Gothic Campaign week 2
Our campaign is still teetering on the edge of oblivion. Our third player (Imperial Navy) still hasn’t showed up. Campaigns can’t last with just two. However that does not mean that it is not fun. Here’s a batrep for our most recent game!
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Mission: Convoy, 8 transports (400 point fleet)
Attacker: Azure Flames Space Marines
Defender: Tau Shan’al Shi’ur fleet (Kor’or’vesh)
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I rolled for 7 defending beacon markers, came up 6, 6, 5, 3, 3, 2, 1 for 2 Capital Ships, 1 Escort squadron, and a total of 9 deadfall torpedoes or attack craft clusters. Our special campaign rules allow Space Marine attack craft clusters to be Thunderhawk Gunships.
-Space Marine Strike Cruiser, Extra Shield
-Space Marine Strike Cruiser, Extra Shield
-3 Gladius Frigates
-9 Ordnance groups, split 3, 3, 2, 1 between four markers.
Tau Shan’al Shi’ur list: (note: Grav Hooks requirements are waived for Convoy per special Campaign rules)
-Protector class Cruiser
-2 Castellan escorts
-2 Warden escorts
-2 Warden escorts
-4 squadrons of 2 Tau Il’emmar Courier Transports
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Turn 1 – Tau Shan’al Shi’ur
Two squadrons of two transports, the Protector, and one Warden squadron come on, ready to take on all comers.
Turn 1 – Azure Flames Space Marines
One beacon reveals itself as a Space Marine Strike Cruiser. Launched Thunderhawk Gunships and a strength 6 torpedo wave kill three of the four transports!
Turn 2 – Tau Shan’al Shi’ur
The remaining transports and escorts come on the board. The Space Marine Strike Cruiser suffers two damage… and then one more from the TRANSPORTS! Crippled by a transport, I’ll never live it down! Movement makes a beacon with 3 Attack Craft clusters activate.
Turn 2 – Azure Flames Space Marines
Gladius squadron activates, and moves forward. Incredible turret rolls keep all of the transports safe!
Turn 3 – Tau Shan’al Shi’ur
The Tau fleet reforms and takes on the Gladius squadron as the Transports split up and go left and right around the board.
Turn 3 – Azure Flames Space Marines
Another Strike Cruiser is revealed and it goes on All Ahead Full. Crippled Strike Cruiser disengages while the Gladius squadron goes for the transports. However Brace for Impact makes their guns ineffective.
Turn 4 – Tau Shan’al Shi’ur
Two Wardens harass the Gladius squadron as the rest of the fleet moves out to protect the transports.
Turn 4 – Azure Flames Space Marines
Gladius escorts continue to harass the transports ineffectively. Two attack craft beacons are activated for a total of five Thunderhawk waves.
Turn 5 – Tau Shan’al Shi’ur
Shooting takes out one more Gladius. Thunderhawks take out another transport. Turn not pictured.
Turn 5 – Azure Flames Space Marines
Last attack craft cluster activates. Strike Cruiser takes out one Castellan. The last remaining Gladius tries to board a transport, but a bad roll kills the Gladius!
Turn 6 – Tau Shan’al Shi’ur
Transports near the bottom of the board try to run. Fire causes the Strike Cruiser to Brace for Impact. This turn’s photo brought to you by: the concept of the Dutch Angle
Turn 6 – Azure Flames Space Marines
Fire against the transports is ineffective but Thunderhawks are closing in! The other two transports are destroyed by Thunderhawks.
Turn 7 – Tau Shan’al Shi’ur
Escorts take up position to defend the Transports from ordnance, while fire takes down both Strike Cruiser shields but does no damage! I gambled and it paid off.
Turn 7 – Azure Flames Space Marines
Strike Cruiser reloads ordnance, fires torpedoes which kills one Warden and causes the transports to brace. Thunderhawks go after the cruiser for sub-plot success!
Turn 8 – Tau Shan’al Shi’ur
Wardens disengage while the rest of the fleet turns on the Strike cruiser with limited results. Torpedoes and bombers come up empty.
Turn 8 – Azure Flames Space Marines
Strike cruiser chases the transports but can’t quite hurt them. Turn not pictured.
Turn 9 – Tau Shan’al Shi’ur
The transports make a break for it as the fleet once again fails to hurt the strike cruiser.
Turn 9 – Azure Flames Space Marines
One last reload ordnance gets off a boarding torpedo wave that wastes the second to last transport. Game ceded.
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This was a lot closer than most Convoy missions I’ve played. Two mistakes I made. 1: I split Thunderhawk squadrons into smaller groups that turrets could destroy (those were lucky rolls) and 2: I should have boarded one Transport with the Gladius squadron, both together. As it stood I only boarded one one one and lost with a bad roll.
Final word: we need our third player for some variety!
Battlefleet Gothic Campaign – Week 1
Our first game was a scorcher! Tau vs. Space Marines. Due to some unlucky failed Disengage rolls, I lost big time. The Tau Empire expands into the Epps system from their home base in the Talbon system.
This Thursday, hopefully the Imperial Navy will add a third faction. Who will come out on top?
In which I complain like a spoiled child about 7th edition.
There’s a hundred blogs today dissecting 7th edition, breaking the game where they can, explaining differences from 6th and so on. I’m not doing this.
I’m going through and finding things that bug me. What do you expect? I’m a cranky old man. So, here they are as I discover them.
1. Using Malefic and Sanctic powers in inappropriate armies, such as Space Marines summoning daemons or Chaos Sorcerers banishing them. This is not only out of character but possibly game breaking. After all, if your super cool character is about to die, why NOT replace them with a free Greater Daemon?
2. Different weapons in the shooting phase are now resolved completely before the next weapon type goes. So, if you have nine boltguns and a meltagun, and an enemy unit has one model 11″ away, use the meltagun first. If you kill that guy with the boltguns, the meltagun no longer has range, EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS EARLIER THAT ALL GUNS FROM A UNIT FIRE SIMULTANEOUSLY.
3. Models with two pistols can fire both! I’m listing this here because it’s so rare. Seraphim come with two pistols standard. Cypher has a special rule to let him fire both pistols. Will this lead to double-plasma-pistol sergeants? Probably not because that’s 30pts but still that’s silly.
4. Still random charge UGH. However, difficult terrain is now just -2″ which makes charging through difficult terrain an actual viable option rather than a really crappy one.
5. The rumors that you can consolidate into close combat like in 3rd edition were false. I’m not sure it’s fair to complain about a rumor but I’m doing it anyway because Tau are unstoppable right now and close combat in 6th was a joke.
6. All missions have Mysterious Objectives. Unless both players agree not to use them, more random crap will happen every time you touch an objective. None of them are REALLY bad, even the worst one causes some S4 hits. But it’s just more random stuff, and you know how I feel about that.
Wow, that’s actually a short list. Basically, if an opponent doesn’t abuse Malefic or Sanctic and doesn’t want Mysterious Objectives, this is just 6th with better charge rules and more organized psychic rules. Who knows? 7th could be awesome!
Every Edition of 40K is Broken
Despite the downtrodden title of this post, this is actually a life-affriming statement of positivity.
…with a bit of bitching thrown in.
So! Let’s explore the idea behind the title’s premise: all editions of 40K are broken. Yup. Let’s break down each edition and figure out what made each edition so memorable.
Rogue Trader/1st – Never played, but from what I can gather from older grognards this was little better than a roleplaying game. You needed a game master to run it for you. Hardly a game that resembles what modern 40K is. Broken because basically anything went from a narrative standpoint. It wasn’t balanced but it wasn’t supposed to be; it was a way to have fun with models.
2nd – Where the game becomes a real game. Army books and lists become a thing, as do Wargear Cards. Herohammer at its height, powerful characters are all but invincible. Chaos is an unbeatable wave of death. Orks have Pulsa Rokkits.
3rd – The rulebook contains several “black codex” armies that are invalidated by later codexes. Assault is a mess, which hampers assault based armies. Combined with transport vehicles, the “Rhino Rush” rules the day.
3.5 – Updated assault rules make assault a very viable tactic. Blood Angels Death Company and summoned Daemons (especially the White Dwarf rules for Steeds of Slaanesh) make the game about whoever gets the charge. Tau had to be FAQ’d to say that Fire Warriors block line of sight to Suits or Tau would just die.
4th – The Rhino Rush dies a horrible death as Entanglement allows even Fearless units to become pinned! Gunlines are the mainstay. Guard shoot the sun at the enemy. Chaos tools out Daemon Princes with 150pts of wargear and lets them dominate everyone in the face. Vehicles become tombs.
5th – Entanglement is gone, but units can no longer assault out of vehicles. Firepoints turn transports into mobile gun platforms for infantry. New wound allocation rules allow certain units to redistribute wounds creatively, allowing the rise of the “Deathstar.” True Line of Sight terrain rules are introduced because apparently having an imagination is awful. Due to this, forests became harder to model in 40K so the focus shifted to line of sight blocking terrain such as buildings. Only troops can hold objectives. “Kill Points” favored small elite armies.
6th – Random crap becomes common. Roll for psychic powers, warlord traits, charge ranges etc. These random elements make psykers less attractive due to the inclusion of Deny The Witch. Assault is now for losers as random charge ranges make even a close ranged charge a possible failure. Overwatch gives even more penalty to assault. Shooting is king and Tau are the best at shooting so good luck beating Tau. Flyers make a debut and we see necron air lists and chaos dragon lists that dominate.
…so even with all these things broken why is this a positive message? One word: FUN. 40K is supposed to be fun. It will never be perfectly balanced. There’s always going to be a metagame and that meta will favor some armies. Part of the fun is making lists to deal with the meta.
This is why I’m optimistic for 7th. Even though it won’t be balanced. Changing the edition shakes up the meta and makes certain ideas that were valuable useless, while making new ideas better.
Battlefleet Gothic Campaign 2014 – The Laurie’s Hope Subsector
I’ve never been able to play Gothic in a campaign setting. That all changes this Thursday. I’m going to be organizing a Gothic Campaign. See above the custom sector I made while I watched House on Netflix. We have three confirmed players, with the possibility of more. Here are our current players:
Bozeman – Space Marines
Rob – Imperial Navy
Josh – Tau Kor’or’vesh
Josh’s above fleet is mine, and unpainted. I also have a super secret project that is totally not illegal related to it, updates later this week.
Who will be victorious in controlling the Laurie’s Hope subsector? Find out soon!
1500 Azure Flames vs. Nurgle Daemons
Another incredibly satisfying battle at AFK Games! This was against veteran Daemon player Loren who had a fantastically painted Nurgle army. We played 1500 points.
Bozeman – Azure Flames
-Librarian, Mastery Level 2, Terminator Armor, The Shield Eternal (Endurance and Leech Life from Biomancy, Master of Ambush: Outflankers have Acute Senses)
-Terminators x5, Chainfist, Cyclone Missile Launcher
-Land Raider Crusader
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Fist, Combi-Flamer, Flamer, Heavy Bolter in a Rhino with Extra Armor
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Fist, Combi-Flamer, Flamer, Heavy Bolter in a Rhino with Extra Armor
-Scouts x5 in a Land Speeder Storm
-Thunderfire Cannon
-Stormtalon Gunship with Typhoon Missile Launcher
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Loren – Nurgle Chaos Daemons
-Daemon Prince, Mark of Nurgle (Death Incarnate: Melee Attacks cause Instant Death)
-Plaguebearers x14, Etherblade
-Plaguebearers x14, Etherblade
-Plaguebearers x14, Etherblade
-Plaguebearers x14, Etherblade
-Herald of Nurgle, Etherblade
-Herald of Nurgle, Etherblade
-Plague Drones x7, Etherblade
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Mission: Big Guns Never Tire (D3+2 Objectives, we had 5. Heavy Support holds objectives and killing HS earns 1VP)
Setup: Dawn of War (long table edges)
Here’s our board after setup.
No Night Fight, Initiative not seized. I held the Scouts and the Stormtalon in reserve, and Loren held 2 Plaguebearer squads and one Herald in reserve.
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Turn 1 – Chaos Daemons
The Plague Drones move forward towards the Thunderfire Cannon while the Plaguebearers march forward. The Daemon Prince moves to my right.
Drones are Jet Pack Cavalry, so they move fast!
The Daemon Prince goes off on his own.
Turn 1 – Azure Flames
Ineffectual firing puts a few wounds on the Plague Drones. 3 of 4 Thunderfire shots scatter off target.
Aiming is hard!
Turn 2 – Chaos Daemons
The Plague Drones assault and kill the Thunderfire Cannon, and put three glancing results on the Land Raider. Other forces advance. One unit of Plaguebearers deep strikes.
The Drones are incredibly effective.
Turn 2 – Azure Flames
Rhino-mounted Tactical Squads, the Land Speeder Storm, and the Stormtalon make short work of the deep-struck Plaguebearers out in the open. Land Raider backs up and fire from it and the Terminators remove two Plague Drones.
Fire cleanses Plaguebearers very well!
The Land Raider makes a last desperate effort to fight.
Turn 3 – Chaos Daemons
Daemon Prince charges Terminators. The Prince Challenges the Librarian, but the fight is ineffectual. The Plague Drones charge and wreck the Land Raider. The last squad of Plague Bearers deep strikes as the other two squads on foot claim two objectives.
The Daemon Prince gets stuck in, while the Drones finish the Land Raider.
Turn 3 – Azure Flames
Rhino mounted tatsquads kill 1/2 of the Plaguebearers that deep struck. The Daemon Prince/Librarian fight continues, and the Shield Eternal saves the Librarian from Instant Death as he takes a wound.
More cleansing.
The Librarian is in trouble!
Turn 4 – Chaos Daemons
Disaster! The Plague Drones charge the Terminators. The Daemon Prince finishes off the Librarian, but the Plague Drones take five wounds from Terminators and do none in return! Daemonic Instability rolls go insane and the Prince and the Drones are eliminated! The Deep-struck Plaguebearers charge a Rhino and wreck it.
The Daemons vanish!
Hey! You trashed our ride!
Turn 4 – Azure Flames
The Tactical squad takes revenge on the Plaguebearers and eliminates them. The Terminators charge the Plaguebearers in the nearby building, but poor rolls lose one Terminator and no plaguebearers!
The charge is less than effective…
Hmmmm… Whattaya think? Fire? Is fire a good idea? I’m thinking fire. Let’s try fire and see what happens.
Turn 5 – Chaos Daemons
A challenge by the Terminator Sergeant ends poorly and the lone remaining Terminator breaks and flees. Turn not pictured.
Turn 5 – Azure Flames
The remaining Tactical Squad in the Rhino puts the hurt on a Plaguebearer squad, and claims the objective. The other tactical squad and the Scouts claim two others. Game ends.
Shoot-em-up!
Claimed!
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Final Score
Azure Flames have 3 objectives for 9VPs plus Slay the Warlord for 10
Chaos Daemons have 2 objectives for 6VPs plus two Heavy Support Kills, Slay The Warlord, and First Blood for 10, a tie!
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This was an amazing game! I wish I had put my Thunderfire Cannon in a better place as I practically fed it to Loren. I got a bit lucky with the Daemon Prince fight, but previously the Terminator Librarian kept failing to wound or the Prince made saves. This was great fun. Next time I’m bringing Sternguard to fight those pesky Plague Drones!
1500 Azure Flames vs. Steel Circle (Imperial Fists)
Another fantastic batrep thanks to the good folks at AFK! This game was against Mike, who’s been playing a while, but is a newcomer to AFK. Hopefully we see more of him and his fantastic Imperial Fists successor the Steel Circle!
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Bozeman – Azure Flames (Salamanders)
-Leonidas, Captain of the 1st Company (counts as Vulkan He’Stan)
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Fist, Combi-Melta, Meltagun, Multi-Melta in a Drop Pod
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Fist, Combi-Flamer, Flamer, Multi-Melta in a Rhino with Extra Armor
-Vindicator with a Siege Shield
-Ironclad Dreadnought, Chainfist, Ironclad Launchers in a Drop Pod with a Locator Beacon
-Stormtalon Gunship with Typhoon Missile Launcher
-Bike Squad x8 with Attack Bike, Veteran Sergeant, Power Fist, Melta Bombs, 2x Meltagun, Multi-Melta
-Land Speeder, Multimelta
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Mike – Steel Circle (Imperial Fists)
-Darnath “Beatstick” Lysander
-Assault Termintors x5, 2x Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield
-Land Raider Crusader
-Techmarine
-Sternguard x10, 3x Combi-Meltas, 2x Combi-Plasma in a Drop Pod
-Tactical Squad x10, Plasma Pistol, Plasma Gun, Multi-Melta in a Drop Pod
-Tactical Squad x10, Plasma Gun, Missile Launcher in a Drop Pod
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Mission: The Relic (one movable objective)
Setup: Dawn of War (long table edges)
Mike set up first, here’s our setup:
The whole board
Lysander, the Terminators, and the Techmarine are in the Land Raider Crusader
My units are spread out and hiding from the inevitable Drop Pod storm.
Initiative not seized. No night fight.
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Turn 1 – Steel Circle
Lysander’s Land Raider moves up 12″ and Power of the Machine Spirit lets it take out two of the five bikes facing it. The Stenguard and the Tactical Squad with a Plasma Pistol drop pod in near Leonidas and the Tactical Squad in the building. The Sternguard blow the bike combat squad away. Leonidas’ squad loses its sergeant and Leonidas takes a wound.
Lysander surges forward toward the Relic.
Steel Rain falls on the Azure Flames.
Turn 1 – Azure Flames
Tactical Squad in Drop Pod arrives behind the Land Raider. The remaining bikes move forward, but even with the bikes, the Tactical Squad and the Vindicator the Land Raider only takes two glancing hits! Combined fire from Leonidas and his Tactical Squad put the hurt on the Sternguard, and then assault them, leaving only one alive. The Land Speeder gives a penetrating result to the Tactical Squad’s Drop Pod and removes the Storm Bolter, turning it into a rock.
Land Raiders are built tough! …plus I rolled horribly
One remaining Sternguard stands before Leonidas and the Tactical Squad.
Another bad melta roll makes the Drop Pod useless.
Turn 2 – Steel Circle
The Land Raider turns around, and in an incredibly good flurry of rolls with split fire, kills the meltagun in one squad, and the multi-melta in another! The last Sternguard falls to Leonidas. The Tacitcal Marines kill one of the combat squad in the building and the Land Speeder.
Trick shot! All Melta removed!
The bike squad is avenged by Leonidas.
Land Speeder goes down in a hail of plasma fire.
Turn 2 – Azure Flames
The bikes move up and wreck the Land Raider. Subsequent Vindicator fire and a bad Look Out Sir roll kills four of the five Terminators, and the Techmarine, and puts a wound on Lysander who shakes it off due to Eternal Warrior. Lysander and one Lightning Claw Terminator break and run for cover in the nearby building. The Ironclad Dreadnought arrives, as does the Stormtalon. The Dreadnought, Stormtalon, and the Combat Squad in the building kill all of the combat squad but the Sergeant. Leonidas and his remaining squad assault the other combat squad and kill all but the Multi-Melta, who doesn’t break.
An incredibly good turn takes out most of the Terminators!
The Tactical Squad is mostly dealt with.
Turn 3 – Steel Circle
Lysander and the Terminator regroup and assault one of the combat squads. The squad dies horribly. Leonidas finishes the multi-melta and advances towards the objective. The remaining sergeant charges the combat squad in the building, but no one dies.
Lysander gets things done!
Alas, poor multi-melta…
Charge!
Turn 3 – Azure Flames
The combat with the lone sergeant goes nowhere fast as a flurry of whiffs occurs. Leonidas and the Dreadnought run for the objective, as does the remaining part of the other tactical squad. Bad scatter from the Vindicator goes onto the a bike! However a lucky jink save keeps him alive.
OK, so should I hit you or should you hit me?
Keep your eyes on the prize.
The tank shot his own guy, but don’t worry! He shouted FORE!
Turn 4 – Steel Circle
Lysander fails a charge against the bikes from four inches away! The last Steel Circle tactical squad arrives via drop pod, and kills the remaining two tacitcal marines with Leonidas. The lone sergeant kills one tactical marine but finally goes down!
Leonidas is all alone…
Took them long enough!
Turn 4 – Azure Flames
Leonidas joins the tactical squad running away from Lysander, and the sergeant of that squad picks up the objective. The Vindicator kills the Lighting Claw Terminator. The newly arrived tactical squad takes fire from the Stormtalon and Drop Pods, and Dreadnought and is then charged by the Dreadnought.
Did anyone bring melta bombs?
Turn 5 – Steel Circle
Lysander charges Leonidas and a mighty Challenge ensues! …where nothing happens. The Dreadnought continues to wear down the tactical squad.
Whiffing on the first round of combat is a tradition during this game.
Turn 5 – Azure Flames
The Stormtalon kills a Drop Pod, and the Tactical Squad kills the damaged one. The Dreadnought kills the tactical squad down to 3. Leonidas does one wound to Lysander, and takes none in return! Lysander breaks but succeeds in his re-roll so stays.
Fight!
Turn 6 – Steel Circle
Dreadnought kills no one in the Tactical Squad. Lysander and Leonidas continue to duel ineffectually.
The fights continue.
Turn 6 – Azure Flames
More ineffectual fighting. Game ends.
Final score: Azure Flames have the objective for 3 points, plus Linebreaker for 4 total. Steel Circle has First Blood for 1.
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Wow! What a fun game. I haven’t had this good of a time playing for a while. Honestly this was due to Mike’s painted army. Its just not the same fighting someone whose army is not painted. Plus Mike challenged me tactically like I haven’t been in a while. Lysander is also incredible. Mike failed a 2+ Look Out Sir roll for the Techmarine and had he succeeded (multiple times) he could have distributed the Vindicator’s shots to Lysander who would have laughed off the S10 ordnance. One thing not mentioned above is that 3 of the 5 drop pods in this game scattered 10″ or more! This was a game full of unlikely rolls, which happens.
Next: more batreps, hopefully some painted minis, and possibly a GOTHIC CAMPAIGN? We shall see!
A Funeral for Specialist Games
Specialist Games has been unsupported for a while now. If you’re unfamiliar with me and my site, just look to the upper right. I’m a huge cheerleader for Specialist Games. I shed a tear when they stopped selling, but at least they kept the rules online for free. It was a nice nod to the past.
The new Games Workshop website puts an end to that. No more specialist. Pour out a ’40 for them; they’re gone for good.
That’s not to say they’re DEAD. You can still find the files online in several places. I am considering building a Specialist Shrine right here on Four Strands Hobby just to make the files available to myself and others.
If you play specialist, KEEP IT ALIVE. Share it. Lend armies or fleets to friends. Our friends are not gone so long as we remember them.
1850 Speed Freeks vs. Draigowing
Another AFK bat rep! Took a while for me to get this done as I’ve been busy, but this happened a week ago.
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Bozeman – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
-Manik Upzindowns (counts as Wazzdakka Gutzmek)
-Big Mek, Burna, Kustom Force Field, Attack Squig, ‘Eavy Armour, Bosspole
-15 Burnas
-Battlewagon, Deffrolla, 3x Big Shootas
-Warbikes x10, Nob, Power Klaw, Bosspole (counts as Troops)
-Slugga Boys x12, Nob, Power Klaw, ‘Eavy Armour (Nob only) Bosspole in a Trukk with a Red Paint Job, Armour Plates and Reinforced Ram
-Shoota Boys x12, Nob, Power Klaw, ‘Eavy Armour (Nob only) Bosspole in a Trukk with a Red Paint Job, Armour Plates and Reinforced Ram
-Shoota Boys x12, Nob, Power Klaw, ‘Eavy Armour (Nob only) Bosspole in a Trukk with a Red Paint Job, Armour Plates and Reinforced Ram
-Shoota Boys x12, Nob, Power Klaw, ‘Eavy Armour (Nob only) Bosspole in a Trukk with a Red Paint Job, Armour Plates and Reinforced Ram
-Deffkoptas x3, Twin Linked Rokkit Launchas
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Grey Knights
-Lord Mary Sue Kaldor Draigo
-Paladins x10, 4x Psycannon, Psycannon rounds, Various weapons
-Grey Knight Strike Squad x5, Psilencer
-Stormraven Gunship, TL Lascannon, TL Multi-Melta, Mindstrike Missiles
-Nemesis Dreadknight, Incinerator, Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon
-Dreadnought, 2x Twin Linked Autocannons, Psycannon Rounds
-Dreadnought, 2x Twin Linked Autocannons, Psycannon Rounds
-Vindicare Assassin (proxied Dark Eldar Model)
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The Board
Mission: Big Guns Never Tire (D3+2 Objectives, we had 5, plus Heavy Support are Scoring and offer 1VP when killed)
Setup: Hammer and Anvil (Short Board Edges)
The Grey Knights won setup, deployed close up with the Paladins and Strike Squad. The Vindicare set up in a central building and scout-moved past the deployment zone line. The Dreadknight set up behind that building. Both Dreadnoughts set up in ruins near objectives. How did they climb up those ruins? Shut up, that’s how!
I clustered my four Trukks around the Battlewagon with the Mek and Burnas inside. Nearby, Manik Upzindownz joined the bikes. To my extreme right the Deffkoptas secured the flank, and scout-moved ahead.
Board Setup
This Vindicare Assassin is cleverly disguised as a Dark Eldar. Has he been swiping the Callidus’ Polymorphine?
Grey Knights fear no Xenos.
LINE UP FER A FIGHT, LADZ!
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SIEZE INITIATIVE SUCCESSFUL!
Turn 1 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
The Deffkoptas moved up my right flank, and with two fantastic shots took out the Dreadnought on the 3rd floor of the ruins! Manik Upzindownz and his bikes turbo-boost to get around an obstacle, but because Wazzdakka’s Bike of the Aporkalypse can shoot after Turbo boosting, he insta-kills the Vindicare assassin! The other vehicles move up in a cluster to share the Kustom Force Field love.
The question of how the Dreadnought got up there is now moot.
The Vindicare is killed outright by Manik’s bike full of Dakka!
Wall o’ Trukks!
Turn 1 – Grey Knights
Draigo and his Paladins move up, shoot, and assault the Bikes. Draigo himself kills Manik Upzindownz in a challenge. The Dreadknight flames the Deffkoptas, killing one and breaking the squad! Psyfleman Dreadnought blows up the Trukk with the Sluggas inside and kills 6.
Let’s get outta ‘ere!
The Paladins do what they do best: everything.
Turn 2 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
Surviving Sluggas plus one of the three Shoota squads assault the 5-man Strike Team. The Shoota Nob is killed, but the Strike Team is wiped out. The Battlewagon moves up and puts 16 flamer templates on the Paladins for an impressive 56 wounds! Failed Look Out Sir rolls put 2 wounds on Draigo and kill a handful of Paladins, but the squad survives due to their two wounds and some great rolls. (wound allocation and look out sir made this step take FOREVER) One of the Trukks zooms ahead, while the last one dumps its shoota boys on an objective so they can hose down the Paladins, but they don’t hurt any.
Good bye power armour Grey Knights!
After the flames wash over them, Draigo and the Paladins are damaged but still fight on!
Turn 2 – Grey Knights
The Stormraven comes in and blasts the Battlewagon with a Power of the Machine Spirit Multi-Melta, and then turns the lascannon and two missiles on the Burnas, killing many. Draigo and his guys kill a few more, and the Burnas break but a bosspole re-roll from the Big Mek holds them! The Dreadknight hops 30″ and flames the Sluggas, killing them down to the Nob. The Dreadnought pops open the blue Trukk, killing a few Orks, who are pinned but overcome pinning thanks to a bosspole and a lucky armor save!
Goodbye Battlewagon!
The Orks are getting whittled down…
Turn 3 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
Shoota Boyz and the surviving Slugga Nob try to assault the Dreadnought, but fail spectacularly in a flurry of crappy charge rolls. The Shoota boys from the wrecked trukk and the surviving burnas put more hits on the Paladins and kill one, but once again fail to charge.
The Orks could not charge. There must have been a butterfly distracting them.
Butterflies abound! Another failed charge roll.
Turn 3 – Grey Knights
The Orks take a shellacking. Suffice to say, the only Orks left alive after this turn are the Shoota Nob from the blue trukk, the Yellow Trukk, and the regrouped Deffkoptas. Game ceded.
The Nob makes a break for the objective, but he’ll never get there.
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OOF! Finally, a loss at AFK! Damn Draigo and his Paladins are hardcore. There seems to be few options to kill them other than low AP guns. The Speed Freeks are also at a HUGE hindrance in 6th if they have to charge through difficult terrain. Oh well, live and learn.
Next: Tonight is 40K club again. Look for an upcoming report, and possibly a Battlefleet Gothic Campaign!
1850 Ork D3 list extravaganza!
The past few months I have been attending game night at AFK games with the Azure Flames, but the Marines are actually a bit too good. Their list is modern and competitive. I needed a challenge.
This sounds like a job for the Orks! Especially because I have no aircraft. So I had an idea. I’d make three lists and choose which one to use in a game randomly. One, a Ghazgkhull green tide footslog, one a Speed Freek mounted, and one a ridiculous shooty list. All 1850 points.
I found a willing opponent in Mr. Cat, covered in one of my previous batreps. However, Mr. Cat did not have the means to play an 1850 game, and so borrowed several assets from Stephen, another of my frequent opponents. After he banged together an 1850 list, I rolled a D3 and chose my Ghazgkhull footlsog, led by none other than Warboss Poindexta Smartyskull, the Ork with two brains. Here’s our lists:
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WAAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
-Poindexta Smartyskull (counts as Ghazgkhull Thraka)
-Big Mek, Burna, Kustom Force Field, ‘Eavy Armour, Attack Squig
-Meganobz x10, Kombi-Skorcha, 5x Kombi-Rokkits
-Slugga Boyz x30, Nob, ‘Eavy Armour, Power Klaw, 3x Rokkit Launcher, Bosspole
-Shoota Boyz x30, Nob, ‘Eavy Armour, Power Klaw, 3x Rokkit Launcher, Bosspole
-‘Ard Slugga Boyz x12, Nob, Power Klaw, Bosspole, Rokkit Launcha
-Deffdred, 2x Rokkit Launcha, Armour Plates
-Killa Kans x3, 3x Grotzookas
-Lootas x10
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Mr. Cat – Crimson Fists
-Librarian, level 2 psyker, knows Haemorhage and Puppet Master
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Sword, Heavy Bolter in a Rhino
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Sword, Heavy Bolter in a Rhino
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Plasma Pistol, Flamer, Missile Launcher in a Rhino
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Plasma Pistol, Flamer, Missile Launcher in a Rhino
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Plasma Pistol, Flamer, Missile Launcher (on foot)
-Vindicator
-Whirlwhind
-Devastator Squad x5, 2x Heavy Bolters, Lascannon, Multimelta, Plasma Pistol
-Scouts x5, Heavy Bolter
-Vanguard Veterans x10, Jump Packs, Power Sword and Combat Shield on Sergeant, 1x Power Axe, 2x Power Sword, 1x Plasma Pistol
-Land Speeder
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Mission: Purge the Alien (every unit killed yields a victory point)
Setup: Vanguard Strike (opposing table corners)
Here’s our table. Mr. Cat won the roll to deploy and chose the corner in the lower left of the below picture.
Here’s Mr. Cat’s setup. Note that in this setup there is no Land Speeder. Mr. Cat accidentally purchased Sergeant Chronus for the Vindicator (a good buy, but illegal with Imperial Fists doctrine) and so I let him switch Chronus for the Speeder on turn 1.
Here’s my setup
Both of our Warlord Traits has no bearing on the game. Initiative not seized, no Night Fight.
Turn 1 – Crimson Fists
Three Tactical Squads in Rhinos move up along the left side of the board, supported by the Vindicator, and the Land Speeder. Two more tactical squads and the Librarian go up the right side. The Librarian casts Puppet Master on the Killa Kans and the Kans fire on the Meganobz, to no effect. Fire begins to whittle down the Slugga Boyz despite their 5+ cover save thanks to the Kustom Force Field. The Devastators put a wound on Poindexta Smartyskull and another Meganob. The Vindicator kills two ‘Ard Boyz and the Whirlwind misses.
A wall of ceramite advances.
Slugga Boyz take the brunt of some Heavy Bolter fire.
Smartyskull takes a Lascannon for the team, and another Nob is wounded by Heavy Bolter fire.
Psychic tomfoolery turns the Grotzookas on the Meganobz, but Mega Armour shrugs off the blasted scrap.
Turn 1 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
The Killa Kans charge a nearby Rhino and pop it open, killing two Space Marines in the explosion. The Green Tide advances at a run. The Lootas open up on one of the Rhinos and remove two hull points.
The Kans smash a Rhino open.
The Meganobz Run for the river to avoid the Vindicator.
The Green Tide is called that for a reason.
Loota fire damages a Rhino.
Turn 2 – Crimson Fists
The Tactical Squad that had been in the Rhino along with the Librarian’s Tatsquad throw two Krak Grenades and kill a Killa Kan, then one squad assaults, whiffs, and loses a marine. They break and flee. Poindexta Smartyskull calls his WAAAAGH! and get a 2+ invulneable save which fails twice, taking him down to 1 wound remaining thanks to the Devastators. Squads jump out of their Rhinos and shoot some more Slugga Boyz. Whirlwind kills one Loota. The Vindicator kills all but one ‘Ard boy and the Big Mek.
Smartyskull fails two 2+ invulnerable saves!
The whittling continues.
Turn 2 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
Grotzookas and a charge break the Librarian’s tactical squad and put a wound on the Librarian. Thanks to Smartyskull’s WAAAAGH! the Orks all run 6″.
Shotguuuuuuuuun… Nobody ever thinks about it.
The Green Tide Surges forward.
Turn 3 – Crimson Fists
The two Tactical Squads use Krak Grenades and a Krak Missile to finish off the last two Kans. After skulking behind a rock, the Vanguard Veterans jump out and assault the Slugga Boyz. The Slugga Boyz nob calls out the Vanguard Sergeant and turns him into Cowboy Sauce, but the rest of the fight does not favor the Sluggas and they get wiped out down to the Nob who amazingly does not break! The Big Mek is also lost in this fight, so goodbye 5+ cover save!
Kans are eliminated!
There goes the Big Mek. Luckily the Nob survives!
Turn 3 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
The Meganobz and the Deffdred countercharge the Vanguards. Smartyskull personally kills 6 Vanguards and the rest are taken care of as well. 
The Meganobz eat the Vanguard Veterans for lunch!
…almost there!
Turn 4 – Crimson Fists
With the Sluggas gone the Shootas now start taking fire. The tactical squads take refuge in the Ork deployment zone. The Land Speeder zooms forward to try to kill the last ‘Ard boy, but a lucky cover save keeps the ‘Ard Boy alive.
The Shootas lose some guys as the Land Speeder makes a desperate ploy for one more kill point.
The Librarian gets Linebreaker by moving into the Ork deploment zone.
Turn 4 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
The Green Tide arrives as the Shootas assault one Tactical Squad and the Meganobz assault another. The Meganobz wipe out their squad but a poor roll to hit keeps the Shootas in combat. The Slugga Boy Nob and the last ‘Ard Boy stay out of sight to try to save their Kill Points.
The Green Tide washes ashore!
Preserving Kill Points through cowardice!
Turn 5 – Crimson Fists
The Scouts join the fight with the Shootas, but poor rolls all around lead the fight nowhere. The Vindicator fires on the Meganobz, but a poor scatter and a lucky cover save preserves the Meganobz
The Scouts join the scrum!
Turn 5 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
Smartyskull splits off from the Meganobz and assaults the large fight, but a poor assault means the Orks lose. Smartyskull stays in the fight, but the Shoota Boyz break and flee! The other Meganobz use a Disordered Charge to eat a Tactical Squad and the Rhino in one assault phase. The Deffdred assaults the Vindicator, but fails to kill it. The Lootas kill the Land Speeder. Game ends.
LET’S GET OUTTA HERE! DA BOSS CAN TAKE DEM BEEKIES!
Smash! Stomp! Kill!
Rawr! Erm. Hi. You wanna be friends?
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Final Score
Crimson Fists: 3 + Linebreaker for a total of 4
WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!: 7 + Linebreaker + First Blood for a total of 9
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Post-Game Analysis
WAAAAAAGH! What a fight! Our lack of aircraft made this an old school Green Tide vs. Marine Gunline battle. Mr. Cat’s list was a hodgepodge; an artifact of not having enough marines to make a coherent list. That being said, the Crimson Fists doctrine is fantastic against low armor enemies. Anyone with a Bolter is essentially BS 3.5 and they can bring a lot of Bolters. The Ork Footslog list is actually not bad. It needs Ghazgkull for a turn 2 6″ run to make a turn 3 charge possible. However, another Big Mek with Kustom Force Field might have been nice so that the tide could spread out. However, I’ve never been a fan of spamming non-Troops choices, so I’m satisfied with this list.
Next week: I’ll try one of the other two lists!