Q: For a Tyranid Warrior, how many arms must
be used to represent:
a. Rending Claws?
b. Spinefist?
c. Lash whip?
The player wants to know because he put together his models with the two claws (which
you've said in the past are scything talons), but he wants to use a combination of rending
claws and either spinefist or lash whip.
A: All claws, whips etc come in pairs. If he wants to do things differently for aesthetic reasons that's fine but he will have to explain whats what to each new opponent and may run into trouble at tournaments if the organisers want true wysiwyg.
Q: Do spinefists work in hand to hand anymore? If not, then why not?
A: No they don't and because!
Q: Old One Eye and The
Red Terror seem to occupy a different niche. As separate species it would seem that they
are not part of the Army List(s) at all. Are they:
A> Not part of them and cannot be taken by them unless part of the 'Create your own
Hive Fleet' list.
B> Part of the 'original 13' bringing the number of Tyranid 'Species' in the Army List
to 15 for the purposes of Mutants.
C> Not part of either but able to be taken anyhow and not affecting the number of
species.
D> Something we didn't think of.
A: Treat them as B to prevent abuses of the mutants system (they're 'free' otherwise)
Q: On page 9 of the Codex it says that the victim of a Bio-Plasma attack gets a normal save. Does this also allow a save when used by a Monstrous Creature? Or is it "Gets Whatever save it would get when fighting against this creature in hand to hand". The reason I ask is that Rending Claws has pretty much the exact same wording as far as getting a save (if a 6 isn't rolled) and it is pretty obvious that you wouldn't get a save when a Monstrous creature has them. Neither mentions Monstrous creatures. How should we resolve this?
A: Bio-plasma always permits a save,
regardless of what kind of beastie is using it - its an enhancement/ bonus spit before the
creature can bring its awesome, rending strength to bear. Rending claws (being special
close combat attacks) are subject to the benefits of the creature using them, so a
monstrous creature would ignore armour saves, meaning its only real bonus
would be auto wounding on a to hit roll of 6 and bonus armour penetration vs vehicles.
Q: Using the rules from the Tyranid Codex, can Spore Mines Still Crossfire enemy units falling back into them? With the revised rules in the Codex I'd say no since you can shoot at Spore Mines. Will a Spore Mine within 6" prevent a unit from Regrouping? Or do they not count as an enemy model for that purpose?
A: Since spore mines don't crossfire I don't see that they should prevent regrouping either.
Q: For Tyranid warriors who take a venom cannon or barbed strangler. Can they take any biomorphs from the upper list (the list with scything talons, rending claws etc... ) or can they only have the venom cannon/ barbed strangler and no other bioweapons.
A: No, its not terribly clear but the idea is that the 'hvy weapon' 'Nid can take one pick from the lower list but must still choose one from the upper list.
Q: Also what do the "Hands" from the tyranid sprue represent?
A: They are rending claws (read the description and you'll see what I mean)
Q: What do these different plastic pieces from tyranid sprues represent ? The Small blade-like arms for the warrior?
A: They're Scything Talons
Q: The Large Mantis like claws?
A: They're scything talons too.
Q: Page 38 and 39 of the codex seem to
contradict each other with respect to Warriors with heavy weapon bio-modifications. On
Page 38 it says that Warriors with Heavy weapons are HQ or Heavy, and on 39 it says that
More than one heavy weapon makes them Heavy. What is the correct way to interpret this?
Should it be that if they have one they are HQ or Heavy and
if more they are Heavy only? or is one or the other a misprint?
A: p39 has the mistake, they should be HQ or Heavy Support in either case.
Q: In the Codex Tyranids army list (page 13)
it has Ripper Swarms listed as 3-10 in a brood. The Ripper Swarm Biomorph Table (page 40)
it has the brood listed as 5-10. Which is correct?
A. The Army List
B. The Biomorph List
C. Both at correct, it just depends on which place you get your Rippers from?
A: And the answer is....A.
Q: In the Tyranid Codex the Hive Tyrant Psychic power 'Warp Blast' has a different cost depending on whether you use the Army List one vs a Genomorphed one. All of the other powers are the same cost. Is this a typo or is it correct?
A: Again use the army list as the guide here, making it 20 pts.
Q: Here's another common one that we think is pretty clear but we wanted to get it from you just to be sure. Pertaining to 'Old One Eye' and 'The Red Terror'. It never calls them "Special Characters"... Or even Characters... Are they Characters (special or othewise)
A: Nope, they're Tyranid monstrous creatures.
Q: And do you need your opponents permission to take them...
A: Nope
Q: We think we have it hammered out, but
upon the initial reading and thinking it over we had several interpretations of the
'Create your own hive fleet Rules' in the Tyranid Codex.
Now as I understand it when you 'Create your own Hive Fleet' you are making a list of
broods to replace the ones printed in the codex (the thirteen detailed in the Army List
section of the book) entirely. The "New Army List" must have between 4 and 12
brood types that you may then choose an army from.
A: That's right.
Q: Some of the 'original 13' can and probably should be taken (any of the Genofixed species that can't be duplicated with the 'genomodification' rules spring to mind), but this (the hive fleet you create) REPLACES the Army List in the book, and is from where you choose your broods for your 'army list' that you take to a game.
A: That's right as well.
Q: Now for most games and tournaments a
player will probably have the
same number of broods in the Army List as in the army list (the 'created hive fleet' -vs-
the list I bring to the game) as it will allow him to take the largest number of Mutants
(as they are based on the Army List and not the army list).
A: That's right too.
Q: Is it possible to mutate a single creature? Say a Hive Tyrant? It has 4 wounds, so if you had few enough species could you do a mutant Tyrant?
A: Yes, you could although the swarm would be pretty mono and the exceptional size mutation (which is what is desired I assume) would be costing you 49 pts.
Q: Do multiple Lictors/Biovores/Zoanthropes count as a single brood when determining if one (or more, in rare cases) may be a mutant? For example, if a hive fleet has 9 different species in it, and the Tyranid player takes 3 Lictors, may one be a mutant? With 3 wounds apiece, they do have enough if they're all counted together.
A: They count as individuals for the purposes of mutation (they're kind of like specialist mutations anyway)
Q: Are the Tyrant Guard supposed to be Synapse Creatures?
A: Nope, if they were it would say so in their special rules
Q: Do the "Red Terror" and "Old One Eye" count as independent species when counting for "Creating your own hive fleet"? Or does the "Red Terror" count as a Ravener, and "Old One Eye" count as a Carnifex?
A: Yes they count as separate species.
Q: If a unit is in hand to hand, is forced to make an "Instinctive Behvaiour" roll, and rolls either "Lurk" or "Fall back", does this take the unit out of hand to hand? If so, and it their opponent will no longer be in hand to hand, can they pursue or consolidate?
A: Yes the Tyranids fall back from combat and normal options for the winners.
Q: What would be the result of shooting a Venom Cannon at a Imperial Guard Hellhound.
A: They are treated as glancing hits - just like if the hellhound has fired off smoke launchers, taken a hull down position etc.
Q: If I create a new Hive Tyrant species using the rules in the back, can that creature take a Tyrant Guard brood?
A: Assuming you've chosen Tyrant Guard as one of your species, yes.
Q: Do Ferocity and Without Number cost any points? Or are they free, with the only drawback being that they take up one Fast Attack/Heavy Support choice?
A: The latter
Q: How many Lictors or Zoanthropes may you
take per brood of Lictors/Zoanthropes? The wording seems to suggest one of two things:
a. One Lictor/Zoanthrope per brood of any other type of 'Nid in your army.
b. One Lictor/Zoanthrope per Lictor/Zoanthrope brood, ie you only get one per FOC slot.
A: b]
Q: While on the subject of Lictors, can you take multiple broods? Or does the codex limitation apply (as in the case of Battlewagons in a Kult of Speed army)?
Codex restrictions apply.
Q: Can an ordinary model such as a Space Marine really block an enemies line of fire to Dreadnoughts or other kinds of vehicles?
A: No, vehicles are far too substantial to be obscured by creatures, even cavalry or bike-mounted troops.
Q: Is it possible for one squad to ‘screen’ another by blocking its line of fire.
A: Individual models do block line of fire, but the mere presence of enemy squads won’t prevent you firing at what you choose unless the intervening enemy models are so densely packed together that you cannot trace a line of fire between their bases.
Q: The Space Marine’s “And they shall know no fear rules” state that a unit of Space Marines regroups automatically as it falls back, do this mean that the normal regrouping restrictions (must be over 50% strength, in coherency and more than 6” away from the enemy) do not apply to Space Marines?
A: The Know no fear rule states that the unit may regroup even if below 50% strength, however the other two restrictions still apply so the Space Marine squad must be in coherency and more than 6” from the enemy before they regroup. If unable to satisfy these conditions the Space Marine squad must continue to fall back. This mean that it is possible for Space Marines to fall back off the table top if the enemy are right on top of them.
Q: Is the Armoured Fist Company official or optional?
A: Having just gone over this for the Chapter Approved Compilation (plug plug) I put the Armoured Fist company in the 'Recommended Optional' category, which means its fine for a fun game but not really a good idea for tournaments, one-off games against unwary opponents etc. To be fair the scenarios and extra rules for the Armoured co. like lucky hits do limit them a lot, but it still takes a brave man to face up to one.
Q: According to the rules Harlequins can use all their attacks/special weapons in 2" of the enemy, but on charge they must still try to get into base to base contact with the enemy. yes?
Right, the ambiguous word here is 'try' What if none of the models actually base to base but DO get within 2" are they still in Close Combat?
A: If no models are in base contact then none of the unit counts as in combat.
Q: Characters on
Jetbikes, can they upgrade the twin-linked shuriken catapult to a shuriken Cannon
like Jetbike squad members can?
A: No they can't.
Q: (Really cheesy question) Can a Harlequin's Kiss be combined with Power blades? -Before I get a lot of moans on this one, other armies have characters with 2+ to wound, No armour Saves.
e.g. Daemon Prince or
Obliterators fighting HtH against anything with a toughness of 3.
A: I believe it is specifically stated in the wargear section that you cannot combine effects like this.
Q: I know you read the feedback, but how much of it actually is going to affect the final codex? i.e Trunks's campaign to bring back Masques (Something I totally agree with).
A: There's little point asking for feedback if you don't listen to it. That said, in some cases I will have to make a personal call one way or another. With the masques, for example, if an early version of the list had not been leaked, would you really be missing them?
Q: Will there be new Harlequin models? (lets face it although I love the figures these have been around since 1989/90ish time
A: If we do a full codex then we would make new miniatures.
Q: Knowing your incredible work load (and reading these Forums) when can we realistically expect to see an OFFICIAL Harlequin Codex in the shops?
A: I refer to the previous answer – not that soon.
Q: Are Warlocks a separate HQ choice from the Farseer, or do the Farseer and Warlocks count as a single choice like other 'bodyguard' units?
A: The Farseer and Warlocks are a single HQ choice.
Q: If you have more than one Warlock with the power Enhance in a unit, are the effects cumulative?
A: No. You only gain +1 WS and +1 Initiative, regardless of the number of Warlocks with Enhance in the unit.
Q: What is the cost of a Warlock on a Jetbike? In the Warlock Bodyguard entry it says it costs +25 points for a total of 36 points, while in the Guardian Jetbike Squadron entry it gives the cost at 41.
A: Warlocks on Jetbikes cost 36 points. The points cost in the Jetbike entry is a bit of a boo-boo and uses the Jetbike cost of 30 points given in the Armoury. However this is the cost for Farseers, not Warlocks (Farseers go up to Toughness 5, not Toughness 4).
Q: When a Farseer uses Mind War, it implies that you can choose which model is targeted, ignoring the normal casualty removal rules for shooting. Is this right? Also, can it be used to target a model in an open-topped vehicle?
A: It is true that you can choose the model targeted, as long as the Farseer has a line of sight (remember that intervening enemy models and combats will block line of sight). I've decided not to allow Farseers to target models in open-topped vehicles, because:
a). Units inside transport vehicles cannot normally be
targeted,
b). it would be horribly difficult to judge who is in line of sight, and
c). we can assume that all the occupants' minds are too 'squashed' together for the
Farseer to single one out to attack.
Q: Does a unit protected by the Warlock power Conceal get to strike first when assaulted, as if they were in cover?
A: No, as it says in the description they just get a 5+ cover save versus shooting.
Q: How do you work out the points value of a Support Weapon? It seems to imply that each Guardian crew member costs 20 points each, plus the cost of the weapon itself.
A: 20 points per crewman would be a bit steep! The 'points per model' is for two crewmen and the support weapon. This is then further adjusted by the type of support weapon.
Q: Heavy weapon platforms in Guardian Defender squads. Are the crew included in the points value? Do they count against the 20 model maximum size? Are they allowed grenades?
A: As with the Support Weapon, the points cost is for the whole package. They are in addition to the maximum unit size (so you could have 22 Guardians in total, and a Warlock). They aren't Guardian Defenders as such, and cannot be given grenades, but one of the crew can use his Shuriken Catapult as normal.
Q: Can a Space Marine Psychic Hood work against Warlock powers? And if so, how? When do you get a chance to nullify the Warlock power?
A: Against Enhance, Embolden and Conceal, the Librarian can use his Psychic Hood at the start of a Space Marine turn against one Warlock. If he successfully nullifies the power then it has no effect for the rest of the Space Marine turn. Against Destructor it works as normal, except of course that there is no need for the Warlock to pass a Psychic test first; simply announce you are using the Psychic Hood when the Eldar player declares he is using Destructor.
Q: In the Warp Spiders' Jump Generator rules it says that they might disappear in the warp on their second jump. Do they still have to test for jumping in the Assault phase, even if they decided to move normally (i.e. 6") in the Movement phase?
A: Yes they do. The risk of the 'second jump' is to offset the advantage of being able to move after shooting, and therefore out of the enemy's line of fire.
Q: If a vehicle is equipped with a Crystal Targeting Matrix and fires in the Movement phase, can it then use Star Engines in the Shooting phase because it isn't firing any weapons?
A: There's some damned cunning devils out there... No, you cannot fire weapons and use Star Engines in the same turn. Also note that a Crystal Targeting Matrix cannot be used to move vertically, shoot and then drop back down to ground level (like a 2nd edition pop-up attack).
Q: How could a Vibrocannon shot pass through several units unless it was on hill? Isn't the LOS blocked?
A: Models block line of sight, not units, so it is possible to fire between the models of several units, although you'd have to be lucky to get more than two or three.
Q: Is Arhra the Father of Scorpions the leader of the Incubi?
A: Do you really think I'd tell you?
Q: In a Big Gunz battery, do the artillery pieces count as squad members for the purposes of 25% casualties since Ork artillery pieces are viable targets? For example, if I have a squad of 3 Lobbas and 7 Grot crew, does suffering two Grot casualties force a Morale test?
A: No, the gunz do not count towards casualties on the battery. In the example above, the Grots would have to take a Morale check as they have lost 2 out of 7; over 25% casualties.
Q: The rules for the Zzap gun state that you pick a target model. Does this mean that the gun can force a specific model to be removed as a casualty in a squad, even though the casualty is normally chosen by the owner of the target?
A: No, it's just badly worded and should say 'unit'. When firing into a squad of troops, the owner of the squad can still pick which model is removed as a casualty, just like any other type of normal shooting.
Q: When a Zzap gun is mounted on a Battlewagon, in replacement of a twin-linked big shoota, what are the effects of rolling an 11 or 12 on the Strength? Normally some crew are killed. Is this still the case?
A: The Zzap gun doesn't fire that turn but otherwise there is no additional damage to the Battlewagon.
Q: On a related note, do the Grot crewmen (for the Battlewagon big gun) need to be on the vehicle or are the vehicle's crew assumed to be the gunners as with other vehicle mounted weapons?
A: The vehicle's crew act as gunners.
Q: The Battlewagon can mount multiple big shootas that are fired by passengers. What are the restrictions for moving and firing?
A: They use the same rules for bolt-on big shootas as detailed in the Ork vehicle upgrades (p.37 of Codex Orks)
Q: Can you put Imperial vehicle upgrades on looted vehicles, or are you limited to only Orky vehicle upgrades?
A: Orky vehicle upgrades only. It's worth noting specifically that a looted Basilisk can be given the indirect fire option because it's an option, not an upgrade.
Q: In the wargear rules under the Bosspole it says that it may be carried by a Grot. Unfortunately you can't buy the Grot to carry it. How can this be done?
A: Gah! You're right. The solution is above...
Q: Does the limitation on a Big Mek's Mekboy bodyguard not having the same equipment apply to Mekboyz that are part of the Warboss's bodyguard? It does not indicate this specifically, but there is enough 'interpretation' to think it might be this way.
A: The limit on Mekboyz is only intended to apply to the Big Mek's bodyguard, not the Warboss's.
Q: You can have two Warbosses, right? Seems odd, but that's what the rules say.
A: Yeeeeees, this is an oversight on my part. You can take a maximum of one Warboss. Two Warbosses would only appear if there were two separate warbands fighting, ie, if you were using multiple detachments (See Very Large Games on p.131 of the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook).
Q: A bionik arm counts as a close combat weapon. Does this count toward the two single or single/double limitation on weapons? If so, I assume it is a single handed weapon, right?
A: No, it doesn't count towards the weapons limit; that's the advantage of having it 'built in'.
Q: The kustom force field is a two-handed weapon? I was under the impression that it wasn't a weapon at all.
A: Nope, but it's a bulky piece of equipment that needs two hands to operate, hence it counts as a weapon for the purposes of limiting what the Mek can carry.
Q: Kustom Jobs: Can the blasta job be combined with the other kustom jobs?
A: Yes
Q: As per the Living Shield rule for Gretchin mobs, Grots can be used as cover for models behind them when the Grots are shot 'through'. What exactly does this mean?
A: The rules for Warhammer 40,000 state that 'models' block line of sight. This does not mean that squads do, only models. This means that shooters can pick targets behind other squads as long as the shot goes between models in the interposing squad. When this type of shooting happens 'through' a Gretchin squad, the targeted models can use the Living Shield rule. The Grot cover save rule only applies to shots that pass between Gretchin models, and therefore through a Gretchin mob (see above).
Q: When a character with Squigs (Attack or Hound) or Grots as wargear dies, are the 'wargear' removed as well? On the one hand they're wargear and so should go with the character, but on the other they are models with a profile of their own.
A: Hmm. Tempting as it is to keep Grots and Squigs in play, I think they're going to have to be removed if the character dies, to prevent all sorts of weirdness breaking out. Also, Grots and Squigs do become part of the squad their character is part of, so they do count toward the number of losses it sustains when working out whether or not the squad has taken 25% casualties from shooting. They also count toward casualties in close combat. If removed as part of the loss of their character they are with, they are counted as casualties as well.
Q: In an assault, can the Warbiker models that did not make it into contact with enemy models still use the Psycho Blasta rule? If the answer is yes, then the next step is: can bike models more than 2" away from an enemy model use the Psycho Blasta rule? I guess the real, all-encompassing question is if the Psycho Blasta rule is treated like a power fist or other special close combat weapon; you only get to use it if you get into contact.
A: To keep things clean and simple the psycho blastas attack is treated like any other special close combat attack, so it can only be used by models that manage to get into base-to-base contact. Models can also choose not to make a psycho blasta attack (ie, if they have a better weapon).
Q: It would seem that Ork vehicles with a Red Paint Job and Turbo can actually move 7" and still be stationary! Turbo says that 'for shooting and disembarking troops the vehicle counts as moving the speed it went before the turbo boosters were added.' The Red Paint Job says it adds +1" to the Move distance so a fast Ork vehicle could move 13" and still fire one weapon and allow troops to disembark (which therefore means it counts only as having moved 12"). If I announce I am going 0", I can Turbo up to 6", counting as moving 0" (the speed I went before boosting) and then add 1" to this distance and still fire/disembark as if I had not moved at all.
A: Not true, see the Turbo Boost rules (page 37). Realise that the 4+ refers to the distance rolled. For example if you get an extra 4", 5" or 6" bonus move on the dice roll, the vehicle can't shoot or disembark troops. The Ork vehicle could, therefore, hope to roll a 3 or less and get the benefits you mention, but it's pretty risky!
Q: May non-feral Ork armies take Boarboyz and Weirdboyz?
A: Out of consideration for the more... ahem... old-fashioned Warbosses who have a fondness for such things, yes they can.
A: Yes.
Q: I noticed the phrasing of the Flash Gitz kustom jobs is much like krak grenades and the like, in that it says the 'entire mob may be given...'. When you buy krak grenades for a squad you cannot choose to upgrade just a few models. They all must get the grenades and must all pay the points for them. Is the parallel phrasing intentional? In other words, in a mob of 10 Gitz, if I choose to upgrade them all to, for example, Shootier, I must pay 20 points to do so. Then, after paying those 20 points, I can give four models burnas for an additional 24 points, thus 'wasting' the 8 points spent in upgrading the shootas that those four burnas no longer have. Is this the intent?
A: Yes that's right. Bear in mind that Devastators etc pay extra points for having their extra heavy weapons; with Flash Gitz this is covered by the points spent on kustom jobs instead.
Q: Choppas. The rule says 'In close combat choppas limit the saving throw an enemy model can have to a 4 at best.' This does not stipulate 'armour saves.' Does this mean that invulnerable saves are altered as well?
A: No, the choppa modifier applies only to armour saves.
Q: Throughout the Ork list, squads are given the option 'for an additional +X points, one of the Orks may be upgraded to a Nob'. Burna Boyz are the only squad that does not follow this. They say 'For an additional +9 pts the Burna Boyz mob may be led by a Mekboy'. I take this to be intentional and thus allows the mob to be 11 Orks strong. Is this correct?
A: Yep.
Q: When an Ork mob loses a round of combat to a fearsome opponent, they don't get a Mob Size check, correct?
A: No, remember the Mob Size check comes after failing a Morale check, so in this case you fail the Morale check automatically and then take a Mob Size check.
Q: Do Orks mob up before the enemy gets to advance (and potentially wipe out the Ork mob)?
A: No, the rules state you check for mobbing up 'once moves are complete', therefore any pursuits, crossfires, etc, would take effect first.
Q: If a mob of three Killer Kans is engaged in close combat, but only one Kan is in base-to-base contact with the enemy, do penetrating or glancing hits on that Kan carry over onto the rest of the mob? I know they do with troops, but it doesn't seem right with Dreadnoughts. If so, would the attacker have to declare/allocate all attacks before rolling to hit? Ditto for, say, a Land Speeder squadron if only one is being touched by the enemy...
A: This particular question was the subject of some hot debate, as it just doesn't 'feel right' to distribute the hits through a squadron of vehicles. However, with due consideration this simply isn't fair as Attack Bikes and Terminators cost as many points as Sentinels, Killa Kans and other light vehicles, but they have hits allocated normally. To make vehicles work differently in close combat simply gives them an advantage which they're not paying for, which just ain't right.
So, with vehicles in squadrons, distribute penetrating and glancing hits just as if they were wounds on a squad, so start with the ones in base contact, then those out to 2" and if hits are still left over distribute them to vehicles in the squadron which are more than 2" away. No vehicle can be allocated two hits until every vehicle in the squadron has suffered one hit each, no vehicle can be allocated three hits until every vehicle has been allocated two hits, and so on.