ToS Game 5: Dark Eldar vs Tyranids

Mission: Capture and Control (5 Objectives)Deployment: Pitched

Cooper's Tyranids:

Hive Tyrant (Wings, Hive Commander, Leech Essence, Paroxysm, Lash Whip / Bonesword, Scything Talons)

2 Hive Guard 2 Hive Guard

Tervigon (Cluster Spines, Catalyst, Dominion, Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands) Tervigon (Cluster Spines, Catalyst, Dominion, Toxin Sacs, Adrenal Glands) 10 Termagants 10 Termagants 5 Genestealers (Broodlord, Toxin Sacs)

Trygon (Adrenal Glands) Trygon (Adrenal Glands)

Nick’s Dark Eldar:

Haemonculi

-3 Trueborn (3 blasters) Venom (+Splinter Cannon, Night Shields) -3 Trueborn (3 blasters) Venom (+Splinter Cannon, Night Shields) -3 Trueborn (3 blasters) Venom (+Splinter Cannon, Night Shields)

-8 Wyches (Hekatrix, Agonizer, Haywire Grenades) Raider (Night Shields, Flickerfields) -5 Wracks (Acothyst) Raider (Flickerfields) -5 Warriors (Blaster) Venom (+Splinter Cannon, Night Shields) -5 Warriors (Blaster) Venom (+Splinter Cannon, Night Shields)

Ravager (Night Shields, Flickerfields) Ravager (Night Shields, Flickerfields) Ravager (Night Shields, Flickerfields)

I feel very fortunate to have drawn Tyranids going into the final round.  I also feel fortunate knowing my friend Adam G drew the Dark Eldar player that is currently 3-1.  Adam's army has a plethora of S6 shots and AV12 chasis, which combined with the mobility of Eldar is the bane of most Dark Eldar generals.

Cooper wins the roll to go first, but gives it to me.  I have tried to spread the objectives out as widely as possible so I can once again use my mobility to capture them.  I deploy everything in the center of my deployment zone and await the bugs.  My opponent opts to reserve everything.

Turn 1:

I do nothing, my opponent does nothing

Turn 2:

I move everything 13" in order to get a cover save.  I'm close to the center of the table now (too close).

My opponent gets both Hive Guard units, both Termagant units, his Hive Tyrant and a Tervigon on the board.  He moves his Hive Guard up into a building and shoots down a Trueborn Venom.

Turn 3:

The fun begins.  I divide my army and unload half of them into a Tervigon and the other half into the Hive Tyrant - taking them both out.

My opponent gets both Trygons, a Tervigon and his Genestealers on.  His Genestealers outflank and join up with some Termagants.  His first Trygon deepstrikes and scatters 10" off the board - doh!  His other Trygon deepstrikes in the same spot but doesn't scatter as greatly.  The Trygons shooting takes out my de-meched Trueborn.  His Tervigon rolls a 6,6,5 for spawning gaunts, giving him 17.

Turn 4:

Once again I look to divide my firepower and get in position to control and contest objectives.  The majority of my shooting takes out his Trygon, while the rest puts a few wounds on the Tervigon.

My opponent continues to move into position, but is running out of big bugs.  He has a Termagant squad and Tervigon on one objective, while another squad of Gaunts is making a move for another.  His Hive Guard immobilize a Warrior Venom controlling the objective the Termagants are after.

Turn 5:

I move into objective controlling mode.  I have Wyches on one, Warriors on another, and a combination of Wracks and Warriors on another.  My shooting takes out the Tervigon and some Hive Guard.

My opponent takes aim at the Wyches controlling an objective, but his Hive Guard get foiled by Flickerfields.  Realizing the game is lost, my opponent concedes and gives me full skulltaker points, to his 156.

Dark Eldar are probably the roughest match-up for Tyranids, especially one like mine with so many Venoms.  My opponent took it in stride and while he lost we did share quite a few laughs during the game.

I finish the tournament a respectable 3-1-1.  Both Dark Eldar players that were 2-1-1 won, making them 3-1-1 as well.  The player that was 3-1, lost to my friend Adam making him 3-2.  The deciding factor was favorite game votes.   I received one, and the Dark Eldar player that went 2-2-1 received two putting all 5 Dark Eldar players within 2 points of another (11, 10, 10, 10, 9).

In any case, the Throne of Skulls was an absolutely fantastic tournament.  Probably the most fun I've had playing Warhammer 40k in quite some time.  I'm sure they will tweak the scoring system to suit the fancy of more players for Memphis 2012, but I hope they keep the core components.  It's very refreshing to be competing against other Dark Eldar players instead of the entire field.