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One of my friends is interested in learning the game and I have some spare tyranids from the deathstorm box and the space hulk box that I am putting together to teach him. I am looking for some advise on how to build the tyranid warriors to make them decent against my blood angels. I have no experience playing with or against tyranids and am not sure if they perform better as a melee unit or a shooting unit.

I only have the three out of the deathstorm box and it looks like they have all the options available to use. I know that if he decides to keep playing and wants to expand he will need some hive tyrants but what else should be on the list to add to what I alread have? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I think the "best" way is to make sure they will stay useful as he builds his force so I suggest plain vanilla x2, and one with a Strangle Cannon..that should run 100 points. They should do "OK" vs BA as the Strangler gives them some reach.

Otherwise adding in Rending Claws is a cheap CC upgrade( for two or three), or use one set of Lashwhip, and Bone sword.

Hopefully he'll find a warm welcome from the Hive Mind.

Yep, keep them simple. The upgrades get expensive fast, and the models die easily.

Warriors don't make a great shooting unit.
Consider that their devourers can be put on termagants, for the same number of shots at less than 1/3rd (closer to 1/4) of the price.
For 5ppm you can upgrade them to deathspitters, giving their shots +1S and AP5. But for their price that's still not a very threatening amount of firepower.

Of the two special weapons, the barbed stranger is probably more useful. S4 large blast with pinning.


Warriors are decent in assault vs infantry. The problem is they don't have any good ways of getting there. No transports.
There is a drop pod, which is arguably better than walking (it's 75 points per pod, and lacks the first turn landing the marine pods get).

If you're up to a bit of converting, you could put wings on them to make some Shrikes. Still easily killed, but they're fast enough that they might reach combat first.


If you've got deathstorm + space hulk, then you must have somewhere around 30 genestealers, plus a couple of broodlords. Take a look at the genestealer cult rules. They're pretty good, and work well allied with tyranids. Broodlords are easily used as a patriarch.


On the tyranid side of things, one of the first things to get is a box of venomthropes. The shrouded bubbles these produce are crucial for keeping tyranids alive.
Malanthropes do the same thing, but also provide a tough synapse unit. The rules and models are from forgeworld though.