Warrior

The following psi-intercept was captured from a monitoring station using your Lordships new experimental psi-intercept array, combined with the prototype Meaning-Inference machine provided by the Magos Biologicus abbey on Ceremon A. The device is fickle, but yields interesting and valuable results, the best of which we hereby submit for your evaluation.,

~~~ I/We/Undernest grows, and pierces the ground near a concentration of Food/Immobile.  ~~~ Spore growths to stimulate assimilation begun. ~~~

~~~Apprehension: Sense/Smell/Mindsmell approach of Food/Enemy/Space Marines.  ~~~ Alert! ~~~

~~~ I/We/Warriors heeds, intercepts, protects the Undernest. ~~~

This psicapt coincided with the following pixcapt from a camera drone not yet destroyed during the fighting for Petrarch.

Evaluation of the pixcapt of the Warrior group suggests a force of six warriors, twelve genestealers and a couple of dozen lesser breeds.

The enemy detected by the hive Mind was a small detachment of Space Marines from one of the chapters attempting to curb the ongoing invasion, led by a Librarian and supported by a Predator light tank.

They had clearly detected the growth of underhive extrusions, and were moving to burn the tentacles of the beast.

The three hive nodes had appeared at the ruined outskirts of Petrarch, just south of a lightly wooded area where the flyer Ganymedes crashed a few weeks ago (see Report SM-0927-006-M41-BR/56). The rapidly advancing Tyranid forces had already secured two nodes, and assaulted at speed to protect the last node, which had risen between two rubbled areas.

The left flank of the Tyranid force consisted of two Genestealer Broods hiding in the woods, the right flank by Hormagaunts led by assault-genotype Warriors skulking up behind the hills, and the center by a large swarm of Termagants and Rippers, led by a Warrior brood with ranged weapons.

The Marines deployed in cover of the ruins, with the tank and the Librarian on the right flank, facing the Genestealers, immediately advancing towards cover in the large ruins. Shooting was scattered and ineffective, most of the swarm outside range of the Marine bolters.  The following are psicapt excerpt was captured

~~~ Food/Enemy/Space Marine! ~~~ Alert: Mind glower ~~~ Nonfood/Enemy/Tank! ~~~ Devour! ~~~ Forward! ~~~

At this point, the psicapt degenerated into squeals and hisses, but whether that is an artifact of the detector array, or whether that really is the best interpretation of the alien communication, I will leave to Your Lordship's analysis.

The marine Assault squad jumped out in front of the building, no doubt hoping to pick a soft target to charge - but the astonishing speed of the Rippers took them by surprise, and they were soon knee-deep in a sea of chittering chitin, slashing and biting at them.

### Augh! Get it off me! it's biting me boots!  ### BLAM BLAM BLAM ### Thanks, brother Nicotos... Euw! You got one on you too!  ###

The small beasts proved no serious threat to the power-armoured marines, inflicting no casualties at all, but their attention was certainly occupied.

~~~ Forward! Devour! ~~~

Space Marine fire on the rapidly approaching swarm was still ineffective, only a few Termagants fell to the Predator's guns and the Librarians Fury of the Ancients. In the centre, the assault marines, perhaps still spooked by the sheer speed of the Tyranids they were facing, didn't manage to put down the rippers chewing on their feet and leg, and as one of their number stumbled, he was overwhelmed by the sheer mass of aliens and torn to pieces.

~~~ Alert: Warp Fire Mind Glower Kill Devour Kill ~~~

The Genestealers came out of the woods as an avalanche of black, clawed death, and fell upon the unfortunate librarian with inhuman speed, strength and ferocity - his two companion wolves were reduced to red smears in seconds, and the Terminator-armoured librarian lasted scant longer [Ed: 36 Rending attacks is enough to ruin anyones day!] In his fatal surprise, the librarian managed not a single Genestealer kill.

The Genestealers press their assualt, but are unable to engage the Space Marine squad in cover in the ruined building.

On the left flank, the Marines hold out better: As the wave of Hormagaunts crested the ridge, they were cut down by Bolter fire from the squad  taking cover in the rubble south of the building, and the assault squad is bravely fighting off another wave of rushing Tyranids, as the Termagants arrive.  The Warriors are not far behind, however, and the assault squad is dwindling in numbers.

The squad in the ruined building opens fire with all they have on the massed Genestealers just in front of them [Ed: 8 hits from a flamer template is entirely too many - must learn to spread out better], killing eight of them in an inferno of Bolter and Flamer fire.

At this time, a few Spore Mines drifted down from the higher atmosphere, possibly summoned by the same psychic beaconing that called the Warriors.  The mines home in on the southern Marine squad, a couple of them striking dead center in the Marine formation.  Several Marines succumb to the spray of Bio-Acid that eats through armour and flesh with equal ease.

In the centre, the assault squad is rushed by no less than six Warriors. Incredibly, the squad sergeant survives to hold them off before falling back and regrouping.

~~~ I/We/Warriors require more time to reach the Food/Enemy ~~~ I/We/Hormagaunt must/will hold them for us ~~~

The surviving two Hormagaunts rushes the Acid-spattered Marines, heedless of their earlier losses, and do manage to tie up the marines in close combat.

On the left front, the Genestealers rushes the Marines in cover in the building, and while they lose two of their number, the surviving two kills several Marines too. After the disengagement of the surviving assault marine, the Warrior Broods split up, going after the tank and the squad currently fighting off the remaining hormagaunts.

The two Genestealers in the ruins are now locked in close quarters fighting with their enemy in a confined space - exactly the environment they excel in.  The Marines are overwhelmed, falls back, are caught by the blindingly fast Tyranids, panics, and are cut down to a man as they try to escape the ruins - now no longer comforting cover, but their coffins. [Ed: We forgot that Marines are not destroyed by a sweeping advance, but just caught up in combat again - they weren't even outnumbered].

One brood of  Warriors return to finish off the assault squad sergeant, and the other (assault-type) Warrior Brood charges the last unengaged squad, just as they shake off the last hormagaunt.

As the Assault Warriors finish off the last surviving Marines, the two remaining Genestealers makes a run for the Predator tank just north of the building.  They get into claw range faster than the crew can react, and start tearing it to pieces - The main gun goes as the turret is forcibly torn from its socket, and ripping off the tracks ensures that the tank moves no further, ever.

[Ed: Game cut short by time limit]

~~~ I/We/Undernest Secured, and Extraction/Devouring proceeds. This place is Tasty! ~~~

Thought for the Day: The Faithful Shall Persevere.


Combat results: Tyranids Wins (Secure and Control alpha level). 

Victory point score (making guesses as to results after two more rounds of fighting):
Tyranids: Entire space marine force destroyed 800, Control one node 267, total 1067 points.
Space Marines: Rippers 42, Spore Mine 24, Hormagaunts 112, Genestealers 138+69, Termagants 42, total 427 points.
Difference 80%: Crushing Tyranids Victory.