TEMPEST: Codex: Tyranids

[Rolling Thunder]

Tyranid General Rules:

The Hive Mind: Tyranids behave vastly differently from normal races, exercising complete control over the bio-engineered killing machines through a network of Synapse creatures created to give direction and purpose to the otherwise-mindless swarms. While this network is maintained, the higher conscious of the Hive Mind can exert complete, overriding control over the lesser beasts of the swarm, overriding any instinct to self-preservation and driving them forward without mercy. However, the lack of individual consciousness amongst the footsoldiers of the swarm is a weakness in itself - without the direction of the synapse-capable leader-beasts, the swarm is confused and directionless.

Tyranid swarms are composed of two kinds of creature:

Individuals [may be synapse or non-synapse]: Creatures imbued with an individual sentience of their own and compelled by their own willpower. Are unaffected by synapse and must be activated separately.

The activation of a synapse individual will activate all Swarm creatures within that creature's synapse range. Non-synapse creatures will not be affected.

Swarm: Creatures of little to no sentience, forming the bulk of the Tyranids' armies. When under the effect of Synapse, these creatures are Fearless and will automatically activate with the activation of a nearby Synapse unit. If outside Synapse, they can be activated individually, but will be subject to their instinctive behaviour rules.


Tyranid Weapons:

Weapon Name

S

AP

Short Range

Medium Range

Long Range

Notes

Points Cost

[/b][/tr]
[tr][td]Fleshborer[/td][td]3[/td][td]-[/td][td]12" (3)[/td][td]24"(3)[/td][td]36"(2)[/td][td][/td][td] [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Spinefist[/td][td]3[/td][td]-[/td][td]12"(4)[/td][td][/td][td][/td][td][/td][td] [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Devourer[/td][td]4[/td][td]-[/td][td]12"(2)[/td][td]24" (2)[/td][td]36" (2)[/td][td]Re-Rolls To Wound rolls[/td][td] [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Deathspitter[/td][td]5[/td][td]5[/td][td]24"(3)[/td][td]36" (3)[/td][td]48" (2)[/td][td][/td][td][/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Barbed Strangler[/td][td]3[/td][td]-[/td][td]24"(1)[/td][td]48" (1)[/td][td]72" (1)[/td][td]Large Blast, Forces Morale Tests.[/td][td] [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]Venom Cannon[/td][td]6[/td][td]3[/td][td]24"(1)[/td][td]48" (1)[/td][td]96" (1)[/td][td][/td][td] [/td][/tr]
[/table]



Units:

25pts

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

LD

Armour Save

[/b][/tr]
[tr][td]Tyranid Warrior[/td][td]4[/td][td]3[/td][td]5[/td][td]5[/td][td]2[/td][td]4[/td][td]2[/td][td]9[/td] [td]5+[/td][/tr][/table]

1+ Per Brood.
Special Rules:
Individual: Synapse Creature [12"]


Upgrades:
[1 Model Per Army]: Prime: Extends the Synapse Range to 18"


Wings: Makes Tyranid Warriors into Jump Infantry: 15pts.
Burrower: May Ambush or Deepstrike. May not be given a Devourer, Deathspitter, Barbed Strangler or Venom Cannon. May not be Winged or have the Armoured Carapace upgrade. [10pts].
Armoured Carapace [5pts]: Extends the Warrior's save to 4+.
Venom-beast [5pts]: All the Warrior's ranged and close-combat attacks are coated in an imnicial venom. The warrior will never need to roll more than a 4+ to Wound an opponent.

Weapons sets:

Upper: Talons [+1 A, Free]
Lower:
Talons [+1A, Free]
2 Spinefists: 10pts
2 Fleshborers: 10pts
Devourer: 10pts
Deathspitter: 10pts
Barbed Strangler: 15pts
Venom Cannon: 15pts

4pts

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

LD

Armour Save

[/b][/tr]
[tr][td]Gaunts[/td][td]3[/td][td]2[/td][td]3[/td][td]3[/td][td]1[/td][td]3[/td][td]1[/td][td]5[/td] [td]6+[/td][/tr][/table]
5+ Per Brood, Must be equipped homogenously.

Special Rule: Swarm Creatures.
Instinctive Behaviour: If activated while outside the influence of a synapse creature, Swarm Creatures are subject to Rage.

Weapons/Upgrades [Must be applied to all the models in a brood].
Fleshborer, Spinefist, Talons [+1 A]: Free.
Devourer: [3pts]
Winged: 4pts.
Venomous Beastie [2pts]: The gaunts weapons are coated in a potent toxin. All it's ranged and close-combat attacks will never need to roll more than a 5+ To Wound.

10pts

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

LD

Armour Save

[/b][/tr]
[tr][td]Purestrain Genestealer[/td][td]4[/td][td]-[/td][td]4[/td][td]4[/td][td]1[/td][td]4[/td][td]3[/td][td]8[/td] [td]5+[/td][/tr][/table]
Brood Size: 2+ Per Brood.

Special Rule: Independent Brood.
Infiltrate: Forward Deployment.
Rending: Genestealer Close Combat Attacks are Rending.

25pts

WS

BS

S

T

W

I

A

LD

Armour Save

[/b][/tr]
[tr][td]Lictor[/td][td]4[/td][td]-[/td][td]5[/td][td]4[/td][td]1[/td][td]5[/td][td]3[/td][td]9[/td] [td]5+[/td][/tr][/table]
Brood Size: 1 Lictor.

Special Rules:
Move Through Cover.
Infiltrate: Ambush
Chameleon [-2 To Hit].

[Walrus]

Very solid. Is there a reason why the Warrior has no save?

[Rolling Thunder]

Jul 3, 2011 10:20:17 GMT -5 Walrus said:

Very solid. Is there a reason why the Warrior has no save?

The same reason that, for a while, Conscripts and Guardsmen had three wounds - me screwing up! ;D

[connor]

*SIGH* three wound guardsmen... uh oh i just nerded all over the place... it was messy

[WestRider]

So far, so good. I'd like to see options for Devourers on Gaunts and Rending Claws on Warriors, though, just because that's how most of mine are set up.

Hormagaunts next, maybe?

[Rolling Thunder]

Jul 4, 2011 10:49:29 GMT -5 WestRider said:

So far, so good. I'd like to see options for Devourers on Gaunts and Rending Claws on Warriors, though, just because that's how most of mine are set up.

Hormagaunts next, maybe?

Hormagaunts are included - Gaunts with scything talons.


- Also, no distinction is made between rending claws/scything talons. Genestealers have rending because, well, they're Genestealers and Genestealers have always been able to peel open power armour without mercy [though why is beyond me].

[WestRider]

Ah, didn't see the ScyTal option on the Gaunts. And that works just fine for the Warriors with Rending Claws as well.

Still no DevilGaunts, though.

[Rolling Thunder]

Jul 4, 2011 13:18:18 GMT -5 WestRider said:

Ah, didn't see the ScyTal option on the Gaunts. And that works just fine for the Warriors with Rending Claws as well.

Still no DevilGaunts, though.

I would beg to differ. Just included Devourers in the Gaunt upgrades.

Also, either all Warriors will ignore armour saves, or none will. Really, it doesn't make much sense for one type of claw to have better armour-piercing ability [actually, a scything talon would be much better against armour, as it could stab through it].

[Shostak(AWOL)]

I like the fact that you've made all the different unit types one unit with lots of potential modifications.

[WestRider]

Jul 4, 2011 13:20:08 GMT -5 Rolling Thunder said:

Jul 4, 2011 13:18:18 GMT -5 WestRider said:

Ah, didn't see the ScyTal option on the Gaunts. And that works just fine for the Warriors with Rending Claws as well.

Still no DevilGaunts, though.

I would beg to differ. Just included Devourers in the Gaunt upgrades.

Excellent!

Also, I really do like that you're going with a more 4th Ed-style "Base Unit with lots of possible modifications" approach to this. That was my favorite era of Codex Design.

That said, I just noticed a couple of things that I overlooked before:
- Why is the Fleshborer a 36" Range Weapon? It's always been short-ranged but powerful before, with the Spike Rifle or Devourer providing longer-ranged Firepower for Gaunts.
- Why only one shot on the Venom Cannon? The reduction from two shots to one in the current Codex is most of why almost no one takes them anymore.
- Since you're basing Shrikes off Warriors with an upgrade, why not Raveners as well? 10 Points per Model for a 12" Assault move, maybe?

[Rolling Thunder]

Jul 4, 2011 18:06:54 GMT -5 WestRider said:

Jul 4, 2011 13:20:08 GMT -5 Rolling Thunder said:

I would beg to differ. Just included Devourers in the Gaunt upgrades.

Excellent!

Also, I really do like that you're going with a more 4th Ed-style "Base Unit with lots of possible modifications" approach to this. That was my favorite era of Codex Design.

That said, I just noticed a couple of things that I overlooked before:
- Why is the Fleshborer a 36" Range Weapon? It's always been short-ranged but powerful before, with the Spike Rifle or Devourer providing longer-ranged Firepower for Gaunts.
- Why only one shot on the Venom Cannon? The reduction from two shots to one in the current Codex is most of why almost no one takes them anymore.
- Since you're basing Shrikes off Warriors with an upgrade, why not Raveners as well? 10 Points per Model for a 12" Assault move, maybe?

- Ravenors are. See "Burrowers."

- Your basic lasgun in Tempest has a range of 72". Everything has a realistic range buff in this game.

[WestRider]

Sorry, I was unclear: it wasn't so much about the range of the Fleshborer in and of itself, more about the discrepancy between the FleshBorer and SpineFist, which have always been the same Range as long as I've been playing.

And again, one shot Venom Cannon on BS3 Models is going to be Fail, no matter how else you try to balance it.