IMPERIAL GUARD versus Chaos Space Marines - Death Guard

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Steve
Mission: Take and Hold
Level: Gamma
1st turn: Chaos Space Marines - Death Guard
Points: 1500
Location: Celebes, Salazar Systems, Skolarii sector
Background: The Death Guard attack on the southern quarter of Celebes Hive One is revealed as a feint when their main attack arrives from the north. Kennell meets the Nurgle Marines head on and blunts their attack. An uneasy silence falls across the Hive...


Imperial Guard

• Command Squad 77, Captain Kennell Junior officer, Standard, 3 meltaguns
• Anti-tank Squad, 3 lascannons
• Commissar Ord Bulman, Power Sword, Bolt Pistol
• Cypher with 6 Fallen, 2 plasma guns, aspiring Champion with powerfist
• 6 Stormtroopers, 1 meltagun, 1 plasma gun
• Infantry Platoon
• Command Section 36, Lieutenant Dophan Junior Officer, Missile Launcher
• Infantry Squad 501, Missile Launcher, Plasma Gun
• Infantry Squad 541, Missile Launcher, Plasma Gun
• Armoured Fist Squad, Missile launcher, flamer, Chimera with Heavy Bolter, Multi-laser
• 20 Conscripts
• Sentinel, Multilaser, Searchlight
• Sentinel, Multilaser
• Basilisk, Indirect Fire
• Leman Russ, Heavy Bolter
  

Chaos Space Marines - Death Guard

• Lord with Powerfist and plasma pistol
• 7 Plague Bearers
• 7 Deathguard with plasma gun, meltagun, asp Champ with powerfist
• 7 Deathguard with plasma gun, meltagun, asp Champ with powerfist
• 7 Deathguard Havocs with two plasma guns, meltagun, asp Champ with powerfist
• Dreadnought with autocannon, extra armour and smoke
• Dreadnought with multi-melta, extra armour and smoke
• Great Unclean One

Background
I had played Steve the week earlier but we had to abandon the game due to running out of time. This week we had a rematch. He had the same army while I had dropped the Inquisitorial elements in favour of Cypher and a squad of Fallen.

Terrain and Deployment
The table had a decent amount of varied terrain. I chose the side with good lines of sight to the objective. I had a ruined building on my left, a large swamp, a massive wood on my front right and another building on my extreme right. Steve had two ruined buildings opposite the wood, and vegetation of his own on my left.

I set most of my vehicles up on the right, sheltered from incoming fire by the building and the forest. My counter attack in the shape of Cypher and the Fallen and Captain Kennell's squad hid behind the wood. The rest of my men spread out in the centre and left with decent firing lanes.

Steve put most of his infantry on my right, inside the 36" minimum range of the Basilisk. His Havocs infiltrated to the other side of the forest. He dropped a Dreadnought on each flank - the multi-melta opposite my vehicles.

The Game
Predictably, most of the real action in the game took place in and around that wood. I wanted to use it to advance to the objective while Steve wanted to use it to cover his infantry advance.

Steve fed a Marine squad, his Havocs, his Lord, a Plague bearer unit and his Great Unclean One into the meatgrinder of the forest while I pumped in Cypher, the Fallen, Captain Kennell and his Command section, the Armoured Fist squad, my Lascannons, a Sentinel and the Basilisk.

The Deathguard took heavy casualties on the way in but rallied when the Daemons arrived and Cypher went down. In particular his wounded Lord scored some impressive victory point returns when he destroyed the Chimera and the Basilisk in successive turns.

On the left I won the early exchanges again but got caught out by the second unit of Plague bearers who accounted for triple their points value in Guardsmen.

We had both caused such damage to each others armies that the table was virtually empty when we finished, and neither of us was anywhere near the objective.

Result: Draw - Imperial Guard 1272.5 victory points, Chaos Space Marines - Death Guard 1127.5 victory points

Imperial Control: No change

Kennell's Commendation: The Mortar squad just gets the nod for several unlikely kills and for contributing their own victory points by not being killed.

Learning points

• For every bad dice roll I had in my last game against Steve, I got a good one in this game. After my second turn he was seriously considering surrender but he hung on in there and once he made combat he began to claw his points back. The last dice roll of the game - the Lords plasma pistol shot at the Basilisk - earned Steve the draw. An exciting and enjoyable game!
• I probably used my reserves too early in this game. I had assumed Steve would press forward recklessly (too many games against Gary's Khorne Berzerkers I think), but he hung back to mount a coordinated attack with his Daemons. In an effort to prevent them from summoning from the infiltrating Havocs I advanced into rapid fire range. I did kill the squad but was left open to assault from the Greater Daemon and Chaos Lord. I wonder what would have happened if I had hung back and committed them later? I must learn to be more patient.
• Spacing. Steve caught me out again with several 6" sweeping advances (Kennell got splattered by the Great Unclean One this time). This is due, I reckon, to my tactic of using multiple small units. It's largely unavoidable and is a definite weakness in this type of army.

IMPERIAL GUARD versus Chaos Space Marines - Death Guard

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Steve
Mission: Recon
Level: Alpha
1st turn: Chaos Space Marines - Death Guard
Points: 1500
Location: Celebes, Salazar Systems, Skolarii sector
Background: Sensor auguries detect enemy air movements in the previously uncontested southern quarter of Celebes Hive One. Kennell acts quickly and decisively; if the Cadians can reach the landing zone before the forces of Chaos hit the Hive, the new front can be crushed immediately. Upon contact with the enemy Kennell is surprised to see some old foes. The Death Guard have obviously finished their slaughter upon Kutch and have decided to throw in their lot with Khârn. Both armies fight ferociously only for the battle to be brought to a halt by a sudden chem-storm. The Death Guard return to their landers while the Cadians rush back to the northern front


Imperial Guard

• Command Squad 77, Captain Kennell Junior officer, Standard, 3 meltaguns
• Anti-tank Squad, 3 lascannons
• Commissar Ord Bulman, Power Sword, Bolt Pistol
• Inquisitor Lord Kurven, Psycannon, Mystic, Hierophant, 2 Sages, 2 Imperial Guard Veterans with plasma guns
• Callidus Assassin
• 6 Stormtroopers, 1 meltagun, 1 plasma gun
• Infantry Platoon
• Command Section 36, Lieutenant Dophan Junior Officer, Missile Launcher
• Infantry Squad 501, Missile Launcher, Plasma Gun
• Infantry Squad 541, Missile Launcher, Plasma Gun
• 6 Inquisitorial Stormtroopers, 2 Plasma Guns
• 6 Inquisitorial Stormtroopers, 2 Melta Guns
• Sentinel Multilaser, Searchlight
• Sentinel Multilaser, Smoke Launcher
• Basilisk, Indirect Fire
• Leman Russ, Heavy Bolter
  

Chaos Space Marines - Death Guard

• Lord with Powerfist
• 7 Plague Bearers
• 7 Deathguard with plasma gun, meltagun, asp Champ with powerfist
• 7 Deathguard with plasma gun, meltagun, asp Champ with powerfist
• 7 Deathguard Havocs with two plasma guns, meltagun, asp Champ with powerfist
• Dreadnought with autocannon, extra armour and smoke
• Dreadnought with multi-melta, extra armour and smoke
• Great Unclean One

Background
Both Gary and I were bored - we had played each other so many times in the last few weeks that we were sick of the sight of each other. Fortunately for us Steve showed up with a 1500 point Deathguard army. Steve is one of those players who has more army ideas than the time to create and play them. You never know which army he will turn up with from week to week or what tactics he will use. Whatever he plays he is a pleasure to game with as he doesn't get involved with heated rules debates and is as gracious in defeat as in victory.

He played Gary first, who pummeled the Nurgle Marines with long range firepower and then wiped him out in a vicious counter assault. I then challenged Steve on the same table. I felt pretty confident. On paper I reckoned I had the definite advantage; I had two pie plates and multiple melta and plasma squads, as well as missile launchers and lascannons. We were playing on a relatively open table and Steve had a list that I thought wasn't the strongest.

We rolled up a secure and control mission which I thought was fantastic. I had multiple small units which were actually quite mobile for a Guard army, while Steve had only a handful of high cost, low model count units. With time an issue, Steve suggested we roll something else. I reluctantly agreed. This time we came up with an Alpha level Recon. Much worse for me, as the Nurgle Marines would be advancing toward me anyway. Ho, and indeed, hum.

Terrain and Deployment
The board was pretty sparse with two large ruined buildings breaking up lines of sight in the centre and left of the board. The right had more patches of area 2 ruins and I had a large area 3 in my right deployment zone.

I dropped the Russ on my left with my melta gun Stormtroopers, Plasma Stormtroopers and Captain Kennell. The Conscripts, the last Stormtroopers, two Infantry Squads and my lascannons occupied the centre and I had the remaining Infantry Squad, Platoon HQ and the Basilisk on the right. I hung both Sentinels back near the centre, as a kind of mobile reserve.

Steve had a Dread behind each of the large ruined buildings (the multi-melta one nearest my Russ) and had his Havoc squad in between the two walkers. The rest of his Infantry went on my right, advancing through the area two terrain.

The Game
My basic plan was to advance the Stormtroopers and Conscripts in the centre as charge bait. Once they were destroyed I could slaughter the Nurgle forces with my plasma and ordnance. It failed miserably.

Steve took the bait, and even brought his Daemons on to join in the slaughter. Unfortunately for me his Plague Bearers got a 6" follow up move and just made contact with my supporting plasma Stormtroopers, while the Conscripts ran 3" and were re-engaged by the Death Guard. Every combat after that was equally as disastrous for me; if I needed to fail a morale check I passed it and vice versa, no matter the odds.

My shooting was atrocious for the entirety of the game. I failed to get above a three on the damage charts as I poured shot after shot into the Dreads and I just couldn't hurt the toughness 5 Marines. The one exception was the first Leman Russ shot. It went virtually the full 78" in a cross table shot and scattered straight onto the Lord, who died instantly!

Close combat was largely crap too. My Callidus arrived on turn two, caused no casualties with her Neuro-disruptor, charged into the Havocs, killed no-one and was cut down. Boo.

Right near the end of the game I got lucky with a Sentinel, though. I won a combat against the Plague Bearers who flunked their morale test badly and all fled back to the warp.

That was on turn four and the game was still finely balanced. Steve was still in the driving seat as he had four scoring units already in my deployment zone, but I reckoned I still had a chance as I had six scoring units left and still had some decent hitting power.

Unfortunately we'll never know what would have happened because time ran out and we had to go home.

Result: Draw - time ran out

Imperial Control: Unchanged

Kennell's Commendation: Sentinel Spade for that outrageous close combat with the Daemons.

Learning points

• You just can't beat bad dice. I can't even communicate how badly I rolled in this game. I suppose I had it coming after killing Gary's Bloodletters in close combat in my last game, but it didn't make it any easier to take.
  
• Looking at the two army lists, and after deployment, I honestly thought I could have had the game wrapped up after my second turn of shooting. Those Dreads shouldn't have survived beyond the second turn, never mind being in my deployment zone on the fourth, and my ordnance should have seen off the squads. Oh well, I just hope that is my unlucky game out of the way for a while.

CHAOS SPACE MARINES versus Death Guard

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Steve
Mission: Cleanse
Level: Gamma
1st turn: Death Guard
Points: 1000
Location: Moluca, The Salazar Systems
Background: 988.M41 A mysterious plague decimates the population of the tiny agri-world of Moluca. Suspecting foul play, the Exigators investigate and find a Nurgle Death Cult infecting the innocent citizens. A lightning raid on the cult headquarters reveals the true nature of the threat; Deathguard Chaos Space Marines.

Chaos Space Marines (lone pilgrim)

• Chaos Lord Ferocitor - Mark of Chaos Undivided, Dark Blade, Close Combat Weapon, Daemonic Speed, Daemonic Stature, Daemonic Strength, Daemonic Visage
• 2 Obliterators
• Squad Infractis – 6 Chaos Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, Bolt pistols and Close combat weapons, Aspiring Champion with Power fist
• Squad Profuge - 5 Chaos Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, Bolt guns, Plasma gun, Lascannon
• Squad Abraxar - 5 Chaos Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, Bolt guns, Plasma gun, Missile Launcher
• 8 Furies
• Squad Imber - 6 Havocs, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, Bolt guns, 4 Heavy Bolters
  

Death Guard

• Lord with plasma pistol and powerfist
  
• 2x7 man Deathguard units with 2 plasma guns in Rhinos
  
• Dreadnought with autocannon
  
• 7 Man Havoc squad with lots of plasma and melta
  
• 7 Plaguebearers

Terrain and Deployment
Steve and I had a bit of a tussle about the terrain before the game began. Being a close range army, and worrying about my long range superiority, Steve wanted the large, low central hill to block all line of sight. Normally I would just let this go but I really have a bug about terrain at the moment. I am shocked at how little people know about the new 4th edition rules (size 3 terrain - what's that then?) and I especially hate players just calling everything area terrain. It's okay as an abstraction, when you have uniquely modeled terrain, but for a hill? No way. The rulebook is very specific about this, so I stood my ground. In the end we rolled a d6 and the decision went in my favour.

Steve won the choice of table quarter and took the one holding a large building. I had a stone circle and forest to the right of my deployment zone and a small wood on my right. Other than that massive hill there was very little extra terrain.

I had Squad Infractis behind the wood on my right, with Ferocitor behind to back them up. Squad Abraxar started on the hill right out in the open, pushing the Deathguard back, and Squad Krall gave covering fire from the wood on my left. I infiltrated Squad Imber to my extreme left and Squad Profuge to my extreme right. The Furies and Obliterators would show up later on.

Steve had his two Rhino squads dismounted in front of the building in the middle, with his Havoc squad and Dreadnought inside.

The game
Steve won first turn and mounted both squads in their Rhinos, zoomed them forward 12", popped the hatches and rapid fired their plasma guns at Squad Abraxar.

My priority was to stop both transports ASAP and I achieved this in my first turn. Steve then didn't know whether to stick or twist with the entangled squads as they were on top of the hill and a long way from the rest of my army. By the time he made a desperate attempt to reach my models I had whittled them down with Squad Imber and I finished them off before they made combat.

Steve got his Lord and Daemons into assault with Squad Infractis in the woods but I piled in Ferocitor and the Furies and came out just on top. Fortunately, I had 50% of my Furies left and they grabbed a table quarter (going second is useful for something!).

My Obliterators dropped in to take on the Dread and Havocs but I rolled abysmally and failed to kill a thing. I was wiped out by return fire. Nevertheless I had won the game comfortably, and claimed three table quarters to Steve's one.

Result: Win - Decisive victory.

Commendations

• Furies.

Learning points

• My army worked much better in this game than my earlier ones, due to the assault squad. It was too small, though, and could do with being strengthened.
• This was my first bad game with the Obliterators; I hope it is just a one-off.