Triple Nickels in ITC Mission #1

The assassin crouched high in the temple.  Silent, unmoving. Nearby were Tau drones, ever scanning.  The assassin ignored them, its mind was also scanning.  Somewhat like a drone, the assassin mused.  There would soon be a battle here.  The assassin cared not.  It was programmed with a mission.  In the distance, avian wildlife of this jungle planet began taking flight.  Soon the noise and vibrations from the Astra Militarum armored column could be felt.  They were advancing as ordered toward this temple.  As expected in the mission profile, the Tau forces moved forward to intercept.  The assassin cared not.  It was on a mission.  It cared not for the reasons of the mission, only that it must be carried out.  The assassin would not fail.  In its mind, the assassin reached out to sense its prey.  It was expecting, typical for its mission profile to be able to sense the prey.  Such assignments were simple.  Sense the prey, usually from its tainted warp signature. But here there was no signature.  Interesting, thought the assassin. That would make the mission more than routine.  

1650 Points, ITC Mission #1

Yes!  An ITC Mission!  My force was a combination of the Emperor's Blade Assault Company and a CAD, all as Cadians (of course!).  My opponent was Tau...plus one assassin...

Terrain was a death world jungle.  In and among the new and ancient ruins.  My opponent had been expecting me to play that evening.  When I arrived, he explained we'd be doing a ITC mission.  I got to deploy first and go first. Here we are after my turn 1 - there are two maelstrom objectives and two emperors will objectives on the table.  The objectives - for those in grid speak - were about 1.5, 3 (m); 2,1 (e); 3.5 (m),1.5; and 5,3.5 (e).  You don't have to worry about having tactical card decks in this game!  My warlord trait was the ability for the warlord, once per game, to call in a single artillery bombardment.      

 
Just another view.  In turn 1, my objectives were to secure an objective and eliminate a unit.  My Manticore and two artillery bombardments were weak and scattered. I did get a maelstrom pount for the objective.

I always use my special weapons guys to mark the Chimeras they are transported in...sometime soon I need to go on a bender and finalize details and markings on alot of units! Not to mention get those dozer blades as magnetized...so no, I did not use any dozer blades....the points went to pintle mounted heavy stubbers.

And then there is this guy....I ought to steal him this week, paint him..return him...

And then the suits move up.  The game includes points for Big Game Hunter.  My "big game" was Daisy the Demolisher...his was the Suit Commander and bodyguards. In this shot, he has completed shooting - I lost a few hull points here and there...

Meanwhile, the Assassin is moving out for the kill...this guy is a beast!  (I bet her single handedley killed 17 guardsmen...captured an objective, earned STWL.  Probably the Tau MVP)

In Turn 2, I decide to dismount a squad - the commander gives them an order to shoot! A few wounds go on the assassin, even with his invisibility-like functions.  Daisy is a smoking ruin from Turn 1...Rear AV11 is no match for back shooting, no cover, Tau smart missiles shot en masse.

Here in Turn 2, the Tau continue to advance!  I've lost the second Demolisher, Doris, to those Tau missiles again! But I'm obsec on the objective.   I did, BTW, get a good hit on the Suit Commander and his unit!  They were greatly depleted down to just two suits...Many tau units were depleted from all the shooting, as were my own!

yeah...they are all hiding back here...

Meanwhile, in the far left, I've outflanked the Tau. My first unit of 5 Scions came in from reserves by deep strike, wiped out the firewarriors there, But then were wacked hard to get me down to just two.  They held the objective though.

Here we are in the middle of Turn 3.  I have one bonus (white dice) point for STWL, the Tau have 1 (green dice) for BGH.  I am leading on Maelstrom points 5-2 (blue dice vs pink).  My second Scions unit of 5 came in and killed another suit.  I lost two of them to interceptor fire.  I'm losing a lot of vehicles in the mean time! (not to self - need Scion meltagun models...)

And finally the Kroot arrive from reserves!  It is a large unit including a Krootox. Also in Turn 3, the Assassin has assaulted and killed off the IG veterans.  I'm still holding both maelstrom objectives and one Emperors' objective...If i could just kill that Assassin I might be able to pull off a major Victory!

Just another view.  Yeah, Kroot can have access to weapons that can hurt AV10...

This is somewhere in Turn 4 or so.  The Kroot kill off the Manticore, and after the large Tau gribbly wrecked the Commander's Chimera, the Assassin shot and charged the survivors.  It ended badly for me there - Now I'm holding just the two Maelstrom objectives. I had managed this turn to eliminate the last remaining suit to earn BGH.  Flamers in the Command Squad meant nothing to the invisible fear-causing assassin...

So the score at the end of 4 is looking pretty good if I can hold on! If the game ended right now I'd have a lead in points!

My largest functioning units are off on my far left flank - If I can keep it clear, I might be able to rack up more points. I'm basically shooting drones like a madman...

At the end of 5 turns, I had maintained my Maelstrom kill point gap.

But we went on to Turn 6! Now I'm holding just one Maelstrom objective.  If my opponent could table me or get me off his deployment zone he could pull off the win!  He failed...

And there the game ended.  We both had STWL, BGH, and Linebreaker.  I got 4 points for taking the Maelstrom.  My opponent got 4 points for taking Emperor's Will.  The game ended as a 7-7 draw!

Nuff said.

But did you know this:

Thanks for reading.

MING