Tyranid Sacrificial Hordes

[Gingerwerewolf]

I was thinking of a couple of rules to make nids more authentic and one area that Nids don’t act like their fluff is the way that Nids will sacrifice their lesser creatures for the hive.

A common Tyranid tactic is to overwhelm by numbers, caring nothing for the sacrifices made to achieve their goals. Gargoyles throwing themselves into Jet engines to bring down fighter planes, Hormagaunts throwing themselves into gun lines to protect the creatures behind them, or to simply clog the battlefield.

Creatures with the “Sacrificial Swarm” Rule gain the following abilities while in Synapse Range -

Sacrificial Cover - When a shot passes through a unit with Sacrificial Cover, to strike creatures / units behind it, as judged by LoS from the firer, the Unit may elect to give the unit behind a 3+ cover save. If it does so, it immediately takes 1d6 wounds, with no saves (cover or otherwise) possible.

Sacrificial Weapons - A unit with the Sacrificial Weapons rule that assaults a Vehicle may elect to sacrifice themselves in an attempt to take down the vehicle. To use this rule the number of models within the unit must be equal to or greater than the greatest armour Value of the Vehicle being assaulted, which in most cases is the front armour. This attack has no affect against Super Heavy Vehicles & Titans

Before the Attacks from either side have been rolled, the Tyranid player must select a number from 0 to 5. This number is the “Sacrifice Ratio”. The Sacrifice Ratio is added to the strength of each of the creatures in the unit, (not attached independent characters) for their attacks against the Vehicle this assault phase. Roll to Hit and Penetrate as normal (which in close combat is against the rear armour). After combat has been resolved, including casualties for any vehicle explodes result, roll a number of D6 = the Sacrifice Ratio chosen, the Tyranid Unit takes this many wounds with no saves (Armour, Cover or Invulnerable) possible. Note that the Strength bonus gained in this way does not stack with Furious Charge. A Unit may Elect to do this if they are rammed, however an additional D6 is rolled when the Sacrifice Ratio dice are rolled.

I was thinking that the Following Units would gain the special Rule “Sacrificial Swarm”:

Hormagaunts
Termagants
Gargoyles
Ripper Swarms
Sky-Slayer Swarms

(I’ve not included Stealers as I believe that their independence from the Hive Mind works against this rule. This is meant for dumb sacrificial troops)

I think that the rule is self-destructive and the use of it will remove your own nids faster than normal. Thus I don’t think that there should be a cost associated with it.

Thoughts appreciated!

[Ambience 327]

Definitely an interesting idea, though a little convoluted. It reminds me of the "Its a Grot's Life" rule from Codex: Orks, as well as the old Grot screening rule.

I like it, but playtesting would need to be done to determine whether a points cost is required or not.

[HeOfTheRedPen]

I like the idea for a 'screening' rule, but have a few pointers on it I would like to express. Firstly, I can't see a Carnifex hunkering down behind some Termagants and receiving a 3+ Cover Save- not only would it defy the fluff (i.e. the fact the Carnifex is enormous whereas the Gaunts are a teensy bit on the small side) but it would also make for serious game imbalance- I could see a Tyranid player taking three Carnifexes and a Hive Tyrant and then just rushing them across the battlefield with absolute impunity, shielded by their massive Armour and Cover saves gifted to them at the expense of a mere 1-6 Gaunts. I would say Monstrous Creatures should only receive a 4+/5+ Cover Save from this special rule if the screen consists of small guys, whereas Infantry get the more privileged 3+/4+ instead. May I also suggest that, if you want to keep the save at 3+ for everything, you make the screening unit lose 2D6 worth of models instead of just a D6? That would make more background sense- I could see the little creatures flinging themselves in chittering droves towards gunfire, and subsequently dying in chittering droves, so as to protect their bulkier masters.

In terms of the secondary tank-busting effect of this rule, Ambience 327 is exactly right in saying it's: ''a little convoluted''. But I like the 'sacrifice ratio' idea, actually- I think it makes for a good adherance to the background (which I am a bit of a Nazi about, incidentally- there's nothing more that I like than a rule designed with the fluff in mind!) and also for a useful game effect. Tyranids often have trouble dealing with tank-heavy armies such as Imperial Guard, mechanised Space Marines etc, due to the ponderous pace of their tank-busting melee creatures and the lack of any real firepower to compensate, but this would iron out said problem and proves balanced to boot thanks to its penalising side-effect. I could just envisage Hormagaunts swarming like a living tide over the hull of a Leman Russ, madly shrieking as they dismember it with their talons, heedless of the crash of gunfire and the gory deaths of their brood around them. Very visceral imagery conjured by this, I can tell you!

Overall, some pretty damn good ideas- with a little refinement, especially in the case of the first, this could well be a winning development for a currently underpowered and suffering Codex in 5th edition (NB: that's just my opinion of the Tyranids- I've never had any luck with them at all in 5th, and really think they need adaptation).