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I want to get into playing Tyranids and have been looking over their codex options. Overall I have no idea what to do so I just tossed this army together at 2000 pts. I welcome any and all criticisms as I have never played nids before so please forgive me if this army is actually laughably bad. Here goes:

HQ (1)

Hive Tyrant - 2 TL Devourers, acid blood, adrenal glands, implant attack, regeneration, armoured shell, regeneration - 325

Elite (2)

Zoanthrope Brood x3 - 180

Zoanthrope Brood x3 - 180

Troops (3)

Genestealer Brood x20, scything talons, toxin sacs - 380

Genestealer Brood x20, broodlord with implant attack, scything talons, toxin sacs - 439

Warrior Brood x6, lashwhip & bonesword, rending claws, adrenal glands - 300

Heavy (1)

Mawloc with regeneration - 195

Total: 1999

I was gonna run the tyrant attached to the warrior brood and foot slog them, infiltrate both genestealer squads and deep strike the mawloc. With their 3++ I was going to just advance the zoetropes and blast everything I came across. I think I might be going too far with all the upgrades on the tyrant though. I welcome any and all thoughts. Thanks in advance.

Tyrant can't join warriors, he's not an IC. You need to trim the implant attack, acid blood, regen, AG and get him a tyrant guard.

Genestealers are not the unit they were I'm afraid. You might surprise me, but I think they will die in droves before they get into combat with anybody - T4 with a 5+ cover save is pretty fragile.

I use Genestealers with great succes,but in way smaller units. For 148 pts you have a Broodlord (Psyker) with implant attack, poison and rending, so he's really dangerous in challenges, plus 4 Genestealers with Poison. Also, I'd run the Zoanthropes in three units of 2, and wouldn't take regeneration on neither of your Montrous Creatures.

The biggest problem I see with this list is that you offer the opponent some very expensive units, although very offensive, which have some very nasty counters. The Genestealers die easily to any focussed anti infantry fire, two monstrous creatures will be easily dealt with with some anti tank, and the warriors are very vulnerable to high strength templates, or any othe high strenth weaponry.

I don't know nids, though I know how I'd counter them. I think what you need to do is focus on using multiple small squads working together, so instead of having a 20 strong stealer unit, have 4 groups of 5, all going towards the same objective / target. What this allows though is that your opponent can only shoot at 1 of these units.

Whilst he may wipe out a 5 strong unit, at least the casualties would stop there, they can't then swing their weapons on the next unit or carry over unused wounds on to a technically different unit.

Just watch out for blast weapons, and plan your assaults carefully.

I can't offer any advise on the units themselves or what to use, though I know how I'd use what you've listed above.

I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination (in fact I have thread going right now in which I am asking for help with my nids) but from the advice I have seen or been given these are my suggestions.

Drop all the upgrades on the Hive Tyrant and give him wings (keep the devourers).

Drop the warriors altogether as they will get insta deathed by a lot of weaponry.

Take 1 Brood (not 2) of Zoans and mabye put them in a pod.
A Doom of Mala'antai is worth mentioning too (also use in a pod).

Genestealers are fragile, slow and dont have assault grenades. If you like them though think about using Ymgarl Genestealers.

Hive guard are worth mentioning. Not a must take anymore but still very good.

Tervigons are almost a must take in most list (take 10 gants with them to make them troop choices).

I've heard that Trygons out perform mawlocs in every way and for only 40 points more.

Other notables include.

Dakkafex (Carnifex with x2 devourers)
Gargoyles (super cheap with cheap upgrades)
Tyranid Primes (make a great cheap HQ)
Biovores (I have had some success with these bad boys)

Things to stay well clear of.

Pyrovore
Harpies
Rippers
Sky-Slashers
Lictors (unfortunately)

Beside the Biovore part none of this is from my own experience but just what I've been told / heard / read.