Inspired by the last couple of my battle reports (Shadow in the Warp # 2 – 3), André wanted to try the same scenario. Having had great fun playing this scenario I agreed!
2000P – 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 strayed spy. A suitable marker is placed in the enemies deployment zone before deployment)
Tertiary Objective (4p); Grind them to a Halt (points for vehicle or monstrous creature destroyed/killed)
THE ARMIES
Craft World Eldar:
Avatar
Dire Avenger unit in Wave Serpent X 2
Guardian unit in Wave Serpent
Warp Spider unit
Striking Scorpion unit
Fire Dragon unit in Falcon
Dark Reaper unit
Tyranid Hive Fleet Grendel:
Winged Hive Tyrant X 2
Gaunt unit X 2
Genestealer unit
Tervigon X 2
Zoanthrope unit
Hive Guard
Hive Guard unit
Trygon Prime X 2
Mawlock
DEPLOYMENT
Man Down markers; Eldar places its marker southwest behind a tank obstacle. The Tyranids placed their marker (2. floor) inside the building known as “Terminatum” straight north (centre) from the Eldar marker. The markers where only 12” apart!
The 2 Dire Avenger units, embarked in their transports, enter the battlefield centre north behind the building called “Sanctum”. The Avatar emerges at the north side of “Terminatum”, threatening the Tyranid marker.
A unit of Gaunts sets up inside “Terminatum” close to the Tyranid marker. A 2. unit Gaunts enters the building known as “Auditorium” centre south. Behind it, a Winged Hive Tyrant with heavy Venom Cannon.
It is dark!
TURN 1
D6 = 6, and the Tyranids cease the initiative! Full of confidence, the Hive Mind moves all its troops onto the battlefield from the southwest, heading for the Eldar Marker and Tyranid marker at full speed. Only the Mawlock is held in reserve (deep strike). The Hive Tyrant With the Heavy Venom Cannon manages to see the closest Wave serpent, blowing of its gun turret! And know – if only one of the two buildings occupied by Gaunts to the southwest contains the listening tower, the Eldar will have to be the offensive party! D6 = 4: Damn. D6 = 2; Damn damn. The Hive Mind could be badly outmanoeuvred if the listening tower is located no the north east of the battlefield!
The Eldar force heads at full speed east, closing in on the 2 buildings to the north east of the battlefield. The rest of the force entering from north centre, preparing to set up a gun line in north centre to hinder the Tyranids from advancing north east. Since the Tyranids are out of range of the centre building, the Eldar forces flies at full speed and does not disembark and search any buildings… The Avatar heads northeast – away from the Tyranid Marker…. (boo – hiss).
TURN 2
The Tyranid army splits into 2. Hive Guard and Zoanthropes enter Auditorium and will threaten any Eldar forces closing in on the Eldar and Tyranid marker. A Trygon Prime, Genestealers, a Spawned unit of Gaunts, a Tervigon and a Winged Hive Tyrant heads north into and behind the “Terminatum” building, protecting the Tyranid marker. The rest of the force heads east and cuts of the Eldar should they decide to head for the Eldar marker south west, and trying to get closer to the eastside of the battle field should the listening tower be found there.
The Eldar Guardians enters a building to the north centre east (Sanctum), and a unit of Dire Avengers enters the massive Manifactorum structure to the far east of the battlefield. The Dark Reapers takes up a good future fire position in the north centre east. The Warp Spiders and Striking Scorpions masses behind the Sanctum building ready to strike south when the Tyranids advance. The Falcon with Fire Dragons backs up the Wave Serpent to the East. D6 = 4; Ohh. D6 = 2; What the f…. Suddenly the game changes. The centre south building (close to the Tyranid battle line) is the only structure left who could host a Listening Tower! The Eldar open fire, taking some wounds of the monsters, and the damaged Wave serpent tank shocks south re diverting a Gaunt unit from the last building who could contain the Listening Tower.
TURN 3
The Mawlock emerges from the ground wiping out most of the Guardian squad to the north centre! The Tyranid force to the east consolidates its position in and around Terminatum and the Tyranid marker. The Tervigon spawns another unit. If the Eldar decides to assault this stronghold, the counter assault would be massive! In centre south the Tervigon Spawns another unit, it reaching the last building that could host the Listening Tower. A Tervigon supports it. D6 = 2!!!! All the building in the city is empty! The two forces are almost on opposite sides of the battle field, the Eldar north centre to east with long range fire power, and the Tyranids centre west and south having surrounded both objective markers! The Hive Tyrant and Trygon Prime to the south attacks the Wave serpent who tank shocked the Gaunt unit in an attempt to prevent the Tyranids from reaching the last building. The monsters leave behind a burning wreck.
The Dire Avenger unit to the east embarks the Wave Serpent and heads south supported by the Falcon. To the north the units adjust their position around the Mawlock. As tracers the Mawlock light up the air are brought down! The Tervigon to the south is badly wounded.
TURN 4 – 5
Cat and mouse! The Tyranids consolidated position making sure al creatures where hid behind or inside the buildings close to the two objective markers, the Tervigon constantly spawning units – creating a expandable web net in front of their lines.
The Eldar strike force stared an advance southwest, killing a Tervigon and a Hive Tyrant, but where unable to find a “hole” in the defences early enough to push through when the game ended after 5 turns.
COMMENT:
Having played this scenario several times, I have found it to establish the conditions for a good battle. However, with none of the buildings turning out to be containing the “Listening Tower”, it turned out to be a predictable outcome when the whole of the Tyranid army surrounded to two object markers. Next time I opt for a different scenario!
RESULT
Primary Objective
Hive Fleet Grendel 0 – Craft world Eldar 0
Secondary Objective
Hive Fleet Grendel 6 – Craft world Eldar 0
Tertiary Objective
Hive Fleet Grendel 0 – Craft world Eldar 4
TOTAL
Hive Fleet Grendel 6 – Craft world Eldar 4
MOMENTS TO REMEMBER
Andre; Shooting down 2 monsters in one turn to the south
Ørnulv; The Mawlock finally succeeding in deep striking into a unit killing most of it!
Good report again Ørnulv, even if the Machine Spirits aren't doing quite what you want them to...
ReplyDeleteOne thing though: If you fail to roll any fives or sixes while searching for the Listening Tower, it is automatically found when a player checks the last remaining piece of (viable) terrain on the table.
Hmmmm - we missed that one, however we where quite happy with the outcome anyway as we both where to self asure we wound find the Listening Tower on our side of the battle field ;)
ReplyDeleteKinda like when I played that mission i Bergen then... We checked nine outof eleven pieces of terrain before I finally found it in the bottom of the fifth turn - with a non-scoring unit.
ReplyDeleteTypical! Realy - tt is a fun scenario, however it is smart not to take for granted finding "The Listening Tower" if one gets first turn!
ReplyDelete