Post by maugrim on Apr 14, 2011 4:02:34 GMT
Alright, my first posted battle report. This happened this evening at the local GW Store.
Grey Knights vs Chaos Marines
A note on my GK list - its comprised of the models I had on hand, boosted up from the 1250 I was expecting to play because my opponent had a 2000 point list he was shrinking down. Board was a 4x4 with a ruin and a couple areas of trees and a couple hills. The only really important terrain was the section of trees right near the middle of the board.
[I'll intersperce my commentary, 20-20 hindsights and questions raised in square brackets for discussion]
My list:
Grand Master Mordak & Ghost Knights
2 Knights w/ NFH, 2 Knights w/ NFS, 1 Knight w/ NF
Grey Knight Librarian
Teleport Homer, Servo Skulls x3, Emperyan Brain Mines [which I forgot to use], MC Warding Stave, Mastery Level 3, Sanctuary, Warp Rift, Summoning, Qwickening
Grey Knight Terminator Squad
GKT w/ Psycannon, GKT w/ NF, GKT w/ NDH, GKT w/ NWS, Justicar Thrawn, Psybolt Ammunition
Grey Knight Terminator Squad
GKT w/ Psycannon, GKT w/ NF, GKT w/ NDH, GKT w/ NFH, Justicar w/ MC NWS, Psybolt Ammunition
Paladin w/ NFH
vindicare Assassin
His List (from what I can recall):
Chaos Lord in Terminator Armor w/ Daemon Weapon
Chaos Terminators
2 w/ LC, 2 w/ Chainfists
10 Khorne Beserkers
Champion has PF
10 Khorne Beserkers
Champion has PF
Landraider w/ Daemonic Possession
Landraider w/ Daemonic Possession
Landraider w/ Daemonic Possession
[Three Landraiders at 1500 points really worried me as my army is very light on anti-armor, especially heavy armor]
Deployment: Table Quarters Mission: Kill Points
I roll higher for first turn and give it to my opponent. My "Grand Strategy" is for Counter-Attack, as extra Troops and Scouting don't help me. [The re-roll 1s wouldn't have helped much either.]
He deploys the three Land Raiders in his corner right at the front of his deployment.
I join the Librarian to Mordak's squad, put everything except the Assassin in Reserve for Deep Striking. The Assassin I place in the ruin. I place the three servos in various places, not really caring about where they go.
I fail to sieze the initiative.
Chaos Turn 1:
Moved each Land Raider forward and/or around 6", moving closer into the middle but not too far.
Shot a Lascannon from each at the Assassin. Made first cover save, rolled a 1 on the second save. Dead Assassin.
Score:
Chaos 1
GK 0
[In retrospect, I should have kept first turn. It wouldn't have changed my deployment strategy - null deployment, but would have kept my assassin alive for at least 1 turn]
Grey Knights Turn 1:
Mordak, Ghost Knights and Librarian Deep Strike directly into the woods just beside the middle of the table. I roll 7 dice for Dangerous Terrain... 3 ones. Wounds get assigned to NFS, Librarian and Mordak. NFS dies, Librarian makes his save, Mordak takes a wound.
End of phase, I roll for Mordak's Ghost Knight - 6! The Ghost reappears.
I successfully cast Warp Rift directly at the LR closest (the Lord's), auto penetrating hit - roll a 1.
Score:
Chaos 1
GK 0
Chaos Turn 2:
Moved Land Raiders around to surround forest some more. Lord and Terminators get out.
Terminators shoot at Mordak & Party - wound 3 times, all saved. Land Raiders each blast one lascannon shot at them - 2/3 hit, I make both 3+ Cover Saves.
At start of Assault Phase - Librarian attempts to cast Sanctuary, rolls 11. Librarian successfully casts Hammerhand. Terminators assault - Lord in contact with Ghosts but not Librarian or Mordak. Lord gets 6 attacks, hits and only wounds 5 times. NFH makes his. NFS, NFS, NFH, NF Die. NFHs get their attacks - all directed at Lord. Two wounds, one of which gets saved. Mordak succeeds in activating Force Weapons - Lord dies. Next on Init 4 - Chaos Lightning Claws attack doing 6 more wounds to squad. NFH fails his Invul, Mordak makes 2, fails 1 - leaving Mordak w/ 2 wounds left and the Librarian. Librarian rolls a 1 and 2, fortunately MC re-roll means a 5 and a hit, and a wound - one terminator dies. Chaos Chainfists completely wiff. Mordak hits 4 times (MC is nice), and wounds 3 times. Chaos Terminators all fail their saves - squad wiped.
Mordak makes a Ghost Roll and another Ghost appears. Consolidates out of the forest near the Land Raider. Librarian too far away to consolidate together, but stays in forest.
Score:
Chaos 1
GK 2
Grey Knight Turn 2:
Both GKT squads come in, Paladin fails to arrive.
Both GKT squads teleport down within 6" of the Librarian, neither in terrain, both in front of one of the other Land Raiders. Librarian moves to join Thrawn's GKT Squad. Mordak moves towards the Lord's Land Raider.
Both GKT squads open up with their Psycannons on their respective Land Raiders. Both hit 3 times, neither rolls the necessary 6.
Mordak charges the Lord's Land Raider. Hits 4 times (Yay MC), 2 Pens and a Glance. Land Raider explodes 1", neither Mordak nor Ghost gets wounded.
Score:
Chaos 1
GK 3
Chaos Turn 3:
Both Land Raiders disgorge their passengers, neither move. Passengers move forward in preparation to assault.
Land Raider 1 shoots at Thrawn's GKT - only one Lascannon hits, NF makes his 4+ cover (from Beserkers between LR and squad). All 3 shots from Heavy Bolter are saved. Land Raider 2 shoots at Mordak's squad - One Lascannon wound, 2 Heavy Bolter wounds. Mordak fails his HB save, Ghost fails Invul. Beserkers shoot Pistols at each Terminator Squad, each doing lots of wounds. NF in non-Thrawn squad dies.
Mordak makes his Ghost Check - succeeds generating another Ghost.
Librarian casts Sanctuary and Hammerhand. Non-Thrawn squad casts Hammerhand. Beserkers close enough that the Difficult Terrain means nothing. 20 rolls for Dangerous Terrain result in a single Beserker dying. Non-Thrawn squad: NFH kills 2. Beserkers deal 12 wounds. Psycannon, NF, NDH, Justicar all die. Champion attacks, NFH dies. Thrawn squad: Thrawn kills 1. Beserkers deal 10 wounds. Everybody makes their saves except Thrawn - who dies. Librarian and Squad's attacks kill 5 Beserkers. champion hits and wounds twice - both saved.
Champion makes his No Retreat save, other 3 remaining Beserkers fail theirs.
Other Beserkers conslidate towards their Land Raider.
Score:
Chaos 2
GK 3
Grey Knight Turn 3:
Paladin again fails to arrive. Thrawn fails to stand back up.
Mordak and Ghost move through cover towards Beserkers.
Mordak does not shoot as assault is going to be close.
Difficult Terrain roll is a 5 and 6, assault is successful. [Some observers note that this is probably a bad idea. I figure they're just going to Assault me anyways - might as well deny them a round of shooting and Furious Charge.] Ghost kills 2. Remaining Beserkers deal 10 wounds. Ghost fails 3 saves, Mordak makes all of them. Champion hits and wounds 3 times - Mordak makes 2, dies. Mordak's attacks hit and kill 2 more Beserkers before he dies. In the other combat the remaining Champion gets mauled badly.
Beserkers don't consolidate much. Thrawn/Librarian consolidate back into forest.
Score:
Chaos 3
GK 4
Chaos Turn 4:
Neither Land Raider moves, they simply pivot. Beserkers move into forest.
Librarian cast The Shrouding. Land Raiders pour shots into Thrawn/Librarian squad, which passes all 2+ and 3+ cover saves.
Librarian casts Sanctuary. Beserkers assault successfully, lose none to Dangerous Terrain. Beserkers deal 6 wounds, NF and DH die. Return attacks kill the remaining Beserkers before champion can attack.
GKTs consolidate further into forest.
Score:
Chaos 3
GK 5
Grey Knight Turn 4:
Paladin arrives! Strikes down near Librarian, outside of Forest. Thrawn fails to get up.
Librarian and Squad move through forest to edge near Land Raider.
Paladin runs into Forest. Psycannon opens up on Land Raider - hits 3 times, no 6s. Warp Rift hits Land Raider for a Penetrating Hit... roll a 1.
Score:
Chaos 3
GK 5
Chaos Turn 5:
Land Raider 1 backs up 6". Land Raider 2 stays stationary.
Librarian casts The Shrouding. Land Raider 1 shoots at GK Squad, Lascannon misses. Land Raider 2 shoots everything at Paladin - Goes to Ground and makes all the saves.
Grey Knight Turn 5:
Thrawn fails to rise again.
Librarian and Squad array themselves close to edge but not over it. [Didn't want to risk losing Cover Save if game continued] Paladin stands back up.
Psycannon hits 4 times, rolls 2 Rending, succeds in getting a glance and a Pen. Both come up 5s!
A 2 is rolled ending the game.
Final Score:
Chaos 3
GK 6
Thoughts/Questions:
- During game the question of Falchion attacks came up, but Black Shirt stated "since you buy them in pairs, you don't get an extra attack". Didn't think of it at the time, but Assault Squad Terminators are required to buy pairs of Lightning Claws as well - but you get the bonus attack from that... why not Falchions?
- Another question: Does Thrawn count as a KP on his own if he never stands back up again?
- Completely forgot to use my Brain Mines - might've made a difference even though I was only in B2B with regular guys most of the time.
- Mordak + Librarian w/ Homer tactic is amazing. Not only to get a sneaky Warp Rift attack right at the beginning of the game, but also for Summoning other units later - and Deep Striking into the middle of the enemy right where you want to... all big benefits. Also relatively price effective unit against shooting and assaults. Don't be afraid of DS into Terrain either, with the Stealth you get from the Ghosts it makes it even harder to get rid of you.
- Thrawn is definately worth his cost. Not only does he stand back up, but he's armed with a Halberd already, plus he's Mastery 2, which means that squad can do both Hammerhand and activate their Force Weapons - they don't need to pick one or the other.
- The Sanctuary and The Shrouding are both very effective, especially against armies without any Psychic Defense. Warp Rift and Summoning are excelent as well. And if you've got the Mastery - Quickening should be good, but I've not used it yet.
- Grey Knights *MUST* keep careful track of their Psychic Power usage. They've got soooo many tools in that drawer that it becomes confusing which one to cast when, and when to hold back and not use it. Make sure you know *when* they have to cast each power, because they're all done at different times - and not all logically organized, for example Quicksilver is cast during the Movement Phase, rather than the Assault Phase.
- Dropping the Mastery and extra bits on the Librarian, eliminating the Paladin and the Assassin trim the extra fat from the list I used, but still leave it very effective. It is light against vehicles, but against an army that wants to come to you it works.