games were under old editions/codexes.)
October-November 2008
First Battle of the Basilica:
(No pics for this one, wasn't sure we were going to play so didn't bring the camera and my time was tight anyways.)
Word Bearers had:
Daemon Prince
Chosen
Termies
2xRhino-borne CSM squads
Foot CSM squad
2xDaemon packs
Dread (multimelta)
Defiler
Imperial Fists had:
Commander and command squad w/ Razorback
2xTac squads in Rhinos
4xTac squads on foot
Dev squad (4ML)
Dread (LC/ML)
So, facing 76 marines, a dread and some transports. Prepare for beaucoup bolter fire.
Rolled up an Annihilation mission with Spearhead deployment. He won to choose quarter, set up first and went first. Devs in second-level ruins in corner, other stuff spread out around that. I clusterd most of my vehicles and DP behind a big set of storage tanks to try to avoid first turn fire and see where he moved too and react. I chose the Sacred Ground stratagem for the central ruin to represent a 'converted' altar to the dark gods, he chose preliminary bombardment. No units took damage, but he did blow up the terrain piece my force was hiding behind. Curses! With that in mind I tried to steal the initiative but failed. However, luck played tricks with both sides - in the first couple of turns I think I made like 7 out of 9 cover saves for my vehicles. One rhino did get popped.
On my left it was largely a sideshow and consisted of one CSM squad and my dread vs. one of his Rhino squads. Eventually both squads got run off the table but the dread survived. My right saw the defiler and foot CSM squad fighting with the other rhino squad (which also dispatched a daemon pack). The big action was through the middle. Second daemon pack swarmed over the dark altar to engage marines while second CSM squad followed them up, and were still embroiled in hand-to-hand struggles atop the shrine as the game ended. Meanwhile the Terminators engaged the bulk of his forces behind the lines and the Chosen arrived to support. Though the Terminators died, they immobilized the IF dread making it easier prey for other unit's fire and helped run off two tac squads and the devs. The Chosen wiped out one squad on entry and helped finish the job the Terms started herding broken squads off the table. In the end I hadn't caused a great deal of direct casualties, but won the KPs due to the routed units.
Final tally 8KP to 5KP, Chaos successfully defend the Basilica.
I killed:
Rhino
Razorback
Dread
Tac squad
and forced three more tacs and a dev squad to retreat off board.
He killed:
2 daemon packs
Rhino
Terminators
and routed one CSM squad remnants off
Garm watched the Imperial Fists retreat in staggered waves, one squad laying down covering bolter fire while another pulled further back, hauling their wounded. He called his warriors to halt the pursuit and consolidate their positions in their new temple. Rather than push a disadvantageous engagement, the Imperial commander had pulled his men back. He knew this was not a battle of a single day. Already extra guns would be pulling in to the railway depots from landing zones outside the city, guns that would soon be trained on the Basilica complex. Imperial Fists here in the East, Crimson Fists taking up positions to assault the Palace...the sons of Dorn had come in force to Vogen.
"Dig deep."
Second Battle
Battle of the Railroad Depots - Word Bearers vs. Imperial Fists
The Imperial Fists had constructed a series of tank obstacles along the approaches from the Chaos-held areas of the city. While guarded against the rumbling mechanized elements on the streets themselves, the real danger might lurk below those streets...
1850pts, Word Bearers attacking Imperial Fists at the Railroad Depots location.
Rolled up a Dawn of War Annihilation mission.
Setup:
The poker chips are sewer entrances.
Behind the table you can see on the shelves the tanks for Chris' Mechanized Grenadier/Stormtrooper IG army.
Another angle to take in more of the battlefield:
Imperial Fists close-up:
Chaos troops move up:
Vindicator and Dread move up.
Defiler and another Rhino move onto the opposite flank while DP closes with the Marines.
Imperial Fist commander arrives.
With loads of firepower and the motivation not to see it close to combat, the IF vape the Daemon Prince:
It's attention drawn to the area by the banishment of the Daemon Prince, the Defiler launches a
battlecannon shell at the command squad. It drifts...to an even better spot, getting full Str against
the Razorback while still hitting the whole squad. The Razorback gets its TLHB blown off and its
side is given a fresh coat of red paint from the exploding astartes. The commander fails his
invulnerable save and joins his squad in death...or maybe a future spot in a dreadnought.
The Terminators also carve their way out of the sewers courtesy of the squad chainfist.
Chosen also arrive via sewer and one daemon pack shows up.
Daemons charge one IF squad, CSM charge another but neither combat is conclusive.
Defiler gets destroyed by the IF LC/ML dread, Grey Knight Terminators arrive on the field!
The daemon possessing the Vindicator makes a snide remark not to the Dreadnought's liking. Two multimelta shots later, the daemon shuts up.
Chosen engage squad IV, CSM squad wiped out, daemons hold on.
Chaos Terminators move to engage squad I, more Word Bearers pour fire into the Grey Knights, killing three.
Couple of combat closeups:
IF devastators polish off a Chaos Rhino in the distance, hoping their comrades can hold off the Chaos Terminators a little longer.
GK move to avenge their fallen brothers:
Fight fight fight!
More daemons arrive and devour the Stormtroopers, but in turn are dealt with by Imperial firepower and GK blades.
Chosen champion finishes off his first opponents, but is cut down by bolter fire before reaching a second set of victims.
Dread leads recycled daemon packs towards the enemy, but it is too little too late. After seven hard-fought turns, the losses for the Chaos forces are simply too much and they must pull back leaving the Imperial defenders bloodied but still in control of the location.
Shot of some of Chris' fully painted Imperial Fists:
Back of commander:
His Death Guard lord and another Marine:
Backs:
Instant diorama!
No comments:
Post a Comment