When the (mostly) unpainted hordes collide!

by | Apr 5, 2024

 o/

'TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO DIE!'

The last words attributed to Chaplain Schaff of the Black Dragons

Screech and I got together for a game wednesday night, or rather we sorta did. We got a late start due eating out beforehand and that combined with having to work the next day meant we made it thru two measly turns. This likely also saved me from getting tabled. Nonetheless here are the highlights in lieu of a proper battle report. 

My army, that being the Black Dragons & Friends.

The 'friends' being the once thought to be extinct Incandescent Coyotes lead by Lt. Boughtflower.

Screech did his best to keep track of VPs and the scenario, however after a tactical blunder on my part turn one that I was unable to recover from, and quickly seeing which way the flames wind was blowing, I pretty much ignored all that and just tried to kill shit. 

The Salamanders in all of their unprimed glory (note: the one squad that is primed was gifted to Screech in that state). 

Whilst I did kill some stuff, due to the aforementioned blunder (and a few other errors, due to lack of gameplay), a lot more of my troops were getting killed instead. 

Oh by the way, no dreadnoughts were damaged in this engagement.

So what was my unrecoverable mistake you ask? Well, having the first go, I moved towards the Salamanders and their all weapons are assault and can advance and fire (often literally) with no ill effect detachment. AKA: the Firestorm Assault force.

Tactical error number one: Moving forward.

'But Sir, the odds of navigating a Firestorm Assault Force are approximately 3720:1!'

'NEVER TELL ME THE ODDS!'

I normally run the Dragons with the good ol' Gladius task force, but this time tried the Anvil Siege Force. What I should have done, was either stand still and ignore the lack of weapons in range, or better yet, move deeper into my own deployment zone on turn 1. 

These guys ought to have gone into reserve, rather than scouting directly into literal hell. 

Then, when the flaming banzai charge came at me, my troops could simply plant their feet and unleash hell! But, it is what it is, and at the start of Screech's first turn where EVERYTHING started to advance, I realized welp, that was dumb & I'm about to lose. 

The Incandescent Coyotes outflank to bolster my all but incinerated flank. After taking some wounds from the not so far off burna boys, a Terminator squad would deep strike in behind them, unload and...finish off a lone, wounded marine. Yeah, I'm still fine with not having any termies myself. 

I also forgot that when a Hellblaster dies, on a 4+ it gets a parting shot. No idea how I forgot this as they're my favorite type of Primaris marine. As cool as it is for every unit to have a special rule, it ultimately is a lot of crap to keep up with. Sure it is all there on the datasheet, but how much time in each game do we really want to spend reading the fine print?

Anyways, at the end of my turn 2, after the Reiver Sergeant waded thru 32 pyreblaster wounds, and some long ranged heavy intercessor shooting (losing his squad in the process), he decided to go out with just one word:

CHARGE!