Warhammer 40,000 Battle Report: Tyranids versus Space Marines

<-- guess what that means...

Well here we are, back again after a long day at GW. We weren't let into the back because we didn't have rulebooks...seriously? So we only really got two games in as there was only one table and the 2nd one was showing my friend how to play. Also the table we used...wsa a Fantasy table lol. The terrain was just way better and we knicked some aegis defense line kits instead of silly fences. Scale was pretty good overall and much better than last time. Anyway, I again played my Mech Marines for Centurion whilst Vince used my 1750 Tyranid list. Considering he never played them before and I had to help with the rules a bit (Vince, Paroxysm is 12". 12". 12". 18"? No 12". Seriously), Vince did very well with the Nid army and show-cased how to deal with mech. Bloody suppress it. We did Centurion mission 6 which is pitched with KP/Quarters/Objectives/VP as victory conditions. I won roll off and elected to go first. Anyway here are the lists for those not familiar with my lists (and check out those 15/36 Tyranids! lol...it's hit a running joke stage now).

Tyranids:
HT w/LW, BS, HVC, paroxysm, leech life, OA
Guard w/LW
3x2x HG
2x Tervigon w/Adrenal, Toxin, Catalyst, Onslaught
2x11x Termagant
3x Raveners w/Rending Claws
2x T-Fex w/Rupture Cannon

Space Marines:
Libby w/Null Zone, Avenger
3x Rifledread
2x10x Tac w/flamer, combi-flamer, MM, Rhino
2x5x Tac w/combi-flamer, LasPlas Rback
3x1x Speeder w/MM/HF
3x Dakka Pred w/HKM

My deployment is once again centered around the middle cover with quite a few things jammed up against each other to gain cover from the HG whilst I've got two flanks both of which would prove vital later on. I again pushed my Preds forward so they could have clear early firing lanes as those HG needed to be stopped whilst having both of my RBacks able to take the flank objectives and push both of my 10 man Rhino squads forward. I was expecting a lot of gants and needed to be able to delay them and fallback. Two of my dreads were up on the hill on the left whilst another was placed in the middle. He also should of been placed on a hill but I didn't want all of my Dreads over there and Vince to refuse flank me. All of my speeders were in reserve as I'd need the anti-infantry firepower later and they were most likely KP for Vince anyway so denying him those easy early kills would be good.

Vince deployed very centrally when he probably should of weighted one flank (my right, his left). This would of forced my Dreads to towards him and not always get clear LoS or not have as many targets of opportunity. In the end, that section of the board was rarely used and earned my Dreads MVPs. Vince did a nice job of layering his guys and protecting the HG with cover and once his Termagants spawn, has a good push directly for my battleline to drive a wedge between my forces.

More pics of deployment...

KP for me were the 3x HG, Raveners and one of the termagant squads (I should of picked one if not both of the Tervigons but was worried about my ability to deal with them...sigh). Vince's were the 3 speeders and 2 dreads (both with bases).

And ya, that dice up top. Vince seized. Again. The noob lol. Less of an issue here than against Immo spam but my first turn shooting would be less effective as I'd probably end up needing to move Preds. No 24 S5+ shots into the Hive Guard! So Vince basically moved everything up in a wall of green and white chintin but...both of the Tervigons pooped out. One spitting out 5 Gants and the other 8. Big blow against Vince as he isn't going to do too well in an attrition game now. However, his shooting makes up for it. His Hive Guard are able to drop a Dread and Rhino behind the centre piece of terrain. The Dread exploded and then the Rhino wrecked but the guys weren't pinned. The T-Fexes were also able to shake my outside Preds and Catalyst was cast on the Gants in the woods and the other Tervigon failed his psy roll on an 11 (this happened 3 or 4 times throughout the game...lucky thing as my psy hood blocked about 1/6 powers! evened out in the end).

So with two of my Dakka Preds suppressed and a Dread down...there goes a lot of firepower. My mobility has also been hampered but I need to take down those Hive Guard. The Preds move into positions where the Rhinos can jam themselves against them for cover against the HG whilst the Preds pop smoke. My disembarked Marines move forward onto the plateau to protect my Mech and deal with the inevitable tide of Tyranids whilst my Dreads and RBacks position themselves for shooting.

Which doesn't do much... My two Rifledreads are able to down a whole Hive Guard squad but nothing else makes an imperssion so I brace myself for the return fire. Check out the hole the HG left!

Time for the tide to move forward again! The two Tervigons are on Vince's side of the centre piece of terrain whilst some Termagants jump up on top to play tag with the Marines. The Tyranid hive breaks open as a co-ordinated unit to let the Raveners through on the Marine's right flank whilst the MC's protect the vulnerable Hive Guard. A Tervigon casts Catalyst on the central HG squad whilst the other Tervigon fails to cast with another 11. Shooting doesn't cause as much damage as the Hive Guard shake the Predator and all the Marines in the centre pass their armor saves. The T-Fex however breaks open the remaining Rhino with an explodes result, killing 3 of the Marines inside who pass their pinning test. Lots of mobility gone for Marines now! It's up to the Raveners to further hurt the Marine army.

Which they cannot do. Even with 15 rending attacks with re-rolling 1s, hitting on 6s was just too much and no damage was caused (there was confusion here on how far the Pred moved but it was over 18" (around 21") from the board edge so it was classified as moving over 6"). This leaves the Raveners in a vulnerable position...

One speeder comes on from reserve which swoops in on the right to lend it's instant death hand to the Raveners. The recently disemabrked Tacticals move around the Predator (which...stays still) to get clear LoS onto the Raveners as well whilst the other tactical squad moves up just a little bit more in midfield to get better shooting angles. The exposed Predator on the left cannot move as it is stunned which means it will be easy prey for the MCs next turn (suppression fire at it's best). This means I can leave the vehicles behind stationary as they cannot be easily accessed. With this in mind I move onto my shooting phase... The Raveners are wiped out but it requires the whole Dakka Pred, Tactical Squad, Land Speeder and LasPlas RBack to achieve. Bloody dice! The Predator and Razorback on the left are unable to ding the Tervigon's armor and the combined fire of the remaining Dreadnoughts drops a wound off the far Hive Guard squad whilst the Marines in the centre wipe out the Termagants with a blaze of holy fire. It moves to Vince's Turn 3 with the Tyranids getting ever closer...

Once again the Tyranid hive...moves forward haha. On the Marine left flank a Tervigon and 8 man Gant squad push forward to assault the exposed Predator which couldn't move last turn whilst the other Tervigon and an 11 man Gant squad attempt to do this on the right. Once again the Hive Guard fired upon the hiding Predator and were able to get a Pen and explosion which killed a Marine. Further Hive Guard and T-Fex shooting was unable to bring the lone Speeder down but knocked off the heavy flamer and shook it for next turn. The Termagants on the right were able to shoot down a couple of Marines who used Combat Tactics and fled. This stopped the Tervigon on the right from being able to assault the Predator as there was a Termagant in the way which it had to go around (no jumping your own models!) but only by the tiniest of margins. The Tervigon and gants on the left assault the Predator, got four pens and a glance!... and didn't kill it though it was left all but weaponless and couldn't shoot or move next turn. Go Pred!

Beginning of Marine turn 3 sees the final two speeders come in and it's time to stop a flank dead. On my right flank I retreat with the Marines rallying and hiding behind the wrecked Rhino and Pred which moved away from the battleline. The stunned Speeder speeds 24" across to my left flank and the two new speeders take beelines on the Gants and Tervigon respectively. Everything else gets ready to blast the Tervigon on the left apart. The left (red) speeder reduces the 8 Gants down to one whilst the combined fire of the mobile Predator, just entered Speeder, Tactical squad, two x RBacks and 2x Rifledreads is able to bring the Tervigon down which kills the remaining gant with its psychic backlash. The left flank is secure...for the moment.

Before...

After!

So heading into Vince's Turn 4 and it's 2-1KP my way but I'm getting serious pressure on my flanks again. Luckily my Dreads have shrugged off most shots taken at them so have been able to provide much needed firepower and I was able to stall both of Vince's advances. Let's see how he does now...

The Hive Guard and Tyrannofex on the left plus the remaining Gant squad on the converge on the middle to lay waste to the 9 man Tactical squad there and remove what is essentially the anchor for my armor atm. Without them I don't have a secure 'base of operations' in the middle of my forces and would allow vince to focus on one flank and chew it to pieces. The other T-Fex, Hive Guard and Hive Tyrant all move up as well with the Hive Tyrant covering all of the squads with Synapse (he also failed to cast Paroxysm...11 again! lol). The Tervigon in the right moved up to enact revenge on the Predator which escpaed him before... and during the assault phase he did! Before then however, shooting was rather effective against the Speeders... with one Speeder being shot out of the sky (the one without a Heavy Flamer), the left most one being immoblised and shaken and the right most one shaken. yay! During the assault phase the T-Fex and Gants in the middle (who lost a guy from the Pred explosion...which also took a wound off the Tervigon! ya....and two of my marines! Not ya) assaulted the Marines and killed four whilst losing five gants of their own. They passes the fearless saves and combat continued...

Look ma! Hands!



Well there goes my middle! I don't have enough of a combat presence to scare the T-Fex in combat (where are my Termies!) so cutting my loses there and hoping for the best...lol. The remaining two marines pass their morale and high-tail it towards my left flank whilst the shaken speeder and remaining (and very very very, damaged Pred) move up the left flank and threaten Vince's Termagant (KP) squad there and screw up the objective contesting. My Rifledreads waddle sideways to get clear LoS on some Hive Guard left in the open whilst the LasPlas look to take down the Tervigon. With a lot of dakka and laser like noises...the Hive Guard fall and the Tervigon is left on one wound. Alas. In combat the Marines fall to a man but take a couple Termagants with them. Both the T-Fex and Termagants consolidate towards my remaining Marines and LasPlas RBack.

Now heading into Vince's Turn 5 (remembering Centurion games go for at least 6 turns) and both armies are pretty beat up with roughly a third of each left. Once again the Tyranids pretty much move forward to try and shoot as much as possible dead backed up with assaults. The termagants and T-Fex are able to take out the two remaining Marines whilst the final Hive Guard and north T-Fex are able to drop the Speeder. The Tervigon tries to cast Catalyst on the Termagants but fails again (11 lol). Nothing of interest happens in assault as there are none!

My turn 5 enter's crazy land. The 5 strong tactical squad and Libby jump out of their Razorback seperately. The Libby is gonna charge the T-Fex all by himself! Instant death! Easy...shame I forgot I wounded on 6's! The surviving Pred tank shocks onto the Tyranid objective whilst the Rifledreads take aim at the remaining Hive Guard but are unable to kill the squad, leaving one guy with a Wound left. The LasPlas Rback on the right is able to kill the final Tervigon and the disembarked Tacticals make short crispy work of the termagants on my side of the field. The other LasPlas RBack and the HKM from the Pred are able to drop the Hive Tyrant's Tyrant guard. The Libby then assaults, gets three hits...and no wounds. The T-Fex strikes back and takes a wound off the Libby. He has a chance! (and we have to thank Marty here, who is new at 40k, and reminds us that the Libby wasn't instant deathed as the T-Fex is only S6...phew).

Vince's T6 and it's 3-3 on KP! Close game. Vince has very little he can do and attempts to drop his final two KP. His Tyrant did nothing and the remaining T-Fex and Hive Guard were able to bring down the final speeder. Bit of a boring turn really but he got a crucial KP. Unfortunately that turn saw this happen. Libby hits twice. Gets a 6. Passes Ld. Dead T-Fex! ouch and very lucky.

In my Turn I need to drop those final Hive Guard to tie it up on KP and move it to TQ and objectives. TQ will most likely be tied but I can easily get two objectives. I move my LasPlas out of the woods on the right and hold the objective there whilst my dismebarked squad jumps back in and moves towards the objective on my left. The libby runs through the centre of the board as an lol distractor whilst my Dreads continue shooting and take down the final Hive Guard and a wound off of the Tyrant.

With it all tied up it's down to Vince to try and shoot down the final KP in the Dread as it is very unlikely I can kill all of those termagnnts! Unfortunately the T-Fex and Hive Tyrant miss and we call it there (I might of been able to down the Hive Tyrant but it wouldn't of changed things). In the end we were tied on KP with 4 each but I had two table quarters to his one (his T-Fex had moved just a bit too much to my left flank otherwise it would of been 2-2). I also won on objectives with 2-0 and won by a couple hundred VP in the end thanks to the Libby stopping the other T-Fex.

Another really close game between Vince and I and I'm still embrolled in my love/hate relationship with this list. The firepower isn't great (just those 2 LasPlas show how much Ap2 can mean; without them the Tervigons wouldn't of gone down) but the staying power of 30+ MEQ and 12+ tanks is amazing and I kept coming back for more. I'd love a game where Vince didn't seize on me though... we had quite an audience for this game and I got quite a few compliments on the Dreads (I converted up the 3rd Rifledread which I'll show you tomorrow) and Tyranids in general  (suck it 15/36!). 2-0 for Marines in practice matches!

GG vincey.