well, first of all, you can never field Old One Eye, and The Red Terror in the same game, as Ooe is up to 1500pts and Trt is >1500pts, and trust me. Trt is better than regenerate...swallow anyone?

Second, are you freking made of money?

Third, you need waaaaay more gaunts. I have a basic army, and I have 6 Gaunt packs
And try looking in the codex for weapon descriptions, on the Eavy metal pages. but here's a starter: The std weapon you most often see on Termagants, is the fleshborer. When they have two separet hands, clenched sorta like a fist, it's the spinefists, and the weird...fleshlump-cone-thingy is the devourer (very handy).The two big guns that come with the Monstrous creature sprue: the one with the long razorlike blade at the tip, that's the venom cannon, the other is the barbed strangler. did I forget any weapons? Probably, but you'll have to dig 'em up yourself

Lastly, the mutants, and Mutable genus (Two different things) are what makes the Tyranids so fun to play. No to Termagant broods need be the same. Look at the last few pages of the 'dex for details on what goodies you can play with. Just remember, that you have to represent all mutations and Biomorphs on the models. Fortunately, on the gaunt sprues, there's several ready made for ya. The tiny droplets, that's venom sacks, for added strength, the small plates are extended carapace, for better armour saves, and the...spider-look-like-it-thingy is an adrenal gland, for better initiative of weapon strength (If you have both morphs, you only need one adrenal gland)

ack! Writers cramp. well, hope it helps. See y'all in about 2 weeks (Off to Ekofisk Bravo)

 

<smart alec mode on>
Actually, you can fiel both OOE and RT:
OOE is "1500 or less", RT is legal in "at least 1500 pts" games - so if you manage it to field exactly 1500pts, then you may have both.
<smart alec mode off>


jwu

 

Huh? My post disappeared? Anyway... u play Nids urself? I'm thinking about my gaunts... what's the best choice?

 

Hormagaunts and Scythegaunts.
Scythies are mutable gaunts, armed with a set of scything talons, 6pts each. These are definitely the most efficient gaunt species - they achieve by numbers what other upgraded gaunts would achieve by quality.
Basically they have the same punch as upgraded gaunts, but also more wounds on the table (and they look scarier)

jwu

 

Hmmm, yeah, I just read that... one question: Is a battle limited to amount of troops?! Or can u go with for instance 166 scythegaunts in a 1k pts army?

 

You have to field one HQ in addition to the troops, so 166 won't be possible. 140 should fit into 1000pts though, plus a hive tyrant.

Such an army will be considered as boring and eventually beardy though.

jwu

 

but it may rock?!

 

If you want mass troops, take 3 basic warriors as HQ. Also, don't underestimate the usefulness of basic gaunts with spinefists and nothing else (at 5 points each, how can you go wrong!). I also like gargoyles alot, they're fast and not many points, plus they shoot and have 2 attacks in HtH (one at Initiative 8!). A unit or two of 6 genestealers would also be tempting to add into the army, just because they might get ignored long enough to trash some people!

 

GOOO FIREHAWK!!!
Gaunts with spinefists are versatile and aweosme. I call them "Spinegaunts". They are good at close combat and also have assault weapons. And the points i thought were 6 each...but nayways you cant go wrong at all with those backing up Hormagaunts.

 

Just verified it...5 points each if all you take is basic gaunts with spinefists. They look really cool with spinefists too!

 

Ok your right it is 5 points each. Sometimes though I throw in leaping so they can get into close combat a lot quicker. Spinefists look a lot cooler then fleshborers thats for sure!

 

Razorfex, have you looked at/tried the Tyranid Seeding Swarm list from Chapter Approved 2003? It rocks!

 

Just a note: The most efficient basic gaunt is a scythegaunt, 6pts each. Most opponents won't mind if you use spinegaunt models for them, since the spinefists look like a pair of pistols, which could also display a set of melee weapons, similar to the impact hammer from Unreal Tournament.

In my experience the spinefists are rarely used. Since they have a range of only 12", you have severe problems with the enemy's rapid fire or even charge range.
There are two cases in which you can use them:
The spinegaunts are 13"-18" away. They move into spinefist range (no FoC possible, since they want to shoot), then they find themselves within 7"-12" from the enemy. They shoot and kill some opponents, but they cannot charge. Next turn, the opponent can rapid fire into them, or charge them if he shoots only once. He gains a charge bonus attack, you lose it.

The only way to shoot and assault is to have been within 12" from the opponent before you move - but then he will already have done what i descriped above, so this won't happen.

So Spinefists are useless in most cases. I'd rather spend one extra point per gaunt for a second attack which can always be used while it's in close combat - i did the math, a scythegaunt is more effecient against almost all opponents, even with its slightly higher cost. Only a wych squad should better be dealt with with spinegaunts.

jwu

 

Originally posted by ArchonAstaroth@Apr 10 2003, 11:28
In my experience the spinefists are rarely used. Since they have a range of only 12", you have severe problems with the enemy's rapid fire or even charge range.

That's absolutely correct...

Most nids players usually hide in cover until assaulting, and in HTH u don't need wpns... nids shouldn't use wpns, (we're frenzy slimy monsters with abnormal hands sticking out like knives and broadswords... )

I would really recommend scythes and fleshborer (since the scythes are lacking in the box)...

 

Firehawk...actually I havent even seen the seedign swarm list yet. Im behind and have not been out to by the new chapter approved. I hear a lot of good things about it though soi will definatley check it out this weekend or next. Hell I havent even read my old one with monster creation in it yet. (mostly because i have nno good ideas [oh except this infested marine i made like from starcraft])

And what is a scythegaunt? i imagine a termagaunt model with talons inmstead of fleshborers? you see i dont have tons of pairs of talons lying around and the ones i use are for my hormagaunts. Hence why i use Spinefists to "support" my hormagaunts and fire at enemy line right before they charge in. Although i am intrigued by your scythegaunt idea...tell me more!

 

Scythegaunt= Mutable Gaunt with scything talons, nothing else. 6pts each.
For only one point more than a spinegaunt you get almost twice the attacks in close combat. This species will - in average and at equal points - win against marines. Even after it suffered some casualties to bolter fire and there are finally less points of gaunts in that close combat than marines.

My opponents don't mind when i use spinegaunts to display scythegaunts, since spinefists look like a pair of pistols. I declare them to be a kind of injectors, for use in melee only, and everyone is satisfied.

jwu

 

well if it works for you then it works for me. I just hate all those extre gaunts lying around doing nothing. They should make a box of 16 hormagaunt blisters instead of half and half.

 

You could order the sprues as bits at the mailorder - this way 16 hormas are only slightly more expensive than a box of 8 hormas and 8 termas, assuming that you order enough stuff in order not to pay the shipping.

jwu

 

Originally posted by ArchonAstaroth@Apr 11 2003, 16:25
My opponents don't mind when i use spinegaunts to display scythegaunts, since spinefists look like a pair of pistols. I declare them to be a kind of injectors, for use in melee only, and everyone is satisfied.

Lol... injectors... (but not so deadly I'd say..)

Concerning the sprues.. I can't figure out why they're selling 8/8/1 either.. I rarely uses hormagaunts.. and in that case with fleshborers and as a screening to my genestealers and scythgaunts..

I have a question though: Do you find hard times fighting troops with lascannon/melta/plasma wpns? They tend to kill tyrants and carnies only in a few shots... ;( Any suggestions how I can keep them for longer? (Except for hiding in cover?)

 

Originally posted by CryoGenFX@Mar 7 2003, 12:57
well, first of all, you can never field Old One Eye, and The Red Terror in the same game, as Ooe is up to 1500pts and Trt is >1500pts, and trust me. Trt is better than regenerate...swallow anyone?

Actually, yes you can field the red terror and old one eye and the red terror in one battle -- but you have to have an army list of exactly 1500 pts -- the red terror entry says "any tyranid army of at least 1500pts" -- that includes 1500 pts. the old one eye entry says --"any tyranid army of 1500pts or LESS" that also includes 1500pts. Read between the lines, my friend, and you can unravel something new.

 

(I don't think ur enemy cares about it anyway... just don't show that part to him... )

otherwise, I think they're awesome... but I like the OOE most... regenerate.. it's too good...

 

yes they do rock

 

Here's what I think


1-Rippers with rending claws
2-Carnifex with devourer, if seeding swarm
3-lots of Genestealers
4-Tyrant guard are your friends
5-Spinegaunts, 5pts each
6-Rippers with VC, Tyranid army of shootiness :lol:
7-did I mention Genestealers?

 

GAUNTS??? PAH!!! Digimon, Listen to me! forget about gaunts! spinegaunts!!! Pah! there is a much better troops choice!!! they are often overlooked, but they are incredibly awesome!!! RIPPERS!!!! FILL YOUR ENTIRE TROOPS SECTION WITH RIPPERS (unless you are playing against marines, then take 48 genestealers and 20 rippers). 6 squads of 10 rippers will only cost 600 points!!! with 60 rippers you get 180 WOUNDS! 180 ATTACKS! for 600 points! this is 3.33333 points per wound/attack. this is amazing! spinegaunts. it would cost 300 points extra to get the same vaule with spinegaunts!!

pros of rippers
fearless
nearly same stats as gaunts
180 attacks
180 wounds
for 600 points!!
3.333333 points per wound
bases are easy to get into combat, bases are easier to hide behind cover (easier charging, more attacks when charging, its much easier to get 10 bases in base to base contact than 30)
no instinctive behavior
additionally cover save! (its easy to get rippers into a forest)

Cons of rippers
lower I, (take a tyrant with catalyst and forget about it)
no guns (who cares? who shoots anyway?)
vulnarable to blasts. (most weapons aren't blast)
little bit slower (no fleet of foot, which sucks)

all together! the pros outweigh the cons!!!

RIPPERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!