Tyranids are a gigantic alien swarm that have a single mind known as the Hive Mind, which encompasses their collective consciousness, and a single mind controlling all Tyranids. The Tyranid link is called the Synapse, and this connection is a major part of the Tyranid lore, as well as part of their tabletop rules in the new Space Marine 2.
While all Tyrannids are subject to the Hive Mind, not all Tyranids are directly affected by the Hive Mind itself. Certain units are used as relay units to connect a smaller or lesser creature to the network of the Hive Mind. If a Tyranid loses connection to the Hive Mind, it will be rendered almost useless, or die. Knowing how this works can be helpful when navigating the space in Space Marine 2.
What is a Synapse
In Space Marine 2, smaller Tyranid creatures called gaunts that lose their connection to the Hive Mind often die instantly, their heads exploding. This causes a green particle effect. Not all gaunts have a direct connection, and only those in large swarms follow the rules for this connection. Gaunts in small groups, like those running through hallways, are connected but don’t always follow the normal rules. Some larger Tyranids can function without a strong connection, so destroying it might only harm nearby gaunts.
Within large masses of Tyranids, the Warriors essentially provide a link to the Hive Mind for smaller gaunts around them. If enough Warriors die together, the surviving Warriors will be able to still connect with remaining Tyranids if the Tyranids are close enough. In order to deal with these large groups of Tyranids, they need to go after the Warriors, since Warriors are vital to keeping the swarm intact.
How to Break a Synapse
Only a handful of Tyranids in Space Marine 2 have a strong connection to the Hive Mind and should be prioritized as targets: Tyranid Warriors, Zoanthropes and the Hive Tyrants.
Tyranid Warriors, significantly larger, bipedal creatures, are likely the most frequently encountered enemy you will face who also have a strong connection to Synapse. Thus, you can target and disrupt the Synapse connection in nearby gaunts by facing or killing all nearby Tyranids with Synapse, whether you do this remotely or up close, all kills matter and ranged kills are usually the most desirable. If you choose to face a Warrior up close, your melee skills also attack the smaller gaunts.
Those gaunts that are alive can die near their Synapse connection. The rest of the gaunts will be stunned and therefore easy targets to knock off, if any are still alive. Although it is rarely necessary to break Synapse, it certainly makes any encounters less complicated, more so at higher levels of difficulty.
