Went to Powerfist gaming club Thursday last week, been a bank holiday here so a late bat rep. I played against Jon, he's just starting Blood Angels after going from Space Marines. I believe this is the first time he's trying a mech list, previously he went jump infantry.
Tyranids "Hive Fleet Kraken" - 1,500 points
HQ
Tervigon - crushing claws, adrenal glands, toxin sacs & catalyst
Elite
2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard
Troops
Tervigon - crushing claws, adrenal glands, toxin sacs & catalyst
15 x Termagants
15 x Termagants
8 x Genestealers
8 x Genestealers
Heavy Support
Carnifex - 2 x twin-linked devourers
Carnifex - 2 x twin-linked devourers
Blood Angels
HQ
Librarian - jump pack
Elite
Sanguinary Priest - jump pack
Troops
10 x Assault Marines - 2 x flamers - sgt w/ power fist
10 x Tactical Marines w/ Razorback - flamer & missile launcher - Razorback w/ twin-linked lascannon
10 x Tactical Marines w/ Razorback - flamer & missile launcher - Razorback w/ twin-linked lascannon
10 x Death Company w/ Rhino
Heavy Support
Vindicator
Vindicator
Game: Capture and Control + Pitched Battle
Deployment
I place my objective on the left hand of the table by the large circular ruin. Jon places in his ruin on the right of near the hill.
I won the roll off and decided to go second, reason for this is Blood Angels are a assault heavy army and will come to me.
Jon deployed his Death Company left hand side of the table, then a Vindicator supported by a Razorback, in the centre a missile launcher combat squadnear some trees, another Razorback and combat squad by the objective and then the last Vindicator on the right. The Assault Squad with Priest were in reserve ready to deep strike.
I deployed refused flank on the right side of the board, this would keep my Tyranid horde together and allow me to move up directly towards Jons objective as well as buying me some time and avoiding the Death Company. This tactic will also put me away from my own objective so I will spawn some Termagants and run them back. Genestealers are in reserve
btw.
* Tactical Notes
I've brought myself some time away from the Death Company, they will have to spend at least two turns moving across the table to get into assault, so hopefully I can use this to my advantage. Jon has deployed all his units 12" from the table edge as I have too, this will put my Tyranids into range quickly. My targets will be the Razorbacks and Vindicators as these can deal damage to my hordes as close together and chip wounds from the monstrous creatures easily. I'll then deal with the missile launcher units once those priority targets have been taken care of.
Turn 1
Jon moves his Death Co Rhino 12" towards my objective while all other tanks except the Vindicator on the right move 6", the Vindicator moves 12" so it's sitting on the hill.
Shooting lascannons and missile launchers target Hive Guard and after cover saves I've got one units of Hive Guard reduced to one model and that model has a single wound. Vindicators drop shells on the horde thinning out the numbers.
My first turn I spawn 15 Termagants with the
HQ Tervigon and spawn 8 with the troop Tervigon, which burns out. The unit of 15 Termagants move and run towards my objective as the
HQ Tervigon lingers behind and casts feel no pain on the single Hive Guard. The remaining units move up towards the Blood Angel lines using Termagants as bullet shields and living cover. The troop Tervigon casts feel no pain on a Hive Guard full model unit.
Shooting I blast the Vindicator on the right with a unit of Hive Guard and get two glances which turn out to be the best results I can ask for; weapon destroyed and immobilised. I fire the other full unit of Hive Guard at a Razorback with hope of popping it to lay down devourer fire, though best results I can manage is stunned which will do. The single Hive Guard takes a pop at the other Razorback and scores weapon destroyed.
* Tactical Notes
Ok I haven't opened up much armour but I've supressed three of Jons tanks for this turn and some for the rest of the game, this gives him two missile launchers and a single Vindicator to fire this turn. All in all I don't think that is a too bad turn.
My plan this turn is to move up a large unit of Termagants towards the Angel objective while using their own Vindicator for cover. I will move the rest of the units up and use Carnifexes to blast the missile launcher combat squads while Hive Guard open up the remaining tanks and Termagants charge in. The Death Company I'll deal with as required.
Turn 2
Jon calls for reserves and the Assault Marines fail to arrive.
Movement the Death Co Rhino moves 18" and ploughs through terrain landing on my objective. A combat squad bails out the stunned Razorback while the other remaining tanks hold position.
Shooting missiles and Vindicator fires killing more Termagants and a Hive Guard. Storm bolter from the immobilised Vindicator takes some potshots at the large incoming Termagant horde. Combat squad fires flamer into the Termagant unit burning several of them.
In assault Space Marines charge the Termagants and win combat, though the 'Gants keep the squad held up ready for Carnifex reinforcements.
I roll for reserves and a single Genestealer unit arrives coming on the left flank, they run towards the Death Co Rhino but still about 8" away from assault.
I move a large Termagant unit towards my objective and surround the Death Co Rhino so they cannot get out, the
HQ Tervigon stays nearby and spawns more Termagants and burns itself out. Rest of the horde moves up while a large unit of Termagants on the right flank moves up near the Vindicator.
Shooting a Carnifex blasts the missile launcher combat squad and wipes them out. Hive Guard fire at the weapon destroyed Razorback and it's wrecked, the squad inside comes under attack by Carnifex fire but only loses a single Marine. The remaining Vindicator gets shot by Hive Guard and is weapon destroyed.
In assault Tervigon charges the Marine-Termagant fight, all Termagants are killed but the Tervigon kills four Marines and the combat is a draw.
* Tactical Notes
Another good turn for me I think. I've used my noggin and surrounded the Death Co Rhino with Termagants, this means they cannot disembark next turn and will have to move if they want to get out the Rhino, this will buy me another turn of keeping them out of assault. A combat squad has been taken care of along with the last Razorback and Vindicator so affectively Jon only has a single missile launcher as anti monstrous creature fire power.
My plan is to carry on moving up the board and to maul the remaining squads on foot while Hive Guard blast open the Death Co Rhino and my units can charge them.
Turn 3
Jon calls for reserves and the Assault Marines arrive landing near the Tervigon in combat and supporting Carnifex.
Jon moves the working Vindicator forward along with the flamer combat squad on foot towards my lines. He tank shocks the Termagants who move out the way and let the Death Co Rhino through, the tank moves 12" towards the
HQ Tervigon and the Death Co bail out. The previously stunned Razorback moves 12" towards the immobilised Vindicator in attempt to block off my Termagants. The missile launcher combat squad moves away from the trees and runs towards the Angels objective.
Razorback fires and kills a Hive Guard while bolt pistols from the Assault Squad blast another Hive Guard killing it, I've now got two Hive Guard left. Death Company blast bolt pistols into Termagants on my objective and kill a few. The last flamer combat squad burns some Termagants.
In assault the Tervigon gobbles up the single Space Marine and consolidates towards the Angel objective. Combat squad charges and kills the Termagants
I roll for reserves and the other unit of Genestealers arrive outflanking on the right table edge near the Assault Squad.
I move and run the troop Tervigon towards the Angel objective while the supporting Carnifex turns on its heel towards the Assault Squad. The other Carnifex moves ready to chow down the combat squad while a unit of Termagants fall back towards the
HQ Tervigon while the Termagants on my objective rejust themselves to get better shooting as the Genestealers run towards the Death Co Rhino.
Shooting the Carnifex blasts the combat squad and kills just one. One Hive Guard blasts the Razorback and wrecks it while the other blasts the side armour of the Vindicator and it's stunned. Two Termagant units blast the Death Company along with the Tervigon but I think at most they kill one after feel no pain.
In assault the Genestealers and Carnifex team up and charge the Assault Squad, 'Stealers kill the Priest with double rending wounds and the Librarian with double rending as well as two members of the unit, Carnifex kills a few more but combat is a draw after both sides take wounds. Tervigon and a single unit of Termagants charge the Death Co, the Termagants are wiped out but the Tervigon manages to draw combat thanks to getting 7 attacks thanks to crushing claws. The other Carnifex charges and kills the remaining combat squad and consolidates towards the stunned Vindicator.
* Tactical Notes
Another well executed turn. The Death Co I've managed to assault under my own terms thanks to the Termagants surrounding them and now they are locked in combat with a monstrous creature which can bypass their armour and feel no pain saves. The Assault Squad took a beating but drawn in combat, luckily I targeted the Priest to stop those pesky feel no pain saves so the Assault Marines are hoping for good armour saves. The missile launcher combat squad had to run to their objective which means fire power was lost and the last Razorback has been destroyed, so fire power is at a minimum now.
Next turn I'll move the troop Tervigon up and get to the Angel objective while everything else just mops up.
Turn 4
Not a lot from the Blood Angels, I think it's just assault!
In assault Death Company get smashed by the Tervigon and all die. Assault Marines beat the Genestealers in combat and wound the Carnifex twice with the power fist.
My turn I move the troop Tervigon up to assault the missile launcher combat squad on the Angel objective, Termagants by the immobilised Vindicator roll for synapse and fail, they lurk.
Shooting Hive Guard blast the immobilised Vindicator but get crew stunned. Carnifex blasts the side armour of the other Vindicator and immobilises it. Tervigon blasts the combat squad with stinger salvo but the Marines pass armour saves.
In assault Carnifex charges and wrecks the Vindicator. Tervigon and Genestealers charge and wreck the Death Co Rhino while the Carnifex gets smashed in the face with a power fist and dies thanks to fearless saves, the Assault Marines consolidate towards the large Termagant brood.
* Tactical Notes
Everything has gone to plan nicely, though bit gutted those Genestealers and Carnifex didn't finish off the Assault Marines but I guess cannot have it all.
I suspect the Assault Marines will pile into the Termagants, they won't kill them and the Termagants will hold them up. That will leave the Tervigon to wipe out the combat squad or actually just contest the Angel objective as I have my own and nothing is about to contest it.
Turn 5
Assault Marines burn the Termagants and then charge into the fight, after the dust has settled both Assault Marines die after been swarmed. The combat squad on the objective is ripped to pieces by the Tervigons crushing claws.
We call it a day at this point as I have both objectives and Blood Angels only have a immobilised and weapon destroyed Vindicator left. Tyranids win claiming both objectives.
Summary
This probably sounds weird after Blood Angels got a beating, but that was a fun game. Reason I'm saying it's fun because I was expecting a tougher fight against Blood Angels and my local meta is mostly tanks which Tyranids struggle against. In this game with limited (light) armour and small infantry squads the Tyranids came into their own light.
Mistakes this game I think I put my objective in the wrong place which made me move towards it partially using a Termagant unit and a Tervigon to keep them in synapse, though I guess synapse didn't matter as they would lurk anyway. I guess it doesn't matter as nothing really come close to holding my objective and the ruin I placed the objective behind acted as a nice terrain shield.
I'm not sure how many games Jon has had with Blood Angels but I know he's used a jump list before. His main mistake in this game was his deployed which cost him the game really. He should have placed everything against the board edge making the gap between me and him bigger, then hold position and my Tyranids wouldn't have got into range so quickly. He should have also kept his units more tightly together instead of spread out but I guess this doesn't matter thanks to the Angels speed. He should have also deployed the Assault Squad as the blood lance from the Librarian would have been nice on the board along with feel no pain from the Priest which would have massively benefited the smaller combat squads. The Assault Squad itself would then make a nice mop up assault unit jumping out from behind the tanks using them as mobile cover.
I have offered Jon for another game and said I would help him a lot more in our next game. I also advised him on certain units i.e Death Company and Tactical Marines.
Blood Angels - 2000 
Iron Warriors - 2000 
Orks -2000 
Imperial Guard - 2000
Eldar - 2000 
Hive Fleet Krakken - 2000 
Dark Eldar - 2000 
Necrons - 2000 
Grey Knights - 2000 
Daemons - 2000 
Ravenwing - 2000 
but as they say haters gonna hate. Bit difficult for me to do that as all my lists are 2k and I have only 2k worth of models. The best I can do is help someone every step of the way, and while I don't mind doing that I feel it's undermining them.
10,000+