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2019/01/13 05:41:19
Subject: Chaos Character spam vs Kraken Nids w/ GSC - 2k NOVA - What was I thinking....
My last game of Jons awesome game day party came against Tim, my opponent who tried his Jormungdar nids against me in this game: https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/769784.page. Tim went back to the drawing board and came up with this monstrosity; its one mean ass list! I think overall its way better than his last one. I was getting tired of running my Nurgle Knights list at this point, and wanted to throw down a bunch of models I brought but hadn't hit the table in my time here.... thus, I invented my Chaos Character spam list! The idea of the list? Play whatever the hell I want and roll one dice! lol... the lists!
Chaos Character Spam ++ Vanguard Detachment +1CP (Chaos - Death Guard) [51 PL, 843pts] ++
+ HQ +
Daemon Prince of Nurgle [9 PL, 180pts]: Plague Wind, Malefic talon, Wings, Warlord: Revoltingly Resilient, Suppurating Plate
+ Elites +
Foul Blightspawn [4 PL, 77pts]
Foul Blightspawn [4 PL, 77pts]
Foul Blightspawn [4 PL, 77pts]
Hellforged Contemptor Dreadnought [10 PL, 144pts]: Havoc launcher, Nurgle
. Left Arm: Butcher cannon
. Right Arm: Butcher cannon
Hellforged Contemptor Dreadnought [10 PL, 144pts]: Havoc launcher, Nurgle
. Left Arm: Butcher cannon
. Right Arm: Butcher cannon
Hellforged Contemptor Dreadnought [10 PL, 144pts]: Havoc launcher, Nurgle
. Left Arm: Butcher cannon
. Right Arm: Butcher cannon
Daemon Prince of Chaos [9 PL, 180pts]: Daemonic axe, Khorne, Skullreaver, Wings
Lord of Change [17 PL, 275pts]: Baleful sword, Bolt of Change, Infernal Gateway, The Impossible Robe, Treason of Tzeentch (Proxied using a Bloodthirster)
Mission and Deployment We played Nova mission Crusade with the Spearhead deployment.
Genestealer cult took primary mission 2 (progressive scoring), with secondaries Strike the Rank and File, line breaker, and first blood. Chaos took Primary mission 2, slay the warlord (HT), cull the hordes, and marked for death (hormagaunts).
Deployment looked like this:
Tyranids held back his primus with a unit of neophytes in cult ambush, and all ripper swarms in reserve. The chaos side won the roll for first but... Tyranids seized!
Tyranids Turn 1
Spoiler:
Well that sucks... this is gonna hurt! Tim starts by moving all his Genestealers and hormaguants up the middle, followed by his Hive Tyrant in the back. On the left side, the genestealers advance and surround the nurglings there.
Psychic phase I fail to cancel any of his spells; onslaught goes on the Hormagaunts, Catalyst on his Hive Tyrant, but The Horror fails on one of my contemptors.
Shooting his Basilisks get to work, killing one Contemptor in the middle. His Hive Guard shoot twice, knocking a second contemptor to 3 wounds left (I rolled decent on saves, and he rolled poor on damage) on the right. His mortars go into the middle two blobs of nurglings, killing a base and a half in back, and knocking some wounds from the middle ones. I actually rolled pretty well on saves here!
Assault... Obviously his middle genestealers and hormagaunts destroy the nurglings there, but measuring his 6" consolidation would only get him into my back nurglings; not the characters. So he holds short, which is a good idea because why would you want to take free attacks? On the left side its pretty crazy; the genestealers charge my nurglings there, but I roll STUPIDLY well for saves, and he kills two bases... the Nurglings kill two genestealers in return!
Tim got first blood, scoring his secondary there. He also gets a Tertiary. Score is Tyranids 3 - Chaos 0
TACTICAL INSIGHT: Tim positioned himself pretty well, controlling his backlines. However, I think he could have done this differently; I had mucked up the middle with Nurglings, he should have held one unit of Stealers back as a secondary force; he could have cleared my screen in the middle first, THEN came in with the Stealers once I committed the stuff that mattered. Still, well done on his part, as him acting so aggressively makes me have to reciprocate..
Chaos Turn 1
Spoiler:
That could have been a lot worse, but I have 60 models breathing down my neck and no way to get to the back lines for at least one more turn, meaning I'm getting shelled.
I start by walking the Contemptors up a bit, and advancing all three blightspawns after I move my back nurglings to the right onto an objective there. My Lord of Change (AKA Blood thirster) advances and lands off too the left behind that building; the goal is to get Infernal Gateway off and hopefully plink the magnus and hurt his tyrants. The Skullreaver prince flies behind his screen, while both the Tzeentch and Nurgle princes go up the middle. Ahriman and the termi Lord shuffle up behind everyone else.
Psychic phase actually goes very poorly for me; Shadows of the Warp REALLY messes with psychic armies, which I now know. Infernal Gateway goes off, but it only kills a few GSC neophytes, plinks the magnus for one, swarmy for one, and hurts my LOC for 2. I get off Weaver of Fates and glamour, but Diabolic Strength and another spell get cancelled. Importantly, however, I use the 1k Sons strat to get off a 11 cast Death hex onto the middle genestealers, and my Termi Sorcerer gets off a Doombolt onto his Hive Tyrant. My Nurgle Prince casts plague wind on the middle genestealers killing 3.
Shooting I unload into the Genestealers, and between flamer and havoc launchers, plus an ahriman pistol shot, I kill all the genestealers.I also plink the Hive tyrant for a few wounds, and one basilisk takes 4 wounds.
Assault I charge the Skullreaver prince into his Hive Tyrant, and both middle princes into the Hormagaunts. When all is said and done, I knock his HT to 1 wound left (Catalyst saved him), and kill the Hormagaunts to 8 left. In a weird twist of fate, the Hormagaunts knock 4 wounds off my Tzeentch prince as I fail 4 3+ saves. The nurglings on the left continue battling the Genestealers there, and I luck out having 1 wound left on the final nurgling base. My Khorne prince gets smacked a bit, going to 5 wounds left.
Death guard score 1 tertiary point. Score is Tyranids 3 - Chaos 1.
TACTICAL INSIGHT: I was really hoping to kill the Hive Tyrant, but I will take my Nurgling holding on as a consolation prize! Things aren't looking good though, my princes are getting pretty beat up already and its only turn one! Definitely a chaotic and bloody battle. I have to get to the corner and stop those basilisks next turn, and hope against hope that my Princes can hang on.
Tyranids Turn 2
Spoiler:
Tim moves into action, backing up his Hive Tyrant and using the regeneration strat to heal him 2 wounds leaving him at 3. Swarmy positions to charge the Khorne Prince, and his GSC dudes shuffle around to plink my guys. He leaves his Genestealers in combat with the final Nurgling base. His Hormagaunts back away from my princes.
Psychic phase his Hive Tyrant attempts to cast Catalyst, periling with double 1's... he rerolls one dice, and rolls 1 again! At this point I use Demonic Possession strat, and the Hive Tyrant explodes himself! Haha, a lucky break for me This wounds my Khorne Prince for 1, Swarmlord for 2, and kills a few cultists. Swarmlord I believe tries to smite, but I cancel it, and his Magnus gets off a smite plinking my Lord of Change.
Shooting he kills the 3 wound contemptor, and puts 2 wounds on my last one. He kills my rear nurglings to a single base left, and does one wound to my Lord of Change and one more to my Tzeetch demon prince. He shoots again with the Hive Guard and kills my Tzeetch demon prince.
In assault the Swarmlord gets to my Khorne Prince despite me using the +1 invun strat. On the left side the genestealers finish the nurglings there, and hang tight. Swarmlord is able to get 2 attacks through my Khorne prince, so I use my very last CP to reroll a save... saving him! However, Tims dice decide today is not the day, and I'm only able to do a few wounds to the Swarmlord leaving him at 7 wounds left.
Tyranids score 1 more Tertiary, and get 2 Primary mission points (hold 2 objectives, and he holds 1 more than me 3 v 2 objectives). Chaos scores a tertiary and the Slay the Warlord secondary for exploding the HT (yay!). Score is Tyranids 6 - Chaos 4.
TACTICAL INSIGHT: I think Tim did well this turn, the biggest mistake he did was leaving the Genestealers in combat I feel. He should have fallen back, then shot the last nurgling with Neophytes or something. This would have threatened my backlines more I feel, but he may have had a reason behind it. My Nurglings continue to prove themselves in being annoying, and making people spend more resources than they care to kill them. I love these little fellas
Chaos Turn 2
Spoiler:
With the Hive Tyrant gone, I really have to kill the Swarmlord and those Basilisks; the Hive Guard I can handle afterward.
I start with moving the Lord of Change to the far back left corner of the map, lining up a charge there. My Khorne prince falls back behind the building, while the nurgle prince moves to kill his Magnus. My Blightspawns all advance, with the Termi Sorc and Ahriman moving up the rear. My last nurgling base advances into the right side ruins; I do this to put him closer to the Mortars/Hive guard there, I want Tim to have to deal with those before he can target the characters on that side.
Psychic phase starts with a Dull thud... Tim is able to cancel Weaver of Fates, but Glamour goes off on the LOC (I'm just within range). I attempt Death hex on swarmy, but he also cancels that (the order of activation mean't that Ahriman had to cast it); which wasn't too bad, I knew Tim wanted to cancel Death Hex, and this used up all his Cancels. After that I get off: multiple smites, killing some neophytes and plinking a basilisk, Plague Wind hits his left Genestealers killing 4, and I get off a couple other spells. Importantly, Diabolic Strength fails.
Shooting my two middle Blightspawn go on break; the first rolls strength 3, 1 shot, failing to do anything to swarmy. The second rolls strength 5, 2 shots, and fails to hurt him too... good job dummies. My Termi Sorc and Ahriman throw some shots into Hormagaunts killing a few, while my left Blightspawn rolls well, killing 5 genestealers on the left. The Contemptor unloads all his shots into the genestealers as well, killing all but 3.
Assault the LOC charges into the first basilisk + company commander and two units of Mortars (I probably should have just charged one thing and piled into them all....), but luckily I roll well for saves and he takes no wounds. My Nurgle prince charges his neophytes and magnus on the left, killing the magnus and 4 neophytes. Lord of change hits his Company Commander and Basilisk, but he makes his saves and the Basilisk just takes a few wounds. Ahriman and the Termi Sorc charge the Hormagaunts, killing the remaining few.
Chaos finish the Cull the Hordes secondary and Marked for Death secondaries. They score no primary mission points, only holding one objective. Tertiary was scored during the Tyranid turn. Score is Tyranids 6 - Chaos 8.
TACTICAL INSIGHT: Holy smokes! This game is bonkers, so many ups and downs. I failed to do anything to Swarmy, but on the flip side I cleared pretty much everything in the middle. Shadows in the Warp is really becoming a thorn in my side... That said, if I can control that back corner, I may have a chance to eek this one out.
Tyranids Turn 3
Spoiler:
Tim moves Swarmlord toward my Nurgle prince. His neophytes move to shield his Hive guard on the right, the left remaining neophytes park on the objective there. At the end of phase, he drops three Ripper bases on the left objective, three on the bottom right objective, and his Cult Ambush goes off and the cultists + GSCHQ pop out near my Khorne prince. His few remaining Genestealers advance toward my nurgle prince.
Psychic phase he tries catalyst, but I actually cancel it for once!
Shooting he pew-pews and kills the Khorne prince with his neophytes + HQ on the bottom. On the left side his Basilisks target my left side Blightspawn, but he rolls poorly for shots and does nothing with either. His last mortar team that is open shoots and finally kills the remaining Nurgling base, this leaves his Hive Guard whom try and do something to my remaining Contemptor, but he rolls badly. Hes down to 4 CP left, but he hangs onto them to see what happens with Swarmy.
Assault Swarmy and the Genestealers charge my nurgle prince. After saves, my nurgle prince is left with 1 wound left, and does 1 mortal to Swarmy tiering him. I contemplate, and decide to send my attacks into his Genestealers, killing them all. Tim then uses 3 CP to swing again, killing the prince. Swarmy consolidates toward my blightspawns in the middle. Lord of Change I realize has two different weapons, so I use his staff to attack this time; finally I'm lucky and I kill the Basilisk and his Company Commander.
(forgot photos)
Tyranids scored Strike the Rank and File secondary. They score a tertiary point. They also score 3 primary mission points (he controls 4 objectives to my 1). Chaos scores a tertiary. Score is Tyranids 12 - Chaos 9.
TACTICAL INSIGHT: Tim hanging onto his dudes for this turn was a great plan; he now is spread all over the board. However, he failed to kill the contemptor which is huge; this gives me what I need to reach out and kill those things in the right corner. However, I still have no way to kill the Hive Guard yet, and Lord of Change is still locked in with his Mortar teams. This means I have one more turn of Basilisk shots, and possibly hive guard... As well, I need to start controlling objectives; I have scored all my secondaries, and hes pulling way ahead on the Primary.
Chaos Turn 3
Spoiler:
This turn I HAVE to get primary points. I move Ahriman and my Termi Sorc to the left, aiming to charge the neophytes there blocking his Hive Guard.Both my middle spawns advance, aiming at Swarmy again. My left blightspawn advances, getting within 3" of the objective there with rippers on it. My contemptor shuffles to the other side of his objective.
Psychic phase Ahriman AND the Termi Sorcerer perils, doing 3 wounds to themselves. I get off a couple smites... thats about it.
Shooting my left Spawn does well, killing all three ripper swarms there with his flamer of doom. The Contemptor destroys the bottom neophyte squad (the last one runs away) leaving his primus alone. Ahriman and the termi sorc shoot and kill a few neophytes. In a huge change from last turn, my middle blightspawns roll well for their attacks and strength, killing Swarmlord finally.
Assault Ahriman and the Termi Sorc charge the neophytes on the right; I roll an 11" charge for the sorcerer. This places him so where he piles in hes just outside of 1".... damn! However, I roll well and the Termi Sorc and Ahriman wax the 6 Neophytes that were left, allowing them to consolidate into the Hive Guard who flub their attacks. Lord of Change kills all but 1 mortar, who hangs around.
TACTICAL INSIGHT: Holy smokes this one is down to the wire! I still have more big stuff left, but it really comes down to this turn. If Tim can keep controlling the field, I won't be able to pull back from his lead; he still has one secondary left to score, and 1 more tertiary he can score. Hes also way ahead on his primary score.
Tyranids Turn 4
Spoiler:
Without much to do, Tim falls back with his Hive Guard maintaining them within 3" of the objective, but leaving them clear of Ahriman and the Sorcerer. His Primus advances into the right side ruins, moving toward Ahriman and the Sorc.
Shooting his Basilisks both target my left Spawn... he rolls 2 shots for the first, wounding once! he takes 2 wounds after DR saves. He rolls the second basilisk, who rolls 2 shots... and misses both! ouch. On the right his mortars there unload on Ahriman, doing 3 wounds. I roll... and make all 3 saves! However, he still holds 3 objectives to my 2.
TACTICAL INSIGHT: I got lucky this turn... if he killed my Spawn it would have given him a 15 to 10 lead. I might be able to tie this up, depending how next turn goes.
Chaos Turn 4
Spoiler:
I move the LOC to get into his Basilisks. Ahriman and the Sorc stay put. I advance the light green blightspawn, getting him close enough to shoot hive guard. The contemptor takes aim at his ripper swarms on the back right.
Psychic I get off a couple smites, killing one hive guard.
Shooting my Contemptor kills all his ripper swarms, while my to left spawn kills the remaining 3 neophytes on the objective there. On the top right my blightspawn there must have been pissed off, he gets strength 10 and 5 shots, killing ALL the hive guard in one shot... lol. Dudes a beast.
Assault the LOC gets into his basilisks, just aiming to lock them out. My Terminator sorcerer makes it into his last mortar team, killing one base.
At this point he concedes; with two basilisks left in CC with a Lord of Change, and two mortars left in CC with a Termi sorc, and a Primus hiding in some ruins... he has no way to come back.
The score at this point, however, would have been Tyranids 14 - Chaos 14 (I held 4 objectives to 0). I also maxed my Tertiary.
TACTICAL INSIGHT: Blightspawns are awesome.
Results and Post Game thoughts
Spoiler:
Final Score: Tyranids 14 - Chaos 14, Chaos wins through concession.
We did talk through as through turn 5 happened, and essentially he makes an assassination run on Ahriman with the Primus; which fails. I then go on to table him and max points.
This was actually a fantastic game, and while this list was mostly a joke list for me, I felt like it had some weight to it; everything in the list was a threat in its down right, and I'll be damned if Blightspawns weren't the MVP's here. Yes, they are very swingy (as can be seen where two failed to even wound Swarmy turn 2).
I feel like the game went down hill once his Hive Tyrant killed himself, but also wiping out all the genestealers by turn 2. I feel like with more practice Tim will master the niches of the Kraken battalion, but he seemed to have more fun and felt like his list was way more powerful (which it was). I actually always tell people a game of 40k is decided in the movement phase... you cannot underestimate positioning and movement in this game. This is also why some lists are more powerful depending on why plays it; you need to understand how it operates.
This was really a great game and it was a lot of fun. I liked having a bunch of big baddies and just ran around not giving a hoot. It really came down to the wire, and honestly, had a couple things gone differently... the outcome would have gone the other way! Thanks for reading and until next time
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2019/01/13 20:24:57
This wounds my Khorne Prince for 1, Swarmlord for 2, and kills a few cultists. Swarmlord I believe tries to smite, but I cancel it, and his Magnus gets off a smite plinking my Lord of Change.
