Tyranid Warrior
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A Tyranid Warrior is a type of Tyranid that fills a leadership and heavy-assault role. Warriors are usually deployed at the earlier stages of planetary consumption. As they are synapse creatures,they spread out the synaptic web and guide the lower forms of gaunts in battle. They are also potent foes on the battlefield as they can carry many different biomorphs and weapon-symbiotes and their genus is used as a template to create various elite creatures of the Tyrannic host.
Even the smallest gathering, patrol or raiding party of the Tyranids will most likely be led by a Warrior in order to guide the lesser beasts and keep them connected to the Hive Mind. Think of them as a combination of an elite sergeant and living walkie-takie.
In Game
These guys are fucking expensive (a box of 3 goes for fucking NZ $73! Fuck you, GW) but have 3 wounds, toughness 4 and a 4+ save. Unfortunately, this means that they suffer instant death from all weapons strength 8 or up and thus see little play in the competitive field as a single Battle Cannon shot can wipe out an entire unit. In addition, their 4+ saves render them very vulnerable for units priced like TEQs. Mauls hurt them, heavy bolters hurt them, secondary mode hammerheads hurt them, autocannons hurt them, hades autocannons instagib them, manticores devastate them, most barrage weapons ignore their saves. Overall they're quite squishy.
Yes, it is not an easy life for a Warrior as everyone, their grandma, and their grandma's cat all know the most important rule when fighting Tyranids; take out the synapse creatures. And being the most common synapse creatures (not to mention the only ICs in their entire army) and relied on to spread the web they will be targeted first and foremost (unless a rampaging Hive Tyrant or Carnifex is bearing down on them first). Because of this most games will see Warriors bear a great deal of heavy weapons fire and be turned into creamed goo before too long.
In early editions, these things were fucking boss. They could easily match Terminator durability since there was more wargear they could get, and they had much greater flexibility, too, due to how the rules were. You could very easily make a Warrior that was a close-combat death machine, ranged killer, or even a mid-level psychic powerhouse. Or all three in the same unit. In early editions, they could pack on extended carapace or even Warp Field for a good armor save, and with the huge number of attacks they had, great stat-line, and tons of upgrades, they were a literal swiss-army commander, one that was extremely popular for newcomers. Sadly the recent edition changes, from about 5th onwards, just ruined this mainstay unit.