First proper game of 8th edition, we totted up the points, used detachments and command points, played an actual mission etc. I had Imperial Guard, my opponent Tyranids.
1000 points, mission was Eternal War 'Retrieval Mission', basically 4 objectives worth 3VP each, secondary objectives and random game length exactly as in the previous edition. We both used a Battalion detachment more or less (he had one too few
HQ and I had one too many troops; we gave ourselves the command points anyway by mutual agreement). I chose the arrowhead setup, which is really just a bit of a tweak on the standard map - we were playing on my 4' by 4' table.
His list:
Broodlord
2 x 20 Genestealers
2 x Carnifexes, twin devourers
3 x Lictors
Ripper Swarm (maybe 8-10?)
My list:
1 Company Commander, 3
Pl Comd, 1 Commissar, 1 Primaris Psyker, 1 Tempestor Prime
Scions Comd squad - 4 plasma guns
Scion Squad - 10 models, 4 melta guns
6 x Infantry Squads - 3 melta guns, 3 plasma gun/autocannons
2 x Heavy Weapon Squads - 3 missile launchers, 3 autocannons
1 Basilisk - heavy flamer
I kept deploying for long after him, which seems to be a constant with Imperial Guard. So many god damn units with all the 20pt characters forming their own thing. He kept his Lictors and rippers in reserve for deep strike. Similarly, I kept my Scion officer and both Scion units in deep strike reserve. So he went first, and this time I failed to seize.
Tyranid Turn 1: I'm afraid I didn't get a pic of the opening. But he deep struck, and Lictors can re-roll their charge dice when they do! There are two out of shot on the Imperial Guard right flank here:
So I had 2 Lictors in assault turn 1 (they wiped out a heavy weapon squad and scored him First Blood) with another and the rippers chilling out in cover 9" away from my other flank. Meanwhile, the genestealer horde closed in . . .
Imperial Guard Turn 1: I counter-deep struck, killing one Lictor with my Basilisk heavy flamer and counter-assaulting another to tie it up. My reserves came in behind him - I deleted one Carnifex with 4 rapid firing supercharged plasma guns (even re-rolls weren't enough to save one storm trooper) and wounded the other with a meltagun. Casualties to his central genestealers (with broodlord) and the Rippers were insufficient. The Lictors absorbed a lot of fire, in retrospect it was probably a mistake to even shoot them. -1 to hit and +2 to saves in cover! Not bad for 41pts, my friend thinks. See below how close his ravening xenos are to my lines at the bottom of turn 1:
Tyranid Turn 2: The poor bloody infantry prepare to man the barricades and fight with faith and cold steel.
That Broodlord wanted a hug, and by god he got it. 2 squads utterly wiped. Genestealer squad of 10 or more (they had exactly 10 left; Overwatch did nothing) goes up from 3 attacks to 4. We didn't even realise that the Broodlord made them 2+ to hit, or that scything talons are a free upgrade and let them re-roll 1s to hit. This did not make a difference.
Things didn't exactly go any better on my left flank:
The group of fully 20 Genestealers hit those 2 squads like a whirlwind of alien claws, not even using half their attacks to wipe them.
Imperial Guard Turn 2: So the game was barely started, and there were alien monstrosities swarming over the sandbags and my home objective, with the Imperial Guard leadership cadre looking on in horror:
So they closed ranks, fixed bayonets, and withdrew right back to the board edge, prepared to sell their lives dearly. The 'Get Back in the Fight' order was pretty much all that gave me any hope of taking a few xenos down with me. Throughout the game it was a key order for me.
Last Stand time. I wish there was a better reason to take a regimental standard under the Index rules. It's a bit pointless now, and although it's cheap, it's an upgrade on the fairly pointless command squad!
On the brighter side, the special forces were having an easier time and definitely seizing the glory. The scion squad gunned down the second Carnifex as it bellowed defiance:
That was an impressive 15 wounds, on
3D6 damage from the 3 meltas that hit and wounded! This left my deep strike contingent in my opponent's uncontested backfield - his entire army was in my deployment zone!
Tyranid Turn 3: They closed in for the kill, with both 'stealer squads and the broodlord assaulting and removing my remaining infantry squads. Only the characters remained.
This continued through the bottom of turn 4, with my leaders going down one by one, with the Company Commander the last to fall.
Now comes the good part:
Tyranid Turn 5: he wounded my basilisk, brought his rippers back to hold my central objective, and cleared up in my DZ. The failure to kill the basilisk would rebound on him.
Imperial Guard Turn 5: I am closing in on the objectives on his side of the table with my Scions.
Meanwhile, the last remaining Platoon Commander, filled with righteous vengeance and furious anger, charges at the remaining Tyranids. He kills the last 2 genestealers of one squad with a well judged grenade. He then charges and kills the wounded Broodlord with his sword. I am just so impressed. Dude is getting a paint refresh and some kill markings.
If the game ended here, I would have won (hold 2 objectives to his one, despite first blood, we both have Slay the Warlord and Linebreaker. The roll says we continue. I chew my nails.
Tyranid Turn 6: He races to remove my Scions from an objective. The genestealer speed is terrifying, and they tear apart the whole squad. This was about a 20" move and charge by the way. Their maximum threat range is 27".
However my opponent also uses his last, wounded Lictor to charge down my heroic Lt and avenge the Broodlord's demise. Wait - what's that you say? This gallant officer survived a grievous wound and slew the Lictor in return? Praise the Emperor!
Imperial Guard Turn 6: I am on 2 objectives, with a Tempestor Prime (Scions officer) and 3 command squad scions respectively. He holds 2 objectives with a Ripper swarm and a virtually unscathed huge mob of stealers respectively. If the game ends now, he would win due to First Blood. I clear his Rippers from his objective with a Basilisk's heavy flamer and (moving) earthshaker cannon - he fails his morale check by exactly the amount needed for his 2 remaining bases to run. Now I'd win if it ends.
The roll says we go on. We both chew our nails.
Tyranid Turn 7. The Tyranids go for broke, with Genestealers abandoning their objective, racing toward the Scion Command Squad to clear them off their objective for the swing. Success means he will go back to winning by First Blood.
He needs to roll a 7" charge. He rolls 6". The crowd goes wild!
Imperial Guard Turn 7:
I move onto the Ripper-less objective. I hold 3 objectives to his none. He has also given up Linebreaker as his stealers are in the centre ground. Didn't add insult to injury by directing a last volley at them. I win 11-2.
Summary: This was an amazing game, going right to the judges in the final turn. I crapped myself at the initial Genestealer assault. Lictors pinned me in place and drew fire, most of my line went down before I knew what the hell was happening. The only bright spot was my elimination of his supporting monsters with my own deep strike. While not as impressive as his main offensive, this was critical at the end due to position relative to objectives. We both agreed in hindsight that a) he might have preferred even more stealers to the carnifex. The shock action of all those attacks swarming at you, and the resilience of massed T4 5++, is really intimidating, and b) he should have sent a squad back to wipe my Scions earlier in the game - this could have still beaten me, as he definitely had me on the ropes from turn 2 (if not 1). Imperial Guard infantry and orders are great, and cheap as chips, but still have their weaknesses. They will die like flies and often their
BS makes the 10-man squads (I am used to big blobs after the last 2 editions) seem laughably ineffectual. Scions are amazing. Basilisk I'm not sold on. The
HF, which I only took as I glued one onto the model when I first built it, did more work this game than the main gun.
Thoughts on 8th: Falling back, special advance+charge rules, and the removal of 'take from the front' casualties, all make assault vs shooting more balanced and also dynamic. Between movement and reserves, lots of armies can do nasty maneuvers and I expect to see some very bloody opening plays. We loved the simplified shooting, casualty removal, cover, morale and psychic rules. Command points were a very fun thing too. On a couple occasions we used re-rolls to try and win an advantage, only to roll the same or worse! Great fun.
A picture of the survivors of the 1st Battle for Planet Bellummalleus VIII: An officer and 3 troopers of the [Classified] Regiment of Tempestus Scions, an officer of the Xth Cimmerian Infantry, and the crew of Basilisk 7/5, 12th Battery, aka 'Bug Burner'.