Second brush with BA (Aesgeir's Honor)

A belated battle report (c.f. Aesgeir's Honor)

Aesgeir (painted) fighting to reclaim honor against Mephiston (unpainted silvery model) as the Long Fangs looked on with pride.

Summary
YC played the same list but I made some modification as mentioned in the fluff. I exchanged one unit of TWC for a Wolf Lord on TW (Sigvaldi).

Space Wolf list HQ
Hrotgar the Runepriest, chooser of the slain
Sigvaldi the Wolf Lord, TW mount, Wolf Claw, Storm Shield, Saga of Warrior Reborn
Elite
Aesgeir the Lone Wolf, Terminator Armor, Chainfist and Stormshield
3 Wolfguards, 2 combi-melta. TLLC Razorback
Troop
2 X 6 Grey Hunters, Mark of the Wulfen, Meltagun. Rhino
1 X 5 Grey Hunters, Flamer. TLLC Razorback
Fast
3 TWC, PF, BG
2 TWC, PF
Heavy
3 X 3 Long Fangs, 2 Missile Launchers. 3 TLLC Razorbacks

Mission: Capture and Control AGAIN!
Deployment: Dawn of War AGAIN!

View the pictures (courtersy of Jaeroler) and comments of the battle report here. I will let the pictures do the talking. Hope you like it.

Afterthoughts about BA
1. Crazyrat or YC was really unlucky with his rolls the entire game, not to mention that I seized the initiative from him.
2. As Crazyrat pointed out, he should not have charged Mephy into my Lone Wolf. Even if he killed him, he would leave himself open to be shot at. The game could have turned out differently had he concentrated his forces instead of splitting his force, allowing me to take them out individually. More infernus pistols would have wrecked quite a few tin cans too.

Things I would have done differently include:
1. Take pictures for Crazyrat and Jaeroler's game. I was sitting there admiring the battle on my fat butt instead of doing constructive things such as taking photos of their game. Sorry, I will take pictures for you next game. I promise!
2. Use the TWC squad on the left more aggresively. They did nothing the entire game thanks to my cowardice.
3. Watch out for my runepriest. Lol.
4. Try to fit in one more Lone Wolf. I still think they work better in pairs. And they really guard my army against super killies, such as Macheeston =)

First brush with BA and review

Had a wonderful game with YC today which was my first game with BA and also my first using a hybrid mech (with big wolves) list. I hope my memory serves me correctly. Anyway the battle summary is posted at YC's blog. I apologise for the long post. Need your feedback (especially for point 5 to improve my game and list), thanks! Oh, I was massacred. Thanks for the game, YC. Revenge is on the list now =)

My Space Wolf list (1750 points)
HQ
Rune Priest, chooser
TROOPS
3 X 5 Grey Hunters, Flamer. 3 Razorbacks with TLLC
FAST
3 X 4 Thunderwolf Calvary, PF, MB, BG
HEAVY
3 X 5 Long Fangs, 4 Missile Launchers. 2 Razorbacks with TLLC

YC's BA list
HQ
Macheeston
Chaplain (with Death Company)
ELITE
2 Sanguinary Priests, 1 in Terminator armor, 1 with Power Weapon (PW)
1 X 5 Assault Termis, 3 TH, 2 LC. Landraider Redeemer
TROOPS
5 Assault Squad (Jump packs)
5 Assault Squad, PW. Razorback with TLLC
9 Death Company (DC), 1 PF, 1 TH, 1I. pistol, (Stormshield?). In Rhino
Death company (DC) Dreadnought, blood talons. In drop pod.

My thoughts:
1. Night Fight Deployment gave BA the time (first turn) to advance pretty much unhindered. I think BA will really appreciate Night Fight, being a Close Combat Specialist army

2. I won roll off and chose to go second because of (a) Night Fight which hindered shooting, (b) a chance to isolate the already small army to pick off one unit at a time and (c) for last minute objective contesting

3. I believe what cost me the game was my deployment (let's not be a wuss and blame luck lol).

• I did not deploy anything so that I can come in on the 1st turn and react to BA's deployment. BA deployed in two halves.
• Mephiston stands alone on the left while the Termies in a Redeemer, DC Rhino and Drop pod DC Dread are on the right.
• My problem is that I deployed everything (castled) on the right (except TWC unit 3 as reserves) to face his bulk of army on the right who were already at the doorstep with night fight (too wussy and afraid of Mephiston I guess). Read point 4 to see what entailed from the deployment error.

4. My rant (you can skip this part)

• So my 1st turn shooting wrecked DC rhino and dealt 2 wounds to Mephiston. That's all! (okay I said I should not whine like a wuss haha) DC Dread passed all 3 Lascannon cover saves.
• Thunderwolf Calvary (TWC) unit 1 charged disembarked DC and got themselves wiped out for the trouble. Oh well...
• TWC 2 charged DC Dread and suffered 6 Wounds = only PF (I think of Tomb King Giant haha) and normal Wolves survived with 1 wound each. Hmmm. I think I should just stick to shooting.
• TWC 3 arrived from reserve in Turn 2 to finish up the DC squad. So it takes 2 units of 4 TWC to wipe out DC squad on the charge. Oh bother. I am getting more guns.
• The same Razorback failed to wound Mephiston who was on his last wound (rolled 1 in consecutive turns). Another Razorback failed to hit with Twin-link LC. Let me whine man =)
• Mephiston carved through my army from my left. The termies stormed downward undeterred on my right. My TWC can't do shit to both units.

5. Learning Points and changes

• I should have castled on my left (quarter which was empty compared to the bulk of BA which advanced straight down the right flank) instead and attempt to wipe the isolated Mephiston FIRST with my TLLC. More crucial, deploying on the left was not only to kill Mephiston but so that the BA units deployed on the right have to come to me (diagonally from the right quarter) as I take them down with my 5 TLLC, 12 S8 Missiles and D6 S7 Lightning per turn. For my army, I would not move and blast my shots, only moving my TWC when the units are softened.
  
• If I stuck to point 5a, I could have blasted DC Dred with 12 Missiles even in Turn 2 as he is stuck in the Right Quarter and would have taken 3 Turns to reach me.
• Mephiston can be brought down with concentrated fire (especially LC). As they say, shoot the assaulty, assault the shooty. Besides I really see no other way I can take out the assaulty BA units, not even with my TWC in close combat. I really would love to have TH and SS Assault Termies cheap. Lone Wolves are making a comeback surely. Mephiston's head would make a good trophy and reason to promote to the Wolfguard! haha
• Okay, point 5c will mean that I need to shoot (i) Mephiston, (ii) Assault Termies, (iii) DC squad and (iv) DC Dred with Talons, leaving only the assault squad for me to assault. Hmmm. Not much choices for me. If I get a next game, I will try to charge the DC Squad with 2 units of TWC at the same time to see how it works out.
• I forgot about the effects of Murderous Hurricane on Mephiston which could have prevented a charge on my Runepriest. Need to find a way to remember the additional effects. Maybe I will do a counter to represent the dangerous and difficult terrain effects.
• Seems like SW is better off with a shooty list. I will knock off TWC unit 3 for 1 Razorback and 2 MM Landspeeders. Probably will make room for 2 Lonewolves (or WL on TW) too.

What else do you think can be done?