Tonight: Imperial Guard vs Space Marines 2000 poin

[cavalier1864]

OK, so Josh and I are throwing down with 2000 points of Intra-Imperial conflict this evening around 6:30p. Here is the layout of the forces involved:

Josh Gordon: Space Marines:

HQ (1/2):
Master of the Forge with Conversion Beamer and Thunder Hammer

Elite (3/3):
TechMarine with Power Weapon and Bolt Pistol
Venerable Dreadnought "Crushed" with Plasma Cannon and Missile Launcher, Extra Armour
Venerable Dreadnought "Reaper" with Twin-Linked Lascannon and Missile Launcher, Extra Armour

Troops (5/6):

Tactical Marines
Tactical Marine x7
Tactical Marine with Flamer
Tactical Marine with Missile Launcher
Tactical Marine Sergeant with Power Weapon

Tactical Marines
Tactical Marine x7
Tactical Marine with Melta
Tactical Marine with Missile Launcher
Tactical Marine Sergeant

Tactical Marines
Tactical Marine x7
Tactical Marine with Plasma Gun
Tactical Marine with Lascannon
Tactical Marine Sergeant

Tactical Marines
Tactical Marine x7
Tactical Marine with Flamer
Tactical Marine with Missile Launcher
Tactical Marine Sergeant with Storm Bolter

Scout Marines
Scout Marine with Sniper Rifles x4
Scout Marine with Heavy Bolter
Scout Marines with Shotguns x4
Scout Marine Sergeant

Heavy Support (3/3)
Venerable Dreadnought "Lewis" with Assault Cannon and Extra Armour, and Storm Bolter

Predator Annihilator with Twin-Linked Lascannons, Las Sponsons, Dozer Blade, and Extra Armour

Predator Destructor with Heavy Bolter Sponsons and Pintel Mounted Storm Bolter


Todd Ehrenfels: Tiven 7th Armoured Cavalry Regiment

HQ (1/2):
Lord Commissarw/ Plasma Pistol and Power Weapon
Tech Priest
Plasma Cannon Servitor x1
Regular Servitors x3
Tech Priest
Heavy Bolter Servitor x1
Regular Servitors x3

Troops (5/6):
Penal Legion

Penal Legion

Penal Legion

Veterans Grenadiers & Demolitions
Veterans with Meltaguns x3
Veterans with Shotguns x6
Veteran Sergeant

Veterans Grenadiers
Veterans with Plasmaguns x3
Veterans with Lasguns x6
Veteran Sgt with Power Weapon and Plasma Pistol

Fast (3/3):
Scout Sentinels x3 w/ Heavy Flamers
Armoured Sentinels x3 w/ Missile Launchers
Armoured Sentinels x3 w/ Plasma Cannons

Heavy (3/3):
Manticore
Leman Russ Battle Tank with Hull Heavy Bolter and Sponson Heavy Bolters
Leman Russ Eradicator with Hull Lascannon and Plasma Sponsons

[cavalier1864]

After Action Report

Mission: Capture & Control
Deployment Type: Dawn of War

All directions and locations given from Imperial Guard perspective.

Terrain
On the far left flank there were ruins in the Space Marine Deployment Zone (SMDZ) and the Chaos Temple Stones in the Imperial Guard Deployment Zone (IGDZ) with some light woods in between. In the left-center area was a large three tier hill, and a smaller two-tiered 'boomerang' hill in the IGDZ. Along the center line, roughly at the mid-point, was a heavily forested area, and a thin three-tiered hill. Right-center was a small two-tiered hill in each of the deployment zones. The Imperial Guard placed their objective on the right flank DZ hill, while the Space Marines placed their objective in the left flank Ruin, which was then fortified by the Techmarine.

Deployment:
Space Marines: HQ Master of Forge attached to one Combat Squad of Tactical Marines with Missile Launcher, second Tactical Marine Combat Squad placed at the forward position of the Left-center Hill at mid-board. Scout squad split into combat squads, shotgun squad placed in foliage in Right-center, snipers and Heavy Bolter placed at the top of left-center hill.

Imperial Guard: HQ Lord Commissar attached to Plasma Veteran squad, deployed under cover of the boomerang hill. Techpriests deployed at Center and Right Hill positions. Melta Veteran Squad deployed behind Chaos Temple.

Seize the Initiative: FAILED

Turn One:
Space Marines: Units entered board edge from reserve as per scenario rules with three combat squads of Tactical Marines, one with Lascannon, one with Missile Launcher and one with Flamer entering to the right of the fortified Ruins; both Predators, two Dreadnoughts, a Tech Marine entering at center, with the Armour units shielding the Marines; on the Right flank final three combat squads and remaining Dreadnought. The Tactical Marines deployed on the center-left hill advanced, but did not close to rapid fire range, and the scouts emerged from the bushes to advance into the teeth of the Imperial Guard Centerline as tehy were Heroes of the Imperium. All fire concentrated on the Veteran Plasma Squad and Lord Commissar, eliminating the squad in its entirety.

Imperial Guard: Units entered from various points as per scenario rules (units enter as if from reserve) with both Armoured Sentinel squadrons emerging at the back edge near the center (one on either side of the Techpriest squad); the Leman Russ Eradicator entering on the rear left, to the left of the Armoured Sentinels with Plasma Cannons; the Leman Russ Battle Tank on the rear right between the Armoured Sentinels with Missile Launchers and the Manticore; the Penal Legionnaires all entered the board on the Left Flank (two with Knife Fighters and one Gunslingers); the Scout Sentinels with Heavy Flamers entered from the right flank and moved up to incinerate the large selection of Marines. The Melta-Vets advanced, skirting the side of the Chaos Temple, but that was the only actual movement out of the army. The Gunslingers fired a tonne of shots into the Lascannon squad, killing two Marines; the Knife Fighters rapid fired into the Marines accompanying the Master of the Forge, killing two; the Eradicator fired a Nova Shell and a Plasma shot which scattered both back into the Tactical Combat Squads, killing three Marines; the Plasma Sentinels fired a barrage at the Tactical Marines, killing another Marine; the Techpriest's Heavy Bolter Servitor whiffed on the Scouts; the Missile Sentinels did nothing to the advancing Plasma Dreadnought; the LRBT glanced another Dreadnought, but did nothing; the Manticore launched a shot at the TechMarine, which scattered off doing nothing; the Plasma Servitor of the second Techpriest fired a shot at the Scouts, killing none; and the Scout Sentinels Fired off their Heavy Flamers wiping out one squad and reducing the others by two each.

Turn Two:
Space Marines: Marine Squads on the Left Flank pivoted to deal with the advancing Penal Legion troopers who were threatening to take their objective and invest the Ruins. The Tactical Marines and Scout Marines in the center advanced, as did the tanks and one of the two Dreadnoughts, however the second Dreadnought turned to raze the Gunslingers, with the TechMarine following close behind. The remaining Tactical Marines with Flamer on the Right, and the Dreadnought, advanced in the hopes of destroying the Scout Sentinels. The Master of the Forge's Conversion Beamer blew the LRBT to flinders, but the Marines fire for the rest of their units proved somewhat less effective with the only other casualties from the Guard being the Gunslinger squad, whose lone surviving model, the overseer, ran very slowly down the edge of the board. The tanks managed to kill one of the Missile Sentinels, and the Dreadnought attacked the Scout Sentinels, killing two, however the survivor was too far out of range to strike back.

Imperial Guard: The Knife Fighter squads advanced quickly into the fortified Ruins, while the Melta-Vets advanced on the exposed Tactical Marines. The remaining Scout Sentinel moved to engage the Predator Destructor. The Melta-Vets accounted for 2 of the Tactical Marines in the shooting phase, declaring an assault, while the Eradicator and Plasma Sentinels managed to finally eliminate almost all of the Tactical Marines on the Left Flank. The Missile Sentinels hit the Predator Annihilator for a Crew Shaken Result, and the Manticore managed to whiff on two shots, scattering off into oblivion. The Plasma Servitor killed another scout, and the HB Servitor managed to do nothing. The remaining Scout Sentinel equally did nothing worthwhile. The Knife Fighters Assaulted into the Master of the Forge and his Tactical Combat Squad, wiping them out with 12 Rending hits, while the Melta-Vets assaulted and massacred the remnants of the exposed Tactical Squad.

Turn three:
Space Marines: The shaken Predator Annihilator rammed the Scout Sentinel, immobilizing it, while the Destructor and the Lascannon Dreadnought advanced to the space between the hills. On the Left, the Dreadnought continued inexorably toward the Knife Fighters in the Ruins, the TechMarine right behind. On the right, the remains of the Flamer squad and the Assault Cannon Dreadnought advanced, hoping to get in range to threaten the Guard objective. The Lascannon Squad attempted to bring down the Eradicator, but that tank was made of sterner stuff (except for its main gunner who was made of stupid and was firing like a blind Grot for most of the game); the far right Missile squad rendered a weapon destroyed result on the Scout Sentinel, rendering it all but useless.

Imperial Guard: Knife Fighters advanced to go kill the remaining Lascannon squad, and the Melta Vets moved up to the edge of the hill. The Eradicator set its sites on the advancing Dreadnought, and managed to shake it a whole bunch of times to no avail. The Plasma Sentinels Immobilized the Center Dreadnought, while the Missile Sentinels finally nuked the Predator Destructor. The Manticore managed to shake the Predator Annihilator again. The Plasma Servitor killed another Scout, forcing the Scouts to flee. The Scout Sentinel watched helplessly as everyone laughed at it. The Knife Fighters sliced the Lascannon squad to ribbons and then retreated back into the ruins.

Turn Four:
Space Marines: With the center valley blocked, Josh decided to charge his Predator Annihilator up the hill, and did not get bogged down. The Dreadnought on the Left Flank advanced closer to the Ruins, and the Dreadnought on the Right finally rounded the corner of the concealing hill. Most of the first Knife-Fighter squad was eliminated by fire from the Dreadnought, but the Sergeant and one lonely Legionnaire survived the onslaught. Scout Marines continued to not kill anyone. The Dreadnought on the Right Flank managed to take out all of the Techpriest on the Hill's Servitors. The immobilized Dreadnought in the center shook the Manticore.

Imperial Guard: The sergeant and lone Legionnaire ran up to engage the Dreadnought with their SCARY KNIVES OF DOOM, while the Melta-Vets cut up to the top of the hill to take out the snipers and the surviving Tech Priest hid behind a rock. The Eradicator fired a few shots at the only target available, the Dreadnought on the Left Flank, and managed to kill... the Penal Legionnaires and the Tech Priest. Plasma Sentinels immobilized the Predator Annihilator, and the Missile Sentinels managed to annoy the Dreadnought on the Right Flank.

Turn Five:
Space Marines: Seeing only one hope of victory, the Marines advanced on the two objectives, but both thrusts fell well short of achieving their mark. With most of the army stalled, the Dreadnought on the Left Flank tried a last desperate thrust to eliminate the intact Penal Legionnaires, but for the first time the Plasma Cannon Scattered far enough to be ineffective. The Dreadnought in the Center managed to kill most of the other Techpriests ineffective servitors and the Shotgun Scouts managed to assault the Melta Vets (it did not end well for the Scouts).

Imperial Guard: The Melta Vets Advanced further up the hillside to wipe out the snipers, while the Penal Legionnaires huddled on top of the Space Marine Objective. The Missile Sentinels Moved to contest the IGDZ objective in case of a Turn 6, and immobilized the Right Flank Dreadnought. The Manticore managed to shake the Annihilator, but otherwise did nothing, and the Plasma Sentinels and Eradicator managed to annoy the Left Flank Dreadnought. The Melta Vets slaughtered the Scout Snipers on the hill.

Game ended on Turn 5.

Result:
Imperial Guard: 1 objective controlled; 1 objective contested; 11 KP earned

Space Marines: 0 objectives controlled; 0 objectives contested; 7 KP earned

Imperial Guard Victory

Lessons Learned
Eradictors Stink, the Executioner Plasma Tank is a much better bargain.
Is there ever a reason not to make a Dreadnought Venerable? No.
Snipers never kill anything.
Penal Legionnaires are a great bargain.

[chulak]

I love when you put these battle reports on here keep it up man, just know that it doesnt go unrecognized

[cavalier1864]

Thank you, my friend

I can only take some credit, though, and the reality is that I post these both as a gaming aid, and as an aid to writing. I intend to, at some point, being adding in Video Battle Reports. I just have to remember my camera!

[tiger505]

Good BTR. You can feel and get caught up in the excitement of the battle as it unfolds. Very good.

[werkrobotwerk]

The other thing I learned is that if the master of the forge is using a thunder hammer, I need to keep either the dreadnought, or a squad with a power weapon on hand to keep him kicking till initiative 1.

[cavalier1864]

Yup, I forgot to add that in. I would actually say that a cheap squad of crunchies would have worked well in that regard. A 10-man Scout Squad with Camocloaks and Sniper Rifles would have been cheap, and would have provided a lot more ablative wounds. Alternately a 10-man Scout Squad with Camocloaks and pistol/CCW combo would work as well to provide a buffer.