Time for teams again which means time for Death Guard again for me. I almost ended up on CSM (sad Renegade Warband noises) but the fact I both enjoy DG and their style probably suits me better in a team environment lead me back to DG. Been bit surprised their win rate is as low as it has been - a discord post today had only IA as worse win rate than them. They feel like they can compete with any list and have some really good match ups. Sure they don't love Necrons and the rise of Twin Lance is certainly an issue (even more for DG given their lack of speed compared to other armies) but they do feel like games they compete in and their upside is high. Would have enjoyed bit of love in recent dataslate for sure, but it wasn't only army that's true for.
So as for my list - its the same as the previous 2 times I've used DG on the blog. The general aim is lots of drones so I have units to set the game up well along with Spawn/Poxwalkers to provide some early staging then use the two terminator units to counter attack or push through as needed. I had really tried to get Morty in the list but after experimenting with him I just preferred the extra units (and I wasn't swapping out the Blightlords) so ended back were I started.
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| Waves of Green Clash as Blightlords prepare to receive a charge from Ghaz after taking out the rest of his unit in mix of last turns shooting and overwatch. |
DG as Chaos oath detachments have had more nerfs than UM plus one to wound oath.
Death Guard - Virulent Vectorium (2000 Points)
Character:
Daemon Prince of Nurgle (215 pts)
• Hellforged weapons
• Infernal cannon
• E: Revolting Regeneration
• Warlord
Lord of Contagion (120 pts)
• Manreaper
Tallyman (50 pts)
• Close combat weapon
• Plasma pistol
Infantry:
Blightlord Terminators (370 pts)
• Blightlord Champion
• Combi-bolter
• Bubotic blade
• Blightlord Terminator w/ combi-bolter
• Combi-bolter
• Bubotic blade
• 2x Blightlord Terminator w/ flail
• 2x Flail of corruption
• 2x Blightlord Terminator w/ blight launcher
• 2x Bubotic blade
• 2x Blight launcher
• 2x Blightlord Terminator w/ plague spewer and bubotic blade
• 2x Bubotic blade
• 2x Plague spewer
• 2x Blightlord Terminator w/ reaper autocannon
• 2x Reaper autocannon
• 2x Bubotic blade
Deathshroud Terminators (160 pts)
• Deathshroud Terminator Champion
• Icon of Despair
• Manreaper
• 2x Plaguespurt gauntlet
• 2x Deathshroud Terminator
• 2x Plaguespurt gauntlet
• 2x Manreaper
Poxwalkers (65 pts)
• 10x Poxwalker
• 10x Improvised weapons
Beast:
Chaos Spawn (80 pts)
• 2x Chaos Spawn
• 2x Hideous Mutations
Chaos Spawn (80 pts)
• 2x Chaos Spawn
• 2x Hideous Mutations
Vehicle:
Foetid Bloat-drone (100 pts)
• Plague probe
• Fleshmower
Foetid Bloat-drone (100 pts)
• Plague probe
• Fleshmower
Foetid Bloat-drone with heavy blight launcher (120 pts)
• Heavy blight launcher
• Plague probe
Foetid Bloat-drone with heavy blight launcher (120 pts)
• Heavy blight launcher
• Plague probe
Foetid Bloat-drone with heavy blight launcher (120 pts)
• Heavy blight launcher
• Plague probe
Myphitic Blight-hauler (100 pts)
• Myphitic Blight-hauler
• Bile spurt
• Gnashing maw
• Missile launcher
• Multi-melta
Myphitic Blight-hauler (100 pts)
• Myphitic Blight-hauler
• Bile spurt
• Gnashing maw
• Missile launcher
• Multi-melta
Myphitic Blight-hauler (100 pts)
• Myphitic Blight-hauler
• Bile spurt
• Gnashing maw
• Missile launcher
• Multi-melta
Yes I was a bit bitter about the Renegade Warband nerfs, how could you tell. Certainly hadn't been excited enough to take it to a GT specifically to try it out only to watch it get butchered.
So as for the rest of the team we had (now all returning names):
Jack A - Returning after 5-0 at last team event with Rage cursed Blood Angels to be one of our aggressive hammers. Full send flying infantry all over the place.
Jack C - on Grizzled Company with Double Bullgryn to hold the line backed by a Dorn/2 Russ's and plenty of Scions. We felt Grizzled Company were one of the best armies awhile ago and whilst the nerf did switch away from Rough Riders we kept the list broadly intact. Initially we had planned to use Jack C as first drop on light maps although we didn't do this once as his matrix we just too good too often!
Gummer on Incursion Daemons as our anti-stat check. If I tell you its incursion daemons you can probably write the list yourself right?
Luke - on CSM after switching reasonably late from EC (initially to take advantage of Noise Marines in Renegade Warband before its untimely death.) Ended up on a hastily cobbled together aggressive Warband build -
Basic plan was to use Jack C's guard as defender (something we never did) on light table and use either CSM or BA as hammers with DG/Daemons able to act as flex pick. Given we never actually did this won't elaborate further but yay for being flexible?
Round 1 v Warhomies
Pairings - so up against TS, Necrons, IK, Tau and CK. Their were two real 'groups' to their list - the stat checky ones (IK/Necrons/CK) and the more normal lists and essentially our players were good into one side of this or other. We started with CSM, wanting them to about CK and ended up into TS, were as they went forward with Necrons which ended up fighting BA - not the greatest match up but felt BA had enough speed to kill everything that wasn't C'tan and do ok. We managed to get Daemons into CK which made rest of matrix much easier, with me ending up into IK and AM into Tau to round off. We ended up having our matrix be a raft of 3's and 4's which was nice.
Hidden Supplies/Hammer and Anvil v Adam's Brown IK.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ FACTION KEYWORD: Imperium - Imperial Knights
+ DETACHMENT: Questoris Companions (Heroes of Legend)
+ TOTAL ARMY POINTS: 1995pts
+
+ WARLORD: Char3: Knight Castellan
+ ENHANCEMENT: Pennant of Silvered Fury (on Char2: Cerastus Knight Lancer)
& Wyrmslayer Divination (on Char3: Knight Castellan)
& Crushing Condemnation (on Char5: Knight Gallant)
+ NUMBER OF UNITS: 5
+ SECONDARY: - Bring It Down: (5x6) - Assassination: 5 Characters
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CHARACTER
Char1: 2x Canis Rex (415 pts)
• 1x Canis Rex
1 with Freedom's Hand, Las-impulsor, Questoris multi-laser, Chainbreaker, Legendary Freeblade, Invulnerable Save (5+*), Damaged: 1-9 Wounds Remaining
• 1x Sir Hekhtur
1 with Close combat weapon, Hekhtur's pistol, Using Sir Hekhtur
Char2: 1x Cerastus Knight Lancer (410 pts)
1 with Cerastus shock lance
Enhancement: Pennant of Silvered Fury (+15 pts)
Char3: 1x Knight Castellan (420 pts)
1 with Plasma decimator, Titanic feet, 2x Twin meltagun, Volcano lance, 2x Shieldbreaker missile launcher, Twin siegebreaker cannon, Warlord
Enhancement: Wyrmslayer Divination (+10 pts)
Char4: 1x Knight Crusader (385 pts)
1 with Avenger gatling cannon, Heavy flamer, Titanic feet, Stormspear rocket pod, Meltagun, Questoris heavy stubber, Rapid-fire battle cannon
Char5: 1x Knight Gallant (365 pts)
1 with Reaper chainsword, Thunderstrike gauntlet, Stormspear rocket pod, Meltagun
Enhancement: Crushing Condemnation (+10 pts)
Pregame thoughts - Predicted a 2 on matrix but actually by start of game I had this as a 3 and paired as such. IK are always scary stat check, mobile fast and lots of damage. DG can deal with them but its tough and one of those 'how well do Melta's do into the big Knight' type of swings. I predicted 2 originally as on hidden supplies was worried would fall behind primary early and struggle to get them if pinned in but actually Hammer gave me bit more space to work with. Plan was straightforward - use my chaff pieces and least valuable drone (Fleshmower in this case) to try and bring the Knights forward and hit them with combined melta/Deathshroud then try and roll from their.
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| Deployment from both of us (one Knight behind back left of shot.) Drones spread out to cover middle with my Blight Haulers in the middle A - to be protected by 2 bits of terrain so nothing apart from Lancer could see them, and B - to be central to counter Knights aggression. |
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Alternative view of deployment. I went first, moved Spawn and Poxwalkers up and called it a turn - I could start to shoot up the Lancer in its DZ but it exposes my Drones and given Lancer is out of contagion range its only going to be a bit of chip damage from me (and the hit back is going to be so much harder) so I hold back waiting for them to get closer.
 | A golden wall of armour moves up to take position. I had hoped a Poxwalker might live to be annoying but Lancer murdered them all.
|
|
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| This didn't feel like a subtle 'wait until turn 5 to score game' and any chance it might have been was rather ruined by Knights charging up at me. Given they can stage to essentially anywere next turn its full send time very early for DG. Both terminator units DS from reserve as I start to line up shots. |
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| DG's shooting is excellent, taking out the Lancer after a mix of Blight lord volume of shots, melta's and the odd Heavy Blight Launcher and I have enough shots left over to shoot Canis and soften him up just a little. Spawn and Deathshroud charge him taking Canis out (or at least forcing him to jump out of the Knight.) |
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| Overview going into IK turn 3. |
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| Knight still have some scary damage but are rather overwhelemd by DG units at this stage. They take out a drone with Volcano lance and start chewing through Deathshroud before charging and killing the Prince but its much less damage than DG did to them in my turn. |
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| Slight oddity of the game is at this stage all 6 objectives are sticky by one player or another (4-2 to DG.) Picutre taken at end of DG turn/end of Knights movement in next turn. My army combines to kill the Gallant and soften up the Crusader as well as killing the foot version of Canis for good measure. |
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| The Crusader keeps a modicum of points ticking over for IK as score technically remains reasonably close but mix of cover, and -1 damage neuters its output. The Castellan's Plasma and Volcano lance is more effective, sniping a few drones with great effciently but DG are in full control. |
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| DG move in for the kill in turn 4, another salvo of Melta's and Blight Launchers taking out the wounded Crusader and when Blightlords manage to charge the Castellan the game ends in an big DG win. |
Final Score - Win 89-36 (20-0)
Postgame thoughts - Brutal turn 2 from DG. I could probably leave it their, but killing 2/5 big Knights in a turn just didn't leave IK any wiggle room to deal with. I wonder if IK had accepted a slower game and been patient enough to let DG score a little big on primary if they would have done better with end game scoring as I didn't want to get into a shoot off outside of contagion range - bit of hindsight as full in Knight rush is scary but obviously went badly this time.
As for team mates - well the worse result was a 12-8 win as all 6 of us won for a combined 87-13 to cap a big win and good start to the event.
Round 2 v Try-phoon Goblins ++ On Purge the Foe/Crucible of Battle
Pairings - So GSC was probably the awkward one in pairings - with high oc and lots of screening being a problem for several lists (DG/Daemons and maybe Guard) although Purge was probably the mission to help best with that. Tau also scared be personally having previously fought against the totally balanced Twin Lance (insert mini rant here) and my slow anti-combat army didn't fancy that but was otherwise pretty neutral. We put forward CSM to give them table choice and they ended up with Necrons and they put up Tau which ended up into BA - we thought this was good match up but we didn't factor in table choice which put BA on the light board which ended up being a problem. Otherwisxe I ended up into Custodes, Daemons into CK - all four we predicted wins for with only AM v GSC we predicting a loss for.
Jack Ashers Custodes:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ FACTION KEYWORD: Imperium - Adeptus Custodes
+ DETACHMENT: Talons of the Emperor (Revered Companions)
+ TOTAL ARMY POINTS: 2000pts
+
+ WARLORD: Char1: Inquisitor Draxus
+ ENHANCEMENT:
+ NUMBER OF UNITS: 14
+ SECONDARY: - Bring It Down: (3x4) - Assassination: 2 Characters
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
5x Custodian Guard (200 pts)
• 4x Custodian Guard (Guardian Spear): 4 with Guardian Spear
• 1x Custodian Guard (Vexilla, Praesidium Shield & Misericordia): Vexilla, Misericordia
5x Custodian Guard (200 pts)
• 4x Custodian Guard (Guardian Spear): 4 with Guardian Spear
• 1x Custodian Guard (Vexilla, Praesidium Shield & Misericordia): Vexilla, Misericordia
4x Custodian Guard (160 pts)
• 3x Custodian Guard (Guardian Spear): 3 with Guardian Spear
• 1x Custodian Guard (Vexilla, Praesidium Shield & Misericordia): Vexilla, Misericordia
4x Custodian Guard (160 pts)
• 3x Custodian Guard (Guardian Spear): 3 with Guardian Spear
• 1x Custodian Guard (Vexilla, Praesidium Shield & Misericordia): Vexilla, Misericordia
4x Custodian Guard (160 pts): 4 with Guardian Spear
4x Custodian Guard (160 pts): 4 with Guardian Spear
4x Prosecutors (40 pts)
• 1x Prosecutor Sister Superior: Boltgun, Close combat weapon
• 3x Prosecutor: 3 with Boltgun, Close combat weapon
4x Prosecutors (40 pts)
• 1x Prosecutor Sister Superior: Boltgun, Close combat weapon
• 3x Prosecutor: 3 with Boltgun, Close combat weapon
1x Venerable Land Raider (220 pts): Armoured tracks, 2x Godhammer lascannon, Hunter-killer missile, Storm bolter, Twin heavy bolter
1x Venerable Land Raider (220 pts): Armoured tracks, 2x Godhammer lascannon, Hunter-killer missile, Storm bolter, Twin heavy bolter
1x Venerable Land Raider (220 pts): Armoured tracks, 2x Godhammer lascannon, Hunter-killer missile, Storm bolter, Twin heavy bolter
4x Witchseekers (45 pts)
• 1x Witchseeker Sister Superior: Close combat weapon, Witchseeker flamer
• 3x Witchseeker: 3 with Close combat weapon, Witchseeker flamer
Char2: 1x Inquisitor (65 pts): Force weapon, Combi-weapon, Psychic gifts
Char1: 1x Inquisitor Draxus (110 pts): Warlord, Dirgesinger, Power fist, Psychic Tempest
Pregame thoughts - So played into Custodes a few times and confident its a good game for DG, albeit the third Land Raider does mean if play slow its hard to force the pace if they don't get into Containment range. Not helping by going first either on Purge, this was going to be a slow grind ideally trying to force out units and counter attack. My normal plan v Talons (or other reactive move lists with transports around) is to let them charge something semi tough even if its not valuable, use -1 damage to keep it alive then use Deathshroud to counter attack on the teleport to not give them a chance to reactive back into a transport.
 |
| DG deployment (post scout) I keep Poxwalkers behind the objective on right. I've tend towards not starting them on objectives - whilst stickying turn 1 is nice if I go first, they die if I go second and most of the time people go onto the objective anyway. Hiding them keeps them for turn 2 so they can deny a push and keep my units focused on the middle for a turn longer. |
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| Custodes deployment - Land Raiders in the Centre/top of shot so I counter deploy my melta drones opposite them. WTC means they can only really go one way so they will end up in middle, I just need to force them up in melta range. With Sisters on screening duty against Deathshroud/Blightlords in the backfield Custodes don't have much that can onto middle. |
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| DG turn one is pretty uneventful, some minor moving and spawn going onto middle objective to force response. Two land Raiders shoot the spawn, but a rather unlikely series of 6's keeps a spawn alive - denying both Custodes a kill and giving an early hold more. |
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| Annoyingly blurry shot of big decision point. So I have two options at this stage - just block Custodes in, bank the early points and play slow or go all in. Regular readers know what I'm likely to pick, but seeing BA v Tau go very wrong next to me solidifies the pick. A spawn moves up to test reactive moves and we find the Land Raiders traffic jam has move blocked each other so I move my blight Haulers up to get into melta range. |
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| So my all in does have a problem of leaving space in backfield for Custodes in rapid ingress to come in to my backfield. Whilst I don't love it, its a risk I can accept. I think I'll probably hold one in the middle anyway which is enough for Purge and I'm playing for sheer damage more than the mission this turn anyway. I also have terminators in reserve to react next turn if needed. |
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| Those who read regularly or saw me on ITT stream know that I started turn 2 in my last game v Custodes as DG by one shotting a Land Raider with a Blight Hauler drone's melta and I essentially repeat the trick (having to fire the missile launcher too this time...how tragic.) One Custodes squad gets out and I unleash my Heavy Blight Launchers into them and cut them down and mass rush the Land Raider, whilst I don't do much damage keep it pinned in place. On the right Poxwalkers are still alive having not 'wasted' them turn one on the objective so charge some Sisters to take the objective. |
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| DG have a great start on damage as Custodian Guard start to move up to counter attack. |
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| Custodes in my backfield prepare to try and cause a nuisance - Tallyman looks on a bit worried! |
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| I Rapid Ingress my Blightlords to counter the threat - I string them back so they are within 6 of Tallyman so they can Heroic if needed whilst trying to keep them a threat in the middle. They dissuade Custodes in backfield charging my home and instead go into objective at top of shot. Custodes end up taking out a couple of Drones, but end up losing Draxus's unit to Daemon Prince (with tiny bit of help from Leechspore Eruption to finish her off.) |
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| DG are close range with Custodes going into their turn. I unleash the Deathshroud and smash the south objective and Blightlords charge into the middle. The game is over beyond doubt now, its about teams points. |
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| Game descends into an odd race with Custodes trying to table themself if they can't score points so I can't get kill/kill more in final turns. |
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| Land Raider is charged and I manage to dislodge Custodes from home objective to stop any hold for them. I have no prisoners so encouraged to get kills and leave Custodes with just the Sister squad next to my Deathshroud, they charge in to kill themself (sadly being successful) and deny me what turns out to be 2 points on Purge foe having near maxed it. I redraw a secondary trying to upgrade a 4 to a 5 point one to give me a 20-0 but only draw another 4 ending up a point off. |
Final score 91-41 to DG (19-1)
Postgame thoughts - So this ended up being oddly frustrating as you'll see why in a second. Lets start with the good, like the entire result and 99% of the game. Spawn living turn one was a pretty good stroke of luck and the Land Raiders move blocking each other gave me some easy targets to get the damage rolling and it just didn't really stop - if Custodes end up on backfoot v DG it can be really brutal real fast as it showed. The frustration was the lack of 20-0. To be fair Jack did really well to stop 20-0 killing his own units to stop me scoring Purge kills in turn 5, and I needed a single extra point to get the 20-0, redrawing a easy 4 trying to get a 5 point secondary but failing to do so. Hopefully that point doesn't cost us.
Team score 45-55 - 1 point off a draw. AAAAAAAAAAAGH. No this didn't burn us up after, why ask. I ended up being the only win for us (having seen how badly thing were going and doing my best to push hard, not that I need much encouragement!) Jack C managed a 10-10 into GSC and Jack A part salvaged a game that went very wrong very quickly into Tau to keep it to 14-6 when it looked like a 20-0 at one stage. Combing with loss for Luke we need 5 points from our Daemons v CK game...only to find out Gummer hadn't logged final score and had got '4 or 5 points' as we waited for their CK player to return to confirm the score. In the end we were put out of our misery in the cruellest of ways to loss by a single point against eventual event winners (who at least we ran closest.)
Round 3 v Team Hive Mind on Take and Hold/Crucible of battle.
My long time club v my 'new' local club with very important bragging rights at hand. Up against Tau/Votan Nids, Orks and CSM - interestingly despite Dom being on the best players on the circuit we pretty much a probably undue sense of confidence into it predicting 4s across the board. So with Votann not seen as a threat Tau was the awkward one with no one predicted better than a 3 - it was going to be a case of someone taking one for a the team. With that in mind we really wanted our hammers to really hammer - Jack A went first with BA with a strong matrix and board choice meaning he was confident into most things and some real upsides. He ended up into Votan whereas they put up CSM - me and Jack C's Guard were both confident into this and they picked Guard.
Second pairings we had a better matrix for Gummer, but I pulled rank and put myself as second defender. This was a gut feel based on inside knowledge A - suspecting they wanted Tau as next defender and B - feeling that I could push my good results harder than Gummer's daemons (which given the vast amount of OC they had on remaining picks felt possibly a tad ambitious.) This ended up with me having a choice of Ryan's Nids or Dave's Orks, 2 very OC heavy armies. Depending on who you I ask I either bravely chose to face Orks, or more accurately cowardly ran away from Ryan who I haven't ever beaten in singles. Reason for this was strategic to be fair - me v Ryan was almost certainly a 10-10 draw and I felt I had to be greedier than that, and whilst Orks were going to cause their own problems I had a better chance of pushing that. To finish the round up Tau went into Daemons and CSM went into Nids.
Dave Mannering's Orks
March Teams- War Horde (2000 points)
Orks
Strike Force (2000 points)
War Horde
CHARACTERS
Beastboss (95 points)
• 1x Beast Snagga klaw
1x Beastchoppa
1x Shoota
• Enhancement: Supa-Cybork Body
Beastboss (80 points)
• 1x Beast Snagga klaw
1x Beastchoppa
1x Shoota
Ghazghkull Thraka (235 points)
• 1x Ghazghkull Thraka
• Warlord
• 1x Gork’s Klaw
1x Mork’s Roar
• 1x Makari
• 1x Makari’s stabba
Painboy (105 points)
• 1x Power klaw
1x ’Urty syringe
• Enhancement: Follow Me Ladz
BATTLELINE
Beast Snagga Boyz (95 points)
• 9x Beast Snagga Boy
• 9x Choppa
9x Slugga
• 1x Beast Snagga Nob
• 1x Power snappa
1x Slugga
Beast Snagga Boyz (95 points)
• 9x Beast Snagga Boy
• 9x Choppa
9x Slugga
• 1x Beast Snagga Nob
• 1x Power snappa
1x Slugga
Beast Snagga Boyz (95 points)
• 9x Beast Snagga Boy
• 9x Choppa
9x Slugga
• 1x Beast Snagga Nob
• 1x Power snappa
1x Slugga
Beast Snagga Boyz (95 points)
• 9x Beast Snagga Boy
• 9x Choppa
9x Slugga
• 1x Beast Snagga Nob
• 1x Power snappa
1x Slugga
Boyz (170 points)
• 19x Boy
• 19x Choppa
19x Slugga
• 1x Boss Nob
• 1x Power klaw
1x Slugga
OTHER DATASHEETS
Battlewagon (160 points)
• 4x Big shoota
1x Deff rolla
1x Grabbin’ klaw
1x Lobba
1x Wreckin’ ball
1x Zzap gun
1x ’Ard Case
Flash Gitz (80 points)
• 1x Ammo Runt
• 1x Kaptin
• 1x Choppa
1x Snazzgun
• 4x Flash Git
• 4x Choppa
4x Snazzgun
Flash Gitz (80 points)
• 1x Ammo Runt
• 1x Kaptin
• 1x Choppa
1x Snazzgun
• 4x Flash Git
• 4x Choppa
4x Snazzgun
Gretchin (40 points)
• 10x Gretchin
• 10x Close combat weapon
10x Grot blasta
• 1x Runtherd
• 1x Runtherd tools
1x Slugga
Gretchin (40 points)
• 10x Gretchin
• 10x Close combat weapon
10x Grot blasta
• 1x Runtherd
• 1x Runtherd tools
1x Slugga
Gretchin (40 points)
• 10x Gretchin
• 10x Close combat weapon
10x Grot blasta
• 1x Runtherd
• 1x Runtherd tools
1x Slugga
Kill Rig (155 points)
• 1x Butcha boyz
1x Savage horns and hooves
1x Saw blades
1x Stikka kannon
1x Wurrtower
1x ’Eavy lobba
Kill Rig (155 points)
• 1x Butcha boyz
1x Savage horns and hooves
1x Saw blades
1x Stikka kannon
1x Wurrtower
1x ’Eavy lobba
Kommandos (120 points)
• 1x Bomb Squig
1x Distraction Grot
• 9x Kommando
• 1x Breacha ram
8x Choppa
8x Slugga
• 1x Boss Nob
• 1x Power klaw
1x Slugga
Stormboyz (65 points)
• 4x Stormboy
• 4x Choppa
4x Slugga
• 1x Boss Nob
• 1x Power klaw
1x Slugga
Pregame thoughts - Probably should have googled what Beast Snagga Boyz did before putting this as a 4! Got a bit scared seeing all the anti tank tech their was and I whilst I went -1 to hit contagion it almost didn't matter the amount of re-roll hits (and crit 5s) Orks had against me! Dave's always a tough game and the sheer amount of OC and bodies meant I was going to struggle to hold objectives. The 'good' news was the lack of good targets for Blight Haulers meant I could be pretty reckless with them and whilst my chaff couldn't get bullied or hold objectives, it was at least not trivial to kill. Ghaz brick was the big problem - anything else I could probably take a charge from and be ok but not so for Ghaz and it was going to be incredibly hard to alpha strike though given his speed and my lack of. Try and bait out Waagh with my chaff and Blight Haulers, counter attack as normal.
 |
| DG deployment - had choice of a lighter board v Orks which I gladly took (and took away from Tau) Poxwalkers in the middle whilst ranged drones held around middle to get best angles. 2 Blight Haulers up top to try and keep the Kill Rig's honest - even either blast profile wasn't going to do much into Horde of boys so trading them out for that/tempo wasn't bad. |
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| My reserves - all the terminators. I did consider Blightlords on the table in case of an all in rush this time but did keep them in reserve. |
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| Ork deployment - as aggressive to the line as they can be whilst respecting DG ranged threats. |
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| Orks go first and send stormboyz to take out Poxwalkers - a few live so I can sticky top objective and Spawn Heroic to take a few stormboyz out in return. |
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| I decide not to play passively v Orks and force a bad Waagh - I don't want to wait for it as I can't really commit the terminators before it goes. Theirs a mountain of OC on the objective and I throw units at the problem. I soften up kill rig with shooting and manage to kill it combat, take out a Kommando unit and start chipping away at gretchin. |
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| Top objective I stand off - I don't want Orks to hit me everywhere as once. Spawn claim the middle trying to bait Ghaz out whilst I leave top objective easy prey for the Kill rig and its contents, but with units nearby ready to attack (at a range that's not easy even in Waaaagh to get to.) |
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| Orks turn and they have a big decision - they elect not to Waaagh and keep Ghaz back. |
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| Stand off continues at the top - I nearly get a 15 on primary early but the Kill rig high rolls a bit and kills both Spawn with its shooting. |
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| An early -1 damage spend against the Flash Gitz helps keep the drone around and with me as a presence on the flank. |
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| As Orks haven't seized the tempo I have a chance to set it and rapid ingress the Blightlords after checking if the flamers can get to Ghaz's brick after they move - they can and it A - helps stop Orks charging onto the objective and gives me a chance to soften up Ghaz's squad before he can get to me. |
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| I keep tempo slow at top - but have to commit a drone to stop Orks ingressingonto the objective now. Blight Hauler moves up to spread contagtion range to Ghaz and just get in the way a bit |
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| Poxwalkers form a semi screen against Ghaz, at least limiting his options a little. |
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| Beastsnagga's rapid Ingress in to threaten my objective as Orks now feel pushed for tempo. |
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| Blightlords smash their way onto the objective and kill 13 of Ghaz's boyz squad with their shooting through the 5+ FNPas well. |
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| Ork turn and Ghaz moves in to counter attack - I overwatch and finish off the boyz squad and end just short of killing the Painboy as well. Would have loved to do 2 more damage and take out Makari but alas not to be. |
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| Orks send a green wave at middle/top objective. |
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| Orks prepare to throw a huge wave of bodies at DG. I can't find a good spot for Deathshroud so hold them back for my turn. |
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| Poxwalkers aren't going to last long against the Orks, as they prepare to tag my Drone with their charge |
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| Another wave of green up top - Orks did call the Waagh if you couldn't already guess! |
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| Prince Heroics in the middle top stop Orks tagging the drone - it doesn't work but he keeps it from being hit at the cost of some very nasty punches to the face. I try and epic challenge the Beastboss out but only do 3 damage. |
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| I went for an interrupt with this drone....and killed I think one Ork! It was about this point results from other games were going in and was aware we were falling behind overall as a team. |
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| The passive start has given me lots of CP to burn this turn but -1 damage doesn't help against Ghaz as waves of Orks dislodge me from the objective even if a few Blightlords hang on. I lose control but take the Flash Gitz with me - preferring to take them out than risk my luck against the 2+ invul. |
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| I need to respond and have a very odd mix of luck. Deathshroud come in trying to charge into the intact squad in the middle - failing their 6 in charge with a re-roll. We know now Dave needs 7 points from the game to secure a win for Hive Mind and I worry he's going to get their with the failed charge. I charge a Blight Launcher drone in and it does a max 6 mortals (7 success's but capped) to clear most of the squad before Prince manages to finish them off. |
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| Blightlords fall back to deny objective and size awaiting Ghaz's next onslaught. |
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| I throw everything I have at the top left objective, the Blight Haulers meltas helping to take out the Kill Rig as I hold the objective and clear most of the Orks from the table. |
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| Most sadly doesn't mean all as Ghaz and his next wave crash into Blightlords to take them out but it commits the last of Orks to the flank. |
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| Difference in teams and singles here - Deathshroud go after Ork home objective to ensure no primary for Orks to push differential rather than make sure I kill the Ork damage dealers - it does give Orks a technical chance to get back into the game as a result but as it turns out I manage to throw enough at Orks expansion to deny it to them (killing Ghaz in the process) and secure a solid win for DG. |
Final score 94-57 win for DG (17-3)
Postgame thoughts - So this game went to time and about turn 3/4 the other results were coming in, big wins either way cancelling each other out and 2 solid/strong wins for Hive Mind meant I had to push as much as possible with Dave needing 7 points to secure the win for Hive Mind - the game was pretty deadlocked until final turn whilst I was happy I was going to get the win, I wasn't sure I was going to stop Dave getting to 7 especially when Deathshroud failed their 6 inch charge (even with re-roll.) Thankfully the tank shocking drone doing 7 mortals (capping at 6 ofc, but 7 5+s to even have to check their was a cap on tank shock was incredible) restored the balance. We spoke after and agreed Dave went a bit defensive - whilst his Waagh on turn 2 wouldn't have done much damage, it gave me field position and allowed me to strike first, essentially with shooting + overwatch killing Ghaz's mates to limit their output and have the fight in Orks part of the table rather than mine. Dave played a very similar DG list next round and Waaaghed on 2 and got a 20-0 rather to prove the point.
Team score - given away above somewhat but an honourable 48-52 draw that was very hard fought. Jack A managed to 20-0 Votann but sadly a 0-20 for Luke into Ryan's Nids evened up and whilst we we happy with 7-13 loss for Daemons into Tau, Jack C's got overrun by CSM 4-16 to keep things very even!
Round 4 v Ragnarok Defenders - Scorched Earth/Tipping Point
Up against Space Wolf, Sisters, Custodes, Necrons and Orks. This was probably the best overall matrix for me (whilst mine normally pretty 'flat' I had 3 good and no bad match ups albeit I didn't fancy Orks again.) Similar to last round we put forward Jack A first to give his BA a good table and avoid his own bad (Necrons) and ended up into Space Wolfs. They put forward Sisters and ended up picking Daemons (instead of my DG.) Luke went up as second defender and we put him into Orks (a match up I kept talking up, which might have just been so I didn't have to deal with all that OC again) whilst I ended up into Custodes and Jack C's Guard went into Crons.
Matt Cahill's Custodes:
Golden convoy (1995 Points)
Adeptus Custodes
Talons of the Emperor
Strike Force (2,000 Points)
BATTLELINE
Custodian Guard (160 Points)
• 4x Custodian Guard
◦ 4x Guardian spear
Custodian Guard (200 Points)
• 5x Custodian Guard
◦ 4x Guardian spear
◦ 1x Misericordia
◦ 1x Praesidium Shield
◦ 1x Vexilla
Custodian Guard (200 Points)
• 5x Custodian Guard
◦ 4x Guardian spear
◦ 1x Misericordia
◦ 1x Praesidium Shield
◦ 1x Vexilla
Custodian Guard (160 Points)
• 4x Custodian Guard
◦ 4x Guardian spear
OTHER DATASHEETS
Allarus Custodians (275 Points)
• 5x Allarus Custodian
◦ 5x Balistus grenade launcher
◦ 5x Guardian spear
Prosecutors (40 Points)
• 1x Prosecutor Sister Superior
◦ 1x Boltgun
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
• 3x Prosecutor
◦ 3x Boltgun
◦ 3x Close combat weapon
Venerable Land Raider (220 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 2x Godhammer lascannon
• 1x Hunter-killer missile
• 1x Storm bolter
• 1x Twin heavy bolter
Venerable Land Raider (220 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 2x Godhammer lascannon
• 1x Hunter-killer missile
• 1x Storm bolter
• 1x Twin heavy bolter
Venerable Land Raider (220 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 2x Godhammer lascannon
• 1x Hunter-killer missile
• 1x Storm bolter
• 1x Twin heavy bolter
Vigilators (45 Points)
• 1x Vigilator Sister Superior
◦ 1x Executioner greatblade
• 3x Vigilator
◦ 3x Executioner greatblade
Vigilators (45 Points)
• 1x Vigilator Sister Superior
◦ 1x Executioner greatblade
• 3x Vigilator
◦ 3x Executioner greatblade
Witchseekers (45 Points)
• 1x Witchseeker Sister Superior
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Witchseeker flamer
• 3x Witchseeker
◦ 3x Close combat weapon
◦ 3x Witchseeker flamer
ALLIED UNITS
Callidus Assassin (100 Points)
• 1x Neural shredder
• 1x Phase sword and poison blades
Inquisitor (65 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Blessed Wardings
• 1x Bolt pistol
• 1x Inquisitorial melee weapon
Pregame thoughts - I'd seen Matt around a few times at local events but first time had the pleasure of playing him. Otherwise well, its a Custodes list again, no Draxus is nice but Callidus has its own problems (although DG's excellent CP economy did limit the extent of how worried I was about it.) Otherwise, well see my pregame thoughts last time - try and draw Custodes in and hit them hard after!
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| Custodes go first, similar to last Custodes game I put Poxwalkers behind a plate - Custodes either can get on objective safley or get aggressive into Poxwalkers but expose themself. A squad disembarks onto the objective (next turn possibly I don't recall) and Poxwalkers contest it - they readjust to get more bodies on to have more OC on objective (Poxwalkers certainly aren't charging them) but it forces the reactive move to be here. |
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| DG deployment - with Land Raiders again likely funnelled towards open middle melta drones central ready to attack anything that moves up. DG going second puts the pressure on Custodes to score given the last game scoring of Scorched Earth. |
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| Whilst I can get some pot shots on Land Raiders, similar to Knights I hold fire and hide, waiting for Custodes to get into Contagion range were I have a much better chance to take them out and avoid a shoot out with Lascannon Land Raiders. Matt senses my attention and decides to get aggressive on scoreboard, unloading a Custodes squad and starting to burn my (previously sticked) expansion objective |
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| A couple of Sisters move onto objective as well as Custodes throw OC at the objective, suddenly DG forced to press accelerator but not in a bad position to do so. |
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| Gummer playing on table next to me as I watch Skarbrand trade for a 40ish point unit on Sister home field. It seems like an odd decision until I found out it Vahl had needed to Rapid Ingress and sat out the rest of the game babysitting the home objective instead of fighting the rest of the greater daemons. |
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| I try and repeat my trick of one shotting a Land Raider with a melta drone...but sadly odds come back the other way as my Drones fail to force a single save with their combined meltas. I switch my damage up and unleash my Blight Launchers into the Custodian guard and take most of the squad out outside from the Inquisitor. Deathshroud teleport in to attack Custodian guard on the closer objective (hurrah for no 1 inch from wall stopping them.) |
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| Poxwalker sick of waiting for Custodes to come fight them in open go after Sisters behind the right ruin to try and get rid of some screens and spend 3 combats trying to kill the last one. With a couple of Guard squads dead and the rest scared of Deathshoud the focus switches to 3 Land Raiders who start to shoot my drones away. |
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| DG manage to defend their expansion objective from being burnt so whilst Land Raiders are taking out drones I hurl spawn at them - I charge the Inquistor but roll an impressive 5 or 6 ones to wound and fail to kill her so I can't tag the Raider. It dies after attacking the spawn to a cheeky mortal but I can't consolidate. |
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| Skipping over Custodian turn and half of my next! Land Raiders keep wracking up attrition damage as I find them hard to shift with 2/3 Melta drones killed and the other gets pinned in combat by Allarus squad. If your wondering were the Allarus squad is, it Rapid ingressed behind top left ruin, charges on, got demolished by combination of Blight Haulers and Blight Lords shooting who then managed a 9 inch charge into Land Raider. Only one can swing into it but it boosts them upfield. Matt is about 15-20 points ahead at this stage, combination of primary and secondary (my draws aren't great) as I try and push tempo. |
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| Whilst I kill Allarus well, I finish the turn with all 3 Land Raiders still on the table despite repeated charges into them. I do just manage to out OC it to deny Custodes primary. |
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| Overview going into Custodes turn. They blast away at my Daemon Prince and take it out but are running out of combat threat to push me back so I try and go full send. |
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| Guard charge my Poxwalkers to take out and asset/for an easy Overwhelming force and I heroic with Deathshroud - party to get them upfield, party to kill as they take out 2. They take me out of combat and I rather foolishly move them next turn allowing the Guard to react away out of easy reach so I go back in after Sisters and Land Raider instead. |
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| DG turn 4 - manage to take out 2 Land Raiders and Spawn get to (but don't control) Custodes home objective. |
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| I burn a no mans land objective as I throw everything upfield as best I can. |
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| Last turn and scores are essentially deadlocked. I need to burn Custodes home which I can only do with Spawn, who survive the turn. My Blightlords chop down the Sisters so I just need to kill the Land Raider. I throw everything at it, eventually getting it down to 4 or 5 wounds. My Blightlords inflict 4 saves on it in combat and thankfully is fails 3 to die to the last possible dice of the game as I manage a late burn of Custodes objective. |
Final Score - 88-69 (13-7)
Postgame thoughts - Close finish - Matt honestly a bit unlucky not to get a draw with a 30 point final turn from DG sneaking them ahead with literal last dice of game. So why the difference in this and other Custodes game? Not getting a successful wound or lethal with my Multi Meltas until turn 5 wasn't ideal as I struggled to crack the Land Raiders, but Matt was also very smart in how he used them to recycle units and force the tempo keeping me reactive and not able to really all out attack until very late despite my best efforts. Going into my turn 4 all 3 Land Raiders were still around and keeping the damage up which has been very different to my other games against Custodes! Going for an early burn of my expansion objective was a costly trade down in point but when I couldn't risk failure it meant I couldn't pressure elsewhere and it so nearly brought enough time for Custodes to capitalise elsewhere.
Team Score - 3 games all very close with me/Luke/Gummer all around drawish but big wins for both Jack's (39-1 between them) meant round was secured early and was nice to relax especially as I'd hoped for little more against Custodes given how it had gone previously!
Round 5 v Gothic Games Canterbury
Pairings - Up against Guard, Imperial Knights, CSM, Necrons and Nids....all on the stat heavy side. Best exemplified by the Nids running a goddam Hierophant. Could it leave its deployment on any map - no, was it awesome yes (we all felt confident into that list as a result.) Again a flat matrix left me versatile and we put Jack's Blood Angels first up to choose a map (I think the convention is to put a shooty army up first on light but felt more confident in our matrix doing opposite.) BA ended up into IK and they put forward Nid - as we all felt confident into it we put our two armies with the worse other match ups forward and they chose CSM. Pairings ended up with me into CSM, the Guard mirror and Daemons into Necrons.
Will Osborne's CSM:
Praeconium Arkifanae, Deus Obscurus Machinae (1995 points)
Chaos Space Marines
Strike Force (2000 points)
Renegade Warband
CHARACTERS
Lord Discordant on Helstalker (160 points)
• 1x Baleflamer
1x Bladed limbs
1x Bolt Pistol
1x Impaler chainglaive
1x Magma cutter
Lord Discordant on Helstalker (160 points)
• 1x Baleflamer
1x Bladed limbs
1x Bolt Pistol
1x Impaler chainglaive
1x Magma cutter
Vashtorr the Arkifane (175 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Vashtorr’s claw
1x Vashtorr’s hammer
Warpsmith (105 points)
• 1x Flamer tendril
1x Forge weapon
1x Melta tendril
1x Plasma pistol
• Enhancement: Weaponised Hatred
BATTLELINE
Cultist Mob (50 points)
• 1x Cultist Champion
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Brutal assault weapon
• 9x Chaos Cultist
• 9x Autopistol
9x Brutal assault weapon
Cultist Mob (50 points)
• 1x Cultist Champion
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Brutal assault weapon
• 9x Chaos Cultist
• 9x Autopistol
9x Brutal assault weapon
OTHER DATASHEETS
Chaos Vindicator (185 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-weapon
1x Demolisher cannon
1x Havoc launcher
Forgefiend (170 points)
• 1x Armoured limbs
3x Ectoplasma cannon
Forgefiend (170 points)
• 1x Armoured limbs
3x Ectoplasma cannon
Helbrute (130 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Helbrute fist
1x Helbrute hammer
Maulerfiend (130 points)
• 2x Magma cutters
1x Maulerfiend fists
Maulerfiend (130 points)
• 1x Lasher tendrils
1x Maulerfiend fists
Obliterators (160 points)
• 2x Obliterator
• 2x Crushing fists
2x Fleshmetal guns
Venomcrawler (110 points)
• 2x Excruciator cannon
1x Soulflayer tendrils and claws
Venomcrawler (110 points)
• 2x Excruciator cannon
1x Soulflayer tendrils and claws
Pregame thoughts: Well I can't say how disappointed I was with the new nerfs to Renegade Warband I name my list after it and lose can I? So little bit of pressure especially when I saw the sheer volume of guns again. That said, theirs virtually no chaff and going second I elected to play slow and see what I could bait out. My tablet had also randomly lost all its batter so any photos from phone so different quality.
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| DG deployment - I was pretty confident but amount of fast guns on CSM side was scary! Poxwalkers stage up to deny. Given how open middle is most of my drones hot the middle. I got second so happy to play slow and wait for CSM to commit in some pretty brutal firing lanes (I had map choice.) |
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| CSM deployment - the sheer amount of daemon engines meant some like the Maulerfiend were very far back to stay safe. I think theirs an argument for a more aggressive playstyle from CSM turn 1 as for example top right Maulerfiend is essentially out of game bar screening for 3 turns. |
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| Close in view of my deployment and dice box (and deployment). Yes it is an old chocolate box and accidentally leaving at peoples house in past has caused some disappoint when opened. I hope the lore on my dice box has caused additional enlightenment to your day. |
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| CSM turn 1 - they establish the middle but can't get on it. DG turn - I move poxwalkers onto CSM expansion objective next to Vindicator and Establish the middle with spawn. Not a dice rolled in anger yet. |
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| Given Renegade Warband can fall back and do whatever I elect not to charge, just deny the objective. Also CP counter on left of shots gets pretty high very quickly as mix of tallyman/bad secondary objectives and lack of action means we bank them up very quickly and don't use. |
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| Skipping an entire turn in the pictures - Vashtor and a Daemon Engine moved up to take out my spawn and stage and were taken out by my shooting which remained hanging back. Going into CSM turn 3 and very little has happened and they haven't really shot in anger at anything meaningful. |
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| CSM have to force pace and start to move up trying to cause DG some problems |
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| Reverse shot of CSM deployment |
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| Shot from other side of table - Obliterators deep strike into my DZ and I Rapid Ingress terminators to secure the objective incase they kill the Drone. Despite 2 CP spent, they fail to kill it. |
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| With CSM still essentially not throwing a punch but committed its opened up for DG to attack. |
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| I ignore the Obliterators, sending only the Drone to attack them (they are too slow to get to objective unless they charge on) so given its stickied I just leave it and focus on full sending at CSM |
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| Both Forgefiends are shot off the table and a Venomcrawler is taken out in combat - after a turn like that its a shame that the Maulerfiend survived 3 Daemon Engines and Prince and the Deathshroud failed their charge with a re-roll...but given CSM have lost 5 proper units and DG have lost some spawn and half a poxwalker unit I can't complain! |
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| Table next to me, just had to showcase how big the Hierophant was and how hard it was to actually move anywhere (although as we all learnt it can heroic intervene.) |
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| CSM technically have a turn 4, but its so bad they would genuinely have better doing nothing. Vindicator does 0 damage, Maulerfiend kills some spawn and I kill a Hellbrute and finish the Maulerfiend in combat. Next turn I charge onto CSM home objective and everything in the middle is destroyed. |
Final Score - 84-39 (18-2) win for DG
Postgame thoughts - This was an odd one, almost nothing over 2 turns then everything happening all at once as DG delivered a typically brutal counter attack. Jack A finished his game very early and walked through about turn asking how it was going and I said felt like possibly a small win. He came back about 10 mins later after my shooting and I said certainly a big win - the turn had gone so well that Deathshroud failing their charge into a Vindicator with a re-roll was a footnote rather than even a shame - and any chance CSM had to respond went when the Vindicator did 0 damage to them in return as CSM went from almost full strength to tabled in essentially 2 turns of damage.
Team score - 4 big wins from CSM/BA/DG and Guard (worst 14-6) put us in a winning position very quickly with Daemons losing 3-17 the only win as we won 75-25.
So it was going to close to see if we managed to podium but ended up just short in 4th (any one of of 4 extra VP's in our game v Hive Mind, or 1 in our round 2 game, or 7 elsewhere would have snuck us on podium.) We had a pretty tough run playing 1st, 3rd, 5th teams and the played 4 of the top 5 individually ranked players, and given the other one was me was impossible to play (at least until Bile clones me.) I finished 2nd a few VP's behind Will B (Team England on Tau) with Jack A finishing 8th, Jack C 14th, Luke 38th and Gummer 42nd out of 76 registered players (albeit with a few drops.)
As for the list, well I mentioned I have tried experimenting with it but just came back to this so wouldn't make any changes - if forced to I might try dropping the Deathshroud/LoC and a Spawn for Morty....but I wouldn't. 6 Inch deep strike just free's up Rapid Ingress for the Blightlords if needed and the Spawn just cause so many headaches for opponents and set up game so nicely.
Next time - Probably teams, and even more probably Death Guard again.
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