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2018/02/07 15:02:13
Subject: Re:Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
Wilson wrote: I'm having a thought on what is the best TAC loadout for Hive Tyrants. I know for sure I want to keep costs down, so Monstrous Rending Claws are a given. Wings too.
Toxin Sacs for the extra damage boost in CC. But in terms of weapons load out, I am seeing Heavy Venom cannons as a really good option. I am thinking of loading out 3 flying hive tyrants with HVCs + MRCs instead of Devourers + MRCs. Is this a better option?
its 199pts vs 188pts respectively.
What do people think about one set of devourers compared with HVCs?
I run 2 Flyrants. 1 with MRC and HVC.
The other is warlord, i run 2x Devourers with BLW, and then I take Reaper of Obliterax with Toxins, on a 6 to wound in melee that is 7 damage!
10000+
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3500+ IK Plus 1x Warhound, Reaver, Warlord Titans
I always take MRC and toxin. There is no other 4 point weapon in the game that does -3AP d3 damage with rerolls to wound and does 4 damage for every 6.
Its honestly a bit overpowered, but since it comes on such an expensive model its not like you can spam it.
JOIN MY CRUSADE and gain 4000 RT points!
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2018/02/07 22:12:17
Subject: Re:Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
The other is warlord, i run 2x Devourers with BLW, and then I take Reaper of Obliterax with Toxins, on a 6 to wound in melee that is 7 damage!
potentially amazing but 4 attacks and only rend 2 makes that a lot more situational. I really see the temptation in taking it though, i might have to give it a go and see! I think i will definitely take 2 with MCR and HVC ( one with Miasma cannon.)
Devourers are okay for whittling away soft units but sometimes you just need a little more AT.
2018/02/07 22:17:24
Subject: Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
What are the thoughts on keeping 60 points in a list aside for reinforcements? It’s enough for 2x squads for Sporefield, a squad of Genestealers for Call the Brood, or 15 termagants for the Endless Swarm stratagem.
I’m generally always running a brigade so command points aren’t a problem, and it gives plenty of tactical flexibility. You get instant anti-deepstrike/infiltration defense with the spore mines, and the ability to hit a hard to hurt target like -1 dark reapers more easily. The genestealers can pop up next to a Broodlord for quick reinforcements or a surprise Objective Secured squad. And 15 termagants popping up in the enemy zone for a free Behind Enemy Lines never hurts.
2018/02/07 23:00:11
Subject: Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
Not really sure what crusaders, sanctioned psykers and priests give us that we don’t already do better. Ratlings can fill a niche as we have no snipers however
2018/02/07 23:19:08
Subject: Re:Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
Standard Farseer
9 wounds
4.5 failed saves, more like 4 after they re-roll one
Probably dead unless they’re Ulthwé and pass a couple of 6+++
Skyrunner Farseer
6.66 wounds
3.33 failed saves, more like 2.8 after they re-roll one
Probably alive with 1W
Eldrad
6.66 wounds
2.22 failed saves, more like 1.6 after they re-roll one
Probably got half his wounds remaining after passing a 6+++
This assumes that your opponent leaves the lynchpin of their castle strategy in plain view of twenty snipers.
I main Chaos, and running the numbers on the sniper options available from Renegades & Heretics (and often facing a Vindicare), I concluded that sniping is a scarecrow that forces minor support characters to keep their heads down, but isn’t a, well, magic bullet.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Ordering both Ratling units to Take Aim! makes it 15.5 hits, 2.6MW. But then, after seeing your snipers, they take a defensive Warlord Trait and hide behind a wall anyway.
Take thirty and you still probably won’t bring down Eldrad in one round. Ten’s enough to at least make Lieutenants keep hidden, though.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/02/08 00:16:05
Hey, only wanted to know, what you think of my melee tyrant spam list XD. I know it's not really competitive, but i always played Meleenids since 4the edition Codex =).
Do you think i can hold myself against some stronger armies? Can i improve it, but keep the melee focus and the Tyrants + Hierodule?
It's only 1500 points and consists of the following units:
At the moment i don't know which hivefleet aspect i should take, probably kraken, behemoth or leviathan.
Supreme Command
Kraken Hivefleet Detachment
3x Hive Tyrant with Wings, Adrenal Glands, 2 pairs of Monstrous Scythingtalons
1x Scythed Hierodule
Battalion
Kraken Hivefleet Detachment
2x Hive Tyrant with Wings, Adrenal Glands, 2 pairs of Monstrous Scythingtalons
3x 3 Ripper Swarms
2018/02/08 12:02:05
Subject: Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
Hmm. Completely forsaking firepower is going to make things an uphill struggle. Likewise the lack of Tyrant Guard to protect the bats from alpha strikes.
The other is warlord, i run 2x Devourers with BLW, and then I take Reaper of Obliterax with Toxins, on a 6 to wound in melee that is 7 damage!
potentially amazing but 4 attacks and only rend 2 makes that a lot more situational. I really see the temptation in taking it though, i might have to give it a go and see! I think i will definitely take 2 with MCR and HVC ( one with Miasma cannon.)
Devourers are okay for whittling away soft units but sometimes you just need a little more AT.
For HVC to shine you need exposed multiwound models, with preferable more than 3 wounds each. On everything else, the devs are better.
I myself prefer devs every time, because the shots are not swingy, the damage output is more reliable, and against single wound models you dont have lost the not carried over damage.
24.000 Tyranids painted, still rising in numbers
4.000 Genestealer Cult
7.000
2018/02/08 15:42:03
Subject: Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
Darksider wrote: I know, but i am trying to reach CC first Round, and it's possible with Kraken Hivefleet.
Btw i have a bit of firepower in the HieroduleXD and also Smite from the Tyrants.
Hm could put all of my guys in the supreme command detachment and buy some Tyrant Guard?
It’d be a pretty extreme list. Very low CP, with presumably one or two CP committed to Kraken stratagem.
I’d give both variants a trial by fire. See which is more viable. I’d expect it to be a list that stands or falls on the enemy’s ability to hit hard targets. If your meta is heavy on hordes, you might just bring a stone to a scissors fight.
Made a small ajustment on my current list and kicked one Tyrant and put in some Gargs with a Crone. Would this be a better list?
Supreme Command
Kraken Hivefleet Detachment
3x Hivetyrant with Wings, Adrenal Glands, 2 Pairs of Monstrous Scythingtalons
1x Scythed Hierodule
Outrider Detachment
Kraken Hivefleet Detachment (or maybe Leviathan to make the Gargs and Crone a little bit more resilient)
1x Hivetyrant with Wings, Adrenal Glands, 2 Pairs of Monstrous Scythingtalons
1x Hivecrone
2x 10 Gargoyles
1495 Points
or i could do this, it's down to 3 Melee Flyrants, but packs some Mawlocs and a bit about 30 Gargs.
Standard Farseer
9 wounds
4.5 failed saves, more like 4 after they re-roll one
Probably dead unless they’re Ulthwé and pass a couple of 6+++
Skyrunner Farseer
6.66 wounds
3.33 failed saves, more like 2.8 after they re-roll one
Probably alive with 1W
Eldrad
6.66 wounds
2.22 failed saves, more like 1.6 after they re-roll one
Probably got half his wounds remaining after passing a 6+++
This assumes that your opponent leaves the lynchpin of their castle strategy in plain view of twenty snipers.
I main Chaos, and running the numbers on the sniper options available from Renegades & Heretics (and often facing a Vindicare), I concluded that sniping is a scarecrow that forces minor support characters to keep their heads down, but isn’t a, well, magic bullet.
X
Automatically Appended Next Post: Ordering both Ratling units to Take Aim! makes it 15.5 hits, 2.6MW. But then, after seeing your snipers, they take a defensive Warlord Trait and hide behind a wall anyway.
Take thirty and you still probably won’t bring down Eldrad in one round. Ten’s enough to at least make Lieutenants keep hidden, though.
Thanks for the numbers looking at them, it looks like shooting Reapers is the way to go. If I could murder 10 to 15 a turn that would make any foe take notice. I guess some test play is called for...
The will of the hive is always the same: HUNGER
2018/02/08 19:27:01
Subject: Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
Marmatag wrote: The lists seem torn between wanting to be in your face and also wanting to sit & hold objectives. Maybe consider a brigade at 1500 points. You'll have the same overall kind of synergistic list you'd have at 2k... just with less stuff.
His first list is just our list style with 2x15 terms instead of horms. Considering it's 500 pts less than our lists, I think it's a pretty solid place for him to start and see what he likes, then adjust from there.
Hormagants win me games with their 6" pile in and 6" consolidate. I took first in a tournament this last weekend because of them being able to shut down 4 shooting units in a pivotal turn 3.
Preaching to the choir.
I'm just saying, your critique was that his lists were mixed between forward and back, while I didn't see it that way at all. To me, it looks like he has the same strategy as us. Just short a quarter of an army.
500 pts is a huge difference, if you were to trim 500 pts off your list, where would you start?
That's fair. For me it would be a total restructure because I run double battalion. At 1500 i would run a single battalion with 2 hormagant squads, a genestealer squad, and the rest of my list would be dakka flyrants. I don't think Tyranids function well at lower points.
Galas wrote: I remember when Marmatag was a nooby, all shiney and full of joy. How playing the unbalanced mess of Warhammer40k in a ultra-competitive meta has changed you
Bharring wrote: He'll actually *change his mind* in the presence of sufficient/sufficiently defended information. Heretic.
2018/02/08 21:51:31
Subject: Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
Can you squeeze a Tyrant Guard unit into the first list by switching the Crone for some Gargoyles? If so, I suspect that one might cope better with losing first turn.
On the other hand, Mawlocs punishing compact deployment and the extra CP of a battalion might work. If you’ve already got the minis - or a friendly opponent who’ll allow proxies for,playtesting - give both a field test!
Badablack wrote: What are the thoughts on keeping 60 points in a list aside for reinforcements? It’s enough for 2x squads for Sporefield, a squad of Genestealers for Call the Brood, or 15 termagants for the Endless Swarm stratagem.
I’m generally always running a brigade so command points aren’t a problem, and it gives plenty of tactical flexibility. You get instant anti-deepstrike/infiltration defense with the spore mines, and the ability to hit a hard to hurt target like -1 dark reapers more easily. The genestealers can pop up next to a Broodlord for quick reinforcements or a surprise Objective Secured squad. And 15 termagants popping up in the enemy zone for a free Behind Enemy Lines never hurts.
Why would you do this when you can just pay for the spore mines, not do reinforcements and save the CP?
With GS just use infestation nodes or tunnels.
OVerall thought, we have enough DS units and taxis, i dont see the point in wasting CP.
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Badablack wrote: What are the thoughts on keeping 60 points in a list aside for reinforcements? It’s enough for 2x squads for Sporefield, a squad of Genestealers for Call the Brood, or 15 termagants for the Endless Swarm stratagem.
I’m generally always running a brigade so command points aren’t a problem, and it gives plenty of tactical flexibility. You get instant anti-deepstrike/infiltration defense with the spore mines, and the ability to hit a hard to hurt target like -1 dark reapers more easily. The genestealers can pop up next to a Broodlord for quick reinforcements or a surprise Objective Secured squad. And 15 termagants popping up in the enemy zone for a free Behind Enemy Lines never hurts.
Why would you do this when you can just pay for the spore mines, not do reinforcements and save the CP?
With GS just use infestation nodes or tunnels.
OVerall thought, we have enough DS units and taxis, i dont see the point in wasting CP.
The purpose would be to have a defense against infiltrators and deep strikers. Your own deep strikers do you no good if your opponent gets the first turn and covers half the board or if they have infiltrators (rangers) that can block you from deep striking where you want. The Sporefield strategem allows you to deploy the spore mines before most infiltrators.
It's not a bad idea, however, if you're allowed to us Forgeworld then I'd just use a unit of Meiotic Spores for 54 points. They accomplish the same goal without needing to use CP.
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2018/02/09 23:19:18
Subject: Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
I’d narrow it down to Kraken (for faster movement), Behemoth (for charge Rerolls), or as a wild card Leviathan (for tag team Stratagem). Playtest each one and see which suits you best
lindsay40k wrote: Can you squeeze a Tyrant Guard unit into the first list by switching the Crone for some Gargoyles? If so, I suspect that one might cope better with losing first turn.
On the other hand, Mawlocs punishing compact deployment and the extra CP of a battalion might work. If you’ve already got the minis - or a friendly opponent who’ll allow proxies for,playtesting - give both a field test!
Thanks for your help^^.
Yeah i could witch the crone out for 3x10 Gargs and 3 Tyrant Guard with Scything Talons, then i would have 16 points left =).
I have all the figures for my armylists, i only miss the 3 Tyrant Guard, but mybe i can find some on ebay=).
Do you think that i have a little chance with my meleearmy?
2018/02/10 15:20:00
Subject: Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
@Darksider - well, the key for any melee army is surviving delivery. Things like deploying in the sky, or with some Tyrant Guard or a Malanthrope, keep you alive. There’s not going to be anything suppressing their firepower on your way in, though, so good luck running the gauntlet! I suspect you’ll find a balance that can yield good results, but it’ll probably take some trial and error and you’ll always find a bad matchup here and there.
I had a 1000 pt tournament on Saturday. I decided to try out more shooty nids than I normally use and I ended up taking 1st of 10 playing ITC Champion missions.
Game 1: vs Tau
His list included a Stormsurge with lots of LOS ignoring missiles, 3 units of 12ish Firewarriors and 3 units of 6 gun drones, 2 units of 2 markerlight drones and some characters that gave buffs (6+ FNP on the firewarriors, extra shots from shooting at half range and 2 characters with makerlights).
Tau are in a rough spot but this guy is a veteran and made it a tough fight.
Setup Deployment Type: Hammer and Anvil
Mission: ITC Champ 1 (6 objectives laid out like an X, 1 in each corner and 2 near the middle)
For Secondaries I chose Headhunter, Reaper and Recon. He chose Gang Busters (Hive Guard), Reaper and Old School.
Turn 1:I get first turn. I move all my genestealers into some ruins where they can't be shot. From there they can reach his lines on turn 2. I use Catalyst on them in case he decides to shoot them with the stormsurge since it has a lot of firepower that ignores LOS. I move up my Hive Guard and give them Onslaught so they can shoot normally. Hive Guard stay sitting in ruins and on an objective the whole game after that. I fired at the Stormsurge and did 8 damage. I used Metabolic Overdrive on a unit of Hormagants (4 died) in order to capture one of his objectives for that turn. They sat 1 inch away from a unit of firewarriors who were sitting on the objective but I had more objective secured near the objective than he did. Those Hormagants obviously died that turn but they did their job of forcing him to waste shots on them. The other unit of Hormagants moved up into some trees but died after 2 full units of Firewarriors shot at them. I didn't expect much from the Hormagants this game. I moved all the biovores onto objectives and fired them at the two units of Firewarriors on his left flank. I had 4 misses and put all 4 spore mines behind a hill where one of his markerlight characters were. With this he had to choose to fire the firewarriors at my Hormagants or to use at least some of them to kill the spore mines before they killed that character. He chose to sacrifice the character. His Stormsurge was tall enough to see my Hiveguard so he fired on them, killing 1. He also fired these missiles that deal mortal wounds to one of my Biovore units... but 1 survived with 2 wounds left and he still held the objective in that corner. I scored Recon with my Hormagants daring yet suicidal move. The Tau are up on kills, earning him 2 points for Primary and 2 points for Reaper. We tie on Objectives giving us each 1 point. He gets 1 for Old School (First Strike)
Score: 2 to 6 Tau
Top Turn 2: As planned, the 4 spore mines blew up one of his characters giving me a headhunter point. My genestealers popped out of the ruins and charged 2 unit of Firewarriors on that same flank. 2 Firewarriors survived... which was a problem. Those 2 were almost certainly going to die to moral and I'd have nothing to keep my opponent from slaughtering the genestealers on his next turn. So I decided to blow 4 command points... I used 3 to fight again to kill those last 2 firewarriors. I then used 1 to Overrun and move the Genestealers behind the hill that my spore mines had just used. The Stormsurge was the only unit that could threaten them but I gave them Catalyst again. Given I only had 6 command points to start, I now only have 1, but using those 4 CP saved the unit. My Hive Guard completely failed on the Stormsurge dealing 0 damage. My neurothropes wiped out a unit of 6 drones that were on his forward objective (smites).
Bottom of 2: Seeing no way to kill the genestealers this turn, the Tau player used his last 12 drones to create a barrier between my genestealers and the stormsurge. He shot everything from the Stormsurge into the genestealers and killed about 5 of them. I still had 11 by this point so they were still deadly. I dominating on kills, giving me 2 points for primary. He did not kill a unit. I held more objectives so I got another 2 for primary, he held 1 giving him 1 point. I got 2 for Reaper and 1 for Headhunter. I did not get Recon.
Score: 9 to 7 Tyranids
Turn 3: My genestealers come from behind the hill and charge one of the units of drones and his 2 buffing characters. Only 3 get into melee with the characters so I don't kill either of them. I easily wipe out the drones though. I use my biovores and hive guard, rerolling 1s, to wipe out the last unit of Fire Warriors, giving me my 3rd point for reaper. Two of the Biovores shoot at the Stormsurge to reduce it to 10 wounds, lowering it's profile. Neurothropes smite and kill both units of Markerlight drones which were on his forward objective. On his turn he manages to wipe out of the Genestealers and kill one more Hive Guard with the Stormsurge, giving him a point for Gang Busters. I get 4 for primary. He gets 2. We both get 1 for Reaper.
Score: 14 to 10 Tyranids
Turns 4-6: My Hive Guard wipe out the last Drone unit. Neurothropes and Biovores manage to deal 10(maybe 11?) mortal wounds to the stormsurge to kill it. The explosion killed both of his buffing characters. By this point he has 1 character remaining. We play it out anyway because the points can matter with 10 players and 3 rounds. I kill the last character on Turn 5 and am able to pick up recon for turn 6.
Final Score: 28 to 12 Tyranids Win!
Game 2: vs AM His list had 3 units of 5 Scions w/ volley guns?(had a lot of shots), 2 units of 5 Plasma Command Squads, 2 Taurox Primes, 3 characters sprinkled here and there and Celestine.
Lots of potential Deep Strikers and deadly firepower. I'll have to deploy carefully.
Setup Deployment Type: Vanguard
Mission: ITC 2 (3 objectives. 1 is in the center. 1 is placed by us in our deployment zones) We both place our objectives behind a hill in our respective corners.
For Secondaries, I chose Kingslayer(Celestine), Headhunter and Behind Enemy Lines. He chose Gang Busters (Hive Guard), Reaper and Recon.
Deployment: I put my Hive Guard behind the hill in the corner where my objective is. I made sure they were within 9" of the corner to leave no room for deep strikers. I put a unit of Biovores on the very corner of my deployment zone as close as possible to his long table edge so hey could move within 12" of it and give me Behind Enemy Lines. I spread out my Hormagants along the deployment zone edge to deny as much area as possible to deep strikers. The Other Biovores and 2 Neurothropes spread out as well to help with this. I put my Genestealers in reserves and placed 3 nodes just behind my Hormagants along my deployment edge. The last node I put back near the Hive Guard to ensure I didn't lose all of them to some lucky charges. My opponent deployed his Taurox Primes, a couple characters and a Scion Squad near his objective.
Turn 1: He got first turn... and he did nothing. I guess he figured I'd come to him or at least move to the middle objective. But I didn't. All I did was move 1 unit of Biovores and 1 unit of Homagants within 12" of his long table edge. They were still spread out to deny deep strikers. I fired my Biovores at a Taurox and did 2 damage and dropped 4 spore mines. I got 1 point for Behind Enemy Lines and we each got a point for holding an objective.
Score: 2 to 1 Tyranids
Top Turn 2: Seeing that I would be perfectly content waiting for him and gaining 2 points per turn to his 1, he decided he'd have to come to me. He Deep Striked everything except a plasma command squad. Celestine, a command squad and 2 scion squads all arrived within the large ruins that were right in front of my deployment zone. The Taurox vehicles moved up as far as they could. One of them had to drive around spore mines so it couldn't get in range to shoot anything. The other Taurox and 1 of the Scion squads shot and a unit of Hormagants in the woods but 1 remained alive. The plasma command squad shot at Biovores and killed 1. Celestine did nothing, perfectly content hiding in the ruins. He figured he could fly into my deployment zone on turn 2 and kill my warlord or dive into the Hive Guard... but he was wrong. At the end of his turn, I used 2 Command Points to keep my lone Hormagant alive from morale, denying him any kills. He picked up Recon and held an objective... but amazingly he did not hold the middle objective.
Bottom Turn 2: My lone Hormagant moved on the middle objective securing it all by his lonesome self for the hive mind. My Genestealers popped out of their hole right next to the ruins all his forces were hiding in. I used smites to kill the plasma command squad. With those dead, Celestine was now the closest target to my Hive Guard and Biovores. They shot her to pieces. She came back and deployed 9+ inches from my other Hormagant unit. A biovore unit that hadn't shot yet put another wound on her. With that I got 2 points for kingslayer and 1 for headhunter. My genestealers failed their charge on the Scions (and a character that came down with them). My Hormagants charged Celestine. They did no damage and lost some bodies but I just wanted to engage her in combat so she would have to fallback and thus not be able to charge on her turn. After all that, I got more kills, held more objectives and accumulated 2 for kingslayer, 1 for headhunter and 1 for Behind Enemy Lines. He got 1 for holding an objective and 1 for recon.
Score: 10 to 3 Tyranids.
Top Turn 3: Tauroxes move closer. Celestine falls back into my deployment zone, right next to my warlord. Scions in the ruins move away from the genestealers towards the objective where my brave lone hormagant stands. The last unit of Plasma command squad arrives near my Biovores that are within 12" of his long table edge. A taurox shoots the genestealers, killing 4 (yay catalyst). The Scions split shoot the genestealers and lone hormagant, killing 4 genes and the horm. The other taurox can't see the genestealer thanks to the ruins so they shoot and kill a biovore. Plasma command squad shoots and kills 2 biovores. Celestine tries to shoot my warlord and does nothing. He then attempts to charge with her, but I point out that you can't charge after falling back, even with fly. So she sits there awaiting her doom. He gets 2 kills(1 biovore unit and hormgant unit), 1 reaper and 1 recon and holds an objective.
Bottom Turn 3: Genestealers move up and eat both scion units and a character giving me 1 for headhunter(forgot to use feeder tendrils... oops). Instead of taking the objective, I use overrun to move the genestealers back into ruins so the Tauroxes couldn't shoot them. Smites and my last to biovores wipe out Celestine giving me 2 more for kingslayer and another for headhunter. Hive Guard severly wounded a Taurox. Hormagants charge the plasma command squad and kill all but 1. I surround him so he can't fallback. We tie on objectives but I win on kills.
Score: 17 to 6 Tyranids
Top Turn 4: The limping Taurox is able to move and see a sliver of my genestealers. The full health Taurox with Scions inside move onto the middle objective. A character moves up to shoot my genestealers. Limping Taurox and a character fire on the genestealers but 6 survive. The other Taurox finishes off one of my Biovore units. Hormagants finish consuming the command squad. He scores a kill and an objective. Does not get recon though.
Bottom Turn 4: My last biovore finishes up the limping Taurox. Hive Guard and smites kill the Taurox on the objective. The scions pile out. Genestealers charge a character and kill it for headhunter. At this point he concedes and we talk thru the last 2 turns.
Final Score: 24 to 12 Tyranids
Game 3: vs Daemons.
His list had a unit of 22 Bloodletters, a Bloodletter character, a unit of 20some Pink Horrors with enough reinforcement points to spawn 8 blues and 8 brims, 2 small units of brims, a unit of 8 of these flying stingray things, an 8 wound character riding on a chariot pulled by those stingrays, a pink horror-like character and another character. Sorry I don't know much about daemons outside of the big baddies.
Setup Deployment Type: Hammer and Anvil
Mission: ITC 3 (4 objectives in a diamond formation; 1 in each deployment zone and 2 equal-distant on the sides)
Secondaries: I chose Headhunter, Reaper and Kingslayer (that 8 wound chariot guy. He's not a monster or vehicle so he gives up 4 points). He chose Old School, Reaper and Gang Busters(Hive Guard)
Deployment: Hammer and Anvil put him at a huge disadvantage. I spread my Hormagants across the deployment line. I spaced out my Biovores to prevent and deep striking in my backfield. I hid the Hive Guard in ruins in the corner. I put the Genestealers in the middle of my deployment zone, a few inches away from the gants, to be counter chargers. The Neurothropes I put right behind the gants on each side. His deployment put everything as close as he could except the Bloodletters and their character who were in deep strike.
Top Turn 1: He got first turn. All the pinks moved and advanced forward, claiming an objective. The stingrays and chariot hung back. I guess he was waiting for me to come out with my genestealers. Bloodletters and character deep striked in front of the pinks on my left flank and charged the Hormagants. The character failed it's charge. I used caustic blood and killed 3 Bloodletters. All 14 of the charged hormagants died, giving him a kill. They piled into my nuerothrope but couldn't reach the genestealers.
Bottom Turn 2: I fallback with neurothrope. I use 2 smites, all the biovores and the hive guard to kill 11 more bloodletters.(8 left). My hormagants on the right flank,which was completely open, moved onto the objective on that side of the board. This ties us for objectives. Genestealers charge the Bloodletters, finishing them off. I then use overrun to move them back behind ruins so the pinks couldn't touch them next turn. We tied for objectives and kills. I get 2 for reaper. He gets 1 for reaper and 1 for Old School.
Score: 4 to 4
Top Turn 2: His bloodletter character moved up to my warlord Neurothrope. He charges and kills it. His pinks move towards the middle of the board and shoot my hormagants on the objective, killing the unit. His stingrays move up a little to get ready to pounce on the genestealers when they attack the pinks. A unit of brims sits on the side objective near the pinks.
Bottom Turn 2: I move up the genestealers to pounce on the pinks and brims. My other neurothrope smites the bloodletter character. 2 Biovore units finish him off. Hive Guard are just within range of the stingrays. I kill 3 of them. Remaining biovore unit kills a 4th. Only 2 remain. Genestealers kill all the brims and a lot of the pinks. 6 of those pinks turn into blues, which then all turned into brims after he lost 10 more models to moral. (This was a pretty large unit of pinks). I take control of the objective and score a headhunter. We tie on kills but I hold more objectives. I also got a reaper for the brims. He got warlord for Old School and a reaper.
Score: 9 to 8
Top Turn 3: He falls back with the pinks. His remaining to stingrays fly over the genestealers but don't do much damage. He smites some genestealers but a fair number saved with catalyst. I shut down one of his buffing powers... I don't remember what. He holds 1 objective and got no kills.
Bottom Turn 3: I shoot up the remaining stingrays with biovores. My genestealers keep a toe on the objective and position themselves to charge the character near the pinks and the pinks. Hive Guard shoot up the pinks. Smites hit them too. Genestealers charge and kill the character and a couple pinks. The rest die to moral. His chariot character is sitting on his back objective with brims screening it. I get max for primary, max for reaper and another headhunter.
Score: 15 to 9
Top Turn 4: He sees there's nothing he can do. He charges his big chariot character into my genestealers and kills 1. Genestealers put some wounds on him.
Bottom Turn 4: Genestealers fallback and move towards his back objective and the remaining brims there. The rest of my army shoots and kills the big character, giving me max for kingslayer and another headhunter.
Score: 23 to 10
Turn 5-6: His brims try to run away but the genestealers catch them. I table him on turn 5. He got more points somewhere in there but I don't remember where.
Final Score: 31 to 14
Another tyranid player had 3 wins but scored about 20 points less than me so I took first and he took second. his list had 3 flyrants, 20 genestealers and some hormagants.
I loved the flexibility given to me by the Hive Guard and Biovores. Completely ignoring line of sight is so huge in ITC where there's more terrain. The Genestealers also are great in this kind of terrain where you can take full advantage of overrun to hide them after eating things. In two weeks I have a 2k tournament. I'm going to run the same backline firebase but with 2 units of genestealers, swarmlord, 2 flyrants and meiotic spores. Also the Biovores will be in units of 1 so I can spread out more to fill the deployment zone.
Thanks for reading if you made it this far!
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2018/02/12 21:45:21
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2018/02/13 03:47:50
Subject: Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
Thanks for the write up zimko! And good luck in your next tourney.
I'll have to give that overrun tactic a look next time I get a game in, seems like a really smart move. I think that HG and Biovores are only so good because of the "meta" of ITC behing lots of LOS blocking terrain. They are still pretty durable even without it, but everyone complains about the same ability of Dark reaper exarchs (or at least Marmatag does).
Anyway, thanks for the new ideas, I will be sure to give em a shot
2018/02/13 04:45:21
Subject: Codex Tyranids Tactica: The Shadow Falls, The Hive Fleets Gather. Worlds Devoured
Olenos wrote: Thanks for the write up zimko! And good luck in your next tourney.
I'll have to give that overrun tactic a look next time I get a game in, seems like a really smart move. I think that HG and Biovores are only so good because of the "meta" of ITC behing lots of LOS blocking terrain. They are still pretty durable even without it, but everyone complains about the same ability of Dark reaper exarchs (or at least Marmatag does).
Anyway, thanks for the new ideas, I will be sure to give em a shot
Thanks.
Yes exactly. It feels a lot like dark reaper exarches. The ruling that first floors of ruins block all line of sight is a huge boon to infantry that want to hide. It's another reason genestealers with overrun is more effective in ITC than possibly other game types.
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looking at them, it looks like shooting Reapers is the way to go. If I could murder 10 to 15 a turn that would make any foe take notice. 
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