Advice for battling Tyranids

[Ultramarine vet]

Hello all! So, I have a game coming up in a few days against the Tyranids. I haven't faced them in 8th edition, so I have no real idea of what to expect. Its a 3,500 point game. I do believe that there will be a lot of troops, since he is bringing a brigade detachment, which is quite a bit of troop choices, 6 minimum I believe.

 

So, what units are the most optimal that you tyrannic war veterans can suggest?

 

As a bit of a side question, how would tactical squads in rhinos do? I tended to always play far away from Tyranids in tight formations and shoot all units that got near me in the past. Lol. But the new AP system is not too good for footslogging I feel, even in power armor.

[WarriorFish]

Nids are good currently not least because of 8th's favour towards numbers. At Apocalypse levels you'll be facing a lot of gribblies and they're quick. The slower gribbles can be pretty capable at shooting too especially if they're the upgraded ones (I forget the weapon name). As you can't out number them effectively the focus should be on long ranged fire power and effective management when (not if) they hit your lines. Some counter assault elements will do well here also to help dictate some elements of the charge phase as well as hold up some units from your main forces.

 

Tacs will be able to hold the line and bolter down some of the little beasties, probably best to keep them cheap (heavy bolters, and flamers for additional horde control/anti charge?) as they will inevitably be drawn into combat soon enough. I'm sure your opponent will make use of the many way nids can appear just off your lines so you may want to consider some Scouts to deploy further up the board to help prevent first turn charges.

 

Otherwise it's the standard tenets that have long served against nids: range, fire power and mobility (i.e. getting the most from your fire power). High strength weapons that deal multiple wounds are essential to handle the monstrous creatures so things like lascannons and Predator autocannons can be worth their weight in gold with a few good rolls. Accordingly making full use of support characters will also be mandatory - a fire base of your biggest guns (properly escorted by Tacs etc...) with a Captain and Lieutenant to boost their effectiveness could do a lot of good work :tu:

 

Hope this helps you get started

[Ultramarine vet]

Thank you for the feedback WarriorFish! Its good to know tactical marines will play a role, I have plenty of them. Predators should be good with dealing damage to monstrous creatures, especially if I field 3 of them for killshot.

 

I wonder if dreadnoughts are any good? Or what elites I should bring in general. I'm thinking good ol assault terminators, to slay monstrous creatures and tyranid warriors, which I believe he is bringing as well.

[WarriorFish]

Back in the old days (4th Ed) my Dreadnoughts did the main lifting against nids. Assault Cannons usually, where they'd batter the monstrous creatures down and turn their heavy flamers upon the hordes. In some ways their role is much the same now (albeit with inferior Assault Cannons). Back in 4th you'd gun them down but avoid combat like the plague and with the capabilities of nids in combat you're still not going to want to be hit - 8 Wounds don't last long against multiple damage on a high strength, good WS platform.

 

Fortunately 8th lets you hit first when charging, so for one turn at least you can be (mostly) sure that your Dread will get his licks in first. That means that DCCWs are still viable as a last push to hopefully finish off a big beastie before it gets into combat with something you don't want, but if the nids can strike first sadly a Dread probably won't get the chance to attack back :( Even the little critters can drag one down now, though slowly. If in doubt build your Dreads as fire bases and have them stand and shoot down the nids MCs etc.

 

Terminators are probably not ideal here, though TH/SS Termies could do well against the big threats they're slow so it'd be easy for your opponent to ensure they get mired in expendable hordes. Sternguard would be worth considering I think for some solid shooting? They'd be a good supporting role to other elements. Predators will be a great core to build around but at 3.5k you're going to need more big guns I think.

[Ultramarine vet]

Back in the old days (4th Ed) my Dreadnoughts did the main lifting against nids. Assault Cannons usually, where they'd batter the monstrous creatures down and turn their heavy flamers upon the hordes. In some ways their role is much the same now (albeit with inferior Assault Cannons). Back in 4th you'd gun them down but avoid combat like the plague and with the capabilities of nids in combat you're still not going to want to be hit - 8 Wounds don't last long against multiple damage on a high strength, good WS platform.

 

Fortunately 8th lets you hit first when charging, so for one turn at least you can be (mostly) sure that your Dread will get his licks in first. That means that DCCWs are still viable as a last push to hopefully finish off a big beastie before it gets into combat with something you don't want, but if the nids can strike first sadly a Dread probably won't get the chance to attack back :( Even the little critters can drag one down now, though slowly. If in doubt build your Dreads as fire bases and have them stand and shoot down the nids MCs etc.

 

Terminators are probably not ideal here, though TH/SS Termies could do well against the big threats they're slow so it'd be easy for your opponent to ensure they get mired in expendable hordes. Sternguard would be worth considering I think for some solid shooting? They'd be a good supporting role to other elements. Predators will be a great core to build around but at 3.5k you're going to need more big guns I think.

Some mostly shooty dreads definitely sounds like a good way to go indeed. Especially since they don't suffer from the damage table, I love that bit. Makes them just as viable, if not more, than a lot of tanks I feel.

 

TH/SS termies are probably gonna be the only type of terminators I will deploy, if any at all. I fielded regular terminators once this edition, and for me at least, they felt very underwhelming. Is that just me? Lol.

 

I do have a couple squads of sternguards, so that could be a very worth while choice. SIBs have -2 AP if I remember correctly, so that would be excellent. That makes them pretty okay at even putting a couple wounds on a monstrous creature if need be. So maybe I can bring devastators as well as the predators for more big guns possibly? Maybe some heavy bolters and missile launchers.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

My two recommendations are Thunderfire Cannons and Itonclad Dreadnoughts. The TFC can lay down punishing firepower but it's true use here is the Tremor Shell stratagem to slow down a gribbly horde. Try to roadblock part of his army by Tremoring the front most squad, especially if he's bottlenecked by terrain;that'll give you more time to handle another section with minimal interference.

 

The Ironclad is a good roadblock of your own. Twin heavy flamers will chew up his hordes and makes for a great overwatch deterrent. T8 means the little gribblies and their guns will have a Hell of a time wounding it. And if you can get it into combat with a monster, its CCWs do either 3, 4, or 5 wounds flat depending on loadout at S12 so they're good for ripping the big boys apart.

[Ultramarine vet]

My two recommendations are Thunderfire Cannons and Itonclad Dreadnoughts. The TFC can lay down punishing firepower but it's true use here is the Tremor Shell stratagem to slow down a gribbly horde. Try to roadblock part of his army by Tremoring the front most squad, especially if he's bottlenecked by terrain;that'll give you more time to handle another section with minimal interference.

The Ironclad is a good roadblock of your own. Twin heavy flamers will chew up his hordes and makes for a great overwatch deterrent. T8 means the little gribblies and their guns will have a Hell of a time wounding it. And if you can get it into combat with a monster, its CCWs do either 3, 4, or 5 wounds flat depending on loadout at S12 so they're good for ripping the big boys apart.

Oh, I love it! I can't wait to use my ironclad dreadnought, been waiting for the perfect time to field him. I do have him equipped with 2 heavy flamers and a siesmic hammer, which I believe is the weapon that hits for 5 damage flat. Nasty! But I never thought about using the TFC against Nids, but that stratagem really makes it vital. Considering how many buffs the tyranids get to advancing and moving, the TFC is an auto include. Gotta buy one immediately. Lol.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

If you can, try to find one of the old metal ones. They hurt like a bitch bending the barrels so they fit properly but the finecast ones are almost unusable.

[Ultramarine vet]

If you can, try to find one of the old metal ones. They hurt like a bitch bending the barrels so they fit properly but the finecast ones are almost unusable.

Ah, okay. Good to know! I'm sure I can find one of the metal ones in that case.Thank you very much for the help Iron Father Ferrum!

[Iron Father Ferrum]

Here to help.