How to kit out a Hive Tyrant?

[juliusb]

Wings and glands. Distraction, misdirection etc. I try to use cover to keep him alive for a couple of turns while everyone else gets in position. Also use as a counter-assault thread and synapse bubble on the back lines depending on opponent. Not great but versatile if I don't try to make him a hero...

[dragonkain]

I've actually had a lot of luck with a Flyrant running with a squad of Shrikes and Raveners to screen him. Its rather fun to watch the opponents scrabble to bring fire on him and the two Trygon Primes that show up. I take
Old Adversary if I can afford it usually. I've toyed with the idea of a thorax swarm, and Shreddershard are nice for the rending effect for sure, but I have a hard time passing up the mobility that wings give me, as well as the option to deep strike him behind the enemy lines and throw down that well placed Psychic Scream or Paroxysm that brings the enemy to their knees. He does draw a lot of fire that he has to compensate with alone, since there are no Guard with him, but the twin Trygon Primes are usually enough to force my enemy to divide fire and get him safely tucked into CC.

[astrocometer]

Personally i prefer wings, pair of bone-swords and a pair of sything talons, ususly works for m

[muggins]

I like mine with 2x scything talons and wings, but that is because why my Forge World flying tyrant came with. The build ain't the greatest. I don't think they're worth taking unless they have guards but I do anyway.

[Senger285]

I take LW/BS, TL Devourer, Armored shell, old adversary, Hive commander, leach essence and paraxsym. Also run 2 guards.

[Chaos Minion]

Tyrants have always been tricky to fully take advantage of all the benefits they offer. Whether supporting, close combat or shooty, they can ,ake or break an army all together. Here's a couple different roles I've used with varying success.

Support tyrant
Tyrant w/wings, Paroxym, Leech Essence, Talons x2, and Old adversary.
This is my primary build for my Tyrant, he's used in conjunction with Tervigons and termagants. Giving Prefered Enemy to all the the spawn with the Tervigons poison, this has made short work of some incredibly tough units.

Shooty Tyrant
Tyrant w/ 2 Guards, LW/BS, HVC, Leech Essence, Paroxym, Armored Shell.
I've rarely used this build for it is dependant upon knowing you opponents army and them taking light vehicles. His primary duty is poping transports and allowing your swarms of units "chow down" on the inards. Simple and straight forward, and he's no slouch in combat either.

Close Combat Tyrant
Tyrant w/ pair of Boneswords x2 (or Talons x2), Psychic Scream, Leeach Essence, Hive Commander, Wings, Acid Blood or use the Swarm Lord
Using this guy requires using the reserves game. By limiting your opponents ability to bring him down in Shooting. This Tyrant is used in 'Nidzilla lists, usually in pairs.

Hope this helps, I've had varying degrees of success with them. If you know what your facing then you'll have a better chance of building your Tyrants to defeat your opponent.

[Transgressor]

I normally run mine on foot with 1 set of TL Devourers and Sword/Whip for weapons and then old advesary to support my termagant swarms. Always keep a conga line of them near him so long as 1 of them is within 6 inches you get a nasty suprise for anyone assaulting the blobs, especially with tervigons providing counterattack. This combo works really nice against other assaulty armies but it's rather slow and strugles to keep up if you have to run across the board to get to a shooty army (and practially useless against DE).

[jb50c]

Just curious...how are you guys screening him if he is an MC?

[Mr_E]

The only time I've had anything even approaching success with a Tyrant is with two pairs of scything talons, wings and a screening unit of ten gargoyles.

This right here.

Occasionally, if I run a walking tyrant, I give him lw/bs and a venom cannon. I find the devourers are the anti-thesis of what I want from him. Most of the fight he's standing around with his guard (with lash whips) and shooting long range or throwing his psychic powers at ****. I don't give him regen, but I do give him leech essence and armored shell. If he gets into CC, I want him to STAY in CC. It means less **** is shooting at him and I can usually counter-charge with something else like a prime and his pipe-hittin' buddies. He's just not a deathstar. He's too expensive and vulnerable to being a useable deathstar except in suicide missions where he's got the quoted equipment and a bunch of bodies in between him and a powerfist.

Also, if you're going to do devourers because thats your fancy, do two pairs or not at all. He's either got to be able to just poop wounds on stuff or have something to hold off the assault, but trying to do both reduces his over-all effectiveness.

[jb50c]

This right here.

Occasionally, if I run a walking tyrant, I give him lw/bs and a venom cannon. I find the devourers are the anti-thesis of what I want from him. Most of the fight he's standing around with his guard (with lash whips) and shooting long range or throwing his psychic powers at ****. I don't give him regen, but I do give him leech essence and armored shell. If he gets into CC, I want him to STAY in CC. It means less **** is shooting at him and I can usually counter-charge with something else like a prime and his pipe-hittin' buddies. He's just not a deathstar. He's too expensive and vulnerable to being a useable deathstar except in suicide missions where he's got the quoted equipment and a bunch of bodies in between him and a powerfist.

Also, if you're going to do devourers because thats your fancy, do two pairs or not at all. He's either got to be able to just poop wounds on stuff or have something to hold off the assault, but trying to do both reduces his over-all effectiveness.

Not sure if you were responding to me, but since he's an MC can you really block 50% of the tyrant model with Gargoyles?