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The Tyranids of Leviathan Painted by the Warhammer Community

Untold numbers of Tyranids are cruising into the galaxy with the release of Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan, getting ready to gorge themselves on mountains of delicious biomass. The Hive Mind* sent out the call, and hobbyists from across the Warhammer community have answered – by painting these alien beasts in a range of delightful colours

We received a whole Hive Fleet’s worth of wonderfully painted miniatures, far too many to fit them all in one article – thanks to everyone who took part.

40k TYRUGC Jun13 Group1

40k TYRUGC Jun13 Group4

We’ll start things off with an overwhelming display of chitin and scything talons from the four hobby heroes who painted the whole set. Andrew Haywood and Matthew Herrington from Goonhammer both stepped up to the plate and provided us with two purple-hued halves of Leviathan. 

Colin Ward’s Tyranids look especially menacing with their shiny black carapace, pale flesh, and gory red accents, while Chris from The Unrelenting Brush has gone with a sinister scheme that bears a menacing resemblance to Hive Fleet Behemoth.

The newly invigorated Screamer-Killer proved extra popular, presumably because he gives such incredible hugs. Thor Intararangson turned this beast into a canvas for exquisite organic textures, while Emma Svensson provided her usual prismatic feast for the eyes. Tim Davis and Rachel Redmond went with pale-skinned killers with cool carapaces, while Jessia Smart opted for a classic two-colour combo of green and purple.

40k TYRUGC Jun13 Prime3

The Winged Tyranid Prime swooped into our painters’ hearts. Daniel Rodenberg from Goonhammer went for a dashing red and black combo, Jessica Smart painted a green and purple companion for her Screamer-killer, and Stephanie Flores combined red shading with a grotesque green carapace to great effect on her gory, forbidding Prime.

40k TYRUGC Jun13 Monsters3

Big beasties like the Neurotyrant provided ample opportunities for painters like Emma Durrant and Kerry Liddell to show off their painting prowess. Stephanie Flores also applied clever contrast shadows and highlights to the Psychophage.

40k TYRUGC Jun13 Termagants1

40k TYRUGC Jun13 Termagants2

No matter the Hive Fleet, you can’t have a swarm of Tyranids with… well, a swarm. Termagants are perfect fodder, the closest thing the Hive Mind has to foot soldiers. Darcy Bono and Vincent Knotley have painted theirs with an absolute smorgasbord of different colours – though Knotley takes the crown for sheer numbers.

40k TYRUGC Jun13 Leaper3

Plenty of other bio-organisms make up the Tyranid invasion fleets – such as the voracious vanguard creatures known only as Von Ryan’s Leapers. Two opposing versions arrived courtesy of Jon Gómez from Pintureando Miniatures and Darcy Bono – the former decked out in cool colours that look a little bit like Hive Fleet Tiamet, the latter with a crisp crimson chitin and pale skin that’ll be familiar to fans of Hive Fleet Kraken.

Synapse creatures can also now extend the reach of their synaptic control through scuttling Neurogaunts, and Richard Gray painted a chunky Nodebeast up to his usual immaculate standards.

What colour will you paint your own Tyranid miniatures? Let us know over on the official Warhammer Community Twitter and Facebook pages.

* Or more specifically, the Warhammer Community postal service.