6th Ed Tyranid FAQ

Interesting to note that all tyranid psykers are mastery level 1 except the swarmlord.  Each psyker may exchange powers they come or purchase with discipline powers. 

A tervigon (with dominion) can but catalyst and onslaught and exchange dominion and onslaught for biomancy, telepathy, or telekenesis.  Mastery level 1, but up to 3 powers.

Zoanthropes can give up lance and blast for 2 others.

Broodlords can give up aura and gaze for 2.

Tyrants must take 2 from the normal list and then can swap them for 2 others.

DoM can give up cataclysm for 1 discipline power.

Swarmlord gets all 4 tyranid powers and can swap up to 4.  Looks like I'm getting the new kit lol.  Paroxysm + 3 biomancy powers anyone? 

Not much else has changed.  Deathleaper has 2+ cover now, but most cover has moved to 5+.  Broodlords can chellenge sarges and then hypnotize them.   Tyrants with guard are now treated "exactly as if they had the IC rule", but the guards can take the "look out sir" rolls. It still appears outflanking genestealers cannot assault when they arrive.

Playtesting the bugs today.  More feedback to come post games.

6th Ed Test Lists

Millennium Games is running a 6th ed bring-and-brawl event tomorrow to celebrate the release and let us start grinding out the new rules.  My buddy Kevin is also hosting a 6th ed bbq party in the afternoon so I put together a couple lists to play around with.

The first is a tyranid list with a couple things in mind.

First Reactions to Rumors

I haven't been addressing the 6th ed stuff much but now that there's some confirmation behind a lot of them I figured I would add some thoughts.  Keep in mind some of this may still be inaccurate.

Last Man Standing 2012 - Game #2

This event was a lock-in at Millennium Games and was the second time they ran this format.  Last year I took tyranids (1, 2, 3) and went undefeated throughout the event but do to the scoring system (loopholes), I didn't place.  This year I had planned to take my Mordrak Shock list, but do to local complaints about GK and powerlists, I decided to bring my WWP dark eldar.

The format was 4 players per table (1250pts each) playing for a central objective (any non-tansport can score) and kill points.  Each table had 4 cards which were randomly chosen to determine deployment order as well as the order of play for each turn.  As such, it was possible to go last then first (2 consecutive turns) or first then last (6 player turns in between).  Games automatically end at the end of the 5th turn (due to time with 4 players per table).

Since there's so much chaos between 4 players and the changing turn sequence, these reports will be fairly loose since I didn't take notes.

My list:
Archon + blaster, agonizer, shadow field, haywire grenades, phantasm launcher
Haemonculi x2 + portals
Grotesques x10 + aberration, flesh gauntlet, liquifier
Trueborn x3 + blasters x3
Warriors x5 + blaster
Warriors x5 + blaster
Beastmasters x3 + khymera x5, razorwings x2, clawed fiend x1
Talos + chain flails, heat lances

New Table: The Crystal Desert

I took a break from painting last week to build a new terrain set. You got a sneak peak of it if you read this report. 

I have a bunch of the tie-dyed fleece cloths from JoAnn's Fabrics and I've been wanting to get complete terrain sets for each one.  It's been a project I've put off for months and this new foam cutter the NOVA guys are using has me inspired.

Last Man Standing 2012 - Game #1

This event was a lock-in at Millennium Games and was the second time they ran this format.  Last year I took tyranids (1, 2, 3) and went undefeated throughout the event but do to the scoring system (loopholes), I didn't place.  This year I had planned to take my Mordrak Shock list, but do to local complaints about GK and powerlists, I decided to bring my WWP dark eldar.

The format was 4 players per table (1250pts each) playing for a central objective (any non-tansport can score) and kill points.  Each table had 4 cards which were randomly chosen to determine deployment order as well as the order of play for each turn.  As such, it was possible to go last then first (2 consecutive turns) or first then last (6 player turns in between).  Games automatically end at the end of the 5th turn (due to time with 4 players per table).

Since there's so much chaos between 4 players and the changing turn sequence, these reports will be fairly loose since I didn't take notes.

My list:
Archon + blaster, agonizer, shadow field, haywire grenades, phantasm launcher
Haemonculi x2 + portals
Grotesques x10 + aberration, flesh gauntlet, liquifier
Trueborn x3 + blasters x3
Warriors x5 + blaster
Warriors x5 + blaster
Beastmasters x3 + khymera x5, razorwings x2, clawed fiend x1
Talos + chain flails, heat lances

Batrep: Darl Eldar vs Eldar 1850pts - "Parkhammer"

Here's a special report I'm happy to be able to share with all of you.  As many are finishing out the last legs of 5th edition with one last super competitive tournament or with apathy towards the dying rule set, I had the fortune of playing a truly enjoyable game in a unique setting.  ChrisP put together a day of wargaming, food, and fun for gamers and their families in Watkin's Glen state park.  You'll notice the lighting changes on the table throughout the game.  That's because we were playing outdoors and the passing clouds and sun shining through the foliage created some dramatic effects.  The terrain is a new set I built last week just for this event with the help of my new foam cutter (thanks again MVB) and airbrush.  It's not quite finished, but I was really happy with the way it turned out.  I hope y'all enjoy reading about this game as much as I enjoyed playing it.

I decided to take my Dark Eldar as I haven't played the full army since March.  My friend Kevin stepped up to the challenge with his Eldar for a fluffy good vs evil grudge match.

June Tournament Game #3: Grey Knights vs Tyranids 1500pts

The June tournament at Millennium Games was a 1500pt event with comp penalties for duplicated units, transports, and special characters.  I had decided to build my Mordrak Shock list before the comp penalties were announced so I decided to stick with it.  Each mission allowed players to choose their primary and secondary scoring conditions from kill points, table quarters (vp's), and 5 objectives.  Primaries could only be chosen once, secondaries could be used twice.

My third and final opponent was Chrispy himself and his infamous tyranids.  He's been playing tyranids almost exclusively for 2 years now and has also won our local invitational both years in a row with them.  There are many out there that would say GK auto-win vs nids but I know better...

Chris's List (approx):
Tyrant + HVC, whip/sword
Tyrant Guard x2
Tyranid Prime + whip/sword
Hive Guard x3 (prime goes here)

Ymgarls x8
Genestealers x12 + broodlord w/ scytals
Termagants x10
Tervigon + toxins, adrenals, catalyst, cluster spines
Shrikes x5 + whips/swords, toxins

June Tournament Game #2: Grey Knights vs Blood Angels 1500pts

 The June tournament at Millennium Games was a 1500pt event with comp penalties for duplicated units, transports, and special characters.  I had decided to build my Mordrak Shock list before the comp penalties were announced so I decided to stick with it.  Each mission allowed players to choose their primary and secondary scoring conditions from kill points, table quarters (vp's), and 5 objectives.  Primaries could only be chosen once, secondaries could be used twice.

My second opponent was Buffalo Bill himself from the Buffalo based Beef and Wing gaming club.  I've only played Bill once before, last year at DaBoyz GT primer but his BA and my GK were much different back then as it was a heavy comp event.

Bill's List (approx):
Astorath
Death Company x5 + thunder hammer x1
Tactical Squad x10 + melta, infernus pistol, lascannon, drop pod
Assault Squad x10 + flamers x2, thunder hammer
Death Company Dreadnought + blood talons
Stomraven + multi-melta, assault cannons (death company, Astorath, and dread in here)
Land Raider Crusader (assault squad in here)

June Tournament Game #1: Grey Knights vs Necrons 1500pts

 The June tournament at Millennium Games was a 1500pt event with comp penalties for duplicated units, transports, and special characters.  I had decided to build my Mordrak Shock list before the comp penalties were announced so I decided to stick with it.  Each mission allowed players to choose their primary and secondary scoring conditions from kill points, table quarters (vp's), and 5 objectives.  Primaries could only be chosen once, secondaries could be used twice.

My first pairing was against Dean's necrons.  When they announced the pairings, I let out an audible sigh and the guys laughed.  It wasn't because I don't like playing Dean, he's a great opponent.  It's because wraiths and mindshackle scarabs can be so annoying.  Sorry Dean!

Dean's List (approx):
Overlord + scythe, mindshackle scarabs, command barge
Royal Court - 2 lance-teks w/1 solar pulse, 1 veil-tek, 1 lord + orb, scythe, mindshackle scarabs
Triarch Stalker + heat ray
Deathmarks x5 (veil-tek here)
Warriors x5 (lance-tek here) + ghost ark
Warriors x5 (lance-tek here) + ghost ark
Immortals x10 (orb lord here) + tesla
Wraiths x5 + whips x2, pistol x1
Annihilation Barge

Last Minute Changes

So I was planning on bringing a 1250pt version of my Mordrak Shock list to the 4 way free-for-all lock in this coming weekend.  Predictably though, another thread started in a local forum with people complaining about GK's.  Even though the list has no riflemen dreads, paladins, purifiers, or henchmen, I'm sure someone would make a comment during or after the event that would leave a bitter taste in my mouth.  That's exactly what I don't want to happen as I see out 5th edition.

Plus, I want to play at least one more 5th edition game with my Dark Eldar.

Batrep: Grey Knights vs Eldar 1500pts

This game was my first and only practice game before the monthly tournament.  I would be testing our my "Mordrak Shock" list that I've been painting up over the previous 3 weeks.  Kevin accepted my challenge with his Eldar.

Kevin's List:
Eldrad
Avatar
Fire Dragons x5 + wave serpent w/ scatter lasers
Dire Avengers x8 + exarch, blade storm, wave serpent w/ bright lances
Guardians x12 + scatter laser, warlock w/ conceal
War Walkers x3 + eml's
Nightspinner
Dark Reapers x4 + exarch, tempest launcher, crack shot

Tournament Day

I love tournament days.  Since my son was born 5 months ago, I've only been averaging 4 games per month, 3 of which are on tournament day.  My armies are all mostly painted and I'm really starting to enjoy the game more for what it is.

I took my Mordrak Shock list out today for it's first tournament after a practice game this Tuesday.  Only 7 people showed up, which was disappointing, but I guess that could be due to the nice weather and this edition being on its way out.

My first game was against Dean's necrons.  You've seen his army several times by now if you follow my battle reports.  This time, his army featured a mini-av13 wall (the event was 1500pts) with a triarch stalker, 2 ghost arks, a command barge, and annihilation barge.

Email: Nids for WargamesCon

Just wanted to respond to an email quick because I know time is winding down for this event.

From Traceoftoxin:

"If it's not too much trouble, I'd like your input on the list I plan on taking to wargames con later this month. With the terrible representation of tyranids (as in none) at adepticon, I wanted to see what I could do with the gribblies. I know the list is weak to venomspam, but that's pretty much most tyranid lists out there. Besides that, I have a strong forward presence with stealers, good mid-board control with the mini fexstars as well as tervigon support as needed. Besides venomspam my major fear is jotww, hopefully I can use stealers to create a proper buffer and use placement to ensure at worst I lose one model to it. The primes give me forward sitw to help with GK, and good assault moves will allow primes to put paladins at i1 while fexes throw out instant death and hopefully gaunts can keep draigo out of the important fight. Theoryhammer, all of it, but that's 40k in general. Anyways, here's the list.
 
2x1 tyranid prime - lash whip and bonesword, scything talons, regen, ts 
3x2 hive guard 
2x10 termagants
2x20 genestealers
2 tervigon - catalyst, cluster spines, ag, ts, scything talons
2x1 carnifex - 2 tl devourers, frag spines, ag

A few upgrades in there raise eyebrows, regen/ts on the primes, st on the tervis, ag on the carnifex. It's 70 points total in upgrades, which doesn't get me a whole lot that I need otherwise. S10 helps for twc, i4 let's me assure mutual destruction with dreads, etc. Regen helps with the wound allocation, ts gives better wound odds vs t4+, st are dirt cheap and when tervigons start swinging they need all the help they can get.

What do you think"

June List: Mordrak Shock

As the weekend draws near with the first of two June event's I'll be playing in, it's time to talk about the list.  I've been grinding away assembling and painting new models for my Grey Knight collection.  I wasn't able to get everything fully finished, but I did get 3 colors on all the models and it doesn't look too rushed IMO.  Over the past four weeks, I've assembled and painted Mordrak, 7 ghost knights (unit of 5 + 2 to spawn), a nemesis dreadknight, and some interceptor backpacks.

June Tournament Projects - 1 Week Out

So I've been grinding away on my painting projects to fill in a new army build for two events in June.  Here's the Mordrak model with some additional detailing on the armor since last time.  I still need to finish the hammer arm and storm bolter.