5th Company Stirs

Epistolary Angelus and Sanguinary Priest Marus waited in the dust, jump packs giving off a low roar as they idled.  It had been some time since the 5th Company Blood Angels had been on firm ground.  In the days and weeks prior they had been ordered by Dante to return to Baal, in order to address a Tyranid threat.  Then they were directed to this place.  On arrival from the warp, however, 5th Company's transports had been psychically assailed. In the moments after, it was clear that many of 5th Company's marines were altered, the black rage overcoming many. And then, responding to the decision of the task force leadership, 5th Company was to be unleashed to the fight below.  Angelus and Marus marveled at their possible fate.  Death may await them here.

1750 Points, Maelstrom Mission #1

Hey everyone! I had the opportunity to get in tho my FLGS and get in a great game.  I did not have my new copy of the Angel's Blade supplement, so I just grabbed the last 1750 point Blood Angels list I'd created back in April or March of 2016, to use it as a refresher on playing Blood Angels.

The basic list:
More or less:

Epistolary Angelus, level 2 Librarian, Sanguinary Discipline, Warlord, PAxe, PlasmaP, Jump pack
Sanguinary Priest Marus, PAxe

Death Company, 5, PFist, PSword
Death Company Dreadnought Titus, twin blood talons, SB, MG
Stormraven Crimson Spectre, TLLC, TLMM, 4xSS Missiles

Tactical Squad, 5, flamer, MB, Razorback with LC/TLPP
Tactical Squad, 5, flamer, MB, Razorback with LC/TLPP

Assault squad, 5, 2xMG, MB, Drop Pod with SB

Assault squad, 5, 2xMG, MB, Drop Pod with SB

Assault squad, 10, PF, Infernous pistol, 2xMG, jump packs

Predator, AC/HB Sponsons, upcharged engine

Predator, AC/HB Sponsons, upcharged engine

OPFOR List (Space Wolves with Grey Knight and Space Marine Allies, Unbound)

Approx list: 

Njal Stormcaller

Thunderwolf Calvary, 3, TH/SS

Grey Hunters, 10

Sternguard, 10, 10xcombimeltas

Dreadnought, AC/SB

Stormraven, TLLC, TLMM, 4xSS missiles

Grey Knight Captain, TA

Grey Knight Terminators, 10

Deployment

The terrain was set up as rocky hills in a desert area with some ruins and a chaos idol mid-table.  We placed out objectives mostly in the region between the deployment zones.  I won the roll off to choose table edges, so I kept the edge with the best LOS blocking terrain.  I also won the roll to set up first. I decided to go second.  I deployed with my two small tactical squads on my left, wanting to threaten the three objectives there.  The two Preds were placed centrally. Angelus, Marus, and the assault squad were on the far right flank.  Everything else was reserved. My opponent immediately placed Njal, attached to the Grey Knights, opposite Angelus, with a hill between us.  His Thundercav was placed in the center, and the grey Hunters upper far left.  His remaining units were in reserves. Frankly, I had no idea that the Grey Knights were all terminators with halberds...much less that my opponent had 6 points or so of warp charge on the table to my 2.   

The Game

The opponent basically moves forward everywhere, shooting was light, spells were cast (hammerhand, force), but no points earned.  On my turn, the first drop pod comes in, centrally.  I lined up as many guns as possile on the thndercav and wipe them out for first blood, and I also scored an objective (on the far right), and something else for three points.

Second turn, the OPFOR reserves fail to arrive (fully loaded Stormraven). The Knights move up, the grey hunters do some shooting.  Overall, I lose just one assault marine.  On my turn, I'm now realizing that my measly assault force, warlord, and priest are directly opposite the equivalent of 12 force-wielding terminators.  I do the best thing I can, moving 12 inches away, and then in the psychic phase move another 12 inches...and then run them in the shooting phase.  My Stormraven arrived, and as it flew straight in on the table the full 36 inches, I drop off the death company squad whi stick the landing, and the dreadnought, who also sticks the landing.  I move the vehicles around to get shots on the Knights and Grey Hunters.  The Stormraven shoots and kills the OPFOR warlord - selected as the Knight terminator captain.  I get more points to make it about 6:0.

Third turn, results in the Grey Knight being wiped out, and I have an immobile predator.  I'm staring down the incoming OPFOR Stormraven.

Fourth turn, the OPFOR stormraven discharges its Sternguard and dreadnought right in front of my librarian's squad. It results in an assault that would last into turn 5.  The OPFOR stomraven explodes a predator.  The Gray Knights are slowly walking towards the sound of battle.  In my turn, I wreck the OPFOR Stormraven, and start moving assets to my opponents deployment zone, and moving the DC up to get after the remnant Sternguard and Dreadnought.

Turn five, my opponent had dispatched Angelus and Marus, but were depleted.  My DC charge wit support charge the remaining Sternguard and wipe them out, but with a bad overwatch roll I'm down to one DC member.  Turn 6, my opponent moves his dreadnought to attack Titus.  In my turn, we complete the charge, and basically wreck each other in combat.  

Turn 7, I wrap things up. Final Score - 19 to 6.  

Blood Angels WIN!!!!!