Calypso2ts - Da Boyz GT - Team Event G2

An introduction to my army, the team and my first game can be found here.  Although I got the matchup I had hoped for in round 1, it was a bit tougher in the second round and we found ourselves scored closer to the bottom of the pack.  Our second opponent was a team composed of Grey Knights, Dark Eldar, Space Wolves and Orks.

The GK player was packing the normal Coteaz and two strike squads which is a tough matchup for me.  It is not as bad as the Dark Eldar matchup though and we opted to have me as the Champion.  The theory being, the GK player would likely try to get himself paired against me, which meant I could dodge him and the Dark Eldar (who had too many good matchups to be the Champion and risk a bad one) to snag one of the other teams. 

Naturally, the Grey Knights ended up as the Champion for this game and it was time for a rematch of the game I played (same opponent, similar armies) at last year's Da Boyz GT round 4.

The bare essentials for the game are:

Opponent: Grey Knights

Deployment: Hammer and Anvil

Primary: Big Guns Never Tire

Secondary: Objectives

Tertiary: Victory Points

Grey Knights

HQ

Coteaz w/ Prescience, (reroll all psyker hit/wound/saves)

Inquisitor w/ Terminator Armor, Psyker, Misfortune

Elites

10x Purifier Squad w/ 2x Incinerator 2x Psycannon, psybolt

Troops

3x Henchmen

3x Henchmen

10x Henchmen w/ 3x Plasma Cannon, 3x Plasma Gun in Chimera

10x Strike Squad w/ 2x Psycannon, psybolt in Razorback w/ Heavy Bolter Psybolt Ammo

10x Strike Squad w/ 2x Psycannon, psybolt in Razorback w/ Heavy Bolter Psybolt Ammo

10x Henchmen w/ 7 DCA and 3 Crusaders

Fast Attack

Storm Raven

Heavy Support

Dreadnought w/ 2x Autocannon, psybolt Ammunition

Fortifications

Aegis Defense Line w/ Quad Gun

My Warlord trait is -1 reserves while my opponent grabbed something useless.

Deployment

The GK combat squad most of their units and deploy in a long front anchored by the Inquisitor with the Purifiers.  This leaves them a bit vulnerable to a refused flank - although the purifiers are going to wreck just about anything they can shoot at.  I want to drop my Flamers near them to inflict massive casualties in Turn 1 and the rest of the army on the far flank to roll it up and work towards Coteaz.  If I can do that, I can keep him bottled up on his side of the board so even if I lose mot my army, my deployment zone objectives remain safe.

Turn 1 - Daemons

I manage to win the firs turn, which is critical in this matchup.  Also, this is not my preferred wave - which happens for the second time.  The front Horrors scattered up much too far and are vulnerable to shooting.  The Grinder skipped away from the objective and then immobilized itself in the grass.  At this point I have definitely lose the initiative, and Warp Quakes are about to hit me in a very real way.

Turn 1 - GK

The warp quaking begins, but the GK fail a key quake back by Coteaz which might let me slip a unit through.  Everything else motors forward - except the Chimera which goes 6" so the troops can shoot at my Horrors.  I fail to changeling them and lose a few models.  No picture here because I am calculating for my Deep Strikes!

Turn 2 - Daemons

No Fateweaver but I do get 1 units of Fiends, 1 Soul Grinder and the Screamers.  I manage to thread the needle on the Fiends and the Screamers who are going to flyby hit the 5 man strike squad on the back hill to remove the Warp Quake protecting Coteaz.

Unfortunately, I fail to kill the entire squad in spite of over 14 wounds inflicted.  The Screamers are spread out near the GK Aegis now to avoid blasts and force units to move back to deal with them.  I am hoping a forward strike squad will reverse direction as well.

Turn 2 - GK

The Storm Raven fails to arrive - which makes up a little for Fate staying out.  I make a rules mistake here.  The Purifiers were embarked on a transport, disembarked and used Misfortune (Maeldiction) on the Screamers.  This is not possible since it is at the beginning of the movement phase.  It cost me (barely) a unit of Screamers as I lost my last one to the strike squad on the hill by 1 save.  Otherwise I would have had 4 Screamers there ready to wreck Coteaz inside the Aegis and force him to pull back with his strikes and purifiers to protect the obejctive.

Instead he kills the screamers, takes some pot shots but generally just Warp Quakes most of the board.  My deep strike options at this point are really really tight.

Turn 3 - Daemons

There is a distinct lack of Fateweaver or Flamers on the board because they decided to stay out of play.  My second unit of Fiends have to deep strike near the back corner by the plagues - you can see one of their tongues. I make the best of it and try to Bolt out the front Razorback with Horrors but it is stuck on 1 Hull Point.  The Fiends are forced to assault and explode it - a wrecked result would have killed the squad inside and the unit is not pinned.

In other shooting my Templates are scatter like crazy from the Grinders and I fail to do any real damage in shooting.  I look over at my screamers and feel sad.

Turn 3 - GK

The GK are waiting for Fate to deploy their Storm Raven - which stays in reserve as well.  The Fiends only lose 1 member to the initial shooting volley, but the unit is wiped off the board.  Warp Quake annoyingness continues.

Turn 4 - Daemons

Fate comes in beause she has to, but she does not seem very happy about it.  The flamers do as well and are a hairs breadth from mishapping.

I finish off the Strikes with some Shooting and Fly Fate forward to get her in range of my units.  The Fiends wreck the razorback and the squad hops out ready to do some shooting.

Turn 4 - GK

The Storm Raven sees Fate and decides to come into play as well.  Shooting damage is minimal, as I lose a few Fiends and an assorted Horror.  The Purifiers are positioned to avoid the Flamers after a jump in.

The Dread has been pretty ineffective this game, but you can see it has plinked 2 Hull Points from the Soul Grinder in this picture.

Turn 5 - Daemons

I finally have Fateweaver, Fiends and some Flamers in play so there is some hitting power on the board.  I cannot get to his objective unless the game goes to turn 7 and we are low on time so that is not going to happen.  Instead I skyfire at the Storm Raven but do nothing and murder the remaining strikes - plus the one straggler.

After assault the Fiends are happy to have kileld something that is not a vehicle.

Turn 5 - GK

Turns are moving fast now because we are really low on time.  The Storm Ravne moves up and the Purifiers try to take down Fate.  They fail to ground him and that is about it for their shooting.  Shots at the Grinders are ineffective.

Turn 6 - Daemon/GK

This is the last turn and I had to move fast so there is only one picture.  I Murder the purifier squad and move to glide mode with Fate.  I also wreck the Chimera with my Fiends but I cannot get a hit on the Storm Raven for the life of me.  I make a mistake here when I should have wrapped my objective - instead I made it so his flyer had to enter hover mode which accomplishes nothing at this point - an extra loop of those Horrors would have ended the game in my favor.

Instead the DCA assault the plagues and get within 3" of the objective.  He tries to go after Fate but I am hot on saves.  His Inquisitor charges but I Wall of Death with breath, Bolt and Spawn him as overwatch.  The Wall of Death is the most effective and kills the Inquisitor.

The game ends and we start to add up the totals.

Big Guns Objectives: Tied 1 to 1

Objectives: Tied 1 to 1

Victory Points: Minor Victory me (5-3)

643 Points

My losses include:

9x Horrors

9x Screamers

6x Fiends

1/2 a Grinder

~1200 Points

His losses include:

15x Strikes

10x Purifiers

2x Psybacks

1x Chimera

I think I had a really good chance on this one if a few things had gone my way.  It was definitely an unlucky feeling round.  To top everything off last year during this game my opponent's car was hit in the parking lot.  This year my wife locked the keys in the car!  I think bad things happen when we play.  I have avoided using real names, but this was one of the best games I had of the tournament and I look forward to matching up again.

As for differences in game play - I really do not think I would have changed anything except to attempt to wrap up my objective with plagues a turn earlier.  If I had achieved a 3" halo around them, it would have netted me one more objective.

Game Three will be coming shortly!