A few Tyranid Ideas I've been kicking around...

[Gustauve]

Hi, I'm not exactly new to the Elite community, as I've been playing the Mod ever since it came out. I am, however, new to the whole 'join a forum community on steam' thing, so I don't exactly know whether or not I'm plying dangerous waters by spouting off my nonsense. As it stands, I feel I'd like to just come out and shoot off some suggestions and improvements for a few game play mechanics and particularly the one race I feel has been most neglected in this monumental effort; the Tyranid Race.

My first suggestion isn't really a suggestion so much as it is a complaint, and it involves one of my favorite units: the Ripper Swarm.
I would like to think that I am not the only one who is rather frustrated by the fact that the Ripper Swarm is no longer an orbital drop unit, which was a fantastic tactic for forcing suppression squads to disengage their weapons. They were also a fantastic anti-armor unit, capable of slowing such units as the Baneblade and the Land Raider enough to allow my Carnifexes to close with them. This wonderful dynamic is now gone, and though it comes off rather prudish, I was extremely saddened by this change. Please tell me that I am not the only person to mourn the loss of the instant Ripper drop!

My second point to make, and this time it is an actual suggestion (though I am inclined to think that this one is a rather poor suggestion, as the mechanics of it proved disastrous in Dawn of War: Soulstorm), is an idea I've had since Retribution first came out; and that is the idea of incorporating Gargoyles as a playable unit. I know - this is a terribly idea, but it won't leave me alone, and I just want to put it forward; what if we were to incorporate a Termagant model (minus the legs) around the mechanics of an Assault Marine's jump-pack mechanic, and combine it with the same model displacement that makes the Eldar Grav-tanks look like they are hovering. Add a set of wings with a set animation track and you have the workings of a Gargoyle. As to how a Gargoyle Pack could enhance the game play of the overall mod, I have very little to give (another reason as to why this is a poorly rendered suggestion), but I can give what little I have. While Hormagaunts and Termagants have always been used as scouts and for capturing objectives ahead of the main force, they are still slaved to the contours of the battlefield; they cannot go over, under, or even through obstacles that many other units can, and this costs time. However, with a pack of Gargoyles, you would be able to pass over these obstacles with ease, and reach the objective a great deal more quickly than by said conventional means! Another aspect that I have always considered to be a positive aspect of using a Gargoyle unit would require a little more difficulty via the mechanics required for it to work correctly. What if the Gargoyles acted as a screening unit, one that, when activating an ability akin to an Assault Marine's assault jump, would be capable of landing right in the midst of an enemy unit, and automatically forcing it to engage the pack? This would make the Gargoyle pack very much like the Ripper Swarm, but incredibly more mobile, and with ability to shoot back.

My third suggestion involves that most overlooked unit in the Tyranid repertoire - the Spore Mine. It is a simple suggestion, and one that would increase their effectiveness. I would put forth that the Spore Mines ought to be triggered by proximity to an enemy, rather than by the tedious task of activating the detonation. Perhaps interspersing a detonation by increments of 5 or so seconds. This would keep it slightly more in lieu of the actual Spore Mine rules in the Tyranid Codex.

These are the Three least outlandish ideas I've had, and I'd love to hear anyone else's ideas for the Tyranids, or any other race!

[crazyman64335]

The Tyranid Spore Mines work fine, just have to micro them a little bit better. Not to mention if they were detonated via proximity they would need to do next to nothing for damage due to the fact that they would absolutely trash any melee squads. Spore mines are fine the way they are imo. Very solid damage but you do need to micro them and not just let them get slaughtered.

[Asmon]

Plus it will cause a lot of bleeding issues when your own units are around. Spore mines are in no need for a change atm.

About gargoyles: in a word, lulz. Tyranids are the fastest race and therefore do not suffer at all from what you describe as I have to care about obstacles while other races do not. First, they have raveners. Then, melee synapse for hormagants. And in a lesser extent, HT cover-crush potential and RA tunnels. Gargoyles as you suggest would be an unnecessary addition and likely an OP unit, especially in T1.

Rippers' drop was removed because it was too powerful against set-up teams. You can still get them from your HQ, TB Carnifex and atm capillary towers.

[Kvek]

If you are lucky you can easily flank with Rippers it just needs some more thinking.
One question Gusta are you speaking from team games or just 1v1 ?

[Nurland]

That Ripper drop made it so that in order to put pressure on TB fex you needed practically 3 ranged av squads since it spawns rippers, you can drop rippers and it has the charge to get in rather quick. So I would rather not see those ripper drops anymore. They can already be spammed from towers.

And gargoyles: They sound a lot like raveners so I don't see them being necessary. Also I'd like to hear, which races do not have to go around cover/suffer less from it?

Also about spore mines: Well you have to manage abilities with the other similar units/abilities like heretic doomblast and catachan/gay-man-doo nob IEDs.

[Lulgrim]

I would put forth that the Spore Mines ought to be triggered by proximity to an enemy, rather than by the tedious task of activating the detonation.

DoW2 is already a low-APM game. Changes like this would only further lower the skill ceiling and leave players nothing to do... it's already a bit like having one hand in your pocket and watching TV while you play, compared to some other RTS titles. With such a low unit count the units must require attention. Sometimes even more than rushing an enemy and pressing a button to explode...

[Nuclear Arbitor]

rushing? you must mean drift lazily.

[Nurland]

Don't be so hard on Spore Mines. It probably is kinda hard to move swiftly as a floating jellyfish-mushroom thingy.

[Gustauve]

If you are lucky you can easily flank with Rippers it just needs some more thinking.
One question Gusta are you speaking from team games or just 1v1 ?

I primarily do team games.

[Gustauve]

Ja, I understand what you're getting at. I suppose I'm sounding like an idiot now, aren't I? Honestly, I like the Tyranids very much; they were my first tabletop army, back in the day... I just have a hard time dealing with some of the newer updates, particularly in regards to a few of my favorite units. As for the Ravener, I've always had dreadful luck with them, and they're so expensive that I often forgo them altogether.
I suppose there is a learning curve to be had in the Elite mod, but I just have a horrible time in anything that isn't 2v2 or 3v3. I used to be good at 1v1, but somewhere along the line something changed and I'm just not as effective as I used to be.
Another problem I've recently had is the fact that my gaunt swarms don't seem to be as useful as they used to be, and they almost instantly loose their combat effectiveness the minute the enemy reaches tier 2. If any of you have any idea as to what I'm doing wrong, or where I should start directing my attention to, I'd greatly appreciate the help.

[Torpid]

Ja, I understand what you're getting at. I suppose I'm sounding like an idiot now, aren't I? Honestly, I like the Tyranids very much; they were my first tabletop army, back in the day... I just have a hard time dealing with some of the newer updates, particularly in regards to a few of my favorite units. As for the Ravener, I've always had dreadful luck with them, and they're so expensive that I often forgo them altogether.
I suppose there is a learning curve to be had in the Elite mod, but I just have a horrible time in anything that isn't 2v2 or 3v3. I used to be good at 1v1, but somewhere along the line something changed and I'm just not as effective as I used to be.
Another problem I've recently had is the fact that my gaunt swarms don't seem to be as useful as they used to be, and they almost instantly loose their combat effectiveness the minute the enemy reaches tier 2. If any of you have any idea as to what I'm doing wrong, or where I should start directing my attention to, I'd greatly appreciate the help.

You really ought to avoid raveners in most match ups, they're a very specialist unit and are not always needed. Most of the time a barbed strangler warrior brood get's the same job done but better, and with improved scalability. The great combination of the endless swarm upgrades alongside t2 synapse will make your gaunt swarms far more effective.