Barbed Strangler

From Exterminatus Manual

++Weapons++

The Barbed Strangler is an immobile tyranid lifeform that is launched from a symbiote weapon attached to a Tyranid Warrior.

The primary attack of the weapon launches a new Barbed Strangler in a grenade like arc. The Barbed Strangler latches on to the first thing it hits (usualy a wall), then waits for victims to come into range of it's tendrils. While the Barbed Strangler is alive another one cannot be launched.

When a victim enters the range of the Barbed Strangler a tendril will entangle them, dragging the victim painfully toward the Barbed Strangler. The longer a victim remains entagled the tighter the Barbed Strangler's grip grows, doing more damage. A single Barbed Strangler can entagle up to four victims at once.

If a Barbed Strangler lands badly placed it can be sacrificed using the reload key to give the warrior another shot. Barbed Stranglers are vulnerable to damage from attacks, dying eventually, but allowing it's warrior to launch another. If a victim manages to get a wall or other obstruction between them and the Barbed Strangler they will be freed. Victims can also get free by pulling out of the range of the Barbed Strangler's tendrils.

Tactics

Launch a Barbed Strangler against a wall or ceiling in a choke point the marines will pass through, retreat to a safe distance, let the Barbed Strangler do it's thing until it dies, then fire another one.

Barbed Stranglers can be launched over the enemy, so they must turn to kill it, a which point you can close in and finish them of with your talons.

A warrior with a deployed Barbed Strangler is relatively vulnerable, having no ranged attack. The easiest way for a marine to rid himself of a Barbed Strangler is often to kill the warrior who launched it.