It is high time I write an updated tactica for the new edition. Something I can point newbies at to get them started since Loate's tactica helped me so much, so I figured I'd give back to the community.

note on Monstrous Creatures.In 6th edition just being a Monstrous Creature gives a model IMMENSE ADVANTAGES. Be sure to read up on these and be familiar with all the special rules and capabilities it gives. It helps a lot when considering the capabilities of a unit.

note on Synapse. A lot of our big bugs do not need synapse in 6th edition with the changes to Rage. Our little bugs still desperately need it however. Always keep in mind most of your units have terrible leadership and without synapse will break and run at a moment's notice. Always have redundant synapse in your lists.

note on psyker powers. With 6th edition we can replace all of the psyker powers on a model with random roles on the main rulebook's psyker tables for Biomancy, Telekinesis, or Telepathy. In general most of our units are best served pulling from Biomancy but I will give the tactical breakdown of each.

Color codeLime means GreatTeal means good, but not amazingYellow means mediocre or situationalPurple means poor but fieldableRed means Terrible

Biomancy- Smite (primaris)This is a nice short range witchfire ability that can be vital for dealing with terminators and mega armored nobs and other 2+. As primaris powers go this one is really quite good.

-Iron ArmA blessing that buffs the psyker's Strength and Toughness by d3 and gives eternal warrior. Possibly the best power in the set and one of the ones you always hope for on your Tervigons and Tyrants. Particularly great against Grey Knights.

-EnfeebleA malediction that reduces a target's strength and toughness and makes open terrain count as difficult. Amazingly useful, particularly when dealing with enemy units that have toughness 6. You can enfeeble them then smash them for instant death. Also great for dealing with nob squads as it makes them suffer instant death on strength 6 and deal a LOT less damage back if they survive.

-Endurance A blessing that allows you to give a unit Feel No Pain, It Will Not Die, and Relentless. Relentless doesn't do US any good, but the other two are great. It is like Catalyst with a slightly weaker Regeneration thrown in for good measure. This is a great power for ANY of our psykers to get.

-Life LeechA witchfire similar to the old Leech Essence our Tyrants can get, but actually a touch better with twice the strength and the same average number of attacks, but you have to make an attack roll with it. Gives you only one wound back if you cause any, but that is all you were ever likely to get out of Leech Essence anyway. Also great for dealing with enemy 2+ armor units.

-Warp Speed A blessing that buffs the psyker's initiative and attacks by d3 and gives it fleet. A good power, I don't think quite as good as any of the others up to this point but not something I would cry about getting stuck with. Particularly handy for Monstrous Creatures that want to smash a vehicle or building as these attacks are added on after the attacks attribute is halved.

-HaemorrageThis power is terrible. If you get it, you probably should swap it out for smite. It is fairly unlikely to do anything significant to anything other than grots.

Telekinesis-Assail(primaris)Not a particularly interesting power. It is a S6 beam with no AP. Strikedown doesn't do anything all that good either.

-CrushA very random focussed witchfire power. CAN be good, CAN be useless. I wouldn't rely on it but if it is all you have, worth a shot.

-Gate of InfinityThis is one of the best psyker powers for some units to have. Particularly good for old Swarmlord. A 24" teleport can really help getting him into position. Probably worth going for if you already rolled Iron Arm on him.

-Objuration MechanicumA malediction that is great for tacking on a quick glance on flyers or heavy tanks and make their shooting weaker the next turn.

-ShockwaveStrength 3 and AP- nova... garbage.

-Telekine DomeThis is a great power as it gives invuln rolls against shooting to a target unit.

-Vortex of DoomUnreliable risky garbage that has no business being warp charge 2. Great when it works out, catastrophic when it doesn't. I will leave it at that.

Telepathy-Psychic Shriek(primaris)Not a bad power, decent for the Doom of Malantai. Most effective against armies with weak leadership.

-DominatePretty neat power. Good malediction for keeping a low leadership unit from doing anything for a turn.

-Mental FortitudeThis is a pretty good blessing for most armies but almost useless for us due to having synapse that already regroups and grants fearless to units.

-Puppet MasterThis is a fun power that allows you to use an enemy model to shoot other enemy units if

you can hit it with a focused witchfire attack. Very good.

-TerrifyThis power is effective AGAINST Tyranids as it can remove Fearless from a unit and make it roll morale. Can also be good against other low leadership armies.

-InvisibilityThis power is really quite good as it grants you a GREAT cover save. Too bad it is warp charge 2 and will rarely ever be cast as only our Swarmlord can get it and he is better served by getting Biomancy powers.

-HallucinationThis is a fun but random power. It's biggest issue is being warp charge 2. That is pretty bad when you consider one of the effects which happens a third of the time can very likely have no result at all.

Units-HQ Units--Hive Tyrant In general this guy is our best HQ pick bar none. Very versatile and capable of fulfilling a variety of roles, though one build stands out in 6th edition so far. The 2x twin linked devourer with brainleech worms equipped flying tyrant. If we had other good anti air options this build wouldn't be so crucial but it is the only thing we have that can have a reliable effect on flyers.Options---Lash Whip and BoneswordGreat for melee. The bonesword doesn't do much for the Tyrant other than give a SLIGHT chance at causing instant death which he can usually pull off anyway by smashing. The Lash Whip on the other hand ensures that the Tyrant swings first which is a HUGE boon. ---Scything TalonsGood for melee, when you have it lets you reroll all 1's to hit, with a pair you reroll all misses. There are better options available though.---Twin Linked DeathspitterTerrible gun choice for the Tyrant. Far too weak to be a meaningful choice for a single model unit.---Twin Linked Devourers with Brainleech WormsOne of the best guns in the codex. Granted it has AP-, however it has 6 shots at strength 6 and can debuff the enemy's leadership when testing morale at the end of the shooting phase. Also good for dealing with enemy flyers and light to medium vehicles, especially when taken in pairs.---Stranglethorn CannonNot a bad gun, decent for dealing with massed infantry, but not the gun I would put on a tyrant as it doesn't play to his strengths and is somewhat expensive for what it does.---Heavy Venom CannonNot a good gun, but it has it's place. That place is NOT on a Hive Tyrant however. Also do not let the high strength stat fool you, this gun is terrible against vehicles unless they are open topped and even then it is only decent.---Hive CommanderOne Tyrant in your list should have this if you have more than one or two things in reserve. It makes you bring things in from reserve on a 2+ and allows you to outflank a troops choice, note that can be a Tervigon!---Indescribable HorrorThis option is and was even in 5th edition, the worst option on any unit possibly in the game. DO NOT TAKE THIS! It is expensive and works against what the Tyrant would want, which is to be in melee as much as possible!

---Old AdversaryThis option is decent, not great, but some lists can benefit from it. This is more useful to a ground based Tyrant walking up the field next to a swarm of devilgaunts or other strong ranged units that don't have twin linked guns. Also nice for melee but by no means worth it's points for what it brings to your melee game. Probably not worth it on a winged Tyrant.---Adrenal GlandsThis option is wasted on the tyrant who is already strong enough to wound on 2+ most of the time anyway and can always use Smash Attacks if he needs the extra strength.---Toxin SacsNot a great choice, but not a waste either. Allows him to reroll his wounds effectively. He is usually going to wound on 2+ though so this isn't a huge boon.---Acid BloodThis is a nice biomorph but I think it is a bit overcosted. Good way to get payback against those who wound him in melee, but it is not guaranteed payback and usually has very little effect in the course of a game as the Tyrant has more to fear from ranged attacks than melee.---Implant AttackAnother nice biomorph that is probably a bit overcosted. The chance of causing instant death isn't high enough to warrant the points and as said before, he can usually cause instant death just by using Smash Attacks anyway.---Toxic MiasmaThis can be nice against horde armies, but usually not worth the points as it doesn't have much of an impact on the game.---RegenerationThis is one of those biomorphs that some people swear by and others never bother with. I think it is overcosted for it's odds of success, but your mileage may vary.---Thorax SwarmYour choice of 3 varieties of anti infantry template attacks that can be fired in addition to your regular 2 ranged attacks. This would be great if not for the fact that it is exclusive with the next two choices with are both MUCH more important.---Armoured ShellIf you are taking a walking tyrant you owe it to yourself to put down the points for this. Absolutely worth it as it gives the coveted 2+ armor save. Really can't stress enough how valuable this is and I would advise you ALWAYS take it if not for the next option.---WingsFriggin Wings! Makes him a Flying Monstrous Creature! Makes it possible to get skyfire when shooting Twin linked Devourers! Allows you to cross the board quickly and deal with targets! Take this! Every time if possible!---The HorrorIf you didn't trade in your powers for Biomancy, at least do not take this. Worst psyker power we have access to. Most enemies will succeed that roll and the slot will be completely wasted.---Leech EssenceThis is a good power, not great, but it auto hits, has AP2, and has a chance of getting wounds back. If you didn't trade out for Biomancy, this is a good one.---ParoxysmThis is the best codex power for the Tyrant. Automatically hits and drops a non-vehicle enemy to BS1 and WS1. The weapon skill debuff is mostly meaningless, but the ballistic skill drop can be nice on a turn when you can't get into melee with anything. Still would rather have Biomancy powers.---Psychic ScreamAgain, rather have Biomancy powers, but if you want to keep codex ones, this is a good, but not great one. Has decent odds of doing something about Terminators and other armor 2+ enemies.

--The SwarmlordThis bad boy is our best deathstar killer. He can annihilate almost any enemy in melee with only a couple of worrisome opponents. Plus he is psyker mastery level 2 with 4 powers. If you don't need two flyrants, you should seriously consider taking this guy.

--Tyrant GuardThese little guys are great for keeping walking Tyrants and The Swarmlord alive long enough to wreck face in melee. Taking one lets you get full use of Iron Arm's Toughness buff. If your enemy is preferentially targeting your Swarmlord though the extra wounds might be worth it to bring more.Options---Lash WhipThis is a great option to take if you have the points to spare. If your guard makes it into melee with the Swarmlord then it drops the initiative of at least some of the enemies to 1. This can help out a LOT.---BoneswordThis is a good option to take as well. It allows the Tyrant Guard to contribute significantly to the damage output if they make it to melee. Both options however should be weighed against the fact that the guard often don't make it to melee.

--TervigonOne of the best units in the codex, possibly the game. These guys provide synapse, buff termagants, spawn termagants, can count as troops, are Monstrous creatures, provide Shadow in the Warp, are Psykers, and are tough as nails. They do all of this for a rather low cost in points.Options---Scything TalonsTreat this as an option to take if you have a Tervigon without Crushing Claws and 5 points to spare. Not great, but can be handy.---Crushing ClawsThis is a great biomorph for the Tervigon. The d3 attacks it gives are added AFTER you divide by half for smashing so it makes the Tervigon GREAT for crushing vehicles in melee.---Adrenal GlandsThis is a great option to take not just for the buff it gives termagants but also because it makes it so the Tervigon will usually wound infantry on 2+. Very few infantry have toughness higher than 4. Also it allows the Tervigon to instant death T3 models without having to smash.---Toxin SacsThis is also a great option for both the termagants around the Tervigon and the Tervigon itself as it allows it to reroll wounds against most targets and wound on 4+ against those that would normally be tougher.---Acid BloodSame as for the Tyrant, would be nice, but a bit overcosted.---Implant AttackAlso same as for the Tyrant, not terribly likely to trigger and when it does you could just use a smash attack to the same effect in most cases anyway. not worth the points.---Toxic MiasmaAgain, same as for Tyrant, would be nice against horde armies, but a bit overcosted.---RegenerationThis has a bit more value to a Tervigon than a Tyrant, but it is still expensive for how likely it is to trigger. Not generally worth it, but not a terrible deal either.---Stinger SalvoThis is a nice free attack. Medium range and S5, can be used to try to get a lucky pop on a vehicle so that the contents can be assaulted, can be used for overwatch, can be fired at an infantry unit to try to snipe out a pesky power fist or other problematic weapon since the

tervigon is a character, and generally a not amazing, but handy gun to have.---Cluster SpinesThis is a good option to replace the stinger salvo if you think you will mostly be dealing with Orks or other light infantry that comes in large clumps. You are sacrificing some of the potential utility for a higher potential damage output.---CatalystIf you aren't trading out for Biomancy, this would be the reason why. Guaranteed Feel No Pain dispenser. Not as good as Endurance or Iron Arm, but it is guaranteed.---OnslaughtThe only reason to take this power is to have another power to trade in for Biomancy. Almost useless on it's own now that you cannot run and assault in the same turn.

--Tyranid PrimeThis guy is pretty decent. A cheap way to fill out your HQ slot and tack synapse and a few T5 wounds to a unit. Also can buff a warriors unit, though that is not generally the best use of him. One of the two independent characters Tyranids have access toOptions---Scything TalonsA decent option if you are trying to keep him cheap.---Rending ClawsA decent option if you are trying to keep him cheap but make him slightly more effective in melee.---Pair of BoneswordsA good option if you want to make him very effective in melee and capable of causing instant death wounds moderately reliably.---Lash Whip and BoneswordThe best option if you want to make him a melee powerhouse. Lets him hit first and ignore enemy armor saves as well as getting a chance at causing instant death wounds. ---DevourerA good but not great gun. Comes free and shoots 3 times. ---DeathspitterA better but still not great gun. Same number of shots, slightly better AP and Strength. No leadership debuff. ---More Scything TalonsIf you kept the first pair, this pair can allow you to reroll all misses in melee, or you can exchange the first pair and take these to make a melee focused Prime with no shooting options.---Adrenal GlandsA decent option, but not great. Lets him get that valuable strength 6 on the charge, but is probably overcosted for that capability.---Toxin SacsA good option, usually allows rerolls of wounds. A better option than the Adrenal Glands, but by no means a must have.---RegenerationThis is probably the best unit for this biomorph, but it is still expensive for the impact it is likely to have. A lot of people swear by it, I usually don't bother.

--The Parasite of MortrexThis guy is the second Independent Character option in our codex. Not great, not terrible. Kind of flimsy with only T4. Nice if you like Rippers...

-Troops--TervigonJust putting this here to point out that the Tervigon can count as a Troops choice if you take a unit of termagants per Tervigon you want to count this way. Very nice option.

--Tyranid WarriorThese guys are what a lot of people think of when they think Tyranids. Unfortunately in our current codex they fold like a toilet paper castle in the rain to S8+ firepower. This would be fine if they were cheaper but at 30 to 60 (75 with a venom cannon) points per model, it can be an expensive loss for a single Krak missile to cause. God forbid you have to deal with a Battle Cannon. Most have decent success running them in small units with devourers or deathspitters and a Barbed Strangler to provide backfield synapse and light shooting support.Options---Scything TalonsThis is a decent option if you want to make a ranged focused Warrior unit and keep them cheap. ---Rending ClawsThis is probably not worth your time. If you are trying to keep them cheap, go with the Scything Talons, otherwise take one of the next two options.---Pair of BoneswordsThese are great for making your warriors a frightening unit to contend with in melee. If they get there, these will make victory in the combat almost guaranteed against most enemies. The tough part is getting there as they scare the garbanzo beans out of most opponents who will burn them down quick.---Lash Whip and BoneswordThis is a great option for the Warriors. It allows them to not only ignore enemy armor saves and have a chance at causing instant death, but also all but guarantee going first in the melee. Again though, makes them a high priority target.---DevourerA good basic gun. Assault 3 S4 makes them pretty attractive.---DeathspitterA slightly better gun for slightly more points. It is a tough call which is the better value between this and the devourer.---Barbed StranglerA good special weapon option. Provides a nice range with the ability to pin enemy infantry with a large blast. Best used against infantry with a 5+ or worse save. If you are going for a melee focused unit, this is probably not worth the points however.---Venom CannonAlmost certainly not worth the points. It isn't a half bad small blast for taking out infantry, but it is next to worthless against vehicles and the Barbed Strangler is probably better at dealing with massed infantry for fewer points.---SpinefistsThese are mediocre for warriors. Keep the Devourers over them in pretty much all cases. They are slightly more likely to cause wounds but at 2/3s the range and no leadership penalty, they just aren't quite up to snuff.---Additional Scything TalonsThis option is here in case you want to make a pure melee focused Warrior Brood. Generally I have found the Devourers to be more worthwhile as they give you the ability to do something the turn before you hit melee (assuming you get there)---Adrenal GlandsNot generally worth it for Warriors. It takes them from S4 to S5 on the charge which doesn't really open up any new tactical options. ---Toxin SacsOften worth it but not a must have. This allows rerolling of wounds against most infantry in melee and the ability to easily burn down tough monstrous creatures with ease, but they are somewhat pricey.---Mycetic SporeNot generally worth it for Warrior Broods as it just makes them an immediate target for

every heavy weapon the enemy has to burn them down quick, and a prime can't join them in it.

--GenestealersThese guys have been an ever present nightmare for the enemies of the Tyranid Swarm. They have been feared by guardsmen and Leman Russ Tanks alike. They have been known to wipe out space marines with ease. But it only took 6th edition to take them from a nightmare to a yawn. They got nerfed in four key ways with the dawning of 6th edition. They can no longer assault after running, they can no longer assault the turn they outflank, Variable charge lengths made charges unreliable, and overwatch thins their numbers when they try to assault. These guys have been retired in most lists these days and it makes me sad, but if you still want to run them here is what you can do.Options---Scything TalonsIf you take no losses before you hit them in melee, these are absolutely worth it. They give a slight advantage on a per point basis. If you take even one or two losses due to attrition first though, they stop being worth the points as more bodies has more value.---Adrenal GlandsNot generally worth the cost, it does make them slightly better at dealing with vehicles, but not as much as more bodies would once you take attrition into account and they don't have much effect at all if you take Toxin Sacs.---Toxin SacsIf you take Genestealers, you want to take them with toxin sacs in most cases. These greatly increase your odds of rending since they let you reroll your wounds. ---Mycetic SporeNot worth it for Genestealers. They can outflank so they don't need a spore to arrive in.

--BroodlordI am giving the Broodlord a separate entry because he has his own tactical considerations even though you can only take him as part of a Genestealer brood. He got significantly buffed in this edition relative to 5th since his abilities make him ideal for challenges. He is the only Tyranid Psyker that I would never recommend trading out his codex powers. Since he has Ballistic Skill 0 he cannot use ANY witchfire powers and all of our primaris powers are witchfire. Besides, his codex powers are perfect for the role of melee assassin. He is however VERY expensive for what he does. If you are fielding Genestealers in 6th edition, you should seriously consider bringing him along. Options---Scything TalonsNot a bad choice for him to take, especially since he can take it separately from the rest of the brood. After all, if you are bringing him, he is the reason you took the brood to begin with.---Implant Attack This is a good option for the Broodlord. He can't normally cause instant death wounds so this gives him a new tactical consideration. Though it is somewhat expensive for the opportunity so consider the fact that as long as he keeps succeeding on his psyker test and challenge, the enemy character will be tied up anyway. Though this works well when coupled with toxin sacs and the rending claws as the toxin sacs will allow you to usually reroll the wound and the rending claws ensure that your instant death hits ignore armor.---Acid BloodThis is probably the best unit in our codex to put this on. It is still expensive to do so, but if you have the other genestealers in the brood taking all shooting wounds for him, then he will have 3 wounds to hand out with this biomorph. Not a must have, but if you are really wanting to run something with Acid Blood, this is the guy to put it on.---Aura of DespairThis leadership penalty can be used to interesting effect with other powers, but for the most

part is a waste unless you can't get into melee since you wouldn't be using his other power.---Hypnotic GazeThis is the main reason to even run the Broodlord. This power was good in 5th edition, it is GREAT in 6th. Challenge the enemy and then either lock down his leader and maul him, or watch him slink away in disgrace and instead lock down the next most threatening model in his unit. Win-win.

--TermagantsI love these little guys, they are cheap enough to field dozens of them and they are still decent troops for the price. The best part though is that they can be buffed significantly by a nearby Tervigon and taking a brood of them makes that Tervigon a troop.Options---FleshborerStandard issue bug gun. Same stats as a bolt pistol. Not bad, not great, good for the price. Biggest weakness is range.---StranglewebThis weapon is weak and unlikely to actually have any effect, you would be better off just buying two more termagants for the cost.---SpinefistsDon't bother, under no circumstances are they better than a fleshborer and you pay a point to take them instead of fleshborers. ---Spike RifleGood range, bad everything else. I wouldn't bother with them. If you really want the range, save your points for the next option.---DevourerDevourers, yes, you can put devourers on termagants. The gun costs as much as the rest of the model, but it is worth it. Termagants with these things are called Devilgaunts for a reason. They pour out tons of pain. Don't expect them to wipe out units that costs twice as much but they can definitely force a lot of armor saves and cause a few wounds. Not bad for 10 points a model.---Adrenal GlandsAbsolutely worth the points on fleshborer guants, especially if they have toxin sacs, but not worth getting for them because if they are near the front lines they should be getting this from your Tervigons.---Toxin SacsSame as above. Termagants benefiting from both TS and AG wound on 4+ and reroll wounds vs Space marines. This makes them actually pretty scary in melee, but your Tervigon should be handing these buffs out so don't buy them on the unit.---Mycetic SporeOnly put termagants in these if you are equipping them with Devourers. It allows you to drop them on an enemy and then pour out an absurd number of shots. Fleshborer gaunts are better off foot slogging it.

--HormagauntsThese guys are very mean in melee for their points cost. Getting them there however is the challenge. With 6th edition removing their ability to run and assault in the same turn their effective threat range has greatly decreased. Then they have to contend with overwatch killing off the front gaunts. They are still mean in melee but probably overcosted considering their likelihood of getting there.Options---Adrenal GlandsThese are a nice option since they open up the possibility of glancing to death vehicles with rear AV10. Also when paired with Toxin Sacs they allow for rerolls to wound vs T4 on the charge. They are however expensive. With 6th ed attrition rates, they are probably not worth it.

---Toxin SacsSee above---Mycetic SporeThis might be a viable option to deliver the hormagaunts close to their target, but it will also result in them becoming an immediate high priority target. Worth experimenting with considering your local meta.

--Ripper SwarmThese little guys have it hard. Not only are they flimsy and weak, but they also have to contend with the fact that if they are out of synapse they start eating each other. Most players consider them garbage, there is at least one on this forum who thinks otherwise, but regardless, unless you develop a strategy around their use, they are dramatically overcosted and not very good.Options---SpinefistsExpensive but if you want a ranged attack they are the only game in town. At least you get 4 twin linked shots out of the deal.---Adrenal GlandsAnother expensive option that opens up tactical capabilities. In this case, allowing them to pop vehicles in melee.---Toxin SacsAnd yet another overpriced option. Makes them significantly better, but at significant cost increase to an already overcosted unit.---Tunnel SwarmPossibly the only reasonably costed biomorph for these poor things The ability to deep strike them makes them a bit scarier, especially if you gave them spinefists.

--Mycetic SporeThis is our drop pod. How we deep strike units that can't do it themselves. It is decent for what it is. Just don't expect much out of it once it has made a delivery.Options---Cluster SpinesOvercosted blast attack that you don't get to aim on your own and will be fired close to the troops you just deployed ... bad idea.---Stinger SalvoOvercosted attack you can't aim that will do negligible damage with BS2---Twin Linked DeathspitterA better option than the stinger salvo as it is twin linked at the cost of one shot. Still not usually worth it.---Barbed StranglerAnother large blast near your freshly deployed troops. Don't do it.---Venom CannonNo... just No.

-Elites--Hive GuardThese guys are among our best. They can fire without line of sight, have BS4, ignore most cover saves, and 24" range. Plus they are tough as nails. You won't likely find a better ranged transport popper in our codex. All around excellent unit.

--LictorThese guys are interesting, not great, not even really good, but interesting. You can't start with them on the board but one of their abilities is to give you a reserve bonus when they are on the board... poorly thought out. Then when they deepstrike in they can't assault even though they are fairly flimsy melee specialists... poorly thought out. In the long run,

they are best used to pop up behind a vehicle and ruin it's day or pop up near long ranged heavy weapon squads and ruin their day. They don't tend to live long but they will get the enemy's attention. Overall, not worth their points and have a lot of poorly thought out rules.

--DeathleaperLike a lictor that sucks a lot less. This guy is actually worth fielding not the least of which because when they hide in even the flimsiest terrain, they get cover save 2+. If you love the look of the model I would recommend giving this guy a shot.

--VenomthropeVenomthropes have been subject to more one off nerfs than any other unit I can think of. At this point they provide cover saves to nearby friendly units and make it so that you have to take dangerous terrain tests to assault them. They also have the effect of defensive grenades for themselves. They aren't worth squat in melee and have no ranged attacks. With cover saves being fairly easy to get in 6th edition and dangerous terrain tests being pretty ignorable, there isn't much reason to field them anymore.Options---Mycetic SporeThere is basically no reason to ever want to deep strike a venomthrope. Don't bother.

--ZoanthropeThese guys are our ranged heavy vehicle poppers. What Hive guard can't handle these guys can. There are two major ways to field them. With codex powers or with biomancy. With codex powers you can either hike them up the field with your main force to pop vehicles as they approach, or you can drop them in a pod to try to pop vehicles near the back of the enemy lines. With Biomancy they can hide in your backfield buffing and providing synapse for your termagants and biovores hiding out near an objective. This makes them much less of a high priority target for your enemy and with that 3+ invuln save, they probably will just leave them alone.Options---Warp BlastA good space marine hunting power. Small blast with AP3 can wreck any space marines holding objectives or marching up the field. Probably not worth using if you have a good target for the other power though.---Warp LanceThe most powerful single target shot in the game. S10 AP1 Lance. Perfect for taking out land raiders, battlewagons, monoliths, and pretty much any vehicle that would normally be a tough nut to crack. It does have several points of failure however so broods of 2 to 3 are recommended.---Mycetic SporeIf you are running them with codex powers, this is a good buy. it allows them to drop down in range of whatever vehicle needs immediate destruction.

--The Doom of Malan'taiThis is a fearsome foe. His ability to absorb wounds from nearby enemy units who fail leadership checks on 3d6 make him a force to be reckoned with. The fact that he has only toughness 4 and no eternal warrior however makes him surprisingly fragile for a unit that can theoretically get up to 10 wounds. You can field him with his frighteningly powerful codex power, Cataclysm, or you can equip him with a random biomancy power in the hopes of making him more durable. Either way, your opponent will be gunning for him.Options---CataclysmThe big boom. This power gives the Doom of Malan'tai a powerful blast that can destroy everything from terminators to tanks. It hurts him to cast it though so be sure to have enough wounds to survive doing so. The biggest downside to this power is that if you are in

melee, you can't cast it.---Mycetic SporeYes. Every time. Don't run him without it.

--PyrovoreNo. Just no. When players talk about what the worst unit in all of 40K is, this one ALWAYS comes up. He is without a doubt, the worst unit in our codex and in hot contention for the worst unit in the entire game.Options---Mycetic SporeIf you MUST run this ... thing, putting him in a spore isn't the worst thing you could do with him, at least you could likely get him in range to kill something before he gets popped.

--Ymgarl GenestealersEverything that is wrong with Genestealers is right with Ymgarls. These guys have a better save, can assault the turn they come in, can come in from ANY area terrain on the board (determined at the start of the game after deployment) and can adapt to a variety of situations. Assaulting into overwatch, increase toughness. Assaulting a vehicle, increase strength. Assaulting a unit that might kill them if given a chance, increase attacks and don't give them that chance. A truly excellent unit. If you love genestealers, run these guys.

-Fast Attack--Tyranid ShrikeIn general, if you want to run warriors as anything other than a minimal unit for backfield synapse, you should probably run these guys instead. They cost 5 more points per model with the same options otherwise and 1 lower armor save, but they are jump infantry instead. They aren't great, but their ability to cross the field faster and if they don't need their jump move to close, gaining a hammer of wrath attack, gives them a definite edge over Warriors. They still die in droves to any S8 attacks but they give the enemy much less time to fire them. Options---Scything TalonsThis is a decent option if you want to make a ranged focused Shrike unit and keep them cheap. ---Rending ClawsThis is probably not worth your time. If you are trying to keep them cheap, go with the Scything Talons, otherwise take one of the next two options.---Pair of BoneswordsThese are great for making your Shrikes a frightening unit to contend with in melee. If they get there, these will make victory in the combat almost guaranteed against most enemies. The tough part is getting there as they scare the garbanzo beans out of most opponents who will burn them down quick.---Lash Whip and BoneswordThis is a great option for the Shrikes. It allows them to not only ignore enemy armor saves and have a chance at causing instant death, but also all but guarantee going first in the melee. Again though, makes them a high priority target.---DevourerA good basic gun. Assault 3 S4 makes them pretty attractive.---DeathspitterA slightly better gun for slightly more points. It is a tough call which is the better value between this and the devourer.---Barbed StranglerA good special weapon option. Provides a nice range with the ability to pin enemy infantry with a large blast. Best used against infantry with a 5+ or worse save. If you are going for a melee focused unit, this is probably not worth the points however.

---Venom CannonAlmost certainly not worth the points. It isn't a half bad small blast for taking out infantry, but it is next to worthless against vehicles and the Barbed Strangler is probably better at dealing with massed infantry for fewer points.---SpinefistsThese are mediocre for Shrikes. Keep the Devourers over them in pretty much all cases. They are slightly more likely to cause wounds but at 2/3s the range and no leadership penalty, they just aren't quite up to snuff.---Additional Scything TalonsThis option is here in case you want to make a pure melee focused Shrike Brood. Generally I have found the Devourers to be more worthwhile as they give you the ability to do something the turn before you hit melee (assuming you get there)---Adrenal GlandsNot generally worth it for Shrikes. It takes them from S4 to S5 on the charge which doesn't really open up any new tactical options. ---Toxin SacsOften worth it but not a must have. This allows rerolling of wounds against most infantry in melee and the ability to easily burn down tough monstrous creatures with ease, but they are somewhat pricey.

--RavenerYou can think of these guys as warriors, minus a bunch of options, with leadership of only 6 and 1 worse armor save, and no synapse, but a good bit faster. All in all, they are probably the better buy if you are looking for a somewhat durable unit that can do some damage in melee. Still fragile against anything S8+ however and that should be always be taken into consideration when looking at what they bring to the table.Options---Scything TalonsThese guys come with two pair of these by default. This is a solid build and allows them to reroll all attack rolls.---Rending ClawsYou can reduce the benefit of your scything talons to only rerolling 1s and spend a few extra points per model to add Rending to your attacks. This is nice if you ever want your raveners to hunt vehicles or anything with a good armor save, but many consider it not worth the tradeoff.---SpinefistsThis starts looking like a more attractive option for Raveners who have 4 base attacks. Generally considered the better option for them if you are looking at ranged attacks. Many though don't consider any ranged attacks worthwhile on Raveners since any models you kill mean you have to make that much longer an assault roll to get into melee where they shine.---DevourersIf you are looking to put a ranged attack on your raveners but don't want to restrict yourself to only 12" shooting range nor spend twice as many points for the better gun, you can take these. They are decent, but not great as both the other gun options are likely to do more damage.---DeathspittersThese are the best guns available for the Ravener. They cost however and make the total cost without rending claws the same as a space marine terminator. Often it is better to just forgo ranged attack if for no other reason than keeping the unit cheap.

--Sky-Slasher SwarmThink jump Rippers for half again more points. All the same problems rippers have exacerbated by the higher point cost per base, slightly mitigated by the increased mobility.Options

---SpinefistsExpensive but if you want a ranged attack they are the only game in town. At least you get 4 twin linked shots out of the deal.---Adrenal GlandsAnother expensive option that opens up tactical capabilities. In this case, allowing them to pop vehicles in melee.---Toxin SacsAnd yet another overpriced option. Makes them significantly better, but at significant cost increase to an already overcosted unit.

--GargoyleThis is a very good unit that can be used as either a cover screen for your army due to their very spread out profile and/or as a shock infantry that can kill significantly more expensive units in melee. They are basically jump Termagants for one extra point. Unlike other jump versions of troops choices, this one is actually a bargain. You can't take different guns, but you gain blinding venom which is very nice. Options---Adrenal GlandsA great biomorph for any unit that has 3 Strength. Opens up tactical options of being able to glance vehicles and makes toxin sacs significantly better. Don't bother taking it if you are using the unit primarily as a screen, but if you are using them as shock infantry, this is definitely worth it.---Toxin SacsAnother great biomorph for almost any Tyranid. Again, not worth it if you are using the unit as a screen, but definitely worth it for use as shock infantry. Even with all options Gargoyles are quite affordable points wise.

--HarpyThis is a mediocre unit that tries to do many things but doesn't bother to do any of them particularly well. Not generally worth it's points, it is still a flying monstrous creature and gets all the advantages that comes with that, but as such things go, it is fairly fragile and in need of extra care when bringing on from reserve so that it doesn't just die to a quad gun. Options---Twin Linked Stranglethorn CannonThis is the gun to go with on the Harpy. It gives you a moderately reliable anti-infantry large blast.---Twin Linked Heavy Venom CannonI really am not sure where the devs thought they were going with this one. It has strength like an anti tank gun, but doesn't have sufficient AP to have a reasonable chance of destroying a tank, and then it comes with a debuff specifically for any vehicle that isn't open topped. Not much of a reason to take this unless you are hunting Orks specifically.---Stinger SalvoA decent ranged attack capable of targeting air units though lacking the strength to capitalize on that and supplying overwatch fire. Not great otherwise.---Cluster SpinesAlso a decent ranged attack capable of dropping large anti-infantry blasts. Combined with the spore Mine Cysts and Stranglethorn Cannon, it makes the life of massed infantry models very short. ---Adrenal GlandsAllows the Harpy to get Strength 6 on the charge, not that the harpy will likely spend much time charging anything other than vehicles it intends to smash. not really worth for the Harpy.---Toxin sacsAgain, due to the nature of the Harpy, if it is assaulting anything, it is probably a tank. Not much need for these here.

---RegenerationNot really worth it as if the enemy decides it is time for the Harpy to die, it will very likely go down in one round.

--Spore Mine ClusterDramatically overpriced unit that is more likely to self annihilate than actually do anything to damage or impede your enemy. Don't bother with these as anything other than freebies from a missed Biovore shot.

« Last Edit: Jan 14, 2013, 9:02pm by infornography » Report to Mod - Link to Post - Back to Top Logged

04/19/11 at 1:36pm, yoritomo wrote:Luck is statistics taken personally.

infornography's 6th ed Tyranid Tacticahttp://thetyranidhive.proboards.com/inde....ay&thread=42040

infornographyHive Tyrant

Status: OfflineJoined: Jan 2011

Gender: Male Posts: 1,647

Re: infornography's 6th ed Tyranid Tactica (WIP)« Reply #1 on Jan 13, 2013, 12:07pm »

-Heavy Support--CarnifexIn general these guys are overcosted. For any variety of melee oriented Carnifex you can get a Tervigon who can do the same thing and SO much more. There is one build of Carnifex that is still worth fielding however and that is what is commonly known as the Dakkafex. Equipped with two pairs of twin linked devourers these guys put out a good bit of ranged firepower.Options---Scything TalonsAs always a solid melee option, just results in an overcosted melee platform.---Crushing ClawsA solid melee option that takes an already overcosted melee platform and makes it absurdly overcosted. not worth it. Plus it removes the functionality of the Living Battering Ram rule.---Twin Linked DeathspitterI have no idea why they thought this was worth anywhere near this many points, but there you have it. Avoid this option.

---Twin Linked Devourers with Brainleech WormsHere it is, the one good weapon option on this beast. Take two and call me in the morning. With these the Carnifex has a role in our army. ---Stranglethorn CannonNot anywhere near a good enough gun to warrant this point expenditure. Don't bother.---Heavy Venom CannonThis might have been an acceptable option in 5th ed when you could actually affect vehicles with them, but in 6th ed, it cannot actually destroy any non-open topped vehicle. These things are terribly overcosted, don't bother.---Frag SpinesThis is a good option if you didn't take Crushing Claws. It at least lets you hit before power fists and thunder hammers when assaulting into terrain. Something to consider, but not a must have.---Adrenal GlandsDon't bother. Yeah they get him up to S10 on the charge, but he already has S9, that is very likely good enough. ---Toxin SacsNot a terrible choice, but generally unnecessary. rerolling wounds is nice, but he is already going to wound on 2's against almost everything in the game.---Bio-PlasmaNot a terrible choice unless you are fielding this guy with two guns. And since you will be fielding this guy with two guns, don't bother.---RegenerationAs I have said before, this is generally an overcosted option given how likely it is to affect a battle. I don't recommend taking them, but many swear by them. Your mileage may vary.---Mycetic SporeThis is a good option for the Carnifex. If you only intend to field one dakkafex, putting him in a pod is a good choice. It allows you to position him behind enemy tanks where he can ruin their day more efficiently. If you want more than one Dakkafex in the brood, you don't even have the option for this however.

--Old One EyeThis guy is amazing. He does tremendous damage and has a built in more reliable regeneration making sure that if the enemy doesn't kill him off in one round, they probably will have to contend with more than 4 wounds. He does inexplicably have the Living Battering Ram rule which does nothing since he also has Crushing Claws. What really makes him scary is his Berserk Rampage rule. He can occasionally singlehandedly wipe out entire units of infantry, walkers, or tanks when this goes well. Too bad he costs almost as much as the Swarmlord and can be blown off the board by the same firepower required to take out a fex in one turn. It would be a great unit if he were cheaper or slightly more durable, but as is, leave him home.

--BiovoreThese guys are GREAT against anything with a 4+ or worse save. Field them in units of 2 or 3 and not only can they be fired indirectly keeping your biovores safe outside of line of sight, but if they miss they create spore mines for your enemy to deal with. Not a huge boon but what other guns do anything at all when they miss? Also since they are barrage weapons they pin when they cause unsaved wounds. Also Barrage weapons take casualties from the center of the blast instead of nearest the firing model. That allows you to snipe enemy models making these guys serve a purpose against even grey knights and space marines, targeting power fists and brotherhood banners and such. The main reason to take them however is that these guys are your ticket to getting the First Blood score. I think these are one of the most underrated units in our codex and can't recommend them strongly enough. Some when they get a taste of what these guys can do, fill all of their heavy slots with them. I wouldn't go that far, but they are very good, take at least one unit

of them.

---TrygonThis is one of the best units in our codex. They are huge, intimidating, incredibly durable beasts. They get a decent shooting attack on top of a ton of melee attacks. Their biggest weakness is that they are only initiative 4. One of their biggest strengths is that they have protected deep strike. Unless the deep strike off the board, they will come in safely. You may still want to walk them across the board with your main force, but if you are already bringing in multiple things from reserve, deep strike these bad boys. They will get your opponents attention and they may forget what your Ymgarls just did to their back lines and that Tervigon who just outflanked when they have to worry about this guy assaulting them the next turn. Options ---Adrenal GlandsEntirely unneeded. This beast is already S6 and raising that to 7 won't make a big difference. If he needs to destroy vehicles he can always Smash Attack them.---Toxin SacsNot a bad option. Kinda pricey when you consider he will already wound most things on a 2+ though. But it is fun to reroll all attacks AND wounds with this many attacks going out.---RegenerationAgain, probably not worth it. This option has a higher likelihood on this guy than most to actually get a wound back, but you are raising it's price significantly for the chance. Not a terrible choice, but I think this is consistently overcosted.---Upgrade to PrimeHere is an option that notably changes how you play this guy. Prime doubles his shooting attack while increasing it's range notably, gives him Synapse, and gives him Shadow in the Warp. If you regularly face Grey Knights, take this. Absolutely worth it just for the Shadow in the Warp against them. If you are mostly facing Orks, it might not be worth it unless you need the forward Synapse. An excellent if expensive option though and definitely worth serious consideration.

---MawlocOh the Mawloc. Sounds really REALLY good until you realize that big Terror From the Deep attack only goes off 2 to 3 times a game if the Mawloc survives that long. Granted he is VERY durable, but he is also likely to attract some attention. This would likely work to your benefit unless your opponent also realizes he only has to worry about that attack one or two more times and decides to ignore him in favor of killing other more fragile things. If Mr Mawloc had more attacks then the Terror From the Deep attack could be just something he does when he shows up and then he just acts like a slightly less scary Trygon, but he really isn't very good in melee. Kind of a one trick pony that only does that trick every other turn.Options---Adrenal GlandsAbsolutely pointless on this guy. Don't bother.---Toxin SacsNot completely pointless but a bit like putting lipstick on a pig. It won't make him good at melee.---RegenerationMight be more worth it for the Mawloc than most of our units since he will have two turns to try to regenerate a wound before the enemy gets another crack at him. Still overcosted for what it does though.

--TyrannofexI want to love the Tyrannofex very badly. He is our single most durable unit in the codex and I like the idea of a bristling gun platform of a bug that is INCREDIBLY hard to kill, but despite the fact that he does have a lot of guns, he doesn't really have many good ones. For

his price what you get is a unit that your enemy will quickly discover is entirely ignorable. Quite sad really.Options---Acid SprayIf you do decide to field this big guy, this is the gun to take. His poor ballistic skill doesn't make any difference with it and it can do some damage. If he could take two of these he would actually be pretty good, but one is just not good enough to warrant his points.---Fleshborer HiveThis gun is kind of silly. Think about it as strapping 20 termagants to him. For the price you are paying you could buy 50 termagants... I know which I would rather have.---Rupture CannonOh, so close to being something worthwhile but so far away. 2 Strength 10 long range shots sounds amazing, but with 6th edition the poor AP on these means they will rarely ever cause a vehicle to explode and only two shots isn't enough to wreck much of anything assuming they even hit, which brings us to main problem with this gun, BS3. Statistically one of those shots is going to miss every time. That is before you even factor in the AP roll, damage roll, and any cover the enemy is getting. Long story short, you can't count on this gun doing ANYTHING on a given turn. And if that wasn't enough, if you take this gun then you probably aren't even going to use either of the other two guns on this beast. Terrible, terrible design.---Stinger SalvoGenerally the option you will want to go with unless you are facing mostly horde armies.---Cluster SpinesA good gun for dealing with horde armies but can't be fired during overwatch and is less likely to do anything to a light vehicle than Stinger Salvo.---Electroshock GrubsThis is a good option for the Thorax Swarm if you are facing horde armies. It is the only one that gives you AP and also the only one likely to affect light vehicles. ---Desiccator LarvaeThis is also a good option if you are more worried about getting wounds than denying weak armor saves. This always wounds on 2+ but can't do anything to vehicles. Decent for forcing lots of armor saves.---Shreddershard BeetlesDon't bother with this one. It is very unlikely to affect vehicles and has a very poor to wound roll and no AP. The one thing it has going for it is Rending which won't get enough hits to really capitalize. Might get one rend per shot against infantry clumps if lucky. Stick with the other two.---Adrenal GlandsNope, don't do it. Pointless on this beast who has no interest in ever charging into melee unless you need a VERY expensive tarpit.---Toxin SacsNot completely pointless but the same as for the Mawloc, it won't make this guy good at melee, it won't have much impact at all really, just don't bother.---RegenerationIf you managed to convince your opponent that these things are actually scary at all, this might be a decent option since it is almost impossible to kill this guy in one round with anything other than a Force Weapon. Not a viable long term strategy however since your opponent will quickly discover these guys are just not as intimidating as they at first sound.

Basic Strategies-Surprise PartyThe basic idea here is you keep most of your army in reserve, or at least a lot of it, and have a tyrant with Hive Commander to be sure most of it will come in turn 2.

The best units for this kind of list are Flyrants, Tervigons (one will outflank), Trygons/Trygon

Primes, Ymgarls, Doom of Malan'tai in a pod, Zoanthropes in a pod, Dakkafex in a pod, and Devilgants in a pod.

This is my favorite strategy, you approach with your starting forces and try to keep to cover so they don't get wiped out too early, then turn 2, in comes most of the rest of the swarm all over your enemy's back lines. They then have to pick which target(s) poses the biggest threat. Most opponents will just get intimidated by the number of high threat enemies and shoot a little at all of them, which is ideal for you, but even if they do keep their wits and concentrate on one threat at a time, you have plenty to spare and will crush them thoroughly and quickly. This is the best strategy for dealing with gun lines and backfield lurking armies.

-Fist of DeathThe idea here is you wad up your forces like a big fist and punch the enemy square in the jaw (figuratively of course).

The best units for this strategy are Dakkafexes, Trygons, Swarmlord with Tyrant guard, Flyrants, Tervigons, and Hive guard. You want to focus on mostly having Monstrous Creatures. since you will be relatively packed together. This is the strategy you will likely want to use with a Nidzilla list.

You will need the Tervigons to spawn lots of gribblies who will run for objectives while your main force proves itself to be an unignorable threat. This usually works out that it slowly fans out across the battlefield and individual MCs peel away to engage tanks and infantry all over the place. You will need at least one Flyrant to act as a quick responder to hot zones. This is particularly effective for dealing with melee focused enemies like Orks, Demons, and in fact other Tyranids.

-Swarm BlanketThe idea with this list is you are fielding tons of gribblies who will bog down your enemy with lots of little bodies rather than a few large threats.

The best units for this strategy are Termagants, Ymgarls, Gargoyles, Tervigons, Flyrants, Biovores, Zoanthropes, Hive Guard, and Raveners or Shrikes.

The goal with this strategy is to take out your enemy's ability to score while keeping a lot of scoring options available yourself. This list tends to be lighter on synapse than most so you will want to pay particular attention to your synapse coverage. Make sure you have decent coverage at all times and at least a little redundancy. You should deploy some naked gargoyles spread out across your front line to absorb the initial volley from your enemy and provide cover saves. Often it is wise to have at least 20 gargoyles dedicated to this role. It is also good to have a second unit of gargoyles with some upgrades hiding behind them to hit your enemy early on and try to take out their forwardmost scoring units. Raveners or Shrikes can go for another scoring unit early on. Your Flyrants will deal with high threat targets to your swarm while your Tervigons will move toward enemy vehicles and heavy infantry while spawning gants every turn they can to coat the field in more little bodies running toward objectives and making a nuisance of themselves.

This is probably the hardest strategy to pull of in this ed

Fortifications-Aegis Defence LineThese are fairly nice defensive structures. The bonus they give to going to ground is nearly useless to us, but it is a placeable 4+ cover save. Considering that for us, it is no better than any ruins terrain, probably not worth pursuing.

Options--Comms RelayIf you decide you really want an Aegis Defense Line, this is a decent option to get, and the only one Tyranids can use inexplicably. Good for ensuring our reserves come in on turn 2.--Icarus LascannonTyranids cannot use this option, no reason to buy it as it would just be arming your opponent.--QuadgunTyranids cannot use this option, no reason to buy it as it would just be arming your opponent.

-Skysield Landing PadIf you plan on having a defensive core of your army that stays put, putting them in this is a good way to go. We don't have many units with the range to want to do that. Mostly just Biovores and Warriors with Barbed Stranglers/Venom Cannons, but it gives protection to those units beyond what you could get almost any other way.

-Imperial BastionIf you want your Termagants or Biovores to experience what it would be like to sit around in an immobile Land Raider with weak poorly aimed guns that actually has fire ports, well the Imperial Bastion is for you. Just camp in here and the enemy will have a hard time hurting your forces. Not a terrible option all things considered, but probably a waste of points. At least those emplaced weapons will fire themselves at BS2 at any nearby enemies. Also worth noting that you cannot claim an objective from inside one of these nor put an objective on top of it.Options--Comms RelayIf you decide you really want an Imperial Bastion, this is a decent option to get, and the only one Tyranids can use inexplicably. Good for ensuring our reserves come in on turn 2.--Icarus LascannonTyranids cannot use this option, no reason to buy it as it would just be arming your opponent.--QuadgunTyranids cannot use this option, no reason to buy it as it would just be arming your opponent.

-Fortress of RedemptionHoly overpriced boondongle, Batman! For any other codex, the krakstorm barrage is a powerful weapon sure to encourage your enemy to prioritize this building as a target. All in all, an expensive but not terrible option for a ranged focused army. For Tyranids, this is a complete waste. Options--Fragstorm MissileThis default option just simply makes for a dangerous weapon we have to keep the enemy from taking from us. I guess if you paid for this structure, you would rather them be trying to take this from you than the other option.--Krakstorm MissileThis is even worse for us to have since we still cannot fire either and would just be protecting it from the enemy. --Emplaced Heavy BoltersWell, at least they can autofire at BS2... We can't aim them nor can we fire them with improved ballistic skill so probably not worth it, but they aren't a complete waste...

Apocalypse and Imperial ArmourThese units are not universally accepted on gaming tables so even the ones that are

labeled as authorized for 40k, it is considered polite to ask your opponent before fielding. That said most opponents have no issue with fielding the 40k approved units. I have separated these options by which book they appear in.

-Apocalypse--HierophantApocalypse OnlyThis is one of the best Apocalypse units available to anyone. A gargatuan creature comes with a number of benefits as detailed on Forgeworld's website here http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Downloads/Product/PDF/a/apoc6thupdate.pdf. On top of all that this guy has an amazing statline and two Bio-Cannons which are frighteningly powerful guns. Now there are a few problems with this beasty however. It's rules are outdated and lead to much dispute. It is highly recommended that you work out how to handle this before the game starts. Scything talons work very differently now than they used to. You can either leave it as just having the attacks in the statline or try to decrease the attacks and give it rerolls. Fleet of Foot no longer works at all the way it is listed in the special rules so either you ignore where it says as per that rule and run it as written otherwise, or you just ignore the Agile rule alltogether. Lastly Warp Field has a few questions. One it is no longer a psyker power and is better than it used to be. Either you keep it as the psyker power in the 4th edition codex, or you give it the Warp Field rule from our current codex and let it benefit even though it is not a Zoanthrope. Some opponents will insist that you have to use the current interpretation and that since it is not a zoanthrope it gets no benefit... don't play with these people. Lastly, if you are making Warp Field the current version, that leaves this beast as still being a psyker but with no powers. Some believe that means you can roll once on the rule books psyker tables to get a power. Otherwise you go by the Tyranid Codex FAQ and since you have no powers to exchange you get nothing. Last option is that you just don't count it as a psyker anymore. This would be to your benefit since if it IS a psyker then it can be taken down by mindstrike missiles FAR too easily. Once all this is hashed out however, unless your opponents insist on trying to screw you, this beast will be a menace on the battlefield worthy of it's rather immense point cost.

--Barbed HieroduleApocalypse OnlyThis guy is a point dense gargantuan creature that is a good bit more fragile than the Hierophant, but also a good bit cheaper but still weighing in at more than half the points. With no invuln save to protect it however many consider it not worth fielding. I would say it is worth it if you need more anti tank on the field as long as you can protect it. With two Bio-Cannons of it's own (though slightly weaker than the Hierophant's) it can annihilate many tanks and it can even aim them at two different targets. The Hierodule has many of the same problems as the Hierophant however so be sure to discuss these issues with your opponent ahead of time.

-Imperial Armour Apocalypse Second Edition--Scythed HieroduleApocalypse OnlyWhile not quite as expensive as it's Barbed cousin, the Scythed Hierodule is still very expensive to field. Being a melee specialized gargantuan creature with no invuln save, it is fairly fragile and will die quickly to massed high strength firepower. It only takes on average 12 krak missile hits to kill it and that is not a terribly tall order in an apocalypse match. It does have a nice Hellstorm Template attack that is good at wiping space marines off the field, but it has to get in range to do that. Thankfully, since this book was published after our current codex his scything talons work correctly, but Agile still incorrectly references the Fleet special rule and so you will have to work out with your opponents how to resolve that.

--Malanthrope40k AuthorizedThis big beastie is an interesting unit. It is more fragile than most of our monstrous creatures, but it is an HQ slot MC that can be taken in units of up to 3 and it has a reasonable points cost. Just avoid getting into melee with anything that has strength 10

attacks. They can do a reasonable amount of damage in melee and have fleet, but no ranged attacks at all. Also they have an interesting ability that lets them get and give perferred enemy when they kill an enemy unit. Also they look like giant venomthropes so if you have a tentacle faced or legless army concept, they fit right in.

--Meiotic Spore40k AuthorizedThese are kind of fun. You can take up to 3 in a single fast attack slot and then deployed and operated separately. They are kind of like spore mines writ large only you can actually control the direction they float. Also when they explode they have sufficient AP to be a threat to space marines and then they might spawn spore mines that could then also dentonate on their target. They are a bit pricey but they can be fun.

--Stone-Crusher Carnifex40k AuthorizedThis big guy is what you want to run if you really want a melee oriented Carnifex. Aside from just looking cool, these guys can dish out the pain and take a lot. A 2+ armor save means a lot more in 6th edition than it did in 5th. Plus it has a slightly upgraded regeneration rule. Due to the changes to Rage in 6th edition, this guy can also operate independantly from synapse and in fact might get an extra attack for doing so, so sending it after a tank or building to make use of it's extra bonus on the damage table is never going to be an issue for it. He takes a Heavy Support slot by himself, but he is probably about as nasty as a Trygon but beting better at taking on tanks and worse against infantry. Worth playing around with if your local club allows it.

-Imperial Armour Areonautica--HarridanApocalypse OnlyWhile this beast is a gargantuan creature with no invuln save, it does count as a flyer (note not a flying monstrous creature, a flyer. So that means if they shoot at it without skyfire, they have to roll a 6 to hit and it cannot be grounded. It is extremely tough, has no controversial rules, a pair of Hierodule Bio-Cannons, and can transport some gargoyles. All in all, a very good addition to your Apocalypse game as it can reliably shoot down enemy flyers and can be a threat to even super heavy flyers. Vendetta spam is as always a serious threat however.

« Last Edit: Jan 15, 2013, 6:12am by infornography » Report to Mod - Link to Post - Back to Top Logged

04/19/11 at 1:36pm, yoritomo wrote:

Read more: http://thetyranidhive.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Tactics&action=display&thread=42040#ixzz2OaRwXSFp