he average Warhammer 40,000 army, regardless of type, is based on similar choices: hard characters, heavy weapons teams, assault specialists, transport vehicles, tanks, and basic troopers that define the army. While the details differ, the armies of the Imperium have arguably similar structures. Tyranids, on the other hand, are an alien force. They have no vehicles. They don’t follow the basic rules for Leadership. Even their weapons have different effects, depending on the stat-line of the creature wielding it.

With the wide variety of broods and swarm themes available, you need to have a general idea of how Tyranids work on the table before you can begin playing them well. While it’s certainly possible to field a bunch of close combat gribblies and hurl them headlong across the table at the enemy, a more subtle understanding of the force will improve your performance dramatically.

To get the most out of the Tyranids, you need to keep in mind some core concepts: general theory, strategy, swarm archetypes, and battlefield tactics, all of which play a critical part in fielding a truly successful swarm (I use the term “swarm” to refer specifically to Tyranid armies).

There are four basic concepts I follow when building a Tyranid swarm: numbers, focus, cloning, and synapse. All of these things should be balanced as you build your swarm, or you’ll find that your force may fail to have the survivability and effectiveness you desire.

NUMBERS: QUANTITY OVER QUALITY
Tyranids are spoiled for choice in the types of broods they can take as well as the options available to each brood. More than any other army in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Tyranids can be adapted and manipulated to your heart’s content. This mutability is a two-edged sword for the budding Tyranid general. Certain upgrades can give you a big advantage in certain battles, but the points spent on them add up, which can cause the size of your swarm to shrink.

Tyranids have strength in numbers, both in the numbers of models on the board and in the number of force slots taken (it is possible to fill all six troop slots for a meagre 240 points). With lots of bodies, you gain many advantages over a less numerous foe. You clog fire lanes, making it difficult to shoot. You have a large number of scoring broods, making it easier to claim objectives. The more broods you have, the more chances your opponent has of making a mistake and shooting the wrong one. Most importantly, seeing a large number of models on the board has a great psychological impact on your opponent. If he looks across the table and thinks, “There’s no way I can kill all of that,” you are already on the path to victory.

Quantity over quality is a concept that goes hand in hand with having large numbers of troops. Too many biomorphs and bio-weapons can begin to hurt you. With an extra point here and there across an entire swarm, suddenly you’ve spent 150-200 points on upgrades, which could have bought an extra brood or two!