Tyranids Reference Page

Tactical Objectives

11 - Swarm: 1 VP if you control more objectives than your opponent at the end of this turn.

12 - Crush: 1 VP if an enemy unit was destroyed by either a MONSTER or a unit with more than 10 models.

13 - Dominate: 1 VP if at least 3 psychic powers were manifested.

14 - Decapitate: Score 1 VP if you killed at least one CHARACTER this turn; d3 VP for two or more.

15 - Terrify: 1 VP if an enemy unit failed a morale test this turn. Gain d3 VP if 3 or more enemy units failed their morale tests.

16 - Devour: 1 VP if an enemy unit was destroyed in the Fight phase this turn. If 3 or more were destroyed, gain d3 VP. If 6 or more were destroyed, gain d3+3 VP.

Universal Stratagems

Command Re-Roll (1 CP)
Re-roll any single dice. Simple, but infinitely effective. Whether you’re trying to wring out a little extra damage from a lascannon shot that rolled a 1 for damage or trying to re-roll a critical save, you will learn to love this Stratagem.

Counter-Defensive (2 CP)
After an enemy that has charged fights, choose one of your units and fight with it next.

Insane Bravery (2 CP)
Automatically pass a Morale test.

Prepared Positions (2 CP)
This was a beta stratagem available in the 40k FAQ released on September 28 2018, and officially became a rule in the April 29, 2019 FAQ. This stratagem can only be used by the player going second in the first battle round. Use this Stratagem at the start of the first battle round, before the first turn begins. Until the end of the first turn, all units from your army that are wholly within your Deployment Zone receive the benefit of cover, other than Titanic and Aircraft keyword units, or units with the Flyer or Fortification Battlefield role. This applies even while they are not entirely on or in a terrain feature. A unit that is already receiving the benefit of cover gains no additional benefit from this Stratagem.

Tyranid Stratagems

Adrenaline Surge (3 CP)
Use during the end of the Fight phase. Select a Tyranid unit that has already fought, that unit may fight again. I don’t need to tell you how crazy this is, so be sure to use it when the time is right considering its cost.

• -If your unit didn’t charge that turn (ie started in combat), you can kill a unit, consolidate 3” into another unit, then attack that unit. Or combine it with the overrun stratagem.

Bounty of the Hive Fleet (1 CP/3 CP)
Mandatory bonus relic stratagem.

Call the Brood (3 CP)
At the end of the movement phase, add a new unit of up to 5 Genestealers, wholly within 6” of a Broodlord or infestation node but more than 9” from any enemy model.

• -Yes, you have to pay the reinforcement points for these too.

Caustic Blood (1 CP)
At the start of the Fight phase, select a unit. Whenever a model from that unit dies, the enemy which inflicted the killing blow takes a mortal wound on a 6+. Your 30+ model Gaunt blobs were going to take losses anyway, so why not make them into potential suicide bombs? Elite armies such as Adeptus Custodes, Grey Knights and Harlequins hate this considering their low model count.

Death Frenzy (2 CP)
Use when a Character dies, that unit can immediately fight as if it was the Fight phase, or shoot as if it was the Shooting phase. A last fuck-you attack sounds nice but do mind of its cost and that anything with a damage chart has to use the bottom. Finds use by squeezing the last drop of violence out of a lictor that is very close to killing something important.

Digestive Denial (2 CP)
Use after deployment but before the first turn starts. Choose a piece of terrain other than a fortification. Units fully within or on this piece of terrain do not gain any bonus to their saving throws for being in cover. Situational, but can really fuck campy armies in their holy passage.

Feeder Tendrils (1 CP)
When a Genestealer, Lictor, Venomthrope, or Toxicrene kills a Character in the Fight Phase, gain D3 CP. At the very least, this is effectively free since gaining 1 CP will still be enough to negate the cost of using the Stratagem in the first place. More often, it’ll let you turn opposing characters into an opportunity for bonus CP. Keep in mind that Broodlords are Genestealers too.

Grisly Feast (1 CP)
Use this stratagem in the morale phase. Select a unit of Ripper Swarms or Haruspex from your army. Your opponent must add 1 to any morale tests taken for enemy units that are within 6” of that unit.

Implant Attack (1 CP)
select a model that is still alive after being wounded by a Tyranid unit in the fight phase. Roll a D6 for each enemy model that was wounded, on a 2+ the unit suffers a mortal wound. Sounds bad until a situation arises where a nasty opposing character survives a Fight phase with 1 wound left.

Invisible Hunter (1 CP)
use during the movement phase. select a Lictor from your army within 1” of an enemy unit, that model can fall back, shoot, and charge in this turn.

Metabolic Overdrive (1 CP)
Use during the movement phase. Pick a Tyranid unit that has moved, that unit can move (and advance, if you wish) again. However, roll a D6 for every model in the unit; on a 1 that unit suffers a mortal wound. Additionally, the affected unit cannot shoot or charge for the turn. A small price to pay for giving a unit a second (or if you’re also going to use Hive Commander or Overrun, third) movement phase for your turn.

• -It cannot be underestimated how useful this is, You can turn the Maleceptor into a psychic missile, send Venomthropes to shroud a unit in the frontline, use it to deliver an emergency Synapse(use the Maleceptor and you can do both this and the above) and any other kind of crazy things you can pull off.
• -Remember that is has been FAQ’d that you CANNOT advance twice in a single phase. However, when you trigger this stratagem on a unit that just advanced, it’s movement characteristic remains modified. E.g. If a unit has an 8” movement characteristic and you rolled a 3 for advance (total 11”), when you pop this stratagem on them, they get to move another 11”. Adrenal glands won’t give the bonus again thou.
• -Also remember that Onslaught has been FAQ’d to not work with this.

Overrun (1 CP)
Use after your unit killed an enemy in the Fight phase. As long as they are not within 3” of an enemy model, the can move (and Advance) again but cannot go within 1” of an enemy model. The term ‘Fast Food’ has never been so literal.

• -Has interesting usage when combined with Adrenaline Surge, as fighting again includes pile in and consolidate moves. Obliterate the screen, advance to the backline and touch all their tanks for 4 command points total.

Pathogenic Slime (2 CP)
In the Shooting phase, select a Tyranid Monster. Its shooting attacks now deal 1 extra damage. Your Deathspitters with Slimer Maggots are now souped-up Autocannons. The new and improved Devourers look even scarier now.

Pheromone Trail (1 CP)
Use when a Tyranid Infantry unit from your army is set up on the battlefield as reinforcements if there is already a Lictor from your army on the battlefield. You can set up the unit wholly within 6” of the Lictor and more than 9” from any enemy models rather than following the normal rules for setting up the unit.

• -It works best for narrative plays where you are forced to put non-DS units on reserve.
• -The only other use would be to get more room to place your models. It can be quite challenging to place 30 Hormagaunts within 3” of a Trygon and still leave both units with that 9” charge.

Power of the Hive Mind (1 CP)
Use at the end of the psychic phase. A Tyranid Psyker that manifested a power can attempt to manifest one additional psychic power this turn.

Psychic Barrage (1 CP)
Use when a Zoanthrope unit of at least 3 models is within 6” of 2 other such units. None of them make any psychic tests; instead, select a point within 18” of the Zoanthrope units that is visible to all of them. For all units (friend and foe) within 3” of that point, roll a d6 (subtracting 1 if it’s a Character and adding 1 if it’s a unit with at least 10 models). On a 4+, the affected unit suffers 3d3 mortal wounds. A cousin of the Space Marine/CSM Linebreaker Bombardment, this trades the potential for more mortal wounds from casting Smite from each individual Zoanthrope brood for an AOE effect and greater reliability (since it’s a Stratagem effect, it can’t fail to go off, trigger Perils, or get denied). But do mind the risk of friendly fire. Or don’t, you have enough bodies.

Rapid Regeneration (2 CP)
Use at end of your movement phase. A targeted Tyranid model regains d3 lost wounds. Gives the Swarmlord and other big things the boost they need to move them up a bracket on the damage table.

Scorch Bugs (1 CP)
Use when a Tyranid unit from your army is select to attack in the Shooting phase. You can add 1 to all wound rolls made for that unit’s fleshborer or fleshborer hive attacks. Tyrannofexes are going to wound MEQs and GEQs at 2+ with 40 shots. Ouch.

Single-minded Annihilation (2 CP)
Use at the end of the shooting phase. A Tyranid Infantry unit can shoot again. Did someone say 180-shot-devilgaunts? Or use this on your Hive Guard to destroy another vehicle you don’t like

Sporefield (3 CP)
Use after both armies deploy but before the battle begins. Add up to two units of Spore mines to your army as reinforcements and set them up anywhere on the battlefield more than 12” from enemy models. Too bad you have to pay reinforcement points for this. Actually that’s up for debate, and will likely be FAQ’d. Page 99 states “…Spore Mines’ points cost does not come out of your pool of Reinforcement Points” but specifically when produced by units that create them ie. Biovores and Sporocysts.

• -FAQ is out and hilariously it confirms that yes, you do need to pay reinforcement points for these.
• -While costly (2 CP would be more reasonable), this stratagem has one important function**
  alpha strike denial. Particularly if you are going second, this allows you to set up two lines of 9 spore mines each about 15”-17” away from your battle lines to create a huge no-fly zone for tactical reserves. Each unit when carefully positioned covers an area of about 18” x 34” of tactical reserve denial. Just make sure you also bring something else to spend those 180 reinforcement points on in case your opponent is not going heavy on the reserves (read: playing CSM). Perhaps a unit of 22 Devilgants to Endless Swarm behind enemy lines.

Voracious Appetite (1 CP)
Use when a Tyranid monster or character from your army is chosen to attack. You can re-roll all failed wound rolls for that model until the end of the phase. Wanna put the hurt on that land raider? Drop this on ol’ Swarmy and watch the tears flow.

Hive Fleet-Specific Stratagems

BEHEMOTH - Brute Force (1 CP)
Use when a unit charges. Roll a d6 for each model within 1” of an opponent. If the unit is a monster, it causes a mortal wound on a 2+. Otherwise, it causes a mortal wound on a 6. 1 CP is cheap for an average of 5 mortal wounds per 30-unit blob charging (Really? how likely is it you’ll get all 30 models in that unit within 1” of an enemy?), and it stacks with the Carnifexes’ Living Battering Ram for good measure. The Swarmlord, Adrenal Glands, and the Behemoth trait can help with ensuring said charge.

GORGON - Hyper-Toxicity (1 CP)
In the Fight phase, pick a unit with the Toxin Sacs biomorph. It now triggers its damage bonus on a 5+ instead of a 6+. Works best in big units of Genestealers and Hormagaunts.

• -It should be obvious, but don’t use this when you are only wounding on 6+, as a roll of 5 will still fail.

HYDRA - Endless Swarm (2 CP)
Use at the end of the movement phase. Select a destroyed unit of Termagants, Hormagaunts, Gargoyles, or Hydra Infantry. Add an identical unit to your army and set it up as reinforcement wholly 6” of any board edge and more than 9” from an enemy. Technically any Hive Fleet can use this Stratagem, but only Hydra can apply it to non-Gaunt infantry like Warriors or Venomthropes. And there’s nothing that explicitly says that this can’t bring back the Tyranid Prime or Neurothrope you made your Warlord since they’re Infantry too…

• -As of the FAQ, this now costs reinforcement points. In other words, this is pointless in Matched Play.

JORMUNGANDR - Enemy Below (1 CP)
When a single Jormungandr Infantry unit is set up, you can put it underground instead of deploying it normally. Whenever you deploy a Ravener squad, Mawloc, Trygon, or Trygon Prime from underground, said infantry unit can deep strike within 3”, but more than 9” of an enemy unit. (this does mean Trygons can now deep strike multiple units at once). Sadly, the distance requirements mean Mawlocs can’t both use this and benefit from their gimmick. Notable uses are:

• -Bring a Broodlord along with the Genestealer unit accompanying your Trygon. (Conveniently enough, the Start Collecting! set for Tyranids contains that very mix of units.)
• -Drop Pyrovores within their weapon range to torch enemy infantry.
• -Bring Tyrant Guard in with your Raveners (or Trygon) right next to your Swarmlord in a Tyrannocyte to give him protection while he hurls the Raveners/Trygon at the enemy lines.
• -Venomthropes for protection to weather enemy shooting in case of failed charges.
• -Drop Hive Guard with Shockcannons in range of enemy vehicles.
• -Use Raveners as a budget Trygon for deep striking purposes if you want to save slots.

KRAKEN - Opportunistic Advance (1 CP)
Use in the Movement Phase. Choose a Kraken unit that does not have the Fly keyword. When Advancing you can double the number you roll when determining how much to add to the unit’s Movement characteristic, “rather than following the normal rules for Advancing” (whatever the last part means, read the third point).

• -Combined with Kraken’s adaptation, you have a 70% chance of adding 10+” to your movement. Using this on a sufficiently speedy unit in conjunction with Metabolic Overdrive, Overrun, and/or Hive Commander will let you cover more ground in one turn than some armies can move in an entire battle.
• -FAQ: faqs confirms that this stratagem can be used with Hive Commander since it “replaces” the Fire Phase with a (second) Movement Phase.
• -“rather than following the normal rules for Advancing”, it’s a messy puzzle with some cracks. What this probably means is that instead of just rolling a dice and adding the result to the unit’s movement characteristic, you’re instead rolling and then doubling that number, thus “not following the normal rules for advancing” but still counting as so.

KRONOS - The Deepest Shadow (1 CP)
When a Psyker within 24” of a Kronos unit tries to manifest a psychic power, it can only roll one die for its psychic test. Makes powers with a Warp Charge of over 6 unusable, and when combined with Shadow in the Warp and the Kronos WT you should be able to shut down Craftworld Eldar and Tzeentch armies easily.

• -Use Biovores to fire spore mines before popping this to really piss off your opponents.

LEVIATHAN - War on All Fronts (1 CP)
Use during the Fight phase. Select an enemy unit within 1” of at least one Leviathan unit that can FLY and one unit without Fly. You may reroll all To Hit and To Wound rolls of 1 against that unit. Hard to pull off, but since Tyranids don’t have characters that provide rerolls to hit or to wound this will be a big help against especially resilient units. At the very least, it’ll be more efficient than spending CP for individual re-rolls.

Source: 1d4chan