Tyranids - 2,000

[mercer]

So like many others I've jumped on the Tyranid bandwagon. I did actually play Tyranids up until this time last year, though I sold them. I got rid of them as I couldn't make them work, though I wish I had used a Nidzilla list now.



So I'm now back and determined to make them work. This is a list I've come up with:






HQ

Hive Tyrant leech essence, 1 x twin-linked devourers, hive commander & scything talons
1 x Tyrant Guard
Hive Tyrant wings, adrenal glands & hive commander

Elite

2 x Zoanthrope w/ Mycetic Spore cluster mines
2 x Zoanthrope w/ Mycetic Spore cluster mines

Troops

19 x Termagants
19 x Termagants
1 x Tervigon cluster spines, adrenal glands & toxin sacs
1 x Tervigon cluster spines, adrenal glands & toxin sacs

Fast Attack

10 x Gargoyles
10 x Gargoyles

Heavy Support

1 x Trygon Prime adrenal glands
1 x Trygon adrenal glands





Ok I did take a winged Tyrant but it costs so much and it needs some support, which I chosen some Gargoyles. Anyway I've dropped that and now taking 2 Hive Tyrants with twin-linked devourers and scything talons. Reason for the talons is I've already got one model with talons and I don't want to rip them off. Also 6 twin-linked shots is pretty nasty and the re-roll 1's in combat is sweet. I would have taken Tyrant Guard but not enough points. Anyway, these guys mooch forward and waste light vehicles and destroy infantry and finally charge in and wreck some face.

The Zoanthropes are my tank hunters. They go for the toughest strongest tanks on the field and do them over, ir they work in tandem and one unit wrecks a transport and the other unit blasts the survivors with the large blast templates. Why no Myceptic Spore Pods you ask? Well I read the rules and these things just deep strike in, so they're kept in reserves. I want my anti tank units a.s.a.p, not on turn four. And as they haven't got a rule like the Space Marine Drop Pods it means they just come in via reserve.

Termgants make up my troops with fire power. I did take 2 Tervigons before, but they cost so much points. I now have 40 Gants which will be moving through cover like sneaky buggers.

Hormgaunts will go in front of the Gants and make a wall, these guys are expendable and will only get into assault if transports are destroyed by the Zoanthropes.

Genestealers are a must have really, they're awesome in close combat and cheaper as well. I did think of taking a Broodlord but I don't see much advantage. These guys will infiltrate and just tear into whatever they can.

Carnifex acts as a guard for the Hive Tyrants and gives them extra fire power. I've added crushing claws because I think the model looks awesome and D3 attacks extra in combat is nasty, on the charge a Carnifex could have up to 9 attacks!

Trygons have both been upgraded to Trygon Primes. I don't want these guys doing anything they shouldn't be, though they have rage special rule which just sends them into close combat anyway. Though I expect the Zoanthropes to die easily in the first few turns and without them I've only got Tyrants as synapse creatures.

Any comments?

[gcsmith]

sorry but no drop pod for the zoans will fail. u can try to see how it works but id pod them and have the +1 reserves on the tyrants meaning 2+ on turn 2

[mercer]

I'm still going for a turn without anti tank. I want those tanks taking damage on turn 1 if I can help it. I don't want to risk coming in on turn 3 or 4 when I need them the most.

[Drakkan Vael]

The problem is: Your Zoas will never reach the enemy tanks without the pods. With 18" Range they will be shot to pieces long before they come within range.

You seriously lack synapse creatures. I'd drop one Tyrant and add a Tyranid Prime (Alpha warrior around here). Add that to one of the gaunt squads (as an IC he can do that) . That gives synapse to all units around and he cannot be shot at.

For the freed up points get pods for both Zoa units and think about a Guard for your Tyrant.

You might want to think about switching a Trygon Prime for a Tyrannofex with a rupture cannon. Or switch out the Carni for the Tyrannofex (and drop a few hormas or termas).

Also, Termagaunts are not exactly firepower.

[mercer]

Updated!

Added spores for the zoans, given them cluster mines for anti troop as the zoans go tank hunting the survivors from the transports can feel the pain.

Synapse creatures now added. Trygon Primes and Tervigons bringing my total to 8.

Add Tyrant Guard for the Tyrant, just the one. Added hive commander ability as well so those spores will come in earlier.

Dropped the Carnifex for Tervigons. Carnifex only hangs around with the Tyrant, Tervigons can do that.

Aye, Gaunts aren't fire power but when your army is mostly scything talons they become fire power then ;)

[Chumbalaya]

8 Troops lawls

It's a good sign when a Codex forces you to really think about even your Troops choices.

[gcsmith]

lol illigal dex i see

[mercer]

Oh bugger! lol hadn't even noticed that! re-write I think. Perhaps drop the genestealers then and increase hormagaunt numbers.

[mercer]

Updated!!

[Mycroft Holmes]

I'm wondering about the Trygon Primes. One of their major benefits (as I understand it) is that they allow reserves to follow them and come out the same DS point. Do you plan on using this ability? Perhaps with the Hormogaunts?

[Caldera02]

Couple notes for you to think about.

Crushing claws on tervigons is waste imo. They are not close combat support models. They are a support model, dishing out candy to the squishes, a.k.a hormagaunts and termagants. Remember the Alpha is an IC so you can attach em to a squad. Termagants would be an ok way to do this as it would be ablative wounds. Hormagaunts would lose what little speed they have so not a good choice there. If you were to bring in some genestealers to add him to and drop one trygon to a regular might save you some points.

You can give the HT two psychic powers so on top of leech essence, add paraoxsym. That ability alone is devastating.

The trygon reserve hole I think is crap. Eepecially if you have +1 reserve roll in the army. Say your Trygon comes in on a 3+ on turn 2. Great. Now what if that unit you wanted to come in(say hormies or genestealers) also comes in. They can't use the trygon hole yet. Or what if on turn 2 the squad comes in but not the trygon? Also that squad can't move or assault. It just seems exteremly unreliable to me at best.
At least for 40 points(drop spore) you don't have to rely on multiple things to get your unit across the board, only the reserve roll.

[mercer]

I've posted a new list now, which some reflect on your suggstions.

I agree on crushing claws. They're only S5 anyway.

I know about the tyrant, hadn't made my mind up what to take.

I won't be pulling anything else through the hole anyway, though I'm sure it says anything else which comes in via reserves on the same turn can use the hole, though infantry only.