Green on Blue Action

[Ming]

Librarian Arcadius of Third Company, Ultramarines, surveyed the icy field. Manuevers with the Dark Angels had just ended.  All around the field, Blue armored space marines were picking themselves up out of the dust and snow, and smoke charges dissipated from the Company's blue colored vehicles as engines were fired up.  Off in the corner Chaplains from both armies were conferring to evaluate the exercise and determine which side had won. 

 

Arcadius himself was not pleased with Third Company's performance, and most of that disappointment fell on himself. Whereas the Dark Angels Librarian seemingly was successful in boosting the effectivness of his bretheren, Arcadias was not able to add anything, as he had to struggle with the warp throughout the battle and it nearly exhausted him.

 

Mission:5 mysterious objectives
Deployment: Vanguard Strike
Size:  1500 Points Each, No Allies

 

Tactical assessment: 
The battlefield was a mix of small hills and ruined buildings, fairly evenly distributed.  The Dark Angels won the roll to place more objectives, but both sides placed them more or less, one in the center, two in each deployment zzone.  The ultramarines then placed the Aegis Defense Line in a triangular patter in the no-man's land, working to keep it 6-inches away from other terrain features.  The quad gun was deployed in the Ultramarine deployment zone, separate from the Aegis line.  Objectives were to be worth three points each, and with the usual victory points for awarlord, first blood, and linebreaker, the overall game was worth 18 points in total.  The Ultramarines won the roll for deployment, and having not played vs Dark Angels in a very long time (and not since the new codex was released) had the Dark Angels deploy first...of course there was a surprise there...the Dark Angels was Deathwing, with a small tactical unit in a Storm Eagle (Forgeworld) flyer, so everything started off the table for them...

 

The Ultramarines then determined to deploy with a strong central cluster, the Dreadnaught Severus would operate the quad gun at a location that could observe 4 of the 5 objectives, while all other units remained in their vehicles.  Everything was clusterd a good distance apart as a deep-strike defense pattern.  The Ultramarine scouts were infiltrated into a ruined building near an objective in the Dark Angels deployment zone.  The Ultramarines combat squaded the tactical squads, so in total 3rd Company would have 5 scoring units.  The orders were to capture the 2 objectives in the ultramarine deployment zone with the overwatch squad elements (plasma cannon demi-squads, dreadnaught, predator) while the Librarian, terminators, landraider, rhinos, assualt elements, and scouts would go after the other three objectives. 

 

The Ultramarines determined not to sieze the initiative, probably the only thing that went right.

 

Turn 1 - The Plan Falls Apart:
Ultramarine units scanned the horizon for any approach of the Dark Angel units. The scouts in the far building ruin reported nothing on the horizon.  Scanners in the Landraider did not identify any inbound targets.  Then, with a bright flash of energy, 11 terminators materialized immediately behind Dreadnaught Severus, and a small group of 5 teleported to the front and right of the Ultramarine deployment.  The Dark Angel librarian immediately used his Prescience power, and the large squad of terminators split their fire between the rear of the Dreadnaught and the Landraider.  Severus had tried to intercept with the quad gun, but no hits were scored.  Severus himself was knowcked out (first blood to the Dark Angels), and a hull point scored off the landraider.  In the front, the smaller squad of Terminators moved forward and visibily taunted the Ultramarines on pulling off the surprise assault.

 

In response, the Ultramarines simply spun the Predator and landraider in place, to bring their multiple lascannons to bear on the larger terminator group, and the Ultramarine terminator sergeant led his men down the assualt ramp.  The tactical squad assault elements dismounted to add firepower and to re-man the quad gun. 

 

Librarian attempted to cast Null Zone and (boxcars) instead was assigned a wound for the effort.  In shooting, only one or two Dark Angel terminators were assigned as casualties. The Ultramarine tewrminators then charged into the assault, outnumbered nearly two to one.  At the end, all 5 Ultramarine terminators were assigned as casualties to perhaps one more Dark Angel terminator. 

 

Point score: UMs=0; DAs=1

 

Turn 2 - The Storm Eagle Arrives
The Dark Angels Librarian, flush with success of the surpirse assault, now casts a spell to bring in the Storm Eagle, Which arrives on time.  The Smaller Terminator squad moves up to assault the right wing of the Ultramarines, while the larger squad and librarian move to assault the left.  Shooting immobilizes and stuns the predator, and three tactical marines on the right are downed.  In a combined assault, the terminators on the left finish of the dismounted tactical squad, and explode the rhino carrying its overwatch element.  On the right, the smaller group of terminators forego assaulting the other rhino and instead attempt to assault the landraider, but fail to reach it.The tacticals in the rhino wreckage are pinned. The terminators control and objective near the quad gun.It's mystery revealed - +1 to nearby cover saves.

 

The Ultramarines are clearly on the ropes.  However, there are only two objectives in the part of the board with all the action.  The Ultramarines still have 4 scoring units, the DAs have three. Librarian Arcadias attempts again to cast Null Zone and fails (11). The remaining rhino goes as fast as possible carrying its overwatch unit towards the center of the battlefield and towards the Storm Eagle, popping smoke. The Landraider moves forward toward the larger DA squad, and the remaining tactical squad sergeant and plasma gunner climb inside for safety (the goal now is to deliver them to the neraby objective on turn 5). The remaining vehicles again shoot at the larger terminator squad, and fail to create measurable casualties. The scouts far in the DA backfield shoot sniper rifles and the missile launcher at the smaller DA squad, but their terminator armor saves them all.

 

Point Score: UMs=0; DAs=4

 

Turn 3 - The beatdown continues
The Storm Eagle continues flying forward and gets the predator in its sights. The larger terminator squad lines up to assault the pinned tactical squad.  The small terminator squad lines up to assault the landraider.  In shooting and assault on the left, the terminators eliminate the Ultramarine tactical squad.  The Storm Eagle eliminates the predator (it explodes).  The smaller terminator squad assaults the landraider but the powerfists barely scratch the blue paint job.

 

The Ultramarines need to be looking for a way to recover from this.  The plan is for on turn 5, have the scouts on an objectve, the overwatch element also on a DA backfield objective, and the remaining two tactical survivors and librarian on a third. 

 

The rhino continues to a location between two oobjectives (board center and DA left).  The landraider is boxed in, but is able to spin around and back up a hill slope (next to the crater that formerly was a predator) to be able to fire on the larger terminator squad.  In this turn I forgot about the scouts, which was too bad.  The librarian casts null zone. The landraider shoots at the larger terminator squad and maybe takes down two terminators. 

 

Point score: UMs=0; DAs=4

 

Turn 4 - Arcadius, Where Art Thou?
The Storm Eagle goes into hover mode and its small tactical contingent dismounts (not at an objective, but adjacent to the landraider).  The larger terminator squad moves a bit to the right to get line of sight on the remaining Ultramarine rhino.  The other remaining terminator squad (4 marines) move to the right-most objective (it is revealed as mysteriously nothing special).  In shooting, everything is about the order of firing.  First the DA tactical squad uses a meltagun on the landraider, which Explodes it, putting Arcadius and the two tactical marines in a crater.  Then the terminator squad splits fire and shoots and at the last rhiono (does nothing) and shoots up the now dismounted Arcadius and tactical squad remnants.  Then the Storm Eagle and remaining terminator squad shoot; Arcadius and the tactical marines are removed as casualties.

 

I'm close enough to two objectives and I need to stay protected till Turn 5.  My Rhino-borne overwatch element fires up their last meaningful weapon - the Plasma Cannon - and fires it at the smaller terminator squad - gets a hit - and lucky for me all 4 remaining terminators go down. The scout squad tries a long shot on the other terminator squad (frag missile) and causes no casualties. 

 

Point score: UMs=0; DAs=5

 

Turn 5 - End of the Exercise
The Storm Eagle lifts off to head towards the table center, leaving it's tactical squad to move towards the lower right objective.  Alas, with a bad run roll, the cannot get to the objective to control it.  The other terminator squad move a bit to get better firing positions, but have to remain at their objective, and within the requirements for linebreaker.  In shooting, the terminators wreck the rhino, and the remaining Ultramarine tactical squad dismounts on the far side.  The Storm Eagle now opens up on them, and between the missiles, multi-melta, and other weaponry (plus wreckage cover saves) only three tactical marines become casulaties, leaving two.  They hold firm in their morale.

 

The Ultramarines have a slim chance to no chance of getting a win, more like (never gonna pull out a win)...the scouts drop down from the building ruin to claim the nearby objectiive (rolls up as muysteriously nothing), and the tactical squad claims another objective (which mysteriously gets skyfire...).  In shooting, the scouts snapfire at the Storm Eagle (no damage).

 

The DAs (clearly in control of the game) roll for the game to continue...and fail.  Game ends.

 

Final Score: UMs=6; DAs=6.  DRAW!!!!!!

 

Post Game thoughts:
This was the first draw I've had this gaming year, certainly my first in 6th edition!  It was an interesting game, the first I've had vs the Dark Angels in their new codex. 

 

• Overall, It could have easily been far worse for me.  This was my first game in probably two months or so (ski season happens) so I was pretty rusty.  Overall, I probably deserved to have been tabled. 
• I liked how the new Dark Angels played, and I really liked the Storm Eagle, too bad it is not easier to get your hands on! 
• More than anything else, it was fun to just get back in and roll some dice. 
• As for Arcadius - maybe the model is just unlucky.  I noticed the hand is missing off the model (darn superglue!)...I'll have to search for that tiny part in my battlefoam transport case or just get him a new one. 
• Overall it was fun to see someone take big risks with terminators in a popular game size and cause so much carnage! Maybe I'll have to try it...
• PS...I miss my B&C blog...

 

 

 

[Sevatar]

Sounds like a blast. A way to counter the Storm Eagle is with another flier, since the Vengeance Launchers can't touch it (they are not Skyfire, oddly)

[Polythemus]

The vengence is a blast and blasts cant target fliers. This could be fixed if potms allowed varied firing, but alas. Nice steal ming, bet your opponent didnt like that!