Battle Report - Ultramarines Vs Relictors - Our first 8th Edn Game!

Hi All, Thanks for dropping in to have a look-see. Yes, you read that right! Our FIRST battle of 8th Edn, in fact it was our first battle in 11 months too, the last being at Warhammer World as a farewell to 7th... we WeeMen live busy lives and jobs and don't live near each other, hence the blogs reason for existing - a common conduit where we can keep each other up to date with our 40K hobby and share with any lovely people who pop by, so thanks :)

This was a test of 8th, so we had matching forces, if not weapon choices due to model availability, but certainly Power Level match ups. We each took a selection of various forces to test different aspects, Troops, Flyer, Tanks, Artillery, CC Troops, Psyker, Command, Deep Strike, Dread etc.

The Forces both comprised of the following:

Captain with Power Weapon

Lieutenant with MC Boltgun

Librarian with Force Weapon (UM had Smite/Scourge, Rel had Smite/Null Zone)

Chaplain with Jump Pack

Scout Sniper Squad with ML

Tactical Squad x2

Assault Marines Squad (UM Serg Eviscerator, Rel Serg PowerFist)

Terminator Assault Squad (both in Teleportarium)

Thunderfire Cannon

Rhino

Lascannon Razorback

Predator Annihilator

Land Raider Redeemer with MultiMelta

Attack Bike with MultiMelta

Venerable Dreadnought with Twin Lascannon

Apothecary

Stormtalon Gunship with Stormhammer Missiles

Hunter

We rolled for first turn, Siph won, Lord H failed to seize. It was Dawn of War deployment, 5 Objectives and Tactical Objectives 3 cards, ditch one unachieved per turn, First Blood, Slay Warlord and Linebreaker.

The Ultramarines set up mainly on the left of the table, with Tac Squad in Rhino, Stormtalon and Dreadnought on the right side. The Honoured Imperium statue formed one objective, in the centreline was A Fuel Dump, Ammo Dump and Dead Fire Claw Terminator Objective. On the right was a statue of the Emperor.

The Relictors also mirrored this with only Attack Bike and Hunter on the right. Both Land Raiders and Assault Squads held the centre along the line of three central objectives, the Relictors keen to recover the fallen Fire Claw Terminator relic.

Above you can see the relatively light right side of the battlefield and the Emperor Statue Objective.

Relictors Turn 1 - The Relictors turned slowly ahead, Assault Cannon shots from the Land Raider and Stormtalon rang out striking the UM Venerable Dreadnought reducing the mighty warrior to just one wound, the Teleportarium flashed and a Terminator Assault Squad appeared at the Emperor's Statue Objective, the Rhino with embarked Tactical squad on the left moved forward and claimed the Honoured Imperium Statue objective. The Predator barked Las fire and obliterated the UM Razorback for First Blood. The Razorback spoke and vaporised the UM Attack MM Bike taking 11 wounds of a possible 4...

In the rear, the central Tactical Squad held the Fire Claw objective whilst the Assault Squad and Chaplain moved forward. The Venerable Dread also targeted the opposite UM Ancient Brother to take the final wound, however fluffed with a double one - just couldn't bear to take the life of his poor misguided Brother across the battlefield - why won't these lapdogs from Macragge see that the Relictors are the true loyal Sons, fighting Chaos with Chaos, its the only way to win... the Thunderfire tried where the Dread failed and struck the Venerable with 4D3 shots but to no avail, the UM Ancient Dread still came lumbering towards the Relictor lines!

The Relictors killed a Unit (Razorback) in the shooting phase, held an objective and destroyed the Razorback netting 3VP.

Ultramarine Turn 1 - The UM Thunderfire fired a salvo of shots at the Attack Bike obscuring it from view in a storm of shrapnel and mud. The Scouts hiding in the ruins above and a Land Raider Flamestorm Cannon poured Sniper Shots and flame into the cloud finishing off the Bike. In the skies above the UM Stormtalon raced to dogfight the Relictor machine and stripped 3 wounds off the enemy. The UM Predator eyed up the Relictor Venerable and took 4 wounds off the Venerable Brother. The Land Raider and UM Venerable Dread targeted the Relictor Land Raider Redeemer but only managed to bring the mighty tank down to 13 wounds.

In the Relictor lines, the flash of a Teleportarium signalled the arrival of the UM Terminator Assault Squad to pressure the Relictor HQ but failed the charge into the Thunderfire. Elsewhere, the UM Rhino charged the Terminators in order to slow them down, in return the Thunder Hammers and Claws stripped the tank to one wound. The Hunter fired its SkySpear at the Stormtalon but missed. (Note to ourselves: Hunters re-roll misses against flyers)

The UM claimed the centre of the battlefield getting 1 VP for Area Denial. At the end of Battle Round 1, it was Relictors 3VP, UM 1VP.

Relictors Turn 2 - Everything that could moved or aimed at the newly arrived UM Terminators, this would be a hard nut to crack. The nearest Tactical Squad disembarked to aim their fire and a Grav Gun at the Terminators but only managed to wound a Terminator.  The Stormtalon split fire between Stormhammer Missiles at the enemy flier and Twin Assault Cannons at the Terminators, taking two wounds bringing down one warrior. Next to speak was the Thunderfire, point blank cannon shot wounded 7 times resulting in some frantic poor saving throws and 3 more Terminators fell, leaving one warrior. The Relictor Captain finished the job with his Mastercrafted Boltgun and some more horrendous saving fluffs. Neither of us expected that!

That amazing shooting and horrendous saving freed up the heavy guns of Razorback and Predator to aim elsewhere, the Predator could only target a Tactical Marine slaying him with a Lascannon, and combined with the fire from the Stormtalon, the shots blew the UM flier out of the sky. The Hunter missed. The Razorback aimed at the UM Predator annihilating the mighty tank causing it to explode injuring the nearby UM Librarian. In the centre, the Redeemer and Assault Marine with Plasma Pistol took three wounds off the UM Redeemer leaving it on 9 wounds.

In assault, the Relictors Terminators ripped through the UM Rhino and consolidated onto the Objective. The Scouts using sniper rifles picked out the UM Lieutenant causing a mortal wound.

Less forgiving now, the Relictor Venerable opened up on the UM Dreadnought utterly destroying the ancient warrior.

An amazing turn, UM force lost the Terminators, Predator, Stormtalon, Dreadnought and Rhino. Relictors scored Hold the Line for 1VP by removing the Terminators, but didn't score Objective 6 deep in the UM lines or Psychological Warfare.

Ultramarine Turn 2 - The UM's opened fir at the Mk1b Rhino stripping it to 2 wounds, the Librarian Psychic Scourged and Smited the Relictors Redeemer backed up by the UM Redeemer reducing the heavy tank to 5 wounds. The Assault Squad powered up the Jump Packs and soared into the air, the Thunderfire softening up the enemy Assault Marines and then the Squad landed striking the Relictors Assault Marines and the UM Sergeant cleaved the Combat Shield and enemy Sergeant in two with his Eviscerator. The rest of the Squad fared less favourably, tying the squads in a bloody combat.

The Tactical Squad on the right flank sniped a Terminator and melted his Storm Shield and armour to molten slag. The Snipers used their lofty position to rain down fire on the Librarian taking two wounds.

The UM's failed to achieve Supremacy, holding two objectives, failed to hold Objective one, the Fire Claw held by the Relictors and failed to achieve Objective 2 Honoured Imperium Statue covered by the Mk1b Rhino. At the end of Battle Round 2 it was Relictors 4VP, UM 1VP.

Relictors Turn 3 - Another brutal assault followed using their now superior numbers. The Terminators stayed put to claim an objective rather than tear into the Tactical Squad on the right flank.  The UM Land Raider was reduced to slag by the combined weight of fire from the Venerable Dreadnought, Predator and Redeemer. In combat the Relictors Assault Squad, Chaplain and Librarian tore into the UM Assault Squad, the Chaplain taking a Eviscerator hit on his Rosarius before cleaving the Sergeant's face in with his Crozius! The rest of the Assault Squad perished, the last Marine fleeing.

The Rhino and Tactical Squad moved forward to claim the Objective (but poor placement meant only the Rhino was on the Objective) on the left flank. The Stormtalon and Marines shot the advancing UM Tactical Squad reducing them to one Marine.

This turn the Relictors gained Psychological Warfare and prepared to Defend two Objectives. Now 5VPs.

Ultramarine Turn 3 - The UM Captain bought down an Orbital Bombard on the heads of the Tactical Squad and Rhino holding the Honoured Imperium Statue blowing up the Rhino and the Stormtalon then the Lieutenant dashed forward to claim the Objective 2 from under the shocked Relictors auspex returns!

The Tactical Squad fired but were unable to harm the Terminators on the Emperor Statue Objective.

The Librarian using Smite, Chaplain Bolt Pistol and Scout Snipers poured small arms fire and a Krak Missile onto the Relictors Redeemer, hitting vital gearing and weapon systems reducing the mighty war machine to 1 wound.

The UM Lieutenant secured the Objective gaining 1VP, the Librarian holding another and the Chaplain held the centre giving the UM Supremacy for D3 VPs, and rolled mid range securing 2VPs, but the Relictors Defended the Objective on the right flank gaining one 1VP in return.

Time was late, the UMs decimated and Relictors looking unstoppable so we called the game there, final score was Relictors 6VP to Ultramarine 4VP. Relictors Win.

The UM Forces remaining were 5 Characters, 11 Marines, 5 Scouts, a Thunderfire and a Hunter on 3 wounds.  The Relictors had all the heavy tanks minus a Rhino, a Dread, a Hunter, Thunderfire, 17 Marines, 6 Assault Marines, 5 Scouts, all 5 Characters and the Terminators.

Although a closing of VPs in turn 3, I think another Turn would have been decisive against the UMs, the Relictors were almost at full strength and only single characters remained a threat, the Tactical Squad would have been torn to pieces by the Terminators and the Hunter stripped of its remaining 3 wounds. The central Chaplain and Librarian would have been slain by the Assault Squad, Chaplain and Librarian combo and the guns of the Venerable and Redeemer.

It was all down to a decisive Turn 2, when Lord Halfpenny failed 10 Terminator saves in one turn meaning I cleared my line and freed up the tanks to go on and destroy the heavy firepower opposite, the UM force lost the Terminators, Predator, Stormtalon, Dreadnought and Rhino in one turn and Lord H was almost considering throwing in the towel for a fleeting moment.

But, this was a test for both of us of the new and I dare say improved 40K we know and love, a lot more streamlined, easy mechanics and some complexity remains. We still have a lot to re-learn. The character of 40K remains we were pleased to see and it still remains our beloved hobby, so that's a win win for both of us!

Cheers for stopping by, thanks for reading this far and we are glad to get at least one battle under our belts before we attend Warhammer World in May for a massive thematic battle.

Cheers, Siph and Lord Halfpenny.