2k of Genestealers led by a Tyranid Prime

[Chris Copeland]

2000 points of Genestealers & Zoanthropes

HQ=Tyranid Prime w/ lash whip and bonesword, deathspitter, and regeneration for 110 points.

Troops= 20 Genestealers x3= 840
7 Warriors with lash whips and boneswords, 6 deathspitters and 1 barbed strangler, plus adrenal glands=390 pts

Elites= 3 units of Zoanthropes with 3 Zoanthropes and a Mycetic Spore in each unit=660 points

2000 points total.

I am using the Tyranid Prime because it is a LOT cheaper to field than my Tyrant... also, the Warriors are as hard as nails and only get tougher when the Prime is included. The Zoes should do a pretty good job of drop-podding in next to high priority targets (such as Land Raiders) and flattening them. I intend to outflank with my Genestealers and head for objectives of units that need to be engaged in HTH...

Thoughts, feedback and critiques are welcome on this work in progress... Cheers! Copeland

[newtoncain]

If all your going to start with on the board is the Prime + Warriors = will die or at least be depleted because they will be th eonly target.

I like the army, I would only change the 20 x 3 into 15 x 4 or 12 x 5.

[Velium]

with grey knights kicking around on the playground now i cant really see this army working out... the warriors are, infact, not hard as nails. missile launcher spam, las/plas spam and rifle dread spam will kill that entire unit to a man if they start the game on the board. also, you dont have any reserve acceleration without the tyrant, so if your genestealers dont show up till turn 3 or 4, your opponent has massacred your zoanthropes and castled in the middle of the board, just waiting for the 'stealers.

[Chris Copeland]

I could start the Prime and the Warriors off the board and walk them on. If I did that EVERYTHING would start in reserve giving my opponent nothing to shoot at. Theoretically, at least ONE of my Zoe broods should come in early and flatten the biggest metal box my opponent has on the board. From then on I'll have broods coming in throughout the game. The Zoes are survivable enough that they'll draw a lot of fire and test my opponent's fire discipline... of course, this is all theoretical... I could simply replace the Prime and Warriors with my old standby: my DakkaTyrant with his 3 lash whip tyrant guards

[Tynskel]

The problem I see with this list is not the zoans, not the genestealers, not the warriors, not the prime, but the lack of everything else that makes a solid list for bugs.

Focusing on one unit type can be good for a theme, but I recommend expanding that theme to include some other things.

Raveners and trygons might be a good addition to the list.

Tyranids are a synergy army: if you do not have units that work in tandem with each other, the list will fail.

Like the units you are using are 'vanguard units'. So Lictors (which we know got the nerf bat and are trapped in a hole), Carnifexes, Mawlocs, Raveners, Gargoyles, and Shrikes are units that would fit into this list, and greatly aide it.


Too bad the Tyranid Prime's head is too big, otherwise I would say have it spore pod with the warriors.

[Chris Copeland]

I've been wracking my brain trying to rearrange my list on the advise I've been given. This list is meant to be competitive, not just a theme list. The idea behind it is this: bugs don't have a lot of great ways to get near to enemy tanks and destroy them. However, Zoanthropes are GREAT at killing big things! I load up with 9 Zoanthropes, spore-pod them in and commence to killing important targets. Whilst they are killing tanks (or whatever) they are drawing a lot of fire. My 60 Genestealers outflank in and proceed to either grab objectives or engage enemy units in HTH. That is the basic idea behind the army. The 60 basic Genestealers cost 840 points. The three units of Zoanthropes (each with three Zoes and a Mycetic Spore Pod) cost 660 points. So before I add in an HQ or anything else I've used up 1500 points. That leaves me 500 points to spend on HQ and anything else that adds synergy to the army. I'm also out of elite slots because my Zoes used them all up. I don't want to take fewer Zoes because I believe they are key to the strategy... nothing else in the bug codex kills tanks and walkers as well as Zoes do.

I am leery about throwing in monstrous creatures because they die as soon as they are in the open. However, a Trygon Prime seems like a good buy at 240 points. I own two Carnifexes. Each are built the same with scything talons and venom cannons. They would be 185 points each (minimum) if I used them as built. I also own a Dakka-Tyrant (a Hive Tyrant with two sets of twin linked devourers)... The cheapest I can field him for is 225 points (with hive commander). I also own 9 Warriors with lash whips, bone swords, and deathspitters (one has a barbed strangler)...

So my question to the community is this: how should I fill the HQ and use up the last 500 points if I want to stick with my spore-pod/genestealer strategy? Should I go with my Dakka-Tyrant and his three lash-whip guards? Should I put in the cheapest HQ I can field (a Tyranid Prime) and spend my remaining points on other stuff? Friends, I look forward to suggestions. Cheers!

[Tynskel]

Well, I think the tyrant won't do you so well, other than the hive commander. But really, to make the tyrant worth while would to have tyrant guard. Tyrants are just expensive, and you need to design your list with that in mind.

I don't think your list needs Trygon Primes at all, you have warriors n' genestealers, none of which are in dire need of Hive Mind. Shave off 30 points, and just take Adrenal Glands for Furious charge.

I am a huge fan of Screamer Killers (that's 2 scything, bio-plasma, frag spines, and adrenal glands for Str10/I4 on charge through cover) in Spore Pods:
5 Pods: 9 Zoans, 2 Screamer Killers. Your opponent will be upset. Personally, I like a Mawloc (cheap), so 5 Pods + a Mawloc is in your face nastiness.

While that is all going on, then your genestealers start mopping up the rest.

[Chris Copeland]

Tynskel, thanks for the input! So here is where I'm at: after buying the 60 Genestealers, 9 Zoes, and 3 spore-pods I've spent 1500 points. That leaves me 500 points to play with for my 2k list. How about this: I spend 300 on the Daka-Tyrant (2 twin linked devourers, armored shell, old adversary, and hive commander) and 195 on the Tyrant Guard (3 with lash-whips)... that is 1995 points and I end up with:

Daka-Tyrant plus 3 lash whip Guards
60 Genestealers
3 broods of 3 Zoanthropes each all coming in via spore-pods...


Input and critiques are always welcome... Cheers!

[newtoncain]

Swarm LOrd + 2 Tryant guard is 400. Leaves you 100 pts to play with.

IMO the SL is better than most HT you pu tout there.

[Tynskel]

Well, a kitted out Tyrant like that can use some support units. Cheap stuff. For example-- I like to use a brood of 3 Sky-Slasher Swarms with Adrenal Glands and Toxin Sacs. they can provide cover (if you need it) and they add 15 attacks to the charge that re-roll to hit n' wound (assuming target is T4 or less). That's 69 points.

I like the Swarmlord. It's pretty cool, and you can still fire 2 weapons (because she can cast 2 psychic powers).

What powers are you giving your Tyrant?


This is how I kit out my tyrant:
260 Defiler Tyrant (might be slightly off in points)
–Lash Whip and Bonesword, Brain Leech Devourers, Shredder Shard Beetles (rending template), Hive Commander,
–Old Adversary, Adrenal Glands, Psychic Scream, and Leech Essence,
195 Defiler Guard
-3 Tyrant Guard, Lash Whips

You run the first 2 turns, usually, and from about turn 3 on, you are firing 3 Weapons a turn (devourers, a psychic power, and the Template weapon). Good at both Close Combat and Shooting. A jack of all trades that actually holds its own in both CC and shooting.

[Tynskel]

as for the list. I still think it is missing out on some really good elements.

The list doesn't work together well, there are a lot of individual good parts, but they are all very vulnerable. However, with the addition of some simple units, the army will be multiplied.

I think it is worth your while to drop some genestealers for some support bugs. Your tyrant is just there on its own. It might be worth while to drop one squad of Zoans for Hive Guard.

You could get a phat gargoyle squad. Those are good for harassment.


Essentially, you want a list where if any one unit got blow away in one round of focused shooting, you would shrug your shoulders, because you know the rest of your army can still support each other.

[Velium]

yeah, im still really not sold on the 9 zoanthropes from your elites slots. if the "biggest metal box" on the field is a rhino they havent done much at all. also, no, they arent survivable. if zoe's wind up out away from other threats, it doesnt take a whole ton of firepower to kill off what amounts to a space marine combat squad (t4, 3+, 6 wounds total with a model lost every two wounds) especially if you take a tyrant you should really consider a squad of hive guard. str 8 is great against light transports in a way that the zoe's cant be, and they can slog around near your tyrant at t6 so they arent getting insta-dead from shooting.

consider that the zoe's need to land near their target, pass psychic tests, hit, roll to pen, and roll to damage, they just arent worth spamming in an environment that is rich with AV 11/12 vehicles.

TL;DR, you dont need 9 land raider killers as much as you need hive guard who are moderately survivable rhino killers.