So for my first battle report on Dakka I felt it would be more fun if I did a report on a more off the wall spearhead-ish game. Hopefully you enjoy the rich narrative about to unfold (and I apologize in advance for the blurry pics. Next time I throw up a battle report we’ll be sure to get more clear ones. Hopefully my words will help describe the details of the battle better in this case.)
2000pts of
IG vs. Nids
My IG List:
Stormlord
Straken
CCS
- 2x Plasma Gun
- Medic
- Regimental Banner
- 2x Bodyguard
- Chimera
- Autocannon turret
PCS #1
- 3x
GL
- Chimera
- Autocannon turret
3x IS (Embarked in Stormlord)
- Commissar
- 3x Flamer
- 4x Power Swords
PCS #2
- 3x
GL
- Chimera
- Autocannon turret
2x IS (Embarked in Stormlord)
- Commissar
- 2x Flamer
- 3x Power Swords
SWS #1 (In Valk #1)
- 3x Demo Charges
SWS #2 (In Valk #2)
- 3x Demo Charges
Valk #1
- Heavy Bolter sponsons
Valk #2
- Heavy Bolter sponsons
Manticore Missile Tank
Nids list:
Swarmlord
13 Genestealers # 1
12 Genestealers # 2
12 Genestealers # 3
Shrike Squad #1:
3 Shrikes: 2 with 2x Scythes, 1 with Boneswords
Shrike Squad #2:
3 Shrikes: 2 with 2x Scythes, 1 with Boneswords
Shrike Squad #3:
3 Shrikes: 2 with 2x Scythes, 1 with Boneswords
Zoanthrope
24 Hormagaunts
Carnifex
- Adrenal Glands
- Bio-Plasma
- Crushing Claws
Prologue:
Set within the Eastern Fringe the hive world Praeta is a cold and unforgiving world made worse by the sudden invasion of swarms of tyranids. Local reinforcements of the Cadian 409th take up the distress call sent out by the remnants of the local government and arrive on the planet in time to set up defenses within the capital city of Ethycion. Joined with the Cadian 409th is the virgin super-heavy Loyalty’s Bastion, a Lucius-Pattern Stormlord, commanded by Commissar Desmond Bob. Regardless of the lack of a battle record for the soon to be tested Loyalty’s Bastion, troop morale is high as regimental commander Colonel Vibius Carus joins the defenses himself ready to lead his men into battle and command from the front.
The eastern edge of the city is suddenly brought under attack by a large swarm of tyranids calling Carus and his men from their positions to the northern sector to defend key points within the city before they are lost. The battle begins!
Game Type: 3 Objectives, Pitched Battle
Deployment:
Nids get first deployment and deploy all but 3 squads of genestealers which are chosen to infiltrate. 3 squads of Shrikes are placed behind ruins as well as a Zoanthrope and the Swarmlord.
IG goes last and deploys the Stormlord containing the power blob of 30 men within it near the center of the table. Carus’ chimera deploys next to the Stormlord bearing the aquilla aerial recognition symbol.
PCS #1 deploys to the left of it between some ruins. Further left of
PCS #1 is deployed the
SWS #1 in the Valkyrie. The Manticore, remaining Valk with
SWS #2, and
PCS #2 deploys to the right of the Stormlord along with its power blob squad.
Genestealers infiltrate.
Valkyrie #2 makes a minor scout move to augment its positioning to the left of the Stormlord.
The initiative is not stolen.
Turn #1 (Nids turn):
As per spearhead rules the Stormlord suffers a penetrating hit. A 6 is rolled on the damage table taking away a structure point and causing a chain reaction! This results in a drive disabled and the Stormlord is slightly crippled going into its first battle. Nevertheless, Commissar Bob maintains his composure.
The nids close in moving up the table and then taking their shooting phase to run. The Zoan attempts to use warp blast on the 20-man blob squad but falls short half an inch.
In the assault phase the Broodlord of Genestealer Squad #1 uses aura of despair on the 20-man blob squad and successfully reduces their leadership by 1.
(IG turn)
Ordered to defend the Loyalty’s Bastion at all costs by the strong suggestion made by Commissar Bob’s un-holstered bolt pistol, the 30-man blob squad disembarks from the front and takes up firing positions as the tyranids close in.
The Chimeras movie up as well as the 20-man blob squad to maximize the firing output of their trusted lasguns. Valk #1 moves up and drops of the
SWS#1 ready to wreak havoc onto Genestealer squad #3 with their satchel charges. Valk #2 flies flat out across the
IG deployment zone ready to support their airborne brothers-in-arms.
Carus sees the men taking up firing positions in front of Loyalty’s Bastion and orders them to focus fire on the shrikes closing in. The order to
FRFSRF is successfully given and the squad shows Shrike squad #2 the meaning of “the light of the Emperor” by annihilating all 3 members in the unit.
Captain Verus of
PCS #2 follows his commander’s lead and orders his own 20-man blob squad to focus fire on Genestealer squad #1. The order is successful and all but the broodlord of the 13 genestealers is taken out of the picture as las fire and holy promethium scour them from the surface of Praeta forever.
Captain Verus’ own chimera even plants 2 auto-cannon wounds on the shrikes closing in on his loyal men.
Carus and Captain Bermus both order their chimeras to bathe Genestealer squad #2 in Heavy flamer fire killing 5 altogether.
Carus has his Plasma gunners open fire on the large carnifex in the city square putting 2 wounds on the beast. One plasma gunner fires too rapidly, over heating his gun, but his life is saved by the quick actions of the regimental’s lead medic.
SWS #1 launches their satchel charges, but the wind and terrible throws blow their demolitions off course. Only on genestealer is hit, and an unfortunate charge is sent back into the
SWS with disastrous results killing 2 men!
Valk #1 fires off 1 hellstrike missile putting another wound on the carnifex.
The Manticore fires off a storm eagle rocket but it does not deploy its full payload and only causes a single large blast killing 5 genestealers in squad #2.
Commissar Bob is able to rally the crew and reroute firing systems. The lascannons finish off the Carnifex, while the Vulcan Mega-Bolter kills 10 Hormagaunts, and the heavy bolters put 2 wounds on Shrike squad #1 near the
SWS and Valk.
No assaults are made as the men prepare for the impending tyranids’ retribution.
Turn 2 (Nids turn):
Nids move up.
Swarmlord uses Psychic scream but both blob units in range pass their leadership tests as the commissars leading them rallies them and focuses their thoughts on the Emperor’s divine will.
The Swarmlord then attempts to use its Paroxicism but it fails to go off.
The Zoanthrope attemps to use it’s lance weapon but falls short of Loyalty’s Bastion.
Nids Assault!
Swarmlord and Horms storm the 30-man blobsquad.
Swarmlord kills 2 guardsmen as gaunts kill 9.
Guardsmen and Commissar put only 8 kills on the gaunts, but make their moral test and are locked in combat.
Broodlord and Shrikes storm the 20-man blobsquad.
The Broodlord uses hypnotic gaze stunning a guardsmen and then kills him in the ensuing combat, while the shrikes kill 6 men for a total of 7 dead.
Sergeants and Commissar put 3 wounds on shrikes, killing 1.
IG lose combat but make their moral test.
Shrikes attack Carus’s chimera, wrecking it and forcing an incensed Carus and his men out into the cold.
Genestealer Squad #2 attack Captain Bermus’ Chimera destroying all weapons, immobilizing, and shaking the chimera quite badly.
Genestealer Squad #1 angry and the insulting demopack thrown at them assault the
SWS and Valk to put them out of their misery. Killing all the
SWS and exploding the valk resulting in 4 dead genestealers.
(IG Turn)
Valk#2 seeing the utter destruction of Valk#1 is hesitant but flies its cargo of
SWS and demo charges to attempt another attack on Genestealer squad #3. The
SWS has learned from their predecessors’ failings and throw their charges true; killing the entire squad of stealers.
Carus and his men move into firing positions and unload into genestealer squad attacking Captain Bermus’ chimera killing all but the Broodlord. Lessons are learned as no plasma guns get hot this time.
Bermus and his men evacuate their gimped ride and fire off some krak grenades at the Shrikes about to attack Carus, but misses.
The Manticore launches a rocket with more success as it deploys all its explosive in 3 large blasts. 2 of which hit the Zoanthrope dead on, but invul saves are made and it lives to spread it’s psychic wrath once more.
Loyalty’s Bastion kills 2 Shrikes in front of Carus’ squad, but fails to put a wound on the Zoanthrope closing in.
Assault!
Gaunts and Swarmlord kill 6 guardsmen, but guardsmen return the favor and kill all 6 gaunts with 2 extra wounds hanging forcing 2 fearless wounds onto the Swarmlord which it failed to save against.
Broodlord and Shrikes whittle away at the once 20-man blob squad and kill 6 more men. The guardsmen gather new strength from their inspiring commissar and sergeants and are able to kill the broodlord and 1 of the shrikes.
Turn 3 (Nids turn):
Zoanthrope shoots a lance at the stormlord shaking the crew and preventing it from shooting its main weapon.
Broodlord and Shrikes assault Carus’ squad and use hypnotic gaze to forze Carus’ into a state of “derp” for the round. Seeing their commander in such a state the veterans at his side come to his aid and defend him from attack. One plasma gunner dies in the combat, as well as one shrike. Combat is tied.
Remaining Shrike from the previous assault kills 3 guardsmen and the men of Blob squad #2 fail to lay any wounds on the remaining bug, but pass their moral test to stay in combat.
The lone Swarmlord kills 3 guardsmen and no wounds are given back. Moral is passed and both units are locked in combat.
(IG turn)
The
SWS jump back into their valk and fly flat out towards the objective marker on the other side of the table.
Captain Bermus and his squad book it towards the 2nd objective of the Planet’s prized Zaku statue.
Loyalty’s Bastion returns the favor and fires a lascannon at the Zoanthrope which fails to make its invul save killing it instantly.
Carus regains his senses and kills the last shrike which was able to kill the last plasma gunner in its final moments of life. His squad consolidates 1inch.
The last shrike kills 3 more guardsmen but in the end the commissar and sergeants kills the shrike and the squad consolidates 4 inches.
The Swarmlord continues to hack and guardsmen left and right, killing 4 more. Guard fail to land any hits but continue to remain locked in combat.
Turn 4 (Nids turn):
Swarmlord gobbles up a guardsmen and regains 1 wound after using Leech Essence. The last enemy (Swarmlord) unit on the battlefield continues its rampage among the guardsmen in assault. The commissar suddenly realizing what he must do trips the sergeants in
CC and throws himself at the Swarmlord killing all but one sergeant. With only 1 power weapon, which fails to wound the beast and no officers to inspire the men, a moral test is failed and the men flee for the first time in the entire game. They are then quickly ripped to pieces by the Swarmlord.
The swarmlord is now out in the open as it consolidates 1inch. Loyalty’s Bastion’s main gun is suddenly brought back online…
(IG turn)
Commissar Bob seeing his colleague’s heroic sacrifice pivots his armored hulk and takes aim at the rampaging bug. 30 shots of hot metal fire into the Swarmlord, pulping it to gory chunks ending the battle for the city square.
The enemy was wiped from the area, and the tired men return to their northern positions as they prepare for the next wave of the hungry swarm.
The Dead:
In the end it was a great game and considering the odds of having a super-heavy against him my friend did pretty well. It was also fun to finally put my Stormlord to the test. Here’s to hoping it can keep its streak of kills and remain in good condition!
3000+
2000+
1500+ 
