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Hi

Does anyone have any recommendations for a roughly 500 point 'nid army? I'm looking at starting a swarm-y army, like, I love the idea of a Tervigon spewing out hordes of smaller monsters on my enemies.
I'm completely new to Tyranids, is there any conventional wisdom? And what would work for a reasonably competitive list, capped out at about 500 points?

Thanks for your help!

Poser McBogus

I had a 500 point Tyranid list for an escalation league that was pretty much Terivgon, Hormagaunts, Termagants, and a small squad of Warriors. The only reason I would recommend Warriors here is because you really don't want to keep your Termagants in the Tervigon's synapse in case it dies.

Also, always remember to spawn your Tervigon. Don't be like I was yesterday and forget to spawn for 3 turns in a 2000 pt game....

Side note: In my 1850 games, I usually don't spawn til Turn4 or 5. I'd rather have the variable knowing I can spawn gants for objective control later in the game.

If the enemy knows that she can't spawn anymore and kills the gants as they come out, she is more a less a paper weight that gets stuck in combat. Spawning late game is similar to having late reserves. Although most people want their reserves as early as possible, the enemy has to play the entire game with the idea of more units arriving at some point. Ppl tend to play differently if they know more models are going to eventually show up.

Infiltrators to get up close right from the start!

 womprat49 wrote:
Infiltrators to get up close right from the start!

Cheers! What would you recommend for this? I was thinking of using Hormagaunts for cc (I like the models + I'm thinking of using the endless swarm formation), but I've heard that for the old rip-and-tear genestealers are significantly better.
Also what's the most reliable way of delivering them? Tyrannocytes seem to be the only tyranid transport options (unless I'm being dumb and overlooking something)
Thanks

Yep that's the only transport really, and tervigon is always a primo hq at low points because you spawn extra points which is great. Lictor could work, just pricy. 500 is a hard level to throw in special guys or toys

500pts is very difficult for Tyranids. Yes, you can take lots of bodies at that level, but without synapse they cant deliver the goods.

I would argue against the HQ Tervigon, especially at 500 pts. Its already considered an overcosted option, and while it potentially creates 'free' points, she is a liability to those units and if she dies you are stuck with easily routed, low leadership units.

Competitive and swarms are not synonymous terms. It also depends on the type of game.

Your best HQ is a Flyrant with Twin linked devourers, there is no arguing against that.

My 'competitive' 500pt armies would be either:

(Killer list)
2x Flyrant w/twin linked devourers and electroshock grubs
2x Mucolid

or

(Scoring list)
Flyrant w/twin linked devourers
2x Rippers w/deep strike
Ripper
Mawloc