Games We Play

Monday, 21 January 2019

Welcome to the Jungle: Scions and Marines vs Tyranids

++ Operation Clean Slate is go. Landing zone locked, nav beacon responding. Valkyries on approach, drop teams ready. Safeties off, all teams, you may fire freely. Sweep the DZ clear of hostiles, capture and appropriate local strong points, establish a functional beachhead ahead of reinforcements. Emperor protects. ++

I know you can't say 'Let's Rock!', that's from a different film. But the sentiment holds true.

Here we go - Zamaroon Campaign battle report number one! Kraken in the guise of Tyranids.

I, Stylus, shall be taking the combined forces of the Imperium. I've played thirty-eight battles with Space Marines (simulated) and two real ones (including this one). So I totally know what I'm doing.




And our opening game takes place in the Main Compound with the Beachhead mission!


Hagen's Heroes: Imperium

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

My army selection is being led by the narrative, which at least spares me having to make tactical choices. Basically, I have a Tempestor Prime and some Scion squads escorting a Lord-Commissar into the compound.

The Space Marines are there for support, hence being led by a Lieutenant, rather than the more useful Captain. A couple of Intercessor squads, some Aggressors and Hellblasters for fire support and a Redemptor. Basically a lot of dakka for the swarms, a bit of heavy stuff for the big bugs and some power fists for when I get overrun. I'm also running these with the Salamander chapter tactic, because they seem the likeliest to team up with humans (and I get those handy re-rolls too).

9th Hagan Lampreys: Militarum Tempestus

  • Colonel Bunny 'Badger' Crossley-Blythe - Tempestor Prime (HQ)
    Chainsword, Tempestus Command Rod
    Warlord Trait: Faithful Servant of the ThroneAdditional Ability: Hard to Kill
    Relic: Kurov's Aquila
  • Commissar Colderine - Lord Commissar (HQ)
     Bolt pistol, Power fist
  • Z.I.S.S. - 10 x Militarum Tempestus Scions (Troop)
    5 x Hot-Shot Lasguns, 4 x Hot-Shot Volley Guns, Vox-Caster, Sgt with Chainsword and Hot-Shot Laspistol
  • Squad Rogers - 10 x Militarum Tempestus Scions (Troop)
    5 x Hot-Shot Lasguns, 3 x Flamer,1 x Meltagun, Vox-Caster, Sgt with Chainsword and Hot-Shot Laspistol
  • Squad Tyneberry - 8 x Militarum Tempestus Scions (Troop)
    4 x Hot-Shot Lasguns, 2 x Meltaguns, Vox-Caster, Sgt with Chainsword and Hot-Shot Laspistol
  • Brunhilde - 1 x Taurox Prime (Transport)
    Taurox Battle Cannon, Two Autocannons, Heavy Stubber
  • Sigurny - 1 x Taurox Prime (Transport)
    Taurox Gatling Cannon, Two Hot-shot Volley Guns, Heavy Stubber

Crypt Angels: Adeptus Astartes - Salamanders

  • Lieutenant Segrasso - Primaris Lieutenant (HQ)
    Master-crafted auto bolt rifle
  • Squad Tredecim - 5 x Intercessor Squad (Troop)
    Auto Bolt Rifle, Auxiliary Grenade Launcher, Sgt with Power Fist
  • Squad Fortuna - 5 x Intercessor Squad (Troop)
    Auto Bolt Rifle, Auxiliary Grenade Launcher, Sgt with Power Fist
  • Squad Iaculator - 3 x Aggressor Squad (Elite)
    Auto Boltstorm Gauntlets/Fragstorm Grenade Launcher
  • Squad Exustio - 3 x Aggressor Squad (Elite)
    Flamestorm Gauntlets
  • Spatiator Sepulcrum - Redemptor Dreadnought (Elite)
    Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Heavy Flamer, 2 x Storm Bolters, Icarus Rocket Pod
  • Squad Suffitus - 5 x Hellblaster Squad (Heavy)
    Assault Plasma Incinerator

Points: 1500 | Level: 79 | Battle-forged + Battalion + Vanguard: 9 CPs

Clutch 7E: Tyranids

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points


I'm running the bugs for this bug hunt. Having seen the Imperial list and thought 'wow, that's a lot of firepower', I know I'm at least giving them a target rich environment. 

Does it feel on the light side? Maybe - I don't have a lot of shooting power, for starters. The Tyrannofex is trying out the cheapest of its guns, and I totally forgot to give the Hive Tyrant a shooter at all! Still, makes them very affordable. 

I can drop a reasonable amount from the skies, using the Gargoyles to rush an objective perhaps, and then back it with either another big bug swarm or a heavy hitter. Gants and Stealers to rush forward, Neurothropes and Warriors for ranged support. 

I'm also trying out Leviathan on a secondary detachment. Maybe this is a mistake, I don't know - worth a shot, with the extra save on spore mines making them a little more likely to make it into combat.

Still, there's plenty to shoot at here, and that's sort of the idea. Saturate his targeting priorities, and something's bound to get through!

Hive Fleet Kraken

  • Director Class Hive Tyrant (HQ)
    2 x Monstrous Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands, , Toxin Sacs [4pts]
    Warlord Trait: Adaptive Biology, Ability: Chameleonic Mutation, Psychic Powers: Catalyst, The Horror, Bonus Ability: Mighty (+1S)
  • Neurothrope (HQ)
    Psychic Powers: Onslaught
  • Tyranid Prime (HQ)
    Scything Talons, Spinefists
  • 20 x Genestealers (Troop)
    Rending Claws, 5 x Acid Maw
  • 30 x Termagants (Troop)
    12 x Devourers, 18 x Fleshborers
  • 5 x Tyranid Warriors (Troop)
    4 x Boneswords & Deathspitter, Scything Talons & Venom Cannon
  • Tyrannofex (Heavy)
    Fleshborer Hive, Stinger Salvo
  • Tyrannocyte (Transport)
    5 x Venom Cannon

Hive Fleet Leviathan

  • Neurothrope (HQ)
    Psychic Powers: Psychic Scream
  • 20 x Gargoyles  (Fast)
    Adrenal Glands
  • 1 x Mucolid Spore (Fast)
    Mucolid Spore
  • 6 x Spore Mines (Fast)
    Spore Mines

Points: 1499 | Level: 86 | Battle-forged + Battalion + Outrider: 9 CPs

Mission and Deployment

The dense jungles of Zamaroon, and some new shots of the painting I've been doing over the holidays.

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points
All buildings from TTCombat - super cheap mdf constructs, tough and easy to build. Quick too, although there's a lot of ground to cover!
Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points
The Jungles are home built, mdf rounds with a selection of aquarium plants, random sticks and stones from nearby and the Jungle Basing kit from Warlord Games. Mostly done with some flocking left to finish off. 
Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points
And my 'Nids fit right in!
The Mission is Beachhead - three objectives, one in the middle and one in each deployment zone. At the start of a turn, you score one VP for your own, two for the middle and three for your opponent's if you hold it. First Strike, Slay the Warlord and Linebreaker also up for grabs. 

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points
Overhead View. The entire left hand side is Dense Jungle, granting +1 save and -2" to advance and charge. The buildings are LOS blockers, but the bridge in the middle is open.
I win the roll off for deployment, so I pick the Compound end so I can hide in it! All those guns scare me. Plus lurking in the shadows seems a more cinematic start for the campaign somehow. The Tyrant is in the Tyrannocyst, with spore mines and Gargoyles to help drop in somewhere nice later. 

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points
Tyranid left flank...
Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points
...and right
Oh, what a lovely board! My forces start off, suitably enough, in dense jungle and I'm not keen to leave it. I put two squads of Scions, and their commanders, into the Taurox and park them either side of the control bunker. The final squad goes into deepstrike.

Of the Space Marines, one unit of Intercessors goes on the bunker, to secure my home objective. The other one takes point, ready to race out and grab the central one. The rest of the units spread out either side - danger can come from all sides!

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points
Imperial Deployment
Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points
Full Deployment
Stylus very gingerly gifts me the first turn. We're probably so far apart that I can't reach him, after all. Probably. 

Tyranids - Turn 1

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++Taurox Lead, this is Taurox Beta. Nothing on the scopes, it's a jungle out there.++

++Taurox Beta, copy that. Very funny, Lasseter. Stop talking and drive.++

++Lead, the Marines are out in front. You really want to let them get there first? Get all the glory?++

++Stay in formation Beta. The Badger was pretty clear on that. You got eyes on the compound yet?++

++Just passing the relay station now. Should be able to see the main gates... Now! Yeah, we see it. Holy Terra, look at that!++

++What are you seeing, Beta?++

++Nobody's home. No people. Something big, though, some kind of animal? It's lurking, hanging back behind the bridge supports.++

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++Give us coordinates! Get in range and get shooting!++

++Do we know it's hostile?++

++Take your meds and pull the trigger, Lasseter, of course it's hostile! Range and coordinates?++

++Transmitting! Holyrood, hit it!++

[A quiet first turn from me, I basically stayed in cover apart from nudging the Tyrannofex forwards. No point in rushing into the bullet spray, after all!]

Imperium - Turn 1

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

--This is Sergeant Fortuna. My squad is approaching the downed Valkyrie now. Pilot looks dead. And partially consumed.--

--Acknowledged. All Crypt Angels advance and converge on Fortuna's position. Except Squad Tredecim. Keep your squad back on the transmit homer and give us eyes on the compound. Auspex is barely giving us ten yards in this vegetation. Lieutenant Segrasso out.--

--This is Sergeant Tredecim. Movement in the compound. Shots fired. Ineffectual.--

--They'll do nothing at this range. You have to get close enough to smell the blood.--

--Who has Vox with the scions? Half of them are disembarking and heading for the rear.--

--That didn't take long.--


Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

[A cautious start from me too - and with most of my stuff out of range, I'm not getting First Strike either. I hold one unit of Intercessors on my objective and bust forward with the other one - sadly, I'm half an inch away from claiming it, so I won't be in a scoring position until the start of Turn 3.

The Cannon Taurox applies the handbrake, while the shorter-range Gatling Taurox busts forward. I also unload all the Scions from the Cannon Taurox, so they can spread out some kind of deepstrike bubble.

All that's left is a a pot-shot at the Tyrannofex with the Taurox Battle Cannon, which picks off a couple of wounds and just makes it angry.]

Tyranids - Turn 2

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++Lead, this is Beta! We're hitting it with everything we've got, and it's doing nothing!++

++Stay in formation, Beta, we're tracking off your fire. Let the Marines do their job.++

++What's it doing? Okay, Lead, the creature is... firing? I guess? There's something coming out of its arms, caustic energy patterns. But it's not hitting us, it's too far off. Can't get us from over there, you bastard. Good job it's too dumb to... wait, there's more! There's more of them, pouring out of the gates! And... shit, we've got hostiles all round us! There's... I can't count them! Too many, they were hiding in the trees! We'll be overrun!++

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++Hold position! That's an order!++

++What in Sweet Terra's name is that?++

++Beta? Beta! Report!++

++Saw something land behind us! Something big, the ground shook! But the bioscanner won't lock on, it's... No! Shit! Holyrood can see it, he says there's dozens of them. Like big bats! And a... a thing? I don't know either, Holyrood, stop screaming at me!++

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++Beta, hold position! The Crypt Angels will handle it!++

<<I HAVE THE XENOS IN MY SIGHTS. I HAVE SEEN DEATH FIRST HAND. THIS ABOMINATION DOES NOT SCARE ME. SUPPRESSIVE FIRE!>>

++Stay put, Beta, and keep firing! The Dreadnought has them pinned, just do your job!++

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

[Time to rush forward, I decided, so the Genestealers used Opportunistic Advance to push forward, and I dropped my deep strikers in the back corner, ready to threaten and rush the Imperial objective. It didn't go well - first up, I didn't move my Tyrannofex because I thought I wanted to fire twice. Which is fine if you're in range, but I wasn't. 

I was hoping to carve up the Redemptor a bit, but that fell flat too - the Tyrannocyte whiffed its shots, then all my charges failed, thanks to the dense jungle slowing us up. At least it also protected me from the Overwatch fire!]

Imperium - Turn 2

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

--Here they come, brothers. This Squad Fortuna. We've secured the crash site. Request urgent fire support.--

--Acknowledged. Squad Exustio, light them up with tracer fire. Give up something to shoot at.--

-- Brother Lieutenant. Auspex has cleared up. Multiple blips have dropped on either side of us. A whole of them behind us.--

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

--Watch the front, brothers. Clear out the first wave of Xenos. Get on the Vox and tell the Scions to target the flying swarm behind us. We can't allow ourselves to be surrounded.--

--THE ABOMINATION IS MINE--

--Good hunting, honoured brother Sepulcrum.--

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

--Sergeant Tredecim here. The first wave has been cleared, but the larger creatures are unscathed. And there's a second wave coming in.--

--Acknowledged. Bring up the Hellblasters, and tell the Scions to call in the reserves.--

--We shall be overrun. We will stand.--

--Hold fast, brother Sergeant Fortuna.--

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

[It's my big chance to unload at the swarm. Those not currently in range moves closer, everything else stays still. The Boltstorm Aggressors have stood still, allowing them to unleash 60+ shots at the Genestealers. Whatever they had loaded in their guns wasn't that effective, and only five bugs fell. To add to the insult, the advance squad of Intercessors caused just as many casualties with their bolt rifles.

There's still the backfield to clear, so I put everything else into the Gargoyles and wipe them out before they start tying up my guns. I even have a bit of gun left over for the Mucolid Spore.

The big guns are less successful. The Cannon Taurox whiffs against the Tyrannofex, the Hellblasters fail on the Hive Tyrant, and the Melta Scions burn a few wounds off the Tyrannocyte.

The only combat I fancy is the Redemptor on the Hive Tyrant. I score three hits - but the invulnerable save stops the lot. The Dreadnought takes a few in return.]

Tyranids - Turn 3

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++Beta! Watch your flank!++

++Shit, some kind of floating bladders, nearly on us. Holyroood, defensive gunning, fire fire fire!++


Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++....(gunfire, unintelligible)....++

++Beta? You still with us?++

++Oh crap, that's... (explosion, static)++

++Beta! Beta, report in! Lasseter!++

++We're hit! Heavy damage, something hit us from behind. Still operational, I think, there's...++

<<EVEN IN DEATH, I STILL... (crackling)>>


Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++The dreadnought is down! Beta, repeat, something took out the dread! Watch your rear!++


Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++Our rear? Are you seeing what's out in front of us, Lead? They're everywhere! The big thing, it's hosing down the Aggressors, they're dropping like flies. And the Intercessors are overrun, repeat, both flanks are engaged and taking casualties! It's like a sea! Like a bug sea! Even the Crypt Angels can't hold against that! There's...++


Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

--Lasseter! This is Commissar Colderine. You will see me after the battle. Now shut up and keep firing.--

++Sir! Yessir!++

++Whatever took out the Dreadnought, it's still out there. Commissar, do you have eyes on it?++

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

[What I had left, I used. The Genestealers whipped past the Intercessors on point and flung a long charge into the Flame Aggressors, then the Termagants followed in behind them, drowning the centre point in a wave of bugs. Surely they couldn't all get shot?

Shooting continued to disappoint. Although Caustic Slime and Scorch Bugs on the Tyrannofex worked fairly well, cutting up most of the Bolt Aggressors. 

The Tyrant, still untouched, ripped through the Redemptor and headed for the rear lines. But that meant Stylus got to interrupt with his Flame Aggressors, who made quite a mess of the remaining 'Stealers. Only three left, and they were out of Synapse, so I had to use my last CPs to save them!]

Imperium - Turn 3

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

--This is Sergeant Tredecim. Honoured brother Sepulcrum has fallen. Both Aggressor Squads have been reduced to 30% combat effective. I've lost visual on Sergeant Fortuna.--

--We still have the centre. We still stand.--

--Everyone pull back and reload. Tell the Scions to disembark and open fire. This entire compound is now a free fire zone. Repeat: fire at will.--

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

--Fortuna here. The main swarm is all but gone. The Scions have charged in to engage what's left. Another unit have airdropped right into the compound. Keen, aren't they?--

--Must be someone here they're trying to impress.--

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

[One swarm wiped, and here comes another. I bring the unit of Scions out of the Gatling Taurox to engage the centre, while deepstriking the final unit of Scions to threaten Kraken's home objective and force him to divert resources to attacking them.

The melta Scions are ordered to Get Back In The Fight and duly scrag the Tyrannocyte. The volley gun Scions and Battle Cannon Taurox wipe out the Tyranid Warriors on the back field.

In the centre, the lone Boltstorm Aggressor, Gatling Taurox, central Intercessors and flamer Scions mow down 25 Termagaunts. The spare melta Scion takes an impressive six wounds of the Tyrannofex. The Intercessors on the bunker snipe off the last three Genestealers.

In combat, the Gatling Taurox takes a long charge on the remaining Termagaunts (to soak Overwatch), but fails. The Scions make it in, stomp on a few more bugs, and crucially deny the objective to Kraken.

In terms of objectives, it's been a very low-scoring game. We've each been clocking up one VP per turn for our own objectives, but haven't got any bonus points and haven't secured any other objectives. It does add to the tension - neither of us can afford to slip up.]

Tyranids - Turn 4

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++Did you see that? What was that?++

++Lasseter! Get a grip and give me a report!++

++A big... I don't know! Something big just ran past us. What was that?++

++Get a grip, Lasseter! . Let Colderine worry about that creature, it's headed his way. Your passengers still need fire support, the big creature is giving them a pasting.++

--I'm not seeing anything, Lead, you must be mistaken. No! There! Space Marines! Concentrate fire on this position, it's... (roaring)--

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++Oh shit! Lead, it's got the Commissar! Something's got him! Permission to fire?++

++Don't be a fool, Lasseter, the Commissar is too close to it, you'll only...++

++Holyrood's got the shot, sir, he's sure he can... wait! Holy Emperor on his Holy Throne, did you see that? It had him, and he just...++

++Lasseter! Give me details, not noise!++

++The Commissar got clear, sir! It had him, its tail had him, and he just slipped clear!++

++He's a Commissar, lad. What do you expect? The marines are with him now, he'll be fine. Now take care of those bugs!++

++Roger that, Lead, firing now! The centre's nearly clear, we can do this!++

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

[Between the Warrior Prime's Spinefists and the Neurothrope's lucky supersmite, the newly arrive Scions in my backfield didn't last long. The Scions in the middle get two rounds of rather inaccurate Fleshborer Hive fire, but the Tyrannofex is a bit woozy after all the hits to the head last round, and only nips off three of them. That leaves us tied on the objective, though!

So I got my charge into the Hellblaster, the Commissar and the Lieutenant with the Tyrant. And all I'm saying is never split your attacks. 

Never.]

Imperium - Turn 4

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

--Lieutenant! Are you alive? I thought that thing was going to eat you.--

--I live. It couldn't decide if he wanted me or Colderine. Let's bring up the Hellblasters before he gets another chance.--

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

--Sergeant Fortuna here. The centre is ours, but this psyker xenos is slippery! Every time I get a hand to him, he evades me.--

--Just kill him quick before Colerine can get in there. He looks angry.--

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

[I finally clear out the centre of Termagaunts, which means I should be scoring the middle objective next turn.

I'm also making headway against my targets. The Tyrannofex is destroyed to a Scion’s melta shot, and everything else goes into the Hive Tyrant. Between it's chameleonic mutation, high toughness and invulnerable save, the best I can manage is taking it down to half wounds.

In combat, the luckiest Lord Commissar in the Imperium charges into centre melee. He can’t punch through the Neurothrope’s invulnerable save, but it's better that facing a Hive Tyrant.

The two Flamer/Melta Scions get into the enemy deployment zone to charge the second Neurothrope. Predictably, both sides whiff the combat.

Tyranids - Turn 5

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++It's on the roof! Lead, it's on the roof!++

++Lasseter! Bring your guns around, we need fire on that target asap! The Badger is up there!++

++Holyrood! Punch it!++

++Lord of Terra damn it! What is it doing to him?++

++(agonised screaming)++

++Badger! No!++

++Oh shit, man, it got the Badger! Game over, man! Game over!++

--Lead! Beta! This is no game. Lasseter, I haven't forgotten our date after this little skirmish. Pick your balls off the floor, find some pride and SHOOT THAT DAMN BUG!--

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

[With little left to play with, I had to scrape some victory points together. The Tyrant, now wounded, managed a long and iffy charge through the jungle, on to the roof of the building and right into the hapless Tempestor Prime. Slay the Warlord somewhat made up for my previous strike on character slaying!

But elsewhere, there wasn't much left. Two Neurothropes and a Prime, mostly out of position, weren't going to hold that central objective for long...]

Imperium - Turn 5

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

--Sergeant Tredecim reporting. The thing that scragged the Dreadnought just clawed up the Scions' Colonel. We're going to open up on him, but it just eats bullets.--

-- Get clear. We're putting the Hellblasters on him. Full charge--

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

--We've lost the Hellblasters! This environment must have corroded the plasma coils. What were they doing here?--

--Recover our brothers. At least the monster got it too.--

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

[I lose every single Hellblaster to Overcharged shots, but at least I'm finally rid of that Hive Tyrant. It was my own stupid fault for making all the rolls together, rather than one gun at a time, but with the -1 to hit, it was always a risk.]


Tyranids - Turn 6

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

++It's down! We got it! Yeeeehaaaaaa!++

++Pipe down, Lasseter, the field's not clear. We're reading targets in the central field, confirm and eliminate.++

++Yeeeehaaaaaaaa! Yeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaa!++

--Lasseter! (grunts) Some of us are trying to kill Xenos out here. And when we're done with it, you're next on my list.--

++Yessir, sorry Commissar Colderine sir. Holyrood, hose those sorry bastards off the Commissar, will you?++

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

[I played on, grimly - with a decent smite here or there, I could still winnow out the centre field and maybe deny the foe a point or two. But it wasn't to be, I failed to cast anything beyond a very mild smite, more of a Nudge really, that just scuffed an Intercessor.]

Imperium - Turn 6

Chapter Approved 2018 - Eternal War - Beachhead: Tyranids vs Spaces Marines and Militarum Tempestus - 1500 points

--Sweep the field. Get the rest of them.--

--Confirmed. Whatever's left of these xenos are slipping away.--

--Report to the battle barge that the beachhead has been established. Bring down the Apothecary and medicae for the humans. Then access the databanks and secure samples of the xenos. The Captain will want to know about this.--

[The Intercessors and Lord Commissar finally punch down the first Neurothrope, which opens up the rest of the guns to shoot down the second Neurothrope and take the Tyranid Prime to a single wound.]

Result: Imperial Victory! Beachhead established

Campaign Map/Aftermath

Interesting game! And kudos to Stylus, my intention of clogging his guns with my dead didn't really pay off. He's too level-headed, and kept his firepower on the most appropriate threats. So one Glory Point to him, and the Imperium now hold the Main Compound.

Equally, I should have kept everything together. A full tide down the middle might have done the job better, maybe even if I'd rushed in earlier? No, maybe not, being out in the open was clearly a ticket to die. If I was disappointed the Gargoyles vanished (remember the Leviathan trait, next time, you fool!) or that the Spore Mines were a bust, I was very pleased by the seemingly untouchable Tyrant. Although he maybe should have charged and eaten the Gatling Taurox and Bolt Aggressor instead of dancing like a muppet round the Marines in the middle. 

But everything else really achieved so little! The range was a problem I couldn't deal with, my shooty units never connected. The Tyrannofex is nowhere near as good as an acid spray version, that confirms it for me, and nothing really made up for its points. 

Really, where I went wrong was taking the Spearhead Deployment. That nice safe compound proved to be a deathtrap - a good old-fashioned Dawn of War lineup would have been much easier and faster to cross, and a few first-turn charges would have turned this around very quick. Plus perhaps made for a faster, less cautious battle, where I wouldn't just have fed my troops into the big guns, First World War style. 

Still, I ate his commander. So I must have learned something for the counterattack!

Good game - the low-scoring element made it very tense. Neither of us could afford to let out home objectives slip, any threat against the rear had to be immediately dealt with, and we still had to fight like mad over the centre.

It's always fun taking a lot of guns against a Tyranid line, and I enjoyed the Astartes-Scion combo immensely. I had the advantage of a long deployment and some fortunate rolls (which are easier to come by when you have Salamanders), and I think if Kraken had been able to shut down a little bit more of my shooting, it would have gone hard for me.

But, I did claim victory, and what's more, we're awarding campaign experience for the units. Following the Chapter Approved 2018 rules, you get points for showing up, killing things and even an MVP award.

Characters don't get points, and you lose points for being wiped out - sadly that leave Kraken empty-handed, since his Hive Tyrant, Neurothropes and Tyranid Prime did all the killing, and everything else lost their appearance point because they were also killed.

However, the Imperium are looking like this:

  • Squad Rogers +2
  • Squad Tyneberry +3
  • Brunhilde +4
  • Sigurny +2

  • Squad Tredecim +4
  • Squad Fortuna +6
    (I gave this unit the MVP award, since they managed to hold the centre all game)
  • Squad Iaculator +1
  • Spatiator Sepulcrum +1
  • Squad Exustio +3

You have to score more than 5XP to gain a battle honour, so that means Intercessor Squad Fortuna get a bump. I'm giving them the 'Sharpshooters' battle honour (re-roll 1s to hit in Shooting Phase), since they manged to equal the kills of a 60+ Boltstorm barrage with a couple of well-aimed rifle shots.

Stand by for Part II of the Zamaroon Campaign!

6 comments:

  1. Stonkingly good report. Thanks.

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  2. Excellent fight, if disappointing to me at the end there ;)

    That really did rack up the tension very nicely. And even more so for me. As I think I've mentioned before, any BatRep with these Nids gets me very strongly engaged, since they closely resemble the colour scheme of my own Hive Fleet Naeglaeria*.

    Dawn of War or Frontline Assault Deployments probably would have worked out better for the Nids, yeah. Even given one of the other Deployment types, I think I would have taken the jungle side. Cover for most of the advance feels better to me than being out of LoS for the first bit, but then in the open for the rest. Also, just from a dramatic PoV, it seems like the xenos gribblies would be lurking in the jungle.

    *As an aside, I've actually had trouble at times with how well that colour scheme blends in with woodland/jungle terrain. Completely lost track of Units, forgot to move/shoot with them, left them behind when I went on to my next match in tournaments, the lot.

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  3. Thanks!

    In retrospect, I almost wondered if staying behind the walls for just one more turn might also have done it - I lost too many genestealers in that turn to really rip through the front line.

    But I will be back to avenge their loss!

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  4. It is only the 3rd week of January and we already have a serious contender for Battle Report of the Year. Absolutely cracking and I can't wait for the next one.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it. This one was a lot of fun to play and write-up.

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  5. Hoo rah! Love the Scions / Astartes combo.

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