Carnifex - thoughts.

Lets see.. I used the monster mash list I made today.

So they didn't perform horribly, quite nicely infact. They just make me wonder.. With their strength 9 and four attacks, they want to be in CC no matter how they're equipped - and two pairs of scything talons are ideal for that.

Twin TL devourers are very awesome but it prevents them from running and being in CC sooner. It also cuts down their damage output in CC by quite a bit by not having scything talons (most commonly hitting opponents on 4s = you're losing 33% of your damage output by not having the rerolls to hit). Devourers are serious firepower which can stun an enemy vehicle within your charge range for next turn.. but in a proper list going the way the game should, your support should be doing this for you. They could use onslaught from a tervigon to run + shoot but! FNP from catalyst is too good to give up IMO.

Now, carnifexes are your only CC units with a base strength higher than 6, this allows them to scare land raiders or things with T4 or less that don't have EW. Two scything talons give you a 11/36 chance of hitting a cruising speed vehicle each attack, almost doubling it from 1 in 6.

Heavy venom cannons on carnifexes as a way to get firepower for shooting armor at range aren't as efficient at it as tyrannofexes. Compare 2 fexes with HVC to a tyrannofex with rupture cannon, the tyrannofex is more deadly in the ranged armor killing role for it's points cost. As a cheap upgrade to give your carnifex something to do while supporting other units, I see it as useful, yes.. just don't make it's main role be long range armor annoyance, please!

Stranglethorn cannons.. do you really need more anti infantry in a nid army.. really, you do? Alright, you're allowed to take one. I don't think much of this option, as you can see.

Deathspitters? No, look at devourers. If you take these on a carnifex and call your list competitive you deserve to be slapped -.- Devourers are so much better for the same points cost.

Crushing claws? Lemme think.. Two times scything talons are comparable in effectiveness for less points cost but imagine slapping preferred enemy on a couple of fexes with these and smashing into a unit. Ow.

Toxin sacs? No, never. wounding things on 2s is better than 4s with rerolls. Just don't take them. Adrenal glands.. there're a few times when str10 and init 4 are a massive help, otherwise they help a little the rest of the time. Adrenal glands are a good place to spend that last few points.

Regen and bio plasma? I haven't really thought to care about either because I prefer more units over few, massively upgraded units but probably.. spare points here? Frag spines, don't take unless you have adrenal glands. Most things that are initiative 3 don't scare you at all.

Numbers! I think the ideal number of carnifexes in a brood is two. One simply doesn't have quite the endurance or threat level. Two in a unit is expensive but not -too- expensive. Charge two fexes towards your enemy and they will have to deal with them.

Carnifexes really do embody what they are in fluff. Battering rams that charge right at the enemy and tear them apart. Thumbs up to GW!