Yeah, for all the 'insider' knowledge and hype there's preciously little in that screed that could be proven or disproven, it's just 'Lots of stuff cummin', trust me bro'.
NAVARRO wrote: I doubt they had a huge backlog of new sculpts sitting for more than a decade and would not use it until now.
I dunno, I wager long term sculptors for/at GW will likely have a backlog of models that make it to design and get sculpted and don't see the light of day for utterly ages. Same as how concept art is made and a lot of that might never make it beyond a few designs that don't get sculpted up or adapted.
So you could argue that "these designs have been ready for decades". Heck most are surprised that the Biovore/Pyrovore and Lictor were not updated in the last 10 years. So it could well be that Tyranids just kept pulling a short straw on getting a production slot and then enough time went by that they were so closer to 10th's planning that GW went "eh give them a load in one go so just hold off for another 3-4 years.
Considering that editions are so close together now it wouldn't surprise me if 11th edition is already being discussed at some levels at GW.
NAVARRO wrote: I doubt they had a huge backlog of new sculpts sitting for more than a decade and would not use it until now.
I dunno, I wager long term sculptors for/at GW will likely have a backlog of models that make it to design and get sculpted and don't see the light of day for utterly ages. Same as how concept art is made and a lot of that might never make it beyond a few designs that don't get sculpted up or adapted.
So you could argue that "these designs have been ready for decades". Heck most are surprised that the Biovore/Pyrovore and Lictor were not updated in the last 10 years. So it could well be that Tyranids just kept pulling a short straw on getting a production slot and then enough time went by that they were so closer to 10th's planning that GW went "eh give them a load in one go so just hold off for another 3-4 years.
Considering that editions are so close together now it wouldn't surprise me if 11th edition is already being discussed at some levels at GW.
I can see something like the 'Codex Bio-Titans' being something that they could not find a slot in the release schedule for, or even planned for FW resin models and completely redesigned to be made in plastic once they decided to basically close Forgeworld for 40k permanently, but that would be an extreme edge case. They haven been known to do some stuff like that in the past, but it's something that happens a few times in a decade or so.
Codex Bio-Titans just seems off to me. It's way too much attention on a niche for Tyranids. Perhaps at one time GW was going to go that path and there was a series of Knight codex for each army envisioned. However it sounds super niche and more like something you'd expect from Titanicus which is more suited to it rather than for 40K.
I can believe that GW might well bring more titans into plastic as we do have Chaos, Imperial and Ork ones. So I could see other races getting them too, but not as separate codex nor even mini codex.
I dunno we know we are getting a good chunk of cool new stuff, so we'll just have to wait and see
Overread wrote: Codex Bio-Titans just seems off to me. It's way too much attention on a niche for Tyranids. Perhaps at one time GW was going to go that path and there was a series of Knight codex for each army envisioned. However it sounds super niche and more like something you'd expect from Titanicus which is more suited to it rather than for 40K.
I can believe that GW might well bring more titans into plastic as we do have Chaos, Imperial and Ork ones. So I could see other races getting them too, but not as separate codex nor even mini codex.
I dunno we know we are getting a good chunk of cool new stuff, so we'll just have to wait and see
A whole army of MCs was something they heavily hinted at as a possible alternative army style akin to the Armoured Company for IG and so on, and they tried to make it happen in several incarnations, in Apocalypse and so on. Perhaps 'Bio-Titans' is a slight exaggeration and what they were aiming for was more something Land Raider-sized and up, up to Knight Size. The FW Hierodule et al are 'Titans' in name but barely larger or more massive than Knights, i can just about see it happen. But still, it's a 4chan rumour, fun to fantasize around it, but most probably just made-up BS.
Overread wrote: Codex Bio-Titans just seems off to me. It's way too much attention on a niche for Tyranids. Perhaps at one time GW was going to go that path and there was a series of Knight codex for each army envisioned. However it sounds super niche and more like something you'd expect from Titanicus which is more suited to it rather than for 40K.
I can believe that GW might well bring more titans into plastic as we do have Chaos, Imperial and Ork ones. So I could see other races getting them too, but not as separate codex nor even mini codex.
I dunno we know we are getting a good chunk of cool new stuff, so we'll just have to wait and see
A whole army of MCs was something they heavily hinted at as a possible alternative army style akin to the Armoured Company for IG and so on, and they tried to make it happen in several incarnations, in Apocalypse and so on. Perhaps 'Bio-Titans' is a slight exaggeration and what they were aiming for was more something Land Raider-sized and up, up to Knight Size. The FW Hierodule et al are 'Titans' in name but barely larger or more massive than Knights, i can just about see it happen. But still, it's a 4chan rumour, fun to fantasize around it, but most probably just made-up BS.
There was the thingy stompy crusher stampede army of renown in 9th as well.
Overread wrote: Codex Bio-Titans just seems off to me. It's way too much attention on a niche for Tyranids. Perhaps at one time GW was going to go that path and there was a series of Knight codex for each army envisioned. However it sounds super niche and more like something you'd expect from Titanicus which is more suited to it rather than for 40K.
I can believe that GW might well bring more titans into plastic as we do have Chaos, Imperial and Ork ones. So I could see other races getting them too, but not as separate codex nor even mini codex.
I dunno we know we are getting a good chunk of cool new stuff, so we'll just have to wait and see
I agree with all of this. I would also buy the absolute gak out of a Codex Bio Titans
So that’s already 8 new kits. Another four doesn’t seem out of the question.
Gants
Stealers
Gargoyles
Lictor
Separate Prime model
Plastic Raveners
Shrikes?
Plastic Biovores/pyrovores dual kit
Could all arguably be updated/added.
As for the bio-titans the Screamer Killer is already pretty big, I could see people counting that as a larger model, not knight sized, but look at the Armigers.
I’m trying to wrack my brains about old titans from 90s epic and the only one I can think of is the hilariously named “dominatrix”
We also have the Norn Emissary that we 75% know os coming but 75% don’t know what it is ?
The tyranid Knight scale model was being worked on in 2017, along with knight sized models for most other ranges, primarily due to the success of the first knight miniature. (source GW sculptor I sat next to on a plane)
I don't think they will get less than what Necrons got with their refresh at the beginning of 9th. I would even expect more than that.
Leaving out the Indomitus models they got:
2 very big models - Monolith, Silent King, Void Dragon
Right now it's a complete coin flip on what Leviathan kits come out as a full kits, or just get released as is. Of all of them I think that the Termagants are the most likely to get a full proper kit. Do the Barbgaunts and Reapers come on the same sprue? I can't remember.
General Kroll wrote: So let’s indulge that wishlisty 4chan post. What would be the 12 new kits?
It's entirely possible the 12 kits mentioned don't include the Leviathan stuff. They may have been made for Leviathan after GW decided Nids were in the box.
plus Deathleaper and the Norn leaves 6 more new kits that don't exist (7 if Deathleaper comes in the Lictor box).
Personally I'd bet on Shrikes as one option to go with the new Winged Prime.
General Kroll wrote: So let’s indulge that wishlisty 4chan post. What would be the 12 new kits?
It's entirely possible the 12 kits mentioned don't include the Leviathan stuff. They may have been made for Leviathan after GW decided Nids were in the box.
plus Deathleaper and the Norn leaves 6 more new kits that don't exist (7 if Deathleaper comes in the Lictor box).
Personally I'd bet on Shrikes as one option to go with the new Winged Prime.
The rumourdude is not too clear about it, but the release is not actually limited to these 12 kits, he said it was 'at a point' 8-12 kits but that the Biotitan stuff and another wave for 10th proper got added onto that. Going by that, the total has to be closer to 16-20 kits.
General Kroll wrote: So let’s indulge that wishlisty 4chan post. What would be the 12 new kits?
It's entirely possible the 12 kits mentioned don't include the Leviathan stuff. They may have been made for Leviathan after GW decided Nids were in the box.
plus Deathleaper and the Norn leaves 6 more new kits that don't exist (7 if Deathleaper comes in the Lictor box).
Personally I'd bet on Shrikes as one option to go with the new Winged Prime.
The rumourdude is not too clear about it, but the release is not actually limited to these 12 kits, he said it was 'at a point' 8-12 kits but that the Biotitan stuff and another wave for 10th proper got added onto that. Going by that, the total has to be closer to 16-20 kits.
Yes and thats why most of us think thats a bit tooooo optimistic maybe?
General Kroll wrote: So let’s indulge that wishlisty 4chan post. What would be the 12 new kits?
It's entirely possible the 12 kits mentioned don't include the Leviathan stuff. They may have been made for Leviathan after GW decided Nids were in the box.
plus Deathleaper and the Norn leaves 6 more new kits that don't exist (7 if Deathleaper comes in the Lictor box).
Personally I'd bet on Shrikes as one option to go with the new Winged Prime.
I'd say Raveners won't be done. Stealers, Lictors and Vores absolutely. On top of that Shrikes and some critter based on the Red Terror as a character. I think Old One Eye could get his own character kit.
I remember looking at the Necron refresh and thinking they got a lot of stuff- how many kits did they get? Another guy with good credentials has said there's a lot of stuff coming, probably not as much in that post, but a good lot of kits.He didn't confirm any specifics and couldn't comment of LoW. Crons got a monolith, The Dragon and the Silent King as big kits as well as those scenery pieces - I wonder there might be a Nid scenery kit- maybe reclamation pools/spore chimneys or something that boosts synapse?
H.B.M.C. wrote: Do the Barbgaunts and Reapers come on the same sprue? I can't remember.
Only SC and Neurotyrant share a sprue. The rest either have the full size sprue for themselves or share the ''joined'' sprues that can be split for 2 separate sprues.
General Kroll wrote: So let’s indulge that wishlisty 4chan post. What would be the 12 new kits?
It's entirely possible the 12 kits mentioned don't include the Leviathan stuff. They may have been made for Leviathan after GW decided Nids were in the box.
plus Deathleaper and the Norn leaves 6 more new kits that don't exist (7 if Deathleaper comes in the Lictor box).
Personally I'd bet on Shrikes as one option to go with the new Winged Prime.
The rumourdude is not too clear about it, but the release is not actually limited to these 12 kits, he said it was 'at a point' 8-12 kits but that the Biotitan stuff and another wave for 10th proper got added onto that. Going by that, the total has to be closer to 16-20 kits.
Yes and thats why most of us think thats a bit tooooo optimistic maybe?
That's more than most factions after 2 full waves of releases, so seems sus.
General Kroll wrote: So let’s indulge that wishlisty 4chan post. What would be the 12 new kits?
It's entirely possible the 12 kits mentioned don't include the Leviathan stuff. They may have been made for Leviathan after GW decided Nids were in the box.
plus Deathleaper and the Norn leaves 6 more new kits that don't exist (7 if Deathleaper comes in the Lictor box).
Personally I'd bet on Shrikes as one option to go with the new Winged Prime.
The rumourdude is not too clear about it, but the release is not actually limited to these 12 kits, he said it was 'at a point' 8-12 kits but that the Biotitan stuff and another wave for 10th proper got added onto that. Going by that, the total has to be closer to 16-20 kits.
Yes and thats why most of us think thats a bit tooooo optimistic maybe?
That's more than most factions after 2 full waves of releases, so seems sus.
I'm not adding boilerplate 'It's 4chan and probably trolling' to every single post discussing it, i already said it thrice
Dudeface wrote: Wasn't the massive 2022 mega leak a 4chan dump or ws it discord? I forget
There have been legit 4chan leaks, but the same factors that make it a natural host for real leaks (anonimity, high reach) make it a favoured outlet for trolling and fakes. We just don't have any way to know which it is without additional evidence, but precedent says we should err on the side of fake.
We had already large, well-written and constructed ''leaks'' for 10th edition that turned out to be fake, you can find them in the OP of the roundup thread.
I.E. these:
New Starter Box is called Leonitus Crusade
SPACE MARINES
-1 Primaris Chapter Master (Think Gravis but not haunched over, Power Sword, Bolt pistol)
-1 Primaris Prosecutor (Two-handed axe)
-1 Primaris Noviate Master (Scout Master, Sniper Rifle)
-10 Primaris Space Marine Intervectors (Jump Pack Primaris, Bolter Gauntlets)
-5 Primaris Noviates (Primaris Scouts, Hellblast Shotguns)
-3 Primaris Arduanters (Primaris Terminators, Graviton Hammers, Shields, new type of Gravis Armor)
-3 Primaris Instigators (Pimaris, Shoulder mounted Grav Cannons)
TYRANIDS
-1 Norn-Maleceptrix (Big brain bug, lesser incarnation of the Norn-Queen, able to 'evolve' units. Semi-feminine???)
-1 Tyranid Primus (Big warrior, Two Devourers, Large sword, Claw-whip, boosts)
-1 Lictor (New form of Lictor)
-2 Magistraunt (Mix of Venomthropes and Pyrovore)
-20 Genestealers (New kit, Options for Armored plates and Acid-claws)
-1 Cerebrofex (Blend of Carnifex and Zoanthroap, Smaller Maleceptor)
-3 Genehunters (New type of Warriors, Shock Troopers, made with Space Marine Geneseeds they literally eat.)
New Kits Tyranid kits:
-New Termagaunts and Hormagaunts, dual kit
-New Biovores and Pyrovores, dual kit that now comes in threes
-New dual kit of Cerebrofex and new super-carnifex (Genetics based off old One Eye)
-Three new big monster kits (They say that most Nid players like their big monsters)
-New Red Terror
New Marine Kits:
-Plethora of new Characters to represent old command structure (Think the old resin character models, each one buffs a specific)
-New flying LoW called 'Overlord Dropship', think a smaller Thunderhawk
-New Demolisher Tank,
-New 'Veteran'; unit of Assault Intercessors
-Arduant Kits can make classic Powerfist and Bolter, but with each get a missile launcher on top)
That's more than most factions after 2 full waves of releases, so seems sus.
Apologies if you feel like this is me picking on you because of the cropping out of other quotes, I just wanted to clean it up to respond specifically to this element without having a giant quote blast.
Surprisingly, there's been some fairly chunky releases lately for 40k.
Aeldari were 10 kits(Avatar, Rangers, Shroud Runners, Corsairs, Autarch, Warlocks, Shining Spears, Guardians, Dark Reapers, Maugan Ra) off the top of my head, albeit with 4(Rangers, Corsairs, Autarch Mk 2, and Shroud Runners) used as a kind of 'prerelease' in KT and Eldritch Omens.
Guard were slightly more with 12(13 if you count the Aegis Defense Line). Kasrkin, Cadian Shock Troops, Rogal Dorn, Cadian Command Squad, Ursula Creed, Field Ordnance Batteries, Cadian Heavy Weapon Squad, Cadian Castellan, Commissar, Leontus, Sentinel revamp and Atillan Rough Riders.
It definitely is believable that stuff has been held back to get us back to the ol' glory days of "Big Codex Release Wave". Heck, it might even be their intention going forward that each army book release gets an army box to go with it!
That's more than most factions after 2 full waves of releases, so seems sus.
Apologies if you feel like this is me picking on you because of the cropping out of other quotes, I just wanted to clean it up to respond specifically to this element without having a giant quote blast.
Surprisingly, there's been some fairly chunky releases lately for 40k.
Aeldari were 10 kits(Avatar, Rangers, Shroud Runners, Corsairs, Autarch, Warlocks, Shining Spears, Guardians, Dark Reapers, Maugan Ra) off the top of my head, albeit with 4(Rangers, Corsairs, Autarch Mk 2, and Shroud Runners) used as a kind of 'prerelease' in KT and Eldritch Omens.
Guard were slightly more with 12(13 if you count the Aegis Defense Line). Kasrkin, Cadian Shock Troops, Rogal Dorn, Cadian Command Squad, Ursula Creed, Field Ordnance Batteries, Cadian Heavy Weapon Squad, Cadian Castellan, Commissar, Leontus, Sentinel revamp and Atillan Rough Riders.
It definitely is believable that stuff has been held back to get us back to the ol' glory days of "Big Codex Release Wave". Heck, it might even be their intention going forward that each army book release gets an army box to go with it!
Nah that's ok, my point is more that the volume spoken about would be more than entirety of the last 3-4 new armies they released combined, this is as if both of the Sisters releases dropped at once.
Nids have also been on a very long model dry spell. They had a lot of plastic support that evaporated about 10 years ago. It would surprise me if the designers suddenly decided they didn't want to sculpt Nids anymore, so I definitely believe the idea of a substantial backlog.
Gene St. Ealer wrote: Nids have also been on a very long model dry spell. They had a lot of plastic support that evaporated about 10 years ago. It would surprise me if the designers suddenly decided they didn't want to sculpt Nids anymore, so I definitely believe the idea of a substantial backlog.
Again, sisters went for 15 years and barely/didn't get that volume spread over 2 editions of releases though. I believe the nids release will be massive, but unless they phase out some units or update some that don't need it, it seems unrealistic they'll pick up a dozen or so new kits alongside a full slew of refreshed older units.
Necrons got an interesting spread in their time. There were a few models updated that "didn't need to be" but was nice to get. And yet they still left them with the old style plastic destroyers and half resin destroyer lord.
Sisters went a long time without any updates, codex, models or anything and had wound up very old.
The only thing I'd say with Tyranids that's "old" in their plastics is that they've quite a lot of very chunky arms compared to a lot of modern models which are much thinner. I did wonder if they were going to do that for things like Gaunts; slash the chunky and really make them gaunt and thin and such.
Overread wrote: Necrons got an interesting spread in their time. There were a few models updated that "didn't need to be" but was nice to get. And yet they still left them with the old style plastic destroyers and half resin destroyer lord.
Sisters went a long time without any updates, codex, models or anything and had wound up very old.
The only thing I'd say with Tyranids that's "old" in their plastics is that they've quite a lot of very chunky arms compared to a lot of modern models which are much thinner. I did wonder if they were going to do that for things like Gaunts; slash the chunky and really make them gaunt and thin and such.
I don't think any of the 4th ed onwards kits aren't servicable imo, I can't remember if stealers were that age but they might be the exception if so. The fex is still solid but the sprues could be better done with better detail.
Tyranids, whilst they do have some very old kits at least, to the untrained eye, don’t necessarily look it.
The Gaunts have long been too fiddly a kit. But once assembled and painted alongside their more recent plastic mates? If you didn’t already know, I’m not sure you’d be able to tell just how long those two kits have been around. This is largely thanks to a fairly stable design ethos following the Gaunt look.
Overread wrote: Necrons got an interesting spread in their time. There were a few models updated that "didn't need to be" but was nice to get. And yet they still left them with the old style plastic destroyers and half resin destroyer lord.
Sisters went a long time without any updates, codex, models or anything and had wound up very old.
The only thing I'd say with Tyranids that's "old" in their plastics is that they've quite a lot of very chunky arms compared to a lot of modern models which are much thinner. I did wonder if they were going to do that for things like Gaunts; slash the chunky and really make them gaunt and thin and such.
I don't think any of the 4th ed onwards kits aren't servicable imo, I can't remember if stealers were that age but they might be the exception if so. The fex is still solid but the sprues could be better done with better detail.
Good point on better details yes. Esp things like little fume vents on the dorsal vents and such. Small details that just add a bit more to the quality, but not a big rework.
And the new gaunts should mean no more split heads on the gaunts which is an assembly nightmare.
Stealers are odd, they've been reworked a few times but their poses and style are almost identical to their 1st gen spacehulk ones. The newest Space Hulk GW did went way more wild with poses and if anything that would be neat to see on the stealers if they got an update - otherwise just put them on a bigger base to match their arms.
Gene St. Ealer wrote: Nids have also been on a very long model dry spell. They had a lot of plastic support that evaporated about 10 years ago. It would surprise me if the designers suddenly decided they didn't want to sculpt Nids anymore, so I definitely believe the idea of a substantial backlog.
Again, sisters went for 15 years and barely/didn't get that volume spread over 2 editions of releases though. I believe the nids release will be massive, but unless they phase out some units or update some that don't need it, it seems unrealistic they'll pick up a dozen or so new kits alongside a full slew of refreshed older units.
Yeah, but Sisters were basically a dead army. People thought GW was going to slowly phase them out. That was never the case with Nids.
I'm not saying I disagree BTW - I suspect we will get some updates that didn't need to happen.
Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote: Tyranids, whilst they do have some very old kits at least, to the untrained eye, don’t necessarily look it.
The Gaunts have long been too fiddly a kit. But once assembled and painted alongside their more recent plastic mates? If you didn’t already know, I’m not sure you’d be able to tell just how long those two kits have been around. This is largely thanks to a fairly stable design ethos following the Gaunt look.
Tyranids have the advantage on not representing anything existing in reality, unlike most humans and humanoids - while things that show a model's age like vastly oversized hands, bad faces and so on are readily discerned in e.g. IG or SM sculpts, Tyranids don't really have something to compare them to, so goofy faces, scything claws that are broader than 2x4s etc. is just like Tyranids look and have always looked. That naturally leads to them ageing rather well compared to ohter ranges.
Overread wrote: Necrons got an interesting spread in their time. There were a few models updated that "didn't need to be" but was nice to get. And yet they still left them with the old style plastic destroyers and half resin destroyer lord.
Sisters went a long time without any updates, codex, models or anything and had wound up very old.
The only thing I'd say with Tyranids that's "old" in their plastics is that they've quite a lot of very chunky arms compared to a lot of modern models which are much thinner. I did wonder if they were going to do that for things like Gaunts; slash the chunky and really make them gaunt and thin and such.
I don't think any of the 4th ed onwards kits aren't servicable imo, I can't remember if stealers were that age but they might be the exception if so. The fex is still solid but the sprues could be better done with better detail.
Good point on better details yes. Esp things like little fume vents on the dorsal vents and such. Small details that just add a bit more to the quality, but not a big rework.
And the new gaunts should mean no more split heads on the gaunts which is an assembly nightmare.
Stealers are odd, they've been reworked a few times but their poses and style are almost identical to their 1st gen spacehulk ones. The newest Space Hulk GW did went way more wild with poses and if anything that would be neat to see on the stealers if they got an update - otherwise just put them on a bigger base to match their arms.
3rd ed Space Hulk 'stealers also had some new design details. Several unique head designs were in there
We're all looking at the T&Cs to see how much Deathleaper is, don't forget that the prize draw for Oghram campaign is listed at being £1000.
So two £100+ Knight/LoW boxes, another £100 for the combat patrol. Another £100 for updated Termagants, hormagants and genestealers. £80 for the updated Lictors and Biovores.
We're already half way to hitting £1000 before we even started adding those Leviathan sets that that will get an additional release outside of the combat patrol.
Tastyfish wrote: We're all looking at the T&Cs to see how much Deathleaper is, don't forget that the prize draw for Oghram campaign is listed at being £1000.
So two £100+ Knight/LoW boxes, another £100 for the combat patrol. Another £100 for updated Termagants, hormagants and genestealers. £80 for the updated Lictors and Biovores.
We're already half way to hitting £1000 before we even started adding those Leviathan sets that that will get an additional release outside of the combat patrol.
That is not entirely correct - the terms and conditions lists the approximate value of the Prize Pool as £5000 for the five winners, meaning that each would win approximately £1000 worth, but the winners get a pick of either Space Marines or Tyranids, so it's anyones guess how that will break down into line-specific value. The rest of the terms and conditions regarding the prizes is equally instructive (bolding mine):
6.4 The prize is to win all new releases from the prize draw date to the end of 2023 for the winner’s choice of either Space Marines or Tyranids (the “Chosen Army”). The prize includes one of every new Chosen Army plastic miniature, plastic model kit, dice set and standard format rulebook released on www.games-workshop.com during 2023 with the following clarifications and exclusions:
6.4.1 excluding: resin or metal kits, products which are limited edition, collectors edition, special edition, numbered or finite stock edition, made to order, Forge World, merchandise, Licensed products (e.g. McFarlane Toys, Marvel Comics), promotional incentives or products exclusive to a separate promotion, magazines, paints, tools or hobby supplies. Digital products are excluded and all prizes will be physical format. Mixed faction boxed sets featuring the chosen faction and models from another faction are not included.
6.4.2 including: Battleforce boxed sets.
6.4.3 Where a boxed set is released in tiered editions (such as the Warhammer 40,000 Command Edition, Elite Edition and Recruit Edition) the winner will receive the top tier boxed set only.
So the value is probably a bit inflated by stuff like dice and battleforces, but won't include tiered starter sets like the Recruit etc. editions that have two factions in it (if these exist this time around) but will probably include the new Combat Patrol in its separate packaging, as well as a battleforce because these are mentioned specifically. A battleforce and a combat patrol account for £235-£250 pound among them already.
Dudeface wrote: I lack the enhance skills but this is from the "making of the display board" article, wonder if there's something new hidden in there?
Probably the stuff they (intentionally) blurred out in the background of the painting pic
The article mentions the background for that diorama: Yadda yadda Shrike and company react to a distress call, find an planet already overrun with 'nids and change their mission to secure as many samples from the newly-evolved bioforms they encounter before retreating. That reads to me as though the new models would be present.
Dudeface wrote: I lack the enhance skills but this is from the "making of the display board" article, wonder if there's something new hidden in there?
Probably the stuff they (intentionally) blurred out in the background of the painting pic
The article mentions the background for that diorama: Yadda yadda Shrike and company react to a distress call, find an planet already overrun with 'nids and change their mission to secure as many samples from the newly-evolved bioforms [b]they encounter before retreating. That reads to me as though the new models would be present.
That diorama will be shown from June 30th.
Well, logically that's a bonus preview round then. FWIW I can see some tyrannocytes it looks like in top left, left of it appears to be a big old set of legs and abdomen, looks like a larger tyrannofex?
Tray of Genestealers, tray of Barbgaunts, tray of Warriors, tray of Carnifexes, tray with Screamer killes (front) Neurotyrant (middle) and Neurogaunts (back)
Second line, left to right:
Box 'o' sprues, Tray with Tervigons (front) and a Haruspex (back), tray with Hiveguard (front) and winged Tyrants??? (back), tray with a Toxicrene and some tentacly things, tray of unidentifiable stuff, tray with purple Orks
Third line, left to right:
Tray with too much blur, tray of Tyrannocytes, empty tray, empty space, tray with dippin' Gaunts in sieves.
Another 4chan musings. Personally, I do not think it would replace Trygon Prime, in its former HQ/Synapse role, if true of course. It would rather be some Knight like heavy, mostly cc, hitter.
Shadow Walker wrote: Another 4chan musings. Personally, I do not think it would replace Trygon Prime, in its former HQ/Synapse role, if true of course. It would rather be some Knight like heavy, mostly cc, hitter.
That'd be cool, I think a knight level model that isn't a bipedal humanoid is a nice move if it comes to pass.
Termagant/Hormagaunt dual-kit
The Hormagaunts have a different head that looks like little Von Ryan's Leapers without the tentacles, has the disgusting spidery mandibles.
Gargoyle/Nightgaunt dual-kit
Comes with a melee variant now, look like little Hive Crones. Wings are back in the middle slots again.
Von Ryan's Leapers/Reaper-Slayers dual-kit
Alt build with "anti-armour claws" (my source is assuming, there was no look at the rules), head looks a little like old dickbeak warriors.
Biovore/Pyrovore dual-kit
You all saw this coming. They're a bit bigger now apparently, otherwise look "how you'd expect".
Screamer-Killer/Razorfex dual-kit
Alt build with heavier claws, completely different head but no plasma spit. Oh, and it can be built as Old One Eye.
Carnifex/Thornback dual-kit
Yeah. There are four fething carnifex variants across two different boxes. These ones have all the gun options but they still have talons. Back-guns as well.
Warrior/Shrike dual-kit
As you probably expected by now. Wings go in the middle slots just like with the new Prime and Gargoyles.
Ravener/Ingester dual-kit
Comes with a variant like a mini-mawloc, no guns smaller arms but huge jaws.
Malefactor/Dactylis dual-kit
Similar to the Exocrine/Haruspex, the front head area completely changes depending on the creature, back either has the transport sacs for things being carried inside or the spore growth sacs. Big front arms positioned in reverse for the Dactylis variant.
Norn Emissary/Norn Assimilator dual-kit
You've probably already heard this thing described at this point. It's effectively a plastic dimachaeron. The assimilator variant has the stomach mouth thing on the Dimachaeron, the Emissary has back tentacles and gak.
Hive Tyrant/Swarm Tyrant dual-kit
There's now a generic version of the Swarmlord that you can take multiple of, somehow this is different from the standard Hive Tyrant and also the Swarmlord itself which can be built using this kit, much like Old One Eye can be made from the Razorfex. But wait. Just hold on. Keep reading.
Tyranid Prime
Comes with the non-winged variant. So I guess technically this is also a fething dual-kit lol.
Deathleaper
Already revealed. It's NOT a dual-kit with the Lictor surprisingly. Guess we're done with those.
Lictor
Basically smack in between the Von Ryan's and the new Deathleaper you've seen, long tail.
Purestrain Genestealer/Ymgarl Stealers dual-kit
Oh just kidding we weren't done with dual-kits. Ymgarls have a fuckload of tentacles, apparently some coming out of the arms too not just the face.
Alright, on to the big stuff...
Viragon
Replaces the Trygon Prime, super-heavy snake bug. More heavily armour plated, enormous mandibles.
Viciator
Big four-legged bio-titan thing with huge wide back plates extending past the sides of the body. Similar to the Hierophant although not as big, more upright body. Head is tucked in and protected under the shell. Arms are fused into one big gun. Apparently has several gun options.
Skorpiodule
8-legged bio-titan. Yes you heard that correctly. It breaks the normal conventions of 6-legs because it is two huge creatures fused together, so it has 12 limbs in total - 8 legs and 4 arms holding weapons, 2 tails (both ending in weapons), and a disgusting fused head with two mouths stacked one above the other like this old Tyranid art. Apparently just fething bristling with disgusting parasitic gak.
And lastly...
The Harbinger
It's not Swarmlord. It's his bigger pissed off brother. They literally Bigger Batman'd him like Primaris. Described to me as like "one of the sculptors must have watched Shin Godzilla and then went to town, it's got another head coming out of the end of the tail".
Termagant/Hormagaunt dual-kit
The Hormagaunts have a different head that looks like little Von Ryan's Leapers without the tentacles, has the disgusting spidery mandibles.
Gargoyle/Nightgaunt dual-kit
Comes with a melee variant now, look like little Hive Crones. Wings are back in the middle slots again.
Von Ryan's Leapers/Reaper-Slayers dual-kit
Alt build with "anti-armour claws" (my source is assuming, there was no look at the rules), head looks a little like old dickbeak warriors.
Biovore/Pyrovore dual-kit
You all saw this coming. They're a bit bigger now apparently, otherwise look "how you'd expect".
Screamer-Killer/Razorfex dual-kit
Alt build with heavier claws, completely different head but no plasma spit. Oh, and it can be built as Old One Eye.
Carnifex/Thornback dual-kit
Yeah. There are four fething carnifex variants across two different boxes. These ones have all the gun options but they still have talons. Back-guns as well.
Warrior/Shrike dual-kit
As you probably expected by now. Wings go in the middle slots just like with the new Prime and Gargoyles.
Ravener/Ingester dual-kit
Comes with a variant like a mini-mawloc, no guns smaller arms but huge jaws.
Malefactor/Dactylis dual-kit
Similar to the Exocrine/Haruspex, the front head area completely changes depending on the creature, back either has the transport sacs for things being carried inside or the spore growth sacs. Big front arms positioned in reverse for the Dactylis variant.
Norn Emissary/Norn Assimilator dual-kit
You've probably already heard this thing described at this point. It's effectively a plastic dimachaeron. The assimilator variant has the stomach mouth thing on the Dimachaeron, the Emissary has back tentacles and gak.
Hive Tyrant/Swarm Tyrant dual-kit
There's now a generic version of the Swarmlord that you can take multiple of, somehow this is different from the standard Hive Tyrant and also the Swarmlord itself which can be built using this kit, much like Old One Eye can be made from the Razorfex. But wait. Just hold on. Keep reading.
Tyranid Prime
Comes with the non-winged variant. So I guess technically this is also a fething dual-kit lol.
Deathleaper
Already revealed. It's NOT a dual-kit with the Lictor surprisingly. Guess we're done with those.
Lictor
Basically smack in between the Von Ryan's and the new Deathleaper you've seen, long tail.
Purestrain Genestealer/Ymgarl Stealers dual-kit
Oh just kidding we weren't done with dual-kits. Ymgarls have a fuckload of tentacles, apparently some coming out of the arms too not just the face.
Alright, on to the big stuff...
Viragon
Replaces the Trygon Prime, super-heavy snake bug. More heavily armour plated, enormous mandibles.
Viciator
Big four-legged bio-titan thing with huge wide back plates extending past the sides of the body. Similar to the Hierophant although not as big, more upright body. Head is tucked in and protected under the shell. Arms are fused into one big gun. Apparently has several gun options.
Skorpiodule
8-legged bio-titan. Yes you heard that correctly. It breaks the normal conventions of 6-legs because it is two huge creatures fused together, so it has 12 limbs in total - 8 legs and 4 arms holding weapons, 2 tails (both ending in weapons), and a disgusting fused head with two mouths stacked one above the other like this old Tyranid art. Apparently just fething bristling with disgusting parasitic gak.
And lastly...
The Harbinger
It's not Swarmlord. It's his bigger pissed off brother. They literally Bigger Batman'd him like Primaris. Described to me as like "one of the sculptors must have watched Shin Godzilla and then went to town, it's got another head coming out of the end of the tail".
Mark me down for "I'll eat a shoe if these turn out to be even remotely true". What a bunch of wishlisty nonsense!
Termagant/Hormagaunt dual-kit
The Hormagaunts have a different head that looks like little Von Ryan's Leapers without the tentacles, has the disgusting spidery mandibles.
Gargoyle/Nightgaunt dual-kit
Comes with a melee variant now, look like little Hive Crones. Wings are back in the middle slots again.
Von Ryan's Leapers/Reaper-Slayers dual-kit
Alt build with "anti-armour claws" (my source is assuming, there was no look at the rules), head looks a little like old dickbeak warriors.
Biovore/Pyrovore dual-kit
You all saw this coming. They're a bit bigger now apparently, otherwise look "how you'd expect".
Screamer-Killer/Razorfex dual-kit
Alt build with heavier claws, completely different head but no plasma spit. Oh, and it can be built as Old One Eye.
Carnifex/Thornback dual-kit
Yeah. There are four fething carnifex variants across two different boxes. These ones have all the gun options but they still have talons. Back-guns as well.
Warrior/Shrike dual-kit
As you probably expected by now. Wings go in the middle slots just like with the new Prime and Gargoyles.
Ravener/Ingester dual-kit
Comes with a variant like a mini-mawloc, no guns smaller arms but huge jaws.
Malefactor/Dactylis dual-kit
Similar to the Exocrine/Haruspex, the front head area completely changes depending on the creature, back either has the transport sacs for things being carried inside or the spore growth sacs. Big front arms positioned in reverse for the Dactylis variant.
Norn Emissary/Norn Assimilator dual-kit
You've probably already heard this thing described at this point. It's effectively a plastic dimachaeron. The assimilator variant has the stomach mouth thing on the Dimachaeron, the Emissary has back tentacles and gak.
Hive Tyrant/Swarm Tyrant dual-kit
There's now a generic version of the Swarmlord that you can take multiple of, somehow this is different from the standard Hive Tyrant and also the Swarmlord itself which can be built using this kit, much like Old One Eye can be made from the Razorfex. But wait. Just hold on. Keep reading.
Tyranid Prime
Comes with the non-winged variant. So I guess technically this is also a fething dual-kit lol.
Deathleaper
Already revealed. It's NOT a dual-kit with the Lictor surprisingly. Guess we're done with those.
Lictor
Basically smack in between the Von Ryan's and the new Deathleaper you've seen, long tail.
Purestrain Genestealer/Ymgarl Stealers dual-kit
Oh just kidding we weren't done with dual-kits. Ymgarls have a fuckload of tentacles, apparently some coming out of the arms too not just the face.
Alright, on to the big stuff...
Viragon
Replaces the Trygon Prime, super-heavy snake bug. More heavily armour plated, enormous mandibles.
Viciator
Big four-legged bio-titan thing with huge wide back plates extending past the sides of the body. Similar to the Hierophant although not as big, more upright body. Head is tucked in and protected under the shell. Arms are fused into one big gun. Apparently has several gun options.
Skorpiodule
8-legged bio-titan. Yes you heard that correctly. It breaks the normal conventions of 6-legs because it is two huge creatures fused together, so it has 12 limbs in total - 8 legs and 4 arms holding weapons, 2 tails (both ending in weapons), and a disgusting fused head with two mouths stacked one above the other like this old Tyranid art. Apparently just fething bristling with disgusting parasitic gak.
And lastly...
The Harbinger
It's not Swarmlord. It's his bigger pissed off brother. They literally Bigger Batman'd him like Primaris. Described to me as like "one of the sculptors must have watched Shin Godzilla and then went to town, it's got another head coming out of the end of the tail".
Mark me down for "I'll eat a shoe if these turn out to be even remotely true". What a bunch of wishlisty nonsense!
Agree. Some points to add:
The Viciator is also taken from the old Sabretooth CCG (definitely) and i think the Reaper-Slayers as well (these were just Hormagaunts with a different name cause CCG)
Also, the Viragon was mentioned before, in that huge B&C April Fools leak that got removed fast, and which turned out to be complete BS:
Termagant/Hormagaunt dual-kit
The Hormagaunts have a different head that looks like little Von Ryan's Leapers without the tentacles, has the disgusting spidery mandibles.
Gargoyle/Nightgaunt dual-kit
Comes with a melee variant now, look like little Hive Crones. Wings are back in the middle slots again.
Von Ryan's Leapers/Reaper-Slayers dual-kit
Alt build with "anti-armour claws" (my source is assuming, there was no look at the rules), head looks a little like old dickbeak warriors.
Biovore/Pyrovore dual-kit
You all saw this coming. They're a bit bigger now apparently, otherwise look "how you'd expect".
Screamer-Killer/Razorfex dual-kit
Alt build with heavier claws, completely different head but no plasma spit. Oh, and it can be built as Old One Eye.
Carnifex/Thornback dual-kit
Yeah. There are four fething carnifex variants across two different boxes. These ones have all the gun options but they still have talons. Back-guns as well.
Warrior/Shrike dual-kit
As you probably expected by now. Wings go in the middle slots just like with the new Prime and Gargoyles.
Ravener/Ingester dual-kit
Comes with a variant like a mini-mawloc, no guns smaller arms but huge jaws.
Malefactor/Dactylis dual-kit
Similar to the Exocrine/Haruspex, the front head area completely changes depending on the creature, back either has the transport sacs for things being carried inside or the spore growth sacs. Big front arms positioned in reverse for the Dactylis variant.
Norn Emissary/Norn Assimilator dual-kit
You've probably already heard this thing described at this point. It's effectively a plastic dimachaeron. The assimilator variant has the stomach mouth thing on the Dimachaeron, the Emissary has back tentacles and gak.
Hive Tyrant/Swarm Tyrant dual-kit
There's now a generic version of the Swarmlord that you can take multiple of, somehow this is different from the standard Hive Tyrant and also the Swarmlord itself which can be built using this kit, much like Old One Eye can be made from the Razorfex. But wait. Just hold on. Keep reading.
Tyranid Prime
Comes with the non-winged variant. So I guess technically this is also a fething dual-kit lol.
Deathleaper
Already revealed. It's NOT a dual-kit with the Lictor surprisingly. Guess we're done with those.
Lictor
Basically smack in between the Von Ryan's and the new Deathleaper you've seen, long tail.
Purestrain Genestealer/Ymgarl Stealers dual-kit
Oh just kidding we weren't done with dual-kits. Ymgarls have a fuckload of tentacles, apparently some coming out of the arms too not just the face.
Alright, on to the big stuff...
Viragon
Replaces the Trygon Prime, super-heavy snake bug. More heavily armour plated, enormous mandibles.
Viciator
Big four-legged bio-titan thing with huge wide back plates extending past the sides of the body. Similar to the Hierophant although not as big, more upright body. Head is tucked in and protected under the shell. Arms are fused into one big gun. Apparently has several gun options.
Skorpiodule
8-legged bio-titan. Yes you heard that correctly. It breaks the normal conventions of 6-legs because it is two huge creatures fused together, so it has 12 limbs in total - 8 legs and 4 arms holding weapons, 2 tails (both ending in weapons), and a disgusting fused head with two mouths stacked one above the other like this old Tyranid art. Apparently just fething bristling with disgusting parasitic gak.
And lastly...
The Harbinger
It's not Swarmlord. It's his bigger pissed off brother. They literally Bigger Batman'd him like Primaris. Described to me as like "one of the sculptors must have watched Shin Godzilla and then went to town, it's got another head coming out of the end of the tail".
Mark me down for "I'll eat a shoe if these turn out to be even remotely true". What a bunch of wishlisty nonsense!
So untouched it would leave:
Parasite
Zoan/Venomthropes
Tervigon/T-fex
Exocrine/Haruspex
Hive/Tyrant guard
Maleceptor/toxicrene
Tyrannocyte/Sporocyst
Broodlord
Trygon/Mawloc
By the sheer amount of stuff that has been put out as rumours, some of it ought to hit something by sheer weight of numbers. I'd be pretty confident in saying that at least some unit names from the CCG will turn up, for example, even if the descriptions don't match Other stuff like 'alternate build Gargoyles' or 'Big Centerpiece Model' are educated guesses anyone could give you. Weird gak like the Scorpiodule is where you can really earn credibility if it turns out true, but that's also what i have the most trouble believing.
I suspect this list will turn out to be as made up as the others were.
Makes even less sense when you remember they're the only unit out of the two with weapon upgrade options. In fact, they can take 4 big guns per unit and somehow be cheaper than the melee ones.
H.B.M.C. wrote: Makes even less sense when you remember they're the only unit out of the two with weapon upgrade options. In fact, they can take 4 big guns per unit and somehow be cheaper than the melee ones.
That's part of my shock. Its also that as melee units, the melee warriors are just marginally better. +3 attacks total and 1 additional AP doesn't justify +20 points for 3 models under this 'system.'
All those changes made me think that while particular rumours may be false, we could indeed have a massive upgrade of existing kits incoming. I think that the new way GW are moving to has problems mostly with the older kits = ones with plenty of weapons/wargear options. Newer kits will have few or none so they work flawlessly (for GW) with the new points system. In short, I think I am right that new Warriors are coming, no matter if as dual with Shrikes or as separate one.
My point (heh!) was that there is no logic to these costs. How is the Haruspex that much cheaper than a Trygon when the Trygon ain't got nuthin' on Mr. Tentacle Face?
I mean I tried to put together a 2000 point list, but with no variable units it's damned hard to make it all work (aim was to include everything* from the new box as well as make a full list).
I think game wise and wanting to tackle objectives I’d personally want maybe another 2OC unit in the mix.
But…that’s looking like a fun mix of differently sized gribblies with different purposes. Particularly the Barbgaunts, because interfering with enemy movement is just the sort of thing to amuse me.
Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote: I think game wise and wanting to tackle objectives I’d personally want maybe another 2OC unit in the mix.
But…that’s looking like a fun mix of differently sized gribblies with different purposes. Particularly the Barbgaunts, because interfering with enemy movement is just the sort of thing to amuse me.
Not sure if this is a general thing or faction specific, but from what I've gathered we'll be seeing a lot of mechanised lists and Barbgaunts work only against infantry.
They’re still useful. Not something to load up too heavily on like, but H.B.M.C. is proposing two units of 5, coming in at 100 points.
That strikes me as a decent points cost for slowing down the infantry once they come out their pesky tin cans. Indeed “ideal situation” they could be game winning just from spiking a unit or two which prevents said units getting in range of an Objective. And whilst I wouldn’t call their shooter beast powerful? It’s not exactly weedy. Spesh as to trigger it’s effect, the unit need only hit. They don’t need to do any damage.
I’ve not read the main rules yet, but if we can relatively freely split fire still? They may be really quite powerful.
If a model has more than one ranged weapon, it can shoot all
of them at the same target or it can shoot each of them at a
different target, but it cannot split attacks from the same weapon
across more than one target. Similarly, if a unit has more than
one model, those models can shoot at the same or different
targets. In any case, when you select a target unit you must
declare which models will target that unit with which weapons
before any attacks are resolved. If any of these weapons have
more than one profile that you must choose between, you must
also declare which profile is being used.
OrlandotheTechnicoloured wrote: Well i guess that will be one 'legitimate' way for TFG players to really slow down the game,
but it does give more reasonable players more options
Shouldn’t slow it down that much? Declare unit, declare target(s). Yes it will take longer to resolve than batch rolling a single unit at a single time. But maybe a minute or two at most?
Unless they’re being a Richard Cranium and sucking their teeth whilst deciding how to split their fire. Which frankly, is something one should largely have decided upon during one’s non-player turn.
It might take a little longer, but shouldn’t be excessive.
Granted, if you took enough of them it could be worth it to have each individual model target every non-mounted unit on the other side of the table. But that’s an extreme case.
Nevelon wrote: It might take a little longer, but shouldn’t be excessive.
Granted, if you took enough of them it could be worth it to have each individual model target every non-mounted unit on the other side of the table. But that’s an extreme case.
Its unfortunate that they didn't get the 'choose one unit hit by these attacks' restriction some other abilities have.
Swamping an entire army is a bit much.
Nevelon wrote: It might take a little longer, but shouldn’t be excessive.
Granted, if you took enough of them it could be worth it to have each individual model target every non-mounted unit on the other side of the table. But that’s an extreme case.
Its unfortunate that they didn't get the 'choose one unit hit by these attacks' restriction some other abilities have.
Swamping an entire army is a bit much.
Not going to argue, you are right.
Unless something needs the firepower to just murder things I feel a lot of games, especially at the start are going to be “These 2 shoot that squad, this one shoots those other guys, another guy shoots your dudes over there, and the last guy tries to slow down those flankers”
The ability to just slow your opponent from getting where he needs to be on time is worth investing in all the irritating dice rolling. Heck, for 50 points it’s almost worth it to just forgo the damage to hand out 5x -2 movement tokens to your opponent. Of course, the damage is also nothing to snear at. Adding a unit of these guys is feeling a lot like a no brainer.
Nevelon wrote: It might take a little longer, but shouldn’t be excessive.
Granted, if you took enough of them it could be worth it to have each individual model target every non-mounted unit on the other side of the table. But that’s an extreme case.
Its unfortunate that they didn't get the 'choose one unit hit by these attacks' restriction some other abilities have.
Swamping an entire army is a bit much.
Not going to argue, you are right.
Unless something needs the firepower to just murder things I feel a lot of games, especially at the start are going to be “These 2 shoot that squad, this one shoots those other guys, another guy shoots your dudes over there, and the last guy tries to slow down those flankers”
The ability to just slow your opponent from getting where he needs to be on time is worth investing in all the irritating dice rolling. Heck, for 50 points it’s almost worth it to just forgo the damage to hand out 5x -2 movement tokens to your opponent. Of course, the damage is also nothing to snear at. Adding a unit of these guys is feeling a lot like a no brainer.
Something to note is that they have D6 shots with BS4+ each, which leads to an average 1.75 hits on a unit, but has a substantial risk of not hitting anything if you shoot an enemy with just one gaunt, but this is somewhat mitigated by additional attacks via [Blast] if they shoot a larger blobs.
Something to note is that they have D6 shots with BS4+ each, which leads to an average 1.75 hits on a unit, but has a substantial risk of not hitting anything if you shoot an enemy with just one gaunt, but this is somewhat mitigated by additional attacks via [Blast] if they shoot a larger blobs.
They are heavy, so if they can stand still hit on 3+.
Personally, I think going 2-2-1 with a 5 man squad is the way to play it safe. Probably get 3 units tagged, but you might miss the last one if the dice gods are fickle.
Battlefield situation obviously will make a huge difference in targeting.
Something to note is that they have D6 shots with BS4+ each, which leads to an average 1.75 hits on a unit, but has a substantial risk of not hitting anything if you shoot an enemy with just one gaunt, but this is somewhat mitigated by additional attacks via [Blast] if they shoot a larger blobs.
They are heavy, so if they can stand still hit on 3+.
Personally, I think going 2-2-1 with a 5 man squad is the way to play it safe. Probably get 3 units tagged, but you might miss the last one if the dice gods are fickle.
Battlefield situation obviously will make a huge difference in targeting.
Eh, if you move it works out to a 1/6 chance per Barbgaunt to not hit anything, if you stay still that goes down to 8,4%, and in practice in the first turns you're mostly going to shoot at units at starting strenght, which is going to get you +1 or +2 shots. You'd be pretty safe in splitting it five ways, 2/2/1 is getting you safe hits on the first two and a above-90%-chance to hit with the last.
Something to note is that they have D6 shots with BS4+ each, which leads to an average 1.75 hits on a unit, but has a substantial risk of not hitting anything if you shoot an enemy with just one gaunt, but this is somewhat mitigated by additional attacks via [Blast] if they shoot a larger blobs.
They are heavy, so if they can stand still hit on 3+.
Personally, I think going 2-2-1 with a 5 man squad is the way to play it safe. Probably get 3 units tagged, but you might miss the last one if the dice gods are fickle.
Battlefield situation obviously will make a huge difference in targeting.
That's provided you rely on a single unit, and given that they're cheap, why would you? Team up two units and you can circumvent split fire restrictions somewhat. Spread the first unit's fire out as much as range and LOS allow, and then use the second squad to cover any units you missed.
If you get lucky, you don't have to over-commit with the first unit. If you don't, you have the necessary backup to rectify the situation.
So our part of Leviathan is 815 (should be less as there are only 2 Ripper bases), and SM have 980 points. No wonder that in battle reports they added some Termas to Nids.
Something to note is that they have D6 shots with BS4+ each, which leads to an average 1.75 hits on a unit, but has a substantial risk of not hitting anything if you shoot an enemy with just one gaunt, but this is somewhat mitigated by additional attacks via [Blast] if they shoot a larger blobs.
They are heavy, so if they can stand still hit on 3+.
Personally, I think going 2-2-1 with a 5 man squad is the way to play it safe. Probably get 3 units tagged, but you might miss the last one if the dice gods are fickle.
Battlefield situation obviously will make a huge difference in targeting.
That's provided you rely on a single unit, and given that they're cheap, why would you? Team up two units and you can circumvent split fire restrictions somewhat. Spread the first unit's fire out as much as range and LOS allow, and then use the second squad to cover any units you missed.
If you get lucky, you don't have to over-commit with the first unit. If you don't, you have the necessary backup to rectify the situation.
Pretty much this.
They’re definitely a useful unit, as when you concentrate fire they’re not exactly a slouch, so we’re not tied to them just being useful for slowing down an infantry advance.
Shadow Walker wrote: So our part of Leviathan is 815 (should be less as there are only 2 Ripper bases), and SM have 980 points. No wonder that in battle reports they added some Termas to Nids.
Wonder how many points just for the combat patrols for these factions will be. They kind of need to be the same.
Shadow Walker wrote: So our part of Leviathan is 815 (should be less as there are only 2 Ripper bases), and SM have 980 points. No wonder that in battle reports they added some Termas to Nids.
Wonder how many points just for the combat patrols for these factions will be. They kind of need to be the same.
They already said that they use their 'Amazing game design skills and tricks' (real quote) and additional rules to even out the Combat Patrols, because they wont be points-equal
Shadow Walker wrote: So our part of Leviathan is 815 (should be less as there are only 2 Ripper bases), and SM have 980 points. No wonder that in battle reports they added some Termas to Nids.
Wonder how many points just for the combat patrols for these factions will be. They kind of need to be the same.
485 (again should be less because just 2 Ripper bases) for us, and 480 for SM.
Shadow Walker wrote: So our part of Leviathan is 815 (should be less as there are only 2 Ripper bases), and SM have 980 points. No wonder that in battle reports they added some Termas to Nids.
Wonder how many points just for the combat patrols for these factions will be. They kind of need to be the same.
Tsagualsa wrote:
They already said that they use their 'Amazing game design skills and tricks' (real quote) and additional rules to even out the Combat Patrols, because they wont be points-equal
I watched the combat patrol that they put on Warhammer plus. The Nids could basically keep bringing Gaunts back. Looked like a fun mechanic tbh.
Coming from AoS, the free-splitting-fire seems worse on paper than it functions in reality. On the tabletop the vast majority of the time this is used to any significant extent is to put soft-counter or shorter-range guns at a different target. I think it is silly if a squad of marines can't manage to shoot bolters one place and the plasma another.
NinthMusketeer wrote: Coming from AoS, the free-splitting-fire seems worse on paper than it functions in reality. On the tabletop the vast majority of the time this is used to any significant extent is to put soft-counter or shorter-range guns at a different target. I think it is silly if a squad of marines can't manage to shoot bolters one place and the plasma another.
It's probably a lesser issue than people make it out to be, expect some abusable edge cases like split-firing Barbgaunts that can hamper whole armies with almost guaranteed success, but it's also a missed opportunity to differentiate troops and armies by having that rely on some sort of morale or command-control check, like it sometimes did in past editions.
I do agree a 'command check' to split fire would be fantastic, add greatly to the narrative feel for little effort, and be a trivial addition of complexity.
Shadow Walker wrote: Random thought - Warriors should have Grenades keyword having Flesh Hooks in the kit. Also Lictor/Deathleaper.
Had a flashback to 3/4th edition. Why would they need it?
But I could see it. Other armies have access to the grenade strat for free MWs. I could see flesh hooks being used to let nids have access to that. The whole name thing would throw a lot of people off though.
NinthMusketeer wrote: I do agree a 'command check' to split fire would be fantastic, add greatly to the narrative feel for little effort, and be a trivial addition of complexity.
simpler system, "primary target", hit as normal, "secondary target", -1 to hit
firing player nominates which is which, your focus is on one thing, but can freely aim for others
I wrote to GW about both Leviathan and upcoming CP giving an illegal unit of Ripper Swarms, and suggested that the Unit Composition should be changed to 2-6 instead current 3-6. We will see if they do.
So which kits aside from the recent Parasite of Mortex do we think are “safe” from update?
I would be really surprised if Zoanthropes/Venomthropes, Maleceptor/Toxicrene, Exocrine/Haruspex, Hive Guard/Tyrant Guard, Harpy/Hive Crone, Tyrannocyte/Sporocyst get new models. I also think that Tyrannofex/Tervigon will be safe even if the latter has old style Termas.
So which kits aside from the recent Parasite of Mortex do we think are “safe” from update?
I would be really surprised if Zoanthropes/Venomthropes, Maleceptor/Toxicrene, Exocrine/Haruspex, Hive Guard/Tyrant Guard, Harpy/Hive Crone, Tyrannocyte/Sporocyst get new models. I also think that Tyrannofex/Tervigon will be safe even if the latter has old style Termas.
I think the big kits will stay as they are and they will add a few more to those. On the medium small size minis nothing is safe IMO.
So which kits aside from the recent Parasite of Mortex do we think are “safe” from update?
I would be really surprised if Zoanthropes/Venomthropes, Maleceptor/Toxicrene, Exocrine/Haruspex, Hive Guard/Tyrant Guard, Harpy/Hive Crone, Tyrannocyte/Sporocyst get new models. I also think that Tyrannofex/Tervigon will be safe even if the latter has old style Termas.
I think the big kits will stay as they are and they will add a few more to those. On the medium small size minis nothing is safe IMO.
I have a sinking feeling that things we'd like to see updated or replaced actually won't be. Stuff like warriors, lictors, hormagaunts, genestealers, pyrovores and biovores are here to stay, datasheet and all. Instead we'll get discordant new stuff like the psychophage that doesn't really fit the design language of tyranids and solves problems we don't have. But at least they're new and will sell?
Personally, I'd love to see new raveners, warriors, and tyrants
I have a sinking feeling that things we'd like to see updated or replaced actually won't be. Stuff like warriors, lictors, hormagaunts, genestealers, pyrovores and biovores are here to stay, datasheet and all.
No way that above, with the possible exception for Warriors, will not get new sculpts.
It requires some level of doomerism to think Hormagaunts won't get new sculpts given the alternative is someone in the GW factory sitting there and snipping the Termagants off the sprue.
The Phazer wrote: It requires some level of doomerism to think Hormagaunts won't get new sculpts given the alternative is someone in the GW factory sitting there and snipping the Termagants off the sprue.
They've been separate sprues for a long time now.
New hormies would be nice, though, just because the current ones are stupidly fragile.
I have been thinking on carnifexes... Wonder if they will do a Redemptor, brutalis and ballistus kind of contained specific kits rather than the vanilla do it all kit for fex.
NAVARRO wrote: I have been thinking on carnifexes... Wonder if they will do a Redemptor, brutalis and ballistus kind of contained specific kits rather than the vanilla do it all kit for fex.
I think it depends on the options they are willing to give the Carnifex, and possible variants outside the SC. If the Carnie is reduced to Venom/Strangler/Talons/Claws/Bio-Plasma then there is no reason for more than 1 kit. Unless they will decide that various Carnie variants need to look differently, and cannot be built from the single kit.
I have a sinking feeling that things we'd like to see updated or replaced actually won't be. Stuff like warriors, lictors, hormagaunts, genestealers, pyrovores and biovores are here to stay, datasheet and all.
No way that above, with the possible exception for Warriors, will not get new sculpts.
You realise "No way they don't do lictors/biovore/pyrovore" has been on the cards every time we've had a new codex over the last 10 years
As for gaunts, Hormataunts have been in their own box for a long long while so GW could most certainly update the Termagaunt and not touch the Hormagaunt.
It's not as bad as the Eldar Aspect Warriors situation, but yeah GW does sometimes go so far and then just stop. Heck look at Necrons, they got a huge bunch of updates everywhere and then Destroyers were just left alone with the old kit and the old Destroyer Lord.
I have a sinking feeling that things we'd like to see updated or replaced actually won't be. Stuff like warriors, lictors, hormagaunts, genestealers, pyrovores and biovores are here to stay, datasheet and all.
No way that above, with the possible exception for Warriors, will not get new sculpts.
You realise "No way they don't do lictors/biovore/pyrovore" has been on the cards every time we've had a new codex over the last 10 years
Yeah, but the last time Tyranids got a major range refresh was before GW started phasing out all the Finecast.
New Deathleaper means that's accounted for. The Biovore and Pyrovore are obvious candidates to make a dual-build kit. And if we've got the super-Lictor (Deathleaper) and mini-Lictors (Leapers) then the normal Lictor is likely to be a dual-build with one or the other.
I have a sinking feeling that things we'd like to see updated or replaced actually won't be. Stuff like warriors, lictors, hormagaunts, genestealers, pyrovores and biovores are here to stay, datasheet and all.
No way that above, with the possible exception for Warriors, will not get new sculpts.
You realise "No way they don't do lictors/biovore/pyrovore" has been on the cards every time we've had a new codex over the last 10 years
Yeah, but this time they said about the biggest update ever for us.
New Deathleaper means that's accounted for. The Biovore and Pyrovore are obvious candidates to make a dual-build kit. And if we've got the super-Lictor (Deathleaper) and mini-Lictors (Leapers) then the normal Lictor is likely to be a dual-build with one or the other.
I want my 10th army to be full of new figs to be like
Death leaper
2 Lictors
2x3 Vr leapers
3x broodlords
Loads of Genestealers
4 things from CP rules:
1) Barbgaunts have their weapon's name changed to Barblauncher.
2) Psychophage has Harvester keyword.
3) Prime and Ryans have Vanguard Invader keyword.
4) There are no Rippers.
Shadow Walker wrote: 3 things from CP rules:
1) Barbgaunts have their weapon's name changed to Barblauncher.
2) Psychophage has Harvester keyword.
3) Prime and Ryans have Vanguard Invader keyword.
Also important: combat patrol Barbgaunts can only suppress one unit, regardless how many they've been shooting.
Shadow Walker wrote: 3 things from CP rules:
1) Barbgaunts have their weapon's name changed to Barblauncher.
2) Psychophage has Harvester keyword.
3) Prime and Ryans have Vanguard Invader keyword.
Also important: combat patrol Barbgaunts can only suppress one unit, regardless how many they've been shooting.
Maybe there are already hidden balance moves that will be in the future codexes, even if CP is supposed to be a separate game mode?
Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote: Combat Patrols are sub-armies unto themselves, with the rules being used to better balance each box against the next.
But it does not exclude it from having balance changes that would be also viable in the standard 40k. Barbaras having too strong ability was said from the start, and many predicted it being changed in the FAQ or Codex. I bet it would be too strong for CP anyway, regardless of it being its own thing or not.
On the model range refresh, I suspect we'll see new gargoyles - at the least it gives GW a chance to use new (useless) flight stands for the models.
I would like to see more psychic creatures in the tyranid army. Running a pure psychic monster army (Neurotyrant/Zopes, psychic warriors, neurogaunts, some sort of psychafex/maleceptor and a psychic assassin) would be interesting.
Stormonu wrote: On the model range refresh, I suspect we'll see new gargoyles - at the least it gives GW a chance to use new (useless) flight stands for the models.
If we get new Gargs, I suspect they will be not using any stands but be modeled into bases like those:
Stormonu wrote: On the model range refresh, I suspect we'll see new gargoyles - at the least it gives GW a chance to use new (useless) flight stands for the models.
If we get new Gargs, I suspect they will be not using any stands but be modeled into bases like those:
Possible, but the Pteraxi also exist, and use stands:
It could be a mix of sculpted bases and stands, to piss everyone off equally
H.B.M.C. wrote: Why would they redo Gargoyles? There are older plastic kits in the 'Nid line, and older kits that have yet to be made into plastic.
Why should one exclude the other? Also there were rumours that said about the cc version = double kit for them. And do not forget that they said about the biggest upgrade for the Nids ever. At the end it may count for nothing but we are only speculating here for the fun of it
In the grand scheme of GW kits, Gargoyles are practically new. There are older plastic Tyranid kits (and non-plastic kits). If they could redo truly ancient plastics (Gaunts), old non-plastic kits (Biovores/Pyrovores) and create new Tyranid kits... why bother with something so (relatively) young.
General Kroll wrote: Plastic Eldar Guardians just got done and there’s still a tonne of finecast Aspect Warriors.
Eldar Guardians were one of the oldest plastic kits still in the range. They originate from early 3rd Edition. We're talking plastic Catachan levels of ancient. The only older things in the plastic range at this stage are Falcons, Vypers and Marine Bikes! And some parts of the Basilisk. And maybe Scouts?
Shadow Walker wrote: So the updated Points PDF lists only Hierophant, Harridan and both Hierodules.
At the moment it seems like the stuff in the Munitorum Manual is only the stuff that is 'appropriate' for competitive play, i.e. it lacks everything that is 'Legends'.
Malanthrope is probably going legends, and most likely so is the dimachaeron, hopefully with its role subsumed by the "Norn Emissary". We can only hope that shrikes and the like are released as new plastic units with the book.
The should have given the role of the Malantrophe to the Psychophage. The model looks perfect for it without any changes. Nothing about the model even hints at its anti-psyker capabilities. Such a giant missed opportunity. So annoying.
Acehilator wrote: The should have given the role of the Malantrophe to the Psychophage. The model looks perfect for it without any changes. Nothing about the model even hints at its anti-psyker capabilities. Such a giant missed opportunity. So annoying.
Edit. nevermind, confused Neurothrope with PP. I need more tea
Acehilator wrote: The should have given the role of the Malantrophe to the Psychophage. The model looks perfect for it without any changes. Nothing about the model even hints at its anti-psyker capabilities. Such a giant missed opportunity. So annoying.
What visual prompts would you be looking for in an anti-psyker? It's worth noting it likes to eat them to break them down for fuel, not that it is designed to hunt them was the impression I got. Feeder bug, not assassination bug.
Tyrannofex is there for the best firepower available to me. Provided I can shoot from stationary, I should be able to wallop tanks from across the board.
Haruspex because, well, I love them. Even though it’s currently drastically under costed (seriously. 125 points. What the hell are they in?) when it almost inevitably goes up in points? It’s still Well Fighty, and welcome in my list.
Especially if I give my army Lethal Hits against Monsters and Vehicles. Whilst not especially Boosty to the Shovelling Claws (though removing a step is always nice), it should help the many other attacks punch above its weight against Dreads etc.
Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote: Tyrannofex is there for the best firepower available to me. Provided I can shoot from stationary, I should be able to wallop tanks from across the board.
Hopefully Codex will get him more than 2 shots for R cannon.
The only good thing is that our big bugs have high S in cc. Their shooting weapons are a joke compared to other units like that. S9 or S10 for something that supposed to be a super heavy and titan equivalent?
Shadow Walker wrote: The only good thing is that our big bugs have high S in cc. Their shooting weapons are a joke compared to other units like that. S9 or S10 for something that supposed to be a super heavy and titan equivalent?
When you're using 8th Edition books at your reference point, S9 and S10 is awesome! Wounds Land Raiders on 3's and even 2's!!!
Shadow Walker wrote: The only good thing is that our big bugs have high S in cc. Their shooting weapons are a joke compared to other units like that. S9 or S10 for something that supposed to be a super heavy and titan equivalent?
When you're using 8th Edition books at your reference point, S9 and S10 is awesome! Wounds Land Raiders on 3's and even 2's!!!
I bet they loved 8th so much that they copy pasted them into 10th
NinthMusketeer wrote: I'd love to see fresh hornagaunts, even if I already have all the ones I need. New genestealers though, that would be a treat.
Since we're getting a modern take on the Huggyfex I wouldn't mind seeing new Hormagaunts that are true to their 2nd ed incarnation. But in plastic, and with less snaptastic poses than Hormagaunts traditionally have.
Shadow Walker wrote: The only good thing is that our big bugs have high S in cc. Their shooting weapons are a joke compared to other units like that. S9 or S10 for something that supposed to be a super heavy and titan equivalent?
Nids have never really been noted for potent ranged weapons though. Plenty to threaten infantry, but even going back to 2nd Ed, the Venom Cannon wasn’t great.
Shadow Walker wrote: The only good thing is that our big bugs have high S in cc. Their shooting weapons are a joke compared to other units like that. S9 or S10 for something that supposed to be a super heavy and titan equivalent?
Nids have never really been noted for potent ranged weapons though. Plenty to threaten infantry, but even going back to 2nd Ed, the Venom Cannon wasn’t great.
Zoanthropes used to be our “reliable” anti-tank.
So you compare weapons (Venom Cannon) held by Warriors, Tyrant or Carnifex to that of super heavy/titan class monsters? I do not say that they should be Volcanos all but now even Sentinel has S12 (Lascannon) where out titan has S10.
Tyran wrote: The Hierophant needs an entire new model 2-3 times larger if you want it to be like the fluff.
Many models are downsized to be playable on tabletop but that aside, it also depends what fluff we are talking. If my memory is correct then Anphelion Project lists it as something about 11,5-13,5 metres tall.
Tyran wrote: The Hierophant needs an entire new model 2-3 times larger if you want it to be like the fluff.
Many models are downsized to be playable on tabletop but that aside, it also depends what fluff we are talking. If my memory is correct then Anphelion Project lists it as something about 11,5-13,5 metres tall.
Anphelion Project also has one killed by grenades. And the other physical stats given (like weight) make no sense.
Meanwhile Warriors of Ultrama has one being bigger than a Capitol Imperialis (so 50+ meters tall at the very least) and you can find sources in which they fist fight (talon fight?) Warlord Titans which would put them in the 35+ meters.
The fluff is inconsistent, but if your criteria is "huge threat in fluff" then you need to go with the larger, Walord Titan sized or bigger interpretations.
Tyran wrote: The Hierophant needs an entire new model 2-3 times larger if you want it to be like the fluff.
Many models are downsized to be playable on tabletop but that aside, it also depends what fluff we are talking. If my memory is correct then Anphelion Project lists it as something about 11,5-13,5 metres tall.
Anphelion Project also has one killed by grenades. And the other physical stats given (like weight) make no sense.
Meanwhile Warriors of Ultrama has one being bigger than a Capitol Imperialis (so 50+ meters tall at the very least) and you can find sources in which they fist fight (talon fight?) Warlord Titans which would put them in the 35+ meters.
The fluff is inconsistent, but if your criteria is "huge threat in fluff." then you need to go with the larger, Walord Titan sized or bigger interpretations.
I said that it depends on which fluff we are talking so I agree that it is inconsistent. Although BL is beaten in sources hierarchy by codex/IA, and authors sometimes do not know what they are writing about. BTW my memory from reading Warriors of Ultramar is vague but was it not simply named there as biotitan rather than Hierophant (so it could be a Hydraphant there)? Anyway, I agree that being destroyed by grenades in AP was rather stupid unless they were some super inquisitorial Jokaero made ones. That aside being a huge threat deas not automatically equal Warlord as even Warhound is extremally dangerous if you have not enough firepower. All in all I think we agree that our FW bugs should have weapons which have more S than 9-10, especially when codex bug has (as it should BTW) S18 one?
Tyran wrote: Meanwhile Warriors of Ultrama has one being bigger than a Capitol Imperialis (so 50+ meters tall at the very least) and you can find sources in which they fist fight (talon fight?) Warlord Titans which would put them in the 35+ meters.
Warriors of Ultramar was based on the Epic depictions of the bio-titans, before the Forge World scale switcheroo. Originally (in Epic) the Hierodule and Hierophant were two sizes of bio-titan, roughly Warhound and Warlord sized respectively. When FW made the resin models they made the FW Hierophant the size of the Epic Hierodule, and the FW Hierodule the size of the Epic assault spawn (Dactylis, Exocrine, Trygon, Malefactor).
It isn't an issue of downsizing for tabletop play or lore inconsistency; it was a deliberate reimagining and scale change.
Tyran wrote: Meanwhile Warriors of Ultrama has one being bigger than a Capitol Imperialis (so 50+ meters tall at the very least) and you can find sources in which they fist fight (talon fight?) Warlord Titans which would put them in the 35+ meters.
Warriors of Ultramar was based on the Epic depictions of the bio-titans, before the Forge World scale switcheroo. Originally (in Epic) the Hierodule and Hierophant were two sizes of bio-titan, roughly Warhound and Warlord sized respectively. When FW made the resin models they made the FW Hierophant the size of the Epic Hierodule, and the FW Hierodule the size of the Epic assault spawn (Dactylis, Exocrine, Trygon, Malefactor).
It isn't an issue of downsizing for tabletop play or lore inconsistency; it was a deliberate reimagining and scale change.
Eh it still an issue of lore inconsistency, as BL has mostly stuck to the old Epic scale when writing Hierophants (as they need them to be Warlord equivalents for the occasional Titan vs Tyranid matchup).
Eh it still an issue of lore inconsistency, as BL has mostly stuck to the old Epic scale when writing Hierophants (as they need them to be Warlord equivalents for the occasional Titan vs Tyranid matchup).
Shadow Walker wrote: I said that it depends on which fluff we are talking so I agree that it is inconsistent. Although BL is beaten in sources hierarchy by codex/IA, and authors sometimes do not know what they are writing about. BTW my memory from reading Warriors of Ultramar is vague but was it not simply named there as biotitan rather than Hierophant (so it could be a Hydraphant there)? Anyway, I agree that being destroyed by grenades in AP was rather stupid unless they were some super inquisitorial Jokaero made ones. That aside being a huge threat deas not automatically equal Warlord as even Warhound is extremally dangerous if you have not enough firepower. All in all I think we agree that our FW bugs should have weapons which have more S than 9-10, especially when codex bug has (as it should BTW) S18 one?
As I understand it, GW has mostly tried to avoid weapons that have a lot of attacks and high strength. The dire bio-cannons had the issue of having a lot of attacks and high strength, so they had to lose one.
As another example, the warhound titan plasma gun is S9, 10 when overcharged.
Once the campaign begins on the 26th of June, you’ll have 13 days to muster your forces, and log the results of your first game playing the new edition.
Also remember the alternative email method if you don't have a Leviathan box:
Entry route 2 - Alternative Method of Entry (AMOE)
4.1.2 Entry is free by emailing competitions@gwplc.com during the Entry Period and telling us in a minimum of 150 words why you like either Space Marines or Tyranids. The email must be titled “Leviathan Prize Draw”. No purchase is necessary for this AMOE.
Acehilator wrote: The should have given the role of the Malantrophe to the Psychophage. The model looks perfect for it without any changes. Nothing about the model even hints at its anti-psyker capabilities. Such a giant missed opportunity. So annoying.
What visual prompts would you be looking for in an anti-psyker? It's worth noting it likes to eat them to break them down for fuel, not that it is designed to hunt them was the impression I got. Feeder bug, not assassination bug.
No idea, really. But I am not a model designer. Why would a general-use feeder bug have special psyker-related abilities? Makes no sense given how rare they are on the battlefield. It's not some random mutation either. Just a random rule tacked onto the model for whatever reason. If Nids decided they needed an anti-psyker specialist, it would be psychic based itself. Like the Neurotyrant. Just with some real mind bullets, and not the anemic flamer it got, lol.
I was happy that our FW bugs have at least good S with cc weapons but forgot to check that their AP there is a pathetic -2 when even Hive Crone's Thorax Spur has AP-3.
Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote: Got my boxed set. No bag with it so bit of a job getting it home in the heat.
Soon get these bugs built. Then on Monday, Marine half off to its new home, as I’m doing a Swapsie.
Great stuff! Currently waiting on my mates order to arrive - he's after the marines and ordered 2sets so might take a box with the Marines swapped out for all the Nids.. looking forward to building them all..
As far as Biotitan sizes go, easy cop out is that these things grow rather than are manufactured. So a heirophant could be anything from Warhound sized as a juvenile to rivalling a Warlord if allowed to reach full size.
Tastyfish wrote: As far as Biotitan sizes go, easy cop out is that these things grow rather than are manufactured. So a heirophant could be anything from Warhound sized as a juvenile to rivalling a Warlord if allowed to reach full size.
That is a great idea, and also offers a convenient crutch to have Tyranids on the defense in some scenarios, which is usually not that easy to justify fluff-wise. Instead of e.g. Ammo Depots and Maintenance/R&R areas, 'growing' Titans could need relatively safe areas where they can shed their too-small armour and are vulnerable(-ish) until their new armoured shells harden and are ready for combat again.
I did think it was bigger too, that said its still a good size and honestly the plastic Zoanthrope is already bigger/chunkier than its earlier versions.
Plus I think it fits the role well considering that basically they are taking the old Zoanthrope concept and splitting it down into separate components for the tabletop. Plus it leaves a nice bit of room for a huge character psycher bug in the future!
Plus it means you can take more than one and it won't be a nightmare to transport. Big is nice but Tyranids are already one of the trickier forces to transport with all the big monsters we have.
Managed to jag the Nid half of the box for a reasonable price. No interest in 10th, but some of these sculpts were too good to pass up. I'm looking forward to painting them up in Behemoth colours. Which so far is not something I've seen of in any of the previews.
My Leviathan box arrived well packaged from Goblin Gaming today.
Looks like a great product, except I'm gonna struggle to play a starter game with anyone new as there's no rules for the models in it other than some weapon listings in the building guide.
Trying to learn from a huge downloadable pdf on a tiny phone screen isn't particularly newbie friendly imo.
Wish they'd put a few dataslate cards in for the included models.
Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote: Got my boxed set. No bag with it so bit of a job getting it home in the heat.
Well, GW sent half my LGS' allotment to France, for some bizarre reason, so I get to wait until next week to pick it up.
Speaking of the box, though, Doc - roughly what are the physical measurements for the box? Want to make sure I've got a suitable bag with me when I can go and get it.
Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote: Got my boxed set. No bag with it so bit of a job getting it home in the heat.
Well, GW sent half my LGS' allotment to France, for some bizarre reason, so I get to wait until next week to pick it up.
Speaking of the box, though, Doc - roughly what are the physical measurements for the box? Want to make sure I've got a suitable bag with me when I can go and get it.
I've been browsing Ebay hoping that people would start offloading models for resonable prices now that the box is out, but no such luck. At least you can start snagging individual bits now.
I think we should all do our part and message every possible seller on Ebay and tell them to use their box codes to vote Tryanids.
NAVARRO wrote: Neurogaunts got to be the coolest thing I have seen in a long time. They already look great on pictures but they are so small and cuddly!
Im wondering when they update the Genestealers if they are going to change the bases sizes I have a chunk of spacehulk stealers to base.
Talking about Purestrain Stealers*, any chance of getting a side-by-side with one of the new Termies ?
*either the current "standard" or the Deathwatch Overkill ones
Winged Prime, Neurotyrant and Screamer Killer assembled.
Really nice kits, though a mild gap on the Screamer Killer’s chest.
I find with GW's pushfit what I do is clip a chunk off the end of each peg. If you use glue in the peg/slot assembly I can get stuck part way and lock in/fuse/fill up. So I take a good chunk off the peg. As I'm using glue around the edges anyway the pegs aren't really needed all that much. I find it helps ensure a good smooth flush fit.
Pretty sure it’s my fault, something not quite lined up internally. If you didn’t know it’s there, you wouldn’t know. So I can live with it.
Big Stuffs and Neurogaunts built today.
Neurogaunts are adorable. Proper tiny, like a brood of five year old football hooligans.
Tomorrow I’ll finish the rest. Quite looking forward to the 20 Termagants, as they look easy to put together.
The biggest pain is never putting the models together, it's scraping mold lines from every tiny fricking piece. Here's hoping Leviathan isn't as bad as all the other kits I've had recently. Not had time to look at the sprues, other than check the contents.
Automatically Appended Next Post: And now having built them? Barbgaunts have really grown on me. Hopefully they’ll prove as useful as they seem on the board. Because messing with enemy movement is always a laugh.
NAVARRO wrote: Im wondering when they update the Genestealers if they are going to change the bases sizes I have a chunk of spacehulk stealers to base.
The updated ones that came with Deathwatch: Overkill were on 32s. The 'current' ones might only still be on 25s because they're slottas.
NAVARRO wrote: Im wondering when they update the Genestealers if they are going to change the bases sizes I have a chunk of spacehulk stealers to base.
The updated ones that came with Deathwatch: Overkill were on 32s. The 'current' ones might only still be on 25s because they're slottas.
Per GW’s website, the current stealers come with 25s.
I will eat my hat if they stay on that size if they get a new kit. Not only do they massively overhang the small bases without any of the scale creep we could expect, but GW has in general been upping base sizes across the board.
I used 32 extender rings on most of my stealers (left one squad on the small ones in case I ever get called out to use “official” bases) and they look so much better.
So right now a few building thoughts on the Tyranids:
1) Psychophage - chunky and goes together easily. Kind of wish they'd overlapped more of the armour as there's some join lines down past the smoke stacks that are a bit of a pain. Rest are pretty straight forward.
It's going to be a nightmare to paint the mouth
2) Neurotyrant - I'm trying to see if I can sub-assemble or not. It's not built for sub assembly which is honestly a missed element considering how many parts of its under-cover criss cross and there are those tiny arms in there blocking access and all. But its not easy to build it in parts unless you accept seam lines and such.
Surprised as GW have been pretty smart with sub assemblies on some models. Might just have to bite it and have some very dark recesses under the hood where getting a brush is near impossible once assembled.
3) Screamer Killer - so far just easy all round; join areas easy to access and all. I'd recommend building the core body, leg and then letting the glue dry to clean over the join lines and then assemble it all up along with its huge scything talons.
Honestly the current Carnifex kit is still good. If it got updated I'd really only want to see GW enhance the details over the model and clean up the mould lines and seams and such by giving it a fresh mould and such.
Basically all it needs is a touch-up; its still a great kit all round
Overread wrote: Honestly the current Carnifex kit is still good. If it got updated I'd really only want to see GW enhance the details over the model and clean up the mould lines and seams and such by giving it a fresh mould and such.
Basically all it needs is a touch-up; its still a great kit all round
Nostalgia speaking. It looks ok and serviceable, but it needs a refresh nonetheless, like the terma and the Prime got.
Carnifex were given bio-weapons during a time where Tyranids didn't have dedicated gun-bugs like the Tyrannofex, Exocrine, Hive Guards, flyers... i personally wish they just update the model without biocannons and leave it as a pure melee monster, as it should be.
My hope is that they adopt the more upright pose and bigger frame of the Screamer Killer, and make it a MPK with OOE
I wonder if spare arms from other nid big gribblies would fit the screamer killer, for those who want updated Carnifexes? Might be interesting to see dakka-fexes in the upright pose.
Gimgamgoo wrote:The biggest pain is never putting the models together, it's scraping mold lines from every tiny fricking piece.
Yeah, and if you are like me then no matter what people say, and how new the kit is, there are always mold lines visible on every single part, and need to vanish before I can glue them
Siegfriedfr wrote:
Carnifex were given bio-weapons during a time where Tyranids didn't have dedicated gun-bugs like the Tyrannofex, Exocrine, Hive Guards, flyers... i personally wish they just update the model without biocannons and leave it as a pure melee monster, as it should be.
I expect exactly this happening to it. Venom/Strangler combined with Claws/Talons as the only weapon options.
Currently also building the leviathan tyranids. Have to agree with the mould lines, barely any work there. Regarding gaps, I also clip of all the pegs and glue them together. Most of the times it fits nice ore the line is, where its not noticable.
Screamerkiller very nice, huge and impressive.
The neurotyrant is way smaller then I thought.
I still struggle with the look of the winged tyranid prime, I guess because the wings are the middle limbs. I tried if I could switch them with the arms without too much effort but that didnt look good.
VR leapers are nice.
I did not like the barbgaunts from the picturey and that did not change irl. I dont care much for their look :/
Termagaunts are very nice. I remember how annoying it was, building my 30 oldgaunts, with the split heads and also really struggled with the weapons and arms to align properly. Way easier with the ETB and its not like they have much variability in posing any other way.
Got 10 more termagaunts and the neurogaunts left
Automatically Appended Next Post: I also descided to sell the leviathan book. Its a biiig book. Way to heavy to carry to games and I am over the collecting side of books. Glad I got the cards tho, they are nice
NAVARRO wrote: Im wondering when they update the Genestealers if they are going to change the bases sizes I have a chunk of spacehulk stealers to base.
The updated ones that came with Deathwatch: Overkill were on 32s. The 'current' ones might only still be on 25s because they're slottas.
Per GW’s website, the current stealers come with 25s.
I will eat my hat if they stay on that size if they get a new kit. Not only do they massively overhang the small bases without any of the scale creep we could expect, but GW has in general been upping base sizes across the board.
I used 32 extender rings on most of my stealers (left one squad on the small ones in case I ever get called out to use “official” bases) and they look so much better.
Yeah I dont see myself risking basing them atm. They can even turn out in 28mm bases in the end. Spacehulk Stealers also have display like terrain as part of the models so they would really look better on 32mm... potentially 40mm.
Is there like a cheap and easy way to extend bases from 25mm to 28mm? Thinking on my gaunts.
Here's some new art from the Leviathan book that I assume will turn out to be a Norn Emissary. The head and claws are very similar to the Custodes pic we saw a while ago.
xttz wrote: Here's some new art from the Leviathan book that I assume will turn out to be a Norn Emissary. The head and claws are very similar to the Custodes pic we saw a while ago.
Spoiler:
[/quote
That might be so, on the right side there's a weird socketed appendage that looks more like a tentacle than an arm in an arm-slot.
But this thing also matches the description of 'the Harbinger' from that book blurb, especially the horned crest. Now if that 'Harbinger' is it's own thing or just a nickname for an exisiting creatur, or indeed the Norn whatever, remains to be seen, but there have been persistent rumours about some 'Apex Swarmlord' or 'Hive Tyrant on Steroids' which might be this. It looks similar to the Hive Tyrant in general layout, but seems to have much wider shoulders/pauldrons.
NAVARRO wrote: Im wondering when they update the Genestealers if they are going to change the bases sizes I have a chunk of spacehulk stealers to base.
The updated ones that came with Deathwatch: Overkill were on 32s. The 'current' ones might only still be on 25s because they're slottas.
Per GW’s website, the current stealers come with 25s.
I will eat my hat if they stay on that size if they get a new kit. Not only do they massively overhang the small bases without any of the scale creep we could expect, but GW has in general been upping base sizes across the board.
I used 32 extender rings on most of my stealers (left one squad on the small ones in case I ever get called out to use “official” bases) and they look so much better.
Yeah I dont see myself risking basing them atm. They can even turn out in 28mm bases in the end. Spacehulk Stealers also have display like terrain as part of the models so they would really look better on 32mm... potentially 40mm.
Is there like a cheap and easy way to extend bases from 25mm to 28mm? Thinking on my gaunts.
I have a 3D printer and made my own extenders. I know there were some for sale to take 25 to 32. I’ve not looked to see if anyone is making 25 to 28 adapters. Honestly, unless you are playing tournaments the difference between the two is minimal. I’m going to put my new gaunts on the new bases, but am not going to worry about all the old guys.
xttz wrote: Here's some new art from the Leviathan book that I assume will turn out to be a Norn Emissary. The head and claws are very similar to the Custodes pic we saw a while ago.
Spoiler:
The guardsman in that picture “Oh gosh, is that the time? Sorry Mr Hive Mind but I really must go, I have an appointment with not dying…..”
I don't know that one looks like just a depiction of a hive tyrant. Head jaw is different but its got the shoulder guards, 4 scything talons and horn crest.
It's interesting to see in the Tyranid photos in the book how many models are not on show.
Hormagaunts
warriors
bio and pyrovores
carnifex
I don't think I saw a ravener either
Overread wrote: It's interesting to see in the Tyranid photos in the book how many models are not on show.
Hormagaunts
warriors
bio and pyrovores
carnifex
I don't think I saw a ravener either
The Lictor is suspiciously absent from your list and I'm not sure I like it...
Naw I left that off as we've already seen a new Deathleaper model.
Don't scare me like that! Because I'm totally able to believe that GW would do plastic Von Ryans and Deathleaper but keep the Finecast Lictor around.
I've been through this enough to believe that GW would remove the lictor entirely and just have Von Ryans and the Deathleaper Or leave us with finecast lictor and biovore and pyrovore and then put them on range rotation
Honestly the most confusing part is that GW is willing to release a whole set of stat cards without any of the new models in them. Which kind of almost gives me a worry that the next codex is 6 months away
Eh, it's GW's usual "current models" approach, where "current" includes even unreleased model just as long as they have been officially revealed to the public.
Card pictures aren't an adequate place to reveal stuff for a number of reasons, but it sure would also moot that campaign thing they have going at the moment. Can't make an event out of those "early" reveals for one faction if we already had partial images of the models on the cards a month earlier.
Lictor and Genestealers will come for sure! If you look at Leviathan box set art with the terminator and nid face merging it's a clear hint at Spacehulk OOP box set crowd. They are just too similar. I bet they intended to have stealers in the box but since its too elite its better to have hordes in the Leviathan instead.
xttz wrote: Here's some new art from the Leviathan book that I assume will turn out to be a Norn Emissary. The head and claws are very similar to the Custodes pic we saw a while ago.
Spoiler:
Looks like a HT to me so maybe a new kit for it is incoming? I am more interested in the flying ones on the left. Are they some new creatures?
The more I love the Screamer Killer. What a glow up. The original is sadly a model I’ve never owned, but blimey. But this erm….wait……25 and then a few years in the making remake is just about perfect.
Is huge! It looks proper fighty! And for once in my sad life, I’m genuinely hyped to……*shock* paint something!
The more I love the Screamer Killer. What a glow up. The original is sadly a model I’ve never owned, but blimey. But this erm….wait……25 and then a few years in the making remake is just about perfect.
Is huge! It looks proper fighty! And for once in my sad life, I’m genuinely hyped to……*shock* paint something!
The new screamer killer is what broke me in the end. I was determined not to start another army, but the more I looked at him the more he looked back and in the end I couldn’t resist. Always loved the old model too, it was like nothing else when it came out, and even most of the other early Nid models looked slightly more greebley than it, can’t wait to get stuck into it.
What I'm most interested on seeing from the new codex models is how many others have callbacks to the 2e/Epic era. There's a lot of potential to update units originally from that period and reference their original concept art; lictors, biovores, gargoyles, warriors, perhaps even the dominatrix.
Another 4chan rumour may be true though as in the novel there are creatures that resemble ones from 4chan text - ''Ravener/Ingester dual-kit. Comes with a variant like a mini-mawloc, no guns smaller arms but huge jaws.'' Athough there is also a possibility that whoever wrote it had an early acccess to a novel and made it all up using knowledge from it.
xttz wrote: What I'm most interested on seeing from the new codex models is how many others have callbacks to the 2e/Epic era. There's a lot of potential to update units originally from that period and reference their original concept art; lictors, biovores, gargoyles, warriors, perhaps even the dominatrix.
They can leave these horrors in the distant past thank you!
I might be in the minority here, but that's too 'Blanchean' for me, at least as a base for models. It's fine as a piece of inspiration, and was great in the 2nd edition codex, but ultimately it's mostly a mood piece stuffed full of pseudo-gigerian vague shapes and forms. I'm pretty fine with the Tyranids having an established look and design conventions apart from 'just do some ribbed organic form and stick some crests on it' and would prefer if it mostly remained that way - the occassional odd one out like the new Deathleper is splendid to underline that these are weird, unknowable aliens, but if everything is weird gak the whole faction loses visual and conceptual coherence too much for my liking.
And yes, this is one of the few times I’ve been definitive about relative values on Dakka.
You’ve probably earned a badge.
Their plastic brethren managed to look even worse:
A set of 3 of those were my first 40K models ever. Along with 1 pack of hormagaunts in metal - they never ever EVER stood up right
They were very very alien - if anything more alien than Tyranids are now.
I for one would love to see these guys come back in some form… maybe as a new sort of guardian beast for the bigger bugs (not Tyrants, the really big ones).
xttz wrote: Oh yeah 90's models were usually pretty goofy.
But I'm talking about the original Tyranid concept art and how much better that stuff can now translate into models using modern casting technology.
Consider how well they updated the screamer-killer:
Spoiler:
Now what about this lot?
Spoiler:
They've definitely upped the gribbley-ness of the new designs- I'm loving the surfaces, the jagged edges and the strangeness that is returning. Can't wait see what they do with the lictor and the Stealers. New Raveners .. I'd be surprised, the kit still feels new to me, but the new design approach is so good I'd love to see what they do with them.
Got my set today, the Nid side x 2, really loving all the models so far- the Leapers are excellent and the neurogaunts are so small they look excellent, they would be great to have dressing the base of the large monsters.
Two things I noticed about the Gaunt sprue: one, the hooves have actual interior detail with a frog and everything, where the cuts allow, which is kind of adorable. Two, each Gaunt has a letter designation, A through J, on the hex-peg for the base. Last time I saw lettering like that on a GW kit it was for the arm-pairs on the new MkVI marines for the Heresy set, and corresponded to the heavy and special weapon upgrades.
Any chance the “full” Termagant kit will include a sprue of weapon options?
Mr_Rose wrote: Two things I noticed about the Gaunt sprue: one, the hooves have actual interior detail with a frog and everything, where the cuts allow, which is kind of adorable. Two, each Gaunt has a letter designation, A through J, on the hex-peg for the base. Last time I saw lettering like that on a GW kit it was for the arm-pairs on the new MkVI marines for the Heresy set, and corresponded to the heavy and special weapon upgrades.
Any chance the “full” Termagant kit will include a sprue of weapon options?
I said the same thing here a while ago and got told that wasn't going to happen. But realistically, considering that termagants will be cheaply available in the combat patrol / 40k starter box and that GW also kinda need to sell them separately too, how do they encourage individual sales? By including a weapon upgrade sprue not provided in the discount set.
It's something GW already do with the CSM Legionaries and their Kill Team sprue.
Overread wrote: Along with 1 pack of hormagaunts in metal - they never ever EVER stood up right
I think I have about 12 of them. Some of them I've stuck the middle set of claws on upside down as it angled them down to help them stand.
Horrific minis...
I did wonder if they were sculpted for plastics originally and in the end they chose metal. Because as a metal model they were terrible for balance, you had to weight the base quite a bit for them to stand properly. Neat designs though, very much showing their "alien" heritage
Got my box today (1 day late because it was national holiday on the 24th here), and started building them!
Got the Prime built, good mini, never been bottered by the pose or wings placement so it's a fine mini for me A tad small though, would have been good for him to be a bit bigger (what about him ripping a Termi in half and all that in the trailer).
Also build the Psychophage, very cool model, but confusing rule-wise. Like other have said before, nothing about it evoke a psyker-hunter, would have prefered something else rule-wise for him.
And I built the Barbgaunts too, fine model too if a bit more "2-D". Probably the most usefull addition to an army tho! My wish is for a full kit release down the line with more weapon options! I see them as the "Devastator" type of unit for the nids, so to have a couple more gun option (gosh, maybe even mixing weapons in the team ) would be very very cool!
And for all of you guys talking about old models :
Leviathan came to Casa del Kroll this morning. Just finished flicking through the rules, one thing that struck me looking at the beauty shots and battle scenes of the Tyranids was the lack of any Hormagaunts, but also the lack of pretty much anything that wasn’t in the Leviathan box. I think I spotted a Hauraspex and Maleceptor in one scene but that was about it.
Of all the old larger bug designs I always think the Exocrine was the best and would honestly still work looking almost just like that with a modern adaptation.
Their plastic brethren managed to look even worse:
I am one of the few who actually really like them.
I like them, too. Shame I never got more than one squad. They were actually pretty tall for their time and could still be used today without looking puny like Marines or Guardsmen from that time do.
Their plastic brethren managed to look even worse:
I am one of the few who actually really like them.
I like them, too. Shame I never got more than one squad. They were actually pretty tall for their time and could still be used today without looking puny like Marines or Guardsmen from that time do.
I think they were taller than SC and HT. Below are metal and plastic ones with current Warrior model.
I actually really like the old Deathspitter design; the new one doesn’t look half so alien. If we can’t have the models back, the guns would be nice. Make it a flamethrower equivalent. Same with Gargoyles–give them their flamespurts back!
Mr_Rose wrote: I actually really like the old Deathspitter design; the new one doesn’t look half so alien. If we can’t have the models back, the guns would be nice. Make it a flamethrower equivalent. Same with Gargoyles–give them their flamespurts back!
Flamespurts were oddly great. By no means Killy at a weedy S3, and didn’t set anyone properly on fire, no sir. No Burny Dance there. But they did force enemy models to move to the nearest template edge. Was useful for driving enemies out of cover, or out of squad coherency. Took a bit of finesse and practice to get the most out of them of course in terms of beneficial positioning of model and template.
I guess the Neurolictors are the alt-build to the Lictor kit, then. "Taking over minds" can be perilous territory, though, because it opens the door to a character coming back from that and describing what it felt like to be a part of the Hivemind (always ends disappointingly).
Also
I am once again asking people to stop throwing the descriptor "alien" around with such cavalier abandon, robbing it of any actual meaning.
A skirt made of flesh does not look alien. Because it looks like a skirt. A skirt is an ubiquitous garment that appears across cultures and eras in human history, and is instantly recognizable to each of us.
A bipedal, digitigrade humanoid does not look alien. Because its entire form is a remix of common terrestrial features that we've all been acclimatized to since we were kids looking at picturebooks of animals.
A hollow, phallic projectile weapon with ergonomics that more or less correspond to a rifle does not look alien. I'm sure by this point in the post you can guess why.
I'm begging you, read some speculative sci-fi from outside the Warhammer ecosystem, or find and smoke some DMT, because if you think skirts, Mos Eisley puppets, and rifleguns are shockingly alien your mind is ready to be blown.
Altruizine wrote: I guess the Neurolictors are the alt-build to the Lictor kit, then. "Taking over minds" can be perilous territory, though, because it opens the door to a character coming back from that and describing what it felt like to be a part of the Hivemind (always ends disappointingly).
Also
I am once again asking people to stop throwing the descriptor "alien" around with such cavalier abandon, robbing it of any actual meaning.
A skirt made of flesh does not look alien. Because it looks like a skirt. A skirt is an ubiquitous garment that appears across cultures and eras in human history, and is instantly recognizable to each of us.
A bipedal, digitigrade humanoid does not look alien. Because its entire form is a remix of common terrestrial features that we've all been acclimatized to since we were kids looking at picturebooks of animals.
A hollow, phallic projectile weapon with ergonomics that more or less correspond to a rifle does not look alien. I'm sure by this point in the post you can guess why.
I'm begging you, read some speculative sci-fi from outside the Warhammer ecosystem, or find and smoke some DMT, because if you think skirts, Mos Eisley puppets, and rifleguns are shockingly alien your mind is ready to be blown.
I sure hope 'taking over minds' means something more like 'sucking the brain out and putting some control worm where it used to be', Marie-Sue-Mindcontrol-for-5-minutes can feth right off, as you said it practically only ever serves to give some A-lister character 'tragic' and 'traumatic' experiences by being submitted to it for a short while and then breaking out of it.
As for the 'alien' - DMT machine elves or whatever are all fine and dandy, but let's not forget that this stuff here is intended to be a range of game-pieces first and foremost; 'these are the fast ones', 'these are tough' and 'this one has a huge killy gun' is something that should be legible even if you're not that familiar with the range, and the pieces need to be facile to assemble and paint for the average gamer. That severely limits how alien these aliens can be, and is a necessity for the wider health of the game and the range.
Altruizine wrote: I guess the Neurolictors are the alt-build to the Lictor kit, then. "Taking over minds" can be perilous territory, though, because it opens the door to a character coming back from that and describing what it felt like to be a part of the Hivemind (always ends disappointingly).
Also
I am once again asking people to stop throwing the descriptor "alien" around with such cavalier abandon, robbing it of any actual meaning.
A skirt made of flesh does not look alien. Because it looks like a skirt. A skirt is an ubiquitous garment that appears across cultures and eras in human history, and is instantly recognizable to each of us.
A bipedal, digitigrade humanoid does not look alien. Because its entire form is a remix of common terrestrial features that we've all been acclimatized to since we were kids looking at picturebooks of animals.
A hollow, phallic projectile weapon with ergonomics that more or less correspond to a rifle does not look alien. I'm sure by this point in the post you can guess why.
I'm begging you, read some speculative sci-fi from outside the Warhammer ecosystem, or find and smoke some DMT, because if you think skirts, Mos Eisley puppets, and rifleguns are shockingly alien your mind is ready to be blown.
If there's one thing Warhammer needs, it's more gatekeeping - thanks for making discussions around the game fun for everyone! /s
Tsagualsa wrote: I sure hope 'taking over minds' means something more like 'sucking the brain out and putting some control worm where it used to be', Marie-Sue-Mindcontrol-for-5-minutes can feth right off, as you said it practically only ever serves to give some A-lister character 'tragic' and 'traumatic' experiences by being submitted to it for a short while and then breaking out of it.
Not sure a literal brain swap is the way to go when Tyranids already have Genestealers with hypnotic gaze and DNA implantation. Now we're talking about a Lictor, so there's most likely some tentacle action involved to make it a little different from a Genestealer looking at you suggestively, but Tyranids already have implantation of biological material as a means of mind control in their arsenal. Seems a bit awkward that a Lictor would have to scoop something out and replace it in full when it could just put something in your brain to get mind control.
Plus, I think mind control scarabs already cover the tragic, traumatic A-lister experience. Look at them extra-galactic illegal aliens, coming here and stealing our gimmicks!
As for the 'alien' - DMT machine elves or whatever are all fine and dandy, but let's not forget that this stuff here is intended to be a range of game-pieces first and foremost; 'these are the fast ones', 'these are tough' and 'this one has a huge killy gun' is something that should be legible even if you're not that familiar with the range, and the pieces need to be facile to assemble and paint for the average gamer. That severely limits how alien these aliens can be, and is a necessity for the wider health of the game and the range.
No, I'm fine with that. I don't *want* the models to look alien, I like the 4th through 10th aesthetic, dino-beetles with cleavers and machine pistols growing out of their hands, who throw down with the chainsaw space knights and bodyglove elves that populate the rest of the setting. I just want people to stop describing every detail they enjoy on a Tyranid model "alien" when it's not accurate from an informed POV.
Unhealthy levels.
