This week’s Grown Men Playing With Toys’ Battle Report features the Tyranids Vanguard Onslaught against the Chaos Space Marines Huron’s Marauders playing Take and Hold on a Hammer and Anvil Deployment with GW Terrain Layout 3. As backdrop for the game….
Huron Blackheart did not bring his renegade warband to this system to fight Tyranids. He came because the system’s forge complex represented six months of weapons production that his growing renegade empire badly needs. He came because the Imperium’s attention was elsewhere and the system was a target too juicy to ignore. The Tyranids arrived for simpler reasons. The forge complex’s workforce represents biomass and biomass is the only currency the Hive Mind recognizes.
Two very different armies now want the same system for entirely incompatible reasons and the one thing Huron Blackheart has never been willing to do, in thousands of years of heresy, exile, and defiance is……share.
They said we’re too old, but we said “hold our dice”…..as we see if Huron’s Marauders can seize the forge complex they came for or if the Hive Mind simply consumes everything……renegades, workforce, and ambition alike.
JUMP TO:
Chaos Space Marines Specific Strategies
RULES / POINTS VERSION:
10th Edition, 2025–2026 Chapter Approved
April 2026 Armageddon Update
MATCHUP:
| Faction: | Detachment: |
| Chaos Space Marines | Huron’s Marauders |
| VS | |
| Faction: | Detachment: |
| Tyranids | Vanguard Onslaught |
MISSION:
| GW Mission | E |
| Primary | Take and Hold |
| Terrain Layout | GW Terrain Layout 1 |
| Deployment | Hammer and Anvil |
| Deployed First | Chaos Space Marines |
| First Turn | Chaos Space Marines |
| Tyranids Secondaries | Tactical |
| Chaos Space Marines Secondaries | Tactical |
LISTS:
Chaos Space Marines:
List
Chaos Space Marines
Huron’s Marauders
Strike Force (2,000 Points)
CHARACTERS
Chaos Lord (110 Points)
• 1x Daemon hammer
• 1x Plasma pistol
• Enhancements: Raid Leader
Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour (85 Points)
• 1x Combi-weapon
• 1x Power fist
Cypher (90 Points)
• 1x Cypher’s bolt pistol
• 1x Cypher’s plasma pistol
Fabius Bile (100 Points)
• 1x Fabius Bile
◦ 1x Chirurgeon
◦ 1x Rod of Torment
◦ 1x Xyclos Needler
• 1x Surgeon Acolyte
◦ 1x Surgeon Acolyte’s tools
Huron Blackheart (120 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Tyrant’s Claw and exalted power weapon
• 1x Tyrant’s Claw heavy flamer
BATTLELINE
Cultist Mob (50 Points)
• 1x Cultist Champion
◦ 1x Autopistol
◦ 1x Brutal assault weapon
• 9x Chaos Cultist
◦ 9x Autopistol
◦ 9x Brutal assault weapon
Legionaries (90 Points)
• 1x Aspiring Champion
◦ 1x Chaos Icon
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Heavy melee weapon
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
• 4x Legionary
◦ 2x Astartes chainsword
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Heavy melee weapon
◦ 1x Lascannon
DEDICATED TRANSPORTS
Chaos Rhino (75 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Havoc launcher
Chaos Rhino (75 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Havoc launcher
Chaos Rhino (75 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Havoc launcher
OTHER DATASHEETS
Chaos Terminator Squad (360 Points)
• 1x Terminator Champion
◦ 1x Combi-weapon
◦ 1x Power fist
• 9x Chaos Terminator
◦ 2x Accursed weapon
◦ 5x Combi-weapon
◦ 2x Paired accursed weapons
◦ 5x Power fist
◦ 2x Reaper autocannon
Chosen (250 Points)
• 1x Chosen Champion
◦ 1x Accursed weapon
◦ 1x Boltgun
◦ 1x Chaos Icon
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
• 9x Chosen
◦ 5x Accursed weapon
◦ 6x Bolt pistol
◦ 4x Boltgun
◦ 3x Combi-weapon
◦ 2x Paired accursed weapons
◦ 3x Plasma pistol
◦ 2x Power fist
Chosen (125 Points)
• 1x Chosen Champion
◦ 1x Boltgun
◦ 1x Chaos Icon
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
◦ 1x Power fist
• 4x Chosen
◦ 3x Accursed weapon
◦ 3x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Boltgun
◦ 2x Combi-weapon
◦ 1x Paired accursed weapons
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
Masters of the Maelstrom (115 Points)
• 1x Garreon the Corpsemaster
◦ 1x Absolvor bolt pistol
◦ 1x Reductor array
• 1x Garlon Souleater
◦ 1x Force stave
◦ 1x Mind Wrench
• 1x Katar Garrix
◦ 1x Axe of Ending
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
• 1x Captain Sargotta
◦ 1x Laspistol
◦ 1x Power sabre
• 1x The Enforcer
◦ 1x Bionic gauntlet
◦ 1x Londaxi maimer
Obliterators (160 Points)
• 2x Obliterator
◦ 2x Crushing fists
◦ 2x Fleshmetal guns
Red Corsairs Raiders (110 Points)
• 1x Red Corsairs Raider Champion
◦ 1x Boltgun
◦ 1x Hand flamer
◦ 1x Reaver’s blade
• 4x Red Corsairs Raider
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 3x Boltgun
◦ 1x Meltagun
◦ 1x Power fist
◦ 3x Reaver’s blade
Tyranids:
List
Tyranids
Vanguard Onslaught
Strike Force (2,000 Points)
CHARACTERS
Broodlord (100 Points)
• 1x Broodlord claws and talons
• Enhancements: Neuronode
Broodlord (80 Points)
• 1x Broodlord claws and talons
Deathleaper (80 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Lictor claws and talons
Neurotyrant (105 Points)
• 1x Neurotyrant claws and lashes
• 1x Psychic scream
Winged Tyranid Prime (65 Points)
• 1x Prime talons
BATTLELINE
Gargoyles (85 Points)
• 10x Gargoyle
◦ 10x Blinding venom
◦ 10x Fleshborer
OTHER DATASHEETS
Exocrine (140 Points)
• 1x Bio-plasmic cannon
• 1x Powerful limbs
Genestealers (140 Points)
• 10x Genestealer
◦ 10x Genestealers claws and talons
Genestealers (140 Points)
• 10x Genestealer
◦ 10x Genestealers claws and talons
Lictor (60 Points)
• 1x Lictor claws and talons
Lictor (60 Points)
• 1x Lictor claws and talons
Mawloc (135 Points)
• 1x Distensible jaw
• 1x Mawloc scything talons
Mawloc (135 Points)
• 1x Distensible jaw
• 1x Mawloc scything talons
Mawloc (135 Points)
• 1x Distensible jaw
• 1x Mawloc scything talons
Neurolictor (70 Points)
• 1x Piercing claws and talons
Raveners (125 Points)
• 5x Ravener
◦ 5x Ravener claws and talons
Raveners (125 Points)
• 5x Ravener
◦ 5x Ravener claws and talons
Tyranid Warriors with Melee Bio-weapons (75 Points)
• 1x Tyranid Prime
◦ 1x Tyranid Warrior claws and talons
• 2x Tyranid Warrior
◦ 2x Tyranid Warrior claws and talons
Von Ryan’s Leapers (70 Points)
• 3x Von Ryan’s Leaper
◦ 3x Leaper’s talons
Von Ryan’s Leapers (70 Points)
• 3x Von Ryan’s Leaper
◦ 3x Leaper’s talons
FACTION SPECIFIC STRATEGIES:
Chaos Space Marines:
This is going to be my second go with Huron’s Marauders and I have made some adjustments since my first game since it didn’t go as well as I wanted it to. The idea behind the list is to play 3 “Death Stars” that are complimented by a bunch of fast units that can shoot and fight. The list is designed to play either a tempo and trade or stage and push play style. It also contains some sub-optimal choices, specifically with the 10 man Terminator Squad. That is because I would like to play with those because they are some of my favorite looking models and I think the rules of this detachment provide a way for them to be viable, if a bit over-costed.
The changes from last time are that I dropped the Chaos Bikers for the Red Corsairs Raiders to give me some Infiltrators. From a play pattern perspective, the idea is to use the Raiders, Cypher, Cultists, and Rhinos to skirmish and do actions before the Bile Brick, Blackheart Brick, and Terminator Brick hit the midfield as my hammer units. Lastly, the Obliterators are there to Deep Strike around the board to pop transports or blow away screens while I had to include the obligatory “Smash Captain”, cuz it’s my favorite ability combination.
Win Condition: To win this game, CSM needs to avoid being jailed, which is what was the downfall of the last CSM list that I tried against Tyranids Vanguard Onslaught. They will need to play aggressively and get out of their transport early in order to hit the bugs before they can setup full board control. Deployment will be key as they will want to position to strike early if they go first without risking getting their Rhinos wrapped if they don’t. Lastly, CSM will need to be on the lookout for opportunities to use Heroic Intervention to help dig out from the Genestealer bricks if they are able to Charge.
What I Want to Work On This Game: I set this matchup up on purpose in order to incentivize me to play my CSM more aggressively. Last time I played this list versus the Salamanders, I was too slow in bringing my Death Stars into action because I was worried about them being destroyed. This matchup will force me to bring them to bear early and often or risk being blown out.
| Category | Description |
| Leader / Bodyguard Combos: | Chaos Lord with Chosen (min sized) |
| Fabius Bile with Chosen (max sized) | |
| Huron Blackheart with Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries | |
| Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour with Chaos Terminator Squad | |
| Transport / Infantry Combos: | Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) in Chaos Rhino |
| Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) in Chaos Rhino | |
| Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries in Chaos Rhino | |
| Strategic Reserves: | Obliterators |
| Key Stratagems: | Seize the Prize [1CP] Movement phase – WHEN: Your Movement phase, just after a HERETIC ASTARTES unit (excluding MONSTERS and VEHICLES) from your army has been selected to Advance. TARGET: That HERETIC ASTARTES unit. EFFECT: Do not make an Advance roll for your unit. Instead, until the end of the phase add 6″ to the Move characteristic of models in your unit. |
| At the Tyrant’s Command [1CP] Movement phase – WHEN: Your Movement phase. TARGET: One HERETIC ASTARTES unit (excluding MONSTERS and VEHICLES) from your army. EFFECT: Until the end of the turn, your unit is eligible to shoot and declare a charge in a turn in which it Advanced. | |
| Reaver’s Flurry [1CP] Fight phase – WHEN: Your Fight phase. TARGET: One HERETIC ASTARTES unit from your army that made a Charge move this turn. EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, add 1 to the Attacks characteristic of melee weapons equipped by models in your unit. | |
| Heroic Intervention [1CP] Opponent’s Charge phase – WHEN: Your opponent’s Charge phase, just after an enemy unit ends a Charge move. TARGET: One unit from your army that is within 6″ of that enemy unit and would be eligible to declare a charge against that enemy unit if it were your Charge phase. EFFECT: Your unit now declares a charge that targets only that enemy unit, and you resolve that charge as if it were your Charge phase. | |
| Epic Challenge [1CP] Fight phase – WHEN: Fight phase, when a CHARACTER unit from your army that is within Engagement Range of one or more Attached units is selected to fight. TARGET: One CHARACTER model in your unit. EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, all melee attacks made by that model have the [PRECISION] ability. | |
| Key Combos: | Fabius Bile + Chosen + Dark Pacts army rule + Tyrannical Motivation detachment rule + Enhanced Warriors ability + Chosen Marauders ability + Chaos Icon ability + Reavers’ Flurry stratagem This is used to give a max sized unit of Chosen +1 to Strength and Attacks in melee after they Advance and Shoot/Charge. Combine this with Lethal or Sustained Hits and the ability to re-roll the Dark Pacts Leadership test and this unit becomes a blender. Bonus if you have it disembark from a Rhino for 3 extra inches of Movement on the disembark and/or the Seize the Prize stratagem for an auto 6 inch Advance to make them lethal and super fast. |
| Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad + Dark Pacts army rule + Tyrannical Motivation detachment rule + Despoilers ability + Lord Of Chaos ability + At the Tyrant’s Command stratagem I’m still not sure if it’s worth the points, but I think this is the best Terminator unit that you will get in CSM. It can Rapid Ingress in and then use Chaos Lord for a 0 CP Advance & Charge to ensure that they “get stuck in”. Combine that with +1 Attacks and the Ability to re-roll the Hit Roll every time they Dark Pact and this unit can slap. Even better if you combo it with Seize the Prize for an auto 6 inch Advance or To the Favored the Spoils for a Surge Move. | |
| Obliterators + Dark Pacts army rule + Tyrannical Motivation detachment rule + Encircling Surge stratagem I’m probably a hypocrite for including this one given how much I have complained about Raven Guard using “uppy downy” on Centurion Devastators, but……oh well. Obliterators are way cooler than Centurions and this is a way to uppy downy them all around the board to blow away vehicles or move block screens. | |
| Huron Blackheart + Legionaries + Dark Pacts army rule + Choice Samples ability + HAMADRYA’S KNOWLEDGE (PSYCHIC) ability + Encircling Surge stratagem This one is new and feels like a poor man’s version of what Space Marines are doing with Victrix Honour Guard. This gives you a Death Star unit that has access to both a Reactive and Surge Move, which makes it very difficult to engage with them in close range shooting. Add in the ability to do mortals once per battle, resurrect a model per round, and added OC and this unit will be a pain that must be dealt with. |
Tyranids:
BUG JAIL!!!!!
The idea behind this list is to be super aggressive and it’s how I like to play melee Nids. It’s not the strongest detachment at the moment and probably has more optimized builds than what I bring. That said, the list has a very clear play pattern that I enjoy. The strategy is to jail your opponent Round 1 behind the Genestealers and, depending on the matchup, Gargoyles and then to setup the Lictors, Neurolictor, and Deathleaper on midfield objectives or in key terrain where their Lone Operative abilities make it possible to score points without the opponent being able to interact with them. The Mawlocs then serve as a pseudo-second wave of jail that deals out mortal wounds and, ideally, can utilize the Invisible Hunters stratagem to perform this maneuver multiple times.
The Exocrine is there to dominate a shooting lane and pick off anything that breaks out of jail. The Warriors and Winged Prime are held back as a counter charge for anything that breaks out of jail. Lastly, the Raveners are there for late game uppy-downy to score secondaries or as a last ditch counter charge threat with their new, buffed up melee profiles.
Win Condition: The list is very much predicated on going first and aims to jail the opponent. I’ve played it against Emperor’s Children and CSM Veterans of the Long War in prior games and it has faired well both times. I’m curious to see how it works against this CSM list.
From a win condition perspective, Tyranids NEED to go first. I think the Nids will win if they can jail CSM and then board control them for as many rounds as possible. Ideally, they are hitting Huron’s boys before they can disembark from their Rhinos, zoning out all Deep Strikes, and then forcing CSM to dig out from a pile of bugs for the first 3 Rounds while also building up a big lead in Primary and Secondaries. Their goal should be point denial via aggressive play for as many rounds as possible.
What I Want to Work On This Game: I want to work on finding the right balance of aggressive “bug jail” play style with a disciplined approach to board control. In the past, when things have gone wrong for the Tyranids, it has been because I gotten sloppy with the positioning on the Mawlocs or Genestealers, which has led to those units getting Charged or Heroically Intervened when they didn’t need to be.
| Category | Description |
| Leader / Bodyguard Combos: | Broodlord with Genestealers |
| Broodlord with Genestealers | |
| Winged Tyranid Prime with Tyranid Warriors with Melee Bio-weapons | |
| Strategic Reserves: | Mawloc 3 |
| Mawloc 1 | |
| Mawloc 2 | |
| Key Stratagems: | Seeded Broods [1CP] Movement phase – WHEN: Your Movement phase. TARGET: One TYRANIDS unit from your army that is in Reserves, or up to two VANGUARD INVADER units from your army that are in Reserves. EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, for the purposes of setting up those selected units on the battlefield, treat the current battle round number as being one higher than it actually is. |
| Assassin Beasts [1CP] Fight phase – WHEN: Fight phase. TARGET: One VANGUARD INVADER INFANTRY unit from your army that has not been selected to fight this phase. EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, melee weapons equipped by models in your unit have the [PRECISION] ability. | |
| Surprise Assault [1CP] Shooting phase or Fight phase – WHEN: Your Shooting phase or the Fight phase, just after a VANGUARD INVADER unit from your army has selected its targets. TARGET: That VANGUARD INVADER unit. EFFECT: Select one enemy unit that was selected as the target of one or more of your unit’s attacks. That enemy unit must take a Battle-shock test. Until the end of the phase, each time a model in your unit makes an attack that targets that enemy unit, add 1 to the Hit roll. If the Battle-shock test was failed, add 1 to the Wound roll as well. | |
| Hypersensory Scillia [2CP] Opponent’s Movement phase – WHEN: Your opponent’s Movement phase, just after an enemy unit ends a Normal, Advance or Fall Back move. TARGET: Up to two VANGUARD INVADER units from your army that are within 9″ of that enemy unit, or one other TYRANIDS INFANTRY unit from your army that is within 9″ of that enemy unit. EFFECT: Those selected units can each make a Normal move of up to 6″. | |
| Invisible Hunter [1CP] End of opponent’s Fight phase – WHEN: End of your opponent’s Fight phase. TARGET: Up to two VANGUARD INVADER units from your army, or one TYRANIDS INFANTRY unit from your army. EFFECT: Remove the targeted units from the battlefield and place them into Strategic Reserves. | |
| Unseen Lurkers [1CP] Opponent’s Shooting phase – WHEN: Your opponent’s Shooting phase, just after an enemy unit has selected its targets. TARGET: One VANGUARD INVADER unit from your army that was selected as the target of one or more of the attacking unit’s attacks. EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, your unit can only be selected as the target of a ranged attack if the attacking model is within 18″ or, if your unit has the Lone Operative ability, if the attacking model is within 6″. Your opponent can select new targets for the attacking unit’s attacks. | |
| Key Combos: | Mawloc + Invisible Hunter stratagem + Terror From the Deep ability This is one of the combos that the list is built around. The ideal is to keep cycling Mawlocs in and out of Deep Strike and dealing out Mortal Wounds as they emerge. |
| Broodlord + Genestealers + Scouts 8 ability + Vicious Insight ability + Hypnotic Gaze ability + Vanguard Predators ability + Questing Tendrils detachment rule This is the other combo that the list is built around as the idea is to full send the Genestealers and Broodlord into melee to jail the opponent and to give them -1 to Hit in melee. Even better if you can get it into a unit on an Objective for re-rolls of 1 to Hit and Wound and Devastating Wounds. | |
| Deathleaper + Lictor + Neurolictor + Hypersensory Scillia stratagem + Unseen Lurkers stratagem This one is expensive but can be critical at the end of the game as it allows you to Reactive Move up to 2 units and then to give 1 of them a 6 inch Lone Op ability. Its niche, but can be game winning during if you pull it off when your opponent is scrambling to make “just one last kill” in the late rounds and you use it to take away a target from them. | |
| Deathleaper + Neurotyrant + Shadows in the Warp army rule + Fear of the Unseen ability + Psychic Terror ability Another very niche one, but you can use it to create an aura where opposing units are taking Battle Shock tests at a time of your choosing at Leadership – 3. |
ROUND-BY-ROUND RECAP:
CSM wins the roll off an chooses to deploy first. They get the Raiders deployed first to create a wall in the center of the board to block the maximum amount of Scout Moves and Infiltrator units that the Tyranids can utilize. CSM then focuses on deploying their hammer units where they can threaten the maximum amount of the board. In this case, it’s Huron and Bile’s Rhinos deployed side by side behind the terrain near the Center Objective and the Terminators staged up behind the major terrain feature in the CSM DZ. They won’t be able to spread out and zone out their DZ, so the CSM goal is to instead create a tidal wave of bodies that Charge across the midfield.
Tyranids aren’t able to get as aggressive as they would like with their Infiltrators thanks to CSM deploying first, but otherwise follow a pretty standard deployment pattern for this list. They put a Lictor and unit of VRL’s near each side Objective, stage a lot of their army behind the main terrain in the center of the board, and then position the two Genestealer bricks where they can either Scout forward and then Advance & Charge up the flanks if the Nids get first turn or Scout backwards to safety if CSM goes first.
Board state after Deployment is shown below.
Post Deployment
CSM wins the roll off and will go first. Tyranids respond by Scout Moving Broodlord + Genestealers 1 back towards safety as they want to bait CSM out.
Board state at the start of the battle is shown below.
Start of the Battle
ROUND 1:
| Phase: | Go First: Chaos Space Marines |
| Score at Start | 10 |
| CP at Start | 1 |
| Command | [Chaos Space Marines] Draw Secondaries: Area Denial & No Prisoners [Chaos Space Marines] Use Tyrannical Motivation to pick Huron’s Elite [Chaos Space Marines] Cultist Mob uses For the Dark Gods to sticky Objective 2 |
| Movement | [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 1 Makes a Normal Move onto Objective 5 [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 3 Makes a Normal Move onto Objective 3 [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Makes a Normal Move towards No Man’s Land to Stage [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher Advances towards No Man’s Land to Project a Vect Aura [Chaos Space Marines] Red Corsairs Raiders Makes a Normal Move onto Objective 4 |
| Shooting | [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 1 Shoots Von Ryan’s Leapers 1 and Deals 1 Damage [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 3 Shoots Lictor 2 and Deals 2 Damage |
| Charge | [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 1 Declares a Charge into Von Ryan’s Leapers 1 — Charge Succeeded [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 3 Declares a Charge into Lictor 2 — Charge Succeeded |
| Fight | [Tyranids] Lictor 2 Fights Chaos Rhino 3 and Deals 2 Damage [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 1 Fights Von Ryan’s Leapers 1 and Kills 1 model [Tyranids] Von Ryan’s Leapers 1 Fights Chaos Rhino 1 and Whiffs [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 3 Fights Lictor 2 and Whiffs |
| End of Turn | [Chaos Space Marines] Scores Secondary: Area Denial — 5 VP [Tyranids] Raveners 1 and 2 use Death From Below to go into Reserves |
| Score at End | 15 |
| CP at End | 2 |
An interesting first turn from CSM as it seems that they don’t think that the Tyranids have the weapons to efficiently crack their Rhinos open. They therefore are rushing the Rhinos forward and daring the Tyranids to commit some of their heavy hitters to attack them. It’s a good strategy from Huron’s boys as it forces the Tyranids to either commit against low value targets and risk a crack back next turn or let CSM gain full control of the midfield for minimal investment. Let’s see how it plays out.
Board state in the middle of Round 1 is shown below.
Middle of Round 1
| Phase: | Go Second: Tyranids |
| Score at Start | 10 |
| CP at Start | 2 |
| Command | [Tyranids] Draw Secondaries: Recover Assets & Overwhelming Force |
| Movement | [Tyranids] Neurolictor Makes a Normal Move towards No Man’s Land to Stage [Tyranids] Broodlord + Genestealers 1 Advances towards Chaos Rhino 3 to Charge [Tyranids] Von Ryan’s Leapers 1 Falls Back away from Chaos Rhino 1 to Charge [Tyranids] Lictor 1 Makes a Normal Move towards Chaos Rhino 1 to Charge [Tyranids] Lictor 2 Falls Back away from Chaos Rhino 3 to Charge [Tyranids] Von Ryan’s Leapers 2 Advances onto Objective 4 to Charge [Tyranids] Winged Tyranid Prime + Tyranid Warriors with Melee Bio-weapons Advances towards Chaos Rhino 1 to Charge [Tyranids] Raveners 1 Deep Strikes into CSM’s Deployment Zone to Perform an Action [Tyranids] Raveners 2 Deep Strikes into Tyranids’ Deployment Zone to Screen [Tyranids] Mawloc 1 and 2 use Seeded Broods [Tyranids] Mawloc 1 and 2 Deep Strike near Objective 5 [Tyranids] Mawloc 1 uses Terror from the Deep to do 1 Mortal Wound to Rhino 1 [Tyranids] Mawloc 2 uses Terror from the Deep to do 2 Mortal Wounds to Rhino 1 and 3 Mortal Wounds to Red Corsair Raiders |
| Shooting | [Tyranids] Exocrine Shoots Chaos Rhino 1 and Deals 3 Damage [Tyranids] Neurolictor Performs Recover Assets [Tyranids] Raveners 1 and 2 Perform Recover Assets |
| Charge | [Tyranids] Lictor 1 Declares a Charge into Chaos Rhino 1 — Charge Succeeded [Tyranids] Winged Tyranid Prime + Tyranid Warriors with Melee Bio-weapons Declares a Charge into Chaos Rhino 1 — Charge Succeeded [Tyranids] Von Ryan’s Leapers 1 Declares a Charge into Chaos Rhino 1 — Charge Succeeded [Tyranids] Von Ryan’s Leapers 2 Declares a Charge into Red Corsairs Raiders — Charge Succeeded [Tyranids] Lictor 2 Declares a Charge into Chaos Rhino 3 — Charge Succeeded [Tyranids] Broodlord + Genestealers 2 Declares a Charge into Chaos Rhino 3 — Charge Succeeded |
| Fight | [Tyranids] Winged Tyranid Prime + Tyranid Warriors with Melee Bio-weapons uses Aggressive Imperative for re-roll 1’s to Hit [Tyranids] Von Ryan’s Leapers 2 Fights Red Corsairs Raiders and Kills 1 model [Tyranids] Winged Tyranid Prime + Tyranid Warriors with Melee Bio-weapons Fights Chaos Rhino 1 and Destroys the Unit [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) take 1 Mortal Wound Disembarking [Tyranids] Lictor 1 Piles In to Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) and Fights to Deal 4 Damage to Chaos Lord [Tyranids] Von Ryan’s Leapers 1 Piles In to Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) and Fights to Deal 1 Damage [Tyranids] Broodlord + Genestealers 2 Fights Chaos Rhino 3 and Destroys the Unit [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries take 1 Mortal Wound Disembarking [Tyranids] Lictor 2 Piles In to Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries and Fights to Deal 2 Damage [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Piles In to Broodlord + Genestealers 2 and Lictor 2 [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries uses Dark Pacts for Sustained [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Fights Broodlord + Genestealers 2 and Destroys the Unit [Chaos Space Marines] Red Corsairs Raiders uses Dark Pacts for Sustained and fails for 1 Mortal Wound [Chaos Space Marines] Red Corsairs Raiders Fights Von Ryan’s Leapers 2 and Kills 2 models [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) uses Dark Pacts for Sustained [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) Fights Von Ryan’s Leapers 1 and Lictor 1 and Destroys the Units |
| End of Turn | [Tyranids] Scores Secondary: Recover Assets — 5 VP [Tyranids] Scores Secondary: Overwhelming Force — 5 VP [Chaos Space Marines] Scores Secondary: No Prisoners — 5 VP |
| Score at End | 20 |
| CP at End | 1 |
Well that didn’t go according to plan. Yes, the Tyranids did kill both Rhinos and maximize secondaries – which is very good. Unfortunately, they got careless with their unit positioning and enabled CSM to Pile In and Fight back with multiple units, specifically Huron’s Legionaries into a target on an Objective and the Chaos Lord + Chosen. Those micro-mistakes plus a bit of hot rolling with Sustained Hits resulted in the Tyranids losing more points in units than CSM that turn. That is really, REALLY not good and could be a game ending mistake.
Board state at the end of Round 1 is shown below.
End of Round 1
ROUND 2:
| Phase: | Go First: Chaos Space Marines |
| Score at Start | 20 |
| CP at Start | 3 |
| Command | [Chaos Space Marines] Draw Secondaries: Marked For Death & Establish Locus [Tyranids] Mark Mawlocs 1 and 2 and Broodlord + Genestealers 1 [Chaos Space Marines] Mark Lictor 2 [Chaos Space Marines] Use Tyrannical Motivation to pick Huron’s Elite [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries uses Choice Samples to return 1 model [Chaos Space Marines] Score Primary: 15 VP |
| Movement | [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher Makes a Normal Move onto Objective 4 to Perform an Action [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad uses At the Tyrant’s Command for 0 CP [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Advances onto Objective 5 to Shoot and Charge [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Disembarks from Chaos Rhino 2 [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) uses Seize the Prize [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Advances towards Deathleaper to Shoot and Charge [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 2 Makes a Normal Move towards Raveners 1 to Shoot and Charge [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) Advances towards Mawloc 1 to Shoot and Charge [Tyranids] Mawloc 1 and Winged Tyranid Prime + Tyranid Warriors with Melee Bio-weapons use Hypersensory Scillia to Reactive Move away [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Makes a Normal Move towards Lictor 2 to Shoot and Charge [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries uses Plunder to do 2 Mortal Wounds to Deathleaper [Chaos Space Marines] Obliterators Deep Strikes into CSM’s Deployment Zone |
| Shooting | [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Shoots Lictor 2 and Destroys the Unit [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) uses Dark Pacts for Sustained [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Shoots Deathleaper and Deals 4 Damage [Chaos Space Marines] Red Corsairs Raiders Shoots Von Ryan’s Leapers 2 and Deals 1 Damage [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher Performs Establish Locus [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 2 uses Dark Pacts for Lethal [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 2 Shoots Raveners 1 and Kills 1 model [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad uses Dark Pacts for Sustained and fail for 2 Mortal Wounds [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Shoots Tyranid Warriors with Melee Bio-weapons and Destroys the Unit [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) uses Dark Pacts for Sustained [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) Shoots Winged Tyranid Prime and Deals 1 Damage |
| Charge | [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Declares a Charge into Deathleaper — Charge Succeeded [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Declares a Charge into Winged Tyranid Prime — Charge Succeeded [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) Declares a Charge into Broodlord + Genestealers 1 — Charge Succeeded with a CP re-roll [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 2 Declares a Charge into Raveners 1 — Charge Succeeded |
| Fight | [Tyranids] Deathleaper Fights Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) and Deals 1 Damage [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord uses Chance for Glory [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord uses Epic Challenge [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) uses Dark Pacts for Sustained [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) Fights Broodlord + Genestealers 1 and Kills Broodlord + 5 models [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad uses Dark Pacts for Sustained [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Piles In to the Neurolictor and then Splits Fire into Winged Tyranid Prime and Destroys the Unit and into Neurolictor and Destroys the Unit [Tyranids] Winged Tyranid Prime uses Death Blow to Fight On Death [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Fights Deathleaper and Destroys the Unit [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Rhino 2 Fights Raveners 1 and Deals 2 Damage [Tyranids] Winged Tyranid Prime Fights Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad and Kills 1 model [Tyranids] Von Ryan’s Leapers 2 Fights Red Corsairs Raiders and Kills 1 model [Chaos Space Marines] Red Corsairs Raiders Fights Von Ryan’s Leapers 2 and Destroys the Unit [Tyranids] Raveners 1 Fights Chaos Rhino 2 and Deals 6 Damage |
| End of Turn | [Chaos Space Marines] Scores Secondary: Establish Locus — 2 VP [Chaos Space Marines] Scores Secondary: Marked For Death — 2 VP [Tyranids] Raveners 2 uses Death From Below to go into Reserves |
| Score at End | 39 |
| CP at End | 0 |
So that was brutal. CSM take full advantage of the Tyranids’ turn 1 micro-mistake and use the large footprints of their unit to start a wave a devastation that charged, tagged, and killed anything that it could reach. The Tyranids are now firmly on the back foot while CSM is positioned to blow the game wide open next Round.
Board state in the middle of Round 2 is shown below.
Middle of Round 2
| Phase: | Go Second: Tyranids |
| Score at Start | 20 |
| CP at Start | 1 |
| Command | [Tyranids] Draw Secondaries: No Prisoners & Area Denial [Tyranids] Drops Secondary: Area Denial [Tyranids] Draw Secondaries: Sabotage [Tyranids] Genestealers 1 fails Battle Shock [Tyranids] Score Primary: 5 VP |
| Movement | [Tyranids] Mawloc 1 Advances towards Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) to Charge [Tyranids] Genestealers 1 Makes a Normal Move towards Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) to Charge [Tyranids] Mawloc Makes a Normal Move towards Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) to Charge [Tyranids] Raveners 2 Deep Strikes into No Man’s Land to Perform an Action [Tyranids] Mawloc 3 Deep Strikes near Objective 3 [Tyranids] Mawloc 3 uses Terror from the Deep to do 3 Mortal Wounds to Masters of the Maelstrom [Tyranids] Gargoyles Deep Strikes into Tyranids’ Deployment Zone to Screen |
| Shooting | [Tyranids] Raveners 2 Performs Sabotage [Tyranids] Exocrine Shoots Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad and Kills 3 models |
| Charge | [Tyranids] Mawloc 1 Declares a Charge into Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) — Charge Succeeded [Tyranids] Mawloc 2 Declares a Charge into Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) — Charge Succeeded [Tyranids] Genestealers 1 Declares a Charge into Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) — Charge Succeeded [Tyranids] Mawloc 3 Declares a Charge into Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries — Charge Failed |
| Fight | [Tyranids] Mawloc 1 Fights Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) and Kills 4 models [Tyranids] Mawloc 2 Fights Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) and Kills 2 models [Tyranids] Genestealers 1 Fights Chaos Lord + Chosen (min sized) and Destroys the Unit [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) uses Dark Pacts for Lethal [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Fights Mawloc 2 and Destroys the Unit [Tyranids] Raveners 1 Fights Chaos Rhino 2 and Destroys the Unit |
| End of Turn | [Tyranids] Scores Secondary: No Prisoners — 5 VP [Chaos Space Marines] Obliterators uses Encircling Surge to go into Reserves |
| Score at End | 30 |
| CP at End | 0 |
Tyranids are still behind, but they are determined to go down fighting as they max out No Prisoners and bloody CSM’s nose again. We’ll see if it will matter in the long term, but it’s good to see that they are still fighting.
Board state at the end of Round 2 is shown below.
End of Round 2
ROUND 3:
| Phase: | Go First: Chaos Space Marines |
| Score at Start | 39 |
| CP at Start | 1 |
| Command | [Tyranids] Uses Shadow in the Warp [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) fails Battle Shock [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher fails Battle Shock [Chaos Space Marines] Red Corsairs Raiders fails Battle Shock [Chaos Space Marines] Obliterators fails Battle Shock [Chaos Space Marines] Draw Secondaries: Cleanse & Defend Stronghold [Chaos Space Marines] Drops Secondary: Cleanse [Chaos Space Marines] Draw Secondaries: Engage On All Fronts [Chaos Space Marines] Choose Tyrannical Motivation – Huron’s Elite [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries uses Choice Samples to return 1 model [Chaos Space Marines] Score Primary: 15 VP |
| Movement | [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Makes a Normal Move towards Mawloc 1 to Shoot and Charge [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Advances towards Objective 1 to Shoot and Charge [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Makes a Normal Move towards Raveners 2 to Shoot and Charge [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher Makes a Normal Move towards Raveners 2 to Shoot and Charge [Chaos Space Marines] Cultist Mob Makes a Normal Move onto Objective 2 to Move Block [Chaos Space Marines] Obliterators Deep Strikes onto Objective 5 to Shoot |
| Shooting | [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad uses Dark Pacts for Sustained and fail for 2 Mortal Wounds [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Shoots Genestealers 1 and Kills 4 models [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher uses Dark Pacts for Lethal [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher Shoots Raveners 2 and Kills 2 models [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries uses Dark Pacts for Lethal [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Shoots Raveners 2 and Kills 2 models [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) uses Dark Pacts for Sustained [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Shoots Gargoyles and Kills 6 models [Chaos Space Marines] Obliterators uses Dark Pacts for Sustained [Chaos Space Marines] Obliterators Shoots Mawloc 1 and Deals 4 Damage |
| Charge | [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Declares a Charge into Genestealers 1 and Mawloc 1 — Charge Succeeded [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Declares a Charge into Raveners 2 and Mawloc 3 — Charge Succeeded [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher Declares a Charge into Raveners 2 — Charge Succeeded [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Declares a Charge into Neurotyrant — Charge Failed |
| Fight | [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher uses Dark Pacts for Lethal [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher Fights Raveners 2 and Destroys the Unit [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries uses Dark Pacts — for Lethal [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Fights Mawloc 3 and Deals 10 Damage [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad uses Dark Pacts for Lethal [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Fights Mawloc 1 and Destroys the Unit [Tyranids] Mawloc 3 Fights Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries and Kills 2 models [Tyranids] Genestealers 1 Fights Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad and Kills 1 model |
| End of Turn | [Chaos Space Marines] Scores Secondary: Engage On All Fronts — 2 VP [Tyranids] Gargoyles uses Invisible Hunter to go into Reserves |
| Score at End | 56 |
| CP at End | 0 |
CSM keeps the pressure on by maximizing Primary and continuing to take down the Tyranid heavy hitters (Mawlocs and Genestealers). At this point, the only saving grace for the Tyranids is that Shadows in the Warp Battle Shocked half of the CSM army, which resulted in Cleanse being impossible to score and Bile being unable to re-roll a failed 4 inch Charge.
Board state in the middle of Round 3 is shown below.
Middle of Round 3
| Phase: | Go Second: Tyranids |
| Score at Start | 30 |
| CP at Start | 1 |
| Command | [Tyranids] Draw Secondaries: Establish Locus [Tyranids] Gargoyles passes Battle Shock [Tyranids] Mawloc 3 fails Battle Shock [Tyranids] Genestealers 1 passes Battle Shock [Tyranids] Score Primary: 5 VP |
| Movement | [Tyranids] Genestealers 1 Falls Back [Tyranids] Exocrine Makes a Normal Move onto Objective 1 [Tyranids] Raveners 1 Makes a Normal Move into terrain [Tyranids] Mawloc 3 Falls Back and passes Desperate Escape [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries uses Hamadrya’s Knowledge to Reactive Move onto Objective 3 [Tyranids] Gargoyles Deep Strikes into CSM’s Deployment Zone to Perform an Action |
| Shooting | [Tyranids] Exocrine Shoots Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad and Kills 3 models [Tyranids] Gargoyles Performs Establish Locus [Tyranids] Raveners 1 Performs Sabotage |
| Charge | [Tyranids] None |
| Fight | [Tyranids] None |
| End of Turn | [Tyranids] Scores Secondary: Establish Locus — 4 VP [Chaos Space Marines] Scores Secondary: Defend Stronghold — 3 VP |
| Score at End | 39 |
| CP at End | 1 |
Not much of note that turn as the Tyranids have shifted focus to just scoring as many points as possible. Their goal is now to get to 50 points and avoid a 20-0 blowout.
Board state at the end of Round 3 is shown below.
End of Round 3
ROUND 4:
| Phase: | Go First: Chaos Space Marines |
| Score at Start | 59 |
| CP at Start | 2 |
| Command | [Chaos Space Marines] Draw Secondaries: Sabotage & Extend Battle Lines [Chaos Space Marines] Red Corsairs Raiders fails Battle Shock [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad passes Battle Shock [Chaos Space Marines] Choose Tyrannical Motivation – Huron’s Elite [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries uses Choice Samples to return 1 model [Chaos Space Marines] Score Primary: 15 VP |
| Movement | [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad uses At the Tyrant’s Command for 0 CP [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Advances towards Exocrine to Shoot and Charge [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher Makes a Normal Move towards Mawloc 3 to Shoot [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Makes a Normal Move onto Objective 1 to Perform an Action |
| Shooting | [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher uses Dark Pacts for Lethal and fails for 2 Mortal Wounds [Chaos Space Marines] Cypher Shoots Mawloc 3 and Whiffs [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries uses Grenade on Mawloc 3 for 2 Mortal Wounds [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Shoots Mawloc 3 and Whiffs [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad uses Dark Pacts for Lethal [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Shoots Genestealers 1 and Destroys the Unit [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Performs Sabotage |
| Charge | [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Declares a Charge into Mawloc 3 — Charge Succeeded [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Declares a Charge into Exocrine — Charge Succeeded |
| Fight | [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries uses Dark Pacts for Lethal [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Fights Mawloc 3 and Destroys the Unit [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad uses Reaver’s Flurry [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad uses Dark Pacts for Lethal [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Fights Exocrine and Destroys the Unit |
| End of Turn | [Chaos Space Marines] Scores Secondary: Extend Battle Lines — 4 VP [Tyranids] Scores Secondary: Sabotage — 6 VP |
| Score at End | 78 |
| CP at End | 0 |
CSM keeps their pedal down and keep on pressing the Tyranids. In this turn, that means killing the Exocrine and last Mawloc while also moving to out-OC the Tyranids on their own Home Objective. They also have the audacity to park Bile on the Tyranids’ Home Objective and perform Sabotage instead of Charging. It’s a smart play, but also the ultimate “you don’t matter” indignity to the nearby Neurotyrant.
Board state in the middle of Round 4 is shown below.
Middle of Round 4
| Phase: | Go Second: Tyranids |
| Score at Start | 45 |
| CP at Start | 2 |
| Command | [Tyranids] Draw Secondaries: Extend Battle Lines & Defend Stronghold [Tyranids] Drops Secondary: Defend Stronghold [Tyranids] Draw Secondaries: Assassination [Tyranids] Gargoyles passes Battle Shock [Tyranids] Score Primary: 0 VP |
| Movement | [Tyranids] Raveners 1 Makes a Normal Move towards Cypher to Charge [Tyranids] Gargoyles Makes a Normal Move towards Objective 2 to Shoot |
| Shooting | [Tyranids] Neurotyrant Shoots Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) and Kills 3 models [Tyranids] Gargoyles Shoots Cultist Mob and Kills 1 model |
| Charge | [Tyranids] Raveners 1 Declares a Charge into Cypher — Charge Succeeded |
| Fight | [Tyranids] Raveners 1 Fights Cypher and Destroys the Unit |
| End of Turn | [Tyranids] Scores Secondary: Assassination — 5 VP [Tyranids] Drops Secondary: Extend Battle Lines [Chaos Space Marines] Obliterators uses Encircling Surge to go into Reserves [Chaos Space Marines] Scores Secondary: Sabotage — 6 VP |
| Score at End | 50 |
| CP at End | 2 |
The Tyranids are about to get tabled and are now completely shut out on Primary but keep clawing for points to get to 50 VP. Meanwhile, CSM is pushing hard to see if they can get a perfect 100.
Board state at the end of Round 4 is shown below.
End of Round 4
ROUND 5:
| Phase: | Go First: Chaos Space Marines |
| Score at Start | 84 |
| CP at Start | 1 |
| Command | [Chaos Space Marines] Draw Secondaries: Secure No Man’s Land & Display of Might [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad passes Battle Shock [Chaos Space Marines] Red Corsairs Raiders uses Insane Bravery [Chaos Space Marines] Choose Tyrannical Motivation – Huron’s Elite [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries uses Choice Samples to return 1 model [Chaos Space Marines] Score Primary: 5 VP |
| Movement | [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Makes a Normal Move towards Raveners 1 to Shoot and Charge [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Makes a Normal Move towards Neurotyrant to Shoot and Charge [Chaos Space Marines] Obliterators Deep Strikes onto Objective 5 |
| Shooting | [Chaos Space Marines] None |
| Charge | [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Declares a Charge into Raveners 1 — Charge Succeeded [Chaos Space Marines] Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour + Chaos Terminator Squad Declares a Charge into Neurotyrant — Charge Succeeded [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Declares a Charge into Neurotyrant — Charge Succeeded |
| Fight | [Chaos Space Marines] Huron Blackheart + Masters of the Maelstrom + Legionaries Fights Raveners 1 and Destroys the Unit [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) uses Dark Pacts for Lethal [Chaos Space Marines] Fabius Bile + Chosen (max sized) Fights Neurotyrant and Destroys the Unit |
| End of Turn | [Chaos Space Marines] Scores Secondary: Secure No Man’s Land — 5 VP [Chaos Space Marines] Scores Secondary: Display of Might — 4 VP |
| Score at End | 98 |
| CP at End | 1 |
CSM finish their last turn by basically tabling the Tyranids and with 98 points on the score board.
Board state in the middle of Round 5 is shown below.
Middle of Round 5
| Phase: | Go Second: Tyranids |
| Score at Start | 58 |
| CP at Start | 4 |
| Command | [Tyranids] Draw Secondaries: Engage On All Fronts & Storm Hostile Objective [Tyranids] Gargoyles uses Insane Bravery |
| Movement | [Tyranids] Gargoyles Makes a Normal Move onto Objective 2 to Shoot and Charge |
| Shooting | [Tyranids] Gargoyles Shoots Cultist Mob and Kills 2 models |
| Charge | [Tyranids] Gargoyles Declares a Charge into Cultist Mob — Charge Succeeded |
| Fight | [Tyranids] Gargoyles Fights Cultist Mob and Kills 2 models [Chaos Space Marines] Cultist Mob Fights Gargoyles and Whiffs |
| End of Turn | [Tyranids] Score 0 on Primary |
| Score at End | 50 |
| CP at End | 3 |
Tyranids can’t quite manage to scrape by a few last VP and finish the game with an even 50 points.
Board state at the end of Round 5 is shown below.
End of Round 5
RESULT:
Singles Format: 98 – 50 CSM WIN
WTC Teams Format: 19 – 1 CSM WIN
GAME REVIEW:
This game was rough to play because it became one-sided so quickly. The story of the game was that Tyranids REALLY needed to go first to have a chance and they ended up going second. This allowed CSM to call the Tyranids’ bluff and rush them with the Rhinos. This twist of a strategy forced the Tyranids into committing their damage dealing units earlier than they wanted to and got them playing a very unfavorable trading game. Once that started, the Tyranids got behind the momentum of the game and never recovered. It was tough too see for one of my favorite Tyranids lists but also makes sense because I have found that in melee mirrors, which this was, once one side grabs the momentum and starts dictating the action things can get out of hand fast.
WHAT I WOULD CHANGE NEXT TIME:
- Chaos Space Marines
- Not much as this was pretty close to a perfect game on the scoreboard. The only nitpick was that Rhino 2 probably died unnecessarily in Round 2, but at the time I was thinking that I wanted to zone out that side of the DZ from Deep Strikes and pin the Raveners against the board edge. The Rhino 2 did that job for long enough, even if it wasn’t a great points trade.
- Tyranids
- There were a lot of micro-positioning errors in Rounds 1 and 2 that really cost the Tyranids. I don’t know that fixing them completely change this to a win, but they do prevent CSM from building up momentum so quickly and probably result in a closer game.
EARNED THEMSELF A NAME:
Cypher gets an honorable mention for ruining the opponent’s CP economy for the 2nd straight game. In this case it was making it impossible for the Tyranids to get their Invisible Hunter stratagem cycling going.
That said, the real heroes in this game were Huron’s brick and the Terminator brick. The two “Death Stars” bullied the Tyranids from start to finish and dominated the game. They are easily the game’s MVP’s.
MAGNUS OF THE GAME:
Broodlord + Genestealer 2. They got traded for a Rhino, which was a terrible trade. Some of it was bad luck on dice, as Huron’s unit rolled like crazy for Sustained Hits and then the Genestealers failed literally every save, but they still should not have been in that situation. It was an overly aggressive play that cost the Tyranids any chance at the game.
CINEMATIC MOMENTS OF THE GAME:
None as I got too caught up in the game and forgot. Sorry.
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