CHAOS SPACE MARINES versus Death Guard

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Steve
Mission: Cleanse
Level: Gamma
1st turn: Death Guard
Points: 1000
Location: Moluca, The Salazar Systems
Background: 988.M41 A mysterious plague decimates the population of the tiny agri-world of Moluca. Suspecting foul play, the Exigators investigate and find a Nurgle Death Cult infecting the innocent citizens. A lightning raid on the cult headquarters reveals the true nature of the threat; Deathguard Chaos Space Marines.

Chaos Space Marines (lone pilgrim)

• Chaos Lord Ferocitor - Mark of Chaos Undivided, Dark Blade, Close Combat Weapon, Daemonic Speed, Daemonic Stature, Daemonic Strength, Daemonic Visage
• 2 Obliterators
• Squad Infractis – 6 Chaos Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, Bolt pistols and Close combat weapons, Aspiring Champion with Power fist
• Squad Profuge - 5 Chaos Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, Bolt guns, Plasma gun, Lascannon
• Squad Abraxar - 5 Chaos Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, Bolt guns, Plasma gun, Missile Launcher
• 8 Furies
• Squad Imber - 6 Havocs, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, Bolt guns, 4 Heavy Bolters
  

Death Guard

• Lord with plasma pistol and powerfist
  
• 2x7 man Deathguard units with 2 plasma guns in Rhinos
  
• Dreadnought with autocannon
  
• 7 Man Havoc squad with lots of plasma and melta
  
• 7 Plaguebearers

Terrain and Deployment
Steve and I had a bit of a tussle about the terrain before the game began. Being a close range army, and worrying about my long range superiority, Steve wanted the large, low central hill to block all line of sight. Normally I would just let this go but I really have a bug about terrain at the moment. I am shocked at how little people know about the new 4th edition rules (size 3 terrain - what's that then?) and I especially hate players just calling everything area terrain. It's okay as an abstraction, when you have uniquely modeled terrain, but for a hill? No way. The rulebook is very specific about this, so I stood my ground. In the end we rolled a d6 and the decision went in my favour.

Steve won the choice of table quarter and took the one holding a large building. I had a stone circle and forest to the right of my deployment zone and a small wood on my right. Other than that massive hill there was very little extra terrain.

I had Squad Infractis behind the wood on my right, with Ferocitor behind to back them up. Squad Abraxar started on the hill right out in the open, pushing the Deathguard back, and Squad Krall gave covering fire from the wood on my left. I infiltrated Squad Imber to my extreme left and Squad Profuge to my extreme right. The Furies and Obliterators would show up later on.

Steve had his two Rhino squads dismounted in front of the building in the middle, with his Havoc squad and Dreadnought inside.

The game
Steve won first turn and mounted both squads in their Rhinos, zoomed them forward 12", popped the hatches and rapid fired their plasma guns at Squad Abraxar.

My priority was to stop both transports ASAP and I achieved this in my first turn. Steve then didn't know whether to stick or twist with the entangled squads as they were on top of the hill and a long way from the rest of my army. By the time he made a desperate attempt to reach my models I had whittled them down with Squad Imber and I finished them off before they made combat.

Steve got his Lord and Daemons into assault with Squad Infractis in the woods but I piled in Ferocitor and the Furies and came out just on top. Fortunately, I had 50% of my Furies left and they grabbed a table quarter (going second is useful for something!).

My Obliterators dropped in to take on the Dread and Havocs but I rolled abysmally and failed to kill a thing. I was wiped out by return fire. Nevertheless I had won the game comfortably, and claimed three table quarters to Steve's one.

Result: Win - Decisive victory.

Commendations

• Furies.

Learning points

• My army worked much better in this game than my earlier ones, due to the assault squad. It was too small, though, and could do with being strengthened.
• This was my first bad game with the Obliterators; I hope it is just a one-off.