IMPERIAL GUARD versus Tyranids

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: ?
Mission: Seek and Destroy
Level: Gamma
Location: Dyram
Background: The Governor of Dyram, Sinkabar Deth, issues a distress call which Captain Kennell of the Cadian 271st answers. Dyram has been invaded by Tyranids!
1st turn: Imperial Guard
Points: 1000

Imperial Guard

• Command Squad 77, Captain Kennell Junior officer, Standard, 3 meltaguns
• Infantry Platoon
• Command Section 36, Lieutenant Dophan, Junior Officer with Plasma Pistol and Power Weapon, 4 plasma guns
• Infantry Squad 501, Missile Launcher, Grenade Launcher
• Infantry Squad 541, Missile Launcher, Grenade Launcher
• Infantry Squad 609, Missile Launcher, Grenade Launcher
• Armoured Fist Squad 812, Flamer, Chimera with Multi-laser and Heavy Bolter
• Sentinel, Autocannon, Extra Armour
• Sentinel, Multilaser, Searchlight
• Sentinel, Multilaser, Smoke Launcher
• Basilisk, Indirect Fire
• Leman Russ, Heavy Bolter
  

Tyranids

• Large unit of Gaunts
• Large unit of Termagants
• Two broods of Genestealers
• Lictor
• Carnifex
• 3 Warriors
• 3 Ravenors

Background
After challenging a Blood Angel player and being turned down, I set up a game with a Tyranid player. My opponent (I didn't get his name) agreed to play on the condition it was on a 4'x4' Cityfight table!

Terrain and Deployment
The board was absolutely covered in large ruined buildings which we classified as size 3 area terrain. The nearest thing I had to a clear fire lane was on my left so I deployed my main firebase there. I set up with my Infantry squads and Sentinels up front to receive the charge, with my Command sections behind to counter. The 'Nids were fairly well spread out with the Stealers infiltrating and the Lictor hidden.

The Game
I killed the Ravenors on my left at the cost of an Infantry squad, and destroyed the central Genestealer squad for the loss of my Leman Russ battlecannon. The Lictor was in the same building and went down to a jammy round of shooting from an Infantry squad (it had a 2+ cover save).

On the right I took more losses as the Armoured Fist squad and an Infantry unit fell to the Hormagaunts, but I also inflicted heavy casualties on the Warriors and second Stealer unit.

The closing stages of the game were my command squads finishing off the Carnifex and then assaulting and wiping out the last hormagaunts.

It was clear I had won convincingly.

Result: Win - victorious Slaughter

Victory Points: Guard 1568, Tyranids 432

Imperial Control: No change

Kennell's Commendation
Infantry Squad 609 that drilled the ambushing Lictor. Bull's-eye!

Learning points

• This should have been a really tricky game for me due to the table size and the terrain, but my opponent's lack of experience told in his army list and tactics.
• My favourite move in this game was my Sentinel charging the Termagants; they couldn't hurt my 46 point walker and were tied up for the entire game.