Warhammer 40K: This Week’s Meta Hotness – Tyranid Hive Guard
Let’s take a look at a unit that is impaling the oppostion, Tyranid Hive Guard.
In the ever-shifting meta of 40K, armies rise and fall. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about armies that are hot or not, but a lot less time looking at units that are running the show. Today let’s start by taking a look at one of the hottest units currently running around the tabletop.
The Unit
Hive Guard are an elite heavy Tyranid infantry unit. These slow heavy beasts are grown to carry massive guns. Acting as a more defensive unit they are mildly psychic. On the tabletop they provide mid-ranged heavy fire support.
Why are Tyranid Hive Guard Good?
The easy answer to this question is: Impaler Cannons. One of the unit signature weapons, this gun has a great stat line. 36 inches gives it plenty of range. S8 and Ap-2 mean its a danger both to heavy infantry and vehicles. With 2 shots it can get off enough shots to matter. It’s ablity to ignore LoS is also key to its usefulness, as well as not allowing cover. This lets it dominate the field as needed. It’s only draw back is d3 damage which makes it slightly less reliable then would be ideal. It’s almost always picked over the shorter ranged shockcannon.
Outside of their gun, Tyranid Hive Guard have a pretty solid stat line. Though they are slow, T5 and 3 wounds means they are pretty survivable and don’t die easy. 2 Attacks, gives them an option to outfit light units attempting to tie them up. BS 3+ lets them put the guns to good use. They have some synergies with the rest of the army, but not a lot of extra rules of their own. This is a pretty simple shooting unit that puts out a lot of firepower.
A Sample List
Saying a unit is hot is all well and good, but let’s take a look at how players are using it. Hive Guard have been in a number of lists that have done well at recent tournaments. One list that uses them is the following: run by Alex MacDougall for a top 8 place at LVO.
LVO 2022 Hive Mind – Alex MacDougall
++ Patrol Detachment -2CP (Tyranids – Genestealer Cults – 2022) [52 PL, 10CP, 991pts] ++
+ Configuration [10CP] +
Battle Size [12CP]: 3. Strike Force (101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points)Â [12CP]
Cult Creeds: The Twisted Helix
Detachment Command Cost [-2CP]
+ No Force Org Slot [4 PL, 80pts] +
Kelermorph [4 PL, 80pts]: 3x Liberator Autostub
+ HQ [8 PL, 165pts] +
Patriarch [8 PL, 165pts]: Familiar [10pts], Meditations in Shadow [1 PL, 15pts], Patriarch’s Claws, Power: Mass Hypnosis, Power: Might From Beyond, Power: Mutagenic Deviation
+ Troops [13 PL, 240pts] +
Acolyte Hybrids [7 PL, 150pts]: A Trap Sprung [1 PL, 15pts]
5x Acolyte Hybrid [45pts]:
5x Autopistol, 5x Blasting Charges, 5x Cult Claws and Knife, 5x Frag Grenades
4x Acolyte Hybrid w/ Industrial Weapon [19pts]: Blasting Charges, Frag Grenades, Heavy Rock Drill [10pts]
Acolyte Leader [14pts]: Autopistol, Blasting Charges, Cult Bonesword [5pts], Frag Grenades
Acolyte Hybrids [3 PL, 45pts]
4x Acolyte Hybrid [36pts]: 4x Autopistol, 4x Blasting Charges, 4x Cult Claws and Knife, 4x Frag Grenades
Acolyte Leader [9pts]: Autopistol, Blasting Charges, Cult Claws and Knife, Frag Grenades
Acolyte Hybrids [3 PL, 45pts]
4x Acolyte Hybrid [36pts]: 4x Autopistol, 4x Blasting Charges, 4x Cult Claws and Knife, 4x Frag Grenades
Acolyte Leader [9pts]: Autopistol, Blasting Charges, Cult Claws and Knife, Frag Grenades
+ Elites [16 PL, 305pts] +
Purestrain Genestealers [8 PL, 155pts]: Cult Claws and Talons, Our Time is Nigh [1 PL, 15pts], 10x Purestrain Genestealer [140pts]
Purestrain Genestealers [8 PL, 150pts]: Cult Claws and Talons, 10x Purestrain Genestealer [140pts], They Came From Below [1 PL, 10pts]
+ Fast Attack [6 PL, 106pts] +
Atalan Jackals [3 PL, 53pts]
Atalan Jackal [17pts]: Atalan Small Arms, Blasting Charges, Demolition Charge [5pts]
3x Atalan Jackal [12pts]: Atalan Small Arms, Blasting Charges
Atalan Jackals [3 PL, 53pts]
Atalan Jackal [17pts]: Atalan Small Arms, Blasting Charges, Demolition Charge [5pts]
3x Atalan Jackal [12pts]: Atalan Small Arms, Blasting Charges
+ Dedicated Transport [5 PL, 95pts] +
Goliath Truck [5 PL, 95pts]: Cache of Demolition Charges [5pts], Heavy Stubber, Twin Autocannon
++ Patrol Detachment 0CP (Tyranids) [50 PL, -2CP, 1,006pts] ++
+ Configuration +
Detachment Command Cost
Hive Fleet: Leviathan
+ Stratagems [-1CP] +
Progeny of the Hive [-1CP]
+ HQ [5 PL, -1CP, 95pts] +
Neurothrope [5 PL, -1CP, 95pts]: Claws and Teeth, Power: Catalyst, Power: Smite, Stratagem: Alpha Leader-Beast [-1CP], Warlord, Warlord Trait: Strategic Adaptation, Warlord Trait: Swarm Leader
+ Troops [23 PL, 456pts] +
Termagants [9 PL, 196pts]
28x Termagant (Devourer) [196pts]: 28x Devourer [56pts]
Termagants [9 PL, 182pts]
26x Termagant (Devourer) [182pts]: 26x Devourer [52pts]
Tyranid Warriors [5 PL, 78pts]: Adrenal Glands [3pts], Synaptic Link: Bioweapon Bond [1 PL, 15pts]
3x Tyranid Warrior [20pts]: Lash Whip and Bonesword [3pts], Scything Talons
+ Elites [22 PL, 455pts] +
Hive Guard [12 PL, 270pts]
Adaptive Physiology: Enhanced Resistance
6x Hive Guard (Impaler) [270pts]: 6x Impaler Cannon [60pts]
Maleceptor [10 PL, 185pts]: Massive Scything Talons, Power: Onslaught, Synaptic Link: Focal Essence [1 PL, 15pts]
Total: [102 PL, 8CP, 1,997pts]
Using Hive Guard
Alex’s list makes use of a large 6 model unit of Tyranid Hive Guard. They’ve been armed with the ever present Impaler cannons and buffed up with Enhanced Resistance, giving them buffs vs AP -1 and -2. In a complicated list this unit serves a needed role as a strong gun battery that ignores LoS. Units like this are almost compulsory in 9th edition, and are great for killing hidden enemy units or knocking the enemy off objectives. With the option to fire twice if needed, they can put out up to 32 shots S8 shots, for a maximum of 96 damage. Far more than the vaunted Avatar! These guys sit back in cover, are hard to kill, and shot up the enemy. It’s a good life.
Let us know what units you think are hot right now, down in the comments!
