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Maybe have different levels of Synapse.


Synapse(1): If this model is in Synapse range, it gains Fearless and is not subject to Instinctive Behavior.

Synapse(2): If this model is in Synapse range, it gains Fearless, Furious Charge, and is not subject to Instinctive Behavior.

Synapse(3): If this model is in Synapse range, it gains Fearless, Furious Charge, Eternal Warrior, and is not subject to Instinctive Behavior.

Synapse Creature: All friendly units within 6" of this model are in Synapse range.


So things like Gants etc would be Synapse(1), Warriors and the like would be Synapse(2), and big things like Carnifexs would be Synapse(3)

 jifel wrote:
New Psychic Powers:
Primaris: Onslaught: 24" Blessing, target unit may run, and then shoot OR assault
1. Catalyst grants +4 FNP, still 12" Blessing
2. Psychic Scream: 12" Malediction Unit targeted takes a LD. check (2d6), wounds if fails, and can't overwatch, must take Pinning check
3. Paroxysm: 24" Malediction, unit hit can only snap fire and is WS 1, must take pinning check.
4. The Horror: Self-Blessing, Any unit attempting to shoot the model (or unit) must take a Ld. check first, if fails may not shoot at all and must then take a Pinning Check.
5. Domination of Will: Malediction: All enemy units within 24" recieve -1 Ld. and -1 to Deny the Witch Rolls (DtW takes effect AFTER trying to Deny the "Domination" power)
6. Presense of the Hive Mind: ML 2, Self-Blessing. SitW and Synapse extend range by 12" on this model, gains +1 to DtW roll.

Note on powers above: Zoeys get Warp Lance, and 1 power. Doom keeps Cataclysm

Warlord Table:

1. Unknown Strategy: May modify reserve rolls by 1, + or -
2. Alien Strategy: One non-Warlord Nid unit may outflank, and rerolls side to determine where it comes in. (Swarmlord)
3. Aura of Despair: Enemy ICs in challenge with WL must roll Ld. check, if failed can't attack
4. Leader of Beasts: Warlords Synapse bubble grows by 6"
5. Bane of Sentience: Infantry in SitW range of Warlord are at -1 Ld.
6. Eater of Worlds: Warlord can score objectives

Those are fantastic. Though I'd say Zoanthropes also get Warp Field, either as an inherint save or special rule. Without it they're far too fragile. Also, The Horror never works. it didn't work when it was free for Hive Tyrants and doesn't work now that you pay for it. Swap it for something worthwhile.

I like the idea of different levels of synapse interaction. Something similar could operate for the brood telepathy of Genestealers/Broodlords/Ymgarls, giving them different effects.

 -Loki- wrote:

 jifel wrote:
New Psychic Powers:
Primaris: Onslaught: 24" Blessing, target unit may run, and then shoot OR assault
1. Catalyst grants +4 FNP, still 12" Blessing
2. Psychic Scream: 12" Malediction Unit targeted takes a LD. check (2d6), wounds if fails, and can't overwatch, must take Pinning check
3. Paroxysm: 24" Malediction, unit hit can only snap fire and is WS 1, must take pinning check.
4. The Horror: Self-Blessing, Any unit attempting to shoot the model (or unit) must take a Ld. check first, if fails may not shoot at all and must then take a Pinning Check.
5. Domination of Will: Malediction: All enemy units within 24" recieve -1 Ld. and -1 to Deny the Witch Rolls (DtW takes effect AFTER trying to Deny the "Domination" power)
6. Presense of the Hive Mind: ML 2, Self-Blessing. SitW and Synapse extend range by 12" on this model, gains +1 to DtW roll.

Note on powers above: Zoeys get Warp Lance, and 1 power. Doom keeps Cataclysm

Warlord Table:

1. Unknown Strategy: May modify reserve rolls by 1, + or -
2. Alien Strategy: One non-Warlord Nid unit may outflank, and rerolls side to determine where it comes in. (Swarmlord)
3. Aura of Despair: Enemy ICs in challenge with WL must roll Ld. check, if failed can't attack
4. Leader of Beasts: Warlords Synapse bubble grows by 6"
5. Bane of Sentience: Infantry in SitW range of Warlord are at -1 Ld.
6. Eater of Worlds: Warlord can score objectives

Those are fantastic. Though I'd say Zoanthropes also get Warp Field, either as an inherint save or special rule. Without it they're far too fragile. Also, The Horror never works. it didn't work when it was free for Hive Tyrants and doesn't work now that you pay for it. Swap it for something worthwhile.

I'm assuming that Warp Field is a special rule, same as now. But, I think the horror would work better vs SHOOTING attacks, as versus assaults its hopelessly pointless. For shooting, we actually don't want them shooting us!

 Grey Templar wrote:
Maybe have different levels of Synapse.


Synapse(1): If this model is in Synapse range, it gains Fearless and is not subject to Instinctive Behavior.

Synapse(2): If this model is in Synapse range, it gains Fearless, Furious Charge, and is not subject to Instinctive Behavior.

Synapse(3): If this model is in Synapse range, it gains Fearless, Furious Charge, Eternal Warrior, and is not subject to Instinctive Behavior.

Synapse Creature: All friendly models within 6" of this model are in Synapse range. This model also has the Synapse(3) special rule.



So things like Gants etc would be Synapse(1), Warriors and the like would be Synapse(2), and big things like Carnifexs would be Synapse(3)

Bump it up to 12" range, and it's golden.

Warriors are Synapse Creatures though, so why would they be Synapse (2) and not Synapse (3)?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 jifel wrote:

 -Loki- wrote:

 jifel wrote:
New Psychic Powers:
Primaris: Onslaught: 24" Blessing, target unit may run, and then shoot OR assault
1. Catalyst grants +4 FNP, still 12" Blessing
2. Psychic Scream: 12" Malediction Unit targeted takes a LD. check (2d6), wounds if fails, and can't overwatch, must take Pinning check
3. Paroxysm: 24" Malediction, unit hit can only snap fire and is WS 1, must take pinning check.
4. The Horror: Self-Blessing, Any unit attempting to shoot the model (or unit) must take a Ld. check first, if fails may not shoot at all and must then take a Pinning Check.
5. Domination of Will: Malediction: All enemy units within 24" recieve -1 Ld. and -1 to Deny the Witch Rolls (DtW takes effect AFTER trying to Deny the "Domination" power)
6. Presense of the Hive Mind: ML 2, Self-Blessing. SitW and Synapse extend range by 12" on this model, gains +1 to DtW roll.

Note on powers above: Zoeys get Warp Lance, and 1 power. Doom keeps Cataclysm

Warlord Table:

1. Unknown Strategy: May modify reserve rolls by 1, + or -
2. Alien Strategy: One non-Warlord Nid unit may outflank, and rerolls side to determine where it comes in. (Swarmlord)
3. Aura of Despair: Enemy ICs in challenge with WL must roll Ld. check, if failed can't attack
4. Leader of Beasts: Warlords Synapse bubble grows by 6"
5. Bane of Sentience: Infantry in SitW range of Warlord are at -1 Ld.
6. Eater of Worlds: Warlord can score objectives

Those are fantastic. Though I'd say Zoanthropes also get Warp Field, either as an inherint save or special rule. Without it they're far too fragile. Also, The Horror never works. it didn't work when it was free for Hive Tyrants and doesn't work now that you pay for it. Swap it for something worthwhile.

I'm assuming that Warp Field is a special rule, same as now. But, I think the horror would work better vs SHOOTING attacks, as versus assaults its hopelessly pointless. For shooting, we actually don't want them shooting us!

I understand the theory, I'm just saying it doesn't work. Leaderships are too high in 40k to make it at all reliable.

 -Loki- wrote:


*snip*

I understand the theory, I'm just saying it doesn't work. Leaderships are too high in 40k to make it at all reliable.

Quite possibly not. I'd hope in the next codex that our "thing" becomes Leadership games (as Nids should be) and it actually could be useful if you get off a few -1 Ld. for any reason

 Grey Templar wrote:
Maybe have different levels of Synapse.


Synapse Creature: All friendly models within 6" of this model are in Synapse range. This model also has the Synapse(3) special rule.

I would change this to read All friendly *units* within 6" of this model are in synapse range. Hard to get a bunch of large units of gaunts/gants within 6" of a limited number of synapse models.

Skriker

Right, I meant units.

rothrich wrote:
1. I would like to see synapse phase out. It just limits what Nid players can do and makes it difficult to build small points lists

2. I would like to see some kind of flying monster that is worth the points. Flyrants just are not as good as a walking tyrant with tons of firepower and hive guard of equal points.

3. Rolling reserves sounds like the worst plan ever. It is hard enough to beat the swarm as it is the last thing the nids need more free models to put on the board.

4. an invulnerable save of some kind or another. It sucks to see that Expensive monster die in one hit from a force weapon and not get any kind of save.

1) Synapse is part of the flavor of the army and i feel it would stop them being unique

2) Flyrants should give skyfire to any unit in synapse of it

3) Rolling reserves is bad idea because if your opponets army wipe the unit out on turn 1,2 then they will again so your just giving away free KP's

4) I think the whole codex it fine the way it is other then everyunit is over priced so i would say everything modle in the codex should have there base points cost drop by 1/3 othe then
Carnifex and Warriors which should have there base points cost drop by 1/2.
Gargoyles can stay the same there OP as is!
All Biomorphs stay the same price

- Changes to Synapse similar to 4th Ed, with some sort of protection against ID, maybe not EW but something along those lines.
- Lictors and Carnifexes are bought as a squad but operate independantly.
- Large points reduction on Carnifexes and Old One Eye.
- Lictors can assault when they arrive
- Pyrovore has additional rules, maybe Fleshbane and Torrent on the flamer.
- Improved Warrior stats
- More armoury choices for MCs such as the Scythe Tail, Enhanced Senses or Symbiote Rippers etc
- An AA variant of the Biovore wouldn't be a bad idea.
- Rippers reduced to 10ppm and don't die when out of Synapse range.

I would like to see the SitW have the same effect as Runes of Warding. But within range of SitW, not board wide. This matches fluff because the presence of Tyranids in the nearby atmosphere is said to block other psychers from being able to control the warp effectively.

I have other suggestions, but I'm going to limit myself...

Why not a completely blank slate army.....

have the unique characters for each section then have a single MC HQ with basic stats that you buy everything for including ability upgrades, weapons, special rules, and stat upgrades.

a FA with the same idea but for unit rather than individual.


a troop choice with the same idea but for unit rather than individual.

A heavy with the same idea

you get the picture.... Granted there would be basic inclusions on some of the Blank Slates to make them what their position is.

plus for each section you have a toned down MC HQ choice as the "blank slate"

I enjoy playing with Warriors/Trygon Prime but there are so many ways that they should be better.

then instead of warlord traits for the army we have overall army rules such as:

1- Tunnelers (whole army can tunnel)
2- Fearless (everything is fearless)
3- Extended synapse (18" synapse range)
4- Psychers (every unit is psycher)
5- Stealthy (every unit has stealth) (for those that dont realize that would be an auto 6+ cover save)
6- Sneaky (every unit infiltrates)

These overall army rules would cost pts. Frankly this way it shows the versitility of the Tyranids...

Nids need almost a complete overhaul.

I had so many ideas on how to fix the codex i actually made my own because the list became pages on every one of these threads.

http://www.mediafire.com/view/?lei626dkwd5zxvt (formatting gets screwed up by Mediafire's previewer. Download to get the right formatting.

Sufficent to say: Remove about 1/4 of the units, add massive customization options to almost every unit, bring back Genestealer viable armies, lots of outflank/scout/infiltrate upgrades, Tervigon removed in favor of Endless Swarm, buff most up or lesser used units, and move slots around (HG to HS, Ymargl merged into genestealers, Lictor moved to FA).

Nid tactics should be about overwhelming defensive lines and putting too many targets close to the enemy for them to deal with. Current nids are, for some reason, have almost no ability to overwhelm lines unless they walk up the field over 3+ turns. Genestealers used to have some fun tactics with infiltrating 50+ genestealers, but that isnt enough anymore. Nids need to change the playstyle to be more than just tervigon spam march+ FHT, repeat.

My list of things:

1. Lictors having the old style pheremone trail, so +1 reserves (doesnt stack with other lictors/deathleaper), and gives friendly nid models withing 12" PE against enemies the lictor is xx distance from
2. Bring back the old 4e biomorph style upgrades
3. Venom Cannons; I actually think the -1 on table can help, but give it a split profile, so regular would be S7 AP4 Assault (2/3), or S6 AP4 small blast, while heavy would be S9 AP3 assault (3/4) or S8 AP3 small blast. Another idea for them is instead of flat -1 on damage table, have it count any Explodes! result as Immobilized instead
4. Increase venomthrope unit size to 6, and let them split off a-la wolf guard/royal court
5. Give the Tyrranofex bs4, or the option to purchase it, and give the rupture cannon an ordinance like ability, and either increase the range of fleshborer hive, or make it twin-linked and shred
6. Either allow harpy to take a set of TL-BLW, or have there be a dedicated anti-air variant of some sort, that is only allowed to fire at regular BS at fliers.
7. Bring malanthropes into the regular codex, drop them by 20 points or so, and make them an HQ-but-not-an-HQ like DA techmarines and IG techpriests/ministorum priests
8. Beef up the codex psychic powers to make them more viable
a. The Horror - becomes malediction, and units with ATSKNF are now susceptible to fear USR until next tyranid turn
b. Leech Essence - stay the same, but allow the HT to exceed normal max wounds
c. Paroxysm - nothing needed, an awesome power
d. Psychic Scream - same, but force the Ld test to be at -1 or something, to differenciate it from the BRB version
e. Catalyst - fine as is, though maybe make it FNP (4+)
f. Dominion - fine as is I suppose, but maybe allow it to chain-reaction, so if another synapse creature is in the AOE, then its synapse increases to 18
g. Onslaught - slight adjustment: allows models to EITHER (1) shoot and run in shooting phase or (2) run and assault in same turn. Must declare which is being done before casting
h. Aura of Despair - Keep it the same. perhaps allow it to override stubborn?
i. Hypnotic Gaze - Make it so the model basically acts like it had denied a challenge, so no Ld to squad, cannot attack, cannot make use of it's special abilities in CC, etc. Dude's just chilling there taking in the sights.
j/k. Zoanthrope powers are fine, don't know anyone who would argue that.
9. Indescribable Horror forces fear tests to be taken at -2, in addition to what it already does
10. Allow primes to take wings so it can join shrikes, tail so it can join raveners, and perhaps make them 2-3 per HQ slot
11. Hormagaunts move like beasts, and give them a rule where if the pass an I test, they strike at initiative when charging through cover
12. Make spike rifles and spinefists free, increase the strength of strangleweb to 3, and make it 1/5
13. Increase max squad size of termagants/hormagaunts to 50
14. Bring back without number, in that any unit of termagants, hormagaunts, or gargoyles that does not have any upgrades whatsoever is placed in ongoing reserves if wiped out
15. Genestealers strike at initiative when charging through cover, and bring back the old scuttlers upgrade, because it was hilarious
16. there are a million and a half suggestions to make carnifexes better, pick the most balanced one and apply it
17. bring back the old style spores for biovores only. standard spore mines have the current profile
18. change trygon tunnels to allow beasts, and allow them to assault the turn the arrive from it
19. Allow mawloc's TFtD to strike models on every level of ruins simultaneously and/or distribute wounds as if it were barrage, and give it the red terror's swallow hole ability, which IIRC was if all of it's attacks connected, it could chose a single model and remove it instead of making it's regular attacks.
20. Allow spores to "assault" by allowing it to drag anything hit by its ripper tentacles into CC with itself. [OHNOTENTACLES!!!]
21. Rippers drop in points, get rid of mindless, and sky-slashers becomes an upgrade. Tunnel swarms may assault on deep strike, but half their charge range.
22. Swarmlord's SItW extends to 18", swarm leader gives night vision/PE/FC to a friendly tyranid unit within 18",
bonesabres cause an extra wound to models with EW
23. OOE - WS4, T7, 5W, and allow him to join carnifex broods as if he were an IC
24. Doom gets a points increase, but those pesky sandbags wont stop soul sucking anymore
25. Make parasite cause fear, and have it's implant attack work on a 5+, because making pesky necron overlords 'splode into rippers is hilarious, and improbable. Would they be fleshmetal rippers then?
26. Bring in brood nests back (Allows any non-MC unit to infiltrate for a cost based on # of wounds in unit)

I think that's it.. sorry for the wall of text. I'm fully well aware that quite a few of these are VERY powerful, and would of course require balancing.

Edit: Typo's galore!!

I would like to see tervigons abilities include hormagaunts, but have the tervigon moved to Heavy Support. This makes sense because it's supposed to be similar to a Land Raider, and making it buff/spawn hormagaunts would make it powerful enough to compete in the Heavy slot. This way it's also not scoring, so it's not as crazy OP.

Mid-sized bugs besides Hive Guard and Tyrant Guard should all have a similar statline, based around Warriors: WS5 BS3 S5 T5 W2 I5 A3 LD7 4+
Shrikes are just warriors with wings, so ought to be a 4+
Raveners go 5+ but gain +1A +1I
Pyrovore has 3+ and a heavy flamer, really he should just be cheaper
Biovore can get an AA spore at s7, or something like s1 ap2 mines. More mines for this guy is all he needs to shine, but he should pay for the profile.
Lictors ought to gain i7, a4, 3+, rending on 5+, character status, and forced to operate as solos.
Hive guard can keep their current statline, but perhaps buy skyfire ammo or a different weapon - they would keep their current homing/No Cover rules for all weapons.
Venomthropes can pretty much stay as they are, possibly with an "enemies within 6 inches take T tests or suffer a wound w/ no saves allowed" added to make them scarier if ignored.

I know some people don't like the t5/2w solution, but do the math - it's 12 bolter hits to kill 1 warrior; they stay exactly the same in durability to small arms as a terminator (and their t4/3w profile), and only lose out against autocannons/MLs/HBs/AssCannons versus terminators in durability. They gain survivability against plasma/lascannons/melta though, so it's about a fair tradeoff. This would make it possible to have, for the most part, an all mid-size bug army that's a little less vulnerable to ID and Force Weapons (wounded less often), and is completely viable so long as you pack a strong core of warrior synapse.


The other changes I would do are fairly minimal - reduce points costs of Rippers, hormagaunts/termagants (and their upgrades), Carnifexes (to like 125), T-fexes, Harpies, and Hive Tyrants. Make a good psychic power chart, with FnP as a primaris, but without Iron Arm. Give everyone an option to buy assault grenades. Make genestealers 4+ and cost 18 (then the ymgarl upgrade is only 5 points, only for squad sizes 10 and under; remove ymgarls as a unit as well as the morphing statline).

These changes would be pretty fair for nids - all in all, I don't think you could make them immune to ID because DE would lose out on some of their coolest wargear meant to kill nids, and the only other real problem is GK, who should just get toned down next codex instead of making nids OP to deal with GK's. I mean, how often do you challenge a lone librarian with your Hive Tyrant and the libby lives to tell the tale?

Here's the gist of my ideas: Customizability returns in a big way. The Tyranid army can do just about anything as long as you're willing to sink in the points for upgrades and carefully consider which class of weapon you want. The Tyranids are supposed to be the most adaptable, varied force on the battlefield, so this will reflect it, an army with options. You don't have units so much as you have templates to mix and match biomorphs and weapons.

More fliers, especially a dedicated air superiority creature, a true bomber, and a gunship type creature or perhaps more options for the harpy to turn it into a very customizable FMC. I'd still like a true heavy flier that didn't need an HQ slot though.

A biovore sized up to launch those bigger forgeworld spores would rock.

The return of specialist spore mine rounds for Biovores (and the upsized ones) would be awesome.

Regeneration lets you stand back up on a six if the unit that has it bites the dust.

Armor save improving biomorphs are now nearly universal, and all synapse creatures can get invulnerable save granting biomorphs or in a zoanthrope's case, improve theirs by one (which the DoM has by default in exchange for a price bump). The standard ++ save granting biomorph will be warp shield, which grants a 5++ save, but tyrants can get Warp barrier which grants a 4++, which the Swarmlord has. Yes, even gaunts can pay to have a 5+ armor save if you want that for some reason. And yes, you could have 3+ save, 5++ save warriors, it will be hella pricey though.

Stat increasing biomorphs to improve a statline are now in, want a S7 T7 Carnifex with five wounds? If you have the points, feel free! While you could bump up the Statline across the board, it will run you for a lot of points for upgrades. And yes, Ymgarl mutations do stack with added biomorphs, but again it's pricey. Biomorphs that grant USRs are also now available, want FNP, IWND, Skyfire, Interceptor, or armorbane (only for monstrous creatures to prevent hormies from carving up land raiders)? Pony up the points.

Old biomorphs like Adamantine tusks (which become the generalist +1 charge attack), Scythe tails, Mace tails, and such make a triumphant return. Praise be unto the hive mind!

Tfexes are BS4 (same price) since they're evolved to be gun platforms. Acid spray becomes AP2, as does the Rupture cannon and if both rupture cannon shots hit, it gets lance on the second impact to reflect the melting effect of the tick. Fleshborer hives gain rending to represent the sheer weight of shots they fire, an increase in strength (to five), and range out to 24' so you don't have to be directly in the other guy's face. The spines and thorax swarm become twin linked on the Tyrannofex. Tfexes can also buy rapid regeneration if they have bought Regeneration before hand (it'll be hella costly though). The thorax swarm and spine can also be swapped out with other weapons so you can better kit your Tyrannofex, want to take down tanks? Swap out the swarm and spines for a twin linked HVC. Want more dakka without templates? Shuffle out the thorax swarm for brain leech devourers. Want to kill aircraft? Buy the skyfire (and if you want to, the interceptor biomorph) and load up on twinlinked venom cannons. Customizability is the name of the game. The Tfex does become more expensive, but it essentially becomes like your battlewagon, a ranged workhorse unit.

Tyrant guards come with FNP as standard to better reflect their fluff, perhaps requiring a price increase. Tyrant guards can get wings and benefit from FMC movement rules to keep up with flyrants or armored shell for walking tyrants, and can take warp shield if they want. They can also gain access to shooting weapons so that they can better support a shooty tyrant, and like their melee weapons they only get half as many as their boss monster does.

Warriors go down in price and gain many more options. Gone are the days of "only one warrior in a brood may have this" or "all brood members must have the same weapon", you can now mix and match weapons and biomorphs as you see fit (although with the death of musical wounds this isn't quite as potent as it used to be). The same goes for Shrikes and Raveners, the latter of whom can for a small price pay for synapse and get access to delicious warp shields.

Spinefists now reduce termagaunt prices by 1 to better reflect the fact that they are a downgrade from fleshborers, Stranglewebs can now be taken by the entire brood at about 4 points per model and are bumped up to S3 to not suck. Spike rifles are now no longer pointless and have a range bumped up to 24' and are now assault 2 to justify paying more for them. Devourers on gaunts are fine as is. You can also buy an upgrade to give a gaunt mob a "node" to increase their leadership to 8-9 (not sure which would be better) for improved function outside of synapse. Both gaunts can pay a bit more for the old "without number" rule that lets them keep on coming.

I'm not sure if Hormagaunts should have to pay for rending claws or not if it would mean having to ditch scything talons. Hormies can now also take frag spines to solve the perrenial issue of dying hilariously to anything in cover, and have a Horvigon now. Adrenal glands cost less to cover the recent furious charge nerf.

Double rending claws improves your chance to rend to 4+, or grants you tank hunters and shred (not sure whether rerolls or more rending is better), so Scything talons no longer cost more for genestealers, who may get a price bump for their buff. Genestealers can now also assault out of outflanking and get the ability to strike at initiative into cover as standard, as do Ymgarls.

A Ymgarl broodlord is introduced for flavor.

The tyranid anti-vehicle gun loadout is reworked. Venom cannons are now essentially somewhat shorter ranged autocannons, S7 AP4 Assault 2 at a range of 36' (with accompanying price increase)'. Impaler cannons become S8 AP3 Assault 2 at a range of 30' (hive guards become a good deal pricer now though). Heavy venom cannons become S9 Ap2 at a range of 42', and Rupture cannons have already been covered. No more penalty on the damage table for venom cannons also.

Carnifexes and Tyrants can now take venomcannons and strangleweeds again in twin linked format, so you too can have rifledread monstrous creatures!

Venomthropes can take an upgrade that improves the cover save they grant to 4+ for a reasonable buff in cost.

Lictors don't need to be on the table for their reserve bonus.

Malanthropes are brought into regular play.

Shrikes become jet pack infantry, while winged warriors become jump infantry. A shrike prime is introduced, as is a Ravener prime, Warrior primes can take jump wings.

Gargoyles can pay more to become jetpack infantry.

Carnifexes go down in cost.

You can double up on crushing claws for 2d3 extra attacks on Carnifexes. Crushing claws also improve your AP value to one, doubled up they grant armor bane.

Stonecrusher carnifexes are brought into the codex, as one of the "suggested builds" (double crushing claws, armored carapace, IWND). .

OOE is effectively a double crushing claw carnifex which bought out all the +1 statline buff biomorphs (except for initiative which would be pointless), adamantine tusks, a mace tail, has rapid regeneration (which also lets him stand on 5s), IWND and FNP, and berserk rage that now grants added attacks from added attacks, Also comes with a price bump, expensive, but extremely hard to kill.

The DoM also resembles a Zoanthrope with added biomorphs and some special skills all it's own, and also comes with a price increase as now being T5 protects it from krak missiles, and an invulnerable save of 2 is mean.

Trygons, fine as is, but the Prime gets warp charge one and standard access to new biomorph goodies.

Mawloc, becomes an upgrade for the Trygon to do damage upon entering from deep strike.

Rippers, points decrease, give me other suggestions.

Skyslashers, suggest away.

Pyrovores, I'm open to ideas.

Swarmlord, essentially a quadruple bonesword Tyrant with some added army buffing special rules, regeneration, a warp barrier for a tasty 4+ invulnerable save, armored shell, frag spines, and eternal warrior as standard who bought out all the +1 statline improvement biomorphs, with the difference of having seven instead of five attacks like such a tyrant would (as Sabres are faster on the swing than the katana like blades tyrants use). Comes with a hefty price increase.

Tyrants can also take double boneswords if they want.

Triple boneswords (and lashwhip) allow for instant death with no leadership test and blade parry level one (improves invulnerable save in CC by 1, or gives one of 6+ if they don't have one already), quadruple boneswords grant blade parry (improvement of invulnerable save in close comabt by 2+, or 5+ if they don't already have one).

You can now have more lash whips! Double lash whips decrease WS to 1, Triple lash whips (a double and a lw+bs) force an opponent to reroll hits in assault, quadruple lash whips reduce their attacks to one. Feel free to make naughty tentacle jokes with quadruple lash whip warriors and tyrants.

Tyrant guard can take double lash whips, scything talons, lash whip and bone sword, another set of rending claws, or double boneswords.

Frag spines can be taken by any unit now, for a price.

Deathleaper again largely becomes the base unit with added rules and stat improvement biomorphs.

Lictors can now assault out of deep striking so they can stop sucking so hard.

The parasite of mortex gets EW and a statline buff, and can choose to create either sky slashers or rippers, and can decide whether he wants to be a jetpack or jump unit at the start of each turn. He gets a point increase as well.

A ripper spawning MC is also introduced in the style of the Tervigon.

The tervigon may require a point increase.

New Tyranid specific fortifications are introduced.

A fluff writer who isn't terrible who can also write Tyranid vs Xenos/Chaos fluff too will be brought in.

Robin Cruddace will be kept at a distance of four hundred and thirteen miles from the creation of the new codex at all times.

Trygon tunnels now allow beasts and can let you assault on the turn you come out.

The emergence of a Trygon no longer allows cover saves and distributes wounds as if they were barrages.

Upon completion of the codex, Robin Cruddace is to be promptly beaten to death with a Pyrovore model.

So many of these suggestions are awesome. With the right selection out of this thread GW could make a really solid yet not OP new Tyranid Codex.

One I havent noticed yet:

No cover saves against Dooms Spirit Leech. If armour doesnt help you then why does hiding behind a tree?! Inv saves I can definitely understand.
Also, I think a small points increase in the Doom might be in order to balance this. Maybe to 100pts.

Disagree with a lot of the points, which want to make tyranids into just another army.

Keep synapse. It's a part of the character.

New psychic powers. Make them a bigger part of the tyranid character.

We do need adjustment to assault, because that's part of the character of tyranids. Tyranids maybe got an inprovement in 6th, but there should be a way to rebalance to assault, rather than always going shooty.

Letting genestealers assault straight out of outflank might unbalance the Codex - but they shoudl at least be able to attack after infiltrating. That and/or allow ymgarls as troop choices.

I don't think people really realize how powerful it would be to simply take whatever enemy unit you please out of action, using lictors/ymgarls etc. It would be pretty great for you, but imagine playing against it as anyone but more tyranids. At least ymgarls are 23 points/model and can usually be predicted or even killed before arrival if you swamp the terrain piece.

Only Tau would stand a chance, with supporting fire and interceptor. And even then, barely - PF's and riptides would be taken out of action almost always by t2, and even kroot can't handle gaunts.

I feel like I'm getting ignored here.

pretty much what the OP said, also:

bring back without number from the 4th ed dex

make hormagaunts much cheaper

Make rippers cheaper, i actually disagree with removing them dying when out of synapse, but they should be dirt cheap to compensate

I know its been said already, but just give the carnifex some love, needs a 2+ save option and more attacks, its the classic monster of 40k, it should act that way

bring back evolutionary adaptions, maybe not in the range they were available in the 4th ed dex, because that got very confusing very fast, but it would be fine on carnifexes, tyrants, harpies, trygons and that, just not so available on gants gaunts and genestealers really

now, genestealers assaulting from reserve... this is a tricky one because on one hand its crazy good, other hand without it genestealers are awful and go against fluff, so what about they cant assault when arriving from reserve BUT gain shrouded (or stealth and shrouded) and move through cover on the turn they arrive from arrive, this allows genestealers to arrive from reserve, hide in a terrain piece, and then charge some poor terrified saps. Remove imgarls but make it an upgrade to allow genestealers to arrive from reserve in a terrain piece

also I think nids need to be able to take genestealer cult allies (mini dex in appendice?), or be able to ally with themselves after a fashion

I think it would be cool to incorporate a sort of blend between the boosting of Carnifaxes and bringing back evolutionary adoptions. Maybe something where there's three charts to buy upgrades from, but you can only buy from one set? So the 'Wall of death' might let you buy a 2+ save, higher toughness, more wounds, etc. But the 'Beast of Combat' let's you buy more attacks, strength, etc. And the 'Living Salvo' lets you boost Ballistic Skill, buy guns, (No overlap with the Tyrannofex, though, so a focus on more blast and high number of shots,) and generally boosts firepower.

General customisation, like 4th edition, just doesn't work. It's fantastic in theory for an army like Tyranids, but in practice it's impossible to get right. 40k's simple stat and D6 system just isn't granular enough to do it. Simple +1's to various stats still become 'must takes' and 'ignores' because some stats are simply more important than others.

Also, outside of Hive Tyrants, Gaunts, Warriors and Carnifexes, it doesn't make sense. Everything else is a specialised combat bioform, and anything new is a specialised combat bioform. Termagants, Warriors, Tyrants and Carnifexes are the swarms generic blueprint 'commander, grunt, support, brawler' archetypes.

What I primarily want to see is each unit outside of those 4 given specific stats and special rules to perform their task. Those 4 should be mutable through weapons, not stat modifying upgrades outside of saves, and still have special rules that represent their iconic roles.

Mutability was fun, but it muddied the waters and got confusing as gak for both the Tyranid player and their opponent.

Everyone else has good ideas for units.

Fortifications: Instead of standard fortifications, they should drop EMPTY mycetic spores that can provide cover and/or anti-air abilities. Instead of a troop pod, have a "defensive pod," or an "anti-air pod." Fits better for fluff but can use most of the same rules.

I think a couple units that can assault from deep striking fit the army well, and gives a nice advantage for some units. I don't think all units need this.

Synapse is an odd duck. I think the old rule of that units in synapse ignore ID was fantastic. That alone still being there would make Warriors worth while.

ANd like others have said, can we get an Invulnerable save?

In addition to adaptability, flexibility, and customizability, I think a big thing for Tyranids should be ease of getting reinforcements and replacing losses. Oh sure the Orks, Chaos, and Guard can claim to have massive numbers like the Tyranids, but they can't create replacements on site in the middle of battle. While the other number heavy armies can carpet a battlefield with their starting forces, only the Tyranids can just crank out replacements on demand.

As such, Tervigons, Horvigons, Ripper producers, and skyslasher makers get more prominence, as do rules such as "without number". Spawning pit fortifications that can create fresh units, a greater ability to use reserves and deep strikes, largely cheaper units, new waves of gaunts coming in from the edges of the board, gons cranking out new troops,, etc.

Essentially, retaking the crown of best at attritional warfare for it's true masters. Being less capable at the numbers game than the guard (especially a chenkov supported conscript platoon in cover), is a sham. As are greentide lists routinely outnumbering even bug swarm lists. Heckl cultists are cheaper than gaunts. The Tyranids should be able to outnumber any other army pretty easily if they want to, it's kind of our thing to outnumber guys like the guard as badly as the guard outnumber guys like the Eldar.

 Mattlov wrote:
Everyone else has good ideas for units.

Fortifications: Instead of standard fortifications, they should drop EMPTY mycetic spores that can provide cover and/or anti-air abilities. Instead of a troop pod, have a "defensive pod," or an "anti-air pod." Fits better for fluff but can use most of the same rules.

I think a couple units that can assault from deep striking fit the army well, and gives a nice advantage for some units. I don't think all units need this.

Synapse is an odd duck. I think the old rule of that units in synapse ignore ID was fantastic. That alone still being there would make Warriors worth while.

ANd like others have said, can we get an Invulnerable save?

A bit too simple. What Tyranids need are 'Fortifications' that help them. The general idea behind the rulebook Forifications are just that, Fortified postitions with benefits. Tyranids don't need that, because Tyranids need to play aggressively. They need Fortifications that instead aid their play style.

Take, for example, the old Forgeworld Capillary tower. each spread a 12" SitW (and Synapse, IIRC), and you placed 3. That would be fantastic for Tyranids, giving them a good, cheap spread of Synapse. Or maybe a Spore chimney, but unlike the old one that randomly spat out spore mines, how about it gives a larger spread, maybe 12" of Venomthrope style spores, giving Tyranids a large cloud cover of spores, just like the fluff describes. Or the old Magma Borer, which works like a mix of Jaws of the World Wolf and the Mawloc. It deploys via Deep Strike, and anything it opens under is simply removed after an Initiative test, and becomes impassable thereafter (maybe however not to Tyranids, limiting enemy movements and funelling them into Tyranids, but granting Tyranids more movement freedom through it).

Something else I'd dearly like to see is another infantry type, maybe another specialised type of Gaunt. Maybe a stealthy gaunt, with a new short ranged, high RoF gun, with synergy with Venomthropes (maybe letting them act as synapse, and getting bonuses in the Spore clouds).

 StarHunter25 wrote:
My list of things:

1. Lictors having the old style pheremone trail, so +1 reserves (doesnt stack with other lictors/deathleaper), and gives friendly nid models withing 12" PE against enemies the lictor is xx distance from
2. Bring back the old 4e biomorph style upgrades
3. Venom Cannons; I actually think the -1 on table can help, but give it a split profile, so regular would be S7 AP4 Assault (2/3), or S6 AP4 small blast, while heavy would be S9 AP3 assault (3/4) or S8 AP3 small blast. Another idea for them is instead of flat -1 on damage table, have it count any Explodes! result as Immobilized instead
4. Increase venomthrope unit size to 6, and let them split off a-la wolf guard/royal court
5. Give the Tyrranofex bs4, or the option to purchase it, and give the rupture cannon an ordinance like ability, and either increase the range of fleshborer hive, or make it twin-linked and shred
6. Either allow harpy to take a set of TL-BLW, or have there be a dedicated anti-air variant of some sort, that is only allowed to fire at regular BS at fliers.
7. Bring malanthropes into the regular codex, drop them by 20 points or so, and make them an HQ-but-not-an-HQ like DA techmarines and IG techpriests/ministorum priests
8. Beef up the codex psychic powers to make them more viable
a. The Horror - becomes malediction, and units with ATSKNF are now susceptible to fear USR until next tyranid turn
b. Leech Essence - stay the same, but allow the HT to exceed normal max wounds
c. Paroxysm - nothing needed, an awesome power
d. Psychic Scream - same, but force the Ld test to be at -1 or something, to differenciate it from the BRB version
e. Catalyst - fine as is, though maybe make it FNP (4+)
f. Dominion - fine as is I suppose, but maybe allow it to chain-reaction, so if another synapse creature is in the AOE, then its synapse increases to 18
g. Onslaught - slight adjustment: allows models to EITHER (1) shoot and run in shooting phase or (2) run and assault in same turn. Must declare which is being done before casting
h. Aura of Despair - Keep it the same. perhaps allow it to override stubborn?
i. Hypnotic Gaze - Make it so the model basically acts like it had denied a challenge, so no Ld to squad, cannot attack, cannot make use of it's special abilities in CC, etc. Dude's just chilling there taking in the sights.
j/k. Zoanthrope powers are fine, don't know anyone who would argue that.
9. Indescribable Horror forces fear tests to be taken at -2, in addition to what it already does
10. Allow primes to take wings so it can join raveners, and perhaps make them 2-3 per HQ slot
11. Hormagaunts move like beasts, and give them a rule where if the pass an I test, they strike at initiative when charging through cover
12. Make spike rifles and spinefists free, increase the strength of strangleweb to 3, and make it 1/5
13. Increase max squad size of termagants/hormagaunts to 50
14. Bring back without number, in that any unit of termagants, hormagaunts, or gargoyles that does not have any upgrades whatsoever is placed in ongoing reserves if wiped out
15. Genestealers strike at initiative when charging through cover, and bring back the old scuttlers upgrade, because it was hilarious
16. there are a million and a half suggestions to make carnifexes better, pick the most balanced one and apply it
17. bring back the old style spores for biovores only. standard spore mines have the current profile
18. change trygon tunnels to allow beasts, and allow them to assault the turn the arrive from it
19. Allow mawloc's TFtD to strike models on every level of ruins simultaneously + distribute wounds as if it were barrage, and give it the red terror's swallow hole ability, which IIRC was if all of it's attacks connected, it could chose a single model and remove it instead of making it's regular attacks.
20. Allow spores to "assault" by allowing it to drag anything hit by its ripper tentacles into CC with itself. [OHNOTENTACLES!!!]
21. Rippers drop in points, get rid of mindless, and sky-slashers becomes an upgrade. Tunnel swarms may assault on deep strike, but half their charge range.
22. Swarmlord's SItW extends to 18", swarm leader gives night vision/PE/FC to a friendly tyranid unit within 18",
bonesabres cause an extra wound to models with EW
23. OOE - BS4, T7, 5W, and allow him to join carnifex broods as if he were an IC
24. Doom gets a points increase, but those pesky sandbags wont stop soul sucking anymore
25. Make parasite cause fear, and have it's implant attack work on a 5+
26. Bring in brood nests back

I think that's it.. sorry for the wall of text. I'm fully well aware that quite a few of these are VERY powerful, and would of course require balancing.

1- I like it but make the broods gain PE against one unit within a certain distance of the lictors.
2 - Don't know 4E but if it allows you to modify base stats (especially T and Str) its probably too strong for the reasons other people have already stated.
3 - Interesting change to venom cannons. All for them being able to penetrate Sv3+ and I like the idea of being able to fire it as a blast template or as a multishot.
4- I don't know how the example of the royal guard works. Personally would like to see them be purchasable as an upgrade to a unit instead of buying a spore pod.
5- Definitely should have come with BS4, its a walking, genetically built gun battery, it should be fairly accurate. Ordinance does give a slight disadvantage for firing the stinger salvo, which I think is a good idea. Just make the hive range 24, with the BS 4 it would be good enough.
6 - Just let it use Heavy Venom Cannons and the modified rules for the Venom Cannon you listed in #3. Then it could fire the assault shot at flyers and use the blast against ground troops as it wished.
7 - Ah, only rules I saw for those used 4th ed rules and were way out of wack for 6th ed stats, 2+ armor save as an example. Frankly it needs a complete rewrite. Been working on two variants to put up for my group since I love the model.
8A - Have it removed fearless and ATSKNF if the unit fails a leadership test.
8B - Make it Str 4 and range 18. But only allow it to fill to its max base. Going over is kind of the Doom's thing, and people complain enough about it.
8C-
8D- Its fine. Everyone else learned how to do it from the 'Nids.
8E- Its a really good power as is. I might like to see it grant Eternal Champion though.
8F- Eh, it always feels really weak to me. Maybe instead have it extend synapse range and brood progenitor by 6 inches each.
8G- Sure, something that gives assault 'Nids more movement does seem needed considering how nasty shooting phases can be.
8H- I tend to think its fine as it is.
8I- If it works its pretty crippling. But it is also, in many ways, way weaker then Paroxysm. Maybe make it work against all models in base to base with the broodlord.
8J/K - Yeah, its why I own 6 old metal Zoanthropes.
9 - Hmm, maybe. After all, anything that is going to have the huevoes to assault a Hive Tyrant is going to have a seriously high leadership. So -2 seems reasonable.
10- Ok wings but raveners? Is the idea so they can keep up with them since they are beasts? If they did get wings they would probably go down to 4+ armor save, like Shrikes.
11- Just give all tyranids with move through cover the ability to assault into cover without loosing initiative. Also, give any tyranid with fleet the ability to move +2 inches while running or assaulting. Lets at least pretend tyranids are speedy.
12- Hmm. I don't mind paying the extra point for those. You loose Str but the range increase or reroll is really strong.
13- That is too big. Even 30 is annoying. On the other hand, I do wish you could cause broods of basic termagants to merge together if their max number did not exceed 30. Would allow you to reinforce badly depleted swarms by the spawns of a tervigon.
14- No, not needed. Its very fluffy I agree.
15- Don't know the rule for scuttle, just allow tyranids with move through cover to assault into cover without loosing initiative.
16- Agreed
17- I like the new biovore and spore mines, well, when compared to 2nd ed ones. You would need to describe the old ones.
18- Seems reasonable, trygon is certain a lot larger then raveners. I always thought the main point was to prevent other MC from using the tunnels, GW obviously doesn't want beasts to use it since its obvious and they didn't FAQ it.
19- Going to have to just disagree completely here. I just don't think it needs any of that. It does need some rules modifications to take into account its deep striking from below and not above though.
20- I want to say just let it assault anything within 6inches but that could create all kinds of issues. As does allowing it to pull models to it since that could break squad coherency requiring the enemy squad to actually move towards the Spore Pod if the pod didn't manage to kill the models. Ripper tentacle should be AP2 since the pod is a MC though and the Pod is flailing around with a body part.
21- Rippers need more changed then carnifex, and deeper ones.
22- I don't like anything but maybe the extra wound. It is a more powerful psyker but that shouldn't also change SitW. No reason for SW to grant those abilities either, its already a great HQ. Maybe it should get an extra Warlord trait or be allowed to reroll the Warlord trait.
23- No reason for him to be BS4, heck he only has 1 eye! If anything he should be a lower BS. Not T7 either, that would make him way too nasty, I do like the +1 Wound, and that mostly because I think all carnifex should have his Beserk Rampage ability instead of Living Battering Ram. A special rule that let him join a unit of carnifex, or make him an upgrade to one of the members of a brood would be good. Maybe, if he could do that he could grant Beserk Rampage to the carnifex in his brood.
24- Eh, give the opponents some chance. Doom is nasty enough now. Leave him be point and ability wise. I know its kind of antifluffy for a wall to block a spiritual attack, but using similar logic you should be able to Deny the Witch his Spirit Leech.
25- Ok with fear but I don't see any reason to modify how implant attack works.
26- No idea what those are.

I would like to see tyranids with poison biomorph have that applied to ranged weapons.
I would like Tyranid Prime's Alpha Warrior to apply to any brood he becomes a member of. Or at least grant a +1 to WS and BS, not to exceed the Prime's stat.

Make sure Cruddace doesn't write the bloody thing. Nuff said.

 BrotherOfBone wrote:
Make sure Phil Kelly writes the bloody thing. Nuff said.

Fixed.

How about giving Mycetic spores an upgrade to spawn gaunts?