Road to Veteran's 2016

[Solrac]

Loving how your list has evolved Morticon. Good to see the DA as a firebase has worked well.

 

Grav Cannon in a Rhino get's underestimated all the time when I play. I play 3 of them in a single Demi or 4 in a double Demi. Haven't done the Dev squads in Rhino with Grav yet as I still prefer 8 Lascannons in the back field in my double Demi.

 

If the enemy isn't coming to me I use the first turn to get them into the middle of the board where they can pretty much reach anything or set up a good area denial as the enemy don't want to go near them. Makes grabbing objectives much easier.

 

Always loved the BA/DA combo like you with the Angels of Death codex. Still have the codex at home :)

[Morticon]

Next game was vs DE, with some Grotisserie  formations (namely- corpsethief, and the talos/chronus/haemy combo!)
 

 

List was:

 

Lamaen

Talos/Chronos/Haemy combo

5x CorpseThief Talos

3x Venoms with 5 warriors

2x ravagers

1x 10 Incubi with Raider 

1x 20 warriors with attached Haemy and webway

2x 5 Scourges

Primary was "Plasma Siphon" where we had to get to strategic points on the field, and end our turn claiming the point to generate a plasma point.  Most plasma points win. Secondary was Maelstrom.   Tertiary was "hand of fate" -where we burned out tech site (inherent tourney bonus fort) and lost 5 points in order to remove one FOC unit (and dedicated transport) off the board till turn 4.  We both elected to keep out points and sent nothing off. 

 

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

I'm looking forward to hearing how this next battle went. Thanks for sharing these barrels.

[Morticon]

The opponent had some tricks up his sleeve, but i was confident that with my firepower, and mobility via the razors and pods, that I would not have any problem.  The 3+, 4+FNP corpsethief is a bit of a hassle, but with the amount of grav i had, i didnt think i'd have a problem either.
 

The opponent is also quite a fluffy, fun player and often eschews more tactical decisions for thematic battles - an awesome gamer to play, but can make things easier at times. 

He deployed the CT front and center - ready to march towards me. He positioned ravagers and raiders to try take as many shots at my rhino's as possible to prevent their advance and slow the oncoming grav- good move. Thankfully, good cover saves and decent terrain mitigated this somewhat.  There were two chunks of solid los blocking terrain on the table, one keeping his incubi safe, one allowing my jumpers to maneuver around. 

The long distance battle wasn't particularly spectacular in that it was a trading of blows between two armies- one with more resilience (mine)  Pods with melta came down to take out the venoms, they did for the most part.  There was some interplay between venoms and jumpers and ravagers and razors, but in the end, i had too much stuff.  The main battle would be fought in the middle of the field....

 

The most exciting part was when i baited the opponent with a pod squad in the center, and then triple converged on that squad with my jumpers, ready for the counter attack.  The opponent said: "i know you're baiting me....but....we're dark elder" (and went in for the kill). 

 

This then set up the coolest battle between three BA jumpy squads and a corpse thief squad.  Theyd taken 2 casualties from the grav, by this time, but the DC charge and the vanvets and everything else was epic.  The DC and crew munched them and cleaned up.  The Incubi then countered that, and took out the vanvets - and cassor subsequently charged in, late to the party, to finish off what was left of the three stooges squad (talos,chronus,haemy).  


By this stage, there was not much left from the DE. I had secured loads of plasma points, thanks to obj sec, and loads of maelstrom points. I also managed all the bonus points so, got the full 36/36. 

Overall good game.  Synergy of the list working perfectly against the opponent. 

[Charlo]

Because I'm being a little dense... How many points was this?

 

1850?

[Morticon]

Next battle would be against the current leader of the tourney - Tristan, who was smashing with his Sallies.  

Mission didn't have maelstrom - which would mean i was weaker.  

On account of his pods, with sternguard and cents and things, i had to castle hard to ensure that whatever came down, died.  I even thought about putting Cassor on the field. 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Veterans%202016/IMG_20160703_092119_zpscbjuvp62.jpg

My set up looked like this. 


 

Because I'm being a little dense... How many points was this?

 

1850?

 

2500 :)  (or 2930 for me with the free stuff :P )

[Charlo]

Ah!

 

I thought it was a lot :P

 

Now I super can't wait until we can do this with all BA.

[Riot Earp]

Is this a void shield generator on the left nearby the sicaran? I did not see anyone in your posted list.

[Morticon]

Is this a void shield generator on the left nearby the sicaran? I did not see anyone in your posted list.

 

It's a "tech site"  - part of the tourney requirement was to build a tech site.  The tech site offered small buffs and benefits as standard (for imperials it was as per the imperial statuary), for other races it was different.  If you completed certain veteran's missions, you were given a roll on a table to upgrade your techsite.  This granted you a once per game ability that you could use in subsequent games providing your techsite wasnt destroyed.  

 

By this stage, i had completed 2 missions, and gotten:

 

"Void Systems Matrix: The TECH SITE acts as a Void Shield with 2 shields. (Unlike the actual void shield, these shields not regenerate)"

 

and

 

"EMP Satellite Uplink: Force a Leadership Check with 3d6 (picking two highest dice) on one unit at any time (vehicles count Ld10). If failed, the unit may only make “Snap Fire” shots until the end of the owning player’s turn."

 

We also rolled for 3 bonus missions each game.  They looked like this:

 

Roll 2d6, THE THREE ROLLED MISSIONS WILL APPLY TO BOTH PLAYERS.

 

2. Immovable: At least one surviving unit does not move, go to ground or fall back during the game.

3. Invoke Panic: Be the first player to get an enemy to fail a morale (not Leadership) check.

4. Secure the Tech Site: Have a scoring unit, and no enemy units, within 2” of your Tech Site

5. Resource Control: Keep you your highest point unit alive.

6. First Blood:

7. Line Breaker:

8. Slay the Warlord:

9. Revenge Frack: Kill the unit that scored “First Blood”

10. Last Laugh: Be the last player to completely destroy a unit

11. Righteous Retribution: Destroy a unit entirely in Close Combat (sweeping advances will count, running off the board in a subsequent turn will not!) – ANY other casualties or damage suffered from another source other than Close Combat, will prevent this.

12. Back to Training: If one surviving unit failed to give an unsaved wound/damage any unit/model or score/contest an objective.

 

 

[Jolemai]

Any chance of a parts list and close up pic?

[Morticon]

Any chance of a parts list and close up pic?

 

Can do, quite easily! I have a mold of the official VSG (shhh! dont tell) - so, its the mid section of the VSG and stuck into a Vengeance battery bastion :) :P Super easy. 

[Jolemai]

So I guess it's just a tad shorter than the limited edition one seeing as the vengeance battery base is about as tall as a 2nd Edition Rhino?

Also, when you use it as a VSG, what do you use as the battlements? The roof where the AdMech stamp is?

[Morticon]

So I guess it's just a tad shorter than the limited edition one seeing as the vengeance battery base is about as tall as a 2nd Edition Rhino?

 

id rate around 7-8"

[Jolemai]

Also, when you use it as a VSG, what do you use as the battlements? The roof where the AdMech stamp is?

 

Good old double post ;)

[Morticon]

So I guess it's just a tad shorter than the limited edition one seeing as the vengeance battery base is about as tall as a 2nd Edition Rhino?

Also, when you use it as a VSG, what do you use as the battlements? The roof where the AdMech stamp is?

Ive got all the parts for an actual VSG ^_^ so i use that one :D  

[Morticon]

Not sure if you guys can see this- but some general pics from the tourney up here:

 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.645464885600980&type=1

[Morticon]

So, on to the Tristan game. 

 

 

Trist was rocking a VSF (Veteran's Strike Force) it offered some amazing rules, and amazing buffs. 

 

 

COMMAND BENEFITS:

 

Veteran Warlord:

1. Warlords from this detachment may roll a die for their Warlord Trait and choose the corresponding number on any table available to them after the die roll.

2. While the warlord is alive, and on the table any unit rolling to identify a “Mysterious Objective” may reroll the result.

 

Forged to Win:

1. All non-vehicle TROOPS and any dedicated transport with a TROOP embarked on it from this detachment have the “Objective Secured” rule.

 

Aspiring Champion:

1. While alive, one upgraded Character in a single compulsory TROOP unit gives his unit the Preferred Enemy and Stubborn special rules.

2. Your unit must have access to an upgradeable/addable Character in order to make use of this ability.

 

Veterans of the Veteran’s:

One unit, chosen from ELITES, may make use of each of the following protocols.

a. Protocols may be declared at any time

b. Each protocol may be used once per game only

c. Protocols last until the end of the player’s turn in which they’re declared.

1. SEEK AND DESTROY – Ignore Cover Special rule

2. ANNIHILATION – Rending

3. AMBUSH- Shroud and Counter Attack

Wielder of the Holy (Vortex) Hand Grenade: 1. One regular infantry, Non-independent character may wield the Holy Hand Grenade at no additional cost. The device may be thrown as a grenade, following the vortex rules.

 

RESTRICTIONS:

Trusted Battle Brothers:

The units in this detachment are veteran comrades that are tried and battle-tested together. Their cohesiveness comes from their frequent engagement side-by-side. As a result, a VSF detachment may not have any additional detachments, formations or data slates – in essence the VSF is the only detachment you may take.

 

COMPULSORY:

1 – HQ

3 – TROOPS

1 – ELITE

1 – FAST ATTACK

1 – HEAVY SUPPORT

ADDITIONAL:

3 – HQ

5 – TROOPS

4 – ELITE

4 – FAST ATTACK

4 – HEAVY SUPPORT

2 – Lord of War

2 – Fortifications

 

 

 

He was rocking a cool Sallies list with the following:

 

Cataphracti Term Master - shield, mantle, hammer

Libby 

Tech Marine (Harness)  (ruled as the Keeper of Relics for Vets)

 

1x 10 Scouts - 10cloaks, 10rifles

1x 10 Tac - Flamer, MM, Cmbi Flamer, Fist, Vet

Pod

1x 5 Tac -  MM

Rhino

 

1x 10 Stern - 2HF, 5cmbimelta

Pod 

1x 10 Dev - 3GravCan, 1MM

Pod

3x Cents - Grav

Fast Attack Pod

3x Attack Bikes- 3MM

Sicaran 

Fire Raptor

Scorpios - Keylack



Primary mission was old school victory points- the value of your units.  Tertiary was to have more points worth of units in opponents deployment zone than he had of yours.  As secondary, this mission had a "damned if you do" rule.  Basically, we got to elect one weapon on one model that could not be fired.  If they did fire it, they automatically lost 10 points and lost the secondary objective.  If they survived till the end, they got the full points. If they died before firing it, theyd get 5 points.  In Vets, where every point counts, most of the top tables wind up not using their marked unit. 

Tristan chose my Sicaran -on account of the legacy being the only thing that would nail his flyer.  He thought id choose the Scorpios, but I wound up choosing the mega bolter on the fireraptor- since it could vape 1 squad a turn comfortably.  

With that said, I deployed in a heavy castle- so ensure that whatever two pods came down, would be nuked in response. He went for a null deploy, barring the scouts and I had lost first turn- so he was going to get in there first.  


Trist sent down his Devs and his Tacs in first turn. 

The Devs aggressively targeted the DC, thanks to S&P on the Cataphracti Term -and it looked like the DC were going to be wiped. 
The Tacs deployed into the Ruins above the scouts, and were primed to throw a vortex grenade into my parking lot ><; 

Just before the vortex was about to be thrown, i used my Tech site ability to force a 3d6 Ld or snapfire on the tacs! Mwuhahahhaha.  
He rolled a 5 <_< on 3d6. So bleak!

After the flamers Id lost a few jumpers, but thanks to a decent scatter, i didnt lose any vehicles.  My vehicle also survived thanks to the void shield. 

The DC lost the chaplain and 5 other members - 5+ cover and 5+ FNP saving them from complete destruction.  

In my turn, I decided to target his tech site that was positioned top right behind cover.  The reasoning was that it still had two abilities that could come back to haunt me.

The jumpers readied themselves to tackle the Tacs, while i repositioned and moved up with the razors and rhinos that weren't firing.  I took a bunch of wounds off the Master- yay.  I then shot with my tac squad that jumped out a razor, and did 5 wounds.  Tristan, not wanting to risk the last wound on his master, LO,S the wounds to the devs, and failed 4 of 5 -  me getting lucky with the devs all of which were the heavy weapons. 

 

The remaining DC got the hell outta dodge, and moved up the board, to help secure the tertiary objective - since they had had their teeth knocked out- at least i could use half their points.  

The tacs took some heavy casualties from shooting before being assaulted by the scouts and the Vanvets- and being wiped out.  
 

(I Had a bit of  a brainfart (i believe 1st game in morning) where i had declared which pods were coming on, put the 2 pods to the side that were coming on, and then didnt deploy them. O_o Thankfully Trist was a good sport about that, and i just placed Cassor centrally, and then the flamer assault pod by the scouts (not having done any damage).

end of the turn looked like this (ignore the green guys- theyre not on - theyre getting ready to come on)

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Veterans%202016/IMG_20160703_100252_zpsjvppbb0c.jpg

In his turn, everything minus the stern and bikes came on. 

the Cents and lib, with help of the murderbird help take out the razor and the grav-pillbox.  The sicaran moves on, as does scorpios and raptor. Things are heating up.  

The master has to charge on in, or risk being shot, but thanks to DA rules and full BS OW, he goes down to the tac squad that shot up the devs, before getting in to combat. 
The other units dont damage too much.  

In my turn, the jumper vets move in to engage the centurians.  I think only one of my pod units comes down (the grav- and i put them in front of the rhino) - i wished it was the melta, so i can try take out the scorp - but its not going to happen now, so i try position some lucky las shots from downtown. It pays off and a las shot pens and stuns it.  
The murderbird, i'm going to have to ignore for now.  There are more pressing issues.  

The cents get charged by the vets, but their charge is somewhat hampered by the terrain, squeezed between a building and a wrecked rhino.  They kill the libby, and wound the cents, killing 1, wounding another 2. The cents then fail their morale....and the lucky bastards escape!!!!! ><; Uber bleak. The fist would have cleaned them up, but couldnt make it in.  Now, i'm likely to lose this whole squad. 

The stern come down next and support the Cents, and combat squad to ensure that the Devs and the Jumpers go down.

I take some serious hits, but go to ground with the jumpers. That +FNP sees at least 3 models surviving- including my WL.  

My Devs bite the dust though.  I think cassor by this stage also bites it- maybe the turn after, after taking out a pod- but nothign spectacular from his side, that's for sure.  

The next turn saw my pod in- with melta- enough to take on the scorp.   The DC are with the scounts in top right, securing some much needed points.  The middle right is looking hotly contested, with the jumpers on the deck. I bring around whatever i can to take shots at the various squads. My other devs positioned themselves so that they can take out some stern, while another razor squad sneaks round the top and deploys to add more firepower to the mix. 

After a few back-n-forth turns, i just have too many shots - and i'm winning by attrition.  The cents and the stern go down, but not before they take out the jumpers that they were focusing on.  

 

The BA/DA forces advance up the lines, securing both the primary, secondary and tertiary objectives as well as a bonus or two. I had 2 razor squads, 2 pod squads in his lines, as well as the DC, and most of his army cleared out.  Murderbird still flying about, but that was it. 

In the end, it was hard fought, but the numbers and specials made it.  Good battle though and tighter than it appeared in the scoreline. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

[LutherMax]

Well played! A victory worthy of the annals of Baal...