Vanguard Onslaught Conundrums

[Hippocampus Expert]

I was wondering what other people have been doing with the more "meta" detachments for Nids like Vanguard Onslaught? I have been meaning to buy the Deathleaper and maybe other lictors for a while but otherwise I don't have very many units with the right keywords for this detachment.

I've played around with Unending Swarm and Crusher Stampede, without fully realizing that Crusher is not performing how you'd like it to tbh.

I have a tentative list for this that is Genestealers heavy. To back up the vanguard units, are multiple Zoanthrope units desirable at their current point cost? Also I'd like to hear how Neurolictors and Lictors are playing for people and your thoughts on one or the other.

[Jack Shrapnel]

I've done the vanguard swarm a few times, but I honestly prefer the flexibility of the invasion fleet more.

Zoans are mandatory, even at their high point cost as nids just don't have anti-tank options. With the busted eldar and marine tanks out there, not having zoans mean you have no chance in some matchups. Just protect them using terrain because opponents know to kill them first.

I put death leaper and a couple neurolictors in every list. They're cheap, lone operatives with an invulnerable and okay melee (not great melee... Even death leaper) they score points so well, primary and secondary and zone out your valuable stuff. And if a neurolictor dies who cares? It's only 65 points!

I've used the broodlord and genestealer unit a couple of times and they can definitely put a hurt on any infantry unit. But they die so easily on the return swing... You have to just make sure you kill something valuable with them before they bite it.

[Hippocampus Expert]

Nov 27, 2023 9:53:01 GMT -5 Jack Shrapnel said:

Zoans are mandatory, even at their high point cost as nids just don't have anti-tank options.

That is what I was expecting to hear I think. Maybe I'll play with the Invasion Fleet for a while as I build up more Vanguard units. I have not been bringing Zoans which is probably where I've gone wrong lately. I had a bit of luck doing waves of Hormagaunts and Genestealers/Broodlord in the Swarm detachment. Lately I'm getting tabled pretty quickly which is kind of discouraging tbh, but stuff happens.

[Jack Shrapnel]

Unfortunately with tyranids it's very easy to lose a game.

When piloted well (much like gsc) they can win games pretty decently, but they have a number of really glaring weaknesses, most notably trying to deal with anything T9 and above.

So there's just some bad matchups, particularly high toughness armies with good anti monster shooting (ie knights, guard, marine tanks) or daemons with high toughness monsters with invulnerable saves.

So you can either skew your list as well and hopefully dodge lists that can either kill your hordes / monsters or you can go with a balanced take all comers list which is what I'd recommend, even though it's less powerful against good matchups.

I take lictor types and single ripper swarms to score points, zoans to kill tanks, exocrines for anti elite infantry. Then everything else is either something I think is fun or themed. But my core 750 points is for covering the bases to play the game.