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.