Warhammer World GT3 Planning

I've mentioned a number of times about the upcoming Warhammer World 40k Grand Tournament in February. I'm still stuck trying to decide what to take and in discussions with a few people they've advocated taking the nids again. I've done some quick Pro/Con tables to help make the decision.

Pros	Cons
More competitive More familiar with their rules Looks more striking on the table - painting competition	Taken every time to Warhammer World Lots of baggage Slow to play
Questions
Hive Fleet choice? Do I take the skyshield? [Struggling to fit it in points-wise] Do I take the Swarmlord? Brigade or 2 battalions?

I tried to look at a Brigade for the extra Command Points but I think I make too many compromises to fit everything in. Two Battalions seem reasonable but there are a lot of variations within that. Do I take the Swarmlord, if so do I also take a Flyrant? I might be able to run 2 Trygons. I want the Tervigon and Termagants but I could try a Tyrannofex and I have the Carnifex too. Hive Guard are definitely in and Genestealers, Malanthrope a possibility and a Broodlord. The Skyshield is potentially worth it if I take the Tyrannofex and it looks so cool, but there are so many units I could take fitting in something quite static might not be the best choice. It does make the army stand out though...

Dark Angels and Imperial Knight

Pros	Cons
Taking something new to Warhammer World Reasonably effective at Blog Wars Less figures - faster to play? Less baggage	Comeptitively not great Doesn't stand out as much on the table - painting competition Unfamiliar with rules - slow to play More still to paint
Questions
Land Speeders - Typhoon or can I get Dark Shroud done? Switch to Cerastus Knight Lancer

Having removed the Apothecary from my Blog Wars list and the Codex points drops I have room for my Predator in my list, which I would definitely take if I can finish it in time, which is feasible. I'm less convinced about the Land Speeder Typhoon though, my Dark Shroud would be much better and buff the bikes but I don't hold out much chance of completing it in time. I've had people point to the faction's lack of competitiveness but I found them far more 'killy' than my nids at Blog Wars.

That said I didn't win a game and as Martin at Wargames advised am I 'aiming to win the tournament?' - 'No'. 'Do I aim to make top 30?' - 'No'. So the choice of armies is based on painting competition and do I think the Dark Angels are even worthy of a nomination? I honestly think they are but so far they don't seem to do as well as the nids, even though I think they're better painted.

I've still a lot to paint and decisions to make. The other fact is which I'd have fun playing most. The nids are easier but so much slower due to numbers. But unfamiliar rules make the Dark Angels slower to play than you'd expect

If I choose solely on aspiration for the painting competition then it should the nids with the Skyshield, but I want to give the Dark Angels their shot, which then turns everything on its head. I wouldn't mind if this was a circular argument but it's more an infinite loop folding back in on itself which is why I'm still painting both factions. Which reminds me of this:

UPDATE, some may have noticed the premature publication of this post yesterday and having rescheduled it for it's rightful publication today I had a night to sleep on it. I woke up this morning and it immediately popped into my head - I will take Tyranids! I smiled to myself nodded my head and went that's a relief I've decided. Then I suddenly got very sad I wasn't taking the Dark Angels, ha, ha. I'm so messed up! :) One might say I now know which I want to take - the Dark Angels but my subconscious was telling me otherwise...

So, 'nids or Dark Angels, what would you take? Maybe the consensus will sway me one way or the other...