Tyranids

[ixzion]

I've been playing my friend who plays tyranids quite a few times now and the closest I've got to victory is a draw. Once. Otherwise it's always been a massacre. He usually have lika 1 or 2 hive tyrants, and one of them is always the shooty one with rerolls. He also have 2 carnifexes and 3 zoanthropes as well as alot of gaunts, like 60, and some raveners and gene stealers.

 

I play "radical" daemonh hunters (no daemon hosts though) so I only use storm troopers, inquisitors and some allied infantry platoons and a leman russ. The shooty hive tyrant decimates a full squad a turn while the gene-stealers flank march and eat me up from the sides. And if I take care of those 2 threats I have still the rest of his army to take care of.

 

Any ideas what I can take to increase my chances, without being cheasy or anything?

[Shunch]

I'll put out a disclaimer right now that I've never fought Tyranids with my Inquisition army, but I'll try to help anyways as I have a few years of experience with a Radical army.

 

Right off the bat, you're starting off very much in the underfoot - DH are by no means a strong army, and Radicals are even worse, tactically. Though daemonhosts aren't extremely powerful, not using those either is another blow. If you want to win games, I would really suggest using your inquisition troops as allies rather than a parent army - as it is, you're not getting much out of them.

 

You're opponent seems to be fielding a lot of synapse creatures, so you'll want to work really hard to take them out. A couple psychic hoods, and maybe even a null rod are going to be important for nullifying those zoanthropes. Beyond that, you'll basically want to pound the tyrants, followed by the zoanthropes, with every weapon you've got. Something I might suggest is taking a land raider or two as a dedicated transport for your inquisitors - in fact, in my army, I always take at least two GHLR in armies over 1500 points.

 

Another route you might want to take is assassins. Seeing as you'll likely have plenty of open elite slots, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to get an operative into most games. A Culexus will shut down those zoanthropes and eliminate them like nobody's business - if you luck out, the tyrants might drop to him as well. Conversely, a callidus or an eversor might be able to bring down a tyrant with the help of some death-cult assassins. And, though I've never been a fan, a vindicare might just get lucky and plant one right in a synapse creature's skull.

 

As for the rest of his army....an inordinate amount of flamers amongst your stormies and guardsmen should be able to hold off the worst of the gaunts/genestealers/raveners, once you throw in initial casualties from multi-lasers and heavy bolters (chimeras are your friend). The only problem should be the carnifexes. I would say ignore them. Every weapon that would be good against the carnifexi would be better used on the tyrants, so I would suggest doing much about them besides feeding them tar pit squads (conscripts), and hope you can wipe out all the synapse before they hit your main battle-line.

 

Hope this helps somewhat,

Shunch

[Apogee]

This is theoryhammer, but I'd think DCAs would rock. Charge a group, slaughter them at I5, and force them to take additional woudns from fearless (synapse). A vindicare might be good too, for popping synapses, and ignoring they're invulnerable save. An Eversor would be better, though. Make sure your ISTs take a lot of flamers. Lastly, I'd assume Holocaust would be good against swarms. Maybe consider using it.

[DevianID]

Without knowing your exact models, the main advice I can give is to make sure each and every squad has a transport. Transports for everything instantly mean the s3 gaunts are harmless... and that dakka tyrant will have a tough time with -3 to the vehicle chart on glances. After that, I recommend that the storm troopers get plasma guns... 2 storm troopers can fire from the fire points, so 4 units of storm troopers with double plasma for 120 base (with rhinos) can put out 16 s7 AP2 shots... the bugs wont like that very much, trust me, and 480 points is not that bad. After that, add 2 armored fist squads to unlock your leman russ.

 

For inquisitors, there are several theories of course, from another rhino double plasma gun squad for only 110, to 2 mystics + land raider to Plasmacannon + psycannon shooting from a Chimera fire point. Inquisitor Lord HQ can do the same, or can be tooled with a large (but inexpensive) retinue + Chimera to charge with--though CC inquisitors are far below the power curve for close combat.

 

Also, roughriders can be great counterassault units when screened by your transport fleet and I never leave home without the sentinals... outflanking sentinals with las cannons are simply brutal, even if all they end up doing is charging a unit of 20 gaunts, the number of options they open up for you is staggering, and not just versus tyranids.

[Stargazer]

I'd say take an eversor point-click one MC tied in combat, he should be relatively safe with his inv also remember bhis power weapon always wounds on a 4+ so T8 Carnifexes are no problem. perhaps consider an orbital bombardment not to get its poijnts back although that would be nice but to create a no-go zone for the nids allowing you to channel them how you see fit.

 

Also if you use a refused flank then you should only have to face small sections of his army at a time instead of the whole horde

[HolyCrusader]

Put all your army in Chimera's. He will struggle to take on so many vehicles.

[Melissia]

No offense dude, but the fact that you got a draw with that army is a tribute to your talent and/or luck. An Inquisition army with only stormtroopers is bound to be pretty weak against almost all comers.

 

The best advice is probably exactly what was given though, lots of transports. It'll give you more firepower, and help protect your troops.

[Castus Xanthis]

Take more transports and an assassin. Pop the tyrants first and then the Zoanthropes. If he has a broodlord with his Genestealers pop that, if not go after the Carnifexes. Next should be genestealers unless his gaunts are in your face. I find that gaunts die very easily if you charge them with power weapons. I don't play DH but I would suggest an inquisitor tooled up to inflict the greatest number of CC wounds (A power weapon and rosarius along with an inferno pistol to zap something before you charge). Be sure to take plenty of Warrior henchmen in his retinue, go with crusaders. Take a few acolytes to soak up wounds and a familiar to increase your initiative. Finally take a LR as a transport so that you have something to pop his Tyrants as you ride in. You should also consider WH allies, SoB are only 1 point more than storm troopers and they pack a much more signifigant punch with increased survivability along with Acts of Faith.

[Grand Master Tyrak]

For those recommending Assassins, I'll add this: I believe Synapse creatures count as psykers for the purposes of determining shots from an Animus Speculum on the Culexus Assassin.

[Frosty the Pyro]

Yes synapse creatures are psykers.

 

Guants are there to die, its what they do (also flesh hooks are cheap and count as frag grenades for a str 4 attack vs vehicles). The only good reasons to kill guants are if they are providing cover saves to priority targets, or to deny the nids scoring units.

 

DCA's I5 isnt going to help much against gene stealers I6. realy you want to shoot the stealers.

 

Dont waste the points on psychic hood, the nids only have 2 powers that require a test (and are thus counterable with the hood), focused warpblast (this is a tank busting shot) and catalist (which practicaly no one uses).

 

Also remember all nids get move through cover, so dont rely on terrain to slow em down

 

also nids have very poor shooting anti tank, but if a carnifex, hive tyrant, or a brood of genestealers so much as think about assulting one, the vehicle explodes

[Castus Xanthis]

I was suggesting he assault the gaunts. The initiative increase and the Supression Shields would be for against TMC's. NEVER assault genestealers, shoot them. Are the gaunts his only scoring units or are the raveners troops too?

[Lungboy]

I was suggesting he assault the gaunts. The initiative increase and the Supression Shields would be for against TMC's. NEVER assault genestealers, shoot them. Are the gaunts his only scoring units or are the raveners troops too?

 

Stealers are troops, Raveners are fast attack. Land Raiders will help hugely; gaunts and cheap Stealers can't even glance them, barbed strangler on a Carnifex need a 6 to glance (just don't let any of the MC's near it as they will eat it in CC with ease). I disagree about the psychic hood. If he is taking 3 Zoanthropes then there is a good chance he is taking them as tank busters, so the hood becomes extremely useful as warp blast is about the only ranged weapon you need to worry about for your Raiders, and it will pop all your lighter tanks with ease.

[Shunch]

Are the gaunts his only scoring units or are the raveners troops too?

If i remember correctly, raveners are fast attack, so no. On the other hand, there are so many gaunts, killing them won't be easy. All things thus far considered, I would advise taking a Culexus, maybe a few Death-Cult Assassins, an Inquisitor or two in land raiders, and then stormies in chimeras with heavy flamers.

Use the Culexus to systematically hunt and kill his synapse creatures

Use the DCA to support the Culexus and make sure he doesn't get overwhelmed.

Use the Inquisitors to nullify psychic powers (warp blast is the only real ranged threat to your tanks)

Use the Land Raiders to kill his Carnifex/Tyrants

Have the IST weather out the bug storm in their chimeras, immolating anything that comes to close. Once the Synapse is gone, the hordes will scatter and your (hopefully) unscathed stormies can dismount and mop up whats left

 

 

 

(EDIT: Lungboy beat me to several points outlined here)

[ixzion]

I've been thinking of adding transports. I guess I will have to start working on it ^_^. Thanks for some advice. But is there any way to counter flank march? Mystics don't work for units that flank march right and you can't use auspex? Those stealers are a pain in the ***.

[Captain Lucas Raziel]

Try aim for the Tiny things like gaunts first. The temptation is to aim for the giant scary thing in the corner who just maybe happening to shoot you, BUT, the gaunts will tie you up, and when you are overwhelmed, the big things eat your guts. maybe more tanks?

[SJumppanen]

Suggestion: If you take =I= -lord as HQ, that will unlock assasins for you. If you don't take assasins to fill every Elite slot, then you can take WH =I= and those BS4 gun servitors.

[Kuchinawa]

Can't you only take one assassin? Per force?

 

Bah oh well.

 

Honestly I think Orbital Bombardment is a valid choice. And spam Flamers. Get a Redemer in if you can. (If you can't then lie and say what ever an INQR wants and INQR gets :mellow: )

 

Turn into a bullet hose, get as many shots into the stuff you need dead. Sweat the little guys going to tie up your gun lines not that on close combat Fexxie in the wayyy back.

[Grand Master Tyrak]

Kuchinawa Posted Today, 03:05 AM

Can't you only take one assassin? Per force?

 

You can take 0-1 Officio Assassinorum Assassin, yes, but you can fill the rest of the Elites slots with Death-Cult Assassins, who are not 0-1 and come in squads of three. Be advised though, they do count for a kill point each.

[Castus Xanthis]

Stealers are troops, Raveners are fast attack.

 

I was under the impression that stealers were elites. Anyway the point is moot. Kill all his troops and he cannot win. Focus on the Tyrants so you can force the gaunts to retreat. Hit the gaunts hard with CC troops of some form. Take plenty of LC, PW and NFW to ignore all those armor saves. They may only be 5+ but they do give them a chance to live. Hellguns are your friend as are flamers and bolters of every variety. I already talked about transports. Chimeras are better than rhinos for this type of foe. Go with heavy flamer turret and hull heavy flamer if possible. You also might consider inducting some Armored Fist squads or an Infantry Platoon. The points cost is similar to a gaunt with slightly more flexibility. Take as many AP 5 and better weapons as possible.

[Lungboy]

One trick (that a decent Nid player would never let you pull, but you never know) is to get his Tyrant or Fex into a multiple assault with a unit of gaunts or other soft target. If you can ensure you win the round by a large margin, his MCs will be taking a great many No Retreat! saves. Also, if he isn't taking the 2+ save upgrade on his Tyrant and Fex then spam the plasma weapons.

[Castus Xanthis]

Even if he is Plasma is still AP: 2. Spamming plasma is nice against the big stuff but pretty useless against the little guys. Take a plasma and a grenade launcher or flamer in all your stormtrooper squads so that you can do both.

[SJumppanen]

Stealers are troops, Raveners are fast attack.

 

I was under the impression that stealers were elites. Anyway the point is moot. Kill all his troops and he cannot win. Focus on the Tyrants so you can force the gaunts to retreat. Hit the gaunts hard with CC troops of some form. Take plenty of LC, PW and NFW to ignore all those armor saves. They may only be 5+ but they do give them a chance to live. Hellguns are your friend as are flamers and bolters of every variety. I already talked about transports. Chimeras are better than rhinos for this type of foe. Go with heavy flamer turret and hull heavy flamer if possible. You also might consider inducting some Armored Fist squads or an Infantry Platoon. The points cost is similar to a gaunt with slightly more flexibility. Take as many AP 5 and better weapons as possible.

 

Sisters of Battle squads as allies.