Tyranid monstrous creatures combine some of the abilities of both independent characters and monstrous creatures. As such the following rules apply:
- Tyranid monstrous creatures can join broods of other Tyranid creatures, but they may always be picked out as a separate target for enemy shooting unless the unit consists of Tyrant Guards. A Tyranid unit including a Tyranid monstrous creature is limited to moving and assaulting at the speed of the slowest model in the unit.
- Tyranid monstrous creatures are fearless. They never have to fall back and are assumed to automatically pass any Morale checks they are required to take, even against attacks which normally force their target to fall back with no test taken. Tyranid monstrous creatures cannot be pinned.
- Tyranid monstrous creatures can always choose to allocate their close combat attacks against specific enemy models that are in base to base contact with them, or choose to shoot at a different target to the unit they have joined.
- Tyranid monstrous creatures may re-roll the dice for moving through difficult terrain unless they have joined a unit. Combined with the Fast and Deadly rule above, this means they will generally be rolling 3D6 with a re-roll when moving through difficult ground.
- Tyranid monstrous creatures ignore enemy armour saves in close combat and roll S+2D6 for armour penetration against vehicles in close combat.
- Tyranid monstrous creatures count as a unit of troops for victory conditions, so they can capture table quarters, hold objectives or count as surviving troops in a Meat Grinder battle.
Errata — Chapter Approved: Codex: Tyranids Q&A (v2.0): For Victory Points, a Tyranid monstrous creature follows the same core rulebook rule as any other multi-wound model: it's worth half its points if reduced to half or fewer of its total Wounds — there's no special Tyranid-specific calculation beyond that.