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I've been looking at an upcoming 2000 point tournament and am settling down on a list. But before I get some practice games in, I wanted a different spin on the classical form of army discussion - I'll give you a comprehensive list of models I own, you make the most competitive list you can. If there's anything you believe I absolutely *need* to own, please say so! I'd be very interested to see what others would choose.

HQ

3x Tervigon
Swarmlord
2x Hive Tyrant (wings/devourers)
2x Tyrant Guard
Tyranid Prime (LW/BS + magnetic)
Parasite of Mortrex

Elite

Doom of Malan'tai
4x Zoanthrope
6x Hive Guard
10x Ymgarl
2x Lictor

Troop

4x Mycetic Spore
9x Tyranid Warrior (mix)
24x Genestealer (2x Broodlord)
30x Termagant
20x Devilgant
30x Hormagaunt
12x Ripper

Fast Attack

18x Gargoyle
3x Ravener (magnetic)

Heavy Support

2x Carnifex (devourer/magnetic)
1x Carnifex (retro, scything)
Trygon
4x Biovore

Thanks for your input!

Sure I'll take a crack at it. Assuming you're not using a double FOC this would be the list I suggest.

HQ

Winged Tyrant with 2x twin-linked devourers and hive commander

Winged Tyrant with 2x Twin-Linked devourers

Elites

Doom in a pod

2 zoans in a pod

Troops

3 Tervigons all have cluster spines, 2 have 3 powers which they will swap out with book powers, 1 has 2 powers who will camp back field objectives.

3 squads of 10 termagants

Heavy

2 Trygons.

Comes out to a neat 2,000.

Gaunts + Tervi's start on the board, everything else comes in from reserves.

^ I agree with the list above by "From". I run something very similar to this and it's been doing pretty well for me.

Interesting list. I've made it a personal standard to take 2 Tervigons in almost any list, but I found in the (few) games I had played with 3 it had a diminished return in feeling. Mind telling me how it works out for either of you?

 Cieged wrote:
Interesting list. I've made it a personal standard to take 2 Tervigons in almost any list, but I found in the (few) games I had played with 3 it had a diminished return in feeling. Mind telling me how it works out for either of you?

The nice thing about having 3 is you can play on of them conservativly, sit on a home field objective and have babies, whilst you move the other two up together, plus an extra MC is always nice.

How do you field 3 Tervigons with only 30 gants?! I have 62 gants for 2 Tervigons and still run out

I have never run 3 Tervigons personally, but I love having 2. It frees up enough points for Heavies and more Elites!!

Saythings wrote:
How do you field 3 Tervigons with only 30 gants?! I have 62 gants for 2 Tervigons and still run out

I have never run 3 Tervigons personally, but I love having 2. It frees up enough points for Heavies and more Elites!!

I have a bucket of about 40 2nd/3rd edition Termagants to draw a baby-pool from. And I don't typically host the 3rd Tervigon.

I traditionally follow your concept, 2 Tervigons in favor of Elite choices. Possibly Heavy.

Two Flyrants seems pretty standard these days.
I personally only take two tervigons and also run out of gaunt models fast. Hive guard are really useful for taking out light/medium vehicles (up to AV12/13).
Biovores have worked really well for me recently (depending on your opponents).
If the majority of your army is in reserve you will need to hide those tervigons well or they will take a hammering turn 1 and you wont benefit from the hive commander till the Flyrant arrives.

Still, would be a fun list to play.

Pagann wrote:
Two Flyrants seems pretty standard these days.
I personally only take two tervigons and also run out of gaunt models fast. Hive guard are really useful for taking out light/medium vehicles (up to AV12/13).
Biovores have worked really well for me recently (depending on your opponents).
If the majority of your army is in reserve you will need to hide those tervigons well or they will take a hammering turn 1 and you wont benefit from the hive commander till the Flyrant arrives.

Still, would be a fun list to play.

Flyrants start on table behind LOS blocking terrain then start flying on the Nids first turn - no waiting for reserves.

I'm on the side of only 2 tervigons needed, for the 250 points to field a third and the 10 termagants needed to make it a troop you could fill that 3rd elite slot and maybe have room for some biovores or gargoyles.

Hmmmmm...

Hive Tyrant - 2 x twin-linked devourers & wings
Hive Tyrant - 2 x twin-linked devourers & wings

2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard

Tervigon
10 x Termagants
4 x Tyranid Warriors w/ Mycetic Spore - 4 x deathspitters
4 x Tyranid Warriors w/ Mycetic Spore - 4 x deathspitters
20 x Hormgaunts - toxin sacs
20 x Hormagaunts - toxin sacs

20 x Gargoyles - toxin sacs & adrenal glands

Trygon - toxin sacs
Trygon - toxin sacs

I would do 2 tervigons. It is for a tournament so you don't want to spend excess amount of time dealing with 3 tervigons in the first place. Just too many troops to keep moving. Here is a 2000pts list I just ran

Flyrant - 2 devourers
Flyrant - 2 devourers
3 Hive Guard
2 Zoanthropes
DoM in Pod
Tervigon AG, TS 3 powers
Tervigon AG, TS 3 powers
10 gaunts
10 gaunts
20 Gargoyles TS, AG
Trygon
Trygon

As a nid player it is key to take advantage of every elite slot I feel. This list has 6 MC (plus the pod if you count that), fast moving CC and a strong objective holding base. Everything on the board but the DoM. In KP missions I tend to reserve the gaunts and forgo spawning depending on the matchup.

You have enough powers to spread out your endurance and hopefully you get Iron arm on at least one of the tyrants.
I usually roll depending on matchup for zoans. If there are lots of vehicles book powers, if no vehicles biomancy for support.

It pretty well rounded for a tourney setting and lots of fun to play.

 ruminator wrote:

Pagann wrote:
Two Flyrants seems pretty standard these days.
I personally only take two tervigons and also run out of gaunt models fast. Hive guard are really useful for taking out light/medium vehicles (up to AV12/13).
Biovores have worked really well for me recently (depending on your opponents).
If the majority of your army is in reserve you will need to hide those tervigons well or they will take a hammering turn 1 and you wont benefit from the hive commander till the Flyrant arrives.

Still, would be a fun list to play.

Flyrants start on table behind LOS blocking terrain then start flying on the Nids first turn - no waiting for reserves.

I'm on the side of only 2 tervigons needed, for the 250 points to field a third and the 10 termagants needed to make it a troop you could fill that 3rd elite slot and maybe have room for some biovores or gargoyles.

I'd have to agree, but wanted to give a three Tervigons a chance to sell it to me!

mercer wrote:Hive Tyrant - 2 x twin-linked devourers & wings
Hive Tyrant - 2 x twin-linked devourers & wings

2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard

Tervigon
10 x Termagants
4 x Tyranid Warriors w/ Mycetic Spore - 4 x deathspitters
4 x Tyranid Warriors w/ Mycetic Spore - 4 x deathspitters
20 x Hormgaunts - toxin sacs
20 x Hormagaunts - toxin sacs

20 x Gargoyles - toxin sacs & adrenal glands

Trygon - toxin sacs
Trygon - toxin sacs

Very interesting list. I think you're the first I've seen at this point level to avoid the Doom of Malan'tai and Tervigons. I am quite a fan of Hive Guard, but have you been successful for Hormagaunts? I assumed from Overwatch and front model loss that they'd really lost their advantage.

skycapt44 wrote:Flyrant - 2 devourers
Flyrant - 2 devourers
3 Hive Guard
2 Zoanthropes
DoM in Pod
Tervigon AG, TS 3 powers
Tervigon AG, TS 3 powers
10 gaunts
10 gaunts
20 Gargoyles TS, AG
Trygon
Trygon

As a nid player it is key to take advantage of every elite slot I feel. This list has 6 MC (plus the pod if you count that), fast moving CC and a strong objective holding base. Everything on the board but the DoM. In KP missions I tend to reserve the gaunts and forgo spawning depending on the matchup.

You have enough powers to spread out your endurance and hopefully you get Iron arm on at least one of the tyrants.
I usually roll depending on matchup for zoans. If there are lots of vehicles book powers, if no vehicles biomancy for support.

It pretty well rounded for a tourney setting and lots of fun to play.

This is quite akin to what I've traditionally done, though I have subbed Drop Dakkafex over Trygons. Though I do agree that Gargoyles are significantly more powerful with AG / TS, do you find given their fast approach to enemy gun-lines, that they survive long enough to use it?

Thanks for the responses, gentlemen/ladies!

 Cieged wrote:

mercer wrote:Hive Tyrant - 2 x twin-linked devourers & wings
Hive Tyrant - 2 x twin-linked devourers & wings

2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard

Tervigon
10 x Termagants
4 x Tyranid Warriors w/ Mycetic Spore - 4 x deathspitters
4 x Tyranid Warriors w/ Mycetic Spore - 4 x deathspitters
20 x Hormgaunts - toxin sacs
20 x Hormagaunts - toxin sacs

20 x Gargoyles - toxin sacs & adrenal glands

Trygon - toxin sacs
Trygon - toxin sacs

Very interesting list. I think you're the first I've seen at this point level to avoid the Doom of Malan'tai and Tervigons. I am quite a fan of Hive Guard, but have you been successful for Hormagaunts? I assumed from Overwatch and front model loss that they'd really lost their advantage.

I think the Doom is a gimmick unit and costs too many points. You also need a Spore for the Doom which bumps up the points. One failed save from S8 and Doom is gone, it's a too big weakness for something that costly and which is going to attract a lot of attention.

Tervigons, I used to run a triple Tervigon list and tbh it was boring as hell. All they do is pump out Termagants, burn out, move up the field and mash up some infantry or vehicles. They do add nice benefits for Termagants but of course there's a catch. I appreciate what Tervigons can do and I think you need at least one which can sit back middle of the table and pump out Termagants which can spread over the board to grab objectives.

Hormagaunts was pretty badass; re-roll to wound or wound anything on a 4+, damn fast 'cause can re-roll assault distances and generally a pain in the arse. Give them indurance from a Tervigon and you're laughing.

The key to overwatch is to assault the enemy unit with a throw away unit or something which is able to asborb the flak while your Hormies approach i.e 10 x Termies and 20 x Hormies want to assault some Marines. You declare assault with the Termies first, at this point the Marines can chose to overwatch or risk it and hope the Termies don't make combat and instead overwatch the Hormies. It's a gamble.

 mercer wrote:

 Cieged wrote:

mercer wrote:Hive Tyrant - 2 x twin-linked devourers & wings
Hive Tyrant - 2 x twin-linked devourers & wings

2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard

Tervigon
10 x Termagants
4 x Tyranid Warriors w/ Mycetic Spore - 4 x deathspitters
4 x Tyranid Warriors w/ Mycetic Spore - 4 x deathspitters
20 x Hormgaunts - toxin sacs
20 x Hormagaunts - toxin sacs

20 x Gargoyles - toxin sacs & adrenal glands

Trygon - toxin sacs
Trygon - toxin sacs

Very interesting list. I think you're the first I've seen at this point level to avoid the Doom of Malan'tai and Tervigons. I am quite a fan of Hive Guard, but have you been successful for Hormagaunts? I assumed from Overwatch and front model loss that they'd really lost their advantage.

I think the Doom is a gimmick unit and costs too many points. You also need a Spore for the Doom which bumps up the points. One failed save from S8 and Doom is gone, it's a too big weakness for something that costly and which is going to attract a lot of attention.

Tervigons, I used to run a triple Tervigon list and tbh it was boring as hell. All they do is pump out Termagants, burn out, move up the field and mash up some infantry or vehicles. They do add nice benefits for Termagants but of course there's a catch. I appreciate what Tervigons can do and I think you need at least one which can sit back middle of the table and pump out Termagants which can spread over the board to grab objectives.

Hormagaunts was pretty badass; re-roll to wound or wound anything on a 4+, damn fast 'cause can re-roll assault distances and generally a pain in the arse. Give them indurance from a Tervigon and you're laughing.

The key to overwatch is to assault the enemy unit with a throw away unit or something which is able to asborb the flak while your Hormies approach i.e 10 x Termies and 20 x Hormies want to assault some Marines. You declare assault with the Termies first, at this point the Marines can chose to overwatch or risk it and hope the Termies don't make combat and instead overwatch the Hormies. It's a gamble.

Have to disagree mate. The DoM is bordering unhinged in 6th, he literally changes games just by getting into your opponents head. Just the impact he has on your opponents deployment is almost worth his cost, couple that with the new 6" deployment out of a spod and psychic shriek and I have yet to see him recoup his cost. In certain match ups he literally can win you the game alone. I see less and less s8 nowadays as well, and any fire he is pulling from your none expendable units is priceless.
Turn one flyrants rush forward and dakka light armor for first blood, or small support units. Turn two doom lands and spirit leeches/psychic shrieks while flyrants assault and smash to pin key units in place. Works wonders and by the time they deal with your away team, the board is yours.

 Red Corsair wrote:

 mercer wrote:

 Cieged wrote:

mercer wrote:Hive Tyrant - 2 x twin-linked devourers & wings
Hive Tyrant - 2 x twin-linked devourers & wings

2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard

Tervigon
10 x Termagants
4 x Tyranid Warriors w/ Mycetic Spore - 4 x deathspitters
4 x Tyranid Warriors w/ Mycetic Spore - 4 x deathspitters
20 x Hormgaunts - toxin sacs
20 x Hormagaunts - toxin sacs

20 x Gargoyles - toxin sacs & adrenal glands

Trygon - toxin sacs
Trygon - toxin sacs

Very interesting list. I think you're the first I've seen at this point level to avoid the Doom of Malan'tai and Tervigons. I am quite a fan of Hive Guard, but have you been successful for Hormagaunts? I assumed from Overwatch and front model loss that they'd really lost their advantage.

I think the Doom is a gimmick unit and costs too many points. You also need a Spore for the Doom which bumps up the points. One failed save from S8 and Doom is gone, it's a too big weakness for something that costly and which is going to attract a lot of attention.

Tervigons, I used to run a triple Tervigon list and tbh it was boring as hell. All they do is pump out Termagants, burn out, move up the field and mash up some infantry or vehicles. They do add nice benefits for Termagants but of course there's a catch. I appreciate what Tervigons can do and I think you need at least one which can sit back middle of the table and pump out Termagants which can spread over the board to grab objectives.

Hormagaunts was pretty badass; re-roll to wound or wound anything on a 4+, damn fast 'cause can re-roll assault distances and generally a pain in the arse. Give them indurance from a Tervigon and you're laughing.

The key to overwatch is to assault the enemy unit with a throw away unit or something which is able to asborb the flak while your Hormies approach i.e 10 x Termies and 20 x Hormies want to assault some Marines. You declare assault with the Termies first, at this point the Marines can chose to overwatch or risk it and hope the Termies don't make combat and instead overwatch the Hormies. It's a gamble.

Have to disagree mate. The DoM is bordering unhinged in 6th, he literally changes games just by getting into your opponents head. Just the impact he has on your opponents deployment is almost worth his cost, couple that with the new 6" deployment out of a spod and psychic shriek and I have yet to see him recoup his cost. In certain match ups he literally can win you the game alone. I see less and less s8 nowadays as well, and any fire he is pulling from your none expendable units is priceless.
Turn one flyrants rush forward and dakka light armor for first blood, or small support units. Turn two doom lands and spirit leeches/psychic shrieks while flyrants assault and smash to pin key units in place. Works wonders and by the time they deal with your away team, the board is yours.

I've had about 9 games of using the Doom and I would say in 2 of those games he performed to no avail. In another 2 of those games he single-handedly won by killing/breaking 3-4 squads. Other than that earns his own. I agree that he can be a bit gimmicky and that Elite slots are highly sought after in the Tyranid force. That bein said, my opponents are typically clever enough to outrange my frontline Hive Guard - initially made 6 of them, but they quickly became under performers over a 3 count.

 skycapt44 wrote:
I would do 2 tervigons. It is for a tournament so you don't want to spend excess amount of time dealing with 3 tervigons in the first place. Just too many troops to keep moving. Here is a 2000pts list I just ran

Flyrant - 2 devourers
Flyrant - 2 devourers
3 Hive Guard
2 Zoanthropes
DoM in Pod
Tervigon AG, TS 3 powers
Tervigon AG, TS 3 powers
10 gaunts
10 gaunts
20 Gargoyles TS, AG
Trygon
Trygon

As a nid player it is key to take advantage of every elite slot I feel. This list has 6 MC (plus the pod if you count that), fast moving CC and a strong objective holding base. Everything on the board but the DoM. In KP missions I tend to reserve the gants and forgo spawning depending on the matchup.

You have enough powers to spread out your endurance and hopefully you get Iron arm on at least one of the tyrants.
I usually roll depending on matchup for zoans. If there are lots of vehicles book powers, if no vehicles biomancy for support.

It pretty well rounded for a tourney setting and lots of fun to play.

This guy brings up an EXTREMELY good point. I recently played in a 1,500 point tourney and a game almost went to time because the tervis' never stopped spawning gants. If you're not comfortable moving lots of troops quickly, 3 might not be for you. I like running 3 because of the extra rolls on the power table, lots of synapse, and losing one to focus fire doesn't hurt as much. Something you can do in lieu of the 3rd tervigon is a pack of Ymarl(sp) genestealers, these guys do some serious work on shooty armies, cause some serious target saturation with trygons + doom, and can really screw up peoples devastator squads or back field camping units.

imo the bare bones skeleton of a nid army over 1,500 should consist of 2 Tyrants (either 2 with wings/devs or one + swarmy) 2 tervigons and their gants, 2 trygons, and a doom+pod. (gives you about 435 points to do what you will)

Trygons aren't "core" for a Tyranid List. 2 Heavies generally are. But most choice between 2 Dakkafexes in pod, 2 Mawlocs, or 2 Trygons. Most add a third of whichever one they prefer. Few go for Biovores if that's their playstyle.

EDIT: Sample "Cookie Cutter" List:

2 Flyrants
2 Tervigons
20 Gants
1 Doom in Pod

Choices:
3 Heavies & 1 Elite
2 Heavies & 1-2 Elites
2 Heavies & 1-2 Garg broods

HQ

Hive Tyrant w/ 2x Devourer, Wings, Hive Commander
Hive Tyrant w/ 2x Devourer, Wings

Troops

Tervigon w/ CS, Catalyst
Tervigon w/ CS, Catalyst
10x Termagants
10x Termagants

Elites

Doom of Malan'tai in Mycetic Spore
2x Zoanthropes
1x Zoanthrope

Fast Attack

18x Gargoyles w/ Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands

Heavy Support

Carnifex w/ 2x Devourer in Mycetic Spore
Carnifex w/ 2x Devourer in Mycetic Spore
2x Biovores

I'm splitting the Zoanthropes so if one in either unit gets Iron Arm, it can increase the Toughness of the entire unit via majority toughness rules.

 Red Corsair wrote:
Have to disagree mate. The DoM is bordering unhinged in 6th, he literally changes games just by getting into your opponents head. Just the impact he has on your opponents deployment is almost worth his cost, couple that with the new 6" deployment out of a spod and psychic shriek and I have yet to see him recoup his cost. In certain match ups he literally can win you the game alone. I see less and less s8 nowadays as well, and any fire he is pulling from your none expendable units is priceless.
Turn one flyrants rush forward and dakka light armor for first blood, or small support units. Turn two doom lands and spirit leeches/psychic shrieks while flyrants assault and smash to pin key units in place. Works wonders and by the time they deal with your away team, the board is yours.

As mentioned, I think the Doom has a big weakness plus added in can be shot to ribbons with anti infantry guns - I took the Doom down from 9 wounds to 1 wound in a single shooting turn, shame I couldn't kill it, but ah well.

TBH I would have done 6" disembark from the Spore anyway.

Though if you like Doom then that's cool, each one to their own. I am not a huge fan of special characters in general anyway.

Doom is priceless. Any competitive list needs him. If you don't use him you're simply not making your list as competitive as it can be. It costs 130 points with a pod. Half the costs of any MC with the potential of doing anywhere from 2 to 4 times the damage with spirit leech alone. In a game of chance you would be hindering yourself by not using him. Even if he full scatters and doesn't hit anyone with his spirit leech. Strength 4 large blast, AP1 is still amazing. Worst case scenario, you effect how your enemy deploys and spread his army out. This allows you to stack to one side of your deployment and use your entire army against a faction of his.

You won't be hindering yourself by not taking Doom.

Main problem with Doom now is interceptors and ADL guns. He can be shot in the movement phase before he gets his power off - make it a lascannon and one failed invul for ID!

Doom also isn't a fan of meltaguns or anything S8. That's the easiest way to kill the little sucker.