Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Calmdown wrote:
Hi Guys

I'm a competitive player of other systems, just not 40k. I've played 40k since I was a kid like most people, nowadays I mostly avoid it because of the general power issues it has (not looking to start an argument on this - just not my cup of tea!)

That said, I have a hankering to play against some friends because I fancy putting my Tyranids on the table. They're all serious players (many of them UK ETC competitors) so playing a 100% fluff list is going to be a bad time for all involved. What I'm looking to do is come up with something that is fluffier than the current competitive Tyranid lists (ie, I dont want to run Tyrant spam, Mucalids, and Mawlocs) but still won't be rolled. "Competitive-casual" as I like to call it. I'm so out of touch with 40k though, that I have no idea what that would look like.

Last time I played (pre-most of the formations), my effort at doing this looked something like this (forget the points value, was something like 1250 or 1500, single CAD game)

Double Flyrant w/ TLBL and grubs 2 Venomthrope Malanthrope Tervigon 60 Termagants in a couple of units w/ 60% devourers (one unit outflanking) 3 Carnifexes w/ TLBL


It wasn't horrible, it obviously wasn't mega competitive with the Carnifexes in there but the Gaunts didn't seem awful and I had Tyrants doing Tyrants things.

I'm hoping you guys can suggest either some lists, or point me at some units/formations/etc that might not be Tier 1 but still Tier 1.5-2. I'm OK with losing, but I'd like to be in with a chance of winning and not have my army taken off the board on T1/2 My collection includes pretty much everything barring FW (though I'd be happy to buy a Dima, probably not a Titan) in enough numbers to do whatever.

Look forward to any suggestions!

Cheers

The list above is only about 1415 (assuming no upgrades) so you still have room to spare for your army. Here are my suggestions:

1. You've got too much shrouded protection and not enough ground units to protect them with. I'd recommend dropping the 2 venomthropes.

2. Mobility is an issue here. Walking dakkafexes will get shot off the table by some armies before they get a chance to do anything. I'd recommend getting Tyrannocyte drop pods for them. That's also another 6W TMC that your opponent has to deal with.


Here is my recommended 1500 list based on your army above. It's only 1465 so you've got some points left-overs.


2x Dakka Flyrants w/Egrubs

Malanthrope

Tervigon
30x Termagants

Dakkfex
Tyrannocyte
Dakkfex
Tyrannocyte
Mawloc

Thanks guys. Feel free to suggest other stuff that is workable, but not necessarily top tier. I'm looking at stuff like Endless Swarm, Living Artillery Node, Skytyrant Swarm, etc.

I suppose a better question might have been: I've seen the top tier Tyranid lists. What do you guys consider are the tier 1.5/2 Tyranid stuff? Which stuff is almost workable (and hence would give me more options to make a fluffy yet playable army from) and which stuff is just bad? Which formations are worth considering and which are a waste?

Like for example, using my old army posted above - I expect large units of gants are pretty much Tier 2. They seem to do work, but are a bit too expensive/vulnerable. I expect DakkaPodFexes are similar in that they play a role, but are just not as good as Tyrants at it.

Cheers

Calmdown wrote:
Thanks guys. Feel free to suggest other stuff that is workable, but not necessarily top tier. I'm looking at stuff like Endless Swarm, Living Artillery Node, Skytyrant Swarm, etc.

I suppose a better question might have been: I've seen the top tier Tyranid lists. What do you guys consider are the tier 1.5/2 Tyranid stuff? Which stuff is almost workable (and hence would give me more options to make a fluffy yet playable army from) and which stuff is just bad? Which formations are worth considering and which are a waste?

Like for example, using my old army posted above - I expect large units of gants are pretty much Tier 2. They seem to do work, but are a bit too expensive/vulnerable. I expect DakkaPodFexes are similar in that they play a role, but are just not as good as Tyrants at it.

Cheers

Have you taken a look at the first post of this thread? It has quite a few unit reviews that are mostly up to date. It has a few omissions, but the more popular units are there. That would be a good place to start.

@Calmdown

I like playing the off net lists, that are in that second tier or so and have fun being just off meta. I find a lot of armies have a pretty difficult time wrapping their head around something they haven't seen. Mostly of late I have been working with the endless swarm that you mentioned. Not a world beater by any means, but especially if you have the time to finish games, it can be a real challenge for opponents.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/668863.page

Calmdown wrote:
Thanks guys. Feel free to suggest other stuff that is workable, but not necessarily top tier. I'm looking at stuff like Endless Swarm, Living Artillery Node, Skytyrant Swarm, etc.

I suppose a better question might have been: I've seen the top tier Tyranid lists. What do you guys consider are the tier 1.5/2 Tyranid stuff? Which stuff is almost workable (and hence would give me more options to make a fluffy yet playable army from) and which stuff is just bad? Which formations are worth considering and which are a waste?

Like for example, using my old army posted above - I expect large units of gants are pretty much Tier 2. They seem to do work, but are a bit too expensive/vulnerable. I expect DakkaPodFexes are similar in that they play a role, but are just not as good as Tyrants at it.

Cheers

what you are asking is sort of hard with such a poorly balanced dex. Most people seem to look over Living Artillery Node which in my opinion is equally as good if not better the Flyrant or Mawloc spam, so I guess that could fit the description of T1.5. Dakkafexes are in the same boat, and probably Venomthropes, Gaunts (either sort), and perhaps Hive Crones? There isn't much outside of that, which isn't significantly on a lower power level then the rest of the dex

 SHUPPET wrote:

Calmdown wrote:
Thanks guys. Feel free to suggest other stuff that is workable, but not necessarily top tier. I'm looking at stuff like Endless Swarm, Living Artillery Node, Skytyrant Swarm, etc.

I suppose a better question might have been: I've seen the top tier Tyranid lists. What do you guys consider are the tier 1.5/2 Tyranid stuff? Which stuff is almost workable (and hence would give me more options to make a fluffy yet playable army from) and which stuff is just bad? Which formations are worth considering and which are a waste?

Like for example, using my old army posted above - I expect large units of gants are pretty much Tier 2. They seem to do work, but are a bit too expensive/vulnerable. I expect DakkaPodFexes are similar in that they play a role, but are just not as good as Tyrants at it.

Cheers

what you are asking is sort of hard with such a poorly balanced dex. Most people seem to look over Living Artillery Node which in my opinion is equally as good if not better the Flyrant or Mawloc spam, so I guess that could fit the description of T1.5. Dakkafexes are in the same boat, and probably Venomthropes, Gaunts (either sort), and perhaps Hive Crones? There isn't much outside of that, which isn't significantly on a lower power level then the rest of the dex

Most of those units are where my head is at already I guess, so that makes sense.

Something involving Dakkafexes (possibly in pods), LAN, and/or Gaunts (Endless Swarm) along with the standard stuff seems like it would be solidly in T1.5 which is probably a good place to be.

A swarm of Hormagaunts amd Termagaunts followed by Carnifexes (maybe not with guns, but cant have everything..) is pretty much classic Tyranids too, so it ticks the fluff boxes!

Podded Dakkafexes are definitely not bad. If you want to grab a unit of 30 gants, you can definitely do it. It's like a guard blob except instead of invulnerable saves, you will take cover saves. Keep that Malanthrope rocking and so too will the gants rock. At babysitting one objective for forever. And I mean for 120 points, to have an immovable rock that has an awful lot of board that it can cover....not awful at all. A blob of 30 gants also allows you to take a Tervigon as a troops choice.....objective secured is amazing.

As far as what units to take, there are less than you might think that are awful, especially if you're fine with mid to high-mid tier units. I don't personally like the skytyrant but I know people have had success with it. Something I like is a Dimachaeron, either in a pod or hoping to the Hive Mind that you roll master of ambush.

Tyranids are not so great at overwhelming an opponent. You really need to consider how the units will support each other and if your unit can handle whatever the opponent might throw at you (good for any army but Tyranids can be less forgiving if you don't do this). For example, don't take enough Electroshock grubs? Good luck cracking that land raider. Ever.

I find that it's better to think about what kind of playstyle you want. Let us know your dream of how you want to play your Tyranids and with a little help you can make it happen. It won't win a GT but Tyranids don't really do that anyhow. It'll do just fine at any local store you play at and have a good chance to win just about any game you play.

Gants have a lot of problems that other blog=bs (IG, Orcs etc..) dont have and it is 2 things.

1) Special Weapons
2) Sargent's (also Sargent Gear)

Its just a Blob of dudes that need synapse, no bonus's to saves/fnp/cover (out side of other units giving it to them) AND they cant take items that help them in any way shape or form.

Imagine 1 Gant out of every 10 getting a PW/PF/Plasma/Melta etc...

WOW would Gants be much better, then imagine a Sargent that gives synapse to its unit AND can take a extra piece of gear (Assault Nades?!?!)

Now a unit of Gants is looking good.

 Amishprn86 wrote:
Gants have a lot of problems that other blog=bs (IG, Orcs etc..) dont have and it is 2 things.

1) Special Weapons
2) Sargent's (also Sargent Gear)

Its just a Blob of dudes that need synapse, no bonus's to saves/fnp/cover (out side of other units giving it to them) AND they cant take items that help them in any way shape or form.

Imagine 1 Gant out of every 10 getting a PW/PF/Plasma/Melta etc...

WOW would Gants be much better, then imagine a Sargent that gives synapse to its unit AND can take a extra piece of gear (Assault Nades?!?!)

Now a unit of Gants is looking good.

You can give any number Devourers, which is a fairly decent(infantry specific) assault deterrent.

Oh, and a Strangelweb every 10. It's a template weapon, it's gotta be good!

 Sinful Hero wrote:

 Amishprn86 wrote:
Gants have a lot of problems that other blog=bs (IG, Orcs etc..) dont have and it is 2 things.

1) Special Weapons
2) Sargent's (also Sargent Gear)

Its just a Blob of dudes that need synapse, no bonus's to saves/fnp/cover (out side of other units giving it to them) AND they cant take items that help them in any way shape or form.

Imagine 1 Gant out of every 10 getting a PW/PF/Plasma/Melta etc...

WOW would Gants be much better, then imagine a Sargent that gives synapse to its unit AND can take a extra piece of gear (Assault Nades?!?!)

Now a unit of Gants is looking good.

You can give any number Devourers, which is a fairly decent(infantry specific) assault deterrent.

Oh, and a Strangelweb every 10. It's a template weapon, it's gotta be good!

Thats not the same, and doesnt help CC at all. S4 0ap spam only goes so far, Especially when you can spam S6 TL's

 Amishprn86 wrote:

Spoiler:

 Sinful Hero wrote:

 Amishprn86 wrote:
Gants have a lot of problems that other blog=bs (IG, Orcs etc..) dont have and it is 2 things.

1) Special Weapons
2) Sargent's (also Sargent Gear)

Its just a Blob of dudes that need synapse, no bonus's to saves/fnp/cover (out side of other units giving it to them) AND they cant take items that help them in any way shape or form.

Imagine 1 Gant out of every 10 getting a PW/PF/Plasma/Melta etc...

WOW would Gants be much better, then imagine a Sargent that gives synapse to its unit AND can take a extra piece of gear (Assault Nades?!?!)

Now a unit of Gants is looking good.

You can give any number Devourers, which is a fairly decent(infantry specific) assault deterrent.

Oh, and a Strangelweb every 10. It's a template weapon, it's gotta be good!

Thats not the same, and doesnt help CC at all. S4 0ap spam only goes so far, Especially when you can spam S6 TL's

With 3's across the board, they aren't a unit you generally want in CC. Assault deterrents like a high rate of fire would be better than trying to make their meager statline work in CC.

 Sinful Hero wrote:

 Amishprn86 wrote:

Spoiler:

 Sinful Hero wrote:

 Amishprn86 wrote:
Gants have a lot of problems that other blog=bs (IG, Orcs etc..) dont have and it is 2 things.

1) Special Weapons
2) Sargent's (also Sargent Gear)

Its just a Blob of dudes that need synapse, no bonus's to saves/fnp/cover (out side of other units giving it to them) AND they cant take items that help them in any way shape or form.

Imagine 1 Gant out of every 10 getting a PW/PF/Plasma/Melta etc...

WOW would Gants be much better, then imagine a Sargent that gives synapse to its unit AND can take a extra piece of gear (Assault Nades?!?!)

Now a unit of Gants is looking good.

You can give any number Devourers, which is a fairly decent(infantry specific) assault deterrent.

Oh, and a Strangelweb every 10. It's a template weapon, it's gotta be good!

Thats not the same, and doesnt help CC at all. S4 0ap spam only goes so far, Especially when you can spam S6 TL's

With 3's across the board, they aren't a unit you generally want in CC. Assault deterrents like a high rate of fire would be better than trying to make their meager statline work in CC.

But if you are able to pick Melta's/Plasma and a PW (AP 3 now and can challenge) its still better than a Blob that CANT do anything but live. Well they cant even do that very well haha.

 Amishprn86 wrote:

Spoiler:

 Sinful Hero wrote:

 Amishprn86 wrote:

 Sinful Hero wrote:

 Amishprn86 wrote:
Gants have a lot of problems that other blog=bs (IG, Orcs etc..) dont have and it is 2 things.

1) Special Weapons
2) Sargent's (also Sargent Gear)

Its just a Blob of dudes that need synapse, no bonus's to saves/fnp/cover (out side of other units giving it to them) AND they cant take items that help them in any way shape or form.

Imagine 1 Gant out of every 10 getting a PW/PF/Plasma/Melta etc...

WOW would Gants be much better, then imagine a Sargent that gives synapse to its unit AND can take a extra piece of gear (Assault Nades?!?!)

Now a unit of Gants is looking good.

You can give any number Devourers, which is a fairly decent(infantry specific) assault deterrent.

Oh, and a Strangelweb every 10. It's a template weapon, it's gotta be good!

Thats not the same, and doesnt help CC at all. S4 0ap spam only goes so far, Especially when you can spam S6 TL's

With 3's across the board, they aren't a unit you generally want in CC. Assault deterrents like a high rate of fire would be better than trying to make their meager statline work in CC.

But if you are able to pick Melta's/Plasma and a PW (AP 3 now and can challenge) its still better than a Blob that CANT do anything but live.

 Sinful Hero wrote:

 Amishprn86 wrote:

 Sinful Hero wrote:

 Amishprn86 wrote:

Spoiler:

 Sinful Hero wrote:

 Amishprn86 wrote:
Gants have a lot of problems that other blog=bs (IG, Orcs etc..) dont have and it is 2 things.

1) Special Weapons
2) Sargent's (also Sargent Gear)

Its just a Blob of dudes that need synapse, no bonus's to saves/fnp/cover (out side of other units giving it to them) AND they cant take items that help them in any way shape or form.

Imagine 1 Gant out of every 10 getting a PW/PF/Plasma/Melta etc...

WOW would Gants be much better, then imagine a Sargent that gives synapse to its unit AND can take a extra piece of gear (Assault Nades?!?!)

Now a unit of Gants is looking good.

You can give any number Devourers, which is a fairly decent(infantry specific) assault deterrent.

Oh, and a Strangelweb every 10. It's a template weapon, it's gotta be good!

Thats not the same, and doesnt help CC at all. S4 0ap spam only goes so far, Especially when you can spam S6 TL's

With 3's across the board, they aren't a unit you generally want in CC. Assault deterrents like a high rate of fire would be better than trying to make their meager statline work in CC.

 Amishprn86 wrote:

Spoiler:

 Sinful Hero wrote:

 Amishprn86 wrote:

 Sinful Hero wrote:

 Amishprn86 wrote:

 Sinful Hero wrote:

 Amishprn86 wrote:
Gants have a lot of problems that other blog=bs (IG, Orcs etc..) dont have and it is 2 things.

1) Special Weapons
2) Sargent's (also Sargent Gear)

Its just a Blob of dudes that need synapse, no bonus's to saves/fnp/cover (out side of other units giving it to them) AND they cant take items that help them in any way shape or form.

Imagine 1 Gant out of every 10 getting a PW/PF/Plasma/Melta etc...

WOW would Gants be much better, then imagine a Sargent that gives synapse to its unit AND can take a extra piece of gear (Assault Nades?!?!)

Now a unit of Gants is looking good.

You can give any number Devourers, which is a fairly decent(infantry specific) assault deterrent.

Oh, and a Strangelweb every 10. It's a template weapon, it's gotta be good!

Thats not the same, and doesnt help CC at all. S4 0ap spam only goes so far, Especially when you can spam S6 TL's

With 3's across the board, they aren't a unit you generally want in CC. Assault deterrents like a high rate of fire would be better than trying to make their meager statline work in CC.

But if you are able to pick Melta's/Plasma and a PW (AP 3 now and can challenge) its still better than a Blob that CANT do anything but live.

Melta/Plasma wouldnt help solve the mobility problem. If you include Tyrannocytes and dropping them in, then that merely changes their target from Infantry/Rear armor to heavier vehicles. As for a power weapon, you still have the mobility problem, and then you have to ask, "Why am I putting a power weapon/Sargent in a blob who's main purpose is to provide cover or sit on an objective?"

Im just saying they need more options to help them out (There are Reasons why Guard Blobs work and Nids dont), and cheap ones at that, We are suppose to Swam the board, over run and outnumber. What ar ethe top lists? less than 20 model count armies... thats saying something.

I haven't heard of anyone taking guard blobs for the special weapons, but I haven't really kept up with the tournament scene lately. Really what could help make them more comparable is to up the unit limit to 50. Possibly even a reduction to 3pts. Although at that point, you can't exactly move/transport them quickly for a tournament environment.

I don't agree that expensive special weapons will help solve the Termagants lack of use. They're generally just a screening(for better models)/tax(troop Tervigon)/or anti-infantry unit(Devourers in Cytes). Giving them access to plasma/melta would only see them taken as anti-MC or tank units in Cytes, depending on how accessible they are. You'd only see a minimum model units which would play contrary to what the fluff has usually explained about the Termagants tactics[screen/warrior body guard/swarm](which admittedly isn't really relevant in a tournament environment).

I mean the hidden powerfist concept would be nice in a gant blob, but it's never going to happen without an attached IC. You take gants for board control and scoring objectives, as well as ablative wounds. You don't take them for their offensive capabilities. The most offensive thing they will ever do is tarpit.

Hey guys, so I'm intrigued by meiotic spores, but I'm super confused with how they actually play.

They appear to have a shooting attack as it has a 6" range profile, and is used in the shooting phase. However the the stat line has no BS. Has anyone figured out how they are used?

 seapheonix wrote:
Hey guys, so I'm intrigued by meiotic spores, but I'm super confused with how they actually play.

They appear to have a shooting attack as it has a 6" range profile, and is used in the shooting phase. However the the stat line has no BS. Has anyone figured out how they are used?

Both Spores work the same, once you charge they go at I10 (its Melee).

Pg 65 Rule Floating Death in the Tyranids Codex

That is the rule for mucolids, and spore mines. This is for the third option. The meiotic spore. Forgeworld in IA4 battle for anphelion.

 seapheonix wrote:
That is the rule for mucolids, and spore mines. This is for the third option. The meiotic spore. Forgeworld in IA4 battle for anphelion.

Do you have the most recent version of that book? I lent mine out to a friend to read but I thought they were omitted from the update

I do in fact. I was trying to avoid posting the full rules here. They are on page 89 of the second edition book. I'll post the rule in question below and hopefully that is okay. If not, someone let me know and I'll pull it, or a mod can delete it.

Floating Brood Bomb: The Meiotic Spore Brood moves 3+D6" in each of its controlling player's movement phases. When they run, they move only half of the distance rolled. Meiotic Spores are never slowed by difficult terrain but must take Difficult Terrain tests as normal. Meiotic Spores may not declare charges and if charged by any enemy unit, they detonate and are removed from play before any blows are struck or other effects are triggered, causing D6 Str5 AP4 hits on the charging unit per Meiotic Spore in the unit when it is removed from play. If any Meiotic Spore is removed as a casualty due to shooting attacks, then its controlling player may place a new unit of D3+1 Spore Mines anywhere within 6" of the destroyed models. These spore mines form a separate unit that may act normally on the turn following their placement. In addition, whenever the Meiotic Spore brood moves within 6" of an enemy unit, or during any friendly shooting phase, the Meiotic Spore Brood may make one attack using the profile below. Each attack may target a different enemy unit. After these attacks are resolved, all models in the Meiotic Spore Brood are removed as casualties.

Alternately here is a site that happens to have the rules.

https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Codex_-_Tyranids:_/tg/_edition#Meiotic_Spore_Brood

 luke1705 wrote:
I mean the hidden powerfist concept would be nice in a gant blob, but it's never going to happen without an attached IC. You take gants for board control and scoring objectives, as well as ablative wounds. You don't take them for their offensive capabilities. The most offensive thing they will ever do is tarpit.

I have had devourer Guants do a lot of work. 20 of them will take down 5 marines in a round of shooting. Usually I will use them to unlock a tervigon, spawn throw away screener guants in front of them, backed up by a malanthrope/venothrope. Intervening models give them 5+ cover, and then shrouding improves it to a 3+. This makes them surprisingly survivable (catalyst helps to), and usually they are not a high threat priority until they experience what they experience their fire power.

InControl was right about the Barbed Heirodule. It's really a great model and really alleviates a few of our weaknesses as an army, I been sleeping

 seapheonix wrote:
I do in fact. I was trying to avoid posting the full rules here. They are on page 89 of the second edition book. I'll post the rule in question below and hopefully that is okay. If not, someone let me know and I'll pull it, or a mod can delete it.

Floating Brood Bomb: The Meiotic Spore Brood moves 3+D6" in each of its controlling player's movement phases. When they run, they move only half of the distance rolled. Meiotic Spores are never slowed by difficult terrain but must take Difficult Terrain tests as normal. Meiotic Spores may not declare charges and if charged by any enemy unit, they detonate and are removed from play before any blows are struck or other effects are triggered, causing D6 Str5 AP4 hits on the charging unit per Meiotic Spore in the unit when it is removed from play. If any Meiotic Spore is removed as a casualty due to shooting attacks, then its controlling player may place a new unit of D3+1 Spore Mines anywhere within 6" of the destroyed models. These spore mines form a separate unit that may act normally on the turn following their placement. In addition, whenever the Meiotic Spore brood moves within 6" of an enemy unit, or during any friendly shooting phase, the Meiotic Spore Brood may make one attack using the profile below. Each attack may target a different enemy unit. After these attacks are resolved, all models in the Meiotic Spore Brood are removed as casualties.

Alternately here is a site that happens to have the rules.

https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Codex_-_Tyranids:_/tg/_edition#Meiotic_Spore_Brood

So here you have a shooting attack from a unit that can't shoot? Perhaps the "attack" is not a shooting attack? Leave it to GW/FW with such sloppy writing.

With a lack of a FAQ, you're going to have to either 1) check with your TO, 2) houserule it and/or 3) submit it as a FAQ question to the ITC.




Automatically Appended Next Post:

 SHUPPET wrote:
InControl was right about the Barbed Heirodule. It's really a great model and really alleviates a few of our weaknesses as an army, I been sleeping

Barbie did address some of the concerns for a Tyranid army, but then the meta has shifted once again. Grav-spam, Knight armies, Battle Company and deathstar-type armies have reduced Barbie to an after-thought once again. Combine that with the success of Nayden's #Lictorshame and you see competitive bugs shift to more MSU builds instead.

 jy2 wrote:

 SHUPPET wrote:
InControl was right about the Barbed Heirodule. It's really a great model and really alleviates a few of our weaknesses as an army, I been sleeping

Barbie did address some of the concerns for a Tyranid army, but then the meta has shifted once again. Grav-spam, Knight armies, Battle Company and deathstar-type armies have reduced Barbie to an after-thought once again. Combine that with the success of Nayden's #Lictorshame and you see competitive bugs shift to more MSU builds instead.

lol. still love the name lictorshame. reminds me of when I lose to a low tier character on a fighter. God, the shame.

I appreciate your opinion as per always Jy, and can you do me a favor and asking Geoff what he thinks of Barby nowadays as well for me? I know you two don't always agree on everything tactica wise but hes not as active on here as you are, I'd like to know what he thinks as well. Grav spam for one was even more prevalent while he was kicking ass with his Barby than it is now, and I know he was breaking the meta at the time himself by doing it, you know me I don't take anyone's word for anything off the bat, but I'd love to know where his heads at on it

Ok, Shuppet, I PM'd him.

Hey thanks for asking and thanks Jim for directing me here.

I wish I could say otherwise but the Barbie is a huge liability at this point.. if it weren't for dropped d scythe units and hunters eye grav I would in earnest tell you he is a knight killer (at range, never up close) and a decent answer to the wraith knight. He made games really fun and gave Tyranids ranged punch with the option to murder in close combat if it was anything short of a D wielding something.

That all said though with the prevalence of the two things mentioned as well as Wraith knights that can become invisible you are fielding him at a cost that is severely outdated (565 is 35 points less than a Taunar...) with known weaknesses that are 100% death. A cent unit with grav./hunters eye will absolutely annihilate a barbed heirodule and there is nothing you can do other than roll an extraordinary number of 5+ FNP.

In fun games he is awesome.. I had a blast playing him. Taking him to a tourney though would be asking to be disappointed :(

Grav cents with Ignores Cover Hunter's Eye relic....hmmm....must've had bad experiences with a local player, huh?

Ironic how at one point, many Tyranid players were using Barbie because of Geoff's experiences. Nowadays, I don't see any in tournament play, at least not in our local meta.

I have not been on this thread in a very, very long time... Usually I keep track of new rules while I'm at school but I refrain from posting unless I'm playing. But, I have returned! Very excited to take my Nids to test in this crazy new meta we have. I should be hitting three GTs in the next four months (DakkaCon in Florida in May, ATC in July, WarGamesCon in August) but it's very interesting to see how the Tyranid "competitive list" has evolved in the current meta. They're pretty much extinct at the moment honestly, with very few players actually using them competitively. It seems though that the current "meta" nids list is Flyrants, lictors, rippers, mawlocs, and your choice of shrouded thrope. Honestly though, I am very much confused by this...

Right now, I have a limited scope on the meta, as I play in southern/central florida, as do my teammates. But, Tyranids have been actually doing fairly well lately. Besides myself, there is another good Nids player who managed to win a 50+ man GT in March. His list was essentially 5 flyrants and 3 crones with rippers/spores/venomthrope as support, and he did very well. I've also made the move to 5 flyrants, but I admittedly have been playing friendly games (with competitive players) rather than playing tournaments due to college.

Between us though, we've found that Crones are essential to a competitive Nid list. Supporting flyrants, they have been excellent at clearing objectives and providing overwhelming fliers that allow me to land late game for contesting/claiming objectives and linebreakers. I've been able to do just fine so far by using firepower to clear progressive objectives and occassionally landing crones to keep the progressive close, while rippers/lictors claim a few and I eventually catch up after shooting my opponent to pieces. I'll be back in my home turf in about three weeks, and so I'll give you feedback as soon as I do, but I think that flier heavy Nids can still do really well in todays meta.

 jy2 wrote:
Grav cents with Ignores Cover Hunter's Eye relic....hmmm....must've had bad experiences with a local player, huh?

Ironic how at one point, many Tyranid players were using Barbie because of Geoff's experiences. Nowadays, I don't see any in tournament play, at least not in our local meta.

Actually I never faced the hunters eye I just knew what it would do.. the no scatter d scythe combo was what did it for me and I DID face that a few times. Poor tyranids have no interceptor or anything of the like to perhaps give them a flighting chance. All we can do is bubble wrap and that is a band aid for one issue that opens up list problems vs others.. it's just a rough codex right now.