Rockport Invitational of Summer 2018

Time to clear out some photos and give a report!

Long time blog followers may recall that Berman, the blogger at "A Painted Life" hosts an invitational event up at his place in Rockport.  He starts with a list of about 16 invitees and it goes from there. 

The event this July was a lot of fun, and I hope to be at the next one!

In this event, players were put on teams of the Imperium vs everyone else.  Berman created a neat player packet with special rules for each table and special stratagem cards specific to each player! A big amount of effort went into this team organized but narrative format.  Team captains did the table and player pairings after each round.  Events on some tables impacted everyone in your team. 

I went with two wins and a loss for the day.  For me, game 1 was vs Orks, game 2 was vs adeptus mechanicus, and game 3 was a team game, of myself and a Grey Knights army vs a nurgle / chaos marine pairing.  Game 3 literally went down to the last few dice rolls to determine the fate.

Besides points for games, there were points for painting, and bonus points if you played with a special "beer hammer" deck. 

We had a great potluck BBQ between rounds 1 and 2. 

Overall it was an awesome day of Warhammer 40K!

Here is a download of some (not all) of my photos for the day - some pictures of some of the armies, and photos from my games 1 and 2 and 3. 

Here is my army for the day - Blood Angels (Vanguard and Spearhead) supported by a Catachan Battalion.  10 CPs to use.  6 different characters. Overall I did pretty great with the painting scores.  Note, because the Astra Militarum codex no longer has power axes for sergeants, those blue axes were all counts-as chainswords. I'm using the regular "Cadian" style troopers as Catachans (except the sniper team)...my existing collection of Catachans is pretty old and not set up the way I'd like them, so it looks like I need to get more! I'm hoping GamesWorkshop comes out with a new Straken model...mine is the old pewter version and he's kind of flat and not very muscled up like the new models can be! I also want to get the shooty aggressors now - the flamer aggressors have their role (for defense), but that short range makes it hard to use them in offense!

 This was my opponent's army for game 1.  Orks...why does it always have to be Orks...I'll be outnumbered about 3:1

LOL, Ghazgul....Shaman...grots...

One of my favorite armies looks better every time I see them...

Great job by the "Thin Your Paint" blogger...

More. The base tops are all hand carved.  The tray is just awesome.  

Game 1 soon after deployment.  Table 1 had a Warhound Titan you could gain control of, just to fire at other tables...4 objectives to also fight over. I'm holding one and advancing the Catachans on two.  

Still around Turn 1.  Orks now advancing.  Colonel Straken and the Commissar provided the cheering squad to keep those mortars thumping away while holding the objective.

Probably around turn 3.  Orks were swarming everywhere and the battle devolved into 4 separate fights. I wiped nearly every ork boy off the table.  We were using ITC scoring, and it was a blast. 

Slamguinius and his bodyguards - pretty much all of the Blodd Angels elite - were wayyyyy off in the far corner. 

Ghazgul and Nobs opening up vehicles like old ladies opening cat food tins... eventually this game was a draw in normal points, but I got the win in bonus points. Straken eventually had to charge out of ruins to finish off a boyz mob, only to be run over by a Deffrolla on that Battlewagon... 

Game 2 vs Mechanicum on Table 4.  This game started off as a fight for the center, which control gave you a bonus CP for your team mates on all the other tables.  

Rusty Red Robots

By the beginning of turn 2 I was having to start to be more careful hiding stuff from the Mechanicum!  Sneaky Aggressors heading up to an objective...I'm holding the center with death company dudes...I have another group that dropped in the Mechanicum back field.  Pressure is on. 

I'm holding the center...but will soon see the death company get annihilated...them Rusty Red Robots can put out the dice...

Turn 3, the death company are replaced by the next wave - Slamguinius and Lemartes are holding it firm. But I'm getting thinned out.  Eventually the Blood Angels prevailed, and I get another win.  This game also used ITC scoring. 

Team game, 800 points per player, on Table 7.  Deployment is underway.  The goal was to locate a hidden objective and hold it for the win. It was weird fighting on 1970's USA style terrain...

Death company had gone forward to hold but not test this objective to see if it was the real one...they got wiped out by this heavily converted demon prince of Nurgle...

Eventually we saw Kharn (before going all red) tank wound after wound and walk through the Blood Angels elite. My opponent uses a "Special dice throwing box", which I hate the idea of.  Maybe i needs to get a special box of my own...   

My team mate had problems of his own with Nurgle demons and zombies. 

Eventually i was wiped, and my team mate slogged on alone to try to capture the objective (found in the unroofed building). 

Everything dies...The last of the Imperium saw zombies block them from their goal...we eneded up losing.  Overall, I think was Kharn making pretty much a hundred saves that changed this game from a win to a loss.  

Overall, for the day, the Imperium LOST.  I have no real idea how the rest of my team did.  

Since this event, I've used the same list twice and have had losses - both against demon infestations...Overall I was not taking those games too seriously...I'm just trying to study my list and practice up on all of the different things that I need to do!  I like running the Catachans.  I'll need to get another squad of mortars though and replace the snipers.  Mortars just do the work! 

All for Now. 

MING

Blood Angels vs Imperial Fists

Nothing is more fun than playing a good game and getting experience.

I must be an experiential learner...

I had a good time last night playing a 2000 point game, Maelstrom Mission #1, vs Benito at Specte Studios.  You can find more from him at spectrestudios.us

More importantly Benito was able to bring his kids along as dice apps!  The one teamed with me was a great dice roller, and I owe a lot to his 6's and 5's for this game!

The Spectre Prime brought his Imperial Fists - a beautiful, well balanced, all Primaris army. 

I was trying out rev 1.0 of my Blood Angels (plus Catachans) list.

The games essentially is pretty solid.  6 objectives, 3 cards per turn.  Dawn of war deployment. We played as written from the book (no roll for first turn, per the text for this mission).

I lost the roll to place the first objective.

We placed all 6.

My opponent chose the deployment type and edge.

Prior to deployment (the "mustering" phase), I burned two CPs to take a second relic, and then burned a CP to make my Captain as Death Company.  Rolled two dice. Got 2 CPs back. I pull the cards for my Librarian's spells.

I had to place the first unit.

Things get complicated quickly. I deploy my Catachans and Lord Commissar first. The Infantry form a skirmish line along my deployment line.

Sidebar comment to self - I need to make a cheat card just for their extra stuff (Catachan doctrine, Catachan special order, other orders, bubbles for what Strakan and the Lord Commissar bring).

My opponent ultimately deploys everything but the squad of 10 Reivers.

I deploy the Aggressors, Predators.  Everything else with jump packs goes into reserves.

Sidebar comment to self - I had intended to deploy the Death Company and move them up pre-game but forget.  I also need to check power levels to make sure I'm putting the required amount on the table.  I also need to create a 800 point, infantry-only list from this mess...

He had fewer units. Note the use of the Repulsor to carry the Primaris Librarian, Aggressors, and Lieutenant. 

He chose to go first.

I failed to seize.

Deployment complete....

Turn 1.
The Primaris Marines open a can of WhoopA$$ on my deployed units. Imperial Fists doctrine is such that their targets never get cover saves.

Catachan troopers were catching bolt rounds center and left.  I lost about half of them to shooting, and several more to end-of-turn morale checks. Red bandanas flew everywhere.  20 casualties.  If it were not for some unlucky dice rolls, things could easily have been far worse.

In response, I moved my Aggressors up in the center to try to hold it.  The Predator's linked up their telemetry and the Annihilator used its kill shot stratagem on the Primaris Repulsor tank. I put a few wounds on it, and caused maybe a few Intercessor casualties in the backfield.  The Catachan mortars were becoming my best friend.

Sidebar comment to self - re-study mortar use vs Catachan special rules/doctrines for better effect). 

At the end of the turn, I feel like I'm losing but the score is 0 - 0.

Middle of Turn 1...Catachan Casualties Mounting...

Turn 2.
The Primaris Marines move up on my left flank and deploy the Reivers from deep strike on my right.  In shooting, the dice gods do not favor the idea of destroying my Predators.  The Annihilator takes a few wounds.  In anti-infantry shooting, I lost two Aggressors, and most of the remaining Catachans, although one flamer-carrying bolt-magnet succeeded in absorbing a huge amount of dice! He even survived the combined flames from three advancing IF Aggressors! I lose my last Aggressor to failed morale.  The unit never even got off a shot!   They were mostly damaged by the Hellblasters.

Sidebar comment to self - re-study use of Aggressors - this is their second game and they never got to shoot. 

On my turn, I draw a card for slay the Warlord.  I decide I need to split the battle into three unmanageable chunks.

The Librarian, Sanguinary Priest, Sanguinary Ancient, and Sanguinary Guard drop down behind the IF Warlord (Captain).  Their mission is to take him and nearby IF marines out of the fight.

On the far right, my DC Captain, Lemartes, and Death Company drop in to first eliminate the Reivers, and then jump forward after the Hellblasters.

On my left, the remaining Catachans and Predators were to work over the advancing IF units (the Repulsor, the Primaris Librarian, Flame-Aggressors, and Primaris Redemptor dreadnought.

In this case, spreading out worked.

In shooting, the Repulsor was destroyed.  A few Intercessors were eliminated. The Librarian wounded, and Aggressors eliminated.

In assault, the entire Sanguinary team missed their charge vs the Captain.

On the right, only my DC Captain and Lemartes made it into assault with the Reivers.

On the left, a Catachan sergeant and Catachan flamer trooper made it into contact with the Primaris Librarian.

At the end, the Reivers were gone.

I'm losing the game, 4 - 0.

Beginning of Turn 2...I've advanced a bit to threaten the Imperial Fists with Flashlight Danger! Our two Dice Apps are getting ready for another turn!

Turn 3.
The Imperial Fists respond with a new hammer blow.  They turn their attention on the the Sanguinary team, the Predator Annihilator, and my Captain.  Shooting. Assaults.

In the end I lose the Annihilator, the last of my Catachan Troops, and 4 Sanguinary Guard. The IF captain is now fighting my lone Sanguinary Guard. Other charges had failed.

My Captain jumps forward, followed by Lemartes and the Death Company.  The Sanguinary Priest tries to revive a comrade and fails. In shooting, I finish off the Primaris Librarian, clearing any threats to my left.

In assault, the Sanguinary Ancient and the Librarian join the fight with the IF Captain.  Wounds are exchanged, but its a 3 on 1 stalemate.  The DC Captain is the only unit able to assault the Hellblasters, but he cannot reach them and is exposed badly.

The score is about 5 - 3. My opponent is out of CPs.

A Lieutenant, Librarian, and Aggressors walk into a trap...

Turn 4.
Shooting sees my Warlord / Captain dead by the Hellblasters, and the Sanguinary Priest is dead. I have a few CPs left. In assault, the Redemptor makes it into contact and but misses its attacks! The IF Captain loses its last wounds to the Librarian, but in a last ditch swing takes out my last Sanguinary Guard!

I reply with a few things.  The Librarian knows the gig is up, and leaps off to the objective in the board center using one of my last CP (to score an objective).  Lemartes and the Death Company leap onto the Hellblasters and wipe them out, and advance to engage the IF Annihilator. I also take out finally the IF Ancient.

The score is now about 7 - 5.

The Imperial Fist attackers have been eliminated...the center and right flanks are clear....

Turn 5
You can feel the game coming back to the Blood Angels at this point.  We play through the turn, with the Imperial Fists getting two more points, but no significant damage to the remaining Blood Angels units.  In reply, the Death Company annihilate the Annihilator, and finish off a few stray IF models.  I score four points or so,

Time for my own advance in Turn 4...mortar tubes are starting to peel their paint...Strakan and the Lord Commissar never broke cover...

The score is 9 - 9....but wait!  I have Linebreaker....

10-9 win for the Blood Angels!

We actually pulled our cards for turn 6 - the Imperial Fists drew things they could not score, and the Blood Angels drew cards that would yield more points.  Interestingly, I drew more "defend this objective #" cards than i can remember. 

Overall, it was a great game, and we had some good discussions on the state of the meta and the tactics for a few units (like Aggressors).

Near the end of turn 4...

It was good practice for this weekend's Rockport Invitational too! Look for photos and a report on that in a week or so!

Now I just need to keep practicing key list elements, gets some painting done, and reproof my list and build the 800 point sidebar list, all before Saturday!

Parting shot...that Dread Wont Squish My head...right after this, the Librarian pulled its last CP and headed away on Angels Wings...

MING     

Once a King Always a King

But Once  a Knight is Enough...

I got time to play 40K  First time in maybe two months?  Crazy how time flies! 

Crazy how the game changes!

This ain't the 40K of 2 months ago...

I showed up at the FLGS - late due to nearby road construction.

I was very happy to get paired vs one of our best local players. 

And yes, at 2000 points, his list was pretty simple.

3 Chaos Knights - each armed differently.

A Bloodletter Bomb (30 or so models in one blob)

A Pink Horror Bomb (25+ pinks and a single blue)

A Chaos Sorceror

A Chaos Demon Prince

2 units of Nurglings

Well, I had a list designed to take care of maybe one knight...

Here at setup.  I had started with 10 CP's, and used some to give me two relics, make my Captain death company, and move my death company out to the right flank.  My opponent only deployed the Knights and used his CP's to put 4 units into reserves.  We were fighting over just two objectives worth 3 points each, plus LB, STWL, and FB.

 Beginning of turn 1.  Nurglings are going to move up to charge followed behind by the Knights! 

On my right, shooting is done, and the nurglings are charging the Baal predator. 

Meanwhile on the left flank, the Knight there moved up and charged the Death Company!

 Here in the Blood Angels Turn 1, the Damaged Baal moves back a bit and the nearby tactical squad moves to screen them.  Killshot is used, but the the Predators fail to wound the Knight on the right - but the center Knight loses some wounds.  

At the end of Turn 1, the Death Company are gone, having just scratched 4 wounds off the Knight...

In Turn 2 the Knights continue their forward advance. 

Here at the beginning of Turn 3, the Pink Horror Blob is wrapping around a building, still keeping one toe at the objective.  Not that during Turn 2, the Blood Angels reinforcements had arrived and assaulted the damaged knight in the center...it was dispatched.  

By the end of the Chaos Turn 3, the predators were all gone, the Tacticals, and everything else was gone too.  

Eventually in Turn 4 it was down to three separate combats - the Captain vs the Demon, the Sanguinary Priest vs a Knight, and Lemartes and a Sanguinary Ancient vs another Knight.  I've got no CPs left to spend. 

I'm Tabled mid Turn 4. Chaos wins 9-0.

 A deployment mistake I made was that I had no idea he had Nurglings.  I was deploying the tacticals and Sniper Scouts and Aggressors to screen my deployment zone from the turn 2 drops...that caused some issues.  The Aggressors should have been deployed behind cover, and the predators all on the far back edge.  Those elements might have preserved me enough to get to the bottom of Turn 4.  I also needed to better guess how far the Knight on the far-left would get.  Although the Death Company were fairly safe from shooting, they were just too close! 

Overall, as a practice this game went pretty well. I remembered pretty much everything I wanted to get done.  My opponent did remind me to do my CP spends for pre-game stuff earlier (before deployment) where appropriate.  And we shared some ideas on making a slightly better Blood Angels List.  We will see in the next game!  My next practice game will be Monday against a primaris heavy Imperial Fists force...

All for now,

MING

   

 

Sanguinary Guard vs Death Company II

Its like Deadpool 2 but without a movie...actors...fans...

Since I need to keep practicing, and evaluating, in these experiments, I ran a game scenario at 501 points DC vs 489 Points SG - plus or minus a few points.

Death Company:
Lemartes, Stock
10 Death company (as before w/ 9 Bolters and Chainswords; 1 thunderhammer)
1 Death Company Dreadnought, 2xBlood Talons, 1 MG, 1 SB     
Everything here has black rage, red thirst, benefiting from the DC rules and buffs from Lemartes
Not enough (yet) for command points.

Sanguinary Guard:
Captain Slamguinius (JP, Thunder Hammer, SS)
5 Sanguinary Guard (as before, 3 angelus bolt guns, 2 inferno pistols, 3 encarmine blades, 2 power fists)
Furioso Dreadnought (frag cannon, heavy flamer, blood fist)

The Blow by Blow
Similar to before, each faction was deployed about 6 inches in from their own table edge, creating about 36 inches of space between them.  The aircraft wreckage area was going to be treated the same as craters - would give cover to shooting, and would be -2 to charge distance. 

The SG went first, DC failed to sieze.

Turn 1
The SG all advanced, with the Sg getting just a total of 13 inches, the captain got 15, and the Furioso 15 inches of movement. I kept the Captain within the distance of the SG. No shooting was available.

The DC in response moved forward 6 inches, and stopped.  The DC dreadnought advanced on the right and Lemartes advanced on the right.  In 9 bolter shots, 1 converted to a wound on a SG. 

Turn 2
The SG and Captain jumped forward 12 inches, and the Furioso 9.   In shooting, the frag cannon was barely in range to the DC and fired first, causing 2 casualties.  The Angelus boltguns accounted for 2 more. Tehn in the assaults, the SG charged Lemartes, but the Captain and Furioso failed their charges! In the fight phase, neither side wounded the other!

In response, the Death Company moved forward. Lemartes fired his pistol into the SG but failed to wound.  The DC marines fired on the Captain and failed to wound him.  The DC Dread set itself to charge directly into the Furioso to determine who was better! Its Meltagun caused several unsaved wounds on the Furioso, who caused a few back in overwatch!

The DC Dread punched first, however, with 5 attacks on the charge hitting on 3's rerolling and wounding on 2's (rerolling) - the Furioso was dispatched and the DC Dread consolidated into the Captain! Between the DC marines and Lemartes, three SG were taken down.  Then the Captain swung his hammer into the DC dread (Hitting on 3's, rerolling 1's, then wounding on 2's) and dropped it!  Both dreads were gone! Lemartes was wounded.

Turn 3
The Captain jumped forward into the only remaining close combat.

The Captain took down 2 DC marines with his hammer, but was wounded in return.  The SG took down Lemartes in exchange for another SG.

In the DC turn, the end came swiftly.  The remaining DC marines failed to wound the Captain or the one remaining SG. In response, they were dispatched by blade and hammer and the experiment ended. 

End thoughts
I'll soon do this again, but add in the JP death company (5 more marines) and then a 5-marine (gold painted) veterans squad similarly armed.  The points should go up to about 675, and each side will be similar.  I'll run these as Vanguard detachments so each side will have 4 command points, and will include a single relic for each (probably the relic hammers so they can be ever more useful). 

It was interesting that the SG faction won again, but it was close.  It might have been interesting to have the DC Dread plow into the SG in turn 2 rather than go after the Furioso.  I thought about not advancing on the Captain but figured the Captain would then just charge the Furioso anyways. The end would have been the same just in a different turn.

I need to get that Stormshield painted and mounted on the Captain...its from an older lead original terminator model, but its a good size to pin to his elbow.  His gold needs brightening too. Maybe a new base. Some 5th Company markings...

All for now!

MING