IndigoJack's first game and intial thoughts

[IndigoJack]

Finally got my first game in with the new codex. I had originally intended this to be a batrep but the battle was pretty one-sided (I only lost 3 bolter acolytes, a purifier and a rhino, and all he had left was 3 sternguard and a jinking stormtalon by turn 4). Anyways, here's the list I ran:

 

Nemesis Strike Force Detachment

GK Libby

10man strikes w/ 2x psycannons, rhino

5man terminators w/ psycannon, hammer, 4 halberds

5man purifers 3x halberds, 2x psycannons, rhino

rifledread

dreadknight w/ heavy psycannon, heavy incinerator, great sword, PT

 

Inquisitorial Detachment

OMI ML1, PA, 3x servo-skulls (warlord)

Henchman w/ 1x bolter acolytes, 3x plasmagun acolytes, psyker, psyback

Henchman w/ 1x bolter acolytes, 3x meltaguns acolytes, psyker, psyback

Henchman w/ 3x bolter acolytes, psyker, psyback

TOTAL: 1500pts

His list was something like this:

Clan Raukaan

ML2 Libby w/ helm of medusa (I think that's what it was called, it let him re-roll 1s t hit)

Captain with storm shield and magic combi-melta that never ran out of melta (warlord)

Damocles Command Rhino

7 Sternguard with combi-grav in a drop pod

10 tactical marines w/ lascannon, (maybe a special weapon, idk), sarge w/ powerfist

10 tactical marines w/ lascannon, plasma gun

10 tactical marines w/ missile launcher, (not sure if there was a special weapon here)

2x stormtalons w/ assualt cannon and typhoon missile launcher


We decided to play maelstrom missions, and my first thought was those OS tactical marines are going to be a pain. Needless to say, that wasn't a problem and I handily had double the VPs by turn 4. So rather than a batrep, I'm just going to go over how each of my units performed.

Librarian - This was did pretty well. Of course, he had invisibility up most of the game so those terminators were real hard to get wounds on. ML2 turned out to be a non-issue for DtW as I was easily able to block any powers against his unit (and those within range of the hood).

 

Terminators - The halberds performed well here. Not needing to cast hammerhand was awesome (those 13 warp charges went towards two invisibilities, sanctuary, and cleansing flame). 

 

Strikes - I combat squaded these guys. Sticked the two psycannons in the rhino, and the justicar and squad deep-striked on turn two. Turn one I moved the rhino cruising speed into midfield and popped smoke. The rest of the game it stayed in range of my opponent and unloaded lots and lots of psycannon shots. The other squad deep-striked into my opponents backfield and they were used to clean up stragglers (through a combination of shooting and assault) . I would say this squad performed pretty well this game, but I'm not sure I would take another below 2000pts. If I could find the points, I would give the assault strikes falchions, as I could see them working well here.

 

Purifiers - This guys did awesome. They ran the pretty same strategy as the strikes, pushing midfield for lots of shooting. Cleansing flame did it's job well. One advantage these guys have over strikes is that their fearless. If strikes fall back, after re-grouping they count as moving. Since purifiers van never fall back, they never have that problem.

 

Rifleman - I really wanted this guy to do bad so I can justify never taking it again. Unfortunately, It got two pens on the damocles turn one (though it made the cover saves), and kept the storm talons jinking. It even managed to shoot one down. He may be more expensive and not as good, but as long range fire-support goes, we're hard pressed to find a better option in our codex.

 

Dreadknight - This guy almost single-handedly killed two tac squads, the captain, the damocles, and was poised to finish off the sternguard. Yeah, he did pretty well.

 

Inquisitor - Didn't do much. The servo-skulls came in handy though!

 

Acolytes - A meltagun punked out the libby. Other than awesome psychic support from the psykers, these guys just held objectives.

 

Psybacks - These guys performed well as always.

 

 

So it was pretty strong showing for GKs. I realy wanted this army to fail so I could keep complaining, but I actually did really well and now I want to see how the game goes next week!
 

[hornywingythingy]

Tbf that's not a scary marine list, certainly not the same level as your greyquisition force. Still, it's nice to see wins.

[Gentlemanloser]

Would the game have gone any differently if you hadn't have rolled Invisibility?

[Reclusiarch Darius]

I have to say, that's a real seal clubbing match though. No offence to you, I'm sure you played very well and made good calls (for example, your case of saving WC for your defensive tech instead of going for 'Hammerhands'). But that guy needs to get his head out of 4th edition. Tac Marines have been the worst Troops choice for Marines (worse than Scouts even) for three solid editions now. He deserved to lose at deployment, especially considering outside of the combi-grab Sternguard, he had no viable way to take out your DK or Terminators before they could steamroller his list. 

[IndigoJack]

Tbf that's not a scary marine list, certainly not the same level as your greyquisition force. Still, it's nice to see wins.

 

Firepower-wise, not really. The grav was going to be a pain, but it's one-shot so I just had to suck it up for one turn. I was more worried about the 6 possible objective secured units that were going to wrack up maelstrom points before I could destroy them and get on the objectives.

 

Would the game have gone any differently if you hadn't have rolled Invisibility?

 

Hmmmm, maybe. Had I not had invisibility, I probably would have not deep-striked turn one, forcing the sternguard to come down turn one so I could deep-strike somewhere where they aren't.

 

I have to say, that's a real seal clubbing match though. No offence to you, I'm sure you played very well and made good calls (for example, your case of saving WC for your defensive tech instead of going for 'Hammerhands'). But that guy needs to get his head out of 4th edition. Tac Marines have been the worst Troops choice for Marines (worse than Scouts even) for three solid editions now. He deserved to lose at deployment, especially considering outside of the combi-grab Sternguard, he had no viable way to take out your DK or Terminators before they could steamroller his list. 

 

Yeah, it's league off-season so there aren't as many players as usual. The last time I played this guy he brought 3 vindicators, and that game ended up pretty much the same. There were two things that I learned from this game:

 

1) While this list doesn't have as much fire-power as my old list, there is still a butt-ton of it.

 

2) I was really worried about fliers. With less psybacks, less psycannons, and no more psyfledread, I wasn't sure if I was still going to be able to handle fliers as well. My AA was able to keep the talons jinking, which really hurt his midgame firepower relief.

[hornywingythingy]

The only way I see marine spam work is ravenguard tactics for os mech scout spam. Even then it's not that great, but that's the problem with leagues, not everyone is on the same page in terms of list building.

 

Still, it's a good premise, hopefully your next league game will be tougher!

[Reclusiarch Darius]

Yeah, it's league off-season so there aren't as many players as usual. The last time I played this guy he brought 3 vindicators, and that game ended up pretty much the same. There were two things that I learned from this game:

 

You might wanna take him aside and go over his list-building ideas, because it seems like he has a pathological hatred of winning. Trip Vindi? That's like...4th edition thinking. Most Marine lists don't even have one in them anymore. 

 

Tell him to try a Biker list or maybe a Pod list against you in future. Might do better. 

[hornywingythingy]

 

Yeah, it's league off-season so there aren't as many players as usual. The last time I played this guy he brought 3 vindicators, and that game ended up pretty much the same. There were two things that I learned from this game:

 

You might wanna take him aside and go over his list-building ideas, because it seems like he has a pathological hatred of winning. Trip Vindi? That's like...4th edition thinking. Most Marine lists don't even have one in them anymore.

 

Tell him to try a Biker list or maybe a Pod list against you in future. Might do better.

Yeah, I always make a point to discuss the battle with my opponent after it, explain what I did and why I did it, ask their opinions on my list too, it helps both players, some don't want to, but most people really welcome it. And from my point of view I'd rather have a close game than steamroller someone.

[Gentlemanloser]

Reminds me of the day my mate was perfecting his Deldar WWP army.  Over the days of release of our new Codex, I'd been banging on about Coteaz and what he could do.  I thought my mates were aware.

 

Seems like the Deldar player was completely unaware of "I've Been Expecting You", which made for a very quick game as Coteaz and his 10 Paladin (with 4 Psycannons) Bodyguard stood next to his dropped WWP and vaporised every unit he tried to bring through it.

 

(Walking on from his board edge was not an option.  CC list having to footslog it facing my guns...)

 

I always try to make sure folk know what my units are capable of before the game starts now. ;)

[VVolf]

I remember my first 6th ed match against marines. I was playing Draigowing backed up with psyfles. A lad called Harry was my opponent and was using assault marines and a terminator squad with a flamer I think. Apart from melta bombs and power fists, he had no anti-tank - certainly nothing ranged. I wiped the floor with him, maybe losing 2-3 lucky bolt pistol/stormbolter rounds. The GW rep pulled him to one side and said something like 'this is the 4th game you've lost because you don't have ranged anti armour'. He suggested afew things. Harry ended up leaving as they shut with a box of assault termies.

[Ishagu]

Some people never learn...

[Reclusiarch Darius]

I remember my first 6th ed match against marines. I was playing Draigowing backed up with psyfles. A lad called Harry was my opponent and was using assault marines and a terminator squad with a flamer I think. Apart from melta bombs and power fists, he had no anti-tank - certainly nothing ranged. I wiped the floor with him, maybe losing 2-3 lucky bolt pistol/stormbolter rounds. The GW rep pulled him to one side and said something like 'this is the 4th game you've lost because you don't have ranged anti armour'. He suggested afew things. Harry ended up leaving as they shut with a box of assault termies. 

 

Wow. Can lead a horse to water...and more Terminators? Really? And Marines have so many good and cheap anti-tank units...