SHADOW IN THE WARP # II

Having defeated Kharn the Betrayer and his CSM (se battle report 29. December 2010), Hive Fleet Grendel started to devour everything in its path as it spread across the planet. If Chaos where to regain control over this once great Imperial outpost, the forces of Chaos would have to act!

1750P – THREE OBJECTIVES

Primary Objective (10p); Listening Tower (on a D6 result of 5-6 a piece of area terrain reveals being a listening tower that each side wants to capture and control)

Secondary Objective (6p); Man Down (each side tries to control/rescue a stranded spy – a suitable marker is placed in the enemies deployment zone before deployment)

Tertiary Objective (4p); Grind them to a Halt (point for each vehicle or monstrous creature destroyed/killed)

DEPLOYMENT

Man Down markers; Tyranid, second floor northwest inside “Sanctum”, Chaos, ground south-centre inside a “Fuel Depot”.

A Rhino enters the battlefield in centre, and the unit disembark behind it. Centre-west, another Rhino, also with the unit disembarked behind it. In centre, between them in cover, a Chaos Lord.

The Tyranids vanguard units enter the battlefield from the south (table side). One unit of Gaunts emerges inside the large “Manifactorum” in the south-centre, and one inside the “Sanctum” to the west. Southwest, behind "Sanctum", towers the will to control both units – a Winged Hive Tyrant.

It was still. It was dark….

TURN 1

The rest of the Tyranid army arrives from “reserve”. Southwest, moving towards “Sanctum” and the stranded Tyranid Spy, a small unit Genestealers, a Trygon Prime and a Tervigon. Centre, smashing their way into the “Manifactorum”, a Zoanthrope and a Tervigon. South East, partly behind “Manifactorum”, a Trygon Prime and a Winged Hive Tyrant. In the East, behind barrels and rubble, a unit Genestealers and a Zoanthrope. The Vanguard Gaunt unit surrounds the Tyranid Spy. The Gaunt unit inside "Manifactorum" searched the structure (D6 5) and found "The Listening Tower"! It was to dark for them to pick out any targets to shoot at.

In the dark a Landraider with Chaos Berzerkers entered the battlefield from the Northwest, threatening “Sanctum” and the Tyranid Spy in the Second floor. In North-Centre entered yet another Landraider, its dedicated occupants (Terminators) held in “Reserve”. To the Northeast, alongside the channel, overcoming all obstacles, two Vindicators. The Chaos Lord joined the CSM in centre, and the CSM in Centre-west embarked their Rhino.

The forces of Chaos had acted…

TURN 2

To the West the small Genestealer unit entered “Sanctum”. The Tervigon spawned 12 Gaunts that moved towards “Sanctum”. The Tervigon itself, and The Trygon Prime, moved northeast remaining in cover from most of the big guns. The Zoanthrope inside “Manifactorum” moved toward the CSM centre Rhino. The Tervigon inside “Manifactorum” Spawns another 12 Gaunts that moved to secure the surroundings of the factory. The Tervigon itself retreats south and takes cower behind the large structure. To the centre, the Hive Tyrant lands behind the “Fuel Depot”, close to the "CSM Spy", the Trygon Prime lurking behind it. To the east the Genestealers approach the structure that once where known as “Terminatum”, the Zoanthrope adjusting its position to back them up. The Tyranids manages to blow up the Rhino in West-Centre, and to destroy the second Rhino. The will of the hive mind (Paroxysm) triggers every nerve and pain receptor in the Lord and his unit, leaving them with reduced WS and BS (1).

The Chaos Lords and his CSM unit redraw north and are backed up with a Landraider. The Vindicators to the East heads South/Southwest. The Landraider to the northwest drives up to “Sanctum”, and the Chaos Berzerkers disembarks. The CSM in centre-west hold their ground. Suddenly the city is lit up by fire from Meltaguns, Bolter fire, Shells and Lascannons! The Zoanthrope inside Manifactorum falls, and the Hive Tyrant in the Centre loses three wounds! The Chaos Berzerkers charges and wipes out the Gaunt unit protecting the Spy inside “Sanctum”, and consolidates behind the building close to their Landraider. Chaos is in a good position!

TURN 3

The small Genestealer unit inside “Sanctum” swiftly moves towards the Chaos Berzerkers, and are joined by a unit of Gaunts. The Winged Hive Tyrant fly over to the corner of the building, gaining line of sight to the Chaos Berzerkers. In west-centre the Tervigon spawns a new unit of Gaunts (but rolls a triple), that move west to aid the Nids positioned inside “Sanctum”. The Tervigon and Trygon Prime move towards centre. To the east The Winged Hive Tyrant fly over the Fuel Depot, and takes position in front of the Chaos Lord and his CSM unit. The Genestealers inside “Terminatum” close in on the same unit from the east. The Zoanthrope runs southeast trying to find cover. In centre the Trygon Prime move north towards the centre-west CSM unit. The Tervigon moves in behind him. The Trygon Prime and Tervigon to the Centre-west open fire against the Chaos Berzerkers killing a couple of them. The Tervigon and Trygon prime to the Centre-south opens fire against the CSM in Centre-west, also killing a couple. The Hive Tyrant to the northwest casts “Paroxysm” at the Chaos Berzerkers. The Hive Tyrant in centre unsuccessfully tries to regain lost wounds (lost three out of four…) by extracting the "life force" from the Chaos Lord and his unit of CSM (Leech Essence), but manages to Paroxysm them. The Genestealers and Gaunts inside “Sanctum” charges the Chaos Berzerkers, lost the fight so that the Genestealers had to redraw, but the Gaunts manages to hang on, denying the Berzerkers the possibility to embark their Landraider the following turn. In centre, the badly wounded Hive Tyrant and the Genestealers assault the Chaos Lord and his CSM. Thanks to “Paroxysm” and the “Whip Lash”, the Genestealers and the Winged Hive Tyrant managed to break the unit, leaving only the Lord and two CSM alive (fleeing north), the Hive Tyrant giving its life in the battle. The Genestealers consolidate west, trying to avoid the two Vindicators approaching from the east.

The Chaos Lord and his surviving CSM continues to fall back to the north. The Vindicators to the east moves west. The Landraider in centre adjusts its position, getting ready to fire at the Trygon Prime arriving from South-Centre. The Landraider to the Northwest pivots to open fire against the Hive Tyrant supporting the attack on the Chaos Berzerkers. A bright light, and in dead centre, besides the CSM unit in Centre-west, a unit with Terminators materialises. Again the battlefield is lit up by fire. The Hive Tyrant to the northwest is wounded several times, as is the Tervigon southwest and the Trygon prime south-centre. The Vindicators open fire killing several Genestealers. The Chaos Berzerkers finish of the Gaunt unit.

TURN 4

The Remaining Hive Tyrant hisses! Instantly the Gaunt unit inside “Sanctum” moves towards the "Tyranid Spy", the Trygon prime and Tervigon to the centre moves north. The Genestealers that fell back from the Chaos Berzerkers does not regroup, and falls back south. To the east, the Genestealers moves west, trying to maximize use of cover – hiding from the Vindicators. The Trygon Prime in centre moves towards the centre and closes in on the newly arrived terminators and the remaining CSM. The Tervigon in centre Spawns a new unit of Gaunts that heads straight for the centre. The Gaunt unit spawned turn one inside “Manifactorum”, also closes in on centre. Bioelectric pulse from The Trygon Prime, and Cluster Spines from centre northwest Tervigon, kills several Chaos Berzerkers. The Hive Tyrant casts “Paroxysm on them”. In centre, the Gaunts open fire against the CSM without big success. The Trygon Prime fleet (runs) towards the Terminators and the CSM unit in centre-west. The Zoanthrope manages to kill a CSM in the Centre. Feeding time!!! The Trygon Prime in Centre advances – straight pass the Terminators – and reaches the CSM. A large unit of Gaunts attacks the same unit from the west. It is a short, but bloody battle, The Trygon Prime with only one wound left, and a couple of Gaunts locked in mortal combat with a few CSM. To the northwest, the Hive Tyrant assaults the remaining Chaos Berzerkers, killing all but one, but the Hive Tyrant is down to one wound. At least the nearby Landraider will not be able to open fire next turn….

The Terminators moves as close to the Trygon Prime in centre ass possible. The Vindicators to the east reaches the “Fuel Depot”. To the North, the Landraider drives around the Hive Tyrant locked in combat facing the Monsters to the west centre. The Vindicators kills several Genestealers, leaving only one alive, and killing the remaining Zoanthrope. The Landraider in centre-north and northwest wounds the centre Trygon Prime and Tervigon. It is not enough! The Terminators assault the Trygon Prime (with only one wound left), but has to assault through difficult terrain! The Trygon Prime directs all its attacks against the Terminators, wounding all five of them, and – killing all of them! The Trygon Prime and remaining Gaunts are locked with the last two CSM. The Hive Tyrant to the northwest kills the last Chaos Berzerker in close combat.

TURN 5

The Hive Tyrant to the northwest moves east trying to find cover. The Trygon Prime and the Tervigon in centre-west moves north against the empty Chaos Berzerker Landraider. The Tervigon in centre spawns another 12 strong Gaunt unit, the unit heading northeast in order to create a living barrier against the Landraider in centre north and the Vindicator to the northeast. The Tervigon itself crouching behind one of the fuel towers nearby the "Chaos Spy". The Genestealers to the south of “Sanctum” finally regroups. The Gaunts inside “Sanctum” moves in and around the Tyranid Spy. The Trygon Prime and Tervigon reaches the Chaos Berzerker Landraider, smashing it apart! The Trygon Prime and remaining Gaunts kills the last of the CSM in centre. The newly spawned Gaunt unit assaults the Vindicator to the east of the “Fuel Depot”, but are outside range of the hive powers of the Tervigon, and the Gaunts therefore does not have the strength to damage it. Only tanks left to devour….

The Landraider in north centre pivots against the badly wounded Trygon Prime. The Vindicator to the southeast drives at full speed against centre, the other adjusting its position. With a roar the heroic Trygon Prime in centre is blown apart from heavy Bolter fire and Lascannon fire. The Tervigon and Gaunts is wounded by the Vindicator behind the “Fuel Depot”.

A dice is rolled – a new turn.

TURN 6

The badly wounded Hive Tyrant fly due west trying to find cover from the remaining Landraider. The Tervigon and Trygon Prime to the west move at full speed towards centre. The Gaunts and Genestealers adjust their position trying to shield the “Listening Tower”.

The remaining Landraider goes after the Hive Tyrant and opens fire! Twin Linked Lascannon, one hit, one wound - the last Hive Tyrant is killed. The Vindicator to the east moves straight west, heading for the “Listening Tower”, popping smoke. The other Vindicator kills some Gaunts.

A dice is rolled – one last turn

TURN 7

The Trygon Prime reaches the centre-north Vindicator, tearing it apart. The Tervigon advances on the Vindicator that popped smoke to the east, but does not manage to destroy it.

The Landraider pivots and opens fire, but the remaining monsters have to many wounds left. The remaining Vindicator tank shocks the Tervigon, who decides to move aside, and the Vindicator crashes into the “Listening tower” (contesting it). Damn!

It is over!

RESULTS

Primary Objective (controlling the Listening tower);

Hive Fleet Grendel 0 – Word bearers 0

Secondary Objective (guarding the “Man Down”):

Hive Fleet Grendel 6 – Word bearers 0

Tertiary Objective (Grind them to a halt)

Hive Fleet Grendel 4 – Word bearers 0

Total: Hive Fleet Grendel 10 – Word bearers 0

The Hive Mind is pleased; this planet is ready to be devoured by Hive Fleet Grendel! Or is that humming sound, that is coming from those dark green and white "discs" that hovers over the ground, a new threat?

MOMENTS TO REMEMBER

Jørn; tank shocking turn 7 into the primary objective, denying the Tyranids complete victory!

Ørnulv; killing all 5 terminators in one go with a Trygon Prime with only one wound left!