Ascension Day Game Reporting! New Codex Experiences

[Dr. Clock]

for @brother_b,

 

The Pickman clan fails! 76-70 loss; Scorched earth, stalwarts, search and destroy.

 

List (2100 points narrative): Broodsurge

 

Iconward

3x Biophagus

1x patriarch (implant attack or whatever)

 

3x10 Neos (1 in truck)

1x10 mining weapon acolytes

1x5 Acolytes flamers

 

1x5 Aberrants (Bio with -1OC enhancement)

2x1 Ridgerunner / mining lasers

2x5 Jackals

2x Rockgrinder

1x10 metamorphs / flamers

2x10 Purestrain

1x5 Purestrain

 

Deployment:

 

 

At bottom left you'll see I couldn't find some of my jackals last minute but luckily I have a tremendous number of other cavalry ; )

Front grinder has aberrants, hiding one has acolytes. Everything else in deepstrike.

 

Enemy list - Pactbound Zealots - lotsa sustained 5s this game lol:

 

Lord + 10 Chosen (Rhino)

MoP + 5 Possessed

Lord + 5 Terminators

Daemon Prince

4x5 Legionaries (2 Rhinos)

2x5 havocs - 4HB / 4LAS

Forgefiend

 

Deployment:

 

 

Opponent goes first. Lascannons top Aberrants' ride and they cop forgefiend fire but it kills way less than expected so that they can run up and give the possessed a kicking. They almost bounce, but enemy flubs 3 saves on my Biophagus/Magus once per game dmg 3 swings : )

 

 

On left, I run up and move block a little with these lads, and they do 4 damage on the Rhino, but legionaries pile out and kills them.

 

 

Right flank very similar but to lesser effect lol:

 

 

On his turn 2 he uses fall back and charge strat on possessed, but I spike a crazy demolition overwatch and nuke them dead:

 

 

My only DS charge that connects in turn 2 is Patriarch on centre after a re-roll... Just a flurry of 6s. I'm able to wipe the Chosen for cull the horde which felt awesome. Dmg 3 Patriarch slaps.

 

 

Turn 2 he uses strat to fall back and charge surviving pair of possessed.

 

I don't get pictures of my other turn 2 drops, but it's 1x5 Genestealers to right side who immediately die turn 3 but go into ambush. I basically concede that side at that point because his Daemon Prince comes in turn 2 for sabotage, and I fail a charge of 10 stealers into him. 

 

Turn 3, and his terminators drop centre and make it in:

 

 

He smokes the Acolytes but stealers and Patriarch kill a couple, then metamorphs who also dropped centre make it in on my turn 3... after the dust settles that looks like this:

 

 

In turn 3 the daemon prince hung around another turn establishing locus which meant I got the charge, but didn't have CP to get +1 to wound so all told between ridgerunner, 2x neophyte squads and the stealers I take 6 wounds off him and he kills half the squad:

 

 

I didn't get a picture of the fight on the left, where 10 acolytes and biophagus just barely grind out 10 legionaries just in time for the reinforcement neophytes to arrive (top of my turn 5 looks like this after last 2 acolytes killed by havocs and moments before forgefiend explodes truck.):

 

 

In his turn 5 he shoots lascannons at my metas and they surge 5 forward, leaving the neos who advanced up behind them turn 4 holding there and burning the objective. This movement lets them assault his home ojective turn 5:

 

 

But it doesn't matter. It all comes down to being down 5 on primary in turn 3, and a 1pt difference on secondaries. I did kill more of his stuff than he of mine, and I did roll below average on go turn charges... if one or two of those had been different it could have gone elsewise.

 

The dex feels good, despite the loss... We do in fact hit in melee now if we want! Just... roll 8s!

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Zoatibix]

Thank you for writing this up.  I adore the mix of old school Genestealers.

 

I hadn't even thought about Overwatching a unit as it Fallsback - that's both hilarious and satisfying.

 

It's good to see GSC able to trade blows with CSM - in my last few battles against them (with Nids and Drukhari) it's really felt like an uphill struggle.

 

With the H Flamer (Flamolytes? Demolytes?) I'm guessing you max out the Demo Charges for each squad?

 

Are there any things you'd change about the list after the first play, or do you want to try a few more runs before that?

 

How do you feel about the changes to Cult Ambush?  On paper, I think it's about where it should be, as I felt the previous incarnation was too reliable.

 

 

[brother_b]

Wow great battle report, thank you. So much to unpack here. Looks like you were really able to stay with him that was a tough fight all around..

 

How did you like triple biophagus? Any thought about taking an abominant instead on the aberrants?

 

How long did his Highness the patriarch last?

 

It feels like the demon prince shrugged a lot of wounds but it probably would have gone way different had you made the 10 Genestealer charge.

 

Really great job thank you! I can’t wait to get my guys on the table. Hopefully next weekend. I’ll tell you how the ascension detachment goes!

[Dr. Clock]

Thanks both!

 

21 hours ago, Zoatibix said:

hilarious and satisfying.

It really was.

 

21 hours ago, Zoatibix said:

felt like an uphill struggle.

Agreed - melee felt pretty anemic, but it does not any more!

 

21 hours ago, Zoatibix said:

max out the Demo Charges for each squad?

Ohhhhhh yes. They're not quite as amazing as they were in index, but it's still the big reason to take them.

 

21 hours ago, Zoatibix said:

Are there any things you'd change about the list after the first play, or do you want to try a few more runs before that?

Everything pretty much did its job! Obviously one more proper aggro beatstick would be great, but I'm a combined arms kinda guy and loathe to give up my little goliath convoy and jackals. New list below

 

21 hours ago, Zoatibix said:

How do you feel about the changes to Cult Ambush? 

I'm just a bit iffy on the whole thing in the first place, but it feels within tolerance for the most pure RNG army rule lol- I do think it was out of hand at first. 50/50 turns 1 and 2 seems correct, but it is just so hard to point or plan around and the blips mechanic is so micro intensive... I guess I just wish we did this in some other way or there was a bit more manipulation of the mechanic we could pull off? Mechanic works, but honestly I'd rather have something alot less random and more flat resource management.

 

21 hours ago, brother_b said:

Looks like you were really able to stay with him that was a tough fight all around..

Yeah!

 

21 hours ago, brother_b said:

How did you like triple biophagus? Any thought about taking an abominant instead on the aberrants?

If you're doing Broodsurge it's definitely triple Bios all day. New list with less jackals and stealers and no demo charge squad for a second 10 Mining acolytes + Abominant with infiltrate, and I think that's the play next time:

 

Abominant - Instincts

Iconward

Biphagus - Majesty

2x Biophagus

Patriarch - Biomorph

 

2x10 Acolytes with mining weapons (basic Bios here)

3x10 Neophytes (1 in truck)

 

Truck

2 Rockgrinders

 

1x5 Aberrants (Abominant - Infiltrate)

2 Ridgerunners

1 Jackals

10 Metamorphs (Iconward + Biophagus)

2x5 Stealers (1 infiltrate, 1 in rockgrinder?)

1x10 Stealers (patriarch DS)

 

So instead of just trash jackal scouting this one probably sees 5 infiltrating stealers and Abominant+5 infiltrating one side while scouts engage on other one. There's also definitely a world where Aberrants come out altogether to fund 2nd Patriarch brick, or just drop all the enhancements for another Iconward to make the miners a bit stickier.

 

21 hours ago, brother_b said:

How long did his Highness the patriarch last?

Long enough! I had to use the drippy white lictor in pics as proxy due to an... unexpected catastrophic dropped box in my hasty deepstrike turn lol. Yeah... I've got some clean-up on about 8 minis I broke after a poorly chosen tray placement : ( Luckily I don't thing any of the pieces snapped, but my Patriarch's arms all exploded off.

 

Anyway - in-game they dropped in turn 2 and basically slaughtered 10 Chosen and 4 terminators before eating whatever insane number of lascannon hits a Nurglebound Havoc squad can punt (that's seven, for those counting...)

 

21 hours ago, brother_b said:

It feels like the demon prince shrugged a lot of wounds but it probably would have gone way different had you made the 10 Genestealer charge.

Yes, definitely. Opponent was rolling hot on saves and I was struggling mightily vs his T9... As soon as you get the +1 to wound on stealers they will chip him pretty good - had I had the CP to do it when I charged him first time he'd have likely been smoked.

 

21 hours ago, brother_b said:

I’ll tell you how the ascension detachment goes!

Please do!

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

Edited June 30 by Dr. Clock
missed 10 stealers in list

[Dr. Clock]

Uggghhhhhhh... Played the list again and lost, while again not making any of the 4 meaningful deep-strike charges. That and just not really having an answer for Morvenn Vahl... Decent start with infiltrating units and trucks and move blocking pretty good on flanks, but not enough reinforcements came in (2 out of ... 8 units?), and way too easy to just brush genestealers and acolytes off the board if they don't get their charge. Womp womp. Feeling like points are too high for reinforcements being so swingy and not having any actual durability.

 

I guess I will actually try a Primus shooting build next.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[brother_b]

Tough! I haven’t played the codex yet but from everything I’ve seen our points seem to be overcasted, which is crazy considering how good some points are.

 

Even if they drop points on aberrants, we will still suffer to stay around. I’m going to try a 1000 point game of ascension, then maybe try creed.

 

My real hope though is to run biosanctic, and have a chance!

[Rogue]

I've never liked charging out of ambush for that exact reason - you're too likely to miss key charges, and then get valuable units wiped out before they can really do anything.

 

That was the main driver that pushed me towards things like Twisted Helix (and Broodsurge, if I ever get a game in).

[Dr. Clock]

Well - I'm back for another swing with the Blue Hand Cult. I've decided to stop worrying and just shoot everything to death with a Host of Ascension on Sunday.

 

For the list (still 2100 pts for narrative reasons) I'm thinking:

 

2x Iconward (1 Metamorphs + Our time is Nigh!, 1 backfield Neos - Prowling Agitant)

 

3x Primus (2 Neo bricks [1 Chink in their armour], and 1 Mining weapon crew)

 

1x Kelermorph

 

10 Mining Weapon Acolytes

 

4x5 hand flamer Acolytes

 

3x20 Neophytes

 

1x Goliath truck (Mining weapons/Primus)

 

2x Rockgrinder (2x 5 hand flamers)

 

2x Achilles (lazerps)

 

1x5 Jackals

 

1x10 Metamorphs (Rapid Insertion probably)

 

I'll be playing Sisters, which is a little gulp, but also could be fine if I can shoot the melee stuff and melee the shooters... plus just swamp no man's land with OC2.

 

All told seems far less random in its approach and potentially pretty devastating if I set up some Achilles buffs on the Chink in their armour unit with Primed and Readied... 20 Neos re-rolling 5+ Lethal Sustained Ap-1 ignore cover? It's too good a cake not to eat...

 

Considered adding Reductus in lieu of the enhancements, but hoping Time is Nigh and Primed and Readied will ensure I actually connect with some beatsticks.

 

More later!

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Zoatibix]

Good luck!

 

Question about lethal and sustained hits. Can you get both hits on a single dice roll, or do you chose which to take based on the target?

[Dr. Clock]

 

Good luck!

 

Question about lethal and sustained hits. Can you get both hits on a single dice roll, or do you chose which to take based on the target?

Both! It's spelled out directly in rules example re: "additional hits". It's definitely a good thing that only 1 unit in the army can double up Lethal/Sustained lol

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Dr. Clock]

Praise the Patriarch! A win in Turn 5 : )

 

Firstly, I changed the list again, dropping Reductus for Benefictus, which is now a new fave:

 

Also as I'm writing I realize I completely forgot the Kelermorph...

 

Mission was to burn objectives, from long table edges and warlord Ld re-roll.

 

Enemy got turn 1 and rushed left with rhino full of repentia, centre with Dominion Rhino supported by castigator, and right with immolator w/ Sisters. I deployed just the jackals and vehicles, and those out of sight basically so he just threatened all centre objectives.

 

My turn 1 I need to kill on objectives, and pair Ridgerunners and charging rockgrinders on either flank to pull that off (Left flank):

 

 

Centre turn 1:

 

Turn 2 he has a penitent engine on either flank and charges left with that and the Repentia, but they bounce. On right however he multi-meltas the Grinder and kill the 5 who pop out, but they respawn. I didn't even advance on centre in turn 1, so he shoves the dominions up further and tries to pop something with meltas in the top but fails. He leaves castigator a sole unit on centre, but Nundams and staged to go there next turn.

 

My turn 2 I drop the Chink in their Armour Primus 3" from his home objective and kill 6/10 sisters there plus a Retributor. I drop the Benefictus to threaten centre right and they kill the Castigator with ease. My home objective truck disgorges 10 Metas and they chip 6 off the Rhino. I leave the rokgrinder on left in combat and the 5 blokes in there get out. I Deepstrike 20 neos in that corner and they kill 3 Arcos who had just helped Repentia.

 

I forget to take photos lol.

 

Turn 3 he moves Nundams and Dominions centre, and burns right objective. :

 

 

Tries to murder Primus unit with Retributors, survivors and 5 remaining sisters with Immolator from reserves, but I still have like 4 and Primus left after that (including icon!). His Engine and 3 Arcos continue running around harassing, and slaughter a few Acolytes.

 

His Repentia kill the 5 acolytes on my left, but I bring in 2x5 in my turn 3 to threaten them, and I kill all but the characters:

 

 

I drop 5 Acolytes in to pen he sisters away from neos in his backline who respawn 6:

 

 

Turn 3 I also mulch the Dominions with Metamporphs (who killed rhino in his turn). Kill 1 Nundam with Benefictus as they walk closer. I drop acolytes on right to make sure Penitent engine can't stop Neos reaching centre, but they fail their charge (forgetting Time is Nigh).

 

Turn 4 he is running low but still at 35 primary. He tries to close gap on secondary (I've snuck ahead like 9 there at this point), and game ends with just Mervenn on centre about to kill ~10 neophytes, while I burn left turn 4 AND his home in turn 5:

 

 

All told just alot of fun, and definitely the best way to run my particular army I think... I do want to get a few more trucks at some point to run Outlander, but the neo hordes with Primuses / Benefictus works out!

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Ulfast]

Good to hear about your win and a nice battlereport too :)