[Tyranids][1500][both]

[AvariceX]

I'm just planning out what I want my army to look like and I'm looking for some feedback. I'm trying to minimize how much money I spend so the list will stay pretty much static and will be used both for fun and competitive play.

HQ

Hive Tyrant - Winged, 2x Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands (+1WS), Toxin Sacs, Bio-plasma, Toxic Miasma, Warp Field
196 points

3 Tyranid Warriors - Scything Talons, Rending claws, Leaping
90 points


Elites

3 Tyranid Warriors - Scything Talons, Rending Claws, Leaping
90 points

3 Tyranid Warriors - Scything Talons, Rending Claws, Leaping
90 points


Troops

16 Hormagaunts - Adrenal Glands (+1I)
176 points

16 Hormagaunts - Adrenal Glands (+1I)
176 points

6 Genestealers
120 points

6 Genestealers
120 points

8 Spinegaunts - Spinefist
40 points

8 Spinegaunts - Spinefist
40 points


Fast Attack

1 Ravener - Scything Talons & Rending Claws
40 points

1 Ravener - Scything Talons & Rending Claws
40 points


Heavy Support

1 Devilfex - 2x Twin-Linked Devourers, Enhanced Senses, Spine Banks, Mace Tail
123 points

1 Sniperfex - Venom Cannon, Barbed Strangler, Enhanced Senses, Toxin Sacs
159 points


1500 points

My biggest worry here is my weak shooting phase; seeing as how it consists entirely of 2 carnifexes. The entire army (except for said carnifexes) should be reaching combat very quickly though so I don't see the shooting phase being a huge problem. There's also plenty of punching power for taking out vehicles in close combat between monstrous creatures and rending. Originally I had a lictor in the list instead of the 2 broods of spinegaunts but the model count for the whole army was a little too low for my tastes.

[scythes]

I'm not the most learned Nid player, but I have picked up a few tips here and there.

For the tyrant, you want acid maw, not bioplasma. Granted, I learned this from the arena of death on this site, but acid maw will do you a lot more than bioplasma. Also, I'd drop toxic miasma and take adrenal glands (+1I), you want to go before that force weapon wielding librarian and other I5 models.

I like the warriors, I"m going to have a bunch after I put together my 3 battleforce boxes worth of them, it's just tough to find all thsoe rending claws.

Troops all look good, might want to consider extended carapace for the stealers so they don't get tore up by regular bolters and other ap5 weapons.

Raveners look good, as for the model itself, it's definately my favorite as far as looks. The first one I put together was so awesome, I now have 4, only because the store I bought them from didn't have anymore.

Both fex's are cool but have a few upgrades not needed. Spine banks and mace tail aren't really needed on a shooty fex And toxin sacs aren't needed as the BS and VC will be max strength without the extra +1S.

Over all it's a good looking start, a couple battleforce boxes will get you most of the models here for a really good discount, or you could always go the ebay way.

[AvariceX]

I'm not the most learned Nid player, but I have picked up a few tips here and there.

For the tyrant, you want acid maw, not bioplasma. Granted, I learned this from the arena of death on this site, but acid maw will do you a lot more than bioplasma.

I thought about this as well. The reason I went with Bio-plasma is that against MEQ's and GEQ's I'll be wounding on 2's anyway so the re-rolls won't be used too often. Mathematically though the re-rolls will account to more damage than the bio-plasma, but the bio-plasma gets to strike first against pretty much anything so I can take out immediate threats right away (like force weapons, hopefully). I have no objections to switching to the Acid Maw, and since the Tyrant is Winged I shouldn't have to worry too much about being trapped into a losing assault.

Also, I'd drop toxic miasma and take adrenal glands (+1I), you want to go before that force weapon wielding librarian and other I5 models.

I didn't actually work out any mathhammer behind the Toxic Miasma, I just figured that it would make GEQ's hit me on 5's while being able to hit other crazy melee units like enemy Genestealers for instance on 3's. I'm sure I could drop it without missing it though. My logic behind not taking the +1I was that not many models have I5+ anyway, and those that do I could try to take out with bio-plasma. The Adrenal Gland is cheaper than the bio-plasma though and it does make Acid Maw more viable so I think you have me convinced to switch.

I like the warriors, I"m going to have a bunch after I put together my 3 battleforce boxes worth of them, it's just tough to find all thsoe rending claws.

I only have 5 warriors at the moment and they're all equipped with deathspitters instead of rending claws so I have some model work (and purchases) ahead of me.

Troops all look good, might want to consider extended carapace for the stealers so they don't get tore up by regular bolters and other ap5 weapons.

I played around with a few variations of the list and originally they did have extended carapace. There were no spinegaunts in that list though and the troop count was significantly lower so I felt the genestealers would die equally fast.

Raveners look good, as for the model itself, it's definately my favorite as far as looks. The first one I put together was so awesome, I now have 4, only because the store I bought them from didn't have anymore.

I love the ravener model as well, but I only have 1 with this weapon configuration right now; the other has a devourer instead of rending.

Both fex's are cool but have a few upgrades not needed. Spine banks and mace tail aren't really needed on a shooty fex And toxin sacs aren't needed as the BS and VC will be max strength without the extra +1S.

Actually the barbed strangler won't max out without the toxin sacs, and that extra strength is the difference between Instant Death on T4. In a way it is maxed though because it will still wound T4 (or 5 even) on 2's, but the extra strength is also the difference between being able to glance a Land Raider. As for the Spine Banks I figured the devilfex will be moving forward constantly to stay in range with his 18" weapons so 5 points for 2 more shots at closer range at S6 seemed like a deal to me. Mace Tail follows the same logic - 5 points for an extra S9 attack should be paying for itself easily the first time it is used.

Over all it's a good looking start, a couple battleforce boxes will get you most of the models here for a really good discount, or you could always go the ebay way.

I already have most of the models actually. I found 2 BFB's for a fairly cheap price so I'll be picking those up and that will get me everything I need to finish this except a new Hive Tyrant and some random bits.

Following all of your suggestions let's say I drop Miasma and Bio-Plasma from the Tyrant, Mace Tail and Spine Banks from the devilfex, and the toxin sacs from the devilfex that should clear up... 45 points, correct me if that's wrong I don't have my codex handy.

Adding the extended carapace to the genestealers is 48 points, so that follows my personal rule of "never be more than 4 points over or under", but then adding the acid maw as well as the +1I to the Tyrant is another 20 points. Again correct me if any of this is wrong since I don't have my book right now (I know the numbers should be close within a few points though). Aside from that I have a feeling I should take Flesh Hooks on the Tyrant because I think a lot of opponents will try to take cover from him and I don't want them striking first.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback.