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.

Does anyone run these? On paper it looks like they could shred just about anything and can even outperform gene stealers (on the first round any way) and they are still pretty cheap. But I am wondering if they are too fragile to have enough of them survive long enough to make it to CC. Has anyone tried these or played against them and how did it go?

The general trend I have noticed, is most people will run them with just toxin sacks.
Keeps them cheaper, more gaunts, more toxin sacs, more re-rolls
Still, they are easier to kill than 'stealers, lower initiative and what not

That is how I run them now. But to be able to reroll to wound on space marines on the charge... That is tempting for just 2 more points per model

Give it a try then, see what kind of results you get, and have some fun while you do it?

I guess people don't want to invest in their gaunts, since they die so quickly, but I suppose if you get into combat, you'll be golden.

The main reason why I'd take genestealers instead is rending.
The hormagaunts will shred just about any infantry they hit, but can't do more than glance rear armour 10 vehicles.

Still, they are a fun and pretty strong unit if you aren't facing mechanised lists. For a laugh, try outflanking a unit of 30 using hive commander.

I used to run them with AG and TS, and while it's a good combo (Reroll to-wound against MEQ due to the +1S and TS), it's pretty expensive. That said, if you have a big enough brood, they'll wreck literally anything with sheer number of attacks.

I got a long experience of success with this book so I can tell honestly that Ubergaunts (as they are called...at least by me ) are awersome! The volume of attacks with rerolls are just brutal and more often than not destory a unit of Spesh Marinez with ease. That being said, you must use the carefully. DO NOT! Put upgrades on a unit you intend to just walk across the board with. They will die. If your opponent is savvy at all, they will try and kill that unit.

They way I do it. I never upgrade a unit of stealers/gants/gaunts or gargoyles if they don't have a means of getting to combat safely. If I'm running Devilgants, then I put them in a pod. Same goes for hormies, you need to give them a way to get around. Either with hive command and outflank with them, which works awesome! They have a nast threat range and 20 of these guys coming from the flank is just devistating to your enemies battleplans and moral. You could also reserve them in an objective based game, if you know your enemy is not going to be stitting in the back line shooting. A pod worse, but its my least favorite, since they do nothing a whole turn after they come in. You could walk them, but they better have plenty of carver, behind a unit of ripper/gargoyles/or more hormies with FnP. Eitherway, you don't want to waste points on a unit that is going to die easy. As all Nid players know, if you have to walk to get anywhere, then a lot of things will die before you do.

Hope that helps!

I prefer just toxin. If you are also using the swarmlord (you are, right?) then you can get furious charge anyway.

If you take both upgrades, you get into genestealer territory. 'Stealers are more versitile, what with infiltrate/outflank standard, better toughness/armor, broodlord option, and rending. Horms with just poison, though, are cheap enough to still have a home versus infantry as long as you have the swarmlord.

I always run a group of 30 with both toxin and adrenal. They are incredibly effective against any form of troop. Re-role to wound on space marines is handy and having their initiative get bumped to 6 on the charge gives them a good advantage against most other melee focused troops.

They hit hard but often don't outright kill an apposing squad so you end up killing them on your opponents turn which is nice.

You also gain some more options since you can glance armor.

You can get them stuck in fast and they hit hard so I always run them and have always taken more points than they cost.

You can keep them in cover to save from being picked of to quick and with a hive tyrant you can flank them which is a good way to not get shot.

For me I think it's worth it, toxin sacs you save points but the compromise for only slightly stronger i find isn't worth the points cost, I prefer to spend more and know I'll get my points worth when I hit.

Tyranids are all about the synergy. For instance if you have a brood of gaunts with poison and adrenal glands then boost them with preferred enemy (Tyrant with Ancient Adversary) they will shred through most units on the charge. I used to like to run an Alpha Warrior attached to a brood of gaunts - it was an awesome combination but so many people told me it was a complete waste of points. Gaunts are really cheap for what you get... If played right I really think you can't go wrong.