Tales of a few gamers: Battle report Two

Wednesday September 12th - 600 points - Tyranids (Wiggy) vs Black Consuls (SM - Phil) and Tau (D)

So here goes with the another battle report from the 'Tale of a Few.' We had decided to play the 'Battle Recon' mission from near the end of the main rulebook again as it is a nice straight forward mission for the smaller points value. I'm writing this way too long after the game so apologies for the lack of detail

The table was set up as shown

The Army

Black Consul - Codex Space Marines
Pedro Kantor
5 Sternguard - 2 combi-melta
10 Tactical Marines - Power sword, Flamer, Missile Launcher (one squad)

Tau
Commander - Plasma, cyclic and multi tracker
10 Fire warriors

Tyranids
Tyranid Prime - Pair Boneswords, Scything Talons, Toxin Sacs
3 Tyranid Warriors - Scything Talons, Rending Claws
10 Termagants
10 Termagants
13 Hormagaunts - Toxin Sacs
6 Raveners - Rending claws

The armies were set up as shown. The Marine/Tau alliance set up first, the Tyranids then positioned as best they could with the Raveners in reserve as I wanted to threaten hi back field quickly. The Warlord traits rolled up gave the alliance something that wasn't used (can't think it) where as I rolled up conquer of cities which gave me stealth in ruins and move through cover in ruins too....very good for this game.

Turn 1
Tactical squad advanced towards wood, Kantor to the building and the Commander followed them. Fire Warriors hung back near the hill and as nothing was in range everything ran forwards a bit.
The Tyranid turn was equally easy as they all advanced forward towards the building nearest to them apart from a Gaunt group going upwards.

Nothing - VP 0-0

Turn 2
Marines advance into the woods and roll it up as a 3+ cover save. Kantor and the Commander hug the building as they advance. The tactical squad open fire on the Warriors but cover saves keep them from being wounded. The Fire Warriors open up on the 'gaunts nearest them but again cover stops them. Tired of all these cover saves the Sternguard make use of the dragon fire shells to kill 3 Hormagaunts.
The unpainted Termagaunts hold the objective in the building nearest to them and the rest of the force advances, no Raveners show up.

Two objectives each- VP 4-4

Turn 3
Tactical advance to the front edge of the wood. Kantor holds ground to call down his orbital strike causing 2 wounds on the Warriors in the ruins, followed by 2 more wounds from the Tau commander. Fire Warriors open up on the Hormagaunts and focus on those in the open managing to kill 7 of them.
The Raveners appear and advance into the ruins near Kantor with the Hormagaunts jumping up behind them. The rest of the force advances.
Raveners kill 3 stergaurd through shooting but the Tyranid Warriors fail a huge 10 inch charge.

One objective alliance, Two objectives Tyranids- VP 2-4

Turn 4
Fire Warriors advance to try and bring themselves into rapid fire range, Sternguard only manage to stumble an inch towards the Raveners. The tactical squad open up on the Tyranid Warriors who go to ground and only suffer one wound (I've since found out that as Synapse creatures Warriors are fearless and therefore can't go to ground) The Fire warriors concentrate on the Raveners inflicting 4 wounds another wound is added from the commander but but rolls mean that no more are caused by the sternguard who were hoping to charge.
Raveners advance with the Hormagaunts, with the termagants closing range too. The Raveners leap onto the sternguard and kill the 2 remaining guys but loose 2 of their number to a wounded Kantor and are unfortunately out of synapse range so flee. The few hormagaunts charge the Fire Warriors and lose a couple on the way in to overwatch but win a much closer than expected combat and run down the survivors.