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This is my first battle rep. I am facing off against my brother's Dark Eldar, which I have yet to defeat in the few games we have played. We decided to play a NOVA scenario, at least from what we can remember of it as we did not have the exact rules. Basically, it was Spearhead deployment with King of the Hill (the center ruin), Kill Points, and Table Quarters as the objectives. King of the Hill can only be captured by an HQ. We generally keep our lists as TAC lists, so we had some stuff that was not good against each other.

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Tyranids -
HQs:
Tyrant : Scything Talons/Lash Whip and Bone Sword
Adrenal Glands/Hive Commander/Old Adversary/Leech Essence/Paroxysm/Armored Shell
- Tyrant Guard : Lash Whip - x2

Elites:
Hive Guard - x3
Hive Guard - x3
Zoanthrope - x2

Troops:
Genestealers : Adrenal Glands - x8
Genestealers : Adrenal Glands - x8
Hormagaunts - x16
Hormagaunts - x16

Fast Attack:
Gargoyles - x16

Heavy Support:
Trygon Prime : Adrenal Glands/Regeneration
Carnifex : Heavy Venom Cannon
Carnifex : Heavy Venom Cannon

Dark Eldar -
HQs:
Archon : Splinter Pistol/Agoniser/Phantasm Grenade Launcher/Haywire Grenades/Shadow Field
Haemonculus : 1) Liquidifer Gun/Crucible of Malediction
2) Liquidifer Gun
3) Liquidifer Gun

Elites:
Incubi - x6
- Raider : Flickerfield
Kabalite Trueborn : Blaster - x4
- Venom : Flickerfield/Splinter Cannon (x2)
Kabalite Trueborn : Blaster - x4
- Venom : Flickerfield/Splinter Cannon (x2)

Troops:
Kabalite Warriors : Splinter Cannon (x1) - x10
- Raider : Flickerfield
Kabalite Warriors : Splinter Cannon (x1) - x10
- Raider : Flickerfield
Wyches : (Hekatrix : Agoniser) Haywire Grenades/Hydra Gauntlet (x1)
- Raider : Flickerfield
Wyches : (Hekatrix : Agoniser) Haywire Grenades/Hydra Gauntlet (x1)
- Raider : Flickerfield

Fast Attack:
None

Heavy Support:
Ravager : Flickerfield
Ravager : Flickerfield
Ravager : Flickerfield

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Pre-game -
Combat Drugs:
So we started off with his combat drug roll and he gets a 6, giving all his 'Power from Pain' units a single Pain token.

Deployment:
Our rolls for deployment, I won with a 2.

Tyranid Deployment:
I decided to choose the left quarter on my side of the board (I know I could have picked his side but I was already on the south side of the board). I deploy everything and inflitrated my two Genestealer squads. I surrounded my front with one squad of Hormagaunts to keep from getting Turn 1 assaulted (in case he steals initiative). I place all my Hive Guard on the southern part of the board (the side I am on). I deploy my Carnifexes together in the back surrounded by a bunch of Gargoyles to give them cover. The Trygon Prime started as far back behind a tall tree incase he steals initiative so I can get cover. The Zoanthropes was deployed right behind the line of Hormagaunts. The last squad of Hormagaunts was all deployed as far foward on the south side of the board. The Hive Tyrant with Tyrant Guard was behind the front row of Hormagaunts in the middle to the west side.

Dark Eldar Deployment:
He was thinking about starting all in Reserve but decided against it because I do not have really strong shooting, which I thought was actually stronger than usual because of two Carnifexes (sp?) with HVC. My brother deploys one Haemonculus in each Wych squad and the Crucible Haemonculus in the Incubi squad. He also deploys the Archon in the Incubi squad as well. He deploys three raiders turned broad side against the center circle deployment. Going around the circle, clockwise, Archon with Incubi and Haemonculus, Wych with Haemonculus, and another Wych with Haemonculus. The northern most Raider with a squad of Kabalite Warriors, behind them to the east, two Venoms with Trueborn, and another Raider to the middle east containing more Warriors. The three Ravagers started behind on top of a hill.

Inflitrator Deployment:
I deploy the painted Genestealer squad behind the middle ruins on my side and the unpainted Genestealer squad on the right side 18' away behind area terrain trees.

Initiative Steal:
After deploying, he almost steals initiative with a 5, so we begin the slaughter!

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Turn 1 -
Tyranids:
Movement Phase -
When I play games, I generally do not think alot about tactics but instead think of how to keep cover saves to the units that need it and keeping units that do not want to get assaulted off the bat from getting assaulted while still keeping foward movement. I really did not care if he shot or assaulted the Genestealers so I just move them as foward as possible. My Hive Guard and Zoanthropes move foward also, but staying south of the ruins in the middle. The front line of Hormagaunts maintain their line as much as possible while moving foward. Other Hormaguant squad moves north and stays as a cluster. The Gargoyles bunch up a bit around the Carnifexes to attemp to keep their cover saves, moving more east than north east towards the enemy. The Carnifexes move towards the trees around the Zoanthropes. One of the Carnifexes gets off the top of the hill in the south western part of the board to keep cover saves. The Trygon Prime burrows.

Shooting Phase -
Genestealers run. Hormagaunts all Bounding Leap foward. Gargoyles also keep running foward. Hive Tyrant and Guard also run towards the center of the ruins. The southern Hive Guard shoot at the southern most Wych Raider, causing it to explode, injuring the Haemonculus and killing a Wych. The Zoanthropes also Warp Blast the same squad killing 3 Wyches and finishing off the Haemonculus. The other Hive Guard shoot at the other Wych squad and also causes the Raider to explode, but only wounding the Haemonculus. The southern most Carnifex shoots its HVC at the closest Ravager (most north west one), being like 1 inch short. The other one also shoots but it either scatters off a bit or I rolled a 1 for penetration, causing no damage.

Assault Phase -
No assaults.



Tyranids - Kill Points: 3 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 2 -- Total Score: 2
Dark Eldar - Kill Points: 0 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 1 -- Total Score: 0

Dark Eldar:
Movement Phase -
He moves the injured Wych squad towards the closest cover, the trees. The other Wych squad moves towards the ruins, going around the impassible pool of acid. The northern most Raider with Warriors moves into the trees and crashes. The Vemons moves inbetween the northern trees and the pool of acid, towards the ruins. The Raider with his Archon of Incubi move flush with the ruins and exits the vehicle into the ruins. The Ravagers and other Raider move south-south west.

Shooting Phase -
His Wyches both run foward. The southern Raider with Warriors unload the Rifles and Cannons into the Genestealers, killing 4 of them. The Genestealers shrug this off, passing their leadership test. The north Raider and Warriors unload their payload into my Tyrant and Guard, killing a Guard and wounding the other. Some Dark Lances shoot at my Hive Guard, only dealing a wound. Also, a Dark Lance melts a single Zoanthrope. The Archon and Haemonculus decides to fire some Splinter Pistols into the Genestealer squad instead of using the Crucible of Malediction to see if I fail my Leadership test on my Tyrant.

Assault Phase -
The Archon and Incubi squad assaults my Genestealers. His Archon attacks first, at Initative 7, pulling apart one two Genestealers. The Genestealers and Incubi both go on Initiative 6. One Genestealer had to attack his Haemonculus and another on the Archon. Both fail to pass the Gnarled Flesh with Pain from Power and the Shadow Field. The other Genestealers rend down an Incubi. The rest of the squad cut down the rest of the squad and consolidate foward onto the King of the Hill objective.



Tyranids - Kill Points: 3 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 1 -- Total Score: 1
Dark Eldar - Kill Points: 1 / King of the Hill: Yes / Table Quarters: 1 -- Total Score: 1

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Turn 2 -
Tyranids:
Movement Phase -
The Trygon tries to come up behind the Ravagers but scatters inbetween the Venoms and Ravagers. My Hive Tyrant and Guard move up the ruins to meet with his Archon. The foward Hormagaunts also move to engage in the combat in the middle of the ruins. The other Hormagaunts move up to engage in the Wyches. The remaining Genestealers try to move out of terrain.

Shooting Phase -
Hive Guard shoot at Ravagers, exploding one. Carnifexes wreck a Ravager. Zoanthrope Warp Lance misses the closest Raider. Hive Tyrant Paroxysm the Archon squad. The Containment Spines from the Trygon stuns and immoblises one of the Venoms.

Assault Phase -
Tyrant and Hormagaunts assault the Archon squad. The Genestealers, not making it far enough out of terrain, assaults the Raider with Warriors instead of helping the Hormagaunts, which assault the Wyches. Lots of Hormagaunts get slaughtered by the Archon and Incubi. The Tyrant mauls the Haemonculus. A few more Hormagaunts dies to fearless wounds. The other Hormagaunt squad kills one or two Wyches while they kill many Hormagaunts, which dies some more to fearless. The Genestealers only stuns the Raider.



Tyranids - Kill Points: 6 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 1 -- Total Score: 1
Dark Eldar - Kill Points: 1 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 1 -- Total Score: 0

Dark Eldar:
Movement Phase -
Not much movement happens for the Dark Eldar. Basically disembark from a Raider to rapid fire at the Genestealers and a Raider moves up to block LOS and movement on my Gargoyles, Zoanthropes, Hive Guard, and Carnifexes. The other Wych squad moves towards the ruins. The Haemonculus breaks from the Wyches towards the Hormagaunts near the trees already locked in combat.

Shooting Phase -
The Trueborn and Venoms take 5 wounds off the Trygon. He also shoots the Ravager at the Trygon, finishing it off. The rapid firing Warriors totally decimate the Genestealers. The Raider that moves up shoots a Dark Lance and finishes off one of the Hive Guard. The other Wych squad fleets up on top of the ruins.

Assault Phase -
The Haemonculus assaults along with the Wyches and Hormagaunts, who procedes to die from a single Hormagaunt, which continue to fight and staying locked in combat. Incubi failed to wound the Tyrant and Guard. The Hive Tyrant and Guard throws all the attacks on the Incubi, which finishes them off. The Wyches and Archon finish off the Hormagaunt squad. Fearless wounds killed the last Tyrant Guard.



Tyranids - Kill Points: 7 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 1
Dark Eldar - Kill Points: 5 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 0

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Turn 3 -
Tyranids:
Movement Phase -
More stuff moves foward, staying south of the ruins. Gargoyles kinda string out, attempting to shoot at the Warriors on the other side of the trees. Hive Guard, Zoanthrope, and Carnifexes keep moving up.

Shooting Phase -
Shooting accomplishes destroying the immoblised Venom and stunning the Ravager.

Assault Phase -
My Hormagaunts are finished off by the Wyches which consolidate into the trees. The Hive Tyrant throws all the attacks on the Archon, which fails one of the Shadow Field saves and dies. All the Wyches failing to wound, flee and get sweeped. I consolidate towards the Trueborn (his base is touching where the red dice is).



Tyranids - Kill Points: 10 / King of the Hill: Yes / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 2
Dark Eldar - Kill Points: 6 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 0

Dark Eldar:
Movement Phase -
Wyches move out of the trees. Warriors embark back into the Raider. The last Venom turbo-boosts to the other table quarter. Trueborn move up a bit to Blaster the Tyrant.

Shooting Phase -
Wyches and Warriors shoot at Gargoyles, killing several. I noticed that I pulled them off the back here instead of up in front to cause a failed assault for the Wyches. Trueborn and Warriors inside the immoblised Raider finish off the Tyrant. A Dark Lance from the immoblised Raider wounds a Carnifex.

Assault Phase -
Wyches assault the Gargoyles, killing off most of them but staying in combat due to fearless.



Tyranids - Kill Points: 10 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 1
Dark Eldar - Kill Points: 7 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 0

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Turn 4 -
Tyranids:
Movement Phase -
Zoanthrope moves into a spot to let the Hive Guard squads split up. Carnifexes move up.

Shooting Phase -
I think the Hive Guard killed the last Venom. Carnifexes do nothing, they actually land their shots against the Ravager but roll 1s for penetration.

Assault Phase -
Wyches finish off the Gargoyle squad, granting the Dark Eldar another kill point. They consolidate back into the trees.



Tyranids - Kill Points: 11 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 1
Dark Eldar - Kill Points: 8 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 0

Dark Eldar:
Movement Phase -
Wyches move up to the Hive Guard. Raider moves up to do more blocking. The Trueborn move up to fire Blasters. Raider also moves up to release more Splinter fire.

Shooting Phase -
All the Dark Lances fire at the Zoanthrope, doing nothing. Splinter fire from Wyches and Warriors kill off the Hive Guard. Blaster fire from the Trueborn kill two Hive Guard.



Tyranids - Kill Points: 11 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 1
Dark Eldar - Kill Points: 9 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 1 -- Total Score: 1

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Turn 5 -
Tyranids:
Movement Phase -
I moved the Carnifex towards the Trueborn and Raider. Zoanthrope moved back, I should have moved up to contest the Wyches. Hive Guard moves away from Blasters.

Shooting Phase -
Carnifex near the Raider shoot the Heavy Venom Cannon and rolls another 1 for the penetration. Other Carnifex fires at the Ravager which misses it. Zoanthrope Warp Blasts the Wyches, killing one of them. I think the Hive Guard fired at the Warrior Raider and doing nothing to it.

Assault Phase -
The Carnifex assaults the Raider and wrecking it.

[No picture. Sorry ]

Tyranids - Kill Points: 12 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 1
Dark Eldar - Kill Points: 9 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 1 -- Total Score: 1

Dark Eldar:
Movement Phase -
Wyches moves into the trees. Trueborn move up to fire more Blasters. Ravager and Raider with Warriors only inch foward.

Shooting Phase -
More Dark Lances into the Zoanthrope, which either miss or are blocked. Blasters blast away the injured Carnifex. I noticed that the Warrior Raider on the south end of the board has either a stunned/shakened token by it. I am not sure what he did here. I am going to assume he did nothing because it is Turn 5.

Assault Phase -
No assaults.



Tyranids - Kill Points: 12 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 1
Dark Eldar - Kill Points: 10 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 1 -- Total Score: 1

Continued Round:
We rolled a 4, which continues the game.

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Turn 6 -
Tyranids:
Movement Phase -
Hive Guard moves away again from Trueborn. Carnifex moves across the wreckage, passing the Dangeous Terrain test. There is a dice under the Raider to show where it is at. Zoanthrope keeps moving back...unfortantely.

Shooting Phase -
Carnifex explodes the last Ravager. Zoanthrope misses with Warp Lance again. Hive Guard shakens the Raider with Warriors.

Assault Phase -
No assaults.



Tyranids - Kill Points: 13 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 1
Dark Eldar - Kill Points: 10 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 1 -- Total Score: 1

Dark Eldar:
Movement Phase -
Trueborn moves up to the Carnifex. Raider moves up and disembarks the Warriors. Wyches move a little bit.

Shooting Phase -
Trueborn Blasters kill off the Carnifex. Tons of Splinter fire hit the Hive Guard, dealing one wound.

Assault Phase -
No assaults.



Tyranids - Kill Points: 13 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 0 -- Total Score: 1
Dark Eldar - Kill Points: 11 / King of the Hill: No / Table Quarters: 1 -- Total Score: 1

Continued Round:
We rolled a 2, which ends the game.

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Conclusion:
While there was a ton of errors in how I moved, how I built my list, and other stuff, this is the first time I have not just auto lose against his Dark Eldar. And I was actually doing well early in the game, especially on Turn 2 and 3. But after that, my board just started to fall apart. I am still unsure about Carnifexes...for the points cost, they do not seem to do a whole lot, even against the other armies. Of course, my Trygon Prime, does absolutely nothing to his early in the game. I think I should have just placed it in Reserves and hope it comes in late where there isnt 20 billion Dark Light weapons. Either way, I learned quite a bit from this game.

nice read.

I'm not having much luck these days with trygons either. I'm using x2 per list but thinking of dropping them completely or adding a third.

good read, rare matchup as (normally) DE walk all over nids in most cases

I used to run 2 or 3 trygons in my nid army, but I've found them too easy to take down when playing against another balanced list. Nowadays, I run biovores and a tyrannofex for my heavies.

Good job against DE. That's a tough matchup for nids.

Too bad there won't be any slaves to take back

Thanks for the replies. Ya, this was a tough match indeed. I am thinking of removing the Trygon and maybe replacing it with either a Mawloc or just completely removing all my Heavy Support and place more emphasis on my Fast Attack and Troops. And I hope you all didn't mind the headless Trygon, I accidently dropped him on his head which can be seen in the western part of the board.

Riddick40k wrote:Too bad there won't be any slaves to take back

Nonsense! My dark eldar use a form of paralysing venom when fighting tyranids, assuring that theres plenty of specimens for the wyche arenas!