Editing Warhammer 40,000/5th Edition Tactics/Tyranids (section)

===Fast Attack===
*'''Gargoyles''' - Gaunts with wings, effectively. They are, in quite nearly every way, just Termagants with wings. They have the same stats, the same weapons, and the same problem with No Retreat wounds. However, aside from the 12" movement, there is one exception: gargoyles wound enemies during the to-hit rolls as well as during the to-wound rolls. Every six they roll to hit becomes a wound with armor saves allowed (essentially Necron Gauss weapons that allow armor saves and can't get glancing hits on vehicles). Throw in poison and gargoyles become some savage monstrous creature hunters (great for fucking over other tyranid armies and chaos daemons). Sadly, they aren't too fantastic against much else; they are really very average models for survivability and output, so while it doesn't hurt to have them around, they also don't always help. They are, however, an excellent unit for a Parasite of Mortrex to join.
*'''Harpies''' - Harpies are jump infantry models of debatable use. They don't come especially cheap, costing as much as a tervigon, and they aren't very strong or tough for the cost. They come equipped with a twin-linked, S6, large blast and can be upgraded to a twin-linked, S9, small blast, but the S9 gun does less damage on the vehicle penetration chart (it is still great for insta-death delivery). They aren't strong enough and nor do they have enough attacks to really be hunting any heavy vehicles, they're toughness five so they can be instantly killed, and their save is 4+ so they're easy Heavy Bolter fodder. Getting one assaulted would be a disaster, so they're really only as useful as the gun they carry, and that's a matter dependent on your army list. And they're one of  the last two units in the army to lack a model so if that affects your choice...
*'''Raveners''' - Raveners are very similar to Warriors, but they're faster, have higher initiative, have more attacks, are more fragile, and can't climb stairs. Ultimately they're ok. They aren't as good at fighting as a swarm of Hormagaunts, aren't as tough as Warriors, and get expensive when equipped with ranged weapons, but their Fleet move and 12" charge range do give them a niche to fill. Ideally, they're harassers, designed to make unexpected long range assaults into exposed heavy weapons teams or infantry who think they're safely controlling an objective. The main thing to worry about with them is Instant Death and getting caught in the open. Their 5+ saves mean they won't get armor against the most typical foes, and if you can't clean up that Space Marine with a hidden Power Fist in one round then you'll have some very dead Raveners on your hands.
*'''Shrikes''' - Warriors with wings and a 5+ save. Can't take power weapons and ranged weapons together for some reason. Otherwise nearly identical to Warriors, described above.
*'''Sky-Slashers''' - Rippers with wings. Not better in any way, but now with the added weakness of taking dangerous terrain checks if they use their jump move while in terrain! The wings almost negate the cover bonus the Rippers get for being swarms. Otherwise, see Rippers, described above.
*'''Spore Mines''' - Floating basketballs that explode when they bump into things. Also, they deepstrike before anyone deploys. This makes them pretty much useless, since any enemy with any kind of strategic experience will just tank shock them on the first turn. However, if used with dawn of war deployment, they are essentially a big middle finger to the enemy. Since they deepstrike before deployment, and in DoW you can't deploy within 18" of an enemy model, you basically create a 36" wide buffer where the enemy can't deploy. Needless to say, annoying as shit.