Warhammer 40,000

Warhammer 40,000 is the futuristic tabletop game that I have been playing since Feb '99. I have only collected one army to date and have so far made them (hopefully) a force to be reckoned with. However, as the Tyranid Codex is so late coming out, I haven't played too many games lately. This is where you can keep abreast of my battles and my army's (and my own) progress.

If you want a more in-depth battle commentary go to Deadnet's 40k section.

Codex: Daemons

The Daemon Codex is underway. Check it out here

My Army

My Tyranid army started off with a Hive Tyrant, a Biovore and some Genestealers. I started off from there by buying a Carnifex, followed by a lot of (too many) Genestealers. I found that, despite their vast numbers, they were getting killed far too easily by the guns of my opposition, so I bought cannon fodder for them in the form of Ripper Swarms - 6 of them. My later buys saw the adaptation of the force to a more guns-based one, and I now find upwards of 30 Genestealers just sitting on my shelf. I have found that Biovores and Zoanthropes are some of the best things I can have for my army, and have nearly acquired the full legal complement of both. Tyranid Warriors are a must, and they are excellent for their Synapse ability with my 'stealers. I am currently experiencing problems of speed, so I am looking to buy a Lictor and more Hormagaunts.

Record

The debut of this army occurred as a practice run so that I could develop my basic understanding of the gameplay and some of the rules. It was in a day consisting of 3 matches: Me vs. Graeme (Dead as in Deadnet - see Links) and his Chaos, then Michael's Space Marines vs. Graeme's Chaos, and finally a 3 way bloodfest. The first match was grossly unfair on Graeme. The setup was such that my Genestealers had cover right up to the enemy, and were only 2 turns away from close combat. This of course led to my first victory. I know that there was almost no way I could lose under such circumstances, but it felt good to have my first victory in as many games at any rate. I learnt the basic 'nid tactics (ie run like hell at the enemy and try not to die before you get there) and, due to the outcome, I was encouraged. Michael had a slightly more difficult challenge against him and lost, mainly due to the close-combat ferocity of a Khorne Berzerker champion on a juggernaut (which held nothing to my Tyrant, another reason why my day was so much easier than Mike's). In the 3-way I found myself a target of Mike's Missile launchers at every oppurtunity for him to fire them. This made life hell, and, as soon as I had taken out Graeme (having won between them I saw him as the greater challenge) my Genestealers were rocked by rippling Frag missiles. My other troops were poorly represented, a lone Hive Tyrant not doing sufficient damage to the wave of bolter troops surrounding the heavies, so my second game was my first loss.

Day 1 - 1 Win, 1 Loss

My second day of play was with the same two people, but a fourth player joined us - Chris and his Dark Angels. This addition meant that the teams were: My Tyranids, Graeme's Chaos, Mike's Dark Angels and Chris' Dark Angels. The first match of the day would be a tester for the Angels boys - A nightfight. In these games vision is impared, so guns cannot shoot you until you're closer. In addition, the match was a team game for sectors. I was teamed with Graeme (Khornate Chaos) against the guns of the imperium - two Dark Angels squads which both emphasised brute firepower over anything else. Our team obviously held the advantage. Only one sector was never contested - our home sector, which was infiltrated by an assassin, but held by Biovores (which usefully don't need line of sight and so are great for sector games as they don't ever need to move and can just sit behind a wall). We managed to contest the enemy sector and control a third, contesting the last, until on the last scheduled turn a biker squadron at full speed contested the third sector and heavies and a librarian cleansed their own. The result: a draw as both sides held their own sector and contested the other two.

The second match of the day was a breakout. Mike's Marines and my own Tyranids started off on either side of the table, with Dead's Chaos in between. For this match I decided to take no Genestealers, but to lend Graeme a small squad of them, in an attempt to slightly level the playing field, with a full, unaltered Space Marines Chapter of over 1750pts on the opposite flank, I decided that it would be better if Graeme had a slight chance of victory, so I sent only a guns-based squad. Despite the fact that my army was supposed to be a close-combat army (which meant that my guns were poorly represented at the time), the might of the Marines and it's assassin led to our own shallow victory. This was offset by the fact that, in my eyes, I had discovered that Tyranids are more fun to use when they are guns-led (though probably not better this way). This is because it isn't simply run for a few turns and then kill, you actually get to fight back early on, allowing you to clear the way towards (or through) the important enemies. It allows far more tactical thinking in operating a Tyranid force, and that, as we all know, is the name of the game.

With that in mind, I entered the 3rd game of the day - A meat grinder. Once again I teamed up with Dark Angels to tackle the might of the Khornate Chaos, but this time it was Chris' less-heavy-firepower-and-no-assassin Marines that I shared battle with. The die was rolled to see how many turns we would have to wipe him out in, and how long he would have to survive. Unlucky for Dead, he would have to survive 5 turns of constant combat from all sides in order to win. I took as many guns as I could within the points limit, and once again, no Genestealers (perfect though they would have been), as Chris decided to take a force comprised of his whole stock, as he had a smaller army than most, and needed them all to make up the points. Turn 1 went well. My Hive Tyrant's Venom Cannon blasted the first Dreadnought into steaming metal and warp blasts and missiles slathered a biker squadron to the floor. The game continued this way for a few turns, with casualties falling all around, ours of course reemerging from the table-edge, until about turn 3. Then Dead's Terminator squad appeared behind my Tyrant. In the haste of having them finally arrive, Graeme forgot to fire their weapons, and human error saved my HQ choice. Immediately, The beast turned and charged at them, killing 2 before Daemonettes realised themselves all around. Fighting continued and the terminators dissolved, leaving my Hive Tyrant locked in Melee with Daemonettes, and the remnants of a Berzerker squad in hand-to-hand with a Marine squad. Realising hat only 2 turns remained in which to win, and that all enemy were locked in combat (our army was totally guns-based!) I needed to charge in with my remaining 5 termagants in order to achieve victory. The number of attacks they brought into combat were needed and allowed me finally to kill the Daemonettes with their invulnerable saves. Locked in and out of reach, the game came down to the remaining close-combat: a faltering Berzerker squad vs. a Space Marine tactical squad. Power swords and knives flashed everywhere, but ultimately, the Berzerkers' aspiring champion with power sword survived, the sole Chaos model on the table, but it was enough. A Chaos victory, and the best fight I've ever had.

Day 2 - 1 Win, 1 Draw and 1 Loss.

Day 3 and I'm against Mike Astbury's Space Marines. A 1200pt battle that is a pure cleanse. Importantly, the new codex had just been released and this is my first game using them. Instead of just taking the units tht aren't much different I decide to jump in at the deep end of the rules pool and take bio-modified Tyrant nd Warriors and Ripper Swarm. I take the trusty Carnifex (with a new S8 Assault 1 Ord Blast weapon!) and a pack of the new and improved 'stealers.

Turn 1 - Tyranids

Carnifex lumbered forwards in a flurry of Ripper's talons. At haste, the infiltrating Genestealers drew steadily towards the Marine Devastators shielded by the cover of a hill.

Turn 1 - Space Marines

Dreadnought cranks and creeks as it moves into position. A tactical squad spots the 'fex by the nearby ruins and draw Boltguns. Levelled, they fire, scoring a wound against the beast. Another Tactical squad turns to face the Genestealers appearing to their flank and fire. A bug is slain.

Turn 2 - Tyranids

The Rippers swarm through the ruins, pouring through the crevices and gaps to emerge in view of the Humans. A furious volley from their genetically implanted Spinefists fails to kill. Sanguine, the Screaming Death runs at the Marines. Unleashing a powerful Seed from its strangler, first blood is drawn as a corpse hits the floor. 'Stealers appear from around the landform. Just out of reach, they will have to suffer the devastating blows from a Devastator squad and tactical squad before they begin their feast.

Turn 2 - Marines

Terminators teleport to battle. Too close to the hordes, they are locked in combat before a single bullet is loosed. Dreadnought unleashes hellfire on the Carnifex, but the beast's chitinous armour won't allow a lick of it through. Flabbergasted, it edges towards the Genestealers as it fires. The tactical squad lets another volley rip before the Heavies feed them their deadly fodder.

Turn 3 - Tyranids

Genestealers dash for the tactical squad in front of them. At a sprint, they have them where they like them; in combat. The Carnifex fires its strangler at the Marines, but fails to penetrate plasteel armour. It races for the Terminators in aid of the Rippers that are piling in. Power Swords hum through flesh and bone as the Carnifex's Bio-Plasma attack does not penetrate armour. Rippers gnaw through armour and flesh and slay a Marine. The awesome Scythe arms on the Carnifex smash through the enemy like twigs and two are killed. Powerfists swing through the air and slay two rippers. Meanwhile, Genestealers slay two marines in the first barrage, with equal losses.

Turn 3 - Marines

The tactical squad has no choice but to pile in around the advancing Genestealers in an attempt to slow their assault. Another squad prepares to fire at the bugs when combat breaks. The Dreadnought does the same. Devastators consolidate and prepare. Again, the Carnifex's Bio-plasma fails to breach the invulnerable armour of the terminators, but the power swords are far more successful on the Rippers' flesh - reducing one swarm to one wound remaining. The Rippers fight back ferociously, but cannot kill. The Carnifex again brings its unbelievable might to bear on the Marines and kills another terminator. Powerfists glow and finish the remaining Rippers. The Carnifex is destroyed by their power. The remaining marines are slaughtered and a couple run from the combat, but are annihilated by the advancing bugs.

Turn 4 - Tyranids

Dark figures dot the skies as a brood of Subadars - genetically enhanced Tyranid Warriors - appear for the fight against the humans. A larger beast also appears to aid its colleagues - the monstrous Scythe Tyrant species of the Hive Tyrant genus also appears just behind the advancing Genestealers. The Tyrant unleashes its barbed strangler on the Marine heavies, sending fresh flesh to the worms. In the open, both sets of reinforcements must endure fire before they can wreak havoc on the mortals. Genestealers charge into the remaining tactical squad. They are in few numbers at their charge and are overcome by the Marines, but due to the new nodes of the Hive Mind that have swooped down around them, they do not run.

Turn 4 - Marines

The Tactical squad piles in on the 'stealers, and the Dreadnought charges into them. Devastators fire a volley of missiles and plasma guns at the winged Tyrant, but only manage to inflict a single wound against the beast. The terminators fare a little better against the Subadars, bullets and bolts slaying one bug and wounding another. They charge the warriors to gain the benefit of attack. Flesh and armour crumble between the rending claws of the Genestealers, and the Dreadnought and Marines score three kills in vengeance. Terminators flounder under the power and penetration of the Subadars' rending claws and three are killed. A fist kills a subadar, and another is reduced to a wound.

Turn 5 - Tyranids

The Tyrant unloads a deadly seed against the Heavy squad, but none are killed. It then charges into hand-to-hand with them and the blood begins to flow. Genestealers packed into combat with the Dreadnought and the remaining two marines. Subadars filled in the gaps in their feud with Terminators. Genestealer claws tore at the Dreadnought, hoping that a rending claw would grab a hold and slay the war machine, but no such luck came to them. The Dreadnought's return strikes and the two marines' attacks were enough to dissolve the remaining bugs. The Tyrant dispatched three of the Devastators, to no return. The rending claws of the Subadars claimed three more terminators, and their enemy was gone. Their advance brought them into combat with the Dreadnought and the marines.

Turn 6 - Marines

Every human on the battlefield was locked into combat and each packed into its respective opponent. The Scythe Tyrant slew a couple more of its foes, and they folded. Its advance brought it closer to the last remaining combat where, under rending claws and scythed talons, the Dreadnought was finally destroyed. Only one Subadar still stood against the two marines at the end of the turn.

Turn 7 - Tyranids

The Tyrant charged into the combat and with its brother warrior, the battle was won with the sacrifice of the last two men.

Day 3 - 1 Win, 0 Loss