BatRep, 1850 13th vs. Drop Pod Dark Angels

[spyrer2000]

Heya folks, time for another Battle Report from your friendly neighborhood Swift Horde.

 

As something of a side note, I've been playing a lot of games lately against DIY Marines, Dark Angels, and Orks - all of which I've been winning pretty regularly against. I fought a Biel-tan Eldar list (not even with maxed out starcannons) and got my butt handed to me. So, I don't win all the time. Just most. B)

 

Anyways, it turns out that Brother Monky of the Dark Angels forum happens to game at my FLGS and was up for some 40K - Brother Monky is trying out a Drop Pod Dark Angel army, and it looks something like this:

 

Terminator Librarian, stormbolter, fury, fear

4 Terminators, 2 assault cannons

Drop Pod

 

Dreadnought, assault cannon, heavy flamer, extra armor

Drop Pod

 

Ven. Dreadnought, assault cannon, heavy flamer, extra armor

Drop Pod

 

3 Ravenwing Tornado Landspeeders

 

Squad Alpha - 8 Dark Angels, plasma gun, veteran sergeant with powerfist

Drop Pod

 

Squad Beta - 8 Dark Angels, melta gun, frag grenades, veteran sergeant with powerfist

Drop Pod

 

Squad Gamma - 6 Dark Angels, plasma gun, veteran sergeant with powerfist

Drop Pod

 

Squad Delta - 6 Dark Angels, melta gun, frag grenades, veteran sergeant with powerfist

Drop Pod

 

Squad Omicron - 6 Dark Angels, plasma gun, veteran sergeant with powerfist

Drop Pod

 

So, that's 8 Pods and 3 Speeders - a pretty nasty looking army! Brother Monky's force is heavily converted and features some amazing models - there's one guy holding a specially made bolter with a targeter wired into his temples that looks particularly amazing!

 

I was using an 1,850-point variant of my Swift Horde:

 

Wolf Lord, belt of russ, frag grenades, frost blade, Mark of the Wulfen (leads Storm Claws)

 

Rune Priest, terminator armor, chooser of the slain, combi-melta, frost blade (Leads Red Grey Slayers)

 

Wolf Priest, healing potions and balms, melta-bombs (leads Wulfen)

 

Red Grey Slayers - 8 Slayers, 2 meltas, WGPL with Mark of the Wulfen, thunderhammer, bolt pistol

 

White Grey Slayers - 8 Slayers, 2 meltas, WGPL with powerfist, bolt pistol

 

8 Storm Claws, 2 powerfists

 

10 Wulfen

 

Wolves 1 - 10 Fenrisian Wolves

Wolves 2 - 8 Fenrisian Wolves

Wolves 3 - 8 Fenrisian Wolves

 

...and, Army Builder tells me I shorted myself about 50 points in there somehow. Ah well. Better under than over.

 

The mission was rolled randomly - Omega Take & Hold. More coming soon!

[spyrer2000]

The table was moderately full of terrain - we had several small hills, a few small sandbag-foxhole things, a wood in the center of the table and another small wood just to the right of that.

 

Brother Monky won the roll for table edge and the roll for first turn - so I would be showing up, getting my pre-game move, then taking my first turn all without seeing any of my opponent's units on the table. Interesting! B)

 

Turn 1: Dark Angels

This was a very short turn - everything was in reserve!

 

Turn 1: 13th Company

(I'll roll Deployment into this part as well) Wolves 1 moved up on the far left, while Wolves 2 and 3 took position on the right holding my forward flank. The Wulfen perched on a hill left of center, while the Storm Claws and Wolf Lord held the small wood on the right. The Rune Priest and Red Slayers held the center wood (and the objective) while White Slayers stood nearby for support. I clustered the Long Fangs together slightly right of center in one of the sandbag-foxhole thingys. After that, I waited for a rain of Drop Pods...

 

Turn 2: Dark Angels

...and reign it did. Brother Monkey got only four units in - one Landspeeder, the Command Squad, and squads Beta and Delta. The Landspeeder took up a position ahead of Wolves 3, while all three Dark Angel squads scattered a bit around the Long Fangs' make shift bunker. It looked as if Brother Monky was concentrating his force on taking the right half of the table. Brother Monky's fire was less than stellar, felling two Long Fangs and three Wolves. The Command Squad fared a bit better, taking down all but 2 of the Storm Claws (leaving the powerfists alive). The Librarian focused his will on Fear of the Darkness and caused Wolves 3 to break and run...almost directly into the center of the three pod forces. I began to worry - my Wolves would almost certainly not rally until near the board edge, and perhaps not even then.

 

Turn 2: 13th Company

The Wolf Lord and the surviving Storm Claws hacked their way through the woods to run towards the Dark Angel Command Squad, while Wolves 2 streaked down the center towards Squad Beta. Red Slayers held the center, while White Slayers stood their ground as well. The Wulfen raged down the hill towards Squad Beta, but were still far away, while Wolves 1 re-arranged themselves on the far left to head back a bit towards the center. The Long Fangs blew apart two Dark Angels from Squad Beta, but the Red Slayers failed to cause any damage on their Drop Pod. Wolves 2, baying for Dark Angel blood, leapt into combat with the dress-wearing Marines of Squad Beta and devoured the entire unit for the loss of 1 Wolf. Wolves 2 used the massacre movement to enter the woods next to Red Slayers.

The Wolf Lord's frost blade cleaved through two Deathwing Terminators, but the stubborn Dark Angels refused to run...combat would continue.

 

Dark Angels Turn 3:

Brother Monkey got in his non-venerable Dreadnought, another Landspeeder, and Squad Gamma this turn. The Landspeeder joined it's compatriot on a hill in the upper right quadrant, while the Dreadnought landed next to Wolves 2. Squad Gamma deviated quite a bit from it's intended landing point, but was still in firing range of the Long Fangs. Squad Delta moved up a bit (the survivors of Wolves 3 were only an inch away at this point and nearly completely surrounded by Pods!) The right half of the board was beginning to get a little crowded! In all the confusion, Brother Monkey forgot to move his remaining Landspeeder...

 

In the Shooting Phase, the Long Fangs suffered no casualties due to a completely abysmal round of firing from Squad Gamma - 8 out of 9 shots missed! Apalled at this dismal display of marksmanship, the Landspeeder blew apart another Wolf from the fleeing Wolves 3. Squad Delta and the Drop Pods accounted for a few more casualties, until only one Wolf remained. The Dreadnought, for his part, utilized his heavy flamer and assault cannon well, completely destroying Wolves 2 in a storm of blazing firepower. Next was the assault phase...

 

The Wolf Lord howled a challenge to the Dark Angel Librarian and the two commanders met in combat. Force weapon clashed against Frost blade as both powerful leaders dueled. The Wolf Lord's weapon was a blur, crashing in and out of the Dark Angel's body several times to leave massive gaping wounds, but with his dying breath, the Librarian's force weapon flared with psychic energy and ripped the Wolf Lord's soul away - both leaders died at each other's hands. Meanwhile, the Terminator Sergeant slew one of the powerfist-wielding Storm Claws, but the last remaining 13th Company Marine hurled himself at the Dark Angels and obliterated the rest of the squad with his powerfist. The last remaining Dark Angel Terminator clutched at his attacker's heel and brought him to the ground with one final attack that smashed out his opponent's life - and both squads wiped each other out in a gory double massacre.

 

More coming soon!

[spyrer2000]

13th Company Turn 3:

Wolves 3 managed to run off the board this turn. The Rune Priest attempted to use The Gate to move himself and Red Slayers next to the Landspeeders, but rolled boxcars and caused himself a Wound as the Warp's powers backfired. White Slayers moved down to the right behind the Forest, while the Wulfen Animal Raged towards Squad Gamma. Wolves 1 rolled a 6 on their Fleet move, but reconsidered trying to get closer to the Speeders and instead moved down behind a hill angling to get closer to the objective.

 

The Long Fangs attempted to blow up Squad Delta's Drop Pod, but missed, but the Red Slayers melta's destroyed the Dreadnought in a fiery explosion. A spinning piece of sarcophogus sliced off the head of one of the nearby Long Fangs.

 

The Wulfen charged into assault with Squad Gamma, but the Dark Angels fought well - the powerfist of the veteran sergeant accounted for two Wulfen, but the 13th Company werewolves passed their Morale Check and piled in.

 

Dark Angels Turn 4:

This turn, Brother Monkey got in his Venerable Dreadnought, the last Landspeeder, and squad Omicron. For some odd reason, Squad Alpha was refusing to show up on time for the battle! The Venerable Dreadnought scattered 10" from the objective, but landed close to White Slayers, while Squad Omicron deviated similarly far on the right to land next to the Red Slayers. The final Landspeeder dropped into the lower left quadrant. The first Speeder on the scene scooted over 12" to target Red Slayers in the woods. Brother Monkey, unfortunately, forgot to move Squad Delta, still a fair distance away from the objective, and his other Ravenwing speeder!

 

The Venerable Dreadnought slew a handful of White Slayers, while two Red Slayers were gunned down by the Landspeeder as well. Squad Omicron, Squad Delta, and the Drop Pods all concentrated fire on the last two Long Fangs and wiped them out in a blizzard of bolter shells. In assault the Wolf Priest went berzerk and hacked apart four Dark Angels, while the Wulfen accounted for the rest with blood-caked claws. The Wulfen massacred towards Squad Omicron.

 

13th Company Turn 4:

As the end of the game approached, I knew that Brother Monky was assured of getting his final squad in on the table. His Venerable Dread was a scoring unit in range of the objective, and he had three functional landspeeders. Squad Omicron was also in range in one turn, but Squad Delta was, unfortunately, too far away to worry about. I knew I had to reduce some scoring units if I wanted to win. Gambling, the Rune Priest teleported himself and Red Slayers out of the woods. He deviated a bit, but ended up situated nicely between the two Speeders - things were looking up! The Wulfen moved into position to assault Squad Omicron, while Wolves 1 rounded the bend in the hill and had the third Landspeeder in sight. The remnants of White Squad (five strong) oriented themselves on the Venerable Dreadnought, and I silently prayed to Russ.

 

In the Shooting Phase, the Rune Priest destroyed one Speeder while Red Slayers stunned and blew the assault cannon off the other. Good job! White Slayers destroyed the Venerable Dread's assault cannon and close combat weapon, then charged in, grimly determined to finish it off. The Wulfen charged in and destroyed Squad Omicron to a man, but took two more casualties from the veteran sergeant's powerfists (the vet sgt. was the only surviving model, he failed his leadership check and was caught, then suffered 3 wounds from outnumbering and failed a saving throw). White Slayers slammed into the Venerable Dreadnought with a lucky powerfist blow and destroyed it on a glancing 6. (Later, we realized Brother Monky forgot to take his re-roll on that!)

 

The Fenrisian Wolves got 2 glancing hits on the Ravenwing Speeder in assault, leaping high into the air to rip at the speeder's vulnerable engines and steering vanes. I got a 6, destroyed (saved by the Ravenwing jink save), and a 5, immobilized - destroyed (saved by the Ravenwing jink save) - that's one lucky speeder! Clearly, this pilot was very skilled at evading high-jumping Wolves.

 

Dark Angels Turn 5:

Squad Alpha finally arrived, aiming for the dead center of the objective. You should've seen Brother Monky's face when the pod scattered a full 12" away from the objective! After laughing hysterically, Squad Alpha disembarked next to the White Slayers and prepared to exact vengeance. Squad Delta maneuvered a bit to get closer to the objective, but it was far too late. The surviving intact Landspeeder jetted towards the center. Squad Alpha reduced the White Slayers to only three men - the two meltaguns and the WGPL, while the Drop Pods and Landspeeder combined fire on the Wulfen, dropping them down to a single Wulfen and the Wolf Priest. Not only was it the lucky shots of the Drop Pods, I was failing armor saves left and right! Not a good sign at this stage of the game. It was getting really close, and I found I was very intently focused on this turn. I love it when a game hangs in the balance!

 

13th Company Turn 5:

White Slayers moved towards Squad Alpha, while the Wulfen and Wolves 1 moved towards the intact Landspeeder. The Rune Priest managed another successful teleport, placing him and the Red Slayers back within 12" of the objective. The White Slayers melted one Dark Angel, then charged into combat, followed by the Wulfen and Wolves charging in against the Ravenwing speeder. Despite a total of six glancing hits, I couldn't manage to do anything worse than stun the Landspeeder! One hell of a pilot, indeed!

 

The White Slayers inflicted 10 Wounds on the Dark Angels (an impressive seven coming from the powerfist WGPL) and wiped out Squad Alpha, but there was only one White Slayer left to tell the tale. The game ended at this point, as the store was closing soon.

 

I had two scoring units within 12" of the objective - Wolves 1 and the Red Slayers. Brother Monky had one intact Landspeeder. Had the game gone on another turn, he could've gotten in the other Landspeeder as well. When we counted up Victory Points, the 13th Company won a solid victory.

 

Brother Monky forgot to move some units in the heat of the moment and the venerable Dreadnought's ability to re-roll damage results slipped both of our minds. I am certain that if Brother Monky had moved his Speeders and Squad Delta earlier on, he could've easily gotten a draw and potentially even a win - one more kill on either the White Slayers or the Wulfen would've been an impressive amount of Victory Points.

 

Nevertheless, Brother Monky's Drop Pod army is coming along nicely - I expect it to be a tough army to win against soon! No doubt he will learn quite a few lessons from this game and I have no doubt it'll be much tougher to gain a win against him in the future.

 

If any of you guys play games in Maryland, stop by Other Realms and try to get in a game with Brother Monky - his army has some impressive conversions, he's a pretty skilled player, and an excellent sportsman! I had a great deal of fun in this game and I really look forward to playing against Brother Monky again. Good job, man!

[Leif Weregeld]

Good report, congats on your victory. I have been wanting to see how the 13th company handles drop armys.

[Chaplain Lucifer]

Nice job and good detailed battlereport. A drop pod army can be a tough nut to crack in experienced hands, so expect alot more trouble in the future.

 

I would also like to point out that Dark Angel ravenwing land Speeders can't deepstrike.. B)

[Brother Monky]

well, thanks for pointing out the no deep strike. that's what I get for having read the DA 'dex but never buying it. I know the special rules and the units, but my ravenwing speeder knowledge isn't really what it should be. It wouldn't have mattered much for this game anyway. Since it was escalation, they would have still come in on my table edge (where two of them deployed their deep strike anyway). But, thanks for pointing that out. It is much appreciated. B)

[spyrer2000]

*slaps forehead* D'oh! I should've known about the "No Deep Strike for Ravenwing" thing - nuts. Thanks for reading, guys.

[ursidae]

An excellent Bat Rep, you had all the right details and nothing useless. A great read and it seems to me that your win was well deserved. Thanks and Cheers

[spyrer2000]

For me, the best part is the fight between the two commanders. On one side, you have my Wolf Lord and his two Storm Claws with powerfists. On the other, you have the Dark Angel Librarian and two Deathwing Terminators (one of which is the sergeant).

 

No-one survived. Both sides wiped each other out in some serious mutually assured destruction. It was crazy cool. :)

[The WarpGhost]

nice report, as always. I still cant believe people can get their Wolves to eat entire units tho! All the saves i fail seem to allow the enemy to pass more of their own... :)

[Brother Monky]

Spyrer's 13th Co. list is vicious, to say the least. If I had been paying more attention I could have forced a draw. There's nothing like commander on commander hitting on 3's. It was truly an awesome game!

[spyrer2000]

Are you trying to say my army is some kind of liquid? :)

[Brother Monky]

oops, how did that "s" get in there? well i fixed it. and, if drop pods were really the orbital bombardment we'd like to think they are, I'd have to say, "Yes. Your army would probably be some kind of liquid."

 

Maybe we can get in a 4 player game next Friday with SBJ and Scuzzy.