Supplies Supplies!: Space Marines vs Tyranids

++ Priority Supplies inbound. Argus lighters are making a run, ensure the LZ stays clear and await delivery. Keep the bugs off the runway, Captain, or there's no way we'll find you in all that greenery. ++

The Zamaroon Campaign rolls forward. I, Stylus, will be taking the Space Marines into the heart of the bugs' nest.

Kraken's nesting instinct is strong. The bugs are reeling from the last match, so it's time to make the Marines pay for this intrusion. Go get 'em, bugs!

The Imperium has secured a foothold on the planet, and now they need the logistics to push on - we're fighting in the Supply Depot and the mission is Supplies From Above!

Command Post: Space Marines

After discovering the hastily-abandoned research outpost might somehow be utterly infested with xenos, the Company HQ of the Crypt Angels has made planetfall to secure the situation. No humans this time - it's Primaris all the way!

I've gone for a 'company command' narrative: Captain, Lieutenant, Librarian, Apothecary and Ancient. The captain gets Gravis armour, as well as all the Salamander traits and relics, so he'll at least stand a chance in combat with the big bugs!

The Battalion is filled out with three standard squads of Intercessors (now with rapid-fire Bolt Rifles, to try out the Beta Bolter Drill). I also take five Flamer Aggressors (for the overwatch and general Salamander vibe), and two squads of Hellblasters: assault and rapid-fire.

And finally, Kraken mentioned that he'd painted up a Repulsor tank and it had yet to see the field. So go on then, I let him convince me to field this beautiful brick of dakka. It's only fitting for a command vehicle anyway.

Crypt Angels: Adeptus Astartes - Salamanders

• Captain Corleandro - Captain in Gravis Armour (HQ)
  Boltstorm gauntlet, Master-crafted power sword
  Warlord: Anvil of Strength
  Relic: The Salamander's Mantle
• Codicier Ibrani - Primaris Librarian (HQ)
  Force sword
  Psychic powers: Might of Heroes, Null Zone
• Lieutenant Segrasso - Primaris Lieutenant (HQ)
  Master-crafted auto bolt rifle
• Squad Tredecim - 5 x Intercessor Squad (Troop)
  Bolt Rifle, Auxiliary Grenade Launcher, Sgt with Chainsword
• Squad Fortuna - 5 x Intercessor Squad (Troop)
  Bolt Rifle, Auxiliary Grenade Launcher, Sgt with Chainsword
  Battle Honour: Sharpshooters
• Squad Hudde - 5 x Intercessor Squad (Troop)
  Bolt Rifle, Auxiliary Grenade Launcher, Sgt with Chainsword
• Apothecary Timblans - Primaris Apothecary (Elite)
  Absolver Bolt Pistol, Reductor Pistol
• Brother Landire - Primaris Ancient (Elite)
  Bolt Rifle
• Squad Exustio - 5 x Aggressor Squad (Elite)
  Flamestorm Gauntlets
• Squad Suffitus - 5 x Hellblaster Squad (Heavy)
  Assault Plasma Incinerator
• Squad Ambustum - 5 x Hellblaster Squad (Heavy)
  Plasma Incinerator
• Urna Volans - Repulsor Grav Tank (Transport)
  2 x Storm Bolters, Auto Launchers, Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Icarus Ironhail Heavy Stubber, Ironhail Heavy Stubber, 2 x Krakstorm Grenade Launcher, Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Twin lascannon

Points: 1500 | Level: 787 | Battle-forged + Battalion + Vanguard + Mission Bonus: 10 CPs

Clutch 7E: Tyranids

Last time, the only unit that really achieved much was the Tyrant. So I'm doubling down on that! 

A brace of the big uglies, one standard flier and one Swarmlord, to both lead the swarm safe in through overwatch and then help trample whatever the Marines have brought by way of heavies. 

And behind them? Well, I feel extravagant. Two full Genestealer swarms backed by Warriors, so hopefully one of them will reach combat. An acid spray Tyrannofex plus the Tyrannocyte drop pod, probably making landfall as a pair, and then fifty spare points which I didn't know what to do with. 

So an experiment - the Red Terror, an elite burrowing character killer, if I get the rules right. Five attacks hitting on twos and re-rolling ones is decent, but it will struggle against marine armour with those spindly talons. You can swap four or more hits for a 'swallow whole' attack, though, and I'm sure I can find an obliging hero somewhere on the table.

It's a bit of a gamble of an army, though. If I get first turn, I'll probably be okay - I can charge in with full strength, like as not. Otherwise I'm going to take a lot of casualties to fire, I suspect, which is always going to be costly in a relatively elite force. But I feel lucky!

Hive Fleet Kraken

• Hive Tyrant (HQ)
  Adrenal Glands, Heavy Venom Cannon, Monstrous Rending Claws, Wings, Toxin Sacs
  Warlord Trait: Adaptive Biology Relic: The Miasma Cannon Psychic Powers: Onslaught, The Horror
• The Swarmlord (HQ)
  Bone Sabres, Prehensile Pincer Tail
  Relic: Chameleonic Mutation
  Psychic Powers: Catalyst, Psychic Scream
• 20 x Genestealers (Troop)
  Rending Claws, 5 x Acid Maw
• 20 x Genestealers (Troop)
  Rending Claws, 5 x Acid Maw
• 6 x Tyranid Warriors (Troop)
  4 x Boneswords & Deathspitter, 1 x Rending Claws & Venom Cannon, 1 x Bonesword & Venom Cannon
• The Red Terror (Elite)
  Scything Talons, Prehensile Pincer Tail
• Tyrannofex (Heavy)
  Acid Spray, Stinger Salvo, Toxin Sacs
• Tyrannocyte (Transport)
  5 x Venom Cannon

Points: 1499 | Level: 90 | Battle-forged + Battalion - 1 Relic: 7 CPs

Mission and Deployment

Tonight, we are fighting on the Supply Depot board - which is filling, since the mission is Supplies From Above.

Clearly logistics are the order of the day. There are four objectives that mark where the aerial drops will be landing, but these will drift about during the battle, so you have to stay on your toes (or claws). The objectives can move up to 3" at the start of the round, and you score at the start of your turn. So if you want to guarantee scoring, you really have to surround it.

I win the roll for deployment and pick Vanguard Strike, since that neatly bisects jungle and compound. Kraken is given the jungle end to plant his creatures.

Not, I admit, quite where I hoped to be! But the extra saving throws will help against early shooting, at least. I anchor my line with Warriors in the centre, flanked by the two Tyrants, then cap it with the Genestealers on either side. The Tyrannocyte will deep strike in later, carrying the Tyrannofex with it, and the Red Terror will look for stray characters to eat. A simple plan, perhaps, but that means I'm less likely to forget it. 

So that puts me in the compound. Aware that there are some big deepstriking nasties waiting above, I use my Intercessor squads to screen left, right and behind me. On the closest flat roof (with one objective), I place the Assault Hellblasters, and on the further away building (Building 1-A, which also controls the Space Elevator), I place the Rapid-Fire Hellblasters.

The characters gather around the Assault Hellblasters, and the Aggressors form a screen in front of everything. In the centre of my lines, I place the Repulsor, ensuring it has nice lines of sight all around. I was going to load it up with troops, but it's probably going to be better use as a firebase than a transport.

And then - a twist! Because I won the opening mission in the Main Compound, I get to use the Advance Scans ability - 3CPs and I can take the first turn.

Uh-oh. Well, serves me right for losing the last match, I suppose. 

It's a big chunk of points, but probably worth it to deny the initiative to the 'Nids. I go for it.

Crypt Angels - Turn 1

-- All squads, this is Captain Corleandro. Vox reports advance scans from the main compound. Xenos in the treeline. Form a defensive around the Replusor and open fire at anything that moves.--

-- Squad Fortuna, secure Drop Zone 1. Squad Suffitus, hold position on Drop Zone 2. --

-- Captain, there are two more drop zones in the treeline.--

-- Squad Exustio, advance to secure them and burn that treeline to ash.--

-- Visual confirmation: Repulsor co-axial and squad small-arms fire has accounted for three-quarters of the right-flank genestealer swarm. Larger Swarmlord also taking damage from lascannons. --

-- Ave Imperator. Into the fires of battle... --

-- ...unto the anvil of war!--

No First Strike for me, which is disappointing, considering the amount of hurt I put onto the Tyranids.  But I can't really complain: killing Genestealer swarms was a priority for me, and the wounds on the Swarmlord was a bonus.

I was perhaps too cautious in putting some of my guns so far back, but who ever wants to get close to a Tyranid army. Except for the Aggressors, who are well up for it.

Hive Fleet - Afanc Turn 1

The jungle is surprisingly quiet. The hiss of a liana as a thick carapace rubs against it. The click of talons as they speed across a tree branch. The Hive Mind is concentrating all of its alien power on a single objective - escape. 

This world is already dying. The reclamation pools are spreading beneath the trees. The volcanoes are slowly being choked as towers of bone and chitin grow inside them. Soon, Zamaroon's biomass will become merely more of the Hive. And the Hive always needs more. Time to leave. 

The Swarmlord has merely to think, and the packs of genestealers obey. Like moving an arm. The Hive Mind reaches out, and the muscle and ferocity of a hundred bodies responds. Faster almost than thought, the genestealers are out of the treeline, flitting from cover to attack. 

But there are fewer than there should be. The jungle is quiet, but the bolters are loud. Hiss-crack, rocket trails terminating in blasts of bone and gristle, the shrill piping of armoured creatures cooked in their shells by firepower. Even the Swarmlord itself, blasted by plasma as it crashes out of the trees. 

It pushes back, flaying the enemy with psychic power, but they are armoured and prepared. Flames gush from powered gauntlets, keeping the Swarmlord at bay, and the swarm follows suit, unwilling to close until the moment is ripe.

Not a good start, all in all - I'm nearly down one whole wing of Genestealers. And foolishly, in my rush to close with the enemy, I lose more from the damaged squad to overwatch. It wouldn't have cost me much distance to lurk behind those crates and avoid it! 

 They've covered the ground well, using the Swarmlord's free bonus move. Opportunistic Advance on the far side gets the other unit into cover of the buildings. But in the event, the six that make it in don't do more than scratch the Primaris squad.

And worse, it's the only charge I manage! On the other flank, the big genestealer pack fails an 8" charge even with a reroll. And the Swarmlord was all ready to power though the Aggressors, I'd even regenerated some of his wounds to do it. 9" (enough to avoid their horrific flamers) was just too far in the end.

Crypt Angels - Turn 2

-- This is Sergeant Fortuna, reporting in. The enemy have already penetrated out lines. Half a dozen of the genestealer creatures are trying to push us off Drop Zone 1. --

-- Fall your sharpshooters back, sergeant, but keep the drop zone in your sights. This is something Urna Volans' ironhail stubbers can handle. --

-- Squad Tredecim - there's a second swarm advancing around the other flank. Damn bugs know enough to use the building for cover - the tank's barely accounted for half of them. Request supporting fire from Hellblasters. --

-- Negative. Squad Suffitus - your target is the primary creature with the wings. Fire up the plasma and bring it down. --

-- Squad Exustio, your target is the primary creature on the ground. Get in close and remember your flamecraft. --

-- Sergeant Exustio, acknowledged. We have bathed the creature in promethium. Nothing could survive that amount of ... captain, the creature yet lives! I'm taking the squad into close-quarters!--

-- I can see Exustio's squad, captain. They haven't brought the thing down, and its slain two of them in answer. --

-- Exustio, this is your captain. If that creature is permitted to live, then our line is broken! Fight on, honour the chapter!--

-- Acknowledged. --

It cost me some command points to get it done, but that was a roaringly successful turn.

The Aggressors did a grand job - the Salamander chapters works really well for flamers (as you'd expect) as well as maximising power fists. I hadn't quite appreciated what utter beasts (literally) Swarmlord's are in combat, and it shook off an obscene amount of punishment.

Yeah, that was a good fight! 31 flamer hits put a proper dent in the Swarmlord, but I'd cast Catalyst on it and it managed to live through it as well as a round of punching too. Then I accounted for a pair of Aggressors despite the pain, which probably would have been enough to last through if it hadn't been for the Honour the Chapter stratagem! 

I'm quite impressed with Intercessor Squad Fortuna's survival against the scrag-end of the Genestealer swarm. I was lucky to get two with Overwatch, but Primaris really are durable, and they still live to claim an objective.

Taking out both Hive Tyrants and most of the Genestealers is a big boost - with just the Tyranid Warriors in my front lines, I can put everything I've got into the deepstrikers who should be arriving at any minute.

Hive Fleet Afanc - Turn 2

Twin shrieks of anger rip through the warp, rippling through the swarm's mind. Even as the Swarmlord is born anew, heaving out of a foetid birth sac deep in the jungle with new knowledge of the foe in its heart, the other Tyrant falls, blasted out of the air by volley after volley of plasma fire. 

The Swarm does not know defeat nor fear. The Warriors, now commanding the swarm, fall on the enemy who downed the Swarmlord. This time, their fire doesn't suffice to keep a hail of bone and venom descending. The Aggressors are butchered where they stand.

The Genestealers sweep forwards, sensing the vulnerabilities of enemy psykers and commanders. But these are tenacious foes, they somehow stand firm against the avalanche. And even deal out death in return - there will be no easy gains here. 

Reinforcements fall from the sky, fired from mile-long gullets on the far side of the mountains. A drifting Tyrannocyte spews venom against the armoured Repulsor tank, scourging smoking rents in its shell. Bellowing, a vast Tyrannofex claws free of its fleshy transport sac, and wastes no time in adding its acidic firepower to the battle. 

The tide is not yet turned. The swarm will win through, dauntless in the face of casualties. 

Again, not the greatest turn - without my psykers and the close combat might they had, I'm a little weak on the charge. All the same - ten Genestealers really should have eaten the Librarian and the Apothecary for breakfast! I was really hoping to get that stratagem off to regenerate some CPs, too, I was all but out by this point. Shocking whiffery.

It hadn't helped that the Lieutenant Heroically Intervened. Although the Warriors dealt with the last two Aggressors easily enough, it allowed the Lieutenant to Interrupt, and he killed enough Genestealers that I was under the magic number for my extra attacks. Stupid brave leader types, counter-charging and spoiling my fun.

It was only after I'd intervened with the Lieutenant that I realised I hadn't given him a close-combat weapon. Luckily, harsh language was sufficient to kill three of them.

The Red Terror was also loose at this point, but failed a long-bomb charge on the Librarian from the other side, and settled for lurking behind the crates instead. 

Crypt Angels - Turn 3

-- Lieutenant Segrasso, have you taken leave of your senses! Were you planning to beat the genestealers with your rifle butt?--

-- My apologies, captain. Apothecary Timblans and Codicier Ibrani are now free of danger. --

-- See it doesn't happen again. You're meant to be a son of Rylstone, not Fenris! --

-- Yes, captain. --

-- We don't charge around the battlefield like leo'nids. Now fall back on the Hellblasters and tell them to open up on those big bugs. Full power. All other squads mop up the genestealers. --

-- Yes, captain. And, forgive me, where are you going? --

-- I'm going to charge that Red Terror and shove my fist so far down its throat I'll be able to tickle the last thing it ate. --

Thanks to that timely intervention by my Lieutenant, I saved half my command squad from being eaten. By interrupting combat and killing enough Genestealers to drop them below that crucial, I managed to reduce a barrage of attacks. Combined with a bit of luck, and I still have an Apothecary and Lieutenant.

This was the first time the Repulsor whiffed, and my luck with the Hellblasters overcharge is also starting run out (somewhat mitigated by the Salamander re-roll). But that's what happens when you send your captain out of buffing range and charging off for glory - as he bloody well should be.

I've managed to put some hurt on the monsters in my backline, but I need to remove them to be sure of victory.

Hive Fleet Afanc - Turn 3

The escape route looks ever more distant. What little the Hive Mind has left as its disposal, it uses. The Red Terror will devour their leader. The Tyrannofex will drown them in a sea of bile. 

First, their precious tank. Crystals of concentrated poison burn holes through the armour, targeting the weaker parts as the Hive has learnt to do over time. Screams from within as the crystals melt, releasing clouds of corrosive gas, then a brief flash of flame as it ignites explosively and tears the Repulsor apart. 

As the Tyrannocyte wafts forward, dragging its gaseous bulk along on horribly dexterous tendrils, the Marines fall back before it. Too slow, however, to avoid showers of acid and spines from the Tyrannofex. The Hive Mind knows the dangers of plasma weapons, and hoses the Hellblasters from their perch before they can threaten its living tank. 

Well, I'm definitely on the back foot here. But it's not without some gains - the marines have lost the bulk of their best firepower, and I'm pleased to have seen off the Repulsor. It might be expensive to kit a Tyrannocyte out with Venom Cannons, but it's certainly worth it for what it can do with sheer weight of fire!

The Red Terror - well, it makes the charge, gets all the hits in that it needs to attempt a Swallow Whole attack, and then chokes rather on the sheer bulk of a Gravis Armour Captain. Who then punches it to death with depressing ease. Still, worth it for that 1-in-6 chance, and I know Stylus had a moment of fear there!

That insta-kill had me flashing back to Warhammer Fantasy 8th Edition.

That just leaves me the Warriors, who are at least sitting on a nice clutch of objectives in the middle. The dice have favoured me there, I've gathered two of the prizes together where I can cling on to them both at one. All the same, I don't fancy my chances. I'm behind on points and facing more firepower than I care to.

Crypt Angels - Turn 4

-- Brother Captain, step back. Let the gunners work. --

-- Never Segrasso! The fires of my wrath are stoked, and not one of these foul creatures shall stand before me!--

-- Codicier Ibrani! That psychic blast looked like it near-killed you! In the name of Vulkan, fall back to the Apothecary. --

-- My place is with our captain, Segrasso. --

--Sergeant Tredecim here. Auspex confirms continued enemy presence in the trees. Our bolt rifles shells are proving less effective against their native camouflage.--

-- We've just lost Squad Ambustum. He must have disabled his plasma incinerator's safeties to avenge his squad on that beast. --

-- That sac-creature has fallen! The captain has slain it himself!--

-- Captain, beware! The larger beast is rearing to strike at you! --

Crumbs, with no Repulsor and half my Hellblasters dead, I'm realising I have very few options left for dealing with a T8 monster.

It may come down to my captain in close-combat - with all the boosts to his strength and toughness. I probably have this game locked down, but if it goes the distance and I can't silence that Tyrannofex, I may yet lose the objectives.

Hive Fleet Afanc - Turn 4

The Tyrannocyte is sacrificed, but it had done its work. The leader of the foe is exposed, tempted into a position where the Tyrannofex can deal with it. Torrents of yellowish spew flood the air - the Librarian is destroyed in moments, the Captain barely survives. 

There is still a chance. While their attention is divided, the Warriors surge from hiding and bring the fight to the enemy, venom cannons spitting hate as they charge home. The Hive Fleet has a taste for this enemy now, and there is nothing to be gained from retreat.

If it fails today, the lessons learned will bring victory tomorrow.

One last gasp - and it's nearly enough to bag me Slay the Warlord! Just one more hit would have done it. The Warriors' charge wasn't really going to achieve much, in fairness, but better that than sit in the bushes and get shot apart in the next turn. 

I can see how this is going to end up at this point! No regrets, though.

Crypt Angels - Turn 5

-- This is Captain Corleandro to Apothecary Timblans: you'd better get over to Codicier Ibrani and see what you can do for him. He took the brunt of that acid shower. And while you're at it, I could use a dose of stims.--

--Squad Suffitus reporting in. Weapons are hot and that monster is down. Repeat: the monster is down.

--Sergeant Tredecim here. Last two warrior-bugs have been detached. Pistols and chainsword. The area is clear.--

--Corleandro acknowledged. All remaining units sweep the - whoa, Timblans, that's some good stuff! - sweep the area for surviving hostiles and recover out fallen brothers. The field is ours. Ave Imperator.--

That's a clean sweep. Nothing for Hive Fleet Kraken to achieve in their turn, and on the roll of a 1, the battle ends before I remember I was supposed to be destroying Building 1-A for bonus points.

Result - 9 : 3 - Victory to the Crypt Angels!

Unpacking Depot

Well, I thought that was going to be a gamble when I set out. It didn't turn out well, the casualties I took to shooting in the first two turns really blunted what I could achieve. It was bad luck to lose the Swarmlord and the Tyrant so fast, but really, against that weight of firepower, not completely unexpected. 

What have I learned? Well, not much really! Maybe the Tyrannofex could have started on the table, shot up the Aggressors or Hellblasters earlier on, then I'd have been releasing Genestealers down on the flanks. But I actually thought the Tyrannocyte couldn't fit a full twenty in, which isn't the case. But I know for next time! 

The Red Terror didn't impress. Still better than a Lictor for character sniping, I think, but not worth the extra twenty points unless you're bringing Raveners along. And I'm unlikely to, I don't really like the models. Hive Guard is really what I'm after now, and the only reason I didn't have any for this army is that the local store didn't have them in stock! Maybe next time...

I'm now 3-0 behind in terms of Glory Points for the Campaign. That's not an impossible gap to close, but I'll need to get a move on and pick up some wins soon. Or at least some experience points for my troops! MVP to the Warriors today, for what it's worth, and maybe the Tyrannofex might have earned a little bit by killing the Repulsor and the Librarian. Not enough to be worth anything, though!

If it isn't obvious, I'm really enjoying playing Primaris Marines at the moment! They're durable, they can kick out a good bit of damage and they make one hell of a castle.

I'm not sure how Kraken could have played that better - although my biggest fear was mortal wound spam in the psychic phase, so maybe he could have leaned on that more (but you don't want to lose Catalyst either). I was really lucky in the choice of deployment, and then being able to steal first turn (maybe that should remain a once-per-campaign ability for each side). Being able to paste half the army before the other half had arrived pretty much secured the win for me. If a few more of those first-turn charges had paid off, I'd be up against it, but Hive Fleet Kraken were uncharacteristically slow-footed.

I like Salamanders too - aside from the endless supply of re-rolls (saving all those precious CP for other fun stuff), they have special abilities that can turn a humble captain into a combat beast, and the Flamecraft stratagem is custom-made for Aggressors.

Alas, I'm leaving the Astartes on the bench for the next mission, so it's back to squishy humans (with melta guns!).

Battle Honours

And finally, we get to count up the battle honours. My captain did me no favours by finishing off a lot of units himself (I can't really complain), and my poor Aggressors always do badly, as they never survive the battle. But it's still a healthy spread of experience points.

• Squad Tredecim: 6
• Squad Fortuna (Sharpshooters): 9
• Squad Hudde: 1
• Squad Iaculator: 1
• Squad Exustio: 11
  (I gave this unit the MVP award, since they took out both Hive Tyrant and Tyrannofex, all while holding an objective all game)
• Squad Ambustum: 0
• Urna Volans: 1

In terms of promotion, Squad Tredecim (the ones that beat up the Tyranid Warriors at the end) get a Rank 1 promotion. The most appropriate one seems Grizzled (ignores Ld penalties - not much use to them, but there you go).

The Assault Hellblaster Squad Exustio leaps up two ranks in one go - I don't know if that entitles me to both a Rank 1 and Rank 2 promotion, but I'll stick with the latter. While Sharpshooters is obviously the most useful ability for plasma guys, I think these slayers of Hive Tyrants ought to be Assassins.

For the Tyranids ... well, getting killed in each mission isn't speeding along the learning process. And with MVP given to the Warriors, and the Tyrannofex doing all the heavy lifting, they're the only ones who can pull ahead.

• Tyranid Warriors: 2
• Tyrannofex: 4

Stand by for Part III of the Zamaroon Campaign: the Imperium top brass gather in the compound, ready to declare 'Mission Accomplished!'