1750pts Tyranid Drop Army

[Tarkon]

I usually play a swarm-based Tyranid army, but I thought it was time to try something new for once :) if anyone has more experience playing a mycetic spore based nid army, please add some comments

-HQ-
Hive Tyrant: hive commander, wings
Hive Tyrant: hive commander, wings

-ELITES-
2 Zoanthropes: mycetic spore
2 Zoanthropes: mycetic spore

-TROOPS-
Tervigon: catalyst
Tervigon: catalyst
11 Termagants: devourer, mycetic spore
10 Termagants: devourer, mycetic spore
10 Termagants: devourer, mycetic spore
10 Termagants: devourer, mycetic spore

The plan is to drop everything on a 2+ in turn 2. The 2 Tyrants cripple an enemy unit each with Paroxysm. The Zoanthropes drop near heavy vehicles to blow them up. The Tervigons outflank and spawn more termagants. And the 4 devilgaunt broods drop near infantry units to - hopefully - make them flee or at least decimate them.

I think it's basically an all-or-nothing army (like most drop armies). If the enemy is not crippled after turn 2, it's over. But fun to play no doubt :)

[Mobious]

Running double Tyrants is great and all, but it really cripples your army at low point levels. At 2000 its possible and deadly, 1850 questionable, and 1750 very difficult. It really depends on how competitive you want the army to be.

Right now I think the list is fairly strong but you only have 2 reliable anti-tank units. With the abundance of psychic defense and cover saves, the two Zoanthrope broods will drop kill one tank and die the subsequent turn. The Tyrants will drop irritate a unit or two and then either die or take enough wounds to seal their imminent death the next turn. Once these two things happen, the rest of your army is left desperate to find a way to pop the transports you were not able to destroy on the drop.

And this is when your opponent is ON the table. What happens when someone has a reserve capable force (Eldar & Guard) and kill the threats before they can do their damage?

Like I said the list can work but between the Tyrants eating up so many points and your troops doing very little (especially to enemy tanks), you are left with a few major weaknesses.

[Tarkon]

True, the double Tyrants are a major point sink, but I fear it's essential to get the +2 bonus on reserve rolls. In my playing area, psychic defenses are almost non existent, as almost nobody plays with librarians or equivilants.

But yes, zoanthropes are so fragile, even with their invulnerable save... But as they are the only anti-tank unit that can deep strike, I fear I'm stuck with them :)

[Tynskel]

Here's an idea:

Drop one tervigon.
Switch 2 devour gaunts to termagants.
With the points of the Tervigon and a handful of gaunts, Take a Screamer Killer (with the Glands and Frag Spines) in a Spore. You'll up your immediate numbers, and will still be able to squeeze a few reserves outta the Tervigon.

Or you could go with a Trygon. But, I think your theme is spore drop, not burrow strike. The Screamer Killer will add a nice 'Plasma Cannon' shot, and has 5 Str 10 re-roll to hit attacks on the charge at Initiative 4, not bad.

[Tarkon]

That's not a bad idea. I haven't tested the Screamer-Killer yet, but the bio plasma shoulds nice.

I have tested the Trygon though (with swarm-based lists), and all he did in the games I played with him was burst out, shoot stuff, and then get shot to death.

[Tynskel]

Personally, I would ditch the other tervigon.

Your list is a drop list, and the Tervigon is coming from side board, doesn't quite make sense. I would replace with a Harpy!

I like Screamer Killers- especially since I still have the original Screamer Killer (maybe I am biased).

Protecting such things as Trygons, Mawlocs, and Dropping Screamer Killers: Timing. The problem with all three is that they are big and arrive by themselves. They are an obvious Target. However, if more than one were to arrive together- or at least a more pressing target were to land with them (like Zoans/ Large Warrior Brood/ another large bug), then one might die, or your opponent might split fire. Either case, they usually cannot take care of more than one big beasty at a time.