Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Tzeentch CSM vs Blood Angels....er, Nightlords Battle Report - 1,750 pts


This past weekend, my cousin and I decided to try to get in a game during my children’s naptime.  After talking about the game, we both wanted to play a fun game.  He wanted to bring out his seldom used Tzeentch CSM army and I wanted to throw something together from the Blood Angels Codex using the Nightlords models I have built.  We decided on 1,750 pts so we could keep the time down, but big enough to use the models we wanted in this “experimental” game. 

I went through my models and came up with a mixed mech list so I could test which way I wanted steer with the army from here on out.  I’ll probably just end up getting enough for several variant playstyles but at least this sounds good.  Below is a quick rundown of our lists(points probably not exactly right).

Nightlords list using BA Codex

Reclusiarch(Kharn) with 8 Death Company(Khorne Berzerkers) – 1 powerfist all riding in a Landraider
Death Company Dreadnought(FW Nightlords Dread Proxy) with Blood Talons and Heavy Flamer
10 Assault Marines(Raptors) with jump packs, 2 Plasma Pistols and Srg with Plasma Pistol, Power Weapon
10 Assault Marines (Raptors) with jump packs, 2 Meltaguns and Srg with Powerfist
10 Assault Marines(Nightlord CSM) in rhino, 2 flamers, and Srg with powerfist, combi-flamer
10 Assault Marines(Nightlord CSM) in rhino, 2 plasmaguns and Srg with power weapon, plasma pistol

So a little mech, a little deepstrike trials, and a semi-hammer unit in landraider, and the DC Dread for Schlitzengiggles.  I later learned that I should have taken some Sanguinary Priests.

Tzeentch-themed list using CSM Codex

Daemon Prince with wings, Mark of Tzeentch, Warptime, and Bolt of Change
Chaos Dreadnought with twin-linked lascannons and heavy flamer
3 Obliterators
8 Thousand Sons plus Sorcerer with Bolt of Change with Icon in Rhino
8 Thousand Sons plus Sorcerer with Bolt of Change with Icon in Rhino
10 CSM with Icon of Tzeentch, 2 Meltaguns, Aspiring champ with powerfist in Rhino
10 CSM with Icon of Tzeentch, 2 Meltaguns, Aspiring champ with powerfist in Rhino

So plenty of meched up invulnerable save wearing dustbunnies, with a prince, dread and oblits thrown in to make up for weaknesses.

As naptime neared we went and picked up my table from mother-in-laws and got it setup on top of the kitchen table and began to setup while nap was happening.  We rolled a Seize Ground mission with 4 Objectives using Spearhead deployment.  We set up the objectives pretty much in each quarter. 

Setup of my units

Closeup of the CSM Setup

He won the roll-off for first turn and setup everything save the oblits that he would deepstrike later.  He set up a rhino full of CSM on his nearest objective, and stacked most stuff near center table to circle around right side of building in center toward 2 objectives nearest me. 

I set up everything except my jumppack squads.  I put a rhino with the plasmaguns on my nearest objective and parked the other beside to head toward the one he had stacked.  I sent the death company toward his weak side, hoping they could handle themselves while the jumppacks would support his heavy side.  The DC Dread hid behind one of the rhinos.

Even though this was an objective mission I rolled for seize and actually got it.  I wanted this army to try to get the upper hand early.

Turn 1

Game begins and I move forward everything, save the rhino with plasmagun guys camped on objective.  I fire a lascannon from landraider and wound the daemon prince.  Short turn for me but I’m almost there already.

CSM turn, he moves a few things around whiffs all shooting with Bolt of Change and his dread.

Turn 2

This turn I roll in both deepstriking assault squads.  Descent of Angels makes this proposition a lot more reliable getting meltaguns up close.  I strike one behind his rhino camped on objective, using the plasma pistols to shake it.  The other dropped in close to 2 full rhinos, wrecking one with the meltaguns.  The dread is still walking and running forward.  This turn the landraider would be in assault range of daemon prince so I charge forward disgorging the raging lunatics.  Reclusiarch causes 2 unsaved wounds, while the regular death company throw out 17 wounds from 7 guys.  This was pretty awesome to see against a T5 model.  They would be insane against anything normal.  The powerfist guy was pissed as he just stood around powering up for nothing.

The CSM this turn decide to disembark everybody and take down as many as possible before I could charge next turn.  A Thousand Sons unit shoot down 3 of the deathcompany.  While the two CSM units shoot down 2 raptors from each squad.  The second Thousand Sons unit kills the remaining 8 raptors in the melta unit.  He then begins assault, charging my Landraider with Dread, whiffing.  Also he charged my remaining raptor unit with a CSM unit, killing some though units stay locked in.  He also decides after seeing the deathcompany on the charge he should charge them instead.  A full unit of Thousand Sons charge in.  The Reclusiarch strikes first missing everything, while his sorcerer kills him outright with a force sword.  The rest of the units kill 2 from each and stay locked in combat.

A lot happened in turn 2.  His shooting was great and everything in army having invulnerable saves is pretty nice when you can roll them.  I would have like a priest in there for the Feel No Pain bubble for the extra chance at living.  They will definitely be in my next list.

 Early turn 2

Turn 3

In my next turn I really had no shooting as most was locked in combat or had no targets.  In combat the CSM squad takes down all but 3 Raptors who flee and regroup.  The Death Company and Thousand Sons units are still locked.

In the CSM turn the Obliterators deepstrike in first, firing multimeltas at my Landraider, immobilizing it and taking off one lascannon.  The CSM squad fires into remaining 3 Raptors taking down 2 before charging in and finishing off the last one.  The other CSM unit meltas my rhino, causing it to explode, killing one passenger.  His Dreadnought finally gets the drop on my Death Company, charging in and helping finish them off.

Turn 4

My turn again and I have a chance at some redemption at least.  I leave the objective behind, moving up firing 3 flamers and bolt pistols, killing 6 CSM before charging in and finishing them off.  My Death Company Dread charges a unit of Thousand Sons missing all attacks.

It’s looking grim for me now with only a couple units on the board and only having annihilated one of his units. 

This turn he begins moving onto objectives on left side of board as all I have remaining over there is the dread.  His obliterators fire plasma cannons at my flamer unit killing 5 before finishing the remaining 4 in combat.  His dreadnought then charges my DC dread, exploding it in a massive ball of fire that kills 4 of his Thousand Sons, EPIC. 

Turn 5

Well, this turn I’m hoping it’ll end as all I have left is an immobilized landraider and one rhino full of guys camping an objective.  They remain camped firing a couple plasma shots from the hatch, missing of course.

For the second time this game, the TS dread fire frenzies, though this time destroying a CSM rhino, haha.  This dread is my best friend this game, killing a rhino and 4 Thousand Sons.  Another rhino runs for the contestation of my objective but immobilizes itself in some rough ground 5” away.  

We roll and the game continues.

Turn 6

I fire from hatch again, causing 3 wounds on his obliterators.

Again the Thousand Sons Dread fire frenzies killing 1 CSM nearby.  Somebody take that lascannon from him.  The oblits then fire plasma cannons at my only remaining unit taking down 9 of them.

Again we roll, again the game continues.

Turn 7

My last model moves onto objective.

Obliterators then twin-linked plasma gun him, while a Sorcerer Bolts my last rhino.

Game finally ends with Tzeentch in control of 3 objectives and over half the army remaining, while the poor Blood Angels…er, Nightlords have only the immobilized landraider on the board.  Wow, what a slaughter for the CSM. 

 End Game with only my Landraider and wrecked Rhino, and his having 3 objectives

My thoughts on the game.

Tzeentch themed Chaos armies are tough with all those invulnerable saves.  His list was a well-rounded list ready to deal with most things I had.  My list showed me that I need to specialize with either full- mech or full- jump pack.  I think the mix hurt me, especially with reserves coming in so early.  I probably should have hung back and let him camp the objectives before blitzing each one with larger parts of my army, annihilating that part of his before moving on.  Instead, I split up hoping that each of my units could deal with each of his and got owned for the trouble.  Was a great game, with lots of funny moments, especially the dread fire frenzying almost every turn.  At least playing a game got the juices flowing on the direction I will head in with the Nightlords.

If you made it this far, congratulations that was a long one.  I gotta figure out how to make these reports more concise.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Check out my new Nightlord inspired Goat Banner

Lately, I've become tired of the boring look of my blog.  Having no skills in photoshop or any artistic drawing abilities I contacted Goatboy of Bols-fame to make up a banner for my blog.  I sent him a few images of models I have converted, wanting him to use one of these as his inspiration.  After a few emails he settled on the below Nightlord model I converted up a while back.  For a mere 25 bucks he whipped up the above banner and I had it in just a couple days.  I think he did a great job using my model as his inspiration.  Thanks Goatboy.


Using my new banner as inspiration, I'll be posting more on the upcoming Project: Nightlords, including a battle report from this past weekend.  I'll also have some pics of my converted models that will stand-in for units in the Blood Angels Codex as these are the rules I will be using for them.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Project Nightlords: Progress, Kinda.

I finally had a little time to work on a few models lately.  I've had a busy few months with working, building a new house, moving into new house, putting things on walls and what not(read list of things wife wants done), taking more time with 2 year old daughter while wife is pregnant and finally having my son be born last week.  I still haven't moved all my models to the new house and getting the paint out is beyond what time I have to spend at the moment.  I just get a few minutes here and there, so cleaning a few mold lines between chores is about all I get.  Most of the time I'm to tired to skip naptime and put in a couple hours on the models.  

While on vacation in June I did have a chance to read the Blood Angels Codex and decided it was the way to go with most of my Chaos stuff being geared toward Nightlords.  Finally, I can use the 40 Chaos Raptors I have owned since you could actually have that many in a Nightlords army.  I got these out and built and based the final 10 models and changed some of the special weapons to fit the Blood Angels Codex unit entry.  I think they're all legal now for a jump pack army.  When I built the originals a few years ago I wanted a heavy urban war theme on the bases, so I carried this through with the basing on the final 10.  Below are the 4 units of 10 Assault Raptors.

A 10 man unit with 2 Plasma Pistols and Srg with Power Weapon/Plasma Pistol

A 10 man unit with 2 Flamers and Srg with Pair Lightning Claws

A 10 man unit with 2 meltaguns and Srg with Powerfist/Bolt Pistol

A 10 man unit with 2 meltaguns and Srg with Powersword/Bolt Pistol

I'm still in the process of going through my army and sorting which models will work for what in the Blood Angels Codex with as little confusion as possible.  I want to have a Chaos army, but I don't want my opponent to easily misunderstand what my units and characters are.  I'll list my ideas so far.

Mephiston - Fabius Bile model
Reclusiarch - Kharn the Betrayer
Dante - Converted possessed with leathery wings - pic coming
Sanguinor - Converted possessed with leathery wings - pic coming
Sanguinary Guard - Converted possessed all with leather wings - just idea at moment, still need parts to convert
Assault Squad with Jumppacks - Chaos Raptors - see above
Assault Squad with Rhinos - Nightlords CSM - built - pic coming
Terminators Assault Squad - Converted Chaos Termies - still idea stages
Death Company - Khorne Berzerkers - built and posted previously with converted Landraider
Death Company Dreadnought - Forge World Khorne dread with dual CCW
Baal Predators - chaos up the normal model
Vindi - see above
Land Raiders - see above
Sanguinary Priest - maybe Deathguard models, maybe something converted

Those are the few ideas I've had thus far.  I'm gonna post a few lists I have thought up to get me started.  I still have to purchase some Baal Predators, FW dreads, and maybe more bits for Assault Squads in Rhinos.  Gotta get some funds first, which brings me to telling you to check out my earlier post with my list of WH, DH, SM and random bits I'm selling at the moment.  I still haven't had time to post any on ebay, so I still have a majority of the ones shown.  Email at ctreleheb@gmail.com . 

Next up will be some pics of the Forgeworld Thunderbolt I just finished building(may wait til I get more of my basing idea ironed out though).  Does anyone have any FW Epic Tau tanks?  I am thinking of changing the scale of the base to make more of strafing run diorama and these are part of the plan.  I'm also thinking about adding a weekly column about writing themed lists for the hobbyists instead of the competitive player.  I have a few ideas so far, but trying to get more of the idea down before I start posting.

Well, its been a while and that was a long one.  I'm hoping to be a little more consistent soon when the dust settles around the house.