Swarm Lists

[hungerer]

My first attempt at making an army list.


Hive Tyrant /W Devourers, Old Adversary
Powers: Leech Essence, Psychic Scream
- 210 pts

2x 3 Hive Guards
- 300 pts

2x 30 Hormagaunts /W Toxin sacs
- 480 pts

2x 20 Termagants /W Devourers + Mycetic Spore /W Stinger salvo
- 500 pts

6 Shrikes
- 210 pts

2x 25 Gargoyles
- 300 pts


1 HQ slot
2 Elites slots
4 Troops slots
3 Fast Attack slots
2000 pts


Strategy:
The Gargoyles would go first, supported by the Shrikes. The second wave would be the Hormagaunts, supported by the Tyrant. The Tyrant would be flanked by the Hive Guards, providing some much needed nut-cracking, and hopefully covering the flanks adequately. The Gargoyles would provide some cover for the vulnerable Tyrant, hopefully even bogging down a unit or two in combat before their end. The Termagants would Deep Strike within or behind the enemy lines, able to get quite close thanks to the Transport Spore rule, hopefully taking out a couple of valuable units such as heroes, and acting as a nice distraction, and a decent substitute for Venomthropes. Upgrading the Termagants with Devourers triples their firepower, which is the best thing to do when you take in their expected combat efficiency of one turn, and is an extra bonus if they get to do anything on their second turn.




1500 pt variant:

Hive Tyrant /W Devourers, Old Adversary
Powers: Leech Essence, Psychic Scream
- 210 pts

3 Hive Guards
- 150 pts

28 Hormagaunts /W Toxin Sacs
27 Hormagaunts /W Toxin Sacs
-440 pts

20 Termagants /W Devourers + Mycetic Spore /W Stinger salvo
- 250 pts

6 Shrikes
- 210 pts

2x 20 Gargoyles
- 240 pts


Strategy:
Basically the same as the 2000 pt one, just with less guys.



3000 pt variant:

Tyranid Prime /W Deathspitter
- 85 pts

3 Hive Guards
- 150

3 Venomthropes
- 165 pts

3 Zoanthropes
- 180 pts

6 Warriors /W Deathspitters
- 210 pts

3x 30 Hormagaunts /W Toxin sacs
- 720 pts

2x 20 Termagants /W Devourers + Mycetic Spore /W Stinger salvo
- 500 pts

5 Shrikes
- 175 pts

2x 30 Gargoyles
- 360 pts

Trygon Prime /W Toxin sacs, Regeneration
- 275 pts

Mawloc /W Toxin sacs
- 180 pts


Strategy:
The compulsory HQ slot has been filled by the Tyranid Prime, allowing the points heavy Trygon Prime and Mawloc to aid the Termagants in their distraction. The Trygon Prime upgrade is mainly for the extra shooting ability on the first turn, but the synapse could come in handy if you're lucky.
The extra synapse from the Zoanthropes will come in handy, and Venomthropes make their appearance at last, with both of these factors strengthening the swarm advance. One of the Hive Guard units had to be removed, but if the Trygon Prime can charge a vehicle on it's second turn, it shouldn't be too much of a sacrifice. The Mawloc could also come in handy with the anti-armour, especially if you can catch vehicles and infantry when it Deep Strikes in.

[Lanesend]

Hi Hungerer, welcome to the Hive.

While hordes are very fun to play, your lists do have a weakness. You're very low on synapse!
Take for example the 2000 point list. You have a Hive Tyrant without Guards and 6 Shrikes with standard weapons.

If your opponent can take out or tie up those units, the rest of your army loses all benefits of synapse. And if that happens, those big broods will fall back sooner or later. With their low Ld, there is a good chance that they don't re-group anymore.

Hordes will only work if you have a strong synapse web to keep them going. So I would advice to get some more Warriors/Tervigons/Zoanthropes in the list.

[Jabberwocky]

I can't say I'm a fan of any of the lists to be honest.

One easy fix is on the spore. Swap the stinger salvo for the TL deathspitter. It is mathematically superior except against armour 4+ and is much much better against flyers and as overwatch.

[nalathani]

Critique time!

Your tyrant needs armoured shell/and or a tyrant guard. Or wings. Just don't run him naked.

One brood of 30 horms is fine, or two broods of 20. Two broods of 30 is overkill. You need to replace with something Synapsy, like Zoans or a Tervigon.

Shrikes need BS & LW or at least dual BS. They're fast as heck, so you won't be shooting those devourers much. Make them fully CC capable and they'll do much better.

You also have no way of giving your gants/gaunts/gargs Str 4. Having them threaten vehicles is huge. Maybe replace your Tyrant with a Swarmlord so he can divvy out Furious Charge as needed? Or give your gargs adrenal glands...it's only 1pt per garg, and makes them much scarier.

[eugee]

nalathani speaks truth. All your S3 swarm (gargoyles, hormagaunts, termagants) can suddenly wreck transports with impunity when they have Furious Charge. Remember that you are never locked in combat with a vehicle, so you are always charging them. Plus, if the vehicle wants to pivot at all when moving, they have to declare a tank shock to leave, which means driving in a straight line.

Then add on that S4 Toxin means adding 50% more wounds versus MEQ units.

I won't take gargoyles without Adrenal+Toxin, and I don't like taking just Toxin on Hormagaunts.

(Note: Adrenal kind of sucks on Genestealers.)

[glassiya]

Sept 7, 2012 0:25:22 GMT eugee said:

Then add on that S4 Toxin means adding 50% more wounds versus MEQ units.

50%, you say? Ag + TS, and chance to wound a Marine rises from 33% to 75% (more than twice!!!).

2 hungerer
To buff hormies with these, you'll have to lose something like 5 gaunts from each unit, but this greatly increases their damage output.

[hungerer]

Thanks for the advice, guys. Here's an altered 2000 list.


Hive Tyrant /W Devourers, Hive Commander - 210
2 Tyrant Guards - 120
-- 330

2x 3 Hive Guards - 300

3 Zoanthropes - 180

25 Hormagaunts /W Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs - 250
24 Hormagaunts /W Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs - 240
-- 490

20 Termagants /W Devourers - 200
Mycetic Spore /W Stinger Salvo - 50
-- 250

6 Shrikes /W Boneswords - 270

2x 15 Gargoyles - 180


I don't want to upgrade the Gargoyles, because they'll be lucky to last more than a single combat with the shooting they'll be taking. They're a wall to take some of the heat off of the guys behind them. I did take Lanesend's advice on Synapse, and Nalathani's advice on Shrikes though. I didn't want to take so many from the Hormagaunts to power all the upgrades, but the only valid alternative was to remove a unit of Hive Guards, and I felt that the anti-armor took priority. Slightly less awesome swarminess, but I think I've now covered most of the weak points.

[N.I.B.]

I haven't tried the swarm concept in 6th ed, but I think something like this could work -

Hive Tyrant - 2+ armour save, 2 TL Devourers, Preferred Enemy
Parasite of Rolex

3 Hive Guards
3 Hive Guards
3 Hive Guards

25 Hormagaunts with Adrenal Glands
25 Hormagaunts with Adrenal Glands
20 Devilgants
20 Devilgants

20 Gargoyles - Adrenal Glands
5 Raveners - Rending Claws

1990 points
126 models

The Parasite joins the Gargoyles and form an expensive screen/spearhead/decoy first wave together with Raveners. Second wave is Hormagaunts. Third wave are Hive Guards and Devilgants, surrounding the Tyrant for Preferred Enemy buff. Everything can put out at least S4.

Could be fun in laid-back games, but while looking good when deployed I think it lacks the durable troop saturation you need in 6th edition.