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I have a friend who plays Tyranids who was exasperated by the new XV109 Y'vahra rules.
While they are still a bit OP while Forgeworld gets some real world play testing, what are some tactics Tyranids can use against Riptides, R'varnas, and Y'vahras (high toughness 2+ models that can be mobile)?

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Downloads/Product/PDF/X/Tau-XV109.pdf

First and foremost the new Riptide is not OP in any way shape or form for a few reasons:

-Has one less wound than other Riptides
-Needs to be within 12 inches to fire its main weapon (14 inches for the tip of the flame template on top of torrent).
-No access to Earth Caste Pilot Array, can still hurt itself on a Nova Charge

Being forced to be in such close quarters to an assaulting army alone puts it at a big disadvantage, so there should be a good number of things that can handle it. Throwing a monstrous creature at it or even a Carnifex or Flyrant will have a good chance to butcher it in close combat even with the invulnerable save. Exocrines, gaunts with poison and psychic powers will wreck this thing.

IDK man, I can't believe it seriously has an optional firing mode that is heavy 2 and ap 2...optional....OPTIONAL... what option? You fire that mode every time for feths sake.

Sure it may not seem great verse hordes but then again it doesn't need marker light support and it has two shots to leave combat. HtR in their turn, if failed nova out in your own. Seems solid, plus its main gun is way better at wrecking vehicles then the Ion accelerator.

With EWO one of these will make deepstriking near a tau gun line nearly impossible, he will auto hit you with those templates and you can't even get cover... Still sound weak?

Riptides in general are not balanced at all, so it's silly saying this thing isn't broken. In the right hands this thing can make playing much less fun.

If you're list doesn't have a great answer for getting rid of a specific model, ignore it.

A more positive way to say the same thing: When deciding what to do with your units, choose the most efficient option.

So, to use a real life example, the last time I played against a Riptide, I ignored it until I butchered the rest of his army. At that point, I assaulted it with my Lash Whip and Bonesword weilding Flying Hive Tyrant, who instant killed the Riptide with a chop to the face. The riptide, unmolested for the majority of the game, didn't really do a heck of a lot beyond putting a few wounds on my Dakkafexes and failing 2 nova-charges.

Funniest thing about the game was that my opponents buddy, who was new to the game and also played Nids, went on and on about how the Riptide was such a nightmare for him to deal with. He'd stop by the table from time to time and say something along the lines of "still haven't gotten rid of that yet, eh?" totally ignoring the fact that I'd managed to get in assault with the rest of the tau gunline, spelling their doom. I'd just smile and nod, "yeah...that Riptide is a BEAST!" and move forward with winning the game.

Exocrines. They can fire at double distance than Y'vahra does (the FMC mode is turn yes, turn no) and it's invulnerable save past 12" is only 5++. If it doesn't activate the 4th nova option, no cover unless ruins-like terrain/hidden from sight.

Other option is voume of fire. 2+ won't save everything (it could get FnP, defeated as well by volume fo fire)

 Vector Strike wrote:
Exocrines. They can fire at double distance than Y'vahra does (the FMC mode is turn yes, turn no) and it's invulnerable save past 12" is only 5++. If it doesn't activate the 4th nova option, no cover unless ruins-like terrain/hidden from sight.

Other option is voume of fire. 2+ won't save everything (it could get FnP, defeated as well by volume fo fire)

This is why the Stim INj. is almost mandatory on it.

Against Riptides, your best bet is to get a tarpit into combat with them. Gargoyles are effective at this as they can move quickly.

It's even easier with the R'Varna, since it can't boost it's jump like the Riptide can.

Against the Y'vahra, you have to kill it from afar, since it can just escape from combat - Exocrines, Flyrants and co.

 Red Corsair wrote:
IDK man, I can't believe it seriously has an optional firing mode that is heavy 2 and ap 2...optional....OPTIONAL... what option? You fire that mode every time for feths sake.

Sure it may not seem great verse hordes but then again it doesn't need marker light support and it has two shots to leave combat. HtR in their turn, if failed nova out in your own. Seems solid, plus its main gun is way better at wrecking vehicles then the Ion accelerator.

With EWO one of these will make deepstriking near a tau gun line nearly impossible, he will auto hit you with those templates and you can't even get cover... Still sound weak?

Riptides in general are not balanced at all, so it's silly saying this thing isn't broken. In the right hands this thing can make playing much less fun.

Its not broken when you factor in the points cost (270 for Stimulant Injector and EWO, your paying as much for x2 Leman Russ Tanks), it has only 4 wounds and the Hit and Run can only take place AFTER combat when it is only Initiative 2 meaning if anything hits it there will be a good chance it will already be dead and the Nova Charge is still a 1/3 chance of failing. That and if you know ahead of time its easy either Deep Strike away from it (its only got a 12 in max range so its not hard to do) and compared to other Riptides as I already said this close range is what evens it out more then the others because it is basically setting itself up for a counter charge/lots of shots within Rapid Fire range in order to use its weapons effectively, so its not silly to say it isn't broken, its a FACT.