UK Indy GT: Game 1: Sisters of Battle

Well here we are, the reason I started blogging! Now I will admit that overall I did poor - 74th out of 120, I was hoping the top half but over the next few days/posts you will see why!

First of here's my list for the weekend for those of you who don't know:

HQ (210)

Rune Priest, Living Lightning, Murderous Hurricane, Chooser of the Slain = 110

Rune Priest, Living Lightning, Jaws of the World Wolf = 100 

Elites (279)

5 Wolf Scouts, Melta Gun =85

5 Wolf Scouts, Melta Gun =85

3 Wolf Guard: 2 armed with a power fist and a combi melta each, 1 with a combi melta and a bolt pistol 109

Troops (670)

10 Grey hunters, 2 Melta Guns, Wolf Banner, Mark of the Wulfen = 180

Rhino = 35

10 Grey hunters, 2 Melta Guns, Wolf Banner, Mark of the Wulfen = 180

Rhino = 35

5 Grey Hunters, 1 Melta Gun, =80

Rhino = 35

6 Grey Hunters, 1 Flamer =90

Rhino = 35

Fast Attack (210)

Land Speeder Tornado, Multi Melta, Heavy flamer = 70

Land Speeder Tornado, Multi Melta, Heavy flamer = 70

Land Speeder Tornado, Multi Melta, Heavy flamer = 70

Heavy Support (380)

5 Long Fangs, 4 Missile Launchers = 115

Razorback, Lascannon, Twin linked Plasma gun = 75

5 Long Fangs, 4 Missile Launchers = 115

Razorback, Lascannon, Twin linked Plasma gun = 75

 Grand Total: 1,749

So game 1 vs the only Witch Hunter player in the field Gary Marsh, regular tournament player and a pro with Sisters of Battle. His list was:

Elite choice inquisitor with 3 Heavy Bolter sevators and some advisor's who didn't do much

2 Canonesse's with Jump Packs, Artificer armour and Executioners

3 Exorsists

1 Unit of 5 Seraphins

3 units of sisters with Rhinos and Sister Superiors with Executioners  

Callidus Assassin

Gary's lovely Sisters of Battle

Game 1 was Seize Ground (5 objectives) Dawn of War.

The first was both forces getting on the board and into position. My plan was just to get stuck in and contest/kill anything of Gary's - that was until he started shooting!

First shot of the game, a hand flamer on a Flat out Land Speeder - 6 followed by a 6 :(

Also due to the was Gary had castled up in the middle to deny my scouts a chance on his exorsists pretty much took the scouts out of the game for the most part.

End of turn 1

Things look good in my 2nd turn....

.... but then go horribly wrong buy the end of turn 4

Turns 3 and 4 saw me trying to shift the Seraphims and Canonesse's, but using his faith to give the Characters a 2+ invulnerable was a real pain in the side!

Turn 4 wasn't any kinder to my lead elements

In turn 5 the remaining sisters and exorcists laid waste to my two 10 Grey Hunter units, while the Canonesse's whittle down my smaller units

The fight for 3 of the objectives hot up...

... while a unit of sisters make a break for a 4th

Turn 6 saw me lose pretty much everything in some pretty shocking rolling for me and even some failed leadership tests I would not recover from.

One unit of sisters went for an objective on the far right earlier in turn 4 but had gotten bocked of by a Razorback and contested by a single scout Gary had a hard choice kill the Razorback and the Scout or Kill the Razorback and run at the scout to be with in 3. Gary choose to kill both the Razorback and the Scout in hope for a turn 7....

Mean while on the left side I was down to 7 models but had finally finished of the Canonesse's.

With us both controlling 1 objective each a 7th turn would see Gary win either by 2-1, 2-0 or wipe out..... but it ended in the 6th.

So with only 3 Grey Hunters left, 3 Long Fangs and a Rune Priest (or Witch as Gary calls them) I got lucky.

Gary had 2 Exorcists left, a Rhino, his Callidus Assassin, Inquisitor and 2 unit of sisters.

All I had left!

So close but yet so far......

So what did I learn from this game?

1. There will be no easy games

2. I HAVE to be more aggressive - I did this in many practise games against my friend Ben's Imperial Guard but didn't in this despite the Sister's packing much less fire power and mobility!

Thanks to Gary for the game he was a top bloke to play against and who knew how to use his units well.

Game 2 will see me play Mech Orks controlled by Ben Harris in Pitch Battle, Capture and Control (bore drawn)..........................

Battle Report: Space Wolves vs Tau (1,750)

Yesterday was the 40kForums meet and after the last one in September last year and the 1000pts mini tournament we had then my Imperial Guard suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Commandojimbob's Tau so like any good Guardsmen I called in the Astartes to solve my problem!!!

So in the Red Corner hailing all the way from the Eastern Fringe is CJB's Tau!

Commander Battle Suit - Missile pods and plasma rifles, 1 shield drone

3 Crisis Suits, Missile Pods and plasma rifles, 2 shield drones

3 Crisis Suits, 2x Twin Missile Pods and 1x Missile Pod / Fusion, 2 shield drones

4 Stealth Suits with Targetting Arrays and a Gun Drone

6 Fire Warriors with a Devilfish (fully upgraded)

6 Fire Warriors with a Devilfish (fully upgraded)

10 Kroot

Hammerhead Gunship with a Rail Cannon

Hammerhead Gunship with a Ion Cannon

3 Broadsides with 2 shield drones

..and the challengers in the Blue corner all the way from the Ice Wastes of Fenris....... MC Tic Tac's Space Wolves!

Rune Priest, Living Lightning, Murderous Hurricane, Chooser of the Slain

Rune Priest, Living Lightning, Jaws of the World Wolf

5 Wolf Scouts, Melta Gun

5 Wolf Scouts, Melta Gun
3 Wolf Guard: 2 armed with a power fist and a combi melta each, 1 with a combi melta and a bolt pistol
10 Grey hunters, 2 Melta Guns, Wolf Banner, Mark of the Wulfen, with a Rhino
10 Grey hunters, 2 Melta Guns, Wolf Banner, Mark of the Wulfen, with a Rhino
5 Grey Hunters, 1 Melta Gun, with a Rhino
6 Grey Hunters, 1 Flamer, with a Rhino
3 x Land Speeder Tornado, Multi Melta, Heavy flamer
5 Long Fangs, 4 Missile Launchers
Razorback, Lascannon, Twin linked Plasma gun
5 Long Fangs, 4 Missile Launchers
Razorback, Lascannon, Twin linked Plasma gun.

We rolled for Mission and got, Capture and Control (1 objective each) Pitched Battle. I  won the roll and set up first.
I set up my Rhinos line abreast roughly in the centre, with the Land Speeders behind the Rhino line - as I would not know how CJB would set up himself despite his objective being on my right as their is plenty of good cover on my left and in the middle. My Long Fangs made good of the tower and barricades in my deployment zone.

CJB set up mainly around his objective but with his Broadsides up in the tower in his zone and his commander behind it's barricades. His stealth team infiltrated behind the landing pad on my far right - very much a refused flank.

I put my objective right next to the Tower with my long fangs in, just behind the barricade.
CJB out his just out side of the ruins in his deployment zone.

I forgot to take a pic of our deployment Do'h!!

CJB didn't steal the 1st turn (thankfully for my SW).

Space Wolves Turn 1:

I push my Rhinos with the 10 man melta squads ahead 12 and pop smoke, but I send them around the crater with the disturbingly wrecked Rhino! The Land Speeders turbo boost 24 straight down the gullet of the Tau hoping to draw fire away from the Rhinos. My Rhinos with the smaller squads in with the Rune Priest push 6 forwards hoping to zap some tower with psychic powers.

Shooting began with my Rune Priest on the right using Jaws of the World Wolf to take down the 1 broadside *just* in range. The Long Fangs open up and mange to wreck the Hammerhead with the Rail Cannon! So 2 units shot and 50% of the Railguns gone! Living Lightning from my second Rune Priest manages to wound 2 Crisis Suits and a shield drone hiding behind the now wrecked Hammerhead - not too shabby for turn 1.

The 3rd Land Speeder is on the other side of the middle tower

Tau Turn 1:
The Ion Cannon Hammerhead pushes down the right flank and kills the closest Rhino and kills 2 Grey Hunters in the blast who end up pinned! The Broadsides split fire and destroy the Rhino with the Jaws Priest in and the Razorback way out on the right flank. The wounded unit of Crisis Suits immobilise and thus kill the middle land speeder. The unit of suits in the ruins shaken the lead rhino and some how the other 2 land speeders avoid any damage.

The view from the Crisis Suits in the ruins

Space Wolves turn 2:
I split the Jaws Rune Priest off from his unit so he can advance and sink another Broadside with Jaws as well as a Drone, the unit he was with jump in the empty Razorback that is behind their wrecked Rhino, which then scoots of behind the middle tower. The Land Speeders both mover over to the right and one manages to rip of the Ion Cannon from the last Hammerhead. The rest of my shooting pays for it's good round earlier and gets nullified by the Tau disruption pods - ie CJB kept rolling his 4+ cover saves!

The Jaws Rune Priest fancies his chances - Not!

End of Space Wolf Turn 2 and things don't look so good for them as their line starts to falter

Tau Turn 2:
The Last Broadside dispenses some revenge and kills the Rune Priest who killed his 2 squad mates.
The central lead Rhino gets blown up and between the explosion and pretty much all the Tau fire power only the 2 Grey Hunters with Melta Guns survive, but get pinned! The Kroot turn up on the right flank and between them and the pesky Stealth Suits wreck the Land Speeder that took out the Ion Cannon on the last Hammerhead. Said Hammerhead goes on to the Land Pad - going over to contest the SW objective if it gets the chance to.

Overall a very good turn for the Greater Good!
(sadly I missed a pic of this turn of devastation!)

Space Wolf Turn 3:
The Wolf Scouts arrive! One unit form CJB's Board edge and one from the right.
My last Rhino put's it foot down so to advance and threaten the Tau objective and hopefully draw some fire away from the dismounted Grey Hunters. The disruption pods continue to annoy the Long Fangs, but hey do kill the last Hammerhead on the landing platform. The Scout's melta shooting manges to immobilise a Devilfish which they then krak open in combat while the other unit fluffs their combat vs the Crisis Suits in the Ruins, but hold.

A bad turn for the Space Wolves......

Start of SW turn 3...

A blurry pic of a unit of scouts sneaking up on a devil fish

The other unit of scouts get the drop on the Greater Good's finest....

The aftermath of the sudden appearance of the Scouts.

Tau Turn 3:
With the enemy in their midsts and behind them the Tau turn tier attentions to the unit that destroyed the devil fish and erase the scouts from existence while the Wolf Guard who was with them runs off! Mean while all the Commander and last Broadside can do is stun the last Rhino. In combat the Kroot pile in to the Scout & Crisis Suit combat and solve the remaining scout problem. The last Devil fish pushes forward to block the last SW Rhino and kills 1 of the 2 Grey Hunters with Melta Guns and the lone Grey Hunter runs away!

The Kroot solve the scout problem:

End of Tau Turn 3:

Space Wolf Turn 4:
I disembark my Rune Priest and his unit. The Long Fangs kill the wounded unit of Crisis Suits the where hiding behind the wreckage of the Hammerhead. The lone Melta Gunner rallies, advances and destroys the Devilfish that killed his mate! The 6 Fire Warriors lose 2 to the explosion but before the survivors gather their senses 2 units of Grey Hunters and a Rune Priest rip them to pieces and their consolidation sees them just able to contest the Tau objective.

End of Turn Space Wolf Turn 4

Objective in sight

Tau Turn 4:
The remaining unit of Crisis Suits kill the Rune Priest's unit and the last Broadside shoots him in the back and kills him. The Kroot advance but fail their terrain test to charge the last unit of Grey Hunters.

Space Wolf Turn 5:
The last unit of Grey Hunters make a bee line for the Kroot. 1 Unit of Long Fangs launch 4 frag missiles at the last unit of Fire Warriors and CJB rolls poorly and the Fire Warriors get fragged to death. the 2nd unit of Long Fangs try the same trick on the Kroot but only kill 4, while the Grey Hunters kill another 1 with their pistols. IN combat the Grey Hunters easly kill the remaining Kroot leaving the Tau with no scoring unit's left.

The Grey Hunters pile into the Kroot as the Stealth suits look on...

....... and after as the Stealth Suits jet pack away from the angry Grey Hunters!

.


Tau turn 5:

With noting but pride left to play for the Crisis suits reduce the last unit of Grey Hunters to a man and then charge...... The Grey Hunter counter charges back and wounds a battle suit. The battle suits cause 4 wounds on the lone Grey Hunter who ducks and dives his way to safety to win the combat! CJB then rolls a 11 for his LD test and the Suits try to flee but the last Grey Hunter cuts them down in bloody revenge for his squad mates!!

The Crisis Suits pile in.......

.. but the lone Grey Hunter has other ideas as he runs them down!!

.


Turn 6 ends up being the Stealth suits killing all the lone survivors of the Grey Hunters as the Long Fangs try to shoot them.

At the end of Turn 6...................

My objective safely held.....

The Long Fangs overlook what remains of well everything!!!!!!

So after a very bloody game the Space Wolves hold and take the day, but the costs where very, very high! So high in fact if it was kill points the Tau would of won!

Overall a very good game that swung back and forth but the sheer bloody mindedness of the Space Wolves kept them strong till the end. A great game against a great opponent in Commandojimbob and I'm sure he will want to get his own back next time!

Army Update 2

Well over the last week I have gotten to the stage of dipping and basing the remainder of the army.

I'm pretty happy with how it's gone (with the odd exception), but my inexperience with dipping shows on the vehicles with the odd blob of varnish - but it's done now.

Over all it certainly gives the army a more darker and gritter look, but the snow on the bases can certainly do with 2 layers so it doesn't look thin/grey.


Meanwhile on the table the Wolves have won their first two games at 1,750pts, first one was verses Blood Angels in Capture and Control (5 objectives) and table quarter deployment. I tabled the BA in turn 6 while holding 4 out of 5 objectives, but I will say the Blood Angels had some appalling luck.

Game 2 was on Vassal vs Necrons, Annihilation with Table Quarters again. He had Nightbringer, 2 Monoliths, lord, 8 Immortals and 30 Warriors, until turn 4 I was losing badly on KP 7-2 (cos I could just couldn't kill Nightbringer) but in turn 4 the Wolves managed one massive combat on the 30 Warriors to force the Phase out, though sacrificing a rune priest to Jaws of the World Wolf the Necron Lord did help a bit.

So I wonder what tonight's gaming will bring......

Evolution of the Army List

Well I had my first two games at 1,750pts yesterday. It's a bit of a strange points cost for me as my friends and I tend to play 1,500, 2,000 or Apocalypse.

So I wrote a list with models that I have (bar 2) and this is what I used yesterday:

HQ (315)

Rune Priest, Living Lightning, Murderous Hurricane, Saga of the Beast Slayer = 110

Rune Priest, Living Lightning, Storm Caller, Wolf Tail talisman = 105

Rune Priest, Living Lightning, Jaws of the World Wolf= 100

Elites (204)

5 Wolf Scouts, Melta Gun = 85

3 Wolf Guard, 2x Power fist + Combi Melta, 1 x Wulfen = 119

Troops (820)

10 Grey hunters, 2 Plasma Guns, Wulfen, Wolf Standard = 185

10 Grey hunters, 1 Flamer, 1 Plasma Gun, Wulfen, Wolf Standard = 175

10 Grey Hunters, 2 Melta Guns, Wulfen, Wolf Standard, Power Weapon = 195

Rhino = 35

10 Grey Hunters, 2 Melta Guns, Wulfen, Wolf Standard, Power Weapon = 195

Rhino = 35

Fast Attack (230)

Land Speeder Typhoon, Heavy Bolter = 90

Land Speeder, Multi Melta, Heavy Flamer = 70

Land Speeder, Multi Melta, Heavy Flamer = 70

Heavy Support (180)

4 Long Fangs, 3 Missile Launchers = 90

4 Long Fangs, 3 Missile Launchers = 90

1749

In my first game I played my friend Liam's Eldar. He had:

Eldrad and Seer Council in a Wave Serpent with TL Shuirkan Cannons and hull mounted cannon too.

A Farseer with Guide

2 War Walkers with 2 Missile Launchers each.

11 Storm Guardians, 2 Fusion Guns, Warlock with Enhance and a Wave Serpeant as above.

Guardian Defenders, Bright Lance, Warlock with Conceal.

7/8 Striking Scorpions with Exarch with twin chain sabres.

2 Vibro Cannons

Game was Capture and Control (1 objective each) with Spearhead deployment (Table Quaters).

In other words the classic "draw" scenario that plays in to a fast army's hands (ie Eldar)

Liam reserved his whole army so the first 2 turns nothing really happened. His army turned up on turn 3 (nasty). Short of the story was that Liam hasn't played in a while and was in a "6 turn game" mind set so didn't have my objective contested and just wasn't close enough to hold his, so when he rolled for turn the game ended in 5 and he lost.

So a bit of a hollow victory to be honest but if there was to be another turn he would of lost the last of his scoring units more than likely, and I might have his objective while mine is contested (dice permitting).

2nd Game was against my friend Ben's Imperial Guard. I'm a BIG guard player myself so I know his bag of tricks and what's to come. He had:

Primaris Psyker

2 Squads of Veterans with 3 Plasma Guns, Lascannon, in a Chimera with 2 Heavy Bolters

2 Squads of Veterans with 3 Melta Guns, Lascannon

2 Vendettas, with Heavy Bolter Sponsons (Melta Vets ride in these)

2 Leman Russ Demolishers with 3 Heavy Bolters

2 Banewolves

Mission wise we got a good old fashioned slaughter - Pitched Battle, Annihilation.

All my melta guns did jack shit (3 missed, and one rolled snake eyes for penetration). But Living Lightning 3 times over and the Land Speeder Typhoons missiles did a lot of damage. Ben squeezed out a 7-5 win by getting his last 2 KP in the last turn.

So what have I leanred?

Well vs the Eldar, Rune priests are so damm good. I didn't get many powers off due the Runes of Warding, but when I did stuff died. But on the upside 4+ to stop psychic powers reduced Eldrad's effectiveness massively - he only got off 2 out of 8 attempted powers.

Wolf Banners and Mark of the Wulfen ruin most people's days. In a combat vs the Striking Scorpions the banner reduced my casualties by 50% and when the Wulfen rolls a 1 for his number of attacks *bang* re-roll that, oh look its a good roll (4). And vs Toughness 3 my 5 Marines where wounding on a 3+ re-rolling 1's!

Vs the Imperial Guard:

I need to mech up everyone, or they are going to sit still and do nothing and probably die - even if I'm going to camp on a objective all game.

Again Living Lightning kicks ass, but I could do with some Choosers of the Slain to beef up the Rune Priests roll's to hit as I did roll a lot of 2's.

Take a page for the Guard book, send 2 units to do 1 units job. I sent my melta units in piece meal and they paid the price.

If I'm going to take wolf scouts then I should take 2 units (or 3) or none at all. As in both games the unit rolled poorly for their out flank and either died vs the Eldar or did nothing vs the IG. - Again goes back to 2 units doing 1 units job.

So after some note taking and some tinkering around this is the list I want to try next but I lack the extra 2 Rhinos, a melta gun or 2 and 2 missile launchers, and a Land Speeder:

HQ (315)

Rune Priest, Living Lightning, Murderous Hurricane, Chooser of the Slain = 110

Rune Priest, Living Lightning, Storm Caller, Wolf Tail Talisman = 105

Rune Priest, Living Lightning, Jaws of the World Wolf = 100 

Elites (292)

5 Wolf Scouts, Melta Gun =80

5 Wolf Scouts, Melta Gun =80

4 Wolf Guard (2x Power fist, 4 Combi Meltas) = 132

Troops (700)

10 Grey hunters, 2 Melta Guns, Wolf Banner, Mark of the Wulfen = 180

Rhino = 35

10 Grey hunters, 2 Melta Guns, Wolf Banner, Mark of the Wulfen = 180

Rhino = 35

6 Grey Hunters, 1 Melta Gun, Mark of the Wulfen =110

Rhino = 35

5 Grey Hunters, 1 Flamer, Mark of the Wulfen =90

Rhino = 35

Fast Attack (210)

Land Speeder Tornado, Multi Melta, Heavy flamer = 70

Land Speeder Tornado, Multi Melta, Heavy flamer = 70

Land Speeder Tornado, Multi Melta, Heavy flamer = 70

Heavy Support (230)

5 Long Fangs, 4 Missile Launchers = 115

5 Long Fangs, 4 Missile Launchers = 115

1747

I feel its better, I've basically dropped a few men and power weapons for transports, scouts, and wolf guard.

On the painting side of things I've 'dipped' 90% of the models now in the Army painter strong tone varnish and they look pretty nice even in a half arsed state. So I just to renovate 2 Land Speeders, buy a 3rd, 2 Rhinos, and some melta guns and I'm good.