If the summer is ending, there's still time for one last trip to the beach. So Pootle and I (Kraken) packed buckets, spades and hand grenades, then sorted out a quick battle.
Sand Swarms
I thought, for a change, I'd go full swarm for this one. 1000 points spent almost entirely on as many cheap bugs as I could pack in. It might not be the deadliest list, but it is going to make the board very cramped for my opponent! If I can rush and keep the objectives long enough, he won't be able to catch up in time.
83 is a decent headcount for 1000 points, I'd say. Two 4-strong Warrior packs with a Venom Cannon each, and a Prime to lead them. The statutory Neurothrope to sling Catalyst on whoever is most likely to take a thumping, then tons of Termagants and two small Gargoyle packs.
This all left me with ninety points, which happens to be about the cost of three Venomthropes, so in they went. I think of them more as icing on the cake these days, rather than the indispensable cloak all Tyranids wore back in the day, but it should add to my general survivability rather.
Lots of mental wrestling went into picking between Leviathan (6+ FNP in synapse) or Kraken (fast!). Kraken won out, because their speed is more crucial than keeping the odd bug alive here or there, and a 6++ is nothing to write home about.
Hive Fleet Kraken Battalion Detatchment, 1000 points, 6 CPs
- HQ - Tyranid Prime with Lash Whip and Bonesword, Deathspitter, Warlord
- HQ - Neurothrope with Catalyst and the Resonance Barb relic
- Troops - 20 Termagants with Flesh Borers
- Troops - Same again
- Troops - 3 Ripper Swarms
- Troops - 10 Genestealers
- Troops - 4 Tyranid Warriors, 3 with Boneswords and Deathspitters, one with Venom Cannon and Scything Claws, Hardened Carapace adaptation
- Troops - 4 Tyranid Warriors, 2 with Boneswords and Deathspitters, one with Venom Cannon and Rending Talons, one with Spinefists and Rending Claws
- Fast Attack - 10 Gargoyles
- Fast Attack - 10 Gargoyles
- Elites - 3 Venomthropes
Purge
Kasfunatu is organising a mini-tournament next weekend and I'm taking the Purge because they're tremendous fun, but I'd like a little practice beforehand. The army is led by Normannasty, a Terminator Sorcerer with the Purge's special warlord trait that allows him to reroll 1s to wound and all damage rolls; he gets a comb-Melta to make use of this trait. Although Norman is the official warlord, I've a massive soft spot for the Daemon Prince Gormenghastly the Garrotter who achieved daemonhood after his exploits on Averment. The mini I use for him has a Hellforged Sword (which will be good once the new CSM codex comes out), so no double talons this time, despite being a lot better, especially against this horde. Lots of Cultists to screen, grab objectives and perform actions, then a load of fairly hard-hitting units: Chosen to chew through hordes, a Helbrute and Venomcrawler to act as bodyguards for Gormenghastly, plenty of Spawn and some Raptors, who will stay up in the sky and drop down to support Normannasty when he teleports in.
The Purge Battalion Detatchment, 993 points, 6 CPs
- HQ - Daemon Prince with Hellforged Sword and Warp Bolter; The Orb of Unlife; Miasma of Pestilence
- HQ - Sorcerer in Terminator Armour with Combi-Melta and Force Axe; Warlord trait: Blessed Mission; Infernal Gaze, Prescience
- Troops - 10 Cultists with Autoguns
- Troops - 10 Cultists with Autoguns
- Troops - 10 Cultists with Autoguns
- Elites - 5 Chosen: 2x Combi-Bolter & Chainsword, 1x double Lightning Claws, 1x Reaper Chaincannon & Chainsword, Champion with Combi-Bolter & Lightning Claw
- Elites - Helbrute with Multi-Melta and Power Scourge
- Fast Attack - 4 Chaos Spawn
- Fast Attack - 1 Chaos Spawn
- Fast Attack - 5 Raptors: 2x Plasma Gun, Champion with Combi-Plasma and Chainsword
- Heavy Support - Venomcrawler
Mission and Terrain
We're back on the beach, this time the site of some kind of derelict salination plant. I've gone and planted woods round the two central objectives, which isn't really allowed these days, but sod it. The buildings and hills are tall enough to block line of sight, as is the big tree in the middle and the bamboo thicket in the northwest. Lots of obscuring cover, and two of the buildings grant soft cover on their roofs, but otherwise it's relatively open. Water and woods alike slow you down.
We're playing Forward Push, which Pootle wants to practice for an upcoming tournament weekend.
Tyranid Secondaries:
Eesh, I had a hard time picking these. I don't like actions, but they really seemed like my best options against a more elite force I would struggle to kill much of
- Stranglehold - hold three and more objectives than the enemy
- Forward Push - perform an action on an objective, worth more the further it is from your deployment zone
- Raise the Banners - because these Tyranids have evolved flags. Or some kind of flap, anyway
Purge Secondaries
- No Prisoners - because bugs...thousands of 'em
- Secure Octarius Data - because the Cultists have got little better to do than try to perform actions in as many quarters as possible
- Engage on All Fronts - because if you're in all quarters, you may as well get bonuses for it
Deployment
I go for the chance to grab the northern edge, where I feel I can strike from cover with slightly more ease. There's more open terrain to cross to reach my goals from there, but I won't be going through quite as much woods to get there.
Everything goes pretty much on the front line, with a central castle of HQs and Venomthropes.
I stick my big heavy units in the centre flanked by Cultists, with the Chosen on the roof of the building on my left. One unit of Cultists goes into reserves, joining Normannasty and the Raptors in deep strike.
I really hope I get to go second, and promptly have to go first as a direct result.
Turn 1 Tyranids
Aaaaand they're off! Straight out of the gates, it's the Termagants piling forward, that's the Gargoyles hot on their tails and any number of huge armoured monsters trampling in behind them, I tell you what Wiz, I wouldn't fancy being in the middle of that pack let alone directly in front of them.
Heading round the first corner, they're all over those objectives already, never seen anything like it, and are those banners they're erecting on the back two? Well, something's erect back there, although parts of it are also flapping and probably dripping, I'm not looking too closely. Already a couple of those early Termagants reaching the second midfield objective, that's looking very much like early points on Stranglehold, very much to Tyranid form this kind of early aggressive play, can't fault them on board control here.
Forward Push certainly seems to be the order of the day all across the field there, the frontline Cultists are really going to be feeling the pressure, and there's already a bit of long distance action coming in from behind, yes, that's the Warriors opening up with Venom Cannons and I think he is? He is! That's a Chosen down, he's taken a burton, right in the faceplate and rotten luck but nobody can deny an excellent shot from the number four seed Tyranid Warrior, really at the top of his game this year and probably the one to watch, although of course extremely easy to confuse him with one of the many other identical Warriors he's standing amidst, the numbered jersey still being an unfamiliar concept to most Tyranids.
Turn 1 Purge
The Purge are slow out of the gates, but that'll be all that armour they're wearing. The Cultists in the back right aren't moving at all though Dave - what are they up to? It looks like they're just digging in the sand and making Octarius Datacastles. The other Cultists are moving though - looks like some of them have leapt (or been pushed) off the roof of the building and I'm not sure what they're up to: it looks like they're trying to shoot the Termagants, but it's really not very effective because the little bugs appear to be Catalysed to the gills and refusing to die.
The Chosen are elbowing their way through the Cultists to the front of the roof but they're shooting at the flapping Gargoyles to their left and that is quite impressive Colin - they're kicking out quite a bit of fire there.
In the centre, Gormenghastly is shoving his two big friends forwards and telling them to shoot as well but, aside from melting a solitary Tyranid Warrior in the backfield it's not very impressive.
But that doesn't matter because one thing I've heard about these Purge lads is they aren't half keen to get into combat, even with a load of choppy little bugs. The Daemon Prince is screaming at them to keep killing and pushing the Helbrute in the back and...hang on! What's that? He hasn't? He has! The Helbrute has tripped over a root and he's not going anywhere! And the Venomcrawler's only gone and copied him...I don't think Gormenghastly is happy about that Arthur, he really isn't!
Victory points: 4-0 to the Nids
Turn 2 Tyranids
What a scrum! Bugs all over the midfield there, really not enough space to swing a space cat amongst those trees, and that strong Forward Push is still carrying them along the right flank. Very hard to see how anyone will shift them from there, Keith, it would take a braver man than me.
One or two heading back the other way, of course, that's a sign of an early substitution from the Hive Coach. That depleted Gargoyles pack took quite the hiding, but as they back behind the treeline to push out deep strike denial range. Backed with the Ripper Swarms burrowing out in the backline, they've really got their home side locked down tight here, and how the Chaos players are going to squeeze past them is really anyone's guess now.
Turn 2 Purge
Well, I think the Chaos coach is a bit disappointed that his lads aren't on more objectives, but those Gants are thumbing their noses at the Cultists in front of them and daring them to charge in on them. I don't think the Cultists like that at all Geoff, it looks like they're running away! Oh no! They're running straight towards those Stealers, I don't think they can have seen them. This might not be pretty. Oh, wait, I think they may have seen them now though and they're digging some holes to hide in, or at least looking for more of those Octarius goodies that their mates over on the beach found.
It looks like Gormenghastly has organised things a bit now, he's emerged from the undergrowth and is about to start hacking bits off the Gants I think. But wait, he's pulling his signature move first - it's the novelty Orb of Unlife! The little black sphere arcs beautifully through the air and...oh dear, I think that one was a dud, not anything like as good as the one we saw back in the Averment game last season.
Maybe the Spawn will show them how it's done, 'cos they've just plunged into the wood with the Gargoyles and...nope, they appear to be trying to use anti-tank tentacles and it's just not working.
Well this is a little disappointing I have to say Huw, hopefully the Venomcrawler can show them how it's done, yes, that's much better. The little daemonengine-that-could shoots up most of the Warriors on the hill and then piles into the Venomthropes, gobbling them up enthusiastically and it's clear who's the most Venomous there.
Victory points: 21-11 to the Nids
Turn 3 Tyranids
For those of you just joining us from home, this is quite remarkable, really extraordinary - we're all just sat here in the booth, staring in amazement as the heavy hitters on the Chaos line-up are just bouncing off some of the smallest bantamweights the Xenos can field, words just can't do it justice and I'm quite genuinely unable to describe what I'm seeing out there, the classic David vs Goliath and quite the upset for the pundits out there, I imagine there are going to be some bookies literally spitting literal nails at this precise moment in time, very much as the Termagaunt guns are doing in the faces of those Spawn right now, although those are of course spitting exploding beetles.
More of those Gargoyles flooding forward! The Chaos boys just can't put them down fast enough to stop a pitch invasion of the ugliest kind - that's their own backline goal under pressure from three of the batlike wingers, and let's be honest, those Cultists really aren't quite looking like they're going to cope with even such light pressure. Especially with some fast Genestealers heading their way, those clawed horrors definitely have their eyes on the prize, blitzing through more of the Cultist defence and sprinting for the finish line with a quick application of Overrun.
Signs of disarray in the Tyranid pits, however, quite a few of their Warriors seem to have been explosively dismembered, so we could be seeing the start of a Chaos counterpush? It's absolutely a game of two halves here, but the Nurgle boys had really better get a crack on if they hope to get back in the game!
Turn 3 Purge
The Purge are closing in for the kill now: very thorough there on the Nid touchdown line, just as you'd expect, they're murdering everything in their way: Ripper Swarms, the Tyranid Prime and most of the grass. You have to wonder, Peter, are the Purge actually leaving the pitch in a better state than the Tyranids would? Just one Warrior left lurking on behind the hill there, and he must be hoping for some late game substitutions round about now.
Back in their home half, mostly good news - Gormenghastly is tearing up the last few Gants, but there's trouble behind him: the Chosen champion appears to think he can take on a horde of Stealers all by himself, he's stage diving off the roof into an absolutely seething pile of claws, and that's a totally predictable result. Look at them go! Clearly a breakfast of champion giving the Stealers fresh energy as they scuttle straight past the Cultist defence, and that's going to leave Normannasty hanging completely in the breeze, what a dramatic twist!
Victory points: 41-23 to the Nids
Turn 4 Tyranids
Really quite a shift now in terms of what we're seeing out there, getting quite hard to spot the remaining Tyranids in amongst the ruins of this Imperial Outpost on Benightia IX. Many fans are quite vocal about their feelings on the sightlines here in the home stadium, and I must admit, you can certainly see their point when you consider how much Obscuring terrain the managers decided to include on the new pitch, a season ticket really isn't great value for money.
One last play coming in from the Tyranids, a little unexpected, the safe money would have been on Forward Push on the far objective there, but no, the Genestealers are mobbing the Purge Sorcerer, a little greedy perhaps but who can blame the 'Nids, they must be hungry after that epic sprint and halftime oranges just won't satisfy every hunger, and bluntly after his performance moments ago he just doesn't seem a threat to them.
There he goes, that's Normannasty vanishing under a pile of bladed forearms there, and I think nobody would be at all surprised if he isn't going to be seen for the rest of the game... no! Great Scott Unclean One, that's completely incredible, you simply wouldn't credit it, he's actually emerging from underneath them, he's really got a very strong swing with that Force Axe, it would do the Sawgrass 17th proud! Not down, certainly not out, and there are going to be some very ugly chickens coming home to roost in the Tyranid Locker Room later tonight, I can't imagine how those Genestealers must be feeling right now. Except that one in two pieces there, he's very obviously dead.
Turn 4 Purge
The Purge are angry now, their blood is collectively up and, quite typically, there's more focus on killing the enemy than worrying about scoring.
No, scratch that, there's a very late substitution to be made! The Cultists over on the left are suddenly heading to the bench, and what I can only describe as ten more entirely new Cultists coming on, rather to the surprise of the Nid manager, over in the back right; not typically how a substitution works, but let's face it, the ref certainly isn't going to show any yellow cards when the Chaos Coach could give him a quick dose of yellow fever for his trouble.
Not sure what they're doing out there - a gentle warm up as they paddle about in the sea, but they could equally be looking for vital enemy intelligence in the shallows. Certainly in no hurry to do any fighting, and who can blame them?
But the rest of the Purge are busy purging: the Venomcrawler gobbles up the Gargoyles challenging the big spider for possession of the Nid home base and Normannasty makes amends for his failure earlier by popping the brains of the remaining Stealers; even the Cultists are suddenly keen to look like they're contributing by killing the remaining Gargoyles.
Everyone else piles into the Gants in the midfield and when the dust settles there's just one little bug crawling out from under a steaming pile of chitin and green ichor...and I don't think he's going to last long.
Victory points: 52-40 to the Nids
Turn 5
Very much a classic state of play out there now, typical late Tyranid game - not much moving other than Purge, and one or two of the linesmen starting to head for the dugouts and an early shower. What a turnaround! Very hard to have seen that coming, but with so little left to use, the Tyranids are very likely to declare before the fifth innings, and they must be sick as parrots, if either those very human concepts are anything the Hive Mind can even begin to comprehend.
Let's head back to the studio and take a look at the scoreboard - Bob, it's over to you.
Result
Well, it looked quite close but there was a late adjustment to the Purge scoreline as they add 11 points for killing...well, an awful lot of bugs.
69-52 to the Purge!
Locker Room
I knew I'd be doing a lot of killing and wasn't too worried that Kraken would be able to kill any of my three tougher units, however I expected him to build up such a big VP lead that I'd have trouble overcoming it. Even by turn 3 I thought that he'd got a big enough lead that it was too big an ask, but it just goes to show that it's important to never give in and keep focus until the very end.
My main concern was that all the 2 and 3 damage weapons I had wouldn't be efficient in killing a huge horde of bugs, but it worked extremely well in fact - and that was despite some pretty shocking dice-rolling on occasions (though, as always, there was some balancing luck such as Normannasty surviving the Stealer attack).
Very true that - by all rights, the core of my army should have crumbled somewhere between one and two turns before it did, but there was an absolute avalanche of ones and twos for Pootle all through the game. He put me to shame, and that's saying something!
Even given that, though, my list proved just too toothless to cope with the sustained kicking it took. I also made a couple of small movement errors that cost me control (trying to take dead 'gaunts away from a Spawn to prevent it activating in combat, for example), as well as my own shocking luck in failing to nail Norman!
If I was taking it again, a second Neurothrope instead of the Prime might be an option, or possibly a Broodlord? But actually I think I managed them pretty well, and pulled off some great sneak attacks with small squads that Synapse had kept alive when they should have died. Fun game, I'd try it again!
This list is the core of a list I'm fielding this coming weekend, so I'm looking forward to seeing how things turn out there. Thank you Kraken for this impromptu game and (as always) a fantastic table set up.
Very welcome, as ever!
Brilliant write-up! Takes me back. Jumpers for objectives? Marvellous.
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