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.

This is my shooty tyranid army. It's a competitive list designed to deal with all those MSU armies. Let me know what you guys think.


1850 SHOOTY TYRANIDS

Swarmlord
1x Tyrant Guard - Lash Whips - 65

3x Hive Guards - 150
3x Hive Guards - 150
3x Hive Guards - 150

Tervigon - Adrenal Glands, Catalyst, Cluster Spines, Toxin Sacs - 195
13x Termagants - 65
Tervigon - Adrenal Glands, Catalyst, Cluster Spines, Toxin Sacs - 195
13x Termagants - 65

3x Biovores - 135
3x Biovores - 135
Tyrannofex - Cluster Spines, Desiccator Larvae, Rupture Cannon - 265

TOTAL - 1850

2 Biovore squads may be template overkill. Templates are less effective versus MSU amries because of the low model counts in each unit.

Swarmlord, while awsome, doesnt really fit with any of the army. His reserves bonus is wasted and a mainly shooty army wont exactly provide the "KILL IT NOW BEFORE IT GETS HERE" terget saturation that more CC oriented nid armies would.

Swarmy will be targeted down first and nver reach combat because nothing else scary up close will be arund or arriving from reserve to draw fire off him.

TLDR
- Drop swarmy
- Lower Biovore Count
- use either a Shooty tyrant or a Pair of Tyranid primes
- Maybe put a Dakafex into 1 of the biovore slots or buff troops choices with more Daka

Agree with Karnac:
1. drop 1 Biovore squad,
2. downgrade Swarmy to a Hive Tyrant with Brainleech Devourers. You could give him a Heavy Venom Cannon for stunning vehicles at range, but it's a bit pricey for what it does.

Frankly I'd ditch the Tyrannofex, shooty as he might be. You'd be better served with a pair of Trygons for opening up AV14. Downgrading the Tyrant might give you enough points to Prime at least one of the Trygons, which makes it kind of shooty. I've popped the rear of a LRBT with its str5 gun, after a good deep-strike.

Another option that is very shooty and fun is the Harpy. While not super competitive due to 4+ save, it can Deepstrike and lay down two large blasts (1 twin-linked and pinning) which can be pretty demoralizing. Sometimes it even survives one more turn to do it again

I like what you've done - however I find the biovores usually don't have many targets at this level and one group of three is usually enough...

I agree with others that the swarmlord doesn't appear to fit well with this list (at a glance), however reading your battle reports/tactics I'm pretty sure you would have something quite specific in mind for him (counter attack?)

I've been thinking along a similar line of a 'shooty Nids' list, except maybe with a more heavy-shooty castle..

3 Tervies @ 565 (one without TS/AG)
2 T-Fexes with Cannons @ 530
2 x 3 Hive Guard @ 300
1 x Thrope @ 55
2 x 4 warriors (DS + VC) 300
2 x 10 gants @ 100

I believe with this setup, you could create a half box with your Tervies and T-Fexes, put the warriors on the outside and the gants on the outside of them. This should give you enough of a 'living wall' to completely block LOS to your Hive Guard and Thrope, making them all a lot more survivable.

The bonuses are you could get a bit more long range AT (2nd rupture cannon for big vehicles, 2 VC's for light transports) and still retain plenty of mid range AT that can't be targeted until they get rid of your living wall.

This is all just theory atm though - I'm currently waiting on my new big bug minis to arrive (as atm I only have two converted Tervies).

Just some thoughts - would love to see a bat rep though with your current proposed list (particularly against GK or DE )

I don't think biovores are too great, but it looks like they have a solid home in your shooty list. I'd drop the swarmy for a tervigon though.

I don't like Tirannofexes. Especially if taken by one only.
Of course the 2x ST10 long range shots looks good but as you certainly understand jy2 it wouldn't grant you a really reliable % of hits.
2 of them will eventually grant you a sort-of TL effect but of course in this case we will talk about 530 pts.. and, statistically average, only if with both Rupture Cannons shooted on the same target.

Almost same idea on the Swarmlord. I've used it for a little while in the classic Swarmlord+2xpersonal guards+20 hormagants with TS/AG just ahead macro combo. With some good results indeed but again, point wisely, we're talking about a quitely pricy combo for 1850 games.

Lately I'm experimenting 4 differents setups at 2000 pts (here a poll where I recently asked the Dakkaties opinions - unfortunately with no replies yet..), the one that actually given me the more satisfaction is the double Dakkafex setup.

Downgrading it to 1850 and adding a little brood of Biovores, will look at something like this:

HQ - Tyrant - parox/leech - 2x TL Brainleech Dev. - Old Adversary. 225
.......- 2x Tyrant Guard w/Lashwhip. 130
EL - 3x Hive Guards. 150
EL - 3x Hive Guards. 150
EL - 2x Hive Guards. 100
TR - 10x Termagants. 50
TR - 10x Termagants. 50
TR - Tervigon - Catalyst - AG - TS - Cluster Spines. 195
TR - Tervigon - Catalyst - AG - TS - Cluster Spines. 195
FA - 15x Gargoyles. 90
HV - 3x Biovores. 135
HV - Carnifex - 2x TL Brainleach Dev. 190
HV - Carnifex - 2x TL Brainleach Dev. 190
Tot. 1850

This way you actually lose something from your list:
- the option of outflanking one troop (a Tervigon obviously), tactic that may be useful and effective sometimes;
- the Tyrannofex (not a great loss imho due to his huge unreliability);
- 3x ST4 large blast (that are very often subject to important scattering due to BS3) and most of all, could be shooted only if stationary.

However, you could gain instead:
- 36x TL ST6 shots (on 3 different targets) while moving;
- 1x Tyrant Guard (really important to keep alive the more you'll can your Tyrant);
- one Preferred Enemy bubble for your 3/4 heading MCs that not only will shoot but will also become something really scaring in assault;
- 15x jump-moving, high flying based, flash shields that will confer some very lovely cover saves to your MCs at a reasonable price without stealing precious EL slots (for Venomthropes ie).

So a little less stationary-long-range (Biovores), NO Tyrannofex that again isn't a great loss imho (if you're taking him just for the Land Raiders that's not worth it) but a lof of closer range (MOBILE !) and yet effective shooty power.

Finally, if you really can't live without the option of an outflanking Tervigon you may retire 1 Biovore, take Hive Commander on the Tyrant and then spare the resulting 20 pts where you wish, on more termagants, frag spines on Fexes and AG on the Tyrant, etc...

Otherwise, there is some other really really shooty setup available and viable, however they wouldn't invest on solid troops givin' risky situations for sure.

EDIT: another thing. Have you considered the size of the new Tervigon/Tirannofex models? Keep it seriously in mind if I may advice you because it would be the more and more complicated give them cover or completely hide them out of LOS.

If you really want to run T-fex, I'd suggest trying the following:

Hive Tyrant - AG, LE, Paro, 2x TL Dev, 2x Hive Guard w/ LW
Tyranid Prime - Dual BS, Scytals, Regen
Hive Guard x3
Hive Guard x3
Venomthrope x2 (attach the prime to these)
Tervigon - CS, Catalyst, AG or TS (not enough pnts for both)
Tervigon - CS, Catalyst, AG or TS (not enough pnts for both)
Termagant x10
Termagant x10
T-fex - Rupture Cannon, CS, Desiccator Larvae
T-fex - Rupture Cannon, CS, Desiccator Larvae

Hey jy2, must we expect some footsloggin' Nids batreps soon?

I would like to see how a competitive player like you will play some of the eventually availables combos presentes in the above lists.

hmmm never seen anything like it.

post a batrep

Here's my two cents... marked in red.

jy2 wrote:This is my shooty tyranid army. It's a competitive list designed to deal with all those MSU armies. Let me know what you guys think.

Swarmlord
1x Tyrant Guard - Lash Whips - 65 Your better off with a HT with two Twin-linked brainleech devourers, as well as some extra TG, as one just won't cut it.

3x Hive Guards - 150
3x Hive Guards - 150
3x Hive Guards - 150

Tervigon - Adrenal Glands, Catalyst, Cluster Spines, Toxin Sacs - 195
13x Termagants - 65 If you really want Tervigon's only have the bare minimum of ten.
Tervigon - Adrenal Glands, Catalyst, Cluster Spines, Toxin Sacs - 195
13x Termagants - 65 If you really want Tervigon's only have the bare minimum of ten.

3x Biovores - 135 Personally I'd get rid of these, in favour of Devilgants, using the points you saved from downsizing the Termagants you should get around 30, so run them in units of ten or fifteen. At three shots a piece that will make you a heavy shooty army
3x Biovores - 135
Tyrannofex - Cluster Spines, Desiccator Larvae, Rupture Cannon - 265

TOTAL - 1850