Weekend at Burnie’s 4 - Day 1: Black Legion vs Tyranids

 

Pootle here again with a write-up of my second battle at Weekend at Burnie's against WrathofConstantine's gorgeous metallic Nids.

Black Legion

Repeating my last post from when I faced Sultan's White Scars earlier in the day, this is my army. Gormenghastly used to lead a Purge warband and found fame in a spectacularly unlikely piece of dice-rolling during Stylus's lock-down Skypehammer campaign. Kraken wrote up a typically awesome batrep here for that game and I've developed his story since then. Given that Purge lost specific rules in the latest CSM codex, I decided that Gormenghastly has joined (and taken over) a Khornate-aligned Black Legion force (the set-up to this, as well as the death of Stylus's own Purge army is written up here) 

- Gormenghastly - Sorcerer in Terminator Armour (HQ) (Warlord)
   Force Axe, Combi-Melta, Mark of Nurgle
   Trait: Unholy Fortitude (5+++ FNP)
   Additional Black Legion Trait (1CP): Indomitable (half damage, rounding up)
   Relic: Veilbreaker Plate (worsen incoming AP by 1; once/battle teleport self plus one CORE unit)
   Psychic: Diabolic Strength, Infernal Gaze, Putrid Miasma, Smite

- Ghock Hackfiend - Dark Apostle (HQ)

   Mark of Khorne

   Extra Trait (1CP): Hatred Incarnate (+1S and A when charging; reroll melee hits)

   Extra Relic (1CP): The Black Mace (extra AP and damage, excess damage spills over)

   Prayers: Omen of Potency, Wrathful Entreaty, Dark Zealotry

-  Kararic Bonereaper - Lord Discordant (HQ)

   Baleflamer, Technovirus Injector, Mark of Khorne

   Extra Trait (1CP): Flames of Spite (reroll wound rolls; melee wound rolls of 6 cause additional MW)

   Extra Relic (1CP): Gorget of Eternal Hate (+1 armour save, 4++ invuln, explodes on death

- 8 Accursed Cultists (Troops)

   5 Mutants, 3 Torments

- 10 Cultists (Troops)

  Grenade Launcher, Champion with Bolt Pistol & Brutal Assault Weapon

- 8 Legionaries (Troops)

  Chaos Icon, Mark of Khorne, Hvy Chainaxe, Flamer, 5xChainswords, Champ w. Plasma Pistol & Power Fist

- 7 Legionaries (Troops)

  Chaos Icon, Mark of Nurgle, Reaper Chaincannon, 5xBoltguns, Champ with Boltgun & Power Fist

- Helbrute (Elites)

  Helbrute Fist (with Heavy Flamer), Multi-melta

- 5 Bikers (Fast Attack)

  Chaos Icon, Mark of Khorne, 2x Chainsword, 2x Meltagun & Chainsword, Champ w. Power Fist and (-1CP) Black Rune of Damnation (-1 to wound, nearby psykers suffer perils on any double)

- Chaos Spawn (Fast Attack)

- Maulerfiend (Heavy Support)

  Lasher Tendrils

- Obliterator (Heavy Support)

- Rhino (Dedicated Transport)

   Combi-melta, Havoc Launcher

Points: 1,500 | Level: 88 | Battle-forged - extra warlord traits and relics: 0 CPs

My battleplan is broadly that Gormenghastly himself should be a real pain to kill (-1 to hit from Putrid Miasma, -1 to wound vs S4 or 8 or more, -1 to incoming AP, half damage and a 5+ FNP). He may teleport himself and his Helbrute bodyguard around the table as a distraction Carnifex.

Meanwhile Ghock, Kararic, the Maulerfiend, Bikers and the Rhino full of Khorne Legionaries will all barrel forwards and follow a fairly simple Khornate plan.

The Nurgle Legionaries and Obliterator will hold the backfield and the Spawn, Cultists and Accursed Cultists act as a screen.

Tyranids

Wrath had flown in from the US especially for the event and had brought a fantastically painted brood. 

- Winged Hive Tyrant (HQ, Warlord)

   Relic: Reaper of Obliterax

- Tervigon (HQ)

- Trygon Prime (HQ)

- 30 Termagants (Troops)

- 10 Hormagaunts (Troops)

- Lictor (Elites)

- 1 Spore Mine (Fast Attack)

- Carnifex (Heavy Support)

   Heavy Venom Cannon

- Tyrannofex (Heavy Support)

   Acid Spray

The Flyrant's relic is terrifying as it not only causes an additional mortal wound if a wound roll is successful, but also no rules that ignore wounds can be used, so this nicely eliminates Gormenghastly's half damage and 5+++ FNP - I shall have to try to keep them apart...

Mission and deployment

We choose Dawn of War deployment and roll Secret Intel as the mission twist (which means if our Warlord isn't on the table then we don't get the bonus CP each turn). I forget what the secondary mission was, but it was one of the ones that gives 5VP at the end of the game for killing and it didn't end up being decisive.

Wrath sets up the big blob of Termagants on his home objective, screening the Tervigon of course. The Carnifex lurks on the objective too, as does a solitary spore mine, ready to inflict mortal wounds if I try to steal the objective.

The Tyrannofex starts just left of Wrath's centreline, mostly screened from my lines by the large ruin in the middle of the table.

The Hive Tyrant is on Wrath's left flank, lurking behind one of the ruins.

On my side, I deploy the Bikes on my far left flank.

Next to them are the Accursed Cultists, with the Maulerfiend and Lord Discordant in the middle. To their right are the Spawn (ready to jump towards the central objective), Gormenghastly, the Helbrute and Obliterator. 

On my right flank are the Rhino (with the Khorne Legionaries inside), Cultists and the Nurgle Legionaries, who hold my home objective.

Wrath puts the Trygon Prime (along with the Hormagaunts) and the Lictor into deep strike, but, as before, I elect to start everyone on the table.

I won the roll-off for first turn this time, so, with some trepidation about advancing closer to all those teeth and claws, charged forwards...

Black Legion: Turn 1

On my left the Bikers move to the edge of the conveyor belt and unload all the guns at the Termagants (for want of anything else to shoot - I know they'll just come back next turn). Meanwhile, the Accursed Cultists run forwards next to them, screening Ghock the Dark Apostle.

The Maulerfiend and Lord Discordant run straight down the centre of the table. There are guns that I'm afraid of, but these guys really do just want to close in as soon as possible. The Disco Lord adds his Baleflamer to the Bikes shots on the Gants and, in total, they bring down 12 of the little gribblies. Next to them, the Spawn pounced on the central objective.

On my right, the Rhino also pushes forwards. I'm nervous of the Flyrant/T-Fex combo, so I'm anticipating a dead Rhino next turn. Behind the APC lurk the Nurgle trio of the Helbrute, Obliterator and Gormenghastly.

Last and most definitely least, the Cultists spread out to push out deep strike denial for my home objective, held by the Nurgle Legionaries.

Tyranids: Turn 1

Wrath brings back nine of the twelve Termagants that I'd killed last turn, and moves the T-Fex and Flyrant to deal with the Rhino. The T-Fex's acid spray knocks 8 wounds of the tank, but that means it's still operational and the Flyrant will have to find something else to charge other than its squishy contents. 

Obligingly, and despite carefully noting before the game that I must keep Gormenghastly away from it, I set him up as near to the Flyrant as I could get and then moved him closer. D'oh. The Flyrant leaps into the combat and, to make up for his last outing, it takes very little time to show that Gormenghastly is not invulnerable in any way. Or maybe he suddenly remembers that he left the lights on in his orbital barge and teleports back up to switch them off. According to the twist we rolled, this also means that I won't be getting any more CP this game.

The Carnifex moves towards the Maulerfiend, and, along with supporting fire from the Gants, shoots exactly some wounds off the daemon engine. 

Meanwhile, the Spore Mine lurks invitingly next to Wrath's home objective.

The Carnifex then charges the Maulerfiend and would have killed its target if I hadn't played the Infernal Engine strat to reduce incoming damage by one (it ended up on only one or two wounds). The Maulerfiend then gets to strike back and, even though it's in its bottom bracket it lands enough blows to kill the Carnifex (that was quite lucky though as I was only hitting on 5s)

Black Legion: Turn 2

I start the turn on three objectives to Wrath's two, so that gives me a tasty 15VPs.

I rearrange the Cultists to keep the Trygon et al away from my home objective.

The Helbrute and Obliterator are technically not Nurgle-marked (for points and you-can't-do-it-anymore reasons respectively), however both are very much Gormenghastly's bodyguards as they used to be in the Purge, and neither are pleased to see their lord and master despatched so rudely. Both pivot to face the Flyrant and I knock a good chunk of wounds off it with the combined firepower. However it's still wriggling, so the Helbrute charges in to finish it off. Despite the pain of losing my own warlord, I think that overall that was a good trade.

Next up, the Khorne Legionaries jump out of the Rhino and charge the T-Fex (after the Rhino itself has rammed the monster to make sure it doesn't acid spray the marines on overwatch). They put a significant amount of pain on the weapon beast, but don't come close to killing it.

The Bikes, Lord Discordant and Maulerfiend descend on the Termagants, shooting then charging the survivors. When the dust settles, there's only one left!

Tyranids: Turn 2

Wrath doesn't score any VPs as my Bikers have managed to steal his home objective. 

The Tervigon spawns some replacement Gants to try to protect itself, and the Lictor pops up nearby to help defend Big Momma, who gets things rolling in the turn by smiting the Maulerfiend to death.

On my right, the T-Fex sprays acid all over the Legionaries and kills all but two of them.

The Trygon Prime and Hormagaunts pop up on my far left but manage to fail all attempts to charge the Accursed Cultists

So the Trygon just stands there, looking magnificent!

Wrath is keen to reclaim his home objective, so charges the Bikes with the Lictor and Termagants, while the Tervigon charges the Lord Discordant! The former manage to take down two of the bikes, but Big Momma bounces off the Disco Lord, who pounds back on the beast.

Black Legion: Turn 3

I score another 15VPs as, despite the Termagants getting back in range of their home objective last turn, I hold all the others. 

The Accursed Cultists and Dark Apostle vault athletically over the conveyor belt but there's clearly some swampy ground between them and the Trygon as although the Cultists charge the Hormagaunts and kill seven of them, the Dark Apostle repeats the failed charges that the Tyranids experienced here last turn (and from even closer this time).

On the right, the Legionaries fall back from the T-Fex, and the Helbrute and Obliterator walk forwards and annihilate it with their guns.

Because it's turn 3, that means it's Wanton Slaughter and all melee hits explode on 6s to hit. Therefore although part of me is tempted to fall the Bikers back from the Lictor and Gants, I stay in combat and manage to wipe the Gants out, denying Wrath his home objective again, though the Lictor does manage to bring down another couple of Bikes. The Disco Lord hammers away at the Tervigon again, and finally brings him down.

Tyranids: Turn 3

Once again Wrath doesn't score any VPs and is almost out of assets. However there is one fight that we want to see, so the Trygon Prime slithers forwards and swallows the Dark Apostle whole, before tunnelling back underground and disappearing.

Result: Black Legion win 45-0

Locker Room

In the end it was a bit of a rout, both in terms of the VP score and materiel left on the battlefield. I had said before the game that I really wanted to go second so I could counterpunch, however getting the first turn meant I rolled forwards and occupied the middle ground and Wrath just wasn't able to get on any objectives. He had some bad luck with the Carnifex, which nearly killed the Maulerfiend. And, whilst it was extremely satisfying for his Flyrant to kill Gormenghastly, it left his warlord wide open for the counterpunch from the Helbrute and Obliterator. 

Overall it was fantastic to play against such a beautifully painted army. The pics here look amazing, but metallics just don't show up in photos the same was as in real life - you'll just have to imagine how cool this lot looked on the table.