HQ: Captain Darnath Lysander
Troops: Tactical Squad (10 models, 240 pts)
+ Meltagun
+ Multi-Melta
+ Power Fist
Rhino
+ Dozer Blade
Troops: Tactical Squad (10 models, 240 pts)
+ Meltagun
+ Multi-Melta
+ Power Fist
Rhino
+ Dozer Blade
Troops: Tactical Squad (10 models, 255 pts)
+ Meltagun
+ Multi-Melta
+ Power Fist
+ teleport homer
Rhino
+ Dozer Blade
Troops: Tactical Squad (10 models, 250 pts)
+ Flamer
+ Missile Launcher
+ Power Fist
+ teleport homer
Rhino
+ Dozer Blade
Troops: Scout Squad (10 models, 190 pts)
+ BP/CCW for all scouts
+ power fist
+ combi-melta
+ teleport homer
Elite: Terminator Assault Squad (8 units, 320 pts)
+ 5 Thunder Hammer/SS
+ 3 Lightning Claws
Fast Attack: Land Speeder Squadron (90 pts)
+ Typhoon Missile Launcher
Fast Attack: Land Speeder Squadron (90 pts)
+ Typhoon Missile Launcher
Elite: Dreadnought (125 pts)
+ 2 x Twin Linked Autocannon
HQ: 1
Elite: 2
Troops: 5
Fast: 2
Heavy: 0
Yup, that's a big blob of Scouts with a powerfist toting sergeant. I had 10 extra points, so I gave him a combi-melta.
We played Nova (objectives - kill points - table quarters were the goals, in order), Pitched Battle deployment. Scouts were kept in reserve, and would enter battle by outflanking. Our opponents had the first turn, and promptly blew up one of my Rhinos, both of Sean's, and pinned one of each of our squads. He wasn't encouraged. Our turn one, the rest of my Rhinos rolled up the left flank and popped smoke, the Grey Knights pushed forward. Todd and Bret seemed content to shoot us to pieces then charge us with angry Chaos dudes once we got close enough.
Turn 2, more shooting. A Chaos Rhino filled with Berserkers pushed towards my Rhinos on the left. Tau suits hopping out and then back into cover. Broadsides, well, being Broadsides and Obliterators shooting stuff up. I did really well on cover saves, no Rhinos lost - I think I had a weapon destroyed but no big deal.
Our turn 2, scouts come in. Thank God they came in on my left, there was nothing but trouble on the right - Chaos Terminators and maybe a squad of Fire Warriors if I was lucky. The scouts wanted to get into CC with a Broadside, but there was no way I could guarantee getting a charge off there so they snuggled up next to the Berserker's Rhino that had moved at the top of turn 2. The scout's big brother's pulled up in their Rhino next to the Bererker's ride, and hopped out. Another tactical squad disembarked another Rhino before it moved, and advanced on a cowering squad of Fire Warriors - the now empty Rhino pulled back to pick up the squad that was pinned in turn 1. The first tactical squad popped the Berserker's Rhino with their meltagun (this was a tactical error, I should have let the scout sergeant try first and then have the Tac squad rapid fire the survivors). The scouts shot up the survivors, then charged the rest. I finally got to put my Stubborn Master Plan to the test! If I could tie up the Berserkers, the tac squads could quite possibly get into the the Tau backline and cause trouble. Khorne Berserkers weren't the optimal units to charge with Scouts, but I had no illusions of them winning the combat outright, just tie them up long enough for the rest of my army to take advantage of it. The scouts wound up losing everybody but the sergeant, and the only Berserker left was the Aspiring Champion so they did pretty well. Had it not been for a very errant Plasma Cannon shot on the next turn, they probably would have killed each other. As it was, the Scout sergeant failed his cover save and died to the plasma cannon, thus allowing the Champion to charge the nearby Tactical Squad and take out 3 guys before being taken down himself.
Sean and I wound up pulling it out after getting a solid grip on 3/5 objectives. Remaining highlights of the game (for me, anyway) included Blue Lysander and his terminator cronies teleporting in for a great landing (thanks to the homers) and cleaning up 3 Oblits, a Fire Warrior squad and 3 Crisis Suits; a big slap fight between a Tactical Squad and some Vespids; and a Tactical Squad ambushing some Noise Marines, then rolling lots of 1's and 2's to hit with their bolters.
What did I learn?
- Don't push up with a scoring unit when my teammate has an objective well in
hand. Don't know what I was thinking. - When two squads can shoot at a loaded transport, let the "best" shooters go last if the other squad can possibly pop the vehicle. Maybe they will have infantry to shoot at instead of light armor.
- Lysander smash!
As for the list - I was pretty pleased with it. There isn't a whole lot of long range shooting but that's not something Space Marines excel at anyway. The scout squad was expensive - Scout Snipers are also a possibility as they could get a 2+ cover save with Lysander's Bolster Defenses skill, but I kind of like the potential for them to get in close and allow my Terminators a safe landing right up in the enemy's grill.
