Broodlord as HQ? Plus another question.

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**Primarch Of The 2nd**

As i've said before (too often probably

) I'm a big fan of Genestealers, They were my 1st ever army and the 1st mini I ever painted was a Genestealer way back in the early 90's (1992/1993ish) and so was the 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc minis lol. Well I'll get to the point, I hate the fact during my break from the hobby my beloved Genestealers have been mushed (for lack of a better term) into the tyranid army. Trying to look on the bright side I bought the 5th ed tyranid codex purely so I could field Genestealers, only to find the Broodlord was a upgrade character and not a ic or HQ choice. Well you can imagion my dissapointment (as well as having to wait for 3rd ed Space Hulk to get a 'proper' Broodlord not the genestealer/tyranid mess they sell on the GW website). So if you was at a GW store or club and i wanted to field my Broodlord as a HQ choice and ic would you be happy to do that? And do you think I would get away with it at tournys?

Secondly, I'm a bit of Genestealer "fanboy" and dont like putting any extras on my minis I like the old school 'purestrain' look but I do like to give them toxin sacs, sything talons, etc, etc so would you be happy to bend the WYSIWYG rule a bit?

Let me know your thoughts people or I'll get started on my now useless hybrids, magas, patriarch etc

you have been warned lol

Rant over

**Homer S**

No way this flies at a tourney. If you want to field an updated Genestealer cult, you have to find someone willing to play your homebrew.

Having said that, you could just field a Tyranid Prime, equip it with either two Scything Talons or Rending Claws and Scything Talons. Call it a Broodlord Prime and field lots of Genestealers with Broodlords. It lets you play basically what you want but doesn't bend any rules.

The Parasite of Mortex also makes a passable Broodlord HQ character. Just don't use the Wings. It can join with Genestealers and is a Psyker. Ruleswise it remains Jump Infantry but can still move with the Genestealers.

Don't forget the Ymgarl Genestealers. As Elite choices they let you field more Genestealers and they can infiltrate IIRC.

That is some of the power of more recent Codeces, you can field flavors of armies with the same list. Often, this relies on special characters but not always.

Here's a sample list. Don't know if it is any good. You can play around with it though.

Genestealers 2000 Pts - Tyranids Army

1 Tyranid Prime (HQ) @ 100 Pts
Shadow in the Warp; Synapse Creature; Alpha Warrior; Adrenal Glands; Toxin
Sacs; Scything Talons; Rending Claws

10 Ymgarl Genestealer Brood (Elites) @ 230 Pts
Alter Form; Dormant; Rending Claws

10 Ymgarl Genestealer Brood (Elites) @ 230 Pts
Alter Form; Dormant; Rending Claws

18 Genestealer Brood (Troops) @ 464 Pts
Adrenal Glands; Toxin Sacs; Rending Claws; Scything Talons

1 Broodlord @ [68] Pts
#Aura of Despair; #Hypnotic Stare; Adrenal Glands; Toxin Sacs;
Rending Claws; Scything Talons

19 Genestealer Brood (Troops) @ 484 Pts
Adrenal Glands; Toxin Sacs; Rending Claws; Scything Talons

1 Broodlord @ [66] Pts
#Aura of Despair; #Hypnotic Stare; Adrenal Glands; Toxin Sacs;
Rending Claws

9 Genestealer Brood (Troops) @ 246 Pts
Adrenal Glands; Toxin Sacs; Rending Claws

1 Broodlord @ [66] Pts
#Aura of Despair; #Hypnotic Stare; Adrenal Glands; Toxin Sacs;
Rending Claws

9 Genestealer Brood (Troops) @ 246 Pts
Adrenal Glands; Toxin Sacs; Rending Claws

1 Broodlord @ [66] Pts
#Aura of Despair; #Hypnotic Stare; Adrenal Glands; Toxin Sacs;
Rending Claws

Models in Army: 80

Total Army Cost: 2000

Homer

**warboss**

pretty much agree with homer in that your best legal choice would be to simply use him as a tyranid prime. they're roughly the same size and use the same base so that passes the vast majority of people's criteria for a counts-as.

**Mannahnin**

Homer said everything I was going to. His suggested list looks pretty awesome.

**Homer S**

Thanks!

To answer the 2nd question. In my mind the key to WYSIWYG is there should be no confusion. If every Broodlord in your army is equipped the same then no need to model the added bits. Same with Genestealers. If some units are different, say this unit has toxin sacs and that one doesn't, then you need to distinguish that in some way. Either with a bit or maybe all the ones with red patches on their backs have them.

Homer

**Primarch Of The 2nd**

Thanks for the replys, the list Homer made is awsome i'll agree. Looks like I'll have to stick with my marines for tornaments. All my Genestealers are the same, the troop type, and I always give them all the upgrades (so they kick butt lol). With the Broodlord because I only play Genestealers and not tyranids (well I do, but I don't if that makes sence?) I'll only ever have one (The big bad boy from the 3rd ed Space Hulk). So lets say you went to your local store or club for a game and I was there, I asked you for a game (or you asked me) and I pulled out say 6 units of 20 'stealers' (or whatever amount I needed to match points) would you let me use my Broodlord as a HQ choice and a ic? I know it depends on the store/club (I already know my circle of gaming friends are not botherd) and who I'm playing, I just want to get peoples general views because its very rare I get to go play others at my local store (namely because its an hours drive away so not very local) and I'd hate to go all that way, Brood in hand, and nobody want to battle me. I'd be gutted

**Mannahnin**

Personally I prefer to play within the boundaries of the published rules most of the tim. I could see doing something different for a one-off, with prior agreement.

I suspect that others will feel much the same, which makes Homer's suggestion all the more valuable and useful to you. If you use the Tyranid codex to make a legal army, and counts-as to represent an uber-Stealer using the rules for a Tyranid Prime, then you don't have to worry about it.

I don't understand why you'd get hung up on the name, when you've got a good solution right there which will let you completely avoid the problem you're worried about. This would also let you use your much-loved Stealers in tournaments!

**Janthkin**

Mannahnin wrote:I suspect that others will feel much the same, which makes Homer's suggestion all the more valuable and useful to you. If you use the Tyranid codex to make a legal army, and counts-as to represent an uber-Stealer using the rules for a Tyranid Prime, then you don't have to worry about it.

I don't understand why you'd get hung up on the name, when you've got a good solution right there which will let you completely avoid the problem you're worried about. This would also let you use your much-loved Stealers in tournaments!

It's not a perfect solution. The Prime cannot Infiltrate (so you lose the deployment options of a true Genestealer), and he's actually inferior in HtH in some ways (lower WS, I).

But it's definitely the "best" solution, if you want a legal all-genestealer list.

**Homer S**

You probably aren't infiltrating all of them. Just put him with a big unit that is deployed normally.

Homer

**Maelstrom808**

He also lacks fleet :(

**Homer S**

Didn't say it was perfect. I was thinking you would put actual Broodlords in to bolster the 'stealers and you are just taking the Prime along because you have to have an HQ. Maybe keep him detached and use his wings to get to combat at the same time as a group of 'stealers?

As an Eldar player, I think if I was facing 79 Genestealers and 1 Prime, it's not the Prime I'm worried about. Especially if I'm not mechanized.

Homer

**Janthkin**

Homer S wrote:Didn't say it was perfect. I was thinking you would put actual Broodlords in to bolster the 'stealers and you are just taking the Prime along because you have to have an HQ. Maybe keep him detached and use his wings to get to combat at the same time as a group of 'stealers?

Primes don't have a Winged option; it's one of the disappointments of the codex. The Parasite is interesting, but it's a special character (which offends some people), and doesn't have great synergy with genestealers.

**Homer S**

Janthkin wrote:
Homer S wrote:Didn't say it was perfect. I was thinking you would put actual Broodlords in to bolster the 'stealers and you are just taking the Prime along because you have to have an HQ. Maybe keep him detached and use his wings to get to combat at the same time as a group of 'stealers?
Primes don't have a Winged option; it's one of the disappointments of the codex. The Parasite is interesting, but it's a special character (which offends some people), and doesn't have great synergy with genestealers.

Forgot about the wings thing, oh well, plan your 'stealers in two wave and have him in the 2nd. As for The Parasite, I thought it made a natural progression as an "Advanced Broodlord" since it is a Psyker that confuses the troops before the Genestealers reveal themselves and attack.

Homer

**Primarch Of The 2nd**

Part of me thinks i'm just (and i do hate the term) a 'fanboy'. I'll be honest I'm just a bit bitter that during my absence from the hobby (missed 3rd & 4th ed) that alot of my models (hybrids, magas & my patraich in the throne) are now un-useable. I don't dislike the idea that Genestealers are part of the tyranid force and the part they play in the hive minds plan to conquer and consume the galaxy, thats fine. I just wish GW had made either Broodlords a HQ choice or made the patriarch a HQ choice or a special character or at least included him somewhere! Anyone who has lovingly assembled & painted a mini that is now not included in any codex (squats spring to mind) must understand my anger and pain. So come on GW make my day and bring out a new patriarch model or something so I can field a ALL Genestealer army!

Rant over.

**Scott-S6**

Counts-as is your friend now.

Put the magi on scenic bases so they're as tall as a zoanathrope and use them as such.
Pariarch can be a tyrant or a tyranid prime (probably prime - he's not big enough to be a tyrant).

Rather than change the codex, find things in the codex that can represent your now-removed units.