Calypso2ts - Da Boyz GT - Team Event - Intro/Game 1

I received the invitation to join in on the Da Boyz Team Tournament from Hyv3mynd at the end of the monthly October tournament at Millenium games.  This is the first time I have had the chance to play in a team tournament at the GT level and the format was designed to be similar to the ATC and ETC.

For those unfamiliar with the format the teams were composed of four members.  There were no allies, no fortifications and each member had to bring a different codex.  Naturally, this was not a problem for me as the Daemon player.  We rounded out the grouping with Hyv3mynd's Grey Knights, ChrisP's Tyranids and Terry's (another local player) Chaos Space Marines.

I managed to snap a few shots of our team before the event:

Although I already posted a picture of my army - I have included it again for those who only read battle reports.  It also makes enumerating my list a bit easier:

Due to the restrictions in place based on what I had painted - I opted to bring Fateweaver with me for only the second time in tournament play. She is rather sizable broad standing on the center platform.  I have also made a conscious decision not to take more than 1 unit of Flamers and Screamers - partially because those are the only ones I have painted but I am going to claim I took the high road.

HQ

Fateweaver

Elites

6x Fiends
6x Fiends
6x Flamers

Troops

7x Plaguebearers
7x Plaguebearers
9x Horrors w/ Changeling
5x Horrors w/ Bolt
5x Horrors w/ Bolt

Fast Attack

9x Screamers

Heavy Support

Soul Grinder w/ Phlegm
Soul Grinder w/ Phlegm

A few quick thoughts on this list.  I had previously taken a unit of 4x Bloodcrushers in the elite spot but I found they never seemed to get where I wanted them too.  With the speed of Screamers and Flamers I wanted more fast units to go in.  Also, with I5 the Fiends tend to take much less return attacks and I could regularly clear a combat zone to avoid taking any hits back.  Further, I was stuck with this since I submitted it for the GT the next day and I wanted a few more games with it.

Round 1

Our first round opponents were a great group with a Dark Eldar, Necron, CSM and Tau player.  I knew I wanted to avoid the Dark Eldar - and then we all realized that we all wanted to avoid the Dark Eldar.  None of us really had a good matchup against light mech spam.  I would be, however, almost an auto loss against them.  As such we put forward first our CSM player who drew Necrons and then I snagged the CSM player - who was mainly on foot.

Opponent: CSM

Deployment: Dawn of War

Primary: Objectives

Secondary: Kill Points

Tertiary: Victory Points

CSM Army List

HQ

Kharn the Betrayer

Elites

9x CSM Terminators w/ Reaper Autocannon

Troops

10x CSM w/ Lascannon, Plasmagun, Icon of Vengeance, Champion w/ Power Fist

10x  CSM w/ Plasma, Melta

10x CSM w/ Flamer, Heavy Bolter

Fast Attack

Heldrake w/ Baleflamer

Heavy Support

5x Havoks w/ 2x Autocannon and 2x Missile Launcher w/ Flakk

3x Obliterators

I roll up my warlord trait and Fateweaver gets Conqueror of Cities - largely useless to me in this game

I am Fateweaver, but much more sexy.  Hear me roar.

CSM spread out their deployment to avoid mass hits by Flamers and Soul Grinders.  Unfortunately - this spreads the front facing of the CSM forces and just begs for a refused flank.

The other half of the CSM deployment has two units of CSM with the Terminators and Kharn anchoring the center.

Turn 1 - Daemons

I have the first turn (I actually almost always take the first turn as Daemons, for more information as to why read here).  I choose my preferred wave to include Fateweaver, Fiends, Screamers, Flamers, 2x Soul Grinders.  I then promptly get the other wave.  The downside to stacking a wave this heavily is it means I cannot put a lot of pressure on from the start.  At the same time, I am protected by Night Fight, I placed objectives far back so small arms is not a concern and he is playing a very slow army.

I drop in generally without incident, although one unit of Horrors went a bit too far forward.  The ones on the  building are, by the way, on the ground floor but placed there for convenience. I used the building to the left to protect the Fiends, who landed out of line of sight to his entire army.  The fact that Beasts ignore terrain (never slowed by difficult terrain) makes them absolutely brutal on these kinds of boards because they are scary fast.

Turn 1 - CSM

The CSM advance but inflict light casualties.  I lose a few Horrors and I Plagues but generally escape unscathed from the shooting phase.  Now I just need some good reserve rolls to deal with his forces.

Turn 2 - Daemons

So much for good reserve Rolls.  I get a unit of Screamers, Flamers and a Grinder from Reserve.  Fateweaver decides to be shy - it might be because she has body dysmorphia but it is hard to tell. Remember Fate, you are beautiful no matter what they say.

With limited Deep Strikes I have to make some risky drops.  I put the Grinder in the back corner but manage not to scatter so I can threaten immediately.  The Screamers move back a bit but should be able to inflict some Flyby hits still.  The Flamers scatter back out of flaming range - which generally means they get shot to pieces.

Flybys from the screamers put them up in terrain while the Flamers just spread out due to the obliterators.  This is a mistakes since I thought the Oblits could fire plasma cannons but they cannot repeat weapons and the plasma shots came last turn.  Other shooting takes a few casualties - like the Phlegm from the Grinder and assorted bolts.

In assault the Fiends predictably smash apart the remaining CSM and consolidate into cover as much as possible to force difficult terrain for charges.

Turn 2 - CSM

The Heldrake comes in and frys a few Horrors while the Terminators get stuck in terrain with snake eyes.  I lose a single Fiend to shooting but escape largely unscathed.

Turn 3 - Daemons

Fateweaver comes in and I wanted her to protect the Screamers/Fiends about to charge but she scattered back almost 11".  The second squad of Fiends land near her to put more pressure on the left flank - which is about to be completely collapsed.

The Heldrake is not going to have any shots after I maneuver a bit to force it into poor flight path choices.  Fate takes a few pot shots at it, but only nabs a Hull Point

The Fiends tried to charge first, but failed even with their Fleet Reroll and survive the overwatch without a problem.  The Screamers make it in and do what Screamers do in close combat against Terminators - wreck house.  Khorne and 1 Terminator is left to protect me from shooting.  The lone Flamer in the background is the only survivor from last turn, but he failed to avenge his pals.

Turn 3 - 6 CSM/Daemons

We entered the cleanup mode for the game here and I am going to simply narrate the remaining pictures in general.  I took limited damage in shooting - Fate held strong in spite of assorted small arms and his Havoks and chased down his Heldrake over the next 3 turns.  It Will Not Die actually kept it alive an extra turn too.  The Screamers finished destroying Kharn and the Terminators which left the battlefield looking a bit sparse.

The last nail in the coffin was both the Screamers and Fiends making it into CC with his last CSM squad while his remaining marine made a heroic last stand against a Soul Grinder

Fateweaver stayed close more as practice than anything else.  This game demonstrated more forcefully that I really have no way to deal with flyers - which I knew - and even less so durable AV 12 flyers.

The game winds down and I manage full points with the Heldrake finally going down - but failing to kill anything in the explosion.

Game Recap

The game started a bit rough for me without my preferred wave and with reserve rolls on key units failing pretty badly.  Luckily this is a pretty good matchup for me overall and it was a fun game as my opponent and I discussed the coming GT, being up early and his thoughts on the new CSM codex.  The one major aspect that drove home this game is not to really worry about overwatch.  I need to assault with thi sarmy - and while overwatch is inconvenient, the changes to fearless and pile in moves largely negate the extra casualties provided I can hit CC.

With this week being devoted to the team event (I believe) I will have game 2 ready for when Crispy and hyv3mynd report on their own results.  In a bit of a spoiler - Terry struggled against an excellent Necron player this round.