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The Armies of 40k => Tyranids => Topic started by: Flankster on March 10, 2014, 05:01:18 PM

Title: Battle Rep (2) 500 pt Patrols vs Tau and Necron
Post by: Flankster on March 10, 2014, 05:01:18 PM
I finally got my first game in with the new codex. Due to time constraints we only tested it at 500 pts, which is frustrating and not really conclusive of anything, but here you go:

Game 1 - 500 pts versus Tau
Tyranids
Death Leaper

8 genestealers + broodlord

8 genestealers + broodlord

Tau
Cadre Fireblade

(3) 6-man firewarrior teams

(1) 5-man pathfinder team

(1) Piranha

(1) 3-man stealthsuit team


Mission
Purge the Alien

Deployment
Dawn of War

Basically, Deathleaper (without any synapse) failed his IB tests 4/5 turns and eventually fled off the board, but not before he killed the piranha. In hindsight, I should have gone to ground each time I failed the IB roll.

The genestealers infiltrated into cover on the left flank opposite pathfinders. I was fortunate enough to roll Iron wood on the mysterious terrain table getting a 3++ save in cover. I used the broodlords to cast Horror on the pathfinders and nearby (supporting fire) fire warriors. He denied the witch 2 times (which was annoying) but I assaulted the pathfinders on turn 3, eventually working my way down the fire line. I challenged Fireblade with the broodlord and killed him outright. My opponent never quite finished off either genestealer squad (ended with a squad of 1 and a squad of 2) so only got 2 points for slay the warlord and a VP for killing Deathleaper (even though Deathleaper ran off the board voluntarily). Tyranids won 8-2.

Game 2 - 500 pts versus Necron

Tyranids
2 Tervigons

13 Termegaunts
14 Termegaunts

Necron
5 warriors, 1 lord in a ghost arc
5 warriors
Annihilation Barge with Overlord

Mission
Emperor's Will

Deployment
Hammer and Anvil

1 tervigon (warlord) took domion and rolled FnP 5+ warlord trait
other tervigon rolled Catalyst (FnP 6+)

I abandoned my objective early on, attempting to flood his zone with gaunts. The tervigons both spawned twice before gumming up, but they spawned a lackluster total of 34 gaunts.  I sent the last spawned squad back to hold my objective. As soon as they reached it (in a razerwing forest) they went to ground so my tervigon could support the front line.

He sent the annihilation barge out to strafe over my gaunt lines. I was able to Smash him with 2 tervigons. They both missed the first time. Then they killed him, but he stood back up. Finally on turn 4, they killed him, and smashed the barge to pieces taking a few gaunts out in the explosion. He thinned the ranks of gaunts quite a bit, but eventually the tervigons assaulted the ghost arc and smashed it to pieces. Finally the game ended with 2 tervigons (with only 2 wounds on one), and a handful of gaunts from 4 different squads closing in on his objective. I had first blood, slay the warlord and line breaker, and we each had an objective. Tyranids won 6-3.

Discussion

Comments? Anyone else have a good 500 pt list?

 
Title: Re: Battle Rep (2) 500 pt Patrols vs Tau and Necron
Post by: Dangerousdave0042 on March 10, 2014, 09:21:34 PM
Failing a LD test of 10 four out of 5 turns is not "average" by any stretch of the imagination and therefore doesn't make a good basis for comparison. Same as getting iron wood, but you could say one balanced the other out?

I would have thought you would have lost against the Tau, but ...
Title: Re: Battle Rep (2) 500 pt Patrols vs Tau and Necron
Post by: Flankster on March 10, 2014, 09:36:51 PM
Well crap.

Quote
Failing a LD test of 10 four out of 5 turns

I didn't understand what you meant by this, so I reread the codex. I didn't roll the LD test. I just realized I was outside Synapse range and rolled on the Lurk table. Silly me. He probably would've done a lot better than he did.

Quote
I would have thought you would have lost against the Tau, but ...
So did I. Deploying all on one flank helped me out a bit (as did the cover). Also, I only brought 3 units (to his 7) so in Purge the Alien, I had quite the advantage. The stars aligned and I eeked out the win. Again, I don't think this list would perform the same next time. Thanks for pointing out my mistake.

Post Merge: March 10, 2014, 10:30:05 PM
In the future, please use the modify button. Double posting is against the forum rules, and for that reason, the system merged your posts.

Moderator. Please move this thread to the Battle Reports Sticky. My bad.
Title: Re: Battle Rep (2) 500 pt Patrols vs Tau and Necron
Post by: Wyddr on March 11, 2014, 09:36:16 AM
Thanks for the report!

I would say your Tau opponent wasn't bringing the best list to the table. I agree you probably still ought to have lost, but his units were very small, especially given the Cadre Fireblade's special ability (which works best with large units). It looks like the Tau guy is just starting out--that list he brought has all the hallmarks of a Tau Battleforce. I wouldn't take a lone piranha, for instance. He'd have been better suited by another Stealth suit or more firewarriors.

The trick with 500-point games, I've found, is having lots of bodies. You found this out in the second game in spades--lots of cheap gaunts trumps a couple Necron warriors easily. In low point games, it is almost always wise to eschew toys in favor of more boys.
Title: Re: Battle Rep (2) 500 pt Patrols vs Tau and Necron
Post by: Flankster on March 11, 2014, 02:42:31 PM

Quote
I would say your Tau opponent wasn't bringing the best list to the table. I agree you probably still ought to have lost, but his units were very small, especially given the Cadre Fireblade's special ability (which works best with large units). It looks like the Tau guy is just starting out--that list he brought has all the hallmarks of a Tau Battleforce. I wouldn't take a lone piranha, for instance. He'd have been better suited by another Stealth suit or more firewarriors.

Well, neither of us really understand the concept of all-comer's lists. We always try to out-game each other in the lists. In a game that usually rewards lots of scoring troops choices, I don't think his list was all that bad. The piranha had a fusion blaster and is quick enough to run down a vehicle. I agree fireblade's team should've been twice as big.

Quote
In low point games, it is almost always wise to eschew toys in favor of more boys.
Good advice. I'm wondering if it would be worth skipping the tervigons and putting the points straight into more troops on the board. I would lose the ability to smash vehicles though.
Title: Re: Battle Rep (2) 500 pt Patrols vs Tau and Necron
Post by: Wyddr on March 12, 2014, 09:24:52 AM
I'd keep the Tervigons just to keep synapse on the board, honestly. Monstrous Creatures are hard to take down at small point levels, and you need synapse to remain effective.

Vehicles at this point level shouldn't be too much of a concern. You'll usually be dealing with lightly armored transports and such (Rhinos, Chimeras, *maybe* a Wave Serpent). Nothing, at any rate, that would *require* the presence of a fusion blaster or a Monster to take out, with the possible exception of dreadnoughts and Necron vehicles. Your buddy could do just fine with scooting his Stealths around to hit rear and side armor.