Invasion Fleet: The 11th-Edition Tyranids Generalist Detachment
How to play Invasion Fleet in 11th edition — the 3-DP all-comers detachment, its Hyper-adaptations menu, and why it's the safe starting pick.
SprueSentry strategy commentary for 11th edition, not official rules. Games Workshop updates points and rules regularly — always confirm against the current official rules and your latest dataslate before a game.
Invasion Fleet is the Tyranids generalist: the flexible, tournament-safe 3-Detachment-Point detachment that plays a balanced mixed list and the best place to start. It reflects Warhammer 40,000 11th edition (Tyranids Faction Pack, June 2026).
This is SprueSentry strategy commentary, not official rules. Its rules carry over from the codex into the Faction Pack; points weren't cleanly confirmed for 11th edition, so confirm against the current pack and the Warhammer 40,000 app before a game.
What the Hyper-adaptations detachment rule does
At the start of the battle you pick one army-wide Adaptation, and you can swap or add to it in-game. The menu:
- Swarming Instincts — attacks against Infantry/Swarm gain Sustained Hits 1.
- Hyper-aggression — attacks against Monsters/Vehicles gain Lethal Hits.
- Hive Predators — Critical Hits against Characters gain Precision.
The Predatory Imperative stratagem lets you grant an extra Adaptation mid-game. This is the "take good units and make them better" detachment — it rewards already-strong datasheets rather than fixing weak ones, and it lets you tune your whole army to the target in front of you.
Stratagems and when to use them
- Predatory Imperative (Command) — give up to two synapse units a bonus Adaptation until your next Command phase. Audible to exactly the buff you need.
- Endless Swarm (Command) — return D3+3 destroyed models to Endless Multitude units, keeping cheap high-OC chaff topped up.
- Adrenal Surge (Fight) — up to two synapse units score Critical Hits on 5+.
- Rapid Regeneration (defensive) — Feel No Pain 6+ (5+ in synapse) to weather a volley.
- Death Frenzy (Fight) — destroyed models fight on a 4+ before removal.
- Overrun — an extra Consolidate, or a 6" move for a synapse unit not in combat.
Enhancements worth taking
- Alien Cunning — after deployment, redeploy up to three Tyranids units (even into Strategic Reserves). Elite counter-deployment tech.
- Adaptive Biology — Feel No Pain 5+, upgrading to 4+ once the bearer is below its Starting wounds; a big durability swing on a Hive Tyrant.
- Synaptic Linchpin — friendly units within 9" count as in Synapse Range, widening your bubble.
- Perfectly Adapted — once per turn, re-roll a Hit, Wound, Damage, Advance, Charge or save for the bearer.
Key units
- Hive Tyrant / Winged Hive Tyrant — the prime enhancement carrier (Adaptive Biology, Alien Cunning) and a hard-hitting synapse anchor.
- Termagants / Gargoyles — cheap high-OC chaff you recycle with Endless Swarm to hold objectives.
- Neurotyrant / Winged Prime — synapse projection and buff support; extend the bubble with Synaptic Linchpin.
- Von Ryan's Leapers / Genestealers — efficient datasheets pushed over the top by the Sustained/Lethal Hits Adaptations.
When to pick Invasion Fleet
Choose it when you want the flexible, all-comers generalist — a balanced mixed list that adapts to any opponent, and the best beginner and tournament-safe pick. It costs the full 3 DP, so it uses your whole 2,000-point budget and can't take a support detachment; the trade-off is unmatched flexibility in one package.
Sample gameplan: deploy a balanced list and use Alien Cunning to redeploy after seeing the enemy's setup. Pick the Adaptation that matches your opponent (Sustained vs infantry, Lethal vs armour, Precision vs characters) and add a second with Predatory Imperative on the key turn. Hold objectives with recycled Termagants and Gargoyles via Endless Swarm, screen with Rapid Regeneration, and trade up with a buffed Hive Tyrant.
Common questions
How many Detachment Points is Invasion Fleet?
3 DP — the full budget at 2,000 points, so it can't be paired with a 1-DP support. It's a single self-contained generalist package. (If you want to combine detachments, take a 2-DP core like Crusher Stampede plus a 1-DP support instead.)
What is the Invasion Fleet detachment rule?
Hyper-adaptations: you pick an army-wide Adaptation (Sustained Hits vs infantry, Lethal Hits vs monsters/vehicles, or Precision crits vs characters) and can swap or add to it in-game via the Predatory Imperative stratagem — tuning your whole army to the target.
Is Invasion Fleet good for beginners?
Yes — it's the recommended starting detachment. It's the flexible all-comers generalist, works with almost any Tyranid collection, and rewards good units rather than requiring a specific army theme.
What's the best enhancement in Invasion Fleet?
Alien Cunning for its post-deployment redeploy of up to three units, or Adaptive Biology for a big Feel No Pain durability swing on a Hive Tyrant. Both are staples on a monster-character list.
Written by SprueSentry with SprueSentry editorial (hand-authored, research-grounded), grounded in the cited sources — original commentary, not Games Workshop rules text.