"Smash" rule and Smash Attacks

[Vangrail]

The rule Smash makes you ap 2 and allows you to do smash attacks correct? page 42 main rulebook under monstrous creatures. Now would that make a hive tyrant ap 2 with his boneswords?

[Nabterayl]

Yes it would. You're AP2 in melee all the time (unless you're AP1), and - completely separately - you have the option to halve your Attacks and double your Strength in melee.

[Katharon]

Think of it like this: your model that has the Smash USR always fights with Smash -- but you can choose, at any time in cc, to make a special "Smash Attack" that doubles your Strength but divides your number of Attacks by two.

[evilamericorp]

Except your tail attacks. Because no one has ever smashed anything with a mace tail...

[Vangrail]

Thanks folks for clearing that up. Ive never used monstrous creatures before besides my demon prince that has the ap 2 axe. Now may i ask whats the point of the swarmlord? Instant death and 4+ inv? Other then that i think u can make a cheaper tyrant as good.

[Tynskel]

Thanks folks for clearing that up. Ive never used monstrous creatures before besides my demon prince that has the ap 2 axe. Now may i ask whats the point of the swarmlord? Instant death and 4+ inv? Other then that i think u can make a cheaper tyrant as good.

Because She is a force multiplier: 3 powers that buff/debuff, hands out candy USRs, and is still a beatstick

[Tynskel]

Except your tail attacks. Because no one has ever smashed anything with a mace tail...

That's why it is str 8

[Anggul]

It's no big deal as I probably still wouldn't buy them, but I do think the tail biomorphs could have had a little more oomph for what they cost and what they are.

As for the Swarmlord, yeah he's basically there to make other units in your army a lot scarier at any given moment, and is ML3 which is lovely. He then also butchers most things in close combat, and what he can't beat (a rather short list of things, although slightly larger now that they for some reason removed the forced re-rolling of invulnerable saves) you can just throw something else more appropriate at. Also he always gets the good warlord trait, Synaptic Lynchpin. Your call on whether you want to take him and have that or have another warlord roll on strategic, which is also good for Tyranids.

[Tynskel]

I just can't see tail attacks being that strong. Pay 10 points; get a bonus attack.
That's how you should look at it.

[Mr Mystery]

Swarmlord is also the only Tyrant to have an invulnerable save, albeit combat only. That's pretty saucy right there.