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.

My buddy, who runs the blog Facing the Grey Tide, has started a budget challenge. Rules go as such: $75 a month for 6 months plus a double up month where you can drop $150. GW prices count, no taxes, no eBay prices, no discounts. I decided to start a new army and selected Nids. I used my double up month plus some from my January budget to get Wrath of the Hive Mind box set for $165. I ust got the codex, and am very new to nids but I want to build a competitive army with my budget. I know the new models are great but what should be my next step? I know I need one more box of gaunts so I have 30 to make the tervigon a troops choice. I was thinking about a ton of flyers but not sure how that plays out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

......your premise is silly. The challenge is "build an army on a budget?"

Hell yeah I'm hitting ebay. I am *extremely* confident in my modeling abilities and by now I am used to the extra steps of "strip paint, remodel crap poses, clean models" before I paint and play.

Unless you're trying to particularly support your flgs there's no point tovthis challenge.

You're missing the point, and I only support my local store because they provide gaming tables, terrain and good times for free. This isn't find the best deal, this is work within a budget, budget doesn't always mean cheap, just limited amount of money. You can buy the models anywhere, for any price but we have to use the GW prices in our "budget". I guess I didn't explain that. This is basically seeing what $525, in GW dollars, gets you in terms of an army.

HokieHWT wrote:
You're missing the point, and I only support my local store because they provide gaming tables, terrain and good times for free. This isn't find the best deal, this is work within a budget, budget doesn't always mean cheap, just limited amount of money. You can buy the models anywhere, for any price but we have to use the GW prices in our "budget". I guess I didn't explain that. This is basically seeing what $525, in GW dollars, gets you in terms of an army.

That's kind of cool. Why not just start at $525, though, so you can have your whole 'nid army at once? I mean, it will be cool after a few months, but on month one, what are you going to do for $75? Or, at least break it up in to $260 right away, and $265 in 6 months, if you want to play with painted minis.

Talys wrote:

HokieHWT wrote:
You're missing the point, and I only support my local store because they provide gaming tables, terrain and good times for free. This isn't find the best deal, this is work within a budget, budget doesn't always mean cheap, just limited amount of money. You can buy the models anywhere, for any price but we have to use the GW prices in our "budget". I guess I didn't explain that. This is basically seeing what $525, in GW dollars, gets you in terms of an army.

That's kind of cool. Why not just start at $525, though, so you can have your whole 'nid army at once? I mean, it will be cool after a few months, but on month one, what are you going to do for $75? Or, at least break it up in to $260 right away, and $265 in 6 months, if you want to play with painted minis.

Another goal of the challenge is to paint what you buy each month, so at the end of the 6 months you have a fully painted army. It's all about life/hobbie balance I guess.

I don't know what you would want to run for a list, but since you are on a budget, the Tryanid Swarm for $170 would be a nice way to bulk up your army

10 Gargoyles; 40 Hormagaunts; 40 Termagants; 1 Carnifex; and 4 Ripper Swarms.

 adamsouza wrote:
I don't know what you would want to run for a list, but since you are on a budget, the Tryanid Swarm for $170 would be a nice way to bulk up your army

10 Gargoyles; 40 Hormagaunts; 40 Termagants; 1 Carnifex; and 4 Ripper Swarms.

Thanks! That was sort of the point of this thread, maybe it's in the wrong spot, I want to build a competitive Nid list for under $525. I've heard flyers are the new hot list right now but am not sure I want to just buy harpy after harpy.

Flying bugs are competitive now, and I was originally thinking Harpys and Gargoyles, but the Harpys are rather expensive. I got the impression that having fun and staying close to the budget was more important than FOTM.

The Swarm will let you bulk up your army and it complements the Hive Mind box set you already have.

I normally suggest the Swarm box, a Tyrant, and a Warrior Brood for starting on Nids. With the Wrath box, you have a good start...10 more Termagants will let you drop the Tervigon into a Troops slot, The next big purchase can be a second Tyrant. Then it will all be about the heavy slots.

If you are thinking Skyblight (the Nids flying circus) then yeah, it's Harpy/Crone, x3. Then 30x+ Gargoyles. It kinda depends on your personal "style" Swarmy? Nidzilla? Or Flying Circus? Only you can know, and you likely can only find out through playing the army.