Da Dark Angelz vs The Skave - 1000pts
The Skave have been raiding Ork camps and settlements up and down the eastern fringe making great profits off of the Greenskins warlike ways, horde after horde has been transferred back to the great auction halls of the Under Imperium hidden deep on the planet of Blight.
Captain Skarlok had become famous amongst his Syndicate for his daring raids aboard his ship the Blight's Shadow, but greed and cunning only get you so far and even Skarlok can make mistakes...
So in a greed fueled act of hedonism, he stole from the da dreaded Dark Angelz!
Now with a hold full of contraband the Airship "Blight's Shadow" attempts to speed away from the closing Ork forces, it's Warpstone Furnace slowly building power getting ready for the leap to safety.
But the Orks are close - maybe too close - will they jump in time?
Let the Chase Begin!
INTRODUCTION
As if I wasn't lucky enough to be spending 4 weeks in Oz on holiday, Da Boss had seen fit to allow me to bring Da Dark Angelz (Orks) with me so that I could play my brother (slice'n'dice) and his mate. I put out a challenge in my project blog, and, lo and behold, Santobell's "The Skave" took the bait- I mean challenge!
Santobell expressed interest in doing something with rolling terrain, and since I had
IA:8 with me as well, a modified version of Battle 6 - Pursuit of Dagger Force seemed in order. Originally, we were working towards an Ork race - however - the rolling terrain really requires a lot of fast vehicles. Whilst this wasn't an issue for Da Dark Angelz, it was for The Skave, and hence we settled on a chase (with some modifications) instead - which better suited the scenario anyway.
The aim was to play two games. The first would represent the chase - Da Dark Angelz chasing after The Skave's Airship "Blight's Shadow", whose Captain Skarlok had been so brazen as to have made off with some of our "stuff" - with the intention of retrieving said "stuff" as well as whatever spoils such an impressive ship might provide (Skarag, Da Dark Angelz Big Mek, was beside himself with the possibilities!)
The second game would be a standard Seize and Control, Pitched Battle with 4 objectives. If Da Dark Angelz succeeded in bringing down the Airship in Game 1, it would be out in the open with the objectives scattered around the wreck of the Airship. Otherwise, The Skave would be free to set up the objectives in their defended surface camp - in the process of hurriedly unloading them.
Oh - and in case it isn't obvious - these were fun games, not competitive - a chance to see Da Dark Angelz and The Skave in their (current) full glory, with a bit of twist. Hopefully inspiring some larger, more structured games to fully explore their rivalry some time in the (far) future!
FORCES
Arakasi's Da Dark Angelz (Orks)
[
HQ] Morgrim "Da Lion" Grimork (Da Warboss): Mega Armour (Power Klaw, Twin Linked Shoota, Stikkbombs), Cybork Body (110pts)
[
HQ] Skarag Mekslag (Da Big Mek): Burna, Kustom Force Field, Mek's Tools (105pts)
[TR] Grimskab Badwort (Da Painboy): 'Urty Syringe, Dok's Tools, Cybork Body and Da Inna Circul (5 Nobz): 2 Power Klaws, Big Choppa, 2 Choppas, 4 Sluggas, Twin Linked Shoota, 5 'Eavy Armour, Bosspole, Cybork Bodies in a Trukk: Big Shoota, Boarding Plank, Red Paint Job, Reinforced Ram (320pts)
[TR] Da Warboss' Taktikal Boyz - 10 Shootas including Big Shoota and Nob: Power Klaw, Slugga, Bosspole in a Trukk: Big Shoota, Boarding Plank, Red Paint Job, Reinforced Ram (155pts)
[TR] Skarag's Taktikal Boyz - 11 Shootas including Rokkit Launcha and Nob: Power Klaw, Slugga, Bosspole in a Trukk: Big Shoota, Boarding Plank, Red Paint Job, Reinforced Ram (166pts)
[
FA] Rav'nwing I - Deffkopta with Twin Linked Rocket Launchas and Buzzsaw (70pts)
[
FA] Rav'nwing II - Deffkopta with Twin Linked Rocket Launchas and Buzzsaw (70pts)
TOTAL: 996pts
Santobell's The Skave (Counts as Orks)
[
HQ] Verminlord (Counts as Ghazghkull Thraka)
[
HQ] Captain Skarlok (Counts as Warboss): 'Eavy Armour, Power Klaw
[
EL] Globadiers (Counts as Tankbustas): 5 Globadiers with 2 Rokkits, 2 Tankhammers, 3 Bomb Rats including Nob with Power Klaw
[TR] Stormvermin (Counts as Boyz): 10 Stormvermin with Sluggas, Choppas and 'Eavy Armour including a Big Shoota and Nob with Power Klaw
[TR] Mercenaries (Counts as Boyz): 20 Mercs with Sluggas and Choppas including a Big Shoota, Rokkit Launcha and Nob with Big Choppa
[
FA] Ratcopta (Counts as Deffkopta): Kustom Mega-Blasta, Buzzsaw
[
HS] Tunnel Rat (Counts as Battlewagon): Big Shoota, Zzap Gun
[
HS] Deff Rat (Counts as Deff Dread): Big Shoota, Skorcha
[
HS] Jezails (Counts as Flashgitz): 5 Jezails with Blastas including Painboy
TOTAL: 1145pts
MISSION: Modified
IA:8 Battle 6 - Pursuit of the Airship "Blight's Shadow"
We made a number of changes to the mission to suit our needs. The victory conditions were replaced - Da Dark Angelz would need to bring down the Airship to win, otherwise it would be The Skave's victory. The Skave's non-fast units would be in reserve, come in from the escape edge, and move with the rolling road. In addition to The Skave's forces, they would have the Airship for Free:
Airship BS2 F13 S13 R12 Super-heavy Skimmer, Fast, Counts as Open Topped for Fire/Access Points, Transport Capacity of 20, 2 Structure Points, 1 Power Field, Front mounted weapon of The Skave's choice.
Taktikal Notes: Da plan is simply to try to catch up with da Airship - da Deffkoptas, being a bit quicka, should make it - but with a bit of luck, I can get a Trukk or two within Boarding Plank distance. Anything the Deffkopta Rokkits can manage is just gravy.
PRELUDE
The chase begins...
TURN 1
Jezails on board the Blight's Shadow manage to wound the left most Deffkopta. (Did you see the terrain move?)
Da Dark Angelz give chase! Big Shoota fire from the three Trukks and one of da boyz downs the Ratcopta, while some incredibly lucky Rokkit fire from da Deffkoptas and one of da boyz knocks out the Airship's Power Field and stuns the driver!
TURN 2
The Tunnel Rat with Stormvermin (Battlewagon with 'Ard Boyz), Globadiers (Tankbustas) and Captain Skarlok himself turn up, but it may already be too late. Driver stunned, the Airship drops back with the rolling road - colliding with Morgrimm's Trukk (which had just successfully jumped a low wall) and wrecking it. Morgrimm and his boyz pile out and prepare to put the hurt on.
Morgrimm, his boyz and da Deffkoptas move in for the kill...
...with expected results.
VICTORY: Da Dark Angelz
AFTERMATH
I really didn't expect the Rokkits to be so effective (they aren't usually) - and we hadn't really taken into consideration what stunning the Airship would mean with regards to the rolling road. I don't think the result would have been any different going with an alternative Airship stat line of AV11 on the rear, but with 4 Structure Points - the Driver Stunned results were what killed it. Perhaps simply having it move
D6" backwards or in a random direction may have played out better...
Anyway - with the Airship successfully downed, it was now time to go gather up the goods!
MISSION: Seize Ground, 4 objectives - scattered from centre of each table quarter.
DEPLOYMENT: Pitched Battle
Taktikal Notes: The usual really - hit'em 'ard, hit'em fast! Oh, and then go check out the objectives - Morgrimm will *not* be dictated to by Big Mek enthusiasm, and anywayz - doze pesky ratz need ta be taught a lesson for steal'n our stuff first!
PRELUDE
After several roll-offs, Da Dark Angelz finally managed to secure first turn and setup in pretty much my standard configuration - three Trukks in the middle, centre with
KFF, with the Deffkoptas on each side. The Skave then setup as shown above. The objectives are marked with green crosses.
The Ratcopta and Deffkoptas buzz the field, before the sneaky Skave steal the initiative!
TURN 1
The Skave cautiously advance. The left Deffkopta goes down to the Globadiers, whilst a lucky Kustom Mega-Blasta shot from the Ratcopta knocks the right Deffkopta out of the sky, despite its turbo-boost.
Taktikal Note: I've realised while writing this up that the Globadiers shouldn't have been able to target the Deffkopta, being under the influence of the Glory Hogs rule and being able to see the Trukks...
Da Dark Angelz open up the throttle and advance with wild abandon. The Warboss and Big Mek take to the right, whilst the Nobz move in, disembark and multi-charge the Globadiers and the Ratcopta.
Da Inna Circul attempts to put the pain on the Globadiers and Ratcopta.
Morgrimm and Skarag zoom up to deal with the right flank.
The Nobz leave their A game behind - failing to
ID the Ratcopta or cause substantial casualties - but luckily only lose one to the two Tankhammers and two Power Klaws arrayed against them. Winning combat, they run down both the Ratcopta and the Globadiers - so it all worked out as expected in the end...
TURN 2
The Skave move in - the Tunnel Rat sidles up towards Da Inna Circul, the Stormvermin dismounting on their left whist the Verminlord saunters up from the right - surrounding them in a pincer move. On the right, the Deff Rat and Captain Skarloc and his Mercs move up to deal with Morgrimm and Skarag's Trukks. The Jezails stay still, contesting the top left objective, the Nobz also in their field of fire.
Shooting on the left puts some wounds on da Nobz, whilst the Zzap Gun on the Tunnel Rat wrecks the Nobz' ride. On the right, the Deff Rat explodes Morgrimm's ride, but his Scorcha and the Merc firepower fail to dislodge Skarag from his.
Taktikal Note: Da Nobz' ride isn't shown as destroyed until later - we got to the assault phase before we realised the Tunnel Rat hadn't fired. The Skave being a *lot* more accurate with their shooting than regular Orks of *course* wrecked the Trukk...
The Skave assault! Captain Skarloc and his Mercs assault Skarag's Trukk whilst the Deff Rat assaults Morgrimm and his boyz.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, the Stormvermin and Verminlord complete their pincer move...
A lucky hit by Captain Skarloc (damn those Skave and their sneaky good luck!) sees Skarag and his boyz dismounted in an explosive fashion. Morgrimm, however, deftly dodges the Deff Rat before showing why he should not be messed with!
Their A game still sorely lacking, da Inna Circul barely manage to trade casualties with the Stormvermin before the Verminlord finishes them in a flurry of attacks - IDing the last three
Having surrendered the left flank, Da Dark Angelz attempt to make the best of the right. Morgrimm takes his boyz up to secure the top right objective and trade ineffective fire with the Jezails. Skarag introduces Captain Skarloc and his Mercs to his Burna and his boyz Shootas, before charging in. Unfortunately, Skarag's boyz were hampered by the crater of their Trukk and underestimated the resolve of the remaining Mercs, who seemed pretty annoyed about the previous Burna love and took it out on his boyz - killing many before they even got to strike. To add insult to injury, he had also underestimated Captain Skarloc's ability in combat - which took a further toll, so much so that his boyz Nob failed to hit him at all. Grimly, Skarag and his remaining few boyz held on - dreams of looting the Airship, so close by, obviously keeping up morale...
THE DECIDER
With nothing stopping the Stormvermin from securing the top left objective, or Morgrimm from the top right, and running out of time, we decided that the battle between Skarag, his Nob and two boyz and Captain Skarloc and his Merc Leader would decide the battle - as whoever won here would be able to secure the bottom right objective and win the battle. Skarag attempted to take out Captain Skarloc with his Burna before he could wield his Power Klaw, but was obviously distracted by the lure of dismantling the Airship. The Merc Leader, not distracted, carved up the remaining two boyz. Captain Skarloc then easily dodged the Nob's clumsy attempts to silence him before slicing and dicing him. Skarag's courage (or desire to loot the Airship) kept him locked in combat, but the damage was done - Da Dark Angelz chance to secure a second objective was gone.
VICTORY: THE SKAVE!
AFTERMATH
Da Dark Angelz (Orks)
Anyone could be forgiven for thinking this an Annihilation game rather than an Objective game - but hey, that's typically how Da Dark Angelz run - and what carnage ensued! Da Dark Angelz won't be back in this sector for some time, but when they are, they will be sure to look up The Skave and pay them back their due! We have long (ginseed and progloid lands induced) memories of wrongs that need righting!
Santobell is a hobbyist first, gamer second - I think we spent more time discussing our armies, conversions and paint jobs than actually battling - hence only 4 turns across 2 games in pretty much a full day of
40K. We do have more pictures than normal though
. I had an excellent time - kudos to Santobell for being a most excellent host!
Taktikally - splitting my forces was probably a bad idea. The Nobz have done so well for me it came as a bit of a surprise they couldn't hold the left flank. I also seriously underestimated the effect of hard independent characters on my small elite Ork list - the damage output of the Verminlord (counts as Ghazghkull) and Captain Skarloc (counts as Warboss) on my forces was game changing. Had I realised this, I probably would have sent Morgrim and his boyz into the assault on the right as well.
On a final note, given The Skave were operating at a bit of a points advantage - it wasn't a completely abysmal effort, Da Dark Angelz bad luck vs The Skave's good luck not withstanding
Report Card:
Morgrim "Da Lion" Grimork (Da Warboss): Downed the Airship and thumped the Deff Rat.
B
Skarag Mekslag (Da Big Mek): KFF wasn't a big help in either game, Burna'ed some Mercs, but underestimated them in combat and then, to add insult to injury, was distracted in combat due to the "shiny" Airship in the vicinity...
C
Grimskab Badwort (Da Painboy) and Da Inna Circul (5 Nobz) in a Trukk: Helped down the Ratcopta in the first game. In the second game, killed Globadiers and Ratcopta, though more through good luck than combat ability. Failed to account for themselves against Stormvermin and Verminlord.
B
Da Warboss' Taktikal Boyz in a Trukk: Helped put the boot in on the Airship and Deff Rat. Helped down the Ratcopta in the first game.
B
Skarag's Taktikal Boyz in a Trukk: Helped down the Ratcopta and Airship in the first game. At best a humorous distraction in the second.
C
Rav'nwing I: Helped down the Airship. Diverted fire from the Trukks.
C+
Rav'nwing II: Helped down the Airship. Diverted fire from the Trukks.
C+
Hope you enjoyed the Battle Report as much as we enjoyed playing it!
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