I've sent off my Tyranid army to be pro painted and have still lots of work left to complete for my new Necron army. I'm enjoying reading Necron batreps on the Internet and think they are a competitive army—Wraithwing it seems is trending up and appears to be a solid counter to both mech and gun line armies. It will be very interesting to see how the new Necrons fare next year in the tournament circuit.
I decided to break out my Draigowing this weekend for a couple of games. Here is my abbreviated 2000 point list (don't have my Army Builder list with me):
Draigo
Librarian - Master crafted warding stave, Might of Titans, Sanctuary, Shrouding, Warp Rift, 2x servo skull
10x Paladin:
1) Daemonhammer & psycannon
2) Master crafted daemonhammer & psycannon
3) Daemonhammer & master crafted psycannon
4) Sword & psycannon
5) Sword & stormbolter
5) Falchions & stormbolter
6) Master crafted falchions & stormbolter
7) Falchions & master crafted stormbolter
8) Warding stave & stormbolter
9) Apothecary - Halberd & stormbolter
0) Standard Bearer - Brotherhood banner & stormbolter
- Psybolt ammo
10x Grey Knight terminator:
Justicar - Halberd & stormbolter
2x Halberd & psycannon
2x Daemonhammer & stormbolter
5x Halberd & stormbolter
- Psybolt ammo
Dreadnaught - 2x twin linked autocannon, psybolt ammo
Dreadnaught - 2x twin linked autocannon, psybolt ammo
1st Match vs Grey Knights
The first game was a mirror match versus another Grey Knight army:
Grand Master - Master crafted warding stave, incinerator, psykotroke grenades, rad grenades
Librarian - Master crafted warding stave, Might of Titans, Sanctuary, Shrouding, Warp Rift
6x Paladin:
1) Daemonhammer & stormbolter
2) Standard Bearer - Brotherhood Banner & psycannon
3) Apothecary - Halberd
4) Sword & stormbolter
5) Master crafted word & stormbolter
6) Halberd & stormbolter
Landraider Crusader - pintle mounted multi-melta
5x Grey Knight Strike Squad - Psycannon & Razorback w. twin linked lascannon
5x Grey Knight Strike Squad - Psycannon & Razorback w. twin linked lascannon
Vindicare assassin
Dreadnaught - 2x twin linked autocannon, psybolt ammo
Dreadnaught - 2x twin linked autocannon, psybolt ammo
This mission was from BeakyCon - Seize Ground (3 objective markers), Capture & Control, Killpoints - all equally weighted. Whoever holds the most objectives at the end of the game wins. If there is a draw the tie breaker is pure victory points. Game goes six turns then there is a seventh turn on a roll of 4+. Deployment was Dawn of War - I went second opting to hold everything off the table and walk it all on the first turn. Lots of terrain (nice!). Two of the Seize Ground objective markers were in my oponent's deployment zone so I would have to play aggressively. My opponent deployed one Strike squad on the table and would walk on the rest of his army the second turn.
- Pre Game Analysis -
Like I said above I knew I'd have to play aggressively and my goal was to win on Seize Ground and Killpoints. I was worried about the Vindicare as it can pop my dreads, select its targets and negate Draigo's invulnerable saves. I opted to start off by keeping both Draigo and the Librarian outside of range of the Vindicare while focusing fire on the Vindicare with my psyflemen and psycannons. I opted to go for Seize Ground as I had more boots on the ground and felt my Paladins could soak up a lot of damage while dishing out even more in return.
-Game Synopsis -
By the third turn I had killed the Vindicare and could throw everything forward, losing one psyfleman in return. My Paladins made a screen for the GKT (Draigo and the Librarian attached to my GKT). On the fourth turn my opponent engaged my Paladins with his two HQ and Paladins charging them from the LRC. As predicted my Paladins held the line then I counter assaulted with my HQ and the GKT. I was also able to multi assault one of the Strike squads. The Strike squad was mulched and it took a couple of turns to kill off the enemy HQ and his Paladins. Weight of numbers worked well to mitigate the effects of the enemy grenades. After that I destroyed the other Strike squad and the LRC. A big turning point in the game was the second Strike squad failing to reach assault rolling snake eyes for their difficult terrain test... Their psykout grenades would have botched my Paladins. End of game was a draw - I had Killpoints and my opponent had Capture and Control so I won on victory points.
- Post Game Analysis -
My Paladins were MVP destroying everything that came their way plus some. A full unit that is complex can soak a lot of wounds and dish out the pain. They took the charge and setup my GKT for the counter punch which won the game. Lots of intense psychic battles between the two Librarians with their hoods. Once I had destroyed the enemy Librarian my psychic powers were unchallenged and put my army over the top for the win.
2nd Game versus Space Marines
Here was my opponent's army list to the best of my memory:
Librarian - Null Zone & ???
10x tactical Marine - lascannon & plasmagun, power fist - rhino w. extra armor
10x tactical Marine - multi-melta & meltagun, power fist - rhino w. extra armor
10x tactical Marine - missile launcher & meltagun, power fist - rhino w. extra armor
10x tactical Marine - missile launcher & meltagun, power fist - razorback w. twin linked heavy bolter & extra armor
Landspeeder Typhoon w. heavy bolter
Attack bike w. multi-melta
Attack bike w. multi-melta
Vindicator - extra armor
Predator - autocannon turret & heavy bolter sponsons
5x tactical terminator - chainfist & assault cannon
5x tactical terminator - chainfist & assault cannon
The mission was Seize Ground with three objective markers and random game length. Again lots of terrain. Deployment was Dawn of War again and I had to go second again. Two of the objective markers were in my opponent's deployment zone so again I'd have to play aggressively. My opponent deployed one unit of tactical Marines combat squadded with the Librarisn joining the combat squad in the razorback. I opted to start with my entire army in reserve - deep striking both terminator units (HQ attached to Paladins) and walk on both psyflemen the first turn.
- Pre Game Analysis -
Even with two terminator squads the Space Marines were no match versus my army in melee so I really wanted to capitalize on that big strength. The main threat was the Vindicator so that is what both psyflemen would focus fire. I knew the attack bikes would hunt my psyflemen but oh well if I could pick off the Vindicator they would fulfill their role. I wanted to deep strike into a midfield position using terrain to block enemy shooting and move in to capture two objective markers. The third objective marker was far away—I had no way to reach it other than combat squadding my GKT which I didn't want to do. My opponent combat squadded two of his tactical units for six scoring units... He had three times as many scoring units but my terminators can handle tactical Marines very well. I had chosen to use my two servo skulls as bait to try drawing out an enemy unit for an easy kill.
- Game Synopsis -
The first half of the game my dice were on fire and my opponent couldn't get one break with his... His Vindicator had one shot that drifted completely off my GKT then one of my psyflemen popped it win one penetrating hit that snuck past a 3++ cover save. Both of my terminator squads got great deep strikes with excellent midfield position. By turn three my HQ and Paladins had wrecked one enemy flank and were holding one of the objectives plus my Librarian consistently shut down my opponent's Librarian. The second half of the game my dice went ICE COLD for armor saves - fourth turn all my GKT died to bolter fire failing the first four armor saves in a row. The apothecary paid for himself as my Paladins also began to fail one armor save after another - it was amazing how many 1s I rolled! Aaaargh !! Still my Paladins fought it out trying at first to stretch out to hold the first objective and contest another. By the end of the game there was one Space Marine terminator left that held and cost me the game. It was very close and very hard fought—Draigo split off one his lonesome accounting for the Space Marine Librarian, a combat squad, partial kill of another combat squad and an attack bike.
- Post Game Analysis -
As I was packing away my army I realized I had not deployed one of my Paladins (armed with a pair of falchions)... Wow how dumb of me as those four extra attacks each round of melee would have surely killed the lone Space Marine terminator ! We even rolled a few attacks to see how it would have played out if I had fielded all ten Paladins. I also forgot to reroll 1s when wounding for my Paladins as well (Grand Strategy)... For some reason I always seem to forget that one unfortunately. So I should have had a draw but my transfixed mind ended up costing me. That's why we playtest. :D
It was still one heck of a game and I had a great time playing both games. It's nice to have the opportunity to break out my Grey Knights again.
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