Daemons vs Space Wolves 1500 pts
On Saturday I headed to the Queensland Gamers Guild meet at Enoggera Bowls Club, Brisbane. Atomic from the Independent Characters forum invited me to the club, and this was my first visit. They had a Bolt Action and Flames of War tournament going on, so it was very busy.
This was to be my first 7th Edition game, against an opponent who hadn't played 7th yet either. So a good learning experience for us both.
The game was a variation of the Relic, we were play testing a mission for an upcoming Tournament. It was Dawn of War deployment and the Relic would arrive from orbit at the beginning of player 2's second turn. It would arrive 10d6 from one of the table edges, which table edge is determined the same as outflank. Player 2 rolls, 1-2 left, 3-4 right, 5-6 Player 2 chooses. Blast maker is placed were it landed and any units would suffer a Str8 Ap2 hits (or something similar, I forget now).
I played Jayce (Apologies if that's not how you spell it), and his Space Wolf Army. The club plays a standard 1500pts game, so it was a challenge to bring my list down to that score.
My list:
@HQ [ 1 ]
Keeper of Secrets (245pt.); Mastery level 2; Lesser Rewards; Greater Rewards (x2);
- Powers: Lash of Slaanesh (Slaanesh); Summoning (Malefic), Hallucinate (Telepathy)
- Rewards: Hellfire Gaze (Greater), Touch of Uncreation (Greater), Etherblade (Lesser)
@Troops [ 3 ]
15x - Daemonettes of Slaanesh (160pt.); Alluress; Greater Rewards (Greater Etherblade);
15x - Daemonettes of Slaanesh (160pt.); Alluress; Greater Rewards (Greater Etherblade);
10x - Daemonettes of Slaanesh (90pt.);
@Fast attack [ 1 ]
10x - Seekers of Slaanesh (145pt.); Heartseeker; Greater Rewards (Greater Etherblade);
@Heavy support [ 3 ]
Soul Grinder (170pt.); Daemon of Slaanesh; Baleful torrent;
Daemon Prince (260pt.); Daemon of Slaanesh; Daemonic flight; Mastery level 1; Greater Rewards (x2);
- Powers: Lash of Slaanesh (Slaanesh); Smite (Biomancy)
- Rewards: Lash of despair (Greater); Daemonic Resilience (Greater); Corrosive Breath (Lesser)
Daemon Prince (265pt.); Daemon of Slaanesh; Daemonic flight; Warp-forged armour; Lesser Rewards; Greater Rewards (x2);
- Rewards: Corpulescence (Greater); Dark Blessing (Greater); Etherblade (Lesser)
Again, I know Daemons should be playing up their psychic abilities, but I have never had much luck with Psychic powers, and they are now even harder to cast. So I keep my reliance on them down. I have chosen to use the first Daemon Prince as a Shooting flyer, and the second acting like a Jump Monstrous Creature so I can use him in close combat.
I don't know Space Wolves at all, so here is a loose list.
@HQ [ 2 ]
Rune Priest; Terminator Armour, Mastery Level 2
- Powers: Prescience (Divination); Forewarning (Divination); Foreboding (Divination)
Rune Priest: Mastery Level 2
- Powers: Smite (Biomancy), Life Leech (Biomancy), Iron Arm (Biomancy)
@Elite [ 2 ]
Space Wolves Comptemptor; Kheres Assault Cannon; CCW. Rampage Saga
5x Terminators; Assault Cannon, Thunder Hammer, 2x Lightning claws, Power fists.
@Troops [ 2 ]
10x Grey Hunters; Plasma Gun
10x Grey Hunters; Melta, Combi-Melta, Drop Pod
@Fast Attack [ 1 ]
3x Thunderwolf Calvary
@Heavy Support [ 1 ]
6x Long Fangs; 4 Missile Launchers, 1 Heavy Bolter
@ Fortifications [ 1 ]
Aegis Defence Line; Quad Gun.
He was expecting Daemon Summoning Shenanigans, so took 2 Rune Priests, and ended up with higher Mastery Level than I did. It made for an interesting Psychic Phase.
Space Wolves deployed first, and set up the Aegis in the centre of his deployment zone, with the Long Fangs at the back on the Quad Gun and the squad of Grey Hunters on foot behind the ADL. The Contemptor on his right flank, and the Terminators and the Thunderwolves on his left flank.
Assaulting through and ADL, is suicide for my Daemon army, so I ignored it. 1 Squad of Daemonettes on the right, one on the left, the squad of 10 in reserve. Seekers deployed in the centre with the plan to run towards the right flank and take on the Terminators. my CC Daemon Prince deployed behind a hill on the right flank, and my Shooting flyer Daemon Prince deployed in the centre looking to zoom up and take out some Grey Hunters behind the ADL.
My Soul Grinder deployed on my left flank with the Keeper, giving him some protection.
Daemons Turn 1
Movement Phase: Everything pushed forward. Psychic Phase was uneventful, with my Keeper out of range to shoot, it tried and failed to summon Daemons. The Daemon Prince used Lash of Slaanesh to kill a Grey Hunter.Shooting Phase: Warp Storm table, everyone gets +1 invulnerability save!
The Soul Grinder shot it's Harvester Cannon and failed to kill anything... but at least it hit twice!
Space Wolves Turn 1
Movement Phase: Drop pod lands in front of the Soul Grinder and the Keeper of Secrets. The Contemptor on his left flank moves up, Thunderwolves stay back behind the hill, Terminators move up to see the Seekers. Grey Hunters and Long Fangs stay behind the Aegis.
Psychic Phase: The Terminator Rune Priest (Warlord), with the Long Fangs tries to cast Prescience and Forewarning on them. I manage to Deny the Prescience roll. The other Rune Priest uses Smite to kill a Seeker.
Shooting Phase: The Grey Hunters in the drop pod, fire at the Soul Grinder with Melta. First shot is saved by the increased invuln save, the second gets a penetrating hit and immobilises it.
The Terminators open fire on the Seekers, killing 3 of them.
The Long Fangs shoot at the swooping Daemon Prince, causing a wound. The Grey Hunters also shoot at the Daemon Prince but he passes his Invuln, or Feel No Pain. Passes grounding test.
The Contemptor shoots at the oncoming Daemonettes, killing one.
Daemons Turn 2
Movement Phase: Everything continues rushing forward. The Daemonettes on my left flank make it to cover, the Soul Grinder is immobilised, the keeper moves to within 1" of the Grey Hunters readying the charge. The Daemonettes on the right move up behind the hill, the depleted Seekers move closer to the terminators, the Close Combat Daemon Prince moves up to support the Seekers. The swooping Daemon Prince passes in front of the Grey Hunters behind the ADL.
Psychic Phase: The swooping Daemon Prince uses Lash of Slaanesh to try and kill a few Grey hunters, the beam passes through to the Long Fangs behind and the Rune Priest Denies it. He successfully uses smite to kill a few Grey Hunters. The Keeper uses its Lash of Slaanesh to kill a few of the Grey Hunters coming out of the drop pod and perils! He passes his leadership and thankfully only takes one wound.
Shooting Phase: Nurgle comes to aid the forces of Slaanesh via the Warp Storm table, and fails to hit anything. The swooping Daemon Prince uses Lash of Despair and Corrosive Breath to kill a few more Grey Hunters, they pass their morale test. The Soul Grinder uses Baleful Torrent to kill a few Grey Hunters from the Drop Pods, its Harverster Cannon fails to wound.
Assault Phase:
The Seekers attempt a long Charge against the Terminators, over watch kills enough for the charge to fail. only three left.
The Keeper charges the four remaining Grey Hunters, the keeper finishes the squad off before they can hit back. First Blood.
Space Wolves Turn 2
The relic arrives, and promptly lands on my Seeker squad killing two.Movement Phase:
The Thunderwolves move up to charge the Daemonettes, The Terminators and Rune Priest move to within charging distance of the remaining Seeker. The Contemptor moves up ready to charge the Daemonettes on my left flank. Grey Hunters and Long Fangs stay still ready to shoot the swooping Daemon Prince.
Psychic Phase: The Rune Priest with the Terminators cast smite on the Seeker, Perils! He passes his leadership and loses a wound. The last Seeker dies. The Rune Priest also attempts to get off Iron Arm, I successfully Deny with all my dice. The Rune Priest with the Long Fangs casts prescience on his squad.
Assault Phase: The Contemptor fails the charge, he would have made it he hadn't killed those Daemonettes in the shooting phase. The Thunderwolves charge the Daemonettes, the Daemonettes knock 5 wounds off them killing two, wounding another,they strike back and kill one Daemonette. The remaining Thunderwolf passes his morale test and they stay locked in combat.
Daemon Turn 3
Psychic Phase: The Keeper summons some Daemonettes they scatter near the Relic Objective. All dice are rolled in attempt to deny, and fail, falling one 6 short on eight dice.
Shooting Phase: Nurgle again pops up to try and help the Daemons of Slaanesh, again he fails to hit anything. The Keeper fires at the Grey hunters, and fails to wound. The Soul Grinder takes a HP of the Drop Pod.
The summoned Daemonettes run on to the Relic.
Assault Phase:
The Daemon Prince charges the Terminators, over watch sees the Daemon Prince save 3 wounds with Dark Blessing re-rolls. He gets in to combat. 3 Terminators Die to AP2 Etherblade. They Fail to wound back, they pass their morale and the combat continues.
Space Wolves Turn 3
Movement Phase: The three remaining Grey Hunters move into the terrain and Long Fangs stay still and try to deal with the Keeper.Psychic Phase: The Rune Priest in combat with Daemon Prince tries to cast Life Leech and fails. The Terminator Rune Priest casts Prescience and Forewarning, and perils! He loses a wound.
Shooting Phase: Everything shoots at the Keeper of Secrets, and reduces it to 1 HP.
Assault Phase: The Contemptor kills two more Daemonettes, who fail Daemonic Instability and are reduced by a further three. The Daemon Prince Kills two more Terminators and it's just him and the Rune Priest left.
Daemons Turn 4
Movement Phase: My reserved Daemonettes arrive and deep strike behind the Contemptor. The Daemonettes on my right flank move towards the Long Fangs looking to make a charge turn 5.
The Summoned Daemonettes are heading back to my deployment zone with the relic.
The swooping Daemon Prince comes on from my left, and flies towards the grey Hunters.
Psychic Phase: The swooping Daemon Prince casts smite and Lash of Slaanesh on the Grey hunters killing a few.
Shooting Phase: The warp storm is calm. The Swooping Daemon Prince uses its rewards to take a few more Grey Hunters.
The Keeper uses its Hellfire gaze to take a HP of the drop pod, the Soul Grinder takes the last HP of it wrecking it.
Assault Phase: The Contemptor kills a few more Daemonettes leaving 3 left.
The Daemon Prince easily kills the Rune Priest and consolidates towards the Long Fangs.
Space Wolves Turn 4
Movement Phase: The Long Fangs stand their ground. The Grey hunters remain in terrain.Psychic Phase: The remaining Rune Priest casts foreboding and prescience on itself and the long fangs.
Shooting Phase: The Quad cannon takes aim at the swooping Daemon Prince, again he makes his invulnerability or Feel No Pain saves. Everything else targets the Keeper of Secrets and manages to kill it, for Slay the Warlord.
Assault Phase: the Contemptor kills the last remaining Daemonettes and consolidates towards the newly arrived Daemonettes in the deployment zone.
Daemons Turn 5
Movement Phase: The Swooping Daemon Prince switches to Gliding mode and lands in front of the Grey hunters in the terrain. Everything moves towards the Long Fangs ready to assault.
We called it here.
Final Score: Daemons 7 - 1 Space Wolves
Daemons: Relic (4), Slay the Warlord (1), Linebreaker(1), First Blood (1)
Space Wolves: Slay the Warlord (1)
End Game Analysis
The sheer number of Rending and AP2 Etherblades really took it's toll on the Space Wolves. The Wolves should love combat, but against Slaanesh, it's to be avoided at all costs. Other than the Contemptor, everything withered in Close Combat.
My Seekers didn't achieve anything this game, which is what usually happens, but they did attract a lot of fire away from the rest of my force. So are still worth taking in small numbers.
I don't like to rely on Psychic Powers, and my force showed that, Jayce did not expect to have more Mastery Levels than me. With ML1 powers I feel confident rolling two dice, but with ML2, I feel i need to roll 4 dice to get the power off, and 6 dice for ML3. With low dice rolls for the Psychic Phase I did not have much to play with. In the future I will keep the same play style and rely on those ML1 witchfires just to give me more shooting power.
My list struggles against vehicles, it took 3 turns to remove a drop pod! Thankfully I didn't have to deal with many, and I was able to hold up the Contemptor for a few turns with a large squad of Daemonettes.
All in all a good game, against a great opponent. We both learnt a lot from the new edition.
0 comments:
Post a Comment