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Here is a fun list for non-competitive play. Going for a sneaky list here with a Deathleaper, 2 teams of Lictors, some Genestealers and even a Mawloc to disrupt any aegis defense line turtles and some other dudes to backup the sneaky guys and distract the opponent.


130 1x Deathleaper
230 1x Hive Tyrant / 2x TL Devourer / Wings

90 2x Venomthropes
100 2x Lictors
100 2x Lictors

130 5x Genestealers - 1x Broodlord
130 5x Genestealers - 1x Broodlord
130 4x Tyranid Warriors / Barbed Strangler


162 4x Shrikes / Barbed Strangler / Toxin Sac / Rending Claws instead of Devourers
162 4x Shrikes / Barbed Strangler / Toxin Sac / Rending Claws instead of Devourers
155 1x Crone

140 1x Mawloc
170 1x Exocrine
170 1x Exocrine

1999 total


I needed some anti-air so one flyrant and a crone is minimal but should be ok for a non-competitive environment. I kinda woulda wanted a Swarmlord for the +1 on reserve roll but I needed one flyrant and wanted more stuff on the board and the swarmlord is kinda expensive. I still have the option of just starting the genestealers and Lictors infiltrated on the board if I feel it would be better when the game starts.

The Shrikes I chose because I needed more forward Synapse, the flyrant will already be target #1 and he probably won’t be able to sustain the forward force in synapse forever.
Shrikes are frail but not overly so, I’ll try to keep them in cover and near the venomthrope in the beginning to help them survive till the sneaky guys come in to distract him too much. And then they can rip up dudes with their 5 rending attacks each that reroll wounding hits (more rending), flesh hooks for fun.
Regular warriors to give synapse to backfield force

So its should look like this when the game starts:

2x Exocrine shooting plasma death, 2x teams of warriors shooting 36” large blast pinning each, a Flyrant and a Crone hovering around ready to leap forward if needed or stay in the back to avoid shots and benefit from the cloud of poison to survive more and 2x teams of shrikes doing the same. 2x Venomthrope shrouding everyone using LOS blocking terrain and MC to try to avoid getting shot entirely.

Second turn I should have most of my army coming out to be a massive thorn in the side of my opponent, the FMC should be close enough to shoot then charge priority targets or at least something that I don’t want to be able to shoot me during his turn, the genestealers come out of the side and force some dudes to go to groud. with “the horror”. The Mawloc hopefully comes out and reaps havoc, the Deathleaper and Lictors come out shooting str6 shots hopefully in the rear of a few tanks staying in a bit of cover and the Shrikes leap forward while the backfield force gives support fire.

Deathleaper is fun and fluffy, he can seriously dampen a enemy psyker or lower the Ld of a strong MC (riptide and wraithknights come to mind) and then the Broodlords can just force them to ground till my army is ready to deal with them

what do you think?

I like your style.

I actually like the new codex, a few stupid things they forgot but I even have an easy solution, the lack of allies is the big one that brings all the changes we need.
I totally agree that NO ONE joins with nids, I dont want to see nids and space marines holding hands. Just allow Nids to ally with the old codex. The Old codex is the codex supplement for Nids
Bringing in the old codex would be awesome! Gives us back our Doom of Malantai. And some Biomancy.

No one can say that the old codex was too strong.

I've actually modelled some myself, so it's not that I don't want them to work, but I just can't see units of shrikes working. Unlike the warriors they have to get close and that low toughness, armour means a tac squad kills a unit a turn. A huge gargoyle screen sounds a little bit more useful to me.

Well, even a full 10 space marines fires 20 shots in short range with no cover or feel no pain added to protect the Shrikes they only average 6-7 wounds which means that the shrikes do survive.
Add some cover to that and they should only lose one per full team rapid firing them, take out some of their numbers and you can take a few teams worth of rapid firing them without losing the team, (which is fearless)
Remember their main advantage is the Synapse they give and their speed, so lack of defense is to be expected. they can still get cover and very few ignore cover weapons are Str8 and up.

Ive re-tweeked this list and I think its more fun than before

Im adding flanking devilgaunts, yay

130 1x Deathleaper
250 1x Hive Tyrant / 2x TL Devourer / Wings / Hive Commander

90 2x Venomthropes
100 2x Lictors
100 2x Lictors

168 26x Termagaunts 16 with Devourers (flanking)
100 3x Tyranid Warriors / Barbed Strangler
100 3x Tyranid Warriors / Barbed Strangler

162 4x Shrikes / Barbed Strangler / Toxin Sac / Rending Claws instead of Devourers
162 4x Shrikes / Barbed Strangler / Toxin Sac / Rending Claws instead of Devourers
155 1x Crone

140 1x Mawloc
170 1x Exocrine
170 1x Exocrine

1997 total

I still feel the Shrikes can pull their weight. when in the right army at least, this army needs a bit more forward synapse and the shrikes can do this. Its true their armor is crap but this codex is all about cover saves. Any ignore cover units I fight will be target #1 for my 4x 36" pinning large blast to keep them from mowing down the shrikes, Wave serpents cant be pinned but I dont care about them cuz they dont have str8 or any Ap so they would still get a 5+ which is fine, I dont think a wave serpent is likely to cause more than 3-4 wounds per turn on a shrikes unit, less if im close to a venomthrope and in cover.

hurray for Deathleaper

I like the mawloc, they're quite cool nowadays.

I wouldn't bother with devilgaunts, but that's just me.

If you like the list though, do it. As you said, this isn't a competitive army - it's cool to show off the list, but we don't need to offer advice, just play it ad find your own way.

I like devilgaunts, rolling all those dice is so fun! Have you thought about mixing up the gaunt unit? Apparently as the gaunt entry is written you can mix and match so I'd recommend adding some regular gaunts to the devilgaunt squad to soak up wounds.

Other than that, I actually think death leaper is a good idea as a "hey this objective...not going to get it!" At lest in theory.

How do you like shrikes? I was going to run a unit of 5-6 with 2x15 or 20 gargoyles and see how that works. It seems like venomthropes will be key to a good Nid army as long as there are not too many ignores cover weapons around.

havent had a game with new codex yet, waiting on new models to come in the mail, then its painting time.

hadnt noticed the termagaunts can mix the guns!!! Thats amazing!!, thx bro

Close combat Shrikes got a nice upgrade, they cost 3 points more then their naked old selves and for 3 measly points they got Rending claws, Toxin Sacs and +1 attack.
Plus synapse is more important then before so more codex synergy.

I think deathleaper is gonna be fun, most people will only be able to hit him on '5's in close combat and '6's by shooting.

How about this?
2 x Flyrant w/ 2 x DLD w/BLW
4 x GS x 10 w/TS
3 x Lictor x 3

2 x GS x 5 (backfield objective holders)

240+ extra points to spend.

40 GS and 9 lictors infitrated up UR arse.

this list has major weaknesses to exploit. against a fearless army you will be screwed.

I would highly recomend a mawloc or 2 and a exocrine or 2.
also the upgrades on genestealers arent worth it. keep them cheap, they are priority targets, no need making an even better target.

 fartherthanfar wrote:
I actually like the new codex, a few stupid things they forgot but I even have an easy solution, the lack of allies is the big one that brings all the changes we need.
I totally agree that NO ONE joins with nids, I dont want to see nids and space marines holding hands. Just allow Nids to ally with the old codex. The Old codex is the codex supplement for Nids
Bringing in the old codex would be awesome! Gives us back our Doom of Malantai. And some Biomancy.

No one can say that the old codex was too strong.

Still want Genestealer cults, may have allowed IG allies to show this.

There was a video posted up on miniwargaming yesterday with a nid list using deathleeper.

He died very early on in the game, he's still not all that good.

Might be worth a watch, will help you with the list perhaps.