Epic 'Battle of Mulan City', 27 Dec, 42013

 

 Battle of Mulan City, 27 Dec. 42013.  Greg, Trent, & I had a truly “epic” battle today. A 6000 points/side Epic Armageddon battle between the Tryranids (Hive-Minded by Trent) and the Space Marines (Left Flank CO Britt(me), Right Flank & Air Operations CO Greg).

   Just about the whole table was set up as a burnt out city. Not the best terrain for fighting Bugs. SM long range firepower would be inhibited and Bugs get cover saves. Ah well, “For the Glory of the Emperor!” & bring up the Baygon.

   Memorable moments for me included.

1) Having my 2 Warhound Titans surrounded by Lictors and munched.

2) The ‘grand airborne assault’ when 3 Terminator units teleport in to seize the Tyranid “Blitz” objective & destroy much of their artillery

3) The Tyranid counter assault. Heavy losses by the bugs as they tried to retake their ‘Blitz’.

4) Tyranid Tunnelers coming up near the SM Blitz marker to scatter the SM Whirlwinds.

5) Numerous airstrikes and troop drops. We hadn’t done much of this before.

6) Contesting Tyranid objectives with airpower.

7) The Tyranid resurgence . I thought for a while that we’d beaten them, but they certainly came back swinging, stomping some of my Marines and capturing the city centre. They even stopped Greg’s airmobile Thunderhawk landing, though that was very, very close!

   After 5 hours of hard fighting, the ‘Nids were still as close to wining as we were. If anything they were getting stronger.

 

Ok couple of things

1) Gargoyles were brought back at the cost of 1 brood instead of 2.

2) After the game, I realised that my second youngest had not built the tyranid list correctly. I don't think the game was effected too, much by this.The game was enjoyable and a close affair. There were times in the battle that critical dice were need by either side and they didn't get them.

 

Army lists

Incompertus, 6000 POINTS
Codex Astartes (NetEA Tournament Pack 2013)
==================================================
ASSAULT [175]
4 Assault Units
ASSAULT [225]
4 Assault Units, Chaplain
ASSAULT [225]
4 Assault Units, Chaplain
ASSAULT [175]
4 Assault Units
SCOUT [250]
4 Scouts, 4 Razorback
SCOUT [250]
4 Scouts, 4 Razorback
TERMINATOR [400]
4 Terminators, Captain
TERMINATOR [400]
4 Terminators, Chaplain
TERMINATOR [400]
4 Terminators, Chaplain
TERMINATOR [400]
4 Terminators, Librarian
THUNDERHAWK [200]
THUNDERHAWK [200]
WARHOUND PACK [500]
2 Warhound Class Titans
MARAUDER SQUADRON [250]
2 Maurader bombers
THUNDERBOLT SQUADRON [175]
2 Thunderbolt Fighters
TACTICAL [325]
6 Tacticals, Rhinos, Chaplain
TACTICAL [325]
6 Tacticals, Rhinos, Chaplain
TACTICAL [525]
6 Tacticals, Supreme Commander, 6 Razorback
WHIRLWIND [300]
4 Whirlwinds
WHIRLWIND [300]
4 Whirlwinds

Hive Fleet Onachus Tyranids (NetEA v10.2 *UNDER DEVELOPMENT*)
==================================================
TRYGON SWARM [515]
5 Trygon, 4 Raveners
HARRIDAN SWARM (S) [300]
1 Harridan, 6 Gargoyles
HARRIDAN SWARM (S) [300]
1 Harridan, 6 Gargoyles
GENESTEALER SWARM [225]
8 Genestealers, Brood Lord
GENESTEALER SWARM [225]
8 Genestealers, Brood Lord
LICTOR SWARM [300]
6 Lictor
LICTOR SWARM [300]
6 Lictor
EXOCRINE SWARM (S) [275]
5 Exocrine
EXOCRINE SWARM (S) [275]
5 Exocrine
DACTYLIS SWARM (S) [400]
4 Dactylis
DACTYLIS SWARM (S) [400]
4 Dactylis
TYRANID SWARM (M) [675]
6 Termagants, 6 Hormagants, 2 Tyranid Warriors, 2 Hive Tyrant, 2 Zoanthrope (745.M41), 3 Haruspex
TYRANID SWARM (S) [420]
4 Termagants, 4 Hormagants, Hive Tyrant, Tyranid Warriors, Zoanthrope (745.M41), 3 Raveners
TYRANID SWARM (S) [420]
4 Termagants, 4 Hormagants, Zoanthrope (745.M41), 3 Raveners, Hive Tyrant, Tyranid Warriors
NEXUS SWARM [1060]
Dominatrix, 5 Termagants, 3 Hormagants, 4 Gargoyles, Zoanthrope (745.M41), 3 Raveners, 4 Exocrine, 2 Trygon

Deployment

The tyranids deployed as normal, taking cover were ever they can. Deploying their scouts out front.

The Space marine deployed their forces across the front evenly, scouts on objective markers in their half of the table.

The forces that were teleporting, flying in or Tunnelling in.

Turn 1

• Space Marines have first turn.
• Space marine fire a whirl wind unit at the GENESTEALER SWARM, near the objective and give it a blast marker….
• Space marines then move a tactical unit up, that contains the supreme commander. so that's its in better cover.
• Tyranids move a HARRIDAN SWARM up into the ruins.
• Space marine reposition the scouts on their left flank, cover the approaches better.
• Tyranids move a second HARRIDAN SWARM up into the woods on their left flank….. .
• Space marines fire whirl wind unit at the HARRIDAN SWARM in the woods, kill a low life bug and giving it a blast marker.
• Tyranids double move a EXOCRINE SWARM up on the left flank.
• Space marines double move tactical unit and shot the HARRIDAN SWARM in the woods, giving it a blast marker.
• Tyranids then double move a tyranid swam up into the ruins….
• Space marine move tactical unit up….
• Tyranids then double move a tyranid swam up into the ruins….near the objective marker, with the GENESTEALER SWARM.
• Space marines then double move the warhounds so that it can shot the HARRIDAN SWARM in the ruins, giving it a blast marker….
• Tyranids then move a tyranid swam up into the ruins near the objective, on their right flank…
• Space marines call in the MARAUDER SQUADRON and target the DACTYLIS SWARM, managing to kill two DACTYLIS and that manage to break the unit. They move forward to gain better cover….
• Space marines call in the THUNDERBOLT SQUADRON after retaining the turn and target the broken DACTYLIS SWARM. killing the unit out right…..
• Tyranids move the EXOCRINE SWARM on the right flank up behind the ruins….
• Tyranids retain the turn and move the nexus swam up onto the hill with the templates..
• Space marine bring the air assault and target the HARRIDAN SWARM in the woods, so two assault units and a thunder hawk, drop in for a quick close combat and fire fight. Short story the space marines won, but lost a assault unit in the process.
• Tyranids move a DACTYLIS SWARM up so that it had targets to shot next turn….
• Space marine bring the air assault and target the EXOCRINE SWARM, so two assault units and a thunder hawk, drop in for a quick close combat and fire fight. Short story the space marines won, lost no units in the process.
• All sides rally troops that need to be rallied, all blast markers are removed…

Turn 2

• First three photos show were the teleporting happen.
• Space Marines got to go first.
• Space marines activate the TERMINATOR unit with the commander, and they do a engage action DACTYLIS SWARM and get support from the other units. Short story the TERMINATOR unit won….
• Space marines retain the turn and do a marshalling action on one of the TERMINATOR units with the chaplain and so move the unit behind the other TERMINATOR unit, so as to give it support. its manages to move all blast markers…
• Tyranids activated their LICTOR SWARM and did a engage action against the warhounds, after much dice rolling the LICTOR SWARM won hands down, (ouch that hurt)
• Tyranids retain the turn and so active the other LICTOR SWARM and attack the tactical unit near by, again after much dice rolling the Tactical unit won the combat, breaking the LICTOR SWARM, which move back into ruins under some AA protection. It was a hollow victory as the tactical unit had enough hits, causing it to break too…..
• Space marines try to bring in the THUNDERBOLT SQUADRON and roll a one……..
• Tyranid play does a engage action with the GENESTEALER SWARM and do a Close combat with the tactical unit with the supreme commander, after much dice rolling, the GENESTEALER SWARM won the combat. the tactical unit flee back to its deployment zone…..
• Space marines then fire a whirlwind unit at the GENESTEALER SWARM that just won combat, killing two and that was enough blast markers to break the unit…
• Tyranid then moves a EXOCRINE SWARM back to shoot a TERMINATOR unit, killing one of the bases……
• Tyranid retain activation and double move the HARRIDAN SWARM, and shot the scouts and  manage to do a blast marker….
• Space marines decide to take a risk, and do a air assaults against three tyranid units (intermingled), so one thunder hawk and two assault units, face mainly a HARRIDAN SWARM and it was intermingled with a GENESTEALER SWARM and tyranid swam. So dice were rolled and by the end of it all, the tyranids won by two pips……..So the assaults squads flee back to the base line………One dead thunder hawk….
• Tyranids move up a tyranid swam in front of the scouts, which triggers a over watch shot, give them a blast marker….
• Space marines then, fire a whirlwind unit a the tyranid swam in front of the scouts and only manage a blast marker….
• Space marine tried to retain the turn and bring on the MARAUDER SQUADRON and they rolled a one….
• Tyranids then active the nexus swam and do a engage action against the TERMINATOR unit in the forest, using the supreme commander ability, he bought in the EXOCRINE SWARM. He also claim intermingled and so two units were in close combat now..So after two turns of combat the space marines were the winners, managing tow break both of the tyranid units, but they manage to have one of theirs broken two…..
• Space marines then activated the THUNDERBOLT SQUADRON and targeted the broken nexus swam, two more from the unit.
• Space marine the retain the activation and bring in the thunder hawk and target the nexus swam, killing another.
• End phase and the space marine rally all units except, one assault units and the tyranids fail to rally the EXOCRINE SWARM and LICTOR SWARM. All side remove blast markers.

Turn 3

• First shot shows were tunnellers popup.
• Space Marines have first turn again.
• Space marines use the tactical unit to shot the TRYGON SWARM, adding two blast makers, since the unit claimed cross fire.
• Space marines retain their second activation and march moved the whirlwind unit, out of harms way…..
• Tyranids activate their TRYGON SWARM, and do a engage action, and target the Tactical unit that contains the Supreme commander in it. After a great round of C&C, the Tactical unit manage to win the Close combat, breaking the TRYGON SWARM, but taking enough blast markers to break.
• Tyranids then retain the turn and move Tyranid swam to do close combat against the scout unit holding the objective. Short story, no scouts were left standing, die to a man……
• Space marines fire their whirlwind unit at the ruins that contained a broken EXOCRINE SWARM, broken LICTOR SWARM and Tyranid swam.  Managing to wipe out the two broken units and the tyranid swam was give some blast markers and some low life bugs were killed .
• Space marines retain the turn and move a TERMINATOR unit up and shot the nexus swam, doing a blast marker.
• Tyranids then double move a Harridan up and shot the lone supreme commander, giving the Tyranids the BTS…..
• Space marines then do a marshalling action on a assault squad, and move it forward and manage to remove all blast markers.
• Tyranids then do engage action with a GENESTEALER SWARM , against the second scout squad. Short story, scouts die to a man……
• Tyranids retain the turn and double move the nexus swam up to the objective marker in the city and away from the TERMINATOR unit…
• Space marines then do a travel march with one the TERMINATOR units and move it towards the objective in the city.
• Space marines the retain the turn and march move another TERMINATOR unit to the objective in the city.
• Tyranids then move up the LICTOR SWARM, so it closer to the space marines artillery.
• Space marines bring the MARAUDER SQUADRON and target the nexus swam, adding blast markers to the units and giving some blast markers to the tyranid swam too…
• Space marines then bring in the thunder hawk and shot the broken TRYGON SWARM, killing one of the beasts.
• The marines failed to rally a assault unit, the tyranids manage to rally all units. both sides remove blast markers.

Turn 4

• Space Marines have first turn again.
• Space marines target the TRYGON SWARM, and manage to put a blast marker on it..
• Space marines retain the turn and fire a whirlwind unit at the TRYGON SWARM, adding a blast marker to it.
• Tyranids then do a marshalling action on the TRYGON SWARM, removing all but one blast marker….
• Tyranids try and retain the turn, but roll a one, and so fail. So the lone Harridan shots the whirlwind unit, giving it a blast marker.
• Space marines move a TERMINATOR unit and target the nexus SWARM, and manage to put a blast marker on it..
• Space marines retain their second activation and move a TERMINATOR unit and target the nexus SWARM, and manage to put a blast marker on it..
• Tyranids then shot the TERMINATOR unit with the nexus SWARM, and manage to catch the other with in the blast template, managing to wipe a unit out and have the other just of breaking.
• Tyranids the retain the turn and move the tyranid swam, into shooting range of the TERMINATOR unit, killing one of the stands and breaking the unit.
• Space marines then shoot the whirlwind unit at the nexus swam and manage to get the tyranid swam in the blast, giving both units blast markers….
• Space marines then do a engage action with the assault troops and they target the HARRIDAN SWARM and manage to get support from the whirlwinds. So after much hand to hand the assault marines lost by two. they move back into cover away from the HARRIDAN SWARM.
• Tyranids then do engage action with the GENESTEALER SWARM and target the whirlwind unit in front of the HARRIDAN SWARM on the road. Short story GENESTEALER SWARM won.
• Tyranids retain the turn and LICTOR SWARM do engage action, that targets the second whirlwind unit.Short story LICTOR SWARM won.
• Space marines then bring in the MARAUDER SQUADRON and target the TRYGON SWARM, managing to break the swam……
• Space marines then bring in the THUNDERBOLT SQUADRON and target the GENESTEALER SWARM on the objective, managing to give it a blast marker.
• Space marines then bring on the thunder hawk, with last assault squad and shoot the TRYGON SWARM, killing another beast. it also disembarked the assault marines, 10 cms from base of it.
• Game was called since both side had gone through their activations and dice was rolled and no extra turn was happening.

Victory Conditions

Victory Condition	Space Marines	Tyranids
1. Blitz	yes	no
2. Break their sprit	no	yes
3. Defend the Flag	no	no
4. Take and Hold	no	no
5. They Shall not Pass	no	no
Total	1	1

The tyranids won on points. The points total was like 1855 to 2500.

May the dice roll high for you.

Regards

Greg