Epilogue of the Wasp Campaign

The Wasp Campaign is finally (and sadly) over.

The final results were that Chaos space marines (jabberjabber) crushed the joint forces of the imperium who attempted to seize control of WASP's moon.

The Blood Ravens (paladin84) lured the sneaky dark eldar and hordes of greenskins into a trap, feigning weakness, only to hit them at their weakest points securing WASP for the imperium.

Therefore the final situation is with the Blood ravens having secured a win and being convincingly in control of the planet and Chaos securing a win being convincingly in control of the moon. The campaign is now on hold and we may have a final (apocalypse) battle at some later point in time where the forces of chaos fight the imperium for control of the WASP system and decide the final outcome of this campaign. The orks and dark eldar have banded with chaos on the moon whilst the space marines have scoured the surface of WASP from xenos and heretic alike.....

Wargames Gallery: Challenge Accepted!

"Challenges in Sixth Edition?";

"Challenge accepted, servants of the false emperor!"

(image from the recent Wasp Campaign battle)

Battle Report: Chaos Space Marines vs. Crimson Fists and Black Templars

The first of the team battles in the Wasp Campaign features my chaos space marines taking on the combined forces of the Crimson Fists and Black Templars chapters.  Since I have less manufactoria, I'm at a points disadvantage overall.  Here are the army lists:

Chaos Space Marines (2100 points):

HQ: 
Daemon Prince, Mark of Nurgle, Wings, Doombolt (160 points)
Daemon Prince, Wings (130 points)

Elites: 
1 Chaos Dreadnought with Plasma Cannon, Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon, twin-linked bolter (105 points)

3 Chaos Terminators, 3 combi-meltas, 1 power fist (115 points)

4 Chaos Terminators, 2 combi-flamers, 1 heavy flamer, 1 chain fist (150 points)
Troops: 
5 plague marines, 1 flamer, 1 melta, 1 plague champion with powerfist, 1 icon (175 points)
5 plague marines, 1 flamer, 1 melta, 1 plague champion with powerfist, 1 icon (175 points)
5 plague marines, 1 plasma gun (130 points)

9 genestealers, 1 broodlord (172 points)

Dedicated Transports:
1 Rhino with Havoc Launcher (50 points)
1 Rhino with Havoc Launcher (50 points)
1 Rhino with Havoc Launcher (50 points)

Fast Attack: 
6 Chaos raptors, 1 aspiring champion with power fist, 2 meltas (180 points)

Heavy Support: 
2 obliterators (150 points)
Chaos Vindicator, Daemonic Possession (145 points)

Soul Grinder, vomit and phlegm (160 points)

Crimson Fists (1200 points):

HQ	Wargear	Qty.	Points	Total
Pedro Kantor		1	175	175
TROOPS
Tactical Squad		10	170
	Flamer	1	0
	Power Fist	1	25
	Lascannon	1	10	205
Tactical Squad		10	170
	Flamer	1	0
	Power Fist	1	25
	Lascannon	1	10	205
DEDICATED TRANSPORT
Razorback		1	40
	Twin-Linked Lascannon	1	35
	Hunter-Killer Missile	1	10
	Dozer Blade	1	5	90
ELITES
Sternguard Veterans		5	125		+BS1
	Power Fist	1	25		+Inf
	Combi-Melta	2	10
	Combi-Plasma	3	15	175
Ironclad Dreadnought		1	135
	Close Combat Weapon	1	0
	Seismic Hammer	1	0
	Meltagun	1	0
	Heavy Flamer	1	10	145	995
Drop Pod		1	35
	Storm Bolter	1	0	35
Devastator Squad		5	90		+TH
	Missile Launcher	2	30
	Plasma Cannon	2	50	170	205

Black Templars (1275 points):

HQ	Wargear	Qty.	Points
Emperors Champion			90
	Accept Any Challenge, No Matter the Odds	1	50
Marshal		1	80
	Power Weapon	1	15
	Storm Bolter	1	5
	Iron Halo	1	25
	Artificer Armour	1	20
	Melta Bomb	1	5
ELITE
Sword Brethren Terminator Squad		5	200
	Power Fists	5	0
	Storm Bolters	5	0
	Tank Hunter	5	15
	Cyclone Missile Launcher	2	50
Sword Brethren Squad		5	95
	Furious charge	1	0
	Pair of lightning claws	1	25
	Power weapon	1	15
	Close Combat Weapon	3	0
	Bolt Pistol	4	0
	Frag Grenades	5	5
	Krak Grenades	2	10
TROOPS
Crusader Squad	Initiates	5	80
	Lascannon	1	15
	Plasma Gun	1	6
	Bolter	3	0
Crusader Squad	Initiates	5	80
	Lascannon	1	15
	Plasma Gun	1	6
	Bolter	3	0
HEAVY SUPPORT
Predator Annihilator			120
	Turret mounted twin linked lascannon	1	0
	side mounted lascannons	2	25
	Power of the Machine Spirit	1	30
FAST ATTACK
Land Speeder Typhoon		1	50
	Typhoon Missile Launcher	1	20
Land Speeder Typhoon		1	50
	Typhoon Missile Launcher	1	20
DEDICATED TRANSPORTS
Rhino		1	50
	Smoke Launcher	1	3

Set-up:
The game is annihilation and we square off with a pitched battle set-up.  The terrain features ruins, craters and rocks arranged by independent parties and we roll off for who gets to set up first (etc.) which I miraculously win.  I elect to go first and set up in a castle in one corner of the board, apart from my dreadnought, which goes in the other corner.

My opponents surprise me by NOT reserving everything.  The Crimson Fists set up opposite me apart from one squad on the other side of the board (to take out the dreadnought).  The Black Templars reserved quite a lot (terminators, etc.), but placed on their command squad.

Turn 1.
I bring in my soul grinder (we're playing allies in 5th, okay?!) but he scatters a bit further back than I would have liked ... nearly enough to land on a stone wall, but narrowly avoids going back to the warp.  I move forward key elements of my army: a couple of rhinos, the raptors, the princes and leave a squad of plague marines and my obliterators in one of the ruins.  Then I unleash a firestorm backed up by the dice gods!  Man, I couldn't believe how lucky my rolling was (and how poor the Crimson Fists saves were).  I really felt sorry for the guys as the obliterators and dreadnought hit their squads with lucky plasma cannon shots, followed up by soul grinder barrage, rhino havoc launchers and the rest.  Although I really wanted to take out Pedro before he could summon down his orbital bombardment, I failed.  But most of the rest of that squad perished. Other enemy positions that were taken out included the predator, most of the Black Templar command squad, a few random devastators, a crusade squad and others.

In exchange, my opponents had a terrible opening round.  Pedro's guys unleashed their volley, but the daemonic possession rule saved both my vindicator and soul grinder.  Meanwhile, the ironclad dropped in behind the vindicator and tried to take it out with a rear armour shot.  The shot missed.  The only miniature I lost on this turn was a single raptor.  Seriously, I've never seen such one sided die.

Turn 2.
The remaining Black Templars squads come in for fire from my increasingly focussed targeting.  There's only a few of them left now -- just enough to have a daemon prince do some mopping up in later turns.

Meanwhile on the opposite flank, I decide to outflank my genestealers on to the board (allies, remember!).  They creep up on the Crimson Fists that are gunning for my dreadnought.

Sadly for me, the dreadnought dies this turn and plays no further threat.  But there's nothing that's going to stop those genestealers from contacting the enemy in my next turn.  The opposition's reserved guys fail to show up.  More lucky and unlikely saves ensue for my side, but my daemon princes do lose a couple of wounds each and an obliterator feels some pain as well.

Turn 3.
It's ugly.  If you're a loyalist.

The genestealers make short work of the Crimson Fists, with the brood lord (patriarch!) ensuring the power fist does not strike back.

The daemon princes round up the survivors and finish them off.  A lucky melta shot from my remaining raptors wrecks the ironclad.

And the we look around.  There's nothing left except what is in reserve for the loyalists. We delve in to the books: can reserves come on to the board if there are no other miniatures on your team left?  Apparently not.  The game ends with a massacre victory to the forces of chaos whom the fickle dice gods favoured in this battle.  I feel dreadful for my opponents -- a turn 3 victory is amazing when I'm behind on points like this. But by not reserving everything, they provided me with the targets that I needed and I systematically took them down one by one through my castled up approach.

Wasp Campaign: Round 4 Prologue

Multi-way battles are something that I've only rarely participated in.  In the fourth round of the Wasp Campaign, we'll be conducting two large-scale multi-way battles:

My own Chaos Space Marine force will take on the combined might of the Crimson Fists and the Black Templars.  The loyalists seek to destroy the chaos forces once and for all, driving them from the surface of the planet and freeing territory from their clutches.  I, of course, view this as "just as planned"... since I used my points from the last round to destroy the Blood Ravens manufactoria and let the Blood Ravens reduce my territory so that I might actually have a sporting chance...

Meanwhile, the Blood Ravens (whose allegiance to the Emperor is at best dubious according the Black Templars) will take on the Orks and the Dark Eldar.  I've offered to loan some khorne berzerkers to the Blood Ravens, should they need any chaos allies...

The battles will have a total base value of 2000, modified by manufactoria and the spread thin rule.  The players who are teaming up will have a base value of 1000 points, again modified as above.

This is going to be fun!

Spread Thin Rule in multi-way Battles

In the next round of our campaign, we will be having 2-on-1 battles.  This poses a dilemma for how to implement the "spread thin" rule for our campaign.

The usual spread thin rule (reproduced below) is based on how many Planetary Empire tiles each opponent holds before the battle, such that the player with the larger number of tiles is at a points disadvantage (i.e. spread thin!) compared to the smaller empire.

Tile Difference	Points Bonus
0	None.
1-2	+50 points.
3-5	+100 points.
6+	+150 points.

There are two broad options:
(i) The players simply total the number of tiles that they have and consult the chart above.
(ii) Each player compares individually with their opponent.
(iii) Both of the above!

Here's an example:
The Tau hold 6 tiles and are being attacked by an unholy alliance of necrons and daemons.  The necrons have 4 tiles and the daemons have 3.

Option (i) would see the tau get a bonus 50 points as they have 1 tile less than the necrons plus daemons in total.

Option (ii) would see the necrons get a bonus 50 points and the daemons a bonus 100 points.

We think we might go for option (iii), since it gives everyone a bonus, but would like to hear suggestions and narrative interpretations for any of the options (e.g. flank attacks on both sides for option ii).

Wasp Campaign: Round 3 Results

The results from the third round of the Wasp Campaign were as follows:

Blood Ravens 8 -- 3 Chaos Space Marines
Crimson Fists 6 -- 3 Black Templars
Dark Eldar 8 -- 2 Orks

The Blood Ravens crushed the chaos forces on the Moon of Wasp, recapturing Shackleton's Landing Hive City and freeing its citizenry from enslavement.  But will the citizens be subjected to worse following the Black Templars investigations?  We've heard malicious rumours that paladin84 may have been turned to Khorne worship... Meanwhile the Dark Eldar inflicted a terrible price on the orks, searing their souls in exchange for a longer life expectancy.

In the next round, we'll be going 2 on 1 which we're all looking forward to playing!

Wargames Gallery: Scouts in Chaos Terrain

Deep in the hostile terrain of a chaos-held Moon, scouts from the Blood Ravens space marines chapter hold off an assault of heretics with some well placed sniping bolstered by a missile launcher.

Battle Report: Crimson Fists vs. Black Templars

Crimson Fists vs. Black Templars (a Wasp Campaign report via Chuck Thunder)

Mission: In the thick of it (primary targets), Humiliation (secondary targets)

Deployment: Pitched Battle

Crimson Fists list 1226pt:

Pedro Kantor, 175pt

Tactical squad (10 man), flamer, lascannon, power fist  205pt

Tactical squad (10 man), flamer, lascannon, power fist  205pt

Sternguard veterans (5 man), power fist, 3xcombi-plasma, 2xcombi-melta 175pt +Infiltrate +BS1

Razorback, twin-linked lascannon, dozer blade 85pt

Devestator squad (6 man), 2xplasma cannon, 2xmissile launcher 186pt

Drop pod, deathwind missile launcher 55pt
Ironclad Dreadnaught, close combat weapon, seismic hammer, meltagun, heavy flamer 145pt

Black Templar list 1276pt:

Emperors Champion, Vows: Accept any challenge, no matter the odds 140pt

Marshal, power weapon, storm bolter,iron halo, artificer armour, melta bomb, frag grenade 151pt

Sword Brethren Terminator squad (5 man), power fists, storm bolters, 2x cyclone missile launchers, tank hunters 265pt

Sword Brethren squad (5 man), pair of lightning claws, power weapon, furious charge, frag and krak grenades 150pt

Rhino, smoke launcher 53pt

Crusader squad (5 initiates), lascannon, plasma gun 101pt

Crusader squad (5 initiates), lascannon, plasma gun 101pt

Predator Anihilator, power of the machine spirit 175pt

Land speeder Typhoon 70pt

Land speeder Typhoon 70pt

With three primary targets to take down the Crimson fists chose to immobilise the Black Templar, knowing of their might in close combat. They targetted the rhino and both land speeders. The Black Templar targetted the razorback, sternguard veterans and the chapter master Kantor, a plan that backfired when the Crimson Fists decided to bring the veterans in from reserve in their transport. The Crimson Fists won the initiative and chose to deploy first, setting up a firing line largely protected by cover. The Black Templar also made use of cover where possible, hiding the fast vehicles and rhino behind buildings, and the initiates using their predator for cover.

Turn 1:

The Crimson Fists drop pod descended deep into the heart of Black Templar territory, landing between a rhino and land speeder and releasing the ironclad dreadnaught inside, which immediately unleashed its armour piercing melta gun, dropping a land speeder (1st primary objective).  Concerned with the grunt inside the Black Templar rhino, the Fists bombarded it with lascannon, plasma and krak missiles, but the transport made it through unscathed.  The rhino and remaining land speeder moved clear of the mighty deadnaught, allowing the tank-hunting terminators bring it to its knees with krak missiles and a barrage of storm bolter fire.  With no other vehicle to shoot at, the Black Templar aimed their heavy arsenal of lascannons at the tactical squad led by Kantor, but the Emperor was favouring Kantor and his men, and the casulties were minimal.

Turn 2:

Still adament on stopping the Templar's charge, all heavy fire was aimed at their rhino, which withstood more than imaginable, before finally succumbing to multiple plasma cannon blasts (2nd primary objective).  Black Templar lascannon fire zipped across the battlefield in the direction of Kantor, but they must have angered the Machine God, as they yield little damage.

Turn 3:

The Crimson Fists sensed the opportunity left by the misfiring Templar, and called in their legendary sterngurd veterans from reserve.  They attempted to outflank their opponents, but did so from the wrong side of the battlefield, leaving them short of firing range.  Kantor, seeing this misjudgment calls in an orbital bombardment, taking out 2 terminators.  His tactical squad and the devastators drop 2 more.  Stunned by the fall of their battle brothers, the Black Templar sword brethren forget to advance.  Their multitude of lascannon fire is again deflected, this time by the approaching razorback, before it is shaken by a krak missile.  A squad of initiates reduce Kantor's tactical squad to 2 men.

Turns 4 and 5:

Confident with the swing in momentum, Kantor moves to higher ground to re-assess the battle.  A combination of plasma and krak destroy the Black Templar predator, and immobilise their remaining land speeder, but can't manage to destroy it.  The Crimson Fists razorback withstands another barrage, protecting the sternguard within, who never reach the frontline to disembark.  The Templar initiates and sword brethren charge forward for a final hurrah, but don't manage to reach any primary objectives.

Final Result: Crimson Fists Victory

Crimson Fists: 6pts 
Black Templar: 3pts

Battle Report: Blood Ravens vs. Chaos space marines

Mission: Primary targets, Humiliation

Deployment: Spearhead

Blood Ravens (space marine) list 1150pt:

Librarian, Plasma pistol, Null zone, Avenger 115pt

Tactical squad (10 man), Veteran: Infiltrate, meltagun, multi-melta, combi-melta 185pt

Scouts squad (5 man), Camo cloaks, missile launcher, Sniper rifles 100pt

Sternguard veterans (5 man), Power fist, combi-plasma, upgrade: +1BS 175pt

Rhino, H/K missile 45pt

Assault terminators (5 man), Thunder hammer and storm shields, Bastion upgrade: Fleet 200pt

Predator, autocannon, lascannon sponsons, H/K missile 130pt

Mercenaries:

Grey knights Purifier squad (5 man), Psycannon, Nemesis force halberds x 3, Master-crafted Nemesis Daemon hammer 146pt.

Grey knights rhino, dozer blade 45pt

Chaos space marine list 1250pt:

Daemon Prince, Mark of Nurgle, Wings, Doombolt (160 points)

Daemon Prince, Wings (130 points)

5 plague marines, 1 flamer, 1 melta, 1 plague champion with powerfist (170 points)

5 plague marines, 1 flamer, 1 melta, 1 plague champion with powerfist (170 points)

1 Rhino with Havoc Launcher (50 points)

1 Rhino with Havoc Launcher (50 points)

1 Rhino with Havoc Launcher (50 points)

1 obliterator (75 points)

1 obliterator (75 points)

Chaos Vindicator, Daemonic Possession (145 points)

Mercenaries:

9 Genestealers, 1 broodlord (172)

Preamble:

With the forces of chaos rapidly gaining ground on Wasp’s moon and the weakening of the Black Templar presence due to their unwelcome inquiry into Blood Raven loyalty, it was time for the Blood Ravens to move against the heretics.

The mission was to strike quick and true against primary targets so as to weaken the enemy for future major engagements. Also, striking at the revered heroes of the enemy to humiliate and weaken their resolve is always a good thing!

Being spread thin by their large territory control the Blood ravens called upon the aid of the Ordo Malleus. Fortunately the Grey knights obliged by sending a detachment of Purifiers to help control the Chaos presence.

The Heretics had plans of their own, unleashing a group of genestealers from their bonds to harvest Loyalist geneseed.

Both armies with a wealth of resources behind them had several Command bastion bonuses and Initiative bonuses from their power plants. The Blood Ravens won initiative and managed to avoid having it seized after deploying first. Blood Ravens deployed in a very forward wedge, the infiltrating tactical squad and scout squad taking up dug in positions on their flanks. The forces of chaos responded with very forward positions also hoping to get the jump on the loyalists. The Genestealers were unleashed behind the Blood Ravens lines, looking to catch them by surprise and keep them from lashing out at their chaos captors.

Turn 1:

“With Me brothers, Advance!” Shout the Blood Ravens assault terminators as they charge forward toward the foe. Unleashing a volley from the Predators guns an obliterator is vaporized (1 secondary target). The dug in scouts and tactical marines opened up their guns on the horrifying demon princes taking a wound off each. Librarian Zaphel sensing a disturbance in the warp ordered his rhinos’ driver to move to the back of the Blood Ravens lines at full speed. He and the Sternguard veterans accompanying him disembark to see a disturbing sight, Genestealers! Unleashing the power of the warp the Librarian burned 3 with his Avenger ability. All but a wounded Broodlord remained after the Sternguard opened up on them with Hellfire rounds. The Grey knights advanced toward their quarry lashing out with Psycannon and storm bolter but failed to remove another wound from the closest demon prince.

In reprisal, the Heretics opened up with Vindictor blast and plasma from a disembarking plague marine squad to stop the advancing Terminators killing 2. The Demon princes advanced but failed to make close combat, The Grey knights rhino was wrecked by a well placed lascannon shot from the obliterator atop a whirl of warp energy, The purifiers were quick to disembark taking cover behind the wreck of their transport. The Brood lord charged the Librarian and his veterans seeking geneseed, and he tasted a little of Librarian Zaphel but was cut down soon after. Whilst the havoc launchers from all 3 chaos rhinos killed 4 of the dug in tactical squad, but they held their ground.  

Turn 2:

Their job done, Librarian Zaphel and his Sternguard re-embark their Rhino and move back toward the fray popping smoke launchers for cover. The Assault Terminators perform a daring multi-charge into the Vindicator and the disembarked Plague marine squad. Destroying the Vindictor (1 primary Target down) and killing a Plague marine. The tactical marines concentrated fire on the too close for comfort demon prince and removed yet another wound. Meanwhile, the Predator focused all its firepower on the other demon prince reducing it to 1 wound and the scouts finished the wounded demon off (2 primary targets down). Finally the Grey knights found their quarry, they advanced on the second wounded demon prince and readily put it down (3^rd and last primary target) before it had a chance to react, then moved toward their next foe.

Battered and bruised the remaining chaos forces continued their advance. Hammering the dug in Tactical squad yet again with havoc launcher missiles and a plasma cannon round from the “floating” obliterator.  They were forced to break and began their retreat toward the game board edge, the second plague marine squad disembarked their rhino next to the purifiers and opened fire slaying two. In the ensuing melee 2 more plague marines were reduced to pulp and pus by the Terminators thunder hammers.

Turn 3:

Forced to continue their fall back due to the proximity of the enemy, the tactical marine squad retreated from the board (1 Primary target to chaos). The Predator lined the floating obliterator up and removed it from existence (2 secondary targets down). With a volley of stormbolter fire and following assault the remaining Purifiers wiped out the nearby plague marines (3^rd and last secondary target down). The Assault terminators slew the last plague marine and moved on. Disembarking their rhino once again, the Sternguard and Librarian opened up with plasma on a nearby chaos rhino removing its weapons and immobilizing it. Meanwhile, with a missile the scouts stunned a second rhino.

With only one rhino to move, chaos withdrew. A massacre victory was awarded to the Blood Ravens given the state of the battlefield.  Chaos did kill two of their secondary objectives (but we cannot recall what they were…)