Hive Fleet Kill Team

Homebrew by Leafy

The hive cares not for the screams of its enemies as they are pierced by the barbs of entwined tenticles. The hive cares not for the smell of the ferratin stew that spills with their entrails. The hive cares not for the gory sights through which its brethren crawl. The hive sees naught but more prey to consume.


This team is primarily focussed on fun, but I did try and make it somewhat balanced. The synapse rule aims to balance the special abilities available through the "Will of the hivemind" rule by forcing the team to stay close together, and preventing rushing across the board in a single turn. And vice versa, the "Will of the hivemind" rule rewards team coherence.

The player is forced to focus on keeping the warriors alive, as without them the team will quickly die. The warriors are also the best operatives in this team for objective play, meaning that the player has to decide between keeping their warriors safe and fighting from afar with the swarm, or charging an objective and risking the death of a warrior and large loss of synapse range.

It should be noted that the Synapse gamerule is called both an "ability" and a "keyword". For gameplay purposes it is a "keyword", however i included it in the abilities for easy reference.

Some of the equipment options and ploys were inspired by, or taken from other homebrew teams on KTDash. Such as the other Hive Fleet list by guitarninja, who made ploys I simply couldn't beat.


I will be playtesting this team in the future with some friends, and will likely make balance modifications or ploy changes as i see fit.

I hope you enjoy this team!

100% positive
Composition

Operatives:

  • Warrior Prime
  • Ranged warrior
  • Melee Warrior

Pick 8 from following:

  • Barbgaunt (costs 2, max 1)
  • Termagant
  • Termagant with devourer (max 1)
  • Termagant with spinefist (max 2)
  • Hormagaunt
  • Hormagaunt with crushing claws (max 1)
  • 2x Neurogaunt (costs 1, max 1)
  • Ripper swarm (max 3)

Faction rules: Synapse The following units have the "synapse" keyword:

  • Warrior Prime
  • Ranged warrior
  • Melee warrior

All units with the "synapse" keyword or within 5" of a unit with "synapse" are considered inside synapse range

When an operative is outside of synapse range that operative:

  • suffers a -1 to APL
  • suffers an additional -1 to APL for the sake of determining objective control
  • is unable to make shoot, charge, or pick-up objective actions

Will of the hivemind Each turn one of the following abilities can be applied to all HIVE FLEET operative in synapse range for the remainder of that turn other than Tyranid Warriors and Neurogaunts

  • Evolving Tactics - D3 friendly HIVE FLEET operatives within syanpse range are capable of making an immediate free dash, or charge action in the strategy phase so long as they end their movement within synapse range, and can change order to do so.

  • Fearless - You can ignore any changes to the stats of friendly HIVE FLEET operative from being injured if they are within synapse range.

  • Collective consciousness - Select one enemy operative visible to a friendly tyranid warrior operative, give that operative a "priority." marker. All HIVE FLEET operatives attacking that operative during this turn while within synapse range gain lethal 5+ on ranged and melee weapons.

  • Aggressive Biostrain- All HIVE FLEET operatives within synapse range gain Severe on melee weapons.

Common Abilities and Options

Synapse:
All HIVE FLEET operatives with this keyword or within 6" of an operative with this keyword are considered in synapse range.

When an operative is outside of synapse range that operative: suffers a -1 to APL suffers an additional -1 to APL for the sake of determining objective control is unable to make shoot, charge, or pick-up objective actions

Melee Warrior
A 3
M 5"
S 4+
W 17
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Lash Whip (Rng 8", Stun)
4
2+
3/4
Lash Whip and Bonesword (severe)
5
3+
4/5
Abilities
1AP: Monstrous whipSynapse

Monstrous whip (1AP): Select one enemy operative valid for a shooting action and within 3" of this operative, on a 3+ move that operative into engagement range with this operative. Movement must be in the shortest and straightest line possible.

Hive Fleet, Synapse
Ranged Warrior
A 3
M 5"
S 4+
W 17
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Venom Cannon
Mobile (Devastating 1, Heavy (Reposition only), Piercing 1)
4
4+
4/4
Stationary (Devastating 4, Heavy (Dash only), Piercing 1, Severe)
4
3+
4/2
Scything Talons
4
4+
3/4
Abilities
1AP: Charge ShotSynapse

Charge Shot (1AP): Until this operative has shot with its Venom Cannon, until it performs this action again all profiles of its Venom Cannon have the Lethal 5+ weapon rule and have 1 added to their Atk stat.

Hive Fleet, Synapse
Warrior Prime
A 3
M 5"
S 4+
W 18
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Life Drain (Ceaseless, Life Drain)
3
3+
2/3
Brain Leech (Stun)
4
3+
3/4
Claws and Talons (Rending)
4
3+
4/5
Abilities
Life DrainSynapse

Life Drain: Each time a wound is lost due to a weapon with the "Life Drain" rule, add one wound to this operative to a maximum of 17 wounds.

Hive Fleet, Synapse
Barbgaunt
A 2
M 5"
S 4+
W 12
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Barblauncher
Mobile (Blast 2", Disruption Bombardment*)
5
5+
3/4
Stationary (Heavy, Blast 2", Ceaseless, Disruption Bombardment*)
5
4+
3/4
Abilities
*Disruption Bombardment

*Disruption Bombardment: Whenever a hitroll is successful against an operative using this weapon, subtract 2" from its Move stat and worsen the hit stat of its weapons by 1 until the end of the turning point. This is cumulative with being injured.

Hive Fleet
Termagant
A 2
M 6"
S 5+
W 7
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Fleshborer
4
4+
3/3
Devourer (Torrent, Ceaseless)
4
4+
2/3
Spinefists (Shooting) (Rng 8", Piercing)
4
4+
2/3
Claws & Teeth
3
4+
2/3
Spinefists (Melee)
4
3+
2/3
Hive Fleet
Hormagaunt
A 2
M 6"
S 5+
W 7
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Scything Talons
4
4+
2/3
Crushing Claws (Brutal)
4
4+
4/5
Hive Fleet
Neurogaunt
A 2
M 6"
S 5+
W 6
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Claws & teeth
4
4+
1/2
Abilities
Synaptic node

Synaptic node: If this unit is in synapse range, this unit gains the synapse keyword for friendly operatives within 3" of this operative

Hive Fleet
Ripper swarm
A 2
M 6"
S 5+
W 10
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Claws & teeth
5
4+
1/2
Abilities
1AP: GuardHidden HorrorsMindless Swarm

Guard (1AP): This operative goes on guard (see below) until any of the following are true:

  • It performs any action, moves or is set up.
  • An enemy operative ends an action within its control range and you don’t interrupt that activation (see On Guard).
  • Its order is changed.
  • It’s the start of the next turning point.

This action is treated as a Shoot action. An operative cannot perform this action while it has a Conceal order, or while it’s within control range of an enemy operative.

Hidden Horrors: Whenever this operative has a Conceal order and is in cover, it cannot be selected as a valid target, taking precedence over all other rules (e.g. Seek, Vantage terrain) except being within 2".

Mindless Swarm: This operative cannot perform any actions other than Charge, Dash, Fall Back, Fight and Reposition. It cannot use any weapons that aren’t on its datacard.

Hive Fleet
Equipment

Spore Node:
Before the battle, you can set up two of your spore node markers wholly within your territory and more than 2" from other markers.

During the strategy phase, you can choose to activate a spore node. The spore node will remain activated until the start of the next strategy phase, after which it cannot be activated again. When activated, the marker creates an area of smoke 1" horizontally and unlimited height vertically from (but not below) it.

While an operative is wholly within an area of smoke, it’s obscured to operatives more than 2" from it, and vice versa. In addition, whenever an operative is shooting an enemy operative wholly within an area of smoke, ignore the Piercing weapon rule unless they are within 2" of each other.


Climbing Claws:
Whenever a friendly HIVE FLEET operative is climbing, treat the vertical distance as 1" less (to a minimum of 2"). Note this has no effect when using ladder equipment terrain, which treats the vertical distance as 1" (but would have an effect if the operative then continued climbing another terrain feature).


Extended Chitin:
Once per turning point, when an operative is shooting a friendly HIVE FLEET operative, in the roll defence dice step, you can retain one of your normal successes as a critical success instead.


Infestation Node:
Before the battle, you can set up two of your Infestation Node markers wholly within your territory and more than 2" from other markers.

During the strategy phase, you can choose to activate an Infestation Node. After activation this Infestation Node cannot be activated again. When activated, you may immediately place one additional Ripper Swarm operative within 1" of the node with a Conceal order.


Ploys

Firefight - Psychic Coordination:
Use this firefight ploy when an operative within synapse range is making a Shoot action. This operative is capable of shooting a target within control range of another operative also within synapse range but suffers a -1 to shooting if they do.


Firefight - Adaptive Biology:
Use this firefight ploy when an operative within synapse range is making a Dash action. Double the dash length for this action.

Note: This can be combined with the "Stalk Target" firefight ploy.


Firefight - Overwhelming Numbers:
Use this firefight ploy when an enemy operative is making a Fight action while in control range of two friendly HIVE FLEET operatives. This operative has a -1 to their hit roles in melee for the duration of this action.


Firefight - Stalk Prey:
Use this firefight ploy at the beginning of an enemy operative's activation. One friendly HIVE FLEET operative that has a Conceal order and is more than 3" from enemy operatives can immediately perform a free Dash action.


Strategic - Shadow in the Warp:
Until the end of the Turning Point, enemy operatives within 3" of a friendly SYNAPSE operative cannot have their APL positively modified and cannot re-roll dice results of 1.


Strategic - Unending Tide:
You may immediately place one additional Hormagaunt, Termagant or Ripper Swarm operative ready with a Conceal order in a location it can be placed wholly within your drop zone (it can be placed within control range of enemy operatives).


Strategic - Synaptic Pocket:
Select one friendly HIVE FLEET operative, that operative is considered within synapse range for the remainder of this turn and gains +1 APL.


Strategic - Lurk:
Whenever a friendly HIVE FLEET within synapse range operative is fighting or retaliating and your opponent strikes with a normal success, you can roll one D6 and subtract 1 for each HIVE FLEET operative supporting the fight: if the final result is less than the Hit stat of your opponent's selected weapon, that strike is allocated to block one of your dice instead unless no blockable successes are left (ignore the Brutal weapon rule, if relevant).


TacOps
Seek And Destroy: Sweep & Clear

Reveal: The first time an enemy operative is incapacitated while contesting an objective marker, or the first time a friendly operative performs the Clear action (whichever comes first).

Additional Rules:

When an enemy operative that contests an objective marker is incapacitated, that objective marker gains one of your Swept tokens (if it doesn't already have one) until the Ready step of the next Strategy phase.

Mission Action: Clear (1 AP)

  • An objective marker the active operative controls is cleared for the turning point.
  • An operative cannot perform this action during the first turning point, or while within control range of an enemy operative.

Victory Points:

  • At the end of each turning point after the first, if at least one objective marker (excluding your objective marker) is cleared and enemy operatives do not contest that marker, you score 1VP. If that marker also has one of your Swept tokens, you score 2VP instead.
  • If friendly operatives control an objective marker that has one of your Swept tokens, you score 1 VP.

You cannot score more than 2VP from this op per turning point.


Seek And Destroy: Dominate

Reveal: The first time an enemy operative is incapacitated by a friendly operative.

Additional Rules:

Each time a friendly operative incapacitates an enemy operative, that friendly operative gains one of your or two of your Dominate tokens if that enemy operative had a Wounds stat of 12 or more.

Victory Points:

At the end of the third and fourth turning point, you can remove Dominate tokens from friendly operatives that aren't incapacitated. For each you remove, you score 1VP.

You cannot score more than 3VP from this op per turning point.


Seek And Destroy: Rout

Reveal: The first time you score VP from this op.

Victory Points:

Whenever a friendly operative incapacitates an enemy operative, if that friendly operative is within 6" of your opponent's drop zone, you score 1VP; if this is true and that enemy operative had a Wounds stat of 12 or more, you score 2VP instead.

You cannot score more than 2VP from this op per turning point.