Game three out of six played, this time pitting the Dagon 'Nids against Steel Legion.
After the great success Argol had playing "naked" Minor Swarms last time I thought I'd do the same, so I took several of those. I also wanted to try out the defensive BTS he played, a cheap variant on the Hive Nest. The most extreme formation in my army was a Major Swarm with 8 (!) Exocrines and flying Synapse Creatures to keep up.
Minor with a Twist, 3000 POINTS
Hive Fleet Dagon (4.71 TCMD forum) viewtopic.php?f=21&t=32946
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MAJOR SWARM (2-4 INSTINCTIVE SWARMS) [525]
Dagon Overlord, 4 Zoanthrope, 2 Bio-Support (3 Dagon Dactylis)
MAJOR SWARM (2-4 INSTINCTIVE SWARMS) [425]
Hive Tyrant Shrike (Wings), 4 Tyranid Warrior Shrikes (Wings), 2 Bio-Support (4 Dagon Exocrine)
MINOR SWARM (2-4 INSTINCTIVE SWARMS) [225]
3 Zoanthrope, Biovores (4 Biovores), Gargoyles (4 Dagon Gargoyles)
MINOR SWARM (2-4 INSTINCTIVE SWARMS) [200]
3 Tyranid Warriors, Gaunts (5 Termagaunts), Gaunts (5 Hormagaunts)
MINOR SWARM (2-4 INSTINCTIVE SWARMS) [200]
3 Tyranid Warriors, Gaunts (5 Termagaunts), Gaunts (5 Hormagaunts)
MINOR SWARM (2-4 INSTINCTIVE SWARMS) [200]
3 Tyranid Warrior Shrikes (Wings), Gargoyles (4 Dagon Gargoyles), Gargoyles (4 Dagon Gargoyles)
HIVE SWARM (1-2 INSTINCTIVE SWARMS) [200]
Hive Nest, Biovores (4 Biovores)
INFESTATION SWARM (1-2 INSTINCTIVE SWARMS) [200]
3 Ravener Alphas, Burrower (5 Raveners)
HARASSER SWARM (1-2 INSTINCTIVE SWARMS) [200]
Harridan, Gargoyles (4 Dagon Gargoyles)
HARASSER SWARM (1-2 INSTINCTIVE SWARMS) [200]
Harridan, Gargoyles (4 Dagon Gargoyles)
LICTOR SWARM [225]
5 Dagon Lictors
ATTACK SWARM (1-2 INSTINCTIVE SWARMS) [200]
Gaunts (5 Hormagaunts), Scythed Hierodule Prime
Steely Dan, 3000 POINTS
Steel Legion (NetEA Army Compendium v2014)
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REGIMENTAL HQ [500]
Supreme Commander, 12 Infantry, 7 Chimera
INFANTRY COMPANY [275]
Commander, 12 Infantry, 1 Sniper
INFANTRY COMPANY [275]
Commander, 12 Infantry, 1 Sniper
WARHOUND TITAN [275]
WARHOUND TITAN [275]
THUNDERBOLT FIGHTERS [150]
2 Thunderbolts
MARAUDER BOMBERS [250]
2 Marauders
DEATHSTRIKE MISSILE BATTERY [200]
2 Deathstrike Missile Launchers
FLAK BATTERY [150]
3 Hydra
VULTURE SQUADRON [300]
4 Vultures
STORM TROOPER PLATOON [350]
8 Storm Troopers, Valkyrie Transport
Deployed the Major Exocrine Swarm on the far left, with a Minor Swarm with 5 Hormagaunts and 5 Termagaunts in front. Both Harridans were deployed in the ruins, next to the flying Minor Swarm. The Minor Swarm with Zoanthropes was on the road, while the BTS deployed next to the Blitz. On the right are another Minor Swarm and the Attack Swarm. The Hive Nest garrisoned on the left.
Steel Legion put its Deathstrikes on the left, then a Warhound, the Vultures, the BTS around the SL Blitz. The other Warhound was on the road, next to the Hydras. The Storm Troopers in their Valkyries are on the right. The two Infantry Companies are in garrison.
Start of turn 1. The Tyranids teleport in the Lictors within striking distance of one of the Warhounds. Steel Legion wins the strategy roll.
Turn 1, Activation 1, SL: Infantry Company Engage the Lictors, takes 1 damage from First Strike, kills 4 Lictors and wipes them out.
Turn 1, Activation 2, SL Retain: Vultures fails to activate, takes one BM and moves.
Turn 1, Activation 3, HFD: Harradian Doubles and gives the Deathstrikes 1 BM.
Turn 1, Activation 4, SL: Deathstrikes Sustains Fire using the reroll, kills the unactivated Harradian and breaks the remaining Gargoyles. These retreats forward into the houses.
Turn 1, Activation 5, HFD: The flying Minor Swarm Doubles and at the end of its action absorbs the broken, Synapse-less Gargoyles, converting their broken status to 4 BMs.
Turn 1, Activation 6, SL: Warhound Doubles and fires at the Dagon BTS, killing 2 Zoanthropes for 3 BMs.
Turn 1, Activation 7, HFD: Minor Swarm with Zoanthropes Doubles.
Turn 1, Activation 8, SL: Thunderbolts Ground Attacks the Dagon BTS, killing 1 Dactylis.
Turn 1, Activation 9, HFD: The Dagon BTS Marshalls and moves.
Turn 1, Activation 10, SL: Maruder Bombers Ground Attacks a Minor Swarm on the right, killing 4 Termagaunts and 1 Hormagaunt for 2 BMs.
Turn 1, Activation 11, HFD: Hive Swarm Sustains Fire at the Infantry Company, killing 3 Infantry for 4 BMs.
Turn 1, Activation 12, SL: Hydras Advance and gives the Super-Sized Flying Swarm 1 BM.
Turn 1, Activation 13, HFD: The Minor Swarm that got bombed Marshalls and moves.
Turn 1, Activation 14, SL: Infantry Company attempts to Double, fails and removes BM instead.
Turn 1, Activation 15, HFD: Attack Swarm Doubles into the crystal forest.
Turn 1, Activation 16, SL: The Steel Legion BTS doubles and fires at the Harridan swarm for 1 BM.
Turn 1, Activation 17, HFD: Minor Swarm on the left does a Triple.
Turn 1, Activation 18, SL: Warhound Engages the Harridan, the Harridan formation pulls in the nearby Steel Legion BTS, 2 Inf are killed for 2 Gargoyles and 1 damage on the Harridan, Harridan breaks.
Turn 1, Activation 19, HFD: Major Exocrine Swarm Doubles and strips a shield off the Warhound, 1BM.
Turn 1, Activation 20, SL: Storm Troopers attempts to Double, fails and moves, keeping the Storm Troopers mounted.
Start of turn 2. Raveners pop up at the edge of the forest to the right. Steel Legion wins the strategy roll.
Turn 2, Activation 1, SL: Infantry Company Sustains Fire at the the Raveners out of cover, killing 4 for 1 BM.
Turn 2, Activation 2, SL Retain: Warhound uses the reroll to Engage the Minor Swarm, kills 1 Hormgaunt, Tyranids lead by 1, the Warhound loses the roll-off and breaks.
Turn 2, Activation 3, HFD: Major Exocrine Swarm Doubles and fires at the Steel Legion BTS, killing 4 Chimeras with MW attacks.
Turn 2, Activation 4, HFD Retain: Minor Swarm Engage the Steel Legion BTS with support from the Exocrine Swarm, the SL Supreme is killed and only the Commissar survives. SL kills 4 Hormagaunts, 1 Termagaunt and 1 Tyranid Warrior. The two swarms must however remain entangled.
Turn 2, Activation 5, SL: Deathstrikes attempts to Sustain Fire but fails, and cant reroll since the SL Supreme is gone.
Turn 2, Activation 6, HFD: Minor Swarm Doubles and fires at the Infantry Comp, killing 1 Inf for 2 BMs.
Turn 2, Activation 7, HFD Retain: Attack Swarm Engage the Warhound, after 2 rounds of combat the Attack Swarm is destroyed and the Hierodule is killed. The Warhound takes 2 damage.
Turn 2, Activation 8, SL: Warhound Advance and fires at the Raveners, kills 1 Alpha, breaking them. Raveners moves to block the Storm Trooper formation.
Turn 2, Activation 9, HFD: The boosted Minor Gargoyle Swarm Engage the Infantry Company in the ruins, kills 3 for 2 Gargoyles in return, wins combat by 5, Infantry Company breaks.
Turn 2, Activation 10, HFD Retain: Harridan Doubles and fires at the Vultures, giving them 1BM. Could have tried to get the SL BTS instead, but reasoned that the Vultures were a more immediate threat...
Turn 2, Activation 11, SL: Vultures Doubles and fires 6 rockets at the Dagon BTS, killing 2 Dactylis.
Turn 2, Activation 12, HFD: Dagon BTS Marshalls and moves into the ruins.
Turn 2, Activation 13, SL: Maruder Bombers Ground Attacks the intermingled Major and Minor swarms, breaking the Minor Swarm and killing 1 Exocrine and 1 Shrike from the Major one.
Turn 2, Activation 14, HFD: Minor Swarm Engage the Infantry Company in the forest, Steel Legion kills 4 Hormagaunts for 1 lost Inf, Tyranids loses automatically since all units in combat has been destroyed and breaks.
Turn 2, Activation 15, SL: Hydras Double and fires at the Raveners, killing both
Turn 2, Activation 16, HFD: Hive Nest Biovores Triple and claims another objective, the Hive Nest having 15cm coherency.
Turn 2, Activation 17, SL: Thunderbolts Ground Attacks the Hive Nest swarm, kills 2 Biovores for 3 BMs.
Turn 2, Activation 18, SL: Valkyries Double and fires at the Zoanthrope Swarm in crossfire, killing 4 Biovores, 2 Zoanthropes and 1 Gargoyle, breaking the formation.
Start of turn 3. Steel Legion wins the strategy roll again.
Turn 3, Activation 1, SL: Deathstrikes Advance and kills the Harridan.
Turn 3, Activation 2, SL Retain: Warhound tries to Engage the flying Minor Swarm, fails to activate and moves to contest an objective instead.
Turn 3, Activation 3, HFD: Major Swarm Engage the Storm Troopers, killing 4 for 1 Dactylis killed in return, Storm Troopers take 3 extra damage from hackdown and breaks.
Turn 3, Activation 4, HFD Retain: The Flying Swarm Engage the Vultures, after 3 rounds of combat the Minor Swarm has only 3 Gargoyles left, and the Vultures are down to one. The Vulture breaks and the nearby Warhound breaks as well.
Turn 3, Activation 5, SL: Infantry Company Sustains Fire at the Hive Nest Biovores, killing 1 for 2 BMs.
Turn 3, Activation 6, HFD: Major Exocrine Swarm Double and fires at the lone Commissar that's the SL BTS, but fails to score a single 6 on 14 MW dice...
Turn 3, Activation 7, HFD Retain: Hive Nest Marshall and moves. HFD is out of activations.
Turn 3, Activation 8, SL: Infantry Company Double and fires the Minor flying Swarm, killing 1 Gargoyle.
Turn 3, Activation 9, SL: Maruder Bombers fails to activate.
Turn 3, Activation 10, SL: Thunderbolts Ground Attacks the Exocrines, kills 1 Shrike and 1 Exocrine.
Turn 3, Activation 11, SL: Hydras Double and fires at the broken Minor Swarm, killing 2 Tyranid Warriors and 1 Termagaunt.
No side has any objectives at this point, so the game goes into turn 4.
Start of turn 4. Steel Legion wins the strategy roll (4 out of 4).
Turn 4, Activation 1, SL: Warhound Sustain Fire at the Exocrine Swarm, killing 2 Shrikes, 1 Exocrine and the Hive Tyrant, breaking them and removing all its Synapse Creatures.
Turn 4, Activation 2, SL Retain: Infantry Company Sustains Fire at the Minor Swarm, wiping it out.
Turn 4, Activation 3, HFD: Tyranid BTS Engage the Warhound loses 2 Zoanthropes, SL leads by 1 but loses the rolloff, both sides break.
Turn 4, Activation 3, HFD Retain: The lone Tyranid Warrior Double and puts 1 BM on the Hydras.
Turn 4, Activation 4, SL: The Maruder Bombers Ground Attacks the Minor Swarm, killing 2 Gargoyles and 1 Zoanthrope, breaking them.
Turn 4, Activation 5, HFD: The lone Hive Nest Biovore Sustains Fire at the Inf Comp, giving them 1 BM. HFD is out of activations.
Turn 4, Activation 6, SL: Hydras Double, claims the Blitz and fires at the Tyranid BTS, killing 1 Dactylis with the BM.
Turn 4, Activation 7, SL: Storm Troopers Advance and kills the last Dactylis in the Tyranid BTS with a BM.
Turn 4, Activation 8, SL: Thunderbolts Ground Attacks the Tyranid BTS, one hit on the Overlord but also 1 save.
Steel Legion wins 3-0 since the Tyranid Warrior on the Steel Legion half of the table rallies.