A Commander's Guide to Unleashing the Vanguard Onslaught Tyranids
Greetings, commander! Are you ready to dive into the relentless, predatory world of the Tyranids? The Hive Mind has selected you for a specific, brutal task: to lead its rapid flanking forces in a Vanguard Onslaught. This isn't about grinding down your enemy with endless waves of gaunts (though we'll certainly have some of those); this is about a surgical, lightning-fast strike that dismantles your opponent's army before they can even react.
So, are you prepared to feel the hunger of the swarm and outmaneuver your prey? Let's begin the assimilation!
Step 1: Understanding the Hive Mind's Plan
First, let's get into the mindset of this particular detachment. The Vanguard Onslaught detachment is all about speed, mobility, and surgical strikes. You are a spearhead, not a blunt hammer. Your primary goal is to disrupt the enemy's plans, seize objectives early, and eliminate key threats before they can bring their heavy firepower to bear.
Think of yourself as a hunter stalking its prey. You will use the terrain, your superior movement, and your special rules to get into a prime position. Your army will be a blur of chitin and claws, appearing from the shadows to tear apart the enemy's vital organs—their characters, their key units, and their backline scoring units.
To truly master this, you need to think a turn or two ahead. What do you want to accomplish on turn 1? And what will your opponent do in response? How can you exploit their reactions?
Step 2: Assembling Your Swarm for the Strike
Now, let's talk about the bioforms you'll need for this precise assault. The Vanguard Onslaught detachment has a specific focus on units with the Vanguard Invader keyword. These are your specialists in infiltration, scouting, and lightning-fast charges.
The Core of Your Onslaught
Genestealers with a Broodlord: This is a classic and for good reason. Genestealers are incredibly fast, and with their Scout ability, they can be a terrifying Turn 1 threat. A Broodlord leading them makes them hit harder and gives them a 5+ invulnerable save, making them surprisingly resilient for their points. With the right stratagems, this unit can mulch through almost anything.
Lictors & Neurolictors: These are your scalpel units. Lictors are excellent for dropping in and assassinating lone characters or tying up backfield units. The Neurolictor is even better, as it can battleshock enemy units, making them easier to wound and giving them Objective Control 0. Using their Infiltrator ability, you can place them in a prime position to apply pressure right from the start.
Von Ryan's Leapers: These are another fantastic Infiltrator unit. They are fast, have a free Heroic Intervention, and can Fall Back and Charge thanks to the detachment's core rule. Use them to harass your opponent's flanks and lock down their vital units.
Winged Tyranid Prime & Tyranid Warriors (Melee): This is a powerful combo that becomes a Vanguard Invader unit when the Winged Tyranid Prime leads them. This unit is surprisingly durable with a 5+ invulnerable save and can hit like a truck, especially with the right stratagems.
Supporting Elements
While the Vanguard Invader units are the stars, you can't win a game with just them. You need support to handle tougher targets and hold objectives.
Exocrines: These are incredible shooting platforms. Their bio-plasmic cannons can melt through armored targets, and their ability to re-roll hits and wounds makes them extremely reliable. They are often a key part of any successful Tyranid list, and they don't need the Vanguard Invader keyword to be effective.
Zoanthropes: Need psychic firepower? Zoanthropes are your answer. Their Warp Blasts are great for dealing with tough, multi-wound models, and they can provide a crucial invulnerable save to nearby units.
Biovores: The king of objective denial and spore mine deployment. A single Biovore can control a large area of the board and force your opponent to deal with a constant stream of Spore Mines.
Gargoyles: These units are fast, cheap, and have Deep Strike. They are perfect for scoring secondary objectives, screening, and just being a general nuisance.
Step 3: Mastering Your Stratagems and Enhancements
The Vanguard Onslaught detachment isn't just about the units; it's about how you use their special rules and stratagems. These are your tools for outmaneuvering and out-thinking your opponent.
Key Stratagems (1CP)
Pheromone Trail: A crucial stratagem. When an enemy unit finishes a Normal, Advance, or Fall Back move, you can use this to have up to two Vanguard Invader units within 9" of them make a Normal move. This is amazing for repositioning, getting into charge range, or simply getting out of a bad spot.
Unseen Lurkers: Use this to give a Vanguard Invader unit a -1 to be hit from ranged attacks until the end of the phase. This is perfect for keeping your key units alive as they close in on the enemy.
Surprise Assault: When a Vanguard Invader unit shoots or fights an enemy unit that has to take a Battle-shock test, they get +1 to hit. This pairs perfectly with the Neurolictor's ability and can make your attacks far more reliable.
Assassin Beast: This gives a Vanguard Invader Infantry unit the [Precision] keyword in the fight phase, letting you snipe enemy characters hiding in units. A unit of Genestealers with this can be a truly terrifying threat to an enemy's Warlord.
Essential Enhancements
Neuronode: This is a must-have. It allows you to redeploy up to three Vanguard Invader units after both players have deployed their armies and determined who goes first. This is a game-changer! You can react to your opponent's deployment, move your units to a better position, or even put them into Strategic Reserves for a later ambush.
Hunting Grounds: When an enemy unit deploys from Reserves, roll a D6. On a 2+, that unit has to take a Battle-shock test. This is a fantastic way to disrupt your opponent's plans for reinforcements.
Chameleonic: Give a Vanguard Invader model the benefit of cover and Stealth against ranged attacks. A great choice for a character you want to protect as it leads a charge.
Step 4: The Game Plan - From Deployment to Domination
So, you've built your list and you know your tools. Now, let's talk about how to execute your plan on the tabletop.
Deployment and Pre-Game Moves
Use your Scout and Infiltrator units: Place your Genestealers, Lictors, Neurolictors, and Von Ryan's Leapers in key positions to threaten your opponent's deployment zone. This forces them to deploy defensively and can give you a lot of board control early on.
Leverage the Neuronode: After deployment, use the Neuronode enhancement to its fullest. Did your opponent overcommit on one flank? Redeploy your Genestealers to the other side. Did they leave a juicy character exposed? Put a Lictor in Strategic Reserves to drop in and get them. This is your chance to adapt and gain a huge advantage.
The Turn 1 Alpha Strike
The First Move: If you go first, your goal is to apply maximum pressure. Use your fast-moving units to surge forward. Advance your Genestealers and other Vanguard Invaders to get into threatening positions.
Charge and Disrupt: Use your Advance and Charge ability to get into combat as quickly as possible. Don't be afraid to send a unit or two on a one-way trip to tie up a key enemy unit. Even if they die, they've done their job by preventing your opponent from shooting or moving freely.
Target Selection: Focus on the enemy's most important units. Take out their units that are holding objectives, their heavy-hitting melee threats, or their fragile but powerful support characters.
Adapting to the Mid-Game
Don't Overcommit: You will lose units. That's the nature of the swarm. The key is to lose them on your terms. Use your cheap units to screen and absorb fire, allowing your more valuable units to survive and keep fighting.
Use the Fall Back and Charge: Remember your Questing Tendrils ability, which allows all your units to charge after falling back. Use this to your advantage to tie up enemy units, fall back, and then charge them again or a different unit in the same turn.
Score Objectives: While you're busy disrupting the enemy, don't forget the mission. Use your fast units to score secondary objectives and your more durable units (like Tyranid Warriors) to hold the primary objectives.
The Late Game
Maintain Pressure: As the game progresses, your units will be depleted. Use your remaining forces to continue harassing the enemy, preventing them from scoring, and cleaning up their remaining forces.
Unleash the Shadow in the Warp: Don't forget your once-per-game Shadow in the Warp ability, which forces all enemy units to take a Battle-shock test. Use this when you need to shut down an opponent's objective control or make their attacks less effective.
FAQ: Your Hive Mind Queries Answered
Here are 10 quick answers to common questions about the Vanguard Onslaught detachment.
How to get a Turn 1 charge with Vanguard Onslaught? You can use the Scout and Infiltrator abilities of your units, combined with the detachment's Advance and Charge rule, to cover a huge distance and get into a strong position for a Turn 1 charge.
How to make my Genestealers more durable? Attach a Broodlord to them to give them a 5+ invulnerable save, and use the Unseen Lurkers stratagem to make them -1 to be hit by ranged attacks.
How to use the Neuronode enhancement effectively? Wait until your opponent has deployed their army and you know who goes first. Then, redeploy your key units to exploit any weaknesses in their setup, such as an exposed flank or a vulnerable backline objective.
How to deal with armored vehicles and monsters? While the detachment excels at melee, bring along supporting units like Exocrines or a Carnifex with a heavy venom cannon to deal with high-toughness targets from a distance.
How to disrupt my opponent's deep striking units? Use the Hunting Grounds enhancement on one of your characters. This forces enemy units arriving from Reserves to take a Battle-shock test on a 2+, which can completely mess up their plans.
How to make my Tyranid Warriors a Vanguard Invader unit? Attach a Winged Tyranid Prime to a unit of Tyranid Warriors with Melee Bio-weapons. This gives them the keyword and makes them a powerful, fast-moving melee threat.
How to take out enemy characters? Use the Assassin Beast stratagem on a Vanguard Invader Infantry unit like Genestealers, giving them the [Precision] keyword in the fight phase.
How to use the Fall Back and Charge ability of this detachment? Charge an enemy unit, fight, and then in your next turn, Fall Back to escape the combat and then Charge a different unit or reposition for a better angle. This makes your units incredibly difficult to pin down.
How to handle multiple small enemy units on objectives? Utilize the Shadow in the Warp ability to force a Battle-shock test on all enemy units. If they fail, they lose Objective Control and you can easily take the objective.
How to build a beginner-friendly Vanguard Onslaught list? Start with a core of Genestealers led by a Broodlord, a few units of Lictors or Von Ryan's Leapers for infiltration, and then add a solid shooting platform like an Exocrine and some durable troops like Tyranid Warriors to hold objectives.