'Tis the fight before Christmas!
Green on both sides as Hive Fleet Afanc returns to take on their old foes, the Mantis Warriors.
I, Stylus, really enjoy playing these White Scars successors, as it combines speed and melee. I've also been very spendthrift with my pre-game CPs, so all my characters are maxed to their potential.
The Captain gets a thunder hammer, a super-speedy bike and Hunter's Instincts to go bug-hunting. The Chaplain is boosted to have more litanies and a better chance of chanting them. The Judiciar gets a master-crafted executioner's blade for extra choppiness.
Everything else is fairly self-explanatory: lots of melee units, bike and a big Land Raider to transport the Terminators and act as a bulwark for my force.
- HQ - Captain on Bike with Master-Crafted Boltgun and Thunder Hammer, Warlord with Hunter's Instincts trait and Wrath of the Heavens relic (Gift of the Khans 1 CP)
- HQ - Primaris Chaplain with Master of Sanctity (1 CP) and Hero of the Chapter (1 CP), Wise Orator trait, Litany of Hate and Benediction of Fury
- Troops - 5 x Assault Intercessors, Sarge has Power Sword
- Troops - 5 x Assault Intercessors as above
- Troops - 5 x Tactical Marines, Missile Launcher and Sarge with Chainsword
- Elites - 3 x Bladeguard Veterans with Master-crafted Power Swords and Storm Shields
- Judiciar - Master Crafted Executioner Relic Blade (1 CP on Khan's Champion)
- Elites - 5 x Relic Terminators, Sarge has Power fist and Plasma Blaster, 1 with Heavy Flamer and Power Fist, 2 with Power Fist and Storm Bolter, 1 with paired Lightning Claws
- Fast Attack - Attack Bike with Multi-melta
- Fast Attack - 4 x Marine Bikers, Sarge has a plasma pistol, 2 have chainswords, 1 has a meltagun
- Fast Attack - Land Speeder Typhoon
- Heavy Support - Land Raider Crusader with twin Hurricane Bolters and twin Assault Cannon
Leviathan Long and Prosper
All new toys for the 'Nids recently, so I thought I'd try them out.
Leviathan has several excellent new stratagems (more of which later), which is the main reason I'm running them today. But I'm also trying out the Synaptic Link abilities, open to any Hive Fleet, as they seem like a great way of providing some synergy for a Tyranid force.
You can sling these out to a unit within 12" of the relevant Synapse beasties during the Command Phase, or bounce them to another Synapse within 12" before landing them. And the ones I've taken are tasty - rerolls are mostly lacking from Tyranids, and these give several very nice ways of getting them. Their effects are listed in the force below.
Also present are some new Leviathan relics. Most notable is the Biomorphic Carapace on the Tervigon, giving it -1 to Wound, which is an amazing boost in durability for a T8 creature. But the 'no invuln save' Bone Swords on the Hive Tyrant aren't bad either!
The list is built around a core of Warriors and Termagants, backed by appropriate leader beasts (a Prime and a Tervigon) and boosted by a Tyrant. Genestealers for fun, Rippers for utility.
Extra relics and Adaptations, as ever, and some big packs of creatures to take advantage of my 6+++ Synaptic Imperative save. Plus strat shenanigans...
Hive Fleet Leviathan Battalion Detachment, 1499 points, 10 CPs
- HQ - Hive Tyrant with Adrenal Glands, Monstrous Boneswords, Twin Devourers with Brainleech Worms, Onslaught and the Horror, Synaptic Hive Blades relic
- HQ - Tervigon with Adrenal Glands, Massive Scything Talons, Catalyst, Warlord with Biomorphic Carapace relic, Weaponised Gestation Link (reroll 1 or 2 to wound)
- HQ - Warrior Prime with Adrenal Glands, Lash Whip and Bone Sword, Deathspitter, Unchecked Ferocity link (6s to hit in melee auto wounds)
- Troops - 3 x Ripper Swarm
- Troops - 3 x Ripper Swarm
- Troops - 10 x Genestealers
- Troops - 6 x Tyranid Warriors, 5 with Boneswords and Deathspitters, 1 with Venom Cannon and Scything Talons, Bioweapon Bond Link (+1 to hit), Enhanced Resistance Adaptation
- Heavy Support - Carnifex with Adrenal Glands, Heavy Venom Cannon, Monstrous Acid Maw, Monstrous Crushing Claws, Spore Cysts
- Heavy Support - Tyrannofex with Acid Spray, Dermic Symbiosis Adaptation
- Dedicated Transport - Tyrannocyte with 5 x Deathspitters
Mission and Terrain
The Random Hand of Fate brings us the following mission plan:
- Search and Secure - 6 objectives placed at the start, worth 1 VP for each you hold at the end of your turn. From Round 2 onwards, one will disappear at random!
- Double Chevron deployment - one long edge has triangle in towards the middle, the opposite one deploys in triangles at each corner
- Invigorated - a madly useful twist for both of us! +1M for all, and +1 to Advance and Charge rolls!
Clearly the recent snowfall has left both our armies ready for a frolic - the field is in seasonal white, with one half covered with ruins, the other with snowy woods and bogs.
Deployment
Stylus opts to defend, taking the fat triangle and forcing me out to opposite corners. The objectives are spread across the table, favouring the woody, boggy end, so I stick all my creatures down that side. The Tervigon is in the Tyrannocyte, the Termagants are in Tactical Reserve and the Rippers are in their burrows. Everything else is in a menacing gunline, except the 'Stealers, who are menacing enough without guns.
It's the big triangle for me (as anyone who has seen me attack a box of Quality Street will know). This is so my assaulting elements can run in their direction, and my shooting elements get a choice of targets. With the kind of speed this army is capable of, I'm not too worried about bunching up at the back, because they can race anywhere.
The Land Raider parks in the very centre, filled with Terminators. The ruin on its left (with an objective) is garrisoned by the Tactical Squad on the upper floors and Assault Intercessors on the ground. The Land Speeder, Attack Bike, Captain and Judiciar all cram in behind.
As a concession to my flanks, the Biker Squad take the southern flank, where they can race onto the opposite objective, and the other Assault Intercessors sit on the objective in the north.
I spend 2CPs to put the Bladeguard and Chaplain into strategic reserve.
The roll-off is mine, this time, so I opt to go first and see if I can box some Marine ears.
Tyranids - Turn 1
It's a pretty good start - everything lopes forwards, and even without spectacular advance rolls it's pretty nippy thanks to our Twist. Synaptic Link boosts are thrown on everything - the Genestealers have Ferocity from the Prime, the Warriors boost themselves - then the Tyrant casts and rerolls to get Onslaught on the Warriors and The Horror on the Land Raider.
A good spray of shots from the Warriors kill a lone Tactical Marine and damages the Land Raider even though it pops smoke - the Synaptic Link and the Prime cancel out the smoke and still improve my shooting.
Then they charge the Tactical Marines in the ruin using Synaptic Lure for an extra dice in charge, promptly killing all but the Sarge. I opt to throw 3 CPs into letting them go again and finishing him off so I can wrap the Land Raider, even though I know it leaves the Warriors rather high and dry. But I'm scared of that tank's ability to mow down troops, and don't want it to have free reign.
No other shots or charges, everyone is too far off, but it's a decent start anyway!
Tyranids 2 : 0 Mantis Warriors
Mantis Warriors - Turn 1
Something about playing White Scars successors brings out the aggression in me. The northern Assault Intercessors immediately abandon their post and advance towards the Genestealers.
Not to be out-done, the other squad of Assault Intercessors breaks ranks and makes a bee-line for the Hive Tyrant.
With slightly more tactical nous, the Biker Squad turbo-boosts across the board to secure me the objective on the statue.
The Land Speeder and Attack Bike manoeuvre to throw down fire into the Hive Tyrant, the Land Raider stays put while the Terminators pile out to take on the Tyranid Warriors, supported by the Judiciar. The Captain is persuaded to stay put, and rev his Wrath of the Heavens bike.
In the Shooting Phase, the Land Speeder and Multi-Melta Attack Bike target the Hive Tyrant, who rides his invulnerable save and takes a handful of wounds.
The Land Raider opens up on the Tyranid Warriors with buckets of dakka, but due to their immunity to -1 and -2AP, most of the shots bounce off. The Judiciar and Terminators subsequently charge in and wipe away the remaining bugs from the windscreen.
But before that happens, I'd left myself in a pickle: both squads of Intercessors has charged into the Hive Tyrant and Genestealers respectively, and I'd got a funny feeling that combat was going to get interrupted after I'd take my first turn.
I could only save one of the squads, so I elected for the ones fighting the Hive Tyrant, just to have anything with objective secured in the business end of the battlefield. Of course, their flimsy chainswords bounce off the chitin and, with Transhuman Physiology, I only lose one Intercessor in return - I didn't need to go first!
On the flipside, the full Genestealer pack absolutely munches through my other Intercessor Squad, so that has taught me a few lessons about prioritisation (or maybe just staying on the damn objective in the first place).
And so ends my turn: having attacked on flank, lost another and pushed right into the heart of the big bugs. At least I have a squad of objective secured guys on the central objective to take an early lead in points.
Tyranids 2 : 3 Mantis Warriors
Tyranids - Turn 2
Well, that makes the question of where to put my reserves a lot easier. The Tyrannocyte drops more or less centrally, spitting out the Tervigon. And her brood swarm out next to her, surging out from my back line to threaten the bikers.
As my monsters consolidate towards the centre, a swarm of Rippers takes hold of Objective 5, and the Genestealers head towards the Assault Intercessors before they can hurt the Tyrant any more. The Prime links himself, then we get to psyking.
It doesn't go great - I smite off an Intercessor, but then fail to cast the Horror on the Terminators. Shooting takes another few wounds off the Land Raider and hurts the Speeder, but the real meat and drink is from the Termagants.
As soon as they're targeted, I play the Skilled Riders stratagem on the Bikers to give them -1 to hit. With the Termagants' low BS, I'm hoping that will keep them alive against the fusillade of shots.
Using the new Leviathan strat Relentless Volleys (1 CP) allows them to turn any rolls of 6 to hit into three hits instead, which is pretty bonkers. Sure enough, out of sixty Devourer shots, 62 hit, and the Bike Squad is battered down to a badly-wounded Sarge. Synaptic Lure gets the charge in, and although Sarge cuts a couple down with his chainsword, he drowns in bugs shortly after.
The fight on the other side is just as one-sided - the Carnifex rams in from one flank, the Genestealers from the other, and the Intercessor Squad vanishes like a Tory promise after a successful election.
Three more VPs, but I may have forgotten something...
Tyranids 5 : 3 Mantis Warriors
Mantis Warriors - Turn 2
So I've got nothing left on the flanks, so I reckon I'd better double-down in the centre. The Terminators and Judiciar race forward to engage the big bugs. The vehicles manoeuvre for position and the Biker Captain soars across the field to close the jaws.
From Strategic Reserve, the Chaplain and Bladeguard appear on the north flank. Their only target is the Ripper Swarms, but I can use them to slingshot into combat, and nick an objective at the same time.
Hell's bells! I forgot there were Mantis Warrior reserves still to arrive. Nuts, I should have screened!
I use the Commanding Oratory stratagem to recite the Canticle of Hate and give them +2 to charge (it doesn't stack with the mission's +1 to charge, but it's better than nothing)
Shooting is something of a bust, with most of the big shots bouncing off, and the small-arms fire only cutting down half the Genestealers.
But melee is what it's all about! The Judiciar hits the Hive Tyrant, the Terminators got into the Tyranid Prime and Carnifex, the Captain slams into the side of the Tyrannofex.
From reserves, it costs me a Command Point reroll, but the Bladeguard and Chaplain both make it into the Ripper Swarms.
The Hive Tyrant (pretty damaged from two turns of shooting) is first to be chopped up by the Judiciar. The Terminators get distracted by the wealth of targets around them (I'd also run out of Command Points to spend on Fury of the First) and only wound the Carnifex and Tyranid Prime.
The Bike Captain, using his Hunter's Instincts, does take nine wounds off the Carnifex, but that still leaves it alive (and, due to its upgrade, fully-functioning).
The Chaplain pulps the Ripper Swarms, securing the objective and leaving the Bladeguard free to consolidate into the Tyrannofex (hoping I can tempt Kraken into shooting them next turn).
Two more VPs for me (the remains of the Genestealers are still hanging around, taking the centre one from me), which brings me level. But it's only Turn 2 and I'm running worrying short on units and Command Points!
Tyranids 5 : 5 Mantis Warriors
Tyranids - Turn 3
To make up for it, the 'Cyte and Tervigon tag team the Land Raider. They charge in and bounce off rather, but at least it won't be shooting anyone. The Termagants head back to help them as more Rippers sprout up to keep Objective 2.
All my monsters stay more or less put, with the Genestealers diving on the Judiciar rather reluctantly. Only Stylus pointing out that he could Intervene on whoever he liked talked me into this, I'd have preferred to keep the spindly troopers on that objective!
That Judiciar is a right problem to deal with once the melee starts swinging.
Acid flies in all directions from the Tyrannofex, killing the Bike Captain (he failed every one of his saves - those Hunter's Instincts are looking a bit rusty!) and wounding a Bladeguard, and the Carnifex (illegally, I now realise) blasts a Terminator with his Venom Cannon.
Then the Genestealers and Judiciar dance around each other fairly ineffectually, the Carnifex and Terminators do likewise and the Bladeguard cut more huge pieces out of the Tyrannofex. It hasn't noticed yet, thanks to its Adaptation, but it won't be long now!
Two more VPs. I'm certainly consistent.
Tyranids 7 : 5 Mantis Warriors
Mantis Warriors - Turn 3
Losing my Captain was a blow, but the Chaplain is stepping up, chanting Litany of Hate and Mantra of Strength on himself. More importantly, I'm in the Assault Doctrine, which is Mantis Warriors' happy place!
The Attack Bike turbo-charges all the way across the field to secure the north objective, freeing up the Chaplain to move forward. The Bladeguard stay in combat with the Tyrannofex (I'd love to fall them back and charge again, but I'm not facing that acid spray overwatch). The Judiciar and Terminators also stay put having nowhere else to go.
The Land Raider backs up from combat with the big beasties (I'd rather it got killed in their turn, not mine) and the Land Speeder zooms back to the southern end of the board, with the intention of blasting the Ripper Swarms off their objective.
Not terribly effectively, I'm afraid. I roll double 1 for damage for the krak missiles, so only the heavy bolter takes away one base. They even pass morale! So that objective belongs to the Tyranids for good, I reckon.
Things continue to get messy in the central mosh pit. The Chaplain does pulp the wounded Tyrannofex, but with the new Animated by the Hive Mind stratagem, it automatically gets Death Throes and starts splashing mortal wounds everywhere. The Chaplain and Judiciar are left on a single wound apiece, the Terminators and Bladeguard are injured. Even the Tyranid Prime takes a stray talon.
Ouch!
Despite the shock, my forces are able to mop up the remains of the bugs in this quadrant. Tyranid Prime, Genestealers and Carnifex all fall to the Mantis Warrior's blades, which pivots the battle neatly to me holding the northern half of the and Kraken the southern half.
My model count would now fit into a reasonably-priced family car, but the one saving grace is that I have just enough Terminators left to screen my badly-wounded characters from all the shots that are going to rain in.
I also claim three objectives, which edges me ahead on points.
Tyranids 7 : 8 Mantis Warriors
Tyranids - Turn 4
Objective 3 suddenly vanishes, dragged below by passing Raveners, and the Marines are left holding on to nothing.
The Termagants rush back, shooting the Land Speeder apart as they go, then the Tervigon mega-smites the Land Raider!
And rolls a one for damage, meaning I hurt myself (Perils) as much as I hurt it.
The Tervigon-Tyrannocyte Tag Team keep failing to bust that damn Land Raider. It's so frustrating - the Tervigon even lands a decent hit and bounces off the armour! - but I do contest the objective at least.
Mantis Warriors - Turn 4
Its a fairly simple task for me: ignore the little bugs (as I have been all battle) and smush the big ones!
The Attack Bike stays put on the objective (though it can still find range with its multi-melta) and the Land Raider crawls back once more, but with a hearty chorus of Litany of Hate and Mantra of Strength, everything else races forward.
Aided by the Mantis Warriors' advance & charge ability (love that!) and the overall buffs to movement, the infantry cross the battlefield and swat the Tyrannocyte aside as they crash into the Tervigon. Even her formidable defences don't prevent her taking a truckload of damage, and her counterattacks fail against my invulnerable saves.
By swarming that objective, I get two more points.
And when we roll for the fifth turn, that same objective disappears! That makes the fifth turn moot, since we each hold an objective at our respective table ends, with no way of denying it to each other. We call the result there.
Result: 11-9 to the Mantis Warriors!
Locker Room
Close one! I had some very reckless moves in that game, so I rode my luck to steal victory. I wonder how it might have turned out if the objectives hadn't disappeared, but that's the fun of the Open War deck (and it really is a tonic to 9th Edition).
Aah! So close - I kept the pressure up throughout and certainly gave the Marines plenty to worry about! But the Objectives vanished in the wrong order for me, and after forgetting about the Bladeguard, I was left out of position and chasing the game.
When playing the White Scars trait, it can be a long old wait until the Assault Doctrine, but with the constant ability to charge after advancing or falling back, it makes them one of the best melee chapters around (sorry Space Wolves).
Also, there was no way I could have stalled until the third turn - the board was narrow, the objectives were disappearing and the Tyranids are such a naturally aggressive army. I did throw away my Intercessors against the Genestealers, but the ones I fed to the Hive Tyrant was a calculated move - put me on an objective and cooped up his big beasties in one place, ready for my best units to dogpile them.
Tell you what, though, the Synaptic Links are great. Tyranid shooting suddenly feels scary, even without the horrific Flurry strat. Honestly, that's a bit under-costed on a big unit of Devilgaunts, although it does take some work to get them all in range. I've never seen Bikers evaporate like that, although it's worth noting that they still survived the volley! It would be just as good on Hive Guard units, or a big pack of charging Hormagaunts, and it's definitely one to watch out for.
Always a fun game, and I'm glad the Tyranids have some more tricks to play with (although a new codex would be nice). Hope to see these two old rivals clash again in 2022!
Definitely worth taking Leviathan again, I think, there is a surface I have scratched with the new Strats and Relics. And the Synaptic Links are excellent, especially for Tervigons and Warriors. 'Nids could have a bright future here!
Great game gents, the Mantis Warriors are turning into quite the force to be reckoned with, and Leviathon look like they have some great tricks up their chitin sleeves.
ReplyDeleteI do like this game mechanic with the disappearing objectives; it makes it a bit more random but sometimes a story emerges from the randomness like in the old Maelstrom days.