Final Tyranid Build...Ever?

Hi folks,

Yesterday I finished, what could possibly be, the last Tyranids I will ever build. To finish off my 2000 pt Jormungandr list I needed another 3 Zoanthropes, 6 Ripper bases and a set of alternative weapons for my Hive Tyrant. I will be fielding a sneaky Tyrant on foot, protected by 3 Tyrant Guard and a Malanthrope. The main reason for this is to pack as many of my snake-themed Nids in as possible.

Friday night was spent on the couch watching Netflix and assembling the Zoanthropes. They fit together beautifully, much easier than the bad old days of slicking metal pieces to my fingers (but not each other) and bending thin resin pieces with hot water. I opened up my new Swiss Army Knife for these guys, and managed to give myself 3 or 4 very shallow cuts; I'm not use to the sharpness!

I have loved every sculpt GW has released of the Zoanthrope. The original beefcake variant was so awesome in 2nd Edition, I wish I could have gotten hold of one. The psychic phase was its own mini game in those days and these guys used to pop heads a-plenty.

Come at me bro

The new 3rd Edition model was a stark departure from this design. It was based on the idea that Nids used the genetic material from other species to bolster their powers, so the Zoanthropes were composed mostly of Eldar giblets. The head of the Zoanthrope was decidedly Eldar Wraithguard in design, which I thought was a clever idea. I still use one of these models, with some extra green stuff for brains, as a neurothrope.

The next step in the evolution of the Zoanthrope streamlined the head and added some more bulk to it. I have some of these guys in metal and some in Finecast, which all required bending at the base of the tail. On a hot day they still get a bit droopy, but I still love the design.

I am really impressed with the new figures, they have retained the aesthetic of the previous designs with the addition of larger head armour and creepier mouth and claw designs. That sneaky bastard grin of the 2nd Edition Zoanthrope is back!

Once these guys are painted, I can't see that I will have much motivation to do any more Tyranids. I have a few armies to get finished, and then I want to get playing. After that... who knows...?

See you across the table,

Marc