Friday 7 September 2018

1750pts battle report - Imperial Knights & Blood Angels v Astra Militarum & Tyranids - game 2

Double Trouble 4 and Alex From the Fang's doubles tournament replacing Blog Wars. 875pts with random pairings but all match-ups are Battle Brothers. Once again my recollection is pretty hazy so for the most part enjoy the pictures, the commentary will be secondary ;)

Game 2 and I'm partnered with Matt Longmore again [I'd been paired with him at DT2 and he was my opponent in DT3]. He'd brought his Blood Angels with 'Captain Slam', some Veterans, Death Company, a squad of Helblasters and some other units [THSS Terminators] that would benefit from reserve deployment. We were up against Andy Peat and his Tyranids [5 Carnifex, Old One Eye, a Neurothrope and a Biovore] and Lucas Rooney and his Astra Miliarum [2 Leman Russ, 2 Basilisks, a small unit of Bulgryns, a 'Command Point Farm' and mortars.


We managed to win first turn and not lose the initiative. Matt had kept all but a unit of Veterans in the ruins above my Lancer and the Helblasters on the top floor of the ruins at the top of the board. I deployed the Lancer in the centre with one Warglaive on the left and the other on the extreme right flank to go for the Basilisks.


Turn 1 and the Lancer Flanks Speeds forwards, just 2" away from the Carnifex, this could be awesome or very foolish. The Warglaive couldn't quite match his pace, making it's normal move but putting 4 or 5 wounds on the Carnifex on the left.


The other Warglaive was even more effective, melting one of the Basilisks into slag.


The Lancer smashed into the front rank of the Carnifex, killing all three in quick succession -now that was more like it! Using the full tilt stratagem earned our opponents some new CPs. We ended the turn on 1VP, for the veterans holding our centre objective.


Lucas and Andy pounced on the Lancer, sending in Carnifex and Bulgryns but not before the Neurothrope did 6 Mortal Wounds. As the dust settled Old One Eye and his buddies and brought the Lancer to just 7 wounds - karma? They scored 2VPs for objectives this turn.


Turn 2 and the Warglaive moved on the final Basilisk. Death Company arrived just out of shot and Captain Slam and the Terminators were elsewhere on the board.


The second Warglaive joined the melee in the middle, he was down to 1 wound thanks to the Leman Russes. I had considered sending it back to the ruins int he centre to hold the objective and free up the vets but figured he could get in the mix now, while the Vets where still 2 turns of movement away from making an impact. Another unit of Vets jumped over the derelict Aquila Stronghold into combat with a Carnifex. The Lancer fell back and charged again killing Old One Eye either with Shock Blast or in combat.!


Captain Slam jumped into combat with the Neurothrope.


The remaining 2 Carnifex got killed but the Neurothrope survived.


Warglaive killed the Biovore with its Meltagun and the remaining Basilisk. Veterans killed the Infantry Squad except their commander who escaped to the top of the building out of range of the objective. He would be killed by the Warglaive in the next turn. We finally had the sense to move the Helblasters down to hold the objective they'd mutely stared at turn 1. We scored 3VPs.


Not sure what Lucas and Andy did in their turn, killed some Terminators and take the Lancer down to 4 wounds. Rotating my Ion Shields helped but this gave them yet more CPs. Slam went in search of the Leman Russes.


The Lancer fell back and charged again. Unfortunately I couldn't kill the Neurothrope - it was going to kill me next turn with Smite for sure.


The Warglaive lost its final wound leaving this melee in its closing stages.


Another turn and I'm not sure how I moved the Lancer but it was all for nought


It was destroyed just as the Death Company arrived in Support, not sure if that Neurothrope is escaping or dead, think it's the former! The Bulgryn, nicknamed Champ survived, despite my best efforts to squish him! Anyway, final score 10VPs to us 5VPs to Lucas and Andy. We scored 1180 Blood Points


Another great game, snatching the win on VPs

Matt, myself, Andy [and his Neurothrope], Lucas [and Sergeant Champ]
One overwhelming topic of discussion throughout the game was the Astra Militarum CP farm. When you're recouping CPs from both us and their own stratagem spend Lucas must have had around 25 CPs throughout the game, he even had some left at the end! I agreed totally with him in that 'why wouldn't you take it but it's clear from BoLS that these shenanigans are a little beyond the pale.

And more recently at NOVA, the ubiquity of the CP farm has already prompted a suggestion it will be nerfed. I'm not forgetting that Tyranids can also farm, but it takes a Lictor or Genestealer to kill a character in combat, spend a CP and get D3 back. There are a lot of boxes to tick there that can still result in where you started. Perhaps Kurov's Aquila needs a price to pay to recoup before you roll? Hopefully Chapter Approved will help balance it, GW already increased the amount of CPs you get for a Battalion, farming on top seems a little over-powered.


If you're interested in any more of my Battle Reports, point your cogitators here: www.40kaddict.uk/p/battle-reports.html

Wednesday 5 September 2018

1750pts battle report - Imperial Knights & Astra Militarum v Astra Militarum & Khorne Daemonkin - game 1

Double Trouble 4 and Alex From the Fang's doubles tournament replacing Blog Wars. 875pts with random pairings but all match-ups are Battle Brothers. Once again my recollection is pretty hazy so for the most part enjoy the pictures, the commentary will be secondary ;) 

Here we go with the last Double Trouble ever. I'll cover my feelings in the wrap up but suffice to say the event was it's usual fun, tinged with a hint of sadness as it has come to a fitting end. First game and I'm partnered with Matt Greenwood [Alex's regular opponent] and his Astra Militarum [3 Leman Russ with Pask, a Psyker, some Ratling Snipers and Vets but with no Command Point farm!].


Facing us was Greg Barber, again with Astra Militarum [Baneblade, Command Point Farm, Psykers and a Bullgryn squad]. He was partnered with Duncan Gray and Khorne Daemonkin [Soul Grinder, Blood Letters, Flesh Hounds, Skull Cannon and some Forgeworld Greater Daemon].


Setup was table ends but with the pointed ends 18" apart. That would have been beneficial for my Knights if only the apex wasn't right in those ruins. Regardless we paid 3 points straight off to put one of my Warglaives in reserve and outflank. We finished deploying first, won first turn and then Greg stole the Initiative. Greg and Duncan move up to secure objectives [which were scored each turn]. With my Cerastus in full view he took a pounding from the Baneblade, despite rotating the Ion Shields he took 7 wounds, down to 20. Greg and Duncan scored 4VPs this turn.


The Cerastus Advanced but was nowhere near the Baneblade. The Warglaive followed along in support. Matt managed to takemost of the wounds off the Soul Grinder [down to 3 or 1?] he also dinged a Flesh Hound with Heavy Bolter fire.


The Skull Cannon fell victim to concentrated fire from the Leman Russ and my Cerastus Shock Blast. With the Lancer exposed I decided to assual the Flesh Hounds [costing 2CPs to assault after advance] then used the Shock Lance.


Only killing two but 'safely' remaining in combat, while the Warglaive attacked the Bullgryns killing one. We scored 2VPs of objectives and then the Daemon Prince and Bloodletters appeared in our midst!


You see the thing with being locked in combat so you then Fall Back and charge again is that your opponent can also Fall Back leaving you exposed and vulnerable! I'd somehow forgotten that and suddenly all the Baneblade's weaponry was traind on my Knight but was killed with just the main cannon! Another ignominious performance from the Lancer.


While the Bullgryns set to work on the Warglaive, clubbing it to bits until it blew up in their midst putting mortal wound on all those around it. The chaos Forces pushed forward, the Bloodletters making a huge charge to tie up Pask and another [or both the other] Leman Russ, luckily the Daemon Prince failed his charge and they scored another 4VPs.


Things were starting to fall apart, but I had my last Warglaive arrive from reserve. I think our plan here was for it to try and help kill the Prince and Bloodletters, with the Veterans who appeared int he back field. This would free up the tanks to focus on the Baneblade. Unfortunately the the Veterans whiffed and he couldn't manage but take some wounds off the Prince. We scored another 2 VPs


The Bloodletters took some heavy losses but were still positioned to keep the tanks locked and score our objectives. 


Meanwhile the Baneblade set to ram the Warglaive.


The Baneblade crushed the Warglaive under it's tracks, the Blood letters continued to distract the tanks in combat.


While their Prince assaulted the Veterans, killing them with ease.


More Bloodletters died, but so did Pask as it was shot by the Baneblade having moved out of combat.


The Chaos forces added another 5 VPs to their tally.


The Daemon Prince set his sights on the remaining Leman Russ and smashed it to pieces.


All that was left at this stage was Matt's psyker...


oh and an infantry squad in the ruins scoring us 1VP. I think they must have finally taken donw the Soul Grinder but the Psyker was not about to be bludgeoned by the Bullgryns.


"Death or glory!"


And there endeth the game. We'd lost 23 VPs to 8 and scored 923 Blood Points


Another great game, the loss of the initiative had been unfortunate but the deployment  map didn't help. However, with fewer units deploying the Lancer out of sight of the Baneblade was never an option.

Greg, myself, Matt and Duncan
Everyone was super-cool to game with, so the result was once again broadly irrelevant, on to game 2.

If you're interested in any more of my Battle Reports, point your cogitators here: www.40kaddict.uk/p/battle-reports.html

Monday 3 September 2018

Dark Angels - Tanks - Razorback Moar Pics

The usual filtered phone pics, which I prefer to the digital shots.


That said they don't add any extra insight into this except for taking a moment to remember I've had this Rhino for 25 years or so!


I mean that conversion with the lighting rig, I've no idea what prompted that but decades later this model is complete and it fits in my army.


And again the defunct Las-Plas turret is symptomatic of the entire model as most lists I make nowadays would not have room for transports.


Sure the Razorback Spam Guilliman list was [is?] a thing so it does have a use, I'm just not sure how much I'll get out of it.


That's nto really the point though as hobby is my driving force at the moment so painting part of my beige tide [this pre-dates the grey plastic] is a huge achievement.


And a reminder that is a goal in itself. Obviously my two Knights are part of that tide and of potential use in future games but painting things not for gaming is OK too.


I just need to capitalise on that feelign so I don't feel the need to go out and buy more stuff.


I mean inevitably that's going to happen - I fancy Kill Team, Shadespire [although I may wait for the new version] and I'm actually looking at subscribing to Warhammer Conquest for the random extra minis you get for weird things to paint.


Fitting in some Primaris Marines or even Death Guard feels like madness but the urge is there - again the perfect example of being an addict!


The amazing thing is that my spends so far this year is £460 [last years total was £490] and with only two thirds of the year gone that will most likely go up.


BUT, nearly £430 has come from 'income' - Christmas and Birthday money, Amazon Vouchers, Google AdSense, and I sold various items on ebay specifically to add to my hobby found.


The way I look at it that means only £30 has come out of my own pocket, money that could have been spent on putting food on the table, etc.


I mean that's covered in other ways but I'm keeping my own money out of the equation and as I'm spending mostly extra income I feel better about the fact it's not a year-on-year reduction.


Anyway, enough wafflingI'll leave you with close-ups of the turrets.