With Throne of Skulls approaching Ben suggested we have a game, the last time I played 40k was in 2015! So I cranked out a 1700pt list of nids with Manufactorum Stealers, 2 Flyrants and 2 Carnifex, my Malanthrope for a change, Skyshield and Tevigon + tax and a unit of Rippers. I think this is my list with the most firepower 48 Brainleech shots.
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The low down:
- Into The Maelstrom - Maelstrom missions [ever decreasing from 6 cards] and 'Carnage points' for killed units. Vanguard Strike
- Warlord Trait - Move through cover [ruins], Stealth [ruins]
- Night fighting first turn, won deployment, went first, Ben failed to steal the initiative.
I set up with the Skyshield sat next to number one objective in the wood, objective 3 was in the ruins in front which I surrounded with 20 Stealers backed up by my two Carnifex.
I only exposed the five Stealers in the abandoned Ork Void Sheild Generator in Ben's DZ
Ben's Orks had these two objectives within easy distance,
with objective 4 just in front of the crashed Aquila on the right
Within striking distance of my Stealers.
Everything else of mine sat on the Skyshield.
I draw my 6 cards and luckily get objectives 1 [secured by the Skyshield], 4 [just in front of the ruins] and two copies of objective 3 [held by the Stealers]. So these four are in the bag when I venture one stealer out to get O4. I also get Behind Enemy Lines so swoop my Flyant forwards to get this [next turn I'd realise that as it was Swooping it's not scoring so I had to reclaim the card and lose the 5th VP. On the plus side he was in position to cast Warp Blast and subsequent shooting would wreck the Trukk getting me First Blood as well - a good first turn.
In response Ben drew cards and was easily able to secure objectives 2 and 4 by killing the lone Stealer holding it. In securing enough objectives he also gained Ascendency and got 2VPs from his D3 - 4VPs a piece at the end of the turn but that wasn't the headline... pot shots were taken at the Flyrant who lost a wound despite Jinking but stayed in the air.
Ben's Nobz jumped out and multi charged the occupants of the Ruins, his plan was to leverage Rampage [+D3 attacks when againsta foe of greater numbers, I think] but they didn't have that rule.
He charged anyway, taking on two Broods of five Stealers AND a Carnifex! So no Rampage and no extra attack on the charge, Ithought I could do some real damage here but the premier close combat unit of 40k managed to just do three wounds to the Nobz thanks to Doc Gotsnikk
In return the Nobz did 10 wounds on the 10 Stealers and this was my save!
The Carnifex pitched in and squashed two Nobz only to be disected by Grotsnikk and anothe Nob with a Power Klaw - 290pts in one assault gone!
Ben consolidated his 1", I guess the Orks were a little tired after killing most of middle force.
I drew my 3 cards for the turn, all pretty useless and would ultimately achieve nothing. I did however swoop my Flyrant Warlord over to cast Psychic Scream on the Nobz and bikers but typically failed to get it off. I did shoot the Bikers enoguh to cause them to flee, which was a bonus. Everything else retreated from the green tide as I hoped weight of numbers would hold them back. I spawned 10 Gaunts to add to the meat shield.
Ben would score objective 3 and 6 this turn as well as Hold the Line, taking his score to 7. He managed to catch my Carnifex who was extremely lucky with his Feel No Pain roll from Catalyst.
Meanwhile he threw everything at trying to kill my Warlord, or the Zoanthrope to get Witch Hunter. The Zoie shuck everything off but the Flyrant got hit and hit the ground but managed to descend gracefully without any successive injury.
With the Flyrant grounded the Warboss pounced but was outmatched and took a wound.
My go and I drew cards to kill a character and issue a challenge, missions that had D3 VPs for 3 of each and both missions fells short by one of those D3s leaving me with 2 VPs this turn. The Malanthrope came close to killing the Boss but the Nobz slaughtered most of the Rippers leaving them to turn their attention to bigger things next turn. The Warlord Flyrant got Psychic Scream off killing the biker boss then targetted the trukk holding O6. If I wrecked it the Boyz would have to diembark giving me something to charge. Sadly it was an 11" charge and I only made 10"
Ben's turn and he had to secure objective 2, twice which was easy as his bikes rallied next to it before exiting the table [damn!]. The Boyz in turn assaulted the Flyrant still trying to secure Witch Hunter and Slay the Warlord
Somehow the other Flyrant was on the ground, I may have landed him last turn and assaulted the Tank Busters
But he was ultimately outmatched and killed gaining Ben Witch Hunter and his 10th VP of the game.
The Flyrant manages to kill of the Boyz.
The Malanthrope and Rippers get killed and so too the Zoanthrope by the looks of it - double Witch Hunter!
After some initial success with the Termagants counter attack against the Kommandos they slowly began to roll through them.
Whittling them away.
Somehow the Tervigon also got popped, I can;t remember how, but it took a lot of gaunts with it.
The Kommandos cleared the top of the Skyshield, and I can't remember what this dice roll was for but it was clearly not good news.
In my last turn I;d managed to secure objective 5, twice and get within 12" of Ben's table edge with two remaining Genestealers who'd spent the game cowering just for this reason. With the Flyrant on the ground Ben rolled over him. He'd already got 2 VPs for two objective 6s and then got another 3 VPs from a D3 for 'no prisoners'
The warlord got a battering, down to 3 wounds and then the slower combats added another 4 saves to be made
Which reulted in the last wound
And slay the Warlord, plus Line breaker.
Final score 17-10 and Ben tabled me for the first time ever! I'm going to leave this now and do a separate aftermath post but please do feel free to comment until then about how you think it went wrong [for me obviousl] and how it could be improved.
