Warhammer 40,000 Battle Report #21 – Space Marines vs Tyranids

Today the war for Stulte Mors continues, as we finish up the first set of missions with a bang. The Tyranids are encroaching on the Imperial food stores, and they must be stopped at all costs. If they are allowed to consume these vital stores, the war could go poorly in the near future…

The Armies

Relictors 2^nd Company

Space Marines – 2,175

HQ

Chaplain: WARLORD (Rites of War)

ELITES

Sternguard Veteran Squad: five additional Veterans; 2x Heavy Flamer, Rhino transport

Dreadnought: Assault Cannon, Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon with Heavy Flamer, Drop    Pod transport with Deathwind Missile Launcher

Dreadnought: Assault Cannon, Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon with Heavy Flamer, Drop    Pod transport with Deathwind Missile Launcher

TROOPS

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

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

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

FAST ATTACK

Assault Squad: four additional Space Marines; 2x Flamer, Sergeant has Power Maul, Rhino          transport

Stormtalon Gunship: Twin Assault Cannons, Skyhammer Missile Launcher

Stormtalon Gunship: Twin Assault Cannons, Skyhammer Missile Launcher

HEAVY SUPPORT

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

Devastator Squad: five additional Space Marines; 4x Lascannon

Nug

Tyranids – 2,175

Skytyrant Swarm

Hive Tyrant: Wings, Scything Talons, The Reaper of Obliterax, Adrenal Glands, Thorax Swarm   with Electroshock Grubs; Dominion, Onslaught, Warp Blast

Gargoyle Brood: five additional Gargoyles; Adrenal Glands

Gargoyle Brood: five additional Gargoyles; Adrenal Glands

HQ

Tervigon: WARLORD (Master of Ambush); Cluster Spines, Thorax Swarm with Electroshock     Grubs; Dominion, Onslaught

Tyranid Prime: Deathspitter, Lash Whip & Bonesword

ELITES

Zoanthrope Brood: two additional Zoanthropes; one is Neurothrope; Dominion, Spirit Leech,       Warp Blast, Onslaught

TROOPS

Tyranid Warrior Brood: two additional Tyranid Warriors; 5x Deathspitter, 5x Scything Talons

Termagant Brood: twenty additional Termagants; 30x Spinefists

Tervigon: Crushing Claws, Thorax Swarm with Electroshock Grubs

FAST ATTACK

Hive Crone: Cluster Spines

HEAVY SUPPORT

Carnifex: 2x Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands, Spine Banks

Carnifex: 2x Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands, Spine Banks

After Action Review

The Skytyrant Swarm is so fast, especially when it is coupled with Adrenal Glands. The protection bought with all those Gargoyle bodies really allows the melee Tyrant to come into his own, giving him the time, speed, and protection that he needs to get into melee.

I haven’t looked back since I started buying Adrenal Glands. It is just so handy to make sure that you get that extra distance early enough to make a difference. This was a game to try out many of those new elements, and I also enjoyed the Crushing Claws on the Tervigon. I’ll definitely be experimenting with this more, as it is a small investment to make her actually dangerous to enemy armor.

The speed of the army really played to my advantages, quickly crossing the table and starting the process of burning the food stores. In the end, it was just more speed than the Space Marines could attack against, leaving them reeling with all three stores destroyed at the end of turn two. I do think that he would have been better served starting his offensive immediately, as it might have given him time to push the Tyranids back and make them bleed for the impetuous charge. That said, he would have been positioned badly to avoid return damage…

Leave your thoughts in the comments, and thanks for watching! More Stulte Mors is soon to come.