Raven Guard vs. 'Nids [500]

[Archetype-]

I ran down to the local Rogue Trader just to play anyone who wanted to play against my Raven Guard. Not long after I arrived, a guy came in who was new to Tyranids and had about 500 points worth. He had come in with the same aims as I, to play anyone who wanted to play him. We decided to play each other in a 500-point, to-the-death game. Below is the battle report.

My Raven Guard

Master (jump pack, artificer armor, lightning claws, Terminator Honors, iron halo, frags, meltas, bionics)
Cost: 196 points

Tactical Squad (1x lascannon, 1x plasma gun, 5x bolters)
Cost: 130 points

Scout Squad (5x sniper rifles)
Cost: 90 points

Land Speeder Tornado
Cost: 80 points

Total Points: 496

Unknown Hive Fleet

Hive Tyrant with 2xScything Talons
Cost: unknown

2x Termagaunt Broods w/fleshborers
Cost: unknown

Hormagaunt Brood w/scything talons
Cost: Unknown

Genestealer Brood (5-strong)
Cost: Unknown

Ripper Swarm (one base)
Cost: Unknown

Total Cost: Unknown (I know this would normally be a problem, but he seemed like an honorable person so I just let it slide. Suffice it to say, I was outnumbered about two, maybe three to one.)


Terrain: There were plenty of buildings over to my right, a line of three to my left running width-wise, and a little area fenced in with chiken wire. There was a fairly open area in the middle with no terrain, and most of the fighting would take place here.

Deployment: The unknown Hive Fleet deployed everything in the open area on the table edge opposite the fenced in area. The Hive Tyrant came in behind the Ripper Swarm, with the Genestealers on his left and a brood of Termagaunts on his right. To the left of the Genestealers was the Hormagaunt brood, and the other Termagaunt brood was on his far left.

I deployed the Sniper Scouts in the fenced in area, where they enjoyed line of sight to the majority of the enemy. The Master deployed attached to the Tactical Squad, which was in the open. The Tornado started behind one of the buildings on the far left.

We rolled for first turns, and I won. I chose to go first.

Raven Guard Turn One

Movement: Everyone stayed put except for the LST, which moved exactly 12" up the board edge.

Shooting: The Scouts saw the Genestealers as the likely threat, so they fired their sniper rifles at them. Of the five shots, three hit, and the Genestealers took two wounds. They passed their Morale check. The Marine with the lascannon had line of sight to the Hive Tyrant, so he took a shot. His one shot hit home and took a wound of the Hive Tyrant.

Assault: Nothing was in range, so there was nothing done.


Tyranid Turn One

Movement: Everything advanced towards me. Not a bad move.

Shooting: His 'Gaunts and 'Stealers used Fleet of Claw to get closer to me. The Hormagaunts pulled ahead of the rest of the pack, followed closely by the 'Stealers and the Termagaunts.

Assault: There was nothing in charge range yet, but that would change soon.

Summary: The Tyranids lost two Genestealers and the Tyrant suffered one wound. The Raven Guard suffered no casualties.


Raven Guard Turn Two

Movement: The LST moved into line of sight with the majority of the enemy, including that big, nasty Hive Tyrant. Everything else stayed put.

Shooting: The Master got his fellow battle brothers to direct any firepower they had at the Hive Tyrant, knowing that if it were to fall, the enemy would be much easier to pick off. The lascannon scored another wound on it, but sniper fire was rather ineffective (the only wound caused was saved). The LST poured everything it had on the Hive Tyrant, the assault cannon scoring another wound.

Assault: Again, no assault was to be had. So far Operation: Shoot The Hell Out Of 'Em was working.


Tyranid Turn Two

Movement: The Hive Tyrant moved toward the LST, angered by the fist-sized slug her gunner put in it. Everything else moved towards the Tactical and Scout squad. The squads out of synapse range passed their Leadership check.

Shooting: No shooting, as everything that could use fleet of claw did so.

Assault The Hormagaunts bounded into close combat with the Tactical squad, the 'Stealers engaged the Scouts, and the Tyrant charged the LST. We resolved the Tyrant/LST combat first. The Tyrant only managed to inflict one hit upon the skimmer, which failed to do anything aside from scratch the paint job. The Scouts brought up their rifles to use as clubs and struck first, but failed to land any blows. The 'Stealers butchered three of the five Scouts with an insane 15 attacks (see why I opted to shoot?). The other scouts passed their Morale check, thanks to the Rites of Battle. The Hormagaunts charged in, but were met with the lightning claws of the Master. Three 'Gaunts fell in five attacks. I lost one Marine to the Gaunts and inflicted another casualty. The Hormas fell back and were caught in a sweeping advance.

Turn Summary: The Tyranids lost all of their Hormagaunts and the Tyrant took two more wounds. The Raven Guard lost three Scouts in return.


Raven Guard Turn Three

Movement: The LST backed up 12", away from the menacing Hive Tyrant who had a bad case of road rage. Everything else stayed put.

Shooting: The Scouts directed their sniper rifles at the nearest Termagaunt brood, producing one casualty. The Tactical Squad unloaded on the same squad with rapid-firing bolters, plasma gun, and a lascannon shot. The lascannon failed to do anything, but the bolters and plasma produced five 'Gaunt corpses. The LST scored two hits on the Tyrant with the heavy bolter and one rending hit with the assault cannon. That meant the Tyrant lost his last wound and the only synapse creature was dead.

Assault: There was no assaulting to be had, so I had to endure lots and lots of bugs on my case.


Tyranid Turn Three

Movement & Shooting: The 'Nid player was intent on getting into close combat, so he used his movement and fleet of claw to get the right-hand Terma brood and the 'Stealers within charge range of the Tactical squad. The left-hand brood fell short in the attempt.

Assault: The Genestealers produced two casualties from 15 attacks, one of which was from rending. The Master cut down another three 'Gaunts. The Gaunts cut down one Marine and the Master took a wound. I passed my Morale check and the combat continued.

Turn Summary: The Tyranids lost nine Termagaunts and the Hive Tyrant. The Raven Guard lost three Tactical Marines and the Master took a wound. There were wtill lots of bugs itching to dice me up and have me for lunch. Not good.


Raven Guard Turn Four

Movement: I knew that everything I had in open area was going to die, so I moved my LST at full throttle to take care of the remnants. The Scouts stayed put and waited for a shot.

Shooting: There was no line of sight to anything for the Scouts, and the LST had used it's full movement to get into position behind the big combat.

Assault: The Stealers cut down another two more Marines, both to rending. The Master took down two 'Gaunts with his lightning claws. The 'Gaunts took down one more Marine with no return casualties. The Master also took another wound.


Tyranid Turn Four

Movement & Shooting: The remaining 'Gaunts and the Ripper Swarm flew into melee. Fleshborer fire was ineffective.

Assault: Combined attacks produced one Marine casualty, and nothing was done back to them. I failed my Morale check and fell back... right into the Genestealers. Crud.

Turn Summary: The Tyranids lost only two Termagaunts. The Raven Guard lost three Marines and the Master was on his last wound.


Raven Guard Turn Five

Movement: The LST moved 12" towards the buildings on my left. The Scouts stayed put and hoped for another shot.

Shooting: Everything was in close combat, so nothing could be shot at.

Assault: The Master lost his last wound to Genestealer rending claws, his iron halo unable to save him. Return attacks by the last Tactical Marine were blocked. The Marine passed his Morale check, even though he required a three to succeed!


Tyranid Turn Five (played after the 'Nid player got some food)

Movement & Shooting: His Stealers engaged my last Tactical Marine.

Assault Termagaunt attacks produced a single wound on the lone Tactical Marine, which was saved. Genestealer took down that last Marine.

Turn Summary: The Nid's lost nothing. The Raven Guard lost their Master and their last Marine.


Raven Guard Turn Six

Movement: My LST moved another 12", continuing a zig-zaging pattern that would run until the game ended.

Shooting: The LST cut down the rest of a 'Gaunt brood and produced enough casualties on the other to force it to fall back. Sniper fire was ineffective.

Assault: None to be had.


Tyranid Turn Six

Movement: His 'Gaunts failed to regroup, so they fell back off the table edge. His 'Stealers moved to engage the idle scouts.

Shooting: His only ranged unit ran off, so there was no shooting to be had.

Assault: The Genestealers shredded the Scouts with more rending.

Turn Summary: The 'Nid player was down to his Genestealers, and all I had was my LST.


Raven Guard Turn Seven

Movement: Another 12" logged onto the LST's odometer.

Shooting: The LST finished off the Genestealers with its weapons, inflicting exactly three wounds.


VICTORY TO THE RAVEN GUARD!!

Afterthoughts: We both agreed it was a very good game and very close. If I hadn't fielded my Land Speeder Tornado or if I hadn't gotten first turn, I might not have won at all. He admitted he was screwed by only taking one synapse creatureand not giving the 'Gaunts the Hive Node, but he gave me a run for my money. I probably should have gotten those Scouts away from the Genestealers, but my mind was obviously elsewhere. He really screwed up when he chose to charge my Land Speeder Tornado with his Hive Tyrant, and he payed for his error in the end with a big dead bug.

Any questions, comments, or constructive criticism from the peanut gallery?

[Intrepid Adventurer]

What can I say? Nice read, clear and easy to follow. Good job on the report. (:

[bonjordo]

not too bad a report.

[gamesondemand]

nice game, nice report.

[dunno]

well i have never read such a nice n neat report....i have to say though...the action was there from the start...i think taking snipers with ur scouts...maby just standard guns and a hvy bolter...i think would have been better against gaunts and steelers...wtf the guy was doing with his steelers i dont know...but he must of had no clue
no affence tho....

[Archetype-]

Well, the guy was new to the 'Nids, so you'd have to expect that of him. We played with the models we had on hand (which explains why my Master was so expensive). The weak link in his list was the Hive Tyrant. It was his only synapse creature, and he made the mistake of assaulting a skimmer (my LST). He had a lot of rending hits with the 'Stealers, and that really put a cramp in my plans. I may have taken out two of them, but those other three got their point back and then some.

In short, he was a 'Nid newbert. Go easy on 'im.

[Urb4n_D3c4y]

Nice report. Very organized and easy to read. I like that.
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Good job on your victory
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( The New man) He chose a difficult army to start with and managed to give a SM player a run for his money... kudos to the Nid player.

[Archetype-]

Actually, it was his second race. He also has 1,300 points worth of Black Templars, which I will be fighting on Friday the 29th. I myself am still new to Raven Guard, and expected to lose this one. I will not complain about a victory, though.

I was hoping to sort of emulate the style of battle report posted by Ascension (see "Battle for Alexandria" and "'Nids Attack!"), but the hybrid fluff/factual style has proven difficult to type out. Until I can get a hang of it, this is how my batreps will look.

EDIT: This coming Thursday, the local gaming guru will be bringing a large Space Wolves army to the table, and anyone who shows up with 500 points of anything gets to team up to slaughter him. It'll be difficult to plan for, but I plan to fight my best.

[thamkeng]

Very nice report, a pleasure to read because it was set out so well.

[Winters]

Nice report, but what's with the 200 point charcter in a 500 point fight?