Tyranid Tactica

[Learn2Eel]

Hey guys, my name is Learn2Eel, and today I'm going to be bringing you another article in the Tyranid Tactica series! Trygons are gigantic, serpentine creatures that move with a sinuous speed no other Tyranid organism of that size could possibly emulate. Designed less as front-line combatants and more as the natural progression of the Ravener strain, Trygons burrow deep beneath the earth to emerge and devastate central and rear positions in enemy battle lines. They expose the weakest elements of an opposing force, crushing them in a swift stroke of brutal scything. Though not as dominant as their 5th Edition or even 4th Edition incarnations, the new look Trygon is still one heck of a battle monster. I hope you enjoy this article!

As the Prime is essentially an upgrade over a regular Trygon, I will cover it in this article.


Trygons and Trygon Primes

Overview

When the new Tyranid codex released, there was a general consensus - and yes, that included me - that the new Trygon and Trygon Prime had been hit badly with some of the changes to the codex. While they did receive a small points drop, losing re-rolls to hit on all close combat attacks and paying more for some upgrades generally wasn't seen as a good trade. With some more experience with the new Trygon though, I have come to the conclusion that it is only "weaker" than its previous codex incarnation was in 6th Edition. The loss of a base attack to be replaced by being granted an extra attack through two sets of weapons stacking is a big change that means it will always have one more Smash attack than it previously would have. While the lack of re-rolls to hit does hurt its damage output considerably, this is a unit that dominated the 5th Edition Tyranid Heavy Support slot and the changes in 6th Edition made it easily capable of taking on considerably more expensive enemies - like Wraithknights or even Dreadknights - with ease.

I feel that while the toning down probably wasn't justified, it isn't something I disagree with and the small points drop does help soften the blow. The reality is, the Trygon is still useful even if the rules designers failed to fix one of its broken special rules, if only because it remains now as one of the few units able to Deep Strike in the codex. The removal of the Mycetic Spore has seen the Trygon become even more useful than before as Tyranids do need multiple forms of deployment to assault the enemy from all sides and saturate all areas of the field with viable targets. That the Trygon itself isn't as powerful as it used to be is made up by this fact, I feel.

But enough of that, what do we actually have in front of us? Well, aside from one tiny change, the profile of the Trygon is identical to the previous version, and this is most definitely a good thing. Weapon Skill 5 and Ballistic Skill 3 distinguish it as a melee-centric monstrous creature, while its Initiative 4 and Leadership 8 make it roughly analogous to a Space Marine in many respects. Strength, Toughness and Wounds 6 are of course shared between many monsters in the Tyranid codex, though out of those the Trygon is the only one that can claim to be a truly great combat unit due to its other stats. A 3+ armour save to back up all those wounds makes the Trygon incredibly resistant to small arms fire, and even massed Strength 7 AP4 shooting from missile pods and autocannons will still have to force about eighteen total armour saves to kill the Trygon. Between rolling to hit, usually on 3s or 4s, and rolling to wound on 3s, this is no easy feat for most armies; of course, multiple Crisis Teams or a Broadside Team with Markerlight support can do the deed, but the points investment is obviously high.

Between two sets of Scything Talons and five attacks on its profile, the Trygon still has the same whopping six attacks when fighting a melee. The only change here comes when the Trygon halves its attacks for Smash; as the value halved is the base attacks before modifiers are included, a Trygon would thus have three Smash attacks plus one for having two close combat weapons. In a sense, the change to Tyranid close combat weapons acting as proper melee weapons has given it a hefty boost in damage output against Toughness 5 or lower models lacking Eternal Warrior, in addition to vehicles who are now more vulnerable than ever. Add in Toxin Sacs and a Trygon can dish out up to five Strength 10 attacks that re-roll to wound against all targets on the charge. Ouch!

The Trygon has a set of additional special rules that help to distinguish it further from Carnifexes and Haruspexes, giving it a more unique position in a Swarm. Like the Haruspex and unlike Carnifex broods, a Trygon has no fear of its Instinctive Behaviour due to being a solo model; gaining Rage every time it fails when one considers how good its melee stats are is never a bad thing! Where both of those other units have to purchase Adrenal Glands for Fleet to remain viable as combat units, a Trygon comes stock with Fleet and thus never has to worry about paying for that upgrade. The Trygon is the only monstrous creature in the army to natively have Fleet, something that serves to save you points and something that should be factored into their high base cost when comparing to other melee monstrous creatures.

What really gives the Trygon its place though is that it is one of only two monstrous creatures in the army - the other being the Mawloc - that is capable of deep striking, bringing the total number of Tyranid units with alternative deployment options (if you exclude Hive Commander) up to eleven. While it does lack an effective ranged weapon like most other effective deep striking units such as Sternguard Veterans in Drop Pods or suicidal Chaos Terminator units, it is enough to threaten light vehicles and weak infantry alike with up to six Strength 5 AP5 shots at 12". However, what none of those units bring is the sheer terror of a colossal six-wound monstrous creature with Toughness 6 that is infamous for being one of the stronger melee units of its kind in the game. If a Trygon appears in your opponents backfield, they will either scramble to destroy it - generally not an easy task - or make the fatal mistake of ignoring it. If the latter situation occurs, a Trygon can happily wreak havoc by tearing apart entire units of infantry and vehicles or monstrous creatures of all sizes; everything is prey to a Trygon!

Remembering that the Trygon possesses safe Deep Strike from its Subterranean Assault rule - the more left unsaid about the other effects of this special rule, the better - and its superb melee skills and the Trygon is still one of the scariest monsters to face in the Tyranid force. Having the option to deep strike a six wound monster gives you a lot of flexibility in deployment to confound and force mistakes from the opponent, while it is also one of the more cost effective choices in the book even if you just run it up the field. It is one of the few units in the codex that really doesn't need upgrades despite having access to them, as it does its job very well with all but Toxin Sacs.


How to Equip Them

Compared to Carnifexes, Trygons are very limited in terms of options with access only to the regular Biomorph list and two tail weapon upgrades. Depending on your perspective, though, this may actually be a good thing as a Trygon doesn't really need any upgrades, save perhaps for one. Both of the tail weapons are mediocre additions, as has been the case throughout the rest of the codex, though I guess an extra Poisoned (2+) attack isn't all that bad. Honestly though, just take Toxin Sacs instead and leave it at that.

Unlike most other Tyranid units, Toxin Sacs are the real winners for a Trygon simply because it already has Fleet and thus only receives half the benefit for the more expensive Adrenal Glands. Furious Charge is inferior in almost every imaginable scenario to Toxin Sacs for pure combat effectiveness, so if you want to upgrade your Trygon, just leave it with poisoned close combat attacks. The other Biomorphs aren't really worth the points, especially on an already costly unit. Regeneration makes a lot more sense here than it does for a Carnifex, for instance, but it is still an expensive and unreliable upgrade that fails to take into account the ability of many armies to slay a Trygon and similar monster in one round of shooting. Acid Blood is only really effective against low Initiative enemies, and even then one must wonder if it is worth the higher cost over Toxin Sacs. My recommendation is to skip all the upgrades, except the almost mandatory Toxin Sacs - and even that is only taken because of the massive boost to damage output it provides.


Where to Put Them

The ability to Deep Strike gives Trygons a lot of deployment flexibility that few other Tyranid units possess. You can either play them from reserves and use their "safe" deep striking to enter the battlefield in an advanced position, or deploy them alongside the rest of your forces to add considerably to your target saturation. Ultimately, it depends on how you are running your swarm. Trygons can be used pretty well as fire sinks, even if Toughness 6 and 3+ armour are easier to negate than ever before, as six wounds gives and potential Catalyst or Regeneration gives them good staying power. Your average three-strong Broadside Team all with high yield missile pods, smart missile systems, attached missile drones and buffed with Ballistic Skill 5 from Markerlight support will still statistically kill a Trygon in one go, but other lesser shooting platforms will struggle immensely to down it in one go. The more units forced to shoot at one of your monsters to kill it, the less shooting the rest of your units must face.

This is why Trygons do work when deployed on "foot", especially as they are point-for-point one of your cheaper monstrous creatures per Toughness 6 3+ armoured wound. However, Deep Striking a six wound combat monster like the Trygon that has a nifty little shooting attack can be very scary for any opponent, especially in a concerted attack with Infiltrating elements or other Trygons and Mawlocs. Hitting your opponent with a lot of units at once on turn two or three can serve to panic them and see them waste shooting at multiple units and fail to eliminate most of the targets. These kinds of tactics are required for Tyranids to really succeed, and the Trygon having safe deep striking assists those efforts greatly. That a Trygon doesn't need to worry about Instinctive Behaviour so much due to a combination of good Leadership and less worrisome results means you can freely Deep Strike it without fear of losing control.


Best Uses

I see the Trygon mostly as an aggressive gun-line breaker designed to pop up near your opponents backfield support or ranged units and isolate them. It either serves as a moderately expensive distraction from then on - deep strike it into cover if possible as it ignores dangerous terrain - or as a devastating attacker that annihilates one or more key units. A Trygon is still pretty darn cheap for what it brings, so using it in a risky manner like this is rarely a bad idea; after all, why waste a near guaranteed turn three charge (provided reserve rolls are favourable) and the ability to break up the middle of a formation? Running it up the field does work as well, especially as it has innate Fleet and thus does not require Adrenal Glands as an upgrade, but I feel the terror a deep striking six wound melee monster brings is too good to pass up.

Don't forget its shooting attack, even if a regular Trygons' isn't that great; use it to shoot at the rear armour of vehicles and small, light squads like Marker Drone squadrons or Pathfinders. If there are no good or viable targets, Run into a better position, such as more beneficial terrain in terms of cover or just closer - or further away, in the case of a Dreadknight for example - to ensure a charge on its next turn. Trygons can easily take on squads of Tactical Marine equivalents, and do pretty well against elite infantry such as Terminator equivalents as well. With Toxin Sacs, they can go toe to toe with almost any monstrous creature in the game and come out on top due to their awesome stats like Weapon Skill 5 and six attacks base, or four base when Smashing.


Recommended Builds

These are a few example builds for the unit that I feel can fit into a number of competitive Tyranid lists. I'll list some thoughts on each build and what kind of lists they fit better in.

Trygon - Toxin Sacs - Your standard Trygon is principally a more expensive and "elite" combat monster than the Haruspex or even a Carnifex, even if it does retain a decent shooting attack. Its high Weapon Skill and innate Fleet make it naturally suited for taking on enemy monsters and being an aggressive monster. This means that Adrenal Glands really aren't necessary as they would be for other combat-oriented monstrous creatures. Instead, Toxin Sacs win out here just for the sheer efficiency boost they provide at such a low cost. I consider this upgrade near mandatory with so many Riptides and Wraithknights populating the meta, especially now as the Trygon no longer re-rolls failed to hit rolls in close combat.


Trygon Prime

Much like the previous codex, the Prime is effectively a Terminator-priced upgrade to a Trygon that gives it a few key advantages; interestingly enough, however, the Prime is now its own separate unit entry. The changes made by this "upgrade" mostly centres around the removal of Instinctive Behaviour, the addition of both Synapse and Shadow in the Warp and a boost to Leadership 10 over the standard Leadership 8. The Trygon Prime is thus the only source of Synapse in the Heavy Support slot and, with Synapse being more important than ever, an even more important unit than ever before. While the choice between a Trygon or a Prime was generally down to personal preference before, I feel the Prime upgrade may very well be near mandatory now. Synapse might not necessarily be harder to come by in the new army list, but it is certainly more difficult to sustain, especially now that Tervigons don't bring it so cheaply and your forces can literally fall apart.

The Trygon Prime is, as such, the only Synapse unit aside from Shrikes that is capable of deep striking. This makes them almost mandatory in more aggressive lists such as Hormagaunts mixed with Gargoyles and Carnifexes with Adrenal Glands, while they remain useful as supporting Synapse units in the same vein as Tervigons are for spawning Termagants. If an opponent eliminates all of your Synapse units or scoring units, being able to call in an extra Synapse or scoring unit through a deep-striking Trygon Prime or a spawning Tervigon will be crucial to continuing the game and having any chance at victory. A Prime that deep strikes cannot be targeted until it arrives, keeping it safe in the early turns; this can be used to great effect if you focus on ridding the opponent of their heavy weapons early on at the cost of your other Synapse units. The Prime can deep strike in where needed with its safe scatter to restore control to your in-fighting swarm units, an invaluable tool indeed.

The Prime also possesses a significant boost to its ranged attack, gaining an additional six shots for a total of twelve Strength 5 AP5 shots with an increased 18" range. This not only reduces the penalties of a bad deep strike scatter, but it also becomes a truly legitimate threat to vehicles with rear AV 10 such as the Battle Leman Russ variants. On average, a Prime will hit six times and get one glance and one penetrating hit, potentially leading to a disabled or at least neutered tank; it goes without saying that it is very helpful for trying to finish off small left overs of infantry units. While still not a great shooting attack, it is one that you should actually consider using very often instead of just running, unlike the regular Trygons' ranged attack.

The Prime has access to all of the same upgrades as a regular Trygon, and as stated before, I feel the only worthwhile one is Toxin Sacs; while not mandatory, they provide such a big boost to combat effectiveness that I would really advise them. Of course, a Prime is not solely a combat monster like a regular Trygon, so you shouldn't feel forced to take it. The twist here - and likely the reason a Prime is now its own separate unit entry - is that it can, unlike a regular Trygon, take the Tyranid Bio-Artefacts usually only available to certain HQ choices. Of those, two in particular stand out; the Miasma Cannon and the Reaper of Obliterax. While expensive on an already costly model, these provide massive boosts to the damage output of a Trygon Prime. The Miasma Cannon should be used in conjunction with deep strike as a reserved infantry-sweeper that can clear out entire 4+ armoured units with ease, a weapon that can also be used defensively to get rid of potential tarpit units.

The Reaper turns the Trygon Prime into a ridiculous combat monster with Initiative 7, Strength 7 and Instant Death on to wound rolls of a 6. Remember how a Trygon Prime has five attacks base, and plus one for two combat weapons, a bonus that still applies when the Reaper is added? Yes, this is as absolutely ridiculous as it sounds. Expensive, yes, but undeniably brutal, allowing a Trygon Prime to scythe Wraithknights, Dreadknights, Riptides and all manner of enemies apart with ruthless efficiency. The other relics are decent, with the maw claws being a cheap way to bring back re-rolls to hit of a sort, but I feel the Reaper is a better - albeit far more significant - investment. The Norn Crown is better suited to a better protected creature such as a Hive Tyrant with Tyrant Guard bodyguards or a Tervigon that can feasibly hide in the backfield. The Ymgarl Factor is a mediocre upgrade I feel, especially at such a high cost; just take the Reaper instead for slightly more points.


The Serpent Strikes

When one feels tremors in the earth, their natural instinct is usually to hide under a stable platform or surface. But when a world is stricken instead by a Tyranid infestation, such places are no longer safe from the jaws of the earth. Even if the prey knows of what foul creature is searching for them, their fate cannot be changed; like a spider in its web, the titanic Trygons can sense the movements, the rush of blood in those they stalk. Like a howling maelstrom emerging without warning, a Trygon erupts from the ground with the subtlety of a thunderclap, destroying all nearby through the sheer force of its entrance. Those who survive have precious few moments to react and try to harm the beast, for fleeing from a monster that can hunt without sight or smell is impossible. The last breath of those attacked is silenced quickly by the scything blade arms of the Trygon, leaving nothing but mounds of dismembered corpses in its wake. Truly, to be hunted by a Trygon is to be courted by the whim of Death itself, for no mortal can escape this leviathan serpent without facing its wrath.


Thank you for reading this article! Please, share your thoughts on the article and the changes I am experimenting with for this series. I am open to any and all feedback! And remember, for any and all discussion on Tyranids and Games Workshop stuff, head on over to +Bell of Lost Souls. Thanks again! Eel out.

[Learn2Eel]

EDIT: This was going to be the Trygon Prime article, but as I decided to just add that to the regular Trygon article, this post is moot. Please ignore!

[Learn2Eel]

Hey guys, my name is Learn2Eel, and today I'm going to be bringing you another article in the Tyranid Tactica series! Mawlocs are vicious predators that stalk foes of the Swarm from beneath the earth using the heart beats of their prey as a guiding light. Unlike the more combat-oriented Trygon, the Mawloc is very much built for disruption and chaos with its colossal maw able to swallow entire squads of infantry as it emerges from beneath their feet. With a huge points drop and a boost in destructive power, the Mawloc is a far superior option than it was prior to the new codex. I hope you enjoy this article!


Mawlocs

Overview

My brother and I have a very dear friend who also collects Tyranids, trying out all kinds of units and playing with the rule of cool first and foremost. He had a saying, a battle cry if you will, that I feel is very appropriate for this article; "I am the great big mouth!". While the Haruspex does challenge the Mawloc for the World's Biggest Mouth award, the latter at least can live content in the knowledge that it actually has workable rules. Jokes aside, the Mawloc is the kit-sibling to the plastic Trygon and is, as such, a newer take on the ancient Forge World Tyranid monstrous creature. Where the Trygon is an elite close combat unit with variable support and ranged abilities based on a certain upgrade, a Mawloc does not fit the mold of gun-beast, melee monster or even a support tool. Instead, the Mawloc is the largest and perhaps most terrifying disruption unit in the codex, with its claim to fame being that it is the only Tyranid monstrous creature designed almost exclusively with such a role in mind. But just how well does it perform this role? In truth, while it lacks both the precision of Lictors and the disabling capabilities of Genestealers, the Mawloc is undeniably the most terrifying of these with one of the deadliest, yet random, special attacks in the game.

First up though, let us take a look at the Mawlocs' stats. Like the Trygon, this is a monstrous creature with a whopping six wounds, Toughness 6 and a 3+ armour save. I've already discussed why this is good durability for any monster to have, even despite the lack of a 2+ armour save or invulnerable save, so I won't go too heavily into that. However, what is crucial to note is just how ridiculously cheap a Mawloc is, clocking in at half a century less than a Trygon with identical survivability against ranged attacks. Woah! Yes, that is approximately 23 points per Toughness 6 wound, as opposed to the Trygon's rough 32 points per Toughness 6 wound. As a barometer, a Tyranid Warrior pays about 10 points per Toughness 4 wound with a 4+ armour save, while the Mawloc pays slightly over double that for a Toughness 6 wound with a 3+ armour save. Impressive, no? This is perhaps the most advantageous trait of a Mawloc; while it is obviously a unit with wildly varying damage output, it is crazily cheap in regards to its durability. Unfortunately, the rest of its stats aren't as impressive; Weapon Skill 3 and three attacks base are much akin to a standard Tyranid monster, though it does have the benefit of a good Initiative 4. Strength 6 means it can defend itself decently in close combat, especially with Smash and all the other lovely monstrous creature specific rules thrown in, but it won't stand up to any kind of dedicated melee unit. That it lacks a Ballistic Skill value means you can't try and play shenanigans with clearing out the enemy Aegis Defence Line and hijacking their Quad Gun, especially as it also lacks a typical ranged attack of any kind. On that note, it also lacks melee weapons and as such doesn't receive an extra attack or any other bonuses in combat.

The profile might seem middling at first, but when you look at it and contrast to its points cost, it becomes a lot more inviting. The Mawloc also doesn't need to worry about Instinctive Behaviour really, with a good Leadership 8 and the Feed result being almost meaningless to a single model unit. Failing a check doesn't prevent a Mawloc from attempting to use one of its two unique special rules, meaning that it can continue to bring the pain regardless of if the Hive Mind exerts its will or not. One of the more awesome inclusions for a Mawloc is the Hit and Run special rule, allowing it to high-tail safely out of combats based on an Initiative test. This gives the Mawloc a rough 66.6% chance of escaping an unwanted combat which, combined with natural Fearless, means that it can itself be used as a tarpit or as a bait unit in equal measure. There is nothing more amusing than an opponent believing the nasty Mawloc is tied up in close combat or about to die in the subsequent turn, then have it Hit and Run to safety and begin its attacks anew. This combines particularly well with the Deep Strike capabilities of the Mawloc, much akin to the Trygon, though the similarities between the two begin to truly diverge at this point.

That big mouth the Mawloc possesses isn't just for show, of course. Like the Trygon, the Mawloc has some nifty special rules related to Deep Striking, but where a Trygon is intended to provide an entry point for other units and has a safe scatter mechanic, the Mawloc trades these abilities for one of the nastiest entrances you could imagine. After rolling for scatter and assuming the Mawloc doesn't hit impassable terrain, it emerges, regardless of any friendly or enemy models in the way! Before the model is placed, you get to put a large blast marker directly over where it would enter the field of battle; any models touched, friend or foe, are struck by an automatic hit at Strength 6, AP2 with the Ignores Cover special rule. Yes, this annihilates infantry of all kinds and, with all hits being resolved against the side armour of vehicles, is also potentially devastating against light transports. Just let that sink in for a moment, though. A Strength 6 AP2 Ignores Cover large blast. While it might not inflict instant death on such a wide range of targets as a Riptides' Ion Accelerator does, nor have the potential accuracy, this is still nonetheless a brutal attack. It can decimate entire squads of units from Tactical Marines to Terminators, Guardsmen to Dire Avengers, Fire Warriors to Pathfinders and so on. It can cause an incredible amount of wounds on units comprised of models with multiple wounds, such as Ogryns or Centurions, while even monstrous creatures that are low on wounds are right to be fearful.

As devastating as the Terror from the Deep attack is - and yes, that is the name of the special rule! - it is inherently random and unreliable because it is based entirely around the deep strike mechanics. As we (should) all know, deep strike is resolved by initially placing a marker, rolling two dice and a scatter dice and then moving the marker to the final position indicated by the dice. The chances of a direct hit are slim, as are actually hitting anything if your opponents spreads out their units. This means that you cannot rely on the Terror from the Deep attack to do damage as the chances of it getting a good scatter and lots of hits on a unit that is truly susceptible to the AP2 strikes are quite low. Obviously, armies with incredibly high model counts based around larger squads, such as horde Orks or infantry-centric Imperial Guard, will be far more susceptible to the Terror from the Deep; however, such armies aren't necessarily that popular. Your typical opponent in an 1850 point game will likely have anywhere between thirty to fifty infantry models spread out among various units, with multiple vehicles or monstrous creatures in support. These usually won't be large units, and any smart opponent will know to spread their models out to avoid severe damage from a Mawloc. The average damage output of a Mawloc, especially when one considers it lacks any kind of ranged attack and is mediocre at best in close combat, is rather low indeed.

However, this is where, again, the low cost of a Mawloc really needs to be at the forefront of any tactical discussion concerning "the great big mouth". This is a unit that has mediocre combat abilities and a potentially nasty but very unreliable deep strike attack, but is very tough for its points cost and leaves so much room for you to fit in other units. If this was all it did, it would be valuable because of the potential of that attack - much like the now retired Doom of Malan'tai, though obviously nowhere near as bonkers - but the Mawloc has a lot of other uses. For one, failing to kill all enemy models with the Terror from the Deep attack doesn't force surviving models to move out of the way as it previously did, but instead inflicts a second round of hits on them with the exact same profile. This maximises the damage output of the attack, and that the Mawloc can be placed even within 1" of enemy models gives it a lot of leeway for placement. However, if the Mawloc still can't be placed after resolving that attack twice, it mishaps, and this is the really amusing part. The Mawloc has the Burrow special rule which, from turn two onwards, allows it to go back into ongoing reserves to - per the rules as intended - deep strike and do a Terror from the Deep attack on its subsequent turn. Now, look at how Burrow plays with the two main mishap results; if the Mawloc is delayed, it will automatically arrive next turn to do another Terror from the Deep attack. If the Mawloc is placed by an opponent, it can freely burrow on its next turn and try again. The only mishap result that is actually bad for a Mawloc in any real sense is the destroyed result, but with only a one in six chance of occurring, it shouldn't be seen as a deterrent.

This I feel is the beauty of the Mawloc; though its main damage dealing mechanism is unreliable, the tools with which it can continue to use that attack are very safe indeed. If it is misplaced, it can burrow on its next turn and try again. If an opponent charges it after it has done some severe damage to a unit, it can Hit and Run out of combat and Burrow on its turn. If it arrives near a vehicle or valuable ranged unit that fails to destroy it, the Mawloc can charge them and either destroy or simply tie them up, then do the Hit and Run trick at the end of the opponents' turn. That the Mawloc can easily escape combats, will never run away and cares little for Instinctive Behaviour makes it not only one of the most independent units in the Tyranid codex, but also arguably the most self-sufficient. It can wreak havoc in the enemy backfield, then either Burrow or continue the assault as desired. It can be deployed on the field to act as a distraction unit, or be deep struck and used as a terror weapon against your opponent. All the while, it never has to worry about Instinctive Behaviour - remembering that it need not test when it arrives from reserves either - and can easily frighten your opponent into focusing on it at the expense of your other units. The potential uses of this monstrous creature that is barely more expensive than a Carnifex are staggering, and while it is inherently random in regards to the damage it deals, it is nonetheless one of the most stable performers in the codex. It is a strong unit that works so well because it is cheap, can be put literally anywhere and used as an effective disruption tool.


How to Equip Them

Where a Trygon can get away with taking no upgrades but generally wants Toxin Sacs for the combat boost they provide, a Mawloc really needs no extra points invested into it. It is one of the weaker Tyranid monsters in an assault and generally doesn't want to be there in the first place, other than to maybe tie up a dangerous ranged unit so that your other units don't need to face their fury, or even just destroy a vehicle. The two traits that define a Mawloc are its "ranged" attack and the fact that it is so darn cheap for a Toughness 6, 6 wound and 3+ armoured monstrous creature. Wasting those advantages on melee-oriented upgrades generally isn't the best idea as a result, I feel. Even more so than the Trygon, I would avoid the tail biomorphs; it is nice that they were included, but I've never felt they were worthwhile on any unit in the codex so far.

As for the Biomorphs, Adrenal Glands is probably your best bet because of Fleet if you do need to use your Mawloc to charge a unit in a pinch - it is likely to happen at least once in a game where the devour attack becomes inefficient - while the others can be skipped. Toxin Sacs can help maximise its damage output in close combat, but with only three attacks at Weapon Skill three, it is an upgrade that is mostly wasted on a Mawloc. Regeneration is something to consider if only because the Mawloc, like the Trygon, is one of the more worthwhile contenders for it due to its higher durability than most other Tyranid monstrous creatures. In fact, as far as I can tell, Regeneration rolls can be made for Mawlocs even when they are in reserve; once burrowed, you can still roll to see if they regain a wound! I am not clear on the ruling for this, but that seems to be the way it works; if so, it is certainly an appealing upgrade. However, again, I feel the best advantage a Mawloc has is its low cost; slapping an expensive and often unreliable upgrade on probably isn't that great. Acid Blood works in combat only which, for a Mawloc, isn't really worth the points. Realistically, a Mawloc doesn't need any upgrades; I think Adrenal Glands might be decent for Fleet, but really, on a unit that has mostly safe deep striking in addition to Hit and Run, do you really need that Fleet?


Where to Put Them

The best way to deploy Mawlocs is to start them in reserves where they can attempt to attack enemies with their Terror from the Deep special rule from turn two onwards, rather than be forced to wait to Burrow on turn two at the earliest. While deploying on the field does add to your early target saturation and presents another juicy, scary target for your opponents to focus on, most opponents know that Mawlocs are not a threat until they start deep striking. Even then, the Terror from the Deep attack itself really isn't all that reliable. Enemies may often ignore Mawlocs starting on the board in favour of your Synapse creatures and more valuable monstrous creatures, such as Tyrannofexes or Exocrines. While the guaranteed turn three arrival is a plus, the odds of a Mawloc not arriving on turn three or two at that point is slim unless your opponent has some serious reserve penalty capabilities. If you are going to deploy them on the field though, place them in the most forward position you can while retaining a cover save and use them aggressively. This may force the opponents' hand and make them waste shots at your incredibly cheap six wound monstrous creature. If they manage to eliminate it, the likelihood will be that they have invested a serious amount of firepower into the Mawlocs' death than they could realistically afford to. Use this grace period for your other units to advance unmolested. Otherwise, just deep strike the big beast and hope that it can bring the munch down (I am so sorry)!


Best Uses

I feel that the best implementation of a Mawloc into standard Tyranid army lists is to use it in its primary, stated role and little else; a disruption unit, first and foremost. The Mawloc is not a close combat beast like a Trygon, nor does it bring the ranged dominance of an Exocrine. While not as durable as a Tyrannofex, it is still easily the most inexpensive monster per Toughness 6 3+ armoured wound in the codex - I stop short of saying "the game" as the Necron Canoptek Spyder owns that accolade. Nonetheless, it is an advantage that cannot be under-estimated; the Mawloc might be very unreliable in terms of its damage output, but it is hilariously cheap considering its survivability. Heck, it is still a monstrous creature with three Smash attacks on the charge; it can deal with infantry blobs sufficiently or tie them up, it can destroy most vehicles with ease, and it can even be used as a tarpit unit on its own. Hit and Run combined with Burrow allows the Mawloc to be a true terror for your opponent, seemingly gifting them a free kill and then disappearing to renew the attack elsewhere. Using it to bait out elite enemy units of either the ranged or melee variety and then pulling a disappearing act is both intelligent and amusing, particularly as many opponents under-estimate just how many escape mechanisms this monster has.

Ideally, its Terror from the Deep attack should target scoring units that aren't vehicles or monstrous creatures - some examples of these do exist, after all! - early in the game to help you win the objective game, and then transition to hunting vehicles with its close combat attacks once its deep strike ability becomes superfluous. Of course, a Strength 6 AP2 large blast that ignores cover is always going to be useful, but if your opponent is mostly mounted in transports, for example, it will be difficult to really harm them. Attacking transports with the Terror from the Deep attack isn't a bad idea, especially with the consecutive strike if it doesn't destroy the vehicle a first time, but they aren't as vulnerable as most infantry would be. Terminator units, as an example, will evaporate with a favourable scatter roll unless they are wielding storm shields, so the Mawloc certainly shouldn't be lacking for units to strike against. While the formation-breaking uses of Terror from the Deep are limited now due to it merely inflicting another wave of hits instead of actively pushing units out of the way, it is nonetheless an even more dangerous bunker buster than previously. Slapping ignores cover on it makes it sheer death to almost any infantry unit in the game, and it isn't unheard of for a Mawloc to make its points back after just one of these attacks. Even though it is only likely to get one direct hit throughout the game, the low cost of a Mawloc and just how much of an annoyance it can be has made it a truly valuable addition in the games I have played. The potential is there, even if it is very random; the best advice I can give is to not forget Hit and Run, allowing the Mawloc to escape combats and freely initiate its ground-shattering destruction again.


Recommended Builds

These are a few example builds for the unit that I feel can fit into a number of competitive Tyranid lists. I'll list some thoughts on each build and what kind of lists they fit better in.

Mawloc - A Mawloc needs no upgrades to perform its stated duties. While Toxin Sacs are a good upgrade, as well as Adrenal Glands - remembering that a Mawloc lacks Fleet - a Mawloc will ideally be burrowing or deep striking on each turn anyway. The Mawloc is not a combat monster, so I feel you can leave the upgrades at home and marvel at how ludicrously cheap each of those Toughness 6 wounds are per point.


Heartseeker

As cruel and dangerous a hunter the Trygon is, it is the newer breed sharing its physical stature and predatory instincts that truly inspires terror in those facing a Hive Fleet. Like the older and stronger Trygon, this newer breed hunts from beneath the earth, using its long and sinuous body to tunnel through rock and dirt with ease. But where a Trygon emerges to attack and destroy with its talons, the Mawloc splits the ground only to swallow those too slow to escape its attention. Able to snap tanks in half and consume even the largest of the Adeptus Astartes whole with its titanic maw, the Mawloc is a beast designed as a terror weapon unlike any other. There are few thoughts more chilling than to be eaten alive by a gargantuan alien monster, and the Hive Fleet, insidious as it is, has endeavored to prey on this fact. Trading physical stature and enhanced combat instincts for more efficient consumption organs and processes, this evolution of the Trygon may not be as inherently dangerous as its sibling, but to underestimate a Mawloc is to spend many days trapped in utter darkness, slowly melting away as digestive acids flood your body. Much like the many horrific creatures of legend, the Mawloc senses through heartbeats and motion; to stay still but be breathless is as certain a death as is running from tremors in the ground.


Thank you for reading this article! Please, share your thoughts on the article and the changes I am experimenting with for this series. I am open to any and all feedback! And remember, for any and all discussion on Tyranids and Games Workshop stuff, head on over to +Bell of Lost Souls. Thanks again! Eel out.

[Learn2Eel]

Hey guys, my name is Learn2Eel, and today I'm going to be bringing you another article in the Tyranid Tactica series! Exocrines are, much like the Tyrannofex, designed as a living monstrous death dealer from afar. They are armed with one of the more devastating bio-weapons in the xenos arsenal, one of the more nightmarish of the Hive Minds' creations. The Exocrine was seen as the less interesting, more generic kit sibling of the Haruspex before the two were released, though it has since proven to be the far more effective of the duo. Though seemingly expensive for what it does, the Exocrine brings versatile and strong firepower at a medium range for a really affordable points cost. I hope you enjoy this article!


Exocrines

Overview

If you thought the Haruspex was a bit mediocre, well you would be....well, right. Does that have negative repercussions for the Exocrine though? Nope! When the rules for the two monsters leaked, I immediately jumped on the Exocrine as one of the more cost effective monstrous creatures in the new codex, a unit that was simple in its design but very effective in its role. While the gun beast doesn't bring out anything crazy or zany, there is no confusion about its intended purpose and no question that it does that job well. But first, we'll start with the stats and remark on how decent, not bad or great, they are. Interestingly enough, they are completely identical to the Haruspex, despite the latters' melee focus; before any special rules or close combat weapons are considered, the ranged Exocrine fights just as well as the close combat Haruspex. This sees the Exocrine with a good profile that sits in the middle for Tyranid monstrous creatures, with five wounds at Toughness 6 and a 3+ armour save. From there, it has three attacks at Strength 6, Initiative 3 and Weapon Skill 3, making it roughly equivalent to a Tyrannofex in close combat and not all that bad. It can crush vehicles and defend itself against infantry, but it definitely won't stand up to heavy resistance in combat and ideally won't be there in the first place. Ballistic Skill 3 is middling for an elite ranged unit, obviously, but the weapon carried by an Exocrine as well as an additional special rule make this less of an issue than it seems.

An Exocrine is not a Synapse unit as you would expect, and it suffers from Instinctive Behaviour of the Hunt variety. Leadership 7 would usually be a death sentence for a unit suffering from the mindless syndrome, but as Hunt is essentially "shoot the nearest unit" with either a six shot Strength 7 AP2 or single shot Strength 7 AP2 large blast weapon, it likely won't be an issue in most circumstances. Like most Tyranid monstrous creatures, the Exocrine is very self sufficient overall even if it is a good idea to keep it both in Synapse range to avoid shooting at a bad target and having a supporting unit to get out of or avoid combats. The only other notable unique special rule that the Exocrine has is also one that will only really see use late in the game, if at all, from about turn three or four onwards. This is because this particular rule, Symbiotic Targeting, only functions if the Exocrine was stationary in its preceding movement phase; if this was the case, it increases its Ballistic Skill by one, usually to four. Having its six shots hit an average of four or five times instead of three times, as well as its large blast reducing scatter by one inch, is more significant than it might seem and definitely very useful. Unfortunately, the 24" range on the Exocrine's sole ranged weapon limits the usage of this special rule against defensive lists, though it will likely see use in later turns and against aggressive army lists.

Speaking of the Exocrine's ranged weapon, having a stable form of plasma is something Tyranids tend to lack, making the living artillery organism almost mandatory in a sense anyway. 2+ armour saves might not be in vogue in the usual sense - those poor Terminators - but Riptides, Chapter Masters and Seer Councils with Protect make AP2 so valuable and necessary nowadays. Without it, Tyranids lack reliable means of bringing down 2+ armoured units at range, making the Exocrine incredibly valuable. It helps that the gun itself is quite powerful, with it able to use two firing modes, choosing one before it shoots. This is either six shots at Strength 7 AP2, or one shot at Strength 7 AP2 using a large blast, both with a mediocre 24" range. This allows Exocrines to effectively engage infantry squads of all kinds, light to medium vehicles - leaving heavy vehicles to melee attacks if necessary - monstrous creatures and nullify 2+ armoured wound tanks. The versatility is undoubtedly there, with it able to Overwatch with the six shots and even Snap Fire at flyers if need be as well. It is a very strong ranged weapon and one that many opponents have learned to fear over the months since the new Tyranid codex was released. Make sure to always remember that the 24" range is quite limiting, meaning the Exocrine is a medium ranged firebase unit, not a long ranged artillery monster as its background depicts. Oh, and if you like pointless weapons, well the Exocrine brings that as well with a set of Scything Talons. They serve absolutely no purpose and frankly confuse me. Hooray! Even despite this, the Exocrine is priced similarly to a Tyrannofex and a decent bit cheaper than a Trygon which with its exclusive high rate of fire medium ranged AP2 shooting makes it one of the premier choices in the Heavy Support slot for Tyranids.


How to Equip Them

I'll be honest and straight forward; as with the Mawloc, an Exocrine really doesn't need or want any upgrades whatsoever. The available tail biomorph is a thresher scythe, adding an additional Strength 4 AP4 close combat attack that is statistically inferior in every way as a melee upgrade to the identically priced Toxin Sacs biomorph. As such, the tail biomorph is there for fun and little else. Besides, the Exocrine is a ranged monstrous creature first and foremost, not a melee unit; if you want one of those, take a Trygon instead. As you can imagine, this rends both Acid Blood and Toxin Sacs as mostly pointless upgrades as an Exocrine really shouldn't be in combat. Toxin Sacs may see use more as a defensive upgrade as, again, I don't put much faith in the fact that Acid Blood only really works against low Initiative foes. The 24" range of the Exocrine's gun actually gives Adrenal Glands some good value as the re-roll for Run moves can help to get into range a turn or so early. However, again, I would probably avoid it as it isn't really all that helpful. Regeneration is an upgrade that is questionable even on a six wound Trygon, for example, and much more so a five wound Exocrine. I would skip it as while it is obviously nice, the high cost just pushes the Exocrine investment to unnecessary levels. Leave this monster bare as none of the upgrades will really help it with its stated purpose, which is to blast foes apart from afar.


Where to Put Them

With no alternative deployment options such as Deep Strike or Outflank, the Exocrine belongs on the battlefield with the rest of your forces. This opens up the always handy tactic of employing Venomthropes as a defensive tool while they use the Exocrine as a screen against enemy fire. Using the Venomthropes behind and smaller creatures such as Hormagaunts that are tall and numerous enough to provide intervening cover to an Exocrine to the front will allow an Exocrine to advance into range with its bio-plasmic cannon. In this sense, the 24" range isn't that much of an issue as the Exocrine is naturally tough enough and gets a lot of survivability boosts from other units to make it to the midfield with ease. If you use such units to cover the Exocrine, moving through terrain to gain cover saves usually won't be necessary unless it is facing a range of nasty barrage weapons from Basilisks, Colossi and so on. This means it can advance without being slowed down and employ Run moves, usually seeing it in range of backfield gunline armies by turn three unless the game is using the short table edge deployment on a standard 6x4 gaming board.

If such units are unavailable or Barrage weapons are to be faced, moving through terrain at the possible expense of speed isn't a bad idea at all; rolling 3D6 for moving through cover due to the aptly named special rule makes it rather reliable. Still, if you can avoid being slowed down without sacrificing much or at all on durability, then that is generally the preferred option. Like with any Tyranid unit, keep to cover wins the game, not running blindly into the open; Tyranids mostly lack invulnerable saves for a reason, after all. Instinctive Behaviour really isn't an issue for the Exocrine, so deploying it away from available Synapse isn't necessarily a bad thing, or moving outside of their bubble so as to keep or begin shooting. However, I still recommend against it as being forced to shoot at a Land Raider the Exocrine cannot hurt as opposed to a juicy squad of Tactical Marines in the open, for example, is never ideal. On that note, try to avoid charging an Exocrine unless you are attempting to destroy a vehicle and the bio-plasmic cannon is either unlikely to or incapable of doing the deed. It belongs at range and wants to avoid potential combats as much as possible; keeping a baby-sitting unit of Hormagaunts nearby isn't a bad idea, though generally speaking those should be far forward of an Exocrine. Instead, use a nearby Tervigon to spawn Termagants in a pinch if assault units are looking to tie the gun beast up.


Best Uses

The best application for an Exocrine is undoubtedly as a medium ranged platform sitting in the midfield and preferably backed by a support or melee unit such as a small brood of Warriors. Exocrines need to be shooting early, so advancing with mobile cover provided by Hormagaunts and Venomthropes together or individually is almost mandatory to protect the five wound beast. Ideally, move into a ruin within 24" of multiple enemy units and begin the bombardment. From there, don't be afraid to sacrifice Ballistic Skill 4 to be able to escape attacks by opposing close combat units. Being able to move and shoot its weapon is still great and is far preferable than to have it be unable to shoot whatsoever, after all. The best targets for an Exocrine tend to be monstrous creatures like Riptides that are otherwise near impervious to Tyranid shooting, light to medium vehicles like Rhinos and Wave Serpents, and finally squads of medium to heavy infantry like Tactical Marines and Broadside Teams that are also quite resistant to the mostly AP4 ranged prowess of Tyranids. Exocrines benefit hugely from Onslaught in particular due to the ability to Run and shoot for what is definitely a more limited range than you would want for an artillery beast. Plus, due to the wording of its Symbiotic Targeting rule, running and then shooting doesn't impose the Ballistic Skill penalty as long as the Exocrine didn't move in the movement phase! One of the more obvious uses for the Exocrine appears to be sitting it behind an Aegis Defence Line and Quad Gun, but this tactic really doesn't work against the good gun-lines I've found and I prefer the Bastion anyway for the Shrouded or Synapse bubble it provides.


Recommended Builds

These are a few example builds for the unit that I feel can fit into a number of competitive Tyranid lists. I'll list some thoughts on each build and what kind of lists they fit better in.

Exocrine - Much like the Mawloc before it, an Exocrine is at home without upgrades, amusingly enough. The biomorphs aren't really suited to a ranged monster, while Regeneration is a questionable purchase even on a more survivable Trygon. The tail biomorphs might see use once every so often on a melee unit, but they are a definite skip for a unit based on shooting.


Bio-Plasmic Devastation

"Mind over Matter" is a truly interesting statement when one refers to the monstrous Exocrine, one of the newest and most deadly Tyranid bio-organisms. One of the more controversial implications of this idiom is the use of a weapon by a wielder; is a weapon inherently dangerous, or is it only as destructive as the creature that uses it? For the Exocrine, this logic cannot be applied, for the weapon itself is what controls the hulking monstrosity. Indeed, the Exocrine shares two minds, one in the main bulk of the beast and the other housed in its distinctive and titanic bio-plasmic cannon. The latter exerts control over the more subjective "primary" brain, subtly controlling its movements and forcing it to a stand still so that it can focus its efforts on a foes' annihilation. Unlike most other creatures, even many Tyranid organisms, merely lopping off the head will not stop its rampage; to destroy the creature entirely is to silence its weaponized extension. For a biomorph that emits a highly volatile plasmic discharge, the simple act of killing an Exocrine is inherently dangerous. That is, of course, if he prey can even close with the living artillery beast, able to accurately bring destruction to its foes long before they ever reach its diminutive bulk.


Thank you for reading this article! Please, share your thoughts on the article and the changes I am experimenting with for this series. I am open to any and all feedback! And remember, for any and all discussion on Tyranids and Games Workshop stuff, head on over to +Bell of Lost Souls. Thanks again! Eel out.

[Learn2Eel]

Hey guys, my name is Learn2Eel, and today I'm going to be bringing you another article in the Tyranid Tactica series! As silly as the name might be, the Tyrannofex is nonetheless one of the most frightening monstrous creatures available to a Tyranid Hive Lord. Blending superior ranged firepower with the greatest survivability of any Tyranid monstrous creature, the Tyrannofex is a premier choice in the new codex. Of course, this wasn't always so as it was generally a ridiculously expensive unit previously; now, with a drop of almost a third total in points and no other changes, the Tyrannofex has been catapulted into the spotlight as one of the xenos' best tools. I hope you enjoy this article!


Tyrannofexes

Overview

I fondly recall my memories of the old Tyranid codex from after the time 6th Edition dropped, what with so many rules and changes introduced so as to make the inter-galactic species a true threat on table-tops again. However, one unit I definitely never got behind was the Tyrannofex, a monster conceived as a heavy ranged unit but one that was unbelievably expensive without the output to match. As some may recall from my Tyranid Predictions article, I could viably see the Tyrannofex' base point cost dropping to around the 180 mark. Suffice it to say, I wasn't far off the mark and I couldn't be happier for it! The actual rules for the Tyrannofex were always strong, being the only monstrous creature in the codex to natively possess a 2+ armour save that was made all the more ridiculous by its great defensive stats. It just needed a significant points drop and I was so surprised to see that the final cost ended up being lower than my already rather outrageous prediction. As you might guess, I am a massive fan of the new look Tyrannofex and to say that it is one of the stronger units in the codex would be a vast understatement.

First up, let us analyze that juicy profile. As I have already mentioned, the Tyrannofex has a 2+ armour save that also happens to be the only one in the codex outside of a random melee-only upgrade for high level character models. This is great for a unit that lacks an invulnerable save, making it relatively safe against massed missile launchers or missile pods, but what truly makes it crazy good is that the Tyrannofex packs a whopping six wounds at Toughness 6. Yes, it has the same defensive stats of a Trygon mixed with a superior 2+ armour save and ends up being a cheaper model overall. While the Trygon obviously brings a lot to the table through Deep Strike and its melee capabilities, a Tyrannofex is nonetheless a hugely cost effective model that is by no means a slacker in terms of damage output. On that note, the Tyrannofex is a decent melee unit with Weapon Skill 3, Strength 6 and three attacks at Initiative 2. These are superior stats to the Tervigon which is rather surprising given the previous codex, though if Crushing Claws are added to the Tervigon than this superiority disappears - a Tyrannofex has no melee weapon options, unlike the vast majority of Tyranid monstrous creatures. Add in natural Fearless as a Tyranid monster into the mix and the Tyrannofex actually makes for a great combo-charge unit alongside a horde unit or other monstrous creature, adding a few extra wounds or damage results where applicable and necessary.

Like most Tyranid monstrous creatures, Instinctive Behaviour isn't a massive issue for a Tyrannofex, especially with Hunt as a Fearless unit is immune to the worst result on the chart. An above average Leadership 8 helps this significantly, though as the Tyrannofex' primary weapon will usually be capped at Strength 6, the cost of failing a test can still be high. Being forced to shoot at the closest enemy unit within a 20" range with the Acid Spray, or an 18" range with the Fleshborer Hive, could very well end up with the Tyrannofex targeting but unable to hurt a vehicle. For this reason, I do recommend keeping a Synapse unit handy as a "just in case" tool, if only because a Tyrannofex will often be supported by other units suffering from Instinctive Behaviour as well. Speaking of the Tyrannofex' ranged arsenal, it really packs a punch against infantry in particular with its stock Acid Spray being the Tyranid equivalent to the flaming Torrent template borne by an Astra Militarum Hellhound. Eldar, Tau, most Necrons, Dark Eldar, Imperial Guard and even non 2+armoured Space Marines will be fearful of a Tyrannofex armed with this weapon, and the great beast can add a secondary template weapon to the mix as well for extra burning goodness. While the other primary weapon options that replace the Acid Spray, the Rupture Cannon and Fleshborer Hive, are subpar at best, the overall capabilities of a Tyrannofex are nonetheless quite significant. It is incredibly tough with one of the best points per wound ratios of the Tyranid monstrous creatures that, when backed with a 2+ armour save, makes it the most durable model in the codex. It slaughters infantry from 20" and closer with ease, and does all the usual monstrous creature stuff that you would expect; smashing vehicles and inflicting instant death on characters are to be expected.


How to Equip Them

Unlike the previous two unit reviews I have published, the Tyrannofex actually has more options outside of the standard biomorphs list plus one or two tail adaptations - though it is unsurprisingly lacking the latter as per the Tervigon. We'll start with the basic biomorphs and get them out of the way as, realistically, you probably won't be using them on Tyrannofexes anyway. Fleet is useful for reliable Run moves from Adrenal Glands while Furious Charge is decent for a monster that, while not a great combat monster by any means, is likely to be in combat anyway with combo-charges alongside fodder units. This is one upgrade I would take, while Regeneration may actually be worthwhile here. The most expensive biomorph gives the Tyrannofex the most benefits for the cost of any Tyranid unit, after all, as it has by far the highest natural survivability in the codex. While the points cost is high and thus leaves me iffy on a unit that, endemic of the rest of the army, should generally be kept as cheap as possible, it is certainly a decent proposition. I would however avoid Toxin Sacs and Acid Blood as they are most definitely combat centric and a Tyrannofex generally doesn't want to be there; its' main focus is as a gun beast, though it is admittedly a bit more of a generalist than an Exocrine. Still, these are points better saved for other units; of the biomorphs, Adrenal Glands and Regeneration should be considered, but ultimately are hardly necessary.

The Tyrannofex has three primary weapon options and three secondary weapon options, with the former being mandatory and the latter being optional. The standard primary weapon is the Acid Spray and it is easily the best weapon the Tyrannofex has; it is a Strength 6 AP4 Torrent Template. It might lack the AP3 of a Baleflamer as well as the insane movement capabilities of a Heldrake, but it nonetheless annihilates xenos and standard human infantry with impunity. It can be exchanged for a Fleshborer Hive for a tiny points cost, but ultimately the Hive is an inferior paid for "upgrade" over the Acid Spray. Twenty shots at Strength 4 AP5 might sound nice, but a Tyrannofex is only Ballistic Skill 3; when you factor in the 18" range, it is a really limited weapon. Against a standard Tactical Squad, for example, those twenty shots will hit ten times for five wounds and two dead Space Marines. The Acid Spray, on the other hand, with auto-hits and 2s to wound, only needs 6 hits to do as many wounds as the Fleshborer Hive; the Acid Spray becomes far superior once it hits 4+ armoured or worse units. The Fleshborer Hive might look nice, but it is ultimately a rather pointless option as it is a down-grade on the standard option. The Rupture Cannon is significantly more expensive than the Fleshborer Hive and is an anti-tank weapon, but despite the total points cost of the unit armed with one dropping with the new codex, this is still not a worthwhile weapon at all. Two Strength 10 AP4 shots at 48" range isn't bad, but it is far too expensive and unreliable with Ballistic Skill 3 and no form of re-rolls to hit available. Stick with the Acid Spray as Tyranids can get far better anti-tank options elsewhere.

The secondary weapons, the Thorax Swarms, are interesting though; there are three available, and each is a template weapon lacking torrent unlike the Acid Spray. As each has an identical cost and only differentiates in terms of damage output against variable targets, you can freely select one to fit the role of the Tyrannofex; either as a light vehicle hunting generalist or as infantry murderer. I personally prefer the latter role for the most part as the Tyrannofex isn't great against vehicles outside of close combat. This is why I wasn't the biggest fan of the Electroshock Grubs as at the range it works in the Tyrannofex' close combat strikes are preferable anyway. Almost guaranteed hull point damage for the points is nice, but it usually wastes the Acid Spray I find; however, when you also add in that the Electroshock Grubs are Strength 5 and AP5 which gels best with the Acid Spray, it really is a great choice. Of the two remaining, I prefer the Shreddershard Beetles; they might seem the weakest with Strength 3 and AP-, but Rending gives them a lot of utility against more elite units that also meshes well with the AP4 Acid Spray. The Dessicator Larvae are nice, but tend to be inferior against most units than either of the other templates; the Electroshocks mash light infantry better, and the Shreddershards kill elite infantry with greater efficiency. This brings us to two good choices, the Electroshock Grubs and Shreddershard Beetles, and of the two, I am starting to prefer the former. Rending is really nice for hunting 3+ and 2+ armoured units, but pairing Strength 5 and Strength 6 templates up is likely to do as much or more damage anyway. Add in the Haywire effect and permanent AP5 on the Electroshock Grubs and I have changed my tune from release to this Thorax Swarm variety. Ultimately though, both of them are good and worthwhile - if unnecessary and risky due to the short range - options that are never bad because of their low cost.


Where to Put Them

Your standard Acid Spray-armed Tyrannofex operates at about the 20" and lower mark in relation to enemy units, using its Torrent template to annihilate infantry not sporting 2+ or 3+ armour with impunity. Its 2+ armour save, Toughness 6 and 6 wounds make it the most survivable monstrous creature in the codex by far, and of the hardier ones that can be found in the game. The only downside is the lack of an invulnerable save or of natural Feel No Pain - though this of course can be randomly obtained through Catalyst - which can only really be mitigated through cover saves and line of sight blocking. Like with the Tervigon, Termagants may not be tall enough to provide intervening cover bonuses to a Tyrannofex, but Hormagaunts and any other models of a similar or larger height are easily capable of doing so. Those two units in particular compliment each other very well, with Tyrannofexes being able to fire their Torrent template over the Hormagaunts and soften up enemy positions for the lesser Troops choice to finish off any stragglers and capture or deny objectives. The Hormagaunts also protect a Tyrannofex from close combat where, while not a bad unit by any means, it definitely isn't as scary as it is in shooting. Still, a 2+ armour save allows it to tank almost anything in close combat, so don't be afraid to get into a melee to support your other units! A Tyrannofex doesn't really benefit from being part of a static list, something to keep in mind when designing your army list.


Best Uses

The ideal implementation of a Tyrannofex into a standard Tyranid army list is to use it as a line-breaker; a massive, impossibly hard to kill unit that can break the enemy formation with heavy close ranged firepower and melee prowess. While the Tyrannofex isn't a great melee unit and its shooting is only really devastating against infantry, it nonetheless is very versatile; it can deal with vehicles in combat and has defensive uses with its one or more template weapons. A Tyrannofex' ideal targets are most definitely cover-camping infantry that are otherwise resistant to a lot of a Tyranid armies' anti-infantry shooting, such as from Stranglethorn Cannons or Brain leech Devourers. The effective 20" range of the Acid Spray allows the Tyrannofex to eviscerate 4+ armoured infantry quite early into the game, especially with help from Onslaught on about turn two or three. Infantry that are Toughness 4 or lower with a 3+ armour save or worse tend to be prime targets for a Tyrannofex, though 2+ armoured infantry that are Toughness 4 or higher should probably be left to your Exocrines and combat units. When deploying a Tyrannofex, try to identify all sources of AP2 in your opponents' army list; either deploy away from them, or use available terrain, Venomthropes and intervening cover provided by Hormagaunts or a wall of Carnifexes to protect the Tyrannofex. The beast is inherently a front line unit, providing support in combats for other units to break combats down and destroying infantry formations.


Recommended Builds

These are a few example builds for the unit that I feel can fit into a number of competitive Tyranid lists. I'll list some thoughts on each build and what kind of lists they fit better in.

Tyrannofex - This is without a doubt the best way to run a Tyrannofex in my mind. It doesn't really need any of the combat-centric upgrades, and nor are the other primary weapon options worthwhile over the standard Acid Spray. Enjoy your six wound, Toughness 6, 2+ armoured monster!

Tyrannofex w/ Thorax Swarm Shreddershard Beetles - While the 12" range disparity between the Acid Spray and Thorax Swarms can be a bit disconcerting, the Tyrannofex is ultimately a close range beast and having two nasty infantry-shredding template weapons is always nice. Thorax Swarm upgrades are very cheap and quite nasty, with I feel the Shreddershard Beetles being the best overall. A Tyrannofex can handle vehicles in close combat at the rough range of Electroshock Grubs, while the Rending hits of Shreddershard Beetles offset the AP4 Acid Spray to inflict more potential kills against elite infantry.

Tyrannofex w/ Regeneration - If there is any monstrous creature in the army that should be given Regeneration, it is easily the Tyrannofex. With the highest natural survivability of any Tyranid monstrous creature by far with the 2+ armour save, in addition to an innately low cost for what it does, Regeneration makes more sense here than anywhere else in the codex. While I still prefer keeping a Tyrannofex bare as Regeneration is expensive, that it is likely to restore a wound every two turns on such a tough monster can give many opponents nightmares.


Living Tank

In the waning hours of the red sun’s journey, Space Marine Squad Commodus raised their boltguns as one again to the screaming masses of xenos before them. Marked by their distinctive talons and long surging legs, the Hormagaunts leaped over the wreckage of the Predator ‘Devastator’ with the screech of scale and flesh against steel and battered concrete. The call to arms came not a moment late. “Fire!” The thunder of bolters radiated through the burning city, drowning out even the death shrieks of those Hormagaunts first to die. Feeding themselves to devastation, the xenos advance faltered as blood and limbs exploded across the walls and roads of Tarsis. As dozens fell before the relentless fire of the Space Marines, their resolve emboldened by the teeming corpses before them, the Hormagaunt charge broke as if driven by a sudden cold snap. Fleeing out of sight into the smoke and ashes, the Space Marines lowered their bolters and a cry of victory emerged from a few of their ranks, diminished as they were by the brutal fighting in the earlier hours of the dying day.

Their victory and elation were momentary, though, as the earth began to heave and pulsate like none of the battle brothers had ever felt before. The Space Marines snapped to attention and steeled themselves for another conflict, searching the nearby ruins for the origin of the increasingly vehement pulsing. The ground shook and roiled ever more powerfully, as Squad Commodus whispered quick prayers to the God Emperor of Mankind. It was only as the last of these were uttered that a deafening crash and roar of metal and rock saw the Space Marines wheel in unison to their right, their fearless devotion to humanity a shield they believed could repulse any foe.

It was not long before this truth was dispelled than two were incinerated in an instant by a gout of green liquid, dissolving their armour and flesh in a matter of moments. It was then that a titanic monster surged into view from out of the dust and rubble, thundering into the fore as the Space Marines levelled their boltguns and fired once more. To their dismay and doom, the explosive shells of their weapons merely bounced harmlessly off of the hulking beast, a creature so massive as to dwarf the departed ‘Devastator’ thrice so. It was too late that the remnants of Squad Commodus spied the static forming around the creature’s frontal carapace; in a single sickening instant, a bed of lightning erupted from the monster. The last two remaining members of Squad Commodus could barely draw out their combat blades as the lumbering behemoth smashed into them, crushing them under-foot in an instant. With a triumphant roar, the bestial Tyrannofex wheeled and charged towards the nearby gunfire cloaked by fire.


Thank you for reading this article! Please, share your thoughts on the article and the changes I am experimenting with for this series. I am open to any and all feedback! And remember, for any and all discussion on Tyranids and Games Workshop stuff, head on over to +Bell of Lost Souls. Thanks again! Eel out.

[Learn2Eel]

Article 35 - The Seven Stages of Infestation (Day 1)

[Learn2Eel]

Article 36 - The Seven Stages of Infestation (Day 2)

[Learn2Eel]

Article 37 - The Seven Stages of Infestation (Day 3)

[Learn2Eel]

Article 38 - The Seven Stages of Infestation (Day 4)

[Learn2Eel]

Article 39 - The Seven Stages of Infestation (Day 5)