Best strategy for "The Relic" mission?

[Wassa]

I have an upcoming 1750pt game against Death Guard where the mission is "The Relic".

 

As we don't tend to like getting in close, this isn't a great mission for us!

 

Is there a generic strategy I should be following?

 

I'm thinking I should get a lot of Bullgryns to get in there, grab and carry it backwards as anthing other would just be killed too easily.

Maybe use infantry as general chaff units to try and tie up enemy infantry?

Potentially some scions to drop behind and stall the enemy if they get it first?

[WarriorFish]

You can close in fine, it's just a bit harder. Usually this means waiting a little bit before making your move. In essence, using the Relic as bait ;) If your opponent wants to grab it first that's fine so long as you have all your guns waiting to give them a suitable welcome :lol: A good tactic is to go big on securing the area around it, such that your opponent will have a hard time reaching it in one piece.

 

The important thing is to be flexible, so if there's a chance to steal it quick go for it. Bullgryns will be a great caddy for it, as will Scions form a useful retrieval force should the enemy start to smuggle it away. Personally I'd go with a mix of the above; plenty of infantry can make it hard for your opponent to reach it safely letting your specialist units do their job :) It might even be worth landing some Scions in to grab it first, with the intent of juggling it back through your lines should they drop it?

[The Unseen]

The best strategy is to not play the absolute worst mission in 40k. Play the ITC missions instead.
Cause seriously, the relic is just, the worst.

[Shamansky]

The best strategy is to not play the absolute worst mission in 40k. Play the ITC missions instead.

Cause seriously, the relic is just, the worst.

Sometimes war doesn't let you choose comfortable and good things. You just gotta do the task you're given with troops you have.

[Wassa]

We don't have a choice, it's a randomly selected game each week.

 

 

Move Move Move could actually be quite handy here.

Are you allowed to move it with one squad to another, drop it, then have the second squad move it all in one phase?

[Shamansky]

That's not possible, i think. The rule states: the Relic remains with the model (move the Relic with the model to show this) until it is dropped, which only happens if the model is slain or flees.

[FallenSoldiers]

There’s also a movement restriction isn’t there? Don’t forget though. You choose which model is carrying the relic AND you choose who gets killed. So if you want to drop it, just choose that model to die first.

 

Consolidate squads will be helpful too, a 10 man guard squad is easy to remove, but once you start blobbing them up it become harder.

 

I’d give it to the bullgryns, give them some psychic support to get a 3++, and wrap them with a healthy smattering of infantry!

[Wassa]

Yeah you can't drop it voluntarily unfortunately .

 

The rules say that the model with the relic cannot embark, leave the battlefield, or more move than 9" per phase, which does open it up for some "Move Move Move" shenanigans. 

 

 

Though I like the idea of holding it with an Ogryn Bodyguard (with character keyword so can't be shot easily) surrounded by circles of guardsmen to peel off and act as fodder .

[Shamansky]

That's kind of very first turn-dependant strategy. and now with new rules of reinforcements it's impossible to drop on first turn. So i'd basically concentrated on means of recapturing the relic. Powerful long range fire support and mobile troops

[our_baz]

@wassa used that tactic too. Move move move, to grab then peel off T1 back towards lines and bodies. Should be noted that in this game we had front line assault deployment so could get 9' of the relic. Also helped that I got T1 too.

[TheUbikator]

Well, the enemy can't grab the relic if he's dead now, is he? :D 

 

There are 2 general strategies I can see:

 

1. You use the relic as a lure, make the enemy go out in the open, and shoot him to bits.

 

2. Rush the relic and just choke your opponent forces with bodies.

 

In the 1 variant, I would use artillery (basilisks wyvern) tanks and heavy weapons squads, with couple infantry squads to move in when the enemy is sufficiently reduced.

 

In the 2nd scenario? Valkyries with bullgryns inside, bullgryns in transports, hellhounds and loads of infantry.

[Wassa]

Ah I think we're on Dawn Of War so probably won't reach it first turn.

 

Edit: oh transports! plan!

[TheUbikator]

Ah I think we're on Dawn Of War so probably won't reach it first turn.

 

Edit: oh transports! plan!

 

If you have valkyries you can snatch it T1 - disembark during movement, and Move move move back during the shooting phase

[duz_]

Depends if you're using the FAQ's or not?
Beginning of 8th the easy way was drop character on top of it, drop not characters between relic and enemy so Character on relic can run away without being shot... :ermm:

Post FAQ world, bullgryns in Valk drop in T1 and stroll away with it :D 

Admittedly the Relic is definitely one of those missions that was never the greatest to play and in 8th didn't translate well at all... 

[Wassa]

What was the FAQ change?

 

Yeah i had thought of a valkyrie dropping a lieutenant and 3 bullgryns on it. The lieutenant then moving and advancing back, then ordering himself to move move move back. The bullgryns were there just as a hurdle. The rest of my forces could just barricade him in.

[duz_]

That would do it

 

The FAQ about DS turn 1

 

Cinematically what would be awesome is 2-3 Leman Russes charging forward to form a steel wall while troops drop down from a valk and retreat backwards :D :yes:

[The Unseen]

 

 

The best strategy is to not play the absolute worst mission in 40k. Play the ITC missions instead.

Cause seriously, the relic is just, the worst.

Sometimes war doesn't let you choose comfortable and good things. You just gotta do the task you're given with troops you have.

Umm

But this is a game, that takes a vastly complicated idea and simplifies it to the point of 2 roughly equal forces smashing into each other.

And since it's a game, we would theoreically like it to be "fun".

The relic is neither fun nor even close to balanced, and is by far the most polarized mission in the brb, and a lot of matches are decided at list creation.

Like that turn 1 drop a unit of ogryns out of a valk on the relic idea stated above, and then run away with it.

 

A whole bunch of armies literally just lose the mission if you do that, especially if you enforce timed games.

Mission may as well just read "whoever touches the center of the table first, wins" most of the time.

 

There's a reason most tournaments that even try to make more balanced scenarios heavily modify or just throw out the relic mission entirely.

[Shamansky]

Well, i still don't see the reason not to play this mission. If you can't win this mission, it just means that you and/or your army was not prepared good enough to win. Maybe that's my experience of tournament only play in the last couple of years, but i'm used to injustice, 'unballanced' and 'no fun' games. And all the games i won or lost tought me something. And that is my fun. Crash tests are performed to know something new and those tests are made against a concrete wall.