ULANOR Campaign Relaunched - Battle 1

Campaign Outline

With the coming of 9th edition, the Ulanor Campaign has been relaunched. To start with, we'll be playing all six of the Strike Force level Matched Play missions, in order. I've also ordered the GT 2020 Mission Pack, and those nine missions will also be played at the Strike Force level, in order.

That will give us twelve games, with a win/loss record and an aggregate score for each army over the campaign. Hopefully we can get a defined winner from those results.

Also, if there is a GT 2021 Mission Pack, those missions will be added to the campaign at the Strike Force level. Exciting times, with lots of games to come.

Eternal War - Strike Force #1 - Retrieval Mission

6 Objectives - Hold 1 / Hold 2 / Hold More

Imperial Fists - Spearhead (9 CP)

HQ    Captain Lysander (Warlord)

HQ    Master of Sanctity, Storm Bolter, Crozius, Eye of Hypnoth, Recitation of Focus, Catechism of               Fire

EL    10 Assault Terminators w/ TH & SS

EL    10 Assault Terminators (8 2 x LC, 2 x TH & SS)

EL    10 Terminators (2 Assault Cannons)

EL    10 Terminators (2 Cyclone Missile Launchers)

EL    5 Cataphracti Terminators (Storm Bolters)

Orks - Goffs - Battalion (4 CP)

HQ    Warboss, Kustom Shoota, Da Killa Klaw, Da Biggest Boss (Warlord) (-2 CP) 

HQ    Big Mek, Kustom Mega Blasta, Power Klaw, Da Lucky Stikk, Da Kleverest Boss, KFF (-2 CP)

HQ    Warphead (Smite, Da Jump, Warpath)

T    30 Skarboyz w/ Nob, Power Klaw (-1 CP)

T    30 Skarboyz w/ Nob, Power Klaw (-1 CP)

T    30 Skarboyz w/ Nob, Power Klaw (-1 CP)

T    30 Skarboyz w/ Nob, Power Klaw (-1 CP)

EL    Painboy, Power Klaw

EL    Nob w/ Waaagh! Banner, Power Klaw

HS    5 Smasha Gunz

HS    5 Bubblechukkaz

HS    2 Traktor Kannons

Secondaries

Goffs:

    1. While We Stand We Fight (Warboss, Big Mek, Warphead)

    2. Engage On All Fronts

    3. Raise The Banners High

Fists:

    1. Thin Their Ranks

    2. Bring It Down

    3. Minimize Losses

Pre-Game

Orks won roll off and chose to be the Defender, allowing them to choose Deployment Zone.

Neither side put anything in Reserve or Transports.

Each army alternated deploying their units.

Orks won the roll off and chose to go first.

Deployment

Right side of the Ork battle line.

Center of the Ork line.

Left side of the Ork line.

Right side of the Fists line.

Center of the line.

Left of the line.

Chaplain and CML squad taking cover from the Ork artillery.

Turn 1 - Goffs

CP: 4+1

Skarboyz walk forward and claim the left side objective, Raising a Banner.

Skarboyz claim the right objective, and Raise a Banner.

Mek Gunz claim the home objective, but there is
no infantry to Raise a Banner.

An incredibly restrained movement phase from the Goffs. Their 12 artillery pieces then proceed to fire at whatever they can see, and manage to kill ONE Hammer Terminator. Not a good start.

SCORE:

Goffs: 2 (Banners)    CP: 5

Fists: 0    CP: 9

Turn 1 - Fists

CP: 9 + 1

Devastator Doctrine is active. Recitation of Focus (+1 to hit), Catechism of Fire (+1 to wound) are both manifested on the CML squad.

Hammer Terminators take cover in the refinery, claiming the objective.

Cataphracti's claim the home objective.

Lightning claw terminators and Assault cannon terminators
 both advance, but neither make it to the objective.

Both Cyclone Missile Launchers shoot at the same Smasha Gun, and with +1 to hit AN wound, they manage to deal 2 damage. Considering that unit is the main ranged anti-tank threat in the entire army, that's not a good sign.

SCORE

Goffs: 2 (Banners)    CP: 5

Fists: 0    CP: 10

Turn 2 - Goffs

CP: 5+1

Score 15 primary points (Hold More). Two Banners still up.

The Goff Infantry hold their ground.

The 12 artillery pieces again open fire. This time they vaporize six Terminators in total.

SCORE

Goffs: 2 + 2 (Banners) + 15 (Primary) = 19    CP: 6

Fists: 0    CP: 10

Turn 2 - Fists

CP: 10 + 1

Score 10 Primary points (Hold Two).

Tactical Doctrine is active. Recitation of Focus is not manifested. Catechism of Fire is manifested on the CML squad.

Hammer Terminators continue to slowly move to ward the Ork side of the field,
while the CML finally kill a Smasha Gun, earning 2 VP.

Cataphracti take a beating from Mek Gunz.

Assault Terminators claim the objective, while the Terminator Squad pours
Storm Bolter fire into the Skarboyz to their front.

They survive, and are still holding the point, with their Banner up.

SCORE

Goffs: 19    CP: 6

Fists: 10 (Primary) + 2 (Bring It Down) = 12    CP: 11

Turn 3 - Goffs

CP: 6+1

Score 10 Primary Points (Hold two). Two Banners still up.

Two units of Skarboyz, supported by the Warboss, Big Mek, Painboy and Nob Banner all surge forward.

The Warphead manifests Warpath, giving these Skarboyz +1A, then Da Jumped them into assault position.

These Skarboyz were brought back with Unstoppable Green Tide (3 CP), and reappeared deep in the Fists deployment zone.

After being softened up by the artillery, the Blue Skarboyz hit home, killing two Hammer Terminators, and leaving a third on just one wound remaining.

The Assault Terminators Counter Attack (2 CP), gutting the Orange Skarboyz before they even get to swing.

These unfortunate gitz failed their charge, and realize their end is nigh.

After casualties and Morale (which was brutal), there are still enough Skarboyz to claim the objective, being Troops.

The Red Skarboyz now attack, and cut down more Hammer Terminators, leaving just two remaining.

SCORE

Goffs: 19 + 10 (Primary) + 2 (Banners) + 4 (Engage on All Fronts) = 35    CP: 4

Fists: 12    CP: 9

Turn 3 - Fists

CP: 9+1

Tactical Doctrine is active. Recitation of Focus and Catechism of Fire are both manifested on the CML squad.

Score 5 Primary points (Hold one).

Terminators surround and wipe out the Orange Skarboyz.

CML squad moves up, ready to charge in to help the Hammer squad. First the two CML's shoot at another Smasha Gun, and fail to do any damage.

They then wade into the sea of Orks before them, but the Red Skarboyz Counter Attack (2 CP) to kill one Hammer Terminator...

...and then the Terminators do significant damage to the Red Skarboyz.

The Blue Skarboyz finish off the Hammer Terminators, and push into the refinery.

After eating the firepower from a 10 man Terminator squad with two Assault Cannons and a rather horrific Morale phase, five Skarboyz remain.

SCORE

Goffs: 35    CP: 2

Fists: 12 + 5 (Primary) = 17    CP: 10

Turn 4 - Goffs

CP: 2+1

Score 15 Primary points (Hold More). Two Banners still up.

Grots push their Gunz into position to pound the nearest Terminator squad with firepower.

And succeed in killing six.

The Warphead Da Jumps himself behind these five Skarboyz, and then fails to Smite Lysander.

The Blue Skarboyz sweep around behind the remaining Terminators, claiming the objective still.

SCORE

Goffs: 35 + 15 (Primary) + 2 (Banners) + 4 (Engage) = 56    CP: 3

Fists: 17    CP: 10

Turn 4 - Fists

CP: 10+1

Assault Doctrine is active. Litany of Hate is manifested.

Score 5 Primary points.

Lysander tries to get to the Warphead...

...but can only clear the screening Skarboyz. Only Assault Intercessors are speshul and can fight twice.

The last members of the Terminator squad on the left flank destroy one Bubblechukka with firepower...

...destroy a second in assault, and consolidate into a two more, earning 4 VP. They used Fury of the First (1 CP) and Tank Hunters (2 CP) in both the Shooting Phase and the Fight Phase, for 6 CP total. They also tear down the Ork Banner on this obective.

On the other side, the Terminators tried to finish off the Red Skarboyz, but the Nob survived the Morale phase as the sole survivor. The Blue Skarboyz did consolidate into to Chaplain, who killed a few boyz.

The last Cataphracti Terminator also walked back onto the Marine home objective, not expecting to live through the artillery that would come his way.

SCORE

Goffs: 56    CP: 3

Fists: 17 + 5 (Primary) + 4 (Bring It Down) = 26    CP: 4

Turn 5 - Goffs

CP: 3 + 1

Score 5 Primary points (Hold More) (max points scored). One Banner still held.

The Warphead Da umped himself back into the safety of the artillery park, far far away from Lysander and his Hammer of Doom.

The Warboss, Big Mek and Painboy, supported by the Banner Nob, prepare to finish off the remnants of the Terminator squad.

The Warboss swings first...

...and ends things very messily. Rerolling to hit and wound at D4 is awesome.

On the other side, the two Mek Gunz Fall Back from combat with the Terminators, and then the rest of the artillery batter the four Terminators to the ground, knocking them out of this fight.

One Bubblechukka killed the last Cataphracti Terminator, removing him from the backfield Marine obejctive.

The Blue Skarboyz hack down the Chaplain in a frenzy of choppa attacks.



SCORE

Goffs: 56 + 5 (Primary) + 1 (Banner) = 62    CP: 4

Fists: 26    CP: 4

Turn 5 - Fists

CP: 4+1

Score 5 Primary points (Hold one).

Lysander and 8 Lightning Claw Terminators are all that remain. No guns and out of charge range.

SCORE

Goffs: 62

Fists: 26 + 5 (Primary) = 31

POSTGAME SCORING

Goffs: While We Stand We Fight (Warboss, Big Mek, Warphead) All alive + 15 points

Total: 77

Fists:  Thin Their Ranks: Killed 96 Ork models = +9 points

           Minimize Losses: 2 of 7 units remaining = 28% = +5 points

Total: 45

Summary

The board control ability of horde armies is still strong. While this Marine list doesn't have the hailstorm of firepower in most Marine lists, it is comprised of very durable units which are supposed to stand on a point and be hard to shift. However, getting slammed by multiple D6 damage weapons and then set upon by a horde of S5 infantry is a heavy lift.

On the other side, the Ork list performed as expected. Boyz just standing on objectives is an equally tough unit to shift, moreso when protected by the KFF and a 6+ Ignore Wounds.

Since the Orks won, besides trying to get more of them painted before the next report, the Fists can change their list, so something new is on the way for the next battle. Also, I should have the new Marine codex by then as well. Happy times indeed!

Until next time, happy gaming!