Auspex scans and thermal imaging confirmed Sgan Aluf Perelman’s suspicions, suspicions cast by a dark feeling in his gut. Clouds hung over the distant horizon, overlooking the ruins where this world’s local PDF had made their final stand against their daemonic invaders. Blasted ruins, carved with the foul insignias of Chaos Undivided, dotted the landscape. Evidence of melta blasts and craters undoubtedly caused by short-ranged siege cannons gave the officer an idea of who his enemy was this day. The singed terrain and charred corpses only served to solidify the officer’s opinions. Reports of short-ranged, merciless warriors in burning armor, striking heavily defended worlds along the Eastern Fringe had been circulating as of late. These reavers had struck both Imperial and Tau worlds indiscriminately, vanishing very shortly after smashing the defenders asunder; the evidence pointed towards Chaos Space Marines of the Hakanor’s Reavers warband being responsible for this destruction. Led by Daemon Prince Harkanor, formerly once-Chapter Master Prometian of the Flame Falcons, Hakanor’s Reavers were siege specialists, fighting fluidly in order to defeat enemy formations.
The thought of facing a Daemon Prince didn’t phase Sgan Aluf Perelman; between the copious amount of firepower boasted by his task force, and his understanding of the tactics that the Reavers employed, the officer was confident that he could easily repel the invaders. The Reavers fought at close range, relying on speed and mobility to close with the enemy before decimating them in short ranged firefights. The long ranged firepower boasted by this task force would hopefully prevent the Reavers from closing in and attacking.
The Reavers closed in quickly, a cloud of dark smoke wafting over the battlefield as the cracked, burning vehicles of the Chaos Space Marines closed the distance. Telling his column to hold their fire, Sgan Aluf Perelman watched as the Chaos Space Marines took up offensive positions, readying their siege weapons for war. Smiling, Perelman raised his hand, directing his formation to open fire, intent on annihilating the traitor Astartes before they could close the distance and strike.
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Hello, everyone! I recently played a 2,000 point game against Nuggz the Ninja’s
IDF-themed Imperial Guard a while ago for a local skirmish league. My list was as follows:
Hakanor's Reavers:
HQ:
Sorcerer (Mark of Slannesh, Lash of Submission, Wings)
Chaos Lord (Lightning Claws, Bike)
Elites:
Chaos Dreadnought (x2
CCW)
Troops:
Chaos Space Marine Squad:
X10 Marines
X2 Meltaguns
Champion (Powerfist)
->Rhino
Chaos Space Marine Squad:
X10 Marines
Plasma Gun
Autocannon
Khorne Berzerker Squad:
X0 Berzerkers
Champion (Power Weapon)
Plague Marine Squad
X5 Plague Marines
X2 Meltaguns
-Rhino
Fast Attack:
Raptor Squad:
X5 Raptors
X2 Meltaguns
Bike Squad:
X5 Bikes
X2 Meltaguns
Heavy Support:
X3 Vindicators (Possession)
And his list was something like (this game happened a while ago, and my memory isn’t the best):
IDF Imperial Guard:
HQ:
Company Command Squad
X4 Meltaguns
Company Command Squad
X4 Meltaguns
Elites:
Psyker Battle Squad:
X10 Psykers
->Chimera
Troops:
Veteran Squad
X2 Plasma Guns
Meltagun
Autocannon
->Chimera
Veteran Squad
X2 Plasma Guns
Meltagun
Autocannon
->Chimera
Veteran Squad
X2 Plasma Guns
Meltagun
Autocannon
->Chimera
Infantry Platoon
Command Squad
X3 Flamers
Heavy Flamer
->Chimera
X2 Squads of 10 Guardsmen (blob)
-Commissar
Fast Attack:
Vendetta
Vendetta
Heavy Support:
Manticore
Manticore
X2 Hydras
The mission we were playing was a custom mission; Victory Points, where every unit killed by your Army’s nominated General (a
HQ choice chosen by the player) was worth double its Victory Points. Nuggz nominated a
CCS, while I nominated the Sorcerer. Deployment type was Pitched Battle, and I won the roll to deploy and take first turn.
My deployment was as follows;
Wheras Nuggz deployed:
Scout moves saw the Vendettas shift left, angling for side armor shots on my Vindicators.
The initiative wasn’t stolen from me, and the game was on!
Reavers Turn 1:
With little fanfare, the Chaos armored column moved up, aggressively closing the gap between their starting position and the Imperial Guardsmen. Bobbing and weaving through the urban terrain, the Chaos Space Marines could almost taste the blood of their enemies as their vehicles carried them into battle.
Movement saw nearly everything on my side move up. The Dreadnought rolled normally for his Insanity check, and nearly everything (save the Dread) blew smoke. The Bikes turbo-boosted, while the Raptors stayed behind the Berzerker Rhino, attempting to avoid being killed by Lasgun fire.
Armored Column advances:
The Dreadnought ran in the Shooting Phase. The back
CSM squad popped an Autocannon off at the
PBS Chimera, doing nothing to it.
No assaults took place this turn.
VP Count:
Reavers: 0
IDF: 0
IDF Turn 1:
“That’s close enough”
The Chaos Space Marines hurtled towards the Imperial lines as the Imperial armored division opened fire, brutally scything down several of the Bikers. The Psyker Battle Squad all unleashed their psychic assault in eerie unison, a loud, unearthly roar assailing the Biker squad. As more and more of his men fell, the Chaos Lord laughed; parlor tricks like that wouldn’t break him, despite the loss of his retinue.
Movement saw the Vendettas shift a little more, while the Hydras shifted left to avoid being hit by my Vindicators next turn. The right Veteran team dismounted, preparing to hit the Plague Marine Rhino.
Vendettas Shift:
Veterans disembark:
Shooting saw the
CCS issue “First Rank, Second Rank, Fire!” on the blob squad, taking down a Biker. The Manticores dropped explosives on the two Rhinos, killing the Undivided Rhino. The first Vendetta took out the Berserker Rhino, the explosion killing off a Raptor, while the second one immobilized a Vindicator. The Veteran Squad didn’t do much to the Plague Marine Rhino.
First Rank, Fire! Second Rank, Fire!
Berserkers, sans ride:
Nothing assaulted this turn.
VP Count:
Reavers: 0
IDF: 245
Reavers Turn 2:
“SPILL THEIR BLOOD IN THE NAME OF KHORNE!” came the cry of the Berserkers, now lacking a transport. Their red armored boots pounded across the ground, shrugging off incoming Lasgun fire as they came just short of plowing into the Imperial Guard Platoon. The Commissar began bellowing orders, attempting to rally the doomed Guardsmen as the Raptors descended on wings of fire, wading into the fray. Not to be left out, the Chaos Lord gunned his bike, taking down several Guardsmen with a single sweep of his Lightning Claws as he rode by the swirling melee.
Elsewhere, the Chaos Sorcerer and his foul retinue disembarked from their Rhino. With a single snap of his fingers, the Sorcerer raised a wall of flames behind the Veterans, preventing their escape as he and his retinue closed in for the kill.
Movement saw the Berserkers leave the remains of their Rhino, making a beeline for the blob. The Raptors leapt over them, intent on joining the combat, while the Undivided Squad shuffled into the ruins. The Dreadnought rolled normally for his insanity check, while I immobilized another Vindicator in difficult terrain! (I *have* to stop tempting fate with these Difficult Terrain checks…)
Berserkers move up:
Shooting saw the Autocannon squad in the far back again fail to hurt the
PBS Chimera. The left Vindicator fired on a Chimera, blowing the Multilaser off. The right Vindicators fired on the Hydras, doing nothing to them. The Sorcerer used Lash of Submission to inch the Veterans closer, to ensure a proper assault this turn.
No more Multilaser (somewhere,
CS Goto just cringed):
Assault saw the Berserkers fail to reach combat (FFFFFUUUUU-) while the Raptors and Biker Lord got stuck in. Killing a few Guardsmen, I took one wound on the Lord in return, and won combat. The Guardsmen held, thanks to the Commissar.
Elsewhere, the Sorcerer and Plague Marines made it into combat. To my immense surprise, I lost two Plague Marines in
CC to Guardsmen! I still won combat, but the Guardsmen held.
Sorcerer, Plague Marines, and Vets:
The blob battle:
VP Count:
Reavers: 0
IDF: 245
IDF Turn 2:
Sensing an opportunity, the Manticores rained rockets down on the exposed Berserkers. Storm Eagle cluster bombs fell on their position, utterly annihilating the crazed warriors. Focusing their Psychic Power once again, the Psyker Battle Squad turned their attention to the group of traitor Astartes sitting in the backfield with their heavy weapon. Shattering their resolve with a psychic barrage, the armored column targeted the Reavers, sending them fleeing from the battlefield.
Movement saw the
PBS Chimera shuffle up a bit, while the empty Veteran Chimera on the right side of the field moved to draw fire away from the Hydras. The Vendettas inched forward, while a few Chimeras shuffled a bit.
Shooting saw the
PBS cast Weaken Resolve on the back
CSM squad, reducing their Leadership to 2. The Chimeras promptly dumped Multilaser fire on them, causing them to break and run off the board! The Manticores then dropped templates on the Berserkers, killing them off completely. The Vendettas vaporized the left side Vindicator.
No more Berserkers:
The back
CSM squad, right before retreating:
Assault saw a few more Guardsmen from the blob fall to me, while I didn’t take any casualties. The Sorcerer and Plague Marines wiped the Veterans, consolidating forward.
Victorious Sorcerer:
VP Count:
Reavers: 240
IDF: 800
Reavers Turn 3:
With a final victorious blow, the Chaos Lord cut down the last stubborn survivor, tearing the man’s head clean from his shoulders. Across the battlefield, the Dreadnought howled in fury, pushing his mechanical frame to its limits as the metal beast lumbered towards the Chimera, slamming into the vehicle at high speeds, causing the APC to detonate in a brilliant explosion. The Sorcerer chortled, the souls claimed by his cursed blade screaming in terror and agony, as he advanced towards the Imperial anti-air guns.
Movement saw the Dreadnought roll a 6 on his insanity check, causing him to run full tilt towards the Chimera. I didn’t move much else.
Shooting saw the Dreadnought run, while the point Vindicator fired on the Hydras, instead scattering and missing brilliantly.
Assault saw the Chaos Lord and Raptors wipe the Guardsmen Squad! The two consolidated into cover, preparing to weather the coming storm. The Dreadnought tore the Chimera to pieces (as expected), causing it to explode.
Preparing for the coming storm:
VP Count:
Reavers: 430
IDF: 800
IDF Turn 3:
Pressing their attack, the Imperial column closed the noose around the Chaos Lord and Raptors. Chimera turrets turned, dumping a torrent of fire onto the hapless Astartes. Even their burning armor couldn’t save them from the immense amount of firepower pointed at them.
Elsewhere, the Vendetta pilots, acquiring solid locks onto their distant targets, fired their Lascannons, whooping in celebration as a Vindicator and the Dreadnought were reduced to smoldering wreckage.
Movement saw a bunch of Chimeras move up in preparation to wipe the Raptors and Lord.
Shooting saw the Manticores drop rockets on the Undivided Squad, taking them all out. The Lord was killed by the Hyrdas, while the Raptors were hit first by the
PBS, casting Weaken Resolve on them. Though only one fell, this was still more than enough to force a (failed) Morale check. To add insult to injury, one member died taking a Dangerous Terrain check while falling back into a ruin!
The Dreadnought falls:
Nothing assaulted this turn.
The field looks rather empty now...
VP Count:
Reavers: 430
IDF: Much higher than me.
Reavers Turn 4:
Their minds reeling from the Psychic assault, the Raptors turned, attempting to make one last defiant stand against incredible odds. The Sorcerer pressed his retinue forward, attempting to get into cover before more rockets fell upon him. This battle was as good as lost, but the Chaos Space Marines were undeterred; they would fight to the last man, and take as many Imperials down with them as they could!
Movement saw the Sorcerer shuffle forward, while the Raptors rallied, and moved forward 3 inches, attempting to get one last Meltagun shot off.
The Sorcerer and Plague Marines make one last push:
The Raptors missed their Meltagun shot, while the Plague Marines popped a Meltagun shot off at the Hydras. Rolling a glancing hit, and a 1 on the result table, the Squadroned Hydras ignored this.
Nothing assaulted this turn.
VP Count:
Reavers: 430
IDF: Still higher than me.
IDF Turn 4:
Understanding that the battle was effectively concluded, the Imperial armored column rumbled forward, with the Platoon Command Squad leapt out of their transport, bringing their flamers to bear. Dousing the Raptors in burning promethium, the hot, crackling armor of the cursed Astartes melted under the intense heat, a fitting end for the traitorous Marines. The Manticores fired their final salvo, blasting the Sorcerer into oblivion. The Vendettas, re-acquring their targets, fired their Lascannons once more, sundering both the remaining Rhino and the last Vindicator, clearing the Chaotic attackers from the field!
Movement saw the Chimeras scoot up, with the
PCS disembarking.
Shooting saw the Raptors fall under the flamers from the
PCS, while Storm Eagle rockets took care of the Sorcerer and Plague Marines. The Vendettas demolished my Vindicator and Rhino, wiping me from the table.
The table is empty:
The Sorcerer's final armor saves:
Victory went to the Imperial Guard!
I knew this was going to be an uphill battle from the start; I built the Reavers with the intention of having a close-ranged list, and any list with long-ranged anti-tank fire always worries me. I made a few rules and tactical flubs this game; guess I'm still only human. Nuggz always knows what he’s doing, and is great to play against; I’m actually considering throwing my own Guard against his to see who comes out on top!
Thanks for the game again, dude! And to everyone else, thanks for reading!
-and for something silly below-
Death Guard 5100 pts.
Daemons 3000 pts.
