DAEMONHUNTERS versus Dark Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition, Gauntlet Tournament game 1
Opponent: Gary
Mission: Pitched Battle
1st turn: Dark Eldar
Points: 1000
Location: Nomolos, Kandaeon Worlds, Skolarii sector
Background: After years of investigation, Kill-Team Severus track down the base of Eldar pirate raids to Nomolos and launch an attack on the alien leader.

Dark Eldar

• Dracon (agoniser and shadow field) with 5 Incubi in Raider
• 10 Wyches with Wych Weapons
• 2x10 Warriors with 2 dark lances
• 10 warriors with 2 splinter cannons
• Ravager
• Talos
• Warp beasts

Terrain and Deployment
This game was played on what looked like a Chaos table, maybe meant to represent the Chaos Wastes in Warhammer Fantasy Battle. It was a dark black/grey/brown table with a few patches of gnarled, leafless trees and two ruined wooden buildings. We quickly classified everything as woods, so that we would at least have something to deploy our armies in and around and behind.

I set up the Stormtrooper squads to hold the centre and my right, with the Inquisitor and retinue behind, ideally placed to counter attack the inevitable Dark Eldar assault. Gary hid his fragile army largely out of sight, screened by the woods and buildings.

Unfortunately for me, I had spoken at length to Gary on the journey to the tournament and told him exactly what the weakness of my army was, and how I would play against it.

He was obviously listening...

The Game
Gary is normally a very bold player, and when playing an assault army he generally races forward and engages the enemy as soon as possible. It usually works very well for him as it can unhinge his opponents and force them to react to his plan rather than implement their own.

In this game he refused the bait and stood off, hitting me with his superior long range weaponry. I was forced to zoom the Inquisitor and Stormtroopers in their rhinos over the board while trying to hold up his troops with the Daemonhosts.

One of the Daemonhosts fell to a blaster shot from the Wyches while the other deviated away from the enemy, rolling a succession of useless powers and subsequently playing little part in the rest of the game.

Squad Matoso in the rhino actually managed to make it across the board only to botch their shooting and get assaulted by the Wyches and a Warrior squad. Scratch one Stormtrooper squad.

Meanwhile Inquisitor Severus had his rhino shot out from under him, leaving the poor fella right out in the open. The Incubi needed no further invitation and pounded him and his retinue into the ground.

We only completed five turns of the game due to time restrictions but the result was never in doubt; a Dark Eldar victory.

Result: Marginal Loss - 10 points

Favourite moment: A death cult assassin receiving a charge from the warp beasts, killing the Wych and the beasts going out of control and attacking the Talos.

Learning points

• My battle plan depended upon the enemy coming to me and when he didn’t I was in deep trouble. My force needs to be far more rounded to be able to play in different ways.
• The Daemonhosts are fickle; I got unlucky in this game and they achieved nothing. They cannot be depended upon.
• Dark Eldar are surprisingly good in the shooting phase and can make a very good all-round army in 1000pts. Fast, shooty, tough, good close combat ability - they have something of everything.
  

Gauntlet Tournament 2003 Introduction II

Traveling
I had to get up at 4:30 so that I would be showered and ready for 5:00, when Gary was due to arrive. Our taxi was booked for 5:15 to take us down to the local Games Workshop store, where we would meet up with our fellow gamers.

The coach was due to leave at 6:00 so that it could zigzag it's way across the region and pick up more players from different locations. Everything went smoothly until we hit our first pick-up point.

Two people weren't there.

We waited 30 minutes until they showed up. Never mind, we thought, we'll make up time on the road.

We had a 3 hour journey ahead, which would get us to Warhammer World for 9:00 in plenty of time for our first game at 9:30.

During the journey we chatted about our armies, tactics and previous games. I talked at great length to Gary about my lack of range, and my counter-charge tactics. Gary worried how his Dark Eldar Raiders would survive long range weapon fire. We were both a bit nervous because neither of us had any experience of playing competitive games. What would I do if I came up against an argumentative rules lawyer? How would I handle a cheesy army? Would I get slaughtered in every game?

We hit Nottingham at 9:00 but discovered that we weren't supposed to go into the city, but to Lenton on the outskirts, where Warhammer World was situated. It turned out that the driver didn't know where that was and our GW staffer had never been there before. We were going to be late. After several circuits of Nottingham's one way system and numerous mobile telephone calls we eventually arrived at 10:00.

Warhammer World
All of us rushed through the registration process at breakneck speed and were given ID badges to wear. Inside the main hall the rest of the competitors had already arrived and were waiting to begin.

It was the first time I had visited the place and I have to say I was impressed. I immediately recognised some of the battlefields from a White Dwarf battle report (the gigantic ruined Cathedral) but I was unprepared for the sheer number of tables. There were dozens and dozens of them, all organised in 6 long rows. There were snow tables, desert tables, swampy tables, urban battlefields and simple green grass tables. Half of them were for the Fantasy tournament while the other half were for 40k players. There was one thing common to them all, though, and that was that there was very little terrain. Shooting armies definitely had the advantage here.

An A4 sheet was posted up with the first pairings and 50 gamers crowded around to see who their first opponent was. As it was a Swiss style tournament, the first game would be allocated randomly while the later games would be chosen on performance. Initially I misread the sheet and thought my opponent's ID number was the table number, so I ran over to the table and began to take my models out of their case. It was only when a Warhammer Fantasy player began to deploy his High Elves that I realised my mistake! He was unconvinced by my idea to play a game anyway (I fancied my chances with my hellguns versus his spears), so I had to quickly ram everything back in my case and locate my real opponent.

Of course, it was Gary.

I drive for 3 hours and 300 miles and I end up playing my regular gaming buddy.

Unbelievable!

Gauntlet Tournament 2003 Introduction

Every year, 40k gamers from all over North East England converge upon Warhammer World and fight it out in the Gauntlet tournament. In 2003 I took up the challenge and brought Kill-Team Severus, my Radical Daemonhunter army, to Nottingham.

Tournament Rules
The scoring for the Gauntlet tournament worked as follows. Points can be collected in three areas; gaming, painting and army selection.

Gaming
Three games are played in one day, with a maximum of 30 points available per game. The highest score possible from gaming is therefore 90 points.

Painting
There are 54 points up for grabs in the painting category. Although the exact method for calculating scores was never made public, I understand that marks were awarded for highlights, washes, drybrushes, basing, unit markings, conversions and originality.

Army Selection
Each army was judged before the tournament on the basis of the army list and background material. 36 points were possible.

The overall best points score available was therefore 180 points, although this would clearly be very difficult to achieve. My own personal target was to finish in the top half of the competition. Around fifty gamers would be present, so I wanted to finish 25th or higher.

Another little sub-plot was that my long-term gaming partner Gary was heading down too, so I wanted to place higher than him.

Missions
Each game used the same mission: Pitched Battle. Armies would be deployed along the long table edges, up to 18" in and can set up no closer than 24" from enemy units. Infiltrators set up last, at least 18" away from enemy models. Elites and Fast Attack choices could be kept in reserve. Nightfight would be played on the first turn on the roll of a 1, last turn on the roll of a 6. Victory points were earned as normal for destroying enemy units, but 200 extra points were up for grabs per table quarter. Finally, the game would last six turns.

Scoring
There were seven different outcomes for each game, depending on the final victory point tallies. It wasn't just about winning, it was about how much you won by.

• You massacred 'im (+1001 or more victory points) 30 points
• Decisive victory (+501 to +1000 victory points) 25 points
  
• Marginal victory (+201 to +500 victory points) 20 points
  
• Draw (-200 to +200 victory points) 15 points
  
• Marginal loss (-201 to -500 victory points) 10 points
  
• Decisive loss (-501 to -1000 victory points) 5 points
  
• Massacred (-1001 or less victory points) 0 points
  

The Army
I'd like to say that my planning for the Gauntlet tournament was extensive, lengthy and precise.

Unfortunately I can't.

My approach to building the army was haphazard and in order to reach 1000 points I had to include every model I had painted, effective or not. Even then I was short on models, especially in Troops selections. So, on the day before the tourney I bought 8 more Stormtroopers and frantically began painting them up. I finished them at 2:00 in the morning and crawled to bed, only to wake again at 4:30 to leave for Nottingham.

It was going to be a long day.

Army List
This was my final 1000 point list for the tournament. I didn't have a single weapon that could shoot over 24 inches. Yikes!

Kill-TeamSeverus

• 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
• Squad Matoso, 9 Stormtroopers, 2xFlamers, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon and Krak Grenades, Rhino, Smoke launchers and Extra Armour
• Squad Seralvo, 7 Stormtroopers, 2xGrenade Launchers
• Squad Vargas, 7 Stormtroopers, 2xPlasma Guns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma pistol, Auspex and Krak Grenades
• Squad Godirtho, 6 Stormtroopers, 2xMeltaguns
  

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Chaos Space Marines

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: ?
Mission: Stop the Ritual
1st turn: Daemonhunters
Points: 1300
Location: Ustra, Sub-Sector 2, Skolarii Sector
Background:

To: Lord Inquisitor Severus, Ordo Malleus, Insolitus, Sub-Sector 2, Skolarii Sector
From: Inquisitor Lord Kepler, Clearance Omicron
Subject: Exigators - Renegade Space Marine Chapter
Priority: High
Received: 988.M41
Message Format: Telepathic
Astropathic Duct: Skolarii
Thought for the Day: Only in death does duty end

Hail Severus.

As you can no doubt imagine, the very fact that I must communicate with you illustrates the gravity of the situation. I have received word from a trusted source that the renegade Space Marine Chapter known as the Exigators are present in Sub-Sector 2. Yes, they were all thought to be destroyed, indeed official records testify to the fact. The Ordo Malleus however, knows differently.

They were observed in an engagement upon the agri-world of Moluca, fighting with other Chaotic forces. My source informs me that the Exigators were lured into a trap, believing they were to meet an individual by the name of Fabius Bile. They hoped this character could stabilise their thoroughly debased geneseed. Instead, they were ambushed and driven from the planet. They were followed as far as Insolitus by my source. He understands that they still plan to tamper with their geneseed, this time by calling on forces beyond the material realm.

Your mission is to disrupt their ritual and prevent this unholy blasphemy of our Emperor's creation. Wipe the stain of the Exigators from the face of the galaxy forever. If you do this deed your past transgressions will be overlooked. The end justifies the means. If you fail, I will personally lead a company of Grey Knights to hunt you down. You will repent your sins before I use your head to decorate the gates of my fortress.

That is all.


Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Severus, Daemonhammer, Bolt Pistol, Icon of the Just, Holocaust, Combat Servitor, 2 Acolytes with Power Armour, Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, 1 Acolyte with Power Weapon, all in Rhino with Smoke
• 2 Daemonhosts
• 3 Death Cult Assassins
• Inquisitor Kurven, Psycannon, Power Armour, Emperor's Tarot, Gun-Servitor with Plasma Cannon, 2 Veterans with Plasma Guns, 2 Sages, 1 Mystic
• Stormtrooper Squad, Matoso 10 Stormtroopers, 2 Flamers, Veteran Sergeant with Hell pistol and Power Weapon, Rhino with Extra Armour, Smoke, Hunter-Killer Missile
• Stormtrooper Squad Godirtho, 6 Stormtroopers, 2 Melta Guns
• Stormtrooper Squad Seralvo, 7 Stormtroopers, 2 Grenade Launchers
• Stormtrooper Squad, Vargas 6 Stormtroopers, 2 Plasma Guns, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma Pistol, Auspex
• Lance Strike
  

Exigators Chaos Space Marines

• Daemon Prince Bellicus, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Daemonic Stature, Daemonic Armour, Daemonic Aura, Daemonic Resilience, Dreadaxe, close combat weapon, Daemonic Spawn
• Squad Hotep, 9 Chaos Space Marines, Mark of Tzeentch, Aspiring Champion, Bolt pistol and close combat weapon, Bolt of Change, Minor Psychic Power, Talisman of Tzeentch
• Squad Surculus, 5 Possessed, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Daemonic Talons
• Squad Infractis, 7 Chaos Space Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, 2x Plasma pistols, Bolt pistols and Close Combat Weapons, Aspiring Champion with Power fist
• Squad Profuge, 7 Chaos Space Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, 2x Plasma guns, Bolt guns
• Squad Imber, 5 Havocs, Mark of Chaos Undivided, bolt guns, 3 x Heavy Bolt guns
• Torius Predator, Twin-linked Lascannons, Heavy Bolt gun sponsons
• Atrocitor, Dreadnought, Twin-linked Lascannons

Terrain and deployment


Inquisitor Lord Severus has scoured the planet of Insolitus for traces of the renegade Exigator Space Marines and finally tracks them down to a ruined temple near the Parvus Hills. He is unsurprised to see a contingent from the Thousand Sons traitor legion present. The Thousand Sons, under the direction of their sorcerer Hotep, are conducting the summoning canticles, along with squad Infractis. The ritual is already underway so Severus deploys his Kill-Team immediately.


Severus sends Inquisitor Kurven and his fire support retinue to occupy a hill on the right. Squad Vargas is also tasked with securing the high ground and providing covering fire. A death cult assassin is poised to rush over the rise and take cover in the riverbed beyond, as is squad Godirtho. The individual figures dotted around the battlefield are scouts, put out by the Exigators to detect unwanted visitors.


On the left flank, squad Seralvo works its way past a stand of trees to try and secure the ford. Two more death cult assassins are also using the treeline for cover as they advance stealthily on the extreme left flank. They have been tasked with the assassination of Daemon Prince Bellicus, whose Spawn companion can be glimpsed behind the corner of the ruined shrine.


A death cult assassin hunts his prey.


Squad Vargas take up a forward position on the hill, with Inquisitor Kurven and retinue behind. They have a good view into the ruined temple and the Chaos troops within.


Squad Seralvo wade through the river and take the far bank. Despite their extensive stealth training they are spotted by a sentry. The battle is joined...

Turn 1


Squad Vargas and Squad Kurven open fire on the Exigators. Three possessed from squad Surculus are killed for the loss of five stormtroopers from squad Vargas. The surviving squad member bravely decides to fight on.


Stormtrooper squad Godirtho makes good time through the river as does the death cult assassin. Inquisitor Lord Severus and squad Matoso arrive from reserve in their rhinos and head straight for the ford. Squad Seralvo has been wiped out to a man with the combined fire of squads Profuge and Imber.


Squad Godirtho and the death cult assassin contact squad Profuge and begin to roll up their flank. Behind them squad Hotep is decimated by fire from Inquisitor Kurven and his retinue.


Another view of the combat between the stormtroopers, assassin and Chaos Marines. Daemon Prince Bellicus can just be seen heading towards the woods on the Daemonhunters left flank. Hidden within the woods are two death cult assassins.


Bellicus takes down an assassin in the forest but is being taken away from the critical area of conflict. Squad Profuge fights on and is joined by the two remaining possessed from squad Surculus. Only one stormtrooper and the assassin remain, but they fight on regardless of casualties. Squad Imber has pulled back behind the altar, wary of a charge from the rapidly approaching Inquisitor Severus. Squad Hotep manages to reform the circle but just one more casualty would end the ritual from them.


Daemon Prince Bellicus hunts down the second assassin within the woods. In doing so he is being pulled even further away from the temple.


The two Daemonhosts appear in the heart of the Chaos defences.


The death cult assassin and last stormtrooper from squad Godirtho kill four Marines between them in combat for no losses. Inquisitor Lord Severus joins the fight to finish off the shattered squads, with squad Matoso just behind. Squad Imber has been reduced to a single Marine, while four of Inquisitor Kurven's retinue were killed in return. Kurven decides that his work is complete and withdraws from the engagement.


One of the Daemonhosts is filled with unnatural strength and rips the Dreadnought apart, limb from limb. Squad Hotep desperately carries on with the ritual, despite the battle raging around them.


The other circle, formed by squad Infractis, is threatened by the second Daemonhost and by Inquisitor Severus and the death cult assassin who have despatched their earlier foes.


Daemon Prince Bellicus finally runs down the second assassin and slices her in two with the dread axe.


Bellicus races back toward the temple as the summoning circles are threatened. Squad Matoso drives right into the temple, ready to mount an assault as necessary. Their rhino shoots its Hunter-Killer missile at the predator but it spirals away from the thick front armour.


The ritual is stopped as both summoning circles are disrupted. The Kill-Team fights on to kill every last Exigator and wipe their stain from the Skolarii Sector.


Inquisitor Lord Severus moves up to take on Bellicus in personal combat. One of the Daemonhosts teleports in behind the Daemon Prince.


Squad Matoso tries to kill off the Thousand Sons while their Rhino transport looks down the barrels of the Predators twin-linked lascannons.


Severus and his combat servitor take on Bellicus and his spawn...


...while squad Matoso charge into the Thousand Sons.


Lord Severus kills the spawn but is taken out of the fight by Bellicus. The Daemonhost arrives too late to save the Inquisitor. Squad Matoso's Rhino is destroyed and they lose many of their stormtroopers in the combat with the Tzeentch Marines.


The second Daemonhost joins the first in battling the Daemon Prince.


A single trooper from squad Matoso survives the combat with the Thousand Sons. Meanwhile Bellicus despatches a Daemonhost and severely wounds the other.


The last two living creatures on the battlefield face each other down...


...and Bellicus slices him to pieces in close combat to end the battle.

To: Inquisitor Lord Kepler, Ordo Malleus, Nemesis Tessera
From: Inquisitor Kurven, Ordo Malleus, Insolitus, Sub-Sector 2, Skolarii Sector, Clearance Omicron
Subject: Exigators - Renegade Space Marine Chapter
Priority: High
Received: 988.M41
Message Format: Telepathic
Astropathic Duct: Skolarii T
hought for the Day: Sometimes the good must perish so that the rest survive. The lot of courage is to be sacrificed upon the altar of battle.

My Lord, it is with great sadness that I must report the death of your most humble servant, Inquisitor Lord Severus. He carried out your instructions to the letter and sacrificed his own life to carry out your will.

We tracked down the Exigators to a ruined temple near the Parvus hills on Insolitus. Severus' plan was to infiltrate assassins on the left to take out the Daemon Prince Bellicus. Alas, the beast proved too powerful for them to kill but they did manage to keep him away from the temple while the ritual was broken. Only afterward did Bellicus arrive to cut down Severus. With your permission I will make it my duty to hunt down this Daemon Prince and make him pay for the Death of my master, tutor and friend.

I myself took the high ground on the right with squad Vargas. Despite heavy casualties we managed to reduce the defenders numbers significantly, including four Thousand Sons who were trying to complete their foul magicks. Our downfall was the Predator, which our weapons could barely scratch. In the face of such a foe I gave the order to fall back as our work was already done.

Squad Godirtho and the last assassin were crucial to the overall plan as they made good speed through the river and managed to engage the foremost squad in combat. In turn this prevented squad Imber from firing upon the Rhinos of Severus and Matoso. Although they took heavy casualties they managed to hold out until the cavalry arrived and the members of squad Godirtho should be considered for posthumous commendations.

The Daemonhosts were successful in disrupting the defence of the temple, as they teleported in behind the Chaos lines. The Dreadnought would have been difficult for any other unit to destroy than the Daemonhosts, so its destruction was relief indeed. Finally, they assisted in disrupting the circles which helped to complete the mission.

Unless you strictly forbid it I will presently leave Insolitus. My destination is [encrypted], where the Daemon Prince Bellicus has fled to safety. I will follow him to the ends of the galaxy to exact my revenge.

Inquisitor Kurven.

SPACE MARINES - BLOOD ANGELS versus Chaos Space Marines

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Gary
Mission: Kill 'em all!
1st turn: Blood Angels
Points: 5000
Location: Rianas, Ossory Cluster, Skolarii sector
Background: The following vid-picts were uncovered by an agent working on behalf of the lone pilgrim upon the Hiveworld of Jalein. They have been carbon-silica dated to 343.M41, and have been estimated 93.2% authentic. The conflict recorded herein relates to that cataclysmic battle between the forces of Chaos commanded by Ahriman and the Blood Angels Space Marines led by Dante himself.

Initially the Chaotic horde massively outnumbered the forces of the Imperium, but they fought numerous costly battles against scattered Ork armies over several worlds of sub-sector seven. When Ahriman and his forces launched a ground assault on Rianas, Dante decided that the time had come to strike. The fate of the entire sub-sector was to be decided by this single battle, so each army's only objective was to wipe out the enemy to a man no matter how long it would take.

Space Marines - Blood Angels

• Commander Dante
• CaptainTycho, Honour Guard
• Sanguinary Priest Corbulo
• Chief Librarian Mephiston
• Commander Xenophon
• Terminator Commander Kades
• Terminator Chaplain Blackblood
• Chaplain Avernus with Death Company
• 6 Terminators, 5 Veteran Assault Marines
• 38 Tactical marines
• 10 Scouts
• 4 Bikes
• Attack Bike
• 10 Assault Marines
• Land speeder Tornado
• Dreadnought Rueben
• Baal Predator
• 18 Devastator Marines
  

Chaos Space Marines

• Ahriman
• Kharn the Betrayer
• Bloodthirster
• Sorceror
• Lord on Juggernaught
• Daemon Prince on Disc of Tzeentch
• Chaos Lord
• Cypher
• Possessed
• A frothing horde of Khorne Berzerkers
• Plague Marines
• Obliterators
• Numerous Chaos Space Marines
• Bloodletters
• Plaguebearers
• Raptors
• Flesh Hounds
• Predator
• Havocs
  

Terrain and deployment

The armies meet across a small Ork settlement

The view from the Blood Angels battle line

Note the Tactical squad deployment to the left flank and the close assault element to the right. The plan is to deliver a massive right hook to the right while refusing the left flank. Captain Tycho and the Honour Guard advance up the shallow stream under cover from the scout sniper rifles. Dante leads the Veteran Assault Squad, just behind the Dreadnought.

We will fight them on the beaches...

Devastator and Tactical Squads hold the left flank, near a ruined shrine and a beach, under the watchful eye of Commander Xenophon. The Baal Predator protects the centre and will act as the 'pivot'. The Ork building will provide cover for the assault units as they move in.

Darkness rising

The Predator, two squads of Khorne Berzerkers, a Havoc Squad, the Dreadnought, three obliterators and a Chaos Space Marine Squad all contest the open ground around the ruined shrine. The Chaos army is more balanced in its deployment. If their assault units can reach the Tactical Marines they should be able to overwhelm them and begin to roll up the line.

Ahriman conducts the deployment of his forces near the shallow stream (he is the lone figure at the rear).

The Lord on the Juggernaught is next to the red Rhino which contains Kharn and the Possessed. More Chaos Space Marines (black) and Khorne Berzerkers (red) hold the far side of the river. On the near side the Plague Marines are in the green Rhino while yet more Khorne Berzerkers inhabit the blue Rhino. The Raptor Squad takes cover behind the Rhinos.

Turn 1

The Blood Angels assault element races forward

Corbulo is in the red Rhino with a nine man Honour Guard. Note Tycho in the stream with the Chapter Banner. Dante can just be seen amongst a sea of jump pack Marines.

Fire as one

On the other flank the Blood Angels lay down a withering hail of fire. Not one unit succumbs to the Rage!

Red on red contact

Dreadnought Rueben was destroyed by enemy fire in the first shot of the game despite being shrouded in smoke. The Bike Squad, succumbing to the Rage and rushing forward, is all but wiped out by the Khorne Berzerkers that furiously charge into combat. Surely the Attack bike is doomed.

But wait...isn't that Mephiston and a Terminator Squad nearby? All is not lost.

The Chaos horde charge forward under covering fire from their Dreadnought

Ahriman unleashes his foul magicks from the rear (!)

Even his own forces shun him. Cypher is just visible to the right of the Chaos Space Marine Squad, while Khârn froths in the Rhino with the Possessed.

Turn 2

The relentless Space Marine advance continues

The Khorne Berzerkers have been destroyed by the Terminators. The Plague Marine Rhino has blown up killing many of its foul occupants, the survivors coming under fire from the Scout sniper rifles. Captain Tycho has been ambushed by Daemonettes from the warp. The Chapter Banner is swept away in the stream.

Daemons!

Corbulo and his Honour Guard have already killed Cypher and the rest of his Squad but are assailed by Bloodletters summoned from warpspace and the Daemon Prince on a disc of Tzeentch. Will Commander Kades and his Terminators arrive in time to save Corbulo?

Battle at the ford

The two surviving Plague Marines aid the Daemonettes against Tycho, while the Berzerkers in the Rhino bide their time. The Raptors keep a watchful eye on the Death Company over the ford. In the background the Scouts ready their sniper rifles.

Turn 3

Death comes calling

The Death Company cross the ford to confront the Plague Marines but they don't disembark. Do they have a fiendish plan up their sleeve or did their commander simply forget about them? Chaplain Blackblood, in Terminator armour, brings up the rear. The Raptors use their speed to get behind the Rhino and target its weaker rear armour.

Captains to me!

Ahriman had been assaulted by the Blood Angel Assault Squad and held them up long enough for the Chaos Lord on a Juggernaught to come to his rescue. The two survivors can be seen top left, falling back. The Terminators did save Corbulo, his Red Grail can just be made out in the scrum, and the Bloodletters and Daemon Prince are wiped out.

Frothing madmen

Near the ruined shrine two Tactical Squads succumb to the Black Rage and race toward the oncoming Khorne Berzerkers! Does the sorcery of Chaos have something to do with this momentary lapse of reason?

Turn 4

Chaplain Blackblood is assailed by Plaguebearers in the ford

Tycho lies injured nearby.

Khârnage!

Captain Kades has no chance to rest as Khârn and the Possessed bail out of their Rhino and kill Corbulo. Many Terminators also fall in the assault. The foul mutations of the Chaos Possessed are horribly visible.

Angels of Death

Nearby, Dante and the Veteran Assault Squad take on the Chaos Lord on the Juggernaught.

Surprise!

A Tactical Squad is charged by the newly revealed Bloodthirster. Its host was killed before it appeared and its hold in real space is weak, but with no heroes or assault squads in the area it can run amok.

Turn 5

Single combat

Dante and the Chaos Lord on the Juggernaught duel man to man. Dante was severely wounded but his Iron Halo saved him from four killing blows, and in return he dispatched his foe.

Blood for the Blood God

The Bloodthirster munches its way through another Tactical Squad. Before it could cause any more carnage it succumbed to instability and was dragged back into the Warp. The Blood Angels left flank was secure.

The two Chaplains meet face to face after cleaving through their opponents

Heroes of the Imperium

Dante, Mephiston, Kades, Sergeant Redemptor and a single Terminator take a well earned breath. Ahriman fell to a lucky Missile launcher shot but his body was never found. In all the confusion Khârn managed to escape too.

But the battle is won, sub-sector seven is saved.

The Heart of the Skolarii Sector is claimed by the Imperium.

Result: Win

Aftermath

• So the Blood Angels emerge victorious after a vicious engagement. My plan to bring the assault element to bear upon a single flank of the Chaos army worked very well. With Dante, Mephiston, Corbulo, Tycho, Kades and both Chaplains taking on Ahriman, Cypher, Khârn, the Daemon Prince on a disc, the Lord on Juggernaught and another Lord on foot, we had a cataclysmic meeting but the Blood Angels heroes just had the edge and won through.
• The Death Company achieved nothing in the entire game when I forgot to deploy them from the Rhino after crossing the ford. The Rhino was subsequently destroyed and the survivors hosed with fire, so that only the Chaplain survived. Ho hum. I suppose in such a large battle you're bound to forget something.
• On the left flank the Chaos forces came under heavy fire against Tactical and Devastator Squads that rarely failed their rolls for Black Rage. The only Chaos model that made it into combat on this flank was the Bloodthirster, and it chewed through two Tactical Squads in short order. Given that there was only one Marine model, out of fifty or so, on that entire side of the board with a weapon that could hurt it effectively in close combat (Xenophon with his power fist) the Bloodthirster could easily have swung the battle in favour of Chaos. But his host had been killed before he could be summoned and in the end the Bloodthirster fell to a poor instability roll, not to the Blood Angels.
• It was interesting to fight such a large battle with a high number of heroes. Surprisingly I think, tactics were still important. I had pretty much assumed that there would be so much lead flying around that the plan would go out of the window after the first turn, but the decision to place all of the Blood Angel heroes together and use the Ork building to cover the advance really paid off. A hugely entertaining battle!