New FAQ for 8th

So we have had the new 8th edition FAQ from Games Workshop. Not sure what to make of it but looking forward to seeing it. However, I'm a bit miffed that after waiting so long for Traitor Legions it looks like it has already been invalidated under the new rules. However, I'm expecting the new Codex: Death Guard to be the first new book of the edition which will be cool.

Ambush Attempt - Tanis IV

Planet: Tanis IV.
Region: Loki Sector.
990.M41

Death Guard vs Crimson Fists
2000 points.
Mission: Capture and Control.

A renowned commander has taken up the mantle of leadership on the ruined world of Tanis IV. Under his command the Crimson Fists may be able to seize control of a location of vital strategic importance. Typhus has ordered one of his lieutenants to stage an ambush and assassinate the space marine commander. The Death Guard lay in wait on the edges of a fallen city while the space marines approach. When the enemy convoy reaches optimal range the order is given and battle is joined.

This match was a club league match against my friend Muffin and his Crimson Fists space marines. Muffin and I have a good 50/50 ratio against one another but he has terrible luck with his dice a lot of the time. With that in mind I was hoping for a nice easy victory to kick start me in the league's first round. However, what happened in this match was the complete opposite.

At the start of the game he had some shocking luck. First move of the game and he immobilized his vindicator in some woods. His techmarine spent the rest of the game trying to fix it and failing ever time. He was successful in grabbing one objective though. My first turn saw me snag the same tactical objective and knock a wound from his captain.

Turn two and he focus fired on my chaos knight and I failed every single 4+ invulnerable save. Muffin burnt it to the ground before it had a chance to do anything. I was gutted but still hopeful that I had a chance. Unfortunately he also knocked out my rhinos leaving me effectively stranded in my own deployment zone. Nurgle was against me it seems as I drew two Death Guard objective cards which didn't help (get three units into his deployment zone and pass 7 FNP rolls in the same phase).

The game turned at this point as I couldn't pass a Feel No Pain roll if I tried. His dice kicked in big time however. When my heldrake flew in it took a wound off a centurion and was then knocked out of the sky by grav cannons all managing that 6 to hit roll. Tactical objectives were not helping as I drew cards which there was no way I was going to be able to manage. By this point Muffin was up to 8 victory points.

Throughout turn 3 and 4 I succeeded in taking down a dreadnought and two units of scouts but that was it. Having that awful corner to corner deployment hurt me going forward once the rhinos were gone. His list was heavy with lascannons which just popped me as I tried to go forward. At the end of turn 4 Muffin was up to 11 victory points and I still only had 1 so I conceded the match.

His dice and objectives deck were working for him perfectly and mine were against me. I'm pleased that he got a win for the league though. Good game but very frustrating for me.

The Crimson Fists convoy deploys quickly once ambushed. 

The heldrake swoops in and then promptly implodes.

Crimson Fists deadnought shortly before taking two melta hits to the face.

Death Guard in morbid silence yet jubilant at the dreadnought's destruction.

The Death Guard deployment.

Codex Death Guard?

A while ago we got this teaser for the Death Guard with some nice new models and what looks like a hint at Mortarion himself. There hasn't been anything since then but I'm hoping that we'll see them at the start of May. Fingers crossed.

The Artefact - Delphi Majoris

Planet: Delphi Majoris.
Region: Ghoul Stars
Date: 999.M41

Death Guard vs Reborn Warhost.
2000 points.
Mission: The Artefact.

Scans of the planet's surface along with subtle hints from the warp picked out something of value among the ruins of an ancient alien civilisation. Typhus eager to recover this artefact deployed with a small war band to capture it. Once the ancient relic was picked out among the ruins, he hoped to escape with it. As they marched across the ruins, the sound of jetbike engines brought them to a halt. A combined Eldar force under Yvraine had already arrived and were headed for the artefact themselves.

This game was set up with my friend Mike so that I could get a game against the new Reborn of Ynnead. We didn't pick a mission until the day so I put forward another from my list from the Altar of War book. It's basically a variation of the Relic mission but requires getting it off the table not just holding it and it could be a random one of three potential objectives set along the centre line of the table. As it happens it was the centre objective.

I set my transports and main force up centrally on my side of the table hoping to be able to head towards whichever objective turned out to be the real artefact. A unit of raptors on either side gave me some fast moving units to tie up the enemy if necessary and a helbrute to deal with any vehicles or enemy infantry. My opponent set his three jetbike (eldar and harlequins) squads up in a line at the rear of his table edge. At the forefront he had a large unit of farseers, Yvraine, the Visarch and an archon at the front.

My Death Guard had the first turn and I simply moved everything up towards the objective. The raptor units went forward on their jump packs to get closer to the enemy. The land raider managed to take out one harlequin jetbike but that was all I could manage. On Mike's first turn his jetbikes sped closer and took out a rhino and a handful of chaos marines. Mike's shooting and psychic screams were good enough that he was able to bring in the Yncarne first turn.

I was then able to lock the Yncarne in combat for a couple rounds with the survivours of a chaos marine sqaud and the helbrute. While Typhus led his terminators into the central ruins I had my second chaos marine squad run in and grab the relic from the dust. The raptors lept into the bike squads on both flanks. I lost a few to overwatching fire but enough survived to lock them in combat for the rest of the game. Neither side seemed able to lay that final killing blow.

Once into the middle of the ruins my chaos marines didn't stand a chance. Mike's psychic phase was just incredible. He was able to raise his invulnerable saves and grant Yvraine's unit invisibility. Once in combat neither my chaos marines nor terminators were able to hit let alone wound any of the unit. The archon took Typhus' challenge but twice Typhus suffered a wound from his rebellious daemon weapon. Eventually he fell and Nurgle snatched him from the battlefield.

Come turn four and my whole centre line was gone and the artefact was in the hands of Yvraine. All I had left was the surviving raptors but they remained locked in combat so I conceded.

So I was quite surprised by the reborn. From watching youtube battle reports I was expecting the soul burst mechanic to be a lot more irritating but in this game it didn't seem to do much at all. In the end it was the psychic phase that gave Mike the game. I just couldn't cope with what he was able to put out, mainly psychic scream and invisibility.

Yvraine held up the ancient device. Turning it over in her hands she studied the ancient alien language. How this object would lead her to the lost crone sword was unknown but it was a start. What she sought was here on this world hidden among the bones of a long dead civilisation. Casting an eye to the horizon she saw signs of approaching vehicles and the sound of marching feet. The foul warriors of Nurgle were coming and in greater numbers. They would have to fight if they were to recover the weapon before the enemy found it.

Harlequin jetbikes race to their doom! 

The Yncarne battles the forces of the Death Guard. 

Death Guard and the Reborn of Ynnead fight in the ruins of a dead world. 

Yvraine and her escort.