Yes, Best Overall is still in hibernation mode. But it's the weekend, and the sleepy bear is wandering out of his cave for a few minutes (at least until I get too tired and fall asleep).
I could write an entire article about my feelings towards Nids, but let me just sum it up like this:
I love Tyranids. But I hate the Tyranid codex.
Ok, moving on.
I have not quite "avoided" 6th edition rumors, but I haven't been one to go out and actively seek them out either. Consequently, I have gotten a general flavor of what the rumor mill is cranking out, and frankly my feelings are mostly positive, but I don't know all of what's circulating out there.
But what I want to talk about today is how, intentionally or unintentionally, Games Workshop could save the Tyranids codex without actually touching the Dex itself.
These are based upon things I have read or, in some cases, things I half remember reading at some point. Feel free not to take any of these rules as being in any way solid (or rather, they should be viewed as even less solid than regular rumors, as I'm likely to be making them up). I'm trying to give some realistic examples of how "core" rule changes could help Nids.
Move Through Cover
I've talked about this one before. I had mentioned that if Move Through Cover allowed a unit to ignore the effects of terrain when assaulting (like Frag Grenades do), it could really help. Nids pay for initiative on a lot of their little bugs. The rumors I read had the Move Through Cover unit taking an Initiative Test every time it entered terrain, and if it passed it ignored the terrain completely. This would have the same effect (like Flip belts) and would also mean that Genestealers would get to use the Initiative you pay for both in the Initiative test and in the assault. What a concept. ;D
Fleet
The rumors I just read (From Faeit 212) indicate that units disembarking from a Deep Striking transport cannot assault... unless they have Fleet. So this might indicate that units of Hormagants or Genestealers which take a Mycetic Spore could assault on the Deep Strike. Interesting...
Changes to Hitting/Wounding Monstrous Creatures
I had read something about how certain weapons would be more effective against certain targets. So perhaps AP 3 or below weapons will have less impact on Monstrous Creatures. That would help... a lot. Perhaps Monstrous Creatures automatically come with Feel No Pain (because they are MCs...) and Catalyst simply improves the FNP (goes from a 4+ to a 3+ for example). Then of course AP 1 or 2 would mitigate that. Just thinking aloud here.
Assault Weapon Bonus Attack
If assault weapons count as a bonus attack, Termagants would get a lot more dangerous, and even Monstrous Creatures with Heavy Venom Cannons or Brainleeches, or Warriors with Devourers or Deathspitters, would get more attacks.
Hitting Vehicles in Close CombatI have heard different things like hitting Fast vehicles would only require a 5+. This would help Tyranids AND Orks, which is fine really. Share the Xenos love. SinSynn will like that.
Anyways, while this list isn't comprehensive, and certainly these shouldn't be taken as any sort of predictions for what WILL happen, I'm trying to illustrate various ways that changes to the core ruleset could positively impact Nids in a competitive sense. Could they get even worse? Sure, but I'm thinking about it from a "no where to go but up" mentality, so if they are already crappy and they get a little crappier... who cares? But if they get some help, I sure as hell care!
Just some interesting thoughts flowing through my head as I wind down for sleep from the busy week. I really liked 8th Edition's approach to revamping existing armies through the core rules. There are other issues associated with that system but in that respect I thought they did a bang up job. I am really, really hopeful that 6th edition will re-vitalize the bugs.
Anyways, I'm going to bed now.
