I was on travel this week and had some spare time yesterday afternoon. I met up with a friend for a 2000 point game - my reserved Tyranids versus his Crowe-Purifier army.
Here are our army lists:
TYRANIDS
HQ
— Hive Tyrant: wings, twin linked devourers w. brainleech ammo, bone sword + lash whip, adrenal glands, Hive Commander; paroxysm & life leech
— Tyranid Prime: bone sword + lash whip, scything talons, adrenal glands, regeneration
Elites
— 9x Yrmgal genestealers
— 2x Zoanthrope - mycetic spore
— Doom of Malan'tai - mycetic spore
Troops
— 3x Warrior - 2x deathspitter & barbed strangler, bone swords + lash whips, toxin sacs - mycetic spore
— 10x Hormagaunt - adrenal glands & toxin sacs
— 15x termagant - devourers - mycetic spore
— 14x genestealer & Broodlord - scything talons & toxin sacs
Heavy Support
— Trygon Prime - adrenal glands
GREY KNIGHTS
HQ
— Crowe
Elites
— Psyfleman Vendread - 2x TL-Autocannons, Psybolt Ammo
— Psyfleman Vendread - 2x TL-Autocannons, Psybolt Ammo
— 5x Purifiers - 2x Psycannons, 2x Halberds, 1x MC-Hammer, Razorback w/Psybolt Ammo + Searchlights
— 5x Purifiers - 2x Psycannons, 2x Halberds, 1x MC-Hammer, Razorback w/Psybolt Ammo + Searchlights
— 5x Purifiers - 2x Psycannons, 2x Halberds, 1x MC-Hammer, Razorback w/Psybolt Ammo + Searchlights
— 5x Purifiers - 2x Psycannons, 2x Halberds, 1x Warding Stave, Razorback w/Psybolt Ammo + Searchlights
— 5x Purifiers - 2x Psycannons, 2x Halberds, 1x Warding Stave, Razorback w/Psybolt Ammo + Searchlights
— 5x Strike Squad - 1x Psycannon, Rhino
Heavy Support
— Psyfleman Dread - 2x TL-Autocannons, Psybolt Ammo
— Psyfleman Dread - 2x TL-Autocannons, Psybolt Ammo
We decided to use the BeakyCon mission - three objectives (Killpoints, Capture & Control, Seize Ground). Whoever wins the most objectives wins the game and if there was a draw the tie breaker goes to victory points. Note that there were four objective markers for Seize Ground. Deployment was Dawn of War. There are six normal turns then a seventh on the roll of 4+ on 1d6.
My friend won the roll for placing the Seize Ground objective markers - we ended up with the objective markers spread out across the table forming a rectangle with each objective marker placed roughly at 12" in from the short table edge and 12" in from each long table edge... So they were all well spaced apart.
I won the roll for deployment and opted to go second. There was a good amount of terrain spread around the table with some big tall pieces in the middle—definitely a good setup for my Tyranids. My friend decided to bring everything on the first turn. I held everything in normal reserve except for my genestealer brood and Yrmgal genestealers. I infiltrated the genestealers behind a big piece of terrain just inside my opponent's deployment zone and would bring in my Yrmgal genestealers in the same piece of terrain. We both placed our C&C objective markers far apart—I placed mine close to one of the Seize Ground objective markers while my opponent placed his in the center along his long table edge. I figured he would deploy in a castle then try to push out late in the game to grab the two Seize Ground objective markers in his deployment zone.
Pre Game Analysis
I was glad I wasn't facing a Librarian but I knew that all those psyflemen dreadnaughts could be a big problem due to their reinforced Aegis. Typically I use my genestealers to take out dreadnaughts in melee since they can produce lots of rending attacks but I knew that three Venerable chassis was going to be a real challenge. On the other hand psyflemen suck in assault so i would try to use that to neutralize their shooting. I felt my main advantage was I could see where my friend brought in his units the first turn and react accordingly. My plan was as follows:
• Hold two Seize Ground objective markers and contest another
• Hold my C&C objective marker and contest his
• Try to win on killpoints by concentrating first on destroying his troops and transports
Grey Knights can pour out an amazing amount of shooting at 24", 36" and 48" range. Fortunately for me there was lots of cover.
- Top of Turn 1 - Grey Knights -
His entire army rolls onto the table in the middle of his deployment zone with the dreadnaughts spread out across his back line. Crowe stole the rhino from the Strike squad. All of the troops disembark and setup in a long gun line with the paybacks interspersed between them. The Strike squad runs to move towards the front line taking a spot in heavy cover. My genestealers are well hidden so no shooting at them.
- Bottom of Turn 1 - Tyranids -
Genestealer brood edges up a bit towards the GK castle while managing to keep safely tucked away. I think about pushing out for a possible charge on a squad of Purifiers but then decide to hold their position and wait for my reserves.
GK: 0 kp
Nidz: 0 kp
- Top of Turn 2 - Grey Knights -
My friend holds his line, shuffling around a bit and pops smoke on all his transports while the Strike squad moves and then runs forward again—they attempt to cast Warp Quake but the Justicar perils and dies from massive trauma to the head. My genestealer brood is still out of LOS.
- Bottom of Turn 2 - Tyranids -
I roll for my reserves and everything arrives except for the Alpha Warrior attached to its Hormagaunt posse. I place the devilgants off to one side of his castle with minimal scatter so that they can target one squad of Purifiers at 18" range. I place the Trygon aggressively closer on the same side of the Grey Knight castle with a piece of tall cover and again minimal scatter. The Doom lands in his pod right into the heart of the Grey Knight castle and drifts straight forward—it's in the perfect position to cast Leech Essence on a large block of Purifier squads ! The Zoies land in the middle of the table just outside of counter charge range and drift off at a slight angle to my right away from the rest of my army. The Warriors land behind another big piece of terrain with no scatter—they should be safe for a turn from shooting and with a bit of luck might be able to launch an assault the following turn. The Yrmgal genestealers appear in a heavily wooded area and then move out so they can assault some of the Purifiers. The genestealer brood comes out as well to support the Yrmgal... I should be able to launch a huge multi assault this turn. Finally the Tyrant lands on the same side behind the block of genestealers scattering into impassable terrain, which causes a mishap but luckily for me the Tyrant goes right back into reserve again.
The Doom casts Leech Essence and proceeds to destroy three Purifiers in one squad and two more in another squad - suddenly he is up to S9 ! The devilgants target another squad of Purifiers and shoot them all down (1st killpoint to the Tyranids !). The Zoies then both fail to cast their psychic powers due to a dreadnaught (reinforced Aegis) beside the target... Oh well. The Trygon targets the two remaining Purifiers from one of the squads whacked by the Doom and manages to snuff the Justicar with a warding stave... That was very nice !! The Warriors are tucked safely away so no shooting from them this turn. Finally the Doom casts his humongous pie plate of death, gets past the wall of reinforced Aegis and immobilizes one of the Venerables.
The Yrmgal genestealer brood then launch their multi assault finishing off the other remnant squad of Purifiers and remain locked with another squad - I lose three Yrmgals to Halberds in return. Neither Purifier squad was able to successfully cast Cleansing Flame due to their close proximity to the Trygon Prime. The other Justicar armed with a warding stave then fails a save due to No Retreat ! The genestealer brood multi-assaults the two psyflemen ripping both autocannons off one and immobilize the other - in return I lose two genestealers and the Broodlord passes an armor save. The Yrmgal genestealers then consolidate back into cover to end the turn.
GK: 0 kp
Nidz: 8 kp
- Top of Turn 3 - Grey Knights -
I can see that my friend is a bit distraught. He had not played versus this type of list before and didn't realize how fast and hard hitting my army can be early on in the game—lots of people tend to make that mistake. He still has three scoring units left and a sizable amount of shooting but most of my army is either locked in combat, in cover or out of LOS. The Strike squad cast Warp Quake and trades place with Crowe hopping back in their rhino. Crowe moves towards my genestealer brood but won't be able to assault this turn as the rhino moved first before he disembarked. The lone Purifier jumps back into his psyback. The last squad of five Purifiers move into position to assault the Trygon. The psybacks all pull back 6" - three of them take aim at the Yrmgal genestealers and the other two target the termagants. The mobile unengaged dreadnaughts also move back as well focusing fire on my Zoies and the Doom.
Shooting from the psybacks kill all but two remaining Yrmgal (went to ground) and take out five of the termagants. Combined fire from the psyflemen destroy the Zoies but the Doom escapes unscathed who was out of range to use his leech essence. My friend could have gone for the easy killpoints shooting at my spores but wanted to concentrate fire on my infantry to start whittling them down. The five man Purifier squad put one wound on the Trygon from a psycannon then they charge not using CF in attempt to ID the Trygon with their Nemesis force weapons (NFW)... They do manage one wound with a halberd but SitW blocks their attempt to activate NFW. The Trygon then eats four of them, the daemonhammer scores another wound and dies to No Retreat saves. The Trygon consolidates towards the Venerable dreadnaughts. The genestealer brood explodes the gun less dreadnaught and suffer no wounds in return.
- Bottom of Turn 3 - Tyranids -
Both the Tyrant and the Alpha Warrior with his gant brood arrive. The Alpha Warrior and his gants move into position to hold both a SG and C&C objective marker. The Tyrant lands safely this time in range to shoot at the transports. The Trygon moves forward into position to assault a Venerable. The Warriors break off heading towards the far SG objective marker on my friend's side of the table with the termagants trailing close behind them for moving cover. The Doom also moves into position to assault the other unengaged mobile Venerable.
Shooting sees the Tyrant pop the rhino and the Doom forgoes dropping his pie plate of psychic death. The Strike squad piles out of the burning wreck and fail their pinning check... Heh ! The Trygon then launches its assault and destroys one of the Venerables while the Doom (S8) assaults another and manages to rip off an autocannon taking no wounds in return. The genestealer brood then destroy the dreadnaught and consolidate partially into cover.
GK: 1 kp
Nidz: 8 kp
- Top of Turn 4 - Grey Knights -
The Grey Knights are down to Crowe, five psybacks, one Purifier, the pinned Strike squad and two Venerables—one of which is locked in melee. My friend wants to concede the game at first then decides to play another turn. Crowe moves into position to assault the genestealers while the psyback carrying the lone Purifier makes a beeline towards his C&C objective marker. The other psybacks take aim on the Trygon and bring it down to a couple of wounds then the unengaged immobilized Venerable finished off the mad beast. Crowe assaults the genestealers and manages to kill five with Cleansing Flame-he then parries, taking no wounds in return and I lose another three genestealers to No Retreat saves since they are in synaptic range of the Tyrant. The Doom whiffs against the Venerable.
- Bottom of Turn 4 - Tyranids -
Again the Warriors and termagants move towards the far SG objective marker while the Tyrant moves in to shoot and assault the Strike squad... The Tyrant kills two with shooting and botches casting paroxysm. The Tyrant then eats the rest of them in melee. The Doom rips the other autocannon off the other Venerable. Crowe finishes off the last of the genestealer brood with Cleansing Flame, the Broodlord breaks and is swept by Crowe. Finally the Hive Tyrant consolidates away from Crowe.
GK: 4 kp
Nidz: 8 kp
At this point it looks like the psybacks won't be able to contest any objectives and he only has one scoring unit left. Crowe is too far away to assault any of my units the next turn. All of my genestealers have been eradicated along with the Zoies and Trygon. All the while my Prime and his gants are still holding two objectives. There are still at least two turns to go and my friend says he will continue. Maybe he can somehow squeeze out a win.
- Top of Turn 5 - Grey Knights -
Crowe heads over towards the Tyrant but will be just short of the assault range. The psyback carrying the lone Purifier zooms over to camp out on top of his C&C objective marker. The other psybacks all take aim on the Tyrant and bring it down to its last two wounds. The unengaged immobilized Venerable then pops a spore. The Doom shakes the dreadnaught.
- Bottom of Turn 5 - Tyranids -
The Warriors and termagants finally reach the far SG objective marker, both with good rolls to run. The Tyrant flies up beside the unengaged immobilized Venerable in position to shoot it in its rear armor facing. Shooting from one spore puts a wound on Crowe ! The Tyrant fires his devourers into the rear side of the Venerable and rips off an autocannon—it then assaults, scores two pens and wrecks the dreadnaught. The Doom then whiffs again versus the last dreadnaught.
GK: 5 kp
Nidz: 9 kp
My friend then decides to concede the game and we head out for some beers and wings. I win taking two of the three objectives.
Post Game Analysis
Well my buddy helped me out when he disembarked all his troops during the early part of the game but I think that is partially a problem with taking lots of psybacks for this type of list - rhinos are much cheaper and you can fire the psycannons from inside... There is no temptation to step outside unless it's absolutely necessary which is why five man Plague Marines used to rock with double meltas in rhinos. The points saved could have gone towards a full squad of Purifiers which would have helped a lot in this game. I have never been a big fan of totally min maxed lists.
Crowe was a beast in this game. I tried to keep him isolated as much as possible and not waste a lot of resources dealing with his uberness versus horde. If he had been up on the front line early on he probably would have been a bigger factor.
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