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New To The Tyranids (and 40k)

889 views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  Zerling 
#1 ·
Hello, I'm new to 40k and librarium-online. I just recently got the Batle for Macragge set, and had a blast using the Tyranids, so I've decided to go with them. I bought a boxed set of gaunts, and once I opened it, I realized I've got multiple weapon options to load up my gaunts with. I know for sure that Im going to build the hormagaunts like they should be built, but Im wondering about the rest of them. I read through the codex, got info on the devourer spinefists and fleshborer, and Im alittle torn between them all. I was wondering if anybody could tell me about past experience using these types of weapons in combat. Personally I think Im going to go with devourer or spinefists, but I still don't know which will serve better....
Any help would be great


:ph34r:
TheExecutioner
 
#2 ·
Originally posted by TheExecutioner@Nov 3 2004, 07:39
Hello, I'm new to 40k and librarium-online. I just recently got the Batle for Macragge set, and had a blast using the Tyranids, so I've decided to go with them. I bought a boxed set of gaunts, and once I opened it, I realized I've got multiple weapon options to load up my gaunts with. I know for sure that Im going to build the hormagaunts like they should be built, but Im wondering about the rest of them. I read through the codex, got info on the devourer spinefists and fleshborer, and Im alittle torn between them all. I was wondering if anybody could tell me about past experience using these types of weapons in combat. Personally I think Im going to go with devourer or spinefists, but I still don't know which will serve better....
Any help would be great
:ph34r:
TheExecutioner
[snapback]243688[/snapback]​
Devourer = too expensive I think (but can't remember as I'm not a nids player)

Spinefists = scary as hell for my army, as they are AP 5 so against Orks, Eldar, DE, Kroot, other nids, Ig or anything else with a 5+ Spinefists are the way to go

Fleshborers +1 strength means they might actually hurt marines....
 
#3 ·
Well, I don't use any shooty gaunts in my armies, simply because I don't like any of the gaunts weapon options. But alot of people swear by Spine fist gaunts, as you can build them for 5 points apiece using the biomorph tables in the back of the codex. They work excellently as meat shield, beig able to possibly move up to 18" on the charge (6" move, d6" shooting move, 6" assault move).

I'd say play games where you use units with the different wepons configs and see which you like better.
 
#4 ·
Read through the tactical threads and i am sure you will find what will work for you. I would say for now pick two types one hormagaunts, possibly with adrenal glands for +I, as you attack force and Spinegaunts or scygaunts for 5 or 6 points each respectively as a shield force. Probably want spinegaunts since you wont have to waste any scything talons like you do with the scygaunts. Good luck and read all the threads here you can as they offer good advice and listen too UZI-99 he knows his stuff and posts on just about every thread.

I should note that the "shield force" isn't going to really shield your guys so much as just draw fire.
 
#6 ·
Originally posted by TheExecutioner@Nov 3 2004, 11:58
Alright, I checked up on the Tactical thing you told me to, and Im thinking Im going to stick with spinegaunts, mainly cause I think they look coolest. Thanks for all the help. :D
:ph34r:
The Executioner
[snapback]243797[/snapback]​
I swear by my Spinefists. To me they are just as valuable as my leapers with scything talons. People I play against always shoot at my leapers but leave my poor little 5pt spinegaunts alone. Then they get to shoot and people are surprised that I actualy used my spines to fire with. Next turn two unharmed broods of twenty spinefists, taking their fleet roll this time and then charging is menacing to say the least. Of course for those who have wised up and fire at my spinegaunts now then have to worry about their little scything taloned friends leaping at their jugulars very soon.
 
#7 ·
Welcome to the boards!

The first thing is to understand that against the most often encountered prey, the SM/CSM, Gaunts aren't supposed to inflict casualties... If they do, that's a bonus. The real reason for taking Gaunts against these enemies is that once they get into CC with them, the CC now blocks LOS to a majority of models which means that the rest of the Tyranids will get to move closer without getting shot as much. The real killers are the slow and fragile Genestealers, fast and fragile Raveners or the Warriors with a variety of options for speed and weapons.

Yes, TMCs are amongst the real killers of the Tyranids swarm, but a CC of normal-sized models won't be blocking LOS to them.

I myself field two types of Gaunts in regular games:

Leaping Gaunts of some description, usually Gaunt + Leap + AdrG I + ScyTal. I try to have at least 2 broods of these, with a minimum of 14 Gaunts per brood, and one Hive Node Mutant per brood to help keep them in check if they're outside Synapse.

Spinegaunts (Gaunt + SFist) for cheap mass... Though against some opponents they can be very nasty! Dark Eldar Wyches, for example, dislike these rather heavily! :D


In Seeding Swarm lists I go with Toxinspinegaunts (Gaunt + ToxSac + SFist), since they will most often be arriving via Deep Strike and thus can be of more immediate use than CC Gaunts. They're also still relatively cheap to field in large numbers, while having a useful Str to deal with lighter vehicle Rear armour without the support of nastier creatures.


Instead of Spinegaunts, some take Scythegaunts (Gaunt + ScyTal)... Slightly more expensive than Spinegaunts, but more effective in CC where they're supposed to end up in. However, the problem with these is that You won't get enough ScyTal per Gaunt box to equip both walkers and leapers with them. This leaves one with few options:

- Use Spinefists for base, add a blade-like protrusion with Greenstuff, Milliput or similar epoxy putty.

- Build ScyTal from scratch using the aforementioned epoxy putty.

If You intend to field both leaping and walking Gaunts in Your army, this is only way I can think of to acquire more ScyTal.

Alternatively, You could use the ScyTal for the walkers, and bit-order Gargoyle Wings to convert Your leaping Gaunt bodies into Gargoyles.
 
#8 ·
Again, thanks for the help. I finally know what a Scygaunt is lol :D I'm thinking my army will be based around the one idea you gave Uzi, swarm the enemy with cheap models (spinegaunts at 5pts) and then bring in a few of the bigger tyranids like carnifexs and tyrants to do mop up. Im thinking of building a tough elite like gaunt unit to use for shooting purposes against lightly armoured infantry based armies. I was thinking about doing gaunt + toxic sac + devourer + wings. In a brood of 10 that would be 20 shots at a moderate strength, and would usually flush out some enemies (eg Imperial Guard) so my army had more chance to bring in heavier units. What do you think of that idea? Too expensive?(I think its like 13 pts or so)



:ph34r:
The Executioner
 
#9 ·
Originally posted by TheExecutioner@Nov 6 2004, 18:45
a tough elite like gaunt unit to use for shooting purposes against lightly armoured infantry based armies. I was thinking about doing gaunt + toxic sac + devourer + wings. In a brood of 10 that would be 20 shots at a moderate strength, and would usually flush out some enemies (eg Imperial Guard) so my army had more chance to bring in heavier units. What do you think of that idea? Too expensive?(I think its like 13 pts or so)
--- Yes, too expensive... And You don't want to end up in a shooting match, because the Gaunts can't survive.

Gaunts aren't usually meant as the real killers of the swarm, especially not with shooting. The range with Codex Gaunt bioweapons is so poor that it really isn't worth it.

If taking Winged Gaunts, stick with Gargoyles... They're the best deal for points/abilities, and they'd be as easy to convert as the ones You proposed.

Of course, by all means do try out Your Winged Gaunts... But I'd suggest proxying them, not assembling the models until You're sure of their effectiveness (or lack of it, as the case probably will be).
 
#10 ·
The thing I noticed about gaunts is that you don't often win combats. For example I charged a brood of hormagaunts into some black templars (tasty black space marines). I killed 3 marines (including one with a lascannon) and lost 4 gaunts. So points wise I was winning, however I had lost the combat. In the majority of cases of gaunts fighting marines you are going to be losing the assault. And if you do win the cowardly marines are usually right against the board edge so will just run off. All +init gaunts effectivly do is let you strike first and maybe save a gaunt or 2. Hormagaunts, +ws gaunts, raise the chance for a marine to hit from 3+ to 4+. Meaning that with 12 rolls to hit; 6 miss instead of 4. Same net result. But all this math was a bit pointless as those wretched templar took the vow to always hit on a 3+. :(

And welcome to the boards.
P.S. In tyranid terms "theExecutioner" translates to Master Chef :shifty:
 
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