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I'm back at Powerfist Gaming again, as usual every Thursday night. I've got a rematch with PJ from Initiative1 Podcast who I played last week, our last game was Space Wolves against my Dark Eldar, which I lost by two kill points. Can I even the score today?

Dark Eldar "Coven of a 1000 corpses" - 2,000 points


HQ

Haemonculus

Elite

3 x Kabalite Trueborn w/ Venom - 3 x blasters - Venom w/ splinter cannon
3 x Kabalite Trueborn w/ Venom - 3 x blasters - Venom w/ splinter cannon
3 x Kabalite Trueborn w/ Venom - 3 x blasters - Venom w/ splinter cannon

Troops

5 x Kabalite Warriors w/ Venom - blaster - Venom w/ splinter cannon
5 x Kabalite Warriors w/ Venom - blaster - Venom w/ splinter cannon
5 x Kabalite Warriors w/ Venom - blaster - Venom w/ splinter cannon
5 x Kabalite Warriors w/ Venom - blaster - Venom w/ splinter cannon
5 x Kabalite Warriors w/ Venom - blaster - Venom w/ splinter cannon
5 x Kabalite Warriors w/ Venom - blaster - Venom w/ splinter cannon

Fast Attack

5 x Scourges - 2 x dark lances
5 x Scourges - 2 x dark lances
5 x Scourges - 2 x dark lances

Heavy Support

Ravager - flickerfield
Ravager - flickerfield
Ravager - flickerfield

Total: 2,003

Tyranids - 2,000 points

HQ

Tervigon - toxin sacs, adrenal glands & catalyst

Elite

3 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard
2 x Hive Guard

Troops

Tervigon - toxin sacs, adrenal glands & catalyst

10 x Termagants
16 x Genestealers
16 x Genestealers
15 x Genestealers

Fast Attack

20 x Gargoyles - toxin sacs & adrenal glands
5 x Raveners - rending claws

Game: Spearhead & Annihilation

Deployment

Well we're playing exactly the same game as we did last week, and PJ wins the roll off, as he did last week. Pj chooses to go first, which suits me fine as I can deploy accordingly and he can walk/run into my guns.

PJ takes the top left corner and places his Gargoyles in front, then his Termagants, then the Hive Guard and Raveners followed by the Tervigons. Genestealers will be infilitrating.

I deploy putting majority of my Venoms on the centre of the board - this gives me clear LOS to PJ's 'Nids and as he comes towards me I can gun stuff down. I put the remaining Venoms in front of a ruin so I can quickly move in case in comes at my other flank from around the bastion. Scourges are deployed behind a wall and two units in the ruin while the Ravagers just hang back behind the Venoms.







* Tactical Notes

Well I'm going to wait see where Pj infiltrates his 'Stealers, I'll deal with them sooner than later as they can mass assault my skimmers which are cramped up in the corner. I'll be going for Raveners and Gargoyles next as both these are fast moving units and can assault my lines quickly and tie up units. Hive Guard would normally be a target, but I haven't put my fleet of skimmers right against the deployment edge and PJ hasn't put his Hive Guard as far forward as he should have, so I reackon he's got two turns of walking before those Hive Guard will even be in range.

Turn 1

PJ infiltrates his 'Stealers. He puts one unit from the top of the board coming down the right flank while the other two are directly in front of me. I attempt to seize the initiative so I can blow them away before they assault but fail.

Movement PJ runs all 'Stealer units one gets a 1 and the other two a 5 so that's both those units out of assault, but very very close! The Gargoyles move up too but everything else moves slowly thanks to terrain, there is some run moves but not a huge amount.

Everything is out of range for shooting so that's Tyranids turn over.

My turn I move all my skimmers 12" so I can at least lay down a torrent of splinter cannon fire and if PJ does assault me he needs 6+ to hit. Scourges remain in position.

Shooting I empty splinter cannons and Scourges into the two exposed Genestealers units which have no cover, both are wiped out. I fire remaining shots into the 'Stealers which get cover thanks to the trees, I kill a few and thin the numbers out a little bit. Lances from Ravagers blast Raveners, they get cover thanks to the bastion, but two are instagibbed.

Kill points - Dark Eldar: 2 Tyranids: 0





* Tactical Notes

A good start here. I've reduced Pj's first wave of assault massively, he's lost two Genestealers units and the other one has taken damage, plus if they do assault it's 6+ to hit. I've also managed to thin out the Raveners too which has worked out nicely. Something else which has worked out nicely is Pj has got bogged down in terrain as he deployed his Hive Guard in craters, he would have been better deploying them in the open and using a Termagant shield to give them cover.

My plan is to lance the Raveners until they are all gone and then put any remaining shots on the Hive Guard. I'll torrent the Gargoyles and Genestealers with splinter cannon fire, if there's any shots left I'll dish them out to the Tervigons.

Turn 2

PJ casts catalyst on a Hive Guard unit and the Gargoyles, the Gargoyles then fly forward to shoot and assault. The last Genestealer unit comes through terrain and runs ready to assault my mass of skimmers. The rest of the horde moves up behind the bastion.

Shooting Hive Guard are still out of range and Gargoyles don't fire.

In assault Gargoyles charge into cover and attack a Scourge unit for a bit of wing on wing battle along with a Venom, while the Genestealer multi assault three Venoms. Gargoyles beat the Scourges in combat who fall back 7" about 3" from the table edge and two Venoms take no damage while one takes a penetrating hit thanks to rending but flickerfield makes the save.

My turn I bring three Venoms and a Ravager down towards my table edge to support the Scourges behind the wall, I then move three Venoms and a Ravager over the Genestealers while remaining skimmers move up to sandwich the Genestealers with gun fire.

Shooting I blast the Genestealers with splinter cannons, rifles and blasters and they die - a squad gains a pain token. I torrent the Gargoyles which t hey get cover only from a few units thanks to the ruin, six left and the pass morale, damn. I blast a unit of Hive Guard with the Scourges behind the wall and supporting Ravager, after cover saves one Hive Guard is dead. I blast the Raveners which I can see easily the other side of the bastion as reposition, they as instagibbed by dark lances.

Kill points - Dark Eldar: 4 Tyranids: 1





* Tactical Notes

Ok so I've taken out all of PJ's immediate threats, I only failed on the Gargoyles, which I was hoping to fail morale but they didn't. I suspect those Gargoyles will assault the Scourges, I can only hope that the lesser armour save Gargoyles without feel no pain and who will be striking last will go down.

My plan for next turn is to blast the single Hive Guard and get myself a kill point and then put remaining fire power into the other Hive Guard units. If the Gargoyles some how win combat I'll blast them with splinter fire.

Turn 3

PJ keeps his units in position if I remember right, or at least doesn't move them much.

Shooting the single Hive Guard blasts a Venom but flickerfield makes the save, another unit of Hive Guard blast the same one and it explodes, all dudes are safe. Other Hive Guard blast the Venom next to the crater where the other Venom stood, it explodes, but all Kabalite Warriors in the crater are safe while the other unit takes two wounds and falls back after failing morale - that's it! Oh he did cast feel no pain on the two large Hive Guard units.

In assault Gargoyles crawl through terrain and assault the Scourges, Scourges lose combat by one but pass morale and the fight rages on.

Some slight movement from me but nothing major, I do regroup the unit falling back and they hide behind the wall supporting the Scourges.

Shooting dark lances from Scourges and Ravager blast the single Hive Guard but the sod makes cover saves, mass splinter cannons from the last Venom near my board edge finishes it off though. I blast remaining splinter cannons at the unit of three Hive Guard, PJ does well with armour and feel no pain saves, but I manage to kill one and put a wound on another.

Kill points - Dark Eldar: 5 Tyranids: 3





* Tactical Notes

Not a awesome turn as PJ was rolling some very good armour and fnp saves, but I've thinned out his Hive Guard meaning less fire power coming my way.


PJ now has limited fire power, but is in range of those Hive Guard so I'll move back as he was just in range and blast them with splinter cannon fire. Any remaining shots I'll start picking on Tervigons and hopefully one will start killing Termagants.

Turn 4

PJ spawns 14 Termagants from each Tervigon if I remember right and casts feel no pain on both Hive Guard units. The Termagant wave then starts coming forward around the bastion.

One unit of Hive Guard fires at a Venom, only one Hive Guard is in range though and flickerfield saves the damage. The other unit of Hive Guard fire at a Trueborn Venom and it's wrecked, squad inside passes pinning test.

My turn I move my Venoms back about 8" so the Hive Guard will just be out of range while moving a Ravager and two Venoms across towards PJ's table edge so I can get LOS on a Tervigon just in case. I move the unit in the crater just out so the blaster can shoot something.

Shooting blast and dark lances wipe out a unit of Hive Guard. Splinter cannons torrent the other Hive Guard and wipe them out all, this has now removed all of PJ's anti vehicle fire power. I then torrent a Tervigon with remaining splinter cannons and dark lances, it gets cover but it has a single wound left.

In combat the Scourges and Gargoyles battle it out but combat is a draw if I remember right.

Kill points - Dark Eldar: 7 Tyranids: 4





* Tactical Notes

Ok it's all gone downhill for PJ at this point. He has no real offense or anything which can reach my lines quickly. His Hive Guard are all dead so has no serious anti tank or ranged fire power. All I have to do now is blast that single wound Tervigon and hope it takes some Termagants with it and torrent the other one and hope for the same thing.

Plan next turn is to torrent the Tervigons with dark lances and splinter cannon fire. Units will blast the Termagants and finish them off.

Turn 5

PJ spawns more Termagants, unit of 12 and 8 if I remember right. He then casts feel no pain on two units and moves the 'Gants forward while the single wound Tervigon runs away and the other holds position.

Shooting couple of Termagants are in range I think, they blast the unit in the crater who pass cover saves anyway.

My turn I zip a single Venom across my board edge 12" to get LOS on the full wound Tervigon while Ravagers move up to get in range. All Venoms move 6" so the squads can fire and the splinter cannons blast the Tervigon.

Shooting Ravager and Scourges on my table edge are out of range of the single wound Tervigon, but another Ravager isn't and slays it with dark lances - the Tervigon kills a entire unit of Termagants. I torrent the other Tervigon with splinter cannons and dark lances and it dies killing more Termagants. Remaining squads fire at two Termagant units in front of me, they are both wiped out by blaster and splinter rifle fire. Only a single Termagant unit remains and it took over 25% damage thanks to the Tervigon, it fails morale and falls back.

In assault Scourges just pass the leadership to stay in the fight, Gargoyles have three left and I have a single Scourge.

Kill points - Dark Eldar: 13 Tyranids: 4

We roll for game and it ends merciful for PJ I think.

Summary

Well I think that's some revenge for my Dark Eldar, they enjoyed slaying PJ and his Tyranids

My Dark Eldar tonight did well, the dice were on fire with most time the Venoms missing 1-3 shots in each volley. Scourges did well blasting bio beasts with dark lances, one unit did die and another got tied up in assault, but I guess the Gargoyles didn't go round assaulting anything else.

Not sure if I made any mistakes at all, perhaps could have deployed my Venoms a little further back.

PJ did well on his cover saves on turn 3 for his Hive Guard, but I think that was about it. His deployment cost him the game with Genestealers infiltrating too close, the unit near his board edge should have deployed in the ruin that side while the other two units behind the bastion. He also didn't put his Hive Guard at the front and had them in terrain, which bogged them down. I think it's best you stick to Space Wolves PJ

Wow great job! Though that is a seriously tough match for him haha...

Had he brought Ymgarls instead I think he could have really made this game interesting... I find them more useful then the Hive Guard more often lately, I also think a Trygon or a Mawloc would have been funny...

Good win mate! You had a solid game plan and stuck to it ; )

Poor tyranids, a good DE list played well should never lose to a Nid list, evertying we have is good at killing everything they have.....

Yup, it's a disgusting matchup.

Good job Mercer, love your Batreps!

I am wondering how LOS will be in 6th Ed...

great battle report that was a tough game for those nids. Go dark eldar!

I don't need to read the battle report. That de list was made to murder nids. Nothing the nids can do to stop it.

cgage00 wrote:I don't need to read the battle report. That de list was made to murder nids. Nothing the nids can do to stop it.

That Dark Eldar list was designed to be seriously competitive, any and every army has to think twice about it.

Good job on the win!

Iranna.

The nid player should call shennanigans: that +3 points threw the game off

What a terrible nid player.... who places all of this infiltrates genestealers then moves them into the open infront of that many splinter cannons.... not to mention that he didn't move his Hive guard into range for 3+ turns...


Also 5 raveners? ugh terrible list against a WAAC De list... I didn't even have to read the report to tell you who won...

Clthomps wrote:What a terrible nid player.... who places all of this infiltrates genestealers then moves them into the open infront of that many splinter cannons.... not to mention that he didn't move his Hive guard into range for 3+ turns...


Also 5 raveners? ugh terrible list against a WAAC De list... I didn't even have to read the report to tell you who won...

agreed,practically all the genestealers where wasted and they arnt cheap pointwise

Red Corsair wrote:Wow great job! Though that is a seriously tough match for him haha...

Had he brought Ymgarls instead I think he could have really made this game interesting... I find them more useful then the Hive Guard more often lately, I also think a Trygon or a Mawloc would have been funny...

Good win mate! You had a solid game plan and stuck to it ; )

Ah well what comes around goes back around, he asked to play me D.E the week before and took RazorWolves

gardeth wrote:Poor tyranids, a good DE list played well should never lose to a Nid list, evertying we have is good at killing everything they have.....

Wise words. Everything D.E have can just slaughter Tyranids.

wileythenord wrote:Yup, it's a disgusting matchup.

Good job Mercer, love your Batreps!

Thanks man

Deathsadvocate wrote:great battle report that was a tough game for those nids. Go dark eldar!

Thanks bud

cgage00 wrote:I don't need to read the battle report. That de list was made to murder nids. Nothing the nids can do to stop it.

You sir are totally incorrect. You should have done some research and you'd notice this is my standard D.E list instead of making false claims without evidence to back you up.

Iranna wrote:

cgage00 wrote:I don't need to read the battle report. That de list was made to murder nids. Nothing the nids can do to stop it.

That Dark Eldar list was designed to be seriously competitive, any and every army has to think twice about it.

Good job on the win!

Iranna.

Thanks man

CT GAMER wrote:The nid player should call shennanigans: that +3 points threw the game off

I know, you've got to keep your eyes on me

Clthomps wrote:What a terrible nid player.... who places all of this infiltrates genestealers then moves them into the open infront of that many splinter cannons.... not to mention that he didn't move his Hive guard into range for 3+ turns...


Also 5 raveners? ugh terrible list against a WAAC De list... I didn't even have to read the report to tell you who won...

The list isn't WAAC, do you know what that means?

And yes the placement of the Genestealers and Hive Guard was bad.

As a side note, I liked the bug lime green paint scheme.

It was pretty cool TBH. PJ also has got some easy, but cool Tervigons conversions as well.

Nice batrep mercer. Doesn't sound like the nids quite coordinated their attack as well as it should have been. My current marine build essentially splits the army into two sections, one that hits hard up close and one that sits back and gives supporting fire. If both groups aren't on-the-ball when it comes to fulfilling their respective roles on-que... I'm in big trouble.

Enjoyed both your recent bat reps mercer... always look forward to reading them (even if I don't always comment) as they're clear and concise with good supporting pics.

Can't believe you even posted this rep... every game of venomspam I've seen basically becomes a shooting gallery lol. Honestly, I'm surprised he wasn't tabled by T3!

Nice Battle! The pics gave some good views of it too. (How many venoms do you own???)

You should have just named it "Deploy and Destroy". There's virtually nothing he can do against that list and it's unsurprising that you won.

Still, fun batrep. I've always wanted to see a Venom spam list played.

Gitsplitta wrote:Nice batrep mercer. Doesn't sound like the nids quite coordinated their attack as well as it should have been. My current marine build essentially splits the army into two sections, one that hits hard up close and one that sits back and gives supporting fire. If both groups aren't on-the-ball when it comes to fulfilling their respective roles on-que... I'm in big trouble.

Enjoyed both your recent bat reps mercer... always look forward to reading them (even if I don't always comment) as they're clear and concise with good supporting pics.

The Tyranids didn't attack well mate. The Genestealers just acted as a big first wave attack along with the Gargoyles, the 'Stealers flopped on their assault and as a result got killed. Tyranids should have been more aggressive and deployed better.

Thanks man.

Zid wrote:Can't believe you even posted this rep... every game of venomspam I've seen basically becomes a shooting gallery lol. Honestly, I'm surprised he wasn't tabled by T3!

Why not post it?

Yup 108 shots from the Venoms, if my maths is correct

Gutsnagga wrote:Nice Battle! The pics gave some good views of it too. (How many venoms do you own???)

I own 9 Venoms mate. Two are currently painted as D.E is a new army and I've been working on other projects (realm of battle report) should have D.E army totally finished before end of November.

Mr. Self Destruct wrote:You should have just named it "Deploy and Destroy". There's virtually nothing he can do against that list and it's unsurprising that you won.

Still, fun batrep. I've always wanted to see a Venom spam list played.

should have done!

Hmmm tyranids being defeated by DE....

the main thing I got out of this was to never underestimate DE and I like the electric green on the 'nids.

Altogether though nice report.

The paint job on the Tyranids looked really smart.

Thanks man.

Hey Mercer nice batle report, i might head up to the powerfist gamers at some point cause i only live about 30mins away

Hey Nice Report ! i want to Thank you for making my decision on my new 40k army . Also helping me with tatics and understanding everything !

liam2580 wrote:Hey Mercer nice batle report, i might head up to the powerfist gamers at some point cause i only live about 30mins away

Definatly do mate, it's a cracking club. Let me know when you're gonna go and I'll give you a game.

SpacePup1987 wrote:Hey Nice Report ! i want to Thank you for making my decision on my new 40k army . Also helping me with tatics and understanding everything !

Thanks man. So, what army is it? Dark Eldar or Tyranids?

Very nice report as usual, I know how much effort these take and I really appreciate you providing reading material Mercer.

Thanks mate, that means a lot