Jolemai's Blog of WIPs, Battle Reports and Musings

[Jolemai]

Debrief

 

General Musings

• Mission deployment was horrible, especially with the way the beta rules currently are for Tactical Reserves. This mission also reinforced my believe that SG and friends need to start on the board (but at least I got away with it). I'm still being more reactive than I like and played some of this battle in a bit of a daze, but I'm certainly getting faster and better with this set up. Starting to get a bit of a reputation with this list, especially my weapons bunker returning fire when they're killed!

Captain Smash – Warlord (DVoS)

Captain (Veritas)

• I didn't learn anything new about these chaps. Ronseal, basically.

Sanguinary Priest (Angel's Wing)

• Improvement on the Lieutenant, kept healing the Characters which frustrated my opponent (not in a bad way mind). Will keep in place but I *may* try him without the relic (it will be on the Captain next game)

Librarian (jump)

• Always useful and having Shield on the SG worked for a change, but he's hit and miss otherwise. Still useful but he's situational. Staff was nice in this game.

Sanguinary Ancient (Standard)

• Really cheeky with the shenanigans, but I need to remember the Heirs of Azekaellon rule!

Sanguinary Guard

• Expensive bullet magnet and I really don't like Jump Pack Assault. As before with remembering the re-rolls.

Terminator Squad

• Heavy flamer was in to save on points, but perhaps it would be better to not bother at all, especially as I pulled of the TDA stratagem! Quite happy with that all in all (GK players use it so well, so why can't I?) Will persist with these a little longer but...

Company Ancient

• Integral

Three Devastator Squads
Two "choppy" Scout Squads
Bolter Scout Squad
Shotgun Scout Squad
Two Tactical Squads

• I don't really see how I can change these. Need the lascannons which means my balance would be off if I went for sniper Scouts (too many stationary, not enough movement). Happy enough with the Devastators to the point where I need to consider making cherubs (well, counts-as because ewww)

Bike Squad

• Fire magnet for some reason. In fact, they always have been since 3rd edition for me If I go double-battalion, these are on the chopping block.

Two Attack Bike Squads

• Cheap harassment for in this instance, played a psychological effect on my opponent (he doesn't like them you see). Probably still too aggressive with them, they need targets of opportunity or to support the Scouts imo.

[keeblerartillery]

Great job Jol!

[Jolemai]

Battle Summary


Using my Troop spam – 2000 points Vs Alpha Legion

Armies
Blood Angels


Captain Smash – Warlord (DvoS, Angel's Wing)
Captain (Veritas)
Sanguinary Priest (jump)
Librarian (jump)
Sanguinary Ancient (Standard)
Sanguinary Guard
Terminator Squad
Company Anceint
Three Devastator Squads
Two "choppy" Scout Squads
Bolter Scout Squad
Shotgun Scout Squad
Two Tactical Squads
Bike Squad
Two Attack Bike Squads

Brigade – extra relics and DvoS = 11 CP

Alpha Legion

TDA Lord
TDA Lord
Dark Apostle
Two Heretic squads
Two Hellforged Contemptors
Cultists
Stormeagle
Three Havoc squads

Battalion = 7 CP

Pregame

Mission is Big Guns Never Tire (BRB). Beta rules are in play. The four objectives were placed with one on each energy conduit, one on the ruin, and one on the gun emplacement. With this in mind, I opted for a Spearhead Assault and I then chose the side with a single objective in (as I would be moving forward anyway, it made sense to contest his ones).

With this in mind, all three of my Devastator Squads were clumped onto a central silo with their babysitters on the ground floor and out of line of sight (in hindsight this might not have been the best bet as they were 36" away exactly...) One Tactical Squad was placed on my objective, with the other pushed forward but inthe cover of the wreckages. The Scouts were all placed by wreckages in no-mans land and my Bikes were lined up out of sight but able to get up and support the Scouts. On the opposite flank and again in cover, my SG and character blob were setup (and the Terminators in Reserves).

The Storm Eagle starts at the back and holds the two squads of Heretics. Each squad of Havocs takes up a vantage point (be it ruin or silo) across the deployment zone. A Contemptor, Dark Apostle, and Lord are placed to contest the gun emplacement objective, whilst the Cultists, second Contemptor, and his "Warlord" are placed on the conduit-objective in his deployment zone.

Having finished deploying first, my opponent proceeds to roll a 7 on a D6 for first turn. Guess who seizes

The game


On the most part, shooting was largely ineffective due to cover saves and legion traits, however, a lascannon did manage to put a few wounds on the Contemptor near the Scouts to cover their advances. Infact, pretty much everything on foot advanced that didn't have a heavy weapon, with Tactical Squad on the right moving to where the SG were (they were now close to the ruin objective) and the bikes rolled up to, with the help of some Devastator weapons, put a few wounds on the Cultists. Meanwhile, Smash had found an opening. Using UWoF he moved into space behind the Warlord and managed to inflict four wounds on it with his master-crafted bolter 0.o Using DoA and Red Rampage, he then promptly charged the Stormeagle and smashed it out of the sky (28 damage = First Blood), killing two from each squad on board...

Unsuprisingly, Smash then bore then brunt of half of the AL shooting before succumbing. What hadn't shot at him took a wound of a Bike, killed an SG and one Tactical Marine on my home objective died from 46 autogun shots as the Cultists had "ran off" and then re-appeared behind my lines.

The Terminators arrived at the same spot that Smash had gone to earlier, and whilst their shooting was nullified by cover saves, they got a charge off on the "Warlord" and took him down... only for the Warlord to actually be another Character elsewhere. This left them agonisingly close the the Contemptor. The SG and Character blob moved up but failed to charge the Contemptor leaving them in no-mans land. On the other side of the board the Scouts and Bikes moved up and took out the Contemptor, leaving the shotgun Scouts to shoot the Dark Apostle. The Subequent charge brought him down but his tag-team partner (the other TDA Lord and now Warlord) took out a couple of Scouts in retaliation. In my Deployment zone around the objective, my Tactical Squad and Attack Bikes went after the Cultists and after shooting and Assault was completed, there was only six of them left – who all ran away for good during the morale phase.
In the AL turn both squads of Heretics moved towards my Scouts, with one getting a charge on the bolter squad. Once combat was complete, just my Sergeant remainined. Similarly, just the Sergeant remaining fighting against the TDA Lord. Almost everything else shot the Terminators (killing two) before the Contemptor engaged to kill two more. However, it was taking wounds in retaliation.

The writing was on the wall for the AL player now. T3 would have seen me gain Slay the Warlord, take three objectives, and my SG were close enough to start charging the Havocs. As time was now against us, he called it giving the win to the Blood Angels!

[Jolemai]

Debrief
 
General Musings

• One of those games which took ages and yet I was surprised at the time when we had to call it. This was because of two factors: we were narrating what we were doing to a new guy looking to get into 40k, so we would stop to say what we were doing, etc (which was actually quite an enjoyable experience); this game was almost being played out like a game of chess. Everything about it took so much though be it the turns, or deployment. Hugely absorbing.
• I was able to play it one my own terms. I quite enjoy being able to box a player in and dictate the pace (well, don't we all!) but this was only because I got the call for deployment correct. I need to learn and do this more often when the time arises... and yes I've apologised for smashing his Stormeagle into tiny pieces as he's yet to use it...
• Not much to say about most of the units, so here's a select few
  • Smash: target of opportunity and giving him the Wings worked here. Perhaps I should go down this route even if it lessened my SG blob's threat
  • SG: learned the hard way they have two wounds! Will get these right eventually...
  • Bikes: Finally got to do proper interplay with the Scouts which worked nicely. Need to keep doing this when they are alive
  • Devastators: I'd pretty much placed them out of range by accident as I opted for the advantage of raised cover. Got away with it this time but If I do this type of map again I need to learn from it.
  • Terminators: Didn't get to use the heavy flamer again (but only because I'd taken him off as a casualty when I should have left him on for overwatch. Maybe), but I got the most out of the stratagem's re-rolls until my next turn. Quite useful if you drop them into a hole rather than a flank. Cover saves though...
  • Scouts: reaped the benefits of massed Scoutage (psychological, volume of fire, redundancy) which I need to try to replicate everywhere

Edited December 7, 2018 by Jolemai

[Dolchiate Remembrancer]

Hail Reclusiarch!

Glad to read on your exploits and musings!

[Jolemai]

Battle Summary

This is a practice game for a tournament. It's a Matched Play tournament (so beta rules, restrictions, etc) in play, but the armies are chosen by PL and LoW aren't permitted. PL limit is 120 (so it's a 2k ballpark). Opponent is Space Wolves

Armies

Blood Angels

Captain Smash

Mephiston

Bolter Scouts

Two squads of "choppy" Scouts

Librarian on Bike

Sanguinary Priest on Bike

Sniper Scouts

Two Tactical Squads

Captain Tycho

Company Ancient

Sanguinary Ancient

Sanguinary Guard

Relic Whirlwind Scorpius

Stormraven Gunship

Double Battalion + Vanguard Detachment = 14 CP – DvoS & 3 Relics = 10 CP

Space Wolves

Krom Dragongaze

Arjac Rockfist

Three squads of Grey Hunters (one in Drop Pod)

Longfangs

Thunderwolf Cavalry

Wulfen (in Stormwolf)

Predator Annihilator

Venerable Dreadnought

Battalion = 8 CP

Pregame

Mission was Burn and Pilage (Open War deck), map was

In my table quarter, the first objective was placed under the ruin which my Scorpius occupied and my Snipers sat at the top of. Behind them and out of sight was my SG and character blob. Towards my backline was my second objective and this was surrounded by my Devastators and supporting cast. On the third objective in my corner, sat a Tactical Squad and on the backline was my Stormraven. Mephiston deployed in the middle of my deployment zone and my remaining Scouts were in an unoccupied quarter, 9" away from the SW Deployment zone (with the Long Fangs being the closest target).

Krom and a squad of Grey hunters started in the Drop Pod, Arjac sat in Reserve, and the Wulfen started in the Stormwolf (which was at the back of the board). An objevtive sat in his corner, with a Predator nearby and a pack of Grey Hunters also nearby and out of sight. In an adjacent crater sat another objective and another GH pack, with the final objective in the ruin occupied by the Longfangs. The Ven Dread was pushed as far forward as possible (in the moat) and the TWC were in cover.

The SW go first.

The Game

The Ven Dread advances towards my ruin. The Stormwolf blasts towards my lines near to the SG and takes three down through shooting (assisted by the Annihilator) whilst also putting five wounds on the Scorpius. The TWC manage to get a charge off on my Scout blob, hacking at least five apart for no return damage.

My retaliation is rather brutal. My heavy weapons pop the Annihilator and once the Scouts have fallen back, the remaining heavy weapons, Stormraven, Smite from Mephiston (who's Winged into charge range), and small arms fire manage to gun the TWC down. My SG blob move, shoot, and charge the Ven Dread which is enough to bring it down. Smash himself engages the Stormwolf and smashes it out of the sky spilling the Wulfen contents all around it... Fortunately the Priest ressurected a Sang Guard just in time.

The Wulfen moved into postion to get an assault on my character blob and place one into the Scorpius. Meanwhile, the Drop Pod had arrived with Krom and some Grey Hunters nearby. They got a charge off as well meaning my Scorpius was now tri-locked... The Priest and the Ancient died in combat but everything else surived for now. Shooting elsewhere saw a couple of Marines here and there perish and the nearest squad of Scouts was shot to bits by the Longfangs.

The two remaining Scout Squads moved up towards the Longfangs, as did the Stormraven who gunned them down. With a Devastator Squad being nearest, I charged into the engaged GHs to try and free up the Scorpius. However, this enabled the Wulfen to interrupt and they wiped their targets and subsequently, leaving four Wulfen remaining. Any remaining shooting tried to explode the Drop Pod but it was irritatingly resilient.

The combat phase was remarkably short for the SWs with the Wulfen popping the tank and the GHs (and Krom) dispatching their opponents and a few more Scouts were whittled down. My Stormraven flew over and hot up some GHs and my other shooting tried to do with it could to little avail.

The Wulfen charged my next Devastator Squad, leaving just the sergeant remaining. After my Characters intervened, two Wulfen were left. In my turn they fell back to allow more shooting and Mephiston engaged and whilst this finally laid the Wulfen low, Mephiston was lost after Krom interveneed. Meanwhile, Arjac and materialised near the Scouts (yes this is illegal as per the beta rules but I allowed it...) and my Scouts had been all but destroyed in the SW area.

The GHs burned one of my objectives and shooting plus Krom took out the Tactical Squad in the corner and subsequently burned that. Despite Tycho taking out Krom with his combi-melta and a number of GHs dieing in retaliation, Arjac assaulted my sniper Scouts who had moved to secure their objective and having killed one with his axe, he proceded to butcher the remaining four to burn that objective and win the game (which my opponent called a draw as Arjac shouldn't have been on the field).

Edited December 12, 2018 by Jolemai

[brother_b]

Fair enough resolution. Go BA!

[Captain Idaho]

Seemed like a good game. The sheer combat potential of BA characters seems to carry the day attritionally since targeting the infantry is easy enough yet they aren't the damage causers...

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Good luck in your upcoming tournament Jolemai !

[Jolemai]

January

I, Reclusiarch Jolemai, embark on the 12 Months of Hobby Challenge, and for the month of January pledge to complete one Drop Pod with both weapon options by month's end.

To do:

• More red
• Recess wash (red)
• Highlights (red)
• Detail
• Assemble

2019 Vow

I, Reclusiarch Jolemai, embark on the 12 Months of Hobby Challenge, and for the duration of 2019 pledge to complete one fully magnetised and converted Imperial Knight by year's end.

To do:

• Magnetise all weapon options (Warden kit)
• Appropriate greenstuff (he's a Knight affiliated with the DC, so that's BA and DC stuff)
• Affix appropriate add-ons (BA gubbins, etc)
• Paint, highlights, freehand, etc
• Finish off the base

[Slothysaur]

Whoa, the massive retro base looks very striking on that knight.

[Jolemai]

Vow complete

[Bjorn Firewalker]

The drop pod is well done.

[Jolemai]

Cheers both :) Meanwhile:

February

I, Reclusiarch Jolemai, embark on the 12 Months of Hobby Challenge, and for the month of February pledge to complete one Blood Angels Lieutenant by month's end.

To do:

• Recess wash
• Highlights
• Details
• Base

Edited February 1, 2019 by Jolemai

[Majkhel]

Very interesting! MKIV helmet adds a lot of charisma to no-longer-Delassio.

It's also so very your style to keep the hand flamer :)

[Jolemai]

Very interesting! MKIV helmet adds a lot of charisma to no-longer-Delassio.

It's also so very your style to keep the hand flamer

 

Cheers and sorry I missed this I thought the helmet was a good choice as it means I can add the Lieutenant strip on the "plumage" and keep the helmet colour consistent with the rest of my army - he's just a glorified Veteran after all. As for the weapons, they seemed too difficult to change...  but at least the forthcoming D6 shot change will be interesting.

 

Meanwhile:

 

I Jolemai, Reclusiarch of the Blood Angels sub-forum and first of his name, rise to the challenge of The Great Baalite Bake Off and vow to kitbash one "Smash" Captain on or before April 1st, 2019. Success will bring honour to the Blood Angels, whilst failure is not an option...

 

Seeing how I'm being moaned at for not having one, I guess I need to kitbash one!

[Jolemai]

BA Lieutenant

February - Vow Complete

Will vow for March next week.

... and yes, I need to drill the barrel

... as for the GBBO, I've had a part come in so I can get to work on it :)

[Dont-Be-Haten]

BA Lieutenant

February - Vow Complete

Will vow for March next week.

... and yes, I need to drill the barrel

... as for the GBBO, I've had a part come in so I can get to work on it

Looks great Jole! I can't wait to see it!

[Jolemai]

Cheers. I've got an idea in mind for the Smash Captain (and a Lieutenant for afterwards) but we'll see how it goes together.

 

***

 

With regards to the Lieutenant above, it's my understanding that when a Marine returns to their parent Chapter they have the option of retaining their DW bits (even if they never speak of it) and this is what's on show here with the hand flamer arm. I suppose I could change it down the line but...

[Dont-Be-Haten]

Cheers. I've got an idea in mind for the Smash Captain (and a Lieutenant for afterwards) but we'll see how it goes together.

 

***

 

With regards to the Lieutenant above, it's my understanding that when a Marine returns to their parent Chapter they have the option of retaining their DW bits (even if they never speak of it) and this is what's on show here with the hand flamer arm. I suppose I could change it down the line but...

Looks good. I always thought they moved it to the right shoulder upon return. Unclear if that's right or not. I guess I could do some digging if need be. I know there was a Novamarine in Death of Integrity that kept this Deathwatch stuff.

[Jolemai]

12 Month challenge, Scout Sergeant

March

I, Reclusiarch Jolemai, embark on the 12 Months of Hobby Challenge, and for the month of March pledge to complete one Blood Angels Scout Sergeant by month's end.

To do:

• Base colours
• Recess wash
• Highlights
• Details
• Base

Edited March 4, 2019 by Jolemai

[Jolemai]

Smash Captain WIP

Quick WIP from me:

Pretty much got all the parts, just need to add some greenstuff to the hammer and the shield arm (he's getting a storm shield arm but I will be magnetising them)

[Jolemai]

GBBO update

Vow complete:

Front:

Left side:

Rear:

Right side:

Angle:

Parts used:

• Sanguinary Guard kit: legs, jump pack, storm shield, torso (back), left shoulderpad, bling
• BA upgrade sprue: bling, iron halo, torso (front)
• DC box: bling, right shoulderpad, TH wings
• CS box: left arm, bling
• Thunderhammer: BaC box, BA brass etch, green stuff
• Head: Anton Delassio, green stuff
• Right arm: random bolter arm, bolt pistol from a third edition kit.

I Jolemai, Reclusiarch of the Blood Angels sub-forum and first of his name, rise to the challenge of The Great Baalite Bake Off and vow to kitbash one Lieutenant on or before April 1st, 2019. Success will bring honour to the Blood Angels, whilst failure is not an option...

Edited March 19, 2019 by Jolemai

[Jolemai]

Lieutenant kitbash

Vow Complete

Front:

Left:

Back:

Right:

Angle:

Parts:

• Space Marine Character Conversion kit: Legs, power fist
• Burning of Propero Mk III boxset: Torso, head, backpack
• Space Marine Command Sprue: Left arm, auspex, right shoulderpad, purity seal
• DC Sprue: Left shoulderpad, bling
• Misc: second edition bolter, third edition RAS pouch, magnets

I don't care for bionics, it's one of the two things I don't feel fit a BA force. I don't think they have a place in Blood Angels as we'd do an excellent job on the aesthetics to make it look as natural - or to mimic armour - as much as possible.

However, that doesn't stop me having a few parts in my bitsbox. I wanted my foot Lieutenant to be a grizzled veteran that was put back into the fight at times of need, hence the bionic leg. I was thinking of adding more but it didn't feel right to me. The best part though is because of the use of bits, I can use this chap as a 30k consul and they would make use of bionics - especially those born/from on Terra.

Arms are magnetised to I can change his weapons but he looks fine and I'm satisfied, and that's the important thing.

* Bald heads are the other one which doens't fit BA imo. Oh, and I suppose service studs are another. and... and... and...

[Majkhel]

I feel a lot of Zephon in what you say about bionics. And about that, there is a funny conversation in 'Master of mankind' between Zephon and Arkham Land about why Space Marines don't cover bionics in armor ;) Edited April 1, 2019 by Majkhel