Anyway, I have also managed to play a game with my Space Wolves (about time). I was playing against my usual opponent in ZachArPaladin, and as we are both attending Throne of Skulls we thought it was a good opportunity to get some practice in. ZachArPaladin is attending the Youngbloods event while I attend the standard Throne of Skulls one a week before, but despite his age my opponent plays to the same standard as many seasoned 40k veterans that I know. Never underestimate players just because they look younger. I know that for you tournament players I am probably making too big a deal out of this but this is my first national tournament and I am really looking forward to it, hopefully moving on to other tournaments when I have a bit more experience of competitive play under my belt
Anyway, we were playing 1,500pts. We rolled up for the mission getting Capture and Control, Spearhead. I was bringing:
HQ:
Rune Priest: Chooser of the Slain, Wolf Tail Talisman, Living Lightning and Murderous Hurricane
Rune Priest: Wolf Tail Talisman, Murderous Hurricane and Jaws of the World Wolf
Elites:
Dreadnought: Multi-Melta, Wolf Tail Talisman and Drop Pod
5 Wolf Scouts: Melta Bombs and Melta Gun
5 Wolf Scouts: Melta Bombs and Melta Gun
Troops:
10 Grey Hunters: 2 Melta Guns and Rhino
7 Grey Hunters: Melta Gun and Rhino
7 Grey Hunters: Melta Gun and Rhino
Heavy Support:
5 Long Fangs: 2 Missile Launchers and 2 Lascannons
5 Long Fangs: 2 Missile Launchers and 2 Lascannons
5 Long Fangs: 2 Missile Launchers and 2 Lascannons
And the Tyranids:
HQ:
The Swarmlord: Tyrant Guard with Lash Whip
Elites:
3 Hive Guard
Venomthrope
3 Zoanthropes
Troops:
Tervigon: Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs and Catalyst
Tervigon: Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs and Catalyst
30 Termagants
22 Termagants: Devourers
The Tyranids won the roll off and chose to go first, deploying in a corner behind the Sanctum Imperialis, leaving me with a rather bare quarter with some bits of ruin in it, they were sufficient to provide some cover but it was not ideal, also it forced me to split my Rhinos up a bit.
The Tyranids deployed in essentially 2 different teams, an attack team and a defence team. The attackers deployed to go for my objective, this included the 22 Devourer Termagants, the Swarmlord and his Tyrant Guard, a Tervigon, the Zoanthropes, the Hive Guard and the Venomthrope. Staying back was the 30 critter squad of Termagants and a Tervigon.
I deployed everything bar the Scouts and Drop Pod, the Rune Priests went in the smaller Grey Hunter squads. My plan being to hopefully play quite defensively, drawing most of the Tyranid threat towards the bulk of my army while the scouts and Dread would hopefully survive long enough to contest the opposing objective. I neglected to try and seize.
The Tyranid turn started with a huge splat, as I imagine the sound would be like of 24 Termagants disgorging from 2 different Tervigons, unfortunately, no doubles were rolled on either, so they could both keep producing, and suddenly the board was alive with creatures. The attack force stomped forwards, coming quite close to my 2 lead Rhinos, 2 of my Long Fangs squads and a Rune Priest.
Due to the sparce nature of the terrain on my side of the board (preparing for a large Warhammer World event properly) the Hive Guard squad was able to pick out the lead Rhino carrying the Rune Priest and his squad, and exploded it, the explosion and some more resultant fire from the Tyranids was enough to kill the entire squad except for the Melta Gun wielder and the Rune Priest, who was left unscathed. The squad leader and a Lascannon from the furthest up Long Fang pack were also obliterated in a shower of gribblies.
The Space Wolves hit back hard. The Dreadnought landed but unfortunately scattered a little too close to the Tervigon, the plan was to use it to tie up the big squad of gants away from the objective, but this did not discourage him from wounding the beast with his Multi-Melta. The Swarmlord was also felled in a shower of Melta, Missile and Las fire. But perhaps the most spectacular event happened before this. The Rune Priest called upon the Jaws of the World Wolf, laying them down upon the Swarmlord and his Tyrant Guard, 4 Termagants and the attacking Tervigon. Although the Swarmlord passed his Initiative test, all of the other critters fell into the deep chasm that was opened up beneath them.
Both squads of scouts had come on turn 2, and with the majority of the Tyranid attack blunted it was just a case of the Long Fangs and the Rune Priests mopping up the remainder, as the defence force was out of Line of Sight behind the Sanctum Imperialis, while the large squad of Grey Hunters pushed forward, in their Rhino, but only 5 remained when they came close to the enemy lines. What the game came down to, on whether it would be a draw or victory to the Space Wolves, was whether or not my forces near the Tyranid objective could survive until the end of the game. It came right down to the wire, but when the dust settled at the end of turn 5 (a 1 one rolled to end the game) 1 lone Grey Hunter with his Meltagun stood tall, in combat with a Tervigon and 13 Termagants, but alive to contest the objective, resulting in a 1-0 victory to the Space Wolves. The scouts had died at the end of turn 4 so the 5 Grey Hunters had to survive 2 assault phases in order to claim victory but they succeeded, just.
I thoroughly enjoyed playing the Space Wolves and am glad that I have not spent £100+ on an army that I hated playing. I've learnt quite a few things with them regarding what certain units can deal with and I'm just hoping now that I'll be able to get my hands on the 2 Rhinos, 3 Devastator squad boxes and 2 Rune Priests that I need for my army now.
I have my next post already lined up, just need to finish reading up on the subject and then I'll be ready to write the next post, it should be up on Wednesday, and is on the subject of, 'Why Marneus Calgar is dreadful'. See you in a few days.
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