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I used to play Tyranids and decided to blow some dust off the old minis.

Mission—Kill the Alien
Deployment—Dawn of War

Chaos got to choose their deployment zone. I won the roll for first turn and opted to go second. No Night Fight first turn.


Tyranids
Hive Tyrant:
Wings, Adrenal Glands, Twin Linked Devourer (BLA), Hive Commander
Paroxsym & Warp Blast

Alpha Warrior:
Maw Claws, Adrenal Glands, Flesh Hooks, Toxin Sacs

Zoanthrope (Dominion)

3x Warrior:
Adrenal Glands, Flesh Hooks, Rending Claws
2x Deathspitter, Barbed Strangler

14x Genestealer & Broodlord:
Toxin Sacs

14x Genestealer & Broodlord:
Toxin Sacs

20x Devilgant

Trygon Prime:
Toxin Sacs

Tyrannofex:
Rupture Cannon


Chaos Space Marines (IIRC)
Abbadon

Daemon Prince:
Daemon of Nurgle
Wings
Armor

Helbrute:
Multi-melta

Helbrute:
Multi-melta

7x Plague Marine
Rhino

10x Chosen:
Pair of Lightning Claws
Power Sword
Icon of Vengeance
Rhino

20x Cultist:
2x Flamer

20x Chaos Space Marine

10x Chaos Space Marine

Defiler


Batrep to follow. Tryannofex could not hit the broad side of a barn... Lol.

Pre-game Analysis
I am mostly concerned about Abbadon and the Daemon Prince... They are both high initiative and can handle any unit in my army one on one in assault. First Blood should be doable if I play it safe with the Flyrant. Could be a problem if my opponent gets aggressive and runs the bulk of his castle up the middle since all my heavy hitters (except the Flyrant) are in reserve. Hopefully the infiltrating genestealer brood can get stuck in quickly going for the cultists. The Flyrant's Warp Blast should make quick work of Chaos armor. The only long range shooting I have to deal with is the Defiler so not much pressure on my backfield. Devilgants are packing 60 S4 shots... Hello!



Chaos Space Marine Deployment

Cultists and Defiler deploy to my right side. The rest of the army castles over to my left. Nothing is held in reserve.

Tyranid Deployment

Zoanthrope, devilgants and Tyrranofex deploy centrally behind cover.

Flyrant deploys to my right also behind cover.

One genestealer brood infiltrates 18" away from cultists and Defiler.

I hold the following units in reserve:

Alpha Warrior attached to Warrior brood. (Outflanking)

Other genestealer brood. (Outflanking)

Trygon Prime. (Deep striking)


I roll to seize but fail.


Turn 1 - Chaos Space Marines
Everything shuffles around a bit with not much forward movement. Both Helbrutes crack shots at the Tyrannofex... Both miss. Defiler manages to drop a couple of the infiltrating genestealers (they were in cover).

Turn 2 - Tyranids
Backfield shuffles a bit while the genestealers and Flyrant (zooming) all haul @ss forward straight towards the cultists and Defiler. I position the brood such that they are in cover and are around 12" from the Defiler.

Zoanthrope successfully cast Dominion (great psychic power). I forget to cast The Horror with the Broodlord and the Flyrant fails to successfully cast Paroxsym on the cultists. Tyrannofex misses both shots at a Helbrute. Flyrant manages one glance on the Defiler between Warp Blast and his Devourer. Not a great turn shooting wise but I've got two strong units up in his grill.

KP: CSM-0, Nidz-0


Turn 2 - Chaos Space Marines
Helbrutes move up a bit while the rest of the CSM castle hangs back. Cultists and Defiler move forward to target Flyrant and genestealers.

Again both Helbrutes miss their shots on the Tyrannofex. Cultists shoot at the Flyrant but miss. Defiler shoots the genestealers again for no wounds... The brood was quite dodgy this afternoon.

Turn 2 - Tyranids
To be continued...

Turn 2 - Tyranids
In from reserves:

Other genestealer brood - brood comes in on my left side using a small building for cover

Trygon Prime - deep strikes in front of CSM castle on a hill

Broodlord attempts to cast The Horror on the cultists and perils (box cars)... Oh well. Zoanthrope successfully casts Dominion.

Flyrant glides behind the Defiler. Infiltrated genestealers move forward to assault cultists.

Again the Tyrannofex fails to hit while shooting at a Hellbrute. Trygon Prime targets the Daemon Prince and drops one wound. Flyrant managing to strip two more hull points with combined shooting (Warp Blast & Devourer).

Flyrant charges the Defiler, opts to smash and wrecks it for First Blood plus one kill point. Genestealers barrel into the cultists and wipe them out for another kill point, consolidating into a building.

KP: CSM-0, Nidz-2 FB


Turn 3 - Chaos Space Marines
My opponent has been playing it a bit cautious so far and continues to do so. He keeps his castle tight moving towards my right away from the newly arrived genestealers. Daemon Prince drops down into glide mode. Both rhinos unload their contents (Chosen and Plague Marines) and focus fire the infiltrated genestealers in the building, dropping six (genestealers are in synapse range of the Flyrant so no break check). Both Helbrutes target the Trygon Prime and drop two wounds. Daemon Prince fails to make the charge versus the Trygon Prime and loses another wound to Overwatch.

Turn 3 - Tyranids
Alpha Warrior attached to Warrior Brood arrive from reserve, outflanking from my right side.

Zoanthrope successfully casts Dominion. Infiltrating Broodlord attempts to cast the Horror on the Chosen and perils yet again (box cars)... Dumb move since they are fearless due to their icon. Flyrant successfully casts Paroxsym on the Chosen but they deny it... Apparently it's one of those days. :(

Flyrant glides back on top of a building while the Trygon Prime shuffles off the hill to assault the Plague Marines. Infiltrating genestealers burst out of the building to multi assault Plague Marines (primary target) and Chosen. Other genestealer brood moves cautiously towards the enemy using cover. Devilgants scoot forward to target exposed Chosen.

Yet again the Tyrannofex misses both shots at a Helbrute. Flyrant targets the Chosen with his Devourer and manages to snipe the icon bearer. Trygon Prime targets the Plague Marines and drops two. Warriors drop the Barbed Strangler on the Chosen and drop one. Devilgants unload into the Chosen and kill everything in range—only three left but they pass both their break test and pinning check (just outside of SitW range from Flyrant... Drat).

Infiltrating genestealers attempt to multi-assault Plague Marines and Chosen, losing a couple more to Overwatch... Should have sent in the Trygon first. Genestealers only manage to reach the Plague Marines along with the Tyrgon Prime. I roll poorly and there are a couple Plague Marines left remaining... Trygon Prime loses a couple more wounds.

KP: CSM-0, Nidz-2 FB


Mid Game Analysis
All my broods are in now and I've engaged the castle tying down the Plague Marines... Only three of the Chosen left but they've still got their lightning claws and the power sword. I've got outflanking broods coming in from either side to box in the enemy castle. Flyrant is free to roam about wrecking as much havoc as possible... Plus it's a mobile synapse bubble which is always a good thing for Tyranids. Hopefully my Tyrannofex can starting hitting. Psychic powers (besides Dominion) have been quite random, dropping two wounds on a Broodlord due to Perils is just plain bad. The Daemon Prince is going hurt... Will probably lose the Trygon Prime this coming turn. Abbadon is still out of the fight though so don't have to worry much about him just right yet.


Turn 4 - Chaos Space Marines
Time for some warp fueled payback... Daemon Prince glides up beside the Trygon Prime along with the last of the Chosen for support. Helbrutes hold still for now while the two foot slogging CSM squads drop back to my left to target the outflanking stealer brood.

Both Helbrutes target the Tyrannofex and finally manage to drop a wound. Foot slogging CSM bolter down the outflanking stealers, dropping three to four (in cover)... Genestealers pass their break check.

Daemon Prince and Chosen both assault the Trygon... Squish! The remainder of the infiltrating genestealer brood finish off the last of the Plague Marines and consolidate towards the Chosen.

Turn 4 - Tyranids
Zoanthrope successfully casts Dominion again. Flyrant casts Paroxsym on the Chosen and they fail to Deny the Witch. Remaining Broodlord from infiltrating brood opts not to test fate. The other Broodlord successfully casts The Horror on the 15 man squad of foot slogging CSM but they deny the witch.

Devilgants re align so they can all fire into the rear of the Chosen rhino. Tyrannofex moves forward to shoot and assault (if necessary) one of the Helbrutes. The remainder of the infiltrating genestealers move in to assault the last of the Chosen. Flyrant zooms over to provide synapse for outflanking genestealers and Tyrannofex. Alpha Warrior and his brood move towards the middle. Outflanking genestealers move into position to assault the big foot slogging CSM squad.

Flyrant glances down one Helbrute with his Devourer and the Tyrannofex finally manages to explode the other metal bawks. Devilgants then glance to death the Chosen rhino. Warriors drop another wound on the Daemon Prince with their Deathspitters.

Both genestealers assault, neither taking any wounds from Overwatch... Both the Chosen and CSM squad are gutted... The latter squad was swept by the way.

We play a fifth turn but CSM are overwhelmed and opt to leave the battlefield. I am way ahead on kill points plus have First Blood and Line Breaker.

Post Game Analysis
Besides the fickleness of the warp for psychic powers most everything went according to plan.

The only ranged threat was the Defiler which was quickly eliminated.

Infiltrating, outflanking and deep striking really helped to get key units into forward positions quickly.

Synapse or lack of was never a problem.

Counter to what's been said I think Tyranids have some solid psychic powers... They all worked well this game when I could get them off.

Hard to choose an MVP for this game... I'd probably have to go with the infiltrating stealers since they seemed to have wrecked the most havoc and forced my opponent to constantly react, drawing attention away from the rest of my hive.

The Flyrant is definitely worth it's weight in gold bullion.


I've got another game scheduled this afternoon versus a more experienced player bringing his Tau... Should be interesting.