Comparing play styles

[shadowfinder]

With the passing of LVO we have seen a new play style for Tyranids emerge. It is not really new but has been out of favor for a while. Null deployment.

The three styles I see now competitive are::
1: Flying MC spam
2: Trapdoor spider style with a barbed hierodule and other forge world goodies as the center pieces.
3: A Null deployment with a focus on MSU and a lot of spore mines.
4: a mix of two of these possibly

Each of these list have strong points about them. The question is which one has the edge in competitive play? What are strengths and weakness of each play style? Whatare the good match up and bad ones? Or which has the fewer bad match up?

Each list type makes us relook at units that we may have written off as no good. I thought it would be good to get peoples thoughts on this and what they are seeing in their area in response to the surprising win at LVO. Or if it has had no effect at all.


For my self I Love playing Null deployment list. In 5th ed. that is all I played and it was great fun. I am personally looking forward to finding out how null style Tyranid will effect the meta in the weeks to come. I am trying it out in three week at a local RRT.

[shrike]

It's funny all of those involve flyrants

[fleetofclaw]

Exactly, as much as everyone wants to dance and sing about lictors, Sean's list still had 6 MC's, 3 of them being Flyrants....

They're the only thing in our HQ slot anyway. Right?

[eskimo]

The MSU/ MC all deepstriking was a enjoyable way for me to play too. Shame the pods are too big to play multiple of with transport limitations now. Ymgarls gone. Zoans not reliable with AP2 and 7 to blow too.

I like always take the Rippers and have my objectives in as many corners as possible to isolate them from trouble and force the opponent to spread apart.

There just isn't a HQ worth taking now but Flyrant. Primes expensive to just support which other things do better and cheaper. Tervigon being expensive and only giving one power, little good shooting and no CC ability, plus every other MC scores now :/

[Freeman]

I think the fmc spam is still best overall and easiest to get your head round. It is however not very fun to play.

[nurglitch]

Given what Tau AA can do to Winged Hive Tyrants, I'm surprised it's still a thing.

[zergling15]

Just starting out, but I was thinking of my first model purchase being a Deathleaper, and going with a half null-deploy, half infiltrate strategy to start playing some 500 point games.

Imagine the small psychology advantage of losing the roll and having to deploy first and then saying your done without putting one model on the table.

[shadowfinder]

I thinks the FMC spam is the easiest to play and understand. it is also the most unforgiving as well when thing go south with it get bad fast.

You can make the trap door spider work with out Flyrants it is harder but it is doable.

I have yet to see a try anti air list at a tournament for tau. The rely on twin-linking and mass shots to take down FMC. one maybe two units will have sky-fire. they are also not as popular as they where last year.

Trapdoor takes practice to prefect. It also take patience which a lot of people have trouble with.

The null deployment is the hardest in my thinking as it forces you to take risks, that most people are not comfortable with. I have talked to several player that are not good with they idea of so few troops//units on the table the first turn.

[zergling15]

Looking around I heard about SkyBlight Formation. The talk is this is going to become big, but can it fill more styles than just FMC??

I mean you can have 6 FMC's in the list (minimum is 3) and endless gargolyes that actually contest objectives. So is this best to mix with a style or do you create a whole new one around this formation??

[N.I.B.]

Mar 3, 2015 7:26:10 GMT shadowfinder said:

With the passing of LVO we have seen a new play style for Tyranids emerge. It is not really new but has been out of favor for a while. Null deployment.

The three styles I see now competitive are::
1: Flying MC spam
2: Trapdoor spider style with a barbed hierodule and other forge world goodies as the center pieces.
3: A Null deployment with a focus on MSU and a lot of spore mines.
4: a mix of two of these possibly

Each of these list have strong points about them. The question is which one has the edge in competitive play? What are strengths and weakness of each play style? Whatare the good match up and bad ones? Or which has the fewer bad match up?

I'd say that it depends on the victory conditions, and restrictions in place. In the US, you seem to still favour old Eternal War missions that reward static gunlines. In my region it's mostly Maelstrom (but never pure Maelstrom) that dominates, meaning you need a meaty ground presence and a very mobile army.

From my own experience in my restricted meta I'd say the sweet spot is three Flyrants. From there you can go with 3x2 Dakkafexes + auxiliary units, or just do the Lictorshame for full auxiliary backup.

[shadowfinder]

Mar 5, 2015 9:51:42 GMT N.I.B. said:

Mar 3, 2015 7:26:10 GMT shadowfinder said:

With the passing of LVO we have seen a new play style for Tyranids emerge. It is not really new but has been out of favor for a while. Null deployment.

The three styles I see now competitive are::
1: Flying MC spam
2: Trapdoor spider style with a barbed hierodule and other forge world goodies as the center pieces.
3: A Null deployment with a focus on MSU and a lot of spore mines.
4: a mix of two of these possibly

Each of these list have strong points about them. The question is which one has the edge in competitive play? What are strengths and weakness of each play style? Whatare the good match up and bad ones? Or which has the fewer bad match up?

I'd say that it depends on the victory conditions, and restrictions in place. In the US, you seem to still favour old Eternal War missions that reward static gunlines. In my region it's mostly Maelstrom (but never pure Maelstrom) that dominates, meaning you need a meaty ground presence and a very mobile army.

From my own experience in my restricted meta I'd say the sweet spot is three Flyrants. From there you can go with 3x2 Dakkafexes + auxiliary units, or just do the Lictorshame for full auxiliary backup.

There is a growing number of tournaments in the western US that are doing the ITC format that mixes Eternal War mission and a Modified Maelstrom. I personally like the format as it gives you option in play.
Being mobile is a huge plus but having a good balance is need to make sure you can hold objectives as well.

It is why I like the Null deployment style so much. You can be where you need to be. You can castle if you need to or just scatter to the winds as well.

I think the best thing right now is that we don't have a mono build any more. You can't just say Tyranids this is what they have or bring and this is how to beat them any more. It is great.

[jaysic]

I don't see melee in there

[shadowfinder]

Mar 5, 2015 17:35:13 GMT jaysic said:

I don't see melee in there

Most Tyranids have guns built in so shooting is needed. With a Null deployment style deployment combat is a big part of the play style. You will be in range to assault after shooting most of the time the turn after you come down. So two rounds of shooting and then you feast, it is very satisfying. You can always drop a large brood of genestealers in just to see peoples reaction. Always good times.

[N.I.B.]

Mar 5, 2015 17:35:13 GMT jaysic said:

I don't see melee in there

A couple of Lictors can kill a Waveserpent in combat. That's about all melee you need

[shadowfinder]

SO the question I been thinking on is which style is stronger?

I know in a Tyranid vs. Tyranid match up I would say it very hard to tell who would win personally?
I know personally trapdoor is very good vs. bikes and marines. Tau and elder give trapdoor its biggest issue at the moment.

FMC I don't know personally. I never really played it myself. Was hoping someone could expound on that one for me.

I usually play a hybrid list of some sort. But trapdoor was the closest to my play style entail the Drop spores came out. They changed everything for me.