Prot's Az-Zeke Bomb Adventures: Corrupt Astra Militarum

[Prot]

Here we go with yet another Az-Zeke Bomb Batrep:

Azrael gets word that a corrupted contingent of the Astra Militarum and has tracked them to a small mining planet where the Astra Miltarum have decided to make their stand. Azrael suspects one of the Fallen may be steering this effort and has taken control of the fleet to handle the matter personally....

Let me dive right into this with the lists:

1850 Pts:

Az'Zeke Bomb:

Azrael 215

Ezekeil 145

Vets 8 plus Pod (fist, axe, melta) (229pts) (Added DW Missile Launchers on pods 244 Pts)

Troops: 10 tacticals, Flamer, Plasma Cannon, Pod (180 Pts) (Added DW Missile Launchers on Pod 210) (Not sure if I should Combat Squad these? Or just use them for Az-Zeke bomb support as per usual (Maybe without Dread support I should just stick to support.)

Troops: DW Terminators 5: 2 hammer/shields, Plasma Cannon (245) (my favorite config so far, and beats out Deathwing Knights for being super scoring.)

Troops: RW Attack Squadron 7: 2 meltabikes, 4 normal bikes, 1 Attack bike w/MM (236)

Fast attack:

Ravenwing Black Knights x 5: 1 Rad Grenade. (210)

Heavy Support: (220)

Devastators x 10: 4 Lascannons (goes in Bastion). 4+1 Lascannon on second floor manning a Heavy Bolter, 2 + 3 Lascannons on top manning Quad.

Bastion w/Quad: (125) (placed right beside an objective if not in front of with door facing backwards typically ideal.

Astra Militarum:

HQ: Demolisher Tank + Punisher Command tank Squadron

Troops: vet squads x 3 with plasma guns and autocannons in 3 Chimera's.

Valkkyrie with Plasma Vets

Misc:

In one of the Vet / Chimera squads he has a basic single charge Psyker.

Vendetta Gunship

Squadron of 2 Flak Hydras

Manticore missile launcher

Banewolf with Melta cannon

Pre-amble:

I'm just going to set this up by saying this might be one of the worst 'luck' games I've ever had.... well that might be a bit steep but let's say it was top 5 for worst luck. But I don't want to just post batreps of cherry blossoms and Unicorns. So with that said, let's get this going....

The mission is Secure and Control: Malestrom as usual. 3 objectives each. Unfortunately we have the table corners to deploy on so he is as far away from me as possible. BUT Good News! I've won the roll to go first so I deploy accordingly.

Something of note: For the first time Ezekeil does not take Divination. Instead I opt for Telepathy and hope for Invisibility against such a shooty opponent. Unfortunately the good power Ezekeil rolls for is "Shroud"... which should still come in handy.

As is typical I fan out my bikes, separating them and put the Bastion right beside an objective with Las Devs up top and combat squaded Devs on middle floor.

As I turbo out, he rolls to steal the initiative and succeeds! Ezekeil senses the presence of a Choatic warp-influence at work!! This would be a sign of things to come.

+++ The typical bastion deployment. Black Knights in behind, attack bike in the bush (there is an objective about 3" in front of the Attack Bike in the bush).

+++ Astra Militarum deployment: Command tanks cower together. More cowards hide in their cowardly Chimera in the ruins while the rest of the armour cowers awaiting my attack.... cowardly as ever.

The Early Turns: Hell Hath No Fury Like Losing First Turn:

Astra:

As noted I lose first turn and he draws up objectives getting a D3 roll of 6 on one of them (simply because it is early.) My first turn casualties are high. He positions the Melta Banewolf and I'm forced to jink the Black Knights early.... I've deployed too close once again with them. The Jink is okay, I lose two models though.

The Manticore wanted the Bastion down. And this is interesting because I've never had an opponent want the Bastion down so badly. I get lucky and the shot harmlessly deviates.

The Command Tanks are maneuvering and don't have a great target yet, but I'm not looking forward to him splitting fire all game with a st10 AP 2 template and a BS4 Punisher!!

Dark Angels:

It feels ugly, early. I have a small, elite force for 1850 and the weight of fire is incredible with VERY good line of sight through the middle of the table.

Azrael takes the warlord trait to get FnP while within 3" of an objective. So as usual Azrael takes an extremely aggressive stance and drops his Pod right in the ruins occupied by the Chimera.... but Deviates 11" out of terrain. This is ugly indeed. Luckily I get just barely back into the runes and Ezekeil gets off Shroud. But fails on the rest of his charges.

The Terminators take a safer route. I realize the Black Knights need help and the Termies drop in right in front of the Western Ruins to shore up the Black Knights and try to contest an objective.

My Lascannons all miss. Melta Attack Bike misses. Azraels Vet's single Melta at a chimera misses. Black Knights can only snap fire but a few overheat (Yes even with re-rolls) and one kills itself as a result, the rest miss. The Terminator's Plasma Cannon misses. The Devs on the second floor missfire. RW Bikes have no target (thankfully) and both combat squads zoom up the East Side.

I rolled a staggering amount of ones in the first 2 turns. My opponent offered me some spare dice! Very funny, but Azrael is not amused!!!

+++ Az-Zeke Bomb drops in the bowels of hell. Deviates massively and struggles to get back in the runes.

Mid Game:

- Using what little objectives I can, I start to try to catch up on my opponent. He is winning about 5 pts to my 3 early in the game. Azrael's squad is at a big disadvantage. The Command Tanks see their opportunity and back up to line up shots.... Ezekeil focuses on Shroud and the squad is barely saved from a wipe out. Shot after shot, template after template..... and then Feel No Pain kicks in, the will of Azrael forces his forces to live on.

- The tactical Squad and their pod would arrive in the same runes but not deviate. They all get out and start firing but are useless against all the armour. Fortunately a lucky meltashot from Azrael's squad pops off the Chimera in the building... a massive detonation kills half of the corrupt Astra.

-Ezekeil tried to get off Shroud with 7 dice, and fails.

- Azrael's depleted squad roars into the survivors of the Chimera and annihilates them. The runes, deep in enemy territory are now in Dark Angel control. (an objective sits in there as well.)

- The Militarum comes in with all reserves. The Western Rune is under heavy assault and the Dark Angel Terminators are taking the brunt of the fire power to allow the Black Knights to maneuver.

- The Manticore tries another bombardment on the Bastion: With 3 shells and 3 bullseyes, the Bastion loses a hullpoint and all but one of the 4 Devastators are Destroyed. Sonehow the Quad Cannon makes its saves. Shaken, but not stirred, the Last Dev Squad member with a lascannon goes to the second floor of the Bastion while the 5 man squad on the second floor comes up to the top to relieve him!!!! The Bastion occupants (inside not on top) are shaken as a result.

- The flyers are met with staggeringly horrible interceptor shots and laugh it off.

- The Astra Psyker tries to get off an AP3 blast that will snipe Azrael but Ezekeil sense the attempt and shuts down the noob corrupt psyker.

+++ This is as close to my zone as the Astra wanted to get. The Terminators have pushed the heretic Astra back to take hold of an objective however they will face staggering fire power while the Black Knights look to get back in the fight.

Late Game: Desperate Times - Desperate Measures:

- Azrael sees the attrition is catching up with the Dark Angels. The weight of raw firepower is more than the Astartes armour can hope to deflect. In the dying hours of the game, Azrael commands a last ditch push into the heart of the traitor's zone.

- Ezekeil fails Shroud again. The remaining lascanon misses again. The Quad cannon manages one hull point. In a true act of desperation I have a solo lascannon dev get out of the Bastion and fire a snap shot at a zooming Vendetta Gunship.... by the grace of the Emperor the Lascannon connects, severing a wing, the pilot is unable to contain the damage and wrecks the Gunship, saving the Bastion from certain destruction.... Boo-yaaa!

- Finally I start to crack some Chimera's. Oddly enough as I use the bikes to crack some open, it's the Deathwing Launchers on the Pods that start to wreck the corrupt Guardsmen. Blast after blast starts to break the guardsmen will. They run, and cower, but most are broken realizing the mistake they've made betraying the Emperor.

- The Terminatotrs must push a chimera off the Western objective. A hammer hits home and ignites the Chimera sky high. The crew inside is assaulted the next turn and one Terminator remains. I finally get a D3 objective as a result and the game is tied!!!

- The Manticore on it's last shots gets 3 more bullseye's destroying the Bastion (earning the Militarum an Objective Point). All 5 remaning devs on top have to take their 3+ saves from the blast: In an act of 'dice-desperation' I grab my Old Bolter and Chainsword dice for luck:

+++ D'oh!!! Dice Desperation. The 5 devs from the Bastion all die in a blaze of ordnance that sees the Bastion crumble to the ground.

+++ Losses are high. One lascanon Dev evacuates to an objective but the Bastion is lost for the first time.

- The Command Tanks which have been annihilating me all game are untouchable. In yet another act of desperation the RW bik squad tries a rear melta shot, misses, and then charges the command tanks only to be destroyed by the tank blasts next turn.

+++ I missed the melta shot. The krak grenade *ploinks* off the side of the tank and does nothing..... these Bikers are toast.

- I have a couple of turn where I have NO plausible Objective card to accomplish. All I can do is deny my opponent any points.

- Azrael and squad fails to get off Shroud, and is insta killed by the Strength 10 AP 2 shot off of the tank. The entire Vet squad is wiped. Only the tacticals remain.

- Finally I get a somewhat doable Tactical Objective: I kill 3 units in shooting phase for 3 points (D3). The Pods were huge in mopping up guardsmen.

- All game the Multi Melta bike rolled 1's, but at the centre of the table he takes a shot, hits, and pen 7 goes right through his command tank! So we have exchanged Warlord deaths in that turn.

- The Black Knights roll up on a Banewolf and plasmatalon it to death, but the ensuing explosion kills one. The last Black Knight is gunned down....

End Game:

- It is total destruction as usual. The Astra Militarum are losing at this point, but my forces are nearly depleted: My last Lascannon Dev sits on an objective, but the Flyer in front of him is still zooming and thus cannot contest the objective. The Astra Militarum drops off a Vet squad on an objective and wipes my last RW bikes off the map.

- The last terminator I own is on the Western Ruin's objective. The only tank that can see him is a Manticore which drives into position and makes one wound on the Terminator... I roll a one. The objective is uncontrolled now.

- The last of the tactical squads run for mid table..... They leave their Drop Pod hoping it will be enough to take the Astra's Objective. The Pod survives the shooting from the Hyrda tanks, and only takes one hull point loss.

- The Game ends in turn 6. I have Line breaker, he does not. My Pod controls one objective and since it is super scoring he can't take it with his Hydras. His Vets sit on one objective. And the lonely Lascannon dev dies but does not give up the Objective as the flyer could not hover that turn. Dark Angels win by a score of 15 - 13 points. The table was loaded with wrecked vehicles. Two marines, and 10 guardsman were the only non-vehicles left on the table. Total destruction and a very gritty win for the DA.

[Chaplain Lucifer]

I'm thoroughly impressed!! Not you only took a beating from your opponnet and your dice and you pulled a victory! A marginal one but hard fought one... Pat yourself in the back!

Seems like the list is tuned with perhaps only some fine tuning needed... the Deathwind launchers on pods payed off!

On the downside you make me want to give a second chance to my green marines as well. ;)

[FerociousBeast]

Nice work! Any thoughts to impart from your victory, or was it too random to really draw any conclusions from?

[lhg033]

hard game but does show the strength of the list to take a pounding.

 

have you thought about switching the DWT plasma cannon for a cyclone or an assault cannon for a bit more volume or fire and versatility? Combining that with Deathwing assault twin linking and split fire makes these more vicious on the turn they arrive.

[Tanhausen]

Darn!

I was sure you'd lost...what a great narrative

Your game shows why nobody is really that happy to face us: to the last man, to the last wound, to the last turn...no, I'm not going anywhere, come and push me off ;)

[Prot]

I'm thoroughly impressed!! Not you only took a beating from your opponnet and your dice and you pulled a victory! A marginal one but hard fought one... Pat yourself in the back!

Seems like the list is tuned with perhaps only some fine tuning needed... the Deathwind launchers on pods payed off!

On the downside you make me want to give a second chance to my green marines as well.

Oh yea, the Deathwing Launchers totally made up for my lack of numbers. You are right, the list is down to minor tweaks at most right now. Pulling anything major from it means having a hole I have to fill as a result (swapping similar rolled units is probably all I could do now). The green marines? You mean adding the second Tactical squad back in? Instead of the Vets? Or instead of the full Dev squad?

Again, really good units. More greenwing means... less of something. Figuring out what to pull is really hard right now. lol

Nice work! Any thoughts to impart from your victory, or was it too random to really draw any conclusions from?

The best thoughts I get from the games at this point is making minor tweaks to find the -razor thin- balance of being equipped for hordes and mechanized opponents. I really felt my lack of deep, armour threatening units. (IE: more melta in the vets might be mandatory without the dread and lack of melta support).

hard game but does show the strength of the list to take a pounding.

have you thought about switching the DWT plasma cannon for a cyclone or an assault cannon for a bit more volume or fire and versatility? Combining that with Deathwing assault twin linking and split fire makes these more vicious on the turn they arrive.

Absolutely. That was the biggest thing I thought of after this game. I've always said since my first games with this Az-Zeke bomb style list that I would 'try' to take the most Dark Angel-ish stuff I could to start. The Plasma Cannon termie felt like it fit that criteria but right now I'm pretty sure I'll rip it off.

I was thinking of the Assault Cannon for the versatility (rending still does okay)... or the Cyclone if points allow. But yea, great observation... it was something I definitely felt during the game.

Darn!

I was sure you'd lost...what a great narrative

Your game shows why nobody is really that happy to face us: to the last man, to the last wound, to the last turn...no, I'm not going anywhere, come and push me off

Absolutely. I'll admit a few things here:

1. I never thought this list would enjoy the success it is. It has completely and utterly been a pleasant surprise. I thought I'd be done with it a month ago.

2. I am cruising for a mega-loss. It's been a long time since I started a game this far in the hole, with this level of bad luck, and I openly admit by my part of turn 2 (bottom of 2), I was positive I was done by turn 3-4. I'm over due to get my green armoured butt kicked in.

3. "To the last man, to the last wound, to the last turn" .... should be the name of the batrep, or even the list. The resilience it packs catches most people (including myself) off guard. Every unit works independently VERY well which is unusual. On one hand the list isn't too forgiving to play, there just isn't the redundancy, however, the list is capable of: survival, speed, and multi-rolled which works well with Malestrom.

4. I never, ever thought I would find enjoyment in multi-wing, nor Dark Angels aside from Termies and bikes. I realized my fairly successful Ravenwing list was dead when 7th came out. I forced myself to try things I didn't particularly care for or thought would work.... it's been a pleasant surprise.

5. More specifically I NEVER thought I'd like a list with Azrael. There have been so many threads on the 'Azrael tax' and 'What do you do with him' threads... I was kinda writing it off without trying it which is something I give other people heck for.

Thanks for reading the batrep. I always appreciate the insight, and feedback. The list has grown over the past several weeks thanks to all the feedback.

[lhg033]

 

 

 

Oh yea, the Deathwing Launchers totally made up for my lack of numbers.  

 

Deathwing launchers! sounds awesome though maybe stolen from the angry marines ;)

 

 

 

my personal preference would be the cyclones for versatility but appreciate local meta/preference/points available will make a big difference

[Chaplain Lucifer]

Prot: I meant that seeing your sucess makes me want to field my DA again. So far , for a few months to this point only the DW has seen action. So I think it's about time the other guys grabs their blters and help me conquer some worlds. ;)

[Prot]

Oh yea, the Deathwing Launchers totally made up for my lack of numbers.

Deathwing launchers! sounds awesome though maybe stolen from the angry marines

my personal preference would be the cyclones for versatility but appreciate local meta/preference/points available will make a big difference

- Actually I am trying to pry the Cyclone on my termie for my next game this week...

Prot: I meant that seeing your sucess makes me want to field my DA again. So far , for a few months to this point only the DW has seen action. So I think it's about time the other guys grabs their blters and help me conquer some worlds.

- Do it man. You know the army well enough. While it is a bit tricky to play, I am really starting to believe it's flexibility in Maelstrom is incredibly high. I think you would find the challenge/reward ratio very.

I admitted it was nothing more (originally) than a way to move away from Ravenwing for me. In a bizzarre way it has become very addictive.... how far can I push it? What opponent is going to give me more trouble than I can handle? It's a pretty deep rabbit hole for this list. It may have started as an experiment but locally no one is taking it for granted anymore (IE: 'oh it's a mixed Dark Angel list, I'll leave my Buff-mander at home because I'm so awesome.) lol

If you actually don't like the high risk/high reward it gives you, I'd be kind of surprised. Truly.

I own or have owned a million armies in this game. It's been a long time since I found something that stops me from wandering as much as this one has. I admit I do feel a bit of fatigue with it because I've played it so much recently, but still. Give it a shot!