Gatekeepers Field Testing: A greenwing Battle Report.

[fw_haakon]

So after almost 15 years without a gaming yesterday I went to the local gaming club and found a nice English/German chap that was nice enough to play with someone in my condition.

 

We had 2x 992pt listls:

 

Gatekeepers (Mine)

 

• Librarian: lvl 2, Jump Pack (Thelepathy)
• 10x Tactical squad: Meltagun, Plasmacannon
  •  Razorback TWHB, Dozer Blades
• 10x Tactical squad: Plasma, Missile Launcher
  •  Razorback TWHB, Dozer Blades
• 9x Assault squad: 2x Flamers
  • Vet serg with Power weap.
• 6x Devastators 2xPlasmaC 2xLascannon (These should have been 2 Lascannons but I forgot the models home).
• Whirlwind

Blood Raven (His)

• LIbrarian lvl2: Force Staff, Mantle of IDONTKNOWWHAT (5+ FNP), Artificer Armor (Pyromancy)
• Librarian lvl1: Plasma Pistol (Went for Telepathy)
• 6x Sternguard with Heavy flamer, Grav Pistol, assorted weapons (Both Librarians in)
• 5x Scouts: Camo, Sniper
• 6x Scouts: Camo, 3x Bolter, 2xshotgun, 1xHB
• 10x Tactical squad: Meltagun, Plasmacannon
  •  Rhino: Storm Bolter
• 4x Scout Bikes: 3xGranade Launcher, 1 Vet Serg with Power Fist
• Whirlwind

We rolled for the Malestorm mission and we got a 2 so Contact Lost: No Night fighting 

 

We rolled and he got first deployment and Turn (Did not size the initiative)

 

We had a fairly empty (And small) table 2x LoS blocking impassable terrain structures and 2x 5+cover save areas for each deployment zone

2x 4+ walls in the middle of the game on each half.

 

Warlord traits: I rolled 6 in the DA table and got a nice 4+ FNP if I'm holding an objective. HE rolled in tactics and got to infiltrate his 2 psykers and the sternguard.

 

Deployment:

He put the bikes in reserve, the whirlwind behind his LoS blocking terrain, the Sniper scouts  beside the whirlwind to cover the left side of the table. The tactical embarked in the Rhino on the opposite right side and the HB scouts in the 5+ cover area. Sternguard infiltrated in at the wall on the left side.

He held the wall (OBJ) and the 5+ area in his deployment zone (OBJ).

 

I split all my tactical squads put first razorback with melta inside directly on the left side just left of my 5+ area and the Plasma cannon squad inside the area. The rest of the army when behind the no cover zone on my right side of the table leavignthe centre completely empty. The Razorback with the plasma was as forward as possible.

 

We rolled misterious objectives for all the claimed areas and we had the longest stream of 6es... ALL the objectives if you want to charge you had to subtract -2.

 

Turn 1

He moved forward the rhino 12" and disembarked the tactical almost at the (we mistook a rule (He didn't know them as well as he claimed but it has been a VERY enjoyable game)). Psych fase he sent a Sunburst to my Plasma cannon squad on the left and managed to kill 1 brother. His HB scouts and the newly disembarked TActicals shot at my Tactical squad on the right (Near the LoS blocking terrain) and managed to kill only 1 marine... the one with the ML. (I learned tat positioning of the marine is VERY important).

 

I rushed forward 6" with my Razorbacks (Left/Plasma one claiming an OBJ) And both disembarked their combat squads. My Assault+Librarian moved on the side of the tank to get cover. The rest of the army stood still. My Librarian managed to cast 3 powers this turn: (earning me a d3 VP) Psych scream on the tatticals killing 3, Dominate on the Tatticals and Force on his weapon and the squad. Shooting wise a miracle happpend My whirlwind shot and killed 3 sternguard with a hit. my 2 combat squads and the tattical shot his Dominated marines and managed to kill another 2. The Devastator lascannon missed (so much for the signum) and the 2 PC got hot (no dead ppl). The Plasma cannon on the left managed to kill another sternguard. The razorback on the left and the Melta combat squad shot the Sniper scouts and did nothing (They went to ground and saved EVERYTHING).

 

Turn 2

He managed His bikes entered the table exactly behind my devastators and whirlwind. His sternguard regained squad coerency. Psych phase he sunburst my Plasmacannon squad and destroys everything but 2 models (all bolter). His Snipers kill 1 marine in the melta combat squad. The whirlwind kills the flamer of my assault squad and his Dominated marines shoot down 1 more marine out of the ex-ML squad and the HB scouts 1 of the plasmagun squad. The Bike squad shoots his Granades and kill 2 devastator (1 normal 1 lascannon). The Sternguard kill the remaining 2 marines in the PC unit (he gets first blood).

Melee he multiple charges the whirlwind and my Devastators. I kill 1 bike he sends in 2 Penetrating in my Whirlwind (Shaken and Weapon destroyed) I test and remain there.

 

I move back the assault guys and the PlasmaGun marines conquer the wall in front of them. The melta marines on the right go forward and get another OBJ. Nothing important on the psych phase. Shooting I manage to kill everything but a marine and a plasma cannon of his Dominated marines. On the left I manage to kill 1 scout with the heavy bolter and the melta marine sends 1 wound to his lvl1 psyc. I charge and utterly destroy his scout bikes. (forgot to issue a challenge but meh can't have everything). 

 

Turn 3 from here on is just him cursing his dices and me feeling sorry for basically saving almost everything (his Whirlwind kills the other flamer in my assault squad). His psych fase is an unlucky series of throws and his shooting too. I basically lose 1 more marine in the melta squad (2 remaining). My melta squad and razorback kill 3 more marines,  his sternguard is vaporized by my Devastators and his 2 remaining marines dead due to bolter and plasma fire from the tattical in the middle.

 

Turn 4 he kills 1 more marine of mine I kill his low lvl1 psych and the scouts.

 

We roll we don't continue.

 

End of the game I won 9 to 4.

 

I want to call this the luck of the noob because I had to spend more time searching for rules than anything else but I've never had such good rolls in my life.

 

A turnament back in 2nd edition all the players I went against came to me and told me that they were sorry for how unlucky I was...  

 

I liked the game A LOT. It's deeply tattical and if you don't have to think the rules all the times I guess I would have played a bit different. (A bit more mobile instead of get cover and shoot the hell out of everything that moves). 

 

On a second thought I was thinking of getting a tattical squad on a drop pod instead of the Assault marines this would have given me the possibility to actually kill his whirlwind. Or a squad of bikes with an assault bike in, but I'm not really sure.

 

I hope you enjoyed it and I am REALLY looking forward for comments on the list AND the tactics. 

 

Ciao 

 

Vanja

P.s.

Is it Tattical or taCtical marines? 

[Stercus]

I'd be interested to hear about the background to your chapter. I have been using a DIY with the same name for a couple of years. I run mine as being descended from the Imperial Fists and try to go for a siege-breaker kind of feel to them. How are you finding the process of designing your own chapter?

 

I like your list, it seems to have a good amount of flexibility, and its always nice to see a whirlwind. I'm a sucker for tactical squads, I've got three at the moment and another one waiting for paint.

[Teetengee]

tactical, also, what happened turn 5? Although it sounds like you did a fine job using cover and target prioritizing since you beat him soundly.

[fw_haakon]

@stercus

Hi Stercus and thanks for the comments! I run my gatekeepers as a successor of the DA. A fleet based Chapter keeping guard over the borders of the Sol system. The chapter is generally more open towards the Lords of Terra, but their real reason of their founding is duouble. First I immagine Azrael trying to show that the DA to show that they too can be open (complete political deception) and keep a close eye on the sol system and have certain allies in the area.

 

I am slowly building my story and army in the post that I wrote here: (If you feel like come over and comment) 

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/293232-vanjas-gatekeepers/

 

@Teetengee

Turn 5 there was not much he could do. (From left to right) The lone sniper scout tried to kill one last man of the melta tactical squad and failed, the lvl2 Librarian tried to do teh same and failed. His whirlwind shot and killed 1 more assault marine. His rhino retreated in his deployment zone and did not manage to do anything with the storm bolter.

 

I believe that apart from him being TERRIBLY unlucky he made a big mistake to spread his force too much and to come forward too fast with his 10man tactical (The dominated one). He basically moved forward in the mouth of 1 devastator, 1 full tactical with Heavy Bolter Razorback, 9 Assault Marine + lvl2 Psyck with Psykic scream. I believe that if he made me run stuff would have been much different.

 

Am I correct in my assumptions?