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I was having a discussion the other night at the FLGS about allies, and how the Tyranids got shafted.

Fluff wise it makes sense that they wouldn't have allies, however game wise it sucks for those players that they can't take them.

So, what would be the best ally match up for Tyranids, if they could take them?

Well, it depends on the level of allies. But Space Wolves, for the priests (Stacking of Runes/SitW would be brutal.) That would help with our biggest weakness, Jaws-lists. Plus Long Fangs are always good.

 PraetorDave wrote:
I was having a discussion the other night at the FLGS about allies, and how the Tyranids got shafted.

Fluff wise it makes sense that they wouldn't have allies, however game wise it sucks for those players that they can't take them.

So, what would be the best ally match up for Tyranids, if they could take them?

I assert that it is more fluffy for Tyranids to be able to temporarily ignore Daemons or Necrons (which they cannot eat) in favor of a more pressing and edible threat (the definition of Desperate Allies) than it is for Space Marines to be Battle Brothers with Tau.

And that's before we consider Nids + IG = Genestealer Cults.

Really the only allies nids should have are IG, and maybe Tau through Tau Auxilaries being infest by genestealers.

Let's no forget dark eldar using nids. Such as beast masters using nids for the arenas or battle.

reaper with no name wrote:

 PraetorDave wrote:
I was having a discussion the other night at the FLGS about allies, and how the Tyranids got shafted.

Fluff wise it makes sense that they wouldn't have allies, however game wise it sucks for those players that they can't take them.

So, what would be the best ally match up for Tyranids, if they could take them?

I assert that it is more fluffy for Tyranids to be able to temporarily ignore Daemons or Necrons (which they cannot eat) in favor of a more pressing and edible threat (the definition of Desperate Allies) than it is for Space Marines to be Battle Brothers with Tau.

And that's before we consider Nids + IG = Genestealer Cults.

I can see Tyranids ignoring Daemons, but given the Shadow in the Warp making it more difficult for them to maintain their presence in the physical universe, I think it would almost be more likely for Daemons and Grey Knights to work together then Daemons and Tyranids (yes, GK are dedicated to wiping Daemons out, but they can't do that if they are getting eaten). Also, I'm not entirely sure about what happened with the fluff in 5th, but back in 4th before I sold of the Nids I got with Battle for Maccrage and their codex, I remember that there was a bit where they would even consume certain useable mineral resources from a planet, so it would not be completely unbelievable that Tyranids would be able to at least partially digest some part of the Necron body.

They didn't get shafted. They are a top codex in 6th and don't need allies. They also don't need double FOC.

Nids are criminally underrated now, despite what the general consensus is.

The only fluff driven reason that a 'Nid army would have allies is a 'Stealer cult, and that could be applied to technically include virtually any race in the 40K universe. A true Tyranid assault involving all bioforms at their disposal wouldn't need allies as by that time the planet in question is ready for absorbtion into the Hive.
The problem is in representing the various forms of Hybrid that would be necessary on the tabletop to include the massive variation in subsumed biomass that the 40K universe provides. In game terms a double FOC is an extremely good way of representing a full on Tyranid assault.

Skaven when they come in warhammer 40k. They both like mutations.

 JGrand wrote:
They didn't get shafted. They are a top codex in 6th and don't need allies. They also don't need double FOC.

Nids are criminally underrated now, despite what the general consensus is.

Underrated yes, but we nids are still not a Top codex.