Battle Report: Imperial Guard vs Tyranids

The Imperial forces stationed on Vitorina are desperate to re-take the spaceport that was invaded by Hive Fleet Colossus. They have subsequently sent a force to utterly destroy the Tyranids now occupying the port, and to take back the main comms beacons that were lost. This battle report represents their arrival and the events afterward.

This is a standard "Hold at All Costs" mission, from the 4th edition rulebook once again. The main square ruin (see above) represents the combined remaining equipment and other detritus left behind by both comms beacons.
Basically, all Imperial units start off the board, arriving on the table on the owning player's first turn. The defending player can set up his troops and heavy support 12" or less from the main objective (the main square ruin), with the rest of his units being held in reserve.

Forces:
183rd Savlar, Penal Platoon 86
C 1 - Chimera (heavy flamer and multi-laser) with Veteran Squad (10), armed with 2 plasma guns, a heavy weapons team (autocannon) and lasguns.
C 2 - Chimera (heavy flamer and multi-laser) with Ogryn squad (3) with Bone 'Ead and Ripper Guns.

C 3 - Chimera (heavy flamer and multi-laser) with Veteran Squad and Primaris Psyker (10) armed with 2 plasma guns, a heavy weapons team (autocannon) and lasguns.

B - Basilisk with Earthshaker Cannon and hull-mounted heavy bolter

Hive Fleet Colossus, Vitor sector splinter

H - Hormagaunts (15) with Scything Talons.
T - Termagants (15) with Fleshborers.
W 1 - Tyranid Warriors (3) with 2 sets of Scything Talons.
W 2 - Tyranid Warriors (3) with Venom Cannon and Devourers.
C - Carnifex with twin-linked devourers with brainleech worms, scything talons.

H.T - Hive Tyrant with Lash Whip, Bonesword and Stranglethorn Cannon.

It should be noted that this depicts the battle just as Klemanius started his first turn. Since all of his units started off the board, we thought this diagram would give you a better idea of the battle than simply a diagram of where my forces were.

Imperial Guard Turn 1
The Chimeras and Basilisk rumble onto the table, belching fumes. The Chimera gunners observed the vast horde of Hormagaunts in front of them and immediately fired upon them with 3 multi-lasers and the heavy bolter from the Basilisk joined in too. 4 Hormagaunts were sliced down by the fire, but the rest seemed eager to get into the fray.

Tyranids Turn 1
The Hormagaunts ran towards the Chimeras, smelling the humans hiding inside. The Termagants ran towards the ruin in the upper right-hand corner, trying to lurk behind cover. Tyranid Warriors 1 moved out of the ruin, and lacking anything to shoot with, ran towards the back of the Hormagaunt unit, trying to keep them in Synapse range. The Tyranid Warriors 2 fired their venom cannon out of the ruin, but failed to penetrate the vehicle's armour. The Carnifex fired it's devourers at Chimera 3, Shaking it.

Imperial Guard Turn 2
The Chimeras realized the Hormagaunts were now in flamer range, and didn't move forward. Neither did the Basilisk. Chimera 1 and 2 fired their Heavy flamers at the Hormagaunts, dousing 9 in burning promethium. The Veterans in Chimera 1 also fired their heavy flamer, killing another 3 of the beasts. The Ogryns popped their heads out of the firing hatch of Chimera 2 and fired their Ripper guns at the Hormagaunts, killing another 3, wiping the Hormagaunts off the board. The Basilisk attempted to fire at the Tyranid Warriors 2, holed up in the ruin, but realized the minimum range of the Earthshaker cannon was 36"! Sadly this meant it could not fire.

Tyranids Turn 2
The Carnifex decided it would emerge from the ruin, moving towards the line of Chimeras. The Hive Tyrant came on from the rear table edge, after rolling a 5 for his Reserves check. The Tyranid Warriors 1 moved along with the Carnifex. Tyranid Warriors 2 fired their Venom Cannon at Chimera 2 once more, this time immobilizing it. The Termagants fired their Fleshborers at the Basilisk, failing to damage it as well. The Hive Tyrant ran, trying to catch up to the rest of the army, but only ran an inch. Tyranid Warriors 1 ran towards Chimera 1, trying to get around the side of it for a better attack line and cover from the other 2 tanks. The carnifex charged into Chimera 1, wrecking it. Unfortunately, Klemanius rolled low and passed his pinning check.

Imperial Guard Turn 3

The Basilisk fired it's Earthshaker indirectly at the Hive Tyrant moving up the field, but unsurprisingly missed completely. The 2 remaining Chimeras and their occupants loaded a total of 2 autocannon shots, 3 Ripper Guns, 2 plasma guns (rapid firing) and 2 heavy flamers at the Carnifex, wounding it a total of 7 times, 3 of which were from plasma guns and therefore it would get no armour save. It needed to make all 4 armour saves to survive, and somehow it did! The carnifex roared in defiance, somehow shrugging off the horrendous amount of fire leveled against it.

Tyranids Turn 3
The carnifex lumbered towards Chimera 3, while the Tyranid Warriors 1 moves toward Chimera 2. The Hive Tyrant moved up yet again, still out of range of anything. The Termagants fired their fleshborers once again, this time Stunning the Basilisk. The Carnifex fired its Devourers at Chimera 3, managing to Shake it once again. The Carnifex charged into Chimera 3, tearing it to shreds and throwing Veterans into the air, the Veterans then failing their pinning check. Tyranid Warriors 1 charged into combat with the Veterans who were removed from their Chimera last turn, killing 7. The Veterans put a single wound onto one of the Warriors in return. In order to stay in combat, the Veterans would need to roll double 1s. Against all the odds, the brave Veterans steel themselves and stay in combat, desperate to avenge their fallen comrades.

Imperial Guard Turn 4

The Ogryns fire their Ripper Guns at the Carnifex, along with the Multi-laser, wounding it and finally bringing the monstrous creature down. The Basilisk, being Stunned, did not fire.
(It should be said at this stage that the reason why the Ogryns aren't disembarking is because Klemanius didn't move the Chimera they were in once it entered the battle, hence, the only access hatch to the Chimera was facing the edge of the board, and there wasn't enough room to disembark the Ogryns. He couldn't move the Chimera either, since the Warriors immobilized it in Turn 2!)

Tyranids Turn 4

The Hive Tyrant moves up the board once again, almost within range to do something now. The Termagants fire their Fleshborers at the Basilisk once again, this time Immobilizing it. Tyranid Warriors 1 assault the Veteran squad that was just roughly ejected and Pinned by the recently deceased Carnifex, wiping the entire unit out, including the Primaris Psyker.

Imperial Guard Turn 5:
Chimera 2's multi-laser fires at Tyranid Warriors 2, still lurking in the ruin, managing to wound one of them.

Tyranids Turn 5:

The Hive Tyrant finally was within shooting range, firing its Stranglethorn cannon at Chimera 2, failing to damage it. Tyranid Warriors 2 also fire their Venom Cannon, but also fail to do anything. The Termagants once again fire their Fleshborers at the Basilisk, but no damage is dealt.

Imperial Guard Turn 6:
Chimera 2 fires its Multi-laser at the Hive Tyrant, but fails to wound the monster. The Ogryns sadly are out of range of anything.

Tyranids Turn 6:

The Hive Tyrant fires its Stranglethorn cannon at Chimera 2, but fail to do anything. Tyranid Warriors 2 also fire their Venom Cannon at the Chimera 2, but also fail to do anything. Amazingly, the concentrated fire of the Termagants' fleshborers manage to Wreck the Basilisk.

We roll for Turn 7, but there wouldn't be one. The Tyranid Warriors 2 still maintain their grip on the main ruin, and so the match goes to Hive Fleet Colossus!

This is what the battlefield looked like post-battle:

Thoughts:
I think that game played out really well for me. My hormagaunt gambit paid off (Klemanius thought they could damage the Chimeras, and fired on them because of that, but I knew better!) and the Carnifex truly shone. The turning point I think was when I had to make those 4 armour saves. If I hadn't been so lucky, I would've had no reliable way to destroy the final Chimera (3) and the game may have played out very differently. I was very disappointed that my Tyrant had no part in the battle, starting so far back behind the front line, had he been nearby, the Carnifex wouldn't have had the onus of destruction on his (admittedly strong) shoulders. Overall my units performed well (the Tyranid Warriors 1 obliterating 2 vet squads, the Tyranid Warriors 2 camping the objective point and being generally resolute.) The Termagants admittedly did very little, simply firing on the Basilisk turn after turn, finally Wrecking it on turn 6.
If I were to do anything differently, it'd be to play a different map, perhaps something more open, as this battle was very congested. But, Hive Fleet Colossus has kept the spaceport!