Apologies for the lack of pictures. I forgot the camera at home and only had my phone to use as a camera. Future battle reports will have better eye candy. Game has been added here to assist with the Tyranid 9.2.1 development.
Rules: Epic Handbook 2008
Tyranids - 9.2.1 Rules
Marines - Scions of Iron v1.3.4  (as per Hojyn's book)
Size: 3000 Points
Tyranid Force  (5 Synapse Creatures {BTS=3}, 8 activations)
1. Harridan
2. Heirophant
3. Lictors x3 (a)
4. Lictors x3 (b)
5. Genestealers x6
6. Dominatrix
   2 x haruspex
   3 x carnifex
   5 x termagaunts
   4 x raveners
   1 x hormagaunts
7. Vituperator
   5 x ravenors
   4 x hormagaunts
8. Assault Swarm (2 warriors and 1 hive tyrant)
   4 x haruspex
   3 x termagaunts
   3 x hormagaunts
   3 x ravenors
Scions of Iron   (8 activations)
1. Whirlwind squad #1 + Hunter
2. Whirlwind Squad #2 + Hunter
3. Warhounds x2
4. Terminators x4 + 2x Landraider (TBA) + chaplain  - BTS
5. Thunderhawk SB
6. Thunderhawk CAS
7. Heavy Tactical w/ 2 Landraiders (TBA)
8. Tactical (TBA)
(TBA - To be advised as I left the army list at Morgan's house)
            Game Table
Pre Battle
Marine player chooses table edge.
Objectives placed close to centre of the table on both sides
Tyranid player sets up Genstealers covering 2 objectives on his side taking advatage of the scout rule
No teleporters
Players roll for initiative
Turn 1
Initiative: Tyranids win
- Tyranid player elects for the Scions of Iron to go first.
           Start Turn 1
M- Thunderhawk SB Ground Attacks Assault Swarm. 4 Brood creatures dead & 1 blast marker (BM)
T- Genstealers charge into the cover of the city district
M- Whirlwinds #1 indirect the genstealers. 5 hits, 3 dead. Broken. Genstealers run off into the next city district
T_ Harridan advances up the tyranid player's right side of the table
M- Heavy Tactical unit doubles to chase the genstealers. 0 hits. 1 dead due to BM for being shot at
T- Hierophant doubles and shoots at the heavy Tactical unit. 0 hits. 1 BM
M- Warhounds double and fire on the Heirophant. 3 MAc + 1 AT hit. Hierophant saves. 1 BM
T- Vituperator squad engages in a FF with the Warhounds positioning so only 1 Warhound can take part in the battle. 1 wound on the warhound vs 2 Ravenors dead and 1 wound on the Vituperator. No criticals either side. Tyranid player wins the combat on the roll and numerical superiority and Warhounds double back broken behind the hill.
M- Thunderhawk CAS ground attacks Assault Swarm. 1 Ravenor Dies. 1 BM.
T- Dominatrix unit doubles into city district on the Tyranid right side of the table.
M- Whirlwinds #2 (with nothing to fire at), use their indirect to wipe out the last of the genstealers.
T- Assault Swarm double moves into cover near their own table objectives and fires on the heavy tactical squad. No hits. 1 BM.
M- Tactical unit goes on Overwatch
M- Terminators go on overwatch
End Phase:
- Thunderhawks move off (SB 1 BM for opposite end of the table)
- Assault swarm regroups and gain back some broods (sorry did not keep track of these)
- Heavy Tactical removes blast marker
- Vituperator regroups and gains back full compliment of broods.
- Warhounds rally. 3 BM placed.
Turn 2
Pre: No teleporters
Initiative: Scions of Iron
            Start Turn 2
M- Whirlwinds #2 indirect the Assault Swarm. 2 Termagaunts dead. 1 BM
M- Heavy Tactical retains the initiative to Advance back and shoot at the Assault swarm. Few hits and Tyranid player saves all hits. 1 BM
T- Harridan Advances on Tactical squad keeping distance and using popo-up to only allow 1 unit on overwatch to fire. Marine player decides not to waste overwatch. Harridan destroys 1 predator placing 2 BM on Tactical unit.
M- Thunderhawk SB ground assaults the assault swarm casing the death of 1 termagaunt and 1 ravenor. 1 BM
T- Hierophant advances to shoot on heavy tactical unit. No hits. 1 BM
M- Whirlwinds #1 indirect the assault swarm. Casualties are 2 Hormagaunts & 1 Ravenor.
T- Assault Swarm regroups and remove 3 BM and gain back 5 points in brood creatures (gaunts and 1 ravenor).
M- Thunderhawk CAS ground assaults assault swarm. 1 Hormagaunt casualty. 1 BM
T- Dominatrix unit charges to edge of city scape to place the AA within range of the Thunderhawk CAS exit.
M- Terminators double to the hill and fire on the assault swarm. Few hits and Tyranid player makes all cover saves. 1 BM
[AT THIS POINT THE MARINE PLAYER HAS HAD ENOUGH OF THE TYRANID PLAYER'S ABILITY TO MAKE SAVES, AND LARGE SPAWNINGS]
T- Vituperator charges into the city area to the left of the table (right of the terminators)
M- Warhounds advance to shoot on the Assault Swarm. Zero casualties. 1 BM
M- Tactical squad attempts to regroup and fails it's order. 1BM and then regroups as action removing all BM. ÂÂ
End Phase:
- Thunderhawks move off (CAS 1 BM for being shot at by AA - no damage)
- Assault swarm regroups and gain back more broods (sorry did not keep track of these)
- Heavy Tactical removes blast marker
- Warhounds fail to regroup and are stuck with 3 BM.
Turn 3
Pre: Lictors (a) & (b) teleport in near both units of whirlwind units. Each recieves 1 BM from the teleport.
Initiative: Scions of Iron
M- Tactical unit advances to fire on Lictor(b). 2 dead. Unit broken. Last lictor runs into the city to hide.
M- Whirlwinds #2 retain the initiative to double away from the lictors and placing them out of range to be charged BTB by those lictors.
T- Hierophant advances towards the terminators and fires. No casualties. 1BM
T- Tyranid player retains with Vituperator and charges Terminator unit. Terminators kill 6 units of gaunts. In retaliation, Vituperator unit causes 1 terminator and both landraiders to die. Supporting fire from warhounds and heavy tactical units destroy all ravenors and gaunts. Supporting fire from Hierophant cases another terminator casualty. After working out all kills, numbers, and extra values, it is an even combat that now relies on the dice roll. Tyranid player rolls a 4 & 2 and Marine player rolls 2 & 2. Marine player loses another terminator stand and terminator chaplain (broken) runs for the saftey of the city limits.
[AT THIS POINT THE MARINE PLAYER CONCEDES THE GAME]
We decided that the Tyranid player had a chance to gain the BTS (if chaplain was unlucky), Defend the flag (marine player could not contest this), and perhaps They shall not pass (depending on the outcome of an assault against the warhounds and if they were able to rally after the assault). Marine player conceded that turn 4 would have seen him with little effect on stopping the tyranid horde due to the ineffectiveness of round 1 & 2.
Looking back at this, I would have liked to have seen it played to a potential 4th turn.
Overall it was a strategic game where the Tyranid player was able to make cover saves and roll high on the respawns. The marine player could not do enough damage to the horde which kept rolling slowly in to gain objectives.
Disclaimer: No Synapse creature was killed in the production of this battle report.
Highlight: Gaunts counting for only half in HTH and causing no BM when being killed via shooting.
