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Hey all! There's a local tournament coming up soon, and I've got two lists I can't decide between, and I need some opinions (especially since I would need to still paint/acquire some things to finish up these lists).

First up, the Tyranids:

Combined Arms Detachment: Tyranids

HQ:

Hive Tyrant
- Twin-Linked Devourers x2, Wings

Hive Tyrant
- Twin-Linked Devourers x2, Wings

Elites:

Venomthropes x2

Zoanthrope

Zoanthrope

Troops

Termagant Brood
- Devourers x20, Fleshborers x10

Tervigon
- Miasma Cannon, Thorax Swarm

Heavy Support:

Carnifex x3
- Twin-Linked Devourers

Allied Detachment: Tyranids

HQ:

Hive Tyrant
- Twin-Linked Devourers x2, Wings

Troops:

Ripper Swarm x3
- Deep Strike

Ripper Swarm x3
- Deep Strike

Total: 1850

I can't decide between Shreddershard Beetles and Electroshock Grubs here for the Tervigon. The Carnifexes are really my only source of anti AV-13+, so haywire would be helpful, but the Shreddershard Beetles would sync much better with the Miasma Cannon.

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Tau:

Combined Arms Detachment: Tau Empire

HQ:

XV8 Commander
- Missile Pod x2, Target Lock, Drone Controller
- Marker Drone x2

Elites:

XV108 Riptide
- Ion Accelerator, Smart Missile System, Early Warning Override

XV8 Crisis Team
- Shas'ui w/ Fusion Blaster x2

XV8 Crisis Team
- Shas'ui w/ Fusion Blaster x2

Troops:

Fire Warrior Team
- Fire Warrior Shas'la w/ Pulse Rifle and EMP grenades x12
- Devilfish w/ Disruption Pod and Seeker Missile x2

Fire Warrior Team
- Fire Warrior Shas'la w/ Pulse Rifle and EMP grenades x12
- Devilfish w/ Disruption Pod and Seeker Missile

Fast Attack:

Drone Squadron
- Marker Drone x6

Heavy Support:

Sky Ray Missile Defense Gunship
- Blacksun Filter, Smart Missile System

Sky Ray Missile Defense Gunship
- Blacksun Filter, Smart Missile System

Formation Detachment: Tau Empire Firebase Support Cadre

XV108 Riptide
- Ion Accelerator, Smart Missile System, Early Warning Override

XV88 Broadside Team
- Broadside Shas'ui w/ High Yield Missile Pod, Smart Missile System, and Early Warning Override x3

XV88 Broadside Team
- Broadside Shas'ui w/ High Yield Missile Pod, Smart Missile System, and Early Warning Override x3

Total: 1850

Rules for the tournament: Forgeworld is allowed (I do have four Tetras and a Barracuda to draw from for Tau), no Lords of War, 1 CAD and 1 Allied detachment (same faction can ally with itself).

Let me know your opinions!

Nids Nids Nids!

that's a solid list, I like it!

Even though I'm a die hard Tyranid player and will never leave them as my one and only army.....The Tau list is significantly better.

The Tyranid list isn't really taking advantage of what is available to them i.e. Living Artillery, Skyblight, or FMCs in general. Tyranids need synergy to be successful. Synergy also is a general term that I use to also include target saturation, redundancy, and board control.

They're both decent; I agree the Tau list is stronger although you need to spend 10 points to get EWO on both your tides. Also, you don't need Hive Commander on both your Tyrants.

But yeah, go with Tau.

roxor08 wrote:
Even though I'm a die hard Tyranid player and will never leave them as my one and only army.....The Tau list is significantly better.

The Tyranid list isn't really taking advantage of what is available to them i.e. Living Artillery, Skyblight, or FMCs in general. Tyranids need synergy to be successful. Synergy also is a general term that I use to also include target saturation, redundancy, and board control.

That's my issue too, the Nids are my first love and I would love to bring them, but I don't have the fringe things to bring the better things i.e. Biovores, Gargoyles, 2/3 Harpies. I could trade some things around and take the one Crone I do have but I think they definitely lost a step (or two or three) in 7th. If I were to take another FMC I'd take an allied detachment with 2 Ripper Swarms with Deep Strike and bring in my third Flyrant.

 The Shrike wrote:
They're both decent; I agree the Tau list is stronger although you need to spend 10 points to get EWO on both your tides. Also, you don't need Hive Commander on both your Tyrants.

But yeah, go with Tau.

I'll probably end up losing the Hive Commander to switch the list around a bit and take a third Flyrant.

What are your ideas on where to get the extra 10 points? One of the Seeker Missiles and the Neuroweb System Jammer?

EDIT: The Tyranid List is SIGNIFICANTLY changed, please take another look and change your answer accordingly, and let me know if it's gotten significantly worse or better!

Well...I play Nids...but if you choose to stay with the Hive...I'd lose the Miasma Cannon....or drop some of the Devilgaunts for regular Termagants, so you can put a Thorax Hive on each Tyrant. (Electro-bugs) that will be a major upgrade in your ability to deal with vehicles, and clear off Objectives. I would use Electro bugs on the Tervigon as well...but that's "just me" With the haywire upgrade(s) I think you can have a good showing with the Horrors of the Hive.

pinecone77 wrote:
Well...I play Nids...but if you choose to stay with the Hive...I'd lose the Miasma Cannon....or drop some of the Devilgaunts for regular Termagants, so you can put a Thorax Hive on each Tyrant. (Electro-bugs) that will be a major upgrade in your ability to deal with vehicles, and clear off Objectives. I would use Electro bugs on the Tervigon as well...but that's "just me" With the haywire upgrade(s) I think you can have a good showing with the Horrors of the Hive.

I definitely like those suggestions, I can drop 5 devilgaunts for Termagants, and lose the Miasma cannon and make enough room for the 3 extra Electroshock grubs and even get Crushing claws on the Tervigon for extra insurance against vehicles (if he can catch them).

This has made it even harder to decide between the two lists. I feel like the Tau still deal with the Wave Serpent spam I'm certain I'll see, but I feel like the Nids will be harder to deal with. Plus I have almost all of the Nids painted...

looking at this.. I would be more Afraid of the tau list than the nid list.

The Tau list will be much more effective at taking out the threats that are flyers and vehicles than the Tyranids and it's nice and shooty with 2 riptides and a lot of missiles. The ignores cover SMS will also be great against any army you face. So yeah the Tau list will probably do quite a bit better for you, but it seems like you're leaning towards Tyranids. Us lot can only influence your decision so much, so pick the list you'll have the most fun with!

That's really why I'm asking, I'm hung up pretty much 50/50 between the lists. I think the Tau list is scarier, and will do better against Wave Serpent Spam, but the Tyranid list adds more utility, and might perform better against standard TAC lists.

The only thing edging me toward the Tyranids (and maybe what's keeping them in the race) is that I have all the models I need, and almost all of them are painted and based.