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Why are Tyranids so bad But seemingly so unfair?

First of all, welcome to 40k and all that. I've seen that you've posted a lot of threads asking general questions and i'm glad to see you're interested in getting feedback.

To that end btw i'd suggest visiting the 40k lexicanum for a lot of general info like that.

As for the more precise question of tyranid units and weak troops.

First of all not all the troops are weak, genestealers, while they can no longer assault out of outflank are still a very heavy hitting assault unit and the broodlord picking biomancy to upgrade is just gravy.

However, it must be noted that tyranids rely heavily or synergy/coordination.

Take a group of humble termagaunts, at 5-7 a pop depending on whaat you give them they have an unimpressive statline at best. However they can be greatly boosted by other units. Get a venopthrope within 6 and anyone wanting to assault them takes difficult and dangerous terrain tests. Get them close to an upgraded tervigon to give them toxin sacs (wound on 4+ minimum) add that to striking first with the diff terrain, and enemy going through overwatch AND enemy taking kills from dangerous terrain (trough in paroxysm for good measure so they are WS 1) and the gaunts are looking pretty darn good (also fearless).

While that situation is a combo of many units, it's not that uncommons since many are area of effect. Therefore tyranids work best with one unit aiding the other. (like dirt cheap termagaunts (5pts) giving genestealers (16pts) cover saves (1/3chance) making it a positive balance even if the gaunts don't get a single kill in the game.

Now i'm off to go back to lurking on the forums.

Someone had to say it I guess.

Tyranids are a swarm, it doesn't make much sense to give every little bit of a swarm as much power as the larger monsters. It'd leave little room to make them feel better. Plus there'd be a lot of complaining about this endless sea of unkillable little guys.

well i keep getting logged out i everytime i try to edit previous post so here goes for double posing (and srry a spelling mistake crept into previous one).

Cheaper troops usually means more troops which means it's easier to capture objectives.

Odd that it'd do that. I'd take that down to the nuts and bolts section and see if it can get fixed for you.

Tyranid troops are good for their purpose, which is not the same as a space marine troop. You have to play them differently. It's kindof like ork grots, tying up units so you can countercharge. Also, having so many units that even with worse stats, you come out on top with the sheer number of dice you roll. Each unit is not as good by itself, but they cost less points, so you can have more of them. You can overwhelm your opponent. Sure, you're probably walking across the board, and some of your dudes will get shot up, but you can have so many units (because they are lower point cost) that your enemy will have to choose what to kill, and might not be able to kill it all, and if he doesnt, then when your army gets to the enemy, they are fethed.

thanks you guys are a lot of help

You can have a tervigon as a troops choice if you have a brood of termagants. Can't say no to a T6 W6 MC that counts as a scoring unit which also spawns more scoring units! Especially now as five of the new missions use objectives, only in the other mission will that tervigon start spawning victory points for the enemy.

Termagants while mostly cannon fodder, are now brilliant at tar pitting units with the new fearless rule changes; only when inside synapse range though!
A fun trick i've been using recently is having a brood of twenty with devourers and outflank them(hive commander on tyrant lets you do this). Having a unit appear in the enemy's flank and pour sixty shots in to them is quite the thrill, even more so when you happen to get on the armour 10 side of a vehicle. Around thirty shots should hit and around five of those should glance if all are in range, which means dead vehicle. At two-hundred points it is an expensive unit, but a unit that i have not regretted taking once. Even if they don't make their points back! Overwatching with them is quite fun too with all those shots.

Genestealers while taking a beating with the outflanking changes, are still good. I can see big broods of them being more effective now, even more so now that the broodlord can take biomancy powers.

Hormagaunts, while i haven't tried them, i can see that they are now a lot more reliable with their distances when compared with most other units. Rerolling 3d6 run and charge distance (not on same turn ofc) makes their assault threat range less random.

Warriors got a nice boost with power weapon ap changes, or more so LACK of ap change for the bonesword, as all it says is no armour saves may be taken against bonesword CC wounds; so therefore not a power weapon. While lash whips regained their intended utility in 6th, as set modifiers now apply after multipliers and additions/reductions. So CC bone/whip warriors are still terminator killers. Too bad that they are quite expensive.

Ripper swarms are, well, ripper swarms, not to be expected to do much. Though spinefist rippers will always have a special place in my heart.

So after all that, imo, Tyranid troops are not weak at all, especially with all the new stuff they can do in 6th.

yes i guess you are right

How come every thread you make is a question with an obvious answer?

why are you so assuming

BlaxicanX wrote:How come every thread you make is a question with an obvious answer?

No need to be so harsh.

OP, perhaps a trip to lexicanum would do you well? You can spend hours on it though, as 1 piece leads to another... haha


Von Chogg

Meat shields

Von Chogg wrote:
No need to be so harsh.

I wouldn't say it's harsh at all, it's a legitimate question.

Tyranid troops are individually crappy but make up for it in large numbers and low cost. Their big bugs are tougher, stronger, more versatile, and cost more points accordingly. It's not that hard to figure out.

BlaxicanX wrote:How come every thread you make is a question with an obvious answer?

Judging by post count he's a new player, it's our duty as old dogs to help educate him on the simple stuff.