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Heres a try at a competitive 2000pts Tyranid list

240 Hive Tyrant – Wings – 2x TL devourer BLW – Electroshock Grub
240 Hive Tyrant – Wings – 2x TL devourer BLW – Electroshock Grub

45 3x Ripper Swarm - Deepstrike
45 3x Ripper Swarm - Deepstrike

140 1x Harpy – Heavy Venom Cannon
140 1x Harpy – Heavy Venom Cannon
155 1x Hive Crone

240 Hive Tyrant – Wings – 2x TL devourer BLW – Electroshock Grub
230 Hive Tyrant – Wings – 2x TL devourer BLW

45 3x Ripper Swarm - Deepstrike
45 3x Ripper Swarm - Deepstrike

140 1x Harpy – Heavy Venom Cannon
140 1x Harpy – Heavy Venom Cannon
155 1x Hive Crone

exactly 2000pts


I know that Nids got the short end of the stick in this edition but 10 FMC should be able to give a hard time to most any lists right?

Even though im not overloading on Zoanthropes (to avoid giving non-fying targets to the enemy) I think that I still have a decent amount of magic defense too with 8 lvl of psykers.

I don’t really like the idea of going all flyers (I find it cheesy) but GW didn’t really leave Nids with many options, I think that this is the only thing we have that will be able to stand up to some of the crazy list there will be out there.

How did Nids get the short end of the stick? This Edition makes their codex make sense. Your list is an example of that. I would consider swapping Grubs for Toxin. You've a decent amount of Haywire as is where as other MCs will cause you trouble. You will have to get stuck into combat at some point as you're forced to table with this list.

Other than that there's nothing I'd change. 10 FMCs would have been scary in 6th in 7th with the huge buff Nid FMCs got you should do well.

yes FMC got a very nice survivability buff in this edition with the better jinking, and harder to ground, they also got a strong nerf in the offensive side by losing Vector striking hits, smash hits, poison downgrade and most importantly not able to change levels and charge on same turn.
As a whole I'd say they broke even, regular MC on the other hand got much worst by the smash nerf and armor penetrating chart vehicule buffs.
All FMC is the only real option for Nids and it really does seem like a boring list to play (look at me staying in the air while you can't do anything to me!!! yay!!!)
Nids got the short end of the stick because they only have one boring way to play. I guess its a matter of perspective but I dont see this as being too fun, especially for the opponent... makes me think of a black/blue counterspell / return to hand / discard deck in magic, frustrating to be against to the point where people WILL refuse to play against you.

I am posting the list to see how strong a list like this could be, it does seem very strong, but I would never actually buy and paint 10 FMC.

FMCs broke even?!?!?! No the fact that you can NEVER be grounded in terms of shooting is huge. Vector strikes about broke even as you lost hits but gained Ap2. Smash is only really a loss if you're plowing your FMCs into combat with vehicles. Nid FMCs are the best shooty FMCs in the game and Shooty FMCs got a massive boost. What poison downgrade?

Yes CC FMCs got hurt and got hurt bad but shooty ones got a big buff. The Hive Tyrant almost works out the best as your opponent can either ignore him in which case he flies about with impunity shooting every turn. Or they can shoot at him knowing they then risk him charging them.

FMC spam is the obvious way to play them competitively but not the only. Carnifexes received no nerfs as Smash doesn't really effect them and the fact your opposition has to move forward from turn 1 board control has become another viable option. The changes to psychic powers give Zoanthropes an ability to JSJ whilst multiple force orgs and changes to allies really help Nids.

 fartherthanfar wrote:


Heres a try at a competitive 2000pts Tyranid list

240 Hive Tyrant – Wings – 2x TL devourer BLW – Electroshock Grub
240 Hive Tyrant – Wings – 2x TL devourer BLW – Electroshock Grub

45 3x Ripper Swarm - Deepstrike
45 3x Ripper Swarm - Deepstrike

140 1x Harpy – Heavy Venom Cannon
140 1x Harpy – Heavy Venom Cannon
155 1x Hive Crone

240 Hive Tyrant – Wings – 2x TL devourer BLW – Electroshock Grub
230 Hive Tyrant – Wings – 2x TL devourer BLW

45 3x Ripper Swarm - Deepstrike
45 3x Ripper Swarm - Deepstrike

140 1x Harpy – Heavy Venom Cannon
140 1x Harpy – Heavy Venom Cannon
155 1x Hive Crone

exactly 2000pts


I know that Nids got the short end of the stick in this edition but 10 FMC should be able to give a hard time to most any lists right?

Even though im not overloading on Zoanthropes (to avoid giving non-fying targets to the enemy) I think that I still have a decent amount of magic defense too with 8 lvl of psykers.

I don’t really like the idea of going all flyers (I find it cheesy) but GW didn’t really leave Nids with many options, I think that this is the only thing we have that will be able to stand up to some of the crazy list there will be out there.

Looks fierce. It's not really a Deathstar, "Wingstar"? nah, I'll just call it "Nid flying circus". Kinda "goofy", but what else? Vs all the other "goofy" builds...

@flingitnow
I dont have my rulebook with me right now but if I remember correctly FMC can still be be forced to take a grounding test once per shooting phase if they get wounded right? I do agree that its indeed much harder to ground them then before but we cannot claim that they can NEVER be gounded right?

the poison is worst because you need to have a str ABOVE what you would have needed to equal the poisoned roll to get the re-roll (example a Str6 hive tyrant used to be able to re-roll if fighting other T6 dude but now they only get a re-roll if fighting T5 or less, need buy adrenal glands and charge to get the re-rolls on T6)

like I said, yes FMC got a very nice survivability boost while flying, but they are still paying many points to have good close combat stats and I frankly really loved their close combat potential, which got a serious nerf, making them more one-dimensionnal and much less strategically flexible.

now they just fly in the air and stay in the air, leaving the opponent very frustrated and you with an unchallenging win on most games.

I still believe they about broke even in power, they lost in fun factor though I would say.

what do you mean by "your opponent can either ignore him in which case he flies about with impunity shooting every turn. Or they can shoot at him knowing they then risk him charging them"? do you mean if he then manages to ground him? given the earlier statement I would assume not since you were mentionning that they can never be grounded.

1) They take the grounding test at the end of the shooting phase so in effect no one ever gets to target you at full Bs unless they ground with a Psychic shooting attack (or have Skyfire of course).

2) Cool missed that on poison thanks. That does make it less valuable.

3) Yes if they ground you it is now a benefit as they don't get any full Bs shooting at you but you now get to charge them. Yeah you take a S9 Ap2 hit but unless you're on your last wound it is a benefit.

4) You say you're paying for CC stats but at 250ish points for a very shooty and tough FMC you're not really paying for CC aswell. Compare to a shooty DP and you're looking at around 100 points more than that due to him needing Psychics to be viable at range (plus a burning brand).

Its true that they cannot shoot at you at full Bs due to grounding tests anymore but they can charge you if they have some good close combat and that str9 ap2 hit is gonna hurt you.
I hadnt thought of the advantage of being able to charge if you do get grounded, that is sweet.

I really loved the close combat capabilties of the nids FMC, especially the potential to charge right after being high in the air. Especially to tie up strong shooty units so that the rest of my army can survive to do its thing.
Also to kill heavy vehicules.

This is a very important role to my FMC that got pretty much entirely taken out, with nothing to replace it.

Yes they got better at flying in the air, but its not a bigger upgrade then the nerf they got in their offensive abilities and the tactical flexibility they used to offer.

I don't necessarily think that its the ONLY build. But a FMC swooping list like this will be VERY difficult to handle by EVERY competitive list out there.

Even though it's obvious, Skyblight isn't all that dissimilar to the list you've listed. Largest difference is that you don't have any difficult to handle Objective Secured in your list. A Skyblight inclusion would significantly improve your list imo.

Gargoyles that can come back? Yes please.

otoh, I've been looking for a way to do something similar to what you have listed but at the 1750 level. I have included 2 dakkafexen in my list because of their utility against vehicles that we're gonna struggle with.

In summary, I think your list is probably one of the hardest lists out there for competitive play. Would it be fun to play? No, I don't think so. Nor would it be very fun to play against.....

EDIT:
Did 7th edition rulebook remove the 6th edition rule that if you had nothing on the table you auto lose? If so you could pretty much invalidate a significant number of alpha and beta strike armies out there too. So there is some value in that.

The rule stayed the same, if you have nothing on the table AT THE END OF A GAME TURN then you autolose. I think overall Alphastrike armies increased as now Deathwing can throw their whole army at you turn 1 every game.