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It's another Sunday and another game with Shaun. Best of three in the Daemons vs Wolves clash.

I've changed my list back to how it was originally. I thought the Pink Horrors were too expensive for what they do. They would be great against xeno forces, but against anything else a bit meh.

Shaun is trying out double Thunderwolf units this week. I am really worried about these units, as one is enough, but two are pure evil!

* Sorry, but no pics again. Still proxy, but I have got some Flamers, Plaguebearers and a Soul Grinder now. Screamers and more Flamers are on the way.

Daemons - 2,000 points

HQ

The Masque
Herald of Tzeentch - disc, we are legion, mastery of sorcery & bolt of tzeentch
Herald of Tzeentch - disc, we are legion, mastery of sorcery & bolt of tzeentch
Herald of Tzeentch - disc, we are legion, mastery of sorcery & bolt of tzeentch

Elite

5 x Flamers of Tzeentch
5 x Flamers of Tzeentch
5 x Flamers of Tzeentch

Troops

5 x Plaguebearers of Nurgle
5 x Plaguebearers of Nurgle
5 x Plaguebearers of Nurgle
5 x Plaguebearers of Nurgle
5 x Plaguebearers of Nurgle

Fast Attack

5 x Screamers of Tzeentch
5 x Screamers of Tzeentch
5 x Screamers of Tzeentch

Heavy Support

Soul Grinder - phlegm
Soul Grinder - phlegm
Soul Grinder - phlegm

Space Wolves - 2,000 points

HQ

Rune Priest - chooser of the slain, living lightning & jaws of the world wolf
Rune Priest - chooser of the slain, livining lightning & murderous hurricane

Troops

10 x Grey Hunters w/ Rhino - 2 x flamers, wolf standard & mark of the wulfren
10 x Grey Hunters w/ Rhino - 2 x flamers, wolf standard & mark of the wulfren
10 x Grey Hunters w/ Rhino - 2 x plasma guns & wolf standard
10 x Grey Hunters w/ Rhino - 2 x plasma guns & wolf standard
10 x Grey Hunters w/ Rhino - 2 x plasma guns & wolf standard

Fast Attack

4 x Thunderwolf Cavalry - 2 x storm shields
4 x Thunderwolf Cavalry - 2 x storm shields

Heavy Support

5 x Long Fangs - 4 x missile launchers
5 x Long Fangs - 4 x missile launchers

Game: Crusade + dawn of war

Warlord Traits: Daemons: master of ambush - Space Wolves: dust of a thousand worlds

Deployment

Objectives had been placed in large ruin on my left flank, shrine ruin near my board edge, large flank ruin, small right flank ruin and one in a large ruin on Shaun's board edge.

I won the roll off for table side and deployment; I chose the side with more ruins on it for, this means Shaun will have nice open area to deploy in, but when I deep strike, I can use ruins for cover. And of course I chose to go second .

Shaun deploys and puts his entire army spread from the centre large ruin across to the right flank. In the large ruin was a unit of Long Fangs with Priest (warlord), unit of Thunderwolves and a Rhino with plasmas. Next to the ruin was the other Thunderwolf unit, then the other four Rhinos alternating along between plasma and flamers. Lastly, in a ruin on the right flank was the other Fang-Priest unit.

* Tactical Notes

Two of the objectives are my side of the board, I can easily deep strike Plaguebearers by these and capture the objectives. I can then use all other units to form a 'blockade' and stop the Space Wolves advancing.

As normal, Flamers will BBQ infantry and vehicles; though Shaun has put his Long Fangs up high, though the unit on the right flank does have some models on the first floor of a ruin. Soul Grinders will tarpit the Thunderwolves. Screamers will assault whatever is left. Masque will shift units around and be generally annoying. Plaugebearers will tarpit if required.

Turn 1

Rhino and Thunderwolves coming smashing out the large ruin, the other Thunderwolf out in the open moves up to support them. All Rhinos move forward and pop smoke, they are fairly compacted as about 3" apart per tank. That's it for the Space Wolves - nothing to shoot at!

I had split my waves, I want all Flamers, two Grinders and all Screamers down first turn; the chaos (dice) gods play ball and I get my wave. Flamers deep strike in front of the Rhinos, I get some scatter, but it's not too bad. One Grinder deep strikes on the right flank behind a ruin, it scatters towards the shrine ruin (centre my table edge) and is now in the open. The other Grinder deep strikes close by for support. All three Screamer units deep strike on the left flank, one unit almost scatters into the Thunderwolves; stops just over 1" away!

Shooting; two out of three Screamers move flat out and slash the Long Fangs with the Warlord Priest in the large ruin; one unit of Screamers lands behind the advancing Rhino curtain while the other Screamers land to the left of the Fangs in open ground - slash attacks kill two Long Fangs. The other unit just moves flat out so can get a good jink save. Soul Grinders fire at the Thunderwolves closest to the Rhino curtain, both shots hit, storm shields do well saving, though one wolf takes a wound. Flamers start unleashing the burny death on the Rhino curtain, while Heralds split fire, blasting bolts into other Rhinos and gaze into the Fangs on the right flank; after it is all said and done, two Fangs are dead, one Rhino is wrecked (squad failed pinning test) and two Rhinos have lost a full point each.

* Tactical Notes

Not a too bad first turn. I've managed to get a point for first blood, which is cool and of course I've got plenty of units in Shaun's face for linebreaker, but that's a long way off yet. In further news, Shaun failed a pinning test, which means that squad is going to get lit up by warpfire next turn. If I can keep blasting the Fangs with gaze and using bolts on the Rhinos, as well as breath of chaos, then the Rhinos and infantry should start dropping.

Next turn the Soul Grinders will blast the Thunderwolves and assault. Flamers will set fire to anything alive while Screamers will assault. If the Masque does come down, I'll use her to pavane Long Fangs out the large ruin, Screamers can then assault them.

Turn 2

Shaun moves the lone Rhino by the large ruin to dish out some plasma death on my Screamers close by, the ones who slashed the Long Fangs. Out of the Rhino curtain, a flamer unit rolls backwards and aims flamers at the Screamers sitting behind them. Other Rhinos move so I do not auto hit in assault and prime plasma guns. Both Thunderwolves target one Soul Grinder and prepare to rip it to pieces with weight of attacks in close combat.

Shooting; Long Fangs in the large ruin split fire; Priest fires at the Soul Grinder who isn't about to be assault, it loses a hull point. The Fangs drop frags on the nearby Screamers, I think all are safe. Plasma guns from supporting Rhino fire, though fire at another Screamer unit, I lose a single Screamer. On the left flank, flamers burn the Screamers, two die. Plasma guns and frags blast by Flamers, only a single frag hits and then only scores a single wound, which the Herald saves. A couple of Flamers take some wounds after I do look out, sir, with them - I love that cheeky trick!

Assault; both Thunderwolves assault the Soul Grinder, I do overwatch with the vomit, but only do a single hit, which does jack. Thunderwolves get a combined total of 44 attacks and all they manage to do is score weapon destroyed and break the harvester - serious bad luck!

Daemon second turn; Masque comes down, though she scatters and ends back in reserve, three Plaguebearers come down near the objectives my side on the one on the left side in the large ruin; some scatter but nothing to worry about.

Unengaged Soul Grinder scurries up to support it's daemon brother. Flamers move to BBQ as much as they can, luckily for me Shaun has bunched his Rhinos up even more, so I can hit multiple units . Both Screamers units on the left flank prepare to assault the lone plasma Rhino, while the depleted units hangs around waiting for anything to survive breath of chaos attacks.

Shooting; Flamers fire and take out all three remaining Rhinos, the pinned unit and the Heralds wipe out the Long Fangs (but not the Priest) with daemonic gaze. To make it even worse, Shaun fails pinning test on every single unit!

Assault; depleted Screamers assault a depleted unit of Grey Hunters from Flamer fire, the Screamers get their face beat in and lose combat. Soul Grinder assaults, the other Soul Grinder gets reduced to a single hull point, while the Thunderwolves take a beating and two storm shields from one unit die, while one storm shield from another unit die. Screamers assault the lone Rhino and wrap around it - this will stop Shaun from disembarking his models if the vehicle is wrecked, and if it blows up, then some models won't be able to be placed because within 1" of my models. Anyway, the Rhino goes boom and six Grey Hunters remain after saves and models removed because within 1".

* Tactical Notes

Woah, this game is seriously going in the way of suckage for poor Shaun. All his units on the right flank have failed pinning tests; Flamer units stand right in front of them, all those units are going to get blown away and Shaun cannot do anything about it. To add insult, the Soul Grinders are ripping up the Thunderwolves, though one Grinder has taken a beating. The last Rhino, which is on the left flank, has been eaten by Screamers. Just need the Masque to come down and pavane the Long Fangs so I can assault them.

Next turn, Plaguebearers will assault the Thunderwolves to add to the tarpit. Flamers will destroy all infantry models, while Screamers assault Grey Hunters and Long Fangs, if possible.

Turn 3

No movement, so straight to shooting. Single Priest on the right flank fires living lightning at a Flamer unit, though the Herald makes all the saves. Long Fangs with the Warlord Priest (warlord kills himself after failing psychic test. Had took a wound earlier from Screamers slash attack) blast another unit of Flamers, one dies after cover saves from a ruin. Grey Hunters bolt pistol the depleted Screamers and kill one.

In assault the Grinder with the last hull goes down, while the other one kills a Thunderwolf from the other unit - so one Thunderwolf unit has three wolves left and is now unengaged and the other unit has a single model left (no storm shield) and is engaged with the Soul Grinder. Grey Hunters assault the remaining Screamers and batter them, the Hunters consolidate into the large ruin.

My turn; I roll for reserves and all remaining units arrive. Unit of Plaguebearers land about 8" from the objective in the small ruin mid right flank, and I cannot remember where the other unit lands. The Masque scatter so can draw LOS on the Grey Hunters who consolidated into the large ruin - good for me .

Movement; Flamers move up to drop those templates on pinned Grey Hunters while Plaguebearers from previous turn move up to engage Thunderwolves, while one unit moves into the large ruin on the left flank and claims the objective.

Shooting; Flamers BBQ all Grey Hunters, though the indestructible Rune Priest refuses to take a wound. Masque pavanes the remaining Long Fangs, they get moved down the ruin and now stare at a wall; ho ho ho. Masque also pavanes the unit in the ruin base, I move them away from the objective hehehe. The remaining Screamers I had actually moved the wrong way, so I turbo boost them and slash the Grey Hunter unit I just pavaned, so the Screamers are now back on the left flank (I moved them into the centre). Soul Grinder which just dropped in fires phlegm at the Thunderwolves not in combat, hits but storm shields save.

Assault; single unit of Plaguebearers make assault and attack the Thunderwolves, it doesn't go well for them and only two Plaguebearers remain. Soul Grinder fails to smash the single Thunderwolf to bits; that's ok, because should win combat next turn, which I can consolidate and assault .

* Tactical Notes

Well, not to sound big headed, but it's game over for Shaun. He has one troop unit left, who is going to get assaulted by Screamers, and if did move towards the objective, then the Masque would move them back away.

Turn 4

The remaining and last Grey Hunter unit moves up to the Screamers ready to unleash bolt pistols and assault; best go out with guns blazing than in a pile of shredded guts!

Shooting; bolt pistols fire into the Screamers and one takes a wound. Single Rune Priest gets off jaws of the world wolf and manages to take out a number of Screamers from several units.

In assault the single Thunderwolf takes out the Soul Grinder. Grey Hunters charge the Screamers, the Screamers lose three models, but the Grey Hunters are all dead. Remaining Plaguebearers die against the larger unit of depleted Thunderwolves.

At this point Shaun says he has no way to win; he has no troop choices, and only Thunderwolves left to contest and a unit of Long Fangs, who the Masque will move. I also have points for linebreaker, slay the warlord and first blood. We agree for me to finish this turn and call it a day.

So, quickly, shooting in minimum, Masque pavanes the Long Fangs out in the open; she can assault them so can the remaining Screamers. I don't even bother blasting the single Rune Priest, even though he has been seriously annoying. Last Soul Grinder blasts a unit of Thunderwolves, though all saves are made.

Assault; Masque and Screamers charge the Long Fangs, Masque kills two thanks to rending wounds and the Screamers kill the survivor. Grinder and Plaguebearers charge the Thunderwolves, Grinder instagibs a Wolf.

Game ends with a sound win for the Daemons.

Summary

As much as I like 40k, I feel guilty and bad about that game. Don't get me wrong, playing the game is fun, but it's no fun when things are too easy thanks to bad dice rolls.

Shaun had some serious bad luck; four failed pinning tests, which btw Wolf Guard wouldn't have made a difference as all tests were 10+ on the dice. Add that the 44 attacks from the Thunderwolves only did minor damage to the Soul Grinder.

Hopefully we can have a rematch and Shaun will have some better luck or new dice .

Agreed on not liking that bad dice rolling. This was shaping up to be a great battle until one side got nerfed by the dice. Ones for the dice gods!

Yes, it was extremely one sided due to bad dice. Not a lot I can do I am afriad.

Nothing, really. It happens in real life to. Just think of how bad the French were rolling at the battle of Agincourt.