catalyst2 | Battles #10 and 11

Battle #10 (actually from two weeks ago but I forgot to report it at the time) 2000 points against Dave's Ultramarines. As can be expected when two Ultramarine armies clash head on, there's a lot of destruction fast but no-one runs. I was trying a lot of new stuff this time - 5 scout bikes, 2 Land Speeders, my first Land Raider Crusader with 5 Assault terminators and my first use of Sicarius and a jump pack Chaplain for my two HQ choices.

What I learned:
1) I don't really know how to use any of that new stuff at all
2) Sicarius can be a real Terminator killer: he killed that last two off in a 5-man squad that was attacking my Speeders and then killed two more in another squad that was attacking my Land Raider
3) I don't really know where to place Sicarius: right out the front so he can get into combat or further back out of harm's reach because it was only luck (and a touch of desperation that got him into the action) and
4) I like Assault terminators a lot!

Result: Loss because Dave held two of the three objectives while the third was contested. I can't really give too many details of the game because I've already forgotten! Thanks for a great and informative game as always, Dave!

My W-L-D record is now 6-4-0. Hmmmm ....

Battle #11 (tonight) 2000 points against Ari's Demonhunters again. Remembering the destruction that his Land Raider Crusader/Grey Knight Terminator combo did to me last time, I tried something that had nothing to do with the figures on the field and all to do with psychological warfare. He had a mass of Chimeras, Rhinos and his Land Raider all facing my right flank so I infiltrated Sicarius plus a ML combat squad right in front of him. I put all the scout bikes and Speeders on my left and the Land Raider in the middle. There were three objectives. Because It was Dawn of War deployment, I had one close by, Ari had one close by and the one in the center was .... well, right in the centre.

It worked beautifully - he was completely distracted by Sicarius and spent four turns with his Land Raider Crusader/Grey Knight Terminator combo and a dreadnought killing them. It was all over by then because a combination of a meltagun/multimelta took out both Chimeras and both Rhinos. Once the troopers bailed, a combination of Whirlwind and both Land Speeders (HB/Assault cannon armed) finished them off. The Land Raider concentrated on the Inquisitor and retinue who took up residence on the center objective from Turn 2. They all died by the end of Turn 4 so that objective was freed up. In the centre, an Eversor assassin caused some havoc for a while until some lascannons from my Predator and the HB from my Razorback finished it off. It looked like it was going to be draw because we each controlled one objective but my jumppack chaplain (who I think had not been noticed in all the cover - it was a jungle board) did his full 12 inches over the top of the intervening cover and then a full 6 inch charge to contest that final objective.

Result: Win by one objective to none with one objective contested and the third unoccupied by either of us. Thanks for the game Ari!

What I learned:
1) Sometimes it is not about the board but about the brain - I am not sure that everyone would have fallen for the Sicarius lure
2) MathHammer is not all - I lost 290 points for one of his terminators but I kept about 8-900 of his points tied up on that wing while I minced everything else on the board
3) 5 Assault terminators with Thunder Hammers and Storm shields charging the last two stormtroopers left in their squad is funny
4) 8 assault cannon shots, 6 HB shots, 4 more assault cannon shots, a multi-melta and 6 Hellfire bolter shots into eight stormtroopers is also funny and
5) Inquisitors are bloody hard to kill.

My W-L-D record is now 7-4-0. I feel a WOO coming on ....yep. it's here right now - WOOHOO!