Final Fifth Tourney

[Chaplain Admetus]

So, tonight my local GW held a late night tournament, culminating in the release of 6th edition rulebooks, as a final farewell to fifth edition. I decided to play something a little more wacky that I normally would, and not something I'd normally play (so I wasn't 100% sure I was doing).

So, my Angels Sanguine rocked up, keen to defend their current tournament record (currently undefeated in in-store tournaments), with the following 1500 point list:

 

HQ:

Dante

Mephiston

 

Elites:

2 Sanguinary Priests, 1 with jump pack and power weapon

 

Troops:

5 Sanguinary Guard with Infernus pistol and fist

10 man assault squad with hammer

9 man assault squad with fist, meltagun, and a rhino

 

Heavy Support:

5 Devastators with 4 missile launchers, and a razorback with twin-linked lascannons.

 

(Note: I originally had a 10 man tactical squad in a rhino with a fist and a meltagun in place of Mephy, but bowed to peer pressure from other players before the tournament, and made the switch).

Small, but hopefully hard hitting and effective.

 

Game 1 was Spearhead, and 4 Objectives, and I was up against the might of the space wolves. His list was:

Rune priest with chooser of the slain, Jaws of the World Wolf, and Living Lightning

A stormtalon

A Vindicator

A unit of longfangs with 5 missile launchers, and a terminator with a cyclone missile launcher

A grey hunter squad with plasma gun in a rhino (priest went here)

2 units of 5 grey hunters in heavy bolter razorbacks

And 5 wolf guard terminators (fist, h-flamer, hammer, claws, axe, and 4+ invulnerables) in a land raider with lascannons and twin-linked assault cannon).

 

Ok...outnumbered and outgunned. Not a good start. Objectives were in ruins in each of our deployment zones, and two in rocks on the centre line pretty much straight up from 'home' objectives. More rocks in the middle right (from my point of view). He had the far left with me in the bottom right and won the roll, deploying everything (rhino behind the ruins, longfangs in it, everything else round about). I deployed the devastators in my ruin, Mephiston out of LoS behind it, and the razorback also out of LoS behind him, with the rhino assault squad behind the rocks on the right near the centre line. Dante/SG/Priest in reserve, as were the jumpers who succumbed to the red thirst. Dante oogy-boogys the rune priest.

 

SW Turn 1: most of his stuff advanced forwards. Razorbacks and vindicator came round the right of the central rocks, landy taking the long way round to the left. Gunfire ripped 4 of my devastators, leaving a lone missile launcher, and broke my rhino. Frown.

BA Turn 1: The lone devastator, seeking revenge, belts the storm talon with a pot shot, wrecking it. The razorback comes out but fails to do anything to the vindicator, and as a result my assault squad spreads out so as not to get pie-plated to death.

 

SW Turn 2: Everything closes in on my position. That land raider is getting far too close for comfort, especially with most of my big guns gone and my melta stranded without a transport. A large amount of shooting from longfangs, razorbacks, land raider and bolter-backs removes my razorback, and cuts me down to only 3 or 4 assault marines with the priest. The lone devastator, however, loves it and bellows a roar of defiance whilst ducking, dodging, and generally making a tool of himself by passing every save that comes his way.

BA Turn 2: I roll for my reserves and get both units. However, I'm now SEVERELY outnumbered, and I'm under no illusions that I'm in trouble. Time for a hail Emperor pass, as its all I've got. The assault squad lands right near the longfangs and rhino to put some pressure on his base (and since they're fearless, he's going to have to kill them). Dante and his squad deep strike right beside the land raider. Meph casts Wings and flies over towards the land raider, as its now close enough. The nuisance devastator proceeds to really annoy the space wolves, as the vindicator has presented its side armour whilst taking care of assault marines, and handily wrecks it with a well placed missile. Well done that marine, that's a great weight off my mind. Now, the tricky bit...Dante and the Sanguinary guard take aim and fire at the land raider. This needs to go right, or I'm done. Two penetrating hits later, and there's an upside down land raider, with the terminators having piled out towards the centre with the rocky objective. Not over yet...Meph makes his fleet roll, and its a 4! Enough to get him into assault range of the terminators, where he draws combat by killing 2 and taking a pair of wounds.

 

SW Turn 3: All the squads disembark, and their 'backs move off to annoy my marines. Both GH squads in the middle advance towards the objectives and mephy, Sanguinary Guard are out of sight behind the wrecked raider (as planned). Shooting finally deals with the devastator, who by this point has been fully entered on the roll of honour, and some of the assault marines die (crucially, some are still left standing to go after the squad). Mephy waves his sword around like an idiot and dies leaving a pair of Terminators, who consolidate towards the middle objective. But its ok, his job is done.

BA Turn 3: Right. With my opponents attention occupied elsewhere, the assault marines who have been stranded make a run back down towards my home objective whilst the guns are pointed elsewhere, dropping a razorback with a melta shot en route. Dante and friends move into the middle, and multi-assault the terminators and a single GH squad, whilst the assault marines charge the squad with the priest in it. Assault marines kill the priest whilst taking one casualty in return...drawn combat (though if Dante HADN'T hexed him, he failed two saves so I'd have won! Honestly Dante, sort yourself out...). Dante and the SG win their combats easily, and consolidate out of LoS of most of the longfangs.

 

SW Turn 4: Not one to give up, the Space Wolves come after the flying terminators that are in serious danger of spoiling their day. They open up on the SG, but don't manage more than killing one (sponged the plasma hit onto Dante, who was at this point unhurt). Longfangs split fire at the 3 assault marines and priest who are near my objective, and the sanguinary guard... SG laugh off krak missiles, and cover saves the assault marines. On the hill, the Grey Hunters finish off the assault marines.

BA Turn 4: Dante and the Guard charge the last grey hunters and finish them off easily, consolidating back behind their rock where they also can take an objective. Having reduced my opponent to one troops choice, whilst I still have 2, AND the last move, I go into survival mode. Sanguinary guard can take either middle objective and the razorback can only contest one, so all I need to do is have my assault marines survive the game.

 

Turns 5 through 7 are exactly that. At one point he does kill one and force the morale check, which they fail, but being marines come straight back again. Turn 7 Dante detaches himself from the unit and flies off to contest the Grey Hunter's objective, just to be a douche. Result: BA 2, SW 0. Very pleased to come out of that with a win...top of turn 2 I really thought I'd had it.

 

Game 2: Dawn of War, Annhilation. Against Grey Knights...3 Storm Ravens, each holding 5 terminators with halberds, a psycannon, and a hammer in each one (all guys different), and a terminator librarian in with 1 unit. I have issues with Grey Knights, and my dice have issues with storm ravens. Also, a potential 12 mindstrike missiles coming Mephy's way does not a happy chief librarian make. I won the roll off and after much thought elected to give my opponent first turn, hexing the librarian. He declared everything coming on from his table edge in turn 1, I reserved everything but the devastators (coming in on turn 1). SG striking, everything else from the board edge. SG and foot assault squad succumbed to red thirst. Terrain is really not an issue for the entire game, as it almost all takes place within a 48x24 inch box near my deployment zone.

 

GK Turn 1: 3 ravens turbo boost on to the halfway line. Nothing to see here...

BA Turn 1: Devastators come on and leg it into a forest on my right. Razorback fails to scratch the paintwork.

 

GK Turn 2: Ravens move around to take pot shots at things. I lose most of my stuff thats on the table...devs die, razorback turns into a box.

BA Turn 2: Another turn 2, another not nice situation. SG and Rhino Squad on, Meph and Jumpers not. Assault squad comes on behind the forest where Devs used to be, pops smoke. Dante and SG strike next to a raven, 3 S8 shots from them and the squad in the rhino immobilises it.

 

GK Turn 3: The squad on my left hops out of the raven (I think its now, anyway), this includes the librarian. The squad on the right hops out to do a number on the SG. Shooting is uneventful, combat sees the sanguinary guard cut down 3 terminators at the cost of 4 of their own, Dante takes a daemon hammer to the face but makes his iron halo save. At the end of the turn, I hit and run and bolt off to the left towards the terminators and librarian.

BA Turn 3: Mephy turns up...I um and ah about where to put him and elect to bring him on near the full strength terminator squad (my opponent tells me afterwards that I've made the right call). Assault squad disembarks, and takes down a terminator with their meltagun, whilst infernus/plasma pistols on the far side sees the termy squad whittled down. Assaults, and Meph, Dante and the SG and Priest make short work of the terminators and librarian, whilst weight of numbers drags down the last terminator on the right. Fist whacks the Raven but doesn't do much. 10 down, 5 to go...

 

GK Turn 4: Last squad disembarks and goes after the assault marines. The 3 ravens blast the living hell out of the uber-unit, taking dante down to 2 wounds and mindstrike missiles perils-ing Meph to death (but not before he sponged some melta hits first ^_^ ) Terminators batter my assault squad down, whilst the fist breaks the raven.

BA Turn 4: Although he's not got much left, its still very close on account of only 7 kill points in his entire army. I don't have much margin for error, and I'm rapidly running out of things able to remove Ravens. Jumpers finally turn up, and go after the terminators. Dante splits off and goes to try and shoot the left hand raven, whilst the last remaining sanguinary guard, who happens to have his infernus pistol, goes for the central one. Dante proves why he's a Chapter master by breaking his, but the Sanguinary guard isn't so fortunate. Terminators kill my foot assault squad, but get wiped out in return by sheer weight of numbers from the other unit.

 

GK Turn 5: A quick tally reveals I'm ahead by 6 KPs to 5, and all he has left is that Raven. It runs away as fast as it can (flat out)...

BA Turn 5: ...but in the wrong direction to avoid the Assault Squad! They charge, but can't break it, and the dice roll to end the game comes up a 2.

 

End result: Angels Sanguine victory by the narrowest of narrow margins, 6 kill points to 5.

 

 

Finally, Game 3. For all the marbles. Pitched battle, 1 objective each, and I'm against Green Tide orks. Good list with a really good player behind it...I think I've got no chance, but what the hell, play it for fun. His list in this form has apparently never been beaten, so part of him wants to lose. He has a Dakkajet, looted boomgun, big mek with KFF, Ghaz, and 4 mobs of 30 boys. A quick spot of mental arithmetic reveals that I'm outnumbered 4 to 1. Going to have to play smart to win this one. Objectives are in ruins on each side, right for mine, left for his, both near the back. He has everything deployed as far forward as possible with one unit in reserve. Ghaz is near the middle of the board, far edge of his unit (this is important). I reserve Dante and SG, hex Ghaz, deploy the devs on my objective and the razor behind it, Meph out of LoS on the left behind a tower, with the assault squad on his left, and the rhino left of that. He comments that I'm clearly going all out for his objective...I'm quite happy to let him believe this....

 

Ork Turn 1: Everything runs forward, I lose most of my devvies. A good run roll puts most of his things on the halfway line.

BA Turn 1: Lasback moves out, but doesn't dent the jet thanks to the forcefield. Assault squads both advance down the left flank, and Meph's fleet roll takes him into combat with Ghaz's mob, but at the FAR end of the line to ghaz! Result. One threatening unit successfully tarpitted.

 

Ork turn 2: Boyz mob 4 comes on. I get shot at a bit, my razorback loses its gun. One mob comes forward towards my objective, the others go sideways to support Ghaz. Mephiston continues murdering Orks, and Ghaz finally makes it in at the end of the round.

BA Turn 2: All going according to plan so far. Assault squad hits his reserve squad, and kills some but are whittled down. Rhino sits between the units to provide FnP to both them and Mephy. Dante and SG turn up and turn the boomgun to slag. Meph hammers Ghaz and forces him to call the waaagh or be taken down by 5 wounds off of a strength 10 power weapon. Survives the attacks back though, tarpit continues.

 

Ork turn 3: Other things come over to support the big fight on the left flank Dakkajet flies off to get better shots. Ork mob with Mek that's been marching towards my open objective turns back to deal with the SG (excellent). In combat, I lose yet more ASM, my rhino has its storm bolter shot off, is immobed, and finally gets wrecked in combat, so the squad pile out. Ghaz finally finishes off Mephiston, and turns to deal with the Assault Squad at full strength. Over in the big combat with an almost full mob charging my golden boys, I lose the priest and a Sanguinary guard, but Dante and most of his unit are still fine. I choose this moment to play my trump card, and what I've been relying on to carry the day: hit and run. Just passing the initiative test (5), I blast 14" back towards my objective, having successfully decoyed all his units away long enough to slow them down. Game on.

BA Turn 3: My assault squad piles in to help their beleaguered friends. Dante and the SG go after the dakkajet (loads of time to take it out and make it back to my objective faster than the orks), and immobilise it, facing the wrong way. Good enough. The two assault squads are more than enough to wipe out the mob.

 

Ork Turn 4: Crunch time. The foolish looking mek unit comes back towards my objective, but a run barely takes them over the halfway line. The final, full strength mob murders my assault squad, but the priest and a few men hold firm.

BA Turn 4: Dante and the men in gold fly back to my objective. The assault squad stays still, but there's not many of them left.

 

Ork Turn 5: The horde moves forwards. Another run roll, but they're still out of range to contest. Ghaz makes a poor slow and purposeful roll, he's well out of it. The orks finish off my foot ASM, and consolidate their position.

BA Turn 5: I make a last ditch effort to win the game. My lone surviving jump assault marine moves in, and charges the ork squad. Doesn't tow them completely off the objective, but if he survives the combat the pile in moves will bring the last two down. Dante and friends stay put. Unfortunately my brave assault marine is cut down. Knowing that another turn will see me overrun, we clear a space in the middle of the board and roll the climactic dice....a two. Game over - 1 objective apiece.

 

I don't think my report's done that last game justice, blame it on me being exceptionally tired ;). We both agreed it was an absolutely fantastic game, and couldn't have asked for a better end to 5th edition. My opponent was very complimentary, remarking that I'd outmanouevered him and managed to hit at the right time and right places, done everything correctly. Very pleased to hear that, as I thought I had no chance. The results coming in left us both top of the heap, tied for first place in the tournament. Pleasantly surprised by the way the list performed, Dante and the Sanguinary Guard were real all-stars, winning one game, arguably doing the biz against the Grey Knights, and pulling the iron out of the fire against the Orks. Came up with some really good tactics, was delighted by the cinematic all-or-nothing taking down of the land raider in game 1, playing my reserves properly in game 2, and game 3 gambling everything on decoying the Orks away from my objective so I could send Dante and the SG back to steal it...He even came round to make sure that it was just an empty, weaponless razorback beside it, because he could see I had something planned.

 

Overall, that makes my BA undefeated in 3 store tournaments, tying for first twice and taking it outright once. But more importantly than that, it was a great evening, 3 phenomenal games, and I had a fantastic time. Truly feel like I've given 5th edition the send off it deserved...roll on 6th! We're ready for ya! :D

[Morticon]

`SHotto for the reports!

 

Take any pics?

[Chaplain Admetus]

Cheers Mort, was beginning to think nobody had noticed :D. Didn't get any pics, sadly, left my camera at home. I'm fully aware that its my biggest issue with bat reps, wall o' text is intimidating. Even if I did have it, I'd likely have forgotten to use it beyond turn 2 in every game as that's where things started hotting up. 3 really intense games, I don't think I've ever thought so hard over an evening of Warhammer! Will be posting glory shots of my army over the next few days though, since they now have something shiny to show off :). Will attempt to get pics for the next tournament report I do, likely to be the October ToS.