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 The arrival of a new or revised codex always
creates a mix of excitement and speculation
among hobbyists. The book is the herald of
new models and new rules, which always
end up being good things. However, many
hobbyists wonder how they can incorporate
these new developments with the army that
they know and love.

Fear not! This article shows how four

veteran Tyranid players are going to make their old Tyranid
armies work under the revised Codex: Tyranids. Hopefully
they'll give you a few ideas as you reevaluate your ravenous
hordes.

Speaking of Hive Mind, let's see what Tim "Hive Mind" Huckelbery, longtime forum referee and
Tyranid player, has to say about the new Tyranids.

Tim Huckelberys Plan

The last edition of Codex: Tyranids allowed for all sorts of customisation in my
Tyranid forces, but I always had trouble with a few things.

My biggest trouble was with my favourite brood: Genestealers. They were the
first Citadel models I ever painted, and I love pretty much everything about
them, from the background story to the actual models. The rules in the old
codex, though, rendered them fairly slow for Tyranids and weak-armoured.
Soon, I found my Genestealers dying in droves as they crept across the table
into enemy fire lanes, unless I was lucky enough to Infiltrate them. It didn't take
long for me to place my wonderful Genestealers back on my shelf rather than in
my army carrying case. Poor guys!

Tyranids pag. 3
I also had trouble with my Gargoyles in the last edition of the codex. Back then, you could only Deep
Strike as many models as you could fit on a large blast template which isn't a large number. Thus,
again, I had to leave models that I really liked at home because the rules didn't work well for me.

So what did I field? Lots of plastics at the start tons of Warrior as Elites and HQ, and hopefully in too
large a number to be killed off by Turn 2. I had swarms of Gaunts in all forms, and Rippers to soak up
some shots. I kept my Biovores in the far rear to crank out Spore Mines that might help keep the
enemy's head down. For heavy blasting, I used Zoanthropes. Plus, like most players, I had lots of Hive
Node mutants to keep the non-Synapse Creatures in line. Obviously, these mutants were needed as
the Synapse Creatures and other mid-sized members (Raveners especially) died very quickly. My goal
was to avoid any one shoot me first unit in the army, like a Carnifex or Hive Tyrant, since enemy
players could always pick out their Tyranid targets.

Now, though, with the newly revised Codex: Tyranids and cool new models...whoa-boy! I'm going to
risk sounding like too much of a fan-boy here (which I am at heart), but I am seriously energized to
field my good ol' Tyranids once more!

First off: the Carnifex. Even if the new rules weakened

this unit, I'd still field two or three just because the new
plastic model rocks so hard. Luckily, the rules are just
as good as the model. With all the different heads and
other parts, you can customize your 'fex like crazy.
What's more, you can take up to six of them, which
opens the door to a powerful lots of big guys army
now! The Hive Tyrants new model also makes me
want to take it no matter what a great classic look
to it that really appeals to me as a long-time Tyranid
player.

Of course, I can't overlook the Genestealers easily

the "Most-Improved Creature" all around. The new
multipart models are a delight to assemble and paint
with lots of different heads and even complete sets of
scything talons and other bio-upgrades on each sprue.
While the old plastic 'Stealers are still nice, they were
beginning to show their age (at the time, they were the oldest plastic models still in active use). The
new ones, with their separate arms, allow each modeller to create his own unique action pose. Plus,
with all the leftover bitz, you can do some nice conversions on other models, too. I plan on fielding a
couple dozen of these babies in most of my new armies.

The revised Deep Strike rules now allow for bigger units to come into play, so Gargoyles are worth
taking again. Fleshborers, with their Living Ammunition rule (in itself a great new addition), add to their
worthiness as well. Synapse Creatures can now survive Instant Killing Wounds, so Raveners (which
can also Deep Strike now) are more appealing. Zoanthropes can now have up to three powers,
allowing me to make a Synapse Zoanthrope that also has another nasty power while forming less of
the one-trick pony it could be before.

Which brings us to the Broodlord, the new entry in the army list. My thought:
anything that has a limit on it like 0-1 must be worth taking, right? This guy is
almost as powerful as a Hive Tyrant, but isnt Monstrous and thus more
survivable. He can Infiltrate with a brood of Genestealers as well. Plus, the
model has lots of conversion possibilities including scratch-building up my own
variants. Whats not to like? I plan on always taking one heck I plan on
fielding armies where hes my only HQ choice (see below).

I could go on here (hey, I can field Spore Mine Broods again and Deep Strike
them to boot!), but I don't want to create panic, so I'll move on to my army
concepts based on the new Tyranids.

Tyranids pag. 4
Stealers Rule!
The all-'Stealer army (very reminiscent of the old Genestealer Invasion Force army from Rogue Trader
days), led by a Broodlord of course (ah, if only I could take two of these baddies). He gets a big retinue
to hopefully Infiltrate with, all kited-out with scything talons, toxin sacs, implant attacks, and extended
carapaces. These guys will be expensive but should strike fear in pretty much anything out there. After
that, more Genestealer broods most with Scuttling (another great push they get now Scouting is
a great thing to have!), but at least two plain big broods to either draw fire or to get stuck-in to keep
fire away from the specialized broods. Either way, some 'Stealers will reach the enemy. I know this
leaves the army short on firepower, so Ill "cheat" and add as many Carnifexes as I can. "They aren't
Genestealers," I hear you say! Well, when I use the Inquisitor-scale Genestealer head on them, they
sure will be. Pop some heavy weapons (or even light ones a Carnifex armed with a pair of twin-
linked Deathspitters or Devourers will make mincemeat of most enemy troops), and they will provide
all the ranged support I need.

Speed Kills
With so many creatures that can either Deep Strike, have Wings, or just plain move fast on their own
(almost every model has Fleet of Claw now), the Tyranids have speed to burn. A Winged Hive Tyrant
leads the army, with Winged Warriors in the Fast Attack role along with Raveners and Gargoyles.
Three Lictors serve to pop up in nasty locations (since Tyranids have the Move Through Cover
special rule, always put as much terrain on the table as possible). Hormagaunts work as the basic
Troops, of course huge waves of them leaping across the table should worry most enemy players.
Biovores can lob Spore Mines into the flank of the enemy forces to keep them from retreating too far
back. Perhaps a Broodlord as well, as his Infiltration ability is just too useful to ignore. The goal here
is to engage the enemy by Turn 2 at the latest with superior speed and Deep Striking we know that
once that happens, its usually all over but the shouting.

Of course, there are the traditional a couple of everything-style armies as well always a classic
approach, and they always do pretty well in games. The more things you take, the greater the odds
your opponent will forget a special rule or two and pay for it in the game. Of course, that also works in
the other direction too, so study your new Codex: Tyranids carefully!

Now I have a new problem: there isn't a single unit in the new Tyranids that I don't want in my army.
Choosing my forces will be a lot more difficult, so Ill probably be playing more themed armies like the
first one listed above. Themes create a selection mechanism and create an army thats appealing.

Tyranids pag. 5
Shaun Clough's Take on the New Tyranids

I've been lucky enough to be one of the Techpriest playtesters, and have been
playing Warhammer 40,00 for 5 years now. I was introduced to the Tyranid
army in early 2000, so I had a chance to play the army with the rules from the
last two editions of the codex.

With the previous edition's Shoot the Big Ones special rule, it became
apparent that certain units would no longer be as viable as they were before,
and other units would become the mainstay of the army. My beloved Tyranid
Warriors and Zoanthropes no longer had a protective shield to avoid enemy
heavy weapons, and with no way protect themselves other than large amounts
of terrain, I began to discover that they didnt last very long. It was time to
change up some of my units. Whereas Warriors and Zoanthropes used to make up the backbone of
my ranged firepower, multiple Carnifexs now filled that role. The Carnifex was tough enough to ensure
that it could use its firepower for at least a few turns and carried the highest-strength guns in the Nid
army at the time.

Genestealers were a no-brainer choice for my army before Shoot the Big
Ones, but without any reliable way to protect them as they slowly made their
way across the battlefield, they rarely had enough survivors to make them a
effective combat brood in the last edition. Thus, I replaced Genestealers with
close-combat Mutable Gaunts with Hive Node Mutations. This unit had the best
of both worlds as they were inexpensive in points, blindingly fast, and had
brood sizes so large that only an enormous amount of firepower could remove
a whole brood from the table in a single round of fire. The Hive Node mutation
became a necessary crutch to nullify the Instinctive Behaviour rule and make
them less likely to go haywire when out of range of a Synapse Creature.

With the advent of the new Codex: Tyranids and the removal of Mutation rules
(and thereby Hive Nodes), something had to change to take up the slack, as
the lowly Gaunt would have difficultly doing anything with a Leadership of 5.
This change occurred with the Synapse Creature rule instead of the Gaunt
itself. Synapse Creature models (and those in their Synapse range) are
immune to Instant Death. Therefore, the Zoanthrope and Warrior have become
not only useful but highly desirable. The Zoanthrope can now choose up to two
additional hive mind powers, so Synapse Creature
and Warp Blast become an excellent pairing. This
change means that the middle-weight Tyranids
have a good chance of taking on the lead role of
Synapse support a job that used to almost always
fall on the Hive Tyrant. Also, the Tyranid Warrior
has enough options and is now durable enough to
give the Hive Tyrant a run for his money in the HQ
slot.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Tyranid

ranged weapons have improved enough to make
the basic-shooting Gaunt on par with (and in my
opinion, better) than the close-combat Hormagaunt.
Sure, lots of players would field the 5-point
Spinegaunt instead, but its only job was to tie up
big things in assault for a few turns with no real
chance to do anything useful other than die. Those
days are gone! The Spinegaunt is still 5 points, but
it is a lot more impressive now that Spinefists are
twin-linked. That's not even mentioning the
Devourer-equipped Gaunt even a brood reduced
to 10 models can fire 20 S3 shots with re-rolls to

Tyranids pag. 6
Wound at 18 range, all for only 10 points per model! Necrons would be proud to field this kind of
firepower!

As everyone will notice right away in the new codex, the points costs of some biomorphs on the Hive
Tyrant went up, but almost all the weapon symbiote point costs decreased. Thus, on the whole, the
Tyrant becomes slightly more expensive to field. However, also take note of how the Tyrant's base
Initiative is 5, with the possibility of going to 6! I absolutely love the changes to the Barbed Strangler
with this weapon symbiote going from a -2 to a -1 Strength modifier, it makes it very tempting to mount
it on a Toxin Sacs/Enhanced Senses-equipped Hive Tyrant. Hitting with an S5 AP5 large blast
template at an increased range of 36 will put some fear into my opponents for sure! Overall, I think
the Tyrant still remains one of the best HQ units in the game, and with the addition of some new
biomorphs and the option of twin-linked Deathspitters and Devourers, I expect to see several different
Tyrant variants out there that hadnt previously existed.

My Hormagaunts also got a boost. They started with WS4, and can upgrade to WS5 so they will hit
better in close combat than ever before. They still have all the options of the past close-combat Gaunt
such as toxin sacs and adrenal glands (for Initiative), and they are just as fast. As with all Tyranid
armies, the issue between numbers versus quality will factor into the decision on what biomorphs I
take, although I am leaning towards the WS5 I5 Hypergaunt. As mentioned before, gone is the Hive
Node, so you have to keep a Synapse Creature close to these guys that's where the Broodlord and
his friends will fit in nicely.

Gargoyles now offer perhaps the most "bang for the

buck" out there. In fact, to create the same abilities
with the Gaunt mutable genus rules would cost you
50% more points, so it wasnt really a surprise to find
Gargoyles getting a points increase in the new codex
(12 points now). I own 32 of these ultra-fast models so
that is a 64 point increase for me, but I wont sweat it.
Since their Fleshborers are now equipped with Living
Ammunition, Gargoyles will get better results from
ranged combat, so the few extra points balance out
the added firepower.

Next we look at the Carnifex, the Tyranids answer to

the Imperium's STC. Where do I begin with this
model? It can be a pure close-combat beast, sucking
up tremendous firepower with a huge Toughness, an incredible save, and even the ability to recover
lost Wounds (as if it didnt have enough of them). Or it can be tooled up to unleash a myriad of ranged
firepower, either to punch through the thickest armour or devastate massed troop units with equal
effectiveness. Having the most biomorph and weapon symbiote options of any Nid, there is literally no
end to the number of Carnifex variants that can be created. I am sure even the Norn Queens get
migraines just thinking of the possibilities. I have created (on paper) at least seven completely different
variants that fit into the 114 point Elite category. I havent even begun to look into all the possibilities
that the Heavy Support Carnifex has to offer. However, a model with T7, 5 Wounds, 2+ save, S10,
D6+3 Attacks on the charge did pass through my mind briefly.

The Hive Mind has also introduced for us a HQ role selection: the
Broodlord, a Genestealer on steroids! He is stronger, tougher, and
reacts faster in combat than the already-impressive Genestealer
and Wounds inflicted by him ignore enemy armour saves just like a
power weapon. On top of that, he has rending claws for those
pesky vehicles, is a Synapse Creature so he cant be Instantly
Killed by annoying power fists, and sports a retinue of fearless
Genestealers, too. My thoughts for the Broodlord and his retinue
involve using his Infiltrate ability to start much closer to the enemy
lines than my opponent would want. There, my Broodlord can provide up-front Synapse support for my
incoming Hormagaunts, and if I time it just right, both broods should get into assault at about the same
time.

Tyranids pag. 7
Finally, the Genestealer it gets my vote for "Most Improved Nid." I have waited a long time to see
this model regain its former fear-factor, and now it will have its chance. I was thrilled to see that the
'Stealer would remain at 16 points, gain a 5+ save, and receive Fleet of Claw an ability long
deserved and most eagerly accepted and appreciated. Now the 'Stealer can keep pace with its smaller
brethren and has a much better chance to make it into close combat sooner and with fewer casualties.
Though Genestealers lose Infiltrate, it wont be missed too much (see Broodlord above). Not only
does the Genestealer get to move faster, it is now blessed with plenty of biomorphs at points costs
that make them nearly irresistible. These changes will make for plenty of tasty options that put the
Genestealer back on top of my lists for Tyranid Troops choices.

Here's the Basic List of My New Tyranid Army:

HQ
Hive Tyrant with Barbed Strangler & Scything Talons
Five Tyranid Warriors with Devourers and Scything Talons
Elite
Two Carnifexes with Two Pairs of Scything Talons
Troops
Two Broods of 10 Genestealers
Two Broods of 23 Gaunts with Devourers
Fast Attack
16 Gargoyles
Heavy Support
Two Zoanthropes with Warp Blast & Synapse Creature Hive Mind Powers

This analysis is just scratching the surface all the Nids have benefited in one way or another from
the codex revision. See how the Hive Mind adapts to overcome the resistance of this puny galaxy?

Tyranids pag. 8
Dani Julivert's Take on the New Tyranids

Since I started collecting Tyranids, Ive had two main armies. The first one
wasnt all that good in combat, but since it was basically a themed army list, it
served its purpose namely, being displayed. The second one was more
oriented towards actual gaming.

Both of these armies served me well over the years though I ended up
changing my gaming army as I started favouring shooting-'Nids over close-
combat 'Nids. Regardless, all that changed with the new Codex: Tyranids.
When I laid my hands on the new codex, I just couldnt wait to see what had
changed. After a quick read-through, I couldnt believe how much I liked it. I also
realized that I just needed to start a new army to take advantage of all the updated stuff. The problem
is, I just couldnt decide on one.

I couldn't resist the cool new Carnifexes, especially after understanding how versatile they are. I had to
make an army with Carnifexes at the core of the force, so I filled up on Carnifexes in the Elite and
Heavy Support roles (see the table below). That's a big job for one Tyranid species, but the Carnifexes
are big anyway!

The three Screamer-Killer Carnifexes are obviously there to get into close combat and rip their way
through the enemy. I realize that theyll have to survive heavy enemy fire to get there, but I think at
least one of them will make it, and he can more than make up for the other two that faltered. Also, all
the firepower they attract means less directed at other parts of this army. The Shovel-Tusker Carnifex
is there to handle enemy tanks and other big creatures but will probably advance a little behind the
Screamer-Killers to take advantage of any cover they can provide. For the big
guns, the Hive Tyrant and the Venomspitter Carnifex will fit the bill
especially the Carnifex, since its two Venom Cannons count as twin-linked.
Meanwhile, the Thornback Carnifex will try to take care of any remaining
infantry units while the Ripper Swarms just scuttle forward filling up the
required Troops slots.

HUNGER HIVE ARMY

HQ
"Miasma" Tyrant (Hive Tyrant with Venom Cannon, Scything Talons, Toxic Miasma)
Elite
"Screamer-Climber" Carnifex (Two Pairs of Scything Talons, Flesh Hooks, Bio-Plasma)
Two Screamer-Killer Carnifexes (Two Pairs of Scything Talons, Bio-Plasma)
Troops
Two Broods of Ripper Swarms, Each with Three Ripper Bases
Heavy Support
Venomspitter Carnifex (Two Venom Cannons)
Thornback Carnifex (Barbed Strangler, Twin Devourers, Thornback Carapace)
Shovel-Tusker Carnifex (Scything Talons, Crushing Claws, Mace Tail, Tusks)

What tomorrow will bring

Now, I realize this army list is rather unbalanced, and I assume it wont fare
well on the battlefield. However, just as I did 3 years ago, I'm starting with a
themed army, and then I'll build the "real" one.

Im not too sure yet what the exact line-up will be, but Im sure where Im
headed. First off, I just have to take advantage of the new Deep Strike rules for
Raveners. Thus, I think two Ravener broods each with three members are in
order, one brood ready for close-combat and the other armed with Devourers.

I also want to take advantage of the new way Spore Mines act, moving in
clusters and exploding all at the same time. You can now buy some of them on
their own, so I will save some space for three Biovores and a couple of three-

Tyranids pag. 9
Spore Mine clusters to begin with. I think its important to buy all three Biovores this time around, since
the mine clusters they fire have as many Spore Mines as there are Biovores in the brood, and I want
to optimise the cluster explosions.

Also, the new Genestealers now have Fleet of Claw, which in my opinion is a much-needed
improvement. They can now move as quickly as your Gaunts, which means their chances to get into
close combat are greatly improved. With a little bit of planning ahead and some good use of terrain,
Genestealers can start to feed the Hive Mind as soon as Turn 2.

Obviously, all of these selections need to be backed up with either winged Warriors, Gargoyles, and/or
a winged Hive Tyrant. I still need to get a good feeling for the Broodlord before I decide on how to put
him to use, so I havent made up my mind as to whether Ill be using him or not.

Jes Bickham's Take on the New Tyranids

While the last edition of Codex: Tyranids offered a great scope for army creation
(baffling though it could be), I usually stuck with the same kind of army. A fairly
standard one, I imagine a hefty clutch of Hormagaunts and Spinegaunts to tie
up infantry, soak up small-arms fire and block fire lines, plus some nasty close-
combat warriors to support the Gaunt charge and exert a little Synapse control
and finally a host of big gribblies to draw heavy weapons fire and smash things
into teeny-tiny bits. Usually, this army boiled down to two Tyrants (one Winged
for a flank attack, supported by a 12-strong Gargoyle brood) and an on-foot
slogger whod hold the centre of the army, accompanied by a couple of Tyrant
Guards. At least one and possibly two Carnifexes would usually flank this
Tyrant, and all my Monstrous Creatures would sport Venom Cannons for tank-hunting duties. You only
need to shake a tank to stop it from firing, a baseline effect that helps your Gaunts to get up close and
personal. That was the basic format of my force, and it was one thats served me well in the past. Its
had tweaks, of course such as Biovores introduced to handle lightly-armoured infantry armies (like
Orks and Imperial Guard), but its been tactically flexible enough to see off most armies.

Things have changed, though, with the advent of a shiny new

Codex: Tyranids and some truly astonishing miniatures. Synapse
is a big deal now mutants are gone, so you cant rely on Hive
Nodes any more. Still, there are replacement benefits, most
notably that Synapse Creatures and those under their influence
are now immune to Instant Death. It makes Warriors and mid-
range armies (such as those tricky-to-use Raveners) super-viable
options now.

In fact, the new codex allows for a bewildering number of

specialized forces. Rather than rush headlong toward one of the
three most obvious army types that its now possible to create
(little critters led by a Broodlord, mid-range Warrior forces, and the eight-Monstrous-Creature, two-
Ripper-swarm monster mash), Ive taken the opportunity to refine my force. Variety and balance have
always been the keys to a successful Tyranid army, I believe, and thats still true. Whilst the "Godzilla"
army is hugely tempting, it can really become a cropper in some missions with the exception of a
winged Hive Tyrant, everything else in the army is so very slow (albeit tremendously durable) that its
easy for more mobile armies to run rings around it.

Tyranids pag. 10
Yet, theres something about the sight of multiple Monstrous Creatures that is just too exciting to
ignore, and if they do manage to reach the enemy lines theres going to be an almighty mess. Thus,
my swarm has evolved to include more Monstrous Creatures, including two Hive Tyrants (one winged,
naturally) and three Carnifexes. The new Fex is, in my mind, possibly the best kit GW has ever
produced, and the wealth of options available to them is mind-boggling. You can adapt their battlefield
role above and beyond what they could do before. In short, the Carnifex is so versatile and tough that
it has become the new workhorse of the Tyranid army. However, its all too easy to make them super-
expensive, so Ive kept a lid on any wilder excesses. Still, the centre of my new force is held by a T7, 5
Wound regenerating monster (so big I use a Forgeworld Scythed Heirodule for it!) flanked by ranged
Fexes that sport a Venom Cannon and Barbed Strangler, respectively. The walking Hive Tyrant
supports this trio of terror along with a couple of Tyrant Guards, there to absorb as much enemy fire as
possible away from my flanking force.

The flanking force is what will hopefully balance the slow 6-a-turn
movement of the big beasties. The winged Tyrant holds court among three
broods of 11 Hormagaunts that will hit the enemys flanks like a super-
quick sledgehammer. I'm hoping this will tie up infantry and cause as
much havoc as possible. In the initial few games Ive had with various
embryonic forms of this army, Ive had some decent success. One
particularly memorable game against UK White Dwarf's Guy Haley saw
my force avoid any casualties Guys Imperial Guard were so afraid of
the winged Hive Tyrant bearing down on their lines that they concentrated
all their shooting on it, thus ignoring the Hormagaunts completely. It had
but a single Wound remaining when it reached close combat, but that was enough to see me through
to victory my other Tyrant and the Carnifexes suppressed any tank fire with their Venom Cannons.
Naturally, the next morning, Guys desk was festooned with "shoot the big ones" posters. He had a
hard time living that one down.

Thats my new army in a nutshell. Big and tough, but with a super-fast flanking element. The next
permutation of the army, I think, will involve fewer Monstrous Creatures and more smaller, faster stuff
Im itching to get some tooled-up Raveners with Devourers behind enemy lines, but theyre going to
rely on plenty of support from Synapse Creatures, Hormagaunts, and Gargoyles. Therein lies the
beauty of the new Codex: Tyranid s endless possibilities with many, many ways to eat your
opponents with big, tank-smashing monsters. Lovely.

Most Valuable Creature: Hive Tyrant. I always, always take one. Its tough, offers Synapse control,
and both weapon loadouts and Hive Mind powers allow for any battlefield role.

Most Improved Creature: The Carnifex. So many options and so many possibilities and it looks
incredible!

Tyranids pag. 11
Do you feel the omnipresent call of the Hive Mind and the compulsion to serve the Great Devourer?
Playing Tyranids is a very rewarding experience, but doing so is very different from commanding the
forces of the Imperium or its enemies. Marshall Jansen reveals some key strategies.

The average Warhammer 40,000 army, regardless of type, is based on similar choices: hard
characters, heavy weapons teams, assault specialists, transport vehicles, tanks, and basic troopers
that define the army. While the details differ, the armies of the Imperium have arguably similar
structures. Tyranids, on the other hand, are an alien force. They have no vehicles. They dont follow
the basic rules for Leadership. Even their weapons have different effects, depending on the stat-line of
the creature wielding it.

With the wide variety of broods and swarm themes available, you need to have a general idea of how
Tyranids work on the table before you can begin playing them well. While its certainly possible to field
a bunch of close combat gribblies and hurl them headlong across the table at the enemy, a more
subtle understanding of the force will improve your performance dramatically.

To get the most out of the Tyranids, you need to keep in mind some core concepts: general theory,
strategy, swarm archetypes, and battlefield tactics, all of which play a critical part in fielding a truly
successful swarm (I use the term swarm to refer specifically to Tyranid armies).

There are four basic concepts I follow when building a Tyranid swarm: numbers, focus, cloning, and
synapse. All of these things should be balanced as you build your swarm, or youll find that your force
may fail to have the survivability and effectiveness you desire.

NUMBERS: QUANTITY OVER QUALITY

Tyranids are spoiled for choice in the types of broods they can take as well as the options available to
each brood. More than any other army in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Tyranids can be adapted
and manipulated to your hearts content. This mutability is a two-edged sword for the budding Tyranid
general. Certain upgrades can give you a big advantage in certain battles, but the points spent on
them add up, which can cause the size of your swarm to shrink.

Tyranids have strength in numbers, both in the numbers of models on the board and in the number of
force slots taken (it is possible to fill all six troop slots for a meagre 240 points). With lots of bodies,
you gain many advantages over a less numerous foe. You clog fire lanes, making it difficult to shoot.
You have a large number of scoring broods, making it easier to claim objectives. The more broods you
have, the more chances your opponent has of making a mistake and shooting the wrong one. Most
importantly, seeing a large number of models on the board has a great psychological impact on your

Tyranids pag. 12
opponent. If he looks across the table and thinks, Theres no way I can kill all of that, you are already
on the path to victory.

Quantity over quality is a concept that goes hand in hand with having large numbers of troops. Too
many biomorphs and bio-weapons can begin to hurt you. With an extra point here and there across an
entire swarm, suddenly youve spent 150-200 points on upgrades, which could have bought an extra
brood or two!

When you think about purchasing a biomorph for one of your broods, analyze exactly what it is that
you are giving up. Consider the basic Genestealer. For 192 points, you can field 12 of them with a 5+
save. However, you may see that Extended Carapace upgrade and think Id get a save against
bolters! That has to be worth it! And scything talons are only 4 points thats an extra Attack! But
now, your Genestealers are 24 points each for the same 192 points, you can now get only eight
Genestealers. While youve got a save against bolters, youve cost yourself 4 models, making the
brood easier to drop below half strength. While your Genestealers will be much tougher against the
bolters of the Space Marines, their plasma guns, heavy bolters, and other weapons ignore that
expensive upgrade. Buying biomorphs across the board for your broods can easily cut the size of your
swarm by a third! A good rule of thumb is to get your numbers up first. Only then should you begin
adding upgrades to broods to use up your last few points.

In addition to models, Tyranids should also try to maximize the number of Force Organization slots
used. With more broods, you have more tactical flexibility, and by taking more choices than your
opponent, you have better deployment options.

Consider the following options. One swarm takes two broods of 32 Hormagaunts each, while another
swarm takes six broods of 10 Hormagaunts each. Both armies fulfill the Troops requirement. However,
the first choice has only two scoring broods, which limits the number of Victory Points they can claim.
Also, with only two targets to shoot at, the opponent can rest assured that all his shots will count. The
second option provides six scoring broods, maximizing Victory Point potential. The smaller brood sizes
enable you to make better use of cover. Six broods give you more Fleet of Claw/Difficult Terrain rolls,
allowing you to get at least some of your force across the board quickly. Not only that, but you can
charge two of these squads against the same target to get the same amount of punch as a larger
brood.

FOCUS: SINGLE-MINDED KILLING MACHINES

Focus is a simple concept. Almost no brood in your swarm should try to maximize its ability in both
assault and shooting. While it is easy to enable many of your broods to dish it out both in close combat
and at range, you should avoid doing so, as you tend to waste points that could be better spent
elsewhere.

A Hive Tyrant is a perfect example. Sure, you can purchase all of the toys: enhanced senses, adrenal
glands, toxin sacs, implant attack, bio-plasma, a venom cannon, scything talons, and more. However,
in doing so, you end up with a 250-300 point model that will waste some of its potential every turn. If
you spend 60 points on making your Tyrant a long-ranged death-dealer, you dont want him stuck in
close combat. Conversely, if you buy wings and close combat biomorphs, your Ballistic Skill and
ranged weapon-symbiote do you no good once you are stuck in.

Pick one area of expertise for Carnifexes and Tyrants and spend points judiciously to fit that role. Two
300-point monstrous creatures look very scary on the table but are much less effective than four 150-
point monsters with defined roles and objectives.

There is one exception to this rule, and that is a Tyranid Warrior equipped for a shooting role. Because
Warriors dont benefit from taking two guns, I would suggest that all Warriors with guns take a set of
rending claws. While scything talons might seem like a better choice (being significantly cheaper),
rending claws make the Warriors a real threat should they find themselves in close combat with
power-armoured foes. Because rending claws dont rely on Weapon Skill or Strength to do damage,
you get a nice dual-role unit, without having to pay for expensive close combat upgrades.

Tyranids pag. 13
CLONING BROODS: TOO MUCH IS JUST ENOUGH
Tyranids thrive on consistency, and the best way to make sure your swarm performs consistently is to
have several of certain types of brood built into your swarm design. When you decide to take a
specialized brood, consider why you are making that choice and whether it wouldnt be better to take
multiples.

Consider Hormagaunts and Raveners. If you take these broods, it is generally because you want a
Turn 1 or Turn 2 assault to harass the opponent and tie up lines of fire with an early close combat. By
taking one brood, you rest your hopes on one Fleet of Claw roll. A determined opponent can easily
wipe out a brood in 1 turn of shooting. However, by taking two, three, or more broods, you force your
opponent to split his fire or ignore certain broods. You give yourself multiple chances for a high Fleet
of Claw roll. You open up your deployment options so that at least one of these broods is directly
across the board from your chosen target.

Thinking about taking a Zoanthrope with warp blast as your anti-tank weapon? One can easily fail a
Psychic test or miss. With two or three, you increase the chances of one of them succeeding in your
goal of destroying the tank that otherwise would run roughshod over your broods.

Tyranids pag. 14
SYNAPSE: KEEPING YOUR BROODS UNDER CONTROL
In general, you need enough
Synapse creatures on the
board to hold your swarm
together. If you are relatively
new to playing Tyranids, you
should do a test run when
it comes to Synapse
creatures. Design your
swarm, then deploy it on
your game table. Does your
Synapse net cover all your
broods? Ideally, every brood
of Gaunts on the table will
be covered by two different
Synapse nodes (Figure 1),
and every other model will
be covered by one Synapse
node. By doing so, you give
your Gaunts the critical
protection they need early
on. An entire flank of your
swarm can collapse if you
rely on a single Synapse
creature to lead it, and this
creature is destroyed before
your 1st turn.

Another common problem

with Synapse creatures is
that ones fastest units tend
to outpace the Synapse
creatures. Raveners and
Hormagaunts can find it very
easy to assault but can also
end up out of Synapse
reach, which can make your
early assaults fail (Figure 2).
It is better to hold the unit
back and attack with fewer
models than to get all of
them into assault only to
break off.
An example of how the Synapse web can easily be broken. Figure 2 shows
how the Gaunts and Raveners have strayed outside the zone of influence,
There are two ways you can
while Figure 3 shows how this situation can be prevented.
prevent this situation from
happening. The first is to
take fast Synapse units,
such as winged Hive Tyrants
or Warriors. Another method
is to leave a few stragglers
in your brood, so that a few
models remain just within
the 12" Synapse range of
(Figure 3). An example of how the Synapse web can easily be broken. Figure 2
shows how the Gaunts and Raveners have strayed outside the zone of
influence, while Figure 3 shows how this situation can be prevented.

Tyranids pag. 15
While this ploy prevents you from getting the maximum number of models into an assault, it ensures
that you wont fail a Morale Test. (Remember that when assaulting, all models must move into assault
if possible. Thus, if you wish to use this tactic, you will need to make sure that a few models are close
enough to the Synapse creature so that, even after a full assault move, theyll still be within Synapse
range.)

If you feel that your Synapse coverage is lacking, it is best to modify your deployment to make up for
the fact. Place models that dont require Synapse coverage together on one flank. Grouping your
Warriors and Tyrant together with your Gaunts on the other. This deployment will allow you to blanket
your Gaunts with Synapse and will give your opponent two distinct threats to deal with.

THE HORDE
The horde is the classic Tyranid swarm. The majority of the swarm is made of Termagants and
Hormagaunts. A Genestealer brood or maybe a Ripper Swarm rounds out your broods. A Hive Tyrant
and some Warriors provide synapse coverage, and a Carnifex might stalk around the backfield.

When making a horde, its important to realize that your strength is in numbers. You want to be at least
double the size of your opponents army and ideally outnumber him three to one. The key to playing a
horde swarm is to realize that youre going to take a lot of casualties. Therefore, you want to keep the
model cost low. If your opponent has 30 models and you have 100, you may lose 40 on the way in.
However, when you get to him, you will still outnumber him two to one! With that kind of numerical
advantage, you should be able to hold him up long enough for the assault specialists to get in and do
enough damage to win the day.

FAST ASSAULT
This swarm is built around the idea that you want to be in assault as quickly as possible. A winged
Hive Tyrant for HQ, leaping Warriors in Elites, Hormagaunts for Troops, and Raveners, winged
Warriors, or even Gargoyles in Fast Attack. If you have points left for Heavy Support, buy some anti-
vehicle ranged units in the form of Zoanthropes or heavy-weapon-toting Carnifexes.

When building this swarm, make sure you have enough bodies (in the form of Hormagaunts) to
support an all-assault swarm and then have enough synapse coverage to keep them in line. Four to
six moderate broods of Hormagaunts along with a winged Tyrant and two small broods of leaping or
winged Tyranid Warriors should be the core of your army. From there, you can add more aspects
depending on points.

Playing this swarm is straightforward charge ahead as fast as you can and allow your opponent as
few shots as possible. Have your broods support each other. Dont try to take out fast-moving vehicles
in close combat, unless they are the only things you can reach in assault. A cheap AT unit in Heavy
Support can be invaluable in shooting down pesky speeders and shaking those tanks so you can take
them out close up.

ELITE STEALER/WARRIOR SWARMS

In contrast to the horde, you can also field an elite Tyranid swarm. Rather than relying on hordes of
Gaunts, your core is broods of Genestealers and Warriors. The goal of this force is to put broods on
the table that are able to operate independently. Throw synapse out the window none of your broods
rely on it. After youve got the core of your force, you can add Carnifexes, and for an interesting
change of pace, consider leaping or winged Ripper Swarms. They can give you much needed speed
for a relatively small number of points, and you dont need synapse creatures to babysit them.

One thing to realize with this swarm is that every casualty means a significant loss of combat
effectiveness. Youll want to get across the board as quickly as possible, because your opponents
shots count when your cheapest model is 16 points. You may want to consider deploying your entire
swarm in a small area. It will make it easier to have an effective force after being shot up. One word of
warning however this tactic will allow your opponent to deploy his body of troops farther away if you
arent careful. As with any elite army, deployment is often the difference between victory and defeat.

Tyranids pag. 16
Even though elite swarms can see some success, Tyranids are not as suited to this type of role as
other armies. Many armies are much better at fielding elite compositions. However, this type of
Tyranid swarm is a nice change of pace and does speed the game up considerably.

STOMPY DEATH
The Godzilla swarm is new to the latest Codex. With the ability to take up to eight Tyranid Monstrous
Creatures (TMCs), you can now take Tyranid swarms full of giant monsters. While this seems like a
great opportunity to take unkillable beasts with all the toys, you should restrain yourself and make
them as cheap as possible.

This army ignores many of the Tyranids strengths. By using Elites and Heavy Support to take six
Carnifexes, there is almost no synapse coverage on the board. With eight TMCs likely taking up at
least 1,000 points, you dont have much room for numbers, especially since your cheap Gaunts rely on
lots of synapse coverage. Also, with such a small number of targets on the board, your opponent wont
have any trouble deciding what to go after.

This army tends to be very slow. Thus, you have to be careful with your Troops and Fast Attack
choices. Troops should really be Ripper Swarms if youre low on points or Genestealers if youve got
points to spare they arent too bothered about synapse.

In Fast Attack, you can continue the monster theme by taking Raveners or winged Warriors. Possibly
the most attractive choice for this force is Spore Clusters, as they allow you to do damage to units that
try to hide from you and are extremely cheap points-wise.

While this army seems powerful, it has problems with certain missions, especially Omega level
missions with Escalation rules. Though its fun to play, this army is small in number and surrenders big
chunks of Victory Points easily. So be careful!

SHOOTY BUGS FROM HELL

While not known for their ranged weaponry, Tyranids can put an impressive amount of firepower on
the board. Two cheap Tyrants with venom cannons, broods of deathspitter-armed Warriors,
Termagants with fleshborers and devourers, Biovores, Zoanthropes, and a Carnifex with a barbed
strangler can throw a large amount of fire down the table.

While Tyranid firepower is short-ranged, it is quite powerful. Tyranids are not bad shots if you buy
them the right upgrades, and most of their guns have multiple shots, or can reroll misses or failed
wound rolls (or a combination of these effects). Many Tyranid weapons have high Strength as well.
The power of the fleshborer, for instance, should not be ignored. A S4 gun that rerolls wounds in the
hands of a 6-point model is surprisingly effective and can easily take out light troops and even light
vehicles.

Tyranids pag. 17
With just a few points spent here and there, the swarm can have a bit of punch in close combat as
well. I wouldnt recommend this type of army to a new player, as Tyranid guns dont have the range or
stopping power of Eldar or Space Marine weaponry. However, this army is a fun variant to try out for a
change of pace.

When building a swarm, you might want clone broods with the same role. However, that doesnt mean
that, if you need three fire support broods, they all have to be in the form of Warriors with deathspitters
and a venom cannon. Its perfectly fine to take a brood of Warriors, a Carnifex with barbed strangler
and enhanced senses, and a brood of three Zoanthropes with Warp Blast. Also note that theres quite
a bit of overlap available. If you need synapse and fire support, Zoanthropes and Warriors are perfect.

DEPLOYMENT
Tyranids almost always outnumber their foes, so having the right components of your army in the right
spot can often spell victory or defeat. This is why its so critical to take as many choices as possible.
The more you have, the easier it is to to create beneficial match-ups across the board. Assume that
you have a varied Tyranid swarm, with two Hive Tyrants, two broods of Warriors, a brood of
Genestealers, three broods of Hormagaunts, two broods of Termagants, a brood of Gargoyles, a
brood of Raveners, a Spore Cluster, a Carnifex, a Zoanthrope brood, and a Biovore.

Your Carnifex needs to be as close to the enemy as possible, while the Biovore and Zoanthrope are
more flexible. As they are the first pieces to hit the table, you should probably deploy the Biovore first,
because it has the longest range. Then deploy your Zoanthropes (if they have synapse, spread them
out across your Deployment Zone). You have two choices when deploying your Carnifex. You can
either place him across from a juicy target or deploy him centrally if there isnt anything to go after.
Unfortunately, your opponent can then refuse to deploy anywhere near it.

If you are lucky, youll finish placing your troops choices when your opponent is completely done. If so,
then you have a huge advantage and will get to cherry-pick the placement of your Warriors, Raveners,
and Tyrants to maximize their effectiveness. I cannot stress how important it can be to have this
advantage over your opponent.

A note on Infiltrate and Deep Strike Gargoyles, Raveners, and Broodlord-led Genestealers get to
choose if they want to deploy via these methods in some missions. In many cases, it is better to
deploy normally with these broods!

If you Deep Strike, the best case scenario has them appear on Turn 2 and shoot; if they survive the
next turn, they assault on Turn 3. With bad rolls, they may not appear until late in the game, and a
poor Scatter roll can lose the entire brood. On the other hand, if they deploy with the main force, they
get to move normally from Turn 1, may get 1st turn shots, and will almost certainly have a Turn 2
assault. In some cases, it may be better to hold the unit back, but having them on the board from the
start will be better for you.

On the other hand, its almost always a good idea to Infiltrate with your Broodlord-led Genestealers.
Should you drop a Broodlord and a big brood of Genestealers down 15" from the enemy, he will do
everything in his power to kill them by Turn 2. No one wants that unit at full strength hitting his army.
Sometimes, this is exactly what you want a sacrificial unit in cover to draw enemy fire.

In games where there arent any good places to Infiltrate, deploying normally might give you a chance
to hit the enemy with your fast assault units on Turn 2. This tactic allows your Broodlord to stroll across
the board untouched and become a game-winning unit on Turn 4. Lastly, before dropping that
expensive Deep Striking unit in front of the enemys guns, make sure you can afford to lose the brood
before it moves.

BOARD CONTROL
Now that you have your swarm on the table, theres one final issue: controlling the board. You need to
control fire lanes, assault options, and other features. In general, you want to use your fast broods to
assault the enemy immediately, prevent him from shooting, and hopefully cut off fire lanes of other
units behind the enemys front line.

Tyranids pag. 18
When planning these assaults, judge the relative strength of the unit youre assaulting and the brood
youre assaulting with. You want to apply just enough force to cripple the unit so that you cannot be
shot in the opponents turn and can finish the enemy off in the 2nd round of combat. Ideally, youll hit
hard but not quite break the unit. Then, in the enemy turn, youll wipe them out and consolidate, ready
to charge the next target.

A brood that assaults and wipes out an enemy unit generally has hung itself out to dry. The opposing
force will vaporize it or countercharge it. A brood that gets locked in combat keeps itself safe, blocks
fire lanes, and forces the opponent to throw the unit away or bring in more troops in the Assault Phase
to help out. Either way, its a winning situation for you.

Another aspect of board control is to use pincer movements as you advance. If you bring a Carnifex
and a Genestealer brood in together, the enemy will simply move away from them. Instead, come at
the target unit from two sides. Thus, if it retreats, it has to move straight back to the board edge, which
prevents the unit from supporting the rest of the enemy force and makes it possible for the unit to
break off the board.

Used properly, the Tyranids offer a number of strategies and can be very effective. Just by following
some of these tips, youll be able to get the best out of the army. Now, go follow the imperatives of the
hive!

Tyranids pag. 19