Miniature Hobbyist Rethinks Tyranids After Discovering Warhammer: Age of Sigmar

A miniature hobbyist who originally planned another Warhammer 40,000 purchase says she “slipped” while browsing and discovered Warhammer: Age of Sigmar miniatures—so much so that she’s now reconsidering her next model instead of choosing Tyranids or Mortrex’s parasites as planned.

From Tyranids and Mortrex to a new Warhammer lane

The player in question is a long-time miniaturist and fan of creature-heavy designs. Her next pick was initially shaped by two Warhammer 40,000 tastes: Tyranids (including a completed and painted Norn Emissary labeled “Norm”) and a long-standing interest in the parasites of Mortrex.

That plan stalled after receiving a Warhammer gift voucher from a friend and beginning to browse the retailer’s large catalogue. She reports that, for the first time, she looked outside the Warhammer 40,000 universe and ran into Age of Sigmar models—prompting surprise at how long she’d gone without noticing them.

What pulled her in: dark fantasy creatures over sci-fi marines

She doesn’t play Warhammer games herself; her focus is on painting and picking figures for visual appeal—especially monsters and creature concepts across fantasy, sci-fi, and horror. She says Warhammer 40,000’s common staples like Space Marines and tank-like designs don’t match her preferences, which is why Tyranids have remained her “first love.”

Age of Sigmar, however, is described as a bigger fit for her tastes. She says she immediately latched onto creatures and monster designs, including items she characterizes as bat-like, a “spirit-thieving” Sphiranx, a mud-slinging bestial model, and generally anything tied to Slaanesh’s sphere of influence. She emphasizes she can’t stop looking at the range after seeing what’s available.

Why it matters for her D&D table—and what to watch next

Her minis are currently intended mainly for Dungeons & Dragons use. Because she says Age of Sigmar reads more like dark fantasy than the alien-and-space-marine vibe of Warhammer 40,000, she expects her next purchases will likely shift toward the Age of Sigmar side of the “Warhammer aisle.”

• Current hobby focus: painting miniatures for tabletop use, including D&D
• Known Warhammer 40,000 completion: a painted Norn Emissary (“Norm”)
• Original next-choice targets: Tyranids and Mortrex’s parasites
• New discovery: Age of Sigmar creature designs, described as dark fantasy

For now, her position is clear: Tyranids aren’t being replaced, but she’s prepared to “take off the blinders” and explore Age of Sigmar more seriously. Players who enjoy creature-centric models may want to keep an eye on what she selects next, since her browsing moment already changed the direction of her next purchase.