The Tallarn 22nd has been on extended field break awaiting re-reinforcements. Finally the message that the re-reinforcements are on their way and the 22nd is to move out to rendezvous with the incoming column on a besieged imperial agri-world.
Besieged by who or what? The imperial high command does not deem it necessary to pass the information on. But it does mention that the reinforcements will include newly upgraded armoured sentinels, a platoon of storm troopers and upgraded Leman Russ turrets to replace battle damaged ones.
After planet fall was made it became apparent that the 22nd and its reinforcements have been landed a long way behind the main battle lines, and even worse separated by at least a week’s travel from each other. After taking stock of the situation a movement plan is put in place to get the two halves of the company together for the first time as well as move them forward to the front lines to be of use in the battle that can only be progressing without them.
As soon as the 22nd begins moving the forward scout sentinels report a large space marine tank of unknown origin blocking their way. The 22nd assumes combat formation and attempts to contact the machines drivers to determine how to proceed. Just as this is being done a high pitch screaming and tearing of reality dumps a number of huge armoured marines in front of their position, which immediately open fire on the 22nd.
Imperial Guard – 1500pts
HQ Company Command – Master of Ordnance, Standard, Chimera - Hull Heavy Flamer
Primaris Psyker
TROOPS
Veteran Squad – Forward Sentries, 3 x Plasmagun, Missile Launcher - Flakk
Veteran Squad – Forward Sentries, 3 x Grenade Launcher, Missile Launcher - Flakk
Veteran Squad – Demolitions, 2 x Meltagun, Flamer, Chimera – Hull Heavy Flamer
Veteran Squad – Demolitions, 2 x Meltagun, Flamer, Chimera – Hull Heavy Flamer
FAST ATTACK
Scout Sentinel
Scout Sentinel
Hellhound - Hull Multi-Melta
HEAVY SUPPORT
Leman Russ Exterminator – 3 x Heavy Bolter
Leman Russ Vanquisher – Hull Lascannon, Sponson Multimeltas
Deathstrike – Hull Heavy Flamer
Dark Angels – 1500pts (from memory/photos)
HQ Belial - Thunderhammer, Stormshield
Ezekial
Deathwing Command Squad - Halberd, 2 x Stormshield, Thunderhammer, Cyclone Missile Launcher
ELITES
Deathwing Dreadnought - Multimelta, Drop Pod
TROOPS
Deathwing Squad - Thunderhammer, Cyclone, Stormshield
Deathwing Squad - Plasmacannon
HEAVY SUPPORT
Landraider
Game: 3 objectives
Deployment: Vanguard (Imperial Guard Choose)
Initiative: Dark Angels (Imperial Guard win and give it to Dark Angels)
Battlefield:
Objectives:
One in the bunker.
One near the ruinded shrine and one near the fuel tanks (you can just see it in the top right).
Dark Angels Deployment
(note that here we made a mistake here with the Dark Angels only deploying 2 units out of 6, being Ezekiel in the Landraider)
Imperial Guard Deployment
Turn 1 - Dark Angels The Drop Pod and 3 Deathwing Squads deep strike aggressively, with only one squad scattering back a bit.
The command splitfires into the chimera and camo vet squad. Exploding the former, but only killing 1 or 2 of the later.
The dreadnought opens fire at the Vanquisher, immobilising it. The landraider does likewise, but fails to cause any damage.
The other cyclone explodes the command chimera (behind the tree), and plasma hits but doesn't hurt the last veteran chimera. Both these squads put their splitfired stormbolters into the plasma camo vets killing 3-4 along with a couple from the exploding chimera (but no plasmas die).
Turn 1 - Imperial Guard The demo vets disembark to get into range of the far terminator squad, and the sentinel and hellhound move to get into position.
On the other side everybody except the sentinel holds their ground.
On the far side the demo charge hits.
And with the help of the hellhound, exterminator and sentinel wipe the squad out.
The demo charge also hits the command squad dead on.
But even with the added firepower from the vet squad (
FRFSRF) and sentinel can only down 2 terminators due to their stormshields. The plasma vets target the deadnought (with tankhunter) and explode it, but have to re-roll due to venerable, which ends up as immobilized instead.
The vanquisher targets the landraider, but only manages a glance. With that the turn ends.
Turn 2 - Dark Angels The Dark Angels move forward. Belial splits off to go after the command squad hiding in its tank crater.
The land raider fails to hurt the exterminator, though its heavy bolter puts a hull point on a sentinel. The immobilised dreadnought explodes the vanquisher.
A lot of stormbolters fire at the plasma vets, but they go to ground for a 2+ cover save and are fine.
The command squad goes to say hello to the squad who threw the demolition charge at them.
And the results are as expected.
Belial goes to negotiate with the command squad. The other deathwing squad fails it charge on the plasma vets, but they do lose one to an overheating plasmagun.
Belial negotiates them all dead to a man.
Turn 2 - Imperial Guard The imperial guard try to maneuver to get better avenues of fire on the advancing wall of terminators, but immobilise both the remaining chimera and hellhound.
The primaris presciences the deathstrike which then attempts to fire.
And does! It targets the terminators and landraider (I actually end up targeting a terminator as a 5 inch radius isnt as big as I would like).
But even with a re-roll the missile scatters 11 inches towards the vets that wiped out a terminator squad last turn.
And things go as expected. And the squad breaks.
Remaining firepower puts 2 wounds on Belial and drops the command squad down to just the halberd champion.
Not a good turn for the guard. 2 turns and they are running out of fiepower really quickly.
Turn 3 - Dark Angels The land raider moves forwards and lets Ezekiel out who beelines past the sentinel towards the plasma vet squad. The land raider stuns the exterminator.
The command champion climbs through the smoking wreckage of a chimera to attack the sentinel who shot dead one of his squad mates.
Belial moves towards the Primaris and his squad. Unfortunately the great warrior is killed by the primais psykers laspistol as he tries to charge.
The plasma cannon squad then decides to charge after seeing their commander shot down. (the dark angels player learnt a lesson about charge order and over-watch here)
The plasma squad wipes out the vet squad. Ezikel fluffs against the other vets and gets stuck. As does the command squad champ against the sentinel.
Turn 3 - Imperial Guard Yep, both immobilised.
The demo vets rally and snapfire a meltagun at the land raider but miss and the exterminator fails to do any snapfire damage to the terminators.
The sentinel joins the fight against Ezekiel, but does nothing, as a couple of vets are cut down.
The fight continues between the command champion.
Turn 4 - Dark Angels With nothing to shoot the terminators move to secure the objective. The landraider fails to damage the exterminator again.
The command champ finishes off the sentinel.
And everybody fluffs in the Ezekiel combat.
Turn 4 - Imperial Guard With very few options the remaining guard call the retreat. I concede with no way of taking this one home.
Dark Angels Win Post Game Thoughts:
Well that was a rough first outing for the new guard codex. But that said, I always have a lot of trouble against alpha strike deathwing.
As my opponent has made some amazing terrain and I got hold of a Frontline Gaming battlemat, we are trying to use only painted models to keep the games looking good. This limited me a lot in unit choice, as the things I really want to try aren't painted yet.
Also I had some pretty bad luck vs my opponents good vehicle destroying luck in his first turn. That deathstrike could have really turned the game for me, but did the opposite.
I did like the camo vets a lot, going to ground in area terrain for a 2+ is golden. And you can still order them up!
I like the new guard codex, but would have liked to see rough riders back with some form. I will be updating this list to have some Militarum Tempestus allies (scoring stormtroopers, oh yeah) and plasma sentinels (1/3 drop in point cost!). Also the exterminator will become a punisher I am thinking. The deathstrike may become a manticore again, or maybe I just need 2 deathstrikes!
Anyway, please leave your thoughts, and I will try get another report up sometime soon.
1400 (ish) - On the rebound!
1000 (ish) - Now on the backburner
I haven't gotten my armored group into battle just yet!
Shas'O J'Osh 
3000
4000 
