[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 Étranger 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 Étranger 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 Étranger 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.