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To go ahead and get it out of the way, I know that Swarmy Nids don't win much these days. But, that's what I want to play. I do have a few Synapse Creatures, but I don't think I have enough of them to run a Swarmy army. This is what I currently have:

Models that need Synapse:
20 Termagants with Devourers
40 Termagants with Fleshborers
40 Hormagaunts
10 Gargoyles
7 Ripper Swarms
1 Carnifex

Synapse Creatures:
1 Flying Hive Tyrant
1 Tervigon
3 Tyranid Warriors

Looking through the options for Tyranids that have the Synapse Creature special rule, there aren't many to choose from. Hive Tyrant, Tyranid Prime, Tervigon, Warriors, Trygon Prime, Zoanthrope and a range extender in the Sporocyst (I'd prefer to stay away from Forge World for the time being simply because of the cost). In this particular case, since the Synapse distance is the same for all models with the Synapse Creature special rule, it seems it would be best to field as many as I could. My guess the best way to do that would be to first add Zoanthropes, but I'm definitely open to suggestions. Also, are there any Fast Attack models easily available with the Synapse Creature special rule?

Thanks in advance!

SG

Easily available? No. Shrikes are a custom build now that Forge World doesn't have any. eBay seller Lazarus Games has a set of Shrikes made with fly wings. Cloudy bits of plastic or plasticard gone over with some brown wash. It's a good effect and easy to replicate.

Zoanthropes should be your first choice. Broods of two are my personal sweet spot. More Flyrants are also important. Both Zoas and Shrikes are quick because remember that a Zoa can run every single turn despite casting powers in the Psychic Phase. It won't keep up indefinitely, but it is a quick little bugger.

Other option is a Formation. Skytyrant gives an extra 6" Synapse bubble, and Dominion adds 6" to that. One Tyrant, 24" bubble. Has to stay on the ground but that's still 12" movement with the Gargoyles. I'm honestly not thrilled with the formation, but maybe you'll like it more. It can be found in the Leviathan supplement. Tyrant Node is a Walking Tyrant, same idea. 18" Synapse, but it's friggin expensive. I use it but it's holding me back from a better list...

 SharkoutofWata wrote:
Zoanthropes should be your first choice. Broods of two are my personal sweet spot. More Flyrants are also important. Both Zoas and Shrikes are quick because remember that a Zoa can run every single turn despite casting powers in the Psychic Phase. It won't keep up indefinitely, but it is a quick little bugger.

Other option is a Formation. Skytyrant gives an extra 6" Synapse bubble, and Dominion adds 6" to that. One Tyrant, 24" bubble. Has to stay on the ground but that's still 12" movement with the Gargoyles. I'm honestly not thrilled with the formation, but maybe you'll like it more. It can be found in the Leviathan supplement. Tyrant Node is a Walking Tyrant, same idea. 18" Synapse, but it's friggin expensive. I use it but it's holding me back from a better list...

Thanks for the heads up! I'll definitely keep my eyes open for that formation. Is it the Skytyrant Swarm you are referring to?

Thanks again

SG

Yeah I vote Zoans as the first thing to get. Broods of one to two depending on the game size are reliable enough. Warp Blast is a good power, the neuronthropes ability is good as well if you're enemy is mostly in the ld7/8 mark.

I like warriors too, even though people will scream for you to not use them, they're cool models and fun to use. Good versatility to them.

You dont need to worry about single brood fexes too much btw, they're fearless so they ignore the majority of the table from memory.

After spending something like 15 straight games using Warriors, I can honestly say they are not good. They're not bad either, but certainly not good. If an army can kill three, they can kill a brood of nine with just as little effort. If an army has trouble dealing with five, they can't handle three either. But there is absolutely no middle ground there. Either they work in your meta or they are wasted points.

OP, yes the proper name of that formation is Skytyrant Swarm. Like I said, I don't like it, but some people want to use it for a more melee focused Tyrant with mobility.

I would say some zoanthropes

Zoeys are a good durable source, and they are a possible force multiplier. I use Warriors, in Broods of 3, with a Cannon. But "use" means camping in terrain, and sniping with the cannon. They can be Objective Secured, and Zoeys can't be.

You'll also want as much Shrouding as you can fit for a Swarm. And that is the same slot. So I'd suggest at least one Brood of Venos, and two Broods of Zoeys.

If you take the HyperToxic Node Formation, it comes with three Venos, so you can load three Broods of Zoeys into the CAD.

If I remember right, the Hyper Toxic is:

Tyrant, must take Toxic gland, Toxecrene, three Venos, Special rules: Toxic becomes Instant Death (6+, Toxecrene improves to 5+) Toxic miasma is re-usable. (within Toxic Tyrant Synapse?)

That plus a swarm just might be able to give a good fight.

But I would plan on running Two Tyrants in the CAD, for a total of three. Just no good way to escape it.

I have been doing extremely well running an Endless Swarm formation, which comes with Warriors to provide nice backfield synapse.

I also send a couple flyrants forward with my gaunts to keep them in synapse.