3000pt Ultramarines VS Relictors Batrep

After our little 10 man confrontation on the Friday eve, we decided to go all out on the Sat afternoon with a mighty 3000pt clash between the 'misguided' Relictors and the 'loyal lapdog' Ultramarines (eachothers words). We had both made some building ruins scenery the day before and both had plenty of heavy armour to test out. The battlelines were drawn across the dining table, 8ft by 3ft allowing a large battlefront and 5 objectives were placed for a Seize Ground mission.

The Relictor force pretty much used Siph's entire painted collection to date, 4 of his 5 Tac Sqds, 3 Vindy, 2 Landspeeders, 2 Predators, Sternguard and Drop Pod, Dred, Assault Sqd with Chaplain and Assault Termies with Librarian plus 'ole faithful Thunderfire Cannon. To counter Pornstarjedi's obvious love of Marneus Calgar, Siph took a Calgar-esque leader. We limited it to 1 mighty hero and a loose FOC (Relictors bought all their heavy armour).

Pornstarjedi took a Crusader with Assault Termies, Landraider with Termies and Calgar, Pred, Whirlwind, 3 Drop Pods, Sternguard, Tac Marines, Assault Sqd, Devastator Sqd, 1 Vindy and a Thunderfire of his own. Pornstar had 3 drop pods in reserve and Drop Pod assault on the cards...
Turn one went to Siph's Relictors and the firing was intense, the UM Thunderfire and Landraider was destroyed, slaying one of the Terminator occupants. A pred shot at the UM Vindy but the lascannon bolt was absorbed, both Landspeeders closed on the right flank but missed with their MultiMeltas towards the UM Pred. On the left flank a Rhino with Tac Sqd and the Assault sqd and Chaplain raced forward. A combat sqd seized an objective by the ruins of a landraider. Elsewhere, rhinos charged forward disgourging their Tac Marines and boxed in the UM Crusader with its Assault Termies cargo - it will be a long walk if they can't destroy the rhino. (We play wrecks stay on board unless a six is rolled on damage table and vehicle explodes). That said, surely 20 something attacks by the Termie cargo with ThunderHammers should result in a messy fireball? Some great shooting from the Relictor lines caused the Combat Sqd on the top of the massive building to flee from the objective they held.
The UM turn started with a drop pod assault, one to counter the Relictor charge on the left flank and one behind the grey heavy armour - Devastators. Some accurate and heavy fire from the UM lines saw 2 of the 3 Relictor Vindicators destroyed and the Thunderfire wrecked. An oversight with the disembarkation from a transport (drop pod) counting as movement meant the Devastators couldn't fire their main weapons this turn, (Oops, a slight miss-calculation on my part- Jedi) hopefully some would survive the next turn. The left flank Relictor charge was checked by the drop pod UM Sternguard and the Relictor Tac Sqd and Assault Sqd took casualties from accurate Vengeance Rounds and Whirlwind ordanance. The fleeing Combat sqd gathered their wits and rallied still within the massive building and now further in cover - they would prove hard to shift.

Reserves for the Relictors were rolled and Marneus Relic-gar (It's so wrong to be facing the God of War! - Jedi) and the sternguard in the drop pod arrived to take out the UM Devastators, the nearby Vindicator had other bigger targets to deal with. Behind the UM lines, two Landspeeders and the flanking Relictor Dred gave some worry to the UM Heavy armour but shooting was ineffective. The Tac Marines in the ruins on the left flank gave some harrassing fire toward the UM Assault Sqd and Sternguard and then a charge from the Relictor Asault Sqd, Chaplain and Tac Sqd survivors unleashed merry hell and killed the UM Sternguard outright. Two drop pods neutralised - one left. The rhino wall in front of the UM Landraider withstood the previous +20 Thunderhammer attacks and sat there a shaken, stunned, immobilised, weapon destroyed husk. Job done well.

The UM second turn started with the arrival of a Tac Sqd behind enemy lines in a drop pod to threaten the thin Relictor rear and the furthest right flank Objective held by a single Combat Sqd. In the centre the foot slogging Assault Termies and Calgar moved toward the centre objective with a Tac Sqd to try and claim the objective next turn and prevent a conter attack from the Relictors Sternguard nearby. A combat sqd took on the surviving Chaplain to tie him up in close combat long enough for the Whirlwind to keep firing and the Techmarine with his Servo Harness to close and prevent him from jump-packing up the large building to contest objectives.The Relictor turn three saw the left flank Tac Sqds move forward breaking from cover to try and reach the objectives in the next turn. A Predator Destructor made sure the UM holed up in the opposite massive building kept their heads down. In the UM rear the Landspeeders had a shot at the UM Pred rear and failed to destroy it! But in the Relictor lines, the Pred Annihilator had better luck and destroyed the UM Vindicator. Slowly all the UM armour was being taken out and Relictors advanced throughout the UM right flank. On the left flank, the Relictor Tac Sqd survivors from the initial assaults ran a suicide mission into the enemy held building in order to prevent the UM advancing out of the door and onto an objective.The Ultramarine turn three started with the drop pod Tac Sqd advance on the Relictor held objective in the fortified ammo bunker and flamer fire failed to kill any of the troops but the later charge felled two of the defenders - next turn the objective would be in UM hands. The Termies in the centre continued their advance, scything down the Relictor Sternguard combat sqd with accurate Storm Bolter and Assault Cannon fire and the Assault Termies made ready for the defence of the centre objective. The Relictor suicide mission into the building was quickly repelled and the survivors fled towards the objective outside! Elsewhere, Marneus called his Orbital Bombard and wiped out the Relictor Combat sqd holding the Landraider wreck objective. (Direct hit with the Orb, bye bye power armour!!-Jedi)

Reserves were rolled and the Relictor assault termies and Librarian came on to charge the UM in the ammo complex aiding their troop survivors and wiped out the UM to a man. The centre looked firmly in UM hands so the Relictors decided to even up the score. Marneus Relic-gar who had been stationary decided to call up an orbital barrage and the Vindicator fired to add his weight of firepower to wipe out the UM Tac sqd holding the objective. Both scattered and the Orby bombardment landed squarly on Marneus Calgar - only his God of War status prevented him from being wiped out. The vindy shot landed on the nearby Termies and slew most of their number. The other Sternguard sqd fired with poisoned rounds (wound on 2+, normal saves) and managed another Assault Termie casualty. The remaining UM Termie was slewn in mortal combat with the Techmarine and some Combat Sqd survivors. Finally the Landspeeders and Dred had some luck and destroyed the UM Pred and damaged the Landraider. On the left flank the Relictors rallied and held the objective, advanced elsewhere to re-claim the Landraider wreck objective and slew the remaining UM Tac sqd troops in CC with the UM Techmarine and Relictor Chaplain. It was 3 to 2 objectives to the Relictors now...A fifth and sixth turn came about, the UM and Marneus charged the Relictors on the left, but failed to kill all the squad so it remained contested, in the centre, Siph's luck finally paid off and Marneus Relic-gar and the Sternguard and some Tac Marines wiped out the remaining UM Termies and Tac sqd leaving a single Sergeant, contesting the centre. This left the Ammo bunker and Wrecked Landraider objectives for the Relictors and the top of the massive building in UM hands - finally a win for the Relictors and not a draw as we often get! It was now 2am.

The Relictors advance over half of the table unopposed.

Siph's notes - Rhino walls can be excellent at slowing down Assault Termies and their Landraiders!, Assault Cannon wielding Termies are still good (everyone including me seem to have a CC 3+ Inv save Termies now), Chaplain with Jumppack still rocks!

Jedi's notes- Devastators are pretty poor coming out of a DP, especially on the first turn, over 200 points wasted! Terminators are pretty good working with a Tactical sqd to clear and claim an objective. Also the new true LOS rules allows you to play a very 'non-space marine tactic of hiding behind cover, very useful when you've got lascannon, auto cannon and demolisher rounds coming in! Marneus will have his revenge Mr Horridus!!