Small 1850 battle report - Feeback needed

[Frater Cornelius]

My list:

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Yarrick

ML2 Psyker

Priest

30 dudesmen with Vox and 3 LC

PCS with Vox and 3 Flamers in Chimera

2 units of 10 Vets with 3 Plasmas, 4+ save, Vox in Chimeras

2 Wyvern

2 solo Hydras

Stormsword with 4 Sponsons (LC/TLHB)

 

1850pts

 

Approximation of the enemy list:

Hidden Content

That guy that controls enemy vehicle guns

Orikan with 6 Wraiths

6 more Wraiths

4 units of Tesla Immortals

5 Gauss Immortals in Nightscythe

Annihilation Barge

5 Jetbikes with Ignore Cover and those S6 AP4 Blasts

2 units 2 Heavy Destroyers

 

I did a several mistakes, mostly because I am used to the staying power of Marines and my relative inexperience with IG. I lost two Chimeras, 5 Vets each, my entire blob, Yarrick did come back though, and a few hull points here and there. While I won the game by leading 15:7 and tabled him bottom of T5, it felt way to unstable and shaky.

 

In short, the Stormsword deleted almost the entire enemy army, the Vets did decent work killing three units of Immortals between themselves. The Wyvern killed the second set of 6 Wraiths, the Hydras killed the flyer. The Blob killed 4 wraiths in the Orikan unit through shooting, but only because he missed his 3" charge T2 (no fleet because Orikan was in there). From T3 until his 5th they were stuck with the blob and ended up killing everyone, including Yarrick, who stood back up and legged it before the Stormsword finished it and tabled him (everything else but the melee unit was gone by bottom of T4).

 

The most nagging feeling was that the Stormsword carried the entire game. I mean, you would expect that, given that it costed 590pts. However, I feel that it would have been way closer without it, and the opponent played a very humane list by his standards (he is also a tournament player). Sure, the 590pts could have gotten me Pask and if I dropped the Hydras I could stick in two Basilisks for in there. Would that be able to match the main cannon of the BB? I am not sure.

 

The Vets did fine, the Wyvern as well. I feel that I will drop the Hydras for Basilisks or simply more Wyvern. They did not really made their points back. The second set of sponsons are also not worth it on the BB, but I had 50pts to fill.

 

The other thing, besides the Stormsword carrying the game, was the blob. It was rather... disappointing. I mean, I can not expect much, but 20 dudes dying to 2 Wraiths? Yarrick did fine with Orders but the CCS would have done the same, which makes me reconsider the choice of Yarrick. Their shooting wasn't all that great either, but T5, 3++, re-rolling 1s isn't exactly soft either.

 

Anyway, those three points. The Stormblade saving my arse, Yarrick not feeling like he is worth it, despite being called the best HQ next to Pask and whether the 30 dudes are worth it (I mean, I pack them to block assaults and Meltas to the BB or Pask, but I like them to do some Dakka as well).

 

Comments on the list, my small analysis or weapon load outs?

[WarriorFish]

A single game is far too early to get worried over anything, certainly not a win ;) I think you're looking at the blob wrong, their thing is survivability against the death star types and tar-pitting enemy units. I gather Wraiths are pretty good at taking down enemy infantry? I don't think you can expect them to do too well when the enemy can throw plenty of effective attacks at them as that's their weakness. Sometimes the dice upset anything though so as I said too much to assume from a single game's performance.

 

Yarrick is sort of an "all in one" so he's a good round choice - getting up again is the main appeal I think (aside from being Yarrick!) as that is an unusual ability that can go very far. Being handy with a klaw is a nice bonus too. I'm not sure if Hydras are good enough for a tourney list but they should do well against the flyers that will inevitably turn up, the question is perhaps how many skimmers will also appear to make them worthwhile?

[Frater Cornelius]

I know, but this one felt way more shaky than any other. Maybe, because I have lost so many models. But in the end, it was somewhere between 500 and 600pts, which really is not much. It might really just be because of the actual models.

 

The blob... well, I should not expect too much, since the Wraiths had 3++ rerolling 1s and T5. And I think their dakka would do (and did in the game before that) much better against T4 and less or against T5 with a worse save. I think me having lost much is an illusion. Sure, 27 models died, which is more than half of my SM force, but they were only 210pts.

Would it be beneficial to pump them up to 40? Or will it bet too unwieldy? Also, what about some special weapons on top of the heavy ones? I have seen Plasmas been used with good success, especially when supported by Psyker shenanigans and Orders.

 

Skimmers are mostly AV13 or 12 in some cases. Flyers are fairly rare. If they come, they come in form of FMC, which can be forced down with massed dakka. I think, I will have more mileage with Lisks and Wyvern, especially since AV12 and 14 is pretty resilient against what flying things can put out. All I need to do is make them Jink.

 

But Yarrick... for his points I can get a CCS with Plasmas in a Chimera. Far more Dakka. He is somewhat of a gimmick. But from what I have seen, people choose him over the CCS for blob support. The CCS has the advantage of mobility but gives up Warlord far easier when Pask isn't around to be the Warlord. I am running out of Chimeras though :D

[WarriorFish]

Yeah if you're not expecting flyers the Hydras could be points better spent. Dropping Bassie shells usually solves a lot of problems :P 30 is the most I'd blob to, any more is too cumbersome with diminishing returns especially if you get caught by a bad match up again. Since you're investing points anyway I think some specials are good even if it's just the cheap ones.

[Ceddyn]

You probably need to get used to the Guard. Often if you lose stuff your army as a whole doesn't really suffer a lot because you can have a lot of redundancy.  I've had opponents who get confused when they kill stuff and I do'nt seem to care.

 

Regarding the blobs I agree with WarriorFish. If you take more than 30 you'll take up a lot of space on the table. Especially if there's a lot of terrain you'll easily run into LoS or range problems.

Sometimes I take an extra squad to screen the blob. They can't easily assault the blob without dealing with the screen first. If they shoot at the screening squad it goes to ground, if they charge it, it buckles and leaves them in the open. You could do the same with conscripts, but I prefer them as a countercharge blob with a priest.

[Frater Cornelius]

Yeah, good point. losing 30 dudes as SM is basically your death. Losing 30 dudes as IG is 200pts. I am planning an Aegis Line as cheesy assault deterrent and going to ground for a 3+, dropping the Priest for that. That should increase the mileage I get from that blob.