1000 points Double Header, Azure Flames vs. Knights and AdMech
Misa, a regular at AFK games brought a brand new army: Knights and Admech, and wanted to test them out! I obliged him with two different 1000 point games.
Game 1: Reconnaissance Mission
Primary Objective: Take and Hold (1, 2, and more objectives than enemy = 5VP each @end of command phase, can’t score turn 1)
Bozeman – Azure Flames (Salamanders)
- Battalion
- Khalil, Captain of the 7th Company, on Bike, Warlord, Exemplar of the Promethean Creed (-1CP), Forge Master, Miraculous Constitution, Drake Smiter, Storm Shield
- Librarian, Chief Librarian, Force Sword, The Tome of Vel’cona (-1CP), Fire Shield, Burning Hands, Drakeskin, Fury of Nocturne, Plasma Pistol
- Assault Intercessors x5, Thunder Hammer
- Intercessors x5, Thunder Hammer, Astartes Grenade Launcher
- Tactical Squad x5, Storm Bolter, Chainsword, Lascannon
- Bike Squad x3, Power Fist, 2x Meltagun
- Devastators x5, Armorium Cherub, 2x Lascannon, Missile Launcher, Heavy Bolter
- Thunderfire Cannon
Misa – Imperial Knights and Adeptus Mechanicus
- Super-Heavy Detachment (Imperial Knights)
- Knight Crusader, Warlord, First Knight, Rapid Fire Battle Cannon, Avenger Gatling Cannon, 2x Heavy Stubber, Ironstorm Missile Pod
- Knight Armiger, Heavy Stubber
- Knight Armiger, Heavy Stubber
- Patrol (AdMech)
- Techpriest Engineseer
- Skitari Ranger x5
- Skitari Ranger x5
Setup
Before the game begins, Misa used 1CP to put both squads of Skitarii into reserves.
Turn 1 – Knights and AdMech
Knight Crusader moves up and targets multiple squads. The bikes are eliminated. Transhuman Physiology saves the Assault Intercessors, reducing them to 3 instead of wiping them out. The Knight charges, and the Devastators answer back with Born Heroes, using their Armourium Cherub and getting a lucky Lascannon hit which does 6 damage! However, the Knight fails the charge. Armigers move up to take objectives. Turn not pictured.
Turn 1 – Azure Flames
Tactical and Devastator fire removes the Armiger on the right side. Khalil, Assault Intercessors, and Intercessors charge the Knight and manage to do exactly enough damage to destroy it! Librarian performs the first of three psychic ceremonies.
Turn 2 – Knights and AdMech
Surviving Armiger shoots at the Thunderfire, reducing it to one wound. Techpriest retreats to the objective in the crater. Skitarii arrive and snag objectives.
Turn 2 – Azure Flames
Devastators move and use Relentless Determination to remove the remaining Armiger. Librarian performs 2nd psychic ritual, but then suffers a wound to Perils! Tactical Squad and Intercessors blast the Skitarii on the right. The Assault Intercessors charge and kill the Techpriest. The remaining Skitarii flee because of a failed morale test. Tabled.
Discussion: The Knight, hard as it was, should have stayed back. It has enough range to take out the whole tiny 30×44″ board. Moving it up put it in prime position for being charged by three Thunder Hammers. The Skitarii in reserve were nice, but they weren’t enough. This list needs more bodies to hold objectives and/or lay down some extra fire.
Game 2: Raid
Primary Objective: Domination (2, 3 and more objectives than enemy = 5VP at end of Command Phase)
Bozeman – Azure Flames
- Spearhead Detachment (-3CP)
- Techmarine on Bike (Legends), Master of the Forge, Miraculous Constitution, Drake Smiter, Conversion Beamer
- Land Raider, Storm Bolter
- Land Raider Crusader, Multi-Melta
- Vindicator, Storm Bolter
- Whirlwind, Castellan Launcher
Misa – Imperial Knights and Adeptus Mechanicus (same list, see above)
Setup
Turn 1 – Knights and AdMech
Knight Crusader moves up and reduces the Land Raider Crusader to 5 wounds. Armigers take objectives. Skitarii raise flags on backfield objectives.
Turn 1 – Azure Flames
Land Raider Crusader whiffs its Multi-Melta against the Armiger, but it hits EVERY SINGLE ONE of its Bolter and Assault Cannon hits, doing 7 wounds! This is, ultimately, futile as the Vindicator does 12 wounds all by itself. Land Raider injures the other Armiger, and kills a few Skitarii.
Turn 2 – Knights and AdMech
Knight Crusader removes the Land Raider Crusader, and the Armiger whiffs, but a lucky shot from a Skitarii does one wound to the Land Raider!
Turn 2 – Azure Flames
Land Raider removes the remaining Armiger and one more of the Skitarii.
Turn 3 – Knights and AdMech
Awful shooting this turn does absolutely nothing to the Land Raider.
Turn 3 – Azure Flames
Fire from the remaining tanks damages the Knight, but it stays in its first tier. Whirlwind and Land Raider kill the Skitarii squad on the crater.
Turn 4 – Knights and AdMech
Knight damages the Land Raider down to 3 wounds and then charges to finish the job! Skitarii shoot one wound off the Vindicator.
Turn 4 – Azure Flames
Techmarine charges the Techpriest, but poor rolls leave the priest alive! Knight stomps on the Techmarine, but poor damage rolls leave him with 1 wound.
Turn 5 – Knights and AdMech
Skitarii charge the Vindicator! Knight kills the Techmarine. Turn not pictured.
Turn 5 – Azure Flames
Vindicator falls back from combat and Whirlwind damages the Skitarii squad.
Final Score
Azure Flames: 44
Knights and AdMech: 23
Discussion: For two turns I was able to hold 3 objectives while the enemy held 2, which got me a total of 30 VPs during the course of the game. I also managed to kill more enemy units than they killed of mine and spread out to four board quarters for more VPs. In the end, Misa’s list had the same problems it had last game: It needed to rack up more VPs with more bodies. This list also had a distinct lack of anti-tank which is why the Land Raiders lasted so long. Some Melta would have annihilated me pretty easily.
Next: The last part of my Indominus project: the Judicar!
Razorback Assault Cannon Turrets and Devastator Bolter Touchups
For a while, I’ve had to cannibalize the twin linked Assault Cannon from my Land Raiders when using that option on a Razorback.
No more.
With these Forge World beauties, I can now take another extremely viable weapon option as a support!
For touch ups, I decided to keep it simple. I chose five Devastator bolter marines painted recently, so they shouldn’t need too many touch ups, right?
HA HA. NOPE.
It is amazing how these models that I painted for 7th edition (to better fill out a Demi Company) has so many mistakes, mould lines, and missed details. One was even overprimed and a little stay-puft-y. But they are in much better condition.
That’s not to say great. These are the Assault on Black Reach snap-fit marines. They are actually kind of awful sculpts. The collar on the back of the head is too high and blends into the head. There are a lot of 3D modelling errors such as cables on the arm/shoulder junction that look distorted. The poses leave a bit to be desired.
But they’re good enough for Tabletop Standard!
Next: The Judicar, last of the models in my Indominus Project, and another five Devastator Bolters!
Zeraf Antonius as an Imdominus Primaris Captain (also Assault Squad decals)
Zeraf Antonius, Captain of the 4th Company of the Azure Flames, Scion of Atrus, Hero of Tenkath Hive, the Laurel Crowned.
Bearing a shield made from the Sarcophagus of his fallen gene-father, Atrus, and wielding a custom made sword (as The Burning Blade). Antonius has crossed the Rubicon Primaris following the events of the Omega War, and the subsequent discovery from the Indominus Crusade. Antonius will be the main character of the upcoming web novella Home Fires: An Azure Flames Story.
Additionally, I updated another squad with decals! These Assault Marines without Jump Packs are a cheap and effective addition to several of my lists.
Gotta love that classic pewter sergeant. This squad was originally painted for my first Golden Rhino tournament. However, due to the unfortunate events of the Omega War, they have joined the Third Company.
Next: Razorback Turrets with Assault Cannons!
3rd Company Standard Bearer and final Tactical touch up!
This fine gentleman has featured in a lot of my lists:
An Ancient (Standard Bearer) adds versatility to a gunline and a drop pod storm, and with this Bolter-Melta, now I get an extra Melta shot.
In addition the fourth of my four Tactical Squads are updated and have decals!
Next: Zeraf Antonius, Captain of the 4th Company, Scion of Atrus, Master of the Marches, Hero of Tenkath Hive, The Laurel Crowned. Stay Tuned!