Fine Brolo, here's more content!
I'm focusing too much on one particular Tyranid build. It's helping me fine tune the list, but I think I'm getting stuck in a rut. In my chats with Brolo and other e-friends we've talked lots of Tyranids. And really, just talking about the potential army styles in this Codex is a ton of fun. So I went back to the drawing board and tried coming up with something different. Ultimately, I feel this will help me out with my "true" list as I can see how other builds play and look at the same units in a different light to get some more perspective. If it works out, I'll try doing this with other armies too. Suck it, comfort zone.
This particular army focuses on the potential Tyranids have to be very sneaky. Manipulating reserves to come in on turn 2 and throw their opponent off balance. It's like Drop Pods, only you aren't dicked by your enemy going into reserves.
HQ
2x Hive Tyrant w/ Bonesword and Lash Whip, Scything Talons, Wings, Paroxysm, Leech Essence, Hive Commander
Elites
2x 2 Zoanthropes in Spore Pods w/ Venom Cannons
Deathleaper
Troops
2x Tervigon w/ Catalyst, Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands, Cluster Spines
2x 10 Termagants
Heavy Support
2x Carnifex w/ dual brainleech devourers, Spore Pod w/ Venom Cannon
Total - 2000
No Trygons you say. Well, you're right. I went for the Devilfexes and Venom Cannon Pods because I find them to be superior platforms for tank suppression. 12 S6 shots is going to at least shake/stun something. After that, 5 S9 MC attacks should do the trick. Zoanthropes go for heavier targets with Deathleaper running interference against hoods. Tervigons can outflank and establish a beach head while normal gaunts can run up on my side and grab objectives. Tyrants Deep Strike or fly on from reserves as needed, depending on my opponent and map set up.
I played this army for the first time on Vassal against a shooty mech SM army (6 Rifleman Dreads, las/plas Razorbacks). Devilfexes, Pods and Zoanthropes performed admirably upon arrival, cracking open or suppressing the Razors and Dreads while Tervigons walked on from the board edges to seize objectives and crap out Termagants to go tie stuff down (Catalyst vs the most whifftastic Assault Marines ever = tied up all game). The Tyrants didn't do much but pop a Razorback, kill 5 marines and suck up a ton of firepower, but Hive Commander was well worth it. If I can get them Catalyst then I'll be in much better shape to weather return fire (would also help if one didn't roll a 1 to come on from reserves).
I'll give it some more thinking and testing before coming back with something else. Let me know what you think.
5 comments:
I feel it's lacking just a little bit in comparison to other peekaboo armies...not sure what. I think you lose points from the Tyrants w/having wings rather than footslogging them across w/HVC, guard & guants.
I'd try and fit in HVC & one Old Adversary on your Tyrants but otherwise think it's alright.
Are we certain Hive Commander works off the board? Then again, we can point to Lictors and Phermone Trail, which is the same +1 to reserves and no caveat about being on the table.
It does feel somehow light...then again, you've got six MCs, a shooty elites set, and a termagant core, which is close to what I usually have (and how I think most of our armies end up).
I suspect the 'light' feeling comes from the fact you're bringing four pods.
Then again, I hadn't really considered the suppresion-fire angle available with all the S6. I might have to give something like this a shot.
@Kirby
I think when you get down to the tradeoff between Trygons and the carnies, it's that the Carnie can put more hurt on vehicles (IF it hits...) whereas the Trygon's speed is 'there' provided it survives turn one.
Throw up some batreps? I've been meaning to play around with 'nid reserves and get out of my usual comfort zone as well. Curious to see how it goes for others.
I had the same feeling Raptor. I've got 6 MCs (10 if you count the Pods), gaunt farms, zappy doom guns, good HtH presence and the grab bag of awesome that is the Deathleaper. But it just feels not enough. I'm not sure what is missing though.
I'm fairly certain Hive Commander will work off board, as it isn't specified the same way Pheremone Trail is for Lictors. However, local tournies run INAT so I may have to go for something else (like the HVC and Tyrant Guard set up).
I don't have any pics sadly and I'm still stuck to just playing Vassal, but the inaugural game went quite well. 1 Tervy came in from each side and proceeded to start farming gaunts out to grab objectives. The Fexes and Zoans dropped in to shut down his Razorbacks (las/plas would be a big problem) and get Dreads if possible. Only 1 flyrant came in, so it zoomed up behind LoS blocking terrain. Gants walked off from my board edge to grab yet another objective.
Combined shooting from Zoans, Fexes and Pods managed to destroy/immobilize/stun a good chunk of his armor and then it was pretty much all downhill from there. With his guns not shooting he wasn't able to effectively fight off the supergants, fexes and Tyrants.
Admittedly it's just 1 game so it doesn't prove much, but I'll keep looking into it. Will post legit batreps if possible.
It's the dude from Transformers in Mr.Deeds!
Acid blood makes a nice combo on the Hive Tyrants ;)
I personally wouldn't take any weapons on the spores. Just keep them cheap and plus BS2 isn't that good, even if it is twin-linked.
The problem I found with Tervigons is they swallow up points like all monstrous creatures. When spawning Termagants average I found is 12 per unit, which isn't huge. I did find larger Termagant units to be better by having more fire power and generally sticking around better.
Nice setup on the Fexes ;)
I think you will struggle with mass anti tank tbh. You have little ranged stuff besides the Zoanthropes, I know you have the v.c's but I wouldn't bank on them.
I love upgraded Tervigons. With furious charge and poison, Termagants are shredding pretty much anything they come into contact with. 10 Gants are surprisingly effective when you consider they'll be wounding everything on a 4+ and will re-roll against T4 and below. These little bastards have torn up BA Assault Squads, Bloodthirsters, and plenty of smaller things too. 195 is not bad at all for a 6 wound scoring MC and the potential for destruction and support.
I had no idea the Spores came with a 6 shot S6 gun, so I may experiment with keeping it off. That would be 80 points saved for something else (HVCs and Tyrant Guard perhaps).
Mech would be a problem for any nid list without Hive Guard, but all the dakka coming from the Fexes, Pods and Zoanthropes should be sufficient to suppress armor long enough for me to get into HtH.
Thanks for all the input guys, I'll be putting up reports as I make em.
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