Hive Fleet Inbound

Hey, Pete here again with more ramblings on army building for Warhammer 40,000.

After my previous post and the feedback, I got thinking about the build of my new Tyranid army and wondered what everyone else looks for at the start of a project like this?

For me, this is the third time I've had a crack at the 'Nids and because of the two previous failed attempts, I was reluctant to pick up the latest version of the codex. Still, having flicked through it at GGUK's 40k singles tournament last October and discovered some of the new options, I figured I'd give it a go again.

I've always liked the Tyranids since getting into the hobby in the late 90s; the list offered the chance to recreate scenes out of Starship Troopers, Aliens and so on. For me, this lot are the ultimate bad guys, sucking life out of the universe bit-by-bit, and that, in miniature form anyway, is pretty cool.

However, I was always a little put off by the amount of metal figures I'd need to make up the army. I really enjoy working with plastics and the versatility they offer, but I’ve never clicked with metal figures. As a guide, I don't usually buy a metal model with more than 3 pieces; similarly, a unit made up entirely of metal figures is a bit of a turn off too. Now that the Gargoyles are available in plastic and ‘Gaunts are in more useful sets, I could build 99% of an 'authentic' and un-beardy 'Nid swarm (see previous blog entry!) with plastic figures.

The other real draw of my V3.0 Tyranid army is that it also offers up the opportunity to indulge in a bit of kit-bashing, to put together a few unusual pieces with some of my favourite components that I’ve had in my mind for a while, but never had a real reason to build. This has further evolved into a bit of a narrative that will run through the army. Inquisitor Kovaq (who has turned out looking a lot like my Dad...) and his inducted guard platoon are investigating a disturbance and wandering into the middle of a bad day. I'm using these models as Ripper Swarms, representing the Parasite of Mortrex's 'The Sarge is Acting Strangely' rule.

So, this time, I've written the whole list and acquired everything I need, courtesy of Santa, Kids Dreams and a raid on the bitz box. Once it's all assembled (100+ models in the starting line-up...) I’ll spray the whole thing with a base colour, paint the bases and then get it on the table for a few games. Ultimately, I want to have it ready to invade GGUK 40k GTTwo later this year, so fingers crossed.

Here are some snaps of the custom Parasite of Mortrex and the Hive Tyrant (the only exception to the three piece metal rule and the only figure I've needed a bunch of drill bits and 240 volts to sort out); there are plenty more to come. I’d like to hear your thoughts on army building and narratives too. For more information on the 2011 tournament schedule don't hesitate to contact us!

Pete of Team Gambit