Tyranids... not noob friendly

[HotForever]

I am getting smashed every game with nids damn it :bonk: I think of myself as a fairly good player at dow 1 (aka:Foooood) and losing 10 games in a row just makes me :rant: . Can someone recommend me an easier race for learning the basics?

[FirstOfOne]

I was having a hard time UNTIL I went to nids actually. Was playing SM before and abusing ASM is not for me. ( I like to play differently than everyone else, tactics/builds/etc.)

As far as the nids go, get warriors asap, know when your out gunned, and I use tunnels/inf hero to flank, because with out upgrades the Hive tyrant is a pussy that's WAY too slow.

[EPIK WIN]

I'm horrible with Nids too... my tendency is to just bunch them up and mob rush people which ends up getting me killed alot...

but supposedly Space Marines are the "basic" class for people to start at...

BTW not really a "balance" discussion IMO

[Arkandea]

yea this'll get moved to Beta discussion probs.

The Space Marines are supposed to be the game's learner race, and they probably do qualify as that too. Self explanatory abilities, and fewer squads and squad members - this means you get to pay attention to the individual squads more and so get the learn the basic game mechanics easier

[Jaerah]

id say orks are the most forgiving.

they have 1 unit that does 1 thing exceptionally well, and together in a horde they murder. more members to a squad, more time to retreat. helps you build HMG awareness and guessing where they will be deployed

[dtitov]

I think marines are actually worst to learn things because loosing squads with them is VERY painful. Then again i find marines too bland and never played them Nids are where it's at. even if you mess up unless it was a commander due to cheapness of squads and DOW2 eco it's far from the end of the world.

[Ryouichi]

Space Marines and Eldar would be the most noob unfriendly. Eldar are fragile, high damage units that should never be blob-mobbed, and while SM are hardly as fragile, they are very few in number and also should not be blob-mobbed.

Unfortunately, I'm seeing more and more (Often paired up with me) people blob-mobbing as if it would accomplish something like it would in say your average Warcraft III ladder game. No. Taking 3 Tac squads and sending them rushing into a huge Ork and Tyranid mass is bad. No! Bad boy! And then all those Space Marines go bye bye.

[streak]

My favourite part in playing SM is the anticipation in mirror matches. A bunch of times you'll both have a shotgun-equipped infiltrated scout unit, and whoever gets the jump on the other has a good shot at completely wiping him out. Then you can push your shottie advantage and take a big part of the map, maybe even the enemy commander.

But yeah, SM use a lot of the CoH game mechanics, it'd be easier to start with tyranids I think.

[Ryouichi]

I abhor Scout Shotgun spam and often do my utmost to utterly obliterate said Scout squads from existence, preferably with a hail of grenades or multiple ASM jumps. That said, I agree that Orks and Tyranids would be the most noob-friendly because of their large though fragile squads (Which I would assume gives some sense of security to the young newbs of today and tomorrow), are easily, cheaply, and quickly reinforced back at base (If they even know what the x button does), and are rather simple to play even while blobbing.

[Faust]

I abhor Scout Shotgun spam and often do my utmost to utterly obliterate said Scout squads from existence, preferably with a hail of grenades or multiple ASM jumps. That said, I agree that Orks and Tyranids would be the most noob-friendly because of their large though fragile squads (Which I would assume gives some sense of security to the young newbs of today and tomorrow), are easily, cheaply, and quickly reinforced back at base (If they even know what the x button does), and are rather simple to play even while blobbing.

SM are the most noob friendly. Playing nids well requires very good flanking and micro skills with lots of squads. Its a lot like riflespamming in CoH, takes a lot of skill to riflespam well, same with nids and orks.

[Ryouichi]

I hardly think gamers moving from rts that encouraged large army blobs with varying levels of micro depending on the overall skill level of the player would have an easier time with Space Marines as opposed to Tyranids or Orks. From experience in the beta, I've played with quite a few people who don't realize blob mobbing is hardly a smart thing to do as Space Marines.

Even worse when they speak a different language than you so you can't tell them, but that's off topic.

Just recently I played with a Space Marine player who had only losses on his record and I still witnessed him blob mobbing and losing his Marines. And etching out a loss for us.

[Boomstar]

Orks are the easiest to learn the game with imo. Nids are kinda difficult until you learn synapse and all its benefits. Not to mention gaunts are unbelievably fragile.

Unless of course your abusing spore mines then its easy street :soul: .

[Faust]

I hardly think gamers moving from rts that encouraged large army blobs with varying levels of micro depending on the overall skill level of the player would have an easier time with Space Marines as opposed to Tyranids or Orks. From experience in the beta, I've played with quite a few people who don't realize blob mobbing is hardly a smart thing to do as Space Marines.

Even worse when they speak a different language than you so you can't tell them, but that's off topic.

Just recently I played with a Space Marine player who had only losses on his record and I still witnessed him blob mobbing and losing his Marines. And etching out a loss for us.

Riflespamming is the anti-thesis of your "blob mobbing". As in you cannot blob them, at all, or you lose. Marines are far easier to micro due to fewer but tougher units and units that do not have very many time sensitive special abilities, apothecary is somewhat of an exception. Dow1 was far more of a blob game, considering there was no cover, no retreat, no suppression/pin mechanics, being able to field reinforce at will, etc.

[Noble]

Lets keep this discussion focus tyranids and potential tyranid strategies for newer players.

Also I'm moving this over to the Beta Discussion forum.

Carry on. :)

[ContractHitman]

nids are pretty weak and i still havnt found a good strat, warriers are way exspencive and die pretty quick i found.

only thing i thinnk and 100% love to eatch is spore mines, watching 2 spores hidden behind ripper swarm then charge enermy ranks and watch his whole 2k+req army go into dust jokes and so IMBA

[YellowJello]

You are using your warriors wrong if you think they die quickly, ridiculously powerful unit.

[archaon376]

It seems to me that the Tyranids are the hardest race to play.

[HotForever]

It seems to me that the Tyranids are the hardest race to play.


I think so too. None of their units can operate alone. They all seems to depend heavily on (synergize) each others.

[lopatpat]

I find Tyranids to be the only race I can play, at least in 3v3. With the Hive Tyrant, they require pretty much no micro. You can bum rush and swarm easily with the advantage in numbers. Warriors with adrenal glands chew through walkers.

Warriors with some gaunts to shield them are pretty nasty.

[Noble]

You are using your warriors wrong if you think they die quickly, ridiculously powerful unit.

Would you care to expand on that? How should one use warriors effectively?

[Manhammer]

I think so too. None of their units can operate alone. They all seems to depend heavily on (synergize) each others.

Lictor can go alone efficiently, but I think he's about the only one.

My view on the varying units:

Rippers - Their damage barely tickles, but they never die and they reinforce incredibly fast (and free). I use them as cannon fodder. They screen my other units very well, they tie up enemy units in CC for ages and they're excellent capping units when running solo.

Hormagaunts (err.. shooty gaunts? I always mix'em up) - Two squads of these in cover with ranged synapse = awesomeness. The knockdown is amazing and the damage isn't too shoddy either.

Termagaunts - Get melee synapse on them (preferably from adrenal glands warriors) and they can hold their own pretty well in HtH. That said, don't let them go anywhere alone. They need backup.

Warriors - Your bread and butter. Easily the best tyranid unit. Hard-hitting from range if given a venom cannon, devastating in melee when given adrenal glands, very good support with barbed strangler (which also upgrades the health of all units in synapse range. V. nice). Never have gaunts out without warrior support.

Spore Mines - What's not to love? I've even found that the explosion itself isn't necessarily the best part about them. The threat of one is. Often, seeing a cluster of these drift onto the field is enough to make the enemy turn tail and run.

Tier 2: Lictor - Flesh Hooks are amazing, but using the Lictor well takes a fair amount of micro. He's practically a secondary hero in that respect and needs the same amount of looking after.

Tier 2: Zoanthrope - Currently I find'em fairly meh. They do good damage if placed behind your lines, but they die incredibly fast and they shoot very slowly. The regeneration synapse is useful though.

Tier 3: Carnifex - Incredibly slow, but incredibly powerful and often enough to force an enemy retreat all on it's own.

Tier 3: Ravener brood - Underrated IMO. The damage they can put out is insane (especially when upgraded) and burrow lets you use them to easily flank or get somewhere sneaky. They -are- incredibly fragile if focusfired though.


Core rule of nids IMO.. Don't play solo. None of our units are all that alone (with Lictor as only exception and even he runs better with your army close by). Your units synergize incredibly well with each other.

This got a fair bit longer than I expected.. also, note that I'm not highly ranked or anything so this is just my personal view. Might very well be wrong ;)

[YellowJello]

I agree with that rule. Warriror's are definitely the core Tyranid unit, everything else tier 1 is there to basically keep them busy.

Generally for me it goes something like this unless I'm agaisnt Tyranid.

Hive Tyrant/Lictor Alpha

Build two Hormagaunts and send them to cover at a good location while my Hive Tyrant caps a point near them, they cover each other a provide synapse, termas go and get power and points on the other side of the level.

As soon as I get power I build a warrior squad and either leave it unupgraded or upgrade it to a barbed strangler, these are now an infantry killing machine when near your other units. I'll then upgarde my Hive Tyant with Improved Synapse and Bioplasma, bioplasma is fantastic for disrupting units and taking HMG location. When I get another power I'll get another warrior squad, unupgraded and go to tier 2.

Tier 2 you upgrade the warrior squad with adrenal glands, and if you feel like it another squad with venom canons, it's all about providing the synapse to your other units. I usually get venom canon on my Hive Tyrant too, I personally think he's too slow to bother with in melee and would rather have him shooty.

You are now basically an ungodly killing machine. Only think that can beat you are spore mines or crazy Ork waagh.

Adrenal Glandad warriors will destroy any vehicle and are immensly good in melee vs anything, 1 squad of Adrenal warriors solo'd a thunder hammer'd FC for me.

I personally think one of the huge advantages of Tyranids is people have trouble seeing which units do what, for example the amount of times I've had a 1v1 and some guy brings out a dreadnought thinking he is going to mow down my infantry, in flies 2 venom cannons and Adrenal warriors, down it goes and the game is over.

[Neosyllogism]

Try this.

Simple Tyranid Strat/BO:
Commander: Tyrant (easiest to play in my new opinion).
BO:
2 ripper swarms (use them to cap, and engage anything you're going to fight,e sepcially heavy weapons teams, don't lose a squad, they reinforce free)
Warrior Squad (don't upgrade)
2nd Warrior Squad (don't upgrade)
Bio-plasma upgrade for Commander (this rocks!) [Bio-plasma and 2nd warrior squad can come in either order depending on power income. I'm a bit conservative on power, but often times teamates will buy a bunch of gens]

Upgrade HQ.
Start loading warriors and Tyrant with Venom Cannons
3rd Warrior Squad (also venom cannon - maybe barbed strangler if you know that's what you'll need, but unlikely)



That's an early BO.
Don't chase people with Tyrant. Approach units only if they're swarmed with rippers first, and only with support. Once you get Bio-plasma, you'll mostly use that (beware friendly fire).

Be sure to throw health synapse in there somewhere and don't be afraid to use your commander ability to get a cheaper squad of warriors.

The basic break down is cap lots in the early game. Only fight if you'll win (use bio-plasma to disrupt HWT, and just cause problems, then swarm with rippers, then attack with warriors and hormagaunts).

Once T2 hits, go all venom cannons (HT +3 warriors with venom cannons should shred any vehicles/walkers and still overpower infantry if you use bio-plasma and rippers correctly). In the current meta game your opponent will attack you with walkers which won't have a chance to do a thing (don't engage in melee obviously). I find once T2 hits I'm so insulated against common strats that I can pretty much wipe out the entire opposing teams army so long as I didn't really mess up T1 (beware assault marines in T1 & T2, but you should outnumber them and ultimately out melee them as a result)

This is a simplified general strategy, but I think it's very helpful to start.


Some tips:
-Spread your cheap units out to cap, but don't let them fight unless you know they'll win (rare without synapse), don't lose them.
-Run the Heck away from any engagement you might not DOMINATE (the HT is slow and things can go from bad to terrible quickly, play coy).
-Bio-plasma freely (usually once per encounter). Use it on cappign units, on deployed HWT's. If you out number the guy and already have tied up with rippers wait until they retreat and aim it ahead of them to do damamge (don't let rippers or other units chase in this case).
-Save Warrior upgrades for venom cannons in T2 or you'll probably get hurt by the many vehicles
-Ripper swarms are your friends! They should always engage in melee first is possible (unless enemy has flamers, maybe). Why? Because if the enemy engages rippers in melee melee damage is done to rippers, and your warriors and gaunt squad can do damage pretty much for free.
-Zoans have major problems. Play with them later when you feel more comfortable with Tyranids, they're probably gonna be buffed, right now they're slow, often misfire (you're using venom cannons to do AV anyway). They are nice and cluster units though (orcs and tyranids especially).
-Raze gen farms with venom cannons (a full gen farm is 425 req, and you're too slow to hold it) Just raze it starve them of power (don't necesarilly even take the node).
-Don't worry about losing, you're learnign realtive strengths and powers, just have fun and be observant.
-Don't get supressed.
-HT's first commander ability lets you reinforce gaunts for free (and rippers are free anyway) and reinforce in the field, use it, but use it carefully.

[troglodytejb]

If you're looking for a race that's easier to learn, try Eldar. Orks are closer to Tyranids than Eldar, and Space Marines are a bit tougher to learn than Eldar, IMO.

In my opinion, Eldar are the simplest race to learn in DoW2, since-- especially early on-- they rely on very archetypal units. They have an MG, and a melee squad, and a sniper squad, and a ranged squad. There's no hybrids, and their Fleet ability is rapacious. Every race in DoW2 requires the vaunted DoW1 "Eldar Micro," so their downside isn't even really a downside.

If you're trying to stay with 'Nids, I'm not the guy to go to. The Randomizer doesn't give me 'Nids very often, so they're my weakest race.

[Count CHocula]

Neo, great post!!!!!!

[ForbidMetal]

I have to say, from my own experiance and from looking at what people have said, there isn't really a starter race. It seems to be that someone just finds playing a race naturally easier than said other race.
for me it was 'nids but I prefer space marines.

[Noble]

Hyperspacing this over to the new strategy section.

[Bowkers]

Right, this tactic works fairly well for me when I am using Hive Tyrants. I build two more Hormogaunts, which are fast and can usually capture three posts, and can usually hold their own. Making sure one of the posts is a power supply. This supply will then provide you with the first upgrade for the Hive Tyrant, the Venom Cannon. This army should, well it has for me anyway, provide you with a good enough army to see off most armies. When you reach tier 2, I have tended to experiment, but the best one thus far is a warrior brood, with the Suppression gun, which will then allow your Hormogaunts plus Tyrant to swarm all over the enemy. Then tier 3, good old Carnifex with Charge or Venom cannon, and that's a good tactic. Well it's worked well for me. :)

[Brandeni]

All 4 races play differently, Space marines is closest to CoH if you are used to that game.

Next one to try would be Orks, and use the basic melee units and make sure you use their special "WAAAAGH" ability when you encounter a fight, this will make them much stronger.

[Neosyllogism]

Bowkers: You can't upgrade the HT with a venom cannon until T2...

[wholives]

I'm never sure when to get Warriors.
I always like to have at least one squad of Rippers, and it feels to me like it's good to get a lot of Gaunts, but not having Warrior synapse they tend to get beaten up easily.
I know you ought to run away if you can't win, but for me that often results in my opponent dominating the map. I always think that I probably could have won if I had Warriors at the right time.

So basically, when should you get your first squad of Warriors?
Do your Gaunts get a buff just having them around, or do you need Warrior upgrades for that?

[D-coy]

Get warriors as soon as you have the power for them.

[Deionarra]

The basic Warriors have a durability synapse aura, not sure how good it is but it's better than nothing.

[Faust]

Health synapse on the warrior makes the tier 2 700 hp base hormagaunts into 820 HP, which further stacks with a hive tyrant's hp synapse upgrade making them into around 1200hp.

I usually try and get one warrior with barbed strangler these days(it gives the hp synapse) and rest with adrenal. I only really use one squad of termagaunts for the increased damage debuff they give so I dont bother with ranged synapse.

Note on ripper swarms, they are one of the better capping units, as they can beat scouts and guardians fairly easilly. Sluggas will rape them however. But they can last long enough to cap a point and then retreat to reinforce for free. They're quite literally the best capping unit in the game. Which is why I say tyranids play a lot like riflespam. Often you cannot take on your enemy till you get warriors, so for the first 2 minutes of the game you are playing a capping war and avoiding his army.

[Bowkers]

Hmm... really? I'm sure there's an ability I upgrade to on the Hive that's available in tier 1. I shall now have to investigate what exactly I upgrade on the HT. Sorry about that.

[FirstOfOne]

A BO I've been running the last few games that may help.

Lictor
term
power
warrior
Barbed S.
ripper
Warrior
T2
Adrenal


Grp 1:lictor out gibbing shit

Grp 2: the Term and first warrior, for fire power(the two can suppress and knockback, and have enough power to kill any single sqd save ASM).

Grp 3: Cap with the horms and rippers and when the 2nd warriors spawn grp them all for good CC

Hit T2 and get adrenal on the Grp3 warriors. At this point you can add a second AG. Warrior to Grp 3 or a venom cannon warriors to grp 2. It may also be advised to build S. mines here if the enemy is garrisoning their HWTs.

The flaw I've found thus far is a power lag before T2 tech that your floating a bit of req, I've dropped a gen before and also tried to grab a second ripper sqd, to go with the 3rd warrior.

I haven't ran up against ASM spam yet But I'm hoping the knockback and suppression from the shooty sqds will buy time for the AG warriors to at least come out ahead.

[Bookoo]

^^

I'm pretty sure that termagaunts need ranged sinapse to do knockdown shots. So you wouldn't have that until the warriors got their venom canon in tier 2? Could be wrong, though.

Ripper swarms are probably the most underrated and underused tool in the Tyranid arsenal - amazing damage soak, great for tying up ranged.


Brood Nest with Tyrant is incredible by the way, and is the main reason I'd ever choose him over a lichtor.

[Blargles]

Bookoo in my experience ranged units ignore the rippers on them and continue shooting. And the damage is low enough that you can safely ignore them for whatever short fight you are in.

[Bookoo]

I'm pretty sure ranged units are put into melee when they're attacked by melee squads. It might not be the case for heavy weapons teams.

[Sturmhaubitze]

Warriors don't need the Venom Cannon to grant knock-down to Termagants. This is what makes the Barbed Stranglers such a nice combo with Termagants, as the enemy is both suppressed and getting knocked around.

[Faust]

Umm what? You need ranged synapse to get knockdown on termagaunts, which means warriors with venom cannon or ravener lord.

[Sturmhaubitze]

Hmm, you're right. Must have misremembered a past battle, as I haven't been using Termagants much lately.

[MeditationError]

I am getting smashed every game with nids damn it :bonk: I think of myself as a fairly good player at dow 1 (aka:Foooood) and losing 10 games in a row just makes me :rant: . Can someone recommend me an easier race for learning the basics?
Before you give up on Tyranids, make sure you get a hive tyrant with improved synapse, a Tyranid warrior brood with adrenal glands, and 2 units of hormagaunts in the same place, just to see what they're capable of.

(Bring along a ripper swarm, and send it first, if your enemy has any heavy weapons.)

Tyranid synapses are so much bigger than you'd think. The HT Imp synapse is a +50% health bonus, the barbed strangler is +20%, but the adrenal glands synapse transforms hormagaunts into leaping frenzied death machines, and the warriors into tank killers.

Once you've seen the melee synergy, team up venom cannon warriors with termagaunts for another bundle of fun. This one's a bit trickier to make work, but the knock-down on the termagaunts is worth it.

@Faust: My testing indicates that you need warriors to get the special effects on your gaunts. I've tested the HT and Ravener synapses, and only adrenal glands makes Hormies jump, and only Venom cannons make termagaunts knock down.

I think some people are being led astray by the knock down on the ravener's own weapon, which looks like the gun termie's use.

[Zallis]

What does the normal synapse of the HT and warriors do?

[dtitov]

for a good explanation and info on synapse read 8'th post here:
http://community.dawnofwar2.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=5363&hilit=+synapse

[Shuma]

Something to remember when playing as 'nids, it doesn't matter if you lose troops, it only matters if you lose squads. Tyranids are very cheap to reinforce, so always retreat if you think you're going to lose.

And ALWAYS have warriors with your gaunts. It's actually pretty simple to play as 'nids.

[Neosyllogism]

Someone asked about when to get warriors.
In general there seem to be a 2-3 basic infantry (no power) and 2 elite infantry (power) at T1 (I don't remember if this is strictly true, but roughly in general and very true for Eldar and 'Nids).

I find a general BO for Eldar and 'Nids is make two basic infantry ASAP then wait till your power income hits the mark and get an elite (banshees for eldar, warriors for 'Nids) (power income will hit the mark very quickly without any power upgrades). I think this is going to be a sort of default BO in most cases (i.e. unless you have a reason to get lots of basic infantry or use power for something else, purchasing an elite infantry ASAP is a good choice).

So I'd make Warriors my 3rd purchase after two basic squads (I prefer rippers personally, but that's just the way I'm playing atm).

Without synapse your basic units are super weak and remember that only HT gives synapse by default (but he's too slow to effectively pull of some harassing tactics, so warriors are a good idea...).

[matariel]

Here's a question, I know that warriors have a sort of default synapse before they get any of the upgrades and the same applies to the HT. The question is, what does this default synapse do exactly? I've been looking around all tooltips/unit descriptions and still a definite answer I cannot find :-\

for warriors, strangler gives hp, adrenal gives melee, venom gives ranged, and for ht improved synapse gives health. But what does the default synapse do...?

[Bookoo]

Copypasta from the previously posted thread:


As some of you may know I am a designer on DoW2, if you have any questions about what some of the abilities/upgrades do I can probably answer them.

Many of the Tyranid mechanics aren't obvious as there is no help text / tutorial to support it. For instance if you like lesser Tyranids - rippers / hormagaunts / termagants increase in health as you tier up your hive. Rippers reinforce for free and all of the previously mentioned tiny nids automatically reinforce free of charge near a brood pool (built by the Hive Tyrant).

Synapse, however, is probably the least understood mechanic as it comes in several flavours:

Basic Synapse:
- Granted by Hive Tyrant, Zoanthrope, Warriors
- Gives lesser Tyranids (i.e. not other Heroes, Warriors or Carnifexes) the following:
+ Deal 25% more damage
+ Take 20% less damage
+ Harder to suppress (though only slightly)
+ Rippers are IMMUNE to suppression while in synapse
+ Behave more intelligently (i.e. Termagaunts in Synapse will find cover more intelligently and will often try and keep at range, out of synapse they are slower to respond, its hard to notice in the heat of battle)

Health Synapse (Hive Tyrant Wargear upgrade and Warrior Barbed Strangler Upgrade)
- Increases the health of lesser Tyranids
- These stack with HQ upgrades

Ranged Synapse (Warrior Venom Cannon Upgrade)
- Increases ranged damage by 30%
- Adds chance to knockback on hit

Melee Synapse (Warrior Adrenal Gland Upgrade)
- Increases melee damage by 30%
- Gaunts are now able to leap at their enemies and will automatically leap over terrain

Health Regen Synapse (Zoanthrope)
- Heals nearby Tyranids

[D-coy]

One thing I'd like to know is can you reinforce Rippers on the field, far from your HQ, Brood Pool or Pheromon Cloud? You guys are keep talking about reinforcing Rippers all the time. Are you just taking them back to your HQ to reinforce them, or am I missing something about them being reinforcable anywhere? I've played some games, but they weren't reinforcable far away from reinforce points during any of them.

Thanks in advance.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

...No, you need a reinforce point to bring Rippers up to strength. If they reinforced in the field they'd be invincible.

[D-coy]

OK, so I wasn't missing something after all. :)

[Ryouichi]

My BO is pretty simple:

HT
Term
Term
Warrior
T2
Venom Cannon
Warrior
Venom Cannon
HT Wargear
Fex

I focus on the sheer firepower that I can output with three Venom Cannons and the knockback. Add in Bioplasma for both the HT and the Carnifex, and we now have an infantry killing machine. The only problem would be jump troops, but I usually use the first squad of Hormagaunts I start with to stall for time while my Terms spread out in different directions. Then I commence the knockback.

What I've noticed about the Termagaunts is that whenever they acquire a target, they move back a little and then start firing. It's quite annoying when doing this loses me a commander kill because they retreated in between the setup.

On a completely other note, Ork Nobs are completely braindead and retarded. A Warrior squad with Barbed Strangler defeated two Nob squads because they would only keep running circles around the Warrior squad and not attack it. Nobs also have the tendency to split up. I'm trying to get a squad to attack and I see that half the squad is halfway across the map chasing a unit while the other half is sitting around doing nothing next to the Tyranids I'm trying to kill.

Rant over :P.

[matariel]

oh I see now, thank you so much bookoo. Invincible rippers, that would be great :lol:

[Neosyllogism]

As some of you may know I am a designer on DoW2, if you have any questions about what some of the abilities/upgrades do I can probably answer them.

Many of the Tyranid mechanics aren't obvious as there is no help text / tutorial to support it. For instance if you like lesser Tyranids - rippers / hormagaunts / termagants increase in health as you tier up your hive. Rippers reinforce for free and all of the previously mentioned tiny nids automatically reinforce free of charge near a brood pool (built by the Hive Tyrant).

Synapse, however, is probably the least understood mechanic as it comes in several flavours:

Basic Synapse:
- Granted by Hive Tyrant, Zoanthrope, Warriors
- Gives lesser Tyranids (i.e. not other Heroes, Warriors or Carnifexes) the following:
+ Deal 25% more damage
+ Take 20% less damage
+ Harder to suppress (though only slightly)
+ Rippers are IMMUNE to suppression while in synapse
+ Behave more intelligently (i.e. Termagaunts in Synapse will find cover more intelligently and will often try and keep at range, out of synapse they are slower to respond, its hard to notice in the heat of battle)

Health Synapse (Hive Tyrant Wargear upgrade and Warrior Barbed Strangler Upgrade)
- Increases the health of lesser Tyranids
- These stack with HQ upgrades

Ranged Synapse (Warrior Venom Cannon Upgrade)
- Increases ranged damage by 30%
- Adds chance to knockback on hit

Melee Synapse (Warrior Adrenal Gland Upgrade)
- Increases melee damage by 30%
- Gaunts are now able to leap at their enemies and will automatically leap over terrain

Health Regen Synapse (Zoanthrope)
- Heals nearby Tyranids
Thanks for posting this Bookoo and whomever the original poster was!!

So, to be clear, does this mean that non-basic synapse does effect all units, with the exception of healthy synapse which was specifically excluded? e.g. does a warrior with a venom cannon improve the Ravener Alpha's ranged dammage or the ranged damage of a second squad of warriors with the barbed strangler? (And does it affect the Zoanthrope...?)

Do the two Healthy Synapses (HT & barbed strangler) stack? (Post above says something about stacking with HQ upgrades... did it mean HT upgrades, i.e. Hive Tyrant health synapse?)

[D-coy]

Neo, ranged synapse does not affect raveners or zoanthropes. I've tested it. I guess only gaunts are affected by special synapse (melee or ranged).

[Neosyllogism]

^^^Darn, thanks for the info D-coy.
Does the same hold true for other warrior squads do you know?


(Also, I have no idea why I keep typing "Health Synapse" as "Healthy Synapse", but I've done it enough that I might just stick with it for the heck of it.)

[durecellrabbit]

The Health Synapse affects everything except for Heroes, Warriors and Carnifexes according to the post. I only know it affects gaunts and rippers. The HT Health Synapse stacks with the Warrior Health Synapse for something like +70-80% health. They both stack with the health increase provided by teching up (The HQ upgrade). Multiple Warrior Health Synapses do not stack.

[Bookoo]

I'm pretty sure the Warrior Barbed Strangler synapse and the Tyrant's wargrear synapse do stack, which offers some pretty huge health, especially considering the health bonuses that come with tiering up.

[Dexter099]

For those of you wanting to know, the warrior's barbed strangler is amazing. After making a hormie squad, get one of these and a warrior squad. You should be able to devastate and control the battle.

[D-coy]

Neo, I'm pretty sure only Gaunts get the melee or ranged specific synapses. Other units do not.

[Chris]

On a completely other note, Ork Nobs are completely braindead and retarded. A Warrior squad with Barbed Strangler defeated two Nob squads because they would only keep running circles around the Warrior squad and not attack it. Nobs also have the tendency to split up. I'm trying to get a squad to attack and I see that half the squad is halfway across the map chasing a unit while the other half is sitting around doing nothing next to the Tyranids I'm trying to kill.

Nobz have a frenzy ability which allows them to ignore suppression. :p Barbed strangers are awesome though, I have a lot of problems getting close to them without jump troops.