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The Harvest of Chromyd (Crusade Narrative)


KingYertle

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Greetings My Plague Brethern

 

Since the advent of 9th I’ve been excited to try out the Crusade rules which appear to greatly enhance narrative play. 

After having some fun matched play games against a good friend’s Imperial Fists we decided to embark on a one on one Crusade to finally settle the score.  For your enjoyment, and hopefully inspiration, I present to you…

 

The Harvest of Chromyd

 

The empire of man withers. 

 

Their golden citadels corrode. Foundations seeped deep with rot. 

 

Worlds are sewn ripe with the decay of legions given unto death in the name of the false-god. 

 

Yet the corpse emperor sits silent in his tomb.  He understands what his forsaken cannot.  All Shall Rot and Decay! The advance of the Grandfather cannot be stemmed.  The young, the old, the strong, the weak.  All shall hear the tolling of the bells.  

 

And yet they resist, senselessly continuing the long war that has already been lost.  They do not see the infestation that they themselves have cultivated. Nurtured by the inevitable nature of mankind, the roots of the garden have spread deep.    For 7 decades of 7 centuries of 7 millennia the affliction of Obolis has Festered.

 

Sprouted. 

 

Matured. 

 

The blessed trifecta is complete.  We have seen its anthesis and been summoned by its bloom.  We arrive now...

 

For the Harvest.

 

 

(Moderators please let me know if the preference is for such narrative battle reports to be posted in a different forum.  I've included it here in hopes that other Death Guard players will find it enjoyable.  Thank you).

 

 

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THE HARVEST OF CHROMYD

ACT ONE

 

Battle 1 - First Contact

Scenario – Seed Malignifier

Size – Combat Patrol

House Rules – Predetermined Attacker/Defender

Attacker: Lt. Storn’s Imperial Fists

Defender: Lord Sepsis’ Death Guard

 

For the culling of Metallica a vast horde of Nurgle’s blessed has been demanded by Lord Typhus.  The surrounding systems are ripe with the forsaken ready for the Harvest. Tasked with raising millions with the walking pox, Lord Sepsis has descended upon the Chromyd System.  

To infect the remaining population quickly, a network of Miasmic Malignifiers is being constructed across the Hives of Dryoch. Insidious, demonic constructs, the Malignifiers will corrupt the Hive’s life support systems, infecting them with a plague of bacterium, parasites and contagious techo-organisms able to deliver their bubonic viruses to every living creature in the Hive. The warp ritual for the activation of the Malignifiers is complex but the hour of its zenith is at hand.

 

The corpse-sworn believe I am blind to their arrival. They hail themselves as saviors, but their decree is premature. The apotheosis of the ritual is imminent. I shall guarantee its consummation. Personally.

– Lord Sepsis

* * * *

After making planetfall Lt. Storn dispatched his two tactical squads to reconnoiter the area while the rest of his force began establishing an operating base. When they reported back he was even more disturbed by what he heard. Squad Atmo reported what appeared to be a nearly functional plague furnace of some sort but a short distance away, and there were signs of traitor activity in the area. Squad Tydis reported signs of plague running rampant, having to dispatch a handful of grotesque zombies shambling about aimlessly - but no clear, immediate threat. It was clear the plague furnace would have to be destroyed immediately to secure the area. Alvor shook his head and looked over his still-in-process base. He'd have to send a small force to destroy the furnace while others stayed behind to continue working. But it needed to have enough firepower to deal with any traitor threats.

* * * *

 

“Hold the flank Brother, and pour on some fire!”

Brother Ryzn setup in a firing position, bringing his massive plasma cannon to bear against the heretic forces gathering around one of plague furnaces while Chaplain Tassius directed Squad Lohr toward the unguarded furnace to the right. There were two of these contraptions, not just the one Squad Atmo had reported. They would each have to be dealt with in turn.

Plague zombies sprung from seemingly everywhere amidst the wreckage of the Hive. After briefly surprising Apothecary Kolm as he dashed for cover, they were all systematically cut down by bolt fire from Squad Lohr. With the furnace secure for now Kolm set about preparing the demolition charges before that could change. On the left, Brother Ryzn was trading fire with the massed heretic forces, but they seemed more consumed with the furnace. He was receiving sporadic return fire that wasn’t much to be concerned with and he was not being pressed. He could see his volleys having an effect, but it was not enough.

“Honored Chaplain, the heretics are concerned only with the furnace.”

Chaplain Tassius knew this meant trouble. With the first furnace secured he ordered Squad Lohr to follow him through a ruined building toward the second furnace nearby. Advancing steadily, the heretic forces came into view. Squad Lohr released a fusilade into the mass, but there were far too many zombies milling about soaking up most of their rounds.

* * * *

With a sickening SPLAT zombie heads begin to burst as the Corpse Worshippers methodically descend upon the Malignifier’s defenders. Lord Sepsis pays them no heed.  Their arrival is nothing but a minor irritation. All that matters is completion of the ritual. Ordering his minions to surround and protect him, Lord Sepsis steps up to the Malignifier to discharge the final steps of the activation liturgy.

Suffering a hail of bolter fire and high energy plasma beams, the last Lord Sepsis’ faithful bodyguards, the Helminth, fall.  Their teleport beacons flair, returning them to the recuperation vats aboard the Fated Parasitoid. But the Imperial’s systemic and cautious advance has betrayed them, yielding precious moments for Lord Sepsis to complete his malign commission before turning his attention to a more personal agenda.

“Rejoice my Brethren, It is done.  Now Go and Reap payment for the insolence of these blind pagans.  Harvest the seed of their entombed dead and turn their hope to rot!”

* * * *

The heretics suddenly surged toward Brother Ryzn, their foul leader now clearly evident as he crossed open ground leading the charge. The swiftness with which they moved forth caught Brother Ryzn off-guard, and he was pounded by scythe and flail. Before he had a chance to react his systems were failing as the dreadnought staggered back under the ferocity of the blows.

“In the name of the Emperor purge these heretics brothers!”

Bolt rifles roared as Chaplain Tassius led Squad Lohr from the ruins in defense of their honored brother. The heretic’s ancient power armor served them well, but it was not enough for the volley of exploding shells.

* * * *

Having forced the Venerable into retreat, his brethren cut down by bolter fire, Lord Sepsis stands alone to meet the yellow tide surging forward.  Chaplain Tassius at the fore. As the onslaught of blades falls upon him, Lord Sepsis smiles.

“Rend my armor. Tear my flesh. Cry out in victory as if your insignificant deeds have purpose.  Your devotion has blinded you from the truth.  The fate of Dryloch has already been sealed... ALL SHALL ROT AND DECAY!”

As if on cue, the ground trembles and a deep gurgling cough erupts forth as the belly furnace of the Malignifier ignites.  Dark miasmic clouds of smog belch from its malformed chimneys as plagues of carrion flies birth forth from bursting pustules along its hide. 

* * * *

Suddenly finding his force about to be overrun by the chaotic swarm, Chaplain Tassius was left with no choice but to withdraw. Apothecary Kolm had completed his task and was already rejoining while Brother Ryzn was still able to move well enough despite the damage he had taken. As they departed the other furnace detonated, but it was of little solace. It was clear these furnaces were extremely powerful once activated. The battle had been sound tactically, but they were simply too late.

* * * *

Despite the deafening chorus of buzzing wings and gnashing teeth, the deep laughter of Lord Sepsis rings clear.

DEATH GUARD VICTORY 36-32

Edited by MCB82
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Rosters:

 

Lord Sepsis' Death Guard 500pts 23 PL

Lord Sepsis, LoC MR & OoD

Champion Coli & Squad E, Plague Marines x5, BL, Flail

The Helminth, Deathshroud x3

The 14th Legion, Poxwalkers x10 2 Units

 

Lt Stern's Imperial Fists 495pts 27PL

Chaplain Tassius, Primaris Chaplin

Squad Lohr, Intercessors x10

Brother Ryzn, Venerable Dread, H. Plasmacannon

Apothecary Kolm, Firstborn Apothecary

 

I should note here that we are using points rather than power level.  In addition, the Fists received a bonus CP for Lord Sepsis having a warlord trait (Gloaming Bloat).

 

 

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Deployment:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/AvLjDZJUytFTdV119

https://photos.app.goo.gl/umCUvEWga79oj5o9A

 

The battlefield was pretty devoid of LOS blocking terrain, but did have a plethora of difficult terrain that would slow my opponent.  Interestingly we ended up deploying heavy into opposite corners with the Fists keeping the intercessors in a big 10 man blob and deploying them away from my Deathshroud to maximize any potential charge distance.

 

I should preface everything here my stating that while I have been playing 40k since 2nd edition, I've always been an IG player and only discovered my love for Chaos and Death Guard late in 8th edition.  I am by no means a competitive tactical genius and that was quickly evident with my deployment.  In hindsight, I probably should have deployed my Deathshroud in Reserve to gain the flexibility in where they enter the battle.  However my opponents decision to deploy far away from them ultimately won me the game.

 

Turn 1:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qVpZbCU9Jfu8qG62A

Winning first turn, I advance my castled units up to the left objective while attempting to pile my 10 poxwalkers on the right out of LOS.  In return, the Fists position the Venerable Brother Ryzn into a firing position on this object but does not close any distance.  Meanwhile the Interessors ignore the right objective (which is instead claimed by the Apothecary) moving up the right flank to get firing lines on the zombies.  He killed many but a couple managed to survive as not all intercessors could gain LOS.

 

Turn 2:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/6eBg1Vem1hT3LEGY8

A glorious amount of Poxwalkers rise from the dead and easily charge Apothecary taking a few wounds and more importantly stealing the objective.  On the left, my decision to deploy the Deathshroud combined with my opponents decision to maximize the distance between us makes it clear they will struggle to get into combat.  Therefore my units simply castle up on the objective with Lord Sepsis performing the mission action.

 

Turn 3 & 4 are quick with the Intercessors dispatching the poxwalkers and reclaiming the right objective while the Dread continues to pump plasma into my Deathshroud.  At this point however it becomes clear that I am running away with the points as the Fists failed to score any primary in turn 2 and would not score any mission points until turn 4 due to the late start on performing the mission action.  Combined shooting from the Dread and the Intcercessors (The Rapid Fire Strat is excellent, especially when combined with the Chaplins +1 to wound.  It essentially gave the Fists an extra 200 points of shooting in a 500 point game!) succeeds in taking out the Deathshroud and dropping 2 Plague Marines.

 

Turn 5:

With no End of Game scoring (which is a really poor game mission design IMO) and having a massed 36 points that my opponent cannot match Lord Sepsis has already claimed Victory.  But with the Fists unwilling to retreat, I vacate my objective and charge the Venerable Dread with all my remaining forces (LoC & 3 Plague Marines).  The Dread powers up his 6+++ FNP and survives the LoC on 1 wound, but is quickly dispatched by the Plague Marines to score my agenda, Turn their Hope to Rot.  This was significant as it denied Lord Sepsis from earning the bonus XP with the XP instead being earned by Champion Coli and Squad E. 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aoqvsfRanEoQm4mq7

 

At the bottom of T5, the Intercessors unload on the Plague Marines, hilariously leaving the Flail alive on 1 wound.  Chaplin Tassius pulls out his Absolver Bolt Pistol.  Boom Head Shot!  Its moments like this that make Narraive play so much fun!!!  With the Plague Marines dispatched the Chaplin and Intercessors charged Lord Sepsis and despite only landing a smattering of wounds, my dice utterly failed to bail him out.

 

End Game. 

Despite being tabled in the end, I easily won the game on points with that outcome clear by the end of T3.  My dice were not feeling it during the game, with my Deathshroud failing too many invuls and the Intercessors taking down Lord Sepsis (I think the average should have been 2 unsaved wounds!).  But my dice had one last gift for me...

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/B1oodWVR7kdhJttXA

Edited by MCB82
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Ah, the victory despite total annihilation. Good stuff. I liked the format; you presented the battle in a very cool way, with both in-game and out of game perspectives. Look forward to more!

 

Do you think your opponent would have won if he had got first turn and been able to make grab for the objectives first.

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Thanks!  

 

If the Fists had gone first and moved to claim the objective my hunch is that we would have played to a Draw.  We actually talked it out after the game.  I would have committed the deathshroud to slow the Intercessors in T2, delaying them from advancing on my objective.  From T2 on we both would score Hold 1 and the Mission Objective leading to a draw.  However the Intercessors' firepower on T2 was significant and if they managed to clear the deathshroud (with Rapid Fire Strat and Chaplin it would be 60 shots, wounding on 4s AP-1) I would have been in trouble and likely would have screened them with the poxwalkers and burnt 4 CP on Cloud of Flies to protect them.  That highlights my gaff of starting the DS on the table.    

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  • 2 weeks later...

Played Game 2 this past weekend.  The Battle Narrative is in the works, but here is a little primer:

 

PLAGUE PURGE 

ACT ONE

Battle 2 - Tech Priest Rescue

 

Scenario – Tech Relic

Size – Combat Patrol

House Rules – None

 

Mission Briefing:

When the order to evacuate the Chromyd system came down from Imperial command, much of Hive Dryoch’s citizenry,  many already refugees from Drukarhi raids, were unable or unwilling to evacuate from their homes.  With Lord Sepsis’ successful activation of the vile Malignifier network, the Hive’s critical life support systems have been infected with a ravaging plague of techno-organic parasites carrying a virulent strain of the walking pox.  But hope is not yet lost for the suffering citizens of Hive Dryoch.

 

Having spent a lifetime tending to the spirit sustaining rituals of the Hive’s support network, Tech Priest Enginseer Belomomus Nesot defied the retreat protocols and remained at his station maintaining the Hive’s complicated infrastructure.  Since the advent of Lord Sepsis’ assault, Enginseer Nesot has worked tirelessly to purge the Hive’s network of the corrupting techno-virus.  As Dryloch’s last remaining Tech Priest, Enginseer Nesot sent a coded signal to the newly arrived Imperial Defenders requesting their aid and protection.  Unfortunately the portents of the warp intercepted the missive and the Death Guard are closing in on the Engineer's hidden location.

 

Army Rosters:

Lord Sepsis' Death Guard, 500 points, 25PL:

Pestilence Ache, Maggotmancer

The Coli, Plague Marines x5, Flail, Blight Launcher

The Cestodate, Blightlords x5, Flail, Blight Launcher

The Toll Keeper, Tallyman, Tollkeeper Relic

https://photos.app.goo.gl/DLXxyDDNRanwxc8w5

 

Lt Stern's Imperial Fists, 495 points, 25PL:

Lt Stern, Primaris LT Volkite & Storm Shield

Squad Lohr, Intercessors x10

First Born Tactical Marines x5, Plasmagun

Bladeguard Veterans x3

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fk4f5yu17DtdoTSP7

 

The Mechanicum Battlefield. The battlefield came out quite sexy IMO.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gtsgVrWUBsLQPsdK7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RtHrt38ZMT53hQvP8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UdwWFjcqj2cK9pDB6

 
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Battle Narrative:

 

Lt. Storn didn’t have much time to act. Sgt. Atmo had just reported in from patrol. His squad had picked up a distress signal nearby but slightly deeper in the hive. It had been sent in the clear, no doubt the nearby traitors had heard it too. He told Sgt. Atmo to hold his position and await reinforcements then recalled Squad Tydis from their patrol. Time again being essential he had to leave his heavier elements behind along with honored Brother Ryzn, still undergoing minor repairs from the previous battle. He set out with Squad Lohr and his fellow veterans of the Phalanx, expecting close contact with heretics responding to the same signal. Linking up with Sgt. Atmo, he ordered his Marines to spread out in a search pattern to cover more ground, hoping they might get lucky and retrieve the tech priest before the traitors were able to respond. His wishful thought was cut short.

“Contact! Traitors dead ahead, close on!”

https://photos.app.goo.gl/MHhw6HP7MnMU54UcA

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fJ4trhru5msuWYdD8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/c4iuHC323AmEzDie6

* * * *

From the concealment of a collapsed storage fane, Pestilence Ache watched the Imperials methodologically advance out from the ruins of the manufactorum.  From behind him, the smell of burnt ozone and accompanying electrical hum of a teleport beacon signaled the arrival of The Cestodate.

"The one who eludes us is close.  The Corpse Worshipers must not be allowed to find it.  Go and disrupt their search.” 

As the Maggotmancer issues his orders a turrent of bolter fire erupts from the Imperial lines.  The high impact rounds tear through the walls of the Fane but bounce harmlessly off the ancient bubonic terminator armor of The Cestodate.  With a nod of compliance to the Emissary, the terminators crash through the ruined wall, the plascrete carnage and corroded pipes (finally) proving no hindrance to their inexorable advance.  Toll Keeper dutifully follows in their footsteps, spurring on the Lords of Blight with his call of the Tally.  Prey sighted, The Cestodate charge forward with surprising speed and despite the loyalist’s transhuman physiology, they prove no match for the plague ridden weapons of the Death Guard.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oXe9iGWByTZnnmPF7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/haFBErbK6UF77ezc7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xFbfCWSMYJFairzZ7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WxZ5hmJTgiWjxyVH8

* * * *

Storn motioned for his veterans to go around the right side of the container as he came around the left to aid Sgt. Lohr. But the ancient terminator armor was just too much. Bolter fire had failed to slow them as the heretics’ blows cast the combat squad aside. Unable to aid his brethren Storn laid in as best he could, but the heretic’s armor held true. But then his vox crackled with Sgt. Atmo’s voice, lending a bit of hope to the situation.

Found him, sir!

Storn knew what had to be done, but these terminators would be a difficult task.

Sergeant, get him back to the firebase! The rest of us will hold them off!

As he dug in against the foul terminators, suddenly the vox was alive again. It was Sgt. Kord reporting on two single traitors behind the terminators followed in rapid succession by Sgt. Atmo with a fresh contact right. Suddenly things were looking even worse. It was at that moment while he was trying to process strategically that he briefly lost track of his immediate situation and was caught off-guard by the massive flail carried by one of the traitorous terminators. He was thrown back from his feet, and as he struggled to reset his failing power armor he could see the traitors shift their focus in the direction of Squad Atmo.

Brother Kord, I am out of the fight. It is up to You to Stop Them!

But Kord’s Bladeguard were caught between powerful foes as they braced for the onslaught. The traitors had a trick they had yet to reveal.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xWdAjLm6dNTCzqKe8

* * * *

As the Imperials secure the hidden Tech Priest, Pestilence springs his trap.  The battle tested Coli, having recovered from their fatigue at battle for the Malginifer, emerge from their hidden location bringing fire to bear upon the loyalist's as they attempt to secure the Tech Priest.

With vile generosity, Pestilence Ache calls out an incantation.  At his command, swarms of the Grandfather’s bounty seep into reality from the immaterium.  Contagious warp energy floods the Loyalist Veterans, reaping havoc on their fortitude while sapping their strength and dexterity.   Sensing easy prey, The Cestodate turn from the downed LT and descend upon the weakened Bladeguard.  Through clawed mandibles the Champion of The Cestodate, a wretched mutated mirror of the imperial veteran, speaks.  His words conjure the image of a bleak future and momentarily break the defiant spirit of the son of Dorn.

“Have no fear, corpse-sworn.  The blessed gifts have already taken hold of your flesh.  Accept their inevitability.  soon … My Brother… we shall ascend the steps of Metallica together and announce the toll of the Grandfather to all.”

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WhNrNhqVGFffK9M48

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TPkGKUph312Kz1YQA

* * * *

Storn could hear his men over his still-functioning vox. They were not faring well, the psyker surprised his battle-hardened veterans, allowing the terminators to virtually shove them aside without fear of reprisal as they advanced toward Squad Atmo. The squad of heretical marines that had suddenly appeared were knocking his men out of action slowly but steadily. Storn struggled with his armor, resetting it yet another time as his Marines were knocked aside one-by-one. His men could navigate the terrain well but not without some hindrance. Their foe just seemed to ignore it. He knew his men could not outpace the traitor’s advance over the terrain in this area.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XWVQB4UnsWpYDi7h7

* * * *

Caught in a crossfire between the encroaching Cestodate and the newly arrived Coli, the Imperialists attempt to retreat with their prize.  But the advance of the Death Guard is inexorable and slowly they herd the the Defenders into a corner.  The Coli charge in, flails and cursed blades pummeling the First Born Sons. With brute force they pool the aged Tech Priest from the grip of his would be rescuers, securing victory for Lord Sepsis and potentially sealing the fate of Hive Dryloch.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QZDzd86j3aRcDYyKA

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bvNbQEYCbZZWXgwPA

* * * *

The Cestodate turn their attention to the Grandfather's Toll, plague axes ready for the roll of executioner. But before they can dispatch the few remaining corpse-sworn, a massive explosion rocks the Manufactorium, littering the street with dust and debris. As the Imperial’s armored reinforcements pour into the street, Pestilence orders the Death Guard to pull back with their prize. A reckoning with the Corpse worshippers is inevitable, but for now they have achieved their goal.

Bruides but not beaten, Lt. Storn struggled to his feet. As his reenforcements began seeing to his wounded he paused to watch the majestic, unmistakable sight of giant yellow plasteel. He didn't need the belch of the demolisher cannon to let him know that one of the Company's Vindicators had arrived. But the sound was always welcomed, especially on this day. The Death Guard had stolen victory today, but the war was far from over.

 

DEATH GUARD VICTORY 95-0

 
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  • 2 weeks later...

Wrapping up battle #2:

 

Deployment:

For our second battle we created a much more thematic battlefield which fit the narrative we were trying to craft.  It was very heavy of terrain which may have slightly benefited my DG vs my opponent’s Fists, as it limited firing lanes.

My opponent spread out his forces, looking to establish board control and take early control of the key objective.  The mission had a special Action that allows you to move the key objective which was worrisome given the slower speed of my DG.  To offset this I placed the Plague Marines in strategic reserve and planned to hold them their until the key objective was uncovered.  I then deployed the Terminators and my characters is a tight bundle near 2 objectives hoping to limit incoming fire and present a hammer against the any enemies approaching those objectives.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XoMShGSqDiGRJFNa9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/JoB49Z4ifzurkXst6

 

Turn One:

The Fists won first turn and elected to go first, laterally moving up and unloading 30 bolter rounds on the terminators.  Despite landing 16 wounds I miraculously saved them all.  A good starting omen.  Unfortunately for my opponent he moved a little too far forward, and the Blightlords succeeded on a 9 inch charge on my first turn.  The charge left my characters open for counter-attack but I gambled on the extra movement being more impactful long term.  Despite spending CP on transhuman and a 6++ FNP the Blightlords landed enough wounds to eliminate the 5 man intercessors with their only buff being the +1 from the Tallyman.  The Fist’s Lt heroically intervened but whiffed landing no wounds.  The Tallyman searched the objective marker farthest right and did not uncover the key objective.  The Tallyman’s buff’s not being aura based (except for the relic) makes him well suited to performing actions.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PEXU52Wghv4PDb2o9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3wu5eSKbnhM5eX2H7

 

Turn 2:

With the Lt locked in combat with the Blightlords, my opponent had the choice of moving his Bladeguard in to support the HQ and going after my unprotected characters.  He gambled on going for the characters, but unfortunately failed the charge (difficult terrain played a role).  Meanwhile his Intercessors uncovered the key objective off to the left of the battlefield.  My return punch was devastating.  The Blightlords defeated the Lt in his Fight phase freeing them up to charge the Bladeguard who were ravished by the plague caster for 5 mortal wounds and -1 S and attacks from Gift of Contagion (an underrated spell IMO).  The Bladeguard tanked the Blightlords well, transhuman again being key, with one model surviving on a wound, but I countered with Break Their Spirits making the morale check a 50/50 and my opponent did not have the CP to auto pass.  The Bladeguard failed their morale leaving the DG with a commanding board presence.  However the plaguemarines, having arrived from strategic reserve, failed the long charge to contest the Key Objective, leaving it in the control of the Intercessors.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EpX1CrNiSEQ24ij16

https://photos.app.goo.gl/e4a7FgCQKgUx6QSG8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UA7EDxTCXLnvPh376

 

Turn 3 & 4:

Having secured the key objective the remaining intercessors and first born marines attempted to flee to the back corner of the table.  In return the DG advanced after them, with the Blight Launchers managing to eliminate the Intercessors.  In these small games the Blight Launcher is proving to be an unheralded MVP.  The Plague Marines managed a 6 inch advance (thank you Plague Purge Recon Stratagem to auto advance 6 inches) on T3 followed by a 5 on T4 to significantly close the gap.  This would prove significant in T5.

 

Turn 5:

With the game on the line, 3 remaining First Born Fists held the key objective.  Unfortunately for them, they ran out of battlefield, having arrived at the back edge with movement to spare.  The Plague Marines had a manageable 7 inch charge, which they succeeded and readily eliminated the final marines stealing victory at the bottom of the final turn.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/whg3VZXAduuBSxhZ7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3yte5MoYd6peQbw9A

 

Game Thoughts:

I really enjoyed the mission design, as although I was in a commanding position my opponent was in a position to win the game right up until the end.  In a standard GT capture and control mission the game would have been over after T2. 

 

I think the Bladeguard’s failed charge was the moment that sealed the game.  It was a good play IMO as if he succeeded, he was likely to kill my plaguecaster.  In return I’d have been faced with a long charge to hit the intercessors on the key objective or moving in the oppisite direction to hit the Bladeguard.  Going after that key objective would have allowed the Bladeguard to attempt a counter charge at full strength in T3.  I expect the Blightlords would still come out on top but it would have made for a closer game as all of our remaining units battled it out over the key objective in the middle of the battlefield.

 

I have enjoyed the nature of the Crusade missions.  They are a nice change of pace from the standard GT missions and not having to fret over picking secondaries is a plus.  The Plague Purge missions also lend themselves to being edited as necessary to fit your narrative.  For example, here we changed searching for a tech relic to searching for a hidden Tech Priest to either rescue or assassinate it.  To anyone on the fence, I highly recommend giving Crusade a try.

 

Also, I've been including links to game photo's hosted by Google rather than hosting them here.  Is that working, or would these posts be a more enjoyable read if I host them here and publish them in the post?

 

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PLAGUE PURGE 

ACT ONE

Interlude 1 - Slave Raid

 

Scenario – Raid for Supplies

Size – Combat Patrol

House Rules – None

Attacker - The Mistress of Massacre’s Drukhari

Defender - Lord Sepsis’ Death Guard

 

With the Walking Pox ravishing Hive Dryoch, many citizens have fled for the perceived safety of the surrounding industrial fields.  Sheltering amid the ruins of crane haulers and cargo containers they are easy prey, ripe for harvest by Lord Sepsis and his diseased minions.  Unfortunately the Death Guard are not the only ones interested in rounding up the cattle as a new player has arrived on Dryoch.  Enter the Drukhari Menace!

 

Army Rosters:

Lord Sepsis’ Death Guard 495pts 25 PL:

Pestilence Ach, Maggotmancer

The Coli, Plaguemarines x5, Flail, Blightlauncher

The Cestodate, Blightlords x5, Axes, Flail, Blightlauncher

Biologus Nesot, Biologus Putrifier

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3h1zG7bPjsqqpP8N7

 

Mistress of Massacre’s Drukhari 500pts 24PL

Succubus, Tryptech Whip, Quicksilver Fighter

Wytches x10, All the Melee Toys

Raider, Dark Lance

Reavers, x6 2 Heat Lances

Mandrakes, x5

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iR2S2nuyRgT4fQDV9

 

 
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Deployment:

For the Battlefield we played on TinkerTurf pre printed die cut terrain from their first kickstarter.  The stuff is amazing and relatively affordable.  For those who are unfamiliar I recommend you check them out at https://www.tinkerhousegames.com/tinkerturf/

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EDpzNg4LFPsysKbH8

 

For the mission, the winner is whomever rounds up the most citizens, an Action that can be performed by any unit on an objective.  Each objective can only be raided a total of 3 times. I know from experience that it is impossible to hide from Druhkari on these small battlefields, and that with their speed they can assault anywhere on the board.  For deployment, I deployed offset right within easy reach of 2 objectives.  With no screening units, I am relying on the Terminators resilience to power up so I deploy them within dense terrain center board in a position to both move on the center objective T1 while also bringing my bolters to bear on the Mandrakes, hoping to eliminate them early to deny my opponent a unit that can sit back and score points.

 

My opponent deploys almost completely out of sight, with the exception of the Mandrakes who use their infiltration ability to deploy in the left side center of the battlefield, right smack in the open.  This was my first time facing mandrakes, and I was unaware of their ability to redeploy during the game.  (My opponent is my younger brother so Gotcha moments are prized).

https://photos.app.goo.gl/auPxFfx1vDenSL9bA

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gms866mQx83pykrK9

 

Turn 1:

Druhkari win the first turn and elect to go first.  The Mandrakes disappear into the shadows to come back T2, denying me a juicy target.  The Raider and the Reavers inch up, with the Raider claiming an objective and the Reavers inching around cover to get the heat lances in position to target my terminators.  Thankfully the Blightlords Bubonic Armor holds and the Heat Lances fail to drop any.

 

In response, I move the Blightlords and Plaguecaster up on the center objective while the Plaguemarines and the Biologus take the right objective.  I realize the Blightlords will get hit hard by the Wytches but I’m hoping their toughness will win out.  My caster lands Miasma on the Blightlords further buffing their survivability and smites the Raider for 2 MWs.   Decent start.  My Plague Marines open fire on their only target, the Raider which jinks (or whatever it is called now) only managing a single wound.  With the Raider at -1 to hit the Blightlords elect to fire on the Reavers but only drop 1 bike.  I do however manage to score an early 16 points from the Biologus, and the Blightlords on which I played the Mission Strat to Fire while performing an Action.

 

Turn 2:

 

Utter Devastation.  

 

The Reavers speed around behind me to snipe the Plaguecaster, who thanks to his new Conversion Field relic (4++ Invul) survives.  As expected the Wytches and Succubus jump out of the Raider and charge right into the Blightlords while the Mandrakes re-appear out of line of sight on the left most objective where they can farm points all game.  

 

The Succubus charges first followed by the Wytches.  I contemplated overwatching, but with its 4++ invul I’m realistically looking at 1 wound so I pass.  My opponent plays 2 Strategams giving the Wytches +1 to Hit and Re-Roll all Wounds.  40 Attacks, ignoring my -1 buff thanks to their Strat, wounding on 5s but re-rolling.  Natural 6s give an extra pip of AP.  They had already chipped a wound thanks to their poisoned guns which ignore T5.  It wasn’t pretty as 3 terminators are brought down and 1 is left on a single wound remaining.  Next up is the Succubus.  13 attacks, hitting on 2s (3s thanks to Miasma) Wounding on 2s thanks to its relic, AP-3 D2 (DR thankfully dropping this to D1).  60 POINTS 3 POWER LEVEL!!! Seriously GW!!!  I failed just enough wounds to vape the unit including the re-roll.  Ouch.  Adding insult to injury the Reavers charge the Maggotmancer who thankfully survives and drops a bike in return.

 

Needing a big return punch to stay in the game my Sorcerer powers up.  Starting off with Diseased Effluents in the Command phase the 2d3 MWs manage to drop a bike, and in the following psychic phase Smite and the Fallout manage to kill the remaining bikes except 1 which frustratingly survives on 1 wound.  The Plague Marines Move toward the center objective and unload on the Wytches but only manage 5 kills.  My opponent did make 2 6++ invul saves and may have played the -1 to hit Strat as well.  Unfortunately my dice continue to fail me as the plague marines fail their 8 inch charge.  

 

At the end of T2 the remaining Reaver fails its moral test and flees, but the Wytches pass and my Plaguecaster and Plague Marines are sitting out in the open ready for their beatings.  

 

Turn 3:

Going into T3, my only hope is that Wytches fail to kill the plague marines who in return manage to kill them, which also would award me my mission Agenda.  Unfortunately it wouldn’t play out that way as the Raider’s D3+3 Dark Lance snipes my Plaguecaster freeing up the Succubus to also charge the Plague Marines.  In a repeat of T2 (although with no Stratagems played) the 5 Wytches drop 3 plague marines and the Succubus easily cleans up the rest (she actually did enough wounds to potentially kill them all herself.  60 points...  3 Power Level…)

 

Going into my T3 all I have left is a single model, the Biologus.  With a small chance at securing my mission agenda he launches a grenade at the Wytches but only manages 2 kills (again a 6++ invul helps them out).  

 

Turn 4:

The Succubus walks over to the Biologus and politely asks him to join her in Commorragh.  He agrees.

 

Druhkari Victory 72 - 16

 

End of Game Thoughts:

After turn 2, feeling dismayed at the overwhelming power of Druhkari stratagems, I said to my brother that the Drukhari have such BS rules that they steal all fun from the game.  It was a terrible thing to say and I wish I had kept better composure, but its hard not to feel that way when one force plays so unbalanced.  Everyone knows the story by know, the Drukhari have speed, toughness, reliable high damage ranged weapons and mass poisoned weapons that ignore toughness, lethal melee units and low point cost characters who are extremely lethal.  As my brother put it, if you get within 24 inches of my raider without killing it an what's inside, that unit is going to die.

 

Part of my beating was poor list design going up against Dark Elder.  I had no screening units, no ability to take down the Raider T1 and a small unit count.   In hindsight I should have dropped the Biologus for poxwalkers, a decision I contemplated but decided against because the mission required Actions to score points.  My thought was that the Biologus would be able to score points while also handing out the Mortal Wounds to help get through the Wytches 4++ invul in melee.  However, as my opponent readily pointed out, you need to be alive to score! Going into the game his goal was to just ignore the mission and kill me quickly, then score some points in turns 4 and 5.  I focused too heavily on the mission and left myself open to the Drukhari alpha strike.

 

Not many pictures for this one.  I’d like to blame it on poor lighting, but if I’m being honest I spent most of the game curled up in the fetal position begging for Papa Nurgle to send me some units that can efficiently kill a Raider without getting smoked by S3+3 Dark Light and D6+2 Heat Lances…

 

Its off topic, but I’d love to hear how others are dealing with Druhkari, especially in Combat Patrol or Incursion level play.  On the small battlefield they really shine.

 
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Sorry on your loss - btw, your terrain looks great.

 

My understanding is that dark eldar and mechanicus are currently top of the tourney rankings, so not surprising you found them difficult, especially when you when you were unfamiliar with the codex, taken by surprise by their rules and had a list that couldn't effectively counter their strengths.

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  • 4 weeks later...

PLAGUE PURGE 

ACT ONE

Battle 3 

Part A - The Highwater Pens (aka “The Feint”)

 

Scenario – Infiltrate the Ring

Size – Combat Patrol

House Rules – Pre-determined Attacker, Lt Storn’s Imperial Fists.  To represent the success of the feint maneuver, the winner of Battle 3A Gains +2 Command Points in Battle 3B.  Any units that participate in Battle 3A are not eligible to participate in Battle 3B.

 

Mission Briefing:

With the capture of Tech Priest Nesot, whole sectors of Hive Dryloch have grown contaminated with the Walking Pox. With the plague spreading the remaining refugees are quickly falling into panic and chaos as the fate of the Hive approaches the precipice of collapse.  

 

Despite the failed rescue of the Tech Priest, the Imperial Fist’s mission was not a total loss. During their brief interaction, Enginseer Nesot was able to transfer a wealth of data on the Malignifier Network’s contrivance to the Imperials. In depth analysis by the Tech Marines of the 3rd Company discovered a significant flaw in the Network’s structure, a weak point that if destroyed could bring down the entire matrix. However, bypassing the Death Guard’s defenses to exploit this flaw will be no easy task. To ensure success, Lt Storn derives a clever feint to draw the attention of Lord Sepsis away from the Fist’s primary target.

 

East of the Canal Gate, lie the ruins of Highwater Bourg.  While the devastated upper class residencies offer little in strategic import, they are currently being employed by Lord Sepsis as a staging area for transporting fresh poxwalker hordes to the front lines. A strike on the holding pens would not lessen the Death Guard’s infection of Hive Dryloch, but it would disrupt their primary mission objective and more importantly cause Lord Sepsis to lose favor in the eyes of his liege, Lord Typhus. Plus, any walkers destroyed is one less minion for the Heretics to deploy on Metallica. Such an attack will surely be met with swift reinforcement by the Death Guard, pulling both their resources and their attention away from Lt. Storn’s primary agenda, destruction of the Maglignifier Network.

 

Narrative:

“The Corpse worshippers dare to dispossess my Liege of that which is his providence!  Pestilence!  Take the Cestodate and punish our lost brethren for their insolence.  And Pestilence, do not fail me again.”

Surveying the pens on fresh, hungry walkers, Pestilence saw no sign of the yellow helmed corpse-sworn infantrymen for which the Fists are renown.  Perhaps it was just a scouting party that tripping the sentries warning, he smuggly thought to himself.  With a belch of fumes and grinding treads a mighty siege engine burst through the surrounding rubble.  With a roar, its demolisher cannon flaired to life, raining explosives down upon the Pen’s foetid sentry.  The Drone’s warp energy and unnatural resilience dulling the brunt of the punishment.  “Heavy Armor.  Well, it appears our brethren have learned one lesson from our last congregation.”

****  

Remaining Narrative to follow later this week
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Lord Sepsis’ Death Guard

Pestilence Ache - plaguecaster, Miasma, Gift of Contagion

10 Poxwalkers

The Cestodat -5 Blightlords, Flail, Blight Launcher

The Sentry - Bloat Drone, Heavy Blight Launcher, Weapon Enhancement +1D

 

Lt. Storn’s Imperial Fists

Chaplin

Tactical Squad x5, Heavy Bolter

Venerable Dread, Heavy Plasma Cannon

Vindicator, Siege Shield, Demolisher Cannon, HKM

 

The Mission

Infiltrate the Ring has very unique deployment requirements, where the Defender’s DZ is split into 3 sections and units must be deployed evenly among all 3.  With only 4 units in my Army, my force is going to be spread out.  Additionally, the Defender must fully deploy before the Attacker places any units, which is a definite advantage for the Imperials.  

 

Looking at the lists, with nothing greater than S6, and only 3 CP, I know I’m going to struggle to get through both the T8 tank and the T7 Venerable Dread and both have weapons capable of downing terminators.  I am most concerned with the Demolisher Cannon which has the potential to make a mess of my force if it’s allowed to fire at will.

 

The Plague Pen:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ag8rs53DfdcS3Xp57

 

Deployment:

Going into the mission, I had planned to deploy the Terminators on the battlefield.  However, to insure I can get a charge off on the tank without being screened by the Dread I decide to place the terminators in deep strike.  Unfortunately, the mission’s unusual deployment requirements mean that my Plaguecaster is now forced to deploy by his lonesome, deploying out of LOS near an objective on the left flank.  The Drone deploys behind the large central ruin and the poxwalkers go into dense cover within range of the objective on the right.

 

Per the mission rules, I had to fully deploy before my opponent.  Seeing my deployment, the Fists deploy everything offset to my left, where the Plaguecaster is holed up by himself.  

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/GKyA89ScMeKTNqLJ6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gb9TpC48S5J41Q549

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BWgcnLubqYgQUBcg9

 

Turn 1:

The Vindicator moves up the left side, frustratingly getting far enough forward to draw an angle on the Drone I tried to obscure behind the ruin.  The rest of the Fists advance up alongside with the infantry moving into cover of a ruin.  I had hoped my opponent would take the “Blast Bait” and fire at the poxwalkers but he doesn’t fall for the easy prey and instead fires upon the Drone.  1 shot goes through after Deamon saves (including a re-roll) and to my benefit the damage comes up a Nat 1, which my opponent promptly re-rolls into another Nat 1!  Fate is clearly on my side this evening!

 

Having survived the initial barrage, my deployment decisions have put me in a difficult position.  If I leave the plaguecaster in hiding near the left objective, come T2 the Fist’s infantry will have a short charge to the Plaguecaster, allowing them to steal the objective.  He also currently has no LOS for his warp magic.  Definitely a poor deployment placement in hindsight.  Not wanting to help my opponent get on the objective I decide to advance the plaguecaster backward, which unfortunately does place him out in the open.  I had wanted to move the Drone on to the Central objective, but instead fly him over to the Sorcerer for “look out sir protection”.  Unfortunately that means I have also vacated all but the 1 objective held by my zombies.  He does reward me by landing both Miasma on the Drone and smiting 2 wounds off the tank. 

 

For shooting the drone has 2 targets, the Vindicator and Tactical marines.  With the Vin’s Shield (I wish the PBC’s Shield also had this rule!) and the Marines cover both would be receiving +1 to their armor saves..  The Drone’s Heavy Blight Launcher excels at killing marines so of course I decide to shoot the Vindicator...  I have no Defense for this, that Demolisher Cannon definitely had me spooked. With the Drone’s Crusade Weapon Enhancement increasing the Blight Launcher to D3 I only need 2 unsaved wounds to bracket the Tank.  To my surprise, 2 wounds did get through, but a damn command re-roll bails out my opponent and the tank only takes 3 damage.  In hindsight, I had a much better chance of killing the tactical marines.  I got greedy and forgot the most important rule, shoot what you can kill!  This poor targeting decision will come back to haunt me more than once.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ao9ZFDhqeoabi4Nu7

 

Turn 2:

The real barrage ensues with the Vindicator and Venerable Dread opening up on the Drone.  Nurgle continues to curse my opponent’s dice as he rolls another 1 on the Demolisher’s damage and the Drone manages to survive the onslaught with a single wound remaining.  Unfortunately, remember those tactical marines I neglected to shoot?  Being the recipients of the Chaplin’s +1 to wound they unload on the Drone and take it down with ease.  To add insult to injury both the tactical marines and the Chaplin succeed on long charges and take down the Plaguecaster in melee.  My only consultation was that the marines were out of position to claim any of the objectives, meaning the poxwalkers would score me hold 1 and hold more this turn.

 

Suddenly finding myself with just 10 poxwalkers on the battlefield, I need the Blight lords to drop in and bail me out.  As planned, they teleport in, deploying within striking distance of the Vindicator.  Having learnt my lesson they unload all their ranged weapons on the tactical marines, the Blight Launcher wiffs, but the bolters do manage 3 wounds, before they successfully charge the Vindicator.  I need to drop this tank in 1 round of melee, but with only 2 cp I have to choose between Whispers for +1 to hit and Creeping Blight (AP-4 on Nat6 to wound) or 2cp Hatred for +1 to wound.  While wounding on 4s would be great, I decided to go with +1 to hit and Creeping Blight.  It paid off big as the flail rolled 3 2s to hit and 4 axe wounds are upgraded to AP-4. Goodnight Vindicator, which promptly explodes (as it should because this is narrative play!) taking 2 wounds off one Blightlord.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/s4jM1ynpjffx9E4k8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EtyaEMFJX157t3fj7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PJp3U6kusKMLVave9

 

Turn 3:

Going into turn 3, with the Blightlord brick sitting between my opponents forces the game is still up for grabs.  All of the loyalists unload on the Blight Lords dropping 2 and then both the Dread and the Chaplin charge in for the kill.  However Nurgle would not have it as my 4++ Bubonic armor powers up and I save 7 of 9 wounds. In return they knock the Chaplin down to 1 wound, thanks to his own invul powering up.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/JV7jyruP7VFtg8Bx8

 

On the bottom of T3, the zombies continue their picnic, lounging about on the right objective while the whirling melee continues on the left side of the battlefield.  Again my Bubonic invul steals the show, at one point making 11 of 13 4++ saves!  One terminator goes down but the Blightlords bring the Chaplin down with him.

 

Turn 4:

With the Dread locked in combat with the Blightlords, my opponent reveals the left objective to be the mission Alpha Objective, which he then takes control of with his tactical marines (you know those marines I should have shot and killed in T1!).  To my surprise he then charges them into the terminators (while also keeping them within range of the objective).  I’m not sure if it was to ensure I didn’t get lucky and kill the dread or if he was just so pissed at my saving throws that he really wanted to see the Blightlords die!  In return, the Blight Lords slaughter them all, making right my err from T1.  But the Dread, who I’ve sort of been ignoring, drops the champion, leaving only the Flail Bearer left alive.  

 

Turn 5:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VPnuJK9aukCNcGdVA

Down to one on one, and with insufficient CP for +1 to wound (the loss of VotLW is keenly felt here) the Flail only knocks a wound from the Dread who in turn finally downs the last of the Blight Lords.  To my dismay, his base is just within range to claim the Alpha objective, (pile in / consolidate shenanigans from earlier in the combat helped here) preventing me from Holding More and awarding bonus points to the Imperials for holding the Alpha Objective.  

 

Despite having been up on the points through turn 5, the mission end game objectives award 20 extra points to the Fists for Holding the Alpha Objective and having a unit in my DZ at the end of the game, giving the win to the Fists in a close, brutal match 55-50.

 

Imperial Victory 55 - 50. 

 

THOUGHTS:

Fast and Deadly!    Very unique mission, which I think I misplayed from the start.  IMO the mission rules do favor the attacker, with deployment forcing me to spread out my forces and allowing the attacker to deploy after seeing my deployment.  On top of that, the Attacker had full control over choosing the location of the Alpha Objective, the timing of its reveal, and received a bonus 10 VP for having a unit in my DZ, which outside of a tabling was easily achievable.  To counter this, I needed to be more aggressive in claiming objectives early on and slowing my opponent’s advance.  Deploying the terminators in deep strike was likely a mistake, as while it prevented them from being shot by the Demolisher cannon, it allowed my opponent to take board control unimpeded, and focus his offense on taking me apart one piece at a time.

 

I also dug myself a hole with my deployment.  Deployment is always important, but doubly so in these small point games.  By leaving my character on an island, I handed my opponent an easy flank.  Moving the Drone to the left flank and placing the character, and the terminators behind the LOS blocking ruin, would have protected the terminators from the demolisher T1, and kept my important buffing character alive.  Also, the Drone had better range and movement than most of my opponent’s army, an asset that I failed to capitalize on with my deployment.

 

Finally, shooting the Tactical Marines T1, with a good chance at dropping 2-3, would have drastically altered the course of the game as those marines landed the killing blow on both the Drone and my Plaguecaster.  One of the best parts of Combat Patrol play is how impactful each model is to the outcome.  I need to continue to remind myself, shoot what you can reliably kill and don’t hope for the dice to bail you out.

 

All those mistakes aside, I was in the game right up until the end.  Had I managed to pile in or consolidate in such a way as to screen the dreadnought from the Objective I could have won the game.  A good reminder to always use every bit of movement to your advantage, and a credit to my opponent for recognizing that opening.

 

Hope you enjoy the Bat Rep!  Narrative battle report will follow later this week, along with Battle 3B - Sabotage.

Edited by MCB82
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PLAGUE PURGE 

ACT ONE

Battle 3 

Part B - Sabotage!

 

Scenario – Sabotage from the CRB

Size – Incursion, 750pts.

House Rules – Pre-determined Attacker, Lt Storn’s Imperial Fists.  To represent the success of the feint maneuver, the winner of Battle 3A (the Imperial Fists) Gains +2 Command Points in Battle 3B.  Any units that participate in Battle 3A are not eligible to participate in Battle 3B.

 

Mission Briefing:

With the success of the Feint maneuver at the Highwater Pens, Lt Storn has successfully infiltrated the Death Guard lines and has his eyes set on destroying the vile Malignifier.  But will the Imperials be able to set all their charges before Lord Sepsis arrives?

Narrative to Follow

 

Lord Sepsis’ Death Guard

Lord Sepsis - Lord of Contagion, Manreaper & Grenade, Gloaming Bloat

The Coli - x7 Plague Marines, Flail, BL, PG, Veterean Warriors

10 Poxwalkers

The Helminith - x3 Deathshroud

The Tollkeeper - Tallyman, Tollkeeper

The Hound - Plague Burst Crawler, Entropy Cannons

 

Lt. Storn’s Imperial Fists

Lt Storn - Primaris Indominus Lt

Intercessors x10, +1 BS

Apothecary

Bladeguard, x3 +1 Attack

Eradicators, x3 Heavy Melta Rifles

Firestorm Turret, x4 Lascannons

 

The Mission

Sabotage from the Core Rule Book.  To win, the Attacker gets 20 VP for each of the 4 objectives they destroy.  To destroy an objective, all the attacker needs to do is walk on to the objective and perform an action, the objective is destroyed at the end of the Attackers turn.  Meanwhile the Defender gets +20 VP for each Objective remaining at the End of the Game.  Additionally, each round 10 VPs is awarded to the Player who has Killed More that turn.

 

I want to mention that I think the CRB author neglected to take into account the smaller battlefield when this mission was designed.  Per the rules, the Defender must place all objectives 9 inches from the table edge and 9 inches from each other.  As a result, the objectives all end up in the middle of the board with 2 objectives within easy reach of the Attacker’s DZ.  

 

Deployment:

Going into this game, I wanted to protect my PBC from the significant anti-tank power of my opponent.  However when I went to place it behind the LOS blocking ruin, I couldn’t fit it in without clipping the area terrain boundary and voiding the LOS blocking nature of the terrain.  (The picture is misleading as to make the battlefield regulation size, the battlefield is smaller than the game board.)  Instead I deployed the PBC in dense cover to the left and placed my Plague Marines and Tallyman behind the LOSB ruin.  They are far back in my DZ, but as my opponent needs to move up the board I believe this placement will be ok.  The Zombies go into hiding up on the right, protected from my opponent’s boltguns, while the LoC and Deathshroud go into Deep Strike.

 

My opponent spreads out along the edge of his DZ, Intercessors in the middle with all his anti-tank opposite my PBC and the Bladeuard opposite the poxwalkers.  

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/7n2QFiDrc2ScmjFWA

 

Turn 1:

The Intercessors, supported by their LT and Apothecary, advance down the middle of the table and on to Objective #2.  The Eradicators move up and unload on the PBC while the Firestrike Turret hops over to Sabotage Objective #1.  The Imperial Fist Heavy Eradicators are a real threat, equipped with Heavy Meltarifles (D6+2 at max range) they get an additional +1 damage in Devastator doctrine which negates my DR, and the Imperial Fist Tank Hunter Stratagem gives them +1 to wound vehicles.  Despite hitting on 4s, they land 13 wounds on the PBC and take it out of action.  Meanwhile the Bladeguard assault my poxwalkers, slaughtering them all (I didn’t make a single 6++ FNP!) giving my opponent an early 2 kills for Kill More.

 

With the Fists already Sabotaging 1 Objective and holding another, it's evident I was too worried about being shot off the board and didn’t consider the mission objectives during my deployment.  As the Plague Marines would need a long Advance to screen out Objective #4 I decide to move up, shoot and attempt a long charge on the Blade Guard, which if successful would get them in front of the Objective.  As it happened, they dropped 1 Eradicator but failed the charge (including the re-roll) on the Blade Guard.

 

At the end of T1, the Imperials have an early lead 30 - 0.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/x2W2z16cHgjWy3298

 

Turn 2:

With my rather anemic T1 return punch doing little to stifle my opponents advance, The Fists continue to push forward with the Intercessors, Apothecary and Blade Guard all moving towards Object #4 and the Eradicators moving toward Objective #3.  While they are not able to get within range to Sabotage either Objective this turn, Lt Storn does complete the Sabotage Action on Objective #2.  The Intercessors and Eradicators open fire on my Plague Marines dropping a few and the Blade Guard charge in to finish off both the remaining Plague Marines and the Tallyman.  To my surprise, my Flail Bearer Marine survives on a wound, and the Tallyman only loses two.  In return they manage to down 1 Blade Guard and chip a wound from another.  Despite the Plague Marine only having a single wound remaining I spend 2cp to auto pass his morale, because at this point I really need bodies on the battlefield!

 

Going into my T2 command phase I have a plague marine on a single wound and a Tallyman on 2, both in Combat with the Blade Guard...  A Perfect opportunity for Diseased Effluents!  2d3 MW, and I roll up 5, just enough to vaporize the Blade Guard and keep me in the game!!!  Freed from the Blade Guard, my Flail Bearer moves up and into range to charge the Apothecary while avoiding the Intercessors, whom he slaughters in glorious combat!  The Deathshroud drop in behind Objective #4 hoping to charge the Intercessors, while Lord Sepsis himself drops in near Objective #3 planning to charge the Eradicators.  My opponent decides to overwatch with the Intercessors but they fail to damage the Deathshroud, however the Deathshroud fail their 2 attempts at the 9 inch charge.  Thankfully, Lord Sepsis succeeds in charging the Eradicators, dropping 1 but leaving the other alive on 1 wound remaining, which means he is unable to consolidate and tag the Turret.

 

At the end of T2, Kill More goes to the DG with the score now 50 -10 in favor of the Imperials.  However, with 2 Objectives remaining, which will score the DG 20 points each at the end of the game, we are currently tied at 50-50.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TT3rpAc27Jr6wtag6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Qy8dbcovjXVPcgVPA

https://photos.app.goo.gl/s7TuYwq7Mj2sk48h7

 

Turn 3:

With my Deathshroud and Flail Marine hanging out by Objective #4, the Intercessors live up to their Yellow Color and Retreat, Advancing backwards to get out of the threat range of the Deathshroud.  I jest but this was actually a shrewd move as had they moved on to the Objective I may have been able to Heroically Intervene the Deathshroud via Relaptic Assault.  The Eradicator falls back, toward Objective #3 but difficult terrain slows him down.  The Turret and Intercessors, who split fire to take out the remaining Plague Marine, fire on Lord Sepsis, but thankfully his Nurgle blessed armor holds.  With their ranged firepower failing to kill Lord Sepsis, Lt Storn charges in for the kill, but again my Bubonic Armor saves the day.  To my surprise, the Turret also charges into the fray, using the extra movement to ensure he has range on the Deathshroud later in the game.  A very tactical move by my opponent.  I decide to put all of the LoC attacks into Lt Storn, but he manages to survive with a wound remaining.

 

Going into my T3, I need to protect the 2 remaining Objectives from being Sabotaged.  The Deathshroud move up to fully screen out Objective #4.  I need to free up my LoC to charge the Eradicator but I’m stuck in combat with the Lt and the Turret.  I considered Diseased Effulents one again, but with only 2 wounds remaining I didn’t want to eat the MW.  If I can kill both in melee I am in consolidation range to tag the Eradicator, so I decide to use my final cp on The Blightening, making the LoC’s once per game Orb of Dessication an auto-hitting 6 shot pistol.  Despite my excitement at finally being able to use this combination, the plan backfires as the Lt passes all his saves.  To punish this insolence, and to ensure he dies, the LoC focuses all attacks on the Lt and brings him down.  I did contemplate splitting my attacks but I needed to ensure one of these units died and narratively Lord Sepsis would obviously want to take out Lt Storn.  

 

At the end of T3 we tied with 1 kill each so no points were awarded for Kill More.  With 2 Objectives Sabotaged and 2 Objectives Remaining, it is a tie game at 50 - 50.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uNRnrfpW7sPzfWQD7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/p6XtQsZ3pEotWwQe9

 

The Imperials Retreat:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3K62YUNsjyrnHXiTA

 

Turn 4:

As expected the Turret falls back out of combat and the lone Eradicator moves toward Objective #3, putting him in position to reach it and perform the Sabotage Action in Turn 5.  The Intercessors are in a difficult spot.  With difficult terrain between them and Objective #3, they would need 2 rounds of advancing to tag it, meaning they cannot reach it in time to Sabotage before the game ends.  Meanwhile Objective #4 is surrounded by Deathshroud.  Competitively, if my opponent moves the Intercessors and Eradicator out of charge range from the Deathshroud, and guns down the LoC he would achieve kill more in T4 and thus win the game 60-50.  However this is Narrative Play and the Mission Objective is to Sabotage the Malignifier Network, so he does the right thing for the storyline and moves forward towards Objective #4.  If the Intercessors can delay the Deathshroud it would ensure the Eradicator can perform the Sabotage Action in T5.  With the Turret having fallen back, the Eradicator opens a total annihilation on Lord Sepsis, but being Heavy they take a -1 to hit and wiffs, meaning it’s up to the Intercessors to gun down the LoC.  Being in Assault Doctrine I will be saving a 2s, with a good chance at survival, but I roll terribly and Lord Sepsis falls.  The Intercessors then charge the full strength Deathshroud but only manage 2 wounds.  Hitting back, the Deathshroud prove they love to eat Marines as they slaughter all but the sergeant who fails his moral and flees in terror.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/AZjUK7ULn2rTGdTS6

  

At the bottom of T4, my opponent has his 1 Wound Eradicator a couple inches from Objective #3.  If I kill him, its basically game over.  

 

First up, the Tallyman (who has been hiding out behind the LOS blocking ruin) moves up and rolls a 6 with his Plasma Pistol, but the wound roll comes up a Nat 1!  I go back and forth on re-rolling it but decide to save the cp for the Deathshroud’s charge roll.  

 

Next the Deathshroud open up with their plague pistols.  3d6 shots, 6 hits… a few wounds which are all saved.  Damn!  

 

Charge phase.  The Deathshroud need a 7 to get the Eradicator.  Nurgle’s blessed number, surely that is a sign!  Charge roll comes up a 3!  Also Nurgle’s number.  Ha Ha very funny Papa Nurgle but hey that’s why I saved that cp.  Charge attempt #2… a 6...  NOOOOOOO!!!  

 

At the End of T4, with 1 kill each we remain tied at 50 - 50.

 

Turn 5:

With nothing I can do to stop him the Eradicator moves on to Objective #3 and performs the Sabotage Action to hand the Victory to the Imperial Fists 70 - 50.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Wow, what a tight, deadly, and Fun game!  Despite the intense opening punch by the Fists, the game was tied from T2 with my Death Guard in position to win at the end.  We couldn’t have asked for a more nail biting game, with the outcome coming down to a handful of dice rolls which unfortunately just didn’t roll my way.

 

As with the previous battle, I definitely misplayed the mission.  Despite having read the mission rules multiple items, I had it in my head that the Sabotage Action was complete at the End of the Attaker’s next Command phase and not the End of the Attacker’s Turn.  Going in, my game plan focused on hitting back once the Imperial’s moved up the board.  However, with the Action completed at the end of the Attacker’s turn, I had no ability to stop the Action once my opponent moved on to an objective, so my game plan should have focused on preventing my opponent from moving forward.  

 

Despite this significant oversight, Diseased Effluents and the Deathshroud/LoC hit hard and kept me in the game right up until the end.  With the game on the line, a single model with only 1 wound remaining won the game, proving that every model counts in these small point games.  

 

If we were to replay to this mission, I definitely would make changes to my deployment.  The PBC should have gone into Strategic Reserve to avoid the Eradicators on T1 or I should have checked the range because even if it had deployed within the Ruin and thus been within line of sight, the Eradicators may not have had the range to target it.  I also should have used the poxwalkers, and the Plague Marines, to screen out Objective #2 to prevent my opponent from Advancing on to it T1.  It may not have changed the outcome, as those Intercessors could easily gun down the zombies, but it would have made my opponent work for the Objective and slowed their forward momentum.

 

The Deathshroud are phenomenal Marine killers!  My opponent’s initial thought was to run from them and in hindsight that was the right decision.  

 

At 125 points, I’m not in love with the LoC.  I went with the manreaper and orb of desiccation in case the Druhkari player joined our Crusade full time, but the once per game AP-1 Orb is underwhelming and I really could have used the D3 Plaguereaper against the Eradicators.  When fighting 3W infantry I need to keep in mind Befouled Incubators as 1 MW on a 3+ would have given me 2 models killed instead of 1.  I’d also like to give the LoC a pathogen but they are all very expensive for the benefit, a 145 point LoC feels significantly overpriced.  I do however like the extra 3 inches on his Contagions, and Gloaming Bloat definitely impacted his survivability.

 
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  • 6 months later...

With Both Delta and Omicron in the rear view mirror, Act 2 of the Harvest of Chromyd is ready to get underway.  For a warm up, I took Lord Sepsis and the Creeping Infection out on a practice run against my buddies gorgeously painted Necrons.  For your reading pleasure, I present (in my best ring announcer voice)…

 

The RRR-REACTER RRR-RRUMBLE

50PL Special Narrative Mission

Note: The mission was created for the Crusade Campaign hosted by my excellent, local gaming store, The Toy Soldier in Amesbury MA. 


"The cursed soulbound rise up and decry their manifest destiny.  They are as foolish now as they were a millennia ago. Though they have cast aside their mortal flesh for living steel, it matters not.  It is time we remind them, when the bells of Grandfather Nurgle toll... ALL SHALL ROT AND DECAY!"


Lord Sepsis & The Creeping Infection - 50PL

https://photos.app.goo.gl/si7Zy1V6YcWTBoRQ7

Lord Sepsis: LoC Manreaper & Orb of Decay

The Coli: Plague Marines x7 PGx2, BL, FoC, BA&MoC, Boltgunx2

The Bubonic Buggy: Chaos Rhino, CombiMelta

The 14th Legion: Poxwalkers x10

The Cestodate: Blightlords x5 CombiMelta Balesword, FoC, BL+Axe, Axes+CombiBoltersx2

Biologus Nesot: Biologus Putrifier

Bloatdrone: Heavy Blight Launcher 

Plagueburst Crawler: Entropy Cannons


Dr. Eggman & The Robotnics - 50PL  

https://photos.app.goo.gl/g35yPSqeqvxBu2m49

Necron Lord from Indominus

20 Warriors with the -2AP gun (not modeled but played that way consistently in Crusade)

Skorpekh Lord

3 Skorpekh Destroyers

2 Heavy Destroyers

6 Scarabs

Reanimator

Doomstalker


Mission Scenario: 6 Objectives. Players can earn 10 VP at the end of their turn for each of the following to a maximum of 30VP:  Holding 1, Holding More and Stealing an Objective (ie holding an objective that was held by your opponent at the beginning of the turn).


The Reactor Fields:

We built a fun setup that differed significantly from the city ruins we usually play on.  Looking back at the pictures it appears devoid of LOS Blocking terrain but there was A Lot of terrain on the table which did break up the fields of fire. https://photos.app.goo.gl/3d5tCTZYn3855Z6AA

 

Deployment:

Mission deployment had the table cut into 6 equal squares with tight deployment zones in opposite corners.  I won the roll off to pick my deployment and selected the corner with the large Dense Terrain feature and used the Bubonic Buggy to help keep my Blightlords out of LoS.  I debated placing the Terminators into Deep Strike or Strategic Reserve but with the Necron’s speed I was confident we would be meeting each other in the midfield fairly quickly.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/u9eRBfD7Qtj4Mbzi7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZX8afjLJ7ac4ck9a9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/jZiawSo3HAs5VTRt7

 

Turn One:

I won the roll off.  Game Over!  Time to pack up, right?  


Well not so fast.  After unloading everything (including the Plagueburst Crawler, the Heavy Blight Launcher, and the melta gun from the rhino) all I managed to slay was 1 Skorpek Destroyer and 1 Necron Warrior.  On a positive note, I got great advance rolls (including a 6 on the Rhino) to really push my units up the field, securing 1 midfield Objective and screening the Blightlord’s left flank with the poxwalkers.  

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CZ4WSLzsVzpRFRnv6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/5gtbcKLfNKZkLXKz7


In response the Necron’s literally flew up the board.  They have surprisingly legit speed!  The skorpeks moved up within easy charge range of my Blightlords while the scarbs raced around the left flank to threaten my backfield objectives in Turn2.  The massive warrior block moved into position to light up my Plague Marines with their S5 AP-2 Death Rays and then my opponent proceeded to unleash anti-tank hell upon the Rhino…


Which survived with 4 wounds!  Thanks to a combination of below average damage rolls and Smokescreen.  Smokescreen in particular was great as it forced the Large gun on the Doomstalker to hit on 5s.  As a result, the Necron warriors had to finish off the Rhino which meant my Plague Marines would survive…


Or not, as 3 would fail to make it out of the wreckage.  3 of 7…  Sometimes I really hate Nurgle’s Sense of Humor.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oHzJaH6NbwG92h25A

https://photos.app.goo.gl/e9hN6nwCWyW6g6rk9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/knMA1otGniDzSfx47


On the other side of the Reactor, Necron small arms fire whittled down the poxwalkers, who managed to survive with a single model remaining.  This is a massive win for Nurgle because the Skorpeks have a Crusade Scar that limits them to only charging the closest unit.  So despite the Blightlords being a hair behind the lone zombie they were off limits to the Skorpek’s charge.  The Skorpek Lord took out his frustration by eviscerating the poxwalker in the most ridiculous display of overkill I’ve ever witnessed in a game of 40k.  He then consolidates over into the Blightlords who carve off a chunk of his wounds. https://photos.app.goo.gl/wEgqvAokNzteGSko7

 

After a surprisingly eventful turn 1 the Death Guard have scored 20 points for Hold 1, Hold More to the Necron 10 for Hold 1.


Turn 2:

At the top of turn 2, the remaining 4 Plague Marines with the Biolugus in support move into position to unleash putrid punishment on the 19 remaining Necron Warriors.  While diminished, I’m quite excited to see what they can do. The PBC rains toxic armaments down upon the Destroyers and clears the unit off their objective, leaving the Necrons with only 2 remaining Objectives, one of which is only held by the Necron Reanimator who is out in the open and within easy reach of my Blight Drone’s Heavy Blight Launcher (which is now flat Damage 3 thanks to its Crusade Advancement).  So of course I shoot it at the Scarabs who are sneaky up the left flank and slay a single base.  For those keeping score this is the second time I made an extremely foolish/unexplainable/dumb targeting decision with my Bloatdrone’s gun.  With no Invul, the Reanimator was easy prey for the Heavy Blight Launcher’s AP-3 D3 weapon.  In hindsight this was obviously a better target but in the moment all I was thinking about was how those scarbs would be charging in to steal my objective and didn’t consider how shooting them was unlikely to make a difference in that outcome.  A good reminder to always be thinking about the likely outcome and not your desired outcome when selecting targets!


Now onto the main event, the Plague Marines and their Biologus Buddy!  


With giddy delight I start off burning 1 CP for The Blightening, and fire all 18 blight grenades pistols and the blight launcher into the warriors, landing 10 kills.  An excellent start… well not so fast.  Thanks to that Reanimator I ignored, those 10 dead Warriors are reanimating on 4s, rerolling 1s, and 6 manage to get back up.  Worse, they magically teleport their dead bodies from the front of the unit to the rear adding 2 inches to my charge move (and leaving the Biologus without a viable target for his grenade).  


With 15 Warriors remaining, my 4 pestilent pals Foul Infusion up and charge in, making the 7 inch charge on an 8.  The necron Warriors counter with some overwatch, landing 3 wounds which amazingly I pass with 3 5+ save rolls.  It should be noted here that my opponent forgot that the Doomstalker can overwatch when a nearby unit is charged, which potentially would have made a big difference in the ensuing fight phase.


Piling In, I amp things up by burning my last 3 cp on Trench Fighters and Haze of Corruption which means the damage from the Flail and Mace of Contagions will spill over for free kills!  Despite only rolling a single 6 to wound for the Foul Infusion Mortal, I manage to land 15 kills, narrowly slaying the unit.  But Wait!  My opponent has a single CP left for a command reroll.  1 5+ up shot at saving a Mace wound and avoiding 3 kills…


The roll comes up a 6 (!) and 3 warriors manage to survive the onslaught.  Then to my horror NINE more REANIMATE bringing the unit back to 12!!!!!!!!!!!! For the record, I spent 4 CP to kill 7 Necron Warriors, while my opponent’s 1 Command Reroll saved TWELVE Kills.  Thankfully I was 3 beers in at this point so it was as hilarious as it was horrifying.

  

In writing this up, it occurs to me that GW’s new Reanimation Protocol rule is a massive slap in the face to Death Guard players who lament the loss of our 5+++ FNP, and anyone who argued that Death Guard needed to lose their 5++ FNP to “Speed Up the Game” deserves to be horsewhipped. 


The Necron Warriors are Slain!  https://photos.app.goo.gl/FDyNsmxaHJvdhGeY9

Or Maybe Nothttps://photos.app.goo.gl/fQypeni4yyzfHyov7


Going into the bottom of turn 2, I’ve hit the Necrons hard but they still have plenty of assets in play.  The Warriors fall back through the ruins and re-secure the Objective previously held by the slain Destroyers while the scarabs swarm up and steal my Objective away from the Bloatdrone.  Having already secured 3 Objectives to my 2, the Reanimator falls back from the midfield Objective (which would have been Objective #4) in order to maintain range to the Warriors with its reanimation beam.  Fortunately for me my opponent’s shooting phase is a bit of a whiff as both the Biologus and the Flail Marine survive the gunfire from the Warriors and Doomstalker with a single wound remaining.  To ensure my Marine dies the Reanimator and Doomstalker both charge in, but amazingly fail to finish him off.  Returning the courtesy the mighty Flail of Contagion knocks a little dust off the Reanimator.


https://photos.app.goo.gl/ycK1Czdekw19Xu3N7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VGiQhkCD3RrbF56q8

Plague Marines in Trouble https://photos.app.goo.gl/bWzWURdKFnqNs4kn8

The Showdown https://photos.app.goo.gl/oza3sDyE7ZzcYW4P7


Things go better for me back over on my end of the table with the Scarbs failing their charge (Snakes Eyes Baby!) and the Blightlords finally finish off the Skorpeks.  The Skorpek Lord was a bit of the let down as my 5 Blightlords come through the combat with just a scratch. https://photos.app.goo.gl/sLp9KibqEWfbmvZn9


At the End of Turn 2 its Death Guard 40 / Necron 40 as the Necrons managed a big 30 point turn.


TURN 3:

At the top of turn 3, the Scarb’s failed charge proves significant as my Daemon Engines make short work of the 5 remaining scarbs and award me 10 VP as the Bloat Drone takes back the Objective.  Lord Sepsis secures my Hold more Objective in No Man’s land for another 10VP and the Blightlords move to join up with the Biologus and Flail Guy to take on the Xeno Walkers.  This round goes quickly as my Blightlords manage to shave wounds off both monsters who in return take out the last Plague Marine.  

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zmCiHCDAL1HNJmXq8

Mine Once Again! https://photos.app.goo.gl/DPzyArZGTYGcDrux5


As an aside, here is another teaching moment.  Pay attention to where you place your models.  I somehow managed to blindly charge all of my Str 6 weapons into the T5 Reanimator and all of my Str5 weapons into the T6 Doomstalker making it unnecessarily harder to wound the Doomstalker which contributed to my anemic fight phase.  


Facing an uphill Battle, the Necron’s finally unveil their secret weapon as the Lord teleports himself and his 12 immortal Warriors over to one of the unclaimed Objectives in No Mans Land and within charge range of my PBC and the Objective it is parked on.  With only 1 CP remaining, but having an ability to reclaim it when spent on a 5+, my opponent gambles and spends the CP to give his warriors auto wound on 6s.  They unload on the PBC chipping off more than a few wounds but unfortunately he fails to regenerate the CP leaving him with no means to reroll the charge.  The 9 inch charge fails on a 7 (Thanks for finally being on my side Grandpappy!) denying the Necrons a chance to steal away an Objective from me.

Having only scored 10 to my 30 the Creeping Infection takes a commanding lead at 70-50.

Teleportation Shenanigans https://photos.app.goo.gl/VrV6uvdvogovypYv5

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1yK3ns1hGS1n6H9eA


At this point the Necron player concedes but as its Crusade play we decide to quickly play out the remaining turns.  Lord Sepsis Orb of Decay’s the Warriors for a few kills (man I really want this grenade to be better than it is) and charges the Necron Lord but apparently forgot his manreaper skills back home as he takes both fight phases to kill off the Lord.  Meanwhile the Blightlords take down the Walkers, stealing me the Necron’s deployment zone Objective for 10VP, while the Warriors charge into the PBC to steal away my deployment zone Objective.  

https://photos.app.goo.gl/j9nE69zfPAFDdVk57

https://photos.app.goo.gl/dHYb1v3sNmVqk3uv6

Taking Down the Big Guns https://photos.app.goo.gl/vfiy3ePBsWYpDHEL9


With only 8 Warriors remaining we call it here.  Turn 4 VP goes 30-20 in my favor bringing the final tally to 100 VP for Lord Sepsis and his Creeping Infection to 70 for Dr. Eggman’s Robotnics (who when he reads this is likely none to happy with that name!) 

 

POST GAME THOUGHTS

Another well rounded game that really could have gone either way.  The game winning moment was likely the failed scarab charge at my OBC. If they had managed to tie up I would have been hard pressed to get one of my slow units back there to bail it out and it would have kept me from scoring 10VP for hold more on the later turns.


Despite killing nothing T1, being able to advance out from my DZ was critical to how the game played out.  I was able to keep the Necrons screened out from teleporting up the right flank for most of the game, keeping their lethal barrage of AP-2 weapons away from my terminators.  Conversely, had I gone second, with the Necrons speed the whole game would have been fought on my side of the battlefield.  Perhaps that First Turn roll off was the game winner.

Technically 7 Plague Marines is 12 Power Level which is Absurd.  GW’s decision to sell Plague Marines in a box of 7 but eliminate the 7 man unit size from the codex and penalize you 4 PL for taking 7 rather than 10 is insulting.  This is especially true  given their insistence on only allowing weapon options that you can build from 1 box.  We can only take exactly what’s in the box, but you need to leave 2 of them at home if you want to build a balanced force.  As a credit to my opponents sportsmanship he agreed to the additional 2 Plague Marines with Bolters (42 points) to be just +2PL.


The above point is really important.  GW has a lot of questionable rules.  If you don’t like something, or if a rule as written interaction is really tanking your enjoyment of the game, talk about it with your local gaming group.  There is nothing wrong with house ruling something if it makes the Game more fun.


This was my first time seeing Necron Reanimation Live and in Person.  The Warriors were reanimating on 4s, rerolling 1s and had a crusade advancement to turn 1 rolled reanimation dice into a 6.  They proved extremely difficult to kill.  By the end of the game they had 8 remaining, but I had killed 30! Even the Skorpeks managed to reanimate a model early in the game.  Necron’s also have units and abilities that interact with reanimation to make it more reliable.  Its a thematic and fun.


On the flip side as a Death Guard Player, it hurts.  I’m mentioned before and will say it again, the utter lack of anything to help keep our infantry alive vs massed D1 firepower is really upsetting.  When 9th launched we had Stratagems to improve DR to a 4+++, re-roll 1 & 2 with the upgraded surgeon, and even bring a slain model back to life.  All of that is gone and I’ve felt its loss in every game. Our new -1D DR is legit Great on terminators when they are in close combat against D2/D3 weapons, but this is a Dice Game.  Rolling the 5+++ DR while praying to Grandfarther Nurgle to bless our dice was THE highlight of playing Death Guard.  DG have lost their “Fun Factor” in the translation to 9th.  Watching the Necron player have that enjoyment with Reanimation Protocols only solidified that opinion.  I’d rather the Plague Marines be 25 points with 2W and the 5+++.


Speaking of rolling dice, this was my first game with GW’s Maggotkin Nurgle Dice, because Death Guard are the only 9th Edition Codex to not get dice.  First roll was a 5!  (Oh how I miss you 5+++ DR.).  They rolled well which is saying something given the poor quality of GWs past dice sets.


10 Poxwalkers are not worth 3PL, especially given how desperately we need to screen our units from massed D1 firepower.  But its a PL tax I’ll pay every time.  They always seem to stay alive exactly long enough to be an annoyance for my opponent.


The Lord of Contagion with Manreaper and Orb of Decay still sucks.  I really should switch to the Plaguereaper.  But the lack of a ranged weapon pisses me off, and I’m quite happy with how my paint job came out.  Typhus gets Blight Grenades, so why the hell doesn’t the generic LoC!  GW’s “its not modeled on the model” rule is dumb when it comes to ancillary wargear like plague knives and blight grenades.   


As always, thanks for reading!  I hope you enjoyed the write up. If anyone has suggestions for Infectionous Names for my Bloatdrone and PBC I’d love to hear them!


As they say in the MCU…  Lord Sepsis Will Return!

 
Edited by MCB82
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LOL @ the names, I don't really care except I shared all my unit names with you when I shared my roster! Could've just looked... :rolleyes:

 

I think the 1st turn in this custom scenario was important, as it gave you an easy scoring advantage to lock down control more and forcing me to take an objective from you in order to earn more than 10 on turn 1. Your vehicles were more than fast enough to get within range of 3 objectives without advance rolls. On the other hand I could have the opportunity to score 30 on turn 1, where you could have only scored 20 (but were basically guaranteed 20) with no real way to take anything from me on the first turn.

 

The terrain was certainly fine for the balance of the game I think. My preference would have been for 1 less "major" piece (we basically had 7) for this size board. While you screened your right flank well, I hesitated to teleport up your left flank first turn because of the terrain positioning there. In hindsight it still might have been a better play.

 

I'll add that Sepsis has the WLT to turn off hit and wound re-rolls, and my skorpekhs lost built-in hit re-rolls (crusade scar) and the re-roll 1s to wound aura from the lord. That was big in terms of protecting your Blightlords. Plus I really shouldn't have consolidated into them...

 

It was a fun game and good to be playing again, looking forward to resuming our crusade!

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  • 3 weeks later...

PLAGUE PURGE

ACT TWO

Battle 4 - INCURSION

Scenario – Obolis Incursion

Size – 50 Power Level

House Rules – None

Mission Briefing:

With the destruction of Malignifier Network, Lord Sepsis’ poxwalker farming operations fall into disarray. As the Death Guard focus on resuming control of their pox-factories, the Imperial Fists are afforded time to secure the Saltlands Military complex, including the Tidal Wall Batteries and the Channel Gate. The balance of the 3rd company has made planetfall, and Lt. Storn took the opportunity to consult with Captain Garadon. The Captain made sure the company’s armory was available for reinforcements, and directed Lt. Storn to press the newfound advantage. From their fortified position, the Imperial Fists begin increasing their sphere of control as Lt. Storn leads his forces toward Hive Dryloch’s Estuary Spaceport, one of the primary spaceports being utilized by the Death Guard to ship their zombie hordes offworld.

….

The Corpse Worshippers unexpected success has tarnished the fearsome reputation of Lord Sepsis, jeopardizing the mission to which Lord Typhus has entrusted him. Despite the setback with the Magnifier Network, the Walking Pox has taken root and incubation of the Hive’s population continues. But the Spaceport remains essential for delivering the newly minted pox-hordes to the battlefields in Metalica. Ignoring the Imperial Fists initial infiltration was an error, but that error ends now. With a new Gift, bestowed upon him by Lord of the Destroyer Host himself, Lord Sepsis mobilizes his forces to meet the Imperial Incursion head on and remind them that Hive Dryloch belongs to the Creeping Infection.

….

Between the Estuary Spaceport and the Channel Gate lies the Saltflats, a dense lowland of mixed industrial manufactoriums, energy transfer relays and hive slums. The area suffered greatly in the Death Guard’s initial assault on the Hive. Fallout form Orbital Bombardment of Rad Shells and Phosphex Bombs have turned the Saltflats into a toxic quagmire of death and destruction. No stranger to the carnage of urban warfare, the infantrymen of the Imperial Fists advance into the Saltflats, probing the Death Guard defenses to set the stage for an all out assault on the Spaceport. But Nurgle’s Death Guard are right at home among the polluted garden and they commit in force to arrest the Imperial’s advancement.

Army Rosters:

Lord Sepsis & The Creeping Infection 50 Power Level

Lord Sepsis, LoC Reaper of Glorious Entropy

Pestilence Ache, Plaguecaster

The Coli, Plaguemarines x7

The 14th Legion, Poxwalkers 2 Units of 10

The Cestodate, Blightlords x5

Rupturing Boils, Plague Burst Crawler

Lumbering Phlegm, Bloatdrone Heavy Blight Launcher

Imperial Fist’s Strike Force Storn 50 Power Level

Lt Storn, Primaris LT

Chaplain Tassius, Primaris Chaplain

Intercessor Squad Lohr, Primaris Intercessors x10

Tactical Squad Tydis, Tactical Marines x5

Tactical Squad Atmo, Tactical Marines x5

Brother Ryzn, Venerable Dreadnought Heavy Plasmacannon

Eradicator Squad Osrak, Eradicators Heavy Meltarifles/Multimelta

The Mission:

With 6 Objectives and the tiny Incursion size battlefield, Obolis Incursion from the Plague Pure mission pack is a barbarous capture and control dog fight. Players earn 5VP for Holding 2+, Holding More, Holding 1 Objective in your Opponents DZ and Holding 2 Objectives in your opponents DZ for a maximum of 20 VP per turn. Plus 12 bonus VP can be earned by having 1-3 units in your opponents DZ at the end of the game.

The GamePlan and Deployment:

Having lost back to back battles at the end of Act One, Lord Sepsis is in need of a win. To that end I’ve assembled a thematic Death Guard force; a small horde of poxwalkers, and tough infantry backed up by daemon engines and sorcery. With 2 HQs, 3 troops, 1 Elite, 1 FA and 1 HS it's also well balanced. Unfortunately being well balanced can go sideways quickly as units perish, and looking at my opponent's force he has the tools to do just that. 3 Heavy Eradicators and the Heavy Plasma Cannon are all min damage 4 in Devastator Doctrine, making them a significant threat to my terminators. The Eradicators, buffed with Tank Hunters, can readily one shot the PBC, and need to be dealt with quickly. The massed Intercessor bolter fire, which can shoot twice with the Rapid Fire Stratagem and benefit from the Chaplain’s +1 to wound litany, are a legit threat to my infantry. I have the advantage in melee, where my DR will actually matter, but to get there I’m staring down a lot of guns.

As the small battlefield affords limited places to hide and I debated placing the terminators in Deep Strike, and keeping the PBC in Strategic Reserve. However if I go second there is a legit chance I get tabled before my reserves arrive. I decide to gamble on the T1 roll off, figuring that if I go second and lose the PBC to the Eradicators, at least I’ll have my remaining forces available to counter punch.

Going in the game plan is simple; Overload and the Left Flank with my heavy hitters while shuffling out a steady stream of poxwalkers to slow my opponents advance down my right flank. The Coli (my 7 Plague Marines) will hold my DZ Objective on the right flank with Cloud of Flies in my pocket to help curtail them being shot off the board. Lord Sepsis goes into the Teleport Chamber to drop in where needed to secure a flank, or threaten my opponents DZ Objectives. The Imperial Fists also deploy in full force, with a Tac squad taking up positions on each DZ Objective. The Eradicators deploy into cover offset my Deamon Engines and the Intercessor block digs in, deadset middle where they can swing to either side as necessary. Interestingly, LT Storn and his Bladeguard deploy offset to my right, where he can threaten the Right Flank and while staying far away from the Blightlords.

With our forces ready for battle much depends on the first turn roll off…

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Turn One:

Lord Sepsis Claims the Initiative!!!

With the Grandfather’s blessing my Blightlords stride forward up the right flank, picking up Miasma of Pestilence from the Maggotmancer. The Bloardrone repositions to draw LOS on the Eradicators and along with the Entropy Cannons from the PBC, launch a salvo of Heavy Blight bombardment into those Transhumaned Melta-bastards. When the viscous death cleared, transhuman paid off as 1 Exterminator survived the onslaught. Over on the right flank, the first unit of Walkers shambles up the board, while the Plague Marines maneuver to get LOS on the TAC Squad on their DZ in dense cover, but their shooting comes up empty handed. The real star of the show however is the Plagueburst Mortar. Newly painted and seeing its first action, the mortar takes aim at Lt Storn’s Bladeguard with some Disgusting Force. Nurgle once agains favors my dice and to the horror of the Corpse-Emperor (and my opponent) all 3 Bladeguard are slain.

gallery_237336_17366_53004.jpg[/url" style="text-decoration-line: none;">http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/312144-poxwalkers-advance/]

Wounded, but with many of his guns still intact the Imperial Fists strike back. The lone Exterminator goes Tank Hunting to seek revenge on the Bloat Drone but despite the CP investment to spice him up, fails to take it down. Small arms and bolter fire on the left flank succeed in clearing my screen of poxwalkers (I didn’t make a single 6++ FNP), freeing the Dreadnaught to incinerate 2 Plague Marines with his Plasmacannon. Meanwhile the Intercessors stay dug into their craters in the center and Rapid Fire into the Blightlords. 30 shots, becomes 60 thanks to the Rapid Fire stratagem and with the Chaplain’s +1 to wound buff they land 31 wounds on my Terminators! Despite a 6+++ FNP from a Crusade Advancement, 2 are slain as my dice start to cool off. To round out turn one, both the Dread and LT Storn fail long charges into the 5 remaining Plague Marines.

Turn 1 proves to be pretty lethal, but with both Daemon Engines and most of my infantry intact I head into T2 in excellent position.

Turn Two:

With the Bladeguard deceased and the Intercessors still uncommitted to either flank, I change up the game plan and push my advantage on the right flank with the Plague Marines and Lord Sepsis who teleported in to support them. The Plague Marines reward my confidence by powering up! Combined shooting from the Blight Launcher and Rapid Firing Overcharged Plasma clears all 5 tactical marines (who were receiving the benefits of dense cover) from their objective, then they charge in and promptly dispatch the unprotected LT Storn! On the Left Flank, the Drone finishes off the remaining Exterminator, while the PBC knocks out 4 of the Intercessors. The Blightlords, Pestilence and the Drone all gang up on the tactical marines holding my opponents only remaining Objective. It’s overkill as the stoic defenders of humanity fall quickly to the Flail of Contagion, giving me full control of the Left Flank. Back on the Right Flank its time for the Main Event as Lord Sepsis eyes up the Venerable Dreadnaught. His 9 inch charge is successful on the first roll and with his new Manreaper of Glorious Entropy knocking the ancient casket down to a single wound remaining, while only taking 4 in return.

At the bottom of turn 2, with limited resources remaining, the Intercessors and their Chaplin re-secure their DZ Objective on the Right Flank and unload their bolter rounds into the Plague Marines, slaying 3 who were too busy drinking rancid beer from Lt Storn’s helmet to duck. The Chaplain hangs back with his Intercessors as Lord Sepsis finishes off the Dread who had remained in combat.

Turn 2 was absolutely brutal as Nurgle simultaneously blessed my dice while cursing my opponents. At the end of Battle Round 2 its 10-0 in favor of the Creeping Infection, but I’m about to score 15 at the top of round 3 and all the Fists have left is 6 Intercessors and their Chaplain.

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[url=http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/312149-showdown/]gallery_237336_17366_230867.jpg[/url][url=http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/312150-all-thats-left/]gallery_237336_17366_203741.jpg

Turn 3:

Victory is a foregone conclusion at this point. Shooting from the PBC and Lord Sepsis’ Orb of Decay knock the Intercessors down to 2 models remaining, which frees up the Bloat Drone to target and eliminate the Chaplain. Lord Sepsis charges in to humiliate the remaining Intercessors and regain his fearsome reputation!

At the end of the top of T3, the Fists have been tabled and victory goes to the Death Guard 25-0

Post Game Thoughts:

Well that was Brutal!

And Unexpected. We discuss our lists beforehand in hopes of making the games competitively matched and going in I thought our forces matched up well. Unfortunately the 1st turn roll off proved to be the deciding factor of the game and it helped that my dice got hot while my opponents ran cold.

My dice got hot at all the right moments. Law of averages states the PBC should only have slain a single Bladeguard, not all three! And I nailed all 5 of my charges in turn 2 after my opponent failed both of his in the bottom of T1.

At 20 points the 2 Plague Marine plasmaguns are expensive, but they provide reliable, high AP ranged attacks which is something our army lacks. I’m starting to favor them over the Blight Launcher. 135 points for 5 Plague Marines with a Blight Launcher and 2 Plasmaguns provides a nice, but expensive, fire support squad… makes me happy we switched to Power Level for Crusade!

Getting the win was great, but crushing someone in 2 turns is not. The games are more fun when it comes down to the wire in turns 4 and 5. In the small point games, trying to balance units like the Plagueburst Crawler and Eradicators is a real challenge. Whoever kills their opponent's alpha unit first has a significant advantage, doubly so if you're able to do it on the first turn in the game. We’ll have to see if this trend continues and think about ways to address it to ensure the games are more equally matched, and therefore more fun, for both players.

Thanks for Reading!
Edited by MCB82
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Thanks for the report - it was nice to see the forces of chaos pull one off, as invariably mine (codex HSM rather than GG) are the victims of a table wipe from my friend's necrons.

 

I must as well commend your photos - they are nice and clear and the minis in them (as well as the terrain) are all beautifully painted.

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  • 3 weeks later...

PLAGUE PURGE

ACT TWO - CONTAINMENT

Battle 6 - OUTFLANK

Scenario – Entrapment from Plague Purge Mission Pack

Size – 35 Power Level

House Rules – Predetermined Attacker (Strike Force Storn) & Defender (Creeping Infection).

Mission Briefing:

With disgusting force the Death Guard squash the imperial advance through the Saltflats, securing their defensive perimeter around the Estuary Spaceport. Routed, LT Storn is forced to withdraw his Strike Force back towards their fortified positions at the Channel Gate. But the vengeful Lord sepsis is not about to allow his adversary an easy retreat. Pushing his new found advantage, Lord Sepsis sends the Coli to outflank the Imperial withdrawal and silence the Corpseworshippers’ Resistance permanently. Ever the tactician, Lt Storn is wise to the Death Guard’s ploy and devises a daring gambit to ambush the Death Guard as they move into position.

Additional Victor Bonus: In addition to the Victor Bonus stated in the mission, the victor of this mission gains the following advantage in the following Battle: Prior to the start of Battle 6, the winner of Battle 5 may place up to 19PL into strategic reserve for free (no CP) representative of their success in outflanking their opponent.

Army Rosters:

Lord Sepsis & The Creeping Infection - 35PL Crusade Power-4

Pestilence, Plaguecaster, 5PL

The Coli, Plague Marines x7 8 PL

Bubonic Buggy, Rhino Combi-Melta, 4PL

Lumbering Phlegm, Bloatdrone H. Blight Launcher, 7PL

Rupturing Boils, Plagueburst Crawler, Entropy Cannons 8PL

14th Legion, Poxwalkers x10, 3PL

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Imperial Fist’s Strike Force Storn - 35PL Crusade Power-3

Chaplain Tassius, 5PL

Intercessor Squad Lohr, 10PL

Apothecary Kolm, 4PL

Predator V, Annihilator Pattern Quad Lascannons, 8PL

Predator IX, Annihilator Pattern Quad Lascannons, 8PL

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The Mission:

The entrapment mission has a crazy deployment, with the Defender’s DZ (my Death Guard) being an 8 inch wide diagonal stripe through the middle of the long length of the battlefield. In the picture below its marked with the green dice. The attacker’s DZ is both opposite corners, 9 inches from the edge of the Defenders DZ. The deployment map immediately conjured up the image of an Ambush and thus inspired the “armor on armor ambush” theme of this battle. With only 2 objectives, spaced 24 inches apart (but both in my DZ) the mission objective is Attrition, I need to hold em and the Imperial Fists need to take em. Scoring is 5VP, scored at the end of the Battle Round, for Hold 1, Hold More, Kill 1, Kill More for a maximum of 20 points per turn.

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Pregame Thoughts:

Initially I was concerned that deploying in the middle of the table would leave my units out in the open, but our terrain setup was great and the battlefield forced both armies to move to gain LOS. Both armies will be deploying close to each other and my Plague Marines have a clear melee advantage. I just need the Chaos Rhino to hold up long enough to prevent the Marines from being Rapid Fire’d into oblivion. The Dual quad lascannon Predators are clearly a “fluff” inspired choice as the lethality of the lascannons can be very swingy. I have the tools to deal with the tanks and infantry, but it depends on how quickly they drop to massed lascannon and bolter fire. I have a feeling the T1 roll off will be a big factor once again.

Deployment:

The Death Guard armored column slowly makes its way into the Ambush Killzone (Objective #1) while the poxwalkers and Drone take up a sentry position in Dense Cover on Objective #2. (Crusade play allows for Objectives in Terrain which makes the battlefield terrain so much more interesting). The Imperial Fists Intercessor split into 2 units of 5, and along with a tank deployed evenly on either side of the table.

[url=http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/313106-deployment/]gallery_237336_17391_296439.jpg[/url]

[url=http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/313107-approaching-the-ambush/]gallery_237336_17391_26750.jpg[/url]

Approaching the Ambush

TURN ONE:

On sentry duty patrolling the Saltflats derelict Manufacturium compound, Lumbering Phlegm is alerted to the Imperial armor maneuvering into position to Ambush the approaching Death Guard column. Signaling the enemy contact to Pestilence Ache, aboard the Bubonic Buggy, the Death Guard seize the initiative and turn the ambush onto the hidden Corspe-worshippers.

Having won the T1 roll off, the Creeping Infection are in great position to immediately pressure the Imperials and limit the firing opportunity of the lascannon Predators. The Plague Marines exit their transport, and push through the ruins toward Chaplain Tassius and his cohort of 5 Intercessors and battle tank. Pestilence, who now has 3 casts per turn with his Crusade Advancements, hangs back on the Objective and circles the wagons by having the Rhino and PBC form a wall around him while buffing the PBC with Miasma. Thanks to a cheeky window on the side of the Manufactorium Ruin he can draw LOS to land Gift of Plagues on the Plague Marines and Smites an Intercessor. With their extended Contagion range encompassing the Predator, the Plague Marines unload their firepower on the battle tank, with Hatred Eternal thrown in for good measure. 4 shots from Rapid Firing Plasmaguns and 2 from the Blight Launcher and I roll up 5 twos to hit (!) and only manage 2 wounds on the tank. Thankfully the PBC (who unfortunately could not get LOS with the Entropy Cannons) lands 6 more wounds to bracket the tank.

Clearly more interested in the tasty yellow marines, the Plague Marines cast aside their ranged weapons and ready their Plague Knives for Trench Warfare, charging into the Chaplain and his Intercessors. The Marines Hold Steady but only land a single wound in overwatch. Under a dredge of flails and Knives Chaplain Tassius goes down. But a Hero of the Imperium is not defeated so easily and he stands back up to fight once more against his oppressors. But Nurgle’s Disgusting Resiliance proves his match and only a single plague marine is slain before the Chaplain departs the battlefield. As the Coli consolidate into the remaining Intercessors they also (foolishly…. Although intentionally) bump into the damaged Predator.

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Plague Marines with a 1st Turn Charge!!!

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Chaplain Tassius goes down!

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Circling the Diseased Wagons

On the other side of the battlefield, Lumber Phlegm floats down to block the path of the second predator and sneezes upon the Intercessors hold up in the ruin. Frustratingly the cover helps save all but 1, who is promptly saved from death by Apothecary Kolm. He then charges into the 2nd Predator, carving a little dent with its probe but more importantly locking it in place in its DZ.

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Even with the terrible shooting performance, the top of Turn 1 proves to be about as “alpha strike” as Death Guard can muster, as both tanks are locked in combat, 1 is bracketed and 1 flank of Marines has been crippled.

Despite the hit, the Imperial Fists can stay in the game on points if they clear the poxwalkers off my second objective and get some kills. The stoic Intercessors march forward, unleashing their bolter rounds into the mindless zombies. Despite the carnage of diseased head shots, 1 single walker remains standing to hold the Objective. The first Predator proves that the Tank Hunting (+1 to wound Strat) Big Guns of the Imperial FIsts Never Tire and unloads all 4 lascannons, a HunterKiller Missile and storm bolter rounds into the Foeted Bloatdrone! But Nurgle’s curse is still upon my opponent's dice as even with a command reroll only a single lasscannon manages to penetrate the drone’s resistance and the damage roll comes up a Nat 1! (Adding insult to injury the storm bolter also knocked off a wound because life’s funny like that). The second Predator decides to do the same, unloading its entire payload on the Plague Marines who were foolish enough to tag it in combat. Despite hitting on 5s from being bracketed and shooting into combat 3 Plague Marines are eviscerated! With only 3 Plague Marines remaining, but one still holding its Flail of Contagion, the Coli rout the remaining Intercessors in the Fight phase and pass their ensuing moral test.

With No Kills and No Objectives, any chance to salvage the round comes down to the charge phase. 5 Intercessors vs 1 of Nurgle’s finest zombies shambling mindlessly on an objective with 10 inches of open battlefield between them.

1 CP remaining….

The Charge Roll…

Comes up an 11! Its game on Baby as the Intercessors both cut down the Zombie and claim the objective.

[url=http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/313112-marines-claim-the-long-charge/]gallery_237336_17391_27227.jpg[/url]

Objective Secured!

At the End of a Lethal Turn One, its DEATH GUARD 15 - IMPERIAL FISTS 5

TURN TWO:

With only 3 Plague Marines remaining, I’m also looking a little thin in troops on the ground. Going into T2, I need to clear these tanks to make sure they don’t get lucky and drop my Vehicles, as 3 foot slogging Plague Marines are not making it 24 inches across the table to reclaim that objective. Having cleared the intercessors the PMs Advance back towards the Rhino and Embark, and then the Rhino itself Advanced toward the remaining Intercessors on Objective #2. QUESTION - I did ask if this was a legal move, ie can the Rhino Advance after a unit has moved and embarked. As far as we could tell yes it is, but if anyone knows otherwise I’d welcome the clarification.

THE PBC moved up to draw LOS on the damaged Predator leaving Pestilence the Maggotmancer alone on Objective #1. I foolishly gambled with the PBC, targeting the Intercessors with the Mortar and the Tank with the Entropy. The Mortar killed a single Intercessor, who was brought back to life by the Apothecary, but thankfully the Entropy Cannons did destroy the bracketed Predator (but only just, as only 1 got through and I needed to roll max damage to kill it).

[url=http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/313114-distant-beers/]gallery_237336_17391_19951.jpg[/url]

I love how you can see the Towers of Hive “Blue Moon” on the Horizon…

Meanwhile, as the Drone remained in Combat with the full strength Predator, I began to bitch and moan about how dumb it is that Deamon Engines are not Bubonic Astartes and therefore don’t benefit from Inexorable Advance and suffer the -1 to hit in when shooting into melee so my poor Drone would be hitting on 4s. At which point our conversation went:

Lt Storn: “Isn’t the Heavy Blight Launcher an Assault Weapon…”

Lord Sepsis: “No, its a Heavy Blight Launcher. You foolish Mortal”

Lt Storn: “I’m pretty sure its still Assault.”

Lord Sepsis: Crankily Shuffles through the codex mumbling about how I think I know my own damn codex only to confirm it IS an assault weapon. “.... Can I get you another Beer?”

Well now. Turns out with the -1T Contagion, AP-3 and D3 thanks to the crusade weapon enhancement, the Bloat Drone is actually pretty damn nasty shooting tanks in combat. Whoops! 9 Damage later the remaining Predator finds itself with a single wound remaining, which would then drop in the ensuing fight phase. Unfortunately the dice gods did not honor my opponents sportsmanship as the Tank did not explode.

Going into the bottom of turn 2 the Fists have very few remaining assets to dig out of this hole. They maximize my charge distance and unload their bolters on the Rhino but only clip off a few wounds. At the End of Turn 2 its DEATH GUARD 30 to IMPERIAL FISTS 10 as I again scored Hold 1, Kill 1 and Kill More to the Fist’s Hold 1.

TURN THREE:

Its unfortunately a foregone conclusion at this point. Lumbering Phlegm sneaks over to snipe the Apothecary and the 3 remaining members of Coli disembark and gun down the Intercessors with Plasma to award me the full 20 VP and end the game.

[url=http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/313115-plasma-death/]gallery_237336_17391_132298.jpg[/url]

Realizing He wasn’t going to get to Play, Freddy the Flail Guy starts to head home early.

DEATH GUARD VICTORY: CREEPING INFECTION 60 - STRIKE FORCE STORN 20

Postgame Thoughts:

Another T1 Rolloff Win and Another Overwhelming victory. In fact the only time the winner went second was game 2 where my Blightlords tanked a ton of shots and then succeeded on a long charge to swing momentum in my favor. At this point I think its fair to say that First Turn has a large impact on the Combat Patrol and Incursion level game play.

The Bloat Drone with Heavy Blight Launcher can shoot into melee with no penalty! Who knew…

The Plasmagun Plague Marines are continuing to be a worthy addition. 20 points might still be 2 expensive to be competitive in matched play but they add a legitimate ranged threat to the unit, especially once they can rapid fire. Had I not rolled 5 2s when shooting the Predator in T1 it likely would have been destroyed, or at least down to its last bracket. The Flail continues to be a melee workhorse that never disappoints.

I continue to be underwhelmed by our Stratagems. In this game Trench Fighters had little impact, but I neglected to play Creeping Blight, they probably should be played in concert to maximize the value of the CP investment. Hatred Eternal is great vs high toughness targets, but generally wounding isn’t the issue or Transhuman just shuts down wounding on 2s & 3s. Transhuman is a very good counter vs Death Guard as it can Negate our -1T Contagion Single Faction Bonus. I think my opponent played Transhuman 3 times in this game, which proved very effective at keeping the Intercessors alive vs my Daemon Engines.

The poor Predator Annihilator. For years, nay for Editions, this tank terrorized my Imperial Guard Battle Tanks. The Once Mighty have Fallen Far. The lascannon remains too unreliable in the world of D3+3 or D6+2. This is why my loving converted Death Guard Land Raider remains half painted, and the Predator I found in a 2009 box of Gray Shame is still collecting dust. We discussed this both pre game and post game. Calculating out the math, the Predator would have to roll above average to take down my demon engines. With smokescreen even killing the Rhino is not guaranteed. Contrast that with the 7PL Eradicators (vs 8PL Predator). The Eradicators are core, can be transhumaned, benefit from cover, have more shots, higher AP and higher damage spread. But the Eradicators are Cheaper??? Sometimes I wonder if I’m playing the same game as the GW Design Studio. Clearly the Eradicators and Venerable Dreadnought were the more competitive choice for this mission. I give Full Credit to my opponent for trying something different, and playing more narratively driven than competitively driven.

We ordered an excellent soft pretzel appetizer, so this was literally a “Beer & Pretzels Game”

40k is Better with Beer. Fact Not Opinion. THANKS FOR READING!

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  • 1 month later...

Greetings my Blighted Brethren

With the dawning of the Age of AOC, we took a little pause from the Corruption of Hive Dryloch, to get a feel for how Armor of Contempt will impact our games and took this opportunity to try out the new Tempest of War format. Thus for your enjoyment I present:

The Confrontation of Contempt

1500 Point Tempest of War Battle

FORCES OF THE DEATH GUARD

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Festering Odium, Daemon Prince of Nurgle. Warlord, Hulking Physique, Sup Plate, Sword (no wings)

Plaguecaster; Putrid Peripht, Gloaming Bloat

Plague Marines x10; Flail x2

Plague Marines x5; Flail

Blightlord x7, Flail, Combimelta, Plagueskull of Glothila

Deathshroud x3

Bloatdrone, Heavy Blight Launcher

Blighthauler

PBC

And Yes, I’m well aware that my Daemon Prince is an AOS Maggotkin. I don’t care, the model is freaking awesome.

FORCES OF THE IMPERIAL FISTS

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TorGaradon

Primaris LT, Chaplain and Apothecary (all with Relics and WLTs)

Intercessors x10

Intercessors x5

Intercessors x5

Bladeguard x3

Assault Terminators x5

Eradicators x3

Venerable Dreadnaught, Heavy Plasma Cannon

Impulser

The City of Contumacy:

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Its been awhile since we played Strike Force, so we broke out our city board battlefield, which is starting to look pretty Epic. The large ruins played havoc with LOS which really added to the city fight feel.

As an aside, we both started playing this game back in second edition, and as young teens our battlefields consisted mostly of card board necromunda terrain, hills cut from foam insulation boards and model railroad trees. We’ve come a long way since then! This battlefield was everything we dreamt of one day being able to build. It almost makes the horde of cash we’ve spent on this hobby seem worth it.

THE MISSION

Deployment - Sweeping Engagement

Primary Objective - Direct Assault

Mission Rule - Scrambler Fields

Cards drawn, and right off the bat we get something new with Sweeping Engagement deployment. SW is essentially a triangle version of Dawn of War and was perfect for our battlefield as the road snaking through our battlefield now snakes through No Man’s Land. Scrambler Fields is a special mission rule that prevents reinforcement models from entering the battlefield within range of an objective marker. Direct Assault scoring is 4 VP for Hold 1, Hold 2 and Hold More with 2 Bonus VP for controlling at least 1 objective marker that you did not control at the start of your turn or 3 VP if you do that while also killing an enemy unit that was in range of an objective marker.

DEPLOYMENT

With Scrambler Fields in effect we both elect to deploy all of our forces. I spread out with the Blightlord’s and Plaguecaster hiding out of LOS in a Mechanicum Ruin while the Daemon Prince supports the large 10 man Plague Marine squad dead center and the Deathshroud take up position on the right flank. The gameplan is simple, use the Plague Marines and Prince as a tough road block to delay my opponent's melee forces until the Blightlords arrive in support.

gallery_237336_17423_289888.jpg[/url" style="text-decoration-line: none;">http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/314153-pxl-20220429-234921203/]gallery_237336_17423_289888.jpg[/url]

<img data-cke-saved-src='http://bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/gallery/album_17423/gallery_237336_17423_298657.jpg' src='http://bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/gallery/album_17423/gallery_237336_17423_298657.jpg' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' />[/url" style="text-decoration-line: none;"> http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/314154-pxl-20220429-235039895/]gallery_237336_17423_298657.jpg[/url]

<img data-cke-saved-src='http://bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/gallery/album_17423/gallery_237336_17423_185427.jpg' src='http://bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/gallery/album_17423/gallery_237336_17423_185427.jpg' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' />[/url" style="text-decoration-line: none;"> http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/314155-pxl-20220429-235047401/]gallery_237336_17423_185427.jpg[/url]

TURN ONE:

With our armies deployed, The Grandfather continues to bless my dice as I once again win the T1 roll off. For the record, I have not lost the T1 roll off since having COVID last year. Papa Nurgle is clearly pleased.

Secondary Cards:

Raise the Banners

Extend Battle Lines

No Prisoners

The luck continues with the drawing of the cards as I pull Banners and Extend Battle Lines which are easily achievable 1st turn, and I can start the No Prisoners tally immediately.

The Death Guard begin their inexorable advance, with the infantry advancing out into no man’s lane. With solid advance rolls the Blighthauler claims the objective by the destroyed Chimera Command vehicle while the Deathshroud score an extra 6 inches to get within range of the objective by the right ruins. Shooting is a bit of a whiff however as the Entropy fails to hit and everything else just manages to scratch a few wounds from the Impulsor. At the end of T1, the Death Guard are in good shape having secured 3 of the 5 Objectives and my infantry have pushed out to secure a large swartch of the battlefield.

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In response the Corpse-worshiping infantry are a bit more reserved. 5 Intercessors move up to get more bodies onto the Objective claimed by the Deathshroud, while large 10 man unit repositions to have better LOS on the Plague Marines. Despite landing 16 wounds, not a single Plague Marines falls as I pass all 16 3+ armor saves!!! The Eradicators attempt a suicide run to take down the PBC, but 3 of 4 wounds are blocked by the Warp and the lone damage dice comes up a Nat 1!

Meanwhile the Bladeguard depart the Impulsor and together with the Chaplain, LT and Apothecary charge into the Deathshroud, who pay dearly for my hot dice as I fail 4 wounds right off bat from the Chaplain (armed with the D3 Relic Weapon) and need to burn a command reroll to keep 2 models alive to interrupt. With the Chaplain having both a fearsome weapon and giving +1 to wound I take this chance to take him out, but my opponent gleefully throws down a TRANSHUMAN which bails him out of 4 wounds and only 1 hit manages to get through the Invul. Stunned by the craftsmanship of Crawl the Deathshroud are taken down by the LT and his Bladeguard.

The Thunder Hammer Terminators fail the long charge to the Plague Marines but they are not out of the woods as the terrifying Impulsor charges in and positions to insure the DP cannot intervene. Not wanting to be tied up I burn a ton of CP to power up the PlagueMarines, but we finally see Armor of Contempt in Action as my weapons bounce harmlessly off the Impulsor’s Armor.

At the End of Turn 1, its 12 - 13 in Favor of the Imperials, as we both manage 10 secondary and 2 bonus Primary but the Fists get the additional bonus point for destroying the Deathshroud who were in range of the Objective.

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TURN TWO

Having been defeated by the Impulsor, the Plague Marines fall back laterally and secure the Objective by the Destroyed Imperial Fist Rhino (by far my favorite terrain piece in my collection). The DP moves up past the Bladeguard & Company to charge the Intercessors in the ruin and attempt to capture their Objective which would net me 5VP for A Tempting Target. Despite the entropy cannons missing again (damn you 2s!) the shooting phase goes much better as the Blighthauler melts the Impulsor and the Mortar and Heavy Blight Launcher take out 5 of the 10 Intercessors (although AOC was once again a factor in helping the Intercessors survive). The Blightlords then charge the Melta-Marines (who took 4 wounds from the Sorcerer thanks to Smite and the Fallout) to complete their suicide mission.

Finally the Demon Prince charged into the Intercessors and thanks to the magic of TRANSHUMAN… FAILS TO KILL A SINGLE MODEL!!! The look of glee painted on those smug yellow bastards was brutal.

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In Retaliation the Fists pump their remaining bolters into the Plague Marines but now I finally get some AOC hotness as only a single model is slain. Drawing swords, the LT, Chaplain and Bladeguard charge into the Plague Marines while Tory-G and the Dread charge the Blightlords and the Terminators decide they want it all and charge both. Amazingly both the LT and Dread fail their 7 inch charge (incl reroll) blunting the impact of the assault. Here I really get to see the AOC Magic as the Chaplain, 3 Bladeguard and 3 Assault Terminators only kill 7 of the 9 remaining Plague Marines! To rub salt in that wound, the 2 remaining Plague Marines and their Flails take down the Chaplain and 1 Bladeguard. The Blightlords hold up even better as Tory-G only manages a single kill and takes 4 wounds in return.

Back to the Daemon Prince, its time for Festering Odium to make amends for his prior blasphaphamy. I don’t do so much as point at him before the Transhuman comes out to play. But I foil Crawl’s plans by rolling 4 ones to hit! Jokes on you Crawl, Transhuman does Nothing if I’m not rolling to wound!

End of Turn 2 its DEATH GUARD 27, IMPERIAL FISTS 26, DAEMON PRINCE KILLS = 0, as we both manage to score 5 secondary VP (DG No Prisoners, IF Banners).

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TURN THREE

Going into T3 we both have a lot of our units still on the Board, which is unusual. But that’s about to change, as I pull Assination from the deck and Tory-G is standing next to my Blightlord Champion with his PLAGUESKULL OF GLOTHILA. 1st time using this Relic. 7 dice. TEN Mortal Wounds!!! Tor Garadon goes down to Glothila scoring me 5 VP! Ok, obviously I should have targeted the Terminators with the Relic Bomb, but it was too cinematic of a moment to pass up. Nurgle was pleased with this gift as the Plaguecaster calls up the warp and ravishes the Terminators with 7 MWs, while the DP smites 1 of his Nemesis Intercessors. As a Bonus the Entropy Cannons finally find their mark and dissolve the venerable Dread with mucusy death.

In the ensuing Fight phase, The Bloadrone charges the Bladeguard who dispatch the final Plague Marine (the other fled from Morale in T2) and the Green and Yellow Terminators bash on each other to little effect. Then it's on to Round Three of the Daemon Prince vs the Yellow Intercessors…

TRANSHUMAN PHYSIOLOGY

NOOOOO!!!

Although, this time he manages to push through 2 kills. Whew!

In the Bottom of Turn 3, the Fists look to embarrass my Daemon Prince further as the 2 remaining Intercessors fall back and the remaining Intercessors from the 10 man blob and the LT knock off 2 wounds with their bolters. With 7 wounds remaining the LT and 4 Intercessors charge in. With 7 wounds remaining, a 2+ 5++ what could go wrong? Everything apparently as the LT takes off 3 wounds and I roll up manage to fail 4 2+ saves with no CP remaining to bail out my warlord.

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End of Turn 3 its DEATH GUARD 44, IMPERIAL FISTS 36, DAEMON PRINCE = DEAD

TURN FOUR

Going into T4, I score 12 VP for holding 3 objectives and manage to clear the remaining Terminator and Bladeguard in the psychic phase, netting me another 2 VP for killing a unit in range of an Objective. At this point I’ve racked up 60VP to the Fists 44 (36 plus 8 for holding 2 Objectives in T4). The Fists need a solid Secondary pull to have a shot but unfortunately he pulls both No Prisoners and Blood and Guts, which are impossible to score. As his remaining LT and Intercessors are out of position to threaten any of the other Objectives he decides to surrender.

DEATH GUARD VICTORY 60 - 44

POST GAME THOUGHTS

Armor of Contempt definitely changes up how the DG play. On one hand our survivability is much improved, however on the other our melee is reliant on AP-1 and AP-2 which is noticeably less reliable into other AoC units. I did enjoy it however, as it made the Death Guard feel very Resilient, a feeling that I have been missing since the change to DR.

Tempest of War was a Blast! The game was much tighter than any of our prior battles and the dynamic nature of the secondaries was much more interesting. Next time I’ll keep better track of which secondaries were drawn and scored for these Battle Reports.

The Daemon Prince’s performance was unbelievable! While I was rolling poorly, it did highlight the monster combo of Transhuman and Armor of Contempt. In hindsight Revolting Resilient would have been the better WLT, however had he fought the terminators or Tor Garadon then Hulking Physique would have had a chance to be more of a factor.

The 7 Blightlords were excellent and can definitely take a punch. But they did struggle to land wounds. Swords over Axes is likely the way to go moving forward. The Plagueskull relic on the Terminator Champion was Amazing, I will definitely be playing with that combo again. The Plaguecaster in support of the Blightlords was also a star. The Blightlords kept him protected while allowing him to get his Fallout ability in range, which more than made up for the Blightlords limited offense.

My Thanks to Fist & Stone for a great game and an amazing battlefield. As always, thanks for reading!

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