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I'm new to dakka dakka however I've used it as a reference guide to allot of FAQ's for rules as well as terrain tutorials for a long time, however I have had one thing on my mind for awhile and I'd like to see what everyone opinion would be on the subject.

The subject being the lictor...or what the lictor could and should be for the tyranid army.

I've been playing tyranids since 3rd edition and I have loved them all the way, firstly because they looked cool, but later on because they were a really fun army to play. I overall like the new codex, a bit sad the carnifex is kinda secondary instead of the old badassery it used to be, but overall I enjoy the new diversity, tactics and general feel.

However the lictor really does bother me, in fluff he is one of my favorite units, in look he is very well detailed and possibly one of the coolest models for tyranids, in play...well he kinda sucks. I understand that he can be used, but I feel the reputation and the respect the lictor could have on the field is in much need of an upgrade. So I have thought of a possible build, one that would never happen, but a probability for what in my mind the proper lictor would be and I welcome any comments or builds other people would have.

First of ends the broods, only one lictor per elite slot, so max of three in a standard game.
I hate broods of lictors, in my mind they are lone wolfs sent for a deadly purpose by the hive mind.

The model should be over 100 points
no armor saves at all but a 4+ or even 3+ invulnerable save in melee combat
He should arrive via deep strike every game: Chemeleonic skin rules
and here is the big part, have the option to ASSAULT when deep striking.
Has hit and run
has stealth


Those are the basics, and here are a couple fluff rules I thought would really flush out the lictor as a very interesting tactical choice.

Hive priority: The lictor MAY choose to deliver all of his attacks to a single model he is in base to base contact with, all wounds inflicted this way must be allocated to the chosen model.

Lethal strike: All to wound roles of a 5 or 6 are rending and cause instant death. (maybe just 6 with instant death, or perhaps just ignores armor)

Stealth retreat: If the lictor succeeds in a hit and run movement and ends his movement in a piece of area terrain the player may remove him from the board and redeploy him next turn via deep strike.

***optional death leaper rules***

Psychological attack: The deathleaper may choose to ignore a single model he is in base to base contact with, no wounds may be allocated to this model and any units removed as a result from this attack lowers the leadership of the unit by 1.

I like this idea because it's similar to the concept of freaking out a squad but you actually have to do it, this way people can attempt to protect squads of psyches or commanders and an opponent or player using this ability must actually use it to see the results..not just role a dice. It involves more tactics but also gives you a sweater reward..

Essentially I think this will make a really interesting assassin unit, I honestly dislike the pheromone trail or having him utility at all, he should show up..mess something very specific up and disappear. The results are rewarding enough for anyone playing with them as they could knock of a possible HQ or high threat unit, and going against this requires tactics like not being near area terrain so it can't disappear and shoot it's ass later..or having deep strike resistance. Hell you could even have him only be able to deep strike within 6 of area terrain or can scatter.

Anyway shoot me your thoughts people I want to know.
also as i stated before this unit would be easily over 100 and take up one complete elite slot.

The issue in general is that 40k's scale doesnt well support assassian type units. In kill team style games, with more board space to play on and less enemy models to worry about, the Lictor is suitably terrifying. But versus an army, if the lictor is a priority target it is quickly flushed out and killed. Yeah, assaulting on the turn it deepstrikes would help, but the Lictor still would struggle to deal with entire units at a time, and once revealed the ability to take yourself off the board is a bit unrealistic on the average 40k table... now on a forest board, where everything is terrain, thats a different story.

Yeah true, assassins don't work so well on a large scale battle, I would just like to see the ability to utilize such an option. Simply being able to attack a specific model may be nice. Not even for attack HQ's but high priority targets like a space marine in a tactical squad that has a rocket launcher. A risk vs reward system where you decide if that unite is worth possibly loosing one of your elites.

I got the idea to take it off the board from the death leapers ability to be removed from the table after it moves, for any reason... which I always thought was weird and deserved reason and some strategy