Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hi i am pretty new to 40k and have a growing Tyranid swarm. Ive recently ordered a hive tyrant and was thinking about making him a swarmlord. So i was wondering if he is worth the points. I think I can handle that he is a bullet magnet as I also field a doom of malantai which i deep strike and most people i play with will go straight for it. I also have a trygon, raveners, and gene stealers which will fight in close combat as my gaunts will make it up with the swarmlord. Does my strategy actually have playability or should i just go with a tyrant?

5 T6 wounds seems like a lot but it can go down quickly to dedicated fire on the first turn, when your doom hasn't come in yet. If you keep it in reverve its going to spend all of its time slogging up the battlefield trying to get into combat. Its a good idea to give it some form of protection, either from tyrant guard or a nearby venomthrope (or both). It can get expensive but I've seen swarmlords to terrible things to their opponents, as long as they can get there.

magnetize the hive tyrant's arms, so you can try playing both swarmlord or hive tyrant. Both have their own unique game plays.

The swarmlord with three tyrant guards are as close as tyranids can get to creating a true deathstar unit. If you tend to run into a lot of TWC, nob bikers, seer councils and similar around you then I think the swarmlord might be worth it's points. You have to make people want to fight you though, since the swarmlord is slower than most other deathstar units.

I say magnetizing is a good thing.

Swarmlord definitely sounds good for Genestealer/Ravener/Doom flanking/deep strike type of force. With his +1 for reserves he can turn a piece-meal approach to a well-timed rush. I think he's also really good with Tervigons beside him. Thats a lot of T6 coming at you, spawning guants, feeling no pain, and generally causing a ruccus.