Frontier Skirmish vs Tyranids, 0131994.M41

Time for another battle report!  It’s been some time.  And I’m really excited about this one.  Battle Chronicler has update their program and I’m liking the improvements, both in capabilities and program operation.  Follow the link and check them out.  If you’re at all interested in doing battle reports, BC is the way to go, and it’s easy to learn and use!  I’m most excited about the ability to include pictures of my models!  The process to include the pictures was relatively easy and I think they look really good.  Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of Tyranid models so in this report I’ll be using Battle Chronicler symbols, with a Tyranid logo inserted for some models.  On the to-do list is a short tutorial on how to include pictures, as well as compiling what I have for a Black Templars resource pack.  As you can see, not all my models are painted, so primed versions are used.  Another bullet on the to-do list.  On to the report!

2000pts lists:

Kannas Crusade
Marshal Duncan, Terminator Armor, Twin Lightning Claw
Sword Brethren Terminators, 2 Assault Cannons in a LRC
Crusader Squad (PF, Meltagun) and the Emperor’s Champion in a Rhino
2 Crusader Squads (2 PFs, Meltagun/Plasmagun) in Laserbacks
3 MM/HF Landspeeders
Tri-Las Predator
Vindicator
Dakka Annihilator

Tyranids
Hive Tyrant, commander type with wings and devourers
Trigon Prime tunneling
Four Tyranid Warriors outflanking, venom cannon
Nine Tyranid Warriors, wings and venom cannon
Gargoyles
Biovores
Forty Termagaunts
Ripper Swarms

Deployment. While I was putting my list together, my opponent was setting up terrain.  It was very sparse.  With that in mind I knew I would have open fields of fire and aftering winning initiative, went first.  I play Black Templars with plenty of vehicle mounted heavy weaponry, so my plan was to keep my range and shift my line to whichever side he overloaded.  I also wanted to keep him from coming straight across, so I put the Vindicator within striking distance.  Not wanting to face Terminators, I believe, my opponent deployed Gargoyles and flying Tyranid Warriors opposite the LRC.  I’m not sure of his intentions with the Hive Tyrant and Ripper Swarms.  Possibly to tie them up in close combat and use psychic powers?  Possibly there was no room elsewhere to put them?  Regardless, the HT was on a big rock and the flying swarms provided him no cover save.

Deployment

Kannas Crusade Turn 1. The Hive Tyrant has no invulnerable save and no cover, so I’m less worried about him.  He’ll likely die, so I concentrate my fire on the Gargoyles and Warriors.  The LRC shoots the HT and is out of range.  The Sword Brethren see this and shift fire to the Ripper Swarms.

Kannas Crusade Turn 1

Tyranid Turn 1. The swarms advance.  A little shooting causing no wounds.  My opponent is seriously lacking heavy weapons.

Tyranids Turn 1

Kannas Crusader Turn 2. The Terminators mount back up and combined fire takes down the Hive Tyrant.  The Landspeeders to the north try to melt the Warriors but they have cover.  As an attempt to make deep striking more difficult, I dismount my Crusader Squad from the Rhino.

Kannas Crusade Turn 2

Tyranids Turn 2. The death of the Hive Tyrant causes a couple synapse issues and the Trigon Prime and Zoanthropes make their appearance.  The Trigon almost scatters off the board and in the shooting phase shakes the Predator.  The Zoanthropes immobilize the LRC.  My opponent seems indecisive with his flying Warriors and moves them toward the Vindicator.  They shoot the Laserback to no effect.

Tyranids Turn 2

Kannas Crusade Turn 3. Big turn, and a rough one for the Tyranid player.  Combined lascannon and melta fire take three wounds from the Trigon leaving it at half strength.  Champion Frigo and the Crusader Squad charge the Trigon.  The Champion connects with enough hits to kill, but is unable to finish the beast.  In return the Trigon slices through five Initiates.  Slow on the charge, Brother Zachary with the powerfist slams the beast in the chest, killing it.  Marshal Duncan and the Sword Brethren dismount, shoot the Ripper Swarms and charge.  Marshal Duncan and Brother Amar charge the Zoanthropes but are unable to beat the invulnerable save of the Zoanthropes, but the powerfist of the remaining Sword Brethren destroy the Ripper Swarms.  Nineteen fearless wounds take down the Zoanthropes.

Kannas Crusade Turn 3

Tyranids Turn 3. Things aren’t looking up for the Tyranid player.  The outflanking Warriors come in on the wrong side, which could have been gaming changing.  The flying Warriors kill the Champion and remaining Crusaders in shooting and close combat.

Tyranids Turn 3

Kannas Crusade Turn 4. The flying Warriors are shot up and I start to close in on objectives.

Kannas Crusade Turn 4

Tyranids Turn 4

Kannas Crusade Turn 5. My opponent still has a chance to draw, but it doesn’t work out for him.  Without a synapse creature in range, the Termagaunts guarding his objective flee after nine are killed by a heavy flamer.

Kannas Crusade Turn 5

Tyranids Turn 5

Conclusion. Dice rolls more in my opponents favor could have changed this game, but his tactical decisions played a bigger part.  The Hive Tyrant needed cover.  The only models my opponent had big enough to cover the Tyrant were the flying Warriors and Gargoyles.  He should have moved them together.  Killing the Hive Tyrant before turn 2 effected the arrival of the outflanking Warriors, which in turn 2 could have put a lot of pressure on me had they arrived in the west.  In turn 2 my opponent should have moved the Ripper Swarms between the LRC and the Zoanthropes.  Being able to assault both units with the Sword Brethren was huge.  My opponent seriously lacked heavy weapons to effect my armor, and that made this game tough.

Plasma vs Melta against Tyranids?  Melta wounds the monstrous ones on 2+ and instant kills Warriors.  Plasma wounds the big ones on 3+ and does not insta-kill for an extra shot.  Melta all the way.  I see Warriors becoming the backbone of Tyranid lists.  At three wounds their beasts.  Mechanization is definitely a boon against Tyranids, especially for Black Templars who lack a lot of heavy weapons.  In this list I have 6 lascannons (4 twin-linked), 3 multi-meltas, a demolisher cannon, and a good amount of dakka dakka mounted just on vehicles.  It’s good for anti-tank and, as it seems, good for anti-bug.  Accept Any Challenge is still very useful.  My Champion was unable to cause three 4+ wounds against the Trigon and it was the Initiate powerfist who won the day, after having to re-roll to hit both attacks.  The LRC laid down some good anti-gaunt fire and caused the final wound on the Hive Tyrant.

~ by BigDunc on February 3, 2010.