Word Bearers vs Adeptus Custodes, 2019.10.31

Mission: 

• 5 objectives, each worth 1 point at the end of the player turn
• First Strike, Slay the Warlord, Linebreaker

Deployment: Dawn of War

Word Bearers: Patrol Detachment

• Chaos Lord in Terminator Armor, The Voice of Lorgar, The Cursed Crozius
• Sorcerer in Terminator Armor, Warptime, Prescience
• 6 Chaos Terminators. Champion: Combi-melta, Chainfist; Combi-melta, Power Axe; Combi-bolter, Power Axe; Combi-bolter, Chainaxe; 2x dual Lightning Claws
• 10-man Chaos Cultists

Adeptus Custodes: Patrol Detachment

• Shield-Captain on Dawneagle Jetbike: Hurricane Bolter, Superior Creation, Warlord, Auric Aquilis
• Custodian Guard Squad: 1 Sentinel Blade, Storm Shield, 2 Guardian Spear
• Custodian Wardens: 3x Castellan Axe

Deployment

The Custodians counter-deployed, avoiding the Terminator-heavy right flank.

Turn 1

The Terminators trudged forward, loosing off shots into the Wardens. The Sorcerer took up position looking into the ruined circle.

The Custodians mostly ignored the Terminators, with the Captain zooming forward and utterly annihilating the Cultists.

Turn 2

The Terminators continued their inexorable advance, but they were intercepted by the Wardens. Fierce close combat broke out, with both sides heavily investing Command Points into survival.

Turn 3

The Chaos Lord and the Sorcerer beelined towards the center, intent on assassinating the Shield-captain. Although the biker was heavily wounded, he managed to survive Smiting, Warp Bolts and close combat, and retreated.

The Terminators killed the Wardens, although they took heavy casualties.

Turn 4

The Terminators converged on the Custodian Guard, unleashing everything they had. Meltas and bolters did superficial damage, and the day was won through close combat.

The Shield-Captain jumped behind enemy lines, his charging lance breaking through the back of ancient terminator armor.

Turn 5

The remaining Terminators concentrated on the Custodes Captain, killing him. Although the Custodians were defeated, they had dominated the battlefield and were in a points lead.

Fortunately for Chaos, the battle went on for two more turns, enabling the Terminators to gather enough points for a victory.

Aftermath

I never would have thought that a Terminator-based list would ever result in a balanced game. Especially not my derpy WYSIWYG Terminators who never manage to do anything besides looking awesome on the tabletop. But it was a close game, becoming a real nailbiter at the end. That just goes to show how anything can be good (or bad) at a low points cost.

Dice results also swing the game more at low points, like the Shield-captain again failing just one of his 3+ invulnerables (with reroll, of course).