Triad Cluster Campaign: Orks vs. Death Cult (and some Adeptus Sororitas)

Celestine phases into battle with a big thumbs up from Doug

My second campaign battle this past Sunday was also against the Imperials, this time Doug's Sisters/Inquisition force.  1500pts, two missions - six evenly spread objectives and Relic, with old "spearhead" (table corner, 12" from center) deployment.

Orks face off against henchmen-toting Landraider Crusader, three exorcists, two sisters squads in rhinos (one of which is the Legendary Chosen of the Prioress, who rolled up Stealth as their initial upgrade), melta squad in multimelta immolator.  

Sisters advance.

Multimelta knocks out a rokkit on one wagon.  Steel Leejun pours out to assault the offending tank while other orks move up.

They easily crump the umie zap-wagon.  Melta squad hops out of the wreck.

Melta squad vapes the meganob wagon, while Inquisitorial posse charges into the 30-strong shoota mob.  Celestine appears over by the lobbas.

Tinboys charge the melta sisters, while remaining Steel Leejun engage the Chosen of the Prioress.  Death cult wipe the shoota boys.  Mega nobs tried to go help but failed their charge.  Shokk Attack gun has been fleeing most of the game.

Victorious orks, though the Steel Leejun take another handful of casualties courtesy of tank shock + mob rule.  My orks were stern disciplinarians this game, dishing out lots of mob rule wounds - fail, d6 hits, 5-6 hits, 4-5 wounds, 2-5 boys gone, repeat, repeat, repeat.  Still better than all running away.  Not a lot, but a little better.

Raider comes to get some shots in.  Between rending assault cannons and exorcist shots the megas get whittled down.

Battlewagon goes to burst through cover and ram an exorcist, but throws a track in the ruins despite the ram reroll.

Steel Leejun take it out anyways, while tinboys take out the rhino.

Megas had hopped in the trukk, but quickly hopped out again as it was wrecked.

They move up to engage Celestine (and land raider).

Meanwhile Waaaagggh! enhanced tinboys round the corner heading for the Sisters/Exorcist in the back.

Krump!  Down goes the saint!

Boing!  And right back up again!

Celestine hops up to secure the Relic, leaving the megas to get shot up.

Tinboys fail their charge and get gunned down over the next two turns.

Megas weather the fire but get clobbered by the death cult.  Return hits all saved on crusaders.

Like the good Blood Axe he is, Krumpa runs away, and proceeds to fail a few rally attempts before getting blasted.

Thorough victory to the Sisters!  

I hid the few remaining Steel Leejun at the end, so they could survive to earn some Glory Points.  They're closer to another upgrade.  As are the Inquisition squad.  

I was really stunned by how poorly the orks did against the Thunderwolves and henchmen.  They just don't have the combos and survivability other armies can kick out.  It really shocked me just how easily the meganobs and full-strength boys just evaporated with no significant return damage.   In the future I'll have to be less aggressive and work at slowing those units down.  May be a fast campaign, unless we can get some more wins in against some more reasonable armies like Tau and Eldar. ;-)

With a few exceptions, most players have been taking survivability upgrades.  As a designer, that may be a sign that those upgrades are too good.  If I redo the tables that may need to change a bit.  We'll see how it goes for the rest of the campaign.