2000 Points Team Defender List Development

[draaen]

    I am going to be playing in a team tournament for the first time. I can be a bit of a tricksy player and good in the movement phase. I also don't own a lot of little gribblies so I was looking at doing a vanguard list which could deny the opponent scoring primaries, while reliably scoring secondaries and counterpunching the center. This list would ideally be a good defender that would be used as a defender so the opponent would be able to match into me. Meaning that at worst losing small and keeping the point scores close is a good result. A win is something exceptional.

    This list represents an expansion away from a nidzilla style army construction. 

First Try

    Deathleaper
    Neutrotyrant - Neuronode
    Winged Prime - Hunting Grounds
    Winged Prime - Stalker
    
    2 x 10 Gargoyles
    
    Biovore
    2 x Exocrine
    2 x Lictor
    2 x Maleceptor
    3 x Neurolictor
    3 x 1 Ripper Swarm
    2 x 6 Melee Warriors

    Seems like it would have enough anti-tank and anti-elite shooting to clear enemies off of the central objectives. Also seems like there are enough throw away units like lictors or gargoyles to contest central objectives.
  
    Not sure if this is the way to go. I like the tricksiness that vanguard seems like it can bring. I think that would help me keep games closer then I have a right to be. But the investment into maleceptors and Exocrines seems a bit steep and like I don't have enough to put more elements that could fight on a central objective. I do like the idea of having 6 Von Ryans that deploy very far forward and create a bit of a infiltration pocket for a broodlord with genestealers. They could threaten a big first turn charge or slink away. With the von ryans being able to deploy so far forward and in such a large are I think even with counterplay I could zone out  alane for the stealers. But that is a good chunk of points and to execute that I think I would need to cut the warriors, or some of the fire support. 

    Anyways any help especially from people who have been in team events would be much appreciated in what I can do for this style of list. 

With Stealer Dart


Deathleaper

Neutrotyrant - Neuronode

Winged Prime - Hunting Grounds

Winged Prime
Broodlord - Stalker


2 x 10 Gargoyles



Biovore

10 Genestealers
1 x Lictor

2 x Maleceptor

3 x Neurolictor

2 x 1 Ripper Swarm

2 x 6 Melee Warriors
6 Von Ryan's Leapers

Seems like it has more board pressence and better trading pieces but obviously less tandoff and shooting pressence. Could definitely see a move to two exocrines instead and adding in somethinng like venomthropes or something as a supporting piece. 

[draaen]

So I went out to a tournament and tried out a more traditional invasion fleet list with the models I had available. I think this is likely going to be the basis for the team list as this went 2-1 and the last game I lost the opponent had some questionable interpretations on his dice and I had some verybad luck at a critical juncture. Still I kept the game very close and would have been a very small loss into an ork matchup my team would not like to pair into.

So the list for the tournament

Hive Tyrant- Melee with 5+ FNP
2 x Winged Primes
Deathleaper3 x Neurolictor
2 x 6 Melee Warriors
2 x Maleceptor
Exocrine
Tyrannofex - Rupture Cannon
3 x 1 Rippers
Biovore
2 x 10 Gaunts
10 Neurogaunts



So the deathleaper and Neurolictors had terrible damage output and my opponents kept making morale checks. You run into a 6+ Morale and without the neurotyrant it felt lachluster. I also felt the distinct lack of speed and deepstrikeability of the gaunts instead of gargoyles. Secondaries were never a problem however and a major strength of the list. I'd have had 90/100 in the first two games if I had the painted score. As I said the third game I stayed close and competitive despite not killing a truck with a rupturefex, exocrine and maleceptor being put into it. I also hadn't played those types of Orks before and there were a few gotchas I was not aware of. I think if I replay that game there is still a good chance I win.

But as far as making a core I love the inclusion of the punching power on the rupture fex. The two maleceptors backed up by a tyrant to give them 5+ FNPs is super strong. The warrior linebackers getting crits on 5+ and having lethal and sustained into vehicles makes them a very legitimate threat. Biovore was great for secondaries and I can pare back on the ripper swarms a bit and not have a big negative effect. 

So the current core:

Inked In (1630):
Tyrant - Melee with 5+ FNP
2 x 6 melee warriors with winged prime
2 x maleceptor
Exocrine
Tyrannofex - Rupture Cannon
Biovore
2 x 10 Gargoyles

Penciled in (190 pts):
6 Melee Warriors
1 Ripper Swarm

Total pretty well in is 1820 points leaving 180 points left over.

So the penciled in guys are ones I think would always be a good inclusion. One ripper squad will certainly help shore up any secondaries or positional play I need to shore up by going for the more premium gargoyles. I don't have any forward deploy which I would like to add in. I expect the melee warriors to be a mid objective threat or outflank rapid ingress threat..

Some options for the 180 point gap

Option A:
Trygon
 
This might overload rapid ingress strat availability

Option B:
Ripper Swarm
Neurolictor
Winged Prime w/ re-roll enhancement

Some forward deploy, a small investment with neurolictor. The re-roll charge and speed of the winged prime radically increases the threat value of the third warrior squad but makes them less of a throaway piece

Option C:
2 x 10 termagants
Lictor or deathleaper/neuro minus the ripper swarm

Tons more trading and includes positional play. But deployment zone may start to get cluttered.

Curious what people think of the options