Sisters of Battle VS Greyanids

Om Nom Nom

If you're only interested in hearing the result of my Sisters v. the Tyranid menace, the above picture sums it up nicely. For the details, read on.

Allow me start out by explaining the insanity behind this conflict. The Greyanids are run by the same guy that runs the Grey Scars. Whilst waiting for his bikes to come in to make a new and improved Ultra-Bikes list, he gets antsy and decides he needs a Xenos horde army. He grabs the Tyranid codex and in a fit of blind rage buys out the local hobby shop's Tyranid collection. He doesn't even open the codex to see what models he wants! The Hive Mind has gotten to him, I swear. This is all fact. Bonus fact! He put together his 1000 point list--going from bits in a box into full models--over the course of 48 hours. Craziness.

My List (Total Faith Points: 6)

HQ
Canoness with Book, Cloak, Inferno Pistol, Power Weapon, and Jump Pack

Elite
5-woman Celestian squad with 2 Meltaguns and Veteran Sister Superior with Book and Power Weapon in an Immolator (TL-Heavy Flamer, Extra Armor)

Troops
2x 10-woman Battle Sister squad with a Meltagun, Heavy Flamer, and VSS with Book and Bolt Pistol/CCW in a Rhino with Extra Armor

Fast Attack
6-woman Seraphim squad with 2 TL-Hand Flamers and VSS with Book, Bolt Pistol, and Power Weapon

Heavy Support
Exorcist with Extra Armor

His list was bunches of little creepy nightmares accompanied by a few big scary nightmares. In other words, he had a couple squads each of Hormagaunts and Termagants, a couple Tyranid Primes, a Carnifex, and the Mawloc--Harbinger of Despair and Devourer of Sisters.

Deployment

Nids win the roll off and choose to go second. The mission, by the way, is a 4 objective Seize Ground Pitched Battle. Objectives were placed in a zig-zaggy pattern across the board. I place all my Sisters out (except, as you'll see later, my Canoness) because the Emperor Provides For His Faithful.

Objective 1: Black shrine in the center

Objective 2: Carnifex arm towards the back of the building 

Objective 3: Another black shrine

Objective 4: A Genestealer arm in the side of the hill

My side of the table

He goes next, setting up his Nids across his end of the table.

Just the Carnifax, Ma'am

Don't worry, this is only half of them

And then they seize the initiative. Quick little mindless brutes. Oh, let us not forget the infiltrators.

18 Inches Away

Top of Turn One

'Fex 'n' 'Stealers

Prime 'n' Termies

Hormas

The Carnifex and Hormagaunts reverted to Instinctive Behavior and did exactly what they would have done if they hadn't failed the roll: charged towards my Sisters. For shooting phase, they all ran.

Running

Bottom of Turn One

For my first move, I made sure all of my bunkers and heavy weapons platforms didn't give up any free hits (i.e. I moved them all) and launched my Seraphim Suicide Squad towards the enemy.

Operation Deadly Pipe Organ

Going for an early objective grab

Preparing for DFA

Shooting wasn't too spectacular, but the humble Storm Bolters and Exorcist Missile (only one, alas) take their toll.

That die on the Carnifex is the wound from the Exorcist

Dumb guy must have stepped out of cover

Top of Turn Two

Reserve rolls are good for most of the Tyranid swarm. They were also good for my Sisters since the Mawloc stayed home.

Gaunt Reinforcements

Another Prime to Keep the 'Gants in check

Apparently Not Too Interested in the Objective

Ha Ha

More running during Shooting. I learned that all those 'Gaunts have "Leaps and Bounds" and Move Through Cover which does not make me the happiest camper.

Okay, getting a little too close

Spreading Out

Some got primed before the battle

Still no Assaults, so on to . . .

Bottom of Turn Two

We don't need auto-hits from either unit

Hand Flamers to the front!

Those Twin-Linked Heavy Flamers are hoping to toast some 'Gaunts

I moved all of my tanks to prevent those auto hits. The difficult terrain checks for my Rhino were nice all game. After moving my Immolator and Seraphim squad into good positions for placing templates, they unleashed the divine flame.

Twin-Linked Heavy Flamers do their job

As do Hand Flamers

Exorcist: It's got what big bugs crave (Electrolyte Missiles!)

The big winner of the phase was the Exorcist launching 5 missiles at the Carnifex. Each turned into a wound it couldn't save. Sure, the Flamers did great too, but they didn't single-handedly prevent certain death for a Rhino.

For Assault, my Seraphim Sisters performed a mop-up operation. Using "the Passion" (Remaining Faith Points: 5) to increase their Initiative to 6, they wiped out the 'Gaunts easily and without casualties. They consolidated towards the next group since they can just Hit and Run to get out of Assault at the end of the Nids turn.

Easy as cake. Mmm, cake.

Top of Turn Three

MAWLOC!

The Mawloc came in from reserves. Ow. Since I have so many to share, here's another Fun Fact! Spirit of the Martyr, that Faith ability that gives Sisters an Invulnerable save in place of their Armor save can only be used in Shooting or Assault phases. So the Mawloc's S6 AP2 Deep Strike attack neatly circumvents it. If a Sister takes a wound (which she will on a 2+), she will die. Even a Canoness, unless she has a Rosarius or Mantle of Ophelia, is dead since the Strength is double her Toughness.

I was lucky and he rolled 3 1's to wound. I wasn't so lucky in the remaining turn.

They didn't like what I did to the Carnifex

The Seraphim Superior is lost to Shooting

And the Flamers were eaten by Hormagaunts.

The Mawloc took out THAT source of easy kills

Trogdor'd

Well. As you can see, I lost my Seraphim Sisters (Remaining Faith Points: 6), my Exorcist (which did well in taking out the 'Stealers that charged it), and the TL-Heavy Flamer off my Immolator. This put a serious damper on my lead. At the bottom of turn 2 the Nids were getting scared, but then the Mawloc showed up and things started turning around again.

I wonder what they're up to now?

Bottom of Turn Three

So about this time I realize I haven't been running my Canoness at all. I check my bag to see that I had completely neglected to bring her! I did however bring Saint Celestine, so I proxied her in for my Canoness. This left us with how to put her into play. We treated her as being in reserves and I started rolling for her. No luck this turn.

Maybe this wasn't the best idea?

Tank Shock?

No fire points on an Immolator. So here's what we do: Pile out the sisters, tank shock the Nids, and Melta the Mawloc. Charge if necessary. Result of the plan? Nids are Fearless near a Synapse creature, and the Mawloc loses 1 wound of 6. Then it does a Hit and Run to get out of assault. (Remaining Faith Points: 5) On the other side of the table, Bolters and Flamers whittle down the Genestealers.

Forgot to knock them over, but all 4 Termagants died.

Run, Mawloc, Run!

Burn!

Top of Turn Four

I knew it was afraid. The Mawloc turned tail and burrowed off the board.

This is what they really mean by "Instinctive Behavior"

Losses from shooting

Applying a little more Passion (Remaining Faith Points: 4) results in not much but does allow them to kill a couple 'Gaunts before the inevitable.

Aaaand nom nom nom nom (Remaining Faith Points: 5)

My Tank!

Voracious Appetites Consolidate

The Tyranid Prime Wrecks my Rhino. Sadness ensues. I'll get them back for it. 

"Knock, Knock." "Go Away!"

Bottom of Turn Four

Finally the Canoness gets to play with everyone else.

O HAI GAIZ

No one breaks our tank!

We mean it.

She didn't actually help at all

Heavy Flamers are really a Sister's best friend. My Canoness' Inferno Pistol missed, but the Sisters in the Rhino took care of it. All of the 'Gaunts with the Primes died between the Heavy Flamer and massed Bolter fire.

Top of Turn Five

WHY IS IT BACK?! WHY?!

Yes, the Mawloc came up underneath my Sisters squad. Two survived: one from not being in the template and the other was from a 1 to wound.

The Objective Conga Line

My sisters used another Faith Point (Remaining Faith Points: 3) to get their revenge on the Prime that took their tank. And got eaten in the process. (Remaining Faith Points: 4)

Hungry Hungry Mawlocs

Consolidation

Bottom of Turn Five

Trying to stay relevant

What do you do with a tank when it's useless?

So I had to try to do something with my remaining turn before the game ended. So I pushed some 'Gants around with my useless Immolator and tried to get the Canoness in closer so she could wreck some Nids if the game continued. And it did.

Top of Turn Six

The Mawloc disappeared again. Other than that, the Nids were content to stick where they were.

Bottom of Turn Six

Jump Packs are awesome

I kill you!

So my Canoness managed to get into the action a little bit (Hand of the Emperor for +2S, Init 1 (Remaining Faith Points: 3)) before the end of the game which according to the dice. . . .

Top of Turn Seven

WWHHHHHYYYYY?!?!?! Dear God, why?

He doesn't hurt the Rhino, but sitting next to the Objective is enough. The Canoness and Prime exchange blows, but I don't think either was hurt (I didn't take pictures, at least). Hand of the Emperor again (Remaining Faith Points: 2) since it gives her a 4+ to wound instead of the 6 requirement without it.

Bottom of Turn Seven

VICTORY! (Remaining Faith Points: 1)

Well, this is it. Last turn before the end of the game. I killed off the second HQ while doing nothing to the Mawloc hovering on the far Objective. My Canoness couldn't consolidate anywhere useful, so she just gloated over the dead Prime while the Termies sat there staring.

End Result:

Sisters: 2 Objectives Contested
Greyanids: Objectives Contested, 1 Objective Held

Victory Greyanids! 

I hate you so much

One objective under the Immolator, follow the 'Gants to the other

Nobody loves the lonely Genestealer arm

That's it for this Battle Report. Next game will likely be in a couple weeks after New Year's.