I have been going nuts with the new Tyranid Codex, trying to maximize efficency, while at the same time staying fluffy / balanced.  Yes I could make a ludicrously cheesy army list, but what’s the fun in that?

What follows below is my second attempt at a list for the second weekend of Paul’s Basement League.  I’m hoping that I have enough fluff, tank popping, redundancy, and new fun models to keep the games close and me happy.

As always, comments are of course welcome but a few notes so you know what I was thinking when I put this together.

• I went with a Trygon Prime, to maximize my Synapse network, and to get more firepower.  He is 40 points more expensive, but his gun shoots 12 times now, and increases to 18″ range.
• It was a tough decision to get rid of my beloved Acid Tyrant but the reasons are a few.  Namely, at this point people have started to ignore him, and I need people firing into him for no reason at all.  Next, he and his guard cost 350 points.  I felt like I needed more options and I can do his job with a Carnifex for cheaper.
• Hormaguants suck now.  Gargoyles rock and can provide a cover save to my Flyrant.
• I like the idea of the tarpit Tervigon, but I couldn’t bring myself to use anymore than one.  Points wise and fluff wise, I just think more than one is lame story wise.  None the less, a toughness 6, 6 wound MC that counts as a troop and can hold objectives just rocks.
• Hive Guard look so amazing!

Hive Fleet Cerebus

HQ

Cerebus DNA Strand Tyrant (230 points)
Hive Tyrant
- 2 Scything Talons
- Psychic Scream
- Life Drain
- Wings

Elites

Hades DNA Strand Zoanthrope (60 points)
Zoanthrope
- Warp Blast
- Warp Lance

Anubis DNA Strand Hive Guard (50 points)
Hive Guard
- Harpoon Cannon

Anubis DNA Strand Hive Guard (50 points)
Hive Guard
- Harpoon Cannon

Troops

Corporal DNA Strand Warriors (90 points)
3 Tyranid Warriors
- Scything Talons
- Devourer

Corporal DNA Strand Warriors (90 points)
3 Tyranid Warriors
- Scything Talons
- Devourer

Spartan DNA Strand Genestealers (140 points)
10 Genestealers
- Infiltrate
- Rending Claws

Master Chief DNA Strand Broodlord (60 points)
Broodlord
- Infiltrate
- Rending Claws
- Aura of Despair
- Hypnotic Stare

Inferno DNA Strand Gaunts (60 points)
12 Termagaunts
- Fleshborer

Brood Mother DNA Strand Tervigon (170 points)
Tervigon
- Thorn Volley
- Dominate
- Toxin Sacs

Fast Attack

Whelping DNA Strand Gargoyles (60 points)
10 Gargoyles
- Fleshborer

Heavy Support

Raiden DNA Strand Trygon (240 points)
Trygon Prime
- Enhanced Bio-Electric Field
- 2 Pairs of Scything Talons

Ripley DNA Strand Carnifex (200 points)
Carnifex
- Heavy Venom Canon
- MC Devourer

Total: 1500 points

One week ago I claimed that I did not like the new changes made to the Tyranids in their new codex which has been released just about now.  I downloaded a leaked copy of the codex and proceeded to play my owning two matches in Paul’s Basement League with the new list.  How am I feeling about it right now?  Well, let’s just saying that when you are winning, everything seems perfect.

I played two games last weekend, first game against Paul’s Space Marines, and the second game against Jonathan’s Chaos Space Marines.  This was a interesting matchup, only in the fact that when I play games against the North Jersey crew, we really don’t have any Marine players, which of course is not the norm.  So for me, it was the first time I had played against the well rounded squads of the Emperor in awhile.

I won’t go into a turn by turn analysis, if you want that GO HERE, but I will offer some ideas on what changes I like and which I don’t.

First off, I like how much Dakka we can take.  Monsterous Creatures can unleash a ton of shots per turn, not to mention the three shots each for Tyranid Warriors.  Overall, we have a lot of shooting options, and they can really put a hurt on someone, especially when we can shoot well and be dangerous in close combat.  Genestealers getting infiltrate for free, is amazing.  I utilized all of their skills in both games and they were easily the most valuable squad I had on the table.  Can’t wait to add a Broodlord to the squad.

The Mosntrous Creatures not having invulernable saves is annoying but understandable.  I will have to factor that in.  Also, now that the units are just fearless, the fact that they take extra armor saves in close combat if they lose, is terrible.  This means that instead of tarpitting people in close combat like my Hormagaunts should, they are simply dying far too quickly to be effective.  Walking Tyrants with Guards are so difficult to kill, it’s almost unfair.  Give a Tyrant 2-3 guard and he’ll be around all game.

Also while on the topic of Tyrants, their psychic powers are unbelievable.  The three free ones that you have to choose from are great for either Flyrants or Walking Tyrants and they really can make a difference.  Meanwhile, the additional powers that you can spend a lot of points on, allow you to customize the entire army to a particular playstyle (heavy close combat, heavy outflank / reserves, etc) that you may want to try out.  It feels like the codex takes awhile customizions, but it really doesn’t, they are just done in a different way.

Let’s see what else?  Taking out tanks is still a bit of a problem.  We have the Carnifex which is good, and we can Rend them with the Genestealers, but as far as shooting, the only really reliable option is Zoanthropes.  They by the way, are amazing and I will be fielding a squad of them no matter what game or opponent they are just too useful.

Overall, the army feels very balanced and I feel like my current models are not ideal or perfect, they are a solid base that can absolutely beat any opponent given the right movement and target priority.

[View with PicLens]

I’m not pleased with the new Tyranid Codex.  There I said it!  Now let me clarify …

No matter what the codex was going to turn out to be, I knew that I was going to have issues with it.  Namely, just taking the fact that I spent a lot of time modeling these figures to coincide with the previous codex.  Once this new codex came in, I knew that the majority of what I worked on was going to be changed.  I knew that the models would be vastly different, and in addition the specific rules would be a shade of what they were.

Upon first inspection of the compiled Codex list that I got from Paul (thanks BTW), the major change is in how Synapse will change.  Figures are now no longer immune to instant death while in Synapse range.  That’s fine, I am not surprised.  It makes my Tyranid Warriors now vulnerable and takes me some thought in order to better utilize them.  Before they were so OP that I made sure to tell everyone about it.

Add to that, some weapon options that I had modeled on my Carnifex and Tyrant are no longer available, and I am none too pleased.  Hormagaunts are no longer beasts so no more 12″ charge, which of course is a major part of my strategy … Will I make it work?  Of course I will, because I love my Nids.  It will just be a bit of an adjustment.  I am going into this upcoming weekend of Paul’s Basement League, Season 2 as a chance to learn the new rules and see what I will need to stock up on when the new models are released next week.

With that in mind, here is my 1500 point list using the new rules.

Hive Fleet Cerebus

HQ

Cerebus DNA Strand Tyrant (230 points)
Hive Tyrant
- 2 Scything Talons
- Psychic Scream
- Life Drain
- Wings

Acidic DNA Strand Tyrant (205 points)
Hive Tyrant
- Heavy Venom Canon
- MC Devourer
- Psychic Scream
- The Horror

Royal Acid Guard (120 points)
2 Tyrant Guards
- Scything Talons
- Rending Claws

Elites

Hades DNA Strand Zoanthrope (60 points)
Zoanthrope
- Warp Blast
- Warp Lance

Troops

Corporal DNA Strand Warriors (90 points)
3 Tyranid Warriors
- Scything Talons
- Devourer

Corporal DNA Strand Warriors (90 points)
3 Tyranid Warriors
- Scything Talons
- Devourer

Spartan DNA Strand Genestealers (168 points)
12 Genestealers
- Infiltrate
- Rending Claws

Inferno DNA Strand Gaunts (60 points)
12 Termagaunts
- Fleshborer

Purgatory DNA Strand Gaunts (72 points)
12 Hormagaunts
- Scything Talons

Heavy Support

Grendel DNA Strand Carnifex (210 points)
Carnifex
- Crushing Claws
- Scything Talons
- Regeneration

Hercules DNA Strand Carnifex (195 points)
Carnifex
- Heavy Barbed Strangler
- MC Devourer

Total: 1500 points