The Duel!

July 5, 2008

Players: John (Tyranid Kraken) Vs. Mike (Ultramarines)

2000pts Seek and Destroy Alpha (4^th Ed) 5 Turns Draw!

Deployment

I opted not to deepstrike my Terminators and Terminator Librarian w/ retinue so I can utilize their firepower to full effect. A Brood lord w/ a six Genestealer retinue infiltrated fairly close to my Rhino.

1^st Turn Marines

I moved my Terminators, Dreadnought, Landspeeders, Vindicator and Troops in Rhino to maximize fields of fire. My speeders unpacked a lot of hits on a brood of 20 Gaunts, almost annihilating them. A TAC squad w/ a lascannon finished the job on later turns. Terminators unloaded on Tyranid Warriors to no effect. Another TAC squad managed to wound a Carnifex. A Predator Annihilator did the same with the other Carnifex. Yes there was 2 Carnifex on the table.

Tyranid

The Brood lord w/a retinue and good dice rolls (into difficult terrain/fleet) brought them w/in assault range of my Rhino. Amazingly enough no marine died during the Tyranid shooting phase! But a Landspeeder was damaged losing his assault cannon to Tyranid Warrior fire. Another great miracle was the Brood lord w/ retinue assaulting my Rhino with no effect at all!

2^nd Turn Marines

Another move to maximize chances of hitting and bringing all guns to bear! By rolling my Rhino away and disembarking the other, my Terminators and Troops made mince meat of the Brood lord w/ retinue.

Tyranid

A lot of movement/fleet by Gaunts and Hormogaunts that I will later pay for! The earlier wounded Carnifex answered back immobilizing my Predator in the process. Another Carnifex caused the already damaged Speeder to lose its only remaining gun. Then a Tyranid warrior finished the job by destroying the speeder. A brood of Genestealers assaulted my Rhino who earlier survived the same episode but with a different result forcing my troops to disembark from a wrecked Rhino, killing 3 marines. Later being assaulted by 2 Raveners, my Marines put up a valiant defense killing both but also dying in the end. A deep striking Lictor assaulted my Devastator squad w/ the aid of Hormogaunts assaulting from 12” away! Marines being in cover, strike first, but to little effect, resulting in a long drawn out combat which I later lost.

3^rd Turn Marines

Another round of moving and shooting a lot of Guns! My Vindicator dropped a Pie plate on a Brood of 10 Hormogaunts, followed by a withering fire from Terminators Assault Cannons and Storm Bolters, while the Dreadnought also contributed, the Hormogaunts being in cover made all the difference from being all but destroyed by 3 Hormogaunts holding on. My Land Speeders and Terminator Librarian w/ retinue was firing and picking apart a brood of Tyranid Warriors and ripper swarms.

Tyranid

Again more movement to cover and fleets made it all but clear that this will all end in a bloody assault in the Tyranids favor! Shooting had little effect on my Power Armored Troops. Another deep striking Lictor almost destroyed my vindicator, causing it to lose all its guns but failing to immobilize it to bring about the Lictor’s demise.

4^th Turn Marines

My Vindicator, surviving its close encounter w/ the Lictor, rolled out of the way to expose it to withering bolter fire from nearby marines obliterating it! In an effort to draw the enemy closer to my Lascannon totting TAC squad I was willing to sacrifice my Terminator Librarian and retinue by exposing them to Tyranid fire and possible assault!

Tyranid

My immobile Predator was assaulted by Genestealers causing it to go up in flames taking a couple of assaulters w/ it! As Predicted my Librarian Terminator was assaulted but due to sheer luck they all survived the first round of combat, destroying a Hive Tyrant Guard with a Force Weapon and several Gaunts! Hive Tyrant piled in squarely in front of my Librarian.

5^th Turn Duel!

Due to player fatigue and a lack of nourishment (Player has not eaten lunch yet), We decided to pit our respected HQ units in a Duel to decide the winner. Being of the same initiative (In 5!) we hit simultaneously, My Librarian scored several hits but not scoring a wound due to Hive Tyrant’s high Toughness, Hive Tyrant hitting back causing one wound which can only be saved by a Terminators Invul save. Rolling a 6 brought all that carnage to a draw.

Final Tally

Ultramarines

1 Brood of Gaunts

2 Lictors

1 Brood Lord w/ retinue

Tyranid Kraken

1 Tactical Squad

1 Predator

1 Land Speeder

Pretty close but no Dice! A Very Good Game!