Post by jackedup on Jan 8, 2014 14:44:09 GMT
So looking at the Codex right now, it seems to be a slightly weaker version of Cruddace's.
Synapse and Shadow in the Warp:
Instinctive behaviour is now hunt, lurk, and feed. Terrible things happen when you roll a 1-3 to check behaviour, from units attacking themselves to actually falling back. You need t roll a 6 on the behaviour check to get the old Rage bonus, for "feed" units. Overall, synapse is now way more important.
Shadow in the Warp gives enemy psykers -3 LD when within range.
The HQ Options:
For starters, I note there's no rule that makes the Tervigon a troop choice.They are HQ, and you pretty much have to surrender a Hive Tyrants to take one. The only real upside is that they produces the same 'Gaunts you use as a troop choice, along with all the upgrades. Sorry, I am blind (see replies below). For every brood of 30 (all 30) Gaunts you can get one as a troop choice.
It's interesting to see Deathleaper as a HQ choice, and at 130 pts only snap shots can be taken at him. Not bad, but he lacks synapse. The Swarmlord is now 285 pts, with little in the way of new features to recommend it. The Tyranid Prime at 125 pts is a bit pricey, since it also chews up a HQ slot, and Old One Eye is a similar waste of a HQ slot.
The Troops:
Termagant broods up to 30 now, with a lot more options. Genestealers remain a bit rubbishy, and seem to need synapse (although they do have Ld 10). Warriors have a bigger range of guns (but note there's still nothing in the whole book with skyfire). Overall, nothing to see here. Move on.
Fast Attack:
The Harpy (135 pts) and Crone (155 pts) are what everyone's looking at I suppose. Harpies haven't changed much, except the screech now gives the enemy -5 Init. There is no more giant spore mine bomb. The Crone is basically a flying flamer, with Str 5 Haywire missiles. I think you'll be taking them, because there's really no anti-air option otherwise.
Raveners seem to have lost rending.
Elite:
Hive Guard cost upped by 5 pts, not many rules changes. They have a Haywire gun they can take now. I am kind of sorry to lose the Ymgarl Genestealers, as I liked the flavour, but gone they are.
The venomthropes are kind of awesome, with their shrouded rule and poisoned 2+ attacks. But will you drop Hive Guard to take them? I dunno...
The Haruspex is built to rip apart infantry mobs, and little else. It has a Str 6 tounge (assault 1), and 3 attacks. Each unsaved wound gives it another attack. And it heals back its bank of 5 wounds for every wound it inflicts, and can also take regen. It's a little bit specialised for my tastes, at 160 pts.
Heavy Support:
Mawlock is the biggest improvement IMHO. Dropped to 140 points, and if it doesn't clear the area the S6 AP2 hit happens AGAIN. It also ignores cover now. Mind you, if it doesn't clear the area on the second try, you get a mishap roll. It also can't burrow on the very first turn like before, and loses the option for Regen.
The Trygon has gone up to 190 points, lost one attack, and...yeah. That's it. Everything else is the same. The Trygon Prime might actually see more use, there being a bigger need for synapse now. But 230pts is kind of extreme just for the synapse, no?
The Exocrine (170 pts) is kind of awesome, with Assault 6, Str 7, AP2 shots. Or it can drop a big blast. Park its butt for a round, and it's +1 BS. The Tyrannofex is dropped to 175 pts.
Overall, I'd say it's a bit of a letdown. I guess the Battle Report should have been a warning, when they played it out ignoring the Force Org. chart. While it's not attributed to any particular writer (and a lot of the text is cut and paste), my personal guess is Jervis Johnson. There's virtually no movement on the power scale as compared to the last codex (except maybe a bit downward). There will be arguments that GW wants you to play according to the fluff, use a balanced army, etc. Fine if you're playing casually, as always; but compared to the other Codexes out there, this army is a hard pick if you're into tournaments.
Synapse and Shadow in the Warp:
Instinctive behaviour is now hunt, lurk, and feed. Terrible things happen when you roll a 1-3 to check behaviour, from units attacking themselves to actually falling back. You need t roll a 6 on the behaviour check to get the old Rage bonus, for "feed" units. Overall, synapse is now way more important.
Shadow in the Warp gives enemy psykers -3 LD when within range.
The HQ Options:
For starters, I note there's no rule that makes the Tervigon a troop choice.
It's interesting to see Deathleaper as a HQ choice, and at 130 pts only snap shots can be taken at him. Not bad, but he lacks synapse. The Swarmlord is now 285 pts, with little in the way of new features to recommend it. The Tyranid Prime at 125 pts is a bit pricey, since it also chews up a HQ slot, and Old One Eye is a similar waste of a HQ slot.
The Troops:
Termagant broods up to 30 now, with a lot more options. Genestealers remain a bit rubbishy, and seem to need synapse (although they do have Ld 10). Warriors have a bigger range of guns (but note there's still nothing in the whole book with skyfire). Overall, nothing to see here. Move on.
Fast Attack:
The Harpy (135 pts) and Crone (155 pts) are what everyone's looking at I suppose. Harpies haven't changed much, except the screech now gives the enemy -5 Init. There is no more giant spore mine bomb. The Crone is basically a flying flamer, with Str 5 Haywire missiles. I think you'll be taking them, because there's really no anti-air option otherwise.
Raveners seem to have lost rending.
Elite:
Hive Guard cost upped by 5 pts, not many rules changes. They have a Haywire gun they can take now. I am kind of sorry to lose the Ymgarl Genestealers, as I liked the flavour, but gone they are.
The venomthropes are kind of awesome, with their shrouded rule and poisoned 2+ attacks. But will you drop Hive Guard to take them? I dunno...
The Haruspex is built to rip apart infantry mobs, and little else. It has a Str 6 tounge (assault 1), and 3 attacks. Each unsaved wound gives it another attack. And it heals back its bank of 5 wounds for every wound it inflicts, and can also take regen. It's a little bit specialised for my tastes, at 160 pts.
Heavy Support:
Mawlock is the biggest improvement IMHO. Dropped to 140 points, and if it doesn't clear the area the S6 AP2 hit happens AGAIN. It also ignores cover now. Mind you, if it doesn't clear the area on the second try, you get a mishap roll. It also can't burrow on the very first turn like before, and loses the option for Regen.
The Trygon has gone up to 190 points, lost one attack, and...yeah. That's it. Everything else is the same. The Trygon Prime might actually see more use, there being a bigger need for synapse now. But 230pts is kind of extreme just for the synapse, no?
The Exocrine (170 pts) is kind of awesome, with Assault 6, Str 7, AP2 shots. Or it can drop a big blast. Park its butt for a round, and it's +1 BS. The Tyrannofex is dropped to 175 pts.
Overall, I'd say it's a bit of a letdown. I guess the Battle Report should have been a warning, when they played it out ignoring the Force Org. chart. While it's not attributed to any particular writer (and a lot of the text is cut and paste), my personal guess is Jervis Johnson. There's virtually no movement on the power scale as compared to the last codex (except maybe a bit downward). There will be arguments that GW wants you to play according to the fluff, use a balanced army, etc. Fine if you're playing casually, as always; but compared to the other Codexes out there, this army is a hard pick if you're into tournaments.