Region: Cerberus sector.
Death Guard vs Adeptus Mechanicus: Mars.
500 points.
Mission: Annihilation.
Deployment: Hammer and Anvil.
The battle for Gothos took place several months into the war and although only a skirmish compared to the rest of the conflict, it proved to be a turning point for the Death Guard.
Despite their reinforcements some months earlier, the Death Guard had seen more defeats and loss of manpower than at any time previously in the Cerberus campaign. The change came when the forces of Mars began to ignore orders from Guilliman and focused on choosing their own targets. This lack of communication allowed the Death Guard to make specific retaliatory strikes to weaken the Mechanicus advance forces.
The second match up in Shadbolt's escalation league pitted me against Alex and his Adeptus Mechanicus force. I took one look at his army, which was very much mechanical and I despaired. This was going to be a tough match but I figured if I played it cool I might be able to snatch a victory.
Although I deployed first, Alex took the first turn and initiative was not to be mine. The Mechanicus began by opening fire almost exclusively upon my hellforged contemptor. The dice were not with me and it was reduced down to three wounds before it even had a chance to do anything. I moved the contemptor forwards utilizing cover to try and get close to his skitarii. I tried a charge on the hopes of getting in and killing a few to recover some wounds, but the charge failed and a re-roll didn't help. As for the rest of my army I decided that sitting at long range was only helping Alex so the plague marines and the lord of contagion picked up and advanced.
The next couple turns saw the skitarii burn down the contemptor although they lost two of their number when their ancient plasma guns overheated. Things did not go so well for me as the plague marines were whittled away on their advance up the table by three kataphron destroyers. Soon the only unit I had left on the table was the lord of contagion.
At was at this point that Grandfather Nurgle took pity on me. For about two turns every single shot that the Mechanicus put into my warlord either missed or I passed the armour save or disgustingly resilient rolls. Even once I had smashed through the skitarii and kataphron's in assault my warlord recovered every wound back to his fall via his warlord trait. After Alex's tech priest warlord was cut down, he conceded the game.
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I was quite rankly shocked that my lord of contagion survived everything thrown at him. After the luck of the contemptor to survive the previous escalation game I think it was understandable. But I was pleased with the outcome and we had a very fun enjoyable battle.
Due to time, we were unable to play the third round this week so next Thursday I get to face Luke's Ork army. That's where I have to give consideration about to play as he is very much a horde force.
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The Martian force arrayed against me.
Once again, the plague marines hide in a crater.
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