Rematch in the desert - Imperial Guard vs Tyranids (2,750 points), ooh pictures!

[Lord Cook]

Anyone who has seen any of our previous reports will know that Fixer and I are playing a 'best of three' series of games that due to an endless number of draws, is now on game six. Anyway, so it was that yet again The Brave (word use under urgent review) Guardsmen of Ferros would face Hive Fleet Om-nom-nom.

2,750 points, Spearhead, Kill Points.

For a vague attempt at an equal game, the Queen's Hussars battalion was created, who pride themselves on immaculate uniforms, fine dining, one million upgrades of questionable value, and drinks with those little novelty umbrellas in them.



Hive Fleet Om-nom-nom


Hive Tyrant w/ Armoured shell, Devourers, Regeneration, Leech Essence, Paroxysm
Tyranid Prime w/ Boneswords, Adrenaline, Rending claws, Regeneration

30 Termagants
30 Termagants
Tervigon w/ Scything talons, Poison sacs, Adrenalin glands, Regeneration, Catalyst
Tervigon w/ Scything talons, Poison sacs, Adrenalin glands, Regeneration, Catalyst
20 Genestealers w/ Broodlord (w/ Scything talons), Poison sacs
3 Warriors w/ 2x Deathspitters, Venom cannon

2 Hive Guard
3 Hive Guard
3 Zoanthropes

Trygon w/ Adrenaline glands, Regeneration
Trygon w/ Adrenaline glands, Regeneration

30 Gargoyles w/ Poison sacs, Adrenaline glands



Ferrosian 9th, Queen's Hussars


Colonel Barnaby [Creed]
Four Veterans w/ 2x Meltaguns, Heavy flamer, Regimental standard, Carapace armour
Two Bodyguards, Astropath
Chimera w/ Multilaser, Heavy flamer, Heavy stubber, H-k missile

Ten Veterans w/ 3x Plasma guns, Carapace armour
Chimera w/ Multilaser, Heavy flamer, Heavy stubber, H-k missile

Ten Veterans w/ 3x Plasma guns, Carapace armour
Chimera w/ Multilaser, Heavy flamer, Heavy stubber, H-k missile

Ten Veterans w/ 2x Meltaguns, Heavy flamer, Carapace armour
Chimera w/ Multilaser, Heavy bolter, Heavy stubber, H-k missile

Ten Veterans w/ 2x Meltaguns, Heavy flamer, Carapace armour
Chimera w/ Multilaser, Heavy bolter, Heavy stubber, H-k missile

Ten Storm Troopers w/ 2x Meltaguns
Chimera w/ Heavy flamer, Heavy bolter, H-k missile

Techpriest Enginseer w/ 3x Technical servitors
Penal Legion squad
Penal Legion squad

Bane Wolf w/ Heavy flamer, Smoke launchers, H-k missile
Bane Wolf w/ Heavy flamer, Smoke launchers, H-k missile
Devil Dog w/ Multi-melta, Smoke launchers, H-k missile

Leman Russ Eradicator* w/ Lascannon, H-k missile
Leman Russ Eradicator w/ 3x Heavy bolters, H-k missile
Leman Russ Executioner w/ Lascannon, H-k missile

*36" S6 Ap4 ignores cover. Basically a huge fireball. No, I'd never used it before either.


Deployment


Fixer won the roll-off and elected to go first. I'll continue my tradition of naming key creatures within the Hive after politicians, so the rapacious and uncompromising leader of the swarm will be christened Angela, and the rather short and cunning Broodlord... hmm... Nicholas.

Anyway, Angela took the centre, supported by Zoanthropes and all of the Hive Guard. The Prime joined the larger unit of Hive Guard to soak wounds. The two huge blobs of Termagants sat either side of this central core, the Gargoyles flapping about in the centre and the Tervigons out to either flank. The two Trygons used to have names in the glory days, but having had their fame shall remain nameless. One of them opted to deep strike and the other took the Tyranid left flank. Nicholas and the 'stealers stood ready to infiltrate.

On my side, most of the army squeezed itself into the back corner in anticipation of a Tyranid first turn, with the Eradicators on the hill and the Colonel in the centre. A unit of plasma Veterans and a Bane Wolf waited in reserve ready to come onto the long board edge (which was to my left) directly in the flank of the Tyranid advance. The mechanised Storm Troopers (who chose to gain Scout) and the other Bane Wolf (given Scout by the Colonel-counts-as-Creed) took the right flank, ready to move out and extend the line before the game started.

Nicholas infiltrated on my right flank, and my mechanised scouting forces suddenly felt the need to check their oil and radiator levels, and didn't scout anywhere.




As battle drew near, the insatiable Hive Fleet Om-nom-nom stirred itself and licked it's chops in anticipation. Over the next sand dune, the Ferrosian Hussars staggered out of their sleeping bundles, deeply regretting only getting to sleep at 3.45am the night before under an alcoholic haze of cheap vodka and Mexican lager. Strangely mirroring the author's feelings, in fact.

To be continued...

[Lord Cook]

Turn 1


The Tervigons placed FnP on the big 'stealer unit, and proceeded to crank out an additional brood of 14 Termagants on my right flank. The entire swarm advanced at full pace, with Nicholas and his 'stealers scurrying forwards as fast as their little legs could carry them. The Hive Guard fired off some rocket-propelled grubs which smacked into the only tank in range and bounced off the Av14 frontal armour. Corporal Hutchison was immediately detailed to clamber out and clean the crap off the regimental markings; "I say! Before somebody sees it, by jove!".

As the Hussars lumber into action, the Bane Wolf and Storm Troopers on the right have no chance to escape the 'stealers next turn, so they move out next to them to engage. Likewise, with so many flying bugs incoming the Penal Legion move out to screen the vehicles.

In the shooting phase, at least half a dozen 'stealers are fried or zapped into the dirt, but FnP saves many. Meanwhile, a Lightning of the Imperial Navy swoops down over the battlefield and empties several racks of hunter-killer missiles into the Zoanthropes, wiping them out completely. Banking around it fires its last hunter-killer into the Trygon and then peels off for home base and a celebratory drink. Upon arrival they discover that someone has stolen their entire supply of cheap vodka, Mexican lager and novelty cocktail umbrellas.


Turn 2


The Trygon arrives promptly and deep strikes into the midst of the Hussars, right next to the Colonel's Chimera. The shaking causes him to spill tea on his fobwatch and the order immediately goes out for an additional battalion in support. FnP is thrown about a bit and the Tyranid's perform their favoured stratagem of "move everything forward". One volley of rocket-propelled grubs shakes one of the Eradicators, while the other immobilises the Bane Wolf in front of the 'stealers. Bugger.

In the assault phase, the 'stealers multi-charge the Executioner, the Storm Trooper's Chimera and the immobilised Bane Wolf. A few crew are shaken/stunned, but otherwise fine. The Gargoyles swoop down on the screen of lightly armoured Penal Legion, who all rolled knife fighters (rending and additional cc weapon) for their abilities. A few of the troops are pulled down, and in return they kill eight Gargoyles and another five on combat resolution.


"Lieutenant, how are those ghastly creatures out there doing?"
"Are you referring to the Gargoyles or the Penal Legion my Lord?"



There's nothing like a Trygon tapping on your turret hatch to spur a man into action, and Colonel Barnaby is nothing if not a man of self-preservation. Two Veteran squads immediately disembarked next to the emergent Trygon, along with Barnaby's own unit. The Storm Troopers similarly got out of their shaken Chimera and lined up on the 'stealers, with vehicles maneuvering to open up lines of sight and generally just to avoid auto hits in combat. Both the plasma Veterans and Bane Wolf in reserve arrived, and rolled on to my extreme left, lining up on the Tervigon and some Hive Guard, respectively. The Bane Wolf was coincidentally positioned so that some 'gaunts sat between it's flamer barrels and the Hive Guard.



In the shooting phase, the plasma Veterans next to the Trygon were still feeling the after-effects of the last round of vodkas and flatly ignored all orders from the two blurry, identical officers both shouting for them to twin-link their weapons. Barnaby himself reacted to this by getting the huff and rolling a double-six for his next order.



Normal shooting was decent however, with the Trygon being pulled down under the weight of plasma and melta fire, as well as most of the 'stealers being killed until just Nicholas and a two or three others remained. The recently arrived Bane Wolf dropped a Hive Guard with a double blast of chemicals and flames, but the Veterans fluffed against the Tervigon and did almost nothing, scuppering my plan to let it eat their Chimera and then finish it off with a second volley from the squad. The Devil Dog spat some long range melta fire at the Warriors looking for some easy instant kills, blasting one apart.

In combat, the Gargoyles physically recoiled from the stench of alcoholic sweat and hair gel surrounding the Penal Legion and only killed one. In return another eight or so were killed with knives and combat resolution. Nicholas continued to try to prise open the stunned Executioner he was still in contact with, but having discovered it wasn't very squishy last turn, his heart(s) just weren't in it.



State of play: Hussars - 2 KP, Tyranids - 0 KP

To be continued...

[laudarkul]

When do we get the chance to see the next turns ?

[Lord Cook]

Turn 3


With a final burst of speed characteristic of several co-workers all trying to rush the vending machine simultaneously, the Tyranid line swept forward for the last decisive push. The Trygon slithered up to my right flank, supported by a Tervigon. The nearby Termagants chose to take the longer, more scenic route into my army via the Penal Legion, while Angela leapt up onto the Land Raider. The Hive Guard performed an elegant sideways shuffle to bring themselves to bear on the sides of several vehicles. Another brood of Termagants were cranked out to support the Tervigon facing my fresh reserves on the left. Unfortunately for Fixer he forgot to cast FnP on his Trygon, but it succesfully regenerated the wound caused by an H-k missile earlier.



Shooting was brief and painful. One unit of Hive Guard exploded my Devil Dog, while the other did the same for the Veteran's Chimera on my left flank, leaving the Veterans themselves to pile out in front of a Tervigon and a fresh, rather gooey brood of Termagants. I remove the casualties caused by the explosion as regular troopers with lasguns, rather than the plasma guns, but in my heart I know this is a wildly optimistic gesture.

Nicholas and his two surviving minions abandon the steely Executioner and leap into combat with a unit of squishy Veterans. One of the minions eats a bayonet and in return I finally get to use some carapace armour, with mixed results. On the left my Veterans are charged by everything in range and somehow also hold. The Trygon tears the immobilised Bane Wolf to shreds and a mob of Termagants drown the Penal Legion in claws, chitin and cuddles. I'm down four KPs in one turn and I'm pretty sure the swarm actually has more models than when it started.



With most of the left flank now tied up in combat and the Hive Guard still sporting FnP from Fixer's turn, the Bane Wolf smashes through some low walls to draw a bead on the Warriors. The mechanised melta Veterans on the hill attempt to advance on Angela but scratch the varnish on some Devil Dog wreckage and grind to a stop about 1" too short. I decide that Barbaby should probably go for broke and try to rescue the Veterans in combat with Nicholas, given that his squad has two bodyguards and I'm losing. The Storm Troopers shuffle a bit to spot the Trygon, and their recovered Chimera rolls up in front of them so that any surviving Trygon-shaped creatures can't charge the squad without climbing through the dangerous terrain of the wrecked Bane Wolf. Some melta Veterans move up to support them.



The Commissar Executioner suddenly has a dramatic and short-lived spell of accuracy and badly wounds Angela, but without troops in range to complete the job she sticks around for a while longer. The Storm Troopers and Veterans combine against the Trygon, mostly missing with their special weapons (and in the case of the Storm Troopers, the word 'mostly' is being over-generous). Luckily their lasguns and hellguns manage a flurry of wounds and finish it off. Fixer bemoans the loss of FnP and tortures himself with several "what would have happened if..." rolls which all mock him by coming up as a 4+.

Barnaby charges Nicholas, but I foolishly forget to use "For the honour of Cadia Ferros!" and are therefore hitting on 5s and wounding on 6s. Nicholas survives fine, and the Veterans he's engaged with decide to thank their colonel for the rescue by immediately running away. On the far left the stranded unit of Veterans manages to reduce the spawned unit of 'gaunts to two models and then die valiantly when the Tervigon sits on them.


Turn 4


Fixer tastes victory and his Tyranids are tasting guardsmen. Angela limps towards me but my vainglorious and failed attempt to move within 12" last turn proved fortuitious and she is left screeching just out of reach. The Gargoyles swoop up towards my troops on the hill while another Termagant brood is generated on my right flank. This one was very much the runt of the litter, comprising only five 'gaunts and at last a double roll. A blob of Termagants surge through the cut glass shrine windows and advance on my Veterans.


Picture limit...

[Lord Cook]

Almost everything in the Tyranid army fired at the immobilised Chimera full of Veterans now uncomfortably caught between Angela and the Gargoyles. All the weapons were blown off, but as an empty steel box it performed it's role marvelously.



The Termagants attempt to charge my Veterans but the light of the Emperor shines through the church windows and blesses the Tyranid difficult terrain rolls with a single, pure, dazzling pip on each die. The Gargoyles also get jittery out of synapse range and decide to lurk in the sandbag bunker. Nicholas rips apart a few more of Barnaby's drinking companions and he tries to flee only for Nicholas to leap on him and polish him off. "Ah ha! The Spring 40992 champagne inside my hip flask is a poor accompinement for rare meat you uncivilised peasant!"



The situation was now very grim, not least due to the use of the Spring 40992 without at least a nice fish course. My Executioner and Chimera on the front piled into the Termagants, tank shocking them further back. The heroic nearby Veterans and Storm Troopers chose to fight the swarm from within the safety of plate steel, and got back in their vehicles. My second Penal Legion squad finally stopped their rearwards-direction advance and moved up against the Gargoyles ready to shoot or charge as the situation demanded. The Bane Wolf on the left danced around the Warriors and roasted the last two Termagants from the spawned unit.



No, don't worry, I didn't forget to take a picture of the Penal Legion in action. This snap is for the wall of shame, and hereby commerates the Penal Legionnaires who probably did not enter this battle expecting to get hit bang on by a wildly scattering S6 Ap4 fireball from a tank only 3" away from them. Enough said. Angela cheered me up by perishing a few inches short of my tanks, while Nicholas & Friend were burned out of the power generator by three heavy flamers. The Techpriest remembered what he was there for at last and fixed the turret weapon on the nearby empty steel box.


State of play: Hussars - 8 KP, Tyranids - 8 KP


Turn 5

With Angela dead the Gargoyles remain sulking in the bunker. The Prime leads his Hive Guards forward at pace, while the one surviving Termagant from the small spawned unit on the right scuttles off looking for cover.

Wishing to demonstrate his tactical acumen, the Prime willed his Guards to explode the Veteran's transport on the right flank, dumping the troops out the back only for the cravens to immediately get stage fright and go to ground. This display of how-best-to-examine-the-dirt-in-your-foxholes became extremely popular for a time, and when the Tervigon charged the Storm Trooper's Chimera next to it, they too leapt to the ground and determined to stay there for a turn. The Termagants tried to charge the pinned Veterans and again failed to scurry through the difficult ground fast enough. One Hive Guard on his lonesome decided to be insulting and charged one of the Eradicators, shaking it.



I was clearly in a lot of trouble. The two pinned squads needed to be saved and everything even slightly wounded with six legs needed to be finished off. The Command Chimera tank shocked the 'gaunts again to try and interpose itself between them and the troops. The Bane Wolf fled the Tervigon and rolled up next to the Warriors again.



The last Hive Guard from the smaller unit swallowed some plasma blasts from the Commissar tank, while picking off a few Gargoyles caused the last two to flee. The Warriors were barbecued down to a single badly wounded model. The Techpriest conducted another breathtakingly irrelevent successful repair roll.


Turn 6


Despite being tied at end of turn 5, inevitably these things never end when you need them to. The fleeing Gargoyles immediately found themselves within synapse range of the Prime and rallied, leaving me a KP down right off the bat.

Several broods of Termagants near the troops just dusting themselves off from the embarrasing pinning debacle piled into the Hussars, with the Storm Troopers even earning the prestige of a Tervigon thrown in as well. Both squads fought unsuccessfully and added insult to injury by fleeing unsuccessfully as well. The Prime charged the Executioner and managed to rend his way through the tracks. By far the most jammy however was the lone Warrior with one wound saving itself from the Bane Wolf by charging it, hitting on 6s and glancing on 6s, and still stunning it. Aaaargh!

Three KPs down and in the twilight stages of turn 6, the Hussars had still not managed to sober up. My Eradicator tank shocked a Ld6 Termagant brood (who passed) and then shot the wounded Warrior and failed to kill it. My Chimera shot the last Termagant hiding in a crater and it leapt for cover and survived. The last Veteran squad killed off about half the squad of plucky Termagants who had just passed a Ld6 check, and they were so brave the little tykes passed another one. My other Eradicator shot the last two Gargoyles with a huge fireball and three heavy bolters... and one survived. Did he pass his morale check? Do you even need to ask!?



Final reckoning: Hussars - 9 KP, Tyranids - 12 KP



What can I say, alas? Too many personal mistakes sprinkled throughout to succeed, especially given some truly impressive displays of cowardice from the Hussars. I was definitely outplayed, not least because I completely forgot to fire any of the heavy stubbers the entire game (normally they're just decoration!). Next time I'm sure...

[Fixer]

An excellent battle report as always. I enjoyed reading through that and I was there!

Mistakes were made on both sides. I still massively regret forgetting to cast Catalyst on my poor 'ol Trygon. (and thinking back, should have deepstruck the other one next to the Genestealers for concentration of force).

Also should have remembered Dominion on the Tervigons at the last turn to keep my tiny units in synapse range (fortunately they all passed as you said)

Of course, their suicidal bravery was assisted by the ravenous hunger for the delicious barbecue ribs I had seeded the enemy force with before the battle. And you thought that pre-game lunch was just me being a good host

For everyone else, the video battle report is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUtvK...Q&feature=plcp


In the future, perhaps we shall have 'Reckoning in the Desert'.

[Thornz]

Absolutley brilliant ... as usual!

Cookie, keep up the good work and the narrative side of your battle reprots. you mix the narrative with the reprot side very well, and the Pics really help. Its amazing to see a lack of gery plastic on the board

[madd0ct0r]

is there anything on the Hussars list you'd take again? the penal legion seemed to do quite well until they got set on fire. by their own tank.

[Toe Cutter]

They were penal legion though. They'd probably done something to deserve it. Possibly even to relatives of the eradicator crew.

[Lord Cook]

The only things I definitely wouldn't take are carapace armour, Eradicators, excessive numbers of advisors, and infantry heavy flamers. All of these are useful, but simply very expensive for what you get. In the case of the Eradicator, it's more expensive than a superior alternative (the basic battle cannon Russ).

I would certainly keep the hunter-killers when fighting Tyranids. Although probably not worth the points, the ability to instant-kill T4 multi-wound creatures right at the start of the game is useful and entertaining.

The Penal Legion were pleasantly surprising. I still wouldn't take them competitively, but I think they will get more outings in friendlies from now on. Same for the Techpriest. As for Storm Troopers; they really are terrible, but sheer cool factor will probably be enough to let them hit the table again.

Heavy stubbers? I have no idea; it would probably help in future to remember when I buy them!

[andyg2006]

This was an entertaining battle report, thank you very much for sharing.

[Seabo]

Besides the fact that you will probably be burned at the stake for so casually bemoaning the cowardice of such loyal and stalwart servants of the God Emperor it was a great read .

[laudarkul]

I LIKE IT. I just hope to see more battle reports from you guys since those are 2 beautiful armies and that makes easier to learn. Thank you...

[Shadow Lord]

Epic writing, the opening setting with Angela and Nicolas was enough to get me hooked for the rest of the battle! It seemed as a very enjoyable and bloody battle for both of you, so all that's left for me to say is: keep up the excellent work and thank you for posting this...Angela en Nicolas...rofl...

[Lord Cook]

Many thanks for all the kind words. There are some other battle reports of these two armies linked in the first post. I'm sure this won't be the last either...

[BrotherOfBrass]

I, for one, genuinely do hope it will not be the last; as enjoyable a report as always, Lord Cook.

[hazmiter]

This report has opened my eyes to the hilarity of the swarm, tervigons equals troops galore, must convert one up.