Tyranid /tgbrew modifications

Nids are awesome in fluff. Unfortunately that's not the case with crunch, since some of the mainstay models of the 4th ed army got either Robin Cruddance'd or raped by ward-powered shit. Even worse, tg does forget about making homebrew rule supplements to keep the game enjoyable and balanced

The following are additions or changes to the 5th edition Tyranid codex.

Well, then let's do it:

Toxin Sacs: A model equipped with this biomorph can reroll failed to wound tests at 4+ --- this would be good going against stronger creatures OR Toxin Sacs: A model equipped with toxin sacs can attempt to cause an additional wound for every melee attacks he hits with at 4+bane of multi-wound models.

Acid Maw: A tyranid with acid maw can incur an armor save penalty of one to enemies in close combat with the model. (IE a space marine with 3+ armor save has to roll 4+ instead) Acid maw grants the tyranid a +2 to armor penetration. optional: for 10 points the armor piercing acid can be channeled to any non-living weapon ranged biomorphs.

Army Changes

Will of the Hive Mind: All Tyranid units under synapse count as having the Eternal Warrior special rule.

The Endless Swarm: Units with this special rule never suffer fearless rolls for losing combat when they are under synapse.

The Greatest Devourer: These changes probably make this army Over Powered. (See Ward, Mat p76)

Units

Carnifex: 120 points, WS 4, I 2

- Fleet

- The entire unit may replace one set of Scything Talons with Crushing Claws for 20 points each.

- The entire unit may take Bio-plasma for 15 points each.

- The entire unit may take Regeneration for 15 points each.

- The entire unit may take Enhanced Senses for 15 points each.

Doom of Malan'tai: 120 points, Synaptic Instability

Gargoyles: The Endless Swarm

Genesetalers: The entire unit may take Flesh Hooks at 2 points per model.

Broodlord: Alien Psyche

- May take Feeder Tendrils for 15 points.

Harpy: WS 4, A 4

- May take Enhanced Senses for 15 points.

Hive Tyrant: Alien Psyche

- May choose one of the following three upgrades.

1) May take any Thorax Swarm upgrade for 15 points

2) May take Armored Shell for 30 points

3) May take Wings for 35 points

- May take Enhanced Senses for 15 points.

Hormagaunts: The Endless Swarm

Lictors/Deathleaper: Feeder Tendrils, Strengthened Flesh Hooks

Mawloc: A 4

Pyrovore: I 2, A 2

- Volatile

- Crippling Fumes

Rippers/Sky Slashers: No longer subject to the Mindless rule, The Endless Swarm

Swarmlord: Alien Psyche

- May choose one of the following three upgrades.

1) May take any Thorax Swarm upgrade for 15 points

2) May take Armored Shell for 30 points

3) May take Wings for 35 points

Termagaunts: The Endless Swarm

Tervigon: Alien Psyche

Tyrannofex: I 2, A 4

- May take Enhanced Senses for 15 points

Ymargl Genestealers:

- The entire unit may take Toxin Sacs at 4 points per model.

- The entire unit may take Adrenal Glands at 4 points per model.

- Ymargl Broodlord: One Ymargl Genestealer may be upgraded to a Ymargl Broodlord for +57 points.

Ymargl Broodlord: WS 7, BS 0, S 5, T 5, W 3, I 7, A 4, LD 10, Sv 3+

- Psyker and has the psychic powers Hypnotic Gaze and Aura of Despair.

- Alien Psyche

- Shares the same special rules as the Ymargl Genestealer brood it is part of (I.E. has the Alter Form, Dormant, Fleet, etc abilities).

Zoanthropes: Alien Psyche

Weapons and Biomorphs

Enhanced Senses: +1 to BS

Flesh Hooks: Model counts as having Offensive Grenades

Feeder Tendrils: A model with this upgrade may choose to use it at the beginning of either players' Assault Phase. Should it choose to do so, then that model may allocate the wounds it deals in Close Combat, rather than its opponent. A model opting to use its Feeder Tendrils suffers a -1A modifier.

Heavy Venom Cannon: 36" S9 AP2 Assault 2

Rupture Cannon: 48" S10 AP1 Assault 2

Strengthened Flesh Hooks: 6" S6 AP- Assault 2, Model counts as having Offensive Grenades

Twin-linked Deathspitter: 18" S5 AP5 Assault 6, Twin-linked

Venom Cannon: 36" S6 AP3 Assault 2

Psychic Powers

Psychic Scream: All enemy units within 12" must take a LD test at -1LD and suffer a wound for each point the test is failed by with no armor saves allowed.

The Horror: Units wishing to shoot or assault a unit under effects of The Horror must first pass a LD test. Units who fail to pass this test count as having their shots or charge wasted. Units that are Fearless or do not have a LD value are unaffected. This power lasts until the beginning of the Tyranid player's next turn.

Leech Essence: D3 S- AP2 hits on one unit within 12". Unsaved wounds dealt by this ability are added to the psker's, up to its original original wound maximum. This ability always wounds on a 4+, can be used on friendly units, and has no effect on units without a Toughness value.

Special Rules

Alien Psyche: The unit may choose to reroll its psychic test if it was forced to roll it on more than 2D6, the second roll is final, no rerolling rerolls. The unit may also choose to make the opponent reroll abilities that would otherwise nullify its psychic power (I.E. Psychic Hoods), the second roll is final, no rerolling rerolls.

Alter Form: The entire unit may choose +1S, +1A, +1T, the Feeder Tendrils, or the Flesh Hooks upgrade at the beginning of every assault phase. The upgrade wears off at the end of the assault phase it was chosen on. The same upgrade may not be chosen in two consecutive assault phases.

Chameleonic Skin: Replaced with Ymargl Genestealer Dormant special rule.

Crippling Fumes: A unit that suffers any casualties from a Pyrovore's Volatile blast strikes at I1 until the end of the next player's turn. Friendly or allied units are unaffected by this rule if the Pyrovore was under synapse before being removed as a casualty.

Pheromone Trail: +1 to Reserve Rolls as long as the Lictor unit is alive and friendly Tyranid units deepstriking within 6" do not roll for scatter.

Synaptic Instability: Immediately after the Doom of Malan'tai suffers an unsaved wound, roll a D6. On the roll of a 1, the Doom suffers an additional wound with no saves of any kind allowed. Should the Doom die from Synaptic Instability, place a large blast template centered over the Doom before removing it from play. All models under this template suffer a S5 AP3 hit.

Volatile: Should a Pyrovore die, place a large blast template centered over the Pyrovore before removing it from play as a casualty, all units under the template -except the Pyrovore's- suffer D3 S5 AP4 hits.

---more to come

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