It’s about time; 8th Edition Debut! 1000pt Relic Azure Flames vs. Blood Angels

I haven’t been in too good of a financial way recently, and my car is not in the best shape, but last night I got a break.  I went back to my local game store, AFK games, and played my first game of 8th edition!  Yes, it’s a bit late, but I haven’t had any time with my new job and such.

One of the regulars at AFK was Chris, who played Blood Angels and was nice enough to show me the ropes in a 1000pt game.

However, before the game begins, I’d like to do a quick musing on the new Space Marine Codex.  Because Big Game 6 is coming up in 5 months, I asked Chris if we could play with points instead of power levels, as that is what we’ll be doing during the Big Game for balance issues.  Making an army with points is now a bit harder, as (except for special characters) no model in the game comes with their weapons.  You must buy all weapons separately.  Most common weapons (Bolters, Chainswords, Frag Grenades, etc.) are free, so it’s not like you have to do math for each individual trooper.  However, tanks come with no guns, that you must pay points for (it’s required) instead of including those guns in the tank’s points value.  This is a bit clunky.  The rationale is that they can release Chapter Approved updates each year to tweak points values so that balance can be addressed, but it makes it harder to use points to make a list.

Enough griping.  Here’s my first batrep of 2018!

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Bozeman – Azure Flames (Salamanders)

Battalion Detatchment

• Leonidas, Captain of the 1st Company (counts as Vulkan He’Stan)
• Ory-Hara, Chief Librarian of the Azure Flames (Librarian), Salamander Mantle, Force Sword, Smite, Veil of Time, Fury of the Ancients
• Tactical Squad x9, Power Fist, Combi-Flamer, Flamer
  • Rhino, Storm Bolter
• Tactical Squad x9, Power Fist, Combi-Flamer, Flamer
  • Rhino, Storm Bolter
• Tactical Squad x10, Meltagun, Multi-Melta
  • Rhino, Storm Bolter
• Attack Bike x1, Heavy Bolter

Chris – Blood Angels

Battalion Detatchment

• Captain in Power Armour, Power Sword, Plasma Pistol
• Sanguinary Priest, Chainsword, Inferno Pistol
• Scouts x5, 4x Sniper Rifles, Missile Launcher, Camo Cloaks
• Tactical Squad x5, Combi-Plasma, Heavy Bolter
  • Razorback, Lascannon with Twin Plasma Gun
• Tactical Squad x5, Storm Bolter, Heavy Bolter
  • Razorback, Lascannon with Twin Plasma Gun
• Assault Marines x10, Power Sword, Plasma Pistol, 2x Flamers

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Eternal War Mission 6 – The Relic

An objective (the Relic) in the middle of the table can be picked up if a model moves over it.  This model carries the Relic until it flees or is slain.  If a player has a model carrying the Relic at the end of the game, that player wins a major victory.  If no one is carrying it, the player with the closest model wins a minor victory.  If both players are equally close, it is a draw.

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Setup

The Azure Flames, mounted in Rhinos, deployed in cover.  Blood Angels Scouts took a vantage point in a high ruin, while the Tactical Marines mounted up in their Razorbacks.  The Blood Angel Captain and Sanguinary Priest took cover in a forest.

Turn 1 – Azure Flames

Leonidas’ Rhino and the Attack Bike advance behind a statue for cover, as Ory-Hara’s Rhino and the other Tactical Squad’s Rhino advance towards the Relic and pop smoke.  The Attack Bike puts a wound on the Sanguinary Priest.

Turn 1 – Blood Angels

Smoke causes one of the Razorback Lascannons to miss Ory-Hara’s Rhino, but the other Razorback puts 5 wounds on it.  The Captain and Sanguinary Priest move off to prevent being sniped at.

Turn 2 – Azure Flames

Ory-Hara and his squad disembark.  Ory-Hara casts Veil of Time on the squad and rolls boxcars!  Perils of the Warp does only one wound to him.  Smite blasts three wounds off of the Razorback.  Ory-Hara and the squad charge the Razorback.  Before the squad can attack, Ory-Hara unleashes his Force Sword and cuts the Razorback apart by himself!  It EXPLODES, killing three Marines and doing one more wound to Ory-Hara, and killing three Blood Angels!  The Marines, unable to attack, pile in to the second Razorback.  The other Tactical Squad advances, running to get the Relic as their Rhino advances to cover them.  Leonidas’ Rhino and the Attack Bike advance to join the fight.

Ory-Hara opens the Razorback like a can of sardines!

 

Relic Acquired!

Turn 2- Blood Angels

Assault Squad swoops in from a passing Thunderhawk and assaults the wounded Rhino, finishing it in close combat.  Snipers reduce Ory-Hara to one wound, and shots from the surviving squad finish him.  The other squad piles out of their beleaguered Razorback and charge the Azure Flames squad, reducing them to two with the help of the Sanguinary Priest.

Turn 3 – Azure Flames

Leonidas and his squad pile out to provide cover for the other Tactical Squad that advance 9″ away with the Relic.  Their Rhinos and the Attack Bike advance to form a partial wall.

Turn 3 – Blood Angels

Mostly bad rolls all around reduces the Azure Flames squad in combat to its Sergeant with no other casualties.  The Assault Squad charges the Azure Flames squad with the Relic, and lose two of their number to Melta Overwatch fire thanks to Leonidas’ re-rolls!  The fight is brutal, with three Azure Flames and four Blood Angels going down!  The Relic is dropped by a casualty!  Sniper fire kills three of Leonidas’ squad.

Heroic last stand!

The Relic is down!  Retrieve it!

Turn 4 – Azure Flames

Leonidas’ Tactical Squad grab the Relic and run off as Leonidas joins the battle with the Assault Squad.  The Attack Bike charges in as well.  In the fight with the lone Sergeant, the Sanguinary Priest goes down!  The squad with the Relic continues to advance.

Turn 4 – Blood Angels

Pistols in the shooting phase take out the lone Sergeant, and the remaining combatants charge the Rhino.  The Assault Squad is wiped out.

Turn 5 – Azure Flames

The Attack Bike charges to save the Rhino as the Relic continues to move away.

Turn 5 – Blood Angels

The Captain finishes off the Attack Bike.

Turn 6 – Azure Flames

Fire from the Tactical Squad kills the Storm Bolter Sergeant.  This frees Leonidas to charge the Blood Angel Captain, killing him.  The Tactical Squad also charges, but their attacks are wasted as the Captain is gone.  The Relic moves out of sight behind a building.  Game ceded.

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Analysis

Azure Flames recovered the Relic – Major Victory!

First, let me say that 8th ed is still 40K. Here’s some musings that I had while playing:

• Advancing during the movement phase is a more elegant solution that running in the shooting phase.
• Because of the flat to-hit rolls, anything that gives a +1 or -1 modifier is a HUGE DEAL.  Blood Angels don’t get any sort of extra STRENGTH on the charge, they get +1 to WOUND, so they’re wounding a TANK on a 4+.
• Spitting fire doesn’t break the game and should have been around since 3rd edition.
• Sniper weapons generate an additional Mortal Wound on a wound roll of a 6, but the other wound still stands, and is separate, so they can kill two models with one shot which is weird.
• Pistol weapons can be fired in the shooting phase while in close combat, so you get an extra round of attacks.  This is also weird to me.
• Vehicles are now much cooler, despite not having facing or line of sight issues.  Multiple people at the store explained this as “well vehicles are constantly moving.”  This excuses it but doesn’t make it less weird that a vehicle can draw line of sight for its gun from its bumper.
• Not having templates is faster.  There, I said it.
• 40K is still fun in 8th.
• Just like in all previous editions, play to the mission and keep your eyes on the prize.
• Characters are weird and need to be managed, but kick ass.

Next, I hope to get some painting done and play more games!