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I'm frustrated with my main army (Tyranids). I've gone back and forth for months on whether or not I should keep them, sell or trade them, or just put them on the shelf for years. Half of my games are somewhat enjoyable, but the other half are frustrating for me and/or my opponent - often both of us.

I've tried various lists and tactics, but the entire codex has ways of upsetting the Tyranid player. 40+ point, 3 wound models suffering instant death. 250 point monstrous creatures dying to a single volley of missiles. Expensive, elite troops getting crushed by basic guns AND in combat if I don't get lucky (rending). A heavy reliance on random psychic powers to accomplish basic tasks. The feeling that you have to power-game just to put up a decent fight...

I'm not bad with Tyranids. In fact, I've won most of my games with them. I'm not a mediocre player who's bitter about losing. I also admit that Tyranids are not an incredibly weak army...just incredibly frustrating to play at times. In any case, that's just my little rant.

What would you do in this situation? Have you shelved armies for years at a time, in hopes of a new codex? Would it be smart to switch to a different army (I don't want to be viewed as an army hopper)?

I can't speak for how good/bad nids are, but if your army is frustrating you that much, shelf them(if you have the moneys), or sell them and build a second/new army, it's a hobby, not a life choice. Find a cheap army, GK, SM or necrons are supposedly quite cheap to build. You never know, you might pick up some tricks in dealing with other armies as nids from playing non-nids!

Don't sell them, you'll most likely end up regretting it. I say start up a new army or take a breather from 40k. It's one of thousands of hobbies out there and you shouldn't be doing 40k it it's frustrating you!

I have 3 armies, soon to be 4, for similar reasons. If you are ggetting frustrated to the point that neither you nor your opponent is enjoying the game then maybe a new army is the way to go.

I usually switch armies every 9 to 12 months and I can't say I've ever had anyone say anything negative about it. If you are really worried about the "army hopper" stigma then just get one of the less competitive armies. Nobody's going to think you're waac if you start up tau or eldar.

Another thing you might look into is seeing if anyone in your gaming group has an extra army at home that your interested in and see if they will let you borrow it for a month or so. Sort of like a test drive. If you're lucky they may even have some unpainted models that you can paint up too.

At the end of the day this is still a game and if you and your opponent aren't having fun then something's not right.

Baronyu wrote: it's a hobby, not a life choice.

But in a way, it is.

You're probably going to be more satisfied in the long term by working hard to work things out than just dumping it altogether. Really, it's like a marriage. People who have had 3 divorces in 10 years are less happy than people who got married once and then spent 10 years struggling to get things just the way they wanted it.

Of course, having a second "mistress" army probably isn't a bad thing either, so long as you keep up the work on your main army.

 Ailaros wrote:

Baronyu wrote: it's a hobby, not a life choice.

But in a way, it is.

You're probably going to be more satisfied in the long term by working hard to work things out than just dumping it altogether. Really, it's like a marriage. People who have had 3 divorces in 10 years are less happy than people who got married once and then spent 10 years struggling to get things just the way they wanted it.

Of course, having a second "mistress" army probably isn't a bad thing either, so long as you keep up the work on your main army.

Well, what I meant was that it's a hobby, you're supposed to have fun, you don't have to stick with it just because you made the choice to go with nids.

In a way, I agree with you, some might find satisfaction in seeing that they managed to fix their 1st choice, but some might not, and at the end of the day, this is a hobby, there is no stigma in "polygamy" unlike marriage, you don't have to get a "divorce"(sell/trade) to get a new "wife"(army), a more compatible comparison would be people in more open relationship, each dating other people to "spice things up", and some says they're happier than "loyal" couples!*

*I wouldn't know, I play video games and mini-people on tabletop, I literally have a power field around me that only works on female creatures!

So OP, how many hormagaunts are you running? None? No wonder you're having trouble.

 juraigamer wrote:
So OP, how many hormagaunts are you running? None? No wonder you're having trouble.

The OP said he wins most of his games, that's not his issue. It's enjoying it. Besides, Hormagaunts got nerfed pretty good with 6e and are far from a must have unit as much as I love them. Most of the top performing Nid lists I've seen are either Hormagaunt light or have no Hormagaunts.

 juraigamer wrote:
So OP, how many hormagaunts are you running? None? No wonder you're having trouble.

Thats a little bit presumptuous don't you think? OP didn't say he was having trouble with them, OP was saying that they are a frustrating army to play as. That point aside 'Gaunts' aren't exactly the ultimate Nid unit and having more probably wouldn't make the army any less frustrating to play. My advice would be to make up a smaller force of another army (like a 1000pts), shelve your Nids until the next codex is released and just enjoy the change of tempo for a while.

I play guard. It doesn't happen.

Currently my orks are sitting on the shelf. They just got placed on there in the past month. Now my IG are back to frequent play.

Well, I shelved my Eldar and DE armies when the new rules came out.
I played DE very successful in the 3rd ed, and mech Eldar in the 4th and 5th.
Its like a divorce since I love my Eldar and I know many ways and techniques to play them successfully.

But now I'm looking forward to playing Necrons, GK, and Orks in concert (allies).

People who have had 3 divorces in 10 years are less happy than people who got married once and then spent 10 years struggling to get things just the way they wanted it.

it only works for women because after 10 years they get more after divorce then after 2-3 years.

What would you do in this situation? Have you shelved armies for years at a time, in hopes of a new codex? Would it be smart to switch to a different army (I don't want to be viewed as an army hopper)?

As for what to do , drop nids . Play necron . Impossible to not be happy playing them . If I have waited 10 years + for a new DE codex I would probably have left the game after 2-3 years. But there is a problem with nids , they have a very distinct look and game play , specialy now without flyers/ally . Other armies have it easy , switching from regular sm gunline to a necron gunline that flys . Is just replacing a weaker army with a better one .
Closest to nids in w40k were probably tide orcs[for assault nids] or blob IG[for shoty ones] . Actualy playing an IG army with stuff converted to look like a gene cult with a few actual tyranid models [counts as X , where X is what ever you like] maybe one of the better things to do.

My advice would be to make up a smaller force of another army (like a 1000pts),

that would have been a good advice in the 5th , but with flyers and ally games seem to be bit larger . I dont think I have seen any normal games or tournaments under 1500 and lot of those I did see where over 1.5k.

You never get better if you don't persevere with something until you do find *that* spark.

OTOH, sticking with something long after you have lost the love is also not a good proposition for health or happiness.

Unlike a wife, however, an army doesn't care if you get another one and put it aside. It's still going to be there when you want to come back to it.

OP, I am having the same problems with my nids as you.

So I'm selling them and starting Dark Angels because I just love the models for them in Dark Vengence!

Decimate.

I'm with others in saying that you may regret it if you sell the army, so if you can afford it, shelve them for now and build a second army. After a while you might find your Tyrannids a refreshing change and fun again -- or maybe with a new codex (whenever that might be) it will be good. You never know, I waited aeons for a new Bretonnian army book but when I finally got it it was worth the wait.

On the other hand, sometimes it turns out that an army just doesn't work for you, in which case selling is the way to go. Another WFB example, was that I bought Dwarves when Ravening Hordes came out and Bretonnia became unplayable. I love the look and fluff of Dwarves but their play style was absolutely NOT "me" (I like an aggressive, mobile). So in that instance, selling was the right thing to do.

 Testify wrote:
Decimate.

Wait I like this.

Line them up, go down the line taking 1 of every 10 models out of the line (Smash em, or shelve them...if you're no fun )

When you're done, you'll have a bunch of points free in your list so you can add a new squad or two. That'll spice up your playing experience.


Good stuff, Testify. If I ever get sick of guard, totally doing this,
-TheCaptain

I just switch between my multiple armies or games systems when I get bored. Have around 5 in 40k, 5 in Fantasy and a War of the Ring army. Means simple change when bored.

Sold mine, friend wanted them, I wasn't using them. Now he beats me regularly with them. Hmmm!?

You should stick with it. I've had the same problem. It's most like a momentary phase.

Stick with your army and it'll stick to you. You'll get more enjoyment if you do that.

Keeping your army through the bad days will make the good days all the better. I'm still on a euphoric high from when my GK codex came out and thats because of several years under the tortuous DH codex.

I've found that playing as an army I have trouble with(just a game or two) either in person or on things like vassal can help me gain perspective on their weaknesses.

I agree with the majority of the posters, saying you should shelf them and then pick up a new army, possibly one that is totally different in playstyle. It'll clear your mind as you have to think up new strategies, so when you return to nids it'll be like a fresh start.

make pretend you are a titan

if i can't seem to pull out a win with my army, i try to set new objectives for myself. think about what enemy squad you hate most, and see if you can kill it during the game. for instance, if your opponent really likes his mega nobz and trounces you with them, then set a goal of killing them with supreme prejudice in order to sour his opinion of them from that point on.

if you can't win the game you are playing, then change your criteria for winning.