Stern Iron Priest with Thrall Bodyguard
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Well folks, I know a few people have been looking forward to this batrep so I figured I'd get to it real quick. I am not a man of steady hands and my phone doesn't agree with me on shutter speeds so no pictures but I'll use the best visual language I can provide.
To begin with, let's look at the lists starting with my own:
Space Wolves
H.Q.
Njal -245
Rune Priest
Chooser of the Slain, Lightning, Hurricane -110
Thunderwolf Lord
Thunderhammer, Storm Shield, Runic Armor, Saga of the Bear -260
Thunderwolf Lord
Wolf Claw, Storm Shield, Runic Armor, Saga of the Majesty -230
Elites
Wolf Guard 3x
3x Combi-Melta/Power Fist
Troops
Grey Hunters 6x
Melta, Mark of the Wulfen, Wolf Standard, Rhino -155
Grey Hunters 6x
Melta, Mark of the Wulfen, Wolf Standard, Rhino -155
Grey Hunters 6x
Melta, Mark of the Wulfen, Wolf Standard, Rhino -155
Grey Hunters 5x
Flamer, Las/Plas Razorback -150
Grey Hunters 5x
Flamer, Las/Plas Razorback -150
Fast Attack
Thunderwolves 2x
Thunderhammer/Storm Shield, Storm Shield -190
Heavy Support
Long Fangs 5x
2x Plasma Cannon, 2x Missile Launchers, Lazorback -210
Long Fangs 5x
2x Lascannon, 2x Missile Launchers, Lazorback -220
Long Fangs 6x
5x Missile Launchers -140
Total: 2499
Imperial Guard
H.Q.
Company Command Squad
4x Plasma Guns, Officer of the Fleet, Chimera -195
Company Command Squad
4x Plasma Guns, Astropath, Chimera -195
Elites
Psyker Battle Squad 10x
Chimera -165
Psyker Battle Squad 10x
Chimera -165
Troops
Veteran Squad 10x
3x Melta, Chimera -155
Veteran Squad 10x
3x Melta, Chimera -155
Veteran Squad 10x
3x Melta, Chimera -155
Infantry Platoon
Platoon Command Squad
4x Melta, Chimera -125
Infantry Squad A
Commissar w/Power Weapon, Sgt. w/Power Weapon, Autocannon Team -115
Infantry Squad B
Sgt. w/Power Weapon, Autocannon Team -70
Infantry Squad C
Sgt. w/Power Weapon, Autocannon Team -70
Infantry Squad D
Sgt. w/Power Weapon, Autocannon Team -70
Fast Attack
Vendetta -130
Vendetta -130
Vendetta -130
Heavy Support
Manticore -160
Manticore -160
Hydra 2x -150
Total: 2495
Rundown on the lists:
Space Wolves: I've been torn between two lords with Njal or Bjorn and Njal with a few Thunderwolves. After much commiseration, I decided to give this list a whirl and see where it takes me. I think it has a good amount of firepower and a balance of hearty units that can take a beating with the lords being able to bail a unit out of a nasty combat.
Imperial Guard: This list scares the gak out of me...8 Plasma Guns on the Command Squads can spell murder for everything in Power Armor, the Psyker Battle Squads can do dirty dirty things to me (lowering leadership, instakill my Thunderwolves, so on and so forth...), Melta Vets are nasty as always, and what about that Blob folks? 40 Guardsmen with 5 hidden power weapons and spitting out 8 autocannon shots a turn? Yeah, no likey...oh wait...I didn't even make it to fast attack before I wanted to quit...oh well...
So...now onto the scenario. We should all know it by know, but for those of us who aren't up on the latest news here it is:
40K Ard Boyz Preliminary Scenario 2:
Whoz got da Motz!
Mission:
Control as many objective counter as possible.
Objective:
This scenario uses a modified Seize ground (page 91) missions. Please note that there are always 5 objectives, DO NOT ROLL. Before determining who goes first an objective marker is placed in the center of all four table quarters. The fifth and final objective is placed in the direct center of the table. The objective in each Deployment table quarter is worth 1 point. The objectives in the empty table quarters are worth 2 points and the objective in the center of the board is worth 4
points.
Deployment:
Spearhead as seen on page 93 of the main rulebook
Length of Game:
This game last 6 turns, or until time is called, so that each player completes the same number of turns.
Special Rules:
Reserves (Page 94)
Deep Strike (page95)
Night Fight (Turn 6 Only)
Seize the Initiative (page 92)
Massacre: If a player has 5 more objective points than his opponent.
Major Victory: If a player has 3 more objective points than his opponent
Minor Victory: If a player has 1 more objective points than his opponent
Draw: If both players have the same number of objective points the game is a draw.
Battle point modifiers:
+1 If you control all the objectives at the end of the game.
+1 If your opponent has no units in your deployment zone.
+1 if all your hq choices are alive at the end of the game.
+1 if you kill all of your opponents Heavy Support choices. (If your opponent doesn't have any heavy supports then you automatically get this point.)
A few things of note: I love Spearhead against Mech I.G.. It gives me options on how to attack them and I don't have to get into a shootout with an army that can out shoot me. The centrality of the objectives makes late game grabs easy pickings as does it decide where the nastiest fights are going to be. Outflanking not being possible makes it a pain to deal with Manticores and dug in artillery but there isn't much I can do there.
Now...onto the table!
After several sad tournaments with crappy "Valleys of Death" (i.e. no LOS blocking terrain in the middle), my store has made it a goal in life to get on the good foot on terrain and build some good pieces which makes all the difference in the world. Terrain on the tables is as follows: From left to right (doesn't matter which long side of the table you're on, the terrain ended up the same) the terrain was setup with 3 pieces about 12" in along the board edge (the leftmost and rightmost piece were a 2 story ruin that was about 6"x6" deposited obliquely on the table while the middle piece was a fairly dense forest that was circular with about a 10" diameter). Along the center line there were 2 buildings that were 3 stories in height that were about 8"x8" set obliquely on the table and in the middle there was a 4 story structure that was about 12"x12" smack in the center of the table (the 2 3 story pieces were on the left and right of the tall structure in the middle). Objectives were placed on the bottom floors of the respective buildings according to the mission rules.
We roll to see who goes first and my heart sinks as I see him throw out a 5...however, my dice felt my lament and did their best to please me and rolled a 6! Happy times indeed...crappy part is, even with first turn, he has a good bit of Indirect Ordnance and that giant building in the middle is going to bone me...I decide to give him first turn as I think with the decent LOS blocking terrain I may have a chance to survive. Plus, seeing his deployment would be rather helpful.
{From here on out, everything will be from my perspective on the table}
Deployment:
Imperial Guard
The Blob sets up right along the 12" mark from the center of the board, preparing to roll into the building at the go signal. 2 Melta Vets, the Astropath Command Squad and one Psyker Battle Squad form a brick along the long center line, ready to roll across and wreak havoc. The other units set up a similar way along the short center line. His Manticores nestle themselves in the back corner with the 2 Hydras in front. He parks the Platoon Command Squads Chimera in the bottom floor of his building. He puts the Vendettas in reserve (in hindsight he kicked his own ass at this point because that lowered target saturation and took a good bit of pressure off of me).
Space Wolves
I place my 3 Rhinos along the 12" bubble as well with the standard one closest to the short mid line, Njal's Rhino next to in and the other Rhino with Rune Priest closest to the center line. On either side of the 2 outer Rhinos, I have the Lazorbacks for the Long Fangs positioned to give cover to the Rhinos. I deploy my Plasma Cannon Long Fangs on the top of my objective building, the Missile Launcher Long Fangs close to my table edge in the woods and the Lascannon Long Fangs in the 3 story structure towards the middle. I leave the Las/Plas Grey Hunters and Thunderwolves in reserve. (Now I know everyones going to think: Why bother? You're probably not going to get them in until turn 4 or 5 and at that point you'll be so far behind it won't matter. The answer is, I want to limit the length of time I can get hit by Manticores and Psyker Battle Squads as much as possible and last minute objective grabbing is my favorite!)
Seize the Initiative roll proves fruitless as I roll a 1...
Turn 1
Imperial Guard
Blob moves and runs into the center building a total of 9" and fans out covering first and second floor like a horde of ants. The tanks all pull around and line up side shots on my Rhnos. The Manticores and Hydras sit back doing nothing and the Platoon Command Squad chills in their hole. Shooting is just plain slowed...Between all of his Chimeras firing on my Rhinos and Razorbacks, he nets 2 stuns on the Razorbacks and 1 weapon destroyed on the Rune Priests Rhino. The manticores roll 1 and 2 for their missile shots this turn. First manticore places on my Long Fangs and scatters 3" back towards him clipping 2 bases. I pass my armor saves. The other Manticore hits Njals Rhino twice Directly and he rolls snake eyes twice for armor penetration (I offered to buy him new dice at this point as he had already rolled about 15 1's). He managed to shake it and weapon destroy it.
Space Wolves
I roll Njal's power and get crap...(he rolled a 3 which has no effect as I went second). I disembark Njal's Squad as well as all of the other squads and move into the central building as I want it. All 3 squads end up getting in 6" as my terrain roles were on fire. At this point, I decided to cast Tempests Wrath for kicks and giggles as Storm Caller was going to do no good. I fanned out my mobile Rhinos to block off the Razorbacks and popped smoke on them. Shooting is where the magic happened. I throw my opponent for a loop when I commit both Murderous Hurricanes into the Platoon Squad for a total of 23 hits with the S3 shots. Between this and Bolt Pistol Fire and random melta shots, I kill off 15 guardsmen after they go to ground (of those 15 he loses 2 Power Weapons). I decide that popping a Chimera would be good and nail 2 shots into the side of the Psyker Battle Squads chimera as it was closest to the building. I pen twince, and roll a 4 and 5 for damage result. In the explosion, I end up killing 4 Psykers and the unit ends up pinned but passes morale. I then open up with my Long Fangs. On the left most side, my missile launcher Long Fangs end up stunning the lead Chimeras on the left. On the right, the Lascannon Long Fangs wreck one of the lead Chimeras the one closest to the center and Immobilize the other. The wrecked squad becomes the focus of my Plasma Cannons as it is a group of Melta Vets. They could not disembark the back or side so they were sitting on the exposed side in a precarious position. I nail them with both Plasmas and resultantly the whole squad goes down in a blue ball of fire even after going to ground for a 3+ cover. The missile launchers from that pack fire at the plasma command squads rhino only managing to shake it. At this point, I decide it's time to assault with Njal and the Rune Priests squads. I pop both standards as I feel this is going to be the most important combat in the game and charge in. Basically all that happens is the Grey Hunters slammed into the blob, killed all but 2 of the Guardsmen and the Commissar without losing a man. My buddy tried his hardest to kill off the commissar but he passed all of his saves like it was going out of style (oh, my Runic Weapons sucked balls, my Power Fists were too busy scratching their bolls and I didn't get any rends if you're wondering why the combat was so ineffectual). He passes his leadership and my Grey Hunters are Locked in Combat...oh Joy...
Turn 2
Imperial Guard
He rolls his reserves and gets all 3 Vendettas in (insert flight of the Valkyries). For his movement, he brings all 3 along the long board edge directly across from mine and moves on 6". He decides to sit put and pop smoke with his Stunned vehicles. The Melta Vets disembark from the left most Chimeras as they were the lead chimeras. They move up and go for cover while taking aim at my Rhinos and Razorbacks. The command squad disembarks behind the Stunned Chimeras and line up shots on the Grey Hunter unit not in combat. The Command Squad's Chimera Loops around the outside moving 12" and pops smoke to provide cover for the Melta Vets. On the other side, the Immobile Melta Vets stay put and pop smoke while the Psyker battle squad and Officer of the Fleets chimera move up and start to size up my Long Fangs. Shooting sees his Melta Vets popping my Razorback and Rhino that was closest to the table edge and his Plasma Command Squad vaporizing 4 Grey Hunters from the unit not in combat. Manticores go everywhere but on target as they're firing indirectly and do nothing. He then fires 2 Vendettas at my Missile Launcher Long Fangs and 1 at my Plasma Cannon Long Fangs. I lose 2 Missile Launchers and the pack leader from the missile Launcher pack and lose just the pack leader in the plasma cannon Long Fangs. He then decides to cast weaken resolve on my Lascannon Long Fangs from the Psyker Battle Squad but ends up being blocked by Njal's 3+. His PBS and Command squad chimera open up but fail to drop any of the Long Fangs. The Melta Vets in the immobile Chimera open up on the Lazorback but do nothing. I pass morale on all of the squads and we move into assault. This time I finish off the guardsmen handily.
Space Wolves
I roll my reserves and even with the re-rolls I get everything in! His shooting phase was brilliant and painful so I needed to try and gain some momentum back with this turn. I roll Njal's power and get a 5! This could be helpful so I keep a mental note of it. I bring the Wolf Lords and their squad up along the side where the Stunned Chimeras were and line them up so I can multi assault the Psykers that are still gone to ground and the 2 Veteran Squads and possibly the command squad. (I figured assaulting 31 guardsmen would either result in 31 dead Guardsmen or my unit locked in combat..win win for me). The Lazorbacks all came on the Long Board edge close to the Imperial Guard side of things and lined up pot shots at the Manticores and Hydras. Long Fangs tightened their grips and took aim at the Vendettas. The depleted Grey Hunter Squad got into Njal's rhino and Went 12" and popped smoke heading to my home objective. Shooting saw Njal's Living Lightning Tearing open the Company Commmand Squads Chimera and the other Rune Priest doing the same to the Psychic Battle Squad blowing it up, killing 2 Psykers and killing 2 from the Command Squad. The Lazorback got a side shot on the Melta Vets and popped it as well. The Lascannon Long Fangs poured all that they had into the furthest right Vendetta and downed it. The Plasma Cannon Long Fangs nailed the Psyker battle squad netting 4 dead and one shot took another member of the company command squad. The Missile Launcher from that squad stunned a Vendetta. The other 2 Missiles managed to stun the other Vendetta as well. The Las/Plas razorbacks wrecked both Hydras thankfully. When it came time for morale. All units passed; however, when Njal's power kicked in, it sent the Company Command Squad and Psyker battle squad that had just been demeched packing and they fell back. Assault Phase saw the Lords Wrapping up the PBS, Command Squad and one squad of Veterans in a giant assault. End result saw the Majestic Lords wiping every single one of them with ease and consolidating outwards for the impending Manticore shots.
Turn 3
Imperial Guard
Things are looking grim and not too good...but there's hope yet! The Chimera for the Patoon Command Squad moves up and positions for some Heavy Flamer Action while the Stunned Chimeras roll up and do the same, all 3 are pointed at the Grey Hunter in the Building. The Stunned Vendettas go Flat out for cover and penetrate into my Deployment zone. His Company Command Squad and Psyker Battle Squad continue falling back as they are both below 50%. Shooting sees the Manticores dropping 6 Large Blasts on my Lords and Thunderwolves. In the resulting blast I lose 1 Thunderwolf and 2 Wounds off of the Saga of the Bear Lord. The Melta Vets Chimera pops off some shots at the Lascannon Long Fangs to no effect. Heavy Flamers burninate at total of 8 Hunters, 1 wound off of Njal and the Rune Priest and I lose one of the Wolf Guard! I pass all morale there and the Wolf Lords pass Morale.
Space Wolves
Njal rolls a super impressive 1 for his power and it does diddly. I send the Lords at the Platoon Command Squad, las/plas Razorbacks shift forward so that the furthest one up will be in striking distance of the objective at the end of turn 4, Depleted Grey Hunters with the Rune Priest mount up in their Rhino and go flat out for the uncontested objective. The other Grey Hunters in Rhino make it behind the building and hunker down to hold the objective. Njal's squad sits on the bottom floor holding the objective. Shooting sees the Las Plas Razors stunning one Manticore and that's it. All long fang squads open up on the Vendettas and down the last 2 with the help of Living Lightning from both Njal and the other Rune Priest. Assault sees the Lords and Thunderwolf annhilating the platoon command squad and fanning out in cover for the last manticore shot.
Turn 4
Imperial Guard
He disembarks the Melta vets and moves them towards the center. Chimeras shift to prevent their backs from being exposed to Long Fangs and line up their flamers. Shooting sees that lone Manticore firing off 3 shots again however, they scatter wildly and end up doing nothing. His Heavy Flamers end up netting no wounds between wound allocation and poor rolling. His Melta vets net a dead Razorback and a hull for cover. Stunned Manticore pops smoke for good measure. He fires plasma and the PBS at the Wolf Lords but cannot get anything through their armor.
Space Wolves
I ask if he wants to call it but he thinks he has a chance if he can get his Veterans into the middle ruin to face off against Njals depleted squad. I roll Njal's power and get a 7! So now for the kill shots. I flat out the razorback closest to his objective, get out my Grey hunters and run them into the ruin to claim it. My Wolf Lords move to hit the Manticores that have stayed stationary and everyone else sprints for objectives. Shooting sees Njal's Lightning, the squads bolters and meltas killing off the Melta Vets. Long Fangs shake and stun the vehicles they can see and the Las Plas are ineffectual this turn. Njals power does dirty things to the Chimeras that have been trying to burninate him for the past 2 turns resulting in 4 burning wrecks after all of the rolling is done. In assault, the Lords and Thunderwolves destroy the manticores handily as they auto hit and auto penned the vehicles.
At this point we call it as he has nothing left on the table save for 2 units that aren't going to be of any difference in the game. I have all of the objectives under my control and have claimed all of the bonus points.
I have to say, I was afraid of this army and still am. I think my opponent just made some critical errors in judgment with deployment and possibly being too aggressive. Not deploying the Vendettas was a horrible mistake for him and if he had, he would have had more to work with from the start.
Hope you all enjoyed it! Now comment away!
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A Lone Wolf is a survivor or a brute. . . 
