Greetings and Salutations...
so, in secret and behind closed doors, through underground comms channels and coded ciphers me and empty decided to organise a massive tank battle.
We sort of decided on points though found we each needed to increase by a few points, then a few points more … then another few points and eventually arrived at 3135 points. (the advantages of writing lists at the same time [half one in the morning] while communicating over the interweb).
We set out the simple rules – any unit must be a leman russ.
During discussion we decided this would lead toward a boring game so we opened it up to include any unit with an AV or that could be deployed within a unit with an AV.
We also decided that flyers aren't tanks so we wouldn't field valkyries, vendetta or any other OP imperial flyer.. and we wouldn't need to worry about AA weapons either.
(we are thinking of running this again and including flyers as we felt it may have changed the outcome)
I've got to say that it was the easiest army I've ever had to pack – just a big box of tanks!
I had access to ArmyBuilder so set about making an army from the Armoured BattleGroup while Empty made a list from the Imperial Guard Codex.
There turned out to be little difference in what could be fielded though my Leman Russ would count as troops and my only infantry (Heavy Weapon Squads in Chimera) would count as Heavy Support.
So we arrived in Empty's garage and had a whole 7' x 4' table to play with, we decided to play lengthways and dug out a load of wreckage to make a pile of dead tanks in the middle, we decided this should be the objective and that any unit could claim it as long as it was in contact with the middle of the pile.
THE FLUFF:
The reason for this much Imperial materiel to be called to one sector was due to a administrative calculation strongly influenced by Big Mek SnazzDaggaa's slugga being held to the temple of the officer in charge of relaying the vital comms. His cunning plan was to lure as many 'umie wagons into one place before springing his trap. SnazzDagga thought it highly amusing to set the trap around a great pile of wreckage he'd collected with his lifta droppa, so much less distance to walk when gettin' fixy bitz fer his next contraption.
Tread revealed that he had brought his Shadowsword and acknowledged that it wasn't technically a leman russ and its legality and overall fairness could be questioned by Empty and the IGMB in general. However, Empty, being the sporting individual he is, agreed to Tread fielding it.
I'd like to go a little further on this as I had a lot of soul searching prior to fielding this beast.
To date my Shadowsword has been in 2 apocalypse games. In the first game it managed to help hurt a Stompa but not by much and then the game ended, the second game it came on the table then the game ended.
I bought this awesome looking tank for a big chunk of money and it has done sweet FA in 3 or 4 years so the prospect of it being legal to field in what seemed a suitable environment was very tempting.
I also predicted that Empty would anticipate me bringing the Shadowsword and would probably plan some kind of counter measure as he knew I had it. I'm not so convinced now that we played the game but that was my thinking before hand.
Anyway.
Tread won the roll for deployment and chose to deploy first and take first turn, Empty failed to seize the initiative. Probably because Empty wasn't fielding Teslas as his commander but some other model with less initiative seizing capability.
Warlord Traits. These ended up being a re-roll for the reserves for Tread while Empty got to put a minus one modifier on Treads reserve rolls.
Empty chose to hold a fair bit in reserve, basilisk, scout sentinels, devil dogs (which Empty had thought could outflank). Tread stuck his scout sentinels in reserve.
DEPLOYMENT
Tread deployed his army with the shadowsword in the left corner, a line of basilisk also on the back table edge, then a screen of chimera infront of the bassies with the leman russ taking flanking positions – 2 of them on the left (including the HQ russ) and one on the right, finally the demolishers went on the far right and as far forward as was allowed (12” from the centre line)... the punisher was set up to cover any infantry attempts on the wreckage in the middle.
Empty deployed facing, with a 3 russ squadron taking the centre ground, a demolisher on either side of the squadron. He set a punisher and plasma-cutioner on the far flank behind the dead trees while his chimera squads were set up on the opposite flank.
(note the green sentinels lurking in the distance)
GAME TURN 1
Tread started off by firing his infantry mortars at the chimera (remembering how effective they had been in previous game), all 6 squads hit with 3 mortars in each yet only scored 2 glancing hits.
The philosophy had been to get some infantry spilling out which would then be mopped up by the S8.
Next Tread fired the russ and bassies scoring a few glancing hits and popped a chimera. Then the Shadowsword fired and a demolisher disappeared in a furnace of slag.
Empty returned fire and popped a chimera in revenge, he fired upon russ and chose to ignore the Shadowsword as it had 2 techpriests lurking nearby. Some glancing hits were scored and Treads HQ Leman Russ took a beating however Treads overall firepower was barely reduced.
GAME TURN 2
Tread responded by delivering a mass of sentinels to Emptys backlines, they turned out to be utterly hopeless and despite 3 multilasers, 3 auto cannons and 3 las-cannons only succeeded in a single glancing hit on a chimeras rear armour.
Treads shooting was a bit more effective, scoring a couple more glancing hits which wrecked a russ and caused a number of infantry squads to disembark their wrecked chimera.
Things were starting to look a little bleak for Empty as his core tank line was either on fire or smoking from numerous hits. The Shadowsword commander was preying on the weak, waiting until the salvo's from the rest of the force had done their work and then targeting the most dadly damaged. This caused some animosity amongst the rest of the force as the Shadowsword was attempting to claim all the kills. This turn the Vulcano cannon scattered and hit two leman russ, however they were a squadron so both hits went on the closest tank wrecking it.
Empty is nothing if not tenacious, never yielding in the face of adversity nor accepting efeat until the last die is cast. Empty retaliated by decimating Treads sentinel squadrons on the right flank, his Punisher having a field day as it let rip into one squadron, other Russ and chimera contributed seeing all but one Sentinel crash to the ground,
On the left flank Empty took out the front sentinel with his closest unit – unfortunately this denied his other infantry squad as they could not get LOS to then next sentinel in line.
This wasn't enough though, so Empty charged into combat with his Armoured Sentinel and began a savage fight to the death amidst crumpled cockpits and twisted sentinel legs.
Finally, Empty's reserves had shown up in Treads back field and displayed their better training by singularly destroying a tank each. One Sentinel took out a basilisk...
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...while the other took out Treads HQ Russ.
GAME TURN 3
Tread's force seemed to shudder as the death screams of the Commnader could be heard across the vox while the tank brewed up, their accuarcy suffering as a result. The army swung its turrets to face those whom had caused such damage, Treads Punisher annihilating the Sentinel which had killed the commander while a score of multilasers took down the other sentienl.... though it must be noted that even though it was fired upon by 5 chimera the sentinel was only taken down by the last glancing hit, it ricocheting off a vital piece of power system which saw the pilot cursing with frustration...
There was one crew which seemed unaffected, delivering their earth shaker round directly on top of Empty's other Demolisher destroying it in an enormous explosion as the munitions went up with it.
On the most part though Tread managed little damage with barrage with no more than a glancing hit or two bouncing around in Empty's deep territory, some barely missing Treads own surviving Sentinel, one of which had moved to hide in the ruins while in Emptys right far corner Tread's Sentinel fought on desperately, struggling against the tougher armour of his opponent. (Also note the arrival of the Devil Dog which had come in during turn 2)
Finally the Shadowsword opened up on an advancing Chimera which looked like it was closing on the objective, leaving little but a smoking crater, however its crew disembarked and readied their lascannon...
Empty fought back with renewed ferocity, (which had caused it to become a scout sentinel in the process due to an unusual gravity causality event – as often occurs near table edges), the Sentinel pilot efficiently slaying the duelling Sentinel...
...Destroying one of Treads Demolishers
...And Advancing toward the objective, effectively silencing a number of guns through keen accuracy shaking the crews with in their armoured beasts.
GAME TURN 4
Things were looking messy now, both sides were still some distance from the objective and the battlefield was becoming screened in smoke.
Tread continued to rain barrage upon barrage upon Empty while the ongoing battlecannon fight saw Russ ping Russ once more, the Demloisher opting for softer targets which were in range striking a Chimera and infantry unit which had disembarked.
Empty advanced over the wreckage and ruins of destroyed comrades, the smoking pieces of demlosiher tank and chimera hull grinding into the dirt.
It was a fearsome wall of armour which still faced Empty and as his Devil Dog got into range Empty knew his shots would have to count.
Empty's infantry held their ground, hunting targets with their lascannon scope, while the basilisks behind them calculated trajectories carefully, instructed by the Master of Ordnance lurking within the ruins, the only high ground available giving him an advantage over those under his orders.
However, Emptys forces were unable to get true lock ons or target fixes, the mix of smoke, earth shuddering explosions and the continual rain of Treads ordnance and mortars meant that little hit home during this salvo.
GAME TURN 5
Tread consolidated his forces, sent forth the techpriests to attune the machine spirits and cast out the twin demons of malfunction and disrepair, successfully restoring faith in the armoured spirit vessel and re-animating the moral of the various crews who witnessed the miraculous action.
Tread blew the absolute **** out of Empty in this round, the combination of accumulated glancing hits and pure luck meant that savage losses were felt by Empty
Pieces of infantry were raining upon the few surivivors not clad within walls of plasteel and turned to flee where they could, others buried themselves in the dirt hoping to survive against all odds, Emptys commander was strewn across the woods in a horrendous barrage of mortars fire and lethal fusillade of Punisher fire.
The Shadowsword took out the Devil Dog which had been approaching the central objective, te Executioner was felled by brutish accuracy from Treads remaining Russ, Basilisk fire caused further disarray and took out the earth shaker cannon of one of Empty's bassies, heavy bolters and mltilaser causing searing wounds and catastrophic destruction amidst the still cowering infantry while the relentless downpour of mortars strucj yet more fear into the few still pumping hearts of Emptys men.
But it wasn't over yet...
Empty's Russ crews being somewhat protected in their mighty armoured shell, brought vengeance upon Treads Russ and destroying the battlecannon on the opposing Russ. Now both Russ in this fight were only using lascannons and sponson weapons, and in fact it had been the lascannon which had scored the wounding hit on the turret.
Add to this the devastation caused by the remaining basilisk combined with the Master of Ordnance and Treads Demolisher was pounded into oblivion.
GAME TURN 6
The TechPriests chanting becoming a crescendo Treads army fired off one final salvo, disabling, destroying or denying Empty from any effective retaliation.
The Shadowsord saw one final score for its tally, that of another Leman Russ, the final of the squadron that had been central to Empty's deployment.
Empty's response was minimal but effective, glancing two of treads Russ and silencing their guns temporarily as their crews suffered from tremor shock and concussive disruption.
In the end no one had managed to get near the objective, both sides had taken severe casualties and the cost to the Imperium was high.
A deep growling chuckle could be heard echoing across the comms of both forces, no matter what the vox operaters could do it was unsilenceable, slowly rising in volume.
“Hur Hur Hur”
wow.
A few things we noticed during that game that I think are worth mentioning:
Both me and Empty are quite staunch fans of the Punisher, we both agree it could maybe be 20 points cheaper but in 3000 point games the extra cost isn't really noticed. We both find that they provide a cleaning service which excells at removing pesky threats which are lurking within your armoured lines, too close to risk a blast template and too tough for infantry. Both of us were able to take down serious threats effectively and both Punishers survived the game intact.
Sentinels.. wow, I had 9, Empty fielded 3 and he did so much more with his!
I feel I should have used one squadron to come on from the middle of the table and make an attempt for the objective – we were playing 2 FOC's so I could easily have reduced the squadron sizes and this would have left Empty with tough decisions whether to concentrate fire on threats to his army or the threats to the objective.
Lascannons. These were a constant source of amusement, most of the time the guardsmans BS3 let them down (even the one on the HQ tank did little) and on the few occasions they hit they seemed unable to cause damage, that changed toward the end of the game where suddenly lascannons seemed to be delicvering exceptionally accurate and efficient destruction.
Battelcannons. In a Russ fight the S8 just didn't seem to cut it, however they were very reliable in that even when they scattered they almost always would hit their target (BS 3 meant the average scatter was 4 inches, enough that the blast would still cover a tank). Sometimes I would target a chimera just out of desire to put out some hurt, but in the long run it was the build up of glancing hits which caused the real damage.
Basilisk. These had a leading edge over the battlecannon by 1 point of strength, yet that meant they could penetrate so much easier – especially as they were hitting side armour.
Shadowsword. During the game the Shadowsword didn't seem noticeably overpowered or deadly, either by me or Emptyhat. I kept a running tally of what was killing what for my fluff and it was clear that the Shadowsword had been an efficient use of points, partly because it was firing last on most turns so could target the must vulnerable unit and (more likely) due tot he fact it gets an automatic penetrating hit with no cover save and has +2 to the damage roll. In the end it killed 5 units over 6 turns.
Flyers. Had we included flyers I feel the game would have felt very different, I feel the Shadowsword would have been melta'd by some valkyrie transported veterans and my chimera and basilisk would have suffered considerable damage. I believe we would have invested less in infantry and transports and the skies would have been busy above the table. However, much like the Shadowsword reigns king in tank battles, a vendetta would reign in the skies. Both me and Empty have minimal AA so the flyers would have relatively unmolested by ground to air fire, needing only be aware of opposing aircraft.
Final note.. Empty had considered Stormtroopers which would have been effective against the Shadowsword, however felt they weren't suitable due t having no dedicated transport.
One query that came up which I'd like to discuss is regarding focus fire / normal shooting when an infantry unit is spread around an object such as a tank ... this will require a diagram and I'll probably open a separate thread.
Anyway, hoped you enjoyed the show... I'm very keen to play something like this again.
