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Sunday 4 January 2015

Battle Rep: 1500 point Ork Kan Wall vs Flesh Tearers (new BA codex)

In the last week of 2014 my regular opponent of awesomeness managed to catch up for an actual game of 40k.

He was taking the new Blood Angels codex out for a spin by updating his Flesh Tearers' 5th Ed Descent of Angels list (changes mainly involving swapping out the Reclusiarch for Astorath, replacing his Devestators and Whirlwind for a squad of Scouts and a Vindicare Assassin).
Kan Wall center - all the bots!
Having finally completed my Morkanaut, my Kan Wall was finally hitting the table about 6 months after the new Ork Codex was released.


Ork List (1500 points):
CAD 1: Boss Sniksnak's Boyz
HQ:
Warboss w Power Klaw & Boss Pole (Warlord - tactical trait - lead by example)
Painboy
Mek w Kustom Mega Blasta (attached to Goffs)
Mek w Kustom Mega Blasta (attached to Sombrero Boyz)
Troops:
Goff Boyz x20 w Big Shoota x 2, Boss Nob w Big Choppa & Boss Pole
Sombrero Boyz x20 Big Shoota x 2, Boss Nob w Big Choppa & Boss Pole
Fast Attack:
Deff Kopta w TL Rokkit Launcha (Da Red Barun!)
Deff Kopta w TL Rokkit Launcha
CAD2: Big Mek Lugnutz Botz
HQ:
Big Mek w Kustom Force Field
Troops:
Blood Axe Boyz x20 w Big Shoota x 2, Boss Nob w Big Choppa & Boss Pole
Gretchin x10 w Runtherd w Squighound
Heavy Support:
Morkanaut w Kustom Force Field
Deff Dred w Scorcha
Killa Kans x 6 w Rokkit Launchas

Flesh Tearers List (1500 points)
Baal Strike Force Detachment
HQ:
Librarian (Mastery Level 2. Veritas Vitae relic, and a mask that causes Fear) (Warlord - strategic trait - divide to conquer and something else - both had no real impact on the game)
High Chaplain Carnarvon (counts as Astorath the Grim)
Elite:
Death Company x 8 all with power weapons and at least 1 power fist in here
Sanguinary Guard x 5
Troops:
Tactical Marines x 5
Scouts x 5 w Sniper Rifles x 4 w Missile Launcher x1
Fast Attack:
Assault Marines x 10 w 2 Melta Guns
Assault Marines x 10 w 2 Melta Guns (split into Combat Squads)
Allied Assassin Detachment:
Vindicare Assassin

The Mission: Maelstrom of War mission 1: Cleanse and Control

The orks are here to loot the ruins for key components needed to complete Boss Sniksnak's Stompa - he has promised Big Mek Lugnutz his protection and the chance to build as many robots as he can find the parts. The Flesh Tearer scouts have been observing the Orks heavily defended workshop for several weeks, and have reported a large band of Orks leaving their fortress at night and journeying into the ruins of one of Armageddon's hives. High Chaplain Carnarvon is taking advantage of this rare chance to catch the Orks outside their walls and personally leads a strike force into the night.

The Vindicare, who had been stalking Boss Sniksnak through the ruins of Armageddon for weeks was utterly surprised to see the Flesh Tearer strike force drop from their thunder hawk into the middle of his planned ambush. Will he help the Imperial forces, or stay true to his mission?

The Map:
We were fighting over the ruins of an imperial city on Armageddon.

In the center a LoS blocking domed temple, with a ceremonial road leading west lined by statues of Imperial saints and bearing the scars of shelling. In the north west, ruins. In the south west, a refinery. To the north, som LoS blocking barricades. To the south, some silos, storing noxious fluids from the refinery. In the north east was a small ruined building. In the east a shrine to fallen martyrs. In the south east another ruin.

Objectives:
1: In crater on ceremonial road to west of ruined domed temple (Booby trapped)
2: On the shrine to fallen martyrs (Nothing of note)
3: north western corner, next to tank traps (Targeting Relay)
4: north eastern corner, in open between LoS blocking barricades and LoS temple (Skyfire Nexus)
5: south western corner, in refinery (Nothing of note)
6: south eastern corner, in ruined building (Nothing of note)

Deployment: Hammer and Anvil (doh, my orks always seem to get this one!)

Orks win the roll off to Deploy first, taking the western table edge and deploying as far forward in a line. On the northern flank goes Boss Sniksnak with his Goff boyz. In the center go the Morkanaut, Kans and Deff Dred. On the southern flank Big Mek Lugnutz deployed with the Blood Axes around Objective 5. The gretchin deployed in a diagonal line to claim Objectives 1 and 3. The Sombrero Boyz deployed at the rear to guard against deep striking Angels. At either extreme flank the Deff Koptas deployed, to make the most of side shots.

My plan (scheme really, "plan" is giving it far too much credit) was to hold the centre and the 3 objectives in my deployment zone with the boyz, pushing forward on the left (north) with the Morkanaut and kans to claim Objective 4 and then fire into the eastern end of the table with rokkits. The Deff Koptas are to try and keep behind cover and snipe the Death Company or other marines with their rokkits and thin them out. Otherwise, they are there for their mobility and late game objective grabbing.

The Flesh Tearers deployed conservatively: the Death company assembled with their High Chaplain behind the central LoS blocking temple. The Scouts moved into the ruined building in the south east to claim Objective 6 (and never moved again). One full ASM squad deployed behind the barricades near Objective 4. The small squad of Tactical Marines deployed behind the small shrine to fallen martyrs and hunkered down. The second ASM squad combat squadded and stayed in reserves for deep striking.

The vindicare occupied the small building in the north eastern corner.
Board Overview - Deployment
And in a fit of (over?) confidence, the librarian and Sanquinary Guard infiltrated into the south western corner to threaten the orks in the refinery around Objective 5.
Sanguinary Guard infiltrates
I then chose to give the Flesh Tearers first turn - given the tactical objectives I wanted to have the last move, and given the lack of heavy support I wanted to let the assaulty marines come to me.

Turn 1 - Flesh Tearers
A quiet turn. The Sanquinary Guard moved up closer to the refinery, and shoot into the boyz, killing a few. The scouts also kill one or 2 boyz, and the Vindicare aims at the northern Deff Kopta (Da Red Barun! oh noes!) and hits, but fails to wound. Da Red Barun lives!

Turn 1 - Orks
With a gout of pistons and a screech of rusted metal, the Morkanaut pride of the Big Mek's eye waddles forward and sights on the ASM around Objective 4. The Kans and the Dred move forward (east) slowed down by the craters around Objective 1. The Blood Axes swing around through the refinery to the south east to take on the shiny winged beakies who had come so obligingly close. And after some measuring, the Sombrero Boyz rushed south to help - their dakka and the 4-5 boyz who might make it into assault would help. Faced with the Sanguinary Guard's +2 armour save, I had to resort to quantity - fortunately that is the Ork's sweet spot :)

The Ork's shooting proved effective - the Morkanaut, Goff boyz big shootas and the Deff Koptas missiles killed 6 of the ASM around Objective 4.
ASM on Objective 4 take a beating
The Blood Axes and Sombrero boys wild slugga fire killed a sanguinary guard, and then the orks piled in for assault. Despite the librarians Fear causing mask, his psychic powers and his challenge (no thanks!) a further 2 sanguinary guards fell for very few ork casualties - they remain in combat, and the boyz pile in.
Orks charge the shiny beakies
Turn 2 - Flesh Tearers
One of the combat squads of ASM deep strike in, and drop on the southern table edge to further threaten my right flank. The four remaining ASM in the north move back to hold Objective 4. Unnerved by some badly aimed rokkits the previous turn, the Death Company fire up their packs and jump into the dome of the ruined temple - out of sight completely.
Death Company gets sneaky
The scouts fail to snipe the southern Deff Kopta, although the tactical marines put 1 wound on him. Then the newly arrived ASM show how it is done and bring him down in a hail of boltgun and meltagun fire. First Blood to the Flesh Tearers!
ASM squad deep strike and take out the Deff Kopta
The Vindicare takes aim at the Morkanaut, and Shakes him with a well aimed shot into the pilot's cupola - this helped the remaining ASM survive another turn.
Vindicare spends more time posing than aiming
And the Sanguinary Guard and Librarian go down in a flurry of hacking choppas (Slay the Warlord to the Orks) leaving the Sombrero boys to consolidate back towards the center and the Blood Axes back to Objective 5 in the refinery.

Turn 2 - Orks
The Sombrero boyz move further back to the center, and the Blood Axes up to the eastern edge of the refinery to take aim at the new (less shiny) squad of beakies that have dropped in. The Kans and Dred push south to threaten the ASM squad.
Dred and Kans swing south to get the ASM squad
In the north, the ork shooting is typically orky, and no further damage is done to the 4 marines around Objective 4. The Kans however bring down 3 of the bolt pistol ASM in the south with massed Rokkit fire (this proved a silly move shortly). The Blood Axe firing is mainly into the sky - they all are too busy jostling for a front row seat to watch the Deff Dred charge the remaining 2 ASM's with their melta guns.

But the Deff Dred's charge falls short by 1 cm! If the 3 marines had not died to rokkits he would have hit home. However, no complaints here (see next turn).

Turn 3 - Flesh Tearers
Spying an opportunity to charge Boss Sniksnak in his ruins, High Chaplain Carnarvon leads his Death Company up and out of the temple's dome and into the open in the center.
Death Company jump into center for a charge
The four ASM in the north move forward in a chain to both hold Objective 4 and to bring their meltagun within 6" of the Morkanaut.
ASM move into melta range
The 2 remaining ASM in the south jump away from the Dred. And the remaining ASM combat squad deep strikes from reserves into the north western corner to threaten Objective 3, and claim Line Breaker if they can survive to the end of the game.

From here, the turn goes downhill for the Fleshtearers.

The Vindicare hits the morkanaut but fails to penetrate with his turbo-penetrator round, and the ASM  meltagunner whiffs. The 2 ASM in the south manage to immobilise the Deff Dred.
Dred is immobilised - curses!
And the Death Company land in what has to be jagged pavement torn up by the morkanaut and roll double 1's for their charge distance, leaving them stranded in the center.
Death Company charge fizzles
Board overview after Flesh Tearer turn 3
Turn 3 - Orks
When given the choice between charging Death Company, and being charged - don't be charged!

Boss Sniksnak leads his Goffs out of the ruins they have been loitering in and ready their charge. The Killa Kans swing around and waddle right up to the Death Company.

The Morkanaut chooses to stick with Da Plan and waddles up to the ASM around Objective 4, supported by Da Red Barun who hopes to claim Obj 4 with his run move.

The High Chaplain absorbs the entire shooting of the Goff boyz, but behind him the Kans kill 3 of the death company with rokkits. The Morkanaut wipes out the remaining ASM around Obj 4, and Da Red Barun grabs the objective. The gretchin shuffle about and fire at the ASM squad in the north west, killing one - moral victory!

And the Boss and his Boyz assault (rolling double 6's on their charge length to rub orky salt into the imperial wounds) supported by the Kans. It is a blood bath, with the High Chaplain tanking most of the Boyz attacks, and the Kans hacking down multiple death company with their AP2 Kan Klaws. In the end, High Chaplain Carnarvon falls and a single Death Company marine is left. The goffs are hurt, and one Kan was killed, but numbers are with the Orks as usual.
Lone Death Company marine still swinging
Board Overview - bottom of Turn 3
Turn 4 - Flesh Tearers
With not much left on the board, there is little movement. The 4 ASM in the north east shuffle about to get fully into cover from the gretchin and the Sombrero boyz. The 2 ASM in the south move into cover from the Blood Axes but stay close to the Dred to be within 6", although their shooting is off.

The Vindicare again does little to the Morkanaut.

The last Death Company marine falls howling and twitching, and the Goffs and their Boss consolidate onto Objective 1 for which I had the tactical objective card and claim and additional victory point from the Boss's warlord trait.
All the momentum from here is with the Orks, although the Flesh Tearers are well ahead on VP's due to getting a number of points from Obj 2, 4 and 6 so far. Can the orks close the gap?
Tac marines claim another VP from Objective 2
Turn 4 - Orks
The Morkanaut waddles forward to claim Objective 4, and Da Red Barun moves up to the ruined building where the Vindicare is hiding, making sure to keep the building walls between him and the assassin.
Morkanaut secures Objective 4
Da Red Barun vs Da Vindicare
The kans move up and forward into the center to hopefully threaten Obj 2 next turn. On their way past, they rokkit the pair of ASM marines in the south and kill 1.
Kans waddle forward through the center
The Gretchin move forward to get LoS on the ASM in the north west with their grot blastas. Brave brave foolish gretchin.
Gretchin attempt to shoot another ASM
The Morkanaut and Da Red Barun wipe out the tactical marines near Objective 2. The gretchin do nothing to the ASM in the north west.

Turn 5 - Flesh Tearers
The only unit to move is the ASM in the north west who jump out of cover to take out the gretchin (they have a tactical objective to kill a unit in combat).

The vindicare again fails to pen the morkanaut, and the scouts kill a Kan with their missile launcher.

The ASM in the north west brutally butcher the gretchin and consolidate 6" back behind cover.
Gretchin utterly destroyed by ASM who consolidate back into cover

Turn 5 - Orks
The Kans continue forward in the center. The Sombrero boys shuffle about a bit and look uncertain - they can't see the ASM, let alone assault. They stay within assault range of the ASM as bait - hopefully they can absorb the attacks of 4 marines and bring them down.

The morkanaut and da red barun unleash on the vindicare and finally bring that pesky assassin down, his mission unaccomplished.

The score at this point was Flesh Tearers 11 and Orks 10. Game continues.

Turn 6 - Flesh Tearers
The ASM in the north west come out and assault into the Sombrero boyz. The Scouts try to take out another Kan with their missile launcher but no success.

The ASM kill about 6 orks losing 2 in return. The Orks fail morale, and roll on the Mob Rule table - 6 Str 4 hits, which kill a further 3 orks but they remain stuck in.

Turn 6 - Orks
Da Red Barun skims over to claim Objective 2 (1 VP thanks!) and Line Breaker. The Kingslayer tactical objective card gives the Orks a further 3 VP's as the High Chaplain had been killed in a previous turn.
Deff Kopta secures Objective 2
The Sombrero Boys kill the remaining ASM in the north west, denying the Flesh Tearers Line Breaker, and the game comes to a halt.
Sombrero Boyz fight off the last ASM squad in the NW
The only remaining Flesh Tearer unit are the scouts in their ruined building on the south eastern corner.
Scouts in their ruined building - last men standing
Final Score: Flesh Tearers 10 Orks 15 - victory to the orks!!

Wow - despite the final score (thanks to a pretty lucky Kingslayer card on the final turn) and the body count that was a very close game on VP's, and I was very conscious that while I was killing marines, the pesky beakies were grabbing tactical objective after tactical objective - had the game ended after turn 5 the Flesh Tearers would have won on VP's.

The marines' assaults were as brutal as the Flesh Tearers are supposed to be but were too few to properly wipe out the large units of Boyz. I think that the various units of ASM and Sanguinary Guard were too scattered and unable to support eachother so I was able to mop them up one after the other. In most of my counter assaults I was using more than one unit to bypass the flesh tearers AV with masses of dice.

I think if the Death Company had hit home, it would have been a much harder game - I would have had to deal with a very assaulty unit in the middle of my army supported by a combat squad of ASM in the north west and likely would not have been able to cover enough of the objectives to make up the VP gap. I also think that the vindicare was very very unlucky, as was the ASM in the north with the meltagun missing the Morkanaut from a range of 3 inches.

I am giving Ork of the Match to the Morkanaut - he took out a 10 man ASM squad, a 5 man tactical squad and the vindicare - all the while shielding my Warlord from the Vindicare with his vast fat bulk (not a plan, but a happy outcome).

Final note are the rules we overlooked in our excitement. We both failed miserably to take advantage of Look Out Sir for the High Chaplain and Boss Sniksnak. And in the new Ork Codex, the Kustom Force Field grants an 5++ invulnerable save, not a cover cave which is important when the Vindicare and Scouts are targeting you with guns that bypass cover saves.

Good game - I look forward to more Flesh Tearer madness - I think my Space Wolves will be very very nervous when facing them with their Init 5 Str 5 furious charge.

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