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Since I got my grubby little talons on Imperial Armour IV, I've been pondering the possibility of including them in the rules, and means by which they could be included.
Certainly, I can see a few good reasons for including them. First of all is the fact that the basic Tyranid list represents the invasion during the broad-ranging surface warfare of Phase IV, when the flora organisms begin developing to aid in the conquest and consumption of the world's biomass. Secondly is precedent - the Baran Siegemasters already have access to a fair range of terrain in their armylist, and both the Eldar and Necrons have access to structures which add to their army (Webway Portals and Tomb Complexes, respectively).
Further, there's been a fair amount of discussion as to the deployment and function of Synapse Nodes in the armylist.
IMO, the spontaneous 'sprouting' of Lesser Nodes seems perfectly fitting, but the greater nodes should be as permenant and solid as the Spore Chimneys and Capillary Towers that stud latter-phase worlds under Tyranid assault, so I include them within this little suggestion.
Points costs are loose speculative values, and can be ignored/altered as required.
Tyranid Terrain
Up to 25% of the total points of the army may be spent on terrain assets. Up to two assets may be purchased for each objective in the Tyranid half of the board - for a total of three during standard Tournament games.
Capillary Tower: 150pts
Capillary Towers are surrounded by acid-filled digestion pools and infested with Rippers, which consume any biomass within the surrounding area.
A Capillary Tower has the following profile:
Type: WE, Speed: 0cm, Save 4+, CC 5+, FF 5+
Weapons: Ripper Swarms (base contact), Assault Weapons
OR (15cm) Smallarms
Fearless, DC 2, Reinforced Armour, Critical Hit (The tower bursts in a shower of biomass, acid and corrosive enzymes. Units within 5cm take a hit on a 6+ and the tower is destroyed)
(Note: the firefight represents far-ranging ripper swarms at a distance from the tower, as well as those adapted to 'wield' spinefists and those able to fly)
Because of the single-minded, instinctive focus of the Rippers, and the immobile nature of the Capillary Tower, it may only contest an objective. When being deployed, it must be deployed within 15cm of one of the objectives in the Tyranid half of the board. A Capillary Tower may only take Hold actions - it's reflexes and instincts aren't sufficient for anything more complex.
Spore Chimneys 100pts
Spores are key in altering the ecosystem of a world, making the climate more humid and increasing the air temperature to allow Tyranid organisms to thrive, while also lacing the atmosphere with poisons and contagions that attack the lifeforms already present. As an instinctive reaction to being attacked, they can even produce the larger, more deadly spore mines which ward off aggressors.
Type: WE, Speed: 0cm, Save 4+, CC -, FF 6+
Weapons: Spore Clouds (15cm, Smallarms)
Spore Mine Clusters (15cm, d3xAP5+/AT6+, Disrupt)
Fearless, DC 3, Reinforced Armour, Critical Hit (The chimney bursts in a shower of toxic and explosive spores. Units within 5cm take a hit on a 6+ and the tower is destroyed)
The Spore Chimney may only take Hold actions - it's reflexes and instincts aren't sufficient for anything more complex. It must deploy within 15cm of one of the objectives on the tyranid half of the board.
Greater Synapse Node 75pts
Mature Synapse Nodes are quite large and imposing organisms, having taken root some time ago and grown to considerable proportions. Their purpose is to act as a local conduit for the Hive Mind. Over the final stages of an invasion, a vast network of these nodes, and the smaller, less mature versions, will have sprung up across every land mass, allowing the lesser creatures like Gaunts and Rippers to act without the direction of Synapse Creatures like Warriors or Malanthropes and hunt down the few remaining pockets of resistance or consume the abundant biomatter strewn across battlefields.
Type: WE, Speed: 0cm, Save 4+, CC 6+, FF 6+
Weapons
Weapons: Ripper Swarms (base contact), Assault Weapons
OR (15cm) Smallarms
Notes: DC-2, Reinforced Armor, Fearless, Synapse (+4)
Critical Hit: The Node is killed.
A Greater Synapse node must deploy within 15cm of one of the objectives on the tyranid half of the board.
Brood Nest - cost varies
Brood Nests exist to lighten the demand placed on the breeding chambers of Tyranid spacecraft, allowing the smaller organisms to be grown and held in hibernation on the planet's surface until needed. While most Brood Nests can only support smaller creatures like Gaunts, examples of larger Brood Nests able to spawn more dangerous creatures have been encountered.
[Note: though Brood Nests for Heirophants and Heirodules are known to exist, they are beyond the normal scope of the armylist, and, like Webway Gates able to transport War Engines, are not included here]
A Brood Nest permits units other than Lictors, Genestealers or Tyranid Terrain to Garrison. The type and size of units depends on the size of the Brood Nest - Size 1 Brood Nests can only support Brood (1) units, and so forth up to Size 3 nests (which can support Brood (3) units).
To facilitate their swift deployment, hibernation nests for Synapse Creatures like Tyranid Warriors or even Hive Tyrants exist nearby, allowing the Brood Nests to practically explode with battle-ready creatures. Tyranid Warrior units may nest with Size 1 or Size 2 Brood Nests, while a Size 3 Brood Nest is required for a Hive Tyrant.
A Brood garissoned in this manner may only garisson from the Brood Nests which surround one objective, and may not be larger than 12 models in total, but all other requirements for garissoning may be ignored. While the entrances to the Brood Nests are easy to destroy, the birthing chambers beneath are normally unharmed by such actions, and it is only a matter of time before the creatures simply dig their way free or a new entrance can be grown. Even then, the creatures within have already emerged by the time the game starts, so destroying the nests would make no difference.
A Size 1 Brood Nest costs 50pts. A Size 2 Brood Nest costs 100pts. A Size 3 Brood Nest 200pts.
Obviously still work-in-progress, but the suggestion still stands.
So, comments...
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