Hunt As A Pack With Von Ryan’s Leapers For 40K’s Tyranids
April 11, 2023 by brennon
Games Workshop dropped another preview for Warhammer 40,000 this week. The Tyranids look like they will be getting a full range refresh and that means a host of new miniatures including Von Ryan's Leapers!
Von Ryan's Leapers // Warhammer 40,000
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Von Ryan's Leapers are very much ambush predators. They share a lot in common with the killers known as Lictors, but Von Ryan's Leapers work as a pack instead of being solo hunters. I like to think Von Ryan's Leapers are the Velociraptors of the grimdark future.
Von Ryan's Leapers // Warhammer 40,000
This band of killers has certainly got all the bells and whistles that you would have expected from the Tyranids. You've got a good clutch of scything talons alongside a maw of spikes and tentacles for good measure. They are all in very dynamic poses too with most of them adopting leaping and killing stances. Immediately, I'm thinking about just how many people are going to start using these for dioramas and vignettes.
I was a little put off by the name, to begin with, but I'm starting to warm to it. I like the fact that many of the Tyranids, without a way to name themselves (that we know of) have been given titles by those who discovered them or fell afoul of their deadly claws and talons.
Von Ryan's Leapers // Warhammer 40,000
I'm sure that we will find out a lot more about exactly who Von Ryan is when the Tyranids get their full range refresh at the start of Warhammer 40,000 10th Edition. I have always been tempted to dive in and start a Tyranid army and this new release could end up being the thing that tips me over the edge.
As well as being fun to paint, especially with the liberal application of Contrast Paint, I also like the fact that you're building an army that is entirely different from the other factions in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Sure, there are alien factions out there but the Tyranids are that properly terrifying "bump in the night" style aliens that you get to be truly, deliciously, evil with.
The real question is which Hive Fleet to do. I do really like the idea of painting Hive Fleet Behemoth and setting them against my friends.
Will you be picking up the new Tyranids for Warhammer 40,000?
"I'm thinking about just how many people are going to start using these for dioramas and vignettes..."
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I remember the Frank Sinatra WWII film “Von Ryan’s Express” – I hope it’s something to do with old Blue Eyes – in fact wasn’t there a ‘Nid call “Old One Eye”?
Maybe someone at GW is a huge Chairman of the Board fan!
It’s also a deep cut from (I think) the old 3rd Ed ‘Nid Codex where they laid out various Tyranid genoforms and hinted at possible related species – Von Ryan’s Leaper was listed as a possible derivative/offshoot/evolution of the Hormagaunt, and these new Leapers do have more than a bit of the OG Mark Gibbons 2nd Ed Hormagaunt art (and of course the minis) in their appearence, spliced onto a Lictor…
comprehensive post! Apart from Genestealers ‘Nids where never my thing, but thanks for the background info!
Very cool to know!
These look awesome, really looking forward to seeing more of the range. These could tempt me into getting some gribblies for painting up.
totally agree, I would buy a few of these to paint in classic Purple and Blue.
They won’t have an issue copyrighting that name.
Ooh nice I wonder if that’s what the Oods turn into ?