From: Christopher Downes-Ward <Christopher_Downes-Ward@a...>
Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 12:41:16 +0100
Subject: [DS] AAR The Battle of Research Station Muriel (Long)
Having painted my Tyranids and 2eme REC it seemed a good idea to match them
against one another so here goes.
(Incidentally this is quite a long report as the dirtside battle it covers
lasted 18 turns, which is probably twice as long as most of the ones I have
fought in the past)
You pay you money, you take your background:
Tuffleyverse:
Confused reports are coming in of fighting breaking out on Eta Bootis IIC
between FSE Colonial Legion forces and the Savasku. Initial reports state that
a Savasku force attempted a ground assault against
"Centre de recherché Muriel de l'institut pour la xeno-biologie" but
were beaten off after several hours hard fighting.
2300AD:
Confused reports are coming in of fighting breaking out on Eta Bootis IIC
between 2eme Regiment Ãtranger de Cavalrie and the Pentapods. Initial reports
state that a Pentapod force attempted a ground assault against
"Centre de recherché Muriel de l'institut pour la xeno-biologie" but
were beaten off after several hours hard fighting.
What really happened:
A force of Tryanids attacked a research station being constructed by D troop
of 1er Escadron, 2eme Regiment Ãtranger de Cavalrie. The rest of the squadron
plus a supporting artillery battery rushed to the rescue. The results of the
battle are described below.
The terrain
A flat open plain studded with occasional clumps of trees. A single river
winding across the area. In a loop of the river on the side nearest the
Tyranid base line was a cluster of buildings representing the research
station. The river was fordable by infantry along it's whole length. The banks
of the river were considered to give hull down cover from either side. Most of
the terrain is easy to GEV's with the exception of the wooded areas
(impassable), the river banks (difficult) and CR Muriel (difficult).
Organisation and Equipment
Note: all infantry units were designed using Steve Gibson's alternative
infantry rules -
http://www.cs.utk.edu/~cowell/min/ds2/variants/sgib-infantry.html.
French
1er Escadron, 2eme Regiment Ãtranger de Cavalrie (reinforced)
Headquarters (Veteran/1)
1 AC-8 Hovertank
1 ACVI-3/PC Command Vehicle
1 ACVI-3/VOA Artillery Observation Vehicle (attachment)
A (Veteran/2) and B (Regular/2) Troops
3 AC-8 Hover tanks
C (Regular/2) and D (Green/1) Troops
3 ACVI-3/TT MICV's
4 line infantry elements (1 the troop commander) 3 line APSW elements 1 line
LAD element
1er Batterie Compagnie Autonome de l'Artillery d'Aurore
(Regular/2)
(attachment) 4 RAM Mortars (off table), 3 HEF Markers, 1 MAK Marker
Technically all the infantry can't fit in the 3 ACVI-3's but in order to
model the "real" unit the LAD and Command teams are counted as being split
across the three vehicles. See
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~dheb/2300/Fr/CDW2REC.htm for a more
detailed look at this unit.
AC-8 Hovertank
Size 3, GMS/H (ENH) MDC/3 Fixed, RFAC/1 (Turret), APSW, ENH Firecon, ENH
ECM, Fast GEV. 3/2 Armour
ACVI-3/TT MICV
Size 3, GMS/L (ENH) RFAC/1 (Turret), APSW ENH Firecon, ENH ECM 2/1
Armour, 2
Infantry Stands, 2/1 Armour
The ACVI-3/PC is an ACVI-3/TT but with command systems, the ACVI-3/VOA
is
the ACVI-3/TT but with an artillery observer.
Tyranid
Swarm
2 Exocrine Broods (3 vehicles) (Green/2 and Regular/3)
2 Termagant Broods (5 elements) (Regular/1 and Green/2)
1 Genestealer Brood (5 elements) (Veteran/2)
1 Gargoyle Brood (5 elements) (Regular/2)
1 Hormagaunt Brood (5 elements) (Veteran/3)
1 Lictor Brood (5 vehicles) (Regular/2)
1 Biovore Brood (5 vehicles) (3 HEF Markers, 2 Biological Markers)
(Veteran/2)
1 Warrior Brood (5 elements) (Regular/2)
Exocrine MBT:
Size 5, MDC/3 x 3 (Fixed), RFAC/1 (Turret), APSW, BAS Firecon, No ECM,
Slow
Tracked, 3A/2A Armour
Biovore Infantry Walker:
Size 2, Light Artillery, APSW, Infantry Walker, 2A/1A Armour
Lictor Infantry Walker
Size 1, RFAC/1 x 2 (Arm), APSW, BAS Firecon, No ECM, Infantry Walker,
1A/0A
armour
Gargoyles Move 12", HTK 3, Range 6", Firepower 2, Flying Genestealers Move 4",
HTK 4, Range 2", Firepower 4 (Close Combat Only) Hormagaunt Move 4", HTK 4,
Range 2", Firepower 4 (Close Combat Only) Termagaunts Move 2", HTK 4, Range
4", Firepower 2 Warriors Move 2", HTK 5, Range 12", Firepower 4
Special Rules: Genestealers, Warriors and Lictors are normal units. All other
units are subject to the following rules. If they are not within 10" of a
warrior then they act instinctively. For Exocrines and Biovores this instinct
is to remain stationary and fire at the NEAREST enemy unit. For Termagaunts,
Gargoyles and Hormagaunts this is to move towards the nearest enemy unit
shooting if possible, an if in range close assault, if they close assault and
win they must follow through. All units except Genestealers, Warriors and
Lictors are subject to panic at all times (irrespective of quality) however if
they panic they react according to instinct rather than loose an action.
Tyranids do not suffer the reaction test for use of biological weapons.
Setup: At the start D troop was placed at random among the buildings with the
3
ACVI-3's parked in a line on one edge. The French artillery was off
table.
The Tyranids set-up with the Genestealers on one flank and the Lictors
on the other. Everyone else in a clump in the middle (so as to be in command
range of the Warriors).
Experience and leadership levels for the French were designed as part of the
scenario. Tyranid levels were done by pulling chits from an opaque container.
Reinforcement Schedule (all French) Turn 2
B Troop
Turn 3
A Troop
Turn 4
C Troop
Turn 5 Headquarters (no French rally attempts allowed until they arrive)
Turn 1: The commander of D troop screams for artillery support and is ignored,
the
infantry take cover and the 3 ACVI-3's fire missiles at the Exocrine's
(2 at one brood, 1 at the other) 1 Exocrine is immobilised another is damaged
and gets a system down. Both exocrine broods panic and let rip at the nearest
targets (infantry teams in buildings) the buildings and infantry are destroyed
but D Troop makes its Panic and Confidence checks. The biovores refuse to fire
and every one else moves forward.
Turn 2: B troop arrives but is still too far away to do anything. The biovores
refuse to fire again! The one exocrine brood is out of command and control
so all fire at the nearest target (one of the ACVI-3's) the other
exocrines are in a panic and fire at a building with an infantry squad and
destroy them both. D troop command calls for fire and drops a HEF barrage
right on to of a termagant brood, this looses 3 elements (out of 5) but makes
all it tests. D troops MICV's fire at the Exocrines killing 1 units leader,
the unit drops to Shaken.
Turn 3: Losses finally drop D troop to Steady, D troop commander can't get
fire support this turn but the MICV missiles damage another Exocrine and
immobilise it. B troop moves up to the river bank and fires missiles at an
Exocrine brood killing 2 (boom chits). A Troop arrives and heads towards the
other flank. The biovores refuse to fire again! (whose side are they on?). The
gargoyles swoop over a wood coming into sight of Muriel, next turn they will
may be able to close assault.
Turn 4: D troop engage the Gargoyles in a fire fight, they are fully effective
and manage to kill the leader, the replacement is a 1. 2 Exocrines fire on the
hull down AC-8's of B troop and completely miss. B troop return fire
with their GMS's getting 2 hits resulting in a systems down and an
immobilisation. The gargoyles move into the ruins of CR Muriel. A troop fire
their GMS's at an Exocrine brood and get 2 hits and 2 boom chits. C Troop
arrives and heads towards CR Muriel. The Biovores finally let rip dropping a
biochemical bombardment onto Muriel. D troop lose their leader (replaced by
another 1) and 1 APSW team. Their morale (already shaken) drops to broken. The
rest of the French forces take morale checks (Artillery, A, B and C troops
drop to steady, B to shaken).
Turn 5: D troop calls an artillery bombardment (harassing intensity) on their
own position, mount into the surviving MICV and start withdrawing. The Lictors
wade the river and engage B troop by fire in the flank with no effect. The
Gargoyles charge through the artillery barrage and close assault D troop who
immediately rout. The gargoyles try to follow through but fail their test. C
troop debuses at the edge of the river opposite CR Muriel. B troop engages the
Lictors with GMS fire and kill 1, the Lictor's become shaken and panic. A
troop rush across the board to reinforce B troop's flank.
Turn 6: C troop fires at the gargoyles killing one element. The gargoyles
close assault C troop and are all mown down. B troop engages the Lictors using
their MDC's and kill 2. The surviving (immobilised and damaged) Exocrine fires
at B troop and misses. A troop fires it GMSs at the Lictors and kills the last
2. D troop fail their rally test and are heading for the table edge at speed.
The Biovores drop a HEF barrage onto C troop causing no casualties but the
confidence check is failed and their morale drops to Broken. (They
needed 2 to pass and rolled 1 which is of course 1/2 or less of the
required score and they drop 2 levels of morale in 1 go). HQ troop's attached
artillery observer calls down a barrage on the Termagaunt who have just come
into view closing on CR Muriel, 1 element is killed.
Turn 7: D troop fails to rally and leaves the table. C troop takes more
artillery fire without taking casualties but fail the test and their morale
drops to routed and they fall back to some woods near CR Muriel. A troop kills
the last Exocrine with a long range missile shot while B troop uses it's
APSW's on the Hormagaunts that are now closing on its position.
Turn 8: C troop rally to merely broken, B troop use APSW's on the Hormagaunts
while A troop work round one flank and engage the Biovores with GMS fire
killing
2.
Turn 9: C troop rally to shaken. A troop fire on the biovores and kill 2 more.
B troop and HQ use APSW's on the units advancing on them to no effect.
Turn 10: C troop remain shaken. A troop kill the last Biovore. B troop use
APSW's to kill a Hormagaunt, HQ kill a genestealer.
Turn 11: At this point I (playing the French) seriously considered withdrawing
my forces. I had large infantry forces advancing on CR Muriel (Genestealers
and Termagaunts), the Hormagaunts were advancing on B troop, the Warriors on A
troop and C troop were still shaken. In fact the problem was my own personal
morale! Taking a moment to think I realised that the only elements that could
possibly harm my troops were dead and that although it seem to be taking an
age to kill infantry in the open with APSW's my troops were so much more
mobile than the Tyranids that I could chose my own engagement ranges and
concentrate fire almost at will.
Turn 12: B troop uses retrograde motion to keep out of close assault range of
the Hormagaunts while killing 2 of them with APSW fire, their morale drops to
broken. The Tyranid player tries to withdraw those elements that he can
control (The Warriors and Genestealers) but the problem is that as dismounted
infantry they are quite slow. HQ troop try to fire APSW's at the Genestealers
and get 3 firer systems down chits! A troop engage the Warriors with APSW fire
and kill 2 including the leader, their morale drops to shaken and the new
leader is a 3. Much reading of the Infantry close assault rules seem to show
that infantry without IAVR's are incapable of harming armour. The Tyranid
player effectively concedes but we agree to play to the bitter end to see how
many Tyranids can escape.
Turn 13: The single Hormagaunt falls back due to being broken but rally to
shaken, this doesn't help as B troop immediately kills it. C troop rallies to
steady and 1 of HQ troops vehicles gets it systems back on line and manages to
kill a Genestealer.
Turn 14: The remaining warrior was within one turns movement of the table edge
but was gunned down by A troop, A Troop now head off to take the Termagaunts
in the rear. The nearest enemy to the Termagaunts is now B Troop and they
start heading towards them. C troop advance into CR Muriel and debus at its
edge, positioned to fire on the Termagaunts.
Turn 15: HQ calls artillery fire (a concentrated MAK barrage) on the
Termagaunts as this is the only ammo left. This causes no casualties but one
Termagaunt brood breaks and heads for some woods. C troop fires on the
Termagaunts killing one.
Turn 16: A troop moves to intercept the Genestealers and guns down the last of
them. C troop close assaults a Termagaunt brood, which breaks and runs for the
same woods as the others. C troop try to follow up but fail.
Turn 17:
The surviving Termagaunts pull back (they are broken) and take cover in a
wood. C troop advance to the edge of the wood while A and B troops move to
cover its other side.
Turn 18:
C troop close assault the remaining Termagaunts in the wood, they rout but
don't quite reach the far edge of the wood, C troop follows up and they flee
again emerging from the wood under the guns of A and B troops who wipe them
out.
Conclusions:
The Tyranids were not a well balanced force, the infantry had no carriers
and hence moved very slowly. They also had no AT capability - not even
IAVR's and once the Exocrine's were gone it was just a matter of time before
the French moped them up. The command and control rules did make them
different but also very difficult to control - initial set-up being very
important. The first few turns actually went much to the Tyranid's plan
-
the Genestealers and Lictors distracted the reinforcements - and the
Gargoyles attacked Muriel supported by the fire of the Biovores however once
the French realised they had survived the initial assault and got themselves
organised they could use their superior mobility to concentrate and pick the
engagement ranges.
I thought I had balanced the disparity in force capabilities by making the
French arrive over the first 5 turns - if I was doing this again I would
either give the Tyranids something to get the infantry forward faster and give
them more command flexibility perhaps by breaking the Warriors up into 5 1
element units. I would also delay the arrival of the French reinforcements by
a couple of turns.
Note on points: The points values of this encounter is French 2886 vs Tyranids
3292.5. However as these forces were not specifically designed to fight each
other this is probably not a true reflection of the relative worth of the
units. For example part of the Tyranids cost is the fact that all the
"vehicle" units have ablative armour, but no French units had laser weapons.
Part of the French cost are the two LAD teams but the Tyranids have no air
power. In addition the French are fighting in terrain ideally suited to their
ORBAT.