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Hey guys,

First time poster just looking for some advice for my first tournament. It's a 1000 point tournament and I have a few options open to me, mainly being that I have two armies capable of running 1000 points, Tyranids and chaos. Tyranids seem like they are very strong overall and might be the best choice but chaos has been great too since I run Khorne Berserkers with rhinos. Both lists are below of what I'm thinking of running, let me know what you think! Thanks in advance!

Tyranids (Total 6 CP):
Hive Tyrant - 143, Monstrous Scything talons 15, Heavy Venom Cannon 25 (OR MIASMA CANNON SAME COST) = Total 183
Possible Warlord Trait: Instinctive Killer (against Orks) – before the game starts choose a unit type (ork boyz) and whenever attacking that type of unit can reroll hit rolls for all attacks against them.
Adaptive Biology (against Space Marines) – At the end of the first phase in which the warlord suffers an unsaved wound, reduce all damage taken by the warlord down to a minimum of one, by one.
Brood Lord – 162
Trygon Prime 128, massive scything talons 60, bio electric pulse with containment spikes 20 - 208
Genestealers(15) - 150, rending claws 30, flesh hooks 30, adrenal glands 15 = Total 225
Warrior Brood (3) – 60, 2 death spitter 10, 1 Venom Cannon 20 = Total 90
Thornback - 70 - Monstrous Scything talons 14, Heavy Venom Cannon 25, Chitin thorns 5, Monstrous Acid Maw 10, Bone Mace 2, Adrenal Glands 5 = Total 131
TOTAL – 998

Chaos(total 6CP):
Terminator Lord - 105 - power fist 12 - combi bolter 2 - Total 119*
Possible Warlord Trait: 1.Flames of Spite – on melee wound rolls of 6+ does 1 mortal wound
2. Eternal Vendetta – reroll all failed wound rolls against adeptus astartes.
3. Unholy Fortitude – add 1 to the wounds characteristic and gains feel no pain.
Relic: BRASS COLLAR OF BHORGASTER: This unit can deny the witch, when it successfully denies the witch the psyker immediately suffers perils of the warp.
Dark Apostle 72, power maul 4 – 76
Helbrute 72 - multi melta 27, helbrute fist 40, combi bolter 2 – 141*
Defiler 152, Twin Linked Lascannon 50, Twin Heavy Bolter 17 – Total 219
Rhino 70, combi bolter 2 – 72
Rhino 70, combi bolter 2 – 72
18 Khorne Berserkers 288, 9 axes 9, 1 power sword 4 – 301 (two squads of 5 and one of 8+dark apostle in rhino)
Total 1000

First tournament, play what you are most familiar with and needs the least looking up of rules. That is far more important that taking the most competitive list - you won't feel as though you are a burden on the other player as you flap about and can just concentrate on timed matches against an unknown opponent.

Have fun. It makes you more relaxed and relaxes your opponent. Helps with the WAAC players that will bring the stool pusher lists. I agree with the above about a familiar list as well. The better you know your list the smoother and more efficient your rounds will be

 ruminator wrote:
First tournament, play what you are most familiar with and needs the least looking up of rules. That is far more important that taking the most competitive list - you won't feel as though you are a burden on the other player as you flap about and can just concentrate on timed matches against an unknown opponent.

I know them both about equally, I'm getting to the point where I can start knowing the nuances of the game and of my armies, but because I started the game with two it's been tough to learn them both at the same time. I'm thinking of running the chaos list just because I think they are more fun but it's tough for me because I love to win and I think the Tyranid list might be better against a lot of opponents. So basically I'm torn between wanting to have fun with my army or wanting to have fun winning lol.

How do you prep for a tourny? I only have my own faction codexes and rules and locally I only have a Tau and Eldar player... I guess watch a slew of battle reports? My issue is most battle reports are not competitive and are more fluff / for fun so not really sure what to expect.

orkswubwub wrote:
How do you prep for a tourny? I only have my own faction codexes and rules and locally I only have a Tau and Eldar player... I guess watch a slew of battle reports? My issue is most battle reports are not competitive and are more fluff / for fun so not really sure what to expect.

It's hard when your meta is small. If your other players are willing to proxy for the sake of practice you can take turns proxying a new faction army now and then (though you'll need the Codex or a fair amount of guesswork). Alternatively, if there are other stores that are just farther away you can organize an expedition to get some new experience. To further prep for your individual tournament, look at what lists are winning other tournaments in the region and try to rationalize out what the player is doing with that list, why unit X was chosen and how it's scoring objectives. Those ideas are about all you can do aside from traveling to smaller tournaments to prepare for your bigger tournament.

 ruminator wrote:
First tournament, play what you are most familiar with and needs the least looking up of rules. That is far more important that taking the most competitive list - you won't feel as though you are a burden on the other player as you flap about and can just concentrate on timed matches against an unknown opponent.

This is excellent advice!

Be the "one-gun hunter." They guy who sticks to his tried and true weapon will prevail under stress. Go with the list that you know and then branch out.

Don’t be surprised if you run into someone who smells funny, has a really lame list and a bad attitude. That said. Most likely you will have a lot of fun and meet a brigade of new people.

As others have said. Know your rules
Bring tape measure and make sure you have at LEAST 20 dice. I usually take 30. Keep an eye on the time. Pack a drink of some kind because leaving the table to shuffle around trying to find water sometimes takes an inordinate amount of time.

Remember it is only a game and both players should be having fun.

Is the tournament using chapter approved?
I’d take berzerkerz as a single alpha legion squad as well as apostle.
Infiltrate them and if you get first turn, place at 9” from enemy, move, charge, fight, fight again and again for CP.
Also i would name the lord to be sorcerer or replace him with exalted champion. This way you get all rerollss (hit and wound) for your zerks.

Do you have cultists or more marines? I’d get rid of one or two rhinos and take two squads of cultists for battalion detachment.
Also if you take alpha legion, you will make it harder to get slay the warlord on you, and increase the survivability of hellbrute.

40 dice to have are bare minimum))