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.

Hello everyone. So I played against Eldar for the first time today after playing only against SM players. I realized that my list was set up against what I was used to playing against SMs, and some of it didn't transfer over. Next game my opponent will be bringing his nids to play, and I was looking for some advice. I think he was saying he uses a few zoanthropes and a carnifex, but I don't really know too much about nids in terms of playing them. Against the Eldar was my first MC... So I'd appreciate any advice you guys have. I know that I'll be facing reserves, hiding in cover, and some psyker stuff but that's the extent of my knowledge. Thanks in advance for the help.

I seem to always be fighting nids with my marines. I loose some and I win some. My best so far vs nids has been my master of the forge list. I castle up with 6 ironclad dreds. Each have two heavy flamers. I have also done pretty well with attack bikes. Strangely enough scouts haven't been a bad choice either, the heavy bolter poison template is helpful. My friend uses whirlwinds to good effect vs them( I don't own one) against horde nids use templates and make them roll lots of saves, not a nid strong point.

Bad idea is terminators. They are expensive and I get ate with them. Intact, its a good idea to use cheap models, because your gonna loose squads vs nids. Loose a cheap squad no biggie, loose expensive ones and it hurts. My general rule, if it costs over 150 points its a bad idea vs them.

Vindicators are very effective...basically the general rule is take as many templates as possible...and be sure to include a librarian if he has Zoanthropes. Those things can pop Land Raiders with their psychic powers.

Thanks for the advice. I'm glad my thinking was right at least.
In regards to the cost of the units Devil Dog, you say under 150 but does that mean then that you dont recommend 10 man tac squads?
Also, would you guys recommend an Ironclad over say an AC and ccw/flamer?

Two reasons for ironclad. Two template weapons and 13 armor walker.

150 points per squad or less. If you take ten man tact squad then combat squad them. Then your still under 150 per squad. Termies vs nids are a bad choice in my opinion.

As a Tyranid player, I'll tell you that your most effective weapon will be the missile launcher. You can deploy a lot of them, and you can switch ammo from templates (which you will need for the infantry) to high strength and ap which you will need for the MCs. Bring a couple of las cannons just in case he brings a Tyrannofex (trust me they are nasty). Bring a Librarian you are going to need psychic defense. And never forget your powerfists, god I hate those things.

I agree with ml too. 5 man ml Devestators squad. How many points? You guessed it.....150

If your going to use Devastators, keep them away from the board edge. When I see Devastators, they are going to get Genestealers out-flanking in their face. Genestealers come in broods of 5-20 are WS6 S4 3 attacks on the charge with rending and if he is worth his spit he will give them poison. I'm serious you do not want to be in cc with them, I've seen them kill Terminators.

Things you need to deal with asap Genestealer, Hive Guard, Zoanthrope, and any of his MCs.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Your Devastators are so Important to your fight with Tyranids, they NEED to be firing. If they are in assault or dead, pack up, you've lost.

Alot of the above is good advice, but the most important unit I find versus Tyranids are Sternguard. Combi-Plasma Sternguard will absolutely wreck any MCs and any number of the more threatening buggers.

Ironclads for me only worked versus one specific type of tyranid unit: small CC infantry like Genestealers. 1 Ironclad can tie up entire groups of genestealers, and emerge victorious. Plus unchecked, Genestealers can wreck you, or at the very least contest your home objectives.

Hang back and shoot shoot shoot. Everything the nids have are good in CC.

If objecives try to have a plan for late turn grabbing near your deployment zone. If you are running MSU then have a landspeeder intescept and contest his objectives. (Although he will moast likly be gunning for yours. The zynapse bubles must move as one.)

Thanks for the advice fellas. I'm gonna write up a list later today and post it on here.

Had a quick question for the Ironclad vs Nids: Is the hurricane bolter worth taking maybe, with 1 ccw+flamer? Seems like 9 shots would be nice vs swarms.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
So heres what I came up with. The list comes to exactly 1500:

HQ
Librarian-100
Null Zone, Avenger

Troops
10 Man tac squad-170
flamer, ml
10 man tac squad-180
plasmarifle, plasma cannon
5 man scouts- 85
sniper rifles, ML

Heavy
Dev Squad-150
4xML
Vindicator-115
Predator- 85
Autocannon, HBs

Elite
Dreadnought- 125
2 tlac
Ironclad- 135
hurricane bolter, ccw+flamer
Sternguard- 135
2 combi-plasma

Fast Attack
Landspeeder Tornado- 90
MLs, HB
Attack Bikes- 130
2x plasma, combi-plasma

You should be alright, I'm a little concerned about your lack of troops, I'd say add some or keep them back. pray to God it's not objectives.

Yea I wasn't too sure about fitting everything into 1500.
I was thinking maybe:
1-I can drop the sternguard and add another 10 man tac
2- I can drop the bikes and scouts, and then add another 10 man tac, and give the rest of the sternguard combi-plasmas
3- Drop bikes/scouts and add 10 man tac and 2 razorbacks

Kinda got stuck at the end not knowing which to swap out...

Warning: I play Space Wolves so my advice may be a little off for Space Marines, but some of it should transfer.

For the most part you just need some high strength low AP weapons. Plasma guns are great for this, though Meltaguns can work. The extra shots from Plasma once the 'Nids get close (and they will) tend to be useful.

One piece of advice has stayed the same since 3rd edition (or possibly even before that): Shoot the Synapse. If your opponent doesn't have a ton of Synapse creatures on the board, take them out to reduce his army's effectiveness. Even better, these things are usually Tervigons, Hive Tyrants, and Trygons. Warrior broods as well. Things you want to be taking out anyways.

Also, don't let them touch you. Most of what is in a 'Nid army is vicious in close combat and pretty much is only good in close combat. Genestealers, Warriors, etc. They'll wreck even your dedicated assault units.

What I end up doing is setting up a refused flank and make sure I have clear line of sight to the enemy deployment zone. 'Nids dont have a lot of low AP weaponry so cover isn't the end all be all, but with their lack of assault grenades its damned useful. I then rain low AP fire on their big and medium bugs and ignore their Gaunts until they are close enough for me to get them into rapid fire range.

Termagaunts just get slaughtered in close combat, even with all the upgrades from the Tervigon, so I'm not worried about them. I'm just worried about the larger MCs and faster assault specialists.

Seems to have been working with me. S6+ weapons are a god send.

Thanks for the advice Cow. So focus on the big guys until the small guys are closer... Is it worth bringing LCs/Melta instead of Plasmacannon/plasmarifles? Also, do you have any advice on the list?

I would think sw would be best vs nids.

You have some relative short ranged weapons. Even worse you have infantry outside of tanks.

'nids can not deal with mech and range. So stay back in tanks. Your list doesn't help with this.

I can put my infantry in rhinos or razorbacks, but then they're losing a lot of shots. In regards to the range the shortest range i have aside from the flamers is 24'' What would you recommend to improve my list?

I also am looking for some tips vs Nids. We are usually playing 1000 point games though. His list is as follows.


HQ
x1 Tervigon w/Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs, Catalyst, Cluster Spines

Elites
x2 Hive Guard
x3 Hive Guard
x1 Venomthrope

Troops
x1 Tervigon w/Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs, Catalyst, Cluster Spines
x10 Termagaunts
x10 Termagaunts

Heavy
x1 Trygon w/Adrenal Glands

The list I used against him for two games was eh. He beat me first game 7-6 (close) but only really because it ended on turn 5. Second game he destroyed me. Here was my list,

HQ
Librarian w/ Gate of Infinity , Smite (put him in with Terminator Squad) 100 points

TROOPS
x10 Tactical Squad w/ Boltguns, 1x Melta, 1x Missle Launcher 235 Points
Sergeant w/ Powerfist
Rhino

x10 Tactical Squad w/ Boltguns, 1x Flamer, 1x Missle Launcher 230 Points
Sergeant w/ Powerfist
Rhino

ELITES

Terminator Squad w/ Thunder Hammers/Storm Shields 200 points

Dreadnought w/ Close combat weapon/built in storm bolter, Assault Cannon 115 points

Dreadnought w/ Close combat weapon/built in storm bolter, Assault Cannon 115 points

Any list suggestions would be most appreciated and any tactics too of course. I'll likely be swapping out a dread and dropping PF to pick up a Dev squad. What do you guys think about scouts or Termies with CML?

Thanks for the post Jedi. I'll let you know how my list works out when I play this Wed. The one thing that seems to be unanimous is to keep your unit cost low. You could drop your termies and add devs to get some templates out there maybe? I don't use terminators too often tbh.