A Tactical Exercise

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

With inspiration from a recent topic, I've decided to do a tactical challenge. I will post a map and information. It is up to you to figure out what to do. I will then run through the entries and see what works best.

Here's the map:

Info:

Mission: Annihilation

You(naturally) are the space marine player. You have the first turn. This is a rather simple one. What is your choice of action?

[Jackelope King]

This is going to be very ugly for the Marine player. The list is poorly built. Basically, you've got two missile launchers versus a sizeable guard army. At this points-value, the TH/SS Termiantors are a rock, and the other guy threw paper. Oh, and they're in reserves, it seems, which makes things even worse. Marines have 3 threats on the table, guard have... what, 6? I forget if the Heavy Weapons teams are in the Infantry Squad or not.

 

Normally, your best bet is to run the Tactical to midfield and pop smoke and pray, and that still might be the way to go, but the Guard player has a significant amount of firepower, and very little you can do can really hurt the guard player's firepower. It's all going to come down to those magical scouts, but even then, it all depends on which unit the Scouts used their Scout Move to get closer to. I hope the Marine player chose the Infantry, actually, because without meltabombs, I'm not liking their odds of Krak Bombing open the rear armor of one of the Demolishers. Their only hope is a multi-charge that ties up those autocannons and meltaguns. There's no other way the Scouts will survive long enough to matter unless they're sheltered in melee. Their one BS3 missile launcher shot just isn't reliable enough for me to chance it on a Krak shot into the rear of a Demolisher or trying to pop a Chimera. They're also completely useless against the Chimeras in melee.

 

I don't believe the Tactical Squad presents a strong enough firebase to warrant holding in backfield. Rather, they'd probably benefit from rushing midfield, popping smoke, and praying. With only two Demolishers able to fire, there's a fair chance it'll survive, so long as the Guard infantry are tied up by those scouts. If they live, the marines are in fairly good position for turn 2 to multi-assault the Leman Russ on the Marine player's right and the infantry, then have every marine save one (who slaps two guardsmen) throw grenades at the tank.

 

The Marines then pray that either the blob of Guardsmen hang in for an unheard of two turns to avoid being Demolished. Scouts might survive the melee, might not. But really, our goal is to preserve the melee with the infantry for as long as possible to make IG shooting irrelevant. The TH/SS Terminators, when they come in, teleport near to the scouts to crush the Demolisher. If those scouts aren't in range to charge the infantry blob on turn 1, game goes to IG, as the Marines can't safely advance and will die to long-ranged firepower as they're exposed midfield and the TH/SS Terminators will get pie-plated to death when they teleport in, maybe smash some quick face, then die when whatever they hit implodes.

[Lord PoPo]

This is exactly why space marines hate tank guard.

 

I still see you getting yourself in for a major pounding.. but lets see what we can do..

 

The scounts should move to assault the demolisher on its rear armor but should stay within cover just in case they get really lucky with their shooting. The terminators should run up and set themselves up in a skirmishing formation. The TAC marines will load up in the rhino and the rhino will move twelve and orient itself so that its rear will be facing the upper right corner.

 

In the shooting phase the scouts should shoot at the demolisher, the terminators should run (ideally they will be able to stay out of the 24" range of the other leman russ. The rhino will pop smoke.

 

in the assault phase, the scouts should charge the demolisher and use their grenades. They should assault in such a way that they are hidden from view of the imperial guard units.

 

 

Your opponent will likely move his other demolisher back, and he will likely choose to fire his weapons at the rhino. If the rhino gets destroyed, use the wreckage as cover about 1/2 of your marines, and place the other half as close to the IG units as possible. The Chimeras may shoot at your scouts, or may shoot at your marines. The scouts probably.

 

 

Whatever of your TAC squad survives should charge the IG units. If your guys are really close, flamer them, if they are more than 3" away after your movement phase, do not fire.

 

If your scouts are still alive, have them engage whatever is closest to you, alternatively, they can take a pot shot at the vindicator. If your terminators are close enough, charge the IG unless the demolisher is still alive in which case they should charge that.

 

 

The rest of the battle is more or less a regular game after that.

[Lord PoPo]

It's all going to come down to those magical scouts, but even then, it all depends on which unit the Scouts used their Scout Move to get closer to. I hope the Marine player chose the Infantry, actually, because without meltabombs, I'm not liking their odds of Krak Bombing open the rear armor of one of the Demolishers. Their only hope is a multi-charge that ties up those autocannons and meltaguns.

 

Assaulting the guard might work, but you actually have a pretty good chance of doing damage to that demolisher with melee attacks. If it had moved, you'd be absolutely right, but sinc it didn't, you'll be fine.

 

And are the terminators in reserve?

[Mysticaria]

That pic is kinda messed up. I have some questions...

 

How close are the scouts to the enemy units?

What weapons do the other four scouts have besides the missile guy?

Are those terminators in reserve?

If not, why did the scouts take a teleport homer if nothing in the army can deep strike?

Why did the tactical squad deploy so far from their rhino that they can't even get in?

Where is the enemy HQ choice?

 

 

As is, this looks like a pretty unwinnable scenario for the troops selected. I suppose I would try and get lucky with a scout missile into the rear of a LRMBT or if not, then a side shot on a Chimera. Plan to deep strike the terminators... hopefully on turn 2... and hopefully the scout squad that hasn't yet been destroyed. Try and get the tactical squad back in the rhino, drive it forward 12" and pop smoke. Look to assault the other LRMBT and IG troopers...hopefully we passed that pinning check when our rhino was destroyed. Then it should be a matter of cleaning up the remains. The funky deployment kind of makes this one a long shot, but with a little luck it could be done.

 

-Myst

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

The scouts are two inches away from the chimeras. Currently, only the turret of the right chimera is capable of seeing them because of my well-named very large rock. The scouts have bolt pistols and cc weapons. The terminators are in reserve. The tactical may deploy in or out of the rhino. I missed that in the description. The enemy has no HQ. This isn't following the force organization chart. The reason this seems rather hard is that I made it this way. So far I've thought up at least one solution that has a reasonable chance of success.

[greatcrusade08]

charge infantry with the scouts, put the tac squad in the rhino and move it forward 12" and pop smoke.

its likely the rhino gets owned but te tac squad should be ok with the Ig infantry stuck in assault

 

next turn assuming scouts survive combat, termies teleport in and tac squad charges infantry to help turn the tide.. could possibly get a multiple charge and use meltabombs on on the the leman russ'

[norngahl]

I´d say hide the scouts where they are, shoot the chimera with the ML and prey they survive to call down the termis. Once the Termis are down, kill all guardsman with ease.

 

 

Put the tacticals in the rhino, rush forward, pop smoke, hope you survive long enough to avoid a demolisher hit.

 

Edit: Oh I notice the scouts have CCWs and BPs. In this case you might risk the CC to draw firepower from the Rhino and also may guess that 1 Scout will survive CC to call down the termis :lol:

[DarkGuard]

charge infantry with the scouts, put the tac squad in the rhino and move it forward 12" and pop smoke.

its likely the rhino gets owned but te tac squad should be ok with the Ig infantry stuck in assault

 

next turn assuming scouts survive combat, termies teleport in and tac squad charges infantry to help turn the tide.. could possibly get a multiple charge and use meltabombs on on the the leman russ'

 

This. The Scouts should be able to win combat, they're tougher than the Guard, and strike first. As long as they survive there is going to be a mess next turn provided the Termys teleport in. The Tacticals in midfield should then find it easy to get into combat against the Guard or tanks and take them apart. Not a perfect strategy, but you're certainly throwing the Guard player off by charging into the Guard lines.

[Panda_]

Please, OP post your solution.

 

I'm a CSM player, and I don't remember the differences in the Leman Russ versions.

 

I can't remember if Scouts have Krak grenades.

Neither can I remind of that Demolisher, is it a armed with Battlecanon, dual plasma canon or something like a small blast melta.

Is the Chaplain wearing Terminator Armor ?

 

Anyway, my plans should not change depending on the Leman Russ variants. I should do something like this :

 

Moves :

The scouts go behind the Leman Russ so that 3 are able to charge guardmen.

Tacticals embark in the Rhino.

The rhino rush forward 12'. Let enough space on the left so that Tacticals may disembark there.

The rhino pop the smoke.

 

Shootings :

None

 

Melee :

Scouts charge guardmen, 2 of them go for the Leman Russ Demolisher (multi-charge).

The scouts should be able to silence one demolisher for the next turn and win the combat by a 1 round (I should do the maths). They keep fighting the next turn.

 

What should happens next ?

The demolisher and Chimera should open the Rhino. Tacticals disembark on the left. Enough stand to throw Kraks at the other Leman Russ. At this point, I think the IG is on the loosing edge. Terminators deepstrike and kill what's left standing.

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

Greatcrusade08 hit my solution perfectly. With some lucky rolling, even if the scouts lose a lot in close combat, one will probably survive. Assuming you get the reserves, you're good. The termies can probably survive a round of shooting, because the demolishers won't want to risk hitting their own guys with the cannon. The two tanks not in combat would have to decide between the tacticals and the devastators. The chimeras would have a hard time getting in sight of the termies. and the tac squad would have cover from the combat.

And now the second one:

The map:

This time, it's Capture and Control, with the marines holding the objective with the combat squad in front of the devastators. The combat squad has a flamer. The sergeant has a power weapon. The ork horde currently holds the objective but has been reduced to twenty models by previous shooting. What would you do?

[Tangamarine]

I would move the combat squad to the left and forward and arrange the unit so the flamer hits as many a possible, but still holding the objective, while the devastators provide covering fire.

 

Does the orks have a nob with power claw?

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

No there is no Power Klaw. Just a regular Nob.

 

The list in your sig looks familiar...

[H.C.118]

I would move back 1 inch with the combat squad, allowing the Orks to move up and give me an extra shooting phase before I charge them.

[death_incarnite]

i agree with ignis domus but one thing that i wanted to point out about the previous tactical situation is that it is not only possible to survive that but actuall has been done. once when i was playing some other marines i ran in to, heres what you did not consider though, first use the rhino to ram the leman russ (i know this sounds stupid, next charge the back of the second leman russ with the scouts. if you can bring them in the terminators that turn then you can deep strike them in the path way of the incoming las gun fire using them as human sheilds while the space marines will charge up under the terminators protection, i realise the tank shock wont destroy or maybe even hurt the leman russ but it will keep it from shooting that turn and thats what important, stalling it until you can bring in the big guns or in other words marines with melta bombs

[spartan249]

We need to know if the Orks still have their Waaagh ready. We also need to know what turn it is. And whether the Space Marines go on the bottom of the turn or go on the top of the turn.

Given SMs are going last

Given < Turn 5

If Waagh's unused thus far, I move the combat squad back 6", then run the combat squad behind the devies. The devies fire on the orks using frag missiles.

 

If Waagh's used previously, then I move the combat squad to right behind the objective and have the devies open fire with frag.

 

Given > Turn 4

If Waagh's unused thus far, I move the combat squad back about 5" approx. and pray that the game ends this turn. The devies open up on the orks with frags.

 

If Waagh's used previously, I move the combat squad 1" back, then have the devies open fire with frags. I pray that the game ends this turn.

 

Given Marines go first

Given < Turn 5

I move my combat squad directly forward, then rapidfire with the combat squad while fragging with the devies.

 

Given >Turn 4

I move my combat squad forward, leaving one guy 3" away from the objective, and rapidfire. Frag with the devies. Hope I kill enough to survive the ensuing charge.

[Tangamarine]

The list in your sig looks familiar...

 

I wonder why....

 

At least the nob doesn't have a power claw that could complicate problems

[LardO'Blood]

I'm assuming it is a last turn objective grab?

Move the tactical marines forward to the left to get as many flamer hits and as few orks in B2B when they assault (but not the very end, so you can contest the objective if you don't wipe them out). Fire on the ork boyz with devastators. Flame and bolt pistol the orks with the tacticals. Charge with tactical squad, hope you have killed enough that they aren't fearless. I'm estimating 10 casualties from shooting and 3-4 in close combat. The orks should only be able to kill 1 or 2 marines (2 attacks base right?).

Best situation you wipe them out or make them fall back off the objective. Worst situation they stay and you contest, tying the game. But, this is no worse then just holding your single objective and them holding theirs. A savvy ork player might have thinned his horde out into a thin column to contest your objective and hold his (if he has the last turn).

EDIT: I ran the numbers and my idea would kill 14 orks, leaving 6 to strike back and kill a calculated 1, you would win by 2 or 3 and then they take a moral check at 4 or 5. Hopefully falling back and getting sweeping advanced.

[Ming]

Safe move: If last turn Option 1 - Stay right where you are and shoot the Orks off their objective: Tac squad shoots first - rapid fire, 6 bolter and 2 pistol shots - causing say 3 or 4 dead Orks. The fire the devs, 1 bolter, 6 HB, w/ 2 frag templates, as many as 15 hits, more likely 8. Say 4-6 dead orks. MAYBE the orks get down to 10 models, MAYBE fail moreal, or not. Likely outcome is a draw or a loss if the orc suvivors conga-line up to you and drag your tacs of their objective.

 

Danger Move: Tac squad moves up. Devs then shoot, looking for where the damage is applied. Tac squad then either flames/pistols/charges, potentially dragging the orcs off their objective in first round of HTH, and possibly getting in as many as 12-14 dead orcs (3-4 in CC), maybe winning the assualt as the orcs run, and consolidating on their objective for tthe win.

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

Lard assumes correctly. It's the top of the fifth turn, space marines go first, orks have their Waaagh!