SCROLL DOWN TO END OF THIS POST FOR RESULTS
Imperial Guard V. Imperial Guard (Castitas v. Bugalubov) 1000pts
Kelryan 3rd against the combined Novrodian 17th, 201st and 203rd remnants.
This is to be the first in what will hopefully become a series of Campaign Fights. This first post is set up as a poll, with both armies and a brief background. Feedback, advice and encouragement are welcome. And check back tomorrow for updates and results of the match.
Some Background:
During the formation of the Damocles Gulf Crusade, three regiments of the planet Novrod were assigned to the campaign. The Novrodian 201st and 203rd were both placed under the command of Colonel Bogalubov and his Novrodian 17th. The Novrodian forces performed heroically during the invasion of Syl'kell and the fighting withdrawal from Dal’yth in Operation Hydra. Due to the checkered past of the Novrodians, General Gauge and his command staff had little reservation at placing the Novrodians at the head of the assault on the star-port on Dal’yth. Despite being at the front of multiple assaults, the Novrodians managed to leave the planet at 70% of operational capacity. Following the conclusion of the crusade the Novrodian forces were reassigned to meet the new threat of Hive Fleet Behemoth.
On the moons of the gas giant Iora the Novrodians waged war against the monstrous Tyranids. Colonel Bogalubov adopted a slash and burn strategy to deal with the aliens. At first his forces were spread between multiple moons and population centers. Each center attempted to hold as long as possible while inflicting the maximum amount of damage on the Tyranids while withdrawing the civilian population to the largest moon of Lyra. Just as each city was about to be breached, the Novrodians withdrew while detonating the energy cores of the cities. Not all civilians could be evacuated and many perished in the cleansing fire of the atomic explosions. After two years of fighting all the surviving Novrodians and civilians were on Lyra. After much hardship and sacrifice, the Tyranid host was weak and depleted after being denied nutrients to replenish their numbers. On the desolate, rocky plains of Lyra the Novrodians finally counter attacked and ground down the Tyranids under their boots and the treads of their tanks.
The war had been costly. Only 1/3 of the population from all the moons could be saved. The entire 203rd regiment was gone as it could not reach their transports during the detonation of the energy core on Iora’s 3rd moon. The 17th and 201st were also mauled during the protracted war and the final battle. The final brutal loss was the death of Colonel Bogalubov during the decisive victory. Following the pyrrhic victory the Novrodian survivors were shepherded by Bogalubov’s second in command, Captain Gletkin, to the minor shrine world of Zakan to await refit and reinforcement from Novrod.
Amidst the cathedrals of Zakan, the Novrodians would find little peace as they came into contact with Lt. Colonel Rhane and the Kelryan 3rd who sought to expand the domain of Governor Valourian of Helicos.
The Kelryan forces were allowed to land on Zakan to negotiate the proposal to come under the protection of Governor Valourian. The negotiations had no chance of success. The Cardinal of Zakan had learned about the expansion of the Helican domain and desired no part of it. The Cardinal believed that if he could capture some Kelryan military leaders he would be noticed by the Ecclesiarchy and could continue his assent towards greater power. Before the Helican emissaries landed, the Cardinal whipped the Zakan leaders into a zealous fury about protecting the shrines of the Emperor. As a counter proposal to the Helican demands, the Cardinal informed the emissaries that they were under arrest and must surrender their weapons. Soon thereafter shots rang out in the negotiation hall and the whole star-port was thrown into chaos. After weeks of fighting in the star-port and in the space above Zakan, the Helicans managed to land reinforcements and capture the star-port. Now they seek to break out of the star-port and place Zakan under Valourians rule.
Upon hearing of the fighting in the star-port the Novrodians have been roused from their bivouac and brought to battle readiness. Though they might be weary from fighting and under strength, their deep faith in the Emperor spurs the Novrodians to arms against those that would bring war to the Emperor’s shrine world. Captain Gletkin has bolstered the Zakan PDF outside the star-port boundaries as they seek to prevent the Helican breakout. It is here that the Helicans and the Novrodians first clashed.
The setting: Deployment will be randomized. Mission Type Seize ground. First turn will be randomized.
Mission Specific Scenario – In the wake of the Cardinal betrayal Lt. Colonel Rhane of the Kelryan 3rd has ordered a strike to seize the star-ports anti-aircraft batteries to ensure Helican air deployment. With only the landing pads under control Rhane is unable to bring any heavy support to bear and must rely on light armor and the ever expendable Penal Legions to secure enough ground to make safe the landing of reinforcements.
Captain Gletkin, thrown to the aid of the undermanned Zakan PDF has been drawn into this conflict by the traitorous Cardinal. Brought into the fight late and unable to mobilize a full force the Novrodians prepare a defensive line to grind down and push back the break out of Helican forces.
The Novrodians:
CCS, missile launcher, flamer 70
pcs, missile launcher, flamer 50
inf squad, melta, pwr sgnt +commisar 115
inf squad, melta, pwr sgnt 70
pcs, missile launcher, flamer 50
inf squad, melta, pwr sgnt +commisar 115
inf squad, melta, pwr sgnt 70
leman russ, lascannon, hv bolter sponsoons 185
executioner, lascannon 205
sentinel Multi Laser 35
sentinel Multi Laser 35
total: 1000
The Kelryans:
CCS, 2 Body Guards, 1 flamer, 2 Melta Guns, Medic, Melta bomb, Chimera - 195
Marbo - 65
Storm Troopers - 65
Penal Legion – 80
Penal Legion – 80
Veterans, Demolitions, 2 melta, 1 flamer – 125
Veterans, 2 metla, 1 flamer, chimera – 150
Valkrye – 130
Rough Riders (+1 rider), Melta Bomb – 70
Total: 1000
Meet the Armies:
The Kelryans
Lt. Colonel Rhane, his transport and a Penal Legion
Veteran Squad with transport and Penal Legion
Valkyrie
Storm Troopers
Marbo and Demolition Veterans
Work in progress Rough Riders
The Novrodians
Scout Sentinals
Company Command Squad, Led by Lieutenant Kirov
Platoon Command Squad Led by Sgnt Kamkin
Platoon Command Squad Led by Sgn Samsonov
Platoon #1 led by Commissar Angles
Platoon #2 led by Commissar Chavkin
Executioner "Ludmila"
PDF Leman Russ
Some Last minute considerations. The list for the Kelryan force is finalized (even if after seeing the armor in Bugalubov's list i kinda wish I had brought a Vendetta) however, I am allowing alterations to Bugalubov's list if he so wishes based upon any advice posted here. Updates will follow. Please stay tuned for battle play by play and results. Once again, advice and input is more than welcome.
BATTLE RESULTS COPIED FROM BOGALUBOV's Posting below (may have been deleted after this update was posted) Included are some images.
Captain Gletkin was experiencing a strange feeling as his forces entered the outskirts of the star-port. It was a familiar feeling, yet one that he had not felt in years. He tried to push this train of thought to the back of his mind as the vox came alive with the voice of Lieutenant Kirov.
"Captain, we have come into visual contact with the enemy forces, what are your orders?"
"Their forces are not yet numerous Dimitry, so try to stay together to consolidate firepower and prevent them from taking the air-defense controls at all costs. May the Emperor bless us today."
Gletkin wondered if such a basic plan would work. He considered his other options, but decided that with the lack of recent combat experience his troops might falter in an execution of a more complex battle arrangement. Besides, this would be the first time he would orchestrate a whole engagement on his own. Colonel Bogalubov was always in charge before, Gletkin's main tasks were logistics and moral. Now he had the lives of his fellow Novrodian's completely in his hands. With that realization it dawned on him what the strange feeling he was experiencing. Fear.
So this was my first full
40k battle and although it started off in a promising fashion, I did make some really bad blunders that ultimately ended up costing me the game. Castitas astutely exploited those and ensured the breakout of his troops from the star-port. Here are the maps for the key events of the battle turn by turn. I will try to get some pictures up a little later.
The mission was seize ground and we ended up with 3 objectives. I won the turn order roll off and gave Castitas first turn. He deployed his penal legion squads, rough riders, valkyrie with veterans, chimera with veterans and his
CCS chimera. Both penal legions got knife fighters. I deployed everything but the Sentinels.
Pregame board (sentinels are in reserve, not actually deployed)
The scout moves put one penal legion squad on the bottom objective, while the other penal legion and rough riders got out of sight of my Executioner. The valkyrie moved towards me and hid behind a building.
Top One: Both chimeras moved up and the veteran laden chimera popped smoke. The top penal legion moved up towards the uncontested objective at the top. The valkyrie got around the building and unloaded missile pods at my middle blob and the
pcs behind it. I think about 6 total guardsmen died from the blast.
Bottom One: The center blob ran into the cover and took the middle objective. The center
PCS ran into cover as well. The executioner moved up and the
CCS got further into cover at the bottom of the building. The notable shooting was the
PCS on the top floor of building at the top of the map blasting the valkyrie with one clean shot that caused it to explode depositing the vets in the wreckage. I don't think any of them were killed by the blast. The Leman Russ unloaded all its weapons at the closest penal legionaries and caused them to go to ground.
Top two: Marbo came from reserve next to the executioner. The rough riders moved up behind the penal legion at the top. The
CCS chimera got closer to the central objective, popped smoke and allowed the flamer inside to roast the center blob. The vets from the valkyrie also fired a flamer at the center blob scoring a few more kills. The veteran chimera multi-lasered the central
PCS and killed one guy. Marbos demo pack did not manage to do much.
Bottom Two: This was where things started to go sour for me. I got a sentinel from reserve and having grand plans of contesting the far objective I placed away on the other side of the board from my main forces. What I should have done was place it in the way of his rough riders, but I thought that having a power weapon blob would be enough to deal with them whenever he got close enough. Shooting was very good and very bad all together. The Russ blasted all the valkyrie survivors and the executioner killed the majority of the penal legion, but those tough bastards refused to break. Then to counter my good shooting, I missed with 36 lasgun shots, 2 meltas, 1 bolt pistol and 2 laspistols all targeted at Marbo. I should have just charged him and consolidated towards the objective and cover. Although with my rolling he probably would have still survived.
Top Three: The
CCS in chimera roasted my blob and charged them. Killing all but 1 sargent and one melta gunner. In return I missed with every power weapon. The rough riders charged in and killed 6 guardsmen while the blob took down 3 riders. As a slap in the face, I failed my moral test, shot one sargent with the commissar for the re-roll and promptly failed another moral test. Then the blob was run down. Sigh. To finish the turn, the penal legion at the bottom of the board wrecked the sentinel there.
Bottom Three: The executioner moved and blasted apart the veteran chimera. The other russ inficted enough damage to the vets inside that they ran. The
CCS in the building got one rough rider with a flamer. The survivors from the central blob kept on fighting taking down one more body guard while being reduced to the sargent alone.
Top Four: The storm troopers came in and melted the executioner which exploded. Then Marbo melta bombed with other Russ. The running vets regained their wits and finished off the
PCS that was left in the center. The final man in the central blob was taken down as well. The rough riders assaulted the
CCS in the building and were killed off.
Bottom Four: I got the last Sentinel to come in and got it close to my two remaining units. The
CCS then walked out of the building and roasted Marbo finally. The
PCS went out from the building as well and finished off the penal legion on the objective. I think I tried to shoot the veterans now sitting on the middle objective to try and force a draw if I managed to get to the objective at the top of the board. All the shots missed though and ended my chances of even getting a draw.
Top Five: The game continued and all that really happened was that combined fire brought down my
CCS.
Bottom Five: I flamered the storm troopers and then charged in with my lone remaining
PCS. The sentinel missed all its multi laser shots again and tried to charge the storm troopers as well. The combined
PCS and sentinel attacks were not enough to kill the storm trooper.
The game ended at this point with the
Kelryan 3rd holding 2 objectives and contesting the last one with the surviving storm trooper.
Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next step in the battle for Zakan.
Game Highlight Images.
Multiple Rocket Pods Target some Victims
Valkyries have magnets for random missiles, turn 1 take down, again
Marbo Attempts to shove a meltabomb up the tailpipe of a leman russ
Penal Legion succeed at shoving potatoes in the tail pipes of a Sentinel
Rough Riders run down some foot soldiers
A desperate final assault.
Bogalubov's MVP's were by all means his
PCS rockets (took down the Valk on first shot) and His Tanks, which regularly hit and wiped squads (perfect direct hit wiped an entire veteran squad) AND a single Sargent from one Blob for standing alone in two turns against my company command squad, and making armor saves and
Ld checks like a pro.
Bogalubov's Sad Pandas The second Blob Squad. Led by an cowardly Commissar, lost
CC to 6 rough riders and broke.
Castitas's MVP ROUGH RIDERS! took down an entire power blob.
Castitas's Sad Pandas Oh the Valkyrie of ineffectualness. I have yet to play a game with the Valk or Vendetta surviving the first turn.
.....Bay Area Open GT 2013 - Best Tyranids 
.....LVO GT 2014 Team Tournament - Best Generals
