Observations from another 40K game

This past weekend our little gang threw a 40K game together. It was 2 1,00 point armies vs. a 2000 point army. I was stuck with the 2000 points and took loyalists vs 2000 of combined Chaos and Blood Angels.

Here is a quick and dirty recap of the armies and game.

oh course we rolled up my favorite mission, capture the flag, and my favorite deployment,pitched battle. Now sarcasm is lost on the internet, so this is my least favorite mission and my least favorite deployment for this mission.

I was facing the typical Chaos house list; Demon Prince, Plague Marines, Obliterators, Defiler and misc basic marines to fill in the gaps and a greater Demon. The Blood Angels were combat 3 squaded tacticals in Razorbacks, 2 autocannon heavy bolter Predators, Chapter Master and full missile launcher Devastators.

I took some stuff I wanted to try twin Thunderfire Cannons, thunderhammer Terminators in a Crusader, Librarian woth Null Zone and Avenger (both shooting phase powers yes, but wanted to have a swiss army knife approach to powers), a twin auto cannon Dreadnought and a squad of twin heavy bolter Land Speeders. Then I added the stuff I needed troops which were, tactical squad x4 (two in Rhinos with melta guns, power weapons two on foot flamers and missile combat squaded) and a Vindicator to fill points. So it isn't a pure anti-marine list, but I didn't care. I just wanted to try using stuff I never have the chance to use (thunderhammers, crusader, thunderfires).

I took 1st turn and it was glorious. I wrecked two transports and obliterated the Obliterators. Then Chaos went. A few dead marines, one non shooting speeder and then turn two.

Now the Chaos/Angels are 1/2 way to my flag and smoked. The Demon Prince is there with them as well. I open up and do nothing to smoked transports that were hit a bunch (all cover saves made). The Demon Prince laughs at everything I throw at him, as do the Plague Marines. Oh yeah, I immobilized a Rhino trying to drive through terrain as well. The librarian rolls a 12 for his psychic test just for fun. So after turn 2, top of, I had moved a bit and done zero damage. Chaos/Angels then roll up and dump troops into the terrain my flag is in. The Greater Demon appears and eats the Crusader. The Librarian psychic hood fails to stop Warp Time (not huge, but would have been nice). The Demon Prince proceeds to eat the Land Speeders. One Thunderfire is blown up, well the Tech Marine missed his 2+ save, I have another Rhino shaken and the Chapter Master easily tears through my Dreadnought. i lose a tactical sarge to a death or glory vs as Rhino full of Chaos troops headed toward my flag. A combat squad is also wiped to one man from a Defiler shot.
The pain for me has ended for now.



Turn 3 and I'm looking at a sound beating and I know it. The Terminators eat the Greater Demon. The Thunderfire tactical squad and Vindicator try to dislodge the Marines/ Chapter Master near my flag and only kill one guy.  And that is it for me on turn 3. The Chaos/Angels solidify their flag (I would have to get past a Defiler, climb 3 levels in ruins, kill 7 Plague Marines, 2 combat squads and a Devastor squad to claim their flag or survive all that to tie) I lose the combat squad holding my flag. Turn 3 is over.

I happily surrender.

 I have no intention of trying to get walk/run Terminators and immobilized Rhino troops through 12"-15" of open terrain just to maybe fight up two levels so I might have a slim chance to contest. Then there is the nearly full wound Demon Prince flying around to deal with as well. I also have to dislodge Marines by my flag in Tech Marine Tech Marine fortified cover. I like a challenge but that is madness.

What I learned....or at least noticed

1. Thunderfire Cannons are fun. They can spit out a lot of S6 damage. Now if only they had a AP 3 template shot, even if it was S3 AP 3. It would probably be more prevalent on battlefields then.
2. The artillery damage rules blow if you only have one gun and one guy.
3. I hate capture the flag
4. I hate pitched battle deployment for capture the flag
5. Thunderhammer Terminators are great fun, they just need 250 points extra to get them where they are going effectively and safely.
6. I miss 4th edition cover saves/ smoke launchers. I never thought I would miss downgrade to glance or 5+ cover, but I do. That is all I really miss from 4th edition though.
7. Why could they not make a few other "random" game missions to roll for?
8. Make sure the camera batteries are charged before leaving the house.