First Big Tyranid Game

The photos below are from our first high point (6,000 points to be exact) Tyranid game. It was a bit of an unusual scenario with a large force of Ultramarines surrounded on three sides by Tyranids with a relief force of Dark Angel Raven Wing trying to break through to save them. We took the game to six turns and it was fantastically good. There was a very high casualty rate on all sides, which, let's face it, is the mark of a great game of 40k.

It was also the first time out for the hierodules and for Steve's Fellblade. The scythed hierodule was such a threat to the Ravenwing that he became a fire magnet and was eliminated in turn two. The barbed hierodule survived the game on two wounds but wasn't that effective, managing only to kill a few vanguard veterans and terminators. Hilaroiusly, the Fellblade survived three D hits from a vortex unleashed by his own side but didn't actually manage to kill that much stuff due to the shrouding effect from the Tyranid venomthropes. So all in all it was a mixed result for the big units with the real honours going to the Ravenwing Black Knights and the Ultramarine Vanguard Veterans which both ripped up a load of Tyranids and provided a nice return on their points.

The video we took was a bit rubbish so there probably isn't going to be a battle report, which is a pity given it was such a good looking game, Hopefully these pictures should give a sense of it.

We placed two battle mats together in a T shape. The Ultramarines were besieged in a zone in the centre of the 'T', with Tyranids facing them on three sidea. At the very back of the board can be seen the Ravenwing relief force as it attempts to start forcing its was up the length of the table to reach the beleaguered Ultramarines.

One Tyranid force found itself trapped between the defenders it was trying to attack and the relief force. Their task changed from assaulting the Ultramarines to delaying the Ravenwing for as long as they could.

The Barbed Hierdodule begins its charge across the table toward the ruined towers held by the Ultramarines.

A winged Hive Tyrant looms above its prey, an Ultramarines tactical squad

Ultramarine and Imperial Guard forces hunker down as the Tyranids ready their attack.

A Tyranid Prime urges swarms of Termagants on toward the oncoming Ravenwing relief force

Impact! The Ravenwing used hit and run tactics very well; charging into Tyranid units and then using the combat to catapult themselves further down the table.

The Fellblade takes aim at the Scythed Hierodule. It took the fire of the entire Dark Angel line to bring the Hierodule down

The Ravenwing break through the Tyranid line and speed down the board.

Sporepods drop reinforcements in to delay the Ravenwing advance

The Barbed Hierodule storms over the Ultramarine perimeter whilst a hive crone melts an imperial guard squad with its drool cannon.

Overrun! The Ultramarine's defensive zone devolves into a series of bloody hand to hand combats as Tyranid forces flood the area