Spawning is another one of the rules being questioned. Personally I think it's ok but this is a quick analysis of how effective spawning is.

On a per Synapse swarm per turn basis each gets a spawning roll of 1D3, 2D3 or 3D3 leading to a range of spawning points (1-3, 2-6 and 3-9). If you want to spawn only a single type (AV,LV or Inf) and ignoring residual points left over (That can buy extra LV or Inf stands) for each Synapse Swarm each turn you can expect to spawn the following
1D3 - 0.33 AV stands or 0.67 LV stands or 2 Inf stands
2D3 - 1 AV stands or 1.78 LV stands or 4 Inf stands
3D3 - 1.67 AV stands or 2.74 LV stands or 6 Inf stands

Each Synapse swarm can then spawn the following amount of points worth of stands per turn (Note that the AV and LV values would sometimes have enough spawning points left over to buy an extra LV or Inf stand, these extra stands aren't included)
1D3 - 14-25pts AV or 21-25pts LV or 38-50pts Inf
2D3 - 42-75pts AV or 56-67pts LV or 75-100pts Inf
3D3 - 70-125pts AV or 86-103pts LV or 113-150pts Inf

Essentially this means that if Spawning is removed there would need to be a change in points values that would affect Inf the most and AV the least. Assuming each Synapse swarm gets 2 turns of spawning, 1 turn at 1D3 and 1 turn at 2D3. Also keep the brood costs the same, then because spawning is a function of Synapse swarms then the main Syanpse Swarms should be approximately 0 pts (you're getting 3 Tyranid warriors or 1.5 Hive tyrants free). Just to be clear this is not a good idea in principle without other limits (like free synapse for X number of broods).

Only a single unit, the Dominatrix, allows for 3D3 spawning; so it shouldn't factor strongly in the analysis.

Also, have you taken into account that a Swarm can, potentially, spawn twice in a round? Once in the Action Phase during a "regroup" and again in the End Phase after rallying.

An interesting analysis, nonetheless.

This is true simply because cheaper units allows for more units to be on the board at the beginning of the game, either increasing the size of each formations or allowing more formations in total.

However, not being a Tyranid player nor having ever played one, this seems to be an attempt at solving the Spawning problem (do not take that summary statement to imply that there is, indeed, a "spawning problem", as I am 100% unknowledgeable on the subject and am merely trying to summarize).

I'd have less of a problem with this, if the rules worked more like what you said. Putting a similar restriction as Necron Warriors have, where only units starting can be recovered, might help more in that regard.

My biggest problem, besides the recovery of AV's (I could live with LV, but I do think Inf only should be the bulk of spawning), is if I blast the hell out of Formation A. Killing it, or not, doesn't really matter for this example. Come Rally Phase, most or all come back, but added to formations B, C and D that haven't lost anything. I don't have a problem with "fall back and return". More the "strike them down, and those in a better position get even better" is my issue.

For the record, I'm also a supporter of the "Build freeform, locked formation" train of thought. And the "Synapse controls initiative" one too.

Morgan Vening

Fair go. This is a bit of a stretch towards the last half of the game...

If you read the background of the Tyranids then only Gaunts should be able to spawn back.
The only creatures who are able to spawn is the Tervigon (can spawn only Termagants). The Dominatrix is said to spawn also and i would guess that she can spawn other critters than just Termagants (at least Hormagaunts too i would say).
One "specialcharacter" Tyranid Warrior can spawn Ripper Swarms by infecting it's victims.

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"Spawning" in EPIC is *NOT* just "birthing new Bugs"; it's the low intensity rain of Mycetic Spores, it's creatures that have gone to ground in earlier battles, it's scattered Bugs looking for Synapse, it's monstrosities that have been growing in chambers underground, in addition to the occasional "new birth".

It's an abstraction of the "growing menace" that is Tyranids. To have an objection to the rule because "I don't see how a Hive Tyrant could birth a Carnifex" is to *completely* miss the point.

"Growing Menace Points"... "Growing Menace Pool"... just doesn't have the right ring to it... *laugh*

it also for some reason makes me think of a man's danglys

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