In this installment I am just going to list the units in
order and my take how they perform in 6th.
HQ
Hive Tyrant
Okay lots to say
here, still a Close Combat beast and know if you spend the points on wings he
just might get there. No more debate on
what “grounded” means. Two psychic
powers that are best used to roll on biomancy to make him more survivable. Really only one downside to this beatstick,
cost, well over 200 pts no matter if you give him wings or a tyrant guard. If you haven’t tried one give it a go. With wings one of the few sources of
skyfire. Close to 300 if you get really
spendy and make him a torrent of fire machine with two twin linked
devourers. One note, if you buy the new
plastic kit it’s great but doen’t include any devourers or deathspitters. Vector strike is kinda meh with him. Better to shoot 6 twin linked str6 shots from
a Devourer.
Swarmlord
Only level 2
psycher in the codex. Pricey since you’ll want to give him some tyrant guard
for protection, his 3 up just isn’t going to cut it. I haven’t played with him in 6th
yet but I suspect it’s about the same as 5th. Nobody is going to get
near this guy so he makes a bubble around himself few will dare to tread. He is an ammo magnet and will attract a lot
of low AP shooting. Build a list around
him if you plan on using him. He is the
only way to give raveners Furious Charge.
Tervigon
These only got
better. If you purchase the extra
psychic powers you’ll get 3 rolls on book powers. Their codex powers aren’t shabby either. In lower point games having one or two of
these scoring is pretty great. They can
be a very resilient troop or with some biomancy
a terrifying one in close combat.
With only one of the book missions being kill points, go ahead and spawn
away until you double out. 6th
missions are heavily weighted toward scoring and no matter how you slice it
tervigons help with that.
Tyranid Prime
Still a very cost
effective HQ choice with some very
serious Close Combat potential. One of
the only Independent characters in the codex so bury one in a unit of gants and
go forward.
The Parasite of Mortrex
Nobody ran him
in 5th and it has not changed in 6th. If your looking for an independent character
to escort some gargoyles, this is your unit.
Pretty much fluff only IMO.
Elites
Hive Guard
If the Vendetta is the NO1 most undercosted unit in the game
then these guys should be the most appropriate. 50pts each is perfect. They were great in last edition and nothing
has changed. Not needing LOS and
granting cover very rarely a great stat line. All tyranid lists should have some of these
and a strong argument could be made for 9.
Lictor brood
Bad then bad now,
if they ever gain the ability to assault on arrival great, otherwise they cost
way to much and compete for a slot with better choices.
Deathleaper
I have a love hate
with this one, if somehow you think you have an elite slot to spare, you could
do worse. But mostly meh. He has about 7 thousand special rules so be
aware of that if you plan on using him.
If he was an HQ he might ……might see more use. He’s a character now and at WS9 can put the
pain down on other characters but only a save of 5up, but Initiative 6 and
rending on 5 or 6…….still kinda Meh
Venomthrope
With cover for
MCs being easier to get, these just don’t cut it for the points or slot.
Zoanthropes
Being able to roll
for two powers for each one makes these guys very useful to groom you list with
matchup. He has heavy vehicles, keep
codex powers, no vehicles roll for some book ones. Roll for each Zoan individually in the
brood. No restrictions right now on a 3
Zoan brood having one take codex powers and the other two book powers. One change in this edition is that you could
walk them vice using a Mycetic Spore for them now.
The Doom of Manan'Tai
For his points this guy is great, if you like reliability, he's not for you. He either manhandles your opponent or dies to str8 shooting right away. Requires a Mycetic Spore to get close enough to be effective. No change in this edition.
Pyrovore
Nothing to see here
Ymgarl Genesteelers
Pricey but with their ability to assault on arrival they can
be pretty awesome. I think you should
choose your assaults carefully so overwatch doesn’t make them ineffective. Great for assaulting vehicles who cannot
overwatch.
Troops
Tyranid Warriors
The instant death
to doubling out mechanic didn’t change so these are still pretty bad.
Genesteelers
Well if you like
to use them to outflank, well quit, since they cannot assault out of
outflank. IMO they are a hard sell in
this edition with cover reduced and overwatch.
I can see a case for smaller units with a Broodlord. But at BS0 the broodlords potential is limited
too.
Termagants
This with
Tervigons really is the most common troop since the new codex came out. They are just good enough to get the job done
for their points. They aren’t great at
anything on their own but at 5pts don’t expect much. In numbers with a tervigon close. They can wreck face. It is really easy to be out of the tervigons
buffing range in this edition so plan your charges appropriately. You’ll often have to string them back and
run vice shoot with tervigons to ensure they are getting buffs in assault.
20 Termagants with devourers in a Mycetic spore is one way to move a scoring unit into your opponents deployment zone.
Hormagaunt
If there was a
Horvigon option out there you’d probably use these. There isn’t so you don’t. It’s not that they are bad it just that they
aren’t good enough.
Ripper swarm
If you use them
great. IMO just about as useless as the
Pyrovore
Fast
Tyranid Shrikes
Same instant
death problems of their warrior brethren.
So just not worth it, can be a very pricey CC monstrosity.
Raveners
Beasts are great and truly fast, 6 of these guys with
rending can kill quite a bit. If they
get there. Suffer from the same Instant
death problems as shrikes and warrior. But
by being much faster you might be able to hide them until they can charge.
Sky slasher
Flying ripper
swarm, no thank you.
Gargoyles
Great for their
points with all or no improvements. If
you expect them to handle vehicles at all they need Adrenal Glands. They will need a synapse escort if not they
can quickly get out of synapse and become a lot less useful.
Harpy
Great if you need hard to hit anti infantry, but you shouldn’t
your tyranids. Just costs to much and
little to no anti flyer ability.
Spore mine cluster
Not a horrible way to spend a few points but a lot less
useful than just getting more gants instead IMO.
Heavy
Carnifex brood
Some people love them, I am not one of them. For every argument on what they bring with
torrent or some resilience in number I just cannot justify the cost of
them. Way overpriced. With the new Smash USR their str9 isn’t so
great either.
Old One Eye
Fun game sure,
otherwise never.
Biovore
With the ability
to snipe with barrage and 3 for 135 points I can see some utility from these
guys. Tyranids don’t need more anti
infantry but 48” range anti infantry, yes that we can use.
Trygon (prime)
I haven’t used them much and the prime is a
character now, I don’t think these guys changed much in this edition, they
wrecked stuff before even better now.
Still lots of points.
Mawloc
No change really,
wasn’t great then isn’t now. To many
points.
Tyrannofex
Lots of points
for vendetta bait. Still gonna give
them a go soon in an RTT. With some
Preferred enemy from a Hive Tyrant perhaps.
Hard to justify the points.
So that’s my take, opinions vary feel free to share yours
with comments below.
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