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Hello everyone,

I was just curious to see or discuss how other Tyranid players cope with the holes in our Codex's model line up.
To me, it seems like GW released some awesome new units when our codex came out, but never followed through
with supporting official models. Things like Tervigons, Harpies, Swarmlords, even Shrikes, Tyrannofexes, and Mycetic Spores!

Some of them I can understand, as they are relatively easy to kit-bash or not *that* vital, but some are a real pain.
I don't mind taking my business elsewhere to get extended kits for them, but from what I've heard, GW is even cracking
down on those people (leaving names out to avoid turning this into a debate over lawsuits).

So what do you do to fill these games? I've custom kitted out a Tervigon from spare Carnifex parts and hotglue/green stuff,
as well as making my own Harpy and custom Hive Guard (at the time my Local Game Store couldn't get them in). If I can get
my camera to work properly and get good pics, I'll post them up, though I'm never 100% happy with conversion work. I've
also made my own Mycetic spores and kitted up a Swarmlord. My next project is probably going to be a Tyrannofex if I can
figure out how to properly do the under-cannon.

Anyway, please drop your own thoughts, comments, and conversions for the missing bugs! I'm dying to see how others have handled the issue.

Hopefully the second wave will contain the beloved tervigon and tyrannofex (at least) so I'm resisting the urge to convert for now, as some rumours indicate an August release. Supposedly.

I really like the units, but as I've only started to collect Tyranids I haven't had an army to game at all with (I mainly prefer the hobby side).

There's been some REALLY nice conversions here on dakka, but I'm not that good with the greenstuff (aside from filling and small details).

Put some pics up soon please!

The holes in the model line don't make me nearly as upset as the [Mod Edit - please don't use that word that way here - thanks!] ruling on the FAQ.

Tervigons can be made relatively easy with a bit of conversion work from Carnifexes.

Swarmlord can be made from simple use of plasticard for the swords, not to mention alot of companies make bonesword conversion kits.

Forge World makes wings for Warriors that can be used for shrikes.

Mycetic Spores aren't that hard to make. You could use large plastic egg toys, I've seen people use small footballs, and some companies even make their own "Spore Pods".

Until the official models come out, we have to make due with what we have. One thing you'll learn about alot of Tyranid players is we're not afraid to get our hands dirty as far as conversion work. ^_^

cgage00 wrote:The holes in the model line don't make me nearly as upset as the slowed ruling on the FAQ.

Which rulings in the FAQ bother you? I've glanced it over and didn't notice anything majorly insane, but I could
easily be missing stuff, so I'm kind of curious.

The part where nids use totally different rules for dedicated transports and their anti psyker stuff doesn't work on models in transports are probably what he's referring too.

Yeah, those two aspects of the FAQ are utterly rubbish, sadly.

Sorting out the anti-psyker stuff, making Spore Pods consistent with Drop Pods in terms of rules (i.e. allowing you to drop them empty if you like, and allowing ICs to drop with the unit that bought them) would give nids a lot more flexibility without making them overpowered.

Errataing the Lictor rule so that the reserve bonus applies even if they're not on the table (since conceptually they *are* on the battlefield from the start of the game, even if they're not on the table) would be lovely too.

It's not like a spore pod army would be super-powerful anyway, even with those changes. But it would at least be vaguely viable.

1.) For most units there are quite obvious conversions hinted at (e.g. greenstuff belly to Carnifex for tervigon, wings on Trygon or LOTR fellbeast for Harpy, Mawloc head on Zoanthrop for Doom). Some even have very old models (Gaunt variants, old Hive Tyrant as new Alpha Warrior, old Warriors with boneswords, Epicast Mycetic Spore, Armorcast "Tervigon" and "Tyrannofex").
2.) Several other companies make nice conversion kits or alternative models filling most gaps.
3.) A second wave is rumoured to happen around October, including Tervigon, Tyrannofex, Harpy, Doom, Ymgarl Genestealers and bonesword bitz. Certainly late, esp. the Tervigon, but hopefully not too late.

Currently I have models for all units in the book (only Parasite not yet built) and had a blast to convert them all.

Requia wrote:The part where nids use totally different rules for dedicated transports and their anti psyker stuff doesn't work on models in transports are probably what he's referring too.

My tervigon plan is, you know the old plasma bug out of starship troopers ? its back end or an arachnid style end modeled onto a carnifex enforced with legs, sythes and some special crushing claws i learnt to make. check out my tyrannofex walking claws in my pics