Kill Team • Battle Reports

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Here's a battle report I posted over in the Astra Militarum thread, and have shared with the deathwatch thread.  SO if you frequent either of those, you have probably read it already.

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/349399-kill-team-tactica-astra-militarum/?p=5159536

[mel_danes]

Thanks very much guys.

 

Sometimes I think, 'why bother'? As you know it can be time consuming doing write ups, and sorting through photos, but it's definitely appreciated to see someone reads it once in a while. :)

When Prot posts, I read it, simple as that.

[Prot]

Be careful, it might go to my head!

 

I wish there were more batreps (written).

 

By far I’m still thinking Death Guard are my most successful team. I’m still trying to get my head around the Deathwatch KT.

[Orpheus108]

@Prot, My Death Watch are so far 50/50. But I'm struggling with my primary KT, DG, they are my main army for 40k and just love the army.

 

I'm trying to do a write up from each time I play from the various units I play. The next game I'm using my GSC and was going to use Death World terrain but my other local GW sold out. So most likely go Mechanicus terrain ( my fav)

 

With some luck I'll be able to do a report once a week Monday night after our gaming club.

[Prot]

So to make sure I understand, you’re saying your Death Guard are struggling?

 

That’s so weird to me. I know a guy finished first in his pod at Nova with DG. I had a streak going of about 5 wins and frankly I just burned out a bit on them but I was really impressed with how flexible and how functional the DG are.

 

This is embarrassing but I’m about 0-4 with my Deathwatch. Lol

 

Either I’m having some bizarre luck or something. Even my record with Astartes is much better because I’m using Scouts, and heavy Bolters etc.

 

I guess I gotta work on it. I do feel spoiled though by my DG team.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Played a game on Saturday versus a good friend's orks.

 

I fielded the same list as I used against deathwatch (http://www.bolterand...arum/?p=5159536),

 

Infantry squad sergeant with plasma pistol and power sword  - 7 pnts [Leader]

Infantry squad guardsman with vox - 10 pnts [Comms]

Scion gunner with meltagun - 13 pnts [Veteran]

Scion gunner with plasma gun - 13 pnts [sniper]

 

Infantry squad gunner with flamer - 8 pnts.

Infantry squad guardsman - 5 pnts

Infantry squad guardsman - 5 pnts

Infantry squad guardsman - 5 pnts

 

Special weapons squad gunner with grenade launcher - 7 pnts

Special weapons squad gunner with grenade launcher - 7 pnts

Special weapons squad gunner with grenade launcher - 7 pnts

 

Scion gunner with flamer - 13 pnts

 

 

It was my friend's first foray into Killteam, and he chose a team based largely on which models he liked the most.  From my recollection, it was:

 

Nob with slugga and power klaw [leader]

Boy with slugga and choppa [combat]

Burnaboy with burna [demolitions]

Kommando with slugga and choppa [scout]

 

2x burnaboys with burnas

Boy with Rokkit

Kommando with slugga and choppa

2 x boys with sluggas and choppas.

 

Some choices, such as the rokkit, were not really optimized against my guard - when we play again I will suggest he take a big shoota instead, and use the saved points for a grot. or similar upgrade.  Numbers wise, I barely outnumbered him, with 12 models to his 11.

 

It was the gather reconnaissance mission (or whatever it is called - its in the rulebook) - basically, there are 5 objectives in the middle of the map, and you score 1 VP/turn for the one closest, 3 VP/turn for the centre objective, and 2 VP/turn for all the others.  Deployment is in triangles that are 12" wide at their base, and extend up to the nearest objective.

 

For pre-game shenanigans, we both chose the one that allowed you to shoot at models that got a pregame move before the game, so neither did anything.

 

Unfortunately, the way we set up the table there was no cover around the objectives, and one piece of cover each midway back in our deployment zones and a couple of other pieces on each side.  He set up everything towards the front of his deployment zone (except his rockitt, which was behind his 1 piece of cover), I set up everything behind or beside the cover towards the back of my zone.  The terrain has a portion that blocks LOS - having learned from my last game, I hide my leader and comms there.

 

He had initiative, and advanced pretty much everyone up the table, except the rokkit which steadied.   I move a few of my flanking models sideways behind the terrain pieces just outside my deployment zone.  For shooting, he realizes that he doesn't have LOS with the rokkit, then I savage him badly with my fire, taking out pretty much all the modlels in danger of charging me next turn - which includes his leader and most or all of his specialists.  I also put a flesh wound on a burna, who proceeds to be shaken for the rest of the game.

 

2nd turn is pretty much a repeat of the 1st turn.  Over the course of these 2 turns he gets 10 VPs from moving across the various objectives.  He passes his break test

 

3rd turn I get initiative, and begin moving models forward.  Unfortunately, where I thought I had LOS with a couple of flamers, I do not, allowing them to be charged with no overwatch on my opponent's turn.  They both fall back instead, and he catches one plus a few of my lasgun troops with a second charge, one of which he takes out of action in the fight phase.  Beside those two models, he has left the shaken burna and his rokkit. He fails his break test.

 

4th turn, I rush to get some of my own VPs, managing to get 9 - would have gotten more, but his rokkit manages to take out my scion with meltagun.  Other than taking out his stunned burna and the fight continuing with no more casualties, nothing much happens.

 

We roll to see if the game continues, aware that he doesn't have enough left to stop me from getting a bunch more VPs.  He rolls a 2, meaning it was game over and an ork win of 10 VP to my 9.

 

 

This is a game that was so one sided that it didn't really feel like a win for the orks - he had lost 8 models to my 2.  Still, it was a fun game, and my friend and I look forward to future games where we set the terrain up a bit more fairly for the orks.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I played my first 2 games in my local GW's Kill Team campaign on Saturday.

 

The first one was against orks.  My kill team was the one in the post above:

 

Infantry squad sergeant with plasma pistol and power sword   [Leader]

Infantry squad guardsman with lasgun & vox  [Comms]

Scion gunner with meltagun  [Veteran]

Scion gunner with plasma gun [sniper]

Scion gunner with flamer

Infantry squad gunner with flamer 

3x Infantry squad guardsmen with lasguns

3x Special weapons squad gunners with grenade launchers 

 

My ork opponent had (as best as I can recall):

 

Nob with slugga & power klaw [Leader]

Burna [Combat]

Burna [Demolitions]

Burna [Zealot]

Burna

2x gunners with rokkits

3x boys with sluggas & choppas

 

Mission was ambush.  This is the mission where 1 team starts in the middle-ish, and has to try to get its models off the other team's table edge.  I won the roll off to chose whether to be attacker or defender, and chose to try to prevent the escapers - I figured that he would be coming to me anyway, so I might as well put him at a insensitive to charging me.  Also, from my experience with similar missions in 40K, its a lot harder to get off the table than one might think.

 

Terrain was a big ruin in the middle of the table, while at the front of my deployment zone there was a stack of 3 shipping containers in the middle, some pipes on my right, and the only other relevant piece was a group of barrels near my table edge between the containers and the pipes.

 

In the scouting phase, I chose the one that lets you shoot some models at enemies that take the extra move option, while he took plant traps.  Mine obviously did nothing, he could only trap the barrels (all the other terrain was too big - they can't be 8" or more in any dimension) which I avoided.

 

The orks set up at the front of their deployment zone in the open, except for the 2 rokkits which set up on the second floor of the ruins.  I set up my specialists behind the shipping containers so that they were out of LOS, a flamer and a lasgun on the gap on the left of the containers, a flamer & two lasguns on the bigger gap on the right, and the 3 grenade launchers behind the pipes on the right.

 

Not much to the game.  He advanced everything ever turn except for the rokkits, which stayed in the ruins and shot at things and missed.  Other than those and the burnas, nothing shot, and I avoided taking any casualties from the burnas by focusing fire on them, good rolls for armour saves, and bad rolling by my opponent.  By the end of turn 3 he had everything off that would get off (4 models) and I had taken out the 2 rokkits by the end of turn 4.

 

At the end of the game, he had gotten 4 out of 10 models off the board, giving me the win - for him to win, he needed to get more than half his models off.  Had he advanced his rokkits with the rest of his orks, I think he could have had the win - I don't think I could have taken them out as well.  Further, if I had been the one trying to escape, I know that I would have lost - so I'm glad I won the roll to choose and chose as I did.

 

In the end, the traps actually did have an effect, as by keeping my models away from the barrels in my zone, it opened up a clear path though which 2 of his models escaped.

 

 

As for the post game sequence, I had no one out of action so no casualty rolls, and this was my first game so no one had enough experience to gain a level.

[Dr_Ruminahui]

My second game of the campaign was against heretic astartes, painted in Alpha legion colours.

 

My list was the same as above, being:

 

Infantry squad sergeant with plasma pistol and power sword   [Leader]

Infantry squad guardsman with lasgun & vox  [Comms]

Scion gunner with meltagun  [Veteran]

Scion gunner with plasma gun [sniper]

Scion gunner with flamer

Infantry squad gunner with flamer 

3x Infantry squad guardsmen with lasguns

3x Special weapons squad gunners with grenade launchers

 

His list was, to the best of my recollection:

 

Aspiring champion with plasma pistol & power sword [Leader]

Chaos marine gunner with plasma gun [sniper]

Chaos marine gunner with heavy bolter [Heavy]

Chaos marine with bolt pistol & chainsword [Zealot]

Chaos marine with bolter

Cultist gunner with flamer

2x cultists with autoguns

1x cultist with autopistol & brutal close combat weapon

 

The mission was Feint.  Feint is the mission where there are 6 objective markers, and the opponent goes around trying to blow them up, which they can only do if they control them and through the use of a Tactic that costs 1 CP.  Winner is determined by VPs, with the defender getting 2 VP for each undestroyed objective, and the attacker gettin 1 VP each for each destroyed objective, each enemy specialist out of action, and for having broken the enemy. 

 

My opponent won the roll to chose whether to be attacker and defender and chose attacker.

 

We were on the Sector Mechanicus table, but weren't using any special rules.  All "lefts" and "rights" are from my point of view.  On my right, there was a dumbbell shaped piece of industrial terrain running parallel to the right table edge, with the wider portions on the ends in each of our deployment zones.  Importantly, there was a small smokestack structure on the walkway where it met with the wider point in my zone.  There were some pipes at the front of his deployment zone on the left and on the right (these were under the walkway of the industrial terrain), and just in front of my deployment zone on the left.  There was also a plasma regulator near the middle of my deployment zone.

 

Objectives were pretty evenly spaced.  One was back behind the pipes in his zone, one by the plasma regulator in my zone, 2 on top of the industrial terrain (1 in his zone, 1 just in front of mine), 1 next to the pipes under the walkway, and one just behind the industrial terrain in my zone.

 

In the scouting phase, I again chose the one that lets you shoot some models at enemies that take the extra move option, while my opponent again took plant traps.  Mine obviously did nothing, while he only rolled 1 trap - which was fortunate, as there were a lot of pieces of terrain he could have trapped.

 

He set up his plasma sniper, his leader, flamer cultist and bolter grunt were behind the pipes on the left.  His heavy bolter was up on the wider part of the walkway, while the zealot with the 3 cultist behind him were also on the walkway at the front of his zone.

 

I set up a lasgun grunt, a grenade launcher behind the pipes on the left, with my leader, my flamer grunt and a lasgun grunt nearby behind the plasma regulator, all more than 1" from terrain to not set of any possible traps.  Hiding behind the support legs for the walkway on the right were my plasmagun scion sniper, my comms, and 2 grenade launchers.  Up on the walkway hiding behind the smokestack and the parapets of the walkway were a lasgun grunt, my scion with flamer and my meltagun scion veteran. 

 

At the beginning of the first turn, he used the beseech the gods tactic successfully on his leader, giving him +1 to all to hit and wound rolls.

 

 

Turn 1, he had initiative, and at ground level his leader and cultist flamer moved up towards my forces.  I moved my flamer up, clipping the 1" trap radius around the plasma regulator but not harming my guy, but importantly letting me know where the trap was which let my other models on the right move behind the pipe for better LOS and cover.  I managed to take out the flamer cultist, but despite the combined fire of virtually all the models that weren't on the walkway I couldn't touch his leader.

 

On the walkway, he moved the zealot and his cultists up and readied his heavy bolter, which took out my scion flamer.  My scion meltagun veteran, with the help of +1 from my comms (who was below him) and the reroll tactic for my 1 to wound took out his zealot.

 

Turn 2, I have initiative and his leader charges my flamer, who manages to inflict an unsaved wound, but he uses a CP to reroll his save and passes. Otherwise, my guys on the left scoot back from his leader.  On the ground level on the right, my models stay still or move slightly for better LOS, except 1 grenade launcher who advanced to move up onto the platform.  His bolter grunt moves over towards the objective on the other set of pipes, but doesn't quite make it in range.  Up on the platform, I ready in cover (not really having anywhere to go) and my melta veteran is charged by his melee cultist, which his heavy bolter and autogun cultists also ready. 

 

In shooting, not much happens other than me giving his sniper plasma a flesh wound.  In assault, his leader unsurprisingly takes out my flamer, while up top his melee cultist and my meltagun veteran each give the other a flesh wound.  At the end of the round, except for his melee cultist our flesh wounds pass their nerve tests and he uses a CP to blow up the objective held by his heavy bolter.

 

Turn 3, he has initiative and his bolter moves onto the objective behind the right pipes.  His leader charges my leader and a lasgun grunt, managing to catch them both despite the lasgun falling back (the leader didn't bother, only being about 3" away after the leaders consolidation last turn).  My other guys on the right (a grenade launcher and a lasgun) move forward back up behind the pipes, to put some space between them and his leader).   Up top, my meltagun vet falls back from his melee cultist, leaving it out in the open. 

 

Its a rather eventful turn shooting wise.  His plasma and bolter marines take out my lasgun and grenade launcher behind the pipes on the left.  My plasmagun sniper fires on high power at his bolter marine on the objective, and takes both it and himself out of action (I rerolled a 1 into a 1).  Up top I take out his melee cultist, but fail to do anything to his autogun cultists despite them being within half-range and in the open.  His heavy bolter gets a 3 on the injury roll against my meltagun veteran, whose flesh wound turns it into a 4, taking him out.  In melee, his leader takes out both my leader and my lasgun grunt. 

 

Now having 7 out of 12 out of action, I have to take a break test which I unsurprisingly fail needing a 6.  I therefore have to take nerve tests for everyone and they all fail, needing a 1 (and me forgetting my vox reroll), except for my grenade launcher on the platform who I spend 1 CP to have him autopass.  He uses 1 CP to blow up the objective next to his plasmagun.

 

Turn 4, my opponent has his blood up and rather than moving his leader onto a nearby objective, he instead charges my shaken grenade launcher.  Otherwise, models mostly stay still, and my one unstunned grenade launcher exchanges fire with his heavy bolter, resulting in my model taking a flesh wound.  Down below, his plasmagun snipes my comms, and his leader takes out my stunned grenade launcher.  At the end of the turn, my opponent realizes that he doesn't have any objectives he can blow up and we roll a 2 for random game duration, ending the game.

 

We calculate VPs, and I get 8, 2 per undestroyed objective.  My opponent gets 2 for destroyed objectives, 4 for my out of action specialists, and 1 for my team being broken, for a total of 7.  So, I win by virtue of my opponent's leader's bloodlust - if he had instead moved onto the objective and destroyed it, the game would have been 8 to 6 in his favour.  So, I win in the most imperial guard kind of way - with most everyone dead (I have 10 out of 12 models out of action) by the skin of my teeth and more due to my opponent's hubris than due to any competence of my own. :)

 

In terms of end game, his wounded plasmagun sniper goes out of action, while my wounded grenade launcher does not.  Casualty rolls, on the other hand, were not in my favour - my flamer scion, a grenade launcher and my plasmagun sniper all die (I guess my sniper thought he was in 8th ed, where a 1 with an overloaded plasmagun slays the wielder).  Ouch.

[Azekai]

So, I win in the most imperial guard kind of way - with most everyone dead (I have 10 out of 12 models out of action) by the skin of my teeth and more due to my opponent's hubris than due to any competence of my own.

Sounds perfect.

 

Are things going to get rough with that many special weapons troopers down and out?

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

It shouldn't be a big problem - the campaign rules allow you to recruit guys as needed , provided you field them in your next mission (so, kind of like way your team is "locked in" for the first mission in a campaign and provided you don't exceed your maximum roster size.

 

This campaign also lets you "fire" models that you no longer want on your roster - this is most useful for fire teams who would otherwise lock you into increasingly expensive models with advancements of potentially dubious worth, that would also apply (after 1 mission) to any non-specialist models that belong to the same datasheet as the fire team.

 

I had 2 fire teams level up - my grenade launcher team got reroll failed morale texts - not with an extra point per model when I already get a reroll (provided I remember to use it - I forgot all last game)  on my comms.  My infantry squad fire team (3 lasgun grunts and a flamer) got reroll armour saves of 1 - also not so useful on models with a 5+ save.  I intend to fire all of both fire teams, and hire on the same models with 1 more las gunner as a new infantry squad fireteam, and 3 plasma gunners to replace the 3 grenade launcher special weapons squad.

 

Oh, and I also plan to hire a new plasma gun scion sniper to replace the one that cooked himself.

[Rogue]

Played my first real game of kill team yesterday (after a five-a-side test game a few weeks back). It was against my wife, who is a complete 40k beginner, using Ad Mech, and I had a Genestealer Cult. We both used the forces from the box, which meant a 116 vs 73 point mismatch, but that helped to even things up a little. (We weren't using command points or stratagems.)

 

Pre-Game

 

Her team consisted of 10 Rangers:

Alpha (arc pistol and power sword), arc rifle (sniper), plasma caliver (heavy), transuranic arquebus (comms)

6 Rangers with galvanic rifles (and an enhanced data-tether)

 

My team (the Red Brotherhood) was 10 neophyte hybrids:

Leader (bolt pistol and power pick), seismic cannon (heavy), mining laser, flamer (demolitions), grenade launcher

2 neophytes with auto guns, 3 with shotguns (one had the cult icon, and one was a zealot)

 

We played the Rescue mission, with my team trying to rescue a fallen magus (presumed dead when the Imperial forces shelled the area, but psychic whispering now suggested otherwise; unfortunately, a ranger team were conducting a sweep of the area too...)

 

The cultists set up towards the front of their deployment zone - only Nicolai and his autogun stayed back, high in the ruined cathedral, digging through a likely looking pile of rubble. Across the broken first floor, Dimitri's mining laser and Pavel's grenade launcher took firing positions, ready to cover their brothers' advance. At ground level, to the left (and largely in the open), Ilia (my leader) led a group containing Mikhail and his flamer, and all three shotguns (Sergei managing his single-handed, as he also carried the cult's icon). On the right (in cover) was Yegor's seismic cannon, supported by Yakov and his autogun.

 

Facing them was a line of red-cloaked rangers. On my left, facing Ilia's team, were the Alpha, the plasma caliver and two other rangers, ready to advance on an objective. In the middle (and out of cover), one ranger held a second objective, and on the right, facing Yegor and Yakov, were the arquebus, arc rifle, data-tether and two more rangers (with clear sight of a third objective).

 

(At the end of each turn, we roll for held objectives - on a six, that objective becomes the fallen magus, and whoever holds it at the end wins. The other objectives become irrelevant.)

 

Turn One - Ad Mech initiative

 

A single ranger burst forward towards the mid-field objectives. Everyone else held position, ready to fire.

On the left, Ilia's team moved forward behind the cover of a solid wall, largely hidden from the rangers. On the right, Yakov (autogun) pushed forward, but Yegor (cannon) readied, as did the weapons on the cathedral.

 

In the ensuing exchange of fire, Yegor gunned down the arc rifle, taking it out of action (two 6s to wound helped a lot there). In return, the rangers cut down Timur (the regular shotgun, who'd bravely let the rest of his (more valuable) companions get better cover), and put a flesh wound on Dimitri - with the short range of his mining laser, obscured targets and a wound, he wasn't going to be hitting much. Both my flamer (one shot, failed to wound the advancing ranger) and the arquebus (missed on a one) fluffed their moments.

 

At the end of the turn, we rolled for the objectives. Fortunately for me, the magus turned up next to Nicolai, on the platform just behind my front line. Suddenly, the Ad Mech were very out of position. 

 

Turn Two - GSC initiative

 

Ilia's team pressed forward, determined to tie up one end of the Ad Mech lines. Vitaly (the shotgun-wielding zealot) charged round the corner at the plasma caliver - unable to overwatch, the ranger fell back, and Vitaly failed his charge. The other three (leader, flamer and icon) moved up behind him, continuing to shelter from the bulk of the ranger firepower. Everyone else stayed put, forming a loose cordon around the fallen magus. 

The rangers suddenly burst forward - all five regulars advanced across the open ground towards the centre of the board. We'd realised that with only four turns left, and with over 20" to cover to the first floor objective, there wasn't time to hang about. With the tables turning, the Alpha counter-charged Vitaly (trying to prevent that group heading back towards the objective), but took an overwatch shotgun blast to the head and fell, out of action.

 

With most of the team advancing, avoiding combat or out of action, there was little ranger shooting, and the arquebus missed again. Similarly, the flamer hit the plasma caliver once, and failed to wound again. In the middle, the combined firepower of the grenade launcher, seismic cannon, an autogun and Ilia's bolt pistol failed to land a single wound - the only shooting that achieved anything at all in this turn was Vitaly's overwatch.

 

Things had become interesting. I'd expected to be shot to pieces by a gun line, but suddenly the rangers were sprinting forward, and had five men bearing down on the foot of the cathedral columns, whist the half of my team with all the close combat capability were further away and staring down the barrel of an angry plasma caliver. 

 

The state of play at the end of turn two. The objective is the marine statue in the back corner of the cathedral first floor (lower right as you look at it here). You can see the Ad Mech advance, and just about see half my team hiding behind the wall lower left.

 

Vitaly, Mikhail, Sergei and Ilia just after the Alpha was taken out of action.

 

The view from the Ad Mech backline.

 

 

Turn three - Ad Mech initiative

 

The rangers moved forward again, gathering around the pillars that would allow them to climb up to the platform, one even scaling the heights (even with advance moves, the rest weren't getting to the top this time round). The remains of the gunline (arquebus and a rifle on my right, caliver on my left) readied themselves.

Vitaly charged again, this time having to dodge plasma bursts on the way, but making it into combat. Ilia (leader) tried to charge the rangers behind him, but failed. Sergei (icon), and Mikhail (flamer) moved up more cautiously, but positioned themselves well within range of the two rangers trying to scale the nearest pillar. On the other side, Yegor (cannon) and Yakov (autogun) took aim at the pair of rangers climbing that side of the ruin. Above, Pavel (launcher) and Nicolai (autogun) moved out of sight of the arquebus, ready to surround the magus if necessary. Dimitri (laser) held position.

 

Not the wisest move. The arquebus finally hit, putting a second flesh wound on Dimitri, but failing to take him out completely. The flamer came good too, immolating a ranger and taking him out. On the other side, the seismic cannon flesh wounded another ranger. Pavel's frag grenade pattered off the armour of the lone ranger on the platform. With two rangers down, and two flesh wounded, the team were heading towards break tests.

 

Deep in the Ad Mech lines, Vitaly's rage achieved nothing, before the ranger coolly dropped him, taking him out of action - two down and a flesh wound for the cult.

 

Turn four - GSC initiative 

 

In retrospect, this was a good initiative to win. With the Ad Mech noose tightening, the Cult charged in. Ilia and Sergei went into the lone ranger on the left; Yegor, Yakov and Dimitri the pair on the right, trapping them all at ground level. Mikhail and his flamer scaled the platform, joining the other two brothers there in blocking the last ranger's way to the objective.

There was little the Ad Mech could do. The caliver advanced, looking for a shot, whilst the last two shooters readied themselves to clear away as many obstructions as they could. The ranger on top of the cathedral charged into Pavel (launcher).

 

It didn't work - the arquebus wounded Mikhail, but it was only a flesh wound, and the caliver missed at long range. The cult's firepower was ineffective too, with no wounds beating the armour. The combats weren't very deadly either, with no-one at ground level taking any damage, and Pavel landing a single flesh wound in the elevated fight.

 

In the morale phase, both flesh wounded rangers failed morale checks and became shaken. At that point, with only one turn remaining, it was clear that the Ad Mech forces had no way to reach the objective, and no way to prevent at least Nicolai from claiming it. The signal was given to withdraw. 

 

Combatants engaged in a fierce struggle* around the columns and on the platform.

 

The end of the game (the objective is now the GSC marker).

 

* It wasn't that fierce.

 

Conclusion

 

It wasn't as killy as I thought it would be. In four turns, starting with twenty models, we lost five between us (plus a few flesh wounds). Of course, neither the rangers nor the neophytes are particularly powerful, but I was expecting the difference in points value to make things harder than it did. Certainly I was worried about the arquebus before the game (potentially hitting on 2s, wounding on 2s, no save), but it only managed two flesh wounds in four turns of firing. Command points might make a big difference here - we'll find out next time.

 

The mission certainly fell in my favour - if the objective had turned up in the Ad Mech half of the field, I'd have had to try and roll up most of their gunline, and that would have been tricky. But as it was, I nearly ended up with my leader, demolitions flamer, icon and zealot shotgun all completely out of position anyway, as they'd made good use of the cult ambush and scout moves to get a long way forward - at one point, nearer to the Ad Mech baseline than most of the rangers. 

 

Taking the initiative in turn four was fortunate too - it effectively gave me a double move (second in turn three, first in turn four) that allowed me to catch the rangers in the nick of time. had it gone the other way, they'd have swarmed the upper level with four or five guys, out-numbering and out gunning the few defenders I had up there (a heavily wounded mining laser, the grenade launcher and an autogun). I think I could still have blocked off the objective, but it would have been much closer 

 

In the end, it was a fun game. Frustrating at times, when whole turns of shooting achieved almost nothing, but overall, a lot of fun. And very cool to see fully painted teams running around fully painted scenery. Plus, that ranger Alpha has taken the whole shotgun-to-the-face thing very seriously, and is likely to be back looking for revenge...

[Orpheus108]

@Rogue great battle report, enjoyed reading that

[Rogue]

Just for you, then, Orpheus...

 

Second game today. Same forces (although a recount showed that the Ad Mech come in at 107, not 116), but this time we added command points and stratagems (the general and faction-specific ones, but not the specialist ones, to avoid information overload).

 

Pre-Game

 

Her team consisted of 10 Rangers:

Alpha (arc pistol and power sword), arc rifle (sniper), plasma caliver (heavy), transuranic arquebus (comms)

6 Rangers with galvanic rifles (and an enhanced data-tether)

 

My team (the Red Brotherhood) was 10 neophyte hybrids:

Leader (bolt pistol and power pick), seismic cannon (heavy), mining laser, flamer (demolitions), grenade launcher

2 neophytes with auto guns, 3 with shotguns (one had the cult icon, and one was a zealot)

 

This time we played one of the basic missions from the rules section – two objectives, worth two points each – word had got round that the area contained ammunition supplies, but that proved to be misinformation spread by imperial forces, drawing the Red Brotherhood into a carefully laid trap…

 

The cultists deployed in two groups. The main group took the left; Ilia (leader) and Sergei (icon), both shotgun neophytes (Vitaly the zealot and Timur), Yakov’s autogun, Yegor’s seismic cannon (heavy), and the flamer of demolitions specialist Mikhail. On the right, across the main street, were the remainder of the Brotherhood – Dimitri (mining laser), Pavel (grenade launcher) and Nicolai (autogun).

 

The rangers split more evenly, five on each side of the street. On the cult left were three galvanic rifles, the plasma caliver (heavy), and high on the first floor of the cathedral, the transuranic arquebus (comms). On the cult right, the arc rifle (sniper) and another galvanic rifle held the high ground; beneath them, the Alpha, data-tether and the final galvanic rifle.

 

Initial deployment. One objective can be seen just below the angle of the junction, in the corner of the ruin. The other is out of sight inside the cathedral, roughly under the centre of the first floor.

 

Before the first turn, the cult burst forward to claim ground. On the right, Dimitri and Nicolai moved onto one of the objectives and into cover. On the left, Vitaly, Timur and Sergei (all three shotguns, and Sergei’s icon) moved to the outer wall of the cathedral (which contained the second objective just inside the main door), with Mikhail in tow. Between cult ambush and scout moves, six of the team gained a move. The Ad Mech had prepared their fields of fire to cover such an eventuality, but the scouting cultists made sure to hug cover and remain out of sight.

 

The Red Brotherhood spring their ambush

 

Turn One - GSC initiative

 

Too far away still to have a fair chance of landing charges, the assault party on the left advanced up the wall of the cathedral and onto the first floor, bearing down en masse on the isolated arquebus. Hopefully the surviving walls and the floor itself would shelter them from the worst of the incoming fire. Below them, Ilia and Yegor advanced to the recently vacated patch of wall, awaiting their moment to spring forward; and on the right, Pavel brought his grenade launcher forward to join his two readied brothers.

The arquebus ran, dropping off the roof and legging it across the street towards the other squad. His comrades readied, with one moving up to the cathedral door. On the right (my right), the Alpha and two rangers moved out towards the flank, whilst the pair above them readied too.

 

The ranger with the arc rifle lines up a shot at Vitaly as the zealot leads the cult charge over the cathedral

 

Suddenly, the junction exploded into a deadly crossfire. When the smoke cleared, five had been taken out of action: three of the cultists and two rangers. The fleeing arquebus had fallen to the very first shot, taking a mining laser through his chest, and the plasma caliver on my left had gone down to Yegor’s seismic cannon. In return, the rangers had cut down Vitaly the zealot as he led the charge across the cathedral, Pavel (before he even fired his launcher) and Yegor. To make matters worse, both Ilia and Yakov had picked up flesh wounds from fire coming in sideways across the street.

 

By the end of turn one, the Ad Mech trap had been well and truly sprung, and the cult were one out-of-action roll away from break tests.

 

The view from the ranger fire-base, down to the cathedral objective

 

Turn Two - GSC initiative

 

Initiative fell to the cult again, although it would have been helpful to see how the Ad Mech moved first. On the right, Dimitri and Nicolai, heavily outgunned but without many alternatives, readied themselves to go down shooting. The survivors of the assault team dropped down into the cathedral, taking shelter behind one of the solid steel doors, and all within easy range of the second objective. Ilia, out of range of most things with his pistol, huddled behind the wall, hopeful that things might improve later in the fight.

The outnumbered rangers on my left moved directly onto the objective, daring the cultists to take it from them. On the right, where numbers were more in their favour, the Alpha and another ranger crossed the smaller street into the ruined building occupied by Dimitri and Nicolai, leaving the other three (including the arc rifle) to cover their advance.

 

Three of the rangers prepare to sell their lives dearly, as the cultists lurk in the shadows...

 

In a vital shooting phase, the cultists fluffed it completely. Dimitri did manage to hit the Alpha with his mining laser (after a command reroll), but failed to wound; Mikhail didn’t cause any damage at all despite his flamer hitting automatically and wounding on twos – Ad Mech armour held firm. Both the shotguns in the cathedral bounced off armour too, and both autoguns might as well have been firing blanks.

In return, Dimitri took an arc pistol to the head and went out of action; across the street, Sergei was cut down by rapid-firing galvanic rifles in the cathedral, and was taken out too. The Ad Mech gunfire was finally curtailed when they ran out of visible targets.

 

At this point, the morale phase really hit hard. With five out of action and two flesh wounded, a break test was taken, and failed. A command reroll only saw another (even worse) failure. The Red Brotherhood had been broken. Ilia (leader) remained firm (just, thanks to his better leadership and the nearby Yakov), as did Mikhail (flamer), also benefiting from the company of Timur. However, the other three all failed, and became shaken – once one went at +4, things escalated quickly… 

 

After the break test - the models lying down are shaken (because we use the shaken counters to mark flesh wounds). This includes Nicolai on the right, Yakov at the bottom left corner of the cathedral, and Timur (inside the cathedral) 

 

Turn three - Ad Mech initiative

 

There was little movement from the rangers. The three in the cathedral remained in an outward facing circle, guns readied. On the right, the Alpha’s companion moved forward onto the objective previously held by Dimitri, and the Alpha himself charged into the shaken Nicolai. The rest of the team readied themselves to cover any last gasp heroics from the cultists.

With only Ilia and Mikhail unshaken, there was also little movement from the cultists. Mikhail readied himself, still somewhat sheltered by the unmoving figure of Timur, and Ilia charged blindly around the edge of the broken cathedral wall, engaging two of the rangers guarding the second objective. 

 

The Alpha faces off against the last of the cultists on the right flank

 

Mikhail used a command point to make a decisive shot, trying to immolate the one ranger with line of sight to his position – he beat the armour once, but only caused a flesh wound. Still smoking, the ranger returned fire into Timur, taking him out of action.

 

In combat, the Alpha cut down the paralysed Nicolai, taking him out of action too. Ilia, taking on two rangers in an act of heroic desperation (and through gritted teeth in an attempt to maximise his potential), failed to do any damage, and was clubbed down with rifle butts for his pains – a second cultist out of action in the phase.

 

With seven cultists down, and the other three isolated and shaken, there was no possibility of the team pulling itself back together, and the game came to an end. The rangers had lost two men to seven, held both objectives and had scored a resounding victory. Scores had certainly been settled.

 

The rangers hold their ground in the cathedral, claiming the objective and the victory

 

Conclusion

 

Well, that was definitely deadlier than the last game. Between us we’d killed as many by the end of turn one as we’d managed in the whole of the last game, and I lost more of my team here than the two of us combined lost last time.

 

At times, I felt as if I’d brought a cult knife to a galvanic rifle fight. Most of the game was conducted within rapid fire range (which in the Ad Mech case covers most of the board anyway), and those guns are dangerous to cultists. Even with cover they’re usually looking at 4+, 3+, 6+ save, twice per gun, and aren’t too worried about the 5+, 4+, 4+ save they face in return. And on this particular board, for whatever reason, I was finding it very difficult to get out of line of sight. Turns out the towering gothic windows reach low enough to allow cultist heads to peer over the sills, which means that overlapping fields of fire can usually find at least one angle to shoot from.

 

I’ve also realized that I prefer to move second. I’m unlikely to be charged by the Ad Mech (Alpha aside, and even then I think he’s more dangerous firing his pistol than hitting me with his sword), so going second means I can move knowing where the enemy are, and where they can see. 

 

Tactically, I probably should have ignored the objective on my right (overlooked by high ground) and gone all out for the one in the cathedral. With that taken (hopefully), I could have sheltered behind the doors and let the Ad Mech come to me, or made a last minute burst for the other. I think the early dash over the top was the right idea, and it forced the arquebus out of position (and into Dimitri’s sights), so it served its primary purpose and eventually delivered most of the team into the cathedral (only for them to miss everything once they got in there).

 

Next time we’ll cut the Ad Mech team down to 100 points (meaning one less ranger), and might throw in a little more solid cover too. One more Ad Mech victory and we might be seeing reinforcements for the cult...

[MasterDeath]

I love these oldschool text based Batreps. Thanks!

[Rogue]

You're welcome. I'm enjoying writing them. Talking of which...

 

Trilogy. The decider (until next time, at least). For the third time this week, the Red Brotherhood and the Ad Mech go toe-to-toe. The Ad Mech are down to nine rangers for this one, bringing them down to a force of 98. The Brotherhood stay the same (demonstrating remarkable powers of recovery following their battering at the hands of imperial forces last time out). I started with two bonus CPs due to the difference in force strength.

 

Pre-Game

 

Her team consisted of 9 Rangers:

Alpha (arc pistol and power sword), arc rifle (sniper), plasma caliver (heavy), transuranic arquebus (comms)

5 Rangers with galvanic rifles (and an enhanced data-tether)

 

My team (the Red Brotherhood) was 10 neophyte hybrids:

Leader (bolt pistol and power pick), seismic cannon (heavy), mining laser, flamer (demolitions), grenade launcher

2 neophytes with auto guns, 3 with shotguns (one had the cult icon, and one was a zealot)

 

For this one, we were playing the last of the basic missions from within the rules - two objectives, but you can only score points for the one in your opponent's deployment zone. The cultists, smarting from the trap they'd walked into last time, had made a move against their rivals' base of operations, in an abandoned Ad Mech facility. The rangers, complacent after their victory and believing the area secured, were now rushing back to defend their position, and if possible, take back the high ground overlooking it too.

 

The battlefield - objectives are located in the lower right corner of the factory, and the upper left corner of the cathedral first floor

 

The cultists deployed in a line along the edge of their territory, gazing hungrily out through the cathedral arch. On the ground floor were the leader, Ilia, two autogun-wielding neophytes, the mining laser of Dimitri and Pavel's grenade launcher. To their left, just outside the cathedral wall was a three-hybrid shotgun team, carrying the icon. Mikhail and Yegor (flamer and cannon) remained concealed for the time being.

 

Against them, the rangers spread out in a ring around the factory, with the arquebus and data-tether furthest back (and with line of sight right into the factory itself), the arc rifle and a second ranger on the cult left (facing the shotguns), the plasma caliver, Alpha and a ranger on the cult right, and the last two rangers heading into the factory.

 

Before the game began in earnest, Timur sprang forward across the street, shotgun at the ready, but the rest of the team failed to follow his lead. On the right, the plasma caliver and a ranger made successful scout moves forward. Finally, Mikhail and Yegor revealed themselves on the first floor of the cathedral, preparing to leap down into the street to join the advance.

 

Deployment, cult ambush and scout moves

 

The Red Brotherhood gaze at their target...

 

... as the rangers scramble to defend

 

Turn one - GSC initiative 

 

The cult surged forward. The shotgun trio, siesmic cannon, flamer and leader all ended their move pressed up against the wall of the factory - a solid bulwark of steel that completely blocked line of sight to the rangers. Behind them, the autoguns, launcher and mining laser held firm, taking up firing positions to deter any moves on the cathedral and its objective.

The rangers began to concentrate on the factory. The pair on the cult left moved into the wrecked shell, joining the advance of the pair already in place. On the cult right, the caliver and Alpha drew close to the wall for cover, whilst a ranger dashed across the street, ending up alongside the cathedral. The arquebus remained still, despite the lack of immediate targets. 

 

Rangers advance into the factory 

The cult assault team takes cover under the walls

 

After such cagey opening moves, the shooting phase was limited. Dimitri could see the head of the ranger through the cathedral window - his mining laser hit, but failed to wound (needing 2+, with a command reroll). Autoguns and a frag round failed too - the Ad Mech had made an early line-break. To compound matters, Vitaly the zealot took plasma rounds to the chest, and fell out of action.

 

The cult had lost their numerical advantage, but were in a good position - out of firing lines, and (we suddenly realised) within two inches of the Ad Mech objective, which was just on the other side of the factory wall.

 

 

Turn two - Ad Mech initiative

 

The rangers moved forward to defend the walls (and windows) of the factory - the cultists in the street were too close to the walls to look down on, but the cathedral defenders were a much easier shot. The Alpha moved up and tucked in behind a stack of barrels, whilst on the flank, the ranger who had survived the laser blast moved forward again, to the back of the ruined cathedral. His place was taken by the caliver, hoping to fire through the window at the defenders inside. The arquebus again stayed in place, with no targets but acting as a deterrent to any cultist thinking about leaving ground level.

Sensing an opportunity, Ilia and Timur charged into the ranger guarding the broken factory wall, engaging him. The rest of the forward team (Sergei's shotgun, Mikhail's flamer and Yegor's cannon) all moved to have sight of the Alpha. In the cathedral, everyone readied, guns leveled at the caliver outside the window.

 

 

Dimitri landed another hit with his mining laser, wounding this time, but the shot bounced off the caliver's bionics and he survived. Again, autoguns and grenades went astray or pattered off armour. The firebase had failed again. In the street, both sides fared no better. In a spectacular display of general ineptitude, the arc rifle, arc pistol, shotgun and flamer all failed to make a mark. The caliver and galvanic rifle did a little better, flesh wounding Dimitri (mining laser) and Pavel (launcher)

In the end, the seismic cannon took the Alpha out of action, but only at the cost of four CPs - two on density lenses to ignore the cover, another on more bullets, and another to reroll one of the three failed wounds. It felt like a lot of effort for one kill.

 

Ilia and Timur engage in close combat

The plasma caliver, making his way around the cathedral

 

In combat, with three combatants trying to hit each other through a shattered window frame, no damage was caused.

 

Turn two ended with just one casualty a side, and the rangers closing on the cult objective.

 

 

Turn three - GSC initiative

 

Following Ilia's example (and realising that shooting wasn't cutting it), Nicolai charged at the caliver pressed up against the window, who promptly fell back. With that threat temporarily neutralised, Pavel charged another of the factory defenders, hidden by the barrels until the last moment. Likewise, Sergei scaled the factory wall to engage the last defender on the first floor. The flamer and cannon in the street readied, as did the laser and autogun remaining in the cathedral.

With three rangers tied up in combat, the arquebus and data-tether finally made a move, advancing sideways across the backfield to take up position on the other side of the factory. The ranger behind cult lines moved up onto the cathedral first floor, in sight of the objective.

 

More cultists charge into the fray

A lone ranger takes the high cathedral high ground

 

With so many committed to combat, advancing, or simply staying out of sight, there was little shooting, and no wounds caused.

 

In the fights, rangers and neophytes showed that they're far from combat specialists - between the seven fighters, only the arc rifle landed a telling hit, taking Pavel out of action with the electromancer canticle.   

 

 

Turn four - Ad Mech initiative

 

The arquebus moved again, taking up a position to cover the cathedral in the final turn. The victorious arc rifle and two other rangers took cover behind the nearby barrels, hoping to gun down the cult resistance (and draw the flamer's fire away from the objective). On top of the cathedral, the ranger advanced onto the objective, and the caliver advanced up to join him. 

The cult remained in combat, and Mikhail and Yegor readied again, now with targets in sight - if it were to come down to a shoot out, at least they'd go first. In the cathedral, Nicolai, Yakov and Dimitri moved to the foot of the pillars, out of sight of the Ad Mech, ready to move up next turn.

 

In the shooting phase, Sergei fired his shotgun at point blank range, but failed to hit. Below him, the seismic cannon and flamer opened up on the arc rifle - more bullets didn't help, but a command reroll gave Mikhail enough wounding hits to take the arc rifle out of action.

 

In combat, it seemed that Sergei's fumbling with the shotgun had left him exposed, as the ranger cut him down and took him out of action. The ranger holding the wall put a flesh wound on Timur, but took no damage in return.

 

With a turn to go, the rangers held the cathedral objective. The cultists were close to the factory objective (having moved away to improve lines of sight). Things were close.

 

 

Turn five - Ad Mech initiative

 

in an attempt to tie up the cultists, the rangers around the factory tried to launch charges, but failed, leaving them stranded. On top of the cathedral, the pair holding the objective readied themselves for a final cultist assault.

In the street, Timur pulled out of combat, falling back to the unguarded factory objective and taking it for the Brotherhood. Mikhail advanced to the first floor of the cathedral, flamer ready; on the other side, three cultists swarmed up the pillars, two advancing to contest the objective; Dimitri moved normally, allowing him a potential (though unlikely) final shot if necessary.

 

Timur makes a last-minute dash for the factory objective

Mikhail ready to pull the trigger

 

With Mikhail in clear view of the readied arquebus, he went for a decisive shot. The arquebus responded with the same stratagem, but Mikhail's inhuman reflexes were sharper than the Ad Mech cogitators, and he fired first - flames bathed the objective, flesh wounding one ranger and taking the caliver out of action. The wounded ranger was unable to take out either of the cultists bearing down on him, and with that, the battle was over. The rangers fell back, abandoning the factory, and leaving the cult to root through the spoils.

 

Conclusion 

 

That felt a lot more how I thought kill team would be. The extra scenery (two factory pieces in the centre of the board, and lot of barrels in stacks around it), made for a far more claustrophobic battle field, with narrow alleys, towering walls, and plenty of cover. Maneuvering was suddenly a lot more important, as I could finally hide from the Ad Mech guns, and taking up firing positions was a risk for both sides.

 

On the other hand, neophytes are just so frustrating. I know they're the entry-level troops for the cult, and I know they're outclassed by the rangers across the board, and I know I'm playing with 75% of an army in these reports; but even so, they're frustrating. My leader spent the battle swinging and missing; I took out three rangers all game, and it took 9 command points and two of my specialists to do it. Too long as a marine player, I guess. I miss doing stuff on a 3+. Genestealers are coming, but with the Ad Mech losing this one, it won't be just yet.

 

The Ad Mech showed good mobility, and the canticles were generally useful each turn, but I feel that I just about managed to out-outmaneuver them at key moments; battle experience counted here, and having cultists to play with in later turns does make a difference (as long as you don't expect them to kill too much). Playing with the five turn limit in mind helped a lot here too - I was happy to just hug cover early on, knowing that I could afford to wait for the rangers to close up before leaping out at them. On a small board, I can get to where I need to be quickly, so don't need to get there early. Lessons learnt. Let's see if we can remember them for next time.

[Orpheus108]

Again @Rogue, a great report. I was drumming for a GSC win but oh well. I love playing the GSC, so much fun and industrial love. I do like it that you have got your wife into KT, and hasn't become a WH40K widow .

 

I've got a few games coming up this week, I'll write up a report on a few games and report here soon

 

Cheers

[Rogue]

Thanks Orpheus. It was a cult win, though. Wasn't that clear? Low body count on both sides, but I claimed the objective in the factory in turn five, and did enough to deny the Ad Mech the objective in the cathedral right at the end (crowding them out with two cultists to a single ranger after setting fire to the plasma caliver).

 

And yes, it's amazing to have my wife involved. We painted up the teams together through the month, which is a great way to spend a few evenings together, and then celebrated their completion with the three games in a week. Joint hobby time, whether it's 40k, Jane Austen films, the MCU, Dartmoor or whatever, is a fantastic thing, and I totally recommend it. 

 

I look forward to your reports.

[Neophyte for your Ryghts]

I have a campaign at a local store and thought I'd share my experiences. Fitting the quicker nature of the games, I've aimed for more 'battle-digests' than full blown battle reports. Any feedback on clarity vs. brevity would be much appreciated. Here are my first 2 games.

 

Kill Team Battle Report 1

Drukhari (me) v Harlequins

 

My first ever game! And only my third of anything Games Workshop!

 

The mission was defending objectives and I was the defender.

 

The Harlies set up out of LoS across the middle/rear of their deployment. I split my forces into melee (3 Wychs) with my leader on one side and, on the other, a sniper with blaster and some kabalite8 support.

 

Turn 1. I have initiative and move into favourable shooting positions, ready, etc.. He charges ... Out of LoS ... Through buildings ... And no overwatch ... All m'dudes are tied up in cc or can't fire into it. I take a lot of damage.

 

Turns 2 & 3: see turn 1.

 

This is the end of the first battle report. I did not win, nor do I put a single wound on my opponent's models.

 

................

Bonus content: I visit the store and watch a much more experienced player lose a lot more quickly than I did to the Harlequins, barely able to even make an attack roll all game, let alone wound. In his defense there was absolutely nothing he could have done, except run a totally different list and deploy in a very specific way. At least I know it's not just me!

................

 

Kill Team Battle Report 2

Drukhari (me) v AdMech

 

Assassinate, I'm the defender. The map is dominated by a central, multi-storey Mechanicus building. He deploys his Transorgasmic Hyperblaster to one side with an omnispecs in support. On the opposite side, he deploys some rangers and vanguard with arc, plasma and standard weapons. His leader (infiltrator priceps) and a rust stalker deploy on his side of the central building with a couple of support units.

 

I deploy everything out of LoS of his Transmassaging Blunderfelch, match his leader with wychs followed by a blaster and splinter cannon on the first floor (or second, for my American readers). My leader cowers in the rear behind some barrels, with a row of kabalites out front behind a pipe.

 

Scouting

I checked for traps, and found none. He advanced 20%, choosing his rust stalker and Transiberian hooverwhatsit.

 

Turn 1. The Transmogrifier Rex still can't see anything, decides to ready. The rust stalker, who advanced with a roll of 6 during scouting, makes a huge charge right into my leader from outside LoS. His chaps opposite my kabalite line ready, and his leader and co. do so too. My wychs and specialists edge closer to the enemy but do little else, staying out of LoS. My kabalite line either counter-charge the stalker or ready for a gun fight.

 

Shooting is totally ineffective from all parties.

 

In the fight phase, the stalker fails to wound the leader, but is undamaged in return.

 

Turn 2

AdMech have the  initiative again. TransparentlyOP Sniperguts readies. His leader and co. on the gantry move away, slightly, cautiously. The folks opposite the kabalite line ready again. My leader falls back, cowardly, behind a plasma generator of some kind even further from the enemy. My wychs decide to charge the leader, making their charges. The special and heavy weapons and co. move up, but do nothing else.

 

A few shots are fired, and a couple chump troops drop.

 

In the fight phase the stalker, now unable to assassinate my leader, puts a flesh wound on a wych, and is unharmed in return. My wychs on the central building take out his leader (should've been attacker!) and clear the building, but are left exposed.

 

Turn 3

Drukhari gain the initiative! Blaster sniper and splinter cannon move to the gantry edge ready to pour fire onto the folks opposite the kabalite line. Wychs fail to make their charges against them, even with rerolls (one was a 12" from up high), but move anyway to put on some pressure. The AdMech copies my moves and 'Falls Back' his ruststalker ... Right next to my leader! And the rangers and vanguard who are about to get pummeled from above by my specialists on the gantry ... walk underneath it and out of LoS :(

 

Finally, the Transerotic Ghetto Blaster gets a shot on an exposed Wych, deleting her with ease. A few shots are fired, but nothing conclusive.

 

Turn 4

My opponent rolls to see if we continue, and we do. AdMech take initiative, and it's looking good for him! His dudes are closing on my leader whilst most of mine are on a high gantry or else exposed to sniper fire. Then the stalker charges my leader! ... Who rolls an overwatch of 6! So in fact he charges straight into a blast pistol at point blank range which promptly deletes him in a blastery, surprising way. Things are not looking less good for the AdMech at this point. He moves everything up into the open to get as close to my leader as possible, but as a result I have plenty of clear shots from the gantry. I ready my splinter cannon and move everyone else into position.

 

Shooting. I fire 6 splinter cannon shots into the only unit that can see my leader. 3 hit, and a tactical reroll turns that into 5 (I'll regret that reroll later). 4 wound ... But result in just a flesh wound. This flippin' rando ranger then takes a pot shot at my leader, whose head is just sticking out. He rolls his rapid fire 1 weapon... 1 attack hits... 1 damage... Saves fail... Power from Pain fails ... He rolls an injury roll of six ... And, cos I was unable to even reroll my saves, it's game over!

 

.............

 

While a loss, it was an incredibly fun game. His deployment of the Trans[name generator failure] meant it went from killing a unit every turn in his previous game to only removing 1 Wych, which helped me a lot. The game felt like our tactical decisions were decisive, but it all came down to a roll of the dice.

 

In the post match phase, both our leaders rolled 10s for the excellent 2nd level tactic 'fire on my target' to allow a cheeky double shot which suits our teams quite well.

 

Looking forward to next time!

[Rogue]

Nice write up - thanks for adding it.

 

The arquebus is an interesting weapon to face. On paper, it feels like it should be dropping people every turn. In practice, the inability to move and fire means that the other side will always have at least one chance to move out of the way (and sometimes two), really limiting what it can achieve.

 

I think kill team tactics include a lot of threat, as much as real damage - denying areas, threatening potential charges, that sort of thing. As you point out, you deployed everything out of line of sight of the arquebus - even before the game started, it’s had an effect and restricted your deployment.

[Neophyte for your Ryghts]

Nice write up - thanks for adding it.

 

... even before the game started, it’s had an effect and restricted your deployment.

Thanks - and absolutely. In that mission you have a 5" radius blob in which to deploy your leader. So with that and the denial, my deployment options were seriously squeezed. As there was no way I was heading towards that death ray with my leader, that contributed massively to the pinning down which eventually did it for him.

 

Nice observation, hadn't thought that way about it before, and neither had my opponent. It'll cheer him up no end!

[Orpheus108]

@Neophyte for your Ryghts, great write up, enjoyed reading that.

 

And @Rogue, your right the Transuranic Arquebus on paper does look like it should be dropping troops, hense one of my lists uses 2 of them set up on either side of the board I'm on if able to try and at least get one of them to get a solid hit in. I usually put them up high as I can and just leave them there.

 

Admech is a fun KT to play I have found.

[Rogue]

After a couple of weeks away from the games table, we managed to fit in another skirmish yesterday. The forces are the same as last time, (because I won the last one), meaning that once again I started with two bonus CPs due to the difference in force strength.

 

Pre-Game

 

My wife’s team consisted of 9 Rangers:

Alpha (arc pistol and power sword), arc rifle (sniper), plasma caliver (heavy), transuranic arquebus

5 Rangers with galvanic rifles (one with an enhanced data-tether, one with comms)

 

My team (the Red Brotherhood) was 10 neophyte hybrids:

Leader (bolt pistol and power pick), seismic cannon (heavy), mining laser, flamer (demolitions), grenade launcher

2 neophytes with auto guns, 3 with shotguns (one had the cult icon, and one was a zealot)

 

For this one, we revisited aerial strike, which we’d used as a test game between marines and scouts when we were trying out the rules. My wife won that one, with her marines overwhelming my scouts and destroying two of the three objectives. This time round, she’d be the defender, and my cultists would be attacking (although a subterranean strike seems more appropriate). Having pushed the Ad Mech out of their forward operating base last time, the Red Brotherhood now launch a follow-up raid as the rangers try to re-arm themselves.

 

The rangers dominated the high ground, with guns atop each of the four ruined buildings – one on each, and two on the cathedral. At ground level, the rest of the team tried to cover the blind spots and approaches, particularly around the cluster of three objective markers – should the cultists take control of the rooftops, the battlefield would belong to the Brotherhood.

 

Slowly, stealthily, the neophytes slunk into position, pressed up against walls, hugging the shadows. Ilia (leader), Vitaly (zealot, shotgun) and Nicolai (autogun) were in the top right quadrant, aiming to take out the arc rifle high above them. At the join between the lower two quadrants, Dimitri and Yegor (mining laser and seismic cannon heavy), Sergei (cult icon, shotgun), Yakov (autogun) and Mikhail (flamer, demolitions) prepared to go after the arquebus on objective three. And at the top of the lower left quadrant, Pavel (grenade launcher) and Timur (shotgun) had their eyes on the plasma caliver above their heads.

 

Initial deployment -  the third objective in underneath the arquebus at the bottom of the picture. There are rangers hidden beside the cathedral (near objective two), inside the cathedral, and a floor below the arquebus. 

 

Half of the Brotherhood, two floors below the arquebus and objective three.

 

Yegor covers Pavel and Timur as they approach the cathedral.

 

Ilia's team as they ready themselves to rush the arc rifle.

 

The view from the Ad Mech lines.

 

There’s no scout phase with this one, but Sergei used his cult ambush ability to move up one level (he had the movement to go another level, but that would have put him next to the arquebus, and I’d rather charge from around the corner to deny overwatch).

 

 

Turn one – Ad Mech initiative [ litanies of the electromancer ]

 

A mixed blessing – the rangers could respond to my deployment before I could jump them, but moving would cut down their options when it came to reacting to charges. They largely held their ground, although there was a lot of shuffling as they adjusted positions to gain better sightlines now they knew where the cultists were. In the middle of the field, the ranger who’d been guarding the inside of the cathedral moved out to a better position near the ammo crates; and beneath the arquebus, one ranger (the data-tether carrier) charged into Sergei (to prevent him from charging the arquebus in his turn).

The Red Brotherhood’s ambush had stuttered slightly, but now was their moment. In a stunning display of eptitude, seven of them made successful charges – Ilia’s team all reached the arc rifle, Yakov reinforced Sergei, and at the base of the cathedral, Pavel and Timur were joined by Mikhail as all three piled into the ranger there. With every charge coming from out of sight, or into someone already engaged, there was no overwatch, and the rangers chose to stand firm rather than concede ground. Both heavy weapons readied themselves.

 

The cultists close in on the rangers' positions and launch their assault.

 

With so many tied up in close combat, the shooting phase was brief. Dimitri’s mining laser missed, as did one of the rangers who could see him. The other ranger, armed with the plasma caliver, landed a flesh wound, but failed to take him out of action.

 

In combat, the Ad Mech canticle paid off – Ilia and Yakov felt the wrath of the electromancer, with mortal wounds taking them both out of action before they could strike. Ouch. Vitaly the zealot struck back, landing a flesh wound on the arc rifle, but the other five failed to land any damaging hits. The rangers matched their opponents blow for blow, landing one flesh wound of their own on Timur.  

 

By the end of turn one, things were already looking fragile – two out of action, including my leader, and two more wounded, with only one ranger wounded in return.  

 

Turn two - Ad Mech initiative [ invocation of machine might ]

 

The rangers had the initiative in every sense. With their lines holding firm, most of the unengaged rangers readied themselves, covering the cultists in case they chose to break out of combat. The ranger who’d moved out of the cathedral last turn now charged into combat with the injured Timur, leveling the odds slightly.

Both heavy weapons pulled back out of sight – if the cultists could win some combats and then advance, they’d want supporting fire. Until then, with so many rangers readied, sticking your head around the corner was likely to get it shot off. Everyone else remained in combat.

 

With all the cultists either fighting or hiding, there was no shooting from the rangers. The cultists made use of their autopistols (and one strategically deployed shotgun) but missed with everything.

 

The charging ranger had clearly put most of his effort into his war-cry, as he failed to hit Timur. His compatriot in that fight missed too, but the other rangers did much better, making full use of their temporary strength boost – the data-tether took Sergei out of action (leaving him free), and the arc rifle did the same to Vitaly (leaving only Nicolai in that fight).

 

The rangers show that they're not just about firepower, and cut their way through the Brotherhood.

 

Morale-wise, things looked grim – four out of action, and with two wounds still on the table; the Red Brotherhood could have been broken. Fortunately, their nerve held, and with both wounded cultists near at least one of their brothers, neither became shaken.

 

Turn three - GSC initiative [ litanies of the electromancer ]

 

More out of desperation than hope, Dimitri and Yegor shouldered their heavy weapons and charged up into the ranger who’d already dispatched Yakov and Sergei. Everyone else stayed in combat.

The rangers held position too, content to watch the fights and ready to pick off any victorious cultists.

 

A final throw of the dice for the cultists, but defeat is looming.

 

Once again, pistols, shotguns and even acidic spittle were thrown at the rangers, but no wounds were caused.

 

In combat, the electromancer struck again - Dimitri was mortally wounded and taken out of action. Everyone else (on both sides) waved rifle butts and clenched fists but failed to add to the damage.

 

Finally, at the end of turn three, morale caught up with the neophytes. With five men down, and two wounded, the team failed their break test (even with a reroll), and once the first shaken test was failed too, the rest (bar one) followed suit. With four of the five remaining cultists now unable to do anything, the Red Brotherhood conceded the fight to the Ad Mech.

 

The rangers had successfully defended all three objectives, and had taken out two specialists. The cult had failed to kill anyone, let alone any specialists, and had been unable to even reach the objectives, resulting in an 8-0 victory to the imperial forces.

 

Conclusion 

 

That did not go well. At all. Well, a good set of charges in turn one, but it was all downhill from there. Grumble first – neophytes really are awful. Previous games have shown that they can’t go up against the rangers in a gun fight, and this one reminded me that they’re completely outclassed in close combat too. Even when cultists outnumbered the rangers three to one (which means a points-value advantage to me), the combination of low-volume, low-strength attacks and the rangers’ 4+ save meant that nothing was getting through. Add in the close combat buffs that come from the canticles (I lost three cultists to 6+ electromancer rolls, and the other two to hits powered by machine might), and it feels like there’s no way to inflict reliable (or even unreliable) damage on the other side. With some missions I can get away with that, but with something like this where I needed to shoot or assault the rangers off the targets, there was no way to do it.

 

That said, I think I made several tactical mistakes. Charging into the rangers once they’d opted for the electromancer thing was probably a bad idea. If I hadn’t, then I wouldn’t have lost two cultists before they could do anything; on the other hand, I had nowhere else to go to get out of the Ad Mech fire lanes.

 

In retrospect, I think I could have been less cautious about deploying in such a way that I could launch lots of charges around corners (to avoid overwatch). Given how that restricted my choices in turn one, I might have been better off deploying differently, risking the overwatch and making a more unified assault somewhere. That said, the attacker has a fairly random deployment in this one, and I was already managing 3-on-1 assaults, which I’d figured would carry the day.

 

Still, lessons have been learned, hopefully, and the Ad Mech victory means that I’ll be boosting my team up to full strength for the next game, which either means the arrival of two genestealers drafted from a nearby space hulk, or the emergence of the shadowy acolyte hybrids (assuming my order arrives next week, and depending on how fast I can paint them up). But for now, the Red Brotherhood will slink back into the underhive and lick their wounds. There’s always next time.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I love your ongoing descriptions of your table top battles with your wife - I look forward to your next one.

 

So, do you plan on doing anything to change your list to fix the neophyte issue (such as adding other types of models), or are you happy to continue playing with the neophytes despite their lackluster abilities?

[Rogue]

Definitely changing things. It's getting too frustrating not too.

 

The plan has always been to play with a weaker force for the the first few games, as my wife has no real game experience other than overhearing battle reports and sticking her head round the garage door when I play 40k against friends. But the gap has been coming down each time she wins a skirmish - the first time we reduced her force from 10 to 9 rangers (bringing them under 100 points), and this time we'll be expanding my force up to 100 to match them.

 

The simple solution is to add two genestealers - I already have some models from Space Hulk, and they'll do as stand-ins till I can get some newer ones painted up in the cult's colours. That's probably going to be what I do in the short term.

 

I'm also getting a box of acolyte hybrids, with the intention of adding some close-combat punch to the team that way too. The various heavy rock cutter/drill/saw weapons look nasty, and coupled with 3s to hit, strength 4 and multiple attacks, I'm hopeful that they'll have a much better chance of killing things.

 

Over time, I can see the neophyte hybrids being phased out (most of the time, at least), unless I need to hang on to a couple to make up points. 

[Rogue]

Something moves in the shadows. The living idol awakens. It’s time for a genestealer to join the battle. Yes, I’ve brought in reinforcements. Having lost the last one pretty comprehensively, I’ve added a single genestealer to my roster, taking the Red Brotherhood to 85 points, against the Ad Mech 98.

 

Pre-Game

 

My wife’s team consisted of 9 Rangers:

Alpha (arc pistol and power sword), arc rifle (sniper), plasma caliver (heavy), transuranic arquebus

5 Rangers with galvanic rifles (one with an enhanced data-tether, one with comms)

 

My team (the Red Brotherhood) was 10 neophyte hybrids and a genestealer:

Leader (bolt pistol and power pick), seismic cannon (heavy), mining laser, flamer (demolitions), grenade launcher

2 neophytes with auto guns, 3 with shotguns (one with a cult icon)

Genestealer with rending claws, toxin sacs and acid maw (combat)

 

This time out, we were playing the ‘lines of battle’ mission (the last open play mission we’d not tried). I score a point for every model that moves off the far table edge. The rangers score for every model taken out of action, or still on the table when the game ends. If at least six of my kill team make it out, it’s a victory.

 

The Ad Mech bio-scanners had picked up a new signal, potentially a purestrain genestealer. Desperate to contain the threat before it disappeared again, the Alpha ordered that the blast doors for this sector be locked down – the cultists had only the time it took for the massive servo-motors to grind into action to escape this sector into the labyrinth of the underhive.

 

My wife chose to be the defender and deployed first along one long table edge. The rangers split into two teams, with the Alpha, plasma caliver and two rifles on my left, and the arquebus, arc rifle, data tether and two more rifles on my right – most of this group took position on top of the cathedral, with one at ground level.

 

The rangers form a thin red line.

 

The Brotherhood, aware that the Ad Mech might have booby-trapped the approaches to the blast doors, deployed in three groups around the terrain. On the left were the mining laser, grenade launcher, flamer and an autogun; in the middle, Timur and Vitaly with their shotguns; and on the right, the leader, icon, seismic cannon, an autogun and the genestealer (known to the cultists as the Maw).

 

The Red Brotherhood prepare to run for their lives.

 

 

Caught out by the Alpha’s bold move with the blast doors, the cult were largely unable to utilize their ambush ability. But as they had chosen to take forward positions in the scout phase, the Maw led Ilia, Sergei and Yegor further forward on the right, hugging the edge of the board.  

 

The right flank surges forward.

 

Turn one – Ad Mech initiative [ benediction of the omnissiah ]

 

Confident in their positioning, most of the rangers prepared themselves to fire – the Alpha’s team, on my left, all readied; around the cathedral, three shuffled into better positions, whilst the arquebus readied.

The Red Brotherhood threw themselves forward. The Maw was unable to scale the cathedral walls to charge the arquebus (even with a rerollable charge), but ended up out of sight of any Ad Mech guns. All the neophytes advanced. Ilia (my leader), who had already made a scout move, rolled a 6 and was able to advance straight off the table (I pondered over this one for a while, as I’d lose his bonus CP, but he’s yet to do any real work for me with either bolt pistol or power pick, so I went for early points). Sergei and Yegor could have followed him but rolled low and instead moved forward into the narrow walkway alongside the cathedral. In the centre, everyone advanced into the shelter of the ruined sanctum imperialis. By the end of the move phase, all of the cultists were either out of sight or off the table altogether.

 

Most of the cult are out of sight under the central building (you can see their advance marker), or alongside the cathedral to the top right.

 

The usual suspects, planning their next move from the shelter of the ruined sanctum imperialis

 

That being the case, there was no shooting phase; with the Maw’s abortive charge, no combat phase; and with no damage done, no morale phase.

 

At this point, I was feeling fairly optimistic – no casualties, and everyone across the mid-line of the board. On the other hand, my larger group had a solid wall and then open ground to cross, and the Maw had missed its chance to make an early strike.

 

Turn two - Ad Mech initiative [ litany of the electromancer ]

 

Aware that the cultist had a clear run along the side of the cathedral, and with no targets for the moment, the ranger with the arquebus leapt from the cathedral into the neophytes below. Sergei retreated towards the table edge, but the ranger (designated Aramis) made the charge, ending up between Sergei and Yegor, and blocking the walkway. With the side channel blocked, the cultists would have to find another way through, and the rangers readied themselves, covering as much ground as they could.

Confident that Sergei could handle himself in combat (he had the cult icon, after all), Yegor attempted to advance up the cathedral wall, over Aramis and under the blast doors; but hampered by his seismic cannon, he rolled low, and had to settle for staying where he was. Behind him, Yakov, seeing his way forward blocked, moved towards the arch of the cathedral. The Maw scuttled up the cathedral wall, making a successful charge against the data-tether (designated d’Artagnan).

In the centre, Mikhail slung his flamer and led Vitaly and Timur up onto the sanctum balcony, where they leapt the balustrade and moved into the shelter of the cathedral too, on the other side of the arch. The other three stayed put behind the sanctum doors, as not even an advance move would get them back into cover.

 

Charges are made around the cathedral, as other cultists gather on either side of the archway.

 

Once again, the shooting phase was a bust – the rangers were able to dominate large areas of the board with their fire-arcs, but the cultists were finding enough places to shelter (even if that meant slower or sideways movement).

 

As the combat phase opened, the power of the electromancer failed the Ad Mech, and no mortal wounds were caused. On top of the cathedral, d’Artagnan made a desperate decisive strike against the genestealer, but failed to hit, and he was torn apart in return, the Maw taking him out of action and consolidating into the arc rifle (designated Athos), who couldn’t land a wound. Down below, Aramis and Sergei failed to damage each other.

 

 

The Maw consolidates into Athos, determined to take control of the cathedral roof.

 

Oddly, things felt more in the balance than last turn, despite racking up my first kill – the easy path on the right was blocked, and everything was funneling into the cathedral. If the Ad Mech could put down enough firepower into that area, things would get tricky.

 

Turn three - GSC initiative [ chant of the remorseless fist ]

 

Seizing the initiative (and aware that the blast doors could close at the end of the next turn), the cultists burst from cover. On the right, four neophytes came through the cathedral arch – all four fell short of advancing off the table, but with two shotguns and a flamer in the group, they could still do some damage. In the centre, the other three cultists who’d been concealed in the sanctum surged up the wall, over the balcony and into the open ground between the two groups of rangers. Back on the far right, Sergei fell back from combat with Aramis (arquebus), taking him off the table, and Yegor readied his seismic cannon, hoping to finish Aramis off that way. And on the cathedral roof, the Maw remained in combat with Athos (arc rifle).

The rangers reacted swiftly to the cultists’ push – the Alpha’s gunline on my left moved sideways, creating a wall of red robes between the neophytes and the table edge. The two rifle-armed rangers defending the cathedral joined them, but made sure that they had sight of the larger group too, hoping to bring some of them down with firepower before they could escape. Athos chose to stay in combat to hold up the genestealer, and Aramis readied his arquebus, confident that the seismic cannon wouldn’t do enough to stop him firing.

 

The Red Brotherhood throw caution to the winds, and dash for the blast doors.

 

The Ad Mech forces close the net...

 

... but the cultists hold the cathedral and close in on the escape route.

 

Unfortunately for Aramis, Yegor cranked up the cannon, and with the help of extra ammunition and a reroll, he landed enough hits to take the arquebus out of action. With no-one else readied, Mikhail fired his flamer, scoring six hits and playing the flames over three of the rangers. As a demolitions expert, he was wounding on twos, and after a few failed saves and high scoring out-of-action rolls, two more rangers had fallen. Suddenly the thin red line was looking stretched to breaking point.

After a moment of shocked silence, the rest of the guns opened up. In a brutal display of short-range firepower, Timur fell to a galvanic rifle shot, Vitaly took down a ranger with a point-blank shotgun blast, and the plasma caliver and Alpha combined to take Dimitri (mining laser) and Pavel (launcher) out of action too. In total, four rangers and three neophytes had fallen in a single phase.

 

The combat phase proved somewhat anticlimactic after that – the Maw cut down Athos with ease, and consolidated towards the surviving rangers.

 

The genestealer doing what genestealers do.

 

By this point, the Ad Mech team had been reduced to just three – the Alpha, plasma caliver and a rifleman. With so few, there was no way to stop enough of the remaining cultists escaping through the blast doors – the purestrain had evaded the trap.  

 

The rangers are pushed aside, and the cultists make good their escape.

 

Conclusion 

 

Where did that come from? At the end of turn two, we’d killed one model between us. By the end of turn three’s shooting phase, we’d killed another seven, with the genestealer adding one more for good measure. It was a bloodbath.

 

Most of the killing came down to lucky dice – between us, we only failed one out-of-action roll all game (Pavel took a flesh wound from the plasma caliver in turn three, only to be taken down by the Alpha’s arc pistol with the very next shot); Mikhail scored a six on his only shot, wounded with all six, and the rangers failed most of their saves. And I’m always impressed when my heavy weapons do something useful, even though Yegor can put out five shots at a time

 

Tactically, I think I played this one right – two turns of maneuvering for position, staying out of sight, keeping bodies in play, and then a mad dash for the line, forcing the Ad Mech to deal with everything at once. As I’ve concluded before – it’s a small board. You have time to get places. Taking away the rangers’ firepower, whilst keeping them spread wide to cover the different avenues you might take, meant that the first two turns were largely wasted for them, and meant that I had a lot of resources to play with in the endgame.

 

Plus, I had a genestealer. My wife has played Space Hulk before, so she has a healthy respect for what a genestealer can do when it gets close enough; and barring the failed charges in turn one, this one delivered nicely, taking out a ranger a turn and just as importantly, putting a real threat bubble around my advance party on the right. Suddenly the rangers had a real dilemma – they had to close in to get line-of-sight, but if they did, they were getting way too close to a lot of claws and teeth and attacks.

 

The neophytes played their part, with the two specialists taking down three rangers between them (Mikhail’s ability to hit automatically and wound on twos is a powerful combination), but mostly the cultists did well because the mission didn’t require them to kill things – only four of my guys fired all game, and each of them only once. Only the genestealer fought in combat. Everyone else kept their heads down, hugged cover and did their best to stay alive. I won’t get away with that in every mission, but it’s nice when it happens. (In fact, we’re thinking about playing this one the other way round – the rangers don’t really like advancing, and my lot don’t like having to kill stuff, so it’ll be interesting seeing who comes out on top.)

 

But for now, then, the Red Brotherhood have protected their four-armed brother, escaped the clutches of the Ad Mech, and shown that they really can kill things when it comes to it. Next up, a different opponent and a different kill team, as the cult take on the might of the Adeptus Astartes…