4th Edition Battle Report

More fourth edition practice gaming, this time with the shooty version of my Dark Eldar vs my Genestealer army list. Please note that both forces are supposed to be 'take all comers'-style general lists, rather than lists optimized against a particular foe.

Army Lists:

Tyranids:

Flying Hive Tyrant, Implant Attack, Warp Blast, Double Scything Talons and most of the biomorphs

3 Lictors

2 Carnifexes with Venom Cannon and Scything Talons, plus Enhanced Senses and Extended Carapace

12x Genestealer

12x Genestealer

12x Genestealer

7x Genestealer

6x Genestealer

Shooty Dark Eldar:

Dracon (Shadowfield, Combat Drugs, Agonizer, Pistol) Retinue: 3xRifle, 2xDark Lance

2xBig Warrior Squad:15 Warriors. 2Dark Lances, 2 Blasters.

4xSniper Squad (8Rifles, 2 Dark Lances)

3xHellion w/2 Dark Lances

3xReaver Jetbike w/2 Blasters

4xReaver Jetbike w/2 Blasters

Ravager w/3 Dark Lances

2xTalos.

Yup, that's 17 Dark Lances and 11 Blasters in 1500pts!

Setup:

4x4 Board with large clumps of forest a little off center in each corner. Just a standard fight mission, nothing complicated. Rolled for and did not get Infiltration.

The Dark Eldar force uses a split deployment, with the Dracon and Retinue on one side, the Ravager and Hellions on the other and the Warrior squads, Jetbikes and Taloses divided between them. The Tyranids mostly split as well, with Genestealer Broods 1 and 2 (12 each) on one side with the Hive Tyrant and two Lictors hidden near the enemy and Broods 3, 4, 5 on the other, with one hidden Lictor as well. The Venomfexes deploy down the middle.

Turn 1: Tyranids take first turn. Genestealers move up 6 inches. Venomfex1 moves forward while Venomfex2 sidles sideways to get line of sight to the Ravager and the venomous crystals destroy the port side Dark Lance. The Tyrant flies over the forest. Lictors jump out of the overgrowth and attack the Dark Eldar. Lictor 1 charges Warrior Squad 5, killing 2 and making them fall back, but not catching them before impacting against Squad 6. Lictor 2 assaults Reaver squad 2 and brings down 2 Bikes, but getting disemboweled in the process. Lictor 3 scythes through Warrior squad 1 and the cover does not avail them a bit. 2 are hacked into pieces and the others fall back, but are caught and pierced before the rampaging beast charges into the Dracon and his retinue.

The Hellions scream forward to Blast the Tyrant, causing a Wound. Both units of Reaver Jetbikes zip up the center to kill Venomfex1 (with the help of the Ravager) Warrior Squads 3 and 4 combine their fire to kill off 10 Genestealers from Brood 3. The Dracon wounds the Lictor, but cannot kill it as it shreds two of his Warriors. Talos 2 engages Lictor 1 and kills it, but not before it takes down another 3 Warriors.

Turn 2: The Genestealers and Venomfex 2 continue moving forward. Genestealer Brood 1 engages the Hellions, but cannot catch the fleeting skyboards and lose a Genestealer for their trouble. Genestealer Brood 2 charges into Reaver squad 2, wiping them out and advancing 1 inch. The Dracon Kills Lictor 3 before it can do any more damage. The Hive Tyrant, ignoring the Hellions buzzing in front of it for juicier targets, flies up and charges Warriors squad 2, killing 4, then wiping them out as they fall back.

The Ravager begins a game of cat-and-mouse with the remaining Venomfex as Warrior Squad 5 runs off the board. Reaver squad 1 moves back and fires into Genestealer Brood 2, but only manages to catch 1 before fading further away from them. (That always moving in the assault phase thing is sweet!) Warrior squad 6 fires into the Tyrant, but has no effect as Talos 2 charges in and kills it, despite being Wounded twice. Warrior Squads 3 and 4 and the Dracon and his Retinue all fire into Genestealer broods 4 and 5, killing all but 2 in brood 4. The Hellions, overconfident from last turn's combat, cut down a single Genestealer and are torn limb from limb in return. The Genestealers, energized by the massacre, leap forward 5 inches.

Turn 3:

The Genestealers and Venomfex 2 continue their advance toward the Dark Eldar. Genestealer broods 1 and 2 each charge the Talos on their side of the board. Both broods shred their targets before the machines know what hit them. The combat tires them, however, and they each only move forward an inch. Reaver squad 1 continues to fire on Brood 2 of the Genestealers, cutting down 2 more. Warrior Squad 6 fires into Brood 1 for another 2 dead. Warrior squad 3 joins the Reaver squad in firing, adding another 4 dead Genestealers to the body count. Warrior Squad 4 fires into Brood 3, wiping it out, as the Dracon and his retinue do the same to brood 4. Finally, the Ravager fires at Venomfex 2, but only causes a single Wound.

Turn 4: Venomfex 2, angered by the damage, moves up and fires into the Ravager, shredding it's power cell matrix and sending crashing to the ground. Genestealer Brood 1 charges into Warrior Squad 6 and kills all 10 of them, then dashes forward 6 after the Massacre. Brood 2 charges Warrior squad 3. Although 5 Warriors die, the remainder drag down 2 Genestealers and defiantly hold their ground.

Reaver 1 shoots the Venomfex, but cannot wound it and moves away toward cover. Warrior Squad 4 and the Dracon's Retinue wait for a clear shot. Genestealer brood 2 kills another 4 Warriors from Squad 3 and the remaining Warriors fall back and are dragged down as they run.

Turn 5: Genestealer Brood 2 Charges Warrior Squad 4, killing 3, but the remainder hold. Venomfex 2 shoots and charges Reaver Squad 1, crushing all 3 bikes between it's claws. Genestealer Brood 1 moves to get a better position.

Although Warrior Squad 4 puts up a valiant fight and kills 2 Genestealers to the 2 Warriors they lose, it is not enough and they break and run and are then cut down. The Dracon commands his Warriors forward into the Venomfex, wounding it as his Shadowfield saves him from the gigantic beast.

Turn 6: Genestealer Brood 1 charges into the Dracon and his Retinue. Although the Dracon wounds the Venomfex again, his Shadowfield flickers and fades under the onslaught of the Genestealers.

Final result: Marginal Victory for the Tyranids. With a total of 11 Genestealers (from 2 different Broods) and a Venomfex with 1 Wound remaining, this was not an easy victory, but it was a lot of fun to play. The combination of a higher number of attacks in close combat and the wipe out rule makes a huge difference in the casualties caused.

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