Um... I didn't see this up there but um... lots and lots of Heavy Bolters. I have four armies... I play Steel Legion, Armoured Corps, Tyranids and Vampire Countesses
. It is a confusing mix. But I get along.
I've read above "Tyranids are assaulty" True... Genestealers, Hormies... But we can also be a very nasty shooty army... Ever take 36 devourer shots? Each shot can re-roll to wound. I've killed entire marine command squads like that. Heh heh... good times...
I've also read "use Las cannons." Good idea, for big things... Carnis and Tyrants... end of story... Both of those have a 3+ save base, but you'll usually see them with a 2+ save. Good las cannon targets, but 90% of a tyranid army will have a 6+ or 5+ save, perfect for heavy bolters. The AP will ensure that they take wounds, and will drop plenty of my little beasties.
A Tyranid army is normally designed around one thing, putting more models down then the oppenent can kill. And it needs to work both ways. You cannot just kill big things, or you will be swamped by little things, you cannot just kill little things because A) you won't get them all B) you get hit with big things.
Bring tanks, nothing scares me more then staring at the las cannons of a Land Raider, or the barrel of Battle cannon. Only two things have a real chance of doing anything, a Carni or a Zoanthrope (with a nasty 2+/6+ combo). Zoanthropes will need a psychic test, and a carni has a base BS of 2, at best a 3. A carni with two vennom cannons can be a nasty thing, but a VC can only glance.
Tyranids don't need a tactic. All the other armies need to have some idea of what to do... not Tyranids, especially with Termies (Termagaunts for you non-Nid players) having the ability to be "without number." The look on a marine player's face when a Gaunt squad he just spent three turns destroying returns into play is priceless... especially when it comes up and destoryed the remains from the last time.
Defensive positions. You can take 'em or leave 'em. There is no point in assaulting a Tyranid army unless you are Orks. But watch out for "terrain" buildings (buildings you cannon enter or climb on). They are lictor bait. We will deploy from them, we will kill your commander, and we will use the hit and run ability to our advantage. We will hit you from behind. Raveners, big guard killers. Flyrants (that is a flying tyrant) Drop them behind infantry, slaughterfest...
Just because we are retreating... doesn't mean crud. Retreating means we go back into synapse... once in synapse, we are neigh unstoppable. No moral tests, no leadership tests, nothing. Even instant death is removed. It also means abilities like catalyst (being able to attack during close combat even if the 'nid dies) being in come into effect. With psychic powers, with the exception of a few, not needed tests, it means we can rain hell on people once close. But a good sniperfex (a carni with enhanced senses +1 bs and 2 venom cannons) or two can rain hell down on you from acorss the board. And we can always change our tactic. We can move from an assaulty army, to a shooty army and then back very quickly. Sure a shooty army means taking tons of lasgun fire and not getting our fleet of claw, but it also means laying down a hail of fire, usually with re-rollable wounds, then once you are ready for the shooty war moving back in with Hormigaunts.
Look out for our little ways of cheating (okay, cheating isn't a little thing, but it can easily be hinden from non-tyranid players (the the only time it is exceptable is against Tau...
)). Rippers are vulnerable to ordenence, and aren't protected from instant death. There are [glow=red,2,300]
two warpblasts[/glow] Get it? TWO! One is 24" and is weaker and doesnot require a psychic test. The other is 18" is much stronger but requires a psychic test. Make sure you know which one they are using. Hormigaunts don't get without number. Zoanthropes can have only a max of three psychic powers, but always have to take warp shield (2+/6+ save). Ask to see which ones they have taken, if synapse creature is not one of them, make sure they aren't using the zoanthrope to keep units in synapse. Raveners cannot assault out of deep strike (but lictors can). No everything has "living ammunition." This allows us to re-roll "to wounds." Weapons with this include Flesh borers and devourers. Make sure you know what is what. Barbed stranglers and deathspitters are assault 1, not assault x. Assault x weapons don't get a bonus for sything talons or crushing claws. A venom cannon shoots two shots when used by a carni and 3 when used by a Tyrant, no more no less.
Somethings we DO get whether you want to believe us or not:
-You DO have to subtract one from your BS when shooting anything with Toxic Miasma.
-Lictor can assault after deepstriking
-They (Lictors) can deepstrike into impassable terrain (but they come out next to it)
-They (Lictors) do get a cover save even when in the open
-Godzilla armies are a real thing, I've seen them.
-Tyrant wounds automatically go to their guards.
-Zoanthrope and Lictor broods operate independently.
-Yes, thornedbacked carnis count as 20 models
-21 if they have symbiote rippers
-Yes rippers have 3 wounds, get over it.
-We have move through cover.
-Yes, we can re-roll to wounds
-Yes, every gun is an assault weapon.
-Yes, assault x means the base number of attacks the beast gets
-Yes, assault 2x means we get a lot of freaking shots
-Yes, without number means as many times as we want.
-Killing the hive tyrant means nothing, stop hunting them hoping to "end the hive mind," it only loses you snipers and marines, and guardsmen, and horses, what ever bio mass you've decided to sacrifice to the Hive Mind (she does appriciate it though).
Finally, last. You have little hope of surviving a full tyranid swarm in a normal war. Get into bunkers, and wait for tyranids to enter them, then flamer them. Flamers and templates are what you need. Pack troops so that everyone covers everyone else. Don't bother with drop troops, but go for things like chem-inhalers and carapace armour, it will help you stick it out. You don't need low AP weapons, just a few to target big monsters. Tanks, use them. Tank rush squads, we cannot choose to fail the test, thus we loose a lot of troops. Don't hold out on lasgun fire, you have rapid fire use it. Who cares if you cannon assault after firing rapid fire? Were you planning on assaulting anyways? The bigger the bunker or fortress the better. Rain hell from above. Don't bother with demolishers, Exterminators (if you are even old enough to know what they are
) are your best bet. [glow=red,2,300]
HELLHOUNDS[/glow], or even just flamers... Anything that mass kills, get them. Leave your krak missiles and las cannons at home, bring plenty of ammo, autocannons, multilasers, lasguns, hellguns and HEAVY BOLTERS. Flamers will be your best bet. And you will hold out fine... also, make sure you either use random game length, or max 6 turns or you stand no chance.
Happy hunting!
)
. It is a confusing mix. But I get along. 
) are your best bet. [glow=red,2,300]HELLHOUNDS[/glow], or even just flamers... Anything that mass kills, get them. Leave your krak missiles and las cannons at home, bring plenty of ammo, autocannons, multilasers, lasguns, hellguns and HEAVY BOLTERS. Flamers will be your best bet. And you will hold out fine... also, make sure you either use random game length, or max 6 turns or you stand no chance. 
