My go at the Ard Boyz Semi's

[Dingareth]

Here's my recap from Saturday's Ard Boyz semi-finals, I played down in Beckley, West Virginia at Lost Legion Games and Comics. It was a 5 hour drive through the rain, but it was well worth the trip. We had 26 people show up, and to the best of my knowledge it was something like:

1 Footdar
3 Blood Angels
1 Vulkan Marine
1 Black Templar
2 Space Wolf
1 Chaos
4 Nids
1 Ork
and around 10 Guard players... almost tells you something, eh?

The list I ended up using was:

Libby- Rage and Shield
Libby- Fear and Shield
Honor Guard- 3 Meltaguns in a Pod
Libby Dread- Wings and Shield, EA
Furioso- Talons, EA
Preist- Combi-Melta and Lightning Claw
10 Assault Marines- 2 Meltaguns, a Power Weapon, and an Infernus Pistol with Packs
10 Assault Marines- 2 Meltaguns, Powerfist in the Raven with an empty Pod
5 Assault Marines- Razorback- Twin-Linked Assault Cannon
5 Assault Marines- Razorback- Twin-Linked Assault Cannon
5 Assault Marines- Flamer, Razorback- Twin-Linked Heavy Flamer
Baal Predator- Twin-Linked Assault Cannon, Heavy Bolters
Baal Predator- Twin-Linked Assault Cannon, Heavy Bolters
Predator- Autocannon, Lascannons
Predator- Autocannon, Lascannons
Storm Raven- Twin-Linked Assault Cannon, Twin-Linked Multi-Melta, Hurricane Bolters, EA

Game 1:

My first match up was against a great guy name Blake from Ohio, using Chaos. We ended up playing the third scenario first, because they weren't numbered, so the TO decided to randomize them. That was really the only “WTF” moment I had all day, which was a relief.

He was using:

Lash/Warptime Sorcerer
Lash/Warptime Sorcerer
8 Bezerkers with a Fist in a Rhino with a Havoc Launcher
8 Bezerkers with a Fist in a Rhino with a Havoc Launcher
7 Plague Marines with 2 Meltas in a Rhino with a Havoc Launcher
7 Plague Marines with 2 Meltas in a Rhino with a Havoc Launcher
10 Chaos Marines with 2 Meltas, Chaos Glory, and a Fist in a Rhino with a Havoc Launcher
10 Chaos Marines with 2 Meltas, Chaos Glory, and a Fist in a Rhino with a Havoc Launcher
6 Raptors with 2 Meltas, Chaos Glory
3 Vindicators with Possession

I won the roll to go first, and let him have it since it was Dawn of War. He held everything off the table, as did I, and we both placed our objectives in the center of the board. Turn 1, he moved everything into the center of his board edge, and prepared for the worst. I moved on, and here's a shot of how things looked before my shooting:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0579.jpg

From left to right he had Plagues, Marines, Bezerkers with Sorc, Bezerkers with Sorc, Marines, and Plagues, with the Vinides and Raptors behind. I outflanked him with the Auto/Las Preads in the side of his Vindis, the Melta Assault Squad behind the Storm Raven, and the rest of my tanks hanging back to take potshots at his Rhinos. Also, the Dread got ready to charge the Plague Marines and rip them up with Blood Talons. (Also, one of Blake's buddies was on the table next to us, with 100 outflanking Guardsmen? Lol)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0580.jpg

At the end of turn 1, I had immobilized or stunned a few things, and the Plague Marines were down to 3 guys.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0581-1.jpg

Turn 2 saw him ram a Predator to no effect, kill a few Assault Marines, and then assault them with the Raptors. I ended up having my Sergeant hold, but despite his Power Weapon, couldn't knock off a single Raptor. In my turn, I stunned a few more Rhinos, the Storm raven squad blew up a Vindi, while the Libby Dread assaulted an empty Rhino, and the Furioso finished off the Plague Marines.

On to turn 3!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0582-1.jpg

(This is actually the very top of 4, but summarizes what happened well. Also, the Storm Raven was getting in the way, so we just used the base, but it's still alive.)

I lost both Dreads, and both 10 man Assault Squads in his turn, to Melta and Beserkers respectfully. That really hurt. Luckily, in my turn, I had my Honor Guard come in, and between them and a Predator, knock out the 2 remaining Vindies. Other than that, my entire army fired at a Rhino, stunning it. An Autocannon, 2 Lascannons, 5 TL Assault Cannons, 4 Heavy Bolters, and 4 Blood Strike Missiles and I stun it! My Libby and Priest manage to kill off the last of the first Bezerker squad this round, only to die to the 2 Sorcerers that were still hanging around.

[Dingareth]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0583-1.jpg

Turns 4 and 5 saw me lose my Honor Guard and Pod at the cost of one Sorcerer (who Preils 2 times in a row to kill himself.) Also, I made a run for the objectives, but the Bezerkers ended up killing the Assault Squad who ran for it. I ended up with 6 more Kill Points (with just 1 wound left on his second Sorcerer) and he had an objective. So a 18-4 split in my favor.

Game 2 was a go against Mech Guard ran by Stephen, who I think was a West Va local, in the first mission.

He ran:

CCS: 4 Meltas, Chimera
CCS: 4 Meltas, Chimera
Marbo
Vet Squad: 3 Meltas Chimera
Vet Squad: 3 Meltas Chimera
Vet Squad: 3 Meltas Chimera
Vet Squad: 3 Meltas Chimera
Vet Squad: 3 Meltas Chimera
Vet Squad: 3 Meltas Chimera
3 Vendettas
3 Vendettas
Medusa
Medusa
Medusa

YYYYYAAAAWWWWNNNN

I won the roll to go first, and we each placed the objective as close to the center as we could. I forgot to take pictures at the begning, but not much really happened the first round, I killed a Chimera, Vendetta, and a Multi-Laser, and shook a few things up, but mostly I turbo boosted my army into the fog. He ended immobilizing the Storm Raven and a Baal, and killing my Drop Pod.

Here's about halfway through my shooting on turn 2:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0584-1.jpg

Honor Guard took out another Vendetta, Baal took out a Vet Squad's Chimera, while I manage to stun a few more Chimera. And then came Assault :) I was able to multiple charge 20 Vets, and a Chimera and managed to taken them all out. His return fire took the DCCW off my Libby.

Here's the end of 2:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0585.jpg

In turn 3, I the Storm Raven Squad melted the CCS Chimera, and assaulted the guys inside, I had my 2 remaining Honor Guard assault a 10 man Vet Squad and wipe them out, while my 5 man squad's Razorbacks wrecked the rest of his Chimeras, and the squads assaulted what was inside. He manages to drop 2 Razorbacks and immobilize a Predator. Wrapping up turn 3, I'm setting up to take his last few units out:

[Dingareth]

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0586-1.jpg

I melt 2 Medusas between the Honor Guard and the Jump Pack squad, the Baals take down the last Vendetta (the ones in the back were destroyed by the Furioso in assault). In his turn, he takes out the Furioso, and Marbo kills 2 Assault Marines. After that pitiful response, he concedes, asserting that there's no way for him to stop me with only 1 CCS left.
Here's how the game looked at the end of it:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0587-1.jpg

A 24-0 split to me.

Game 3 was against Guard again, ran by Duncan from Kentucky. I was in first at this point, he was in second, and with third paired up against a baby seal- Mech Guard on Mech Guard, and the baby seal didn't know that Vets in a Vendetta could scout- we knew that we were fighting to knock each other out of second.

His list was:

CCS- 3 Meltas, Chimera
Vets- 3 Meltas, Demolitions, Chimera
Vets- 3 Meltas, Demolitions, Chimera
Vets- 3 Meltas, Demolitions, Chimera
Vets- 3 Meltas, Demolitions, Chimera
Infantry Platoon- 25 base guys in 3 Chimeras, 3 Autocannon Teams
Vendetta
3 Scout Sentinels- Multi-Lasers
Banewolf
2 Russes
2 Russes
2 Demolisher

We play the second mission, and I end up going first, deploying poorly, and he holds everythin in reserve... My deployment and turn 1 movement:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0588.jpg

Turn 2 sees him come on and destroy the Sotrm Raven, my Libby, and a few Assault Marines.

[Dingareth]

Here's the top of turn 3:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0589-1.jpg

My Dread and Assault Squad Melta and charge the Russes, killing 1 and stunning the other, while the Honor Guard, and Melta Combat Squad come in to fry the Demolishers, managing to destroy both. Also, I immobilize a Chimera. He returns fire, killing the all the Assault Marines, and all but 1 Honor Guard. Here's the end of turn 3, you can see his 3 Vet Squads and CCS there in the middle.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0591-1.jpg

Fast forward to turn 5:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0592-1.jpg

I've lost most of my army, except for the Preds. My Librarian manages to Fear his Vets off of his objective, while I man 3 guys holding the center one, and one nearby. I've also got 2 Marines holding the objective in the building where his Autocannons are- looking good for me, until the Vendetta kills 1 Marine off the center, so that I can only hold one objective. Also, his Banewolf fries the Assault Squad holding his building objective, killing all but one, while the Autocannon squad contests it.

And here's how the game ended up:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/DinGareth/DSCN0594.jpg

Me holding the central one, contesting the one in his building, while my Dread continues to try and kill 3 Guardsmen. He had been whiffing all day long! WS6 buys you nothing these days.

A very blood fight, with a 14- 8 split in my favor.

All together, it gave me 56 points, 6 behind the leader, and 8 in front of a 4 way tie for third.

So I'll be headed to Chicago, still not sure what I'll be using yet.

A few though:

Terrain quality is important, everyone assumes that you can always see models. True LoS is dumb. I only got a Minor in the last game because my opponent could see a Servo Arm sticking up off my Sergeant.

Libby Dread, Auto/Las Preads, and Heavy Flamer Razorbacks are over-rated.

Assault Cannon Razorbacks are worth their weight in gold. 10 Melta-weapons is not enough. I found myself struggling to kill tanks.

3 good games, at a great venue. I can't express how much I enjoyed Lost Legion, Dave was great to talk to and very knowledgeable. Had a nice little speech at the beginning on slow play and kibitzing. Something along the lines of being run out of the store, which I was thankful for after my go at the Fantasy Ard Boyz last fall...

Now I have to figure out what the hell I'm going to do for Chicago!

[Brent667]

I never post; ye ol' lurker am I, but I actually logged in to tell you I really appreciate this battle report.

It was the perfect length, had great pictures, and you posted the actual armies being used.

Spot on, and congrats - Brent

[Ashenfang]

I've never posted either, but read your report, and thought it was great.

But, on a not about the guy he shot due to seeing your servo arm, you got screwed. Being a fan of the True LOS, the rule reads on Pg 16, the paragraph above Own Unit.

Must be able to trace LOS to a part of the body of the mini(head, torso, legs, arms). And weapons don't count as making the model within LOS, which is what servo-arms are.

[DarkLink]

Right, go over that.

TLOS is awesome. It's extremely simple and extremely intuitive. The issue comes with the size and shape of models, not with TLOS.

I personally like one of WarMachine's rules. Basically, rather than drawing LOS to a model, you draw LOS to a specific area based on the model's base size. You draw LOS to a cylinder extending up from the base to a certain height. So you don't have to worry about having wings or antenna or other extraneous bits hanging out, nor do you have to worry about classifying them.

[Bikeninja]

Very nice battle report. I do not get to play as much as I would want so reading battle reports is a past time for me. That being said I would like to echo the previous compliments. Your pics are good and add to the overall report.

Great job on Ard Boyz. Good luck.

[DarkLink]

Oh, and nice Storm Raven conversion. Very similar to mine (I based mine off of that one BoLS blog entry).

Always nice to see a Storm Raven that doesn't looks like a lunchbox with wings. I've seen some pretty horrible Valkyrie conversions.