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Down at my home away from home Powerfist Gaming. Got a game in with Chris and his Ravenwing.

* No pics as my CSM is all scrappy using my old B.A Razorbacks. I am also doing this from memory so you will have to bare with me.

Chaos Space Marines 'Iron Warriors' - 2,000 points

HQ

Chaos Sorcerer
Chaos Sorcerer

Troops

5 x Chaos Space Marines w/ Rhino - plasma gun - Champion w/ combi plasma
5 x Chaos Space Marines w/ Rhino - plasma gun - Champion w/ combi plasma
5 x Chaos Space Marines w/ Rhino - plasma gun - Champion w/ combi plasma
5 x Chaos Space Marines w/ Rhino - meltagun - Champion w/ combi melta
5 x Chaos Space Marines w/ Rhino - meltagun - Champion w/ combi melta
5 x Chaos Space Marines w/ Rhino - meltagun - Champion w/ combi melta
10 x Chaos Cultists

Fast Attack

Heldrake - baleflamer
Heldrake - baleflamer

Heavy Support

3 x Obliterators - mark of nurgle
Vindicator
Vindicator
5 x Havocs - 4 x autocannons
5 x Havocs - 4 x autocannons

Dark Angels 'Ravenwing' - 2,000 points

HQ

Sammael
Ravenwing Command Squad - banner of devastation, grenade launcher & apothecary

Troops

6 x Ravenwing Attack Squad w/ Attack Bike - 2 x plasma guns - Attack Bike w/ multi melta
6 x Ravenwing Attack Squad w/ Attack Bike - 2 x plasma guns - Attack Bike w/ multi melta
6 x Ravenwing Attack Squad w/ Attack Bike - 2 x plasma guns - Attack Bike w/ multi melta
6 x Ravenwing Attack Squad w/ Attack Bike - 2 x plasma guns - Attack Bike w/ multi melta
3 x Land Speeders - typhoon missile launcher

Fast Attack

Nephilim Fighter
Ravenwing Darkshroud - assault cannon

Game: Vanguard Strike & Purge the Alien - night fighting is not on

Deployment

I won the roll off for side and deployment, I chose to go first. I got re-roll reserves for my warlord traits (handy) while my warlord got haemorrage power and the other one iron arm.

I split my armour and spread them between a ruin; on the left of the ruin was all melta units with a single Vindie and Oblits while on the right the plasma units with the other Vindie. In the centre camped the two Havoc units while Cultists stopped in reserve.

Chris deployed top left corner with a few units in terrain, his units are bunched up to make use of the dakka banner. There is a large ruin in the centre, I can draw LOS through it though he will be getting cover.

* Tactical Notes

Seems Chris has bunched up I am just going to drop demolisher shells and plasma blasts on the middle units, then if scatters I can at least hit something.

My main targets will be Attack Bikes, but I'll wait till they come closer and rock up and unleash plasma gun rapid fire.

After that I'll be going for the Command Squad so the banner will drop; hopefully I can get it done.

Turn 1

Chris scouts towards me using the ruin for cover, though keeps his models together. I am very surprised he has done this as he has moved all his bikers forward straight into range of my Vindicators and now I can re-position to make sure he doesn't get cover. He is also bunched up so my blast templates are going to bring some serious pain.

Chris tries to seize but fails - blow up time!

I move the Vindicator and supporting melta Rhinos and Oblits up while on the other flank the Vindicator moves around the ruin so no cover while the Rhinos move 12".

Shooting; all Rhinos pop smoke as they won't be shooting. Vindicator on the left flank drops a shell on a Ravenwing unit and blows four of them away. Obliterators fire at a unit behind, they wipe out three of them after half of them pass cover saves as they are still in terrain in Chris' deployment zone. Havocs fire on the remaining two man unit; unit is wiped out. Other Vindicator drops a shell, I roll crap for wounds, though I still wipe out half a bike unit.

Chris brings his Speeders down the left board edge with the Darkshroud to cover them - he is going for Vindicator side armour. Attack Bikes zoom along Chris' table edge while remaining Ravenwing move into the centre ruin for cover.

Shooting; Speeder in side armour arc of Vindicator on the left, fires but misses. Another Speeder fires and hits and pens the front - shaken and immobilised. Lucky plasma shot glances and robs the last hull point. Rad shell from Command Squad drops on the Oblits and they are now T4, rain of bolter fire and plasma guns wipes them out. Attack Bikes fire at a nearby Rhino; three meltas miss and one only scores crew stunned.

Kill Points - Chaos Space Marines: 1 Dark Angels: 2

* Tactical Notes

Not a too bad start. I think I have the upper hand in this one as Ravenwing cannot play the attrition game as they have low numbers of models. I have deadly blast templates, flamer templates and plasma guns which really hurt them. The points are also drawing as I have the slay the warlord.

Next turn I hope the Heldrakes come on, which I'll vector strike and do some burning; Chris has bunched his units up in the centre which means the baleflamers will do some serious damage if they roll well.

Turn 2

All my reserves arrive; Cultists end up in terrain with the Havocs while one Heldrake flies up the left flank in order to vector strike a Speeder while the other moves over the centre Ravenwing formation.

Movement; CSM armed with melta all bail out their Rhinos ready to bring to rapid fire justice - Rhinos hold position as will block Havocs' LOS. Two Rhinos holding plasma units move up so in rapid fire range of the closest Attack Bike. Vindicator re-positions so further away from Dark Angels and can easily see the formation in the centre.

Shooting; Heldrake vector strikes a Speeder causes crew shaken, burns the remaining squad of three and two die. Havocs fire on the Speeders and take out the shaken one and another one - even with Darkshroud coverage the Havocs just caused weight of damage which not all could be saved, go Havocs! Heldrake vector strikes a unit in the centre but only kills one, burns the unit of three remaining from Vindicator shell on right flank and wipes them out. Vindicator drops a shell and hits the Command Squad and the last unit of Ravenwing, Apothecary dies in the blast and only a two Bikers remains from the other unit - by my count there's a unit of two Bikers and a single Biker left and that's it along with the Command Squad. Rapid fire plasma guns kills an Attack Bike after it fails jink saves.

Chris rolls for reserves and the Nephilim fails to arrive.

Speeders reposition a little bit in order to get the jink save while Bikers move up to attack the exposed melta units. The three Attack Bikes move up hoping to slag some plasma Rhinos.

Shooting; Attack Bikes fire into the Rhinos, one Rhino in terrain gets shot at twice but both multi meltas fail to damage - other Rhino is ok as well. Speeders blast the rear of the Heldrake and take it down as I fail every single invulnerable save I am required to make. Unit of two Bikers fire into melta CSM and kill two. Single Biker fires into another unit, kills two while Command Squad fires into the remaining unit and kills two also - all squads pass morale.

Assault; Sammy and Command Squad attempt to charge, I kill one of them with melta overwatch and to rub salt into the wound the unit fails charge distance. Single Biker ploughs into the unit of three, kills one in assault and CSM remain in combat. Attack Bikes charge the Rhinos; one Rhino is fine while the other gets taken down by krak grenades, it goes boom and a CSM dies - unit passes pinning test.

Kill Points - Chaos Space Marines: 6 Dark Angels: 4

* Tactical Notes

I've done well on kill points this turn and got a fair few; I've nailed Speeders which went down pretty easily, the Havocs made short work of them. Heldrakes didn't cause as much damage as I wanted and a pity the one on the left flank got rear ended :(

Next turn I will bring the remaining Heldrake back around towards my table edge so it can burn the remaining two man unit. Havocs will fire into the Command Squad while melta units get back into their vehicles for protection and fire inside. Plasma units will disembark and engage on the Attack Bikes.

Turn 3

Heldrake sweeps around but burny death range is pushing it a bit. Melta units get back into their rides for safety while all plasma units bail out to deal with the Attack Bikes - my warlord stays in Rhino.

Shooting; Rhinos and meltas fire into the unit of two Bikers, Chris does well on saves and only one remains - passes morale ok. Heldrake was out of burny range of the two man Biker unit so fries the Command Squad, banner bearer dies, Command Squad is wiped out while Sammy's invulnerable saves his bacon from being cooked. Plasma units have to dakka one Attack BIke twice as it is stubborn and won't go down, eventually dies. Remaining unit dakkas the other one though does well on saves. Havocs dakka Sammy and take a wound off him.

Assault; single Biker dude and CSM juke it out, nothing really happens and the Biker does hit and run.

Nephilim finally arrives and comes in behind the Heldrake.

Sammy heads towards a unit of Havocs while remaining Speeders just prance about. Remaining Attack Bikes position to assault to stop themselves getting blown away via plasma.

Shooting; Nephilim unleashes fire power into rear of the Heldrake and it goes boom! Remaining Speeder fires krak missiles into the unit of CSM which was in combat along with heavy bolter, they are wiped out. Attack Bikes fire into my CSM and kill a model from each unit.

Assault; Sammy charges the Havocs, my Champion challenges and dies - Havocs remain in assault. Attack Bikes charge, one Attack Bike takes a wound but that's about it. Lone Biker charges Rhino with krak grenades though fails to hit.

Kill Points - Chaos Space Marines: 8 Dark Angels: 6

* Tactical Notes

These Heldrakes don't seem to last long! What's going on with them besides I cannot pass invulnerable saves!?

I've still got the lead on points and there's some easy ones going; the lone Biker, Attack Bikes as I have a plasma unit still out in the open and they can charge to boost up the melee damage and the Havocs who are going to dakka the Nephilim.

Turn 4

My Rhinos holding melta troops move so Chris doesn't auto hit them. Unengaged plasma unit move to help in assault as the only real target they have is Chris' flyer.

Shooting; Havocs dakka the Nephilim and take a hull point off it while the lone Biker takes a load of dakka but eventually dies.

Assault; plasma unit charges the Attack Bike, who survives and does hit and run and flees. Cultists charge Sammy - my plan is the Champion will challenge, this means my Havocs won't die, well I hope not via sweeping advance - Champion dies both Havocs and Cultists passes morale while Sammy does hit and run and is free as a bird. Other Attack Bike remains engaged after failing hit and run.

Dark Angels; the Nephilim moves down aiming for a Rhino while Sammy moves to engage a plasma unit.

Shooting; Nephilim takes out a Rhino, it explodes and kills the remaining unit inside! Sammy fires into a plasma unit in terrain though all are ok while Attack Bike fires into the unit it was previously engaged with, kills a CSM. Not sure what the Speeder fires at.

Assault; Attack Bike charges the CSM, combat is a draw. Sammy fails charge range again; what a noob! Attack Bike previously engaged dies, my CSM consolidate ready to rapid fire on Sammy.

Kill Points - Chaos Space Marines: 10 Dark Angels: 8

* Tactical Notes

Chris isn't far behind me though he is running out of models fast. Once again Sammy has let him down and is now in the open ready to be shot by two CSM units and two Havoc units plus a Vindicator if needed.

Next turn I'll focus all fire power on Sammy as I can bag two points from killing him - this will put me firmly in the lead then.

Turn 5

I re-position my CSM by Sammy in order to use the terrain as a buffer, not that is matters thinking about it - force of habit!

Shooting; CSM and Havocs dakka Sammy and he goes down. Vindicator fires at the two Speeders though massively misses - worth a shot!

Assault; Attack Bike and CSM scrap it out and the Attack Bike snuffs it as has a single wound left.

Dark Angels; Nephilim has no choice but to go off the board or next turn it will not be firing. The Darkshroud and Speeder move up to broad side the Rhino holding my warlord.

Shooting; Darkshroud unleashes the assault cannon and makes my Rhino go boom. Chris then fires krak missiles into my warlord, I go to ground for a 2+ cover save so I will get 3+ in the crater, though I fail a single save and my warlord is splattered.

At this point we call it a day as Chris has two Speeders left and his flyer.

Chaos Space Marines win the game with with 14 victory points to Dark Angels' 11

Summary

After reading/writing the battle report the game seemed a lot closer. I guess playing the game looked different thanks to the lack of Ravenwing and the holes my Vindicators were punching in the Ravenwing formation.

I was very surprised when Chris scouted, he just handed his bikers over to me and even kept them bunched up. He should have deployed back and used the ruin in the top left for cover - I would have had to come to him and he could have come straight at me and unleash multi meltas easily. Chris also should have spread his bikes out more to maximum coherency - all his bike models were touching bases. A lot more bikes would have survived and you only need one model from a unit within range of the dakka banner.

I was disappointed with my Heldrakes this game as I was expecting them to cause some serious damage. As soon as both of them got shot at they went down like a cheap ho. Perhaps better placed or just bad luck on invulnerable saves as I didn't pass a single save!

I'm not going to lie, the minute I saw two helldrakes I almost stopped reading this. Ravenwing has NO answer to them (reliably anyway). Tbh, your opponent got super lucky. Two questions tho;
Did the first helldrake die to snap shots?
Why didn't Sammy go after havocs after he hit and ran?

In any case, congrats on the win.

K/S

I'll be honest, I thought my Heldrakes would burn serious face especially as Chris had bunched his units up. As you said, he got lucky, as the Speeders took the one down (yes they snap shot he got lucky glance with an assault cannon and then pen'd twice with the krak missiles) then the Nephilim took the other one down.

No idea why Sammy didn't go after the Havocs. I thought he would have done tbh as they are a bigger threat and also would have got line breaker because still engaged,

Ravenwing and dakka banner just doesnt work. They need to bunch up so much that blast template literally cannot miss and with a low model count its murderous.

Ravenwing and dakka banner works fine. If againat templates adapt your tactics and spread max coherency and only out certain amount of units in banner range I.e units with no specials.