3rd battle

3rd battle versus a classic Space Wolf army...

Very interesting mission - deployment is pitched battle and any non vehicle unit you get into the enemy half of the table scores you a battle point. You can also score some additional points by killing an enemy HQ selected by your opponent - I chose my Bloodthirster. Here was my opponent's abbreviated army list (very beautifully painted and modeled):

Rune Priest
Rune Priest
Wolf Priest - jump pack

• 5x Grey Hunter - meltagun, Wulfen, plasma pistol, w. WGL/combi melta & power fist; laserback
• 5x Grey Hunter - plasma gun, Wulfen, plasma pistol w. WGL/combi plasma & power fist; laserback
• 8x Grey Hunter/meltagun, Wulfen, plasma pistol w. WGL/plasma pistol & power fist; rhino {one Rune Priest here}
• 8x Grey Hunter/plasmagun, Wulfen, plasma pistol w. WGL/plasma pistol & power fist; rhino {one Rune Priest here}

9x Storm Claws - power fist & Wulfen

5x Long Fangs - 3x ML & 2x LC; bolterback
5x Long Fangs - 3x ML & 2x LC; bolterback
4x Long Fangs - 3x ML & LC

A very shooty SW army for sure and very tactical. It should be no problem for me to get lots of my units into his half of the table but I'll need to stop his rhino squads and possibly razorbacks he if decided to mount an armored rush to my side of the table.

This game I lose the roll and have to go first. I do get my preferred wave though finally...

Soul Grinder, Soul Grinder, Bloodletters

I decided to go with a small initial wave and see how my opponent was going to react, then my heavy hitters could come in and turn the tide. This turned out to be a very close game and I needed a win since I was the only player to win the first two games but did not get any points for the secondary objectives. So again I was on the top table and the TO moved us to a very nice tabletop from GW with ample terrain (but not too much either).

So both walkers land and I try to position them so they drop their pieplates but get cover from all the combined SW shooting. He had lots of firepower I would have to weather the first couple of turns so I knew it would be rough. The Bloodletters landed beside a building off to my far left keeping them out of harm's way. One of my walkers dropped a pieplate that hit all four Long Fangs but they made all their cover saves (drat !!). The second walker dropped his pieplate on a laserback and popped it. Not a great start but then again I was waiting to see what my opponent would do. The Space Wolves then countered with little movement and managed to destroy one of my walkers.

Second turn in comes the rest of my army and I roll a hit for each unit !! Big squad of Bloodletters land in temple close to the SW (they will be able to assault the next turn)... I pass all my dangerous terrain tests and they run up right on the edge of the temerity staring down the Space Wolves. Crushers land right in front of the SW gunline, they also will be able to assault next turn. I bring in Big Pappy and Junior over to my far left to run down a couple of rhino squads. My walker then fires another pieplate and this time kills a couple of Long Fangs but they hold. So now it's the SW turn - they will have to shoot as much as possible while they still have the majority of their guns. Most of the ranged shooting is targeted at Big Pappy but he manages to survive with one wound left. All the rapid fire goes into the big squad of Bloodletters and they are whittled down to half size then the Wolf Priest leads the Sky Claws on a charge into the survivors. Six Sky Claws are shredded and I lose three more lesser daemons.

3rd turn is obviously going to be a big turn as now all my heavy hitters are in position to charge. Crushers spread out to hit as many units as possible plus lend a claw to my Bloodletters engaged with the Wolf Priest & Sky Claws. They sally forth destroying a squad of Grey Hunters and two squads of exposed Long Fangs plus wipeout the Wolf Priest and last of the Sky Claws. Nicely done. Big Pappy and Junior tagteam a rhino squad over to my far left and explode it surrounding the survivors. SW answer back with the other two squads of Grey Hunters mounting up and making a forward run towards my half of the table with the pair of Rune Priests in tow. I won't be able to catch them as Big Pappy and Junior are on the opposite side of the table. So it ends up my opponent can get four separate units into my half (Grey Hunter x2 & Rune Priest x2) while I end up with five in his half (Big Pappy, Junior, both squads of Bloodletters and my Crushers). Note that my two Heralds split off to go after the embarked units tearing through the last squad of Long Fangs but were both eventually gunned down by rapid fire.

So like I said a very close game. I seal the deal with three wins, taking my second best overall with my KDA.

G