Re-posting Talk Wargaming’s Space Marines rumour Q&A yesterday, I briefly noted that there are Tyranid rumours flying about. Promptly I received some Tweets where and what these rumours are. To be honest, I haven’t published what is out there, because it is (A) a lot, (B) often still vague and (C) usually mixed with loads of wish listing.
Either way, on popular request, here’s a brief summary. Enjoy with a healthy dose of skepticism.
#1 – Rumoured Release Schedule
All right. Let’s start with the Games Workshop releases rumoured to come out in 2013.
- September 2013 – Space Marines: This is almost a certainty, since we’ve seen the pictures and it coincides very well with Games Workshop’s UK Games Day (for which, despite being massively reduced in size, tickets are apparently still available).
- October 2013 – “Mystery Box”: Rumours seem to point towards a boxed game in the tradition of 2009′s Space Hulk and 2011′s DreadFleet (which was, back then, also pushed on Games Day). The bi-annual timing would fit. Rumours say it could be either a new Blood Bowl or an Inquisition-themed 40K skirmish game.
- November 2013 – Tyranids: Allegedly.
- December 2013 – The Hobbit: Basically just guessing, given that the second movie will be released and it would mirror last year’s Hobbit release.
The caveat is that this would effectively mean half a year or so without a Warhammer Fantasy release? Unless they squeeze in even more. Well, only time will tell, I suppose.
#2 – New Tyranid Miniatures
Anyhow. Tyranids, rumoured to be out in November. The following stuff is from Dakkadakka’s rumour compilation, which in turn comes from loads of sites, notably the ever-vigilant Faeit212.
Tyranid Prime (finecast) Harpy. Roughly size of the heldrake. Pretty much looks like the picture in prior codex. Doom of Malantai (clamshell package) Parasite of Mordrax (clamshell package) Termagant sprues recut for more options (some chatter says Genestealers) Mycetic Spore New “Big Bug” kit (Because every army needs one!)
>Zoanthrope (Doom)/Genethrope, plastic dual kit.
>Mycetic Spore/Mycetic Hive Node, plastic dual kit.
#3 – Rumoured Tyranid Rules
Pyrovore gains Torrent and a steep points reduction.
Hiveguard gain Skyfire
Two new Tyranid psychic powers lists. One list is destructive powers, one is augmentive powers.
Tervigon – Upgrade options for Termagant spawns to give them full options, but they are quite pricy.
Lictors – small point increase, gain new “Surprise!” rule (all shots against Lictors the turn after they appear are snap shots). DeathLeaper now an upgrade character.
Carnifex – significant cost reduction
Harpy – big overhaul. New model/dual-combo kit, Flying Monstrous, Sonic Screech combines with Vector striking. Additional Spore Mine Cysts may be purchased as upgrades. Default Stranglethorn has new upgrade options.
New Flyer – Fast Attack choice, the alternative build for the Harpy kit.
Ymgarl Genestealers – New special arrival rule is shared with the Lictor, may now purchase standard Genestealer biomorph upgrades.
Hiveguard: new weapon upgrade option (available to a handful of units) that grants skyfire with an “enhanced ability” to ground Flying Monstrous Creature.
>- Primaris for Devastation = Warp Blast, Adaptation = Onslaught (similar to battle-focus)
>- All Tyranid powers can be used with either one or two charges to increase the effect.
>- Ravenous Advance: Units with this rule can run & assault in the same turn.
>- The Ground Trembles: All MC cause d3 Hammer of Wrath hits.
Red Terror, Deathleaper and Old One Eye are unique upgrades to their respective broods.
Harpy / Erinye
>- Harpy is designed to kill infantry hordes/provide support via its special vector strike.
>- Vector striking it can either use Spore Mine Cyst to create blasts along the path or Sonic Screech to halve initiative and cause a pinning test.
>- Erinye is an AA variant in Elite, very different front torso/head piece with gribbly tentacles.
>- Increased Swoop speed and its gimmick is grappling other flyers.
>- Vector strike
> dice roll 4+ -> the enemy flyer is dragged directly behind where the Erinye ended its move, including a new facing.
>- Both can buy broods of Gargoyles that can drop off in the movement phase when not vector striking.
Zoanthrope (Doom)/Genethrope
>- Zoanthropes are ML1 psykers, have access to the Devastation, Telepathy, Telekinesis tables.
>- Genethropes are similar, but have access to the Adaptation and Biomancy tables.
>- New unique biomorphs. Increased Shadow in the Warp range, Deny the Witch boost aura, two others.
>- Both types can upgrade up to ML2 but only ever get 1 power, each Elite choice is a unit of 1-3 that can contain mixded Zoan and Gene.
>- Doom has access to all the above tables and comes with Essence Leech and 3 powers.
>- Consumes a wound every time it uses a power (except for Leech), but can keep casting until a Perils roll or its down to 1 wound.
Mycetic Spore/Mycetic Hive Node
>- Spore is a Dedicated Transport, notable changes are that SC can join and MC broods can all opt to get spores.
>- Hive Nodes are bought by HQ models (1-3 choice for Tyrants, 1 for every other HQ), no transport capacity.
>- Nodes provide Synapse and can be configured in one of many ways. Grants poison or shrouding to nearby units or terraforms (Dangerous Terrain) the surroundings.
Carnifex
>- Old unused bimorphs in the box are options again.
>- Base cost the same but upgrades are much, much cheaper overall but lots of “only buy 1 out of this list” kind of choices which greatly limits what a fex can have.
>- Tusked gives HoW an AP value, Thornback increases the number of HoW hits.
>- Enhanced Senses gives Night Fighting.
>- Tail Scythe & Tail Mace each deliver a single hit to all models in BtB at Ini 1, with different stats.
>- Living Battering Ram rule: Changed to allow the Carnifex to assault the contents of a building/transport on a 4+ if it was destroyed by its charge, rolled once for the brood.
may add an additional 20 Hormagaunts
Equipment:
scything talons & adrenal glans
upgrades:
toxic sacks : (remain the same)
piercing talons : (+1 strength)
tyranid warrior (squad leader):
special rules:
leap, they just keep coming,synaptic back lash (tyranid warrior only) synapse creature (tyranid warrior only)leap: may charge +6” extra & do not lose initiative while charging through difficult terrain
they just keep coming: enemies firing at models with this rule suffer -1 bs. models with BS 1 must re-roll any successful hits on a model with this target.
synaptic back lash: after a model with this rules dies then all friendly units within 6” of the models death suffer a single strength 3 AP – hit.
Old one eye to have his toughness increased
tyranid warriors
may add an additional 3 models
WS: 5
T: 5
SV: 4+
Equipment:
piercing talons, leap, synaptic back lash,
special rules:
will of the hive mind
upgrades:
toxic sacks: (read above)
adrenal glands: (read above)
range biomorph exoskeleton: (+1 bs)
increased exoskeleton: (+1 sv)
barbed strangler: (remains the same)
venom rifles: (tyranid rifles with poison) 18” range (under re-testing)
will of the hive mind: while the squad remains with the full 3 models then the synapse range increases to 12”
carnifex:
may add an additional 2 models
T: 6
W: 5
Equipment:
scything talons, piercing talons
special rules:
rampant rage, living battering ram, natural disaster
upgrades:
Toxic sacks:
range biomorph exoskeleton:
armoured shell: (2+ save)_
crushing claws: (+d3 attacks & +1 to range AP)
reinforced plating: (reduced strength of weapon being fired at you by 1)
heavy venom cannon: (strength 9 AP 2 heavy 2)
barbed strangler: (strength 5 AP 5 large blast, pinning)
twin linked devourers: (strength 4 AP 6 assault 4)
rampant range: when charging units the carnifex gains rage & furious charge)
Living battering ram: the carnifex deals d3 hammer of wrath hits
natural disaster: if the carnifex forgoes its turn in a piece of terrain (ruins ect) it can destroy that terrain and remove it from play
#4 – Tyranid Rumours – The Crazy
Last but not least, there are a few titbits out there that have already been debunked and/or shown to be false (as far as rumour-mongers debunking other rumour-mongers’ rumours go).
Highlight include:
Rumours saying Tyranids will get a different Force Organisation Chart to all other Warhammer 40K Codexes – allegeldy to compensate for their lack of allies – were floating around for a while. A few people have since said that this will (probably) not be the case.
Fortifications
- Spawning Pool – 160 points. Each time an infantry model dies within 18″ of the Pool, place it on the Pool instead of removing it from play. At the start of the Tyranid Movement phase replace any models that are on the Pool with Termagants; these are a new unit that may move and shoot as normal.
- Hive Tower – 3 Towers for 150 points. Must be placed within 6″ of each other. 36″ range, S8, Ap-, Assault 2, Skyfire, Interceptor.
- Tunnel Network – 5 Tunnel Maws for 100 points. Place during deployment but not in your opponent’s zone. Tyranid units coming in from reserve may deploy from a Tunnel Maw as if disembarking from a vehicle (so no assaulting). Tyranid units may enter a Tunnel Maw as if embarking in a vehicle – place them in ongoing reserves, but they may only re-emerge from a Tunnel Maw. Tunnel Maws can be attacked and destroyed like any other unit (T7, W2). If all Maws are destroyed with units still in the tunnel network, these units are also destroyed.
This, literally, was somebody posting on a forum on what he (or she) hoped the Tyranid Codex would include. It won’t. Ultimately, this remains the biggest problem with the 40K-rumour-sphere. There are no filters. Whatsoever. Rumour-mongers pick up and re-post things as rumours that are clearly described by people as “this is what I hope to see after playing too much Starcraft“.
If things like this can and do get sucked-up into the mix, the validity of all rumours going about should be in doubt.
Anyhow, have a read and let me know what you think!
Z.
Zweischneid
@pinsofwar
+Zweischneid
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