Battle Report – Supply Retrieval

The Dicehead Campaign is entering the final stretch of this leg. The Tyranids and Chaos have overwhelmed the moon designated as Castra I, and the Imperials are doing their best to evacuate what supplies they can manage. The mission for this week seemed very much plain and straightforward at first glance, but we realized when planning armies that each faction would most definitely be fighting for its own goals.

Surat still felt the aches in his flesh. While the Apothecaries had done their best to stitch him back up and get him in the fight, the Devourer organisms had done incredible damage to his musculature. He still didn’t have full range of motion in his sword arm, and his movements felt stiff and slow.

He would not back down from this mission, no matter the cost. The moon of Castra I had consumed enough Imperial blood to drown entire cities, and it still seemed unsatisfied. The Relictors had paid their pound of flesh, but Chaos could not be allowed to control the system.

For the time being, the abominable Tyranids were following a course of action that was only strengthening the desires of the dark powers. Their consumption was coming full circle on the moon, and vast tracts of cities and wilderness had become cold and lifeless. Even now, one of the vast bio-ships had moved into low orbit and was suckling the life from Agora’s satellite.

The dead defensive network was only a few hundred yards away. Swarms of Tyranid monstrosities were rampaging through the nearby city, and the Relictors were determined to complete one last supply run.

Surat turned to his Vanguard Veterans, and sadness filled his heart. Too many of them had perished in this campaign; only a few wounded were recovered from the last confrontation with the alien beasts. “Quick sweeps,” he ordered. “Check each trench for unopened munitions and fuel canisters. We get in and we get out, quickly.”

He snarled before he conceded his next point, looking up in hatred at the hive ship. “This moon belongs to them now.”

Supply Retrieval

The Mission

The Space Marines will be working through this defensive position to gather abandoned munitions and fuel. They race to do it before the Tyranids arrive!

This mission followed the normal setup and nominally followed the rules for Crusade. It used random deployment types; we rolled Vanguard Strike. There were two specific parameters we would be fighting over for this mission. First, the Space Marines were to capture as many objectives as possible. Second, they were to keep their casualties to less than 75%. As the forces of disorder in this mission, it was my job to foil these plans, preventing him from capturing objectives and slaying as many Space Marines as possible. This mission is not a win or lose for the Space Marines; they are merely attempting to preserve their forces and recover supplies for a tactical withdrawal to Castra II. The results of these missions throughout the week will help determine details of the Apocalypse Mega-Battle on Saturday, March 8^th.

With the mission in mind, we each set to building our forces. Since I did not need to control objectives, I went for a very end-stage Tyranid swarm, formed of masses of tough critters, and not a single Gaunt to be seen!

The Armies

Relictors 2^nd Company

Space Marines – 2,000

The Ork and Tau fighters are standing in for Stormtalons; the red Whirlwind is standing in for a Stalker.

Chapter Tactics: White Scars

HQ

Captain Surat (Kor’sarro Khan): WARLORD

ELITES

Vanguard Veteran Squad: four additional Veterans, 2x Power Mauls, Rhino transport with Dozer Blades

TROOPS

Tactical Squad: five additional Space Marines, Plasma Gun, Sergeant has Combi-Plasma, Rhino   transport with Dozer Blades

Tactical Squad: five additional Space Marines, Plasma Gun, Sergeant has Combi-Plasma, Rhino   transport with Dozer Blades

Tactical Squad: Flamer, Razorback transport with Lascannon and Twin Plasma Guns

Tactical Squad: Flamer, Razorback transport with Lascannon and Twin Plasma Guns

FAST ATTACK

Land Speeder Squadron: one additional Land Speeder; each has a Heavy Bolter and a Typhoon   Missile Launcher

Stormtalon Gunship: Twin Assault Cannons, Skyhammer Missile Launcher

Stormtalon Gunship: Twin Assault Cannons, Skyhammer Missile Launcher

HEAVY SUPPORT

Devastator Squad: three additional Space Marines, 4x Heavy Bolters

Devastator Centurion Squad: Twin Lascannons, Missile Launchers, Sergeant has Omniscope

Stalker: pintle Storm Bolter

Hive Fleet Nug – Consumption Swarm

Tyranids – 2,000

The Tervigon is playing a Tyrannofex today, and the Zoanthrope is representing a second Venomthrope.

HQ

The Swarmlord: WARLORD; Catalyst, Warp Blast, Paroxysm

            Tyrant Guard: one additional Tyrant Guard; Rending Claws and Scything Talons

Tyranid Prime: Lash Whip & Bonesword, Deathspitter

ELITES

Hive Guard Brood: two additional Hive Guard, Impaler Cannons

Hive Guard Brood: two additional Hive Guard, Impaler Cannons

Venomthrope Brood: one additional Venomthrope

TROOPS

Genestealer Brood: four additional Genestealers, Broodlord; The Horror

Warrior Brood: two additional Warriors; one has Scything Talons and Barbed Strangler, four        have Scything Talons and Deathspitters

FAST ATTACK

Hive Crone: Cluster Spines

Harpy: Twin Heavy Venom Cannons, Cluster Spines

HEAVY SUPPORT

Tyrannofex: Acid Spray, Stinger Salvo

Exocrine

Pre-game

           

In this game each of our Warlords came with a preset Trait; Khan gave my opponent Champion of Humanity, while The Swarmlord gave me Synaptic Lynchpin. Our pregame roll determined that there would be no Night Fight on Turn One.

While it is standard practice per the Rulebook to place objectives once Deployment Zones have been determined, we find it is more challenging and fun to place the objectives first. An army rarely gets to choose where its objectives will be when the fighting starts!

Four of the objectives went around the perimeter of the central hill, where the fortifications were deployed. One objective was placed off in the edge of the ruins, to represent high-value targets that the Space Marines would be looking to extract from the warzone. With the table set, the Space Marines chose their Deployment Zone, and also won the roll to determine who would set up first and have the first turn.

The Space Marines chose the corner with a high vantage point that overlooked the majority of the objectives. The Devastator Centurions took up the high ground, with the Stalker deployed at the base of the building to defend against incoming enemy air forces. The Land Speeders deployed at the base of the building to react to the Tyranid deployment, and the Rhinos and Razorbacks deployed forward against the base of the hill.

 

I knew I had to break over the top of the hill and into the defenses as quickly as possible. There was nothing blocking line of sight, and the Space Marine fire support elements were set to tear me apart if I didn’t get stuck in quickly. I deployed my Venomthropes behind the Bastion in the edge of my Deployment Zone, and then each squad went along the edge of the line, giving Cover Saves to the squads behind. The Hive Guard and Warriors went in the lead to get range as quickly as possible, with Swarmlord and the Tyrannofex/Exocrine duo pushing up close behind. Finally the two Flying Monstrous Creatures deployed in the ruins where they could react to the incoming Stormtalons.

The Genestealers completed deployment by Infiltrating in front of the rest of the Tyranids. The Relictors launched their Scout moves, surprising me by pushing forward into the fortifications and trench systems. Smelling blood on the wind, Swarmlord attempted to Seize the Initiative. The die skidded across the table as a 6 before bouncing in a dip and coming up as a 4.

The Space Marines would get the first move.

One objective is near the building in the top right corner of this photo. Another is in either trench, with one in the open in front of the nearest Rhino. The final objective is barely visible, to the right of the distant bunker.

Turn One

Captain Surat and his Vanguard leapt up the flank and disembarked into the ruins, ready to do battle with any surviving Genestealers. The two full-strength Tactical Squads also leapt forward, with one leaping out near the front line. The Razorbacks moved to gain better fire points, and the Stalker clanked across the backfield to line up shots of its own.

The Tactical Squad and the Land Speeders opened fire on the Genestealers, supported by the Bolt Pistols of the Vanguard Veterans. Eight of the nine Genestealers were cut down through the heavy Bolter fire. Next the Devastators opened fire on the roosting Hive Crone, scoring a single wound that was lost harmlessly in the poisonous fog of the Venomthropes. The Centurions fired their significant weaponry on the Exocrine, who was being shielded by the Tyrannofex. Thanks to the Venomthropes, it only lost one Wound.

The Relictors make their move, rapidly occupying the defensive positions.

Swarmlord handed off Preferred Enemy to the Hive Guard on the left flank, before casting Paroxysm on the Vanguard. They failed their Deny the Witch attempt, and he reduced their Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill by 3. Next he cast Catalyst on himself and on the Hive Crone, providing Feel No Pain to each unit. The Broodlord attempted to Pin the Vanguard with The Horror, but they passed their check exactly with an 8.

As the Tyranids begin their assault, the Space Marines break away from combat and consolidate their positions.

The two flying monsters remained stationary in cover, awaiting the Space Marine Flyers. The rest of the army advanced up  the hill, looking to mix it up with the advancing Space Marines.

The Hive Guard on the left had two models in range to the Land Speeders. Thanks to The Swarmlord’s Preferred Enemy, they scored four out of four hits and destroyed both of the Land Speeders. The second brood of Hive Guard Wrecked the Rhino that still carried its soldiers. They were Shaken and Pinned as a result of the wreck. One of the Marines was slain by a blast from the Exocrine. The Tyrannofex unleashed his Acid Spray and Stinger Salvo on the debarked Tactical Squad, killing five of them with the combined fire.

The Broodlord and the final Genestealer assaulted into Surat and his veterans. The two armed with Power Mauls managed to overcome the Paroxysm long enough to slay the final Genestealer, and the Broodlord was unable to harm them in return. Since he was Fearless for being in Synapse Range, the veterans used Hit & Run to leave close combat. The Tyrannofex launched an assault against the squad he had damaged, but didn’t hit with any of his attacks. These Marines also used Hit & Run to leave close combat. Swarmlord charged the Rhino that had carried the Vanguard to war, turning the APC into a fireball of expanding shrapnel and spent armor.

Space Marines Control 0 Objectives

Casualties < 75%

Additional Space Marine Victories: None

Additional Tyranid Victories: First Blood

Turn Two

The Space Marines quickly find themselves pressured across their front, with Swarmlord leading the charge.

The Space Marines quickly moved away from the advancing wall of monstrous chitin, calling in fire support from the surrounding elements. One of the Stormtalons zoomed onto the table, drawing down on the nearest Hive Guard in an attempt to keep them from destroying any more mechanized elements. Surat and his Vanguard dropped back from Swarmlord, and the Tactical Squad repositioned to fire on the advancing Tyranids. One of the Razorbacks moved in to fire on the Tyrannofex, and the other scooted away from the main battle to extract the HVTs in the ruins.

The Venomthropes had moved onto the Bastion in the previous turn; the Centurions engaged the Bastion, only managing a single Penetrating Hit. My opponent pointed out that the Space Marine statue in the center of the table was providing me with a Cover Save of 5+, which I promptly passed. The Stalker managed to miss with all of its Snap Shots, and the Heavy Bolter Devastators fired on the Broodlord, to no effect. They had spent the turn climbing to the roof of their Bastion, since the outer facing wall contained only one fire point.

The Stormtalon drew down on the Hive Guard and cut one of them apart in a flurry of high-caliber shells. As the smoke cleared on an abysmal Space Marine shooting phase, the Tyranids leapt into action.

Surat finally sees the orchestrator of this campaign of death.

Swarmlord gave the Warriors Preferred Enemy before casting Catalyst on himself and on the Exocrine. He attempted to cast Paroxysm on the Vanguard once more, but he rolled an 11 for his Psychic Test. The squad that had spent the previous turn Pinned became the target of the Broodlord’s psychic power, and they were Pinned once more. With psychic powers used, all organisms advanced on the enemy. The Hive Crone left cover and soared into the air, ripping the Stormtalon in half as it screeched in predatory hunger. The Harpy rushed into position near the HVTs and opened fire on the Bastion, reducing its armor value by 1 for the rest of the game. The three Hive Guard fired on the Stalker, destroying its AA cannon and removing a second Hull Point with a Glancing Hit. The two surviving Hive Guard from the attack run fired on the nearest Razorback, failing to do any damage. The Tyrannofex managed to kill one more Tactical Marine with its shooting.

The Exocrine opened fire with the large bio-plasmic blast on the Vanguard, incinerating five of them despite their position in the trench. A moment later the Warriors opened fire with Deathspitters and a Barbed Strangler, cutting the rest of the Vanguard down and wounding Captain Surat.

Swarmlord and the Warriors each failed to make a charge with Captain Surat, but the Tyrannofex ploughed into the Tactical Squad once more. Four Krak Grenades managed to wound the beast, but his armor stopped all the implosive damage. In return he killed two more Space Marines, causing the two survivors to break and fall back. The Broodlord charged into the surviving Rhino, but failed to do any damage.

At this point my opponent decided to concede both victory conditions to me and call it a game.

Space Marines Control 0 Objectives

Casualties >75%

Additional Space Marine Victories: None

Additional Tyranid Victories: First Blood

Tyranid Victory

Captain Surat pushed himself up from the trench floor with a curse. Red icons filled his visor, warning him of half a dozen compromises in his armor’s integrity. His Vanguard were scattered around the trench; some of them were filled with puncture wounds, and others were scarcely recognizable lumps of charred flesh. Two of them showed signs of residual life, despite their terrible wounds. Surat clamped a hand around each of them and started dragging them away from the trench network.

The Rhino at the front of the trench system exploded in a shower of hot metal plating, and a massive Tyranid leader-beast stepped through the conflagration. His cold alien eyes locked with Surat’s, and the Captain knew this monster was responsible for the consumption of Castra I.

There was nothing he could do about it now. The supplies were already cooking off as a fire spread from ruptured fuel drums. Surat bit back his frustration at the useless waste of his Veterans’ lives.

“All elements, fall back,” Surat snapped into the vox link. Requests for confirmation flooded the link.

“Fall back to the landing zone!” he roared. “The enemy owns this cursed moon. We will regroup and continue the fight from Castra II.”

Post-Game Thoughts

While my opponent had taken a beating during the first two turns, I think he still had a shot at making a game of this one. He was closing on the isolated objective with one of his Razorback squads, and I was far from certain of being able to roll them out of the ruins nearby. His Troops were starting to endure telling casualties, and the hill was going to be a bloody fight no matter what. With that said, his support assets were mostly intact, and the Centurion Devastators were making certain that an uncontested march of my Monstrous Creatures wasn’t possible. I would have liked to see this one play out for a few more turns, because a few poor bouts of Cover Saves could have seen my army in serious trouble.

This was my first time trying both the Tyrannofex with Acid Spray and The Swarmlord, and I liked them both. Swarmlord rolls enough power at Mastery Level 3 to prevent a bad roll taking his psychic buffs out of the fight, and his Swarm Leader special rule made the Hive Guard feel much more solid at accomplishing their goal. Plus, he’s still a beat stick in close combat; I would have liked to have reached Captain Surat and taught him a lesson for picking on my Prime in our last contest!

Ultimately, it was fun to play a mission where the Space Marines were working to objectives, and the Tyranids were concerned only with consumption. It felt fluffy, and allowed me to take units I normally cannot fit into a standard list.

The consumption of Castra I continues unabated.