Sunday, February 28, 2010

Goodbye Lone Wolves

Had two great games yesterday with Alvin (Tyranids, see http://grimcron.wordpress.com/) and Stanley (Ultramarines). I had double the wonderful learning experiences and also double the fun!

I had a win and a draw but it was a sad day for my Lone Wolves. Four Lone Wolves died that day (I had 2 Lone Wolves in my list which I used in both games). Honestly, I wouldn't feel so bad if they had done something significant. They were meant to die in battle afterall!

Let's review what happened in the two games:
1. Game 1: Lone Wolf 1 charged a Hive Tyrant and was swallowed before striking back
2. Game 1: Lone Wolf 2 charged a Harpy and was swallowed before striking back
3. Game 2: Lone Wolf 1 was killed by a barrage of shots. No combat
4. Game 2: Lone Wolf 2 charged a sniper squad and killed only 2 in 3 turns. Needless to say, the squad stayed in combat until even footslogging Thunderhammer Terminators arrived to smash him to a pulp.

So far, the best role my Lone Wolves performed was as a tarpit. I need a unit that not only tarpits, but also support my gun lines. I thought about it and found a better candidate: the Dreadnought. While my Lone Wolves normally do nothing except running till they reached the enemies around Turn 3 (if I am lucky), Dreadnoughts can fire their Assault Cannons (or other guns) before the contact. Of course, Dreadnoughts are more vulnerable to Lascannons and Meltas , and Power-fists/klaws or Monstrous Creatures (which is what my Wolf Guards and Long Fangs are for). For the latter, discretion is the better part of valour I guess. I am a cunning wolf anyway =) Ahwooooo!

Time to do some playtesting...

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Space Wolf Calvary

Was so inspired by Sam's beautiful Bretonnian Knights that I had to post my calvary too lol.

(On the left) Krom Dragongaze (Logan) with his trusted Thunderwolf Calvary.

"Follow me, Sons of Russ! This night our enemies shall feel the fangs of the Wolf!" - Logan Grimnar

Gotta start painting!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The Wolf hunts


Had a great game with YC (see battle report @ http://yc-fantasygames.blogspot.com/2010/02/15k-orks-vs-space-wolf-battle.html) on Chinese New Year eve and a wonderful DRAW (no one loses) to kick start this year lol!

Thank you YC for your pointers: Go for the troops even if an uber-killy unit is nearby in a missions game! What was I thinking man? Okay, maybe I wasn't haha.

Thoughts about how wolves hunt
After a few games, I finally realize that SW cannot rush into combat like wild dogs (took me long enough =). We have the Blood Angels (furious charge) and Khorne Berserkers for that. SW are too elegant for that kind of rabid behavior haha! In fact, wolves tend to circle their prey, waiting for the moment of weakness before the floodgates of hell are unleashed upon them.

List in mind:
Logan's shooting list that "circles" the prey and continues to tear down his defence with "howls" and krak/frag missles! When the prey is weakened, the Lone Wolves, Thunderwolves and Wolf guards can feast.

However when wolves cannot contain their hunger, it's all-out or nothing!
A pure beast list: Thunderwolves, Iron Priest on Thunderwolf mount with his retinue of Cyberwolves, and lots and lots of Fenrisian Wolves with their 2nd turn assault! Target saturation coupled with inevitable charges. Not forgetting that whatever the wolves touches poof.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Battle report: SW versus IG

I started this blog for my friends, and Sam who's in Australia. Hope you are having fun at Perth with your Undead Eldar haha.

First post and it's a 1500 battle report. Oh yeah!

Space Wolves Rooster
HQ
Rune Priest, chooser of the slain
ELITE
2 X Lone Wolf, Terminator Armour, Chainfist, Stormshield
TROOP
2 X 5 Grey Hunters, Meltagun. In Razorback, LC/TLPG
FAST
2 X 4 Thunderwolf Calvary (TWC), PF, MB, Boltgun
2 Landspeeder, MM+ HF
HEAVY
2 X 6 Long Fangs, 5 ML

DeFeng's Imperial Guard Rooster
HQ
Company Command Squad, LC, Master of Ordnance
Techpriest?
TROOP
3 Infantry Squad, Commissar
Heavy Weapons Squad, 3 LC
Veteran Squad
1 more troop (can't remember which oops)
2 Chimeras with 2 more troops in it
FAST
3 X 1 Banewolf, MM,
HEAVY
2 X Medusa


Mission: Capture and Control
Deployment: Spearhead
SW goes first and kept both TWC in reserve.

Turn 1 (SW: IG objectives = 1:1)
IG seized initiative! Gulp. I'm gonna get sick of pies...
IG:
-Combined 3 Infantry Squads into one messy tarpit squad and moved advanced down the middle.
-Shooting sees pies flying all over the place!
-Both Medusas left only the gone to ground Pack Leader and one ML alive and squashed 2 or 3 ML from Long Fang 2 with Runepriest too (We forgot that Medusas only have 36" range so they are actually out of range! Lol, live and learn).

SW:
-Feeling nauseous now with 2 Long Fang squads semi-removed from the game lol.
-Both Lone Wolves ran towards the middle.
-Solo Landspeeder moved flat out to block Banewolf 2 and Chimera 1.
-Both Razorbacks shot at Medusa, destroying it! Hah =)
-Runepriest cast Murderous Hurricane on Tarpit to stop them.
-No assault makes me a sad wolf.


Turn 2 (SW2: IG 2)
IG1:
-Tarpit squad stayed put but poured lots of shots (1st rank fire, 2nd rank fire) at Long Fang 2 with Runepriest, wiping out the entire Long Fang squad. Hmm, gotta change dice haha.
-Pie time again and my Runepriest stands alone =( Medusa threw a pie at Runepriest who successfully went to ground and dug a hole hee.
-Troop on left now moved up ruin and claimed objective A. Then they proceeded to shoot Lonewolf 1 to death. I failed 2 armour saves, followed by 2 Feel no Pain. I feel the pain man. LC -Heavy Squad shot at Landspeeder which passed all cover saves. About time!

SW:
-TWC 1 arrived from reserve and digested Banewolf 1.
-Lone wolf 2 charged into tarpit (and held till the tarpit is wiped out. Yeah!) and sawed the techpriest into halves.
-Razorback immobilized Banewolf 2 while the other Razorback on the right advanced towards Banewolf 3 and disembarked the Grey Hunters. It then missed the LC but Grey Hunters immobilized Banewolf 3 with a Meltagun. Yeah, Banewolves out of action.
-Landspeeder moved to flame Command Squad, incinerating all but Master of Ordnance, Leader and LC. Grrrr.


Turn 3 (SW 1: IG 2)
IG:
-Exploded landspeeder with LC Heavy Squad.
-Chimera 2 had to go partially into the ruin thanks to the immobilized Banewolf 2 and rolled a 1 for DT. Btw, I kept chanting ONE, ONE, ONE which helped I guess hee hee. Troop disembarked from immobilized Chimera. Right flank saved, or so I thought...
-Troop on objective A shot at TWC 1 but we got thick furs man (no wounds).

SW:
-TWC 2 arrived from reserved and advanced towards the middle. Lots of meat there lol.
-TWC 1 developed an appetite for metal and charged towards the LC Heavy Squad, swallowing men and LC whole. Burp!
-Both Razorbacks rolled 2 on armor penetration, needing a 3 to glance (and consecutively for 4 turns. Sigh).
-Lonewolf continued to saw troopers into halves, 2 at a time.


Turn 4 (SW 1: IG 2)
IG:
-Not much movement.
-Medusa moved back from TWC 1 but missed the Runepriest
-Disembarked trooper on right moved through ruin to capture objective.
-Lonewolf played tick-tac-toe with troopers.

SW:
-TWC 1 multi-charged Command Squad and Veteran Squad, leaving no bones behind!
-TWC 2 couldn't resist the meat and charged into the tarpit with the Lonewolf. Stubborn tarpit held despite the gory mess created by the Thunderwolves =)


Turn 5 (SW 1: IG 1)
IG:
-Medusa missed Runepriest again.
-Assault finds entire tarpit squad in the belly of TWC 2.
SW:
-Runepriest cast Murderous Hurricane on Troop at Objective and killed a grand total of 1.
-Grey Hunter squad on right charged into the same troopers and wiped them out and cons0lidated back towards objective.
-Rolled a 6, game continues.


Turn 6 (SW 2: IG 1)
IG:
-Good move here. Shot Chimera 2 and Banewolf's MM at Grey Hunter squad to a man who proceeded to fail morale check and fled backwards.

SW:
-Shot only frag ML at troop in ruin and objective A and killed 4!
-Runepriest cast Living Lighting and only chipped the bricks. (Come to think of it, we forgot to take the Morale check for shooting casualties! This will prove to be crucial but lol, another lesson learnt)
-Rolled a 4 and game goes into turn 7!


Turn 7 (SW 1: IG 1)
IG:
-Shot everything a last Grey Hunter @ objective. Dang! Failed crucial armour saves.
-Medusa shot at another Grey Hunter Squad @ objective E which failed their pinning check. Grrr. No chance to spread out to claim objective F.

That's it. Draw. Good game, De Feng!

After Action Review:
1. 2 troops only hurts. Especially with so many pies! Gonna need more troops.
2. It sucks to get initiative stolen. Was a great learning experience but have to prepare for it.
3. De Feng played well and went for the troops when all seems lost. I should have done the same with the troop at objective A. Went blind with bloodlust lol.
4. Tarpit gets tarpitted by Lonewolf hee.
5. Lonewolf Hrotgar is promoted to Wolf Guard! Ahwoooooo
6. Thanks to YC for offering his place for gaming and DF for the wonderful game!