Off to War in the Man Cave

by SandWyrm


It's been a bit odd this week. What with the tourney being over and me going "now what?". I've got modeling/painting projects to do, but after 3 weeks of working like mad to get ready for the tourney, I'm just not in the mood to sit down at the work table. "MMMMMMeh..." would sum it up nicely.



Mrs. SandWyrm was working out of town earlier this week on a server-upgrade consult-gig, and ended up staying a day longer than anticipated (Yay for I-was-almost-done disk failures!). Anyhow, she didn't get home in time for me to go gaming at the Game Preserve North on Wednesday, and even if she had I would have had the "Do I have to watch the kids all night after working and driving all day?" card played on me.


So after a short consultation, Farmpunk decided to come over to my place for a game. We usually like to play in the store so that we can help build the local 40K community (And to entertain/annoy Gibbs, who works there.). But playing in the basement does have it's advantages. We can drink beer and tell off-color jokes without looking over our shoulder to make sure the store is empty. And games can go past 8:30 without having to leave though the security door on the other side of the mall and then walk all the way around back to our cars.

The downsides being that we had to play the first half of the game while listening to songs from Thomas the Tank Engine. And the necessity for an intermission while I put the kids to bed. But once that was done we were having such a good time that Mrs. SandWyrm got a bit jealous of all the goings on below. But she respected the rites of the Man Cave and did not enter.

She's a good woman. I think I'll keep her. :)

Anyhow, we decided to do battle with our tourney lists, which we've done before. But this time we were both fully painted! And the battle ended up being a lot more interesting/fun than the practice bouts we did prior to the tourney.

Farmpunk's List

HQ:
201 - Saint Celestine

Elites:
158 - 5 Celestians w/2 x melta 3 x bolters, Immolator (E. Armor, smoke)
158 - 5 Celestians w/2 x melta 3 x bolters, Immolator (E. Armor, smoke)

Troops:
151 - 9 SOBs (7x bolter, Hflamer, Meltagun), Vet Superior (Book of St. Lucius, Bolter)
206 - 9 SOBs (7x bolter, Hflamer, flamer), Vet Superior (Book of St. Lucius, Bolter), Rhino (E. Armor, smoke, Searchlight)
[Inducted Imperial Guard Platoon]
105 - Platoon Command Squad w/2 x Melta, Chimera
110 - Infantry Squad w/Plasma Gun, Autocannon, Commissar
130 - Infantry Squad w/Plasma Gun, Autocannon, Chimera (Hull Flamer)

Heavy Support:
140 - Exorcist w/ Extra Armor
140 - Exorcist w/ Extra Armor

Total: 1500

SandWyrm's List

HQ

205 CCS w/4 x Melta, Astropath, Fleet Officer, Chimera (Hull Heavy Flamer)

Elites
65 Marbo

Troops
155 Veteran Squad w/3 x Melta, Chimera (Hull Heavy Flamer)
155 Veteran Squad w/3 x Melta, Chimera (Hull Heavy Flamer)
155 Veteran Squad w/3 x Melta, Chimera (Hull Heavy Flamer)
170 Veteran Squad w/3 x Plasma, Chimera (Hull Heavy Flamer)

Fast Attack
120 3 Scout Sentinels w/Autocannons
145 Hellhound w/Hull Multi-Melta

Heavy Support
165 Leman Russ Battle Tank w/Hull Lascannon
165 Leman Russ Demolisher w/Hull Heavy Flamer

Total: 1500

The Setup

We rolled a Sieze Ground mission with 5 objectives and a Pitched Battle setup. Farmpunk won the roll for first turn and set up in a long line across most of the board. He had in mind to hold his right objective with the IG platoon and then run his Sisters down the middle. He figured that I would pop a transport or two en route, so whichever squad lost their ride first would slog it over to the closest objective on his left.


Seeing this setup, I decided not to engage the Sisters on my right directly. His transports are always difficult to stop once they're smoked, so I decided to run most of my force up his right flank (my left) at his platoon, while holding the center with my Russes, Sentinels, and one squad of Melta Vets. My Plasma Vets would stay behind to guard the objective on my left and provide fire support, while the objective on my right would be left wide open. It was a classic "Denied Flank" move. I'd hammer the close target (The IG Platoon), while forcing his Sisters to spend an extra turn speeding towards me diagonally in their Chimeras, Rhinos, and Immoliators.

My setup was also calculated to minimize the effectiveness of his Exorcists on the first turn of firing. The block of 3 Chimeras and one Hellhound on my far left could only be effectively hit from the Exorcist behind the rock hut (assuming it moved laterally 6"). While the Demolisher's AV14 shielded the plasma Vets. The Russ and Melta Vets on my right had the center obstacle between them and a locked-in Exorcist, leaving them vulnerable only to the Autocannons in the IG blob across the table. While the Sentinels hid behind both tanks, ready to move over 6" and shoot when my turn came.

It's critical at setup-time to decide which objectives you're going to go after. I chose the 2 on my left and the one in the center. If Farmpunk wanted the 2 on my right, he could have them. You only need one objective more than the opponent to win.

Turn 1

Oh happy day! I stole the initiative! Cue groaning from Farmpunk, who's never stolen it from anybody. My heart bleeds, but not as much as his troops will! :)

I begin my moving my block of tanks on my left towards the IG platoon's position on the objective. The Demolisher moves up 6", to get better range on the platoon, and to shield the Plasma Vets in the Chimera behind it. The Melta Vets on my right move up 6" too. I don't want to move them up too much at this point as Farmpunk will have 2-3 transports of his own coming my way, and I don't want him doing a 12" power turn during his shooting to dump meltas on this unit.

The Sentinels side-step 6" and line up on the Chimera across the table.

My first shot was fired by the Hellhound, which used it's Inferno cannon to torch 11 men out of Farmpunk's Inducted Platoon. The Demolisher shot it's cannon at the Chimera full of Sisters next to the platoon, but scattered wide - hitting nothing. The Sentinels opened up on that Chimera next, shooting off it's heavy flamer.


Further over to my right, the Russ bounced a Battlecannon shell off the roof of the sideways-parked Rhino full of sisters and shook the Immoliator behind it, while it's lascannon blew up the Rhino, leaving it's girls standing in the open. Our house rule, BTW is to say that a unit blown out of it's transport is in cover until it moves. Since we don't have any craters to put out on the table.

(End of SandWyrm's Turn 1)

On his turn, Farmpunk moved his right most (my left-most) Exorcist out from behind the stone hut and fired some missiles at the lead Chimelta, shaking it. The other Exorcist shot up the Hellhound, scoring a weapon destroyed result. Which forced Farmpunk to decide whether to take off the Inferno Cannon to save his platoon, or to take off the multi-melta to keep his nearby Exorcist safe. He chose the multi-melta.

The Sister squad that lost it's ride beat-feet for the far objective on Farmpunk's left. While the Platoon command and one Immoliator hid behind the center obstacle. Meanwhile the shaken Immoliator and the Chimera full of Sisters moved forward cautiously. From experience, Farmpunk and I both know the chess-like nature of melta-tank on melta-tank combat. He was waiting until he could get a 2 to 1 advantage.

The Saint, meanwhile, hid behind the center obstacle.

(End of Farmpunk's Turn 1)

Turn 1 Score: 1 - 1

Turn 2

No Marbo. "Twilight" must have been on HBO.


The Hellhound spoke again, killing all but 4 models in the Inducted Platoon. The Sentinels then perforated the SOB-Chimera, causing it to explode and kill one of the Sisters inside. This left the survivors in cover, as per our house rule. Farmpunk then gave them a 3+ invulnerable save using faith points.


Not that it did him much good. The Demolisher spoke next, and here's his rolls for the 3+ invulnerable saves. This left 3 Sisters standing in that squad.

(Farmpunk decides to start "training" his dice.)

On my far left, I pull a power-turn with the lead Chimelta and shake the Exorcist in front of it.

(End of SandWyrm's turn 2)

Now Farmpunk made his play for the center.


The two Immoliators pull 180-degree power turns and dump Celestian meltas right in front of my right-most Melta-Vet Chimera and Russ. The Saint comes over too for moral support.


And they pop both tanks. Grrr!

On my left, the shaken Exorcist moves away from my meltas and around the stone hut. The other Exorcist meanwhile, draws a bead on my Hellhound and blows off it's Inferno Cannon. The IG platoon, meanwhile, manages to blow an Autocannon off of one of my Sentinels.

Elsewhere, the inducted PCS is speeding towards the unclaimed objective on my near-right. While the Sisters on foot move up closer to the far right objective.

(End of Farmpunk's Turn 2)

Turn 2 Score: 1-1

Turn 3

(Howdy Girls!)

Marbo comes on and I put him in cover next to the Sister squad that's running towards the far-right objective on Farmpunk's side of the board. He kills 2 of them with his Demo charge, causing the unit to flee 4 inches! Farmpunk then palms his face.

On my foward-left, the Melta Vets move around the stone hut and light up the Exorcist. They blow off the Missile Launcher and immobilize it, turning that Exorcist into useless hulk. I don't have to worry about finishing it off, since it's an objective mission.

The last of Farmpunk's Inducted platoon then falls to multi-laser/melta fire from my Command Chimera (The one with the antenna). The Hellhound attempts to tank-shock the 3 Sisters in front of it, but Farmpunk is able to stun it with a Death-or-Glory move. No matter, I move a troop Chimera behind the headless Hellhound to shield it from the surviving Exorcist.

I've still got 2 surviving melta guns in the center-table Vet squad, who promptly blow up the right-hand Immoliator, killing 2 of the Celestians standing next to the still-smoked Immoliator. Now coverless, the Sister squad on the right that lost it's ride gets whittled down by the Demolisher and assorted Chimera multi-lasers, leaving one girl. The Sentinels shoot at the Saint, but she saves all her wounds.

(End of SandWyrm's Turn 3)

The Sisters that Marbo routed on the far-right objective auto-rally (using faith) and move back up to the wall behind him. They pull out both their flamers and attempt to BBQ him, but fail to wound with one, leaving him alive. They can't assault because they rallied this turn. Awe.

Farmpunk then moved his survivors in the center up aggressively. He pushes the Immoliator into the face of the Plasma Vet Chimera, while the survivors from his 2 Celestian and one Sister Squad move into the center to dish out some Melta love.


They pop the Demolisher of course. The lone Celestian with a melta manages to shake a Sentinel.


The Exorcist finishes off the Vet Squad.

The Saint then charges my Sentinels, doing... not much really. But she's at least safe from being shot at, which is Farmpunk's reason for charging.

Over on my far right, where the picture doesn't show it well, Farmpunk's Platoon command gets dropped off next to the mushroom-tree and starts climbing to get in cover. I wish I'd taken a close-up pic, there's something very amusing about Praetorians climbing a giant mushroom tree.

(End of Farmpunk's Turn 3)

Turn 3 Score: 1-1

Turn 4

Marbo starts things off by charging the Sisters on the other side of the wall from him, killing the squad's Sergeant, who was the only model with more than one attack.

Over on my near-left, the Saint pops 2 Sentinels and then leaves combat. Taking up a position close to my Plasma Vets.

On the far left, I move the melta squad around the stone hut towards the objective. Making a wall of Chimeras to protect them from the working Exorcist. My Command Chimera, shielded by the Hellhound, moves up and finally kills off the Sister Squad that's closest to it with melta fire. The Plasma Vet Chimera ignores the Immoliator sitting in front of it and kills off the other 2 Celestian Squads with Plasma and Multi-Laser fire. Leaving (I think) only the Saint as a viable AT threat.

(End of SandWyrm's turn 4)

Farmpunk is now in a quandry, as he had hoped to melta my guys out of the Plasma Vet transport and kill the squishy innards with massed flamers. But he makes do just fine. The Immoliator moves over to the side of the Chimera and actually pops it with his Twin-Linked Heavy Flamer (Stupid re-rolls).


The saint then flames the survivors and assaults, killing all but 4 of them. They stay salty though.

Turn 4 Score: 1-0 Farmpunk

Turn 5

'Er we go. Last turn... maybe.

I move the dismounted Melta Vets near the far left objective up into the lizard water di... um, cover behind their ride to claim that objective. I then move a fresh Chimelta over to the center objective, claiming it. I shield them with the Hellhound and point it's rear at the objective so that even if they're blown out of their ride they'll be sitting on top of it.


My Company Command Squad then does a 12" power-turn dump in front of the Immoliator. They're not within 6", but it really doesn't matter. They blow it to smitherines anyhow.

Farmpunk basically had a choice here between killing the squad the Saint was in combat with, or breaking combat and harassing the squad I had on the objective I took away from his platoon. Either way, he would lose. So he decided to break combat at the end of my assault phase, and then move/flame/assault into the other squad. I think he figured that 2 guys could be sniped off by a lucky Exorcist shot later on. But I had the LOS from them to his last Exorcist pretty well blocked.

His only hope for a draw was to kill Marbo in my assault phase and then move his last Sister towards the objective in his final turn. But Marbo drew the combat with nobody killed on either side.

(End of SandWyrm's turn 5)

The Saint flamed and then charged the Vets in cover, who broke and were run down. She consolidated back towards the squad she had first fought, but the single surviving Plasma gunner insta-killed her with a white-hot AP2 bolt to the forehead. Farmpunk had tried to make her save invulnerable using faith, but she had failed the LD test. Ouch. Off to purg... um, reserves for her.

Marbo still couldn't kill the last Sister. She must have been cute or something.

The PCS Chimera then popped my Melta Vet Chimera in the center before the Exorcist chimed in. Killing all but 3 guys in the squad, who of course ran. But not very far.

Turn 5 Score: 2-1 SandWyrm

Turn 6

Rolled a '2'. It's not over yet.

My command squad got back into their Chimera, moving 6" towards the center and firing their multi-laser at the front of the advancing Platoon Command's empty Chimera, to no effect. The Sentinel also couldn't bring it down. They do however, order the running melta vet unit to "GET BACK IN THE FIGHT", which stops their running.

Marbo finally kills the last Sister and consolidates towards the Exorcist, keeping the big statue between him and a d6 AP1 death.

Farmpunk shoots at the surviving squad of 3 with his PCS Chimera's multi-laser, but only kills 2, leaving a sole survivor. The Saint stays in Limbo this turn.

Turn 6 Score: 1-1

Turn 7

Still going...


My Company Command Squad pulls another 12" power-turn dump right in front of the PCS Chimera. The lone surviving Vet Sergeant then runs into the back of the now-empty Chimera and makes it scoring. While Colonel Lawrence gives the order to fire. The PCS Chimera is wrecked! Well... not wrecked, but it's immobilized and weaponless. Good enough!

Marbo then charges the last Exorcist and wrecks it with a melta bomb!

(End of SandWyrm's Turn 7)

This is it! Can Farmpunk pull a draw?

The Saint comes in from Limbo, but scatters...


...just out of flamer range from my 2 surviving Plasma Vets. Oh well...

Final Score: 2-1 SandWyrm Wins!

Conclusions

There's not too much to say really. It was a fun, close game between 2 pretty evenly matched players. Good times! Hope you enjoyed the report.