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hey guys. i am currently looking into starting a 40k army. a few of my friends play and i've always liked stratigy games so i figured this is something i could get into. BUT as of 3 days ago i knew absolutely nothing about it. and even what little i've learned im sure is nothing compared to what you guys will know on here so please any of you out there that play help me out i have lots of questions and could use some advice. quickly i'm lookin into the tyranid army and even played a small 500 pts game with a friend using his army. i got destroyed pretty bad but did some damage to his army as well so for a first time i thought i did decent. but there is still so much i dont know. i have not bought any models yet figuring before i put down a couple hundred bucks i should see whats the best for me to get.

so quick review

1. what models should i get? im lookin at prolly a 1000 pts army.
2. if you play tyranids do you have any suggestions or advice for using, building, paiting or anything for that matter
3. im sorry if this is the wrong place to post this. just figured general would be ok.

thanks guys.

-the 40k noob

A guy I play with started his Tyranid force with a Battleforce and the Assault Brood set that GW used to sell online when 5th Ed came out. I don't play Nids myself but two Battleforces seem a good deal to me. It's an army you can actually play right out of the box as the Warriors can count as your mandatory HQ, plus you get a Carnifex that you can kit out for whatever role you need.

first buy the codex (or if you can read it before hand to double check if you want it).

look through the online gallery on the GW website and on the internet to see what models you like.

write a list of models you like the look of/like the fluff of
look on google images for some pictures of insects and other animals from around the world.

using this inspiration think up your own colour scheme based on this (remember to start simple with block colours and work your way to highlighting).

buy some paints, some brushes and some gaunts to practise painting on. there are lots of tutorials here on dakka in the article system and in the painting and modelling tutorial section, have a look through these before starting.

after you are done with your gaunts and happy with your painting buy the item on your list you want the most.

if you need any other advice PM me
goodluck

EDIT: the battleforce would indeed be a good idea, consider it once you have read the codex (unless it includes a codex that is)

corpsesarefun wrote:look on google images for some pictures of insects and other animals from around the world.

using this inspiration think up your own colour scheme based on this (remember to start simple with block colours and work your way to highlighting).

definately, that's what my bro did for his nids.

If you want to save even more money, look at this thread for some good sites to buy from: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/235821.page

My toss into the ring..

I painted a Stealer Army (6 squads of 12 stealers, plus Broodlord and posse) within 2 months using a Walnut Stain dip method.. makes them look nice and brown carapace. My kiddo who helped me thinks that "Daddys Bugs" look like something that could be "real"

You also can get a decent Termagant horde from the older Battle for Macragge set.. lots of basic Termagants and Genestealers there.

But.. the Battleforce is really a good buy. I would definitely start there.

I agree with the above, get the codex first and read the fluff on nids ( its a cool read too ) then decide how you want your army to be themed, or balanced, then start with the battleforce. My advice is to buy some models and then paint them before you get your next ones though, as a nid force all in front of you in black as 1 solid block can be daunting to paint, so spreading it out into different parts, with the reward after finishing a squad is to get another from gw, seems like a good way to pace yourself when starting out with a horde army.

Welcome Aboard!


Here is a step by step guide of the things you will need:

1. Assault on black reach, Book, templates, and dice, should be around $12 shipped.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Warhammer-40k-AoBR-Mini-Rule-Book-Dice-and-Template_W0QQitemZ250406024230QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item250406024230&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:0|293:1|294:50

2. Tyranid Codex $20 Shipped (or less)

http://cgi.ebay.com/Warhammer-40K-Codex-Tyranids_W0QQitemZ180345813805QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item180345813805&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

3. Now here is the option I would go with the Tyranid assault brood, thanks to the economic situation in the UK the value of the USD has skyrocketed, so you can pick up an assault brood for less than $150 shipped. The assault brood has all the contents of two battleforces plus an extra carnifex.

http://cgi.ebay.com/WARHAMMER-40K-Tyranid-Assault-Brood-NEW_W0QQitemZ370181797617QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Toys_Wargames_RL?hash=item370181797617&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

If you can't swing that then get a normal battleforce it will cost you arounf $80 shipped

4. Magnets! honestly you don't want to play nids without them. about $12 shipped

http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/detail-ID-122.html

(this is the size you want)

5. Glue, stay way from plastic glue, it will ruin your models! Buy one container of liquid super glue, and one tube of gel super glue. use the gel on the magnets and on other tough jobs. $8

6. Go to a hardware store and buy a cheap pair of clippers, a heavy duty razor blade, and a small set of files. Then hit up the art store for a hobby knife. $20

7. Play some games!!!

8. Now that you have had time to think, and recoup you bank account its time for paint! Hopefully you have a Idea of what colors you want. Pick out the Triad for the main color you want, as well as buying some staple colors. You will need Babd Black Wash, Dev Mud wash, skull white, chaos Black, and bleached bone. $30 shipped.

http://www.thewarstore.com/page747.html

9. As for brushes hit the local Art store and by high quality sable brushes, you will need at least 3 brushes one for base coating, one for detail, one for larger areas. Also buy a pack of cheap brushes for that you wont mind ruining, these will be for Glue, and dry brushing. $15

10. Basing materials, head to the local hobby shop (one that sells model trains) and pick up some flock and ruble in whatever color you like, also a small bag of static grass. $15

11. Head to wal-mart and buy a giant tub/bottle of PVC glue (elmers) $5

12. Play some more

13. Buy 1 hive tyrant, and some wings (optional)

14. Buy 3 zoanthropes (honestly I don't know any Nid player that doesn't use 3 in every game)

15. Buy what ever else you need!

16. ?????

17. PROFIT!!!!!!


Hope that helps!

Clthomps wrote:BUY LOADS OF STUFF!!

wow i didnt know GW employees came here....

EDIT: wait why did you say to by AoBR?
he wants nids not SM or orks?

corpsesarefun wrote:

Clthomps wrote:BUY LOADS OF STUFF!!

wow i didnt know GW employers came here....

It eventually becomes apparent that this is not a cheap hobby. Best to get rid of that assumption from the start!

I think he meant to say, buy the AoBR Rulebook, Templates and Dice ($12 off ebay)

Easiest and cheapest way to get the absolute essentials.

-Porkuslime

after an illumination by the ever wise porkuslime all is clear...

corpsesarefun wrote:after an illumination by the ever wise porkuslime all is clear...

thank yew.. thank yew..

No one should start a hobby without a general Idea of how much it will cost. I have seen to many people buy one or two boxes of something then run out of money. what they are left with is an empty wallet and and unsuitable amount of models to do anything with.


Also I find it rather rude to use the quote feature, and insert something that was never said....

Clthomps wrote:No one should start a hobby without a general Idea of how much it will cost. I have seen to many people buy one or two boxes of something then run out of money. what they are left with is an empty wallet and and unsuitable amount of models to do anything with.


Also I find it rather rude to use the quote feature, and insert something that was never said....

it was an abbriviation and was said in jest...
sorry if i offended you

Hullo hybridxero .
Welcome to DakkaDakka, and to 40k!

Don't be disheartened about losing a few games - happens to us all
Its good to play some small matches to get to grips with the basic rules and how things work.

I don't play 'nids, so can't help with army list/models, but I think they are usually a "swarm" or "horde" army, meaning lots and lots of cheap troopers (lots of models to buy/paint!)

2 things to keep in mind:
1) You play for FUN! If you and your mates can enjoy a 4-hour rules-argument that actually has no effect on the game, go for it! If you prefer to say "the heck with it, just roll the dice!", that works too!
2) Don't let random-internet-flame-wars get to you

Most of all: ENJOY!

(UPDATE)

first off thanks alot for all of the info that you've all given me!

i've played 2 more games still using a friends army (slightly differnt this time) first i played a this battle was a 700 pts battle and i went in with 1 term brood 1 harm brood, 1 gene brood a carnifex and 3 warriors. he had an eldar army which consisted of 2 troops of short range fighters 1 troop of rocket guys and one mean ass magic casting chick (sorry i dont remember any of the names of these modules) this' battle was pretty frustrating for me because unlike last time this guy didint really seem to care to show or teach me anything he just wanted to destroy me (which he pretty much did in the end) i'm still having some what trouble understanding the best way to use the nids. his rocket squad could shoot at a rand of 48' with my carnifex being the longest ranged unit i had but with only a 36' range. which left most of my units useless in the fact that they were just there to take bullets for my better units. going into the game my opponent chose the turran very well and used alot of magic attacks and weird rules i didint know about against me to take a quick advantage. by the 3rd round half of my army was dead with me only taking 2 of his down. finally sacrificing my carnifex as covor i got my genestealers in close enough to take out one of his squads. which with some horrible luck of rolling took me a little while but i finally defeated them but soon after the magic caster used a "doom spell" which gave his army a 2nd save roll and so forth. long story short he destroyed the rest of my army with only loosing 1 of his 3 squads. next i played a 900 pts games against a tou player. which i learned very quickly was an army of range. infact one of his units had a 72" range. to make a long story short with his long range and five 1 rolls in a row on with fleet of claw. i got mowed down pretty fast.what i was told at the end of this battle was i lost because of extremely unlucky rolls and the fact that i was using basic troops while he was using advanced units. (i was pretty much playing a battleforce pack with a few added harm) again i'm still having trouble with figuring out the best way to use the nids to they're best. but i am determined to keep working at it until i get their understanding a little more. but again any tactical advice would be greatly appreicated.

again tho thanks for all that you've told me so far. much respect and thanks!

Thanks for the update

Yeah, a "pick up and play" list will often lose to a 6-months-of-tailoring-playing-and-re-tailoring list. Knowing your army and how to use it is a major advantage.
Best way to get this knowledge is to play lots
WH40k is very much a game where you can get out what you put in. More time spent playing, writing up lists, poring over codex, reading forums, hanging around at LFGS etc can reap big returns on your win/loss ratio.

Why not write up an army list that you like the look of and post it (along with the tactics you think suit it), and let some of us rip it to bits offer some advice on how to improve it

Sounds like you need to get your bugs across the board faster/safer.
Do 'nids get any kind of transport? Or deep-strike/infiltrate?

Stealers with scuttlers. Brood Lords and retinue. Lictors. Ravenors. Gargoyles.

Of those choices only the first two are worthwhile.

I started playing with Tyranids. It's very easy to build up an army. I started with a battleforce, a box of gaunts, and a hive tyrant. It's a very good start as it gives you 32 gaunts to equip as you'd like, a squad of genestealers, 3 warriors, a carnifex, a couple ripper bases, and the tyrant. Playing tyranids you'll end up with a lot of models because gaunts make up the majority of your troops.

I had my entire army planned out before I bought it. Start with the codex for the army you want. Then borrow a friend's main rulebook. After reading them both start writing up what you'd like your army to be like and go from there. For me I saw myself with an army of big bugs slowly walking across the table with a tide of little ones in front of them. After my initial purchase I simply bought more battleforces because every unit in there is a good one. Then I sprinkled in some lictors, another tyrant and tyrant guard, and some zoathropes. Now I'm only a handful of models away from being "done" with my tyranids.

The only thing to look out for with playing bugs is don't get demoralized seeing your bugs get killed. The army uses a lot of models because their defenses are not too strong. It's typical to lose half a squad or more from shooting if they aren't in cover.

To summarize, a battleforce, extra box of gaunts, and a tyrant will set you up with a good start. Make sure to read over the codex and rulebook first though to get an idea of how you want to run things.