New Tyranids: Welcome to Disappointment City. Population: You

Reliable Tyranid rumors / scans hit last week and you could hear the collective sigh from Tyranid fans. I'm not going to do a review of what is gone, worse, or marginally better. You can find those here, here, here and here.


In short: Tyranids receive only three new units, one of which is a dedicated melee beast yet has WS3 and only 3 attacks; one of which is a flyer with T5 and a 4+ save, and one if which has an Assault 6 plasma gun. Tyranids lose access to mycetic spores (I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but I would bet cash on the reason being Chapterhouse Studios) and two special characters. Genestealers still are 5+ armor save marines with no assault grenades and no guns and Tervigons are worse by miles. This thing is an abomination - dead on arrival.

I won't rant anymore on that. I put up a rant a few weeks ago about Escalation and it got some folks butthurt. I'll say this: I buy pretty much every campaign supplement for 40k and Fantasy, every White Dwarf, multiples of new releases for my armies and have been starting new armies probably one a year. I'm 'part of the problem'. I've spent hundreds of hours painting my sweet man dollies, reading fluff, and playing games. I won't want be called a malcontent or a nerd rager.

Shit has got to change. I'm glad they aren't releasing WD anymore so I can stop buying that easily. No more new GW armies, no more campaign books, no more reprinted rules in dressed up hardcovers. The price hikes and gouges have been too much. There are plenty of other companies out there wanting my cash without providing garbage products and terrible business practices.

This blog has always had a heavy 40k influence and that is fine; I just will relegate this game to a once a month at most thing. There are so many better options out there to use my four hours a week.

What seems to be the problem?

The biggest problem with Codex: Tyranids™ is that it lacks a theme. Or rather, the theme is negative to the player who owns it. Synapse used to be a boon to Tyranid players. You could make your mobs of guys fearless, it made them immune to instant death in previous editions, and it was definitely characterful.

Now? Synapse is backhand to the face. If you lose a synapse creature your hormagaunts will attack and kill each other (not like, D6 hits per unit, or even 2D6. One hit for every model alive). Your termagants holding a backfield objective will run away. And guess what? Your mid-line buffer and helper mama Tervigon now costs way more in points and is much harder to make a troop. Oh yeah, and the Tyranid Prime, a source of cheaper Synapse now costs 50% more. 

I'm not a tournament 40k player. I tried the team tourney last year at Adepticon and realized I didn't have the time or the money to do so. I spend my competitive time on Hordes / Warmachine. 

I prefer 'beer and pretzel' 'fluff' games. I like forging a sweet narrative where fun stuff happens. Army themes help this along. Space Marines have Chapter Tactics and gravity guns; Tau have supporting fire and gun shenanigans; Eldar have battle focus, psychic powers, etc. Tyranids have... victim stats and rules that make them suicide on each other or run away?

It's not all bad, right?

Not everything is terrible. The gun-with-legs is pretty good. The stomach-with-legs looks cool at least. Carnifexes and tyrannofexes went down in points cost. Hormagaunts are better. Venomthropes are sweet. Hopefully some of the 'supplements' will do something, although I'll definitely preview those before I buy anything if at all. I'll probably be a sucker for the Kraken one they release in June 2015.

I tried to take advantage of some of the new stuff by putting together a list that might not make me lose immediately. I am short on synapse and anti-tank (and only S6 skyfire... yay!) but this one might be interesting to push across the field and roll buckets of run dice with.

+++ (1849pts) +++

Selections:
Tyranids 6th Ed (2014) (Primary Detachment) Selections:
+ HQ + (240pts)
    * Hive Tyrant (240pts)  (Codex: Tyranids p86)
        (Psyker, Shadow in the Warp, Synapse Creature)
        Indescribable Horror (*), 2x Twin-Linked Devourer with Brainleech Worms , Wings
+ Elites + (135pts)
    * Venomthrope Brood (135pts)  (Codex: Tyranids p88)
        * 3x Venomthrope (135pts)
            (Instinctive Behaviour - Lurk, Poisoned (2+), Shrouded, Spore Cloud, Very Bulky)
            3x Lash Whips, 3x Toxic Miasma
+ Troops + (200pts)
    * Hormagaunt Brood (100pts)  (Codex: Tyranids p91)
        * 20x Hormagaunt (100pts)
            (Bounding Leap, Fleet, Instinctive Behaviour - Feed, Move Through Cover)
            20x Scything Talons
    * Hormagaunt Brood (100pts)  (Codex: Tyranids p91)
        * 20x Hormagaunt (100pts)
            (Bounding Leap, Fleet, Instinctive Behaviour - Feed, Move Through Cover)
            20x Scything Talons
+ Fast Attack + (804pts)
    * Gargoyle Brood (240pts)  (Codex: Tyranids p93)
        * 30x Gargoyle (240pts)
            (Instinctive Behaviour - Hunt)
            30x Adrenal Glands, 30x Blinding Venom, 30x Fleshborer, 30x Wings
    * Gargoyle Brood (240pts)  (Codex: Tyranids p93)
        * 30x Gargoyle (240pts)
            (Instinctive Behaviour - Hunt)
            30x Adrenal Glands, 30x Blinding Venom, 30x Fleshborer, 30x Wings
    * Tyranid Shrike Brood (324pts)  (Codex: Tyranids p92)
        Adrenal Glands (24pts)
        * Tyranid Shrike (50pts)
            (Shadow in the Warp, Synapse Creature)
            Devourer, Lash Whip and Bonesword, Wings
        * Tyranid Shrike (50pts)
            (Shadow in the Warp, Synapse Creature)
            Devourer, Lash Whip and Bonesword, Wings
        * Tyranid Shrike (50pts)
            (Shadow in the Warp, Synapse Creature)
            Devourer, Lash Whip and Bonesword, Wings
        * Tyranid Shrike (50pts)
            (Shadow in the Warp, Synapse Creature)
            Devourer, Lash Whip and Bonesword, Wings
        * Tyranid Shrike (50pts)
            (Shadow in the Warp, Synapse Creature)
            Devourer, Lash Whip and Bonesword, Wings
        * Tyranid Shrike (50pts)
            (Shadow in the Warp, Synapse Creature)
            Devourer, Lash Whip and Bonesword, Wings
+ Heavy Support + (420pts)
    * Carnifex Brood (420pts)  (Codex: Tyranids p94)
        * Carnifex (140pts)
            (Fearless, Instinctive Behaviour - Feed, Living Battering Ram)
            Adrenal Glands, 2x Scything Talons, Spine Banks
        * Carnifex (140pts)
            (Fearless, Instinctive Behaviour - Feed, Living Battering Ram)
            Adrenal Glands, 2x Scything Talons, Spine Banks
        * Carnifex (140pts)
            (Fearless, Instinctive Behaviour - Feed, Living Battering Ram)
            Adrenal Glands, 2x Scything Talons, Spine Banks
Fortifications (Fortification) Selections:
+ Fortification + (50pts)
    * Void Shield(50pts) 

The void shield will likely be as ubiquitous as the aegis defense line was for other armies in Tyranid armies. It protects our fragile creatures for at least a round, maybe. Venomthropes will also likely be in every list although many people are bringing anti-cover nonsense now.

I believe we'll be doing a battle report Wednesday night. I have to paint more gargoyles and some hormagaunts to field the above list, so I'll likely just use stuff I used to use to see how well it made the transition. Wish me luck!