Apocalypse Battle Report - Seize and Slaughter Pt 2

So the teams were set and the battle lines drawn. It was time to wage war.

For ease of writing, Team A will be Space Wolves/Eldar/Imperial Guard/Tyranids and Team B will be Chaos/Chaos/Tau/Space Marine/Orks

Turn 1 - Team A
With three Land Raiders filled with assault troops, two defilers, a Stompa and a plethora of other nasties lined up at our doorstep, we knew that so much depended on this first shooting phase.

Logan Grimnar and his Wolfguard Terminators drop podded right in front of the Tau Hammerheads and nearby the Green Tide. Between the Cyclone Missile Launcher and Arjac's Thunder Hammer, they only gained a stunned result on a single gunship. The Tyranid carnifexes and Genestealers on the right flank moved up, under cover of the spore chimneys (they would also run in the shooting phase).

The Seer Council cast Fortune on themselves and attempted to Doom the enemy possessed but was nullified by the enemy Inquisitor's Psychic Hood. The flew up 12 inches in front of the center Chaos Land Raider and threw spears into its hull, doing nothing thanks to Daemonic Possession. Eldrad cast Fortune on his Wave Serpent and Guided the Falcon, while Doom was once again nullified, and moved 12" away and fired it's twin-linked bright lance at the Imperial Land Raider and immobilizing it, while concealing most of its hull behind the Space Wolf Land Raider. The Falcon would move 6" to the left flank to gain full view of the Slaaneshi Daemon Prince. After a torrent of fire, the Prince fell. My Vypers would move 24" towards the middle of the board to prepare to assist where the battle needed them.

The Imperials sent their orders out to fire on the two biggest threats - the Stompa and the Defiler. The Leman Russ Vanquisher, the Land Raider, and the Lascannon Teams (who failed their Orders check) would fire at the Stompa and disable both the Dethkannon, the close combat weapon and the Supa-Gatla (a victory, if you ask me). Meanwhile, autocannon teams would fire at the Defiler, miraculously destroying it. A Rune Priest and Long Fangs would split their fire at the second Defiler and the Stompa, destroying the former and doing nothing to the latter, while Grey Hunters would wait for the moment to strike. Meanwhile, one Chimera with Melta Veterans drove for the Stompa, while the other began making for one of our secondary objectives. Basilisk fire rained onto the Noise marine Rhino, wrecking the vehicle. The Manticore would hold its fire until the time was right.

In the assault phase, the Seer Council would fearless ride into the throng of Land Raiders, laying blows onto the middle one in hopes of stemming the flow of melee warriors ready to disgorge from it. The vehicle was wrecked, but all but one Berserker managed to get out of the vehicle...

Turn 1 - Team B
All on our left flank, Khorne Berserkers and Plague Marines would exit their transports and prepare to slaughter the four Eldar in their midsts. Only a single Warlock fell in the shooting phase to a torrent of Boltgun and Sonic Blaster fire. The rest are cut down in the ensuing melee while the Farseer fails to flee the combat and is slain as well. The possessed and Chaos Lord slowly advanced up the field, with even softer prey in mind... The Vanguard Veterans and Pedro fearfully remain in their immobilized Land Raider.

Towards the middle field, the Inquisitor and the Vindicare Assassin would do nothing. Grot mechanics scrambled to get the Stompa's Dethkannon back online, readying it to fire on the next turn. The Green Tide would shout their praises to Gork n' Mork (or perhaps Mork n' Gork...) and charge Logan and his Wolf Guard, who met them head on in a counter-attack. After the corpses were tallied, all of the the Wolfguard (including Arjac) were dead, Logan suffered a single wound and a little over a dozen Ork boyz were killed.

The Tau lit up the Paskquisher and the Space Wolf Land Raider with Markerlights and after three Railgun shots to each, the mighty tanks were nothing but burnt out husks. The Chaos Land Raider would unload its Lascannons into the Falcon, but only shook the vehicle.

Turn 2 - Team A
None of our reserves came in to support us, so we were on our own for now. Eldrad's Fortune was nullified by the Psychic Hood, but his second casting of it went through. Guide went to Vypers, who would move 6 inches towards the left flank to unload their firepower into the Inquisitor and his Retinue, slaughtering all but a single mystic and the Inquisitor Lord. The Wave Serpent would move 12" closer to our secondary objective and fire its Bright Lance at the Stompa, once again disabling the Dethkannon. The Guard's Manticore and Basilisks would fire into the conglomeration of Cultist Marines - slaying all of the Plague Marines and Noise marines as well as several Khorne Berserkers. Mortar fire and Lasgun fire would pepper the the possessed and surviving Berserkers, but with no results. The shaken Falcon would move 18" away to get a Cover Save.

The Chimera carrying Meltavets drives forward, unloads its squad who fire into the Stompa for a drive damaged result and a weapon destroyed. The second Chimera parks onto the secondary objective.

On the right side, the Genestealers and Carnifexes surged foward into the melee. Out of that entire swarm, only two Carnifexes did not make it into combat. Commence the flinging of body parts. Nearly 40 Ork Boyz and the Warboss were killed between the Genestealers, Carnifexes and Logan Grimnar, while only 7 Genestealers and Logan suffered wounds. Another 20 plus Boyz would die to No Retreat! wounds.

Turn 2 - Team B
Due to the Imperial Guard Officer of the Fleet, none of the enemy's reserves came into play.

The Possessed, Terminator Lord, and both squads of Khorne Berserkers surge forward, colliding gloriously into a Mortar Team and an Infantry Squad. Needless to say, it was Team B's turn to commence the flinging of body parts. Both the Mortar Team and the Infantry Squad were butchered to the man. The Stompa decided to just unload whatever weaponry it could at the nearby Chimera, shaking it, while the Broadsides turned their sights on it and, with the aid of Markerlights, sent it up in flames. The Tau Command Squad moved to fire into the melta vets, slaying several of them due to effective cover save rolls. The squad decides to stick around rather than run like pansies. Hammerhead gunships turn to fire on unengaged Carnifexes, dealing two wounds to one and a single wound to the other.

Even more body parts began flying around as another 20 some orks fall to the Genestealers and Logan, with only a few wounds being dealt to Team A's forces, as two carnifexes take a wound and 3 genestealers fall. With less than 20 Boyz standing by the end of this turn, this combat would be over by the end of the next turn.

Keep an eye out for the next post...

Squirrel_Fish out

Bacon and 40k

Or, as my friend insists on calling it, the “BaCON”. Unfortunately, there were only four of us there to play. We made the bacon explosion, what I can easily describe as a delicious orgy of bacon and barbeque. Two games of 40k were played and here’s a battle report of the game that I played, trying out my Vulkan list. Unfortunately for me, I forgot to take pictures throughout the entire game. L

Salamanders vs. Chaos Space Marines 1500 points

Salamanders:

Vulkan
Tactical Squad w/ Powerfist, Combi-Melta, Flamer and Multi-Melta & Rhino
Tactical Squad w/ Powerfist, Combi-Melta, Flamer and Multi-Melta & Rhino
Tactical Squad w/ Powerfist, Combi-Melta, Flamer and Multi-Melta & Rhino
Sternguard x5 w/ Combi-Melta x3, Combi-Flamer x1, Powerfist & Razorback
Assault Terminators w/ TH/SS x5
Land Raider Redeemer w/ Extra Armor

Chaos Marines (not exactly sure on the exacts)

Typhus
Chaos Sorcerer w/ Lash
Plague Marines w/ Rhino
Khorne Berserkers, Skull Champion w/ Power Weapon
Noise Marines w/ Doom Siren, Power Weapon
Defiler w/ 2 DCCW

The mission was Seize Ground with 3 objectives. Deployment was table quarters.

I won the roll-off to place two objectives and placed one objective within my table quarter behind wall that blocked LOS to it. My opponent placed his objective in his table quarter near a building. The last objective was placed near the center of the table, slightly towards my corner.

Turn 1 Chaos: My opponent starts off by moving his two rhinos; the one carrying Plague Marines drives towards his objective and the one carrying Noise Marines drives towards the wall blocking LOS. His Defiler makes its way to my left flank in order to get a clear shot with its battlecannon. His Land Raider drives into LOS of my Land Raider Redeemer and takes a shot with a TL-Lascannon, penetrating and immobilizing my Land Raider. Defiler shoots its battlecannon at my Razorback, gets a direct hit and glances, shaking it.

Turn 1 Salamanders: One of the Rhinos moves up my left to support the Razorback, one comes up the right to support the Land Raider and the last sticks back to take the objective later in the game. Razorback and the Rhino on the right pop smoke, while my Redeemer unloads its assault cannon at the enemy Land Raider. All four shots hit, but only one manages to Rend getting a glancing hit and immobilizing the Land Raider.

Turn 2 Chaos: His rhinos continue on the way they were going, the Plague Marine rhino parking on the objective and the Noise Marine Rhino hugs the wall. Defiler continues to move up my left flank. The Land Raider takes a shot at my right Rhino, but I make my cover save. Defiler shoots his battlecannon at my Razorback again, but scatters off and doesn’t do anything.

Turn 2 Salamanders: Both my Razorback and my left Rhino move away from the Defiler, trying to bait it in closer. The Rhino on the right pulls back out of LOS of the Land Raider. The Redeemer lets rip with the assault cannon again, but fails to do anything.

Turn 3 Chaos: Defiler continues moving forward, while his Rhinos sit where they are. Defiler shoots his Battlecannon at my rhino waiting to take my objective, immobilizing it. Land Raider shoots his Lascannons at my Land Raider, penetrating and destroying my assault cannon.

Turn 3 Salamanders: Left Rhino drives up towards the defiler and pops smoke. Razorback moves forward a touch in order to get within Melta range of the Defiler next turn. The right Rhino moves up the field and disembarks, trying to bait his Khorne Berserkers out of the Land Raider and away from the objective. My Land Raider pops smoke.

Turn 4 Chaos: Noise Marines and the Sorcerer get out of their Rhino, while the Khorne Berserkers and Typhus get out of the Land Raider. Both squads move forward to get into position for the ensuing slaughter. The Defiler shoots its battlecannon at the Tactical Squad’s rhino but smoke saves me. Typhus and the Berserkers charge into the other tactical squad and slaughter 4 Tactical Marines, while I kill 2 Berserkers. ‘Miraculously’ I make my leadership test, staying in combat.

Turn 4 Salamanders: The Razorback inches forward while the left Rhino disembarks its crew. The right Rhino makes a small retreat. The left tactical squad fires its Combi-melta at the Defiler, immobilizing it. I surprisingly only lose two marines in my assault with the berserkers, while killing one of them in return. I pass my Morale check again.

Turn 5 Chaos: The Noise Marines and Sorcerer disembark from their Rhino and move into a better firing position. The Defiler then fires its battle-cannon at my objective Rhino, immobilizing it. The Sorcerer uses Lash to whip my guys into a teardrop formation, followed swiftly by sonic blasters and the Doom Siren. Two marines are left standing but are cut down in the following assault. The berserkers kill two marines and the last one flees for his life, successfully breaking away.

Turn 5 Salamanders: After that last round, I needed to do something to at least contest the objective in the middle for at least the tie. Luckily, I had a couple ideas. The Razorback drives up to 6 inches away and the Sternguard get out. The left Rhino moved up to block off LOS from the Noise Marines. The right Rhino tank-shocks 9 inches pushing the Berserkers away from the objective and coming within 3 inches to contest. My back tactical squad disembarks from their Rhino and moves up to the objective, while the retreating marine helps consolidate it. My Vulkan and my assault terminators disembark from my immobile land raider and move 6 inches and prepare to assault. Sternguard let rip with their Combi-Melta’s, destroying the battlecannon on the Defiler. Vulkan lets loose with his heavy flamer, killing 2 berserkers. Vulkan and the Terminators charge, Vulkan killing three Berserkers, Typhus killing two terminators, the Berserkers killing nothing and the Terminators kill Typhus. The remaining Berserkers pass their No Retreat saves.

We roll to see if the game goes on and it ends on turn 5 with a draw!

Things that I learned or am considering:

1) If I'm not playing Annihilation, split my tactical squads into combat squads so that the heavy weapons can do something.

2) I'm not sure if combi-melta's are reliable enough to replace meltaguns as dedicated anti-tank. This problem could be solved if I follow through on lesson 1.

3) Tank shock is awesome.

Any other things that I missed out on? C&C Welcome

Squirrel_Fish