Test Battle Report #1 - Deathwing vs Mech BA 1500

I may do a few of these over the next few weeks as I test out more armies, I think even playing against myself with crappy terrain I learnt a little bit; I dont think I had much bias to the Deathwing as I was getting annoyed as I lost some bits on my BA's - but you dont know sometimes.

BA List was the same one I used on Thursday:

Libby - Fear/Shield
x4 RAS Squads - LasPlas/MG
x2 Baal Predators - AssCan/NoSponson
x3 Predators - AutoCan/LasCan
x2 Attack Bikes (in squad)

Deathwing I went a little different:

Belial - TH/SS
Brother Captain (GK) - NFW/PsyCan/PsyHood

x5 TH/SS - CML - Apoc
x5 TH/SS - CML
x5 TH/SS - CML
x5 TH/SS - CML

x3 Bikes - MGx2
x3 Bikes - MGx2


PITCHED BATTLE / KILL POINTS

Blood Angels Set up with 3 "shot vectors" - basically 1 pred / 2 razors on the left flank, 2 razors 2 baals center, and 1 pred on the left. I was going to say this is bad deployment, but in reality if I had set up any other way in this mission, the DW would have stacked in 1 corner meaning at least 1 or 2 turns of shooting lost at them while they just picked off a tank or two.
The DW split up - I used 1 piece of terrain on the left flank to put one squad - hiding 4 of them so that only a couple of tanks could see the CML, the same with 2 other squads on the center piece of terrain. Belial and co would deepstrike, the bikes would out flank.


I went first with my Blood Angels - hopefully whittling down a squad. My plan was to hopefully get rid of x2 squads, the entire command squad (being 3 KP's) and the 2 bike kill points - and hoping enough stuff survived to win. On first turn I managed to get a few shots into 1 squad and I think killed 1 out of the squad - but just normal guys - first thing I realised - very few squads will be able to do enough shooting wounds to allocate onto those CML's - which means more than likely the DW's low shootyness will always be coming back at you.

In the DW first turn Belial's squad scatted - but only 3" - I really set him to near to the middle of the board - I should have either been ultra aggresive or not at all. Shooting stunned 1 razor back (with the psycannon!) on the BA's left flank and 1 baal on the center.

The second BA turn and it poured more fire into that squad that had lost a guy - and killed 2 more - left flank (auto pred and x2 razors) double tapped belials squad putting a wound on belial and killing 2 guys.

The DW 2nd turn saw some more shooting. The autolas on the ba's left flank got destroyed by the first outflanking melta bikes - I wanted to stun it really as I could have multi charged. Belial and co advanced but were now out in the open in front of a lot of tanks and bikes - probably going to get shot - they stunned one of the razors on the left flank though which mean a bit less AP1/2 shooting.

BA's 3rd turn saw a lot of fire go into Belials squad as the whittled down CML squad had repositioned to basically fire at a single target and force the BA's to either move more than 6" and get into "you could get charged" range or shoot at belials squad. Alot of fire went into belial and took another wound off him and dropped his squad down to the APOC, 1 wound Belial and the single wound GK Brother Capt - though they were now less than 12" away from a couple of tanks! 2 squads got out and shot / charged the bikes and wiped them out. Consolidated back near their tanks to try and avoid being shot / charged themselves if the bikes come on.

Which they do in  the DW T3 - again the 3 CML squads reposition, and Belial's squad move for a razor - but due to terrain / wreck it was only about 3" wide a gap to get to the tank - meaning the 2 IC's wouldnt be able to get their attacks in. Shooting saw the remaining baal stunned again, and 1 RAS squad whittled down to 3 guys by melta/bolters and then charged. The Apoc charged the RAS (which had its plasma blown off by the psycannon!) and manage to shake/stun it - auto hits next round if they dont die. In the biker/ras combat I think nothing went down. The T5 of the bikes proves to be a nice little tarpit for squads.

In BA's T4 they have to shoot belial and the GK - 2 "easy" kp's. There was no way to avoid the KP loss in this unfornatly - maybe though I should have kept the GK - as he had S6 I5 power weap AND a S6 shooty weapon so might have done some damage in the next turn ..

In the DW's T4 having dealt with the tank Apoc decided to go deal with the bikes that had turbo boosted position themselves to get shots at the other squads - this was a bad move really as it did give the apoc a potentially easy KP. Not much shooting really - CML's did nothing to the AV13 this turn. The apoc charged the bikes and killed them. In the bike/RAS combat the RAS actually killed a bike lol - but they passed their fearless wounds.

In the BA T5 one RAS deployed to charge the bikes to get a KP - tanks positoned themselves to kill the Apoc and push off if they could in T6 - but force the CML's to move out of "hiding". The BA's pulled back 2 KP's here as they should have - the bikes died and so did the APOC - I think 1 term died in shooting from one of the predators.

In the DW's T5 they managed to kill a predator with CML fire, and just repositioned a bit as they were clearly up. The game didnt end.

In the BA T6 tried to go for it and shoot what they could - but nothing really happened.

In DW T6 the CML managed to get side armor shot on the Libbies ride which failed its cover save, and was wrecked - managed to kill a RAS in the blast as well - roll to end the game - it ends on a 1.

CONCLUSION:

DW win 6-5.

It was an interesting game - BA's lost x2 Preds, x2 Razors x1 Bikes and x1 Baals vs the Deathwings loss's of x2 bike squads, belial, the gk and the squad. So it was actually quite close - it was basically won in T6.

I dont think I played the strongest list I could as the DW - and I definatly didnt play them right. the GK should have gone in one of the CML normal squads - while he stunned a razor on his way in - he was out in the open and with only a 5++ to protect him vs that much AP1/2 fire - he was going to give up a point at some stage. Where as he could have plinked away at 36" w/ one of the squads - and left them / moved around if needed later in the game.

The BA's - I think I needed to position a bit closer to the middle - though still in 3 clear fire bases. Having x2 Razors on 1 side was a blessing and a curse - it was the side the ravenwing would always choose - but it would also mean that I could use the contents to get charges off and gain back the KP quite easily. Basically every single tank I have can force that 3++ save - and nearly all got to fire each turn at something - and I managed to kill 10 terminators in 6 turns - and I had bad rolling on Belial I have to say - he made his 2 2++ but failed 3 of 4 3++'s! Though the BC made 1 of his 2 5++'s lol (shame they were both in the same turn). I liked the BC - but he didnt need to be front field - but I also think I forgot to use his PHood to counter 1 of the shields - I am sure I'd have been in 24" range.

I think its a potent army. I think 5 KP's was a lot to give up - but I think if I had been more aggressive I'd have gotten more KP's with the DW - I also could have come onto the "weaker" side with the bikes - turbo boosting them instead and well out of charge range - they may have lost a couple to shooting - but prob would have stuck around a turn or two longer.

My worry would be armies that could put weight of numbers on me - I am not sure what I'd do there - maybe tarpit w/ belial and co (this is where the BC would come in handy with his I5 S6 power weapon attacks).

Oh well - was interesting anyway - and a good way to kill an hour or two while I nurse this god awful hangover!