Batrep: Epic, 40k

If you've arrived at Death By Die thinking this is a battle report of an Epic 40k game, I apologise. If you've come here thinking this is a game of 40k that was Epic, welcome, my friend.

As you may know, a few months ago myself and Alun visited the Crow Valley Crusaders and played against an Imperial Fist/Iron Hands combo. And we lost. Aluns Dark Eldar was shot down quickly and I couldn't do much but be overwhelmed by numbers. We went down to the longest night on the weekend, and beat Mike, one of the players we'd previously lost too. But it wasn't that fulfilling... Shaun, who had commanded the Imperial Fists was otherwise busy being a Lannister and taking over (well, trying too) Westeros. Monday night however at the Reavers, who would challange us to a game, but that very pair of ruffians, Mike and Shaun. It was Imperial Fists and Iron Hands again, this time Alun chose his regular Eldar army after they proved succesful on Saturday (except against me ha). 

2000 points per player, all about the kills.

For a comprehensive list of the armies we took, then please accept my apologies for I have none. The photo above shows deployment, my reinforcments consisted of a ten man strong Legion of the Damned unit, Stormtalon and 5 Sterguard in drop pod with combimeltas looking for that first blood.

And you'll be glad to know I got it! I took out one of Mikes Plasma Predators, nasty buggers especially to power armour! We managed to take down a nice little chunk of the boys troops too, no total squads but there were whittled down with as much as we could fire, night fighting restricting us from concentrating fire too much. Aluns Dark Reapers also did well, the Exarch particularly.

Mike and Shaun struck back, by not knowing where to deploy their drop pods.

Lets be honest, sticking down your drop pods can take longer than deployment. Whats in them? Whats the biggest threat? This was the best bit though.... Shaun trying to explain to Mike that he couldn't get into melta range to kill my vindicator because the drop pod was in the way. Mike said he'd get rid of it, but then 5 minutes were needed to explain that he can't move into range to shoot it in the shooting phase. I think Alun was using his psyker abilities to strike discord in the Crow Valley ranks!

Mikes Contemptor jumped out and shot my Land Raider in the jacksie, causing a glancing hit. Shauns came down in front of Aluns Dark Reapers, whose destruction made them a prime target. Although they were battered, a couple still stood at the end of the turn. Elsewhere casualties were limited, although one of my five man squads took a couple of casualties and fled back, but regrouped safely.

All my reserves made it on, which is a relief as it rarely happens!

The storm talon races up the left flank, to give Aluns eldar some support and the Legion of the Damned materialse in the CVC lads deployment zone, also on the left. A brutal display of firing by the ghostly marines takes out Shauns Heavy Bolter devs, and in return Mikes plasma pred takes out 7 of the legionaires. I'd taken 14 wounds and lost 7.... what on earth! My sterguard were charged but killed a terminator with an overwatching melta hit, and my land raider bites the dust after a charge from Mikes contemptor. I fire at it with a lascannon and multimelta but do nothing, bloody contemptors! Again, casualties to both of our troops is taken and we both suffer some losses. Alun does get some charges into Shauns Sternguard and Chapter master, and a brutal combat erupts, each side taking some casualties but fighting on.

So my Land Raider is lost, out comes Vincent Eniko wielding the Burning Blade and holding aloft his Shield Eternal leading the Terminators on to charge into Mikes Terminators and Shauns Land Raider Achilles. I roll a three to charge. I do get into contact with the terminators but I'm half an inch away from the tank... Eniko had Furious Charge from his warlord trait and the termies could have done some serious damage to the landraider, now, I doubt I'd scratch it... or get to it even! Mikes termies duly died however so not all bad. The Legion of the Damned, well, two that were left, charged into the ruins and sent the scouts to their graves. Alun took out the Contemptor and more people died in combat, with Shauns Chapter Master finally dying to the Archons attacks. Elsewere the stormtalon took out some infantry, my thunderfire cannon was smashed apart, and Mike lost one of his contemptors too.

We had no idea who was winning at this point, each side claiming a lot of kills so we fought on. Aluns gravtanks flew across the board, although 2 were blown up, the firewarriors being taken down by small arms fire and a Termie charge. Mikes Chapter Master headed out to attack another Eldar tank, and I aimed my own Chapter Master at him. My termies were slowly taking out tactical marines but not quick enough to earn any points, although they did previously take two hull points off an achilles(yes there were two). Aluns Archon swept into more marines killing another unit with his incubi. The Legion of the Damned sergeant, now on his own, took on the Techmarine that was manning the Imperial Fists Thunderfire, aiming to reap revenge for the loss of my own artillery. And revenge was gained, the sarge slicing the Techmarines helmut down the middle with his power axe. I lost two Combat squads this turn, one to termie firepower and the other to the contemptor on my right. My stormtalon fired everything into Mikes second plasma pred and it blew up, phew!

The board was looking emptier now, both sides had taken a beating and there was no clear winner. My Chapter Master swept into Mikes, Termies still trying to deal with the tactical squad. although I didn't lose any, there was just too many with only 4 attacks per turn, especially with how I roll dice! A couple more squads were finished off, Aluns Dire Avengers fleeing and counted as a point, stormtalon finishing off one of Shauns Tactical Sqauds. The battle of the Chapter Masters could prove important so it seemed!

 The Chapter Masters struck each other, Mikes having a power axe and armour from the Clan Raukaan. I got some hits and wounds, but Mike saved them bar one. He cause two on me, and I too lost one. Drawn! Next combat phase I caused a wound on the Iron Father, and Mike failed his save. In return, he swung back and the wound bounced off the shield. It could potentially come down to a morale test then? Mike rolled, and it came up a six. Chapter Masters would have fought on! I'll take that as a morale victory though, cause more wounds! 

So we added up the points, myself and Alun had lost 17 units. When I saw that I thought we'd lost... but Shaun announced they'd lost 16. However, we'd gained First Blood, Slay the Warlord, and Linebreaker. A win by just two points, I couldn't believe it! To be fair, no matter what the score was I felt like we'd won because it was one of the most enjoyable games of 40k I'd ever played and one of the finest examples of why I love this game. Little moments, good luck, bad luck, tense dice rolls, and excellent people to play with and against. It doesn't get much better than that I can tell you! I'm sure I've forgotten some events from the game, but if the lads want to add comments then hopefully they will. Can't always have the victors tell the tale after all!

I think we'll have to do something special next time, perhaps an even bigger game. How my Legion sarge survived I don't know, truly a legend amongst the dead marines. Another dead Land Raider though! Thanks to these guys we now know how barrage works properly, as we wasn't sure before. For now though, thats it from me. Wrestlemania is coming up Sunday, and on Saturday is our very own event for International Tabletop Day so expect a report on that with plenty of photos!

Batrep vs Crow Valley Crusaders

So another battle report, but this time myself and the eflling Alun took a wee trip down to the Crow Valley Crusaders where we challanged a couple of its members to a game of 40k! Shaun, whose Imperial Fists Contemptor has been featured on this very blog before, and Michael took up the challange. Just recently myself, and the other Chairman from the Welsh GCN clubs had a little meeting about more interclub gaming and events, and we've got some great ideas we're hoping to implment over the coming year. Byron, the GCN rep for Wales and also Chairman for the CVC guys has come up to the Reavers several times, so it was great to get down and play on away turf!

Shaun was using Imperial Fists, and Michael used Iron Hands tactics, although his marines were very red! It sort of looked like the Howling Griffons had curdled and split into two forces! I was using Krohmus Guard, while Alun had speedily built his latest purchases, and was able to field an all Dark Eldar force for the first time. 

Mission was Crusade, 2k points per player so 8k altogether, 4 objectives with the diagonal deployment. Looking across the table we could see a lot of firepower and already I was worried about whether I had enough to send into them. Alun assured me his 10 or so dark lances would be fine so we set off with the first turn. Night Fighting in effect as Alun had a warlord trait to put in into effect.

Heres the deployment, the achilles worried me a little, although I didn't realise it had three multimeltas on it! Thunderfire cannon would hurt, especially as there were objectives and two FW Plasma predators could do a lot of damage to me. 

First turn kicks off and I send a drop pod down in front of Mikes Land Raider Redeemer to try and blast it open with a meltagun. Which obviously I miss! Alun advances his raiders and ravagers forward but his fire only immobilises the land raider and takes another hull point off. Not good so far! My bikers advance around the flank, cautious of the contemptor there and my on foot tactical squad advance into the ruins towards the objective there. Aluns two venoms fly up the right flank to get into a position to assault next turn.

The CVC guys first turn proved devastating. Most of Aluns raiders or ravagers suffered horribly, either blowing up and taking a lot of the wyches away with the resulting explosions or losing weaponry or being immobilised. Not good for an army that needs to get across the board quickly! My drop pod and squad are wiped out from the redeemer and terminator fire. I roll for reserves and nothing comes on in the next turn!

Aluns flyers come on, and whittle down some of the squads in front of us. I advance my Land Raider and chapter master, chaplain and termies come out and charge the contemptor dread in their way. They blow him up, the explosion killing three of my terminators in the blast. Yep, another terrible armour roll for my terminators! Bikes advance a little more, Aluns survivors try to get into position to stay alive and the venoms unleash their Archons and incubi, who assault into a tactical squad butchering most and the terminator squad where their combat is a lot closer, a couple of termies die along with the incubi but the archon survives and fights on. 

Shaun and Mikes turn and two Fireraptors enter play, yes two! These Fists termies come down too, and do a little damage before a well placed plasma cannon shot and some wyches sort them out. 

The Fireraptors are deadly buggers fair play, being able to fire at four targets they annihilate Aluns two flyers and do more damage to Aluns surviving raiders, leaving alun looking very vulnerable. my tactical squad lose a couple more members due to thunderfire cannon fire, and the contemptor dread unsleashes Kheres assault cannon fire into the dark eldar killing even more.  Then my chapter master gets target. So much firepower butchers him, the chaplain and last two terminators. I had hoped they'd last longer but my dice rolling just isn't good!

My reserves come on, the tactical squad drop podding near the slightly forgotten about objective with the bikes moving up to support. The Stoemtalon flies in between the fireraptors into a position that it can't get shot by them next turn, crafty move I thought! I use the tactical doctine but completely forget to reroll ones, missing with both krak missiles this could have made a difference and I only take a hull point off and shake the crew. Its something though and helps an archon and incubi unit survive a little more in the next turn! Elsewhere fire proves to be fairly ineffective as we just don't have much left. In combat the other archon joins his beleagured general and wounds the chatper master, no easy thing! The other archon does die however, his shadowfield flickering and dying out. 

Aluns army is finished off in this turn, and I curse the Dark Eldars fragile nature. And Aluns bad dice rolling haha. Shauns contemptor with powerfists comes hurtling through the ruins and charges into my bike squad, the gravguns firing but doing little but the storm talon does fly in from behind and takes a hull point off. The grav guns fire again and I manage to get the two sixes I need to finish it off and hopefully keep the objective on the left flank. My tactical squad on the other objective are barraged heavily by loads of fire and all members die leaving the objective free. Two Imperial Fists capture the middle objective after Aluns wyches were finished off and another Fists squad holds the other objective. I fire some kraks at the unit but the Chapter master takes the missiles which kill him, granting us an extra point. 

The game ends and the score is 9-4 to the Crow Valley lads. Thats a generous result considering I had very little left and Alun was wiped off the table, but we had a great game and I hope the guys enjoyed! Those Fireraptors are crazy, and we just couldn't deal with the amount of firepower across the table from us. If Aluns dice were a little better in the first turn it could have been a lot closer, and he'd also forgotton about the bonus to jink saves from the night fighting which may have helped... although I doubt it! Tactically I made some mistakes during deployment. Putting the Crusader in the middle just invited firepower from all fronts, so when my Chapter Master came out he was right in the middle of everything and that was just daft! Fair play though Shaun and Michael played a great game and I hope we get to play them again to regain some pride and get some revenge!

Horus Heresy Book II: Massacre

So book two of the Horus Heresy series is coming soon and it will contain rules for the Iron Hands, Night Lords, Salamanders and the Word Bearers. It also looks like it will be available in limited numbers at Games Day 2013, could this become a yearly ritual? It would make sense so, not only a good place for Forge World to talk about the newest releases but by making it available at Games Day will sell a lot of tickets as keen heresy enthusiasts look to lap up the latest release.