Christmas Apocalypse 2007

So, our first Apocalypse games:  Space Marines (2x4500 points) vs. Enemies of Man (3000 points each Tau, Eldar and Tyranid). Fluffily, an uneasy alliance between Tau and Eldar (the latter using some Psychic trickery to imitate the Imperatives of the Hive Mind to a clutch of Tyranids that they can then use as expendable cannonfodder).

I was playing Tyranids.

Initial setup. Marines bid 14 minutes, we bid 30 - so they got to set up first, a bit rushed too (14 minutes is clearly not enough to deploy 4500 points) - they forgot the odd terminators and assassins :-)

The Marines had Jammers, so we set up without any preparation.  On the other hand, we had a leisurely 30 minutes to do it in, and mostly got done in 20 (except Troels, who played Tau, who had a bit of last minute gluing and assembling to do...)

I took our right flank, the Eldar (played by Bjørn) deployed in the center, Tau deployed far back in the city with a smattering of fire warriors in the rear of the main formations.

Since I don't have enough gaunts for an Endless Swarm yet, I just brought a Hive Mind Brood, all my Carnifexen (5) and all my Genestealers (49), plus a few odds and ends (less than 50 gaunts!) to bulk up to 3000 points.

It's the first time I've had all my painted 'stealers in play at once - a good excuse for an Apocalypse game right there!

The Space Marines came in two flavours: plain Ultramarine played by Michael, and a mixed bag of Dark Angels, Assassins, Deathwatch, even a captured Tau Hammerhead played by Morten.  They both came with Masters of the Chapter formations - instant Asset Spam, just add cheese.  Fortunately, they had so many assets that a few were forgotten here and there :-)

So, setup done, we proceed to set up the Objective Markers (outlined in red in the picture).  Alex (age 5) is helpfully pointing out the objective most heavily contested during the endgame.

First turn, the Marines play Surgical Raids (twice!) and kill the Tau Ethereal - fortunately, the morale fallout is not too harsh, only the Tau Commander(!) panic and run away.  Lesson learned: Don't set up solo characters, if they can bring a retinue at all...

I play Blind Barrage, which lands beautifully smack down the no-mans land (outlined in white in the picture), right in front of the Marine tanks and devastator squads. Much cheering from the Enemies of Man ensued.

Bereft of anything to shoot at, the DA marines charge through the corrosive clouds and disembark the full Masters of the Chapter from their transport Land Raider.

The Land Raider is quickly blown away, and the Chapter Masters find themselves having bitten off more than they can chew - Genestealers, a Carnifex, two(!) Wraithlords, Rippers and Wraithguards all join in on the fun, and eventually take down the super-squad, 4+ invulnerable saves notwithstanding.

The Tyranid horde attracts most of the shooting (mostly by being the easiest target), and I'm removing about a tray of models per turn.  I get in a few kicks with Genestealers, but it's mostly bullet (and laserbeam) catching for me.  Meanwhile, the Eldar and Tau are moving into position to do the usual terrible things to the enemy - the Banshees shine, as always.

Highlight:  On the left flank, a lone Genestealer charges a lone missile launcher scout and proceed to miss with all three attacks (my rending rolls generally sucked, as usual). The scout strike back, once, wounds and kills the Genestealer, to the loud booing and hissing of the Dark Reaper squad that had the scout in their sights. Of course, in the following turn the Scout fail his "all alone" roll and runs away...

Highlight: In the far backfield (30" from the nearest objective!) a squad of Tau Stealth suits are ambushed by two assassins, who kill them all in (almost) one flamer shot. Ouch.

Highlight: The Dark Angels chaplain are misdirected from his planned point of entry by a Tau Disruption Beacon, and lands in the far right flank.  He jumps forward as fast as his little jumppack can carry him, dodges the incoming fire from a Devilfex and a Hive Tyrant (I wish my 2+ saves worked so reliably!) and tosses a Vortex grenade with unerring precision in the face of the Devilfex. Poof 'fex, poof the forest he was lurking in (and which the Broodlord with retinue was hiding behind - eek!).  Fortunately, the Vortex dissipates the next round.

The Dark Angels (with their add-on bits) had by turn 3 mostly evaporated (a turn one Orbital Bombardment did nasty things to the tightly clustered Marines), serving as meatshield for the Ultramarines who were barely scratched.

The Ultramarines made a serious play for the two objectives on their left flank, but ultimately failed - in the center, the tanks were shot to pieces by Eldar and Tau heavy weaponry leaving the Hive Mind Brood in out-pointing anything left, and in the other, the Broodlord all on his own killed three Terminators leaving the Tau battlesuits also contesting the objective out-pointing the Vindicator tank remaining.

Long range Tau fire also killed more than half the squad holding the objective in deep Ultramarine territory, leaving the objective tally at 5 to nothing.

One of the assets forgotten was revealed at this time - Hold at All Costs, which would have put a few more objectives in Marine hands. Since it didn't change the outcome, we let it pass - the objective tally was then 4 to 2 - a solid victory for the Enemies of Man.

Fluffily, with the tame Tyranid expended, the Tau and Eldar will no doubt soon turn on each other again, and once the Marines train up a few more Company Captains I'm sure they'll be back for more, too.  And next time, I'll have my Endless Swarm ready, I'm sure!

Splinter Fleet Black Tide, played by Stephan