Monday, September 23, 2024

Chaos Space Marines vs Custodes, 18.09.2024

Back in action with Burden of Trust from the Pariah Nexus mission deck. I painted up some new tanks, Khorne Berzerkers and Obliterators, so I wiggled them all into the list, somehow. Given the amount of armor, I decided to cosplay Iron Warriors with the Fellhammer Siegehost. Across the table, the Custodes with Sisters of Silence support.

The picture was taken after the Custodes took first turn, just before the shooting phase.



Battle round 1

The Calladius Grav Tank was a new addition as well, notice the Vindicator shaped hole in my lines.

With impossible secondaries, I decided to pull back and wait for my reinforcements.

Battle round 2

With nothing of mine exposed, the Custodes advanced on the flanks and scored points. I drew Bring it Down! and decided to drop in all 3 squads of Obliterators, making a play at both the Calladius and the Galatus.

The Predator Annihilator did exactly 0 damage, while the backfield Obliterators shot and then made their 9" charge, leaving the Calladius at 2 wounds. Sigh.

At least the other two squads shot down the Galatus.

Without a hold on the objectives, I also wanted to hold the Custodes back, charging the Psykana Rhino with my Berzerkers.

Battle round 3

Custodes infantry moved out from behind the center ruins, intent on my front lines.

Back squad moves on my Obliterators. Terminator captains jump into the backfield.

Accursed Cultists did their roadblock duty, hoping to now make the large squad useless.

Predator survives at 1 wound.

Backfield Obliterators wiped out.

 A couple of Berzerkers and one Obliterator survived in the middle.

More worrying was the huge amount of points scored, compared to me now holding 0 objectives and again pulling impossible secondaries.

Well, time to kill then. Block the large squad with a Rhino. Shoot at the Calladius, doing 0 damage again. Sigh.

Chosen move out to clean up the middle.


Battle round 4

Custodes advance, intent on keeping their points advantage.

Rhino dies heroically.

I pulled a secret mission, and finally pulled doable secondaries.

Slingshot the Chosen forwards with a charge. Legionaries exit the Rhino and move on a backfields objective.

Battle round 5

Backfield Custodes score a bucketload of points.

Legionaries kill, Cleanse and Engage on All Fronts.

Chosen pull a 6" advance, taking the Custodes objective for the secret mission.

Conclusion

Given the extremely one-sided first turns, I am quite happy with the results.

The secret mission brought back my primary score, so happy that I finally learned how the mechanic works. 200% better than the previous mechanic.

I never had the chance to fire the Vindicator. The las Predator performs poorly, as expected of a platform with 3 shots and no rerolls to hit and/or to wound. But I painted it, so I had to try out. Berzerkers are a nice horde killer, on par with the Legionaries. 3 squads of Obliterators actually do work, but they need to be screened to survive. Too bad for the short range guns.

As for the Felhammer Siegehost, I expected it to be useful for the tanks, but it actually does wonders for the infantry. With the reroll stratagem, 3 Berzerkers did well against Custodes. Brutal Attrition is a second Grenades, and I used it almost every turn against the elite enemy squads. Feel no Pain 5+ kept my Predator alive (although it did nothing, so whatever). Perhaps next time, I'll remember the charge penalty stratagem as well. There were no occasions to use the shooting stratagems. Perhaps due to the elite nature of the Custodes. Definitely worth another test run or two.

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