Chaos vs Salamanders, 23.11.2018

Mission: Contact lost

Chaos: 9 CP

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Chaos - Daemons) [32 PL, 609pts] ++

Chaos Allegiance: Nurgle

• Daemon Prince of Chaos [9 PL, 180pts]: Malefic talon, Warlord, Wings, Nurgle: Fleshy Abundance
• Poxbringer [4 PL, 70pts]: Miasma of Pestilence
• Nurglings [3 PL, 54pts]: 3x Nurgling Swarms
• Plaguebearers [4 PL, 70pts]: 9x Plaguebearer, Plagueridden
• Plaguebearers [12 PL, 235pts]: Daemonic Icon, Instrument of Chaos, 29x Plaguebearer, Plagueridden

++ Patrol Detachment (Chaos - Daemons) [24 PL, 471pts] ++

Chaos Allegiance: Khorne

• Bloodmaster [3 PL, 56pts]
• Daemon Prince of Chaos [9 PL, 180pts]: Daemonic axe, Khorne, Skullreaver, Wings
• Bloodletters [12 PL, 235pts]: 29x Bloodletter, Bloodreaper, Daemonic Icon, Instrument of Chaos

++ Supreme Command Detachment +1CP (Chaos - Chaos Space Marines) [46 PL, 595pts] ++

Legion: Word Bearers

• Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour [6 PL, 121pts]: Chainfist, Combi-bolter, No Chaos Mark
• Sorcerer [6 PL, 98pts]: Bolt pistol, Force stave, No Chaos Mark, Prescience, Warptime
• Sorcerer [6 PL, 100pts]: Bolt pistol, Death Hex, Force axe, Infernal Gaze, No Chaos Mark
• Chaos Terminators [28 PL, 276pts]: No Chaos Mark
• Chaos Terminator Champion: Combi-melta, Power axe
• Terminator: Combi-melta, Power axe
• Terminator: Combi-bolter, Power sword
• 3x Terminator: 2x Lightning Claw

++ Total: [102 PL, 1675pts] ++

And 75 summoning points to bring in something later on.

Salamanders 9 CP

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Imperium - Space Marines) [72 PL, 1166pts] ++
*Chapter Selection*: Salamanders
Relics of the Chapter (3CP)

• Captain [5 PL, 110pts]: Iron Resolve, Storm shield, The Shield Eternal, Thunder hammer, Warlord
• Chaplain [5 PL, 79pts]: Plasma pistol, The Salamander's Mantle
• Scout Squad [10 PL, 114pts]: Scout Sergeant: Boltgun, Power sword; 7x Combat Knife; 2x Shotgun
• Scout Squad [10 PL, 165pts]: 8x Camo cloak, 7x Sniper rifle, Missile launcher
• 2x 5-man Tactical Squad [5 PL, 74pts], Space Marine Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Chainsword, Flamer
• 5-man Tactical Squad [5 PL, 74pts], Flamer
• 5-man Tactical Squad [5 PL, 89pts]. Space Marine Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Combi-plasma, Flamer
• Company Veterans [8 PL, 167pts]: 4x Combi-flamer, Storm shield; Veteran Sergeant: Combi-flamer, Power fist
• Sternguard Veteran Squad [14 PL, 220pts]: Combi-flamer, 6x Special issue boltgun, Flamer, Heavy flamer, Veteran Sergeant: Plasma pistol, Power sword

++ Vanguard Detachment +1CP (Imperium - Space Marines) [31 PL, 585pts] ++
*Chapter Selection*: Salamanders

• Vulkan He'stan [8 PL, 154pts]
• Apothecary [3 PL, 55pts]: The Armour Indomitus
• Ironclad Dreadnought [8 PL, 168pts]: Hunter-killer missile, Meltagun, Seismic hammer, Dreadnought combat weapon w/Heavy Flamer: Heavy flamer
• Terminator Assault Squad [12 PL, 208pts]: 2x Storm shield, Thunder hammer, 3x Lightning Claw 

++ Total: [103 PL, 1751pts] ++

Deployment: Vanguard Strike

I deployed first, and started by placing the Nurglings out of line of sight, close to an objective.

I spread my Plaguebearers around as a screen for the Terminators. Bloodletters and Bloodmaster in the warp, Terminators and Lord in the teleportarium.

The Marines all bunched up with their flamers pointing outwards. Terminators in the teleportarium.

Chaos, turn 1

I advanced everything up the board, grabbing the far left objective for the Defend objective 3 card. I also held 3 more objectives, setting me up for an excellent draw on turn 2.

Given the concentration of psykers in my center, I could focus my Smites on the forward Scout squad, eliminating them for First Blood. I also got off Miasma of Pestilence on the Plaguebearers for a total of -2 to hit.

Salamanders, turn 1

Sniper squad shot at a Sorcerer but missed everything. Everything else went into the Plaguebearers, who held on heroically behind their cloud of flies and pestilence.

Chaos, turn 2

Time for that beta strike! Bloodletters and Bloodmaster land behind enemy lines.

Everything else moves up, as the daemons prepare for a mass assault. Terminators stay in reserve.

Concentrate our psychic might on the Dreadnought, taking it down to 2 wounds even against his Armor of Contempt. Buffs fail, however.

Charge everything! The Plaguebearers chain around the map, holding 3 objectives but still eating the overwatch from the Dreadnought and a squad of marines. Warlord Daemon Prince crashes in right behind them. Bloodletters take some bolter fire but they evade the 8" flamers.

Start with the Daemon Prince and eliminate that Dreadnought - barely. The marines interrupted, and killed a few Bloodletters, barely stemming the tide. The daemons inflicted horrendous casualties thanks to hitting on 2+, wounding on 3+, AP-3. I chose to auto-pass morale instead of fighting twice.

Salamanders, turn 2

Terminators land as the Salamanders scramble to deal with the Bloodletters. As I predicted to myself, most of the fire went into them. They died, of course. 

Marines and thunder hammer wielding captain charge the Plaguebearers and the Warlord Prince. Plaguebearers die and the Prince takes wounds. The captain resists thanks to 3++/6+++.

I kept my CPs for autopassing morale with the Plaguebearers. Holding the objectives is vital in this scenario.

Chaos, turn 3

I took away Plaguebearer casualties in such a way that they could not move. However, that was no problem. I had one on each backfield objective, and the Nurglings still held theirs.

Terminators and the Lord finally landed, and both made their 9" charges. You don't have to be good - just lucky! Khorne prince crashed into Vulkan and the Apothecary.

As expected, the Chaos Terminators barely did anything - they killed one Assault Terminator  and two Tactical marines. The Daemon Princes did work, however. The Khorne prince cleaved through Vulkan (who had Death Hex, eliminating his pesky 4++), while the Nurgle Prince finally killed the storm shield captain.

The Apothecary resisted by activating the Armor Indominus.

At this point the score was 11-2 so we stopped counting. I really ran away after scoring 3 for Dominion of Chaos (hold more objectives than my opponent) and 3 for Cycle of Life (kill an infantry unit with a Nurgle daemon).

Oh and just to demoralize my opponent, 5 Plaguebearers came back after the morale test.

Salamanders, turn 3

Snipers do a surprise round and kill a Sorcerer. Other marines shoot the Plaguebearers. After this morale test, I only had 1 remaining - holding a backfield objective. The hero we need!

The Salamanders reformed their lines and concentrated on the poor, defenseless Chaos Terminators, who died as expected.

Chaos, turn 4

The hammer fell as both Daemon Princes crashed into the beleaguered defenders.

Salamanders, turn 4

The remaining marines put up a fight...

Chaos, turn 5

...but were tabled on turn 5 after a final barrage of psychic powers, shooting (hey! I had 2 combi bolters) and close combat attacks.

Aftermath

Before the game, my opponent apologized for bringing flamers. After the game, I apologized for the trashing I administered. I gave him some pointers, both for tactics and list building. We also talked about the gentleman's agreement. I honestly thought that by taking last game's list and adding some useless Terminators to it, I'd bring something mediocre. It turned out my list was a perfect counter to the horde of footslogging marines. I swear I'll talk to my opponent before my next game!

This game felt like a throwback to the beginning of 8th edition, when people did not yet have tactics such as screening at hand, and deep striking reserves were wildly successful. Honestly, my Bloodletters have failed me every single time lately. It turns out they are good at one thing and one thing only: killing marines.

As for the Terminators... I brought them WYSIWYG and they were truly 400 useless points. I might convert up some combi plasmas for them... but for now, I don't want to see another millimeter of armor trim to paint.

Other than that: screen, screen, screen.