Adepticon GT Test Game vs. Jason's Space Marines

I had a fun test game versus Jason's generic marines being run as Ultramarines.  I brought Orks.  We played the Adepticon 2013 Day 1 Scenario 4 which was Kill Points primary with Heavy Support being worth two Kill Points and 5 Objectives secondary with scoring Heavy Support.  The scenario called for Dawn of War deployment.  I rolled Night Attacker and chose to use it.

Jason decided he wanted to try something different tonight.  He'd been trying to make the Blood Angels and Dark Angels work with nothing to show for it but frustration.  He brought Tigirius with a squad of 3 Grav Gun Centurions, a Storm Talon, a Dakka Predator, a Dakka Dread, three Tactical Squads (two with with Lascannons and flamers and one in a Rhino with melta), and a squad of six Terminators with a Chain Fist.

I have been playing with a lot of weird lists lately, but tonight I took something more mainstream. Granted, the HQ choices weren't exactly straightforward, but to be honest, I think the main gist of the experience would have been the same regardless.

Remember to, throughout the Battle Report, *CLICK* the images for larger versions.

Adepticon 2014 005
Total Roster Cost: 1848

Heavy Support: Battlewagon (21#, 255 pts)
19 Boyz, 114 pts = 19 * 6
   1 Boyz Nob, 21 pts = (base cost 16 + Bosspole 5)
1 Rustbukkit, 120 pts = (base cost 90 + Red Paint Job 5 + Reinforced Ram 5 + Stikkbomb Chukka 5 + Kannon 10) + Big Shoota x1 5

Heavy Support: Battlewagon (21#, 339 pts)
1 Weirdboy, 85 pts = (base cost 55 + Warphead 30)
18 Boyz, 108 pts = 18 * 6
   1 Boyz Nob, 26 pts = (base cost 16 + Bosspole 5) + Big Shoota 5
1 The Fat Pig, 120 pts = (base cost 90 + Red Paint Job 5 + Reinforced Ram 5 + Stikkbomb Chukka 5) + Big Shoota x3 15

Heavy Support: Battlewagon (21#, 404 pts)
1 Old Greg, 145 pts
18 Boyz, 108 pts = 18 * 6
   1 Boyz Nob, 21 pts = (base cost 16 + Bosspole 5)
1 The Steamrolla, 130 pts = (base cost 90 + Deff Rolla 20 + Stikkbomb Chukka 5) + Big Shoota x3 15

Elite: Meganobz (4#, 225 pts)
3 Meganobz, 120 pts = 3 * 40
   1 The Electrork Mayhem, 105 pts = (base cost 90 + Red Paint Job 5 + Reinforced Ram 5) + Big Shoota x1 5

Elite: Meganobz (4#, 235 pts)
3 Meganobz, 120 pts = 3 * 40
   1 The Orktimus Prime, 115 pts = (base cost 90 + Red Paint Job 5 + Reinforced Ram 5 + Kannon 10) + Big Shoota x1 5

Fast Attack: Dakkajet (1#, 130 pts)
1 Dakkajet, 130 pts = (base cost 90 + TL Supa Shoota x3 30 + Flyboss 10)

Fast Attack: Dakkajet (1#, 130 pts)
1 Dakkajet, 130 pts = (base cost 90 + TL Supa Shoota x3 30 + Flyboss 10)

Fast Attack: Dakkajet (1#, 130 pts)
1 Dakkajet, 130 pts = (base cost 90 + TL Supa Shoota x3 30 + Flyboss 10)


This is a very standard Battlewagon rush list with heavy air support.  My thought was that the main damage dealers in the army would certainly be the Dakkajets and buffing them was of utmost importance, hence the Weirdboys.  I decided to with Zogwort (Old Greg) simply for fun.

You will note, especially, a distinct lack of Mad Doc in my list.  It was emotionally painful.

At any rate, Tigirius rolled Perfect Timing, Forewarning, and chose Prescience.  Jason won the starting roll and chose for me to deploy first.

As usual when running a Bagglewagglin rush list against an opponent with a decent spread of slow-moving heavy weapons, I deployed all of the wagons on one flank to force my opponent to either face my front or castle up in one corner.  Jason wisely chose to spread his models out a bit, throwing some bait on his left flank with the Autocannon throwing side shots while the bulk of his army faced me, safely three turns from assault.  Besides, the Centurions didn't care what armor value they were facing.

I raced forward with the Battlewagons, splitting off a small squad of
Meganobz to tie up that left flank.  I didn't expect them to eliminate
everything over there, but I hoped to destroy the tank, damage the squad
and then clean it up with Dakkajets.

The enemy's view of my advance on his middle and right flank.

The enemy's view of my advance from his left flank.

The Grav Guns destroy The Fat Pig, sending Old Greg and his Boyz
scrambling for cover.

The Predator fires uselessly into Orktimus Prime's side armor.

It is at this point I roll three 1s to bring on the Dakkajets.
The Elektrork Mayhem delivers its payload, then drives back to pick up
Old Greg's squad.  They fail to move fast enough to embark, so they spread
out a bit.

The Meganobz do their work against the 2-point Predator.

The Meganobz, while they lose a Nob to a poor armor save versus a Missile
Launcher on overwatch, are still able to wipe out a 5-man Devastator
squad for an additional 2 points.

Jason engages Tactical Doctrine and the marines advance on the Meganobz
on both fronts.  

The melta squad advances on the Steamrolla.

The Centurions back off from the advancing Orks.

The Terminators arrive!

The Orks luck out as only one Meganob on the enemy's left
flank is killed in shooting.  

Another Battlewagon falls to the Centurions, tossing out the Choppa Boyz.
They also take some damage from a Devastator Squad with Missiles.

Combined fire from the Storm Talon and the Melta squad destroys the
Steamrolla.

I get two Dakkajets in and one destroys the Talon.
Old Greg rolls 'Ere We Go twice, mishaps, and is placed in front of the
Terminators.

The Choppa/Slugga Boyz did manage to make their charge against the
Tactical squad, but lose the combat by six and are swept.
Yay. Sweeping advances is the most fun rule ever!

I knew that, since the Boyz were stuck in terrain that, even with a WAAGH!
I would never be able to wrap the Rhino, so I corralled the Marines in their
Rhino on the far side with the arriving Dakkajets.  In the end, thanks to
the standard blocking technique and pile-ins, I was able to destroy the
entire squad with the wrap.

We kill one Terminator.

And manage to trade one Meganob for several Marines.

Old Greg's squad is badly hurt in shooting and assault, then
 flees off the board.

The Power Fist marine eventually makes quick work of the remaining
Meganob leaving only four Marines.

Even with wounding on sixes, the Centurions make quick work of the
remaining Yellow Boyz.  They try to jump out and hope for
Zzap! but the Weirdboy fails his Psychic check, so they run back
and hide.

At this point, my only hope is to force checks.  I begin to perform
a ton of Tank Shocks and shoot a handful of Marines at a time with
the Dakkajets.

None of the Marine squads flee.

I am able to destroy one more squad before the game ends, but at the
beginning of Turn 5, my last Dakkajet is forced to fly off the table.

So, this was a great game and I feel like the experience was really helpful.  Thanks to Jason for giving me a good challenge.  Jason has always challenged me and I attribute him to having taught me a lot of what I know.  When he was testing Dark Angels, I think I proclaimed at one point after one of my victories, "You made this!"

Take-Aways

Centurions:  This unit is a wonderful addition to the Space Marine Codex. Now, we all know that this new Deathstar is great for eliminating other Deathstars, but I've never really connected how it was almost a missing piece in the Space Marines' lineup.  Where before Space Marine players would be at the mercy of my oncoming wall of AV14, they can walk back and destroy a wagon every turn while their cavalry takes side shots on the others.  They are a problem-solving unit that is made not overpowered by the fact that they're really not meant to deal with horde infantry (although those Hurricane Bolters don't do too bad a job).

Dakkajets:  I'm sick of the unreliability and poor maneuverability of Dakkajets.  What's the point of all that firepower if you can't bring it to bear from turn 1 and on every turn thereafter?  They're a pain to maneuver, truly annoying.  It's only exacerbated when your opponent (particularly in a tournament environment, insists upon precise turns and angles.  It's just not worth the hassle.  I'm putting them up for now.  I know everybody wants me to run them, but I'm done with it for a while.

Wagon Rush:  It was fun to go back to a familiar place, but I think five is too many.  Four is plenty.  If I can do four and add some "play laterally" units. I think it may be more fun and effective for 6th edition play.  Having said that, the jury's still out on whether I want to bring a wagon rush list to Adepticon.  I feel like I've already done that.  On the other hand, some of my coolest models are Battlewagons and I'd hate to tank on appearance.

Weirdboyz:  They're always fun.  If I were doing a Gun Line list, I'd bring them, but I do need a babysitter running in the vanguard.  I still may take Old Greg (Zogwort), though.  I love the idea of making it a personal goal to Squig as many ICs as possible.  I may be looking at a list with both Mad Doc Drillteef D.D.S. and Old Greg as my HQs.

Next Time:  I'm gonna bring a much stranger list.  Not wagon rush.  Something full of laterally-playing units of different varieties.  We'll see how that goes.  Perhaps I'll be able to find a diamond in the rough. I certainly think some Lobbas are in order and a return of Snikrot and Shazzo Blitzklaws (Zagstruck).  I desperately need my opponents to be fearful no matter where they are on the table.  I need them to believe that they can't move back and be safe.