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.