With the help of a friend, we dreamed up a Witch Hunters list.
Palatine
5 Celestians w/2 Meltaguns
Immolator w/Smoke
5 Inquisitorial Storm Troopers w/2 Meltaguns
5 Inquisitorial Storm Troopers w/2 Meltaguns
5 Inquisitorial Storm Troopers w/2 Meltaguns
5 Inquisitorial Storm Troopers w/2 Plasma Guns
Platoon Command w/4 Flamers, Chimera
Infantry Squad w/Autocannon, Chimera w/Heavy Flamer
Infantry Squad w/Autocannon, Chimera w/Heavy Flamer
Platoon Command w/4 Flamers, Chimera
Infantry Squad w/Autocannon, Chimera w/Heavy Flamer
Infantry Squad w/Autocannon, Chimera w/Heavy Flamer
Special Weapons Squad w/3 Meltaguns
5 Celestians w/2 Meltaguns
Immolator w/Smoke
5 Celestians w/2 Meltaguns
Immolator w/Smoke
5 Celestians w/2 Meltaguns
Immolator w/Smoke
Immolator w/Smoke
Exorcist
Exorcist
2000
My opponent, internet 40k celebrirty, Tony Kopach (Winner of NOVA 2010, Adepticon 2011)
He brings Space Wolves
Njal Stormcaller
5 Wolf Scouts w/Meltagun
5 Wolf Scouts w/Meltagun
6 Wolf Guard w/6 Powerfists, 6 Combi-Meltas
8 Grey Hunters w/Meltagun, Wolf Standard, Rhino
8 Grey Hunters w/Meltagun, Wolf Standard, Rhino
7 Grey Hunters w/Meltagun, Wolf Standard, Rhino
7 Grey Hunters w/Meltagun, Wolf Standard, Rhino
6 Grey Hunters w/Flamer, Razorback w/Lascannon and Twin-Linked Plasma Gun
6 Grey Hunters w/Flamer, Razorback w/Lascannon and Twin-Linked Plasma Gun
5 Long Fangs w/4 Missile Launchers
5 Long Fangs w/4 Missile Launchers
5 Long Fangs w/4 Missile Launchers
We decide to play a NOVA Open mission.
Primary: Seize Ground, 5 Objectives: One in Center, 4 centered in Quarters.
Secondary: Kill points: must win by 3
Tertiary: Table Quarters
Deployment: Pitched Battle
I win the roll-off and decide to go first. I deploy along my deployment zone.
Tony deploys in his zone. We are both pretty spread out.
Two pictures of our deployment.
.Tony fails to "Seize the Initiative" , we begin.
Turn 1:
Mike: I begin by moving everything except the Exorcists, Platoon Command, and Infantry squads forward. I smoke everything that moved. I immobilize one of my exorcists in dangerous terrain. In the shooting phase, I manage to kill the pack master and a Missile Launcher from the left long fang squad. My other shooting is worthless. The Long Fangs fail their break test, but only run 4.
Tony: Tony moves most of his Rhinos forward. He immobilizes Njals ride, so Njal and friends disembark. A Lascannon Explodes the right Chimera containing a Platoon Command squad, they lose 3 guys in the explosion. Long Fangs wreck the Palatines Immolator. They disembark.
The Platoon Command squad breaks, they are under half and will never rally. (One lascannon shot, 2 units gone!)
Two pictures from the bottom of Turn 1: Note some jerk at the top trying to photobomb us with his face and genitals.
Turn 2:
Mike: The palatine and friends roll a 2 for their difficult terrain movement, so much for contesting the center objective. I move my armor forward in an attempt to destroy Rhinos and pin Tony in his deployment zone. I rush an Immolator containing the Special Weapons Team toward the Long Fangs on the right. The Special Weapons team and Immolator combine to kill the Pack Leader and a Missile Launcher from the right Long Fangs squad. An exorcist kills the rest of the Long Fangs squad on the left. Multi-Lasers kill the Pack Leader and a Missile Launcher from the middle Long Fang squad. I unleash a torrent of Melta and explode a Rhino (killing a nearby sister) the rest of my 8 meltagun shots harmlessly bounce. With some combined fire and the explosion, I manage to kill 5 Grey Hunters. Tony passes all of his tests.
Tony: Njal rolls a "5", everyone in 18 of him at the end of the assault phase must take a morale test. 1 Wolf Scout squad arrives in my backfield to the right of one of my Bubblewrap Infantry squads. The Grey Hunters on my right disembark and move towards the Special Weapons Team. The Grey Hunters flame the Special Weapons squad, killing 3. The Lacannon fires and Explodes another Chimera. (Best. Lascannon. Ever.) Meltaguns Explode a Chimera. Meltaguns Explode a Chimera (no, I did not make a mistake in typing) Meltas remove the Heavy Flamer from a Chimera. The other Lascannon Explodes a Celestian Immolator, 2 die in the explosion, 2 more die to the Grey Hunters. She breaks and runs 11 inches.
In Close Combat, Grey Hunters charge and Explode a Chimera, Explode an Immolator, kill all 4 Celestians. An explosion kills an Inquisitorial Storm Trooper whose squad then breaks, and then breaks again due to Njals power. The Wolf Scouts mop the floor with the Infantry Squad. This turn Tony killed 4 Chimera, 2 Immolators and a slew of Infantry. Ouch.
Two pictures from the bottom of turn 2, the White Rectangles are craters from exploded vehicles.
Turn 3:
Mike: The Inquisitorial Storm Troopers rally. The Celestian and Special Weapons Squad continue to run. I move my few tanks around hoping to capitalize on what Melta and Twin-Linked Heavy Flamers I have left. My Meltaguns fail. I rapid fire two plasma guns at the Rhino in front of the Inquisitorial Storm Trooper Squad. I do no damage to the Rhino, but kill one of my guys. (who later breaks.) My other combined fire kills 2 Grey Hunters from the wounded squad, leaving one member left. I Boltgun the Wolf Scouts, killing 4. The exorcist fires and kills zero. My Twin-Heavy flamer kills a Grey Hunter. No break tests are failed.
Tony: Moves a little bit forward. Meltaguns blow up a Chimera. Lascannon wrecks the Immolator on the right. 2 Missiles fire, both pen, Wreck. 2 Missiles fire, both pen, explodes an Immolator, killing 2 Celestians. The wolf Scouts Explode an Exorcist, killing 2 nearby guardsmen.
In assault I lose the Celestians. I lose the Inquisitorial Storm Troopers that were next to the plasma guys. Njals power immobilizes my last Chimera.
Two pictures from the bottom of turn 3.
At this point I have one Immobilized Chimera, an Exorcist, and a few patches of T3 Infantry. I have killed a Long Fang Squad, a Rhino, and most of a Grey Hunters squad. I decide to concede before I am tabled. Tony kicked the crap out of me. I think I will attempt to analyze why in another post.
-Mike
2 comments:
Just first thoughts, but I'm thinking there are two things you did that played into the SW hands:
(1) You gave away your strategy during deployment, making it pretty easy to figure out what you were up to, and...
(2) moved forward the bulk of your army right up the middle, where ALL of his hitters could hit you pretty much when they wanted to.
Given these two things, it seems like you were going to be doing your best Sisyphus imitation from Turn 1, and indeed, he handed you your head.
Looking back, I mostly agree.
I think it was a mistake to move the Chimeras forward. I think I played this list like I was playing Blood Angels.
The problem is, Sisters and Guardsmen are not Blood Angels...
I have a practice game this afternoon bringing a similar list. I will try to play more of a suppressive fire game.
Excellent feedback, thank you.
-Mike
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