Tyranids, or not to Tyranids that is the question

[XxD3Sm0nDxX]

So i have played a few games in 6th edition with my crons, and i feel like its time for change. I had a good run at the end of 5 and so far in 6th. My crons will always be my go to army but i decided i wanted to pick up a horde style army. So my questions:

ARE NIDS COMPETITIVE IN 6TH?

WHAT BUILDS HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE THIS EDITION?

HOW DO WE DEAL WITH ANTI-TANK? (other than hive guard)

I understand that they weren't in the "top teir" in 5th and i have read the post here on BOLS and Dakka Dakka. From what i have seen Nids can pull of some wins but when they lose they get crushed. So help me out here my fellow war gamers!

[evilamericorp]

Tyranids aren't the least bit competitive in 6th if you're playing hardcore WAAC-style tournament games. They lost a whole hell of a lot more than they gained this edition.

HOWEVER, they are an extremely fun army to build and play. If you're just looking for something to throw around at your FLGS that will be enjoyable, go for it.

[ragnarcissist]

^what he said, youll win games, just not tournaments. they are fun to play and fun to play against. go for it!!

[Sinistermind]

Flying tyrants are just plane fun, zoanthropes using biomancy to buff a horde army is great, MCs are still a primary anti mech method, with hull points and huge gaunt units its easy to surround and wreck a transport so its crew cannot disembark and die, biomancy is a good option for any psyker nid especially when you get iron arm with a flyrant just some general notes of mine havnt gotten in many 6th ed games with nids yet

[evilamericorp]

Flying tyrants are just plane fun

[Black Hydra]

Since everyone else covered the most important part of playing Tyranids, here's what I think. Take as much advantage of LOS-blocking cover as possible. While assaulting took a big hit, Fearless really boosts Tyranids in an incredible way. Tarpitting is going to be hell for your opponents. I think that's something that really should be taken into consideration with Nids.

[Emerald Rose Widow]

They lost a whole hell of a lot more than they gained this edition.

I disagree with this part of your statement entirely, I have only gotten better with my bugs in the new edition. With the changes to running and shooting the tervigon power onslaught has only gotten stronger. My zoanthropes have become so versatile it isn't even funny, and I just tear units to shreds. With infantry becoming so much more common the doom really makes people cry.

I am not saying they are super competetive, but I think they are doing just fine in the new edition, though I hope to play around with the harpy soon.

I will agree that for tournaments, especially WAAC ones, you shouldn't play bugs (they are my fav army, I love them, but its true), but overall its a great army to paint and play. They are really fun as far as horde armies go, and can do some really neat things if you are creative.


As far as anti tank, zoeys and hive guard are your best bet, or trygons and carnifexes. They may be expensive but that strength 9 with reroll to misses goes a long way in taking out vehicles, even with the loss of the second dice for armour pen. With smash though this can really offset this (with the trygon more than the carnifex)

I have also noticed that shooty nid lists are doing really well, especially with devourer termagants.

[KrewL RaiN]

Like everyone said already, Tyranid's are not a WAACadoodle army.

6thed has opened up a lot of new fun combos thanks to the new psychics, making the bugs a bit more fun these days. With hullpoints, we gained a lot of light AT abilities with Devilgaunts and Adrenal boosted swarmies like Hormagaunts and Gargoyles (gotta take AG on Gargoyles now!). They can glance AV10 to death in a heartbeat. Anything higher your counting on MC's, Zoanthropes and Hive Guard as usual.

The codex still has issues, but a lot of the crap that made Tyranid's utterly unplayable are gone, like no retreat wounds and dumbass 5th ed invulnerable armour.

[Anggul]

The buff to Poison makes Tyranids scarier. Sadly, though, the new MC rules just make the Trygon even better than the pathetic Carnifex than it already was. Smash means you can hit at S10 and only have 1 less attack than the Carnifex at S9, but with higher WS and Initiative. Even with the flyer rules, I think the Harpy should be T6. It's still too easy to kill and with too little damage output to be worth 160pts (more if you want decent guns). It would be nice if the Harpy Scream worked by flying over the enemy, that would be oh so very useful for our grenade-less nids.

Biomancy is great for Tyranids. Every single power is good for them, you can never go wrong.

[the jeske]

are nids a shoting army[or can they win by shoting]? no shoting is support for them .

The codex still has issues, but a lot of the crap that made Tyranid's utterly unplayable are gone, like no retreat wounds and dumbass 5th ed invulnerable armour.

now yes . fearless wounds are gone . But no striking at i1 is still there , random charge range is a world of pain when your not powerarmored t4 meq who can hope to surive after a failed charge . when one adds no AA , lack of ally for customisation , no flyers [hit me on +6 > make me hit myself on +5 even when hit by a marker light] , then no they are not a fun army to play . they arent fun in tournaments and they arent fun in non tournament games . It is easy to check . Take a new guy and give him a SW or GK dex and he will build maybe not an awesome but fun [for him] army , a new guy wont build a "fun" nid army unless he copies a net build [and even then other dex can just roll him by being superior].