Unit of the week: Hive Tyrant v2 Synaptic Link

[Spacecow]

Hi everyone! I noticed that quite some topics have started lately about ‘nid army list or getting started with our favourite bugs.

That’s why I thought it would be nice to start up:



Kicking of with the HIVE TYRANT

-What wargear options would you pack on him/her and why?

- Is the point increase worth taking the wings? (use of swooping assault)

- Is it still a viable option after the rule of three introduction?

- What’s your favourite way of using it?

If you like to showcase your Hive Tyrant, feel free to do so!

Edited November 22, 2021 by Xenith
Edited tags.

[Evil Eye]

I love Hive Tyrants and will stand by them to my dying day. I've got two metal ones and a plastic one- the plastic one has wings, as will one of the metal ones (to be exact a pair of dragonfly wings purloined from a broken garden ornament). The other metal one was going to be converted for a special project of mine but I might just do him up as either the Swarmlord or a regular ground Tyrant.

[Xenith]

I think they're still super useful. They were massively powerful at the time with TL Devs, and I think still decent with the increase. Other armies, particularly marines have caught up, however. 

 

Foot tyrants. I want to love them, but they seem a bit slow and vulnerable. Really wish they couldnt be targeted.  

[IronDreddKnight]

I’ve got two Flyrants with devourers and monstrous rending claws. If points allow, I’ll add adrenal glands and toxin sacs.

There’s a lot to be said about going full dakka (clearing screens) but I prefer a hybrid load out which can make use of every phase with the flyrant.

I normally choose catalyst and psychic scream as they’re powers.

I do have a walkrant with talons and heavy venom cannon, that sees play in friendly Jormangandr lists.

I also have swarmy, never leave home without swarmy!

Edited November 26, 2019 by IronDreddKnight

[jbaeza94]

I have magnetized tyrants and there amazing.

I tried going all shooty, with and without wings and I was never a fan. Scything talks with a weapon is the way to go. I use dual devourers when playing jorg on foot, and the miasma cannon when flying. When I play hydra, slimer maggot infestation is the way to go. Never fails to do the job

[Xenith]

Agree with the above, actually. MRC and TL Devs and they useful in every phase of the game. 

[Lautrec the Embraced]

For me the Hive Tyrant suffers sadly from a rather poor melee. I can't really see myself using anything other than Monstrous Rending Claws. Talons ain't too bad but Rending Claws are free, and shred+rending more than makes up for worse damage in my opinion. However I'd say that Broodlord is way better fighter than Tyrant with Claws: more attacks, cheaper and can hide behind your units.

 

So Dakka-Tyrant it is! If only there wasn't a cheaper monster that have the some firepower...

Yeah, for me (I'd understand if you think otherwise) Carnifex is more appealing choice for Devourers. May not have 4++ nor 12 wounds, but has -1 To-Be-Hit and no degrading profile. And is 60 points cheaper.

 

Worry not, for I do not hate the Tyrant! It may not be the best bang for the buck but it has utility. A level 2 psyker (Catalyst and Paroxysm usually for me), synapse lynchpin and some nasty shooting and/or acceptable melee in one convenient package. Slap some relic on it and you've got yourself a warlord. Wings are always an interesting choice, if expensive, as no Tyranid else can be that fast and deadly (though Harpy might be better suited for Bio-cannon delivery).

 

Overall a solid choice, a fluffy choice as well, but I wouldn't run more than one. I hope that our big boy gets some new toys in the upcoming "Blood and Talons".

[Spacecow]

Some really good points. I used to run one with twinlink devourers and wings. Quite like the fast mobility it can bring and also the extra synapse range.

And swooping assault does give that edge during the first battle round.

 

Lately though I’ve been running more and more genestealers with broodlord and picking hivefleet Kraken to give them extra movement boost.

 

So I have been grabbing for the swarmlord more often. I do like his ability Hive commander. Especially against shooting heavy armies like imperial fists. I’d like to get accross and engage in melee combat as fast as possible. And it’s better than using metabolic overdrive. No cp cost or losses to the unit.

 

I also have a weak spot for him as I play against blood angels a lot. And he has turned commander Dante into mush often enough.

 

It’ll be interesting to see if CA and B&T will have any effect on this unit.

[WarriorFish]

Time to bring back unit discussions - I'm looking at my metal Hive Tyrant (metaphorically, it's still in storage currently) and I'm wondering about decent builds. I expect I will get the plastic one eventually for the full complement of options (i.e. mostly wings) so I am focused on foot builds. A couple of monstrous scything talons seems obvious enough for a decent option plus it looks iconic, but I'm less sure on the sword and whip it comes with.

 

Is getting to swing even if it died (at lowest stats) worth much? It doesn't seem great for the cost and I feel that having a gun is nice as BS3+ is good and hard to pass up. Going big on the venom cannon for some heavy shooting is probably best here? With decent psychic powers too I'm also looking at the psychic relic so the Tyrant can form a solid core (which again feels appropriate).

 

What sort of builds are worth looking at, and what is everyone using generally?

[Xenith]

I'm in the same boat. I've had a plastic tyrant on sprue for a few years and want to get my Swarm Leader on the table!

 

I still think having a shooty and melee option works best, so the HT can be active in every phase, though now they can shoot in combat there is possibly some argument that it's shooty weapons are it's melee weapons. 

 

I read somewhere that you should take Heavy Venom cannons wherever you can, as they're valuable anti tank for nids, but this may have been before changes to make the Tyrannofex better. 

 

If you're running with behemoth, talons might be good as you can replace them with the scythes of Tyran. If you're using the barb for +1 to cast, then Monstrous rending claws might offer better value for points, however may be hard to model. 

 

I'm seeing increased use for them with the +1 wound regenerated per turn from the custom hive fleet builds. There's also a strat for maximum shots with the venom cannon, I think, which could be useful.

 

Miasma cannon seems cool, but you need to be getting up close, so would suggest it's more fit for a Flyrant. 

Edited September 7, 2020 by Xenith

[WarriorFish]

The heavy venom and stranglethorn cannons are Blast type if I remember right, so options are a bit limited if you want to build or take advantage of shooting in combat. This does mean the Stratagem for maximum shots is perhaps less useful unless you're shooting a single model unit like a tank and want to be sure. Having two sets of deathspitters or devourers seems like rather nice shooting even before you consider you can shoot in combat too. Does anyone know what kits these double weapons are in? Not that I expect to have the bits already given the age of my collection

 

I was looking at the monstrous rending claws as a cheaper option, though I also noted as you have that there doesn't seem to be bits for them. The Carnifex secondary arms don't quite seem large enough for the Tyrant, certainly as the main arms That said while those 15pts are a fair bit of a difference I feel the reliable Damage 3 and re-roll on 1s on the talons are worth the cost plus as noted it would feel odd to have a (walking) Hive Tyrant without them?

 

I think I might be leaning towards the non-Blast weapons. The Tyrant wants to be in combat and these will keep delivering for you when he is, plus as much as nids need long ranged heavier AT Carnifexes can take the heavy venom cannon, the the standard version can be equipped by Warriors which is still good?

 

What about psychic powers? I am quite taken with the Resonance Barb to improve psychic potential which may be part of the reason, but as a "level 2" psyker that is going to be in the thick of the action it seems like a good opportunity to get some good powers in. Though it rarely does much for my EC Catalyst to get a 5+++ is enticing, if nothing else to help keep some gaunts in the fight. Onslaught for some sneaky repositioning and charges also looks like a good pick, though it helps that the others seem lacklustre by comparison so it may be that these are the better picks generally.

[Xenith]

Forgot about the HVC being blast, now it's an anti tank weapon that isn't really better V tanks. Maybe vs elite infantry.

 

Twin devourers seem to be the way to go then, if you can manage the shorter range. You still get 12 shots with good BS and can do the +1D strat on them as a monster so might kill a few marines at once. The twin Devourers are with the carnifex sprue, as I recall, same with the deathspitters. 

 

For powers I'm a big fan of The Horror. Onslaught I don't like as you cast after committing to the advance roll, meaning you might never get to shoot or assault with your guys. Catalyst is pretty goof, but I get the feeling that the opponent will just shoot something without catalyst - unless you're bunging it on a big unit of warriors or such they cannot ignore.

[WarriorFish]

Yeah, there won't usually be many good targets for trying to make the most of its rules so I'm thinking of it more as not being able to fire in combat. It's still a main choice for heavier ranged AT. Good news on the spruies, I do have one of the plastic Carnifexes so I'll check that - as noted this is where my HVCs will likely be placed so it works out :) I don't think the range is a big issue, it's fairly decent and you can advance too. The Tyrant is likely to be close to the action most of a game too.

 

I figured that Onslaught isn't too hard to cast, and less so with the Resonance Barb - plus with the extra power I'm not losing out on casting another so I feel it has potential. I've found that repositioning units when a heavily assault based army can be critical especially against the opposite in shooty armies so I'm expecting it to be useful for nids. Even if it's more basic stuff like helping a unit move from one flank and maintain shooting, with larger units of gaunts and melees breaking out the mobility could go far.

 

My thoughts were that Catalyst will help one way or another, you cast it on a unit you want to protect so arguably your opponent not targetting them is the best success it can have :lol: Otherwise that extra chance to save can go far (if you roll better than me at least), I was thinking that while it'd be useful on anything it could make a big difference on gaunts surviving.

[Xenith]

I guess my thinking is pre-resonance barb - getting the advance+charge on another unit will be critical, I think. From my perspective, I'm looking at a Kraken list with stealers who already advance 3d6 pick highest and can charge from there. Being able to slam 30 gaunts into the red team at the same time would also be great. 

[WarriorFish]

Indeed, it's WC6 which is good and with the +1 you're in the reliable zone for casting. Then you can give any unit the Genestealer treatment, I think this will open up tactics quite a bit. If nothing else the HT itself gaining such mobility is going to be very useful As an extra bonus it also ignores the penalty for advancing and shooting, so you can make good use of the devourers/deathspitters as you do so he feels like a great pick for the power

 

Along with Catalyst I feel that a large squad of gaunts could be quite decent. Focus the powers on them and they become hard to ignore, especially with my planned 6++ save gaunts which with the 5+++ would make them far more durable than expected. They could do good work keeping potential threats off the HT's back.

[Reigart]

Sorry for the delay in replying to the thread.   I think both of you make good points.  I would be curious about two other setups I didn't see mentioned in this round of discussion:

 

• Multiple walking hive tyrants - they have a good invul save and can cast 2 powers, which helps get more powers and pressure off.  These could be dakka or have HVC for infantry / anti-tank.  Seeing marines getting 2 wounds, has me considering HVC for terminators, bikes, gravis - all which have 3 wounds.
• Behemoth winged hive tyrant with The Reaper of Obilterax - the base monstrous sword and whip do 3 damage.  The reaper has an affect of 6+ to wound does double damage.  Throw in a toxin sacs and adrenal glands.  Behemoth allows the re-roll charges, but more importantly, the new Blood of Baal psychic power - Unstoppable Hunger, which adds +1 to the wound roll.  This could allow a nice deep striking option on something big, especially for re rolling wounds from Voracious Appetite for 1 CP

[WarriorFish]

I think two foot Tyrants has merit. While I think most would prefer a more budget second choice (and nids have good some HQ choices) this would make for a strong core to any list and as one of your MC additions. The powers and invulnerable save would go far, though  it does make me wonder if the Swarmlord might be a good alternative?

 

With the Blast rule the HVC does look like a good choice for handling high wound units, but I think you'd need to shore up your AT elsewhere as this means you could easily be lacking otherwise given the HVC's usual use.

[Xenith]

Dragging this one back up as I've just made a tyrant and am magnetising - what melee weapons now? I remember in 8th, Monstrous Rending Claws seemed a good option, with the reroll to wound helping against pretty much anything, but Monstrous Scytals also are worth a look, due to the flat D3 helping with Terminators, Death guard, and being better against VEHICLE and MONSTER units.

 

My current loadout is Double Devs + Scytals, but I can see the argument for claws, especially as you can make them the Maw Claws and that they combine well with Xenowhatever Acid, for MW's on a 5+ to wound (pretty good with the rerolls!), though both at the loss of TResonance Barb. 

[WarriorFish]

My experiences with the monstrous talons was decent, the issue was Strength. That said my rolling could have been as much of the issue When it worked it was nice though but that is as much about the right targets as anything. With magnetising I think it's worth a go to see how it performs but as noted I think the main point is what sort of target you want/expect him to go for.

[Reigart]

Not to be be the standard they-should-address-this-in-the-new-book, but I was always a little disappointed with the combat potential of a hive tyrant.  I think it came down to the number of base attacks.  They tyrant itself is very versatile so I can see some logic into this design.

 

I think there are other options now that at least help address other areas to buff - even if they are limited, however the number of attacks always seemed a tad low.

 

The talons might be interesting for the re-roll to hit.  To the points raised, are you going after higher toughness?  If not, you may not need the re rolls to wound... or you could spend the 1 CP (I think - I don't have my book on me) on voracious appetite for wound re-rolls.  Damage 3 is nice for many things - terminators, heavy intercessors, bikes, plague marines.

 

With so much toughness and damage output on the table, does a lash whip make sense?  I think the sword is only -2AP, but if targets have invuls... it might be ok.  Then you get the ability to hit even if you're killed.

[Xenith]

I'm still thinking the flat damage is better overall, DD3 is just too risky - a single 1 on the damage dice and suddenyl you're killing half the number of marines you normally would. 

[Evil Eye]

Myself I really hope the lash whip and bonesword becomes useful on Tyrants again, because quite aside from anything else it's a wonderfully iconic and seriously cool looking weapon setup. As it stands my Flyrant is toting claws and a HVC, though as I'm addicted to building Hive Tyrants (I have a second pewter one, was going to make him into the Swarmlord but now I'm having second thoughts) I'm not averse to the idea of trying a different weapon setup.

[Xenith]

I'm torn on LW and BS. Generally I don't like options that rely on my models dying to be useful. In the case of the tyrant, there's also a strat that lets them attack after death, so you can get the effect of LW+BS for 2cp - though those atttacks at the lowest bracket might not do much.

 

I think they're good on Warriors and Primes, though who can act as roadblocks and stop enemy models from consolidating.

[Xenith]

Time to pop this unit back to the top of the Tyranids Sections again!

 

With the new Synaptic Link abilities in War Zone Octarius, the Hive Tyrant has access to the Malicious Direction Link Ability, which allows the target unit to make a 6" pile in move instead of the normal 3". 

 

Does this affect anything? Will you be trying to include this in your army? 

 

Personally, this is a pretty weak ability due to how the pile in rules work. You have to move towards the nearest model, so realistically, if you used your movement successfully, a short charge means you're all already likely in combat with a 3" pile in. The only case for it I can see is if you managed a long shot charge where only 1-2 models could make it in from across the table, this would let you pile in more, or maybe tag an additional unit if they were closer due to you spreading your unit out. I think the best use for this is maybe Hormagaunts? 

 

Also, possibly, it works with monsters, in which case if you have something with a big oval base, the massive pile in will let you rotate, or even get around behind the opposing modes/unit to tag something that was previously out of reach. 

Edited November 22, 2021 by Xenith

[Arson Fire]

This is one of the weaker synaptic links.

A 6" pile-in is handy for wrapping/trapping models, or just tagging them. While a much weaker tactic than it used to be, it's still worth trying to trap models to make your opponent spend 2CP to break out. That said, a 6" consolidation would have been much more useful for this than a pile-in. Still helps though.

 

However this isn't the only method nids have of getting a 6" pile-in. You can also use one of the custom hive fleet traits, Feeding Frenzy, for the same effect. Just swap to it with the Hyper Adaptation stratagem if you don't want to take a custom fleet. So this link is already a little bit redundant.

Also hormagaunts already have a 6" pile-in/consolidate, so it doesn't help them at all. Genestealers are going to get the most out of it.

 

I don't really think this one is going to see much play. Maybe if you have a spare 15 points you could upgrade a tyrant with it 'just in case' you end up in a situation where it's useful.

You can take as many synaptic links as you like. The limit is on the number of them you can activate per battle round, rather than how many you can put in your army. So there's room to take a couple of extra, more situational links like this one. But unlike a lot of others, this isn't a link that will be useful every turn.

Edited November 22, 2021 by Arson Fire