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Everything I've read here and other places says biovores are bad, and I'll agree that a squad of three with the barrage rules are nurfed. However, I still think that a single biovore with acid mines can be useful. Someone will have to do the math, but you have a 55pt. unit that will kill a marine on a 5+, has a chance to hit one or two more, causes pinning, and can kill AV14 (although a very low chance, and and can't hurt monoliths), and has all six turns. Also, even if the mine doesn't hit that turn, it may do so in the next.

So, maybe someone can do the math?

Against MEQs: 1/3 chance to hit, 1/3 chance to kill.

My mate has had great success against my open topped vehicles with Biovores. They are an inexpensive unit which excels against certain units and can simply prove to be a thorn in ones side through a battle without being worth enough points to be worth attacking.
In certain armies with enough points spare, yes they can be a worthwhle investment.

I want to say something.....you fire it and you treat the one that touches as the main shot, the you "use Barrage Rule" for the other two scattering off the first, they don't just go off where ever they are. When is says the all explode just means they are all used and to take the models off the board. I really don't see what the big deal is, the first one pops and doesn't scatter and the next one or two are placed off of that.....per barrage rules so....you can really hit alot.....re-read the codex and barrage rules. I don't see where people are coming from when they say it sucks.

Biovores are useless. If you miss the vehicle with Bio-Acid, its not going to do much else aside from floating around and blowing up harmlessly. If it floats into a vehicle, you're hitting it with STR 1 (Centre-hole rule), if it floats within 1" of an enemy, you're likely hitting it on a 4+. Even if you get a direct hit on a vehicle, you have to be very lucky to beat AV12+, which seems to be the average that you'd be facing.

They went from the best unit in the Tyranid codex points-wise to the worst. Why would anyone give up a Heavy Support slot to something that has less hitting power than an IG Mortar at twice the price?

A spore mine doesn't blow up when within 1 inch of an enemy, it blows up when it makes base to base contact, so it will always it at least one model that way. They can also float into the rear of the vehicle if they miss the first time.

I'd argue that a spore mine does not halve it's strength when getting a partial on a vehicle, since it isn't based off it's strength. It simply says 2d6+3, not strength plus 2d6. It may be a YMDA debate.

Friends don't let friends use biovores.

Get a brood of 11 spinegaunts instead. Or put those points towards a Gunfex, or zoanthropes.

I'm saying show me why not to take them. Show me the math that they don't make their points back. I know I've never seen a squad of spinegaunts make their points back.
Plus, that extra pinning is good in a choir list.

The main reason that you shouldn't take a lone Biovore is because it uses a up a heavy support slot.

If you haven't figured it out yet, Gunfexes and Zoanthropes are some of the better choices available to the Tyranids, IMHO.

The larger the army you field, the more of a necessity it is to take two (or even three) Gunfexes or a combination of two Gunfexes and some Zoanthropes. Larger Tyranid armies that don't take two Gunfexes really find themselves in a pinch whenever they face an enemy with AV13-14 vehicles.


IMO, the only place for a lone Biovore is in a Tyranid army under 1,000 pts, where taking a second Gunfex isn't necessarily an option. . .a 55 pt filler isn't the worst thing you can take.

Posted By yakface on 04/03/2006 2:34 AM

The main reason that you shouldn't take a lone Biovore is because it uses a up a heavy support slot.

Yak is right, this is the primary reason not to take them. There are simply much better choices that Biovores make you give up.

The other reason, IMO, is that they really got nerfed when multiple Biovores lost the ability to fire independently. Firing mines all over the field was much (2x) fun in 3rd edition. Oh, how I miss that...

First post, forgive me my sins....

In 100% agreement with Yak on this one.  Something to consider ONLY in those lower point games, is that despite being literally "Living artillery? they do not suffer from that particular special rule and can claim table quarters. In an army where most of your units are probably CC or short to mid range shooty, having one cheap unit that can be used to its full effect while 100% out of line of sight and still contest a table quarter may be worth the 55 point investment.

In summary, do I think the Biovore is useless, no.  But the rules discourage ever taking more than one, and even then they are still overshadowed by everything else in their category.

Thanks, that's type of answer I was looking for.

Incidentaly, I have some biovores for sale...

I don't like broods of 1 but I think using 1 is a decent idea IF you have a free HS slot.

As it is a scoring unit (one of its main strengths imo) you can sit back firing mines from behind cover untill turn 5-6 then move onto an objective.

Imo you should be deploying it to take the objective rather than shoot, the 48" range I think they have should be enough most of the time.

The acid mines should be able to occasionally pop an av 12, they can penetrate which is a bonus. Also they do decently against av10 esp open topped. Though I prefer the acid mine, it gets 2 hits on open topped instead of that 1 autoglance. Both are good though.

If you ever pop a vehicle carrying 4+ models you will love that poison mine

Personally though I don't use them as my HS slots are already full but if I had a spare I would likely through in 1 vore.

One of the main problems now is that for pretty much the same price instead of the acid mines s3 ap3 you could be buying a zoan with warp blast. Now ask yourself which you prefer?

S3 or S5 hmmmm hard decision....
Which do I prefer 2+ save with invul OR no save......
assualt weapon OR heavy.....
2nd psychic power to no psychic power......

Zoans scoring status really has ALOT to make up for!