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Edit - changing scheme a bit

Looking forwards to seeing this mighty swarm take shape!

Genestealers are still on (comedically undersized) 25mm. I think the only reason for this is that there isn’t a 32mm slottabase.

 lindsay40k wrote:
Looking forwards to seeing this mighty swarm take shape!

Genestealers are still on (comedically undersized) 25mm. I think the only reason for this is that there isn’t a 32mm slottabase.

I'll keep them on the small ones - thank you

I've written a fairly terrible list - but one that will be fun to paint. I should be able to finish a squad or two a week. Now what to tackle first...

Tyranid List - Balanced Force
2000 Points
Hive Fleet Kraken

Hive Tyrant
- Devourers with Brainleech Worms, Monstrous Rending Claws, Pincer Tail
Wings, Toxin Sacs, and Adrenal Glands, Smite, and two additional Psychic Powers

Hive Tyrant (193)
- Devourers with Brainleech Worms, Monstrous Rending Claws, Pincer Tail
Wings, Toxin Sacs, and Adrenal Glands, Smite, and two additional Psychic Powers

6 Tyranid Warriors (156)
- Rending Claws, Devourers

20 Genestealers (240)
- Scything Talons, Rending Claws

6 Ripper Swarms (66)

6 Ripper Swarms (66)

25 Hormagants (125)

30 Hormagants (150)

6 Raveners (150)
- Rending Claws, Scything Talons

The Red Terror (75)

3 Screamer Killer Carnifex (354)
- Monstrous Scything Talons, Monstrous Scything Talons, Spore Cysts, Bioplasma Scream

3 Zoanthropes (120)

3 Biovores (108)

I've stripped 3x metal zoanthropes from third edition

I should be able to prime and start basecoating them tonight.

Nearly finished the first test model

Ooh I do love a Tyranid blog, there are far too few of them for such a cool army. Great looking paint scheme, effective but not too complicated for smaller models. I like the green rim on the base as well, nice touch!

Good luck with the army, looks like you have quite a lot of painting to do!!

Looks nice!

Pretty close to how I was planning on doing my own Nids. Hopefully you PBlog will inspire me to get off my own butt

 Commander Cain wrote:
Ooh I do love a Tyranid blog, there are far too few of them for such a cool army. Great looking paint scheme, effective but not too complicated for smaller models. I like the green rim on the base as well, nice touch!

Good luck with the army, looks like you have quite a lot of painting to do!!

Thank you! Lots ahead

I want to make the stripes a bit neater and thicker I think instead of the thin wispy looking highlights

 Jin wrote:
Looks nice!

Pretty close to how I was planning on doing my own Nids. Hopefully you PBlog will inspire me to get off my own butt

I've become the local guy that has 1-2 nice models painted and a pile of primed or grey models in an army. I can paint for others but when it comes to my own stuff I'm extremely slow.



My Hierodule from last year I never finished



Trygon from 7 or 8 years ago

Enjoy the color scheme. I find that it's too easy to make bone and black look bland (it's why I gave up on Craftworld Ulthwe many years ago), but you're hitting it with your Tyranids. Also, there aren't many Tyranid blogs, so it's good to see a quality one.

originally I was dead set on Kraken - but I found the red is frustrating to work with on a large scale. Bit too orange at times, a bit too pink.

I need to figure out a good system to paint unit by unit. I'll try and follow something like:

Week 1: Infantry Blob
Week 2: Special unit or Big Bug
Week 3: Infantry Blob
Week 4: Special unit or Big Bug

I feel like I'll have a fully painted fieldable army by at least November at this rate

Whoa, I love that Trygon!

The good thing about Nid infantry is they are pretty quick and easy to paint a big batch of them, definitely make sure to treat yourself to some big monsters regularly though. Seems like you have enough to keep you occupied!

Attempting to complete the Heirodule tonight - purely because he just needs some quick carapace highlights and a green rim!

I'll crank out the other two Zoanthropes over the next two days and start on the first squad of 25 Hormagants. Here is the current first list I want to complete.

Hive Tyrant (unbuilt, stripped metal)
Hive Tyrant (unbuilt, stripped metal)
6 Tyranid Warriors (Needs to be stripped and rebuilt)
20 Genestealers (Built, basecoated)
6 Ripper Swarms (Unbuilt, custom bases casted)
6 Ripper Swarms (Unbuilt, custom bases casted)
25 Hormagants (Built)
30 Hormagants (Unbuilt)
6 Raveners (unbuilt, stripped metal)
The Red Terror (unbuilt, stripped metal)
3 Carnifex (Built)
3 Zoanthropes (Built, base coated and washed, 1 complete)
3 Biovores (unbuilt, stripped metal)
6 Extra Spore Mines (unbuilt, stripped metal)

Since I'm running Hormagants to start out - I'm considering having a few large 60mm based models like these tossed in





Some WIP on in the case for this weekend




Half of the 60mm TMCs / Carnifexs

What sort of display case is that? How is it lighted? I have yet to develop a proper display and keep my stuff in boxes with foam or "on display" in clear storage tubs that are stacked.

That's a lot of monsters! Loving the gaunts on a combined base, makes them feel more like a horde army while also making them a little more interesting to look at.

This is a wonderful Tyranids army so far - really nice colour scheme. Will follow along, keep up the excellent work!

Excellent stuff so far, mate. A low-key, yet striking scheme you've chosen for them. And as others have said, not enough nid blogs going around.

I really like the mix of older and newer edition models.

I think Tyranids are just about the only model line that doesn't really suffer from new vs old sculpts. A lot of the older stuff holds up really well compared to more modern sculpts, as evidenced by what you've posted so far.

Thank you

I might change up the original list,

- Considering dropping Biovores for a pair of Hive Guard?
- Only one flying Tyrant?
- Carnifexs with Venom Cannon + Scything Talon combo?
- Less Hormagants and more termagants?

Tyrant with Miasma Cannon and Rending claws. I still need to add his left arm for the cannon tubing. I noticed that 4th edition Carnifex arms do not mesh well - lots of small sculpting details to add. I'll add shoulder pads and bulk out his rending claw shoulder's as well. Tyranid pauldrons?

I need to also tack wings on to this guy. He is one of three Flying Tyrants. The FW Hive Tyrant is a mess, stripped and cleaned him but the previous owner removed most of the tyrant's jaw/mouth and most of the small bits and his left foot.




Automatically Appended Next Post:
For the sake of getting a playable force on the field - I've rewritten the initial model list to get a few games on the tabletop with

I've recasted about fifty 60mm bases out of my base mold. This is to bulk out and make the gaunt swarms easier to play with. The plan is for these swarms to stay in the back and get removed immediately as the first casualties. I've also casted a stack of 50mm and 40mm for rippers and warriors. I've dumped theraveners for now in favor of easier big bugs and more shooting power.


Walking Hive Tyrant shown above with a normal Venom Cannot and RC (unbuilt, stripped metal)
3 Tyrant Guard with Shields with lash whip bonesword
6 Tyranid Warriors (Needs to be stripped and rebuilt)
20 Genestealers (Built, basecoated, washed)
5 Ripper Swarms (Unbuilt, custom bases casted)
5 Ripper Swarms (Unbuilt, custom bases casted)
25 Hormagants (Built)
3 Carnifex with Devourers (Built, primed, unbased)
3 Carnifex with Venom Cannon and Scything Talons (Built, un-primed. Need to magnetize the venom cannons)
3 Zoanthropes (Built, base coated and washed, 1 complete)