Battle Report: 1500 Chaos Space Marines vs. Guard

I know, I'm supposed to be writing up my last tournaments BatReps instead, but last night I played my first game with the Chaos Space Marines and had to write about it. Here's my list:

Warpsmith
Sorceror: Terminator, force staff, Sigil of Corruption (the 4++ thingy), Mark of Tzeentch, Mastery Level 3
8 Chaos Terminators, with Mark of Tzeentch, 2 CombiMeltas, and a few Fists thrown in
10 CSM, with melta, autocannon, and a maul
10 CSM, with melta, autocannon, and a maul
5 Havocs with autocannons
Helbrute, with Missile Launcher and Reaper autocannon
Forgefiend
Aegis Line with Quadgun

My opponents list:

Company CS with lascannon
50 man blob with Commissar, 4 autocannons
10 meltavets in a Chimera
Platoon CS with 4 flamers (in Vendetta)
Vendetta
Leman Russ Demolisher with Lascannon
Leman Russ with H Bolters and Lascannon
3 Missile Launcher Heavy Weapons Team
3 Lascannon HWT
3 Lascannon HWT
Marbo

Warlord Traits: He made me -1 to reserves, I had preferred enemy Space Marines... woo...

Psychic Powers: My sorceror had Doombolt, Psychic Scream, and the Pyromancy Primaris (Flame Breath?), which is a Heavy Flamer.

Mission: Vanguard Strike, Purge the Alien

The Board: I have the bottom left corner, from my PoV. There's two bunkers to the far left and right along the board edges. A forest in the dead center (something my opponent refuses to enter, after an incident with a Razorwing and an assault sergeant) Then there's a few more scattered hills, including one at my edge and slightly to the right. I incorporate my Aegis into this. It's a full wrap around, as I know Marbo is coming, and I used two long edges to wrap where my Forgefiend will be. Quadgun up front of course.

Deployment Guard: His huge blob is in the bunker, which is Shattered by my Warpsmith and is now only 5+ cover. His Russes are backed against his long edge, so to my top and slightly left. Heavy Weapons teams are scattered, under the bunker and towards the back of his DZ. The Chimera is closer to my edge, but far left and behind a hill. His CCS is also on top of the bunker.

Deployment CSM: My Havocs, with WarpSmith up front, man the quadgun and hide in the Aegis. 10 more marines are hiding in the Aegis, as is the Forgefiend. The Helbrute is farther to the right behind a hill, but can see over it. The otehr 10 CSM are to the far right in a bunker.

My Gameplan: I'm going to bunker down and try to not give up Killpoints, and just hope my weight of fire can drop a few things. The Terminators are Deep Striking in, so hopefully can nab a few KPs.

Turn 1 Guard: I fail to sieze. No moving, this is a gunline duel. He drops a Battlecannon shell that immobilizes my Forgefiend and kills one marine. He is fairly ineffective, until a Heavy Bolter wounds my Havocs twice. The WarpSmith is closest, and promptly rolls snake eyes... In one fell swoop, my opponent gains First Blood, Warlord, and a Kill Point. Other shooting manages to knock out the Quadgun.

Guard: 3            Chaos: 0

Turn 1 Chaos: I have to hit back, and hard. The Havocs whiff, but the Forgefiend takes revenge on the Chimera and explodes it.A spare autocannon guy from the squad shoots into the wreck, and after all is said and done there are two Meltagunners left, pinned. My other Marine Squad is out of range and moves up a bit.

Guard: 3             Chaos: 1

Turn 2 Guard: No reserves come in, he just gets straight to shooting. His big autocannon blob glances the Forgefiend twice, naturally I fail both saves, he's out of Hull Points. Battlecannon shells fall, my Havocs lose their sarge and a few more Marines die. Th Helbrute loses a HP to a missile launcher and is immoblized, I forget to roll on "Crazed".

Guard: 4            Chaos:  1

Turn 2 Chaos: The Terminators scatter and mishap, but will come in next turn. Most of my units went to ground to minimize casualties, so I actually dont kill a single model this turn.

Guard: 4            Chaos:  1

Guard turn 3: Marbo comes in, his bomb kills a measly one marine, who don't go to ground. The Vendetta tears my Helbrute apart, and more shots ping of the entrenched Havocs.

Guard: 5             Chaos:  1

Chaos turn 3: I'm more conservative with my Termies, but they scatter 11" and mishap into reserves, again. The marines on my objective turn around and assault Marbo, beating him to death for no casualties. Snap Fire shots are of course,hopelessly ineffective.

Guard: 5            Chaos:  2

Guard turn 4: The Vendetta leaves the board, and everything else makes a mighty display of killing one Havoc, and maybe another Marine. Of course, everything is basically lying down behind the Aegis.

Guard: 5           Chaos: 2

Chaos Turn 4: The Terminators finally land safely. Combi Meltas take two Hull Points and the Demolisher Cannon off a Russ. Snap fires miss wildly.

Guard: 5           Chaos:  2

Guard turn 5: Everything shoots the Terminators. First Rank Fire! leads to 78 lasgun shots incoming, and two Terminators fall. Then, the low AP weapons start flying. Amazingly I fail 2 of the 7 lascannon wounds, and make every armor save. Praise be to Tzeentch! Even the mighty Vendetta fails to hurt me.

Guard: 5          Chaos: 2

Chaos turn 5: The Terminators make a valiant multi charge and destroy both Russes. The Chainfist exploed the regular, while the Sorcerors staff pens the Demolisher once, removing it's last Hull Point. Both explode, and my Sorceror is wounded. Because nothing had to go to ground, my autocannons kill two missile launchers and a lascannon team. Amazingly, both fail leadership checks and fall back!

Guard: 5         Chaos: 6

We roll, and the game ends here! I gain one more point for Linebreaker.

Post game: Well I started off bad, but everything went right at the very end thankfully! That was a close gane, and much fun was had. My list still has a couple weaknesses. This is unsurprising, as it's basically my entire Chaos collection of things that look cool! Still, I had no mobility and had no way to move troops. For once, I'm glad it was KPs!

RTT 12/15 1250 Nids vs. AirCronz

Hello all! With the conclusion of Christmas, I finally have time to get cranking on these Batreps... here's the first of three from the RTT I attended on 12/15. My list...

Flyrant, Devourers, OA, HC
HQ Tervigon with 3 powers, Toxin adrenal
10 gants
Troops Tervigon, 3 powers, Tox Adrenal Crushing Claws
5 Ymgarls
Doom in a Pod
2 Biovores
2 Zoanthropes

A note on my list above, it is actually 15 points over the limit... something I didn't notice, and wrote down wrong on my list, so no opponent noticed. Obviously I feel awful about this, and have already posted my mistake to the stores forum, but I will write the reports anyways. If I were to re do my list I'd drop the Crushing Claws and add a few gants. I never really needed the Claws, but it's still probable that my mistake affected my games in some way.

My Opponent's list:

5 Warriors
Cryptek of rerolling stuff.
Imhotek
10 Immortals
Warriors in a Night Scythe
3 Doom Scythes

Imperial Bastion with Lascannon

Warlord traits: His never had an effect, mine allowed a re roll of Outflanks

Psychic Powers:

Hive Tyrant: Enfeeble, Life Leech
HQ Tervigon: Life Leech, Warp Speed, Smite
Troops Tervigon: Enfeeble, Endurance, Life Leech
Zoanthrope 1: Iron Arm, Warp Speed
Zoanthrope 2: Iron Arm, Warp Speed
Doom in a Pod: Life Leech

The Mission: Objectives (4) and Dawn of War deployment.

The Board: From my long edge, my opponents Bastion was centered exactly and far, far back. There was area terrain to my left and close, as well as a short wall to the right of that, and there was a large forest in the middle, but far up and in front of his bastion, and there was another forest to the left of that, far up. There are scattered forests on the whole right side.

Th Objectives: There are two on my side, both in terrain. One to the left in the area terrain, the other behind the short wall. The other two are right next to the bastion in the middle, and to the left of that, 6" from his edge in the open ground.

Initiative: I have second turn.

Pre game thoughts: Well I have to play the mission, so let's go get objectives. The lack of Iron Arm on quality bugs is infuriating at the least. If I can hold my two, then the reserves should be able to claim or contest a couple of his objectives.

Deployment Crons: 5 warriors with Tek and Imho are holed up in the bastion. Everything else is in reserve.

Deployment Tyranids: The troops Tervigon, Doom and Ymgarls go into reserve. Biovores hide behind the wall, as does the HQ Tervigon by that objective. Flyrant to the far right. Termagants and Zoanthropes go to the far left in/behind that objective and the area terrain there.


Turn 1 Necrons: Imhoteks lightning kills a few gants and wounds the Tervigon, and the Lascannon whiffs.

Turn 1 Nids: I advance, pot shots do absolutely nothing.

Turn 2 Necrons: 3 Doom Scythes come in. Firepower! Firepower everywhere! The HQ Tervigon dies shockingly, after some subpar saves. Drat!

Turn 2 Nids: The Doom comes in, right next to the bastion. (The spore is in contest range... yay!) but he does nothing. Spod kills a warrior up top. Note that we decided that models on the top of the bastion were subject to Spirit Leech, as the Bastion says units there could be shot normally. They get cover though. The Flyrant Strikes and Shoots a Scythe, but after Jinks it's only two glances. The Troops Tervigon comes in on the left by that objective, and behind the Scythes. Zoanthropes just try to stay alive for Synapse and cast Iron Arm. Note that Ymgarls failed reserves.

Turn 3 Necrons: 2 Doom Sythes go off, the Night Scythe comes on. I lose the Spore Pod, a wound on the flyrant and a few gants from shooting. The Immortals stay off again... The Doom zaps 4 warriors in the Bastion

Turn 3 Nids: The Flyrant kills the Doom Scythe. He is closing in on the Bastion. The Tervigon gets the magic number of gants- 15 no doubles and gives itself Endurance. The gants swarm the open objective, and the Tervigon runs into some woods. Ymgarls roll a 1 for reserves again, which means I can respond to his Immortals that come in auto next turn. Other than that I'm bunkering down.

Turn 4 Crons: His Immortals come in the short edge, and he brings them in on the far right, away from objectives... a huge mistake I think. His Night Scythe flies off, two DoomScythes come in, and I lose three wounds on the Tervigon, plust the Icarus wounds my Flyrant again.

Turn 4 Nids: The Ymgarls just run up the bastion for extra contesting fun. Flyrant can only get to the undamaged DoomScythe, which loses a Hull Point or two as the Flyrant flies next to the Bastion. The Tervigon regains a wound, spawns 10+ more gants onto the back objective and hauls it back towards my lines, staying just in area terrain.

Turn 5 CronAir: He kills the Biovore with the Night Scythe and the two Dooms fail to finish off my Tervigon, I have two wounds left.

Turn 5 Bugs: I spawn onto the objective by the wall in my back, and the Flyrant glides out and downs the Night Scythe (Warriors back in reserve).

The Game ends! I hold three objectives, and the Doom contests the last one. Victory to the Hive!

Post Game: Objectives. Anyone who reads my Batreps with any regularity know how they work, and that it's the only sure way to take down a Cron Force. This was a good game, but my opponent made a few mistakes, and I don't think he focused his fire enough. He also lacked bodies, and made this worse by keeping his Immortals far away and by staying in his bastion (Then again, with that much on the ground I wouldn't have gotten out either.) And I didn't mention it, but I'm pretty sure he had first blood. Only 5 total dead units at the end of this. (2 each, plus warriors in reserve, so I won Kill Points!) I also had linebreaker.

RTT today 12/15, Mistake by me

Got in a 1250 RTT today, taking out my Nids of course. Here's the list I used...

Flyrant, Devourers, OA, HC
HQ Tervigon with 3 powers, Toxin adrenal
11 gants
Troops Tervigon, 3 powers, Tox Adrenal Crushing Claws
5 Ymgarls
Doom in a Pod
2 Biovores
2 Zoanthropes

My three games were against Necron Flyers, GK/SM allies and Eldar. Reports will be coming up later!

A note on my list above, it is actually 15 points over the limit... something I didn't notice, and wrote down wrong on my list, so no opponent noticed. Obviously I feel awful about this, and have already posted my mistake to the stores forum, but I will write the reports anyways. If I were to re do my list I'd drop the Crushing Claws and add a few gants. I never really needed the Claws, but it's still probable that my mistake affected my games in some way.

New 1850 list

I'm ploaying around with what I think works for Nids in 6th edition... Here's my current 1850 list, as part of the new direction I'm going.

Flyrant, Devourers Old Adversary
Flyrant, Devourers Hive Commander (Warlord:   )
5 Ymgarls
5 Ymgarls
Doom in a Pod
10 gants
10 gants
Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
Trygons
Trygons

Let's take a look at the two top armies right now... Probably Daemons, and Necrons. When playing Necrons, assuming that it's objectives (5/6 chance!), the point is board control. 2 Flyrants gives me as much anti-flyer as I'm going to get with my bugs, so I need to focus on controlling the ground. Trygons are useless here. So, I need a strong objective holder with some power, which of course leads me to Tervigons. This is a bit of a step back along my path, but it's not neccessarily backwards.

Now, look at Daemons. Assuming flamers and screamers, you need lots of horde units, for tie down and overwatch soaking. If you throw gants into Flamers, and then put a Tervigon into them, they won't get out on their own. Screamers are also blunted against masses, plus poisoned attacks will wear them out fast. Tervigons are the clear choice here.

So, let's say I want to add a Tervigon in. With 10 mandatory gants, the way I run them will hit 260 points. Let's drop 2 Trygons, and now I have 140 points left... Before I make choices here, let's look at what the Tervigons are for. Two is good for objectives. Alternatively, throwing 3 straight at enemy lines is a nice enough anvil for my reduced hammer. 2 Ymgarl squads, 2 Flyrants and the Doom should still work pretty well, it has almost the same initial damage output first turn, just less of a second turn threat. By that point (turn 3 at earliest) the 3 Tervigons should be getting close enough to scare, or at least force my enemy to keep their distance. But back to objectives, I think that in most cases I can use Hive Commander to outflank a Tervigon. Depending on how I roll on others, it may be worth NOT rolling Biomancy on one of the Tervigons, for this purpose. Why? Well, catalyst can be used AFTER moving, therefore after reserves, which Endurance can't. So, against a high firepower army that can potentially knock off a Tervi in one turn, I'll keep powers on the outflanking one. In objectives, there's usually one objective on each short edge, and in hammer and anvil the boards condensed enough that an outflanking Tervi is golden either way.

This takes me back to my nemesis, Kill Points... against Necron air force, I still see no way to improve my list to the point where I could beat them. I just have to pray my Tyrants survive, after all I'll basically be throwing every power off all psychers into keeping those two alive. Hope for Iron Arm, and then pour Endurance onto them. This matchup is still a small possibility in a tournament, so let's hope for now that I can avoid it. Against Daemons however, Kill points are much more manageable. A FnPed squad of gants cab do great against the forward units, which I'd hope to break, and then have the Tyrants go around mashing the backfield droppers, like Plaguebearers.

So, 140 points left... I haven't adressed Gunlines yet, so let's look at my options...

20 Gargoyles with Toxins is a perfect points fit, and not shabby at all. Assaulty hordes, guns, and cheap fast bubblewrap, plus I have the models. Let's now look at other options.

2 Biovores leaves fun extra points... with these I could buy an extra Ymgarl for each brood, which could be crucial for maximum carnage thanks to the evil that is overwatch. Or, I could drop one Ymgarl and add either Crushing Claws to my outflanking Tervi or Old Adversary to the second Flyrant. I don't think I need two OA, so the choice comes down to the extra Ymgarl or the Claws. Claws usually don't pay their points, but are occasionally great, while an extra Ymgarl will almost always be useful...

I think the Biovores and upgrades are a better buy. Biovores can mess with DSing units, like Daemons, or units getting out of a transport. 6 Ymgarls each is a bit better for soaking wounds and tipping a key assault. However, both will most likely be tested before I decide on my 1850 list... Here's the current list though.

 Anti flier, check. Strong objectives, double check. Horde, check. Tough models, check. Backfield disruptions and distractions, DOOM-check. Kill Points... hard to check off. 13 kill points in my army. The "easy" ones are Biovores, the pod, and (maybe...) the Doom. Gants and Flyrants can be. The Biovores will be hidden of course, while the Pod will be in the open. The list shouldn't give up first blood with ease, except perhaps to Drop Pod lists where he can hit me first turn. Otherwise, I think I'll get it. Linebreaker I should also get with Flyrants and all my reserves.

Flyrant, Devourers Old Adversary
Flyrant, Devourers Hive Commander (Warlord: )
6 Ymgarls
6 Ymgarls
Doom in a Pod
10 gants
10 gants
10 gants
Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
2 Biovores

12/1 RTT game 3 Nids vs. CSM with Black Blow Fly

Sorry for the delay guys! It's been one of those weeks. Still, here comes my last batrep of the RTT! At this point, I am 2-0 on the day, coming off of my first game against Chaos Space Marines. Of course, round 3 I draw them again! This game was against Steve, a fellow blogger, and the TO of BeakyCon! Steve is a great guy and player, and a BOLS writer, and I'd highly reccomend both his blog, and his tournament. I can guarentee that I'll be at Beaky Con 2013.

His blog

Here's his list:

Kharne (warlord)
Winged Daemon Prince with Blind Axe and Power Armor
6 Khornate Marine with flamer and a LC/Fist Champ, and icon of wrath
7 Berzerkers, Fist/LC, Icon of Wrath
Land Raider
Land Raider
Heldrake with Hades Autocannon

5 Bloodcrushers
Bloodcrusher Herald with Blessing of the Blood God
12 Bloodletters

My list, same as last 2 of course:

Flyrant, 2x Devourers, Hive Commander (warlord)
Flyrant, 2x Devourers, Old Adversary
3 Hive Guard
5 Ymgarls
5 Ymgarls
Doom
  -Spore Pod
10 gants
10 gants
Tervigon toxin/Adrenal, 3 powers
Tervigon toxin/Adrenal, 3 powers
Trygon
Trygon

The Mission: 4 objectives, Dawn of War deployment, Night Fight turn 1.

The board: There's random, irrelevant stuff to the left. There's one very large building in the middle, slighly right, and then a ruin in the bottom right from my POV, plus the top right has two small close together ruins with a small wall in front.

The objectives: Two are in the two buildings clsoer to me, so center and right. Another is middle, but close to the top board edge, and the last is top and right by a small wall.

Warlord traits: Mine may've been the Night Fight? If not, it was useless. Opponent's was Kharn's trait, which I believe is "His unit hates everything"

Psychic Powers: (my favorite part!)

Fyrant 1: Smite, Warpspeed
Flyrant 2: Smite, Life Leech
Tervigon 1: Iron Arm, Warp Speed, Life Leech
Tervigon 2: Iron Arm, enfeeble, endurance.
Doom: Psychic Shreik

I have turn 1, as forced by my opponent.

Deployment Nids: Each Tervigon, and 10 gants, claims a ruin as their own. Trygons start in my backfield, Doom is in reserve. Both Flyrants also chilling behind Buildings.

Deployment Khorne: Two Land Raiders in the far top right, all else is reserved.

My Game Plan: I figure that if I advance my Tyrants and Trygons, he won't be able to punch through and get to my objectives. The fact that he has troops as assault units makes me confident, as it's easy to prioritize. Kill the Infantry! I want to hit his middle, and contest the top right objective as it's a bit closer. If he holds back a troop for the far middle one, he'll have less killing power. Fine by me!

Turn 1 Nids: I advance. Flyrants fly. Psychic powers all over.

Turn 1 Khorne: Crushers/herald lands by the top right objective, in a fairly open area. Land Raiders plink a wound off something I think.

Turn 2 Nids: Ymgarls come out of center ruin, and run at the Blood crushers. One Flyrant makes a beeline for his table edge, I stop just short, and just in 18" of his crushers, also with cover from the Raiders. The other flies straight up and shoots the Crushers. After Hive Guard, both Tyrants,both Tervigons, one trygon, and a few gants chip in (That's 6 strength 8, 24 strength 6, 14 Strength 5 and a few Strength 4 shots), he's down to 1 crusher and the herald. Oh, and the Doom landed next to them too, he's at 6 wounds ish. Ymgarls assault, he loses both models before swinging. First Blood to me!

Turn 2 Chaos: Heldrake comes on in, Vector Striking the Flyrant. I lose two wounds. One Raider pivots to shoot the same Flyrant. He rolls boxcars with the Lascannons... I die despite cover. There goes my warlord. His Drake shoots and kills a couple of Ymgarls. Bloodletters come in, but scatter close to the Doom... he loses one.

Turn 3 Nids: I shoot the crap out of the bloodletters, but they pass Dooms check (both!) and only lose three from other wounds. Flyrant pounds the Drake but is laughed off by it's 5++ invulnerable... damn! Ymgarls then assault the Bloodletters... or not. I fail both charges... Hive Guard Penetrate the Heldrake, only for that 5++ to thwart me.

Turn 3 Chaos: Land Raider shooting wounds a Flyrant twice, and a vector Strike kills a wounded Trygon (the Drake flies off) The other Land Raider finishes off the smaller genestealer squad. The full 5 man squad is charged by the Bloodletters, I kill 4 and lose none, thanks to some sub-par rolling and Toughness 5.

Turn 4 Nids: The wounded Flyrant is boned and I know it. He charges the Zerkers Land Raider and destroys it, killing 2. That'll keep them far away at least! Stealers finish off the 'letters. he last Trygon is advancing still. One Tervi perils an Iron Arm check.

Turn 4 Khorne: His DPrince comes in the left, eyeing that objective. Berzerker and Heldrake shooting nuke the Ymgarls, but only after the Dragon Vector Strikes and kills my Flyrant. Damnation! The Raider's shooting bounces off the Doom. What a boss.

Turn 5 Nids: I spawn, to wrap both objectives in two units. My T8 Tervigon heads towards the DPrince warily. I know I can ID him if I survive his swings, I just need to hope he can't punch through 6 Toughness 8 wounds. I try to shoot him, but am out of range with the Tervigon. A glance on the Heldrake from my Hive Guard is ignored. The Doom runs at the Berzerkers, kills two but fails his charge... Stupid difficult terrain.

Turn 5 Chaos: His DPrince advances towards my Tervigon but rolls a 4 to charge, failing. He was at least 6" away. Land Raider shooting and Kharn's pistol nip a few Trygon wounds, as does a Vector Strike, before Kharn charges and mangles my poor Trygon...

If the game ends now, I win, 2 objectives to 0!

It doesn't.

Turn 6 Nids: I enfeeble the Daemon Prince. Hive Guard blow him to hell. Doom assaults Kharn, and some gants on the right advance and run up. The Doom takes a wound (down to 9 from various wounds at this point) and then promptly instant kills Kharn (Warlord). The Doom. He's a badass.

Turn 6 Chaos: I lose a few gants to the drake. The last Raider tank shocks and shoots the Doom with lascannons at point blank. He live. The Zerkers run onto his far back objective. His CSM disembark from the raider and are on that objective, and flame the gants down to 3 models, but it is contested by the Doom.

If the game ends, I am up, 2-1 objectives.

It doesn't... sigh.

Turn 7 Nids: I shoot the CSM, with both Tervigons, 3 Hive Guard, and the gants. Finally, after the Doom (what a boss), he is down to 1 model, the Sarge. I charge with gants and Doom. He challenges, and the Doom accepts (mistake, I should have let him kill the gants and let him be tied up by a fearless Doom.)  Anyways, the Doom wound him three times, but he makes the saves and I am instant killed by the Fist. Drat! I then find that my gants are 12.1" away from my Tervigon... stupid, stupid, stupid. They fail of course, having lost combat by 9 or 10 wounds...

Turn 7: Nothing happens. His troops have 2 objectives and he can't shoot me off mine.

Game ends: 2 objectives each, we each have slay the Warlord and I have First Blood: 8-7, victory to the Hive Mind!

Final: I feel like I did a lot of damage to his units, as he only had 2 (Heavily!) depleted squads left, plus a raider and Drake. Buy, that Heldrake was a Pain! I thought my one Flyrant would be enough to kill it, then he was shot down and my other wasn't in position for a rear armor shot before being downed. Next time, I'm taking it out ASAP! A very close game, this really shows the value of playing to the mission, and of the secondary objetives! I certainly had more left, my Hive Guard and both Tervigons, plus 3 gant squads were not going to be removed from my objectives, but my opponent played the mission and squeaked out 2 objectives via 4 models. That's all that he needed too though! This was a very, very close game, and my opponent made it a heck of a match.

I ended up winning the RTT, and took home a nice shiny Venerable Dread! Conversions upcoming...

Coincidentally, my opponent has also made a Batrep!  think it's fun to compare them, there a few small differences, which just goes to show that things are never quite accurate. Still, differences are minimal. If it was a glance or a Pen that was ignored hardly matters! I do know though that I never had a chance to take a shot at his Champion after the Doom died, so I believe that was turn 7.

The other side of the coin

12/1 RTT Game 2 Nids vs. CSM 2000

Hello all! As part of my last RTT, I managed my first game against the new Chaos Space Marines... Still, I feel like I am familiar with them, as I already have the book and my own (untested) army.

My list:
Flyrant 1 (Warlord, trait not relevant) with 2x Devourers and Hive Commander
Flyrant 2 with 2x Devourers and Old Adversary
2x5 Ymgarls
3 Hive Guard
Doom in a Pod
2x10 gants
2x Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
2x Trygons

My opponents list:

Chaos Lord Biker with Black Mace (Warlord: Trait useless)
Typhus
6 Terminators, assorted Power weapons/axes/fists
34 Zombies
35 Zombies
Squad of Nurgle Bikers, 6-7 with 2 Meltas.
5 Havocs with 4 lascannons
5 Havocs with 4 Autocannons

IG command squad on foot, 3 plasma guns, a pistol.
10 IG grunts
Aegis Line with Autocannon
Vendetta
Medusa

My Psychic Powers:

Flyrant 1: Endurance, Smite
Flyrant 2: Iron Arm, Smite
Tervigon 1: Enfeeble, Endurance, Smite
Tervigon 2: Iron Arm, Life Leech, Endurance
Doom: Puppet Master

The Mission: Hammer and Anvil Deployment, the Relic, no Night Fight.

The Board: I had the short table edge to my right, by the POV I will be describing the battle. The two long table edge are top/bottom, with Top being farther away of the two. The Relic is in the center, there are two large ruin/buildings above and below the Relic. Two more Ruins are to the top and bottom left and there's assorted walls/trees to the right... not too relevant.

Deployment Tyranids: I have turn 1. I place both Tervigons right up front, for the first turn objective grab. Hive Guard are chilling behind the bottom ruin, gants are hiding behind the Tervigons, and the Flyrants are starting each in terrain.

Deployment Chaos: Both Zombie squads are right up front, as are the Plasma CCS. Typhus and buds are in between the two Zombie squads, right up front but closer to the bottom. Havocs are each in a ruin, the Aegis is empty except for the Medusa. The IG squad is behind the Zombies. Bikers to the top.

Turn 1 Nids: I spawn, one doubles out. I get 5 and 14 gants. The 5 gants grab the objective and the 8 gants try to wrap them, but a poor run roll means I'm short. Psychic Powers, and stuff goes off. Both Flyrants advance and targer the CCS, wiping them out for First Blood.

Chaos turn 1: Zombies advance. Havocs and Medusa take three wounds off one Tervi and 2 off the other. Terminators shoot and kill the 5 gants on the Relic. The Medusa blast killed a few of the 14 man squad. The Zombies get a 10 on their charge range and one blob hits the gants, only a few are in strikingrane ad I win combat. Crap. I rally wouldn't have minded an extra turn there before they got in assault, but he rolled high on distance.

Tyranid turn 2: Doom drops in, as do Trygons and Ymgarls. The Doom and a Trygon hit dead center of his lines, wounding Typhus twice, and killing some Vets/zombies. The other Trygon goes after the Auto Havocs but scatters wayback. Ymagarls disembark one each from two bordering ruins, and I slam the Zombie squad with them. +1 A for both, and I spawn more gants to go assault, doubling out.. The Zombies lose a bunch but are still around. Doom tries to puppet master the Medusa but misses... it would have been brutal if I'd rolled a 3 to hit, Typhus and co. were bunched up... The two Flyrants detroy the Medusa, and kill the Sarge and 2 lascannon havocs.

Turn 2 Chaos: Bikers are moving up the top flank, and assault and kill 10 gants I'd been using as a screen.  Zombies advance and assault one of the Ymgarl broods, who had been seperated from combat due to mass casualties there. I go +1 toughness, kill a few and lose a model. Typhus and Terminators assault the Doom and a Trygon. In assault, I fail to hurt Typhus with the Doom (in a challenge) while the Trygon kills the Terminators, bar one with power axe who whiffs. Vendetta comes in, wounds a Tervigon.

Turn 3 Nids: One Flyrant downs the Vendetta, the other kills the last LasHavocs. The Dooms Spirit Leech kills Typhus and the Terminator, and because they are now freed up the Doom assaults the Zombie blob that is with the lone Ymgarl brood. Both Trygons fail the roll to assault the AutoHavocs. The Nurgle Bikers are enfeebled. shooting then kills 2. A Tervigon with Iron Arm assaults in, and in a challenge faces the Chaos Lord with Black Mace. He can't hurt me, I Smash and instant kill him. He falls back. The other Tervigon joins in the assault with the Zombie blob and Ymgarls, they finally finish the Zombies and consolidate onto the objective.

Turn 3 Chaos: Bikers run off the board, Zombies cant finish the Ymgarls, the Doom is sucking, and AutoHavocs bounce off the Tervigon.

Due to Time, the game is over! I call the TO over, and despite 3 units sitting on it, I do not claim the relic... Here's how that works. I have to pick it up in a movement phase, and there were Zombies in base with it during my last movement phase. Although I had been in base with it for several phases during the big assault, his Zombies were also there for a few turn so no one picked it up... I do, however have all three secondary objectives and may have had a tabling by turn 4, he had 5 havocs and some locked Zombies left, no more. I wouldve just assaulted those with a Trygon and thrown everything else into the Zombies.

FINAL: TYRANID VICTORY! (3-0) First Blood, Linebreaker, warlord.

12/1 RTT Game 1: Tyranids vs Tyranids 2000

So, got up nice and early for a small RTT yesterday. Actually, there were only 6 people there... Either way, it was enough to run a small tournament. My first game came out against the one army I hadn't even considered playing... Tyranids! This is the first time I've played them in 6th edition.

My list:

Flyrant, Devourers Old Adversary
Flyrant, Devourers Hive Commander (Warlord: Trait useless)
2x5 Ymgarls
3 Hive Guard
Doom in a Pod
2x10 gants
2x Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
2x Trygons
My opponents list:

2x Primes with Scything Talons, pair of Boneswords (Warlord: +1 VP per character kill)
2x Tervigons with Toxin Sacks and Catalyst
2x25 Termagants
2x 25 Hormagaunts
2x Trygons
Doom in a Pod
2x Hive Guard
3x Zoanthropes in a pod

My Psychic Powers:

Flyrant 1: Smite, Enfeeble
Flyrant 2: Enfeeble, Life Leech
Tervigon 1: Iron Arm, Endurance, Warp Speed
Tervigon 2: Iron Arm, Life Leech, Smite
Doom: Psychic Shreik

My opponent declines to switch out his powers.

The Mission: Kill Points plus the secondary objectives. Deployment is Vanguard Strike (diagonal).

The Board: I have the bottom left corner from my Point of Vew. There's a large Chaos Ruin in my corner, and a small ruined temple in the center that he will have to come through with his hordes. Top and middle of the board are a pair of ruins, and another ruin bottom middle. Then, theres one large forest in his DZ.

Deployment Opponent: Tervigon in the center and left of his DZ. Hormagaunts with Primes attached to the left and right of his DZ. Hive Guard behind the central Tervi, and his two gant squads were in the back of his Deployment zone.

Deployment Me: I keep both Tervigons in the large Chaos ruin, with Hive Guard behind them and 10 gants next to each. Fyrants just chilling behind the ruins.

His turn 1: Top Tervigon advances generally. Hormagaunt hordes also advance, both recieve Catalyst. No shooting.

My turn 1: Psychic Powers go off. Flyrants go 24" to the top and bottom right of the board. Shooting kills a few Hormagaunts on the bottom right, and wounds the warlord Prime twice.

Opponents turn 2: He only gets his Zoeys in, they come in to the top of my Chaos Ruin, where they are in Shadow Range and kill a Hive Guard. Other stuff advances, little shooting.

My turn 2: Ymgarls come in next to the bottom Hormagaunts, and by the Top Tervigon. The Flyrants each shoot and wound a Tervigon. The bottom Hormagaunts are enfeebled, then assaulted. Both Ymgarls go +1 attacks. Tervigon goes down to 2 wounds, while the Prime is slain (first blood, Warlord) and many Hormagaunts are killed, with no FNP allowed. The Doom hits dead center of his DZ, zapping the 2 Hive Guard, and a few gants here and there. The two Trygons I put in the bottom middle, ready to charge the Hormagaunts and finish them next turn. Hive Guard kill two Zoanthropes, gants wound another, the Tervi assaults and kills the Spod.

Opponents turn 3: Reserves come in. Doom hits the Chaos Ruin, killing the Hive Guard, and also taking a Tervi down to one wound, and wounding the other 3 Times!!!! :O One Trygon comes in, and appears by the ymgarl Hormagaunt assault. His Termagants mass to assault my Doom with a Tervigon for poison, only for that Tervigon to die to the Doom (and high rolling). His Dooms Spod finishes my wounded Tervi. I also lose various gants there to doom. His Doom perils on Cataclysm and loses another wound for trying. his other 20 gants shoot with the Trygon and down,  and then assault the bottom right Flyrant. I win combat, and they fall back with the sudden absense of Synapse there. My Ymgarls up top wound the Tervigon there once and are down to one model. Other Ymgarls break the Hormagaunts, who escape into Doom range...

My turn 3: Trygons run around in my backfield, not doing much. Doom continues to suck up gants. My Tervigon flees the Doom and spawns, these guys kill the Zoanthrope. Flyrant jumps around, assaults and kills the Tervigon with the Ymgarls. I'm just trying to hold on to Kill Points, I have two 2 man squads of gants hiding right now.

Opponent turn 4: Not much happens. His gants and Termagants are falling back with no synapse, his only synapse is a Prime with Hormagaunts. These assault my last Tervigon, whom the last Trygon Deep Strikes next to. I challenge his Prime, he accepts. He doesnt hurt me and I whiff my Smashes.

My turn 4: Enfeeble and Iron Arm means his Prime can't hurt my Tervigon, I smash his Prime to paste. Trygon assaults and murders the Dooms Spod. Flyrants assault the gants in assault with Doom, I break them. The game ends here.

TYRANID VICTORY (well duh...)

At this point I was leading on Kill Points some 9-2 and had all three secondary objectives. (2 gant broods, a Hormagaunt Brood, 2 Tervigons, Hive Guard, 2 SPods, and the Zoeys) to (My Hive Guard, and one Tervigon)

I get full battle Points here for the Primary and all Secondary. A good start!

Thoughts on the game: My Opponents list seemed very 5th edition... he didn't switch powers, he ran Hormagaunts with no upgrades. Our lists were two sides of the same coin. That coin, though, was the flip between editions... Dropping Primes for Flyrants, and taking advantage of Psychic Powers proved to be the huge difference maker here.

RTT 12/1 2000 points Tyranids

Hello all! I'll be going to an RTT tomorrow, and I'll be again trying out my new take on Nids. I don't expect this to be a very large RTT, but that's no reason not to give it my best shot! Here's the list I'll be bringing... This is my recent 1850 list, plus three Hive Guard. It is dual Forge Org, but the original list had 2 HQ and 4 troops, just adding a 4th Elite choice...

Flyrant, Devourers Old Adversary
Flyrant, Devourers Hive Commander (Warlord:  )
2x5 Ymgarls
3 Hive Guard
Doom in a Pod
2x10 gants
2x Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
2x Trygons
The Hive Guard are just a convenient points filler, plus quite useful. Having a little more shooting will discourage tanks from coming closer, which will leave them vulnerable to my reserves turn 2+. Again, my basic design plan here is a tough core that can hold objectives and shoot (Troops plus Hive Guard) and will drop a mean, mean hammer turn 2. The Doom, 2 Ymgarls, 2 Trygons, and 2 Flyrants zooming up hurts stuff, plus by turn 2, sometimes 3, the Hive Guard are in range for more fun. My army is very tough, with 38 Toughness 6 wounds, plus the extra bodies my Tervigons always supply, and the "get in your face" nature of it highly encourages my opponent to kill all my units the turn they come in, or suffer brutal consequences. The Doom can suck up tons of firepower occassionally, and will spare my Trygons the attention they deserve, while Flyrants make unattractive Targets unless you commit to killing them... hard to do with so much in your face. Reports incoming, of course! I admit, the list looks great against Gunlines, but could suffer against Crons or potentially classic GK lists. Daemons, I'm not sure how I'd fare...

Batrep: Nids vs IG 1850



So this Batrep is a bit of an old game, I played it over a week ago. Details may be a bit hazy, but I'm trying to write a batrep for every game I play with Nids in 6th.

My list: BeakyCon minus 3 Hive Guard

Flyrant with dakka
Dakka shellrant, OA 1x guard
3 Hive Guard
2 Zoanthropes
3 Tervigons, with three powers, Toxin Adrenal and one has Crushing Claws
10 gants
20 gants
20 gants
2 Biovores

My opponents list:
CCS, with a banner and a few flamers
4 flamers PCS
50 man blob with two Autocannons and flamers
10 meltavets in a chimera
Basalisk
Aegis with Quad gun
Space Marine Captain with fist
five scouts
Vendetta
Leman Russ with Heavy Bolters and a Lascannon
Demolisher with a Las cannon

Warlord Traits were both useless and forgotten. Night Fight was non existant all game.

My Psychic Powers: I lost the list I wrote them on, but I do know the gist.

Flyrant: Smite, Life Leech
Tyrant: Smite, Enfeeble
Tervigon 1: Iron Arm, ***, ***
Tervigon 2: Iron Arm, ***, ***
Tervigon 3: Iron Arm, ***, ***
Zoanthrope 1: Psychic Shriek, Terrify
Zoanthrope 2: Psychic Shriek, ***

The Mission: The Scouring? Unsure of name... it had 6 objectives of random point values, and then FA were scoring. Vanguard Strike as deployment.

The Board: Far, top left was a large bunker (2 of the objectives were there) To the right of that was a third objective, which was wrapped up by my opponents Aegis line. There was a ruin ti the bottom left with an objective in it, a matching bunker bottom right with an objective behind it, and a roughly central objective in a wood.

My opponent has the opposite side for the above, just to clarify.

Objectives: He gets 4, 3, 2 and I get 1, 2, and 3. My backfield is the 1 and 2, being practically worthless.

Deployment: Nids: Three Tervis and Tyrant right up front, as usual. Flyrant to my left, Hive Guard and Zoeys hide behind a wall of gants, and 10 gants babysit the 1 point objective on my bottom right.

Deployment IG: The Blob is up top of the Bunker, with HWTs behind them and on the right parapets. Captain is on the Quadgun right next to it, and attached by a guardsmen chain. Scouts deploy closest to me, behind Aegis, shielding the Demolisher. His regular Russ is far right, in front of the Meltavets Chimera. Both Platoon and Company Command Squads are behind the bunker, with the Basalisk. Vendetta is reserved.

Turn 1 Nids: One Tervigon Spawns, onto the bottom left objective. Everthing advances/runs. Flyrant shoots and whipes out Scouts after they fall back off the board. First Blood Nids.

Turn 1 Guard: Moving is non existant. Shooting Kills two Hive Guard, wounds the last.

Turn 2 Nids: All Tervigons spawn, no doubles. Gants shoot the blob, kill a few. Lone Hive Guard wounds the Quadgun, which the Tyrant finishes off.

Turn 2 IG: The last Hive guard dies, and three of the 4 gant squads up front are destroyed. Tehre are a few scattered remnants, one has a lone survivor.

Turn 3 Nids: All Spawns, no doubles. The gants pore firepower into the guardsmen, and the Tyrants finish the Captain off after an enfeeble goes off.

Turn 3 IG: The Biovores are killed off. Theres a random wound on a Tervigon, but again the gant broods are just mauled. There's a brutal battle of atrition right up front, but the rest of the Nids are getting closer... Vendetta comes in, which is how the Bios died.

Turn 4 Nids: All Spawn. NO DOUBLES. His blob is getting whittled down by constant firepower from Fleshborers. He loses a HWT squad to Devourer fire, and then his Commissar is sniped out by Tervigons.

Turn 4 IG: Again, his Firepower is holding off the encroaching swarm, but this turn there are a few more survivors...

Turn 5 Nids: I spawn, two of them double out. The gants pour over the edge of the bunker, and shooting whipes out the blob to a man. The Flyrant has also mounted the parapet.

Turn 5 IG: His Vendetta flat-outs and is in range of the 2 point objective. Lascannons kill 2 gants, and the Lascannon on the demolisher kills one more, forcing a check. They fail and go off the board. Basalisk hits the 10 on my 1 point objective, they fail their check and fall off the board. One surviving HWT gets the objective on the bunker, lascannon fire kills the only gants in range to contest. Meltavets disembark. PCS runs up and flames a few gants, claiming the Aegis objective.

If the Game ends now, my opponent holds 4, and I hold 1... at the end of my turn, I had been leading 4 objectives to 0! The game goes on... my opponent concedes now. I would have had rear armor shots his Vendetta, and couldve spawned onto that objective. Also, I had plenty of gants posed to overwhelm the Bunker and Aegis objective, while the Flyrant would've dropped onto the Meltavets and wrecked them.

Final Thoughts: My opponent played a great game, and was in a great position to win. This was agreat game, and really shows that you have to focus on the win. I got way too caught up on killing the Blob. I did turn 5, but then didn't have a chance to run onto objectives... This was only a friendly game, so we did play a bit relaxed, but great game nonetheless!

11/17 Tyranids vs. BA 1850

Hello hello! My original plans for the weekend involved going to an RTT, however I mixed up my dates, and so there actually wasn't one today. Still, I made the trip, and got in a quick 1850 Pickup game...

My Opponent's list: Blood Angels

Reclusiarch Chaplain (Warlord trait is bonus for killing a character in challenges)
7 Death Company in Rhino, two fists and a Power sword
3x Sanguinary Preists with Power Swords
3x 5 man assault squads in AssCannon razorbacks
5 man assault squad in a rhino
2x Baal Predators with AssCannons and Heavy Bolters
2x Vindicators

My list:

Flyrant, Devourers Old Adversary
Flyrant, Devourers Hive Commander (Warlord Trait: Conqueror of Cities)
2x5 Ymgarls
Doom in a Pod
2x10 gants
2x Tervigons (Tox/Adrenal) with three powers
2x Trygons

Psychic Powers:
Flyrant 1: Enfeeble, Smite
Flyrant 2: Enfeeble, Life Leech
Tervigon 1: Iron Arm, Enfeeble, Endurance
Tervigon 2: Endurance, Life Leech, Warp Speed
Doom: Psychic Shreik

The Mission: Crusade (3 objectives) and Hammer/Anvil. There was one objective in the dead center, and one bottom left and one top right, from my POV by my short table edge.

The Board: All ruins (yay!) there were three small ruins in the far top, then two to the left and right of the center objective, and two more in my DZ.

Deployment: BA: He put his two Vindis to the right, his two Baals in the center, and the 3 RazBacks behind them. The DC rhino was behind this, and the normal Rhino in the far, top right ruin.

Deployment Nids: I put the two Tervis in the left and right ruins. The left one is farther up. The flyrants are in the two ruins, and 10 gants are to my left by the Objective. 10 gants are outflanking, the Trygons and Doom are in reserve, and the 2 Ymgarls are in the far back Ruins, directly left and right of his objective.

Turn 1 BA: Both Baals scout and move, blasting the left Tervi and taking a wound off. The far back normal rhino immobilised itself despite Dozers, and his DC rhino goes far left and around a ruin, barreling down on my wounded Tervi. His other vehicles advance, for no shots. Three 5 man squads jump out, to try and fill the three terrain peices in his backfield.

Turn 1 Nids: Both Flyrants swing hard right, and each light up a Pred via side armor. One is left alive, with one hull point. Spawned gants assault and finish that one off from my left Tervigon. That Tervigon gives itself Endurance and regains a wound from "It will not die".

Turn 2 BA: One assault squad moves up and jumps out of its Razorback, as do the DC, right in front of the gants. The other 2 AssBacks pull back slightly, as do the Vindis. Shooting whipes out the spawned gants.

Turn 2 Nids: All reserves hit at once. Doom scatters 12", and so can only hit the far right disembarked squad. He kills 3 of them. Both Trygons land near his objective. Shooting immobilizes a Razback. Ymgarls come in, due to his guys being there I lose 2 n the left, and one in the right squad. They assault, lose one each and kill a few marines, everyone holds. The DC are enfeebled and blasted by the Flyrants. He's hot on saves, but still loses all but two DC and the Chaplain. The Tervigon then charges and kills the Chaplain in a challenge.

The game at this point: His troops are locked in combat or surrounded. I'm virtually undanaged and about to hit hard. The next turn would have gone like this... He's locked in assault, maybe finishes the Ymgarls maybe not. He'd blaze away at the Trygons, and if he's lucky would kill one. Then, the Doom would kill one squad, the two Trygons would each smash another, and his 5 man assault squad in my territory would've been gunned down by the pair of Flyrants, any survivors killed by the Flyrants assaulting. He was on the back foot, as I'd smashed his Preds and DC, and completely ruined his push for  the center objectives. Plus, I had Linebreaker First Blood and Warlord, while my opponent was unlikely to get any of those. One more turn would have been disasterous, I would have probably killed 6+ units. The game was called by my opponent here.

Thoughts: This felt like 6th vs 5th edition, I think my opponent's list was very 5th oriented, with MSU spam. It was a good inaugural battle for the new list I'm trying, and the "Threat Overload" worked quite well. Of course, more testing comes ahead! I also picked up the new Chaos Codex and then two novels to keep me busy, Fear to Tread and Shadows of Treachery.

Building a better Tyranid army: 1850

 



With the knowledge gained from 21 games of 6th edition, I've been slowly improving my Tyranids, to the level that gave me a 4-2 record at Beakycon. Still, I think I can do better. My last list design was focused purely on objective holding and being tough as hell. It worked in that regard, but I suffered in Kill Point games (or when the dice didn't like me). So, I'm now thinking about reworking my army to cause as much destruction as possible. This new list won't be a guarenteed "auto win", or even an improvement, but I think it'll be worth giving a try. Since both the next RTT, and the next GT, I plan on attending are1850, This is what I'll use:

 

Flyrant with Devourers and Hive Commander

Flyrant with Devourers and Hive Commander

5 Ymgarl Genestealers

5 Ymgarl Genestealers

Doom of Malan'tai in a Spod

Tervigon with Tox/Adrenal, 3 powers

Tervigon with Tox/Adrenal, 3 powers

10 gants

10 gants

Trygon

Trygon

 

The idea here is very, very simple. Turn one, Tervis and Flyrants hide in cover, using Psychic powers to be very durable. Then turn 2 the Hammer drops. The Doom, 10 Ymgarls (who will assault), 2 Trygons and 2 flyrants will hit my opponent in the jaw. This is more than almost any gunline will be able to handle, and with any luck I can overwhelm and wreck my opponent. All my reserves come in automatically, and then the fun begins. Exposed infantry will get shredded by the Doom, and between the 2 Trygons (6 str. 5 shots EACH) and the Flyrants (12 Twin linked shots EACH)  I will probably be able to kill 2/3 light vehicles in that alpha strike turn. Finally, Ymgarls will choose and murder whatever two threats I see as most capble of killing me. Long Fangs, Psyflemen, etc. The best part is, none of these units can scatter into my opponent. Trygons and the Spod all ignore that, while Ymgarls just pick a peice of terrain to jump out of. I already have all of these models, (yay!) so as a "test" list it's perfect. If it doesn't work I've lost nothing. The Tervigons are really only there as a tough objective scoring unit, but if I need to I'll be more than happy to run up and hit something, while spawning all the way. Ironically, this lists weaknesses include what my last list was ideal against. A 9 flyer Necron list, which I beat at BeakyCon, would give me a hard time, and Daemons would be able to react and murder me... If I played Tzeentch Daemons I'd have to castle up and spawn like heck, and try to fend off the flamers long enough to charge the bastards.

Rules Questions of the day

 

Here we have a few rules questions of the modern 40k meta... these pop up all the time, in between FAQs. You've heard of some, I'm sure. but some are new to me. At least one probably has an easy answer.

 

Shamelessly stolen from Dakka's YMDC:

"Necrons over here are very tough to beat in this mission (the relic). A unit grabs the relic, jumps into a night scythe, which automatically crashes, sending the unit into reserve. This doesn't trigger any of the conditions for the unit to drop the relic, so it would seem that it goes into reserve with them.

Can anyone come up with a solid rules argument that prevents this, or is just another little boost for the tin men?"

Wowie!  Check this one out. Here, I would say that the Relic is placed in the wreckage (but does not scatter). I believe that is part of the wording for having the Relic in a vehicle. Still, it's a weird one!

Next! Can wounds be allocated to models out of range? This came up at BeakyCon. The BRB says that you can't shoot units out of LOS or out of range, but only says you can't allocate to models out of LOS. The Beaky judges decided that there was no rule saying you can't allocate to models out of range, and therefore you can. (In game: My dakkatyrant was in range and LOS of one Ork boy, but ended up killing several that were 19-20" away.

And here's another! Yet another on the DoomScythe... How are cover saves determined? I assumed it was an only-area terrain thing, but then looked it over later and saw no RAW reason it's not a pure LoS issue.

Another: The Psychic Shreik psychic power, is a witchfire attack. Therefore, it must be rolled to hit. But say a character, (the Doom of Malantai) is using it and hits with a 6. Precision shot! Now, as this could potentially cause multiple wounds, are ALL now allocate by the Nid player? (It's effect is a 3d6 leadership check, a wound for every point failed by, no armor or cover saves.) You can see how many wounds this causes against a low LD army. A 6 to hit could easily kill the special and heavy weapon carrier, and then put a few more on the Sarge for him to Look out Sir. Quite nice.

Terrify strips Fearless from a unit and makes them take a test... so, how far would a FMC fall back if swooping...? (All FMCs are fearless base, for the record)

The Forewarning Divination power gives a 4++ save to a unit. Initially, I thought this wouldn't stack with, say, a Nemesis force Sword on a Strike Squad Knight. (I saw the 4++ as a set Stat, that by BRB rules would be applied aftr a + or - modifier.) Then, I realized, how does Mark of Tzeentch fit? By that reasoning, MoT wouldn't help if a model has a set Inv save, which is perposterous. So, it's uncertain, but I'd say that Forewarning is great with NFS.

Last, I want to (again) complain at the lack of Force Spears... I have a Librarian with one! There are Power Spears! Why no Force Spears? The BRB says to look at what the weapon looks like... The power weapons rule clearly shows a Spear doesn't fit any other category, so where does my Force Spear armed Libby fit in? I could really call it as any I suppose,but I want a spear...

I may think of more rules questions, or you might. Chime in eitehr way! Plus, some of these probably have answers (like the Doom Scythe one, which I expect does.)

EDIT: One last question, does Enfeeble (or other stat modifying powers) stack? The BRB says the effects of different powers are cumulative, however some people believe that the same power twice is not different. I personally disagree, as it is a seperate power being used by a seperate psycher, but there is no real clear cut answer... the problem here is what is implied by the word "different".



 

Tyranid Beaky list review, and random thoughts

 

Got up this morning and read the paper before driving off, and just about dropped my Cheeri-Os! Right there on Family Cuircus, gotta love that! (This reminds me of a Fox Trot from a few years back...)

 

 

So, happy Halloween everybody! Bonus points for dressing up as anything 40k related! Anyway, I was asled in a comment to do a full review of my BeakyCon list... it seemed like a good idea! Until I win a GT, there's room for improvement (or new dice... game 5 cough...)

So here we go! For referrence, my list below:

 

Tyrant: Shell, OA, twin Devourers, one guard

Flyrant: twin devourers

3 Hive Guard

3 Hive Guard

10 gants

19 gants

20 gants

Tervigon, 3 powers, TS/AG

Tervigon, 3 powers, TS/AG

Tervigon, 3 powers, TS/AG, Crushing Claws

2 Biovores

 

If you read any of my battle reports, you know how this list rolls: Psychic powers make this super tough, I go almost all Biomancy. Then, I bunker down on objectives while blasting at anything that gets near, assaulting with poisoned gants and MCs as I see fit.

 

Unit by Unit review:

 

Walking Tyrant: My Warlord, he has to be good right? Slow moving, but an absolute brick to kill. He was underwhelming at times, (see his saves in games 5/6) but overall he's tough as balls, and dishes out the damage. Old Adversary makes things nearby scary at shooting. Bonus points for being a psycher! He makes a good counter assault unit, with some gants as support, reasonable anti air, and is also my "anti Space Wolves" unit for giving the finger to Missile launchers.

 

B

 

Flying Hive Tyrant: Devourers are nasty, and wings can get him in a great position to use them. He's there to take out isolated flyers (he gets overwhelmed by 3+ I'm afraid). It's great to have a fast moving unit in a very slow army, he can hit just about anywhere. However, he is very fragile and a huge target to enemy players... As long as I remember t play him cautiously, I give him a...

 

B+

 

(2x) 3 Hive Guard: These are mech killers, pure and simple. At BeakyCon, I saw real "mech heavy" lists twice, and they were great both times. But, against Necrons, and the IG/Space Wolves and Orks? Not so much. A lot of the time they were just ineffective. So, what to do here? They're really a "mech deterrent" more than anything else. Mech was our nemesis before, but now maybe not so much? We can out objective them I think. At least one unit is required, but I might think about dropping one... only problem is, what for? Still, a big target sign. I'll be testing out Ymgarls again perhaps.

 

C+

 

2 Zoanthropes: Instead of for their Lances, I used these as cheap psychic powers. Overall, they're good at buffing my troops or weakening the enemies, plus I need not worry about cover. And hey, synapse is nice right? I think I need to be a bit better at positioning them, but that was the one of the first times I'd used Zoeys, so I think it's alright.

 

B+

 

10/19/20 gants: These are meatshields, objective holders, and surprisingly deadly in CC. Don't ignore poison weapons, they'll mess up a Lord of Change in a heartbeat! They're also unlockers of Tervigon joy, which is never bad. For the low price and large unit footprint, the damage possible is great, as well as the toughness of 20 wounds. Put them near Tervigons for Comedy Gold!

 

A-

 

Tervigons: 3 psychic powers is a must. With Biomancy, there are really 4 good rolls one can get. 3 gies a guarentee, plus the increased likelihood of the greatest of them all... Iron Arm... going from 2 to 3 powers increases the odds by 25% of getting this sacred savior of Tyranids. Anyways... got off track there. These guys are great! Scoring, tough, cheap, and they can pack a mean, mean punch! Smash will kill all characters you challenge, and you're tough enough to weather the storm and punch back. These are absolutely essential to every truly competetive Tyranid army. We're underestimated on the GT scene, but I'd put the Tervigon as one of the three best all around units in the game. (Night Sycthe, Flamers). 3 is a boon, as it's redundant (yes, spammy...) and they can churn out the models to frighten any opponent. My only thought is to drop Crushing Claws on the one Tervi. Thery're really there in case I need to kill one model, then the Tervigon is a wrecker. No question here on the grade:

 

A+

 

2 Biovores: For the price of a 5 man combat squad, I lose a wound, lose a save point, but gain 2 Barrage Weapons... I'm sold! Biovores aren't a competetive choice, and for the life of me I don't know why... They achieved something in all 6 games (except maybe the 9 scythe list), and thanks to a bad reputation, normally lasted a few turns until my opponent realised that they needed to die. I think I could use a second squad here if I can find where to squeeze them in. Overall, dropping Sniper Pie Plates on my opponent is fun! Plus, it keeps me engaged in all turns. I HATE going round one without rolling a dice in anger because I just have zero things in range... So this is fun for me. Doubting Nids players, try these out!

 

A-

 

Final list thoughts: It syncronizes well, and is tough as heck. I love it, but nothing is perfect... more playtesting will come, as always, and I could make some changes. I wouldn't mind another fast/surprise quick assault unit... Maybe gargoyles, Raveners, or Ymgarls? Dropping one Hive Guardbrood, and two gants, gives me 20 gargoyles with Poison/Furious Charge. For "friendly" games I'll drop one Tervi, then probably add said gargs, and then an extra Biovore I think, and one more gant so both broods hit 20. I may also try out the Swarmlord more, but I still think he's not quite at the Walking Tyrants level... your mileage may vary.

 

Thoughts on Chaos Space Marines

With holidays approaching, and the vast amount of models often aquired during this time, I lay my plans for Chaos Space marines... Here's a list of things I have/want in my collection. (I actually don't have my codex on hand, so I can't get a points total. This probably won't all fit in a 2k list.)

Warpsmith with Power fist or axe: I have one with a hammer/stomshield, a Mark of Tzeentch and the Iron Halo equivalent works here.  I also have one with a Hammer and Combi-melta, this would be a basic WarpSmith, with maybe a P Fist upgrade.

A librarian of some sort (I have a terminator armored, a PA, and a PA Ahriman count as) The TA has a Stomshield, so I'd get him the 3++ and run him with some Tzeentch Terminators. Oterwise, I'll have one Tzeentch unit to chill with Ahriman. If I use the ML 3 sorceror he'll have no mark, and just go with a normal squad.

I have a chaplain/Dak Apostle model... however I don't think I'll use him as such. The Ld. Buffs and re rolls on rewards aren't worth it really... I may use him as a Power mace sarge.

I have a Lord-type model in TA armor, (who can't be a warpsmith therefore) I don't think he'll see much use.

One Custodian hero type character... not sure what to do with him. He's not even painted yet. Maybe use as a really cheap lord.

8 Terminators: one ChainFist/Reaper auto, 2 fists, two Combi-melta swords, one sword, one fist, and a dual sword guy whod end up as a LC I'd guess. If I use them, it'll be Tzeentch or no mark. Tzeentch would mirror the FW Cataphracti and allow a Tzeentch character to join.

5 Custodians: No idea what to use here. Originally they were Space Marine honor guard with relic blades... now, Chosen are not CC, possessed are too random, Mutilator may actually fit here, but I'd have to rebase them on to one size larger. If I did, they'd end up with Mark of Slaanesh or Tzeentch.

One Dread/Helbrute with two Magnetized CC weapons: I have a reapr auto built but with no magnets, I don't see myself needing any other options.

I have 22 Space Marine models painted, but this includes 4 sarges (2 axe 2 fist). I may build an extra random marine, and use as a tough 20 man squad with 2 flakk missile launchers to sit objectives and shoot, while being tough as hell.

I have one rhino... I expect very little use out of him... Maybe as a chosen deliverer.

What I want to have:

A Bike Lord with potentially crazy options, I may magnetize arms here for Combi Weapons, fists, or maces.

A full bike squad: They'll be modeled with Jetbikes of course. I may wait on this to see if the DA release has some nice plastics in it... But it'll be a melta squad with a maul probably. Marks would be Slaanesh if it all, with an "icon holder" apothecary.

10 man Raptor squad: Max flamers, just for giggles. This'll be a kitbash, either of the new Raptor Jetpacks or MaxMini ones, combined of course with base assault Marines

Spawn unit? I'd make them out of Fantasy Ogres, but theyd represent Gene-built workers (such as the "sons of Dantioch" of HH renown.) The Mark would be whatever the Lord has, if any.

10 Havocs with 4 Autocannons: Autos fit the theme (theyd be kitbashed out of psycannons and IG heavy weapons) I want 10, not just a 5 man squad. 10s an even number, and means my opponent needs to put serious power into this to kill it in cover.

2 ForgeFiends: They'll be based off of a Dread top on a Rhino bottom with two massive cannon arms. (BS 3 = servitor targeting...). They'll probably be removable to add in a Pred turret if needed. Two is tough, and a lot of Str. 8 shots, enough to hurt flyers!

Thousand Sons/Tzeentch Marines: I really want to use the sexy FW boarding shields, I think a Sternguard unit with a 4++ inv makes sense, and special bolters to represent Ap. 3. These'll be my Sorcerors buddies, if MoT or Ahriman.

IG: I wantmy IG to have a distinct German theme, WWI era. Like the "freikorps of Krieg", before Death was cool. And of course, being the support of a Traito Legion leaves seed for future corruption in Krieg... I'll use Maxmini heads, wargames factory bodies and buy cheap lasguns off IG players all over.

Lord Commissar: The morale and the weapon-manner, as well as HW choice. Plus, der Kommissars!

Infantry Platoon: 20 men w/ Commissar as an objecvtive holder, I may have some Mortars inside for barrage, or atocannons.

Artillery: Basalisks with Camo Netting are so sweet behind an Aegis... Plus, Iron Warriors. I must, I must!

An Aegis with quad cannon for der Kommissar or the Havoc Sarge to shoot.

So much to look at at once! But I'm a fair bit in to it at least, and I ve painted a lot of boring infantry, shouldn't be much left.

BeakyCon Game 6: vs. Necrons

*Disclaimer on Batreps! I played 6 games this weekend. It's entirely possible I forgot some details, but I'll do what I can to make it as accurate as possible. I may confuse if I blew up a chimera on turn 2 or 3, etc. If you were my opponent in any of these reports, please speak up and correct any errors I made. Also, opponents will be identified by first name only. If anyone would like even that removed, just let me know and it'll disappear.*

Warlord- walking tyrant, armored shell, 2x Devourers, Old adversary, one guard
Flying Hive Tyrant, 2xDevourers
2x3 Hive Guard
2x Zoanthropes
10 gants
19 gants
20 gants
Tervigon #1 with Toxin/Adrenal, 3 powers
Tervigon #2 with Toxin Adrenal, 3 powers
Tervigon #3 with Toxin Adrenal, 3 powers, and Crushing Claws
2x Biovores

Ok, here comes the last Batrep from BeakyCon 2012! At this point, both of us are 4-1, I'm in 5th, and he's in 6th place. However, I've talked to the Head Judge and looked at the standings.  Whoever wins this game will finish in 3rd place at the Con, as the next player ahead of me has a 19 point lead... there's absolutely no way for either of us to get in the top 2. (There were prizes only for the top 2 players of the Tournament. 3rd place has nothing.) Basically, this game will not affect what I go home with, just bragging rights.

My Opponent's list: Remy - Necrons

2x Destroyer Lords, with a Scythe, 2+ save, and MSS. one is warlord
6 Wraiths, 3 Whips
6 Wraiths, 3 whips
3 Scarab Bases
3 Spyders
Doom Scythe
Nigh Scythe with 6 warriors
Nigh Scythe with 6 warriors
Nigh Scythe with 6 warriors
Nigh Scythe with 6 warriors
Annihilation Barge

The mission: Kill Points, Hammer and Anvil. Tie Breaker is Table Quarters

The Board: My perspective is from a long board edge, my DZ to the left, my opponents to the right. On bottom left theres a large ruin, nothing top right, and in the middle top and bottom are two large craters.

Warlord Traits were equally useless

Psychic Powers:

Flyrant: Iron Arm, Warp Speed
Hive Tyrant: Warp Speed, Smite
Zoanthrope 1: Objuratio Mechanicum, Crush
Zoanthrope 2: Crush, Gate of Infinity
Tervigon 1: Endurance, Warp Speed, Enfeeble
Tervigon 2: Iron Arm, Smite, Endurance
Tervigon 3: Iron Arm, Life Leech, Warp Speed

Pre Game Thoughts: I've had my share of Necron flyers for the weekend... This is not going to be an easy game. Kill Points are my weakness, and this army is really, really tough. 5 Flyers won't be easy to take down. Scythe Wing is nigh unkillable when it doesn't have to play to objectives. I'm going to have to try to table everything he has on the board, and hope that's enough to get a lead, then hunker down and hide.

Deployment: Tyranids: I put all three Tervis up front as per usual, one each in the top, center and bottom. Iron Arm ones are center and bottom. One blob is top left partially in a ruin, the other is bottom left. Hive Guard are center and bottom left in the ruin, as are the Zoeys and Biovores. Flyrant is behind there, 10 gants in reserve, and the Walking Tyrant is in the center, just touching the Ruin.

Necron Deployment: Each Wraith Squad has a Lord up front, and ison the front right in either top or bottom. Warlord is the bottom squad. Three Scarabs behind the Spyders in the center, and the Annihalation barge is in front of them.

Turn 1 Tyranids: I don't move much. His wraiths will want to move closer, then I'll shoot them up. Psychic Powers all over, and I fly the Tyrant up 12" at an angle. Shooting sees the Biovores wipe out the 3 Scarab Swarms for First Blood.

Tyranids: 1 Necrons: 0

Turn 1 Crons: A general advance, the wraiths are cautious, waiting for Flyers I'd guess. His Annihalation Barge moves up and is touching terrain. I may lose a random wound on the non IA tervi.

Tyranids: 1 Necrons: 0

Tyranids turn 2: I advance a little, Hive guard Scrap the Annihaltion barge and the Flyrant leaves the board.

Tyranids: 2 Necrons: 0

Necrons Turn 2: I believe three Scythes come on, not the Doom. Everything advances full speed, the time for caution is done! One Scythe targets the Walking Tyrant, and it's Tesla rule leads to 5 wounds on the Big guy. I fail 3 of those five 2+ saves... :'( Other shooting takes another wound or two off the Tervi.

Tyranids: 2 Necrons: 0

Tyranid turn 3: I'm in a good position to hammer his wraiths. I enfeeble the top squad, and the Flyrant comes on zooming 24" and is in range, so that the Lord isn't the closest. I spawn gants on the top and bottom, and surround both Wraith Squads. Now, I open fire! The Flyrant does 10 wounds to the T3 wraith Squad... Every failed save strips a model off! He only fails one save... Next, about 30 gants open fire... another wraith dies. Hive Guard and Two Tervigons shoot into the same wraiths, I finally kill the lord there. He stands back up... For the other Wraiths, more Hive Guard and Fleshborer fire, plus the DakkaTyrant, lead to two wounds on the Lord and one dead wraith... So overall I wounded both Lord twice and killed 3 wraiths. Not nearly as much as I was hoping for... Then, I assault. On the top, my gants are going through terrain, and somehow roll 12" on their charge anyway. Since I have to put as many bases in combat as possible, I wrap the unit, saving them from the Two Tervigons about to charge in! :O On the bottom, my Tervigon fails a 3" charge... the gants also fail, and I decide not to assault with the Wounded Tyrant now that he'd be the only MC and probably would die... Great. In the one combat that happens, I kill a wraith and lose a lot of models. Wounding on rerollable 3+s really, really should have done more... He is locked however.

Tyranids: 2 Necrons: 0

Necrons turn 3: The Doom Scythe and another Scythe come in, and one flies off. The Flyrant takes two wounds, and I lose a Hive Guard or two, and the Tyrant is slain. In assault, his free Wraiths hit my 19 man blob that failed to assault him, and kills them. The other assault sees him whittle down the two gant squads he's fighting, and his lord dies, then gets up. He also loses another wound on the wraiths. (Preferred Enemy is NASTY)

Tyranids: 2 Necrons: 2

Tyranids turn 4: My Flyrant flies over to a Night Scythe, and fails his Iron Arm check... and Perils. Im at one wound now. His shooting yields 9 hits on the Night Scythe at strength 6, but somehow only glances twice. Objuration Mechanicum hits the Wraiths for re rolling 6s to hit/wound. He denies it. Gants and a Tervigon assault the Wraiths there after a bit of shooting wounds a wraith. A Tervigon also jumps in the top combat with some more gants. There, I lose more gants, kill a wraith and the Tervi whiffs and loses a few wounds. MSS means one gant kills another. On the bottom one I challenge and murder his Lord with the Tervi, gants are all slain but kill yet another Wraith. (He's down to one in the squad at this point) I get warlord here.

Tyranids: 3 Necrons: 3

Necrons turn 4: His shooting kills a Hive Guard and wounds the unengaged Crushing Claw Tervigon. His SPyder make their way up and assault the gants.  The Tervigon dies ther and the gants are down to only a handful. Fliers buzz around, and he drops 5 warriors next to my Flyrant, who takes one wound and dies... In CC my Tervi fails to hurt his wraith, I take a wound. Up top, he breaks out of the gant blob there by simultaneously whiping the survivors of each squad. His wraiths are down to one, wounded, and the lord, wounded.

Tyranids 3: Necrons: 5

Tyranids turn 5: I assault his lone wraith with the Crushing Claw Tervi. Out of 8 combined attacks, I hit once and dont wound... Up top I'm backing away form the Wratihs/lord and the Spyders, I shoot innefectively at the lord trying to get KPs. I believe I destroy the one HP Night Scythe, my only Flyer kill of the game.

Tyranids 4 Necrons 5

Necrons turn 5: He shoots and kills a Hive Guard, and the Tyrant Guard. In the lone assault he doesnt do really anything, and again I get 8 attacks that fail to do anything... Damn Wraiths! he does disembark some Warriors who shoot and help kill the Hive Guard.

Tyranids: 4  Necrons: 7

Tyranids turn 6: I kill the damn wraith, finally! Other than that Biovores and Hive Guard kill one disembarked warrior squad. Zoanthrope fails to kill the Doom Scythe, only getting one glance.

Tyranids: 6 Necrons: 7

Necrons turn 6: He kills the last Zoanthropes and Biovores. Not much else to do.

Tyranids: 6, Necrons: 9

Final: Necron Victory! 9 to 6 Kill Points

This was my first game against the Wraith Star in 6th edition... Boy are they tough! He was hot on saves, but they can take one heck of a punishment before going down! I think that this is a better version of ScytheWing than the 9 Scythes. This has a stronger Ground presence, while still having Firepower and Maneuverability. Ultimately the flyers were too much, whittling away squads and being way, way too tough to kill. My opponet was a very friendly guy, and a great player. This was one of the toughest lists I saw. As I said above, the winner ended up in third place overall in the Tournament, congratulations to Remy! The First place player had a very similar Wraith/Scythe list, while 2nd place was the IG/GK player I beat in round 4. I'm not sure what my final placing was on the event, but I'm overall happy. There's room to tweak it though. I need to find a way to do well in Kill Point games I think, I'm quite happy with how I do on Objectives.

Beaky Con game 5: IG/Space Wolves

Wow, it's been a while since the last one of these... Sorry about that. Real life has just been beating up on me, I haven't had the time to get these written. But, I'm hoping to get these busted out tonight and tomorrow!

*Disclaimer on Batreps! I played 6 games this weekend. It's entirely possible I forgot some details, but I'll do what I can to make it as accurate as possible. I may confuse if I blew up a chimera on turn 2 or 3, etc. If you were my opponent in any of these reports, please speak up and correct any errors I made. Also, opponents will be identified by first name only. If anyone would like even that removed, just let me know and it'll disappear.*

Warlord- walking tyrant, armored shell, 2x Devourers, Old adversary, one guard
Flying Hive Tyrant, 2xDevourers
2x3 Hive Guard
2x Zoanthropes
10 gants
19 gants
20 gants
Tervigon #1 with Toxin/Adrenal, 3 powers
Tervigon #2 with Toxin Adrenal, 3 powers
Tervigon #3 with Toxin Adrenal, 3 powers, and Crushing Claws
2x Biovores

Here comes game 5, and I'm 4-0 on the day, and also I believe the top player at this point. However, my next game comes up against Alan, who was last years undefeated BeakyCon champion, and is also 4-0 this year! I'm going to go ahead and say that in 6 games, he's the best player I faced over the weekend. His list I am unsure of, I seem to have misplaced my copy, but I know the generals

2 Space Wolf JAWWS priests in Termi armor
5 Grey Hunters in Pod
5 Long Fangs with 4 Missiles

IG Primaris Psycher
CCS with unknown weapons and a Lascannon
2 Big Blobs (one will be held in 40/50 guys with autocannons, the other in 4x10 with Autocannons.
Hydra
IG artillery piece, has strength 10 AP 2. I believe this is a Medusa.
2 Vendettas with Flamer PCS inside
Psycher Battle Squad
Aegis Line with Autocannons

(His Primaris can remove fearless, and can make a single model shoot at one of my units. Puppet Master and Dominate, I believe)

Warlord Traits: His I don't recall, mine was the Stealth Ruins (Quite useful. Definately my favorite Warlord Trait!)

My Psychic Powers:
Flyrant: Warp Speed, Smite
Tyrant: Iron Arm, Warp Speed
Zoanthrope 1: Iron Arm, Warp Speed
Zoanthrope 2: Enfeeble, Life Leech
Tervigon 1: Iron Arm, Enfeeble, Smite
Tervigon 2: Iron Arm, Warp Speed, Smite
Tervigon 3: Iron Arm, Enfeeble, Warp Speed

The Mission: Dawn of War, Table Quarters is primary (most VPs in quarter), secondary is KPs, tertiary is raw VPs.

For reference, The 4 table quarters will be, from my POV on my long edge
                                                                (his edge)
2 (top right)                                1                                2
1 (top left)                           
4 (bottom right)                          3                               4
3 (bottom left)                                         (my edge)

Terrain: Exlusively Ruins. Quarter 2 is mostly free, thats where the Aegis is. Big ruins in the left of 3, right of 4, and in the dead center, as well as a very tall one in between 1 and 2, and a large tall ruin in 1.

Deployment IG: Aegis in a wrap in corner 2, Both blobs and CCS behind it, as well as both tanks. That is definately his. Psychers behind building on line of 1 and 2, and the Long Fangs are on the third or fourth floor in quarter 1. Pod with both priests inside and Vendettas in reserve.

Deployment Tyranids: With Jaws incoming, I'm nervous. Last time I saw DPing Jaws I lost 800 points turn 1... (Helluva game there... ) So, Tervigons 1 and 3 are in reserve, and number 2 is on the second floor of a ruin, in the middle of my DZ. One Hive Guard and the Biovores are there with her. According to the TO, Jaws will affect the same floor level that the caster is on, my opponent agreed to this. Then, Hive Guard and Zoanthropes on the far right in a ruin. Next to it is the Dakkarant, and then 20 gants behind there. The next 10 and 19 are to the left between two buildings. The Flyrant is also far left. My plan is to hold 3 and 4, and then push into and at least contest table quarter 1, as it is far weaker. Only Long Fangs there, and only Psycher battle squad anywhere nearby.

Turn 1 IG/GK: Pod comesin quarter 4. He deploys one priest seperately, 6" away and up in the second floor of a building. (This was illegal. Vehicle rules are that you place in base, then move 6", so he wouldnt have had to move 5" and then 3" up to get there, not 6" straight. This was an honest mistake though,  I don't believe my opponent intended that. I'm not great with vehicles, and it's a very, very obscure difference. It also didnt affect much, and was actually better he did.) Both Jaws are outside of Shadow, he passes both and somehow misses both! Apparently it's a beam, and so rolls to hit. Woo! Other incoming fire kills a few things, and random wounds take the first two wounds off the Tyrant. I like my position at this point, as I'm ready to pounce on his Grey Hunters... However, my opponent remembers he has not yet shot the Aegis gun, and targets the Ground Tyrant. Two wounds, and I take them on the Tyrant. No big deal. I roll Snake eyes... Of course. This is how it's gonna go...

Turn 1 Nids: Tervigons alive! Ah ha! I Spawn away, but double. Them and a bunch of gants run up and assault the single priest and Hunters. Hive guard combo fire and take out the lone priest, after putting 8 wounds on him. Flying Hive Tyrant rolls Warp Speed (stupid. I did it to autopass Jaws by boosting I above 6, but a 6 fails aanyway, all the time...) I perils. Every other power gets Wolf-Talismanned away. Every... one... Urg. The Hunters lose one model in assault, I lose a bunch of gants. the Flyrant kills three models in the LF squad (2 missiles) , they fail and fall back, down one level. Other than that I advance. Biovores kill a few Guardsmen.

Turn 2 IG: He gets a Vendetta in. Flyrant gets hit, various shooting drops him to 1 wound. He does fail his first grounding check, as seems a tradition... Shooting mostly focuses on my far right. I lose a few Hive Guard and a Zoey, as well as a few gants. In CC he kills some more gants, they get Dominated and fall back, and are swept.

Turn 2 Nids: Reserves! I roll, ready to swing the tide to me... I roll a 1 and a 2. Crap in a hat... I try to hide my last Zoey. My gant wave on the left advances, I'm about to enter his DZ and quarter 1. Flyant advances and tries to shoot his Vendetta. I only get two glances... Hive Guard whiff horribly trying to hit the Vendetta. Nothing there... I try to shoot at the Grey Hunter squad, he's hot on saves, none die. Again, 0 powers go off.... Not good!

Turn 3 IG: Both Vendettas are now in and zooming across from quarter 1 to 4. Shooting. The freed Priest zaps my last Tervi on the board, he dies. Had a bit of a dispute on who denies the witch. He hit one gant first, so that's the unit to deny, they fail (There was an FAQ I was unaware of for multiple effected units). The Tervis demise kills a bunch of gants nearby. Shooting kills two Hive Guard and the Zoey on my right. Hive Guard is out of synapse and falls back. Finally, the Hydra and other shooting downs and murders my Flyrant... I have no Synapse on the board...

Turn 3: Reserves... 2 and a 2... :'( I now have to take an entire turn with no synapse... Jesus. I then fail every single Instinctive behavior test... Wow. Just... wow. My army has no movement phase, I'm stuck a few inches from his DZ! Shooting is nearly worthless. However, my one high point is when I try to shoot a few random gants at his Hunters. He points out that technically, his Vendettas closer. I hit it rear armor, and bring it down! (it had one HP remaining) One guy inside lives, sadly, but hilarious!

Turn 4 IG: Psycic Battle Squad is now wholely in quarter 1. His Primaris Puppet Masters my Hive Guard, and says "Ok, shooting one guy at the Bugs." I then reply "Who, the Biovores?" He forgot about them! So he says "Actually, yeah I'll shoot them!" Thats me being a dumbass... HUGE mistake there. No wounds are caused, but I forget my Warlord trait, and go to ground. Didn't need it at all. This comes back to bite. Shooting whipes the lone Hve Guard, he drops the PCS out the Vendetta and flames and kills some gants. At his end turn, he has  LFs and the Psychers in 1, a crap ton in 2, and in 4 he has a few Hunters and some Guardsmen.

Turn 4 Nids: Instinctive Behavior is before reserves. I fail every one except the Hive Guard. My Tervis both come in, I now out point him in quarter 4. I kill all the IG guys still on the ground in that quarter. I then make a desperation move to clear him out of Quarter 1. Hive Guard are going to shoot te two long fangs, both must die, or 1 and then the other falls back, then the Biovores have  LoS to the Psychers, who re all bunched up with 0 cover... I shoot, then relaise I've gone to ground. Nothing. I only have one unit in range of two targets... I can't kill them.

Game ends at turn 4. Victory: IG Table Quarters, tied, 2-2, Secondary I lose on KPs.

Summary: This game was very, very frustrating. My opponent was a great guy and general, but I feel I shouldve won.If even a single Tervigon makes a reserve roll, from turns 2 or 3, I win. Synapse means I advance gants into his quarter, and easily outpoint him. As it was, I had way too many point sitting motionless 3" away from his lines. The early loss of the Tyrant hurt me early, I wouldve wrecked the Grey Hunters with him if he'd lived and then the surviving Tervi would have moved my troops across that line... Just very disappointing. I knew I wouldn't damage him much, but I really should have won I feel. Bone headed Biovores mistake, both in telling him and then going to ground by forgeting I had +1 already, really hurt me there, that cost me my last chance to pull it out... My opponent did exactly the right thing though, for what I did. He was, again, the best general I played that day. I now sit at 4-1 and I'm in fifth place.