So this year, I was sort of conflicted as to what I should bring to the Bay Area Open GT, otherwise known as the BAO. If I had really wanted to try to win it all, I would have brought my Necrons. However, for the last 2 major GT's (2013 LVO and 2014 Adepticon), I already brought my Necrons. I really didn't want to run them 3 tournaments in a row and so I decided to bring my bugs instead.
So what is my goal for this tournament? I don't think my bugs have what it takes to win it all just currently. However, that is not my ambition. Rather, I decided to set a goal that I felt might have been more achievable for my bugs. Last year, unexpectedly, I actually won the Best Tyranids player award at the BAO, finishing 9th out of 144 players. This year, I decided to set my goal to trying to win Best Tyranids again.
So why Skyblight? It used to be the most powerful Tyranid army build of 6th Edition, but now with 7th Edition out, it is debatable whether it is the most competitive Tyranid build anymore. It's main advantage used to be that it was the only 6E army with Objective Secured units. Now, that is an advantage no longer as every army has it. It used to be strong because FMC's were strong in 6E. Now, while FMC's have become more resilient overall, the consensus is that Tyranid FMC's (other than the flyrant) have been nerfed greatly. Whereas harpies were considered "iffy" last edition, currently, they are actually considered "bad" in this edition. So why even take Skyblight at all?
1. It's an excuse to bring another flyrant.
2. Recyclable gargoyles are still good.
3. I've been working on this army since 6th and I'll be damned if the time, money and effort used into building this army is wasted. Gotta run them in at least 1 major tournament.
4. Wanted to see how much they have changed since 6th.
In any case, enough of my babbling and let's get on with the show.
But before I get into my first game, here are some pictures of some of the armies. If you recognize whose army is whose, feel free to give a shout-out.
Army Pics
Spoiler:
SabrX's AV13-spam Sisters of Battle. He was my Game #2 opponent.
Lyzz's Daemons. Lyzz was the winner of the BAO last year.
The #1 army after Day #1, with Barbed Hierodule and Void Shield Generator.
The #2 army after Day #1. Yes, both the 1st and 2nd place army after Day #1 were bugs. #2 was running the Living Artillery formation.
A nasty seer council mechdar list.
Grey Knights with Space Marine allies. Also my Game #5 opponent.
Salamanders with Forgeworld nastiness. Also my Game #6 opponent.
Check out the big dude!
The Overall winner of the BAO, Steve Sisk and his marine bikers.
One of the rarely seen Space Wolves armies!
I believe he is running the Tau Firebase Cadre formation.
More Knights! I swear, if GK wants to sell something, all they've got to do is to slap on the moniker Knight to the name of the model somewhere and voila!
Yeah, SabrX's army not only looks fancy, but it actually is kinda scary as well, with 9 AV13 vehicles and an Imperial Knight as well as a ton of AP1 shots.
pretre wrote: Looks like SabrX went with my suggestion for how to rep repressors.
Yup, thanks for the suggestion! It worked out great.
jy2 wrote: Yeah, SabrX's army not only looks fancy, but it actually is kinda scary as well, with 9 AV13 vehicles and an Imperial Knight as well as a ton of AP1 shots.
BTW, that is my IK that he is using.
Thanks for lending your Imperial Knight and display board. Wow, your pictures turned out really well! I look forward to reading your report.
Really looking forward to this! I need to figure out what to do with my bugs in 7th and your writeups / tactics were my main guide in 6th. Unfortunately, I don't think I want to run Skyblight so it's not as comparable, but I'm sure I'll still learn quite a bit from these
This is an approximation of Carlos' list, as I couldn't find the list that he gave to me.
Marneus "The Man" Calgar
10x Sternguards - 5x Combi-meltas, Drop Pod
10x Sternguards - 5x Combi-meltas, Drop Pod
10x Tacticals - Mix of guns, Drop Pod
10x Tacticals - Mix of guns, Drop Pod
10x Tacticals - Mix of guns, Drop Pod
8x Tacticals - Mix of guns, Drop Pod
5x Tacicals - Drop Pod
1. Hold Maelstrom Objective 1.
2. Hold Maelstrom Objective 2.
3. Have a scoring unit at least partially within the enemy deployment zone.
4. Destroy an Enemy Unit.
5. Destroy an Enemy Unit.
6. Have at least 3 of your and none of your opponent's scoring units in your deployment zone.
Tertiary Objectives: First Blood, Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord, 1-pt each
This will actually be the very first time in 7th that I will be playing against Drop Pod marines. I know that they are good. Now I get to find out just how good they actually are. I like Carlos' list. I myself have been thinking of breaking out my Marines once again (haven't played them ever since 5th Edition) and if I were to run them, I would have gone with Ultramarines led by Calgar as well. So now I get to see how an army build that I was thinking about running would do against an army build that I am actually currently running.
Going into the matchup, there were 2 things that made me nervous. One was, of course, my opponent's 1st turn alpha-strike. He will most likely be dropping his 20 sternguards on Turn 1 with their Poison 2+ bolters. That's going to be 40 shots, re-rolling 1's to hit due to the Ultramarine doctrine, and wounding on 2's! It's basically a guaranteed First Blood and a dead flyrant, maybe more. Or it could be a dead bastion and venomthrope if I somehow let him get within double-melta range. Either ways, that is bad news for me. My 2nd concern was that I only had 1 smallish (maybe a 3"x4") ruins terrain in my deployment zone. Now I'm not going to be able to fit that many FMC's into that small space, which meant that my strategy would be to reserve a portion of my army.
So my opponent is playing drop pods with a lot of Objective Secured units. That means that he would have a huge advantage in the Secondary, the Maelstrom scenario. So my strategy is this. I will concede the Secondary to my opponent and go after the Primary. I just can't contest his ObSec units with my FMC's so I am not going to even bother. Yeah, it's not a very good strategy, but against an army with so many ObSec units, there isn't much you can do if you don't have enough ObSec units yourself. Winning Maelstrom will be a longshot for my army, just like winning a VP scenario is tough for MSU armies.
I deploy my bastion back (with venomthrope inside) and then bubble-wrap it with gargoyles. I also deploy 1 flyrant and then reserve the rest of my army.
Now why just 1 flyrant? Because it is part of my strategy. I actually deploy the bastion and flyrant on the opposite flank to my Emperor's Will objective. The flyrant is to serve as "bait" to draw his 2 units of sternguards (and probably 1 tactical squad as well). If he goes for it, then I will deploy the rest of my army at the opposite flank, thereby ignoring and abandoning my bastion, which is just to serve as a decoy. Hopefully, that will take out 20-30 marines as they will be out of position with regards to both EW objectives.
2. Hold Maelstrom Objective 2.
3. Have a scoring unit at least partially within the enemy deployment zone.
Tyranids:
5. Destroy an Enemy Unit.
6. Have at least 3 of your and none of your opponent's scoring units in your deployment zone.
Marneus' unit deepstrikes onto Maelstrom Objective #2.
The rest of his units - 2 sternguards and 1 tactical - land exactly where I was hoping he would.
BTW, Carlos opts to use his Doctrine of re-roll's to hit with his Tacticals (and re-roll 1's with his sternguards).
My flyrant almost survives, but he fails his very last save from the sternguards (it took both units just to bring him down). Tactical and drop pods take out 7 gargoyles.
First Blood to Marines!
Tyranids 1
Spoiler:
Gargoyles get ready to tie up some marines. Either that or to die in order to recycle themselves.
BTW, I pass 2 of my Instinctive Behavior tests (on the 2 larger units). Smaller unit (my left-most gargoyles) just goes to act as a roadblock.
Shooting kills 1 or 2 sternguards. My opponent then chooses to fall back with them. However, they don't fall back far enough and both units of gargoyles make the assault.
Despite almost 40 attacks, gargoyles actually lose combat and break! The sternguards fail to catch them.
So at the end of the turn, Marines get both of their Maelstrom objectives (unit in my deployment zone and Objective #2) whereas my bugs get nothing.
Maelstrom VP's - Marines: 2, Tyranids: 0
Ultramarines 2
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Ultramarines:
2. Hold Maelstrom Objective 2.
4. Destroy an Enemy Unit.
Tyranids:
4. Destroy an Enemy Unit.
5. Destroy an Enemy Unit.
2 units of Tacticals drop down onto my Emperor's Will objective. His guys then spread out by running.
The 5-man unit drops back onto his EW objective.
Marines advance.
Good, I am glad that they are moving towards my decoy instead of towards the objectives.
He is out of double-melta range so he goes after my gargoyles instead. Instead of shooting them, Carlos decide to assault them instead.
He wipes out all of my gargoyles.
Tyranids 2
Spoiler:
Mawloc and rippers both come in. However, my mawloc misses his mark, which was right on top of that 5-man tactical unit.
As a matter of fact, I believe my entire army comes in! 2 out of the 3 units of gargoyles recycle and come back in as well.
Hive crone flames some sternguards and kill 2.
The rest of my army manage to kill 1 drop pod, take off 1HP from the other pod, and kill 8 and 2 marines from 2 units.
So once again, Marines manage to get both of their Maelstrom objectives (kill an enemy unit, my gargoyles, and Objective #2). My bugs manage to only get 1 by killing a drop pod.
Maelstrom VP's - Marines: 4, Tyranids: 1
Ultramarines 3
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Ultramarines:
4. Destroy an Enemy Unit.
5. Destroy an Enemy Unit.
Tyranids:
2. Hold Maelstrom Objective 2.
3. Have a scoring unit at least partially within the enemy deployment zone.
Carlos finally realizes what my plan is. His marines scramble back in order to try to help out their brothers, thus ignoring my bastion. However, time and distance is not on his side.
Marines prepare to multi-assault the gargoyles and others.
Marines go after my rippers. Marneus' unit start heading towards his EW objective (where my mawloc is waiting).
He shoots down 1 ripper.
Marines take off 2W from my hive crone. However, it stays in the air swooping.
Marines then assault, hitting both units of gargoyles, the zoanthrope and the biovores. The result is a handful of dead gargoyles and 1W on my zoan. He doesn't lose a single marine in combat.
Marines multi-assault both units of rippers as well.
Tyranids 3
Spoiler:
Both flyrants land on the ground.
Flyers go to help out against Marneus' unit. Hive crone also cuts off Marneus' path towards his EW objective, thus forcing them to have to go around. Mawloc prepares to enter melee.
Shooting kills off 3 marines from Marneus' unit.
Flyrants kill off the other ObSec drop pod contesting my objective. However, I opt not to get into assault. I didn't want them (the marines) to willfully fail morale and fall back from combat.
Mawloc assaults. Marines do 1W to it.
Marines also kill 1 ripper. I fail to wipe out the marines and only manage to kill 3.
Bummer, I was hoping to wipe them out.
This turn, my Marine opponent fails to achieve any of the Maelstrom objectives. Tyranids, on the other hand, get 1 VP for having an unit in my opponent's deployment zone.
Maelstrom VP's - Marines: 4, Tyranids: 2
Ultramarines 4
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Ultramarines:
3. Have a scoring unit at least partially within the enemy deployment zone.
5. Destroy an Enemy Unit.
Tyranids:
2. Hold Maelstrom Objective 2.
5. Destroy an Enemy Unit.
This will be the last game turn due to time.
His marines continue to scramble towards my EW objective but will not make it there in time.
Marneus and his unit make it to his EW objective to claim it (thanks to running).
Marines continue to stay stuck in combat with my gargoyles.
Mawloc fails to finish off his marines in combat. 1 marine still lives.
Tyranids 4
Spoiler:
This is the very last turn in the game as we are almost out of time.
BTW, my opponent thinks that he has won. I will show him otherwise.
Flyers go into gliding mode. I prepare to take out some marines.
All I need to do is to take out his 3 marines holding his EW objective and then I will take it....
....and I do!
Moreover, mawloc kills off the lone marine. Both he and the rippers consolidate onto my opponent's EW objective.
Finally, my flyrant jumps onto my EW objective to give me both EW objectives.
We each both get 1 Maelstrom objective this turn. My opponent has a unit (several, actually) in my deployment zone and I kill off 1 of his units (lone tactical).
Maelstrom VP's - Marines: 5, Tyranids: 3
I take Primary (4-pts). Carlos take Secondary (3-pts). He has First Blood. We both get Linebreaker for a 5-5 Draw.
I was really concerned about my chances going into this game, but I'm actually quite happy pulling out a Draw from the jaws of defeat. Initially, I was debating about whether to deploy my entire army or not. I'm actually glad that I didn't. Too bad about my flyrant though. He almost survived. In any case, it was a tough, tough matchup for my bugs. Had I been able to go first, I think my chances for a victory would have been better.
BTW, Psychic Scream didn't do anything in this game as my opponent made all of his LD tests.
Carlos would end up doing very well in this tournament. I was the only blemish to his record with a Draw. Otherwise, he would win his next 5 games in a row and finished the tournament ranked 2nd Overall. Congrats on a job very well done, Carlos!
Filler text to avoid spoilering the result of the game in the post preview... Filler filler filler filler filler filler...
Wow, that's awesome that you tied the eventual #2 finisher! A shame it was only a 4-turn game. Most people seemed to say they finished games easily, what was different about this one?
Thanks for lending your Imperial Knight and display board. Wow, your pictures turned out really well! I look forward to reading your report.
You're welcome!
Vomikron Noxis wrote: Some gorgeous looking armies there. Those heldrakes are stunning!
Yeah. My only regret is that I didn't have the time to take more pictures of other people's armies.
BTW, I just found more army pics that I will post later on.
RiTides wrote: Really looking forward to this! I need to figure out what to do with my bugs in 7th and your writeups / tactics were my main guide in 6th. Unfortunately, I don't think I want to run Skyblight so it's not as comparable, but I'm sure I'll still learn quite a bit from these
There are other good Tyranid builds out there. IMO Skyblight isn't even the most competitive Tyranid army anymore. You can check out the Tyranid Tactica thread in the Tactics forum for some ideas or you can just PM me if you want to talk bugs.
Frontline Gaming actually helped me to paint some of my monsters. They did the crones/harpies and also one of my flyrants.
Solosam47 wrote: Those armies are drop dead gorgeous! With so much beauty on the table top those must have been very fun games!
Playing against nicely painted armies did help to increase the enjoyment. Though I won't lie, it didn't do anything to make the matchups any easier.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
RiTides wrote: Filler text to avoid spoilering the result of the game in the post preview... Filler filler filler filler filler filler...
Wow, that's awesome that you tied the eventual #2 finisher! A shame it was only a 4-turn game. Most people seemed to say they finished games easily, what was different about this one?
It just took a while to deploy all of his marines. Between the 2 of us, we actually had a lot of models. Moreover, our game utilized all 3 phases - movement, shooting and assault (as well as psychic). When both of the armies tend to maximize all 3 phases of the game, it tends to slow the game down.
Dozer Blades wrote: How do you think the game would have played out if it had gone one or two more turns?
Solid showing versus the #2 army !
I still think that I could have won Primary whereas he would have taken Secondary.
He needed at least another 2 turns to make it into claiming/contesting range of my EW objective and I would have stopped him, using my flyers as roadblocks or assault if necessary. As for Marneus, he doesn't stand a chance against 4 MC's and 2 ObSec ripper units. I would have just tied him up in combat and claim his EW objective with my ObSec rippers. I would have also sent 1 or 2 FMC's back to my objective to help out.
I plan to start Game #2 against SabrX's mech-sisters later today.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
L0rdF1end wrote: Nice Report dude as always, appreciated as always.
Really need to get myself some Rippers.
After your BAO experience with this list are you considering any changes?
Anything that didn't work as well as expected?
For the Skyblight list itself, I'm not really considering any changes other than to swap out both my zoan and venom for a malanthrope. Otherwise, the list will probably stay as is.
However, I do run more than than just Skyblight, as I have over 10K worth of bugs, so you will see variations in my Tyranid lists. Currently, I am actually experimenting with a list that includes a malanthrope and 2 dimachaerons.
Everything work kinda as I expected. I expected a drop in offensive output but an increase in survivability and that is exactly what I got. I expected to struggle more against good armies with my bugs (than, say, my Necrons had I brought them) and that is exactly what happened. Overall, I knew my bugs would have a harder time at the tournament and overall, that was what happened.
wighti wrote: Just a general question but was time a problem in BAO? Reading that you only get 4 turns and SabrX managing just 3 turns sounds really, really bad.
The feeling I get everytime a game is called on time when I playing is that the result doesn't reflect the game we played.
Only 2 of my 6 games ended because of time. The rest completed naturally. It really depends on the matchups. Both my army and SabrX's army takes time to play. If we go up against another army that takes time to play, it was only natural for our games not to complete. But overall, I was satisfied with my games. Had they gone on, I don't believe the results would have changed anyways.
I expect SabrX to chime in. I love yor guys' batreps more than even the videos for some reason. Everything always looks so crisp and fun. Almost makes me want to visit Cali just to play some of you.
Wow excellent game there! That Space Marine army looks like a lot of fun to play with. The only thing I would add to it is a Dreadnought variant just for variety. Well played Jim!
Couldnt you have hypothetically deployed the bastion in the corner in such a way as to BLOS to your Flyrant? I would think with the gargs you'd have been able to pull this off. Seems better to have reserved that flyrant and forced him to just shoot at Gargs.
Couldnt you have hypothetically deployed the bastion in the corner in such a way as to BLOS to your Flyrant? I would think with the gargs you'd have been able to pull this off. Seems better to have reserved that flyrant and forced him to just shoot at Gargs.
Without that Tyrant as bait, the Marine player might have instead opted to hold the Sternguard back till next turn and instead drop just Tacticals to deal with the Gargoyles in the first wave.
Couldnt you have hypothetically deployed the bastion in the corner in such a way as to BLOS to your Flyrant? I would think with the gargs you'd have been able to pull this off. Seems better to have reserved that flyrant and forced him to just shoot at Gargs.
Without that Tyrant as bait, the Marine player might have instead opted to hold the Sternguard back till next turn and instead drop just Tacticals to deal with the Gargoyles in the first wave.
And then majority of Ob Sec units are in no man's land. And the Sternguard get alpha struck by the Nids who come in bottom of 2.
SabrX wrote: Congrats scoring a draw against a Calgar Drop Pod army. Drop Pod armies are fierce in this edition!
Thanks! Congrats on your draw against the defending BAO champ as well!
WrentheFaceless wrote: Talk about scraping for a draw, those drop pod lists are brutal now.
Yeah, they are tough to deal with. Probably the only army there that could deal with them easily was Spam Adam's Tau, with 3 riptides and 6 broadsides, all with Interceptor!
buckero0 wrote: I expect SabrX to chime in. I love yor guys' batreps more than even the videos for some reason. Everything always looks so crisp and fun. Almost makes me want to visit Cali just to play some of you.
Just give me a PM if you ever do come to town.
y0disisray wrote: Wow excellent game there! That Space Marine army looks like a lot of fun to play with. The only thing I would add to it is a Dreadnought variant just for variety. Well played Jim!
Yeah, I think drop pod lists can be a blast to play (and a nightmare for certain opponents). I myself have a semi-pod list with only 4 drop pods, but it's been a while since I last took my marines out. I think if you want to run dreads, BA would be the way to go and probably the new Space Wolves as well (haven't seen their new dex yet).
Couldnt you have hypothetically deployed the bastion in the corner in such a way as to BLOS to your Flyrant? I would think with the gargs you'd have been able to pull this off. Seems better to have reserved that flyrant and forced him to just shoot at Gargs.
I suppose I could, but at the time, I didn't think to. The only thing I was thinking was to either reserve all my flyrants or to deploy one as bait.
I was actually rather inexperienced with my list insofar as 7th was concerned. Before the tournament, I've only ran Skyblight once and Tyranids twice ever since 7E came out.
Also, at the time of the game, I forgot that the flyrant could jink even if he was standing still. Thus, I deployed him in ruins for 2+ cover instead.
Wow, I didn't expect I would face Jy2 so soon. Then again, I didn't expect we would both pull a draw in our first games, which increased the odds of being paired up in game #2.
I've haven't played against the Sky Blight, but I heard it's formidable and one of the most competitive Tyranids builds in this edition. Unfortunately, the biggest weakness to my army happens to be flyers. On top of that, Jy2 has been my practice partner for BAO, so he's familiar with how my list works. There's noway I'm going to win primary with an MSU list. I'll have to focus on secondary and hope my ground forces does enough damage to the Tyranids' ground forces.
Thanks Tim. I will add your comments into my report.
Game #2 vs SabrX's AV13-Spam Sisters of Battle
Imagine our surprise when we were set to face each other in Round #2. Should have put him down as my teammate, but I didn't think that we would play against each other (BAO tried not to pair teammates against each other on Day #1). I have played against SabrX almost every week leading up to the tournament and now I have to play him again. Well, that's bad news for him....
BTW, SabrX is writing about his own experiences at the BAO. You can find his battle reports here:
1. Hold Objective 1.
2. Hold Objective 2.
3. Hold Objective 3.
4. Have more scoring units at least partially within no man's land than your opponent.
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within 12" of opponent's deployment edge.
6. Have 3 of your own and no enemy scoring units at least partially within 12" of your deployment edge.
Tertiary Objectives: First Blood, Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord, 1-pt each
Going into the game, I kind of felt bad for Tim. Well, just a little. Heh, heh.... He is running MSU and he has to face my army in a VP mission. Moreover, I am running a primarily flying army and the main weakness of his army is his anti-air. Finally, I am going 1st. This is going to be a very tough matchup for SabrX.
What he does have going for him is that his list is stronger in Maelstrom than mine. He's got more resilient ObSec units and he's going 2nd. I am almost guaranteed to get the Primary. SabrX is going to have to play for the Secondary and then hope that he gets more Tertiary points than I. And in our practice games together, that was exactly what he did, keeping the games against my Necrons and Mechdar somewhat close because he focused more on the Secondary.
Wish we didn't have to play against each other, but I guess the Power-of-the-Matchup-Generator-Machine-Spirit had other plans.
Sisters of Battle: (by SabrX)
Wow, I didn't expect I would face Jy2 so soon. Then again, I didn't expect we would both pull a draw in our first games, which increased the odds of being paired up in game #2.
I've haven't played against the Sky Blight, but I heard it's formidable and one of the most competitive Tyranids builds in this edition. Unfortunately, the biggest weakness to my army happens to be flyers. On top of that, Jy2 has been my practice partner for BAO, so he's familiar with how my list works. There's noway I'm going to win primary with an MSU list. I'll have to focus on secondary and hope my ground forces does enough damage to the Tyranids' ground forces.
3. Hold Objective 3.
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within 12" of opponent's deployment edge.
Sisters:
3. Hold Objective 3.
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within 12" of opponent's deployment edge.
Flyers take off. I cast Catalyst and then Onslaught one of the flyrants.
Warlord shoots at exorcist side armor to take it out for First Blood.
VP's - Sisters: 0, Tyranids: 1
Gargoyles spread out on my Maelstrom objective. The rest of the army runs.
I believe it is a harpy heavy venom cannon that takes off the main weapon from another exorcist.
Sisters 1
Spoiler:
Sisters go scrambling for cover. The Imperial Knight advances.
He then fires his double-blasts at my gargoyles and only take out 2 due to 2+ shrouded cover saves.
The rest of the Sister's shooting does nothing to my flying bugs.
At the end of the game turn, I have a scoring unit partially in SabrX's deployment zone (my gargoyles). SabrX has a scoring unit partially in my deployment zone (repressor) as well as Objective #3.
Maelstrom VP's - Sisters: 2, Tyranids: 1
Tyranids 2
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
2. Hold Objective 2.
3. Hold Objective 3.
Sisters:
3. Hold Objective 3.
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within 12" of opponent's deployment edge.
Mawloc comes in. Fortunately for my opponent, he scatters.
Gargoyles come in from my board edge.
Flyrants continue to rampage about.
Flyers try to block off the IK from my bastionthrope.
Little guys flap around.
Tyranid shooting wrecks 1 repressor and takes off the gun from another.
VP's - Sisters: 0, Tyranids: 2
Flyrants kill another exorcist.
VP's - Sisters: 0, Tyranids: 3
Sisters 2
Spoiler:
2 units of dominions come in and onto my flank. 1 unit disembarks.
Sisters prepare to deal with the mawloc, the only ground target they could shoot.
Exorcist backs up and tries to draw my flyrants away from his main force.
Knight prepares to assault the gargoyles.
He fires his blast at my new gargoyles, killing 3, and the heavy stubbers at the unit of gargoyles he is about to assault.
Sisters put 2W on the mawloc.
Sisters also clear Objective #2 of my 2 claiming gargoyles (they killed just enough to take both units out of claiming range).
IK then makes the 10" charge and wipes out the gargoyles!
VP's - Sisters: 1, Tyranids: 3
At the end of the turn, SabrX has denied me both of my Maelstrom objectives, while achieving both of his (repressor in my deployment zone and an ObSec unit on Objective #3).
Maelstrom VP's - Sisters: 4, Tyranids: 1
Tyranids 3
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
1. Hold Objective 1.
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within 12" of opponent's deployment edge.
Sisters:
2. Hold Objective 2.
6. Have 3 of your own and no enemy scoring units at least partially within 12" of your deployment edge.
Gargoyles and biovores get away from his knight, while the brave little zoan offers up himself in sacrifice.
Tyranid movement.
Flyers and mawloc go after the tanks.
I finish off the last exorcist.
VP's - Sisters: 1, Tyranids: 4
I also take out another repressor....
VP's - Sisters: 1, Tyranids: 5
....and then kill 7 girls from 2 squads.
BTW, I forget to fire Warp Blast from the zoanthrope.
Mawloc assaults another repressor....
....and gets another VP.
VP's - Sisters: 1, Tyranids: 6
I've basically taken out all of SabrX's tanks on his flank.
Sisters 3
Spoiler:
Last unit of dominions come in and they go after the bastion which I have abandoned.
Dominions move.
Somehow, the sisters manage to take out my mawloc.
VP's - Sisters: 2, Tyranids: 6
Knight shoots down 5 gargoyles.
However, Sisters fail to take out both my bastion and my zoan.
At the end of the turn, I have a unit in SabrX's deployment zone (flyrant or rippers) and SabrX has Objective #2.
Maelstrom VP's - Sisters: 5, Tyranids: 2
Tyranids 4
Spoiler:
At this point, I concede the Secondary to my opponent so didn't bother to take notes with regards to the Maelstrom objectives.
Game will probably end after this game turn anyways.
Flyrants and hive crone combine to take out the unit of sisters and SabrX's Warlord.
VP's - Sisters: 2, Tyranids: 8
I also kill 1 more sister. There are 2 units of 1 sisters each, which I should be able to take out next turn.
Sisters 4
Spoiler:
On his turn, SabrX finally takes out the zoan, bastion and venomthrope.
VP's - Sisters: 5, Tyranids: 8
The knight shoots down my biovores.
VP's - Sisters: 6, Tyranids: 8
He then assaults and wipes out my gargoyles.
VP's - Sisters: 7, Tyranids: 8
At this point, we both agree to end the game and to just relax. While the game ended up closer than we thought, I would have 2 easy VP's next turn (2 sister squads with 1 sister each) while my opponent would have no easy targets.
I take Primary (4-pts). SabrX takes Secondary (3-pts). We both have Linebreaker (his dominions, my flyrant, gargoyles and rippers). However, I also take First Blood and his Warlord.
Well, the game went exactly as I expected. I was able to take the Primary and my opponent was able to take the Secondary. That's the risk you take when you bring MSU, which is actually really strong in 7th Edition, to a tournament. 1 out of the 6 missions will screw you. Unfortunately, that one mission for my opponent was against my army, which is excellent against MSU-mech (other than Necron AV13-spam or Land Raider-spam). One of the reasons why my army is so good against these armies (especially in VP missions) is because my flyers have the mobility to easily get within side arc of my opponent's tanks. Also, electroshock grubs on flyrants do wonders against parking lot armies. But despite the lopsided matchup, SabrX come back in the end to make the score more respectable, despite the fact that he was playing catch-up the entire game. Gotta give credit to his (my) Imperial Knight, which got 3-4 VP's all by himself. Can't wait to use him in my future games!
Coming up next - White Scars Space Marines with Astra Militarum allies!
Couldnt you have hypothetically deployed the bastion in the corner in such a way as to BLOS to your Flyrant? I would think with the gargs you'd have been able to pull this off. Seems better to have reserved that flyrant and forced him to just shoot at Gargs.
I suppose I could, but at the time, I didn't think to. The only thing I was thinking was to either reserve all my flyrants or to deploy one as bait.
I was actually rather inexperienced with my list insofar as 7th was concerned. Before the tournament, I've only ran Skyblight once and Tyranids twice ever since 7E came out.
Also, at the time of the game, I forgot that the flyrant could jink even if he was standing still. Thus, I deployed him in ruins for 2+ cover instead.
I feel you. In the future it may be worth a shot. I know its possible (to BLOS in corner), used to do it with FMCs myself. And it would have drawn him even further into no-man's land.
Just for giggles, you should test a list that has Imperial Knight allies. It definitely seems effective.
I feel you. In the future it may be worth a shot. I know its possible (to BLOS in corner), used to do it with FMCs myself. And it would have drawn him even further into no-man's land.
Just for giggles, you should test a list that has Imperial Knight allies. It definitely seems effective.
That's why I got the IK (which SabrX was borrowing for the tourney). You will most likely see him in a future battle report.
I feel you. In the future it may be worth a shot. I know its possible (to BLOS in corner), used to do it with FMCs myself. And it would have drawn him even further into no-man's land.
Just for giggles, you should test a list that has Imperial Knight allies. It definitely seems effective.
That's why I got the IK (which SabrX was borrowing for the tourney). You will most likely see him in a future battle report.
Ugh, rough first turn for him. He needed to be further back with those exorcists and just outrange you with his side armor (if that makes sense). Thanks for the report though.
I feel you. In the future it may be worth a shot. I know its possible (to BLOS in corner), used to do it with FMCs myself. And it would have drawn him even further into no-man's land.
Just for giggles, you should test a list that has Imperial Knight allies. It definitely seems effective.
That's why I got the IK (which SabrX was borrowing for the tourney). You will most likely see him in a future battle report.
Yessss... more TyranKnights!
I was thinking more for my grey knights....but why not? TyraKnights and also NecroKnights AV13-spam!
pretre wrote: Ugh, rough first turn for him. He needed to be further back with those exorcists and just outrange you with his side armor (if that makes sense). Thanks for the report though.
You're welcome. He was trying to take advantage of the ruins to give his 1 exorcist 4+ cover. I probably wouldn't have been able to get to his side armor if it weren't for Onslaught. Then again, SabrX has had no experience at all playing against the new Tyranids (both in this edition and in 6th) and did the best he could despite being a bug virgin.
pretre wrote: Ugh, rough first turn for him. He needed to be further back with those exorcists and just outrange you with his side armor (if that makes sense). Thanks for the report though.
You're welcome. He was trying to take advantage of the ruins to give his 1 exorcist 4+ cover. I probably wouldn't have been able to get to his side armor if it weren't for Onslaught. Then again, SabrX has had no experience at all playing against the new Tyranids (both in this edition and in 6th) and did the best he could despite being a bug virgin.
Yeah, I'm mostly monday morning'ing it. Hard to recover from losing two exorcists that early though. Glad to see he kept it so close.
Tough game, but glad to see the Nids come out on top! Does the BAO count buildings as Kill points? The ATC format doesn't count fortifications as part of your army for KPs, but you won the Primary anyways.
pretre wrote: Ugh, rough first turn for him. He needed to be further back with those exorcists and just outrange you with his side armor (if that makes sense). Thanks for the report though.
You're welcome. He was trying to take advantage of the ruins to give his 1 exorcist 4+ cover. I probably wouldn't have been able to get to his side armor if it weren't for Onslaught. Then again, SabrX has had no experience at all playing against the new Tyranids (both in this edition and in 6th) and did the best he could despite being a bug virgin.
Yeah, I'm mostly monday morning'ing it. Hard to recover from losing two exorcists that early though. Glad to see he kept it so close.
Ironically, when I've played my bugs against his sisters in the past, I've always ignored his exorcists due to the fact that they were just too hard for my bugs with limited shooting to kill. This is actually the very first time that I've actually been able to kill all 3 of his exorcists with my bugs.
jifel wrote: Tough game, but glad to see the Nids come out on top! Does the BAO count buildings as Kill points? The ATC format doesn't count fortifications as part of your army for KPs, but you won the Primary anyways.
Honestly, I didn't think it was worth a VP, but a later opponent I played against argued that it was worth a VP (and also First Blood). Thus, for the purposes of the report, I gave SabrX the benefit of the doubt by including it as a VP. But I really should ask about this in YMDC.
Warlord shoots at exorcist side armor to take it out for First Blood.
How on earth did you guys determine this as side arc? Unless he knocked it when he pulled the hatches and turret off that looks like front to me.
You had the game either way, and maybe your shot was with a fish eye lens? I don't mean to side rail the thread, but I also don't want whats left of the gaming community near me to think its so easy to get side armor there.
pretre wrote: Ugh, rough first turn for him. He needed to be further back with those exorcists and just outrange you with his side armor (if that makes sense). Thanks for the report though.
I would have clumped up and castled in a corner if it weren't for the Mawloc. Also, I didn't realize Mawlocs are Str6. For some reason, I thought it was a Str8 large blast. In hindsight, taking 2 Str6 AP2 hits to the side armor would have been worth the risk. This was a tough match up and highlights the number #1 weakness of my list, flyers. Then again, if I play too conservatively, there's noway I could accumulate points in secondary.
Yeah, very good point. As I said, I was mostly just commenting. Not really faulting your play as you did a great job with the deck stacked against you.
Warlord shoots at exorcist side armor to take it out for First Blood.
How on earth did you guys determine this as side arc? Unless he knocked it when he pulled the hatches and turret off that looks like front to me.
You had the game either way, and maybe your shot was with a fish eye lens? I don't mean to side rail the thread, but I also don't want whats left of the gaming community near me to think its so easy to get side armor there.
We measured from corner to corner of the tank and one of the flyrants had the majority of its base in the exorcist's side arc.
Great report, love to see nids able to compete! Self-allying really helps them, I think. I'm planning on being ready to do so for events that allow it, which seems pretty common so far in 7th.
If you had to do it over again, would you still have reserved everything against the Drop Pod opponent? Worst case scenario, you lose a flyrant which is what happened anyways.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Another question. The BAOFAQ says:
Buildings may take cover saves granted by terrain or intervening units just like a vehicle does, treating the building’s entire silhouette as it’s facing if none is apparent.
Did you ever claim a cover save for your Bastion?
Automatically Appended Next Post: Last question. Did you ever Jink a FMC on turn 1 to soften the alpha strike? FMC's don't need to be swooping to jink, and you get a 2+ cover if you are in range of the venom.
I actually got the mawloc from a Golden Demon finalist and decided to run it as is. I do have another mawloc, though it isn't anywhere nearly as nice (and isn't painted to my color scheme yet anyways).
tag8833 wrote: If you had to do it over again, would you still have reserved everything against the Drop Pod opponent? Worst case scenario, you lose a flyrant which is what happened anyways.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Another question. The BAOFAQ says:
Buildings may take cover saves granted by terrain or intervening units just like a vehicle does, treating the building’s entire silhouette as it’s facing if none is apparent.
Did you ever claim a cover save for your Bastion?
Automatically Appended Next Post: Last question. Did you ever Jink a FMC on turn 1 to soften the alpha strike? FMC's don't need to be swooping to jink, and you get a 2+ cover if you are in range of the venom.
Actually, if I had to do it all over again, I'd probably kept more of my army (perhaps almost all of it) on the table. But that is with the knowledge of hindsight. At the time, I didn't have enough experience playing against drop pod armies (or playing with my own army for that matter) and so I decided to play more conservatively.
More importantly, I forgot that flyers could jink even if on the ground. Thus, my decision was based mainly on the small ruins that was available for my FMC's to deploy in.
Yeah, I would have claimed cover for my bastion if it was obscured, but I was never really in the position to obscure it so it was never really an issue.
1. Hold Maelstrom Objective 1
2. Hold Maelstrom Objective 2
3. Destroy an enemy unit.
4. Destroy an enemy unit.
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within the enemy deployment zone.
6. Have at least 3 of your scoring units and no enemy scoring units at least partially within your deployment zone.
Tertiary Objectives: First Blood, Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord, 1-pt each
Crap! This is not good. So here I am, playing against White Scars with IG allies in the Relic. The problem is, they are going 1st. That means that in the Deployment phase,
he can Scout move onto the Relic. Then on Turn 1, he will get the alpha-strike against my army. I am potentially looking at another dead flyrant and possibly conceding First Blood and Warlord once again! Also, the problem with the Relic is that, while you cannot run with it in possession, bikes can still turbo-boost with it (though only 6"). That means that on Turn 2, he should be able to get it back into his blob squad. If he does that, then I'll most likely lose the Primary.
His Master of the Forge will be reinforcing the ruins where his blob squad will be, thus giving them 3+ cover. This is going to be one uphill battle for my bugs. I really, reallllly needed to go 1st in this mission.
On the bright side, after my flyers take off, he won't be able to do much against them as his army isn't very well equipped to deal with flyers. He just needs to be able to outlast them.
BTW, I want to congratulate Ben not only on his performance at the BAO - he made it to 10th place Overall - but for being the newest member to Team Zero Comp. During the tournament, he played against Grant Theft Auto and his Deer Council Deldar. As Grant is a member of Team Zero Comp, Ben challenged him for a spot on the team....and won! Congrats to a job very well done!
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within the enemy deployment zone.
6. Have at least 3 of your scoring units and no enemy scoring units at least partially within your deployment zone.
Space Marines:
1. Hold Maelstrom Objective 1
2. Hold Maelstrom Objective 2
A funny thing happens just before we begin. Frankie comes over to watch our game. I then tell him how "screwed" I was because I was going second. Frankie then says, "Don't worry Jim. You'll probably steal the initiative." Now for some reason, Frankie tends to have some kind of affect my dice (especially when we play against each other)....and it usually comes out to be in my favor.
And so I roll to seize the initiative and....
Voila!!!
Tyranids pounce. I cast Onslaught on the middle harpy.
The rest of my army moves and spreads out.
Bam!!! I pound on Ben's bikers real hard. I paroxyse his Command Squad with Khan with -2 WS/BS. I then wipe out the bike unit on the Relic for First Blood. Finally, I kill off 1 biker from his command squad and 4 bikers from another unit.
My harpy then runs on top of the Relic to prevent my opponent from grabbing it next turn.
Man, I just took the monkey off of my back and then put it onto Ben's.
Space Marines 1
Spoiler:
That was just utterly devastating for my opponent. It'll be interesting to see if he can mount any sort of comeback after last turn.
Bikers maneuver around.
Command squad retreats and bubble-wraps his blob squad. Keep in mind that his command squad is currently at -2 WS/BS from Paroxysm.
Wyvern and thunderfire manage only to wound my zoans and biovores but not take them out.
The rest of his army focuses on my harpy on the Relic and is utterly and completely full of fail. He could barely hit anything and whatever wounds that did manage to go through, I make my saves.
So at the end of the turn, he holds 1 Maelstrom objective and I have 3 units in my deployment zone. Thus, we both get 1 Maelstrom objective.
Maelstrom VP's - Marines: 1, Tyranids: 1
Tyranids 2
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
3. Destroy an enemy unit.
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within the enemy deployment zone.
Space Marines:
1. Hold Maelstrom Objective 1
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within the enemy deployment zone.
1 unit of rippers come in and it almost scatters off the table.
Mawloc also comes in, lands directly, and then wipes out 18 guardsmen as well as the Master of the Forge, which I believe was his Warlord, thus giving me Slay the Warlord. It then mishaps and goes back in Reserves. Wow!....just wow.
Flyers advance. My Warlord flyrant lands on the Relic.
The unit of gargoyles in reserves deepstrike in. I lose 2 to dangerous terrain. Other unit of gargoyles prepare for assault.
Flyrant takes 1W to Perils.
I then wipe out 2 units of bikers and reduce his very last unit to just the attack biker with 1W left.
Oh my goodness! When it rains, it pours. I can't help but to apologize to my opponent for the way Lady Luck was treating me compared to him in this game so far. So far, it has been absolutely brutal for Ben.
Space Marines 2
Spoiler:
He is already down so badly that decides to go for a hail mary with his command squad, and so he sends them to their slaughter.
At least he is able to kill a unit as his wyvern (or TFC?) wipes out the unit of gargoyles that just came in last turn.
This turn, I easily get both of my Maelstrom objectives, killing a couple of units (bikers) and having a unit in my opponent's deployment zone (my rippers). Meanwhile, my opponent scores another point for claiming Objective #1.
Maelstrom VP's - Marines: 2, Tyranids: 3
Tyranids 3
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
2. Hold Maelstrom Objective 2
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within the enemy deployment zone.
Space Marines:
1. Hold Maelstrom Objective 1
3. Destroy an enemy unit.
Mawloc comes in again but scatters out. He still hits and kills 2 guardsmen.
Tyranid movement. Warlord flies off of the Relic, only to be replaced by another flyrant who flies onto the Relic.
The rest of my flyers go after his tanks (and blob squad).
Shooting takes out another 9 guardsmen.
I also do damage to the wyvern and take off 1W from the TFC.
Lastly, I wipe out his command squad, including Khan.
Space Marines 3
Spoiler:
My opponent still has 1 attack bike left and he huffs it into my deployment zone.
Blob mob goes after the mawloc.
TFC/wyvern kills off another unit of gargoyles, which actually recycled and came in last turn once again.
Guardsmen put 1W on the mawloc with shooting and then assault.
They take him out with power axes!
I only get 1 Maelstrom point this turn for having a unit in my opponent's deployment zone (rippers). He actually gets 2 for holding Objective #1 (blob squad) and killing an enemy unit (gargoyles, mawloc).
Maelstrom VP's - Marines: 4, Tyranids: 4
Tyranids 4
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
3. Destroy an enemy unit.
4. Destroy an enemy unit.
Space Marines:
2. Hold Maelstrom Objective 2
6. Have at least 3 of your scoring units and no enemy scoring units at least partially within your deployment zone.
The beginning of the end. Flyers go into Hovering mode in my opponent's backfield (except for my Warlord).
I get ready to table my opponent.
Flyrant finally goes into Hovering mode to pick up the Relic.
The other flyrant goes after his very last biker. Needless to say, he (the biker) doesn't survive.
I wipe out all but 6 guardsmen. I also kill off the Lord Commissar.
Last but not least, I take out both of his artillery pieces.
I get both of my Maestrom objectives.
Maelstrom VP's - Marines: 4, Tyranids: 6
My opponent only has 6 guardsmen left. There is no need to go on and so we end it here. I get everything for a 10-0 victory.
I thought this game was going to be a rough game for my bugs. I was completely not expecting it to be the other way around. Not only did it help tremendously that I stole the initiative, but Ben's dice were ice cold in this game and mine were pretty good. So unexpectedly lopsided was this game due to the dice that I repeatedly apologized to my opponent, but Ben was really cool with it. I could see that he was hurting, but he was still able to maintain a smile throughout the game despite the beating he was taken. That's what we need more of in this game. Players like Ben.
Now if there's one fault I could find with Ben's game, it was that he was too constrained to protecting his blob squad within the confines of the ruins, both for its cover and to protect against assault, that he let me decimate his mob. Maybe it was because he under-estimated how much templates/blast weaponry I had in my army or maybe because he didn't really care. But in the end, even had he spread them out, it would have probably just prolonged the inevitable for another turn at most. In this game, I just out-rolled him, starting with my roll to steal the initiative.
Oh, and by the ways, thanks Frankie.
On the bright side, this was the only loss for Ben throughout the tournament. He did really well the rest of the way. He even beat Grant's seer council in a Team Zero Comp challenge match, thus becoming the newest member of Team Zero Comp, and he finished the tournament 10th Overall. Congratulations Ben. Very well done!
Well Game #2 went exactly as you had predicted it would. Game #3 sounds like a major uphill battle from the get go. Very interested in seeing how it plays out.
Your harpys and Crone should decimate that blob squad with spore barrage and the drool cannon. Throw in 3 Es grub templates and it could be dead in one turn
Edit - and the Biovores and Mawloc have ignore cover large blast... Deploying so crowded in the ruin seems like suicide unless I am missing something??
Terror from the Deep wrote: Your harpys and Crone should decimate that blob squad with spore barrage and the drool cannon. Throw in 3 Es grub templates and it could be dead in one turn
Edit - and the Biovores and Mawloc have ignore cover large blast... Deploying so crowded in the ruin seems like suicide unless I am missing something??
Biovores don't ignore cover. Since his blob squad was in fortified ruins, he was getting 3+ cover from my biovores.
BTW, I couldn't deal with his blob squad until I had dealt with his bikers first of all.
Went completely differently to how you thought it would go huh. I guess that's one of the reasons we enjoy playing this game, random stuff can, and WILL happen.
Thanks for sharing, I'm looking forward to the next one
Yeah, this was one of those rare games in which everything was going right for one player and nothing was going right for the other. While his army wasn't totally a bad matchup for mine, the conditions of the game (Relic with him going 1st) made it into a supposedly uphill battle for me. And then Frankie came along. I should take him to my next major GT. What can I say, it just was one of those games and this time, my opponent came up on the short end of the stick.
Dude! When I saw Grav spam with a AM chaser...I figured you were doomed. Amazing outcome, maybe I should add "mad die rollin skilz!" to my list of tactics..
Wow Jim! I think Frankie is your little lucky charm and should just float around you during the next FLG tournament. Those dice rolls were just brutal for your opponent. I really thought this game was going to be closer and am shocked to how it ended.
y0disisray wrote: Wow Jim! I think Frankie is your little lucky charm and should just float around you during the next FLG tournament. Those dice rolls were just brutal for your opponent. I really thought this game was going to be closer and am shocked to how it ended.
It's funny. Sometimes I actually have horrible dice when Frankie is around, but so far, I've always got the dice to go my way when it really counted (when Frankie was around). In 2 of my games against him, my army was getting pummeled and I probably would have been tabled due to horrible dice, but both times (against Frankie), the game ended right when I needed it to (on Turn 5) and I stole both games.
But I will give Frankie a chance at redemption when I take on his "Thunderdome" Hero-hammer Space Wolves list in the near future. His new Space Wolves are brutal.
Thinking of demons, orkses, chaos, nids or sm.... but not sure lol! Nice to see your still with the nids and crons bud I started a thread asking questions in general tho
Reading these reports has redoubled my regret over not being able to attend BAO this year. Next year will be different! Until then, at least I can attend vicariously through your (always excellent) batreps.
Very nicely played round 3, although I'm not sure what you could've done without that Seize. Hard to imagine a worse matchup for Relic, but it goes to show you how sometimes 1 roll can instantly change everything. Looking forward to the next one!
I don't know not really what I consider an impressive win seeing your luck was on fire... And I really really hate Seize the Initiative... It's like 1/6 of the time somebody is going to have really crappy game... Thanks GW. :(
Jim was an awesome guy to play against and I tried to give him the best fight I could until the bitter end. Next time sir, I will have my revenge!
But in all seriousness, I did make little mistakes too which made the dice problem worse. But Jim didn't beat me because of just dice, even with getting seized on I had a chance. He outplayed me too, he was just able to take advantage of a scenario change And out played me.
So after Day #1, Tyranids are actually on a roll. After 3 games, Tyranids are actually sitting on top with both the #1 and #2 spots. Mr Geoff "InControl" Robinson was #1 with his Barbed Hierodule and Void Shield Generator bugs. At #2 was a player who I believe was running the Living Artillery formation. As for my Sky Fleet Pandora, going into Day #2, I was the 3rd ranked Tyranid player at #13 place. Overall, a very successful outing for bugs after Day #1. However, Day #2 is when the real challenges begin. From hereon out, we will be playing tougher and tougher armies. Today will be the true test for how our bugs will fare in competitive play.
Unfortunately for me, my Game #4 opponent didn't show up. He would have been a tough fight as he was bringing Mechdar Eldar and was 3-0 after Day #1. However, he didn't show (well, he did, but not until an hour later) and so I was paired randomly with another player whose opponent didn't show. I didn't know it at the time, but my opponent, Jake, was actually ranked in the very last place. Lol. No wonder why Chip from Torrentoffire kept texting me about the matchup. He/people thought there might have been a glitch in the ToF's matchup pairings. Hahaha....
1850 ASTRA MILITARUM
Company Command Squad - Master of Ordnance, Vox Caster
1x Commissar
1. Hold Either Objective 1.
2. Hold Either Objective 2.
3. Hold Either Objective 3.
4. Destroy an enemy unit.
5. Destroy an enemy unit.
6. Destroy an enemy unit.
Tertiary Objectives: First Blood, Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord, 1-pt each
The premise for this game is almost the complete opposite of the last game I had against White Scars Space Marines with Astra Militarum allies. In that game - with White Scars going first in the Relic - I was playing with the conditions against me. In this game, the conditions are going against my opponent instead. Here, I am going first instead and I've got Master of Ambush as my Warlord trait. Short of reserving some of his more vulnerable units, there really is no way for Jake to avoid my alpha-strike, and a potentially crippling alpha-strike it will be. Moreover, my opponent has got no mobility in an objectives game with 6 objectives in Hammer & Anvil deployment. If I can take down his vendettas, he will practically not be able to the take my objectives, let alone fight off all of my flying MC's that will be in his deployment zone nor getting to the Maelstrom objectives. Unless my opponent can get some outrageous dice, I really don't see how he can beat my bugs under these conditions.
Probably his only advantage is playing against 6 Fast Attacks in the Scouring mission, and every unit of gargoyles I regenerate will be another potential Scouring point for my opponent. But even this should not be enough for my opponent to beat me on objectives, especially not if his troops cannot reach them.
2. Hold Either Objective 2.
3. Hold Either Objective 3.
Astra Militarum:
2. Hold Either Objective 2.
5. Destroy an enemy unit.
I am right in my opponent's face on Turn 1. I go after his tanks.
The rest of my armies advance and scramble to cover the objectives.
Turn 1 - manticore dead. Both wyverns, dead. Both chimeras, stunned.
First Blood to my tyranids.
13 guardsmen, KIA.
Astra Militarum 1
Spoiler:
AM's very limited movement.
Shooting does nada.
I get both Maelstrom objectives. My opponent gets none.
Maelstrom VP's - AM: 0, Tyranids: 2
Tyranids 2
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
3. Hold Either Objective 3.
6. Destroy an enemy unit.
Astra Militarum:
3. Hold Either Objective 3.
4. Destroy an enemy unit.
Mawloc comes in but scatters off the skyshield.
Flyers fly around.
BTW, from Turn 2 onwards, I stop casting psychic powers. Not even Catalyst.
I go after his command squad (and Warlord) but only manage to kill 3.
This turn, I kill the rest of his tanks, including both chimeras and the executioner.
Astra Militarum 2
Spoiler:
1 vendetta comes in and drops off a unit onto Maelstrom Objective #3.
Veterans go after my gliding flyrant. Fortunately, this is the unit with the meltas. My flyrant survive with 1W remaining.
Blob mob issues the Monster Hunter order and the unit takes off 2W from my mawloc.
Finally, plasmavets put 1W on my other flyrant, who is also not flying.
Once again, I easily achieve both Maelstrom objectives. My opponent gets 1 (holding Objective #3).
Maelstrom VP's - AM: 1, Tyranids: 4
Tyranids 3
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
1. Hold Either Objective 1.
5. Destroy an enemy unit.
Astra Militarum:
2. Hold Either Objective 2.
5. Destroy an enemy unit.
FMC's go after his troops.
My Warlord goes after the vendetta.
12 TL-S6 shots only result in 1 glance after jink saves.
I kill some infantry. I believe I wipe out 1 unit of veterans.
Mawloc assaults (the special weapon squad?)....
....and send them running.
Astra Militarum 3
Spoiler:
The scions come in and go after the gargoyles.
Last vendetta comes in (in Hovering mode).
Marines keep on falling back.
Unit inside the vendetta (I believe that is the PCS) disembark and go after the objective.
My opponent manages to get his very first kill.
He also takes out only 3 gargoyles (who were shrouded).
I am running away in the Secondary as I get 2 more Maelstrom objectives. My opponent gets 1 for killing my flyrant.
Maelstrom VP's - AM: 2, Tyranids: 6
Tyranids 4
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
2. Hold Either Objective 2.
4. Destroy an enemy unit.
Astra Militarum:
2. Hold Either Objective 2.
6. Destroy an enemy unit.
I begin to secure the Scouring objectives.
Gargoyles go to grab the objectives. I also finish off his scions....
....and kill a vendetta.
I wipe out his command squad to get Slay the Warlord.
And after that, I take out his vendetta.
With that, we call it. I get maximum points this turn, winning 10-0.
This really was one of the largest mismatches I have had in tournament play. I had a huge experience edge over my opponent, who was just getting back into the 40K gaming scene. I had all the conditions going for me - Master of Ambush, 1st turn, a much more mobile army, lack of anti-air firepower by my opponent and Hammer & Anvil deployment. My objectives were never really seriously threatened. I did feel bad for trashing my opponent's army, but hey, you've got to expect that in competitive play. Those things do happen. Fortunately, I guess Jake was coming in expecting not to do so well so at least he was prepared for that. I think that despite the beating, we both had a relaxed game and he still had a good time. And for that, I am glad.
Coming up next, Sky Fleet Pandora vs Centurionstar Grey Knights!
Well that was a quick and brutal game and a testament why Swiss pairings are used to in tournaments to stratify players for closer games and smaller gaps in abilities.
Game 3 was brutal. Seizing the initiative combined with volume of high strength weapons (bike armies worst nightmare), denying primary, and have a good counter to the IG blob resulted in almost a massacre by the end of turn 4. I look forward to reading Game 4.
Mr.MoreTanks wrote: Jim was an awesome guy to play against and I tried to give him the best fight I could until the bitter end. Next time sir, I will have my revenge!
But in all seriousness, I did make little mistakes too which made the dice problem worse. But Jim didn't beat me because of just dice, even with getting seized on I had a chance. He outplayed me too, he was just able to take advantage of a scenario change And out played me.
Thanks for the game, Ben. At least you recovered after our game to do very well overall in the tourney. But yeah, I am a very tactical player who will take advantage of every little mistake if my opponent makes it. Give me an inch and I will take a mile (tactics-wise, not rules-wise ).
One of these days, we'll get a rematch in.
Zid wrote: Thinking of demons, orkses, chaos, nids or sm.... but not sure lol! Nice to see your still with the nids and crons bud I started a thread asking questions in general tho
Sounds like you are more into the Xenos armies. Demons are still considered strong. Orks, I really have no clue how good they are. Nids are a middle to upper-middle-tiered army. Space Marines are now very strong in this edition, as are Necrons, Eldar and Tau. Good luck, and feel free to PM me if you want more specific info on any army.
whigwam wrote: Reading these reports has redoubled my regret over not being able to attend BAO this year. Next year will be different! Until then, at least I can attend vicariously through your (always excellent) batreps.
Very nicely played round 3, although I'm not sure what you could've done without that Seize. Hard to imagine a worse matchup for Relic, but it goes to show you how sometimes 1 roll can instantly change everything. Looking forward to the next one!
If I had to recommend a GT for an east coaster, I'd recommend Frontline's flagship tournament, the LVO. That is if you could only do 1 a year. However, if you can perhaps make it to more than 1, then definitely the LVO and the BAO. Both are very well run. Hope to bump into you again in a future matchup.
Dozer Blades wrote: I don't know not really what I consider an impressive win seeing your luck was on fire... And I really really hate Seize the Initiative... It's like 1/6 of the time somebody is going to have really crappy game... Thanks GW. :(
I'm sure Ben will enjoy reading this one.
The dice made what probably should have been a closely fought matchup into a route, but hey, that's why it's a dice game.
Waaagh 18 wrote: How do you manage the maelstrom objectives? Do you preselect them before the game? (that's what it seems like you do)
BAO scenarios run preselected Maelstrom objectives. There are only 6 of them and everyone uses the same objective set. Then during the game, you randomly determine each turn what your Maelstrom objectives are by rolling for 2 of them each turn. The reason for 6 is to keep the game from getting overly complicated.
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Zagman wrote: Well that was a quick and brutal game and a testament why Swiss pairings are used to in tournaments to stratify players for closer games and smaller gaps in abilities.
Yeah, originally, I was matched up with a Top 10 player running mechdar. Too bad he didn't show, as I would have loved to see how I could have dealt with them.
But I guess playing against someone is better than a forfeiture auto-win.
Jambles wrote: Oh man, that was quite a spanking. Cudos to the AM player for going the distance, though.
Guess he was in the running for the Wooden Spoon award.
But seriously, he had a great attitude for someone who was near the bottom of the leaderboard.
SabrX wrote: Game 3 was brutal. Seizing the initiative combined with volume of high strength weapons (bike armies worst nightmare), denying primary, and have a good counter to the IG blob resulted in almost a massacre by the end of turn 4. I look forward to reading Game 4.
So was my Game #4. Yeah, against this type of army (White Scars marines), if I get to go first and get my flyers into flying mode, I can actually dominate the matchup. If I don't, then it can get relatively painful.
Another brutal beatdown! Once I saw you had infiltrated a Hive Tyrant and Hive Crone 18" away from his army I saw how brutal that was going to be given the angle of the picture. Good job again Jim!
jy2 wrote: That was the tournament's call, not mine. However, I just wanted to play. I didn't really care who as long as I had the opportunity to roll dice.
That's generally my attitude toward games. What? You're bringing a T-C'tan to the table? Idc, as long as I can roll some dice.
Some awesome armies and games in this thread (as per expected from your batreps ), though that last one was a "bit" lopsided.
I can't think what the Guard player could have done to change the situation, he lost on the warlord roll and the roll for going first, no real need to continue after that! In game 3 it was pretty much down to stealing the initiative. I guess this highlights the inherent flaws with 40k played in a competitive environment, when the game can be one before it begins with some lucky dice rolls. Thanks for posting though, great reports.
tyrannosaurus wrote: I can't think what the Guard player could have done to change the situation, he lost on the warlord roll and the roll for going first, no real need to continue after that! In game 3 it was pretty much down to stealing the initiative. I guess this highlights the inherent flaws with 40k played in a competitive environment, when the game can be one before it begins with some lucky dice rolls. Thanks for posting though, great reports.
There is definitely an element of the rock, paper, scissors with Jy2 having an extreme flyer dominated list which a lot of people just dont gear up for. The inflitration warlord trait was massive in H&A and is another reason for taking a cheap inquisitor and servo skulls in lists or inflitrators of your own to push back other peoples.
A couple of things which could have been done differently imo, no guarentees they would have been game changing as I think it is a bad match up regardless.
1. deployed a vendetta on the skyshield in his back corner to start attacking the flyers turn one or at least provide another priority target. This would expose the blob to the flamer templates though.
2. sacrificed a couple of units e.g. empty chimeras by putting them in cover on his 24" deployment line to push back the inflitrators. Again not ideal as you're giving up OS mobility.
Great batreps Jy2. Thanks for always sharing these. It is nice to see the nids out for a spin.
tyrannosaurus wrote: I can't think what the Guard player could have done to change the situation, he lost on the warlord roll and the roll for going first, no real need to continue after that! In game 3 it was pretty much down to stealing the initiative. I guess this highlights the inherent flaws with 40k played in a competitive environment, when the game can be one before it begins with some lucky dice rolls. Thanks for posting though, great reports.
I wouldn't say that game 3 was won just because the initiative was stolen. It went from a big advantage to the SM to a small advantage to the nids. The SM player then proceeded to have awful dice while Jy2 capitalized on every mistake and played a very solid game.
The IG list was not designed for the type of mobile game that the BAO missions promote and just from looking at the set up you can tell that the IG player does not know what they are up against and how to deal with it. Infiltrating just exaggerated a complete mismatch. Just look at that skyshield landing pad tightly packed with a blobb with absolutely no speed bumps to protect his vehicles. Even without the warlord trait it would have been a beating, it just might not have been so obvious so fast.
Again, I don't blame jy2 at all but there's not really much to comment on in that 4th game. It was, in fact a total seal clubbing.
Dozer summed it up nicely, "What a super lucky break," well for jy2 at least. Sucks to be at the bottom and still getting crap draws. Good for him staying positive and not letting it get him down.
Definitely more interested in the next one where I can only assume the pairings are on par.
Looking forward to the last two games! Games 3 and 4 were brutal wins for you, but I'm guessing you hit the wall in one of the next two. Awesome play and write ups, thanks for sharing them!
y0disisray wrote: Another brutal beatdown! Once I saw you had infiltrated a Hive Tyrant and Hive Crone 18" away from his army I saw how brutal that was going to be given the angle of the picture. Good job again Jim!
Yeah, Master of Ambush is just brutal with the right army against the right army. That Warlord trait needs to be nerfed or even banned. It is a potential game-changer with the right army against the right opponent.
I suppose it is, though I just roll with the punches.
tyrannosaurus wrote: I can't think what the Guard player could have done to change the situation, he lost on the warlord roll and the roll for going first, no real need to continue after that! In game 3 it was pretty much down to stealing the initiative. I guess this highlights the inherent flaws with 40k played in a competitive environment, when the game can be one before it begins with some lucky dice rolls. Thanks for posting though, great reports.
To be honest, whether he was new or a experienced, veteran gamer, I had the advantage with 1st turn and MoA. There was probably a number of things he could have done, such as to play the denial game, but he was just playing an uphill battle.
tyrannosaurus wrote: I can't think what the Guard player could have done to change the situation, he lost on the warlord roll and the roll for going first, no real need to continue after that! In game 3 it was pretty much down to stealing the initiative. I guess this highlights the inherent flaws with 40k played in a competitive environment, when the game can be one before it begins with some lucky dice rolls. Thanks for posting though, great reports.
There is definitely an element of the rock, paper, scissors with Jy2 having an extreme flyer dominated list which a lot of people just dont gear up for. The inflitration warlord trait was massive in H&A and is another reason for taking a cheap inquisitor and servo skulls in lists or inflitrators of your own to push back other peoples.
A couple of things which could have been done differently imo, no guarentees they would have been game changing as I think it is a bad match up regardless.
1. deployed a vendetta on the skyshield in his back corner to start attacking the flyers turn one or at least provide another priority target. This would expose the blob to the flamer templates though.
2. sacrificed a couple of units e.g. empty chimeras by putting them in cover on his 24" deployment line to push back the inflitrators. Again not ideal as you're giving up OS mobility.
Good suggestions, though my opponent probably didn't have the experience to do these. Inquisitor with psyka-troke grenades, Lvl 1 psyker for Prescience and servo-skulls would have been a great ally for this type of list.
ansacs wrote: Great batreps Jy2. Thanks for always sharing these. It is nice to see the nids out for a spin.
tyrannosaurus wrote: I can't think what the Guard player could have done to change the situation, he lost on the warlord roll and the roll for going first, no real need to continue after that! In game 3 it was pretty much down to stealing the initiative. I guess this highlights the inherent flaws with 40k played in a competitive environment, when the game can be one before it begins with some lucky dice rolls. Thanks for posting though, great reports.
I wouldn't say that game 3 was won just because the initiative was stolen. It went from a big advantage to the SM to a small advantage to the nids. The SM player then proceeded to have awful dice while Jy2 capitalized on every mistake and played a very solid game.
The IG list was not designed for the type of mobile game that the BAO missions promote and just from looking at the set up you can tell that the IG player does not know what they are up against and how to deal with it. Infiltrating just exaggerated a complete mismatch. Just look at that skyshield landing pad tightly packed with a blobb with absolutely no speed bumps to protect his vehicles. Even without the warlord trait it would have been a beating, it just might not have been so obvious so fast.
Good observations. Yeah, while luck/dice did play a factor in my Game #3, it is never just about the dice. It does take some strategy - how to position your units, proper target prioritization, trying to bait your opponent, how to play to the objectives, etc. - to pull off a dominating victory against an experienced and veteran gamer. As for the AM player, I applaud him for giving the tournament scene a try even though he wasn't really ready for it. Then again, probably the reason why he wasn't down was because he just wanted to get a chance to use his army and play other people rather than to actually try to win something with his army.
Red Corsair wrote: Again, I don't blame jy2 at all but there's not really much to comment on in that 4th game. It was, in fact a total seal clubbing.
Dozer summed it up nicely, "What a super lucky break," well for jy2 at least. Sucks to be at the bottom and still getting crap draws. Good for him staying positive and not letting it get him down.
Definitely more interested in the next one where I can only assume the pairings are on par.
I don't disagree. This should have been more like a Game #1 matchup rather than a Game #4 matchup, but like I said, I just roll with the punches and in a tournament environment, I don't pull my punches.
Dozer Blades wrote: Day 2 was the down fall of the Hive Mind. They really kicked some serious arse on Day 1 though !
Yeah, bugs had an awesome Day #1. As for Day #2, I will get more into it as my games unfold.
jackyratos wrote: Thanks for sharing your experience. Waiting for the next battlerep.
Btw I sent you a pm for advise, have you seen?
Yeah, I saw. I will reply soon.
RiTides wrote: Looking forward to the last two games! Games 3 and 4 were brutal wins for you, but I'm guessing you hit the wall in one of the next two. Awesome play and write ups, thanks for sharing them!
Yeah, Games #5 and #6 were real tough and were kind of like my Game #1 in that I felt like the underdog going into those games.
jy2 wrote:Good observations. Yeah, while luck/dice did play a factor in my Game #3, it is never just about the dice. It does take some strategy - how to position your units, proper target prioritization, trying to bait your opponent, how to play to the objectives, etc. - to pull off a dominating victory against an experienced and veteran gamer. As for the AM player, I applaud him for giving the tournament scene a try even though he wasn't really ready for it. Then again, probably the reason why he wasn't down was because he just wanted to get a chance to use his army and play other people rather than to actually try to win something with his army.
It is tough when there are no shows. The TO either has to; 1) give "wins" and not have people play who paid to play 40K in an organized forum or 2) match people up against non ideal opponents but let them play games of 40K as advertised. I personally would always want the game whether I am clubbed like a baby seal or doing the clubbing, you don't have fun playing 40K unless you "play 40K" after all. Your opponent seemed like a good sport and it speaks to their character that they persevered to the end and kept trying to make a win.
herpguy wrote: I just don't understand why I see on so many tournament batreps how opponents are too lazy to get out of bed and thus miss a game.
Defies logic to me how somebody could manage that.
Here is what happened.
Day #1 started at 10AM. However, Day #2 started at 9AM. My opponent didn't check the schedule and assumed that Day #2 started at the same time as Day #1. Therefore, he didn't arrive until almost 10.
Red Corsair wrote: They should have just given you each a by. Seems incredibly unfair the the guy in last. Not your fault though.
I'm not so sure. If I was in last place in a tournament and got the chance to play one of the top guys due to a default, I'd take it. Can learn from it, and take those lessons to do better next time . That's just how I see it though, I can see both sides
***EDIT*** Sorry team, I was catching up on thread and thought I was on last page... didn't realise there was a whole other page of discussion... sorry Couldn't find how to delete the post ***EDIT***
Red Corsair wrote: They should have just given you each a by. Seems incredibly unfair the the guy in last. Not your fault though.
I'm not so sure. If I was in last place in a tournament and got the chance to play one of the top guys due to a default, I'd take it. Can learn from it, and take those lessons to do better next time . That's just how I see it though, I can see both sides
***EDIT*** Sorry team, I was catching up on thread and thought I was on last page... didn't realise there was a whole other page of discussion... sorry Couldn't find how to delete the post ***EDIT***
RiTides wrote: That's okay, the comment makes sense Mad. And I agree, it'd be cool to get a game in like that when stuck in last place at a tourney.
I couldn't agree more.
Say I was a newbie taking his army to a major GT for the very first time. And say I really wasn't familiar with the game or other armies. I wouldn't have any illusions that I would do well in the touranment. Heck, I'd probably be content to have 1 or 2 wins. However, my main goal wouldn't be to win. It'll be to get some practice with my newly done army and to experience some of the other armies which I will probably not see at my LGS. I've seen casual at my LGS. Now I get to actually experience the competitive side of hobby.
BTW, I've got some more pics of armies at the BAO.
The #1 army after Day #1, with Barbed Hierodule and Void Shield Generator.
The #2 army after Day #1. Yes, both the 1st and 2nd place army after Day #1 were bugs. #2 was running the Living Artillery formation.
A nasty seer council mechdar list.
Grey Knights with Space Marine allies. Also my Game #5 opponent.
Salamanders with Forgeworld nastiness. Also my Game #6 opponent.
Check out the big dude!
The Overall winner of the BAO, Steve Sisk and his marine bikers.
One of the rarely seen Space Wolves armies!
I believe he is running the Tau Firebase Cadre formation.
More Knights! I swear, if GK wants to sell something, all they've got to do is to slap on the moniker Knight to the name of the model somewhere and voila!
1. Hold Your Objective 1.
2. Hold Your Objective 2.
3. Hold Your Opponent's Objective 1.
4. Hold Your Opponent's Objective 2.
5. Destroy an enemy unit.
6. Destroy an enemy unit.
Tertiary Objectives: First Blood, Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord, 1-pt each
Wow! Another marine player with an alpha-strike army who is going 1st. No wonder why all my marine opponents were so tough (except for the one where I stole the initiative ). They all have the potential to get First Blood and Warlord at the same time while potentially crippling my army.
My opponent's deathstar - his centurionstar - is particularly devastating with Gate of Infinity and Invisibility. I have played against the centurionstar before and I actually know what to expect. However, the million-dollar question is what can I do about it? The answer? Nothing. They will get their points/kills. The only thing really that I can do is to just ignore his deathstar and to try to deal with the rest of his army. My opponent has got all the right powers for his centurionstar. The only power that he didn't get - and this is the only thing that gives me a fighting chance - is Perfect Timing. Thank goodness he didn't get Perfect Timing and that I got Stealth in Ruins as my Warlord Trait. This way, he could probably only take out 1 FMC a turn, which will still suck for me, but it could have been worse. In any case, I'm not looking forward to this battle. It's going to be one tough battle for me. I just don't have the tools to take out his deathstar. However, what I do have are the tools to take out the rest of his army. After that, I just need to pray that my FMC's can survive long enough to grab the objectives in the end.
2. Hold Your Objective 2.
5. Destroy an enemy unit.
Grey Knights:
1. Hold Your Objective 1.
3. Hold Your Opponent's Objective 1.
Both dreads shunt forwards.
Troops move around. 1 unit disembarks.
The centstar (Centurions with all the characters in it) then use Gate to teleport, scattering only D6" due to the servo-skulls.
BTW, if I don't mention it, assume they successfully cast all of their psychic powers.
Both dreadknights go after 1 unit of gargoyles and kill 8.
Despite 2+ cover in ruins, the centstar downs my Warlord for First Blood.
They also shoot down another 5 gargoyles with split-fire.
Tyranids 1
Spoiler:
My bugs take off. They leave the "nest".
My strategy is simple. There is no way I can take on the centstar when buffed up like that. Therefore, I am not even going to try. Instead, I am going after his troops....
....starting with these guys.
By the ways, I messed up big here. I jumped the gun and forgot all about my Psychic Phase!
Shooting is horrible as I only manage to cause 1 glance on each of the rhinos and to take out only 1 cultist.
I did, however, manage to take out another rhino elsewhere with my other flyrant. Along with my bastion/zoan on Objective #2, I get both of my Maelstrom objectives.
Eric also gets both Maelstrom objectives with his centstar on 1 objective and his troops on the other.
Maelstrom VP's - GK: 2, Tyranids: 2
Grey Knights 2
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
3. Hold Your Opponent's Objective 1.
4. Hold Your Opponent's Objective 2.
Grey Knights:
5. Destroy an enemy unit.
6. Destroy an enemy unit.
The centstar teleports (via Gate of Infinity) once again. I believe this turn, they fail to cast Prescience.
They shoot and wounds 2 of my Fast Attack FMC's (with Split-fire), but without Prescience, are not able to bring any down.
Dreadknights goes after the bastion and biovores. Incinerators kill off the gargoyles and cause 1W to my biovores.
His dread then assaults and wrecks my bastion, killing the venomthrope inside.
The other dread then assaults and finishes off the biovores, thus giving him 1 Heavy Support point.
Tyranids 2
Spoiler:
1 unit of rippers come in onto my Objective #2.
The other one comes in near my opponent's Objective #2. However, they scatter out slightly.
Mawloc also comes in but scatters and only hits about 3 guys. Thanks to 4++ from Forewarning, I only manage to take out 1 centurion and to put 1W on another (via Look-Out-Sirs from his sergeant).
The mawloc then scatters and my opponent places him in the very center of the board.
Finally, gargoyles come in as well.
Hive crone (or perhaps harpy) goes after the henchmen.
Flyrants continue to go after his troops.
I don't know what the hello was wrong with me, but I forget my Psychic Phase for the 2nd straight turn in a row!!!
I take out both rhinos and the unit of 2 henchmen.
Finally, I take out his very last rhino as well as the unit of henchmen on top of the terrain. Rippers run.
This turn, I get Objective #2 for 1 Maelstrom VP. Eric, on the other hand, gets both as he wipes out my gargoyles, venomthrope and biovores.
Maelstrom VP's - GK: 4, Tyranids: 3
Grey Knights 3
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
2. Hold Your Objective 2.
5. Destroy an enemy unit.
Grey Knights:
1. Hold Your Objective 1.
2. Hold Your Objective 2.
The centstar goes after my mawloc and his dread go after some gargoyles.
The other dread goes after my rippers.
This turn, his centstar perils twice while trying to cast his powers.
They then shoot down my hive crone.
It is a feint. I thought his dreadknight was going for my gargoyles, but he actually assaults my mawloc instead.
The other dread then assaults my zoan.
His dread then force weapons my mawloc to death.
Fortunately for me, my zoan survives.
Tyranids 3
Spoiler:
Gargoyles respawn and come in to claim my Objective #1.
I reaallllly want to take out his troops.
More importantly, I finally remember about my Psychic phase. For that, FNP for everyone!
I then wipe out all of his troops.
Gargoyles and rippers assault and finish off the last of his henchmen squads.
Finally, the dreadknight finishes off my zoan.
Despite my massive f*ckup the first 2 turns, I am actually in a decent position to take this game. I have managed to take out all 9 of my opponent's ObSec troop units. He's only got his deathstar and 2 dreadknights remaining.
I also get both of my Maelstrom objectives this turn, killing several units and holding Objective #2, and manage to deny my opponent any Maelstrom points this turn as well when my respawning gargoyles came back in to contest his dreadknight.
Maelstrom VP's - GK: 4, Tyranids: 5
Grey Knights 4
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
3. Hold Your Opponent's Objective 1.
6. Destroy an enemy unit.
Grey Knights:
2. Hold Your Objective 2.
3. Hold Your Opponent's Objective 1.
The centstar goes after my flying beasties. Another of his psykers take another wound to Perils.
Dreadknight goes after the rippers.
The other dreadknight goes after the gargoyles, though if he shoots them, he will probably take himself out of assault range.
Fried bugs, anyone?
Incinerator takes out 4 gargoyles, thus taking assault out of the equation.
The centstar claims another FMC. That's 3 in 4 turns that they've taken out so far.
Tyranids 4
Spoiler:
Harpy lands on the roof in preparation for the "end game".
Flyrants land on the ruins and prepare for the "end game" as well. I put FNP on both.
Gargoyles get away from the approaching dreadknight.
The other unit of gargoyles hide.
Shooting fails to do any damage at all against an Invisible unit of T5 2+ models.
This turn, we both get only 1 Maelstrom objective. I have Objective #1 with my rippers and my opponent has Objective #2 with his dreadknight.
Maelstrom VP's - GK: 5, Tyranids: 6
Grey Knights 5
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
2. Hold Your Objective 2.
6. Destroy an enemy unit.
Grey Knights:
2. Hold Your Objective 2.
3. Hold Your Opponent's Objective 1.
The centstar continues to advance.
Dreadknight....just stays on the objective for a Maelstrom point (and in case if the game ends).
Tigurius dies to Perils! Too bad he isn't the Warlord.
Dreadknight kills off my other unit of rippers to take sole control of his Objective #1.
Censtar fires at my harpy (without FNP) but I am saved by my Warlord trait, which gives my units Stealth in ruins. The harpy survives with 2W remaining.
I believe the centstar split-fires (or perhaps the dreadknight has range with his incinerator?). In any case, he is only able to kill 1 of 2 gargoyles (due to how I positioned them) but it doesn't matter. Without synapse, the gargoyle would run off the table anyways.
So after 5, my opponent is able to grab only 2 objectives (both with his dreadknights).
Tyranids 5
Spoiler:
I can still do it.
My gargoyles jump back onto his Objective #1 to claim it over his dreadknight. Haha...ObSec rocks!
Flyrant flies to provide synapse for the gargoyles. Harpy glides onto Objective #1.
Well, he actually has to run to make it there.
Finally, my other flyrant swoops forwards to my other objective.
This turn, in my bid to grab all of the objectives, I don't get any Maelstrom points. Eric gets 1 for holding Objective #2.
Maelstrom VP's - GK: 6, Tyranids: 6
However, I am currently winning the Primary with 2 objectives (gargoyles, harpy) to his 1 (dreadknight). So if the game ends, I will take it.
My opponent then rolls to see if the game ends and.....
.....to be concluded after dinner.
Grey Knights 6
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
Tyranids:
1. Hold Your Objective 1.
2. Hold Your Objective 2.
Grey Knights:
2. Hold Your Objective 2.
5. Destroy an enemy unit.
....the show must go on! (Curse you, dice gods! *** shakes my fist at them ***)
Oh....he's f*cked!
Well....at least his centstar doesn't have the objective.
Dread takes out my gargoyles on his objective.
So currently, Eric's got 2 objectives with his knights. I only have 2 models left on the table - my 2 flyrants. Even if I grab 2 objectives with them, he's still got me beat on Big Guns due to the fact that he killed both of my heavy supports (mawloc + biovores). Moreover, there is less than 5 minutes left, so he extends his hand to shake mine, thinking that he's won. I then told him to hold on, "let's play it through."
Tyranids 6
Spoiler:
To my opponent's complete horror, my gargoyles come back in. He totally forgot about that!
Flyrant goes into gliding mode to pick up the objective.
Other flyrant goes into gliding mode to pick up another objective.
Finally, my gargoyles run to contest the objective his dreadknight is on. Actually, not only do they contest it, they actually take it due to being ObSec!
With that, I take both of my Maelstrom objectives (Objective #1 and #2) whereas my opponent only gets 1 (kills my harpy).
Maelstrom VP's - GK: 7, Tyranids: 8
I am also winning on the Primary 3 objectives to just 1 for my opponent.
At this point, there is only about 1 minute left. We could have very easily ended it on this turn, but that just isn't my style. So I roll to see if the game continues.....
Grey Knights 7
Spoiler:
NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
The centstar shoots down my flyrant on the ground and goes to grab the objective.
With that, I can't win Primary. Now we've both got 2 objectives. However, my opponent takes the Primary due to killing 2 of my Heavy Supports.
I actually beat him by 1 on the Secondary Maelstrom objectives 9-8 (we both get 1 this turn).
Eric also gets First Blood, Warlord and Linebreaker for a 7-3 Grey Knight victory.
Crushing Victory for the Grey Knights!!!
Tyranids 7
Spoiler:
I grab an Objective to win the Secondary Maelstrom mission.
NNNOOOOOOO!!!! This game was mine! Despite getting thoroughly shellacked by my opponent's deathstar, I actually had control of the game the entire time. Had the game ended on Turn 5, I would have came out with a minor victory. Had it ended on Turn 6, I would have won with a crushing victory. But then it went on to 7!!! Now I know how Reece must have felt like when I played against his Tyranids in a tournament a long time ago. Despite me dominating the matchup, he actually had control of the game and would have won had the game ended on 5 or 6. But it continued onto 7 to give me the victory.
I really don't have anyone to blame but myself for my loss. Forgetting 2 psychic phases was absolutely a factor in this game. At the very least, time would have ran out on Turn 6 (and perhaps even by Turn 5) and we wouldn't have been able to make it to Turn 7, not to mention I might have saved a MC or 2 had I cast my powers properly. It just goes to show that you need to make sure you do everything properly and to not get ahead of yourself. I was just too focused on my strategy on how to play the game and planning out my next moves that I just brain-farted and forgot about some of the details, like casting my psychic powers.
I admit, this was a tough loss. I played through what I felt was a bad matchup for me. I actually felt that I played a solid game tactically and put myself in a position to win the game, both on Turns 5 and 6. However, the damn dice....it just wouldn't go my way on 5 and 6 insofar as the roll for the game to end. That and my psychic faux pas led to an especially disappointing loss for me. If only I had been able to win this one, I could have potentially been playing Steve Sisk for the championship. And if I were to play Steve, I'm actually fairly confident that I could have beaten his biker marines. I might have even been able to win it all! At the very least, I would have been playing for a Top 4 slot and would have secured the Best Tyranid player award (both Geoff and the other Tyranid player lost this round as well). Sigh.....
Coming up next....Drop Pod Forgeworld Salamanders!
As a Grey Knight player who has been playing a similar build I am interested in seeing this report. In the end though I think you have too many fliers for him to deal with so I am predicting a JY2 victory. Thanks for the great posts and congrats on makings Team0Comp.
It was a pivotal game that would have secured Best Tyranid player for me as well as a Top 10 ranking. Who knows, I might have even been playing for the Championships had I won it.
It looks like your opponent forgot about 'ive been expecting you' when the mawloc got placed by him...he should have been able to wipe the 'loc in your movement phase and then kill something else in the subsequent turn. Bonus for you!
thanatos67 wrote: It looks like your opponent forgot about 'ive been expecting you' when the mawloc got placed by him...he should have been able to wipe the 'loc in your movement phase and then kill something else in the subsequent turn. Bonus for you!
As a GK and Draigowing player, even I constantly forget about Coteaz's I've Been Expecting You. LOL!
djn wrote: Omg jy2! keep us hanging on! Great reports again.
Love the pic with the imperial knight spectating the battle!
Thanks!
Yeah, I saw him there and knew I just had to snap a photo with him taking a peek at our game.
That was a really good game. Very close and the decisions made were meaningful right to the end. Sorry for your loss. You are going to have to win the lvo now to avenge yourself.
Thanks ansacs. Although I was aiming for Best Tyranid, I actually had a realistic shot at winning the whole thing had I been able to win #5. So I had my hopes up high....only to have it crumbling down as the dice just wouldn't go my way on 5 and 6. Sigh....that was painful. When expectations are low, it wouldn't have been a big deal. But it kinda hurts when your expectations are high.
In any case, next year at the LVO, my aim is to win it all. Expectation are high, but I am confident in the army I will be taking there.
jy2 wrote: Thanks ansacs. Although I was aiming for Best Tyranid, I actually had a realistic shot at winning the whole thing had I been able to win #5. So I had my hopes up high....only to have it crumbling down as the dice just wouldn't go my way on 5 and 6. Sigh....that was painful. When expectations are low, it wouldn't have been a big deal. But it kinda hurts when your expectations are high.
In any case, next year at the LVO, my aim is to win it all. Expectation are high, but I am confident in the army I will be taking there.
A good goal to have, always best to aim for the top. Just remind yourself its about the game and people you meet that way defeats are put into perspective and you never feel like a loser.
BTW I wouldn't feel too set in an army at the rate these armies are dropping lol. I am betting all 40k books are done by February
The Nid army does not have any real critical mass. It was just a matter of time until you ran into a brick. The mobility of the imperial army shut you down. You played it very well but so did your opponent. You can't depend on getting first or second turn and the game ending on turn 5.
jy2 wrote: Thanks ansacs. Although I was aiming for Best Tyranid, I actually had a realistic shot at winning the whole thing had I been able to win #5. So I had my hopes up high....only to have it crumbling down as the dice just wouldn't go my way on 5 and 6. Sigh....that was painful. When expectations are low, it wouldn't have been a big deal. But it kinda hurts when your expectations are high.
In any case, next year at the LVO, my aim is to win it all. Expectation are high, but I am confident in the army I will be taking there.
A good goal to have, always best to aim for the top. Just remind yourself its about the game and people you meet that way defeats are put into perspective and you never feel like a loser.
BTW I wouldn't feel too set in an army at the rate these armies are dropping lol. I am betting all 40k books are done by February
Thanks. Yeah, it's not always about the winning. I am more for Sportsmanship and for both my opponent and I to have a fun time. Still, sometimes it's disappointing to lose a game that you could have and should have won, especially when you make mistakes in the game that costed you the game. But despite the disappointment, I still had fun in a grippingly tense game. It just would have been funner had I won.
BTW, my list/army may change by the time LVO arrives at the rate these new armies are being churned out. Nevertheless, I will bring the army that I feel will give me the best chances at winning come the LVO.
I most likely won't be running my bugs at the LVO, as I prefer to alternate armies between tournaments. Who knows, perhaps I may even take grey knights to the LVO!
ansacs wrote: Sounds great. I am looking forward to the reports titled, How to win the lvo and do it in style (with a giant drink of course).
Lol. Perhaps call it....How to Win at a Tournament While Drunk.
Dozer Blades wrote: The Nid army does not have any real critical mass. It was just a matter of time until you ran into a brick. The mobility of the imperial army shut you down. You played it very well but so did your opponent. You can't depend on getting first or second turn and the game ending on turn 5.
Actually, now that I've got more experience with them, I am actually feeling more confident with them in competitive play. I am loving the mobility of Skyblight as well as those regenerating ObSec troops. Going into my games, I was highly fearful of all those alpha-strike armies. Now, I realize that it isn't so bad....that I have enough of a critical mass to take it up the arse and still have a chance to win it. Now imagine if I played against these armies, had the 1st turn and was able to take off with all of my FMC's? I am sure those games would have been much, much different. In any case, despite my performance at the BAO, I am feeling much, much better (and much more comfortable) with my bugs.
Leth wrote: Looking forward to the opportunity to play you at LVO.
I will just have to keep winning until I face you huh?
We can always make a request to the Reece/Frankie to pair us off. They've got no problem pairing players up against each other in a kind of challenge match in the 1st round of their tourneys. As for me, I don't say no to challenges. It's just a matter of whoever places them first.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Mad.. wrote: Game 5 was an awesome read. I generally like games that go down to the wire like that and either team can win.
Cheers for typing it up... looking forward to the Salamander fight now
Oh man, that is another tough, tough battle where I was battling from behind for most of the game. All these marine armies were just so tough at the BAO. I can't believe how much better they've become ever since 7th.
It's going the be the can't-miss tournament of the West Coast in my opinion. All those beautiful armies. All those great players. All that booze! Can't wait!
Here I thought you waited soooo long because you fell flat in the game but it was quite the contrary. You played really well and giving that turn 7 a go with only a minute left in the round was a thing of pure sportsmanship gold. I follow you for the strategy but now I've witnessed a whole new level of your gamesmanship. I'd play against you all day everyday. The BAO needed this bat rep after the winner was such a "that guy".
Props JY2. Major props. (Props>forgetting two psychic phases btw)
Painnen wrote: Here I thought you waited soooo long because you fell flat in the game but it was quite the contrary. You played really well and giving that turn 7 a go with only a minute left in the round was a thing of pure sportsmanship gold. I follow you for the strategy but now I've witnessed a whole new level of your gamesmanship. I'd play against you all day everyday. The BAO needed this bat rep after the winner was such a "that guy".
Props JY2. Major props. (Props>forgetting two psychic phases btw)
Thank you very much. Although I am a competitive player at heart and enjoy winning, this is still a game after all and winning isn't everything. What's more important to me is the spirit of the game, and that spirit is to have fun and a good, fair competition.
sela wrote: Great report btw. What are your thoughts on gravstar in the competitive environment, btw? I'm thinking about running it in a tournament soon.
It's really good. The centurionstar is a proven winner. Tim Gorham won I believe 2 GT's with it, and it does consistently well in competitive play.
Though I fear that it may have taken somewhat of a hit with the new GK codex. Now you can no longer bring in Coteaz and cheap MSU henchmen troops as well as GK allies (at least not in most tournaments). However, on the plus side, you can bring in the new and improved Draigo for those tournaments that allow Lords of War.
Overall, I think that it will still be a top-tier tournament army.
BTW, here's a tip for you. Seriously, take a good look at Cypher for your centstar. He complements them really, really well.
There was a blog post about the winner having some questionable rules calls in one of his games as well as almost being kicked out because he had 1 of the unsportsmanlike game things and almost got a second.
Fragile wrote: Sad Jy2. Theres no reason that army should have even touched yours without the Psychic screwups and obvious bad rolling.
I wouldn't under-estimate his army. With Gate and Prescience, he can actually reliably kill 1 flying FMC a turn. Moreover, his dreadknights would have dominated my ground forces. But my screwup did hurt a lot. Oh well, live and learn. Live and learn....
Wow, what an awesome bat rep. Very, very sporting of you to play that last turn (or the small portion of it that mattered) with only a minute to go! It seems like your opponent maybe should have just called it at the end of 6, though, since starting a turn with that little time remaining definitely isn't required (or even allowed, depending on the event!).
But you did the right thing and you should be proud of the way you played . Awesome writeup, I was on edge just reading it, even though I knew the outcome from your hints!
I don't understand why with 1 minute left you try to play Turn 7? Your opponent tried calling it after the top of 6 and played out the bottom of 6. You cannot feasibly play 30 seconds each in 7 so the game should have just ended.
Out of town currently. Will finish when I get back.
y0disisray wrote: I don't understand why with 1 minute left you try to play Turn 7? Your opponent tried calling it after the top of 6 and played out the bottom of 6. You cannot feasibly play 30 seconds each in 7 so the game should have just ended.
That's just not how I roll. As long as my opponent has been cool throughout the game, I will give him the benefit of the doubt, even in this type of situation where the game was on the line.
So, you've got lots of experience playing cent star. I'm curious why you didn't vector strike it on turn one to thin it out a bit. It would give up one BS3 haywire missile into a rhino from the Crone, and nothing from the harpies.
I understand that you wouldn't expect to do much damage to it, but with the Mawloc coming in and all of the perils it might have taken another model or two.
tag8833 wrote: So, you've got lots of experience playing cent star. I'm curious why you didn't vector strike it on turn one to thin it out a bit. It would give up one BS3 haywire missile into a rhino from the Crone, and nothing from the harpies.
I understand that you wouldn't expect to do much damage to it, but with the Mawloc coming in and all of the perils it might have taken another model or two.
Because I was focused on taking out his troops and decided to fire 2 haywire shots at it instead. Also, going after his centstar (i.e. flying over them) would have taken my FMC's away from the path of his troops, which was probably what he had wanted. Thus, had I attempted to vector his deathstar, it would have taken my FMC's out of position relative to where I had wanted to go. Finally, I was trying to land in the ruins for the 4+ cover. Going over his centstar meant that I would be in the air and forced to jink if he had targeted those units, thus taking away some of my offense next turn (BTW, I had the Stealth in Ruins Warlord Trait).
For Game #6, I went up against another drop pod list. This time, it was Salamanders by Trevor of Sacramanento, and it was with a lot of Forgeworld tanks. TorretofFire did a splotlight on my Game #6 opponent, Trevor, shortly after the BAO:
Apparently, Trevor is a veteran of the gaming community, having been involved in it for the last 15 years (actually, probably more). He's done it all. He's been a player, a gaming store owner/entreprenuer and a TO of tournaments large and small. He's also played almost every 40K army under the sun and owns most of them. Of course I didn't know any of this at the time. All I knew was that 1) drop pod marines are really good, 2) unfortunately, I am going 2nd again and 3) wow....those Forgeworld tanks of his are really good! So going into the game, I knew it was going to be another tough, tough game for my bugs. But at least, it will be the very last one.
Currently, I am the top Tyranid player. Geoff "InControl" Robinson is 2nd. If I can win this game (or if both Geoff and I lose), then I will win Best Tyranids. So I need to try my best and hit a homer for the Hive Mind.
1850 SPACE MARINES SALAMANDERS
Librarian
Librarian
Techmarine w/1x Servitor
5x Command Squad - 4x Meltaguns, 4x Storm Shields, Apothecary
Drop Pod
10x Tacticals - Meltagun, Multi-melta, Combi-melta
Drop Pod
10x Tacticals - Meltagun, Multi-melta, Combi-melta
Drop Pod
10x Tacticals - Meltagun, Multi-melta, Combi-melta
Drop Pod
5x Scouts
Land Speeder Storm - Heavy Flamer
5x Assault Marines - 2x Flamers
Drop Pod
Land Raider Achilles
Relic Whirlwind Scorpius
Relic Sicarian Battle Tank
1. Hold Either Objective 1.
2. Hold Either Objective 2.
3. Destroy an enemy unit.
4. Destroy an enemy unit.
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within the enemy deployment zone.
6. Have at least 3 of your scoring units and no enemy scoring units at least partially within your own deployment zone.
Tertiary Objectives: First Blood, Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord, 1-pt each
Trevor's army is worrisome. His Forgeworld tanks are really good. The Achilles I know about. It is basically an indestructible piece of hardware, especially when you have a techmarine inside repairing it as it gets damaged. The Sicarian battle tank has very good firepower and can ignore jink saves. It can potentially take down 1 harpy/hive crone a turn. But the tank that worries me the most is the Whirlwind Scorpius. I was told by my opponent that it fires D3+1 S8 AP3 blasts and get this....it ignores cover! WOW! That's potentially 1 dead flyrant a turn if they're on the ground. The rest of his army is solid as well, with 30 ObSec bodies and 3 ObSec drop pods. So it's either deal with his tanks or deal with his infantry. Hmmm....decisions, decisions. What's worse is that one of his librarians got Invisibility. That can be a game-changer there. Overall, with all his firepower and his guaranteed Turn 1 alpha-strike, I felt that I needed to go first in order to get my FMC's into the air. Unfortunately, for the 4th game in a row against alpha-strike marine armies, I've failed to do so. So far, in each of my game where I got alpha-struck, I've lost a flyrant. I don't have a good feeling that my flyrant will survive his alpha-strike. However, as opposed to Game #1 against another drop pod army, this time, I am going to deploy all my flyrants on the table and hope to do damage right off the bat on Turn 1. Hopefully, I'll have a little more success with this strategy.
Salamander deployment. Shrouding Librarian goes in the Achilles with the techmarine. Invisible Librarian will come in with the Command squad.
My deployment. I leave my crone/harpies in reserves as well as 1 unit of gargoyles. Gargoyles, rippers and mawloc will deepstrike. Harpies, crone, biovores and zoan will walk on from my deployment edge.
My opponent then infiltrates his scouts in land speeder storm.
1. Hold Either Objective 1.
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within the enemy deployment zone.
Tyranids:
2. Hold Either Objective 2.
5. Have a scoring unit at least partially within the enemy deployment zone.
The Command squad comes in and goes after the bastion. His Libby casts Invisibility on them.
His troops combat-squad.
The 3rd unit of marines drop towards my right flank. Land speeder prepares to roast some gargoyles.
Tanks mobilize.
Shooting from tact marines kill 9 gargoyles from 1 brood and 3 from another.
The Command squad fails to take down the bastion.
However....
....he is able to finish off my Warlord for both Slay the Warlord and First Blood. Now it wasn't the Scorpius which killed him (though I believe it did cause 1W). Rather it was bolters, maybe the Command squad (can't recall entirely) and just bad saves on my part (with 2+ jink cover from the venomthrope). And for the 2nd time now, it came down to his last shot and my last save, which failed, to kill off my Warlord.
Tyranids 1
Spoiler:
I decide to assault his combat squads instead. My hope is to finish them off with my flyrants in my opponent's Assault phase. I figured this way, I could more efficiently kill his combat squads (shooting would have killed 3 marines on average and thus would require 2 turns of shooting by my flyrants just to kill off 1 combat squad).
Gargoyles go to try to tie up his Command squad.
Both flyrants fire their egrubs only onto the combat squads. I don't kill any marines. However, I do manage to take off 2 HP's from the drop pod.
Flyrants then assault....
....as do the gargoyles.
Both flyrants Smash to minimize the damage. I kill 1 guy from each unit. In return, he takes off 1W from my flyrant with a krak grenade.
Gargoyles can't do anything to the Invisible Command squad. He kills off the unit of 1 gargoyle and also 2 gargoyles from the other unit.
At the end of the turn, my opponent jumps to an early lead on the Secondary Mission. I fail to achieve either of my Maelstrom objectives (he's got an ObSec unit contesting my objective). My opponent, on the other hand, achieves both of his objectives with an ObSec unit on Objective #1 and by having units in my deployment zone.
Maelstrom VP's - Marines: 2, Tyranids: 0
Space Marines 2
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
I apologize, but I lost my notes with regards to the Maelstrom objectives.
Last tact squad drops in and combat squads.
SM movement.
Tanks repostition themselves.
Meltas take out the bastion and ensuing collapse takes out the venomthrope as well.
His Invisible Command squad then finishes off the gargoyles.
In combat, I don't hold back anymore. My flyrant attacks with its full fury.....and only kills 1.
Actually, neither flyrants are able to get out of combat.
Well, that sucked. Should have just left them flying to shoot instead.
Tyranids 2
Spoiler:
Now despite losing my bastion and Comms Relay, I roll very well for my Reserves and most of my guys come in (well, the important ones, anyways).
Mawloc comes up on top of a combat squad and wipes them out.
All 3 flyers come in. 1 unit of gargoyles respawn.
The crone vector-strikes the land speeder and takes off 1HP from it.
He then flames and wrecks it. However, none of the scouts inside dies!
The rest of my shooting is pathetic and I only manage to kill another 2 marines.
In Assault, I am forced to Smash again with my flyrants to keep them locked in combat for another turn.
This turn, we both manage to achieve both of our Maelstrom objectives (though I don't remember what they were).
Maelstrom VP's - Marines: 4, Tyranids: 2
Space Marines 3
Spoiler:
Finally, the last drop pod with the dual-flamer Assault squad comes in.
Marine shooting takes out not 1 unit of gargoyles....
....but 2 unit of gargoyles.
The Invisible Command squad would charge into 1 of my flyrants to try to lock it in place.
I do manage to finish off the tact marine, but basically, my flyrant and his Command squad remain locked in combat for the rest of the game.
The failrant just cannot get out of combat! 2 marines remain.
Tyranids 3
Spoiler:
Gargoyles respawn but mishap on the deepstrike. My opponent then places them in the very corner of his deployment zone.
Fortunately for me, both units of gargoyles come back.
Rippers deepstrike and almost scatter off the table.
I manage to kill 2 marines from 2 different combat squads.
Here I kill 4 marines from 3 different units with my flyers.
At this rate, perhaps my flyrant may get out of combat by the time the game ends.
Finally, my mawloc attempts to charge one of the combat squad but fails.
This turn, I fail to achieve any of my Maelstrom objectives. Trevor, on the other hand, manages to get both of his for a commanding lead on the Secondary.
Maelstrom VP's - Marines: 6, Tyranids: 2
Space Marines 4
Spoiler:
Maelstrom Objectives:
At this point, I concede the Secondary. I am too far behind in the Secondary (the Maelstrom objectives) and this may very well be the last turn of the game.
Marines go after my gargoyles/mawloc.
He manages to pin my gargoyles out of Synapse with his shooting (I believe it may have been from the Scorpius). Doh! Crap, I really needed them mobile next turn.
I believe he put a couple of wounds on my mawloc.
Scouts move and then run towards the objective.
Finally, my flyrant is able to break out of combat.
Tyranids 4
Spoiler:
Flyrant shoots down the scouts. But rippers go and grab the objective just in case.
Hive crone goes to contest the objective held by the assault marines.
I also take an objective here and my harpy glides to take the objective in my opponent's deployment zone.
Game ends due to time.
My opponent has dominated me in the Secondary, winning it 6-2 for 3-pts.
I take Primary with 3 objectives to his 0, thus giving me 4-pts.
However, my opponent gets both First Blood and Warlord.
I have both my gargoyles and 1 harpy in his deployment zone for Linebreaker.
So it is a tie at 5-5. But wait....
It turns out that his 2 marines are in my deployment zone, thus giving him Linebreaker as well.
So actually, Marines take it 6-5!
Minor Victory for the Salamanders Space Marines!!!
NOOOOO!!!! I almost had the draw, but I messed up on my very last turn! I should have focused on taking out his 2 marines in my deployment zone for Linebreaker! Aargh!
But honestly, I can't say that I am too disappointed in this game. I was basically down the entire game, ever since my opponent took out my Warlord on Turn 1 for both Warlord and First Blood. From there, it was playing catchup the entire game. Combine that with the fact that my offense was just horrible in this game and I'm actually somewhat proud of almost getting the draw. Assaulting the flyrants into those combat squads turned out to be a disastrous decision on my part as I just couldn't get them out of combat....against just 5 guys!!! WTF?!? None of my shooting was very effective as my blasts kept scattering or my opponent made his saves. I mean, come on....I flame his land speeder with an AP4 flamer against scouts with only 4+ saves and can't even manage to kill a single scout! That was just how lousy my offense was.
And yet, I was still able to make it close. You see, nowadays, the game is more about Movement and positioning. You don't have to be great in shooting or assault, but if you have great mobility, then you're never really out of the game. Despite getting outshot, beaten up and having to battle uphill in 3 of my games against Marines - Game #1 vs drop pod Ultramarines, Game #5 against the Centurionstar and this game - I was still able to make it close thanks to my mobility and positioning. Trevor thought he had this game won handily, and then he could barely believe it when he thought I was able to pull off the draw in the end. Perhaps the best compliment I received all day was when he said that I used Jedi mind tricks to almost take this game away from him. (BTW, that was my use of misdirection tactics and "you've got this game won" strategy, thus lulling my opponent into a false sense of security that "he's got the game in the bag".) Lol.
So Geoff wins his last game and I lose mine. Thus, Geoff surpasses me to take Best Tyranids, with me coming in as the 2nd best Tyranid player. I ended up 35th Overall (out of about 120 players. All of my Marine opponents did very well. Carlos, my Game #1 Ultramarines opponent, finished 2nd Overall with 5 Wins and 1 Draw (courtesy of yours truly). Ben, my Game #3 White Scars/Astra Militarum opponent and fellow Team Zero Comp teammate (whose only loss in the tournament was from me) ended the tournament 10th Overall. Trevor, my Game #6 Salamanders opponent, finished 13th and Eric, my Game #5 Grey Knights Centurionstar opponent, finished at 14th. I can't believe how good Marines have become in this edition. At the BAO, 5 of the Top 10 were Marine armies and 9 out of the Top 15 were Marines (well, technically 1 of those armies were Grey Knights with Marine allies). Rounding out the Top 10 were 2 Eldar (including Mortetvie, who finished 3rd Overall), 2 Necrons and 1 Tau (Spam Adams). I can't say that I was really happy with my performance at this tournament, but I did have some good competition against some tough opponents and that's all I can really ask for. In any case, I am looking forwards to the Las Vegas Open (LVO) GT next. Maybe I'll see some of you there, but until then, ciao! It's been a pleasure.
jy2 is The man! Love the tactical overview of your games.
Makes me want to play my nids in such a different way than I normally do but then I dont have a skyblight formation. (recycling obesc gargoyles seem sooo much useful. )
7th ed is all about mobility and this formation has it all over the place. The way jy2 plays it makes me re-think my perception of the tyranid army as a competitive threat.
cyberjonesy wrote: jy2 is The man! Love the tactical overview of your games.
Makes me want to play my nids in such a different way than I normally do but then I dont have a skyblight formation. (recycling obesc gargoyles seem sooo much useful. )
7th ed is all about mobility and this formation has it all over the place. The way jy2 plays it makes me re-think my perception of the tyranid army as a competitive threat.
Thanks!
It's not easy and Tyranids are by no means a top-tier army currently. However, they can surprise you if you're not prepared for them and with some creative/tactical play, they can still do well in competitive play.
Thanks for reading, and I encourage anyone who may like the playstyle to give Tyranids a try.
Great reports, thanks for writing them all up (finally!).
I was thinking about starting nids as my second army and these batreps have given me a good idea of what to build towards and how to play them. Seeing how all your other SM opponents have used theirs also helped me a great deal with my SM lists - I especially love the Salamanders force in game 6, refreshing to see no Centstar/Tiggy/Coatez combo yet still performing well. Its true what they say, to get the best out of SM you have to absolutely maximize the CT.
Dozer Blades wrote: The dice weren't helping you that last game but you were still in there right to the end! Can't wait to see what you bring to Vegas !!!
Can't wait to go but honestly, I don't know what I'll be bringing yet. Will probably decide by next year. Rumour is Necrons are coming out end of October and I'm pretty sure you can say bye bye to wargear such as Mindshackles and expect an increase in a lot of other stuff. In other words, you're probably going to see the crons get nerfed, so for now, it's going to be wait-&-see.
Iapedus wrote: Great reports, thanks for writing them all up (finally!).
I was thinking about starting nids as my second army and these batreps have given me a good idea of what to build towards and how to play them. Seeing how all your other SM opponents have used theirs also helped me a great deal with my SM lists - I especially love the Salamanders force in game 6, refreshing to see no Centstar/Tiggy/Coatez combo yet still performing well. Its true what they say, to get the best out of SM you have to absolutely maximize the CT.
Cheers again
Nids can be fun but they can also be challenging to play. They have some good builds, but they do struggle against some of the top competitive armies, just like I struggled somewhat against some of Space Marine armies here. Nids also present matchup problems to a lot of armies as well. In terms of power level, they are probably an upper mid-tier army (whereas Necrons, Eldar and Space Marines are considered top-tier armies). However, I never encourage people to play armies due to how strong they are. Rather, I encourage you to try out an army you think looks cool and whose playstyle you think may be fun. Tyranids may not be the most competitive army out there, but they are definitely fun to play and you can still do well with them.
Yeah, for Marines, you definitely should use their Chapter Tactics to their full potential in order to get the most out of them. Probably the most successful of the CT's are White Scars (biker armies), Salamanders (for drop pod armies) and Ultramarines (for centstars and/or drop pod armies). However, I've seen people use and do really well with Ravenguards and Imperial Fists as well.
jy2 wrote: I never encourage people to play armies due to how strong they are. Rather, I encourage you to try out an army you think looks cool and whose playstyle you think may be fun. Tyranids may not be the most competitive army out there, but they are definitely fun to play and you can still do well with them.
Yeah, absolutely - my main reason for wanting to start nids is because aesthetically I think they are some of the best stuff GW do for 40k.
You need a Master of Relics to field more than one Relic vehicle, and there wasn't one listed (Master of the Forge for vanilla Space Marines).
Edit: ok, Thud already saw that.
Thanks for pointing it out guys. That's one of the problems in competitive play nowadays. There is just too much source material - codices, supplements, dataslates and then all those Forgeworld units/special rules - that mistakes like this is bound to happen and there is no way TO's can catch all of them.
I will let him know if I ever see him again in the future.
You need a Master of Relics to field more than one Relic vehicle, and there wasn't one listed (Master of the Forge for vanilla Space Marines).
Edit: ok, Thud already saw that.
Thanks for pointing it out guys. That's one of the problems in competitive play nowadays. There is just too much source material - codices, supplements, dataslates and then all those Forgeworld units/special rules - that mistakes like this is bound to happen and there is no way TO's can catch all of them.
I will let him know if I ever see him again in the future.
Geez, if there only was some way to transmit, at the speed of light, your army list to a TO before the event, so they can scan them to find any such illegalities...well, maybe someday.
tomjoad wrote: Geez, if there only was some way to transmit, at the speed of light, your army list to a TO before the event, so they can scan them to find any such illegalities...well, maybe someday.
Keep in mind this event is pretty big. It is impractical to proof the hundreds of army lists the BAO would get, no matter how fast you transmit your list. Just imagine if you (alone) had to proof over a 100 lists each drawing from among a dozen different books...ouch.
tomjoad wrote: Geez, if there only was some way to transmit, at the speed of light, your army list to a TO before the event, so they can scan them to find any such illegalities...well, maybe someday.
Keep in mind this event is pretty big. It is impractical to proof the hundreds of army lists the BAO would get, no matter how fast you transmit your list. Just imagine if you (alone) had to proof over a 100 lists each drawing from among a dozen different books...ouch.
I know. I was at the BAO. If they can't require list submission and check them over in the week or so before the event...well, that's near the top of my list of reasons I won't be returning to any big tournaments any time soon. Encouraging people to cheat (and not checking lists DOES encourage cheating, you're fooling yourself if you think otherwise) might not bother you, but it does bother me.
I used to be a Magic judge, and we were somehow able to check literally 100's of decklists for legality during the first round of a tournament every time, so you can't tell me that it's impossible to require submission a week or so before an event and just give them a once over.
tomjoad wrote: Geez, if there only was some way to transmit, at the speed of light, your army list to a TO before the event, so they can scan them to find any such illegalities...well, maybe someday.
Keep in mind this event is pretty big. It is impractical to proof the hundreds of army lists the BAO would get, no matter how fast you transmit your list. Just imagine if you (alone) had to proof over a 100 lists each drawing from among a dozen different books...ouch.
But its an event with a hefty price tag.
A tag close to what I pay to run big name marathons or ultra marathons...now if I flew to a city, ran in an event to win it or my age group and the race organizer let my main opponents cheat in some meaningful way, I'd certainly want my money back. The responsibility of policing the course is on the people holding the event.
To be fair, the BAO was the very first major tournament of 7th. It was literally like a 1-2 months just after the new edition came out. Not only did the Frontline guys have to watch out for lists, but they had to be the first to come out with a 7th Ed. FAQ, deal with all of the supplements and new books/online material coming out and playtest their mission scenarios. Not only that, but they are the 1st major tournament to allow Forgeworld in their tournaments, so now they have an extra layer of complexity to deal with/keep up with. In short, there was just too much stuff going on and they didn't really have a whole lot of time to do some major playtesting.
To compound on the problem, a lot of players didn't really understand how to build lists in 7th, what with all the formations coming out, allies, factions, Imperial Knights and Forgeworld. I look at this tournament more as a test bed for all these changes. Mistakes were bound to happen, but the main thing was that the event ran smoothly and everyone (or most everyone) had a good time.
However, I'd expect future Frontline events to tighten up on these types of mistakes. The first one (after 7th), I'd give them the benefit of the doubt as it was such a huge change in such a short amount of time. After that, I expect them to do better.
Cool batrep, weird to see a Salamanders drop list without Vulkan. I'm always pleased to see how you pull draws or wins out of games where your dice are really cold.
jy2 wrote: But the tank that worries me the most is the Whirlwind Scorpius. I was told by my opponent that it fires D3+1 S8 AP3 blasts and get this....it ignores cover! WOW!
The Scorpius doesn't ignore cover, I don't know where your opponent was getting that idea.
DanielBeaver wrote: Cool batrep, weird to see a Salamanders drop list without Vulkan. I'm always pleased to see how you pull draws or wins out of games where your dice are really cold.
jy2 wrote: But the tank that worries me the most is the Whirlwind Scorpius. I was told by my opponent that it fires D3+1 S8 AP3 blasts and get this....it ignores cover! WOW!
The Scorpius doesn't ignore cover, I don't know where your opponent was getting that idea.
I believe it is some type of special rule that you can buy for your tanks, but maybe 1 per army? Like a unique wargear or something. I believe it may be in the end of the Imperial Armour book and not actually under the options of the tank itself.
I can't find it anywhere in the books I own, but Forgeworld rules are so scattered about that it wouldn't surprise me if something obscure like that existed somewhere.
DanielBeaver wrote: Cool batrep, weird to see a Salamanders drop list without Vulkan. I'm always pleased to see how you pull draws or wins out of games where your dice are really cold.
jy2 wrote: But the tank that worries me the most is the Whirlwind Scorpius. I was told by my opponent that it fires D3+1 S8 AP3 blasts and get this....it ignores cover! WOW!
The Scorpius doesn't ignore cover, I don't know where your opponent was getting that idea.
I believe it is some type of special rule that you can buy for your tanks, but maybe 1 per army? Like a unique wargear or something. I believe it may be in the end of the Imperial Armour book and not actually under the options of the tank itself.
DanielBeaver wrote:I can't find it anywhere in the books I own, but Forgeworld rules are so scattered about that it wouldn't surprise me if something obscure like that existed somewhere.
IA2 Second edition, the space marine book, towards the back.
Legacies of war. Scorpius + legacy of war is going to cost ~150-160 points.
Edit; the illegality of multiple relic vehicle without a master of the forge is easy to understand, he probably thought the techmarine was enough or mistook MotF for techmarine.
Tactical and drop pods take out 7 gargoyles.
Amazing outcome, maybe I should add "mad die rollin skilz!" to my list of tactics.. 
