BATTLE REPORT THREAD: A Candlemas Carol: Space Marines vs Tyranids (12/20/2017)

Marines
Guilliman – 18

Captain In Gravis Armour -7 – Ajax

Primaris Librarian – 7 -Librarian Anatolios

Primaris LT – 5 – Lt. Dan

Primaris LT – 5 – Lt. Stan

Primaris Ancient- 5- Ancient Nestor -Relic- Standard of the Emperor Ascendant



5 x Intercessor 10x Bolt Rife, 2x Aux Grenade Launcher- 5

5 x Intercessor 10x Bolt Rife, 2x Aux Grenade Launcher- 5

5 x Intercessor 10x Bolt Rife, 2x Aux Grenade Launcher- 5

3x Reiver – 4

3x Inceptors – 10

5x Hellblasters w/ Assault Plasma Incnerators- 8
5x Hellblasters w/ Assault Plasma Incnerators- 8

Redemptor Dread -10

PL 102 9 CP



Tyranids

Swarmlord – 15
Hive Tyrant w/wings Devourers – 11
Tyranid Prime – 6

Tyranid Warriors x 9 – 13
Genestealers x 15 – 12
Genestealers x 15 – 12

Hive Guard x 3 – 7
Venomthropes x 3 – 5

Carnifex – 6
Carnifex – 6
Carnifex – 6

99 PL 6 CP

I still maintain it would have been a better idea to drop the Inceptors to reinforce a flank instead of dumping them off in Adam's deployment zone. yes, they have a lot of shots and Adam had to divert a bit of a force to kill them, but consider:

a) where they dropped was well covered by both Adam's guns AND a ton of stealers.
b) All Matt's units on his side of the table were still out of range of the bulk of the nid guns (but the nids could almost shoot wherever on the table they wanted) and all those stealers, so Adam could walk whoever he wanted over to the very fragile 3-man unit and obliterate them at will, and remain out of range.
c) Stealers can potentially move a very long way every turn. Distracting them back for a turn that early (where the Inceptors were never going to wipe out the stealer unit before being torn apart themselves) has no impact in a game where the only victory condition was for them to reach midfield objective by the end of the game. Adam lost nothing by keeping the stealers and a couple of fexes back for a turn.

If I were Matt (I'd have a better beard than what I have IRL), I would have dropped the Inceptors somewhere to take advantage of their 18" range while making sure that whatever Adam moved to deal with them was forced to move down the throat of some more of my guns. Maybe also putting the Reivers in front of the Inceptors to blunt the inevitable stealer charge, then back the Inceptors off to max range again next turn. There weren't many stealers left at the end of the game on that flank (and the fexes were looking a bit sick, too, if memory serves), and another round or 2 of shooting might have made it so there were none.

Still, in the end, I think Matt was robbed of the draw only by Chaos Lord powers... so there's that >.>

EDIT: Forgot to mention, trading Matt's left flank unit/s for the Flyrant... pretty good deal, I think. The Flyrant can be an absolute mongrel of a unit and caused a lot of havoc had it reached Matt's army. I'm glad Matt spared no effort in killing it as early as he could, especially going after it even after Adam had backed it off. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Icendar

drop the Inceptors to reinforce a flank instead of dumping them off in Adam's deployment zone

---

I'm still kinda on the fence about putting them where I did. On the one hand, they did distract Adam's whole flank for a little bit. I didn't expect him to throw everything over there at them. Still feels like overkill to me, but whatev. If anything, I could have potentially waited another turn until they pushed up a little further so there would be more distance between where the marines landed and the bugs. It would force Adam to have to consider a little harder if he wanted to run back to deal with them or not. However, I wanted him to deal with them. I was throwing them out there specifically because I wanted them to divert for a turn. Whether or not it bought me enough time is questionable.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Icendar

Stealers can potentially move a very long way every turn

---

I did forget that the genestealers can advance and charge and I didn't know the swarmlord or whoever gives them a free move during the shooting phase. So, yeah, overall it didn't slow them down super a lot. I think against any other army, dropping them back there would have been much more effective.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Icendar

Adam lost nothing by keeping the stealers and a couple of fexes back for a turn.

---

Yeah, Adam had full control of that side of the board. Which is, I guess, fair evidence that it didn't slow them down enough. But on the other hand, because the game ended up being so close, I feel like every inch because very important. Like if his House Right flank had been even 6" closer, I think it would have been even worse for me in the last turn.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Icendar

Maybe also putting the Reivers in front of the Inceptors to blunt the inevitable stealer charge

---

I'm not sure I had enough room? I'm not 100% but I think the incepters were at the board edge and exactly 9" from the bugs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Icendar

I think Matt was robbed of the draw only by Chaos Lord powers

---

Can't much complain about it when that's literally our biggest selling point is the viewer's ability to influence the game.
Also, for as many times as the Chaos Lords have handed me the game, I can't be too upset when it goes against me one time lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Icendar

trading Matt's left flank unit/s for the Flyrant

---

Oh man, I got lucky on that. Dealing 10 damage with one volley is nuts, even for hellblasters. To that point, overall, I did really well rolling during that whole game. I was making lots of saves, saving lots of command points, hitting routinely. Like, the dice were on my side that game, for sure.

Also, I think I did a good job of using my commander bubbles. Bobby makes everyone so much better. Even if he didn't have any attacks or anything, I would still consider taking him just for his reroll all failed rolls ability.
He's stupid good.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SALLstice

I'm not sure I had enough room? I'm not 100% but I think the incepters were at the board edge and exactly 9" from the bugs.

---

You had plenty of room... on the close side of the table! Schematic time - this is the right flank of the table, as you were looking at it:

xxxxxxxxxxx <==filthy xenos
.......↓
...o o o <== Reiver Squad. Set up 9" away from the bugs and at max coherency distance. Their only function is to make it so the nids either have to take the long way around or engage them. Either way, they are not long for this world. (4 Power Level Unit)
.......↓
.....ooo <== Inceptors at the max range of their weapons, ie 18" and deployed huddled together in terror with bases touching, so there is maximum distance around the outside of the Reivers to get to the Inceptors. Still uncomfortably close to the stealers (especially with Swarmy and Swarmy's BS Hive Commander ability), but at least the Reivers are making it a PITA for him to move to Inceptors now (10 Power Level Unit)
.......↓
ooooooooo <== Heroic Intercessor marines and etc

As I recall, those Intercessors had a turn (was it 2 turns?) where they had nothing/very little in range. The aim here is to draw the bugs onto your guns with a unit that they can't ignore (the Inceptors) while screening that unit as best you can (admittedly, it would work better if the Reiver unit were a bit bigger and more of a pain for Adam to walk around/through). You have the Inceptors far enough back from the Reivers that Adam shouldn't be able to consolidate into them, all the while bringing them into the range of the rest of your army. In the next turn (assuming they are still alive), the Inceptors move back toward your friendly table edge to try to make sure they are again at the 18" maximum range of their guns (and maybe by then, even in range of the command bubbles of Lt. Dan and Captain Amazing).

Yes, it does bring all the bugs closer to you quicker, but now you have shots at them and a better chance to kill more than 5 stealers before your Inceptors become Inceptor-toast. You sacrifice the 4 Power level Reivers in favor of your 10 Power Level Inceptors and you don't just leave the Inceptors out on their own.

You got lucky a bit on your other flank, sure, but I seem to recall still having to link up a fair few roll-betters for you throughout the game, too... it was good how you kept up the pressure on the Flyrant til it dropped is the main thing. And yeah, Guilliman is a beast. As he should be - he's a Primarch. Getting the job done is...well, his job. :D