Today we’re looking at the Tyranid Combat Patrol box, continuing our series of 1,000 point start armies using the Combat Patrol boxes as our base.

I’ve put links throughout this article to buy the items at Element Games (UK only), but hopefully you’ve got a FLGS nearby who can also help. If you buy from Element Games, you also help Woehammer as we get a small affiliate bonus.

Combat Patrol Beginners Armies
Aeldari (Eldar)
Adeptus Sororitas
Blood Angels
Orks

Combat Patrol Tyranid

Like the other boxes the Combat Patrol box is filled with goodies and makes for fantastic savings when you’re starting out in collecting an army for 40k. They are RRP of £90 (or local equivalent), but most FLGSs provide a discount on this.

Inside the box you get:

Hive Tyrant (£36)
3 x Tyranid Warriors (£35)
36 x Termagaunts (£63)
3x Ripper Swarms (included on Termagaunts sprues)

That’s a total of £134 if you were buying these kits separately, meaning you get a saving of £44.00

To add to this boxed set, we’re going to add a few extra units that’ll give you something different to paint and expand your synapse.

• 3 x Tyranid Warriors (£36)
• Tervigon (£36)

Meaning that the total army including Codex: Tyranids comes to a total of £238.50.

Element Games provides this all at discount, meaning the whole lot including the book will cost you just £165 – that’s not much more than the RRP of the models in the Combat Patrol box.

The Army List

This is the list I’ve come up with

HQ
Swarmlord – 240 points
Tyranid Prime – 90 points
Tervigon – 215 points

Troops
5 Tyranid Warriors – 155 points
12 Termagaunts – 84 points
12 Termagaunts – 84 points
12 Termagaunts – 84 points

Fast Attack
3 Ripper Swarms

997 points
(depending on loadouts)

Swarmlord

This is our first of 3 HQ choices – perhaps overkill but we need the synapse – and he’s a close combat monster. This kit will allow you to assemble a Hive Tyrant, or a winged Hive Tyrant instead but with all the Termagaunts, who doesn’t want this hunk of awesome to lead them.

13 wounds, with a 4+ invunerable save and only Melee weapons… but with 9 attacks, damage 3 and -4 AP. He’s slicing and dicing almost anything in the game and even Terminators are relying on their invulnerable saves.

In addition (what a phrase) he’s a two power psyker and ignores the first damaging hit in combat. In a 1,000 point game he’s definitely going to be a target.

Tyranid Prime

So this is more of a niche choice, but he’s here because I’ve got a unit of 5 Tyranid Warriors so I’ve got one left over. Just ensure he’s obviously different, watch your opponent panic and get the rest of the army in. Seriously he’s just a Primaris Captain for the ‘Nids and they are ten a penny.

However he makes a great painting opportunity and a good model to practice on before you do the Swarmlord.

Tervigon

Much like the Swarmlord, I’ve chosen this because of the number of Termagaunts… the Tervigon get’s you more! But if you’re bored of them you can build it as a Tyrannofex.

The Tervigon also has 17 wounds, so he’ll either drag shooting from the Swarmlord, or be the one left when you get in close and brutal… but as mentioned above he helps the Termagaunts… a lot

You could get another box of Termagaunts for his once per battle, but yours are going to die getting to the enemy so you’ll be fine.

Tyranid Warriors

Not everyone likes them but the models are iconic which is why I’ve bought another 3 of them… so there are 6. As above one of them is our Prime for Synapse coverage, but the other 5 are in one unit.

I use these for the ranged threat… so Venom Cannon and Deathspitters are my choice — but of course you can make your own choice if you prefer different load-outs.

None of the options will set the world alight, but they allow the Warriors to hold some more distant objectives but still contribute to killing the enemy. Plus… they are Assault weapons so you can move and shoot.

Termagaunts

36 Termagaunts… 36! I love hordes and this is awesome… what a box! Of course you may not be so keen especially as a new player and here Contrast Paint is your friend. Have a play with some options and chose a paint scheme you are happy with.

I’m a fan of the spinefists, but the devourers are also good and allow the Termagaunts to provide a similar role to the Tyranid Warriors. Spinefists mean you’re going to be getting closer to the enemy – which may backfire.

You also get them coming back with the Tervigon.

WHAT NEXT?

There are two main ways to take the army… monsters or more troops. Monsters are Carnifexes, Haruspexes, a Tyrannofex or a Toxicrene. The names may be confusing, but you’ll have it down in no time.

Other options are foot troops and you’ll need Hormagaunts… and Genestealers for more combat punch!

Remember you can purchase these at your FLGS or local supply source, but if you’re in the UK and fancy helping Woehammer out, you can use Element Games!

I hope you enjoyed this, how would you build a 1,000 point list from the Combat Patrol Box? There may well be aspects of the codex or units that I have not included that you think should be, so why not let us know in the comments below.

Declan and Eeyore