Batrep 2/15: Tyranids vs SM/SW 2000 2x FOC

Hello readers! I have another Battle Report, my second with the new book. This is another 2000 point game, with a double Force Organization chart. My apologies, but there is again a proxy, with the large castle counting as an Imperial Bastion. There are also three not fully painted models sadly, two Tyrannofex and the Exocrine (which is a conversion, based on a Trygon and Carnifex kitbash). My opponent is bringing a Drop Pod SM/SW list. Yikes! Note that all of the white circles on the board are Drop Pods. 

Here's my list: 

Flyrant, Devourers, Hive Commander (-1 to opponent's reserves)

Flyrant, Devourers

Flyrant, Devourers

10 gants

20 gants

30 gants

Tervigon

Venomthrope

Venomthrope

Zoanthrope

Exocrine

Tyrannofex

Tyrannofex

3 Biovores

Bastion

And my opponents list:

Marneus Calgar (+2 VP for slaying my Warlord in a challenge)
Tigurius
Techmarine, Combi Plas
Techmarine with Servo harness,Combi Plas
6 Honor Guard with Power Axes, one Thunder Hammer (Drop Pod)
6 Tac Marines with Plasma/combi Plas (Drop Pod)
6 Tac Marines with Plasma/combi Plas (Drop Pod)
5 Sternguard with Gravs/Combi Gravs and one Heavy Flamer (Drop Pod)
5 Sternguard with Meltas/Combi Meltas and one Heavy Flamer (Drop Pod)
5 Devestators with Missiles with Flakk (Drop Pod)

Rune Priest with JotWW, Living Lightning
~7 Grey Hunters with Plasma/combi Plasma, Wolf Standard (Drop Pod)

Psychic Powers:

Flyrant 1: Dominion, Warp Lance
Flyrant 2: Onslaught, the Horror
Flyrant 3: Paroxysm, the Horror
Tervigon: Onslaught
Zoanthrope: Dominion

Tigurius: Precognition, Prescience, Scryer's Gaze

Deployment: Hammer and Anvil
The Mission: Crusade (3 objectives) My opponent places two of them in his deployment zone, far away from me.

First turn: I win the roll and defer first turn to my opponent.

Deployment Marines: *Crickets*

Deployment Nids: See below picture. 2 Flyrant in reserve, one on top of the Bastion. Tervigon will outflank. Gants are ringing the outside of the Bastion so he can not get in melta range. All MCs are Shrouded thanks the VenomBastion and are in terrain for a 2/3++ cover save.

Space Marines turn 1: Release the Pods of War! The Wolf Pod lands to my front right.

5 Grav-gun Sternguard land by my Tyrannofex, and the Melta-Sternguard land to the left of them. 

Calgar, Honor Guard and Tigurius all pop out a little farther back, and behind the center fortress. 

His two Sternguard squads both target my Tyrannofex, and only do one wound! That's why Venomthropes are my favorite unit! His Rune Priest then casts Jaws on my other Tyrannofex, only for me to pass the Initiative test on a 2! This is the first time in 6th edition I have had an MC pass a Jaws check, so I'm happy! 

Tyranids turn 1: I shoot up the two sternguard in front of me, and prepare for a massive gant assault. But, he fails both Morale checks thanks to Calgar, and I fail both charges! Fortunately my Tyrannofex kills his Drop Pod to make up for it, netting me first blood. 

On the other flank, my Flyrant and Tyrannofex go after his Wolf Squad. I kill most of the Space Wolves, but his Priest survives with a few friends after some hot saves. 

Space Marines turn 2: Two Pods drop down, one empty and the other with a Tactical Plasma squad. His Devestators walk on the board. 

His other Tactical squad lands farther back, where his objectives are situated. 

My opponent then shoots at my Flyrant, 6 Plasma shots net 5 hits despite only hitting on 6s! This yields 4 wounds, and I fail every single cover save... My opponent then casts Jaws free of Shadows and kills my Tyrannofex. 

Tyranids turn 2: I focus both Flyrants, fresh from Reserves, and remove his Rune Priest and squad from existence. Good riddance!  Exocrine then kills 4 Tactical Marines from the Plas squad that got my Flyrant. I also poke my Tyrannofex out into a position where his honor guard could charge him... I want them in the open for my Exocrine, and so they can be tied up by gants. 

Turn 3 Marines: He takes the bait with his Honor guard! There is little shooting as he is mostly falling back (willingly). He makes the charge and naturally kills the TFex. 

Tyranid turn 3: The Exocrine kills one Guard and wounds Calgar, (note that Tigurius is at 1 wound due to earlier shots and a Perils) I then charge him with gants. He is hot on saves and only loses one model, and kills a ton of gants, but is still tied up. 

I advance both Flyrants, one full speed and the other just enough to see his Tactical squad who fell back. Between them, the squad is destroyed and he is down to a single troops choice. 

Turn 4 Marines: His shooting manages to ground and kill one Flyrant, and his Honor Guard finish off the gants.

Turn 4 Tyranids: My Tervigon outflanks and spawns 10 gants. Between shooting I take his last Troop down to three Marines with one Techmarine. I also make a mistake and shoot at his Honor guard again... I kill two and he falls back, getting 9 free inches towards my Tervigon! A huge mistake as he could never have reached my objective due to the gants all around, but I lent him some extra inches. My Flyrant swoops into a Ruin to hide and takes potshots at the Tac squad.

Turn 5 Marines: His Devestators and various Plasma take my Flyrant down to 2 wounds left, only for a single Sternguard survivor to hit, wound, and ground him to kill him! This gives Warlord to my opponent sadly. His Honor guard charge and kill my gant squad.

Turn 5 Nids: My Tervigon spawns 9 more gants and I shoot at his Tactical squad again, but he has a single Marine survive the Biovores and Fleshborers.

If the game ends now, I win 5-4 with Linebreaker (Tervigon), First Blood and one objective vs an objective and Warlord.

The game goes on!

Turn 6 Marines: He guns down some gants, and his Honor Guard charge my Tervigon. Tigurius then Force Weapons her to death, killing the surviving Gants.

Turn 6 Nids: My Biovores are ace and I kill the last Marine on his objective. We call the game here as there is no way we can change the final score in a turn 7.

Tyranid Victory, 4-1!

Final thoughts: I made a few mistakes, but my army performed exactly as planned. I really should have taken the first turn in Hindsight however, so I could start my Flyrants on the board, and turn 1 fly them off to guarantee three on turn 2. Still, the BastionThrope set up worked very well in blunting his Alpha-strike. Dice went back and forth, where I was lucky to survive his first turn almost unscathed, but then he was lucky to roll 5/6 hits while snap-shotting Plasmas the next turn.  Overall it was very balanced, where his saves would be hot one moment and cold the next. My dice were very average over the game, which is just fine. Given how stupid it is for Tyranids to play against Jaws in a Drop Pod, I am happy with how the game went despite my disadvantage on objectives.

On the performance of my list itself, it has been criticized a lot for being too static... I think it will work just fine. My list is very very durable, and is incredibly hard to Alpha-Strike. I think that in a game with even objectives, I have very good offs of holding at least half, and at that point my outflanking forces plus three Flyrants can either contest one or kill enough scoring units to be at an advantage. I doubt this list will blow out many opponents or give me many tablings, but I think my BastionThrope approach will net me many narrow victories.

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. 

Codex Tyranid Review Part IV

Everyone who had even heard of Tyranids in 5th edition knew how crowded our Elites were... how do they fare now? Elites are traditionally a very crowded army slot, but some of the choices there have disappeared due to lack of model (My Doom + 2 Ymgarl configuration of 5th edition took a bit of a nerf). Still, the codex is measured by the power of what is there here and now...

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

Hive Guard brood: The auto-take unit of 5th edition turned into a more questionable choice during 6th edition. Now that it's rules have been updated to match the edition, it has taken a slight drop in BS and a small increase in points. However, note that the Impaler cannon now completely ignores LoS and cover saves, which is much easier to use as a rule. 

     Options: 

        Shockcannon: This new type of gun is hard to figure out. Ultimately though, you're paying for a range decrease, and going from 2 shots to a blast, but Haywire makes it suited for anti-vehicle. Blast and haywire are a bit conflicting though honestly. This gun has taken a lot of crap from the internet, but I say it isn't half bad. Range is short but 3 shots will likely hit all and then it's very likely to just strip 3 Hull Points from a normal vehicle. Cover, range, and points make this the weaker option however. (5/10)

        Adrenal Glands: Added points for CC special rules on a shooting unit... that's a no. Too pricey for what you get, but re-rolls on runs do help range a tiny bit. (4/10)

        Toxin Sacks: Like above, but purely CC with no other possible benefits. Pass. (3/10)

Overall: A minor nerf, a minor buff, and a slight points increase means these are not an auto take by any stretch... But on the other hand, these are not a bad choice at all, and can threaten vehicles and medium infantry still. (6/10)

Example: 3 Hive Guard 165

Lictor Brood: The perfect bio-weapon and boogie man has been a laughing stock for a few years now... But, a decent points drop and the addition of Infiltrate as a special rule means a few of his special rules are more likely to be used now. Hit and Run is also a very nice touch. 

Overall: These are fairly balanced now, and can fit into a list if designed to. Lictors are cheaper, better and still hit hard in CC. They still, however, have trouble taking a punch. Stealth helps, but threat overload and careful placement is key. Only take if you have a play for these guys. Going to ground in terrain yields a 2+ cover save however, and they can have units (like Mawlocs) deepstrike off of their pseudo-teleport homer even when gone to ground. (6/10) 

Example: 3 Lictors 150

Zoanthrope Brood: These guys had the floor ripped out from under them with the Psychic power changes and removal of the Mycetic Spore. These fellows had everything good about them last edition taken away. They are also the perfect example of my view of the new Tyranid codex. Forget what you once knew, everything works differently now! They now operate as a Brotherhood of Psykers, so every brood gets Warp Lance and one power.

Overall: Only getting one power means that one Zoanthrope is, in my opinion, more points efficient. At 50 points a pop, this is the single cheapest way to add Synapse to a list. Cast Dominion and get a great synapse range. This alone makes the Zoanthrope a good unit, thanks to the need for Synapse. Three is a great deterrent of vehicles, but one can be hid out of sight easily. (7/10)

Example: 1 Zoanthrope 50

Venomthrope Brood: Woo-hoo! This was pegged as the biggest boost in the codex, and I couldn't agree more! 5+ cover save turns into Shrouded, and a points decrease. Let me clear one thing up though. The Venomthrope gives Shrouded to models in 6", and units with at least one shrouded model gain the full benefits of shrouded for the entire unit. So yes, this applies to the whole unit. 

Overall: A boost in cover saves to usually a 3++ is ace for Tyranid Monstrous creatures. People like to complain that Tau still ignore cover, but they can only do this on a few units at a time... and most of your army can remain intact. Also, if deployed in a Bastion, range is then measured from the hull. A huge boost, and now a must-take unit for any foot based Nid list. (9/10)

Example: 1 Venomthrope 45 + Bastion 75

Haruspex: This new Monstrous Creature means we can now technically put an MC in every single slot... this guy is an all new unit with a beautiful model, designed to gobble up all units in his way. He generates extra attacks on the charge for wounds inflicted and gets one wound back if he causes at least one wound. Not bad, but 5 wounds on a slow walking MC.

     Options: 

        Regenerate: Not bad, as he could potentially get two wounds back in a turn. I don't like it though as he will take most wounds to shooting and can be focused down easily. (5/10)

        Adrenal Glands: Fleet and Furious charge as usual. Fleet is great for this slow guy, and FC gives him Strength 8 on the charge, not bad. (7/10)

        Toxin Sacks: This will improve his killpower and guarantee that most hits will wound, but this guy is pricey enough without more upgrades. (5/10)

Overall: Too pricey for his rules and stats, I'm afraid. Too few attacks, too low of a WS, and a slow MC. A Carnifex is 40 points less for the same speed, -1 wound but more attacks and strength. Acid Blood is too much of a niche upgrade that you have to pay for. Take that and Crushing Claws away and you'd have a much better base model, but oh well. (4/10)

Example: Haruspex, Adrenal Glands 175

Pyrovores brood: The awkward adopted child of the last codex that everyone loved to hate. Sweet model though! Many people joked that GW would boost its sales by making it overpowered through the roof. +1 wound and attack, and less points sure does help the walking Heavy Flamer. I'm also going to ignore the stupid wording of it's explode rule. We all know it isn't supposed to hit every model on the board! 

Overall: A few minor buffs take this boy from the worst in the game to simply the worst in the Elites slot. He is, at least, better now than Rippers. Actually he is hurt most by the lack of Pod. Three 6th Ed. Pyros in a 5th Ed SPod would be a pretty good unit. Theoretically you could have 3 hide somewhere to repel the enemy if they advance for some reason. (3/10) 

Example: 3 Pyrovovers 120

Elites Overall: Elites is much less crowded than it was before. Venomthropes are the standout, but aren't too great at being spammed. Zoanthropes are an easy fix to Synapse woes. These two are the most obvious choices to me, but Lictors and Hive Guard have a place in the list if you have a plan for them. Just be careful with these two units, as they are both fragile and take at least one turn usually to position correctly. 

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. 

01/19 NEW Tyranids vs Daemons 2000

This is my Math-hammered out new bug list. I'm not playing around, this is a hard-core all-comers list that fears no one. Except Jotww in a pod, but whatever.

Tyranids 2000 (2x FOC)

Flyrant, Devourers, Hive Commander.

Flyrant, Devourers

Flyrant, Devourers

10 gants

20 gants

30 gants

Tervigon

Venomthrope

Venomthrope

Zoanthrope

Exocrine

Tyrannofex

Tyrannofex

3 Biovores

Bastion

And the Daemon list:

Fateweaver:

Slaanesh Prince, Wings, Armor, Lash, Grimoire

16 Horrors

16 Horrors

~15 Daemonettes

9 Screamers

Bastion

Bel'akor

10 cultists

Heldrake (autocannon)

The Mission:

Primary (8 points): Big Guns never tire: 5 objectives, center of board and each table quarter.

Secondary (5 points): Kill points: Scoring units count as 2 kps, 1 if at half. No other units count)

Tertiary (3 points): Pick one opponent scoring unit. If you kill it successfully you gain 3 points, if you both fail or both succeed, no one gets points.

Bonus (1 point each): Three Rulebook bonuses.

Deployment: Hammer and Anvil

First Turn: Daemons

Powers:

Fateweaver: Molten Beam, Precognition, Dominate, Enfeeble

Daemon Prince: Hemorrhage, Warp Speed, Life Leech

Bel'akor: Telepathy discipline

Flyrant 1: Dominion, Warp Blast

Flyrant 2: Dominion, Paroxysm

Flyrant 3: Dominion, Onslaught

Tervigon: Onslaught

Zoanthrope: Dominion

Deployment Daemons: His three Flying Monstrous Creatures are out front. A Bastion with 10 cultists is in the center with one Pink horror squad on each side. Daemonettes are to my left, and Screamers out front with the FMCs. 

Deployment Tyranids: See below, the tower is a bastion. Tervigon with a green plastic piece is a Tyrannofex, and Carnifex on the large base is an Exocrine.

Turn 1 Daemons: He advances his army, with the Prince and Be'Lakor on the right. (He would later run the prince forward behind the building) His Screamers are Invisible for a 2++ re-rollable cover save... not bad. He also puppet masters my Tyrannofex with many gants nearby, but I deny! 

Turn 1 Nids: Time to strike back! Tyrannofexs both advanced behind a screen and killed a Screamer each. I onslaughted two Flyrants, taking my opponent by surprise as I moved both 7+ inches farther than he thought. I ended up catching his Grimoire Prince with 18 Devourer shots and a Warp Lance, which proved enough to take him down! First Blood and a major blow struck! 

 Turn 2 Daemons: His invisible Screamers swoop over my Zoanthrope and take him down. Be'Lakor Vector Strikes my Warlord down to 2 wounds and flies off the board. He advances otherwise, and grounds one of my Flyrants and assaults him with Daemonettes. He loses many but takes the Flyrant down.

Turn 2 Tyranids: I kill many Daemonettes with Biovores and a second Flyrant, the last one gets killed by the Exocrine. I advance slightly with gants. Then, I assault three MCs into the Screamers after killing two more with Flamers. Between wounds and Daemonic Instability, I kill all of them.

Turn 3 Daemons: His Heldrake and Be'Lakor come in. Various shots take down another Flyrant, but little else. Fateweaver tries to take out my Tervigon but I take no wounds to shooting. 

Turn 3 Nids: 30 gants appear on his right side, and between that and my last Flyrant I take his Horrors down, with a little help from a Heavy Bolter in the Bastion. I  also ground Fateweaver and assault him. He has a 4++ re-rollable, but if I wound him once he dies... No wounds are dealt however.

Turn 4 Daemons: His Heldrake takes more shots to no effect, as Be'Lakor Hallucinates my Warlord Flyrant who is then killed anyways. Fateweaver and the TFex do little.

Turn 4 Nids: I throw the other TFex at Fateweaver and kill him. Biovores pound his Horrors as I advance. 

Turn 5 Daemons: We agree this will be it, and he assaults my 30 gants and kills all with Be'Lakor. Cultists take that objective. Heldrake Vector Strikes my Tervigon but fails to kill him. 

Turn 5 Nids: My Exocrine (who had been advancing) assaults his Horrors on the left objective, pulling them off. I move onto the back two objectives. I could have taken the third, but it is no longer needed. 

Victory! 

Primary: 2-1, Tyranid 8 points

Secondary: 4-0, Tyranid 5 points

Tertiary: I killed his Daemonettes, Tyranid 3 points

I also got Warlord and first Blood, he got Warlord. 

18-1 final, domination! 

11/15/2013 RTT 1850

Right, well this is super duper late so I'm combining 3 games into one just to get them all done before I start posting BatReps from the new 6th edition book... Here we go!

I used what was (in 5th edition) my "standard" 1850 list, that I'd been using for almost a year.

Flyrant: Wings, Devs, OA
Flyrant: Wings, Devs, HC
10 gants
10 gants
20 gants
Tervigon, Toxin, Adrenal, 3 powers
Tervigon, Toxin, Adrenal, 3 powers
Tervigon, Toxin, Adrenal, 3 powers
5 Ymgarls
5 Ymgarls
The Doom in a SPod
2 Biovores

Game 1: Against DEldar, he had many Warriors in Raiders and Venoms, plus 20 warriors with the duke attached, and several Ravagers. Here's some highlights...

I spawned early, hoping to get some extra gants because of his extra dakka. Sadly I spawned out way too early. 

My Flyrants flew around trying to gun down his Ravagers. I know they'll likely die, and I lose one turn 2 and the other turn 3. Fortunately I killed all three Ravagers before they were gunned down. (Note my outflanking linebreaker gants below...) My Flyrants also earned me First Blood.

Having lost my Warlord, I ambushed his... 5 Ymgarls jumped out of Pipes and trashed his 20 man warrior squad after Biovores softened it up. I lost three, but swept his unit and the Duke to boot!

On my left flank there was a Reaver full of Warriors harrassing me. I failed two four inch charges in successive turns, first with poison gants, then a Tervigon!

Finally it was popped and his Warriors fled before my mighty wrath! 

End of the day? A victory! I held one objective in my back field, while he grabbed one in the center. I killed all but one of his troops, and knew I could at least hold the one I had placed out of LoS. I got all three secondary objectives, while he only slew my Warlord. A narrow victory over my arch-nemesis army!

But oh no, it would not get any easier... Taudar. Yuck. This was a... weird... mission where the mission was board control. What that meant, I have no idea. The judge said he would walk around at the end and decide who held the most of the board... weird. I didn't like it, but I had to play it. 

I assaulted his central firebase with mighty wrath! Fortunately I kept him bunched up. Walls helped shield my Flyrants as well and I killed many firewarriors. :) I also caused his Broadsides to fall off the table for first blood by targeting Drones for a 25% casualty check! 

My hordes advanced to secure "board control".

I assaulted a Commander and Firewarriors with Ymgarls and the Flyrant. Despite his mighty invulnerables I eventually smashed his commander for good.

 And I controlled the board...

I broke free and assaulted his Riptide+Eldrad!

Boy oh boy. This was a great game, and the judge ruled I won, but it was close. Towards the end he attempted a breakout and got pretty close to my lines but couldn't break my gant swarm. Twas a good game! I feel I deserved to win for killing Eldrad, getting First Blood and Linebreaker again, plus killing a good bit of his army. Still I would rather it have been a less, well, vague mission, as my opponent obviously wasn't happy with the result. 

Game 3: There were three undefeated players at this point... the two others played eachother while I was left with a one-loss opponent, and his Salamanders. Again, the mission was... odd. One troops unit could sit in an area terrain piece and perform a "ritual". Don't move shoot or get assaulted for two full player turns after this, and you have succeeded. First to do so gets 3 points, the other player then gets 1 if they do.

My opponent's deployment zone. 

A command squad and rhino shield got too close. I put a Tervigon in area terrain, cast Iron Arm and took the Primary. Then I mulched his command squad, except a Shield Captain whom I tied up. 

Just to make sure, I killed his Tactical squad by the tree to make sure he didn't get the Primary too. 

And swarmed his biker squad... 

Like, I really swarmed them. They died.

This game was rough due to a stupid mission and stupid rolls as well. He killed a Tervigon and I had gants fall back from a Dread they were tying up, only for them to rally and shoot his rear armor for three Glances. Wow. Just stuff like that, but my opponent was a great sport. 

Final: I took second place at 3-0, which is a shame as I feel I could have beaten the winners GK army, but oh well.

Codex Tyranid Review Part III

Here we go, the troops section! I was hoping to have this out earlier, but I'm in the middle of Exam week. This is generally considered THE most important part of the Force Organization Chart, because this is how you claim objectives. Of course we know what last edition was, when Troops choices kept Nids competitive. Now however, everyone loves to say that all of the troops suck. Of course,everyone knows that! Tervigons got worse, so can't possibly be good still. And Warriors sucked 4 years ago when that codex came out, so they must suck now... right?

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

Termigant brood: Termigants by themselves have dropped by one point for no changes (other than Instinctive Behavior). Pretty good, right? Termigants are the typical Tyranid troop, what you think of first. These little bugs are pretty good at being pretty cheap, but that's mostly it. Scoring, cheap, and hey a Fleshborer. Do you need anything else? Well there are some options anyway. 

     Options:

         Adrenal Glands: These work the same as on everyone else, but are pricey... they're more expensive than before and no one bought them then. It's worth considering because Tervigons no longer hand them out, but if you want gants to run or charge, there are Hormagaunts. (4/10)

        Toxin Sacks: Again, pricier than before. In a less-CC focused environment these will just not be worth it most of the time. (4/10) 

        Spinefists: Strength 3, Twin linked. Garbage? Maybe not. Against T3, Spinefists are better than Fleshborers. Against T4 it's equal, against T5 Fleshborers are better, against T6 Spinefists are better and against T7 Fleshborers are better. In all of these, "better" is by ~0.3 wounds from a brood of ten. So, pretty close. If you know you're seeing a T3 army, go spinefists. Otherwise? It's so close that I wouldn't bother changing models. I prefer Fleshborers for the sole reason of being able to recycle them for Tervigons. For a free upgrade, you can't go wrong either way. This gets a (5/10) because it really is personal preference. 

        Spike Rifles: Hm, this may be the only rule left without a model for it... will it be gone in 4 years? Joking aside, it's a -1 strength fleshborer with +6" range. A decent trade-off, seeing as it is free. Of course it is statistically worse once in range, but range is longer. If you want to model it, go ahead, but you're worse than guard shooting now. I'd stick to Fleshborers or Spinefists. (3/10)

        Strangleweb: This is now a strength 2 template with no special rules, or AP. Oh my. For the cost of a Flamer, you can get a flamer with two worse strength, but also two worse AP. Wait, what? Yeah, they did that. This is just one of the little things that makes me question the intelligence of Crudd- ahem, "the GW Design team". Leave this one at home... (2/10)

        Devourers: The famed "Devilgant" has lost his Pod, so many people are turned off. However a Devilgant is 2 points less than before, which has to mean something right? That's still tricky on a T3 model to double their cost. Well, here's a subtle change that is actually great for the new book. Upgrades went from "all" to "any". Any gant may be buy a devourer, that's a full 30 or one out of ten. I wouldn't buy a full squad Devourers, but all extra guys after the first ten should consider it... put ten guys in front to tank and then have the rest Dakka away! This combines very well with the Hive Commander rule. (8/10)

Overall: These are a good unit to take, with their one weakness being Instinctive behavior. Otherwise they are cheap, often fearless and can pack a punch if you want them too. Plus, they can make a Tervigon Troops! (7/10)

Example: 30 gants 120

              10 gants 40

               30 gants, 20 Devourers 200

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. However, she can outflank and surprise a vehicle. (7/10)
        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: The Tervigon is much better as a troop. I think everyone is overlooking the facts and instead trying to compare the Tervigon to last edition. To be fair, I would have given it a 10/10 last edition, but right now it is still worth taking if you can appreciate that it's role has changed. Please don't charge it into enemy lines with no plan at all. In half of my games, the Tervigon just sat in the back and spawned while casting Iron Arm, and never got shot. It can do that still and still score. Play conservatively, (like in Venom cover...) and it is still just as tough to kill. Also, as a troop it can outflank with Hive Commander, where it can spawn and shoot. (7/10)
Example: Tervigon 195
                Tervigon, Electroshock Grubs 205

Hormagaunt Brood: When you think Tyranids, you think a swarm of claws and teeth absorbing bullets until you just run out... the other basic troop for Nids, the Hormagaunt has a slot boost over last edition with his lower cost and +3 to run moves.
     Options:
        Adrenal Glands: Boy these are pricey! These got more expensive all over for giving fleet, but this is even for units that already have Fleet... inexplicable. Furious Charge usually won't be worth it. (4/10)
        Toxin Sacks: Same price as before and does the same thing. Disappointing, but still not bad per se... Poison is nasty business! If you actually want these guys to go hunting instead of just tarpitting I'd consider this heavily. (6/10)
Overall: Not a bad unit, and as troops that can move fast, they're good for getting far off objectives... They're guaranteed a 10" move with open terrain. Average run though will be at least 13", which is quite good for last turn grabs if you want to hide them in early turns. Again, Synapse is critical at how fast they can kill themselves. Roughly 5/12 models will die if your units fails Instinctive behavior and can't roll a 4+. (6/10)
Examples: 30 Hormagaunts 150
                  10 Hormagaunts 50

        

Tyranid Warriors: Ok, this is one of the more controversial units in the book. They are the same base cost as before and have no Eternal Warrior available. But, many people point to a Meta dependent on Strength 7, not 8... Could these guys be useful? It's a troops unit that's Synapse. With the changes to Synapse, these guys could be useful as a line-holder guaranteed not to run. These guys come stock with Devourers and Scything Talons. 

     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 ok, but that's not really their role. (5/10)

        Adrenal Glands: Better than Toxin for the added fleet, but pricier. I'd say they're needed if you plan to run a CC squad, but will you ever do that? (6/10)

        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. Not too pricey, and justifiable on a sit-back unit. (7/10)

        Scything Talons: Exchange 3 strength 4 shots for one extra attack? No thanks... (3/10)

        Rending Claws: If one must go CC, this is how. Cheap, and can kill 2+ saves. This isn't too bad. (6/10)

        Lashwhip and Bonesword: This is super pricey for Ap. 3, honestly it just raises the points on a fragile platform by too much. (4/10)

        Boneswords: Like above, but slightly cheaper, and now slower. Just not good. (3/10)

        Barbed Strangler: A cheap large blast? Why not? 36" is plenty for a babysitter squad, so really doesn't seem like a bad buy at all. Plus, pinning! (7/10)

        Venom Cannon: I wish this was better, but at strength 6 small blast it can't quite kill vehicles or infantry... take the Strangler. (5/10) 

Overall: Warriors aren't bad bare, but they get pricey FAST. There are too many things you "want" on them that cost points. Remember. Cheap is the new black. These are ideally a cheap Synapse unit that scores, not much more. (6/10)

Examples: 3 Warriors, Barbed Strangler 100

                5 Warriors, Adrenal Glands, Rending Claws 200

Ripper Swarm: Ooh boy. Yeah these are iconic, but they were notorious for being atrocious last codex. I'm keeping an open mind, but there were no fixes here. Swarms, they get stealth, and aren't scoring.

     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. (5/10) 

        Deep Strike: Again, a distraction, but at least they can get closer before they die right? Actually one could conceivably DS and take a back-field unit by surprise, like 10 cultists. I've seen nurglings used like that. (6/10) 

Overall: Troops that aren't scoring sums it up nicely... why would I ever use these? They're only 2 points cheaper than their wounds in gants, who can shoot and score. Yeah, that's a nope for me. (3/10)

Examples: 4 Rippers, Deep Strike 60

Genestealers: The cult favorite Stealers are remarkably similar to the past edition. Hint, they're the same. But, it's a new codex and open minds are needed. So, how do they fit in with the new book? 

     Options:

        Scything Talons: for one extra attack these are very pricey, as there are no other benefits... Yikes. Loss of rerolls hurts here and these are too pricey on a pricey model to afford. (4/10)

        Toxin Sacks: Poison helps here as re-rolls equals more rends. If you upgrade, this is how. (7/10)

        Adrenal Glands: Priced more expensive even though they don't give Fleet here... just another inconsistency. Rends matter more than strength for Stealers, to really Furious Charge gives little here. (4/10)

         Broodlord: Well this little boss is like a prime with claws in the unit. I wish he was Synapse, but oh well. He still knows the Horror, which is a VERY handy little Psychic power, which makes him a worthwhile upgrade. (8/10)

         Acid Blood: Brood Lord only, same as always, way too pricey. (2/10) 

         Toxin Sacks: Again, re-rolling rends is nice. Costly but decent. (6/10)

         Adrenal Glands: Again, already fleet and strength does little. (4/10)

         Regeneration: Adding 50% to a units cost for that 4+ is too too much. (3/10) 

Overall: Genestealers are still a costly CC unit with no durability, little speed and no assault grenades. The Horror helps here, so I say Broodlords are a must. But, they lack instinctive Behavior... a key factor. Consider infiltrating this scoring unit. (5/10)

Examples: 5 Genestealers 70

                5 Genestealers, Broodlord 130

                10 Genestealers, Toxin, Broodlord 220

Troops overall: Well there are only a few options, all are "decent" except Rippers. One Tervigon still seems a staple, and then try outflanking Devilgants or bringing them as a screen. Gants are better now while Tervigons have merits, and will be the base of most troops. Try adding either a Hormagaunt screen, a warrior brood for Synapse or a small Genestealer brood to disrupt things.