Tyranid Flying Circus - 1850 pts

[gwinkleman]

With the new rulers for flyers (Death from the Skies), Flying Monstrous Creatures seem to have gotten a large buff! Now that there's only one type of flyer that can hit them at full ballistic skill while the FMC is in swooping mode (Fighter type flyers), FMCs are harder to take down. Now, almost everything is going to be snap shooting at FMCs! These rules have inspired me to create a "Tyranid Flying Circus" list.

COMBINED ARMS DETACHMENT - 975 pts
HQ
Hive Tyrant w/ Electroshock Grubs, Wings, and dual twin-linked devourers with brain leech worms - 240 pts (Warlord)
Hive Tyrant w/ Electroshock Grubs, Wings, and dual twin-linked devourers with brain leech worms - 240 pts
Troops
Mucolid Spore Cluster - 15 pts
Mucolid Spore Cluster - 15 pts
Fast Attack
Hive Crone - 155 pts
Hive Crone - 155 pts
Hive Crone - 155 pts

SKYBLIGHT SWARM FORMATION - 875 pts
Hive Tyrant w/ Electroshock Grubs, Wings, and dual twin-linked devourers with brain leech worms - 240 pts
Hive Crone - 155 pts
Harpy w/ Heavy Venom cannon - 140 pts
Harpy w/ Heavy Venom cannon - 140 pts
Gargoyle Brood with Adrenal Glands - 80 pts
Gargoyle Brood - 60 pts
Gargoyle Brood - 60 pts

There are 9 total FMCs: 3 Flying Hive Tyrants, 4 Hive Crones, and 2 Harpies. I think the FMCs really speak for themselves and each brings a lot of versatility to the list. Each of them has at least one way to deal with high armor value targets (via haywire, vector striking, or Str 9 weapons) and/or massed infantry (via volume of shots or template/blast weapons). In addition to this, each of the Hive Tyrants is a ML2 psyker so, statistically, at least one of them should get Warp Lance or Psychic Scream. I can't think of a model/unit to which any of them can't reliably do at least some damage.

Three of the remaining five units in this army are ObSec units with Deep Strike. The Gargoyle unit with adrenal glands will likely start on the table (instead of deep striking) to grab a Turn 1 objective while the other two Gargoyle units deploy via Deep Strike later on in the game. Another benefit of the formation is that it allows me to bring back a destroyed Gargoyle unit back into Ongoing Reserves for free on a roll of 4+, which can Deep Strike if that unit initially deployed via Deep Strike. Essentially if my enemy kills a downfield Gargoyle unit, there's a 50% that the same Gargoyle unit will be right back where it was on my following turn at full strength. Albeit, it may be in a slightly different location due to scatter.

The two Mucolid Spore Clusters are mostly a cheep troop tax that allows me to field 9 FMCs. However, they can potentially serve as area control against flyers or infantry. Their Initiative 10 Str 8 explosion is nothing to ignore.

Let me know what you guys think! I'd love to get some feedback and/or what you guys think the weaknesses of this army are.

EDIT: Mucolid Spore rules.

[ds4502]

Not a bad list, but I would keep in mind that mucolid spores are not scoring or denial units. They can not hold any objectives or take them away from anyone else. I love crones, but harpies got hit hard with the changes from 6th ed to 7th ed FMC flight modes. Good thing is, with the FAQ hitting, those heavy venom cannons can hit flyers (due to skyfire). I would be interested to hear how this list does.

[gwinkleman]

Not a bad list, but I would keep in mind that mucolid spores are not scoring or denial units. They can not hold any objectives or take them away from anyone else. I love crones, but harpies got hit hard with the changes from 6th ed to 7th ed FMC flight modes. Good thing is, with the FAQ hitting, those heavy venom cannons can hit flyers (due to skyfire). I would be interested to hear how this list does.

Oh damn, you're right. Just double checked the Codex and Mucolid Spore Clusters do have the "Living Bomb" special rule, which makes them non-scoring, non-denial units. Well I guess that they'll be more of a cheap troop tax than anything. Potential for anti-air if positioned well.

Yeah, IMO the FAQ and Death from the Skies supplement really boosted the strength of FMCs. I don't have all of the models yet but I'm working towards getting this army put together. The reason I run 4 crones to 2 harpies, instead of 3/3, is because of that Str 8 AP2 Vector Strike. An auto-hit, ignores cover attack in the movement phase is REALLY hard to ignore. Not to mention the sheer volume of Haywire this army has with four Crones. Granted, a Harpy with a HVC has a Str 9 weapon but I don't like relying on having to roll scatter dice well. I prefer the sure thing. However if I notice the Harpies doing well after I get this army put together, then I'd consider balancing the load out.

[ds4502]

the FAQ also buffed Tau, now that blasts can hit swooping/zooming things, so long as it has skyfire. watch out for those str 10 AP 2 pie plates in the sky.

[gwinkleman]

the FAQ also buffed Tau, now that blasts can hit swooping/zooming things, so long as it has skyfire. watch out for those str 10 AP 2 pie plates in the sky.

True that!

So what do you think about modifying the list in the following manner?

Drop the two mucolid spores and one Hive Crone (from the CAD). Then buff my two troop choices by bringing two separate units of Genestealers (one with a Broodlord with Scything Talons). I am losing one of my FMCs but I'm gaining two ObSec units that can immediately infiltrate onto objectives. Then, all three of the Gargoyle units can be used for Deep Striking downfield objectives. The genestealers would likely just be used to jealously guard deployment zone objective and assault units that get too close. I'm a big fan of board control and this may be a better option for some Maelstrom games.