Wednesday 2 March 2011

The Secret We Keep

Hello again,

Today Lightning and I had a 3000 point battle at our local Games Workshop here in Leicester.
Now I'm not that well versed in large point games (I prefer the 1000/1500 point games) so I looked upon this with a bit of sugar and a "why not" attitude.

I knew I wanted to play Blood Angels and I new I wanted to field three Stormravens. So how did it go? Well.............

The Game - Pitched battle/ kill points
Blood Angels Vs. Space Wolves

The Blood Angels deployed first and laid themselves out across the battlefield facing an unruly band of Space Woves who were spearheaded by their Landraider Crusader. They seized the initiative and went first mainly shooting what they could and inching forward into position. It was at this point a Stormraven became immobilised and had its twin-linked Lascannon destroyed. Next was its Multi-melta and then as it lay there in the dust, it seemed to repel the remainder of firepower, encased in some sort of divine protection.
After the initial upset, the two remaining Stormravens were split up and sent over to the far right flank and the centre of the army. The two Landraider Crusaders ground forwards to begin the first wave of attack whilst the Razorbacks took up positions on the hill. The first of two Furioso Dreadnoughts shot off towards the Space Wolves waiting Devastator squads whilst the downed Stormraven unloaded its payload of ten Tactical Marines. 
With a flurry of Lascannon, Assault Cannon and Multi-Melta fire, the Blood Angels had removed one of the offending Razorbacks and Rhinos. The squads held within (minus a couple of casualties) let loose onto the battleground only shielded by their now wrecked vehicles. Several of the Devastator Marines were mortally wounded but not enough to make a difference.
The now dented Space Wolves moved closer to reach the crest of the central hill. More shots were aimed at the two remaining Stormravens and with both of them unable to move, the first Furioso wrecked and a smattering of Angels K.I.A, it looked as if The Emperor was beginning to favour the Wolf.
As the grey behemoth of the Wolves' Landraider towered over the Angels' own, Mephiston and the Death Company Dreadnought that were inside the belly of the second remaining Stormraven were let loose. Followed by the unit of Death Company from one of the Landraiders and a crushing Multi-Melta shot that ruptured the enemy Landraider and destroyed it's armour leaving the Space Wolves inside battered and confused. This became the time to strike. 
The Death Company failed to get over the wrecked vehicles in their path but Mephiston and his pet went into the stunned Space Wolves with teeth and claws bared.
The unit that met them were not as fearful as the two Blood Angels had thought as they were supported by Njal Stormcaller and Ulrik the Slayer not to mention the three Thunderwolves that were in the unit behind them! After a bloody combat the two opponents had stayed in with each other, the only two to come away without major losses were Mephiston and the Dreadnought. 



Then the Thunderwolves came. Their sodden fur smelling as foul as the creatures who rode them; two Wolf Lords and a lone, skilled Marine.
They broke into the combat just after they had given orders to the Devastators to concentrate on the Stormravens (stopping them for another turn), the remaining Space Wolves to engage any open Blood Angels, the Wolf Scouts to enter behind the Blood Angels and the squad from the Landraider to hold their ground against the maniacal Mephiston.


They snarled and clawed at the Lord of Death who lost his footing and gave the beasts some blood but it was again not enough to thwart a man who had come through the Black Rage as he tore through Njal Stormcaller's Power Armour and spat out what was left. Meanwhile, the Death Company had been reduced to two men (one still brandishing his Thunderhammer) as two Space Wolf squads bathed them in combat. Each Marine from both side lavishing in the taste of each others blood.  
The other side of the battlefield saw nothing more than a smattering of Geneseed as the second Furioso decided which combat to chase after.
With the Stormravens focusing on the entrenched Devastator squads, the remaining Furioso concluded that he would help out the Brothers on the flank as Mephiston could handle himself. The Dreadnought cut through the flank and freed the Blood Angel squad to head towards the Devastator squads in the far ruins.
The central combat had now whittled itself down to just the main protagonists; Mephiston, a Death Company Dreadnought, Ulrik the Slayer, the two Wolf Lords and the Thunderwolf rider. The Dreadnought was turned into a pile of scrap metal. Mephiston was now surrounded by Wolves and needed help.


One Wolf Lord looked as the remainder of one of the Blood Angel squads cut him off his mount and skewered his beast. Ulrik was next to succumb to the Angels' fury but Mephiston had also not seen the power sword of the second Wolf Lord enter his left breast plate and cut his heart out, leaving it on the trodden earth for the final Thunderwolf to feed from.
The last Death Company marine could hold no longer, his might no match for the waves of combat from the Space Wolves as they ran him through to get to the aid of their falling leaders. 


Tycho and his Death Company Dreadnought Battle Brother had been watching this macabre story unfold under them and finally were unleaded upon the Warriors of Fenris.
Striding gallantly into combat they ran past the newly unrestrained Space Wolves and joined the combat.
Also with the Wolf Scouts banished, the remaining Blood Angels from that combat came to support Tycho. Unfortunately they were not the only ones to heed the call of help of their brethren and were met by the Wolves who had bested the Death Company.
This battle was not as it should have played for the Blood Angels. Their leader maimed and all but three Marines and a Dreadnought remained. The three broke off and headed to the safety of a hovering Stormraven just as the final Dreadnought exploded. All that was left for the Wolves was to mop up the ground and turn to face their target.


As they ran towards the Razorbacks they were taken out one by one. The remaining Stormravens and Landraiders turned Marines into colanders. Wolves, the beasts of The Emperor, were no match for the fire power of the Blood Angels.
The end came as the last of the Blood Angels vehicles Las-sniped the heart of one of Russ' Lords. The stain on the ground a reminder that of the secrets held by each Chapter, none is more important than the Blood Angels'.

Final Score: Blood Angels - 14 kill points
                    Space Wolves - 7 kill points


So there you have it. Three Stormravens were definitely worth their points Lightning and I have concluded that I certainly out-gunned him which is pretty much what won it for me!

More soon.......

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