Batrep: Eldar vs Tyranids

So finally after weeks of tweaking his list, Marshall was finally ready to bring his Tyranids out to play with me. I have on the other hand been working on the Eldar army from a modelling perspective. Still lots more to go but I am happy I am getting there. 

Tyranids (Marshall)

Hive Tyrant + Twin Linked Brainleech Devourer Worms + wings  [Warlord]
Hive Tyrant + Twin Linked Brainleech Devourer Worms + wings
Zoanthrope
Zoanthrope
Zoanthrope
Termagants with Fleshborers x19
Termagants with Fleshborers x19
Termagants with Fleshborers x19
Termagants with Fleshborers x19
Hive Crone
Hive Crone
Hive Crone
Biovore x3
Biovore x3
Tyrannofex with Electroshock Grubs

Psychic Powers:
Warlord - Horror, Onslaught
Hive Tyrant - Dominion, Paroxysm
Zoanthrope - Catalyse, Wrap blast
Zoanthrope- Dominion, Wrap blast
Zoanthrope - Dominion, Wrap blast

Warlord Trait:
Strategic with a -1 to my Reserve rolls 

Eldar (Ray)

Farseer: Mantle of the Laughing God, Runes of Witnessing, Witchblade, Jetbike [Warlord]
Farseer: Runes of Witnessing, Singing Spear, Jetbike
Fire Dragons x6: Wave Serpent - Holofields, Twin Linked Scatter Lasers, Shuriken Cannon
Guardians x10: Wave Serpent - Holofields, Twin Linked Scatter Lasers, Shuriken Cannon
Dire Avengers x10: Wave Serpent - Holofields, Twin Linked Scatter Lasers, Shuriken Cannon
Windrider Jetbike x3
Windrider Jetbike x3
Warp Spiders x8
Warp Spiders x8
Fire Prism: Holo Fields
War Walker x3: Bright Lance, Scatter Laser

Psychic Powers:
Warlord - Guide, Misfortune and Prescience
Farseer - Guide, Doom and Prescience

Warlord Traits:
Some silly one that allowed my Warlord and unit he is with to +1 for all run moves. I was mounted on a Jetbike with the Mantle of the Laughing God so this trait was useless.

We played on this new board that Ricco had just finished the night before and it looks awesome. Looked like a daemon world or a world on the brink of collapse after being consumed. Just perfect for our match!

Mission: The Relic
Looked like Farseer Thrandil had to quickly get in and out before the sun rose. The Shield of Directions was sitting right atop the Chaotic atoll and there were all sorts of Tyrannic beasts lying in wait. Mustering the warhost, it was time to snatch it before all was lost in the planet's dying throes. 

Deployment: Eldar centre field

Deployment: left field held with Spiders and the Avengers Serpent

Took the right ruins with my other unit of Spiders

I took the first turn and Marshall did not manage to steal the initiative. Night Fight was in play

Turn 1 Eldar: casted the powers to assist my shooting. Night Fight was in play so that limited my alpha strike. I was really worried about the left flank with 3 Crones flying in. After some shooting, I managed to steal 4 wounds off the Tyrannofex. 

Wounded big fella

At the end of my Turn 1, I did not manage to remove anything. =(

Turn 1 Tyranids: in flew the Crones. I'm glad I didn't move my Serpents up too aggressively which game me one more turn of shooting. Marshall went with a strong left flank which was a good strategy. 

Meanwhile the rest of his big ones pushed up the middle supported by the invisible Crone on the Chaos Shrine

Right side of my field looking precarious

Lost 2 HP to glancing hits from the Tyrant 

Crones everywhere!

Lost 2 of my War Walkers to Biovores and their floaty sacks which apparently can charge on the turn they are dropped

Turn 2 Eldar: Disembarked my Dire Avengers as I expected the Serpent to die the next turn. Also, the additional firepower was going to come in handy to take down one Crone or the Hive Tyrant. 

Advanced my Warp Spiders to try to bring this beast down. No luck. Marshall did not fail a single Grounding Check. 

My 1st Jetbike unit arrived. Advanced the rest of my force up slowly to try to contest the Relic

Combined fire managed to bring down the Hive Tyrant but left the Crones and the Warlord untouched

Turn 2 Tyranids: Marshall proceeded to vector strike all my Serpents. Lost 5 Guardians in the explosion. 

Another vector strike destroyed the Avenger Serpent leaving a wreck. The Vendetta was proxying for a Crone

Dakka dakka left me with 4 Avengers

Tyrannofex reduced this unit of Guardians to 3 men

Turn 3 Eldar: My effectiveness was cut in half in Turn 2. Losing 2 Wave Serpents was a massive blow to my plan. Also, Biovores really did me in. Marshall managed to kill off both units of Spiders. Sheesh! I tried my best to hex his Crones and targetted so many shots into the middle Crone. No luck. Marshall passed all his Grounding tests

Flying monsters can really wreak havoc! They are impossible to hit. I have just found the bane of my list. I need to call in the sky hunter

Turn 3 Tyranids: this time I lost 2 Farseers. I should have joined the jetbike units

Dragons moved up to threaten the Crone

Turn 4 Eldar: Finally managed to kill off one of the Crones (proxy) using combined fire. I had very little left to fight with so threw as much as I could into his Warlord, hoping to score the 1 VP there

Started to shoot into his Gants to try to contest the Relic

Marshall was truly swarming me

Turn 5 Tyranids: the Crone who left earlier re-enters the board. Marshall starts pulling the Relic back to his board edge

This lone Guardian did his best to run and gun

Rule question: can Eldar units charge after they Battlefocus?
Marshall said "no" as the unit would have ran in the shooting phase
I said "yes" as Battlefocus was an extra run
Let me know what you guys think?

Game end

We rolled for Turn 6 but YC rolled a 2 ending the game. Marshall had the Relic, Linebreaker and Slay the Warlord
I had First Blood and Linebreaker

Marshall wins!

A good game nonetheless. It does go to show that the Nids can fight with the right list. I play them too and hope that they work. This game is one such example with the Crones really leading the way. Ld10 and FMC really helps.

Hope you guys enjoyed it!