Well, I came, I saw, I...we will see.
I had only the hope that my army's artillery would be up to the task of paving ground with my enemy's insides.
My List:
Commissar Yarrick
CCS - Regimental Standard and Meltabombs
PCS - Bolter
Infantry Squad x2 - Flamers and Lascannons
Conscripts x30 - Ministorum Priest
PCS - Bolter
Infantry Squad x2 - Flamers and Lascannons
Conscripts x30 - Commissar
Veteran Squad - Autocannon and Grenade Launcher
I kept his Terminators in reserves to come down Turn 1, while the Interceptors and scouts occupied a ruin and everything else had LoS cover blocking it from my guns. Thankfully, I got turn 1 and he failed to seize.
Mid Game:
My Conscripts attempt to lock in both his Centstar and, after finishing the terminators, his Dreadknight. Note, I only get off a single prayer this whole tournament. They would have really helped. The Centstar, before I charge in, takes some chunks out of my army with divination powers denying me cover saves. They teleport out of that combat (DRAIIIGGOOOOOO!!!!) and jump to the other side of the table, supporting the dreadknight and moving near multiple objectives.
My conscripts continue to trade blows with the dreadknight, who had also charged by basilisks. The mortars sit on their backside, invisibility ending the war early for them. Yarrick moves to join a larger squad and charge the dreadknight, hoping his claw can help out there.
Late Game:
The Dreadknight was boxed in and Yarrick charged it, thoroughly unable to hurt it despite his powerklaw. It was down to its last wound even. This will ultimately cost me the game. On the last turn, his Centstar splits up. Draigo, going solo, charges and kills the rapier battery off one objective, getting the path cleared by the Centstar who shot up the PCS blocking Draigo's way. The Centstar had already moved to claim its own objective. My other conscripts easily held a third but that f'ing dreadknight wouldn't die so I couldn't move anything closer to contest Draigo's hold.
Result:
IG - 4 (FB and 1 Objective)
GK/UM - 7 (LB and 2 Objectives)
Game 2 (Purge the Alien)
My opponents list: Blood Angels
Astorath
Sanguinary Priest - Jump Pack and Stormbolter
Scouts x6 - Sniper Rifles, Heavy Bolter, and Camo
Tactical x10 - Meltagun, Heavy Flamer, and Drop Pod
Tactical x10 - Meltagun, Multimelta, and Rhino
Sanguinary Guard x5 - Inferno Pistol x5
Death Company - Jump Packs and Power Weapon x5
Assault Squad x5 - Meltagun x2 and Power Sword
Pre-Game Thoughts:
I admit, I was very confident. Though his army had an ability to be fast, they were at least something I could shoot. Plus, the conscripts could chump block them if they got too close.
Deployment:
Early Game:
Snagging turn one, I went to work, moving up my conscripts a bit and killing his death company, one sanguinary guard, and a rhino. He was a bit disheartened but I was still iffy. I'd seen IG fall to very little once it closed.
He started to advance everything, hugging cover as best he could. Some snap shots and sniper fire kill about two guys. His drop pod came roaring in and he squad divided up and killed about twelve conscripts.
Mid Game:
My conscripts do some damage to his podding squad before the assault marines and Dantestar (remaining sanguinary guard plus three characters) charge into both blobs. I do some rough math and don't like what I see. I decided that life is cheap and allow both characters to die and the blobs to break, clearing me some room to fire at him.
Half of the tactical squad from the rhino is wiped out by fire while the other half sets up to charge me.
Late Game:
Foolishly, Dante's unit finishes off a conscript blob with shooting. I think he planned to fail here and them get a multi-charge off. The tactical marine charge Yarricks group. I proceed to wonder why overwatch is a thing, as I fail to hit or wound with a two squad blob with two flamers...
The squad kills one while Yarrick takes out two. Gooooo Yarrick!
Dante's squad is reduced to just him with half his wounds and my opponent cedes the game.
Results: IG Victory
IG - 13 (11 Units, or so, FB and Warlord)
BA - 3 (3 Units)
Game 3 (Big Guns Never Tire!, 4 Objectives)
My opponents lits: Ultramarines and Space Wolves
Ulrik the Slayer
Bloodclaws x5
Grey Hunters x5
Stormwolf
Drop Pod
Land Raider Helios - AA Missiles
Librarian - Force Axe
Tactical Squad x10 - Rhino
Stormtalon
Centurion Devastators - Grav and Hurricane Bolters
Pre-Game Thoughts:
I was only somewhat afraid. If he rolled invisibility I was going to table flip (he didn't thankfully) but those centurions could still pack some hurt thanks to their bolters. Those flyers could still be an issue too. I was just thankful his Helios wasn't packing whirlwind ammo today. The fool...
Deployment:
I line up my guns, a conscript blob anchoring each side.
He put the grey hunters in the stormwolf and the tactical squad in reserves.
Early Game:
I go first and all I do is move up slightly and have the basilisks plink some hull points off of his helios, who is carrying Ulrik.
He moves up the helios, going flat out, and the pod comes in on my left flank, tearing apart most of the conscript blob thanks to those hurricane bolters. Thankfully, my commissar make a LoS and lives or I'd have lost that flank early.
Mid Game:
Artillery finishes off his helios in time for the basilisks to eat Ulrik and mates. The flyers come in, only for Yarrick (on the quad) to shoot down the stormtalon immediately. He blasts a couple of guardsmen and then my conscripts advance or charge in, hoping to grab objectives and hold the centurions up a few turns.
Late Game:
His rhino comes in and tries to hide. It'll make a last minute grab for the objective but not before the basilisks, who are just work horses, strip it of two hull points.
Meanwhile, the centurions are down to one guy, thanks to shooting entirely, but have freed themselves of my blob. He proceeds to eat a PCS that moves to block him. He'll die to weight of fire after that.
Near the end, the tactical squad comes out to play. They blast some conscripts, who have already lost about half their men to my own artillery :), but are eventually killed to a man by two salvos of quad mortars when the game refuses to end.
End Result: IG Victory
IG - 11 (3 Objectives, FB, and Warlord)
UM/SW - 0
Tournaments Result: 3rd Place of about 12 guys
Post-Tournament Thoughts:
I love this army but it will likely NEVER get painted and is an actual workout to play, even if I barely move most things. Also, it struggles to take out tough things. I think I need some deep striking Scions to increase mobility and add some tasty plasma for dealing with things like bike mounted chapter masters. I have the points once its upped to a standard 1850.
All of my artillery was worth taking but they need to be in a list like this where they can be bubble wrapped properly. Otherwise it becomes too easy to charge them and kill them in melee for many armies. They have to get all 5-6 turns of shooting or they won't carry the game for you.
For now, its back to work on my knights.
Moments of Glory:
I had only the hope that my army's artillery would be up to the task of paving ground with my enemy's insides.
 |
| In all its glory. |
My List:
Commissar Yarrick
CCS - Regimental Standard and Meltabombs
PCS - Bolter
Infantry Squad x2 - Flamers and Lascannons
Conscripts x30 - Ministorum Priest
PCS - Bolter
Infantry Squad x2 - Flamers and Lascannons
Conscripts x30 - Commissar
Veteran Squad - Autocannon and Grenade Launcher
Heavy Artillery Carriage x3 - Basilisks
Field Artillery x3 - Quad Mortars
Rapier Battery x3 - Additional Crew x3
Aegis Defense Line - Quadgun
All of the games had Dawn of War (long edges) deployment with differing Eteranal War objectives, including the basic secondaries and a forth secondary point for painting.
I will, for simplicity's sake, be dividing each game into early, mid, and late game and just describing them 1-2 turns at a time.
Game 1 (Scouring, 4 Objectives)
My opponent's list - CENTSTAR (Damn)
Everyone's favorite Librarian Tigerius
Scouts x5 - Sniper Rifles, Missile Launcher, and Camo
Centurion Devastators x3 - Grav and Hurricane Bolters
Grey Knight Librarian
Terminators x5 - Psycannon
Interceptors x5 - Incinerator
Nemesis Dreadknight - Heavy Psycannon, Heavy Incinerator, and Big ol' Sword
Kaldor Bite Me Draigo
Pre-game Thoughts:
In case the italics didn't get my point across, I was not looking forward to this. The first thing I did was to check if the store was using their usual rules for Invisibility (which Tiggy got, of course) and I found out that, for this event, they're NOT going to use LVO rules, like they've decided to, but rather to use the core book. Just great.
Deployment:
 |
| My Deployment |
Early Game:
I didn't move much but my mortars and a few Ignore Cover lascannons wiped his interceptors and scouts out. Great for both First Blood and denying that Incinerator. My Basilisks tried to snipe Tigerius before he could psych up but they scattered a full ten inches, of course.
His terminators came down on my right flank, shredding a few conscripts. This, of course, meant war and the survivors, urged on by their priest, charged in and killed two, after previously losing one to shooting. They would eventually finish off the rest, taking my enemy totally by surprise by what this squad could do.
He Centstar went into hulk mode but good saves kept casualties to a minimum for now. His dreadknight moved up to attract fire and start flaming me, killing most of Yarrick's blob and wounding some guns. It would proceed to make all its saves, something that would hurt me this game repeatedly.
 |
| They think they're ready. |
 |
| The ruin where his scouts and interceptors were. |
 |
| Affix Bayonets! |
 |
| They jump to the other side of the board. |
My Conscripts attempt to lock in both his Centstar and, after finishing the terminators, his Dreadknight. Note, I only get off a single prayer this whole tournament. They would have really helped. The Centstar, before I charge in, takes some chunks out of my army with divination powers denying me cover saves. They teleport out of that combat (DRAIIIGGOOOOOO!!!!) and jump to the other side of the table, supporting the dreadknight and moving near multiple objectives.
My conscripts continue to trade blows with the dreadknight, who had also charged by basilisks. The mortars sit on their backside, invisibility ending the war early for them. Yarrick moves to join a larger squad and charge the dreadknight, hoping his claw can help out there.
 |
| Stupid Sexy Shunt |
The Dreadknight was boxed in and Yarrick charged it, thoroughly unable to hurt it despite his powerklaw. It was down to its last wound even. This will ultimately cost me the game. On the last turn, his Centstar splits up. Draigo, going solo, charges and kills the rapier battery off one objective, getting the path cleared by the Centstar who shot up the PCS blocking Draigo's way. The Centstar had already moved to claim its own objective. My other conscripts easily held a third but that f'ing dreadknight wouldn't die so I couldn't move anything closer to contest Draigo's hold.
Result:
IG - 4 (FB and 1 Objective)
GK/UM - 7 (LB and 2 Objectives)
Game 2 (Purge the Alien)
My opponents list: Blood Angels
Astorath
Sanguinary Priest - Jump Pack and Stormbolter
Scouts x6 - Sniper Rifles, Heavy Bolter, and Camo
Tactical x10 - Meltagun, Heavy Flamer, and Drop Pod
Tactical x10 - Meltagun, Multimelta, and Rhino
Sanguinary Guard x5 - Inferno Pistol x5
Death Company - Jump Packs and Power Weapon x5
Assault Squad x5 - Meltagun x2 and Power Sword
Pre-Game Thoughts:
I admit, I was very confident. Though his army had an ability to be fast, they were at least something I could shoot. Plus, the conscripts could chump block them if they got too close.
Deployment:
 |
| My right, his deployment: Note the hiding. Cowards. |
 |
| My left, his deployment: Further hiding. Further cowardice. |
 |
| My Left: The teeming hordes of humanity |
 |
| My Right: The big guns |
Snagging turn one, I went to work, moving up my conscripts a bit and killing his death company, one sanguinary guard, and a rhino. He was a bit disheartened but I was still iffy. I'd seen IG fall to very little once it closed.
He started to advance everything, hugging cover as best he could. Some snap shots and sniper fire kill about two guys. His drop pod came roaring in and he squad divided up and killed about twelve conscripts.
 |
| Who then move up to begin the counter attack! |
 |
| Tacticals advancing, hoping that the building will keep them safe. |
 |
| The scout plink away. I hope they brought a lot of ammo. |
My conscripts do some damage to his podding squad before the assault marines and Dantestar (remaining sanguinary guard plus three characters) charge into both blobs. I do some rough math and don't like what I see. I decided that life is cheap and allow both characters to die and the blobs to break, clearing me some room to fire at him.
Half of the tactical squad from the rhino is wiped out by fire while the other half sets up to charge me.
Late Game:
Foolishly, Dante's unit finishes off a conscript blob with shooting. I think he planned to fail here and them get a multi-charge off. The tactical marine charge Yarricks group. I proceed to wonder why overwatch is a thing, as I fail to hit or wound with a two squad blob with two flamers...
The squad kills one while Yarrick takes out two. Gooooo Yarrick!
Dante's squad is reduced to just him with half his wounds and my opponent cedes the game.
 |
| Wow, that is blurry! |
 |
| Poor guys. |
IG - 13 (11 Units, or so, FB and Warlord)
BA - 3 (3 Units)
Game 3 (Big Guns Never Tire!, 4 Objectives)
My opponents lits: Ultramarines and Space Wolves
Ulrik the Slayer
Bloodclaws x5
Grey Hunters x5
Stormwolf
Drop Pod
Land Raider Helios - AA Missiles
Librarian - Force Axe
Tactical Squad x10 - Rhino
Stormtalon
Centurion Devastators - Grav and Hurricane Bolters
Pre-Game Thoughts:
I was only somewhat afraid. If he rolled invisibility I was going to table flip (he didn't thankfully) but those centurions could still pack some hurt thanks to their bolters. Those flyers could still be an issue too. I was just thankful his Helios wasn't packing whirlwind ammo today. The fool...
Deployment:
I line up my guns, a conscript blob anchoring each side.
He put the grey hunters in the stormwolf and the tactical squad in reserves.
Early Game:
I go first and all I do is move up slightly and have the basilisks plink some hull points off of his helios, who is carrying Ulrik.
He moves up the helios, going flat out, and the pod comes in on my left flank, tearing apart most of the conscript blob thanks to those hurricane bolters. Thankfully, my commissar make a LoS and lives or I'd have lost that flank early.
Mid Game:
Artillery finishes off his helios in time for the basilisks to eat Ulrik and mates. The flyers come in, only for Yarrick (on the quad) to shoot down the stormtalon immediately. He blasts a couple of guardsmen and then my conscripts advance or charge in, hoping to grab objectives and hold the centurions up a few turns.
 |
| Bold action on behalf of that flyer. |
 |
| With nothing to stop them, the conscripts move forward to the objective. |
 |
| Pre-dead Helios. Ignore the Raptor colors. Tots Ultramarines. |
His rhino comes in and tries to hide. It'll make a last minute grab for the objective but not before the basilisks, who are just work horses, strip it of two hull points.
Meanwhile, the centurions are down to one guy, thanks to shooting entirely, but have freed themselves of my blob. He proceeds to eat a PCS that moves to block him. He'll die to weight of fire after that.
Near the end, the tactical squad comes out to play. They blast some conscripts, who have already lost about half their men to my own artillery :), but are eventually killed to a man by two salvos of quad mortars when the game refuses to end.
 |
| Hiding Rhino. Looks like marines don't forget their time n the 10th after all. |
 |
| The last image of that poor Centurion. |
 |
| In about five seconds, he'll lose that squad and i'll lose another six men from my own guns. |
IG - 11 (3 Objectives, FB, and Warlord)
UM/SW - 0
Tournaments Result: 3rd Place of about 12 guys
Post-Tournament Thoughts:
I love this army but it will likely NEVER get painted and is an actual workout to play, even if I barely move most things. Also, it struggles to take out tough things. I think I need some deep striking Scions to increase mobility and add some tasty plasma for dealing with things like bike mounted chapter masters. I have the points once its upped to a standard 1850.
All of my artillery was worth taking but they need to be in a list like this where they can be bubble wrapped properly. Otherwise it becomes too easy to charge them and kill them in melee for many armies. They have to get all 5-6 turns of shooting or they won't carry the game for you.
For now, its back to work on my knights.
Moments of Glory:
- Killing my own men with bad scatters and not caring.
- The consistent, and I mean consistent, disbelief of enemies at how many models I am fielding.
- Only losing one gun the whole tournament.
- Flat out murdering terminators with conscripts.
- Giving new players advice on what their units can and should do, only for it not to matter since I then shoot them off the table.
- Realizing that I'm a terrible human being.
- Being thankful that I can finally know that I'm largely right, infantry guard is the most powerful guard.
- Assuming you can get all the models and won't have a heart attack moving them all around or struggle to actually finish a game.
Thoughts?
Good read. I'm thinking of going astra myself and appreciate the time and work you put into not only the army but your blog. I want to do a mech list but the artillery sounds fun too. Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteClay