Highland June Tournament Prep part 2 – Maelstrom of Confusion

My second prep game was against Drew, who brought his Space Wolves!  Sadly, Drew will not participate in the tournament due to job issues.  This is a damn shame because Drew was a delight to play against and his list was fun, fluffy, and challenging!  We played mission 2: Maelstrom of Confusion.

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Bozeman – Azure Flames Space Marines (Salamanders)

• Combined Arms Detachment
  • Leonidas, Captain of the 1st Company (counts as Vulkan He’stan)
  • Ironclad Dreadnought, Chainfist, replace Storm Bolter with Heavy Flamer, Ironclad Launchers
    • Drop Pod
  • Terminator Assault Squad x5, 5x Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield
    • Land Raider Redeemer, Extra Armour, Multi-Melta
  • Tactical Squad x10, Veteran Sergeant, Power Fist, Bolter-Melta, Meltagun, Multi-Melta
    • Drop Pod
  • Scout Squad x5
    • Land Speeder Storm, Multi-Melta
  • Land Speeder Squadron x3, 3x Multi-Melta
  • Stormtalon Gunship, Skyhammer Missile Launcher

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Drew – Space Wolves

• Combined Arms Detatchment
  • Ulrik the Slayer
  • Murderfang
  • Berserker Dreadnought, Shield, Axe
  • Blood Claws x5, Flamer
    • Razorback, Twin Linked Lascannon, Dozer Blade
  • Grey Hunters x5, Plasma Gun
    • Razorback, Twin Linked Lascannon, Dozer Blade
  • Predator Squadron x2, Twin Linked Lascannon, Spnson Lascannons
  • Sicaran Battle Tank, Reinforced Ceramite, Dozer Blade, Heavy Bolter Sponsons
• Wolfkin Formation
  • 40 Fenrisian Wolves

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Mission: Maelstrom of Confusion

As per all tournament games, terrain is set up by players rolling off and then alternating placement.  All boards will have one large impassable line of sight blocking terrain, 2 ruins, 2 forests, 1 crater, 1 lake or other water feature, and 1 medium building that has the special rule: At Any Cost Necessary – This building may be targeted by shooting or assault regardless of who holds it.

Deployment: Vanguard Strike

At the beginning of each player’s turn, they generate 3 tactical objectives.  If it is impossible to achieve (i.e. casting a psychic power but you have no psykers) you must immediately discard it and draw another.  At the end of the player’s turn, they may discard one objective.  After discarding, any objective that is not achieved is SCORED NEGATIVELY and discarded!  This negative score cannot bring your victory points total below zero.

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Setup

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Uncharacteristically, I seized the initiative!

Azure Flames – Turn 1

Land Speeders try to gain objective 5, and one gets immobilized in terrain!  Ironclad drops in, stuns the Shield/Axe Dreadnought.  Land Raider advances, pops smoke.  I score -7 points, which does not bring me below zero.

One Land Speeder crashes to try to get objective 5

Land Raider menaces the right side of the board.

Hey!  Wanna be my friend?

Space Wolves – Turn 1

Sicaran glances the Ironclad to death.  Blood Claws occupy the building.  Wolves with Ulrik attached advance.  Lascannons immobilize another Land Speeder.

Wave of wolves!

In hindsight, I should have positioned the Ironclad so that its rear armor faced the board edge.

The Land Speeders take fire.

Azure Flames – Turn 2

Remaining mobile Land Speeder tries to shoot the Razorback, but does nothing.  Leonidas and the Terminators charge the Blood Claws in the building, wiping them out.  Tactical Squad blasts Murderfang and it explodes!

The Terminators take the building as the rest of the army advances.

Tactical Sqaud takes out some wolves.

Space Wolves – Turn 2

Wolves with Ulrik surround the building, but on snake eyes cannot charge the Terminators!  Sicaran kills a few tactical marines, and backs up to control the objective.  Land Speeder glanced by lascannons.

Wolves needed a “3” to charge.  Guess what they got?

BEEP.  BEEP.  BEEP.

Azure Flames – Turn 3

Leonidas and the Terminators hang out to hold the building.  Combined fire from Leonidas, Land Raider, and Tactical Squad decimate the wolves.  Land Speeder and Stormtalon fire on Razorback, taking out its lascannon.  Land Speeder Storm comes in and destroys the Dreadnought.

Wolves are severely weakened.

The Razorback takes severe damage.

No more Dreadnought!

Space Wolves – Turn 3

Grey Hunters glance the Land Speeder Storm.  Ulrik and the remaining wolves charge the Tactical Squad, destroying them.  Sicaran takes down the Stormtalon and lascannons fry the Land Speeder.  Turn not pictured.

Azure Flames – Turn 4

Scouts get out and charge a Predator, destroying one sponson lascannon.  Leonidas and the Terminators charge Ulrik and the wolves, killing all wolves!  Ulrik survives against all odds.

Scouts harass the Predators.

Ulrik is on his own!

Space Wolves – Turn 4

Shots from the Grey Hunters break the Scouts and they flee into the lake.  Lascannons bust the Land Speeder Storm.  Ulrik goes down.

Glub Glub

Ulrik is slain!

Azure Flames – Turn 5

Terminators break off to charge the wounded Razorback, and smash it.  Leonidas charges the other Razorback and breaks it.  Scouts regroup and charge the predator, glancing it.

Scouts won’t give up!

A one…

…and a two!

Space Wolves – Turn 5

Sicaran puts two wounds on Leonidas.  Lascannon kills one Terminator.  Game ends.

Ouch!

Ouch again!

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Final score

Azure Flames: 8 + Slay The Warlord + Linebreaker = 10

Space Wolves: 11 + First Blood + Linebreaker = 13

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This was a very fun game.  There were one or two moments where I cursed a bit, such as Drew being able to shoot the Stormtalon being only able to see a wingtip, or hitting rear armor on the Ironclad because I didn’t think of placement.  I also didn’t get access to objectives well because they were set up by a 3rd party.  I also repeat my claim that Maelstrom is not as good as straightforward missions.  Had I drawn (or rolled D3s) better this would have been a tie or win, and you know how I feel about randomness.  However, this was still one of the best games I’ve played in a while thanks to Drew who knew 7th ed like the back of his hand!

Next: more painting, a display board, and the tournament!