Battle Report: Tyranids vs. Space Wolves (Loganwing) - Golden Throne Round 2

With 6^th edition out for just over a month, I headed to San Jose, California for the world’s first ever sixth edition GT. The tournament would be six rounds over two days with a win/loss format using the book missions. My review of the event can be found here. I brought a 1500 point Nidzilla list;

Hive Tyrant (Warlord/Wings/Twin-Linked Devourers x2/Hive Commander)

Tervigon (Onslaught/Catalyst/Cluster Spines)

Tervigon (Catalyst/Cluster Spines)

10 Termagants

2 Carnifex (Twin-Linked Devourers x2)

Trygon (Toxin Sacs)

Trygon (Toxin Sacs)

Despite only ever playing in one other northern California tournament, my round two opponent Tim is a guy I faced during the 6^th edition release event at Heroes on Paper. He once again would be playing with his Loganwing;

Logan Grimnar (Warlord)

Rune Priest (Jaws/Living Lightning)

5 Wolf Guard (5 Terminator Armor/1 Storm Bolter+Chainfist/1 Storm Bolter+Power Axe/1 Power Axe+Assault Cannon/2 Power Axe+Storm Shield)

5 Wolf Guard (5 Terminator Armor/1 Storm Bolter+Chainfist/1 Storm Bolter+Power Axe/1 Power Axe+Assault Cannon/2 Power Axe+Storm Shield)

5 Wolf Guard (5 Terminator Armor/1 Storm Bolter+Chainfist/1 Storm Bolter+Power Axe/1 Power Axe+Assault Cannon/2 Power Axe+Storm Shield)

6 Long Fangs (5 Missile Launchers)

6 Long Fangs (5 Missile Launchers)

Aegis Defense Line (Quad Gun)

Having played nearly the same list before I know what I need to do to beat it. My big advantage here is that I have an abundance of AP2 combat attacks. What I need to do is use my S6 shooting to kill the storm shields so that I can easily mop up the rest of his terminators. My big threat here will be Jaws of the World Wolf which can take out any of my I1 beasts in a heartbeat.

The mission is purge the alien and we both have 7 units. The deployment is hammer and anvil. It is not night fight and I won the first turn.

Tyranids 1

I deployed my gants out of light of site in area terrain. The two trygons are in reserve so they can cover the length of the table faster. I move the rest of my army forward. My tyrant has haemorrhage and warp speed. The only unit of mine which is in shooting range is my tyrant who kills the front two models of Logan’s unit. I did forget to use my precision shots though.

Loganwing 1

Tim puts a wound on my Tyrant with plasma, but I stay in the air, I forget to make a FNP save (having received catalyst). His shooting on the other flank does one wound to my HQ tervigon who also has FNP as well as 4+ wall cover.

Tyranids 2

I got both of my trygons and place them 1 inch away from his lines. Neither scatters. My Tyrant glides toward the bottom terminator squad, killing at least one with shooting and then assaults. Only one terminator survives (I received 3 more attacks from warp speed) and the tyrant took no wounds. The rest of my shooting kills one terminator and puts a wound on the rune priest.

Loganwing 2

Tim moved Logan and the lone terminator toward my Tyrant. The rune priest who left their unit got himself in position to use jaws, but failed his psychic test due to shadows of the warp. The top terminators moved forward but failed their charge on the carnifex unit. Logan rolled ‘1’ and ‘1’ to join the combat with my tyrant, allowing it to win the combat and finish off the terminator. His shooting brought my HQ tervigon down to 3 wounds.

Tyranids 3

My tyrant vector strikes the rune priest, killing him. I direct my shooting at the top wolf guard, bringing them down to one model. Both my trygon and the carnifex unit failed their charge. The bottom trygon charged Logan through terrain. When all was said and done only the trygon remained, down to two wounds.

Loganwing 3

Tim finishes off my weakened Trygon. Tim concedes.

Between Logan missing his charge and me preventing Jaws without shadow this was a bad match that got worse for him. With these two forces at play there is not much he could do, especially because I had three monsters on his line so fast. My one suggestion would have been to focus fire more. Rather than target the tervigon which is over very little threat he should have focused on the tyrant or the carnifex unit.