Black Templars v. Tyranids Battle Presentation

Black Day at Bad Rock

This was a 1,500 point battle against Tyranids, with a few "firsts" for me:

1. My first game in the new edition of 40K.

-Psychic shenanigans (at least if you are a Tyranid!)

2. First time using these units:

-Whirlwind missile launcher(s)

-Stormtalon Gunship

-Razorback(s)

-Sternguard with Grav Guns

-Drop Pod

3. First time for me to write up the battle report in Google Slides. 

Frankly speaking, it took AGES because I decided to not just include photos, but also try to show movement and shooting via animating the slides (a little...it isn't going to win any awards!). 
I haven't done a voice over, so it is just the slides (but you can click on a link in the presentation to open some background music if you want in a new window - there will be an ad and you might have to then switch back to the presentation.)

So, here you go. The presentation below should give you a sense of how things went (note that this was a friendly game, so I was using a fair number of "counts as" models.)

It was a close battle, but I came out on top. Things might have been different if my opponent had made a few different choices (there were a few abilities that he forgot to use for example, as he is as new as I am to this edition.) Also, a shout out to the guys over at the Bolter and Chainsword for helping me to get up and running with a list that made good use of the models that I have.

I must say, it felt great to use my Black Templars in anger - and a big change to be able to rush into assault (not really an option with my Tau).

All constructive criticism welcome!

Cheers,

Templars Ascendant!

I had the pleasure of a 1,500 point game of Warhammer 40K this weekend using 7th edition rules against my old enemy, the Tyranids. 

This was my second game using Black Templars (although I have been collecting them for a while) so it was fun to work through the new edition and use an army that plays so differently to my first army (Tau).
I found myself saying things for the very first time like:

(closely followed by "how do I do that?")
Info on the game, lists and some photos of key moments below!
Mission:
We played the "Crusade mission" with the game layed out in "Hammer and Anvil" setup.
The game was called after a certain point due to a combination of time and what looked to be a bleak outlook for the Tyranids, but at that point, I was ahead on Victory Points, so technically, a Black Templars victory (but a very narrow one - just one point!)
My list was based on gracious advice from the Bolter and Chainsword website. I rarely play, so any mistakes in the list below are mine...
Lists:

1,500 points Black Templars

HQ:
Space Marine Captain (Artificer armour, Shield Eternal, Relic Blade, Melta Bomb)

Troops:
+ Crusader Squad 1: x6 Neophytes (Space Marine Shotguns), x6 Initiates (CCW + Bolt Pistols), Sword Brother (CCW+BP) 
Land Raider Crusader (Multi Melta, cannon etc.)
+ Crusader Squad 2: x5 initiates, Plasma Cannon, Plasma Gun, Sword Brother (Combi-Weapon)
Razorback (Twin linked Las cannons)

+ Crusader Squad 2: x5 initiates, Plasma Cannon, Plasma Gun,
Sword Brother (Combi-Weapon)
Razorback (Twin linked Las cannons)

Elites:
x5 Veteran Sternguard, all with Combi-Grav weapons.
Drop Pod (Storm bolter)

Fast Attack:
Stormtalon gunship (Twin linked cannon, Skyhammer missiles)

Heavy Support:
x2 Land Raider Whirlwind (Storm Bolters)

Tyranids:

From looking at the image above, and my memories of the game, it was something along these lines:


1,500 points Tyranids

x1 Hive Tyrant (Warlord) - on foot.
x1 Flying Tyranid Monstrous Creature (another Tyrant?)
x3 Carnifexes (?)  (one with a cannon, one with claws, one with shooting weapons?)
x3 Zoanthropes (Psychers)

x17 Hormagaunts
x20 Termagants
x1 Brood Lord + x5 Genestealers.
x10 Genestealers.

Key moments:
Here are some images from the battle:

The Tyranid battle line. There are 3 objective markers on this side of the board.

The Sternguard drop pod arrives behind enemy lines - aiming to take out
their Warlord

A Broodlord and Genestealers wreak havoc in the Black Templar back lines

The Tyranids have their revenge on the Sternguard...

A Black Templars squad and captain charge in!

A desperate struggle for a Black Templars objective on the other flank
(MOAR Genestealers!)

Time permitting, I will write up a report, but in the meantime, some more shots of the Black Templar team:

A big thanks to my opponent for the very friendly game (a lot of my army is not "Wysiwyg"), his hospitality and good humour.

Cheers!