Tournament Prep 2: Update for the new Codex

New codex, new overpowered formations.  Can I stay true to my old school roots and eschew 300 points of free transports?

Well, of course, but can I WIN?  As a test, I played Ian’s allied Sisters and Mechanicus.

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Bozeman – Azure Flames (Salamanders Space Marines)

-Leonidas, captain of the 1st Company (counts as Vulkan He’Stan)

-Librarian, Psyker level 2, Space Marine Bike
—Pyromancy powers: Flame Breath, Firey Form, and Fire Shield

-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Fist, Melta Bombs, Combi-Melta, Meltagun, Multi-Melta
—Dedicated Transport Rhino, Extra Armour

-Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Fist, Melta Bombs, Combi-Flamer, Flamer, Multi-Melta
—Dedicated Transport Rhino, Extra Armour

-Scouts x5, Bolters
—Land Speeder Storm, Multi-Melta

-Dreadnought, 2x Twin Linked Autocannon, Extra Armour

-Ironclad Dreadnought, Ironclad Launchers, Heavy Flamer
—Dedicated Transport Drop Pod

-Assault Squad x5 (no jump packs)
—Dedicated Transport Drop Pod

-Bikes x8 plus Attack Bike, Veteran Sergeant, Power Fist, 2x Meltagun, Multi-Melta, Melta Bombs

-Land Speeders x3, Multi-Meltas

-Thunderfire Cannon

-Predator, Heavy Bolter Sponsons, Extra Armour

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Ian – Adeptus Mechanicus, Skitarii, and allied Sisters of Battle

-Techpriest Dominus, Phosphor Serpenta, Eradication Ray
—Archutech Specialist Warlord Trait

-Kataphron Breachers x3

-Kataphron Destroyers x3

-Corpuscarri Electro-Priests x5

-Skitarii Vanguard x10, Arc Rifle, Plasma Cavalier, Arc Pistol, Auspex

-Skitarii Rangers x10, Transonic Arquebus, Arc Rifle, Plasma Cavalier, Phosphor Pistol

-Uriah Jacobson

-Battle Sister Squad x5, Combi-Flamer, Flamer, Heavy Flamer
—Immolator, Twin Linked Multi-Melta

-Battle Sister Squad x5, Combi-Flamer, Flamer, Heavy Flamer
—Immolator, Twin Linked Multi-Melta

-Dominion Squad x5, 4x Meltagun, Combi-melta
—Immolator, Twin Linked Multi-Melta

-Dominion Squad x5, 4x Meltagun, Combi-melta
—Immolator, Twin Linked Multi-Melta

-Exorcist, Storm Bolter

-Exorcist, Storm Bolter

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Tournament Mission 1: Command and Conquer

Terrain: 6’x4′ board, 2x ruined buildings, 2x hills or craters, 1x impassable LOS blocking feature, 1x river or water hazard, 2x forests that count as “twisted copses,” 1x Armor 14 medium building with 4 access doors and 4 fire points, one in each direction.

At Any Cost: The building may ALWAYS be targeted for shooting and assault, regardless of who is occupying the building.

Deployment: Dawn of War

After placing terrain but before deployment, players roll off, and then take turns placing 3 objectives labeled 2, 3, and 4.  Objectives must be within 24″ of the center of the board, 6″ from a board edge, and 12″ from another objective.

After deployment, players place one objective each (labeled 1 and 6) in each others deployment zone.  Objective 5 is not placed because whatever.

At the end of the game, objectives 2, 3, and 4 are 3 victory points, and objectives 1 and 6 are 5  victory points.

I won setup.  There was no night fight, and no initiative seized.

Setup:

Not shown: Several of Ian’s units used a Scout re-deploy.

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Turn 1: Azure Flames

Librarian with the bikes moves up, casts Firey Form and Fire Shield.  Bike meltas and Thunderfire cause one glance and one pen on the Immolator to the right, making it fore snap shots.  Leonidas and the Assault Squad flame the Skitarii Rangers, killing the whole unit foe first blood and leaving only the Techpriest Dominus remaining!  The Dreadnought and the Predator kill two of the Kataphron Destroyers, and the third breaks and flees off the board!  Melta tatsquad, Land Speeders, and other Bike combat squad move right around the weird white impassable hill.

The Immolator survives the odds…

Leonidas clears out the Rangers.

Hug the wall!

Turn 1: Adeptus Mechanicus and Sisters

Uriah Jacobson and a Dominion Squad, the Techpriest, and one of the Exorcists reduce Leonidas and the Assault Squad down to Leonidas and one Flamer.  The Electropriests advance on objective 3, and the Kataphron Breachers put a glance on the Dreadnought.  Battle Sister Immolators and the Skitarii Vanguard move out towards objective 2 in the center.

The Assault Marines are blasted!

The Kataphron unleash some Haywire fire!

Advance!

Turn 2: Azure Flames

Bikes advance toward Uriah Jacobson.  Librarian casts Firey Form, Flame Breath, and Fire Shield.  Bikes open fire, removing the whole squad.  Leonidas and the remaining Flamer Assault Marine charge the Kataphron, killing two and running the last one down.  Fire kills one Immolator in the center.  Ironclad arrives and its Heavy Flamer kills 7 of the Skitarii Vanguard.  Bikes approach the 5 point objective, #1.

Uriah, the Sisters, and the Kataphron  are eliminated!

The Center is contested…

The Ironclad deals with the Rangers, while the Bikes take the objective.

Turn 2: Adeptus Mechanicus and Sisters

The Electropriests, Battle Sisters, and one of the Exorcists shoot Leonidas, killing the Assualt Marine.  The Electropriests and the Techpriest charge him and a flurry of 1s take Leonidas out, for Slay the Warlord!  Another Exorcist fires 6 missiles at the Ironclad and does one glance…  Battle Sisters do a trick shot, kill a bike with a Bolter, and the bikes break!

Leonidas is eliminated!

Lots of missiles!  Not so much on the damage…

Fact: Space Marines are Leadership 8.  Fact: this can bite you in the ass.  Fact: And They Shall Know No Fear sort of makes up for it.  Sort of.

Turn 3: Azure Flames

Scouts in the Land Speeder Storm arrive by objective 1.  Ironclad does a disordered charge and kills some battle sisters.  The Thunderfire kills the Electropriests and the meltaguns on the bikes kill the Techpriest for Slay the Warlord!  Dreadnought takes the last hull point off of the Immolator that held Uriah Jacobson.

Objective secure… for now…

Dreadnought deals with the Sisters while the Electropriests are ruined by the Thunderfire, clearing the way for the Bikes to kill the Techpriest.

Immolator is gone.

Turn 3: Adeptus Mechanicus and Sisters

The Battle Sisters charge the Bikes, and are cut down!  Unbelievable Exorcist missile shots kill two Land Speeders and strip the meltagun off the third!  Ironclad finishes the Immolator.

The Sisters choose to charge!  This is not advisable…

A missile blast from the Exorcists take out the Land Speeders!

Turn 4: Azure Flames

The Tactical Squad and the Dreadnought move toward the objective.  The Bikes disordered charge the Exorcists, and kill one.

Exorcists are charged, and one dies!

Turn 4: Adeptus Mechanicus and Sisters

The last Dominion squad arrives from reserves.  Its Immolator kills the Land Speeder Storm, while the Immolators kill a bike and put a wound on the Attack Bike.  The surviving Exorcist fires on the Ironclad, but fails to do damage.

Last chance at the objective!  The Dominion squad brings the Melta hurt.

BEEP.  BEEP.  BEEP.  BEEP.

Turn 5: Azure Flames

Bikes charge and kill the last Exorcist.  The damaged Land Speeder takes the objective, while the Scouts and Thunderfire wipe out the Dominion squad.  The Bikes break the Multi-Melta on the Exorcist.

Exorcist is gone.

Only a damaged Immolator is left…

Turn 5: Adeptus Mechanicus and Sisters

Damaged Immolator tank shocks the Scouts.  Game ends.

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Final score:

Azure Flames: 19 plus Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord, and First Blood: 22

Adeptus Mechanicus and Sisters: 0 plus Slay the Warlord: 1

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Final Thoughts:  I think this list is still pretty strong.  Objective Secured would have helped if there had been more resistance around objectives.  Every unit performed a task.  Leonidas should have lasted one more turn, but I rolled poorly for saves.  Ian had a couple bad rolls here and there, and some stuff that should have died (like the Ironclad) actually lived.

Next: Assault Marines painted, possibly Battlefleet Gothic, and one more game at Highland before the tournament!  Based on other people’s lists, no one is making as super ridiculous list that can’t be beaten.  However, some people have signed up without me seeing what they have brought.  We shall see whether 40K is still alive and kicking or a hotbed of auto-win crap.  Stay tuned!