My friends and I ended up with a “gaming weekend” which allowed me the opportunity to test out some further combinations of different units. I wanted to dig deeper into the Heavy Mining Tools team mentioned previously, and even throw down with some Purestrain Genestealers, so experience them for the first time (I’m skeptical).

 

Like last time, a few notes: This game was pre 3” blip restriction and I was playing that Demo Charges do NOT return on death.

 

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First up was against Blood Ravens in Gladius Task Force (this is a bit of a troll from my opponent, as I LOVE Blood Ravens and was trying very hard to choose between them an GSC for a 10th edition army). 

 

I ran: 

 

Primus
-Prowling Agitant
Nexos
-Inscrutable Cunning
Neophytes (20 man)
-Mining Laser (4)
-Grenade Launcher (4)

Acolytes (5 man Demo Charges)
Acolytes (5 man Demo Charges)
Acolytes (10 man Heavy Mining Tools)

Kellermorph

Ridgerunner
-Mortar

Aberrants (5 man)
Abominant

 

General goals: sneak some Lone Operative action in there with the Kellermorph from the boarding patrol set and test out the Acolytes with the Heavy Mining Tools.

 

As mentioned, he dropped down some Gladius action, including (best guess):

 

Aggressors (3)
-Apothecary

Bladeguard (3)
Bladeguard (3)
-Judiciar

Eliminators (3)
Eradicators (3)
Incursors (3)

Repulsor

 

Deployment
 

 

 

Big Neophyte blob in the back, Aberrants up top, and a Demo unit on the bottom. The central objective was pretty awkward for me with his snipers lined up to either pop my characters out of the Neophyte brick or to pick on whomever walked onto the objective. 

 

Turn 1

 

GSC: Heavy Mining Lasers take the Repulsor down to a couple wounds. I move up and take the center objective. 

 

Blood Ravens: Impulsor moves up, impressively lays into the Neophytes, lotta guns. Snipers pick on the Acolytes in the center. Bladeguard move up.
 

p, impressively lays into the Neophytes, lotta guns. Snipers pick on the Acolytes in the center. Bladeguard move up.

 

 

Turn 2

 

GSC: Kellermorph deep strikes onto objective. Aberrants move up. Acolytes Grenade Repulsor to death then Demo Charge the Eradicators to death. 3” Deep Strike the Heavy Mining Tool unit by my opponent’s rear objective. Bladeguard heroic into them and die. 

 

Blood Ravens: Bladeguard come forward and take the objective from the Kellermorph. I use my strat to protect the center objective Acolytes from the Aggressors. Incursions come down and kill my Acolytes, sadness.

 

Turn 3

 

GSC: Aberrants have to turn around and go kill the Bladeguard. Demo Acolytes come in and kill the Incursors. 
 

 

 

The game continues but mostly it’s a mop up action, where he only has the Eliminators and Aggressors left, and they are up against my entire army.

 

Final Score: 94 - 47

 

Also a photo of a rather cheeky model cleaning off his sword with my faction’s cloth colors…I feel so trolled!
 

 

 

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Second game was against my Tyranid buddy again, this time running:

 

Primus
Nexos
Neophytes (20 man)
-Mining Laser (4)
-Grenade Launcher (4)

Acolytes (5 man Demo Charges)
Acolytes (5 man Demo Charges)
Acolytes (10 man Heavy Mining Tools)

Purestrain Genestealers (5 man)

Ridgerunner
-Mortar

Aberrants (5 man)
Biophagus
-Inscrutable Cunning

 

Tyranid list should look pretty familiar, or similar:

 

Winged Prime (Name?)
x6 Von Ryan Leapers
x3 Raveners
x10 Termagaunts
x10 Termagaunts
x10 Hormagaunts
x2 Carnifexes (Two Guns)
x2 Carnifexes (Two Melee)

 

Deployment
 

 

 

Biggest change for me was setting up with a screen of 5 Pure Strains. I figured if I went first I could get a Turn 1 charge and gum up the works for my opponent.

 

…I went second. C’est la vie.

 

Turn 1

 

Tyranids: Gunifexes work to come around the terrain at the top of the table. In the center, Stabfexes come right into the Purestrains. A spritely overwatch kills a Fex, and they trundle into the Purestrains. Winged Prime comes straight on up also, very threatening. Prime and Fexs charge the Purestrains who…survive, barely, bc invulnerable saves are silly.

 

GSC: Acolytes blast the unengaged Wing Prime to death, done with that sucker. Genestealers play with the Fex some more, still hanging in there…?! 
 

 

 

Turn 2:

 

Tyranids: He deep strikes the Raveners, I pop one with Overwatch. Fex kills the Purestrain. Termaguants kill the Acolytes. I Rapid Ingress the Heavy Mining Tool Acolytes up top. Raveners hilariously fail their charge.
 

 

 

GSC: Neophytes are under a lot of pressure, they back up and put shots into the Carnifex, failing to kill it. Aberrants advance to threaten the center of the table. Heavy Mining Tool Acolytes roll into the two Carnifexes up top and kill one. Kellermorph holds the back objective.

 

Turn 3

 

Tyranids: Carnifex goes for the charge, get’s Overwatched (phew!). Raveners make it in, Termagaunts too! Acolytes and Pure Strains blip on down. Protracted fight with the Raveners and the Neophytes. Acolytes up top kill the last Carnifex. Acolytes go back up into Deep Strike. Neophyte combat is a draw, I kill some of him, they kill some of me. 
 

 

 

GSC: Purestrains advance and charge into the fray, Demo Charge Acolytes drop down on the Von Ryan’s. Aberants and HMT Acolytes push towards the Tyranid home Objective, taking out the second Termagaunt unit. Purestrains pick up the Raveners, Neophytes finish the other Termaguants. Leapers take a lot of casualties from Demo Charges and flame throwers.
 

 

 

Turn 4

 

Pushing models around, my opponent is mostly tabled.

 

Final Score: 48-40

 

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Final Thoughts:

 

I don’t put too much stock in these games. We’re all still learning, we are collection limited, and GSC are in a MUCH stronger spot than Tyranids and SM. 

A couple things that leapt out though:

• Purestrains stick a bit longer than they should, but they’re only good at harassing light/med infantry. I think an argument could be made they have a place in the army.
• The Nids putting massive pressure on me with the Termagaunts, Raveners, and Carnifexes really hurt my score. I think it highlights that I will struggle in the future into strong pressure based lists.
• Very happy with the 10 man Heavy Mining Tool unit, they did great.