Editing Warhammer 40,000/8th Edition Tactics/Tyranids (section)

===Heavy Support===

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%">
<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Biovore</div>

[[Image:Biovore8E.jpeg|thumb|left|Be careful of your opponents flipping the table]]










They don't need to roll to wound, they just skip to rolling Mortal Wounds damage roll: 1d6; 0 on a 1, 1 on 2-5, 1d3 (average 2) on a 6, for a total average of 1 per hit. If you miss, you get to place a Spore Mine that the opponent ''has'' to walk around, due to the magical 1" barrier all models have during the Movement phase, and can optionally charge into to eat the damage (but shouldn't). Sometimes missing with them is better than hitting to create a temporary wall or to get that surround on a transport, so consider moving and using instinctive behaviour to stack negative hit modifiers. 










<div class="mw-collapsible-content">


*No, really. You can damage LAND RAIDERS AND TITANS on a 2+, and even if you "miss", the spore mine will not only wound them anyway, but can block forward movement if you manage to get two off and space them 4" apart, since they can't move within 1" of enemies. '''[[That Guy|Just spam Biovores and Malanthropes and you win.]]'''
*Consider this. 3 squads of Biovores is 150 points, and is not only intrinsically immune to Morale, but also doesn't mind Instinctive Behaviour, since it's so often better to miss anyway. On a triple miss, those 150 points add 30 points to your army without using reinforcement points. Bear in mind you don't actually need to charge with them and eat overwatch; you just need to be within 3" at the end of the charge phase, so the mines can get there via regular movement. There's only so much incidental firepower the average person will be able to throw at them while managing other threats, so as turns pass and their guns are either killed or tied up, you'll have more of these building up and slamming mortal wounds into special snowflakes with increasing regularity. Now, also consider that you can't target characters unless they're the closest unit, but you can target (and miss) the unit next to them, then place the Mines as close as possible to said character. ''If you want to be a troll, move the Biovores first'' while outside of Synapse, to increase their odds of placing a Spore Mine to 5/6 (5 or less).
**Make sure to clarify how Biovores work with your opponent if you're using the new beta deep strike rules. These rules, by RAW, would apply to any spore mines created by the biovore's ability, which means you may not be able to produce spore mines outside of your deployment zone turn one. ''This is incredibly stupid, and you probably shouldn't play with anyone who insists on it'', but be aware. 
*(Note: This unit had its points changed in Chapter Approved 2018)


</div></div>

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%">
<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Carnifex</div>

[[Image:Carnifex.jpg|thumb|left|Classic Crabby lad]]





The old mainstay had its ups and downs. Currently it is an extremely cheap to field model (as in: you-can-field-a-Carnifex-for-fewer-points-than-a-unit-of-Warriors) with tonnes of versatility. Stat-wise it's pretty much a Dreadnought, and is far more customizable than the rotting tuna cans. Living Battering Ram lets it add +1 to hit when it charges, in addition to dealing 1 mortal wound on a 4+. The options given back to the 'Fex can suit them into any role you want<strike>, and sometimes even better at it than the monsters made for the job (looking at you, Haruspex)</strike>. There are multiple ways to take one, but ''always'' take the Spore Cysts, so your Carnifex will survive long enough to do some work. As a result, ''never'' take Spine Banks. More details follow below, but you should also be avoiding the bio-plasma and the chitin thorns. Here are a few common ways to build a 'Fex:





<div class="mw-collapsible-content">


*Dakkafex:  Ignore the Deathspitters and the Stranglethorn; even if you think you have a use-case for them, you should be looking at a Thornback for that (see below). Take 4 Devourers with Brainleech Worms (7 each) for 24 S6 shots, Enhanced Senses for 25% more shots hitting (usually 16, rather than 12), and, of course, Spore Cysts. That's 115 points for generally landing 16 S6 shots. While usually not the best idea, the Monstrous Acid Maw could be useful if you don't want your Dakkafex to be completely helpless in melee, especially since the Devourers only have an 18 inch range. 
*Meleefex:  Ignore the Maw. It looks good (and it is), but you've got enough melee weapons already - and the crushing claws, which usually only boost you from wounding on 5+ to wounding on 3+ against enemy heavies, at a relatively severe accuracy penalty (''unless you charge, in which case you're fine''). Take the Tusks and keep the basic two pairs of monstrous scything talons, Spore Cysts to live long enough to get there. Naturally, you will want adrenal glands and toxin sacs, and you should grab a bone mace tail. Assuming you charge - ''which you need to'' - that's A6 WS3+r1 S6 AP-3 D3 (D4 on wound rolls of 6+) and one WS3 S8 AP-1 D1d3 (D1d3+1 on wound rolls of 6+), plus half a mortal wound, which will wreck the majority of heavy infantry or light vehicle/monster opponents, like Rhinos, all for 111 points.
*Hybrid: While it may be tempting to take pure dakka or melee carnifexes, the more optimal loadouts revolve around a mix of the two as they can be far more points efficient in smaller numbers (2-3 ish) by being able to shoot as they stomp towards the nearest tin can, whereas with pure melee, you are risking the carnifex being blown away before it makes back a single point. There are three main builds worth considering, the 2nd of which are helped immensely by OOE. The first is MST, Devourers, and Enhanced Senses, allowing you to advance up the table while picking of light chaff and providing another immediate target your opponent has to deal with. The second is Monstrous Crushing Claws, Devourers, and Enhanced Senses or Tusks, which when paired with OOE, transforms them into tank blenders by now hitting on 3s with 4 Strength 12 attacks on the charge while still contributing in the opening turns of the battle. Additionally, swapping enhanced senses for tusks, gives a better chance at wrecking tanks in one go. The third option is MCC, HVC, and Enhanced Senses which featured in the winning Nid list at the London GT in 2018. While not the most optimal choice, especially how the meta has shifted, it can still pack a punch both at range and in combat. 



[[Image:Screamer Killer.jpeg|thumb|left|Stabby Crabby lad]]







'''Screamer-Killer''': The classic Carnifex, now with its own datasheet. Two pairs of Scything Talons, and a free Bio-Plasmic Scream that's Assault d6, S7 AP-4, and 18" range that gives it something to mess up MEQs as it moves into charging distance. In addition to Living Battering Ram, it makes enemy units within 8" add 1 to any Morale tests they take. As one more bonus, they can take Spore Cysts, which penalises the hit rolls of opponents shooting at them by -1. It doesn't stack with a Venomthrope, but those shouldn't be following Carnifexes into melee to start with.
*Do consider that Screamer Killers are more expensive than regular Carnifex (90 points instead of 67) for the Bio-Plasmic Scream and the special rule. It cannot take a tail nor Tusks. As stated above, a regular Carnifex with a melee build is around 111 points, if you take all the Biomorphs listed above, while a Screamer Killer will cost 124 and it won't have the additional attacks from the Tusks and the tail. Make sure to use that Bio-Plasmic scream on something if you take it, since that's its main draw. 







[[Image:Thornback.jpeg|thumb|left|Shooty Crabby lad]]







'''Thornback''': A more specialised anti-infantry version of the Dakkafex, the Thornback makes up for its comparative weakness in melee combat with several tricks that will deter assaults on it. Thorned Battering Ram lets it inflict d3 mortal wounds rather than the usual 1 when charging {{W40Kkeyword|infantry}}, and the compulsory Chitin Thorns further discourage assault troops. More importantly, its attacks ignore the cover bonus to saves for {{W40Kkeyword|infantry}}. It starts with monstrous scything talons, which it can and should swap for a Stranglethorn Cannon (unless you have a specific plan to use Thorned Battering Ram a lot, such as against Tau) and two Devourers with Brainleech Worms, which it should be swapping for two Deathspitters with Slimer Maggots, as well as buying Enhanced Senses. The lack of Spore Cysts hurts, but you're still looking at 114 points for typically landing 4 S7 AP-1 D1 and 2.33 S7 AP-1 D2 shots that bypass cover saves on {{W40Kkeyword|infantry}}, making it better than a Dakkafex at wiping out TEQs/two-wound models in cover and taking potshots at light vehicles.







[[Image:Stone Crusher Carnifex.jpeg|thumb|left|Pesky Tankybreaky Crabby lab]]







'''Stone-Crusher Carnifex (Forge World)''':  The tried and true vehicle (and building) Murder-fex. These babies cost a fair shake more than a stock 'fex or Thornback. Like a Thornback, their mortal wounds from charging increase to 1d3 against their chosen target, which for them is {{W40Kkeyword|vehicle}}s or {{W40Kkeyword|buildings}}s, but they don't get +1 to hit from charging. They're also the only breed of 'fex that can't take toxin sacs or adrenal glands, and they use the old Index definitions of the thresher scythe and bone mace (because they are printed directly on the model's datasheet), meaning the scythe is an auto-buy over the mace (you can't field them without tails). It comes with two wrecker claws; you can swap one claw out for a bio-flail ''if you're deliberately trying to make the 'fex worse'', as you'll make it more expensive and worse at melee at the same time (anything you'd attack with the bio-flail, you should be attacking with the scythe). 
*Those wrecker claws are absolute beast; for an 18 point pair, you get Sx2 (S12) AP-3 D1d6, ''and'' they'll re-roll both failed hits and failed wounds against {{W40Kkeyword|vehicle}}s and {{W40Kkeyword|buildings}}s. You can buy bio-plasma, which really isn't a bad gun, it just won't do much against the targets you'll be trying to shove your Carnifex into. All told, your Stone-Crusher should come out to 105 points with two claws and a scythe and no bio-plasma. You'll be inferior to a stock Fex in most regards (no glands, sacs, cysts, or tusks, no +1 to hit when charging): combining to make your nidzilla a sad panda - but wrecker claws are legitimately strictly better than crushing claws in every possible respect, and your thresher scythe doesn't come with its own attack but ''can be used with all 4 of your stock ones'', letting you fall back on it against hordes to double your swings on average, so this Carnifex can be surprisingly punchy, and if you can get it to the enemy alive, will absolutely wreck some face.
*Note that the [[RAW|specific wording]] of the Wrecking Claws means that a 'fex armed with 2 Wrecking Claws re-rolls hits with it's Tail Weapon as well.
* For Hive Fleets, Jormungandr are a great choice considering now that they get Land Raider armor against shooting. Kraken are good if you want to use a lot of Melee-fex as second-wave charging unit. The others benefit them not as much as these two.
* All in all, an incredibly flexible unit capable of acting either as a melee Dreadnought or somewhere between a Predator or Razorback equivalent. Sacrificing durability for mobility and cheapness.


</div></div>

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%">
<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Exocrine</div>

[[Image:Exocrine.jpg|thumb|left|The Shootiest 'nid lad]]






A massive middle finger for anyone bitching about Tyranid AP being bad. Its gun is 36" Heavy 6 S7 AP-3 D2, and if it doesn't move it gets to shoot twice and add 1 to its 4+ hit rolls. Show those Terminators what scary dakka means when you hose them down with <strike>acid</strike> plasma from 36" away. Even though the Nids now have a real Plasma Cannon, try to avoid long range shootouts with other [[Tau|Plasma]] [[Dark Angels|Spam]] [[Adeptus_Mechanicus|armies]]. Seriously, don't do it, unless you want Heavy 1d3 or worse for the return fire. Like other long range artillery, they need meat shields for their survival.






<div class="mw-collapsible-content">


*One thing to consider about the Exocrine is that the number of shots he fires and the BS he uses fluctuates wildly and that's even before he starts to degrade through damage. If he stands still and foregoes charging (why would charging be a serious option, though?) he can fire 12 shots at 3+ (well technically he fires six shots twice so two different targets if need be). If he moves, that's 6 shots at a miserable 5+. Not only do you miss out on the +1 to hit for not moving or charging, but you take a -1 to hit penalty for moving and firing heavy weapons, because despite being dedicated to shooting, he lacks the Bio-tank rule of the Tyrannofex which allows it to ignore said penalty. Best used parked in cover at the rear, beside a Malanthrope, meaning he's safely in synapse range with a synaptic 9 wound character who is unlikely to get sniped while shooting directed at him are -1 to hit, and he has a 2+ save for his 12 T8 wounds. Like the Tyrannofex, Kronos will make sure its shots count.
*Blood of Baal introduced a strat that allows the exocrine to move (but not Advance - FAQed!) and still gain the bonuses for standing still at the cost of 1CP, giving our favourite pseudo-plasma gun beast a much needed manoeuvrability boost. 
*Blood of Baal also granted Tyranid players some new psychic powers and adaptive physiologies that seem purpose built for Exocrines. Symbiostorm will make your sixes count as two hits (especially nice for Kronos players) and Voracious Ammunition will see any unit that's lost models to your shots take an additional D3 mortal wounds if the unit somehow survived. Bye-bye Terminator squad!
*As of Chapter Approved 2019 it costs 155 points to field one of these fellas. An Exocrine now cost 10 points less than a single squad of 5 Hellblasters, whilst having 6" more range, 2 more shots (at ALL ranges), and doing 2 damage without the overcharge risk!! Sure, no S8, but you can't have everything!


</div></div>

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%">
<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Mawloc</div>

[[Image:Mawloc.jpeg|thumb|left|"Maw" means mouth, btw]]






The '''Terror of the Deep''' no longer relies on random scatter to go off, meaning it just deep strikes in at >1" away from the enemy and 6" away from your other Deep Striking Mawlocs, then it deals an average of 1.5 mortal wounds to every enemy unit within 2". It can't charge the turn it surfaces, but a gigantic gob worm rising right in the enemy ranks works as a neat [[distraction carnifex|distraction]]. You end up paying 104 points (105 if you buy a Toxinspike, or even more if you spring for the Adrenal Glands or Toxin Sacs) for 1 mouth attack which is anti-tank, then 8 anti-infantry attacks from its talons, then 1 anti-infantry attack from the tail, ''but not on the same turn you sprang up'', meaning if you want to do anything with it other than spring it up as a shiny red ball to get shot, you want to be {{W40Kkeyword|Kraken}}, so you can Fall Back from the inevitable tarpitting, and still charge (nothing you do will let the Mawloc Burrow out of a tarpit). Perhaps its best ability is simply Deep Striking so close to the enemy, which means you can reliably shove it onto an objective much of the time.






<div class="mw-collapsible-content">


*Mawlocs are very cheap and the submerge ability allows for some flexibility. You can deploy them normally, allowing you to qualify for the 50% rule, and then burrow and join in the fun. It's not a full null-deployment, but it's a tool that depends on your opponent. The ability to shut down a strong shooting model for a turn via charging will also pay dividends. Of course, they excel at harassing a whole group of units, forcing tough choices. The ability to appear anywhere on the board post turn three is also powerful in objective-based games. They cost very little, have an unique ability in 40K, and come in at less than ten points a wound. By focusing on the Strength of the Mawloc, you don't have to buy a Trygon and another unit to do backfield harassment; they do this role on a budget.
**One highly overlooked ability of the Mawloc is to block off corridors. The model is on a 120 by 90 mm base. If you deep-strike it into a street or other corridor, the opening would need to be almost ten inches wide for Space Marines to scoot past it (120mm base + 25mm to either side because enemies cannot move within an inch of it + 32mm for the base of the space marine). While it will likely get shot off the board the turn after you set it down, it can easily slow down your opponent getting onto an objective by a turn, and in a game that usually only goes for 5 turns, that can swing the game your way quite a bit.
**With the new beta rules, the mawloc might be the worst unit in the codex. It can't arrive in enemy deployment until turn 2, which means it can't charge a backline unit until turn three. 


</div></div>

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%">
<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Toxicrine</div>

[[Image:Toxicrine.jpeg|thumb|left|The big daddy of Hentai]]










Nothing is really safe from a Toxicrene. Everything it does re-rolls to Wound, which combined with Strength 7 means that unless you consciously target monsters with it, it will usually wound with all its hits. It has some scary (if low-ranged) shooting and in melee it strikes before everything else and has 6 attacks. The real kicker however is its Hypertoxic Miasma which has a chance of inflicting a mortal wound on every enemy ''model'' within 1" of it.










<div class="mw-collapsible-content">


* Like the Haruspex, this big old hentai monster suffers from not being durable or fast enough to make it into combat, and it's degradation chart really hampers it even if he does.
** With the new Codex the Toxicrene hits on 3+ before degradation and has an AP of -2 with his tentacles, which improves his close combat damage quite considerably.  
* Chapter Approved 2019 has further reduced the cost of a Toxicrene to 125 points. They're now barely more expensive than a well-equipped Carnifex and look a lot scarier, which might make them a nice distraction. They also look like a nice place to put the "Murderous Size" adaptive physiology, since that would make their hentai tentacles Strength 8, AP -3, Damage D3+1. Since they can already re-roll wounds that could make them into a genuine threat to vehicles.


</div></div>

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%">
<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Trygon</div>

[[Image:TrygonGW.jpeg|thumb|left|Scares babies and Space Marines alike]]










With three sets of Massive Scything Talons (which have no purpose since you only get one extra attack as per the FAQ) and six attacks, the Trygon is once again a proper murder machine.
* Its Subterranean Assault ability lets it appear anywhere on the table, more than 9" away from the nearest enemy, at the end of the movement phase.










<div class="mw-collapsible-content">


*You have the option of dragging along a unit of troops, but they also have to be placed more than 9" away from the nearest enemy, which means assault is a somewhat iffy proposition, even if you plan on spending command points for re-rolls and have Adrenal Glands. Or just place them in a Behemoth detachment to pretty much guarantee the charge. Jormungandr's Stratagem can open up far more potential for this, since it will allow the Trygon to bring along two units instead of one. 
*''However'', if you pop the Trygon up sideways, just shy of 12" away from your enemy, you can place ~25 devilgants able to shoot in the same direction around it. If you do this, you are required to bring a bucket of dice with you.
'''Trygon Prime''': A slightly meaner Trygon bawss. [[Hive Mind|Wields the Tyranid Matrix of leadership]] and has the Character keyword, so you can give him relics and warlord traits.
* Starts equipped with Biostatic Rattle which adds +1 to Morale rolls for any unit taking unsaved wounds from it.
* Facing off against Leman Russes, Eldar tanks, or other T7 W10+ Sv3+ units? Take a Trygon Prime! Psychic Awakening has a few fun toys for him to play with. Kit it out with Adrenal Glands and Toxin Sacs. Give it the Murderous Size Adaptive Physiology trait. Deep strike 9" away from the target. Spend 1 CP for rolling your charge distance on 3D6-drop the lowest, and then add +1" from your glands. Now that you're in, watch your opponent's eyes well up as you attack with 7 S8 AP-4 D6+1Dmg (D6+2Dmg on wound rolls of 6+), averaging 17 damage. That'll outright kill most things that don't have an invul or a good FnP. If you need more insurance (or if you're dealing with a T8 Repulsor) spend 2 more CP and re-roll all failed wound rolls. Now you're pumping out a whopping 23dmg (19dmg against T8 = dead Repulsor)! If you're worried about taking Overwatch, you can always put the Trygon in a detachment with the custom Hive trait that gives you a 4+ FnP against Overwatch.  
</div></div>

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%">
<div style="font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;">Tyrannofex</div>

[[Image:Tyranno.jpg|thumb|left|You point at a target and it's gone with this beasty]]








Versatile fire support that might actually be seen with other loadouts than Acid Spray this edition, now that it can move and fire heavy weapons with no penalty, but can shoot twice if it stands still, so you still won't move it if you can help it. It carries a compulsory Stinger Salvo for 8 points, which combines nicely with the Spray or Hive for clearing out infantry.
* Can be equipped to deal with a variety of enemies:
** The '''Acid Spray''''s strength degrades as the Tyrannofex is wounded, but with 7 shots hitting compared to the Hive's usual of 10, better AP and Damage mean that against almost all targets, it's a better gun than the Hive on multi-wound targets or anything with an armor save.








<div class="mw-collapsible-content">


** The '''Fleshborer Hive''' is better against big hordes that don't rely on saves (like Horrors), and can be buffed with Scorch Bugs to wound MEQs and GEQs on 2s, but it's not useful in remotely as many contexts as the Acid Spray.
** The '''Rupture Cannon''' costs a fuckton, driving the dude's cost up to 230 points, but it will fuck up very heavy targets with 2x3 S10 lascannon-equivalent shots. Taking it with Kronos' adaptation all but guarantees that tanks will die.
*(Note: This unit had its points changed in Chapter Approved 2018)


</div></div>