Astra Militarum vs Imperial Knights, 19.06.2025

For the second outing of the Tempestus Nuns, I used the same list as before. It went marginally better. 

I used literally the same deployment tactics as before, with half the army in reserves. I got with going second again.

Battle round 1

The twist was bringing in reserves turn 1, and the Atrapos went in for a vehicle kill, shooting down my warlord's transport. I decided on hanging back, but still tying the monster down with the Kasrkin.

Shooting with everything took a toll on the knight but obviously couldn't kill it, so I charged everything in. Not enough attacks to kill both the Taurox and the infantry!

Thus ended round 1 with enough of a points deficit that I got a challenger card.

Battle round 2

Painful to hide while the outliers of the army get shot up. The Immolator charged and tank shocked my Kasrkin, ensuring their demise. Fortunately, the Atrapos couldn't kill my Warlord in shooting. I lost some Cadians as well. But then, it was my turn.

I landed all 3 Scion squads in this corner, going for a double knight kill. Also Aquilons to kill the 5-woman Sister squad on the objective.

Last Scion squad charged unto the center objective.

Remaining two Aquilon squads target the backfield Sisters and the Callidus Assassin.

Sadly, the Assassin lived with 1 wound. A couple rounds later I realized that I forgot the extra sentry gun shots. Big sad.

Notice the Sisters squad shaped hole here.

Center Scion squad killed the Armiger on the objective.

But I went all in in the corner. Killing the Paladin was most important, as it was burning the objective. The Aquilons landed close for grenades, then shot the Sisters. They survived. Again I forgot the drone shots. I allocated some shots to the Atrapos, bringing it down to 7 wounds, and some hotshots to the Sisters, killing them, but I really focused down the Paladin.

I also scored my challenger card, ending the round 23-21.

Battle round 3

Just as in the previous game, with everything exposed, nuns died in droves. With the Atrapos and the Immolator advancing on my home base, my battleshocked Warlord squad died.

Canis Rex easily took out the center squad and its Taurox. In the upper left corner, two Armigers took down the Aquilons and the remainder of the Cadian squad.

My turn was almost empty. Just as before, turn 3 is for embarking into the transports. I did make my deep striking Scions land in front of the Atrapos and kill it. I waved good bye to them.

Battle round 4

As expected, my home base holders died.

But not much else happened - good thing I depleted a lot of units turn 2.

I went into the backfield Armiger, unable to kill it but tying it down and taking the objective.

At this point we were very close in points. 

During Round 5 I was way too excited to take photos. We both got good secondaries, and made the most out of scoring. We both burned each other's backfield objectives as well.

Conclusion

Victory by 1 point!

Yeah yeah, I also got +10 for battle ready, while the unpainted Sisters and Callidus held the knights back.

But this was insane. The game was very high scoring, and super close.

I got to know the Scions better. I discovered a couple of additional rules that make them awesome. I'll keep experimenting with this detachment in the near future. But a couple of golden rules:

• Aquilons are for actions, objective holding and taking out chaff. But don't forget that they can land close enough for grenades.
• Scions can focus down high toughness targets on objectives. One squad does nothing. Two squads do nothing if the enemy is not on an objective. Target priority is always important, but here it is doubly so.
• Kasrkin seem useless in the list. Scions perform much better. I have practically given up on going first, it never happens. I can't block in my opponent. I keep losing the Kasrkin and the deep striking Scions just become a backup precision strike.
• Tauroxes are made of wet paper, don't expect them to survive. They are simply a delivery method for the Scions.