What units do 'Nid armies NEED?

[Indefragable]

Bug class time! https://youtu.be/DhGaY0L1lLY

 

In the words of my club's resident tournament-level Tyranid player, most of my Tyranid army concepts I have run by him are "reenacting a scene from Starship Troopers, not necessarily playing semi-competitive 40k."  No, no that scene above. More like this one: https://youtu.be/fgq0ecMHfzc?t=13s

 

Things Tyranids do well (in my opinion)

• blobs, and bonuses for blobs (re-roll 1's To Hit for Termagants of 10+ models, etc...)
• Monstrous Creatures. literally living tanks this edition
• Flyers that are not supersonic. Best of both worlds
• Speed: in general, most units can move a bit farther/faster than other armies
• :cuss with psykers.....if you're up close

 

Things Tyranids do not do well (in my opinion)

• Long range AT firepower
• Anti-vehicle outside of melee
• Mobile shooting
• Named characters that change offer something truly unique (the Swarmlord is a beast, but compare what he does to the army to someone like Azrael or Astorath or Colonel Straken)

 

 

I'm a bit rusty on the bugs myself, but the only unit beyond Synapse creatures (duh) I can think of being must-haves would be:

 

Venomthropes: aka the farting Darkshroud to anyone on here still transitioning from an Imperium-only mindset. Making surrounding friendly bugs -1 To Hit harder is massive.

 

Anyone care to elaborate and dig into some of the more crucial Tyranid units? Point out which ones that are generally so useful you have to at least consider them and perhaps units that have a killer reputation....but tend to fall short?

 

 

[Redtoof]

Not sure there are any must haves, but the Trygon seems very good for both the damage it can do and in bringing some chums to play. Combined with some fast stuff like crones getting a first turn charge and maybe some cult ambushing hybrids, you could really pile on the early game pressure.

[Xenith]

Swarmlord is pretty powerful, and gets T1 charges for units. Needs Tyrant guard though.

 

Gaunt bonuses are for 20+ models

 

Old one eye is ace, hits on a 2+ in combat, generates bonus attacks.

 

The haruspex is also pretty powerful and I expect will have games where is massacres everything and keeps regenerating.

 

Zoanthropes are essentially unkillable without dedicating massive amounts of firepower to them.

[Cryptix]

If I had to put together a list of models to buy after Tyranid Swarm and SC! Tyranids, I'd say

- Box of Venomthropes, for protection

- 1 Box of Warriors, to convert into Tyranid Primes

- 2 More Carnifex kits

I think you only need another fast attack and 2 More elites after that for a Brigade, so they can get a Ravener set and maybe 2 Lictors.

[Xenith]

So what did your Tyranid tournament player say would be necessary in 8th?

[House Taranis]

The winged hive tyrant with twin linked devourers was the only viable tournament flyrant in 7th, although I dint know how good it is now.

 

With blast weapons effectively gone, surrounding a high value unit with cannon fodder, i.e. Carnifex surrounded by Hormagaunts, Flyrant surrounded by gargoyles, can make the clump a lot more of a threat

[Xenith]

The thing is that they can just shoot your tyrant or carnifex through the small ones now.

 

Surround a Venomthrope with little critters for sure

[Dont-Be-Haten]

I think a Malanthrope might be a must have for his points. Yet to field test, but for how many points he is he is a steal.

 

The units I have put in every list so far are: 30-50+ termagaunts backed by a tervigon, the Dimacheron, and 20 gargoyles to absorb overwatch or capture objectives as needed. I've also been playing with a dakkafex but he keeps getting killed turn 1. And definitely 2 Mawlocs.

[Xenith]

Aggree on the malanthrope. Under 100pts I think, and untargetable with 9 wounds and being a character. Also that -1 to hit all your big bugs makes them 1/6th tougher, and provides synapse.

 

The prey adaptation rule makes it all the sweeter, but you have to get close to exploit it.

[Crazy Jay]

Has anyone tried the Dimachaeron from FW? I was thinking of making that my next purchase. I've put the start collecting set together and I'm about half way through the swarm box set.

[Dont-Be-Haten]

The units I have put in every list so far are: 30-50+ termagaunts backed by a tervigon, the Dimacheron, and 20 gargoyles to absorb overwatch or capture objectives as needed.

It is really good. Just watch out for titanic feet.

Edited August 20, 2017 by Dont-Be-Haten

[Xenith]

Has anyone tried the Dimachaeron from FW? I was thinking of making that my next purchase. I've put the start collecting set together and I'm about half way through the swarm box set.

I'd consider some ranged support first, hive guard, biovores or an exocrine.

 

Then maybe a trygon to get all those hormies into combat, or a tervigon to buff the gaunts.

[Crazy Jay]

 

Has anyone tried the Dimachaeron from FW? I was thinking of making that my next purchase. I've put the start collecting set together and I'm about half way through the swarm box set.

I'd consider some ranged support first, hive guard, biovores or an exocrine.

 

Then maybe a trygon to get all those hormies into combat, or a tervigon to buff the gaunts.

That's good advice

[Dont-Be-Haten]

It all depends on what you're after. Biovores have been hit and miss for me. Maybe this is partly due to their damage output, and the speed of the armies I have played against that have made the spores less appealing.

 

Here here, on the Exocrine though. It's very good imo. I've posted up a couple lists I have had success with so far.

 

I'm not sure if it is my opponent's inability to adapt to the new edition, or what, but I have tabled two of his lists one on turn 3 and one on turn 5. In the last two weeks we've played. I'm looking to branch out and play a couple IG/Sally lists this upcoming week to see if there is a notable difference.

[Xenith]

It all depends on what you're after. Biovores have been hit and miss for me.

 

But even when they miss, you get a free mine.

 

It's actually better to keep them moving for the BS penalty so you get free mines to make your opponent's turn harder, I think.

[Redtoof]

Spore mines are trivially easy to kill, especially now a unit can just split off one bolter to deal with it. There are obviously situations where that spore mine in the right place really screws up your opponent's movement phase, but I think most of the time the mortal wound/s is more valuable.