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New Tyranids
Mon, 02/01/2010 - 15:08
I played in a big game versus Tyranids at Games Workshop Bloomingdale on Saturday.
I have to say that I think they're both better and worse than I expected.
It wasn't a typical game. It was scenario based and Tyranid players were encouraged to bring their big bugs.
I was playing a 1500 point Word Bearer army, defending a Fortress of Retribution against a swarm of giant critters.
Most annoying thing about the new Tyranids: It seems like there are about 4 giant creatures that don't have models. Some of them are bigger and tougher than the new Trygon. Yet we're going to see (relatively) tiny critters representing them until they get models.
Case in point: That little partially converted carnifex isn't a tervigon. Where exactly are all those termagants birthing from, his wee little armpits?
All those critters need to be huge and on >60mm bases.
The next most annoying thing is that in your average half-assed converted and painted army, there's no way to tell by looking what those models are supposed to be. "Wait, is that a hive tyrant ... or old one eye?"
Keeping track of where your opponent's hive mind critters are is a pain in the butt.
I thought the tyranids played interesting. Some of those creatures look intimidating, but really just need a couple volleys from a squad of havocs to bring them down. It's like having a bunch of weaker wraithlords with more wounds running around.
They've got a bunch of psychic crap. From what I read, most of those powers are shooting attacks. Make sure they're obeying rules about charging what they shoot at.
I was kinda surprised at genestealers performance. I had a squad of 10 chaos marines go through 3 rounds of combat with a big brood ( including a broodlord). They're really dependent on getting those rending hits. Without them, they're just gnawing on your ceramite.
Most annoying bug: "Doom of Malanthai" silly little critter that deepstrikes into your army and starts psychic attacking everyone within a 6" radius.
Highlight of the day for me: Using Gift of Chaos to turn that silly little critter into a spawn, and then watching that spawn turn around and eat the myceotic spore it had disembarked from.
Mon, 02/01/2010 - 18:02
#2
Well, this was the first non-apocalypse game I had played in a long time, so there was no strength-D to be had.
Considering that I hadn't played a non-apocalypse game in a long time, it was something of a revelation to find out there were people who didn't play that way.
The case I took with my Word Bearers has my brass scorpion in the bottom layer of foam. I took it out to compare size to the new Trygon and was astonished when people didn't know what it was. I'm thinking "Where have you been for the last two years?".
I don't have a new Tyranid Codex with me, but aren't a bunch of those Tyranid psychic powers based on leadership tests, not morale tests? An important distinction when it comes to Fearless.
I disagree about the Tervigon and Tyrannofex. They've got the same number of wounds as the Trygon and they appear to be the about the same size when you compare their drawings in the codex. Those models should be huge and on big ovals, not little carnifex stand ins. Again, how many termagants can you fit in the armpit of a carnifex?
Having said that, until we see a model, players are going to model them as small as possible so they'll be (a) easier to hide and move on the battlefield and (b) cheap.
The rest of us will be left asking "which model is that? what upgrades does it have?"
Mon, 02/01/2010 - 23:50
#3
I do think there are some serious size concerns on the Tervigon/Tyranofex. They look like carnis, but seem ruleswise to be more like Trygons. While I have no problems with conversions and no official release critter, GW needs to give some size indication (e.g. I don't think anyone would accept an EPIC scale deathstrike in 40K, but that's becuase most people know what it's supposed to be - but that doesn't have a model either).
Probably the best thing would just be to specify a base size for those two cirtters.
Tue, 02/02/2010 - 17:30
#4
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/blogPost.jsp?aId=8000023a
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/blogPost.jsp?aId=8200010a
Here are the two times I have seen GW use a babyphant style Carnifex as either Tryannofex or a Tervigon.
Guess I'll do the easy change and modify my conversion as well...
Tue, 02/02/2010 - 18:08
#5
Those models are both on bases larger than 60mm which is probably a good thing and should be FAQed
Wed, 02/03/2010 - 19:14
#6
I'll be mounting mine on 4 3/4" plastic and aluminum discs (otherwise known as a CD).
http://album.warpshadow.com/v/HiveFleetBiovore3/
Wed, 02/03/2010 - 22:13
#7
Nice looking bugs Powell
Wed, 02/03/2010 - 23:09
#8
Cool. I like the Tyrannofex.
Good to see the horde is still here.
Kirk
Thu, 02/04/2010 - 01:50
#9
LOL - a Warpshadow album.... not too shabby a forum if you like bugs, if I must say so myself... no, wait...
Hopefully you'll be entering in both Warpshadow and BoLS Tervigon contests...
(There anything you think Warpshadow is missing?)
And I've done an informal poll - Tervigon and Tyrannofex should at least be on the large oval base (the new Trygon one), if not a CD as powellhall is doing...
Fri, 02/05/2010 - 17:13
#10
I love Warpshadow, it's one of the most complete and comprehensive 40K based sites out there AND it's one of the sights I look at everyday, even though I don't post a whole lot.
I may still order a couple of the big bases (even though they're $8.00-$10.00 each and I have a whole bunch of old CDs) just to give the proper feel to the models.
Sat, 02/06/2010 - 04:05
#11
Thank you.
Like any site, it' a labour of love. And being the sole owner, and sole tech resource, sometimes I find it difficult to enjoy it as much as I would like to. There is just so much angst out there... and I'm sure my actions this week-end will cause much more...
(Don't forget to enter the contests - well, okay, there will be a second one coming up - who can say no to free Trygons?)
Mon, 02/08/2010 - 19:41
#12
I've recently found that the stack of spare large blast templates (the hard plastic variety) make good bases.
Shoulda dropped a D template on them - with synapse no longer granting eternal warrior, there isn't a bug in the codex that stands a chance against it. Barring that 3++ save on the Zoan.
Things I have found:
1) Carnifexs got a total nerf. What used to be a 114 Devfex is now 190pts. From a game perspective, sure you can field them in broods of 3 - with a lot less options. No more T7 W5 I2 Sv2+ From a business perspective, I can see the logic - sorta. That plastic kit was a HUGE success, so much so that I know many players who have 10+, and several who have gone through 20+. So, time to encourage the hobbyists to move to the next plastic crack, the Trygon.
2) No Without Number, no more Endless Swarm formation.
3) The Doom of Malan'tai is such a good bomb, every list will have it.
4) For the most psychic race in the universe, they are surprisingly bad at it. The Shadow in the Warp every synapse creature has, is limited to 12". Both Psychic Hoods and Runes of Witlessing work well outside that range, and will thus stop 50% of the attacks. Many of the psychic attacks force morale checks - kinda pointless with all the Fearless armies running around.
5) This codex was aimed at a hobbist target audience - those who like to convert up new and strange creatures. Both those guys think it is a great codex. Everyone else is not so thrilled - witness the BoLS angst which is reflective of many power gamers - the RAW are that wide open.
6) Some of the new creatures are carnifex based - the Tervigon and Tyrannofex. One is Hive Tryant based - the Swarmlord. One is Zoanthrope based - the Doom of Malan'tai. Two are unknow - the Harpy (which seems to be a weak S6 T5 flying Carnifex) and the Parasite.
*sigh*