This is the
Unfortunately I will be away at a convention this weekend, so I will be unable to make any immediate responses, but once I've returned I will do my best to give my thoughts on everything. If any of you happen to be hanging around at RadCon in Washington, I'll be around the gaming tables and the panels as well has helping to run Seams Like Magic, so stop in and maybe we can get a game or just chat.
TYRANID SHRIKE BROOD..... 30pts per model
5 3 4 4 3 4 3 10 5+
3-9 Tyranid Shrikes
Jump Infantry
Reinforced Chitin
Wings
Devourer
Scything Talons
Synapse Creature (Flyby Attack)
Shadow in the Warp
Synapse Creature (Flyby Attack)
Shrikes are Synapse Creatures. In addition, any Tyranid unit within 6" has the Hit and Run USR.
The entire brood may replace its Scything Talons with:
-Rending Claws..... 5pts per model
-A pair of Boneswords..... 10pts per model
-Lash Whip and Bonesword..... 15pts per model
One Shrike in the brood may replace its Devourer with:
-Barbed Strangler..... 10pts
-Venom Cannon..... 15pts
The entire brood may replace its Devourers with:
-Rending Claws..... free
-Deathspitters..... 5pts per model
-An additional set of Scything Talons..... free
The entire brood may take:
- Adrenal Glands..... 5pts per model
- Toxin Sacs..... 5pts per model
- Synaptic Network..... 15pts per model
Comments: Shrikes have never really been bad, but they've always been just enough below the curve to not really be worth trying to convert up and use. With a small price cut (to keep them in line with Warriors) and a boost in having the Hit and Run USR as an aura, I'm hoping that they'll see some more play in this version. I also changed their weapon swap options to be identical to Warriors, since there was no real reason for them to have a backwards version of the exchanges the way they did.
RAVENER BROOD..... 30pts per model
5 3 4 4 3 5 4 6 4+
3-9 Raveners
Beasts
Hardened Carapace
Scything Talons (two sets)
Instinctive Behavior- Feed
Acute Senses
Deep Strike
Move Through Cover
Every Ravener in the brood may replace one set of Scything Talons with:
Rending Claws..... 5pts per model
The entire brood may take one of the following:
- Spinefists..... 5pts per model
- Devourers..... 5pts per model
- Deathspitters..... 10pts per model
The entire brood may take:
- Adrenal Glands..... 5pts per model
- Toxin Sacs..... 5pts per model
Comments: Not a lot needed doing here. Raveners were already pretty good at tying up backline shooting and putting wounds on horde infantry, but a 5+ save made it hard to survive the return attacks, so they were brought on par with Warriors there and given the option of Toxin and Adrenal. They were already quite usable (as Kirby can attest) and I didn't see them as needing serious alterations in order to stay viable.
SKY-SLASHER SWARM..... 13pts per base
2 2 3 3 3 2 4 5 6+
3-10 Sky-Slasher Swarms
Jump Infantry
Chitin
Wings
Claws and Teeth
Instinctive Behavior- Feed
Fearless
Mindless
Skilled Flyers
Swarms
The entire brood may take:
- Spinefists..... 4pts per base
- Adrenal Glands..... 2pts per base
- Toxin Sacs..... 2pts per base
Comments: Well, um, they were in the codex, so I saw no reason to take them out. Unlike Rippers, these aren't (and, really, shouldn't be) scoring, so they needed a price drop, and even then they weren't anywhere near good. I added Skilled Flyers as well, since it made sense and helped them out, but I'm afraid this is still a rather underwhelming unit, all in all.
GARGOYLE BROOD..... 6pts per model
10-30 Gargoyles
Jump Infantry
Blinding Venom
Chitin
Claws and Teeth
Fleshborer
Wings
Instinctive Behavior- Lurk
Swarm Attack
Swarm Attack
For every ten full models in the squad, add +1 to penetration rolls made against vehicles without a Weapon Skill value. Note that Gargoyles, unlike other models with this rule, gain its benefit against skimmers as well!
The entire brood may take:
- Adrenal Glands..... 1pt per model
- Toxin Sacs..... 1pt per model
Comments: Gargoyles were a perfectly fine unit before. They got strictly better with the addition of Swarm Attack, which makes me think they possibly could use a 1pt cost increase, but I'm not sure that's necessary. Thoughts?
HARPY..... 160pts
3 3 5 5 4 5 3 10 3+
1 Harpy
Monstrous Creature
Bonded Exoskeleton
Scything Talons
Spore Mine Cysts
Stinger Salvo
Twin-linked Stranglethorn Cannon
Wings
Fearless
Impossible Maneuvers
Instinctive Behavior- Lurk
Sky Hunter
Sonic Screech
Impossible Maneuvers
A Harpy has a 4+ invulnerable saving throw against enemy shooting attacks.
Sky Hunter
Harpies never hit enemy Skimmer or Jump Infantry models (including models that move like Jump Infantry) on less than a 4+ in melee combat.
Replace twin-linked Stranglethorn Cannon with:
- Twin-linked Heavy Venom Cannon..... 10pts
Replace Stinger Salvo with:
- Cluster Spines..... free
A Harpy may take:
- Adrenal Glands..... 10pts
- Toxin Sacs..... 10pts
- Regeneration..... 20pts
- Synaptic Network..... 20pts
Comments: I love the Harpy, but it just... was not a very good critter before. T5 AND a 4+ save made it very vulnerable to small and medium guns in a way that other MCs weren't- whereas a Carnifex might be annoyed by a Heavy Bolter, the Harpy was outright terrified of it. What's more, its descriptive text was completely contradictory to what the unit could actually do- with one set of Talons it was awful against skimmers and similar targets that were its nominal prey. Thus, some significant shifts were required.
Upping the usability of the HVC helped a lot, obviously. Two twin-linked shots ends up being excellent suppression against most targets, and that's a good start. Giving it a 3+ armor save made small arms, and especially the Autocannon/Heavy Bolter class weaponry less scary. A 4++ against shooting only made its role much more clear- scoot around and draw firepower while harassing enemy armor formations. Finally, Sky Hunter was added to make it more effective (Tyranids need a way to deal with fast tanks) and flavorful (it shouldn't be hard for a flying beast to grab ahold of another flying thing.) With the changes to survivability, the cost on Regeneration (and thus Synaptic Network) were upped slightly as well.
SPORE MINE CLUSTER..... 10pts per model
- - 1 1 1 1 - 1 -
3-6 Spore Mines
Infantry
Deep Strike
Living Bomb
Orbital Deployment
Living Bomb
Once deployed, each Spore Mine model is treated as an individual unit. Spore Mines are always ignored for the purpose of all mission objectives. They never test for Instinctive Behavior, can never Go to Ground, Run, assault, or suffer from or take any Leadership-based tests. When a Spore Mine moves, it drifts d6" in a direction determined by the roll of a scatter die- in the case of a Hit, the Tyranid player may choose. If a Spore Mine suffers a wound or Deep Strike mishap, touches an enemy model, or ends any movement phase within 2" of an enemy model, it immediately explodes. Place the large blast template with the hole over the Spore Mine's base and resolve it as though it were a shot from a Biovore's Spore Mine Launcher.
Orbital Deployment
If your army contains one or more Spore Mine Clusters, you may choose to deploy any of them using the Orbital Deployment rules as follows. After mission and deployment zones have been determined, but before either player deploys their models, place all Spore Mines in the Cluster onto the table, one by one, using the Deep Strike rules; models which suffer a Mishap are automatically destroyed and do not explode. Any Spore Mine Clusters that do not deploy via this method must remain in reserve and deploy via Deep Strike as normal.
Comments: While the cost remained the same when it arguably could have dropped, the changes to their deployment (especially being able to lay them out individually) make Spore Mines potentially a lot more useful in denying the enemy key positions, and being able to "drop" them on the enemy later via Deep Strike is an added bonus.
To be finished tomorrow or so, in the final FoC slot.
