Deathwatch vs Tzeentch, 2000 point Maelstrom of War.

[Ordo Xenos Inquisitor]

Recently, I played a game of Deathwatch vs Tzeentch. Here's what we have fielded so far:

 

 

 

+ HQ +

 

Librarian in Terminator Armor [9 PL, 180pts]: 1) Veil of Time, 3) Null Zone, Combi-melta, Force axe

 

Watch Captain Artemis [7 PL, 130pts]

 

Watch Master [7 PL, 130pts]

 

+ Troops +

 

Deathwatch Kill Team [17 PL, 332pts]

. Black Shield: Power sword, Storm shield

. Deathwatch Vanguard Veteran: Plasma pistol, Power axe

. Deathwatch Vanguard Veteran: Bolt Pistol, Thunder hammer

. Deathwatch Vanguard Veteran: Heavy Thunder Hammer

. Deathwatch Vanguard Veteran: Heavy Thunder Hammer

. Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun, Power sword

. Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun, Power sword

. Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun, Power sword

. Deathwatch Veteran w/ Heavy Weapon: Deathwatch Frag Cannon

 

Deathwatch Kill Team [11 PL, 168pts]

. Deathwatch Veteran: Combi-plasma, Power sword

. Deathwatch Veteran: Combi-plasma, Power sword

. Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun, Power sword

. Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun, Power sword

. Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun, Power sword

. Watch Sergeant: Boltgun, Power sword

 

Deathwatch Kill Team [17 PL, 204pts]

. Deathwatch Terminator: Lightning Claw (Pair)

. Deathwatch Terminator: Lightning Claw (Pair)

. Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun, Chainsword

. Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun, Chainsword

. Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun, Chainsword

. Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun, Chainsword

. Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun, Chainsword

. Deathwatch Veteran: Boltgun, Chainsword

 

Deathwatch Kill Team [17 PL, 290pts]

. Deathwatch Terminator

. . Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield: Storm shield, Thunder hammer

. Deathwatch Terminator

. . Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield: Storm shield, Thunder hammer

. Deathwatch Vanguard Veteran: Bolt Pistol, Power sword

. Deathwatch Veteran: Bolt Pistol, Stalker Pattern Boltgun

. Deathwatch Veteran: Bolt Pistol, Stalker Pattern Boltgun

. Deathwatch Veteran: Bolt Pistol, Stalker Pattern Boltgun

. Deathwatch Veteran: Bolt Pistol, Stalker Pattern Boltgun

. Watch Sergeant: Bolt Pistol, Power fist

 

+ Elites +

 

Venerable Dreadnought [8 PL, 168pts]: Assault cannon

. Dreadnought combat weapon w/Heavy Flamer: Heavy flamer

 

+ Heavy Support +

 

Land Raider Crusader [17 PL, 314pts]: Multi-melta, Twin assault cannon, Two Hurricane Bolters

 

+ Dedicated Transport +

 

Razorback [5 PL, 84pts]: Storm bolter, Twin heavy bolter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tzeentch Cult

 

 

++ Battalion Detachment +3CP (Chaos - Daemons) [47 PL, 836pts] ++

 

+ HQ +

 

Herald of Tzeentch on Disc [5 PL, 104pts]: Staff of Change

 

Lord of Change [17 PL, 350pts]: Rod of Sorcery

 

+ Troops +

 

Horrors [10 PL, 185pts]: 10x Blue Horror, Daemonic Icon, Instrument of Chaos, Pink Horror, Pink Horror, Pink Horror, Pink Horror, Pink Horror, Pink Horror, Pink Horror, Pink Horror, Pink Horror, Pink Horror

 

Horrors [5 PL, 20pts]: 10x Pair of Brimstone Horrors

 

+ Elites +

 

Flamers [5 PL, 84pts]: Flamer, Flamer, Pyrocaster

 

+ Fast Attack +

 

Screamers [5 PL, 93pts]: 3x Screamer

 

++ Supreme Command Detachment +1CP (Chaos - Chaos Space Marines) [40 PL, 782pts] ++

 

+ HQ +

 

Sorcerer on Disc of Tzeentch [8 PL, 154pts]: Blades on Disc of Tzeentch, Combi-flamer, Force axe

 

Sorcerer on Disc of Tzeentch [8 PL, 158pts]: Blades on Disc of Tzeentch, Combi-melta, Force sword

 

Sorcerer on Disc of Tzeentch [8 PL, 158pts]: Blades on Disc of Tzeentch, Combi-melta, Force sword

 

Sorcerer on Disc of Tzeentch [8 PL, 156pts]: Blades on Disc of Tzeentch, Combi-plasma, Force stave

 

Sorcerer on Disc of Tzeentch [8 PL, 156pts]: Blades on Disc of Tzeentch, Combi-plasma, Force stave

 

++ Patrol Detachment (Chaos - Thousand Sons) [20 PL, 382pts] ++

 

+ HQ +

 

Daemon Prince [10 PL, 200pts]: Daemonic axe, Warp bolter

 

+ Troops +

 

Tzaangors [10 PL, 182pts]: Twistbray, 25x Tzaangor

 

 

 

The game we played was Cleanse and Capture. The general gist of it was that at the first 2 turns, I had the advantage as I drew in doable objectives (Assassination, Secure Objective, Scour the Skies, etc.) that got me a good lead on the points. However, it costed me dearly when I tried to hold the Lord of Change off with a near-dying Razorback virtually giving my opponent First Blood. 

 

I gotta say, bringing a Watch Master to the game is a major game-changer as last week, I played a different game and my rolls were terrible even with Artemis alongside me. The Watch Master helped me improve my odds and I was able to deliver significant damage thanks to his 6" aura ability. And they paid off considering how much damage I dealt to his Lord of Change, his Daemon Prince and a flock of Tzaangors. I eventually got Slay the Warlord for that. 

 

My Stalker Bolter team did well in laying down the sniper fire at the Lord of Change though because they remained stationary throughout the entire game, they were wiped out by a cabal of Chaos Sorcerers on Disc, which ended up giving him Linebreaker. 

 

After I wiped the map off, I managed to get a few lucky draws and I had to get Artemis inside a Land Raider to give me the extra distance I required to make it to another objective, which was only protected by a weak unit of Brimstones. I showed no mercy and had my Land Raider Crusader fire everything it had on them as I moved in and had Artemis stay there the following turn, giving ME Linebreaker as well.

 

The game ended at round 6 at a score of 7-8 (Tzeentch victory). I must say, playing these games is even more enjoyable than Eternal War missions. I can definitely see myself playing more of these games in the future as opposed to Eternal War as every single kill on my part would cripple me badly compared to horde armies like Tyranids. I may have lost the match (again), but from the looks of the results, I can say that at the very least the game wasn't a one-sided slaughter compared to 7th edition. I can just chalk this game off as another mission ending in failure at War Zone Stygius as described in the 40k rulebook. 

Edited July 2, 2017 by Ordo Xenos Inquisitor

[Prot]

Sounds like a fun game. I thoroughly enjoy Maelstrom. It really does reward mobility and interaction with your opponent. For a while in 6th edition it really became about setting up in your corner and rolling dice (leaf blower, etc) and I find Maelstrom really adds some variety. 

[Ordo Xenos Inquisitor]

Yes indeed. I know for a fact that I can hardly do well in any Eternal War game. Maelstrom games add additional diversity in any game, even if each of our army builds aren't so different than the last. 

[Irbis]

Out of curiosity, why not take a blackshield/sarge in every unit?

[Ordo Xenos Inquisitor]

Out of curiosity, why not take a blackshield/sarge in every unit?

 

It was an experiment to see if a Blackshield would make a difference in my force. In the actual game, all but one unit had a sargeant.