Tyranids in 6th part 5 of 7, Units

In this installment I am just going to list the units in order and my take how they perform in 6^th.

   Okay lots to say here, still a Close Combat beast and know if you spend the points on wings he just might get there.  No more debate on what “grounded” means.  Two psychic powers that are best used to roll on biomancy to make him more survivable.  Really only one downside to this beatstick, cost, well over 200 pts no matter if you give him wings or a tyrant guard.   If you haven’t tried one give it a go.  With wings one of the few sources of skyfire.   Close to 300 if you get really spendy and make him a torrent of fire machine with two twin linked devourers.  One note, if you buy the new plastic kit it’s great but doen’t include any devourers or deathspitters.  Vector strike is kinda meh with him.  Better to shoot 6 twin linked str6 shots from a Devourer.

     Only level 2 psycher in the codex. Pricey since you’ll want to give him some tyrant guard for protection, his 3 up just isn’t going to cut it.   I haven’t played with him in 6^thyet but I suspect it’s about the same as 5^th. Nobody is going to get near this guy so he makes a bubble around himself few will dare to tread.  He is an ammo magnet and will attract a lot of low AP shooting.  Build a list around him if you plan on using him.  He is the only way to give raveners Furious Charge.

     These only got better.   If you purchase the extra psychic powers you’ll get 3 rolls on book powers.  Their codex powers aren’t shabby either.  In lower point games having one or two of these scoring is pretty great.  They can be a very resilient troop or with some biomancy  a terrifying one in close combat.  With only one of the book missions being kill points, go ahead and spawn away until you double out.  6^thmissions are heavily weighted toward scoring and no matter how you slice it tervigons help with that.

    Still a very cost effective HQ  choice with some very serious Close Combat potential.   One of the only Independent characters in the codex so bury one in a unit of gants and go forward.   

      Nobody ran him in 5^th and it has not changed in 6^th.  If your looking for an independent character to escort some gargoyles, this is your unit.  Pretty much fluff only IMO. 

     If the Vendetta is the NO1 most undercosted unit in the game then these guys should be the most appropriate. 50pts each is perfect.  They were great in last edition and nothing has changed.  Not needing LOS and granting cover very rarely a great stat line.  All tyranid lists should have some of these and a strong argument could be made for 9.

     Bad then bad now, if they ever gain the ability to assault on arrival great, otherwise they cost way to much and compete for a slot with better choices.

     I have a love hate with this one, if somehow you think you have an elite slot to spare, you could do worse.  But mostly meh.    He has about 7 thousand special rules so be aware of that if you plan on using him.   If he was an HQ he might ……might see more use.   He’s a character now and at WS9 can put the pain down on other characters but only a save of 5up, but Initiative 6 and rending on 5 or 6…….still kinda Meh

      With cover for MCs being easier to get, these just don’t cut it for the points or slot.

    Being able to roll for two powers for each one makes these guys very useful to groom you list with matchup.   He has heavy vehicles, keep codex powers, no vehicles roll for some book ones.  Roll for each Zoan individually in the brood.  No restrictions right now on a 3 Zoan brood having one take codex powers and the other two book powers.   One change in this edition is that you could walk them vice using a Mycetic Spore for them now.

      For his points this guy is great, if you like reliability, he's not for you.  He either manhandles your opponent or dies to str8 shooting right away.  Requires a Mycetic Spore to get close enough to be effective. No change in this edition.

 

     Nothing to see here

 

     Pricey but with their ability to assault on arrival they can be pretty awesome.  I think you should choose your assaults carefully so overwatch doesn’t make them ineffective.   Great for assaulting vehicles who cannot overwatch.

   The instant death to doubling out mechanic didn’t change so these are still pretty bad.

     Well if you like to use them to outflank, well quit, since they cannot assault out of outflank.  IMO they are a hard sell in this edition with cover reduced and overwatch.  I can see a case for smaller units with a Broodlord.  But at BS0 the broodlords potential is limited too.

     This with Tervigons really is the most common troop since the new codex came out.  They are just good enough to get the job done for their points.   They aren’t great at anything on their own but at 5pts don’t expect much.  In numbers with a tervigon close.  They can wreck face.  It is really easy to be out of the tervigons buffing range in this edition so plan your charges appropriately.   You’ll often have to string them back and run vice shoot with tervigons to ensure they are getting buffs in assault.

20 Termagants with devourers in a Mycetic spore is one way to move a scoring unit into your opponents deployment zone.

 

    If there was a Horvigon option out there you’d probably use these.  There isn’t so you don’t.  It’s not that they are bad it just that they aren’t good enough.

   If you use them great.  IMO just about as useless as the Pyrovore

 

  Tyranid Shrikes

        Same instant death problems of their warrior brethren.  So just not worth it, can be a very pricey CC monstrosity.

Beasts are great and truly fast, 6 of these guys with rending can kill quite a bit.  If they get there.  Suffer from the same Instant death problems as shrikes and warrior.  But by being much faster you might be able to hide them until they can charge.

      Flying ripper swarm, no thank you.

   Great for their points with all or no improvements.   If you expect them to handle vehicles at all they need Adrenal Glands.   They will need a synapse escort if not they can quickly get out of synapse and become a lot less useful.

     Great if you need hard to hit anti infantry, but you shouldn’t your tyranids.  Just costs to much and little to no anti flyer ability.

     Not a horrible way to spend a few points but a lot less useful than just getting more gants instead IMO.

     Some people love them, I am not one of them.   For every argument on what they bring with torrent or some resilience in number I just cannot justify the cost of them.   Way overpriced.  With the new Smash USR their str9 isn’t so great either.

    Fun game sure, otherwise never.

    With the ability to snipe with barrage and 3 for 135 points I can see some utility from these guys.  Tyranids don’t need more anti infantry but 48” range anti infantry, yes that we can use.

    I haven’t used them much and the prime is a character now, I don’t think these guys changed much in this edition, they wrecked stuff before even better now.  Still lots of points.

   No change really, wasn’t great then isn’t now.  To many points.

     Lots of points for vendetta bait.   Still gonna give them a go soon in an RTT.  With some Preferred enemy from a Hive Tyrant perhaps.   Hard to justify the points.

So that’s my take, opinions vary feel free to share yours with comments  below.