This was my deployment before Malys's redeploy. My objective is directly to the right of the big brown hill.



Mike deploys favoring the far side, even though his objectives favor the close side. There's 3 identical deathwing units with one inside the LRC.



The tactical squad is in a ruin with an objective (in the blind front corner). Belial and his command squad will deepstrike.



Here's my army after Malys's redeploy. I moved the war walkers to the top behind the ruin and the grotesques to the far side also. Rangers are outflanking. Mike fails to seize the initiative.

Beasts, grotesques, walkers, and wyches advance. All of my combined shooting kills 1 terminator. Grotesques run into terrain.



Belial and terminators arrive behind my line. I take my interceptor shot but they make their invuln. I should have put Maugan on it for fast shot.



Two foot squads of deathwing advance and the LRC moves up 6" and throws out the guys. Right about here I realize may have advanced a bit too far.



His backfield units shift for shots.



His first volley from the LRC puts 5 wounds on beasts and I fail all 5 invulns on khymerae! His combined fire drops 3 more. Luckily, I pass my morale.



Only 1 deathwing unit makes its assault range and my liquifier fails to do any damage. He challenges and I accept with the aberration who smashes the sarge flat. Lady Malys also cuts down one terminator, but her djinn blade breaks.



9 terminator attacks yeild 3 hits and 3 ones to wound! I win combat and we lock.

End of turn 1: DE 3vp, DW 6vp (currently held objectives)

The razorwing arrives and the wyches pull back to engage Belial.



My remaining beasts pull up, but I've lost so many that I don't want to risk a 10" assault on unengaged terminators, even with the fleet reroll.



Rangers arrive on the close side. There's only two places with cover and the other one is within double tap range of his tac squad. Here, they're at least one move + run away from his DZ. Snipers fail to cause any damage. The razorwing only drops 1 terminator from the last full strength unit with 2 missiles and lances.



Combined shooting from warriors, wyches, and Maugan kill 2 terminators and puts 1 wound on Belial. Wyches assault and wiff. I lose combat and run away, staying on the table by just 1".



Deciding not to risk a long shot assault, I throw the beasts in to help the grotesques and grab first blood.



Belial and the last 2 terminators let the wyches go and head for the warriors (and Maugan).



The lone terminator with cyclone jumps onto the LRC. The 4 man unit goes for beasts.



The dread and predator fail to hit my flyer.



Belial declares an assault and the unit drops the banner with overwatch. He challenges with the apothecary (so only 1 model can strike it) and I accept with the sybarite since Maugan is too far away. The angle he came at me from and position of my unit means only 4 models can swing on Belial and they fail to hurt him. The challenge is a stalemate. I lose several warriors to hammer blows. Maugan makes them fearless though so we lock. Terminators assault beasts and I kill all but 1.

End of turn 2: DE 4vp, DW 6vp

The razorwing advances 18" and walkers come up. Grotesques get a bad terrain roll.



Wyches rally and consolidate 3". Walkers only strip 1 hull point from the dread after he makes several cover saves. Razorwing wiffs against the LRC. Belial challenges Maugan and I decline. The sybarite takes out the apothecary with her venom blade. The mass of fearless warriors take another wound from Belial. The beasts drop their last terminator.



The far flank readjusts to block my advance. The predator explodes my razorwing with a lucky autocannon shot (6 to hit, 6 to pen, 6 on the damage chart) and the falling wreckage takes out a beastmaster. Then, he unloads everything else and I lose all the beasts except 4. The baron even rolled double 1's and dies. The beasts also fall back. The tac squad and snipers exchange pot shots and I go to ground.



Belial continues to force Maugan to the back and survive the mass of warriors.

End of turn 3: DE 1vp (Belial pulled me off my objective), DW 8vp

Wyches move and run up onto my objective. Beasts rally and consolidate 3".



Grotesques get another bad terrain roll and walkers continue to advance. Scatter lasers strip the last 2 hull points from the dread and wreck it. Back in my DZ, the mass of warriors finally take Belial's last wound and get me the warlord point.



The last cyclone terminator disembarks from the LRC so now he has 3 scoring units (w/ heavies from the mission) on the central objective and the terminator is out of LoS. I lose a sniper or two and a couple wounds on grotesques.

End of turn 4: DE 5vp (got my objective back and warlord), DW 8vp

Skipped some pics here because we're almost out of time and I want to get through the random game length.

Grotesques get 1 model into his DZ with another poor terrain roll and run. Beasts jump the aegis and make a run for the far side of the bunker.

The LRC tank shocks my one grotesque back out of his DZ. I let Mike roll for the end and the game goes on.

End of turn 5: DE 5vp, DW 8vp

Grotesques move up past the LRC and the beasts get around the bunker.



Maugan takes over the icarus lascannon, but fails to penetrate the LRC. Beasts and grotesques both assault the predator (couldn't see the terminator), and wreck it giving me bonus points since it was a heavy. They're both also in contest range.



Mike moves his last terminator out of the way and tank shocks the LRC (passing terrain) into a perfect position, forcing my grotesques further than 3" from the objective.

The game ends at the end of turn 6. Final score is DE 8vp (1 objective, 1 hvy, first blood, linebreaker, warlord) to DW 8vp (2 objectives, 1 hvy). A draw!

Wow, what a close game! I was literally sweating bullets there at the end since we were the last people playing and had several spectators. Mike pulled a perfect move at the end for the draw, but he was winning most of the game since he got to place the majority of the objectives in his DZ. I botched the deployment too looking back. I redeployed to the far side in reaction to his deployment, and a reactionary posture is a disadvantageous one with a fragile army. I should have favored the close side and swept through the solo tactical squad with the speed of beasts and firepower of the walkers. The rangers would have arrived and held the objective and I could have stalled the terminators on foot with beasts and grotesques. I also underestimated the LRC's firepower, but failing 5/5 invulns on khymerae in the first volley really hurt. This was a tough match for me also with no psykers to block with Malys and enough 2+/3++ and high AV's to nullify Maugan.

Now that I've played several 6th ed games, I actually enjoy the balance of allies and fortifications. I do think though that since players place objectives after they've chosen sides, there should always be an even number of objectives. Starting the game in a losing position sucks.

Here's my deployment before all my redeploys. Rangers are outflanking.



Here's Chris's deployment. Devil gaunts up front screening shrikes, tyrant, hive guard, and tervigon. Biovores are in that area terrain with the lead one peering through the gap so he has LoS to my whole army. Ymgarls are hiding and genestealers infiltrate out of sight on my right.



Here's my force after my 3 redeploys, 3d6" redeploy, and scout move. I swapped the beasts to the left to keep the shrike's boneswords off my grotesques. Chris fails to seize.

I shuffle everything around and advance the grotesques and beasts, but remain out of assault range of the shrikes (I hope).



War walkers kill 5 genestealers and they pass morale. Maugan and the splinter cannon kill a few devil gaunts.



Genestealers and devil gaunts get endurance. The tervigon spawns 15 gaunts (no doubles) and the shrikes advance. Biovores barrage out several warriors (fearless with maugan) and wyches who pass pinning and morale. Devil gaunts, tyrant, and hive guard kill several beasts who also pass their morale for losing over 25%. This was huge for me since any units failing their test this turn would have run off for first blood.

End of turn 1: DE 0vp, Nids 0vp

Rangers arrive but the razrowing does not. I get the left side and only have one safe place to put them. Beasts move up to engage shrikes.



War walkers continue to chase the genestealers around their hill. Grotesques move up to guard the relic. War walkers kill a few more genestealers but his cover/FnP is hot. Maugan and friends kill a few more devil gaunts.



Beasts assault shrikes. I lose several khymerae due to lash whips making most of my unit init1, but knock the unit down to 1 model with 1 wound (still no first blood).



Ymgarls arrive in the center and Maugan snipes one with the icarus lascannon.



The tyrant and genestealers get endurance. The tervigon spawns 15 gaunts again (doubles this time).



He clears a path for the tyrant to my beasts and 30 spawned gaunts prepare to jump in also. The hive guard kill 2 rangers who pass morale. Biovores drop several more warriors and wyches who pin. Ymgarls assault grotesques. Malys kills 1 and then I lose 3 grotesques, kill 3 more ymgarls and we remain locked. The tyrant now has warp speed and makes it into assault with 15 gaunts. I throw a beastmaster in a challenge with the tyrant, finish the last shrike (first blood!), kill 9 termagants, lose a few beasts, and hit-and-run the hell outta there!

End of turn 2: DE 1vp, Nids 0vp

I always roll terribly for terrain when jumping over my own wall! Maugan and friends try to get some eyes on the broodlord and last genestealer.



The razorwing arrives and lines up on that big pile of bugs. Beasts flank around the remaining devil gaunts. The genestealers actually survive Maugan's wrath with a flawless string of FnP rolls. War walker knock over a bunch of devil gaunts. The razorwing targets the tyrant with lances and missiles but I only put 1 wound on a guard and kill half a dozen gaunts.



Combat rages in the center. I believe every grotesque failed to hit this round and Malys failed to wound.



Beasts assault the tervigon but I fail to get a wound through and lose combat, but we lock.



The broodlord comes out for an assault. Biovores rain more barrages and I'm reduced to 1 wych who's gone to ground, and 7 warriors. I shoot down the broodlord with overwatch and the last genestealer fails his assault distance.



It's now the bottom of 3 and they make the 10min warning. Assaults (and even shooting for that matter) involving units with multiple characters, initiative steps, preferred enemy, armor and FnP just take forever! Plus these are both foot armies, I had 4 redeploys, and Chris spawned 30 gaunts.

End of turn 3: DE 1vp, Nids 0vp

We talk out the possible endings and roll out the important combats. Chris's tyrant and tervigon both with warp speed end up crushing the beasts and sweeping them and denying my linebreaker. The spawned gaunts don't get enough distance with their run to get his linebreaker. Both warlords are alive and largely unkillable with tyrant guards and grotesque bodyguards. The relic hasn't been touched. I can gun down his last genestealer with my 7 warriors + Maugan, but my warriors can't survive the biovore barrages to grab the relic either.

At that, we call the game at the end of turn 4: DE 1vp, Nids 0vp.

Chris always gives me a tough yet fun game. This may have been the first time I've beaten him as he crushed my GK back in June and knocked me out at the 2010 invitational. I got really lucky by passing my first 2 morale tests which prevented him from getting first blood. I was also pretty lucky with my invulns on khymerae and the tarpit/hit-and-run combo paid off, drawing the attention of shrikes, 30 gaunts, the tyrant, and the tervigon. It basically allowed the rest of my army to focus on genestealers and endure the biovore fire. These may have also been Chris's first games in 6th ed if I'm not mistaken, so I'm sure he'll make me pay for this minor victory next time we face off!

I move up to table #3 to face Garrett's Blood Angels + Necrons next.

Here's my deployment before redeploy and scout moves. I put both Maugan and the Baron with the beasts because I know his army is assault heavy and I'm hoping the fearless/hit-and-run combo will pay off. Rangers are outflanking.



Garrett deploys fairly spread out. On the left is the annihilation barge and melta squad. In the middle is the command barge, ghost ark, and wraiths. Plasma squad and libby's squad are on the right with the furioso on the reserved stormraven. The above pic also shows my army after redeploy and scouting. Garrett opts not to seize.

I move everything up to my aegis which was 6" from my DZ. War walkers claim first blood by torrenting down the lead rhino holding the plasma squad. The rest of my shooting wiffs or bounces off saves.



The necrons move up and blood angels hang back a bit. I lose a couple beasts from shooting, but 3+ cover with stealth behind the aegis pays off.

End of turn 1: DE 2vp, BA 0vp

My rangers arrive but not the razorwing.



Grotesques and beasts advance, but not too far. I know I can out shoot him so I want him to come to me. War walkers drop 4 marines from the disembarked unit including both plasma guns. Maugan explodes the command barge with a rend. Warriors drop one wraith.



The melta team and annihilation barge come up the flank.



The stormraven arrives. Maugan takes the interceptor shot (x2 with fast shot) and gets one pen which he jinks off. The libby's unit pulls across the back edge to go after rangers.



The wraiths jump up and the overlord joins them. The annihilation barge kills a beast or two. The stormraven fires snap shots and strips a hull point from a walker. The wraiths and overlord assault. I put a wound on each wraith, take a couple in return, and hit-and-run 13" towards the half strength disembarked marines.

End of turn 2: DE 3vp, BA 0vp

My flyer arrives.



Beasts line up to multi-assault marines and the ghost ark.



Warriors shoot down the last 2 wraiths. War walkers fail to damage the stormraven after 2 more successful jinks. Beasts assault the marines and ghost ark. Maugan explodes the ghost ark and takes out 2 warriors. The a few marines die and I lose a couple more beasts.



The stormraven switches to hover and drops off the furioso.



The melta squad, annihilation barge, and necrons start to head for my lines.



The 6 man unit disembarks (libby stays on the rhino). I lose all the rangers to pistol shots. A couple warriors go down to tesla and gauss shots. The stormraven strips 1 hp from my flyer, but I jink off the rest o the damage. The furioso assaults the grotesques, scores 14 wounds (!) and sweeps the unit. The beasts kill the rest of the marines except the sarge, and hit-and-run towards the embarked libby. The overlord assaults warriors, takes 1 wound from shooting and 2 in assault, but stands back up at the end. We played EL wrong the whole game and counted the overlord as locked in assault when he stood back up after assault.

End of turn 3: DE 5vp, BA 4vp

I send the beasts after his warlord, rhino, and small unit. The razorwing flies off the table since it's evading.



Wyches go after the furioso. Shooting strips 1 hp from the stormraven. Beasts multi-assault the marines and rhino, wrecking the rhino and killing 4 marines. Wyches throw a haywire grenade and miss, then assault the furioso and only get 1 glance with haywire grenades. Luckily I only lose 2 wyches after dodges and we lock.



Combat with the overlord continues. I knock him down again and he stands up for the second time. Again, we played it wrong and counted him as reanimating into combat.



He continues to sweep across my front side.



The stormraven flies up. His last rhino goes flat out towards the wyches.



The libby crosses the wreck to try and escape the beasts. The lascannon turret on the stormraven knocks over a walker and I lose another hp from the necrons. Wyches wreck the furioso with haywire grenades. Beasts finish off the unit of marines they were fighting.

End of turn 4: DE 8vp, BA 4vp

I bring my flyer back on.



Beasts surround the libby and go in for the kill, which Maugan claims for himself (warlord + linebreaker). War walkers wreck the last rhino. Wyches decide to assault the lone sarge that my beasts left behind, I lose combat and flee! I knock down the overlord again and he stands up for a 3rd time in a row!

We're running out of time. Looking at what's left and Garrett's targets, we decide he'll probably get the wyches, warriors, razorwing, and walkers.

The game ends at the end of turn 5: DE 11vp, BA 9vp

Another great, close game! Garrett can really pull out some surprising damage with his army. In the end, my fearless beasts with hit-and-run were just causing too much damage and sheltering 3 of my vp's. Losing my grotesques and warlord to his furioso was sad, but I had a large enough headstart thanks to first blood that it didn't matter much. We played his overlord wrong, but standing up out of combat would have only helped me more. I made sure to stop the command barge which is what he really hurt me with last time we faced off. Chariots are just too good to ignore now with impact hits and the ability to leave combat. Overall, a great and very enjoyable game.

I finished 2-0-1, took 3rd overall out of 17 players, and earned some chips to put towards whatever project I tackle next.