SirBiscuit and I did some Vassaling today so I decided to record one of our games and do a voice over. It's Vassal so not the best depiction of play but hopefully you get the general gist. I've sped the video up and taken snapshots at each phase of play and added in a voice over. Let me know what you think in terms of this style of bat rep when real games are unavailable.
Edit: so of course my video software didn't work. It recorded, but didn't work so rather than a commentary battle report we'll just look at some things that cropped up in relation to the new edition. (end game picture above)
Mission was a Feast of Blades one (number 3) with a quick modification (Vanguard Strike deployment) for 6th edition. I used a Tyranids list to check out how the changes have affected them - basically a list used in 5th edition with a few small tweaks (dropping of T-Fex, adding more psychic powers, etc.) so we'll see how the changes go here. Biscuit used a Grey Hunter heavy Space Wolves list (a difficult match-up for Tyranids in the past) with Space Marine allies.
Tyranids:
Hive Tyrant w/TL MC Devourer, LW/BS, Old Adversary, BRB powers
2x Tyrant Guard
Tyranid Prime w/LW/BS, Toxin Sacs, Rending Claws
3x Hive Guard
3x Hive Guard
3x Hive Guard
11x Genestealers w/Toxin Sacs, Broodlord w/BRB powers
10x Termagants
10x Termagants
Tervigon w/Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands, Catalyst, Onslaught
Tervigon w/Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands, Catalyst, Onslaught
Carnifex w/2x TL MC Devourers
Carnifex w/2x TL MC Devourers
1999 points
Space Wolves:
2x rune Priests, 1 w/chooser, both with Rune Armor, BRB powers
Allied SM libby, Null Zone, The Avenger
5 Squads of Grey Hunters, 3 8-man and 2 7 man. All squads have a meltagun, Wolf Standard, and Rhino w/dozer blade. All squads have an attached Wolf Guard with a Power Sword and Combi-Melta
Allied 5-man scout squad, camo cloaks, ML and sniper rifles
3 6-man long fangs. 1 has 5x missiles, the other two are 3xmissile 2xlascannon. All have an attached Wolf Guard wtih no upgrades.
Allied SM libby, Null Zone, The Avenger
5 Squads of Grey Hunters, 3 8-man and 2 7 man. All squads have a meltagun, Wolf Standard, and Rhino w/dozer blade. All squads have an attached Wolf Guard with a Power Sword and Combi-Melta
Allied 5-man scout squad, camo cloaks, ML and sniper rifles
3 6-man long fangs. 1 has 5x missiles, the other two are 3xmissile 2xlascannon. All have an attached Wolf Guard wtih no upgrades.
199 points
We are playing 2000 points, ironically both our lists came to 1999 :P. Warlord traits were three on Strategic table for Biscuit (re-roll outflanks) and a four for me on the Command table (re-roll run within 12"). Benefit for me, none for Biscuit. Good system *thumbs up*.
Battle Points were:
Tyranids - 8
Space Wolves - 10
Minor Victory for Tyranids. (though apparently we were playing battle points not Win/Loss, so Space Wolves attempt to win but I keep slapping them aka Biscuit until he cries =D).
So, stuff we noticed:
Random Charge Length - I failed several key charges, even though they were often within 6". Then things died due to massive shooting and being in the open - this is really going to be important setting up charges REALLY close to your opponent, particularly for slower armies like Tyranids.
Wound Allocation & Look Out Sir - very important in terms of model positioning, particularly with different units (i.e. Prime + Fexes, Tyrantstars, etc.) and positioning for objectives. Killing one Grey Hunter last turn would have given me another objective.
Combat Dynamics - chuck in RCL alongside Overwatch and Challenges and the combat system has taken a huge overhaul. Lack of No Retreat! was massive - Termagants pushed Grey Hunters back into their DZ and were able to hold them there, even if they didn't die.
Vehicles are much easier to kill - Hive Guard took two turns to drop all the Rhinos. Obviously one of the best units to deal with vehicles here and there were only five but it's much easier to torrent them to death though suppression is obviously harder. This was also only seen against low AV at close range - higher AVs at range like Predators are still going to be quite durable and harder to suppress.
Cover changes - MCs die a little bit easier, so do Termagants. Obviously! It's easier to get a 5+ compared to the old 4+ but when you do, all those missiles keep pouring through and if FNP isn't around (runic staffed :P), the results are dead MCs faster.
So list thoughts.
Iron Arm was awesome on the Tyrant but I think the Tyrantstar isn't as good - you need to fiddle around with placement and cannot allocate wounds on the fly though Look Out Sir! saves help a bit, they aren't 100%. I think a Flyrant would be better in general and just foregoing the concept of OA aura. Fexes are probably a bit more vulnerable than they were before just as above with the cover changes but they are much more deadly to vehicles and have higher charge distance potentials. Tervigons with no No Retreat Termagants = awesome however, same with Hive Guard so I can foresee me reducing those numbers to get other options. Something faster certainly would have been nice...
Anyway, hopefully we'll get some more actual battle reports up with a greater detail of analysis but hopefully we can start putting the pieces together. Biscuit will comment below :P
Battle Points were:
Tyranids - 8
Space Wolves - 10
Minor Victory for Tyranids. (though apparently we were playing battle points not Win/Loss, so Space Wolves attempt to win but I keep slapping them aka Biscuit until he cries =D).
So, stuff we noticed:
Random Charge Length - I failed several key charges, even though they were often within 6". Then things died due to massive shooting and being in the open - this is really going to be important setting up charges REALLY close to your opponent, particularly for slower armies like Tyranids.
Wound Allocation & Look Out Sir - very important in terms of model positioning, particularly with different units (i.e. Prime + Fexes, Tyrantstars, etc.) and positioning for objectives. Killing one Grey Hunter last turn would have given me another objective.
Combat Dynamics - chuck in RCL alongside Overwatch and Challenges and the combat system has taken a huge overhaul. Lack of No Retreat! was massive - Termagants pushed Grey Hunters back into their DZ and were able to hold them there, even if they didn't die.
Vehicles are much easier to kill - Hive Guard took two turns to drop all the Rhinos. Obviously one of the best units to deal with vehicles here and there were only five but it's much easier to torrent them to death though suppression is obviously harder. This was also only seen against low AV at close range - higher AVs at range like Predators are still going to be quite durable and harder to suppress.
Cover changes - MCs die a little bit easier, so do Termagants. Obviously! It's easier to get a 5+ compared to the old 4+ but when you do, all those missiles keep pouring through and if FNP isn't around (runic staffed :P), the results are dead MCs faster.
So list thoughts.
Iron Arm was awesome on the Tyrant but I think the Tyrantstar isn't as good - you need to fiddle around with placement and cannot allocate wounds on the fly though Look Out Sir! saves help a bit, they aren't 100%. I think a Flyrant would be better in general and just foregoing the concept of OA aura. Fexes are probably a bit more vulnerable than they were before just as above with the cover changes but they are much more deadly to vehicles and have higher charge distance potentials. Tervigons with no No Retreat Termagants = awesome however, same with Hive Guard so I can foresee me reducing those numbers to get other options. Something faster certainly would have been nice...
Anyway, hopefully we'll get some more actual battle reports up with a greater detail of analysis but hopefully we can start putting the pieces together. Biscuit will comment below :P
