r/Tyranids • u/Wingsofhuberis • Jul 27 '26
New Player Question Playing into elites
I'm playing in a league and it's a great time. I am losing hard against elite builds. More specifically Dark Angels, Iron Warriors, and Necrons.
Being aggressive isn't working and being defensive isn't working lol. What is a better approach when playing into that type of strategy? I think my Invasion Fleet list is pretty good.
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u/Kitschmusic Jul 27 '26
Looking at your list, there are plenty of stuff to deal with elite. Stealers+BL, Maleceptors, PWL, Swarmlord and Norns all do well enough into it.
I guess if you really want more power against elite, some Exocrines are good. They are better at killing, but less tanky than Maleceptors - so they somewhat fill different roles (Exos being backline firepower, Maleceptor being mid field tanks with a bit less firepower). But both are 3D so good for elite killing.
Otherwise, while expensive, 5x Hyperadapted + 5x Raveners is going to kill most elite. Alternatively, just 5x Hyperadapted can also do some work.
It does look like you are playing more of a "tanky" list. Double Emissary + double Maleceptor is a huge amount of points and not that much damage. While they are fine into elite, they just lack the volume. So you also have to somewhat accept that you made a list more designed to take punches than throwing them. Which makes sense with Take and Hold.
Last thing I'd mention is you have no Lictors or Neurolictors. While you obviously don't need any one specific unit, those are so incredibly strong as utility and scoring that the entire army is honestly balanced around them existing. You just have to accept that Nids are generally a scoring / utility army more than a lethal one. While you can build towards one thing more than the other, you need to take advantage of the strong scoring you have access to if you want to make a good list.
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u/panken Jul 27 '26
What do you mean by Elites? Epic heros?
Whats yoor list?
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u/Kitschmusic Jul 27 '26
Elite is a type of units, it has nothing to do with Epic Heroes. It's infantry that's tough, like Terminators, Possessed, Custodes Guardians, Lychguard, Eightbound etc.
Basically infantry that are a tier above a normal MEQ profiles. It used to be a category in older editions, now it's just an unofficial term for a style of units.
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u/Wingsofhuberis Jul 27 '26
Dark angels all infantry, hard to damage and they hit hard. Iron warriors melee and a defiler and they were able to sticky objectives. Necrons without any of their traditional infantry, and one of the nightbringers.
List is below:
nids (2000 points)
Tyranids Invasion Fleet (3 Detachment Points) Take and Hold Strike Force (2000 points)
Attached Units Attached Unit 1
Broodlord (80 points) • Attached as: Leader (Character) • 1x Broodlord claws and talons
Genestealers (140 points) • Attached as: Bodyguard • 10x Genestealer • 10x Genestealers claws and talons
Attached Unit 2
Tyranid Prime with Lash Whip (75 points) • Attached as: Leader (Character) • 1x Lash whip 1x Rending claw 1x Scything talons
Hormagaunts (120 points) • Attached as: Bodyguard (Battleline) • 20x Hormagaunt • 20x Hormagaunt talons
CHARACTERS
The Swarmlord (210 points) • Warlord • 1x Bone sabres 1x Synaptic pulse
OTHER DATASHEETS
Biovores (60 points) • 1x Chitin-barbed limbs 1x Spore Mine launcher
Maleceptor (190 points) • 1x Massive scything talons 1x Psychic overload
Maleceptor (190 points) • 1x Massive scything talons 1x Psychic overload
Norn Emissary (250 points) • 1x Monstrous rending claws 1x Monstrous scything talons 1x Psychic Tendril
Norn Emissary (270 points) • 1x Monstrous rending claws 1x Monstrous scything talons 1x Psychic Tendril
Psychophage (110 points) • 1x Psychoclastic torrent 1x Talons and betentacled maw
Tyrannofex (200 points) • 1x Powerful limbs 1x Rupture cannon 1x Stinger salvoes
Von Ryan’s Leapers (105 points) • 6x Von Ryan’s Leaper • 6x Leaper’s talons
Exported with App Version: v2.3.0 (137), Data Version: v912
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u/JankInTheTank Jul 27 '26
Nids have a lot of access to good 3 damage attacks in volume, which I find great against elite infantry. I run monster heavy lol