Masters League: Grimgob vs. OverwatchCnC

 
        I have been a reader of the capture and control blog put out by several of the local Pasadena 40k players for a few years (longer then even playing at the local store) and even used their advice when I was building a Space Marine army. They are a bunch of knowledgeable players and when I met them turned out to be a bunch of great guys. One of the most prolific bloggers on the site is John which posts as Overwatch (and OverwatchCnC on Dakka). John is cool guy and we've been wanting to play each other for a while now (just missing each other at several RTTs). Well now with the SoCal Masters League we get our chance and he was running a Grey Knight Paladin list, so lets begin...

Deployment

        We rolled up Isolated Outpost with normal terrain (25% only). The deployment was Spearhead and the mission was Priorities which was 5 objectives or capture and control (place both and roll at the end of turn 2 to see which one), the secondary was kill points. My bonus points are Kill the Head +1 - Destroy all enemy HQ choices +1 - One of your HQ choices kills an enemy Independent Character or unit of one multi-wound model by any means.+1 - Destroy all enemy Elites choices +1 - Destroy the enemy’s highest point-cost unit. His bonus points are Gaining Ground +1 - Have a unit in each quarter of the table at the end of the game +1 - Have a in the enemy deployment zone +1 - No enemy unit is in your deployment zone at the end of the game +1 - Your Battle Standard crossed the centerline of the table during the game.

             I won the roll to go first so I picked the side with a good amount of terrain (and good firing/driving lanes) and gave him the side with very little terrain. I put my large Loota squad as forward as they could be but still behind the wagons and in the cover surrounding the landing pad. The two other Loota squads were behind them for cover. all three wagons were front and center (with the KFF in the middle) with Defkoptaz on either side ready to scout. The Grots were in reserve.

        

           His List was: Coteaz with 5 Death Cult in a Storm Raven carrying a Dread (w/assault cannon and Doomfist). 3 Acolytes in a Storm Raven carrying a Psyfileman Dread. 10 Paladins on foot (w/2 hammers, 2 Falchions, 3 halberds, 1 swords, brotherhood banner, and apothecary, and 4X Psycannons) 1 Psyfilman Dread on foot, and 2 units of 3 Acolytes in a Razorbacks w/twin linked heavy bolter. He put the Psyfilman Dread on foot behind the small impassible building blocking LOS. He put Coteaz's Storm Raven in the middle giving 4+ cover from all the Loota fire by the large impassible watch tower in the middle. He put all the Paladins in front of the Storm Raven. The other Storm Raven and two Razorbacks were held in reserve.

    

  I scout my Defkopta 12" from his Dread on foot and the other Defkopta 12" from his Storm Raven. He rolls to steal initiative (twice) and doesn't make his rolls. The game begins

Top Turn 1

I Drive all my Battle Wagons towards his Paladins 13". The Defkopta that scouted to my left moves 12" towards the Storm Raven and the other Defkopta moves 12" towards the Psyfileman Dread on the right. Shooting sees the Storm Raven wrecked (even with the large impassible tower in the middle giving cover) spilling out the Death cult/Coteaz/Dread, and a Defkopta kills a Paladin (not having LOS to the Dread or DCA squad behind the wrecked Storm Raven). In assault the Defkopta and Dread both whiff sticking in combat. The other Defkopta stays inches away from the Paladins trying to bait some fire/assault from the enemy off the Battle Wagons.

Bottom Turn 1

 John moves his Death Cult with Coteaz around the back of the small impassible building heading to the assault with the Dread and the Defkopta. The Paladins move forward towards the Battle Wagons. The Dread that was on the Storm Raven climbs on top of the wreck to get better LOS on the Defkopta out in the open. The Paladins Explode the KFF wagon in the middle (killing 7 Boys in the explosion!) and the Dread shoots the Defkopta from the sky. The Death Cult join the Defkopta/Dread assault and utterly smash the Defkopta. Both the Death Cult and the Dread consolidate behind the building.

Top Turn 2

My Green Wagon moves up 7" trying to get LOS on the Dread hiding behind the building. The KFF separates from the blue Boyz squad and jumps in Ghaz's Wagon. Ghaz's Wagon moves 13" forward dumping the Nob's on the left side and Ghaz on the right side. I call my Waaaaaaaagh!!!!!! The Nobs run 6" towards the Dread on the Wreck of the Storm Raven While Ghaz runs 6" straight at the Paladins. Lootaz and the blue squad of Boyz put 1 wound on two thunder hammer Paladins. Nobs assault Dread blowing him up but killing 1 Nob with his return attack. Ghaz takes 1 wound but kills two Paladins winning combat by 3. John rolls an 11 for his moral and runs for it. I consolidate the Nobs 2" to their back and left. I consolidate Ghaz within 6" of the running Paladins to make sure they keep running

Bottom Turn 2

  He rolls his reserves and only the other Storm Raven comes on this turn moving 12" stopping in front of the Red Wagon (with only the KFF inside) dumping out the Dread it was carrying. The Dread behind the building moves 6" out to my right to get better LOS. The Death cult head towards the Storm Raven wreck to secure their Capture and Control objective. The Paladins keep on running for their board edge. The Storm raven unloads on Ghaz doing two more wounds while using PotMS (but whiffing) on the Red Wagon. One of the Dreads finishes off Ghaz and the other Blows up the Red Wagon. The Paladins shoot at the Nobs but don't do anything. We roll and the Seize Ground objectives go poof! the mission is now Capture and Control with the secondary being Kill Points.

Top Turn 3

    The Grots come in this turn from reserves and make a b-line for my Capture and Control objective while keeping out of LOS from everything. My KFF moves, gets into the Green Wagon, and then the Green wagon moves up 13" to set up the charge next round on the Dread to the right while staying within 6" of the Paladins to keep them running. The blue mob of Boyz moves towards the action while the Nobz move through the bunker to their left towards the Storm Raven and Dread. Running gets the Grots on their objective unseen by any enemy but shooting from the Lootaz only yields a destroyed Multi-melt on the Storm Raven. The Nobz multi-assault the Storm Raven and Dread wrecking the Dread but completely missing the Storm Raven. The Nobz then consolidate into the bunker.

    

Bottom Turn 3

  One of his Razorbacks comes in from reserve Tank shocking the Nobz in the bunker (the Nobz make their leadership and move out of the way). The Storm Raven moves 6" to get back armour on the Green Wagon. the only Dread left moves 6" towards my board edge to get better LOS while the Paladins finally make it off the table from running. The Death Cult move back a little to get out of LOS. The Dread wrecks the Green Wagon full of the red Boyz squad. The Storm Raven opens up on the red Boys squad (now only with the KFF's 5+) killing 13 but they at least make their moral roll.

 

Top Turn 4

       The Nobz surround the Razorback that just tried Tank shocked them. Whats left of the red squad of Boyz and the KFF head for the last Dread. The blue squad of Boyz moves to get LOS on the Death Cult. Shooting wrecks the Storm Raven spilling out the 3 Acolytes, kills a Death Cult, and wound Coteaz. The Boyz with the KFF assault the Dread but tie combat and stick in. The Nobz blow up the Razorback and the explosion kills all 3 Acolytes inside.

Bottom Turn 4

       The last Razorback comes in from reserve and starts on the opposite side of the field across from my objective and out of LOS of my Lootaz (and out of range of everything else). The Death Cult move towards the Nobz through the wrecked Storm Raven. The 3 Acolytes hide behind their recently wrecked Storm Raven. The Death Cult assault the Nobz through cover but roll poorly and don't make it into combat. The Dread and the Boyz/KFF tie combat.

Top Turn 5

         The blue Boyz squad heads toward the behind the wrecked Storm Raven. All three Loota squads start moving to get LOS to the far side of the board (to try and stop the Razorback coming to contest my objective). The Nobz head for the Death Cult and Coteaz (headed by the combi-skorcha). The Nobz kill 1 Death Cult in shooting and wounds Coteaz, the Blue squad kill nothing, and all the Lootas run a little further. The Nobz assault Coteaz and the 3 Death Cult left killing them all but loosing 2 Nobz (to Coteaz's hammer) in the process. The Blue squad of Boyz assaults the 3 and kills them. The Boyz/KFF loose by 1 with the Dread but make their moral roll to stay in combat. The Nobz consolidate onto the Grey Knights objective while the blue Boyz squad stays put.

Bottom Turn 5

              He Drives with the Razorback 12" towards my objective. The Boyz/KFF/Dread ties and everybody stays locked in combat.

Top Turn 6

           A couple of Lootaz can see but can't hit the Razorback. The Boyz and KFF finally finish off the Dread.

The Rest of the Game

          He realizes he can't reach the objective because he has to go around the impassible landing pad. So John concedes the game. I have both objectives, win Kill Points 11-6, and have met all bonus points requirements. John has a Razorback and 3 Acolytes giving me a Major victory 14-0. Upon reflection I was really worried about 5 armour 12 vehicles at once and wonder if keeping 3 of them in reserve was wise (everything coming in piecemeal really hurt his plans). I also think it was tough luck the Paladins ran so early and think there is some work to do on the squads build (I'm not a Grey Knight player so I won't offer any advice here but their leadership is the main weakness maybe a IC with them). Lucky Loota shooting really shut down his forward assault units early on too. So a lot of things contributed to his loss but honestly I think the biggest issue was deployment. I'm sure our next game will be much closer, till next time.