Victory Pointless

I was torn between taking Tyranids or Necrons for this game, so in the end decided to split the difference and run Tyranid Assimilation Swarm for some Necron-style regeneration shenanigans.

The Forces

Tyranids – Assimilation Swarm & Talons of the Norn Queen – Take & Hold: Tyranid Prime + 20 Hormagaunts, Norn Emissary, Norn Assimilator, 2 x Tyrannofex, Maleceptor, Psychophage, Haruspex, 3 Zoanthropes, Lictor, Neurolictor, Biovore, Pyrovore, 3 x Ripper Swarm

Thousand Sons – Warpforged Cabal & Sekhetar Cohort – Disruption: Daemon Prince, Terminator Sorcerer + 5 Scarab Occult Terminators, 2 x Sorcerer on Disc, Infernal Master, Defiler, Predator Annihilator, Predator Destructor, 2 x Maulerfiend, 2 x 4 Sekhetar Robots

The Battle

Deployment

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3:

By this point things seemed pretty hopeless for the Thousand Sons, so we called it there.

Final Result: Tyranid Victory, 66:30

Analysis

• Two bits of good luck aided my victory here: Firstly, I got first turn, and was therefore able to punish the infiltrating robots instead of having a bunch of flamers and meltas in my face turn 1, which would’ve been a big problem.  Secondly, the initial round of TSons shooting completely whiffed, leaving me in a strong position to surround and gradually whittle down the rest of the dusty boys.
• It’s also worth mentioning that this game took place shortly after TSons took a major beating with the nerf bat in a BDS that was relatively kind to Tyranids.
• Norns have long been my favourite unit in the game originally just because the models are great, and the Emissary at least was previously fairly good as a tough objective holder.  Now, they’re really really good.  Not only do they get some nice detachment buffs, terrain objectives mean you can pretty much guarantee getting them to their chosen objectives turn 1.  Long may they reign (GW don’t read this kthx).
• I’m also loving tyrannofexes (tyrannofexi?).  Their damage is highly unreliable but devastating when it goes through, but they’re also another highly durable fire magnet that keeps squishier things alive purely through the distraction of their perceived threat level.  The new terrain, Heavy and Pivot rules also help them a lot since it’s quite easy to shuffle them about slightly to poke their guns into terrain to get LoS while staying in cover and retaining Heavy.
• As with the one time prior I played Assimilation Swarm, I think I may have over-egged the pudding a bit and brought more Harvesters than I really need – most of them didn’t have much to do.  Generally an opponent is going to focus on one or two units a turn that might survive long enough to be healed, so provided there’s enough Harvesters to cover the main groups you don’t really need that many and I can probably swap some out for more directly useful units.