I think that Tyranids toting guns look really silly. I'm cool with Tyranids having ranged attacks, but I just can't get over how bloody silly they look holding firearms. I even realize that the god-like hive mind provides a sane rationale for why space bugs would have guns, but I still find them to be aesthetically displeasing.
Here is what I have decided is kosher:
- Close combat... obviously
- Psychic shooting
- Any ranged attack that doesn't take the shape of a gun (Trygon lightning, flesh hooks, and all types of vomit are cool)
- Biovores, because I won't use them anyway.
My theory of Tyranids has always been that out close combat is far better than our shooting, so it is more important to reduce the amount of chances your opponent gets to shoot at you than it is to trade fire. I know I'd rather only take one round of Imperial Guard shooting and not shoot them at all than take three and give three. This theory leads right to the wonderful world of null deployment, so here goes:
HQ
Hive Tyrant
2x Scything Talons, Wings
Old Adversary, Hive Commander
Old Adversary, Hive Commander
Paroxysm, Leech Essence
Elites
10 Ymgarl Genestealers
10 Ymgarl Genestealers
3 Zoanthropes
Mycetic Spore
Troops
30 Hormagaunts
Adrenal Glands
10 Genestealers
Scything Talons
10 Genestealers
Scything Talons
Heavy Support
Trygon
Prime, Adrenal Glands
Trygon
Prime, Adrenal Glands
I always feel point starved when making Tyranid lists. Some shrikes would have been a nice addition as would another 10 stealers, but that's just not in the cards.
The idea here is that everything reserves, except the Genestealers depending on terrain. They could possibly infiltrate into LOS blocking cover or heavy cover and put their squishy heads down while the rest of the army shows up. The Tyrant, Trygons, and Zoanthropes deep strike while the hormagaunts are used as an outflanking distraction/instinctive behavior missile. With the adrenal glands even if they get stuck chasing a rhino they have a chance of glancing it to death.
Ymgarls are the heart of the army, since they are such a hard hitting and versatile unit. With some clever stat-shuffling it's entirely possible to never give an opponent a chance shoot at them.
Opening up boxes would be a problem, but there are a few solutions. Stealers can open boxes in a pinch, although this does leave them wide open to the counter attack from whatever was inside. On the other hand, Zoanthropes are fairly reliable, and Trygon primes actually do a decent job. If a prime pops up behind a tank with rear AV 10 it will, on mathammered average, get one glance and one penetration. Not terribly shabby for a creature whose primary purpose is to tear things up in claw-to-hand.
Given the limitations of gunless 'nids, what do you think of the list?
CT
CT
I like, th elist is different and is an old school appraoch to Nids. You could potentially trim the squad sizes to create target saturation. Smaller 5 man(?) units might die faster but can create more targets. I had a similar list where i mised large and small units together.
ReplyDeleteI also feel you need a Carnifex, yes they are overpriced but Nids = bigger gribbles.
I think this is a really fun list and I think you hav a point about "I'd rather get shot once than three times and shoot back,"
ReplyDeleteI love the thematic idea of an all close combat nids list. I mean a giant implacable wave of monsters that keeps coming despite your best effects at shooting it? sweet.
ReplyDeleteI like this list.no gun concept really works. Would like to see more gaunts. I always like the rolling wave effect.
ReplyDeleteI used to field Tyranids with no guns too a few editions back. They hurt and they hurt hard. Personally I'd drop some genestealers in favour of warriors and more hormagaunts possibly? You've beefed up your Nids quite a bit too, especially the hive tyrant. It's cool if that's your thing but it might explain your 'point starvation'.
ReplyDeleteReally the only paid for extra on the tyrand is Old Adversary and that was just because I had 25 spare points sitting around. Hive Commander is absolutely necessary for the all reverse strategy as are the wings.
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