'Nids

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**chimeara**

My brother is interested in playing Tyranids. He would like to have a "kill all the things" type of army. Now I'm not familiar with the nids anymore. What would be an ideal list of models beyond the get started box set? We'll say enough for 1500 points.

**BaconCatBug**

I mean it really depends if he wants to go hoard or MC.

**Lance845**

Tyranids got real good this edition. Almost every unit is viable in a list with good tactical synergy to support it. It entirely depends on his play style.

**Niiai**

For the love of god get an easy paint scheme that also looks good. Do not try some advanced thing.

**chimeara**

He would like a not hoard type of army. But not to many big things.

**Yarium**

Lol, well then I guess his option is to go with a mixed and well-rounded army of stuff. Any starter kit should help get him there.

**Eldarain**

Swarmlord and a ton of medium bugs sounds fun.

**MechaEmperor7000**

It sounds like the Genestealer + Trygon combo might be your best bet. Genestealers are absolutely terrifying this edition, being cheap, fast, having a hilarious amount of attacks, and an invul save a la Harlequins. The Trygon, meanwhile, has the ability to deepstrike (without scatter) behind enemy lines and still charge them. It can also bring a unit of troops (which Genestealers are) with it when it deepstrikes, acting as a pseudo-drop pod. Even with their newfound durability, the Genestealers would very much benefit from such a deployment.

The other one is Tervigons + Termagants. The Tervigon can respawn any fleshborer termagant with it's special ability, allowing you to keep up a gunline of them so long as the tervigon doesn't bite it. Since spawning new termagants costs points, you'd usually want to just keep the existing ones alive instead. This combines great with the above genestealer x trygon trick in that it gives you something that can hold objectives while your stealers and trygon wreck havoc on the enemy back lines.

Also biovores. Because cheap, easy mortal wounds are delicious and even if they miss the resulting spore mines will deny enemy ground.

**BrianDavion**

Niiai wrote:
For the love of god get an easy paint scheme that also looks good. Do not try some advanced thing.

Behemoth is a good one for that, dead simple to apply, but on the bigger ones you can really work some love onto it to make it stand out

**Stormonu**

Spawning Termagants via Tervigon costs points? Is that listed somewhere beyond the 8-page rules? I thought the "spawn more"was built into their cost.

**Lance845**

chimeara wrote:
He would like a not hoard type of army. But not to many big things.

Play a different army. Tyranids are almost exclusively big things and hoards. lol

**MechaEmperor7000**

For matched play, it costs reinforcement points. Reinforcement points, if I remember, comes from your total point allotment that you did not spend before the game.

This only applies if you're spawning new units. "healing" existing units costs no points.

**phydaux**

chimeara wrote:
He would like a not hoard type of army. But not to many big things.

Geez, that's saying he wants to play Tyranids, but he doesn't want either of the two things Tyranids does well.

If he doesn't want a vast hord of little bugs, and he doesn't want a stompy 'Nidzilla list, then that means that most of his killing is going to be done by Genestealers. Except Genestealers are soft and squishy. That means he is going to have to have several fast, cheap units like Gargoyles & various 'Gaunts to screen the Genestealers, and a few big bugs to act as distractions, soaking up enemy gunfire until the Genestealers can get in close.

In other words, a TYPICAL Tyranid army - 2 BIG units of Gargoyles, 2 BIG units of 'Gaunts, 2 units of Genestealers, two Carnifexes, a Hive tyrant, and some Tyrant Guard.

**chimeara**

After reviewing the suggestions and looking at some models, he's interested in the Maleceptor. Along with some other psykers and big things.

**pinecone77**

chimeara wrote:
After reviewing the suggestions and looking at some models, he's interested in the Maleceptor. Along with some other psykers and big things.

Well...Hmm...most folks don't think much of the Malecepter...but, I'd suggest a Brood or two of Zoanthropes for some Smite spamming fun, then toss in a Tyrant or two for more Smite, plus being dead killy

Then some decent Troops Genestealers are Awesome, but need support, personally I'd always use a Trygon with them...

So:

HQ: Winged Tyrant
Elites: Zoey Brood, x4 (maybe upgrade to a Nuero) maybe x2
Troops: Stealers, x15+ x2
Heavy: one Trygon per...so x2

then see how may points are left, and buy a Malecepter?

Later adding in a Broodlord, or a second Tyrant, and some Spores for FA and he can field a Brigade for a hefty CP bounty

( or a Swarmlord

)

**Niiai**

Is there not a rule that you can't cast 2 of the same p.power in one turn?

If he does not want big, and not small, warriors and raveners are the middel way. But for this he needs some way to convert shrikes or it all falls appart. Some people say it is good, but few try it. The reason for this is that you pay extra for them being thougher, but it is uncertain if this is a good strategy.

**Battlesong**

I don't want to break this to you or your brother, but the Maleceptor is one of the least useful units in the army currently. Now that may change with the codex, but I wouldn't hold my breath. The Trygon/Genestealer combo is a good start, add a Hive Tyrant and an Exocrine and build from there. Also, Hive Guard and/or Biovores are really good with Warrior babysitters for synapse.

Stormonu wrote:
Spawning Termagants via Tervigon costs points? Is that listed somewhere beyond the 8-page rules? I thought the "spawn more"was built into their cost.

Spawning to refill units is built into their points, but spawning extra requires reserve points.

**Mycomancer**

Brother here, I played a long time ago (4e I think), and only in the last several years have I started wargaming again. I've played several wargames since, and I'm finally warming up to the idea of coming back.

Thing is, I don't know the game anymore. It's a whole new game, as far as I'm concerned. Which is fine (though the idea of charts upon charts for every step of combat was not my favourite part), and I'm willing to learn.

I love 'nids. I always have. And I see there are lots of big ferocious looking creatures in the ranks now! How awesome! I wasn't clear in communicating what I liked and what I wanted to my brother, and for that I apologize.

I like the big 'nids. If possible, I'd like advice on where to start with a basic playable group, and where to build out from there. I have no concept of points so, I don't really know what to do with that.

Could you also explain why Maleceptor is useless?

**Arkaine**

I've seen good success come out of just having three big things and a bunch of gaunts on the table.

The Exocrine does work, the ... other big shooty thing ... hurts too, and Old One Eye makes a powerful ambusher. I saw Old One Eye rush a squad of 5 Thunderwolf Cavalry with stormshields and hammers and a Wolf Lord with them and he just ate them all. That rolling a 6 for more attacks is nasty.

**Mycomancer**

Arkaine wrote:
the ... other big shooty thing ...

Tyrannofex?

**phydaux**

Mycomancer wrote:
Brother here... I like the big 'nids.

And I can not lie. You other brothers can't deny.

Buy two Carnifexes and a Hive Tyrant and to get painting. If you want, buy five more Carnifexes and call it an army. Done!

**Arkaine**

Mycomancer wrote:
Arkaine wrote:
the ... other big shooty thing ...

Tyrannofex?

Yeah that thing.

**Mycomancer**

phydaux wrote:
Mycomancer wrote:
Brother here... I like the big 'nids.

And I can not lie. You other brothers can't deny.

Buy two Carnifexes and a Hive Tyrant and to get painting. If you want, buy five more Carnifexes and call it an army. Done!

What about the other (new) big stuff? Like Haruspex, Exocrine, Maleceptor, or even Pyro/Biovore?

**Arkaine**

Mycomancer wrote:
What about the other (new) big stuff? Like Haruspex, Exocrine, Maleceptor, or even Pyro/Biovore?

Haruspex - Short range
Exocrine - AWESOME!!!
Maleceptor - Short range
Pyrovore - Short range
Biovore - Spore Mine generator... so naturally awful with the "everything split fires" rule

**Lance845**

Bull gak. Biovores got amazing. Some people are building successful lists out of pure biovore spam. The spores clog up enemy movement or hand out mortal wounds like candy.

**Mycomancer**

Arkaine wrote:
Mycomancer wrote:
What about the other (new) big stuff? Like Haruspex, Exocrine, Maleceptor, or even Pyro/Biovore?

Haruspex - Short range
Exocrine - AWESOME!!!
Maleceptor - Short range
Pyrovore - Short range
Biovore - Spore Mine generator... so naturally awful with the "everything split fires" rule

I've got no idea what any of that means...

**Arkaine**

Mycomancer wrote:
I've got no idea what any of that means...

It means take Exocrines.

**zerosignal**

I'd try this as a starting point:

Swarmlord
Flyrant with scytals

Tervigon
Blob of gants
Trygon Prime
Genestealers to deliver

Exocrine or two

3-6 Biovores

Some warriors to babysit.

**MechaEmperor7000**

Generally there is no "wrong" way to play nids. Despite what people says, most "bad" units are only marginally bad, as opposed to the "complete waste of points" they use to be in the last edition. If you like the model and are willing to learn how to use it, in a casual setting it can and will work.

**BaconCatBug**

Try and pick up some 2nd hand biovores. The fact they wound everything from a grot to a titan on a 2+ and even if they miss can choke the opponents movement to near zero makes them invaluable.