WOW, I am back home after a long vacation visiting my old buddy Lexington, his lovely wife, and their amazing cats in the lovely Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

While there, we dined at some of the finest restaurants, saw sights including Minnehaha Falls, and I even cooked them a nutritious Ribeye meal with a custom pan sauce.

Of course, there was also 40K.

After all, I stored my living necessities in a backpack and devoted 100% of my main luggage to an army designed for hassle free airplane travel! In a custom foam tray setup, I managed not to freak out the TSA with my oddly shaped metal objects, and brought the Azure Flames to the Twin Cities for Lexington’s first games of 9th edition!

To make the army easy to transport, I created the list according to the old 7th edition “Highlander” style, meaning no spam; each codex entry can only be used once. Additionally, I made a 1000, 1500, and 2000 point list, but limited myself so that all models in the 1000 list were in the 1500 list with only additions; no changes to the actual minis. The same goes for the 2000, so the final 2000 list has all models needed for all three lists.

Lexington brought me down to the GameZEnter (formerly Fantasy Flight) and we got three amazing games in! Let’s get to it!

Game 1: Ascension (1000 points)

Bozeman – Azure Flames (Salamanders)

• Battalion
  • Captain Khalil of the 7th Company on Bike, Forge Master, Miraculous Constitution, Drake Smiter, Storm Shield, Exemplar of the Promethean Creed, Warlord
  • Sangamon, Chief Librarian, Jump Pack, Force Axe, Bolt Pistol, The Tome of Vel’Cona, Flaming Blast, Fire Shield, Burning Hands, Drakeskin
  • Assault Intercessors x5, Thunder Hammer
  • Intercessors x5, Thunder Hammer, Grenade Launcher
  • Tactical Squad x5, Chainsword, Combi-Grav, Muilt-Melta
  • Bike Squad x3, Power Fist, 2x Meltagun
  • Devastator Squad x5, 2x Lascannon, Missile Launcher, Heavy Bolter, Armourium Cherub
  • Thunderfire Cannon

Lexington – Zagdakka’s Warband (Evil Sunz Orks)

• Battalion
  • Warboss, Da Killa Klaw, Kombi-Rokkit Launcha, Da Biggest Boss
  • Weirdboy, Da Jump, Visions in Da Smoke
  • Ork Shoota Boys x29, Nob, Killsaw
  • Gretchin x10
  • Gretchin x10
  • Burna-Bomma
  • Trukk
  • Tankbusta Boys x6, 2x Bomb Squigs
  • Megatrakk Scrapjet, Corkscrew

Setup

Turn 1 – Orks

The Scrapjet charges forward and does some damage to the Bike Squad. Burna Bomma flies up close and drops some damage on the Intercessors and Assualt Intercessors. Boys and Warboss advance and shoot.

Turn 1 – Azure Flames

Bikes fall back and the Devastators scrap the Scrapjet. Lucky Multi-Melta shot vapes the Burna-Bomma, causing a huge explosion that deals mortal wounds to many units! Khalil charges the Warboss and crushes him with THREE MASSIVE natural 6s to wound, dealing 18 total damage! Thunderfire Cannon and other shooting wipes the Tankbustas.

Turn 2 – Orks

Trukk charges the bikes as Grots move up to gain an objective. Boys continue to fight Khalil

Turn 2 – Azure Flames

Bike falls back again, and split fire from the Devs hurt the Trukk and Grots. Khalil and the Assualt Intercessors wipe the Boys. Thunderfire damages the grots in the backfield.

Turn 3 – Orks

Weirdboy, Trukk, and Grots retreat behind the building to try to use their superior score to wait out the game.

Turn 3 – Azure Flames

Devs move and pop Trukk. Khalil and the Bikes wipe the Grots and Weirdboy. Tabled.

Discussion

That was over faster then I thought! I was seriously worried about a massive turn 1 charge, and Da Jump with Tankbustas. However, Lexington had few options. We realized after the game that the Warboss could have fought with a Stratagem. Oh well! That’s how you learn.

Game 2 – Retrieval Mission (1500 points)

Bozeman – Azure Flames (Salamanders)

• Battalion
  • Captain Khalil of the 7th Company on Bike, Forge Master, Miraculous Constitution, Drake Smiter, Storm Shield, Exemplar of the Promethean Creed, Warlord
  • Sangamon, Chief Librarian, Jump Pack, Force Axe, Bolt Pistol, The Tome of Vel’Cona, Flaming Blast, Fire Shield, Burning Hands, Drakeskin
  • Assault Intercessors x5, Thunder Hammer
  • Intercessors x6, Thunder Hammer, Grenade Launcher
  • Tactical Squad x5, Chainsword, Combi-Grav, Muilt-Melta
  • Aggressors x3, Flamestorm Gauntlets
  • Ironclad Dreadnought, Ironclad Launchers, 2x Hunter Killer Missile, Chainfist, Meltagun, Hurricane Bolter
  • Bike Squad x8, Power Fist, 2x Meltagun, Attack Bike, Multi-Melta
  • Devastator Squad x5, 2x Lascannon, Missile Launcher, Heavy Bolter, Armourium Cherub
  • Thunderfire Cannon

Lexington – Zagdakka’s Warband (Evil Sunz Orks)

• Battalion
  • Warboss, Da Killa Klaw, Kombi-Rokkit Launcha, Da Biggest Boss
  • Weirdboy, Da Jump, Visions in Da Smoke
  • Ork Shoota Boys x29, Nob, Killsaw
  • Ork Shoota Boys x29, Nob, Killsaw
  • Ork Shoota Boys x29, Nob, Killsaw
  • Gretchin x10
  • Burna-Bomma
  • Trukk
  • Tankbusta Boys x6, 2x Bomb Squigs
  • Megatrakk Scrapjet, Corkscrew

Setup

Turn 1 – Orks

Da Jump with Tankbustas surprises the Thunderfire Cannon! A lucky save roll reduces the Techmarine to 1 wound, and he barely survives combat! Orks move up to gain objectives. Burna Bomma uses Flying ‘Eadbutt and smacks my front lines HARD.

Turn 1 – Azure Flames

I spend all of my CP this turn. Techmarine fires Flamer as a pistol to finish the two remaining Tankbustas, allowing the Thunderfire to blow a huge hole in the boys squad near the Warboss. Additional fire evaporates the rest of the squad. Aggressors, Bikes, and Assault Intercessors take out the boys on the right side of the board.

Turn 2 – Orks

Warboss charges the Ironclad Dreadnought, and reduces it to 2 wounds. The Ironclad squishes him, but the Warboss fights while dying and the Ironclad goes down! Boys charge the bikes. Weirdboy smites the other bikes, and charges the Assualt Intercessors. He misses all attacks and the Intercessors cut him down.

Turn 2 – Azure Flames

Everyone on the left side of the board charges in to rescue the bikes, and the boys are reduced to only a few! Bikes on the right charge Gretchin and eliminate them! Game ceded.

Discussion

So, yeah, if you spend 10 CP in one turn, you can do some real damage. Aggressors spent 3 by themselves and managed to kill about 20 orks. Having the Techmarine spend one to use his flamer as a pistol saved him and the Thunderfire Cannon got to shoot!

Flying ‘Eadbutt is the answer to castle formations and hardcore high Invul MSU armies such as Custodes. They do just fine against a Marine gunline as well.

Game 3 – Overrun (2000 points)

Bozeman – Azure Flames (Salamanders)

• Battalion
  • Captain Khalil of the 7th Company on Bike, Forge Master, Miraculous Constitution, Drake Smiter, Storm Shield, Exemplar of the Promethean Creed, Warlord
  • Sangamon, Chief Librarian, Jump Pack, Force Axe, Bolt Pistol, The Tome of Vel’Cona, Flaming Blast, Fire Shield, Burning Hands, Drakeskin
  • Lieutenant, Jump Pack, Power Axe, Combi-Melta
  • Assault Intercessors x5, Thunder Hammer
  • Intercessors x7, Thunder Hammer, Grenade Launcher
  • Tactical Squad x5, Chainsword, Combi-Grav, Muilt-Melta
  • Aggressors x3, Flamestorm Gauntlets
  • Ironclad Dreadnought, Ironclad Launchers, 2x Hunter Killer Missile, Chainfist, Meltagun, Hurricane Bolter
  • Bike Squad x8, Power Fist, 2x Meltagun, Attack Bike, Multi-Melta
  • Land Speeder Tornado x3, Heavy Flamer x3, Multi-Melta x3
  • Devastator Squad x5, 2x Lascannon, Missile Launcher, Heavy Bolter, Armourium Cherub
  • Thunderfire Cannon
  • Whirlwind, Castellan Missiles

Lexington – Zagdakka’s Warband (Evil Sunz Orks)

• Battalion
  • Warboss, Da Killa Klaw, Kombi-Rokkit Launcha, Da Biggest Boss
  • Weirdboy, Da Jump, Visions in Da Smoke
  • Ork Shoota Boys x29, Nob, Killsaw
  • Ork Shoota Boys x29, Nob, Killsaw
  • Ork Shoota Boys x29, Nob, Killsaw
  • Gretchin x10
  • Burna-Bomma
  • Trukk
  • Tankbusta Boys x6, 2x Bomb Squigs
  • Megatrakk Scrapjet, Corkscrew
  • Megatrakk Scrapjet, Corkscrew
  • Lootas x10
  • Deffdred, 4x Dredsaw
  • Deffdred, 4x Dredsaw

Setup

Turn 1 – Orks (yes, Lexington went first all three games)

Once again, Flaming ‘Eadbutt causes the Burna Bomma to deal major damage to my right flank. Boys squad gets Jumped and tries to assault the Aggressors, but overwatch and Born Protector overwatch from the Land Speeders kills 20 Orks and they fail to charge! Lootas move up to a better position. Other elements advance.

Turn 1 – Azure Flames

Walls of horrible fire remove the remaining boys and Lootas. Multi-melta and meltagun shots vaporize the Scrapjets. Tankbustas, and two boys squads are damaged by massed fire. Devastators take out Trukk.

Turn 2 – Orks

Tellyporta Deffdreds come in and one charges the Whirlwind! However, it MASSIVELY WHIFFS dealing only 2 damage! In a repeat of last game, the Warboss charges the Ironclad, does minimal damage, is killed, and then fights after dying to kill the Ironclad! Boys remove the Assault Intercessors. Other boys charge the Bikes, killing the wounded Attack Bike.

Turn 2 – Azure Flames

Whirlwind falls back, allowing the Devastators to blast the Deffdred. Khalil charges the other Deffdred, doing 6 damage. Lieutenant and Agressor take out the Weirdboy. Librarian and bikes reduce the boys. Game Ceded.

Discussion

This 2000 point list was created long ago, as I originally used it as my “balanced” list in 8th edition. I wanted to play Lexington last year, but the pandemic stopped that. For 9th, I edited it very slightly, and then took out 500 point blocks to make the other lists.

They worked much better than I hoped. Additionally, foot based Ork lists seem to be a little underpowered. Orks really do rely on Smasha Gunz, lots of Lootas, and other mean long range tricks rather than the good old Green Tide.

That being said, we had a blast! Lexington will hopefully get the hang of 9th, and the upcoming Ork codex will hopefully make Orks top tier WHERE THEY DESERVE TO BE.

Next: more Crusade highlights and Supressors!