The Grim Invasion Continues - Ork Crusade Updates

Hello!

Last time the Orks were out and about doing some krumpin in the Grim Dice Crusade league, Da Vipers got stuck in with limited success, but Boss Redtoof himself was proving to be a very tough cookie! Once again, here's a quick summary of the next three games...

Game four was against the sneaky Aeldari from the Ulthwe craftworld. They brought a selection of infantry units, plus a grav tank and a Wraithlord, led by a Farseer, who was attempting to complete a ritual...

Redtoof got seperated from the rest of the force and once again got stuck in, while most of the Boyz got caught in a crossfire between Guardians and Dire Avengers. The Squighog Boyz were once again able to hunt out the enemy warlord, but it wasn't quick enough to stop the ritual from being completed, earning the Aeldari a close win, with much blood shed on both sides.

Heading to game five it was time to escalate once again to 75 power. In part because I'm already going into 10th ed mode and I didn't really want to think too hard, and in part because I wanted to see 9th out with a bang, I decided to add Nipper the Gargantuan Squiggoth!

So with that decision made, of course I had my next game against an Imperial Guard gunline...

The Guard got turn one and took out both Squiggoths with relative ease. Ouch! Redtoof and his lads did get stuck in with the tanks, krumpin a few of them with the Tankbusta Bombz stratagem, but it was really decided on the first turn roll. Nipper did look splendid during deployment next to his son though!

Game six was a real krump-fest though, as the Vipers were taking on the World Eaters! Lots of choppa marine boyz with some Helbrutes for support. Mission involved taking each other's home objectives and burning them, so there was nothing for it but for both forces to go forward and meet in the middle!

In this game Nipper played a big part, smashing through a Rhino, goring one of the Helbrutes to death, nearly killing the other in melee (but for blood tithe points giving it a 6+ feel no pain) and between shooting and falling over, wiped out a unit of Eightbound! Elsewhere the Orks and World Eaters were trading units, but Redtoof had his sights set on the similarly buffed up Lord on Juggernaut. They went several rounds in a duel, shrugging off blows, before finally Redtoof fell (though in part due to an assist from a couple of Berzerkers, chaos cheating there clearly!) and the game was lost.

So three more games continuing the theme of smashing stuff up but lack of mission success, leaving me sitting at 1-5. Not that winning was ever the goal - though Redtoof has now died three times in this, in spite of how tough he got! Still, a lot of silly fun to round out the edition.

With tenth edition around the corner, I'm not sure if I'll be continuing with the league, so this very well might have been my last games of 9th. With that in mind I have had a lot of fun with this admittedly flawed edition, and at some point I'll do a bit of a retrospective/looking forward post, but suffice to say I am very excited to start playing 10th! In any case, thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed, and stay safe out there!

A Grim Invasion - Ork Crusade So Far...

Hello!

Looks like I'm finishing off 9th edition with some Crusade! Once again, Grim Dice are running a Crusade league, and I decided to join in with the Snakebite Orks this time, after previously running AdMech and Tyranids. Since initially at least Crusade games tend to be quite short, and the last times I had a few byes so didn't actually play all the games anyway, and I'm kind of lazy (no one is paying me for this!), I'm just going to do a quick summary of each game, and this first post will be the first three of them.

This time rather than using a GW narrative pack the guys at Grim have decided to run their own narrative, which features special attacker and defender bonuses and a system of boons for your warlord to accumulate over the campaign. With this in mind I decided to lean into a bit of Warboss hero hammer and make Redtoof as tanky as possible - I used the Beast Boss and gave him both the Super Cybork Body and the Half-Chewed warlord trait. In the initial 25PL force he was leading up thirty assorted Boyz and some Squighog riders from Da Vipers tribe. 

The first game was against Grey Knights, bringing a couple of regular power armoured squads, some cheap servitors and a big beefy Dreadknight!

The Knights carved through the Boyz, while Redtoof went on a bit of a rampage chopping through marines everywhere. Thanks to teleport shenanigans the Grey Knights were able to pull ahead on points but by the last turn only two models remained - both warlords! The Dreadknight teleported over to have a duel (and pick up a load of XP) but Redtoof survived and managed to cut him down in return, having previously lost wounds from a fight with the Squighog Boyz. Technically a loss for da boyz but Redtoof killed basically the entire enemy army so got to feel pretty good about himself.

Second game was against Space Wolves, running the Phobos armoured Vanguard army of renown. Lots of sneaky tricks but that might not help them up close and personal with the boyz...

The Boyz got stuck in quick this time after some generally disappointing Space Wolf firepower (aside from the Eliminators removing the Squighog Boyz in one volley), coving the objectives with boots and their choppas with blood. The marines fought back with an outflanking squad of specialist Hounds of Morkai, but they were too little too late and the collective bosses got together to krump 'em good. Solid win for da Boyz.

After game two it was time to increase to 50 power level. I opted to add in a couple of big fun models in the Squiggoth and Killrig, and three of my recently painted Warbikers. During the first two games Redtoof got to Blooded rank and I picked up the Ded 'Ard armour and a WAAAGH-Boss upgrade to make him even tougher. With the custom boons he's now sitting at 9 wounds!

Game three was once again vs Space Wolves. Narratively appropriate that they would come to avenge their brothers. This time a more heavy hitting melee focused force with Wulfen, Thunderwolf cavalry, a Dreadnought and jump pack Wolf Guard, plus a beefy lord and some primaris units to fill the gaps. It was also a sabotage mission so the Orks would have to do actions on the objectives to destroy them and score points.

The Orks got to charge in first this time, with the Kill Rig and Warboss Redtoof making contact immediately. This time however the Wolves punched back hard, and it quickly turned into a bloodbath, all thought of objectives forgotten. Redtoof was felled for the first time this campaign with the combined might of Eradicators shooting and the veteran Dreadnought charging - though he did take out the Dread in return! The Squighogs managed to return the favour and down the enemy Warlord, though it wasn't going too well elsewhere and the last Squighog was the final Ork model surviving before getting cut down by Thunderwolves. A loss, but a good scrap none the less! The Squighog boyz did get a battle honour for their troubles, becoming Veteran warriors.

One win, one moral victory and one tabling, a reasonable start for da Vipers who are just here for a big fight, and a good start for Redtoof who has accumulated plenty of XP so is likely to go up again the next game, and has picked up 6 unit kills already! WAAAGH!!!

Anyway, thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed, and stay safe out there!

Video Boarding Action Battle Report - Tyranids vs Space Wolves

Hello!

Back with another Narrative Wargamer YouTube battle report! And this time, it's with the new-ish Boarding Action rules - though rather than using expensive, probably out of stock plastic terrain that neither Tony or myself own, we made a battlefield with card Necromunda and Space Hulk tiles. With that in mind we picked a thematic match up with my Tyranids taking on not-quite-terminators, in a mostly Gravis armoured Space Wolf force. The Wolves were kindly lent to Tony by fellow Narrative Wargamer Podcast contributor, Chris of the Unrelenting Brush.

In any case, after their kin inflicted a minor loss on the Tyranids, the Space Wolves were on the hunt, venturing into a space hulk looking to burn the nest, but the Nids were certainly not going to go down without a fight, especially as they were able to employ specialist organisms bred for this kind of battle. This would most certainly be a brutal, close quarters battle of ceramite against chitin...

I really enjoyed the differences here between a regular 40k game and Boarding Action. It really felt a lot more tactical than a normal 500 point game of 40k which usually goes one sided very quickly in my experience. The terrain and various changes to actions and overwatch etc meant there was a lot more thought going into how to negotiate the battlefield and it helped kept units alive a fair bit longer. I hope that comes across in the video, and you enjoy it - and maybe it'll inspire you to give it a go as well, especially if the barrier to entry has been access to the official terrain. 

In other news however, that won't be the last time my Tyranids will feature on the Narrative Wargamer channel. Much as Chris did with his Space Wolves, I am lending Tony my Tyranids for some months, and there is at least one more game in the pipeline featuring them...

Thanks for reading, and stay safe out there.

Crusade Battle Report - Tyranids vs Orks

Hello!

More Tyranid Crusading, this time we are in the Consumption stage of the invasion, and some Orks have turned up to ruin our meal! I've been trying to get something Orky for Orktober, but I've not been painting fast enough so this report will have to do! Suffice to say there is something coming...

This was the second game of the third round of the Grim Dice Crusade league, playing at 75 power level in the Wars of Faith mission Fuel the Fires - a hold two/more mission with 6 objectives and a single Idol which increased in range based on the number of objectives held, and bonus points on offer for killing enemy units within their own bubble. Hive Fleet Goliath were taking on Goff Orks, run by Ben, who's Genestealer Cult I'd played in the last league. 

The Goliath Crusade force was made up a nice mix of units with lots of troops to take advantage of the Predation stage rules - unfortunately I'd moved right through that so wasn't getting any real bonuses from that aspect of the Crusade rules - in fact the only real effect was that the Crone wouldn't be getting the bonus XP for turning up! Anyway, as before, it's Behemoth and fits into a battalion. Plenty of Crusade upgrades now though, most notably the Tervigon can cast two powers, one of the Carnifexes gets +1 to hit on the charge and the Hive Crone rerolls ones to hit and has a two damage Drool Cannon.

HQ: Tervigon (Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs, Onslaught, Massive Scything Talons, The Maw-Claws of Thyrax), Tyranid Prime (Adrenal Glands, Flesh Hooks, Barbed Strangler, Lash Whip and Bonesword, Direct Guidance)

Troops: 10 Gargoyles, 20 Termagants (Devourers), 30 Termagants, 3 Tyranid Warriors (Adrenal Glands, Boneswords, 2 Deathspitters, Venom Cannon), 6 Tyranid Warriors (Adrenal Glands, Scything Talons, 4 Deathspitters, 2 Venom Cannons)

Heavy Support: 2x Carnifex (Adrenal Glands, Enhanced Senses, Heavy Venom Cannon, Spore Cysts, Thresher Scythe, Talons)

Flyer: Hive Crone (Voracious Ammunition)

For my Agendas I decided to keep it pretty simple with Priority Targets, Reaper and Survivor on the Tervigon.

Ben's WAAAGH! featured a heavy Beastsnagga element and led by a veteran Warboss in Mega Armour. There were a few rerolling ones units around but nothing too crazy in Crusade terms. Two units of Beastsnagga Boyz rolled up in two Kill Rigs, with two mobs of Squighogs and a big blob of Meganobz in a Battlewagon making the core of the force. Support came from some Mekgunz and some sneaky Objective grabbing Grots! Quite a brutal list full of dead killy stuff but not particularly subtle!

Deployment didn't see any funny business, just forces lined up with a Kill Rig on each flank and a wall of Termagants between them and my big bugs. We rolled off and Ben won, opting to go first, and calling the WAAAGH! for that sweet 5+ invulnerable save.

And off they go! The Orks all disembarked and stomped forward to claim the mid board objectives, while their wagons and rigs lined up some shooting. The Tervigon took the brunt of it, dropping to half wounds in what was a weirdly consistent phase of Ork shooting - I think both the Rigs and the two Kustom Mega-kannon Mek Gun unit blasted off three wounds each.

Then we had the charge phase - a long bomb 11 incher from a unit of Squighogs was the only option. Might as well give it a go right?

They barrelled into the 6 strong warrior brood and between strats on both sides, reduced them to two models - the remaining ones fought back to remove one Hog and see another flee to morale. Overall a pretty solid start for the Orks.

Tyranid turn one and we shuffled around to get as much shooting as possible in while trying to maintain the Termagant screen. The Crone made a move into the enemy flank to do harassment and maybe draw some units back, splitting fire and damaging a couple of the units back there. A whole load of Termagant shots blasted the Beastsnaggas off the left objective, but the combination of Tyranid Prime and Gargoyles were unable to repeat that over on the right. Maybe if those Warriors were still alive...

Elsewhere the Venom Cannons all whiffed against one of the Kill Rigs - thanks to the 'transhuman' strat my strength 9 Heavy ones were wounding on 4s - or not as the case may be. I was really hoping to kill or severely damage it before it crashed into my lines, along with the ominous block of Meganobz on the other side of the central ruin. We did manage to finish off that Squighog Boy though!

Here they come! The Orks picks up some points for holding objectives, but also surged forward in a wave of destruction. Shooting featured some wasted fire against the Crone but a lot of effective stuff against the Tervigon again, reducing it to a token few wounds. The Meganobz opened up on the 'gant screen with their Skorchas and reduced the 30 down to about six or seven - just enough to screen out the Killrig charge, but also leaving the Nobz without a realistic target.

Boom, in they all came. The Battlewagon used ramming speed to get a big charge round onto the Tervigon, and felling it with the mortal wounds. The two Rigs got in stuck in and removed the Termagant blob and the Gargoyles. The 'Survivor' had fallen, and all my screen was gone, but I still had some heavy hitters. However due to the proximity to my Idol of all this carnage, Ben scored big this turn, I think it was 25 points right here between kills and objectives, it would be a tough ask to overhaul that.

In my turn the Tyranids weren't really able to move much, they just had to react to what was right in front of them. The Venom Cannons were once again not the most effective, though they did some damage against the closest Kill Rig. The Crone was off doing it's own thing though, killing off a unit of Grots and the other Squighogs with shooting while doing in the Bubble Chukka with it's Thorax Spur. The two Carnifexes were going to have to do some work - and they did here, with the Bunny charging in and battering the Kill Rig to death and the Unicorn tearing a chunk out of the battlewagon. I was once again controlling some objectives but no enemy unit kills near their Idol was a problem.

Turn three and time for the Boss and his Boyz to get stuck in. The souped up Mega Armour Warboss barrelled into the remaining Tyranid Warrior unit, mulching them with ease, before his Meganobz repeated the feat against the unit of spawned Termagants. Between shooting, psychic and melee the remaining Killrig pretty much cleared out the Nid right flank, though it wasn't all one way as the Battlewagon succumbed to the Carnifex in the second round of their melee.

Nid turn three and we were both starting to run out of assets. The Fexes still needed to clear some big threats for me, so they set at it, shooting the Warboss first then lining up a couple of charges. The Crone continued it's good form by flapping over and blasting the last unit of Ork troops off the right objective, while my last troop unit of Termagants were parked on the left objective flinging ineffectual Devourer bugs into the Warboss. Both charges were successful - the injured Unicorn 'fex charged the Warboss and killed him with a Trampling Charge, while the Bunny fex steamrolled through the Meganobz - Carnifex talons being the perfect profile with 3 damage and -3 AP.

At this stage the Orks were reduced to one unit of Mek Gunz and a single Kill Rig, though they were still far ahead on points.

Over the last two turns the remaining Nids tried and failed to finish the Killrig, which took out the Crone in overwatch (with the Stikka kannon!) and one of the 'fexes with a psychic blast, while the other was Mega-kannoned to death. In the end there were only a few Termagants left to cower in the ruins. A loss for the Tyranids, with the points eventually 50-25 in favour of the Orks.

Obviously the Beast Snagga themed Ork force came here and got what it wanted - plenty of big trophies! However the death of this planet is still certain - the Tyranid bio-organisms will reform and be reinforced for the remains of the Consumption phase of the invasion. It was an awesome fun game with lots of lovely carnage, and after that I'm sitting on 3-3 in this league, which is pretty much where I want to be. Thoughts now turn to what to add for the final couple of games at 100 power level. Since we're in the Consumption phase I'm planning to lean into that and add some late stage Tyranid organism reinforcements. I'm pretty sure there will be a Hive Tyrant of some sort coming in, and I'm definitely going to take old Grabby Tongue aka the Haruspex. I'm probably looking at Zoanthropes as well, they are just too useful to ignore really, and if there's a Tyrant I might try to fit in some Guard. We'll see.