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A Variety Show As I’ve said before, there’s more than one way to skin a Catachan and there’s more than one way to build an effective Tyranid army. Here are a broad (though certainly not exhaustive) range of very different Tyranid army styles. I will discuss what makes each one unique and how to use it on the table. I’ll also cover any notes or changes with the army for the new Codex. To keep things easy to read, I’ll use the following format for each style of army list: Name. The Swarm 615 15x Reaping Warrior WS5 BS2 S5 T4 W2 I5 A2+1
LD10 Sv4+ Leaping, Rending Claws, Synapse. Use the Spinegaunts to swarm over the enemy and glue them in place, then the Warriors concentrate on small groups and wipe them out one at a time. The Zoanthropes provide precious antivehicle firepower while the two individual Raveners (separate Broods) claim objectives or bolster the attack. When the new Codex comes out, this army will get
even better. There will be big boosts to Warriors and also a bit to
Zoanthropes and Raveners. The Wall (also known as Think Big) 197 Hive Tyrant WS6 BS4 S6 T6 W4 I5 A3+2 LD10 Sv2+
Wings, Warp Blast, Implant Attack Basically does what it says on the tin. Line up the TMCs in a wall and put the Genestealers behind them. Genestealers that stick out or show up in gaps between the TMCs will be shot. The Guards are intended as floaters. They will move to whichever TMC has been injured the most to prevent it from being taken out in the next turn. The Red Terror and Flying Tyrant may move with the main wall, or may maintain position but slightly lead it, then leaping into close combat when they are in range. The Venomfexes will snipe at enemy vehicles as they march up. Once the Wall arrives at the front line, all those Genestealers get to eat… With the new Codex, we will lose The Red Terror,
but we will gain the option of lesser point Carnifexes becoming Elite
choices instead of Heavy Support, so we will have the possibility of 6
Carnifexes. Close combat Carnifexes will also become viable again, so
they’ll be able to do much more damage when they get there. On the down
side, Flying Hive Tyrants will no longer be able to take Tyrant Guards.
(In this list, that is solved by taking them as a second HQ choice.) Mutant Ripper Swarm 176 4x Warrior WS4 BS3 S5 T4 W2 I4 A2+1 LD10 Sv4+
Venom Cannons Use the Warriors and Carnifexes to shoot down vehicles and seize objectives. The Rippers will eat anything in their path, just like the fluff says. The Fabulous Orcboy retired his Swarm because it was TOO effective. This is supposedly a large part of the reason that the Mutation rules will be gone in the new Codex. Frankly, it’s also the only way I’ve ever seen Rippers be effective. Even 1 or 2 Rending Rippers in a Swarm would be quite nice. This list will be completely illegal (or at least,
totally ineffective since it won’t get Rending Rippers) come the new
Codex. Stealthy Killers 197 Hive Tyrant WS6 BS4 S6 T6 W4 I5 A3+2 LD10 Sv2+
Wings, Warp Blast, Implant Attack Place the Lictors in the best cover available, even if it is an “obvious” placement. Reveal them in your first turn, but don’t charge them in unless you’ve got a really amazing target. Once revealed, most opponents will fire everything they can at the Lictors to keep them from charging good targets. In Forests, Lictors will have a 3+ Cover save, which means they can absorb a lot of firepower. In the mean time, your Genestealers and Hive Tyrant are moving forward. The Tyrant will hit on turn 2 or so and the Genestealers will follow a turn or two later. You are giving the enemy a Hobson’s choice. Whatever they shoot at, it’s pretty much going to be the wrong answer. Shoot the Lictors? The Hive Tyrant and Genestealers make a mess of your lines. Shoot the Tyrant? Lictors get really good targets and the Genestealers will again make a mess of your lines. Shoot the Genestealers? It’s hard to kill all of them, and then you’ve got a Hive Tyrant and 3 Lictors rampaging through your lines. Shoot the DoubleVenomfex and I laugh at you. This won’t change much in the new codex, except
for one important detail. Instead of Infiltrating, Genestealers will be
able to Fleet! Tag, You’re It!! 185 Hive Tyrant WS5 BS4 S6 T6 W4 I4 A3 LD10 Sv2+
2xVenom Cannon Although you won’t be outshooting Guard or Tau, you will take most armies by surprise with such a high amount of firepower. Use the Gaunts as a buffer between you and the enemy, but try not to block too much line of sight with them. 6 S8 and 7 S10 shots per turn will drop vehicles and lightly armored things very quickly, while Poison Spore mines help thin out enemy troops and add to the general barrage. If you hide your Biovores well and keep your Zoanthropes hidden by only exposing them to targets that they are taking out this turn, you can actually make this into something of a Victory Point Denial army. (Take out more enemy VPs than you give away.) Remember that those big squads of Gaunts aren’t very expensive, but it takes 14 casualties for them to get even half points out of a brood of 26! You will be at your best against vehicle-heavy lists, but you have the firepower to give most lists a run for their money. In the new codex, there won’t be many changes to
this, except that the Biovores and Zoanthropes will be improved a bit.
(So will Spinegaunts, for that matter.) So, there you have it, a smattering of variety to spice up that dish we call Biomass. Swarm them, stomp them, rend them or shoot them, they taste good any way you serve them. If you enjoyed this, email me and let me know |