[1500] Balanced List?

[eugee]

Pulled an all-nighter at work yesterday and during some of the downtime while servers were rebuilding I started tinkering around with another list idea, more of a traditional Tyranid grind:

HQ
Tyranid Prime (Whip/Sword, Deathspitter, Regen, Toxin) - 120
Tyranid Prime (Whip/Sword, Deathspitter, Regen, Toxin) - 120

ELITE
Hive Guard x2 - 100
Hive Guard x2 - 100

TROOPS
Termagant x16 - 80
Termagant x16 - 80
Tervigon (Salvo, Claws, Adrenal, Toxin, 3 Biomancy) - 235
Tervigon (Salvo, Claws, Adrenal, Toxin, 3 Biomancy) - 235

FAST ATTACK
Gargoyle x10 (Adrenal, Toxin) - 80
Gargoyle x10 (Adrenal, Toxin) - 80

HEAVY SUPPORT
Biovore x3 - 135
Biovore x3 - 135

There's not a lot of surprises in this list. I envision a three-wave crash for the battle. First the Gargoyles will fly across the board, and offer a large enough hit that they should draw fire (or if they don't, provide a nice first hit!). Second wave, the large Termagant squads will deliver the Tyranid Primes into the front line unscathed, and the assault begins in full. Finally the Tervigons (which should be absolute wrecking balls) smash into what should be a roiling brawl now, along with their spawned reinforcements. During this entire approach, the Hive Guard & Biovores should be laying down a pretty impressive torrent of direct & indirect fire.

How's it look? I'm used to running Flyrant/Tervigon/Trygon Prime with Yealers and biomorphed Hormagaunts flooding from all angles, so this "tell the enemy what I'm going to do then dare them to stop me" approach is interesting.

[swarm492]

Looks good, the only thing I worry about is av 14 that doesn't want to go to your tervs and synapse coverage for the gargoyles.

[eugee]

That's a good point, those gargoyles will easily outrun those Tervigons. I think it will end up being negligible though; if they get shot up on the way in, they did their job and were going to probably have an ineffective assault anyway--if they don't get shot up they provided a cover save and should have a very impressive first hit, and not need fearless. Even if they get a nice first hit in and still falter and fall back, they still did some damage before going out. Not bad for a 160 points of screen. I've always found my gargoyles to be win/win/win. Either they eat up shots for more valuable units, drag down a transport and wreck it early for the approaching horde, or at least make their points back in wounds before getting wiped out.

AV14 is a problem for certain; but the most common AV14 in 1500 is going to be a Land Raider, which 90% of the time is coming to me to deliver it's goods. But yes, in my regular list the Flyrant & Trygon Prime are my response to AV14.

[eugee]

The more I look at the list, the more that glaring hole with AV14 keeps looking at me. I decided to drop a Tyranid Prime, kitting the other one out for assassinating ICs and and dropped one Biovore Brood to make room for a Tyrannofex (Rupture Cannon), giving me a more versatile Heavy Support group. Lastly I'm focusing the termagants to devourers as the first broods will be objective holders anyway, and cutting some gargoyles to make room for them.

UPDATED LIST

HQ
Tyranid Prime (Whip/Sword, Deathspitter, Toxin) - 110

ELITE
Hive Guard x2 - 100
Hive Guard x2 - 100

TROOPS
Termagant x10 (Devourer) - 100
Termagant x10 (Devourer) - 100
Tervigon (Salvo, Claws, Adrenal, Toxin, 3 Biomancy) - 235
Tervigon (Salvo, Claws, Adrenal, Toxin, 3 Biomancy) - 235

FAST ATTACK
Gargoyle x15 (Adrenal, Toxin) - 120

HEAVY SUPPORT
Biovore x3 - 135
Tyrannofex (Rupture) - 265

I think this still captures the core of the army, while being a little more well rounded.

[ptsgpbk]

i would run if you ever get the chance a good basic 1500pts army i use
hive tyrant-170
lash whip
bonesword
heavy venom cannon-25
tervigon-160
onslaught-15
sything talons-5

2xhive guard-100
doom of malan'tai-90
-mycetic spore-40

20 devilgaunts(devourer armed gaunts)-200
-mycetic spore-40
25 hormagaunts-150
20 genestealers-280
-mycetic spore-40

carnifex or i call this one the boomfex-160
-stranglethorn cannon-20
total is 1495



tactics
1st turn field your hormagaunts, tervigon,hive tyrant,hive guard,carnifex,move everything up,maybe not your hive guard but try to get him in range,
spawn your termagants with the tervigon,run everything up,shoot with everything you can, whatever you can't run at the enemy.
2nd turn mycetic spore doom of malan'tai into a large chunk of enemy infantry preferably,drop at diffrent infantry and finally drop devilgaunts in front of another squad of the tough enemies like a captain etc because you get 60 shots at him,most games i play they have 3 squads of infantry, so tie them up they have to deal with the doom 'cus it will suck their brains out and he will get stronger but hes got the termagants shooting his hq and genestealers killing anything else.
the rest of your units shoot if they are hormagaunts run em and the tervigon you want to spawn hopefully not getting doubles so you can spawn again
oh more good advice have your tervigon near your shooty tyranids-his onslaught is a psychic test in which if you pass all units within 6" can run and shoot.
hope the advice helps for future games

[eugee]

Aug 16, 2012 5:23:57 GMT ptsgpbk said:

i would run if you ever get the chance a good basic 1500pts army i use

What does any of the list you just posted have to do with the army list in this thread? I'll just leave it at that because the more I read your post the more annoyed I get. "Try not to roll doubles on the Tervigon"... that's some good advice there.

[Deadlink]

^ loooooooooooool burned.

To the point I like the list, your plan seems fool proof with the exception of bad dice.

I'd like to say thought maybe swap out 2 of your hive guard for some zoans. They are a good unit that could be walked up with your primes and the 2nd/ main assult wave. it will give you some more psychic powers and will genrally add some more balance in terms of anti tank.

If you take off 2 hive guard and the TS of your primes you will have enought for 2 Zoans.
Hope this helps

Deadlink~