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Blood Vow

Happiness is success... (Buddha)

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Battle Analysis • Nurgle vs. Tyranids


I had an exciting game yesterday evening versus Tyranids played by one of the better local players. We used the fourth sample mission from BeakyCon3...

Two main objectives:
• There are three objective markers placed along the mid line of the board (long way). One objective marker is in the center of the table. The other two are 18" on either side. If you control the objective marker in your opponent's deployment zone it's worth 4 battle points. If you control the objective marker in your own table quarter it's worth 2 battle points. The objective marker in the center is worth 3 battle points.

• Table quarters - Each table quarter you control is worth 1 battle point. You must have the most scoring units wholly within a table quarter to control it. Dedicated transports don't count and squads must be disembarked.

Modified Night Fight is automatic the first turn. Units cannot shoot more than 24". Night vision does not work. Barrage automatically scatters 3d6 if the large blast template is placed beyond 24" range - if you roll a HIT then use the small arrow to determine the direction of the scatter.

A scoring unit can only hold one objective marker.

Deployment: Hammer and Anvil

Bonus Points: 1 battle point each for Slay the Warlord & Line Breaker (no First Blood)

No Mystery Terrain or Mystery Objectives rules.


Here is my 2250 point Chaos Nurgle army:

Chaos Space Marines Primary Detachment


Chaos Lord (Warlord)
Mark of Nurgle, Blight Grenades, Power Axe, Sigil of Corruption, Chaos Bike, The Black Mace

Sorcerer
Mark of Nurgle, Blight Grenades, Psychic Mastery Level 3, Sigil of Corruption, Force Axe, Spell Familiar, Palanquin of Nurgle

5x Plague Marine - Flamer & Meltagun
Plague Champion - Power Axe
Chaos Rhino - Dirge Caster, Dozer Blades, Havoc Launcher

5x Plague Marine - Flamer & Meltagun
Plague Champion - Power Fist
Chaos Rhino - Dirge Caster, Dozer Blades, Havoc Launcher

5x Plague Marine - 2x Meltagun
Plague Champion - Combi-Melta & Power Axe
Chaos Rhino - Dirge Caster, Dozer Blades, Havoc Launcher

Chaos Daemons Allied Detachment

Great Unclean One
Greater Rewards x2, Psychic Mastery Level 3

16x Plaguebearers of Nurgle

16x Plaguebearers of Nurgle

5x Plague Drones of Nurgle - Rot Proboscis
Plaguebringer - Rot Proboscis, Greater Reward

Daemon Prince - Daemonic Flight, Warp Forged Armour, Greater Rewards x2, Psychic Mastery Level 3, Daemon of Nurgle

Here are the psychic power and greater rewards I rolled up:

Sorcerer - Plague Wind, Iron Arm, Endurance
Great Unclean One - 3+ armor, +1 W, Iron Arm, Endurance, Life Leech
Daemon Prince - Bale Sword, Armorbane & Fleshbane, Iron Arm, Endurance, Life Leech


Here is the Tyranid army to the best of my memory:

Hive Tyrant - Wings, Twin Linked Devourers, Ancient Adversary (Warlord)
Hive Tyrant - Wings, Twin Linked Devourers

Tervigon
Tervigon
Tervigon

17x termagant
10x termagant
10x termagant

3x Biovore

3x Hive Guard

Doom - Mycetic Spore

3x Zoanthrope - Mycetic Spore

5x Yrmgal Genestealer
5x Yrmgal Genestealer

I don't remember all the psychic powers he rolled up but just like me every monstrous creature had Iron Arm. Doom took Psychic Shriek.

We made a few mistakes. This was my first time playing this army with Nurgle daemons so keep that in mind. First we forgot that the first is automatic Night Fight. Second I was not aware that Chaos Space Marines can't join daemonic units even though they are Battle Brothers. Lastly I thought the Great Unclean One is WS9 (looked at the stat from the Daemon Prince by accident... whoops).

I got to choose my deployment zone and go first selecting the side with more terrain.

I opted to hold the Great Unclean One in reserve so I could deep strike him to the rear of Tyranid army and act as a distraction. Of course he misshaped and my opponent decided to place him close to his Tervigons so he could tarpit Big Fatty with lots and lots of spawned gants. My opponent stated he was going to wipe Big Fatty off the table first turn. The Great Unclean One managed to stick around for at least the fourth turn though and ate lots of gants, easily destroying two broods. Of course my mistake in regard to his WS certainly helped the greater daemon last a lot longer than he should have. In retrospect I should have deployed him along with the rest of my army to bolster my forces.

I also held both Plaguebearer squads in reserve as well. One squad mishapped but fortunately went right back into ongoing reserves.

I deployed the three rhinos with the Sorcerer embarked in one along with the Daemon Prince, Chaos Lord and Plague Drones in the center of my deployment zone. The plan was to draw in the Tyranid units held in reserve and rack up the kill points. This worked well overall... I managed to take out the Doom (meltagun to the face.. gotta love that - heh), Zoies, both Broods of Yrmgal genestealers and both spores. In return I lost the Plague Drones in the exchange along with some of my Plague Marines. I think if the Plague Drones had lasted a bit longer it could have really swung the final results. As it was they lost a good number of wounds to the Doom's spirit leech power and I forgot to use their stealth plus shrouded cover save 2++. The Plague Drones still did great tarpitting several enemy units for a few turns and helped to eradicate the genestealers.


I flew the Daemon Prince right into the front of the enemy lines barreling straight into the large brood of 17 termagants on the second turn. He also stuck it out a long time killing at least another two broods of gants as well. Again in retrospect I think it would have been better to have held him back as well.



The two big blocks of Plaguebearers performed great along with both the Chaos Lord and Sorcerer. I have opted to gift the Sorcerer with a Palanquin of Nurgle which is awesome... He basically functions like a walking Daemon Prince plus he can still join other units (Plague Marines of course) and fits in a rhino.

Towards the end of the game the two Flyrants were able to remain in my deployment zone and they caused me the most problems by far. Not having any long range shooting in my army is its major weakness and must be addressed. I think I might change out one of my monstrous creatures for a squad of Obliterators. One failed grounding check and either Flyrant would have been easily consumed by my hordes of Plaguebearers. One Flyrant is a whole heck of a lot easier to handle than two. As it was the dual Flyrants had free reign eventually shooting down all three rhinos and contesting the objective in my deployment zone the last turn for a xenos victory.


Shadows in the Warp is major problem for enemy psychic heavy armies. I rarely was able to successfully cast any powers and that hurt. This is something I need to figure out how to address. I think it can be done too by use of proper positioning.


So there you have it. The game went six turns and we both destroyed 10 enemy units each. First Blood was not in play, neither of us scored Slay the Warlord and my opponent got Line Breaker. The central objective marker was contested along with the one in my deployment zone while my opponent held his. If it had gone a seventh turn I might have had a slight chance to take the central objective marker... I was down to my Chaos Lord with 15 Plaguebearers in the middle while my other squad of Plaguebearers were back sitting on my objective marker contested by a Flyrant. In hindsight I should have pushed them forward as well to fight for the central objective marker.


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