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So Tyranids as everyone knows are lacking AA, pretty bad. In true Tyranid fashion I felt that the best way to achieve Air Superiority is through close combat.

Tyranid Zephyr
WS: 2
BS: 3
S: 6
T: 5
W: 4
I: 3
A: 3
Ld: 8
Sv: 4+

Points: 150

Weapons: Scything Talons, Flesh Spines

Flesh Spines: An aerial form of Flesh Hooks designed to take out tough Flyers, with extreme damage done at close range
Range: 12"
Strength: 6
AP: 2
Type: Heavy 2
Special: Skyfire, Melta

Special Rules: Flying Monstrous Creature, Dogfighter, Agile, Instinctive Behaviour - Feed

Dogfighter: The Zephyr may elect to move a second time in the Shooting Phase. This is treated identical to the movement phase, but may only move between 0 and 12" and must continue Swooping. Additionally, it may vector strike a second target.

Agile: The Zephyr has a movement range of 12-36" instead of 12-24" and may make its 90 degree turn at any one point during its movement.



The point of this unit is to primarily take out flyers, but it will be capable of doing damage in an assault. Although, just looking at its profile it will obviously do much better at one than the other. I gave it the low weapon skill and initiative to represent its sluggishness while on the ground, but while in the air it is much more adept. Also, with Dogfighter it is entirely possible for this guy to take out two enemy flyers in one turn. Flesh Spines are risky because you'll on average only hit with one and need close range, causing most players to choose a second vector strike if it is AV 10 or 11 but still having a shot at hurting AV 12 (or 12+ in case of apoc).



Well Dakka, any thoughts?




*edit 1: Removing +1 to cover save.

No way I'd play against that. It's pretty nasty and gets 2 vector Strikes? And has a 4+ cover? For 150 points? It'd be spammed everywhere.

Didn't remember the rules right, assumed that diving meant it couldn't vector strike.

Alright, so getting rid of the +1 is obviously the first step. It gets two vector strikes because it has a single gun to shoot.

I feel that 150 points is still fair, because this thing will get absolutely annihilated by anti-air stuff if you don't play it right. With Toughness 5 and a 4+ armor save the quad gun, new flak missiles, and all sorts of things on all the other flyers out there this guy will likely only get one turn on the board, maybe two.


How would you balance it?

I wouldn't. I'd let Flyrants vector strike Flyers and I'd let Shreiks do a d6" charge against fliers in the assault phase.

Or I'd just let Termagants use Quadguns so long as it's modeled like a Tyranid organism.

I still like the concept of a melee AA Tyranid unit, and want to balance it out. Not like everyone is going to spam it if it's a friendly game.

Hive Tyrants are meant to be flexible yes, but not outright do the job of other creatures.

For isntance, a Tyrant doesn't outright replace a Carnifex. Just because a Tyrant can take a HVC doesn't mean a Carnifex is redundant.


I do like the idea of Shrikes charging flyers though, that would be fun.