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Hi guys,

I've recently got back to wh40k, and now tried to assemble my first army list.
There's no real idea behind it, since it was just built out of the Deathstorm Box + a few extra models I bought.

I'd really like to know if this army is useable and working in the meta!

HQ:
1x Hive Tyrant (Wings, Hive Commander

Troops:
12x Hormagaunt (Toxin Sacs)
12x Termagaunts (Toxin Sacs)
8x Genestealers (Toxing Sacs, Scything Talos)
1x Broodlord (Toxin Sacs)
3x Warrior (Toxin Sacs)

Elite
3x Zoanthropes

Support
1x Carnifex (Bone Mace)
1x Trygon (Prehensile Pincer)

Equals a sum of 1.203 Points.

It does not look bad. But a basic "rule" for Tyranids is to avoid upgrades, and buy more figures instead. So I suggest you lose most of them, the Toxic in particular. I think you need the Scything for the Formation with the Gene Stealers, so might as well keep that one.

In any case good luck, and welcome to the Hive Mind!

You should magnetise the Carnifex if you are able. Currently the best build is Twin Brain Leeches for 150.

The second recommendation is if you got the "Thrope box, build at least one as a Venothrope, the Shrouding is very powerful.

Thanks mate!

As I'm still a bit new to all this (and not used to the english version of the rulebook), can you please explain a little bit closer what you mean by "magnetise"?

I'll try to setup another list now, without the Toxine Sacs.

Magnetize is just putting magnets on/in the model to quickly change the weapons. It's a physical thing, not rules. That way in one game you have a Carnifex with Scything Talons and Barbed Strangler and the next you just switch out the arms for the Devourers. Very quick, very painless process.

But, I'm also going to say that the list is pretty bad just because of the lack of support. There's a lot of ground models here, but nothing that's very dangerous. The Trygon would be better suited to being a Mawloc, it can be more independent that way, doing its own thing decently for cheap. Another Carnifex or two (in the Dakkafex setup with two Twin Linked Devourers) would dramatically increase your damage output and I would seriously look at Biovores or an Exocrine. So far, with one Flyrant, you don't have much that HAS to go down quick. I've found that many big threats end up keeping everything alive for longer than any number of small bugs do.

Ah, magnetizing really sounds like a great idea
But I assume that I'll need some strong ass magnets since those default small pin magnets are pretty weak, got any suggestions?

I now had my first game with that army against Necrons and had to expierence the massive uselessnes of Gaunts.
Is there any possibility of playing "gauntless" Nids?

They're called 'rare earth magnets'. Neobydizium or something vaguely like that. Just look for rare earth magnets on eBay or Amazon. I forget the size needed but they're pretty friggin small. 1/8th diameter maybe? Possibly smaller?

You can make no Gaunts. It's called 'Nidzilla'. Using Warriors as your two Troops and then the rest of the list uses big bugs. Carnifex, Flyrants, Mawlocs, and you just build a list from there.

Another option is using Formations. For instance, there's a Formation that's called Skyblight that uses Gargoyles instead of Gaunts with all the benefits of troops and an extra one or two. Then another Formation for ground units like Living Artillary Node or Bio-Blast Node.

But Gaunts aren't useless. They just don't need those upgrades you had on them. This is why Nid players keep them cheap. Using forty or more to throw at tough targets and just tie it up for a few turns, or protecting big bugs. They have many uses besides offense.

These are some actual helpful tips!

But how should I protect my big boys with 'em?
Line of sight is not blocked by Gaunts if enemy forces try to shoot my bigger creatures.

Line of sight won't be blocked, but you do get that 5+ Cover Save by having intervening models. That's typically not thrown into question. If your area is particularly anal about that sort of thing, I think there's a 25% rule for intervening models but it can be rules lawyered into being the squad is intervening on atleast 25% of the model not physical model on model sight, Gargoyles undoubtedly block LOS, but I haven't come across any groups that say Gaunts won't do that job. Add in a Venomthrope or two and you have Shrouding with careful positioning. Suddenly that becomes a 3+ Cover Save.

Something I like to do is to have little 'tendrils' that follow a pattern. Twenty Gaunts in one brood, two sources of Synapse, either Tervigon and Zoanthropes or Walking Tyrant and Warriors, and something big like a pair of Carnifexen or a Tyrannofex though I don't use one of them, and atleast one Venomthrope. Those are all buddies and never move anywhere outside of their little mini swarm unless there is a specific target one of those units is better equipped to deal with. A Flyrant does her thing on her own, supporting what's needed if she needs to. Keep in mind, this is a casual list and only meant to win against other non-competitive lists, but it keeps working for me.