DAEMONHUNTERS versus Chaos Space Marines

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Wayne
Campaign: Vogen campaign game 4
Mission: Cleanse
1st turn: Chaos 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, 1x Acolyte with Close Combat weapon and las pistol, 3xCombat Servitor, 3x Mystics, Rhino with Smoke Launchers, Hunter Killer missile, Searchlight
• Inquisitor Kurven, Psycannon, Power Armour, Emperor's Tarot, Purity Seals, Gun Servitor, Plasma Cannon, Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Targeter, 2x Imperial Guard Veteran, Plasma Gun, Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Targeter, 2x Sage, Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol, Hierophant, Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol
• Daemonhost
• Eversor Assassin
• Squad Matoso, 7 Stormtroopers, 2 meltaguns, Rhino, Smoke launchers, Extra Armour, Hunter Killer Missile
• Squad Godirtho, 5 Stormtroopers, 2 plasma guns
• Squad Seralvo, 5 Stormtroopers, 2 Grenade Launchers
• Squad Vargas, 5 Stormtroopers, 2 Flamers
• Squad Devaux, 5 Stormtroopers

Chaos Space Marines

• Lieutenant with Darkblade
• 6 man assault squad in rhino with warp amp
• Havoc squad
• 2 6 man squads
• 2 units of Daemonettes
• Mutated hull Dreadnought

Vogen Campaign
After a two week absence I managed to get another campaign game in. Wayne was in the same boat and hadn't played in a while, so with no chance of troubling the leaders we set about to have a fun game.

The previous game in the campaign gave me another 25 points to spend and after some deliberation I took two more Stormtroopers for Squad Matoso and Purity Seals for Inquisitor Kurven.

Terrain and Deployment
The table was 6'x4' and was covered in dense terrain. There were numerous 'fantasy' type buildings, making it more like a Cityfight table, and several patches of forest toward the centre of the board. Wayne won the roll off and started to set up first, placing his Havocs in a central wood to push me back. They would also have excellent fields of fire for the rest of game. His Dreadnought occupied the same wood with his two regular squads to either side ready to dash into different table quarters. His rhino, with the Lieutenant on board, hung back near my right flank.

I set up a formidable firebase on the relatively open terrain on my left flank with Squads Devaux, Godirtho and Kurven deployed in 3 firing lines. Severus' rhino, along with Squad Matoso in their rhino, started behind a central building in a good reserve position to plug any gaps. Squads Seralvo and Vargas screened the Eversor assassin on my right flank.

The Game
Wayne won the first turn and his Dreadnought ran 11" straight out of the wood as it raged. Squad Matoso took its chance and raced forward, turning it into molten slag with its meltaguns. They paid the price for their boldness however as they were reduced to a single model by the Chaos shooting, and he fell back. He would play a vital part in the game but I'll come back to him later.

My firebase shot up Wayne's Havoc squad over two turns of deadly fire (he just couldn't pass an armour save). They did virtually nothing else during the game as Wayne avoided them like the plague. The 6 man squad facing Kurven et al skulked around behind a wood, afraid to face the five plasma weapons in my firebase.

Wayne attacked my right flank with his second 6 man squad and the rhino squad with the Lieutenant. He got a lucky long range shot off at Severus and popped his rhino, leaving them footslogging at the back of my army. Squads Vargas and Seralvo took some casualties but still managed to screen the Eversor assassin. This is where things got cagey.

Wayne was waiting for the Daemonettes to arrive but I had set up the Stormtrooper squads such that they would receive the charge first, meaning I could counter-charge with Severus and the assassin on my right, or rapid fire with Squads Kurven and Godirtho on my left. I made up his mind for him with that stray member of squad Matoso with his meltagun. Remember him?

He was the last surviving member of the squad and had fallen back for several turns, only to find himself facing a smoked rhino. One six on a glancing hit and he popped the Lieutenant's ride, and then he promptly left the table.

Wayne had no choice but to assault with his Lieutenant and 6 man assault squad but brought the Daemonettes out on my left flank, from the icon in the squad hiding in the woods. Wayne regretted it almost immediately as they were stuck cowering behind the woods. In one turn he stuck his head out of cover to make an assault on my lines but I killed several Daemonettes and he quickly retreated.

Meanwhile, his Lieutenant and squad carved through my Stormtroopers in short order but were wiped out in return by my Assassin and Severus' squad. The Daemonettes might just have swung it if they had appeared down here.

My Daemonhost arrived in Wayne's starting quarter and rolled a succession of useless powers. He got caught in combat by a unit of Daemonettes and was so badly wounded I teleported him back into my deployment zone. Useless.

The last couple of turns we scrambled for table quarters. Wayne basically hid everything he had and I couldn't even get into shooting range, never mind assault range, so the game was a draw.

Result: Win. Draws aren't allowed in the campaign and the co-ordinator had finally come up with a way to determine a winner, so we totalled up our victory points and I came out on top.

Campaign effect
I rolled no positive effect for the game.

Campaign results: Played 4, Won 4, Lost 0

Learning points

• Wayne always gives me a tough game and this was no exception. I had a much tougher army than usual, however, and I also had a 75 point advantage. In our previous games it has been me umming and ahhing as I've had to choose between two courses of action, but this time Wayne was having to do that. This was largely due to me playing a tougher list and also because I stood off until the Daemons arrived. The larger board allowed that, as well as my numerous Stormtrooper units dedicated to screening my more valuable troops. In the end Wayne had to decide between fighting an assault on my terms or keeping his units safe. Tough choices.
• Boy was I glad I took out the Dreadnought in the first turn. My army is weak against very tough vehicles and when I found out the Dreadnought had mutated hull my heart sank. I went hell for leather to wipe it out and this time it paid off. Oh, and that stray meltagun shot - priceless!
• Severus' retinue proved their worth again in this game as they took out the lieutenant and his assault squad without breaking sweat. When their rhino was shot out from under them I could have been in trouble but fortunately the Chaos Marines came to me.