Yesterday we took a look at some of the biggest bugs that the Tyranids have to offer, and today we’ll be answering that age-old question which keeps Guardsmen awake in their bunks at night – would you rather fight one Carnifex-sized Hormagaunt, or 10 Hormagaunt-sized Carnifexes? That’s right, we’re talking about the many terrifying improvements Codex: Tyranids is bestowing upon the many millions of wee critters that make the Hive Fleet work.
Hormagaunts, Termagants, and Gargoyles are rapacious locusts that swarm at the Hive Mind’s command – if locusts were about the size of a tiger and armed with organic bio-weaponry. This seething tide of mandibles, talons, guns, tails, and other errant limbs only grows in power when directed by cunning SYNAPSE creatures, forming a carpet of doom that covers the battlefield.
Feeding so many hungry mouths can be a challenge. Ordinarily, models only get to fight if they're within Engagement Range – or within ½” of a buddy who themselves is within ½” of the enemy. That's great for chompy chonkers with big bases, like the Tyrant Guard, but how do you squeeze a whole swarm of little lads into nibbling range?
The Norn-Queens have spliced together a solution – the new Swarming Masses ability.
This aptly-named ability allows models to fight if they are within 2 ½” of any enemy units, meaning you can pile on plenty more bodies in every Fight phase. That’s massive, and shows how these surging hosts use numbers to their advantage – but it’s made even better by the Hormagaunts’ new stats.
We have no idea what the Hive Mind is feeding these fiends, but they’re more aggressive than ever before, sporting an extra 2” of Movement, another Attack, and a Save characteristic of 5+. They also keep their iconic Bounding Leap ability, which lets them pile in an extra 3” each time they fight – swarming the enemy has never been so easy.
Whilst these improvements alone make Hormagaunts much more vicious, the new codex is squirming with ways to render them downright terrifying. The CORE keyword, for example, means you’ll be able to lather on targeted buffs from leader-beasts like the Hive Tyrant or Broodlord.
We can’t wait to send a massive swarm into a feeding frenzy with a Synaptic Imperative – use your Tyranid Warriors to trigger Goaded to Slaughter, and watch as every unmodified hit roll of 6 scores an extra hit. You’ll be throwing enough dice to cover the table in wound rolls.
Codex: Tyranids is coming soon, and it’s going to be full of devious strategies demonstrating the unknowable depths of the Hive Mind’s alien intellect.* Whether you’re hungry for more Tyranid content or want to be forewarned of what these voracious bugs will be bringing to the battlefield, sign up for the Warhammer Community newsletter to get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox.
* Admittedly, it’s mostly thinking “where do I get my next meal?”