Before I left to come back home this week I had time for one last game versus my friend and he wanted a rematch with his Crowe army versus my Tyranids. We used the exact same lists as in the first batrep. We also decided to use the BeakyCon mission again. We rolled for deployment and got Spearhead with three objective markers for Seize Ground. I won the roll for choosing sides and opted to go second again. The table was setup the same—plenty of terrain.
My friend deployed his army with the psybacks up front and the dreadnaughts behind them–everything facing towards my table quarter. Crowe stole the rhino from the Strike squad again placing it between the psybacks and dreadnaughts. The Strike squad setup beside Crowe in a perfect spot to cast Warp Quake.
I infiltrated my genestealer brood off the side of his table quarter using a big piece of terrain to hide them from his LOS. There was a small piece of terrain towards the rear of his deployment zone and that is where I would deploy my Yrmgal genestealers when they arrived from reserve.
Note that the three objective markers were placed such that there was one in the center of our table quarters and another in the center of the table. I placed my C&C objective marker far forward in my table quarter while my friend placed his deep back in the far corner of his deployment zone close to the small terrain piece I had chosen to place my Yrmgal genestealers in reserve.
Pre Game Analysis
I got pretty lucky the first game as my buddy didn't really know what to expect and made the big mistake of disembarking all his Purifiers early in the game. I knew this game would probably be a lot harder so I wanted to change up my strategy and throw a proverbial curve ball. I couldn't outshoot his army but I felt I could hold my own in melee.
- Top of Turn 1 - Grey Knights -
Crowe moved forward in the rhino towards my genestealer brood with two psybacks full of Purifiers in support. His Strike squad dropped back and ran towards the table corner with his C&C objective marker. The five dreadnaughts remained side by side using the three rear psybacks for cover. The SG objective marker in his table quarter was heavily covered with his army.
- Bottom of Turn 1 - Tyranids -
Genestealers back up a bit to make sure Crowe cannot launch an assault from the rhino the next turn... He was a Ginsu Warrior the last game.
GK kp: 0
Nidz kp: 0
- Top of Turn 2 - Grey Knights -
My friend is waiting for the big drop this time and shuffles his army around a bit. Strike squad successfully casts Warp Quake then drop back behind the rear psybacks. Crowe moves in rhino out in position to launch an assault on the genestealers the next turn. All his vehicles pop smoke.
- Bottom of Turn 2 - Tyranids -
I roll for my reserves. Everything arrives except for the Alpha Warrior and his gaunt posse, Yrmgal genestealers and the Warriors. I bring in my army on the side of my opponent's table quarter using cover as much as possible except for the termagants which attempt to land in their spore behind the Strike squad just outside of their Warp Quake bubble—they scatter inside the Warp Quake bubble, mishap and fortunately go right back into reserve. The Hive Tyrant lands behind the genestealer brood with minimal scatter. The Zoies land beside Crowe's rhino which is outside the range of the dreadnaughts' reinforced Aegis. The Doom lands just off from the center of the table and hops out of his spore on the rear side for safety. The Trygon burrows up on the other side of my genestealer brood. The genestealers come out to play moving around the front and sides of Crowe's rhino looking for some payback.
The Zoies' spore fires on Crowe's rhino and wreck it—Crowe hops out the rear side then the genestealers run around the wreck ready to engage him in melee. The Hive Tyrant cast paroxysm on Crowe then lights him up with the twin linked devourers and the Castellan takes one wound. The Trygon runs to get better cover.
The genestealers get ready to charge Crowe and the Broodlord successfully casts Hypnotic Gaze on the Castellan. The genestealers then charge into melee—Crowe is cut down just like that. The brood then consolidates away from the Purifiers running into some nearby cover.
GK kp: 0
GK SG Counters: 1
GK C&C Counters: 0
Nidz kp: 2
Nidz SG Counters : 0
Nidz C&C Counters: 0
- Top of Turn 3 - Grey Knights -
The psybacks and dreadnaughts all wheel around to take aim upon the two monstrous creatures. My friend forgot to roll for Warp Quake and the Strike Squad drops back onto their C&C objective marker. Shooting sees the Trygon shot down but the Tyrant takes only one wound. The Zoies' and Doom's spores are destroyed as well.
- Bottom of Turn 3 - Tyranids -
In comes the rest of my army except for the Alpha Warrior and his gaunt posse. The termagants land beside the Strike squad using their spore for cover from the psybacks and dreadnaughts. The Yrmgal genestealers pop out ready to assault whatever the termagants don't kill. The genestealer brood moves into my friend's table quarter ready to trash some psybacks. The Tyrant hops behind a tall piece of terrain waiting to see how the battle will unfold. The Zoies also hop behind some cover as well. The Warriors land beside the SG objective marker in my table quarter. The Doom holds its ground.
The termagants gun down the entire Strike except for one Grey Knight that is destroyed by the charging Yrmgal genestealers and then consolidate to form a shield wall providing more cover for the termagants. The genestealer brood runs then assault three psybacks, destroying one and immobilize another. One of the Purifier squads lost three including their Justicar during the ensuing explosion while I lose two genestealers.
GK kp: 3
GK SG Counters: 1
GK C&C Counters: 0
Nidz kp: 3
Nidz SG Counters: 1
Nidz C&C Counters: 1
The next turn is going to be a tricky as I now have a good number of units exposed to the Grey Knight shooting and counter assaults. I took the gamble and used the genestealer brood to tackle some of the psybacks—hopefully the gamble will pay off. I felt like I needed to throw something into their castle and see what happens.
- Top of Turn 4 - Grey Knights -
Lots of targets for the Grey Knights now !! My buddy decides to first focus fire on the genestealer brood then fire at the termagants. Two squads of Purifiers dismount along with the remnant squad that bailed out the last turn. Note that he moves everything 6" away from the middle side of his table quarter except for one squad of embarked Purifiers that had been sitting on top of his SG objective marker (note they are inside the immobilized transport). Dedicated firepower wipes out all of the genestealers from the Purifiers and psybacks. All but one dreadnaught focus fire on the termagants which go to ground and I end up losing just three gants... Nice !! The remaining dreadnaught destroys the termagants' spore.
- Bottom of Turn 4 - Tyranids -
Time for Hive Fleet Colossus to go back to work ! The Alpha Warrior and his gaunt posse finally arrive from reserve electing to pop out of the Trygon hole. The Zoies stick their heads out. The Tyrant flies beside one of the Venerables such that it will have shots into the rear facing. The termagants pass their instinctive behavior test and sit still while the Yrmgal genestealers drop back into cover and maintain their screen for the termagants. The Doom remains still. The Warriors move into cover beside my SG objective marker.
The Tyrant fires his devourers into the Venerable and manages to rip off both guns. The Warriors drop the barbed strangler pie plate on the remnant squad of two Purifiers - I get lucky and kill both !! The Zoies target another squad of Purifiers and one warp blast gets through the reinforced Aegis nuking three more Knights. Pretty good round of shooting this turn.
The Tyrant then charges the Venerable and immobilizes it.
GK kp: 5
GK SG Counters: 1
GK C&C Counters: 0
Nidz kp: 4
Nidz SG Counters: 1
Nidz C&C Counters: 1
- Top of Turn 5 - Grey Knights -
Another squad of Purifiers disembark and move into position to charge the Hive Tyrant along with the remaining two from the other squad that got torched by Warp Blast... Wow I really hate those darn psykout grenades !! One psyback with a full squad of Purifiers moves 12" back towards his C&C objective marker (he will still need at least one more turn to get there). The other squad of Purifiers sit still in their psyback holding their SG objective marker. Two dreads move forward to target my Warriors and their spore while the other two turn to target my Zoies. Psybacks that can shoot target my Yrmgal genestealers.
Shooting sees the two dreadnaughts destroy the Warriors' spore and I lose one Warrior (brood goes to ground). Focused fire on the Yrmgal genestealers drops them down to just four (went to ground as well) and they pass their morale check. One Zoie is popped by the other two dreadnaughts.
The Purifiers then charge the Tyrant and manage to strip off two more wounds—SitW blocks their attempt to activate their NFW. The Tyrant then eats the two Purifiers from the remnant squad.
- Bottom of Turn 5 - Tyranids -
The Alpha Warrior releases his gaunts and they all head towards the immobilized psyback. The remaining Zoie lines up a shot on the psyback that is the target of the Alpha Warrior and gants. Doom holds his position as does the Warriors, termagants and Yrmgal genestealers.
The Zoie's Warp lance attack is blocked by reinforced Aegis.
The Tyrant eats three Knights from the full squad including the daemonhammer and they fail to wound him along with the Venerable... One of the two remaining Knights then fails his armor save from No Retreat. The Hormagants charge the immobilized psyback and wreck it. The Purifiers spill out on the other side and now their SG objective marker is contested.
GK kp: 6
GK SG Counters: 0
GK C&C Counters: 0
Nidz kp: 6
Nidz SG Counters: 1
Nidz C&C Counters: 1
It's really tight now heading into what could be the last turn. I have managed to dwindle down the Purifiers' numbers moving ahead on two of the three objectives. My buddy is really going to have to play it smart now for the win. He has two five man squads of Purifiers and needs them to grab objectives.
- Top of Turn 6 - Grey Knights -
The Purifiers in the mobile psyback pull back and park on top of the SG objective marker in the middle of his table quarter dismounting as well... I thought this was a smart move as he would need a seventh turn to dislodge the termagants assuming he could first shoot down the Yrmgal screen. The other squad of Purifiers move around their wrecked psyback to shoot and assault the Alpha Warrior and its gaunts. Note that he won't be able to draw LOS to them with any other units due to the footprint of the wrecked psyback. He also decides to focus fire the rest of his shooting into the termagants.
Focused fire on the termagants kills five more and they pass their morale check - w00t !! That would turn out to be a huge roll. The Purifiers unload into the Alpha Warrior and his gaunts reducing their number to just the Prime and three gaunts.
The Tyrant splits two attacks into the lone Knight and two more into the Venerable... Snuffs the Knight and whiffs against the dreadnaught. The Purifiers then charge the Prime and three gaunts - SitW blocks CF - The Prime takes down two Knights and the gaunts poke one in the eye with the three gaunts slain in return for a drawn combat. I was actually still ahead by one objective marker at this point.
- Bottom of Turn 6 - Tyranids -
Doom, Warriors, termagants and Yrmgal genestealers all hold their ground. The lone Zoie ducks wisely decides to duck back behind cover. No shooting this turn. The Prime drops both Knights and huddles up against the wrecked psyback. The Tyrant whiffs again then the Venerable finally gets in an eye poke and drops the beast.
My buddy rolls for a seventh turn but the gods of fate deny him.
GK kp: 8
GK SG Counters: 1
GK C&C Counters: 0
Nidz kp: 8
Nidz SG Counters: 1
Nidz C&C Counters: 1
Victory to Hive Fleet Colossus !!!
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