White Scars vs Dawnrush Talons 12/30/20

I set up and played out an Open War game, a simplified ruleset for 40K, to let a friend play out the first battle round in a 62 Power Level (around 1,200 points) game between a selection from my White Scars and my Talons of the Emperor force for Crusade play.

The mission we generated from the Open War deck for 9th edition was simple--kill as much as you can on the opposing side. There were no objectives. We did draw a Blinding Sun twist to the game, but promptly forgot about it once the dice started rolling.

My friend (who chose to play the Talons) had to go home after the first battle round, so I finished out the game on my own. The combined Custodes and Sisters of Silence force, not hampered by having to hold objectives, delivered a sound thrashing to the White Scars, who perhaps unwisely spent a turn focusing fire on a nigh-on invincible Shield-Captain who was not only -1 to hit, but also -1 to wound, had a Toughness of 5, a 2+ armor save that would ignore 1 point of Armor Piercing, a 3+ invulnerable save, a 6+ Feel No Pain rule to shrug off any wounds that did get through, and a bonus wound to his maximum on top of all that. Not one wound got through on said character in several rounds of shooting and combat.

I recorded one point of Requisition earned for either Crusade force, though no agendas or experience points were tracked for the game this time.

2020 GOTY

 2. XCOM Chimera Squad

1. Animal Crossing New Horizons

2020 has been mostly an off-year for me and video games, and I'm not going to try to remedy that in this post, but I did definitely want to record for posterity my choices for game of the year and an honorable mention, as above. Nothing else released this year came close in terms of time played.

I stopped keeping track of games I finished this year, because I don't really think about games in those terms like I used to. And many games don't fit neatly into the shape of something that you can finish. And also because I find myself less and less interested in the type that still do. Anyway, here's a list of games that I spent a good amount of time playing this year, in lieu of the old pile of skulls:

Hitman 2

Assassin's Creed Origins Carcassone Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin Genshin Impact Super Mario Bros. 35 Spelunky 2 Super Mario 3D All-Stars JYDGE Necromunda: Underhive Wars Tabletop Simulator Cube World DOOM Lord of the Rings Online Fire Emblem Awakening Wasteland Legend of Grimrock II Space Hulk Tetris 99 Legends of Runeterra Animal Crossing: New Horizons Horus Heresy Legions Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Destiny 2 Assassin's Creed Syndicate - Jack the Ripper Ring Fit Adventure Blood Bowl 2 Assassin's Creed Syndicate Warhammer Underworlds Online Fallout 76 XCOM: Chimera Squad XCOM 2 The Elder Scrolls Online Magic: The Gathering Arena Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Elite Dangerous Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor - Martyr Dicey Dungeons Juno's Darkest Hour Slay the Spire

I can pretty safely recommend the majority of these games, for what that's worth.

White Scars vs Icthyos Rho VIII PDF 11/27/20

White Scars vs Icthyos Rho VII PDF “Tundra Bastion” 11/27/20

Crusade Mission - Strike Force: Retrieval

The battlefield:

Deployment:

Ebon Keshig Tactical Squad with Stormseer Librarian on the left flank objective.

Assault Squad Sirocco with Lieutenant Oglai Hawkseye near to the objective in the center of the field.

Another Ebon Keshig combat squad, a Terminator Squad, and Thunderfire Cannon Conquestmaker on the right flank objective.

Stormraven Yesugei's Regard in Outlank carrying Combat Squad Steppe, Devastators Kaminari, and Ironclad Dreadnought Temdegt.

The Planetary Defense Force's left flank. Chimera Grey Fox carrying an Infantry Squad, Platoon Commander, and Commissar, three further Infantry Squads, Company Commander, and Command Squad Omni on the ground, and Command Squad Snipers on the tower.

The right. Infantry Squad, Chimera Spotted Snake carrying another with a Platoon Commander and Primaris Psyker, Vanquisher Tank Commander , Leman Russ Battle Tank Warhorse, Leman Russ Punisher Castle Burn't'all, Heavy Weapons Squad with Autocannons.

WS force amounts to 19 Crusade Points

PDF add up to 8

PDF get half the difference rounded up in Crusade Blessings (+6 Command Points)

PDF get first turn:

General movement up to objectives.

Tanks move to get an angle on a Tac Squad.

Chimera performs Search Site action. 

Various Orders and Stratagems popped, Leman Russ Battle Tank “Warhorse” is able to kill the Ebon Tac Squad on the White Scars' left flank, leaving the Librarian solo there.

 

Autocannon squad cannot hit the Librarian that is now exposed, however.

Mortar unable to hit Librarian.

End of turn, Search Site action completes. Site clear, objective removed. 10 VP scored.

 

White Scars turn 1:

Devastator Doctrine.

Adaptive Strategy on Terminators. 

Librarian advances to safety

Assault Squad, Lieutenant, and Terminators both move toward target units. 

Tac Squad begins Search Action.

Librarian casts Ride The Winds and Storm-Wreathed on self.

Assault Squad and Lieutenant shoot and reduce an Infantry squad to 2 models remaining.

Terminators take 4 wounds off Chimera with Shooting.

TFC targets Autocannon squad, killing one team and wounding another.

Assault Squad charge Infantry Squad. Success.

Lieutenant same. Success.

Terminators charge Chimera, which will Overwatch, and Defensive Gunners to hit on 5+. No damage done. Charge Succeeds.

Terminators fight, using Fury of the First to add 1 to hit rolls. 12 damage.

Chimera dies, no explosion. 12 models pour out. 5 are killed in the process. (1s are rolled)

Terminators consolidate.

 

Lieutenant fights Infantry Squad. Wipes them.

Lieutenant and Assault Squad consolidate.

 

Morale, one Infantry Squad uses Fight to the Death to roll on a D3 and so pass.

Autocannon Squad passes as well.

Search Action completes, site cleared, objective removed, 10 VP scored.

Round 2.

PDF turn 2.

Tank Commander and Chimera move to get a shot on Librarian.

Infantry move up to an objective and begin Search Action.

Battle Tank moves for a shot at Assault Squad.

Punisher moves up toward a central objective.

On the other flank, infantry move to mac shots on nearby marines, and officers position for orders.

Chimera shoots at Librarian and does 1 wound.

Tank Commander finishes off Librarian with Vanquisher Cannon.

Combined shooting on the left flank kills two Assault marines and brings the Lieutenant down to 1 wound remaining.

Infantry Squad charge Lieutenant and Assault Squad. Overwatch does nothing. Charge succeeds.

Commissar charges Assault Squad. Success.

None of their attacks do anything.

Lieutenant fights back. Kills 2 Guardsmen. 

Assault Squad fight back. Kill the Commissar.

Morale, everyone passes.

Search resolves, objective cleared and removed, 10 VP scored.

White Scars turn 2.

Tactical Doctrine.

Lieutenant falls back to an objective.

Assault Squad fall back to an easy charge on the Company Commander. Feinting Withdrawal so they can still shoot.

 

Terminators advance using Ride Hard, Ride Fast to make them -1 to hit for a round. Hunter’s Fusillade changes their weapons to Assault type.

Tac Squad move twice using Wind-Swift.

Stormraven comes in from Outflank where it might do the most damage to the PDF.

 

Lieutenant begins Search Site Action.

Terminators split fire between Infantry Squads.

4 Guardsmen die in total.

Assault Squad fire. No luck.

TFC fires on Autocannon Squad. Wipes them.

Stormraven fires. Missiles do 3 wounds to Battle Tank “Warhorse.”

Hurricane Bolters kill 8 guardsmen.

Twin Heavy Bolter kills 2 from the Sniper Command Squad.

Twin Assault Cannon kills 4 more Guardsmen.

Cull the Hordes Agenda scored.

 

Fierce Rivalries. The first charge is a 3D6, drop one roll. Terminators charge Platoon Commander and an Infantry Squad. Success.

Assault Squad charge Company Commander. Overwatch, he overcharges the plasma pistol, rolls a 1, rerolls it into another 1. Well, at least it was painless.

Charge fails.

Terminators kill the Platoon Commander in combat, fail to hit Infantry Squad. They consolidate into the remains of two Infantry Squads.

 

Morale, a few Guardsmen run away from different squads. One squad is finished off from desertion.

 

Lieutenant has searched his objective and it is found to be the one, so it’s worth 20 VP and the remaining two others disappear.

Now everything will converge on it at the center of the table.

Round 3.

PDF turn 3.

Infantry fall back from Terminators toward the objective.

Command Squad Omni move near to another Infantry Squad.

Battle Tank “Warhorse” moves toward the action.

Punisher “Castle Burn’t’all” moves to bring its Gatling Cannon to bear on Terminators.

Infantry Squad, Platoon Commander, and Primaris Psyker debarked from a Chimera, which then backs up and lets another squad embark.

Tank Commander backs up to Lascannon range to shoot at the Stormraven.

 

Primaris Psyker casts Psychic Maelstrom, killing the Lieutenant.

Combined fire from Tanks brings down the Stormraven. One model dies in the crash. the rest debark.

 

Combined Infantry fire plinks a few wounds off different squads of Marines, but makes no kills.

Morale, Tac Squad passes.

WS Turn 3:

Assault Doctrine.

Tactical Squad move to secure the objective.

Assault Squad move to tie up the Punisher.

Terminators advance in the direction of the Punisher as well.

Ironclad, Tacticals, and Devastators move up from their crash site toward Battle Tank “Warhorse.”

Devastators use Hunter’s Fusillade to convert their missiles and Lascannons to Assault mode. Their fire with the Ironclad’s reduce the tank to 1 wound remaining.

Tacticals kill Command Squad Omni.

TFC fires Tremor Shells on a full Infantry Squad that might take control of the objective. Kills one. Hampers their move.

Assault Squad charge Punisher. Overwatch nearly wipes the squad.

Charge succeeds, for the remaining Sergeant.

Tac squad on objective charge the infantry coming to challenge them for control. Success.

Terminators charge two Guardsmen nearby for the chance to reorient onto the objective also.

Ironclad charges an Infantry Squad. Success

Tac Squad also. Success

Devastators can’t make it.

Tac Squad fight, kill Infantry. consolidate.

Ironclad consolidates.

Terminators fight and kill their target Infantry.

Tac Squad fight and kill one guardsman.

Assault Sergeant whiffs with his Melta Bomb attack.

Infantry Squad fights, kills one marine.

Morale, Tac and Assault Squads pass. 

Round 4

PDF Turn 4

Relentless on Warhorse to make it perform at top level of its profile.

Infantry Squad falls back to allow a Chimera to move up and shoot the Tactical Squad.

Primaris Psyker moves to make the Assault Squad sergeant the closest visible model.

Tanks reposition slightly.

Smite on Assault Squad sergeant to kill him, freeing up the Punisher to fire at Terminators.

Punisher fires. Kills four of five.

Tank Commander fires everything at Ironclad. Kills it. No explosion.

Warhorse heavy flamers at nearby marines. Kills one.

Turret and Lascannon at remaining Terminator Sgt. 1 damage.

Chimera shoots Las Array at Tactical marines. One dies.

Infantry Squad with Get Back In The Fight/First Rank Fire, Second Rank Fire orders shoot same marines. One more dies.

Platoon Commander shoots. Fails to wound.

Infantry Squad charges that marine squad. Success.

Platoon Commander and Primaris Psyker also. Successes.

Psyker fights, kills one marine.

Platoon Commander fights. One damage.

Infantry Squad fights. No effect.

Tactical Sergeant fights back. leaves the Psyker with one wound remaining.

Morale, three WS units pass.

WS Turn 4.

Ebon Tac Sergeant falls back.

Terminator Sgt moves near to Infantry Squad

Steppe Tac Squad advance up to objective.

Devastators and TFC stay put.

TFC shoots Infantry Squad. 3 die.

Steppe Melta at Warhorse. Blows it up. No explosion.

Devastators all Heavy at Tank Commander. Deal 7 damage.

Boltgun at last Sniper. Kills him. 

Marines near the objective all charge through the building wall at the Infantry just on the other side.

All charges succeed.

Ebon Sgt fights Psyker. Kills him.

Steppe squad fight. 4 Guardsmen die.

Terminator can consolidate, but only moves a smidge.

Lone Infantry Sgt. fights back. No effect.

Insane Bravery keeps that Sgt in the game for 2 CP.

Round 5.

PDF turn 5.

PDF are behind in VP with no way to make up the difference, but will kill as much as possible anyway.

A Fresh Infantry Squad hop out of the Chimera.

Infantry Squad Sgt falls back. 

Platoon Commander moves to LoS on Terminator. 

 

Tanks reposition.

Tank Commander issues orders to Punisher and self to reroll 1s to hit.

Platoon Commander orders Infantry Sgt back into the fight.

Chimera splits fire. Kills Ebon Tac Sgt.

Fresh Infantry Squad fires at Steppe squad. Kill one.

Infantry Sgt. bolt pistol at Terminator Sgt. No wound.

Platoon Commander laspistol at same. Misses.

Punisher all at Devastators. Kills four of five.

Infantry Squad charge Steppe squad. Success. 

Platoon Commander charges Terminator. Success.

Platoon Commander fights. 1 wound, saved.

Infantry Squad fight Steppe squad. No damage.

Terminator fights back. Deals 2 damage.

Steppe squad fight back. 2 Guardsmen die.

Morale, Steppe and Devastators both pass. 

WS turn 5.

Score 20 more VP for a 50-20 win.

Terminator and Steppe fall back. Feinting Withdrawal on Steppe so they can shoot.

Last Devastator fires his Lascannon at a single Guardsman. Rolls a 1 to wound.

Steppe fire back at the Infantry Squad. 4 wounds. 

Terminator charges both units near him.

 

Success.

Steppe charge infantry squad near them. Success. 

Terminator fights. Kills the Platoon Commander.

Steppe squad fight. Kill one guy. Guard fight back.

Lone Sgt kills the Terminator Sgt!

Morale: Infantry Squad fail, lose one. Sgt then rolls a 1 and deserts also.

Game Ends.

 

White Scars earn the right to grant a free Crusade relic to either character that took part in the battle.

White Scars vs Red Corsairs 11/10/20

Strike Force mission 3:

The Battlefield:

The White Scars:

Khan on Bike

Librarian with Jump Pack

Tactical Squad with Rhino transport

Bike Squad with Attack Bike

Ironclad Dreadnought with Stormraven transport

The Red Corsairs:

Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour

Exalted Champion

Sorcerer

Chaos Space Marines x 3 units

Hellforged/Chaos Contemptor Dreadnought

White Scars get 2 CP Crusade Blessings.

White Scars Deployment:

1 CP Encirclement on Stormraven. Ironclad carried by Stormraven, Tactical Squad in Rhino on table.

Red Corsairs Deployment:

1 CP Hellforged Contemptor in Strategic Reserves, Terminators in Teleportation Chamber

White Scars go first.

Round 1

White Scars Turn 1

Rhino and Librarian move to near point.

Ride Hard, Ride Fast on Librarian so he is -1 to hit. 

Khan and Bike Squad move nearer to the center, staying in cover.

Playing for VP here, trying not to overextend.

Librarian begins action for VP on the objective. 

 

Red Corsairs Turn 1

CSM Squads with Sorcerer and Exalted Champion all advance toward both objectives.

Hellforged Contemptor comes in from Strategic Reserves with a clear shot at the Librarian.

Sorcerer uses 1 CP for Chaos Familiar to swap out Prescience for Warptime. 

Casts Warptime and Delightful Agonies on one CSM squad, who then get to move again, onto the near objective.

Another CSM squad has a few guys with LoS on bikers, but score no damage.

Hellforged Contemptor gets a firmware update to become Chaos Contemptor Dreadnought, losing a point of BS. Fails to damage Librarian.

Contemptor tries to charge Librarian. Snake Eyes. Re-roll, 7, fails again.

Round 2

WS turn 2

Score 10 VP for Librarian’s action completion.

Librarian moves away from danger.

Tac Squad hop out of the Rhino.

Rhino moves toward Contemptor.

Khan and Bike Squad want to kill some CSMs and the Exalted Champion, so advance close to them. Hunter’s Fusillade on bikers.

Stormraven comes in from Strategic Reserves near to Contemptor, carrying Ironclad to drop off next turn. 

Bikers shoot CSMs. Kill 5.

Tac Squad shoots Contemptor, takes off 2 wounds.

Rhino shoots it, nada.

Stormraven puts missiles, hurricane bolters, and twin heavy bolters into it before it dies.

Fierce Rivalries.

Khan Charges CSMs. 10, success.

Bikers charge CSMs. Success.

Exalted Champion Heroically Intervenes.

 

Khan fights first, putting everything into Exalted Champion. Kills him. Scores 10 VP for the kill.

Counter-Offensive. CSMs fight Khan. Deal 1 damage.

Bikers fight CSM. Kill 3.

Morale. CSMs fail, 1 runs away, leaving only the Aspiring Champion, who passes attrition.

 

RC Turn 2

Sorcerer moves closer to the objective.

CSM Squad moves with him.

More Where They Came From. Removes lone Aspiring Champion and replaces that unit elsewhere at full strength. In position to shoot Librarian.

Chaos Lord and Terminators also Teleport in there to seal the deal, and maybe damage the flyer some.

Sorcerer uses Warptime to move again, onto objective.

Casts Delightful Agonies on a CSM squad.

CSM Squad shoots bolters at bikers, killing 1.

Flakk Missile at distant Stormraven for 1 mortal wound.

Stormraven Armour of Contempt. Fails the 5+++.

Other CSM fire at bikers. Attack Bike is left with 1 wound.

CSM bolt weapons at Librarian. Kills him, Scoring 15 VP for Red Corsairs.

CSM plasma at Stormraven, both overcharged. 2 damage through.

Terminators and Chaos Lord shoot Stormraven. Chaos Lord melta does the full 6 at range!

Terminator heavy flamer takes another wound. 

Stormraven is left with 2 wounds.

Bikers pass morale.

Round 3

WS turn 3

Score 15 VP for mission objective.

PotMS on Stormraven

Wisdom of the Ancients on Ironclad

Ironclad is dropped off by Stormraven.

Stormraven pivots 90 to the right and moves 20”.

Rhino moves toward Terminators.

Tac Squad advance to within Ironclad’s Rites of Battle Aura, use Hunter’s Fusillade to fire weapons as assault.

Khan advances, Bikers move up toward CSM squads.

Bikers shoot CSM. CSM have 5+++ from Delightful Agonies. 2 die.

Ironclad shoots Terminators. No luck.

Rhino next. Nada.

Tac Squad. 2 die.

Stormraven all into remaining Terminators. All die. 

Rhino charges CSM. Success.

Ironclad and Tac Squad also, successes.

 

Khan and Bikers charge other CSM squad. success.

 

Chaos Lord Heroically intervenes.

Khan fights. 5 attacks, 5 dead CSM.

Bikers fight.  No luck.

Rhino fights, whiffs.

Tac Squad fights, 3 CSM die.

Ironclad fights. 3 more CSM die.

CSM fight Tac Squad back. 1 Tac Marine dies.

Chaos Lord fights Rhino. Deals it 6 damage.

Other CSM fight bikers. 1 dmg through, finishing off the Attack Bike.

CSM squads both fail morale and lose 1 model each.

Bikers pass morale.

RC Turn 3

Score 20 VP for mission objective.

CSM fall back from Tac Squad.

More Where They Came From, lone Aspiring Champion is removed from combat with Khan and Bikers, reappears with another full squad with Tac Squad in his sights.

 

Sorcerer begins action for VP.

CSM squad shoot at Bikers, deal 2 damage.

Missile misses the Stormraven.

 

Freshly deepstruck CSMs shoot Tac Squad. 0 damage dealt!

CSM squad charge bikers. Success.

Khan Heroically Intervenes.

 

CSM fight, kill bikers.

Chaos Lord fights, kills Rhino. No explosion.

Khan fights CSM. 2 die.

CSM pass Morale.

Round 4. 

WS Turn 4.

Score 15 VP from progressive objective.

PotMS on Stormraven.

Wisdom of the Ancients (Rites of Battle) on Ironclad. 

Stormraven pivots 90 left and flies close to Sorcerer to light him up. 

 

Ironclad moves so that Chaos Lord is targetable.

 

Khan falls back to recharge.

Tac Squad stay put.

Stormraven shoots missiles, assault cannon, twin heavy bolter all at the Sorcerer. No damage. Unbelievable.

2 hurricane bolters at CSMs. 4 die.

Ironclad HKMs at Chaos Lord. Kills him.

Tac Squad fire at CSM squads on either side.

Melta. no luck.

Heavy Bolter. 2 die.

Boltguns. 2 more die.

Khan charges CSM. Success.

 

Ironclad and Tac Squad charge CSM.

Khan fights. 3 CSM die.

Ironclad fights. Kills the 3 CSM remaining in that unit.

Ironclad and Tac Squad consolidate toward other CSMs

Aspiring Champion fights Khan.

3 attacks explode on 5+, 4 total hits, 3 wounds, 3 4++ saves from the Khan.

Morale. Khan’s sparring partner runs away.

Other CSM pass morale.

RC Turn 4.

Score 20 VP from progressive objective and action.

CSM advance up to Tac Squad.

 

Sorcerer moves close to Khan.

 

Smite on Khan. 11, for D6 damage, 2. rerolled into 6! Kills the Khan!

Delightful Agonies on self for the 5+++. Fails.

CSM fire flamers at Tac Squad. 1 marine dies.

CSM charge Tac Squad.

Fight Tac Squad. 13 attacks, 5+ explode. 15 hits total. 5 wound. 1 marine dies.

Marines fight back. 1 CSM dies.

Morale passed all around.

Round 5.

WS Turn 5.

No way to earn any VP, so RC will win.

Agenda for tabling RC still doable.

Stormraven goes into hover mode.

 

Tac Squad fall back from combat.

 

Stormraven shoots all into Sorcerer. Kills him.

Ironclad shoots at CSM. 1 dies.

Ironclad and Tac Squad charge CSM.

Tac Squad fight. 4/5 die.

Ironclad fights. Kills the last Red Corsair model. Agenda achieved.

RC win nonetheless, 55 to 50.

Red Corsairs get a free use of the Warlord Trait Requisition, which I'll bank for possible use later, since all characters already have a Warlord Trait.