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So far For my tyranid army I have one swarm box and im planning on getting another becasue i want to do a swarm army as opposed to my origional thought which was Big Nids (I will still have big nids but not as many as a sole big nid army) I havent got anything for synapse yet except for a dakka flyrant (which is obviously not enough). So all in all for the swarm part i plan on having 80-90 Hormagaunts and 80-90 Termagaunts (still dont know if i want to take them in squads of 20 or 30. So my question is what should i do for the synapse? I could go warriors but then someone suggested zoeys with venomthropes but i dont know how well that would work out. So all in all im just looking for different options and what you guys have found to be good. With the warriors i was thinking that they could use those stranglers weapons to supress or something of that sort, and if i go with the zoeys they could give buffs or act as anti tank with the warp blast

you are gonna get rekt.

That's helpful Nugget. /sarcasm

But, he's not wrong. Actually, your best bet here is either to get Malanthropes to be the best of both worlds, or look at Formations that really provide a SOLID synapse area. I mean like, Eye of the Swarm but... Not that one because that's Apocalypse. Something that increases the Synapse of models included to 18". (Some searching occurs...) Synaptic Swarm will do that. One Prime, three Warrior broods, all have a Synapse range of 18". It's not competitive at all, but it might help you with your idea. It's in the Rising Leviathan 2 Dataslate.

I'd still include two Malanthropes as well though. Failing that, two broods of Venomthropes and a largeish brood of Zoas. Two and a Neurothrope wouldn't be awful.

Just understand that Gaunts in all their forms aren't that good. You'd do better to get yourself the Endless Swarm Formation and just include one of them along with a more traditional CAD. That way you have the models, use the models, but don't ruin your chances of playing the current strengths of the Tyranids.

Well if you are going "swarm"

options for synapse-

Zoanthropes- they are pretty durable too and provide psychic powers as well

Warriors- I would take them in multiple small broods of 3-4 with few upgrades

Tervigon- can also spawn more gaunts

Maleceptor- its special psychic power is not great but it does give synapse

Shrikes- jump infantry synapse

trygon prime

and of course warrior prime and hive tyrant/swarm lord.

venomthropes are very useful, for giving cover to your models (or improving their cover) but do not provide synapse at all.

I would use the leviathian detachment, since it lets you reroll IB- which will mitigate the loss of synapse should something be out of range.

Take an unit of 3 zoanthropes, 2 units of warriors

warriors: 3 warriors: 2 with deathspitter+rending claws, 1 with a bio cannon =130pts a brood.

That should give decent synapse to your models. I would keep the hive tyrant near where you want the hormagaunts to go since the hive tyrant is flying, and the hormagaunts will outdistance the warrior/zoanthrope synapse in a few turns.

Malanthropes are the backbone of any swarm army. You can have the majority of your army get 3+ cover and the front lines get 5+ cover. Yeah, they're from forge world but they are stupid durable and provide synapse as well. As long as your gribblies are objective: secured (meaning you took hem as a troops choice for a combined arms detachment) you can actually do quite well. I would recommend some Tervigons as troop choices (probably only 2) and you have more objective secured units than most armies can shake a stick at. Good luck moving them all, but when you said you wanted 160-180 gribblies in the first place, that's clearly not an issue. Don't listen to the naysayers. They just don't want to move models (and in a tournament setting time is an issue) but for just normal games it's not a big deal if you don't mind moving the models. You can have a ton of durbale synapse (made even more durable by he cover saves that the Malanthrope provides) and a literal crapton of objective secured for very little investment (in terms of how many points the models are on the field)

Swarmlord, for obvious reasons.

 The Home Nuggeteer wrote:
you are gonna get rekt.

^ this is utterly typical of the sort of Tyranid help that I've found on Dakka Dakka.

I've only played one game with Nids so I'm completely theory-crafting, but I'm planning to run more warriors with scything talons and rending claws. I liked giving one a barbed strangler, but the devourers are underwhelming and in CC they got torn apart by Necrons. I think with 3 attacks, synapse, flesh hooks, and rending they could be potent in CC.

If you're leading with swarms, they could be a devastating one-two punch.

Most of the more serious Tyranid players are in the Tyranid thread. I don't see many of the consistent Nid players helping folks out simply because they often play a different game. The competitive side doesn't match with the 'I want to play Tyranids because they're fun' mindset. There's a BIG gap between piddling around with a Flyrant and whatever else and bringing a trio of them with some other big method of slaughter. I imagine it gets tiring saying the same exact thing time and time again. The key advice is still the same.

But, Warriors in Assault are underwhelming no matter what you do. Against other models that suck in Assault, yes, they do just fine. Space Marine Tacticals, Necron Warriors, other such mediocre units that I can't think of for some reason. But, Hormagaunts would do just as well there. And the key difference is when you throw a Powerfist, Thunderhammer or other X2 strength weapon. S8 is an insta kill for a Warrior, so that's three wounds gone. Or, one Hormagaunt. Same hit, less painful of a casualty. And again, against the normal guys, the Hormaguant does nearly as well by sheer amount of attacks. Slap on a Deathspitter on the Warrior and a Strangler/Venom Cannon depending on how you do scatter, and you'll get more return on the way to the fight than you ever will inside the fight. There's no reason for a Warrior to get into Assault when we have bugs better at it for cheaper.

And if you're doing real swarms, there shouldn't even be room for the Warriors to get within two inches of the base to base contact line. Just too many bodies between the enemy and the Warriors. Again, that's atleast how it should be for the best return.

Most nid players don't really like massive swarm lists. They're ineffective and not as fun to play as nidzilla. Swarm lists are only fun if you like moving a ton of models, you like removing a ton of models from the board, and you have an opponent who likes to watch you move a ton of models. A swarm list is usually not going to be competitive, so you might as well have fun making the list and put some crazy stuff in there.

Im not planning on winning with the swarm list (although it would be a big plus however i have other lists for when i want to win) my local meta is hard hitting units (knights, GK, Eldar trickery, and deep striking Dreds and termies) i figured i wouldnt have to move very far before i got into combat and the sheer amount of models on the board will be intimidating. I think ill go with the zoeys so they can give FNP and other such stuff (and im pretty sure they are pretty durable?) I dont really play to win, i Just play to see what i can do and to see how different things plays out (my first army was orks so that kinda shows how i play) my only worry about the swarm will be armor, the hormagaunts and termagaunts i dont think can handle tanks well (too weak) so i was either thinking of carnifexes with cushing claws (maybe 2 squads of 2? or have them deep strike?) and the zoeys can use their warp blast S10 shots to hurt tanks. Another thing i was pondering on was the use of mawlocks? maybe a mawlock would do some good to maybe keep the enemy occupied in the beginning of the game?
My local meta doesnt use much forgeworld that ive seen and i have found that i have trouble matching opponents hard hitters.
or instead of the carnifexes what about a tyranofex with the impaler cannon? (may be thinking of a different one but its the one thats really good against tanks) The most that ive seen in one game is about 5 tanks or 2-3 with a Land raider. I still have a long way to go with my nids and they are a slow work in progress, I still havent bought the second swarm box so if there is a better way to run sorta like a hybrid swarm (if that makes sense) Maybe some large bugs with alot of smaller ones?
Once again i dont play to win (people dont seem to understand that) but i dont want to play a futile game everytime

Malantrophes are one of the reasons FW gets looked down upon. They're basically venomtrophes +1 with no downsides for dirt cheap.

 koooaei wrote:
Malantrophes are one of the reasons FW gets looked down upon. They're basically venomtrophes +1 with no downsides for dirt cheap.

It's more that Venomthropes are not worth their points for their lack of survivability and the wasted non synapse slot.

I would accept Malanthropes being more expensive is Venomthropes were more survivable and did anything but provide shrouded for everyone else. The unit does absolute crap otherwise. As it stands I bring a Malanthrope for reliable shrouded and either keeping my enemies from charging my lines or earning that preferred enemy for my army. Zoanthropes come along for more synapse and the obvious psycher bonus. Compared to the two venomthropes just are not worth the slot.

Arguably, since Malanthropes are not LoW they really should have a basic plastic kit that is not FW. But hey... GW needs their money. Thats why I kitbashed my Malanthropes for cheap.

I would love for a new Nid dex to show up and either give Venomthropes the survivability they need or remove them all together to be replaced by the Malanthrope.

 Alienoid wrote:
So far For my tyranid army I have one swarm box and im planning on getting another becasue i want to do a swarm army as opposed to my origional thought which was Big Nids (I will still have big nids but not as many as a sole big nid army) I havent got anything for synapse yet except for a dakka flyrant (which is obviously not enough). So all in all for the swarm part i plan on having 80-90 Hormagaunts and 80-90 Termagaunts (still dont know if i want to take them in squads of 20 or 30. So my question is what should i do for the synapse? I could go warriors but then someone suggested zoeys with venomthropes but i dont know how well that would work out. So all in all im just looking for different options and what you guys have found to be good. With the warriors i was thinking that they could use those stranglers weapons to supress or something of that sort, and if i go with the zoeys they could give buffs or act as anti tank with the warp blast

If you get a Swarm box, a Tyrant, and a box of Warriors, you can do fine up to 750 or so...adding in a Zoey Brood, and a Veno Brood are major upgrades, and that still keeps a third slot open (for a swarm a Malanthrope, or Veno)

I normally run Termagants in Broods of x20. It only runs 80 points, and can do plenty. I normally run Hormagaunts in Broods of x15, they cost more, so I take fewer. I converted 10 Hormagaunts into Devigaunts, and add them to one of my Termagant Broods when I want a Tervigon (seldom these days )

You already have a Carnafex, and adding more later is never a bad plan. I also really like Tyrannofex. My other always take heavy is a Mawloc (or two).

A very good way to make the jump to higher point games is to add a Formation to your 1000 point army. I think the "Living Artillery Node" is a very good one. But it is just one of several.

Late entry: Way back in the mists of time, I posted a list called Endless Tunnel Assault. It might give you some fun ideas.

I've played a Swarm army a fair few times, and against semi-competitive lists it actually holds its own. Of course, the main reason I did it was because of Endless Swarm - respawning gaunts is pretty great. The list had moderately threatening units of gaunts popping out of 2 Trygon holes in the enemy's lines (so units of 12-15 Hormas with Poison, 12-15 Termas 2/3 of which have Devs). You can Prime Trygons for extra synapse if needed. If I had one I'd run a Malanthrope, and Zoans are always a great option for cheap 18" synapse if you activate Dominion - you need large amounts of shrouded, so 2 Mals 1 Zoan I think is probably ideal, though it is a bit pricey. Alternatively, run a bastion and stick a Mal in it for bigger synapse and shrouded bubbles (as well as a comms for Trygons), potentially with an Escape hatch to catapult it upfield later and let a Zoan take its place.

Aside from that you run 2x Flyrants for the killy, and 2x Rippers Deepstriking for some obsec. Works alright! The main threat is having enough synapse - I'd say in 150 you want at least 5-6 sources of it depending on their survivability, because people will try and kill them.