Another battle on home soil! Wales hasn't seen this much bloodshed since the Great Chip Shortage of Caroline Street.
Old scores are to be settled tonight - Space Wolves vs Thousand Sons.
My opponent is Monkey, a fellow combatant in the Winters SEO Gladitorial Arena. We've fought each other once before, so now the claws (or malefic talons are out)!
Points: 1,498 | Battle-forged + Battalion: 8 CPs
Dawn of War deployment, and I lose the roll-off, so I place first.
Unusually for me, I'm putting nothing in deepstrike reserve. I want the Terminator firepower on the table from the start, and I have plans for moving the Tzaangors.
I place one unit of Rubrics on the left flank, securing one objective, with Mildred and one pack of Enlightened hiding behind a ruin, and the Heldrake flapping menacingly behind.
A second unit of Enlightened were hiding in the centre, with the Mutalith, Spawn and my Exalted Sorcerer up front.
On the right flank, the Scarab Occult Terminators held their objective, with another Rubric squad lodged in the ruins and the Tzaangors hidden out of sight, all supervised by the Daemon Prince.
The Space Wolves were keeping a few more surprises in store. The Wulfen went on the hunt using the Cunning of the Wolf stratagem, supervised by the Wolf Priest with the jump-pack. The melta squad of Grey Hunters went into the Drop-Pod.
On the table, the Blood Claws hunkered down on their left objective, watched over by Murderfang. Next to them, the Rhino with the plasma Grey Hunters. In the centre, Wolf Lord Nivag and his Thunderwolf boys. Over on the right objective, a Cyberwolf and five Fenrisian Wolves were cocking a leg on the right objective.
The little wolves stayed put on their objective, the big wolves scalloped up the centre. The Rhino sped forward and popped smoke, followed by Murderfang, leaving the Blood Claws on the back objective.
A bit of ineffectual bolter fire, and that was the turn done!
On the left flank, the Rubrics stepped forward into firing range of the Fenrisian Wolves, backed up by Mildred and the Enlightened. The second unit of Enlightened did their best to screen out my back lines (I didn't have enough to stop the deepstrikes, but I was trying to mitigate it).
The Spawn and Mutalith charged up the centre to face the Thunderwolf charge.
The Exalted Sorcerer flew up to a very dramatic position to face his opposite number (I'd forgotten the extra range for Thousand Sons, so he didn't need to be so close - but it looked cool!) and the Daemon Prince and Scarab Occult Aspiring Sorcerer shuffled to stay in range (stratagem coming up).
Finally, the Daemon Prince used the Dark Matter Crystal to jump the whole pack of Tzaangors across the field and behind the Blood Claws.
In the Psychic Phase, I used Cabalistic Focus to boost my Exalted Sorcerer's Death Hex and removed the Thunderwolves invulnerable saves. I also got a Gaze of Fate reroll, Smited the Rhino and put Prescience on the Enlightened. I then failed my next four psychic powers in a row, but I had what I wanted. (my High Magister warlord trait already paid for itself - without the +1, both his powers would have failed or been denied).
In the shooting phase, the Mutalith randomised its powers, which gave the Thunderwolves -1Ld (not much use) and Spawn rerolling charges (just what I wanted).
When the shooting began in earnest, things really started to happen: the Rubrics and Elightened shot away the Fenrisian Wolves. The other Enlightened and Heldrake's Baleflamer combined to kill off two of the Thunderwolves, leaving the sergeant on one wound. The Scarab Occult Terminators and other Rubric squad concentrated on the Rhino, destroying it with the final shot. Ouch!
Things got no better for the loyalists in the fight phase. The Heldrake descended on the Cyberwolf and promptly ate him.
The Tzaangors made their long charge across the craters into the Blood Claws (aided by a Gaze of Fate reroll), and with the Veterans of the Long War and Cycle of Slaughter stratagems, killed all-but-one for only lost four in return - the double objective was mine!
In the centre, I failed the charge with the Spawn (the closest target had now been shot away!) and was thinking about charging the last Thunderwolf to take off the last wound. I decided against it, as I didn't want the Wolf Lord to heroically intervene. I had forgotten - which was daft, because I play them myself - that Space Wolves can intervene 6".
So at the end of my charge phase, Nivag leapt into the maw of the beast anyway and immediately pulped it (using the Emperor's Executioners stratagem to be sure of getting through its invulnerable saves - as if he didn't already have enough attacks!).
That setback notwithstanding, it was a good turn for me. I lost three more Tzaangor to morale, but the Blood Claws pack leader also ran, and so did the Thunderwolf sergeant - despite a reroll - due to the leadership nerf he'd taken from the Mutalith (it was good for something!).
I also rack up three objectives, including a double, whereas Monkey only holds the centre. (the Heldrake can't claim his objective, but he is squatting on it like an Emperor Penguin on an egg). Added to that I get first strike (and second, third, fourth and fifth strike), so the turn ends 5:1.
The Vlka Fenrika need a big response this turn, and they throw in all the reserves.
Nivag the Wolf Lord, suddenly finding himself alone, moves towards my left flank, wiping bits of Mutalith from his hammer. Murderfang, upon seeing the slaughter of the young pups, spins on his heel and heads back to confront the Tzaangor. The Grey Hunters who piled out of the Rhino now make their way towards the Scarab Occult Terminators.
Then come the reinforcements. The jump-pack Wolf Priest leads the Wulfen into my back lines to threaten the smaller castle of Mildred, Enlightened and the Rubrics.
The Drop Pod lands to claim the central objective, with Hei-Mann leading his squad of Grey Hunters out to face my warlord.
This was an 'ulp' moment for me - I hadn't accounted for my warlord being so exposed because a) the Mutalith was supposed to be still in front of him and b) I only put him there to look dramatic!
In Shooting, Murderfang plinked off a few Tzaangor, and the plasma Grey Hunters overcharged and fired into the Scarab Occult. One of the Space Wolves died when his gun exploded, but three other shots struck home, each enough to kill a terminator... and then I make all my invulnerable saves.
The other Grey Hunters target the Exalted Sorcerer, scratching off a wound with bolter fire. Then the melta gun hits, wounds... and I make my invulnerable save (by Tzeentch, I'm obnoxious sometimes).
The frustration of the Space Wolves is vented in the assault phase. Aided by their reroll aura, the Wolf Priest makes it into the Rubrics, and the Wulfen hit Mildred and the Elightened, taking an arrow on the way in.
Murderfang hits the Tzaangors, and the Grey Hunters crash into the Scarab Occult. The other Grey Hunters fail to reach the Exalted Sorcerer (there is some advantage to standing high up on a dramatic perch) and Nivag himself is left without anything to charge.
Predictably, Murderfang blends the Tzaangors, and the Wulfen do the same to the Enlightened and Mildred (the Emperor's Executioners stratagem used to make absolutely sure), then consolidate into the Rubrics (who the Wolf Priest failed to damage) and lose one of their own in return.
The Grey Hunters have a tougher time getting through Terminator armour, and not one of the Scarab Occult falls to their attacks. I then play my own Vengeance for Prospero stratagem to ramp up the attacks and their power swords cleave six of the loyalists.
In the morale phase, two more Grey Hunters tuck tail and run, while I spend 2CP to keep the three remaining Tzaangor in play (as Troops, they can claim the double-objective even if only one remains - but this, as we shall see, was a stupid plan).
The first thing I do is pull the last three Tzaangor out of combat. They're still close enough to score the objective at the end of the round, so it doesn't matter if they due next turn (still a stupid plan - spotted why yet?).
My Rubrics drop out of combat with the Wulfen and Wolf-Priest; the Spawn scuttle around the centre to face the Grey Hunters, the second unit of Enlightened fly to target the Wulfen, and the Heldrake happily flaps on the spot - the range of its Baleflamer means it doesn't have to go anywhere.
My second unit of Rubrics stay put, and so do my Scarab Occult Terminators - I can deal with the last Grey Hunters in my psychic phase, so they will still be able to shoot.
My Daemon Prince makes his play: charging upfield to face Nivag, while my Exalted Sorcerer ducks back into the shooting castle to count his blessings.
It's a low-key psychic phase: one of the Wulfen is tickled by a Smite, the Grey Hunters in combat is also blasted away, and the Daemon Prince boosts his invulnerable save to 3++.
In Shooting, the Heldrake and Enlightened target the Wulfen, but the storm shields hold true and only two are killed.
The news isn't so good on the other end of the field, as the Terminators and Rubrics open up on the Grey Hunters and kill all-but one of them.
The Daemon Prince makes his charge against the Wolf Lord, but the Spawn roll low and fail theirs (the last Grey Hunter fails morale anyway).
And then at the end of my charge phase, Murderfang heroically intervenes into the Tzaangor and rips them to shreds. Silly mistake on my part to even try and keep them alive - that's the double objective gone.
Even worse, the Daemon Prince's attacks fail to kill the Wolf Lord, leaving him on one wound! All of the Wolf Lord's thunder hammer attacks similarly fail against my daemon save, so they just spent the first round shouting insults.
All this results in Monkey claiming 4 VPs this turn, to my 1 VP. The current tally is 6:5 in my favour, but there are some hard hitters left on the field.
The moves are simple enough: Murderfang races up to support his warlord and the Wulfen chase down the second unit of Enlightened.
With little shooting (maybe just the storm bolter on the Drop Pod?), it's straight to business: the two Wulfen massacre the Enlightened, and the Wolf Priest has another try at the Rubrics, killing two of them this time.
In the big clash, Murderfang doesn't mess about and shreds the Daemon Prince before Nivag can even join in. That's a robust response!
The surviving Rubrics fall away from the Wolf Priest and back into the objective. The Spawn about-turn and run back at the Wulfen. Everything else levels their guns at the Space Wolf leaders.
It's mostly Smites this phase - on Murderfang and the Wolf Priest - and then I get Tzeentch's Firestorm on the Wolf Lord. This doesn't have to target the closest model, so being screened by Murderfang doesn't help him. I roll nine dice, and get the solitary six I need to take off his last wound.
Continuing the massacre in shooting, the Heldrake burns up the Wolf Priest, and the firing squad of inferno bolters bring down Murderfang.
The Spawn finally get into combat with something, but then roll one measly attack each (I have since learned they would benefit from Hateful Assault, which is a big help to them). So they achieve nothing, but the Wulfen are flagging too, and only take down two in return.
With three objective points and Slay the Warlord to the Space Wolves' single point, it's now a commanding lead. I did offer Monkey the chance to concede but, Fenrisian to the core, he refused to surrender to the heretics. We play on.
We keep rolling until it ends on Turn 6, and with command of the field, it's a bit of a hockey score by the end.
That said, once the Space Wolves got in close, they were pretty nasty themselves. And the Emperor's Executioners stratagem is frighteningly effective in concert with their chapter trait. And that 6" heroic intervention is brilliant - I'd only forgotten about it because my SW characters are usually putty in close combat, but with combat monsters like Nivag and Murderfang, no-one is safe.
What really hurt the Space Wolves was the mission itself. Going second in Vital Intelligence is such a massive advantage, as it allows you to respond to the opponent's play. And the fact that the double objective twice-landed in the Space Wolves deployment zone meant that Murderfang was sent back to claim it - when he should really have been steaming forward to kill Rubrics.
I also rolled unconscionably well for invulnerable saves in that crucial second turn - by rights, I should have been down one warlord and half a Terminator squad.
Still, the Wolves never give up. They'll be back, and in greater numbers. Thanks to Monkey for a cracking game.
Old scores are to be settled tonight - Space Wolves vs Thousand Sons.
My opponent is Monkey, a fellow combatant in the Winters SEO Gladitorial Arena. We've fought each other once before, so now the claws (or malefic talons are out)!
Space Wolves - The Rout of Nivag Troshvik
This is a list with teeth! Thunderwolf Cavalry, Wulfen, and Murderfang, not to mention the massive attack machine that is Nivag Troshvik himself.
Add to that, most of the regular astartes are going to be safely in their metal boxes where I can't get to them, plus a lot of deepstriking action. Ah well, at least I reckon I can kill the Cyberwolf.
Add to that, most of the regular astartes are going to be safely in their metal boxes where I can't get to them, plus a lot of deepstriking action. Ah well, at least I reckon I can kill the Cyberwolf.
- Nivag Troshvik - Wolf Lord on Thunderwolf (HQ) (Warlord)
Storm shield, Thunder hammer
Warlord Trait: Saga of the Wolfkin
Relic: The Wulfen Stone - Wolf Priest (HQ)
Jump Pack, Storm bolter, Crozius Arcanum - Hei-Mann and Yfir-Handleggr - 10 x Grey Hunters (Troop)
Wolf Guard Pack Leader (Combi-melta, Frost sword), Pack Leader (Power axe), 1 x Melta gun, 7 x Boltguns, 8 x Chainswords - 10 x Grey Hunters (Troop)
Pack Leader (Power sword), 2 x Plasma gun, 7 x Bolt Pistols & Chainswords - 11 x Blood Claws (Troop)
Wolf Guard Pack Leader: Storm bolter, Storm shield; Pack Leader: Power sword, 1 x Flamer, 8 x Bolt Pistols & Chainswords - Murderfang (Elite)
Murderclaws, storm bolter, heavy flamer - 5 x Wulfen (Elite)
Pack Leader: Frost claws; 3 x Thunder hammer & Stormshield, 1 x Frost Claws - 1 x Cyberwolf (Fast)
Teeth and claws - 5 x Fenrisian Wolves (Fast)
Teeth and claws - 3 x Thunderwolf Cavalry (Fast)
3 x Storm shield & Thunder hammer - Drop Pod (Transport)
Storm bolter - Rhino (Transport)
Storm bolter
Thousand Sons - The Court of Miracles
I mixed things up a little with my warband: the Daemon Prince gets relegated from the warlord slot (I plan to throw him into combat, and I'm not optimistic about his chances of survival), which means an Exalted Sorcerer gets to be the warlord again. High Magister (+1 to cast) for him, which I haven't used for ages, but can be invaluable.
Only one big unit of Tzaangor, and starting on the field, rather then my usual tactic of putting two squads into deepstrike, and then two squads of Rubrics and one of Scarab Occult Terminators.
The usual rogues' gallery to round it off - Spawn, Enlightened, Shaman, Mutalith - and a Heldrake, which is another unit I haven't used for ages, but I though deserved a run-out.
Points: 1,499 | Battle-forged + Battalion: 8 CPs
Only one big unit of Tzaangor, and starting on the field, rather then my usual tactic of putting two squads into deepstrike, and then two squads of Rubrics and one of Scarab Occult Terminators.
The usual rogues' gallery to round it off - Spawn, Enlightened, Shaman, Mutalith - and a Heldrake, which is another unit I haven't used for ages, but I though deserved a run-out.
- Arac Rapathwin, the Chamberlain - Exalted Sorcerer on Disc of Tzeentch (HQ) (Warlord)
Force Stave, Inferno bolt pistol, Frag & Krak Grenades,
Death Hex, Prescience
Warlord Trait: High Magister - Yr'bith Fulred - Daemon Prince with wings (HQ)
2 x Malefic talons, Wings
Warptime, Gaze of Fate
Relic: Dark Matter Crystal - 6 x Rubric Marines (Troop)
Force Stave, Inferno Bolt Pistol, 5 x Inferno Boltguns
Glamour of Tzeentch - 6 x Rubric Marines (Troop)
Force Stave, Inferno Bolt Pistol, 5 x Inferno Boltguns
Tzeentch's Firestorm - 17 x Tzaangor (Troop)
Brayhorn, Tzaangor blades - 5 x Scarab Occult Terminators (Elite)
Force Stave, 5 x Inferno Combi-Bolter, 4 x Power Sword, 1 x Hellfyre Missile Rack
Weaver of Fates - Mildred - Tzaangor Shaman (Elite)
Force Stave, Temporal Manipulation - 4 x Chaos Spawn (Fast)
Hideous mutations - 4 x Tzaangor Enlightened (Fast)
Fatecaster Greatbow - 4 x Tzaangor Enlightened (Fast)
Fatecaster Greatbow - Mutalith Vortex Beast (Heavy)
Enormous Claws, Betentacled Maw - Heldrake (Flyer)
Baleflamer, Heldrake claws
Points: 1,499 | Battle-forged + Battalion: 8 CPs
Deployment
We're playing Vital Intelligence, one of my favourites from CA18, which gives us points for holding five objectives, one of which is randomly worth double.Dawn of War deployment, and I lose the roll-off, so I place first.
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| Kudos to Monkey for hosting - he builds one hell of a battlefield! |
Unusually for me, I'm putting nothing in deepstrike reserve. I want the Terminator firepower on the table from the start, and I have plans for moving the Tzaangors.
I place one unit of Rubrics on the left flank, securing one objective, with Mildred and one pack of Enlightened hiding behind a ruin, and the Heldrake flapping menacingly behind.
A second unit of Enlightened were hiding in the centre, with the Mutalith, Spawn and my Exalted Sorcerer up front.
On the right flank, the Scarab Occult Terminators held their objective, with another Rubric squad lodged in the ruins and the Tzaangors hidden out of sight, all supervised by the Daemon Prince.
On the table, the Blood Claws hunkered down on their left objective, watched over by Murderfang. Next to them, the Rhino with the plasma Grey Hunters. In the centre, Wolf Lord Nivag and his Thunderwolf boys. Over on the right objective, a Cyberwolf and five Fenrisian Wolves were cocking a leg on the right objective.
Turn 1 - Space Wolves
Having deployed first, I got the choice of who started and gave the initiative to the Space Wolves. The first double objective we rolled was the one the Blood Claws were guarding.The little wolves stayed put on their objective, the big wolves scalloped up the centre. The Rhino sped forward and popped smoke, followed by Murderfang, leaving the Blood Claws on the back objective.
A bit of ineffectual bolter fire, and that was the turn done!
Turn 1 - Thousand Sons
I was looking at getting heavily outscored on the objectives, so I needed to punch back before the other half of the army arrived.On the left flank, the Rubrics stepped forward into firing range of the Fenrisian Wolves, backed up by Mildred and the Enlightened. The second unit of Enlightened did their best to screen out my back lines (I didn't have enough to stop the deepstrikes, but I was trying to mitigate it).
The Spawn and Mutalith charged up the centre to face the Thunderwolf charge.
The Exalted Sorcerer flew up to a very dramatic position to face his opposite number (I'd forgotten the extra range for Thousand Sons, so he didn't need to be so close - but it looked cool!) and the Daemon Prince and Scarab Occult Aspiring Sorcerer shuffled to stay in range (stratagem coming up).
Finally, the Daemon Prince used the Dark Matter Crystal to jump the whole pack of Tzaangors across the field and behind the Blood Claws.
In the Psychic Phase, I used Cabalistic Focus to boost my Exalted Sorcerer's Death Hex and removed the Thunderwolves invulnerable saves. I also got a Gaze of Fate reroll, Smited the Rhino and put Prescience on the Enlightened. I then failed my next four psychic powers in a row, but I had what I wanted. (my High Magister warlord trait already paid for itself - without the +1, both his powers would have failed or been denied).
In the shooting phase, the Mutalith randomised its powers, which gave the Thunderwolves -1Ld (not much use) and Spawn rerolling charges (just what I wanted).
When the shooting began in earnest, things really started to happen: the Rubrics and Elightened shot away the Fenrisian Wolves. The other Enlightened and Heldrake's Baleflamer combined to kill off two of the Thunderwolves, leaving the sergeant on one wound. The Scarab Occult Terminators and other Rubric squad concentrated on the Rhino, destroying it with the final shot. Ouch!
Things got no better for the loyalists in the fight phase. The Heldrake descended on the Cyberwolf and promptly ate him.
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| "Mmm ... doggy treats." |
The Tzaangors made their long charge across the craters into the Blood Claws (aided by a Gaze of Fate reroll), and with the Veterans of the Long War and Cycle of Slaughter stratagems, killed all-but-one for only lost four in return - the double objective was mine!
In the centre, I failed the charge with the Spawn (the closest target had now been shot away!) and was thinking about charging the last Thunderwolf to take off the last wound. I decided against it, as I didn't want the Wolf Lord to heroically intervene. I had forgotten - which was daft, because I play them myself - that Space Wolves can intervene 6".
So at the end of my charge phase, Nivag leapt into the maw of the beast anyway and immediately pulped it (using the Emperor's Executioners stratagem to be sure of getting through its invulnerable saves - as if he didn't already have enough attacks!).
That setback notwithstanding, it was a good turn for me. I lost three more Tzaangor to morale, but the Blood Claws pack leader also ran, and so did the Thunderwolf sergeant - despite a reroll - due to the leadership nerf he'd taken from the Mutalith (it was good for something!).
I also rack up three objectives, including a double, whereas Monkey only holds the centre. (the Heldrake can't claim his objective, but he is squatting on it like an Emperor Penguin on an egg). Added to that I get first strike (and second, third, fourth and fifth strike), so the turn ends 5:1.
Turn 2 - Space Wolves
Objective 2 (the one seized by the Tzaangor from the Blood Claws) comes up again as the double.The Vlka Fenrika need a big response this turn, and they throw in all the reserves.
Nivag the Wolf Lord, suddenly finding himself alone, moves towards my left flank, wiping bits of Mutalith from his hammer. Murderfang, upon seeing the slaughter of the young pups, spins on his heel and heads back to confront the Tzaangor. The Grey Hunters who piled out of the Rhino now make their way towards the Scarab Occult Terminators.
Then come the reinforcements. The jump-pack Wolf Priest leads the Wulfen into my back lines to threaten the smaller castle of Mildred, Enlightened and the Rubrics.
The Drop Pod lands to claim the central objective, with Hei-Mann leading his squad of Grey Hunters out to face my warlord.
This was an 'ulp' moment for me - I hadn't accounted for my warlord being so exposed because a) the Mutalith was supposed to be still in front of him and b) I only put him there to look dramatic!
In Shooting, Murderfang plinked off a few Tzaangor, and the plasma Grey Hunters overcharged and fired into the Scarab Occult. One of the Space Wolves died when his gun exploded, but three other shots struck home, each enough to kill a terminator... and then I make all my invulnerable saves.
The other Grey Hunters target the Exalted Sorcerer, scratching off a wound with bolter fire. Then the melta gun hits, wounds... and I make my invulnerable save (by Tzeentch, I'm obnoxious sometimes).
The frustration of the Space Wolves is vented in the assault phase. Aided by their reroll aura, the Wolf Priest makes it into the Rubrics, and the Wulfen hit Mildred and the Elightened, taking an arrow on the way in.
Murderfang hits the Tzaangors, and the Grey Hunters crash into the Scarab Occult. The other Grey Hunters fail to reach the Exalted Sorcerer (there is some advantage to standing high up on a dramatic perch) and Nivag himself is left without anything to charge.
Predictably, Murderfang blends the Tzaangors, and the Wulfen do the same to the Enlightened and Mildred (the Emperor's Executioners stratagem used to make absolutely sure), then consolidate into the Rubrics (who the Wolf Priest failed to damage) and lose one of their own in return.
The Grey Hunters have a tougher time getting through Terminator armour, and not one of the Scarab Occult falls to their attacks. I then play my own Vengeance for Prospero stratagem to ramp up the attacks and their power swords cleave six of the loyalists.
In the morale phase, two more Grey Hunters tuck tail and run, while I spend 2CP to keep the three remaining Tzaangor in play (as Troops, they can claim the double-objective even if only one remains - but this, as we shall see, was a stupid plan).
Turn 2 - Thousand Sons
I've survived the axe-blow, now time to hit back!The first thing I do is pull the last three Tzaangor out of combat. They're still close enough to score the objective at the end of the round, so it doesn't matter if they due next turn (still a stupid plan - spotted why yet?).
My Rubrics drop out of combat with the Wulfen and Wolf-Priest; the Spawn scuttle around the centre to face the Grey Hunters, the second unit of Enlightened fly to target the Wulfen, and the Heldrake happily flaps on the spot - the range of its Baleflamer means it doesn't have to go anywhere.
My second unit of Rubrics stay put, and so do my Scarab Occult Terminators - I can deal with the last Grey Hunters in my psychic phase, so they will still be able to shoot.
My Daemon Prince makes his play: charging upfield to face Nivag, while my Exalted Sorcerer ducks back into the shooting castle to count his blessings.
It's a low-key psychic phase: one of the Wulfen is tickled by a Smite, the Grey Hunters in combat is also blasted away, and the Daemon Prince boosts his invulnerable save to 3++.
In Shooting, the Heldrake and Enlightened target the Wulfen, but the storm shields hold true and only two are killed.
The news isn't so good on the other end of the field, as the Terminators and Rubrics open up on the Grey Hunters and kill all-but one of them.
The Daemon Prince makes his charge against the Wolf Lord, but the Spawn roll low and fail theirs (the last Grey Hunter fails morale anyway).
And then at the end of my charge phase, Murderfang heroically intervenes into the Tzaangor and rips them to shreds. Silly mistake on my part to even try and keep them alive - that's the double objective gone.
Even worse, the Daemon Prince's attacks fail to kill the Wolf Lord, leaving him on one wound! All of the Wolf Lord's thunder hammer attacks similarly fail against my daemon save, so they just spent the first round shouting insults.
All this results in Monkey claiming 4 VPs this turn, to my 1 VP. The current tally is 6:5 in my favour, but there are some hard hitters left on the field.
Turn 3 - Space Wolves
The double objective is the one held by the Scarab Occult, so not much chance of it falling into loyalist hands this turn.The moves are simple enough: Murderfang races up to support his warlord and the Wulfen chase down the second unit of Enlightened.
With little shooting (maybe just the storm bolter on the Drop Pod?), it's straight to business: the two Wulfen massacre the Enlightened, and the Wolf Priest has another try at the Rubrics, killing two of them this time.
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| Murderfang's so lethal he can kill a Daemon Prince with his back turned. |
In the big clash, Murderfang doesn't mess about and shreds the Daemon Prince before Nivag can even join in. That's a robust response!
Turn 3 - Thousand Sons
I've lost assets, but the castle is still intact. Now to score some points.The surviving Rubrics fall away from the Wolf Priest and back into the objective. The Spawn about-turn and run back at the Wulfen. Everything else levels their guns at the Space Wolf leaders.
It's mostly Smites this phase - on Murderfang and the Wolf Priest - and then I get Tzeentch's Firestorm on the Wolf Lord. This doesn't have to target the closest model, so being screened by Murderfang doesn't help him. I roll nine dice, and get the solitary six I need to take off his last wound.
Continuing the massacre in shooting, the Heldrake burns up the Wolf Priest, and the firing squad of inferno bolters bring down Murderfang.
The Spawn finally get into combat with something, but then roll one measly attack each (I have since learned they would benefit from Hateful Assault, which is a big help to them). So they achieve nothing, but the Wulfen are flagging too, and only take down two in return.
With three objective points and Slay the Warlord to the Space Wolves' single point, it's now a commanding lead. I did offer Monkey the chance to concede but, Fenrisian to the core, he refused to surrender to the heretics. We play on.
Turn 4 - Space Wolves
The two Wulfen rip up the Spawn (although the legendary Spawntenant survived to slobber back) and the Drop Pods fails to snipe anything.
Turn 4 - Thousand Sons
In response I kill the Wulfen with Smites - their death throes pull down the last Spawn (sorry Spawntenant - I forget to pull you out of combat!) and kill the Drop Pods with real bullets.
19:8 - Victory to the Thousand Sons!
Locker Room
That was brutal! When everything comes into play for the Thousand Sons, they can really be effective. And against an army with no armoured vehicles or long-range firepower, they were devastating.That said, once the Space Wolves got in close, they were pretty nasty themselves. And the Emperor's Executioners stratagem is frighteningly effective in concert with their chapter trait. And that 6" heroic intervention is brilliant - I'd only forgotten about it because my SW characters are usually putty in close combat, but with combat monsters like Nivag and Murderfang, no-one is safe.
What really hurt the Space Wolves was the mission itself. Going second in Vital Intelligence is such a massive advantage, as it allows you to respond to the opponent's play. And the fact that the double objective twice-landed in the Space Wolves deployment zone meant that Murderfang was sent back to claim it - when he should really have been steaming forward to kill Rubrics.
I also rolled unconscionably well for invulnerable saves in that crucial second turn - by rights, I should have been down one warlord and half a Terminator squad.
Still, the Wolves never give up. They'll be back, and in greater numbers. Thanks to Monkey for a cracking game.
Good stuff! I was reading lots over the weekend about how 40k is balancing towards being more melee friendly, but I don't think it's quiet there yet. Not that the wolves aren't formidable if they reach you!
ReplyDeleteI agree - but I also think melee is more fun.
Delete(which might explain why my Cadian army remains stubbornly un-assembled after two years!)
As a man running very melee-heavy armies, I strongly agree with you!
DeleteNice report! The wolves had you on the back ropes for a while, but they fell quickly. The firepower from the Thousand Sons can be great against Marines. The extra AP on the bolters is a big boost for them, as well as getting a bonus to their save.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yes, I love using inferno boltguns against power armour (I suspect it's going to be less fun coming the other way when I have to face combat doctrines!)
DeleteGreat game Stylus! Very impressive to dispatch a fairly potent-looking army there. I fancy that the Space Wolves would like another go against Tzeentch-aligned chaos marines; what do you think...?
ReplyDeleteI couldn't imagine such a clash.
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