Purge The Foe

 

After quite a few weeks, Da Masta Cheef and I were able to arrange another game. This time I chose to bring my Worldeaters. Since the launch of Warhammer 40,000 10th edition I have only played with the Tyranids and Deathwatch, neither of which have performed all that well for me.  Perhaps the Worldeaters will make for a better result and for a more interesting experience? We agreed to a 1250 point limit. With this being March for Macrage month, Cheef brought his Ultramarines. 

I decided to finally bring out my Worldeaters, who I have neglected since the roll-out of 10th edition. Hopefully they'll be satisfied with today's bloodletting. They are led by the betrayer himself, Kharn. Also joining in the ruckus is my Juggerlord, a Chaos Lord mounted on daemonic Juggernaut of Khorne. For my Battleline troops I have two sqauds of Khorne Berserkers and a unit of Jahkals. My freshly painted Chaos Terminators are joining this fray as well and hopefully they can avoid the notorious new model syndrome, the vile curse they spells doom for any player's most recently painting achievement. For the heavy hitters I have a Hellbrute with a multimelta and power claw with a heavy flamer and finally the Blooddumpster itself, my classic Chaos Landraider. 

Worldeaters.

Da Masta Cheef brought the Ultramarines (or as he prefers to call them, the Smurfs). This Vanguard Spearhead was led by a Captain with a master-crafted bolt rifle. He was joined by a Librarian, an Ancient and a Lieutenant with Combi-weapon whom we call Carver, on account of all his knives...* He is also the newest painted model in this army and could be at risk for New Model Syndrome as well. An Assault Intercessor squad and two Intercessor Squads make up the Ultramarines battleline. The other infantry units are thr Eradicator Squad (going in Reserve at the the start if the battle), a Hellblaster Squad (being joined by the Librarian), an Infernus Squad and a Sternguard Veteran Squad. The only vehicle  requisitioned by this force was a Firestrike Servo-Turret equipped with Twin-Firestrike Autocannon. 

Ultramarines.

The mission rule was the Chosen Battlefield which allowed us to do a custom arrangement of the Objective Markers. The Deployment is using the classic Dawn of War layout, and our Primary Mission was Purge the Foe. A fitting title for this battle and an excellant declaration for both of these armies to commit to. We chose to use fixed Secondary missions and they were Bring It Down and Assassinate for the Worldeaters and the Ultramarines had Engage on all Fronts and Behind Enemy Lines. 

The main missions.

Today's battlefield is another industrial setting, although this one feels a bit less abandoned than the previous arenas of conflict. 

Worldeaters deployment, left flank.

Worldeaters deployment, right flank.

Ultramarines deployment, left side.

Ultramarines deployment, right side.
 

TURN ONE

At the start of every turn I have to roll up the Blessings of Khorne to see what benefits I can bestow upon a few lucky units in my army. This turn I was able to put Wrathful Devotion on the Khorne Berserkers that the Juggerlord is attached too. This gives them a 6+ Feel No Pain. The other blessing was Martial Excellence which was granted to the Blooddumpster. 

"Target spotted,"

And with that the game begins properly with the Ultramarines taking the first turn.  My memory may be unclear in this regard but I believe the Oath of Moment target for this round was the Hellbrute but it only took a single Wound from the fire it took. Two of the Jakhals were picked off of the walkway, falling screaming to their bloody deaths upon the cruel spikes of the land raider below them.  A Berserker  on the Worldeaters' left flank was killed from the onslaught on that side if the table. Cheef was underwhelmed by his first turn, but I reminded him of how extremely fickle my dice can be to me. With that, we proceeded to my first turn...

"Target acquired."

For some reason I didn't take any pics on my first turn. Anyway, the Khorne Terminators deep struck onto the gantry to claim the objective. They unleashed their firepower into the Hellblasters below, who made way more of their saves than they should have, but a few were indeed felled by that attack. Everything else moved up to get closer. But with exception to a few Wounds to the Intercessors on the Ulramarines right side, there wasn't any squad eliminations.  

ULTRAMARINES VPs: 0

WORLDEATERS VPs: 0

TURN TWO.

Blessings of Khorne:

Wrathful Devotion (6+ FNP) or Worldeaters Terminators, and Rage-Filled Invigorating on the Juggerlord's unit. 

The Ultramarines love a target rich environment, but they like focused fire even more. The Oath of Moment target was, predictably, the Worldeaters Terminators on the gantry.  As it was predictable, it made sense to toughen up the Terminators with the blessing of khorne that gave them a 6+ Feel No Pain. After all, it saved a few Berserkers in the previous round. Well, the wall of fire unleashed by the nfernus squad, the Hellblasters  and finally the Sternguard, gave little care to such things as Invulnerable saves and Feel No Pains, and they were executed right where they 'ported in.  -New Model Syndrome strikes again! 

Half way through the purging of the Terminators.

On the other side the Hellbrute's Fire Frenzy was proving to be quite fun as it got a free turn of shooting after it got shot. Which I used to punish the Lieutenant on the walkway as he was barreling towards the Jakhals with the goal of taking the Objective that they made sticky previously.  To help clear the way, the Ancient led squad of Intercessors killed off the Jakhals. 

Primer, the 40k camouflage.

Assault time and I was surprised when the Intercessors, the ones led by the legendary Captain Siph Horrendous, rushed the Worldeaters led by the Juggerlord. And they inflicted a considerable amount of carnage upon them. 

A bloody brawl.

In retaliation the Berserkers struck back leaving even more dead Primaris marines in their wake. But both units held firm and locked in a brutal tango of chain blades and knives. 

The continuing melee.

WORLDEATERS TURN TWO

Reeling from the impressive turn the Ultramarines just had and the depressing dice rolls I had trying to make saves, I just threw everything I had into the fray.  Everything being Kharn and his Berserker buddies. 

Kharn & friends disembark,

Combined shooting into the Intercessors led by the Ancient thinned their ranks a little .  While the Hellbrute knocked a few wounds off of the Lieutenant who is still determined to un-stick the objective away from the Worldeaters. 

Defiance. 

The Hellbrute and the Berserkers led by Kharn declared charges on the Ancient and his Intercessors. As soon as those Berserkers moved though the Overwatch was declared and was successful enough to kill a Berserker. 

Start of the Fight Phase.

Kharn and the Berserkers butchered the Intercessors and the unit. With the Hellbrute missing out on having anything to kill. 

...after the Foght Phase. 

The  Berserkers and Kharn consolidated toward the Sternguard (they're up on the platform above). While the Hellbrute consolidated towards the objective. 

On the otherside, the Berserkers and the Juggerlord continue to whittle away at the Intercessors, and vice versa but it's looking more and more that Captain Siph is in serious trouble...

ULTRAMARINES VPs: 18

WORLDEATERS VPs: 12

Only and the Intercessors Sgt are left...

TURN THREE

Blessing of Khorne for this turn: Wraithful Devotion on Karne's Berserkers and Rage-Filled Vigor on to the Hellbrute. 

Then these Eradicators showed  up from reserve, whom I had completely forgotten about, and manage to knock a few wounds off of the Blooddumpster! 

The Eradicators arrive. 

Also, the Lieutenant on the elevated platform/cat walk/gantry-thing** continues his advance toward the objective in the Worldeater's Deployment zone which the Jakhals  left sticky back on turn one. 

The Sternguard tossed a grenade onto Kharn and his Berserker buddies and wiped out half the u it! Ouch! Then the Hellblasters and Infernus Marines whittled them down to just a few models left. The Hellbrute blasted the Lieutenant off of the catwalk with his Fire Frenzy. 

On the otherside of the table the Assault Intercessors dove in to try to save Captain Siph! 

Follow the trail of blood to find Carver. 

Kharn returned the favor by tossing a grenade back at the Sternguard. After the fire from the  rest of the Berserkers added to the onslaught the Sternguard were eliminated. The Eradicators lost two models to the Blooddumpster's main weapons, the soulshatter lascannons***. Blooddumpster's secondary weapons along with the Hellbrute wiped out the Infernus Marines. 

Then Juggerlord defeated Captain Siph Horrendous with a supercharged Plasma Pistol blast! 

In the Fight phase of Worldeaters' Turn 3, the Assault Marines finished off the Khorne Berserkers but the Juggerlord tears into the last of the Intercessors. 

A hero falls!

This is where things got interesting, as I made a mistake on my math and thought I was 10 points behind, but looking over my notes we were actually tied! 

ULTRAMARINES VPs: 32

WORLDEATERS VPs: 32

TURN FOUR

That's right, I didn't know we were tied. Which is a good thing as I probably would not have made the agressive moves I needed to make next. 

The Blessings of Khorne for this turn were: Wrathful Devotion which I put on Kharn's unit, since he was running straight at the Hellblasters and the Infernus Marines. And I put Warpblades on the Juggerlord who was about to be ganged up on by the Assault Intercessors. 

The Librarian, hero of the day, completely eliminates Kharn and the last few Berserkers with a Smite psychic power. (Smite may not be as common as it was in previous editions but it's definitely more potent!). My hope to charge Kharn into the Hellblasters fades away as the champion whose devotion to a psychic hating God is smited into oblivion. Nearby, the Landraider and the Hellbrute survive the Ultramarines counter attacks. 

Kharn was in this picture just moments ago...

The Assault Intercessors thought they had the Juggerlord surrounded and at their mercy, but the whole 'defenders go first' rule worked against that notion. After the Khorne Lord and his Juggernaut steed were finished only the unit' Sergeant was left standing. Standing defiantly I might add. And he put a few wounds on the Juggerlord in return.

 

"You don't have me at your mercy,  I have you at mine!"

 Back on the Worldeater's left flank the Juggerlord took a few more wounds from the Sergeant, whose bad-assery can't be denied , leaving him with just 4 wounds left. The Juggerlord ended the Assault Intercessors Sergeant rampage however, and added his head to a random spike somewhere on his steed as a additional totem for Khorne.

A worthy duel. 

On the Worldeater's turn the Blooddumpster eliminates the servo turret while the Hellbrute, which has moved within range of one of the Objectives that the Ultramarines had made "sticky" in the first round, claiming it for Worldeaters. The Hellbrute, in this  new position, was able to eliminate the last of the eliminators.

 

"Too hot!"

Juggerlord made it's way over to the Hellblasters and attempted to kill one with a Plasma Pistol shot, but the Hellblaster shrugged off the blast. The Hellbrute and Blooddumpster were ineffective at removing the Hellblasters,  so it was up to the Juggerlord to do it himself. Moving on the charge the Hellblasters opened up with their Overwatch shots, and failing his save and FNP, he cashed in his last 4 Wounds! The Charge was stopped and the Juggerlord was dropped! What an astonishing upset this was! 

"Charge!" "Overwatch!"

The points tallied and the Ultramarines rackn up 12 points to the Worldeater's 16. However, due the error I mentioned earlier we thought I was actually on 38 points. 

ULTRAMARINES VPs: 44

WORLDEATERS VPs:  48

TURN FIVE

Blessings of Khorne: I forgot what the 2nd one was, but the first one was the Wrathful Devotion on the Hellbrute. 

With one squad left, and the Worldeaters running around claiming assets, the remaining  Ultramarines had to pick their targets wisely. Deciding that the Hellbrute would be the easiest to deal with they start by trying to smite the Hellbrute. It survived that onslaught, only to have the Hellblasters attempt to bring it down. The Hellbrute took more damage but it was still alive and well. However the last two Hellblasters died to the Hazardous roll they had to make by trying to cook the Hellbrute on maximum strength. I guess they blew their luck taking out the Juggerlord, huh? 

Hold these objectives! 

Securing more objectives than the Ultramarines, all there was left to do was to trying to eliminate the last man standing, tha t witchy Librarian! But he made his saves. And this is how the game ends, with a limping Hellbrute and a smoking Landraider vs. an unscathed Librarian. 

The finale.

The Worldeaters scored 12 VPs this round vs. the Ultramarines 4 vps. This brought us up to 48 vps to 50 vps! Or so we thought, it was actually: 

ULTRAMARINES VPs: 48

WORLDEATERS VPs: 60

Yes, it was more dramatic thinking I had squeeked out a 2 point win, but it was actually a 12 point win. Regardless, it was nice to finally have a game like this in 10th ed. Not a win necessarily, though it was nice to break the losing streak, but rather a game with such an intense kill count. We had over 80 models on the table and finished with just three! Ironically, I almost tossed in the towel at turn 4, not realizing I was ahead on points. I need to keep better notes and point tracking during a game. 

My sloppy tallies. 

This was definitely a fun game. The close ones are always the best ones. The Cheef's force was formidable for sure.  His Hellblasters were fierce as always and he did more damage to that unit then I managed to do with those Hazardous rolls then I did. And ai really tried! It was fun to let Kharn rip, as opposed to have him get sniped from afar. The Hellbrute did well, that Fire Frenzy rule proved to be quite helpful. The Eradicators were a scary surprise and it was a miracle that the Blooddumpster wasn't reduced to a liquid goop by those guys.  I was only really disappointed in my dice rolls for the Chaos Terminators, however the Ultramarines heavy hitters were the ones that smoothed them out like a lump of dough. Oh, and before I forget I have to say that we were both impressed with the Sternguard. I will be getting mine up and running sooner than I had intended after see how they're supposed to work. I can say the same thing for the Librarian, who shrugged off Lascannon blasts like they were bugs. And his Smites were devastating! He definitely needs to get painted next! 

The most likely to get painted next award goes to...

As I wrote this report it occurred to me that I made a  mistake that might have made victory a bit easier for me (probably not, but I like to fantasize anyway): I totally forgot about the Worldeater's Army rule! Relentless Rage, which gives my chargers +1 to their Weapons Strength and Attacks during the Fight Phase. This would only have effected Kharn and his unit of Berserkers in hindsight, as that was the only successful charge I managed to pull off. Da Masta Cheef was wise to bring the fight to me and shut down my charges when he could. 

*honestly, that's the reason. -Really!

** Clearly I can't stick with a name for these things. 

***Anyone else remember when a lascannon was a lascannon regardless of who used it?