Out of the blocks, you can actually watch the full game (all 2 hours of it) on You tube here.
Dragkon & I were playing our first game of 7th Edition against each other in prep for a tournament on the 12th November.
It takes us 2 hours because of all the rules questions, and a little bit of getting use to playing again (I hope, cause we have to fit 1850 points into not much more time soon!).
The forces we used were:
Ultramarines - 1,000 Points
Formation - Battle Demi Company
Terminator Captain in Cataphrattci Armour with Lightning Claw + Combi Bolter
Tactical Squad, 10 Marines, Rocket Launcher, Plasma Gun
Tactical Squad, 10 Marines, Rocket Launcher, Flamer, Drop Pod
Tactical Squad, 5 Marines, Flamer
Assault Bike Squad, 1 Bike, Multi-Melta
Devastator Squad, 10 Marines, Rocket Launcher x 4
Contemptor Dreadnought, Kheres Assault Cannon
Tau - 1,000 Points
Battlesuit Bodyguard x 3, Smart Missiles x 3, Plasma Gun x 3, Interceptor
Tau Breacher Team x 10
Tau Fire Warriors x 10
Tau Pathfinders x 10
Broadside, Heavy Missile System, Interceptor
Tau Riptide, Gatling Gun thingy, Interceptor
Mission: Big Guns Never Tire
Deployment: Dawn of War
Night fighting: Yes
First Turn - Ultramarines
Initiative Stolen - No
Ultramarines Turn 1:
The Ultramarines Drop pod landed next the Objective in the centre of the board, well tried to, but scattered 10" closer to the Tau than I had hoped, the Marines disembarked to try and hide behind the Drop Pod, although couldnt get themselves all out of sight of the Battlesuits.
The Contemptor fluffed its difficult terrain rolls and only got 3", while the Attack Bike surged forward to target the Broadside.
The Devastators stayed put with a good view of the battlefield from the off.
The shooting from the Interceptors killed 4 marines, and caused the Tactical squad to break, their shooting was ineffective as snapshots, as was the tactical squad split into combat squads, the 5 man tactical squad ran to claim the Objective, while the Contemptor fluffed his run roll trying to close the range.
The Devastators had an effective shooting phase, killing 4 of the Breacher team, although they passed their breakcheck, while the Assault Bike took a wound of the Broadside (not with its multi-melta, with its bolter!).
Tau Turn 1:
The tau moved themselves around to poor more fire onto the damaged tactical squad, while the Riptide tried to overcharge, failed and lost a wound.
The Breacher team moved up preparing for the later turns.
The Tau shooting did its job with the Pathfinder unit taking the 6 remaining Marines of the Tactical squad down to just the Sergeant, while the Battlesuits killed the Drop Pod for First Blood,
The rest of their fire was poured into the Attack bike & Plasma gun section of the tactical squad, killing three of the combat squads marines, but failing to harm the Attack bike.
VP's
Tau: 4 (1 Objective + First Blood)
Ultramarines: 3 (1 Objective)
Ultramarines Turn 2:
In the second turn the Ultramarines moved further up to secure the central objective, and positioned themselves on the far left objective so they could fire on the Pathfinders.
The Contemptor again rolled poorly for its difficult terrain test (wont be setting him up in that again...).
The Attack Bike made a suicidal run forward to bring its multi-melta to bear on the Battlesuits, while the remaining sergeant from the drop pod tactical squad moved right upto the central objective.
The shooting phase for the Ultramarines was shocking, with 4 hits & wounds caused on the Pathfinders, they passed all 4 armour saves.
The Combat squadded tactical squad unleashed all their shots on the Battlesuits, causing only one unsaved wounds, despite forcing 6 armour saves (1 of which was AP3 and therefore a cover save).
The Attack Bike missed with the multi-melta, while the twin Linked Bolters did no damage, the Devastator squad got 10 hits on the Breacher Squad, only caused 4 wounds, and all of those were saved. although one of the scatters managed to kill the leader of the Fire Warrior unit.
The Contemptor made a run move, but rolled poorly again!
At this point I had serious worries about how much damage the largely untouched Tau might do to my already damaged marines!
Tau Turn 2:
The Riptide again chose to try and Nova Charge, failing its roll and taking its second wound of the game.
The Breacher squad moved up to put its shots into the attack bike, while the Tau Commander broke off from its Bodyguard to go and deal with the 5 man tactical squad holding the objective on the left.
The Bodyguards moved up to unleash their plasma & missiles on my Warlords unit, while the Riptide lined up on the attack bike.
Their shooting phase started with 6 Marker light hits on my Warlords unit, followed by me taking 3 Plasma wounds and 5 standard armour saves from the Bodyguard. Now at this point I messed up my armour saving method, while Dragkon messed up his batch of dice he made me save (I think at least).
He chose to inflict the Plasma first, while my Warlord was the closest model, I look out sir'd all of those wounds successfully, and passed 1 of the resulting cover saves. The Warlord then took the 5 wounds on himself (which I rolled all together rather than splitting it into a batch of 3, then 2). Fortunately I didnt roll so many 1's that he died and it mattered, but I did manage to roll two 1's, leaving him on 1 wound.
The Attack bike took a Tau Breacher squad to the face, and only jinking saved it, leaving it on 1 wound, which didn't help it when the Riptide opened up on it and took it down.
The Broadside fired on the Contemptor, but its invulnerable save prevented any damaged, while the Tau Commander managed to kill two of the Tactical squad holding the far right objective.
VP's:
Tau: 4 (1 Objective, First Blood)
Ultramarines: 6 (2 Objectives)
Ultramarines Turn 3
I finally remembered that I had a thing called a tactical doctrine, and actually called it into action this turn!
The Contemptor moved up on the right, finally closing the range to deal with the Tau, the Warlords unit rejigged to put the surviving marines between him and the Tau, while the other Combat squad (now just a Plasma Gunner & Sergeant) moved up to get range on the Breacher Squad.
The 5 man tactical squad moved behind the terrain to consolidate their hold on the objective (with that Tau Commander bearing down on them), and the Devastator squad stayed still.
My shooting phase was more successful (as you would expect), we played it that the Contemptor benfitted from the Tactical Doctrine (because it was part of the Demi-Company), although if that is wrong please let me know in the comments. He wiped out the Breacher squad with his first volley.
The Warlords unit shot at the Tau commander out on his own, but only caused one wound (his cursed Invulnerable shield saved the Rocket hit).
The Devastator squad unleashed 4 Kraks, three of which hit onto the Bodyguard through the ruins, but all three passed their cover saves again, the remaining tactical marines around the central objective tried to potshot the Bodyguard, but didnt cause any wounds.
Tau Turn 3
The Tau Commander continued his advance on the left hand side objective, while the Bodyguards lined up another volley against the Warlords unit.
The Riptide successfully overcharged his gun, and lined it up on the advancing Contemptor, as did the Broadside.
In the shooting phase the Tau Fire Warrior squad killed plasma Gunner from the Tactical squad, leaving me with two Sergeants running around on their own (hey they are still Objective Secured scoring right?!)
The Bodyguards shooting was ineffective for once, with my Marines making their cover saves to protect the Warlord.
The Riptide Overheated his main gun three times, but passed all his armour saves, while the remaining 6 hits failed to score a rending result. The Broadside was equally ineffective against the Contemptor.
VP's
Tau: 4 (1 Objective + First Blood)
Ultramarines: 6 ( 2 Objectives)
Ultramarines Turn 4
With my forces running out of models, it was time for the Contemptor to shine, he continued his advance keeping the riptide in his front arc, but lining up for more shots on the Bodyguard, while the few tactical marines in the central objective shifted around to get the best firing position.
I also remember to enact my second Tactical doctrine (which didnt affect the Contemptor this time) at the beginning of the turn.
In the shooting phase I managed to kill one Bodyguard outright, and reduce the other unwounded one to 1 wound, meaning both Bodyguard were now just more manoeuvrable marines.
The Devastators managed to kill 3 more Tau Fire Warriors, although they did not break despite missing their leader.
Tau Turn 4
The Tau Commander rounded the building to line up the shots on the three Tactical marines holding the the far left objective, while the bodyguard ran into the central ruins with the objective, to line up yet more fire on the Warlords unit.
The Pathfinders landed 2 marker light hits, that the Bodyguard used to get BS5, and unleashed their plasma & missiles on the Warlord and his two comrades. Fortunately only one marine died due to the fire they used.
The Tau Commander killed one more of the Tactical squad near the objective on the left, while the Broadside & Riptide (who had managed to Novacharge again without a problem) failed to hurt the Contemptor.
The Tau Commander then decided to heroically charge the three Tactical Marines, whose snapshots got 5 hits (three from the flamer, and two boltgun hits). From those 5 hits I got 4 wounds, and he failed three of his saves, killing himself as he ran in! Slay the Warlord!
After hearing over their broadcast net the Riptide abandoned plans to charge the Contemptor...
VP's
Tau: 4 (Objective + First Blood)
Ultramarines: 7 (Objective x 2 + Slay the Warlord)
Ultramarines Turn 5:
The Ultramarines unleashed hell this turn, starting with the Devastator Doctrine, the Contemptor continue his moved to get Line Breaker, while lining up on the Riptide.
The 3 Marines & Warlord took careful aim on the Battlesuits, while the 2 marines on the far left hid behind the building.
The Bodyguards died in a hail of boltgun shells, before the Broadside (Big Guns VP) died to the Devastator fire, although the Contemptor was unable to hurt the Riptide.
Tau Turn 5:
The Tau were convince the game was beyond them if it didnt go onto Turn 6 now, although they went Balls to the walls to get my Warlord.
The Riptide successfully overcharged again and moved up to put pressure on the central objective.
Their shooting was largely ineffective with a Fire Warrior & Pathfinder team out of range and Line of Sight it came down to the Riptide, he managed to cause 8 wounds on the Warlord and his lone comrade. I rolled my first two saves, a 1 followed by a 1, which dropped my Warlord and his marine buddy.
Random Game Roll: 2 Game ends
Final VP's
Tau: 5 (Objective + First Blood + Slay the Warlord
Ultramarines: 8 (Objective x 2 + Slay the Warlord + Big Guns Never Tire (Heavy Support killed)
Post Game Analysis:
So we got a few bits wrong, I forgot that my Contemptor had fleet for the whole game, what a difference that would have made!
Also forgetting about the Tactical Doctrines while I had 25 models on the table would have made a difference as well methinks!
Dragkon thinks he should have focussed his fire on the almost wiped out squads a bit more, meaning he would have taken the central objective off me if he killed them (giving him a draw), and not wasted shots on the Contemptor despite the damage it did.
Unit of the Match - has to be the 5 man tactical squad in killing the Tau Commander as he charged in!
Anything you see in this report, or the video that we got wrong, let us know in the comments as we are very much relearning 40k!
Thanks for reading, hope it was enjoyable!
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