Tyranid Tactics: Winning the Maelstrom

Hello everyone! Jifel here to talk about one of the most maligned armies currently in the game, my beloved Tyranids. Tyranids are often seen as one of the worst codexes in the game, and competitively are often built around their best unit, the Flying Hive Tyrant. Now any competitive Nid list these days is going to include several Flyrants, and for this article I'll assume you're running several, but as good as they are, they're not without weaknesses. While Tyranid flying circus used to be considered a top tier build, it often suffers in Maelstrom missions. Flyrants draw much of their durability from being in the sky, and therefore can't claim objectives. in the mid-game turns. While it's a common tactic to land turn 5+ for an eternal war victory, this isn't a viable tactic in ITC missions, thanks to the Maelstrom component. What is a Tyranid player to do when up to 1200 points of their army is useless in half of each ITC mission?

In order for Tyranids to be competitive at a GT level, they need to have Flyrants. Honestly there's no way around that in the current codex. The "standard" build at 1850 involves 5 of them, with Rippers and Mucolids as troops. It's crucial that the remaining points are spent on units that can help a Tyranid player win Maelstrom missions. We all remember the "LictorShame" list that won several GTs a year or two back, that relied on using Lictors to claim and contest objectives through MSU (Multiple Small Unit) tactics just by overloading their opponent with too many targets to shoot while Flyrants ruled the skies overhead. While Lictors are amazing, they're not the only units that can be used to win you Maelstrom Missions. Today I'm going to break down some tactics that I have found to be very effective in Maelstrom missions.

Step 1: Pick your battles

Most of the ITC Maelstrom missions include both objective control and killing units in the table. With the mobility and firepower of Flyrants, its not very hard to achieve the "kill a unit" when you need to. But, Tyranid Flyrant lists often struggle to control objectives. At the beginning of the game, I recommend looking at both of the missions and seeing if you can realistically win the Eternal War mission. For example, if I'm playing Purge the Alien against Battle Company, or Big Guns against Necrons, I am fairly confident I can take the Eternal War component of the mission. Only then do I decide how aggressive I am going to be in Maelstrom missions. If I'm not confident, I may concede Maelstrom and instead go all out for Eternal War while protecting my warlord, aiming for first blood, and trying to win on the tertiary points. Don't waste effort on a Maelstrom objective you can't win or are hopelessly behind in! For example, there's no easy way to beat a White Scars Razorback Battle Company in mission 3 Maelstrom, where every point is about board control and objectives.

Step 2: Take risks

If you think that Maelstrom is a winnable mission, then it's important to take risks to secure it. My strategy for Maelstrom missions is to limit my opponents points early on instead of trying to keep up with them. This means that I use no-scatter Lictors to contest objectives, or focus my Flyrants firepower on controlling units to deny my enemy points. These are called risks for a reason, as your opponent can then roll the "kill a unit" while your lictor is sitting in his backfield. The way I see it though, its a good trade off to guarantee him losing a point at the risk of him getting it back later. Another uncommon tactic that I have found to be extremely effective is to land my FMCs early. Not my Flyrants that is, but Crones! Crones are sometimes overlooked, but are very durable in the air and also mobile enough to reach almost any objective. When I have a Maelstrom objective that I need, I almost always will land one of my two Crones on it, and force my opponent to choose what to shoot at. A landed, non threatening FMC, or a Flyrant in their face? This often pays off in earning me a point, and then the next turn that Crone simply flies off to spread more mayhem. By limiting my opponents points and selectively taking a few objectives a turn, I am able to keep the maelstrom mission close in almost all of my games, and by turns 4-5 my Flyrants have usually done enough damage that I can start landing with all of my Flyers and edge out a close victory in the Maelstrom. I'm also very aggressive in going for the three-point options in the maelstrom, often leaving a few easy kill points exposed so that I can get them when needed. It's an excellent way to turn the tide!

Step 3: Bring the right units

Ok, this really should be step 1 since you (should) write your list before the game starts, but its my third topic. Everyone already knows that Lictors are great units for Maelstrom missions, with their no-scatter deep strike and good cover saves for durability. But there are several other units that I have found to be golden. Rippers, our most common troop, are excellent for grabbing objectives in "no mans land" away from enemy forces. Always put objectives near terrain to protect them! Mucolids are your other common troop, and although they aren't scoring, when grouped up they provide excellent deterrence to the enemy. Crones and mawlocs are both excellent in maelstroms as they have  ignores cover, are tough, mobile, and not shabby in close combat against non-assault units. Finally, I like to have two units in my backfield. One is a venomthrope or malanthrope to protect against alpha strikes, and the other is... a fortification? No its not fluffy, but a Bastion or Void Shield Generator provides excellent defense while your fliers are on the ground, as well as being a very tough unit that can be placed on an objective. Now we all have read the GW faq, but even if you're playing by it, I think a Void Shield provides vital defense for a Flyrant based army on turn 1.

Step 4: Bringing it all together

I won't try to tell you that Tyranids are a secret powerhouse army that can roll through the meta without breaking a sweat. Nids require subtlety, planning, risks, and a bit of luck to use effectively. But I have found that they can be used effectively, and can go toe-to-toe with some of the best armies in the game. All of the above tips and tricks have helped me win maelstrom missions against battle companies, Riptide Wings, Decurions, and worse. Hopefully it can do the same for you!

Thoughts? Feedback? Questions? Are Nids as bad as the internet claims? Let me know how you've been using Tyranids!

Codex Tyranids Review Part V

Fast attack has to me, always felt a bit overlooked. I admit I was guilty of this myself, as I almost always left the FA slots unused. Last edition however was almost exclusively limited to Gargoyles thanks to some overpriced, fragile units. However, they should not be overlooked now, as there are some improved units in here.

Fast Attack Choices: Here comes a unit-by-unit review of the Fast Attack choices, and how worthy each unit and upgrade is, plus how to best use each unit in your Tyranid army.

Tyranid Shrike Brood: These flying Warriors are identical to before, with a points drop. They are still vulnerable to Instant Death, and also have a Guardsmen save, but multiple wounds and their speed means they are pretty tough in cover. 

     Options: 

        Flesh Hooks: At a bit less than 5 points, you get frag grenades and 2 strength 4 shots, at 6". This isn't bad but Devourers are better. Cheap is the new black with Nids, so pick carefully, but Flesh hooks are good for killing that powerfist first. (6/10)

        Toxin Sacks: Standard poison, always good. These don't do THAT much but they aren't too costly. If you want to kill stuff up close these are good, and Shrikes are meant to assault units.  (6/10)

        Adrenal Glands: Better than Toxin for the added fleet, but pricier. You should be able to get close enough with their jump move that this isn't a must.  (5/10)

        Spinefists: 3 TL shots strength 3, or Devourers? I'm inclined to go Devourers for superior range even if you miss out on ap 5 (Ha.) They aren't bad, but 12" is too short. (3/10)

        Deathspitters: +1 strength, Ap 5. This will increase your killing power by a lot, which is always a good thing. But, Shrikes are served well by an extra CC attack.  (6/10)

        Scything Talons: Exchange 3 strength 4 shots for an extra attack, this isn't bad,  but there are better options.(5/10)

        Rending Claws: If one must go CC, this is how. Cheap, and can kill 2+ saves. This is pretty good if you do go with Shrikes. (7/10)

        Lashwhip and Bonesword: This is super pricey for Ap. 3, honestly it just raises the points on a fragile platform by too much. (5/10)

        Boneswords: Like above, but slightly cheaper, and now slower. Not bad, but gets pricey. (4/10)

        Barbed Strangler: A cheap large blast? Why not? But, consider that your shrikes will now no longer be running. Not needed for a CC squad, but only missing one attack if you take it. (6/10)

        Venom Cannon: I wish this was better, but at strength 6 small blast it can't quite kill vehicles or infantry... take the Strangler if you want a gun on Shrikes. (4/10)  

Overall: If you lack forward synapse, these guys can be a good cheap assault and support unit. Unfortunately they are very fragile, so be prepared to take an indirect route to assault where they jump from cover to cover. But, remember that options don't have to be the same for each model and you can hide some real killing power in there!  (5/10)

Example: 3 Shrikes, Rending Claws 105

               5 Shrikes, Toxin Sacks, Flesh hooks, Scything Talons, One set of Lashwhip and Bonesword 205

Ravener Brood: These snakey guys are very similar to Shrikes statistically. Trade synapse and wings for the Beast type, which includes fleet. These guys are hard to take because of how similar they are to Shrikes. Their main selling point is in +1 initiative and the ability to move through terrain without any consequence to movement. 

     Options: 

        Rending Claws: No loss in attacks, but now rending. Raveners are essentially a pure CC unit, so this is an essentially mandatory upgrade that lets them threaten any unit and isn't very costly. (8/10) 

        Spinefists: At very cheap, you get a 3 shot TL gun. This is less than a gant, but won't likely be used as Raveners should be running or assaulting almost every turn. However if you have spare points, this isn't bad for lots of extra shots. (6/10)

        Devourers: The damage here is almost identical to Spinefists, but costlier for extra range. However, I wouldn't make the investment. (4/10)

        Deathspitter: The most powerful gun available is potentially quite deadly, but because you want to run or assault, I feel 10 is too many points to invest in a gun you may or may not use. (3/10)

        The Red Terror: This guy finally got put back in the book, and is a very interesting character indeed! 6 attacks on the charge at WS 6, but no rending. However, if 4 hit (average on what is often a 3+) then you simply can remove an adjacent model who isn't Very Bulky or Extremely Bulky. This is great for nuking that Terminator armor character, but they do get one Invulnerable save to survive. However, he's very costly, almost the same as 3 Raveners. Since many current "good" armies don't have strong melee characters I don't think he's a must have, but he gets bonus points for the fear factor (NO ONE will want to challenge this guy, just in case their super special model gets completely removed.) and for how cool his rules are. (6/10)

Overall: Raveners are tricky because they're similar to Shrikes with no Synapse. If you take them, they have one role. Barrel towards your opponent, ignoring terrain, and multi-assault and kill a ton of units if they aren't dealt with. But, make sure there are some other units available to get in the way, as they will be a top priority for any general. These need a list based around them, as on there own can be shot to pieces. (7/10)

Example: 9 Raveners, Rending Claws 315

Sky Slasher Brood: If you happen to like the Forge World models for Flying Rippers, then I advise you to look at pictures and not buy them. I hate to be pessimistic, but this unit is just that bad. 

     Options:

        Spinefists: Ok these aren't that bad I guess. A lot of shots, but not accurate and strength 3. Even twin-linked they'll miss a lot at BS 2. (4/10)

        Toxin: Yeah, poison. Lots of attacks, but making a t3 multi-wound model pricier isn't good. (4/10) 

        Adrenal Glands: Fleet is pretty useful here, as at least they can make CC, seeing as they can do nothing else. No shooting, no scoring, they're a distraction. (4/10) 

Overall: Ugh. These are point-for-wound equal to Gargoyles, but with ID, less attacks on the charge, lower WS/BS/I and no gun base. They're a fast tarpit, but all the units you'd want to tarpit would be even worse off against gargoyles. This is sadly a case of a unit priced the same as a unit in the same slot that does everything better. However, if you have the models, then try them as a cheap tarpit hugging cover until you surprise a Long Fang unit or such. But, MCs will ID these guys, so watch put for that... ( 2/10) 

Example: 5 Sky-Slashers 90

Gargoyle Brood: I loved these fellows in 5th edition but never squeezed them into my lists in 6th... this was however more a product of my design than the unit. A great unit before, they had blinding venom changed to a single poison 6+ attack with blind, and had their upgrades increase in cost. 

     Options: 

        Adrenal Glands: Fleet makes these guys scary-fast on the assault. This has merits if you want to hit a unit in the face turn 2, and strength 4 will make vehicles run for the hills. (7/10)

        Toxin Sacks: Poison makes these a fast unit that can hurt anything, but remember their role. If you want that role to be MC hunting, here's your stop. (5/10)

Overall: The most important trick to using these guys is to give them a single role. If it's as a screen for cover, don't make them too pricey. But if you want a fast cheap assault wave, try giving them one or the other upgrade (I think both is too much). They can hunt MCs or Vehicles, and are an amazing screening/tarpit due to their size and speed. Remember that EACH model has a blinding attack, so if you hit with 10 attacks, then your opponent must take 10 blinding checks! He won't break out of that combat any time soon... I think the goal here is to get a cheap fast wave of lots of bodies... the more models in the unit, the better!  (7/10)

Example: 30 gargoyles, 180

               30 gargoyles, Adrenal Glands 240

Harpy: This guy is the old 5th edition FMC who was overlooked first for lack of model, and now for the unit he shares a kit with. How deserving is the "little brother" of the Tyranid Flying Monstrous Creatures? He comes stock with a Twin-linked stranglethorn cannon, and may drop Spore Mines as he flies over units. Also, he halves the initiative of any unit he charges, so watch out for any multi-charge opportunities.

     Options: 

        Twin-Linked Heavy Venom Cannon: For the price of one gant, go to a Strength 9 blast? Sounds great! But, remember what role you want the Harpy to have... The Cannon means he has little ranged anti-infantry and isn't great vs Vehicles... if you want to go this route, have a plan (Biovores) for enemy infantry at range. (6/10)

        Stinger Salvo: Adding 4 strength 5 shots for a few points is not bad at all, and can help glance a vehicle or kill those last few wounds. This is hardly a must-have, but if you have the points, why not? (6/10)

        Cluster Spines: Adding a Strength 5 Large Blast? I like it! This combos very well with the Stranglethorn, because two blasts are better than one! (7/10)

Overall: Just have a plan for this guy. Either a Venom Cannon for hull point reduction at range, or go double large blast to murder infantry. Yes, he's a fragile cannon, so always touch area terrain and try to present bigger targets to your opponent, but he is actually a very useful unit. (6/10)

Example:  Harpy, Cluster Spines 150

                Harpy, Heavy Venom Cannon 140

Hive Crone: This guy has been a very controversial unit since he came out... his damage output is potentially brutal, with a strength 8 Vector Strike, 4 Haywire missiles and a Strength 6 flame template. However, he is also a very fragile unit.. He's much better vs vehicles than a Harpy, but a template and Vector Strike could requite getting close. Those haywire missiles make him a great anti-flyer unit however. 

     Options: 

        Stinger Salvo: Adding an extra gun to a model who already has way more than it can fire feels like a waste of points to me. (3/10)

        Cluster Spines: Same as above, the Crone has plenty of guns as it is. (3/10)

Overall: He is a beast with damage output, and can kill a lot of units, but just like the Harpy can get gunned down by a determined opponent. Again, cover hopping is crucial for survival, as well as target saturation. Take multiple, or none, in decent sized games. (7/10)

Example: Hive Crone 155

Spore Mine Cluster: For minimal points, drop three models near your opponent for some fun mind games! At half the cost of before, Spores are no longer random, and instead can move at half-speed anywhere they want. A fun unit to be sure.

Overall: Don't expect anything wild, but an opponent can easily panic and shoot them after they Deep Strike in, and waste a whole units shooting. If you have the points, they're a fun distraction. I wouldn't recommend adding models, as once the unit is targeted, it will die thanks to Toughness 1. (5/10)

Example: 3 Spore Mines 15

Fast Attack Overall: I think that most Tyranid lists will have either an empty Fast Attack slot, or will fill all three. Many of the units here rely on target saturation due to their fragility. However, many of the units have terrific speed and potential damage dealing. Crones in multiples are a terrifying thought for almost every army in the game, and with 9 Raveners added in for flavor will worry even the most seasoned Tau player. Either build a list designed to close with the enemy, or a much tougher list that lacks in speed. But, Fast Attack is a bad place to be caught in the middle of the fence. If you decide to just add one unit in "to fill points" it will be isolated and torn apart. Have a plan for the Fast Attack slot, either to attack en mass or to sit on the shelf. Used properly, and this is a very promising slot. 

Hope is a good thing

Here comes a little piece about the Tyranid Codex, and everyone's perception of it. Two weeks ago, the majority of us picked up our copy for the first time, and every rumor we had heard became a fact, or became false. And then came the crying. Actually that started a few days earlier, but many people insisted that we should wait until we held it. And when we picked up the book, there was a collective sigh. I like going on the various 40k forums, but I don't like all of the negativity that seems to be pervasive over the Internet. However, among all that negativity, there is something much, much more productive. Hope.

In all of the forums and sub-forums, there are topics springing up on Tyranids. They're a popular army, who just got a release, so this is natural. But there are more than usual as people try to figure out exactly how they're going to win with this codex. And mark my words, they will find a way. No codex this edition has fallen completely flat, without a single build a player can win with. Even Dark Angels can put a bike-army together that will do well against most armies. 

What do I think of this codex? I would compare it the most to Daemons. This book has changed the army fundamentally, because the 6th edition rules took the army well away from where it was supposed to be. Do you remember how bad Daemons were when they came out? No one knew what they were doing, and a lot of games were lost because people saw Flesh hounds as the only good unit in the book. However, the Tyranid book is far less random than Daemons. There will be no good roll to make a unit virtually unkillable, and there will be no single roll that causes half of the army to disappear. The most important part of all that? The army has changed fundamentally. There are new ways to play the army now that must be addressed, because many players are living in the past. And if you dare to hope that the book can be good, try not to be discouraged by those vocal members who dislike the book.

Like Daemons, the army must now be played differently. Units that got worse may still not be bad. Units that didn't change at all may have gotten better. A realistic and objective point of view is the best thing that you can take into list-building with Tyranids. Again, look at Daemons. Pink Horrors were initially considered to have gotten worse from the last codex, and are still the most commonly seen troops choice. Tyranids play differently. The Tyranid army was not designed to be focused on Monstrous creatures spamming Psychic powers, that was a result of the edition switch. Look at how the army plays now! Instinctive Behavior is crippling, so Synapse is important. Units are cheaper, so there are more, so more synapse is needed. Units are just as tough (minus Biomancy) but in greater numbers, you can ensure that some reach your opponent.

The Tyranid codex is now designed to revolve around Synapse, and those units that can give it. The synapse units and our Monstrous creatures have been broken into separate units now, instead of the Tervigon, which was a crutch. Now we have MCs that will be tough by their own merits, or cheap enough to bring multiples. Tyranids will not have the highest toughness MC on the board, nor the best save. But, they can easily have the most Monstrous Creatures, and that can be even better. 

Let's look at the Warrior for a second. They suck. Last edition they were bad, and now they haven't changed, so that's an easy answer, right? 

Wrong.

Tyranid Warriors are a T4 multi-wound unit. Getting an equal wound total in Space Marine scouts is more expensive, isn't fearless and doesn't buff the army... Warriors have Synapse, which is all-important with Tervigons no longer being the master of backfield support. They get killed by Strength 8? Who really has strength 8 now? Your usual Tau army has Fusion blasters, 12" range that shouldn't get near you, and the Riptides blast weapon. If your opponent can afford to shoot your Warriors, put a Monstrous Creature in his face. Even then, he can scatter, roll a 1 to wound, or if you have cover then it gets a lot trickier for him to kill that unit. Plus, 3 models are easily hid out of Line of Sight. 

The Tyranid army is not exclusively bad units. Do we have duds like rippers? Yeah. But there are also units like Howling Banshees, and yet Eldar are a great army. This army is not perfect, and the book feels rushed. The Eldar book also bothers me as rushed, and again it is a very competitive army. The book is many things beyond the competitive level of its army, so judge the quality of the army separately from the low-quality book. 

Now, look at some "bad" units in a vacuum. The Tervigon is nerfed, and yet still good in my mind. It's role has changed, from an attack dog to a guard dog. In terrain it is a pain to kill, and can reliably grant an 18" bubble of synapse, which is HUGE for the army. It is just as good at scoring as before, and now supports a wider variety of units, so use it for that instead of bull-rushing your opponent. 

As I wrap this up, I'll provide a quick list that to me feels viable, so you have an example. There are plenty of little tricks (like Venomthropes) that I'm sure are common knowledge. So, we must adapt for this. No forge world, no double Force Organization, no Dataslates, here's an 1850 list. Tyranids play differently, but this list has some common units to before to make an easy transition. However, they are used differently because of the army. Tervigons are now a backfield unit that can control the army and score. With lots of wounds and good cover saves many armies will struggle to prevent this army from controlling the middle of the field, as well as the Tyranid half of the board. Control the majority of the board and you can control the majority of the objectives. 

Flyrant, Devourers

Flyrant, Devourers, Hive Commander

30 gants

30 gants, 25 Devourers

Tervigon

Tervigon

Venomthrope

Venomthrope

Zoanthrope

Exocrine

Tyrannofex

2 Biovores

Bastion

So, try to look on the  bright side and acknowledge that the army has changed. Also, acknowledge that it takes time to change. You won't whip out your 5th edition list, add one new unit and go win a tournament. I've seen plenty of Battle Reports where a player takes his new army and plays it like his old one. Then, they get discouraged and talk about how bad the army is when they lose. There are many ways I can talk about how this codex has improved. The new powers, Flyrants, Biovores, Venomthropes, Dataslates, Fortifications, Tyrannofex, Carnifex, Exocrines, synergy, and much more. But I'm only one person, and I want to see what the community can do if it takes an honest, unbiased, new, fresh, and clean look at the new book without mourning the old, so I want to see your thoughts. If at first you don't succeed, try again. But don't just try the same, thing, adapt. It's what we do. 

Codex Tyranid Review Part II

Alright, here comes part two of my review of the new Tyranid codex. My goal is to focus on the present, and the competitive level of this book. However disappointing it may be comparing units to last edition, or units that are gone now, this has no impact on the current book's ability to win.

Part II:

HQ Choices:  Here comes a unit-by-unit review of the HQ choices, and how worthy each unit and upgrade is, plus how to best use each unit in your Tyranid army.

Hive Tyrant: This guy is the classic leader of the swarm, the Hive Mind's overseer of victory. Last edition he was pricey but a necessity to take, especially with Wings and Devourers. As a base model, he has lost 5 points and gained +1 BS, plus is now a Mastery Level 2 Psyker. This is a definite boost over the last edition!
     Options: 
        Prehensile pincer tail: May make a single extra attack at Strength 6 AP 5, which does not benefit from any upgrades or rules. This isn't really needed as an upgrade. Sure, extra hits are great, but a poor AP means I am not impressed, so it's probably not worth ten points. But, it's cheap. (4/10)
        Wings: Becomes a Flying Monstrous creature. This was a good upgrade before, now it is amazing because it is the cost of a Rhino, which is significantly cheaper. This is almost required on Tyrants, as it is far cheaper than before. (9/10)
        Indescribable Horror: Fear tests are on 3d6, take the 2 highest. No, sorry no. It's cheap, but does nothing as Tyrants are WS 8, so he'll almost always hit on 3s anyways. There are very few units this can help you against. Fear is bad, spending points on it is worse. Only use if specifically tailoring against an opponent bringing Chaos Space Marine Terminators. (2/10)
        Old Adversary: Rerolls ones to hit/wound in Close Combat: This isn't bad if you're building a Close Combat Tyrant or want to be prepared for Close Combat actually. It's the cost of a Grey Hunter, so pretty reasonable if you have the points, but not a must have. If you are gearing a Tyrant towards CC, this is a good idea. (5/10)
        Hive Commander: You may outflank one troops choice. The most expensive Tyrant ability, and the most tactical. It's not a bad bet if you'd like to throw a Tervigon into outflanking, which it is actually better at this edition than last... more on that later. It also stacks if you buy it on two Tyrants. This is a very valid choice because our troops are not as good as before, and positioning them is now more important. Try 30 gants outflanking into synapse range from a Flyrant, or a Tervigon popping out to claim a backfield objective.  (7/10) 
       Twin Linked Deathspitter: 3 Strength 5 shots. It's certainly not bad since it's about the cost of a gant. It's weakness is that it simply isn't as good as the other guns, despite it's low cost. (4/10)
        Twin-linked Devourer with Brainleech Worms: Same gun we remember, without the leadership penalty. No big loss honestly, as it is now on a better platform. This will and should be your weapon of choice, as it can light up infantry of your choice or light vehicles and Flyers. (8/10)
        Heavy Venom Cannon: A strength 9 small blast, AP 4. This isn't a bad choice for a walking Tyrant as it can damage vehicles well from range, or at least take of Hullpoints. But, it's a waste on Flyrants as it can't target flyers. If you want to walk this is a decent choice. (6/10)
        Stranglethorn Cannon: Strength 6 AP 5 Large Blast pinning. This is a decent anti-infantry, but we have better blast weapons for this role. Walking Tyrants are too pricey to be wasted on this weapon, and Flyrants shouldn't have blasts. (4/10)
        Electroshock grubs: A strength 5 haywire template: For 10 points, not too bad at all. Sadly, Thorax swarms lost their rule to shoot in addition to the other two weapons. Still, this is a good way to remove hullpoints on tough vehicles. Because it can't be used on flyers though, it's not a must take. (6/10)
        Desiccator Larvae: Fleshbane template: Good anti-infantry, but its usually not worth missing out on a Devourer shot to use it. (4/10)
        Shreddershard Beetles: Rending, shred Strength 3 template. Good for taking out 2/3+ armor saves and the Flyrant has the mobility to use it. If using a melee Tyrant, try tacking this on. (6/10)

Overall: (8/10) Tyrants are a great unit, but will usually follow a pattern. Wings and two Devourers will be the best combo to keep it cheap. Adrenal Glands are useful as well, but none of the Bioartifacts will be very effective here. Regeneration I would avoid, as the Tyrant has 4 wounds only.
Example: Tyrant, Wings, 2x Devourers with Brainleech Worms: 230
               Tyrant, Wings, LW/BS, Adrenal Glands, Old Adversary, Shreddershard Beetles: 260

The Swarmlord: He is the same as last edition statwise, but +1 BS. Seeing as how he has no shooting attacks, this hardly is a buff. In the last book he was considered a good beat-stick who was just a little slow. Since then he lost his ability to make opponents re-roll invulnerables, and added 5 points, plus went to Mastery Level 3. The loss of Biomancy hurts him the most. He is simply too expensive, at the same speed with less durability thanks to powers, less killing power, and less biomancy access, not to mention that he is even more expensive, if only slightly. He also has the locked 18" Warlord trait, which he had before, but now no longer gets a warlord trait in addition. Also, changes to Lashwhips means he no longer benefits from other models holding them, so another debuff.
Overall: Swarmy shouldn't be taken except in fun games. He's just not useful against way too many armies. (4/10)

Tyrant Guard Brood: This unit of guards used to be taken as a single man unit in case their Tyrant rolled Iron Arm, but now this is no longer the case. They are, quite simply, ablative wounds for Tyrants. If you happen to run a walking Tyrant, you should certainly take a unit of these guys. They are statistically the same as before once you include their CC weapon bonus, from Rending Claws and Scything Talons.
     Options:
        Crushing Claws: Gives +1 Strength, Armorbane and Ap. 2 unwieldy: These will certainly murder anything they latch on to, but are slow. (5/10) 
        Lash Whip and Bonesword: Gives them a high initiative and they will kill things.Price is an issue, and they are tough enough to not be too concerned with initiative, but this will increase killing power dramatically. (4/10)
        Toxin Sacks: At 3ppm, these are a cheap way to boost the killing power of your guard, especially with Rending Claws. (7/10)
        Adrenal Glands: Again not too expensive, and the fleet bonus is massive if your Tyrant has it as well. In this case, it is very worth the points, and I would call it their best upgrade. These guys are a deathstar, to barrel into enemy lines. (8/10)
Overall: Tyrant guard themselves aren't the issue. They're not too costly, but they just aren't useful due to how bad walking Tyrants are. with only a 3+ armor save, Tyrants are best off flying, which leaves no place for the guard. If you decide to take a walking Tyrant, these are a must however. (5/10)
Example: 3 guard, Adrenal Glands

Old One Eye: The big bad Carnifex himself! He's a badass in Close combat, no questions asked, but is a solo carnifex going to make it? For every hit roll, he generates another attack, but is only WS 3... too low for a 220 point special character, I mean really? He regenerates, has a tail weapon that is one strength 4 rending hit... woo. The killer is that he isn't Synapse. The whole focus of this codex is Synapse or auto-lose, and any HQ slot that could be synapse and isn't is a waste of a slot.
Overall: Too price for a fex with only +1 attack and strength, when normal fexes can have guns and be in broods. Look elsewhere for good units. (4/10)

Tervigon: Ok, ignore last edition. He is not as good as he was then, which has 0% relevance to the codex right now. How good is he right now? Well, he's a 6 wound MC that can CREATE TROOPS. Just think on that again. He should now be a little less aggressive, but has a definite potential in the army. There stats are the same, but +1 initiative (screw you Wolf Priest!) Also, spawn happens after moving and so can be done after outflanking. ;)
     Options: 
        Crushing Claws: These up his combat ability, but really don't do that much for her. This isn't a line breaker beast, she's still best used by exploiting her toughness and spawn ability. (4/10)
        Cluster Spines: Large blast strength 5, but loses 4 strength 5 Ap. 4 shots to buy it. Not worth it in my mind, as blasts at close range are bad for all the gants. I would avoid. (5/10)
        Electroshock grubs: A strength 5 haywire template: For 10 points, not too bad at all. Sadly, Thorax swarms lost their rule to shoot in addition to the other two weapons. Still, this is a good way to remove hullpoints on tough vehicles. But she is not a close ranged beast, so not a must-take. (6/10)
        Desiccator Larvae: Fleshbane template: Good anti-infantry, but its usually not worth getting close to use it.  (3/10) 
        Shreddershard Beetles: Rending, shred Strength 3 template. Good for taking out 2/3+ armor saves, but she should never be that close. (4/10)
        Bioartifacts: Consider the Miasma cannon in this case, and this case only. She's a support beast, so range can suit her well, but don't expect to murder everything. Still it is not half bad. (6/10)
Overall: I will give the Tervigon a blurb in the troops section, where she can be much more effective. But, as an HQ she is not the best option in the slot. (6/10)
Example: Tervigon 195
                Tervigon, Electroshock Grubs 205
     
Tyranid Prime: This guy used is a 125 point independent character, but is the exact same as before except for points. He's base equipped with Scything Talons and a devourer. He's still S/T 5, 3+, and gives his WS6 BS4 to Warriors he joins. Consider attaching him to said Warriors to tank wounds, however he is now so pricey that that may not be a good option.
     Options:
        Flesh hooks: Gains assault grenades and a strength 3 small blast. Pretty neat for a very small cost, but doesn't help the unit he's with. (7/10)
        Deathspitter: A devourer with strength and ap 5. For the points, this is a good gun to give him and use his BS. (7/10)
        Spinefists: free, but for one extra shot and twinlinked, you go to strength 3... not great. I'd much rather take a deathspitter really. (5/10)
        Scything Talons: free, gives +1 attack with the pair he comes with. Free is good, but shooting is better. (3/10)
        Rending Claws: Ok if you are going CC, these are better. Rending speaks for itself, and its cheap, and it gives +1 attack. (8/10) 
        Two Boneswords: Not bad, but pricey. I like this guy cheap but you can murder most MEQ characters with this. (6/10)
        Bonesword and Lashwhip: Again it's a bit of a buff and means he will dominate all MEQ characters in CC. (7/10)
        Adrenal Glands: Ooh yeah. Give him fleet, but plan for whatever unit he's joining to have it too. (7/10)
        Toxin Sacks: Not as needed, but will make him a murder machine. I'd advise if you take rending claws. (6/10)
        Acid Blood: Not enough wounds on him to matter, avoid. (3/10)
        Regeneration: Not enough wounds on him to matter, avoid. (4/10) 
        Bioartifacts: I would consider the Maw-claws of Thorax as they are barely more expensive than rending claws and have potentially large benefits. So yeah, take these if you have 5 points and have rending. (8/10)
Overall: This is the toughest to judge yet. On the one hand, his stats and ability are not nearly worth the cost you pay, compared to last edition. But, he's an independent character, and has synapse... That's all that matters. If your list is low on synapse, he can be good because you can hide him in mobs of gants. This guy goes best with Hordes, not Nidzilla. Compare him to last book and he's trash. But, look at the current books needs and what he can do, and you can justify running him. Also, consider him as ablative wounds on Venomthropes or other vulnerable mid-sized units.  (6/10)
Example: Tyranid Prime, Flesh hooks, Maw-Claws of Thorax 140

Deathleaper: Ok, remember what I said about taking synapse whenever you can? This is the only time you can break that rule. This sneaky little guy is the master assassin, and a huge pain to kill. Basically he has the mind eater warlord trait, and stealth, plus infiltrate and Deepstrike. He also doesn't scatter, is a teleport homer, 10 points cheaper and reduces the leadership of one model by d3 while alive. This is GREAT for psykers, especially combined with Shadow in the Warp. But that only lasts while he's alive... good thing he's tough as nails to kill. Stealth means he has a 2++ gtg save in area terrain, and he may only be snap-shot at... wow, is that great or what???? No flamers ever, no templates ever, and the stuff that hits (not much) has a tough cover save. Cast Dominion to bring him in synapse range after he goes to ground, and he immediately operates as normal! His homer ability should bring in Mawlocs, while he scuttles around taking targets of opportunity and staying alive. In CC he's rending with 5 attacks, at a VERY high weapon skill of 9, and assault grenades. But he's still only a t4 three wound model... so, don't let him stray too far from the horde. If he's in your opponents back lines he'll be assaulted and chopped up. He should be roughly halfway between your army and your opponents, where a charge would bring whatever unit dared assault into the range of your own units.
Overall: Take him in 2xFOC, as Flyrants are so great, but even consider him in lower points. This guy is invaluable for the smart, strategic player. Combo him with DS units though for full affect. (7/10)

HQ overall: Flyrants and Deathleaper are our best options by far, but primes get a mention if you need them in your list. Every list should have one Flyrant, but the second slot can be another flyrant or Leaper or the prime. The choice is yours, but I like 2 Flyrants in 1850 and under, because flyers are always a problem. I do think Deathleaper will make my 2000 point list however!

Woo, there's HQ choices done! I'll see when I can get to troops, hopefully tomorrow! What're your thoughs on the HQ choices?

Codex Tyranids review part I

So, the Tyranids are finally getting an update, old news. I just got access to the book, and after much reading, have decided to pen my initial thoughts. My blog was intended for tactics just as much as Battle Reports, but I've not really lived up to that. So, I aspire to do more with the new codex. This is an initial, math-hammer/theory-hammer only review of the codex, pre-playtest. It'll come in six sections: General Review, and the five Force Org slots, which I'll break into several articles. Bare in mind, I plan to rewrite this entire series in three months or so with a "play tested" edition of the same stuff. Many people are raging that this codex is the worst release since the last release. Seriously though, every book gets bad press, but Tyranids have gotten more than most it is true... How much of this is true, and how do we work with it? Read on... Note, that I will refer to points costs in number of Hormagaunts usually. Because multiples of five are nice. ;) All purchasable units and upgrades will get a 1-10 number on how good I think it is. Remember, these are opinions. You won't agree on everything with me, nor I with you.

Part I: 

General Review:  Here I will cover the basics of the codex that aren't exclusive to single units. Basically, it will be the Biomorphs, bioartifacts, Psychic Powers, Warlord Traits, and army special rules, etc...

First, Synapse: This is exactly what you think it is. No Eternal Warrior, no Feel no Pain, just Fearless. The only changes to this are that it may be extended by various upgrades... more on this later. A minuscule buff over the last edition just because of extension possibilities. 

Shadow in the Warp: This one is new, and arguably improved. But, it is arguably nerfed. The basics are that Psychic units with 12" are at -3 leadership. Note that this is NOT just for Psychic Checks! So a Farseer led unit of guardians is much more likely to run away now, plus his Psychic checks are limited. So, Psykers are usually 9 or 10 Leadership. in old Synapse, a Leadership 10 Psyker had exactly 108/216 possible results end in Success, or 50%. Now, there are 21/36 that end in success, or 58.3%. Leadership 9, before, had 81/216 pass, or 37% chance of passing. Now, they have a 15/36, or 41.7%. So yes, our Psychic defense is not quite as good as before. However, factor in deny the witch and any malediction in Shadows has a less than 50% chance of passing. In exchange, we lower Psykers Ld all the time, which will help with morale, spirit Leech, etc. (Don't forget Daemonic Instability in CC! That's going to hurt.) Also, laugh at Grey Knights. Overall? Very minor nerf. And other benefits mean we really can't complain, especially seeing what happened to Eldar runes. We by far have the best anti-psyker of this edition, with only Space Wolves beating us. My question is, does Shadows extend with Synapse range? Nothing says it does, but it really should. Hopefully an FAQ will fix this.

Instinctive Behavior: Ok, here comes some bad news. There are three charts now, not two. Feed, Lurk and the new Hunt. We now have tables, which you roll on if you fall back. Here you are!

Lurk: 1-3 fall back as if you failed morale.

4-5 may move freely, but is not slowed by terrain. May only shoot if in terrain. Can't charge.

6 Same as 4-5, gains stealth.

Not great. A 1-3 blows clearly, and is a nerf. Yikes. However, the 4-5 and 6 are better than it was in the old book, as we now have better choice of movement and potentially stealth, plus cover benefits. Get that 6 and go to ground an objective in cover for a 2++! Still, the bad outweighs the good here, and thus there is a minor nerf to instinctive behavior lurk. This is the most important table in my mind, as our support units/objective holders use it. 

Feed: 1-3 Inflict hits on unit equal to number of models, at average strength and Ap -, and can't do anything.

4-5 Can't run or shoot, must declare charge if in range. 

6 See above, but gain rage. 

This one is a clear nerf. Literally none of the results are as good as feed was last time, when it really didn't hurt. Sadly, swarm cannibalism is a sci-fi stereotype, so we must suffer. Limiting movement also sucks too. But, can move out of charge range oddly enough in the movement phase if you don't want to charge at least, you aren't forced to move anywhere. Also, one man units treat a 1-3 as a 4-5. 

Hunt: 1-3 Go to ground immediately. If fearless, see 4-5. 

4-5 Move as you want, must shoot closest unit if you can. No Run/Assault

6 See 4-5, gains preferred enemy. 

Not too harsh. All of these are ok other than the loss to fearless really. This is clearly the best compared to the other two, where 1-3 is meh instead of murderous, and 4-5 is basically just "no fearless" while 6 is pretty decent. This is by far the best for objective holders... if only we had any of those with Lurk. Sigh. 

Instinctive Behavior overall: Undoubtedly a nerf overall to us. This ain't pretty folks, as none of these are real benefits. Too many bad results to be happy. Basically, this means you MUST have Synapse, and it is more important than ever, or you will lose the unit's effectiveness. 

Close Combat Weapons: Not a new rule, but a note. Each PAIR of weapons counts as one weapon now, so two pairs = plus one attack. Two pairs of Scything Talons, etc. Not bad, but many units lost attacks so this essentially does nothing. Also, can't use effects of two weapons. Only place this matters is can't rend while using a Bonesword basically.

Warlord Traits: These are a new 6th feature, that every new codex has gotten. As always, 6 results are possible...

1. Nature's bane: Every turn, a forest within 12" can become Carnivorous. (Every unit inside takes d3 Strength 5 hits in their shooting phase, on rear armor if vehicles.) This is literally awful. It applies to Tyranids in the forest, and we are more likely to go through them than our opponents are, as no one will advance towards us. If you roll it, don't even use it, unless it gets FAQd to not affect Nids like it should.

2. Heightened Senses: Warlord and units within 12" gain Night vision. Cool? Not useful as none of our warlords can shoot far, and frankly none of our other shooty units. Useful if you have Biovores nearby turn 1, but by 5 you are dead or up the board and close enough anyways. Very minorly useful. 

3. Synaptic Lynchpin: Synapse increases to 18". Not great, but always useful at least. Good for Flyrants. Combo with Dominion and it's pretty good. For a free trait not bad at all. Best one so far.

4. Mind Eater: Receieve 2 points for killing an Independent Character in a Challenge. Pretty good, as it ensures no character will accept your challenge ever, just to not risk it. But if you catch one and whittle his squad down, he'll be all alone eventually and must accept. That's when this gets useful. If you see a Librarian on a Tac squad, it'd be well worth dropping your Flyrant down to assault.

5. Digestive Denial: One piece of terrain in enemy DZ has cover reduced by -1. Can't be used on bought terrain. This is pretty decent, as everyone will be hiding from us. Good for Ruins so our opponent can't have too much cover against the sheer dakka we can lay down at close ranges, so pretty good. 

6. Adaptive Biology: Once the warlord takes a wound, he gains FnP at the start of his next turn. A bit annoying that it takes a turn to activate, but realistically not bad at all. FnP is super useful on MCs, so this is a trait worth having. 

Warlord Trait final thoughts: I still prefer Strategic. Some of these are downright useless, but a few are kinda nifty. 1-2 are sad, but after that it gets a little more respectable. At the very least it's worth considering this over the BRB traits. I will be rolling strategic however. 

Psychic Powers: Many people will complain that the loss of Biomancy is a nerf. They're totally right. But it happened, and now we must look at our now options with eyes unclouded by bias and disappointment. The past is dead, look to the future. 

Primaris: Dominion: Extend Synapse by 6". Not great really, but handy occasionally. As a primaris it could be worse, but could be much better. Good if you happened to roll the Warlord trait too for a mighty bubble of Synapse. A lot of people are ripping on this because they look at it with a 5th edition point of view for Synapse. But, Synapse is way more important now than ever, so this is actually not bad. GW is literally telling us "get in Synapse or lose the unit". This is a way to save some units. 

1. Catalyst: Give the caster and one unit within 12" FnP. Ok, clearly the best of the bunch. Roll it and grin, as that's two FnP units. Better than endurance honestly. Not much to say, don't drop this for Primaris. 

2. The Horror: One enemy within 24" must take a pinning check at -2 Leadership. Situational. This is good against Tau, as many of their units will just drop to the dirt easily. Necrons, Daemons, etc, this is less useful and should be exchanged. Also combos with Shadows on Psykers, just saying. Again, pin Grey Knights with EASE. Many see this as Pseudo-assault grenades on Stealers, but we'll see in their entry. 

3. Onslaught: 24" blessing, a unit may run and then shoot. Similar to before, but not great. However, it is useful if cast on FMCs, who gain a 2d6 run. Otherwise, it is useful to keep your bug guns moving, because frankly Nids must advance as a whole Synapse changes means no one can afford to be left behind. Cast on a fleet Dakkafex unit to get them moving fast while blasting away. Usually worth keeping.

4. Paroxysm: 24" Malediction, -d3 to WS and BS of target. I think this is the second best power. It helps a ton against Eldar and Tau especially, and it affects vehicles. Note that this can even target Flyers. So yeah, screw Vendettas and all that. It's best against non-MEQ units, where a 3+ forces BS 3 to snapshot. So Pathfinders, Broadsides, etc beware. If this stacks with itself (talk to local TOs/opponent) then it can combo to bring good shooting units way down, but I think it'd usually be better to hit two separate units. You should never trade this out. 

5. Psychic Scream: 6" Nova, enemies roll 2d6+2 and subtract leadership, and take that many wounds. No armor/cover. This is pretty bad to me. Tervigons/Swarmlord/Zoeys will never be close enough to use this. On Flyrants I'd consider it on a low Leadership army, or heavily Psychic army (remember Shadows). Against Nonpsychic/high Leadership, consider the Primaris here.

6. Warp Blast: Same as before, 18" lance of Strength 10 AP 2. Not 1 anymore, 2. Can also be a Strength 5 ap 3 small blast. Warp Charge two, so Tervigons reroll this. I'll deal with Zoeys in their entry, but Flyrants should usually keep this. Good anti-flyer, good anti-vehicle, good anti-Daemon prince if it goes off. Only against a Green Tide type list would I potentially take the Primaris, as it does limit you to one other gun if used. 

Final Psychic Thoughts: Almost all of these can be used, and the Primaris will cover up the mentioned weaknesses before. Yes Biomancy is better due to Iron Arm, but a lot of these can cripple opponent's effectiveness or just buff us in more Tyranid-y ways. A minor nerf, but not all is lost. They're definitely worth using! 

Biomorph list: The gun upgrades will be covered in each unit's entry as it varies vastly by unit. 

Close Combat Biomorphs: These are basically for Tyrants and Warriors/Shrikes/Primes.

Rending Claws: Costs one Hormagaunt: Good and cheap and deadly. Combo with Toxin Sacs for rerolls on lower Toughness guys and you're in good shape. You all know how to rend, but they are basic Ap. 5 which is cool too. Minor buff over last edition. If you want Warriors in CC, this is your best bet, but that's a separate issue. On Tyrant's there is essentially no point. (7/10)

Pair of Boneswords: Cost three Hormagaunts: So a bit more expensive, sadly. They are now Ap. 3, and cause Instant Death on a 6. Better chance of Instant death due to multiple attacks, but no more "ignore saves" and a points boost means this isn't a great option for warriors or Tyrants. Very cost prohibitive. (3/10)

Lashwhip and Bonesword: Costs four Hormagaunts: Again more expensive, bonesword is same as above. Lashwhips no longer reduce opponents initiative, but instead raise the wielder's by 3, so worse for assaulting into cover or for supporting other units like Lashguard with the Swarmlord. Again, this is costly. But on Tyrants, it's the best CC you can find if you choose that path. He'll rarely strike last and will kill many things he touches. (5/10)

Major Biomorphs:

Toxin Sacks: Costs two Hormagaunts. A good upgrade, it gives Poison for that re-roll to wound. This is a good choice on any Monstrous Creature you want to go into CC. However, not many of those are viable. (6/10)

Adrenal Glands: Costs three Hormagaunts. More expensive than before? I ain't even mad. At 5 more points, it gives fleet in addition to Furious Charge. This is huge for basically any MC that didn't have it before, so everyone but Trygons. If you can spare the points, (and I think Nids will do best bare-bones) then this is the upgrade to buy. On Carnifex it's a massive difference maker, even on shooty ones so they can get close, charge late game, and run with Onslaught.  (8/10)

Acid Blood: Costs three Hormagaunts: If an opponent wounds you in CC, he takes an initiative test. Fail, and take a Strength 5 Ap 2 hit. But, who is hitting you in Close Combat enough to do a lot of wounds, and is low initiative? Only a few units, who are all high toughness. This isn't a great buy, but there's far worse. (4/10)

Regeneration: Costs six Hormagaunts: This is identical to It Will Not Die, but passes on a 4+, and it theoretically stacks with IWND. However, there is no way to get both. This isn't cheap, but it can help quite a bit because you're more likely than before to gain a wound back if you've only taken a few. At the end of its wounds, it can help an MC stumble along a bit longer. This is prone to focus firing however, as it only happens at the end of the turn. (7/10)

Bio-Artifacts: Can be bought by Tyrants, Tyranid Primes, Trygon Primes, and Tervigons.

The Maw-Claws of Thorax: Cost two Hormagaunts: They work identical to Rending Claws, but once you get your first kill up close they give you preferred enemy against that codex. At only slightly pricier than rending claws, on a Prime you can easily justify the slight increase. This also affects shooting, and he could then give it any unit he's a part of. Worth the increase if you were going to buy a Prime just claws. Less worth it on MCs, but if you are confident you'll get in CC it's not bad at all. The best part is the low cost, not being game-breaking. (7/10)  

Miasma Cannon: Costs five Hormagaunts: It's a gun 36", 2+ poison AP 4 small blast. Can be fired as a template, same stats. For five points LESS buy a venom cannon, which is strength 9 and will almost always wound on a 2. And can hurt vehicles, cause Instant Death, and is cheaper. Dear god. If you want to throw this on a Tervigon or Prime in a support role it could possibly kill things, but... really? (3/10)

Norn Crown: Costs eight Hormagaunts: It gives +6" to Synapse, like Dominion. Only problem is, Dominion is almost free and this isn't. No, not free at all. This is roughly 4 times what would be an appropriate points cost. Never buy, ever, unless being bribed or making a bet like "I can win with the worst list possible". (1/10) 

Ymgarl Factor: Costs eight Hormagaunts: This is supposed to replace my beloved Ymgarls? Ew. Every assault phase, choose +1 to one of the following. Attacks, Strength, Armor Save. This is the only way to get a 2+ save on a non Tyrannofex, but is only assault. This is just way too costly as most wounds will be taken in shooting when this does nothing at all. Maybe fun for a Trygon Prime? (5/10) 

The Reaper of Obliterax: Costs nine Hormagaunts: This is a special Lashwhip and Bonesword, with more than double the cost. In exchange you get +1 strength and Shred. Or, buy a Lashwhip and bonesword, and Toxin Sacks, which will pretty much be the same for cheaper. This is only even a fathomable choice for Trygon Primes who can't buy the normal LW/BS. Even then, way too costly in my mind, but the initiative boost is kinda nice. (3/10)

Codex Impressions: Powers are pretty decent, workable to be sure. We have many bad options and a few good ones, I anticipate this books problem will be in variety not power. Stick to the right things and you can be fine, but there will be many similar Nids armies. And, Synapse is the number one rule. No one can be alone, they MUST be babysat. Out of LoS termagants on an objective used to be great, but now? No chance. Synapse synapse synapse, or die. Lots of things are now focused on expanding that synapse range, with a theoretical 30" synapse range. 18" is more likely though, as you'd need to roll the right warlord trait (unlikely) and but the Norn Crown (even less likely). It's sad that our armies unique rule isn't a benefit, but the threat of punishment. But hey, forging narratives means Humans killing leader-bugs. That's just science (fiction). What are you thoughts and impressions? 

Chaos Space Marines: Daemon Allies



Hello everyone! Now that I have a few months before my next big tournament, I've spent a good deal of time looking over the Daemons book, and also the Allies system. As a Nid player, I actually don't know the rules too well on allies! However, looking over the Battle Brothers section it's quite clear that they can use powers on each other... the natural conclusion of this, of course, is to look for Divination to add to my Chaos Marines. Fortunately, Tzeentch is my god of choice! 

When looking at an allied chart, you MUST take a troops and an HQ. While some people like to take 5 warriors and Necron Wraiths as allies, I feel that a good allied contingent must have a useful unit in every slot, otherwise you're wasting points for the unit you're adding in! I'd like to keep my attachment to a relatively small number of units, like 2 or 3.

HQ: Because I want to add divination to my army, there are really only two choices. A herald of Tzeentch or a Lord of Change.

Herald of Tzeentch:
 Pros: Cheap, can be hid in units. Up to three Divination powers
Cons: Very weak, can only join other Daemons, and only Tzeentch ones. An absolute pushover in CC.

Lord of Change: Pros: Tough, Flying Monstrous Creature. No slouch in CC, and isn't tied to a unit, very mobile.
Cons: Big target, draws fire, only a 5+ save, pricey.

From my experience with FMCs from Tyranids, I know how fast they can go down. With only a 5++ and not as easy access to FnP, I think that the Herald is more price-efficient.

This then means that the Herald needs a unit to go with him. Compared to my Nids, I run relatively few scoring units for my Chaos Space Marines (I plan on three). The Daemon troops should then be very tough against shooting for a ore resilient unit, which Pink Horrors fit just fine. With the new Daemonic Instability rules, they can go to ground. A unit of Pink Horrors behind an Aegis Line are just nasty, as they have a 2+ cover save, and are allowed to reroll 1s due to being Daemons of Tzeentch! Gnarly! Horrors also add in a nice bit of shooting, if they need to use it.

The base allied attachment would then be 11 Horrors, with an Iridescent Horror (For Mastery level 2 until they got shot at) and a Herald of Tzeentch. The Herald would be ML 3, and rolling all divination. With Havocs and Forgefiends around to play, there shouldn't be an issue of running out of targets. Twin-linking a Forgefiend will brutalize a Rhino, even with cover, while making autocannon Havocs a sudden menace to any aircraft around. This even fits what I see as the Iron Warriors theme, a very immobile shooting force behind a fortification, with Daemons only being used as tools to further their own ends. And really, isn't that what allies are? Because sometimes, you just want Twinlinked Lascannons to ruin a guys day.

This would run in at 199 points, which is altogether VERY cheap for an allied unit. It has minimal upgrades, and doesn't have to roll on the Warp Storm chart. I'm basically paying for a tough unit behind an Aegis line, and a minor character who can really help my army be devastating on the field.

Packeged Meat: Beating the Dark Angels with Nids

OK, so the current rage across the 40k-internet is the new Dark Angel book. I've acquired a copy and read through it, although I have yet to play against it. Based on my readings, and some internet musings, I'll be giving a brief rundown on what I think is good, and how we'll be combating it...

Of course, I'll be focusing on what makes them unique. We all know what a predator is!




First, the fliers. Both are FA/SA 11, and neither are cheap. (Both easily outpoint a Vendetta, by the cost of a base Warrior and a Hive Guard.)

Dark Talon: Boy, DAngels love their bolters... this guy has Hurricane Bolters, and a large Strength 5 blast, plus the Stasis Bomb. Not bad against gants, but underwhelming vs. MCs.

Nephilim: With a lascannon, Heavy Bolters and missiles, it's not t be sniffed at or feared. It'll be better than most against us, but isn't broken at all, and is the more expenive of the two.

These are mid-toughness fliers, so can be downed by Hive Guard or Dakkarants, especially flying. A Flyrant will average 3 glances against them, and they have 3 HPs. They can hurt our infantry, but aren't too threatening to our MCs.

The new and improved Deathwing! Ok, these guys are good. Deepstrike in turn 1 or 2, no rolls made. Yowie! Also, you can bet Belial will be tagging along, and that SOB (not a sister) never scatters. They're also twinlinked he turn they come in... So basically, it's a mass Deep Strike that can lay down killer fire power if they're close. Also, note that they have Split Fire and can have Plasma Cannons. Any member may upgrade into an Assault Terminator, but note that they then have no guns, and are less effective on that Deep Strike turn, so I think that there will just be 1 or 2 TH/SS in the squad and otherwise vanilla.

Play this like Daemons! Gant bubbles all around. They die, you spawn more, and then assault those Termis to keep 'em locked up. In Close Combat they're no different than a Tactical Terminator, since we're not Chaos. It's important to not let them near your MCs, but we have the spare wounds to survive.

Librarians: There will be one in EVERY competetive DA list, trust me! While only ML 2, they can get Divination and prescience, which every Angel wants with their mass bolter Dakka.

He's still just a librarian. Shadow works fine, and it's not too hard to kill one 2 wound model. He can dish out some serious buffs, so it's worth committing a Flyrant to assault his unit aftera healthy Dakka dose.

Ravenwing Bikers: The normal SM Bikers really. Well, possibly scoring, and they max at 6 plus attack bikes/Land Speeder. Oh! One other thing... They have teleport homers, and hit and run. Gnarly huh?

 If your opponent Turbo boosts them in your face, it is a worthy invetsment to kill the suckers, fast! They die just like bikers though. Make sure you can kill them if you assault them though, because Hit and run is just annoying. Mass poisoned gants or MCs should take care of business with ease.

Black Knights: They're like extra special Ravenwing. And by "extra special" I mean deadly. They all have 18" plasma guns, and rending strength 5 hammers. The worst part is the 1 in 3 grenade launchers... rad grenades are back, and now LAUNCHABLE! WOO! Fortunately it does not stack, or I'd cry. -1 toughness sucks though. Otherwise they're scouting Ravenwing.

Yeah, these guys are nice. 12" move plus 18" means you want to keep them at arms length. Flyrants are perfect here, as they're immune to grenades (blasts). You really want to kill the launchers, with precision shots or Barrage weapons. Again, vulnerable to poison weapons, and enfeeble, like every bike ever.

Deathwing Knights: These guys have a power maul/Storm Shield, and if they're in base contact with
 two friends they're toughness 5. Also, once a game they can buff up to Stregth 10 AP 2 in CC. Ow.

They're barely more expensive than a Biovore, by 1 point exactly. Not too bad! Hold back your MCs, but Gants and Flyrant Dakka kills them like normal Terminators. Toughness 5 won't bother us too much with Enfeeble/poison. Kill them like slow bikers. Treat them how you would Thunder hammer/SS terminators. Dakka and hordes are your best bet.

New Land Speeder Variants: Both are Armor 10/10/10, so pretty vulnerable. One has a large super-plasma, that's three shots or one large blast. The other gives stealth to nearby guys, and shrouded to itself. Not too scary, a plasma blast  can only cause a max of 1 wound on an MC. The shrouded one would need to be close to us, as we have mostly short range guns, and nothing armor ignoring anyway, so not too big of a deal. Could be annoying with dreads and cover though.

Kill it like a Land Speeder. Neither look awesome, but people better than I with DA can use them I'm sure. Armor 10, 2 Hull Points... you know how to kill that.

Special Characters:

Belial: He's a terminator captain, with a nice sword. More importantly, he makes Deathwing scoring, and doesn't scatter if he Deepstrikes. He's a very solid choice. He has a flesbane power sword, so be careful with an MC. Smash him good!

He's not too much of a problem on the ground, again just a nice Terminator captain. If he's included, just be aware that his squad can hit a smaller DS spot than most. Be wary with an MC near him though, he can take off 2/3 wounds fast.

Sammael: He unlocks scoring Ravenwing, otherwise he's got Artificier armor, and rides the only non-FW Marine Jetbike. Alternatively, he can have a 14/14/10 Land Speeder. Both are good, but he rides alone. He has a punch though with a fancy AP2 sword and a Plasma Cannon.

If on a Bike, he can fly around shooting blasts. Either ignore, or send a Flyrant to swat him down. If he gets close, Gants! He's the only Eternal Warrior that I noticed, but is all alone, so I wouldn't send an MC after him (unless it's Swarmy) He's only T5 3 wounds so forcing wounds on him could work if you get a lot.

Azreal: He unlocks Deathwing and Ravenwing as Troops. Expect him in all mix-wing armies. He's nice in CC otherwise. He chooses his own warlord trait though, and has a 2+ and 4 wounds, plus basically a Relic Blade. He also gives a 4++ to his unit, which will have to be a footslogging unit, so most likely Green Marines.

This guy is tough, and will require his fair share of effort to kill. But, he doesn't have eternal warrior... Smash! Still, he can wade through gants no problem. He's good for his points since he basically has 6 relic blade attacks on the charge though... Save him for an MC with Iron arm, or the Swarmy.

Ezekiel: He's a ML 3 librarian, who gives +1 WS to buddies within 6". His Force Sword is inexplicably worse than a normal one... Master Crafted, but two handed. So minus one attack, and one reroll. I'd rather have the extra attack... He has a decent power, mind worm, but it's not great against MCs. d3 Strength 4 shots, but -3 WS/BS/LD if you get wounded. Not great against T6 really.

Deal with him exactly like a Libby. Maybe just a little more priority, because of the WS bubble, but he's really just a librarian with a 2+. No invulnerable even, just so it's easy for an MC to paste him.

Asmodai: I really don't get this guy. He's a chaplain. He has one bonus weapon, it's a CC weapon that causes instant death, but has no strength/AP bonuses... His warlord trait gives a bonus if his unit kills the enemy warlord. Otherwise, just a chaplain...

He's not too scary. Not likely to kill an MC, but it's important to be aware of. Treat like a chaplain, any of your warlords should murder him.

The Banners:

One gives counterattack, another FnP, and the last salvo 2/4 bolters. That's the key one... all also give re rollable morale checks within 12". The Salvo one looks best, but it costs more than a Tyrant Guard. It can be on a command squad marine, either Green, Ravenwing or Deathwing.

Priority number one here! If it's the Standard of  Devestation, DEVESTATE IT! That many bolters will ruin your day. Flyrants playing assassination can help with precision shots, and then an assault if needed. It's worth it. This just looks evil on a Terminator. If he's flying a flag, it's a priority. Take it down!

Wing-standards: Deathwing gives +1 attack, Ravenwing gives auto passing hit and run.

 Nice to pick out but less crucial than the Devestation one.

Other fun wargear: There are various "shields" that give all models in a range an invulnerable, but this will include yours... hitting those in CC is hilarious for gants! Another teleports the user 1d6 if he passes his 3++, and another can blind nearby units if passed. (friendlies re roll). All good and fun, and characterful, but none broken.

Final thoughts: 

This is a very good, solid codex. We matchup slightly better than most due to our numbers and poison, but it's fast and hard hitting. All the above is how to beat in a vaccuum, it'll be hard to do all at once. Still, like the GreyKnights, they're expensive equivalents of Marine things. They do require a lot of careful use of units, one slip up could see a Tervigon get obliterated by Black Knights or Deathwing murder your Tyrant. The codex seems to lack anti flyer though... Flyrants should rock against Dark Angels. I will have more to say with more experience, until then good luck, and try not to get robes stuck in your fangs!

New 1850 list

I'm ploaying around with what I think works for Nids in 6th edition... Here's my current 1850 list, as part of the new direction I'm going.

Flyrant, Devourers Old Adversary
Flyrant, Devourers Hive Commander (Warlord:   )
5 Ymgarls
5 Ymgarls
Doom in a Pod
10 gants
10 gants
Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
Trygons
Trygons

Let's take a look at the two top armies right now... Probably Daemons, and Necrons. When playing Necrons, assuming that it's objectives (5/6 chance!), the point is board control. 2 Flyrants gives me as much anti-flyer as I'm going to get with my bugs, so I need to focus on controlling the ground. Trygons are useless here. So, I need a strong objective holder with some power, which of course leads me to Tervigons. This is a bit of a step back along my path, but it's not neccessarily backwards.

Now, look at Daemons. Assuming flamers and screamers, you need lots of horde units, for tie down and overwatch soaking. If you throw gants into Flamers, and then put a Tervigon into them, they won't get out on their own. Screamers are also blunted against masses, plus poisoned attacks will wear them out fast. Tervigons are the clear choice here.

So, let's say I want to add a Tervigon in. With 10 mandatory gants, the way I run them will hit 260 points. Let's drop 2 Trygons, and now I have 140 points left... Before I make choices here, let's look at what the Tervigons are for. Two is good for objectives. Alternatively, throwing 3 straight at enemy lines is a nice enough anvil for my reduced hammer. 2 Ymgarl squads, 2 Flyrants and the Doom should still work pretty well, it has almost the same initial damage output first turn, just less of a second turn threat. By that point (turn 3 at earliest) the 3 Tervigons should be getting close enough to scare, or at least force my enemy to keep their distance. But back to objectives, I think that in most cases I can use Hive Commander to outflank a Tervigon. Depending on how I roll on others, it may be worth NOT rolling Biomancy on one of the Tervigons, for this purpose. Why? Well, catalyst can be used AFTER moving, therefore after reserves, which Endurance can't. So, against a high firepower army that can potentially knock off a Tervi in one turn, I'll keep powers on the outflanking one. In objectives, there's usually one objective on each short edge, and in hammer and anvil the boards condensed enough that an outflanking Tervi is golden either way.

This takes me back to my nemesis, Kill Points... against Necron air force, I still see no way to improve my list to the point where I could beat them. I just have to pray my Tyrants survive, after all I'll basically be throwing every power off all psychers into keeping those two alive. Hope for Iron Arm, and then pour Endurance onto them. This matchup is still a small possibility in a tournament, so let's hope for now that I can avoid it. Against Daemons however, Kill points are much more manageable. A FnPed squad of gants cab do great against the forward units, which I'd hope to break, and then have the Tyrants go around mashing the backfield droppers, like Plaguebearers.

So, 140 points left... I haven't adressed Gunlines yet, so let's look at my options...

20 Gargoyles with Toxins is a perfect points fit, and not shabby at all. Assaulty hordes, guns, and cheap fast bubblewrap, plus I have the models. Let's now look at other options.

2 Biovores leaves fun extra points... with these I could buy an extra Ymgarl for each brood, which could be crucial for maximum carnage thanks to the evil that is overwatch. Or, I could drop one Ymgarl and add either Crushing Claws to my outflanking Tervi or Old Adversary to the second Flyrant. I don't think I need two OA, so the choice comes down to the extra Ymgarl or the Claws. Claws usually don't pay their points, but are occasionally great, while an extra Ymgarl will almost always be useful...

I think the Biovores and upgrades are a better buy. Biovores can mess with DSing units, like Daemons, or units getting out of a transport. 6 Ymgarls each is a bit better for soaking wounds and tipping a key assault. However, both will most likely be tested before I decide on my 1850 list... Here's the current list though.

 Anti flier, check. Strong objectives, double check. Horde, check. Tough models, check. Backfield disruptions and distractions, DOOM-check. Kill Points... hard to check off. 13 kill points in my army. The "easy" ones are Biovores, the pod, and (maybe...) the Doom. Gants and Flyrants can be. The Biovores will be hidden of course, while the Pod will be in the open. The list shouldn't give up first blood with ease, except perhaps to Drop Pod lists where he can hit me first turn. Otherwise, I think I'll get it. Linebreaker I should also get with Flyrants and all my reserves.

Flyrant, Devourers Old Adversary
Flyrant, Devourers Hive Commander (Warlord: )
6 Ymgarls
6 Ymgarls
Doom in a Pod
10 gants
10 gants
10 gants
Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
2 Biovores