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2011/08/05 05:30:26
Subject: The Rascellan Campaign - 6 Man Narrative Campaign (Round 2 Reports In Progress)
Rascella, a world in the Ultima Segmentum, colonized within the last decade acts as a very important supply hub for the Imperium.
The 52nd Victorian Regiment has recently been garrisoned there, using their 7,000 engineers and the 43,000 other soldiers to help the planets inhabitants further develop the infrastructure to make this planet more effective in the movement of supplies. The various uses of the Victorian Armed Forces on their homeworld, make them a prime candidate for the tedious task of helping to build a colony.
However, a cancer has developed on Rascella. A psyker named Luther Nizari, calling himself "The Emperor's Prophet", has corrupted a considerable segment of the citizenry and is threatening to create a full-on daemonic incursion. Within hours of Nizari's assault, Chaos Space Marines descended on Rascella and capture its capital city. The battle for Rascella had begun...
Andilus Greatsword's Great Company was in the vicinity as news of the assault broke. High Command ordered them to come to the defense of the planet, but due to bureaucratic corruption, rescinded these orders as they entered the system. Instead, the Halo Dragons chapter, led by Chapter Master Kobe, were called in. This news angered the Space Wolves, who made planetfall regardless, attempting to take back the planet by themselves. Meanwhile, the Victorian Regiment marshalled its forces to take the fight to the forces of Chaos. The Halo Dragons were ordered to hold their ground until they were needed, but Kobe's pride made him attack at his own command - despite the fact that the Victorians were under orders to assume that all targets in their area were to be considered hostile.
Other forces were also at work on Rascella. Drawn to Nizari's psychic signal, a Tyranid splinter fleet made planetfall on the northern end of the main continent, consuming much of its agricultural land. Unbeknownst to the citizenry, Rascella was also a Necron tomb world, and the looming war was awakening its inhabitants from their long slumber...
Campaign Rules
Spoiler:
Home Base This is your army's HQ, where high command organizes your forces movements during the campaign.
If this space is attacked, the defending side gains +300pts. These points have to go towards their Primary Special Character. Any remaining points may be spent without restriction. The defenders always set up first.
Bread Basket This province is especially fertile ground, allowing you to overstock the supplies for your armies.
You may take an additional +100pts in each battle. This bonus is cumulative (eg, if you own 3 territories with the Bread Basket bonus, you gain +300pts).
Fuel Depot This is an area where fuel is plentiful, providing the power to keep mechanized units in the fight.
Fuel depots give bonuses based on the number that are controlled:
0 Controlled - Vehicles may not move more than 6". Fast Vehicles may not move more than 12".
1 Controlled - No bonus.
2 Controlled - Vehicles gain a free movement of +6" per turn without counting as moving. Vehicle Wrecked counts as Vehicle Explodes!
3+ Controlled - Vehicles gain the Infiltrate special rule. Vehicle Wrecked counts as Vehicle Explodes!
For Tyranids, Fuel Depots count as a Bread Basket.
Daemons Chaos Lord Marshall's Renegade Warband is able to use Daemons as allies and can summon Lesser and Greater daemons, such as Bloodletters and Bloodthirsters respectively, from reserves as it states in the Chaos Space Marine Codex.
However, specialized daemons such as Flesh Hounds and Juggernaughts must be used as regular units and deployed normally. All other rules (including those found in the Chaos Daemons Codex) apply normally.
Heroes of the Empire
All primary (main) characters (secondary and tertiary characters not included) have the Eternal Warrior Universal Special Rule.
This is to represent the various traits and instincts that has the character living long enough to make it to the rank and place of importance which they now hold, and not necessarily the durability of the character.
Losing Heroes In battle, a Special Character may be killed. They are assumed to have been severely wounded (but dragged away by their attendants), respawned by the Hive Fleet, rebuilt, etc. Due to the time it takes to recover from such an ordeal, they may not be used for at least 1 battle. They may be used after that, but will suffer a -1 penalty to their WS/BS/W/I (to a minimum of 1). After 3 battles have passed, they will be back to full strength and may be fielded as normal.
Gaining Experience Over time, soldiers gain experience in battle, becoming more adept. Troops choices gain experience if:
1) More than 50% of the squad is still alive at the end of the battle.
2) The squad runs off the table and more than 50% of the unit was still alive (in all other instances, a unit which counts as destroyed, much as Deep Strike Mishaps or not coming in from reserves, does not gain experience).
If the unit meets one of the above conditions then they gain one of the following benefits:
1) Fearless
2) Tank Hunters
3) Counter-Attack
4) Infiltrate
5) Preferred Enemy (versus a specific race)
6) Alternatively, the squad can be upgraded to a veteran unit (Stormtroopers, Immortals, Wolf Guard, Sternguard, etc) and count as a Troops choice for the purposes of capturing objectives, Force Organization slots, etc.
If the unit survives multiple battles, the bonuses are cumulative. Combat veterans do not have to be deployed in subsequent battles, and can be saved for later battles if their commander wishes.
Note that these benefits are restricted to Troops only, as Elites/Fast Attack/Heavy Support/HQ units are generally already combat veterans.
Space Wolves Special Characters
Spoiler:
Wolf Lord Andilus Greatsword (HQ Choice)
Points - 250
WS - 6
BS - 5
S - 4
T - 4
W - 3
I - 5
A - 4
Ld - 10
Sv - 2+/3++
Type: Independent Character, Infantry
Equipment: Terminator Armour, Greatsword, Storm Shield, Wolf Tooth Necklace, Wolf Tail Talisman
Rules: ATSKNF, Acute Senses, Counter-Attack, Eternal Warrior, Saga of Majesty, The Animal, A Glorious Death
Options: Andilus can take up to 2 Fenrisian Wolves at +10pts each.
Special Rules
Greatsword: Andilus earned his namesake from the unique sword that he wields in battle. The Greatsword is a master-crafted weapon that counts as a frost blade. In addition, at the start of the assault phase, the player controlling Andilus can declare that he is wielding the Greatsword as a Thunder Hammer. If he does so, Andilus strikes at I1 as usual.
The Animal: Andilus is exceedingly aggressive, throwing himself headlong at opponents as he wrestles with the Curse of the Wulfen. He gains +D3 Attacks on the charge, rather than +1 (however, he only gains +1 Attack when he Counter-Attacks). In addition, if Andilus fails a Ld/Morale test then he gains the Rage special rule as the blood frenzy of the Wulfen overpowers him for the duration of the battle (it is assumed he regains his composure after the battle). The reroll for the Saga of Majesty takes precedence over this however (ie, he has to fail 2 Ld tests to succumb).
A Glorious Death: If Andilus is reduced to 1 wound, he gains the Rage and Furious Charge special rules as he attempts to bring as many enemies down with him as he can.
Wolf Priest Ottoman (HQ Choice)
Points - 145
WS - 5
BS - 4
S - 4
T - 4
W - 2
I - 4
A - 2
Ld - 10
Sv - 3+/4++
Type: Independent Character, Infantry
Equipment: Healing Balms, Wolf Tooth Necklace, Fang of Morkai, Wolf Amulet, Crozius Arcanum, Combi-melta, Frag and Krak Grenades
Rules: ATSKNF, Acute Senses, Counter-Attack, Oath of War, Fearless
Special Rules
Healing Balms: Ottoman and any unit he joins gain the "Feel No Pain" universal special rule.
Oath of War: This rule functions like a regular Wolf Priest's, except that Ottoman confers the Preferred Enemy special rule against all non-vehicle unit types.
Skjald Snjallr Skyn
Points - 40
WS - 3
BS - 3
S - 3
T - 3
W - 1
I - 3
A - 1
Ld - 8
Sv - 4+
Options: Snjallr Skyn must be assigned to an infantry squad at the start of the game. He may not leave this squad for any reason. He may not join a squad with more than 1 model in Terminator Armour (these units are usually sent on missions too dangerous to be accompanied by Skyn safely).
Special Rules
Inspiring Presence: Snjallr Skyn is charged with the duty of recounting the stories of Andilus Greatsword's Great Company. Space Wolves in his presence redouble their efforts to earn a hallowed place in one of his sagas. At the beginning of the movement phase, choose one of the following abilities, which lasts until the Space Wolf player's next turn:
-Skyn, his unit and all friendly squads within 6" gain the Furious Charge special rule.
-Skyn, his unit and all friendly squads within 12" gain the Fearless special rule, as long as they can draw Line of Sight to Skyn.
Skjald: Before battle, Skyn will tell tales of great deeds of valour performed in battle by heroes of the chapter. These tales inspire the company's troops to prove themselves as worthy of having their sagas recounted. Before deployment, Skyn's squad gains a special ability on a D3 roll:
1 - Skyn recounts the saga of Skjotr, who could run faster than a Fenrisian Wolf across the battlefield. The squad gains the Fleet special rule.
2 - Skyn tells tales of Valdyr the Hunter, a Wolf Scout who assassinated a Chaos Sorcerer during a pivotal campaign. The squad may Infiltrate.
3 - The squad listens intently to the Saga of Enda, who once tore the assault cannon off of a destroyed Dreadnought, bringing it to bear against the enemy. The squad gains the Relentless special rule.
Halo Dragons Special Characters
Spoiler:
Chapter Master Kobe (HQ Choice)
Points - 215
WS - 6
BS - 5
S - 4
T - 4
W - 3
I - 5
A - 4
Ld - 10
Sv - 2+/4++
Type: Independent Character, Infantry
Equipment: Artificer Armour, Iron Halo, Relic Blade, Plasma Pistol, Frag and Krak Grenades
Options: Kobe can take a squad of Honour Guard. They can have a 5++ save for +5pts per model.
Special Rules
Halo Orbital Barrage: Kobe can call in an Orbital Strike every turn during the shooting phase. Treat it like an Orbital Strike, but it is not a Heavy weapon and it automatically scatters in the direction pointed on the scatter die (if it's a hit, scatter in the direction of the arrow).
Pissed Off: Kobe is renowned for his bad temper. He and his squad gain +D3 attacks on the charge, instead of the usual 1.
General Benasha, Captain of the 1st Company (HQ Choice)
Points - 190
WS - 6
BS - 5
S - 4
T - 4
W - 3
I - 5
A - 3
Ld - 10
Sv - 2+/4++
Type: Independent Character, Infantry
Equipment: Terminator Armour, Iron Halo, Dual Lightning Claws
Special Rules
Lightning Assault: Benasha is known for delivering lightning-quick assaults into the enemy lines. He and the squad he accompanies always hit at their regular initiative value, regardless of any negative modifiers. Positive modifiers are applied as normal.
Sergeant Kurtis, Scout Leader (Scout Squad Upgrade)
Points - +45
WS - 5
BS - 6
S - 4
T - 4
W - 1
I - 4
A - 2
Ld - 10
Sv - 4+
Special Rules
Dragonfire Sniper Rifles: Kurtis uses modified Sniper Rifles which he distributes to his squad. A Scout Squad which Kurtis belongs to may upgrade their Sniper Rifles to Dragonfire Sniper Rifles for +5pts. They have the following profile:
Range - 36"
S - X
AP - 3
Type - Heavy 1, Sniper
Tyranid Special Characters
Spoiler:
Tyrant Lord, "The Infernal" (HQ Choice)
Points - 260
WS - 9
BS - 3
S - 6
T - 6
W - 5
I - 5
A - 4
Ld - 10
Sv - 2+/5++
Rules: Synapse Creature, Psyker, Shadow in the Warp, Old Adversary, Psychic Monstrosity, Eternal Warrior, Conduit of the Hive Mind, Warp Shield
Special Rules
Psychic Monstrosity: The Tyrant Lord has a Synapse range of 18". He may also use 2 psychic powers per turn. He knows the following powers: The Horror, Leech Essence, Paroxysm, Psychic Scream, Catalyst.
Conduit of the Hive Mind: The Tyrant Lord is the physical embodiment of the Hive Ship's consciousness, and as such is unfathomably intelligent. One unit of Troops in his force may outflank. In addition, any units that Deep Strike within the Tyrant Lord's synapse range may launch an assault on the turn they arrive (instead of shooting).
Warp Shield: The Tyrant Lord is protected by a shield of pure psychic energy. This provides him with a 2+ armour save, and a 5+ invulnerable save.
Brood Tyrant (Upgrade Character)
Points - +66
WS - 7
BS - 0
S - 5
T - 5
W - 3
I - 7
A - 4
Ld - 10
Sv - 4+
Options: A single Genestealer in the army may be upgraded to the Brood Tyrant instead of a Broodlord. He may be given any options allowed in the Genestealer entry in the Tyranids Codex.
Special Rules
Psyker: The Brood Tyrant knows the following Psychic powers: Aura of Despair, Hypnotic Gaze.
Creeping Death: The Brood Tyrant has an uncanny ability to organize sneak attacks on the enemy when they least expect it. While the Brood Tyrant's unit is in reserve, the Tyranids player may choose to add +1 to their reserves rolls.
Brute Strength: The Brood Tyrant's claws are harder than diamonds, able to cut through tank plating. Its attacks ignore armour.
The Tyranids may also take the Doom of Malan'tai.
Victorian Regiment Characters
Spoiler:
Captain John Graceland
Points - 60
WS - 4
BS - 5
S - 3
T - 3
W - 3
I - 4
A - 3
Ld - 9
Sv - 4+/4++
Special Rules
Senior Officer: Captain Graceland can issue up to two orders each turn. He has a command radius of 12”. Captain Graceland can use the Bring it Down, Fire on my Target, and Get Back in the Fight, as well as the First Rank, FIRE! Second Rank, FIRE!, Incoming! and Move! Move! Move! orders described respectively on page 30 and 36 of the Imperial Guard Codex.
Close Order Drill: Members of the Regiment, especially those serving under Captain Graceland, are thoroughly drilled in dense formations where the can present a hedge of bayonets to the enemy. This drill can only be used by units in Infantry Platoons. To perform close order drill, all the models in the unit must be in base to base contact. While in close order, all models in the unit have +1 Leadership and +1 Initiative.
Never Give Up! Never Surrender!: As long as Captain Graceland is alive, if falling back, his squad can always attempt to regroup, regardless of any normal restrictions.
Marshal of Victoria: Any Imperial Guard unit within 12" of Graceland may use his Leadership when taking Morale and Leadership tests as long as he isn't in close combat, falling back or pinned.
Lieutenant David Davout
Points - 45
WS - 4
BS - 4
S - 3
T - 3
W - 3
I - 4
A - 3
Ld - 9
Sv - 4+/5++
Special Rules
Junior Officer: The Lieutenant can issue up to one order each turn. He has a command radius of 6”. The Lieutenant can use the the First Rank, FIRE! Second Rank, FIRE!, Incoming! and Move! Move! Move! orders described on page 36 of the Imperial Guard Codex.
Get Back in the Fight!: Lietenant Davout may use the Get Back in the Fight order as described on page 30 of the Imperial Guard Codex.
Hold the Line!: Lieutenant Davout is extremely loyal to the Emperor and is stalwart in the defence of the Imperium. He is also a tactical genious and excels at defending positions. The men and women of Davout's platoon may use the Stubborn special rule and count as holding an objective even when their squad is below half strength.
Lieutenant Christopher Lannes
Points - 50
WS - 4
BS - 4
S - 3
T - 3
W - 3
I - 4
A - 3
Ld - 9
Sv - 4+/5++
Special Rules
Juinor Officer: The Lieutenant can issue up to one order each turn. He has a command radius of 6”. The Lieutenant can use the the First Rank, FIRE! Second Rank, FIRE!, Incoming! and Move! Move! Move! orders described on page 36 of the Imperial Guard Codex.
Take the Initiative!: (Order): The orders given to Lannes are very often ambitious and risky. Any men that want to live through the day have to stay quick on their feet because they are in a dangerous positions, attacking before withdrawing and preparing to strike again. If the order is successfully issued, the ordered unit immediately makes a shooting attack (it may not run). When this has been resolved, the unit immediately moves D6" in a direction of your choice.
Sir, Yes Sir!: Lieutenant Lannes is always trying to prove his worth to his superiors and his Emperor, and as such relishes in leading his men into the heart of battle to do so. He often takes on very risky, but necessary assignments in order to achieve victory. Surely it won't be long until this man makes Captain. Any unit that is part of Lannes platoon may outflank.
Chaos Characters
Spoiler:
Chaos Space Marine Lord (Currently Unnamed)
Points - 225
WS - 6
BS - 5
S - 4(5)
T - 4
W - 3
I - 5
A - 4
Ld - 10
Sv - 2+/5++
Wargear: Terminator Armour, Mark of Khorne, Personal Icon, Twin Lightning Claws, Eternal Warrior
Special Rules
Boon of Mutation: (Chaos Daemons page 73)
Unholy Might: Lord has been exceptional strength, a true champion of Chaos. He has an additional point to strength.
Breath of Chaos: (Chaos Daemons page 73)
Blessing of the Blood God: Lord has a 2+ invulnerable save against wounds caused by psychic powers or force weapons.
Daemonic gaze: The Lord’s completed many tasks in the name of the Great God Khorne. He can now unleash rays of energy from his eyes causing enemies to explode. (Chaos Daemons page 73).
Chaos Possessed Champion Serthrek’nish
Points - 71 (has to be taken with a squad of Possessed, upgraded with the Mark of Nurgle)
WS - 4
BS - 4
S - 5
T - 5
W - 3
I - 4
A - 3
Ld - 10
Sv - 3+/5++
Wargear: Daemonic Energies (Power Weapon), Mark of Nurgle
Special Rules
Fearless: See WH40K rulebook.
Invulnerable: (Page 27 Chaos Deamons Codex) The Daemon which has possessed the hapless body of this long forgotten Chaos Space Marine is protected with its own supernatural powers. It has the Eternal Warrior Universal Special Rule and is protected with a 5+ Invulnerable Save.
Daemonic Strength: The Daemon Serthrek’nish possesses incredible strength and can warp the marerial universe at his very will. Serthrek’nish gains 2D6 armour penetration against vehicles.
Daemonic Gaze: (page73 Chaos Daemons codex)
Noxious touch: (page 75 Chaos Daemons codex)
Cloud of Flies: (page 75 Chaos Daemons codex)
Luther Nizari – The Emperor’s Prophet
Points - 145
WS - 2
BS - 2
S - 2
T - 3
W - 5
I - 3
A - 1
Ld - 10
Sv - 6+/4++
Wargear: Medallion of Chaos Eternal, Pledge of Deliverance (see Witch Hunters armoury under “Inquisitorial Mandate” for details), Bolt Pistol, Power Sword
Special Rules
Independent Character: See Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook
Psychic Cataclysm: At the start of the game, the Emperor’s Prophet rolls 2D6. On a 1-2, Luther gains the psychic power Brain Flayer, on a 3-4 he may use Soul Shrive and on a 5-6 he may use Puppet Dance all as found on Page 40 of the Witch Hunters Codex. If the same power is rolled with both dice, the player may re-roll one of them. If the same power is rolled again, he will only have access to one power for the game.
False Dominion, The Flock: See Page 40 of the Witch Hunters Codex.
Touch of Chaos: Counts as having a Psychic Enhancer (pg. 40 WH Codex)
Necron Special Characters
Spoiler:
Necron Lord, Soulcrusher
Points - 255
WS - 4
BS - 4
S - 5
T - 5
W - 3
I - 4
A - 3
Ld - 10
Sv - 3+/4++
Type: Independent Character, Infantry
Equipment: Warscythe, Disruption Field, Gaze of Flame, Phase Shifter, Phylactery
Special Rules
Resurrection Scarabs: The Necron Lord's body houses a swarm of resurrection scarabs, which scramble across his body. At a gesture, they can zip across the battlefield to reconstruct downed Necrons in an instant. At the beginning of the Necron movement phase, the player may pick one Necron unit within 12" of the Lord - this unit will pass "We'll Be Back!" rolls on a 2+ rather than a 4+. In close combat, the Scarabs may only be used on the Lord or a unit in the same assault. In addition, the Necron Lord counts as being equipped with a Resurrection Orb.
If the Necron player chooses to use the Resurrection Scarabs on the Lord himself, roll to use them and then consult the following chart (which replaces Phylactery):
1 - The Scarabs fail to repair the damage inflicted. Remove the Necron Lord.
2-4 - The Scarabs piece the Necron Lord together, causing his systems to come back on line. He stands back up with 1 wound remaining.
5 - The Scarabs repair many of the vital functions of the Necron Lord. He stands back up with 2 wounds remaining.
6 - The Scarabs repair the Necron Lord flawlessly, removing all battle damage and putting him on his feet ready to fight, but exhaust themselves in the effort. The Necron Lord stands up with all 3 of its wounds returned.
Whatever the case, the Resurrection Scarabs may not be used again in the battle.
Butcher of Souls: The Lord receives a sadistic pleasure in terrifying its opponents, and as such it is not unusual for its victims to be accosted by Necrons bearing the pelts of their friends. If the Necron Lord is fielded, a single unit of Flayed Ones may be taken as a Troops Choice.
Tomb Spyder Arkaid
Points - 115
WS - 3
BS - 3
S - 6
T - 6
W - 3
I - 2
A - 3
Ld - 10
Sv - 3+
Type: Monstrous Creature
Equipment: Spinner Claws
Rules: Hover, Fearless, Master Artificer
Special Rules
Spinner Claws: The Arkaid is equipped with spinner claws, more prehensile versions of a regular Tomb Spyder's claws. They are also equipped with Stinger Cannons, which count as a Staff of Light, and raise his WS and BS by 1 (already included in profile).
Master Artificer: At the start of the movement phase, Arkaid can attempt to construct Scarab Swarms. Roll a D6 - place a number of Scarab Swarms equal to the number rolled within 6" of Arkaid. They count as a new unit. On a 1, Arkaid suffers 1 wound and may not build any more Scarabs.
The Necrons may also field the C'tan Nightbringer.
Round 1 of the campaign is coming soon!
This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2011/08/16 13:21:34
Round 1 Each faction gets to attack one adjacent territory per turn. Regular battle are fought at 1000pts (plus any food bonuses). Capital/base battles are fought at 1500pts (plus bonuses). After we made our opening moves, the map looked like this:
The Space Wolves were attacking the Planetary Capital (counts as a second base), while the forces of Chaos were attacking the Space Wolf beach head. Meanwhile, the Halo Dragons and Necrons fought over the free fuel source, trying to secure it for their force (and to get free movement bonuses for their tanks!). Finally, the Victorian Regiment attempted to break into Tyranid territory. The Tyranids chose not to attack this round.
Coming Soon:
Space Wolves vs Chaos - Part 1 & 2!
Imperial Guard vs Tyranids - As told by Lord Graveline!
Halo Dragons vs Necrons!
Space Wolves vs Chaos – Part 1: The First Battle of Primo Victoria The Space Wolf armoured company rumbled towards the Rascellan capital city, Primo Victoria. Within his Land Raider Crusader, Wolf Lord Andilus Greatsword sat with his Wolf Guard bodyguards. His Fenrisian Wolf, Mags, lay at his feet.
The Space Wolves had occupied an island to the south-west of the continent, and from there had made a beachhead on the mainland. Andilus hoped that they could unseat the forces of Chaos from the capital before they had a chance to entrench themselves.
A Thunderhawk gunship swooped over them, preparing to go in for a bombing run. Andilus saw it on the monitor, passing towards the city. However, a streak of light shot up towards it, slamming into its tail. The Thunderhawk spiralled out of control and burst into fragments as it plummeted to the ground.
“Dammit!” exclaimed one of the Wolf Guard.
Andilus growled. “The enemy is close, and they outnumber us... strike fast, and give them no quarter!”
Base Points: 1500pts
Game Type: Annihilation
Set-Up: Table Quarters
Notes: Due to Primo Victoria's status as a second base, the Chaos forces received +300pts. In addition, they got another +100pts for owning a food source.
Army Lists Space Wolves
Spoiler:
Andilus Greatsword (Mags the Fenrisian Wolf) – 260pts
Skjald Snjallr Skyn – 40pts
Land Raider Crusader (Multimelta) – 260pts
6x Wolf Guard Terminators (3x TH/SS, 1x Dual Wolf Claws, 1x Assault Cannon/Chainfist) – 343pts
2x Wolf Guard Squad Leaders (2x Combi-melta, 1x PF, 1x PW) – 76pts
5x Grey Hunters (PW, Mark of the Wulfen, Meltagun, Rhino) – 145pts
5x Grey Hunters (PW, Mark of the Wulfen, Meltagun, Rhino) – 145pts
6x Long Fangs (5x Missile Launcher) – 140pts
4x Long Fangs (3x Missile Launcher) – 90pts
TOTAL – 1499pts
Chaos (Unsure of the total tallies, I think I'm missing about 300-400pts, and am not sure how much the Terminators were worth)
Strategy Andilus: I've built a death star army for this battle. Connor's special characters are ridiculously powerful, but I built Andilus to be a character assassin. Between him and his squad, he should be able to, at the very least, give Connor a run for his money.
I'm packing a couple small Grey Hunter units to fill in my mandatory Troops slots, and while they won't have much staying power, I would bet they can seriously damage the Chaos Space Marine squad, or give Andilus some reinforcements – I've had some amazing successes with small units of Grey Hunters with multiple power weapons, and I'm not about to underestimate their ability to make an impact.
As for the Long Fangs – I'm going to need them to either blow up his troops or take out that damned Defiler. I hate Battlecannons. My biggest concern is that he has over 400 more points than me, so I have a serious uphill battle coming. At the very least, I hope to take out one of his special characters to make things easier in any coming battles. Fingers crossed...
Deployment At the start of the game, we rolled for our units' special abilities. The Possessed gained Furious Charge. Skyn received Relentless as his squad's special rule – I just had to decide who to deploy him with.
As the defender, Connor's Chaos forces had to deploy first. They placed their Bikers at the front lines, followed closely behind by the Chaos Lord (we'll call him Lord Marshall until he gets a proper name), Khorne Berzerkers and the Possessed. Bringing up the rear were the Chaos Space Marines and Defiler. In response, I set my Land Raider up at the front of my lines to act as a shield, with the Rhinos acting as a shield for the Long Fangs. I also deployed Skyn with the smaller Long Fangs squad so that I could have a mobile unit of Relentless missile launchers – boo yeah!!
I failed to seize the initiative, so the Chaos forces went first.
Turn 1 – Chaos All the Chaos forces advanced. The Chaos Bikers shot forward, hoping to flank and get some shots in on the Long Fangs. The Marines moved into the building, securing it to get a shot with their heavy bolter next turn. The Defiler tried to shoot the lead Grey Hunters' Rhino, succeeding on blowing the storm bolter off the vehicle.
Turn 1 – Space Wolves The Space Wolves thundered forward, the Land Raider moving straight towards the Chaos lines. The Rhinos lumbered just behind, using it as a screen to avoid getting blasted by the Defiler. Meanwhile, the relentless Long Fangs moved towards the Chaos lines to get a better shot at the advancing horde (the other squad was blocked by the Land Raider).
During the shooting phase, Skyn's Long Fangs fired krak missiles at the Bikers, killing 2. I think I fired at a few more units, but was unable to do any more damage.
Kill Points Space Wolves – 0
Chaos – 0
Skyn follows the Long Fangs, inspiring them with tales of bravado.
Turn 2 – Chaos Connor forgot to roll for his reserves this turn, so none showed up. Instead, his forces continued advancing, as the Marines finished securing their building. The lone Biker hoping to cause some damage to the Long Fangs with his bolters. However, they easily passed their saves, ending another uneventful turn.
Turn 2 – Space Wolves The Space Wolves went full-throttle this turn, deploying Andilus and his Wolf Guard Terminators from the Land Raider. They charged towards Lord Marshall, hoping to kill the Chaos Lord before he had a chance to use Boon of Mutation. Meanwhile, the Rhinos advanced towards the Defiler, hoping to get behind the Chaos lines and cause some damage (or, at the very least, distract the Defiler from shooting my Long Fangs).
During the shooting phase, the Land Raider and Skyn's Long Fangs opened up on the Possessed, hoping to kill Serthrek’nish (whose statline also worries me considerably). They succeeded in wiping out his squad and put 1 wound on Serthrek’nish (and earning a kill point). The other Long Fang unit also killed the last Chaos Biker, earning the Space Wolves another kill point.
During the assault phase, Andilus and his retinue charged Lord Marshall. Andilus landed a single wound on the Lord, but Lord Marshall also struck back. He managed to kill 2 Storm Shield Terminators in an amazing display of bad dice, and the rest of the squad failed to put a wound on him! With a Chaos counter-charge imminent, including Khorne Berzerkers, Serthrek’nish and Marshall's own Boon of Mutation, things were finally getting interesting.
Kill Points Space Wolves – 2
Chaos – 0
Turn 3 – Chaos At the start of his turn, both units of Bloodletters and the Obliterators arrived. The Khorne Berzerker's Skull Champion had a personal icon, so they all landed within 6” of him safely. Movement was short this turn as the Berzerkers and Serthrek’nish prepared to assault Andilus and his squad.
In the shooting phase, the Defiler whiffed its shot again, but the Chaos Marines fired their plasma gun at the lead Grey Hunter Rhino, which destroyed it, surprisingly (and earned Chaos a kill point). The Obliterators fired multimeltas at the Land Raider, and despite being more than half range, managed to immobilize it. The Bloodletters ran in opposite directions, one towards the Long Fangs, the other towards the disembarked Grey Hunters.
With the opening actions out of the way, the real event began. Lord Marshall used Boon of Mutation on the Wolf Guard with wolf claws, and succeeded at turning it into a Spawn. Serthrek’nish and the Spawn then charged, hoping to drag them down with strength of numbers. Andilus and Lord Marshall directed all their attacks at each other – Andilus succeeded at causing another wound on the Chaos Lord, and Andilus (in yet another horrible die roll) failed 2/3 storm shield saves!! Despite the additional Chaos reinforcements, the Space Wolves killed 2 Berzerkers, losing only Mags as the loyal wolf was cut down by Serthrek’nish...
Turn 3 – Space Wolves Things were now looking really bad – Andilus was severely outnumbered, and the Chaos forces had even more reinforcements just about to join the fight. Chances are that I was about to lose my primary character, but if he was going down, then he was going to take as many of Connor's characters as he could in the process.
I moved my disembarked Grey Hunter squad towards Connor's Chaos Marines – I was gambling that I could kill a bunch of them with my 2 power weapons, Mark of the Wulfen, meltaguns, etc, and hopefully wipe the squad out in a sweeping advance. The other Grey Hunter squad disembarked as well to lend Andilus some aid. Skyn and his Long Fangs began to fall back, afraid of an inevitable Bloodletter charge, hoping to shoot some before they got there.
In the shooting phase, my immobilized Land Raider and Long Fangs opened up on the Bloodletters, but only managed to kill 2 of the daemons. My Rune Priest (who had been completely useless up until now) continued to be useless as he failed to cast Murderous Hurricane on the Chaos Space Marines. The lead Grey Hunters also managed to kill a few Chaos Marines with shooting.
In the assault phase, the lead Grey Hunters assaulted the Chaos Marines, and after causing severe casualties, they forced the Marines into a rout – then caught them in a sweeping advance, destroying the squad! Yes!! That's another kill point for me! Meanwhile, the other Grey Hunters came to reinforce Andilus. However, they were too late – Andilus and Lord Marshall, both Initiative 5, managed to land a fatal blow on the other, putting them both out of action! Meanwhile, the Grey Hunters and Berzerkers killed a couple of each other, while one of the Terminators was also killed. Not good for me!
Kill Points Space Wolves – 4
Chaos – 2
Andilus and Lord Marshall put each other out of commission.
Turn 4 – Chaos Connor forgot to roll for his Terminators again at the start of the turn (although it didn't really matter that much to be honest). Connor prepared to finish off the Grey Hunters and Wolf Guard with his one unit of Bloodletters, while the other continued towards Skyn and his squad. In the shooting phase, the Defiler fired a blast which hit the far Long Fangs squad dead on. I decided to go to ground with them, and (amazingly), passed all but 1 4+ cover save! Apparently the dice gods only hate me most of the time!
Meanwhile, the assault phase was a massacre. With the arrival of the Bloodletters (and their ridiculously high number of power weapons), the Grey Hunters and Terminators were finally wiped out. In addition, the other unit of Bloodletters charged Skyn and his Long Fangs, taking out the squad (and putting Skyn out of commission in subsequent battles! Dammit!). Chaos had pulled off 4 kill points in one turn – I was in serious trouble, and was running very low on options.
The Long Fangs go to ground with surprisingly successful results.
Turn 4 – Space Wolves I was screwed, and I knew it. I could only hope to get a couple more kill points and somehow defy the odds...
The Grey Hunters moved to kill the Obliterators, and hopefully get a kill point off of them. The Rune Priest also tried to use Murderous Hurricane, but failed his psychic test once again. I also moved the last Rhino back to try to screen the Long Fangs from the Bloodletters, but unfortunately it moved a little too short to save them.
In assault, the Grey Hunters completely whiffed, getting only 1 wound on the Obliterators. In return, they killed everyone except for the Wolf Guard leader. Bloody hell, I can't get a break!
Kill Points Space Wolves – 4
Chaos – 6
Turn 5 – Chaos Connor finally remembered to bring in his Terminators, and deep struck them just behind the Rhino. He also moved his Bloodletters into positions to attack the last Long Fangs and the Rune Priest. The Terminators destroyed the last Rhino with an autocannon. The Bloodletters wiped out the Long Fangs and the Rune Priest, while the Wolf Guard killed 1 Obliterator before being crushed beneath the other's power fist. At this point I conceded, my only living unit was the immobilized Land Raider Crusader (I think I tried to shoot with it but didn't kill anything).
Kill Points Space Wolves – 4
Chaos – 10
RESULT: CRUSHING VICTORY FOR THE FORCES OF CHAOS!
Consequences As a result of this battle, the Chaos forces hold the Capital City. In addition, Andilus and Lord Marshall may not be used for at least 1 Round (if they are used before Round 3, then they will be at a disadvantage – see Campaign Rules for details). In addition, both of Connor's units of Bloodletters become veterans, and gain the Counter-attack special rule (they may be fielded in subsequent battles if he wishes).
Afterthoughts Well... that went really bad. I actually was doing very well up until Andilus died, at which point everything collapsed. On one hand, he had a 400pt advantage. Even then, I was outplayed, made some stupid tactical errors and had horrendous luck with my dice.
Putting everything into a Death Star unit was the plan here, and it actually worked... somewhat. If I had better luck, then I might have been able to drag down more kill points with them, and I don't think Connor would have been able to go after my Long Fangs. Thankfully, Andilus managed to take out Lord Marshall, and almost finished off Serthrek’nish too, before he was dragged down.
I also didn't realize how deadly Bloodletters are, so this was definitely a learning experience. I will definitely be ready for them next time (*hint*Part 2*hint* ). I'm impressed by the performance of my small Grey Hunter squads, but they would have been much more potent with more men – I'll try to bring more next time.
All-in-all, this was very much a learning experience. I will try to secure some food sources before I attempt to take the capital again...
Smug
Sore loser.
Andilus felt a tugging on his armoured leg, and opened his eye to see what it was. Mags, fur matted with blood, was dragging him away from the battle. He was severely wounded, multiple stab wounds from where the infernal Chaos Lord had pierced his chest. He had returned the wound in full, impaling him upon his greatsword, but the Chaos Lord had disappeared into a vortex as Andilus slumped to the ground...
He felt Mag stop dragging him and heard a thud as the loyal beast fell to the ground. Andilus painfully reached towards her, but knew that she was dead.
“I'm sorry,” Andilus said. “I won't let your sacrifice go to waste...”
He got to his feet, clutching his bloody wound, as he began to walk back to base.
(Part 2 will be up in a day or two)
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/08/06 04:39:18
Space Wolves vs Chaos – Part 2: Defend the Beachhead The Wolf Guard Battle Leaders bickered around a darkened table. Outside their makeshift base, crews moved back and forth, packing supplies in a hurry.
Horskr spoke first, concern in his voice: “The daemons are closing in on our lines in numbers far beyond our current capability. We need to pull back to our island stronghold to regroup before we make a full-scale invasion of the mainland.”
Krikta shook his head. “The daemons will be here before we have a chance to escape. And our Lord is wounded! We will need more time!”
“Then we will buy it!” said a new voice. The Battle Leaders turned to the entrance, which was filled with the form of the Rune Priest, Frodleikr Bjarndyr. The Priest stepped in, and even the proudest Battle Leaders bowed their heads in his presence.
“Make haste,” ordered Bjarndyr. “I will lead a few packs and hold the enemy at bay while you make your retreat.”
“A few packs versus a daemonic horde?” scoffed Krikta.
“Hold your tongue, whelp,” snapped Bjarndyr.
Base Points: 1000pts
Game Type: Annihilation
Set-Up: Pitched Battle
Notes: +100pts for Chaos due to their food source.
Army Lists Space Wolves
Spoiler:
Rune Priest – 100pts
Venerable Dreadnought (Heavy Flamer, Extra Armour) – 190pts
2x Wolf Guard Squad Leaders (2x Combi-melta, 1x PF, 1x PW) – 76pts
9x Grey Hunters (PW, Mark of the Wulfen, Meltagun, Rhino) – 205pts
9x Grey Hunters (PW, Mark of the Wulfen, Meltagun, Rhino) – 205pts
6x Long Fangs (5x Missile Launcher) – 140pts
4x Long Fangs (3x Missile Launcher) – 90pts
TOTAL – 1006pts (It was close enough that neither of us really cared)
Chaos (Approximates)
Spoiler:
Herald of Khorne
Chaos Possessed Champion Serthrek’nish – 71pts
5x Chaos Possessed (Mark of Nurgle) – 180pts
15x Chaos Space Marines (Heavy Bolter, Plasma Gun, Aspiring Champion with PW) – 280pts
7x Khorne Berzerkers (Skull Champion with Power Weapon) – 177pts
10x Khorne Bloodletters (Instrument of Chaos) – 165pts
1x Obliterator – 75pts
Strategy Andilus: I'm not making the same mistake again – Bloodletters can kick my army's butt, and Serthrek’nish is going to present some serious problems as well. They are both my #1 priority here – if I can't eliminate/tie them up, then I will lose the game. On the other hand, his Chaos Marines are weaker than my Grey Hunters, so I can get an easy kill point there.
The crux of my plan lies with the Venerable Dreadnought – I love these things, they're so difficult to kill. Bloodletters are too weak to even damage it, so I will use it to hopefully take out Serthrek’nish and tarpit the Bloodletters if possible. If I can tarpit anyone else in the process, then that will be just icing on the cake. Long Fangs and Rune Priest are there to provide heavy firepower to wipe out any survivors (and to get rid of the Possessed so I can force wounds onto Serthrek’nish).
Fingers crossed on this one, I can't afford to lose this territory.
Deployment At the start of the game, Connor rolled for his Possessed's special ability. He rolled a 4 – Rending. Awesome! That is so much better for me than Furious Charge was, if I end up facing any Possessed in close combat then I expect casualties to acceptable.
We rolled to see who would go first, and I won. I was tempted to go first in order to blast away at his lines with my missiles, but instead I chose to go second in order to deploy in reaction to Connor. He placed his units in a line, Chaos Space Marines covering the left half of his deployment zone, while the Possessed and Berzerkers were spread along the right half.
Using a temple in the middle of the board as a screen, I put my Venerable Dreadnought on the left flank in order to take on the Possessed and Berzerkers. I also put some Long Fangs and the Rune Priest nearby to thin out the enemy. Meanwhile, the smaller Long Fang squad and the 2 Rhinos castled across from the Chaos Marines, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
I failed to seize the initiative (once again), so the Chaos forces went first.
Turn 1 – Chaos Hoping to get his combat units into range as soon as he could, Connor ran his Possessed and Berzerkers towards the Venerable Dreadnought. Meanwhile, the Chaos Marines stood their ground so that they could fire their heavy bolter. They fired it at one of the Rhinos, but failed to do any damage.
Turn 1 – Space Wolves Okay, it's all or nothing here. I charged the Venerable Dreadnought forward, focusing my attention on Serthrek’nish's unit. I also moved the Rune Priest up behind him to get some psychic powers off. The Rhinos remained stationary for now – I didn't want to charge them forward, and then have Connor turn his assault units around.
In the shooting phase, my small Long Fangs unit killed a single Chaos Marine. The other Long Fangs, Dreadnought and Rune Priest (using a very successful Living Lightning) ganged up on Serthrek’nish's unit, killing all but 1 of them, and leaving the Possessed Champion with 2 wounds.
Kill Points Space Wolves – 0
Chaos – 0
Turn 2 – Chaos At the beginning of this turn, Connor's Obliterator came in, deepstriking in range of his Skull Champion's personal icon. Serthrek’nish and the Berzerkers continued to charge towards the Venerable Dreadnought. Connor was confident that Serthrek’nish could destroy it, due to his Daemonic Strength special rule – however, they were out of range to assault this turn.
The Obliterator fired a lascannon shot at the Venerable Dreadnought, but luckily he rolled a 1 to penetrate. The Chaos Marines were more successful – they fired their weapons at the small Long Fang unit, wiping it out and scoring a kill point for the Forces of Chaos!
Turn 2 – Space Wolves Down a kill point, and with my territory on the line, it was time to kill Serthrek’nish. I placed by Dreadnought right in front of him to take advantage of his heavy flamer. I also decided that now was as good a time as any to move those Rhinos, and advanced towards the Chaos Marines 6” so I could still fire my storm bolters.
In the Shooting Phase, I totally whiffed. I fired my missile launchers, heavy flamer and assault cannon at Serthrek’nish and the last Possessed, but only managed to kill the Possessed (a couple Long Fangs split fire and managed to put 1 wound on the Obliterator as well)! I was hoping to save some fire for the Berzerkers... On top of this, the Rune Priest successfully casts Murderous Hurricane, but misses the shot...
In the assault phase, my Venerable Dreadnought pounced on the vulnerable Serthrek’nish, scoring one wound. Unfortunately, the daemonic champion also managed to tear my Dreadnought's close combat weapon with his Daemonic Strength, severely hurting my ability to dish out punishment... uh oh!
Kill Points Space Wolves – 0
Chaos – 1
Serthrek’nish and the Venerable Dreadnought square off.
Turn 3 – Chaos At the start of this turn, the Bloodletters and Herald of Khorne arrived, 6” ahead of the Berzerkers' Skull Champion. The Berzerkers and Obliterator decided to let Serthrek’nish deal with the Dreadnought, skirting around the formidable walker and heading towards the vulnerable Long Fangs.
In the Shooting Phase, the Chaos Marines opened fire on the Grey Hunters' Rhinos, immobilizing the right-most one. The other one remained unscathed. In the assault phase, Serthrek’nish failed to damage the Dreadnought, only managing to get a Crew Shaken result. In response, the Dreadnought squashed Serthrek’nish into the dust, earning me a kill point. Now – time to deal with those pesky Bloodletters...
Turn 3 – Space Wolves The Dreadnought moved around the Berzerkers to attack the Bloodletters – which, thankfully, were too weak to penetrate its armour! Meanwhile, the other Rhino blazed forward, trying to tank shock the Chaos Marines off the board (they passed their morale, however). The immobilized Rhino failed to repair itself, so the occupants disembarked, heading after the Chaos Marines.
In the Shooting Phase, my Rune Priest rolled on his psychic test! He didn't have an invulnerable save, so he took a wound (leaving 1 remaining). The Long Fangs fired krak missiles at the Berzerkers, killing 1...
Anyway, in the assault phase, the Dreadnought charged into the helpless Bloodletters. He only killed 1, but the fact that he was tarpitting them was more than enough damage. Meanwhile, the disembarked Grey Hunters charged into the Chaos Marines. Despite having shot first, charged, being armed with 2 power weapons and a Wulfen, the Wolves only managed to kill 3 of them, while suffering 3 casualties in return. I need new dice I think...
Kill Points Space Wolves – 1
Chaos – 1
Turn 4 – Chaos Hoping to save his Bloodletters, Connor prepared to charge the Venerable Dreadnought with his Berzerkers (armed with krak grenades and a meltabomb) and the Obliterator (powerfist). However, Connor didn't realize how bad grenades were versus walkers, and any damage he caused was negligible – he shook the Dreadnought over the course of the next several assault phases. Since the Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon was blown off, I decided to go after the Bloodletters for easy 5+ invulnerable save kills, whittling their numbers down each turn.
My Grey Hunters were more successful this turn than they were last, killing 4 Chaos Marines while losing 2 more of their number. Plus, the 2nd squad of Grey Hunters was in position to strike next turn...
Turn 4 – Space Wolves In a display of overkill, the 2nd Grey Hunter squad arrived and proceeded to wipe out the Chaos Marines for a second kill point. The Bloodletters, Berzerkers and Obliterator still struggled fruitlessly to kill the Venerable Dreadnought – the game was going (humorously) in my favour.
Kill Points Space Wolves – 2
Chaos – 1
Turn 5 – Chaos & Space Wolves The game was pretty much in the bag now. Connor's grenades were reliably useless, his Obliterator was whiffing its attacks and I was whittling down his Bloodletters at a steady rate. I figured the game was in the bag, so I didn't bother moving my Grey Hunters. Connor rolled to see if there would be a Turn 6 and succeeded, so the game continued...
Kill Points Space Wolves – 2
Chaos – 1
Turn 6 – Chaos Things continued basically the same as they had in Turn 5, the only difference being that one of his units manages to blow off the Venerable Dreadnought's assault cannon... although it's not going to be shooting any time soon, so no big deal.
Turn 6 – Space Wolves UNMITIGATED DISASTER!!! The Venerable Dreadnought kills a couple more Bloodletters, the Berzerkers fail once again, but this time the Obliterator scored a Vehicle Explodes result! Due to the Venerable rule, I made Connor reroll this, but this time he got Vehicle Wrecked... The survivors all consolidated towards my lines. I rolled to see if we'd get a final turn, and got a 6 – let's see if I can get back my lead...
Kill Points Space Wolves – 2
Chaos – 2
^Not cool.
Turn 7 – Chaos The only units of his that were close enough to my troops were his Khorne Berzerkers, which set their sights on the wounded Rune Priest. They failed to kill him with their bolt pistols, but the Skull Champion completely destroyed him in the assault phase. Meanwhile, the Obliterator fired a plasma cannon at the Long Fangs, but the gun overheated! Thank the Emperor! Unfortunately, he didn't fail his 2+ armour save, but if he had it would have single-handedly won me the game. Curses!
Turn 7 – Space Wolves What an intense twist to the game. I was down a kill point on the very last turn, in a game that I had been dominating up until now. And due to my lack of foresight, I had very limited options to swing it back into my favour. The Grey Hunters were all out of assault range. My only options were to fire their bolt pistols at the Berzerkers, the Long Fangs' missile launchers and the storm bolter on my Rhino (it self-repaired this turn).
The Grey Hunters fired all their shots, but only killed 1 Berzerker. Instead, I shifted my attention to the 2 remaining Bloodletters and the Herald of Khorne – between the Long Fangs and the Rhino I figured I could kill at least 2. However, after the Rhino and the missiles had been fired, 1 still stood. I was about to panic, until I realized that the squad leader was also in range with his bolt pistol, which I fired and managed to kill the last Bloodletter with, leaving the Herald on his own and scoring me the tying kill point! WHEW!!
Kill Points Space Wolves – 3
Chaos – 3
With the game a tie, we decided that the territory would have to be decided on a die roll. We decided that, since I had more points left at the end of the game, I would win on a 3+. So, I rolled the die...
Spoiler:
And got a mother !!!
VICTORY FOR CHAOS!!!
Consequences As a result of their victory, the forces of Chaos captured the Space Wolf beachhead, forcing them back to their island base (and also putting them in the worst position of all the armies in the campaign, currently). Also, Serthrek’nish cannot be fielded until Round 3 at the earliest.
Afterthoughts Wow. This is, without a doubt, the most embarrassing defeat of my entire 40k experience. The worst part is that it was totally preventable too... Throughout the game I kept thinking to myself “A 1 kill point lead isn't very safe, I need to do something in case he takes out my Dreadnought”, but didn't end up following through. I could have just asked Connor to end it at Turn 5, but I didn't. I should have been allocating my Dreadnought's attacks to the Obliterator since it was the only enemy that really stood a chance to destroy me. I should have moved my Long Fangs/Rune Priest away so they wouldn't have been killed. And most of all, I should have moved my Grey Hunters back – if I had done nothing else, I'm certain that 15 Grey Hunters would have been more than enough to wipe out his Berzerkers and win me the game without a roll-off. Argh.
On the other hand, my Venerable Dreadnought performed AMAZINGLY and my Grey Hunters were excellent as usual. The Long Fangs and Rune Priest were getting bad rolls, but all-in-all, the game was going perfectly until the very end of the 6th turn. Ah well, it will be a very painful learning experience... Oh, and putting Serthrek’nish out of commission is a good bonus as well.
Andrios, Wolf Guard sergeant for Grey Hunter pack alpha, strode to the smoking hulk that was all that remained of the venerable Brother Bergfinnr, noting the bloody bodies smote all around it. The Wolf-Brother had almost single-handedly kept the forces of Chaos at bay while the others fell back.
His fellow Wolf Guard, Reinn, leader of pack beta, came to him. “We have to leave,” he said, “it won't be long before the enemy receives fresh reinforcements...” Andrios didn't respond. “We will avenge him soon, do not think otherwise...”
(Imperial Guard vs Tyranids and Halo Dragons vs Necrons coming soon!)
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/10/28 02:28:01
Halo Dragons vs Necrons I'm going to do this battle a little differently, since I wasn't present for the whole thing. I'm going to try to do a briefer play-by-play, based on the pictures I took, and try to say what turn these things were happening. We'll see how it goes.
Base Points: 1000pts
Game Type: Seize Ground (3 Objectives)
Set-Up: Table Quarters
Notes: +100pts to both sides, due to their Food Sources. In addition, the forces are fighting over a neutral Fuel Source, so whoever wins the battle gains this territory.
Army Lists Halo Dragons (Approximates)
Spoiler:
Librarian (Terminator Armour, Storm bolter, Null Zone, Vortex of Doom) – 130pts
10x Tactical Marines (Flamer, Heavy Bolter) – 170pts
10x Tactical Marines (Flamer, Razorback with Heavy Bolter) – 210pts
2x Dreadnought
5x Assault Terminators (2x Lightning Claws, 3x Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield) – 200pts
Land Raider Crusader (Multimelta) – 260pts
5x Scouts (1x Missile Launcher) – 85pts
Hmm... it looks like the Halo Dragons may have been 100pts over, but I could be wrong.
Strategy From where I'm standing, the key to this game for the Halo Dragons is going to be getting rid of Matt's special characters (he's playing Necrons). Soulcrusher is ridiculously powerful, and his army will be practically indestructible as long as they remain within his Resurrection Scarab bubble. Ben (Halo Dragon player) needs to either kill him, or split his fire so that Matt ends up having to use regular “We'll Be Back!” rolls on his units. In addition, Matt doesn't have a lot of anti-tank power in his army (the Heavy Destroyers, Soulcrusher and Arkaid are the only ones who really stand a chance at blowing up a tank), so if Ben can eliminate what little he has, then the Land Raider can plow through the Necron lines impregnable.
The Necrons should probably play this one conservatively. Soulcrusher's Resurrection Scarab bubble is great for defensive play, although if he moves carefully, then he can make an almost unkillable wall of Necrons. Personally, I see the Necrons as underdogs in this one though.
Deployment The Halo Dragons won the roll-off and decided to go first.
The Halo Dragons also infiltrated their scouts just behind the center objective, while the Flayed Ones were kept in reserve.
Turn 1 – Halo Dragons The Scouts moved into the ruined building, capturing the center objective.
Meanwhile, the other units blazed forward, choosing to run rather than shoot this turn.
Turn 1 – Necrons The Necrons chug forwards, leaving a single Warrior unit to defend their base. Meanwhile, Arkaid spawns 6 Scarab Swarms.
Turn 2 – Halo Dragons The Librarian casts Null Zone on Arkaid and the Scarabs, scoring a hit.
As a result, all the Scarabs are vapourized, and Arkaid loses a wound.
Turn 2 – Necrons The Necrons close in on the Halo Dragons' front line, gunning down a couple Scouts.
Arkaid spawns 3 more Scarabs.
The Wraiths make short work of the Scouts.
The Librarian gets attacked by Scarabs.
Turn 3 – Halo Dragons The Assault Terminators disembark and attack the Heavy Destroyers.
The Wraiths get blown to smithereens under heavy fire.
Turn 3 – Necrons The Flayed Ones arrive.
Soulcrusher and the Flayed Ones attack the Terminators!
The Librarian struggles to kill the last Scarab.
The Tac Marines attack Arkaid...
...and kill the Spyder!
Turn 4 – Halo Dragons A unit of Warriors had moved onto the objective last turn, but the Land Raider turns its attention to them.
Soulcrusher whittles down the Terminators with his warscythe.
Turn 4 – Necrons The Librarian finally kills the Scarab (last turn), and the last Terminator is killed by Soulcrusher (this turn). Most of the Warriors stand back up.
Turn 5 – Halo Dragons Most of the Warriors are killed, and no longer count as scoring.
Unfortunately I didn't get pictures for the last turns, but the middle objective remains contested so the game goes to a roll-off...
Spoiler:
Matt wins the roll-off.
VICTORY FOR THE NECRONS!!!
Consequences The Necrons gain the neutral territory, and now have a fuel source, in addition to a foothold on the mainland. However, they may not field Arkaid until at least Round 3.
Afterthoughts Geez, this roll-off thing is really starting to hurt. Ben was dominating the whole game (except against Soulcrusher), and then lost because of the die roll... As a result, the Necrons now are in the best position in the campaign, currently, with 4 territories.
On another note, Matt might have been unintentionally cheating with Soulcrusher's Resurrection Scarabs. To balance them out, they're only allowed for 1 unit within 12” per turn, but I think he might have been using it on multiple units each turn. Again, I don't think he was cheating but he needs to brush up on how Resurrection Scarabs work.
Finally, after this battle, everyone is either afraid of the potency of the Necrons, or they're gunning for them. When Soulcrusher is defeated, they're going to be much easier to fight.
calypso2ts wrote:I am a bit confused by your statement that: Most of the Warriors are killed and no longer count as scoring.
I think that was a 4th edition rule, a Troop choice always counts as scoring now unless specified (like Death Company or Swarms).
Oh? I did not realize this, I was under the impression that they had to be at or above 50% strength to count as scoring. Hmm, I'm going to have to check up on that one.
Anyway, to be fair, they both had a couple contesting units move into the area, but I didn't bother to mention this since I didn't have pictures so I couldn't remember exactly what was there.
calypso2ts wrote:Also, it was probably not Null Zone (re-roll invulns) that got the scarabs. I think the power is Vortex of Doom from the top of my head.
You are correct, I mixed up the names of the powers.
calypso2ts wrote:Also, in the second Chaos game how did the Obliterator take a wound from the Long Fangs (it seemed like it was a missile) but not suffer ID?
I'm not sure if it was the Long Fangs who wounded it, but if it was then you are correct and we would have misplayed it (and it would have cost me the game...).
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/08/08 19:14:04
haha, for a second there I was thinking "Who the heck is this???" but after a moment I realized "Matt!" Welcome to Dakka! I look forward to your forthcoming reports!
Can't wait to get my reports up too. They'll be coming soon. I apologize for the delay -- getting ready to move and for the school year and all has been eating quite a bit of time.
And yes, welcome to Dakka! (I also wondered who Commander Mont-Tau was ... "Nightbringer and Lord Soulcrusher ... is someone cheering for the Necrons THAT much? No! It must be Matt ... *shifty eyes* "
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/08/09 05:32:02
Lord-Commander Jeremiah Alexandre: 5th Victorian Army +/- 3,500 Points
Phaeron Amheosiris of the Isiran Dynasty +/- 3,500 Points
Lord Yersina Thrax of the Death Guard +/- 750 Points
2011/08/09 20:48:33
Subject: The Rascellan Campaign - 6 Man Narrative Campaign (Round 1 Reports In Progress)
On the last battle report i have to hand it to Arkaid, it took two squads of tac marines and a dreadnought to kill him. Ive got to field him again now. Even with current events i've completely underestimated Tomb Spiders.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/08/09 21:41:56
Nightbringer and Lord Soulcrusher
(hopefully forthcoming)
Gears of WAAAAAAGH
High Elves 800 pts
2011/08/10 02:15:38
Subject: The Rascellan Campaign - 6 Man Narrative Campaign (Round 1 Reports In Progress)
Yeah, Soulcrusher is rather overpowered, but it compensates for the general weakness of the Necron codex and Matt's fairly little experience compared to most of the players in the tournament.
Things go very interestingly for the Necrons in Round 2 though... In the meantime, the Big Fight is coming up between Imperial Guard and Tyranids (which, as you may have noticed, are the 2 favourites to win the campaign), and it is an epic bloodbath. Stay tuned!
Hey guys. I'll have to post my report (Imperial Guard vs. Tyranids) later tomorrow night or early on Thursday because I'm in Peterborough all day tomorrow.
I'm really sorry for the delay! Stupid getting ready for school *shakes fist*
Lord-Commander Jeremiah Alexandre: 5th Victorian Army +/- 3,500 Points
Phaeron Amheosiris of the Isiran Dynasty +/- 3,500 Points
Lord Yersina Thrax of the Death Guard +/- 750 Points
2011/08/16 05:58:47
Subject: Re:The Rascellan Campaign - 6 Man Narrative Campaign (Round 1 Reports In Progress)
The 52nd Victorian Regiment had, only landed on the beach of the Rascellan mainland an hour before now, as they marched into the now deserted rail yards. The sky was surprisingly blue over the fuel depot, which had no doubt been abandoned for weeks by all living things.
With a raise of his hand and a whisper into the vox-bead in his ear, Captain Gravlin ordered Alpha Company to stop where they were. The men in his force were veterans of many battles and on the order, they found cover and drew their weapons.
Base Points: 1000pts Game Type: Objective Match -- 3 Objectives Set-Up: Table Quarters Modifiers: The Imperial Guard have a +100pt bonus for their food source. The Tyranids have a +200pt bonus for their food source and fuel depot. Other Notes: The territory is considered a fuel source due to a large fuel depot and the oil fields covering the northern territory of the mainland.
Hive Tyrant with a Hive Guard Genestealers with a Broodlord Hormagaunts Termagants 2 Hive Guard 1 Zoanthrope 1 Carnifex
The Imperial Guard deployed in a defensive formation hoping to be able to slowly advance both forward and to the side of the map to capture two of the 3 objectives. The Tyranids seemed to have a much more offensive strategy in mind and deployed in a position that made it much more beneficial to assault, while making it harder to advance for the Guard with the 2 spore mines which were deployed in the middle of the field.
Yea, my battle report isn't awesome. I know. I'll have a better one next time. I just needed to get this one done so we could move on to round 2 (and it was 0200h). It's my first report and I wasnt quite sure on everything. I think I've got it down better for next time.
Game Result
Spoiler:
The game turned into a draw and the roll off went to the Tyranids.
Captain Gravlin was wounded. His shattered carapace armour lay on the ground by his feet -- the weight of it too much for him to carry at this point as his blood continued to soak his clothes. Gravlin could feel the fatigue of his body as he struggled forward towards the battle tank. The battle was still within their grasp; he knew it was. The Emperor would not fail them now. Not after so many lives had been lost.
"Sergeant." He said, speaking through the pain, although it was still noticeable to the other man. "Gather up any survivors you find amongst the bodies. We can still -- " He was cut off by the vox-bead in his ear. "This is General Gaulle, commanding officer of the 7th Victorian Army. All deployed forces, fall back and return to base. Central command has ordered that our enemies can deal with these bugs for now. We have a larger problem threatening our foothold on the planet. All forces fall back. We can not spread ourselves too thin -- it's the Necrons.
Gravlin's face went pale, and it wasn't from the blood loss. "Sergeant, change of plans. Gather the survivors. Burn the bodies of the dead if you can get your hands on a flamer and chain this tank to the shell over there. We're taking it back with us. We're leaving as soon as we are able.
+++Report: Situation on Rascella+++
-The Space Wolves try to attack the capital, but are repelled after suffering heavy casualties. Andilus Greatsword and Lord Marshall are severely wounded in the battle.
-The Forces of Chaos take the beachhead from the Space Wolves, after an impressive defense finally breaks.
-The Necrons capture an abandoned fuel station from the Halo Dragons.
-After an extremely bloody battle, the Imperial Guard choose to retreat from Tyranid lands rather than stretch themselves too thin.
+++Current Planetary Faction Map+++
So, at this particular point in time, the Necrons and Forces of Chaos are in the best position, while the Space Wolves are currently doing the worst (bloody hell... ).
We're just finishing up Round 2's battles - reports on the way shortly!
you should always have ties go to defender assuming there already dug in like tyrnaids v gaurd IE SW should win second battle and for abadoned territoires then you shoul roll all of this is IMHO
Your end has come. The sight of us will be your last. We are Wrath. We are Vengeance. We are the Rainbow Warrioirs."
*Silence*
-Snigger-
fatelf
2011/08/16 23:10:17
Subject: The Rascellan Campaign - 6 Man Narrative Campaign (Round 2 Reports In Progress)
rovian wrote:you should always have ties go to defender assuming there already dug in like tyrnaids v gaurd IE SW should win second battle and for abadoned territoires then you shoul roll all of this is IMHO
Perhaps. We're still editing the rules as we go in an effort to balance it. Currently, we're dealing with ties with both players rolling 2D6, with a +1 bonus for the defender, and a +1 bonus if there is a player who was clearly winning, with ties going to the defender. The main reason we're doing it this way though is because we only have a month to fight the bulk of the campaign, so we want there to be more substantial changes sometimes (and then we can justify the outcome with the narrative). We will take that into consideration when we begin Round 3 though.
Base Points: 1000pts
Game Type: Annihilation
Set-Up: Table Quarters
Notes: +100pts to the Chaos Forces due to their food source.
Army Lists Space Wolves
Spoiler:
Wolf Priest (Combi-melta)
2x Wolf Guard Leaders (2x Combi-melta, 1x PW, 1x PF)
8x Grey Hunters (PW, Meltagun, MotW)
8x Grey Hunters (PW, Meltagun, MotW)
Land Raider Crusader (Multimelta)
Land Raider Redeemer (Multimelta)
Chaos
Spoiler:
Bloodthirster
5x Chaos Space Marines (Personal Icon)
8x Khorne Berzerkers (Skull Champion with Personal Icon, Plasma Pistol, Power Weapon and Meltabombs)
20x Bloodletters
3x Bloodcrushers
3x Screamers of Tzeentch
2x Obliterators
Strategy Ok, after my last few battles with Connor, I've realized something – he is seriously lacking in anti-tank capability, especially against AV14. This list is very much taking advantage of that (I feel dirty for even trying this, but it should be fun regardless). If I can eliminate his anti-tank, then he will be toast. On the other hand, if my Land Raiders get blown up, then I will be in serious trouble.
However, he showed up with some new, unexpected units. Originally I had expected only Obliterators to be a problem, but he now had a Bloodthirster in his repertoire... not good. He also had some more exotic units like Screamers of Tzeentch and Bloodcrushers which I had never faced before so I didn't know what they would do or how to deal with them... So, this will be a very interesting battle!
Deployment The Space Wolves go first since they are attacking (sorry, I didn't get a picture of the Space Wolf deployment zone until after I'd moved... suffice to say, I stuck a couple Land Raiders beside a ruin).
Turn 1 – Space Wolves The Land Raiders plod forward 6” and fire their assault cannons at the Obliterators as they pop smoke. Most of the shots hit, but surprisingly they only take 1 wound.
Turn 1 – Chaos The Berzerkers and Chaos Marines split up, heading for cover. The Obliterators both use lascannons to fire at the Land Raider Redeemer, but neither of them are able to land a hit. Meanwhile, the infantry squads run into cover to avoid becoming Swiss cheese.
Kill Points Space Wolves – 0
Chaos – 0
Turn 2 – Space Wolves The Land Raiders plod forward again 6”, cautiously watching for any incoming daemonic forces. They fire all available guns at the Obliterators again, and manage to wipe them out after they fail their saves. With them dead, Connor's anti-tank options were almost non-existent (until his other units came in from reserves anyway).
Turn 2 – Chaos This turn, Connor's Bloodletters and Screamers of Tzeentch arrive. He places them within 6” of the Chaos Marines' icon and then runs them into cover. They cower there, unable to damage the massive battle tanks (well... not yet).
Kill Points Space Wolves – 1
Chaos – 0
Connor dubbed the base-less Screamer “Frank”. You might want to remember him.
Turn 3 – Space Wolves With a dearth of targets, and unwilling to close the distance on the ones in hiding lest I be assailed by a Bloodthirster next turn, I decide to just stand my ground and wait.
Turn 3 – Chaos The Screamers fly forwards towards the Redeemer which I (quite stupidly) did not move. They charge it and then easily destroy it with their Warp Jaws (specifically, Frank was the one who got the Vehicle Explodes result). The Reedemer turns into a fireball, which kills all the Screamers (except for Frank) and torches 4 of the Grey Hunters in the explosion. Luckily, they pass their pinning test as they disembark. Meanwhile, the other troops took shelter in the ruins.
Kill Points Space Wolves – 1
Chaos – 1
Turn 4 – Space Wolves The disembarked Space Wolves retreat, firing back at Frank in the process. They turn the Screaming daemon into a puddle of blood with their bolter fire. The Land Raider holds its ground, firing at the Khorne Berzerkers and killing 1.
Turn 4 – Chaos The Bloodthirster finally arrives this turn. Connor puts it within 6” of his Skull Champion, and then begins to advance all his troops forwards.
Kill Points Space Wolves – 2
Chaos – 1
Turn 5 – Space Wolves I back up the Land Raider, but only 6”. I want to be able to still shoot at the Bloodthirster and hopefully kill it. At the very least, it will need a 4+ to hit me in assault. I also beat a hasty retreat with my disembarked Grey Hunters. The Crusader opens up on the Bloodthirster, but unfortunately only causes 1 wound... uh oh.
Turn 5 – Chaos Connor's entire army charges forwards, but only the Bloodthirster is in range to do anything (1 Bloodletter dies in dangerous terrain as well). It assaults the last remaining Land Raider and manages to hit it with 5 of its 6 attacks... at S9 no less!!! He gets 3 penetrating hits and 2 glances, but its more than enough to destroy the vehicle. 1 Grey Hunter is killed in the blast. We roll to see if there's another turn, and Connor gets a 5+ – on to turn 6...
Kill Points Space Wolves – 2
Chaos – 2
Turn 6 – Space Wolves With Connor's entire army bearing down on me, I retreat out of assault range with my 2 Grey Hunter squads, and then open up on the wounded Bloodthirster. With 3 combi-meltas and 2 meltaguns between the 2 squads, I easily cause 2 wounds on the daemon. However, with 1 wound left, I fire my bolters at it. Only 1 wounds, but amazingly, Connor rolls a for his armour save!!!
Praise the Emperor!!! (Who needs context anyway? )
Turn 6 – Chaos Connor moves his men forward, but no one is within assault range. He tries to fire his Berzerkers' pistols, but fails to kill anyone... except for his Skull Champion, whose plasma pistol overheats and kills him. This was actually the 2nd battle in a row in which this happened... other report coming soon! Anyway, we roll for another turn, but it doesn't happen.
Spoiler:
Kill Points Space Wolves – 3
Chaos – 2
VICTORY FOR THE SPACE WOLVES!!!
Consequences The Space Wolves recapture their beachhead.
“Really?”
“OH THANK GOD!! I WON A BATTLE FOR ONCE!!!”
Afterthoughts Man, I nearly lost another one, due to stupid mistakes I kept making. I should have moved my Land Raiders faster in order to make him hit them on a 6+, especially with the Screamers... the Redeemer never should have blown up, especially since Connor had just gotten done telling me that Screamers have meltabombs. The Bloodthirster thing wasn't as avoidable (I was going to bleed a kill point either way). However, I managed to get a victory, even if I had to retreat the entire time to get it. We'll see how the next battle goes though...
Also, that was probably the shortest battle I've ever fought (took about an hour, tops).
The Rascellan Campaign 
KHADOR 
X-Wing (Empire Strong) 
Despite the additional Chaos reinforcements, the Space Wolves killed 2 Berzerkers, losing only Mags as the loyal wolf was cut down by Serthrek’nish...
). I'm impressed by the performance of my small Grey Hunter squads, but they would have been much more potent with more men – I'll try to bring more next time.
Meanwhile, the other Rhino blazed forward, trying to tank shock the Chaos Marines off the board (they passed their morale, however). The immobilized Rhino failed to repair itself, so the occupants disembarked, heading after the Chaos Marines.
He didn't have an invulnerable save, so he took a wound (leaving 1 remaining). The Long Fangs fired krak missiles at the Berzerkers, killing 1...
I need new dice I think...
!!!
Nightbringer and Lord Soulcrusher
(hopefully forthcoming)
Lord Yersina Thrax of the Death Guard 
Your end has come. The sight of us will be your last. We are Wrath. We are Vengeance. We are the Rainbow Warrioirs."
).
Knights of Atlantis