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(First post, tried on another site and didn't get any help.)


Like the title says, I need to outfit my Elysians for dealing with the Tyranid menace. Not asking for a list; I may or may not be including some of these units depending on points/playstyle, but I'd like to hear the consensus on how each of these squads can best be fixed to play against this specific army with the Elysian's unique ruleset.

For those that don't know about Elysians or don't have IA8 (Which has the list I'm using):

-All units can deepstrike
-My CCS/PCS are Laspistol/Vox/Med/Plasmagun
-My IS are order-focused with GL/Vox

This is a long list of questions, but I've never played Tyranids and am just writing out the shopping list so I can pick up my Elysians all at once, so at FW prices I wanna be spot on.

Lord Commissar: PW/Bolt Pistol
-Melta Bombs?
-Carapace?

Storm Troopers:
-What number? 5-10 or somewhere in between?
-Special weapons? Sgt Special Weapons?

Drop Sentinel:
-Heavy Bolter or Multi Melta?
-Is HK Missile Viable?

Heavy Weapon Squad:
-Heavy Bolter/Mortar/Missile launcher?
--Focus on one? Variety?

Special Weapon Squad:
-Which One(s) should I take:
--2 Flamer, 1 Demo Charge
--3 Meltagun
--3 Sniper Rifles

Valkyrie:
-LC/ML?
-MultiRocketPod/Hellstrike Missiles?
-HB Sponsons?

Vendetta:
Useful against Tyranids?

Tauros Fast Attack Vehicle (Fast, open topped with Sentinel-EQ armor, Dozer Blade):
-Heavy Flamer/Grenade Launcher
-Hunter Killer missiles?

Tauros Venator (Same as above with 11 Frontal Armor):
-TL Multilaser or TL Lascannon
-HK Missiles?


Hope I'm not breaking any rules; points are irrelevant (Obviously cost is irrelevant too, haha /suicide) as I plan to run this list in a very modular fashion; I appreciate any help and am totally open to tactics advice as well, as like I said, I've never played against Tyranids, nor have I ever ran like half of these units.

Before you leap into the Forge World pool and buy Elysians (good lord, I'm converting most of mine. The only thing I'm actually buying from ForgeWorld are the Venators...) is that Elysians are extermely less forgiving than the current Guard Codex, especially against horde armies like Tyranids. I would strongly recommend that you plan on magnetizing every weapon on your vehicles as you flesh out your list.

But onto your request!

The major problem you're going to face against Tyranids are Tervigons and Broods of Homagaunts and Termagaunts; there are a couple ways to address the problem, however, it might take a couple play tests to get a general feel for certain unit/weapon combinations.

Lord Commissar: Avoid Independent Characters like the plague. He seems like a good choice, but being the only Independent Character in the Army is a massive drawback, especially when he gets into combat. If you want to field one, give him something to fight with (power weapon or melta bombs or both) so he can tackle vehicles and units despite what unit he's in.

Storm Troopers: They are tricky. Their Hellguns are good for Warriors or Raveners, and depending on if you're chasing Monsterous Creatures, adding in a couple meltas wouldn't hurt either. They do compete with the suprisingly effective Drop Sentinels, however.

Drop Sentinels: I love these things. Multi-Meltas can ruin big critters and Heavy Bolters just help thinning the hordes quite nicely. And you can drop them anywhere! Now remember, you can also have a Drop Sentinel Squadron per Platoon, so take advantage of it.

Heavy Weapons: A little expensive-ish for my taste and semi-risky considering they can't shoot the moment they land. Pick a place with decent cover and drop them near it and run into cover. Don't forget about Iron Discipline also, since you don't have to waste an order on running units. Missiles for big things, Heavy Bolters for small things.

Special Weapons: As with the Heavy Weapons; Flamers and Grenade Launchers for little things, meltas and plasmas and demo charges for the big things.

Valkyries and Vendettas: Valkyries are better suited for blowing up hordes and Vendettas are great for Monsterous Creatures.

Tauros: They're the funnest vehicle to play with and everything is effective against Tyranids. It really depends on what your army list consists of. Mine are multi-lasers with Homing Beacons.

Vultures: The best skimmer you can get with Guard, a true Jack of All Trades. Give them a twin-linked Punisher Cannon and they'll wreck broods like no tomorrow. Or give them a twin-linked las-cannon and six hunter killer missiles for big critters!



But I would strongly suggest writing up a list first and playtesting it with proxied models, just so you get the feel of playing with their special rule sets and units.

Wow. I could not have expected a better answer; Thank you so much!

Regarding FW; yeah, I've already spend a pretty penny on some infantry, a vulture, and some Special Weapons squads, but I'm one of those guys with more money than they know how to spend, so it's pretty nice fielding all-resin.

If anyone else has anything to add, have at it; I'd love to hear about strategies/loadouts with Thunderbolts and Lightning fighters if anyone has used them.

Also, regarding Sniper SWS's; are they applicable? If so, in what role. I bought one for the sheer aesthetics, and am wondering if it is worth using them against 'nids.

Additionally; roughly how many MC's should I prepare to face around the 1500,1850, and 2000 pt levels?

And How well do Missle Heavy Weapon Teams fare against them?

If you're willing to splash the cash, veterans with 3 meltaguns in a valkyrie with MRP/heavy bolter upgrades will melt hordes and MCs.

Strafe the lesser horde creatures like hormagaunts and termagaunts with the valkyries then drop the troopers to deal with the tougher creatures.

A more gimmicky unit is the SWS with 3x democharges. Deepstrike them roughly near what you want to die and you're pretty much guaranteed that it's going to die unless if you scatter horribly (both deepstriking and when throwing!). As it's a one shot unit, losing it after you shoot is no big deal either, and you can take three per platoon. The only units it has trouble with is armour, but Tyranids can't take them so they're universally effective against all nids.

The vulture is tempting to take with twin link punisher cannons, but trust me, don't take the gatling guns. It suffers from the same problems as the leman russ punisher (the punisher cannon sucks...) and underperforms every game I have used it. Take the 8x HKSM or 4x Rocket Pods if you want effectiveness.

If you really just want to win however, take 3x thunderbolts/lightnings and reserve everything else. Your opponent won't be able to shoot down your flyers with their 72" autocannons and they have an infinite move range, although I don't think you'll have them play you again if you use them!

TheCaptain wrote:Additionally; roughly how many MC's should I prepare to face around the 1500,1850, and 2000 pt levels?

And How well do Missle Heavy Weapon Teams fare against them?

What about how Sniper Squads fare against 'Nids?

Anyone?

Surely someone must have used guard against Tyranids at least enough to know these three questions...

TheCaptain wrote:Additionally; roughly how many MC's should I prepare to face around the 1500,1850, and 2000 pt levels?

And How well do Missle Heavy Weapon Teams fare against them?

What about how Sniper Squads fare against 'Nids?

Anyone at all? It can be just about general guard, regarding these questions. Doesn't have to be about Elysians.

Really depends on the Tyranid opponent. 1500 point games you'll likely encounter more genestealer spam since fielding mcs for nids is so bloody expensive.

1750+ points expect the following
2-3 Tervigons
1-3 trygons/mawlocs
Possibly a tyrant with wings being screened by gargoyles or a swarmlord with his tyrant guards.

I'd say on average for higher point games , 5-7 MCs are fairly common

Why would you take Meltabombs against nids? They'll do nothing.
Flamers and hellhounds are your friend in this case.
I would also say autocannons and missle launchers.
Auto because they're cheap and lay down lots of fire, and missles because the AP3 will ignore most MC armor, and because you could always switch to a blast template if there is a hoard.

Anything regarding Sniper SWS against 'nids?

inb4 'take ratlings instead'; Drop troops can't take ratlings.