Troy's Angels Sanguine (Blood Angels) 750 points
HQ: Captain, Melta Bombs
Troops: Assault Squad, Razorback
Troops: Assault Squad, Razorback
Troops: Assault Squad, Land Raider
Heavy Support: Whirlwind
Marc's Orks (Space Orks) 750 points
HQ: Big Mek, Shokk Attack Gun
HQ: Big Mek, Shokk Attack Gun
Troops: Gretchin
Troops: Gretchin
Troops: Ork Boyz, Nob with Power Klaw
Heavy Support: Deff Dredd
We used the random table to generate our scenario and got a Capture and Control mission (hold one objective in your zone while trying to secure your opponent's) with a Spearhead deployment (setup in opposite table quarters).
Deployment; my half-finished tanks in the open, Marc's Orks lingering down the backI chose an open table quarter to avoid traffic jams and allow me room to set up easy fire zones. This forced Marc to choose the opposite side which squeezed his tide into a narrow channel I continuously referred to as 'damnation alley'.
Marc deployed each of his Big Meks attached to a large unit of gretchin - both formed in a conga-line around cover so only the Big Mek was sticking out (with his Shokk Attack Gun of course). A little cheeky perhaps but certainly permitted. The Deff Dredd and Ork Boyz were deployed forward with the intention of getting stuck-in as quickly as possible. As we were playing on a narrow table he was quite cramped with all that infantry!
Turn One: BOOM! Whirlwind template lands on-target Turn One Blood Angels
The Razorbacks moved forward to cover my Whirlwind and peppered Orks with their Heavy Bolters. Sadly one Razorback came up a few inches short so the Ork Boyz hardly noticed the few shots that landed.
The Land Raider set its targets on the Deff Dredd scoring a handy Weapon Destroyed and a much more useful Immobilised thanks to its twin-linked Lascannons (lethal despite not actually being present on the model due to partial construction!).
Lastly the Whirlwind launched a barrage which landed directly on a conga-line of gretchin hiding behind a building on the flank, destroying most and pinning the remainder - thus spoiling the shot of their attached Big Mek and his potentially lethal Shokk Attack Gun.
Turn One Orks
Marc gleefully surged his Ork Boyz forward with their eyes firmly fixed on assaulting the Whirlwind. They couldn't get there this turn but they ran to cross the ground in the hope of getting there a little sooner.
However Marc's Shokk Attack Guns failed to fire, one being pinned and the other blocked by a broken Deff Dredd swinging its buzzsaw arms in frustration.
Turn Two; flicking through the rules... as usual! Turn Two Blood Angels
With the fire zone clogged up with a mob of Ork Boyz I didn't need to move my tanks around much to find targets. With the benefit of hindsight I should have pushed at least one Razorback (if not both) forward to harrass Marc's gretchin and go for his objective - in fact this was a major mistake and a valuable learning experience.
Everything opened up on the Ork Boyz but sadly the Whirlwind barrage went wide. All up only a handful of Orks were plinked out of the mob - although their numbers were slowly dwindling they remained a threat as I knew their Power Klaw would carve through the Whirlwind if they made contact...
Turn Two Orks
The Ork Boyz continued their jog towards the Whirlwind, not quite covering enough ground to launch an assault but setting themselves up nicely for next turn.
One Big Mek was still pinned while the other was still blocked by a stuck Deff Dredd so Marc passed the turn with a frown.
Turn Three: Troy makes the sadface as his Whirlwind is popped Turn Three Blood Angels
The Razorbacks pulled back in reverse with the intention of shooting up the Ork Boyz before they could make inevitable contact with the Whirlwind (again, a mistake - must remember to go forward!). More plinking into the mess of Ork bodies but still not enough to make an immediate difference. The Whirlwind opened up again but the template scattered and only a few Boyz were destroyed. Still the mob surged ahead!
Turn Three Orks
The Ork Boyz charged forward and with the power of the Waaaagh! managed to only just touch the edge of the Whirlwind... and deliver 5 attacks with the Power Klaw against it's rear armour! The result: Explosion further thinning the ranks of Ork Boyz... although I had lost my key anti-Shokk Attack asset :(
Meanwhile the blocked Big Mek in the center moved up to attempt a repair on the immobilised Deff Dredd - sadly he couldn't find his spanner so the Deff Dredd spun its arms around some more. However, having cleared his head the previously pinned Big Mek on the flank managed to place a template directly on the Land Raider... although the random strength of the shot came up as a five - no match for the tank's armour of fourteen.
Turn Four: That's a Litko 'small flame' token on the (unpainted) Whirlwind hull Turn Four Blood Angels
The Razorbacks unleashed their passengers who positioned themselves carefully to allow a subsequent charge without blocking shots from their transports. More of them were plinked away so that once the Assault Marines charged they were able to break the Boyz and send them fleeing back to their side of the table. One unit of marines consolidated forward to chase the Boyz while the other consolidated back with the realisation they had moved off their home objective marker!
Meanwhile the Land Raider moved up in anticipation of a repaired Deff Dredd next turn.
Turn Four Orks
The Big Mek in the center succeeded in repairing the Deff Dredd which lurched forward... only to block the line of sight of the other Big Mek on the flank and spoiling his shot! The fleeing Ork Boyz had a few over-the-shoulder shots with their sluggas at the pursuing marines but none found a target.
Turn Five; oops, Marc still holds his own objective and I have moved off mine... a facepalm moment!Turn Five Blood Angels
The now empty Razorbacks have moved back but can no longer hold objectives as their Troops have been left behind. Footslogging back the marines are not able to reach their home objective and so it remains uncontrolled.
In a moment of confusion caused by sleepiness I declared that my Land Raider cannot fire as it has moved (this is incorrect as it has not moved this turn) and so it passes the turn doing nothing.
Turn Five Orks
The Deff Dredd moved again but found itself too short of the Land Raider to charge for an assault - yet remained blocking the Big Mek on the flank for another turn! The center Big Mek however found a clear line-of-sight and placed a template directly on the Land Raider, although with the random strength coming up as a seven it's still not enough to damage the armour fourteen tank.
I roll a die to see if the game ends and sadly for me it does: A win for Marc's Orks!
Marc: One Objective (Victory)
Troy: Zero Objectives
What I have learned:
~ With only five turns you really need to put your foot down if you are going to contest your opponent's objective marker in a Capture and Control mission.
~ Don't move off your own objective in a Capture and Control mission!
~ Rhinos are good in that lacking a weapon they do not tempt you to move slowly so that you can fire it.
~ Shokk Attack Guns can be avoided by careful maneuver around blocking terrain and/or pulling enemies into the line-of-sight of the firer by tempting them to attempt a charge <- causing a traffic jam.
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