Hi Guys
This battle forms part of an ongoing campaign in which my Tyranids are invading a planet called Khorma IX, which is defended by the combined, might of the Imperial Guard and the Space Marines. There are two other invaders, the Black Legion commanded by Wako and the Orks commanded by Orkybob. Our little group has written some simple campaign rules which basically give values to map locations (victory points and resources) and we are allowing the hiring of mercenaries to bring flavour to the campaign.
This particular battle takes place on an important strategic crossing that one of my Tyranid Field Armies has just advanced into. The Imperial commanders have hired the services of the Tau to slow down the bug advance and it should be noted that for this campaign turn, the weather conditions are ?High Winds? giving a ?1 modifier to activation for all aircraft.
This battle was fought on a 4 x 4 table using 2000 points of formations taken from a 2700 point GT-legal army. This campaign mechanic throws up some interesting army compositions (for instance allowing a Warlord titan to be fielded in a 2K battle!).
I wanted to give some new Nid models a run out and had committed to using Hena?s latest WYSIWYG Dominatrix as well as the proposed 75-point, 2DC Trygon. Unfortunately this left me rather short on activations, as you will soon see.
The Nid battle plan was simple and if I?m being honest I really didn?t hold out much hope of victory having been on the end of a royal trashing the last time my bugs took on Orkbob?s Tau. My plan was to try to get the Tau BTS by destroying his most expensive unit (AMHC) with my Hive Group and I planned to use my Assault Group and Nexus Swarm to grab both of the central objectives to give me T&H (see objective placing below and our campaign rules for 2K battles).
Ambitious? Yes, but at least I had a plan and with that in mind my bug army looked like this..
Hive Group:
Dominatrix
2 Trygons
9 Termagaunts
Nexus Group:
1 Tyrant
2 Tyranid Warriors
4 Raveners
3 Exocrines
6 Hormagaunts
2 Zoanthrope?s
Assault Group:
3 Tyranid Warriors
4 Raveners
6 Hormagaunts
9 Termagaunts
6 Spores
I know I know ? only 3 activations. Not enough but this was an experimental army and remember, I had the plan!
Orkbob?s Tau mercenary force was as follows:
Armoured Mobile Hunter Cadre (All Ion Canons) with Hammerhead Upgrade and Swordfish Upgrade (AMHC)
Markerlight Sentry Turrets
Stingray contingent with stingray upgrade
Firewarrior Cadre
Scorpionfish with Networked Drone Upgrade
Tetra Contingent
Barracuda Squadron
Tiger Shark
Anyhow, the table was set up as follows using limitations placed on us by the Campaign.
This is the first time I have seen two parallel rivers on a battlefield, Orkbob clearly thought this would slow my bugs down but little did he know. For the purposes of the batrep the river nearest the bug baseline is river 1 and the furthest river is river 2.
Objectives were set up as follows ? my baseline objective was placed in the middle of the small village in the middle of my baseline.
Orkybob placed the Tau baseline directly opposite. Our campaign rules meant we were only allowed to place 1 more objective each, with these objectives being placed within 30cm of the centreline. Both of these central objectives count for both T&H and for HTL. I placed my central objective just on the Tau side of the western bridge of river 2 away from me ? Orkybob placed his central objective between the two rivers just west of centre. My plan was coming together!
Deployment:
No spaceships.
Garrisons:
Orkbob garrisoned his Firewarriors in the central village contesting objective C and garrisoned his Tetras to the west of objective C markerlighting the western bridge of river 2.
Nid Swarms (West to East)
The Nexus Swarm deployed in South West corner behind bridge, the Hive Group on baseline opposite objective D
and my Assault Swarm in the village guarding my baseline objective.
Tau Deployment (West to East)
Stingrays deployed in North West Corner with the AMHC to the East of them then the Scorpionfish holding the Tau Baseline Objective.
Barracudas and Tigershark off table.
Turn 1: ?The swift demise of the Nexus.?
Teleports:
Hello who are these little fellas? Merkerlight Sentry Turrets push through the undergrowth in between the two rivers lighting up both the bridges (Lighbringer quickly has a read of the Tau army list!)
Strategy: Tau ? passes to Nids
1. The Nexus Swarm doubles forward into the markerlight zone, over the western bridge of river 1 and opens fire at the Tetras ? 2 Tetras are destroyed from Exocrine fire. Orkybob looks a little startled but that could have been the beer!
2. The Stingray?s rangefinders show that the Nexus Swarm has just moved into range and the order to sustain fire is given. 3 hormagaunts, 1 Zoanthrope, 2 Raveners bite the dust as well as the Group?s Hive Tyrant. Ouch!
3. Shaken by the withering fire the Assault Swarm holds in the village guarding the precious baseline objective.
4. The AMHC glide elegantly forward and open up on the lit up and clearly doomed Nexus Swarm ? 2 Exocrine, 1 Hormagaunt and both Tyranid Warriors are smoked! Yikes a?lordy!
5. Seething at the loss of her kin the Dominatrix roars defiantly and leads her Hive Group on a double move straight through river 1 to get within synapse range of up the straggling Nexus broods and opens fire on the Tetras ? none are killed but the little blighters are broken and fall back.
6. With four activations still left Orkbob pours himself a cool beer and ponders how he will celebrate this easy win. After some deliberation the Scorpionfish advances slightly and opens fire on the Hive Group targeting the War Engines however the thick armour of the Trygons proves too much and no damage is done.
7. With the wind howling the Barracudas decide its too risky to take off and pour themselves a Babycham.
8. The Tigershark pilot decides a Babycham is rather a splendid idea and stands down too to enjoy the sparkling refreshment. Ah High Winds, wonderful rule, I wonder who wrote that one!?
Turn 1 End Phase
The Tetras rally
The Hive Group uses a spore to spawn an Exocrine and a Zoanthrope.
The Assault group fails to spawn.
Turn 2:
Strategy; Tau
1. Turn 2 begins with a withering hail of fire from the AMHC into the Hive Group again targeting the Group?s War Engines ? 9 hits land home, 1 Trygons is blown apart and the Dominatrix loses 2 DC (no criticals).
2. The Assault Swarm is clearly of no use sitting at the back and is ordered to double over the eastern bridge of river 1 to put some pressure on the sentry turrets who are lighting up the Hive Group ? they need some motherly persuasion to move from the safety of the village (failed activation) but eventually double out and fire upon the turrets killing one but more importantly putting the swarm in assault range for the next turn.
3. The Scorpionfish can?t resist the big meaty target and sustain fires at the Hive Group causing 1 more point of damage on the Dominatrix (no critical).
4. The huge Hive Group takes the fight into the heart of the enemy ranks and doubles forward firing at the AMHC and bringing down 2 of the skimming tanks.
5. The Stingrays retaliate by sustain firing at the Hive Group destroying 4 Termagaunts, 1 Hormagaunt and a Ravener.
6. The little Tetras double forward and fire at the Hive Group but fail to land a single hit. Not that this matters as they have been placed there to stall the Hive Group?s advance and to protect the Tau BTS formation (AMHC).
7. In frustration the Fire Warriors sustain fire at the Hive Group and only manage to bring down 1 hormagaunt.
8. For the second time the Barracuda pilots prefer light refreshment to flying their planes and stand down (another 1!)
9. Orkbob turns to the lone Tigershark who?s engines roar into life but then splutter out ? dust in the engines prevents them taking off and they join the barracuda pilots for a second quick drink.
Turn 2 End Phase.
The Tetras fail to clear any blast markers
All other Tau blast markers are cleared.
The Dominatrix fails to regenerate but does spawn another Exocrine.
The Assault Group again fails to spawn.
Turn 3: ?She?s a Tough old bird!?
Strategy: Tau (no really?)
1. The AMHC again sustains at the Hive Group determined to bring down the Dominatrix which would give them BTS (3 synapse creatures already killed and the Dominatrix worth 6) ? the fire causes a single wound to the Group?s remaining Trygon and kills 1 Ravener.
2. The Assault Group assaults the Sentry Turrets and wipes them out for no loss ? easy, easy, easy! The lick their lips and consolidate to claim objective D (the plan you see!)
3. The Tau Scorpionfish once again sustain fires at the Hive Group bringing down the wounded Trygon and clearing the meat shield.
4. With eyes only for the AMHC the Hive Group assaults the screening Tetras and wipes them all out for no loss ? this loss shakes the nearby Tau formations (blast markers on Fire Warriors and the AMHC).
5. The Stingrays attempt to sustain fire at the Hive Group but end up firing normally (failed activation) killing 4 termies, both Zoanthropes and causing another wound to the Dominatrix (no critical). She now has only 2 DC remaining.
6. With the drinks cabinet nearly dry the Barracuda pilots finally take to the air and sweep in to blast the Hive Group ? one plane is brought down by fire from a Zoanthrope and the remaining planes cause yet another hit to the Dominatrix (only 1 DC left!)
7. The scene is set for the Tigershark to sweep in and finish off the bloodied Dominatrix but no; the Tigershark pilot is relieving himself and misses the order to attack!
8. Finally the Fire Warriors marshal and fire at the Assault Swarm causing no hits.
Turn 3 End Phase: 1-0 to the Nids (TSTP)
The AMHC fails to rally ? all other Tau units rally.
The Dominatrix spawns a Trygon and regenerates 1 DC.
The Assault Swarm fails to spawn despite a threatening glance from the Dominatrix.
Turn 4: Uncharted territory for my bugs against Tau!
Strategy: Nids (woo hoo!)
1. To the surprise of Orkybob the Hive Group elects to sustain fire at point blank range on the AMHC rather than assault. To his horror 5 tanks are blown apart, 1 short of killing the lot. Broken the remaining Hammerhead falls back far from danger. Should I have assaulted here? I was however contesting objective C.
2. Rather than risk being assaulted by the Assault Swarm the Firewarriors double back away from the bugs towards their own baseline giving objective C to the bugs.
3. With no tasty targets the Assault Swarm dithers for a moment then marches to claim both the bugs baseline in the village and objective D.
4. Suddenly Orkybob realises that the bugs have TSNP, T&H and HTL and he has nothing! And its turn 4!! The Scorpionfish moves up to contest objective C near the Hive Group and fires at the War Engines bringing down a Trygon. This single move denies the bugs T&H and HTL.
5. Still hopeful of getting the Nid BTS the Stingrays sustain on the Hive Group and fail to land a hit.
6. With just Tau Airlines to fall back on, Orkbob rolls for the Barracudas and cannot believe it ? they stand down.
7. Surely the Tigershark will make an appearance ?.nope you guessed it, stand down.
Turn 4 End Phase
Rallies ? the remaining Hammerhead rallies.
Spawns:
Dominatrix fails to spawn and fails to regenerate.
Assault Swarm spawns a Zoanthrope and a termagaunt (with Spore)
Currently the Bugs have it 1-0 (TSNP).
We roll for turn 5 but no ? its countback time and there is tension in the air.
After some difficult sums (we had been on the beer all day!) the Tau emerge as the victors by 575.5 to 512.5
Summary
The Dominatrix took one hell of a hammering and had the Tau planes activated I would probably have lost in turn 3. As it was it was an exciting battle fought in good spirits and much closer in the end than either of us had expected. I should have taken a fourth swarm ? possibly some genestealers to clear out the turrets and/or firewarriors. Basically being markerlit from the beginning of the battle is a nightmare!
The 75 point Trygons worked well I felt ? I fielded 4 DC worth of meat shield for 150 points but given that you can now lose one beast to a single shot this feels fine. I would possibly suggest that 6 points is slightly high for spawning a 2DC trygon back ? 5 would maybe be better. The WYSIWYG Dominatrix also felt good ? she is still a monster but less so than when she was 8DC.
Overall I was really happy with the performance of both the Dominatrix and the Trygons in this battle. I would like to give them another run out in a 2.7K battle.
Oh and the 5+ save for the Ravener is fine.
Lighbringer
