The Mawloc is a colossal, worm-like Tyranid that tunnels beneath enemy lines and bursts up to devour its prey. It’s the swarm’s ambush specialist, and its arrival is usually the last thing a defender ever feels.
What is the mawloc?
Think of a Trygon that traded armour for pure burrowing speed. The Mawloc is a huge, blind worm with six powerful limbs for digging, but those limbs are too stubby to fight with. Instead, it kills by swallowing victims whole with its massive, razor-toothed maw, or by smashing larger foes flat with its muscular tail before eating them too.
It’s an outrider for the swarm. Mawlocs travel deep underground, bypassing defences entirely, then surface behind enemy lines to wreck supply dumps, command posts, or artillery batteries. Before anyone can shoot back, it vanishes back into the earth.
- Role: subterranean ambusher and backline disruptor.
- Killing method: swallow prey whole or tail-slam larger targets.
- Defence: burrows away after attacking to avoid retaliation.
How it hunts
A Mawloc is almost completely blind. It ‘sees’ through pressure-sensitive organs running along its flanks, building a layered picture of the world from vibrations in solid ground and liquid alike. It can feel the faintest tremor and home in with terrifying accuracy, even while still underground.
That’s why fear is fatal. The more regular and rhythmic a sound, the easier it is for the Mawloc to orient itself. A pounding heart is basically a beacon. It erupts precisely beneath its prey, and the victim’s own panic guides it in.
On the tabletop
In 10th edition, the Mawloc is a 135-point monster with 14 wounds, Toughness 10, and a 3+ save. It deep strikes, and its Terror From The Deep ability punishes enemies who cluster near where it lands: roll a D6 for each enemy unit within 12 inches, causing D3 mortal wounds on a 2-4, or 3 mortal wounds plus a Battle-shock test on a 5+.
In melee it has a distensible jaw (anti-infantry 4+, devastating wounds, extra attacks) and 16 scything talon strikes at Strength 8, AP -2, Damage 1. It’s fast at 10 inches, and it degrades once it’s down to its last five wounds.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| M | 10″ |
| T | 10 |
| Sv | 3+ |
| W | 14 |
| Ld | 8+ |
| OC | 4 |
| Points | 135 |
Mawloc vs Trygon
They’re closely related, both burrowers, but they fight differently. The Trygon is a close-combat bruiser built to stay and brawl. The Mawloc is a hit-and-run horror: it pops up, causes chaos, and disappears before the enemy can concentrate fire.
If you want a distraction that forces your opponent to spread out, take a Mawloc. If you want something that tears through a unit in a straight fight, that’s the Trygon’s job.
Key facts
- The Mawloc is a huge, worm-like Tyranid that burrows underground to ambush from below.
- It’s almost blind and hunts by sensing vibrations, especially regular sounds like a heartbeat.
- In 10th edition it costs 135 points and has a 14-wound, Toughness 10 profile.
- Its Terror From The Deep ability deals mortal wounds and forces Battle-shock tests when it deep strikes.
- It’s an outrider, not a frontline brawler; it disrupts supply lines and command posts.
FAQ
Can a Mawloc swallow a named character?
In the lore, yes, it can swallow anything it can fit in its maw. On the tabletop, it’s just a melee attack, so there’s no instant-kill rule for characters.
Does the Mawloc survive being swallowed?
No. The Ordo Xenos notes that victims are either crushed by the gullet or suffocate within minutes, so the idea of surviving digestion is a myth.
What’s the best way to use a Mawloc?
Deep strike it near clustered enemy units to trigger Terror From The Deep, then charge a soft target. Its real value is forcing your opponent to spread out and deal with a threat behind their lines.