I have always had a tenuous relationship with dice, but the way I was rolling in this game was just beyond understanding. You'll see what I mean shortly. Anyway, this game would pit my Raven Guard against Traitors in the colours of the Night Lords. I must say that the match-up gave an excellent impression of hatred and history between the two armies, to say nothing of their conduct in the actual combat. With my opponent winning the roll-off (surprise, surprise), we deployed across from one-another and I gave my Sternguard a forward position where they might bring in my Dreadnought early-on. My Scouts would Outflank later to claim the Relic, once my Land Speeders had swept it clear. At least, that was the plan.
Turn 1 began with both of my Rhinos taking fire. One was shot half to death by Havocs, while the other copped a Hull Point from a Helbrute. I couldn't pass a single cover save, with both Tactical squads under fire from afar. My Sternguard took a 1st Turn charge from a unit of Raptors, losing two members just to pistol fire! In my turn, my Dreadnought podded in to give my opponent's tanks a good rogering, while my Tactical squads made the best of a bad lot, shuffling forward to gaze longingly at the Relic. Then ensued a truly terribad shooting phase; with the Tactical Squads acheiving the death of two Chaos bikers between them and the tanks managing no more than an immobilised Helbrute. The Dreadnought turned out to be a massive waste of points; as it scored three damage results against one of the Chaos Predators, only for the enemy to pass two 6+ cover saves! He rolled his auto-senses and braced for a counter-rogering, while my Sternguard swept away the last of the Raptors to claim First Blood.
I was unnerved by this. I shouldn't have been.
...this, however.
This was one of the better-looking armies I've faced.
Turn 2 began with my Dreadnought dieing to vengeful Predators. This was followed by a pre-assault barrage from the Bikers and the Relic being taken by a Chaos Lord and his Terminators. It was at this point that I decided it would be a good idea to drop my phone, sending it clattering through the remaining Sternguard and sending snapped-off arms and bolters, as well as phone parts, all over the damn place. Once the depression had abated, I resumed the game, rolling nothing on any of my reserves (even with my Warlord's modifier), losing most of a Tactical Squad to assaulting Bikers (but not all, crucially), and failing to gain any purchase on the enemy. Every shot either missed or failed to wound, my opponent becoming gradually more incredulous at my shocking performance.
The woods did not offer enough cover. I rolled many 1s.
Nor, it seemed, would
LoS-blocking terrain.
Nor, it seemed, would standing in the open like a lemon.
Turn 3 went much as the others had, with the Night Lords colonising the centre and starting to make off with the Relic. I lost both Rhinos (which had accomplished bugger-all up to that point), and some Marines from the unengaged squad (ditto). I didn't feel too bad about the losses. In return I brought on two Scout Squads in Speeders (one of which broke as I put it on the table). Neither squad accomplished anything, but that was expected by this point. I rolled to bring on my Land Speeder Squadron, but they scattered into difficult terrain, mishapped, and went back into Ongoing Reserves. On the other hand, I did manage to score a Weapon Destroyed result on the Helbrute (from three Lascannons, mind), but only got rid of its Chainfist. Having been held up for a full turn, the Bikers then finished off my Tactical Marines and set their sights on the Armour.
Not a promising sight.
Relic claimed for the enemy.
No sooner had the Helbrute lost its Chainfist than it rolled a Fire Frenzy result on the Crazed table, which was nice. It shot twice at my remaining Rhino, destroying it in short order. The Bikers moved up and 'sploded my Lascannon Predator. One of my Scout Squads had their Speeder done in by the Chaos Predators, but passed their Pinning check and debarked in the right direction. I brought my Land Speeder Squadron in, without rolling this time. They scattered, mishapped and return to Ongoing Reserves. My remaining Predator then FINALLY managed to do something, wrecking one of the Chaos Rhinos and spilling a
full strength Attack Squad onto the field in Turn 4! Finally, a 55pt Scout Squad on foot did what a 165pt Dreadnought in a Drop Pod couldn't, and destroyed a Predator.
Hah, sucker thought he was safe from my Scouts!
Taking rounds!
Turn 5 began, and it was looking pretty grim for me. When my Drop Pod finally got glanced to death, I had run out of Vehicle Destroyed counters and started optimistically using Stunned ones instead. Having destroyed a Predator last turn, the Bikers charged my remaining Tactical Squad, who took many wounds (including one from an Overheating Plasma Gun), but fought on valiantly. In my turn, I brought in my Land Speeders, who then scattered, mishapped and went back into Ongoing Reserves. The other Scout Squad moved up and took chunks out of some Chaos Marines, who were then further hammered by my Predator, leaving just the Champion and one regular Marine.
The Sternguard were meant to be my linchpin, but there they go.
In Turn 6, the enemy made a grave error. Sure of his victory, the Chaos Lord abandoned the Relic and moved to engage the upstart Scouts, cutting them apart with their Lightning Claws. Meanwhile, the remaining Chaos Champion charged and wrecked my other Predator, putting the number of models I had on the table at three. My Land Speeders landed, on target this time, taking it back up to six; they immolated the Chaos Marines that had taken the relic, sweeping it clear and opening the game up again. My three remaining Scouts cowered behind the wreck of the Predator they'd destroyed, hoping beyond hope that I wouldn't now roll for a seventh turn.
You shall pay for your hubris, Night Lord.
...Actually, I can hurt you, so
you shall pay for
his hubris..
Turn seven was a nail-biter. Every remaining Chaos unit was bent on my destruction, but none were going to make it to the Relic in time. The Terminators would have to hack through three Land Speeders to even see the Relic. They did so with savage glee, while the Havocs put everything they had onto the Scouts. When all was said and done, I was back down to three models on the board, but they happened to be claiming a Linebreaker objective.
Bizarrely, had the Night Lords not won this combat, the game would have been mine!
This Bike Squad claimed two Tactical Squads and a Predator, which is a pretty good tally. Unfortunately, none of the units they destroyed had even a tiny impact on the game. They may as well have been killing Grots.
That's right, folks, it's just like my first battle with this army; lose the vast majority of my models and get by on a technicality. I claimed First Blood and Linebreaker, while my enemy claimed Linebreaker and Slay the Warlord, making it a tied game, which I consider a victory against my rotten luck.
That was a close-run thing. I'm used to rolling badly, but that must have been worse than usual. It was another one of those games where my opponent simply couldn't believe my luck. I of course, know that it was far from unusual for me.
My unit of the game was a tough choice. On one hand, the Scouts stuck around against the odds, but my Land Speeders had by far the best kill of the game. Incidentally, they also scattered, mishapped and went back into Ongoing Reserves.
