Set up was a you would expect, we placed a fairly elaborate shrine in the center of the board, with it's forward edge being right along the center line. This left a good amount of space for the Tyranids to still deploy, and placed the ruined relic centerpiece around 18" away plus a 3' rise to the first level.

Sister deployed their heavy bolter squad in the imperial bastion side, with coteaz in the squad, planning on raining destruction down upon the bugs as they entered, as well as making them rending for taking on the big baddies I would have in the front lines.

Along the center area surrounding the ruined relic, some forty sisters deployed, with priests and an attendant inquisitor in one of the squads. A handful of repentia were hiding in there as well for counter attacking the first tyranid unit that made it to the walls. Three exorcists and a plasma filled chimera set up in the area behind the Aegis extensions, and a large squad of sisters on the lower level were standing bye for any flankers from behind, or to step into the depleted ranks on the primary level.



The eldar style bastion was left completely empty.

Tyranids set up along the entire forward edge of the board as close to the shrine as I could get. My warlord tervignon hid in the rear right ruins, good range for his miasma cannon, and some excellent rear board control. Biovores stood next to him, and a large squad of hormagaunt were used as a shield for deepstrikers, spread out in a wide net. Two squads of warriors with barbed stranglers stood directly behind the haruspex and the exocrine. A pair of venemthropes shielded from line of sight by the massive monstrous creatures on the front line. A couple swarms of termagants and hormagaunts control the middle supported by two squads of zoanthropes. The right flank has the Tyrannofex, troop tervignon, and two carnifex. With two more warrior squads bearing barbed stranglers. A couple of pyrovores are hiding in there as well as another squad of termagants and hormagaunts.

Also a unit of three zoanthrope hiding just off camera.

Plans seem pretty simple for each side. Hide in the ruins for the sisters, shoot the big ones first if possible, and mow down the advancing hordes as able.
Tyranids get to the shrine and eat everything you come across. A key warlord trait for the nids was the digestive destruction, brought the shrine from the 4+ cover save to a 5+. Something I was unaware of with this mission until the second turn that nearly killed off the tyranids was that reserves for both armies could come on from any of the four table edges without rolling for it. So much for all those points I spent on hive commander and outflanking genestealers.

Turn one Sisters of battle.
All excited about having brought the lictor death squad formation, and I totally forget about the negative leadership modifier, and deathleapers personal negative modifier until turn three I believe. The result of which. First turn Coteaz and assistant psychic cast prescience on the heavy bolter retributor ladies, and the forward squad of sisters. Coteaz also cast misfortune on the troop tervignon who was hanging out opposite of him. Retributors got their rending power off as well and let loose with a hail of fire that ate the tervignon alive due to misfortune.


Exorcists teamed up to take out a carnifex and on the other side insta-gibbed a tyranid warrior. A handful of hormagaunts in the frontlines were mowed down by bolter fire as well.



Tyranid turn one
Everything moved forward. Onslaught was put on the biovores which allowed them to run the first turn and make it into extreme burn range of the sisters on first level. Carnifex was just able to see the sisters on top of the bastion for plasma breath. Barbed strangler warriors had a clear shot at the redemptors as well. Exocrine turned, but did not move for better BS when firing its blast. Haruspex and the many squads of hormagaunts moved forward to keep the pressure on the sisters. In the center the large squads of gants and gaunts pressed forward to soak up bullets.


Shooting turned out very well as the two right side warrior squads and the bioplasma carnifex killed off all but two of the redemptor sisters atop the bastion. Coteaz passed his leadership of course because we still hadn't remembered death leaper.


Exocrine, biovores and the two other warrior squads laid a lot of blasts on the main level sisters, clearing out a lot of space and nearly wiping out the first twenty woman squad of sisters. Yay Tyranid shooting? Warp blasts from the zoanthrope squads were completely wasted as he consistently denied the witch. Haruspex managed to run a full 6 inches and would be a guaranteed charge next turn.


Turn one wrap up:
As in most large games it seems like whomever's turn it is, is completely destroying their opponent. Sisters killed off some very important creatures and caused enough frontline damage that I was unable to charge anywhere. During the tyrnid turn, I felt like I was annihilating his strongest units. His reinforcments would be coming in, but I felt I had bubble-wrapped well enough to be safe. I believe twenty sisters died turn one.

Sisters turn two:
The imperial guard ally had an astropath with him, so every reserve they had came on the board. Here is where the tactical error of not knowing the mission well got me. Instead of coming in only from his board edge, They could come in anywhere, no outflank required. A couple of Immolators and a pair of Guard chimeras popped in next to the ruins where my warlord was hiding. Planning on having to avoid seraphim, I had figured the back corner was safe. Instead Dominion sisters got out with their ignore cover super ability and melta weapons. All three seraphim squads also arrived, each of them scattering far enough that a handful of sisters took dangerous terrain tests, but none of them failed. The seraphim Celestine was traveling with landed in front of the shrine next to the tyrannofex. The avenger strike fighter flew in and lined up behind the Haruspex, hoping to take it out with his oodles of guns.

The exorcist on the left side also maneuvered to do the same. The two vendettas came in with a clear avenue of fire at the Tyrannofex. One last immolator with girls in it popped out on my right board edge by the warriors and large zoat squad there.

Oh and of course ralph the sentinel came in from a board edge with his multi-laser.

Coteaz and inquisitor gives misfortune to the tyrannofex, and prescience on an exorcist and the large sister squad on the primary floor. The scraps from the first sister squad on the shrine as well as a couple of Repentias hoof it toward the haruspex. It eventually takes both vendettas, an exorcist, and celestines seraphim squad to put down the Tyrannofex, but they succeed. The second exorcist on the right side fires at the remaining carnifex and it takes three out of four wounds. The immolator and squad within pop out and unleash their fire power at the Zoanthrope squad, but manage only a single wound. On the other side of the table, the two dominion squads and their attendent immolators lay waste to my warlord tervignon, not allowing cover or armor saves. The avenger unloads all it's guns into the haruspex and causes only one wound. The exorcist on the left flank there also manages only a single wound on the haruspex despite continuing the average of five missiles. Repentias and three sisters charge the Haruspex now, hoping to chop it into little pieces. One wound from the sisters, then the lobster swings back. Killing two and healing back to only one wound. The repentias swing and manage two wounds, only to have one of them burned alive by acid blood. Go haruspex!

Tyranid turn two:
Not all the nids came in, but a lot of them did. Both flyrants zipped in, one smacked the avenger on the way by, the other slapped an exorcist. A hull point was taken off the avenger, and the exorcist was destroyed. The giant termagant squad with devourers came in right in the middle of the back flank, taking aim at the twenty sister squad that was hiding in the back of the shrine.

Genestealers and rippers popped up on the left flank, and genestealers and a lictor came in on the right.


A lictor appeared in the bastion with Coteaz who unloaded at it with his I've been waiting for you. Being out of synapse very purposefully, the lictor hit the deck and enjoyed a 2+ cover save. Another lictor popped up directly behind an exorcist. In my backfield warriors and hormagaunt squads converged on the varioius dominion and immolator units that had come in during the sister turn. My singular zoanthrope and the small squad moved towards the pair of chimeras. On the far right flank the large zoat squad, pyrovores and slowly healing carnifex came up towards celestines seraphim. The counter attack warriors and a squad of hormagaunts closed in on the lone immolator and gaunts there.

In the far left backfield you can see an adrenal gland hormagaunt squad closing in on the lone exorcist there.
Oh, and a full squad of spore mines had arrived, although they were unable to get anywhere during the turn they dropped in as they couldn't see anyone to charge.

Shooting was once again very successful. Biovores and the exocrine rained down large blasts on the concentrated sisters around the shrine. Rippers on the left flank killed a couple of seraphim with spine fists. The large devilgant squad killed off a dozen sisters with their buckets of dice.


Zoanthropes and the pyrovores dumped templates and blasts on celestines squad of seraphim killing a handful before they charged. The bioplasma carnifex fired at the seraphim near the aegis killing only two, before he also charged. Various lictors fired flesh hooks at vehicles and at coteaz's squad, however did no damage. In the left rear corner warriors fired at sisters infantry and then charged along with hormaguants. The two zoanthrope squads either failed to hit with their super lances, or didn't even pen. Super dakka flyrant took out the avenger, while the close combat flyrant shot down the vendetta in the right far corner. Avenger crashed with no damage, while the vendetta killed all but a single flamer guardsmen...who was pinned. Bioplasma carnifex made it into close combat and killed three sisters, who broke and ran. Celestine killed a pyrovore before they could swing, and the three zoats killed a couple of seraphim with no loss.

Hormagaunts on the right flank killed two sisters, and the charging warriors caused a single shaken result on the immolator there. In the middle, the haruspex and a handful of termagants slaughtered the last of the repentia and killed all but a single sister, returning to only a single wound, as the sisters failed to damage it with krak grenades. To the left, adrenal gland hormagaunts charged the exorcist and took off two hull points.


Returning to my left backfield, warriors, gaunts and zoats charged their respective targets.

These battles would continue for most of the game as gaunts slowly wore down the sisters, and for some reason warriors and zoats were totally unable to break tanks.
Haruspex and plasma-fex both regenerated a wound, much to my opponents chagrin. Celstine hit and ran out of the combat she was trapped in, abandoning the seraphim who also hit and ran so they could attack the carnifex next turn.

Turn two wrap up:


Sisters seemed like they were doing well as everything dropped in. The loss of my warlord and control of my own backfield was a bit of a blow. Although once again, as soon as it was my turn to repond, it seemed like the day would be mine. We shall see how things go during his turn. Even though I have not done as much damage to the tanks who came in at my area, I have waylaid them and should be able to kill off or prevent them from effecting the battle in the center of the board.

Sisters turn three:
At this point we remembered death leapers cool reduce leadership ability and coteaz became leadership 8. I never did remember the -1 leadership the formation also granted. With no reserves to roll in, the sisters got right to it. Coteaz failed to prescience, and my flyrant denied the misfortune. Backup inquisitor managed to prescience the dozen sister squad still on the shrine. The running seraphim recovered, moving between the damaged exorcist and the shrine, hoping to cause some damage to the giant termagant squad. The right flank seraphim leapt towards the center of his backfield as well to pour more fire into the gants. The hope was to shoot them out of synapse and have them run away. Celestine moves towards the beleaguered sisters being attacked by hormagaunts. The imperial tanks in my backfield tried to run over the zoanthropes in front of them, but being fearless, they simply shuffled out of the way. The exorcist beset upon by hormagaunts didn't move for fear of immobilizing on the nearby terrain, thus losing its final hull point. The final flyer positioned itself to make a run at the close combat flyrant. Every available immolator, plasma from the guard chimeras and the left exorcist poured fire into the exocrine. The final plasma shot killing it dead. The vendetta and left exorcist fired at the close combat flyrant, causing only a single wound and not grounding it. Coteaz and his girls did manage to put enough fire into the lictor on the bastion to kill it. Fire from the sisters and seraphim did kill off enough gants to cause a leadership test. Then they fired a few more times and just wiped the unit out. Flamers hurt my poor gantlets. Ralph the sentinel fired at and charged the rippers, as they were fearless and couldn't cause damage to the walker, they would now be stuck in combat, possibly forever. Celestine charged the hormagaunts on the right side of the board, killed a handful of them, and then they wiped out the sister squad they were also in combat with. The seraphim who had come in with celestine charged the carnifex and put a couple wound on it, then sustained a couple themselves, but they didn't break this time. Carnifex at one wound left again.

Tyranid turn three:
More reserves arrived, notably deathleaper and the mawloc. Deathleaper appeared right next to coteaz, his I've been expecting you caused no hits what with the snap fire rule. The mawloc popped up where the previously running sisters had gathered after recovering. A lictor within 6" allowed him to no scatter. First blast killed all but two, second try wiped them out, and the mawloc had arrived. Still on that right side, the close combat tyrant landed near the seraphim fighting my carnifex. Genestealers and lictors surrounded the right exorcist. Three zoanthropes, the pyrovore and some termagants made their way up onto the wall of the shrine, preparing to blast away at the remaining sisters there. Haruspex also joined the fun on the other side. Spore mines failed to climb up the wall. The left flank by the rippers; genestealers spread out and prepared to multi charge the sentinel and exorcist. Adrenal gland hormagaunts moved towards the remaining seraphim squad. The dakka-flyrant lined up on the last vendetta. In my backfield zoanthropes and warriors continued to try and shoot tanks with no effect, even though they were on rear armor at this point. Right side of my deployment zone, the two warrior squads fired at and charged the single immolator there.

Dakka flyrant took out the flyer as expected, biovore shooting was largely ineffective. Deathleaper flesh hooked a sister in the bastion. Lictor charged exorcist on the right and chopped it into pieces from the rear, with some help from a small squad of genestealers. Another lictor tried to charge the pinned guardsman in the plane crater, but was burned alive by the flamer. Zoanthropes and warriors charged chimeras and immolators in my left deployment zone, as well as on the right side. Finally had some success as I destroyed an immolator on each flank, and put a couple of hull points on the chimeras. The big battle in the center began as my huruspex, pyrovore, and a termagant squad charged in. Zoanthropes failed their charge.

The inquisitor in the squad had some nasty surprises in store it seemed, and with numerous krak grenades, monster hunter, and a hidden cannoness, the haruspex died. The inquisitor himself hacked at the pyrovore, killed him, and then died to the horrible acid burns he sustained. Hah, take that. A handful of remaining sisters cut down all but three of the termagants. Carnifex never got another chance to swing in his fight as the close combat tyrant ate all the seraphim upon his arrival. It must have been good because both he and the carnifex regenerated afterwards.
Genestealers on the left side multi-charged the exorcist and sentinel, made it into both combats. Coming through terrain the sentinel got a first hit off and managed to kill the broodlord, in return the stealers blew up the sentinel and the exorcist, losing a couple of themselves in the process. Consolidation brought them right up against the last chimera in the backfield.

Turn three wrap up:
The sisters are starting to run really low on units, but time is running out. The tyranids still have a handful of troop choices that can make it to the shrine in the next turn or two. As well as both flyrants and now the mawloc as well. Celestine is chopping hormagaunts left right and center, but she is all the way across the board. As things finish off in the next turn or two, I expect there to be a full on route.

Sisters turn four:
Things are starting to look desperate for the imperium. The two chimeras still in pretty good shape kicked up the center of the board towards the shrine, hoping to be of some support on turn five. Celestine charged a squad of warriors, and the last squad of seraphim reinforced the sisters on the shrine wall.

Coteaz got super brave, and he and his two remaining gals charged deathleaper. Deathleaper promptly challenged coteaz, who accepted, only to be choppied into a dozen pieces before he could react. Celestine killed a warrior, and then took a wound herself. Sisters around the shrine finished off the last three gants and consolidated about the holy relic.

Tyranid turn four:
Wife began calling for an eta at this point, so the last turn was super rushed. Both tyrants, hormagaunts, large zoat squad and the carnifex all set up to charge the remaining sisters. Mawloc and various other units about the board didn't even bother moving. Just as charges were slamming home, I failed my 2+ pregnant wife roll and had to pack up and go home.

The remaining sisters stared in disbelief as the wall of angry monster flesh descending upon them vanished into protoplasmic goo. Hail the emperor, the sisters won the day!

Game wrap up:
An incredibly fun game to be the last one pre-baby. I had three scoring units within 8 inches of the shrine, and would have likely wiped the sisters off the building completely this turn. Defending against the two imperial guard chimeras with troops would have been the last thing to take care of. I really think I'd have had this game in the bag if we hadn't run out of time. That is usually the cause of the end of a game when you are playing with this many points though. If I had remembered all the leadership modifying abilities and psychic powers on my flyrants, I think I could have pulled out the victory a turn earlier. Sadly, the world is full of what ifs. Great game, and I hope I get to have another huge game at some point soon.

I think the best moment of the game was right here when Deathleaper did his duty and choppy-choppied good old coteaz.