I wasn't really thinking of writing up a battle report so I don't have notes to cover everything that happened. However, this was the funnest game of Kill Team I have played mostly due to how crazy all the wacky special rules used still kept it fairly balanced for all involved.
The Story So Far...
The Clawdunk Clan (Rusted Claw) Genestealer Cult has been praying to the four-armed Emperor and the Star Children to deliver them from the hardship and toil of their lives on the planet Terracrux. Theirs is a life a daily struggle in the irradiated zone mining rare and exotic minerals to meet Imperial quotas. Papa Patriarch has told great stories about when the star children arrive that the all the souls within the clan will be paradise. At first, it looked as if that day had indeed come as Star Children did descend from the sky apparently answering the cult's call. Papa Patriarch informed the clan that while these were Star Childern, they were not the ones foretold to bring the clan to heaven. The Clawdunk Clan grabbed what weapons they had and attempted to destroy the false Star Children. Little did they know that nearby in the wastes was a small tribe of Orks itchin' for a fight...
The mission
The mission was based Shifting Priorities which has six numbered objectives placed on the board. Just before scoring points the player with advantage rolls a
d6. The matching numbered objective to the roll is removed and no points are scored. If the rolled number has already removed that numbered objective nothing happens. All objectives are 1 Victory Point each round. Deployment is opposite corners in a 12" right triangle zone. Additionally, since the the map is doubled sized both side double all movement for the 1st round.
The Teams
Rusted Claw
Commander: Kellermorph
Leader: Neophyte with Power Maul and Bolt Pistol
Combat: Aberrant with Power Hammer
Heavy: Neophyte with Heavy Stubber
Zealot: Aberrant with Power Pick
Aberrant with Power Pick
Acolyte Leader with Bonesword and Whip (Bane)
Acolyte with Demo Charges (Boomhauer)
Acolyte with Rock Cutter (Bill)
Acolyte with Rock Saw (Dale)
Acolyte with Rock Drill (Hank)
Neophyte with Heavy Stubber
Neophyte with Grenade Launcher
Neophyte with Webber
Neophyte with Shotgun and Icon
Neophyte with Shotgun
Neophyte with Shotgun
Neophyte with Shotgun
Hive Fleet Leviathan
Commander: Tyranid Prime
Leader: Warrior
Combat: Warrior
Zealot: Hive Tyrant
(Didn't take a 3rd specialist since the rest of team was hormagaunts and didn't want to worry about it)
Hormagaunts
Klan Goff
Commader: Warboss with Powerclaw and Kustom Shoota
Leader: Gretchin
Combat: Meganob
Other Specialists unknown
Kommando Nob with Powerclaw
Boyz Nob with Big Choppa
Loota
Kommandoes
Round 1
The above photo shows position of the numbered objectives. It was taken after the Tyranid Move Phase but before the
GSC Move Phase. Again, to speed up getting to the action part of the game, both players agreed to double movement for this round. Spoiler: As the
GSC player I can tell you I was last in every single Initive rolling no better than a 3 all game. I actaully rolled snake eyes for Initive 3 of those rounds. Which is kinda funny as one of the things I think
GSC needs to be able to do is strike first in melee or else be squished.
Above shows the
GSC Move Phase. I took advantage of the double move to get some of my special weapons on the catwalk while trying to soften up the hormagaunt swarm as much as I could with liberator pistols, heavy stubbers and shotguns. I also got my rock drill (Hank) and Zealot Abberant in to melee to halt the swarm as much as I could. What I wasn't expecting was the Tyranid Prime buffing the hormaguants to make them actually hit consistently.
In the shooting phase, I lost two Shotgun Neophytes including the one with the Icon I had holding Objective #1. In return, I placed a bunch of flesh wounds on the Hormagants (which largely did nothing because Leviathan). It was only the melee phase I manage to kill some of them with my Abberant. However, in return Hank took a flesh wound which I felt was pretty good given the number of attacks brought upon him.
Objective #6 was removed from where my Leader was standing denying me a point, and I lost the Neophyte standing on Objective #1. So the Tyranid player scored 2 points to my 1.
I managed to take a bunch of pictures as the Orks player managed to arrive toward the end of Round 1. They divided their team in half and deployed on the other board corners similar to the original deployment. There was some discussion if they should get the chance to roll for 0-2 Victory Points since they missed a round, but it was decided that they were in a pretty good position to out flank both teams already on the board.
Round 2
The Wheels hadn't quite come off as much as I though they would with the introduction of the Orks. I had most of the hormaguant swarm tied up with my Abberant Zealot and Rock Drill Acolyte allowing me to re-deploy ground level shooters toward the Orks on my left flank. I was pretty lucky that the MegaNob didn't run down my Leader that fell back only making the charge unlikely (8" or 9" charge). One his Kommando Boyz still managed to catch him though.
The hormagaunts not already tied up in melee poured through engaging one of my shot gunners that was protecting my Kellermorph. I move the Kellermorph into close range position to make the most of his pistols and advanced another shotgunner ahead of him to again prevent melee attackers from locking down my Commander. My not specialist Abberant charged the Loota and nearby Kommando.
Not exactly sure what was going over on the side of the long board edge as me other than the Orks advanced a bunch of their stuff toward me while leaving a boy to try and take Objective #2. This proved to not be enough resources as the Objective stayed contested longer than either the Ork or nid player wanted.
In the Shooting Phase the Kellermorph supported my the Heavy Stubbers managed to put down to Kommandos he caught out in the open. During the melee phase, my not specialist Abberant killed both the Loota and the Kommando. That combined with the Shooting phase basically crippled that Ork outflank attack save the MegaNob I was purposely avoiding until I whittled down his buddies. The Hormagaunt swarm just couldn't put down the Rock Drill Acolyte putting 3 Flesh Wounds on him. The Tyranid Prime supported my the Hive Tryand smashed into my Abberant Zealot, but he held his ground. My Acolyte Leader stopped a couple more gaunts as they were trying to sneak around the cargo containers.
Before Scoring, Objective 1 was removed. Score:
GSC 2, Tyranids 3, Orks 0.
Round 3
Round 3 did see a whole of change beyond the Hormagaunt finally killing the Rock Drill Acolyte, but in their blood lust completely Abandoned Objective #5. It didn't matter though as that was the Objective removed before scoring anyways. I lost my Demo Charge Acolyte as they were getting into position to throw dynamite at the Tyranid Prime. The Acolyte Leader Brawl had a Boy and Nob join in.
Round 4
With the Hormaguant swarm no longer tied down they flooded over Cultist and Ork alike. I re-positioned my catwalk shooting to target the Boy that left the fight with my Acolyte and the Gretchin as both of them were sneaking their way to Objective #3 (my only scoring objective I held). I brought my Combat Abberant and Rock Cutter Acolyte to bear against the Tyranid Prime while the nids continued to beat up my Zealot Aberrant. It was this round I was forced to start making Break Tests.
No Objective was removed this round. The Score was
GSC 4, Tyranids 4, Orks 2.
Round 5
At this point, I think all teams were running out of steam. I lost my Zealot Aberrant, Acolyte Leader and Neophyte with Grenade Launcher and probably a shotgun Neophyte in there too. I did finally managed to just about kill the Tyranid Prime and would have it if it didn't shunt its damage to the Hive Tyrant. My Kellermorph also managed free himself from melee killing all gaunts attacking him.
However, during the Morale Phase my team Broke and everything save the Heavy Stubber Neophyte (who I auto passed) failed their Nerve Check.
No additional Objectives were removed and the Score was
GSC 5, Tyranids 5, Orks 4. A roll was performed to see if the game continued and it did not.
After Actions
I don't mind Commanders as much as I thought I would. I can certainly see it having issues as the Tyranid player build his team around his Commander making Hormagaunts kinda scary. I can't say I used the Kellermorph all that effectively, but he wasn't too expensive and did kill more than his points. It was probably more luck than anything, but I found Aberrants to be really good. I think they worked far better in this game than an equivalent amount of Genestealers would have. I don't really think the Webber is worth taking over a grenade launcher. It just doesn't have the same utility and I can usually find a spare point to afford the grenade launcher.
