So Warhammer Fantasy doesn't have a bug race, but Tyranids seem like they would be a perfect fit. One of the first things that needs to be nailed down are the slots and unit types that they translate in to. I know Fantasy isn't a focus of this board, but you guys have been the most responsive of sites I've put up these crazy ideas of mine on. I would ask for your help in finalizing the final result on this first step:
Unit Name | 40K Slot | 40K Type | FB Slot | FB Type |
Hive Tyrant | HQ | MC | Lord | Monster |
Trygon Prim | Heavy | MC | Lord | Monster |
|
Tervigon | HQ | MC | Hero | Monster |
Tyranid Prime | HQ | Inf | Hero | Monstrous Infantry |
Broodlord | Troop | Inf | Hero | Infantry |
Zoanthrope | Elite | Inf | Hero?[ | Infantry |
|
Warrior | Troop | Inf | Core | Monstrous Infantry |
Genestealer | Troop | Inf | Core | Infantry |
Termagant | Troop | Inf | Core | Infantry |
Hormagaunt | Troop | Inf | Core | Infantry |
Ripper Swarm | Troop | Inf | Core | Swarm |
|
Hive Guard | Elite | Inf | Special | Monstrous Infantry |
Venomthrope | Elite | Inf | Special | Monstrous Infantry? |
Lictor | Elite | Inf | Special | Monstrous Infantry? |
Pyrovore | Elite | Inf | Special | Monstrous Beast |
Ravener | Elite | Beast | Special | Monstrous Beast |
Sky-slasher | Fast | Jump Inf | Special | Swarm |
Gargoyle | Fast | Jump Inf | Special | Infantry |
Carnifex | Heavy | MC | Special | Monster |
Biovore | Heavy | Inf | Special | Monstrous Beast |
|
Haruspex | Elite | MC | Rare | Monster |
Shrike | Fast | Jump Inf | Rare | Monstrous Infantry |
Harpy | Fast | FMC | Rare | Monster |
Hive Crone | Fast | FMC | Rare | Monster |
Trygon | Heavy | MC | Rare | Monster |
Mawloc | Heavy | MC | Rare | Monster |
Exocrine | Heavy | MC | Rare | Monster |
Tyrannofex | Heavy | MC | Rare | Monster |
Tyrant Guard | HQ | Inf | Rare | Monstrous Infantry |
So, thoughts on adjustments? It's a huge list, I know, and some trimmings may need to come in to play here and there, but this is the starting point to work with.
With the Zoanthrope it could potentially be a Hero I suppose, but I don't see at as being able to take the role of your warlord (or whatever it may be called in WHFB). It would make sense to keep it there as it could potentially be a magic user. If it were a more standard ranged weapon user then special may be more suitable, so long as it didn't have a major synapse role.
The Venomthrope and Lictor should be of the same type as Warriors, just as you have them. I don't think any other types are more suited.
Thank you for your response.
To help me provide some perspective, I went through and made a list of each army's non-Special units according to Role to give myself limits to how much to include. Here are the numbers:
| Lords | Heroes | Core | Special | Rare |
Fewest | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
Average | 3.5 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 7.9 | 4.8 |
Median | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 5 |
Most | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 |
Total | 51 | 62 | 76 | 120 | 77 |
So this gives me numbers to shoot for and limit myself to. Unfortunately, it leaves me rather over budget on Rares, and pretty close on Specials. I've refined the list a little and will present it below after the responses.
I've relisted the units in to "families" or "Brood-lines" to help me strip down the list and refine it.
Okay, here's my revised list, Special Characters have been left out:
Unit Name | Category | Troop Type | Brood-line |
Hive Tyrant | Lord | Mo | Alpha |
Trygon Prime | Lord | Mo | Burrower/Alpha |
Zoanthrope Prime | Lord | MI | Floater/Wizard |
|
Warrior Prime | Hero | MI | Alpha |
Zoanthrope | Hero | MI | Floater/Wizrd |
Broodlord | Hero | In | Scout/Skirmisher |
|
Hormagaunt | Core | WB | Scuttler |
Termagant | Core | In | Scuttler |
Ripper Swarm | Core | Sw | Swarm |
|
Warrior | Special/Core* | MI | Alpha |
Genestealer | Special/Core* | In | Scout/Skirmisher |
|
Tervigon | Special | Mo | Breeder |
Venomthrope | Special | MI | Floater |
Biovore | Special | MB | Artillery |
Ravener | Special | MB | Burrower |
Gargoyle | Special | In | Scuttler/Flyer |
Carnifex | Special | Mo | Brute |
|
Lictor | Rare | MI | Scout/Assassin |
Hive Guard | Rare | MI | Guardian |
Shrike | Rare | MI | Alpha/Flyer |
Haruspex | Rare | Mo | Brute |
Hive Crone | Rare | Mo | Flyer |
Mawloc | Rare | Mo | Burrower |
Exocrine | Rare | Mo | Artillery |
So with this list, here's how the changes work:
* The Hive Tyrant will still have Wings as an option, but the Trygon Prime will be his Burrower version.
* The Warrior Prime will have options to get Wings and a snake body to become a Shrike or Ravener Prime.
* Tyrants and Warriors will be able to bring Warrior Broods in to Core.
* Broodlords will bring one units of Genestealers in to Core, while Deathleaper brings all of them to Core.
* Zoanthropes will be the Wizards. I just couldn't bring myself to have MI Horrors in this army. It didn't quite feel right. However, they'll have access to the rulebook Lores while the other Psykers will only have access to the Hive's Lore.
* The Sky-slashers become an upgrade of the Rippers by adding Wings. It may be crazy powerful, but if I put the price right, it should be balanced.
* The Biovore will actually start out as the Pyrovore, at least, weapon-wise, but be upgraded from a flame-thrower to a stone-thrower.
* The Harpy and Hive Crone will be combined in to one using the Crone's name, as there are already harpies in the game and they are much smaller. Much like the Biovore, much of this will be weapon changes that make the difference. The same goes for the Trygon and Mawloc being combined and the Exocrine and Tyrannofex being combined. The names may come back up as an upgrade if the stats are sufficiently different to justify them. But this was the best way to reduce the number of choices to a more reasonable and manageable level.
I think I'll use Instinctive Behavior and Synapse in a way similar to how Animosity and Vampires work, creating limits and bonuses for the army, and allow for Synapse to be be Inspirational Presence as well.
I don't think I'll let Synapse make them Unbreakable like 40K and thus require Unstable to be balanced. I think that because of how Fantasy works, and just the innate nature of the Tyranid style, Synapse may actually replace Musicians as well. A bug blowing a horn or beating a drum doesn't quite work, but we could add a Thumper as mutation to replicate its use?
Okay, moving on to the next stage, WEAPONS!
Let's start with the Melee Weapons, since they are much fewer, and much easier.
Weapon | Strength | Special Rules |
|
|
|
Scything Talons | User | Additional Attacks |
Rending Claws | User | Armour Piercing |
Bonesword | User | Killing Blow |
Lash Whip | User | Swiftstrike |
Crushing Claws | +1 | Armour Piercing, Always Strikes Last, Multiple Wounds (D3) |
|
|
|
Prehensile Pincer | User | Tail Weapon |
Toxinspike | 1 | Tail Weapon, Poisoned Attacks |
Thresher Scythe | 4 | Tail Weapon, Armour Piercing, Swinging Blow |
Bone Mace | 8 | Tail Weapon, Always Strikes Last |
|
|
|
Acid Maw | 5 | Ignores Armour |
Toxic Miasma | 3 | Poison Cloud, One Use only, Always Strikes Last |
|
|
|
Swiftstrike: Attacks with this weapon are made at +3 I.
Tail Weapon: A model bearing a weapon with this rule may make an additional Attack in addition to its normal attacks. This attack is made with the profile of the weapon provided and can be made against model in base contact to the model's Rear. If this attack is made to the Front, it Always Strikes Last.
Swinging Blow: A model carrying a weapon with this rule may choose to hit all models models in base contact to the front. If on a Tail Weapon, the player must choose if this Attack is against models to the front or rear.
Poison Cloud: An attack made with this weapon will hit all enemy models in base contact with the provided profile and is considered a Poisoned Attack.
So, that's how I'm targeting it. Some of it is nerfed by 40K standards, but there aren't Land Raiders, Monoliths, and Leman Russ Tanks, either.
I'm debating on giving the Crushing Claw two modes. One will be normal I use and Multiple Wounds (D3) and the other will be ASL and Multiple Wounds (D6).