Old Dante's Last Hurrah

[simison]

Alas, I didn't get my codex yesterday, which means I have to wait until Friday.

 

Instead of revealing any more information that I could've gotten with the new codex, I will regale all with my last battle using our old codex.

 

Chapter Master Dante stared at the holographic displays. Below, on the planet surface, a Chaos warband had been ravaging loyal Imperial citizens as they spread lies and the corruption of their diseased god. Dante had responded at the first call of help, but by the time his warship entered orbit, the heretics had gained enough strength to turn one of their own into a daemonic being with pestilent wings. 

 

"This cannot continue." 

 

Dante glanced to his left as Tycho marched toward the display, a permanent scowl on his face now. "This will not." He pointed at one of the displays. A small advance force was moving toward the warband. "But we must be quick. They will not last long against them without our aid. To your drop pod, Tycho. I'll meet you on the surface on wings of flame."

 

 

My list - 

HQ: Dante [225] + SG [200] + 4xInfernus [40] + Corb [105]

HQ: Tycho [175] + Stern [125] + Melta Bombs [5] + DP [35]

EL: Furiso [125] (Talon/Frag) + DP [35] + Magna-Grapple [15]

TRP: SG [200] + 3xFists [30]

TRP: ASM [100] + Melta [10] + Melta Bombs [5]

H/S: Vindicator [145]

FA: Vanguard [115] + SGT – Glaive [Fr] + JP [50] + Fist [25] + Melta Bombs [5]

 

Dante, Tycho, Dread, & the Vanguard are in reserves.

 

Arrayed against them are Nurgle space marines. 3x 5 man Plague Marines (2xPlasma guns per squad), 3 Oblits, 1 Nurgle Daemon Prince with wings, Heldrake, Chaos Lord (Warlord) on bike with the Murdersword and 5 bikes, all with Mark of Nurgle and Axes with 2 meltas. 

 

Heldrake in reserves.

 

Chaos wins first roll, no night fighting, Emperor's Will Eternal War mission, and no initiative. 

 

 

Turn 1 - General movement forward. Oblits on his OBJ fire Lascannons at the assault squad (the only unit they have line of sight on), and 2 ASM vaporize. 

 

Vindicator fires, scatters, and kills only 1 bike. Fragioso drops in and proceeds to start killing Plague marines, nearly wiping out 1 squad. 

 

Turn 2 - Although my Warlord trait is Divide to Conquer, Chaos rolls a 6 and the Heldrake is coming at me. Bikes advance, immobilize the Vindicator before charging and wrecking it. Daemon prince has a flame template attack, and though AP3, kills 2 of the SG on the ground. Oblits destroy the drop pod (Fragioso nearby, but far enough outside of MM range and has good cover). Plague Marines plasma guns open fire on the Furioso, knocking off 2 hull points, but 2 Plague Marines melt even with armor and FNP. 

 

I counter. Everyone comes in. With 5 Infernus pistols, open fire on the Chao Lord and bikes, and only Dante both hits and wounds. Yes, there were 5 one's that ruined that attack. Frustrating, but the bikes are surrounded by Dante, the other SG, and the newly arrived Vanguard Vets. Elsewhere, the Furioso is having fun and vengeance as his Frag cannon continue to maul more Plague Marines before charging a squad and reducing it down to one model, keeping it safe from the Oblits. Tycho lands in his pod and moves to the building where the Oblits are and huddles against the walls to avoid being fired upon. The SG and the Vanguard Vets charge, killing several bikes while losing 2 Vets and a SG. Vanguard SGT is in a challenge with the Chaos Lord (who is feeling Dante's Death Curse right now) and it ends without either harming the other. 

 

Turn 3 -

The Assault Marines are finished off by flames from both Daemon Prince and Heldrake. The other free Plague Marines squad move and open fire on Tycho's Sternguard, killing two as yet another Plague Marine melts to overheated plasma. Oblits hold position and open fire on the surviving drop pod, only shaking it with 1 hull point lost. The unlucky Plague Marine stuck in close combat against the Furioso dies, the rest of the bikes die as the Chaos Lord kills the SGT but now has to face against 2 SG and 2 Vanguards, 3 of them have power fists. 

 

Furioso continues his happy rampage, chasing down the last Plague Marine squad. The frag cannon kills all but one, but when he charges it, he fails to make a single to-hit roll. Tycho charges the oblits, loses 2 Sternguards as he and Corbula kill 2 Oblits. 

 

Turns 4, 5, & 6 - 

 

Chaos lord dies, killing the second to last Vanguard. The Heldrake vector strikes Dante, but he tanks it. The Daemon Prince starts flying back to his side of the battlefield. The Oblits die to the Heaven's Teeth and the Dead Man's Hand as does the last Plague Marine. 

 

With only fliers left, Dante attempts to take down a Heldrake with the Infernus pistols before giving up and leading his men to secure the objective in their deployment zone, one unlucky jump killing 2 SG via dangerous terrain tests. The Daemon Prince kills the Furioso via Vector Strike, and the Heldrake kills a SG with a vector strike as they fly back to their deployment zone. The last Sternguard gets roasted as everyone but the last Vanguard and Dante's squad tries to kill them.

 

They fail to do so, but Tycho keeps the enemy objective and win the game with 9 VP against 1 vp (First Blood - the Vindicator)

 

While Dante didn't get to see much action, he did scare off the Daemon Prince and so was scored a moral victory there, while Tycho got to kill Obliterators with his Hand, and the Vanguard Veterans enjoyed their last Deep Strike charge. Fun all around, but now I can't wait for the new codex to be in my hands.