Batrep 1850: Shield of Baal - Week 3. Hivefleet Leviathan vs Mantis Chapter

Week 3 of the Shield of Baal Campaign has started and I just got in my game today. 1,850 points, I was playing against Patrick with his Mantis Space Marine Chapter which utilizes the Ultramarines Chapter Tactics. 

Patrick's Mantis

Mantis Chapter

HQ

Chapter Master with Artificier Armour, Bike, Power Fist and Storm Shield

Chief Librarian Tigurius

Troops

Bike Squad with Grav Gun x2 and Space Marine Bikers x7, Biker Sergeant

Bike Squad with Grav Gun x2 and Space Marine Bikers x7, Biker Sergeant

Heavy

Centurion Devastator Squad: Centurion with Grav-cannon and grav amp and Hurricane Bolter x3

Land Raider Redeemer with TL Assault Cannon and Two Flamestorm Cannons

Thunderfire Cannon x2

Knight Paladin with Rapid Fire Battle Cannon, Reaper Chainsword and Two Heavy Stubbers

Tyranids

Hivefleet Leviathan Detachment

HQ

Flying Tyrant with Twin Linked Brainleech Devourers

Warrior Prime with Twin Boneswords and Scything Talons

Troops

Tervigon

Termagants: 20 Fleshborers and 10 Devourers (attached to the Warrior Prime)

Mucolid Spore x3

Rippers x3

Elites

Malanthrope

Hive Guard x3

Heavy

Carnifex with TL Brain Leech Devourers

Carnifex with TL Brain Leech Devourers

Carnifex with TL Brain Leech Devourers

Skytyrant Swarm 

Flyrant with Toxin Sacs, Bonesword with Lashwhip

Gargoyles x15

Gargoyles x15

The HQ

 

Rushed to prepare him for this game

The Broodmother

Tyranid Psychic Powers

It is worth reading up on the scenario. This time both sides are forced to split our armies up due to random deployment.

These special rules really made the game quite interesting as the player is forced to think outside of the box and really consider how he will tackle the enemy with his current assets.

Mantis deployment

Since Tyranids come in on Turn 1, I sent in my entire army without leaving any in Reserves. I wanted to secure as many early objectives as possible in the game and then mop up there after.

Turn 1

My army was split apart due to the special scenario rules. My hard hitters were on the left flank and the Carnifexes were in all 3 table sections.

Section 1 contained my Prime, Gants and Fex. I would struggle to deal with those two thick armoured vehicles.

Meanwhile my Skytyrant Swarm turned up on section 3, furthest away from the main threats

While the Hive Guard, Malanthrope and other Flyrant turned up on the other side of the table. Target the Flyers did not manage to do any wounds to my Flyrant

Carnifex snuck up behind the Imperial Knight and manage to ping off 3 Hull Points

I manage to score 4VP for securing Objective 2 and having no enemies within 18" of the table centre.

In Patrick's turn, the Bikers came in this corner, the one corner that contained my Str8 models

And another unit pops in to support

While the Land Raider reversed and deployed the Centurions to take out my Tervigon in the corner. Pat scored First Blood

The bikers wipe out the unit of Hive Guard who failed their Break Test

And the IK charges the Carnifex to kill it

Patrick did not manage to score any objectives.

Turn 2

I reorganised my lines. The large unit of Gants with the Prime have taken severe beating from the Thunderfire Cannon. 

Meanwhile my Skytyrant Swarm moved up midfield to threaten the Centurions

Threw some fire into the Bikers and the Chapter Master actually took 3 wounds, limping on one. 

But in Pat's turn he threw his IK into my Tyrant

Unfortunately for me, we had misinterpreted the IK rules, allowing Pat to generate wounds from the hits into my Gargoyles, effectively wiping this unit out really quickly

I had also forgot about Smash which allowed me to reroll my Armour Penetration result (I rolled a 12)

Despite the setbacks, I managed to score 1 VP for securing another objective marker. I was on 5VPs.

Pat regroups his bikers and peppers all the TFC fire into my Warrior Prime, destroying the unit except for the Warlord

Pat did not manage to secure any objectives but managed to kill off more of my units. I was losing Monsters fast

Turn 3

I knew I had to forgo killing and just go for the objectives so focussed on doing so.

Swooped the Flyrant over to help my Prime to kill his Warlord

My Flyrant again did me proud, killing off 5 Bikers, alleviating pressure from the Prime.

I charged my Prime who is also the Warlord into his

I took a wound but killed off one Biker. The Chapter Master regenerates 1 wound. He is now on 2 wounds! What the...

I managed to secure a VP for capturing Objective 1. I now had 6 VPs to Pat's 1.

Pat moved his bikers closer to the objectives. I had little left so he could concentrate on killing off the Flyrant

Try though they did, the Pale Death jinked and rolled to survive

The Chapter Master successfully slays my warlord giving Pat 1VP

He also managed to Garrison a Building giving him 2VP. This turn net Pat 3VPs in total

Turn 5, 6 and 7

It was now the hunt for the Pale Death. 

I chose to fly back and forth trying to take out his Warlord but to no avail

Pat managed to score another 4VP's for securing objectives while I struggled to accomplish mine.
I only had one model! The Pale Death was really earning its place

Surviving on 1 wound! 

 But alas, the game was lost.

Final tally:

Hivefleet Levithan: 6VPs
Mantis Chapter: 8VPs

Pat played well. He prioritized the targets and had designed his list to counter the Nids. Arm14 are tough to beat and I could do little to apply enough pressure to kill off sufficiently due to the scattered army. In hindsight I would take a turn to reorganize my army and then send them forward to really apply sufficient pressure on key units.

I lost 3 Mission Points for the Campaign. The Tyranids are currently at 0 Mission Points while the Imperials are at 10 Mission Points!