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Hello everybody,



English is not my first language, so please ignore spelling mistakes.

I am new to this hobby, and with your help I would like to refine my list so that I don't have to buy too many models.
I don't plan to take part in tournaments, I'll just play with friends. The list does not have to be optimized down to the last detail.
We are currently playing with 100PL as a limit.
I know that there are difficulties and room for discussion with the usage of PL, but please ignore that.

My friends play Tau, Adeptus Sororitas, Space Marines and Adeptus Mechanicus. Most of these armies also include a knight.

With my Tyranids, I would like to focus on spore throwers and large numbers of troops in order to crush the enemy with many units rather than using a few large ones. I don’t know if this is viable but it seemed very appealing.

Here is my first idea:


++ Fortification Network 0CP (Tyranids) [14 PL, 320pts] ++

+ Configuration +

Detachment Command Cost: Command Benefit

Hive Fleet: Jormungandr

+ Fortification +

Sporocyst [7 PL, 160pts]: 5x Venom Cannon

Sporocyst [7 PL, 160pts]: 5x Venom Cannon

++ Battalion Detachment 0CP (Tyranids) [86 PL, 1,866pts, 5CP] ++

+ Configuration +

[Reference] Discipline: Hive Mind

[Reference] Extensions of the Hive Mind

Battle Size [6CP]: 2. Incursion (51-100 Total PL / 501-1000 Points)

Detachment Command Cost

Gametype: Open

Hive Fleet: Jormungandr

+ Stratagems +

Progeny of the Hive [-1CP]

+ HQ +

Broodlord [7 PL, 125pts]: Power: Psychic Scream, Power: Smite

Broodlord [7 PL, 125pts]: Power: Psychic Scream, Power: Smite

Neurothrope [5 PL, 95pts]: Power: Onslaught, Power: Smite, Resonance Barb, Warlord, Warlord Trait: Synaptic Lynchpin

+ Troops +

Hormagaunts [9 PL, 180pts]
. 30x Hormagaunt: 30x Scything Talons

Termagants [9 PL, 210pts]
. 30x Termagant (Devourer): 30x Devourer

Termagants [9 PL, 210pts]
. 30x Termagant (Devourer): 30x Devourer

Tyranid Warriors [12 PL, 261pts]
. Adaptive Physiology: Enhanced Resistance
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Lash Whip and Bonesword
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Lash Whip and Bonesword
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Lash Whip and Bonesword
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Lash Whip and Bonesword
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Lash Whip and Bonesword
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Lash Whip and Bonesword
. Tyranid Warrior (Bio-cannon): Lash Whip and Bonesword, Venom Cannon
. Tyranid Warrior (Bio-cannon): Lash Whip and Bonesword, Venom Cannon
. Tyranid Warrior (Bio-cannon): Lash Whip and Bonesword, Venom Cannon

+ Elites +

Hive Guard [12 PL, 270pts]
. 6x Hive Guard (Impaler): 6x Impaler Cannon

+ Fast Attack +

Sky-slasher Swarms [2 PL, 45pts]
. 3x Sky-slasher Swarm: 3x Claws and Teeth

Sky-slasher Swarms [2 PL, 45pts]
. 3x Sky-slasher Swarm: 3x Claws and Teeth

+ Heavy Support +

Biovores [6 PL, 150pts]
. 3x Biovore: 3x Spore Mine Launcher

Biovores [6 PL, 150pts]
. 3x Biovore: 3x Spore Mine Launcher

++ Total: [100 PL, 2,186pts, 5CP] ++


Does this make sense? What should I change?

Welcome to Nids! I love the swarmy nature of your list and your reason for building it as such. However, fortifications of any kind in the game right now are pretty terrible. They are immobile, can't hold objectives and can only be placed if they can fit within the terrain.

I know you said you don't want big guys but having some would be helpful to you, especially if you're opponents are bringing knights. You just don't have and anti tank punch, even the sporocysts are bad at that due to their ballistic skill.

I'd recommend dropping both of them and a brood lord (you have no stealers) and considering a combination of the following units.

Exocrines, very powerful shooting platforms with good strat support and great at killing marines and armour alike.
The Swarmlord, great centre piece and massive CC threat. Can easily year through a knight if you get the charge right.
Trygon, delivery mechanic for your devilgants. Pop him up close and have a full unit of 30 come in with him. Dakkafakkadakka!
Heirodules and Dimacherons, all super tough units that excel at CC and shooting (barbed heirodule). Very effective for their points but not cheap as their forgeworld so maybe an outside contender.

You can totally play with the list you have but you will struggle with armour and aren't likely to win much against your opponents. I honestly play Nids for fun but I still pack in some units of power so I'm not handicapping myself too much.

Hello Lynx,

Thank you for your feedback, this is really helpful!
It's a shame that the sporocysts can’t hold objectives, I hadn't seen that at all. It seems the two of them have to get out.

In regards to the ForgeWorld units: i think they are overpriced and I would like to avoid them if there are other options.

With your suggestions, I have the following changes in mind:
Out:
-2 Sporocysts
-1 Broodlord
-20 Hormagaunts
-30 Termagants
-3 Tyranid Warriors
In:
+1 Swarmlord
+1 Trygon
+20 Genestealers (Seemed a good pick with Trygon, Swarm & Brood)
+3 Sky-slasher Swarms

Would that be a better setup or am I sacrificing too many troops to fit the new ones in?

I am not sure any more about the Fleet. Should I change it to Kraken to send the melees faster into the enemy? Or should I split the units into two Detachments?

Another question:
I wanted to give the backline some protection with the sporocysts against deep strikes. I think the Biovores and Hive Guard are now very vulnerable. Is that just an issue of positioning or do I need some kind of defending troops?

Not bad change at all.

You don't have to add stealers if you don't want to, they are expensive for troops. You can sling them with the swarmlord but that would leave your broodlord behind. I'd use the stealer points on some regular Gants with fleshborers. Use a couple of 10 strong units to block out your deployment zone and screen the hive guard and biovores.

Kraken would work for your list for sure but Jorm can work still too. As a side thought, you could change the remaining broodlord to a warrior prime to buff them up.

Thank you very much for helping me here, I appreciate that very much

I think I'll give the stealers a try. I will buy the starter box so I can get the Trygon, Broodlord and the stealers cheaply.
I took a few spore mines in to deny deep strikes. Maybe I will use the spore strategem to fill the field even further.
My list now looks like this:


++ Battalion Detachment 0CP (Tyranids) [100 PL, 2,104pts, 4CP] ++
Hive Fleet: Jormungandr

+ Stratagems +
Bounty of the Hive Fleet [-1CP]: 1 Extra Bio-artefact
Progeny of the Hive [-1CP]

+ HQ +
Broodlord [7 PL, 125pts]: Power: Lurking Maws, Power: Smite, The Maw-claws of Thyrax
Neurothrope [5 PL, 95pts]: Power: Catalyst, Power: Smite, Resonance Barb
The Swarmlord [14 PL, 270pts]: Power: Onslaught, Power: Psychic Scream, Power: Smite, Warlord

+ Troops +
Genestealers [16 PL, 300pts]: 5x Acid Maw
. 20x Genestealer: 20x Rending Claws
Hormagaunts [3 PL, 60pts]
. 10x Hormagaunt: 10x Scything Talons
Hormagaunts [3 PL, 60pts]
. 10x Hormagaunt: 10x Scything Talons
Termagants [9 PL, 210pts]
. 30x Termagant (Devourer): 30x Devourer
Tyranid Warriors [4 PL, 87pts]
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Lash Whip and Bonesword
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Lash Whip and Bonesword
. Tyranid Warrior (Bio-cannon): Lash Whip and Bonesword, Venom Cannon
Tyranid Warriors [4 PL, 87pts]
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Lash Whip and Bonesword
. Tyranid Warrior: Deathspitter, Lash Whip and Bonesword
. Tyranid Warrior (Bio-cannon): Lash Whip and Bonesword, Venom Cannon

+ Elites +
Hive Guard [12 PL, 270pts]
. 6x Hive Guard (Impaler): 6x Impaler Cannon

+ Fast Attack +
Spore Mines [1 PL, 30pts]: 3x Spore Mine
Spore Mines [1 PL, 30pts]: 3x Spore Mine
Spore Mines [1 PL, 30pts]: 3x Spore Mine

+ Heavy Support +
Biovores [6 PL, 150pts]
. 3x Biovore: 3x Spore Mine Launcher
Biovores [6 PL, 150pts]
. 3x Biovore: 3x Spore Mine Launcher
Trygon [8 PL, 150pts]: Toxinspike
. Adaptive Physiology: Murderous Size

++ Total: [100 PL, 2,104pts, 4CP] ++

Maybe I will change the Broodlord and stealers to an exocrine with something else in the future. At the moment I like the swarmy feature of the stealers more than a big bad artillery unit.

Should I reconsider something else?

That looks like a solid enough list. Give it a few tries and see how it does and good luck!