Friday, May 29, 2009

Battle Report: Guard versus Iyanden

On Thursday 5/28/09, I played a game at Dreamwizards in Rockville

My list, the Pride of Iyanden

Prince Yriel, Autarch of Iyanden, Epic Asskicker
Farseer w/Runes of Warding, Fortune

10 Dire Avengers w/Power Weapon, Shimmershield, Defend
Wave Serpent w/Twin Shuriken Cannons
10 Dire Avengers w/Power Weapon, Shimmershield, Defend
Wave Serpent w/Twin Shuriken Cannons
10 Wraithguard w/Warlock, Spiritseer, Enhance (The Parade)

8 Fire Dragons w/Exarch, Dragons Breath Flamer
Wave Serpent w/Twin Shuriken Cannons
5 Wraithguard w/Warlock, Enhance
Wave Serpent w/Twin Shuriken Cannons

Wraithlord w/Scatter Laser, Eldar Missile Launcher
Wraithlord w/Scatter Laser, Eldar Missile Launcher

2000

Game 1: Spearhead Secure and Control (4 Counters) against the New Imperial Guard
My Opponent: Patrick Eibel, aka Sho-T Bighed

He brought
A Company Command Squad
2 Platoon Command Squads
2 Infantry squads with Heavy Bolter, Plasma Gun
2 Infantry squads with Missile launcher, Grenade Launcher
Heavy Bolter weapons team
Lascannon weapons team
2 Sentinels with Lascannons
A Devildog
A squad of 2 Leman Russess with 3 Heavy Bolters
A squad of 2 Demolishers with hull lascannons



Pat Deploys his entire force.
I deploy the parade and both Wraithlords
I then seize the initiative.

Turn 1:
Me: I fortune myself (and do so every other round so I will omit it in further rounds) I move my force up. A wraithlord fires and kills the Heavy Bolter weapons team (instant death from Str 6...). The other wraithlord bounces off of a Sentinel.

Pat: Things shuffle around a bit. One of the Sentinels wounds a Wraithlord. The Demolisher squadron whiffs. The lascannon heavy weapon team kills the wounded wraithlord. The battle cannons on the Leman Russ squad kill 2 Wraithgurd.


Turn 2:
Me: From reserves, I get everyone except one Dire Avenger squad. Everything begins to get into position to begin the assault. My wraithlord kills 2 from the Platoon Command squad.

Pat: Fires a lot of Heavy Weapons at the Wave Serpents. The Demolisher squad kills the wraithguard serpent on my "right" flank. The devildog, Lascannons, and sentinel fail to penetrate. The other Lascannon Sentinel de-guns the Dire Avengers Wave Serpent.


Turn 3:
Me: My final squad of Dire Avengers arrive from reserves. The Fire Dragons jump out and smoke both Leman Russes, losing 1 of their number to an explosion... The Wraithlord de-guns a Sentinel. The Parade de-guns the other. The wraithguard manage to shake the Demolishers.

Pat: Devil dog misses again. The Lascannon heavy weapon teams stun a Wave Serpent. The Heavy Bolters and Lasguns combine to kill 3 Fire Dragons.
The Sentinels assault the Parade. My independent characters are not in base to base, so they cannot attack. A 0-0 draw ensues.


Turn 4:
Me: The Wraithlord bounces his shots off of the Devildog. The Wraithguard again Shake a Demolisher. The Fire Dragons charge the Lascannon Teams and cause zero wounds...They take a few but stay in combat. Yriel and the farseer end the Sentinels.

Pat: The Devil dog Immobilizes a Wave Serpent. Other heavy weapons bounce off the Serpents. The Demolisher De-guns a Wave Serpent. In close combat, the Fire Dragons kill 2, lose 3 and stay in the fight.


Turn 5:
Me: The Dire Avengers jump out and kill 5 from an Infantry squad. The Wraithguard de-gun a Demolisher. The parade kill the devildog. The Wraithlord kills the officer from the command squad. The Dire Avengers jump out and charge killing a few, they win combat, everyone stays, but the officer is executed by the comissar. The wraithguard charge and de-gun the other demolisher.

Pat: The Infantry squads move towards the objective. They fire on the Dire Avengers and kill 2. In close combat, the Dire Avengers cause a wound, take none, but draw due to the banner. The die of destiny is rolled and the game continues.


Turn 6:
Me: I move most everything on objectives. The Wraithlord moves up and double flamers an Infantry squad to death. The Dire Avengers shoot and kill the lone comissar. In close combat, the Dire Avengers lose 2, but wipe out all other opposition. The Wraithguard and Warlock combine to destroy a Demolisher.

Pat: The Infantry squad kills a Dire Avenger. An Infantry squad assaults the 4 Dire Avengers parked on the objective. The Dire Avengers cause a wound, and lose 3. The lone member of the Dire Avenger squad passes his morale test.

The die of destiny is rolled and the game ends. We examine the objectives. The objective in my board quarter is empty. The one in the left board quarter is controlled by the parade. The objective in the right board quarter is contested by a lone Dire Avenger. The objective in Pat's board quarter has a Wave Serpent parked on it. The game ends 1-0 in favor of the Iyanden.
The difference between a win and a draw was a single Dire Avenger.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Battle Reports from The Battle Bunker.

On Saturday 5/23/09, my 3-month 40k drought ended. I played 4 games at the Battle Bunker in Glen Burnie, MD.
My list, the Pride of Iyanden

Prince Yriel, Autarch of Iyanden, Epic Asskicker
Farseer w/Runes of Warding, Fortune

10 Dire Avengers w/Power Weapon, Shimmershield, Defend
Wave Serpent w/Twin Shuriken Cannons
10 Dire Avengers w/Power Weapon, Shimmershield, Defend
Wave Serpent w/Twin Shuriken Cannons
10 Wraithguard w/Warlock, Spiritseer, Enhance (The Parade)

8 Fire Dragons w/Exarch, Dragons Breath Flamer
Wave Serpent w/Twin Shuriken Cannons
5 Wraithguard w/Warlock, Enhance
Wave Serpent w/Twin Shuriken Cannons

Wraithlord w/Scatter Laser, Eldar Missile Launcher
Wraithlord w/Scatter Laser, Eldar Missile Launcher

2000

Game 1: Dawn of War Annihilation against the New Imperial Guard.
My Opponent: Bobby, aka Artax, a member of my gaming club.
He brought (from memory)

Command Platoon with advisors in a Chimera
Infantry Platoon
-Platoon Command
-3 Infantry squads, 2 Missile, 1 Lascannon
-2 Heavy Weapon squads Missile and Heavy Bolter
2 Outflanking Storm Trooper units.
2 Valkyries with 10 veterans inside, Sgt. Bastonne
Leman Russ Demolisher
Leman Russ Punisher

Bobby begins by deploying an Infantry Squad with Lascannon and a Heavy Weapons Squad with Missile Launchers.
I deploy nothing.

Turn 1:
Bobby: Moves on two Tanks, heavy Weapon Squads, 2 Chimeras, and 2 Infantry Squads.
He runs his squads forward and then pops smoke on his tanks.

Me: I move everything on to the board. My Wave Serpents each fly 24" on both sides of me.


Turn 2:
Bobby: Both Stormtrooper units and both Valkyires outflank on my left.
The Stormtroopers fire thier AP 3 hellguns at my Wraithguard and kill 4, the Punisher kills another.
His Lascannons and missile launchers all combine to miss my Wave Serpents the one that hits takes one down and also kills a Dire Avenger.

Me: I fortune the Wraithguard parade. My Wraithguard parade fires at a Valkyrie and kills it (along with 7 passengers). One of my Wraithlords guns down the other (plus 2 passengers) My Waveserpents combine to kill all of the Heavy Bolter Weapons Platoon and 2 Missile Launchers from the other. 5 Wraithguard jump out in front of the Demolisher and ALL miss. The fire Dragons take 2 guns from the Punisher and stun it. The Dire Avengers kill 2 Stormtroopers with shooting and then assault drawing 1-1. The Wraithlord assaults the other Stormtrooper squad and kills 2, they pass their morale test.

Turn 3:
Bobby: An Infantry squad fires and kills 2 Fire Dragons. He calls down an ordnance barrage using his master of Ordnance, it smokes 4 Wraithguard from the 5-strong unit, a Missile Launcher takes the other one. The Warlock breaks and runs, the Wave Serpent gets stunned. Bastonnes squad (with a missile launcher) meltaguns a Wraithlord to Death. In Close Combat, the Dire Avengers kill 2 and lose 2. The Wraithlord misses...

Me: The Fire Dragons move and destroy the Demolisher (losing 1 Fire Dragon). I decide to be daring and Ram the Chimera with my Wave Serpent. I die, he loses a gun... Yriel and the Parade assault Bastonnes squad and wipes them off the planet. The Dire Avengers kill 1 and I lose 1.

Turn 4:
Bobby: A missile Launcher kills my other Wave Serpent and 5 Dire Avengers inside, the nearby units finish them off. Close Combat, the Dire Avengers kill 2, they break and are wiped out.

Me: The other Dire Avengers Squad and a Wave Serpent combien to kill 5 guardsmen. The Fire Dragons immobilize the Punisher. Yriel and Wraithlord smash the Stormtroopers.

Turn 5:
Bobby: Concedes.



Game 2: Dawn of War Annihilation against Death Guard
My Opponent: Leigh Brady, aka Sorrow, Winner of the Games-Day 2008 40k Tournament.
He brings...

Daemon Prince w/Mark of Nurgle, Warptime
Daemon Prince w/Mark of Nurgle, Warptime

8 Plague Marines w/2 Flamers, Power Sword, Rhino
8 Plague Marines w/2 Plasma Guns, Power Sword, Rhino
8 Plague Marines w/2 Meltaguns, Power Sword, Rhino
8 Plague Marines w/2 Meltaguns, Power Sword, Rhino

4 Terminators, Heavy Flamer, Mark(?)
4 Terminators, heavy Flamer, Mark(?)

Defiler
Defiler

He Deploys 2 Plague Marine units and a Daemon Prince
I deploy the Farseer and Wraithguard Parade.

Turn 1:
Me: I fortune the parade. Everything else rolls on the board.

Leigh: Moves everything on to the board but 2 squads of terminators. He pops smoke on a Rhino. A defiler ordnances a Wraithguard to Death.

Turn 2:
Me: One of my Wave Serpents does a wound to the Daemon Prince, the Wraithlord finishes him (Leigh failed 3 of 4 saves). I immobilize the lead Rhino.

Leigh: Both Terminator squads arrive and are dropped behind his lines. Some Melta guns fail to penetrate the Wave Serpent (Energy Field FTW!)
The Defiler rolls terrible on his dice and fails to assault a wave Serpent.


Turn 3:
Me: I fail fortune. I move my Wave Serpents forward and dismount everyone. The Dire Avengers and Wraithlord kill 2 Plague Marines. A Wave Serpent kills 1 from another squad. The other Wraithlord kills 2 from a third squad. The Fire Dragons toast a Defiler, the Wraithguard Immobilize the other.
Leigh: The Daemon Prince passes his warptime despite needing 10 or less on 3 dice. The Plague Marines kill 6 Fire Dragons. Plague Marines kill 2 Dire Avengers. Melta guns wreck a Wave Serpent. The Daemon Prince Charges the Wraithguard. He kills 3, I lose another 2 in combat resolution.


Turn 4:
Me: My shooting completely sucks and nothing is killed. In close Combat, the Daemon prince finishes the small Wraithguard squad.
Leigh: Passes hi test for wartime, again. One of his Rhinos is immobilized in an attempt to cross difficult terrain. Meltaguns kill a Wave Serpent. More meltaguns take the guns off another. Bolter fire kills 4 Dire Avengers as I fail 4 out of 5 saves... The Daemon Prince Charges the parade and Kills 2 WG, I cause 0 wounds in return.

Turn 5:
Me: The daemon prince fails Warptime and wounds himself. My wraithlord missiles a lone Plague Marine, he goes to ground and makes his 6+ save.
The Dire Avengers fire, killing the Plague Marine Champion. A Wave Serpent de-guns a Rhino. Wraithlord Charges Termies, Draw. Yriel does 1 to the Daemon prince. The prince loses another wound in combat resolution.
Leigh: No Shooting from leigh. In close Combat Yriel pounds the Daemon Prince. The Wraithlord again, whiffs.

Turn 6:
Me: My other Wraithlord kills the lone Plague Marine. Dire Avengers finally finish the Plague Marines they were trading shots with. Still a Draw with close Combats. Yriel charges a PM squad alone, pulls off the eye, kills 1 due to FNP, oops.
Leigh: The defiler battle cannons the Dire Avengers in the Open they go to ground and both make 6+ saves! In Combat, Yriel kills 3 Plague Marines, then dies. Wraithlord kills 1, WG kill1, take 2 casualties, draw! My other Wraithlord wounds, but Leigh makes both 5+ saves.

Turn 7:
Me: I fortune, I re-embark with a Dire Avengers Squad, they roll out. In CC the Wraithlord and Terminators draw again. (Leigh has made 6 5+ saves) In another combat, I kill 1 Plague Marine.
Leigh: In Close Combat, I lose a Wraithguard. The Wraithlord finally kills a Terminator, they pass their break test.

We tally KP's.

Leigh Killed.
-Yriel
-Wave Serpent
-Wraithguard Squad.
(3 Kill Points)

I killed
-A Defiler
-Both Daemon Princes
-2 Plague Marine Squads
(5 Kill Points)

This game was very close. In retrospect, I should not have used the eye of wrath against Plague Marines and just should have attacked normally.


Game 3: Dawn of War Seize Ground (5 Objectives) against the Deathwing.
My Opponent PJ Brady, aka Downer, Halo 3 online prodigy.


He brings...
Belial
Chaplain
6 Terminator Squads
Land Raider Crusader

PJ Deploys a unit of terminators.
I deploy the Farseer and Wraithguard Parade.

Turn 1:
PJ: A Land Raider Crusader and 8 Termies roll on the board. 3 Others Depp Strike in. One Wraithguard dies to shooting...
Me: Everything rolls on, a Wave Serpent kills a terminator.


Turn 2:
PJ: 1 Terminator Squad Arrives. The Crusader rolls closer. Nothing dies due to fortune.
ME: I FAIL FORTUNE. I roll out and deploy the Wraithguard. The wraithguard, Wave Serpent, and Wraithlord kill 4 from a 5-man termie squad on the left. The remaining Wave serpents and Wraithlord kill 3 from another unit.


Turn 3: PJ runs the Crusader through the Center of the Board. The Assault Cannon de-guns a Wave Serpent.
The Terminators get out and Assault. I kill 2 Terminators, 6 Wraithguard, the Warlock, and The farseer all die. Yriel takes a wound. FUCK.
On the other side of the board, the Wraithguard squad kills a terminator.

Me: The Wraithguard move forward and toast the Land Raider Crusader. The fire Dragons and Wave Serpent kill a Terminator. They charge and wipe the squad. Yriel kills 2 lightning Claw terminators, Belial kills a Wraithguard. The Wraithlord kills the Chaplain. PJ Concedes.


Game 4: Spearhead Secure and Control against Nurgle Chaos Daemons
My Opponent Brian, a person who had been hanging out at the Bunker and watching some games.
He brings...

Ku'Gath, Plaguefather
Epidemius, Tallyman of Nurgle
15 Plaguebearers
15 Plaguebearers
10 Plaguebearers
10 Plaguebearers
8 Nurgling Bases
Daemon Prince w/loads of upgrades (245 points)
Daemon Prince w/loads of upgrades (245 points)
Daemon Prince w/loads of upgrades (245 points)

My opponent wisely lets me deploy first and go first. Here is a photo of my deployment, my objective.


Turn 1:
Me: Strike a pose, look suave, wait for turn 2.

Brian: Deep strikes Epidemius w/15 Plaguebearers, the 3 daemon princes, nurglings.

Turn 2:
Me: From Reserves I receive, Both Dire Avengers Squads, Farseer, Yriel, and Wraithguard Parade, a Wraithlord, and my Fire Dragons. My Dire Avenger Wave Serpents do 2 wounds to the Daemon Prince on my left. The Parade(10 Wraithguard) kill the middile Daemon prince. The Fire Dragons, their Serpent, and the Wraithlord kill the right Daemon Prince.

Brian: Ku'gath arrives. The daemon prince breaths 3 Wraithguard to Death. Ku' Gath ordnances 5 Fire Dragons to Death. The Daemon Prince chrages the parade and is killed by Yriel. Epidemius' tally is now at 8.

Turn 3:
Me: My other Wraithlord Arrives, and does a wound to Ku'gath. My Fire Dragons retreat in their serpent. The Parade fires at, assaults, and kills all 8 nurgling bases.

Brian: The rest of the Plaguebearers arrive, Ku'Gath fails to wound with the Necrotic Spores.


Turn 4:
Me: The small Wraithguard unit arrives and does 3 wounds to Ku' Gath. The Dire Avengers kill 7 Plaguebearers by shooting. In close combat, we draw because brian made all 10 saves.

Brian: Ku'Gath uses Breath of Chaos and kills 2 Wraithguard. In close combat, the Dire Avengers are charged and kill all 3 Plaguebearers. Yriel kills 2 Plaguebearers, I lose none.


Turn 5:
Me: I run a skimmer into his objective to contest it. The wraithguard finish off Ku' Gath. Yriel and the parade kill 2. Wraithlords assault a Plaguebearer squad.
Brian: Fails to kill the wave Serpent. Yriel and the boys finish the Plaguebearers they were fighting.

Turn 6:
Me: I run another wave serpent forward to contest the objective. In close combat the Wraithlords and Wraithguard combine to kill 3 and lose 0.
Brian: Shakes one of the Serpents, removes a gun from the other. I have my objective, his is contested.



Overall, a great showing this weekend. These 4 wins bring my overall 5th edition record to 28 W / 13 L / 11 D.

-Mike

Monday, May 11, 2009

Games-Day 2009

I want to sum up this years Games-Day experience in 1 word, Disappointment.

The good.
-Well Air Conditioned for such a large amount of people.
-On site painting clinic with past Golden Daemon winners.
-Really interesting Clubs and Club tables.
-Free Cake.

The Bad.
-The only new model release was Kor'sarro Kahn, on foot.
-Nothing about planetstrike or future GW releases.
-The line for the store was about a 45 minute wait to pay.
-No GW sponsored Tournament.

I spent most of the day running our club table, which was active for the whole day (Apart from the first 45 minutes). I walked around a bit and saw some nice displays.
In all, I guess I felt a bit shafted about being given little to zero info on upcoming releases. It also seemed to be really themed to buying GW stuff and less about enjoying the Hobby.

I did talk to a guy who seemed to be remotely in charge. I asked him about the lack of tournament this year. He responded by saying that people complained about the tournament taking up too much of the day and that they were not able to enjoy the other things that GD had to offer. This sounded to me like a complete BS answer. If someone does not want to play in the tournament anymore, they can drop out. Also, they do have breaks between rounds. Weak.

Overall, the day was fun, but disappointing.
I think I may try to run a tournament next year.

-Mike

Monday, May 4, 2009

Update

I begin this post with some bad news. I have not played a game of 40k since March.
(I used to average 2.3 games/week, so this is rather huge)
Now for the upside!!
We have been "renovating" my friends basement to turn it into a gaming "clubhouse" of sorts.
We have made substantial progress in this department.
I have also purchased the New Imperial Guard Codex, my thoughts on which will be coming soon.

My DnD group has been moving along nicely though. I now have 8 PC's, and a lot of writing to do.

Until later.
-Mike