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So, has anyone had the pleasure of running these misbegotten beasts of Tyranid fame? Rather fragile for their cost, what possible use could one find for them?.

One of the main weaknesses a Tyranid horde has is it tends to get shot up as it advances to midfield. While Hive Guard are great and all, with Vindicator-range, they have issues initially getting into range unless you are casting Onslaught on them. And three units only threatens three units a turn...so you need a means to Shake-stun enemy vehicles. Though cost-ineffective in that regard, having a Twin-linked Heavy Venom Cannon is rather nice when it comes time to stop Vendettas from playing the Lascannon Cha-cha with your other Monstrous Creatures. But this is a simple use.

Sonic Screech is Frag-Grenades++. Rather than giving a Harpy insane initative, it *lowers* that of the enemy for the remainder of the Assault Phase. Though there may be RAWfights over whether this comes into play for Sweeping Advances, running these bad boys in support of lower-initiative can do its part to help you maintain weight of attacks against the enemy, and can make a Carnifex charge scarier than before; at any rate, it's a riot when Termagants can strike before Dark Eldar Wyches. By properly positioning itsel , it also serves to "pull" attacks away from the rest of your horde. Defensively, they can hide behind a screening unit, bomb the assaulters, then contribute to the counter-assault.

In short, I've found that having a Harpy or two can supplement your army in a way that makes it deadlier than before.

What experiences have people had with them?

I jut used a pair of them last weekend at an RTT. I don't have a big complaint about their fragility. i couldn't find anything decent to charge all day except one sentinel. But what I have found is that i like hive guard way more, and also think that the tyrannofex is much more important for the better gun, the good save and the ability to pass on a cover save to my tervigons.

Once i buy the hive guard i want and then buy enough t-fexes to give cover saves to my tervigons, I find that i just dont have the points left to buy them. I think to go from 2k to 2500 I would add 3 of them for sure. They take some heat off of hive guard, and if you get first turn, they can supress some firepower, but they are definitely third fiddle for me. doesn't make them bad, just makes second and first fiddle too expensive.

The 2k list I am working on putting together, once I finish testing it on VASSAL, is something like:

Sporn:
HQ:
100 points: Tyranid Prime w/ Pair of Boneswords, Scything Talons, Toxin Sacs

Elites:
100 points: 2 Hive Guard.
100 points: 2 Hive Guard.
100 points: 2 Hive Guard.

Troops:
50 points: 10 Termagants.
50 points: 10 Termagants.
185 points: Tervigon, Toxin Sacs, Onslaught, Cluster Spines.
185 points: Tervigon, Toxin Sacs, Onslaught, Cluster Spines.

Fast Attack:
170 points: Harpy w/TL Heavy Venom Cannon, Cluster Spines.
170 points: Harpy w/TL Heavy Venom Cannon, Cluster Spines.
170 points: Harpy w/TL Heavy Venom Cannon, Cluster Spines.

Heavy Support:
265 points: Tyrannofex w/Rupture Cannon, Cluster Spines, Dessicator Larvae.
265 points: Tyrannofex w/Rupture Cannon, Cluster Spines, Dessicator Larvae.
90 points: 2 Biovores
Total points: 2000

Of course, the Manticores are priority targets.

Looks pretty good. I have been using a tyranid prime and have just been completely unimpressed with it. he can't take it to the big boys in CC. If you cut him and cut the biovores, you can field an HQ tervigon. I would highly recommend that for more termagants that can buy you the time you need.

Used a single harpy in 2 games now.

1st game it died to DS mishap :(
2nd game it didnt really do alot.
Managed to drop a few marines from a tac squad then finish off an armless ironclad for the KP.


To be honest, they seem fragile, but if your using them along side a fair few TMC's then they shouldnt take alot of fire.
Will be using it again this weekend along with the swarmlord, 2 trygons and a tyranofex, so ill report back if it does anything half decent.

An extra Tervigon-setup like this?

HQ:
190 points: Tervigon w/ Scything Talons, Onslaught, Adrenal Glands, Cluster Spines

Elites:
100 points: 2 Hive Guard.
100 points: 2 Hive Guard.
100 points: 2 Hive Guard.

Troops:
50 points: 10 Termagants.
50 points: 10 Termagants.
185 points: Tervigon, Toxin Sacs, Onslaught, Cluster Spines.
185 points: Tervigon, Toxin Sacs, Catalyst, Cluster Spines.

Fast Attack:
170 points: Harpy w/TL Heavy Venom Cannon, Cluster Spines.
170 points: Harpy w/TL Heavy Venom Cannon, Cluster Spines.
170 points: Harpy w/TL Heavy Venom Cannon, Cluster Spines.

Heavy Support:
265 points: Tyrannofex w/Rupture Cannon, Cluster Spines, Dessicator Larvae.
265 points: Tyrannofex w/Rupture Cannon, Cluster Spines, Dessicator Larvae.

I made a harpy from a trygon kit & some forgeworld bits (hierophant tail, harridan bio-cannons), along with balrog wings. It's a pretty sweet model (I used the mawloc distended jaw to represent the sonic screech).

My play-testing with it shows that running only one is typically not the best idea against any army that takes long-range shooting attacks that negate its armor saves (heavy bolters, autocannons, and missile launchers, i'm looking at you three). I think that supported correctly with zoans, hive guard, and venoms for cover, a pair of harpies could really multiply their punch by more than the sum of their parts.

Having only one harpy on the table (as i only have made one model for it so far) gives an obvious target as soon as it stuns/immobilizes/wrecks an enemy transport. Having two, i imagine, will split the focus and double the potential pain from across the table while your other monsters wreak havoc.

My lists lately have included 3 tervigons and a swarmlord from 1500 points up, with trygons and 'fexes for some more punch. My losses have been close, but i haven't been decimating the enemy like i would like. Now i'm experimenting more with hormagaunts, genestealers, and gargoyles to see if the codex is purposefully slanted towards the smaller guys instead of just running 'nidzilla. I need more games, and 'ard boyz is just around the corner! *shudder*