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Here is my idea of a list. There are some "odd" elements in it, I am wondering if people have had any suckess with lists that look similar?

The idea here is that I shall pounce on my oponent on the second turn. I am a bit uncertain if I survive 2 rounds of shooting if I do not get first turn, but besides that I will me fine. It is inspiered by some advice I got here on dakkadakka one time and that is a good 5th edition tyranid list needs to deny the oponents as many rounds of shooting as you can.

Genestealers infiltrate, Mawlocks will burrow. Gargoyles form a defensive (read cover) circle around the mid if nothing else is available. Gaunts are just for scoring in siece ground. Withouth further ado:

HQ
1 Tyranid Prime, Lash Whip and Bonesword, Skything Tallons, Toxic Sacks 105

Elite
3 Hive Guards 150
2 Hive Guards 100
2 Hive Guards 100

Troops
5 Genestealers, 1 Broodlord w. 1 Skything Talons, 6 Toxic Sacks 150
5 Genestealers, 1 Broodlord w. 1 Skything Talons, 6 Toxic Sacks 150
4 Genestealers, 1 Broodlord w. 1 Skything Talons, 6 Adrenal Glands 133
4 Genestealers, 1 Broodlord w. 1 Skything Talons, 6 Adrenal Glands 133
11 Tervigons 55

Fast Attack
20 Gargoyles, Toxic Sacks and Adrenaline Glands 160

Heavy Sport:
1 Mawlock 170
1 Mawlock 170
1 Mawlock 170

1746 points

I know mawlocks are bad, but with 3 of them they can't all miss and it will keep the oponent from gathering up. If he spreads out then that is very good for my genestealers. Gargoyles will move up midfield followed by the prime and the hive guards. Top target prioraty are transports so the mawlocks and genestealers can start eating. Second prioraty target is landspeeders and blast templates. I have no real plan for a landraider exept throwing mawlocks on it as a plan B. Plan a is to ignore it (gargoyles might have to intercept) but since I am attacking him so fast that I am attacking him the landraider needs to stay at home and defend. I am thinking about ditching the last mawlock for more bodies on the field. I do have little zynapse but I am actualy not so worried about it.

*Bump*

Come on, help a fellow out.

I've used a second turn pounce army for 2 months. It works well and though I don't use a Mawloc I've always thought one would fit in good. I don't think you need 3 of them. 1-2 is good enough and back them up with a Trygon.


The Stealer squads are to small. I wouldn't run stealers any smaller than 15. This increases their damage potential while also making them more survivable. You have to get your opponent to dedicate more than one small unit to destroying the stealers. 15 of them are tough to take down, 6 of them (as you have it) drop to one long fang squad.

If you are reserving most things, then you need a +1 to your reserve rolls. I feel thins is a must. Your two choices are Tyrant with Hive Commander or the Swarmlord.

The Gargoyle screen will out pace your Synapse and get them killed quickly. Either a winged Synapse has to keep up with them or they get replaced with Gants of some variety.

HQ - Tyrant armored shell, hive commander, venom cannon= 260

EL - 2 Hive Guard
EL - 2 Hive Guard
EL - 2 Hive Guard

TR - 15 Stealers
TR - 15 Stealers
TR - 10 Termagants
TR - Tervigon, catalyst, toxin, adrenal
TR - 18 Hormagants with poison

HV - Mawloc
HV - Trygon w/ adrenal


Here is what you are after. The Hoppies and termagants are your screen for the Hive Guard if you need them. The Hoppies are also very good in assault and fast movers. The Mawloc, Trygon, both stealers and Tervigon can be in reserve for your turn 2 pounce at +1 to your reserve rolls. The Hive Commander ability allows the Tervigon to outflank and bring a MC who produces scoring units on the side if you want.

You have 4 units with heavy weapons to try and open some transports before your reserve army arrives. Hopefully you can find some cover for the Tyrant or rely on his 2+ save to carry him through to turn 2. Most people play with missiles so the 2+ save should work.

@ Darth Diggler -

I feel something should be said in defence of small stealer squads. With broodlords and proper spacing, they will actually easily survive a single squad of long fangs shooting at them, particularly if they have cover. The advantage of 5-man squads is that even once shot to almost nothing they really cannot be ignored; broodlords are fantastic at tying up MCreatures (Hypnotic Gaze), WS 3 infantry squads (Hit him on 5's!) or even marine squads with a powerfist; if he hypnotizes the fist, they will actually struggle to off him, and at very least, he can tie up their firepower for a turn or two. Stealer squads can be amazing at 15 strong; but really need catalyst support, so for an army like this I would prefer 5-man squads with broodlords.

Totally agree with everything else you've said though; your advice is very solid. Lovin' the flyrant.

How fast do the gargoyles lose zynapse anyway? They will have it first and second turn. I do not know what happens after that but with porper placement rage as not so big of a problem. You just move 1" close the oponent that is obligatory and then you move the rest 1" close to the one you want to charge and then you charge him.

I can se how the swarm lord and even the hive commander seems important but the mawlocks and genestealers really do not need the roll. They are already starting on the table. Mawlock will burrow and deepstrike, the genestealers will infiltrate.

I do agree that I might need more genstealers though. Also, my regular oponent have so mutch ap 2 and rockets that I do not think the tyrant is so good an investment.

But what do people think, between the genstealers pushing, the mawlock charging on turn 3 and the hive guards do the list have enough to take out mech?

Niiai wrote:How fast do the gargoyles lose zynapse anyway? They will have it first and second turn. I do not know what happens after that but with porper placement rage as not so big of a problem. You just move 1" close the oponent that is obligatory and then you move the rest 1" close to the one you want to charge and then you charge him.

I can se how the swarm lord and even the hive commander seems important but the mawlocks and genestealers really do not need the roll. They are already starting on the table. Mawlock will burrow and deepstrike, the genestealers will infiltrate.

I do agree that I might need more genstealers though. Also, my regular oponent have so mutch ap 2 and rockets that I do not think the tyrant is so good an investment.

But what do people think, between the genstealers pushing, the mawlock charging on turn 3 and the hive guards do the list have enough to take out mech?

Gargoyles lose synapse the moment they charge. From that point on they are in danger of losing a fight and getting run down, wiping the unit out completely.

Turn 1 move 12" and maybe run d6"
Turn 2 move 12" and charge. If you lose by 1 from this point on the unit is in severe danger of getting wiped out.

Your regular opponent has lots of ap2 and rockets? Armored Tyrants save vs. rockets on a 2+. I gave him a venom cannon to stay at range. Unless there are a lot of lascannons, the lower ap weapons are all relatively short range and an armored Tyrant can stay back out of range of those guns.

The Mawloc is a very situational unit at best. It flubs 33% of the time on impact and it has almost no staying power in combat. If your opponent just has minimal HtH abilities he should kill a Mawloc in combat once it appears. If your opponent has one powerfist in a tactical squad, then the mawloc will die in combat. If your opponent is running around with naked tacticals with guns, then you have a chance.

You should outflank large units of stealers to improve the efficiency of the Mawloc in your list. 15 outflanking stealers will force most people to deploy in the central 3' of the board. If they have to many vehicles this can cause a parking lot effect and the Mawloc can do the most damage possible. If your opponent chooses to spread out because of the Mawlocs, the outflanking Genestealers can walk on the board and assault right away. Getting the most damage possible out of that unit. If you choose to infiltrate the stealers, then the opponent can spread out to minimize the infiltrating choices and at the same time minimize the damage a deep striking Mawloc can do. Those two units have to work together to get the best effect.

No 1 seemed to notice your prime has sything talons and toxin sacs y? He already has a high strength meaning you waisted 5 points he won't need to reroll 1s he has strength 5 giving him rerolls on anything toughness 5 or less I don't have the codex infront of me but take somthing else or if it's the same price adrenal glads for the rerolls on tough 6 mc's first turn

MSU of Genestealers are great for outflanking. Usually I run them in groups of 8-10 with just the toxin sacs. With toxin sacs you won't need talons, you don't want to kill enemies too fast. I think the tiny groups of 4 and 5 with the broodlord will work decent enough because hypnotic gaze can help protect them. MSU of outflanking genestealers can really put pressure on an enemy exactly where you want it.

Big units of genestealers, like 14+ with a broodlord are really great when you infiltrate them and have tervigons to give them FnP. When they are in groups this big, you dont have to give them any upgrades because there are so many. I face a lot of ork players so when I do upgrade a big unit of stealers I give them talons to help deal with hordes of orks. toxins sacs probably work just as well but talons are cheaper. When you have FnP and hypnotic gaze to deny someone's power weapon attacks, it's no surprise how devastating this unit becomes. It will shred whatever you need it to.

Hope this bit of input helps.

In your first list, multiple mawlocs could work but you do need larger stealer units that 5 models. Go for 10 minimum as this will force opponent to have to take them into account. You need them to bunch up for the mawlocs to be effective as they can/do scatter!

I would be also thinking of 2*10 gargoyles so they can act as a screen for more than one unit of hive guard.