Battle Record - WH40K - Imperial Knights Vs Tyranids 01/04/26

Afternoon #Warhammer Community I've been #PlayingWarhammer with my son again! He's been home in the lead up to Easter and he wanted a game to get more experience in the lead up to his efforts to start a Warhammer Alliance club at his school.

I decided he could go Tyranids and I would be Imperial Knights 500pts each but based on the Combat Patrol missions. As I had 3 Armigers [2 Warglaives and a Helverin], I tried to beef his patrol with a Tervigon with Crushing Claws, 10 Termagants, 3 Warriors [2 with Deathspitters and a Heavy Venom Cannon], a Screamer Killer and a Carnifex with Deathspitters and Crushing Claws.

As per usual they went Invasion Fleet to give him Lethal Hits on Vehicles. 

 

Now I had no idea if this match-up was fair. Points wise the same, but the Combat Patrol warbands are usually about 400-440pts and Imperial Knights only get 2 Armigers so it concerned me a bit that I had 3.

Anyway, we rolled Scorched Earth for the missions and the 4 Ripper Swarms were the objectives to hold/raze.

Tyler got first turn and pushed forward, with his Tervigon skulking in the ruin top left. I think his shooting put a wound or two on one of the Warglaives.

My turn and I moved to engage. The Helverin blasted the Termagants, halving their numbers. While the Warglaive on the right melted the Screamer Killer in one round of shooting being in Melta range for both the gun and the Thermal Lance was just too much.

Having respawned the 5 dead Termagants in the brood, the Tervigon surged from behind the ruins in retaliation for the lost Screamer Killer.

And smashed the Warglaive to pieces with its Crushing Claws - fond memories of the old Warp Speed on a CC tervigon came flooding back.

Meanwhile the Carnidex, having an adrenal surge [Lethals Hits on 5+] crashed into the back of the other Warglaive and promptly stroked it's back rather than do any damage with its Crushing Claws.

Missing the opportunity the Warglaive sliced its remaining 2 wounds with ease and moved round to take on the Termagants, halving the brood once again. I think by the end of turn 3 we were both on 10 VPs each fro holding an objective each on turns 2 and 3. 

But the Tervigon was emboldened and headed for my home objective and the Warglaive.

 It's 'chicken feet' were no match.

With Lethal Hits auto-wounding.

No saves made and then the damage 3x D6+1 = 18 damage.

The Helverin was wrecked, with no explosion, and the objective secured.

My last Warglaive was able to wipe out the Teragmants, just, and tried to recapture the objective [if it survived Tyler's next turn. Meanwhile the Warriors razed their objective for 10VPs and the Tervigon scored 5.

Then the Tervigon and Warriors swarmed the Warglaive, taking the objective back.

But lost 2 Warriors for their audacity.

The Tervigon continued it's murderous killing spree and wiped the last Imperial Knight off the table securing the entire board. 

I think the final score was something like 35-10, but it was the probably the most enjoyable game of 40k I've played in 10th edition so far. Nothing seemed outrageous. It was a learning experience so although Tyler was shocked at the early demise of his Screamer Killer it didn't spoil the game. He remarked on the nature of spending hours painting a model only for it to be vaporised in one turn - totally understanding the 'new model syndrome'.

But that Tervigon was a beast and total MVP. I absolutely love seeing this model be so effective again. it might have been moreso with Scything Talons - more hits for it and the Carnifex might have capitalised on their Lethal hits. Although, without the higher AP they might not have got through the armour... Anyway, great game. Maybe next time it'll be 11th edition...

Battle record - Warhammer 40k - 01/01/226

Afternoon #Warhammer Community I've been playing Warhammer 40k! Shock horror. Anyway, 13 years agon my eldest son was still invested in the hobby. For 2 years he'd been buying figures, helping build and paint, playing a game and even went to Warhammer World for a Tournament! Of course that enthusiasm waned somewhat as my own grew. And for all this time he has shown little interest. However, he moved to Sheffield last year to take up a teaching job and the school has enrichment clubs for all students after school. He was supporting a cookery class initially but having jokingly mentioned the Warhammer Alliance programme he genuinely started to consider it. So much so he went into the Warhammer store, Element Games and there are a few more gaming shops there too. He got himself some Thousand Son's, paints, brushes and other hobby supplies. Even if he doesn't do the club he's actually having fun. So, he asked me for a quick game to get a handle on the rules. Annoyingly I'd left my 10th edition rulebook in the shed, but I made do with a 9th edition one. I wanted to use the Tyranids, as I have the Codex and it would be easy for him to read the rules. Death Guard for me, using the combat patrol stats. The plan was: 

• 3 Ranged Warriors
• 10 Termagants
• 1 Ripper Squad
• 5 Plague Marines
• 10 Poxwalkers

But I couldn't find the Poxwalkers, so chose another squad of 5 Plague Marines. I had no idea... It turns out Toughness 6 and Lethal Hits made it completely unbalanced in my favour.

I'd wiped half the Termagants out before he'd even got a go. It was only when he started to use the terrain for cover saves that he could weather the storm. The Rippers did not survive either.

Then the Tyranid Warriors managed to make some damage on the left side, but I could see that things were not going to end well. I hadn't spent any CPs, I didn't need to. So to help change the narrative I thought it might be fun for the Tyranids to bring on reinforcements.

With just the Warrior left a Psychophage appeared. Just 2 Marines remained in this squad, but the other squad had finished the Termagants and would be coming to reinforce what was left.

The Warrior has Fall Back, Shoot and Assault, which came in handy. The Psychophage was going to instakill any Marine it wounded. Plus it has Devastating Wounds.

But as Play On Tabletop like to say "dice tell stories". Although my 'old Yeller' dice had had some insane rolls - four 6's on ten dice, this triple 1's was jaw-dropping. It was one of those moments where we laughed and when I said "dice tell stories" he liked it so much he'll consider using it when he sets up the school club.

It didn't change things much. The Plague Marines had met their match, and although they'd been too tough for the weaker bioforms now they could not crack the Psyhophage's touch chitin armour. It had a couple of scratches but ultimately it squished the Death Guard.

This was SO much fun. I hope my enthusiasm was contained. He seemed to enjoy it and was inspired enough to get a Thousand Son's Codex with his Christmas money. I got to share some of my ideas about how a gaming/hobby club can go beyond the Alliance support. But apparently it's a structured programme that will give him plenty to teach them when he sets up the club and will cover multiple terms. I hope it does expand to include role-playing and terrain building.

I can't convey how happy and proud this made me. He's an amazing person who I love spending time with, watching TV shows usually. But this is a much more shared experience. As he lives elsewhere and he has his own interests; the fact I got to spend a few hours helping him build some figures, giving him tips and then playing a game with him was an absolute joy.

'nids part 382 - Leviathan Tyranids - WHITE BACKGROUND PICS ⚪

Afternoon #Warhammer Community I've been #PaintingWarhammer and after the red background pics come the white background pics. The second set of chitin highlights were such a revelation to me. I was totally in the zone. It did not feel at all tedious to do and I was motivated just to crack on and get them done.

Although, I don't think it was in one sitting. But even so I was completely reinvigorated for the last push to do all the little details that makes my scheme more than just 'tabletop'. No way Golden Demon but they're definitely smarter than the average Biovore! 😉

After the second set of chitin highlights I didn't really keep track of how long the red and black highlights took, it was just a lot quicker to crack on without interruptions.

My wife got me a 'getting started with Warhammer 40k' magazine a while back and it came with this unique Termagant [and Infernus marine]. It was like £9 or £10 and she hadn't realised the cost and was not happy when she got to the till. Typically reinforcing the pricey nature of the hobby. I'm really not sure what use he is with broods only coming in multiples of 10, but he is quite cool.

I think I'd found the first brood of 5 Barbgaunts something of a chore. But second time around it was a lot easier.

I was actually quite surprised that those same feelings didn't resurface. I'm not sure if it was the unknowns first time round.

This time I had references to work from so I knew which colours were going where and how to add the chitin striations.

Not that they're perfect, it's just I had a plan to follow. And the second highlights, although easier as you know where they are going, does require more finesse in how you apply them.

So, it's not always quicker, but perhaps it's a bit easier. 

So I still think there's some yellow flock to add on two bases but a brood of 10 definitely looks cool. Not that I can ever imagine me playing all 10. But for Armies on Parade they will look much more impressive altogether.

And the VRL's, as nobody calls them. I do think I should have been braver and swapped the arms around a bit.

The basing helps differentiate them from the original brood of three in their standard poses.

But I think arm swaps would have made them that little bit more different than their twins.

Still, they got done and that's what counts.

And they're different enough to make the brood of 6 more interesting.

And the Neurogaunts, which I love.

I think 20 of these might have pushed me over the edge though. They're not hard to do as there isn't a huge amount of model to paint.

But again GW have added a lot of detail on a very small model so they felt far more time-consuming than they had any right to be.

But look at them, they're sooo cute.

And the main guy. I can't work out if the brain glow works. I think it does, I like it at least. I don't why I'm surprised the yellow glow has turned out green when over the turquoise though. I mean it's basic colour mixing!

But it somehow surprises me but I also love it.

And the little guys. Again, does it look like a weird hivemind glow between symbiote 'neuro' beast and gaunt bioform? I think it just gives enough visual queues to sell it.

And lastly the 3 Genestealers for my Castigator base.

So, 43 models done. This may not be Poxwalker levels of Serotonin high, but I am way more satisfied and proud of my achievements than I thought I would be. Again, a lot of legacy feelings and emotions had kept me from embracing the task, just seeing it as a chore to overcome. I know many hobbyists say that should never be the case, We do this for fun, as they say in certain addictive advertising campaigns "when the fun stops - stop!" But, lets be realistic, sometimes you have to push through. And there is satisfaction from overcoming obstacles and mojo-sapping tedium. If that's what it takes to reach that zen state, sign me up. I'll happily wade through the soul sucking effort if the end result is to feel at peace and one with the project. So I might not feel quite as 'high', but definitely fulfilled in other ways as well.

Now, what's next?