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.

Ok, so I've been messing around with the Tyranid list, trying to implement the few new bonuses we've got. I've come up with a list that I like (I think I'd enjoy playing it), but I want Dakka's opinion on whether or not it'd be competitive or not, since I'd have to buy a fair few models to make it. When I say competitive, I don't mean I'll be entering tournaments with it (that's what my Eldar are for), but I'd like to have a strong, TAC list that'll win me most of my games and will stand up to the top-tier armies.

So, here's the list:

HQ

Flyrant (280)
Wings, 2x TL Brainleech Devs, Hive Commander, Regen
Deathleaper (130)

Troops

15x Termagants (120)
Devourers
30x Termagants (120)
25x Hormagaunts (200)
Tervigon (200)
Cluster Spines

Elite

2x Zoans (100)
Venomthrope (50)
Venomthrope (50)

Fast Attack

10x Gargoyles (60)

Heavy Support

Mawloc (140)
Mawloc (140)
Exocrine (170)

TOTAL: 1750

----------------------------------

So the idea is that I advance with two waves down the battlefield. One side will be the Tervigon, Termagants, Exocrine and one Venomthrope, whilst the other side will be the faster stuff, the Gargoyles and the Hormagaunts, with the Venomthrope and Zoans trying to keep up, the latter to provide Synapse. Deathleaper gets as close to the enemy as possible and hopefully soaks up plenty of fire since the enemy can only Snap Fire at him. This, combined with the Shrouded bubbles provided by my Venomthropes should hopefully keep my swarm relatively intact as it advances up the board.

The Mawlocs, Flyrant and Devilgants arrive in reserve (and hopefully all come on Turn 2!). If Deathleaper is still around, and close to some nice targets, the Mawlocs will do their DS shenanigans and if not... well, they'll do it anyway, just less effectively. The Devilgants come on and cause problems, and so does the Flyrant, who also helps provide Synapse where needed.

I think I have a solid core of ranged firepower, combat potential, swarminess and anti-armour, though I may be lacking in the Synapse department.

All comments and criticism appreciated. Thanks in advance

I think you've over spent on the Flyrant whilst the Lictor plus Mawloc combo requires moronic behaviour from your opponent. If the player isn't good enough to see that then he doesn't stand a chance against you no matter your list. Though I do like Deathreaper as a distraction unit stuff like Tau will just take him off the board (Missilesides for instance).

If you're outflanking Devilgants I don't get why it isn't a max unit. If you're going to do it, then do it! Particularly as you're paying 20 points for it whether its 10 gaunts or 30.

Tervigon is a poor unit just not worth its points drop it. The rest of your troops are literally just filler as long as you remember that you'll be OK.

Zoans still work best in 3s if you can get them. Gargoyles are pretty horrid now and I don't really see what they're doing for your list particularly as they need to stay within 6" of the Venomthrope.

Mawlocs are still a bit of a distraction unit. Cheap now but I can't see them being that effective. The Exocrine is great but needs more MC support or he's too obvious a target early on. Remember he is your ranged MC killer. I'd spend more points in Heavy Support it is the best part of the codex.

Overall it just feels quite bitty with a bit of this and a bit of that. Its not a huge CC threat and I can't see it out shooting much.

 FlingitNow wrote:
I think you've over spent on the Flyrant whilst the Lictor plus Mawloc combo requires moronic behaviour from your opponent. If the player isn't good enough to see that then he doesn't stand a chance against you no matter your list. Though I do like Deathreaper as a distraction unit stuff like Tau will just take him off the board (Missilesides for instance).

If you're outflanking Devilgants I don't get why it isn't a max unit. If you're going to do it, then do it! Particularly as you're paying 20 points for it whether its 10 gaunts or 30.

Tervigon is a poor unit just not worth its points drop it. The rest of your troops are literally just filler as long as you remember that you'll be OK.

Zoans still work best in 3s if you can get them. Gargoyles are pretty horrid now and I don't really see what they're doing for your list particularly as they need to stay within 6" of the Venomthrope.

Mawlocs are still a bit of a distraction unit. Cheap now but I can't see them being that effective. The Exocrine is great but needs more MC support or he's too obvious a target early on. Remember he is your ranged MC killer. I'd spend more points in Heavy Support it is the best part of the codex.

Overall it just feels quite bitty with a bit of this and a bit of that. Its not a huge CC threat and I can't see it out shooting much.

1) Dropping Regen on the Flyrant is an option, I just hoped he'd be relatively difficult to kill, so that extra 1 wound a turn (potentially) could matter. As for Deathleaper, if he gets shot of the board before I have time to DS my Mawlocs, he's still done his job. Everyone fires Snap Shots at him, which is a HUGE increase in the amount of firepower needed to take him down, and that's from everyone. Besides, I can go to ground in Area Terrain (which is where I'm heading) for a 2+ cover.

2) It's not a max unit for two reasons. Firstly, they may end up on a side of the board where they cannot contribute. If they do, I'm currently wasting 120 points, rather than wasting 240 (I say wasting, I could probably get linebreaker with them, but that's not the point). Secondly, I've been outflanking Devilgaunts for years and, in practice, it's often quite hard to fit a unit of 30 on without either bunching up horribly or spreading the unit halfway down the board where half of them can't shoot.

3) I see it this way. On average, I'm spawning 10.5 gants a turn, and will do so for three turns before I roll a double, which is ~30 points which is ~120 points. That means I've bought the Tervigon for 80, which is an amazingly good deal. Tervigons are still a good unit and the only reason people are saying they're bad is because they're worse than before. Had Tervigons been introduced like this, people would have still used them. It's a durable 6W 3+ save MC that provides Synapse and scores. Who cares if more of my gants die when it dies. Gants are expendable and will be moving away into the Zoans' Synapse anyway.

4) 3 Zoans is a good idea, but I can't find the points in this list and money's a consideration too. If there's something I should drop, I'll drop it and buy a Zoan with it, if need be. Gargoyles are still as good as they ever were. I can count the number of times my Gargoyles lived to see combat on my fingers in the previous edition. They're a meatshield that can keep ahead of my hormagaunts and they're still just as good at doing it.

5) Another Exocrine for one less Mawloc is a decent idea, and that's a good point about target saturation. I'd like to gather more opinions on this though.

Thanks for you advice though, I'll bear it in mind. More comments still appreciated.

1) I think you misunderstood me I was talking about Pheromone trail to DS in the Mawloc without scatter. Death leaper is fantastic for his points. You HAVE to shoot him cause he'll put the hurt on in assault but snapshots mean he takes a huge amount of firepower for his points.

2) good point but Id still go bigger than 15. Bunching up needn't be a massive problem if you've got other targets and you've taken down their templates weapons when the grants arrive. Though that is obviously more situational.

3) statistically you spawn an average of 22 gants a game with a Tervigon if it spawns every turn without dying before crapping out. Which is 88 points meaning that Tervigon cost you almost as much as a Carnifex. I know they are not a terrible unit but when you factor in the 120 point tax as well and they for me at least are pretty underwhelming these days. They've lost almost everything that made them great and gone up a load of points. Give it a try I think you'll be left wishing for more from it.

4) if you want a meat shield for the Hormagaunts why not just take more Hormagaunts and save yourself 10 points?

5) you have 3 MCs on the board to start off with, each one is different meaning your opponents targetting decisions will be easy. Just getting an extra Exocrine will help that.