WH40K - Hot LZ on Ghondar

I went once again back into WH40K. The game I started all this miniatures wargaming back in the day. I was drawn in when I got invited to take part into a big thematic game. This was also starting game of our clubs WK40K summer campaign. The game was about planetary defense force battling against Tyranid invasion. One could say, classic and epic WH40K stuff. The game was two vs. two players so we managed to gather some 4 000 pts. per side and had the game in double sized table, just to get enough room to move and create clear lines of defense. I was once again commanding my brave Elysian 77th drop detachment which came to aid and support local Gronos PDF and hastily gathered militia. Imperial troops were facing wast hordes of Tyranid bugs of all sorts. They came in all forms, from man sized into big and even more huge. They even had something called Bio Titan. Scary but fortunately slow one.

Before the battle local PDF had set three defensive lines which were to stop the attacker. First line
was mainly formed of dug in infantry. Second line was more infantry and with some tanks here and there and third line was mainly armored line. Other Imperial troops were left into reserve and came in later. This line now waited gripping their guns looking through the sights to see the feared enemy. And short wait it was...

The Tyranids started pouring in. At point the small and fast ones seemed to fly over the ground when they ran and bounced over ruins and obstacles on no mans land. Bigger ones came after slowly but still fast enough. There was even one big one flying and even bigger one coming in soon after. Defenders started frantic shooting as soon as they got first wave on their sights. there was seemingly a wall of lasgun fire backed with rumble of heavy bolters and las cannons. Mortars and cannons joined the fire and it seemed that nothing could survive the fire storm. Some creatures were moved down but still they were too many and just came forward taking cover from ruins and craters. The distance to first lien was getting very short.

As Imperial officers observed the fight Tyranids seemed to attack in two pronged form, one from right and one left. Both waves were led by small and fast Gaunts. Tyranids from fight were faster and they also had better cover so they reached Imperial lines first. They were also followed by big hovering Hive Tyrant which probably inspired Gaunts to push on. The ones approaching from left came over more open field and got more fire which felled leading Gaunts. But still they pushed on seemingly fearless.

Then the monsters reached first defensive line and all hell broke loose. Imperial troopers put up a pretty good fight but still they were no match for the chitinous claws and teeth and all that venom. Defenders were devoured in no time and Gaunts readied for the attack on the next line.

As the first lien of defenders were fighting hard the Imperial officers registered worrying sight. Over the chitinous horde loomed massive Bio-Titan approaching slowly to Ghondar hive. Experienced officers new they had nothing to stop that monster. The request for further fire
support from the orbit was refused, they were told to hold on what they had.

Quite soon after that Imperial reserves started to arrive and Valkyries swooped down from the orbit and started murderous fire with rockets and gattling guns cutting Gaunts like lawn mowers. Artillery and mortars did their job as properly and the attack seemed to stall. Then once again situation changed when Tyranids appeared from nowhere and attacked back lines of defenders. Now the monsters were everywhere and fighting lines got all mixed. There was lots of cross fire and bugs seemed to be running every place. They even dug out from the ground. The battle was at chaos in this stage and all sensible lines of command seemed to lost by Imperial troops. More Elysian Valkyries dropped down joining the fight, but since every sensible LZ were compromised there were no good point to set defensive positions. So the planes remained airborne and poured fire on the big bugs. Frustrated the Elysians troops were watching as their comrades were slaughtered down unable to do anything to help.

The devouring went on and whole company of Ghondar rifles was lost on that unfortunate sector. But the brave boys took some amounts of monsters with them and Tyranid attack was also loosing it's momentum. At his late stage of the fight lonely Chimera troop carrier rolled in and grey roped Imperial agent jumped out of it followed by grey clad troopers, all wearing Inquisition emblems. Quiet agent was looking around scrutinizing the situation and soon after jumped back into Chimera which left the scene.

The battle was about to end. Almost all the defenders were lost. Vast numbers of the Tyranids were moved down into point were the attack seemed to stop. At least for a while. Remaining defenders started withdrawing to new positions in Ghondar hive.

Some AAR shots.

Massive Bio-Titan moving in.

Brain bugs hovering on.

Horde of Gaunts leaping towards the lines.

Imperial defenders prepare to fire.

Local governor having uplifting speech for the troops.

Fire at will!

Fast and deadly Gaunts.

Lictor appearing from nowhere.

Ruins provided good cover for the attacker.

Tyranids dropping in from the sky. Totally surprising last line of defense.

Hive Tyrant leading from the front.

First defensive line under massive assault.

Elysian Valkyries swoop in.

Coming in hot.

Clear battle lines were lost when the monsters dug out from the ground. 

Elysian Sentinels dropped in and joined the fight.

Big monsters roam among the lines attacking everything at sight.

The Tyranids broke through the first line of Ghondar defenders and too a foot hold on ground. God knows what machinations they cook up now when on the ground. The defenders moved back deeper in the hive city getting ready for another nightmarish fight. The Imperium has turned it's eyes on Cronos and Ordo Xenos has arrived. The plot thickens.

This was nice and very good thematic game just what 40K should be. Thanks to all mates for this!