The Renascibilitas Crusade [Redemptor WIP]

[Marshal Mattias]

Well, I was under the impression that a flyer must travel at least 18 inches from the deployment edge, rather than be able to fly in at such an angle as to be less than 18 inches from the board edge. But I may have misread something. Otherwise, it was fine: flyer arrived turn two, switched to hover on turn 3 and deployed unit normally. I just hadn't expected them to assault same turn they disembarked - silly mistake.

[Marshal Mattias]

So a quick match was put together at approx 800 points -

Chaos had a captain of some sort with the Murder Sword, a vindicator, a unit of Khorne berserkers with some plasma and Melta bombs, a unit of marines with a rhino and Melta gun and plasma pistol too, I think. Also had some icons/gubbins which I don't really know :)

 

I rolled with a captain and burning blade, drop pod with ironclad flamer/Melta, 5 initiates with Bolters and a redeemer with 10-man tooled up CC squad. The mission was 'meh, lets just wipe each other out' and deployment saw me place my captain and CC unit in the redeemer, ready to race up there, with the small bolter squad moving into a large area of cover. He placed his marines in a 2-story building, his rhino left out of sight nearby, his vindicator in between the marines building and another to the other side. Berserkers/lord behind the vindicator. This time it was my opponent who stole initiative and shot at the LRR, hitting it and... Taking a hull point.

 

The ironclad dropped precisely between the vindi and the building, disembarking and just lining up a melta gun shot to the rear... Which missed. Oops. Storm bolter killed a berserker though, so yay. LRR assault cannon fired on vindicator, scoring a hull point I think?

 

Berserkers immobilised with plasma to rear somehow, then charged the ironclad, who proceeded to immolate several in overwatch. He then suffered a hull point from the Melta bomb, while crushing two more in his fists of fury.

Lord moved out independently, overconfident in his weaponry. The vindi took a second shot at the LRR, failing to damage it despite a direct hit. Now the Redeemer positioned for the charge, burning some traitor marines in the building now to its right side. Snap-fire cannons failed to hit the lord in front of them.

Marshal led his brothers down the assault ramp. "Don't worry lads. I've got this."

Making the charge, he challenged the enemy warlord to single combat. Unleashing his warlord trait of 'furious charge,' he was now striking with strength 8, AP2, at initiative... Lols.

Also, the unit had a 10-man advantage, granting 2 re-rolls for the combat. All the attacks hit, all wounded and the chaos cretin was dead before he he swung his much-touted sword. The unit unfortunately only managed a 1-inch consolidation, so tried to spread out incase the vindicator managed a shot.

The ironclad finally fell to his berserker opponents, but not before killing a couple more and leaving it only 3-strong. (Another impressive showing from the ironclad. He has not disappointed in a match yet. I think he has bumped himself to the top of my re-paint list).

The vindicator shoots at my squad, but it scatters and hits only 2... One of which is the marshal (d'oh). With a 50/50 chance of succumbing to instant death, I failed the save and the hero fell :(

Now the plasma-pistol berserker claimed another victim and charged my unit. The sword brother accepted the challenge of course, but he had no power weapon (not enough points) and missed out on his rend again before falling. The unit managed to cut down the remaining 2 berserkers while losing 2 of their own, losing the combat but holding their ground.

The Redeemer torched a bunch more marines in cover, and scored a hull point off the chaos Vindicator.

Now the last 4 crusaders (including flamer and power axe) felled the champion berserker and moved to face the vindicator. With little choice, he fired at the redeemer again and finally scored the explosive result, suddenly crippling my chances of a solid win.

Furious, the crusaders charge the vindicator and detonate it spectacularly. All four survived the blast, while a chaos marine in cover was disintegrated. "The Emperor Protects"

 

Oddly, it went a bit wrong here. The scant few chaos marines left had a spectacular shooting round, wiping my four crusaders out. They advanced on my 4 bolter initiates and the rhino backed them up, killing another. Down to 2 initiates and a drop pod, they fell back and returned fire, killing the last plasma pistol marine. At this point, it was really late and neither of us felt like we could claim a victory. The most likely scenario was that there would just be a rhino left, furiously trying to ram a drop-pod to death. While this may have been amusing, even the Chaos player felt this was an ignoble end to the match, so we shook hands and called it a tie.

 

Ironclad was awesome, but if he had only hit with his melta gun, things could have been so different. I loved that the marshal floored the chaos lord, just a shame he got Boba Fett-ed and went out like a chump :(

Also, just one more shot from the redeemer before death, and there would have been no marines left to plasma pistol all my crusaders. Fun game though, I'll look forward to playing him again.

No pics this time, I was already over an hour late to the pub so I didn't have time :D

[Andhil]

Yeah, the flyer business is strangely written, but it is in fact legal to fly in at a really steep angle. 

 

The second game seemed fun. I can totally relate to single Melta's missing. 

 

This is really making me want to play another game soon. Should start poking around.

 

Keep 'em coming, Brother! 

[Marshal Mattias]

Yeah, I'm rather looking forward to finally beating this guy. He's a bit of a veteran, but I'm learning new tricks each time I play. There's a few other newish players at my store now, so hopefully I can get some games in against some armies other than MEQs. :)

[Andhil]

Oh, you'll love facing non-MEQ's. I play Xenos and Daemons all the time. Always very diverse games. The Crusader squad will prove really valuable then!

[Marshal Mattias]

Yeah, I just find that MEQ troops aren't especially good at killing each other, which makes for either slow games, or ones dominated by particularly effective elite/HQs. I'd like to play against a horde, really experience some different lists!

[Marshal Mattias]

++++++++++

 

The Renascibilitas Crusade... A crusade reborn from the ashes...

The acting-Marshal sat, brooding, on his command-throne, watching the chapter-serfs busying themselves in the expansive bridge before him.

An experienced warrior, and a veteran of the lost crusade, he had fought the foul Xenos ship-to-ship in the burning atmosphere above Armageddon. He had trod the ash wastes and been deafened by the warmachines of the Legios as they rained judgment on his foes. He had also followed his mentor without a thought in their doomed pursuit of those twisted Eldar raiders who had come seeking to pillage and plunder the vulnerable weakened worlds of the system.

...The clashes, the bitterness, then the chase... The Warp is as fickle and malificent as the creatures who make it their home and when the engines of their battle-barge launched them forth, the warp had done its worst... Decades had passed, and their numbers had dwindled in endless, relentless combat...

The darkness of the warrior's thoughts were etched in his face as he glanced towards the seals bearing names of each of his fallen brothers. He had been a new Brother of the Sword, forged in battle but not yet with the grim wisdom he now possessed. With that, he shook himself from his vanities.

"Brother Gregor, report?"

The Templar nearest to him bore the mark of the Mechanicus, servo-arms all extended and docked in the consoles which surrounded him. The image was as of a large black spider, its many legs spread across its web, feeling the vibrations and determining the location of its prey.

 

"I found the signal again, my liege Robért. They tried to lose us, but I have isolated their webway traces - they will not escape us this time."

 

"Gregor, please, I am not your Liege, merely acting as such. We have been brothers through hell, call me Guillaume."

Gregor did not respond.

"Bring us in at a distance. Wait for them to make planetfall. I will have no mistakes. Once the Archon's identity is confirmed, we will deploy in ambush."

"Aye, my Liege."

Acting-Marshal Robért sighed inwardly, and walked from the room. He understood Gregor's reluctance, he had always been a stickler for tradition. Bloody techs and their superstitions.

As he passed the wall of purity seals he paused, and turned to face the opposite wall. There, were pinned various shattered helms and weapons, each bearing horrendous damage, each a trophy taken from an enemy. Each bore a name, a location, and a date of execution. There were still many spaces left to fill. Guillaume looked at one empty spot in particular, and enjoyed the anticipation of Vengeance.

 

++++++++

 

Battle is coming! Report to follow ;)

Edited May 12, 2014 by Marshall Mattias

[Andhil]

So, Dark Eldar? They can be.....annoying.... 

 

Dude, your Marshal has a Predator-like collection? Sweet.

[Marshal Mattias]

Facing off against their most hated enemy, the Dark Eldar, my crusade was eager to get to grips and smash them in truly templar fashion. My opponent was keen to use all his models at 2000 points. I had to add in some expensive toys to my list to match his points. My list comprised of:

 

Marshal (Helbrecht).

Honour Guard x5 with relic blades and chapter banner.

Land raider crusader with multi-melta.

 

5x Sword Brethren Marksmen with heavy flamer + 3 combi-flamers.

Drop pod.

Locator.

 

Ironclad with 2 heavy flamers.

Drop pod.

 

2x CC crusader squads each with 7 initiates, sword brother, 4 neophytes. Both set up with melta and twin power weapons.

 

Vindicator with siege shield and extra storm bolter.

 

Reserves:

 

CC Crusader squad with 5 initiates, 1 sword brother, 4 neophytes. Flamer and twin power weapons, shotguns.

Drop pod.

Locator.

 

5x Terminator Sword brethren, 3x lightning claws and 2x TH/SS.

 

His list was allied with some Eldar, so he had an Archon, Incubi, Reavers, Haemonculus, Mandrakes, Wyches, massive Kabalite squad, Wracks in Venom, Scourges.

Allies Farseer (doom, guide, eldritch, placed with warriors), rangers, swooping hawks and a wraith lord with bright lance and some other bits.

Turned out he had a LOT of shooting ability and very mobile heat-lances that I do not like at all.

 

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/matzeke/F53A416F-B00A-42F1-A236-67DE8543019E_zpsyxezco7j.jpg

 

Enemy took first turn, I was unable to steal. Much of his dark Eldar charges up the flank to my left between multiple buildings, nearest to my Vindicator and a crusader squad.

His scourges head right, to the flank with my landraider and Hq unit. Wraithlord heads towards centre-board. Farseer and Kabal claim his home objective. Some minimal shooting, puts a hull point on my vindicator.

 

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/matzeke/3F558823-116E-41DA-9A8D-64533A5B7DD7_zps8k1h7its.jpg

 

My crusaders each move forward and upstairs into buildings overlooking one and claiming one of the objectives. My vindicator crashes through the wall below, gaining a cover save from ruins and lining up a shot at mandrakes + reavers. LRC races from behind cover up alongside the fourth objective, killing some scourges.

 

 

My sword brethren and ironclad drop precisely in between the buildings, using the drop pods to seperate the Wyches/Incubi+archon from the mandrakes and reavers/venom. Can't roll the distance to get the sword brothers upstairs in cover, forcing them to hop out in front of the Wyches as intended, but vulnerable to next units.

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/matzeke/E26C9EB3-A9BB-4B15-98C5-0343F813DA05_zpslgrbadju.jpg

Dread moves into cover and burns half a mandrake squad, failing to hurt the reavers and venom.

Sword brothers incinerate wych unit entirely. (BURN THE WYCH!)

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/matzeke/D7241E8F-55E5-4099-B787-2C0708C2B13A_zps5c6viqzh.jpg

Drop pods claim an incubus.

Vindicator has one chance to do the impossible, scatters 10 inches the wrong way and hits nothing.

 

Reavers heat-lance vindicator and it explodes. Mandrakes move a little slowly single file through drop-pod bottleneck. Incubi move up and cripple sword brethren marksmen with support from kabal shooting. They make the charge, losing one on the way.

Scourges leap from cover, and blow up landraider with a single shot...

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/matzeke/46BA22B7-0EBF-4B70-8993-537D6CEB55B7_zpsv9chohlf.jpg

Left exposed, honour guard unit loses 3 from further shooting. (I don't think I made a single armour/cover save. Would have survived better had I remembered to place them better upon removal of the landraider). Venom crossed over the dread/crusader squad building and shot up the squad, ready to deploy Wracks.

Sword brothers fall to Incubi and mandrakes.

 

My turn two.

All my armour is gone, along with virtually all firepower.

No reinforcements arrive - limited options.

Dread incinerates heat-lance reaver, the rest flee the battle.

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/matzeke/D30DB263-7B37-49F3-B01F-831461A7EA2B_zpsw3g93lvl.jpg

Crusaders/storm bolter shooting takes off a couple of models.

Marshal and survivors fall back to the base of the other crusader squad's building.

 

Enemy 3.

 

Mandrakes move to claim objective with support from archon/Incubi.

Wracks deploy (maybe deployed last turn?) kill several crusaders with a template weapon (including melta and sb) then charge upstairs. Crusaders don't do very well... Single casualty to each side from combat so ends tied.

Scourges batter crusaders upstairs on right objective, take more casualties from kabal/farseer and rangers. One more honour guard is lost to wraith shooting.

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/matzeke/ED345E9A-A7FE-4CD1-92A8-8E31C9412EF8_zpsnx8emp4j.jpg

 

My turn three.

 

Roll for reserves is successful, drop pod lands by other two and crusaders disembark into cover in last suicidal effort to clear the objective. They shoot at the incubi, catching the last Mandrakes in the flamer template and eliminating them. Their shooting is great, loads of hits from the shotgun neophytes and the Archon was badly positioned. He failed many of his look-out sirs and his 2++ failed on the first use. The warlord is slain in an ignoble barrage of fire. (but I stupidly forgot about the kabal in their building and left myself in line of sight).

Termies use the locator beacon to deep strike in between the fortress of drop pods, gaining plenty of cover.

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/matzeke/C5AF0786-82F1-4D95-93BC-7DE7C1C98ECC_zpsfdu4g8ys.jpg

Crusaders on objective climb down a floor to escape the sights of the scourges. Marshal and last HonourGuard back them up. Dread moves through cover towards venom and wraith lord, though flamers fail to cause damage.

Wracks kill several templars who... fail to hit with all 8 of their attacks?! I start reciting litanies of hate at my dice.

The templars can sense their moment, but prepare to hunker down and weather another round of punishing shooting.

 

Enemy turn 4: my opponent is very slow and this game has been going for hours. This is agreed as the last turn.

 

Incubi charge the kabal-weakened crusaders and annihilate them... I become concerned at the speed at which I am losing troops.

Wraith lord fails his charge at the crusaders/marshal units and is wounded by overwatch Melta shot.

Swooping hawks descend again and fire on the marshal, whose honour guard tanks the hits on his 2+.

The combat continues against the Wracks, and finally the templars overcome their foes, driving them back over the edge. Consolidating towards their objective by the Incubi, they wait for the signal from their Marshal.

 

Templar turn 4:

 

For Sigismund! For Dorn! For the Emperor!

 

The Marshal's warcry resounds across the battlefield. He charges the unit of swooping hawks, earning his maximum attacks and cutting them down in a single flurry of blows. His banner-bearer follows but doesn't even bother to swing his blade.

 

The ironclad smashes out the side of a building and charges the wraith lord. All four attacks hit, wound and tear the Xenos construct to pieces. Sadly, the blade of the wraith penetrates the ironclad's armour and destroys him.

The 3 surviving crusaders behind their Marshal resist their urges and obey his command to claim the objective.

Their two remaining brothers across the map do the same, their crusader's zeal helping them to reach their destination.

The terminators of the Marshal's household echo his battle-cry and charge the Incubi. The storm shields block the overwatch and the claw-wielding brothers reach their target first. The puny blows of the Xenos barely trouble the sword brethren, who laugh as they destroy their foes beyond all recognition. They consolidate to block line of sight to their more lightly armoured brethren.

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/matzeke/02FCA419-C778-480A-A21D-330CA2844BF5_zpsy0objaui.jpg

As the smoke clears, the templars stand victorious with two objectives, first blood, and the shattered helm of the Xenos warlord. Final score 8-3.

 

+++++++++++++++

 

Robért stooped to wrench the shattered helm from his foe. With a crack, the neck broke and the helm came free, the bloodied head rolling away into the rubble.

"The package is recovered, Brother Gregor, bring the Thunderhawk around for pick-up."

 

"Aye, my Liege... ... Well done, Brother Guillaume."

 

+++++++++++++++

[Andhil]

Well fought, Brother! A glorious victory for the Templars, and some good photos. Great Batrep, as well. I never tire of these! 

 

So, your thoughts on Dark Eldar? I've faced them myself quite a bit, my last few matches have been quite successful, but unlike your DE player, ours can't even put a scratch in my Vehicle's paint job without using Haywire grenades. 

[Marshal Mattias]

Well, I indeed found them surprising. They just seem to have so much shooting, and their 9-inch melta/lance weapons are pretty deadly. I had a couple of runs of rolling only 1 and 2 for armour saves, but I was simply being forced to make so many that it was inevitable I would fail them. Allying with Eldar seems a touch too potent though, the farseer casting doom and guide meant they were re-rolling hits and wounds in their shooting against my crusader units - Urgh.

Very glad I neutralised the Wyches before they could do anything - last time we played a game I managed to drop a vindicator template on them. I haven't yet had to face them in close combat. Of course, if my opponent had access to some transports or made use of a webway portal, things could be very different.

[Andhil]

They're fast for sure, and are mainly a shooty army. They used to run more Wyches, but their low Toughness means they can't take any Overwatch. The Invul Sv in CC is nasty though, but regular Crusaders spam wounds. It's Termies who lose effectiveness. 

 

Indeed, the Eldar allies make them waaay stronger. I hate Divination.  

 

Webway Portals got nerved to oblivion. They can't assault after exiting, so they sit in the open for a turn, practically begging to be shot.

Transports are a different deal, but they're really weak, and when they explode? Expect whatever's in there to suffer serious casualties (except for Incubi)

 

All in all, bring some bolters and you're good to go.

[Marshal Mattias]

Yeah, I did the exact opposite :/

I wanted a CC list of armour and drop pods. The flamers were awesome and the Ironclad could have gone and caused some more carnage, if only I'd taken a handful of Grav bikers to deal with his wraith. But, I should have made a couple of my crusader squads into shooty ones. Flamer and Bolters coming out of the drop pod would probably have wiped his unit, leaving the survivors to shoot at his troops. And leave the metal boxes at home next time, I think. The table was just too small, allowing all his Melta stuff to get shots off too fast.

[Marshal Mattias]

Closer to finishing my vow - LRR heading into final stages. Hopefully I can finish the lot on Saturday. (Never really painted vehicles so this is all a rather steep learning curve. Think I can pull it off better for the next ones).

 

http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a628/matzeke/4A86A25A-178A-4607-87AA-1359CE3242F0_zpstytospbc.jpg

[Andhil]

Great progress, and it's looking like a really nice Land Raider for a first time attempt. 

 

Keep it up, Brother. (I should go spend more time on my own LRC now....)

[HLVW]

I never get tired of seeing peoples LR, or their varients, well done, looking forward to its completion.

[Marshal Mattias]

Ta, it's better than my olden-days-of-yore attempts at vehicles (where I sprayed them black and painted some white bits), but my dry-brush attempts are pretty messy.

Anyway - will it crush the foes of mankind beneath its mighty treads? Yes, ergo, job's a good'un. ;)

[Marshal Mattias]

Ooh- excitement!

My local store are starting a 40k campaign to coincide with the new release. It's 600pts to encourage multiple small battles all week, with the option for larger games on games night.

Using planetary empires tiles, two sides fight for control of an Eldar maiden world, claimed by Mechanicus, veering on the edge of the eye of terror ;)

There are two opposing factions; Smash and Grab. (I'm hoping to play versus plenty of Xenos so I'll try and see what the rosters look like before I decide if I'm purging a corrupted world, or trying to recover a lost Black Sword or some such).

 

The only hard thing is choosing what to take!

20-man CC squad with Captain and Inquisitor, + 5 Neophyte Snipers? (3 power weapons, melta bomb, scout move, hatred, rad/psychostroke grenades, 2 Grav pistols and a Melta gun!)

 

Vindicator? Typhoons?

 

Helbrecht + Honour Guard in a Redeemer?!

Can play as unbound of course ;)

I wanted assault termies in there with him but couldn't afford it :D

 

What would YOU take to represent the Templars at 600 points?

[greggles]

Wouldn't play unbound, far too easy to lose.  (secured objectives is HUGE).  You play at a massive disadvantage in unbound lists.  Especially with all the USR nerfs.

 

Don't count on being able to attach multiple IC's to one unit anymore. (one rumor floating around)

 

Do you follow a standard FOC?  Generally in the low point games, you follow combat patrol rules, etc.

[Marshal Mattias]

Wouldn't play unbound, far too easy to lose. (secured objectives is HUGE). You play at a massive disadvantage in unbound lists. Especially with all the USR nerfs.

 

Don't count on being able to attach multiple IC's to one unit anymore. (one rumor floating around)

 

Do you follow a standard FOC? Generally in the low point games, you follow combat patrol rules, etc.

I think it is standard chart or unbound. I agree, unbound would be tactically inadvisable, but definitely fun! If I could fit Helbrecht, termies and a land raider, I'd take that for sure.

Rush full distance, smoke. Pray for survival.

If possible, disembark and seperate before moving LR. Unleash the fury. Termies charge hard target, Helbrecht solo charges a troop unit.

Land Raider moves off up to 12 and engages another target.

Game ends :P

 

Of course, that won't work against a whole number of lists, and if the Raider gets popped first turn, then I'm in trouble! Still...

 

On a more serious note, I anticipate they may relax the troop choices to 1 rather than two. If my second troops were neophytes then they could easily be swapped out for extra marines or some upgrades.

 

My other though was: Drop pods. If I squeeze several of these in, I might get the... DROP on my opponents. (Sorry). Who can pack much interceptor into 600pts?

 

Maybe:

 

+++ Campaign 4 (600pts) +++

+++ 600pt Space Marines 6th Ed (2013) (FW) Roster (Primary Detachment)) +++

 

Selections:

 

Space Marines 6th Ed (2013) (FW) (Primary Detachment) Selections:

 

+ (No Category) +

 

* Chapter Tactics

Black Templars

 

 

+ HQ + (135pts)

 

* Captain (135pts)

(And They Shall Know no Fear, Chapter Tactics, Independent Character)

Grav Pistol, Power Weapon, Storm Shield

 

 

+ Elites + (180pts)

 

* Ironclad Dreadnought (180pts)

(Move Through Cover)

* Dreadnaught Power Fist

Heavy Flamer

* Drop Pod

Storm Bolter

* Seismic Hammer

Meltagun

 

 

+ Troops + (285pts)

 

* Crusader Squad (120pts)

5x Initiates, Plasma Gun

* Drop Pod

Storm Bolter

 

 

* Crusader Squad (110pts)

Flamer, 5x Initiates

* Drop Pod

Storm Bolter

 

 

* Scout Squad (55pts)

(And They Shall Know no Fear, Chapter Tactics, Combat Squads, Infiltrate, Move Through Cover, Scout)

Scout Sergeant, 4x Scouts, 4x Space Marine Shotgun

 

 

 

Created with BattleScribe (http://www.battlescribe.net)

Edited May 16, 2014 by Marshall Mattias

[Honda]

I'd have to look at the numbers, but I wouldn't go with a super tough HQ, instead I'd want numbers. So without fiddling with the exact numbers, I'd look at:

 

1 x Assault termies, 4 TH/SS, 1 TLC

1 x Ironclad, 2 x HFlamer, DCCW, Chainfist

1 x Chappie/Emperor's Champion

2 x 5  man Archer las/plas teams.

 

The general strategy would be for the Archers to support the first three units as they run toward an objective and kill anything that gets in their way.

 

It's simple and brutal. Entertainment value = 11/10

Edited May 16, 2014 by Honda

[greggles]

I'd take an emp chap over the captain as well. Having instant death AP2 access at low points (and a 2+/4++) is great.

[Marshal Mattias]

Ooh, I actually plum forgot a out the old EC (I rarely run him any more). Yes, I can make that work - *number crunching*

[Marshal Mattias]

Wow, 600 points is tight... No space for termies I think. Alternative idea though:

 

+++ Campaign 5 (600pts) +++

* Chapter Tactics

Black Templars

 

+ HQ + (140pts)

 

* The Emperor's Champion (140pts)

Armour of Faith, Black Sword, Bolt Pistol, Frag and Krak Grenades

 

 

+ Elites + (135pts)

 

* Ironclad Dreadnought (135pts)

* Dreadnaught Power Fist

Storm Bolter

* Seismic Hammer

Meltagun

 

 

+ Troops + (210pts)

 

* Crusader Squad (105pts)

5x Initiates, Lascannon, Plasma Gun

 

* Crusader Squad (105pts)

5x Initiates, Lascannon, Plasma Gun

 

 

+ Fast Attack + (115pts)

 

* Assault Squad (115pts)

2x Flamer, Rhino, 4x Assault Initiates

* Sword Brother

Chainsword, Grav Pistol, Melta Bombs

 

As per suggestion from Reclusiarch Honda, archer squads to cover advance. Ironclad to provide big scary target. (No points left to add launchers or heavy flamers. Figured keeping a melta gun might be important).

Assault squad are hardly Terminators, but adds a Grav pistol to hopefully put any monstrous creature off its game. Flamers to put as many wounds as possible on any decent sized squads, or to burn scouts/rangers out of cover. Also discourage enemy charge when disembarking from rhino. Melta bomb for hard targets. I expect them to get shot up, but my enemy is going to be as stuck for points as I am. Any shooting at this unit keeps my ironclad and troops alive.

EC will endeavour to take on a squad solo where possible. If the rumour about wounds carrying over into combat from challenges are true then that would be great! And - bare with me - if he causes multiple instant death wounds in his challenge, would they go on to cause instant death to other models if they carry over? A circumstantial benefit to be sure, but you never know...)

[Honda]

In general, that is pretty much what I would run with. I agree with your decisions on the Ironclad given the pinch on resources.
 

 

 

* Assault Squad (115pts)
2x Flamer, Rhino, 4x Assault Initiates
* Sword Brother
Chainsword, Grav Pistol, Melta Bombs

 

This unit bothers me for some reason. I see that it will be your hammer, but the rhino won't let it assault out of transport and it's only five guys. The challenge I see is what if you have to take on some big nasty? Is this unit going to do that? Not if it has to jump out, stand there for a turn and take wounds, and then assault. It just doesn't have the resilience to hang in there. I think you'd be better off dropping the rhino and m-bombs and giving them jet packs. I like the idea of the grav pistol on the SB, but at the same time the SB needs to be able to declare/absorb challenges.

 

So I think this unit needs some tweaking and some more "fit for purpose" designing.

 

One place to get some points from is the Archer squads. You might consider two different types of Archers. One static, put the lascannon in here and drop the plasma gun. The second is more mobile, can move with the attack force + EC, plus get better LOS shooting if necessary. In the second squad, you could  drop the lascannon and consider adding the grav pistol. That will give you a squad that can put out some nice head shots (AP2), and escort the assault. Also, they are scoring, so if you need someone to grab an objective, they can do that while the Ironclad is pounding threats into the dirt. Also, the EC can escort this squad up field until it gets close to the target, then he can be released to be supplemented by the attacking squad.

 

I'd  still like to get 5 termies in there somehow, even if only one of them as TH/SS, just so you have something that can beat face.

 

I'm assuming that someone could take demons with a demon prince? So how would you prevent the DP from killing everything, if the DP avoids the EC?

 

I really like these kinds of challenges (small games) because they really force you to think hard about what you want to accomplish. They can be as much fun for me as an Apoc game.