Post by ilovethenids on Feb 13, 2014 16:47:23 GMT
The way I like to think about this is that the rulebook is just there as a blueprint/foundation for the game, and since the whole point of any game is to enjoy yourself, a player should feel free to play under a different set of rules if that makes the experience more enjoyable. Heck, I don't care if a player wants to have a game where their Tyranids ally alongside Eldar - it's not fluffy or allowed in the actual rules, but if that makes the experience more fun for them I say go for it. Personally I wouldn't do something like that because I enjoy creating scenarios/new rules as necessary if I feel they will add positively to the experience and make the game feel more fluffy, but to each is own.
That said, I have a few ideas for rules based on fluff as I understand it.
Weight of Numbers:
When the Tyranids descend upon a prey world, the defenders find themselves fighting against a vast swarm of alien monstrosities. Many instances report numbers so great that the massive piles of dead Tyranids provided cover for the advancing horde.
After calculating the casualties for a hormagaunt or termagant brood consisting of 20 or more models, place a marker next to the brood with the number of models removed from play. For every 5 losses, the brood adds +1 to its cover save.
I know that in the real fluff the numbers would have to be much higher, but the way I see it, each model in a real battle would represent tens or even hundreds of creatures (so maybe a single carnifex model would represent 3 carnifexes, and a tactical squad of space marines would actually represent 3-5 tactical squads). This rule might be a bit OP, but I think it might make for an interesting playing experience.
Another thing I've always been irritated with is the way Lictors/genestealers enter play. Realistically, the enemy wouldn't actually know where the lictor was until it struck, and the same with infiltrating genestealers. I think that there should be some sort of rule that allows the Tyranid player to choose a piece of terrain in which the lictor(s) and/or genestealer brood(s) will enter play, and will write it down somewhere his/her opponent cannot see. This would follow the same basic rules for infiltration (ie not within a certain distance of an enemy unit). Then, the models would be placed within the terrain at the end of the opponent's turn if he/she has units within 12" of the terrain piece, or if they enter the terrain, the unit would be automatically assaulted at I10 (to represent the unexpected attack). If they were coming out of cover to assault an enemy unit, the amount of overwatch shots would be cut in half due to the unexpected nature of the attack. This might be a bit OP, but it would definitely add a bit of extra depth to the game since the opponent would have to be very wary of any terrain because each piece might hide a deadly tyranid organism, which is part of what the lictors/genestealers are supposed to do (instill fear). Plus, it's possible that the opposing player wouldn't enter the terrain piece in question, so the units would have to reveal themselves if they wanted to get in on the action.
That said, I have a few ideas for rules based on fluff as I understand it.
Weight of Numbers:
When the Tyranids descend upon a prey world, the defenders find themselves fighting against a vast swarm of alien monstrosities. Many instances report numbers so great that the massive piles of dead Tyranids provided cover for the advancing horde.
After calculating the casualties for a hormagaunt or termagant brood consisting of 20 or more models, place a marker next to the brood with the number of models removed from play. For every 5 losses, the brood adds +1 to its cover save.
I know that in the real fluff the numbers would have to be much higher, but the way I see it, each model in a real battle would represent tens or even hundreds of creatures (so maybe a single carnifex model would represent 3 carnifexes, and a tactical squad of space marines would actually represent 3-5 tactical squads). This rule might be a bit OP, but I think it might make for an interesting playing experience.
Another thing I've always been irritated with is the way Lictors/genestealers enter play. Realistically, the enemy wouldn't actually know where the lictor was until it struck, and the same with infiltrating genestealers. I think that there should be some sort of rule that allows the Tyranid player to choose a piece of terrain in which the lictor(s) and/or genestealer brood(s) will enter play, and will write it down somewhere his/her opponent cannot see. This would follow the same basic rules for infiltration (ie not within a certain distance of an enemy unit). Then, the models would be placed within the terrain at the end of the opponent's turn if he/she has units within 12" of the terrain piece, or if they enter the terrain, the unit would be automatically assaulted at I10 (to represent the unexpected attack). If they were coming out of cover to assault an enemy unit, the amount of overwatch shots would be cut in half due to the unexpected nature of the attack. This might be a bit OP, but it would definitely add a bit of extra depth to the game since the opponent would have to be very wary of any terrain because each piece might hide a deadly tyranid organism, which is part of what the lictors/genestealers are supposed to do (instill fear). Plus, it's possible that the opposing player wouldn't enter the terrain piece in question, so the units would have to reveal themselves if they wanted to get in on the action.