Imperial Fists Zone Mortalis

[Phalanx Warder]

Hello fellow heresy lovers!

I Just had my first game yesterday @ 1500pts, what a blast!

I lost though!

Anyway I have a Zone Mortalis campaign coming up and I wanted to tell you what I plan on fielding and what I have and not using and let you help me figure out a good plan of attack.

Starting at 500pts building up to 1000pts here are the rules: (note this is a translation from German so it might not read right)

The extended rules for zone Mortalis apply.

- Scoring units will determined according to the rules on zone Mortalis.

- The army organization chart of zone Mortalis.

The books are:

- 7th Edition Basic Rulebook

- Betrayal

- Massacre

- Extermination

- Crusade Army List

- Campain Isstan Legion

- FW zone Mortalis pdf

Subscriber condition:

A painted 500P attacker and Defender army a Space Marine Legion of the first creation.

The armor types are observed.

For the game, the models must be fully painted and currently based.

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To the list:

Attacker army:

HQ. (Comp)

Master of signal (MoS) 95pts

Elite. (Comp)

Mortis Contemptor (Kheres assault cannon) 205pts.

Troops:

Tactical squad x15 200pts

Defender Army:

HQ.

MoS 95pts. (Comp)

Troops. (Comp)

Tactical Squad x15 200pts

and the rest i am undecided on

I am in the process of magnetizing all of my Contemptor arms so I can tailor the load out as necessary

In reserve I have another 25 bolter marines, a 5 man destroyer squad, 10 breacher marines, 5 power armor recon marines, a command squad, a praetor and 3 contemptors (heavy bolter, Multi Melta, X3 DCCW and a Heavy Conversion beamer).

I am about to drop a Forge World Order on some CATAPHRACTII terminators(coming with 1 power fist set and the special weapons set), x2 rapier Laser Destroyers and 10 auto cannons for 10 spare MkIII marines that I have laying around.

Thoughts?

+++Edited for Engrish+++

[Millicant]

Hey there!

 

Caveat: I have not played horus heresy zone mortalis. However, I have played a good amount of regular 40k zone mortalis, so take my advice accordingly (at your own risk)!

 

Thoughts:

 

A master of signal seems like a huge waste to me. You are paying a good amount of points for abilities that you cannot use. Since bombardment weapons cannot be fired in zone mortalis you essentially pay all those points for the rest of his wargear, which you can get on some other model if you really want. Plus, a master of signal doesn't seem very fluffy in a cramped zone mortalis environment.

 

Dreadnoughts are great in zone mortalis. However, the Mortis pattern is another wasted opportunity, in my opinion. DCCW's are fantastic because you are far more likely to be able to use it in zone mortalis than in a regular game. Plus, one of the huge advantages of Mortis pattern dreadnoughts is the ability to gain skyfire - another wasted ability.

 

Standard troops are great. Massed bolter fire will always do wonders. A word of caution, 15 man squads are quite unwieldy in Zone Mortalis. That's more of a preference thing, and easily changed from game to game.

 

Recon marines are also a great option. Mobility is a huge factor in Zone Mortalis, even more so than regular games. Infiltrating or scouting are amazing abilities that you will be grateful for! That being said, I'm not sure sniper rifles would pay off, but I've never used shotguns so I can't speak to that.

 

Terminators seem to do very well. They are a little more insulated from massed fire in Zone Mortalis so they get to live a little longer. I definitely recommend them.

 

Hope that helps! Have a great time, I LOVE Zone Mortalis games.

[Forté]

How are Breacher Squads in ZM? Them seem designed for it.

[badgermeister]

i think breachers are overrated and expensive for what you get.  admittedly you get buffs with the imperial fists but standard tac squads are cheaper and more cost effective.  of course i have a squad of them for my 1k death guard ZM list - they look freaking awesome and the rule of cool winds over everything else.  they are a good option to get a couple of grav weapons in though :)

[Kor'Vesh]

I think breachers are a fair bit better in Zone mortal is than a normal game. With the loss of all the big tanks with low AP large blast guns to oppose them, their survivability goes up a lot. Their blast and template save re-rolls are a bigger deal here, as you'll be facing more save due to shred, and being able to bring special weapons in the squad is also a huge help when you are more limited in you choice of support units. The points tax on them is still high, but adding in fists buffs, they could be worth it.

[Ceadus]

Hey, your plan sounds awesome. I'm just getting into the whole Zone Mortalis fighting and found your thread via google. Keep it up, and please share your thoughts and experience with the ZM.

P.S. Where in Germany are you from? When it's not too far away, would i like to join for a game ;)

[Phalanx Warder]

Had a game of Zone Mortalis tonight @750pts it was a lot of fun, though not a batrep I will give you guys a run down of lists and the general gist of the game.

 

My list:

Defender

HQ. (Comp) legion champion (C saber, AA)

 

Elite. Mortis Contemptor (Kheres assault cannon)

Templar bretherin X 8 (Solitaire gauntlet, VEX)

 

Troops: (comp)Tactical squad x15 (AA, VEX)

 

The Enemy (not 100% on his list)(Night Lords)

HQ.

(Comp)Praetor or champion (AA, refractor field)

Primus Medice

 

Elite

(Comp) Destroyer Squad X10 (X2 ML)

Apothecary

 

Troops

Tac Support X5 (Flamers, PF)

Tac Support. X10 (Volkites)

 

I won the roll off and let him go first, I deployed the mortis and the Templars the rest in reserve...............

 

To be continued!

[Phalanx Warder]

Sorry for the short post above it was late when I wrote it and I fell asleep at the keyboard.

So I can tell you that with the mortis contemptor and the Legion Astartes: Imperial fist (+1 BS) really proved a deciding factor in this game, that and Templars.

By the end of game turn one I had killed 2 Destroyer marines to kheres fire and another 5 to the Templars to include his HQ all at the reasonable price of a wound to the company champion, he broke and I failed to sweep.

End of Game Turn 2, his reserves (Tac Support. X10 w/Volkites) entered in a bad spot that would delay any chance of them supporting his now doomed Destroyer squad mine failed to come on, I had killed the Tac Support squad (w/flamers) but I had lost the Company Champion, a hull point off of the Contemptor, and in the random effects I had rubble fall on the Templars and I had to take 4 saves of which I failed 2 on a 2+ save .

End of Game Turn 3. My reserves entered, the Templars took 2 casualties but wiped out his destroyer squad and all 3 of them consolidated in the direction of the now close Volkite marines but remained out of LoS to the enemy squad, the contemptor moved into Los and killed 3 marines. The Tac Squad ran.

End of Game Turn 4. the contemptor felled another 2 marines (dang Apothecary!) and the Templars had a 8 inch charge and rolled an 8! He lost another 2 to close combat but I did also! Down to 1 Templar. The Tac Squad ran and were in position to charge next turn to support the Templar locked into a Challenge with the Night Lord Sgt he received all the remaining attacks of the enemy but saves all the attacks that the Night Lord squad could muster.

End of Game Turn 5. The Templar succumbs to Fear and the Tac Squad enters CC with the Templar, My centurion steps into the challenge to relieve the Templar and is rewarded with the kill! The Templar and a Tactical marine Fall in combat but he fails his moral and initiative test and I sweep him for the Victory!

Thoughts:

The Templar squad is nasty in CC but I had to play it smart with them to reduce the amount of saves that they would need to take, though 8 were effective I will look at trying to put a full 10 man squad into my next game that is against the Death Guard with lots of Rad Grenades. I do not think that I will use the Solitaire Gauntlet again on the champion/Sgt because due to our rules he has to issue a challenge no matter what and though the Gauntlet has much potential I failed to wound a couple of times (thank you Refractor field) and this is what brought him low, I will have to look at the rules again to see what I could take instead of that.

Volkite is not as amazing as it has the potential to be. At least not in the 2 games I have faced them in, in fact he failed to do a single wound with it.

The +1BS is a huge multiplier, my entire list was BS5 and that = lots of Hits that translates into more wounds, with the special rules in Zone Mortalis we rolled a couple of times where the effect was -1BS and this effected my opponent more than me because I had just normal marines when this was in effect and he had IG!

[Millicant]

Nice write-up!  Thanks for sharing.  

 

If you ever get around to using the Phalanx Warders or Breachers I'd be very keen to hear how they performed.  

 

Glad you had a fun game!  

[Triacom]

As somebody who plays Death Guard, you should try to avoid them in combat as much as you can, if they have a lot of rad grenades that means that cannot run, turbo boost, or move flat out, so their movement will be hindered, but you should always count on them getting full movement for each unit since they'll all have move through cover.  You'll want to take advantage of your extra BS to shoot them as much as possible and avoiding combat (as well as the range of their shredding flamers) since you'll be at a huge disadvantage thanks to the rad grenades, though if you get in close range you can use the Templars defensively since at that distance they should be able to handle them (since you'll be getting more attacks that hit on 3's which will even the playing field).

 

Lastly, I didn't see anything on Zone Mortalis about not being able to take named characters, which means that you might be in flamer range sooner than you think since one of the Death Guard special characters can infiltrate, which in Zone Mortalis is really nasty, I'd recommend playing defensively and spreading out when you deploy if they did bring that character.

[Phalanx Warder]

Nice write-up!  Thanks for sharing.  

 

If you ever get around to using the Phalanx Warders or Breachers I'd be very keen to hear how they performed.  

 

Glad you had a fun game!  

Thank you Milicant!

The next one will have pictures and it will have more detail 

 

As somebody who plays Death Guard, you should try to avoid them in combat as much as you can, if they have a lot of rad grenades that means that cannot run, turbo boost, or move flat out, so their movement will be hindered, but you should always count on them getting full movement for each unit since they'll all have move through cover.  You'll want to take advantage of your extra BS to shoot them as much as possible and avoiding combat (as well as the range of their shredding flamers) since you'll be at a huge disadvantage thanks to the rad grenades, though if you get in close range you can use the Templars defensively since at that distance they should be able to handle them (since you'll be getting more attacks that hit on 3's which will even the playing field).

 

Lastly, I didn't see anything on Zone Mortalis about not being able to take named characters, which means that you might be in flamer range sooner than you think since one of the Death Guard special characters can infiltrate, which in Zone Mortalis is really nasty, I'd recommend playing defensively and spreading out when you deploy if they did bring that character.

 

Before we arranged a game my apponent and I had an interesting conversation about the Death Guard, Rad Grenades and power Axes, needless to say i decided to keep him and his DG at arms length should we ever play, After I wiped the floor with the Night Lords he challenged me. I have a healthy respect for the DG but I think that the LA-IF can counter them well. My list is as follows 750pts.

 

HQ 

Centurian (nothing added)

 

Elite

Contemptor w/ 2x DCCW and H Flamers and havoc launcher 

X8 Templar Brethren

HB Rapier

 

Troops

X15 Tactical Squad 

 

The plan is to tar-pit with the Contemptor and counter assault with the Templars and the Rapier and Tactical Squad Shoot for all their worth and kill as many as I can ASAP.

[Triacom]

 

Before we arranged a game my apponent and I had an interesting conversation about the Death Guard, Rad Grenades and power Axes, needless to say i decided to keep him and his DG at arms length should we ever play, After I wiped the floor with the Night Lords he challenged me. I have a healthy respect for the DG but I think that the LA-IF can counter them well. My list is as follows 750pts.

 

The plan is to tar-pit with the Contemptor and counter assault with the Templars and the Rapier and Tactical Squad Shoot for all their worth and kill as many as I can ASAP.

 

 

I don't like going with power axes on my death guard personally, but that's because I'd much rather upgrade to scythes, they're fluffier, have the same profile, and sweep attack will usually get you the same number of attacks if not more, and there's some ridiculous combos you can do with them, like putting a scythe on a jetbike for a massive amount of attacks (5-6) per sergeant that wound on 2's thanks to the rad grenades, luckily you won't have to worry about that second one.

 

I think the Imperial Fists can counter them, just not so well in combat, especially if they also bring along Morturg (the infiltrating character) who's also a Psyker who always knows Endurance.

 

That's a decent idea, just remember that if you assault them with infantry, you will always take a toughness debuff so long as their Sergeant (or any character who has rad grenades) is still alive, even if they were already in an assault, the Contemptor is a solid choice too unless their Sergeants have Melta Bombs, in which case I'd be a little worried.  You might be better off with snipers over the Templars (unless you want a fluffy list in which case you should keep them), most of the DG's power comes from Sergeants, if you remove those from the game you've got an easy win.

 

EDIT: Thinking back on it, I think a good way to use the Contemptor would be to make sure they can't Wall of death your Templars when you charge them, because the Contemptor will be immune to their shredding flammers while your templars would be completely destroyed by them.