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Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2003 10:43 pm
Posts: 7925
Location: New Zealand
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Here?s a further attempt at simplifying the Tyranid Special Rules without throwing the baby out with the bath water. I don?t think this can be reduced much more than this without losing Jervis?s orginal vision of unique Tyranid Swarm composition and random spawning (which are the main bits).
While trying to preserve the essence and balance achieved by the current list, I have tried strenuously to accomodate the reasonable widespread complaints I've been hearing about length, complexity, clarity and superfluous detail in the current rules. To that end the length has been considerably reduced from that of v8.3 (down to 1326 words from 2288 words) and I think the clarity is much improved. This is a further development of tidying started by Hena (and Chroma of course) which had continued in this thread:
http://www.tacticalwargames.net/cgi-bin....t=10391
(Note the fluff and where it goes is not the most important thing, I?ve just stuck a general intro section at the start to get it out of the way but leaving it in the various sections is possible. Important thing is to get actual rules sorted).
Comments?
(Note updated with corrections from the Dave and WE Dave).
TYRANID SPECIAL RULES:
One of the most terrifying things about fighting Tyranids is that there seems to be no end to the number of creatures in the army. Even if an attack is stopped, more Tyranids will soon appear to renew it, and some extremely large Tyranid creatures (the size of most Imperial Titans) are covered inside and out with regenerative symbiotic creatures that heal wounds, and repair damaged tissue. Furthermore as long as they are under the control of the Hive Mind, lesser Tyranid creatures, quite literally, do not know the meaning of fear and will relentlessly sell their lives to secure the goals of the greater Hive Mind. This is not due to any bravery or training, but reflects the iron will of the Hive Mind transmitted though psychic links to these creatures. Disruption of these psychic links is the only thing that can slow down the remorseless tide of Tyranids. To represent their alien nature, Tyranid Armies use the following special rules.
T1.0 Tyranid Swarms
The Tyranid army is divided into three basic types of units: Independent Creatures, Synapse Creatures and Brood Creatures (with Brood Creatures being further subdivided into Common and Uncommon Brood Creatures). Each creature's type is noted on their individual data sheet and in the army list that follows.
Independent Creatures are organised and operate in formations (called Independent Swarms) just like normal non-Tyranid units. Synapse Creatures and Brood Creatures are treated a bit differently. Before deployment, the Tyranid player assigns Brood Creatures to Synapse Groups, to create Brood Swarms. Each Brood Swarm counts as a single formation that consists of a single Synapse Group and all Brood Creatures assigned to it. All Brood Swarms must be set up in legal formation using the setup instructions for the scenario. In addition, all Brood Creatures must be deployed within synapse range (15cm) of a Synapse Creature from the Brood Swarm's Synapse Group. If the Tyranid player wishes, they may hold some Brood Creatures in reserve and not assign them to any Synapse Group. These Brood Creatures may be assigned to Synapse Grounds during the End Phase when the Brood Swarm spawns (see T5.0).
During the Action Phase, Brood Swarms act for the most part like normal non-Tyranid formations. However all the Brood Creatures must stay within synapse range (15cm) of a Synapse Creature from the Brood Swarm's Synapse Group. If the Brood Swarm finds itself "out of formation" (either normal, see 1.2.1, or synapse range), the portion with the most Synapse Creatures cannot be removed. The only exception to staying in synapse range is during an assault, where only normal coherency need be maintained. At the end of an assault, Brood Creatures outside of synapse range will "go to ground" (see T2.0). Note that, if a Brood Swarm loses all its Synapse Creatures during an assault, all remaining Brood Creatures will "go to ground" at the end of the action, even if victorious. Brood Creatures that lose their Synapse Creatures before they have taken an action for the turn still get to take an action, and only "go to ground" if out of synapse range in the End Phase.
During the End Phase, after rallying, Brood Swarms may be reorganized. First, any Brood Creatures out of synapse range (15cm) "go to ground". Second, any Brood Creatures within synapse range of one Synapse Group become part of its Brood Swarm. If any Brood Creatures are within synapse range of two or more Synapse Groups then the Brood Creatures may be joined to any one of the Synapse Groups as decided by the Tyranid player. It is recommended that the units that are in doubt be turned to face the Brood Swarm to which they belong to avoid confusion later.
T2.0 "Go to Ground"
At times Brood Creatures "go to ground". When this happens they are automatically removed from play. It is assumed that the creatures have lost connection to Hive Mind and have reverted to their animalistic instincts, lurking on the battlefield and waiting for an easy chance to get their next meal.
T3.0 Voracious
The Hive Mind is eager to overwhelm and consume its prey, devouring all that stands before It. To represent this, Tyranid swarms gain a +1 modifier to their action test rolls when taking Engage or March actions.
T4.0 Instinctive
Tyranids do not suffer from suppression or count as having any blast markers in an assault. Tyranid swarms can be broken but do not suffer extra hits due to blast markers while broken. If a Tyranid swarm loses an assault it will be broken and will suffer ?hack down hits? as normal.
T5.0 Spawning
Spawning allows the Tyranid player to return Brood Creatures to play that have been killed, "gone to ground", or held off table before the start of the battle. During the End Phase before rallying, each unbroken Synapse Creature automatically generates D3 "spawn points?. For this purpose up to three Tyranid Warriors in a Synapse Group count as a single Synapse Creature and a Dominatrix counts as two Synapse Creatures. In addition the following modifiers apply to the total "spawn points" generated by each Synapse Group:
-No enemy units within 30cm of any unit in the Brood Swarm +D3
-At least 1 Synapse Creature within 15cm of a Brood Nest +D3
Each Brood Creature has a spawning cost based upon its general availability to the Tyranid army as a whole. Brood Creatures that can be spawned have "Brood (x)" in their notes where "x" equals the number of "spawn points" required to return the creature to play. All spawned units must be placed within 5cm of a Synapse Creature from the Synapse Group that spawned them. Spawned units may not be placed in the zone of control of enemy units or in impassable terrain. Note that "spawn points" generated may not be spent if the Tyranid player does not have enough creatures to spawn. Additionally, the Tyranid player may choose not to spawn available units and may forfeit their remaining "spawn points" for the Brood Swarm.
After Spawning has been completed any broken Tyranid formations rally automatically and remove all blastmarkers.
T6.0 Regeneration
During the End Phase, a Tyranid War Engine with the regeneration special ability rolls a number of D6 equal to half its starting damage capacity, rounded up. For each roll of 5+ the War Engine regains one of its lost DC. Successful rolls can only be used to replace a War Engine's lost DC, not to increase it past the War Engine's starting DC. Regeneration may not be used to bring a War Engine back to life: once it's dead, it's dead.
Special Rule - Tournament Scenario Victory Conditions and Tyranids
Due to the unique nature of the Tyranid army, and the completely alien Hive Mind that controls it, Tyranid "military" objectives are not pursued in the same manner as most armies of the known races in the galaxy. For example, an Imperial commander keenly feels heavy losses in personal and equipment, while the Hive Mind thinks no more of expending lesser creatures in battle than most commanders consider expending ammunition. It is impossible for an opponent to attack and degrade the Tyranid army?s morale. However, it is possible to eliminate the Synapse creatures providing the link between the Hive Mind and its drones, thus disrupting the effectiveness of the army. This ?alien outlook? requires some changes in the way that Tournament Victory Conditions are treated by the Tyranid army.
Objectives
Only Independent and Synapse units (not Brood units) may control or contest battlefield objectives. Also units that removed Instinctive status during end phase may not control or contest objectives.
Break Their Spirit
Against Tyranids, the Break Their Spirit goal is based upon the number of Synapse Creature units still on the battlefield compared to those that have been removed. If the number of Synapse Creature units killed is equal to, or greater than, the number of Synapse Creatures still in play, the opponent has achieved the Break Their Spirit goal. Note that the number of individual Synapse Creatures is counted, not Synapse Groups, and Synapse War Engine units count their full starting DC..
Tiebreaker
When determining victory points, the Tyranid army does not use formation size to determine the number of points the opponent receives for a tiebreaker. Instead the opponent uses the following values for units/groups destroyed or reduced below half at the end of the battle:
-Synapse Groups are worth double their points value.
-Independent Swarms are worth their normal point value.
-Brood Creature units are worth half their point value, rounded down.
Commentary
Section 1: One intro para, one para on organisation, one para on action phase, one para on end phase. Synapse X values ditched.
Section 2: ?Go to ground? separated out for clarity.
Section 3: Voracious unchanged
Section 4: Instinctive ? similar effect to now but simplified. Blast makers after being ?broken?, and other counterintuitive effects are gone (including initiative checks to hold, that if failed allow you to hold). Withdrawals are allowed so not mentioned. This rule may or may not combine well with disposable termis and hormis (would probably limit any disposable rule to these two classes).
Section 5: Spawning and Rallying: Simplified again, but similar effect to current. Separately listed spawn values of synapse groups ditched. Rally checks to spawn are ditched but you don?t spawn if broken. Note a Nexus Swarm will get D3 for tyrant and D3 for warriors until it loses either. Apart from that there is no messing around with wounds or numbers of lost creatures or other modifiers affecting spawning rates. Just a number of D3 rolls and you put down the creatures.
Section 6. Regeneration unchanged except number of words.
Tournament rules unchanged from previous thread.
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. What you have here is simpler though. I liked the previous values however.
. I think this should be stated in the special rules.
.