A small sliver of orange light disappears over the horizon. Cyron I’s Sun recedes, blanketing the land in darkness. From a distance a string of lights snakes its way across the dessert. The light draws near along with a crescendo of roaring engines and clanking metal. Multiple Sisters of Battle vehicles headlights tears into the darkness.
Inside the snug confines of an Immolator, Canoness Dianus kept up-to-date with Inquisitor Lord Antonio aboard the Black Ship Eternal hanging in orbit above Cyron I.
“Repeat that again,” said Dianus.
“There’s been a change in plans,” replied Antonio. “By some twist of fate, the greenskins have done our work for us. They attacked Grey Fortress, breeched their defenses, and succeeded in overrunning the Rebels. Rebel Astartes resorted to their last resort. They set off a large vortex grenade killing themselves along with the Greenskins.”
“Emperor on earth! That’s wonderful news!” exclaimed Dianus.
“Not quite,” informed Antonio. “My agents have informed me the Rebel Astartes leaders are still alive and have fled to a remote village. “We must capture and force them to surrender or else this war will continue indefinitely. I’m sending to you the coordinates now.”
“Ave Imperator,” replied Dianus.
Setting:
This is round 5 of ConQuest
GT SF Ragnarok.
The table was divided into four quarters with an objective placed center of each quarter and a fifth objective placed center of the table. Deployment was Spearhead. 15 Battle Points for controlling more objectives, 10 Battle Points for same number of objectives, and 5 Battle Points if less. Extra 3 Battle Points awarded to player controlling other player’s objective in deployment zone. Extra 2 Battle Points awarded to whichever player controls center objective.
The board was setup to look like a dessert village. Five buildings are scattered across the board: left mid, left-bottom, middle top, right top, and right-bottom. One ruin was setup center of the board.
Army List:
Sisters of Battle (Order of Faith):
-Palatine, Bolter, Book of
St. Lucius
-5 Celestians Retinue, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke
-5 Celestians, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke, Search Light
-5 Celestians, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke, Search Light
-5 Celestians, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke
-5 Dominions, 2 Flamers, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke
-5 Dominions, 2 Flamers, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke
-5 Dominions, 2 Flamers, 2 Meltaguns, Immolator, Smoke
-10 Battle Sisters, Veteran Sister Superior, Book of
St. Lucius, Meltagun, Heavy Flamer, Rhino, Extra Armour, Smoke
-10 Battle Sisters, Veteran Sister Superior, Book of
St. Lucius, Meltagun, Heavy Flamer, Rhino, Extra Armour, Smoke
-5 Inquisitorial Storm Troopers, 2 Meltaguns
-Immolator, Extra Armour, Smoke
-Exorcist
-Exorcist
My opponent brought a footslogging character heavy list. Unfortunately he didn’t max out on Long Fangs, which really puts him at a disadvantage.
Space Wolves:
-Ragnar Blackmane, 2 Fenrisian Wolves
-Wolf Priest, Runic Armor, Meltabombs, Saga of the Beast Slayer
-Rune Priest, Terminator Armour, Chooser of the Slain, Meltabombs, Living Lightning, Jaws of the World Wolf
-5 Wolf Guards:
Wolf Guard 1: Arjac Rockfist
Wolf Guard 2: Frost Blade, Plasma Pistol, Meltabombs
Wolf guard 3: Terminator Armor, Storm of Shield, Chainfist
Wolf Guard 4: Power Fist, Combi-melta
Wolf Guard 5: Terminator Armor, Power Fist, Storm Bolter, Cyclone Missile Launcher
-5 Wolf Scouts, Mark of the Wulfen, Meltagun
-15 Blood Claws, 2 Meltaguns (Ragnar Blackmane, Wolf Priest, Wolf Guard 3)
-Grey Hunters 1: 10 Grey Hunters, 2 Meltaguns, 1 Mark of the Wulfen (Wolf Guard 1 and Wolf Guard 2)
-Grey Hunters 2: 10 Grey Hunters, 2 Meltaguns, 1 Mark of the Wulfen (Rune Priest, Wolf Guard 4)
-Land Speeder, 2 Multi-Melta
-Land Speeder, Multi-Melta, Cyclone Missile Launcher
-6 Long Fangs, Plamsa Gun, Meltabombs, 2 Lascannons, 3 Missile Launchers (Wolf Guard 5 joins)
Deployment:
Once again, I lost the roll off to go first. This occurred in all five rounds. What are the odds of that happening?
My opponent chose top-right table quarter for his deployment zone. He deploys his Long Fangs inside a building near his objective. Everything else is held in reserve.
Bottom left quarter, I deploy my forces in three columns near the center deployment bubble:
-Left vehicle column: Celestian Immolator, Dominion Immolator, Battle Sister Rhino, and Exorcist
-Middle vehicle column: Celestian Immolator, Palatine Immolator, Inquisitorial Storm Trooper Immolator, and Exorcist.
-Right vehicle column: Celestian Immolator, Battle Sister Rhino, and 2 Dominion Immolators
I fail to seize the initiative.
Turn 1 (Space Wolves):
Long Fang Pack leader orders his squad to split fire between the middle and right Celestian Immolators. Two Lascannons and 2 Missiles slams into middle Celestian Immolator, blowing off its
TL-Heavy Flamer turret, shaking the crew, and melting its treads. Right Celestian Immolator fairs better having only suffered crew shaken.
Turn 1 (Sisters of Battle):
Palatine Immolator joins the left vehicle column. Left vehicle column rumbles toward the top-left objective. Right vehicle column drives forward towards the top-right objective. Celestians in the middle disembark from their crippled Immolator and follows the right vehicle column. Both Exorcists shuffles a few inches, getting a clear shot at the Long Fangs. At the end of movement, a couple vehicles pops smoke.
With nothing else to shoot at, both Exorcists concentrate their fire on the Long Fangs. Pack leader and one Long Fang with a Missile Launcher get blown to bits.
Turn 2 (Space Wolves):
Scouts, Blood Claws, and Land Speeder with dual Multi-Meltas become available from reserves.
Scouts sneak in from rear flank, creeping behind the Inquisitorial Storm Trooper Immolator. Land Speeder flies in from the top towards the left Exorcist. Ragnar Blackmane, Wolf Priest, and Wolf Guard 3 attached to the Blood Claws moves in from the middle top board edge and find cover inside a building.
Blood Claws runs deeper into cover. Left Land Speeder hits the side armor of the left Exorcist, but only succeeds in stunning the crew. Long Fangs fire at the middle Exorcist. One Lascannon penetrates Exorcist’s thick front hull, igniting stored ammunition. The Exorcist blows up, leaving a burning wreck. Scouts fire a Meltagun at the Inquisitorial Storm Trooper Immolator. A jet of heat burns the rear armor, disabling the engines. The Immolator becomes immobilize.
Scouts follow up with an assault. A couple of scouts lob krak grenades into melta-made hole. Seconds later the Immolator explodes. Three Storm Troopers stumbles out of the wreckage, the other two didn’t make it. Wolf Scouts also suffer one casualty. Flying shrapnel decapitates one scout, who wasn’t wearing his helmet.
Turn 2 (Sisters of Battle):
Left column of Sister tanks pulls up next to Blood Claws. Celestians and Battle Sisters disembark behind their vehicle wall. Celestians on foot pulls back, moving towards newly arrived Wolf Scouts. Right column of Sister tanks continues chugging towards the Long Fangs. At the end of movement phase, lead tanks pops smoke.
On the left, Battle Sisters and three Immolators focus fire on the Blood Claws. A series of bad rolls resulted in two Blood Claws (one with Meltagun) and two Fenrisian Wolves deaths by flames. Celestians level their Meltaguns at the Land Speeder. Twin beams skewer the skimmer, turning it into a molten slag.
In the back, Celestians opens fire on the Wolf Scouts, but fails to inflict any wounds. Inquisitorial Storm Troopers did better. Storm Troopers fires everything they got into the Space Wolves elites. Caught in the open, two Wolf Scouts are instantly vaporized by Meltaguns. The last falls to hail of las-shots.
Turn 3 (Space Wolves):
Grey Hunters 1 becomes available from reserves. They appear from top left, ambushing Celestians. Blood Claws converges on the Sisters’ vehicle wall. Lone scout closes in on Storm Troopers.
Long Fangs blasts a Dominion Immolator, killing two Dominions in the explosion.
Blood Claws obliterates a Rhino using Meltaguns. Grey Hunter 1 unleashes their Bolt Pistols, Plasma Pistol, and Arjac Rockfist’s Foehammer at the Celestians. Two Celestians perishes.
Lone Scout fires his Meltagun at the Storm Troopers, but intervening cover protects.
Scout assaults the Inquisitorial Storm Troopers, but fumbles all his attacks. Inquisitorial Storm Troopers beats down the scout using the butt of their hellguns. They consolidate towards the Celestian crippled Immolator.
Celestians summons Spirit of the Martyr for protection, turning their armor saves into invulnerable ones. Grey Hunter 1 botches all their attacks, failing to kill a single Celestian. Celestians retaliates. They kill one Grey Hunter and win combat. Grey Hunter 1 turns tail and was about to run, but then they remembered they were Space Marines and subject to “No Retreat” rule. Arjac Rockfist takes one for the team, but fails his armor save after a Celestian found a weak spot in his Terminator Armor.
Turn 3 (Sisters of Battle):
In the back, Inquisitorial Storm Troopers finds shelter inside the crippled Celestian Immolator. Celestians on foot scrambles toward top left objective. Exorcist shuffles forward.
Battle Sisters, knowing the Celestians won’t hold off Grey Hunter 1 indefinitely, decides to pull back. Celestian Immolator, Palatine Immolator, and Dominion Immolator tank shocks Blood Claws into a nice small knot. Both Palatine and Dominions disembark behind the vehicle wall.
On the top right, Celestians and Dominions disembark from their Immolators and march towards Long Fangs. Battle Sister Rhino pulls up from the rear. Battle Sisters disembarks. Empty Celestian Immolator and empty Dominion Immolator breaks off from the middle column and races towards the Blood Claws. Three Dominions on foot trails behind the Immolators.
During the shooting phase, Exorcist targets the Long Fangs but whiffs. Celestians runs.
Palatine and Retinue, two Immolators, and Dominons unleash an inferno on the Blood Claws, inflicting heavy casualties. 11 Blood Claws are burned to a crisp or are ripped to shreds from bolter fire.
On the top right, Dominions, Battle Sisters (using Divine Guidance), and Celestians whittle the Long Fang packs to a single Wolf Guard Terminator. He loses moral and flees off the table.
In assault, Grey Hunter 1 loses a couple of Grey Hunters, but finally defeat the Celestians. Dominions assaults Blood Claws, but gets slaughtered. Blood Claws consolidate into cover.
Turn 4 (Space Wolves):
Grey Hunter 2 and Land Speeder with Multi-Melta and Cyclone Missile Launcher become available from reserves.
Grey Hunter 2 and Land Speeder reinforces top right objective.
Grey Hunter 1 closes in on Palatine. Blood Claws moves towards left Dominion Immolator.
Blood Claws fire their Meltaguns at Dominion Immolator, but it dissipates off the tank’s hull, stunning the crew. Grey Hunter 1 Wolf Guard draws his Plasma Pistol and fires into the rear of a Celestian Immolator, burning a hole through its treads.
Land Speeder locks onto the Exorcist and knocks out its Exorcist Missile Launcher.
On the right Grey Hunter 2 rapid fires into Celestians. Rune Priest uses Jaws of the World Wolf, drawing a line through Celestians and Battle Sisters. Three Celestians dies under a storm of bullets. A gaping hole opens up underneath Battle Sister’s Veteran Sister Superior, swallowing her into the void.
On the left Grey Hunter 1 multi-charges Celestian Immolator and Palatine. Both sides suffer one casualty, drawing combat. Wolf Guard plants a melta-bomb into the back of Celesian Immolator. Seconds later a huge explosion engulfs everyone within five-inch radius. Palatine receives a wound while two Wolf Guards falls down with razor thin shrapnel lodge in their backs.
Blood Claws assaults Dominion Immolator. Ragnar Blackmane furiously swipes at Sister tanks, but only succeeds it scratching its paint. One level headed Blood Claw plants a krak grenade onto the rear hull. Grenade goes off and turns the Immolator into a burning wreck.
Turn 4 (Sisters of Battle):
On the left, weaponless Exorcist guns toward top left objective. Battle Sisters and Celestians advance toward Blood Claws. Palatine Immolator pulls up near the Blood Claws.
On the top right, Battle Sisters hops inside their Rhino and sped off towards bottom right objective. Celestians and Dominions advance toward newly arrived Grey Hunter 2. Their empty transport veers around and returns to the top right, getting close to Grey Hunter 2.
In the shooting phase, combine shooting from Palatine Immolator, Celestians, and Battle Sisters wipes out the Blood Claws. Only Ragnar Blackmane is left standing.
On the right, Dominions and Celestian shoot at Grey Hunter 2, but only succeeds in dropping one Grey Hunter.
In assault, Palatine summons protection from Spirit of the Martyr, but that doesn’t save one Celestian, who is pummeled to death by Arjac Rockfist’s Foehammer.
On the right, Dominions recklessly charges into Grey Hunter 2. There was no contest. Grey Hunter 2 wipes out the Dominions before the girls could even hit. Grey Hunter 2 consolidates in front of top right objective.
Turn 5 (Space Wolves):
On the left, Ragnar Blackmane bounds through terrain towards Battle Sisters.
Over on the right, Grey Hunter 2 wipes out Celestians in a single wave of shooting. Land Speeder locks onto a Dominion Immolator and fires. Blazing jet shoots out from the Multi-melta hitting the Immolator’s promethium tanks. The Immolator explodes, sending dust and debris flying everywhere.
In assault, Palatine blesses her squad with Spirit of the Martyr. Combat between Palatine and Grey Hunter 1 comes to a standstill. Neither side inflicts any casualties.
Ragnar Blackmane pulls out his pistol and blows a Battle Sister’s brains out before assaulting them. Despite having seven attacks, Ragnar Blackmane stumbles, rolling five 1’s and 2’s to hit followed by snake eyes to wound. Dumbfounded, all nine Battle Sisters retaliated, inflicting two wounds on Ragnar. Ragnar fortunately makes his two “No Retreat” saves.
Turn 5 (Sisters of Battle):
Weaponless Exorcist and Palatine Immolator contests top left objective.
Inquisitorial Storm Troopers hops out of the crippled Celestian Immolator and secures bottom left objective.
On the right, Battle Sisters disembark from their Rhino, moves, and secures bottom right objective. Empty Celestian Immolator attempts to contest top right objective, but a Grey Hunter from Grey Hunter 2 squad attempts death or glory using a Meltagun. Blazing heat melts the Immolator’s treads off.
In assault, Palatine summons protection from Spirit of the Martyr. Combat draws between Palatine and Grey Hunter 1. Ragnar manages to slay two Battle Sisters before the other Battle Sisters overwhelmed him. Using Hand of the Emperor, Battle Sisters slay Ragnar.
Game ends.
-Grey Hunter 1, Palatine, Exorcist, and Immolator contest top left objective.
-Grey Hunter 2 controls top right objective.
-No one controls middle objective.
- Inquisitorial Storm Troopers controls bottom left objective.
- Battle Sisters controls bottom right objective.
Neither the Space Wolves player nor I controlled each other’s deployment zone objective and center objective. I win 15 Victory Points.
Result: Victory for Sisters of Battle!
Overall I had a blast. I scored 2 victories, 2 draws, and 1 defeat. My army wasn’t fully painted, so I didn’t score very high in painting. In terms of battle points, I placed 9th out of 20 players. Not bad for my first
GT. It turns out the Eldar player I played against in
round 4 placed first overall and the Ork player I played against in
round 3 placed second overall.
I still have faith in Immolator Spam. Not a lot of armies can handle and
MSU army that focuses heavily on Meltaguns and Heavy Flamers. While it may not perform well in annihilation missions, it has a good chance of winning or drawing objective missions.
Special thanks goes out to tournament organizers for hosting Conquest
GT SF Ragnarok. And also, special thanks to folks at bloodofkittens.com for covering this event and taking pictures.
http://bloodofkittens.com/blog/2010/04/13/indy-gt-circuit-conquest-ragnarok-lists-and-results/ (note: BoK accidentally deleted their pictures. Fortunately I saved a few.)
“Ach, what’s keeping you lads,” snarl Ragnar Blackmane. “They are mere humans, what harm could they possibly…”
His natural instincts warn him of incoming danger. He throws himself on the ground just as hundreds of bullets flew past him. Ragnar watches in horror as a squad of Battle Sisters rips his fellow Blood Claw to shreds with a relentless stream of Bolters. One Battle Sister step forward and sprays gouts of liquid fire on the wounded Astartes. Their feral screams fill the air along with the stench of burning flesh.
Rage consumes Ragnar. He leaps and bounds toward Battle Sisters. Unsheathing his Frost Blade and leveling his bolt pistol, Ragnar lets out a terrifying howl before pulling the trigger. An explosive round punctures a Battle Sister’s helmet. Her head explodes, spraying blood and brain matter all over the place. Alert by the charging Wolf Lord’s battle cry, the Battle Sisters assume battle formation. Defend, strike, retreat, the Battle Sisters move in unison. Four Battle Sisters attacks the Wolf Lord from different angles. Ragnar parries two of them, but the two others plunge their daggers deep into Ragnar’s side and back.
Pain fuels Ragnar’s burning blood lust. He grabs hold of both Sisters by their necks and slams them into each other. Sandwich between Ragnar’s two super-humans fists the two Battle Sisters are crushed to death. Blood oozes out from every crevice, staining the Battle Sister’s pure white power armour with crimson red.
Seeing their comrades brutally slain, the rest of the Battle Sisters uproars into a frenzy. Veteran Sister Superior Cath chants the hymn, “Hand of the Emperor”, imbuing her squad with divine strength. The Battle Sisters tackles Ragnar to the ground, pinning his arms and legs. Sister Superior Cath stood on top of the Wolf Lord with a raised shock maw.
“May you see the Emperor’s light,” said Sister Superior Cath before she swung the shock maw, knocking Ragnar Blackmane unconscious.
…
Two month had passed since the Rebel Astartes leaders were captured and forced into surrender. The rest of the rebels were rounded up across the planet and marched into the Eternal’s prison bay. From there, they will be transported to Hell Rock I, a maximum-security prison planet, where the Inquisition will past judgment.
Canoness Dianus stood on the Black Ship Eternal’s rear deck, gazing at planet Cyron I’s orange hazy surface. Memories flood her mind with flashbacks of battles fought against xenos and heretics. She lost many Sisters throughout her campaigns.
Mysteries still clouds Cyron I. What were the enigmatic Eldar after? How did they form an alliance with the warmongering Orks? What led to the Tyranid invasion? Perhaps the Mechanicus fleet still scouring Cyron I’s surface will unravel these questions and more. For now, Dianus fulfilled her sacred duty. She completed her mission by protecting the Emperor’s holy domain and fending off enemies of the Imperium.
Letting out a deep sigh, Dianus took one last glimpse at Cyron I. Finally, she turn around and heads off toward Eternal’s bridge where Inquisitor Lord Antonio would brief Dianus on her next mission.
.....Bay Area Open GT 2013 - Best Tyranids 
.....LVO GT 2014 Team Tournament - Best Generals
