Battle Report: Blood Ravens vs. Chaos space marines

Mission: Primary targets, Humiliation

Deployment: Spearhead

Blood Ravens (space marine) list 1150pt:

Librarian, Plasma pistol, Null zone, Avenger 115pt

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

Scouts squad (5 man), Camo cloaks, missile launcher, Sniper rifles 100pt

Sternguard veterans (5 man), Power fist, combi-plasma, upgrade: +1BS 175pt

Rhino, H/K missile 45pt

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

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

Mercenaries:

Grey knights Purifier squad (5 man), Psycannon, Nemesis force halberds x 3, Master-crafted Nemesis Daemon hammer 146pt.

Grey knights rhino, dozer blade 45pt

Chaos space marine list 1250pt:

Daemon Prince, Mark of Nurgle, Wings, Doombolt (160 points)

Daemon Prince, Wings (130 points)

5 plague marines, 1 flamer, 1 melta, 1 plague champion with powerfist (170 points)

5 plague marines, 1 flamer, 1 melta, 1 plague champion with powerfist (170 points)

1 Rhino with Havoc Launcher (50 points)

1 Rhino with Havoc Launcher (50 points)

1 Rhino with Havoc Launcher (50 points)

1 obliterator (75 points)

1 obliterator (75 points)

Chaos Vindicator, Daemonic Possession (145 points)

Mercenaries:

9 Genestealers, 1 broodlord (172)

Preamble:

With the forces of chaos rapidly gaining ground on Wasp’s moon and the weakening of the Black Templar presence due to their unwelcome inquiry into Blood Raven loyalty, it was time for the Blood Ravens to move against the heretics.

The mission was to strike quick and true against primary targets so as to weaken the enemy for future major engagements. Also, striking at the revered heroes of the enemy to humiliate and weaken their resolve is always a good thing!

Being spread thin by their large territory control the Blood ravens called upon the aid of the Ordo Malleus. Fortunately the Grey knights obliged by sending a detachment of Purifiers to help control the Chaos presence.

The Heretics had plans of their own, unleashing a group of genestealers from their bonds to harvest Loyalist geneseed.

Both armies with a wealth of resources behind them had several Command bastion bonuses and Initiative bonuses from their power plants. The Blood Ravens won initiative and managed to avoid having it seized after deploying first. Blood Ravens deployed in a very forward wedge, the infiltrating tactical squad and scout squad taking up dug in positions on their flanks. The forces of chaos responded with very forward positions also hoping to get the jump on the loyalists. The Genestealers were unleashed behind the Blood Ravens lines, looking to catch them by surprise and keep them from lashing out at their chaos captors.

Turn 1:

“With Me brothers, Advance!” Shout the Blood Ravens assault terminators as they charge forward toward the foe. Unleashing a volley from the Predators guns an obliterator is vaporized (1 secondary target). The dug in scouts and tactical marines opened up their guns on the horrifying demon princes taking a wound off each. Librarian Zaphel sensing a disturbance in the warp ordered his rhinos’ driver to move to the back of the Blood Ravens lines at full speed. He and the Sternguard veterans accompanying him disembark to see a disturbing sight, Genestealers! Unleashing the power of the warp the Librarian burned 3 with his Avenger ability. All but a wounded Broodlord remained after the Sternguard opened up on them with Hellfire rounds. The Grey knights advanced toward their quarry lashing out with Psycannon and storm bolter but failed to remove another wound from the closest demon prince.

In reprisal, the Heretics opened up with Vindictor blast and plasma from a disembarking plague marine squad to stop the advancing Terminators killing 2. The Demon princes advanced but failed to make close combat, The Grey knights rhino was wrecked by a well placed lascannon shot from the obliterator atop a whirl of warp energy, The purifiers were quick to disembark taking cover behind the wreck of their transport. The Brood lord charged the Librarian and his veterans seeking geneseed, and he tasted a little of Librarian Zaphel but was cut down soon after. Whilst the havoc launchers from all 3 chaos rhinos killed 4 of the dug in tactical squad, but they held their ground.  

Turn 2:

Their job done, Librarian Zaphel and his Sternguard re-embark their Rhino and move back toward the fray popping smoke launchers for cover. The Assault Terminators perform a daring multi-charge into the Vindicator and the disembarked Plague marine squad. Destroying the Vindictor (1 primary Target down) and killing a Plague marine. The tactical marines concentrated fire on the too close for comfort demon prince and removed yet another wound. Meanwhile, the Predator focused all its firepower on the other demon prince reducing it to 1 wound and the scouts finished the wounded demon off (2 primary targets down). Finally the Grey knights found their quarry, they advanced on the second wounded demon prince and readily put it down (3^rd and last primary target) before it had a chance to react, then moved toward their next foe.

Battered and bruised the remaining chaos forces continued their advance. Hammering the dug in Tactical squad yet again with havoc launcher missiles and a plasma cannon round from the “floating” obliterator.  They were forced to break and began their retreat toward the game board edge, the second plague marine squad disembarked their rhino next to the purifiers and opened fire slaying two. In the ensuing melee 2 more plague marines were reduced to pulp and pus by the Terminators thunder hammers.

Turn 3:

Forced to continue their fall back due to the proximity of the enemy, the tactical marine squad retreated from the board (1 Primary target to chaos). The Predator lined the floating obliterator up and removed it from existence (2 secondary targets down). With a volley of stormbolter fire and following assault the remaining Purifiers wiped out the nearby plague marines (3^rd and last secondary target down). The Assault terminators slew the last plague marine and moved on. Disembarking their rhino once again, the Sternguard and Librarian opened up with plasma on a nearby chaos rhino removing its weapons and immobilizing it. Meanwhile, with a missile the scouts stunned a second rhino.

With only one rhino to move, chaos withdrew. A massacre victory was awarded to the Blood Ravens given the state of the battlefield.  Chaos did kill two of their secondary objectives (but we cannot recall what they were…)