I played my first game in an escalation league yesterday fielding a 500 point Ultramarine battalion detachment:
Primaris Captain (Warlord) /forgot to choose a Warlord trait
+Power Fist - Plasma Pistol
+Santic Halo (relic)
Librarian
+Force Stave - Bolt Pistol
+Tome of Malcador (relic)
+Might of Heroes - Psychic Fortress - Smite - Veil of Time
Primaris Lieutenant
+Master-Crafted Stalker Bolt Rifle
4x Scout
+Bolt Pistol - Combat Blade
Sergeant
+Bolt Pistol - Chainsword
4x Intercessor
+Bolt Rifles - Auxiliary Grenade Launcher
Sergeant
+Bolt Rifle - Power Sword
4x Intercessor
+Bolt Rifles - Auxiliary Grenade Launcher
Sergeant
+Bolt Rifle - Power Sword
Background
Primarch Roboute Guilliman has tasked Captain Tieko with leading a newly formed cadre of veteran Ultramarines to take to the field in order to gain more battle experience and develop into a tightly knit team. A Librarian (Ancient Escobar) has been assigned to Tieko to act as an adviser and report back to Ultramar on their progress. Also Lieutenant Cato asked permission to join them which was duly granted by Guilliman. Depending upon their initial success more squads will be deployed to strengthen the battalion. Their Primarch dispatches them to a krone world on the very edge of the Eye to eliminate an ancient threat for their very first mission !
My opponent was fielding a Thousand Sons patrol detachment.
Daemon Prince (Warlord)
+Wings - etc.
+Smite - etc.
Shaman
+Disc
Smite - etc.
15x Tranzagor (sp?)
Vortex Beast
Mission and Deployment
The mission is a special one from Games Workshop. I was the attacker and scored victory points for each unit I killed plus Slay the Warlord. My opponent was the defender and scored victory points for each of his units that ended the game in his deployment zone plus Slay the Warlord. Deployment was adjacent table quarters on a 4’ x 4’ table.
I deployed everything in a forest outside of range from any first turn Smites except for my scouts which I deployed beside a building towards the center of the table to act as a distraction.
My opponent deploys his Tranzagors far back with the Prince, Beast and Shaman towards the front.
I got to go first and there was no Seize.
T1:
Ultramarines - Marines hold their ground while the scouts shuffle to the far side of the building to hide.
kSon - The Daemon Prince, Shaman and Vortex Beast move forward but are outside range to Smite any visible enemy units.
T2:
Ultramarines - The Marines all target the Vortex Beast and strip off six wounds.
kSons - Combined Smites take down all of the scouts.
T3:
Ultramarines - The Marines again all target the Vortex Beast and strip off another two wounds leaving it with only six remaining.
KSons - The daemon prince heals One wound on the Vortex Beast and it regenerates another bringing it back up to eight wounds. All attempts to Smite are denied.
T4:
Ultramarines - All units hold their ground forcing the issue. A Smite from the Librarian gets through and drops the Vortex Beast to five wounds remaining. Combined shooting strips another wound from the Vortex Beast - its bleeding.
kSons - Combined Smites only manage to bring down one Intercessor.
T5:
Ultramarines - All units move so that the Prince is the closest unit. The Librarian inflicts heavy wounds into Daemon Prince with Smite then the Marines follow up with Bolt Rifles and Krak !
kSons - Smites are denied again then the Daemon Prince attempts a desperate charge but the Intercessors destroy it during overwatch for two Victory points (Kill a unit and StWL).
Game ends.
My opponent scores three victory points for having three units within his deployment zone (Shaman, Vortex Beast and Tranzagors). I score another two points for having a fully painted army and lore. I should mention Psychic Fortress worked very well versus enemy Smites and other enemy abilities to inflict mortal wounds.