Battle reports, tactics, and general banter about Warhammer 40k, D&D 3.5/Pathfinder, Malifaux, and Warhammer Fantasy!

Sunday, 27 July 2014

July Painting Update

Hey everyone! With the new Ork Codex, I've been going totally crazy trying to get my Orks painted up. So basically since the end of June, I've gotten almost 60 Boyz painted, as well as a Battlewagon, with a unit of Gretchin well on its way.

So I've gotten pretty quick at painting up batches of Ork Boyz, and counting the Boyz I already had painted, I have around 100 Boyz painted now. So here's the new ones.

Squad Number 1
Squad Number 2
Unfortunately, my pictures aren't the best, but as you may be able to tell, these Boyz are painted up to be Evil Suns, with red shirts for all.

Next up is the Battlewagon.
Battlewagon Front
Side Arc
The Rear
And the Other Side
I'm really quite happy with how this turned out. Painting vehicles isn't really my forte, but I think it turned out pretty well. I plan on trying to do some conversions or scratch builds to get some more Battlewagons as well, as I think that they will be by far the most effective way to run Boyz if you want them to actually be able to do anything.

Thursday, 24 July 2014

Warhammer 40k Battle Report: Orks V.S Chaos Space MarinesChaos

With the brutal Orks of the Evil Suns tribe invading a Chaos held planet, the Sorcerer of Slaanesh rallies his forces and prepares for the assault.

This is was a 1500 point battle between my Orks, and Brennan's Chaos Space Marines. The mission was Crusade with a Hammer and Anvil deployment.


The Board
The Armies

Orks

HQ:
- Warboss with Da  Finkin' Kap, Power Klaw, Bosspole, and 'Eavy Armour - 104

- Warboss with Gazbag's Blitzbike, Power Klaw, and Bosspole - 125

- Big Mek with Mega Forcefield, Warbike, and Power Klaw (Allies) - 160

Troops:
- 19 Slugga Boyz with Nob with Power Klaw and Bosspole - 154

- 20 Slugga Boyz with Nob with Power Klaw and Bosspole - 160

- 10 Gretchin with Runtherd  with Grabba Stikk and Squig Hound (Allies) - 40

Fast Attack:
- 8 Warbikers with Nob with Power Klaw - 179

- 5 Warbuggies with Twin-Linked Rokkit Launchas - 125

- 5 Deffcoptas with Twin-Linked Rokkit Launchas - 150

Heavy Support:
- Battlewagon with 4 Rokkit Launchas, Boarding Planks, and Deff Rolla - 155

- Battlewagon with 4 Rokkit Launchas, Boarding Planks, and Reinforced Ram - 150

Total: 1502

With the codex still so new to me, most stuff is still quite experimental, but I've taken a list full of the stuff that I think will end up being most useful in the new book. The Battlewagons are a real must, as they're the only way I can see to get the Boyz nice and stuck in where they want to be. The Big Mek is there to provide a 4++ bubble to the Battlewagons and themselves. The Buggies will outflank, and hopefully the deffkoptas with their scout move will be able to take some first turn pot shots.

Da Orks

Chaos Space Marines

HQ:
-  Sorcerer with 3x Mastery Levels, Mark of Slaanesh, Sigil of Corruption, Spell Familiar, Melta Bombs,
    and Gift of Mutation - 180

- Daemon Prince with 3x Mastery Levels, Mark of Slaanesh, Power Armour, Wings, Spell Familiar, 
   the Black Mace, Gift of Mutation - 360

Elites:
- 10 Noise Marines with 2x Blastmasters, 7x Sonic Blasters, Champion with Melta Bombs, Icon of Excess,
   Rhino with Dozer Blade and Combi-Bolter - 341

Troops:
- 10 Cultists - 50

- 10 Cultists - 50

Fast Attack:
- 3 Chaos Bikers with Mark of Nurgle, 2x Meltaguns, Champion with Melta Bombs - 113

- Heldrake with Baleflamer - 170

Heavy Support:
- 3 Obliterators with Mark of Nurgle, and Veterans of the Long War - 237

Total: 1501

Oh jeez, of course it would be Noise Marines. This list could pose some major problems for me. With 2 level 3 Psykers, he was going to be completely dominating the psychic phase as well. If I can get to his lines without my Battlewagons going up in flames then I should be ok, even if I am taking horrific overwatch fire from them. The Daemon Prince could be a problem as well, given the right powers, but I'm less concerned about it. The Heldrake could be a problem as well, but the Big Mek could help offset that as well.

Chaos Space Marines

The Game

We rolled Warlord Traits and my Warboss got Bellowing Tryant and Divide and Conquer. Brennan got Legendary Fighter on his Sorcerer. Brennan rolled his Powers and got Iron Arm, Endurance, and Fire Shield on his Sorcerer, and Smite, Warp Speed, and Enfeeble on the Daemon Prince. We then roll for table sides and he wins and takes the side with the big hill. He also wins the roll for first turn and decides to go first.

Brennan deploys his Bikes on my right flank behind a building, his Prince out of sight behind the big hill, the first Cultist squad next to the Bikes with the Obliterators behind the Cultists, the Noise Marines in the center, with their Rhino next to them, and the other squad of Cultists next to it.

Chaos Deployment

To counter this, I place my Bikes in the center, with a Battlewagon on either side and the Deffkoptas on the right flank. The Grots go in reserve, as do the Buggies. No night fighting this game, or initiative stealing either.

Orks Deployment
Turn 1

Brennan starts his turn by hopping the Cultists into the Rhino and driving forward. The Daemon Prince flies directly forward and the other Cultists move towards the Koptas. The Bikes drive around the side of the building they're hiding behind.

In the psychic phase, the Prince casts Enfeeble on the Deffkoptas, as well as smite, but they jink. The Sorcerer casts Endurance on his own squad to give them Relentless. 

Shooting begins with the Cultists blasting into the Deffkoptas and doing a wound to them. The Noise Marines take their turn and kill all but 1 and leave another with a single wound. They begin to fall back and lose the hurt one to dangerous terrain. The Obliterators open up with their Lascannons on the Warboss' Battlewagon, but they can't get through its thick front armour. The Bikes and Rhino Turbo-Boost.

The Deffkopta continues to flee, but I manage to roll low, so it stays on the board. Both Battlewagons and the Bikes zoom forwards as fast as they can, going flat out in the shooting phase. One Warbiker is lost to terrain, but other than that, nothing more happens.

End of Turn 1

Turn 2

With the Orks closing in fast, the Noise Marines move back, while the Melta Bikers move to get a good side ark on the Battlewagon. The Daemon Prince flies over the Warboss' Battlewagon but does nothing with the Vector Strike, and the Rhino continues to move down the flank, hoping to go and claim the objective in my back field.

In the psychic phase, the Daemon Prince Enfeebles the Bikes, and casts Sensory Overload on them as well, but their Forcefield protects them. The Sorcerer casts Fire Shield on the Cultists, and Endurance on himself again.

Shooting is largely ineffective this turn, with a Blastmaster killing a single Biker. The Bikes fire their Melta into the Battlewagon's side, but both shots miss. The Obliterators attempt to get some results with their assault cannons, but again, fail to get through the thick armour plates bolted to the front. Again, the Rhino boosts forward. The Bikes attempt to charge, the Battlewagon but get a snake eyes and fail the charge.

With a mighty WAAAGH!!!, the Boyz leap from their Battlewagons and start to head towards the Noise Marines, Cultists, and Obliterators. The Bikes stay put in order to try and deal with the Daemon Prince. The lone Deffkopta fails to regroup again and flies off the table for first blood.

Shooting starts with the Boyz unloading their pistols to no effect. The Battlewagons also whiff pretty badly, though one wound is dealt to the Bikes, but they jink. The Warbikers on the other hand do some good work, blasting the Daemon Prince down to a single wound, but the beast stays in the air.

Assault is a little hard on both sides. Overwatch from the Noise Marines takes out about 4 boyz, and a multi-assault against the the Cultists and the Obliterators. They lose a bunch of Boyz to dangerous terrain, and some more to overwatch. The close combat goes a little better. All but 3 Cultists go down, and the Obliterators take a wound, for a few more Boyz in return. Unfortunately, both squads hold. The Noise Marines fare little better. The Warboss chalenges and super-Murders the Noise Champion, and though the Noise Marines fight back, the Boyz kill over half the squad. 

End of Turn 2

Turn 3

With most of his army locked in Combat, there isn't lots to do. The Daemon Prince goes to glide mode and jumps over behind the big rock, while the Bikes get right up to the Battlewagon. The Rhino continues its course.

Psychic phase this round is particularly devastating. Brennan manages to get Endurance, and Iron Arm off, as well as Enfeebling the Boyz.

Shooting from the Bikes manages to get a glance and a shaken result on the Battlewagon with their Meltaguns, and the Rhino fires into the Bikes and kills one.

In the assault, the Bikes assault the Battlewagon, but fail to harm it. The Sorcerer issues a challenge, and the Nob accepts, only to get cut down. Unfortunately, his earlier cowardice earned him the scorn of Slaanesh, and so his "boon" is Spawnhood. Another boy or two is killed in the assault, before the Warboss swings and kills all but the Icon. The other fight goes less well for the Orks. They manage to wipe out the Cultists, but can't hurt the Obliterators, and combat is tied.

With the Cultists getting close to the objective, the Buggies come bouncing into the fight right behind the Rhino, whilst the Gretchin are herded on towards the objective. The Battlewagon on my left moves over to target the Prince with its Rokkits, and the other moves up to take some shots at the Spawn. Finally, the Warbikers move up to engage the Bikes.

Unleashing their Rokkits on the Rhino easily wrecks the vehicle, forcing the Cultists to disembark. The first Battlewagon gets a wound through on the Prince, but his Daemon save keeps him alive. The other Wagon fires into the Spawn and gets a wound on it. Lastly, the Warbikers shoot the Bikes and kill one, and they run away. 

The Warbikers try to charge the cowardly bikes, but fail the long charge. The Boyz and Warboss finish off the last Noise Marine, and the other Boyz are killed by the Obliterators.

End of Turn 3

Turn 4

Finally having wakened from its nap, the Heldrake comes onto the board, ready to toast some Boyz. The Bikes rally, and again move to deal with the Battlewagon. The Cultists move towards the Gretchin, and the Daemon Prince hops over the rock to attack the Buggies.

Warp Speed is cast in the psychic phase, and thats it. 

In the shooting phase, the combined fire of the Obliterators and the Bikes kill the Battlewagon. The Heldrake fires into the Boyz, and kills all but 4 and the Warboss, who manages to keep them alive, thanks to his Warlord Trait. With all shooting done, the Cultists run to try and get closer to the Objective.

In the Assault, the Spawn charges, and whiffs its attacks, only to be killed by the Warboss. The Prince charges the Buggies and wrecks one and stuns another.

With the Enemy on the ropes, and the pesky Obliterators still shooting me up, The Boyz with the Warboss head towards the Oblits, as well as the Bikers. The Buggies move a bit to get some shots at the Cultists, as do the Grots.

Once again, the Battlewagon fires into the Prince, and this time gets two wounds, but again, he saves it away. The buggies manage to take down a pair of Cultists, and the Grots get another, but they hold. All shooting from the Warbikers and Boyz does nothing.

In the Assault, the Boyz and Bikes both assault the Obliterators and manage to take them down, losing a single Biker in the process. The Gretching charge the Cultists, and though the Runtherd kills the Champion, the Grots lose combat badly and are overrun. 

End of Turn 4
Turn 5

With not much left to do, the Heldrake goes to hover mode and back up. The bikes move towards the other Battlewagon, ready to blow it up. Again, the Cultists move towards the Objective. 

In the psychic phase, the Daemon Prince gets a Perils of the Warp, and is banished back into the Warp. 

The Bikes start shooting and blow off a Rokkit Launcha, while the Heldrake kills a Warbiker, thanks to the Big Mek's Mega Force Field. The Cultists run.

Assault, and the Bikes assault the Battlewagon and stun it.

In the Ork turn, its time to do cleanup. the Boyz get up the hill to try and kill the Heldrake, while the Warbikers turn to kill the Bikes. The Buggies move to kill the Cultists.

In the Shooting phase, the Warbikers murder the Bikes, and the Buggies whiff and hit no Cultists. 

Assault and the Boyz and Warboss wreck the Heldrake.

At this point we decide to call it, as there's no way Brennan can pull a win.

Total Points:

Orks: 8 (2 Objectives, Linebreaker, and Slay the Warlord)

Chaos: 6 (1 Objective, Linebreaker, First Blood, and One Character Killed)

Post-Game Thoughts

That game was a really close battle throughout. Overall, I have to give the reason for my win to the fact that Brennan can't seem to crack armour 14. His Bikes missing both Meltaguns and then failing the charge turn 2 really hurt him, as it allowed my Boyz a lot more movement, and a turn 2 assault. I think I made a big mistake by being so aggressive with my Deffkoptas right away. I should have kept them back, more out of range of the Noise Marines, or maybe put them on the other flank to deal with the Rhino right away. On the other hand, my strategy of keeping the Big Mek in Forcefield range of the Battlewagons worked out very well. The 4++ it affords you can really help to get your Battlewagons up close and personal with the enemy. I also think that the large squads of Boyz worked very well, even though they had to take a lot of damage from overwatch and dangerous terrain on the way in, they still performed admirably. I didn't get much chance to see how the Deffkoptas worked, but the other two Fast Attack choices I brought have been very solid in the games I've played so far. The Bikes can dish out a ton of firepower, and have been fairly low priority up to this point, allowing them to do what they need to do, and the Buggies outflanking with Rokkits have done a very good job as well.

This was a really enjoyable game, and I can't help but feel like if a few rolls had been different, Brennan would have been able to pull off a win. Some Bad saves on his prince, along with his Sorcerer getting spawned and the Bikers missing left and right with their Meltas really hurt him this game, and I think he played a pretty tactically solid game. The only thing I would have done differently in his shoes would have been to move up his Obliterators turn 1 and 2 to try and get into Multi-Melta Range. Even if he had been able to pop one Wagon, it could really have changed the game. I could lose a lot of boyz in the explosion, and have a 50/50 chance to be pinned, or beating up my own guys.

Anyways, as always, thans for reading. I hope to have up some full reviews on the new Ork Codex, as well as WAAAGH!!! Ghazghull and The Red WAAAGH!!! soon. Maybe a 3 part series, so stay tuned.

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Warhammer 40k Battle Report: Iron Warriors V.S Death Guard

Fighting over a strategically important planet within the Eye of Terror grows intense between a Warp Smith of the Iron Warriors legion, and a mighty Daemon Prince leading a contingent of Death Guard. In an attempt to put down the Death Guard once and for all, the Warpsmith calls upon all the Daemon Engines and Helbrutes at his disposal.

This was a 2100 point game between my Iron Warriors Chaos Space Marines, and Brennan's Death Guard Chaos Space Marines. The mission was the Scouring with a Spearhead deployment

The Armies

Iron Warriors

HQ:
- Warpsmith with an Aura of Dark Glory - 125

Heavy Support:
- Defiler - 195

- Defiler - 195

- Defiler - 195

- Defiler - 195

- Maulerfiend - 125

Formations:
- Helcult - 236
    - Helbrute with Powerfist and Multi-Melta - 100
    - 19 Cultists - 86
    - 10 Cultists - 50

- Helfist Murderpack - 535
    - Helbrute with Powerfist and Reaper Autocannon (Champion) - 105
    - Helbrute with Powerfist and Plasma Cannon - 110
    - Helbrute with Powerfist and Plasma Cannon - 110
    - Helbrute with Powerfist and Plasma Cannon - 110
    - Helbrute with Powerfist and Multi-Melta - 100

- Mayhem Pack - 300
    - Helbrute with Powerfist and Multi-Melta - 100
    - Helbrute with Powerfist and Multi-Melta - 100
    - Helbrute with Powerfist and Multi-Melta - 100

Total: 2101

This list was kind of an experiment. I realized that between Brennan and I we had 9 Helbrutes and 4 Defilers, and just really wanted to see them all on the tabletop at once. I also thought that it would be interesting to play, as if he was able to bring enough anti-tank he would more than likely be able to completely crump all my walkers right away before they ever made it anywhere near his lines. Because I didn't want it to just end up a slaughter, I also gave Brennan a heads up about the nature of this list so that he wouldn't be completely unprepared.

Walkers!


Death Guard

HQ:
- Daemon Prince of Nurgle with Wings, Power Armour, Gift of Mutation, 3x Mastery Levels, Spell Familiar,
   and the Black Mace - 365

Elites:
- 3 Chaos Terminators with Mark of Nurgle and 3x Combi-Melta - 130

- 10 Plague Marines with 2x Plasma Gun, with Melta Bombs and Power Axe (Champion) in a Rhino with
   Dozer Blades - 330

- 10 Plague Marines with 2x Plasma Gun, with Melta Bombs and Power Axe (Champion) in a Rhino with
   Dozer Blades - 330

Troops:
- 10 Cultists with Mark of Nurgle and Autoguns - 80

- 10 Cultists with Mark of Nurgle and Autoguns - 80

Fast Attack:
- 3 Bikers with Mark of Nurgle, and 2x Meltaguns - 108

Heavy Support:
- 3 Obliterators with Mark of Nurgle - 228

- 3 Obliterators with Mark of Nurgle - 228

- 3 Obliterators with Mark of Nurgle - 228

Total: 2107

This list is cool because it includes a really scary element in the 9 Obliterators, and the Flying Daemon Prince, while still having some extremely sub-optimal choices in the Mark of Nurgle Cultists. What I was going to have to really worry about was absolutely going to be the Oblits, and if he got Iron Arm, the Prince as well. The Bikes could be a problem if I can't take them out before they get into melta range, and the Terminators could also be bad news if they don't scatter. I think it will be very interesting.

Nurgle!

The Game

We rolled Warlord traits, and I think both of us got dumb stuff. Brennan then rolled his powers and got pretty much the worst things possible. Enfeeble, Life Leech, and Smite. Suddenly, his Daemon Prince got a whole lot less scary. Brennan won the roll for Corners and picked the corner with the forest in it, to deny me more cover. He also won the roll for first turn and opted to go first and deploy first.

Brennan deployed with his Cultists on his back objective in the back of his deployment zone, and with the Prince in the forest next to them. His other Cultists went far forward, ready to grab a more central objective. Beside the Cultists, he put one Rhino, and the other Rhino went on his left flank. A Squad of Obliterators accompanied the Bikes on his right flank, and finally, the other two Obliterator squads went in the middle and a bit to the left.

Death Guard Deployed
To counter him, I used my amazing strategic prowess and pretty much just stretched out across the table as far forward as possible. The Maulerfiend went on my far right with two Defilers. A third Defiler held the Center with the Helfist Murderpack hiding behind a building. The Helcult took up my left flank along with the last Defiler, and the Mayhem Pack went into reserve.

Iron Warriors Battle Line
We flip do random objective values and I have the 1 with my Cultists, a 2 on my right hill, a 3 on my left hill, a 2 by my center Defiler, the 4 in the center forest and a 2 with his Cultists in the back. We roll for Night Fighting and it is dark. I roll to steal the initiative and manage to steal it.

Turn 1

I start by moving my whole force forwards. The Maulerfiend runs behind the hill to its right the Defilers begin to move forwards, as does the Murderpack. the Defiler goes left to shoot at the Bikes. The Helcult moves forwards.

The Defilers unleash their Battlecannons and Reaper Autocannons into the central Cultists, and kill a couple. The leftmost Defiler shoots into the Bikes and kills the Champion, and, feeling less than confident against the massive Defiler, the remaining Bikes flee off the table, gaining me First Blood and a point for killing a Fast Attack choice. Everything else just runs.

With the Bikes gone and the walkers closing in, the Death Guard begin to try and do some damage before its too late. The Rhinos both move forward, the one on the flank moving up behind the hill, and the other moving into the forest. The Obliterators shuffle around some to try and get some decent lines of fire and the Nurgle Prince flies forward.

In the psychic phase, Brennan gets a 4 for his psychic dice and begins casting powers. He starts by casting Life Leech on the Cultists and kills one. He then tries to cast smite, but I deny.

Shooting begins with a squad of Obliterators firing Lascannons at the Maulerfiend, as well as the Plasma Guns from the Plague Marines, but the darkness and the hill prevent any damage. The next squad of Oblits shoot at one of the Defilers and manage to take a hull point off of it. Realizing that the Maulerfiend will be able to do some serious damage if it survives, and so he fires his last unit of Obliterators into it and it explodes.

End of turn 1

Turn 2

Crashing down from the sky comes the Mayhem Pack, one lands directly behind the Rhino, one scatters a bit behind the Cultists, and one mishaps and gets placed in my back corner facing the wrong way. With the Maulerfiend dead, the Defilers move forwards to try and get to grips with the enemy themselves. the third Defiler on the flank moves around the hill to get a better line of sight. The Helfist Murderpack moves toward the Rhino, ready to hopefully blow it up and then assault the guys inside. The Cultists shuffle forward a bit to try and shoot the Daemon Prince with their pistols

Shooting starts with the Murderpack shooting everything at the Rhino, and only getting one glancing hit through, with one of the Plasma Cannons getting hot and giving a Helbrute a hull point. Next the Helbrute behind the Rhino fires its Multi-Melta but only manages to stun the Rhino. Finally, a Defiler shoots the Rhino and wrecks it. The Defiler closest to the Obliterators shoots everything into them, but their armour protects them from harm. The last two defilers both fire everything into the now exposed Plague Marines and manage to kill half the squad. Finally, the Cultists shoot their pistols into the Daemon Prince, hoping to knock it out of the sky, but they fail to harm it. The Helbrute in my corner runs towards the Helcult to try and get back into the fight.

With a daemonic bellow, the Defiler charges the Obliterators and manages to completely pulp one, but takes a hull point in return for its trouble. Luckily, I immediately make my It Will Not Die roll and it regenerates the damage.

With one squad of Obliterators tied up, and a pair of Helbrutes directly in their midst, the Death Guard move to deal with the wall of walkers coming their way. The two units of Obliterators each move to target a Helbrute, while the Rhino moves towards a Defiler to try and hurt it with plasma fire. The unit of Plague Marines begins to try and move away from the Murderpack, and the Daemon Prince flies right over the Helcult, but fails to harm the Helbrute with its Vector Strike.

In the psychic phase, the Prince casts both Smite and Life Leech on the Cultists, and kills a couple, but other than that, there's not much to be done.

Shooting starts with both units of Obliterators destroying the Helbrutes, thanks to the twin-linked Meltaguns they can sprout. The Plague Marines manage to take a hull point off the Helbrute Champion, and the ones in the Rhino take a point off a Defiler, though one of the Plague Marines is killed by his gun.

In the assault, the Defiler does a couple wounds, but they're saved away by the Obliterators' Daemon save. They swing back and do a hull point to the Defiler.

End of turn 2

Turn 3

With the Obliterators running amok, the Defiler on my left flank moves up the hill, while the one in the middle goes straight forward. The last Defiler moves towards the Rhino, hoping to charge it this turn. The Murderpack moves up towards the Plague Marines, hoping to kill them this turn, and the remaining Mayhem Pack brute gets mad and has a firing frenzy. The Helcult moves to target the Daemon Prince again.

Shooting from the Murderpack is largely unneffective this turn with 2 Plasma Cannons overheating, and the Multi-Melta missing, and only one Plague Marine goes down. The Defiler on the hill fares little better and misses completely with its Battle Cannon, but takes one down with the Reaper Autocannon. The center Defiler blasts into the Cultists again and kills a couple, but they hold. The last Defiler shoots at the Rhino but doesn't hurt it. All the shooting from the Cultists and Helbrutes proves innefective and the Daemon Prince remains unharmed.

In the assault phase things go poorly. The Defiler fails its charge against the Rhino, even with fleet, and the Murderpack fails its charge on the Plague Marines. Lame. In the combat between the Oblits and the Defiler, the Defiler smashes down another Obliterator and takes another hull point leaving it on its last one.

Seeing their time to strike, the Terminators teleport right next to the Murderpack, hoping to cook some Helbrutes with their Combi-Meltas. The Daemon Prince switches to gliding mode to try and assault the Helcult, and the Cultists by the forest move forward to claim the objective. The two squads of Obliterators move around to get some shots on things. Finally, the Rhino rams the Defiler, but neither engine takes any damage.

In the psychic phase, the Daemon Prince enfeebles the large squad of Cultists with the Warpsmith in it, and then casts Leech Life, getting a precision hit on the Warpsmith, which then fails to wound.

The center Obliterators fire Assault Cannons into the Murderpack, and with an incredible roll manage to kill the Champion and the Helbrute standing behind it!. The other Obliterators do much worse and fail to do any damage to the Defiler, as do the Plague Marines in the Rhino. The Terminators fire their Combi-Meltas, but only get one glance on a Helbrute.

Finally, the Defiler manages to crush the last Obliterator, and runs off towards the other squad on that flank, ready to beat some more of them up.

Turn 4

Seeing a new threat, the Murderpack turns towards the terminators, ready to punch them into a pulp. The Defiler on the hill moves right up onto the objective on the top of the hill. The Center Defiler moves right up to the edge of the forest, hoping ot assault the Cultists within, whilst the wounded Defiler moves even closer to the Obliterators. All the Cultists turn to fight the Daemon Prince, and the lone Helbrute moves forward as well.

Shooting starts with 2 squads of Cultists firing everything into the Daemon Prince and taking off 3 wounds from it! the Defiler shoots at the Rhino and gets a couple glancing hits but doesn't wreck it. The other Defilers fail to hurt the Obliterators with their shooting and the center defiler kills a couple Cultists with its weapons.

In the assault the Murderpack charges into the Terminators killing 2, and the third runs and gets away. The small Cultist squad and the Helbrute charge the Daemon Prince, with the Champion challenging. The Prince murders the Champion and a bunch of Cultists, but takes a wound from the Cultist's massed attacks. The Defiler in the middle assaults and kills all the Cultists in the forest, and the Defiler on the flank assaults the Rhino and blows it up, killing 3 Plague Marines in the explosion. The last Defiler assaults the Obliterators and kills one and regenerates a hull point.

With most stuff locked in combat, there's not much left to do. The remaining Obliterators fire into the Defiler in the forest, but fail to do anything, while the lone Terminator moves to contest the objective of the Defiler on the hill.

In combat, the Obliterators knock off another point from the Defiler, and the Daemon Prince gets a glance on the Helbrute.

End of Turn 4
Turn 5

With the Death Guard on the ropes, the Iron Warriors make their final push. The Murderpack moves towards the remaining Plague Marines, and the Defilers and Helbrute prepare their final assaults.

In the assault, the flank Defiler charges the Plague Marines and take a hull point from overwatch, before smashing down 4 Plague Marines. the Defiler fighting the Obliterators kills an Obliterator and then gets punched down finally. The Defiler on the hill smashes into the terminator and murders him before consolidating back to the objective. The Murderpack kills the other 2 Plague Marines, and the Lone Helbrute and Helcult Brute take down the Daemon Prince. At this point, Brennan concedes.

End of Turn 5
Total Points:

Iron Warriors: 11 (8 for Objectives, 1 Fast Attack Kill, First Blood, Warlord)

Death Guard: 2 (Objective)

Post-Game Thoughts

Wow, I had no idea that this list would have been so tough to beat. Even with quite a bit of anti-tank in his army, Brennan had a really hard time dropping the walkers in my army, though he did manage to kill 6 of them. I think this really goes to show how much better vehicles got in this edition, as they're much harder to just blow up then they were before.

There were some really unlucky moments on both sides this game. Brennan had terrible luck with his melta (as, of course, is tradition) and really only managed to kill the two deep striking brutes thanks to twin-linking. He also got really unlucky with his psychic powers, as if he had gotten Iron Arm I would have been in deep trouble. For me, I had a hell of a time making charges. In total I failed 4 charges, 3 of which were in the same turn, and when I got into combat, Brennan's invulns were very tough to get through.

Tactically, I think my game probably could have been a little better, but honestly, it was more about just rushing up all those walkers and trying to smash face, and I guess that plan ended up working out pretty well. In the end, it was a really fun game, with lots of back and forth moments with the dice, and for awhile there it was looking like I was going to get crushed, though the points don't really reflect that.

As always, thanks for reading, and remember to leabe a comment with your feed back below.