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.

I'm experimenting on what I can do if I add the Living Artillery Node formation (models shown in red below) to my balanced Tyranids list:

Hive Tyrant, Wings, 2 x TL Brainleech Devourers - 230
Tyranid Prime, Norn Crown - 165

Tervigon - 195
30 Termagaunts - 120
3 Warriors, Barbled Strangler - 100

Zoanthrope - 50
Venomthrope - 45

2 Carnifexes, each with 2 x TL Brainleech Devourers - 300
Mawloc - 140
Mawloc - 140
3 Biovores - 120
Exocrine - 170

Bastion - 75

Total - 1850

The Venomthrope and Prime with Norn Crown go in the Bastion, of course . However, with the Tyrant, Tervigon, Zoanthrope, and 3 Warriors for synapse... I'm wondering if the Prime is really needed? Swapping him out for a second Flyrant would keep the synapse source, but make the list more offensive-focused, but I can't find the points for that variant.

Thoughts appreciated

I agree, you likely don't need the Prime+ Norn Crown. If you toss it, you can double your 'Thrope Broods (+1 Zoey, Veno) and have 70 left for other items. Lictor might be an interesting buy, though one might not give you much...

I'd either add a Brood of gaunts, or add a small Brood, and use some for upgrades like Thorax Hive(s) (or buy a Warrior Brood, with a Cannon, and have 65 left (or Zoey+15) )

I would definitely find a way to add Electroshock Grubs to both the Tyrant and the Tervigon.

Are you sure you need both Mawlocs? They seem to fill a similar role to the Exocrine.

The Norn Crown doesn't really fit either. I assume you're putting the Prime and the Venomthrope in the Bastion together?

Dropping a Mawloc and the Norn Crown nets you 180 points, or 160 if you take Electroshock Grubs on your two monsters. Those points could get you a Crone? I think that would really help take some of the heat off of your Tyrant early on, and between two Electroshock Grub swarms and a Crone you're covering yourself against Imperial Knights.

Interesting suggestions!

If I just drop the Crown, but keep everything else in the list, I could do some interesting things like:

1. Add a comm relay and 2 sets of Electroshock Grubs
OR
2. Add a unit of 10 gaunts

If I drop the Prime along with the Crown, and one other bug (Mawloc or Carnifex) I could add another Flyrant, a second Zoanthrope, and have 25 or 35 points left to spend on upgrades (depending on which big bug I dropped).

 RiTides wrote:
If I drop the Prime along with the Crown, and one other bug (Mawloc or Carnifex) I could add another Flyrant, a second Zoanthrope, and have 25 or 35 points left to spend on upgrades (depending on which big bug I dropped).

Yes. Drop the Prime + Mawloc (305). Add a 2nd flyrant(230) with "Hive Commander" to outflank the Tervigon (20), give the Tervigon a thorax weapon (10), then use your remaining 45 points on something nice like 11 more TGaunts.

Okay, sounds like a plan . I will only have the first Flyrant painted up in time for AdeptiCon, but the second will be right at the top of my list for afterwards!

This will also allow me to split up the Carnifexes into individual units, which is cool

What to do with the 75 points remaining (or 85 if I ended up dropping a Carnifex instead of a Mawloc) is a bit of a question, but I have plenty of gaunts painted up so if I decide to include more of those that's no problem! I also have an extra Zoanthrope painted. And the other items are just upgrades, so I should be set model-wise

 RiTides wrote:
Interesting suggestions!

If I just drop the Crown, but keep everything else in the list, I could do some interesting things like:

1. Add a comm relay and 2 sets of Electroshock Grubs
OR
2. Add a unit of 10 gaunts

If I drop the Prime along with the Crown, and one other bug (Mawloc or Carnifex) I could add another Flyrant, a second Zoanthrope, and have 25 or 35 points left to spend on upgrades (depending on which big bug I dropped).

I like #1 and #3 best of those listed. I do think that you'd be happier with a second Tyrant, though I do believe you'll miss what you take out. If you buy a coms relay, the Mawloc twins work better.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 RiTides wrote:
Okay, sounds like a plan . I will only have the first Flyrant painted up in time for AdeptiCon, but the second will be right at the top of my list for afterwards!

This will also allow me to split up the Carnifexes into individual units, which is cool

What to do with the 75 points remaining (or 85 if I ended up dropping a Carnifex instead of a Mawloc) is a bit of a question, but I have plenty of gaunts painted up so if I decide to include more of those that's no problem! I also have an extra Zoanthrope painted. And the other items are just upgrades, so I should be set model-wise

Good luck!

 RiTides wrote:
This will also allow me to split up the Carnifexes into individual units, which is cool

You don't want to do this. One of the benefits of running a brood of multiple carnifex is the ability to take wounds on one, then place the other in front. It basically forces your opponent to cause twice as many wounds before they actually finish one off.

I would drop the prime for another brood of 30 terms and put the miasma cannon on the tervigon. That would leave you 20 points left to play around with for your MCs or to add the coms relays.
Otherwise, this looks like a solid list.

With the Living Artillery synapse group, you can get a 2nd warrior squad + another 3 termagant squads for next to nothing, while still giving you 5 troops/scoring and enough synapse to where it shouldn't be a problem. This clears up the need for the prime and the tervigon, opening up the opportunity for double flyrant and maybe a tyrannofex. However, I really like your HS options. I think the double mawloc could work very, very well with living artillery. Not sure you need the bastion though.

I'd try replacing the Tervigon, Prime, and Bastion with MSU and see what you can come up with.

citadel wrote:
With the Living Artillery synapse group, you can get a 2nd warrior squad + another 3 termagant squads for next to nothing, while still giving you 5 troops/scoring and enough synapse to where it shouldn't be a problem. This clears up the need for the prime and the tervigon, opening up the opportunity for double flyrant and maybe a tyrannofex. However, I really like your HS options. I think the double mawloc could work very, very well with living artillery. Not sure you need the bastion though.

I'd try replacing the Tervigon, Prime, and Bastion with MSU and see what you can come up with.

Just remember that the Node warriors are tied to the Artillery Node bonuses, so you don't want to count on them supporting anything other than the node units.

Also if your group allows The Strong Hold Assault book add a 55 pt Imperial bunker instead of a more expensive Bastion.

Here is a list I've been scheming over as well. Same general feel to your list with some tweeks from suggestions here and my thoughts.

Living Artillery – Dakka/Template
HQ
Hive Tyrant, Wings, 2x TL Dev, 230
Hive Tyrant, Wings, 2x TL Dev, 230

Troops
Warrior x 3, Barbed 100
Warrior x 3, Barbed 100
Gene x 5 70

Elites
Venomthrope 45
Zoan 50

HS
Biovoire x 3 120
Exocrine 170
Carnifex, x2, TL Dev 300
Tyranofex, Acid Spray, Electro, 185
Mawloc 140

Bastion w/ ICLass 110

Total - 1850

Same premise to Put the venom in the bastion and have a Zoan Man the ICLass with BS4 ontop. You could find the pts to change IC Lass to quad gun by making the warriors another min Stealer squad, but I like the Synapse and the Str 9 Punch to help any Armor 13+ before enemy fliers arrive.

I've thought about this and have come up with 3 possibilitie variants if I drop a Carnifex and the Zoanthrope, freeing up 200 points.

Option 1
Upgrade Prime to Flyrant (65)
Add Comms Relay (20)
Add 19 Gargoyles (114)
Total: 199

Option 2
Upgrade Prime to Flyrant (65)
Add Comms Relay (20)
Add Zoanthrope back in (50)
Add 16 Gaunts (64)
Total: 199

Option 3
Upgrade Prime to Flyrant (65)
Add Comms Relay (20)
Add Zoanthrope back in (50)
Add 10 Gaunts (40)
Add Hive Commander to Tyrant (20)
Add Cluster Spines to Tervigon (5)
Total: 200

I think that with my 2 Tyrants, Tervigon, and Warriors hiding behind the bastion (or if things get desperate, IN the bastion) I have enough synapse, as long as I'm careful with the Tervigon. However, I also think that this means there's no point in going with Option 3 where I add Hive Commander, because the Tervigon needs to stay home and provide backup synapse.

I am leaning towards Option 1. What I like about it is the Gargoyles give me a way to rush forward and tie up a Wraithkinght or the like. In my second test game, I faced one of those and had no answer for it, and no way to bog it down quickly. I also really wanted to get the Comms Relay in all of these, to help the Mawlocs come in simultaneously, and help the Flyrants come in if I go second and decide to reserve them.

Thoughts appreciated

@Winning_Everyday, I like your list, but I have decided I don't want my nids firing the gun emplacements. I know it's currently legal, but since it was FAQ'ed not to be in the old book, I'm not going to plan around that.

Very similar to a list I wrote a while back. Please let us know how it fares. Thanks!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/583053.page

@Winning_Everyday, I like your list, but I have decided I don't want my nids firing the gun emplacements. I know it's currently legal, but since it was FAQ'ed not to be in the old book, I'm not going to plan around that.

I like the thought. You are bringing a bastion and a comm relay though, which is the same premise as utilizing gun emplacements. I've thought about it and go with the Zoanthrope being able to adapt and learn how to operate the weapon

Also, I like Option 1. Will add a nice tarpit to anything scary with the added benefits of the tyrant. Seems better overall