Carrion Thralls

Template:Cryxbox This model is playable only in an Unlimited format.

Each carrion thrall is a unique and nightmarish fusion drawn from the minds of Cryx’s mad necrotechs. Cobbled together from the bodies of Cryxian birds and battlefield scrap, flocks of carrion thralls blacken battlefields to pick apart the bodies of the dead and any wounded who have been left behind.

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Combined Melee Attack
• Template:Flight
• Template:Undead
• Template:Finisher
• Template:Prowl
• Template:Reposition 5

Weapons

• Beak - 0.5" reach, POW 2, P+S 7 melee weapon

Theme Forces

• Cryx
  • Template:Black Industries

• Other Factions
  • Infernal players can use this model/unit in the Template:Hearts of Darkness theme, but only if Mortenebra is leading the army.
  • Mercenary and Convergence players can use this unit in the Template:Strange Bedfellows theme.

Thoughts on Carrion Thralls

Carrion Thralls in a nutshell

They're cheap cannon fodder. They fulfill a similar role as mechanithralls; they're slightly worse at combat and durability than the thralls, but slightly better at speed and manoevurability.

They make for a great jamming unit with their high SPD, Flight, and Reposition. Ideally you cause your opponent an order-of-activation problem trying to clear the birds before activating the jammed unit.

They aren't a strong unit, but they can be obnoxious with Finisher and CMA. Their ideal target is damaged light warjacks/warbeasts, or damaged heavy infantry. In a hypothetical setup they get the charge vs a damaged target and do 2-bird CMAs to get to an effective MAT 7 and P+S 9 + 4d6 (rolling a 23 on average).

Combos & Synergies

In Cryx

• Any caster that can give them Stealth (via Occultation, Ashen Veil, or a feat) can use them to jam enemy gunlines quite well.
• Being cheap and disposable makes them good for:
  • Lich Lord Terminus enjoys their presence for cheap Sac Pawn. Getting tough is also nice.
  • Goreshade2 can sacrifice them to fuel his feat.
  • Goreshade3 can also sacrifice them to fuel his feat. He appreciates their speed and flight to get the feat in the right places, too.
• The Necrosurgeon can bring them back to unlife.
• A Pistol Wraith can make a target stationary and put some chip damage in, making it an easy target for the birds.

In Strange Bedfellows

• The reason for taking Carrion Thralls in SB is as follows; either you need cheap, faster infantry that can keep up with and help your solos get Swift Vengeance dying or you are playing Aurora2, who has some fantastic synergy with anyone who flies.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• If you try to use them for anything other than jamming, you're gonna have a bad time:
  • Tissue-paper armour with average DEF = blasts and even the weakest attacks will cut a swathe through their ranks.
  • Miserable offensive output - even with Finisher, they are only hitting as hard as a Mechanithrall.

Tricks & Tips

• Try to get into the back arc of damaged light warjacks/warbeasts. P+S 7 is not much, but with 4D6 on a free strike it is perfect for chipping off damage boxes, crippling aspects and key systems in the process.
• Given their lackluster melee output, it is usually a good idea to pair them for 2-man CMAs.
• Knocked down models are easy prey, especially if the target is damaged. Slams are a great way to achieve both.

Other

Trivia

• Released in Prime Mk3 or maybe the Cryx Command book (2016.06)