Tau and Tyranids, why do they always seem to come hand in hand?

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**Tarnag**

Something I've noticed more and more is that it seems that if a Tau or Tyranid player has more than one army, they have both of them. Why is that?

I'm guilty of it too, I've got two armies, and they're Tau and Tyranids (started with Nids then got a small Tau collection that has now surpassed the bugs). What is it about these two armies that seem to make collectors get them both?

**Ratius**

Havent noticed the trend myself but some obvious answers are

Technology VS flesh
Long range pewpew VS (supposed) hand to hand lethality
Past fluff battles they have had
New race VS old intergalactic predator.

In other words they are two diametrically opposed factions which can be fun to play against. Especially the ranged VS hand to hand aspect (which mind you 7th has made waaaay one sided but hey).

**eskimo**

Not seen it myself. I dislike Tau. The Nid players i know don't have Tau, and the Tau players don't have Nids.

Patterns vary in areas...

**Antario**

Both Nids and Tau are closer to 'hard scifi' rather than fantasy races in space setting so I guess both these armies are likely to appeal to sci-fi fans. Not to mention that high tech armies vs bio engineered monsters is a common trope in genre literature and movies, they are natural adversaries.

**Nightlord1987**

Maybe the opposites attract theory? Mecha vs bio. Sit and shoot vs run and stab. But here are similarities. Both armies rely on synergy and support for eachother.

After all the hive mind believes in a greater good too....

**SharkoutofWata**

It's tempting. Having nearly no guns in my entire Nid army worth a damn and not being able to get into the Assault without hemorrhaging units hand over fist, Tau are appealing. Ignores Cover, Twin Linked AP2 Str 6 Spam via a Buffmander and squad is pretty friggin good. Long range artillary type units are also very attractive. It's a switch that fits in more with the current Meta and has familiar elements.

**jifel**

Perhaps some Nid players are subject to the "if you can't beat em, join em" mentality. After all, Nids are nigh unplayable in the current meta, with 2 strong lists and a few variants that are actually competitive, while Tau has a new book and some kickass rules to boot. Or, the absolute opposite in playstyle while still being distinctly sci-fi armies is another cause. Personally, I play Nids and don't own a Tau model, and I haven't seen that trend in my local meta, but I could understand it and I'll admit Tau suit armies appeal to me.

**blaktoof**

because they start with the letter T.

T_T

the tears you will cry when they crush you.

**Frozocrone**

I just fancied a change.
I originally had Tyranids, then DE, then Orks. BA or WS for HH.
Also got some Tau super cheap so hey wynaut.

**ShaneTB**

Never seen this. I've just started Tyranids but strongly dislike the Tau aesthetic.

Edit: It was them or Dark Eldar and the "Start Collecting!" box made the choice for me.

**Gamgee**

My primary opponent is a Nids/Ork player. It was as if fate was meant to be.

I like it actually. Makes it feel epic and fluffy. Funny thing in all those topics "what are your favorite races" ect. Mine was Tau, DE, Necron, Tyranids, and Orks. In that order. So yes if I was ever mega rich and had time someday I would hope to have my own Nids list.

**Lord Ruby34**

This is me. Kind of. I started with Tau, but my second army is going to be Nids. It's exactly what people suggested, both of these armies are more Sci-fi than fantasy and are opposed enough to make sure they feel distinct from one another.

**ChiliPowderKeg**

I haven't seen this yet
So far with multi army nid players I've met it's been

Nids/Nurgle Marines
Nids/ Classic/Modern mix Orkz
Nids/Ultra Marines
Nids/Khorne Daemons

**Drasius**

Many players choose a second army to do something quite different to their first army. Tau and nids are generally opposite ends of the spectrum (though now both are about spamming shooty monstrous creatures), so that could be it, but I can't say I've noticed a single player here with both tau and nids who doesn't already have 10 other armies too.

**Quickjager**

I'd say your sample size is too small to make calls like that.

**AllSeeingSkink**

Yeah I've never noticed that. I myself collect 'Nids, Space Wolves, Orks. I've mildly considered collecting Eldar and Necrons. Never Tau.

**X078**

For me it's Kaiju vs Jaeger, lots of "big" units. Also aesthetics and fluff. The more "realistic" level of the ultimate evolutionary alien species vs cutting edge scifi mechas is more appealing than IoM "Technology is heresy, lets use this zombie brain as a cpu even though we don't really know how it works thingy..."
Other than Tau/Tyranids my other choice would be Eldar/Necron as they are in my view, fluff-wise, the other direct opposite but on a bit more "ancient ones" -level, think Shadows/Drakh vs Vorlons/Minbari in Babylon5.

**casvalremdeikun**

I have noticed more Chaos Space Marines and Nids going hand in hand.

**Sinful Hero**

Haven't seen any definite patterns myself.

I'm Tyranids and Dark Eldar, so there's another point on the chart.

**MechaEmperor7000**

I technically fall into that, but it's because i have every army except SoBs.

**Amoras**

I got Tyranids and Dark eldar,

Slow big close range vs Fast small at long range.

**Gamgee**

I got some DE as well. Pure evil to the Tau's good.

**Kanluwen**

casvalremdeikun wrote:
I have noticed more Chaos Space Marines and Nids going hand in hand.

Truthfully, it tends towards being based upon when someone got into the game and what the local meta is.