Special Rules

This special rule is always followed, in brackets, by a type: either Lurk, Hunt or Feed, which corresponds to a table below. At the beginning of each of your turns, all Codex: Tyranids units with this special rule that are outside of the synapse range of any friendly Synapse Creatures (see below) must take a Leadership test unless they are: engaged in combat, falling back, have gone to ground or arrived from reserve this turn. If the test is passed, the unit acts normally during this turn. If the test is failed, the unit must roll a D6 on the appropriate Instinctive Behaviour table. The effects of the result rolled last until the beginning of your next turn, unless specified otherwise.

Feed

D6	Result
1-3	Cannibalistic Hunger: On the verge of starvation and desperate to sate their gnawing hunger, the Tyranids turn upon themselves. The unit immediately suffers a number of hits equal to the number of models in that unit. These hits are resolved using the unit’s majority Strength (if drawn, use the highest) and AP`-`. Wounds are allocated by the owning player and armour saves (but not cover saves) may be taken. After resolving casualties (if any) the unit can do nothing else until the end of its turn. Units consisting of only a single model treat this result as Devour (below), instead.
4-5	Devour: Driven by their instincts, the Tyranids hurl themselves at the closest prey they can find, teeth and claws eager to bite into flesh. In the Shooting phase, the unit cannot shoot or Run. In the Assault phase, if the unit is able to declare a charge, it must do so against the closest viable enemy unit. If the unit cannot declare a charge, it does nothing in the Assault phase.
6	Kill: The brood’s ravenous hunger sends them into a murderous frenzy. This follows all the rules for Devour (above). In addition, the unit gains the Rage special rule.

Hunt

D6	Result
1-3	Burrow and Hide: Without the Hive Mind’s direction, the brood burrows to protect itself from enemy fire. The unit immediately Goes to Ground. Units that contain at least one model with the Fearless special rule treat this result as Prowl (below), instead.
4-5	Prowl: The Tyranids’ instincts take over and they advance in search of foes to hunt with their bio-weapons. In the Shooting phase, the unit cannot Run and must instead shoot at the closest enemy unit that is within range and line of sight of at least one model in the Tyranid unit. If there is no viable target, the Tyranid unit can do nothing during the Shooting phase. The unit cannot charge in the Assault phase.
6	Destroy: The brood catches the scent of fresh prey on the wind and they become hyper-actively agitated, bio-weapons spitting death until the prey is utterly destroyed. This follows all the rules for Prowl (above). In addition, the unit gains the Preferred Enemy special rule.

Lurk

D6	Result
1-3	Survive: The Tyranids’ survival instincts take over and they turn tail and flee the battlefield. The unit is treated as having failed a Morale test and must immediately Fall Back.
4-5	Seek Cover: The brood immediately seeks out shelter to hide from the enemy, ignoring the foe until they are safely concealed from their eyes. In the Movement phase, the unit is not slowed by difficult terrain, though its models must take Dangerous Terrain tests as normal. In the Shooting phase, the unit can Run or shoot. If the unit shoots, models in open ground cannot shoot (models that are in open ground but are in base contact with another type of terrain can shoot normally).
6	Stalk: The Tyranids blend seamlessly into the shadows, stalking their prey from safety until the right time to strike presents itself. This follows all the rules for Seek Cover. In addition, the unit gains the Stealth special rule.

Shadow in the Warp

The unfathomable presence of the Hive Mind radiates out from its synapse creatures, smothering the ability of the psykers who stand before them to draw upon their mystic powers.

All enemy units and models with the Psyker, Psychic Pilot or Brotherhood of Psykers special rules suffer a -3 penalty to their Leadership whilst they are within 12" of one or more models with the Shadow in the Warp special rule.

Synapse Creature

Some Tyranids serve as synaptic conduits or nodal relays through which a portion of the Hive Mind’s iron will flows, overriding the natural instincts of the swarm.

Models with the Synapse Creature special rule have a synapse range of 12". Friendly Codex: Tyranids models within this synapse range, including the Synapse Creatures themselves, have the Fearless special rule. If a unit from Codex: Tyranids is falling back and at least one of the unit’s models is within a friendly Synapse Creature’s synapse range before the unit moves, the unit automatically Regroups.

Special Rules

‘It’s after me!’

Nominate an enemy character at the beginning of the game and roll a D3. Whilst Deathleaper is alive, that model’s Leadership is reduced by the result.

‘Where is it?’

Enemy models can only fire Snap Shots when targeting Deathleaper.

Alien Cunning

Whilst the Swarmlord is alive, you must add 1 to your Reserve Rolls.

Alpha Leader

Any friendly unit within 12" of Old One Eye can choose to use Old One Eye’s Leadership for any Morale or Leadership tests they are required to make.

Alpha Warrior

All Tyranid Warriors or Tyranid Shrikes in the same unit as a Tyranid Prime use its Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill rather than their own, unless their own would be higher for any reason.

Assimilate

If this weapon’s close combat attacks cause an enemy model to be removed as a casualty, the model equipped with the Maw-claws of Thyrax gains the Preferred Enemy special rule against all units chosen from the same codex as the model removed as a casualty.

Berserk Rampage

For every successful To Hit roll that Old One Eye makes in close combat (excluding those from its thresher scythe), it may immediately make one additional Attack against the same unit. These additional Attacks do not confer extra Attacks.

Blade Parry

The Swarmlord has a 4+ invulnerable save against Wounds caused by Melee weapons.

Blind Rampage

If a Hive Tyrant (or The Swarmlord) is killed whilst part of a unit of Tyrant Guard (see the Shieldwall special rule, below), from the end of that turn the surviving Tyrant Guard have the Furious Charge and Rage special rules for the remainder of the battle.

Bounding Leap

Units entirely composed of models with this special rule Run an additional 3" (this will normally be D6+3").

Brood Progenitor

All Termagants in units within 12" of the Tervigon have the Counter-attack special rule.

Burrow

An unengaged Mawloc can, at any point during its Movement phases from the second game turn onwards, elect to burrow. If it does so, remove it from the table and place it into Ongoing Reserves. A Mawloc cannot Deep Strike and Burrow in the same turn.

Chameleonic Skin

A Lictor does not scatter when arriving from Deep Strike Reserve.

Feeder-beast

If a Haruspex inflicts at least one unsaved Wound in the Assault phase, then at the end of that phase it recovers a single Wound lost earlier in the battle.

Floating Death

Spore Mines move 3" in the Movement phase and, when they Run or charge, move half the distance rolled. Spore Mines are never slowed by difficult terrain, but must take Dangerous Terrain tests as normal.

Spore Mines do not attack in close combat. Instead, at the Initiative 10 step, the entire cluster detonates! To resolve this, centre the large blast marker over any one of the unit’s Spore Mines. Every other unit (friend or foe) under the blast marker suffers a number of hits equal to the number of its models under the blast marker. The Strength of these hits is equal to 4, but is increased by 1 for each additional Spore Mine in the detonating cluster (to a maximum of Strength 10). These hits are resolved at AP4 and ignore cover saves. Once all hits have been resolved, remove all models in the Spore Mine Cluster from play as casualties.

Hive Commander

For each Hive Tyrant in your army with this upgrade, choose a single troops selection from the same detachment. All models in the selected unit gain the Outflank special rule.

Homing

Impaler cannons can be fired at targets out of the unit’s line of sight.

Indescribable Horror

Units taking a Fear test caused by this model must roll an extra dice when taking the test and use the highest two results. In most circumstances, this will mean the unit rolls 3D6 and discards the lowest dice roll.

Life Drain

Any To Wound roll of a 6 made by this weapon has the Instant Death special rule.

Living Battering Ram

When this model charges, it inflicts D3 Hammer of Wrath Attacks, rather than just 1.

Living Bomb

Spore Mine Clusters are non-scoring, non-denial units. They do not award Victory Points when destroyed, and Wounds suffered by Spore Mines in close combat (including those caused by a Floating Death detonation) are not counted when determining assault results.

Old Adversary

This Hive Tyrant re-rolls all failed To Hit and To Wound rolls of 1 when fighting in close combat.

Pheromone Trail

If a friendly unit with the Tyranids Faction arrives on the battlefield via Deep Strike, it will not scatter so long as the first model in the unit is placed within 6" of a model with this special rule. Note that the model with the Pheromone Trail special rule must already be on the table at the start of the turn for this ability to be used.

Plasma Scream

Place the hellstorm template so that the narrow end is touching the base of one of the Carnifexes taking part in the attack. X is equal to the number of Carnifexes that are taking part. For example, if three Carnifexes were taking part, the plasma scream would have a Strength of 7.

Psychic Brood

A Zoanthrope brood follows all the rules for Brotherhood of Psykers except that the unit has a Mastery Level of 2. In addition, if a brood of Zoanthropes uses the Warp Blast power, the number of shots fired is equal to the number of Zoanthropes in that brood.

For example, a brood of three Zoanthropes that successfully manifested Warp Blast would treat both the Burst and Lance profiles as Assault 3.

Raking Strike

A Hive Crone’s Vector Strike is resolved at Strength 8.

Rapacious Hunger

In the turn in which a Haruspex charges, every unsaved Wound that it inflicts in close combat immediately allows it to make an additional Attack. These bonus Attacks cannot generate further Attacks. Wounds that inflict Instant Death only generate one bonus Attack. Note that Wounds caused by its Hammer of Wrath, acid blood or tail biomorph do not benefit from this rule.

Seeking

If a model makes a shooting attack with this weapon against either a Zooming Flyer or a Swooping Flying Monstrous Creatures, it re-rolls failed To Hit rolls made with this weapon.

Shieldwall

A single Hive Tyrant (or The Swarmlord) may join a unit of Tyrant Guard exactly as if it were an Independent Character. A Hive Tyrant (or the Swarmlord) in a unit that contains at least one model with this special rule automatically passes Look Out, Sir rolls.

Sonic Screech

When a Harpy charges into combat, all enemy models in the combat suffer -5 to their Initiative (to a minimum of 1) until the end of that Assault phase.

Spawn Termagants

At the end of your Movement phase, a Tervigon can spawn Termagants, even if it is locked in close combat. If it does so, roll 3D6 – this is the number of models spawned. Place the new unit of Termagants on the table so that it is wholly within 6" of the Tervigon. Models in this new unit cannot be placed in impassable terrain or within 1" of enemy models. If you cannot place some of the models due to the restrictions above or because you have run out of Termagant models, the excess is discarded.

The spawned unit cannot move during the Movement phase in which it is spawned, nor can it charge this turn, but it is free to shoot or Run as normal. A unit spawned by a Tervigon is identical in every way to a Termagant unit chosen from the Troops section of the army list, and is treated as such for all mission special rules. Models in a spawned unit are armed with fleshborers and may not purchase options.

If any double is rolled when determining the size of a spawned unit, the Tervigon has temporarily exhausted its supply of larvae – the Termagant unit is created as normal, but the Tervigon cannot spawn any further units for the rest of the game.

Spore Bomb

Unlike other weapons, Spore Mine cysts are used during the Movement phase. A Harpy can fire its Spore Mine cysts once in each of its Movement phases. If it does so, it counts as having fired one weapon in its following Shooting phase; however, any other weapons it fires that turn can choose a different target to the Spore Mine cysts. To fire the Spore Mine cysts, the Harpy must be Swooping. After the Harpy has finished moving, centre the large blast marker on any one model the Harpy has passed over that turn and scatter it D6". Units take a hit for each model that is even partially under the blast marker’s final position, resolved using the profile above.

Spore Burst

If, when the final position of the first blast marker in the barrage is determined, there are no models (friend or foe) under it, place D3 Spore Mine models anywhere under the blast marker so that they are in unit coherency and not within impassable terrain or 1" of an enemy model (any that cannot be placed are lost). These act as a Spore Mine Cluster for the rest of the game.

		WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv	Unit Type
	Spore Mine	-	-	1	1	1	1	-	1	-	Infantry

Special Rules:

• Fearless

• Deep Strike

• Floating Death

• Living Bomb

Spore Cloud

All friendly models with the Tyranids Faction that are within 6" of at least one Venomthrope have the Shrouded special rule.

Subterranean Assault

If, when a Trygon (or Trygon Prime) deploys via Deep Strike, it scatters on top of impassable terrain or another model (friend or foe), reduce the scatter distance by the minimum required to avoid the obstacle.

After the Trygon (or Trygon Prime) has emerged, mark the position under the creature’s base with a suitable marker – this represents the tunnel left by its emergence. Any friendly Tyranid Infantry unit that arrives from reserve in subsequent turns may emerge from the Trygon’s tunnel instead of arriving from reserve as normal. Only one unit may emerge from each tunnel marker each turn.

If any unit chooses to do so, place the entire unit so that all of its models are wholly within 6" of the centre of the marker and in unit coherency. These models cannot be placed within 1" of enemy models or within impassable terrain; if any models cannot be placed, these excess models are removed as casualties. A unit may not move or charge on the same turn it arrives from a Trygon’s tunnel, but may shoot or Run.

Swallow Whole

If The Red Terror hits with at least four of its close combat attacks in a single phase (excluding its prehensile pincer attack), you may nominate a single enemy Infantry, Jump Infantry or Jet Pack Infantry model in base contact with the Red Terror and attempt to swallow it whole.

If you choose to do so, no To Wound rolls are made for any of the Red Terror’s Attacks (excluding its prehensile pincer attack). Instead, the nominated model must pass a single invulnerable save (if it has one) or be removed from play as a casualty. There is no need to decide beforehand if you will attempt to swallow a model whole; declare after rolling To Hit. Enemy models with either the Very Bulky or Extremely Bulky special rule cannot be nominated as targets to be Swallowed Whole. If no models in the target unit can be nominated, the Red Terror cannot choose to Swallow Whole and must roll To Wound normally.

Swarm Leader

At the beginning of your turn, choose either the Swarmlord’s unit, or one friendly unit with the Tyranids Faction within 18" of the Swarmlord. Then, choose one of the following special rules: Furious Charge, Monster Hunter, or Preferred Enemy. The chosen unit has that special rule until the end of the turn.

Swiftstrike

A model attacking with this weapon has a +3 bonus to its Initiative during the Fight sub-phase.

Symbiotic Targeting

If an Exocrine does not move in its Movement phase, it gains a +1 bonus to its Ballistic Skill until the end of its turn. An Exocrine cannot declare a charge during the same turn that it uses this special rule.

Synaptic Backlash

If a Tervigon is slain, roll 3D6 before removing the model as a casualty. Each friendly unit of Termagants within 12" of the Tervigon immediately suffers a number of Strength 3 AP`-` hits equal to the result. Cover saves may not be taken against these hits and Wounds are allocated as per shooting, with the Tervigon as the firer. After all Termagant casualties have been resolved (if any), remove the Tervigon from play.

Terror From the Deep

When arriving from Deep Strike Reserve, a Mawloc can choose to Deep Strike onto a point occupied by another model (friend or foe) – roll for scatter as normal. If a Mawloc Deep Strikes onto a point occupied by another model, do not roll on the Deep Strike Mishap table. Instead, place the large blast marker directly over the spot the Mawloc is deep striking onto. All units except Flyers and Flying Monstrous Creatures beneath the blast marker suffer a number of Strength 6 AP2 hits with the Ignores Cover special rule equal to the number of models that unit has underneath the blast marker. If the blast marker is on a multi-level ruin, only models on the lowest level of the ruin count as being under the blast marker. For Wound allocation purposes, assume the attack is coming from the centre of the blast marker. Hits against vehicles are resolved against their side armour.

If, after removing casualties, it is now possible to place the Mawloc on the table on the spot where the blast marker landed, then do so, even if this is within 1" of another model (but not if it would be in base contact with, or occupying the same space as, another model). If it is not possible to place the Mawloc, replace the large blast marker on the spot and resolve another round of damage as detailed above. If, after removing casualties for a second time, it is still not possible to place the Mawloc, roll on the Deep Strike Mishap table.

The Scuttling Swarm

For every Termagant Brood of 30 models included in a detachment, you can include one Tervigon as a troops choice instead of an HQ choice in that detachment.

Volatile

If a Pyrovore is slain by a Wound that inflicted Instant Death, every unit suffers a Strength 3 AP`-` hit for each model (excluding Pyrovores) within D6" of the slain Pyrovore (resolve damage before removing the Pyrovore as a casualty).

Warp Field

A model with this rule has a 3+ invulnerable save.

Agile

In the Shooting phase, this model can choose to either:

Fire all available weapons.
Fire a single weapon and then Run.
Fire no weapons at all and Run twice.

Bio-titan Warp Field

The Hierophant has a 6+ invulnerable save.

Gargoyle Brood

The Harridan may act as an Open-topped Transport for a single brood of up to 20 Gargoyles. If the Harridan is slain while Gargoyles are being transported, each Gargoyle takes an Initiative test. Those that fail the Initiative test are removed as casualties. Then, remove the Harridan model and place the surviving Gargoyles in the space it used to occupy, more than 1" from any enemy models. The brood acts normally from then on.

Infested Ruins

Phodian Hive Warriors do not suffer the penalty to their Initiative for charging through ruins but fight at their normal Initiative. Furthermore, models without the Tyranids Faction treat all ruins terrain within 12" of a Phodian Hive Warrior as dangerous terrain.

Wall of Fire

This ranged attack automatically targets and hits all enemy units (including Flyers and Flying Monstrous Creatures) within the attack’s maximum range, regardless of line of sight, being locked in combat, intervening models/terrain and so on.

Drifting Death

Tyrannocytes cannot Run or charge. They can consolidate but may not make a Sweeping Advance.

Hypertoxic

Any hit inflicted by this model that has the Poisoned special rule (including any hits caused by its choking cloud) gains the Instant Death special rule on a To Wound roll of a 6.

Immobile Pod

A model with this special rule cannot move. It can never go to ground (voluntarily or otherwise) and cannot consolidate or make a sweeping advance.

Instinctive Fire

Each weapon on this model automatically fires at the nearest enemy unit within range and line of sight. The shots are resolved at the end of the Shooting phase before Morale checks are taken. Each weapon can fire at a different target unit, but they cannot be fired in any other way or at any other time.

Massive Floating Bomb

Each Mucolid Spore uses the Floating Death and Living Bomb rules that apply to Spore Mines. All references to Spore Mines and Spore Mine Clusters in these special rules apply to Mucolid Spores also, except that the hits inflicted when a Mucolid Spore explodes are Strength 8 AP3 rather than Strength 4 AP4. Increase the Strength of the attack for additional Mucolid Spores as for Spore Mines.

Predatory Sentience

When making armour penetration rolls against vehicles that are Open-topped or that have lost 1 or more of their Hull Points this weapon has the Armourbane special rule.

Psychic Barrier

A model with this special rule has a 5+ invulnerable save.

Psychic Resonator

Any friendly Synapse Creature within 6" of this model adds 6" to its synapse range.

Skyblast

Mucolid Spore Clusters are allowed to assault Zooming Flyers or Swooping Flying Monstrous Creatures. If they do so successfully then they will explode as described in the Floating Death special rule, hitting the target automatically, with Strength and AP as described in Massive Floating Bomb special rule. Hits on Zooming Flyers are always resolved against the target model’s side armour.

Spore Node

A model with this special rule can produce a Spore Mine Cluster with three Spore Mines in the Shooting phase, in addition to any attacks it makes. Place the Spore Mines wholly within 6" of the model, in unit coherency and not in impassable terrain or within 1" of an enemy model. After they are placed, the Spore Mines are treated as a separate unit for the rest of the battle.

Once per battle, a Sporocyst can produce a single Mucolid Spore instead of a Spore Mine Cluster. This is placed in the same way as a Spore Mine Cluster.

Transport Spore

A Tyrannocyte does not use up a slot on the Force Organisation Chart. It can carry a single unit with the Tyranids Faction and has a Transport Capacity of 20 – Monstrous Creatures count as 20 models for the purposes of Transport Capacity. Declare which unit is being carried during deployment.

A Tyrannocyte always enters play using the Deep Strike rules. If, when a Tyrannocyte Deep Strikes, it scatters on top of impassable terrain or another model (friend or foe), reduce the scatter distance by the minimum required to avoid the obstacle.

Once a Tyrannocyte Deep Strikes, a unit carried by it must disembark. Place the unit such that every model is wholly within 6" of the Tyrannocyte and none are within 1" of an enemy or within impassable terrain. Any model that cannot be placed is removed as a casualty. A unit cannot move or charge in the same turn it disembarks, but can shoot or Run. No unit can embark inside a Tyrannocyte for the rest of the game.

Psychic Brood

If a Zoanthrope Brood uses the Warp Blast power the number of shots fired is equal to the number of Zoanthropes and Neurothropes in that brood.

Warlord Traits

When generating its Warlord Traits, a Tyranid Warlord may either roll on one of the Warlord Traits tables in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook, or instead roll on the Warlord Traits table presented here.

Warlord Traits

Nature’s Bane

Clouds of microscopic Tyranid organisms swarm around this Warlord, inveigling their way into local flora and creating flesh-eating horrors.

At the beginning of each of your Movement phases, you may select one Twisted Copse within 12" of your Warlord. That Twisted Copse becomes Dangerous Terrain and remains so for the remainder of the game.

Heightened Senses

This Warlord can sense its prey in pitch blackness or through dense smoke.

The Warlord, and all friendly models from Codex: Tyranids within 12" of it, have the Night Vision special rule.

Synaptic Lynchpin

This Warlord is a strong link in the synapse chain, enacting the Hive Mind’s will.

The Warlord’s synapse range is 18". If your Warlord does not already have the Synapse Creature special rule, it instead gains the Synapse Creature special rule and has a synapse range of 6".

Mind Eater

This Warlord devours the minds of enemy leaders and generals so that the Hive Mind can absorb its prey’s memories, learn its strategies and adapt its own battle plans accordingly.

Your army gains 2 Victory Points for each enemy model with the Independent Character special rule slain by your Warlord in a challenge. Killing an Independent Character as the result of a sweeping advance does not award these Victory Points.

Digestive Denial

This Warlord can ascertain a site that will prove strategically important to its prey, and then compel acidic digestion pools to develop beneath it.

After deployment, but before Scout redeployments and Infiltrate deployments, nominate one piece of terrain in the enemy deployment zone (this may not be one your opponent has purchased as part of their army). The terrain piece’s cover save is reduced by one for the duration of the game (to a minimum of 6+). Note that a piece of terrain can only be affected by this ability once.

Adaptive Biology

This Warlord has been created to adapt against the weaponry used by the current prey world’s defenders.

If the Warlord suffers one or more unsaved Wounds, it gains the Feel No Pain (5+) special rule at the beginning of its next Movement phase and keeps it for the remainder of the game.

Innate Understanding

This Warlord has been engineered so that it instinctively knows the best methods of defeating its enemies.

This Warlord has the Preferred Enemy special rule.

Leviathan Warlord Traits

When generating its Warlord Traits, a Tyranid Warlord may choose to roll on the table below instead of on those found in Warhammer 40,000: The Rules or Codex: Tyranids.

Warlord Traits

Cunning Foe

This Warlord has been endowed with highly sophisticated cognitive powers.

The Warlord has the Infiltrate special rule.

Innate Understanding

This Warlord has been genetically engineered to know the best methods of defeating its enemies.

The Warlord, and any unit it joins, has the Preferred Enemy special rule.

Evolving Strategy

The Hive Mind has learnt the methods of the enemy, and can swiftly counter them.

You must add l to all Reserve rolls.