[Lord Of War]

Between me and my GF we play Sisters, Necrons, Eldar, Space Marines, and Tyranids Well, she plays SMurfs, I play the rest Anywho, here is my shot at a 1k list. I've been tossing around some ideas, and figurd that I would go ahead and get my Nids started

HQ
Hive Tyrant - 196
--Winged
--Extended Carapace
--Toxin Sacs
--Rending Claws
--Venom Cannon

Brood Lord - 90
--Toxin Sacs
--Extended Carapace
-11 Genestealers - 253
--Acid Maw
--Toxin Sacs

Troops
19x Hormagaunt - 216
--Toxin Sacs
19x Hormagaunt - 216
--Toxin Sacs

So what do ya think?

[Tauroc]

Um, OK if you want to spend as little money as possible, but you have no anti-tank (apart from possibly venom cannon, but even that: not really), no anti-massed-infantry, and a very, very low model count. This kinda misses the point of Tyranids, a swarm army. All of your enemies fire will be on the HQ choices, and will take them out very quickly. After that, unless it is Tau, your pitifully few Hormagaunts will probably be beaten in combat, or at least shot to bits between combats.

My advise would be to get the Tyranid starter boxed set and about 2 or 3 boxes of gaunts. This would give you a decent troop base for further army building, and a swarm that would be difficult to beat in only 1000pts (Carnifex can be saved for later and warriors only minorly upgraded as HQ if you end up short of points for troops). from there you could begin to build up heavy support, HQ, fast attack and elites, but only in bigger lists.

~The Reaper

[Lord Of War]

What about getting some warriors in there? They look to be monsters in CC. I was thinking maybe cutting corners to add them.

Thoughts?

[akthomas89]

Originally Posted by Krandacth the Reaper

This kinda misses the point of Tyranids, a swarm army.

Alright, honestly. I hate it when I see this phrase. In the fluff, yes, Tyranids are a swarm. But the fluff also says things like "carnifexes spearhead assaults" which is never the case in the game because of their speed. The fact of the matter is, there is no reason that Tyranids can't form a specialized elite force. By saying "tyranids are a swarm army" you're completely denouncing one of the most viable archetypes of the tyranids - Godzilla armies.

As for the list, I've just a few things to point out. First of all, 12 point hormagaunts. Generally a no-no. Especially with toxic sacs. They're still not going to fare too well in CC with a lack of power weapons or rending. For 12 points you can get a gargoyle that moves faster, doesn't need synapse, and has a S4 Initiative 8 attack, with a S4 Living ammo gun to boot. Hormagaunts are a dish best served plain where casualties mean less and they excel at what they're meant to do - pile in fast and tie up the enemy until the important guys (read: stealers, tyrants, fexes) arrive.

The same thing can be said for genestealers - they are best plain. A lot of people preach the carapace, but clever maneuvering and good timing really make it unnecessary. I would suggest just running genestealers as they normally are - both of the upgrades are relatively redundant anyway. Genestealers shine because of their rending. Rending is not affected by either of the upgrades that you've given them. The upgrades are okay on the broodlord, but I'm always a fan of keeping things cheap.

A technicality with the tyrant - winged creatures can't have extended carapace. However, if you'd like that 2+ save, a hive tyrant can still take warp field. Furthermore, rending claws are probably the worst weapon symbiote on a TMC. You already ignore armor due to the monstrous creature status, and already roll 2d6 against vehicles for the same reason effectively usurping the uses of rending claws. I'd recommend a barbed strangler if you'd like to keep the shooty theme, or 2 sets of Twin Linked Devourers. This would give you 12 shots at S5 rerolling hits and wounds - serious pain in anyones back. Or, you could simply keep him cheaper and kit him out for CC with scything talons and a warp blast for some shooting phase pain.

Some final notes - AT is probably the hardest thing for Tyranids to do effectively. Venom Cannons only glance, Warp Blasts are short ranged, and monstrous melee is even shorter ranged. You'll have to learn to play around tanks one way or the other. Also, I would recommend buying a set of zoanthropes sometime while you collect Tyranids - they are by far my most used unit. The Warp Blasts and Synapse are invaluble. Also, like Chaos Marines, it's easy to go overboard with upgrades on, really, any unit in the army. Unless you have a damned good reason, chances are you should say no to most biomorphs, the exceptions being on bulky HQ units. Even on carnifexes, keep them cheap and effective - 2+ saves, T7, and 5 wounds on everyone may seem nice, but when its said and done you could have another carnifex and a half. Just keep your wits about you when army building!

Good luck!

Edit Warriors? I'd have to say no, but I'm biased. They're worse than stealers in combat and worse than tyrants or carnifexes at shooting. Like the autocannon in the IG army, they're the jack of all trades, but the master of none.

[comanchieflier]

Warriors kick. 2 wounds, no instadeath, synapse, good anti IEQ troops, good at CC.

A little more information and basis for your claims is nice. Also try a bit harder on your grammar. You've been here long enough to know the rules by now man, c'mon. -Alcibiates

[Lord Of War]

Hmm. Heres an update with the given advice from akthomas89

HQ
Hive Tyrant - 136
--Extended Carapace
--Toxin Sacs
--Rending Claws
--Barbed Strangler

Brood Lord - 90
--Toxin Sacs
--Extended Carapace
-11 Genestealers - 220
--Acid Maw
I just can't let go of Acid Maw Getting to reroll missed hits is always a plus.

Troops
20x Spinegaunts - 160
--Spinefist
--Toxin Sacs
--Adrenal Glands

16x Hormagaunts - 192
--Toxin Sacs

10x Genestealers - 200
--Acid Maw

Edie* If I was to add warriors, I would probally give em rending and take out the Genestealers for em. That sound good?

[IAmAngel.]

HQ
Hive Tyrant - 136
--Extended Carapace
--Toxin Sacs
--Rending Claws
--Barbed Strangler

I'd switch Rending Claws for a Venom Cannon.

I just can't let go of Acid Maw Getting to reroll missed hits is always a plus.

Just for clarification, its re-roll failed wounds, not missed hits.

20x Spinegaunts - 160
--Spinefist
--Toxin Sacs
--Adrenal Glands

I tend to keep my Spine Gaunts very cheap with nothing but the Spinefist, but that's just a persoanl preference.

Edie* If I was to add warriors, I would probally give em rending and take out the Genestealers for em. That sound good?

I love Genstealers, but sense your list lacks synapse I think it'd be a good idea to switch them for warriors.

Ben

[citizen_kodo]

I dunno about his lack of Synapse___between the Tyrant, the Broodlord and the Hormas' nice speed, he shouldn't have too much control problems.

But yes, a Venom Cannon on a Tyrant on foot is pretty much a must. 3 Str8 shots hitting on 4+ (3+ with Enhanced Senses, pretty much essential) are very nice, despite mainly only glancing.
Also, TL Devourers tend to be better than a Barbed Strangler on a Tyrant___same Str, but a lot more hits to score hits with.

As for the Hormagaunts, they'd be doing better with both Adrenal Glands than with just Toxin Sacs. These allow them to hit Marines on 3+ at Ini5, allowing them to rack up quite some kills before the SMurfs retaliate, even if they only wound those on 5+.

The Spinegaunts are a tad expensive and they don't have the high number of attacks to lay down the law, unlike Hormas.
Spineys are meant instead to tie down in melee enemy units with a mass of squirming buggy flesh. At 5 pts each, you can take a lot of them. At 7 each instead, you can get them Scuttling, which gives them a 6" headstart, pretty much matching a Horma's speed.

All in all, Genes are better in melee than Warriors. Extended Carapace is very much worth it on them, as one never knows when a Fleet roll comes short, stranding the Genes within Rapid Fire range. Then, your only saving grace will be Extended Carapace, which insures these get at least some saves.
Also, Flesh Hooks are vital for Genes, as striking last in melee Vs prey hiding in cover is no fun at all.

[Lord Of War]

I decided to lose the VC because of the high cost. I like the Barbed Strangler because it is a tomplate weapon and it pins, which seems very useful to me.

I think I'll add both adrenal glands to the hormagaunts. It would be nice to strike first aganist most opponets, especially SMurfs.

The main reason I like the spinegaunts is cheap firepower. They will tie up in CC which is always nice, but adding some strength to em and still have them cheap is always nice me thinks.

As for the warriors I will probally take them. Having double wounds is very nice, and I can make them just as strong as genestealers in CC, for a bit more though. Maybe even make them for shooting, seeing as they can take some ranged weaponry. I like the idea of giving them devourers, thats alot of shots

[citizen_kodo]

If you want shooty Gaunts, stick to plain Termagants___cheaper and their Fleshborers are Str4 and reroll failed wounds!