The Great Devourer
“Consume. Adapt. Evolve.”
From beyond the galactic void the Tyranid hive fleets come, drawn by the Shadow in the Warp that heralds the coming of Hive Mind consciousness itself. Every Tyranid organism — from the smallest ripper swarm to the towering Hierophant Bio-Titan — exists purely to serve the collective will, engineered from bio-plastic genestock into whatever horrifying shape a battlefield demands. Worlds consumed by the swarm are left as bare rock, every scrap of biomass devoured and rendered down to fuel the next generation of monstrous bioforms. Synapse creatures bind lesser broods into a single furious purpose, and where the Shadow in the Warp falls even psykers and machine-spirits falter. No world has ever driven off a hive fleet entirely — only bought itself a fleeting, bloody reprieve before the Great Devourer returns.
Army Rule
If your Army Faction is TYRANIDS, while a TYRANIDS unit from your army is within 6" of one or more friendly SYNAPSE models, that TYRANIDS unit is said to be within Synapse Range of that model and of your army.
4 available
Mindhunger
Ravenous instinct drives these vanguard organisms to predate leaders amongst the prey, and to crack open their crania and devour the quivering mind-meat within. - Friendly DEATHLEAPER/LICTOR/NEUROLICTOR units have Deep Strike. - Friendly LICTOR/NEUROLICTOR units' attacks that target a CHARACTER unit can re-roll hit rolls of 1.
By the time the prey realise that they are being hunted, the Hive Mind's vanguard organisms have already enfolded them in a murderous embrace. There is no hiding from what comes next. NEUROLICTOR/LICTOR/VON RYAN'S LEAPERS unit only. In your opponent's Movement phase, when an enemy unit ends a move within 8" of this unit, this unit can make a normal move of up to D3+3".
The dermis of these biohunters has been adapted to subtly alter hue according to what the ocular receptors of the prey expect to see, thus hiding the creatures even in plain sight. VON RYAN'S LEAPERS unit only. This unit has -3" detection range.
Higher Imperatives
Capable of incredibly complex reasoning and a frightening level of self-direction, Norn Emissaries and Assimilators display great agency and alien cunning in the completion of their tasks. Friendly NORN EMISSARY/NORN ASSIMILATOR units have the following ability: Protean Purpose: (Once per battle, per unit) In your Command phase, you can use this ability. If you do, this unit can make a selection for its Singular Purpose ability (this replaces the previous selection).
Reaching out like the will of the Hive Mind made manifest, this organism's pinpoint fire is perfectly tailored to strike down leaders amongst the prey. NORN EMISSARY unit only. This unit's ranged attacks have [ANTI-CHARACTER 2+].
As though privy to glimpses of the Hive Mind's own near-omniscient view of events, this towering beast weaves unerringly aside from incoming threats. NORN ASSIMILATOR unit only. This unit has 4+ InSv.
Leader-beasts
The Hive Mind has spawned entire swarms of Tyranid Warriors upon this battlefield, adapting them to be tougher as well as more numerous, and thus to serve as better conduits for its will. - Friendly TYRANID WARRIORS WITH RANGED BIO-WEAPONS/TYRANID WARRIORS WITH MELEE BIO-WEAPONS units have: ▫ TYRANID WARRIORS. ▫ BATTLELINE. - TYRANID WARRIORS/TYRANID PRIME WITH LASH WHIP/WINGED TYRANID PRIME models from your army have 5+ InSv.
This bioform and its symbiotic weapon-beasts have been adapted for maximum lethality. WINGED TYRANID PRIME / TYRANID PRIME WITH LASH WHIP model only. This model's melee attacks: - Can re-roll wound rolls. - Have +1 AP.
This node-beast's bioadaptations allow it to perceive the minutest electrical impulse or heat signature. Few prey organisms escape its clutches. WINGED TYRANID PRIME / TYRANID PRIME WITH LASH WHIP model only. This unit's melee attacks have +1 to hit rolls.
Surprise Assault
Burrowing Tyranid bioforms burst from the ground in all their horror. Each time a Tyranids model from your army makes an attack, re-roll a Hit roll of 1. Each time a Burrower unit from your army is set up on the battlefield from Reserves, place a circular 40mm Tunnel Marker anywhere on the battlefield within 1" of that unit and more than 3" horizontally away from all enemy units. In the Reinforcements step of your Movement phase, when you set up a unit on the battlefield from Reserves, you can set that unit up wholly within 9" of one of your Tunnel Markers and more than 6" horizontally away from any enemy units. If an enemy model (excluding Aircraft ) ends any kind of move within 3" of one of your Tunnel Markers, that Tunnel Marker is removed from the battlefield. KEYWORDS Mawloc and Trygon units from your army have the Burrower keyword. In the Muster Armies step, you can select up to 2 Trygon models from your army. The selected units gain the Character keyword. Designer's Note: This means that the selected models can be given Enhancements and one of them can be selected as your Warlord.
Possessing an exceptionally acute connection to the hive mind, this creature benefits from a constant influx of sensory data, enabling it to traverse the battlefield and emerge at the place and time of maximum impact. Tyranids model only. Once per battle, you can target the bearer's unit with the Rapid Ingress stratagem for, and can do so even if you have already targeted a different unit with that Stratagem this phase.
From its concealed position beneath the battlefield, this bioform picks up on subtle traces of movement from the enemy force, impelling its fellow organisms to reposition themselves in preparation for a coordinated assault. Tyranids model only. After both players have deployed their armies, select up to three friendly Tyranids units from your army and redeploy them. When doing so, you can set those units up in Strategic Reserves, regardless of how many units are already in Strategic Reserves.
This bioform uses its own keen senses and predatory intellect to burrow into position and strike before the enemy can react. Tyranids model with the Deep Strike ability only. The bearer's unit can be set up using the Deep Strike ability in the Reinforcements step of your first, second or third Movement phase, regardless of any mission rules.
Only rarely manifested by the hive fleets, the Trygon Prime possesses a greatly enhanced synaptic network within its neural cortex, enabling it to more precisely coordinate the assaults of burrowing Tyranid creatures. Trygon model only. The bearer gains the Synapse keyword. Improve the Strength and Weapon Skill characteristics of melee weapons equipped by the bearer by 1.
15 stratagems
Detachment · Fight phase · Ambush Predators
WHEN: Fight phase, when a friendly DEATHLEAPER/LICTOR/ NEUROLICTOR/VON RYAN'S LEAPERS unit is selected to fight. TARGET: That DEATHLEAPER/LICTOR/NEUROLICTOR/VON RYAN'S LEAPERS unit. EFFECT: Your unit's attacks that target a hidden unit have +1 S and AP.
Detachment · Shooting phase · Ambush Predators
WHEN: Start of your Shooting phase. TARGET: One friendly DEATHLEAPER/LICTOR/NEUROLICTOR/VON RYAN'S LEAPERS unit. EFFECT: Select one visible enemy unit within 12" of your unit. That enemy unit has +6" detection range.
Detachment · Fight phase · Ambush Predators
WHEN: End of your opponent's Fight phase. TARGET: One friendly unengaged DEATHLEAPER/LICTOR/ NEUROLICTOR unit. EFFECT: Place your unit in strategic reserves.
Detachment · Any phase · Talons of the Norn Queen
WHEN: Any phase, when a friendly NORN ASSIMILATOR unit suffers a mortal wound. TARGET: That NORN ASSIMILATOR unit. EFFECT: Your unit has Feel No Pain 4+ against mortal wounds.
Detachment · Fight phase · Talons of the Norn Queen
WHEN: Fight phase, when a friendly NORN ASSIMILATOR/NORN EMISSARY unit is selected to fight. TARGET: That NORN ASSIMILATOR/NORN EMISSARY unit. EFFECT: Your unit's melee attacks have +2 S.
Detachment · Shooting phase · Talons of the Norn Queen
WHEN: Your Shooting phase, when a friendly NORN ASSIMILATOR unit has shot. TARGET: That NORN ASSIMILATOR unit. EFFECT: Select one enemy unit hit by those attacks. That enemy unit is tethered until the start of your next Command phase: - While a unit is tethered, that unit has -2" M.
Detachment · Shooting phase · Warrior Bioform Onslaught
WHEN: Your opponent's Shooting phase or the Fight phase, when an enemy unit targets a friendly TYRANID WARRIORS unit. TARGET: That TYRANID WARRIORS unit. EFFECT: Attacks that target your unit with a S greater than your unit's T have -1 to wound rolls.
Detachment · Movement phase · Warrior Bioform Onslaught
WHEN: End of your Movement phase. TARGET: One friendly TYRANID WARRIORS unit. EFFECT: Select one objective your unit is controlling. That objective is secured.
Detachment · Shooting phase · Warrior Bioform Onslaught
WHEN: Your Shooting phase, when a friendly TYRANID WARRIORS unit is selected to shoot. TARGET: That TYRANID WARRIORS unit. EFFECT: Your unit's ranged attacks have [IGNORE COVER].
Wargear · Command phase · Subterranean Assault
WHEN: Command phase. TARGET: One Mawloc or Trygon unit from your army. EFFECT: Until the start of your next Command phase, your unit has the Synapse keyword.
Wargear · Movement phase · Subterranean Assault
WHEN: Your Movement phase. TARGET: One Tyranids unit from your army, wholly within 9" of one or more Tunnel Markers you placed. EFFECT: One model in your unit regains up to D3+1 lost wounds, or you can return up to D3+1 destroyed models with a Wounds characteristic of 1 to your unit, with their full wounds remaining, instead.
Strategic Ploy · Movement phase · Subterranean Assault
WHEN: End of your Movement phase. TARGET: One Tyranids unit from your army that was set up as Reinforcements this turn. EFFECT: Until the end of your next Fight phase, weapons equipped by models in your unit have the [SUSTAINED HITS 1] and [IGNORES COVER] abilities.
Strategic Ploy · Movement phase · Subterranean Assault
WHEN: End of your Movement phase. TARGET: One Tyranids unit from your army that is wholly within 9" of one or more of your Tunnel Markers and not within Engagement Range of one or more enemy units. EFFECT: Remove your unit from the battlefield and set it up again, wholly within 9" of another Tunnel Marker you placed, and more than 6" horizontally away from all enemy units.
Strategic Ploy · Charge phase · Subterranean Assault
WHEN: Your Charge phase. TARGET: One Tyranids Monster unit from your army that was set up as Reinforcements this turn. EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, friendly Tyranids units within 6" of your unit can re-roll Charge rolls.
Strategic Ploy · Fight phase · Subterranean Assault
WHEN: End of your opponent's Fight phase. TARGET: One Tyranids unit or up to two Burrower units from your army that are not within Engagement Range of one or more enemy units. EFFECT: Remove your unit from the battlefield and place it into Strategic Reserves.
49 units
Rules digest
Our own plain-speech digest of how this force's rules hang together — army rule, detachment choice, command-point economy and roster shape. Written by us, not reproduced from the pack; the official PDF is the only authority on exact wording.
Read the official pack PDFEvery list in this force answers to Synapse, so plan your turns around it rather than treating it as a bonus. There is no secondary doctrine to pick, which keeps the force predictable to learn and unforgiving to misplay. Exact wording lives in the official pack PDF; the summary here is ours.
You commit to one of 4 detachments (Ambush Predators, Talons of the Norn Queen, Warrior Bioform Onslaught, Subterranean Assault), and that choice locks in both your detachment rule and the 10 enhancements available to your characters. Pick the detachment that matches the units you already own, then buy enhancements last.
There are 15 stratagems on offer, costing between 1 and 1 CP. In a normal game you will bank enough for two or three interventions a turn at most, so decide before deployment which one or two plays you are saving command points for.
The roster runs to 49 datasheets. The cheapest entry comes in at 30 points and the most expensive at 810, so a single flagship choice can eat a fifth of a 2,000-point army. Use the list builder to keep the Rule of Three, character limits and your points ceiling honest as you add units.
Official faction pack v1.2
Our own plain-speech summary of what the current pack alters for this force — no rules text reproduced. The exact wording is authoritative only in the Games Workshop PDF. Legal for matched play from 26th August 2026.
Read the official pack PDFShadow in the Warp has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Synapse has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
While a TYRANIDS unit from your army is within Synapse Range of is updated in this pack. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Feed the Swarm has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Instinctive Defence has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Enraged Behemoths has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Untrammelled Ferocity's effect section has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Reinforced Hive Node's effect section has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Insurmountable Odds has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Synaptic Goading Stratagem, When and Effect Sections has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Chameleonic has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Neuronode has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Numbers change only: Hypersensory Scillia's target section now reads 8" where it used to read 9".
This pack amends Biovores, Seed Spore Mine Ability. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Carnifexes, Blistering Assault Ability has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Hive Tyrant, Onslaught Ability has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Harpy, Spore Mine Cysts Ability has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Hive Tyrant, Winged Hive Tyrant - Will of the Hive Mind Ability has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
This pack bolts an extra clause onto Mawloc, Raveners, Trygon - Keywords Section — the rule does everything it did before, plus more. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
This pack bolts an extra clause onto Neurolictor's keywords section — the rule does everything it did before, plus more. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
This pack bolts an extra clause onto Norn Assimilator's keywords section — the rule does everything it did before, plus more. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Norn Assimilator, [HARPOONED] Weapon Ability has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Psychophage is updated in this pack. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Sporocyst, Seed Mucolids Ability is updated in this pack. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
The Swarmlord, Malign Presence Ability has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Termagants, Skulking Horrors Ability has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Trygon, Subterranean Tunnels Ability has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Tyranid Warriors with Melee Bio-weapons, Adaptive Instincts Ability has been rewritten for this pack, so the old wording no longer applies. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
This pack amends Tyrannocyte, Aerial Seeding Ability. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
RANGE A BS S AP D is updated in this pack. See the official pack PDF for the exact wording.
Ruling on Grey Knigh Teleport Assault
Ruled yes in the official pack.
Ruling on Rapid Regeneration
Ruled no in the official pack.
Ruling on Deep
The official pack gives a detailed answer — read it in the PDF.
Ruling on Psychostatic Disruption
The official pack gives a detailed answer — read it in the PDF.
Ruling on SYNAPSE
Ruled no in the official pack.
Ruling on Reclaim Biomass
Ruled no in the official pack.
Ruling on Stealth
Ruled no in the official pack.
Ruling on a rules interaction in this army
Ruled no in the official pack.
Ruling on Psychostatic Disruption
Ruled no in the official pack.
Ruling on Synaptic Goading
Ruled yes in the official pack.
Ruling on Insane Bravery
Ruled no in the official pack.
Ruling on Subterranean Assault
Ruled no in the official pack.
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