I went to my local Games Workshop on the afternoon of July 13 planning to play a beginner league game. The person I was planning to play was already engaged in a game, but someone recommended I play Andrew’s Blood Angles at 1000 points. I was there and ready to go, so I accepted. I hastily added models to my army to make 1000 points. I should have examined what he was fielding…

This was actually my first battle of 7th Edition Warhammer 40,000. A good learning experience since I expect I’ll be facing a lot of Space Marines in the future.

My army consisted of the following:

• Two Company Command Squads, one with a lascannon
• Three veteran squads
• Chimera
• 6 Stormtroopers in a Taurox Prime
• 9 Ratlings
• 5 Rough Riders
• Techpriest Engiseer
• 2 Psykers (ML2)

Andrew fielded a very daunting Blood Angels Death Company Force

• Reclusiam Chaplain
• Librarian
• 8 Death Company Space Marines
• Dreadnought in Drop Pod
• Land Raider
• Vindicator

I wrote the following little bit of fluff for the Narritive League giving a more dramatic review of the battle.

 
Orders were orders. The Munitorum had ordered the Commander’s detachment to hold the square and eliminate any forces that tried to cross it. The square was the only clear path through what was left of the sprawling settlement, so it had been a strategic choke point against the enemy.

The square was now far back of the front lines, but the Commander’s Imperial Guard troops continued to follow orders. From well-entrenched positions, they attacked anyone who tried to cross it: Enemies, allies, and Imperial Citizens. The square was now logistically vital for getting supplies to the new front lines, but the guardsmen continued to follow orders.

This could have all been avoided if the Munitorum had rescinded or clarified their orders. But, the Imperium being what it was, the Guardsmen continued firing on anyone trying to cross the square.

The inglorious task of unseating these loyal yet foolish guardsmen fell to a detachment from the Blood Angel’s Death Company. Approaching quickly with a Land Raider and Vindicator, they seized the opportunity to attack.

An entire squad of loitering guardsmen were obliterated by the opening blast from the Vindicator’s Demolisher Cannon. These tanks were more like mobile fortresses and quickly eliminated the weapons that posed the greatest threat to them.

A dreadnought deployed by drop-pod caused havoc and confusion in the guardsmen’s lines. But it was brought down with by a torrent of disciplined fire.

The guardsmen had little time to lick their wounds or repair their damaged vehicles as the Land Raider deployed its deadly cargo of Death Company Space Marines. They brutally tore through a squad of guardsmen. The marines shrugged off dozens of lasgun blasts and surged forward, scaling a ruin to cleanse it of the troops entrenched within.

Meanwhile, the Vindicator  and seemingly invincible Land Raider continued to harry entrenched Ratlings and guardsmen. The Astra Militarum troops had the advantage of cover, but without a means to penetrate the heavy armour, it was only a matter of time before attrition took them all.

Finally on the roof of the ruin, the Chaplain leading the Space Marines challenged the Commander to single combat.

“I’m only following orders!” bellowed the commander.

“So am I,” the Chaplain coolly replied. With a mighty blow from his Crozius Arcanum, the Chaplain felled not only the Commander, but also his entire Command Squad.

From atop the ruin, the Chaplain had a clear view of the square. The remaining Imperial Guard forces were either fleeing or slain. The Chaplin’s thrill and satisfaction from the kill momentarily faded to melancholy. What madness must haunt the Universe for loyal Imperial forces to slay each other over an administrative error?

Looking over the ruins, the Chaplain quietly whispered: “You are relieved, Commander.”

The less fluffy version of the story? Bad news:

• The Vindicator destroyed 9 of 10 models in a squad with one shot! Woah! (I’m getting one for my Imperial Fists Army…)
• The Space Marines tore through my guardsman in close combat like tissue paper!
• The Land Raiders AV14 armour seems almost impenetrable. Strength 3 lasguns don’t stand for much.
• Space Marine power armour can take an obscene amount of punishment
• My plasma weapons caused more damage to me than my opponent
• Psychic phase is very random. I don’t think the ML2 psykers casting Precedence was worth the points, especially since veterans hit on 3+ anyways. I also rolled for the Misfortune power which causes Rending, but even that doesn’t add much.
• The Tempestus Scions (stormtroopers) were almost useless. AP3 is nice, but it’s only Strength 3, and the Death Company had Feel No Pain anyways, so it was like they still had an armour save.

Good Lessons Learned

• Because of their stealth, Ratlings in ruin get 3+ cover save. Very nice! And as infiltrators they can camp and harass infantry throughout the game.
• The Rough Riders were surprisingly effective at close combat. I regret holding them in reserve.
• Orders worked quite well. The Vox-casters came in handy.
• My vehicles were surprisingly sturdy. I should have let my troops hide in there much longer in hopes of avoiding death by CC!
• Techpriest was handy: Power of the Machine Spirit was nice for restoring full BS to an extra vehicle weapon. And he did constant repairs to the Chimera.

If I were fighting such an armour heavy army again, I’d equip a squad or two with the Demolitions doctrine so that they could use Melta Bombs against tanks. The Rough Riders could have caused a mess with Melta Bombs too.

At one point I had a squad set off a torrent of 21 twin-linked lasgun shots (7 lasguns, rapid fire, rank fire order, precedence). Regrettably, that caused only 1 wound! Rather disappointing. Perhaps a less tough infantry-based army would suffer more from the onslaught…

Hope you enjoyed the report!