Warhammer 40k Tyranids Army Guide: Complete 10th Edition Tactics & List-Building

This Tyranids Army Guide for Warhammer 40k breaks down everything you need to know to field the Great Devourer in 10th edition, from datasheets and detachments to list-building and on-table tactics. Whether you’re a new hive mind player or a returning veteran, this guide shows you how to build, paint, and play a Tyranids army that actually wins games. We’ll cover the best unit roles, playstyles, combos, and common mistakes so you can get the most out of Tyranids in Warhammer 40k right now.

If you want an army that looks like a sci‑fi horror movie and plays like a relentless swarm, Tyranids in Warhammer 40k are your faction. This Tyranids Army Guide is built for 10th edition and aimed squarely at players who want clear, practical advice that translates directly to the tabletop. We’ll walk through what makes Tyranids tick, how to build a list around your preferred playstyle, and how to actually pilot the swarm without getting shot off the board.

By the end, you’ll know what core units to buy, how to organize your force, what the faction’s main strengths and weaknesses are, and how to avoid the most common traps new Tyranids players fall into.

What Is A Tyranids Army In Warhammer 40k?

A Tyranids army in Warhammer 40k represents a single force of the Great Devourer: a star‑spanning swarm of bio‑engineered organisms that exist for one reason—consume everything. On the table, that translates into:

• Mass infantry swarms backed by elite monsters and psychic support.
• Biomorph customization (weapons and upgrades that change a unit’s role).
• Relentless board control through speed, numbers, and synapse auras.

Mechanically, a Tyranids army is about overwhelming your opponent with pressure. You rush, Deep Strike, and flood objectives while forcing tough target‑priority decisions: deal with the big monsters or the horde that’s already on their doorstep.

Unlike elite, low‑model armies, you’re usually playing lots of models, with multiple overlapping buffs. That makes Tyranids rewarding but also punishing if you misposition or let key buff units die.

Core Tyranids Rules And Concepts In Warhammer 40k

Before building a Tyranids army, you need to understand a few faction‑defining mechanics that shape every list and every turn.

Synapse: The Psychic Nerve Net

Synapse is the signature Tyranid mechanic. Certain units (like Hive Tyrants, Warriors, Zoanthropes) project a Synapse aura. Units inside Synapse typically gain improved Leadership and immunity or resistance to negative Battle‑shock effects, depending on the exact rules snapshot you’re playing with.

In practical terms:

• Synapse units are your command backbone. Lose them and your army’s reliability tanks.
• Your swarm wants to operate in “Synapse bubbles.” Avoid letting key units drift outside those zones unless it’s for a crucial play.

Shadow in the Warp

Shadow in the Warp represents the psychic pressure of a Tyranid invasion. In 10th edition, it typically lets you trigger an army‑wide effect that can debuff enemy Leadership or force Battle‑shock tests.

Use it to:

• Disrupt enemy scoring by Battle‑shocking units on objectives.
• Stack mental pressure at key moments (e.g., before a major charge or shooting phase).

Detachments And Army Rules

In 10th edition, your Tyranids Army Guide needs to revolve around detachments. A detachment is a rules package: an army trait, stratagems, enhancements (relic‑style upgrades), and sometimes special unit interactions.

Common Tyranid detachment archetypes include:

• Invasion Fleet – The all‑rounder “default” detachment: balanced tools for melee, shooting, and board control.
• Hive Tendril‑style Swarm Detachments – Focus on mass infantry, Gaunts, and “weight of numbers.”
• Monster‑Heavy Detachments – Lean into Carnifexes, Tyrants, and other big beasts, often gaining durability or damage boosts.
• Psychic/Shadow‑Focused Builds – Amplify Shadow in the Warp and psychic mortal output via Zoanthropes, Neurotyrants, and support beasts.

Exactly which named detachments are legal or best will shift with balance updates, but the core idea stands: pick a detachment that aligns with how you want to play, then build your list to exploit its strengths.

Building A Tyranids Army List In Warhammer 40k

Let’s break down list‑building from the ground up: what you should bring, why it matters, and how it all fits together.

Step 1: Choose Your Playstyle

Broadly, Tyranids armies fall into three main playstyles, and your list should commit to one (with a minor secondary plan):

1. Swarm Horde – Dozens of Termagants and Hormagaunts, backed by Synapse and cheap monsters.
2. Monster Mash – Multiple big threats: Hive Tyrant, Carnifex broods, Trygon/Mawloc, Exocrine, etc.
3. Balanced Invasion – A mix of mid‑sized units: Warriors, Tyranid Primes, a few big monsters, plus gaunts for scoring.

If you’re just starting, the Balanced Invasion style is the easiest to learn with and upgrade over time.

Step 2: Core Units Your Tyranids Army Should Include

Think of your list in layers: Core Troops, Synapse Backbone, Threat Pieces, and Utility.

Core Troops

• Termagants – Ranged gaunts with fleshborers, devourers, or other biomorph guns. Great for:
  • Screening your key units.
  • Cheap objective holders.
  • Throwing lots of dice from mid‑range.
• Hormagaunts – Melee gaunts with high speed and lots of attacks. Best for:
  • Early objective grabs.
  • Tagging enemy shooting units in combat.
  • Chaining back into Synapse while stretching across the board.

Synapse Backbone

• Hive Tyrant / Winged Hive Tyrant – Your iconic commander. Strong Synapse aura and respectable combat/shooting. Great as a centerpiece model.
• Tyranid Warriors – Mid‑sized Synapse units with flexible weapon options (ranged or melee). Excellent “glue” units that hold your battle line together.
• Zoanthropes – Psychic Synapse beasts with high mortal wound output at range and strong buffs. More fragile than Warriors but hit hard where it matters.
• Neurotyrant / Neurogaunts – Often the best Shadow in the Warp support, projecting large synaptic influence and leadership debuffs.

Threat Pieces (Monsters)

• Carnifexes – Customizable murder‑bugs. Can be built for melee, shooting, or hybrid. Cheap enough to take in multiples.
• Exocrine – Long‑range anti‑elite shooting platform. Great into power armor and elite infantry.
• Tyrannofex – Big gun, big carapace. Strong into tanks and hard targets depending on weapon loadout.
• Trygon / Mawloc – Burrowing monsters with Deep Strike plays, perfect for mid‑game objective flanks or disruption.
• Harpy / Hive Crone (if available in your rules set) – Fast flying monsters for bombing runs and harassment.

Utility And Specialists

• Genestealers – Stealthy melee infiltrators. Great for early pressure, flanking, and objective denial.
• Lictors / Deathleaper – Lone‑operatives, deep striking, mission‑playing assassins. Essential for scoring secondary objectives and threatening characters.
• Gargoyles – Flying gaunts good for screening, tagging, and quick objective flips.

Step 3: Rough Tyranids Army Template (2000 Points)

Exact points costs change with every balance update, but a solid 2,000‑point Tyranids skeleton might look like:

• 1–2 HQ Synapse anchors – Hive Tyrant, Neurotyrant.
• 2–4 Troop units – Mix of Termagants and Hormagaunts for board control.
• 2–3 Synapse support units – Warriors, Zoanthropes.
• 2–4 Monsters – Carnifexes, Exocrine, Trygon, etc.
• 1–3 Utility units – Lictors, Genestealers, Gargoyles.

From there, dial up or down the swarm vs monster ratio depending on your chosen detachment and personal preference.

How A Tyranids Army Plays On The Table In Warhammer 40k

A Tyranids Army Guide isn’t complete unless you know what this faction actually feels like to play. Here’s how a typical game flows.

Early Game: The Swarm Surges

Turn 1–2 is about positioning and board control:

• Advance gaunts onto mid‑board objectives, ideally in cover and within Synapse.
• Use speed from Hormagaunts, Gargoyles, or Genestealers to threaten mid‑board early.
• Hide monsters behind terrain as much as possible until they can safely engage.
• Deploy Lictors or Deep Strike threats to pressure back‑line units and force your opponent to screen.

Your goal: control space, not necessarily kill things yet.

Mid Game: The Killing Fields

Turns 2–4 are where Tyranids shine. You start committing your heavy hitters and layering buffs:

• Trigger Shadow in the Warp at a key moment to disrupt scoring and leadership.
• Charge with Hormagaunts and monsters into high‑value targets, using gaunts to “tag” enemy guns.
• Use Zoanthropes and Exocrine/Tyrannofex fire to delete priority threats.
• Keep Synapse bubbles overlapping so units fighting at the edges still benefit from leadership and buffs.

This is where you trade units: you will lose lots of models, but if you’ve positioned well, you’ll trade up—your cheap gaunts for their expensive elite units or vehicles.

Late Game: The Lingering Swarm

By turn 5, both armies are usually battered. Tyranids want to:

• Have enough small units left to sit on objectives.
• Keep at least one Synapse unit alive to stabilize your remaining forces.
• Use any surviving Lictors or fast units to snatch last‑minute points.

A well‑played Tyranids army often wins by mission points even if you’ve taken heavy casualties. If the enemy can’t leave their deployment zone because of constant pressure, you usually outscore them.

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Tyranids In Warhammer 40k

Tyranids Strengths

• Insane Board Control – Swarms of cheap bodies plus fast units mean you can contest multiple objectives early.
• Flexible Threat Profiles – You can tailor your army: anti‑tank monsters, hordes of infantry, psychic damage, or a mix.
• Layered Synergy – Synapse, Shadow in the Warp, and buffs from units like Zoanthropes can stack into powerful combos.
• Psychological Pressure – Tyranids look scary and usually play aggressively, which can force opponents into mistakes.

Tyranids Weaknesses

• Reliance On Synapse – Lose Synapse units and your army becomes much more fragile and unreliable.
• Swingy Durability – Individually, gaunts die easily. Even monsters can evaporate under concentrated anti‑tank fire.
• High Model Count – More models = more time to move and manage, especially for newer players.
• Vulnerable To Heavy Shooting Alpha Strikes – Gunline armies that can see you early may delete key monsters before they contribute.

Key Tyranids Army Synergies And Combos

A strong Tyranids Army Guide has to focus on synergy. Tyranids don’t function as isolated units; they work as a coordinated swarm. Here are some core combo concepts.

Synapse + Swarm

Basic but critical: keep gaunts and other low‑Leadership units in Synapse. This minimizes Battle‑shock issues and keeps your front line reliable.

• Advance Termagants/Hormagaunts forward while Warriors or a Tyrant trail just behind.
• Use terrain to hide Synapse from direct fire while their aura still reaches your frontline.

Shadow in the Warp + Objective Play

Time your Shadow in the Warp to hit when:

• Enemy units are standing on multiple objectives.
• They’re spread out and more likely to fail Battle‑shock tests.

Battle‑shocked enemies often lose Objective Control potential, making it easier for your smaller, numerous units to steal objectives even against tougher enemies.

Monster Threat Saturation

If you run a Monster Mash‑style Tyranids army:

• Bring several big threats (Carnifexes, Tyrant, Trygon) so your opponent can’t just delete the only scary model turn 1.
• Stagger your monsters behind gaunt screens so they can’t be easily charged or shot without dealing with chaff first.

The idea is to overwhelm their anti‑tank fire. If they can kill two big monsters per turn, you want to present four or five.

Practical Tips And Strategies For Your Tyranids Army

• Use Screens Intelligently – Always have at least one layer of gaunts in front of your monsters to block charges and deny Deep Strike zones.
• Measure Synapse Constantly – During your movement phase, check which units will still be in range after you move and charge.
• Commit In Waves – Don’t send your entire army in one massive alpha strike unless you’re sure it works. Stagger threats so your opponent can’t answer everything at once.
• Exploit Terrain – Hug line‑of‑sight blocking terrain with your monsters; let small gaunts peek out to hold points while staying in cover.
• Identify Priority Targets Early – Ask: “What can kill my Hive Tyrant or Exocrine in one turn?” Focus fire on those threats first.
• Reserve And Deep Strike Wisely – Put Lictors, Trygons, or Genestealers in reserve to threaten weak flanks or home objectives mid‑game, not just blind alpha strikes.

Common Mistakes Players Make With Tyranids Armies

Even smart players bungle their first few games with Tyranids. Avoid these frequent errors.

1. Overextending Out Of Synapse

It’s tempting to rush everything forward. But if gaunts or mid‑sized units sprint outside Synapse, they become significantly more fragile and likely to fail Battle‑shock. That can cost you objectives and actions.

Fix: Advance in layers. Let your Synapse units move up each turn behind the swarm, not stuck at the back.

2. Throwing Monsters Away Early

New Tyranids players often launch a Hive Tyrant or Carnifex straight into the enemy turn 1. It feels cinematic… until it dies before doing anything meaningful.

Fix: Keep monsters behind cover and gaunt screens until you can multi‑charge or safely pick fights. Monsters should be your second wave, not your first disposable unit.

3. Ignoring Mission Play

Tyranids can get bloodthirsty. It’s easy to chase kills and forget that points win games, not body counts.

Fix: Always ask, “Does this move score points or deny points?” Use Lictors, Genestealers, and Gargoyles to play secondaries and back‑field objectives instead of just hunting kills.

4. Bringing Only One Synapse Source

Going all‑in on one Hive Tyrant or a single Warrior unit is risky. Once they die, your army collapses.

Fix: Always bring multiple Synapse units. Redundancy is key: Warriors and Zoanthropes, or Tyrant plus Warriors, etc.

5. Building An Unfocused List

Mixing a tiny horde, a couple of random monsters, and scattered specialists without a clear plan usually leads to unfocused gameplay.

Fix: Decide your main theme (Swarm, Monster Mash, or Balanced) and build around it. Every unit should have a clear job that supports that theme.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tyranids Army Guide In Warhammer 40k

Is A Tyranids Army Good For Beginners In Warhammer 40k?

Yes, Tyranids are a solid choice for beginners, but they’re not the absolute easiest faction. You’ll learn core game concepts quickly—movement, screening, objective control—because your army lives or dies on those fundamentals. The main challenges are managing lots of models and keeping units inside Synapse. If you’re okay with a bit of complexity and love the alien aesthetic, Tyranids are a great starting army.

How Many Models Do I Need For A Typical Tyranids Army?

A 2,000‑point Tyranids army usually ranges from around 40–50 models (monster‑heavy) to 100+ (full swarm). A balanced list often sits somewhere in the 60–80 model range: enough bodies to feel “horde‑like” without being unmanageable in casual play.

What Are The Best Units To Start A Tyranids Army With?

If you’re just starting, aim for:

• 1 Hive Tyrant or Neurotyrant (HQ Synapse).
• 2–3 boxes of Termagants or a mix of Termagants and Hormagaunts (Troops).
• 1 box of Tyranid Warriors (Synapse backbone).
• 1–2 big monsters like a Carnifex and Exocrine (threat pieces).

This gives you a legal, well‑rounded force that can scale up to 2,000 points over time.

Are Tyranids More About Melee Or Shooting In Warhammer 40k?

Tyranids can do both, but they naturally lean toward melee pressure backed by potent mid‑range shooting. Most competitive and fun lists mix melee gaunts and monsters with ranged bio‑cannons and psychic mortal wound output. Going extreme pure melee or pure shooting is usually weaker than a hybrid swarm.

How Do I Deal With Heavy Vehicles And Knights As Tyranids?

To handle big vehicles and Knights, include:

• Dedicated anti‑tank monsters (Carnifexes with heavy guns or melee upgrades, Tyrannofex, Exocrine depending on loadouts).
• Psychic mortal wound sources like Zoanthropes.
• Multiple threats so your opponent’s anti‑tank weapons are overwhelmed.

Focus fire on one big target at a time, using gaunts to block movement and prevent charges.

Can Tyranids Compete In Matched Play And Tournaments?

Yes. Balance shifts over time, but Tyranids have historically been a solid tournament faction, especially in editions and seasons that support aggressive board control. A well‑piloted Tyranids army can absolutely go toe‑to‑toe with top meta armies, provided you build with a clear plan, play the mission, and understand your Synapse network.

Conclusion: Is A Tyranids Army Worth Playing In Warhammer 40k?

If you want an army that looks terrifying on the table, rewards aggressive play, and lets you flood the board with living weapons, a Tyranids army in Warhammer 40k is absolutely worth it. They offer deep list‑building options, cinematic moments, and a playstyle that constantly pressures your opponent.

Master Synapse, learn to stagger your waves of attack, and build around a clear swarm or monster game plan, and you’ll find Tyranids are one of the most satisfying factions in the game. The Great Devourer is hungry—this Tyranids Army Guide should give you everything you need to start feeding it.