Tyranid Review: Army Special Rules, Wargear, and Psychic Discipline Tactica

Presented here is the first part of my Tyranid Tactica/Review. Note that anything I say is merely my opinion. This is as much for me to work through the options in the new book as it is for others, so feel free to leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments.

Army Special Rules

Synapse Creature

Synapse is tremendously important to Tyranids. Possessed by many units which fill a leadership role, this rule gives the unit and all friendly models within 12” the Fearless special rule.

Instinctive Behaviour

This is the reason synapse is so important to the Tyranid army. If a Tyranid unit begins its turn outside of synapse range it must take a Leadership test. If this is failed they roll on their Instinctive Behaviour D6 table. There are three different tables; Lurk, Hunt, and Feed. On a 1-3 something bad happens, 4-5 either forces or encourages the unit to do something, and a 6 is the same as 4-5 but with a beneficial special rule. 

Lurk is a passive table. Rolling a 1-3 causes the unit to Fall Back. A 4-5 means the unit cannot assault and can only shoot if it is in a building or area terrain. On a 6 it also gains the Stealth rule. Due to the usually short range of Tyranid weapons this table is usually all negative. Assuming they aren’t falling back, they units appear to still be able to score and can still move wherever you want them to at least.

Hunt is an aggressive ranged table. On a 1-3 the unit Goes to Ground. On a 4-5 the unit cannot run or assault, and must shoot at the nearest target. On a 6 they also gain Preferred Enemy. This honestly isn’t too bad. You’d obviously rather not roll on it and it could really screw you over, but it could be worse.

Feed is an aggressive melee table. On a 1-3 the unit attacks itself. A 4-5 causes the unit to not be able to run or assault, and must charge the nearest enemy. A 6 grants you Rage. This could work out fine, but could also have your unit suicide against the enemy or even just eat itself. The most detrimental list to roll on. Do your utmost to keep your units within synapse range at all times.

Shadow in the Warp

A -3 penalty to the Leadership of any psykers within 12”. Decent psychic defence if a little tame compared to the fluff. Note that it doesn’t just affect Psychic Tests.

A Hive Tyrant duels with an Autarch

Warlord Traits Table

1.      Nature’s Bane: This is terrible. Allows you to turn trees into carnivorous trees. Depending on your terrain it could have some use, but is also completely useless in urban terrain.

2.      Heightened Senses: Grants units within 12” Night Vision. Has potential, but requires you to hold your warlord back to make best use of it. As your warlord will tend to have wings (more on that later), getting the most use out of this will be awkward.

3.      Synaptic Lynchpin: An extra 6” range to synapse. This is pretty much always going to be useful. With Instinctive Behaviour as debilitating as it is, extra synapse range is great to keep your Gaunts under control.

4.      Mind Eater: Gives 2 VP for each IC killed in a challenge. The extra VPs are handy, especially if your warlord can handle enemy ICs like a Hive Tyrant can.

5.      Digestive Denial: Reduces the cover save of a piece of terrain (not Fortifications) on your opponent’s side by 1. Of limited use; Tyranids are not known for their low AP, so opponents will generally get their armour save anyway.

6.      Adaptive Biology: Gains Feel No Pain after it takes its first wound. Pretty good. Feel No Pain is a great defensive boost.

Summary

It’s definitely worth rolling on the Tyranid Warlord table as opposed to the rulebook ones. Hope for a 3, 4, or 6. These are the ones that add the most to the game.

The Ultramarines 3rd Company desperately attempt to relieve the 1st

Bio-artefacts

Maw-claws of Thyrax

Rending Claws with Assimilate, which gives the model and his unit Preferred Enemy against the opposing Codex. If for some reason you want to take Rending Claws on a model with access to Bio-artefacts, just go ahead and get these instead. But honestly you don’t want to be taking Rending Claws on anything with access to these.

The Norn Crown

A nice effect but priced extremely highly. Considering the Primaris power of our Discipline gives the same effect I would just save the points.

Miasma Cannon

Not terrible in my opinion. A Poisoned 2+, AP4 flamer or blast weapon. It isn’t really any more powerful than the Monstrous Bio-cannons you can get access to but does give some versatility due to the 36” blast or flame template. I can see it getting some use on a Flyrant with a Thorax weapon for the dual flame templates, or on a Prime who doesn’t get access to the Monstrous Bio-Cannons. It would have been great if it was more points but gained AP3, as that way it would add something extra and make it feel as good as a one-per-army weapon should.

The Ymargl Factor

The only way to get a 2+ armour save Hive Tyrant and, even then, only in every other Assault Phase. Every Assault you get to pick between an +1 to armour save, +1 Attack, or +1 Strength, but you cannot pick the same effect twice in a row. Similar to the Norn Crown, it is a nice effect but it is just priced too high to be of much use. 

Reaper of Obliterax

The most expensive bio-artefact, this one is an improved Bonesword & Lashwhip option. It gains +1 Strength and Shred over a regular Bonesword & Lashwhip effect, but weighs in at over double the price. It’s expensive but can be useful on a Hive Tyrant if facing Wraithknights/Wraithlords. The reroll to wound can really help get that 6 for Instant Death. It could even be of some use on a Tervigon. These do not have access to regular Boneswords & Lashwhips, and it turns them into a fairly competent melee combatant.

Summary

The Miasma Cannon and Reaper of Obliterax are the only ones worth considering really, but even then, I would not say they were an auto include by any means.

A collection of Tyranid Weapon Biomorphs

Wargear

I’ll just be going over the wargear that are used by many units.

Melee weapon effects no longer stack. Instead you must choose which to use and a second pair of melee weapons gives an extra attack.

Melee Weapons

Boneswords

A Power Sword which causes Instant Death on a 6. Combos well with Toxin Sacs due to the rerolls it generally offers (giving another chance at rolling a 6). Great if given to a melee unit. 

Crushing Claws

A Power Axe with the Armourbane special rule. The only AP2 combat weapon, but we have plenty of Monstrous Creatures to make up for it. Pretty good weapon.

Lashwhip and Bonesword

Combines the Bonesword and Lashwhip into one profile, but costs more than the pair of Boneswords. If you wish to make a melee Hive Tyrant, go for these.

Rending Claws

An AP5 close combat weapon which has the Rending special rule. If you want a cheap melee upgrade, these are a great option.

Scything Talons

Essentially just a regular close combat weapon, with the benefit of AP6. These tend to be the second pair of close combat weapons which give you the extra attack. In general, nothing special.

Ranged Weapons

Barbed Strangler

Stats are a bit unimpressive, but against the right target (GEq) this can be devastating. Even against those opponents who are not optimal, pinning can still be useful. The Bio-cannon of choice on a Tyranid Warrior brood.

Cluster Spines

Available to many of the bigger Tyranids, this is usually an alternative to Stinger Salvo. This is a S5 AP- Large Blast. Generally seen as the better option but I would forego both unless it comes base.  

  

Deathspitter

The iconic weapon of Tyranid Warriors is a perfectly fine weapon. Good amount of shots at a decent Strength and average AP. Never take these on anything bigger than a Warrior however; unlike the Devourer, the Deathspitter still doesn’t have a Monstrous Bio-cannon variant.

Devourer

The base gun of Warriors and Shrikes, and the upgraded gun of Termagants. One less Strength and no AP compared to a Deathspitter, but the same number of shots and range. If you want to keep your Warriors cheap then it is perfectly fine to leave them with Devourers. They also give your Termagants the ability to do some real damage at range. 

Devourer with Brainleech Worms

The Monstrous Bio-cannon version of the Devourer. Still 18” range and AP-, but throws out 6 twin-linked S6 shots. Two pairs is great at mowing down infantry, piling saves on Terminators/Monstrous Creatures, and stripping away Hull Points. Great weapon.

Heavy Venom Cannon

A S9 AP4 Blast. Nothing too impressive and there are usually better options on units with access to these (like the above option). If you are looking some more anti-vehicle firepower, there are worse things to spend your points on however.

Spinefists

The only gun to retain the Number of Shots = Attacks value rule. The only viable use for these is on Termagants, and even then that is only when facing GEq.  

Stinger Salvo

The other half of Cluster Spines. This exchanges the AP- Large Blast for AP4 Assault 4. Usually worse than the Cluster Spines, but not necessarily a bad choice. Comes base on many units that get access to them so if you want to keep the unit cheap, not upgrading to Cluster Spines is fine. Often a better choice on a Tervigon where the Large Blast could scatter onto the Termagaunts you just spawned.

Stranglethorn Cannon

The Monstrous Bio-cannon version of the Barbed Strangler. A great anti-infantry weapon. It won’t kill marines but will devastate Guard; even Instant Deathing their Heavy Weapon Platoons. As with the Barbed Strangler, the ability to pin is useful. Only real issue is that Tyranids really do not struggle to fit anti-infantry weapons into the list.

Venom Cannon

Standard version of the Heavy Venom Cannon. Same as the Heavy but -3 Strength. Doesn’t really fill a role. Don’t bother with this.

Biomorph Upgrades

Acid Blood

When wounded, the wounder must take an Initiative test. If failed, he takes a S5 AP2 hit. Could potentially be useful on the creatures with 5-6 wounds, but I feel it’s not worth the points even then. A few creatures come with this included however and it’s definitely worth remembering. Every little helps.

Adrenal Glands

Grants Fleet and Furious Charge. Great boost to combat focused Tyranids.

Regeneration

50% chance of getting a wound back at the end of your turn. It Will Not Die was too much to ask for apparently. Don’t bother with this ever.

Toxin Sacs

Gives the user Poison in close combat. Another great biomorph for combat creatures. Makes the smaller Tyranids able to wound even Wraithknights easily and gives the bigger ones re-rolls.

Thorax Biomorphs

There are three variants of these. All are Assault 1 flame templates.

Dessicator Larvae is S1 AP-, Fleshbane. Electroshock Grubs is S5 AP5, Haywire. Shreddershard Beetles is S3 AP-, Rending, Shred. I’d rate them as EG>SB>DL. 

DL and SB are fairly similar in terms of damage output, but the potential for rending wounds and reliability of rerolls makes me lean towards SB. EG is great as it is a threat to vehicles and infantry thanks to its decent Strength and Haywire. Overall, a good upgrade for a close combat Hive Tyrant.

Tail Weapons

Available to various Monstrous Creatures, these grant an extra attack that does not benefit from the users special rules or contribute to extra attack via two pairs of weapons. There are four variants; Bone Mace, Prehensile Pincer, Thresher Scythe, and Toxinspike.

Bone Mace is S8 AP- Unwieldy, Prehensile Pincer is S6 AP5, Thresher Scythe is S4 AP4 Rending, and Toxin Spike is S1 AP6 Poison 2+. 

Prehensile Pincer and Bone Mace are the only okay ones due to the higher Strengths but even they are pretty bad. Don’t bother with these. A welcome return, but terrible execution. 

The Doom of Malan'tai

Tyranid Discipline

Tyranids don’t get access to any rulebook Disciplines so like it or not you have to roll on the Tyranid Discipline table.

Primaris: Dominion. Adds 6” to synapse range. Take this over the Norn Crown but the other

powers are generally better.

1: Catalyst. Grants Feel No Pain to the caster and another unit within 12”. Great effect. If you

       roll this power you’ll want to keep it.

2: The Horror. Target must take a Pinning test. Seems to be what Genestealers use instead of

                        Assault Grenades. A decent power which can keep an enemy unit such as a

Riptide locked down.

3: Onslaught. Allows the target to run then shoot. Could be useful due to the short range of

                        Tyranid ranged weapons. 

4: Paroxysm. Target unit loses D3 WS and BS. A great effect which can rip the teeth out of

                        an enemy unit and help your units survive/do more damage.

5: Psychic Scream. The worst of the bunch. Switch this out for Dominion every time.

6: Warp Blast. Great power and the only Warp Charge 2 one. Has an anti-infantry and an

                        anti-tank firing mode. A Hive Tyrant with Wings becomes very scary for the

                        opponent if he manages to roll this on the table.

This concludes this section of the Review and I'll finish of the rest of it over the next few days I'll get 

started on the HQ section later tonight.