Solid way to start 'nids

[stripeybiovore]

I've been looking to start Tyranids for a long while now. I just love the models and the way they swarm across the battlefield and devour all in their path, and I especially love the customisation. So what's a solid way to start my own unstoppable swarm? Thanks for the help

[starwoof]

It's very difficult to go wrong with a battleforce or two + a tervigon.

[demoric]

The battleforce is a great option to start and a tervigon is a very solid HQ and can be used as a troop too. My suggestion is to look at what kind of build you want to make from there. Plus with nids you can make all sorts of cool customizations by getting creative with bits, and spare bits.

[TheContortionist]

i agree with everyone else. battleforce and tervigon. don't build your warriors though. convert them into hive guard.

[Bane Wordsmith]

If you've got the money for it. Go a battle force.
I'm just going one box at a time, and getting next what I think my army needs. It may be slower, but I enjoy watching my army evolve over time. It will also suit your meta-game.
When it comes to it though, play what you enjoy. I too wanted to see a swarm a talons across a battle field, so I've bulked out on gaunts, then started adding big monsters to back them up.

[eeknight]

I started with a battleforce about two years ago, plus a box of warriors just because I love the models.. I built a Prime out of one of the warriors and ran it with a warrior escort. My first Monstrous Creature was a Trygon. That's still the core of my army: shooty, Prime-led warriors, hormies, termies, genestealers, and Trygons as can-openers.

Though I agree with the above, can't go wrong with a Tervigon.

[nurglitch]

You can go very wrong with a Tervigon. It's not the idiot-proof choice it's often made out to be. Eventually your opponents are going to notice that Tervigons and their 'free' Termagants expose the Tyranid army to counter-charges.

The problem, or 'challenge' as I like to call it, is that Brood Primogenitor has a 6" range, meaning that a Termagant unit will need to be within 6" to benefit, and being within 6" of another unit can expose you to either a counter-charge or blast weapons.

The Tervigon itself typically has difficulty fighting its way out of a wet paper bag, without the Mawloc's saving grace of Hit & Run. Three S5 I1 attacks aren't going to impress anyone, even Tactical Space Marines (particularly Tactical Space Marines with a Power Fist). It's a support unit first, and a heavy-lifter second, and as such it's going to over-weight your army towards synergy at the expense of redundancy (free Termagants offset by the risk of having...free Termagants), and flexibility (again, free Termagants don't do much).

I'm pretty convinced that over-use of Tervigons is why Tyranids are popularly considered under-powered. Not saying that you shouldn't get one, because the model itself is wonderful, especially as a centre-piece (and as a gaming piece, properly magnetized). Just saying that you should consider diversifying your army rather than splashing money on duplicate units.

Edit: Damnit, left the word-mill in reverse there...

[Obsidorox]

May 22, 2012 15:51:50 GMT nurglitch said:

I'm pretty convinced that over-use of Tervigons is why Tyranids are popularly considered over-powered.

wait... we're considered over-powered?

I do agree with nurglitch though - Tervigon isn't insta win. I would say a battleforce or 2 and a monstrous creature of some sort wouldn't be a bad start. If you want a support unit feel free to go with the Tervigon. If you want a beast in CC grab a trygon. Make the trygon a prime and you have a nice synapse bulkhead for smaller point games. Either way I think its a good way to start and both would look good as a centerpiece for the smaller guys.

[greatescape13]

I'll second the confusion... I don't know many players who consider 'Nids over-powered (tho I play more Apocalypse than regular games, where 'Nids have certain... drawbacks... heh).

Battleforce is solid, indeed. And do build the Tyranid Warriors--they're an effective enough Troops choice that gives synapse support and works well in the smaller points games that you're likely to be playing at the start.

I'd suggest supporting the battleforce with a Winged Hive Tyrant and a big unit of Gargoyles--good, new models that would give your force some speed. Gargoyles, Winged Tyrant, and Hormagaunts take the lead, Genestealers infiltrate or outflank, and the warriors support termagaunts in holding the home base objectives. Very solid starting force.

Cheers.

[Xantige]

I honestly feel like more information needs to be given. Are you a veteran 40k player, or are you new to the game? Are you tripping over money, or overturning the couch for change? Are you looking to be a competitive player, or are you more laid back? Do you have a club or opponents, or are you jumping into the hobby before checking if anyone else plays it? Do you mind owning and using second hand models or out of print models, or is buying new models important to you?

I'm going to assume that you want to go a more competitive route and you want to conserve some money along the way...

Aside from the Codex, Rulebook, Dice, Templates and Measuring Tape, the battleforce box is a good place to start. Honestly, though, I'd suggest talking to the local players (and I suggest you make sure there are local players and that you get along with them!) and see if any of them have some tyranid models that you can borrow for a game or two. Play some 500 point games with some people and make sure you love the army in more than just theory. Proxy some models and try out different ways of playing and discover how you like to field your bugs, from there, make a small 500 point list and go out and buy the models for it. 2 Battleforces and a Tervigon are great start... if you like to spawn lots of Termagants. There are people that win games without the Tervigon, so it's by no means a mandatory model. You may find you prefer to field Hormagaunts and Trygons, in which case, it might be smarter to buy boxes of hormies and a Trygon. The Battleforce is a nice sample pack, but there's no point getting it if you know exactly what you want. Also, check ebay daily for tyranid models, you can save a lot if you shop online.

Also, make sure your opponents are willing to play small games with you, unless you have the money and 40k experience it's suicide to jump right into a 1500 point game or army.

[afewveiws]

i wouldn't say it's suicide, i did it and i'm still breathing lol

[Inquisitor Stingray]

What? Overpowered? Did I get that right?

Anyway, welcome the Hive and to Tyranids. I second Xantige's advise. As tempting as it may seem, I strongly advise against selling your liver just to buy cupious amounts of small plastic-soldiers as quite a few things could go wrong:

1. You may not like the game or
2. You may not like Tyranids or
3. You may (or rather will) end up with dozens of unpainted models

That being said, a good place to start is definetely with a Battleforce and a Tervigon. Sure, as nurglitch points out, eventually your opponent will adapt, but that's not something unique for the Tervigon. We all adapt to certain situations, or to slightly paraphrase Sun Tzu:

- If your enemy is good at a distance, fight him up close
- If your enemy is good up close, fight him from a distance
- If he keeps spamming Drago-wing, punch him the balls.

[reekon]

The biggest issue with tyranids is anti-tank, this is where you need to start your army. The cheapest/easiest to field anti-tank has to be the hive guard. Its a very solid and practical place to start an force. Hive guard are pretty much useful vs any force and provide a back bone for your tyranids. That being said they don't always work best. Zoanthropes are the next option but to use these affectivley your going to need a drop pod for them. A battle force bocset is most definatly a must first buy as with out at least 1 box you wouldn't have a force at all.

I would personally go for, 2 hive guard and a battleforce set. I would make 1 of the tyranid models a tyranid prime as a HQ. Lash whip and bone sword + rending claws for any light tanks. I would give it regen and put it with the hive guard. This way your anti-tank will stay alive with a little bit of help from wound allocation. They will always have synapse coverage, they will also have some support if they end up in combat. It will not only keep them in synapse but keep yor prime alive to provide constant coverage too.

Hormagants and stealer can be your main troop choices. Once you've played a few games and got to grips with those units, invest in a second battle force to bolster your troops. You then need to start looking at those zoanthropes, but you will also need to find a pod for them, I suggest mega blocks plasma hatcher eggs as a simple cheap option for those. You will want at least 2 zoans and as many mega blocks eggs as you can carry.

Now the basic troops and anti-tank is together, the next best thing is that tervigon it will bolster + support the units you have and can take a second HQ slot or become a troop choice. After those few things are dow and you've played enough games to get a feel for how they work, you can start adding other ways of killing those tank/transports. Trygon, tyrannofex, Tive Tyrants, swarmlord and even carnifex. Although the carnifex is not a popular choice anymore they can still come in very handy. If used with a tyranid prime attached they are great taken with a strangle thorn and TL devourers.

You will then want to look at another battle force set and then maximising you anti-tank elite choices at least 6 hive guard and 3 zoanthrope in a pod.

Not saying you should definatly go along this rout of model purchase but if I'd have done more research into starting my nids I wouldn't have so much redundant rubbish sitting around on the shelf.

[vecuu]

May 24, 2012 22:30:31 GMT Inquisitor Stingray said:

- If your enemy is good at a distance, fight him up close
- If your enemy is good up close, fight him from a distance
- If he keeps spamming Drago-wing, punch him the balls.

I love you.

Jokes aside, welcome to the Hive.

I'm a fan of double-battlebox for new Nid players. Convert one of the six warriors to a Tyranid Prime for your HQ, and you're more or less set.

With regards to the other 5 warrior bodies, I suggest assembling legs, tail, and torso into a playable model with appropriate height, and then leaves the arms and the head off. Reasons being that you can proxy them as a bunch of different things before deciding in which direction to take them. If you're going to use them as Warriors/Shrikes, I highly recommend magnetizing them (magnetize the Prime as well!): Warriors have a LOT of options. The heads I would leave off temporarily in case you decide to convert them into Hive Guard.

Just to give you some ideas, here are some models that I proxied Warriors as when I was starting out:

-Hive Guard
-Shrikes
-Raveners
-Zoanthropes
-Biovores
-Pyrovores
-Broodlord

But seriously, once you get some models, proxy EVERYTHING. It saves you hundreds of dollars.

[stripeybiovore]

Okay, thanks everyone. So, Battleforce, Zoanthropes, Prime, Hive Guard, Tervigon. Got it. I'm curious though. Are Raveners any good?

In answer to your questions, Xantige, I'm a new player and painter, and whilst I have a bit of money I have no way of getting more so I want to spend it wisely. Hope this helps.