2000 Points: Word Bearers / KDK vs Tyranids Photo Dump

Swanky and I sat down to another game on the home table this week. Her Tyranid list, slightly revised, against my new concept army. I combined some Crimson Slaughter formations with a KDK CAD. I used the Dark Apostles to great affect, creating both a Zealous Cultist blob and a Feel No Pain CSM horde. They turned out to be pretty "beat-stick"... I pinned large creatures with the cultist blob, which due to the formation bonus, regenerated lost cultists each turn. I'd then charge in with other units (helbrutes or the Khorne-marked CSM) and get the kill. Swanky Tiger was not thrilled when my Heldrake vector-struck her flying Hive Tyrant to the ground in one mighty strike.... killing it outright.

We played Maelstrom objectives for a change... it was Swanky's first time at it. She made a valiant effort at her objectives, but my forces were really savage, viciously repulsing any of her attempts to take objectives or secure maelstrom assignments.

The final score ended up being 19 to 2... I got some very fortunate D3 rolls on some of my better objectives.

Khorne cares not from whence the blood flows, only that it flows :)

Photo Dump: Sunday Sweatpants Gaming - 2000 Points 30k Word Bearers vs. 40k Tyranids

 Disclaimer: Ok, so I didn't actually use 30k Word Bearer models, but I was testing a list I had wanted to try out. So I used my 40k Chaos models against Swanky Tiger's Hive Fleet Leviathan.

So the game we rolled up was a standard Relic mission. We had to play on a 4' table, for lack of a bigger one, but we both had assault armies so it wasn't too bad. I ended up winning by tabling Swanky in turn 4. I also secured First Blood and Slay the Warlord, while keeping my force fairly high-strength.

I learned that Word Bearers can be absolutely beat-stick with the Dark Channeling rules. I also determined that Val Gorbak units are fairly beat-stick as well, and darn survivable for such low-model units. Daemon summoning was also a great boon. The ability to conjure full units of Bloodletters reliably once a turn proved to be a crucial component of my success. Mhara Gal tainted Dreadnoughts are absolutely fearsome as well, as long and you keep them far afield from your own units.

Swanky learned that Regeneration is vastly overcosted... rarely did the larger models make enough wounds back to make the points worth it. Also, she found that psychic powers can be a potent key to the success of the tyranids.

The game ran for something like 5 hours, but it was time well spent. I enjoyed the game, and using 30k Word Bearers for the first time.

Swanky Tiger's Hive Fleet Leviathan Showcase

As you well know, I am not the world's best photographer. But while Swanky was away at work, I snatched her miniatures to take some photos of them. She is very self concious, as well as somewhat shy, about her work. She doesn't believe me when I say that her Tyranid army is just plain awesome. Above is her winged Hive Tyrant, bane of many of my games! This thing knows how to put the hurt on me. She could definitely use a few more of them.

Next are her Gargoyles. Not super effective as anything but bubble-wrap for a Hive tyrant when it drops out of it's flying mode, but they sure look good on the table.

Adding some valuable Synapse and Psychic punch, her Neurothrope and Zoanthrope brood likes to punch holes through tanks. With their minds. Or the hivemind. Whichever.

RAGE! Her first carnifex is a beast, using it's crushing claws and scything talons to tear through anything it gets close to.

 One of her favorite poses, this carnifex had venom dripping from it's maw. With nothing but scything talons, this baby is cheap but still murderous in CC.

Spiky here has a couple of gnarly chin-whiskers, but don't let him hear you call him ugly.

Lastly, her Haruspex is a mighty combatant that likes to chomp down on infantry. Last time I faced him, he ate an entire Space Marine squad.


So what do you think? Give some love in the comments, and show Swanky Tiger that her first army is pretty damned good!