Tyranid Tactica 6th Edition

[Souleater]

The current codex is not the best iteration we have ever had. However, Sixth Edition Warhammer 40,000 brought some good changes for Tyranids.

Our army is not one that can simply rush across the board with a random selection of broods and a winning smile. Playing Tyranids requires a plan along with the tools to execute it. The models are characterful and overall it is a fun army to play.

I hope Bonzai doesn't mind me quoting him, as I believe he sums up the current state of play.

Tyranids are not weak per say, but they don't allow a lot of real wiggle room as far as strategy and or unit selection. It's not to say that most units can't be used, but if you do it should be with a very specific purpose in mind. ...

Another common problem for new nid players is mind set. Nids don't really play like any other 40k army. Nids are some what fragile in many respects. They need coordination between their units, so that the bulk of your forces hits your opponents line at the same time and overwhelm them. If you bring them in piece meal or allow them to be isolated, an opponent can deal usually take them out. Nids need to be somewhat aggressive as most other armies will have superior range and have you out gunned. How to close the distance while keeping your force cohesive and properly positioned, knowing what fights to pick with what units, are all important. He could have all the proper units and make all the right list choices and still get his tail kicked if he doesn't have good strategy, and employ proper tactics.

Nids have a high learning curve, but can be very fun and rewarding to play.

Synergy is possibly one of our most important tools. Setting up beneficial interactions between our broods reaps great benefits. There are a couple of ways this can be achieved: Psychic Powers, Special Rules or Abilites and the way that Broods interact on the table top.


Psychic Powers

Tyranids have some strong psykers and much of our synergy can be provided by them. As many of our broods are either weak and numerous, or start off fairly tough the ability to buff them or debuff their targets has perhaps a stronger effect than on, say, Space Marines. Hive Tyrants and Tervigions get a couple of powers so have a higher chance of a useful one.

Commonly Hive Tyrants will swap their Codex powers for a roll on the Biomancy table. Even the 'poor' Biomancy abilites duplicate or improve upon the basic Hive Tyrant powers while those mentioned below provide signfiicant benefits.

In keeping with the ability to spawn and buff Termagants, Tervigons can also benefit from Biomancy powers - however, it is not uncommon to keep Catalyst.

Zoenthropes generally keep their Codex powers but some players enjoy swapping their powers out for Rulebook powers to create a support unit with a toolbox of powers.

As to why Biomancy powers are so popular, Iron Arm can make a Hive Tyrant or Tervigon much harder to kill while also increasing its offensive power.

Enfeeble is a fantatically synergystic debuff. Reducing an enemy unit's Toughness has three effects:

• Easier to wound - obvious but very important for S3 Gaunt and volume of fire shooting from Termagaunts.
• Toxin Sacs on those same S3 creatures may not get to re-roll fail wounds.
• Casting the power twice on the same unit can result in Instant Death from S4 attacks.

Special Rules and Abilites

Another avenue for synergy is the handing out of abilites such as Outflanking or the improvement of Reserve Rolls.

Tervigons have a very obvious Synergy with Termagants


Brood Interaction on the Tabletop.

This can take a number of forms.

Firstly, some of our creatures are fairly pathetic. Attacking an enemy with two broods improves the chances of a favourable outcome.

Creating a 'Human shield' with cheap broods like gaunts can be used to protect more valubale broods from assault and/or give them a cover save against shooting.

As our Monstrous Creatures lack Invulnerable Saves and some of our medium sized beasties such as Raveners and Warriors are very fragile they need protection if actual cover cannot be found.

Taking a round of Overwatch fire is also the lot of Gants or Gargoyles so that other, more deadly creatures can safely engage an enemy unit.

[Souleater]

Brood Summary


HQ Choices

Hive Tyrants –

Pros: Fairly sturdy if given Tyrant Guard. Good at killing Elite infantry. Has some good buffs for friendly troops - Preferred Enemy particularly. Armoured Shell now more effective against power weapons.

Cons: Slow. Upgrading can be costly.


Winged Tyrant (aka Flyrants)

Pros: Good selection of psychic powers. High mobility and the ability to 'Vector Strike' enabling them to attack enemy units they fly over. With Twin Linked Brainleach Devourer (TLBD) can glance vehicles to death and soften up infantry.

Cons – Cover needs to be used to protect against anti-tank weapons. Needs backup against hordes to prevent being pinned down or overwhelmed. Elite hand to hand units can kill a Flyrant. The Winged upgrade itself is 60pts and prevents Armoured Shell or Tyrant Guard from being taken.



The Swarmlord - An improved Hive Tyrant

Pros: . Focused on Close Combat and buffing the swarm. Improved stat line. Wider synapse range. Offers a range of battlefield buffs. Wide range of psychic powers for potential trade-in to pick up even more brood/self buffs!

Cons: Expensive as really needs a couple of Tyrant Guard. Slow moving.



Tyrant Guard - Body guard for Swarmlord or Hive Tyrant

Pros: Tough, good statline, can upgrade to take Boneswords. Can take hits for the Hive Tyrant or Swarmlord

Cons: Expensive with Boneswords.



Tervigon:

Pros: Synapse. Buffs surrounding broods. Spawns free Termagant broods. Standard Psychic powers are decent, as are upgrade ones. Counts as a Troop choice if taken with Termagants – tough objective holder. Without the fear of No Retreat wounds a Tervigon can get stuck into CC with its minions - A3, S6, AP2 isn't bad.

Cons: Buffs other units not itself a great fighter.



Tyranid Prime

Pros: Quite cost effective and has access to decent upgrades. Boneswords ignore Armour Saves so are a must. Often added to other Broods e.g. Dakkafexes.

Cons: No Invulnerable Save. Cannot have wings.



Parasite of Mortex

Pros: Very manoverable. A disruption tool rather that a straight on killer.

Cons: Expensive for what it does and competes for an HQ slot against other creatures.



Elite Choices


Hive Guard Brood – ranged anti-vehicle.

Pros: Good against vehicles. Does not need Line of Sight (LOS). Arguably our best ranged anti-vehicle tool.

Cons: Only 24” range. Needs to stay in cover to mitigate enemy retaliation.



Lictor Brood – Infiltration and disruption

Pros: Guides Deep Striking units. Can tie up small enemy units. Flesh Hooks and claws can be effective against vehicles.

Cons: Not that good at what it is meant to do.



Deathleaper – An improved Lictor

Pros: Better stats. Reduces effectiveness of enemy psykers and leaders. Can be tricky to kill.

Cons: Expensive, but still more effective than his cost in ordinary Lictors. *if* many more psykers appear he may become more useful.



Venomthropes – defensive buffing units.

Pros: Provides cover to broods within 6”. Enemy must make Dangerous Terrain tests if assaulting these broods. Also removes bonus attacks from charging enemies (particularly amusing against Rage)

Cons: No offensive powers of its own.



Zoanthrope Psychic Artillery

Pros: Powerful anti-tank abilities. Each member of the brood can trade out its Psychic powers. As each can then roll on different tables for each power a wide range can be available. This can lead to a loss of focus for the Brood.

Cons: Can by shut down by anti-psyker abilites and wargear.



The Doom of Malan'tai - UberZoanthrope

Pros: Nasty life draining aura has been made a little more dangerous by the reduction in cover saves and the possible reduction in Mech units.

Cons: Psychic powers can be nullified. Short ranged. A priority target.



Pyrovore - a really nice looking model.

Pros: It really is a nice looking model.

Cons: You could have given the money to charity or taken your mother out to Sunday Lunch.



Ymgarl Genestealers

Pros - As regular Genestealers. Armour that might actually stop small arms fire. Can assault the turn the arrive.

Cons - As regular Genestealers but more expensive. Can be placed in terrain that turns out to be occupied.



Fast Attack


Raveners

Pros: Fast across the table. Not slowed down by difficult terrain. Hit reasonably hard. Rending and high number of attacks per model allows Raveners to engage heavy infantry and vehicles. With the changes to Fleet their shooting upgrades may now be worth considering.

Cons: Medium price per model but large broods can become expensive. Low Leadership value potential makes it vulnerable to enemy psychic powers.



Gargoyles – Winged horde unit

Pros: Cheap per model. Cost effective upgrades. Hammer of Wrath on the charge works well with large brood numbers. Provides screening for other Tyranid creatures (often Shrikes or Tyrants). Fast movement and can Deep Strike if need be.

Cons: Fragile.


Shrikes

Pros: Can be equipped with Boneswords to cut down heavy infantry. Wings give mobility and Hammer of Wrath gives an extra attack per model.

Cons: Poor armour so need screening with another unit. Expensive, obvious target.



Harpy Winged Monstrous Creature

Pros: Fairly mobile long ranged shooting. Mainly anti-infantry.

Cons: Another 'expensive for what it does' model. Cannot engage enemy fliers with its guns!



Sky-Slasher Swarm

Pros: Mobility. Can tie up enemy units for several turns.

Cons: Vulnerable to Blasts, ID.



Troops


Termagant – Basic cannon fodder

Pros: Cheap, numerous and can be spawned from Tervigons. Each purchased brood of these makes one Tervigon a Troop Choice. Buffs from other units increase survivability and offensive capability. Can be used to hold enemy units in Close Combat or screen friendly broods.

Cons: Weak when not buffed or in small numbers.


Devilgaunt – Termagant Upgraded with Devourer.

Pros: 18” range shooting with high volume of fire. Can eliminate a Marine squad in one volley. Can take out AV10 vehicles by stripping Hull Points. Commonly Deployed by Mycetic Spore or via Outflank.

Cons: Needs to be in cover or careful deployment to minimize enemy retaliation. Expensive package, often considered a ‘one-trick pony’.



Hormagaunts – Close combat horde unit.

Pros - Cheap base cost per model. Large broods can overwhelm elite infantry. Hormagaunts in synapse range can wear down enemy units in assault, or hold them until other broods (such as Genestealers, Tyranid Warriors)
Benefit from being buffed.

Cons: Needs to attack in large numbers to be effective. May need assistance from Genestealers, Raveners or something generally more killy to actually bring down tough targets.



Toxigaunts - Hormagaunts with Toxin sacs. Few numbers but poison helps kill infantry models, particularly enemy Monstrous Creatures.

AGgaunts - Hormagaunts with Adrenal Glands. Enhanced strength on the charge helps to kill vehicles by striking the rear armour to rapidly strip Hull Points. Small boost in infantry killing but this is largely offset by increased points cost per model.

Ubergaunts - Hormagaunts with both upgrades. At ten points per model they are expensive for a horde unit. Genestealers may be more cost effective at that price range.



Genestealers – CC specialists.

Pros – Rending allows a brood to engage super heavy infantry or vehicles. Broodlord character upgrade is worth consideration: improved stats, psychic powers and can upgrade to Implant attacks which cause Instant Death.

Cons – Effectively no armour. Heavily reliant on cover and/or FNP. Glass hammer unit. Can be overwhelmed by superior numbers or ground down by tough units.



Warriors:

Pros: Synapse. Three wounds per model but still subject to ID by high strength weapons. Can take support weapons to aid vehicle glancing. Can be fitted with CC weapons but equal points in Raveners will be faster across the board and hit almost as hard.

Cons: Basic Warrior is cheap but upgrade costs quickly mount up. Greatly benefit from FNP or cover.



Ripper Swarm

Pros: ???

Cons: ???



Mycetic Spore - brings another brood into play via deep strike.

Pros: Can be used to drop broods on flanks, behind lines or simply closer to the enemy to avoid an extra round of shooting. Can defend itself in assault - is S6, AP2. Can be given guns to add supporting fire. New ID rules mean it survives a little longer against Anti-Tank fire.

Cons: Low Toughness and armour make it fairly easy to kill after landing. Shoots the nearest enemy target so giving it blast weapons is a bit of a gamble. Latest rumour state that only half your army can enter play via Reserves.



Heavy Support


Trygon:

Pros: Multiple attacks, good Inititative, AP2 close combat attacks. Short ranged shooting attack could crack AV10-11. Can be upgraded to a Prime for Synapse, improved shooting and better Ld.

Cons: A BIG model. Cannot assault the turn it Deep Strikes. Enemy generally want it dead ASAP. Costly.



Mawloc Hit and run MC

Pros: Reduced cover saves make him a little better at killing infantry. Changes to Deep Strike may make him more useful. Can re-deploy across the board during the battle.

Cons: Bad Deep Strikes could mean hitting friendly broods as well as missing the enemy. Only effective while Deep Striking but as an MC can now SMASH! vehicles



Carnifex: Jack of all trades Monstrous Creature.

Pros: Dropped in a Mycetic Spore behind enemy or on a flank can cause a fair amount of carnage. Generally runs with two Twin Linked Brain Leach Devourers (TLBD) or keeps the standard Scything Talons to re-roll misses.

Cons: Very expensive for it’s statline. Other broods generally a better job at whatever the poor Carnifex tries to do.



Old One Eye

Pros: Potentially can kill many models on the charge. Minor Regeneration.

Cons: For twenty points more you can get a Swarmlord who gives a bigger boost to the army.



Tyrannofex (aka T-Fex) Anti-vehicle shooting unit

Pros: Tough Monstrous Creature. Can wreck vehicles at range. Can be equipped for anti-infantry.

Cons: Big model. Very expensive.



Biovore - Long range anti-infantry barrage brood.

Pros: Can be used to thin out other horde infantry armies. Able to stay in the back line in relative safety.


Cons: Less effective against MEQ or Mechanized forces.


Fortifications

These do not offer the Tyranid army much.

[Souleater]

FAQ and other stuff.

[Jorgandr]

Warriors and Raveners are no longer ID’d by Power Fists and Missile Launchers, although higher Strength blows will probably still kill them.



.

What? They can't? I've not read that...?

[Souleater]

As I understand it a S8 hit would cause them two wounds so they would not be killed outright as they were under 5th Ed. However, higher Strength hits may cause more wounds which would ID them.

Of course, they are still expensive models taking multiple wounds so for CC I'd rather send in the gaunts after hosing the Terminators down with gunfire.

Edit: Been pointed out this is incorrect. Main post changed. Je desole.

[Xerkics]

You missed ripper swarms and flying variant.

[Sami]

Best of luck with the tactica

[Theocracity]

I don't think that's correct SE. The rumors thread has said there was no change got the ID mechanics.

[Vsurma]

One of the default spells available to tyranids was assualt 4 S4 ap2, might have been telekinesis lore.

I think this will be decent on warriors, just replace synapse with this power and we have a decent shooting unit, that said the range was a horrible 12".

Still, it's free (well costs you the synapse) and puts some decent anti terminator shooting on the table.

[Souleater]

Ah, poor Warriors. Okay, I'll amend that.

@Sami: Thank you. And good luck with yours, too.

You missed ripper swarms and flying variant.

It is a deliberate omission. Currently I dont' think they are even worth an entry but if you have any thoughts on them I would be happy to add them.

[Balerion]

As I understand it a S8 hit would cause them two wounds so they would not be killed outright as they were under 5th Ed. However, higher Strength hits may cause more wounds which would ID them.

This is incorrect, unfortunately. ID works the same way as before; double T or higher and you're instagibbed.

One of the default spells available to tyranids was assualt 4 S4 ap2, might have been telekinesis lore.

I think this will be decent on warriors, just replace synapse with this power and we have a decent shooting unit, that said the range was a horrible 12".

Still, it's free (well costs you the synapse) and puts some decent anti terminator shooting on the table.

Warriors are not Psykers, so this will not work. Synapse is not a psychic power.

[Souleater]

Gee...they really want to sell more Terminators don't they?

[Balerion]

On the plus side re: Warriors, Primes can now snipe out special weapons or characters, and our high rate-of-fire weapons give us more chances to do so. Even better if you can slap Preferred Enemy on him for rerolls of 1's.

Fingers crossed that Tyrants are also characters, and can allot hits when they're in Dakka config.

[Souleater]

At this point I'm really crossing all of my crossable bits that Boneswords are FAQ'd at AP2.

I think you raise a good point with Preferred Enemy and our buffs in general. Our weak horde troops should be staying around longer now that they don't evaporate in CC. That should mean we get to buff them in CC more often which should reap its own reward.

[Balerion]

Absolutely. We finally have legit tarpits again, that opponents will need to wade through.

One idea I've been thinking about is using min-sized units of Gaunts almost as WHFB style chaff units, to eat up overwatch shots before something more important charges in. It may not be that effective, due to FoC restrictions and needing to fill all your troops slots up with legit units, but at the very least Tervigon-spawn should be able to perform that role.

[chizal]

On the plus side re: Warriors, Primes can now snipe out special weapons or characters, and our high rate-of-fire weapons give us more chances to do so. Even better if you can slap Preferred Enemy on him for rerolls of 1's.

Fingers crossed that Tyrants are also characters, and can allot hits when they're in Dakka config.

tyrants are now classed as characters so can benefit from the precision rule

with the amount of psykers nids have you can have a hell of a lot of buffs flying about, you could change a zoanthrope brood in to a buffing nightmare with 6 different powers

[Balerion]

That's great. Directed hits from Dakkatyrants are going to be DEVASTATING.

Are Tervigons characters?

[chizal]

That's great. Directed hits from Dakkatyrants are going to be DEVASTATING.

Are Tervigons characters?

yep same as broodlords

[Balerion]

Yay!

Dare I ask about Trygon Primes?

Actually, just list all the TMCs that are characters so I don't have to keep bugging you with individual posts.

[wyvirn]

I heard that Venomthropes giving defensive grenades also gives Snap Fire to nearby units. Also, swarms of termigaunts will bring X/10/10 vehicles if you can bring them to the flank, especially now that they have hull points to glance away.