New and Seeking Advice/Tips

[Pistol]

Hello everyone. I am new to the 40k scene and chose Tyranids. I am in the process of building my army. Does anyone have any suggestions for any particular units for a good starter army? Small to mid size. Thanks.

[scorpio]

I Would recommend a battle force if you haven't already got one. Then get a tyrant as a leader for your force. Welcome to the hive!

[Lanesend]

Even with *just* the battleforce, you can make a nice starter army.
You can re-build two of the warriors as Hive Guard. (should be some tutorials on that in the modelling section) And the you can build the last warrior as a Warrior Prime.(HQ)

[PumpkinHead]

Welcome to the hive!

It is currently generally accepted that Tervigons are ridiculously awesome! All of the HQ are viable options. Termagaunts with fleshborers are needed if you field a Tervigon. Elite anti tank comes in the form of hive guard and zoanthropes.

[scrotatohead]

Welcome to the hive, Pistol.

To answer your question, Hive Guard. If you've got converting/modeling skills you can change up a couple Warriors from the starter set. If that's not your thing you should start getting Hive Guard in pairs as you can afford them. Some of our best shooting available. And of course the Tyrannofex/Tervigon kit. If you model the mid-legs and front arms properly and you don't attach the massive 'gant sack permanently you can switch the model back and forth between the two 'nids based on your army build (though most of the time you'll want to field a Tervigon).

You'll also want additional psycher models as your force expands. Zoanthrope are solid, as is the Hive Tyrant and Tervigon. A Brood Lord leading a squad of 6-8 genestealers is also good combining psycher abilities and superior character killing (think Challenges). DON'T buy the GW Brood lord; customize one out of a Warrior even if you've got horrible skills. That model is flat out awful.

Most of all enjoy yourself. 6th edition could be a nice renaissance for Tyranids.

[Bot]

Welcome to the hive, Pistol!

I don't really have much to add than to agree with what has already been said.

oh... btw, do you have any idea of what kind of play style you will be aiming for? Tyranids have a great variety of list builds. Some units are good in some lists but bad in others.

Also, what Tyranids do you already own?

[Pistol]

Aug 2, 2012 23:47:28 GMT Bot said:

Welcome to the hive, Pistol!

I don't really have much to add than to agree with what has already been said.

oh... btw, do you have any idea of what kind of play style you will be aiming for? Tyranids have a great variety of list builds. Some units are good in some lists but bad in others.

Also, what Tyranids do you already own?

I am aiming for a 'well-rounded' style. Basically, something good at melee and range. I also very much enjoy the monstrous creatures. I currently do not own any Tyranids yet. I've been practicing my painting on various other miniatures before I purchase and paint up some Nids. A Tyranid that I have had my eye on though is the Trygon. I am very drawn to this unit and have seen it function in battle. I like it very much and am pretty certain I am going to get one unless someone can give me a good reason why I shouldn't/wouldn't need to.

[Davor]

Since you don't own any Tyranids yet, the Battleforce box set is the best place to start. 2 if you can afford it or get one now, and then one later after you treat yourself to some of the bigger Nids.

I say, paint 10 gaunts, then treat yourself to a bigger mini. This way you will actually get your army painted. I am so S L O W painting my force, that I have to start this again to get a finished brood.

I say get the Trygon. I loved putting mine together. To bad I ruined it by painting it LOL. As I said, do a few gaunts (they are so boring to do after the 15th one) so I say do 10 gaunts, then a Warrior. Do another 10 gaunts, do another warrior. Then do 10 more gaunts and treat yourself to a Trygon.

[fragile]

I would suggest that you also take a look at the "lists" that people are making in the tactics sections. They often tell why they take particular models. This will give you a good idea for some of the core builds that people are doing and keep you from purchasing a few units that will rarely see play. By all means dont take those lists as gospel though and feel free to make your own.

[Pistol]

Thanks for all the great suggestions guys! Definitely seems like a friendly community here

[Xantige]

As I typically do, I'm going to prod you for more information on your situation, Pistol . Are you new to 40k? Is this a side army? Do you have a point limit for your army? Are you planning on amassing a giant force over the years, or do you just want a small one to play with on occasion? How serious are you looking to play? Who are you going up against?

And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, consider fielding a small nid list, entirely made of proxies. This can be models you already have, or discs of paper cut out to the base sizes of the models they're proxying for. It's also a good idea to write something on the discs so you know what's what. It's not glamorous, but it's a great way of seeing if you A) Enjoy 40k (if you're new), and B) If you like nids, and if your list in question works for you.

If you're going for a small, 1000 point list, make sure you want/will use everything in the battleforce. If you only want to run Termagants and Hormagaunts for troops, or go for an all Warrior or Genestealer list, skip the battleforce and go right for what you need. The Battleforce is great for collectors and people that plan on building a massive army over the years, or just plan on using every type of Tyranid Troop out there.

[Pistol]

Yes I am new, and this will be for a main army. No point limit, only money will limit me. Of course I can purchase more units over time as I get paid. I would like a pretty decently sized army eventually. I only know 2 people nearby that I can play with, but I am intending on playing other various people at nearby hobby stores. I'm already certain I will enjoy playing 40k, as I've watched many battles and learned the basics. It definitely seems like something I will enjoy. Because I'm particularly fond of Tyranids, I've watched a lot of battles where one (or both) side(s) has Nid. I like how the units work much more than the other armies I've seen.

[Tempests Wrath]

Welcome to The Hive.

As many people have said go with a battleforce to start with. And a Tyrant makes a really nice HQ. Starting off with both of these will get you a good start.

Figure out where you want to take your army from there. Trygon's are a heck of a lot of fun by the way. If you want one, get it. Mine hasnt disappointed me yet in terms of overall performance.

[arbitershade]

As a new player and more importantly a new Tyranid player my first suggestion would be get used to losing. I mean that in the nicest way possible, but chances are you wont be a 40k guru who can master one of the hardest armies to play for at least a couple of games.

Tyranids are a difficult army to play and that makes losing your first couple of games inevitable until you get a feel for what every unit does. There aren't many BAD units in the codex, Pyrovore withstanding, but there are a few extremely specialized units that you may or may not get much mileage out of.

My suggestion for a strong start point would be a Prime for an HQ, a brood of Termagants, and a Tervigon for troops. From there I would suggest adding Hive Guard/Zoanthropes to give yourself some anti armor. As you build your army balance between adding more swarm and monstrous creatures. Then when you have a better feel for what you like add more of that.

In general I would advise against investing in the following:

Harpies, because you would have to modify them to even make them in the first place and they are still a little iffy on how good they are. Some people have great runs with them and some people have terrible runs with them. I personally don't run them because I don't want to have to modify them and I just don't see the use in S5 Vectors and TL Strangle Web/HVC.

Pyrovores, they aren't very good in the first place and they take up an elite slot. Fantastic model though. Supposedly getting a huge buff in an upcoming FAQ though so keep an eye on them.

Lictors, rather pricy and typically get shot to bits the turn they arrive. I like my 3 Lictor brood but I hardly run it in favor of Hive Guard/Zoanthrope/Ymgarls. I mostly suggest against them for people on a budget because you really don't get a great bang for your buck.

Mawloc, despite having some nifty tricks he is just a one trick pony for a hefty amount of points. Much better to invest in the Trygon that is a much better multi-tasker and can be made a prime to provide synapse.