Tyranid Weapons: Ranged

So today we can recap the Ranged weapons of the New Tyranids:

First off we have the:

Acid Spray:
Flamer Template that operates like the IG tank one - 12" range to place the small end and big end must be closer to the target than the small end.

Fun for sitting out of cover and blasting people in cover S6 is nice as you're wounding most infantry on a 2+ with an auto hit, ignores cover is nice, but the AP4 of this puts me off using it since it is only available on the Tyranofex who should ALWAYS have a rupture cannon.

Barbed Strangler:
With a 36" range and a Large Blast that pins, it is useful to have. S4 means that you're wounding most of the infantry models on the table with a 4+ (so 50%) not a bad little gun, but there are much better ways to get large blasts out there, and for my personal taste, i'd rather have a Venom Cannon. The one bonus this does have over the venom cannon is that even with a BS of 3, you're still likely to hit things.

Bio-Plasma:
Bio-Plasma took a hit with the new dex. it was really nice that you could use it in Melee in the last dex, but well, you can't have it all. Still, can be a useful upgrade for a carnifex to take to help soften up a unit that he is about to charge.

Bio-Electric Pulse & Containment Spines:
These, at least to me, are amazing little weapons and one of the primary reasons to take a Tyrgon Prime (besides the synapse of course). Spines are nice at 12" Range 5&5 with assault 6, but the real beauty is when you upgrade to the prime (40 points) for 18" range 5&5 with Assault 12!
worth the 40 points on that alone, not to mention the attainment of +2 LD, Synapse and Shadow in the Warp.
With a BS of 3 you're only hitting with half, but you CAN completely destroy a unit if you know what you're doing. It's great fun to pop up with a Trygon and shoot 12 shots at a small-ish squad with a 6+ save and drop 6 hits, 4 wounds that they can not save and watch them run (all from deep strike) then on the turn in which you can act normally you drop the same on another squad then charge it.

Cluster Spines:
For me it is a required upgrade from a stinger salvo. With almost all of the Nids having a BS of 3, having that Free upgrade to a pie plate that is 18" range and S5 is too valuable to pass up. sure you're not doing anything to armor, but you have other weapons for that. This is an anti-infantry weapon meant to make them make saves. The more they roll, the more they fail.

Deathspitter:
So, it's basically a pulse rifle with a shorter range on steroids. I'll take it. While 18" range is not the greatest, it is an assault weapon which means it's effective range is 24". not quite the 30 of a pulse rifle, but with 3 shots, how can you go wrong?

Devourer & Brainleach Worms:
Well, we lost Living Ammunition, but we gained a consistant rate of fire and the ability to usually make our target roll lots of dice. Still a great weapon. I'd still take it. Especially the MC version that drops 12 S6 shots at a target. sure you're only hitting with 6 of them, but 5 should wound. and at least 1 should fail causing them to make a LD test at -1 to run away.

Flamespurt:
Will anyone really take these things? ever?

Fleshborer & Fleshborer Hive:
It's our standard infantry weapon, and it's not horrible. with an effective range of 18" it's not horrible, but still not the best S4 AP5 assault 1 makes it.... sub par, until you realize that it comes standard on a 5 point model.
The hive is an interesting Big weapon..... 20 shots. still you're only hitting with 10 of them, and 5 should wound. out of which marines should fail 1-2 saves. not a good thing. Skip the Hive and take the Rupture Cannon.

Flesh Hooks:
S6 AP- Rending Assault 2 Weapon that only comes on a few guys. also counts as frag grenades. Not bad. Rending helps S6 means you're wounding on a 2+, but you will only usually get 1 hit and a 6" range means you're just wanting them to make a save before you charge them.

Venom & Heavy Venom Cannon:
These have a lot of utility, and a major drawback... Strong weapons with a decent range they suffer an additional -1 to the vehicle damage chart, but at the same time, they can now penetrate as opposed to the only glance in the last dex.  I think the HVC on harpies because they are twin linked and you get to have cluster spines for anti-infantry as well as the HVC for anti-tank. DUAL PURPOSE MONSTER!

Impaler Cannon:
Amazing little weapon meant to take out light vehicles.

Ripper Tentacles:
Not a bad standard weapon, but with only a 6" range, it suffers the same as the Deathwind of the Drop Pod, people simply move out of the way.

Rupture Cannon:
An amazing piece of weaponry that can destroy even the toughest of vehicles. It auto pens AV10 and can penetrate a Land Raider. Always take these on your Tyranofex.

Spike Rifle:
All of the weapon upgrades (at least to me) to the Termagaunt should be free with the exception of the Devourer, which should be priced at 3 points not 5. Skip them all I say.

Spinefists:
See the Spike Rifle.

Spore Mine Cysts:
Interesting weapon. I like the concept, but well, your chances are fairly good that you will end up hitting yourself. And that is never good. Use in case of emergency or great opportunity.

Stinger Salvo:
Always upgrade this to the Cluster Spines. you have a BS of 3. 2 will hit, 1 will wound, and likely it will be saved.

Stranglethorn Cannon:
A bigger and stronger Barbed Strangler. S6 means a 2+ to wound roll, so it's much more useful than the Barbed Strangler. good for forcing tests on an infantry squad.

Strangleweb:
NEVER PAY FOR THIS PIECE OF CRAP! Str Test 2 vs average of 4 means you're rolling to wound with a 6. 5+ vs Tau. CRAP.

Thorax Swarm:
Always take the Dessicator Larve. 2+ to wound is going to net you far more than the other options. no you don't fire it at armor.


There you go.

Thoughts, disagreement?

Pic taken from the 40k Wiki