The tendrils of the Hive Fleets are inexorably coiling their way around the galaxy, choking out the stars and preparing to tuck into a billion-course meal. The monstrous Codex: Tyranids is on the way, so it’s time to grab your rubber gloves and cut through the chitin to study its pulsating, rules-filled heart.
Our first point of observation – these voracious bugs have evolved. Tyranid armies have always been guided by powerful SYNAPSE creatures, living psychic relays for the Hive Mind’s control – but these vital beasties are now packing a set of all-new powers known as Synaptic Imperatives.
If every unit from your army has the HIVE TENDRIL keyword, and they all come from the same Hive Fleet,* then at the start of each battle round you can choose to activate one Synaptic Imperative. These are powerful, aura-like abilities that radiate from each and every SYNAPSE unit in your army until the end of that round – and depending on your swarm’s composition, you’ll be able to pick between a jaw-dropping 10 of them.
Each breed of SYNAPSE creature in your army grants access to a different Synaptic Imperative – think of it as a beast transmitting its specialised instincts across the rest of the Hive Mind’s command beacons. So if you have a Hive Tyrant in your army (perhaps courtesy of the massive new Combat Patrol), you’ll be able to activate the Relentless Ferocity ability.
Relentless Ferocity is perfect for repositioning and keeping up pressure on the front lines, as allies within 6” can launch fresh charges even after falling back. Remember, this doesn’t just affect units near your Hive Tyrant – if chosen, every SYNAPSE unit in your army will start emitting the same Synaptic Imperative.
You can’t pick the same Synaptic Imperative more than once per battle, and you’ll need the unit that grants it to actually be on the battlefield, but those are the only restrictions. There are big rewards for those who pack their army with a wide range SYNAPSE creatures, and who can pick the right moment to trigger their Imperatives. However, if one of these creatures dies before you can use its Imperative, you lose that option for good – so don’t let the enemy eliminate all your Tyranid Warriors before you have the chance to fire off Goaded to Slaughter.
Hormagaunts and Genestealers are scary enough – now imagine them getting extra hits while they’re within 6” of Tyranid Warriors. Now imagine them getting extra hits while they’re within 6” of any SYNAPSE creature in your army! Your Warriors don’t even need to be near them – they can hang back in the rear, blasting away with venom cannons and deathspitters, and broadcast their terrifying instincts through other SYNAPSE units on the front lines.
It isn’t all aggression, though – the alien and unknowable Hive Mind** can bring its immense psychic powers to bear through Zoanthropes, activating the Warp Shielding ability to protect its most essential combat bioforms.
This Synaptic Imperative adds amazing survivability to your tide of ravenous critters, granting a 4+ invulnerable save to MONSTERS and a 5+ invulnerable save to everyone else. Your foes will really have something to worry about when you thrust a heap of suddenly nigh-invulnerable Carnifexes into their most valuable units.***
With 10 different Synaptic Imperatives to choose between – including one tied to a certain newly-spotted skyborne gribbly – you’ll have a mouth-watering menu of strategic options for overrunning your cowering foes.
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* Except for LIVING ARTILLERY units – Spore Mines and Mucolid Spores don’t even have brains.
** In the context of a game, you’re the Hive Mind, but we’re sure you’re up to the task.
*** Okay, it turns out even this defensive ability is all about aggression. What can you expect from Tyranids?