Battle Report - Tyranids vs. Black Templar

1500pt Army List - Tyranid

1500pt Army List - Black Templar

MISSION: Bunker Assult

Right before this game, I played this player at 750 points. I did defeat him, so I offered to let him choose a mission that might favor his army. This extra mission only available in the main hardcover rulebook, was an interesting choice. I definitely wanted to give it a try.

Being a special mission only available in the Hardcover rulebook, we had to set-up the table in a different way:

Deployment

I noticed that during my deployment, I felt that I didn't deploy right. At the time, I couldn't tell what it was, but it didn't feel right. In the Bunker assault rules, his deployment Zone ws 18", while mine was only 12".

I lost initiative and he chose to move first.

BLACK TEMPLARS

Although I had a heavy amount of units on his left flank, a lot of firepower was still available. And with my poor deployment, he was able to take out some solid units. With his tactical squad, he was able to kill off 7 Gargoyles. His Predator and Venerable Drednaught were able to kill off the Devilfex. The other Drednaught and Emperor's Champion was able to score 1 wound on the Zoanthrope. His Techmarine killed of 4 spinegaunts.

TYRANIDS

I was hoping to return the favor with some good shooting and speed. My movement phase was less than stellar, scoring some low terrain and fleet rolls. However, I was able to destroy his Predator with my Sniperfex. Although an independent character, his Emperor's Champion was the closest unit, and I was able to kill it off with my shooting Hive Tyrant via instant death rules (Venom Cannon shot). My Zonathrope also scored an immobilzied shot on my Drednaught

BLACK TEMPLARS

His tactical squad, using rapid fire killed off the rest of my gargoyles. While his Venerable Drednaught killed 3 genestealers. My opponent remarked how close my spinegaunts were getting to his Techmarine unit, which already lost its Emperor's champion. However, the immobilized Drednaught still could shoot with its assault cannon, and assisted the Techmarine. Working together they both killed off 6 spinegaunts.

The LR finally being in range of its weapons unloaded on Zoanthrope.

TYRANIDS

In the movement phase I tried to desparately move towards his units. I wanted to push my genestealers foward and as one unit. However after moving them in the shooting phase, I noticed that they were out in the open. I knew that could be a potential problem.

During the shooting phase, my bad choices effected my luck. My Snipefex missed all 3 shots, trying to shoot at the Venerable Drednaught. However, I was able to Immoblized the Venerable Drednaught with my shooting hive tyrant. At this point I knew that my Hive Tyrant was deployed too far behind. Even in a mission where his deployment zone was 6" closer, it would have been better to deploy it up front

In the assault phase, hormagaunts launched assault against Techmarine protecting Fortification Beta. Although I might have done something, I opted not to assault the Drednaught with my 2 Raveners. In hindsight I should have attempted to assault it OR see if I could assault the Techmarine. Although I killed 2 servitor, his unit killed 6 hormgaunts.

BLACK TEMPLARS

Since I didn't have any units in CC on the NE side, He just continued to rain fire on my units. The Venerable Drednaught's Plasma cannon and missle launcher killed several genestealers, while his crusader squad support it. When the smoke cleared, 5 Genestealers in the front and 2 Genestealers in the rear unit were decimated. I was hoping that in the previous turn that I could shake the Venerable Drednaught with my Sniperfex, while my shooting Tyrant would take care of the other Drednaught. However, since I missed with the sniperfex, I couldn't do anything to the other Drednaught. The immobilized drednaught killed a Ravener. While his tactical squad protecting Fortification Alpha, picked off the other Ravener hiding behind a small terrain piece. Even with its cover saves, the ravener just took too many wounds. The Land Raider, needing every single one of its weapons, killed off the other Zoanthrope.

My only saving grace came in CC, where I was able to kill off the Techmarine due to the large amount of attacks.

TYRANIDS

In the shooting phase, I stunned Venerable Drednaught with my shooting Hive Tyrant. However, for some reason, I thought it was better to shoot at the Land Raider with my Sniperfex, instead of shooting at the other Drednaught. Due to the high armor rating, I was unable to score any glancing hits on it. Very stupid tactical move on my part. Again my hive Tyrant was useless as I tried to get it into range of something, but I was just out of range.

In CC my hormagaunts and single genestealer assaulted is tactical squad in Fortification Gamma. I tried using my Cataylst power on my Winged HT to give my units attacks, but I rolled box cars, and took a wound. My shooting Hive Tyrant also had Cataylst and used it on the hormagaunts. I killed 3 tactical marines, while he killed 5 hormagaunts. I lost an additional hormgaunt by outnumbering. Since I assaulted with 2 units and lost combat, I wasn't sure if I should have used the No retreat rule on both units (genestealer and hormgaunts). I think I only used it once, but I think I was wrong on this.

BLACK TEMPLARS

Seeing that the battle was going his way, my opponent moved his landraider and deployed his HQ unit waiting inside; he felt that having the extra firepower would help ensure victory. Using his Drednaught and Landraider, their concentrated fire quickly killed off the Sniperfex. In close combat his crusader squad killed 1 genestealer

TYRANIDS

I failed failed to score any hits/penetration hits on the shooting phase, and I could tell I was probably going to loose. In the assault phase, my terrible rolls pretty much confirmed it...

In CC, my winged Hive Tyrant due to some horrible rolling, only scored 2 immobilized rolls on the Venenable Drednaught. I actually scored a destroyed roll, but his veneralbe status, meant I had to roll again. Since he was already immobilized I think I destroyed both of its weapons. However, I'm wondering what would happen if I scored another immobilization hit.

BLACK TEMPLARS

With practically no other units to shoot at. His Land Raider and HQ unit, wielding the holy hand grenade, killed off 2 of my Tyrant Guard.. The tactical squad on the NE side, in fortification Gamma, having nothing else to shoot at, killed my last genestealer.

In close-combat, my Hive Tyrant only scored a glancing and penetrating hit on the Venerable Drednaught. The glancing hit, provided a shaken result, while he penetrating hit scored another immobilzed roll.

TYRANIDS

My shooting Hive Tyrant killed 3 of his space marines protecting Fortification Gamma. I thought about shooting at the Land Raider, but I just didn't think I had the statstical chance to do anything signficant. So I tried to secure Fortification Gamma and hope for to score a draw at the end of the game.

In the assault phase, I opted to assault the crusader on the NE quadrant. protecting Fortification Gamma. In close combat, I finally scored enough "vehicle destroyed" rolls on the Venerable Drednaught. My Shooting Hive Tyrant, also killed 4 space marines (3 by CC, 1 by the No Retreat Rule since his units are fearless). However, I noticed at the end of Turn 5, that he was definitely going to secure Fortification Gamma with his first Crusader squad. So it definitely seemed like he was going to win.

BLACK TEMPLARS

With no units really that could shoot, he opted to move his units into scoring position. The tactical squad on the NW side, moved back to secure fortifications Alpha. His Land Raider moved 12" to get within 6" of fortification gamma, thus preventing me from securing that fortification. Since he moved 12" that was going make my final turn very difficult.

TYRANIDS

Although I did score 1 glancing hit on the Land Raider during the shooting phase, but I think I only scored a shaken/stunned roll

I did my best to destroy the Land Raider in the assault phase. I managed to attack it with both my Hive Tyrants. However, due to the 6s to hit, I only scored 1 penetrating hit, only managing to destroy a weapon.

RESULT: Victory for the Black Templars

Although I haven't written these in a while, I love making Battle Reports, especially when I've lost - I have the opportunity to analyze what I did wrong and hopefully learn something new. Although I didn't roll that well, I consider it a part of the game. So most of my reflections were based on tactical or rule mistakes I might have made.

The first thing I noticed was that my deployment was really terrible. I felt I should have I deployed my raveners and hormgaunts together. However, I felt they weren't of any significant use in the middle of the board. It might have been better to deploy them on the far right flank. They have slightly better "speed" than most of my units and thus would have been better to go this way. My Winged Hive Tyrant was also too far back on the board. It may have better to deploy him closer but far on the SE side of the board. Overall my bad deployment really meant that he could pick off my units piece wise.

From a tactical standpoint, I also made my fair share of mistakes With both my Ravener's out of position, I'm wondering if I should have assaulted his Drednaught on the NW side. I didn't think I could assult the Techmarine, since my hormgaunts blocked most of the area. I thought it would be better to use them to draw fire from other units, but I could have been wrong about that. Late in the game, perhaps I should have assaulted his tactical squad instead of his Venerable Drednaught. Again, my bad rolls didn't help, but I'm wondering if I should have destroyed it sooner. I didn't figure it out until after the game (and thanks to some guys that told me on other forums) that if you score an immobilized roll, has no more weapons and is already immobilized, then the unit is considered destroyed. (I'm not sure why its listed as a "note" section on the explanation on the page).

I also think that when I have 2 different units loose combat and they are both outnumbered (i.e. 7 SM outnumbering 2 hormagaunts, and 1 genestealer), I need to make 2 separate NO retreat rolls - one for the hormagaunts and one for the genestealers. I'm really not sure about that one.

To his credit, my opponent understood which units to shoot at and for what reasons. I felt he shot at the Devilfex, since he knew my Sniperfex would have range to shoot at something the whole game. He also opted to fire at my fast moving units, ignoring the MC for most of the game. My poor deployment, just helped him make his decisions more tactically meaningful. Despite all my bad decisions, I can't take away anything from him. He just outplayed me. And considering I won a previous game with my opponent, at 750 points, we both felt good at the end of the day. In the end that's what really matters.