Tyranids vs Adeptus Custodes

The Regis Vindicta lies quietly in orbit around the planet Torn IV. Heavy footsteps echo through the corridors of the secret cruiser of the Legio Custodes.
A massive steel bulkhead opens to reveal a richly decorated throne hall. Large fire bowls bathe the gold-plated shining walls in a warm flickering light.
Shield-Captain Artoris Calligus steps in front of the throne and lowers his head: 'Captain-General Valoris, I report for duty!' On the tron sits the protector of the sol system, intensely scrutinizing Calligus.
His scarred face shows no emotion as he speaks: 'Artoris Calligus, your first mission as a Shield-Captain is imminent. Torn IV houses sacred relics, which we will transfer to Terra. The relics are prepared for transport. You will coordinate the recovery. The enemy has their eye on us. In the neighboring system a Tyranid hivefleet has already overrun a planet. I am accompanying the mission as an observer. Prepare the mission immediately. You may leave.'
'Yes, Captain- General!', Calligus replies, straightens up, turns around and leaves the room.

'Captain, the containers with the holy cargo are in sight and unharmed.', a custodian guard passes through the com, 'but a swarm of tyranids is tampering with the containers.'
Shield-Captain Artoris Calligus reacts immediately and hisses towards the enemies on his jetbike.
'Men, we are advancing on the left flank. I will cause confusion on the right flank and fight for spaces.'

Trajan Valoris silently observes the action. Only a tiny twitch of his eyebrow reveals that he does not consider the Shield-Captain's action wise.

Scenario

Christoph: 1500 points Tyranids - Battalion (Kraken) - 11CP

Alex: 1500 points Adeptus Custodes - Battalion (Custom) - 12CP

Mission: Eternal War - Vital Intelligence

Aufstellung: see Mission

Spielfeld: 44x60

Setup

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Round 1

Tyranids

Shield-Captain Calligus observes how the Xenos ranks secure the next objectives as swift as an arrow. Hormagants, Termagants and Ripper Swarms advance and scurry around the mission objects like clouds. Zoantrophs with flashing warp fields support the small creatures and secure the morale of the tyranids on the flanks with their synapse. The Tervigon and the Swarmlord take cover and command the small beetles.
The Tyranids try to manifest their psi-powers, but cannot do any damage.
Directly in front of the main force's position sporemines go down. A guard is hit by an exploding mine and injured. At the place where the acid hit him, a hole gapes in seconds.
Calligus is satisfied. The initiative of the tyranids has not brought them much. He smiles, it will be a short fight!

Adeptus Custodes

Shield Captain Artoris Calligus races his jetbike directly towards the enemy lines and opens fire on the termagants around the mission target. Some creatures die.
While a squad of guards holds the mission target in their own area, the main force is blocked in its movement by sporemines. Captain -General Valoris and his men have to see how they handle the living bombs skillfully.
With well-aimed shots the bio-bombs are destroyed and the fire is opened on the Hormagaunts, which suffer some losses.
Shield-Captain Calligus plays his secret trump card. The nameless Culexus Assasin enters the battlefield from a shadow. Her uncanny presence puts a shadow over her surroundings and paralyzes the psionics of the Tyranids.
Empowered he attacks the Zoantrophs directly in front of his position. If the hovering xenos didn't have a warp field protecting them, Calligus would certainly have dismembered them. So many of his attacks bounce off the force fields and only one creature dies. He had imagined it differently.

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Round 2

Tyranids

On the left flank the Zoanthropes conquer more space around the mission goal and the Hormagants consolidate their position. The Termagants directly at the Shield-Captains position on the right flank run away. They encircle the Culexus Assasin and keep them busy in close combat.
But the opened Animus Speculum of the elite fighter remains effective nevertheless. The Tyranids do not succeed in making their psionic powers work in the battle. Many spells do not manifest, others fail due to the resistance of the Custodian Guards.
The troops around the Captain-General are again fired at by sporemines. One guard dies in the acid bath. The flank is threatened by bombs around it.
In the corner of his eye Calligus notices a movement. The Swarmlord storms over a hill towards him. The huge beast whirls four bonesabers and hits him like a battering ram. The Shield-Captain can cleverly evade the numerous attacks, but still his jetbike is damaged. In return, he can only wound the Swarmlord. Calligus has underestimated his opponent and tries to find a better fighting position. The Hivetyrant uses this maneuver to attack him again. The hornsabers penetrate his armor without resistance, he is torn from the jetbike and hurled away. Before Shield-Captain Calligus hits the ground he loses consciousness.

Trajan Valoris has observed the downfall of the Shield-Captain.
With the demise of the warlord he takes command: 'Until the reinforcements arrive, we'll take care of the left flank. The swarmlord will have its fight later!'

Adeptus Custodes

Once again, the emperor's bodyguard is restricted in its movement. However, the Vexilus Praetor can break through and activates his teleport homer. While the fighters are advancing behind him, the air around him starts to flash. Directly in front of the enemy line six heavily armored Allarus-Terminators materialize and open fire immediately. Sporemines and Hormagants are shredded in the hail of bullets. The terminators immediately attack the Zoanthropes at the objective. The Tyranid psionics are covered with endless powerful blows, but their warp fields absorb most hits. To the horror of the Custodians, one creature remains alive.
The remaining Hormagants are hacked to pieces by a squad of guards, but even here a single Tyranide remains alive.
On the right flank the Culexus Assasin fights the Termagants. Some die, but she too is injured in the battle.

Captain-General Valoris is not satisfied with the development of the battle.

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Round 3

Tyranids

As the Swarm Lord approaches, the Termagants around the Assassin retreat from close combat.
With the appearance of the Teminators, the units on the left flank retreat. The lone Hormagaunt flees from the Custodians. Termagants and Ripper Swarms move out of line of sight for cover.
The last Zoantroph remains in melee with the Terminators and can kill a fighter with a smite and a Mental Scream.
The Tyranid's Psi-Powers cannot do the intended damage this turn either.
Sporemines wound a Custodian at the home objective and the wounded Assassin. The Termagants also score a hit with their fleshborers.
The Swarmlord attacks the Custodian Guards in their own deployment zone. Its not easy but he can kill two warriors. The counterattack remains ineffective.
The Termagants manage to overpower the Culexus Assassin. The Animus Speculum is deactivaed and with it the damping of the warp.

Trajan Valoris gives orders: 'Hold mission objectives. The center advances to the right flank. Let's cut the head off the snake. For the Emperor!''

Adeptus Custodes

The assault begins. Captain-General Valoris, the Vexilus Praetor and a squad of Custodian Guards storm the Swarmlord.
Meanwhile the Terminators advance to the center and the rearmost squad of Guards to the objective on the left flank.
Some Termagants die in the fire of Bolters.
Like a battering ram the Captain-General hits the side of the Swarmlord. The great Tyrant is struggeling with balance. Valoris uses this second to ram his huge axe deep into the exoskeleton of the Swarmlord. The Hivetyrant screams and writhes. When the Captain-General Trajan Valoris rips out the axe, the leader of the Tyranids is dead.

'For Calligus and for the Emperor!' shouts the leader of the Legio Custodes.

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Round 4

Tyranids

With the death of the Swarmlord, the Tervigon takes command of the Tyranids. The gigantic brood creature reinforces the decimated Termagants with new fighters.
Psi-powers and stinger salvos destroy a custodian at the front. Sporemines land again around the custodians. Another fighter is decomposed by the corrosive acid.

'The tyranids hold back. They may have achieved what they wanted,' the Captain-General thinks.

Adeptus Custodes

Half of the battlefield is secured, but the relics are not. Valoris is annoyed at the Shield-Captain's careless action.
'Maybe we can still rescue him,' he thinks.
Meanwhile, he advances further with the troops in the center. The Terminators and the Guards stay with the occupied objectives.
Due to the lack of weapon range, only the Zoantrophs are fired at. One creature is wounded, all other hits are derived from the warp field again.
'That's not enough! We must attack,' commands Valoris, whereupon a Custodian Guard storms the psykers. The warrior hits several times, killing one zoantroph and wounding the second. Again it is not enough, the Xenos remains alive.

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Round 5

Tyranids

The Tyranids remain in cover and do not move.
The Zoantroph tries to destroy the Custodes Warrior with a smite. He gathers warp-powers around him, but he miscalculates. The psyker disappears in a cloud of warp. The Custodian resists the warp energy and is left behind alone.
Shortly afterwards sporemines hit him, which cover him with acid. The last warrior of the unit goes down.

Adeptus Custodes

'It is certain that the Tyranids destroyed the relics,' the captain general spits out. br>'Probably they did not know of their importance,' the Vexilus Praetor replies. br>'Do not underestimate these beasts. That's why so many worlds go into their web, my friend,' Valoris answers. Find Calligus and the fallen,' concludes Trajan Valoris.

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Conclusion

Still the Regis Vindicta lies in orbit around the planet Torn IV.
A steel bulkhead lifts and Trajan Valoris enters. In the middle of the dark room a severely injured body is hanging from hoses and cables.
Servitors retreat from the injured as the Captain-General approaches. Devices ventilate the body, it beeps and hums.
'Artoris Calligus, what a fool you were,' Valoris says to the unconscious man and continues, 'We're leaving for Torn III. I will take matters into my own hands this time. Should you awaken, prepare for a long process of atonement.'
He turns around and studies the technical equipment. The hearts beat, the breathing works.
'Get well, the Emperor needs you,' he whispers more to himself.
The great warrior turns away and leaves the room.
When the steel bulkhead is closed, the servitors come out of the corners to continue supplying the Shield-Ccaptain.

The thrusters of the Regis Vindicta glow and the ship starts to move.

Results

Tyranids 76

Adeptus Custodes 48

A great game with truly epic moments.
The Custodes proved resilient.
The Tyranids tactics worked.

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