Space Wolves v Grey knights batrep

[Wolf Guard Nostromo]

As intro and background, I’ve posted a list and a brief 1st batrep elsewhere...

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...howtopic=215760

 

...but, in short, this is a batrep between my space wolves and (mostly my!) Grey knights, played by the guy who helped me paint them (a more experienced GK player than I am certainly). We played a game yesterday, his beautiful eldar v space wolves, and decided the winner would play ‘our’ Grey Knights today. Having won the game yesterday, I thus faced an interesting challenge in that Ed knew my list and would pick a list to challenge it. So it would prove...

 

...

 

Vortash loomed over the Inquisitor, his vast metal bulk making even the hardened imperial psychic stiffen against the boulder on which his prone form slumped.

 

A deep metallic voice echoed out from beneath the chassis.

 

‘What did the Xenos want with you inquisitor? They only attacked after your untimely interruption...’

 

Despite the precarious position he now found himself in, surrounded by Space Wolves showing him nothing but contempt, the Inquisitor raised his gaze to the behemoth in front of him and remained impassive, a slight smile crossing his face before the pain of his injury returned and his face contorted into a grimace.

 

‘You will never know barbarian. This... misunderstanding... is more foolish than you can possibly imagine’

 

Vortash took a step forward and lent down over the inquisitor, the hiss of servo’s and the cracking of stones beneath his enormous stride emphasising the move.

 

‘Do not patronise me. I have been fighting the enemies of the imperium since long before you were born, and I know deception when I see it. Do not think I have forgotten the last words of the eldar leader. He told me this situation was your doing and that...’

 

Vortash trailed off as he noticed the disruption in the other space wolves around him. Raising himself back up to full height, he swivelled and strode towards the source of the disturbance. As he did so, he heard the tell-tale rumble of incoming drop ships and saw the contrails blaze across the morning sky.

 

Wolf guard Thorgard turned back towards the advancing veteran, and a feral grin creased his craggy features.

 

‘Let’s go ask them instead, eh Vortash?’

 

Any reply was drowned out by the howl of wolves.  

 

...Spearhead, capture and control (why, dice gods, why?). It turned out to be one of the best games I’ve ever played.

 

If you want to see my list, follow the link  :D , though here is a picture:

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00725.jpg 

 

His list consisted of:

 

Grandmaster and 4 tda Grey Knights bodyguards

7 PA Grey knights with a justicar (MBs) in a godhammer land raider (Ex Ar, SL)

7 Storm troopers (2 MG) in a HB/HF Chimera

8 PA Grey knights with justicar (MBs) and 2 incinerators

8 PA Grey knights with justicar (MBs) and 2 incinerators

Dreadnought with Lascannons and missile launchers – Ex Ar, SL

Dreadnought with Lascannons and missile launchers – Ex Ar, SL

 

This lot meant I was going to be outgunned at range, particularly with the ‘shrouding’ rule which meant I would be night fighting against any grey knights on foot. One of the 8 man squads and the GM/TDA turned out to be reserve and would presumably challenge for my home objective.

 

I lost the roll and I was forced to deploy and go first (unsurprising considering the game type). The Objectives were placed pretty much where you would expect, with the wounded Inquisitor (his objective) at the rear of my deployment zone, and my objective (the big keg of mead!) placed in the ruins on my far left (see pictures below).

 

I deployed pretty conventionally, trying to suggest I would push the bikers on my left while, depending on his deployment, I would likely push them forward with the complementary MG Grey Hunter rhino on my right. I pushed the Long Fangs onto the front hill to try and negate the effects of shrouding, and left the two packs close enough together to benefit from storm caller if necessary. The land speeders were kept in reserve, waiting for their opportunity.

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00727.jpg

 

The Grey knight deployment was also fairly conventionally, leaving his 4 vehicles largely concealed from my Long Fangs and Rune priest.

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00728.jpg

 

Space Wolves turn 1: I turbo boosted my bikers over to my right, supported by the MG GH pack in their rhino. Venerable dreadnought Vortash and the PG GH rhino advanced on my left, both flanks using the large building ruins for cover. My rune priest cast storm caller in preparation for the incoming lascannons next turn, covering both his Grey Hunters and the long fangs. The fangs themselves, and the cyclone wolf guard, unleashed 7 missiles at the concealed land raider (the only target they could see) but they pattered like rain off its hull.

 

Grey knight turn 1: The two dreads and land raider advanced into the open, preparing to hose down my firebase. The chimera and grey knights on foot shuffled, but barely moved. The fire from the land raider and two sniper dreads was ineffective, with only one wound caused which I saved with storm caller.

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00729.jpg

 

More to follow :D

[Wolf Guard Nostromo]

Space Wolves turn 2: The land speeders didn’t arrive, which suited me really, while both flanks advanced at full speed. The ven dread tried a risky move to cross the open ground on my left, but I rolled a 1 for his run move, leaving him dangerously exposed (there was no good target for his plasma cannon anyway). My firebase again fired off their 7 missiles and storm-caller, sheltering both packs, and targeting one of the two obscured dreads – I blew off its arm and immobilised it, but the cover save stopped both effects, likely meaning it would target the stranded Vortash next turn...

 

Grey knight turn 2: The power armour Grey knight squad turned up from reserve (the tda + Master didn’t), and the decision of what to do with them took a while (sorry Ed!). In the end, they arrived behind my left flanking Plasma hunters, who had dismounted for the extra movement into cover next turn. I was aware that this was a risk but was fairly sure I’d get away with it. I didn’t. The Grey knights hit bang on and both incinerators covered the entire pack – 5 died and off they ran – tragically not far enough to clear 6” past the Grey knights meaning they would be off the board bar a miracle next turn. Sigh.

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00731.jpg

 

The rest of the turn worked around this, effectively withdrawing from the bikes on my right and moving towards/targeting my left. The Land raiders lascannon blew the plasma cannon off Vortash, and one of the sniper dreads (perhaps more annoyingly) stunned him - I always regret not taking dread extra armour – effectively taking him out of the battle next turn. The other sniper dread killed a Swiftclaw despite their turbo-boost save.

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00733.jpg

 

Space Wolves turn 3: As expected, my plasma hunters ran off the board due to the presence of the grey knights who had flamed them last turn. The land speeders arrived, and I struggled to know what to do with them. In the end, I brought them on by the teleporting Grey knights, adding their heavy flamer fire to that of the long fangs to rid me of this threat as soon as possible. I manoeuvred the empty rhino forward in front of the stunned dreadnought and popped smoke, trying to conceal it from both the sniper dreads who could clearly taste blood in the water. I turbo boosted my bikes forward for the third turn in a row, trying to force the Grey knights to engage them and relying on their T5 and turbo-boost to reduce the potential shooting damage inflicted. The rhino moved up behind them and popped smoke ready for real action next turn.

 

My shooting really let me down. The Land speeders flamed the Grey knights, who were tightly pack after their deep strike, but only killed two. The Rune priest again cast storm caller rather than LL (perhaps a mistake at this stage in hindsight), but the real horror was yet to come. Both the long fangs and the cml failed their shrouding test (even with the re-roll of the rune priest) and both stood and watched the deep strike unit of grey knights rather than fire. This was a disaster, as not did they remain intact but I had presented them with the perfect target and ‘slingshot’ to use in the form of the land speeders to get a boosted move towards my home objective.

 

At this stage, my objective looked fairly secure, but my attack was faltering and more Grey knight were yet to arrive...

 

Grey knight turn 3: The TDA and Grand master still waited in the wings, which was a blessing at this point. The storm troopers in their chimera, who had withdrawn from the bikes last turn, slammed back into forward and shot 12” before disgorging the double melta squad to try and pop the rhino. Despite my obscured save, they exploded it, killing a hunter and pinning the rest of the pack in the wreckage (leadership double 6!), much to my chargrin. The sniper dread that could still see just the corner of Vortash, my ven dread, opened fire and blew its other arm off, again despite a cover save. I was looking at my dice with suspicion at this stage!

 

My plan with the bikes paid off though, with the land raider advancing and disgorging the 7 man GK squad inside ready for a charge. The Grey knight squad in the ruins moved just 2”, meaning they would not be able to join the combat (which really helped!), but both squads opened fire, along with the other dread and the land raider, and killed 2 bikers and wounded the attack bike. The squad that could charged in, and I rolled an impressive number of 3+ saves meaning just the wounded attack bike died. In return, Haktar, my bike priest, killed a single knight while the Powerfist with the vital hit re-rolls killed 4 more. The two remaining knights passed their no retreat saves, and so we would carry on next turn.

 

Finally, the disaster on my left continued to play out as I dreaded it would. The deep strike unit moved forward, then charged my speeders, and despite needing 6s to hit, the S6 weapons comfortably brought down both vehicles. A consolidation 1 left them facing the full wrath of my firebase however. Hopefully this would work better than it had in my previous turn...

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00734.jpg

[Wolf Guard Nostromo]

Space Wolves turn 4: At this point, despite my left flank disintegrating and his survivors advancing there, it still looked like a classic spearhead draw would play out, with me getting no-where near his home objective and vice-versa.

 

I tried to consolidate the remains of my attack. My rhino passed its dangerous terrain and moved forward to block off the land raiders and sniper dreadnoughts from the centre. The armless ven dread charged into the PA grey knight squad in the ruins, trying to drag them away from the objective and tar-pit them for a few turns at least. The pinned hunters on my right stood around and watched the battle – My wolf lord would be unimpressed and dress them down later... if they survived!

 

Amazingly, for the second turn in a row the shrouding saved the advancing Grey knights on my left as the long fangs again failed to pick them out as targets. The rune priests pack, aided by his re-roll (otherwise they would have failed too), killed 3, but being fearless the remaining 3 simply waiting for their next chance. This unit was proving a real thorn in my side.

 

In the assault phase, the ven dread stuffed his two S6 attacks, and then received 25 S6 hits in return! Of the 13 that hit, they managed not a single glancing blow. This was Ed’s turn to look in dismay at the dice, but I hoped this standoff would continue. The other combat went well also, with my saves (inc invulnerable) holding and my priest and power fists easily panelling the remaining two knights. My consolidation 6 also helped, allowing them to find good cover by the shields protecting the base of the bastion.

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00735.jpg

 

Pic above - SW turn 4 combats.

 

Grey Knights turn 4: The Grand master and 4 terminators turn up, again right on target. The storm troopers jumped back in their chimera, which shuffled slightly and flamed the Grey Hunters, killing one. Ed clearly wanted me to go after the chimera, away from the objective, but I wasn’t to be tempted! The land raider, denied another alternative target by my use of the rhino, fired everything into it and blew it to pieces, hitting but not hurting one of my bikers in the process.

 

The two sniper dreads fired long range to support the advance on the inquisitor objective, and combined with the fire from the 8 storm-bolters, killed 4 Long Fangs, who held. Finally, the ven dread/Grey knight combat in the ruins provided no meaningful hits, and looked like it had no intention of doing so!

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00737.jpg

 

Picture above - Bottom of turn 4

 

Space Wolves turn 5: The arrival of the grey knight leader and terminators put real pressure on my home objective. I adjusted the Rune priest’s hunter pack to make the most of the Plasmaguns and rapid-fire range, while the long fangs also pivoted to line up the remaining 3 PA Grey knights closing in.

 

My main decision this turn was what to do with the wolf priest, wolfguard and last blood-claw biker? They had a number of juicy targets, notably the land raider which hadn’t moved or the dreadnoughts and chimera (which would take me in the wrong direction!), but I risked the run into the ruins to join the armless dreadnought against Grey knights in the ruins (notably a troop choice). The remaining Grey Hunters in the shadow of the bastion advanced to use their meltagun and combi-melta on the land raider.

 

My shooting was a real mixed bag. The Long fangs rolled all 2s and completely missed the PA Grey knights who they had ignored the previous two turns as well. The Rune priest and Grey Hunters emptied their considerable firepower into the terminators, but some good invulnerable saves meant I only took a wound off the Grand master and killed no-one. Sigh. This objective looked in serious trouble now. On the plus side, the other remaining Grey Hunters pack hit, penetrated and exploded the land raider with their meltagun. One extreme to another, but this did deny me the charge that would have helped move this pack more decisively in the right direction.

 

In assault, my riders safely moved safely into the ruins and joined the combat. The dread again did nothing, the Grey knights failed to hurt the dread but killed the last bloodclaw, but the wolf priest and his wolfguard, aided by the oath of war, killed 2 knights each, winning the combat by 3. Overkill saves were made so that combat would continue.

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00738.jpg

 

Picture above – Bottom of Space Wolf turn 5... note, some casualties not removed yet!

[Natanael]

Oh, come on ;) I have been waiting for several min now B) It doesnt end like this, does it?

 

Great report. Love it with the pics and all that.

 

- Natanael

[Wolf Guard Nostromo]

Grey knights turn 5: The chimera continued to chase and try to tempt the remaining Grey Hunters by the bastion, again disgorging the storm troopers. The Meltagun fire killed two more valuable Hunters.

 

The Grey knights continued their relentless advance on my objective, killing two long fangs and a Grey Hunter with storm-bolters. The sniper dreads again fired long range, killing the remaining long fang (denying the PA unit a charge, which was a mistake) and two grey hunters at the far end of the board.

 

In the continuing combat in the ruins, the Grey knights made no impression now the WS was equal, with the power weapon attacks missing and my saves holding up against the standard attacks. The wolf priest, fuelled by warrior born kills last turn, rolled extra attacks but still only killed 2 while the Powerfist WG fluffed completely. Again, overkill saves were made and the combat continued.

 

At this stage, we rolled for game end, which I would have won 1-0 at this stage, but on we went. Both of us would have been unsatisfied if it had closed at that point, though for different reasons (!), so into turn 6 we went.

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00742.jpg

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00743.jpg

 

Pictures above – Bottom of Grey Knight turn 5 + Keg Objective shot from same phase

 

Space Wolves turn 6: I had little left to move. The Grey Hunters ignored the storm troopers and chimera behind them and advanced on the two dreads by the objective and fired their single meltagun at the nearer dread, blowing it up beautifully but again denying them a charge move forward. The meltagunner in this pack, despite having a sleep in the first part of this game, had earnt his keep in the latter, exploding the dreadnought and land raider in two shots.

 

I pondered what to do by my home objectives. In the end I shuffled back slightly to force difficult terrain tests and opened fire. I succeeded in killing two terminators, but would that be enough?

In the now seemingly endless combat, the justicar finally woke up and wounded the wolf priest, but with 2 extra attacks from warrior born the bike warrior killed him and his remaining comrade – I consolidated forward to contest the objective (though I realised he had no troop choice in range too late – ;)).

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00744.jpg

 

Picture above – Bottom of SW 6

 

Grey knights turn 6: Like me, Ed was starting to run out of models! The dread remaining by the keg objective pivoted on the spot and annihilated the WG biker, while the wolf priest had to rely on his amulet to protect him (what a double kill that would have been!)

 

The Grey Hunters under the bastion again took the fire of the chimera and storm troopers who they had continued to ignore, and lost two more but held.

 

The real battle this turn was at the other end however. Both GK units assaulting the inquisitor objective refrained from firing, fearing any casualties would deny them charge range. Both made the subsequent difficult terrain tests and so into combat we went. The Grand Master went first, and with an impressive display hit and wounded with all 5 attacks (though the CML/PF made his invulnerable save), killing 4 hunters. The PA Grey knights flunk, killing no-one, while the terminators do little better and kill just a single hunter. The Hunters, aided by their wolf standard, kill 2 power armour Grey knights while the Rune Priest kills the justicar and, best of all, the TDA WGs Powerfist crunches a Grey knight terminator. Despite these heorics, the Grand masters impressive tally still meant I lost the combat by 2 and needed an 8 on the leadership test, and rolled... an 8. Phew! With just 5 models left, this combat would continue next turn... If there was another turn. We rolled to see if the game ended and again, it didn’t – this would go right to the wire. No-one controlled an objective, so this would have meant a draw.

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00747.jpg

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00748.jpg

 

2 Pictures above - the two objectives, both still in the balance, at the bottom of turn 6.

[Wolf Guard Nostromo]

Space wolves turn 7: My final turn... The wolf priest, lucky to have survived the dreadnoughts fire last turn, rushed out of the ruins towards the only appropriate target he could see... the storm troopers, who as troops could still make a last chance grab at the objective if they were lucky. The armless Vortash and the last 3 Grey Hunters advance on the sniper dread, but the meltagun fires wide (he had to miss at some stage!).

 

The Wolf priest's twin-linked bolter kills a storm trooper before he charges in and kills 2 more. Laughing off their attempts at reposts (T5 is pretty difficult for S3 troops), they broke and he ran them down before consolidating back round the corner in an attempt to hide from the chimera. The Grey Hunters and armless dread charge the sniper dread in an attempt to steal this objective. The attacks, concentrating on the wolf standard aided Powerfist, come to nothing despite hitting 3 times.

 

So, back to the inquisitor objective... the grand master again attacks first, causing 3 wounds which kill the last hunter but again bounce off the invulnerable save of the wolf guard. The Rune Priest and Grey knight terminator duel, and the Grey knight wounds the priest with no return damage. The best is saved until last however, as wolfguard Thorgard calmly steps up, rolls 2 6s to hit and 2 5s to wounds, and forces the Grand Master to make two invulnerable saves to survive... which he fails ;) . The Master falls leaving just the Rune Priest, Wolfguard and last grey knight terminator alive. I start to get the feeling I'm going to pull this one out of the fire...

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00750.jpg

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00751.jpg

 

2 Pictures above – Bottom of Space Wolf turn 7 - each objective.

 

Grey knight turn 7: Little is left to move – The chimera advances on the wolf priest but misses all 3 shots with its multi-laser. This won’t affect the game outcome, but it is a relief as my wolf priest once more proves his worth and seems to have a handy knack for survival by passing saves etc at the right times.

 

The rune priest, wolfguard and grey knight terminator take centre stage first. The Rune Priest misses all his attacks while the Grey knight finally kills the persistent wolfguard before he can attack. Worse still, the priest fails his leadership test and flees off the board, leaving the Grey knight victorious alongside his inquisitor objective. This was a real epic combat, in the end decided not by the ICs but their able deputies – really good 40k, and a moral victory at the inquisitor objective for the Grey knights.

 

In competitive terms, the other combat was more important as the remaining hunters could grab the keg objective and win the game if they disabled the sniper dread. The two dreads went first, the Grey knight doing nothing, but my heroic dread hitting and glancing with his 1 S6 attack, stunning his opponent despite having no arms! So the game came down to my wolfguard and his Powerfist. He hit twice and managed a single penetrating hit. With both our hearts in our mouths, I rolled the epic dice and it came up... a 3... blowing off the dreads arm but failing to disable it enough to claim the objective. Victory denied!

 

So, a draw, but not in a way either of us might have imagined when we rolled the game types at the beginning, and at what cost to both armies. I had 5 models left, 1 wounded and 1 with no arms, and Ed had 3, one with only one arm! Truly a great game. It swang both ways at times, as did the luck!

 

http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu349/awalker4/DSC00753.jpg

 

Picture of the Inquisitor objective at game end above... The other objective scene remained the same.

 

Reaction to follow and a bit more fluff too B)

[Natanael]

Very nice read! As I said above, love the pics. And nice, epic, conclusion. It took a while for me to figure out that the Inq model was in face the objective :sick:

 

- Natanael

[LPetersson]

Very nice, I like that way it was posted too...

[Tsavong Lah]

I appreciate the mix of fluff and comprehensive tactical description. I'll never understand the folks who demand that batreps be written like stories—they're totally useless when done that way—but it's nice to see someone making their batreps both tactically helpful as well as fun to read, so bravo!