Battle Report: Blood Ravens vs. Black Templars

Battle Report from paladin84 from Round 2 of the Wasp Campaign.

Mission: Battle Missions: Pillage (also known as "Resource harvesting"), 5 collection points

Deployment: Spearhead

Blood Ravens (space marine) list 1150pt:

Captain, Storm Bolter, Artificer armour, Relic blade 148pt

Tactical squad (10 man), flamer, missile launcher 170pt

Razorback, twin-linked heavy bolter 40pt

Tactical squad (10 man), meltagun, multi-melta, combi-melta 185pt

Rhino, H/K missile 45pt

Sternguard veterans (5 man), Power fits, combi-plasma 175pt

Drop pod, Deathwind missile launcher 55pt

Assault terminators (5 man), Thunder hammer and storm shields, Bastion upgrade: Fleet 200pt

Predator, autocannon, lascannon sponsons, H/K missile 130pt

Black Templars list 1200pt:

Emperors Champion, Vows: Accept any challenge, no matter the odds 140pt

Sword Brethren Terminator squad (5 man), Power fists, storm bolters, 2x cyclone missile launchers, Tank hunters 265pt

Sword Brethren squad (5 man), Pair of lightning claws, Power weapon, Furious charge, frag and krak grenades 145pt

Razorback, Twin-linked lascannon, Power of the machine spirit, smoke launcher 126pt

Crusader squad (5 initiates), Lascannon, Plasma gun 101pt

Crusader squad (5 initiates), Lascannon, Plasma gun 101pt

Predator Anihilator, power of the machine spirit 175pt

Land speeder Typhoon 70pt

Land speeder Typhoon 70pt

With the aid of their power station the Blood Ravens won the initiative and chose to deploy first. The Blood Ravens would show no mercy to those questioning their honour. The Black Templars deployed all units in a firing line and hoped to sieze the initiative but such was not their luck.

Turn 1:

To open the game the Blood Ravens Sternguard veterans accompanied by Captain Vystian arrived via drop pod with surgeon like precision next to coffee_samurai’s Sword Brethren terminators with plasma weapons charged. Moving rapidly in their transports, the Blood Ravens seized 2 of the harvesting points with tactical squads, another with the predator and the Assault Terminators stopped at 1 in their advance.

The opening volley slew all but 1 of the sword brethren terminators, an initiate and 2 sternguard veterans due to their own weapons blowing up. The Black Templar harvested 1 resource having deployed on a collection point. In reprisal, the Templars reduced the sternguards to 1, retreated their units vaporized and assault terminator, and slew 2 tactical marines on their flank, but their anti-tank volley was greatly nullified by smoke launcher cover. The final Sword Brethren Terminator, after blasting two sternguard in the face with missiles was hoping to finish the squad, but captain Vystian cut him down before his power fist charged. Having maintained control of their harvesting points, the Blood Ravens collected 4 resources.

Turn 2:

The Blood Ravens continued their advance, with the assault Terminators charging forward along with the captain, the remaining veteran split off to introduce the Templar predator to his power fist. The remaining 3 tactical marines moved through cover toward the forward Initiate squad and the second tactical squad moved at full speed along the flank, and deployed ready to shoot.

The ensuing damage was a removed twin-linked lascannon from the predator, the captain charging into the forward initiate squad slaying only 1,the assault terminators charging the razorback leaving it a wreck, and the full strength tactical squad on the flank stunning the land speeder nearest to them. The Black Templars still holding one resource point collected another resource.

With not much to shoot the un-stunned speeder moved flat out to take the center collection point, the Templar sword brethren lead by the Emperor’s champion charged the advancing assault Terminators and cut them down to 1 without suffering a wound. Whilst the engaged initiates were all cut down by the captain who now found his sword… The blood ravens still holding 3 collection points collected 3 more resources.

Turn 3:

The Captain turned his attention to the initiates holding the resource point and charged! The flanking tactical squad advanced and opened up a second volley on the land speeder destroyed it and a sword brethren was impaled upon a piece of flying debris, but alas that did not prevent the sword brethren from cutting down the last assault terminator. The sternguard had another go and this time wrecked the predator with his fist. Despite launching a tirade of firepower at the advanced land speeder, cover was its friend and it survived being merely stunned and collecting another resource for the Black Templars.

The Sword Brethren and Emperors Champion parted ways seeking separate targets. The Emperors champion cut down the 3 remaining tactical marines to his left and the sword brethren slew 8/10 tactical marines before they made a tactical withdrawal. The initiates fighting the captain were not so lucky as he cut them all down and moved onto the resource collection point. Now controlling 4 collection points the Blood Ravens collected another 4 resources.

Turn 4 and 5:

While Emperors champion was felled by long-range fire, the captain launched an assault on the advancing sword brethren, but only killed one and was readily cut down, “Hazzaar!”, shout the sword brethren. In their blood thirst they proceeded to cut down the sternguard veteran coming to help his captain. The falling back tactical marines regrouped and with the combined might of a tank shocking rhino forced the sword brethren to fall back. Meanwhile, cover protected the advanced land speeder from being destroyed yet again.

Turn 6 and 7:

Game continuation rolls enabled the Blood Ravens to mop up the remains of the Black Templars force for a Massacre victory.

A veritable blood bath! Both sides took heavy losses, I was just lucky I got the jump on Coffee_samurai! The accusation of heresy did not sit well with the Blood Ravens and they responded with resolve. I wonder whether the Black Templars will be game enough to question the loyalty of the Blood Ravens again any time soon.