Has the new Tyranid Vanguard dataslate changed your opinion on Tyranid viability?

[Dlatrex]

For me personally, I certainly do like the formations. I've always enjoyed the concept of lictors but the combination of survivability and fighting for the FOC position has kept me from using them consistently. These formations certainly clear both of those problems up. The Forest Lictors will hit like a freight-train in CC: they'd kill as many marines on the charge as 12 genestealers, and not suffer attrition as quickly. Expensive, but for frag grenades they're pretty great. I'd also love to learn how to use the gargoyles properly, but the sporemines are still a little bit of a question mark for me.

[AlmostMercury]

For me personally, I certainly do like the formations. I've always enjoyed the concept of lictors but the combination of survivability and fighting for the FOC position has kept me from using them consistently. These formations certainly clear both of those problems up. The Forest Lictors will hit like a freight-train in CC: they'd kill as many marines on the charge as 12 genestealers, and not suffer attrition as quickly. Expensive, but for frag grenades they're pretty great. I'd also love to learn how to use the gargoyles properly, but the sporemines are still a little bit of a question mark for me.

But you have to take 5 lictors, so that's 250 points. You can take almost 18 Genestealers for that, and be more likely to deploy them via formation (Ruins are way more common). Or, you could have 18 scoring units with flexible deployment without a formation.

[Gleipnir]

But you have to take 5 lictors, so that's 250 points. You can take almost 18 Genestealers for that, and be more likely to deploy them via formation (Ruins are way more common). Or, you could have 18 scoring units with flexible deployment without a formation.

Nothing requires that the Forest Lictors actually be placed in a forest, you could Deep Strike them or infiltrate/outflank them as normal should you choose, you just get to ignore the FOC and typical brood size.

Personally prefer the Deathleaper formation variety, yes its 380 points but well timed it presents more targets to worry about at once (hopefully at the same time as the rest of your forces) and has the Leadership debuffs going for it.

Just seems tough not to give up First Blood as Nids

[AlmostMercury]

Nothing requires that the Forest Lictors actually be placed in a forest, you could Deep Strike them or infiltrate/outflank them as normal should you choose, you just get to ignore the FOC and typical brood size.

Personally prefer the Deathleaper formation variety, yes its 380 points but well timed it presents more targets to worry about at once (hopefully at the same time as the rest of your forces) and has the Leadership debuffs going for it.

I agree about the Deathleaper formation, I think it's better too. I like the idea of Deathleaper without using an HQ slot, but I'm still not sure what I would do with 5 lictors.

Just seems tough not to give up First Blood as Nids

This is a definite worry. I think if you run it, you start the game playing like you're a point behind.

[CrimsonTurkey]

I think what you do with the five lictors is make the enemy army more susceptible to pinning via barbed strangler/the horror. Haven't tried it yet, but it seems that those lictors would be best used trying to stay alive, and then jumping in wherever they're needed once the rest of the army hits.