We’ve seen the new Tyranid codex and Combat Patrol but… is that the flapping of leathery wings?
Wait, could that be? Yes, it’s the legendary Parasite of Mortrex! This winged Tyranid monstrosity will soon cast a gruesome shadow over the battlefields of Warhammer 40,000.
This huge flying gribbly – first encountered on the planet of Mortrex – was originally mentioned in the 5th edition Tyranid codex, and Crusade rules have allowed Tyranid characters to mimic its horrifying implant attack… but nothing compares to the real deal. With its new plastic model, this classic critter is lunging out of the lore and onto the tabletop for the first time ever.
This beastie has the SYNAPSE keyword, giving it sway over lesser bioforms like Gargoyles and making airborne swarms an altogether more tasty (and horrifying) prospect. Better still, it has a fairly worrying statline of its own, with a monstrous 16” Move characteristic and enough of a melee punch to gobble up weaker foes all by itself.
The Parasite’s clawed limbs can rip enemies to shreds, but just wait until you see what it can do with its barbed ovipositor – that’s that pointy bit it uses to lay eggs, just in case you’re not familiar with Ordo Xenos lingo. Spoiler alert – there are about to be a LOT more Ripper Swarms running around.
Bringing new life into the world is never easy – unless you're a Tervigon – and the Parasite's victims can suffer mortal wounds round after round as newborn Rippers gnaw their way out of enemy hosts. It gets worse – these literal stomach bugs will also itch any survivors into such a frenzy that they lose their Objective Secured ability.
This ability makes the Parasite of Mortrex more than just a horrifying annoyance – it can swoop behind enemy lines to infect units parked on vital objectives, replacing whole squads with fresh Ripper Swarms that can claim the battlefield for the Hive Mind.
You’ll soon be able to add a Parasite of Mortrex to your flying broods of Winged Hive Tyrants, Gargoyles, Hive Crones, and Harpies – the skies of the 41st Millennium have never looked scarier.