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So as we all know, something happened recently about Tyranids and some codex they got. Though, "codex" might be too strong a word... more like "fully published FAQ."

However, it's not all doom and gloom. There's a little bit of WTF in there too.

So, let's begin with some pros:
- Carnifexes went down 40 points!
- A whole bunch of other stuff also went down in cost!

And now the cons:
- Tervigons went up in cost!
- Rippers went up in cost!
- Lost access to ALL BRB powers!

And finally, the WTFs:
- The haruspex has terrible stats for a CC monster!
- RIPPERS WENT UP IN COST!
- 90% of the fluff is copied directly from the 5th edition codex!
- ALL OF THE BIO-ARTEFACTS!

So, apparently robin cruddace had the honor of writing the Tyranids into the ground codex again, and boy, did he write that codex. Well, not really.

Aside from the lazy copypasta fluff, the codex simply seems rushed. Much like the DA and CSM codices, the Tyranid codex reeks of a severe lack of effort on the writer's part. I've said it before and I'll say it again; when you are tasked to a project you don't want, the final result will suffer. Take two Matt Ward codices, Grey Knights and Necrons, for instance. Other than the obvious, what do you notice that's different?
- GK codex has a billion more wargear options
- Pages of fluff, even for models and gear
- An obvious air of creativity on the part of Matt Ward

The same goes for this codex. It isn't bad; if there hadn't been and point adjustments, it would be bad. But since Carnifexes, and really all TMCs, are so much cheaper (except the Tervigon... for some reason) the codex cannot help but be decent simply by dint of being able to spam TMCs. You can have a veritable horde of MCs wandering the battlefield - and I do mean wander, because if you don't have enough synapse, your precious monsters will start eating themselves. However, there are a few points I need to make, if only to show that I have legitimate concerns about this codex.

First, the strange focus on single-model synapse. Yes, you can get a 30" synapse range on a single model with the right gear, trait, and power. But the thing is that's absolutely moronic to do! Why have a literal lynchpin in your army that, once it falls, completely cripples your entire army? Sure, you can have synapse in almost every slot, but with the warlord trait, the crown and the power, any decent opponent will take out your synapse and watch your army crumble as fast as they can. Synapse is a fantastic game mechanic, but the benefits of being in range (fearless) are false benefits because being outside of range is so grossly bad that if your synapse fails you might as well call the game, like a worse version of the old Necron "We'll Be Back!" Except that you don't just auto-lose.

Second, the Bio-artefacts. Here is the true sign of a rush job; a bunch of stuff that makes you go "who would take this stuff?!" Some of it seems useful, like the Reaper or the cannon, maybe even the Maw Claws. But are they? 40 points for the Ymargl thing, when not only is it useless outside of CC, you can't even use the same form twice in a row? The Reaper of Obliterax, a weapon more than double the cost of a Bonesword+Lashwhip combo with only mild extras? Even the Maw Claws and cannon are expensive for what they are. And the Norn Crown...

Third, the weird stats and costs of some things, mainly Rippers and Tervigons. Rippers were never used because they suck. Now, with zero stat changes, they go a point increase. Tervigons have been kneecapped with the Nerf bat (not A nerf bat, this nerf bad is made out of nails and aluminum) AND had their cost increased as well, though they are still slightly viable as troops due to simply being T6 with a bunch of wounds. The Haruspex, a CC beast has a pitiful WS3 and A3. Even if it came with Regeneration and Adrenal Glands, it would still only be worth 180 points due to how silly those stats are. When a Tyrannofex (the gunboat of the tyranids) is better in CC than you are(mainly due to the 2+ save), and you're supposed to be a combat master, someone wrote your rules wrong.

Finally, the real-world cost of models. I can't begin to describe how much starting a Tyranid army will hurt. The Crone is how much? Yeah, too much, especially for a T5 4+ save model.

I don't know exactly how this got released in its current form. It's like someone just went through the motions of making a new codex without actually trying to make a new, unique, and fun codex.

Do we need another thread on this? I mean, there are like 20 of them already.

Still, you're right. The prices went down. On some things.

Oh, and some of us could do without Ward's creativity.

Of course, but that's not the point. The point I was trying trying to make with the gk and necron codex comparison was to illustrate the difference between a codex that clearly had thought and time put into it and a codex that didn't. A few great units, sure, but like like the Tyranid codex, some are obvious choices while others you must be dense to use.

It would be awesome if GW trawled some of the interwebz and either made a supplement or an FAQ that made the book balanced and truthfully good for tourneys or narrative play.

I can see some good builds, but I really hope for all the bug players that within a few months there's something to be excited about from the hive mind.

Until a few additional bits were brought to my attention I thought the codex was just a bland attempt to adjust the status quo instead of a terrible codex... but honestly.. there's no way around it now. The codex is wretched... our Melee biomorphs no longer stack with eachother for effects... scything talons alone were nerfed which HARSLY damages base run carnifex and ravaners, trygon, prime, and hormagaunts that all don't have alternate melee biomorphs are just torn to shreds by losing the ability on the talons.. plus the utter refusal to grant more durability in this age of AP2/3 weapons.. even if our bigger guys are cheaper in some respects, with grav guns, anti monsterous creature, and instant death all over the place in other codexes, Tyranids are still going to see nothing more than numerous losses in casual and utter table absense in anything tournament related by anyone playing seriously...

Combine that with the new REQUIREMENT to run a decent amount of synapse in the army to keep yourself from twiddling your thumbs, or eating yourself, and well... its a reason for nid players to let GW waste their money on making models they won't buy...