Tyranid Tactica 6th Edition

[Finn]

Let's not go through the Tervigon spawning vs. Gate of Infinity thing again. The rules aren't clear either way - GW has gifted us another ambiguous situation.

As for Doom - why would you replace Cataclysm? Especially with the blast vs. vehicle changes? I get that you lose D3 wounds when you use the power, but it's so much better than a 1/3 chance to get Iron Arm or Endurance.

[soultaker87]

Yup, challenges and precision strikes also help Doom's survival chances in combat.
And if you can manage to pull off Iron Arm, lol!

Question, where does it say that Doom is a character? He's not listed in the back of the BRB. Just wondering.

[Balerion]

Question, where does it say that Doom is a character? He's not listed in the back of the BRB. Just wondering.

The Tyranid FAQ refers to Special Characters (as opposed to going out of it's way to single them out as "Unique Creatures" or some other term that has no additional rules implications).

It's not an iron-clad definition, but I think it's enough of a hint that most friendly/reasonable gamers will let you use the named beasties as characters.

[soultaker87]

Ah, thanks for the help. Also while looking through the FAQ, I Read that a unit cannot have a cover save unless in or touching cover if hit by impaler cannons, so does this also count against popping smoke and jink rule?

[Finn]

Ah, thanks for the help. Also while looking through the FAQ, I Read that a unit cannot have a cover save unless in or touching cover if hit by impaler cannons, so does this also count against popping smoke and jink rule?

EDIT: This is correct, per the FAQ. No cover saves from smoke or jink.

[Inevitable]

What's the most optimal way to equip Tyranid Warriors now?

In Packs of 3, 6, and 9. I generally prefer 2 packs of 6 if possible, or a pack of 6 and a small shooty squad of 3-4.

Scything & Devourer?
Rending & Deathspitter?
Bonesword & Lashwhip?

Adren/Toxin on any of the 3 combo's above?

Venom Cannon or Barbed Strangler?

[Vsurma]

What's the most optimal way to equip Tyranid Warriors now?

In Packs of 3, 6, and 9. I generally prefer 2 packs of 6 if possible, or a pack of 6 and a small shooty squad of 3-4.

Scything & Devourer?
Rending & Deathspitter?
Bonesword & Lashwhip?

Adren/Toxin on any of the 3 combo's above?

Venom Cannon or Barbed Strangler?

If your not taking a bonesword combo then why aren't you just using raveners? they are faster in movement and initiative. Rending on warriors seems silly at 5pts a model when dual boneswords is 10. The only time you don't want to go with ravs instead is if you need the synapse. (Tervigons normally do the babysitting role better as do primes)

I would still try to keep them as cheap as possible, with cover saves from intervening models down to a 5+ you will take a bit more of a hit this edition. Dual boneswords, devourer, toxin seems a nice combo for 45pts a pop, bonesword lashwhip is also decent if your up against init5 troops.

I would try to keep the cost down though as much as possible and just use more models. Adding a T5 prime is a good idea to soak up the rocket/lascannon hits if you have the slot available.

[Inevitable]

If your not taking a bonesword combo then why aren't you just using raveners? they are faster in movement and initiative. Rending on warriors seems silly at 5pts a model when dual boneswords is 10. The only time you don't want to go with ravs instead is if you need the synapse. (Tervigons normally do the babysitting role better as do primes)

I would still try to keep them as cheap as possible, with cover saves from intervening models down to a 5+ you will take a bit more of a hit this edition. Dual boneswords, devourer, toxin seems a nice combo for 45pts a pop, bonesword lashwhip is also decent if your up against init5 troops.

I would try to keep the cost down though as much as possible and just use more models. Adding a T5 prime is a good idea to soak up the rocket/lascannon hits if you have the slot available.

I do have Raveners (8) but I also own 12 warrior models that I need to build into:

2 Primes (1 with Dual Boneswords, the other maybe a shooty prime)

1 Barbed Strangler (just incase)
1 Venom Cannon (just incase)

Then currently I have 6 that are Scything & Devourer. I was wondering if I should rebuild them into other combos, or just add deathspitters to them. Str 5 seems very good, and it's only 5 points a model.

If I keep them base (Scyth & Devourer) they are the same point costs as Devgaunts with better close combat capabilities but vulnerable to high str shots.

[Vsurma]

I do have Raveners (8) but I also own 12 warrior models that I need to build into:

2 Primes (1 with Dual Boneswords, the other maybe a shooty prime)

1 Barbed Strangler (just incase)
1 Venom Cannon (just incase)

Then currently I have 6 that are Scything & Devourer. I was wondering if I should rebuild them into other combos, or just add deathspitters to them. Str 5 seems very good, and it's only 5 points a model.

If I keep them base (Scyth & Devourer) they are the same point costs as Devgaunts with better close combat capabilities but vulnerable to high str shots.

Cheap warriors don't really care so much about being shot with S8+ weapons, the truth is you probably have a MC or 2 that are better targets so if your being shot that means your MCs are not.

A warrior with 5+ cover that costs 45pts means every rocket hits costs you 30pts, if they shot your Tervigon/trygon or much worse a Carnifex or tyrant you would be losing much more, 35pts per wound for the cheaper MCs and up to 50pts per wound for the more expensive ones. So instadeath while it feels bad, is not really that expensive to you.

It depends on what your list looks like. A very nice unit would be a large unit of warriors lead by a prime, boneswords all round. The prime runs in the front taking hits and allocating them to different warriors, he absorbs the insta-killing shots. Run regeneration on him. Then try to cast endurance on them and your in business. Which gun you run is up to you, I don't see a huge benefit to S5 over S4 myself, running is often the best option if the enemies army allows.

[the_picto]

I do have Raveners (8) but I also own 12 warrior models that I need to build into:

2 Primes (1 with Dual Boneswords, the other maybe a shooty prime)

1 Barbed Strangler (just incase)
1 Venom Cannon (just incase)

Then currently I have 6 that are Scything & Devourer. I was wondering if I should rebuild them into other combos, or just add deathspitters to them. Str 5 seems very good, and it's only 5 points a model.

If I keep them base (Scyth & Devourer) they are the same point costs as Devgaunts with better close combat capabilities but vulnerable to high str shots.

It's also possible to make warriors into broodlords, zoanthropes and hiveguard with a bit of light conversion work, assuming you need anymore of the above. A bit of greenstuff and you could make them into more raveners too. Also, if you can get hold of some wings you could do shrikes.

On the subject of what to arm warriors with, I went with talons, devourers and toxin sacs with one sporting a barbed strangler. Keeps them cheap. I did assemble mine for the previous codex and didn't want to rip them apart too much though.

[Vsurma]

Anyone have the models to try out the ENFEEBLE ARMY OF DOOOOOM?

I am thinking something along the lines of

Tervigon (3 powers, roll on biomancy until you get enfeeble)
Tervigon

3 Zoans (aim for as many enfeeble as possible)
3 Zoans (aim for as many enfeeble as possible)
3 Zoans (aim for as many enfeeble as possible)

Tervigon
Tervigon
Tervigon
10 termagaunts
10 termagaunts
10 termagaunts

This gives you 5 Tervigons with enfeeble and 18 powers in total on the zoans.

Hopefully you get at least 4 Enfeebles to allow you to just take UNITS off the table! Course the army does little else and comes in at 1740atm (you could also try a swarmlord for an almost guaranteed enfeeble there)

The rest of your power is in your FC/Adrenal gaunts and little else. Could be fun for a laugh.

[Gingerwerewolf]

In the psykers section of the rulebook it says that you can never use any power to reduce any stat to less than 1. P68 under Maledictions, Last Sentence, bottom right of page.

Even though powers are cumulative

So Im not sure how this army works. If you choose other powers its not a bad list :P

[kaptin_blacksquigg]

You'd get more powers if you go for Stealers with Broodlords instead of Guants with Tervigons (12 powers casting 6 a turn, instead of 9 powers casting 3). Also means that once people are down to S2T2 you can just eat them with stealers (as I belive Gingerwerewolf is correct about not insta-killing entire units).

[de Selby]

Cheap warriors don't really care so much about being shot with S8+ weapons, the truth is you probably have a MC or 2 that are better targets so if your being shot that means your MCs are not.

A warrior with 5+ cover that costs 45pts means every rocket hits costs you 30pts, if they shot your Tervigon/trygon or much worse a Carnifex or tyrant you would be losing much more, 35pts per wound for the cheaper MCs and up to 50pts per wound for the more expensive ones. So instadeath while it feels bad, is not really that expensive to you.

There is the additional problem that every lost warrior degrades the performance of your warrior unit, whereas lost wounds to an MC mean nothing until they are all gone (in which case it is excatly as dead as the warrior unit with all wounds gone). So you have to consider, for a given cost, how useful a combat unit is actually going to reach the enemy lines after it's taken fire?

Plus pie plates and things obv.

[Vsurma]

There is the additional problem that every lost warrior degrades the performance of your warrior unit, whereas lost wounds to an MC mean nothing until they are all gone (in which case it is excatly as dead as the warrior unit with all wounds gone). So you have to consider, for a given cost, how useful a combat unit is actually going to reach the enemy lines after it's taken fire?

Plus pie plates and things obv.

The regen tyranid prime evens the odds in this aspect to some degree, especially if you can cast regeneration on the unit or make some regen saves on the prime itself.

If your running dual boneswords you really only need about 2 to hit the enemy lines to do the same damage as much damage as say a trygon, 1 to be as powerful as a tervigon so its not all bad. Still you don't see warriors in very many tyranid lists.

[El_Machinae]

No, they're really quite expensive, and we've had the Primes taken away from the pods.

[Zinch]

Still you don't see warriors in very many tyranid lists.

Because you are not taking into account one of the banes of warriors: pie plates.

One manticore shot and your unit of warriors is dead. I suffered this one battle (losing 5 warriors, it could have been worse but painful nevertheless) and shelved my warriors...

[Vsurma]

Because you are not taking into account one of the banes of warriors: pie plates.

One manticore shot and your unit of warriors is dead. I suffered this one battle (losing 5 warriors, it could have been worse but painful nevertheless) and shelved my warriors...

True, I only really play tournaments and pie plates are non existent, most IG armies bring 0 at the tournament level but then this might change, with full S under the whole template I can see a few maticores showing up.

[Inevitable]

True, I only really play tournaments and pie plates are non existent, most IG armies bring 0 at the tournament level but then this might change, with full S under the whole template I can see a few maticores showing up.

So then what I'm gathering from the consensus is:

Basic Warriors:
Scything & Devourer - Maybe 1 heavy (Venom / Barbed) and Toxin sacks
Scything & Dual Boneswords - No Heavy - Toxin Sacks
Dual Boneswords & Devourer - Heavy Maybe - Toxin Sacks

Prime:
Scything, Dual Bonesword, Regen, Toxin ?

[Xerkics]

I like shooty Wars mainly for synapse . Add barbed strangler and 2 deathspitters and keep them spamming blast templates and keeping synapse but then i dont play tervigons so dont have that much synapse .