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Let's try and redeem the two units perceived as weakest in the Tyranid codex- the ripper swarms and the pyrovore perform terribly on paper, but, like every other Nid, their esoteric qualities are enough to instill potential for surprising and effective tactics. Sure, the rippers have a terrible statline and cost more than gaunts, but for those extra few points you get a unit with 4 attacks, not to mention their 3 wounds will actually stretch their stay on the board considerably if kept in terrain-heavy areas where they can benefit from their cover-improving Swarm aspect; use this to either swamp high tier enemy units, or to build living barricades and ensure the rest of your army makes it to the desired positions. They're cheap enough for either purpose.
For the pyrovore, I don't know; perhaps it can synergize with other crummy units? Post you ideas of tactical uses for these two outcasts.

I've seen a player use the pyrovores in spores and coming out of trygon? holes to torch things hard.

As for rippers I can't help you. Maybe as sky rippers they have a use.

I can't understand the issue with rippers. They are excellent tar-pits. A screen of them in front of a synapse creature will keep nasty enemy cc units at bay for ages. They are easily killed by flamers, etc but say a unit of assault marines will have a nasty long wait to smash through them. I use them to exploit areas of terrain where I can position them to act as a delaying unit and break up the enemy's tactics and lines of advance. In front of a critical objective is also a good idea for them.

As for pyrovores they are also fine, if you want to play a bit of fluff and mess about, not great for the points but they do have an effect. If you play waac then you will never use them IMHO.

Personally I like to try and collect at least one of every unit in a codex and will use them just for fun, I play for the fun and to see the models on the table. I still struggle to find a place for pyrovores simply because the hive guard, venomthrope and zoanthrope are such good units and ymgarl have a place too. The pyrovore just doesn't offer anything that can displace these. I do however use rippers as a troop choice really in battles. I used them in two in the last week.

Isengard wrote:I can't understand the issue with rippers. They are excellent tar-pits. A screen of them in front of a synapse creature will keep nasty enemy cc units at bay for ages. They are easily killed by flamers, etc but say a unit of assault marines will have a nasty long wait to smash through them. I use them to exploit areas of terrain where I can position them to act as a delaying unit and break up the enemy's tactics and lines of advance. In front of a critical objective is also a good idea for them.

Precisely! The reason a lot of people hate them, I think, is that the players who use them tend to take tiny, WD demo-sized units of 4-5 bases, which are easy to wipe out with template weapons; they shine when used in multiple bigger squads, shuffling all around and locking sh*t up, especially when in cover.
The problem with the Pyrovore is that it costs way too much for a unit that is basically useless in cc and its sole application is a basic flamer. I guess deep striking with it, as suggested by juraigamer, can help, however the fact that they must get in close to fire exposes them to assaults which is... sad. Are they worth the suicide attack value (the Volatile special rule produces a rather weak explosion) considering the points cost?

If you like rippers grab a Parasite of Mortex. Fun fun stuff.