Relics from ancient times
Long, long ago, there was a place where nerds gathered. It was called Mary Mayo, West Commons Room, and it was there that Studio 40K convened. All were welcome, even that jackass guy who disengaged his Battlefleet Gothic fleet on turn 2 when he was the defender in a Planetary Assault. It was a good time, and perhaps its like will come again.
Delving through the detritus of my hard drive I found an ancient relic of that far flung time. I was the secretary one year, and I wrote the constitution for our little club. It has survived several hard drive crashes, two transfers to new computers, and the dissolution of our club thanks to *internet rage explosion*
Sorry, that’s a bit of a sore spot. Anyway, here’s the constitution if you care. It’s a bit long-winded.
1850 Ork D3 list extravaganza!
The past few months I have been attending game night at AFK games with the Azure Flames, but the Marines are actually a bit too good. Their list is modern and competitive. I needed a challenge.
This sounds like a job for the Orks! Especially because I have no aircraft. So I had an idea. I’d make three lists and choose which one to use in a game randomly. One, a Ghazgkhull green tide footslog, one a Speed Freek mounted, and one a ridiculous shooty list. All 1850 points.
I found a willing opponent in Mr. Cat, covered in one of my previous batreps. However, Mr. Cat did not have the means to play an 1850 game, and so borrowed several assets from Stephen, another of my frequent opponents. After he banged together an 1850 list, I rolled a D3 and chose my Ghazgkhull footlsog, led by none other than Warboss Poindexta Smartyskull, the Ork with two brains. Here’s our lists:
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WAAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
-Poindexta Smartyskull (counts as Ghazgkhull Thraka)
-Big Mek, Burna, Kustom Force Field, ‘Eavy Armour, Attack Squig
-Meganobz x10, Kombi-Skorcha, 5x Kombi-Rokkits
-Slugga Boyz x30, Nob, ‘Eavy Armour, Power Klaw, 3x Rokkit Launcher, Bosspole
-Shoota Boyz x30, Nob, ‘Eavy Armour, Power Klaw, 3x Rokkit Launcher, Bosspole
-‘Ard Slugga Boyz x12, Nob, Power Klaw, Bosspole, Rokkit Launcha
-Deffdred, 2x Rokkit Launcha, Armour Plates
-Killa Kans x3, 3x Grotzookas
-Lootas x10
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Mr. Cat – Crimson Fists
-Librarian, level 2 psyker, knows Haemorhage and Puppet Master
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Sword, Heavy Bolter in a Rhino
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Sword, Heavy Bolter in a Rhino
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Plasma Pistol, Flamer, Missile Launcher in a Rhino
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Plasma Pistol, Flamer, Missile Launcher in a Rhino
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Plasma Pistol, Flamer, Missile Launcher (on foot)
-Vindicator
-Whirlwhind
-Devastator Squad x5, 2x Heavy Bolters, Lascannon, Multimelta, Plasma Pistol
-Scouts x5, Heavy Bolter
-Vanguard Veterans x10, Jump Packs, Power Sword and Combat Shield on Sergeant, 1x Power Axe, 2x Power Sword, 1x Plasma Pistol
-Land Speeder
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Mission: Purge the Alien (every unit killed yields a victory point)
Setup: Vanguard Strike (opposing table corners)
Here’s our table. Mr. Cat won the roll to deploy and chose the corner in the lower left of the below picture.
Here’s Mr. Cat’s setup. Note that in this setup there is no Land Speeder. Mr. Cat accidentally purchased Sergeant Chronus for the Vindicator (a good buy, but illegal with Imperial Fists doctrine) and so I let him switch Chronus for the Speeder on turn 1.
Here’s my setup
Both of our Warlord Traits has no bearing on the game. Initiative not seized, no Night Fight.
Turn 1 – Crimson Fists
Three Tactical Squads in Rhinos move up along the left side of the board, supported by the Vindicator, and the Land Speeder. Two more tactical squads and the Librarian go up the right side. The Librarian casts Puppet Master on the Killa Kans and the Kans fire on the Meganobz, to no effect. Fire begins to whittle down the Slugga Boyz despite their 5+ cover save thanks to the Kustom Force Field. The Devastators put a wound on Poindexta Smartyskull and another Meganob. The Vindicator kills two ‘Ard Boyz and the Whirlwind misses.
A wall of ceramite advances.
Slugga Boyz take the brunt of some Heavy Bolter fire.
Smartyskull takes a Lascannon for the team, and another Nob is wounded by Heavy Bolter fire.
Psychic tomfoolery turns the Grotzookas on the Meganobz, but Mega Armour shrugs off the blasted scrap.
Turn 1 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
The Killa Kans charge a nearby Rhino and pop it open, killing two Space Marines in the explosion. The Green Tide advances at a run. The Lootas open up on one of the Rhinos and remove two hull points.
The Kans smash a Rhino open.
The Meganobz Run for the river to avoid the Vindicator.
The Green Tide is called that for a reason.
Loota fire damages a Rhino.
Turn 2 – Crimson Fists
The Tactical Squad that had been in the Rhino along with the Librarian’s Tatsquad throw two Krak Grenades and kill a Killa Kan, then one squad assaults, whiffs, and loses a marine. They break and flee. Poindexta Smartyskull calls his WAAAAGH! and get a 2+ invulneable save which fails twice, taking him down to 1 wound remaining thanks to the Devastators. Squads jump out of their Rhinos and shoot some more Slugga Boyz. Whirlwind kills one Loota. The Vindicator kills all but one ‘Ard boy and the Big Mek.
Smartyskull fails two 2+ invulnerable saves!
The whittling continues.
Turn 2 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
Grotzookas and a charge break the Librarian’s tactical squad and put a wound on the Librarian. Thanks to Smartyskull’s WAAAAGH! the Orks all run 6″.
Shotguuuuuuuuun… Nobody ever thinks about it.
The Green Tide Surges forward.
Turn 3 – Crimson Fists
The two Tactical Squads use Krak Grenades and a Krak Missile to finish off the last two Kans. After skulking behind a rock, the Vanguard Veterans jump out and assault the Slugga Boyz. The Slugga Boyz nob calls out the Vanguard Sergeant and turns him into Cowboy Sauce, but the rest of the fight does not favor the Sluggas and they get wiped out down to the Nob who amazingly does not break! The Big Mek is also lost in this fight, so goodbye 5+ cover save!
Kans are eliminated!
There goes the Big Mek. Luckily the Nob survives!
Turn 3 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
The Meganobz and the Deffdred countercharge the Vanguards. Smartyskull personally kills 6 Vanguards and the rest are taken care of as well. 
The Meganobz eat the Vanguard Veterans for lunch!
…almost there!
Turn 4 – Crimson Fists
With the Sluggas gone the Shootas now start taking fire. The tactical squads take refuge in the Ork deployment zone. The Land Speeder zooms forward to try to kill the last ‘Ard boy, but a lucky cover save keeps the ‘Ard Boy alive.
The Shootas lose some guys as the Land Speeder makes a desperate ploy for one more kill point.
The Librarian gets Linebreaker by moving into the Ork deploment zone.
Turn 4 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
The Green Tide arrives as the Shootas assault one Tactical Squad and the Meganobz assault another. The Meganobz wipe out their squad but a poor roll to hit keeps the Shootas in combat. The Slugga Boy Nob and the last ‘Ard Boy stay out of sight to try to save their Kill Points.
The Green Tide washes ashore!
Preserving Kill Points through cowardice!
Turn 5 – Crimson Fists
The Scouts join the fight with the Shootas, but poor rolls all around lead the fight nowhere. The Vindicator fires on the Meganobz, but a poor scatter and a lucky cover save preserves the Meganobz
The Scouts join the scrum!
Turn 5 – WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!
Smartyskull splits off from the Meganobz and assaults the large fight, but a poor assault means the Orks lose. Smartyskull stays in the fight, but the Shoota Boyz break and flee! The other Meganobz use a Disordered Charge to eat a Tactical Squad and the Rhino in one assault phase. The Deffdred assaults the Vindicator, but fails to kill it. The Lootas kill the Land Speeder. Game ends.
LET’S GET OUTTA HERE! DA BOSS CAN TAKE DEM BEEKIES!
Smash! Stomp! Kill!
Rawr! Erm. Hi. You wanna be friends?
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Final Score
Crimson Fists: 3 + Linebreaker for a total of 4
WAAAAGH! Smartyskull!: 7 + Linebreaker + First Blood for a total of 9
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Post-Game Analysis
WAAAAAAGH! What a fight! Our lack of aircraft made this an old school Green Tide vs. Marine Gunline battle. Mr. Cat’s list was a hodgepodge; an artifact of not having enough marines to make a coherent list. That being said, the Crimson Fists doctrine is fantastic against low armor enemies. Anyone with a Bolter is essentially BS 3.5 and they can bring a lot of Bolters. The Ork Footslog list is actually not bad. It needs Ghazgkull for a turn 2 6″ run to make a turn 3 charge possible. However, another Big Mek with Kustom Force Field might have been nice so that the tide could spread out. However, I’ve never been a fan of spamming non-Troops choices, so I’m satisfied with this list.
Next week: I’ll try one of the other two lists!
Batrep 1725 Azure Flames vs. Dark Angels
I’ve been lucky enough to be able to et to game night for the past few weeks. Before I get into my Battle Report, I’ll highlight the other great games that went on, as they usually get buried at the bottom of my reports.
We had a new player, Bryan (Grey Knights) who was going up against Nathan’s Imperial Guard in his VERY FIRST GAME OF 40K!
Bill was back with his fantastic Slaanesh Daemons against Matt’s immaculate Tyranids! A bloody slog where entire waves of Gaunts are wiped out and replaced! Also, check out Bill’s fluffy solution for Daemon-possessed Defences! It now makes sense for Daemons to bring fortifications.
Namdville (Orks) and Latremari (Space Marines) are my kind of players. They remember the older times of 40K and brought a game that reminded me of 4th ed: Ork Footslog vs. Marine Gunline!
Finally, Jacob D. (Tau) was giving a tutorial to Jacob R. (using Jacob D.’s Black Templars).
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Azure Flames – Bozeman
-Leonidas (counts as Vulkan He’Stan)
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Fist, Combi-Melta, Meltagun, Multi-Melta in a Rhino
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Fist, Combi-Melta, Meltagun, Multi-Melta in a Rhino
-Terminator Assault Squad x5, 5x Thunder Hammer Storm Shields in a dedicated Land Raider Redeemer with Extra Armour and a Multi-Melta
-Ironclad Dreadnought with Ironclad Launchers and a Chainfist in a Drop Pod
-Sternguard x10, Powerfist, 10x Combi-Gravs in a Drop Pod
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Stephen – Dark Angels
-Azrael, Grand Master of Screaming the Dark Angels
-Deathwing Terminators x10, Assault Cannon, Cyclone Missile Launcher
-Scouts x10, 10x Sniper Rifles
-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Combi-Melta, Power Sword, Lascannon in a Rhino
-Tactical Sqiad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Combi-Plasma, Power Sword
-Assault Squad x10
-Bike Squad x6
-Ravenwing Darktalon
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The board
Mission: The Emperor’s Will (each side gets one objective)
Setup: Dawn of War (long table edges)
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Stephen set up first, here’s what he did.
Sniper scouts in the building by the objective, Azrael joins the no-frills Tactical Squad, the Assault Squad sets up to the extreme right. To the left are Bikes and the lascannon Tatsquad in the Rhino. Terminators are deep striking (on turn 1) and obviously the flyer is in reserve.)
Here’s my setup:
Land Raider with Leonidas and the Terminators are to my left, Tatsquads (identical) are center and right in hiding. Veterans and Ironclad are in drop pods.
No Night Fight. Initiative not seized.
Turn 1 – Dark Angels
Assault Marines and Azrael-led Tactical Marines move up and run. The Terminators deep strike next to the central rhino and glance and immobilize it, making it a rock with a Storm Bolter. Rhino and bikes advance.
RUNNING VERY FAST FOR THE GRAND MASTER!
Deathwing gets it done: a turn 1 Deep Strike!
Moving out.
Turn 1 – Azure Flames
Combi-Grav Sternguard and Tactical Squad firing melta from inside their damaged Rhino eliminate the Deathwing Terminators. Leonidas and the Terminators disembark the Land Raider, but roll snake eyes for charge range on the bikes, and Overwatch puts a wound on Leonidas. Rightmost Rhino moves up cautiously, and multi-melta inside picks off an assault marine thanks to lucky snap fire.
OK guys, here’s the plan. We get out and charge the bikes and OH LOOK A PENNY! STOP! I HAVE TO GET IT!
The Terminators are eliminated thanks to 20 Grav-Gun shots.
The Tactical Squad plays it safe.
Turn 2 – Dark Angels
The Darktalon fails to come in. Assault squad walks so they can use jump packs for assault, but even with a re-roll can’t hit the Rhino. Azrael’s squad runs again. The bikes retreat from Leonidas to avoid a charge and the Rhino covers them. Snipers fire on Leonidas, but fail to kill anyone.
Tempted by 10 free hits with Hammer of Wrath, the Assault Squad walks their way to uselessness.
The bikes are covered by the Rhino.
Turn 2 – Azure Flames
Ironclad arrives right in Azrael’s face. The Sternguard move into the ruins and fire Vengeance rounds into Azrael, killing two but losing two of their own! The Tactical squad in the damaged Rhino gets out and blows up the Dark Angels rhino, leaving only 5 survivors. Leonidas and the Terminators roll terribly for charge again. Tactical squad in the rhino uses melta to pick off two more Assault Marines.
The Tactical Squad pops the Rhino with melta fire.
LOOK MORE PENNIES! WHO DROPPED THESE? Guys, help me pick them up, that’s an order.
Trading Sternguard for Tactical Marines is not a winning proposition.
Turn 3 – Dark Angels
Darktalon does not com in again. The Assault Squad assaults the Rhino and kills it. Azrael and the Tactical Squad run from the Ironclad. The bikes advance and kill a Terminator with bolters. The Sniper Scouts kill a Terminator and the Terminators are pinned, along with Leonidas.
That small hill is a crater where the Rhino used to be.
Azrael runs as the bikes advance.
OH NO SNIPERS! HIT THE DECK! Only the pennies can save us now.
Turn 3 – Azure Flames
The Tactical Squad near the center runs left to secure my objective. The Land Raider Redeemer moves up, uses one Flamestorm cannon and other guns at snap fire to end the bike squad, while Power of the Machine Spirit splits the second Flamestorm cannon and kills the remnants of the tactical squad in the crater. Ironclad Dreadnought rolls a 6 for charge range but needed a 7 to catch Azrael’s squad. The Sternguard switch to Hellfire rounds and a flurry of 2’s kill all but one of the Assault Marines. The Tactical Squad runs away from the lone remaining Assault Marine.
The Land Raider takes out the Bikes and the Tactical Marines in one fell swoop!
I hate random charge ranges. I really do.
Rather than finishing off the last Assault Marine, the Tactical Squad runs to get Linebreaker.
Turn 4 – Dark Angels
The Darktalon finally arrives! It bombs the Terminators and causes no casualties, but gives them -3 Initiative and Weapons Skill. The lone Assault Marine assaults the Sternguard, survives Overwatch, and dies from a Power Fist causing no casualties. Azrael runs to the safety of the building.
The lone Assault Marine throws his life away.
Azrael secures the objective.
Darktalon bombing run!
Turn 4 – Azure Flames
The Tactical Squad by the Darktalon gets a lucky melta shot and kills it. The Ironclad finally gets some decent charge range and charges Azrael’s squad. He WHIFFS. Stephen thought Azrael was S7, so he puts a glance on the Ironclad. Leonidas and the Terminators run. The Land Raider and the Sternguard firing Dragonfire rounds eliminate the Sniper Scouts. The Tactical Squad to the left runs and grabs my objective.
The game converges on this building.
Turn 5 – Dark Angels
Night fight is in effect. Ironclad takes one more glance as it kills one tactical marine. Turn not pictured.
Turn 5 – Azure Flames
Leonidas, the Terminators, and the Sternguard join the fight. The Bolter Sergeant with a Power Sword issues a challenge, and the THSS Terminator Sergeant turns him into Cowboy Sauce. Leonidas single-handedly kills all of the other bolter marines. Azrael kills two Sternguard, and the Ironclad finishes the job and takes him out. Tabled.
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Final thoughts:
-GOOD GOD DAMN does the Darktalon suck my entire fat ass. It is a useless flyer and has crap weapons. If you play Dark Angels it may only be of use in a Mech Land Raider Deathwing army where you can bomb an enemy unit and then charge them so they get WS and I 1. Its guns are pathetic.
-Azrael is a weird character. He’s not built for combat, and not super shooty. He’s not in Terminator Armor and not on a bike, but he unlocks Termies and Bikes as troops. He has no clear battlefield role.
-Speaking of battlefield role, making units to perform a task is vital. Stephen took the Terminators to be a surprise distraction deathstar. He needs a few THSS Terminators or Belial to make this tactic better. He also make Tactical, bike, and Assault squads bare-bones with no clear role. The Assault Marines should have had a power weapon or fist, and the tactical marines would have been fine with a plasma or meltagun.
Next: Possibly another batrep or if I can finish the Grav Gun Sternguard I’ll post those.