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Tyranid 1,850 - Old School


Gorgosaurusrex

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I've been working on a new Tyranid list for my 2nd edition models. I'll be getting a large amount of Genestealers soon and wanted to include them in a list. As I'm not willing to convert my old models that means no Flyrants :sad:

 

Anyway, here's the list:

 

Codex Tyranids - Combined Arms Detachment


HQ

Hive Tyrant 205

-Heavy Venom Cannon, Bonesword & Lash Whip

Hive Tyrant 205

-Heavy Venom Cannon, Bonesword & Lash Whip

 

Troops

3 Tyranid Warriors 120

-Deathspitters, Rending Claws

30 Termagants 120

20 Hormagaunts 140

-Adrenal Glands

 

Elites

3 Zoanthropes 150

 

Fast Attack

Hive Crone 155 (I know it's not from 2nd edition but I needed something for anti-air, and didn't want to butcher a Hive Tyrant)

 

Heavy Support

Carnifex 135

-2x Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands

Carnifex 135

-2x Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands

Carnifex 135

-2x Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands

 

Leviathan Dataslate Detachment - Manufactorum Genestealers

5 Genestealers 70

5 Genestealers 70

5 Genestealers 70

5 Genestealers 70

5 Genestealers 70

 

1,850

 

 

This is my attempt at a "Classic" Tyranid list. I think it has enough variety to keep it interesting and enough flexibility to keep it on the table for at least 3 turns.

 

The Genestealers can infiltrate within 6" of an enemy if they are in a building or ruins, plus they get Hit and Run. Otherwise they are normal, sub-par Genestealers.

Any suggestions? Obviously this list won't be winning any tournaments, but I think it'd put up a fight for casual play.

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I would strongly suggest dropping one Tyrant in favor of adding a trio of Tyrant Guard to the other one; monstrous creatures trying to walk across the table will get annihilated unless they have some form of protection.

 

I can respect what you're trying to do here, but I think you're going to struggle a lot even in a casual environment- Tyranid stuff is just too fragile and it'll be at least three turns before you can get in an assault with the Huggafexes or Tyrant.

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I will consider Tyrant Guard. Ideally I'd have each Tyrant accompanied by 2, I'm just not sure what to cut for the points!

 

Spine Banks are a good idea. I originally had them but removed them to fit in the full 20 Hormagaunts. I could probably convert a spare 2nd ed Warrior into a Venomthrope without losing too much "old school" vibe.

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Cut the Hive Crone. It's really not worth it. T5 with a 4+ save and only shoots 2 Haywire shots at BS3 Twin-Linked. Can be really good and can really suck. Nids don't have a lot to stop air. My two cents....either really invest in it or not at all.

 

I agree with abuse puppy. Good great Scott, that's a lot of CC. Most units will sadly never see combat. But good luck on making it work.

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I've run similar lists for giggles.  Does ok if you play with heavy terrain.  Relied heavily on getting a shot at infiltration via the strategic warlord traits.  The choppy carnifexes are definitely fun and had some surprisingly effective results but need venomthropes or malanthropes imo and catalyst doesn't hurt either.

 

I'd drop the harpy for tyrant guard or get another harpy.  A single harpy is just going to frustrate you at how poorly it handles flyers (between rolling for reserves and relying on 2x2 haywire shots-- especially the more common FMCs which care less about haywire.

 

Also I'd suggest splitting the zoanthropes into singles.  You get 3 extra rolls on the tyranid powers and 3 extra warp charges.  Only time I take zoathrope units is in pods as its the only way to relaible use the extra warplance shots.

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Yeah, it's quite possible to run a melee-centric Tyranid army and have at least middling success in a casual environment, but I think you're missing the mark in a number of ways. Foremost amongst them is taking full advantage of your slots (like the EL monstrous creatures), overwhelming the enemy with targets, and making use of Venomthrope/Malanthropes to ensure you can get to the enemy alive. Depending on which of the 2E models you have access to this can be more or less viable, but if you want to make it work you really need to have sufficient focus and not just "a collection of random models" in the list. That necessitates some degree of compromise in what you're willing to use, or use for counts-as.

 

Of course, if the functionality doesn't matter than you can just run whatever you like, but that's a choice to make as well.

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Sounds like there's a pattern here... Drop the Hive Crone, get some Tyrant Guard and Venomthropes. I have enough 2nd ed Warriors to convert either of those units so it's definitely doable. I also have an old Armorcast Malefactor that I've been using as a Tervigon.

 

 

(like the EL monstrous creatures)

 

What do you mean by "EL monstrous creature"?

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I've run the Haruspex a couple times and had pretty decent experiences with him. He's comparable in overall toughness to a Carnifex (125pts for four wounds vs 160pts for five wounds), kills most units just as hard, is better against vehicles thanks to Crushing Claws, and can easily snag back a wound per combat via eating someone.

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If you drop one unit of carnifex and put in a toxicrene you save some points to do pretty much the same thing.  Plus it comes with built in shrouding so you don't need the venomthrope to help it make it across the field. It's not a perfect trade off, but with the other melee threats it should be OK. That means you only need to make up 40 points somewhere to get the haruspex into the list. If you are leaning towards that choice.

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Well I had to bump it up to 2,000 but I think I fit everything:

 

Codex Tyranids - Combined Arms Detachment


HQ

Hive Tyrant 205

-Heavy Venom Cannon, Bonesword & Lash Whip

2 Tyrant Guard 100

Hive Tyrant 205

-Heavy Venom Cannon, Bonesword & Lash Whip

2 Tyrant Guard 100

 

Troops

30 Termagants 120

20 Hormagaunts 140

-Adrenal Glands

 

Elites

3 Zoanthropes 150

2 Venomthropes 90

Haruspex 160

 

Heavy Support

Carnifex 125

-2x Scything Talons, Spine Banks

Carnifex 125

-2x Scything Talons, Spine Banks

Carnifex 125

-2x Scything Talons, Spine Banks

 

 

Leviathan Dataslate Detachment - Manufactorum Genestealers

5 Genestealers 70

5 Genestealers 70

5 Genestealers 70

5 Genestealers 70

5 Genestealers 70

 

1,995

 

To cut it down to 1,850 I'd drop 10 Termagants, the Adrenal Glands on the Hormagaunts, and 5 Genestealers (moving the rest to troops).

 

I'm not sure if I'm sold on the two Tyrants with two Tyrant Guard each. It will make my otherwise fragile synapse more resilient and help spam T6 models though.

 

I think this list will be a bit better, do you guys agree?

 

What do people think of Mucolid Spores?

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For a fun game that could be fun. Just make sure that you put some building terrain on the field for the Jean-stealers. Other wise they are going to have to ignore their Fancy pants rules and infiltrate like everyone else.

 

If you are looking for somewhat competitive; There are in total only 5 shots in the list to take out vehicles. Two S9 Small Blast shots, and 3 18" range zoanthrope shots, granted if you pass psychic rolls. But I love the march across the board mentality. Hope it works.

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