40k Video Battle Report – ATC Battle #2

We switched it up and decided to play a game of 40k again after several solid weeks dedicated to Dropzone Commander. This time I would be taking my Tyranids back off the shelf, and facing the Relictors in a practice session of the ATC mission.

For more information on the ATC mission, rules, and dates, be sure to visit www.whatc.org.

The Armies

Relictors 3^rd Company

Space Marines – 1,850

Chapter Tactics: White Scars

HQ

Kor’sarro Khan: Warlord (Champion of Humanity)

ELITES

Sternguard Veteran Squad: three additional Veterans, Rhino transport

TROOPS

Tactical Squad: five additional Space Marines, Plasma Gun, Combi-Plasma, Rhino transport

Tactical Squad: five additional Space Marines, Plasma Gun, Combi-Plasma, Rhino transport

Tactical Squad: five additional Space Marines, Meltagun, Combi-Melta, Rhino transport

Tactical Squad: Razorback transport with Lascannon and Twin Plasma Guns

Tactical Squad: Razorback transport with Lascannon and Twin Plasma Guns

FAST ATTACK

Stormtalon Gunship: Skyhammer Missile Launcher, Twin Assault Cannons

Stormtalon Gunship: Skyhammer Missile Launcher, Twin Assault Cannons

HEAVY SUPPORT

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

Hive Fleet Nug Assault Swarm

Tyranids – 1,850

HQ

Hive Tyrant: Warlord (Mind Eater); The Reaper of Obliterax, Twin Devourers with Brainleech Worms, Wings; Warp Blast, Catalyst

ELITES

Hive Guard Brood: two additional Hive Guard, Impaler Cannons

Zoanthrope Brood: two additional Zoanthropes; Warp Blast, Onslaught

Venomthrope Brood: one additional Venomthrope

TROOPS

Tervigon: Catalyst

Termagant Brood: twenty additional Termagants, Spinefists

Hormagaunt Brood: seven additional Hormagaunts

Hormagaunt Brood: seven additional Hormagaunts

FAST ATTACK

Hive Crone

Hive Crone

HEAVY SUPPORT

Mawloc

Mawloc

After-Action Review

Josh:

For this game I tried a slightly different approach to the Space Marines Codex. The mission being ATC format, I wanted to make sure that I had enough Troops to cover all my bases. In hindsight, I think this was a slight mistake in list building.

I used my Scout moves to advance my Infantry around the edges of the large ruined building in the middle of the table. The intention of this move was to allow me some cover from intermittent fire out of the Tyranid base and to allow me to use the ruin as a strongpoint for my Infantry to shoot from. When the Monstrous Creatures all made their run at my baseline, I abandoned my original assault plan and repositioned to deal with their approach. Again, I think, a mistake. My original plan could have borne fruit if I had stuck to it, but I allowed a simple maneuver to affect my plan. By the time I had dealt with one of the four Monstrous Creatures in my deployment zone, this game was well within my opponent’s hands. I had allowed some emotion to cloud my judgment and he capitalized very well. All in all I learned some important lessons by losing this game. My new approach will be much more support-heavy for my Space Marines. The army will feel much more special forces and much less boots on the ground.

Randall:

I think Josh’s analysis of this game is pretty much spot on. I think he allowed the Flying Monstrous Creature to dictate too much of his placement and his actions, which ceded the initiative to me and allowed me to decide where the game was played.

With so many points invested in Troops, I think Josh would have been better served by keeping them spread out as they left their transports. The Mawlocs really made their presence known in this game. I didn’t realize just how many casualties he had taken until we stopped and recorded the end-of-game video. As I said, I think spreading these Marines to mitigate casualties would have made a tremendous impact on his ability to fight back.

All told, I need to make several changes to this army. I’ve been running a thirty strong Devourer mob of Gants in most of my games, and I really missed the damage. In the future I think I’ll try dropping the Tervigon and her tax altogether, and maybe run one hundred or one hundred and twenty Hormagaunts instead!

I also feel that I need more firepower; I tried and tried, but I simply could not squeeze a second Hive Tyrant into this list. I’ll be dropping back to dual Devourers on my Warlord, and I may replace the Zoanthropes with more Hive Guard; time will tell, as I like the guaranteed Warp Blast for hunting AV14.

We will be playing more missions to test out the ATC rules as time goes on. Stay tuned!