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So I'm going to break out my Nids for a tournament this weekend. The idea of this army is to simply overwhelm my opponents. I have 117 models at 1.5k. I have scything talons and adrenal glands on my stealers, which I know is unpopular in the meta but they haven't failed me yet. So here's my list

Prime - 115
-Deathspitter
-Adrenal Glands
-Regen
-Toxin Sacs

Hive Guard x2 - 100

Zoanthrope - 60

Zoanthrope - 60

Genestealers x12 - 272
-Broodlord
-Scy Talons
-Adrenal Glands

Genestealers x12 - 272
-Broodlord
-Scy Talons
-Adrenal Glands

Hormagaunt x25 - 250
-Adrenal Glands
-Toxin Sacs

Termagants x13 - 130
-Devourer

Gargoyle x30 - 240
-Adrenal Glands
-Toxin Sacs

Total: 1499

I prefer toxin sacs rather than glands on my stealers, the rerolls to wound against marine-type armies is much better. And stealers are already I6, +1 I won't add much as they will strike first all the time as it is, and therefore isn't taking full advantage of the glands upgrade.

I think you need more hive guard. I'd run 4 minimum with this list.

just my thoughts, good luck!

Well I unfortunately only have 2 hive guard, and I need the two zoans in separate squads to spread out my synapse more. I still need to test the list again though as I've only done one game with it against necrons. I did win that game though haha

Very nice then!

Thanks! I will admit though that the sole reason for victory was my sheer ability to outnumber them. But hey, there's something to strength in numbers lol

That's true, nids can be great at outnumbering. I've drowned my roommate in gribbly's before, you just can't kill them fast enough!

Yeah, that is really what I'm going to be relying on for the tournament. Get into CC as quickly as possible and just overrun my opponent. With my luck though I'll play Grey Knights or Dark Eldar though and just be fethed lol

If that is your tactic, consider swapping the prime out for a Tervigon. You'll need to cut points somewhere else but that will help the swarm tactic

I would but the tournament is strict wysiwyg and I don't have a Tervigon converted yet, it's too expensive atm for the conversion I want to do. That and I don't have enough termies.

My biggest problem with this list is that all the synaps can be killed but a S8 or S10 weapon. As someone who knows nids well and also plays a shooty army, it seems the priority targets are obvious.
On the other hand, 2 sets of outflanking genes means the enemy will have to bunch up in the middle and will be restricted in their mobility.
Only advice would be to trade gaunts for more gargoyles. Other than that, it seems like you did a good job with the modles you have.

I still don't understand why Nid players are so obsessed about synapse, I don't think its that much of an issue.
Also, why does everyone automatically think/want genestealers to outflank? They can be devastating when infiltrating, especially with FNP from tervigons which is lacking here.

I'm not keen on the 13 Devourgants, I don't think doubling the point cost is worth it to be honest, unless your in a Mycetic spore, then at least you can probably get near a target to shoot it.
Definatly Toxin Sacs on stealers, that should be a rule, toxins or nothing. Its nothing to do with the 'meta' I don't really care what the meta is, because its going to be different everywhere. But half the advantage of furious charge is the initiative bonus, which Stealers don't need. S5 barley helps against AV10 in combat (just adds a few glancing), probably is no better against T4, definatly not better against anything higher than 4. Really don't see why you would want to take AGs. The only advantage is it means you might kill a Dread quicker in combat, but thats not worth the advantage of Toxin sacs...

I do like this list on the whole though, nice and swarmy. Although i'd be tempted to also split the Gargoyles in two, gives you potentially more blocking power and the option to tie up more than one unit easily (multi-assaulting is actually pretty complex if you read the rules properly, and its just easier to assault different squads with different units)

I could see what you mean about synapse not being a huge deal if it was a nid zilla list where most MCs have high leadership. However a swarmy army like this one means they all have low leadership. It mucks up the stratagy and will probably end in all your units hiding in a peice of terrain.

Genestealers outflank so that the oponant has to avoid the table edges. When genes outflank you are esentialy giving them the choice of limited deployment or run the 2/3 odds of getting charged by genes.

I have never used devilgaunts but what rodger37 was saying about them makes sense.

Outflanking works in theory, but in practise its just not that wonderful. For a start, if your not going first your opponent has at least two turns of movement, and it depends where the units on the bored are as to where that movement will be aimed, for example if the Nids then only go and deploy in the middle, there is literally no point having outflanking stelers, as they won't get to charge (anything decent) the turn they come on. There is also terrain, stealers aren't half as good when assaulting through terrain, so you can go near the bored edge, if there is terrain, which there probably will be. The only time I would expect Stealers to do something good from outflanking, would be if the opponent just forgets/ignores them, you can plan, using the whole deployment area, to deal with outflankers, especially ones without assault grenades and no shooting....

The only time you definatly need synapse is first couple of turns, after that your units will be in roughly the right place anyway, the hormagaunts have to charge when they fail synapse, which is probably a good thing, the Gargoyles are the main thing that could get messed about, but their probably not going to be much more than a shield/distraction (That should be what they are used for, hence why I think 2x15 is better than 1x30) with the potential to do some decent damage in combat.

Synapse is an issue on closing as it's quite easy for a Nid brood to take 25% casualties and have to take a leadership test. Being fearless is therefore very important and benefits stealers as well as other IB units. Once they're in the thick of things, then it does become less of an issue.

I wouldn't ever rely on gargoyles in combat. They let me down all the time and are the most synapse reliant unit you have. I agree on 2 broods of 15 rather than one of 30 - although with nothing else able to move 12" I wonder how much they add to the list that a small units of gants couldn't do.

I have to also agree that with the limited amount of synapse in the army, you do run the risk of having it be taken out, granted that with the right cover and protection they should be fine.

Another thing, I +1 the previous statement, I ran gargoyles before and tbh they let me down every time. So 2 groups of 15 is a better choice, as mentioned before and over all love the list.


If you took of adrenal glands and gave them toxin sacks that would be putting the units most potential on the board, just my own thoughts.

ruminator wrote:
I wouldn't ever rely on gargoyles in combat. They let me down all the time and are the most synapse reliant unit you have. I agree on 2 broods of 15 rather than one of 30 - although with nothing else able to move 12" I wonder how much they add to the list that a small units of gants couldn't do.

No matter the size of the game, for 1 extra point the same unit (basically) gets wings and blinding venom. Other than that fact that you get tervis as troops choices, I don't see why anyone would take gaunts over gargoyles.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also I am having trouble figuring out the 2 squads of 15 gargoyles tactic. 30 goyles can cover multiple units if lined up. Do you take 2 squads to offer one of them cover saves? And doesn't this just offer up another kill point?

ServantofChaos wrote:

ruminator wrote:
I wouldn't ever rely on gargoyles in combat. They let me down all the time and are the most synapse reliant unit you have. I agree on 2 broods of 15 rather than one of 30 - although with nothing else able to move 12" I wonder how much they add to the list that a small units of gants couldn't do.

No matter the size of the game, for 1 extra point the same unit (basically) gets wings and blinding venom. Other than that fact that you get tervis as troops choices, I don't see why anyone would take gaunts over gargoyles.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also I am having trouble figuring out the 2 squads of 15 gargoyles tactic. 30 goyles can cover multiple units if lined up. Do you take 2 squads to offer one of them cover saves? And doesn't this just offer up another kill point?

Yes, gargoyles do struggle from lack of cover. 2 Units means you can screen one and also they can cover both flanks if needed. I take gants over gargoyles as they are also troops, but then again I also play tervigons and that makes them a whole different proposition ...

rodgers37 wrote:I still don't understand why Nid players are so obsessed about synapse, I don't think its that much of an issue.

Synapse is still freakin' important. I don't know what they do in your area, but where I come from I see people having a lot of fun with Tyranid players that have had a too bad Synapse balance in their list. If there is not enough of it, it is obviously going to be the first thing targeted. When it is gone, then everything will be turned to a big trollin' game. Playing games with the Tyranid Instinct behavior, Making the tyranids feed towards less important units or making your Tyranids shoot at units that won't really take casualties from it. Again, I don't know where you play, but having your stuff is more than just extremely important where I come from.

rodgers37 wrote:Also, why does everyone automatically think/want genestealers to outflank? They can be devastating when infiltrating, especially with FNP from tervigons which is lacking here.

The choice to outflank genestealers are mostly seen in lists where you have a list that would benefit from an enemy that clustering up in the middle. For an instance, if you include Mawlocs or biovores... Or just have a lot of blasts in general, well then it is obviously a nice thing to have an enemy clustered up in the middle. In Objective games, having outflanking genestealers could be really good. . Have some Genestealers Outflank and have them catch some Objectives not given much attention.

It also depends on what you plan to do. For an instance, if you play against an army that is normally better in CC than you are, then outflanking might not be a bad idea at all. You keep your army close to the sides, and when they come in from reserve, they could help you out in a situation where you opponent might be ill prepared for the Genestealers. Perhaps you even have a Hive tyrant with Hive commander. You are then suddenly allowed to outflank a troop Tervigon with catalyst and some Genestealers (That will obviously have that FnP from the Tervigon.) Bam! You now have a very good disruption unit. Will your enemy deal with the more immediate threat, or will he shoot at your Trygons that is moving across the board.

I hope that answered your questions.