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.

Hello,

I'm very new to the game and have the current models:sets

Wrath of the Hive Mind
Deathstorm Shield of Baal
1 Drop pod
1 sporocyst + 1 mucoloid

I built the tervigon, and for the hive tyrant I used wings.

With the above listed, what kind of army should I be putting together? I think at this point I'm more interested in putting as many big creatures on the table as possible. Appreciate any advice.

You,ve got a good start.

The current "gold standard" for Hive Tyrant is, Wings, Twin Devourers x2 Brain Leeches, and a Thorax hive with Electro grubs for 240 points it does just about anything, and is a Lvl 2 psyche.

The Carnifex is currently "best" with the same equip. (Twin Brain Leeches) for 150

If you run a Tervigon, I strongly suggest a Thorax hive with Electro grubs, any additional tends to end up as a poor buy. Then build a unit of Termagants x30 so you can take it as Troops. If you get Hive Commander, you can Outflank it. That can put a lot of pressure on your foe.

Warriors are pretty dang expensive, so a very popular way to build them is two "vanilla", and one with a Cannon (I prefer the Strangle Cannon) for 100 points.

Once you get a few games in you can start filling out...Formations are very good for Nids, and both Elite and Heavy produce very good results.

I would suggest a second (and/or a third) Carnifex, and/or a Mawloc, for the Heavies.

For the Elites two Broods of Venos give exelent Shrouding, and a Brood of Zoeys seldom disappoint. If you use Forge World the Malanthrope is a much better version of the Venothrope. I also recommend some Hormagaunts to provide a screen for the Big Bugs, I find them very useful.

Good luck! And welcome to the Hive Mind!

Thanks for the info and the good advice. I'm not sure what a thorax hive is though...is that like wargear or a psychic..or some type of model.

Appreciate all the help. I think eventually it would be fun to have all big monsters. Not sure how that would play out but I love the big models.

Thorax hives are template weapons with various effects, I personally take the electroshock grubs version for the haywire (and a cover ignoring template never hurts for like 10 points)

philosopherking wrote:
Thanks for the info and the good advice. I'm not sure what a thorax hive is though...is that like wargear or a psychic..or some type of model.

Appreciate all the help. I think eventually it would be fun to have all big monsters. Not sure how that would play out but I love the big models.

It's a Biomod, it is mostly limited to "HQ" quality Big Bugs. My fav is the Electroshock Grubs, S5 AP5 Haywire Template, just plain Awesome. The Shredder Beetles are pretty good, and are better vs Space Marines, but Haywire trumps all. The third choice is a Poison Template (Dessicater) it wounds on a 2+, but Nids have no problem with doing lots of Wounds. It's bypassing AV, and saves that produce issues.

It only runs 10 points, it is so good I consider it a "must buy" for any Big Bug that can take one. Look at the indivigual write ups to see who can take one.

It is also REALLY worth looking into the leviathan data slates. They have a lot of neat options in the form of new versions of units and formations which can both get you some bonuses you wouldn't normally have access to and free up some slots on your detachment to bring in some extra heavies or whatever.

I built a living artillery node. Exocrine/3 biovore/warrior brood with the other units in the warriors synapse gaining the ability to re-roll scatter and pinning on all their attacks. Pinning can be VERY useful for nids.

It's also worth noting that Nids are pretty damn easy to kit bash if you are interested in doing so. You can make some of the forge world models for a fraction of the cost from bits you can buy off e bay on the cheap. Since they are all organic they are super easy to blend parts together. I have a few kit bashes/conversions in my blog in my signature if you want to see some of them. So far it has been my favorite part.

Going to say that thorax hives don't have to be represented on the model. There's no chest maggots add on that I know of.

And it's a good idea to have more Termagants. Keep in mind that the average Tervigon can poop out twenty Termagants. I think the average is 22 models? Which means of course that you need 22+ physical models for that average, and you're SOL if you make more and don't have the actual models to put on the table.

For now, gameplay wise, look at putting your Carnifex in the Tyrannocyte, keeping the Sporocyte somewhere in the middle to push out the Synapse bubble if need be and keep your Tervigon safer for longer. Warriors work well in groups of five but three can survive with their own brood of little bugs as a sort of splinter group doing their own thing. Use them as bullies to pick off flanking units or tie them up and basically block off the opponent's plan. Only addon I use is Deathspitters and a Venom Cannon and I get a good return from them with a brood or two of small bugs.