Thoughts on New Tyranids Codex?

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Sure, I will write up some stuff for an all melee list. That's something I have the most play testing for lol. It'll be up later tonight or tomorrow

P.S.- Did a 5k Apoc game today, I'll let you guys know how that went.

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Before I begin I would like to remind all who reads this that everything is based on my own play testing and personal bias.

Many people feel Tyranids have gotten melee weak. The rules changing Genestealers, assaulting through cover, whatever else people whine about... all of it has weakened the potential Tyranids have in melee. I say they just don't know how to play Tyranids! Here are my opinions and views on how to create a good melee army with the new book. Like the shooting post I will categorize things, but since I enjoy melee more and have focused more on it I will give more in depth descriptions (might want to pause reading and grab a tea, going to be a long read).

Since opponents range widely, example I give will be against normal Marines or Terminators as the most over-played army consists of Marines (and they have the most average statline). Specific examples may be used and will be noted when they occur. Any math will be rounded to the nearest whole number.

There is a difference between hunter and killer when I bring it up for roles. Hunter meaning a unit/model that is good at hunting down units/models. Killer is a unit/model that does well killing the target but might not be the greatest one to hunt them down specifically to do so.

Also note that no specific point cost will be mentioned, you must rely on your own book to fill any questions of point costs. Sorry but Btown doesn't need a letter from GW .



HQ



Hive Tyrant – First off, love the model. The Hive Tyrant makes up about 50% of my lists, equipping it with a Sword and Whip (S&W from now on) and grabbing 3 Guard makes this Monstrous Creature a threat your opponents will remember. Since the Tyrant no longer starts with a S&W most people would feel it not worth the points. With the point decrease on Tyrant Guard however, the price tag of the S&W and the addition of the special rule upgrade “Old Adversary” put the Hive Tyrant and Tyrant Guard at exactly what they used to sit at (before upgrades).

The reason I take Old Adversary is to get those extra attacks in that may have missed. With twice the WS as a Marine and the ability to wound them on anything but a 1, there will be very few occasions that the Tyrant won't be hitting on 3's and wounding on 2's, so rolling those pesky 1's will help.

I like to not spend too much into units unless they are really well deserved and worth the points. Therefore I tend to leave my Tyrant at that, however here are my thoughts on the available Biomorphs available to the Tyrant that I would think viable to helping it complete its tasks:

Toxin Sacs: I would see purchasing this upgrade if you want to go around Monstrous Creature killing or feel your already high strength will no cut it. However with it's current strength it can still wound T9 on 6's and purchasing Toxin Sacs for the sole purpose of killing Marines is not worth the points. Since Old Adversary let's you reroll 1's and your more than often going to be wounding on 2's there is no need for the Biomorph. If you feel you need that extra little bit I would suggest dropping the S&W and getting the Reaper of Obliterax (see it's listing for more info).

Acid Blood: Not a bad Biomorph, but at its price tag I would suggest not worrying too much. Acid Blood makes any model that does an unsaved wound against you take an Init test, if failed they get hit by a slightly better than average strength, AP2 hit that ignores cover. Handy if your going against low initiative models, but with only having 4 wounds, the chance you will do enough damage to turn the tides vs a normal round of fighting (and have it matter) is low. This is especially true since your attacks are Ap2 anyways.

Adrenal Glands: Getting Fleet and Furious Charge for the same price as Acid Blood is not bad. Is it really worth it on a Hive Tyrant? Possibly if you have the extra points laying around. Since it will only really benefit from the charge, unless your going Monstrous Creature hunting I would leave this Biomorph at home (and once again turn to the Obliterax).

Regeneration: This Biomorph is awesome. Regen allows your model to attempt a “Regenerative Roll” to see if it can mend its cuts and regain a wound lost earlier in battle. This can only be done once at the end of your turn and works on a 4+. Is it worth the point cost? I vote no. Once again on a creature that only has 4 wounds (10 if your counting the Guard), it's a very, very steep tag for a 50% chance. I wouldn't even consider this Biomorph if you had the left over points available as they could go to Adrenal Glands and/or Acid Blood which would give a better chance of something happening. In an Apoc battle where you want to kite the Tyrant to the chin, then yes, I can see it being worth something.

Relics can help make or break a situation, as a melee bug the Tyrant will most often be put into a situation that a Relic could help with. Here are my views on what each relic (that works for a melee Tyrant) can give:

The Maw-Claws of Thyrax: Since you have those extra Scything Talons anyways, why not exchange them for the ability to gain Preferred Enemy of all models in the codex of any model you kill? The price tag is cheap (same as old Adversary) and acts the same but none the less can be taken. I would probably see it more effective on a Tyranid Prime or Trygon Prime though. Would I purchase this relic? No. Not when Old Adversary does the same thing and you can only take one Relic per army. Keep it for something that will have use of it.

Norn Crown: Gaining additional Synapse range is always a thing to consider in a Tyranid army. Especially now that the new Instinctive Behaviour (IB from now on) charts can really hurt your units. Is it worth the price tag? No. If your truly worried about that extra distance, consider exchanging a power in for the Primaris which can do the exact same thing.. except only at the cost of a LD test.

Ymgarl Factor: At first glance this relic is cool. You can essentially change your molecular structure and gain either a Strength, Attack or Armour save advantage. However, this advantage cannot be taken in two consecutive turns and so will not always be beneficial. With a heavy price tag I would suggest leaving this Biomorph to Apoc games or at times where you feel you need it. Personally I do not see myself ever purchasing this for my Tyrant in a normal game.

The Reaper of Obliterax: If you want to go Monstrous Creature killing or feel you need that extra little push, drop the S&W and pick this bad boy up. This relic is essentially a special S&W that gives you some extra little goodies. It has the same Life Drain and Swiftstrike special rules but also gives the wielder +1 Strength and Shred. Meaning your Hive Tyrant can now kill T10 Monstrous Creatures and reroll to wound to give you a better chance of getting those 6's. The points you would spend towards a S&W, Toxin Sacs and Adrenal Glands is identical to the price tag of this relic with the advantage of it having the Shred special rule and +1 Strength all the time. I would recommend this relic if you feel you need the extra push or if you have the points laying around.

Lastly the things I will voice my opinion on are the other upgrades one can give their Tyrant:

Rending Claws: Having the Rending special rule on top of the S&W and AP2 hits is a good way to ensure tanks will be destroyed. Since Rending also gives you the chance of automatically doing a wound regardless of toughness it makes sense why this Biomorph weapon may be pondered over. However, you must remember that a roll of a 6 to wound will already wound a T9 creature AND has the Instant Death rule. So unless your planning on strictly going tank hunting, I would pass with this Biomorph.

Hive Commander: Giving a single unit Outflank for each Tyrant that has this upgrade is not bad. I can see Dakka-Fexes gaining this advantage or other bugs that would perform well on their own. Would I pay the points for this upgrade? No. Breaking your army out IMO is situational and wouldn't be something I would always take. In the occasional game sure, or even an Apoc game, but 99% of the time I will pass this upgrade.

Indescribable Horror: This can be beneficial under many circumstances. It makes enemies take fear tests on 3d6 discarding the lowest. It has a fairly low price tag and as long as you don't target Fearless or ATSKNF units you will more often than nought succeed. If you have the extra points and are facing armies that have low Fearless or ATSKNF units I would recommend taking this.


The Hive Tyrant is a very good melee bug, on average you will be landing 4 attacks (5 on the charge without Hammer of Wrath), and with the Old Adversary rule all should wound. Being AP 2 and such a high initiative, it means you can take out 3 Terminators or 4 Marines (3/5 on the charge) at the beginning of combat.

The reason I choose S&W and not just Swords is the occasion you come across characters or other high Init models. The extra little price tag is well worth your Tyrant landing the first blow, this is especially true since it is not Eternal Warrior and getting a Force Weapon in your face will not be good!

Role: The role a Tyrant performs in a Tyranid army is character hunter/killer. This works especially well against Psykers. The high WS, S and Init allows the Tyrant to land wounds that are AP 2 before the character can attack back. This forces the character to rely on whatever invul save they may have. Named characters may not be the target for these guys (dependant on special rules and statline), but anything else will be fair game. Since the Bonesword has a chance of inflicting Instant Death, the ability to take out multi-wound characters in a single round of combat is a big thing for this guy. The other target is Terminators or other highly armoured units. If none exist in the immediate area then special weapon teams like lasgunners, snipers, etc will be great lunch to this Tyrant of a bug.

I will post some tactics about how I usually run the Tyrant in battle near the end.



Tyrant Guard – I chose to do these guys next since they co-exist solely for the purpose of protecting your Tyrant. They come stock with Scything Talons and Rending Claws and have gotten a large point decrease which, like posted previously, will make up for the basic upgrades for the Tyrant.

Guard have gotten better in this codex. Having the ability to automatically pass Look Out Sir! Rolls is essential in getting your Tyrant across the board. As we all know, rolls of 1's can happen. Even more if the dice gods cheat you and so it may not seem like a big deal, but it will really help in the long run. Being the same toughness as the Tyrant means majority toughness is still very high. Sure the 3+ armour save can be taken away with all the cool shooting guns that can be taken, but what players have to remember is that the Guard are there to soak up damage of the Tyrant. Losing one while moving across the field is not something to get angry over, and with the right tactical advancements, this should very rarely occur to begin with (unless your stupid Tau but I'll get to that later).

Guards comes with a few Biomorphs and most people would feel they need to upgrade them to get the most effective unit. I'll start by saying these guys are meant to take a bullet for the Tyrant and so investing further points into them will not always be a good thing to do. Not saying doing so should be forbidden, not at all! Here are my views on the current upgrades for a Tyrant Guard:

Crushing Claws: The addition of Crushing Claws to the Guard profile makes sense. Many times I have taken on tanks with my Tyrant unit and gaining the +1 S and Armourbane rule would've made things so much easier at the time. The price tag is steep, however with the right combination of units and tactics they will pay themselves off the first time they are used. This weapon Biomorph is meant solely for tanks and walkers. I would not suggest taking on infantry with it since Tyrant Guard will have to strike at Init 1 due to it's unwieldy special rule.

S&W: One of the Biomorphs people will automatically want to take. Being able to kill Marines and help the Tyrant by landing attacks before other models is a big thing. The price tag is the same as Crushing Claws, however I would see this combo Biomoprh being used more effectively than anything else. I would suggest taking it however only if you have the extra points or want an awesome killing machine unit (albeit expensive one). Remember that having the Rending Claws will already give your Guard the AP2 attacks, so combining it with an Instant Death sword at an Initiative that will attack sooner or at the same time as most characters will help your unit performance.

Toxin Sacs: Not a bad upgrade for the price tag. Since the Guard do not benefit from the Old Adversary rule it may be helpful to tack this Biomorph on. However under normal circumstances I would leave it at home, putting too many points into your Guard is not always the best thing.

Adrenal Glands: Once again a Biomorph that only really helps on the charge. Attacking at the same strength as a Tyrant is helpful, especially equipped with S&W but with it being more expensive than the toxin sacs I would rather get the Toxin Sacs.

Role: To take hits away from your Tyrant and to help in combat. Under most cases you will get 2/3 of your Guard into combat with your Tyrant, more if you combine the help of other possible units to get you across the board. In 80% of my games I have successfully gotten into combat with all 3. Having them there (I do not upgrade them) allows me to do 9 additional attacks with a 50% hit rate vs characters with the chance of a rending attack. The shear amount of attacks directed onto a character or it's unit has always made a difference. With the inability to instant kill them (minus special weapons), they essentially provide the Tyrant with extra attacks and wounds.

When you run Tyrant Guard, the thing you must remember is they are there strictly to protect your Tyrant. Consider them wound and attack upgrades that can be bought up to 3 times. This is why I normally do not upgrade them, that way if one dies I am not upset with the amount of points that died but rather happy that the Guard fulfilled it only role of existence.



The Swarmlord – This guy is our greatest close combat tool. The Swarmlord's price tag is expensive, even so if you add the additional Tyrant Guard. Gaining a small increase to points, the Swarmlord will be the biggest point sink in your army, and with the lack of Eternal Warrior a target for any Instant Death or Force weapons. Your opponent will know your not playing games when you field this bad boy of a bug!

The Swarmlord has many special rules that make it such a great bug to field. Alien Cunning adds to your reserve roll to make sure your bugs make it into battle sooner, his high Psyker level allows you to control things with powers better than any other bug we have, and his warlord trait gives you the extra Synapse range to keep your bugs in check.

Swarm Leader is a very handy special rule the Swarmlord has, it allows you to give his unit or another friendly unit within 18” Furious Charge, Monster Hunter OR Preferred Enemy. This essentially allows your Swarmlord the best possible unit for any given situation. The ability can be used at the beginning of your turn and lasts until the end.

The Swarmlord's weapons have changed from last book. He still gets his invul save in close combat and still has Instant Death attacks at AP2 but lost the ability to force opponents to reroll successful invul saves. This is a huge sink in how effective the Swarmlord used to be but makes sense why the Development Team changed it. Many times my opponent groaned in anger when they had to reroll their successful saves.

Role: A bigger, badder Hive Tyrant. Get this guy into melee and watch things die... quick.

If you were to field the Swarmlord, I would suggest taking 2-3 Tyrant Guard without upgrades. However, if the large point sink doesn't bother you, equipping them with S&W will make the unit the most effective death machine.



Tyranid Prime – The Prime received a HUGE point increase with no significant changes. I am guessing the Development Team felt the Prime was under priced, and with the the price tag on many other HQ's that has a close statline, he really was.

The Prime is essentially a mini-Tyrant. It has an ability to give a unit of Warriors it joins the ability to use its high WS and BS. This ability makes Warriors awesome close combat bugs. With the addition of Flesh Hooks, the Prime is the most likely HQ that will be the most effective behind the scenes. I always drop the devourer for S&W, slap on Flesh Hooks and watch things die. Giving it the S&W, it gains an additional attack due to having two pairs of Melee weapons. This essentially gives the Prime the same amount of attacks the Tyrant has, with the same weapons to get the job done albeit not as high of a WS, Strength or Toughness.

Since I have already gone over the basic Biomorphs of a melee Tyrant in full, I will not do the same for the Prime since they can relate fairly well. I would not personally equip a Prime further than S&W and Flesh Hooks, the only exception is Rending Claws since it is not naturally striking at AP2. However, with the base price jump, your Prime will start getting into Hive Tyrant prices the more you add.

Role: 3+ save (or higher) infantry and/or basic character killer. If you add the Rending Claws I would put it one up and say Monstrous Creature or multi-wound model killer. Having the unit of Warriors along, you should be killing almost any unit you come across in the first round of combat. I discuss further under the Warrior listing.



Deathleaper – Our assassin bug and character killer. With the special rules like “It's After Me!” and “Where Is It?”, this bug is the greatest HQ we could have gotten. With the basic statline of a Lictor with the addition to WS, Init and Attacks this bug screams assassinate.

Deathleaper has many special rules that increases its survivability and damage output. The Chameleonic Skin allows it to Deep Strike without scattering. This ability is essential for keeping your bug alive. Since he has Stealth, Deep Striking into terrain will give him the best cover save. The addition of Pheromone Trail, Deathleaper (and all Lictors) are essentially a beacon for further deep striking units as long as they are on the board at the beginning of the turn.

The old Deathleaper had more special rules than the current one and was forced to start the game in reserve. This is no longer the case, Deathleaper (and all Lictors) can instead choose to Infiltrate, Deep Strike or start normally on the board! The new special rules are as follows:

“It's after me!”: Reduces an enemy character's LD by D3 while Deathleaper is alive. I suggest doing this to Psykers or models that give its LD to large portions (if not all) of an army.

“Where is it?”: Enemies can only fire Snap Shots at Deathleaper. This special rule is huge, this means the survivability of Deathleaper is increased exponentially. Combine that with terrain saves and the Deathleaper should survive anything shot at it.

Having Flesh Hooks, Rending Claws and Scything Talons makes Deathleaper a model one should not take lightly. Being able to assault through cover and take out characters or other important targets is awesome. His warlord trait allows you to gain 2 VP every time you kill an Independant Character in a challenge. Your opponent will be silly to accept a challenge from Deathleaper unless they know for a fact they can kill it before it rips their character to pieces! However, with it's super high WS, Hive Tyrant like strength and super quick Init, characters will more than likely fall prey to the Deathleaper.

The only downfall Deathleaper has is not having Synapse or being an Independant Character. This means he too has to test for IB and cannot join Lictors. His price tag is good, cheaper than he used to be.

Role: Character hunter/killer, beacon. Deathleaper excels at killing characters, and with his special rules should not have a problem getting to them. The addition of Pheromone Trail means Raveners and other Deep Striking bugs can pop up near him to help with hunting. This is especially beneficial if Deathleaper is in behind enemy lines or close enough to units that must be taken down (like heavy weapon teams or snipers).

With the addition of Deathleaper as an HQ choice, this can really free up points and can be made into very interesting army builds.



Old One Eye – Getting a huge price drop and moving to HQ is the best thing the Development Team could have done for this guy. OOE gained an additional initiative (as did all Carnifexes) and with the addition of paired melee weapons, gained an additional attack. But that's not where it stops!

OOE comes with the warlord trait “Adaptive Biology” which essentially gives him Feel no Pain (FnP for now on) of a 5+ after it suffers an unsaved wound. Combine this with his Regeneration special rule (included in his point cost) and OOE will be a tough monster to kill.

He also comes with a few special rules that make choosing this HQ that much better:

Alpha Leader: All friendly Tyranids can use his LD for any morale or LD tests they are required to take. This means OOE can be up with the rest of his bug minions and doesn't necessarily need Synapse support.

Berserker Rampage: For every successful hit OOE does, he gains an additional attack that cannot further gain additional attacks. Remember he is low WS (that of mostly all Tyranid monsters) so will only land about 50% of his attacks, so gaining an additional attack is nice.

Living Battering Ram: Just like all normal Carnifexes, OOE gains D3 Hammer of Wrath attacks. Since he is maxed in Strength, this means tanks will go bye bye and any model unfortunate enough to be hit will suffer instant death (unless T6+).

Like Deathleaper, he succumbs to IB and so is not a good Synapse control creature.

Role: Shock bug. Whether it is tanks or hitting units with high powered attacks, OOE will be the best shock bug you can have as an HQ.

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TROOPS



Tyranid Warriors – People say these guys suck, and I can only laugh at their misinformation. Tyranid Warriors are melee bugs, don't be betrayed by their default load-out. Having a gun by default is only beneficial in very specific cases and more than likely will be exchanged for S&W.

With the addition of Flesh Hooks, they have risen to an elite status (IMO). People feel it is a waste of points, why choose a Tyranid Warrior over a Terminator? Here is why:

A Warrior equipped with S&W has twice the amount of attacks a single Terminator has with triplet it's wound count. Beings AP3, chance of Instant death, a high WS (from the Prime) and an initiative that will attack faster than most characters, Warriors will kill units with ease. Take a unit of 5 Warriors with Prime vs a unit of 5 Terminators with a basic HQ character:

On the assault, the Warriors alone will do 25 attacks, hitting on 3's, so a potential 16 hits. These 16 hits will do on average 8 wounds, 1 being Instant Death.

On the assault, Terminators alone will do 10 attacks, hitting on 4's, so potentially 6 hits. These 6 hits will do on average 3 wounds.

VS Marines, Warriors will have 8 out of a 10 man unit dead before they can swing back (and technically Prime would swing before them).

VS Marines, Terminators will have done 3 wounds, giving the Marines a normal save. The Marines should on average save 2 out of the three. You must also remember the Marines would normally attack at the same time as Terminators.

It's a Troop choice! Unless your Grey Knights or have a special rule that allows them to be taken as Troops, you cannot field Terminators as Troops.

The thing you must remember is that Warriors have AP3 attacks. They should never be matched against Terminators, the example above was solely to represent the point allotment between the two units. The numbers will obviously change dependant on your target unit, however, a unit of Warriors should always find the juicy 3+(or higher) armour units (even 3+ multi-wound or Monstrous Creatures). In a single round of combat they should be able to wipe any 10 man unit (with the Prime addition). The only downfall is their 4+ armour save, this however can be fixed by your tactical advancement as you march across the battlefield (which I will get into later). Terminators having a 2+ save is beneficial to them, however with the addition of many AP2 guns, you see less and less terminators fielded.

Warriors don't need further Biomorphs to increase their price tag, however, some Biomorphs like Toxin Sacs or Rending Claws can be beneficial if you know you will be facing many 2+ armour save units. The key things is being able to attack before the other unit, especially if they have power weapons as Warriors are not immune to Instant Death from Strength 8+ weapons. Landing blows that rip armour apart will greatly hurt your opponent, and since each Warrior has 3 wounds, their survivability in melee is even greater than that of a Terminator or Marine. There is no negative effect to a Warrior when they suffer a wound or two, it's only when you land that third and last wound does it matter. By the time that happens though, the unit should be dead.

Role: Infantry (non-Terminator based) or 3+ Multi-Wound/Monstrous Creature killers. Take the Prime, a unit of 5 Warriors and watch things die before they can attack back.

The only time I run Warriors is with a Prime HQ or in larger games where I can run a Prime alongside another HQ.



Hormagaunts – This is my most favourite model in the whole Tyranid range. The very first time I walked into a Games Workshop (I was about 11-12) I saw an army diorama that they usually have on display. It was a small town with Hormagaunts flooding the entire area. The shear amount of bugs compared to Marines was epic! At that time I didn't even know what Warhammer was, I was simply in the store looking at “the toys”. The first Warhammer Book I picked up after realizing later in life what I saw in that store was Tyranids was... you bet.. the Tyranid Codex.

Fluffy history story aside, these bugs are your main arsenal in a melee centric Tyranid army. With the price decrease, you can field 90 of these guys (in groups of 30) for under 500 points. Why would you want to add that many bugs you may ask?

It's cool looking, intimidating, and allows your bigger bugs protection vs shooting. People complain that their big bugs get shot to death before they make it across the board, but when looking at their list they only have 2 groups of 10 termagants to get the minimum Troop selection. I just shake my head.

Tyranids are an army of bugs that travel across the universe feeding, they attack in swarms of numbers that cannot be defeated and are (IMO) the best melee army currently in 40K due to the volume of bugs and attacks. Fielding 2 units of 10 termagants is useless and will not help your army. You must field massive units of bugs to keep your opponent on edge, give them a reason to shoot at the little bugs over the big ones.

Since the Hormagaunt's profile is readily available on the Black Library website I will go into more detail regarding how these bugs can make your army that much more potent.

Gaunts are cheap, being 5 points each is awesome (cheaper than before). This means you can field a unit of 30 for 150 points. Many people like to give them Toxin Sacs or Adrenal Glands but I say don't. Gaunts are there to act as fodder and to be an immediate threat come melee range. With 2 attacks each and Init 5, a unit of 30 Gaunts put out 90 attacks on the charge that will land before Marines. So, 90 attacks hitting on 4's means 45 hit. 45 hits wounding on 5's means 15 wounds. That volume of attacks will see a few marines drop, even with their 3+ save. Send the Gaunts towards higher armour save units and watch as more die.

Scything Talons losing their reroll to hit of 1's sucks, we all know this so those who keep whining, get over it. With 90 attacks on the charge, your going to be seeing many, many 1's. Rerolling all of them will greatly increase the odds of hitting and wounding... Sure that's a good thing, but at 5 points? These aren't marines we are talking about here, its cheap, quick bugs that work better in large numbers. Talons are still AP 6 though, which means it can still kill 6+ saves!

Gaunts have the ability to run quick, not only do they have Fleet but their special rule adds 3” to their run movement. On average you should be moving 12-15” every turn. If you play on a 4'x6' board with a 12” deployment, this means you will get into close combat even quicker (dependant on what scenario is played as well due to deployment and battlefield set up).

The amount of bodies will, like I said, be intimidating. Your opponent will have to choose, do they target the big bugs in the back, which in most cases will have a cover save due to the amount of small bugs in the front (remember this is dependant on LoS) and leave all the little bugs as they move steadily across the board? Or do they target the horde of bugs, hoping to prune them down fast enough before the big bugs get to them? You need to force your opponent to make these choices, if there is only 10 Termagants they are not going to feel very intimidated and will most likely leave them to the very last.

I will go more into detail about how to use your gaunts to your advantage later. Seems I kind of went overboard there lol (I love gaunts, can you tell?).

Role: Fodder, cover, intimidation, large amount of attacks/wounds/models.



Genestealers – Another unit people think should be left on the shelf. I am unsure why, because every time I field them they do extraordinarily well. “Oh they have no assault grenades and so suck now”, granted, they don't have Flesh Hooks yes, but that is why you need to use your brain while running them in your list. One thing people have to stop doing is comparing a unit against a whole army. You have to compare the unit with it's own army before you can compare it to another. Without supporting your Stealers with other units, you will find yourself turning in your Stealers.

Stealers have not changed in the slightest since the last book, and in the last book they did well for me as they have in this one. Having the WS of a Tyranid Prime, a high Initiative and Rending Claws is awesome. Once again I must make an example using Terminators, because these guys will shred Terminators. Take a unit of 5 vanilla Terminators vs the same price tag worth of Genestealers (with the additional Broodlord) so approximately 14 Stealers and a Broodlord.

On the assault, the Stealers alone will do 42 attacks, hitting on 3's, so a potential 27 hits. These 27 hits will do on average 13 wounds, 2 being Rending. So VS a unit of 5 Terminators 1-2 dead before they attack back.

The Broodlord gains a Psyker power that is very handy. It makes a unit within 24” take a pinning test with a negative modifier to their leadership. This is handy since Genetealers don't have Flesh Hooks.

The other thing people can do to get their Stealers into combat will be discussed later.

Role: Infantry shock units. These guys should have no issue killing units.

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FAST ATTACK



Shrikes – To be honest I have never run these guys and have never really had the motivation to. Getting wings can help Synapse support since they can move so fast but the armour save that a normal Bolter can pierce just doesn't sit well with me. Even using Gargoyles as cover (the only really effective unit that can keep up) I cannot fathom spending the points into these guys. I suppose I need to play test them more to find a way to make them fit. However, with the other Fast Attack options I think I would just leave them out any ways. They did however receive a slight point decrease.



Raveners – These guys too have an awesome model. Being Beasts, Raveners have the coolest potential and I like to include a unit or two in my lists. Especially now with the Red Horror upgrade. Slapping on some Rending Claws, you can go tank hunting for maximum effectiveness. Just remember to bring some Synapse with you.

I think Raveners and Trygons took the greatest hit from the loss of rerolls from Scything Talons, especially since they didn't get any changes other than losing 1 attack that the paired weapons gives back anyways. However they are still a viable unit and should not be over-looked. Being able to Deep Strike means these bugs can go where they need to and will most likely help with Deathleaper, Lictors or Trygons.

The Red Horror upgrade is a definite recommendation. Having the ability to remove a model from play if it lands at least 4 of its attacks is big. This means multi-wound infantry characters can be taken out of action without worrying about pesky armour saves. They get an invul save sure, but tell that to the Techmarine my Red Horror gobbled down the last game I played!

Raveners have above average WS and the same Init as a Gaunt with twice the attacks. This means the Ravener, who sits at the same Wounds, Strength and Toughness as a Warrior, is an awesome close combat bug. Give it Rending Claws and you will see many Marines die before a Ravener ever does! The Red Horror is a little better than a Ravener for WS, Attacks and armour save and man do you see the difference. If your faced against a pesky character that has an awesome armour save, don't be shy to gobble him up with the Red Horror.

Role: Tank hunters, infantry killers.



Gargoyles - Gargoyles are one of those bugs that look like they should be shooting but are actual decent in melee. Being jump infantry, they can move quickly across the board, accompanied by Raveners, Flyrants or other fast moving units (including Shrikes). They have a Fleshborer which can help pop a wound or two off before they charge but they are mostly used for support. The price tag hasn't changed on them but their special rules have. They used to have Fantasy poison, so to hit rolls of 6 would cause an instant wound. Now however, they have Poison 6. This is still not bad as Poison can wound any model regardless of Toughness, this means they could, potentially, take down a T10 monster!

The sole reason to take Gargoyles is for cover, fast moving units need cover too and the Gaunt cannot run THAT fast. Since gargoyles aren't bad in combat either they make a good side kick for the Harpy. having the Harpy reduce Init on a unit it charges means Gargoyles will be able to land a lot of attacks before the opponent can attack back.

Role: Cover, possible swarm to take down tough monsters.




The other Fast Attack options are more of a mixed unit. Like I explained in the other post, the Harpy is well rounded and will do very well with Gargoyles flying alongside. I don't usually field any other Fast Attack units in my melee lists.

[3eland]

ELITES



Venomthropes – The coolest bug you can add to a melee army. As I already went over the basics in my other post I will only expand slightly how he works so well for melee.

Giving shroud to units is big, especially things like Warriors and Tyrants. Combine it with the shear amount of little bugs and your opponent will be most likely forced to deal with the little bugs and hope they can, by some mere chance, take out the Venomthrope. Sure there are things that can rid the Venomthrope off the field, but smart placement and tactical advancement should keep it alive long enough to get your bugs into melee, and even then having poison himself means he can dish some attacks out in melee. Having whips is great, since you will be hitting before most things and the Toxic Miasma Biomorph can really change the outcome of a combat. Remember, with the large point decrease, these guys are worth having.

EDIT: I forgot to add Shrouded rule states that only a single model of a unit needs to have the rule for the whole unit to have it. This means a single Gaunt or Stealer needs to be within 6" for the entire squad to gain the bonus. Use this to maximize what you can give shrouded (especially with the trio triangle).

Role: Shroud.



Lictors – Cheaper Deathleapers without the cool special rules (dropped huge in price too). These guys are a lot better than they used to be. Although I wouldn't send them after named characters, they should still eat through normal infantry and basic characters with ease. They have the Hit & Run special rule too so they can essentially assault a unit, kill their target and then break away back into cover to track down other targets. Lictors come equipped like Deathleaper, so Rending Claws, Talons and Flesh Hooks.

Lictors can also be good tank killers. Since they do not scatter when they Deep Strike, you can set them up behind that tedious Barrage tank and with Flesh Hooks also being a shooting attack, have the possibility of destroying it. This manoeuvre however is situational, since they only have Stealth and the save of a Ravener, there will be cases where you don't want to do this.

Role: Character hunter/killer, infantry killer, possible small AV tank hunter.



Haruspex – Our first new melee bug! I will admit now, I haven't been able to play tests this guy as much as I would want, however I do have some opinions on these great beasts.

The Haruspex is a bug that knows how to get things done. Being equipped with Crushing Claws, Acid Blood and its Grasping Tongue, this Tyrant-like Strength and Toughness bug can kill tanks with ease. It's current price tag is good, especially for what it can put out.

It has a special rule called “Feeder-Beast” that allows it to regain a single wound if it inflicts atleast a single unsaved wound in the assault phase. Being strong and AP2, there is a high chance this will happen. The other special rule it has is “Rapacious Hunger”, where if the Haruspex charges, all unsaved wounds he causes generates an additional attack! These cannot further gain additional attacks however none the less is a great advantage to have. With the Crushing Claws and being AP2, there is no doubt at least one model will be killed.

The Haruspex has a built in tongue.. thing. It is the same strength as its unmodified Strength and is AP2. A to hit roll of a 6 is a precision shot. The gun has the range of a Fleshborer. Although you're not going to be using this guy as a shooter, the ability to do a small shooting attack that can kill a Terminator (with the chance to precision so you can put hit on a special weapon) is awesome. Or, if there is a tank in the way that your about to ram, that shot can change how things end up for the tank!

One Biomorph that makes sense on this beast is Regeneration. Sure Regen puts his price tag up, but this guy has the ability to use it better than any other bug. The only thing I can think of that is sad about this bug is that I currently don't have the model... soon though... such a good looking model....

Role: Walker killer, tank killer, infantry killer.

[3eland]

HEAVY SUPPORT



Carnifex – Carnifexes got cheaper in this book and gained an additional Init. They lost an attack which they regain again from their default load out of two pairs of Scything Talons. Taking 2-3 of these guys will force your opponent to make decisions as keeping a Brood alive will not end well when they get into range.

I love these bugs, they are big, strong, and full of win. Even if you exchange a pair of Talons for Crushing Claws you are still under what they used to cost. With the additional Init and the Living Battering Ram special rule, these guys can destroy a tank before it even get's into combat!

Giving Carnifexes Regeneration is handy, although it puts them back to their cost of last codex if you don't exchange the Talons. However, there is really no need for the Crushing Claws to be on every single model since now any model can be equipped with them. Also, if your goal is to use them as a shock Brood infantry killer (like Terminators) then there is no need for them at all.

The high strength of the Carnifex, combined with its Ap2 attacks and boosted Init means they will hit (and most likely destroy) Terminator special teams before they can attack back. Give them Spine Banks and you are sure they will attack first even assaulting through cover. Give them Bio-Plasma and you can be sure whatever they are about to assault will not be left on the field once done. Even vs most tanks, shooting the Bio-Plasma first will ensure a defeated tank. I would use it more on infantry though. A Fleshborer ranged weapon that is AP2, blast and a strength that is even greater than a Tyrant is a good way to clear units of Terminators or marines!

The Carnifex has to be one of the best rounded bugs we can ask for. Being in Broods 1-3 in size makes them the most dangerous Monstrous Creature we could field. The possibilities among how to equip a Carnifex is endless (well not really but it's pretty big). You can equip one with a pinning gun, another with Crushing Claws and the third with Talons if you really wanted to. The inclusion of Tail Biomorphs further increases their potential in combat.

Overall, I feel we will be seeing more of these guys. There is just too many possibilities they can bring to the battle.

Role: Well-rounded killer, tank killer, infantry killer.



Trygon/Trygon Prime – This beast of a bug got cheaper (including the Prime) but alas stayed the same for statline other than -1 Attack that the paired Talons gives back. These guys have always done well for me and I continue to do well with them. My opponents hate them due to their size of wounds and Toughness.

Now, with the addition of the Prime having access to Relics you can field some nasty combinations. Giving the Prime the Claws will give you a Trygon that grows as it kills, or add the extra Synapse for a Trygon that can control things behind enemy lines. You could even give it the Ymgarl Factor or the Reaper of Obliterax and watch your opponent cry when your Trygon Prime starts slaughtering things in what they thought was a safe zone.

Trygons have an ability to allow other Tyranids to use their tunnels when they come into play. This can only be done after the Trygon deploys and so will not likely happen very often. However, their ability to Deep Strike also gains the ability to reduce it's scatter distance if it would normally be placed on impassable terrain or another model. Therefore, unless you roll off the board, you will always land somewhat close to your target.

Since the Trygon has so many attacks, trading them in for a Smash attack can really help kill pesky Walkers or tanks.

Role: Infantry killer, tank hunter/killer, walker killer.



Mawloc – This Trygon cousin got a huge point decrease and is now super awesome. It has the ability to Deep Strike onto units (scattering like normal), however unlike its previous rules, the Mawloc now does something different. You place the large blast template over your mark and roll for scatter like normal, then, if there are any models under the template they immediately take a high Strength AP2 hit. If they are still alive, they get hit again! If the Mawloc still cannot be placed it must roll on the mishap chart to see what happens.

Golly, the ability to do an incredible amount of damage like that is extreme. Especially for it's price tag. It also has the ability to put itself back into reserve and do it again (although not in the same turn)!

I can see Mawlocs being played more often now, and most likely you will see two in lists strictly for the amount of potential they can inflict coming from reserve.

Role: Infantry killer



Tyrannofex - This is another bug that confuses people. It has an assortment of guns and most people would assume it is a shooting bug. However, it is also a really good infantry killing bug in close combat. Having our only 2+ save, the Tyrannofex can hold up units until back up can come to clear things away. Since it has a high Toughness and 2+ save, the T-rex can take power weapon hits (ap3+) and not budge. Having Ap2 attacks itself, Marines and even Terminators have succumb to its wrath!

The T-rex got a HUGE point drop and comes equipped with a Template spray attack and it's natural Stinger Salvo gun. The Acid Spray is a Torrent template that has equal strength to it's own unmodified Strength and AP4. Combine that with a Thorax Biomorph which is a template shooting attack and you will be able to dessicate models before rushing in to finish them off. Three choices of Thorax bugs can be bought (and they all have the same price tag):

Desiccater Larvae: The lowest Strength possible but has Fleshbane, which means it wounds anything on a 2+. This is good vs anything, however they still are given an armour save.

Electroshock Grubs: This template attack is the same strength as a Tyranid Prime and AP5. The nice thing is it has the Haywire special rule. Personally I would never see myself taking it, but the option to have it is nice.

Shreddershard Beetle: The final Thorax Biomorph you can get is the same strength as a Hormagaunt. The reason I tend to choose this Thorax over others is due to its special rules. Rending, Shred. At its low strength it will most likely mean that wounds that land are Rending or the misses can be rerolled to have a second chance to Rend. Either way, this Thorax is a huge recommendation and you will see how effective it is the first time you use it.

The other gun options a T-rex has is a long ranged maximum strength shooting attack that can hit twice at AP4. It's essentially our other anti-tank gun. However, its price tag is stupid high and I personally feel the T-rex is an in-your-face bug any ways. The last gun option can unload 20 shots at the range of a Devourer. It is the same strength as a Warriors unmodified Strength and AP5. This gun is awesome, if you choose to upgrade to this gun it will pay off nicely. This is especially true vs 5+ armour save models but the shear amount of shots can even put a dent into Marines with all the saves they would be doing and especially effective vs Flying Monstrous Creatures for forcing a grounding test. The price tag is cheap too, cheaper than the older book.

The T-rex also has access to all the Biomorphs. This means it can take the awesome Regeneration! And with the 2+ save and the high Toughness, this model will take that Biomorph and make your opponents the most angriest people ever. Regeneration is probably the only Biomorph I would take though, the other ones would start putting the T-rex back where it used to cost. If you combine this with a Tyranid Psyker power that gives Feel No Pain, your T-rex will never die.

Most people will argue back and forth as to what this bug's role is. I feel it is an in-your-face shooty bug that should be included in most melee lists. If not the fact it can kill infantry so well, but also since it can hold up pretty much any unit while your other units deal with more immediate threats. Plus, the model looks cool.

Role: Infantry killer

[NuWishA]

This is a very nice review/discussion. Thank you!

[3eland]

Thanks, I will write up some tactics on how to get your melee army across the board effectively. Won't be until tomorrow most likely, I think there is enough here to read for now lol.

[starslayer]

Thanks, I will write up some tactics on how to get your melee army across the board effectively. Won't be until tomorrow most likely, I think there is enough here to read for now lol.

Would the Tyrannofex w/ Fleshborer Hive fit in a melee list? Im also interested in seeing how the Haruspex actually works in battle, since I like the model.

Thank you very much for taking the time in writing this up!

[3eland]

Thanks, I will write up some tactics on how to get your melee army across the board effectively. Won't be until tomorrow most likely, I think there is enough here to read for now lol.

Would the Tyrannofex w/ Fleshborer Hive fit in a melee list? Im also interested in seeing how the Haruspex actually works in battle, since I like the model.

Thank you very much for taking the time in writing this up!

Yeah I forgot to include him my bad lol. I'll add him in now. I have proxied a Haruspex in only 2 games, each game it made it's points back and is labelled one of the bugs my opponents hate the most now (along side Carnifexes, Trygons, well any big bug really). Either way, the model alone is so cool I don't care how bad it performs I will be assembling and painting one. When I have more play time with him to get a more accurate description I'll update the post.

In the games he has been in, he ripped apart two Dreadnoughts (Salamander ones I think? It had Flamers) after they Deep Striked close to a squad of Stealers and proceeded to ignite them with fire. Foolishly, he didn't think the new bug would be able to take them on solo lol. The Crushing claws ate through their metal faster than a hot knife through butter. The other game he was in he managed to do well against the Marines I sent him after. Like I have said I don't have enough playtime with him but on paper and what I have been able to do with him I will be adding it to my army.

[NuWishA]

This might make for a better thread on its own. But I don't know how to split it on my iPad.

[3eland]

I could always repost everything in its own thread.

[spiralingcadaver]

Really nice thread, here- thanks for posting!

So... I'm a bit curious, since you seem pretty experienced and opinionated:

I've just finished painting up the Space Hulk 'nids (22 genestealers and a broodlord). I'm curious what you'd suggest I take for a smallish 'nid force starting with them.

Basically, I like the lurking ancient horror side of 'Nids, rather than the full invasion stuff.

Stuff I particularly like:
Old One Eye
Deathleaper/Lictors
Venomthrope
raveners/red terror
trygon/mawloc

Stuff I'd rather avoid:
warriors
tyrannofex etc.
gaunts
'vores
rippers

[MagickalMemories]

I think you just made it hard for him to give you a good answer. : )
What is your purpose for the army? Do you want a theme? Something as tough as possible within the parameters you set?
Something else?


Eric

[spiralingcadaver]

Sure, to clarify:

I'm thinking about building a list loosely within the theme of what I particularly like, with the option of unlisted models (i.e. ones w/ no particular preference) where useful, and hopefully avoiding the ones I dislike, what would be a reasonably good selection?

Basically, I like theme, but not so much that I'll shoot myself in the foot over it (and I can always convert something if it's essential).

Thinking I'd limit the list to 1,000 points or less, i.e. just small games.