Opponent: Gary
Mission: Secure and Control
Level: Gamma
Location: Celebes
Background: Captain Kennell pulls the Cadian 271st back to the relatively safe haven of Celebes. It is clear that a system-wide Chaos invasion is underway, and all the Guardsmen can do is dig in and wait. Just before the assault begins an Aquila Lander brings reinforcements. Inquisitor Kurven is greeted with cheers but the news he carries soon kills the jubilation. Daemons are coming...
1st turn: Imperial Guard
Points: 1500
Imperial Guard
- Command Squad 77, Captain Kennell Junior officer, Standard, 3 meltaguns
- Anti tank squad, 3 lascannons
- Inquisitor Kurven, Psycannon, Purity seals, Sanctuary, 1 Acolyte, 1 Familiar, 3 Mystics, 2 Hierophants, 2 Sages, 2 Warriors with plasma guns, 1 Gun-servitor with plasma cannon
- 8 Stormtroopers, Deep strike, 1 meltagun, 1 plasma gun
- Callidus Assassin
- Infantry Platoon
- Command Section with Missile launcher
- Infantry Squad 501, Missile Launcher, Grenade Launcher
- Infantry Squad 541, Missile Launcher, Grenade Launcher
- Infantry Squad 609, Missile Launcher, Grenade Launcher
- Infantry Squad 812, Missile Launcher and Flamer
- 20 Conscripts
- Sentinel Autocannon, Improved Comms, Extra Armour
- Basilisk, Indirect Fire
- Leman Russ, Heavy Bolter
Chaos Space Marines
- Bloodthirster
- 8 Bloodletters
- 8 Fleshounds
- 8 Marines (close combat)
- 8 Marines (close combat)
- 5 Havocs with 4 missile launchers
- 5 Marines (1 lascannon)
- Defiler
- Predator
We rolled up four objectives which would amount to a meaty 375 victory points each. I tried to place mine in the open, so I could bring guns to bear on Chaos units trying to claim them. Gary put both of his in cover. I won the choice of deployment zone and chose the one with best visibility of the objectives.
Deployment
I had three large buildings in my deployment zone so I set up the Inquisitor in the one on my left, the Conscripts and several units in the middle one and a command section and a couple of units in the right one. Gary set up his infantry behind the woods opposite my centre and left, and had his Defiler and Havocs on my right flank.
I used the Callidus' word in your ear special rule on the Predator to bring it out from behind the woods into clear view of my lascannons. Then Gary revealed it had a mutated hull. Ooops!
The Game
With the help of the Emperors Tarot I won first turn.
I pushed the infantry squad and Inquisitor squad up in the building on the left so they would be able to shoot next turn. I also wanted the Infantry squad to be a very juicy target for a Chaos assault so that the Inquisitor and retinue could rapid fire afterwards. The Conscripts also moved up into the ruins in the centre, over an objective. The Leman Russ edged right to face off the Havocs.
My first shot was my lascannons at the Predator. I destroyed it on a glancing 6. Yes! Two Havocs also perished, and my turn ended.
The Havocs retaliated by blasting the battlecannon off the Russ. Gary pushed a squad through the forest in the centre but uncharacteristically hung back on my left.
I failed both reserve rolls but used my Sentinel Improved Comms to bring the Stormtroopers on anyway. I tried to deep strike them near the Defiler but they scattered back toward my lines, in front of the building the Defiler was hiding behind. That did leave them in rapid fire range of the Havocs, though, and they disappeared in a hail of fire.
The other main target was the Marine squad pushing through the forest in the centre. They were reduced to two models, failed their morale checks and routed off the board. I now controlled the two counters on the right and centre and Gary was on the back foot.
The Bloodletters summoned behind the woods on my left but Gary had a bigger surprise to come. A Bloodthirster emerged from the squad behind the forest! It leapt over the trees and assaulted the Infantry squad nearest the Inquisitor. Unsurprisingly they were butchered and run down. The Daemon only consolidated 3" though, and failed to contact the Inquisitor. That left it out in the open for my next shooting phase.
On my right the Defiler moved up onto the building to flame the Stormtroopers, who died to a man.
It was all about taking that Bloodthirster out this turn for me, so I threw everything at it. After 3 meltaguns, 2 Missile launchers, 1 Grenade launcher, 2 Plasma guns, a heavy bolter, 2 lascannons and 50 lasgun shots it had only lost two wounds and I just had Kurven's Psycannon left. He wounded it twice and Gary rolled snake eyes for its saves. Result!
The other excitement of the turn was the arrival of the Callidus assassin. After some deliberation I placed her near the squads behind the woods on my left. Her Neuro-Disruptor hit virtually everyone in both squads and after a flurry of fives and sixes seven Marines were dead. Most importantly, they were both reduced below half strength and couldn't capture objectives.
Gary was despondent but resolved to give me a bloody nose. The Flesh hounds arrived and assaulted an Infantry squad in the centre. They won and consolidated into the Conscripts. The Bloodletters moved through the woods but were just short of assault range.
My focus was now on those Daemons and I took them down to one model. On the right I blew up the Defiler and the game was over as a contest.
The four hounds gradually wiped out the Conscripts and eventually tore into another Infantry squad and the platoon Command section, but it was too little too late. I had already claimed two objectives while the Flesh hounds won one, and I was clearly ahead on victory points.
Result: Win - Solid Victory
Imperial Control: Increased 20%
Kennell's Commendation
Inquisitor Kurven for that Psycannon shot to take down the Bloodthirster. Very fluffy and very dramatic.
Learning points
- Gary had a surprise in his Bloodthirster but I had my own in the Inquisitor and Callidus. Both performed admirably and although they were expensive, they were worth it in this game.
- The mission and terrain were against me in this game but I made the right choices in deployment and it helped me win the battle.
- Another successful attempt to utilise concentrated fire, taking a unit down per turn.
No comments:
Post a Comment