Titans versus Tyranids!

It's a public skewl break this week and the kids are having friends over every day this week to play games. Today we set up a little apocalypse game so their tyranid friend could get a chance to field his Hierophant Bio-Titan (and I could get a little apocalypse practice before the Battle of the Abyss on the 2nd of March!)

I'd hoped to get started right around 9am when the Boyz arrived... unfortunately, despite me telling them, multiple times, to have their force organized into battle-forged Detachments... they had not done so... nor did they bring their own copy of the rules... or the rules for their Bio-titan... So it we didn't get started until around 10am...

SITUATION

A significant force of Tyranids has been detected on Xoxigar Tertius (suspected to be from Hivefleet Haemorrhoid) - including a Hierphant Bio-Titan. The two Warhound Scout Titans of Eritque Arcus Maniple of Legio Amare Feles - stationed on the nearby Forgeworld of Xoxigar Secondus - were summoned to destroy with the Bio-Titan and support the 222nd Guaiacan Commando Regiment in dealing with the growing Tyranid menace!


SCENARIO

We played a scenario that Ill be playing next week at the Battle of the Abyss Apocalypse event - there were six objective markers scattered across the table, victory points were gained for holding them at the end of your turn (+2VP) or taking out a unit that held one at the end of their previous turn (+1VP) and the usual stuff (First Blood, Killing Warlord, etc). The game is played in four rounds or three hours - whichever comes first.


FORCES

Forces of the Imperium 

Battalion Detachment – Astra Militarum - + 5 Command Points
HQ (2-3)
Company Commander (1) – 2 Power Level - Warlord
Company Commander (1) – 2 Power Level
Company Commander (1) – 2 Power Level

Troops (3-6)
Infantry Squad (10) – 3 Power Level
Infantry Squad (10) – 3 Power Level
Infantry Squad (10) – 3 Power Level

Heavy Support (0-3)
Heavy Weapon Squad (Mortars) – 3 Power Level
Heavy Weapon Squad (Autocannons) – 3 Power Level
Heavy Weapon Squad (Heavy Bolters) – 3 Power Level

Detachment Total Power Level: 24


Super Heavy Auxiliary Detachment - Adeptus Titanicus - +0 Command Points
Lords of War (1)
Warhound Scout Titan – 75 Power Level
Detachment Total Power Level: 75

Super Heavy Auxiliary Detachment - Adeptus Titanicus - +0 Command Points
Lords of War (1)
Warhound Scout Titan – 75 Power Level
Detachment Total Power Level: 75


Force Total Power Level: 174
Total Command Points: 8


Tyranids

Battalion Detachment – Hivefleet Haemorrhoid- + 5 Command Points
HQ (2-3)
Winged Hive Tyrants (1) – 11 Power Level - Warlord
Broodlord (1) – 8 Power Level
Tyranid Prime (1) – 6 Power Level

Troops (3-6)
Hormagaunts (10) – 3 Power Level
2x Termagaunts (10) – @3 = 6 Power Level
Ripper Swarm (3) – 2 Power Level
Genestealers (8? 10?) - 4 Power Level
Tyranid Warriors (3) - 4 Power Level

Elites (0-6)
Venemthorpes (3) - 5 Power Level

Fast Attack (0-3)
Spore Mines - 2 Power Level
Ravenors (3) - 4 Power Level

Heavy Support (0-3)
Carnifex – 6 Power Level
Toxicream – 8 Power Level
Mawloc – 6 Power Level

Fliers (0-2)
Harpy (1) - 9 Power Level

Detachment Total Power Level: 85


Super Heavy Auxiliary Detachment - Hivefleet Haemorrhoid - +0 Command Points
Lords of War (1)
Hierophant Bio-Titan – 90 Power Level
Detachment Total Power Level: 90


Force Total Power Level: 175
Total Command Points: 8

THE GAME

Determining who went first was done by bidding on how fast you could set up (30s - 5m). I bid 30 seconds, the Tyranids bid 2.5 minutes - so I got the choice or sides, had to set up first, but would get the first turn IF I set up in 30 seconds or less... Which I did! (Barely!). The Tyranids also JUST made it under their 2.5 m minutes - if they'd failed they wouldn't be allowed to use the "Shouded in Mist" stratagem (which made all my shots -1 to hit on my first turn). He was only able to do so because five of his units started the game off table (in the sky or underground - ready to deep strike) 

All set up and ready to ROCK!!

The Girl decided to help me and played one of my Titans - Pardus Purpura 

Finnegan decided he'd just watch. He also wandered off and did some stuff on his own (some schoolwork, I think!?) 

ROUND ONE

Astra Militarum/Adeptus Titanicus

Tigris Viridi moved from it's original start position (pictured above) and let rip with it's Dual Turbo-Laser Destructor on the Bio-Titan - 30 wounds (out of 50)! BOOM! I figured Pardus Purpura would finish it off with it's Turbo-Laser so I vaporized a unit of Termagaunts with the Titan Mega-bolter... 

But Pardus Purpura's Turbo-laser only did 12 wounds!? So The Girl unleashed it's Titan Mega-Bolter on it as well and shaved off another 8 wounds... leaving it with TWO!!

Mortars fired on some Termagaunts... not one hit... They were just ranging in... 

+6VP for the Astra Militarum for Objective held at the end of the round, +1 for First Blood = 7 Victory Points

Tyranids

On the Tyranids first turn the bugs all skittered forward. The Bio-Titan unleashed it's Dire Bio-Cannon at one of the WArhound Titans: three wounds, two saved, re-rolled the other and saved it as well... aaaaand that's all it did this game. 

+6VP for the Tyranids for Objective held at the end of the round.

ROUND TWO 

Astra Militarum/Adeptus Titanicus

Bye-bye Hierophant Bio-Titan... (Tigris Viridi actually had to use BOTH weapons to finish it off! The Dual Turbo-Laser Destructor only got two attacks and actually missed with one. I didn't bother to re-roll that as the one should have finished it off... and then I rolled a one to wound - the only thing that wouldn't wound it... So I had to use the Mega boiler as well, and THAT did four wounds, finishing it off!) 

Totally forgot to check for Death Throes - probably could have done significant damage to the adjacent Genestealers... ah well, next time... 

Pardus Purpura blasted the Toxicream into a vicious puddle of black ichor. 

Elsewhere one squad of Guardsmen actually KOed SEVEN Hormagaunts - with some of the best shooting the guard has EVER done! The Mortars took out three termagaunts. The Autocannon Heavy Weapon Squad took out 3 termagaunts. 

+6VP for the Astra Militarum for Objective held at the end of the round = 13 Victory Points

Tyranids

They spend two command points to bring the Toxicream back on using the "meat grinder" stratagem. 

The bugs surged forward again!

They also brought on the Ravenors, Rippers, the Harpy, The Molock, and the Flyrant. 

The Broodlord managed to smite ONE guardsman - the first imperial casualty in the game... 

The Harpy and the Molock charged Tigris Viridi. Overwatch fire did eight wounds to the Harpy! So many sixes on that Titan Mega-Bolter! The Mollock and Harpy did absolutely noting to Tigirs Viridi in close combat - Tigris Viridi managed to finish off the Harpy when if fought back, though... which was pretty amazing, as the Warhound Scout Titans are not-so-good in close combat (WS 5+... I mean, sure they effectively get 15, S10 attacks... so they're going to hit with a couple and those hits are going to be HARD... but still... WS 5+...) 

The Flyrant wiped out the Heavy Weapon Squad armed with Autocannons, while the Ripper Swarms took out two guard. The Guard, fighting back, took out a stand of the Rippers. 

+8 for the Tyranids for Objective held at the end of the round = 14 Victory Points

ROUND THREE 

Astra Militari/Adeptus Titanicus

Tigris Viridi and the Guard section withdrew from their respective melees. 

Tigris Viridi then blew away the Mollock and did 8 wounds to the Flyrant. Pardus Purpura finished off the Flyrant and blew away the returned Toxicream.... it just wasn't meant to stay on the table... 

The Heavy Bolters KOed one of the Ravenors... then another ran away due to failed morale! 

+4VP for the Astra Militarum for Objective held at the end of the round, +1 for Killing the enemy Warlord = 18 Victory Points

Tyranids

Another two command points spent to bring back the Flyrant. 

Bugs move up in preparation for MORE Melee action. 

Genestealers moving up to join the battle... 

They overran the Guard infantry Squad - but the Company Commander survived and took out the remaining Rippers. 

The Ravenous charged the Heavy Bolters and took out one team and did a wound to a second. The Tyranid Warriors and Carnifex charged the another Guard infantry squad - they took out everyone... 

Except Sergeant Duncan - who finished off a Tyranid Warrior before ducking into cover and making his way back to friendly lines (failed morale and left the table....).

 +8 for the Tyranids for Objective held at the end of the round = 22 Victory Points


ROUND FOUR

Astra Militarum/Adeptus Mechanicus

I used two command points to make use of the meat grinder stratagem and brought back two infantry squads and a heavy weapons squad!

 

Tigris Viridi shifted back to the right flank where things seemed like they were coming apart.

The Heavy Bolter Teams fell back away from the Ravenor so the newly arrived Autocannons could blow it away... they only managed to do one wound to it!?

Pardus Purpura surged forward! The Tyranids were now ahead on points and I was feeling like perhaps I hadn't been aggressive enough with the Titans. There was no way I was going to make it TO any of the enemy held objectives, but two of them were held by relatively small forces of Termagaunts/Hormagaunts and I could certainly blow some of them off the objectives and score a couple extra points THAT way!

 

Pardus Purpura blew away the Termagaunts holding one of the Tyranid Objectives with the Titan Mega-Bolter...



Then it turned the Dual Turbo-Laser Destructor on the newly returned Flyrant... The Girl rolled and got five attacks... only three of them hit, wounded and got through saves... but that should have been enough... then she rolled for damage...



The Dragon and the Free RPG Day logo are ones... that's 11 damage... on a roll that should, on average, have done double that... ONE SHORT of taking out the Flyrant!!? (which would have gotten us another Victory point as it was the only one holding that rear objective!).



Three full squads blasted away at the Genestealers... but somehow two managed to survive - I've never seen so many fives rolled in a row for saves!?

The mortars failed to finish off the hormagaunts on the other objective, so Tigris Viridi blew them away with it's titan Mega-bolter. It turned it's Dual Turbo-Laser on the Carnifex - with 2d3 shots, and BS 2+ and S 16 with -3 AP and 2d6 damage... it should get four shots and wound with at least three of them and do about 21 damage... it did 7 wounds... on a creature with 8....



So annoyed were they that they couldn't take out this annoying bug, they actually charged the thing and tried to stomp it into the ground... and FAILED to do that... (though they did finish off the last Tyranid Warrior which they also charged!) The Carnifex fought back and actually did 3 wounds top Tigris Viridi - the ONLY damage done to the Titans all game...

+6VP for the Astra Militarum for Objective held at the end of the round, +2 for Killing the enemy holding objectives = 26 Victory Points... damn...


Tyranids

On the Tyranids turn they managed to charge my Company Commander with the two remaining Genestealers and take him out... I should have moved him closer to Pardus Purpura, so they'd have to charge the Titan if they wanted to charge the Company Commander... Ah well...

They shifted some units about to retake objectives.

The Carnifex fought Tigris Viridi again, and finally died...

The last Ravenor charged the heavy bolder teams and wiped them out!

 +6 for the Tyranids for Objective held at the end of the round, +1 for Killing the enemy warlord, +1 for Killing an enemy that last held an objective = 30 Victory Points


END GAME

So fun to finally get the titans on the table!!

Finished the four turns in just under three hours... I think...? Maybe it was just over three hours...? Started around 10 am... finished... 1-ish?

My total losses were two squads of Guard Infantry, and two Heavy Weapon Squads.

The Tyranids lost the Hierophant Bio-Titan, all their Hormagaunts and Termagaunts (3 units), the Carnifex, the Tyranid Warriors, two of the three Ravenors, the Toxicream (TWICE!) the Flyrant (ALMOST twice!), the Harpy, the Rippers, and all but two of the Genestealers...

Despite all their losses and losing their Bio-titan pretty much at the start of the game, the Tyranids pulled it out of the fire and took the win! I just couldn't kill all those little bugs fast enough...

I Probably should have charged forward quicker with the Guard - one unit sat in the rear until the last turn. Part of the reason they sat back was to prevent deep-striking earlier... after that it didn't seem like they'd have enough time to get forward to contest any objectives - even if they could get past the wall-o-bugs... Perhaps I could have been a bit more aggressive with the Titans as well.

Fun game! I figure I scored a moral victory, though, taking out the Bio-Titan and having both of my own titans survive, more or less, unscratched... More of the Guard could later be brought in to deal with the hordes of Tyranids later...


Coming soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Painting updates... probably some assorted 40K or Necromunda minis... then the Reaver Titan... before that I'll probably have a round-up of all the boardgames we played in February. I'm hoping I might get in a game of 40K or Kill Team with Finnegan over the weekend.