DAEMONHUNTERS versus Space Marines

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Jamie
Mission: Cleanse
1st turn: Daemonhunters
Points: 1000

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Kurven, Psycannon, Purity Seals, Gun Servitor, Plasma Cannon, Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Targeter, 2 x Imperial Guard Veteran, Plasma Gun, Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Targeter, 2 x Sage, Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol
• Daemonhost
• 2 x Death-Cult Assassins
• Eversor Assassin
• 10 x Inquisitorial Stormtroopers, Veteran, Hell gun, Plasma Pistol, Melta bombs, Targeter, 2 x Meltagun, Rhino, Smoke Launchers
• 10 x Inquisitorial Stormtroopers, Veteran, Bolt Pistol, Power Weapon, Targeter, 2 x Flamer, Rhino, Extra Armour, Hunter-killer Missile, Smoke
• Armoured Fist Squad (inducted Imperial Guard), Sergeant, Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol, Flamer, Chimera, Multilaser, Heavy Bolter, Smoke Launchers
  

Crimson Fist Space Marines

• Chaplain with apothecary, techmarine, standard bearer, veteran with powerfist and 5 marines all in rhino with extra armour
• 9 man devastator squad with 4 heavy bolters
• 2x 6 man tactical squads with lascannon and plasma cannon
• 5 scouts with 3 sniper rifles and heavy bolter
• 6 scouts with bolt pistols and close combat weapons

Terrain and Deployment
We played this game on the 4'x4' city fight board. I lost the roll for choosing the table quarter and my opponent put me in the quarter with (relatively) open terrain while his troops mostly set up in a ruined building. He had his devastators on the corner of the building with a commanding view of the battlefield, his two tactical squads were flanking the devastators and the sniper scouts were next to his tactical squad on my left. His HQ squad in the rhino were to my right and the close combat scouts were in the front of his army.

In opposition I placed my chimera front and forward behind some rubble to get hull down. The guardsmen were safely ensconced inside. I placed a rhino to each side ready to speed toward his lines and then all the assassins were hidden behind the vehicles. My Inquisitor was in the open on my right flank to threaten the Crimson Fists HQ.

Turn 1
I won first turn and zoomed both rhinos forward 12" popping smoke as they went. The assassins advanced behind the rhinos trying to keep out of sight. The chimera remained stationary as it had a clear line of sight to the enemy rhino. In a spectacular round of shooting it blew the rhino up with its multi-laser and killed two marines inside. Result!

The only other shooting I had was the Inquisitor and retinue at the devastators. The plasma guns were out of range but I rolled to see if they overheated anyway, got snake eyes and failed a save. Scratch one Imperial Guard veteran. Fortunately the plasma cannon servitor and Inquisitor Kurven's psycannon accounted for two marines. (What a pigs ear I made of this unit's shooting phase! First I could have used the veterans targeters to check whether the plasma guns were in range BEFORE I shot and second, I could have used a sage to re-roll one of the ones but because I hadn't shot with the plasma cannon I didn't. Of course the cannon rolled a straight six to hit.)

In return the Fists devastators killed the Inquisitors entire retinue and even wounded the big man himself! Fortunately for me the rest of his shots either bounced off the chimera's armour 12 hull or negated by the smoked rhinos. The only movement was his bolt pistol armed scouts moving toward my army into some rubble and his HQ squad moving forward toward my centre/right flank.

Turn 2
I sped the two storm trooper rhinos forward once again and disgorged the occupants. The melta gunners were lined up against the scouts in the rubble and only killed three, while the flamer squad hit the HQ unit and killed four marines (taking them below half strength and unable to take table quarters). The Inquisitor and chimera reduced the devastators by two models and thus my shooting was over. The Eversor assassin and both stormtrooper squads charged into the surviving scouts who were killed to a man. Everyone swept but I rolled poorly and only one storm trooper squad contacted the devastators - who of course could shoot before the next assault phase.

By the end of the Fists shooting phase I only had eight storm troopers alive and three of those were falling back, never to return. Kurven also took a further wound but hung on in there with a single wound remaining. The Chaplain and his surviving retinue (including a veteran sergeant with a powerfist) assaulted the Eversor but only managed to knock a wound off him, while he killed the powerfist in return.

Turn 3
The Daemonhost arrived but scattered away to my left 10". Well, at least he was close to a tactical squad and could threaten it at some point. More shots were exchanged with the devastators; the (detached) techmarine falling to the rhino hunter killer missile and a heavy bolter marine finally dying - only three more to go! My surviving stormtroopers flamed a tactical squad, killed 3 men and forced it to fall back. With that squad out of assault range they charged the Chaplain and helped to kill a marine, outnumber them and forced them to fall back. But I still rolled badly for my pursues, both the Eversor and the stormtroopers falling short.

The marines shot virtually everything they had into the assassin and the storm troopers and wiped them from the board. The only other shooting was at a death cult assassin who passed her 5+ dodge, and at a rhino whose storm bolter was blown off.

Turn 4
Minimal shooting now as the rhinos came back toward my lines, trying to stay alive and mobile so as to claim table quarters later on. The Guardsmen exited the chimera to hold my starting quarter, and the death cult assassins raced forward eager to get into assault range, while the Daemonhost moved into position to charge next turn. The chimera and Inquisitor took on the devastators again and took them below half strength. Hurrah! One assassin made it into the tactical squad on my left but failed to kill any marines and they all piled in.

The chaplain and HQ on the right moved toward my lines and the tactical squad next to them took pot-shots at the chimera which shrugged them off. The remaining devastators hit the damaged rhino and only prevented it from shooting next turn. The sniper scouts moved forward to get closer to another table quarter and away from the death cult assassin fighting the tactical marines. In that combat the assassin was wounded and killed one marine.

Turn 5
One rhino moved to my left next to a ruined building, shielded from most long range fire. My other waited patiently behind the chimera, ready to claim another table quarter on turn 6. My unengaged death cult assassin moved toward the Chaplain, blocking their route to the first rhino. This time the chimera shot at the sniper scouts and killed two, while the Inquisitor still duked it out with the devastators but failed to kill any. My assassin fell to the tactical squad in combat but the Daemonhost arrived killing two marines. Unfortunately for me the marines passed their morale check.

In return the sniper scouts moved again toward the other board quarter. The Chaplain gunned down the assassin in front of him and was now threatening the rhino next turn. The tactical squad with the lascannon and plasma gun shot at the chimera again and only stopped it from shooting while the devastator's heavy bolter shots pattered off the rhino's hull like summer rain. Another marine fell to the Daemonhost but they caused a wound in return and the combat continued.

Turn 6
Make or break time for Kill-Team Kurven!

With the chimera unable to fire I did a 'Dukes of Hazard' over the rubble and drove into the Fist starting quarter (and then forgot to pop its smoke). The rhino behind it zoomed into the quarter on my left while the second rhino remained stationary to claim the one on my right. With the guardsmen in my starting quarter I was now contesting all four quarters. Kurven levelled his psycannon at the tactical marines with the lascannon but their armour held and my guardsmen took some cheeky lasgun shots at the Chaplain but he and his remaining men were unharmed. The Daemonhost finally killed the remnants of the tactical squad and tried to sweep toward the scouts only to fall short (what was it with my sweeping advances today?).

So the Crimson fists had the sniper scouts move to contest one quarter vs the rhino. Their devastators opened up on the guardsmen, killing six to deny me my own quarter. The tactical squad shot at the chimera with its rapid firing plasma gun and a lascannon and failed to kill it so that quarter was also contested. This meant it was up to the Chaplain to melta bomb the last rhino and claim a draw. He promptly rolled a one on the damage chart and the Daemonhunters carried the day. Phew!

Result: Win

Learning points

• A cracking game against a good opponent. We had no arguments about terrain or rules, instead we just got stuck in.
• This army list is shaping up to be quite tasty. The Eversor keeps making it into the assault and clawing his meagre points back and all the transports make for a dynamic, competitive force.
• I've begun to use the chimera as a mobile bunker rather than as a transport and its working. I think I may add a heavy stubber to it for even more shooty goodness.
  

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Black Templars Space Marines

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: ?
Mission: Take and hold
1st turn: Black Templars Space Marines
Points: 1000

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Severus, Daemonhammer, Bolt pistol, Holocaust, Icon of the Just, 2x Acolytes, Power Armour, Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, Combat Servitor, 2x Mystics, Rhino with Smoke Launcher
• 3 x Death Cult Assassin
• Daemonhost
• Squad Matoso, 9 Stormtroopers, 2x Flamers, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon and Krak Grenades, Rhino, Smoke launchers and Extra Armour
• Squad Seralvo, 7 Stormtroopers, 2x Grenade Launchers
• Squad Vargas, 7 Stormtroopers, 2x Plasma Guns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma pistol, Auspex and Krak Grenades
• Squad Godirtho, 6 Stormtroopers, 2x Meltaguns
  

Black Templars Space Marines

• Emperor's champion
• Chaplain with retinue
• 5 Terminators
• 2 large marine squads

Deployment
I held the central ruined building which was the objective and I set up my three storm trooper squads on foot in or near the building. My opponent set up his largest marine squad, the Emperor's champion and his terminators in his centre to advance upon the ruined building, his chaplain and retinue took the right and his other tactical squad stood to my left (it had a lascannon).

The game
He did well early on and destroyed two storm trooper squads leaving the objective empty. My last storm trooper squad, Vargas, was stuck in a fire fight with his lascannon armed tactical squad.

The cavalry arrived in the shape of the Daemonhost who teleported in near the chaplain and killed the whole squad over a few turns of close combat. He also managed to force a pinning test on the terminators and they failed, keeping them out of the building for a turn. Squad Matoso barrelled up in their rhino parking it right in the centre of the building and thinned out the large tactical squad with their flamers. The assassins began to work their way forward.

Squad Matoso were then charged by the tactical squad and the Emperor's champion and a massive ruck developed on the objective. The terminators charged in and destroyed the rhino, the assassins leapt forward and took out the terminators, then Severus arrived and ended up in combat with the Emperor's champion. On the last turn of the game Severus finally slew the champion but the lascannon armed tactical squad had gotten a couple of models into the building so we called it a draw.

Result: Draw

Learning points

• Things went pear shaped early on when I failed my morale checks and both squads deserted their posts, unable to rally, but I hung on in there and got my licks in.
• What an epic fight between Severus and the Emperor's champion! They duked it out for 5 assault phases and Severus only just emerged victorious.
• The Daemonhost was awesome as he rolled excellent powers; he got warp strength which allowed him to instant kill the chaplain, then he rolled speed to double his attacks when fighting the retinue.

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Witch Hunters

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Ken
Mission: Patrol
1st turn: Witch Hunters
Points: 1300

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Kurven, Psycannon, Purity Seals, Gun Servitor, Plasma Cannon, Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Targeter, 2 x Imperial Guard Veteran, Plasma Gun, Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Targeter, 2 x Sage, Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol
• 1 x Daemonhost
• 3 x Death-Cult Assassins
• Inquisitor Severus, Daemonhammer, Bolt pistol, Holocaust, Icon of the Just, 2xAcolytes, Power Armour, Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, Combat Servitor, rhino, smoke
• Squad Matoso, 9 Stormtroopers, 2xFlamers, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon and Krak Grenades, Rhino, Smoke launchers and Extra Armour
• Squad Vargas, 6 Stormtroopers, 2xPlasma Guns
• Squad Godirtho, 7 Storm troopers, 2 x meltaguns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma pistol, Rhino with Smoke Launchers
• Squad Seralvo, 6 Storm troopers 2 x grenade launchers
  

Witch Hunters

• Exorcist
• Immolator
• Tooled up HQ squad in rhino (400+ points)
• Sister squad with 4 multi-meltas
• Sister squad with 4 heavy bolters
• Vindicare assassin
• 2 sisters squads

The game
This game was played on the store's city fight table replete with ruined buildings, craters and rubble. The board looked fantastic but was a devil to play on due to the uneven surface. We didn't play with city fight rules.

Ken's reading of the patrol mission allowed ANY unit to set up first not just troops so he set his Vindicare assassin up in a ruined building while I deployed my Inquisitor and retinue on my right in a small trench system. The assassin shot my gun servitor with the plasma cannon but I rolled my cover save and he survived.

Ken's reserves began to arrive and he set up a strong firebase with his Exorcist and heavy bolter squad in the centre, while his immolator crashed through the building on my right, underneath his assassin. It disgorged his multi-melta sisters and looked to threaten my Inquisitor.

Meanwhile I set most of my storm troopers up in the middle of my deployment zone with two assassins to my left in a ruined building. Severus arrived in his rhino and zoomed toward Ken's firebase while Ken's HQ rhino also turned up and raced toward my stormtroopers.

I seemed to have the upper hand as my Inquisitor inflicted casualties on the multi-melta sisters and then wasted the immolator. I also popped Ken's HQ rhino, the Daemonhost landed near the exorcist and Severus made it into combat with his sisters squads in his firebase.

I had not appreciated how tough his HQ squad was though. They munched through all of my stormtroopers and even took out two death cult assassins in their assault as they used faith points left right and centre.

In Ken's firebase my assault faltered. The Daemonhost twatted the exorcist but it was downhill all the way from there. Ken's Vindicare took out my storm troopers rhino so they trudged across the board taking casualties on the way. Severus had lost most of his retinue and a wound after some atrocious dice rolling and then the Vindicare assassin shot him while he was still in combat! Does the Vindicare's negation of the shooting rules really allow him to shoot into close combat?

We totted up the victory points and Ken had a slim advantage (mainly due to that very expensive HQ squad). Close but no cigar.

Result: Win

Learning points

• My first fight against Witch Hunters and I was severely hampered by my lack of knowledge - I just couldn't tell which vehicles were simply transports and which were tanks, and I certainly didn't calculate how tough the HQ squad was.
• Using the Vindicare to shoot into combat seemed wrong to me but I just couldn't find a rule to refute it.
• Those faith points drove me batty! It felt wrong to be on the receiving end of a battery of special rules that I was relying 100% upon my opponent resolving for me. I figured two death cult assassins and a handful of storm troopers would have some impact but I only killed one model. He used virtually all of his faith points on just this one squad over three turns and it made them unkillable.

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Space Marines

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: ?
Mission: Cleanse
1st turn: Space Marines
Points: 1000

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Kurven, Power armour, Psycannon, purity seals, 2x Warriors with plasma guns, Gun-servitor with plasma cannon, 2x Sages, 2x Mystics
• 3x Death Cult Assassin
• 2x Daemonhosts
• Squad Matoso, 9 Stormtroopers, 2x Flamers, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon and Krak Grenades, Rhino, Smoke launchers and Extra Armour
• Squad Vargas, 6 Stormtroopers, 2x Plasma Guns
• Squad Godirtho, 7 Storm troopers, 2 x meltaguns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma pistol, Rhino with Smoke Launchers
• Squad Seralvo, 6 Storm troopers 2 x grenade launchers
  

Sons of Terra Space Marines

• Whirlwind
• 3 bikes
• 5 scouts with missile launcher
• 2 x 5 man tactical squads
• Librarian with large and tooled up retinue

The game
The Space Marines deployed in a defensive formation - the whirlwind behind a building and a marine squad either side. He sent his HQ squad out to the middle and the bikes to my right.
I sent both rhinos to my right and took the bikes out with squad Godirtho and their meltaguns. The Inquisitor thinned out the HQ squad.

On turn two the Daemonhosts arrived in his deployment zone and both of my storm trooper squads shot and assaulted his HQ squad. One Daemonhost was shot and killed but the other took out the whirlwind and after 4 combat phases the HQ squad was destroyed (although I only had a couple of storm troopers left and an assassin).

My Inquisitor took out the scouts. On the final turn my assassins contacted both 5 man marine squads and took them below half strength.

Result: Win

Learning points

• First real game with a shooty Inquisitor HQ and it worked - he took out the scouts (2+ to hit, 2+ to kill). It also made my melta storm troopers more deadly having the rhino.
• My flamer storm troopers looked doomed when they only killed 1 HQ marine in the shooting phase, but with sheer weight of numbers (and the help of an assassin) they won out.
• An indestructible rhino again claimed a table quarter!

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Lost and the Damned

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Wayne
Mission: Rearguard
1st turn: Lost and the Damned
Points: 1300

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord, Severus Daemonhammer, Bolt pistol, Holocaust, Icon of the Just, 2xAcolytes, Power Armour, Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, Combat Servitor, 2xMystics, Rhino with Smoke Launchers
• 3 x Death Cult Assassins
• 2 x Daemonhosts
• Inquisitor Kurven, psycannon
• Squad Matoso, 9 Stormtroopers, 2xFlamers, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon and Krak Grenades, Rhino, Smoke launchers, hunter killer missile and Extra Armour
• Squad Vargas, 7 Stormtroopers, 2xPlasma Guns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma pistol, Auspex and Krak Grenades
• Squad Godirtho, 6 Storm troopers, 2 x meltaguns
• Squad Seralvo, 6 Storm troopers 2 x grenade launchers
• Orbital barrage, Lance strike

Lostand the Damned

• Basilisk
• Traitor squad with heavy bolter and heavy stubber
• 2 large mutant squads
• 5 spawn
• 3 big mutants
• Empty rhino with warp amp
• 5 raptors
• 7 Slaanesh daemonettes
• Defiler
• Tooled up aspiring champion with dark blade

The game
Knowing that I had to advance, as Wayne had superior long range weaponry, I refused my right flank and attacked up the left. Inquisitor Lord Severus' rhino was destroyed and he was forced to walk but the storm troopers contacted the first mutant squad and decimated them with their flamers.

By turn 3 the Lost and the Damned were in disarray. One mutant squad was annihilated, the spawn failed their stupidity test and refused to move and my Daemonhosts appeared behind his lines. In fact one took on his aspiring champion and should have killed him (with d6x2 attacks) but he made all but one of his saves.

The champion then struck the Daemonhost down and got stuck into the storm trooper squad along with the spawn. His defiler strode forward to take on another storm trooper squad and his basilisk accounted for a third.

I rallied a little with Inquisitor Kurven taking out the daemonettes with his psycannon and the hunter killer missile destroying the basilisk. Finally the assassins charged in.

But it wasn't to be as one assassin was killed by a traitor guard squad (!) and then the raptors struck the other. Although Wayne didn't get a single squad out of his deployment zone, by the end of the game he had won on victory points.

Result: Loss

Learning points

• Another enjoyable game against Wayne. I particularly enjoyed the dynamism of my army. By the end of turn two I had a storm trooper squad rampaging around his starting board edge.
• My longer range weapons worked a treat - the hunter killer missile took out the basilisk then the psycannon destroyed the daemonettes (3+ to hit, 2+ to kill, no save).
• I struggled to deal with the defiler and the basilisk in the same game. I need to paint up Kurven's retinue quickly.
  

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Necrons

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: ?
Mission: Nightfight
1st turn: ?
Points: 1000

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Severus, Daemonhammer, Bolt pistol, Holocaust, Icon of the Just, 2x Acolytes, Power Armour, Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, Combat Servitor, 2x Mystics, Rhino with Smoke Launchers
• Death Cult Assassin
• Vindicare assassin
• Inquisitor Kurven psycannon
• Squad Matoso, 9 Stormtroopers, 2x Flamers, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon and Krak Grenades, Rhino, Smoke launchers and Extra Armour
• Squad Vargas, 7 Stormtroopers, 2x Plasma Guns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma pistol, Auspex and Krak Grenades
• Squad Godirtho, 6 Storm troopers, 2x meltaguns
• Squad Seralvo, 6 Storm troopers 2x grenade launchers
• Orbital barrage - Lance strike

Necrons

• 4 destroyers
• 6 immortals
• 40 Necron warriors
• Lord on destroyer body

The game
I refused my right flank where the immortals were stranded behind a large building - they played virtually no part in the game.

My Inquisitor's rhino was taken out in the first turn by the destroyers but he still made it into assault with the lead Necron unit. Between him and the death cult assassin both Necron warrior units were destroyed in two turns. The Necron lord took out the Inquisitor with psycannon but was then rapid fired to death by the storm troopers (just).

The destroyers flitted around being a pain and although I took several down they kept rolling their 4+ to come back. Grrr!

In the end the Inquisitor Lord and assassin won me the entire game once they were in combat by forcing phase out.

Result: Win

Learning points

• 1st game ever against Necrons - I was worried but it went OK.
• I won the game because of two power weapons (on the assassin and the Inquisitor Lord). Just these two models destroyed 40 warriors in four assault phases.
• Orbital barrage hit nothing in the entire game.
  

DAEMONHUNTERS vs Lost and the Damned

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Wayne
Mission: Rescue
1st turn: Lost and the Damned
Points: 1300

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Severus, Daemonhammer, Bolt pistol, Holocaust, Icon of the Just, 2xAcolytes, Power Armour, Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, Combat Servitor, 2xMystics, Rhino with Smoke Launchers
• Death Cult Assassin
• Vindicare assassin
• Inquisitor Kurven psycannon
• Squad Matoso, 9 Stormtroopers, 2xFlamers, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon and Krak Grenades, Rhino, Smoke launchers and Extra Armour
• Squad Vargas, 7 Stormtroopers, 2xPlasma Guns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma pistol, Auspex and Krak Grenades
• Squad Godirtho, 6 Storm troopers, 2 x meltaguns
• Squad Seralvo, 6 Storm troopers 2 x grenade launchers
• Orbital barrage - Lance strike
  

Lost and the Damned

• Basilisk
• Traitor squad with heavy bolter and heavy stubber
• 2 large mutant squads
• 5 spawn
• 3 big mutants
• Empty rhino with warp amp
• 5 raptors
• 7 Slaanesh daemons

The game
Wayne uncovered the objective in his first turn but made a game of it by rushing forward with the unit. I broke one of the mutant squads with my storm troopers in the rhino but they were then wiped out by the spawn. The daemonettes took out the rhino but 6 of them were killed in the subsequent explosion.

Meanwhile on my left, my Inquisitor Lord, death cult assassin and a storm trooper squad assaulted the mutants with the objective. I won the combat but was then assaulted by the spawn. The objective changed hands four more times as the assassin died, then the Inquisitor with the psycannon, the last daemonette and finally one of the spawn managed to keep hold of it.

A cracking, tense game.

Result: Loss

Learning points

• Kudos to Wayne who made a game of it by rushing forward despite picking up the objective.
• The game devolved into an assault scrum in the centre of the table and unsurprisingly the spawn emerged victorious. Humans are frail in a fight.
• My barrage actually hit something - the basilisk - hurrah! But then I rolled 2 one's in a row and it was only immobilised - boo!

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Chaos Space Marines

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Ken
Mission: Pitched Battle (a Cleanse variant)
1st turn: Chaos Space Marines
Points: 1000

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Severus, Daemonhammer, Bolt pistol, Holocaust, Icon of the Just, 2xAcolytes, Power Armour, Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, Combat Servitor, 2xMystics, Rhino with Smoke Launchers
• 3 x Death Cult Assassin
• 2 x Daemonhosts
• Squad Matoso, 9 Stormtroopers, 2xFlamers, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon and Krak Grenades, Rhino, Smoke launchers and Extra Armour
• Squad Vargas, 7 Stormtroopers, 2xPlasma Guns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma pistol, Auspex and Krak Grenades
• Squad Godirtho, 6 Storm troopers, 2 x meltaguns
• Squad Seralvo, 6 Storm troopers 2 x grenade launchers
  

Chaos Space Marines

• 2 x 8 man Khorne Berzerker squads in rhinos
• Lord with power fist
• Tooled up dread
• Tooled up defiler

The game
Another heavy terrain board, favouring the forces of Chaos. We decided to play the Gauntlet Pitched Battle scenario with night fight rules for a change. I won the dice roll for the first turn and chose to go second (to bring the Berzerkers into the range of my guns). My meltagun storm troopers routed off the table due to combi-weapon fire from the rhinos then a guess hit from the defiler.

In my turn my rhinos swung to my right and my grenade launchers took out the Berzerker rhino on my left. On my right the Khorne Berzerkers raged and dismounted from their rhino which promptly failed a difficult terrain test and was immobilised. Both Khorne units ran forward ready to assault in the next turn. The defiler took a direct shot at the Inquisitor's rhino and hit directly. One 6 later and it wiped out everybody on board.

I struck back when the Daemonhosts appeared and my storm troopers leapt out of their rhino ready to flame the Khorne Berzerkers. Another squad behind readied their plasma guns and a death cult assassin skipped out of cover. When the smoke cleared the entire Chaos Space Marine squad had been wiped out.

My other Daemonhost ended up in combat with the remaining Berzerkers on my left but was splatted by a power fist. Undeterred another death cult assassin leapt forward and chopped down the power fist. When the combat had ended the assassin had taken a wound but had killed an entire 8 man Berzerker squad single-handed. The chaos lord was advancing with this squad but was killed by the third assassin.

The other Daemonhost was killed by the dreadnought in close combat while my tightly packed storm troopers were decimated by their exploding rhino (another direct hit from the defiler). In fact over six turns the defiler took two direct shots, hit both times and rolled a five and a six on the damage tables, and on its remaining four indirect shots it rolled 3 'hits' on the scatter dice. Even the shot that deviated killed two models.

My army was shattered; only the wounded assassin remained. On the plus side I had decimated Ken's army; he only had the defiler and dreadnought left.

Result: Loss

Learning points

• Ordnance is devastating. Ken was using it to snipe heavy weapons troopers from my storm trooper squads. Of course his incredible dice rolling helped.
• My lack of ranged punch told again as both his dread and defiler had the mutated hull upgrade taking their armour to 13. Virtually nothing in my army could take them on including, crucially, the Daemonhosts.
• I rolled badly for the Daemonhosts again as they were destroyed cheaply. I bought two so that I could negate an unlucky dice roll but I only seem to roll badly for both or well for both. Oh, well, I tried.
• My assassins were awesome in this game, taking out 9 Berzerkers and a chaos lord between them.

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Tau

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Jamie
Mission: Recon
1st turn: Tau
Points: 1000

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Severus, Daemonhammer, Bolt pistol, Holocaust, Icon of the Just, 2xAcolytes, Power Armour, Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, Combat Servitor, 2xMystics, Rhino with Smoke Launchers
• 3 x Death Cult Assassin
• 2 x Daemonhosts
• Squad Matoso, 9 Stormtroopers, 2xFlamers, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon and Krak Grenades, Rhino, Smoke launchers and Extra Armour
• Squad Vargas, 7 Stormtroopers, 2xPlasma Guns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma pistol, Auspex and Krak Grenades
• Squad Godirtho, 6 Storm troopers, 2 x meltaguns
  

Tau

• 4 pathfinders in devilfish with 4 seeker missiles
• 12 fire warriors
• 8 fire warriors
• Ethereal
• Commander with twin fusion blasters and 2 shield drones
• 2x 5 man stealth teams
• Crisis suit with burst cannon and plasma rifle
• Broadside with plasma rifles

The game
We played a recon mission but due to the small table size and the heavy terrain we were relaxed about the set up rules - and therefore the troops ended up nearer to each other than the infiltrators could manage! The Tau won first turn and my lead rhino was destroyed immediately along with a flamer stormtrooper. Other casualties were light however and the squad took their revenge on the pathfinders by flaming two of them and assaulting the rest.

The Inquisitor dashed forward in his rhino and took out a crisis suit in close combat. On the left I advanced toward the broadside with my meltaguns, taking out a fire warrior squad on the way. Those fire warriors did manage to take out a death cult assassin in close combat though!

My Daemonhosts teleported in, got ineffective powers and were shot to pieces. The stealth teams did for the Inquisitor too as he disappeared under a hail of burst cannon shots.

A win for the Tau.

Result: Loss

Learning points

• Stealth teams were awesome in the heavy terrain and I never got a clean shot at them.
• Daemonhosts were lost cheaply as they rolled useless powers and I couldn't pass a single invulnerable save.
• With a WS edge in close combat I expected the storm troopers to beat the fire warriors but I was consistently beaten in every combat. Even the death cult assassin went down in the assault.
• The pathfinders devilfish was unharmed during the entire game due to my lack of long range firepower.

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: ?
Mission: Cleanse
1st turn: ?
Points: 1000

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Severus, Daemonhammer, Bolt pistol, Holocaust, Icon of the Just, 2xAcolytes, Power Armour, Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, Combat Servitor, 2xMystics, Rhino with Smoke Launchers
• 3 x Death Cult Assassins
• 2 x Daemonhosts
• Vindicare Assassin
• Squad Matoso, 9 Stormtroopers, 2xFlamers, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon and Krak Grenades, Rhino, Smoke launchers and Extra Armour
• Squad Vargas, 7 Stormtroopers, 2xPlasma Guns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma pistol, Auspex and Krak Grenades

Ulthwé Eldar

• Seer Council
• 2 large units Black guardians with star cannons and warlocks with witch blades and conceal
• 1 large unit guardians with scatter laser and warlock with witch blade and conceal
• D cannon

The game
My second game against Eldar on the same night.

A blitz up the left flank this time, but the storm trooper rhino was taken out on turn 1. The Inquisitor hit one guardian squad and were soon embroiled in a sprawling combat. The Seer council joined in and it looked like the combat might last until the end of the game.

Meanwhile on the right two death cult assassins impacted another guardian squad and although they killed 10 or so men between them they were soon pulled down by weight of numbers. The Daemonhosts appeared in front of the Eldar deployment zone and one was instantly obliterated by massed shuriken catapult fire. The other made it into combat but only managed one or two kills per turn as he gradually lost wounds in return. The sweetest moment was when he rolled the blood boil power and wiped out eight guardians in a spectacular psychic display!

True to form the Vindicare assassin couldn't hit a cows arse with a banjo and he failed to kill a single model in the entire game. The storm troopers were largely ineffective due to star cannon fire and their ap 5 hell guns were negated by conceal. The decisive action was to be the Inquisitor vs Seer council and it looked like I had the game in the bag when the Seer council failed a rout test and ran off the table.

However as I began my next turn, my opponent remembered he had a re-roll for leadership and I allowed him to reposition the models. He passed the re-roll of course but I wasn't too worried as both the Daemonhost and assassins had made it into contact. Sods law dictates that the assassins died, the Daemonhost struggled to rout the guardians and Inquisitor Lord Severus failed 3 2+ saves. The Seer council were victorious and helped mop up the rest of my forces.

Result: Loss

Learning points

• Assassins are good on the offensive but not great on the defensive - large hordes will pull them down. They are best employed against small units.
• Daemonhosts are vulnerable to massed small arms fire - bear this in mind when deep striking them.
• Drop the Vindicare - I cannot roll higher than a one when I use him.
• More storm troopers required to capture objectives, absorb casualties, etc.

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Ken
Mission: Cleanse
1st turn: ?
Points: 1000

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Severus, Daemonhammer, Bolt pistol, Holocaust, Icon of the Just, 2xAcolytes, Power Armour, Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, Combat Servitor, 2xMystics, Rhino with Smoke Launchers
• 3 x Death Cult Assassins
• 2 x Daemonhosts
• Vindicare Assassin
• Squad Matoso, 9 Stormtroopers, 2xFlamers, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon and Krak Grenades, Rhino, Smoke launchers and Extra Armour
• Squad Vargas, 7 Stormtroopers, 2xPlasma Guns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma pistol, Auspex and Krak Grenades
  

Biel-Tan Eldar

• Farseer with guide
• 2x3 man Dark Reaper squads
• Wraithlord with star cannon
• 3 Vypers (2x star cannons, 1 bright lance)
• 10 Guardians with D-cannon
• 10 banshees with exarch in Wave Serpent with twin-linked star cannons

The game
I hadn't finished painting up enough stormtrooper so I included a Vindicare assassin, thinking his firepower could be useful.

Things started well as I attacked up my right flank with the rhinos, wiping out the Wraithlord with my Inquisitor and sweeping into the guardians. Unfortunately the Inquisitor and his retinue were then star cannoned to death. The banshees ripped through a storm trooper squad and another squad routed. The Vindicare failed to hit a vyper with a turbo penetrator on a 2+, then he missed for the whole game due to poor dice rolls and Ken's vehicles blocking line of sight.

Both my assassins and Daemonhosts used deep strike to hit the Eldar deployment zone. The assassins were wiped out immediately but the Daemonhosts hung around and killed off the guardians and both reaper squads. I could have pulled off a freaky win on the last turn as a Daemonhost teleported in next to the banshees but he scattered 11" out of assault range.

Funniest moment: Inquisitors rhino tank shocking the Farseer and driving him off the table.

Result: Loss

Learning points

• Will I ever roll a 2+ for the Vindicare? He is not the answer to more firepower in the Daemonhunter army
• Need more long range hitting power to deal with things like the Wraithlord at a distance
• Daemonhosts are tasty! They struck into the heart of the enemy lines and created mayhem - and they both survived the game.

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Daemonhunters

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Steve
Mission: Meat grinder
1st turn: Daemonhunters (lone pilgrim)
Points: 1000

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Kurven Psycannon, Purity Seals, Gun Servitor, Plasma Cannon, Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Targeter, 2 x Imperial Guard Veteran, Plasma Gun, Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Targeter, 2 x Sage, Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol
  
• Daemonhost
• 2 x Death-Cult Assassins
• Eversor Assassin
• 10 x Inquisitorial Stormtroopers Veteran, Hell gun, Plasma Pistol, Melta bombs, Targeter, 2 x Meltagun, Rhino, Smoke Launchers
• 10 x Inquisitorial Stormtroopers Veteran, Bolt Pistol, Power Weapon, Targeter, 2 x Flamer, Rhino, Extra Armour, Hunter-killer Missile, Smoke
• Armoured Fist Squad (inducted Imperial Guard) Sergeant, Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol, Flamer, Chimera, Multilaser, Heavy Bolter, Smoke Launchers
  

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord, lightning claws, icon of the just, combat servitor, 2 acolytes (1 with storm shield), familiar, other hangers on (?)
• 3 x Death-Cult Assassins
• Eversor Assassin
• Inquisitor with psycannon, 3 gun servitors (2 x hvy bolters, 1 plasma cannon, sage, mystic)
• 5 stormtroopers, Meltagun, grenade launcher
• 5 stormtroopers, 2 x Meltagun
• Inducted Imperial Guard infantry platoon, 2 x squads with flamer, junior officer, standard bearer, 2 x grenade launchers

Terrain and deployment
We rolled for a standard mission, got a change of orders and ended up with a meat grinder with me as attacker (gulp!). The 4x4 table was fairly sparse with a large ruined building on my right (in the centre of the board) and a graveyard on my left (in my deployment zone). There were half a dozen small ruined building corners scattered around.

Steve set up with his Lord behind the large building together with a stormtrooper squad and a death cult assassin. In his centre he had his shooty Inquisitor and the Eversor assassin screened behind an IG squad. Facing the graveyard he had the other stormtroopers, 2 death cult assassins and command squad behind the remaining IG squad.

I placed my two stormtrooper rhinos and the two death cult assassins on my right (shielded from most of his shooting), the armoured fists and Inquisitor Lord started in the centre, while my Eversor began in the cemetery on my left. The Daemonhost was in reserve.

The game
I won first turn and all the vehicles zoomed forward, the chimera popping smoke. The Inquisitor Lord moved forward behind the chimera to bring the plasma guns into range J. All the assassins advanced, using any available cover (all the assassins used their infiltrate ability to start within 18” of the enemy).

My opponent moved one stormtrooper squad around the edge of the building and squeezed in a shot at one of my rhinos but only took out the storm bolter. His Lord and death cult assassin moved toward the large building. In the centre he only had the chimera to shoot at with his shooty Inquisitor and only the plasma cannon and psycannon could hurt it. You guessed it – he rolled a 1 for the plasma cannon and the gun servitor died. The psycannon bounced off the hull. His squads facing the Eversor all retreated 6” to keep out of assault range.

Turn 2
My Daemonhost failed to show up but I decided to launch my attack anyway. My rhino smashed through the difficult terrain of the large building and the stormtrooper squad disembarked opposite the Inquisitor Lord, two flamers to the fore. Combined with the hell guns they killed everyone but the two acolytes and the Inquisitor himself. A death cult assassin assaulted the stormtrooper squad with 2 meltaguns and killed three but they passed their morale check and remained in combat. My other rhino moved up behind the building, ready for an assault up the centre next turn.

In the middle my chimera moved 12” again and the guardsmen jumped out. They riddled the death cult assassin behind the building with lasgun fire then charged the guardsman screen. They killed five for only one in return, but the enemy passed their morale test and held. Far behind the combat my Inquisitor Lord worked his way forward again.

On my left the Eversor advanced again, he would make it into combat next turn because my opponent had run out of table to retreat into.

In his turn he charged the flamer stormtroopers in the building killing four but they stood firm.
He charged his Eversor assassin and a death cult assassin into my guardsmen in the centre of his battle line, killing five and routing the unit. His guardsmen chased mine but failed to catch them. The chimera had been obliterated by the other stormtroopers and their Meltagun. His remaining guardsmen shot at the Eversor but failed to kill him.

Turn 3
My Daemonhost arrived, deep striking into the centre of my opponents deployment zone. He then deviated 11” toward my left and the Eversor assassin, but this put him right next to a death cult assassin and he promptly blood boiled him. Unfortunately the assassin dodged away. Still on my left my Eversor assaulted the guardsmen, killing five but they passed their morale and stood.

In the middle my Inquisitor Lord and retinue annihilated the stormtrooper squad that had done for my chimera (I rolled 3 sixes for my plasma to hit rolls!). My remaining stormtroopers drove forward in their rhino, and assaulted the IG command section along with a death cult assassin (!). The combat was indecisive however.

The fight in the ruined building on my right was joined by one of my death cult assassins (the other was still trying to finish off the last stormtrooper, which he finally did and consolidated into the Inquisitor). All of the Inquisitors acolytes were killed but so were several stormtroopers and they fled. Because they were under half strength I took them off the board. This left my death cult assassins taking on his Inquisitor Lord (with lightning claws and a 4+ invulnerable). My rhino exploded out of the building and parked right in front of his shooty inquisitor.

My opponents army was looking pretty thin now. He had his shooty inquisitor squad untouched but they had been unable to shoot because of the combats in front of them and now they were blocked by a rhino. On my right flank he only had his Inquisitor Lord left and on my left he had a handful of guardsmen still fighting my Eversor and a death cult assassin near my Daemonhost. Finally in the centre his remaining death cult assassin and command section were battling my stormtroopers, and only his Eversor assassin was unengaged.

He moved his Eversor into the building to take on the death cult assassins and save his Inquisitor Lord. One assassin was killed and the other passed 3 5+ saves. In return they took out the Inquisitor Lord. Because the Eversor didn’t count as a surviving model that meant my right flank was secure.

In the middle he took out my rhino with his shooty inquisitor and his command hq and his death cult assassin routed my stormtroopers. Both pursued and got poor rolls failing to catch the stormtroopers.

His other death cult assassin charged the Daemonhost and got cut down after causing a wound.
Finally his guardsmen were killed by my Eversor and I chose to sweeping advance. This brought up a rules query – due to the combat drugs does the Eversor roll 2d6 or 3d6? Because it doesn’t explicitly say 3d6 I rolled 2d6 and got 2”. Still, my left flank was secure. Just the middle to take care of.

Turn 4
My Eversor charged the IG command section, my Daemonhost took on the last death cult assassin and it should have been shooty inquisitor vs shooty inquisitor but I managed to block my line of sight with my last rhino. D’oh!

The Eversor killed everyone but the junior officer, and he even took a wound in return. My Daemonhost killed the assassin and took a wound as well. He he swept toward the shooty inquisitor but rolled a 3.

Steve took out the Daemonhost with his psycannon and the last guardsmen died at the Eversor's hand. I rolled a 3 for his sweeping advance. Aaarrrghh!

We then rolled for the end of the game. On a 1 it would end as a defeat for me, on a 2+ we would continue. We rolled a 5.

Turn 5
The very first thing I did was tank shock the shooty inquisitor with my rhino. He failed his morale check and ran off the board.

I won!

Result: Win

Learning points

• This game was played in shop and I didn’t know what army I’d be fighting or which mission I’d be playing. Looks like I picked the right week to experiment with a mobile infantry force!
• Smashing through the building on my right with the rhino surprised my opponent and caught him off guard. 2 flamers in a unit can take out even heavily armoured models. Together with the Imperial guard assault(!) in the centre it put him right on the back foot. Although they were never going to win their respective assaults they did allow the assassins to advance and enter combat.
• My opponent got some truly awful dice rolls (like his plasma cannon blowing up in the first shot of the game). Having said that my plasma cannon did the same but I had the extra sage and re-rolled the dice (getting a six), well worth another 10 points.
• I have never seen anyone win a meat grinder, ever, so I just had to write the game up as a longer battle report.

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Lost and the Damned

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Wayne
Mission: 40k in 40 mins
1st turn: ?
Points: 400

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Mabus power armour, bolt pistol and ccw, Hammerhand, combat servitor, 2x Veteran guardsmen with flamers, 2x Veteran guardsmen with hell guns, 1 Veteran guardsman with hell pistol and close combat weapon, rhino
• Inquisitor Sampson power armour, bolt pistol and ccw, Scourging, 2 x Veteran guardsmen with grenade launchers, 4x Veteran guardsmen with hell guns
• Squad Vargas 7 Stormtroopers, 2x Plasma Guns
  

Lost and the Damned

• Basilisk(!)
• 5 traitor guardsmen with lasguns and a heavy bolter
• Large unit of zombie mutants, aspiring champion with powerfist
• 4 man spawn unit

Deployment
I set up Inquisitor Sampson and his squad on the right to threaten the basilisk and guardsmen, while the rhino set up on my left behind a building. The plasma gun stormtroopers covered the centre.

The game
Inquisitor Sampson and retinue on the right were hit by the basilisk two turns running and wiped out. On the third turn the stormtroopers with plasma guns were also destroyed by the basilisk.

Meanwhile on my left the rhino disgorged its occupants and with two flamers at point blank range and they all but wiped out the 20-man zombie unit. The Inquisitor and retinue then got tied up with the spawn in a lengthy close combat. The Inquisitor routed but fortunately my opponent failed his 50% bottle test and I won the game.

Result: Win

Learning points

• Those flamers were awesome and won me the game in just one turn of shooting.
• The reason that I had so many men in each retinue is that they are effectively stormtroopers with free Krak grenades.
• A basilisk in such a small game is just silly – and I didn’t realise how accurate they were with direct fire. Ho hum.