Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

-Sorry for the long post. -

When I started 40k a while back, one of my favorite race was the Tyranids. I like the fact also that they are one of the only untouched race fluffwise that wasn't ''thinned down'' from their grimdark ''devour everything'' side (I'm looking at you Necron). I have accumulated alot of bits, greenstuff and ideas, and I want to do my army now.

But fact is, some of the model are plain ugly (from my perspective). I'm a big Giger fan, so of course some of them are genius. Yet I don't want to model an Alien army for various reasons. I therefore want to model them after the Zerg from the Starcraft game. Also, I like doing conversions and stuff even if I'm not a pro. I like modeling.

Now I know alot of people that play 40k don't like SC. I don't want to start a debate or whatever. So here are my questions :

1) For those of you that know well how to do greenstuff, etc. what would you suggest to scuplt more advance stuff like xenos head or body part ? Do you use greenstuff for everything ? I just bought a small clay cube to try this out, but I'm not quite sure where to go. I did basics in greenstuff like tabard, cloak, hood, tentacle (that tentacle maker makes the job easy I must say), purity seal, etc. but nothing too fancy. I will therefore go from the most obvious and simplest models (infested space marine) up to the most difficult one (zerg queen). What do you suggest to work largescale modeling and scuplting like that ? Do you suggest also doing some resin mold etc. for mass productions of bits that I will have scuplted ?

2) For those of you that know Starcraft : what unit would you count-as what ? Some are obvious winner : Hydralisk = Raveners, Zerglings = Hormagaunt, Mutalisk = Harpy, Defiler = Zoanthrope, etc. But some are more difficult to choose. For example : do I use the Overlord (I really don't have any choice of modeling those, they are iconic) as a Tervigon ? It would fit : it spawns units. Yet it's a flyer, and my choice for the Termagant was to play Infested Marines (because Roach would be too difficult and I don't like them). Those are produced in SC2 (not a big player of SC2 but whatever) by Infestor. They are ground unit, so it would thus fit more. But then, what use do I have of the Overlord ? There is no non-combattant unit in the Tyranid Codex. But maybe the Malanthrope of IA since it's kind of looking a little bit the same ? I know that I can't all put them in, but that's not a problem since I know I won't play every unit of the Tyranid Codex (looking at you Pyrovore). My list now would be something like this :

Zergling = Hormagaunt
Hydralisk = Ravener
Queen (SC2) = Swarmlord/Hive Tyrant without wings
Defiler = Zoanthrope
Mutalisk = Harpy
Ultralisk = Scythed Hierodule
Infested Terran = Termagant
Infestor/Overlord = Tervigon
Corruptor = Hive Crone
Lurker = Mawloc ?

I'm still quite confused with the Tyranid Warrior. I don't know really what to play them. Do I scrap the Ravener and make the Hydralisk the Warrior ?

For some of the model I'll use the actual GW model because I freakin' love them (looking at you Trygon Prime). And of course I'll do some building to add up some terrain. Right now, I think I have enough bits and greenstuff to at least do a good 1000 pts in order to have a playable force (zergling, hydralisk, etc.). For more complex stuff, like Kerrigan, I'll wait. I already have her wings ready, and I'm planning on using Golgotha from Dark Legion as a base. But it still needs TONS of modification and modeling, so I'll wait a bit. Probably a count-as Winged Tyrant used as a Warlord.

Also, any suggestion on color ? I'm gonna use the Jormugar Brood color scheme (brown and purple), so I thought about mostly using Rhinox Hide and Naggaroth Night/Xereses Purple.

TLDR : I'm doing Zerg Tyranids, looking for suggestion of modeling, count-as ideas and colors. Don't bother if you don't like SC or the idea. Thanks.

You could perhaps use the tyranid drop pods as an equivalent of an Overlord. That's as non-combat as it gets, and you could just have it drift around the table for the hell of it as it doesn't do much anyway? =)

Delakar wrote:
You could perhaps use the tyranid drop pods as an equivalent of an Overlord. That's as non-combat as it gets, and you could just have it drift around the table for the hell of it as it doesn't do much anyway? =)

But, but Overlords are the source of the Zerg's synapse!

No really, that's what Overlords do. They're beacons for the Hive Mind's (or cerebrate, or Kerrigan, or U.E.D., or gigantic-alien-no-wotz) will.

Really though, if you've played / seen anything from Heart of the Swarm, you don't need Overlords to fulfill that role. The Zerg went full-out Tyranid in that game, more so than they already were. They have their own bio-spore drop pods.

Further-more: Right now I'm at work (yay graveyard) and so I only have my laptop which does not have HotS installed. However I'd really advise using Hydralisks as warriors. Fluff-wise they're supposed to be equally scary in CC and at range, even if that doesn't translate into game mechanics. So far as Raveners go I'd really advise using Roaches. They don't look anything like Raveners, but they fit perfectly fluff wise due to their burrowed movement.

EDIT: If you can, I'd suggest looking for a list of all the zerg present in HotS and WoL campaigns, as there are quite a few unique ones. For example I'd say use the Ultralisk as a carnifex, and then for the -really- big ground based nids use something like the Omegalisk. The Ultralisks gigantic, badass cousin.

Nice one! Maybe Jimmy and his friends could come visit sometime



Regarding bits, I don't think you'll need much GS for the majority of units. Tyranid spikey bits are very similar to Zerg spiky bits, its just a matter of e-arranging them in a pleasing manner.

I too would suggest that maybe Carnifexes would be a beter match to Ultralisks, with the heirodule being Omegalisks. Similarly maybe gargoyles would work better as Mutalisks, with Guardians as harpy/hive crone.

Could you do Overlords as Zoanthropes? Floating, synapse beasties after all and the upgraded Overlords in SC2 had different abilities, so they are not necessarily too fixed in their use. Maybe the Swarm has bred some smaller Overlords for a specific purpose...

Ally with chaos spes mareens. Grandfather nurgle has your infested terrans. Nice reason to forge a narrative. I also agree thaatzoanthropes would be awesome overlords. Only thing is the warpblast.

You could also bring out a Karagen Daemon prince too.

Thanks for all the answers guys.

The Overlord as Zoanthrope I thought about it. But an overlord is too big (the Zoan base is small), so I'm trying keep a somewhat balanced approach (same-size stuff etc.). Also, I really like the zoanthrope model (and already have it, I must add). The drop-pod idea is very good, I'll think about it !

The choice for Ultralisk as Carnifex I thought about it alot. But since I played SC when it came out in 98, for me the Ultralisk is supposed to look like its concept art in the booklet : huge as hell. So to me they struck more as Hierodule than Carnifex. At least that way, they REALLY are gonna make an impact on the board. If I take them as Carnifex, I'm gonna have to make at least 3 and put them in a squad to make them worthwhile, if not, they're gonna get gunned down one by one and not live up to their name ! But in the end, if my Ultralisk is too big, I can indeed use it as Omegalisk and switch to have some smaller Utralisk for Carnifexes.

The idea of Roach/Ravener is good, I'll use the Hydralisk as Warriors. You're right about their fluff being CC since in SC1 you can see hammer Marines in CC in the videos.

Thanks for the feedback. I'll keep you posted when I start with a WIP thread.

EDIT : BTW those Marines are great ! Does anyone know what part they are made of ?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Greetings to all, I just did a test run for the Zergling :

http://thoseonceloyal40k.blogspot.ca/2014/06/zergling-test-wip.html

What do you think about it ? I'm no pro, so of course its not perfect. I'm doing this for fun, not for commission ! Still I need good advice in order to get better.

Overlords are fliers and give synapse. Seems pretty clear you'd run them as Flying Hive Tyrants. Just make it a big floating sac with claws and fifty dangling legs instead of the normal bat wings. I'd look at what some people have done with kitbashed Plague Drones and Tervigons, there's pics of nurgle heldrakes made from those kits that look exactly like an Overlord.

Hormagant-zerglings, just stick their front talons on top of their body instead of in the socket.

IMO Hydralisks would be the Warriors. They look more like them and both carry ranged weaponry.

Zoanthropes fulfill more of a Defiler role on the tabletop, casting psychic jujus everywhere.

You could take a Bastion in your list and make it look like one of those blob things that were the Zerg commanders whose name I can't recall.

I made some progress :

http://thoseonceloyal40k.blogspot.ca/2014/06/more-zerg-wip-and-saint-sabbat.html

Here is my final list :

Overlord : Malanthrope (somewhat hovering, synapse, etc.).
Zergling : Hormagaunt
Infestor : Tervigon
Infested Terran : Termagant
Hydralisk : Warrior
Roach : Ravener
Mutalisk : Harpy
Flyrant : Kerrigan
Queen (Broodmother SC2) : Swarmlord/Footslogging Tyrant
Defiler : Venomthrope
Ultralisk : Scythed Hierophant
Corruptor : Hive Crone
Lurker : Mawloc

I will keep some as the original model :
Zoanthrope
Carnifex (maybe with some modif)
Deathleaper
Trygon Prime

For now I'll work on a basic force, try to build it. I will probably do a WIP thread if some are interested to read about the developpment.

I'd love to see a thread on this in the painting & modeling blog section as you progress! I just painted my own counts-as tyranids army

@David Ravel - the marines are from my own counts as deathwing force. More here if you're interested

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/336989.page

Your stuff is most amazing ! Wow. I just hope my Zerg can live up to that ! Then they can fight haha.