Fighting new Nids

[Excubitor]

We started a league a little over a year ago that was put on hold about mid-year when the FLGS was kicked out of it's building by the landowner. Come now, FLGS in new premises and new Nid Codex released, we're finally finishing off the league. Now I have played the Nid codex once briefly before the other guy had to go, but I though I'd get extra help from those with a lot more experience than me.

 

My list;

Kantor

Sicarius

10 sternguard w/ 2 combi-melta's, Power Fist

Tactical Squad w/ Missile launcher, Flamer, sergeant w/ Power Weapon and Melta Bombs

in Rhino w/ extra armour and extra Storm Bolter

Tactical Squad w/ Missile launcher, Flamer, sergeant w/ Power Weapon and Melta Bombs

in Rhino w/ extra armour and extra Storm Bolter

10 scouts w/snipers

5 scouts with CCW, sergeant w/ Power Weapon and Melta Bombs

Land Speeder Storm

Land Raider

Whirlwind

3 HB Attack Bikes

Predator w/ Autocannon and 2 Heavy Bolters

 

His List;

Swarmlord w/ 2 escorts

Winged Hive Tyrant

Trygon (Prime?)

5 Warriors w/ Scything Talons and Devourer

3 winged warriors

30 Hormaguants

20 Gargoyles

20 Genestealers w/ Broodlord

3 Zoanthropes in Mysetic Spore pod

 

Lists can't be changed as they were made at the start of the league (bit of a bugger as i already know several changes I would've made since then). Any tips?

[FlamingDeth]

His list looks fairly unfocused, so hopefully it'll be easier to deal with. The first thing that stands out to me is that a large portion of his list looks to be held in reserve (winged things, zoanthropes in the spore, trygon), which means he's counting on Swarmlord's reserve roll increase. It also means that, by the looks of things, Swarmlord is going to be the only Synapse creature on the table on turn 1. If you can cut him down with massed fire, then the rest of his army is going to revert to instinctual behavior until he gets another synapse in, which makes them easier to control. The HB bikes, land raider, predator, sternguard with hellfire shells, and snipers are all good candidates for killing the bugger, and you'll fairly certainly need more than one unit to kill him. Also on the first turn, drop orbital bombardment on the warriors. If you're lucky it'll hit dead on and instakill them all, which simplifies things further in the game.

 

After Swarmlord is dead, you'll hopefully be able to keep the gaunts and gargoyles under control with the whirlwind. It won't kill them all first turn, but it has a good chance of pinning the ones it doesn't kill. If you can get rapid-fire on the genestealers with your tactical squads, that'll probably thin them out to a reasonable level. If you have anything left that wasn't needed to kill Swarmlord, shoot them at the genestealers as well. After the first turn, just kill things as they show up, don't panic when the Trygon comes in, and you should be fine.

 

Summary: Keep things close enough that they can support each other, without being clumped up in a big pile. Target priority is the name of the game.

1: Swarmlord

2: Genestealers

3: Any synapse creatures that show up

4: Anything else, starting with what's closest to you

And the whirlwind always tries to thing the hordes.

 

There's plenty of ways to take care of his army, but given the two lists presented, that's probably what I'd do.

[Excubitor]

He always starts his winged units on the table, he doesn't DS them, only the Genestealers, Zoanthropes and Trygon are in reserve