Battle Report: Space Wolves vs Tyranids

This weekend turned into a double-header as Scott and I played a 1500pt game this afternoon after my game last night. I've been dying to play his Tyranids again as last time was a bit of whitewash since Scott didn't have a full selection of models available. Today was anything but a whitewash!

1500pts of Space Wolves

Rune Priest (Wolftooth Necklace, Chooser, Lightning, Murd. Hurricane)

Rune Priest (Wolftooth Necklace, Lightning, Jaws)

Wolf Priest (Wolftooth Necklace)

3x Wolf Guard (PF, combi-melta)

Dreadnought (Heavy Flamer, Assault Cannon)

Lone Wolf (Terminator, Thunder Hammer & Shield)

3x 8 Grey Hunters (Meltagun, PF, MotW, Standard) in Rhino

Land Speeder (Multi-melta, Heavy Flamer)

Long Fangs (4x ML)

1500pts of Tyranids

Hive Tyrant (Heavy Venom Cannon, Wings, Thorax Swarm w/ electroshock, Paroxysm, Leech Essence)

1x Tyrant Guard

2x Lictors

2x 1 Zoanthrope

9 Genestealers (Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands, Broodlord w/ scything talons)

12 Genestealers (Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands)

10 Hormagaunts

Ravener Brood (Deathspitter)

10 Gargoyles

Trygon Prime

Deployment

We rolled Seize Ground with 5 objectives and Spearhead deployment. I won the roll off and placed one objective in my deployment zone and the remaining two in the "empty" quarters. Scott put both of his in what would be his quarter. I deployed my rhinos right at the edge of my deployment zone with two on the left and one on the right. The dread was placed in the middle and the long fangs were at the back. The lone wolf went in support of the wolf priest's rhino on the left. The land speeder would deep strike.

Scott put his gargoyles and hormagaunts on the left claiming an objective. The hive tyrant and raveners were on the right with the zoanthropes in the middle. Much to my disgust (since I'd forgotten to place my chooser effectively) Scott infiltrated a squad of genestealers into each of the empty quarters. The lictors and trygon remaining in reserve.

Turn 1

The rhinos advanced slowly as did the dread. Two long fangs opened up on one of the zoanthropes who failed his invulnerable save and was instantly killed. The other two long fangs scored a wound on the tyrant guard. The dread fired it's assault cannon at the raveners scoring 3 wounds. On the right the rune priest unleashed Murderous Hurricane which killed a genestealer. The other rune priest shot lightning at the raveners scoring another wound. On the left the rhino's storm bolter killed off a genestealer but none of the occupants were in range.

Scott advanced his entire force (except the genestealers who elected not to risk dangerous terrain from Murderous Hurricane). The heavy venom cannon failed to penetrate the rhino's hull. The zoanthrope found itself out of range of the Space Wolf dread. The genestealers on my left fleeted into the rhino and lone wolf but couldn't hurt either as the lone wolf saved all 5 wounds including 2 rending attacks. In return he cut down two genestealers with his hammer causing them to flee.

Turn 2

All three squads of grey hunters disembarked from their transports in order to rapid fire. One the right that resulted in a whole squad of dead gargoyles who were caught out in the open. The dread incinerated two raveners but the grey hunters didn't achieve anything with their rapid fire on the hive tyrant. The long fangs were more successful causing two wounds. On the left the grey hunters killed 6 genestealers who passed their leadership test.

The zoanthrope was now in range and used it's lance to stun the dread. The Hive Tyrant used Paroxysm and Leech Essence which I failed to nullify meaning that a grey hunter was slain allowing the tyrant to recover a wound. The genestealers assaulted the wolf priest's squad but all three died after only managing to wound the wolf priest himself. The remaining ravener assaulted the other greys but despite paroxysm the space wolves cut it down without any casualties.

Turn 3

The land speeder came in from deep strike and didn't scatter allowing me to scorch 4 hormagaunts from the face of the board. Sadly the presence of the zoanthrope made them fearless. The rune priest again used murderous hurricane which didn't kill any stealers this time. The grey hunters again rapid fired the hive tyrant causing a single wound. The long fangs failed to hurt the tyrant at all though.

Scott's lictors and trygon both came in. The trygon didn't scatter and fired off it's containment spines at the lone wolf but failed to wound. The hive tyrant killed two hunters with it's electroshock grubs and again cast paroxysm. The lictors attempted to use their flesh hooks to demech the rhino on my right but to no avail. The hive tyrant charged into combat killing all but the wolf guard with the power fist. This sadly meant I'd not be able to shoot at him next turn. The zoanthrope failed to deal with the land speeder with either psychic powers or a desperate charge.

Turn 4

The wolf priest's squad (who were now back in their rhino) fired melta guns at the trygon but failed spectacularly. The long fang scored two wounds but the dreadnought found it's shots bounced of the monster's exoskeleton. The land speeder span round and vapourised the zoanthrope which failed it's invulnerable save. The combination of murderous hurricane, meltagun and storm bolter killed another 3 genestealers. The lone wolf had a tricky choice between a trygon or hive tyrant and it's guard (both of whom had a single wound left). I went for the glory of killing the tyrant. Unfortunately this time the lone wolf failed 2 out of 3 saves and the wolf guard missed with his power fist then died to No Retreat! hits. 

The lictors managed to immobilise the rhino and remove it's storm bolter. The heavy venom cannon immobilised the other rhino with the wolf priest inside. Both tyranid units charged their rhinos with the lictors wrecking theirs and the hive tyrant blowing the other up. Four grey hunters were caught in the explosion along with the tyrant guard. The trygon charged at the dreadnought. Despite wounding the beast twice the dreadnought found itself immobilised with both weapons wrecked beyoned repair. 

Turn 5

The long fangs' missiles killed off the hive tyrant sparing the grey hunters having to make a risky assault. The land speeder could only kill 1 hormagaunt so couldn't force a morale check. The rune priest split off from the squad but couldn't summon a murderous hurricane on the genestealers. The grey hunters killed one lictor with pistols and killed the second in combat losing two of their number in the process. The trygon finished off the dread but not without taking two wounds. 

The trygon turned it's attention to the wolf priest's grey hunters who were holding an objective on the left. It successfully wiped out all but the wolf guard but died in the process leaving the objective still safely in the hands of the space marines. The genestealers and broodlord were now free to move and charged into the grey hunters killing four but the hunters retaliated killing three and wounding the broodlord tieing the combat.

At this point the game would finish on a draw with one objective each and a third contested but it wasn't over yet!

Turn 6

The land speeder killed two hormagaunts forcing them to flee. The long fangs couldn't see any targets. As the only remaining tyranid unit was the genestealers who were in combat. The broodlord's hypnotic gaze meant that only the wolf guard would be able to fight back. Unfortunately the only model left standing was the wulfen who couldn't attack. 

The hormagaunts fled the field and the broodlord finished off the wulfen. 

Final Result: With the rune priest not close enough to contest the objective it was claimed by the broodlord and remaining genestealer. The game therefore finished in a 1-1 draw.

Conclusion

Scott has certainly got a better grasp of how to use his tyranids. There's a couple of things we both could've done better but I think it was a fair test of both armies. The main thing that cost me was not thinking enough about objective placement. I should've placed two objectives in my deployment zone and let the tyranids come to me. The chooser would've prevented the genestealers from infiltrating on the remaining one. This certainly contributed to the end result but that doesn't take away from how the rest of the game went.

The lone wolf was incredibly unlucky and it was a shame to see him fall before he could try to kill the hive tyrant. Scott didn't make much use of Shadow in the Warp as he was only in range with it once. I should've been using the runic weapon to cancel Hypnotic Gaze but considering I'd failed to cancel any other psychic powers I'd have probably failed if I'd tried. The land speeder was unlucky not to force a leadership test for the hormagaunts earlier as it's firepower would've certainly helped in dealing with the broodlord and co.

So both games this weekend ended in draws but were vastly different. Both were complete blood baths and were incredibly fun to play. It was impossible to call either game at any point and I've never enjoyed drawing so much!! In neither game did it feel like either side had clawed a draw from the jaws of defeat either. I'm very much looking forward to another weekend of 40K at the doubles next weekend.