Battle Report: Space Marines vs Tyranids
BATTLE REPORT CARD
Date: August 24, 2025
Game: Warhammer 40,000Size: 800pt vs 1000pt
Mission: Claim the Core
🟥Red Player: Alex
🟥Faction: Space Marines
🟥List: Infantry Bug Removers
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🟦Blue Player: Tom
🟦Faction: Tyranids
🟦List: Claws and Tentacles
I've owed Tom a game for almost 6 months down after having to leave early from our last game back in February.
We decided it was going to be a friendly stress relief game. Tom brining big swarms of bugs and me bringing just infantry based units (Starship Troopers anyone?). For a thematic bug sweeper list, I wanted to bring two small squads of Infernous Marines, the new only flamer units. I know how rough these units can be against swarms of low toughness units, so I suggested we play a match with a points disparity. 800 points of Space Marine shooting vs 1000 points of Tyranid Melee. We would play a simple low thought game where we limited the number of stratagems we would use.
The mission would be simple. I set up a 44”x60” board with a 22”x30” Kill Team mat in the middle. A bomb or power core or some other kind of narrative plot device was set up in the middle. The gist of the mission, at the end of the game, who ever had more units in the purple Kill Team zone controlled the device and was the winner. I had an idea for a more narrative story if the game was going sideways for one player or the other, but it became clear that we were both in it for destruction.
I brought my infantry only list, after some debate on whether or not to bring an Aliens inspired Invictus Tactical Warsuit. Two Lieutenants would lead the assault or defense of the core device while a Captain and his Terminator squad would teleport in as assistance. The list was about 700pts, and about 100pts in just relics.
Tom brought a list of 50 gaunts (30 hormagaunrts, 20 termigaunts) plus some wreckers in the form of Tyrant Guard and a big bad of a Trygon.
Our deployment was improvised on the spot in a Hammer and Anvil style, but within 12” of the board edge. This meant we started too far apart and not much happened Turn 1.
Round 1
As I mentioned above, we may have started too far apart based on our deployment. Space Marines won the initiative, running up the board and being outside of range to make any shots.
The Tyranids then go, with big advance rolls from the Hormagaunts, getting them into long-bomb charge ranges of about 10”. An Infernous Marine falls to some Barbgaunt shooting, but the reprisal from overwatch on the charging hormagaunts was vicious, frying 9/10 gaunts.
Unfortunately, the Swarm Lord (I think it was a Swarm Lord) uses its command ability, making Overwatch a 2CP stratagem for the Marines for the rest of the game. That will hurt Infernous squads.
Score: 🟥4 - 🟦5
Round 2
Round 2 is a blood bath. No hormagaunts survive Round 2. The flamers and bolters remove them all from the board. However, not all is looking bad for the Tyranids. The Tyrant guard have closed ranks on the first Infernous Swuad, who burned 2CP to Overwatch them, informing me now that these brutes are Toughness 8! Uh-oh, I was not expect that. They tank the flamer overwatch, and maul the Infernous Squad.
A squad of Venomthropes charges Intercessor squad and I spend my last two command points to fight first, and put a big hurt on the Venomthropes.
You may have noticed that neither the Terminators or the Trygon arrived during Round 2. Well, so little happened Round 1 that neither of us remembered that we were in Round 2!
Round 3
The Mauling Continues for both sides. The Venomthropes and the last of the Ripper Swarms die off. The Tyrantguard shred the first Intercessor squad and Lieutenant.
Finally, the Captain and Terminators teleport in for the rescue. They come in near the Barbgaunts and Termigaunts, throwing out a lot of stormbolter shots that amount to nothing but noise. The Trygon pops up from underground behind the Space Marine lines and, much like the Terminators, doesn't really move the needle.
Round 4
Now the Space Marines are really in trouble. They make some progress by clearing out a lot, but not all of the termigaunts nearby. They also land a successful charge into the barbgaunts while being debuffed by them and tear the 'gaunts to shreds.
However, the Tyrantguard and the Tyrgon are having a field day. They rip appart the second Intercessor squad and mulch the remaining Infernus Marines. The Tyrant guard are hurt a bit and only the Terminators stand, though at nearly at full strength.
Round 5
The End is near for the Space Marines. They do not have enough units left on the board to claim the center device. But they don't go down without a fight. They punch the Swarm Lord* to pieces and put a little bit of hurt on the remaining Tyrant Guard, but the Trygon has finally arrived. Though, the Tyrant Guard didn't go down without a fight, leaving a sole Terminator standing.
A 6th Round was apparently played out. Could the last terminator remain standing? Well, not if the Trygon had anything to say about about it...
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