Can you use multiple color schemes

[seantron]

I am having difficulty committing to a single color scheme, and being new I want to be able to experiment with different pallets. Can I bring squads of mismatching individual Tyranid units to the table so long as I use them all under one Hive Fleet rule set? A traditional Behemoth schemed Old One Eye leading a line of custom eclectic and entirely unique Gaunts, but they are all played as Gorgon, for example. Asking for general tournament rule compliance as well as cordial casual play. Thanks!

[hivefleetkerrigan]

Generally, yes. GW has said you can have your models painted in any scheme (a) for play. For casual play, you're definitely ok.

Tournaments are probably a case by case basis. However, most restrictions only come in at the very high end tournaments (Las Vegas open for example). They might require different schemes for different fleets, but I'm not sure as I haven't played at those tournaments. If you're concerned, you can email the organizer and include pictures.

General guidelines for painting and ease of play:
1. If you are running multiple hive fleets, you and your opponent need different ways to tell them apart. It can be as simple as "if it's melee it's behemoth, if it's shooting, it's kronos". It can be separate color schemes or separate basing schemes too. Ive also seen people paint the rims on their bases different colors or use different colored rubber bands
2. You need to be able to tell squads apart. Some people will paint markings different on different squads. Others will take the approach of the rubber bands or base rims per above
3. You need to be able to tell special equipment. If it's not WISYWIG (or close(, then do something to differentiate them. I generally paint stripes on my bases for this: "the seargants in my squads have an orange line on their bases. The heavy weapons have an orange triangle".

I generally just paint my base rims different colors for different squads (with markings for special equipment), as I settled on a color scheme I like. I do have about 20 or so test gaunts that are similar but different schemes that I didn't repaint. In my mind, it's just different mutations for different gaunts.