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Hive Tyrant w/ wings, Hive commander
2x Tervigon w/ Catalyst, Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacks
2x 10 termagaunts
2x 1 venomthrope
1x 3 Carnifex w/ adrenal glands
2x 1 Trygon
10x Ymgarl genestealers

Sorry for no points, didn't have the exact list on me for individual costs, but what can I do to make this list tournament capable. I have a ton of tyranid models so nothing holding me back. I like the idea of the 3 carnifex's although may make them dakkafexe's at some point. May also drop hte ymgarl they have proven pretty useless. What can people recommend for my list? Really wanting to fit parasite in there somewhere. I think he may be really fun

Ymgarl are actually a pretty good unit if used properly I love them myself but are you looking to make a MC list or Swarm?

I'm looking at running a mixed list. I heard that those normally are the best for tournaments since it leaves options. Just not sure what that entails as tyranids anymore other than tervigons everywhere spam

If you're going to the trouble of using a Hive Tyrant with wings, make sure to give him dual Devourers. Otherwise you have an extremely expensive so-so melee combatant, the guns are truly amazing.

Venomthropes are ... ok. They're an excellent idea but given the nature of shooting in 6th edition, they can be easily picked off by small arms or heavy fire both. Because of this, they typically do not perform well unless you literally hide them behind your Tervigons out of LoS at all times and that is by no means a guarantee. Typically what happens is that your opponent recognizes their worth and the fact they're in a squad of one, prioritize shooting on them in turn one and you yield them first blood.

Ymgarls can be hit or miss. As the previous poster pointed out, they have their uses and are able to work, but it can be a bit complicated to do so. Use at your own risk I'd say.

Walking Carnifexes can provide some great field cover. But I don't care for them personally due to their speed, or lack there-of. I would suggest giving them at least Devourers to provide a more frightening presence.

What you'll tend to see for a ultra competitive list is 2 dakka Flyrants, at least 2 Tervigons, and usually either 2 x 2 Zoans or 3x 3 Hive guard.

The rest is typically up to you, because this is a solid core part of your list. I've seen 2x2 units of gargoyles, 2x2 units of dakkafexen, I use 2x2 of spored in devilgants, and I've seen 2 Trygons included too. Lastly, DoM is usually included because for the investment, you typically either save your other MCs or you take down a considerable amount of your opponents force.


It's really up to you, so these are just considerations.

Yeah there is a decent core here. Give your flyrant 2x TL devs, trade the venomthropes out for zoanthropes or hive guard (you could probably get away with proxying the Vthropes as Zthropes). And definitely drop the Carnifex brood. They are a massive point sink, they're slow, not hard to kill, and not particularly killy. Heck, 5 rending claw raveners are scarier than 1, similarly priced CC fex w/ AG. You know what I'm doing with my CFex right now? I'm using them as Biovores... sigh

Also at 2k you probably want *at last* 20 gargoyles in there to help bulk out the gribblies. You say you want a mixed list but you have a *huge* amount of points in MC's. Definitely get more bodies. I like the 2 Tyrgons, if you drop the CFexes maybe consider DS-ing a Tryg Prime. If you use Ymgarls I've found I need to make sure I give my opponent a lot of decisions as to what to kill, so I have to plan around that. A dakka flyrant barreling down on them, a Trygon Prime popping out of the ground, a big flock of TS/AG gargoyles rushing forward, and a pile of Ymgarls makes for some tough decisions. All the while your Zoanthropes are giving you synapse, shadowing, and reducing your opponent to goo with enfeeble, or casting those critical endurances, especially when your opponent is rocking RoW and you don't want to fry your Tyrant with perils.

5 ymgarls tends to work as well as 10...given extra toughness the turn they come in to fight overwatch...this is where you can save points...adrenal glands can come off the fexes...S9 doesn't need S10...unless you regularly face T5 multiwound stuff. The guns are amazing...but expensive...I am partial to screamer fexes with dual scytal and plasma blasts.

2 single venomthropes are money here.

I would lose a single fex to either fill out upgrades or buy more gants for the initial squads.

I personally think your list could do without the tyrant..dual harpies could be cool alongside your MCs...you'll have no anti flier cpabilities but I have never really needed them myself.

I like the idea of dropping the venomthropes. They do have some advantages. The reason I was running such a big brood of carnifexes is that catalyst is brood wide, so a really handy thing for the full brood. I may invest in giving them dual devourers so they can actually do something other than reroll hits in combat

I have been considering a harpy since 2 large blast templates a turn on a FMC is pretty good for vs hordes which eat my big guys alive.

How do you all feel about Hormagaunts? Have a tervigon toss FnP on them and let them run free.

I also have been highly considering keeping the 2 thropes and having my trygons walk on the field with the rest of my army vs assault armies. Would break my need for Hive commander also. Gargoyles are a good suggestion and I have about 40 sitting around. May test them in a list. Just T3 S3 little dudes has never been my playstyle before seeing my old army is DA and old Daemons

At 2k a single flyrant is too much of an easy target, run two or don't run them at all.

Venomthropes aren't the best elite slot and by using them you're not taking hive guard, Doom, zoanthropes all of which are much better units.

Twin tervigon is a stock, solid troop selection.

3 CC fexes with no spores are slow, slow, slow. Deep strike, TL devourers or not at all.

Forget the hormoguants idea - they really don't cut it any more.

What a lot of people don't realize is that if you start running Flying MCs...taking the Skyshield is amazing...either deepstrike without scatter and shoot...or sit and get your invuln...the invuln applies to other stuff as well...like tyrranofexes...hive guard, devilgants

I am currently in the process of building my "skynest" now"

 ductvader wrote:
5 ymgarls tends to work as well as 10...given extra toughness the turn they come in to fight overwatch...this is where you can save points.

I have to disagree. I find that savvy opponents will push out the terrain with their squads and thus cause 'spawning casualties' for the Ymgarl group, if not deny them entirely. Small squads provide more opportunity of landing on the map ready for action in my experience.

I've extensively used the Landing Pad with 2 Flyers on my 2k list. It's not worth it. There are two ways to kill flyers. Low AP skyfire shots (from other flyers or AA-specific heavy supports). Or weight of fire from Autocannons/Assault Cannons/Bolters/Lasguns.

The first option, it doesn't matter if you're in the air or not, so you might as well be on the ground for the 4++. However, your FMC could have just jinked for 5+ cover saves. So it's only 1 better from the Landing Pad.

The second option, your 3+ armor save is better, so there isn't a point for the landing pad. Don't forget that with all those light weapons, they'd have to get 6's to hit because they aren't skyfire weapons.

Also, if you deepstrikes Turn 2, you can't move. So at best, you aren't going to Assault until Turn 3, probably Turn 4 because your Landing Pad is in YOUR deployment. I loved the idea behind the pad, but flyers get no advantage from it. The rest of your army can greatly benefit. But what's your strategy? It is really "camp" objectives? This leaves your flyers high and dry next to their army by themselves if you do. More TMC's work better if they all advance together.

Don't use Landing Pads with Tyranids. Moving closer to your enemy is your friend. You can make a list around the Landing Pad, but what's really going to benefit from it?

Flyers are better with mobility and LARGE threat ranges (can't threat much when they are still in your deployment until Turn 3).
Hiveguard only have 24" range and don't need LOS, why put them on a Landing Pad (open terrain) so everything can shoot them back?
Zoanthropes only 18" lances and have 3++ natural save.
Carnifexes are only viable if equipped with 2 sets of devourers and podded in.
Trygons/Mawlocs are going to be in the enemy deployment zone.
Doom (in every Competitive list) always runs with a pod and once again 3++ naturally.
Gants... yeah, you spawn more for a reason, don't need to protect them. I'd rather the enemy shoot at them and distract from my MCs.

Finally, Tervigons, yes! That's op! T6 W6 with 4++!!! Don't forget about FNP!!! AH!! She'll never die!! Yes, you're right. The games I've used the Pad and sat Tervigons and spawned they lived. Why wouldn't they?! But don't forget they have 3+ armor saves naturally... Yes, some weapons are AP2+ but they have 6 wounds and FNP. Don't forget when they are still in your deployment, they are practically no threat. Think about what happens when they become infertile. Now you have 500 points in your deployment that doesn't appose any threat to your enemy.

The most effective way to use Tervigons is to march them with the rest of your army. Spawning gants 6" towards the enemy, move more 6" and running them d6". Swarming the enemy with shears numbers AND all your monstrous creatures.

Landing Pad doesn't work with Tyranid Tactics.. it's that simply.

 Cieged wrote:

 ductvader wrote:
5 ymgarls tends to work as well as 10...given extra toughness the turn they come in to fight overwatch...this is where you can save points.

I have to disagree. I find that savvy opponents will push out the terrain with their squads and thus cause 'spawning casualties' for the Ymgarl group, if not deny them entirely. Small squads provide more opportunity of landing on the map ready for action in my experience.

Unless I am misunderstanding you, we agree...I think 5 ymgarls work well enough and 10 is unecessary...