I know many of you have seen the superlative Tyracrons from Musings of a Metal Mind, a Necron counts-as Tyranid army. I'll blame this amazing example of the hobby as the germ for the idea, but after reading and watching batreps on how the Necron codex and its units work, I've lately been captured by an idea. I think it might be possible to build a "Tyranid" army using the Necron codex that would allow you to field Tyranid-like abilities consistent with the fluff and maybe more effective than the Tyranid codex. I should probably have another pint and chalk it up to wishful thinking, but I thought I'd put the ideas down here and see what you all think. Pretty sure the biggest challenges are in the vehicle/TLoS department/modeling for advantage. Note the unit comparison below aren't 1:1 analogues that translate directly across FOC slots, but are just general ability comparisons.
HQ
Tyrant/Tyranid Prime, Tyrant Guard - can be accommodated for with different Overlord/Destroyer Lord or C'Tan Shard combinations pretty easily (although C'Tan isn't HQ)
Tervigon HQ - no real analogue in the HQ slot
Elites
Lictors, Ymgarl - Flayed Ones and Canoptek Wraiths both fill these roles pretty well.
Pyrovore - these even suck in the Necron codex ;)
Venomthrope - no real analogue
Hive Guard - while an absolutely key elite slot in the Tyranid codex, the closest match here is probably the Necron Destroyer
Zoanthrope - not a clear match here for a key fluff Tyranid unit
Troops
Tyranid Warriors - Immortals, Lychguards, Deathmarks
Genestealers - Flayed Ones or Wraiths
Hormagaunts - Flayed Ones?
Termagaunts - Necron Warriors
Tervigon - Canoptek Spyder perhaps? Trying to parallel the troops and spawn functions ends up with a transport, probably the Ghost Ark
Rippers - One word: Scarabs
Fast Attack
Gargoyles - Canoptek Wraiths
Raveners - Canoptek Wraiths or Tomb Blades
Shrikes - Necron Destroyers, Tomb Blades, Triarch Praetorians
Harpy - Doom Scythe, maybe a Night Scythe?
Rippers - Scarabs
Heavy Support
Trygon/Mawloc - it's an absolute crime the Tomb Stalker didn't make it into the Codex; a Triarch Stalker is the next best bet; maybe Canoptek Sypder, from the deep strike/tunnel aspect, maybe a Monolith
Carnifex - maybe the Canoptek Spyder or Triarch Stalker
Biovore - no real analogue here
Tyrannofex - Doomsday Ark, Annihilation Barge, maybe a Monolith
This is my first attempt to get my thoughts down on paper - definitely haven't really researched the idea with any depth, or done any meaningful size comparisons, let alone thought it through to the point of trying to build an FOC-compliant Necron force using the matching models above. Without going down that road to really check, I think this might be do-able though. I think avoiding the big vehicles like Arks and Monoliths, and maybe even the Command Barges might be necessary to avoid TLoS issues. Just some musings on a Saturday afternoon...
Cool idea!
ReplyDeleteBased on what I've seen of the New-crons from my bro-in-law (at least vs. IG and Orks!) here's my two cents for a practical (and cheap) way to make a competitive list using Tyranid Proxies (and models that I know you already have!):
= HQ =
- The Stormlord is a raving douche to fight against (especially if you're shooty), night-fighting sucks something fierce and the lightning, while it only hits on a 6, sucks when it does hit (1D6 Str 8 hits can pop quite a few things). Zoanthropes or Lictors might be fun (Thropes for the psyker abilities/lightning, Lictor
- Overlord + Command Barge = This is a tough one, 'nids don't really have a symbiotic/parasitic unit that could reflect the transport + a person inside... maybe a Lictor would work here as the Flat-Out attack that the command barge can do kinda fits with the Lictor (the command barge has killed a few of my vehicles, that's for sure).
= Elites =
Not much worth taking (for the pts anyway)
= Troops =
- Warriors = Termagaunts
- Immortals = Tyranid Warriors
= Fast Attack =
- Destroyers = Gargoyles - you only need a handful of these (5 to 6 or so) from what I've seen - make one 'special' and he can be the Lord. One of your only anti-vehicle options really other than Scarabs (which rape). Gargoyles fly, so it fits with the fast skimmer bit.
- Scarabs = Rippers, good call. Scarabs are a must, but you'll have to keep them away from nasty templates (like the Hellhound, what what).
= Heavy Support =
- Doomsday Ark = Tyrannofex
- Monoliths gargle balls these days for the points now that Lances can chew them up, but if you MUST bring some, Carnifex or Tyrranofex might work here too...
- Dedicated Transport -
- Ghost Arks - agree that you could pull off the Tervigon (maybe not the new one) for a Ghost Ark since it would semi-fit the fluff, albeit the Ghost Ark doesn't crap out 3D6 'gaunts per turn, but it does resurrect dead 'crons, and it can be used as a dedicated transport.
Just some ideas, but I think it'd be very do-able and fun!