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I'm a Chaos player that has been taken over by the Hive Mind. I've proxied about six games as them so far and I LOVE it! Whether it's the Hive Tyrant flying in to have a word with your dreadnought, my Carnifex saying "HI!" to your Land Raider, or that lovely squad of Genestealers lurking in the corner, this army has really captured me. I've bought a Zoanthrope and three warriors. For Christmas I hope to be getting a Hive Tyrant, Battleforce, and a Carnifex. I'm not looking to be super competitive (for instance the Carnifex and Raveners are some of my favorite units) but I don't want to lose every game I play either. I plan on buying a Trygon/Mawloc pretty soon. I'm not exactly where to go once I have received all of this stuff. Which direction should I go from there? I know I'll need a few Hive Guard and another Zoanthrope, but also more troops (which gaunt I'm not sure...). I love my monstrous creatures as well, they are what drew me in.

The only tyranid units i don't use are biovores, pyrovores, and warriors (which some people absolutely love, but i refuse to buy the models until they make an accessory sprue that contains lash whips and boneswords). Everything else in the book can be used extremely effectively when put in the right list, and all are fun. Do you want a fast moving force that is in your opponent's face on turn 2? Add wings to just about every model in the army, with 3d6 fleeting hormagaunts keeping up. Like monstrous creatures? I run an effective "monster farm" list that runs 3 tervigons, 2 trygons, and 3 carnifexes all at 1500 pts. Enemy transports giving you trouble? Hive guard, Zoanthropes, and Tyrranofexes (another unit that SEVERELY needs a plastic kit) are all great choices.

Basically what i'm saying is build the army in any order you so choose...it will be incredibly fun!

You should immediately pay a visit to the Tyranid Tactica that is now like 16 pages long right in this very own subforum. Go there, immerse, become one.

If you want to be competitive, you may want to try your hand at creating a list that has alphastrike capability. Whereas many other armies can "choose" to become alphastriking by sacrificing endurance for power; the Tyranid, by changes in the codex, developments in other codices, and rule changes, are basically compelled to strike hard, strike fast, and, maybe, have no mercy, sir. Either that, or design an army that takes advantage of Tyranid squishiness and judicious deep striking to be a giant ambush force.

What do you mean by "alphastrike?"

I second Dash's advice:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/319613.page

I would also say that A Brood of Carnifex's or two works well alongside a couple of Trygons as the Trygons are the immediate threat and therefore drawing the fire away from the Fex's.

AFAIK Raveners are quite a good unit, VERY DEADLY, but relatively fragile.
Hive Guard are a near-must also btw.

Good Luck Man.