Akrims After Action - ITC GT report

[Akrim]

Hey all, just wanted to share a summary of this past weekends local GT (Plains of War)

 

 

So I ran a pure Astra force; Cadian Shock Troops, 1750pts (which is likely the new norm going forward).

Experimented with numerous lists; some including a Hellhammer but eventually squared on this:

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Cadian Battalion:

Comp Commander (las/chain, warlord: master of command or grand strategist, Kurovs Aquila)

Primaris Psyker (*Nightshroud, Psychic Barrier)

 

30 Conscripts

9x Infantry (Lascannon)

9x Infantry (Lascannon)

 

Priest (las/chain)

3 Bullgryn (Maul/Slab)

3 Bullgryn (Maul/Slab)

 

Cadian Spearhead:

Pask - Executioner (HBs, Lascannon)

Tank Commander - Punisher (Plasma, Lascannon)

 

Astropath (*Mental Fortitude)

Hellhound (HB)

2x Basilisks

Manticore

Leman Russ - Battle Tank (Lascannon, HBs)

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Game 1 vs Eldar - infantry heavy; Reapers, Dragons, MSU Rangers, Serpent, MSU Spears. Vanguard deployment, the heavy guns really went to work here - mostly ignoring the Serpent after the Dragons popped out. TC Punisher was on point in this one. Victory to Astra

 

Game 2 vs Alpha Legion - Kytan(!), Possessed, Cultists, Poxwalkers, Plague Marines (Rhino), Bikes, Contemptor, Lord & Sorc. Vanguard Deployment. I seized and landed a pretty fatal strike; Pask damaging the Kytan - Overlapping Fields of Fire strat resulted in its death a few shells later. Possessed infiltrated but were caught by the Conscript screen and destroyed in turn. Turn 2 ends with Victory to Astra.

 

Game 3 vs Salamanders / Raven Guard - Shrike, Aggressors, MSU Scouts, MSU Las/Missile Devastators, MSU Marines, 2x Eversors & Culexus. Hammer & Anvil Deployment. I seized again. Overlapped Fire on a big RG Aggressor squad outside my lines, removing them turn 1. Shrike was badly wounded when he blew up my Hellhound, then finished by the Russ BT. Bullgryns ran amok up the flanks, Assassins did some damage but fell to firepower too. Couple characters and back line SM squads survive to the end. Game ended in a tie score wise.

 

Game 4 vs Drukhari - Several characters, MSU Wyches, Grotesques, Lance Raiders/Warriors, Wracks. Dawn of War Deployment. Played on a very dense city ruins board (*Main floor blocks all LOS). My firepower is quite hampered as a result but still manages to inflict some good damage. Unfortunately the terrain also forced me to spread out too much. A Venom with 2 Succubus on board manages to slip my line and harass the Basilisks before the Punisher and Bullgryn see them off. Grotesques are very resilient with a +4 Invul. Game ended in another tie.

 

Game 5 vs Deathguard - Typhus, DP, Minor DG characters, 2-3 Drones, Poxwalkers, Plagues, Terminators, Bodyguards, Cultists. Table quarters deployment. I go first - opening shooting is poor, mostly LOS related; a 20-Pox unit is destroyed. But following downs Typhus & DP, Drone. Bullgryn go multiple rounds with Terminators and then dash for Linebreaker. He had incredible luck at Disgustingly Resilient saves.

Game end was weird - I had counted yet another tie - my opponent counted his at 4 higher (claiming a round score I dont believe happened) - but frankly I didnt care enough about rankings to argue so put it to a dice roll, resulted in his favor.

 

TLDR Summary - I really enjoyed the firepower this list kicked out - very deadly. In hindsight my main deficiency was mobility which made it difficult to rack up Hold More Secondary points. I was kicking myself as the top general award was a triple Hellhound Astra list (my original idea when I started playtesting). Even a Valk to put some Bullgryn downfield would have been a huge benefit.

 

Most people here I know snub Conscripts but they were excellent here, my tanks were mostly unhindered and I gave up very few kills (most rounds awarded me Kill More Primary) and in many cases did not give up a Kill 1 point until Turn 3. I find they synergize really well with Bullgryns and a Priest giving extra attacks.

 

Kurovs & Grand Strategist did good keeping CP up. Nightshroud / Psychic Barrier and the Take Cover strat can really make Astra tanks tough to deal with.

 

To conclude - I had some good games, got to blow up lots of things with Astra tanks and arty; mission accomplished.

 

-Ak

[WarriorFish]

Some good results there well done :tu: Do you have any more pictures of the battles?

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Sounds like a solid showing, well done.

 

As an ITC tournament how hard-core was it? I've been wanting to come back to Winnipeg for a tournament for a few years now, but there hasn't been an Astronomi-con in quite a while now so I guess I need to start looking for other options. I prefer the less intense and more thematic way Astro is run to a WAAC, chess clock, everybody taking the same quasi broken lists type of tournament for sure. Got pounded brutally in a tourney like that locally a few years back and since then have been strictly an Astro guy ... but if they won't do another Winnipeg event ...

[Akrim]

Sounds like a solid showing, well done.

 

As an ITC tournament how hard-core was it?

Well being ITC yeah its more competitive oriented. It isn't my favorite format but I still find it enjoyable in small doses. Ill say this; at least you dont see many weird combos anymore like Taudar, Iron Hands/Tyranids, etc. Had some ranked players from out of town as well (my fourth game was against one). But smoothly run tournament, new hotel venue.

 

Astros were good but life happens. There are some other good tournaments here like Legiocon and Highlander but on a slightly smaller scale.

 

Astra are in a really good place right now rules wise - so its not hard to run a competitive caliber list and still have fun. Russ tanks and artillery are no joke!

 

*Ill confess to being lazy with my camera lens - Ill keep an eye out for more pics.