Tyranid Troop Tactics
In the current Tyranid codex the troop section contains all the common Tyranid creatures. For this reason we now
see the Tyranid Warrior as a troop choice where they had been HQ or Elite choices.
General Tyranid Troop Tactics
Tyranids work best as a 'swarm' army. this means that you will want lost of cheap troops to absorb enemy fire as
you get your bigger creatures in to combat.
Tyranid Warrior Brood
Tyranid Warriors are classically the back-bone of the Tyranid army. They are formidable fighters with a good
range of close combat and ranged weapons.
Hive Mind
THe tyranid warrior has the 'Hive Mind' special rule. This is great because it allows you to have a troop chioce
taking the have mind role, realeasing the HQ Hive Tyrands to do their monstros creature stuff (like ripping tanks
apart).
Tyranid Warrior Weapons
The Tyranid Warrior has a wide
range of weapons available. These are close combat and assault weapons.
Genestealer Brood
Genestealers are the ultimate hand-to-hand combat troops. Blood Angles and Dark Elder think that they are good
close combat armies, but compared to these they are just amateurs. The down side is that they are vulnerable in the
open and to anti-personnel fire. This makes it imperative that you use every sneaky trick in the book to get them
close. I tend to think of the Genestealers as elite troops rather than a troop choice, i.e. one or two squads in an
army is about the right balance.
Genestealer General Tactics
Their lack of ranged weapons means that Genestealer have one task, get in to hand to hand combat as soon as
possible.
Their 5+ save means that they will be shot to ribbons from Space Marine Bolters. Use whatever cover is available to
get the Genestealers to your enemy. Use the 'Run' and 'Fleet of Claw' rules to get then there quickly. Think about
using the infiltrate rules to start closer to the enemy.
Rendering Claws
Once the Genestealers are in close combat they are devastating against even the toughest troops and can
devastate tanks. Direct you Genestealers towards the toughest opponents, especially those Terminators.
Use All Cover
Genestealers are very vulnerable in the open. Being few in numbers, and having on firearms, your opponents will
stand back and whittle down your best troops as they approach. Placing your Genestealers in buildings will cause
real head aches to your opponent, especially if that is the objective. I have found that placing them behind
bunkers works better that placing them inside because inside they are too easily stunned by concentrated fire
power.
Remember that the smaller Tyranid Termagants can provide cover on the move.
Engage their troops
As Genestealers have no ballistic skill, get them in to action as soon as possible. If your opponent is using
fast troops, like a Raven Wing army, use your winged and leaping creatures to close them down and bring the
Genestealers in as a second wave. Note: Marine players are learning that it is better to 'elect to fail' the close
combat round rather than hang around for the Genestealers to get there. If your opponent has the habit of doing
this then set up cross fire traps for him.
Cause Terror
Genestealers do not have the 'Cause Terror' special rule, but they do have a psychological effect on the
opposing player in the same way that Hive Tyrants, Lictors and creatures created using the Monstrous Creature rules
do. > See the Tyranid General Tactics section for more details.
Genestealer Broodlord
The Genestealer Broodlord was a HQ choice, so you can imagine that they are tough!
Genestealer Special Rules
Fleet of Claw
Fleet of Claw allows you to move another D6 (average of 3.5") move during the shooting phase like the Run!
special rule but you can assault in the same turn too.
Brood Telepathy
Brood Telepathy frees the Genestealers from the Instinctive behaviour rules. This added to their Ld10 value
means that you can have your Genestealers roaming around free from the Hive Mind leash. You have the option to use
Genestealers to set up ambushes, protect the flanks of your main brood from flanking attacks, hold strategic
buildings and terrain features (out of line of sight of the enemy), hit and disrupt tasks, etc. Another option is
to threaten to do any of these and you will tie up some of your opponents force as he tries to counter your
threatening manoeuvre. The really great generals will threaten, tie up troops and then attack an unexpected
quarter, doubling the use, and value of the Genestealers.
Genestealer Options
In order to simplify the Tyranid codex many of the upgrades have disappeared, leaving only three upgrade
options.
Scything Talons
Genestealers can be upgraded to having Scything talons. This allows the Genestealers to re-roll 1's to hit. So
against Space Marines the chances of hitting increase from 2 in 3 (0.66666:1) to 7 in 9 (0.77777:1). This is only a
small increase but not only increases the number of dice that you will roll to wound your opponent, but those dice
may come up 6's and render them too. If you regularly get your Genestealers in to combat the upgrade may be worth
the points.
Adrenal Glands
Adrenal Glands give the Genestealers 'Furious Charge'. If you are frequently charging in to combat (and not
being assaulted instead), then this may be a worth while upgrade.
Toxin Sacs
Toxin Sacs give your Genestealers 4+ poison in close combat. This is very useful against tougher creatures.
Tyranid Termagant Tactics
Termagants make up the bulk of the Tyranid army. They come in many variations running, leaping and flying across
the battle field normally as the first wave of the Tyranid onslaught.
General Termagant Tactics
You can have up to 40 Termagants to a squad. Each of these has an assault weapon. This allows you to lay down a
lot of shots.
Gaunts act as great 'gun fodder'. You can create Gaunts as cheap as 5 points each. Get them close and your enemy
has to shoot then and leave your big creatures alone.
Tie Up Forward Troops
As Termagants are so cheap, they are good at getting in to close combat and tieing up the enemy forward troops
while the larger Tyranid troops get in to combat!
Special Rules
Tyranid Gaunts get "Move through cover". This mean that you can cover difficult terrain faster!
Tyranid Hormagaunt Tactics
The Tyranid Hormagaunt is a faster variant of the Termagant. Is purely a close combat creature and excellent at
tying up the forward troops while the larger Tyranid creatures have chance to arrive.
Ripper Swarm Tactics
Ripper Swarms are the smallest of all the Tyranids. Do not under rate them. They are very effective at what they
do and cheap.
Ripper General Tactics
Guard Areas
As Rippers are mindless you can detach them from the Hive Mind leash and use them to protect strategic points.
If your opponent does decide to take on the Rippers then their three wounds a base should tie them up until
reinforcements arrive.
Use to Flank and Penn In
One tactic for static Shooty armies adopt when being assaulted is to move un engaged troops 4" away from the
combat. This is so that after you win the combat, they can have another shooting round at you as you do a sweeping
advance, or catch you in the open if you try to do a 3" consolidation. An effective counter measure to this is to
use your rippers to flank your opponent and confine him to the assault area. This enables your close combat
specialists to devour their way from squad to squad without being shot at.
The 'Fly Paper' manoeuvre
Rippers have a great advantage with multiple wounds and mindlessness in that they are very stubborn in close
combat. If you move a squad of Rippers in to combat with your enemies elite of HQ. units then those units will have
to kill every wound of the Rippers before they can move on. This even works well with Dreadnoughts that the Rippers
have no chance of killing. Done right the enemy will loose the use of an expensive squad for the whole game at the
cost of 10 points a base to you.
Counter Assault Fire Wall
Some times you will come across opponents that will try to assault you. Generally this is a good thing for you
as you get in to combat sooner where you excel and protected from gun fire. However if you are assaulted then your
opponent will get to choose who will be in base to base with whom and will receive the +1 attack bonus. There are
several counter measures for this, the Horror mind power, assault troops with 12" assault moves. Use cheap troops
like rippers to take the brunt of the assault and allow your bigger creatures to counter charge and get the
benefits.
To create a fire wall place a line of rippers between you enemies assault troops and their likely target. Likely
targets are usually your larger more expensive creatures like Carnifexes, Hive Tyrants, Warriors, etc. This works
better if the rippers move at the same speed as the target and not be left behind. Add leaping and wings as
applicable.
Special RulesRippers a few special rules too.
Fearless
Rippers are fearless. This means that there is no benefit from keeping them near the Hive Mind. This releases
them to be used for flanking the enemy, causing diversions, or sneaking of with the mission as your opponent
grapples with the main brood.
Mindless
Blast and Template Weapons
Be wary of template weapons like flamers. A particular flamer to avoid is the Sisters of Battle Immolator. With
the Chapter approved rules this tank causes double hits and added to the double wounds that Rippers suffer, they
will burn like tinder. Fortunately flamers are short ranged and often in hand to hand combat by the time the Ripper
get there. This may be different if you take the Leaping or Winged upgrade options.
Wings
Winged Rippers are called 'Sky Slasher Swarms' and can be very effective. Their independence from the Hive Mind,
Speed and survivability mean that you can send them on sub-missions tying up Heavy Weapon Squads etc. Highly
recommended.
If you take wings for your Ripper Swarms they become a fast attack options.
>See Tyranid Fast Attack section for details.
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