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Game 1 started rough: I took a typical list but I did not want to use Guilliman, so I used Calgar. The list had done well for me in the past, but I faced a fast moving Tzeentch list... very typical. Fateweaver, LoC, horror Spam, and the changeling to give -1 to hit all Tzeentch Daemons within 9". So this renders all my high AP relatively useless... nothing I could do about, but going first gave me a good look at how hard it is to punch through those daemons and larger chaos models with 4 up invulns and a 'hard to hit' aura. Here was my set up..... this game didn't go too far though, and I'm pretty sure that's a good thing. We ended up calling the game as the Astramis battle was about to start.... A super quick overview: Imperium is defending. We had way too many Imperial players. Chaos and Xenos had to double up on points and the Imperium players kept having to reduce theirs til we were down to 1K each. I think more players wanted to play unfortunately they were all imperial and it was already a little lopsided. We had one marine player on the other side with 'black primaris' to help chaos and he was comfortable playing either side. - I set up a firebase with another Ultramarines player (silver). Using the Lt. aura and Calgar proved quite deadly. - It was pure mayhem, lots of fun. We had one guy who brought a massive flyer detachment. He won our 'warlord' but I have to be honest I was a little disappointed..He had some amazing models but his big flying fortess went down in one turn. This actually changed the out come of the game imo. - Chaos had to get into our zone (24" out). Imperium stole the initiative and there was some audible moaning as Imperium went to work. - Our firebase was good, but even at 1,000 points Calgar is a bit tough to make functional, plus I gave one of our players 50 of my points for his flyers to make it legal.... - Tyranids were darn fast, and so are the Tzeentch flying daemons. Zombies and a Nurgle DP (giving Warp Time to zombies) came at us pretty fast. Our fire power volume was very good but it kept us too occupied, and we couldn't focus down larger threats. - The big bomber came in and it did amazingly little. The owning player admitted horrible rolling. When he was picking out targets we discussed where best to fire everything (this is T2) and on paper it sounded VERY destructive.... and it was potentially very destructive but sometimes the dice just don't care. :) - His other flyers were immediately attacked by Nid flying creatures. Me and the other Ultra player took a few of them down (or just finished them off) and gave him some breathing room but the flyer wing was heavily focused down. - In the turn it came out, the big flyer was brought down by a metric ton of Helblaster fire eventually. (I always thought he did fly it too close to the heavy fire power but I think he was hoping he'd wipe more of it out). - Our flanks were heavily overloaded as they obviously tried to avoid our firebase. - On the far left of the table Magnus was roaring in. A lot was going on here, and Astra was dishing out a lot but also taking a lot... losing tanks to Magnus. - Ravenguard rolled in and waited for Magnus to finish a tank, it looked REALLY touch and go for a while. I think the Ravenguard player was very confident rolling in with Shrike and all these dudes, but he rolled horridly in the first turn. Magnus interrupted and split his attacks, nearly killing Shrike, and a few marines. The Ravenguard would take him down though. - In the upper left corner the big nid Bug would go down, and I deep striked some Inceptors into that deep corner and took down a squad of Lascannons. - Back to the center I could see our right flank collapsing so I suggested we start rolling to the left to reinforce the Ravenguard/Astra. The Astra/flyers on my right side were slowly losing the battle to Chaos bikers, Primaris (chaos) and Nids. I tried to reinforce it but it was time to pull back... - A slow retreat was in order. Nids went down, but so did this flyer, and a lot of the Astra was a little too close to the Chaos lines for my liking... - We did get a good deal of killpoints. The Center Zombie rush did reach me, but they were all wiped, but the Helblasters rapid fired into Typhus causing a bunch of overcharged wounds but he saved every one of them! So close to another warlord kill, but it would have to wait a turn. (I wanted to see if he could reach me, because we did kill the Nurgle DP and it would be a Typhus VS. Calgar stand off which I was looking forward to.) - Unfortunately the third turn would be our last, and I'd never get a shot at Typhus in CC. Since the Imperium needed to get kill points we were stuck at ~20 Kill points. All the Chaos side did was 'advance' (knowing it was going to be last turn with the store closing) and Chaos pulled out a win by getting ~26 units into our zone. I think we needed one more turn, but then again Chaos was starting to breach our lines in close combat where things can go sideways. I did note they had a great deal of models with 1-2 wounds left which would have been huge for us in T4. It was a really fun game, and you can never take these things too seriously. The point is getting your stuff painted, scored, and having a some fun rolling dice. The game went off really well the only problem being the gluttony of Imperial players makes it very hard to even the numbers up. I am considering flopping sides for the rest of the campaign... but my Redemptors just came in! lol Great time was had by all. I hope you guys managed to get some games in... personally I feel gamed out as I had 3 games and this multi hour game this weekend. :)

I played quite a few games this week but perhaps most fittingly this game was the most bloody.... I don't think it gives much away to show this pivotal moment: ++ The smell of burning garbage rips through the air. The Deathguard have found some dark means to flank the Ultramarines. Somehow Typhus has waded through death and destruction, but Calgar waits in anticipation. Not only would the outcome of this fight pretty much dictate the game's outcome, but it would be perhaps the mist bizarre finish to a game I've had in 8th edition. ++ The Game: - We decided to skip Maelstrom and give the Open War deck a try (this was my first time, but not my opponent's). - The scenario required basic kill points based on the Power Level of what you killed. - The "Twist" required us to set up our forces into Three Segments. Only one segment could be deployed on the table to start. That segment could not be larger than half of the units in the army. An interesting way to play. The other thirds of the army would come in one segment at a time in turn 2-3. The game would end in Turn 5 based on the most kill points. The Armies: (from memory) - Deathguard: 2 units of Plague Marines (blightlauncher/plasma each, champ with Fist each) 1 Pred annihilator Typhus Sorcerer 2 larger units of Poxwalkers medium sized squad of Terminators 2 Helbrutes - Ultramarines: Calgar Techmarine Primaris LT 2 x Redemptor Dreads 2 x Intercessor Squads 1 x Dev Squad (3 missiles) 5 Termies 1 x Scouts 1 Typhoon Speeder 1 x Helbasters 1 Ancient Primaris (Emperor Ascendant) 3 x Inceptors Setup/First Turns: Deathguard get to go first. Ultramarines fail to steal the initiative. The Deathguard Segment deployed across the middle including the Pred Annihilator at the back. + The Deathguard start the unending march in search of reinforcing the Poxwalkers. + - The Deathguard start moving forwards, and advancing Pox Walkers. Psychic powers make the Poxwalkers harder to hit. In the shooting phase the shots are split up and the main targets are obviously the Redemptors. The Deathguard note the ability of the Techmarine and split wounds up between the two Redemptors. The shooting is quite strong, and lascannons threaten to rip the Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon apart. + The Techmarine only repairs 1 wound. The heavily damaged Redemptor unloads his Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon into the hordes. + - Ultramarines try to keep the front guard running, but the HOG Redemptor takes 11 wounds in T1, and only repairs one. The other Redemptor with Macro Plasma takes 3 wounds. - Calgar's aura is inspiring, the Ultramarines hold firm and realize that the Deathguard will have reinforcements and must take down as many Poxwalkers as possible or they will be tied up and defenseless to Typhus' endless advance. - A great deal of Pox walkers are wiped out. The Gatling Cannons on the Redemptors still can't finish off a single squad of the Poxwalkers. The Disgustingly Resilient rolls are perhaps average, but the heavy firepower has no bearing on their saves. - Macroplasma Redemptor splits fire, and only gets one shot, and fails to touch the Predator. The Dev squad steps up to the plate and the missiles rip through the Predator, with the help of a command point being spent on the damage roll... barely killing the tank. + The Deathguard are reinforced! Helbrutes waddle in off the western flank which would mean certain death for the Dev squad (my best performers thus far.)+ - Deathguard start advancing hard, but the Helbrutes do not hit that well.... Ultramarines are lucky and will have a brief moment to react to the western breach. - Poxwalkers advance again, and are just outside of assault range. - The psychics start again, and Ultramarines have no way to defend and a few mortal wounds are dished out to the Redemptor. (3). This causes the Ultramarines to initiate the Strategum that lets them take 5++ rolls against Mortal Wounds. The defiant Redemptor saves 2 out of the 3 mortal wounds. Unfortunately the other Redemptor would fall to Smite. - As mentioned the Helbrute shots put some wounds into the Typhoon but it is still operational, and the rest of the Ultramarines dodge the firepower. + Ultramarine reinforcements arrive just in time..... Plasma Helblasters over charge into the impervious Plague Marines! + - Terminators flash in the middle of the battlefield. The Helblasters roll in from the backfield. Scouts infiltrate deep to flank the second large squad of Poxwalkers. - Calgar orders targeting priority. The Deathguard are advancing on two fronts. The Helblasters overcharge to get the damage bonus and manage to take down a few Plague Marines but it won't be enough.... - Poxwalkers left in the primary squad are finally gunned down by the remaining Redemptor. - Scouts and Terminators fail to fully remove the second large squad of Poxwalkers... they continue to march to the thin blue line... - In the western flank things have become unhinged... Helbrutes are dangerously close, and Plague marines are closing the gap. Everything unloads into the oncoming hordes but the toughness value and resilience is very difficult to overcome. Mid Game: + Intercessors try to... intercede, but are largely cut down by bolters, and plasma death. Helbrutes continue to flank the falling Ultramarines' defences. Calgar tries to hold off the oncoming of Typhus and his Plague Marines... + - The Intercessors are taken down to the Sergeant. The Typhoon is hanging on by one wound. The Devs have fallen to one Missile launcher marine, and the front lines of the Deathguard are dangerously close to the Ultramarines' edge. - The psykers unload but fail to buff themselves, however their Smite ability to deal wounds takes down a few Helblasters... but the Ancient and the banner of the Emperor Ascendant have a huge turn and the dying Primaris fire off overcharged plasma death before taking their last breaths... killing 2 more Plague Marines to the dismay of Typhus. - Poxwalkers in the distance are held up from reinforcing Typhus' front line but the cost to the Ultramarines is high. The Poxwalkers don't go down easily and manage to absorb some Scouts into their ranks! - Finally the assaults start, and the Helbrutes firing was abysmal but upon charging the speeder, a Helbrute was taken down to one wound in overwatch. The Intercessors are charged by the Western flank but somehow they manage to stay alive for the most part. A Sergant would die but the Ancient would help him fight on one last time, and he would kill one more Plague Marine. End Game: - The Terminators and Scouts fall back and fire... still the Poxwalkers live, and add to their numbers.... - The end of last turn sees the Typhoon speeder go down and when the smoke clears it is Typhus and a Helbrute that consolidate towards Marneus Calgar who must now hold the line.... + The Last Stand: Typhus and a Helbrute break through and Calgar will meet the challenge. The rest of the Ultramarines watch on but have their own hands filled with the last of the Plague Marines. + - A careful fallback plan is issued, at -1 the re-roll aura from Calgar will not be as helpful, but this is what last stands are about... - The Helbrute goes down to Intercessor fire, and the Lt. rushes in and slices up a few Plague Marines before he is killed with a fisting Plague Marine! - All that remains is a few Intercessors, and the Ancient.... and of course Calgar. - With the Helbrute out of his way, Calgar steps up to Typhus and launches bolt rounds from the Gauntlets of Ultramar into Typhus. They bounce off of his diseased hide to no effect.... the Gauntlets strike first in close combat and all swings find the mark.... and most wounds are taken, but the LT. is dead so will not be able to assist Calgar in this death match. Typhus in incredibly resilient though. He takes a few wounds but with his 4+ invlun, 5+ Disgustingly Resilient, and then a 6+ Warlord Trait save... wow.... so little damage gets through it is amazing. - Deathguard Turn 5: The Plague marines are encouraged by Typhus' incredible stamina. - Calgar is "Smited" and takes 3 wounds but halves all damage, taking on 2 wounds instead thus saving his life! Calgar staggers with ONE WOUND LEFT. - The Intercessors manage to almost kill the remaining Plague marines but they first charge into the Ancient... somehow he stands... barely with 1 wound as the last of the Plague Marine succumb to their wounds. - The Banner of the Emperor Ascendant still waves with the massively wounded Ancient watching the Calgar/Typhus fight which has become and outright brawl. - The Poxwalkers charged scouts in the distance, but at this point Ultramarines use 2 CP's to interrupt and Calgar would fight Typhus first! - Calgars last effort hits home, but it is not enough... with the staggering resilience of Typhus coming through again with a 4++/5++/6++ this leaves him with 2 wounds and still standing! - Typhus roars in anticipation and cleaves through Calgar. But before he hits the ground the Ancient Banner kicks in propelling Calgar to fight on one last time.... a mortal blow is struck and Calgar's last breaths are spent watching Tyhpus fall in defeat (much to everyone's surprise.) - The game is essentially over. Calgar and Tyhpus have smashed each other into the ground exchanging Warlord kills. The Plague Marines are all wiped, and only the Sorcerer and some Poxwalkers (chewing on Scout's brains) remain. The Ultramarines somehow prove victorious with some Intercessors, the Ancient, and the Terminators all still alive. I don't think the game could have come down to a more crazy moment then that brawl between Calgar and Typhus!!