Re: [Epic] About Tyranids

From: Thane Morgan <thane_at_...>
Date: Tue, 26 May 1998 17:52:45 -0600

Stephen Sheldon wrote:

> > No flak. Zero. Harridans and gargoyles just die die die, so you have to
>
> I have three hydras for my Imperial force, and I never use them, I find
> them to be effectively useless, if I was to place them in a detachment,
> they have to be the very front unit, else the bombers will outrange them,
> if they are the front unit, then the opponent will generally pick another
> detachment to assault. (We have a house rule, where flyers enter the field
> from the deployment zone of the controlling player, they are still
> effective, but screening countermeasures can be taken...)
>

Also, Flak would be the antithesis of bug armies. most bugs must keep moving to be
effective, and flak units would slow most units down. Even bug artillery has a
short range, so half of your turns you end up needing to move anyways to acquire
targets. It's easier to make a screen of termagants 20 cm from what you are trying
to protect.

I do agree that gargoyles are way over priced; they have abysmal armor, even more
abysmal intercepts, 1 shot and have to be bought with a 50 point target. I figure
they ought to be about 8-10 points each; actually, I think they should be
skimmers. The harridan should go back to having 3 wounds; I've never seen a
harridan survive an interception.

> > The Bio-titans are worthless. No shields. No regeneration. The cop out
>
> I have thought of a couple of ways of making them better, a save might be
> too much, but I thought that deathrays shouldn't cause auto criticals
> against them, that way, they become a lot more survivable, for very little
> change...

This would be a much better solution than the save. I still think they come out
overrated considering their weapon selection; what happened to their death rays.

> > I understand that the whole point of a tyranid swarm is to beat the enemy to
> > death in CC, but it just doesn't happen that way. Even using drop pods (to
>
> They are very good in CC, it takes a lot to collect a good CC army, but I
> think that people overlook things like termagants as effective CC troops.
> they are cheap and effective units. I think when playing with them, as
> someone already suggested, go for the swarm approach, field everything
> where dead units keep coming on as reserves, that way they live a lot
> longer.
>

Use a lot of biovores. They make a huge difference for suppressing enemy fire and
getting a good combat bonus. Unfortunately, the extra blast markers tend to end
the game a bit prematurely, but thats another topic. they are also very cheap
money and pointwise, and can be drop pod deployed (though I usually ride mine in
on assault spawn.)

> > I tried numerous troop configurations and varied my tactics, but the end
> > result was a solid tyranid thumping.
> > All in all, the least viable of the armies in current edition. They really
> > need some sort of fix.
>
> I don't think you have taken into account the munching bonus to morale,
> when a unit is destroyed they get another morale bonus, this makes enemy
> war engines and titans HUGE targets, an imperator is a big no-no against
> 'nids, I think the design team were thinking about this when they made the
> titan rules, they probably realise the risk of taking a Titan and having
> it killed (eg, losing an imperator will give a 36+#of BM shift in the army
> morales, and a mycetic assault swarm can really hurt an imperator.)
>

Also, make very large units which don't break easily and have a lot of psykers and
genestealers. It's very demoralizing to an enemy when he breaks a unit, but still
has 10 - 20 very threatening models which need to die and he won't earn anymore
points for. Also, don't be afraid of using termagants and hormagants; though not
terribly powerful, you can lose a lot of them without feeling the hurt much, and
they will get kills. For instance, you can lose 4 termagants to every land raider
killed and still feel good about the outcome. Make swarms of termagants to hurt
land raider detats; the LR's actually are at a disadvantage shooting at them,
because normal shots only need a three to hit. If he ignore them for jucier
targets, he will lose land raiders even if he doesn't lose the combat, and you can
be back in his face the next turn. Don't put every synapse creature in a brood in
HTH either, since win or lose, the opponent will kill them first will hit rolls.
always leave a 1/3 out supporting.

Don't give up on bugs; they are probably the most difficult to play effectively,
but you will feel really good win you figure them out. And don't take biotitans
unless you modify them or are just having fun.

> Steve (+ Thane)
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> When you dream there are no rules, people can fly, anything can happen.
> Sometimes, there's a moment as you're waking, that you become aware of
> the real world around you, but you're still dreaming.
> You may think you can fly, but you better not try it...
> -------------------------------------------------stephes_at_...--------
Received on Tue May 26 1998 - 23:52:45 UTC