It does not stand on it’s own. Nevertheless, for fans of Warhammer 40,000, the developer has served up a solid and finely-balanced slice of strategy that does justice to the license and more besides. While the Space Wolves Supplement did rely on Codex Space Marines, I don’t think it’s to this same extent. One of the stranger sections is the mixed armor rules. Warhammer 40,000: Deathwatch is a typical tactical turn-based game seen many times before. Unlike other sites, we thoroughly test every product we review. It’s a win-win, right? The Deathwatch are known for the their Xenos Hunting prowess, they are just as good at killing other things, too. It’s a short book that packs a punch. Naturally, this book also has a ton of other rules you can use. Go AD FREE today! While this hardback is only slim 64 pages, it’s going to make the Deathwatch into a Space Marine Army that’s worth taking note of. The other main selling point for Warhammer 40,000: Deathwatch – Tyranid Invasion is that, for fans of Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 franchise, this is something of a Ronseal release: it does exactly what it says on the tin. At the beginning, it feels like a bonding experience for the space marines. What developer Rodeo Games does to flesh the game out is provide a wide range of settings and difficulty levels to ensure that each battle isn’t quite like the last. VerdictAs solid and accessible as Rodeo Games’ latest top-down, turn-based shooter is, there’s no escaping the fact that it’s incredibly similar to the studio’s now four year old Hunter series. Come take a tour with us. Aside from ALL THE CRUSADE rules, it’s got the other staples of a new codex: Stratagems, Warlord Traits, Relics, Secondary Objectives, and a Deathwatch specific Psychic Discipline. Subscribe to BoLS Prime. Combined with the stage designs that really do not complement the turn-based style of the game due to the enclosed tunnels and rarity of large arenas to set up ambushes in, this port of the smartphone game leaves a lot to be desired. The new Primaris units have other tricks up their sleeves though. But the rest of the rules make them stand out for sure. Paired up with their new Specialisms and their ability to choose which Combat Doctrine is active, you’ve got an army with answers. Each movement uses up the action points available to you that move, as does taking on your combatants – an array of alien-like creatures who, in greater numbers than your own, patrol the stages in order to take you out. Indeed, the turn-based action point system has been lifted almost entirely from the now four year old series. This book is a true supplement. Tell us what you think - send your emails to the Editor. Special Issue Ammo is back and got some tweaks to make it fit better with 9th editions ruleset. There’s no way around it. There are 4 Kill Teams you can build from this book and 3 of them are centered around the Primaris specifically. With 9 Datasheets that are Deathwatch specific, you might be wondering what’s so special and that’s a fair question. Deathwatch is a decent strategy game and one that doesn’t require too much brainwork to get a handle on. Regardless, similarities to the studio’s other releases thankfully don’t overshadow the fact that this is a quality release that finely merges the benefits of a well structured turn-based shooter with an accessible RPG that Warhammer 40,000 fans will likely take to with gusto. While not delivering anything new in terms of gameplay, the squad-based teamwork that is required to power through the 40 stages is nothing short of grinding fun. From war ravaged cities, to the insides of Tyranid bio-ships, the missions will see your Kill Team rise in strength and skill as you face ever greater threats and peril. Firing upon them is split into two modes; you can either simply shoot them down when in range as part of your turn, or you can put each marine on ‘overwatch’, which means they’ll spray out bullets during your opponents turn should they enter your field of vision. Plus they basically have a Primaris statline because they are veterans! A lean, mean Xenos-fighting machine! You basically get one for each type of Mk. Deathwatch Vets – those fancy looking Classic Marines – still have access and that makes them worth a look. For smartphones and tablets it’s a great fit and would probably have worked nicely on Vita or 3DS, but in targeting the PlayStation 4, Rodeo and Funbox needed to do more than simply make Deathwatch vaguely controller-friendly and with slightly better visuals. Personally, I think this supplement and the Deathwatch Army is a really neat take on Space Marines. You’ll also be building armies based on the points and power levels in both books (Codex Space Marines and the Deathwatch Supplement). The structure of Tyranid Invasion doesn’t take all too long to grasp, even if the finer details of the game’s plot will leave newcomers scratching their heads. Warhammer 40,000: Deathwatch Codex Supplement Overview. If you’re looking for more of a rules breakdown, check out Goatboy’s first impressions here. Well, for me, it was the fact that you have to rely so heavily on having Codex Space Marines. Added to this is the XP awarded after each successful encounter, which enables a sense of progression to proceedings and allows your marines to level up just as the competition starts to do the same. In terms of structure, that’s Warhammer 40,000: Deathwatch – Tyranid Invasion in a nutshell. Warhammer 40,000: Deathwatch: Tyranid Invasion is a turn-based strategy game, set on the edge of Imperial space, where your Space Marines will take on the Tyranids in a series of tactical engagements. The battle-brothers of the Deathwatch are the foremost xenos hunters in the Imperium. They are a black-clad brotherhood of noble warriors, bound by ancient oaths to defend Mankind from the alien, no matter its form. We never, ever accept money to review a product. Trusted Reviews may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase through links on our site. If you’re new to Warhammer 40,000 or Rodeo Games’ output, then there’s very little to fault here.See also: Best iPhone Games 2015What can’t be ignored, however, is the overt similarity all of this has to Rodeo Games’ own successful franchise, Hunters. Well, on the whole, yes. Strip back the Warhammer 40,000 wallpaper and this could be Hunters 3 – hardly a criticism in itself when you consider the critical acclaim Rodeo’s IP has won in recent years, but nevertheless a noteworthy point for anyone coming to Warhammer 40,000: Deathwatch – Tyranid Invasion expecting something fresh and original.