Battle Report - Imperial Guard vs Blood Angels 2000 points

Mercer from Imperius Dominatus came round today for a game. So far I haven't had much luck against any of his armies, but maybe things would be different against his Imperial Guard.

Strike force Blood Lance 2000 Pts  -   Blood Angels Army

HQ

1 Librarian (HQ) @ 140 Pts

     #Psychic Hood; Jump Pack; The Blood Lance; The Sanguine Sword; Force

     Weapon; Plasma Pistol (x1); Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyker

4 Honour Guard (HQ) @ 225 Pts

     Plasma Gun (x1); Close Combat Weapon (x1); Jump Packs; Frag Grenades; Krak

     Grenades

     1 Sanguinary Novitiate @ [45] Pts

          #Blood Chalice; Jump Packs; Bolt Pistol & CCW; Frag Grenades; Krak

          Grenades

Elites

1 Sanguinary Priest (Elites) @ 125 Pts

     Jump Pack; Bolt Pistol (x1); Close Combat Weapon (x1); Frag Grenades; Krak

     Grenades; Blood Chalice

     1 Sanguinary Priest #1 @ [50] Pts

          Bolt Pistol (x1); Close Combat Weapon (x1); Frag Grenades; Krak

          Grenades; Blood Chalice

Troops

9 Assault Squad (Troops) @ 235 Pts

     Meltagun & CCW (x2); Combat Squads; Bolt Pistol & CCW (x9); Frag Grenades;

     Krak Grenades; Jump Packs

     1 Space Marine Sergeant @ [53] Pts

          Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Fist; Bolt Pistol; Jump Packs

9 Assault Squad (Troops) @ 235 Pts

     Meltagun & CCW (x2); Combat Squads; Bolt Pistol & CCW (x9); Frag Grenades;

     Krak Grenades; Jump Packs

     1 Space Marine Sergeant @ [53] Pts

          Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Fist; Bolt Pistol; Jump Packs

9 Tactical Squad (Troops) @ 170 Pts

     Combat Squads; Bolt Pistol (x9); Bolter (x7); Heavy Bolter (x1); Flamer;

     Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades

     1 Space Marine Sergeant @ [26] Pts

          Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Close Combat Weapon (x1); Bolt Pistol

9 Tactical Squad (Troops) @ 170 Pts

     Combat Squads; Bolt Pistol (x9); Bolter (x7); Missile Launcher (x1);

     Flamer; Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades

     1 Space Marine Sergeant @ [26] Pts

          Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Close Combat Weapon (x1); Bolt Pistol

9 Tactical Squad (Troops) @ 200 Pts

     Combat Squads; Bolt Pistol (x9); Bolter (x7); Missile Launcher (x1);

     Flamer; Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades

     1 Space Marine Sergeant @ [56] Pts

          Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Plasma Pistol (x1); Power Weapon (x1)

Heavy Support

9 Devastator Squad (Heavy Support) @ 275 Pts

     Combat Squads; Bolt Pistol (x9); Bolter (x5); Lascannon (x2); Plasma

     Cannon (x2); Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades

     1 Space Marine Sergeant @ [51] Pts

          #Signum; Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Fist; Bolt Pistol

9 Devastator Squad (Heavy Support) @ 225 Pts

     Combat Squads; Bolt Pistol (x9); Bolter (x5); Missile Launcher (x4); Frag

     Grenades; Krak Grenades

     1 Space Marine Sergeant @ [41] Pts

          #Signum; Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Power Weapon (x1); Bolt Pistol

Models in Army: 78

Total Army Cost: 2000

Imperial Guard "Steel Lions" - 2,000 points 

HQ 

1 x Company Command Squad w/ Chimera -  3 x plasma guns & medi-kit

1 x Company Command Squad w/ Chimera -  3 x plasma guns & medi-kit

Troops 

Veterans - 3 x meltaguns

Veterans - 3 x meltaguns

Veterans w/ Chimera - 3 x meltaguns

Veterans w/ Chimera - 3 x flamers

Veterans w/ Chimera - 3 x flamers

Fast Attack 

1 x Valkyrie - multiple missile pods

1 x Valkyrie - multiple missile pods

2 x Hellhounds - heavy flamers

Heavy Support 

1 x Leman Russ - heavy flamer

1 x Leman Russ Demolisher - heavy flamer

1 x Leman Russ Demolisher - heavy flamer

Total: 1995

Pitched Battle, Seize Ground



Deployment

Right so things aren't looking pretty from the off. 

I lost the roll off so Mercer chose to go second. So having placed all of the objectives (2 just outside my deployment zone, 3 just outside his). I deployed all of my units in cover. I split all of my devastators into combat squads with two heavy weapons into each (see I am learning). These were then split between the two objectives and the central ruin. One of the tactical squads was deployed with a sanguinary priest in the base of the left hand ruin, the other two were split into combat squads. Two of these were deployed in the right hand ruins, one was deployed in the central ruin and the final combat squad was deployed just outside the crater between the centre and right hand ruins. The Assault squads were deployed behind each of the objective, the left hand squad was supported by a sanguinary priest and the right hand squad was supported by the librarian and honour guard.

Mercer then deployed the majority of his force to cover the right hand and centre of the board, ready to roll up and take that objective, whilst still being able to claim and defend the two objective within that area. A valkyrie and a chimera, containing a veteran squad with 3 flamers, were deployed to cover the left hand objective.

Oh crap I'm spread like so thin I make cling film look opaque! Not to worry the plan still stands. I'm hoping to be able to bounce the assault squads up the flanks engaging any targets as they present themselves, hit the objectives and hide for as long as possible while the rest of the army gives covering fire. It looks like Mercer intends to roll down my flank avoiding my bigger guns and then steam roller me.

Turn 1

Let's try and make this deployment work for me now. 

The assault squad on the left flank move out of cover, OK they are out of range this turn but with no weapons that negate my save and the bonus of feel no pain, they should weather any fire that comes there way. The tactical combat squad out in the open move through cover into the crater right in front of them. The assault squad on the right flank move in front of the ruin while the librarian and honour guard move in parallel using the ruin as a shield. All of my heavy weapons units open up on Mercers looming tanks hoping to slow if not stop there approach, but it's not to be as they either miss or fail to penetrate.

Mercer moves all of his tanks forward heading towards my right flank. The valkyrie on the left flank pops out of cover to engage the assault squad. The right hand assault squad get hit by everything Mercer has available killing all but 3 marines. The demolishers in the centre open up on the devastator squad with plasma cannons in the central ruin, killing three and causing the rest to flee, luckily for me they only get to the board edge and not off it. The left hand valkyrie fires everything it's got at the assault squad managing to only kill one marine.

What can I say, I stuffed that turn right up. I shouldn't have moved the right hand assault squad the way I did. All I managed to do on that flank was present Mercer with a big, high priority target. I'm only lucky that they weren't all wiped out. But with this lack of mobility all I can do is try and hold this flank and pray nothing else goes pear shaped. 

Mercer on the other hand seems to be well in control.

Turn 2

What's left of the assault squad on the right moves into cover behind the large building towards the centre with the honour guard and Librarian running support. The assault squad on the left moves up on the valkyrie ready to unleash melta death on it. The plasma cannon regroup and move away from the edge of the board. The rest of the army remains still ready to fire on the growing number of approaching tanks. The right hands assault squad opens up on the hellhounds only resulting in a crew shaken result. The librarian tries to cast blood lance but fails to get enough range to take out the leman russ. The rest of the firing on that turn doesn't result in much more success with all of the other shots either missing or failing to penetrate. Damn you dice gods!!

Mercers turn goes a lot better even after a bit of a rocky start. One of the hell hounds and a chimera get bogged in trying to cross difficult terrain. One of the demolishers moves around the large building to engage the librarian, honour guard and assault squad. The left hand valkyrie moves back out of the short range fire zone of the assault squads melta's. He then proceeds to open fire wiping out the librarian and all of the plasma gun wielding honour guard leaving just the sanguinary novitiate alive. Again the valkyrie on the left flank fires at the assault squad killing 2 more marines but it's still not enough to stop them.

Idiot! Why did I move my librarian out into the open like that, talk about poor judgement. I should have used the blood lance on one of the closer vehicles like the hell hounds those things are going be a real pain later in the game. All these stupid moves have left my right flank seriously weakened. In one turn I have managed to sacrifice my honour guard and librarian and virtually gifted all of the momentum on this flank to my opponent. The only risky move Mercer made was to move the demolisher to engage the assault squad/honour guard, personally I would have left them to the hellhound and leman russ, moving the demolisher to deal with the devastator squad in the ruin on the left flank.

Turn 3

The assault squad on the left flank move up ready to engage the veteran squad in the chimera ignoring the valkyrie this turn in order to secure the objective. The right hand assault squad move up on the demolisher ready to fire melta's at it and then assault if things don't work out. The sanguinary novitiate moves up to support the assault squad and also to try and get cover from the hellhounds. The tactical combat squad on the ground floor of the right hand ruin move up a floor to secure the objective and the tactical squad on the left flank move to secure that objective. The right hand assault squad manage to pop the demolisher and fire from the devastator squad on the ground floor of the ruin on that flank manage to destroy the turret of one of the hellhounds. The left hand assault squad managed to pop the chimera and are ready to assault the veterans now that they are exposed. The remainder of the firing goes pretty much like the rest of the turns with nothing really going down even with the weight of fire being thrown at it. The assault goes the way I expected with the assault squad wiping out the veterans and then consolidating on the objective.

Mercer moves his second demolisher up to deal with the assault squad behind the large building and the valkyrie move out of melta double penetration range. A command squad eqipped with plasma guns de-bus and move to occupy the ruins overlooking the left hand assault squads position ready to fire next turn as they had to run this turn. Other than a little shuffling the rest of Mercers unit remain stationary. Firing sees the assault squad and sanguinary novitiate behind the large building wiped out. One of the plasma cannon devastator falls to multi laser fire and 3 of the devastators in the right hand ruin are taken out by massed fire from the tanks on the right flank.

OK things could be going better. I have managed to completely cripple my own flank with some stupid moves. I have managed to secure the left flank but I'm now facing a valkyrie full of troops with melta guns, a command squad packing 3 plasma guns and a chimera full of troops with flamers, only having 7 guys to hold the objective could be a problem but because my own left flank is untouched I am able to give them plenty of fire support. I have spent far too long considering this flank though which has lead to mistakes on the right which has left me exposed, out maneuvered and out numbered. I should have moved the tactical combat squad in the crater to support the right flank.

Turn 4

No movement for me this turn. The remaining assault squad fires on the valkyrie getting a crew shaken result. The las cannon devastator squad finally get their act together and manage to pop the turret of the last demolisher. The missile laungher devatator squad below them fire on the plasma gun veteran squad with frag missilts manging to kill 2 of them allowing me at least a little breathing room. The devastators in the right hand ruin fire on the hellhounds managing a crew shaken result. The rest of my firing goes as bad ly as the rest of the game.

Mercer moves the damaged demolisher to tank shock the tactical combat squad in the crater unfortunately for him they pass and move out of the way without any problems. Everything else on the right flank moves forward to engage the squads in the ruin in order to secure the objective. The valkyrie is unable to fire and so the squad inside deploys ready to engage the assault squad. Firing takes it's toll on the squads in the right hand ruin. The devastators are wiped out and 4 marines from the missile launcher tactical combat squad fall to combined fire from the valkyrie and leman russ. 2 of the tactical marines in the crater are killed by the plasma veterans in the chimera. The assault squad loses 3 marines to fire from the melta veterans and the plasma command squad.

The left hand assault squad are over extended with next to no proper support. The right flank is a mess, 6 marines left to face down a leman russ, hellhound, chimera carrying a plasma command squad and a fully loaded valkyrie. To be quite honest I don't have a hope in hell of pulling this one back. Mercer has palyed me into a corner and I'm left on the back foot hoping to scratch a draw with some lucky rolls.

Turn 5

The tactical marines in the crater move to support the right flank and the tactical marines in the central ruin move down a level to get into a better supporting position. The assault squad moves through cover to put some terrain between themselves and the valkyrie. Firing goes badly again with nothing really happening. 

Mercer moved most of his right flank in closer in order to put pressure on the remaining marines in the ruins. The plasma command squad bail out and move into the ruins to contest the objective. the last demolisher gets bogged down in the crater trying to turn and engage the tactical marines in the central ruin. During the firing all but one of the marines on the right flank are killed by a combination of plasma, hellhound and battle cannon fire. One of the marines moving out of the crater is taken down by multi laser fire and the demolisher kills 3 marines from the central ruin.

I should have run the tactical marines coming out of the crater they would have at least made my opponents job of contesting the objective harder.

We rolled and the game ended leaving Mercer in control of two objectives and contesting two while I only had control of one, giving Mercer the win. Well done and well fought.

OK now for the nuts and bolts of it my forces were spread far too thin to deal with the amount of armour I was up against. Another big mistake was the move I pulled with the assault squad and honour guard/librarian on the right flank. Two of my best units put right where Mercer wanted them, in the open with no real support (winner!). The left flank could have done with the support of a second assault squad as back up, there was just far too many ap2 weapons ready to open up on my marines to leave it all to 10 men.

In conclusion I hamstrung myself right from the get go the assault squads should have been put together as a pair with the honour guard and librarian in support. The right flank should have been more static. I should have deployed two tactical squads and at least one of the devastator squads in the ruin there to deal with the armour whilst putting plenty of bodies in there to hold off the eventual tank attack.

Mercer played well with a well thought out plan of attack, rolling up my right flank and making sure he could contest the objectives on his side of the board. The end result of which was a convincing victory on his part.

I'll get you Mercer and your little dog too haha.