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Okay so a bit of background. I played Tyranids quite a long time ago (8 years ago) and recently got back into them. I bought a few things including 2 swarms as I love gaunts and wanted to base my army on numbers rather than creatures themselves. So I was hoping people could give me a good idea on how to run what I've got. I've not been buying with any real purpose than fun things that I like the look of mostly as I want to play Nids with a more fun theme than anything else.

I own:

HQ
Hive Tyrant - No wings but I have magnetized it to everything other than the bigger guns (Only guns are TL Devs)
Tervigon

Troops
80 Termagants
80 Hormagaunts
9 Rippers
3 Warriors - Deathspitters are glued on but I have magnetized all combat options

Elites
3 Zoanthrope
3 Venomthrope

Fast Attack
30 Gargoyles (Looking forward to using these as I never owned them previously and they look cool in a large number)

Heavy Support
2 Carnefex - Same as Hive Tyrant, I have combat options magnetized but only have the TL Devs magnetized as guns.

I know what I have is limiting/restricting but was wondering what people thought. If I was to run every model I can field 1992 pts I believe, so making a slightly larger list isn't as issue. More wondering what people would/wouldn't include and what wargear options and relics would work best with what I have (Crown etc). Also if you have an idea on what my next purchase should be to balance the list out better I'm all ears =)

Looks pretty cool, one thing is a Walking Tyrant almost has to take Tyrant Guard to survive So I'd suggest getting 3 of those guys... A Winged Tyrant is pretty much considered "must have" these days, so you might pick up a second Tyrant box for that...

You can use a Synapse Node Formation that is 1 Tyrant (must walk) 3 Guards, and a Venothrope Brood. Special rule is +6" Synapse it gives you a solid core for a Swarm. That way your Winged Tyrant can zoom around taking care of business I'd put a Heavy Cannon on the Walking Tyrant, if you don't have one, well, one comes with the Tyrant box

Gargoyles are nice, and make a dandy screen for Winged Tyrant. They are also the basis for the Skyblight Formation, that is all the hottness right now

Twin Dakkafexen is a very nice start to the Heavy slot(s)

The Thropes are a bit of a quandry...personally I really like Zoeys, so I would build it as two Broods, one of x2, one "solo". That way you get two rolls on the Powers of the Hive Mind!. But a Swarm army really benefits from multiple Venos... I suggest you try several configs and pick what suits you best. My suggestion is Zoey Brood: x2, Veno Brood: x2....and one "solo" Zoey to mind the backfield. (a solo 'Thrope is an open invitation to grab First Blood)

I'd use 4 Broods of Termigants, x20 each, and the Warrior Brood. A Cannon would be very nice, but you have what you have.

Good Luck, and welcome back to the Hive.

Late entry: If you want to toss in the Terv, just boost one of your Broods to x30. I'd reccomend a Thorax Hive for the Terv...(and drop the remaining 10, leaving you at 5 Troops. If you have points left over you can toss more gaunts in, but I'd use more Gagoyles instead.)

Warriors are an under used unit imo. They are cheaper than ever and they don't have i. Behav. And they hand out synapse. Their also a two wound, good armor, troop. Having more of them is never a bad idea.

Thanks for the advice it gives me a lot to consider =)

I've not really looked at formations much, I'm in my final year at university and it's been eating up a lot of my focus. They seem worth looking at though.

I will get a winged hive tyrant at some point, I was hoping to magnetize the wings for the one I currently have but they were too heavy for the magnets I have -.-

I just love swarm armies. Love the idea of an endless line of gaunts.

As for the warriors I originally got them for synapse as my first game with them was at 100 pts and like two days beforehand I was looking at what I had and realised I only had the Hive Tyrant for synapse and it made sense to at least have a small squad of them since this edition arguably punishes a lot of harder if you lack it.

I love warrior models and do think they should get more use. I do favour a lot of the classic units though.

Andaru01 wrote:
Thanks for the advice it gives me a lot to consider =)

I've not really looked at formations much, I'm in my final year at university and it's been eating up a lot of my focus. They seem worth looking at though.

I will get a winged hive tyrant at some point, I was hoping to magnetize the wings for the one I currently have but they were too heavy for the magnets I have -.-

I just love swarm armies. Love the idea of an endless line of gaunts.

As for the warriors I originally got them for synapse as my first game with them was at 100 pts and like two days beforehand I was looking at what I had and realised I only had the Hive Tyrant for synapse and it made sense to at least have a small squad of them since this edition arguably punishes a lot of harder if you lack it.

I love warrior models and do think they should get more use. I do favour a lot of the classic units though.

If the wings are too heavy, you might try a pin, though that would mean having to drill all the other pieces as well...

A perfect Formation for "endless lines of gaunts" is in the second data slate. I've posted a "concept" army using it in Army lists, and over in Tactics. It basicly is ... Warrior Brood, Hormigaunt Brood x3, Termigant Brood x3. Special rule: if a Gaunt Brood is destroyed, it comes back intact, in ongoing reserves (4+). The "concept" list is to exploit Tunnel Assault to transport the returning units into the mid to back field.

A few folks have posted that they use Hive Commander to Outflank a large Brood of Warriors into the Backfield. That certainly sounds like a viable strategy. It puts Troops who have Synapse into direct contact. While Warriors are not perfect, they are pretty dang awesome. I'd kit them out some, maybe Rending Claws, and Toxic, or more likely Deathspitters. You don't want to spend too much, but they need to be able to what ever is needed...Flesh Hooks look real temping if you decide to go all CC

Warrior Brood: Rending Claws x6, Toxic, Flesh Hooks(Scything talons) 264? Pricey, but doable I think

The only thing that stops me investing more in the warriors is the base cost, but for a 3 wound model I guess you can't complain much.

I said before that I glued the deathspitters on them as I don't think I'd take them without them. I just find them too good to not use them all the time.

The main good thing about wanting to do a large gaunt army is I can get 100 models in for around 480 pts I think? (Main idea at the moment would be 4 squads of 20 hormagaunts, 1 squad of 20 termagants, then the warriors with a tervigon spawning the extra ones.) At 1000 points it leaves me around 400 to kit out the tervigon and some other stuff.

I've not looked into the formations yet, been relaxing after my exam the other day, what books are they in? Or are they all data-slates?

How about something like this?
HQ:
Tyrant w/ wings and TL Devs

Troops:
30 Terms
Tervigon
3 Warriors w/ 2 deathspitters and venom cannon

Elites:
Venomthrope
Venomthrope

Fast Attack:
15 gargoyles w/ TS
15 gargoyles w/ TS

Lots of troops, plenty of synapse, the gargoyles have 15 chances to blind on a 4+ in CC, shrouded for everything, and the tervigon can spawn more troops.

 Freytag93 wrote:
How about something like this?
HQ:
Tyrant w/ wings and TL Devs

Troops:
30 Terms
Tervigon
3 Warriors w/ 2 deathspitters and venom cannon

Elites:
Venomthrope
Venomthrope

Fast Attack:
15 gargoyles w/ TS
15 gargoyles w/ TS

Lots of troops, plenty of synapse, the gargoyles have 15 chances to blind on a 4+ in CC, shrouded for everything, and the tervigon can spawn more troops.

Looks nice. But...he has twin Dakkafexen, he'd be crazy not to use them. Extra at low point levels. I'll try to give this a think during breakfast...

Well as much as I like the walking Hive Tyrant I have accepted that eventually I need a winged one. Other than that I can definitely try out that list some time =)

The only time I've used my carnefex so far I had him built for combat, killed a wraithlord =D

Andaru01 wrote:
Well as much as I like the walking Hive Tyrant I have accepted that eventually I need a winged one. Other than that I can definitely try out that list some time =)

The only time I've used my carnefex so far I had him built for combat, killed a wraithlord =D

Well...sadly when I sat down to post, I got several phone calls. And now the list is not to be found If I get a chance this eve, I'll try to recreate it. It was a 1000 pt list with suggestions for 1250, and 1500. In any case good luck, and welcome to the Hive.

Thank a lot for your help everyone, will most likely make a thread in the future with what I sort out =)

Andaru01 wrote:
Well as much as I like the walking Hive Tyrant I have accepted that eventually I need a winged one. Other than that I can definitely try out that list some time =)

The only time I've used my carnefex so far I had him built for combat, killed a wraithlord =D

Walking tyrants can work very well, but they need at least 2 tyrant guard with them to absorb all the fire your opponent it going to pour on him. I personally like running walkrants when I can.

Suggestions for a Tyranid list: (maybe not up to my "doodle at breakfast" level, but this looks "OK")

HQ: Winged Dakka'rant (Brain Leeches x2) just spend 230 on a Walk'rant+ Guard if you wish 230

Elite: Zoey Brood: x2 100
Elite: Veno 45

Troops: Termigants: x 30 120
Troops: Tervigon, Thorax Hive 205

Heavy: Dakkafexen, x2 300 (You can split these into 2 Broods if you like)

Total cost: 1000

Not terribly different than the list above, but it makes full use of your Big Bugs

1250: Add Gargoyles x15, x2 180
Termigants, x 16 64
6 points left, add 1 more Gargoyle? or a small upgrade like carapace spines...

1500: + Zoey (solo Brood) +1 Veno (increased durability) 95
Warrior Brood: x 3, x2 Deathspitters, Cannon 110
this leaves 45 points....me? I'd drop that extra Gargoyle, and make the second Zoey Brood x2 1499

By the time you're running at 1500, you will have a good idea of what kind of list you like, and what your local "meta" demands.

Andaru01 wrote:
Well as much as I like the walking Hive Tyrant I have accepted that eventually I need a winged one. Other than that I can definitely try out that list some time =)

The only time I've used my carnefex so far I had him built for combat, killed a wraithlord =D

Well just substitute a Walker that costs around 230.

Hive Tyrant, Heavy Venom Cannon, Twin Bone...205? Toss in Regen and you got 235

Based on what you have: Hive Tyrant: TL: Brain Leeches, LW/BS, Toxic....210? Toss in Regen?, or Hive Commander (230)? You can "upgrade" to a Winged Wonder later.