Mark from Imperius Dominatus came round on Saturday for a game. I am using my revised Blood Angels list and he is using his now famous (or infamous) Imperial Guard list. People who read my reports on battles against Mark will have notice a trend of me trying my best but losing let’s see if things are any different this time.
Let’s take a look at the forces being used.
BLOOD ANGEL - THE BOOK OF BLOOD 2000 points
HQ
Librarian 125pts
Psychic hood, force weapon, bolt pistol, jump pack, frag and krak grenades, shield of sanguinius, unleash rage
Honour Guard 205pts
Meltagun x4, close combat weapons, jump packs, frag and krak grenades, blood chalice
Librarian 125pts
Psychic hood, force weapon, bolt pistol, jump pack, frag and krak grenades, shield of sanguinius, unleash rage
Elites
2x Sanguinary priest 150pts
Bolt pistol, close combat weapon, jump packs, frag and krak grenades, and blood chalice
Troops
Assault squad 10 man 235pts
Meltagun x2, bolt pistol x7, close combat weapons, jump packs, frag and krak grenades
Sgt - power fist, bolt pistol
Assault squad 10 man 235pts
Meltagun x2, bolt pistol x7, close combat weapons, jump packs, frag and krak grenades
Sgt - power fist, bolt pistol
Assault squad 10 man 200pts
Flamer x2, bolt pistol x7, close combat weapons, jump packs, frag and krak grenades
Sgt - bolt pistol, close combat weapon
Assault squad 10 man 220pts
plasma gun x2, bolt pistol x7, close combat weapons, jump packs, frag and krak grenades
Sgt - bolt pistol, close combat weapon
Assault squad 5 man 115pts
Plasma gun, bolt pistol x3, close combat weapons, jump packs, frag and krak grenades
Sgt - bolt pistol, close combat weapon
Heavy Support
Devastator squad 5 man 130pts
Missile launcher x4, bolt pistol x4, frag and krak grenades
Sgt - bolter, bolt pistol, signum
Devastator squad 5 man 130pts
Missile launcher x4, bolt pistol x4, frag and krak grenades
Sgt - bolter, bolt pistol, signum
Devastator squad 5 man 130pts
Missile launcher x4, bolt pistol x4, frag and krak grenades
Sgt - bolter, bolt pistol, signum
Total 2000 points
Imperial Guard "Steel Lions" - 2,000 points
HQ
Company Command Squad w/ Chimera
4 x plasma guns & carapace armour
Company Command Squad w/ Chimera
4 x plasma guns & carapace armour
Troops
Veterans
3 x meltagun
Veterans
3 x meltagun
Veterans w/ Chimera
3 x meltagun
Veterans w/ Chimera
3 x plasma guns
Veterans w/ Chimera
3 x plasma guns
Fast Attack
Valkyrie
Multiple missile pods
Valkyrie
Multiple missile pods
Hellhound
Multi melta
Heavy Support
Leman Russ Demolisher
Heavy flamer
Leman Russ Demolisher
Heavy flamer
Leman Russ Executioner
Heavy flamer
Total: 1,990
Mission
Capture & Control
Deployment
Spearhead
Deployment
I won the roll off and decided I would deploy first, I know that this was a bit of a risky move but I needed to make sure I had space to deploy all of my troops without having to worry about keeping in cover. I also had to make sure that I could close on those guard tanks and get my meltagun into range.
Objectives were deployed just in front of the two building within my deployment zone and the third was deployed on the idle floor of the black building in Marks deployment zone.
To that end four of my assault squads (the two melta, plasma pistol and flamer) were deployed in a pretty much solid wall on the very edge of my deployment zone. The honour guard were also at the front so they could close on the executioner and try and pop it. One priest and one librarian were deployed with each of the melta units, this gave these unit extra survivability and also increased their hitting power.
The 5 man plasma gun assault squad was deployed within the building on the left hand corner of the board holding the objective at that location, the devastator squads were also deployed within this building just to make sure that this objective would remain firmly within my control.
Mark first deployed the executioner on top of the hill in his deployment zone which gave it a commanding view over the whole battle field. The demolisher’s were deployed on either side of his deployment zone so that they would be able to hunt down and attack my assault marines as they advanced. The hellhound was deployed on the long board edge of his deployment zone.
The majority of his troops were deployed within chimera transports ready to move up and attack any objective whilst being able to give supporting fire to the advancing battle tanks. The remaining veterans were deployed in the Valkyries at the back of his deployment zone (Mark actually forgot to bring these with him lol so he borrowed a couple of razorbacks to proxy for the course of the battle).
Mark attempts to steal the initiative but fails (thank the Emperor).
Ok that executioner is going to be a problem, being up on that hill means it has a really good chance of spotting my infantry as I close on it. The honour guard have the job of closing on it and trying to pop it using massed melta fire fingers crossed it goes down quickly otherwise those plasma blasts are going to pulp my force before I get chance to do any serious damage.
The other melta units are to close on the demolishers and kill them while the flamer squad toasts any infantry that are released from their transports by fire from the devastators. The plasma pistol unit are going to moved forward then break off to secure the second objective ensuring that I have a strong chance of winning.
Turn one
All of my 10 man assault squads move forward in order to cut the distance between Mark and myself. Most of my special weapons are out of range, those few that aren’t fire but with little or no effect. The devastators on the other hand have more luck and manage to crack open the hellhound. Given how nasty they can be it is a definite bonus to see it go up in flames so early on.
Mark shuffles the demolishers around to try and keep them out of melta death range, two of the chimera’s move forward and rotate to allow the plasma guns inside to fire at the advancing horde of jump packers.
Most of Marks fire is directed towards the honour guard and melta squad closest to his table edge. The resulting blasts and melta shots see two of the honour guard fall and 5 marines from the melta squad killed. Having said this it was far from plain sailing for mark the inevitable gets hot rolls see him lose 4 of his own men to overheating weapons.
So things are going as I expected. Plasma death is raining down on my squads but there isn’t much I can do to avoid this at this point in the battle, all I can do is hold to the plan and hope enough of my men make it through the fire storm to take out his battle tanks. The remainder of his vehicles can be dealt with using the devastators at long range.
If I hadn’t taken shield my casualties would have been a lot higher this turn, so for all you people out there who think that it’s a waste of time I beg to differ.
There isn’t much that I could have done differently given the task in hand. So the tactics are sound. Throw everything forward, take the fire and try and smash what I can with whatever I have left after the dust settles. Real Blood Angels tactics for once from me J
Turn two
Turn 2 kicks off with the plasma squad breaking off from the charge to hide behind the second objective. This move puts me firmly in control of the game at present as Mark has to come to me to take a win.
The honour guard move forward to get into melta double penetration range of the executioner, the larger melta assault squad moves into the centre of the board between two buildings to engage one of the plasma squad chimeras. The melta quad which took a serious mauling in the previous turn moves forward to engage the demolisher closest to it. The flamer squad moves forward to engage the chimera which moved to where the hellhound was destroyed
Shooting sees the honour guard fail to hit anything again. The devastators open up on the chimera in front of the larger melta unit but fail to do any damage. The melta squad then open up on it getting a wrecked result. The weakened melta unit fire on the demolisher getting a weapon destroyed result which takes out the turret leaving it virtually useless.
Assault sees the flamer squad engage and destroy a melta squad’s chimera causing it to explode killing 6 of the men inside but also taking an assault marine with it. The larger melta unit charges the now dismounted plasma squad killing all but two guys with no losses but they remain locked in combat, which works well for me as it means that the executioner could not target them this turn. The badly mauled melta squad charge the demolisher to finish it off the resulting combat sees it wrecked.
Marks turn sees the executioner move back from the honour guard ready to unleash fiery plasma death on them. One of Marks plasma squad chimeras moves around behind the depleted melta unit and the Valkyries move out ready to turbo boost over to the objectives towards the end of the game. The second (and now only) demolisher moves round to draw line of sight on the flamer assault squad.
Shooting sees one of the honour guard fall to fire from the executioner but they pass their morale test and stay in the fight. The mauled melta squad loses the sergeant and two marines to plasma fire but luckily thanks to shield and the librarian’s high leadership they stay put and lose no more men this turn. The flamer squad receive most of the fire this turn which results in them being completely wiped out.
Assault sees the guard sergeant stand his ground no matter what the angels can throw at him; again he loses combat but stands his ground keeping that valuable melta unit tied up for yet another turn.
So again things are going well (seems strange me saying this as normally things are seriously FUBAR by now). Yes my units are taking a serious pounding but they are standing their ground as marines should.
Again shield of sanguinius is paying dividends, it’s keeping marines in the fight that would otherwise have fallen to plasma death by now. This isn’t the only thing which is working for me though; some unlucky dice on Marks behalf have meant his executioner hasn’t been 100% effective. But it’s far too much of a threat to just leave. So the honour guard are going to have to chase it down and try again.
On a negative note it probably wasn’t the best move to throw the flamer unit at the chimera with the melta unit in but at that point it was the only option I had left myself.
Turn three
(Sorry no picture L)
Ok so the picture thing is my fault but the red thirst descended and I got a bit too engrossed in trying to win for once and just dived in without thinking.
It all started with the honour guard chasing down the executioner and the mauled melta squad move to engage the last demolisher. No more movement from the angels.
Shooting sees the demolisher lose its turret to melta fire removing it as a threat. The honour guard fire on the executioner but again fail to do any damage. The devastators save the day by blasting the plasma squad chimera reducing it to a smoking crater and killing two guardsmen in the resulting explosion.
During the assault phase the guard sergeant again refuses to fall to the assault from the blood angels.
Marks movement sees the Valkyries turbo boost down each of the long table edges ready to swoop down on the objective.
Shooting sees the honour guard finally killed by the executioner. The reduced strength melta squad is killed by combined fire from all of the plasma squads and the heavy flamer mounted on what’s left of the demolisher.
In the assault phase the guard sergeant finally falls to the repeated attacks of the blood angel’s assault squad.
So that’s both demolishers out of commission which leaves just the executioner and the Valkyries posing any credible threat to my hold on the two objectives on my side of the board. So loses have been heavy but the job is getting done and for once Mark is on the back foot. He has to use all his units to deal with the assault units within his table quarter which means they aren’t attacking my objectives.
I just need to try and keep the pressure on to keep him tied up and not moving in to attack my side of the board.
Turn 4
The remaining melta assault squad move around to the side of the building containing the guard objective. The plasma pistol assault squad moves to surround the Valkyrie moving in on the second objective.
Shooting sees the melta unit fire on the chimera on the guard objective causing it to explode. The devastators manage to shoot down the Valkyrie on Marks side of the board but fail to damage the one bearing down on the second objective. The assault marines attempt to bring it down using pistol fire but again are unsuccessful.
The melta unit assault the now dismounted guard squad from the chimera they popped in the shooting phase. The resulting combat sees the guard squad defeated and flee the battle field. The plasma pistol assault squad charge the Valkyrie and manage to bring it down using krak grenades. Because of the placement of my marines the transported unit has to make an emergency evacuation which means they are unable to do anything in their next turn.
Mark moved his executioner to engage the melta unit. The chimera on the outside of the guard objective moves through cover to secure the objective. The rest of Marks unit move in to position to engage the melta unit.
Mark unleashes all of his available weapons on the melta unit. The resulting firestorm kills all but the priest, librarian one melta marine and on normal assault marine. Theses remaining marines fail their morale test and fall back behind the demolisher.
Mark now has zero mobility his only remaining chimera is sitting on his home objective, his Valkyries are now gone and he only has one fully functional battle tank. Loses are heavy on both sides but it would appear that the game is mine. All I have to do is clear out one objective and I win.
Turn five
The melta assault squad rally and move behind the executioner ready to melt its rear armour. The plasma pistol assault squad move to engage the melta squad which has just been forced out of the Valkyrie.
Shooting sees the melta assault squad fire on the executioner wrecking it (finally). The plasma assault squad fire on the guard squad occupying the ruin by the second objective, killing one, but also losing one plasma marine to a gets hot result. The devastators fire frag missiles at the unit from the other downed Valkyrie wiping them all out.
They plasma pistol squad then assault the unit they targeted causing them to lose all but 4 men and flee from the combat, unfortunately they fail to cut down the remaining men and consolidate towards the objective.
Mark moves the demolisher hull towards the melta unit and opens fire with his heavy flamer managing to kill everybody who is left. The plasma squad in the crater fire on the plasma pistol unit killing a single marine. The melta unit also fire on the plasma pistol unit but fail to cause any wounds.
Things could have gone better here a couple of unlucky rolls and now I’m looking at a draw. Just got to pray it goes another turn.
Dice roll reveals the game ends now L
We decided it would be interesting to play the 6th turn just to see what would happen.
Turn six
Devastators open fire with a combination of krak and frag missiles killing all of the guardsmen on the objective.
Game ends as Mark is unable to contest the objective in my deployment zone.
So my first win against Mark ok so I had to sacrifice half my army but the ends justify the means. Having listened to all the people who said my list couldn’t win, all I can say is how wrong you were lol!
Yet again Mark fought well and didn’t give me an easy ride at all as you can tell by the death toll. the combination of feel no pain from the priests and shield of sanguinius from the librarians makes this a real nightmare to shift with fire alone and the bonuses given by unleash rage can make a big difference in cc, so I am happy with this list and don’t plan on changing it. All I have to do is keep playing aggressively and I should be able to repeat this result in the future.
For a lot of this battle mark was on the defensive and busy trying to counter my mobile assault units which left him unable to move on my objectives.
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