Thursday, February 3, 2011

1850 BatRep vs. Tyranids


As promised, an 1850 Battle Report against the Tyranids of Dr. John Hemlock.  We played the Adepticon 2010 mission where the primary objective is to control terrain pieces.  We used a full 25% terrain pieces, including plenty that blocks LOS for raiders and such.  Not that it mattered much to the Hive Guard.  So without further ado:


Kabal of the Obsidian Sky

Asdrubael Vect
Archon w/Shadowfield, Huskblade, Soultrap, PGL, Drugs

9x Hekatrix Bloodbrides, 3x Shardnets, Syren w/Agonizer
Raider w/ NS, FF

7x Incubi, Klaivex w/Demiklaives
Raider w/ NS, FF

5x Warriors w/Blaster
Raider w/NS, FF
5x Warriors w/Blaster (x3)
Venom w/2x Cannons (x3)

Ravager w/NS, FF (x3)


TYRANIDS (from memory)

Hive Tyrant w/ Old Adversary, Paroxysm, Lashwhip + Bonesword, 2 Devourers (S5/6 shots??)
3 Tyrant Guard w/Lashwhips
Tyranid Prime w/Lash Whip & Bonesword

2x Venomthropes (one unit)
3x Hive Guard
3x Hive Guard

10x Termagaunts
Tervigon
10x Termagaunts
Tervigon

Harpy
15-20 Gargoyles (can't quite remember)


Apologies if I've missed anything.  As I said, list is from memory.

I win the rolloff for deployment and elect to go first.  Tyranids attempt to seize the initiative and fail.

Deployment is DOW-style with a 12" no-man's-land in the centerline of the table.  Neither of us deploys anything to start.  Combat Drugs roll

DE Turn 1

I move onto the table, most everything looking for LOS blocking cover while the raider with Vect and the Bloodbrides advances a bit farther forward to setup a turn 2 charge.


Tyranids Turn 1


Everything moves on in a horde behind the main terrain on my right hand side of the table.  The gargoyles deploy in front, screening the termagaunts, who are in turn screening the hive guard, tyrant guard, and MC's.  Harpy attempts to shoot but is out of range due to night fighting.


DE Turn 2


I shuffle around to open up firing lanes with most of my vehicles, taking aim at the left-most tervigon in the backfield.  Vect and his harem move up and deploy, readying for a charge against the gargoyles.  My Dark Lances and Splinter Cannons unload onto the leftmost Tervigon, causing only 2 wounds due to only hitting with 1/3 DL on each of the Ravagers, plus armor and Feel No Pain saves against the 6 Splinter Cannons.  Oh, and he saved nearly every 5+ cover save from the Venomthropes.  Lucky turd.

Vect and the girls assault, killing a whole bunch of Gargoyles, taking a couple of casualties in return, and  drop the squad down to around 4 after No Retreat! wounds.


Tyranids Turn 2


Tyranids generally move forward and one Termagaunt squad prepares to join the assault with Vect & Co.  The Harpy jumps forward for what I anticipate will be shooting at one of my vehicles.  Both Tervigons spawn and one of them craps out.  The left-most Tervigon I had been concentrating fire on moves towards some LOS blocking cover to the left.

The center-most Hive Guard destroy (explodes!) Vect's Raider.  There isn't much else for shooting as the other Hive Guard squad is out of range due to Night Shields.



Contrary to my initial belief, the Harpy forgoes shooting to assault Vect.  I'm initially puzzled by this, but he and the closest Termagaunt squad both assault Vect and the girls.  Vect manages to not quite finish off the gargoyles for the pain token (d'oh!) while the rest of the squad puts some hurt on the 'gaunts, and the Syren puts a wound on the Harpy.  I lose a few ladies in return, and we all pile in again.


DE Turn 3


I mostly shuffle around to set up firing lanes to the right-most Tervigon, since the left one can block LOS to a Ravager and two Venoms.  The Archon and Incubi move up the right flank and disembark, preparing for a fleet and assault against the right-most Hive Guard.

I unload all my shooting onto the right Tervigon.  out of the 8 Dark Lances that hit, I roll ace to wound on 6 of them. *Facepalm* He manages to save one of them thanks to the Venomthrope.  I manage to sneak two additional wound on after 36 Splinter Cannon shots.  Down to 3.

The Archon and Incubi roll a 5 for fleet, getting them through terrain and alleviating my complex of "anything that can go wrong, will" by no longer having to roll for difficult terrain to assault the Hive Guard.  Either that or I got within 1".  The ensuing assault nearly wipes out the Hive Guard, who inflict no casualties in return, and are cut down from No Retreat! wounds.  Archon and his buddies consolidate back into cover.

Vect and the girls continue their rodeo in the center of the table, Vect cutting down 4-5 'gaunts, the girls finishing off the gargoyle for the pain token, and the Syren taking down the Harpy with her agonizer!  The gaunts take a few girls with them, and the battle continues.




Tyranids Turn 3


Tyranids generally move forward, repositioning for another charge by the Archon and Incubi.  The Hive Guard fire on and kill the Archon's Raider, and Tyrant and a Tervigon shoot at the Incubi, inflicting only 1 or 2 casualties when it is all said and done thanks to 3+ armor and FNP.

He throws another unit of 'gaunts into the Vect meatgrinder.  Vect chops up several, the girls may have killed one or two, and a couple of girls fall to the remaining 'gaunts, leaving me with one bloodbride, the Syren, and Vect.


DE Turn 4


I again shuffle around for firing lanes on the right Tervigon, and the Incubi and Archon prepare to assault the right-most unit of 'gaunts, hoping to slingshot their way around to the venomthropes afterwards.  Or the Tervigon to finally try to put the Huskblade to good use.

Shooting manages to finally not fail, finishing off the right Tervigon and putting two more wounds on the left one (down to 2).  I then assault with Archon and the gang, killing about 6-7 gaunts and taking a casualty or two in return.  The gaunts survive their No Retreat! thanks to FNP from the now-dead Tervigon.

The meatgrinder continues, but with one significant development.  He decides to concentrate all of his attacks on Vect.  Who promptly fails is 2nd Shadowfield save, and then fails FNP and armor on the next two wounds as well, leaving him with one.  The 'gaunts still take a number of casualties from No Retreat! leaving only one, but they're job is done.


Tyranids Turn 4



The Tyranids move into terrain in an attempt to capture as many pieces as possible.  The Tyranid Prime realizes Vect's Shadowfield is down, and moves in for the kill.  The Hive Guard attempt to get into position to fire at my left-most Ravager.

The Hive Guard shoot at the Ravager, but only one is in range due to Night Shields.  Hits twice, and fails to glance with either!

In assault, the Archon & company play slap-fight with the 'gaunts, trading some casualties on both sides (feel like I failed every armor + FNP with these guys).  Vect and the girls are assaulted by the Prime.  Vect is the recipient of all of its attacks, failing his 6+ invulnerable save while the bloodbride kills the last 'gaunt, and then the Syren puts 2 wounds on the Prime!  The Prime then fails his No Retreat! save and dies!


DE Turn 5


I get into scoring position on as many terrain pieces as possible, outnumbering his units and terrain pieces significantly now.  A torrent of fire later and the remaining Tervigon falls, the Hive Guard are annihilated, and one Tyrant Guard falls.  After this, we call it, as there is no way he can take out enough with what he has left to change the outcome.

Result:  Victory for the Dark Eldar! 7 Terrain Pieces to 3!  Secondary was to eliminate enemy HQ's, which we tied since we both had lost one, and I won on the Tertiary (Victory Points).


All in all it was an enjoyable game, but it was going to be rough for the 'Nids right from the start.  Dark Eldar simply come stock with all the tools necessary to deal with 'Nids.  Night Shields neuter their most reliable anti-vehicle weaponry, and splinter weaponry combined with Dark Lances just spells nightmares for MC's and little bugs alike.  Not to mention the ability to completely outmaneuver them throughout the game.

I hope you enjoyed the report!  Sorry for the sporadic pictures, as I tend to forget I have a camera once the game gets rolling and have an "oh sh!t" moment somewhere around turn 4.  I hope to have another one up soon from my game(s) tonight against Black Templars and/or IG.






8 comments:

  1. Nice thrashing you twat. Masterful win. I haven't been spanked like that for some time.

    We'll do it again when I'm more attune to your trickery.

    The swarm will return to bugger Commorragh.

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  2. haha sounds like a plan to me. Are you planning on heading down for the singles at Battlegrounds?

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  4. Hey, nice battle report!

    Usually I don't comment on things like these, but I wanted to notify you of a mistake you're making in close combat..

    In turn 2 Vect and the Bloodbrides assault a unit of gargoyles, but don't wipe them out completely. In the subsequent Tyranid turn, the combat is joined by the Harpy and a unit of Termigants. You decide to allocate some attacks to the Gargoyles, some to the termigants and some to the Harpy.. but you are not allowed to do this! Vect and the Bloodbrides were only allowed to attack the models they were in contact with at the beginning of the assault phase (i.e. the Gargoyles). I don't have the rulebook with me, so I cannot quote pagenumbers, but check it out in the part where the rules cover multiple assaults..

    For the rest, keep up the good work!

    Clint.

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  5. Great reports, I am so happy to have found this site as I am working on my own Kabal.

    Just to add to the above comment, there are also some updates in the FAQ - you actually CAN attack a unit that charged you if you had models which were not in base combat with the enemy since you get the normal defender react move and "beginning of combat" is said to be after defender reacts but before dice are rolled.

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  6. Thanks for the comments guys!

    I appreciate the criticism, and just have one point of clarification. If the Harpy assaults into combat into base to base with the Hekatrix, but no other Wyches, does that not mean the Hekatrix may allocate attacks towards it, but the others may only allocate attacks to units they are in BtB with?

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  7. Ahri: I'll be down there, probably without the gargs and harpy. I went away from my normal list for a moment and traded out the tyrannofex for the gargs and harpy. I traded a rock for tissue paper.

    If your Hekatrix is in BtB with a model then it has to attack that model if the rest of your squad is also touching something else. If not, then swing away. Same goes for power fists. So if I'm attacking a squad of marines with a tervigon and gants I can put the gants in BtB with the powerfist and the tervigon against the marines, that way the fist swings at gants and not my tervie.

    Oh, and I was experimenting with the harpy's "sonic scream." It cuts your initiative in half on the assault. I thought it would help to whittle down those blasted wyches, but I think it's best to just let them win the assault (hopefully in your turn, not mine, lol) and then shoot the piss out of them. Fleshborers = AP5.

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  8. AP5 = no more thong save.

    You'll still have FNP to deal with if I win combat, however.

    Thanks for the heads up on the rule, that's what I always thought it was.

    See you Thursday unless you wimp out again

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