Do the Nids have a transport critter in there range and main Codex?

Only the Harridan, in IA4 and IA Apoc, which can carry Gargoyles.

Dang, cheers, will have to work out what a Nid Rhino might look like then...

You could use the tdr.
We did a while back, but we ended up with a fast carnifex type thing that spewed genestealers and ended up deciding it was a bit ott and dumped the transport capacity.

Also (correct me if I'm wrong) we had rules concerns re "Is this thing open topped, or does it have access points?" which in itself, proved an interesting, if particularly vile debate.

I'm still convinced I should be allowed to use those tyrannid infestation marker things as mortars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wasnt there something in Epic (and made by that company who used to make GW superheavies under license?) that used to work just like that?

~ Tim

Yes, there was. It was the Malefactor. However, there are no current rules for it nor currently prduced models for it (of which I am aware).

Hmmm will have to see what I can come up with, what I am after is a Nid like vehicle that could carry the equivalent if 10 Genestealers.

cheers Culven.

this was the site i was thinking of:
http://www.nugax.com/WH40K/Malefactor.html

~ Tim

Heh, that is the site I looked at for the name.

There were 3rd ed rules for the malefactor, which aren't that much different to 5th ed (printed in Armorcast's magazine).

The might require a little tweak or so, but they aren't game breaking (any more than a baneblade in a regular 40k game) or a bio-titan.

Ohh ooh , bagsy the core bit of fluff on a tmc, its the Big mommy bug, and when all the creatures disembark they get furious charge because they just ate their way out her...(or out of the egg she was protecting snugly to her if you must) and she takes X number of hits to reflect the internal damage (ljundhammer saw a bunch of spiders doing that a couple of days back.....and I saw the first caterpiller I've seen in at least 10 years yesterday.."we can't stop here this is bug country"

You require the malefactor. The rules for it are in the chapter approved book with the tyranid VDR.
It was almost as expensive as a landraider, had fast movement and carried 11 wounds worth of smaller tyranids. It counts as open topped for disembarking purposes.
The rules were for 3rd ed, but can be used as is for 5th ed. It is equipped with spinefists, but they wouldn't be twin linked (as they now are in the tyranid codex) as you aren't paying the points for that advantage.

I would be wary about what you load it up with. Do not load up with raveners as you will have no friends afterwards. Consider: Malefactor moves 9" (its fast move). Raveners disembark within 2" (malefactor is open topped). Raveners get run move of D6". Raveners assault 12" (being beasts). Thats a hell of a charge move. I pulled this stunt thrice only. Once during a massive apoc battle, once during the GW global swarming nationwide battles and once during a specific challenge match versus an Imperial guard tank company.
My usual load out is either 11 genestealers or 5 tyranid warriors tooled for combat.

As a side note, the chapter approved book also had rules for the exocrine, dactylis, haruspex, harridan and trygon. The harridan and trygon rules have now been updated by forgeworld of course, but the rest are still fine to use. All you need to do is find the armorcast and forgeworld USA models on ebay... (Like I have....bwa ha ha *rubs claws together*).

Angelwing wrote:Consider: Malefactor moves 9" (its fast move). Raveners disembark within 2" (malefactor is open topped). Raveners get run move of D6". Raveners assault 12" (being beasts). Thats a hell of a charge move.

dont forget the ~1.5" base width.

although wouldnt the core Transport Vehicle rules prevent Beasts from being carried?

~ Tim

LordMalekTheRedKnight wrote:
although wouldnt the core Transport Vehicle rules prevent Beasts from being carried?

~ Tim

It would also mean that the harridan couldn't carry gargoyles (jump infantry) or a thunderhawk couldn't carry dreadnoughts or bikes. However, it does say 'unless a codex book states otherwise'.
The chapter approved entry for transport only has the restriction of 'one or two wound models' may only be carried ie no tyrants etc.

I do agree that these rules are for 3rd ed and as such a few minor faults have to be taken into account, such as the spinefists (not twin linked even though they are in the codex), lumbering allowing two weapons to fire at the expense of movement restrictions in the case of the Dactylis (even though monstrous creatures can now fire two weapons without penalty) and the Haruspex even though it has two weapons, can only fire one because it hasn't paid the points (via lumbering) to fire two, even though its a monstrous creature.

I'm a bit confused by the Malefactor in the CA rules. It shows it at 263pts, the TDR says 225, and my own calc says 225. What am I doing wrong? Is the TDR wrong too?

WS4 BS4 S7 T7 W5 I2 A3(4) Ld10 Sv2+

Base cost is 50 as it has 5 wounds

BS4 2+ sv = 75% to base
Fast = 25% to base
Total = 100% to base, so that's 100pts so far

Scything talons = A*S = 4*7 = 28
WS4 adds 25% = 35, total so far 135pts

Spinefist is 10pts
+100% for massive
+50% for BS4
+100% for A3 in profile
so thats 10 + 250%, = 35pts, total so far 170pts.

Transport 5pts per wound = 55, so total overall is 225pts.