Warhawk Battle Reports: 9e @battlepics

[Dracos]

Player 1: Warhawks

Player 2: Aeldari

Mission: Fuel the Fires

Power level: 75PL

Outcome: Astartes victory

 

Just a few short years ago Korvin had been Lt. Kestrel. Working under the guidance of Librarian Shaevac, he had managed the Strike Forces tactical units while the Librarian fought a Shadow War with the invading Tyranid Hive Tyrants. Today was leading a new crusade in War Zone Nachmund, as Captain Kestrel, leader of Strike Force X. The Infiltrators had scouted out the approaching Aeldari. They had assured him the xenos had no scouts in the area. First blood would go to the Warhawks. The Captain was a Master of Ambush and walked his Bladeguard, Kol's Blades through the Shadows. By the time they were done they, had eliminated four times their numbers, putting the Aeldari in such disarray that the Inceptors were able to greviously would their Farseer. While the Warhawks secured the field, the xenos were able to withdraw to fight another day.

 

 

 

Master of Ambushing and Infiltrating a 6 man unit of Bladeguard will ruin anyones day just about when they get to go first. His heavy hitters (Warwalker, Wraithlord, and Dire Avengers) were left looking at a 5 man unit of Intercessors held up in a bunker, after the Bladeguard shifted to charge two units of Guardians and take down a Warlock while they were at it.  

[Dracos]

Player 1: Warhawks (Raven Guard Successors)

Player 2: Retributors (Imperial Fist Successors)

Mission: Fuel the Fires

Power level: 75PL

Outcome: Astartes victory

 

Both having recently successfully engaged the Aeldari on planet, The Captains of the Warhawks and Retributors agreed to meet in a wargame to test the sharpness of each other blades. Just as iron sharpens iron, friends sharpen the minds of each other. Chaplain Kol told Captain Kestrel it would be good preparation for when the Retributors faced off against the Alpha Legion or Night Lords. As the two strike forces came together the Retributors gained the initiative and turned the tables on the Warhawks practice of headhunting. Chaplain Kol lost his Outrider bike early in the conflict and Captain Kestrel was lucky to elude the Vindicare Assassin's scope in his Gravis armor, after having defeated a small unit of the Retributors' Vanguard Veterans. The Warhawks training stood them well, even without their leaders. The Bladeguard walked the Shadows to reinforce the Infiltrators, putting the Blade to two different Intercessor units before turning to eliminate the Retributor Eliminators. The wargame came to a close as both strike forces Bladeguard were facing off and the Warhawk Inceptors dove down to surgically unleash hot plasma upon the Retributors Captain and remaining Bladeguard.

 

This was an old foe who I've played a lot over the past year or so. Because he was aware of out deployment pregame shenanigans he tried to threaten 4 of the 6 objectives. This left him so spread out he was unable to take advantage of going first. He had the weight of his force (Suppressors, Eradicators, Infiltrators, and Intercessors) to my right. I had deployed a unit of Intercessors and Bladeguard in a ruin to hold an Objective in case he made a rush toward my deployment zone - which I think he should have done. Instead he tried to fire through the forest that was between our deployment zones and never threatened my Objective. Meanwhile the other Bladeguard unit rolled up my left flank while my other units held down Objectives. My Gravis Captain successfully took out a Vanguard unit that charged him and my (dead) Eliminators. This game again was called after T2 when the Plasma Inceptors arrived and finished off the Bladeguard and almost his Gravis Captain ... thank the Emperor for False Flight. 

[Dracos]

Things are moving pretty fast this last week. I’ve recently had a 50 PL game against Orks I’ll write up in a bit but let’s just say 50PL is too much stuff on too little a board to give the Orks much of a chance to maneuver.

 

I am in a local RTT with an interesting format my first game is tomorrow. Everything is like a normal RTT but you are matched up against one opponent per week. Half the field is Tau, Custodes, or Eldar. I drew a Tau player week 1 wish me luck.

[War of the Eagle]

I definatly think Incursion size games could have their own table size. Most 24" guns can just hang out in your deployment and hit everything.

 

Also good Luck.

[Dracos]

Player 1: Adeptus Astartes (Warhawks)

Player 2: Orks (Red Skulls)

Mission: Eternal Desecration

Power level: 50PL

Outcome: Astartes victory

 

Without a Warmaster to unify the Imperial forces in the system, Inquisitor Dracos and the Warhawks have taken it upon themselves to provide reconnaissance and intel-gathering. The secondary goal goal to cripple the xenos forces leadership when and where ever possible. The current target was the Warboss of an ork band belonging the the Red Skulls. Captain Kestrel had faced these orks before and warned Kol they were to the greenskins as the Raven Guard were to the Astartes. Whispercutters silently delivered the Strike Force across the desert sands in the dark of morning. The Phobos units had already scouted the small village that had once served as an Imperial research post. Guiding the Bladeguard into position to strike hard against the main body of the Red Skulls, the rest of the Warhawks struck down the flanks, drawing the Warboss into hand to hand combat with Kol's Blades. Too late a large unit of Ork Kommandos arrived the threaten the flank of the Bladeguards, but it was too late. The Warboss had fallen, and though his troops were able to pull the Beast back to his Trukk, this battle was over. The Warhawks completely controlled the battlefield.

[Dracos]

I’ll post a couple pics of this game when I get home. They won’t download off my phone. So one win in the 4 game, 1 game a week tournament. Looks like I might fight a Belakor list next.

 

Player 1: RG: Successors (Warhawks)

Player 2: Tau (Mon’tkau)?

Mission: Data Scry Salvage

Outcome: Win 41 - 24

 

I won the Go First roll so I knew I had a fighting chance. There was some confusion determining how his free pregame move interacted with Master of Ambush, Lord of Deceit and our Infiltrator stratagem. Personally I’m still not sure we did it right but the wording is definitely different than what our stuff.

 

MoA Intercessors shot a group off Kroot the board and took out a unit of Pathfinders T2. I was able to shove the Bladeguard across the board for a first turn charge on his Kroot. Failed my other Bladeguard charge into Crisis Suits however.

 

He in turn took a unit of Transhumaned Bladeguard down to two models who I used insane bravery on. Doing so left my other Bladeguard unit to only take a couple wounds off a guy … and now they were in charge range of the Ethereal, and a Coldstar Commander.

 

T2 my Eradicators and Plasma Inceptors Striked from the Shadows and promptly killed not much of anything due to Tau shenanigans and oooe dice rolls. Outrider Chaplain charged a unit of injured Crisis Suits. The two Bladeguard units charged 3 characters and strangely I made three 9” charges to contest Objectives with the Eradicators and Inceptors.

 

The melees continued until my T3 when the characters finally died. This frees the Bladeguard to start chopping on Broadsides and hold up the Riptide for a while.

 

This was a real low scoring (both sub 40s) game. I still need more discipline spending my CP. I too often “waste” them on Transhuman and Rerolls that aren’t pivotal enough to justify such a limited resource. We spent most the game denying each other’s Objectives and trying to collect Secondaries for the win. Being able to outscore him with Engage on All Fronts and Oath of the Moments won the game for me.

Edited April 8, 2022 by Dracos

[Dracos]

Second week of the month long 4 round 1 game a week RTT. After a grinder with Tau I was matched up against the Deathguard this time.

 

Player 1: RG: Successors (Warhawks)

Player 2: Deathguard

Mission: The Scouring

Outcome: Win 82 - 49

 

My opponent was a great guy and better versed in much of the game than I am. I had to pull off some different tricks and pay close attention to my Secondaries to have a chance at this game. The three Characters, three Crawlers, two Drones, three Terminator squads and a couple bigger Plague Marine units.

 

We used a standard GW tournament set up and settled on saying each of the ruins totally blocked line of sight on the ground floors. This really messed up any shooting lanes I had, so I decided to do something I rarely do. I won “Go First” redeployed both Infiltrators to the middle objective running 6 of my Bladeguard right behind them as a counter attack if needed.

 

The big gamble was MoA 5 of my Eradicators 9 inches from his deployment zone then advancing them into the the he was occupying. I had a choice between a unit of terminators, a unit of Plague Marines or a Drone. As much as I wanted those Terminators dead I choose the Drone because it’s speed could possibly threaten my backfield if I let it get by me. Sacrificing Eradicators for a Drinenas my opening gambit would t be something I’d usually think as a fair trade but in this game I figured I would have time to set up something else for the Terminators. Having the middle objective covered my 6 Plasma Inceptors and 12 Bladeguard meant he was going to have issues on the Primaries.

 

The Drone died properly but I had left my Phobos Captain to close in support and the Blightlords slingshot through him right into the Plasma Inceptors. Thank goodness for False Flight strat. As it turns out 9 Bladeguard (I had combat squad the second unit) are t quite enough to kill 3 Blightlords. Twice I charged separate Blightlord units in the game and twice they walked away with a single wound so Inhad to chase them down … ringing me within range of his Deathshrouds.

 

By the start of Turn 4 he had his Crawlers, Deathshrouds and couple units of Plague Marines left to face my Lasfusil Eliminators, combat squad 2 x5 Intercessors, Infiltrators and 2 depleted Bladeguard units. I’d max My Primaries and 2/3 my Secondaries. He just didn’t have enough units left to Kill what he need to of my ObSec and make a comeback.

 

This came taught me a lot. I’ll be looking okay pick up games with this gentleman in the future. I am extremely happy with my 2 six man Bladeguard units. I’ve been combat squad one to help cover Objectives and using the other for MoA usually. They do the work as fast as double fight Assault Intercessors but they sure last longer to keep fighting. The Phobos Captain was a mistake. I apparently have a weak spot for Lord of Deceit. Next time I get a chance to alter my list for a RTT I hape to pry points enough to swap out for the shooty gravis Captain or more likely a second Primaris Chaplain.

Edited April 8, 2022 by Dracos