So I have been really down on the new Nid dex. I still don't see them as a "tau" dex, but I am see that maybe a change in what we run as Nid players as refreshing for our game.
I'm loving venomthropes now. +2 to cover save for anyone in 6". Now yes there is ignores cover shooting out there, but not all of it. Warriors hate missiles and lascannons, but at least you can have a +3 cover most of the time from them now. Venom's also hurt a ton in CC with high toughness creatures. +2 to wound and lash whips. No the best but beats having to roll a 6.
Zoanthropes got a nerf, but I think their place is solid in most lists. The warp blasts are good and the lance one is crucial for taking high armor. The best thing about these guys is the 3++ invul that provides synapse. They act as great babysitters to IB squads.
Trygon Prime. Expensive, but holy hell they are a 1 man death-star. The addition of bio-artifacts changes their role. Norn crown makes them a vanguard synapse (18"), The reaper makes them a monster hunter striking at I7, instant death on a 6, 6 attacks, with re-rolls to wound!! Add in the ymarl factor and he is sick in CC. The miasma cannon makes a great shooty trygon as he pops up in enemies backfield, shoots 12 shots, and than flames the enemy wounding on a +2. Add regen to him and he is a boss .
Tyrannofex. Love it for his base stats and template goodness. Add regen and u have a nasty anti-infantry unit.
Mawlocs are good. Been all over the net so I won't go into detail.
I'm sure there are more units that will be amazing, but for now these have instant merit for me. So many units I think have potential, but without playing I can't comment right now.
The nids ability to mass pin things is a key i feel in running them. Yes marines and the like don't get pinned, but a bunch of armies do. The -3 to leadership also helps a ton against psyker led armies. Add in the horror and u have a -5 to pinning!!!
I still hate the tervigon due to the 12" death to gaunt rule.
All the little gribbles are ok, nothing really changed, but i do plan on running more devourers in squads to make the shooty shooty better.
Hive tyrants are good, I just don't get the warm fuzzy feeling as they feel played out. They are good and cheaper, but I'm already tired of seeing net lists that spam these guys with wings.
Genestealers are back. Say what you will, but I think they will play a crucial role in tyranid games for 2 reasons. Ability to deploy all over the place and no instinctive behavior. The brood lord also makes them a very real threat as he can hamstring your armies shooting.
So 2 units I'm trying to make useful is the haruspex and raveners. I love raveners, but they are so expensive and with a 12 move it is a blessing and a curse. The haruspex is a walking tar pit. I'm just not sure if I can get him into combat. He really needed a 12" move similar to the maulerfiend.
That's it for now.