Advise me please

[meavar]

Hi,

I have a bunch of old (some really old) assembled models from someone else. And decided that I might build some more but I am unsure what to ad to go up to 1k.

What I have right now:

Walking Hyve tyrant (double guns and claws, tail)
2 tyrant guard
Biovore
Carnifex (double scything talons, has no tail but must have it)
Carnifex (heavy venom and double guns, has no tail but must have it)
2 Liktors
1 zoanthrope (the old walking one with the claws, so maybe I use this for something else, since it cannot be alone?)
 (which is without the zoanthrope 616 points)
Whych gives me around 400 points to play with.
What do people advise to ad. I think I need another HQ at least (so I can be battleforged) and would like some hyve guard.
I am strongly leaning to ad some warriors as well (since I like the models) but I might need some more faster troops for far away objective capturing (I can get 10 old gargoyles, but am unsure if a unit of 10 would be enough) or might invest in some shrikes/harpy to keep with the big bug theme. Or alternatively go for a mawlock since he can spring up at the objectives as well. 

So the questions: Am I right in thinking I need more heavy guns (hyve guard) and speed (what would you advise?)
And what would people advise to use the zoanthrope for, or just use it as an understrength unit even if it costs me an CP?

[meavar]

Is the starting point that bad that no one knows what to say?

PLease can people give me some pointers?

[Jbizzy]

You need troops, do you want to go shooting or close combat army?
For shooting get 20+ Termagaunts half with devourers and a half with fleshborers and a tergivon as support and second HQ for them.
For close combat get 20+ hormatgants, 16 genestealers and a broodlord.
Hive guard and Mawlok are great for any army.

Use the two Tguard as understrength unit to help protect your Tyrant.

[meavar]

I prefer mostly melee but I find that I need at least some shooting to bust open transports otherwise I just have problems reaching the ennemy I think?

Are troops really neccesary right now, and would warriors also work instead of gaunts? Or could I just skip them as there are enough viable formations without any mandetory troop slots? And keeping my whole army high T multiwound means that most small arms fire is partly wasted and with gaunt additions he can shoot his anti tank at the big bugs and boltes/lasguns at the small ones?

[zx57]

Going to back up jbizzy on the troop suggestion. There is a reason Tyranids are iconic for swarm armies, their troops occupy pretty important roles for cheap. In general warriors are decent synapse but subpar units. There is a thread posted recently about "try to sell me on warrriors" if that gives you some context. I think the other troop choices would help balance your list out. Hormagaunts to tie up enemy units and genestealers to wipe things out. Pick up a broodlord too as suggested because you need more synapse.

For trouble busting open transports and reaching some of those hard to reach units hive guard are your friend, 36" without requiring line of sight is great. Jbizzy is spot on saying they are good in any list.

I think the battleforged rules say you can run understrength units if you don't have the models so you could probably run the zoanthrope alone and use it for synapse. Could try to hide it out of line of site behind the Carnifexes.

Alternatively you could try to run a Nidzilla list and just pick up some more monsters. Trygon/Trygon Prime and Harpy/Hive Crones to reach hard to run down targets. Probably not as cheap or easy as the other route though.