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.

Test Crusade Game: The Horde is dead. Long live the Horde.

 I read the internet 40K sites, same as most players. The unanimous opinion was that the rules had seriously killed horde armies. Between the general increase in lethality across the game coming mostly from units just getting more shots, at better AP, doing more damage at better range, the new Blast rule giving max shots when targeting horde units and the multiple overlapping auras, to hit buffs AND damage buffs, the internet firmly claimed hordes were dead.

And from a tournament players perspective (not that I am one), most of them would be glad to never have to worry about facing a horde army at an event. It makes army list design much easier if you only have to figure out how to deal with 3 wound T5 Marine infantry, rather than add on dealing with the same 30 wounds, but in a slew of one wound models. Hordes literally make every special weapon that deals more than one damage a waste of points, and cuts into list design efficiency.

Cion Prime: Crusade Battle 4

 Incursion: The Ritual

The Rival Duo, competing Lords of Chaos who have, for reasons unknown to the Imperium, joined forces are attempting a ritual to summon additional forces to their service.

Strike Force Arastos detect the anomalous energy source and investigate, finding the forces of chaos already in position to begin their foul sorcery.

Cion Prime: Crusade Battle 3

 Having received reports of a valuable artifact in the ruins, Strike Force Arastos heads off to retrieve it, only to find a Chaos warband has the same idea! Chapter Master Arastos orders an immediate frontal assault on the traitors.

Crusade - Incursion - The Relic

Correcting my Crusade Army Error

 Well, this is quite embarrassing. It turns out I missed something quite important in my first three Crusade games. Namely the fact that since my army is a Spearhead formation, it costs me 3 CP to field it. Therefore, I start a game with 3 CP, rather than 6, since we are still playing at 50 PL per side.

Cion Prime Crusade Battle 2

Strike Force Arastos is exploring the ruins of one of the major cities on Cion Prime, when they discover a Tau outpost amidst the rubble. Chapter Master Arastos orders an immediate attack. The Xenos must be purged!

Crusade Campaign: The Battle for Cion Prime

The Crusade Begins

 The first battle for both Strike Force Arastos and the Eaters of the Dead. Chapter Master Arastos leads his 1st company veterans into action against the Daemon Prince X'ar Kuun.

Crusade Mission - Incursion Level (PL 50 per army) - Supply Cache

Getting ready for 9th Edition

9th Edition is almost here.

When I heard that a new edition of 40K was just around the corner, I was both excited and nervous. Excited because I hoped that GW would address some of the glaring issues with the game, and nervous because I expected on of my three armies would take a serious hit from a rules perspective.

And I was right.

Blinding Speed vs Grinding Attrition

Drukhari vs Imperial Fists

A new challenge for the Imperial Fists. A mechanized Drukhari force. I didn't get the army list, so I am going off memory here. Playing on a new table, and facing a new opponent, how well will the old tech of the Astartes hold up?

Also, I want to apologize up front for some of these pictures. I didn't have my camera stand with me, and the quality of some of these pics shows it. Sorry!

Mission: Crusade - Chapter Approved 2019

Points: 2000

Armies: Imperial Fists / Drukhari

Saga of the Beast - New Goffs list

Ghaz Returns!

Man, I am loving the new Ghaz datasheet. I know the internet is, by and large, giving him a pass as uncompetitive, but since I am a Goffs player, he is in.

Makari, on the other hand, not so much. For the same points, I'd rather have a Painboy.

Training Mission

Imperial Fists vs Ultramarines

In keeping with the Codex, Marines undertake training missions to keep their skills sharp. To me, this is the only way to explain the volume of Marine on Marine games in 40K. Otherwise, the heresy is out of control.

Crusade (CA 2019)

1500 points

A scaled down version of my Imperial Fists mechanized list, vs Guilleman and a bunch of UM infantry, since they know better than to bring vehicles to an Imperial Fists party.

Havin' Annuver Go At 'Em!

ULANOR Campaign - Battle 2

Mission Source:     Chapter Approved 2019

Mission:                  Crusade

Points:                    2000

Armies:                   Imperial Fists / Evil Sunz and Bad Moons

Having had his mobs utterly gutted in their last meeting, it had taken Warboss X some time to gather up a new warband. After reviewing the last battle, he had come up with a new plan...charge the enemy, but faster this time! That meant trukks! And a Battlewagon. 

And away we go!

Damocles Crusade Campaign Battle 3

Clashing Battalions

Mission Source:     Chapter Approved 2019

Mission:                  Eternal War - Crusade

Points:                    1000 points

Armies:                   Imperial Fists / Tau Empire 

Following the severe beating the Tau took in the last battle, they have broken contact and withdrawn deeper into the city. The Imperial Fists are forced to send out smaller patrols to try to find and fix the Tau in place, so they can be crushed.

For this game, there was a restriction that both sides could only use a Battalion detachment.

Imperial Fists vs Imperial Knights

Training Exercise

Mission Source:     Chapter Approved 2019

Mission:                  Eternal War - Scorched Earth

Points:                    2000

Armies:                   Imperial Fists / Imperial Knights

Today we have a match that I have, quite frankly, been dreading. Imperial Knights are...simply one of those armies that, if you haven't built your army accordingly, Knights can just roll over you and you are never "in the game".

Knights going first usually results in a Knights win, because the sheer volume of killing power they can throw out on turn one is insurmountable. Usually that leaves the opponent in the position of trying to play the mission, and survive as long as possible.

That's the position the Imperial Fists are assuming they will be in from the get-go.

Damocles Crusade Campaign Battle 2

Maelstrom of War - Covert Maneuvers

Mission Source: 2019 Chapter Approved

Mission: Maelstrom of War - Covert Maneuvers

Points: 2000

Armies: Imperial Fists / Tau Empire

Having managed to fight their way through the initial Tau resistance, the Imperial Fists continue their dogged advance. Shadowsun is still opposing them, and has received additional troops to replace the losses after the last battle.