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Hardboyz Round 2
Game Empire Pasadena, Pasadena, CA
August 8th, 2009

Hey all,

Time for the second round of the Hardboyz tournament for the Southern California area. I’m playing the same Guard list as I did last round, so we’ll see how it works out.

Company HQ w/ Astropath, Fleet Officer, Bodyguard & Chimera

2x 5 man Storm Trooper squads w/ 2 meltaguns
1x 5 man Storm Trooper squad w/ 2 meltaguns and Chimera

Platoon HQ w/ Chimera
4x 10 man Infantry Squads w/ Sergeant meltabomb
2x Heavy Weapons squad w/ 3 autocannons
2x 10 man Veteran Squads w/ 3 meltaguns and Chimera

3x Leman Russ Demolishers
2x Leman Russ Executioners w/ plasma sponsons
3x Hydras



Round One vs Frank playing Orcs.

First round is the annihilation variant with Troop choices counting as 3 pts instead of last round’s HQ counting as 3. With that in mind, and with a Troop heavy army, I’m planning on keeping my grunts off board and going at it w/ the armour at first. Unfortunately since I can’t turn off the Astropath, that probably won’t last too long, but it’ll give me a good look on where not to deploy the infantry.


Ghazgkhull w/ 8 Meganobz in a Dethroller Battlewagon
Big Mek w/ Forcefield

Snikrot + 15 Kommandos
15 Tankbustas
15 Burnaboyz

Deff Dread
30 Hard Boyz
30 Slugga Boyz

Looted Wagon
Dethroller Battlewagon
Deff Dread


Frank wins first turn and deploys his forces across the long board, with the Battlewagons set to go either way around the Impassable Terrain in the center. Snikrot is obviously in reserve to come wreak havoc whenever he shows up and the Tankbustas and Burnaz mount up in the Looted Wagon and second Battlewagon.

I combine the infantry squads and leave them off board in reserve along w/ their Platoon HQ. My Russes castle up on the right of the board with a few Chimeras to protect them from direct assault. The Hydras position to the left side to provide supporting fire to the right along w/ an autocannon team. The Storm Troopers deepstrike and outflank, and we start the game.









Turn One – Orks

General advance across the board as the Orks move forward in a line. Nothing all too exciting as there isn’t much in range to open fire with.








Turn One - Guard

The Demolisher squadron shifts position a bit to unmask the Executioners and their cannons wreck the forward Battlewagon. Ghazkhull and his Meganobz pile out the front of the vehicle just in time to get plastered by the Executioners with only the Big Mek and Ghazkhull surviving, both wounded. Autocannon fire bounces around both Deff Dreads a bit, but no lasting damage.








Turn Two – Orks

Snikrot’s cunning sneak attack is spotted by an alert Imperial Navy fighter pilot, and the Ork Kommandos remain off board. With no other option, the Orks continue to run forward under heavy Guard fire.








Turn Two – Guard

Two of the Storm Trooper squads show up along with the Infantry Platoon. The Deep Striking squad angles for the second Battlewagon, but scatters (twice!) and mishaps, getting placed off in the corner. The outflanking Storm Trooper Chimera lines up with its Veteran brethren on the right side and all 3 bathe the Shoota Boyz in burning promenthium. Massed autocannon fire explode both Deff Dreads and Ghazkull and the Big Mek are mowed down by the Russes, although one immobilizes itself on terrain and dies. In the rear, the Infantry Platoon takes up defensive positions behind the large rock, well away from the fight.









Turn Three Orks

Snikrot shows up, but unable to find a good place to pop out, decides to go for the Chimeras on the right. (Note: I forgot to post the IG infantry deployment on the last Vassal pix). Sadly, he and his squad can only shake the Storm Trooper Chimera. The remnants of the Shoota boy squad charge forward and Immobilize a Veteran Chimera. The left-side Orks continue to move forward, but the Tankbustas can only damage a Hydra autocannon.








Turn Three Guard

Another Storm Trooper squad Deep Strikes to the battlefield, scatters a bit, but still lands close enough to take out the last battlewagon with meltagun fire. Burna Boyz tumble out only to be vaporized by the Executioners moving up. On the right, the Shoota Boyz are taken out by multiple flame templates again, while the Storm Troopers jet away from Snikrot at full speed.








Turn Four Orks

The Hard Boyz take vengeance for the Battlewagon as they charge forward and destroy the Storm Trooper squad. The Tankbustas fail to damage the Demolishers and the Kommandos charge and destroy the immobilized Veteran Chimera.








Turn Four Guard

Snikrot’s Kommandos are encircled by a wagon of Chimeras and mercilessly flamed to death. In the center, autocannon rounds take out the Looted Wagon, spilling out the Tankbustas who are promptly hit by Executioner rounds and run for the hills. The Hard Boyz are hit by multiple flame templates from the Hydras and Demolisher fire and are effectively out of the fight.








The four remaining Orks run forward and chop down the last Storm Trooper squad, but there’s nothing really else to do and we call the game.

Game Two vs Jon playing Imperial Guard


It’s always interesting to run into people from other states that you’ve played before. Jon and I played each other in the Las Vegas Iron Man RTT earlier on this year and drew. We’ll see how this one turns out.


Creed in Chimera
Grey Knight Brother-Captain w/ 2 Terminators

Inquisitor w/ Tarot and Land Raider

3x Veteran Squads w/ 2 meltaguns and flamer, 2 Chimeras
10 Grey Knights

Hellhound Squadron (2)
Valkyrie w/ Missile Pods
Valkyrie w/ Missile Pods

Manticore
Manticore
Hydras (2)


Mission has multiple objectives that won’t be determined until Turns 2, 4 and 6. And the real kicker here is all-game night fight, which should be really interesting for me, considering that Jon has two Manticores to indirect me.

We scatter the objectives more or less around the center with two easy claims off the start. Jon uses the Tarot to win the roll-off and deploys a Veteran Chimera to claim one objective. I deploy 3 empty Chimeras in the middle, planning to use them for searchlight duties. Creed outflanks the Hellhound squadron and I outflank and Deep Strike my Storm Troopers as usual.









Turn One – Jon’s Guard

Everything minus the Hellhounds roll onto the board and spread across the center. One of my lead Chimeras gets spotted and blown away by Hydra fire.








Turn One – My Guard

My army rolls onto the board and begins setting up. Most of my armour deploys smoke in preparation for the Manticore bombardment next turn. My Chimera illuminates Creed’s Chimera but the Hydras can’t return the favor and it lives.








Turn Two – Jon’s Guard

Objective roll reveals the center objective as an actual one. The Hellhound squadron shows up on my left side and promptly proceeds to incinerate an inoffensive infantry squad just hanging around. Another of my Chimeras is spotlighted and gunned down, but the Manticore rounds go wild in the darkness and don’t actually connect with anything.








Turn Two – My Guard

Two Storm Trooper squads show up again with the outflanking one taking a shot at the Land Raider, but only blowing off a lascannon. The other Deep Strikes in front of the Manticores and takes out one of the rocket launchers. On the left, the Veteran squad disembarks from their Chimera and destroys the Hellhound squadron w/ meltagun fire. Infantry continues to advance across the board, but sadly I’m not really inflicting that much damage.









Turn Three – Jon’s Guard

The right Valkyrie zooms forward and drops off its Grey Knight passengers who promptly Incinerate an infantry squad. On the left, Grey Knight Terminators disembark from the Land Raider and kill the Storm Trooper squad there along w/ their Chimera. Center-wise, a Veteran squad jumps out and blasts the Storm Troopers there, but two of them live. The operational Manticore gets a good round off, connects with both Executioners and blows off a turret and Shakes the other. Finally, the Land Raider rolls forward hosing down the infantry, and they go to ground.








Turn Three – My Guard

My entire right side focuses fire on the Grey Knights, but I can’t take them all down! This would be a bad thing. Demolishers fail to see the Land Raider and the supporting infantry there refuses to listen to the Company HQ ordering them to get back up. The other nearby infantry also doesn’t hear the HQ’s orders to run forward. Another Storm Trooper squad Deep Strikes towards the Land Raider, but deviates and is forced to engage the Hydras instead, killing one and shaking the other. The other Storm Troopers run forward, meltagun, and charge the last operational Manticore, but can only Stun it. All in all, not a very good turn for me.








Turn Four – Jon’s Guard

Welp, the Grey Knights move forward, multicharge and run down an infantry squad and a heavy weapons team. In the same area, the Valkyrie mows down the Platoon HQ. On the left, the other Valkyrie and Land Raider take out the pinned infantry squad and the Grey Knight Terminators and Veterans finish off both of my Storm Trooper squads. The second objective also reveals right on top of the Land Raider and Jon covers the area with a Valkyrie.








Turn Four – My Guard

Executioner fire again fails to clear out the Grey Knights as they go to ground and avoid the worst of the fire. The Hydras kill the center Chimera and Demolisher rounds pound the survivors, but there’s still a few of them left.









Turn Five – Jon’s Guard

Time warning goes off as we start the turn, and Jon begins to maneuver for position. Creed orders the Grey Knights back into the fight and they kill the last heavy weapons squad. The left Valkyrie swings forward, covering the objective and pins the last Guard infantry squad w/ its rocket pods.








Turn Five – My Guard

My hopes for an easy objective contestion die as my Chimera immobilizes itself on a sandbag wall. In the center, the Executioners contest the center objective along with the Hydras who contest the right. The Hydras shoot cross board at the illuminated Valkyrie and blow it apart, killing half the squad. Demolishers track in on the survivors, and sadly can’t finish them off and they pass their morale check, which ends the game.

Game Three vs Shawn playing Chaos Daemons

Time for the final game of the tournament. Shawn is a Dakka poster, I believe, so hopefully he’ll chime in with any inconsistencies I may put down. Mission is a modified Cleanse along with a center objective. I lose first turn roll and get dumped in a corner with a hilariously inconvenient wall in the way. J





Now if I was playing my Tau, this would be a much different prospect, but for Guard it’s going to kill me as it neatly prevents me from concentrating fire on a single area. Of course, as you’ll see, that’s not all that big a deal as once again, I prove that I can’t read mission briefs properly. /cue ominous music


Keeper of Secrets
Herald of Slaneesh on Chariot

2x packs of 6 Fiends
6 Flamers

4x packs of 10 Plaguebearers
2x packs of 10 Daemonettes

15 Flesh Hounds

3x Soul Grinders


I castle up in the corner (not like Spearhead gives me any other choice) and leave the Hydras and a Veteran squad off board in Reserve since they can’t fit in my deployment area. Storm Troopers Infiltrate and Scout forward to give me a little breathing room against the Daemons.











Turn One – Daemons

Shawn hits his preferred wave and daemons materialize across the battlefield. Soul Grinder shots don’t connect and that’s the turn.








Turn One – Guard

Time to go to work. The Captain orders the autocannon teams into action and the Keeper of Secrets gets taken down by multiple high caliber rounds and short-range lasgun volleys. On the same side, the forward advancing Storm Troopers take out one of the Soul Grinders with their meltaguns. The remainder of the fire is atrocious though, as despite an absolutely massive number of Executioner wounds, the Flesh Hounds only lose 7 models and the gone to ground Plaguebearers lose a single model to the Demolishers.








Turn Two – Daemons

Flamers, Plaguebearers and the last Soul Grinder appear on the field and home in on the first Plaguebearers’ Icon. The Flamers transmogrify most of the Storm Troopers, while the rest of the quick moving Daemons charge into close combat. On the right, the Soul Grinder kills the Storm Trooper Chimera, and the Herald kills a few Guardsmen who inflict a wound back and stay in combat. The left side results in the Storm Troopers and Guardsmen there wiped out by a combination Fiend/Flesh Hound charge and the Veteran Chimera is immobilized by the other Fiends.








Turn Two – Guard

The Hydras and last Veteran Chimera roll onto the board, both on the right side. Storm Trooper meltaguns kill another Soul Grinder while the Flamers are flattened by the Demolishers. Executioner fire works this time and although the Flesh Hounds are all killed, off-target rounds kill half of the nearby Veteran squad also. In close combat, the Fiends kill the immobilized Chimera and the Herald and Guardsmen fight each other to a standstill again.









Turn Three – Daemons

Both Daemonettes and another Plaguebearer squad warp to the field. Both Fiend packs charge forward, killing an autocannon squad and the veterans on the left, while the last Soul Grinder charges over a destroyed Chimera and wrecks two of the Hydra squadron. In close combat, the Herald finally sees off the Guardsmen and consolidates into the forest.








Turn Three – Guard

On the right, the remaining Veteran Chimera advances on the Daemonettes, frying most of them with its flamer. The Storm Trooper squad tries for their 3rd Soul Grinder kill of the game, but only immobilize it. A volley of Demolisher shells tries to finish it, but only end up blowing its arms off instead. Infantry mounts up in a Chimera to rush forward, but the Command Chimera ends up immobilizing itself on the wall. Hydra fire finishes off the Herald, but the Soul Grinder kills the Hydra in return. Moving forward, the Executioners kill most of a Fiend pack and brace for the charge from the others in return.








Turn Four – Daemons

Plaguebearers advance and start pounding on the immobilized Command Chimera, but don’t inflict any damage. The two remaining Fiends of the 1st squad charge the last screening infantry squad and wipe it out, but the combined charge of Daemonettes and the other Fiends can only Shake the Chimera. On the right however, 4 Daemonettes charge, explode the Veteran Chimera and pin the infantry.








Turn Four – Guard

The valiant Storm Troopers rack up their 3rd Soul Grinder kill of the game, just a bit too late to save the Hydra. Demolishers pound the center Plaguebearers, but only kill a few. On the left, autocannon fire kills a pair of Fiends while the embattled Chimera roars forward breaking through the Daemon lines. Plasma fire from the Executioners melts most of the Daemonettes and the Plaguebearers fail again to do anything important to the Command Chimera.









Turn Five – Daemons

The last Plaguebearer unit arrives automatically and drops by the running Chimera to contest as the few remaining Daemonettes futilely try to chase after the Chimera, but can’t hurt it. The Fiends however, tear open the Executioners though, wrecking one and disabling the other. On the right, the Daemonettes there charge and easily run down the Guard veterans cowering in the crater of their ride.








Turn Five – Guard

The Demolishers crash forward through the wreckage of the Soul Grinder, leaving one of their own behind stalled. On the left, the last infantry squad drives to freedom away from the Daemons, while the Command Chimera holds firm against Plaguebearers, who are slowly realizing that their poisoned weapons don’t work very well against steel plating. Time is called and that’s it for the game.








So, contested center objective and all four quarters contested for a draw, yes? Errrr, no. As I mentioned at the beginning, failure to read properly means that while the objective can be contested by anything, the quarters can only be contested by scoring units, of which the Demolishers and Storm Troopers would not be. So good play and literacy by Shawn give him the well-deserved win.



And that’s the end! Final Tally for me is a Massacre Win, Massacre Loss and Minor Loss to end up somewhere in the middle of the pack. Congrats to Jeff from San Diego for winning the whole thing with a mass Battlewagon Ork build! Hope you enjoyed the read.

Great job with the report. I loved it.

I would love to see more battles from you, I did enjoy, thank you

Awesome report, too bad you didn't qualify further, so we could get another round of reports from the finals Well played, bit of a bummer to not have read the mission properly though

Thanks for taking the time to do this

Wow nice battle reports! I like that you take the extra time to do both the Vassal-esque pictures and the actual gameplay pictures.

Fantastic battle reports! Very well done. As I (and many others) commented in your last set of batreps, I absolutely love the combination of real pics and vassal mockups.

Also, as someone who manages to immobilize my own vehicles on things like sandbag walls and shrubbery practically every game, I feel your pain from games 2 and 3.

-GK

Great reports and good job on the wins! That ork list in the first game was absolute gak! What was he thinking and how the @#$% did he make it out of the first round with the gak?

Great Report! Ditto on the Mission brief! What happened to you had happened to me in the last minitourney I joined, and the draw that resulted cost me from winning everything!

Keep it up! Your reports are detailed and dynamic!

Great Battle Report! Thank you for the wonderful read. Do you think that it would be worth placing Dozer blades on your Squadroned Tanks?

Awesome report, the vassal images + pictures really help one understand the battles.

spmusubi

You weren't lying about the battle reports. They were great...good combo of vassal and real pictures. Your recollection of the battle was accurate except for my x20 flesh hound vice x15 count unit . Still didn't last very long to massed Executioner fire though.

I had a great time and our battle was by far the most memorable. I still can't believe you moved my PBs off the objective last turn. Good times and great game.

I won't be around for next year since I'm getting stationed up in Colorado for the next 4 or 5 years. I plan on getting my game a little more solid and run into you around the community somewhere.

Shawn (AoS)

spmusubi wrote: On the same side, the forward advancing Storm Troopers take out one of the Soul Grinders with their meltaguns.

Glad to hear they broke their unlucky streak And neat battle reports!

Thanks all. I figure I'll keep the Vassal/pix format for my future batreps so keep an eye out for more later. I had to miss the SoCal Slaughter this last weekend, so it'll probably be either local RTTs or maybe the Battlefoam tournament in October.

AdeptSister: Sadly, I usually run them with dozer blades (they're modeled on the tanks), but took them off for some strange reason. They're back on now!

Ace_of_Spades: It was definitely a good game, I enjoyed it. You had the initiative pretty much the entire game though, I just couldn't break through your Daemons. I blame dice (and that stupid wall) Let me know if there's going to be a GT Colorado!

starbomber109: hahhahah. Good to see that you noticed the Storm Troopers redeeming themselves from their awful Soul Grinder performance in Round One.

Great writeups, vassal setups, and pics (fifth identical compliment, I know).

Thanks for the report and good luck in your next tournament.

- Blackbone

what is the battlefoam tournament? please more details...

Battlefoam Wild West Shootout is their first Indy GT in October of this year.

http://battlefoam.com/catalog.php?item=143&catid=61&ret=catalog.php%3Fcategory%3D61