I was able to get in a game this past weekend versus a good buddy over in Tampa. He usually kicks my butt so I was looking forward to the game... I wanted a little vengeance! We decided to use the standard mission for BeakyCon:
1st Objective - Seize Ground (3 markers)
2nd Objective - Capture & Control
3rd Objective - Annihilation
Deployment - Dawn of War
Whoever wins the most objectives win the game, so all three are equally weighted. If there is an overall draw on the objectives then the winner is decided by pure victory points. The table was setup with City Fight terrain - lots of LOS blocking. I won the roll to place markers for Seize Ground - my two were placed towards the center of the table with one inside a ruin... My opponent placed his back in a table corner. My opponent then won the roll for deployment and opted to go second. Going second in DoW typically favors a mobile shooty army but is at a disadvantage for taking markers.
Grey Knight Army List
- HQ -
Lord Khaldor Draigo
Librarian - Might of Titans, Quicksilver, Sanctuary, Shrouding & Warp Rift
- Troops -
10x Grey Knight Terminator incl. Justicar Thawn:
8x Halberd, daemonhammer, 2x psycannon & psybolt ammo
10x Paladin:
3x pair of Falchions, 4x daemonhammer, sword, 4x psycannon & psybolt ammo
NOTE
The Paladins were split as follows into combat squads:
Squad Alpha
4x psycannon, 3x daemonhammer & sword
Squad Bravo (Draigo's bodyguard)
3x pair of falchions & daemonhammer
- Heavy Support -
Landraider Crusader:
psybolt ammo
Blood Angels
- HQ-
Librarian - Blood Lance & Shield of Sanguinius
Librarian - Blood Lance & Shield of Sanguinius
- Elites -
Honorguard:
2x meltagun & 2x flamer
Rhino - dozer blades
8x Sternguard:
7x combi-melta & heavy flamer
Rhino - dozer blades
8x Sternguard:
7x combi-melta & heavy flamer
Rhino - dozer blades
- Troops -
5x assault Marine:
flamer
Razorback - twin linked plasmagun & lascannon turret; dozer blades
5x assault Marine:
flamer
Razorback - twin linked plasmagun & lascannon turret; dozer blades
5x assault Marine:
flamer
Razorback - twin linked plasmagun & lascannon turret; dozer blades
5x assault Marine:
meltagun
Razorback - twin linked plasmagun & lascannon turret; dozer blades
- Fast Attack -
Landspeeder - heavy flamer & multi-melta
Landspeeder - heavy flamer & multi-melta
- Heavy Support -
Rifleman dreadnaught
Rifleman dreadnaught
Grand Strategy
I roll a 4 on 1d3 and granted both squads (Paladins & Grey Knight terminators) with the ability to reroll wounds on the roll of any 1s.
Red Thirst
One squad of assault Marines succumb - that's it.
Pre Game Analysis
I was feeling quite concerned about the two squads of Sternguard toting all those combi-meltas as either unit can wreck any of mine save for Draigo. My plan was as follows:
- Keep a safe distance from the Sternguard accordingly while initially focusing fire on the razorbacks and landspeeders to remove the low AP insta gib shooting (lascannons & multi-meltas)... Plus I didn't want to lose my tank early on from a strafing landspeeder.
- If any worthwhile shooting presented itself for the Sternguard rhinos that would become the first priority.
- Move the Librarian attached to the terminators towards the center of the table and engage as many enemy units as quickly as possible.
- Save Draigo (attached to the choppy Paladin combat squad) to hold objectives late in the game and clear off any enemy unit that made their way over in contesting range of my markers.
Grey Knight Deployment
Dawn of War is a great deployment for my army. As noted above I split the Paladins into combat squads with all four psycannons placed in squad Alpha - squad Bravo would act as a bodyguard for Draigo. The Librarian joined the Grey Knight terminators and I deployed them in the center of the table behind a large piece of LOS blocking terrain. I placed squad Alpha over to my left in another ruin also behind a wall. Draigo and squad Bravo would walk onto the table and jump inside the massive black tank.
Blood Angels Deployment
My opponent opted to move everything onto the table during the first turn.
1st Turn - Grey Knights
The Crusader setup along the center of my table edge partially hidden by a ruin. The Librarian and the GKT moved and ran forward taking a very aggressive position in the middle of the table with plenty of cover. I strung the Librarian back so his Shrouding psychic power aura would encompass both squad Alpha and the Crusader... I kept squad Alpha hidden behind the wall to prevent them from being targeted by any lucky potshots.
Note - Moving the GKT with the Librarian into the center of the table was pivotal and had a huge effect on the game as all enemy shooting was focused on them, taking the heat off the rest of my army through to the mid game.
1st Turn - Blood Angels
The whole army rolls on with one assault squad and a riflemen in each table corner. The landspeeders move up aggressively towards the middle of the table. The two squads of Sternguard (one Librian joined to each unit) come in hanging back behind the razorbacks along with the Honorguard. The other two assault Marine squads moved forward to attempt some shooting. My opponent didn't roll well for Night Fight spotting distances and I took no losses. I was glad to see the Sternguard were not right up in my grill as psychologically I felt like I had a bit more breathing room for my GKT and could continue playing them aggressively.
0 kp GK - 0 kp BA
2nd Turn - Grey Knights
The Crusader holds it's position pivoting a bit to fully target a landspeeder. Squad Alpha slightly moves to draw a bead on the other landspeeder. The Librarian along with the GKT move into the central ruin in position to shoot and multi charge several vehicles. Shooting sees the Crusader immobilize the fast moving landspeeder and is destroyed as a result. Squad Alpha destroys the other landspeeder. The GKT manage to wreck a razorback and due to the positioning of other vehicles the assault Marines have to dismount in such a manner that the GKT will be in range to charge them. The Librarian successfully casts Might of Titans and Thawn successfully casts Hammerhand. They multi charge the assault squad but whiff against the vehicles. The GKT then consolidate back into the ruins for a very important cover save.
2nd Turn - Blood Angels
The remainder of the Blood Angels army moves into place to focus all fire upon the GKT. One squad of Sternguard dismounts as well. Every gun is fired upon them. My Librarian successfully casts the Shrouding and after the smoke clears from all the shooting I only lose a total of five GKT including Justicar Thawn.
4 kp GK - 0 kp BA
2x landspeeder, razorback & assault squad
3rd Turn Grey Knights
First Thawn rises back up from the dead. Squad Alpha maintains their position on point holding one Seize Ground marker while the landraider backs up a bit and sidles over to my C&C marker plus one of the Seize Ground markers as well. The Librarian and remaining GKT move into position to shoot and assault the exposed Sternguard. Shooting sees squad Alpha wreck a razorback while the Crusader whiffs it shooting at another vehicle. The Librarian then successfully casts Hammerhand as does Thawn. They then charge the Sternguard with the attached Librarian. Thawn force weapons the Blood Angels Librarian and the remaining GKT finish off the Sternguard and immobilize the other Sternguard rhino in melee.
3rd Turn - Blood Angels
Again the remainder of the Blood Angels army musters all shooting on my Librarian and the surviving GKT... the GKT are wiped while the Librarian escapes with his last wound. Note that Honorguard had opted to dismount this turn so that every veteran in their squad could shoot.
Seize Ground - 2 GK & 1 BA
Capture & Control - 1 GK & 1 BA
7 kp GK - 1 kp BA
2x landspeeder, 2x razorback, assault squad, Sternguard & Librarian - GKT
Note - At this point in the midgame it was apparent that the Blood Angels could not catch up in kill points as my army only has seven total. My opponent still had a few fast transports so it wasn't over yet by any stretch of the imagination.
4th Turn - Grey Knights
Ending the mid game and moving into the end game... Thawn decides to stay put still stone cold dead laying upon the blood soaked ground. The Librarian moves into position to heavy flamer the Honorguard with Warp Rift while squad Alpha remains still to target another razorback - they are still holding one of the Seize Ground markers as well. The Crusader moves fully into the ruin holding my C&C marker plus one of the Seize Ground markers. Squad Alpha proceeds to pop another razorback while the Librarian kills two of the Honorguard with Warp Rift plus the fiery template wrecks another rhino. The Librarian then finishes the rest of the Honorguard in melee.
4th Turn - Blood Angels
The immobilized rhino ferrying the remaining squad of Sternguard repairs itself. This is bad news for me as now the remaining Sternguard can move into a position to fire their combi-meltas the next turn (plus I made the mistake of not targeting it the next turn). Shooting sees my Librarian finally go down - he was definitely my MVP this game. The Blood Angels are running low on units and will be forced to attempt some late game fast movement shenanigans in order to attempt to contest my markers.
Seize Ground - 2 GK & 1 BA
Capture & Control - 1 GK & 1 BA
10 kp GK - 1 kp BA
2x landspeeder, 3x razorback, rhino, assault squad, Sternguard, Honorguard & Librarian - GKT
Turns 5 through 7 Synopsis
The game went the full distance and each of the three remaining turns passed by quickly as there wasn't much left on the table.
- Draigo first left the Crusader going solo to take out enemy units moving in to contest my objectives.
- Squad Alpha stayed put holding their Seize Ground marker and blasting away with their cannons.
- The remaining BA vehicles used their fast movement to speed their way into positions to contest my markers (as expected).
- I made the mistake of disembarking squad Bravo - they took out one enemy vehicle then were blazed by the Sternguard - I was able to perform some funky complex wound allocations though since my opponent fortunately for me scored three wounds with the heavy flamer - one Paladin from squad Bravo managed to survive with one wound left then hid behind the Crusader the rest of the game holding one Seize Ground marker plus my C&C marker.
- Draigo nuked the Sternguard in close combat the following turn and I was able to pop the rest of my opponent's contesting vehicles.
My opponent was hoping the game would end on turn six to force a draw on objectives but I think I would have still beat him on victory points. So I ended up with the big win taking two of the objectives and drawing on C&C. To be honest i think that's about as good as my army could perform due to their low mobility. My losses were the Librarian, GKT and Thawn as the old wizened Justicar never got back up again - the lazy bastard. My opponent only had two assault squads and the two riflemen left at the end of the game.
Post Game Analysis
My original game plan was very well executed. My Librarian and GKT performed well keeping my opponent tied up through the first four turns while squad Alpha and the Crusader continued to punish the enemy with heavy shooting... 16 psycannons per turn is just brutal !!! Draigo kept the game locked up in my corner the last three turns taking down at least one vehicle plus a Librarian and the Sternguard. My one mental lapse was disembarking squad Bravo and placing them in harm's way of the Sternguard - if they had been wiped out to the man I would have lost on C&C and probably drawn on Seize Ground. Here is how I allocated the wounds against them:
7x melta wounds (M) & 3x heavy flamer wounds (F)
- Yes all seven combi-meltas hit... It was very ugly and quite painful to say the least...
Paladin #1 (pair of falchions) - M, M
Paladin #2 (pair of falchions) - M, M
Paladin #3 (pair of falchions) - M, M
Paladin #4 (daemonhammer) - M, F
Paladin #5 (sword) - F, F
Very close shave that one indeed... Heh. Note that if wasn't for the three wounds from the heavy flamer I would have probably lost the entire squad... Something to keep in mind when shooting at Paladins. ; )
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