ETJ
01-22-2010, 07:05 PM
*May Contain Battlestar Galactica spoilers*
So, I was reading my new codex, getting irked at having to reorganise my army, when i stumbled across the swarmlord.
The swarmlord was a nice enough model, with interesting tactical rules, which all tyrants now seemed to be going down the route of 'commander' rather than 'big nid with relay station for head'
but the interesting part was the fluff. It paints the story of a tyranid that is almost autonymous. it's connected to the hive mind, it does what the hive mind wants, but it makes decisions, advanced tactical decisions, and orders hive mind troops about to the ends it needs.
but more than that. unlike the previous Deathleaper, which was always the same tyranid, just showing up in various places, or the Old one eye, whose mutations were reasonably common (several examples of OOE like creatures, with the rules just portraying any one of them, and the relative rarity being merely a brood thing), the swarmlord was REBORN upon death.
here comes the cylon comparison. they had assorted aims (not anything quite like the hive mind, obviously) but were reborn upon death to 'fight' again. I have images of swarmlord leaving a battle in macragge to appear lightyears away fighting orcs, or wherever is necessary.
I love the idea that the certain (presumably synapse) tyranids have the ability to LEARN, and that particualrly useful or ferocious tyranids are kept, and regrown in new bodies.
This is done in a manner similar to Scar, the Cylon raider of S2E15 Scar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scar_%28Battlestar_Galactica%29)
Scar is very experienced, having learned from its mistakes time and time again, and holds an especially seething hatred for Viper pilots. Every time Scar has been destroyed and reborn it has suffered pain and is a machine filled with bitterness and anger.
which just seems to make the tyanids more badass. and it's nice to have an almost sympathetic character amongst the tyranid horde. a face, even an evil one. probably no less evil than the other races in GRIMDARK though. x)
discuss.
So, I was reading my new codex, getting irked at having to reorganise my army, when i stumbled across the swarmlord.
The swarmlord was a nice enough model, with interesting tactical rules, which all tyrants now seemed to be going down the route of 'commander' rather than 'big nid with relay station for head'
but the interesting part was the fluff. It paints the story of a tyranid that is almost autonymous. it's connected to the hive mind, it does what the hive mind wants, but it makes decisions, advanced tactical decisions, and orders hive mind troops about to the ends it needs.
but more than that. unlike the previous Deathleaper, which was always the same tyranid, just showing up in various places, or the Old one eye, whose mutations were reasonably common (several examples of OOE like creatures, with the rules just portraying any one of them, and the relative rarity being merely a brood thing), the swarmlord was REBORN upon death.
here comes the cylon comparison. they had assorted aims (not anything quite like the hive mind, obviously) but were reborn upon death to 'fight' again. I have images of swarmlord leaving a battle in macragge to appear lightyears away fighting orcs, or wherever is necessary.
I love the idea that the certain (presumably synapse) tyranids have the ability to LEARN, and that particualrly useful or ferocious tyranids are kept, and regrown in new bodies.
This is done in a manner similar to Scar, the Cylon raider of S2E15 Scar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scar_%28Battlestar_Galactica%29)
Scar is very experienced, having learned from its mistakes time and time again, and holds an especially seething hatred for Viper pilots. Every time Scar has been destroyed and reborn it has suffered pain and is a machine filled with bitterness and anger.
which just seems to make the tyanids more badass. and it's nice to have an almost sympathetic character amongst the tyranid horde. a face, even an evil one. probably no less evil than the other races in GRIMDARK though. x)
discuss.