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The Tyranids are a fictional race from the Warhammer 40000 tabletop game and its spin-off media.
They are a nomadic alien race comprising many genetically engineered forms (see Tyranid genetics) created from harvested bio-mass. They are known as the "Great Devourer" and pose a severe threat to the Imperium.[1] They seek to consume all in their path, draining all planets of any possible resource with horrific speed and power.
Tyranids were first described in Rick Priestley's Rogue Trader, the first edition of the Warhammer 40,000.[2] At that time they were not an emphasised race in the game, instead representing a limited number of occasionally-encountered alien antagonists. In later editions the Tyranids became a playable race in their own right, popularised by a number of successful board games. Unlike most Warhammer 40,000 races, the Tyranids do not have a Warhammer Fantasy Battle counterpart. They are comparable in terms of their voracity, and in some cases, appearance, to the Xenomorph of the Alien films, as well as the Zerg from the Starcraft computer games.
Tyranids are typically a close-combat army and rely on overwhelming their enemies through superior numbers, although they may be bio-morphed to rely heavily on ranged combat, or field an impressive but small array of monstrous creatures rather than a typical swarm. Tyranid armies are therefore able to bring a varied threat to bear on their opponents.
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History
The hive fleets so far introduced by Games Workshop include Hive Fleet Behemoth, Hive Fleet Kraken, and Hive Fleet Leviathan. It is noted that these names are those ascribed to the Tyranid incursions by the scholars of the Imperium, rather than the Tyranid civilization themselves. Indeed, there is no evidence shown in the fiction that Tyranids even have language or civilization as understood by the protagonist civilizations native to the Milky Way. Hive fleet Behemoth invaded in a giant swarm of over a thousand ships, and reached as far into Imperial Space as Macragge, the homeworld of the Ultramarines, before it was destroyed. Hive fleet Kraken had divided istself into a large number of sub-fleets, of which two major groups were eventually halted at the Battle of Iyanden and the Battle of Ichar IV. Surviving vessels spread out throughout the galaxy, forming the Splinter Fleets. Hive fleet Leviathan was made of two massive "jaws" approaching from below the galactic plane, spreading the phenomenon known as the Shadow in the Warp(which disrupts travel and communication within a given area).
In addition, there are a great many references to covert actions by agents of the Tyranid species known as Genestealers. (The term species is used loosely, as the Tyranid's biology as described does not appear to conform to conventional Taxonomy). Genestealers are the principal antagonist in the setting of the game Space Hulk, and short pieces of fiction frequently describe human encounters with Genestealers from the point of view of individuals such as Inquisitors.
It has also been hinted, in the latest edition of the codex, that the Milky Way has been visited by Tyranids before. The Catachan Devil (a carnivorous arthropod found on the death world of Catachan) is suggested to be an evolutionary offshoot of the Ravener. Others, such as the Brainleaf, might also have similar connections. In addition, it is revealed in Ian Watson's Space Marine that the Tyranid Hive Mind was drawn to the Milky Way by the birth of the Chaos Gods, this "disturbance in the warp" was a signal of a multitude of advanced life to be harvested.
Very few planets manage to fend off a Tyranid invasion without resorting to Exterminatus (wiping out ALL life on a world) and even those that do spend years on "mop up" work of rooting out the last surviving Tyranids.
Other Hive Fleets
Although Codex: Space Marines background fiction states that Hive fleet Behemoth was the first time the Imperium encountered Tyranids, other background fiction, dated earlier (within the fictional universe's dating system) tells of encounters with creatures having some similarities to the Tyranids (Horus Rising, for example, though this is widely disputed due to the Megarachnids physical traits that differ greatly from any known Tyranid life form).
- Hive fleet Locust: White Dwarf issue 98 gives detailed information of the leaders of the Ultramarines chapter, and makes mention of a hive fleet called 'Locust', which the Ultramarines appear to have fought before Behemoth.
- Hive fleet Tiamat: Tiamat was named after a double binary system discovered on the Eastern Fringe in the 35th Millennium that contained an unusual seven planets, all later found to be death worlds. It was determined by Xenologists working for the Adeptus Mechanicus that all life in the system had a common genetic source. The Explorators decided to quarantine themselves on the planet after realizing their ships may have become contaminated by the time they spent in the system. The planet was later lost after the arrival of Hive Fleet Kraken, so Tiamet's ultimate fate remains unknown.[3]
- Hive fleet Ouroboros: Cardinal Miriamulus the Elder, of the planet Thracian Primaris, recorded a Chaos-like invasion. Upon further examination of the enemy strategy, equipment used during the battle and trophies collected, it was determined that it was, indeed, a Tyranid invasion. Initial accounts credited the Hive Fleet's defeat to the Emperor himself; however, later analysis of artefacts recovered from the battle were dated after the Horus Heresy. It was theorised the Hive Fleet mistakenly strayed too close to the Eye of Terror and were left warped and mutated by exposure to its energies.[3]
- Hive fleet Colossus: In the 38th Millennium, a group of Zoats came into contact with the Imperium. Although they claimed to be escaping from slavery, their murderous actions caused them to be deemed Xenos Horribilis and for them to be exterminated.[3]
- Hive fleet Moloch: Included in a map in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook background section
- Hive fleet Jormungandr: Included in a map in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook background section. In White Dwarf issue 227, Phil Kelly fields a Tyranid army in the issue's battle report, named hive fleet Jormungandr. Phil's army is painted in dark blues, some purple, and black.
- Hive fleet Hydra: Included in a map in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook background section
- Hive fleet Scarabus: In the Imperial Guard codex there is an art work showing the carnage at fortress Carcasson showing the 9th Cadian battling.
- Hive fleet Harbinger: In the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook on the Tyranid page, there is also a color scheme for a Harbinger, which bears generally dark red carapace and chitin, and blue turquoise flesh.
- Hive fleet Apophis: A less known Hive Fleet which has black carapace, red flesh, yellow lines on the carapace, green blood, eyes and tongues. Included online are many other possibilities for players.[4]
The Hive Mind
Particularly learned protagonist characters in the background (generally Imperial human, but occasionally Eldar or Tau) are seen to refer to a controlling mechanism intrinsic to the Tyranid race, called the Hive Mind. The Hive Mind is the gestalt metaphysical entity thought to emanate from and exert cohesive control over all Tyranid individuals through psychic manipulation. In terms of the terrestrial Tyranids' encounters with other species, generally in conflict, the Hive Mind is explained as filling the roles of social hierarchy, linguistic communication and military command and control as used by other races.
The Hive Mind is delivered through "Synapse" creatures such as the Tyranid Warrior, and makes all tyranids in range all but immune to psychological assaults, resistant to even the deadliest blows, and under control. Tyranids out of Synapse range will revert to their natural instincts and/or move to within range of a synapse creature. The Hive Mind is represented in the tabletop games by various rules specific to players fielding Tyranids, and have a dramatic influence on the playing style of a Tyranid army. The presence of the Hive Mind is what separates Tyranids as an invading force able to devour worlds from stray Tyranids that act like animals and inhabit Death Worlds, such as the "Catachan Devil".[3][5] Killing the synapse creatures causes severe problems for a Tyranid army.
As a thematic device, the Hive Mind is also shown as being responsible for widespread (light-year scale) disruption of Imperial communications and superluminal travel via a mechanism known as the Shadow in the Warp. This introduces complications to the affairs of Imperial protagonists in fiction featuring Tyranids, as the human characters find themselves isolated from outside aid via warp travel and doomed to face the Tyranid menace alone.
The following quote, describing both the Tyranid synaptic hierarchy and the lurking presence of the Hive Mind within the consciousness of each individual Tyranid, can be attributed to Chief Librarian Tigurius following his psychic contact with the Hive Mind: "As I looked into its dead black eyes, I saw the terrible sentience it had in place of a soul. Behind that was the steel will of its leader. Further still I could feel its primogenitor coldly assessing me from the void. And looking back from the furthest recesses of the alien's mind... I can only describe it as an immortal hunger. It is this we cannot kill."[3] To this day, Tigurius is the only known individual to make psychic contact with the Hive Mind and survive the encounter with his sanity intact.
Species and Biology
The Tyranids are all of a basic genetic stock, characterised by six limbs, both an endoskeleton and an exoskeleton, external skeletal features distinct from an internal skull, carapace plates on their head and a series of spiracles on their heads and at the base of their tails. These traits have led some players to call the Tyranids "bugs."
What follows is a list of the major Tyranid genera - this list is by no means exhaustive. Starting with the Codex: Tyranids published during the 3rd edition of Warhammer 40,000 and continuing to the current iteration, players are encouraged to create their own varying forms of the Tyranids. The player has the option of fielding a basic Tyranid (or a squad, which is called a "brood"); then the player is given a list of allowed upgrades which they are permitted to apply to the creature(s). Certain combinations of upgrades are frequently given nicknames to differentiate them from other versions of that creature - for example, a Carnifex outfitted with multiple guns may be called a "dakkafex"[citation needed] (amusingly, after the Ork references to ammunition being "Dakka"); a brood of Gaunts upgraded to carry short-ranged spike-firing weapons known as 'spinefists' may be called "Spinegaunts". The most mutable of the Tyranids are the Carnifex, the Hive Tyrant, the Warrior, and the Genestealer.
Synapse Creatures
Lower, less evolved breeds of Tyranid are constantly kept in check by the more advanced synapse creatures which have much stronger links to the Hive Mind. Killing a synapse creature will disorient all other Tyranids around it until another synapse creature arrives. In theory, if all synapse creatures are killed the lesser Tyranids will attack each other (this is only theory as a wipe out of synapse creatures has only occurred along with the destruction of the entire Tyranid army). The synapse creatures, which have the strongest link to the Hive Mind, include:
- Norn Queen:Though not seen within the game as there is no model, within the 40k universe the norn queen resides in the hive ships and births all the various Tyranids. 'She' has the ability to manipulate them at the genetic level, therefore rapidly evolving new species to combat anti-Tyranid tactics.
- Dominatrix: An army level supreme commander seen only at the "epic" level. The Dominatrix model was made only for Epic, although one enterprising gamer made a 40K-scale one, which was featured in the Citadel Journal.
- Hive Tyrant: very large, very powerful and a extremely aggressive creature with access to many upgrades. Also is arguably one of the strongest Tyranid species in the army next to the Carnifex.
- Tyranid Warrior: superficially similar to Hive Tyrants, but are smaller and more numerous.
- Broodlord: a larger, more powerful version of a Genestealer; similar to the Genestealer Patriarch described in the Second Edition background material. It is said that the broodlord is the first genestealer to make planetfall, hence, only one may be present per battle.
Large Tyranids
There are many other monstrous creatures that, while large, do not have the synaptic powers like the Hive Tyrant. They are all sub-sects of the Tyranid Warrior Genus. They include:
- Lictor : superbly camouflaged scouts, closely related to Tyranid Warriors. They have the ability to leap out of hiding at enemy troops, making them difficult to counter (they also appear to have the ability to work completely independently of synaptic contact as they often operate deep behind enemy lines).
- Carnifex: a large, tank-like creature, bred to spearhead assaults and/or provide fire support. The carnifex has more variations than any other unit in the tyranid arsenal, making it extremely versatile. It is one of the strongest units in the army.
- Ravener: fast-moving, snake-like creatures capable of burrowing underground.
- Tyrant Guard: Tyrant Guard act as large, durable meatshields for the Hive Tyrant. The tyrant guard are born without eyes, and can only see when near the Hive Tyrant itself. It was suggested in 3rd Edition they were engineered from Space Marine DNA, giving rise to the extreme resilience and armour not otherwise possible except in the very largest creatures. They have scything talons and diamond-hard rending claws to take care of anything that gets too close to their masters. Some have also been seen to have traded in their talons for a set of deadly organic "lash-whips", living tentacular whips with barbed spines on the ends. These whips have a mind of their own and will "lash" out at opponents, distracting them from the fight. They may also be equipped with Flesh Hooks, which are chitinous sinews fired by a sharp intercostal muscle spasm. As well as this they may be given Implant Attacks, which are barbed stingers on the tail of the Tyrant Guard, allowing them to deliver deadly toxins into an enemy.
Notable Large Tyranids
While the Tyranids are a Hive Mind entity and "recycle" their forces after each successful assault upon a planet, there have been occasional sightings of extraordinary individual creatures within the Tyranid armies. As the Tyranids never communicate with non-Tyranids, it is impossible to know whether these are actual individuals within the Tyranid community, or are new species that are slowly being introduced into the forces of the Hive Mind, but the latter is more likely.[6]
Despite their apparent infamy, they are no more individuals than other tyranids are, they simply are rarer and significantly more powerful (in both intelligence and strength) "prototype paragons" of their parent genuses, the Carnifex, Ravener, and Lictor, respectively. The Red Terror and Old One Eye also pioneered some of the newer biomorphs and weaponry, but the prototype versions they employ act somewhat differently than those later made available to their parent genuses, along with some abilities unique to them. All three of them have unique models with varying degrees of in-store availability as of early 2007; notable is that the Death Leaper was originally a conversion of an ordinary Lictor, before it was "mainstreamed" into its own model.
- Old One Eye: a monstrous Carnifex mutation with gigantic pincers and a missing eye. The creature was found on Macragge centuries after Hive Fleet Behemoth was destroyed. Originally presumed dead, Old One Eye tore apart the ship transporting its body. Notoriously hard to kill, it had the ability to rapidly regenerate even grievous wounds (to the point of completely resurrecting after a mortal wound), which led some to speculate that it was a genetic experiment of the Hive Mind. Something of interest to note is that it failed to regenerate the aforementioned lost eye, the scar burned down to the bone. It is believed Old One Eye was eventually found and reassimilated by the Tyranids, as some new Carnifexes have shown signs of this regenerative adaptation.[5]
- The Red Terror: A devastating powerful and aggressive mutation of the Ravener genus first sighted on the mining world of Devlan. It was speculated that there may be more than one Red Terror, as with all of the Tyranid notable "characters", but any engagements there may have been with other such creatures yielded no survivors. It was often well beloved by tyranid players for its ability to swallow most kinds of opponents whole, preventing any cunning way of staying alive they can think of.[5]
- Death Leaper: a particularly vicious Lictor introduced during the Cadian Rise of the Swarm campaign. It was originally encountered by a Space Marine named Brother Erasmus. The two fought and both were wounded, Brother Erasmus losing an eye and an arm. As a result of the damage sustained in this battle, Death Leaper's chitinous exoskeleton provides him less protection than most Lictors, but Death Leaper's stealth is unsurpassed, and it is able to conceal itself in places where normal Lictors would be unable to hide. A fourth edition "Death Leaper" was also heavily involved in the summer 2006 campaign, Medusa V, but is identical to the Rise of the Swarm Death Leaper in name only, and acts simply as a "special edition" version of the Lictor model if the supplemental rules for it are not used.[7]
Tyranid Titans
Tyranids also utilize creatures collectively known as bio-titans. For the 28 mm game player, these are only available as special order resin models; some metal miniatures are available for the Epic system. The Titans include:
- Malanthrope: resembles a very large Zoanthrope. They are psychic, but are more geared towards roles similar to the Tyranid Ripper.
- Trygon: resembles a very large version of a Ravener.
- Hierodule: resembles a very large Carnifex; comes in both scythed (Combat) and barbed (Shooting) variants.
- Hierophant: a massive, spider-like creature. One of the most powerful and largest bio-titans.
- Harridan: resembles a very large Gargoyle. Used to transport Gargoyles over long distances.
- Dominatrix: a specialised Bio-Titan, commanding the forces on the battlefield and providing the highest level of psychic control. They are said to be the female counterpart to the Hive Tyrant.
- Norn Queens, as described in the novel Warriors of Ultramar, and fill the role of the "queen" of the hive, similar to that of a queen ant.
The Gaunts
The Gaunt genus encompasses the basic units of a Tyranid invasion force. They are man-sized or smaller, come in waves, and are totally expendable. Gaunts are also a mutable genus, with over 400 documented variations; some of the common sorts are:
- Hormagaunt: fast-moving assault species with scythe-like talons.
- Termagant: similar to Hormagaunts, but trade speed and agility for ranged weaponry (specifically, the Fleshborer). These are used as the "foot soldiers" for the Tyranids and are the most common type of gaunt.
- Gargoyle: winged Termagants, with atrophied legs and the ability to spit plasma at short range.
- Spinegaunt: Gaunts armed with spinefist weapon-symbiotes. These are the least complex of the gaunts and act only as cannon fodder on the battlefield.
- Deathgaunt: an unusual gaunt with a devourer
Other Tyranids
The most unusual forms of Tyranid are those which may have incorporated the DNA of races assimilated during conquest. Examples include:
- Genestealer: Genestealers are much-feared assault specialists, capable of scouting and infiltrating the target of the main Tyranid army. Genestealers also infest space hulks with the aid of their hybrid offspring, who prepare special incubation chambers for their purestrain kin. When the space hulk in question is visited by looters or individuals legitimately looking for salvage, the purestrains are released, infecting the unfortunate explorers with Tyranid DNA. The first genestealers were contacted on the moons of Ymgarl, 200 years before Tyran: they were thought to be native organisms, and only after the defeat of Hive Fleet Behemoth was it discovered they were Tyranid organisms. This would suggest that the hive mind has been aware of humans long before the present threat.
- Zoanthrope: Zoanthropes exhibit psychic abilities. On occasion they have been shown to possess a synaptic link to the Hive Mind. The 3rd Edition Codex hinted that they were constructed using some Eldar DNA (hence their emphasis on psychic powers).
- Biovore: Biovores act as artillery for the Tyranids by firing Spore Mines at enemies. They resemble nothing more than large, bipedal bears (albeit "tyranidized") with large cannons growing from their backs. In 3rd Edition it was hinted they were engineered from Orks, as can be seen in their brutish looks (especially the head).
- Spore Mines are seen quite often when battling against Tyranid swarms of many sizes. They can sometimes come from creatures with a biomorphic weapon known as "Spore Cysts", but more often seen fired from barrels of the tyranid artillery units known as Biovores. There are several varieties of spore mines; Frag Spores, which explode in a manner not unlike a frag grenade, Toxin Spores, which damage enemies with a cloud of various neurotoxins, and Bio-Acid Spores, which are very effective in penetrating vehicle armour (and everything else).
- Ripper Swarms Rippers are small, snake-like Tyranids which live only to consume all that they can; they are generally only seen in large swarms, which traverse the planet during the final stages of an invasion, ingesting all that they can in order to speed along the ultimate consumption of all usable material on the planet. Energetic and persistent, when in numbers they can pull down and consume creatures many times their own size. They act independently, but can be caught in the area of a leader-beast's Synapse effect to be put to use in battle. They show surprising mutability. It is speculated that Rippers are a larval form of Tyranid. Eventually, the rippers will become bloated full of biomass, unfit for combat. At this point, they simply enter into the reclamation pools and get melted down for reuse. These tyranids can't be bought by themselves; they come in packs of gaunts, warriors etc.
- Mycetic spores are organic transport devices used by the Tyranids to deploy seeding swarms in the initial stages of their planetary invasion, similar to the drop pods used by Imperial forces. They are released into the target planet's atmosphere from Tyranid hive ships in orbit, using various methods to slow down their descent enough for the Tyranid organisms inside to survive the resulting impact.
Discontinued Tyranids
The following creatures were part of the Tyranid forces in the very first edition, but were dropped completely afterwards. They also represent outside races that were "controlled" by Tyranids.
- Squigs: Small Ork DNA-based creatures that were quickly replaced by the more Tyranid-like Ripper Swarms. Originally introduced as the result of Tyranids meddling with Ork DNA, later they were retconned to being closely related to Orkoids. "Bomb" squigs are still availaible on gamesworkshop.com under 40k bitz in the misilanious catagory. since they are no longer playable, there are not set rules on how or if you can play them. mostly, they're just fun to have.
- Zoat: Mysterious reptilian, centaur-like alien species enslaved by the Hive Mind. The Zoats' telepathic powers were used to communicate with other species, a task the Hive Mind eventually deemed futile. The Zoat made its only published appearance in Ian Watson's novel Space Marine, in which a single Zoat tried to stall an Imperial Fist invasion of a Tyranid Hiveship. The Zoat was killed, but not before killing several Fists on its own. According to Games Workshop, Zoats are now officially extinct, having been destroyed in their entirety by the human Imperium.
Behaviour
Some fans find the anonymity of the Tyranids appealing: being a psychic collective, individuality is irrelevant to the Hive Mind, and Tyranid armies behave accordingly. Many Tyranid weapon systems, such as Spore Mines, are sacrificial in nature, and the Tyranids have been known to expend lesser organisms for strategic purposes as casually as human beings expend ammunition. This combination of ruthlessness and efficiency is evident in the following quotation: "To think of these creatures as beasts is a grave mistake. We have observed their vanguard organisms herd prey like cattle into the path of the main swarms. We have seen them expend tides of lesser beasts so that their enemies have no ammunition left when their leaders attack, and armoured columns channeled into narrow defiles where but one of their assault beasts can tear through an entire tank company. Only yesterday we received a pict-capture of several platoons falling back into the keep of Gnex Bastion, only to be trapped and slaughtered by burrowing organisms that burst from the ground. These creatures have shown evidence of a tactical acumen that speaks of a far worse threat than that posed by a mere beast."[3]
To further emphasize faceless menace posed by the Tyranids, no Tyranid Special Characters were included with the Fourth Edition Codex.
Tyranids are noted and feared in the game's literature and canon for being without number, without fear, and without mercy. The following quote is taken from a doomed Imperial psyker, found on the back of the Fourth Edition Codex: "They are coming! I feel them scratching inside my mind, scratching, screaming, running, so many - so, so many voices. They are coming for us - flesh body and soul!"
The Tyranids are notable for being one of the greatest threats to the Imperium - on par with the forces of Chaos. Whenever the Hive Mind dispatches a Hive Fleet, thousands of worlds are consumed and destroyed. The Tyranids are usually beaten back at great cost (an outcome akin to that of the Battle of Macragge) or, that failing, they manage to surmount innumerable casualties and overwhelm the defenders of the planets they assail (Gryphonne IV and Thandros being two examples thereof). This pattern could change in light of the Stark Report released by the Strategic Collective (a secret Imperial research group created five months after the defeat of Hive Fleet Leviathan in order to discover Tyranid weaknesses and future invasion points). The aptly named Stark Report suggests that the previous three Tyranid Hive Fleets (Kraken, Leviathan, and Behemoth) were but fractions of a far larger whole, and that an appropriate response would be an unprecedented 500% increase in Imperial mobilization rates. This does not take into account forces needed to keep other foes such as the Orks and Chaos Space Marines in check.[8]
The Tyranids are also feared for their unending desire to devour the stars, as mentioned before. Some armies like the Imperium, Tau and Eldar fight for conquest, others like the Chaos forces and Orks exist to bring war and destruction to the forces of order, but the Tyranids exist only to consume whole galaxies in the insatiable hunger of the Hive Mind, much akin to the goals of the Necron (the "Undead" army of Warhammer 40,000) which seem to desire to kill all life.
Gaming and Gaming History
Early Board Game Incarnations: Genestealers were introduced in the 1980s with Space Hulk, and later featured in Space Crusade, along with the short-lived Genestealer Magus. The first recognisable incarnation of Tyranid warriors appeared in Advanced Space Crusade in 1990, featuring biological weaponry such as boneswords and deathspitters.[9]
First Edition, Rogue Trader:
Tyranids were first mentioned under the heading Tyranids and the Hive Fleets, and were illustrated in a form not too different from that of Gaunts.[2]
The first Tyranids used conventional, non-biological equipment such as lasguns and flak armour (although the rulebook stated that these represented organic equipment with similar capabilities).[10] The principal unit available to the Tyranids was the Zoat, a centaur-like creature enslaved to fight on the behalf of their Tyranid masters.
Second Edition:
Second Edition Warhammer 40,000, released in 1993, featured the Tyranids in the supplemental books Wargear and Codex Imperialis, and then later in their own devoted army Codex. An extensive model range was released, representing most of the units described in these publications. The army was, however, very different from the factions previously seen in the game. Notable were the huge numbers of rank-and-file units a Tyranid player was able to deploy compared to most other armies due to their low points cost (second only to the Imperial Guard, according to many players) and the large and flamboyantly designed centre-piece models, very different from anything Citadel had released before.[11]
The tyranid player now had access to a range of unit types roughly equivalent to that of the other factions, including: Hive Tyrant, Termagants, Hormagaunts, the main adversary in Space Hulk Genestealers, Gargoyles previously seen in Epic 40,000, Tyranid Warriors, the Carnifex, Zoanthropes (a Tyranid psyker in addition to the Hive Tyrant), Lictors, and the Biovore.
Third/Fourth Edition:
The Tyranid supplement to Third Edition Warhammer 40,000, like most of the other supplements released at that time, focused on revamping the rules for the various units while maintaining the overall structure of the army, so that veteran players would not find their older collections unusable or less useful in the new edition. It did however add some new units and tweak the behavior of others. A brand new model range, somewhat different from the older ones, was released to coincide with the new publication.[5] New units included: the Tyrant Guard and Raveners.
The Third Edition Codex, as with a number of subsequent publications, included an army list which allowed far greater flexibility to the player than previous army lists, allowing extensive customization of units; at the time more so than any other available faction. Unit types noted as a 'Mutable Genus' in the main army list were permitted to be extensively modified by choosing from numerous options in the 'Custom Hive Fleet' section of the book. The options available bore a resemblance to the random equipment tables featured in Rogue Trader, but were no longer randomised.
The nature of the army list in Third Edition further cemented the Tyranid army's reputation for fielding vast numbers of models, allowing the player to overwhelm an opponent with weight of numbers. This was even more pronounced in the variant Seeding Swarm army list published in White Dwarf and later in Chapter Approved, which represented the initial stages of a massive Tyranid assault and even further emphasised the use of many expendable, 'cannon-fodder' type units.[12]
The release of the fourth edition codex heralded a new period for the Tyranids, with a new model range, new rules, and new units, most notably the broodlord, and revamped units such as the carnifex. This new codex also enables tyranid players to field a grand total of eight large Tyranids to be fielded in a 1500 point battle, although the player would still have to field compulsory troops choices. With this concept Tyranid armies can now boast either the many troops and/or a just few powerful units. One of the more overlooked abilities is the new "without numbers" rule, which allowed for literally an unlimited number of gaunts in a single game, emphasisizing the "cannon-fodder" trait of the Tyranids.[3]
Fifth Edition
In Games day UK 2009 it was announced that a new codex would be released in January 2010, and would be written by Robin Cruddace. It includes 4 new species of Tyranid and even cheaper (In point terms.) models allowing Tyranid armies even larger amounts of Gaunts.
Tyranids in Alternative Games:
The Tyranids are represented in three of the Specialist Games produced by Games Workshop: Battlefleet: Gothic, Epic, and Inquisitor.
In Battlefleet: Gothic, the game of space/ship to ship combat, they are represented by four models that represent the massive ships of the Tyranid Hivefleet.[13] In Epic, the game of large scale combat using smaller miniatures, they are represented by a combination of Titans and standard Tyranid troops.[14][15] In Inquisitor, the narrative skirmish game using Warhammer 40,000 type characters, the Tyranids are represented by the Genestealer and Hybrid models[16] under the generic roleplaying category of "aliens." They are individual members of the Genestealer Cults who work towards espionage and propagating their species in secret to weaken a planet's defences before an invasion, as opposed to being part of the Hivefleet army that seeks to swarm over all in their path and consume them.[13]
Tyranids in Video Games
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II currently includes Tyranids as a playable race along with the Eldar, Orks, and Space Marines. The playable heroes include the Ravener Alpha, Lictor Alpha, and a Hive Tyrant, and the Tyranids act as the primary enemy in the single player campaign.[17] It is worth noting that the Tyranids are one of the few Warhammer 40000 factions that were not in the original game, Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War, although an unofficial modification has been produced that adds them as a playable race. The fact that Tyranids were not officially present is likely due to their nature; as Tyranids do not create structures or technology in the same way as the other races (not to mention the lack of usable wargear because of this), it would be difficult to have them perform as the other races do in the game. Relic has also repeatedly stated that they wanted to include the Tyranids in Dawn Of War, but the game's graphic engine "wouldn't do them justice". Other issues cited included those previously mentioned and the significant differences in economy.
References
- ^ Priestley, Rick (2004). Warhammer 40,000 (4th Edition ed.). Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-468-X.
- ^ a b Priestley, Rick (1992). Rogue Trader. Eastwood: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-872372-27-9.
- ^ a b c d e f g Kelly, Phil; and Chambers, Andy (2004). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Tyranids (3rd Edition ed.). Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-650-X.
- ^ "Forgotten-Fleets". Games Workshop. http://uk.games-workshop.com/tyranids/forgotten-fleets/1/. Retrieved 2006-05-07.
- ^ a b c d Kelly, Phil; and Chambers, Andy (2004). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Tyranids (2nd Edition ed.). Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-650-X.
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