Starting a Tyranid army: Colorscheme

Diving into Warhammer 40K – My First Army Choice

I've been a miniature hobbyist for over 10 years, exploring a variety of tabletop games like Warhammer Fantasy, Infinity, Frostgrave, Malifaux, and Kings of War. But my hunger for new experiences in the hobby never fades. Recently, my gaming group convinced me to dive into the deep and awesome lore of Warhammer 40K. After devouring a dozen books—especially the Horus Heresy series—I was completely drawn into the rich, grimdark universe. That’s when I decided it was time to start my first Warhammer 40K army.

Choosing Between Slaanesh and Tyranids

When picking my first 40K army, I was torn between Emperor’s Children / Slaanesh forces and Tyranids. Both factions have an amazing design and deep, intriguing lore. In the end, I chose Tyranids—not only because they are relatively easy to paint, but also because I wanted to immerse myself deeper into the universe before tackling the intricate conversions required for a Slaanesh force.

Additionally, I was fascinated by the alternative Tyranid sculpts available beyond Games Workshop’s official models. In particular, I found some stunning 3D-printed resin Tyranid designs (check out this Instagram account). The level of detail and the high-quality prints truly impressed me.

Exploring the Tyranid Color Scheme

Before committing to a full army, I experimented with two drastically different color schemes:

1. A dark Xenomorph-style scheme—inspired by the iconic alien horror aesthetic.
2. A vibrant, organic scheme—bringing out the natural and eerie alien feel of the Tyranids

After testing both, I decided to go with a brown-toned background instead of a pure black one, as it gave a richer, more organic look.

While I personally love the Xenomorph-style black, I realized that painting 100+ models in pure black would make the army look visually uninteresting from a distance—more like a dark blob than a striking force. Instead, I chose the colorful organic scheme, which not only adds more depth but also makes painting a large swarm more engaging.

First Model: Old One Eye

I couldn't wait to get started and immediately began painting Old One Eye, one of the most fearsome Tyranid HQ choices.

Such an amazing beast! The next step will be the backbone of my army—a horde of Hormagaunts, ready to swarm the battlefield!