At War with the Red Army Part 2: Blood Angels Battle Report

Game 2 of the 8 on the 8th, Old Shatter Hands and his Cadre stood ready to meet the on-coming charge of the Red Army. Game 2's mission was objectives, with 5 objectives placed around the board. One in the center, and the other 4 in each table quarter. I was happy with the Objectives Mission. The last game had been victory points and I was happy that I could use trickier instead of killing power to win this one. I played against a guy named, John, and he had a really cool army based around one unit of Jump Pack Honor Guard with Storm Shields and powerweapons, with a couple hammers lead by a Sanguinary Priest. This unit wasn't painted but it was converted to look like the Spartans from 300. Very cool. He also had two melta-dreads and a Librarian Dread, 4 Melta Attack Bikes and all of his troops in Rhinos. about 50% of his army was painted and the Librarian Dread was really cool looking. I can't wait to see this army when it is finished.

I won the roll for first turn and passed it ot my opponent. Deployment was table-quarters and he wisely choose a quarter that forced me to set up with little cover. He deployed everything on the board with his Librarian Dread up in front, in line with his Rhinos with Attack Bikes on the ends. Behind them, the Honor Guard readied themselves for battle.

I reserved my Devilfish carrying the Fire Warriors and sent my Kroot on an outflanking maneuver. I set up my XV88s on a hill right up in front as I wanted them to take the brunt of the charge. Behind them were my Crisis Suits whose flanks were protected by Hammerheads on either side. Piranhas lay in wait close by, ready to pounce.

The Blood Angels are fast. By the end of the first turn, his army was right in front of me, posed to attack. This, however, didn't concern me. I hadn't deployed any scoring units so the army that he was attacking was not important. I only wanted my Piranhas to survive so I could contest objectives later in the game. 

 I only needed to wreck my opponents mobility and the game would be mine. With his whole army arrayed before me, I knew that he would probably destroy most of my units but I knew that I had the time and the hitting power to cripple his mobility, making it impossible for him to win. I, on the other hand, had three scoring units in reserve,who would come later at full-strength. 

After of few turns of bloody combat and plasma-rifle fire. My non-scoring units had been gutted  and few space marines remained alive. All of his mobilty had been removed and only one rhino remained. My Kroot outflanked and took an objective in his quarter, my devilfish moved out to claim a corner objective and a middle one.

Both of these objectives were set up in terrain and I failed both dangerous terrain tests for the Fish! My Fire Warriors had to disembark and run onto the objectives for the win. Because of that I am going to start purchasing sensor spines on my my Fire Warriors Devilfish from now on.