1850 list for upcoming tournament

[thatguyoverthere]

So, I figure it's a month out but I can start making a list.

Let's keep in mind, this is a 6 round GT (Gawd...) and so this needs to be a fun list and not monotonous. The missions are tiered so you want to win the primary in order to win the game and progress. However, if the primary is tied there is a secondary and tertiary. If you win only the primary, you get the win and progress in the winners' bracket but if you lose the rest you won't get many battle points (tie breakers I presume). It's the NOVA system. The three mission types are:

KPs
Objectives
Table Quarters

Nids excel at the last two... but not the first. You have to win by 3 KPs to win that mission so I hope to at least tie in my games. You hold table quarters by having more points in them than your opponent... Tervigons are going to be key here.

I don't want to do a 5 Tervigon list... I think I'll just die in place and push hundreds of models around. Not a fun tournament... not for 6 rounds.

Like most tournaments, I won't get to play test but I think that's okay haha.

Flyrant, WL, 2 TL Devourers
Flyrant, 2 TL Devourers

2 Hive Guard
Doom in a pod
3 zoanthropes

Tervigon, ST, 3 powers, adrenal glands and toxin sacs
Tervigon, ST, 3 powers, adrenal glands and toxin sacs
10 Gaunts
10 Gaunts
5 genestealers with a BL, toxin sacs and scything talons on the BL

30 Gargoyles, Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands

So, typical Flyrants to fight fliers/provide Longrang AT support. Doom to suck up support units/whittle a key unit down some. 2 Hive guard just in case. 3 Zoanthropes to get 6 powers and shoot out 3 of the new rulebook powers per turn. 2 Tervigons because most of the missions are kill points/table quarters (you have to win KPs by 3... I can hang). Some commando stealers to infiltrate and be a nuisance. 30 Gargoyles to benefit from whatever the zoanthropes cast on them (5++, 5+ feel no pain gargoyles with all the other goodness). This list seems really balanced and fun to run. The high model count will slow me down though and the whopping 21 psychic powers will be tedious... I'm going to paint numbers on bottle caps and set them next to my models to keep track I think.

I'll write specific match ups here in a little while but until then, what do you guys think?

[thatguyoverthere]

I'm sure we've all seen the Adepticon coverage and who placed in the top 16... Now, I don't know how much the Tau release will affect the meta but it seems like Cronair is as popular as ever. It could just be that phase of the game where the power gamers who started Cronair a few months ago are just now getting their armies painted enough to take to GTs. But, to have a list that isn't able to deal with the flying croissants is asking for trouble particularly at a longer event such as this.

So, what can I do? Well, If I go first I might as well start with my flyers on the table and hope for iron arm. I'll enjoy the first two turns of minimal opponent presence on the board with relatively little shooting (3 barges perhaps... but the rest will probably be wraiths/allies). If I'm the Flyrants will chip away at the wraiths and soften them up for the gaunt/gargoyle charges later (I'll only kill 1 wraith a turn per Tyrant though...). The doom is tailor made to tie the wraiths up also, if I can get into them. I'll fly after the barges with my Flyrants and eventually assault them. I need to stay away from mindshackle lords though. Eventually The planes will come on and, to be honest, at that point I'm hoping that str 7 won't be a problem. It's mass wounds, but it's not that many shots and I'll have the bodies to absorb it until my Flyrants can shoot up their rear armor, if there are any still alive by this point.
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The doom will park on an objective (to keep the warriors from deepstriking on it from their planes and taking it). The rest of my gaunts would spread 3" around each objective to keep contesters away and I would keep many models within that range.

With Tyranids you need to hold the middle of the table so I hope to be in prime position to take whatever quarters I need to win that objective.

Maybe I'm grossly underestimating Cronair, but I'm not too worried about this matchup.

[thatguyoverthere]

I should probably take this time to talk about Paladin stars too. Grey Knights have so many hard counters to Tyranids. Not to the extent that Mech Dark Eldar does but it's a hard match up.

The Zoanthropes are going to be the key unit here. If you have big gargoyle units like I do, you should consider taking these guys. You get the most from them when they buff big units or debuff your opponent's important units.

I'm going to focus on getting as many enfeebles on the board as possible. I'll roll the zoanthropes last so I know what they'll need to do. If I have 2-4 enfeebles I'll just go for things like telekine dome, objuration and the primaris power that strikes down the target. Having the initiative of the paladins halved is key. With Enfeeble up on them (they get 4+ deny so you need a few tries) T3 Paladins will die to any 1 they roll from devourers and any attack from the Tyrants in CC. It also gives you 3+ rerollable to wound with the gargoyles. Telekine dome will give the gargoyles a 5++ and if you can get FNP on them, they'll essentially have a 5+ rerollable unless the paladins are going to risk a force weapon activation against the gargoyles.

The gargoyles will go in first to see if I can't just tie them up all game. The Tyrants and BL will be waiting in the wings if they are needed. The BL will just keep his powers and will just do the -1 leadership bubble (3D6 LD9 psychic tests are hard) until he charges in. You need him to challenge draigo to let your Tyrants do their thing. His hypnotic gaze is undeniable so you dice off to prevent drago from attacking (if he's still alive from the gargoyle assault. The Doom will also try to be nearby to whittle them away as well.

The rest of my list lumbers around taking objectives and trying to hold down quarters, casting magic where they need to.

[thatguyoverthere]

Are these match ups helpful? I know I'm kind of spilling the beans but maybe it'll help someone else who struggles against particular builds.