With the conclusion of the opening multi-player apex battle concluded, the campaign has moved into a round of individual games. Schedules aligned to have my Luna Wolves face off against the Raven Guard in a 2500 point battle for my last HH game of 2025. This battle was fought earlier in the month before schedules completely got sidetracked by end of year craziness. It's taken me a bit to be objective about the mission experience enough to write anything up. 

Mission: Take and Hold

Deployment: Hammer and Anvil  

Army Deployment

Order of Battle

Luna Wolves: Centurion, Legion Champion (cataphractii), 2 Tactical Squads (both with logistical benefit - heavy transport), 2 Rhinos, Land Raider Carrier, Spartan, Contemptor, Sicaran, Sicaran Arcus, Justaerin, Cataphractii squad

Raven Guard: Praetor, Vigilator, Centurion, Assault Squad (with master sergeant), 2 Tactical Squads, 2 Rhinos, Heavy Support Squad (volkites), Contemptor, Javelin Squadron (lascannons), Land Speeder Squadron (multi-meltas), Mor Deythan Squad, Veteran Assault Squad, Dark Furies

Game Summary

It has been a looong time since I have majorly messed up during deployment such that the game was basically lost before turn 1 (back in 5th edition WHFB days). Alas, this battle would end that streak. I won roll to pick board edge and did not pay close enough attention to where the objective markers where placed. One can be seen behind the left Raven Guard Rhino. The other is on the edge of L shaped building in the upper right just outside the deployment zone. In hindsight I should have measured the distance rather than eyeball it, OR I should have picked the other edge to deploy. (I also claim that this oversight was really karma coming back to bite me for not having gotten further along in painting!!)

As it was, the Raven Guard player had first move and was able to slingshot the tactical squad in the right Rhino within 2.75" of the objective marker. A quarter inch miscalculation on my part that let him claim both objectives on turn 1. Backing them up were the assault squad, dark furies, and land speeders.  The Javelins and Mor Deythan tag teamed my Contemptor and managed to destroy it for first blood. My turn saw advancement. The RG would react move the tactical squad away from the objective - allowing an easy transfer of control but denying me opportunity to get the desperately needed vanguard points. I decided to disembark the large cataphractii unit in the spartan rather than push up the board. I'm not sure I would do that again in replaying the battle but at the time it didn't look like they would be able to reach the other objective before it depleted so I wanted to get them into action sooner rather than have them stuck inactive for most of the game. Shooting took off infantry and hull points on both sides. I ended up charging the Justaerin into the rhino to get first blood points. But...the damage was already done as the reduced value of the objective that traded hands and the RG controlling both at one point meant I ended the turn down 6 points. 

Midway through bottom of Turn 1

Turn 2 was more involved and I forgot to keep taking pictures. One of these days I will get better at remembering to do this.... The contested objective traded hands again and fully depleted by end of the turn. The Arcus and Land Speeders destroyed each other...a brutal reminder that even one close range melta can still be lethal. The Dark Furies wiped out one of my tactical squads and would later react away from my Justaerin, leaving them with only being able to shoot as a consolation. The RG Contemptor was destroyed in close combat. The Javelins and volkite support squad took heavy casualties. The point gap widened in the Raven Guard's favor.

I called the battle early in turn 3 as there was no way to close the gap in points. While it might have been entertaining to see how much damage the Justaerin and cataphractii could do, realistically neither they or my tanks were going to be able to table the rest of the RG forces (which would have been a pyrrhic 'victory' for me). A well-deserved win for the Raven Guard and a minus point on momentum for the traitor besiegers. Momentum won't be recalculated until more battles have been fought so for the moment the traitor forces are still at a 'maintaining' level (I.e., no benefits or negatives for the traitor forces). I highly suspect I would have lost even if I had been able to keep the Raven Guard from claiming both objectives on the first turn.  The assault squads were too maneuverable for me to easily catch and could reposition to stall any of my units if I was gaining an advantage. My ability to press the second objective before it depleted under RG control was also highly questionable given the distance to cross and the number of RG units that could intercept.  

Post Mortem Thoughts

This will likely be my least favorite mission and deployment combination of HH 3.0. Ignoring my mess up during pre-game deployment...the decaying value of the objectives is a frustrating mechanic.  Even IF vanguard were easier to get...there is a severe handicap for losing control of an objective. The decaying value of the objectives makes a turnover of control almost guaranteed to give one player a significant point gain over the other. And once the objectives are depleted I don't see much hope of vanguard or other bonus points making difference unless both objectives are being flip flopped. Now, it may be that leaning into deep strike or outflanking will mitigate this and I won't truly have a feel for the mission until I've played it more. But the first impression is going to take time to fade. 

It would have been nice to end 2025 with a win. However, the game was still enjoyable and the banter during it was fun. And that's what really matters. Now back to the workshop to get to painting and assembling.