There were 2 Chaos, 2 Imperial and 2 Xenos players present on the first day. We played a 2v2 Imperial vs Chaos on the frozen moon of the system (gorgeous gaming mat provided by the Space Wolf player), while the Eldar assaulted the Necrons, helping out the Imperium.
Extra rules:
- Planetstrike- Subzero temperature: fails Dangerous Terrain tests on 1 or 2, Gets Hot! loses its effect
- no bonuses from planetary structures for the first game
Lists:
Chaos Daemons: Planetstrike Defender
- 11-man Pink Horrors
- Daemon Prince of Nurgle, wings, armor, greater gift (Corpulescence), Psyker level 2 (Smite, Life Leech, Stream of Corruption), Warlord
- Daemon Prince of Nurgle, wings, armor, greater gift (Unholy Gaze), Psyker level 2 (Iron Arm, Enfeeble, Stream of Corruption)
- 3x Herald of Tzeentch, Psyker lvl 3, 1 exalted gift (Portalglyph), all rolling on Daemonology
Khorne Daemonkin: Planetstrike Defender
- Daemon Prince, armor, wings, Blade of Endless Bloodshed
- 10-man Chaos Space Marines
- 2x 10-man Cultists
- 5-man and 3-man Chaos Terminators, all with combi-plasmas
- Helbrute, Power Scourge, Thunder hammer
Imperial Fists: Planetstrike Attacker
- Techmarine (Warlord)
- Land Raider Redeemer
- 10-man Tactical Squad, plasma gun, heavy bolter, in a Rhino
- 5-man Scout Squad, with Sniper Rifles
- 5-man Devastator Squad, 2 Lascannons, 2 Missile Launchers
- Venerable Dreadnought in Drop Pod
- Thunderfire Cannon
Space Wolves:
Planetstrike Attacker
- Runepriest lvl 2, Biomancy
- Arjac Rockfist
Wolf Guard Void Claws
- 5-man Terminator squad, Wolf Claws
Wolf Guard Thunderstrike
- 10-man Wolf Guard, in Drop Pod, all with combi-plasmas
- 5-man Terminator Squad
Deployment
This was our first Planetstrike game, so we hurriedly read the rules beforehand, and proceeded to mess up everything. The Chaos Terminators and the Khorne Daemon Prince were placed out in the open, leaving them vulnerable to Firestorm attacks. We had 5 Stratagem points per man (not per side). The Imperial Fists proceeded to rain down 4 S10 AP2 Firestorms, annihilating one squad of Terminators and insta-killing the Daemon Prince. Some Chaos Marines also died to the S8 AP3 Firestorms.And then, the Space Marines came from the skies.
This is how the table looked like before the attackers moved in (you can already see 1 Drop Pod).
We both chose the stratagems that wound attackers coming from Deep Strike and scatter them an extra D6. Unfortunately, the Drop Pod landed with a direct hit, taking 1 HP damage. The combi-plasma armed Wolf Guard then poured out, and annihilated the remaining Chaos Terminators. At least the other two Terminator Squads were scattered sufficiently to miss their turn-1 charge, although they didn't take any wounds (damn Planetstrike). The Imperial Fist reserve rolls were horrible, with only the land Raider, the Drop Pod and the Scouts moving in first turn.
Reeling from the losses, we rallied to the best of our abilities.
The Nurgle Prince in the middle charged the Wolf guard, killing three. The Warlord Prince, afraid of instant death by hammer, turned to swooping over the Terminators, but failing to wound with the Vector Strike.
Using 5 out of 6 Blood Tithe points, Bloodletters were summoned in the upper left corner.
The Portalglyph immediately got to work, releasing 4 Pink Horrors.
We were in a very bad position. We needed something, fast. I sacrificed a Herald for Posession, creating a Bloodthirster.
Attackers, turn 2.
The assault was losing steam. The Land Raider flamed the Horrors, but Cursed Earth saved most of them. The Devastators came in, shot at the swooping Bloodthirster, inflicted a wound (missed Jink) and grounded it (taking another wound). This left me able to assault next turn!
The Terminators with the Rune Priest (lower right corner) were milling about, shooting at cultists. The other squad charged the Chaos Marines in the ruins, killing them. However, Chaos decided to favor us in the ensuing challenge. The Chaos Marine Champion inflicted 2 wounds on Arjac, who then failed his 2+ and died.
The Nurgle Prince continued to kill Wolf Guard, but at a very slow pace.
Defenders, turn 2.
The Portalglyph spewed forth another squad of Horrors, with Summoning bringing in another one. The middle field was now full of bodies, blocking access to the Heralds and multiple objectives.
The Bloodthirster charged the Scouts, whiffing attacks horribly. 2 were left alive.
On the other side, the Bloodletters helped mop up the Wolf Guard. The Warlord Prince landed, shooting Smite and Life Leech at the Terminators, to no effect.
Attackers, turn 3.
The Rhino and the Tactical squad finally came in, annihilating one Cultist squad. The Terminators destroyed the other. The Devastators shot at the Nurgle Prince and scored 1 wound. The Drop Pod did the same. That's 3 out of 3 2+ cover saves failed.
The Wolf-claw Terminators charged the Bloodletters. It was their time to fail 2+'s, however; 3 died.
The Dreadnought charged the Bloodthirster, inflicting 1 wound. I rolled 1 on my Smash attack.
Defenders, turn 3.
We had total board control on the left, with Daemonettes from the Portalglyph ranging as far the objectives and the Rhino.
The Rune Priest turned out to be a Herald of Khorne in disguise - thanks to the Warp Storm.
Of course, a number of whiffs were due.
The Bloodthirster rolled another 3 on his Smash Attack, and the Dreadnought finally destroyed him.
The Bloodletters, decimated, charged the Devastators, leaving 2 alive but dieing in the assault.
The Warlord Prince attacked the Rhino, leaving it at 1 HP.
The other Prince shot the Dreadnought, doing nothing.
Turn 4 and 5.
Both sides struggled on, trying to cope with the horrible losses so far.
Outstanding moments:
- The remaining Terminators charged the Warlord Prince, killing him with Daemonic Instability.
- Summoned Pink Horrors charged and killed the Scouts.
