http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/16.page JForum - http://www.jforum.net There are some pretty big problems with the current 'Nid book, which has been discussed to death. While we wait for a revamp of the core rules, I've had some fun making up a Decurion-style Detachment for them.
There were a number of design objectives while I was making this, which hopefully I have achieved. These were:
- To improve units that are seen as particularly bad
- To reduce the number of Flyrants on the field
- To make a full-on horde a viable playstyle
- To promote a fluffy, well-rounded army that reflects the fluff

Without further delay:


Tyranid Swarm Detachment
This Detachment requires 1+ Core and 1+ Auxiliary Formation. Any number of additional Core and Auxiliary Formations may be added. Every Core Formation enables the player to purchase one Command Formation.
Will of the Hive Mind- If your Warlord is a Hive Tyrant from this Detachment, you may reroll your Warlord Trait.
No Escape- All units in this Detachment gain the Outflank special rule.
The Shadow Descends - All enemies suffer -1Ld while there is at least one Synapse creature from this Detachment on the board.


Core Formations

Unending Tide- Certain Formations grant this rule to various units. When destroyed, these units are placed into Ongoing Reserves. Units may re-enter the game via Deep Strike if they possess the special rule.
Units with this special rule can be removed from play at the start of any friendly Movement phase and may re-enter the board this turn.

Phase 1: Invasion
1+ Shrikes, 3+ Gargoyles, 1+ Harpy, 0+ Sky-Slasher Swarms, 0+ Harpies
Unending Tide (Gargoyles and Sky-Slashers)
They Came From The Skies!- Units that arrive using Deep Strike gain the Hard to Hit special rule until the start of the next friendly turn.

Phase 2: Predation
1+ Warriors, 2+ Termagants, 2+ Hormagaunts, 1+ Ripper Swarms, 1+ Carnifex, 0+ Biovores
Unending Tide (Termagants, Hormagaunts and Ripper Swarms)
Move Through Cover
Vanguard Command- Units in this Formation gain +3" to Move, Run and Charge ranges while they are within Synapse range of Warriors from this Formation.

Phase 3: Consumption
1+ Malanthrope, 3+ Ripper Swarms, 1+ Hive Guard, 1+ Haruspex, 0+ Pyrovore, 0+ Mawloc
Unending Tide (Rippers)
Objective Secured
Burrow- Ripper Swarms from this Formation may Go to Ground despite being Fearless and gain Stealth when they do so,


Command Formations

Tyrant Queen
1 Hive Tyrant, 1 Tyrant Guard, 0+ Warriors
Heart of the Hive- The Hive Tyrant cannot purchase Wings. It's Synapse range is increased by +6" and the Tyrant Guard brood's size is increased to 2-6 models.
Assuming Direct Control- The Hive Tyrant can grant one of the following special rules to a single friendly model within Synapse range: Eternal Warrior, Rampage or Preferred Enemy.

Broodmother
1 Tervigon, 2+ Termagants
Hyperactive Spawning- The Tervigon adds +D3 additional models to all Broodmother Termagant units within 6" every time it creates a new unit of Termagants. All units created by the Tervigon are considered to be part of the Broodmother Formation.
Protect the Mother- The Tervigon is Shrouded if there is at least one Broodmother unit of at least 10 models within 6".

Eyes of the Hive Mind
1 of the following: Hive Tyrant, Tervigon, Tyranid Prime or Swarmlord.
Hive Tyrants and the Swarmlord may purchase a Tyrant Guard brood as normal.


Auxiliary Formations

Phase 0: Infiltration
2+ Lictors, 1+ Genestealers, 0+ Deathleaper
Hibernation- All Genestealer units in this Formation gain the Deep Strike and Chameleonic Skin special rules.
Where'd It Go?! - Lictors in this Formation, including Deathleaper, may be removed from the board at the end of any phase and are placed into Ongoing Reserve.
Ambush Predators- Units in this Formation may assault on a turn that they deploy via Deep Strike, provided that they are assaulting a unit that is already locked in close combat.

Tyrannoformation
2+ Venomthrope, 1+ Sporocyst, 0+ Toxicrene
Choking Cloud- All friendly units that are within 6" of a model from this Formation gain Toxic Miasma, and may use it every turn that they are within range.
Impenetrable Spore Cover- Units that are within 6" of at least 2 units from this Formation gain Stealth.

Sporestorm
4+ Spore Mine Clusters, 2+ Mucolid Spore Pods, 0+ units embarked upon a Tyrannocyte
Unending Tide (Spore Mines)
First Contact- Units from this Formation may begin rolling for Reserves from Turn1.

Subterranean Swarm
1 Trygon or Trygon Prime, 1+ Hormagaunts, 1+ Raveners
Underground Advance- All units in this Formation must begin the game in Reserves, but only roll for the Trygon or Trygon Prime to arrive. When it arrives, if it would Scatter onto an enemy unit, reduce the Scatter by the minimum amount to deploy safely.
Tunnel Mouth- Once it has deployed, place a 3" round marker in base contact with the Trygon or Trygon Prime to represent the tunnel opening. All other elements of the Subterranean Swam are placed into Ongoing Reserves and will arrive next turn, treating the tunnel opening as a board edge. These units may assault on the turn that they deploy despite arriving from Reserves.

Apex Warrior Clutch
1 Tyranid Prime, 2+ Warriors and/or Shrikes
Alpha Broods- The Tyranid Prime's Alpha Warrior special rule is extended to all Warriors and Shrikes in this Formation that are within it's Synapse range.
Shrike Prime- The Tyranid Prime may choose to gain Jump Infantry at no additional cost, but downgrades it's armour save to 4+.

Berzerker Onslaught
2+ Hormagaunts, 2+ Carnifex, 0+ Sky-Slashers
Assault Grenades
Unchained Rage- All units in this Formation gain Rage and always roll a 'Kill' result when resolving Instinctive Behaviour.
Screamer Killers- Carnifex from this Formation cannot replace their Scything Talons. They gain Bio-Plasma, Rampage and WS5 at no additional cost.

Synaptic Relay
2+ Zoanthrope, 1+ Maleceptor
Eyeless Sight- All units within this Formation can draw Line-of-Sight from any friendly model within Synapse range.
Warp Collapse- Maleceptors in this Formation can cast Psychic Overload without expending Warp Charges if they are targeting a unit that has already been hit by a Witchfire cast from a model in this Formation.

Tyranid Monstrous Creature
1 Exocrine, Haruspex, Carnifex, Trygon, Trygon Prime, Tyrannofex, Toxicrene, Mawloc, Crone or Harpy.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/711356/9082880.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/711356/9082880.page GMT
The only change I would make is to unending tide, make it more like the lost and damned/Alpha legion rules where they come back in on a 4+ rather than automatically especially seeing as though they have outflank as well.

Besides that, nice rules. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/711356/9083617.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/711356/9083617.page GMT