Extermantius - Part 9 - Reserves

Tyrion led his Kill Team deep into the darkness of the void below. Mordred clutched the haft of his axe ready to strike. The Tech Marine studied his auspex, several blips appeared in the recess, he pointed forward towards the slanted tunnel. One of the veterans reloaded his shotgun with exterminator shells while others sharpened their combat blades. The air smelled fetid and was thick with the stench of mutant spoor. Argonaut stepped forward hoisting up his heavy flamer and activated his power fist. Kneeling down Tyrion unclipped a grenade, flicked the trigger, then tossed it into the tunnel. They all heard it clanking as it rolled down then detonated. Smoke filled the immediate area seamlessly blending into the atmosphere.

Argonaut stepped into the mouth of the tunnel followed by the rest except for Arghus who remained in waiting. They peered into the thick cloud relying upon their auto senses to penetrate the hidden terrain. Slowly they descended into the depths one after another. The smell grew worse then came the howling as a brood of aberrants charged up at them. The terminator waited until the first mutant right before him then he unleashed a flaming gust of burning Promethium enveloping the enemy. Coils of fire wrapped around the aberrants reducing them to nothing but ash and flake.

More came as the Kill Team fired their weapons in perfect unison stepping forward to meet the sudden resistance. Their bolters blazed in the darkness illuminating the tunnel. Mordred broke from the rank as he charged into the mutants chopping limbs free as he broke through the press reaching the hidden cavern.

Exterminatius Part Eight - Reckoning

Mordred fell his breathing come hard as he ran in hard pursuit of the Primus. His metal shod boot sole sang as they crushed stone stepping hard. He cleared his mind of everything except his quarry. Mordred could smell the fear emanating from the mutant. Unsheathing his axe he leapt across a vast chasm landing right behind his chosen.

A foul cry came from the swollen purple head as the Primus turned its empty black eyes gazing into his soul. He felt the hair on the back of his neck go stiff. A rush of sudden toxic psychic energy poured engulfing the Black Shield. Clutching at his runic bracelet he felt a golden warmth as the ancient bits of stone absorbed the warp poison. Mordred’s fangs descended as he ran his tongue over the razor sharp tips.

The axe struck down hard shearing a bony leg at the knee. Crying in pain the Primus squirmed as hot tears spilt from the black eyes. Mordred crushed more bone and grinding exposed nerves pressing down the boot sole harder.

"You are a fool." said the Primus. “My children come for you now. “You shall be devoured.” it smiled as it momentarily blotted out the intense pain.

Mordred thumbed the activation rune summoning the teleport homer. He frowned as he drove the axe into its skull splitting it in half. Visceral splat against the wall covering it in slick ichor.

One last Deathwatch Gunner Work-in-progress

Deathwatch Gunner (Crimson Fist)

Finally finished painting all my Deathwatch onto other projects now !

Deathwatch Terminator Jarlodinsonne

One more model to then base the army now ...

Deathwatch - swapping chainswords for more shields

Exterminatius Part 7 - Vigil Ward

Simon Monforte, The Black Prince and last Deathbringer, removed his pearl white helm revealing his pale face to the Inquisitor. “I have been awokened from my peaceful slumber in stasis to address your wrongful position. You should be aware that I am originally a Celestial Lion." His golden eyes grew dark as a maelstrom and a frown broke across his ever serene face. Simon drew a glimmering blade from his scabbard. “This is the Cathar Blade. I have slain a whole host of Inquisitors with its ephemarl edge. I pity you but your ignorance must end now forever more."

There came a sudden whine as the fractal edge serrated the spacial area opening a frozen Warp rift. The Inquisitor felt the sudden coldness as his bladder voided wetting his silk trunks.

“Your quantum knitted kineshield is rendered useless versus the vacuum you feel sucking at your skin. Atom by atom you will be rendered into the abyss. Your grave will be salted to prevent rebirth into this realm. You shall soon be a creature of what you say you fought.

“So mote it be.”

Deathwatch Salamanders Terminator Work-in-Progress Part 2

Really coming along now !

Deathwatch Salamander Terminator Work-in-Progress Part 1

Jon Michel - Deathwatch Intercessor Sergeant Work-in-Progress Part 1

Battle on Red Planet 9

This was a very exciting game using a mission from the new Chapter Approved 2018. Here’s the armies:

++ Blood Angels Battalion ++

Captain - Jump Pack (Angel’s Wings) - Thunderhammer - Stormshield
/Warlord: Artisan of War

Mephiston - Wings & Quickening

3x 5x Scout - Bolt Pistols & Combat Blades


++ Deathwatch Battalion ++

Watch Master - Tomes of Ectoclades

Watch Captain - Jump Pack - Storm Bolter - Thunderhammer - Angelis Beacon

Veteran Squad:
Watch Sergeant - Power Axe - Storm Bolter
Black Shield - Stormshield - Power Axe
2x Veteran - Stormshields & Storm Bolters
Gunner - Frag Cannon
Gunner - Infernus Heavy Bolter
Terminator - Power Fist & Storm Bolter

Veteran Squad:
Watch Sergeant - Power Axe - Storm Bolter
Black Shield - Stormshield - Storm Bolter
2x Veteran - Stormshields & Storm Bolters
Gunner - Frag Cannon
Gunner - Infernus Heavy Bolter
Terminator - Power Fist & Storm Bolter

Fortis Kill Team:
Intercessor Sergeant - Auto Bolt Rifle - Power Fist
4x Intercessor - Auto Bolt Rifles & Auxiliary Grenade Launcher
2x Inceptor - Assault Bolters
Aggressor - Bolt Gauntlets & Missile Rack


++ Adeptus Custodes Vanguard ++

Shield Captain on Dawneagle - Auric Aquilas

Vexilla Praetor - Castellan Axe

3x Warden - Castellan Axes

3x Allarus - Castellan Axes


Here’s my opponent’s army list to the best of my memory:

Overlord
/Warlord

Cryptek

Lord

15x Warrior

10x Immortal - Tesla

Ghost Ark

Annihilation Barge

Annihilation Barge

6x Destroyer

6x Destroyer

5x Wraith

Mission:
4 Pillars (from CA2018)

There are four objective markers on the table placed symmetrically around the center of the table each 15" out and only TROOP choices can score them. At the end of each battle round whoever controls the most objectives scores a point. Also whoever kills the most enemy units per battle round scores a point, both are very similar to the ITC Championship Mission format. There is also First Strike, Slay the Warlord (StWL) and Line Breaker (LB) up for grabs.

Deployment:
#1 from Rulebook

I deployed all my army first placing several units in deep strike reserve and my opponent deployed his entire army after me. Terrain favored my opponent as there wasn’t much good line of sight blocking terrain. I deployed most of my units in a ruin to hide them from the brutal xenos fire power and would focus on scoring objectives in the latter part of the game. I wanted to focus on first killing the Immortals and Warriors to prevent my opponent from scoring on objectives as the game progressed.

Here’s the running score with in-game notes per battle round:

T1: 0 [Imperium] - 3 [Necrons]
Necrons - 1 (First Strike), 1 (Objectives held), 1 (Units killed - Scouts)

Fairly lack luster turn for me - I had infiltrated one scout squad on an objective in my deployment zone to bait out his barges and Destroyers... sure enough the Barges came out to play.

T2: 0 [Imperium] - 4 [Necrons]
Imperium - 0 (Units killed - both Barges)
Necrons - 0 (Units killed - Mephiston & Veterans), 1 (Objectives held)

Mephiston and the Smash Captain came out to deal with the two barges. I deep struck my Fortis Kill Team and Watch Captain in range of the Warriors and used the beacon to bring in one of my Veteran Kill Teams. I just managed to kill both barges. The Warriors took some damage but not nearly enough. The Vets got nuked and only the Aggressor managed to survive enemy return fire power for the Fortis Kill Team... the Aggressor went onto to be one of my MVPs shooting down lots of Immortals and Warriors as the game progressed. Mephiston also got nuked by a squad of Destroyers. Again I wasn’t able to score any points this turn while the Necrons are running up their score.

T3: 0 [Imperium] - 6 [Necrons]
Imperium - 0 (Units killed - Immortals)
Necrons - 1 (Units killed - Watch Captain & Allarus), 1 (Objectives held)

My Praetor advanced forward and used the teleport homer stratagem to bring the Allarus into range to charge the Immortals which were decimated. I lost both the Allarus and the Watch Captain in return. The Wardens deep struck beside the Aggressor and were able to make an 11" charge into the Warriors... didn’t quite finish them off but they took heavy losses this turn. My other squad of Veterans, Watch Master and Shield-Captain began marching up the battlefield to lend some fire support.

T4: 0 [Imperium] - 8 [Necrons]
Imperium - 0 (Units killed - Warriors)
Necrons - 0 (Units killed - Smash Captain), 1 (Objectives held), 1 (StWL)

I lost my Warlord this turn... while he didn’t inflict a lot of damage he did manage to stick around for quite awhile and was quite the annoying pest. Combined shooting and a charge by the Shield-Captain removed the remaining Warriors.

T5: 2 [Imperium] - 8 [Necrons]
Imperium - 1 (Units killed - Cryptek & Wraiths), 1 (Objectives held)
Necrons - 0 (Units killed - Wardens)

Both scout squads pop out of the ruin this turn to hold the objective in my deployment zone while the rest of my forces start their killing spree. I really need two more turns to get back into the fight.

T6: 4 [Imperium] - 8 [Necrons]
Imperium - 1 (Objectives held), 1 (Units killed - Destroyer Squad)

Up pops a 3 on the dice - Turn 6 is on and my remaining forces are dominating now but there’s only so many points left on the table... Sure enough there’s a seventh final turn.

T7: 8 [Imperium] - 8 [Necrons]
Imperium - 1 (Objectives held), 1 (Units killed - bunches) StWL, LB



So the game ended in a draw with close to tabling for my opponent... all he had left was a Ghost Ark and a single Destroyer with one wound. I still had my Shield-Captain, Praetor, one Veteran squad, the Watch Master, two Scout squads and the lone Aggressor.

The surviving Veteran squad tanked a lot of high AP rending shots over the latter course of the game... wow those stormshields are solid gold for sure ! I’m liking the power fists for the terminators as they help to quickly clear out multi wound enemy units. This game was tough for me due to lack of enough line of sight blocking terrain. I played it cagey with some of my units like the scouts and they were able to score in the latter game. I really needed the two last turns to even have a chance to scrap a draw. I’d like to have squad of jetbikes but would have to get rid of both the Allarus and Wardens whom got the job done helping to eliminate several key enemy units.

Bane the Fell Handed ...

Deathwatch Terminators

Deathwatch Veterans and the new undercosted Stormshield

Deathwatch Veteran Squad Optimization

So the new Chapter Approved 2018 has costed the basic stormshield for non-characters at only 2 points per model... Deathwatch Veterans can take them for every vet that’s not a gunner (for example the Deathwatch Frag Cannon). The stormshield was 5 points per model and that’s quite significant - you can basically take twice as many stormshields now, or three now for less than the cost of two prior.

It’s really good but I reckon it’s not really worth going totally storm bolters and stormshields. I don’t want to invest more than 220 points per Veteran Squad and like to have units of seven for robustness.

Here’s my most current basic build pre Chapter Approved 2018:

Watch Sergeant - Storm Bolter & Power Axe
Black Shield - Stormshield & Power Axe
2x Veteran - Stormshield & Storm Bolter
Veteran Gunner - Deathwatch Frag Cannon
Veteran Gunner - Infernus Heavy Bolter
Terminator - Power Axe & Storm Bolter

Note that the Sergeant is optional and I like to field them for the theme. This squad comes in right under 220 points prior to Chapter Approved. If you go all storm bolters and stormshields plus one terminator to soak wounds from enemy small arms fire power it’s a lot of points saved, however Veteran squads are very elite excelling at both melee and shooting - why not enjoy the best of both worlds? The Black Shield grants the squad Heroic Intervention which catches a lot of people off guard... the goal is to eliminate the charging enemy unit that turn so they can shoot again the next turn, thereby eliminating wasting points on taking a Vanguard Veteran.

Power axes (AP2) wound T8 on a 5+ and that’s as good as it gets with decent armor penetration and still hitting on 3+. Some prefer the power maul for One less point but it’s only AP1 so not as reliable, plus for Marines you are wounding on 5+ at best against anything T5 and above without burning precious command points on a strategem.

This squad can use the stratagem Tempest Shell to inflict D3 mortal wounds on an enemy vehicle and another D3 mortal wounds via the Infernus Heavy Bolter via the strategem Hellfire round... you’re looking at 2-6 mortal wounds versus a Knight which tend to be a problem for Deathwatch. This squad also has excellent overwatch capability with the two template weapons (Deathwatch Frag Cannon and Infernus Heavy Bolter) plus the latter functions like a twin lascannon at half range which is reliable using the Teleportarium strategem or Angelus Beacon relic, again providing good offense versus Knights and enemy armor in general.

In conclusion the storm bolter with Special Issue Amunition wounding non vehicle enemy units on 2+ (Hellfire rounds) is excellent at quickly clearing enemy chaff and screens plus it can wallop high toughness enemy units as well ... but you really only need so much of a good-great thing. I prefer versatility and a plethora of tactical options rather than only being able to hammer one type of nail and Deathwatch Veterans have a gigantic toolbox, so why not use it ?

Extermantius Part 6

The Ancient looked straight at the Patriarch as he drew his chainswords one after another. His Pariah seed flooded the area shutting down the monster’s psychic energies. Arghus gathered himself beside the giant, his blade glinting as the sentient power rippled across the fractured edge. The sprawl continued between the new adversaries, Marine versus Pure Strain. Lifting his left gauntlet the Ancient fired a cluster of smoke grenades into their midst. "Now." said Tyrion the Ancient as he charged into the fray.

His chainswords revved hacking into the thick exoskeleton sawing at the weak points. Brother Arghus drove the tip of his sword straight through the Patriarch’s abdomen erupting out the back side. The tide had turned. Drawing upon their auto senses the Deathwatch struck hard and fast in the blackness then they all converged.

Outside the ruins the xenos tide suddenly retreated as smoke poured through the openings of the ruins. The Kill Team reassembled stepping over the dead as their leader emerged into the open ground. "There is no death of hope here. There is only your hope for death."

Deathwatch Terminator

Extermantius Part 5

Brother Arghus and the rest of the Kill Team dropped back into the ruin. The genestealer brood poured into the street surrounding their Patriarch moving swiftly at a blinding rate. "I count at least twenty." said the Black Shield as he lifted the frag cannon. The Deathwatch opened fire blasting the closest of the genestealers only a few feet away. At such close range the xenos could not dodge, taking the brunt of the fire power. Brother Arghus drew his power sword from the sheath and ignited the long blade as the pure strains crashed into them. Rending claws and razor sharp talons tore at them raking their power armor. The Black Shield drove the muzzle of his gun into the face of a leering genestealer, blowing apart its head.

Bounding into the mad brawl the Patriarch slashed at one of Marines ripping through his torso splitting him in half. Arghus thrust his sword into the monster’s belly driving it straight through. The beast snarled and slapped him aside knocking the Dark Angel across the room. There came the sound of a hard crash from the back as an old doorway exploded. The Deathwatch Ancient stepped into the ruin and looked down upon the Patriarch. He carried a pitch black Thunderhammer gripping the hilt loosely by one gauntlet. "Dirty xenos prepare to meet your maker."

Spitting black poison from its gills the behemoth reared up and square itself against him. Eldritch psychic energies splayed across its exoskeleton then unleashed sending a super smite smashing into the Ancient. The ectoplasmic attack discharged washing over the Deathwatch nulled.

Deathwatch Veteran with Storm Shield (completed)

Deathwatch Veteran with Storm Shield (work-in-progress)

Deathwatch Storm Shields for Days - Making Vets Tank Better

I have been playing Deathwatch since the new codex dropped for Eighth Edition and in my opinion they are the best Space Marine codex now. Hellfire rounds wounding on 2+ (i.e., special issue ammo) rerolling 1s with storm bolters is brutal. Veteran squads can spam storm bolters which are Rapid Fire 2 which is 4 shots at 12" or less range. They melt away enemy chaff real fast.

Here’s my optimized build for a standard Deathwatch Veteran Squad:

Watch Sergeant - Storm Bolter & Power Axe
Black Shield - Storm Bolter & Storm Shield
Veteran - Storm Bolter & Storm Shield
Veteran - Storm Bolter & Chainsword
Veteran - Infernus Heavy Bolter
Veteran - Deathwatch Frag Cannon
Terminator - Storm Bolter & Power Axe

This a seven man squad with five storm bolters - 20 shots in rapid fire range wounding on 2+ due to Hellfire rounds via Special Issue Ammo (SIA). Use Mission Tactic to reroll 1s to wound. Watch Captains or a Watch Master grants the buff aura to reroll missed hits... that’s a lot of wounds no matter how you roll it.

The Black Shield allows the squad to heroically intervene and they have a lot of attacks for melee making them an excellent counter punch unit. It’s all about good placement using a good screen such as Space Scouts from another detachment. The Terminator has two base wounds along with the 2+ armor save plus the 5++ invulnerable save, helping the squad to efficiently tank wounds along with the two storm shields. The Infernus Heavy Bolter provides longer range dakka and can use the Hellfire strategem to inflict d3 mortal wounds. Couple the flamer with the frag cannon as an anti melee deterrent when on overwatch. You can also sneak in the Tempest Shell strategem for d3 more mortal wounds. This squad is super killy and can deep strike to protect against an enemy alpha strike.