This was a army I started because my friend said he had a battle box somewhere in his basement and he didn't want it. After finding them, and an a trip to the local GW store where I picked up a metal Hive Tyrant and some Balrog wings, I had a new army.
His name is Jerry
Tyranids have always been my fun army. They play very differently from everything else I have, so I've always kept around to spice things up.
Caw Caw
They're also one of my more flushed out painted armies apparently......
I've now played through 4 different Codex with them, and somethings have gotten interesting and some things have gotten silly. Spore pods have cometh, goneth, and cometh again. The once objective scoring troops slot has been replaced with things that can't secure objectives. Oh and Red Terror is a thing again.....
Codex: Tyrainds however really isn't in a great place right now, Codex: Hive Tyrant however is doing swimmingly. On that note these are the following things I hope change soon, either with my hopeful ideas or at least something.
1. Army Wide Special Rules
Most armies get army wide special rules that benefit them positively. Tyranids get Fearless and the added benefit of not eating themselves, you know for kicks. The biggest glaring issue with this is that the Fearless benefit only really kicks in for 50% of the units, because half of all Tyranids have fearless standard. Now there is a bonus hidden in the instinct tables, but you would have to choose to risk your unit not doing what you want 50% of the time. Eating themselves for example.
I don't have a problem with Tyranids having issues if big brains aren't around. Its super thematic and really characterful. Its just that it should have a bigger effect. It used to be for a short time they also got Eternal Warrior when in synapse, which wouldn't be a bad bring back with all things considered. But that isn't really the interesting addition I'd really want.
I would really prefer a re-work of the current instinct types. Right now all non-synapse Tyranids have either Feed, Lurk, or Hunt. Keep that, but make it so that if your're in synapse you get fearless and something else based on your type.
Feed = Rage
Lurk = Stealth
Hunt = Preferred Enemy
You could even go crazy and have units with two types, or have synapse creatures having them too. If you end up out of synapse, have that be a Ld check to see if you keep the new secondary bonus. If you fail, well you loss your army wide rule for a turn and your probably getting shooed out a window by a broom or something.
After that Shadow in the Warp should take some ques from psychic abomination, not as heavily, but something similar where you decrease casting chances and have some kind of resistance. Here's a stab at it.
These two things changing somehow would go a long way towards giving Tyranid armies more options, and a reason to play them as they are always heavily depicted in the fluff. A indescribable horde of monsters striking fear and darkness where they tread. Instead of right now where Tyranids devolve into a army of just ignoring the synapse whenever possible.
Most armies get army wide special rules that benefit them positively. Tyranids get Fearless and the added benefit of not eating themselves, you know for kicks. The biggest glaring issue with this is that the Fearless benefit only really kicks in for 50% of the units, because half of all Tyranids have fearless standard. Now there is a bonus hidden in the instinct tables, but you would have to choose to risk your unit not doing what you want 50% of the time. Eating themselves for example.
I don't have a problem with Tyranids having issues if big brains aren't around. Its super thematic and really characterful. Its just that it should have a bigger effect. It used to be for a short time they also got Eternal Warrior when in synapse, which wouldn't be a bad bring back with all things considered. But that isn't really the interesting addition I'd really want.
I would really prefer a re-work of the current instinct types. Right now all non-synapse Tyranids have either Feed, Lurk, or Hunt. Keep that, but make it so that if your're in synapse you get fearless and something else based on your type.
Feed = Rage
Lurk = Stealth
Hunt = Preferred Enemy
You could even go crazy and have units with two types, or have synapse creatures having them too. If you end up out of synapse, have that be a Ld check to see if you keep the new secondary bonus. If you fail, well you loss your army wide rule for a turn and your probably getting shooed out a window by a broom or something.
After that Shadow in the Warp should take some ques from psychic abomination, not as heavily, but something similar where you decrease casting chances and have some kind of resistance. Here's a stab at it.
Shadows in the Warp: Enemy models within 12" of at least one Model with this rule, generate one less warp charge then they would normal generate, to a minimum of one, and manifest psychic powers with a -1 modifier on the test, to a minimum of 6. In addition friendly Models within 12" of a model with this special rule have Adamantium Will
These two things changing somehow would go a long way towards giving Tyranid armies more options, and a reason to play them as they are always heavily depicted in the fluff. A indescribable horde of monsters striking fear and darkness where they tread. Instead of right now where Tyranids devolve into a army of just ignoring the synapse whenever possible.
How do you describe that to someone?
2. Rules Locations
Tyranids need a 7th edition codex, not just to make half their units usable, but to freaking bundle up all the piece meal rules that have been released. Here's a quick individual run down of where things are, and I'm probably missing somethings.
Codex Tyranids - most units, rules
Data-slate Leviathan 1 - 5 formations
Data-slate Leviathan 2 - 5 formations
Data-slate Leviathan 3 - 5 formations
Supplement Shield of Bale - a 6th edition style detachment and 6 new units, several formations some of them reprints from above.
Deathstorm - 1 formation and 3 unique units
Start Collecting - 1 Formation
Imperial Armour 4 - Technically Counts!
That is not some silly allies trap you've tricked yourself into which is why you have a bunch of books, all of that is one army and all currently usable. Most of it is crap, but it exists.
THIS NEEDS TO END. 1-5 need to be put into one codex. Probably half the formations can just disappear because a lot of them are really bad, like really bad. I guess they will still exist if you really really want your gargoyles who take their pet spore mines for walks.
Tyranids need a 7th edition codex, not just to make half their units usable, but to freaking bundle up all the piece meal rules that have been released. Here's a quick individual run down of where things are, and I'm probably missing somethings.
Codex Tyranids - most units, rules
Data-slate Leviathan 1 - 5 formations
Data-slate Leviathan 2 - 5 formations
Data-slate Leviathan 3 - 5 formations
Supplement Shield of Bale - a 6th edition style detachment and 6 new units, several formations some of them reprints from above.
Deathstorm - 1 formation and 3 unique units
Start Collecting - 1 Formation
Imperial Armour 4 - Technically Counts!
That is not some silly allies trap you've tricked yourself into which is why you have a bunch of books, all of that is one army and all currently usable. Most of it is crap, but it exists.
THIS NEEDS TO END. 1-5 need to be put into one codex. Probably half the formations can just disappear because a lot of them are really bad, like really bad. I guess they will still exist if you really really want your gargoyles who take their pet spore mines for walks.
3. Bug Guns
Here's the deal, I could easily whine about how Xenos armies have some issue with assaulting into cover when they clearly know its a problem, or shouldn't care because they have 6 limbs, but I feel it's just a waste of time at this point because GW isn't changing their mind anytime soon.
So lets talk about something real simple. Tyranid Guns.
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Tyranid weapons are literally attached to the models using it, they grow them on themselves and sometimes they have minds of their own. This used to be represented by the units profile factoring into the weapon profile, weapon Str = user + or - and shoots sometimes depended on the users attack stat. I liked that. It would do two things, add a unique mechanic back to Tyranids and it would cut down on the random ass names I'd have to remember. Here's a potential few....
Spinefist:
12", Str = User, ap-, Assault = User Attacks +1
Fleshborer:
12" Str = User +1 (Max5), Ap5, Assault = User Attacks
Devourer:
18" Str = User (Max 6), Ap-, Assault = User Attacks +2
Barbed Strangler:
36", Str = User +1 (Max 8), Ap5, Large Blast, Pinning AND Strikedown (Its literally a god dam net, I don't care about Fearless saying you can just walk away)
Venom Cannon
36", Str = User +3, Ap4, Small Blast
Another thing I thought would be interesting would be to use other profiles for different things, like toughness for flamer weapons.
Also I'm willing to ignore that strangle-web and spike rifles exist as long as GW ignores them too.
Here's the deal, I could easily whine about how Xenos armies have some issue with assaulting into cover when they clearly know its a problem, or shouldn't care because they have 6 limbs, but I feel it's just a waste of time at this point because GW isn't changing their mind anytime soon.
So lets talk about something real simple. Tyranid Guns.
Tyranid weapons are literally attached to the models using it, they grow them on themselves and sometimes they have minds of their own. This used to be represented by the units profile factoring into the weapon profile, weapon Str = user + or - and shoots sometimes depended on the users attack stat. I liked that. It would do two things, add a unique mechanic back to Tyranids and it would cut down on the random ass names I'd have to remember. Here's a potential few....
Spinefist:
12", Str = User, ap-, Assault = User Attacks +1
Fleshborer:
12" Str = User +1 (Max5), Ap5, Assault = User Attacks
Devourer:
18" Str = User (Max 6), Ap-, Assault = User Attacks +2
Barbed Strangler:
36", Str = User +1 (Max 8), Ap5, Large Blast, Pinning AND Strikedown (Its literally a god dam net, I don't care about Fearless saying you can just walk away)
Venom Cannon
36", Str = User +3, Ap4, Small Blast
Another thing I thought would be interesting would be to use other profiles for different things, like toughness for flamer weapons.
Also I'm willing to ignore that strangle-web and spike rifles exist as long as GW ignores them too.
4. Psykers
Tyranid psykers are very limited in what they can do. They have one chart and a handful of unit specific powers. Which is annoying because Biomancey feels useful to a army of Bugs that specialize in bettering themselves. I'm going to breeze past the part where they don't actually harness the warp and aren't actually psykers, because that is cool fluff just unnecessary for rules purposes at this point. Its a lot like Magic and Psionics in 3.5, just accept that they are interchangeable and have as little exceptions as possible.
The easy solution would be to give them access to core tables. A better option would be to just give them a second table and split the powers they have into offensive and defensive, bonus if one happens to be like the Eldar runes of battle table.
My ideal option though is to create two tables, one with really powerful ones exclusive to super leader bugs (Tyrants, etc.) and one with lesser ones for lesser psykers (Broodlords, etc.). Again like Eldar.
End result, simply something that gives Tyranids more powers or at least more options with those powers.
Additionally again making Shadow in the Warp legitimately useful would be helpful too.
I've Always loved this image
Tyranid psykers are very limited in what they can do. They have one chart and a handful of unit specific powers. Which is annoying because Biomancey feels useful to a army of Bugs that specialize in bettering themselves. I'm going to breeze past the part where they don't actually harness the warp and aren't actually psykers, because that is cool fluff just unnecessary for rules purposes at this point. Its a lot like Magic and Psionics in 3.5, just accept that they are interchangeable and have as little exceptions as possible.
The easy solution would be to give them access to core tables. A better option would be to just give them a second table and split the powers they have into offensive and defensive, bonus if one happens to be like the Eldar runes of battle table.
My ideal option though is to create two tables, one with really powerful ones exclusive to super leader bugs (Tyrants, etc.) and one with lesser ones for lesser psykers (Broodlords, etc.). Again like Eldar.
End result, simply something that gives Tyranids more powers or at least more options with those powers.
Additionally again making Shadow in the Warp legitimately useful would be helpful too.
5. Bombs
I know troops have really become less useful this last edition. It would be great to make troops legitimately useful again no matter what they are, to give more reasons to bring them other than for obsec and scatter lasers. But at a certain point we have to have limits on what can be troops, which brings me to to my last point.
Troops at the very least, compulsory or otherwise, shouldn't be exploding bombs that literally can't score. The second I saw that fart bombs were troops, my mind literally exploded.
Its not like Tyranids didn't already have a cheap troop choice to fill this roll, but this literally made a cheaper one that makes my eyes want roll out of my head.
Move them to fast attack like their smaller versions, and lets not be dicks. At least on this one thing.
Tyranids are a very interesting army. They are organic animals in a galaxy of armored boxes and chainsaw somethings. They are the bad guys everyone can fight
Even Genestealer Cults aren't friendly with them. As it should be, because the second any of them saw a real Tyranid they would be physically compelled to cover themselves in barbecue sauce and literally jump into its mouth.
I'm okay with all that.
The only problem is this is Voltron edition. Where crossing codexs is the norm. And for Tyranids to compete with this, they really need a well thought out synergistic army that is actually good. Right now that's not Tyranids, and its making super interesting army concept super uninteresting to play or play against.
I know troops have really become less useful this last edition. It would be great to make troops legitimately useful again no matter what they are, to give more reasons to bring them other than for obsec and scatter lasers. But at a certain point we have to have limits on what can be troops, which brings me to to my last point.
Troops at the very least, compulsory or otherwise, shouldn't be exploding bombs that literally can't score. The second I saw that fart bombs were troops, my mind literally exploded.
Its not like Tyranids didn't already have a cheap troop choice to fill this roll, but this literally made a cheaper one that makes my eyes want roll out of my head.
Move them to fast attack like their smaller versions, and lets not be dicks. At least on this one thing.
"That's my fun army" - That Guy
Tyranids are a very interesting army. They are organic animals in a galaxy of armored boxes and chainsaw somethings. They are the bad guys everyone can fight
Even Genestealer Cults aren't friendly with them. As it should be, because the second any of them saw a real Tyranid they would be physically compelled to cover themselves in barbecue sauce and literally jump into its mouth.
I'm okay with all that.
The only problem is this is Voltron edition. Where crossing codexs is the norm. And for Tyranids to compete with this, they really need a well thought out synergistic army that is actually good. Right now that's not Tyranids, and its making super interesting army concept super uninteresting to play or play against.
And continuing to give me a reason to not even bother painting this guy