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Ive never played Nids, but since the new models got released, I've been thinking about it.

In regards to tactics, would target saturation work?

As in taking loads of viable targets that are huge threats and confusing your opponent to which he should kill first?

If it does, I have an idea for an army list in mind.

Most of the huge viable targets are also really expensive MCs :-) so its hard to field enough to cause target priority issues.

That's not to say it isn't viable - just that it's not as simple as shoving a few big bugs across the board.

Oh I realise that.

I'm thinking target saturation is viable as long as you can cause your opponent to have fits when it comes to threat management.

Two Winged Hive Tyrants to get in quick.
Hive Guard to pop vehicles.
Venomthropes to cover stuff.
Termagants and Tervigons to harass and make more guys.
Warriors for a little synapse area.
Tyrannofex to blow up big stuff.
A single Trygon to mop up or cause more terror.

I think I might be off my head when hoping it'll come to 2000 points lol.

That isn't really how target saturation is going to work.

"Classic target" saturation is overwhelming the enemy with targets in one narrow spectrum of the field. Say, AV13 spam with Blood Angels or Space Wolves Razorspam or Ork Greentide. The effectivelly nullify some of the opponents weapons (say.. his flamers or his Lascannons or whatever) and overwhelm his weapon arsenal in one specific area.

A list as you've suggested, with everything from Gaunts over Warriors to large MC will not "overwhelm" the average opponent. He will try to apply the right weapon to the right critter, flaming Gaunts, Plasma-shooting Warriors, Sniper and Lascannons vs. the big MCs, etc.. .

Nids do, I believe, face an up-hill challenge to make a target saturation list work, because alot of the list is geared towards "synergy" of different units interacting, which is by and large the antipode of target saturation.

Indeed, with a fairly top-heavy list of expensive critters, two winged Tyrants, a Trygon, Tyrannofex, Venomthrope, etc.. you'll probably be the one with comparatively few models on the table and arguably vulnerable to a more monotone "target-saturation" list, e.g. facing 12 Space Wolves Razorbacks or some such.

Actually, that list is pretty good for target saturation.


Two Winged Hive Tyrants
Hive Guard
Venomthropes
Termagants and Tervigons
Warriors
Tyrannofex
A single Trygon

For every unit the enemy needs high Strength and low AP (3 or less) to do significant damage. Now this list isn't optimal, but I;m sure it'll work.

When playing this list make sure you put everything as much forward as possible, so that you won't be attacking piece meal. I would recommend a walking Hive Tyrant with Guards btw, and you should loose one and add some more Hive guard or Zoanthropes.

Feluca

I play Tyranids this way. You will have to play a mix of big bugs and small ones using reserve tactics.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/438456.page

That list a example that uses your idea. it does well but is not one I recommend to new Tyranid players though it is a option for them. it is as some one said "unconventional" to say the lest.

The simple answer is that the seasoned vets will have no trouble identifying the biggest threat and prioritizing accordingly. But the mass majority of people do not know who to strike at first because they panic.

Puscifer wrote:Oh I realise that.

I'm thinking target saturation is viable as long as you can cause your opponent to have fits when it comes to threat management.

Two Winged Hive Tyrants to get in quick.
Hive Guard to pop vehicles.
Venomthropes to cover stuff.
Termagants and Tervigons to harass and make more guys.
Warriors for a little synapse area.
Tyrannofex to blow up big stuff.
A single Trygon to mop up or cause more terror.

I think I might be off my head when hoping it'll come to 2000 points lol.

That's kind of an inefficent target list. I'd take 1 Winged Tyrant, max, but even then I don't really like them. I'd prefer a walking Tyrant or Swarmlord with Tyrant Guard usually. The Warriors are also kind of middling, but if you get some shooty ones on a backfield objective they can be a pain to get rid of. I'd also not recommend taking 1 Trygon, they die too easy to missile spam. 2 (even 3) of them get pretty scary though. I'd also recommend Genestealers, 2-3 units of 10 outflanking - they are horrifying little blighters that your opponents may overlook, but will trash almost anything in CC. Also consider 1-2 units of Gargoyles to screen you big 'uns.

If you were going for Target Saturation its best to also have duplicates of everything.

I made a 2500 point list awhile back which was.

2 HQ Tervigons

3 Troops Tervigons

3 units of 10 Termagants

3 units of 3 Hive Guard

and 3 Tyrannofexs


That is target saturation

Can anyone explain why 5 Tervigons (30 wounds, T6, Sv 3+) Is any better at target saturation than for example 2 Trygons, 1 Tervigon, 1 Tyrannofex, and a Hive Tyrant? (22 Wounds T6 3+, and 6 Wounds T6 2+)? Is it because the enemy can choose between these (different) creatures, or because they perform different roles?

I'd say it's easy for an opponent to choose between 5 exactly the same monsters, he'd choose the one he'd kill the easiest and the one whose creating the biggest threat. When I present him 5 different monsters I can deploy these all in such a way they are all creating a threat on their own, making it impossible for the enemy to chose the 'right' monster to kill this turn.

I simply don't see the effectiveness in creating over 100 gaunts when everyone is riding in metal boxes. Except, ofcourse you have a lot of points left to spend on Anti Tank, like the list Grey Templar posted. I personally don't play with that many points.

Feluca

The two words that always comes to mind, when people ask about Tyranid lists are:
- Synergy
- Redundancy

SYNERGY
I consider this the most vital when building Tyranid lists - and any other army list for that matter. But for the Tyranids, it is much more vital, that you ponder about which units can support each other.

REDUNDANCY
Whenever you field a unit, you field that unit to fulfil a role in the list. Too few of a vital unit, and the list crumbles, if that unit gets hammered or locked down.

With that said, you'd want to consider the nature of your list:
- Do you want it shooty or assaulty?
- Do you want quality over quantity, or the other way around?

In my experience, the nature of the list is shaped, partly by your Heavy Support slots, and partly by your HQ choice. Alternatively, you can drop most - if not all - of the HS slots in favour of the FA-slots. This usually gives you more models to play with, and enables you to close in much, much faster.

Bottom line is: Synergy and redundancy. (say it out loud if you have to! ).

feluca wrote:Can anyone explain why 5 Tervigons (30 wounds, T6, Sv 3+) Is any better at target saturation than for example 2 Trygons, 1 Tervigon, 1 Tyrannofex, and a Hive Tyrant? (22 Wounds T6 3+, and 6 Wounds T6 2+)? Is it because the enemy can choose between these (different) creatures, or because they perform different roles?

Because Tervigons are cheaper and better costed than any of those choices. They also act as force multipliers for your army (Catalyst, spawning gaunts, AG/TS if you have those). They're all the same as well, so if your opponent kills 1 it doesn't hurt as much as if they had killed your 1 Tyrannofex.

That said, I wouldn't run more than 3 Tervigons in a game.