A hive that grew on a sub-zero temperature planet.
When we look at Warhammer 40k Tyranid artboxes, they are very often shown in a single color. Well, usually two, but you get the idea.
Generally, when you think of them, you picture darker purple and bone white. That’s because they come from the Leviathan Fleet, probably the most well-known in the lore. We’ve painted a Leviathan fleet before here.
Tyranids are not only numerous, they also exist on countless, highly diverse planets. And many of these planets have been completely stripped of biomass by them. This means that they adapt genetically to the biomass they consume.
So we started imagining how these creatures might look from different corners of the galaxy. And we were most drawn to the concept of the Hive, that stripped down a dozen frozen worlds.
Why frozen worlds? We literally just looked out the window. At the time of writing, there’s a lot of snow and it’s -10°C.
So, we decided to paint a Warhammer 40k Tyranid army in winter colors!
Meet the Swarm - What’s in the Tyranids Army?
Before we move on to painting, let’s take a look at the composition of our future winter army.
It consists of many unique units, both large and extremely dangerous.
Main Predators of the Hive
The main units in our Hive are Mawloc, Norn Emissary, and Psychophage.
The Mawloc, a subterranean entity, bursts from below the battlefield, sending shockwaves of terror through enemy lines. The Norn Emissary acts as both a commander and enforcer, an extension of the Hive Mind itself, orchestrating the battlefield with psychic dominance. Meanwhile, the Psychophage prowls the battlefield in search of psykers, feasting upon their power.
Masters of Terror and Psionic Domination
The Horrors of the Hive is a combined unit of Screamer-Killer, Neurotyrant, and two Neuroloids, acting as support units for the entire army.
Alongside them lurk two masterful assassins: Deathleaper and Neurolictor. They specialize in the swift elimination of single targets.
The Horrors of the Hive is a combined unit of Screamer-Killer, Neurotyrant, and two Neuroloids, acting as support units for the entire army.
Alongside them lurk two masterful assassins: Deathleaper and Neurolictor. They specialize in the swift elimination of single targets.
The Core Swarm and Heavy Artillery
The units that handle the dirty work are Biovore, Tyranid Warriors, and Neurogaunts. The Biovore unleash devastating long-range barrages, while the Tyranid Warriors serve as the army’s backbone, using a mix of melee and ranged combat. Lastly, the Neurogaunts act as the cannon fodder of the hive. Their one goal is to engage in direct combat with ranged units to block them.
The Painting Process - Cold-Blooded Perfection of our Warhammer 40k Tyranids Army
Painting such a large army required a special approach. On one hand, we wanted to create something completely original (which meant a lack of proper references), while on the other, it needed consistency so that an army with such diverse units would still look like it belongs together.
Ewelina, our Senior Artist, took on the challenge. She recalls the early stages of the project:
“First, I had to think through the entire process and simply write it down. I wanted the army to look like a unified whole. Each of these models was unique, and at the beginning, I wondered how to repeat the painting process on every figure while still preserving the distinctive elements of each one.”
Ewelina – Senior Artist
“First, I had to think through the entire process and simply write it down. I wanted the army to look like a unified whole. Each of these models was unique, and at the beginning, I wondered how to repeat the painting process on every figure while still preserving the distinctive elements of each one.”
From the plan to execution
Once the entire plan was in place, it was time to put it into action. Ewelina started by selecting the base colors to make painting the details easier.
“I specifically wanted to use a light primer. I went with Electric Blue from Vallejo because it gave me the base color right away, and all I had to do afterward was filter it by layering additional coats. The details and the unique matte effect across the entire army came from speedpaints and their pastel counterparts. The red elements on the models, however, were done using more traditional paints.”
Ewelina – Senior Artist
“I specifically wanted to use a light primer. I went with Electric Blue from Vallejo because it gave me the base color right away, and all I had to do afterward was filter it by layering additional coats. The details and the unique matte effect across the entire army came from speedpaints and their pastel counterparts. The red elements on the models, however, were done using more traditional paints.”
However, that wasn’t the biggest challenge.
“The hardest part was achieving the ‘clean’ Tyranid look. In sub-zero temperatures, everything freezes and has a much cleaner appearance. I wanted every detail, edge, and recess to be as sharp and precise as possible. So each of these elements required an exceptional level of accuracy from me.”
Ewelina – Senior Artist
The result? A Tyranid army that looks like it just crawled out of an ice storm, ready to consume anything in its path.
Ready to Face the Hive?
And that’s it! We hope you enjoyed checking out our (literally) cool project. This Warhammer 40k Tyranids army was a real challenge, but also a lot of fun to create.
Got your own army but no time (or patience) to paint it? We’ve got you covered.
Check out our gallery to see what we’ve worked on, and if you’ve got an idea for a project, just shoot us a message!
