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This is my first attempt at creating a Tyranid list. With 7th only days away I'm not even sure if there's a point in asking for feedback, but hopefully this will be playable.

I have most of the models already, except for one hive crone. The exocrine isn't assembled yet, so he could be made as Haruspex, nor is the hive crone so it could be a harpy. I also have a carnifex, many ripper swarms, a 2nd tervigion or a tyrannofex, and i think 80 termagants and 52 hormagants. And 8 genestealers. I don't really want to buy anymore models, but since I still need to pick up a hive crone to make this list, assume I'm open to buying one monstrous creature in place of the crone. Things to keep in mind while offering feedback.

HQ
Hive Tyrant (280)
* Hive Commander
* TL Devourer w/Brainleeches
* Wings
* Regeneration

Elites
Zoanthrope Brood x2 (100)
Zoanthrope Brood x2 (100)
Venomthrope Brood x3 (135)

Troops
Tervigion (225)
* Regeneration
Termagaunt Brood x30 (120)
Hormagaunt Brood x20 (100)
Hormagaunt Brood x20 (100)

Fast Attack
Hive Crone (185)
* Regeneration
Hive Crone (185)
* Regeneration
Gargoyle Brood x20 (120)

Heavy Support
Exocrine (200)
* Regeneration

Regen isn't worth it as your MCs generally die in1 turn, 2 max. Also Flyrants >>>> Hive Crones I would get a 2nd having 2 offers more target saturation.

1 Venomthrope in a bastion is infinitely better than 3 Venomthropes.

Spend the extra points on more bodies.

Overall it lacks direction or a central theme. It is just the collection of models you have. So for competitive play it needs a rewrite. You issues will be the ease of your opponents target priority and an inability to put and real pressure on him. Add in how reliant lots of your army is on Synapse coupled with easily targeted and killed Synapse and against good players you will struggle. But play and learn and keep in mind Duel Threat, Target Saturation, Redundancy and Synergy when you build a future list so you can have more of a chance against the better players.

You have a great selection of models I run a similar list except I run a tyrinid allied to get three HQ and use three tyrinid primas as at 125 pts for the bare model it means any of your troop that need synaps they can follow behind and if you have a venomthorpe with them the cover save gives your troops a much better chance of getting in range to attack

friendlycommissar wrote:
This is my first attempt at creating a Tyranid list. With 7th only days away I'm not even sure if there's a point in asking for feedback, but hopefully this will be playable.

I have most of the models already, except for one hive crone. The exocrine isn't assembled yet, so he could be made as Haruspex, nor is the hive crone so it could be a harpy. I also have a carnifex, many ripper swarms, a 2nd tervigion or a tyrannofex, and i think 80 termagants and 52 hormagants. And 8 genestealers. I don't really want to buy anymore models, but since I still need to pick up a hive crone to make this list, assume I'm open to buying one monstrous creature in place of the crone. Things to keep in mind while offering feedback.

HQ
Hive Tyrant (280)
* Hive Commander
* TL Devourer w/Brainleeches
* Wings
* Regeneration

Elites
Zoanthrope Brood x2 (100)
Zoanthrope Brood x2 (100)
Venomthrope Brood x3 (135)

Troops
Tervigion (225)
* Regeneration
Termagaunt Brood x30 (120)
Hormagaunt Brood x20 (100)
Hormagaunt Brood x20 (100)

Fast Attack
Hive Crone (185)
* Regeneration
Hive Crone (185)
* Regeneration
Gargoyle Brood x20 (120)

Heavy Support
Exocrine (200)
* Regeneration

WEll I'd say drop most or all the Regen, at low points games it is hard to justify, at higher point games it is almost always not useful I'd also drop the third Veno, and spend the 45 points elsewhere.

Heavy slots is a place where Nids tend to get a lot, and you have only one, so I'd look to spend those saved points here. Most anything in Heavy is a good purchase. But I'd suggest using proxys before spending cash.

At 1850, I'd want a second Hive Tyrant with Wings. It adds a lot of things to the mix. Two Winged Tyrants, and two Crones gives enough airpower to handle most anything you'll see....

My favorite Heavy is a Tyranofex: Adrenals, Thorax Hive...200 points. On that subject spending 10 points for a Hive on the Terv sounds like a good investment. If you toss in a Warrior Brood (with Cannon), and three Biovores, you can run Living Artillery (?) Formation..

In general, besides having too many points in upgrades, you have too few Synapse, this makes it easy for enemies to hunt down your Synapse. And then your army crumbles. The simplest thing to add is a Warrior Brood, or Two. If you just add a Cannon to each x3 Brood, they only run 100 points per. They are Troops, so they can camp on an objective, and snipe with the Cannon.

Other places to trim points (if you Ned to...) is dropping some Hormigaunts, and/or some Gargoyles from each Brood.

If you lose the second Crone, I don't think it will be fatal, but I do think you'll miss it. A Dakkafex is a good addition to a Nid list, and it can do emergency anti-air.

Good luck!

 FlingitNow wrote:
1 Venomthrope in a bastion is infinitely better than 3 Venomthropes.

I don't see how that can possibly be. I'd be spending 10 more points to get a shroud bubble the exact same size that doesn't move. In what sense is that "better."

I appreciate the advice, though I'm not sure there are enough points to actually do what's being suggested.

friendlycommissar wrote:

 FlingitNow wrote:
1 Venomthrope in a bastion is infinitely better than 3 Venomthropes.

I don't see how that can possibly be. I'd be spending 10 more points to get a shroud bubble the exact same size that doesn't move. In what sense is that "better."

I appreciate the advice, though I'm not sure there are enough points to actually do what's being suggested.

He's right though.

A Venomthrope does not have a shooting ability. Give it a bastion and now it can fire a Heavy bolter ;-)
A Venomthrope is relatively squishy....really really squishy. Give it a bastion and now it becomes one of the hardest to kill units in the game. AV14 with a minimum of a 5+ Cv against those weapons that can actually hurt it.
A Venomthrope by itself, has a pretty small shrouded bubble it can spread. With a bastion, you nearly triple the coverage of the shrouded.
A Venomthrope in a bastion vs. 3 Venomthropes costs less points.
A Venomthrope is an amazing force multiplier. A Venomthrope in a bastion is even better. Keep it in the bastion for the majority of the game, and jump it out last minute. If you've placed the bastion in a smart place (near an objective) now you can contest it. So concentrate the rest of your forces on the remaining objectives. This last point is a simple use of concentration of your resources.

friendlycommissar wrote:

 FlingitNow wrote:
1 Venomthrope in a bastion is infinitely better than 3 Venomthropes.

I don't see how that can possibly be. I'd be spending 10 more points to get a shroud bubble the exact same size that doesn't move. In what sense is that "better."

I appreciate the advice, though I'm not sure there are enough points to actually do what's being suggested.

You measure the bubble from the outside of the bastion...I don't think I'm likely to buy one just for this trick. But if you have one it is a massive upgrade vs Alpha strike armies. (Hide the major chunk of your army behind it, inside the bubble)

roxor08 wrote:
A Venomthrope does not have a shooting ability. Give it a bastion and now it can fire a Heavy bolter ;-)
A Venomthrope is relatively squishy....really really squishy. Give it a bastion and now it becomes one of the hardest to kill units in the game. AV14 with a minimum of a 5+ Cv against those weapons that can actually hurt it.
A Venomthrope by itself, has a pretty small shrouded bubble it can spread. With a bastion, you nearly triple the coverage of the shrouded.

But it can't move! My experience of Bastions is that they are a 100% waste of points, because nothing ever comes in range of them and any unit sitting in one is basically out of the fight unless my opponent is such a dummy that he marches things into range and leaves them sitting there.

This just smacks of one of those internet tactics that only works in theory. Everytime I try to use those kinds of tactics, I get my ass handed to me.

Plus, I'd have to model a Tyranid bastion. Using an Imperial bastion in a Tyranid army is total cheesedick. I wouldn't even play against someone doing something that lame. I'd feel like a total munchkin saying "My venomthrope is firing the bolters." That so wrong.

A Venomthrope in a bastion vs. 3 Venomthropes costs less points.

This is true, I was thinking a bastion cost 100, not 75.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Okay, how about this instead. I dropped Regen off everything, added two squads of Tyranid Warriors for synapse, and swapped the Exocrine for a Tyrannofex with a rupture cannon. I'm not doing the bastion, because I don't want to have to model a tyranid bastion anytime soon and there's just no way I'm putting an Imperial bastion in a 'Nid army.


HQ
Hive Tyrant (250)
* Hive Commander
* TL Devourer w/Brainleeches
* Wings

Elites
Zoanthrope Brood x2 (100)
Zoanthrope Brood x2 (100)
Venomthrope Brood x2 (90)

Troops
Tervigion (195)
Termagaunt Brood x30 (120)
Hormagaunt Brood x19 (95)
Hormagaunt Brood x19 (95)
Tyranid Warrior Brood x3 (100)
* Venom Cannon
Tyranid Warrior Brood x3 (100)
* Venom Cannon

Fast Attack
Hive Crone (185)
Hive Crone (185)
Gargoyle Brood x15 (90)

Heavy Support
Tyrannofex (205)
* Rupture Cannon

I'm of two minds on the second Hive Crone. I could take her out and replace her with the Exocrine, and I think maybe I should do that. I just moved to a new city so I don't really know the meta, but the two armies I know I'm likely to face consist of a White Scars bike spam list and a Astra Militarium heavy weapons team lascannon spam list. The vector strike and flying would both be useful against those lists, but so would a large blast weapon.

Well, to start, I'd wait a week or so... rules change incoming!

Aside from that, I have tried the Venomthrope in the bastion, and as counterintuitive as it may seem, it does work pretty well. With the larger base of the bastion you get a big ole Shroud-bubble (put it near area terrain, put the Tyrannofex on the terrain, and you have some seriously hard to kill plasma-bug!). Also add in that there are scant few guns in the game that can hurt AR14 to start, and fewer still that can hurt it AND get Ignores Cover. So you have a stealth Bastion! As for the modeling, it really isn't too hard to do; leftovers from your various MC sprues all over the Bastion to show it is being 'assimilated' and leftover Deathspitters, devourers, etc for the guns. I'd use some scything talons from a Hive Tyrant sprue on the roof to keep it looking... SHARP! MUHAHAHAHAAAAAA!

I'd like to see how you use the assault Warriors. So far, they have been WAY too squishy to ever MAKE assault for my tastes. It is all up to you... they might make it in a rush with the Hormagaunts and Tervigon, and it gives more Synapse on the board. I'd probably run them with a stranglethorn cannon, but if assault changes JUST a little, you may prove the wiser there...

Good call on the Zoeys... new rules are gonna LOVE them some psychic powers! I just hope that a psychic choir adds all of the models up rather than just being a 2 for the whole squad in the new rules!

Good call on Fast Attack, too... love me some Hive Crones! While another Flyrant may be a bit better, it is also noticeably more expensive. There is also a non-substantiated rumor that Vector Strike is changing, maybe even to AP2. Fingers crossed!

Also let me know how the TFex works for you with the Rupture cannon. I have heard mixed results from 'nid players using it; namely that for a 50% to hit on each shot, it is about 10pts or so overpriced. I run mine with the stock gun and a thorax hive (usually Shock for some anti-vehicle), but I have been tempted to try one with the cannon. Let a brotha know!

I think, as is, you will have a fun list that could surprise people. The only thing I would ABSOLUTELY change (from personal experience) is the Venomthropes for one plus a Bastion. Just my preference. But you have a lot of models, a good amount of synapse, and, if you push hard, a lot of threat. An oponent may have too much to worry about to shoot at them!

To clarify, however, the bastion itself is not shrouded and therefore does not get a cover save from the venomthrope. So when opponents shoot at the bastion to destroy it, there are no saves that can be taken (unless the building is > 25% obscured from the perspective of the firer). This is due to the fact that the bastion is not a unit from Codex: Tyranids, which is the requirement for the Venomthrope's shrouding

That is good to know, luke... I just wish my playgroup would listen to me when I tell them that! Sorry to put what is a house rule on here as fact! Just seen it done that way so often I forgot!

Also, to the OP, you are very smart to plan for your meta! It will be interesting to see if FMC changes help against those two armies; on grounding test a round could make the Crone the better choice, as at least it isn't on the group for the bikes to play with! But time will tell!

KillerWabbit wrote:
That is good to know, luke... I just wish my playgroup would listen to me when I tell them that! Sorry to put what is a house rule on here as fact! Just seen it done that way so often I forgot!

Also, to the OP, you are very smart to plan for your meta! It will be interesting to see if FMC changes help against those two armies; on grounding test a round could make the Crone the better choice, as at least it isn't on the group for the bikes to play with! But time will tell!

It's really pretty simple lol. Point to the venomthrope rule, so they see that a unit has to be from the Tyranid codex to benefit. Then ask them to show you what page in the Tyranid codex the bastion is on.

It is understandable why people assume that it works. The bastion is treated like a vehicle for purposes of getting a cover save when it is shot at, so it is reasonable to assume (as I initially did) that it would benefit from the cover save just as if a venomthrope embarked on a vehicle. However, the codex-specific rule overrides the general rulebook.

That being said, it is still incredibly strong. Anything that you sit in area terrain near the bastion will be getting 3+ cover (or 2+ if it's night fighting) and that bastion is incredibly tough to crack early on. All of a sudden an army's alpha-strike just got sorely diminished. The ONLY down-side is that it would be nice if you deployed the bastion a) after the other terrain had been placed and/or b) after you knew if you were going first or second. We can't have it all, however.

KillerWabbit wrote:
I'd like to see how you use the assault Warriors. So far, they have been WAY too squishy to ever MAKE assault for my tastes. It is all up to you... they might make it in a rush with the Hormagaunts and Tervigon, and it gives more Synapse on the board. I'd probably run them with a stranglethorn cannon, but if assault changes JUST a little, you may prove the wiser there...

Hah, that was actually a typo. As I was tinkering with the list I found myself at 1810 points and briefly contemplated throwing lash whips on each of the warrior squads, in case someone tried to assault them, but then decided it was a waste of points. But I guess I accidentally deleted the venom cannon line instead of the lash whip line.

Are your points correct dude? I thought the venom cannons were more than 10 points on warriors? I also thought that crones were just 155?

 Khaine's Wrath wrote:
Are your points correct dude? I thought the venom cannons were more than 10 points on warriors? I also thought that crones were just 155?

No, the points probably aren't right. I rejiggered it in Army Builder and the points add up there, but for the post I just cut & paste the first list I posted and edited it. Probably messed it up a lot.

friendlycommissar wrote:

roxor08 wrote:
A Venomthrope does not have a shooting ability. Give it a bastion and now it can fire a Heavy bolter ;-)
A Venomthrope is relatively squishy....really really squishy. Give it a bastion and now it becomes one of the hardest to kill units in the game. AV14 with a minimum of a 5+ Cv against those weapons that can actually hurt it.
A Venomthrope by itself, has a pretty small shrouded bubble it can spread. With a bastion, you nearly triple the coverage of the shrouded.

But it can't move! My experience of Bastions is that they are a 100% waste of points, because nothing ever comes in range of them and any unit sitting in one is basically out of the fight unless my opponent is such a dummy that he marches things into range and leaves them sitting there.

This just smacks of one of those internet tactics that only works in theory. Everytime I try to use those kinds of tactics, I get my ass handed to me.

Plus, I'd have to model a Tyranid bastion. Using an Imperial bastion in a Tyranid army is total cheesedick. I wouldn't even play against someone doing something that lame. I'd feel like a total munchkin saying "My venomthrope is firing the bolters." That so wrong.

A Venomthrope in a bastion vs. 3 Venomthropes costs less points.

This is true, I was thinking a bastion cost 100, not 75.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Okay, how about this instead. I dropped Regen off everything, added two squads of Tyranid Warriors for synapse, and swapped the Exocrine for a Tyrannofex with a rupture cannon. I'm not doing the bastion, because I don't want to have to model a tyranid bastion anytime soon and there's just no way I'm putting an Imperial bastion in a 'Nid army.


HQ
Hive Tyrant (250)
* Hive Commander
* TL Devourer w/Brainleeches
* Wings

Elites
Zoanthrope Brood x2 (100)
Zoanthrope Brood x2 (100)
Venomthrope Brood x2 (90)

Troops
Tervigion (195)
Termagaunt Brood x30 (120)
Hormagaunt Brood x19 (95)
Hormagaunt Brood x19 (95)
Tyranid Warrior Brood x3 (100)
* Venom Cannon
Tyranid Warrior Brood x3 (100)
* Venom Cannon

Fast Attack
Hive Crone (185)
Hive Crone (185)
Gargoyle Brood x15 (90)

Heavy Support
Tyrannofex (205)
* Rupture Cannon

I'm of two minds on the second Hive Crone. I could take her out and replace her with the Exocrine, and I think maybe I should do that. I just moved to a new city so I don't really know the meta, but the two armies I know I'm likely to face consist of a White Scars bike spam list and a Astra Militarium heavy weapons team lascannon spam list. The vector strike and flying would both be useful against those lists, but so would a large blast weapon.

Looks better to me. I prefer my Tyranfex to run Adrenals, and a Thorax Hive. (200) two templates in a highly mobile living fortress is a very good Troop destroyer. Against vehicles, MCs, and vector strikes are the way to go (IMHO ) Down the road you can look at "Living Artillery" (?) Formation (1 Warrior Brood, Cannon, x3 Biovores, Exocrene. special rule(s) re-roll scatter, blasts pin (within Synapse of Warriors) Plasma that pins is even better.

But I don't think you'll ever regret taking two Crones...

Late entry: I'd drop two Hormies and give a Thorax Hive to the Tervigon.

The list looks very strong now. Nothing really else to add.

Personally, I'm one of the people who recommends using the rupture cannon on tyrannofexes. In my experience having 2 S10 shots to pop tanks turn 1 and 2 can be immensely helpful. It eliminates threats to your swarm, and it spills out the troops inside to be assaulted.