play a heavy role in most scenarios. the Tactica article about Reserves in the new White Dwarf (US325/UK326) has some pretty good pointers for those who haven't thought through these things already themselves.


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## chaplain_slayer (Nov 9, 2007)

The Son of Horus said:


> Lictors are quite worthwhile. They're playing them right if they're jumping Devastators with them. Not tanks, though. If you use the Lictors to engage a heavy weapons unit such as Devastators, they're most likely going to lose a turn of shooting dealing with the Lictor. That'll protect your more valuable units. For example, if the devastators have four heavy bolters, that's going to save your Warriors and gaunts a whole lot of hurt for a turn, which lets them get in closer unmolested by a heavy weapons team. Basically, a Lictor jumping heavy weapons squads gives you a good chance to get more bodies to your opponent's lines.


I completely agree with TSoH, this is how I use both my lictors, and since i can spread them out I can also hit sniper squads as well as devastators, broadsides crisis suits,IG mortar teams,even a dreadnaught, since I've had lictors I've used them is 5 games and won them all, and I would like to say it is completely because of Lictors.


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## Hivemind Demeter (Nov 6, 2007)

Odd, I use my Lictors, to, you know, kill stuff.

Hmm, I must be playing weirdly. :wink:


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## Hespithe (Dec 26, 2006)

I've never seen an opponent use a Lictor wisely. Even against my IG, when assaulting Guardsmen, the Lictor was placed poorly and had to suffer the attentions of the whole squad. Of course, it took two rounds of mêlée to get rid of it, but it only managed to slow the ranged fire of one heavy bolter and died in the attempt. 

Personally, like many of the others here, I think the Lictor is a great purchase and when used correctly, can be the salvation of many 'lesser' bugs.


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## wolf. (Nov 10, 2007)

i find that lictors can be very effective if you use them wisely
by deep striking them in at the right time and place, they can swing the balance in combat with their rending
and there ability to assault after deep strike is very sneaky


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## Viscount Vash (Jan 3, 2007)

I have had a few appear and then charge the back of one of my tanks which can be quite effective.

But that said i reckon the main value of them is the disturbance they can cause in the opponents back line, just the thought of them turning up can really spook some players.


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## Hivemind Demeter (Nov 6, 2007)

Personally I like to use them to take out units of troops in the back lines.
They shouldn't just 'tie up' the heavy weapons teams, or the long range weapons, they should take them out.
Charge their long range tanks from behind!
Take out Tau Firewarriors!
Kill some Marines!

Lictors are more than worth their points, and I've never used them to just 'tie up' enemy units. You have to play them wisely, and take out straggling troops, or the bundles of troops left in their starting position that keep firing at you.


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## Apocalypse (Nov 18, 2007)

I've seen many people use lictors poorly.
I agree that they should sneak (somehow) to the back of the enemy lines.
A smart opponent would pay close attention to a tyranid player with lictors and watch their every move. I seen such things .


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