Battle Report: GW Battle Bunker “Total War” 2500 point tournament

The Local Games Workshop Battle Bunker decided to fill the void left by the loss of ‘Ard Boyz with a 2500 point store event themed around the previous years events. x3 2.5 hour rounds, no painting requirements, and non standard missions.  24 attendees (down from 34, I think in part from the high point value) resulted in a $240 prize pot.

I wanted to try a couple new things out after skimming the 40k rulebook recently.

First: the Master of the Forge.

Reading the Artillery rules I noticed that IC’s that join a Artillery rule can target a different unit then the battery it’s self, additionally as I have a habit of rolling a 1 every time my Techmarine Gunner takes his first wound I figured I could give it a little bit more survivability. The Conversion Beamer was a bonus, as it added to the long range fire power of the army, AND it let me pre-measure targets (Check range to the furthest unit and then range find to the rest, no cheese please!)

Second: Full squad of Scout Snipers with Telion.

I actually wrote a multi-part article on the strengths of scouts, especially snipers, but to be honest I infrequently use them (I don’t even have conversions finished for them!). Considering the problem I run into during tournament play is a lack of back field troops for objectives it made them an obvious choice. Buying Telion (comes with Stealth) as an upgrade with the Fortified terrain (Techmarines) I have a 10 man squad with a 2+ cover save!

   

My list:

Total Roster Cost: 2500

1 Kor'sarro Khan, 160 pts (1#, 205 pts)

1 Moondrakkan, 45 pts

1 Master of the Forge w/ Conversion Beamer (x1# 120)

7 Space Marine Bike Squad, 195 pts = 7 * 25 (base cost 25) + Meltagun x2 20 (9#, 310 pts)

1 Attack Bike, 50 pts = (base cost 40) + Multi-Melta 10

1 Sergeant, 65 pts = (base cost 40) + Power Fist 25

7 Space Marine Bike Squad, 195 pts = 7 * 25 (base cost 25) + Meltagun x2 20 (9#, 310 pts)

1 Attack Bike, 50 pts = (base cost 40) + Multi-Melta 10

1 Sergeant, 65 pts = (base cost 40) + Power Fist 25

7 Space Marine Bike Squad, 195 pts = 7 * 25 (base cost 25) + Meltagun x2 20 (9#, 305 pts)

1 Attack Bike, 50 pts = (base cost 40) + Multi-Melta 10

1 Sergeant, 60 pts = (base cost 40) + Power Weapon 15 _ Melta Bomb 5

4 Scout Squad, 65 pts = 4 * 13 (base cost 13) + Sergeant 28 (5#, 95 pts)

1 Sergeant, 30 pts = (base cost 10 + Melta Bombs 5, + Power Sword 15)

4 Scout Squad, 65 pts = 4 * 13 (base cost 13) + Sergeant 28 (5#, 95 pts)

1 Sergeant, 30 pts = (base cost 10 + Melta Bombs 5, + Power Sword 15)

9 Scout Squad  (190 pts)

1 Sergant Telion

1 Dreadnought, 125 pts = (105 + Twin Linked Autocannon 10 + Twin Linked Autocannon 10)

1 Dreadnought, 125 pts = (105 + Twin Linked Autocannon 10 + Twin Linked Autocannon 10)

1 Dreadnought, 125 pts = (105 + Twin Linked Autocannon 10 + Twin Linked Autocannon 10)

1 Thunderfire Cannon, 100 pts

1 Thunderfire Cannon, 100 pts

1 Thunderfire Cannon, 100 pts

1 Land Speeder Storm, 50 pts

1 Land Speeder Storm, 50 pts

1 Land Speeder Squadron, 90 pts = (base cost 50) + Typhoon Missile Launcher x1 40

Battle Points Breakdown:

10 Win / 5 Draw Primary; 6 Point Secondary, 4 Point Tertiary.

0 – 3 Points Sports per round

0 – 3 Player decided paint score per round.

Soft Scores factored in pairing.

Scenario One (Precision Slaughter) / Mike Krakosky / CSM (Nurgle)

Deployment: Pitch Battle

Primary: Kill Points

Secondary: Wandering Waypoints, every turn the 2 objectives move 2d6”. Additionally act as Teleport homer (Greater summoned Daemons and DE Webway exceptions)

Tertiary:  1 Point for every successful Tankshock, Ram, or Death or Glory. Side with highest win, split if draw.

CSM List:

X2 Daemon Prince Wings, MoN, Warptime

Greater Summoned Daemon

X3 Plague Marines x7, PF, Combi-Melta,PI, x2 Melta

Rhino (Dozer Blade, Combi-Melta, EA)

X3 Lesser Summoned Daemons x10

X2 Vindicator (DP)

Landraider (EA)

Dreadnought w/ PC

Dreadnought w/ LC

Straight forward game, I got first turn and gave it to Mike so I could be reactionary. He deployed center strong, I deployed only the TFC’s, Dreads and Speeder, outflanking the rest. Turns 1 and 2  he played conservatively worried about my reserves, I killed nothing but a single rhino, losing a Dreadnought in exchange. Turn 3 I got everything in and wiped off half of his army. Solid 18 point victory.

MVP of the Match: Scout Snipers wiped out one Daemon prince and wounded a second.

Scenario Two (Advance the line) / Eric (Not ours) / SM (Vulkan)

Deployment: DoW

Primary:  Objectives, 2 in each deployement, double value for holding enemy objectives

Secondary: KP, double points for HQ killed KP. HQ worth 2 KP (HQ killing HQ = 4 points).

Tertiary:  Trophies! One Trophy given for each unit it kills, trophy is lost if holder is killed. Highest number wins

SM List:

Vulkan

Master of Forge w/ PW

X3 Tactical Squad, ML, Melta, Melta Bomb,

                Razorback w/ HB

TH/SS Terminators x5

                LR Redeemer w/ EA, MM

Sternguard  x6 w/ x6 Combi-Melta, Sergeant w/ MB & PW

                Drop Pod

X2 Dreadnought w/ MM, Heavy Flamer

                Drop Pod

Terminators x5 w/ Heavy Flamer, Chainfist

Landspeeder Typhoon w/ MM

Devastator w/ Heavy Bolters

He got first turn and held it. I played both of his objectives within 12.1” of the board edges. I deployed the MoF and Scout Sniper Squad in cover, walking on TFC’s, Dreadnoughts and Speeder, outflanked the rest. First turn Eric dropped his Dreadnoughts close to the scouts, killing 8 of the 10 with flamers. Upside? The bait worked and the walking on units were able to suppress and destroy his overextended dreadnoughts in the following rounds. Playing conservatively I held 3 objectives (Both of his) while only giving up one. 20 point victory.  

MVP of the Match: CCW Scouts. Killing 3 Terminators when CHARGED by them due to the Power Weapon and a little bit of luck they helped turn the tide of the center game CC.

Scenario Three (Onward to Vic..-Wait, what was that?) / Conner / Orks (Green Tide)

Deployment: Spearhead (Thank God)

Primary: VP’s, 100+ over opponent to win

Secondary: Wandering Table Quarters, Troop choices only

Tertiary:  Squig has my Keys!!! Center objective is a very angry squig. Squig can be carries, every round carrier takes 1d6 SR4 AP- Hits during the movement phase, additionally it can be thrown as a ranged weapon which automatically hits (Targeting friend or foe) Dealing 2d6 SR4 AP- Hits. Whoever owns the squig at the end of the game winds.

Ork Force:

Big Mek, KFF, Cybork

Mad Dok

Burnas x18

‘Ard Boyz x30 (Cybork, PK, Bosspole)

X5 Boyz x30 (PK, Bosspole, ‘eavy armor)

X2 Deffcoptas x3, Rokkits, Cybork

Battlewaggon (Red, Riggas, Armour plates, x4 Big Shootas, Deff Rollas)

Holy crap what a game!

This really nice kid has STEAMROLLED his previous 2 games, including a GK matchp. Smart also, he rolled first turn, knowing he wanted to deploy as close as he could to me he gave it to me so he could react to my deployment. I took advantage of the terrain as much as possible, deploying Storms near the 12” triangle, TFC’s and MoTF along the table edge, scouts in trenches, Dreadnoughts and scouts infront. All 3 bikesquads reserved, x2 outflanking and Khan coming on from reserve.  His deployment was center heavy. Battlewagon in center (Burnas inside with BM w/ KFF) Boyz on each side, ‘Ard Boys in front and Deffkoptas infront of the Battlewagon. We both Scout moved aggressively, me moving both within 13” of the battlewagon for a first turn Alpha strike, him close to the TFC’s. He failed to seize, I deployed the scouts out of the storms, but bad luck struck! The Scouts failed to even stun the battlewagon (Talk about bad luck, x8 grenades with x2 melta-bombs), however my deployment and assault forced him to tankshock forward or sit in the open for a turn and I killed it on the Death or Glory!!!.  Additionally TFC’s went to work!!! Due to the limited deployment space I was able to hit an average of 6 orks for every small blast template, almost regardless of drift. Paired with no coversave ammo I was wounding on 3’s and he was forced picked up one and a half Boyz squads a turn. That being said even with the amazing results of the TFC’s paired with the Dreadnoughts I was almost overrun because of one unit I underestimated, the ‘Ard Boyz!!! X30 Boyz with a 4+ save, FNP and fearless is a amazingly potent unit to say the least when paired with the Mad Dok. I managed them the best I could by slowing them down with the TFC difficult terrain round, followed by tar-pitting them first with a bike squad, followed by multiple dreadnoughts all the while Hit and Running Khan’s combat squad in a total of 3 times before I finished the squad off. In a last ditch move to deny me points he threw the Squig to a squad in a building, on the second floor, knowing once I killed the squad I would be unable to recover it! Turn 5 closed with him conceding with a Mad Dok with a wound left and 4 broken and fleeing Burnas. SOLID 16 point victory.

MVP of the Match: Scout Snipers w/ Telion, picking off Nobz as they came in helped weaken the threat of the Boyz, and in the end they charged a 5 boyz squad reaping a brutal tally of kills.

I ended up winning Best Overall, taking the Lion’s share of the pot ($100), and learned for a fact Scout Snipers can be a MONSTER unit when used correctly, taking MVP for the tourney!