Brawler Bash: Game 5

The last game of the tournament was against an Imperial Guard army, using a horde of infantry.

Company Command Squad

Platoon Command Squad
30 strong Infantry Blob w/ Commissar

Platoon Command Squad
30 strong Infantry Blob w/ Commissar 

Platoon Command Squad
30 strong Infantry Blob w/ Commissar 

Heavy Weapon Squad w/ autocannons

Heavy Weapon Squad w/ autocannons

Heavy Weapon Squad w/ autocannons

Heavy Weapon Squad w/ mortars

Heavy Weapon Squad w/ mortars

6 Stormtroopers w/ 2 meltaguns

6 Stormtroopers w/ 2 meltaguns

6 Stormtroopers w/ 2 plasma guns

2 Hydras

Vendetta


The mission was The Emperor's Will, with Dawn of War deployment. I was pretty happy with this match-up as there were lots of infantry and my army list tends to do well against infantry.

My opponent's sprawling army

My right flank

My left flank

The game was pretty straightforward. The Guardsmen blobs came forward, pumping out shots due to First Rank Fire, Second Rank Fire! while my squads advanced and hosed them with bolters. It would have been a very close game, but luck was heavily favoring my opponent, and I couldn't roll armor saves to save my life (or my models' lives). For example, one squad of autocannon heavy weapons teams destroyed a Predator on the first turn, while one of my Tactical squads took 3 casualties in the first turn and ran 10" off the table edge. Amra's squad took 5 wounds from lasguns in turn 2, and Amra failed 3 of 5 2+ saves, before being killed in a challenge against a standard Imperial Guard Sergeant.

I really don't want to be down on this game, and my opponent was fun to play against. He took good advantage of my massive casualties and was appropriately sympathetic with my rolling. When it came down to it, I think the Executioners were just tired and ready to go home.

70 Guardsmen advance on my left flank, while the Sternguard and one Tactical squad move to oppose them.

The Vendetta arrives and blasts apart my Thunderfire.

After his Thunderfire is destroyed, my Techmarine flames a Guard blob before going down to weight of fire.

The Vendetta centers its lascannons on Amra's Sternguard squad before being taken down by the squads below it.

Deep striking Stormtroopers take out my remaining Predator, well away and safe from my infantry.

My ill-fated assault into the Imperial Guard lines results in my marines being dragged down. Amon Yara fights on valiantly until the end of the game.

At the end of the game, I still held my objective but only my Scouts and Librarian were still on the field against a veritable swarm of Guardsmen. My opponent had First Blood and Slay the Warlord, so he was the clear winner. Afterwards, I asked my opponent for some tips on running Imperial Guard. I still have those greatcoat infantry that should be making an appearance soon.

Lessons Learned

1) I can't draw too much from the game, as I feel like the game wouldn't have been as one-sided as it was if my rolls had been average across the game.

2) Mortars are pretty awesome for the points cost. A few mortar squads are great for targeting upgrades in squads and piling wounds on them until they die.

3) Looking at my deployment, it's obvious to me now that I needed to cluster my forces on one flank, and gun down the guardsmen