I’ve been jonesing to put models on table and roll some dice, so after a couple of false starts managed to arrange a game of
AOS, against a Dwarf player who was new to 8E right around the time the world exploded. He had never played
AOS before, but was keen to have a go. He was also cool with using the SCGT pack in its entirety, including the army comp rules. Our only deviation from the pack was not using the random magical scenery rules, as neither of us wanted to keep track of all that (and I hates it).
KHORNE DAEMONS (+ TOKEN MORTAL)
BLOOD HOST OF KHORNE:
Bloodthirster of Insensate Rage (
GEN)
Bloodmistress
18 Bloodletters
16 Bloodletters
16 Bloodletters
3 Skull Cannons
+
Bloodsecrator
[74]
vs
DWARFS
Lord (
GEN)
Engineer
Dragon Slayer
Dragon Slayer
Dragon Slayer
20 Thunderers
10 Longbeards
10 Warriors
Cannon
Organ Gun
Bolt Thrower
Gyrobomber
[76]
^ Looks like he could have taken the Dispossessed Artillery Battery formation, which would have helped with their survivability (spoiler). But he'd have had to drop a Dragon Slayer to afford it, and not sure he would have wanted to, in hindsight (more spoilers) ...
We gathered our dudes with the help of
www.scrollbuilder.com, diced up how many pieces of terrain we should have (9), took turns placing and scattering them
2D6”, Dwarfs won the roll to choose deployment type (long edges) and deploy first, and we did the thing:
Notice the three markers down the center line – I suggested we play a very simple objective game of whoever claims the most markers at the end wins, with ties going to most pool points left.
Khorne won the roll to go first, and despite knowing that Internet Wisdom says go second … I went first anyway, to close some distance against his gunline and get a little counter battery fire in with my own guns.
Turn 1
The Bloodsecrator kicks the game off by planting his
Portal of Skulls and basking in the warm glow of the warp. With a stern look for the middle Bloodletters (
Inspiring Presence), the Ragethirster hops into some ruins for that sweet cover save, and lesser daemons advance across the board, mostly with pitiful run rolls. The pack of Skull Cannons trots up and liquefies the crew of the Dwarf Cannon for first blood.
In response the Dwarf Lord commands the Thunderers to be cool (
Inspiring Presence), and the Dwarfs scurry forward 4”, eschewing run rolls as far too reckless
The Organ Gun tries for all four barrels and fails to roll 4+ (twice, with the help of the Engineer), and the Bolt Thrower misses the Skull Cannons twice as well. The Gyrobomber (off shot to the left) clatterguns a Bloodletter down … only to have reality blink thanks to their
Gore-drenched Icon and the daemon reappear moments later
Turn 2
After that lackluster opening, the Dwarfs score a
DOUBLE TURN to try it again! Thunderers are commanded to remain cool, then short dudes get a little bit closer on all fronts, before casting their eyes to the glory of Dwarven artillery: the Organ Gun goes for all barrels and double jams again, followed by the Bolter double missing the Ragethirster. The Gyrobomber is a pro and drops that Bloodletter again, who stays down this time. Long bomb charges are not tried for.
The daemonic host can smell the rich blood coursing somewhat-sluggishly through Dwarven veins, and the Ragethirster calls for a
Bloodthirsty Charge (Khorne Daemons within 8” reroll charge distance – not including the
BT until
FAQ’d). Everybody advances and gets ready to charge, pausing to watch the Skull Cannons evaporate the Organ Gun’s crew and part of the gun itself. Bloodletters then slam into the Gyrobomber and Warriors as the Ragethirster barrels into the Dwarf Lord himself; unfortunately the Bloodmistress’ pack on the right flubs its charge into the Longbeards and have to sit this one out.
As is his right, the Ragethirster swings first, detonating the Dwarf Lord and grievously wounding the Dragon Slayer on the other side of the house with the
Outrageous Carnage of his blows. The Dragon Slayer near the central combat piles in and drops a few ‘Letters, before the daemons return the favor on the Warriors, followed by the Gyrobomber, the ‘Letters on the Gyro, and finally the beleaguered Warriors. After Battleshock the Gyro has taken 1 wound, the Dragon Slayer 2 wounds, a few Warriors remain and token daemons have been sent back to the warp.
Turn 3
The Dwarfs retain the initiative, and use it to finally get the Thunderers into range on the left flank and prepare for charges on the right flank. The Gyrobomber, meanwhile, scoots out of range of the angry blood daemons, though it fails to drop a
Grudgebuster Bomb on its way into the Khornate backfield (4+ rolls are hard today). The Thunderers unload into the Bloodletters on the hilly ruins, splattering a handful of lesser daemons. The Engineer also gets in on the fun, capping a Bloodletter in the center with his pistol
When it comes to charges, those short legs get to pumping and 3” charges are made with ease: Dragon Slayer into Ragethirster, Dragon Slayer and Longbeards into right Bloodletters.
The Slayer taking on the ‘Thirster swings first, ripping 8 (!) wounds into the beast thanks to the combo of
Master Slayer and
Slayer Oath. Angry beyond measure, the Ragethirster cleaves the Dwarf in two in return, and thankfully the Slayer fails the 4+ to kick in his
Epic Deathblow (which would have done another
D6 mortal to the greater daemon, potentially killing him in one go). In the right combat, the Bloodmistress’ pack guts half of the Longbeards and grievously wounds their Dragon Slayer (4 wounds), for the loss of a couple daemons. And in the center, the Dragon Slayer hacks down a few Bloodletters before being cut down himself – activating
Epic Deathblow to claim a couple more daemons. The Warriors, meanwhile, are savaged, with just the champ remaining. Battleshock is gentle to all.
With no one within 8”, the Ragethirster glares at the left Bloodletters to properly
Inspire them, and the Bloodsecrator closes the
Portal so he can deal with this annoying Gyrobomber himself. Ragethirster and left Bloodletters close on the Thunderers, as Skull Cannons mobilize through the board center, pausing to nuke the Bolt Thrower and one of its crew. The Ragethirster starts the charging off by tripping on his way into the Thunderers, which the Bloodletters pretend to not see while they successfully rush in. The Bloodmistress also wades into the Longbeards on the right.
Eager to finally get to grips with the Thunderers, the left Bloodletters largely faff about, dispatching a couple Dwarfs (ED: 1 attak at 1” sucks). They awkwardly lose a couple daemons to rifle butts in return
Meanwhile, the Bloodmistress decapitates two Longbeards, kicking in
The Blood Must Flow and prompting her Bloodletters to mince everybody left in that combat. The final Slayer
Epic Deathblows a couple Bloodletters out of spite. Next, the Gyrobomber fails to tag the Bloodsecrator with its rotor blades, and the Khorne
BSB hammers the machine to near breaking point (3 more wounds). Finally, the central Bloodletters do horrible things to the last Warrior Veteran.
Turn 4
The Dwarfs continue their stranglehold on the initiative, but are well run out of options. The Gyrobomber limps away from the Bloodsecrator, once again failing to drop a bomb on its way over him (4+ man!), and the Bolt Thrower’s crew makes a run for the Cannon with dreams of crewing it next turn … Then the Thunderers stoically turn away from the Bloodletters howling in their faces and unload on the Ragethirster at their back, bringing him to 10 wounds and nearing death. When it comes to dealing with those Bloodletters in the combat phase, everybody sucks and only token deaths happen.
The Blood Host prepares to lower the axe one last time – starting with the Bolt Thrower crew receiving a triple volley of Skull Cannon, because gun envy. With a final howl, the Ragethirster lands amongst the Thunderers, as the Bloodsecrator jumps after the Gyrobomber and the central Bloodletters mob the Engineer (who had tried and failed to shoot them last turn). The Ragethirster reaps through five of the Thunderers, and the remaining five fail to finish him with their gun butts. They die to Bloodletters in reprisal. Meanwhile, the Bloodsecrator destroys the Gyro, finally finding the gooey center, and the Bloodletters strip all five wounds from the Engineer before he can start cracking skulls.
With just a wounded Organ Gun on the field, we call that a convincing win for Khorne. Oh, also objectives and stuff
- Salvage
So I think he had fun with his first go 'round of 
Next time I know who's getting a good Skull Cannoning 
