Latest posts for the thread "Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)"

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

HiveCrawler — GMT

Hello, new guy here

I'm new to nids, but I put together this list so that you could rip it appart and tell me what to do

Basically, I was planning on closing in with the biomass in two turns or so, and shred them to pieces. Since I've invested so much in speed and close combat however, I've got just about no real shooting. This may prove a real pain, especially vs skimmers or though units that I need to shoot down. Versus normal tanks, I'm relying on either the Gargoyles getting behind them and blasting their rear armour before closing in with Bio-Plasma, or the Flyrant doing it's job as a giant, flying can-opener. Vs light skimmers the Gargoyles' Bio-Plasma might also prove useful.

Ok, here goes:

--------------------------------------------------------------
1500 Points Tyranid Army List
---------------------------------------------------------------

----
HQ:
----

Winged Hive Tyrant
Symbiotes: Quadrupled scything talons
Biomorphs: Winged, Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands(WS)
Hive Powers: The Horror, Synapse Creature
Points: 147

Broodlord
Symbiotes: Rending Claws and Schything Talons
Biomorphs: Toxin Sacs
6x Genestealer Retinue
Symbiotes: Rending Claws
Biomorphs: Extended Carapace, Feeder Tendrils

Points: 206

-------------
Fast Attack:
-------------

6x Winged Warriors
Symbiotes: Rending Claws and Scything Talons
Biomorphs: Winged, Toxin Sacs, Adrenaline Glands(I)
Points: 264

2x Raveners
Symbiotes: Rending Claws and Scything Talons
Points: 80

15x Gargoyles
Symbiotes: Fleshborers
Biomorphs: Winged, Bio-Plasma
Points: 180

--------
Troops:
--------

16x Hormagaunts
Symbiotes: Scything Talons
Points: 160

16x Hormagaunts
Symbiotes: Scything Talons
Points: 160

16x Hormagaunts
Symbiotes: Scything Talons
Points: 160

6x Genestealers
Symbiotes: Rending Claws
Biomorphs: Extended Carapaces, Scuttlers, Feeder Tendrils
Points: 144

-------------------
Total Points: 1501
-------------------

Comments, critisizm and advice vastly appreciated

-Crawler

Re:Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advide please :)

PistolWraithCaine — GMT

Hi,

Let's go through this step by step.

HiveCrawler wrote:
Winged Hive Tyrant
Symbiotes: Quadrupled scything talons
Biomorphs: Winged, Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands(WS)
Hive Powers: The Horror, Synapse Creature

Add warp field to give a 2+ save.

HiveCrawler wrote:
Broodlord
Symbiotes: Rending Claws and Schything Talons
Biomorphs: Toxin Sacs
6x Genestealer Retinue
Symbiotes: Rending Claws
Biomorphs: Extended Carapace, Feeder Tendrils

Drop this entirely, the Broodlord, unfortunately does not fleet and thus will die after you deploy him and his squad.

HiveCrawler wrote:
6x Winged Warriors
Symbiotes: Rending Claws and Scything Talons
Biomorphs: Winged, Toxin Sacs, Adrenaline Glands(I)
Points: 264

2x Raveners
Symbiotes: Rending Claws and Scything Talons
Points: 80

15x Gargoyles
Symbiotes: Fleshborers
Biomorphs: Winged, Bio-Plasma
Points: 180

All of this needs to be dropped, it's all bad. Warriors are really overpriced and winged warriors get to die to bolters! Gargolyes are also really expensive and aren't worth it. Same goes for the raveners.

HiveCrawler wrote:
16x Hormagaunts
Symbiotes: Scything Talons
Points: 160

16x Hormagaunts
Symbiotes: Scything Talons
Points: 160

16x Hormagaunts
Symbiotes: Scything Talons
Points: 160

If you are trying to make a competitive list, you need to drop these entirely and make them genestealers. If you're set on using them then give them +WS and +I so they go first and hit on 3's against most things.

Keep the stealers except make them a unit of 8. But drop feeder tendrils, they're useless for the moment.

You need to add carnifexes. No tyranid list should have less than 3. I would add 3 carnifexes with VC/BS with +BS and RC. This will give you anti vehicle as well as anti guard and orks.

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advide please :)

Ztryder — GMT

broodlords are far from useless, if your oponent doesnt set up correctly, the BL and his unit can be in CC on the first turn under the current infiltrate rules (12'' out of LOS, which will mean there is cover inbetween the BL and whatever unit hes trying to hit, and even if he fails to reach through the terrain, he'll be getting a cover save.) give your broodlord feeder tendrils (will allow the stealers to hit on 3s in 4th, re-roll in 5th) and give any stealers with him acid maw (re-roll wounds on first round of CC, and in 5th, rending will be on a 6 to wound). along with that, max out that squad, BL and at least 9 stealers. nasty unit that should never start more than 18'' from the enemy.

hormagaunts are not useless, they just need to be taken in units of 25+ and given toxin sacs to be effective.

only warriors that are worth taking are leaping ones, and even then they get shot to hell by heavy bolters/auto cannons/assault cannons.

raveners are OK if you can keep them out of LOS untill they can get into combat with something..

gargoyles however, are terrible. as has already been mentioned.

its not awful for a swarm list, but you really should take a fex or 2 to draw fire from your tyrant who is going to have to be your anti-tank in this list it seems.

my advice, make the Broodlord unit the uber unit, drop the gargoyles and warriors. add 2 fexes with scytals, WS and I glands (113 pts each) beef each gaunt unit to 20 and give them toxin sacs. replace the raveners by adding more stealers to the unit of 6.

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advide please :)

tegeus-Cromis — GMT

broodlords are far from useless, if your oponent doesnt set up correctly, the BL and his unit can be in CC on the first turn under the current infiltrate rules (12'' out of LOS, which will mean there is cover inbetween the BL and whatever unit hes trying to hit, and even if he fails to reach through the terrain, he'll be getting a cover save.)

A first turn assault is impossible. You have to be more than 12" away and the BL doesn't have Fleet.

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advide please :)

HiveCrawler — GMT

Edit: Wow, two more replies... well, this is for first reply:

So, basically you're saying drop everything, and make a nidzilla list with a few stealers...?

I know that it's not very competitive, but we shouldn't be at the point yet where there's only one setup for each army, with a few units to and fro.

Also, I'm not going to GT or anything with this... It's simply a beginner nids list for a beginner playing friendly games or maybe the odd small club tourny/campaign.

Okay, rant over, thanks for replying, all comments appreciated

I'll definitely add a Warp Field, atleast I'm with you there

For the Broodlord... a lot of people use it, and they can't all be wrong? Maybe it's not the uber min/max point-effective choice, but for this hormagaunt/fast assault-list he provides much needed front line synapse and can pack quite a punch when he rounds the cover I'll be moving him through and enters combat.

The gargoyles are for taking out light veichles without having to go for the min/max Sniperfexes etc.

The Winged Warriors, however overpriced and easy to shoot, does pack a punch. With their large move they'll move through/behind cover and then charge before the enemy can get many shots on them.

The raveners are bsaicly there to add some more rending claws to help the hormagaunt advance.

I might give the hormagaunts +I, and I thought of keeping them close with the two small broods of genestealers two confer the Feeder Tendril 3+ hit bonus.

----------

... Alright I'm being very stubborn on the defensive now, I know...

But when commenting on a list, isn't the clue to advice and modify within the boundaries of the list's theme/approach? Just tearing everything down and replacing it with the currently most competitive min/max no fun hardcore list just doesn't cut it for me

So... any other comments or did I scare everyone away?

-Crawler

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advide please :)

Ztryder — GMT

t-C doesnt infiltrate say no closer than 12"? which means if he is exactly 12 inches away and rolls a 6 for movement and assault through terrain, he makes it exactly those 12 inches to assault. unless infiltrate says "cannot be within 12"".. i dont have the book in front of me.

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advide please :)

HiveCrawler — GMT

Actually I think they have to be more than 12" away. GW purposedly made the rules so that 1st turn charges would be impossible/very situational (unless your enemy get the first turn and decide to run towards you).

On topic, could someone enlighten me on why Gargoyles are so horrible?

Also, gigantic 25+ squads of upgraded Hormagaunts sounds a bit extreme to me, whats the reasoning behind this?

-Crawler

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advide please :)

avantgarde — GMT

That's assuming you can infiltrate out of LoS, you go first and you get 6s on your difficult terrain.

Way to much risk for 200 pt investment.

On topic, could someone enlighten me on why Gargoyles are so horrible?

12 pt shooting Gaunt. If you want to move fast and assault use Hormies, which move just as fast, fight harder and are 2 pts cheaper to boot. If you want to shoot get termas for half the points.

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

tegeus-Cromis — GMT

Whether or not you get to Infiltrate out of LoS is irrelevant. Please, read the rules for deploying Infiltrators on BGB pg. 84. A first-turn Broodlord charge is impossible, I assure you.

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

HiveCrawler — GMT

I never said I intended to charge on turn one, not even with the hormies, not to mention the Broodlord...

He's basically supposed to get a head start on the swarm, and then they'll catch up with him and his lads in turn one. By turn two I'll hopefully get dug in, shredding enemies instead of getting shot at...

Anyone on gargoyles?

-Crawler

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

tegeus-Cromis — GMT

I never said you did say it. I was only correcting ztryder.

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advide please :)

HiveCrawler — GMT

avantgarde on gargoyles wrote:
12 pt shooting Gaunt. If you want to move fast and assault use Hormies, which move just as fast, fight harder and are 2 pts cheaper to boot. If you want to shoot get termas for half the points.

Well, Gargoyles also have Wings and Bio-Plasma (and Deep Strike, if I'm to throw in the lot ^^). I was thinking that in a list like this, struggling with armour and skimmers, they could prove useful at zipping around veichles to blast em in the soft spots? Also, against fast and light skimmers avoiding my meele rending claws/flyrant, they could maybe catch up with it and use 4+ hit on bio-plasma to take it down, or merely halt it for a turn so the renders might have a go at it...

t-C wrote:I never said you did say it. I was only correcting ztryder.

Hehe, I know I meant it more as a "back on topic please"

-Crawler

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

PistolWraithCaine — GMT

Sorry, I took "I'm new to nids, but I put together this list so that you could rip it appart and tell me what to do." as a clue to actually tell you what I think, I don't know what came over me sorry for taking you to be a new nid player and trying to point you in the right direction.

Broodlord is still crap, he has a giant please shoot me I can't threaten you for a turn sign on him and his 4+ save buddies. You don't want him to get a head start, you want everything to hit your opponent at the same time so he can't focus on something to finish it off.

Re:Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

Ztryder — GMT

Also, gigantic 25+ squads of upgraded Hormagaunts sounds a bit extreme to me, whats the reasoning behind this?

when they get into combat, they all get their attacks from leaping. they have a huge number of attacks as a squad and they hit and wound marines on 4s (with t-sacs) you get enough of them into combat and those marines are getting torn up, and if its tau/guard they are hitting its just not pretty. if you have 2 big units of gaunts 2 cc-fexes the fly-tyrant and the broodlord in the list, something nasty is going to be hitting the enemy lines real quick no matter what they choose to shoot at

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

HiveCrawler — GMT

PWC wrote:Sorry, I took "I'm new to nids, but I put together this list so that you could rip it appart and tell me what to do." as a clue to actually tell you what I think, I don't know what came over me sorry for taking you to be a new nid player and trying to point you in the right direction.

Hehe, no problems When you mention it that sentence of mine was rather unfitting.. I should really stop trying to be semi-funny -.-

On the Broodlord Even though I have no experience with him, I'm gonna be stubborn again and say that I want to try. Hiding ahead of the swarm behind a wood, then charging alongside them... if it all goes to hell I'll dump him. Also, what other quick synapse can keep up with this fast swarm? The hormies will leave leaping warriors, walkrants and zoans miles behind em...

About the hormagaunts... in the current version of the list there's 3 broods of 16 vanilla hormagaunts. If given these points + 40 from a ravener, what would you arrange them into/equip them with?

Thanks for all your input lads

-Crawler

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

Schepp himself — GMT

Hey there!
To the gargoyles: they are as fast as hormagaunts if you always roll 6s for fleet... because this obviously won't be the case you pay a it more for guaranteed speed (namely 12"+D6 fleet+6" charge vs. 6"+D6 Fleet+12" charge).
I would test them out, especially because you don't need synapse for them (unlike hormas) and they can harass light skimmers (but via shooting, because no sane enemy wold fly light skimmers in the way of this swarm). Hormas could do the same with S+1 due to their very high rate of attacks (could even help get them towards the enemy, but sadly, the sane enemy argument comes into play once again).

The problem I had with hormas is that they are fast, but they can't kill as much as you want/expect. They bounce off marines pretty much and due to their speed are outside of synapse (unless your army supports them properly which isn't that easy). So you need some units that pack some hth power. Stealers for example, or Raveners. But stay away from Broods of more than two because if the enemy can catch them with shooting, they will both die. Otherwise he overkills one and the other one lives...

Flying warriors ain't that cool. They die very very fast (they are T4 5+ AS for christ sake!) and they can't dish out so much damage that none can attack back. I've experienced that often.

The Broodlord isn't that good either. The other guys are right if they say that he is simply too fragile to survive a round of shooting. Combine that with a combat unit without any speed advantage (no fleet, no leaping) he will chase the enemy but rarely get them. He will be a very juice target, though. Maybe in 5th with run and flank march, so don't trash him yet! Maybe you can even hide him for a turn and then try to support the hormas...

I would ditch the toxin sacs on the warriors, because they will do the most damage with rending anyways. If you want to keep them that way, that is...

Warp field for the hive tyrant is needed.

Hope that helped a bit.

Greets
Schepp himself

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

SandyEqualsDragon — GMT

The thing with Raveners is you don't use them as front line assault troops, rushing ahead. People that try that say Raveners suck. Raveners are reactive units. They 1) hold table quarters, 2) operate independently, and 3) deep strike. So, the Raveners stay back until needed, or Deep Strike some annoying Space Marine Devastator squad at the other end of the table, that you can't otherwise get rid of (Obliterators, too), then they lurk there and hold the table quarter. Raveners are amazing IF CORRECTLY USED.

Gargoyles are next to useless. Look at the stats/points, and think carefully about what they can mathematically beat (or more likely what they can't).

The Broodlord can't actually keep up with the rest of the army after his initial deployment. I have little success with him. Best thing you can do is use him to get a good set-up then get him killed quick, so he doesn't slow your men :-) I would take a 2nd Tyrant and do Clever Ravener Tricks (CRT) for the same effect.

Small Hormagaunt packs are not that useful in this sort of army. All they can do is block; you don't want them to block, you want them to tie up assault units so your Stealers can whomp them, or you want them to rush in and kill shooty units. In order to do both those things, they need to be big units in order to survive. Small Hormagaunt units are just speed bumps or 1 turn disposable bolter shields.

I would go:

2 Tyrant (1 flying melee)
Small unit of Raveners
Big Hormagaunt units
Stealers + Scuttle (important!)
2 Carnifex (barbed stranger, venon cannon)

You need the Carnifexes for fire support. It kicks out a nasty amount of firepower.

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

HiveCrawler — GMT

Thanks a lot for your very helpful replies! <3

The problem I had with hormas is that they are fast, but they can't kill as much as you want/expect. They bounce off marines pretty much and due to their speed are outside of synapse (unless your army supports them properly which isn't that easy). So you need some units that pack some hth power. Stealers for example, or Raveners. But stay away from Broods of more than two because if the enemy can catch them with shooting, they will both die. Otherwise he overkills one and the other one lives...

Uhm, I thought I was doing all the stuff you mentioned here already? Or do I need more backup?

I'm glad somebody finally liked the gargoyles I really like them (and the flyrant/flying warriors... see the pattern?) so I'd realy want them to stay as well. If they do total crap they have to go, but hopefully I can work out some butt-armour strategy to make em wortwhile

Flyrant Warp Field is coming up, trust me.

Everyone keeps saying the Broodlord is crap... I know I have no good exp, but on paper, he should be able to keep up with the hormagaunts, mostly hitting combat on the same turn. Same goes for the scuttling stealers, though both stealer sqauds might need bulking up.

I would take a 2nd Tyrant

What this guy is supposed to do is beyond me..? He'll clearly be outlegged by, well everything, and if I wanted something to stand back and shoot I'd taken a Devilfex

Talking about Devilfexes, you might see something resembling a fast/flying assault swarm theme somewhere in the list, so I'd rather not have one shooter sitting there shooting... stupid, maybe, but then I'm not going for the most competitive list either

Finally, the raveners... if I were to drop these, buy more stealers (and Warp Field) and then split the Winged Warriors into two broods of three, would that be any good?

Thanks for all input

-Crawler

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

PistolWraithCaine — GMT

The second tyrant is really useful, give him two TL Devs and he gets 12 shots! Walk him with tyrant guard and you've got an unkillable MC walking around shooting the crap out of your opponent.

The problem with the broodlord is that your opponent is going to shoot the crap out of him because he is the closest to your opponent. He isn't hard to take out with shooting and will likely be brought down. By himself he really can't take anything out and if he gets in combat will probably die to hidden powerfist.

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

barreldragon — GMT

HiveCrawler wrote:
--------------------------------------------------------------
1500 Points Tyranid Army List
---------------------------------------------------------------

----
HQ:
----

Winged Hive Tyrant
Symbiotes: Quadrupled scything talons
Biomorphs: Winged, Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands(WS)
Hive Powers: The Horror, Synapse Creature
Points: 147

Broodlord
Symbiotes: Rending Claws and Schything Talons
Biomorphs: Toxin Sacs
6x Genestealer Retinue
Symbiotes: Rending Claws
Biomorphs: Extended Carapace, Feeder Tendrils

Points: 206

-------------
Fast Attack:
-------------

6x Winged Warriors
Symbiotes: Rending Claws and Scything Talons
Biomorphs: Winged, Toxin Sacs, Adrenaline Glands(I)
Points: 264

2x Raveners
Symbiotes: Rending Claws and Scything Talons
Points: 80

15x Gargoyles
Symbiotes: Fleshborers
Biomorphs: Winged, Bio-Plasma
Points: 180

--------
Troops:
--------

16x Hormagaunts
Symbiotes: Scything Talons
Points: 160

16x Hormagaunts
Symbiotes: Scything Talons
Points: 160

16x Hormagaunts
Symbiotes: Scything Talons
Points: 160

6x Genestealers
Symbiotes: Rending Claws
Biomorphs: Extended Carapaces, Scuttlers, Feeder Tendrils
Points: 144

-------------------
Total Points: 1501
-------------------

Comments, critisizm and advice vastly appreciated

-Crawler

Ok let’s look at them one at a time (I’m not a very good writer so my sentences tend to run on and say the same thing again)

Hive Tyrant- looks good all I suggest like everyone else add warp field.

BroodLord- not bad toxin sacs isn't bad I just think sense you don't really need it I would get more gaunts, Hgaunts, or gargoyles more models is always good but then again personal choice.
Retinue- Don’t need Feeder tendrills at all they have a WS of 6 so they will almost always hit on a 3+ in combat anyway and if your using it to try to help other units that assault with you it would be cheaper just to give it to your broodlord.

OK so this might be considered a little dirty but with the broodlord if the broodlord and the retinue have the same Sv and you get shot at and 3 or more models die you can take out your broodlord as a casualty (has to be 3 or more because you can only take out whole models) and if you do that you now have a brood of genestealers who is now 12" (for this tactic you should be 12" and not 18") from the enemy that can now fleet again. For this take no biomorphs on the broodlord and have to take the Sv on the genestealers. Again a little dirty of a trick but you can do it.

Warriors- I have no experience with CC ones at all sorry

Raveners- I love my raveners just keep them out of line of sight until you are able to assault witch shouldn’t be too hard. They are delicate but a 12" charge with rending is awesome. (I use them in groups of 3 but 2 shouldn’t be to bad) Best uses are helping the Hgaunts or going after small specialty squads Ex- devastators, havocs Crisis suits, or Bikes. Also not bad at hunting tanks at least for now. Note Raveners have 5 attacks on the charge with RC because they have 3 attacks base plus ST which they didn’t add the +1 next to the attack like every one else. (I didn't know that at first just making sure you do)

Gargoyles- I don't know why everybody here hates them (I don’t use them but that’s just because the models are crap) first turn you should be able to get most if not all behind cover with a 12" + D6 move and second turn come out shoot and assault with 3 attacks 1 bioplasma and 2 regular. Best used against specialty squads or even a skimmer if you want.

Hgaunts- 16 brood squads seems about a good size. You will want to give them toxin sacs it will greatly improve their killing power, in addition to that adrenalin glands both +I, +WS, and Fleash hooks are good too.

Genestealers- I think you have too many biomorphs on them I don't think you should have more then one biomorph per squad to keep the cost low and the # of models up. Again feeder trendrils you don’t need at all with a WS of 6. I like Extended Carapace on mine but scuttlers are good for getting into cover. My suggestion is to drop one and add more models.

Not a bad list but your short on anti-tank and your hive tyrant can only do so much.

Re:Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

HiveCrawler — GMT

Thanks for all the input, I really appreciate it

I've configured the list somewhat, more or less reacting to feedback from different places. This time however, I'll be careful and choose my words more wisely in the opening

What I mainly want is a very fast, swarmy and stabby list. I want to close the gap in the middle of the board and slice through anything on the other side of it. I'm very open to suggestions to change stuff, but within those parameters (or however that's spelled).
I'm not a very competing fellow, and I'm not going to any bigass tournaments. I'll mostly be playing with my local group, wether that'd be casual games or small tournys we make up. I'd like to be able to compete and have a serious go at winning, but not by any means possible...

Hm... I think I've covered the legal bit well enough now, on to the list

--------------------------------------------------------------
1500 Points Tyranid Army List
---------------------------------------------------------------

----
HQ:
----

Winged Hive Tyrant
Symbiotes: Quadrupled scything talons
Biomorphs: Winged, Toxin Sacs, Toxic Miasma
Hive Powers: Warp Field, The Horror, Synapse Creature
Points: 184

Broodlord
Symbiotes: Rending Claws and Schything Talons
Biomorphs: Toxin Sacs
5x Genestealer Retinue
Symbiotes: Rending Claws
Biomorphs: Extended Carapace

Points: 180

-------------
Fast Attack:
-------------

3x Winged Warriors
Symbiotes: Rending Claws and Scything Talons
Biomorphs: Winged, Toxin Sacs, Adrenaline Glands(I)
Points: 132

3x Winged Warriors
Symbiotes: Rending Claws and Scything Talons
Biomorphs: Winged, Toxin Sacs, Adrenaline Glands(I)
Points: 132

16x Gargoyles
Symbiotes: Fleshborers
Biomorphs: Winged, Bio-Plasma
Points: 192

--------
Troops:
--------

14x Hormagaunts
Symbiotes: Scything Talons
Biomorphs: Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands ([I vs MEQ] or [WS vs Misc])
Points: 182

14x Hormagaunts
Symbiotes: Scything Talons
Biomorphs: Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands (I or WS)
Points: 182

14x Hormagaunts
Symbiotes: Scything Talons
Biomorphs: Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands ([I or WS)
Points: 182

6x Genestealers
Symbiotes: Rending Claws
Biomorphs: Extended Carapaces, Scuttlers
Points: 138

-------------------
Total Points: 1504
-------------------

Now, the enemies I'll mostly be facing will be a mix of MEQ's and more squishy stuff; Eldar, Marines, Sisters of Battle, Orks, Guards and Tau primarily.
I expect to play with the normal 1/4 table of terrain, and a lot of the time I might get to place some of it. Cityfighting won't be too rare either.

My tactics would be to deploy the hormagaunts vis a vis the enemy centre, covered by a synapse web from the Flyrant and the two broods of Winged warriors. The Broodlord and his lads will then infiltrate somewhere in between the two forces, so that the main advance will catch up with him on the way across the field, and they will hopefully strike home on the second turn. The other stealer lot will scuttle into/behind some cover, so that they'll be able to keep up with everyone else and hopefully strike at turn 2 as well.
The gargoyles will be sort of a flexible unit for wherever their needed. Either taking out light tanks from the rear, taking out walkers, bio-plasmaing light skimmers or if the opponent allows it, distract him quite a bit. If all that fails, they've got 16 S4 shots, 16 S4 plasma attacks and 32 S3 meele attacks on the charge, which isn't too shabby.

Alright, any and all comments vastly appreciated

-Crawler

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

SandyEqualsDragon — GMT

Where are the Implant Attack andd Flesh Hooks on the melee Tyrant? Several characters will beat you without Implant, or come mathematically close enough that you don't really want to risk it (e.g Jain Zar & Chaos). And you can't really call yourself an assault monster without Flesh Hooks ... Would you charge Terminators in cover without fleshhooks?

Give up with the wings in a competitive tournament. Keep them if youre just kicking the tires with 2nd tier "fun" armies. You might make it if the whole army flies.

HOWEVER winged armies suffer the "Blood Angels Syndrome": They forget that you are not aiming to accept near suicide to get a turn 2 assault, they are aiming for any acceptable casualties assault that masks the fire of his heavy weapons (assaults block shooting line-of-sight). If this comes later, so be it. Don't charge the guns with poor odds, just to get turn 2, if you can get it on a later turn with lesser damage.

Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

winterman — GMT

First, you need to lose 4 points. Being over even 1 point is not acceptable by most and is a bad habit to get into.

Second, agree that the tyrant should have implant attack and flesh hooks. Acid maw is also nice if you face MC heavy armies.

Third, you have no anti-tank to speak of. Some rending doesn't count. Even in a fast assault oriented list you need some gunfexes as anchors.

Fourth, broodlord is not a good addition to a fast assault army. He works decently now with a bunch of scuttling stealers and with feeder tendrils is a nice surprise if you have a horde of spinegaunts. But this kind of list is better served with something else (like the afore mentioned gunfex).

Fifth, leaping warriors with extended carapace are much better then flyers. They still have some speed but don't get ganked by bolter fire or Tau weaponry.

Re-worked list that is more competive but stay's on theme.

Hive Tyrant: scything talonsx2, wings, toxin sacs, implant attack, flesh hooks, toxic miasma, warp field - 200

Warriors: 3x rending/talon, leaping, extended carapace - 105
Warriors: 3x rending/talon, leaping, extended carapace - 105
Warriors: 3x rending/talon, leaping, extended carapace - 105

Hormagaunts: 14x - 140
Hormagaunts: 14x - 140
Hormagaunts: 14x - 140
Hormagaunts: 14x - 140
Hormagaunts: 13x - 130

Zoanthorpes: 2x warp blast, synapse - 130
Gunfex: venom cannon, barbed strangler, chitin, enhanced senses - 163

Personally would go with 2 gunfexes and use scuttling spinegaunts instead of the hormies but this sticks closer to your other lists.

Re:Tyranid 1500 points. Fast Assault Swarm. Advice please :)

t funkadelic — GMT

Here's how you lose some of those extra 4 points. Drop Toxic Miasma, it's 6 points to do the exact same thing as Adrenal Glands for WS, and it costs twice as much. If you just take one, just take the Adrenal Glands, always.