Thursday Night Battle Report 29/07/10 Part 1: Battle for Argos’s Grave

So Thursday night I am running late to get to my regular Games Night after an unexpected visit from the in-laws so I grab what comes to hand quickest and run out the front door before we have more unexpected guests.

I ended up with Alpha Legion Chaos Space Marines; a foot based 3.1 Chaos Codex army that I used to infiltrate the entire army back in day. Of course nowadays with the lack of infiltrate I have picked up a couple of Chaos Rhinos to give the list mobility. The game was fought on a 4’x 4’ table against Ultramarines – a grudge match. There was lots of terrain and the new Space Marine statue in the centre of the table as the single objective.

I will give a breakdown of what turned out to be an illegal list, and the reasons for taking the squads. A word of warning the list I played is quite weak, the Alpha Legion were built back in a time when Aspiring Champions could take numerous performance enhancing Chaos attributes, Daemonic Mutation being my favourite (+1 attacks). As a result of the loss of the performance enhancing attributes, along with the inability of squads to take a heavy weapon unless they number ten or more (I always took three six man squads with a lascannon each in every game I fought with the Alpha Legion) the army fights quite poorly as I have not got around to updating the army for 4.0.

I originally wanted to take three Chosen squads in Chaos Rhinos to scout on from the sides and get at the expected Tactical Space Marines I thought would be sitting back and shooting at me. I was mulling over giving each a Banner of Khorne for the extra attacks however I decided against it for fluff reasons. Working out the cost of the squad to 270 points I instead decided on only two squads. Backing them up would be a five man squad of Possessed, these are painted as Ultramarines so it seemed to be fated that they should have a role. Apart from the two Chosen squads most of my remaining squads would be small, the equivalent of combat squads as I tend to play Alpha Legion as lots of small squads. Like the many heads of a hydra, the loss of one or more is not game losing as I cannot rely on any single squad to win me the game.

A ten man Havoc squad was split into two fives each with two missile launchers, oh the irony miss-ile launchers… Next choice was the all important scoring Troops, two ten man squads one with two flamers the other with two melta guns each split into five man squads with a special weapon. With most of my points spent I quickly chose a HQ: a simple choice in 3.1 days a Chaos Lieutenant with a Kai Gun and a power weapon if points allowed it, of course this being 4.0 I instead take a Chaos Lord with Mark of Tzeentch and a Daemon Weapon. The combination of AP3 ranged weapon and power weapon in close combat allows me to multi-task the expensive Lord, provided I can avoid rolling 1’s. Finally with around 100 points remaining so I thought, I decided to take three Chaos Terminators as they will be able to deep strike later in the game along with a single combi-plasma.

It is only after putting the list to print the next day (today) that I realise I have taken four Elite squads. With the points remaining I should have either taken five Raptors with Aspiring Power Weapon combo, or five with two melta guns, or six with a flamer. I had more points left over than I originally thought I could have bought another Chaos Rhino. The list below looks slightly different from what I have written as when I was getting the figures together I was a short a melta gun so I swapped in a plasma gun and dropped the combi-plasma from the Chaos Terminators.

Chaos Lord (Daemon Weapon, Mark of Tzeentch) 140 points

10 Chosen (2 Melta guns, Aspiring Champion, Powerfist) 235 points
Chaos Rhino 35 points

10 Chosen (2 Melta guns, Aspiring Champion, Powerfist) 235 points
Chaos Rhino 35 points

5 Possessed Chaos Space Marines 130 points

3 Chaos Terminators 90 points

5 Chaos Space Marines (Plasma gun) 90 points

5 Chaos Space Marines (Meltagun) 85 points

5 Chaos Space Marines (Flamer) 80 points

5 Chaos Space Marines (Flamer) 80 points

5 Chaos Havocs (2 Missile Launchers) 115 points

5 Chaos Havocs (2 Missile Launchers) 115 points

With what turned out to be 1465 points spent I readied myself for battle. Next part should hopefully be tomorrow…

Then and Now: Emperors Children Part 2

It is going to be an impossible task to try to recreate the Emperor’s Children Armylist from my previous blog using the 4.0 Chaos Codex.  With no free Aspiring Champions, cheap Power Weapons, low cost Blast Masters, even the Chaos Predators will be more expensive, I will be looking at a 2000 point list matching this army squad for squad.

I still want to play the army in the guise provided a foot based Sonic Blaster/ Blast Master force.  I will be avoiding Chaos Rhinos and taking a Chaos Sorcerer and Chaos Lord to replace the two Lieutenants.  So what I will do is lose the Lesser Daemons and prune everywhere else to shore up the pointage.  I will have the feel of the previous list without the effectiveness or point cost.

As is usual for me I start with heavies and work my way toward the HQ:

6 Chaos Havocs (3 Autocannons, Banner of Slaanesh) 170 points

Chaos Predator (Twin-link Lascannon, Sponson Lascannons) 155 points

Chaos Predator (Twin-link Lascannon, Sponson Lascannons, Daemonic Possession) 175 points

My firepower is reduced slightly as I will be missing the strength 8 shot single shots and having two at strength 7.  I will miss the opportunity of a strength 5 blast, but perhaps will hit more the multiple shots.  Perhaps the biggest regret is that the squad has to stand still to fire, but we take it on the chin, and make sure I place the squad in cover.  Noise Marines could have pumped out great anti-personal fire with the Sonic Blasters but instead the Autocannons will be useful against transports due to sheer number of shots, if the dice are kind to me…

6 Noise Marines (Blastmaster, 5 Sonic Blasters) 185 points

6 Noise Marines (Blastmaster, 5 Sonic Blasters) 185 points

Keeping the squads cheap and cheerful I will be missing the effectiveness of a power weapon/ fist Aspiring Champion but the squad will be mobile and small enough to hide behind terrain whilst sniping squads.

6 Noise Marines (6 Sonic Blasters, Aspiring Champion, Powerfist) 190 points

6 Noise Marines (6 Sonic Blasters, Aspiring Champion, Power Weapon) 180 points

Aping the previous list I have chosen a Powerfist squad and a power weapon squad again trying the keep the point down I have dropped the associated Blast Masters meaning I have spent around half my points on the four squads.  I could add Aspirings into the two other squads and take a small squad of Lesser Daemons if I drop one of my HQ units so I know I will have options in the future.

Having now spent 1240 points I have 260 points to purchase my two characters, a Chaos Sorcerer and Chaos Lord.  Mindful of the few points I have remaining:

Chaos Lord (Daemon Weapon, Mark of Slaanesh) 135 points

Chaos Sorcerer (Lash of Submission, Mark of Slaanesh) 125 points

Well not many points spent on either figure, but unless they smite an equivalent HQ type figure they will always struggle to get their points back.  Dropping the Chaos Lord I can fit the following as options into the list:

5 Lesser Daemons 65 points

Aspiring Champion (Power Weapon) 30 points
Aspiring Champion (Powerfist) 40 points

I can always just take two Aspirings with power weapons if I drop the Sorcerer.

Then and Now: Emperors Children Part 1

One of the two armylists that I want to breakdown and convert is the Showcase Emperor’s Children army from White Dwarf issue 391.  This won Best Painted Army in the GW Dutch Grand Tournament; whilst commendable I am more interested in how it performs on the battlefield as I have lack the requisite ability or time to make mine look as pretty.

Designed to fight in 4th edition against a more limited transport metagame than 5th and to take advantage of the reduced close combat effectiveness from the previous 3rd edition there is plenty of firepower and some limited close combat efficacy.  Basic squads with Sonic Blasters and Blastmaster throwing out 15 strength 4 shots and a strength 8 template can whittle down hordes and sheer numbers of dice will wilt even 3+ armies, or so it is hoped.

Only having the six pages of photos to look at, I can only guestimate what his 1.5k actually looks like in an armylist format but hopefully I should be able to figure out from the pictures and comments I have available.  Time to dig out my 3.5 edition Chaos Codex…

6 Chaos Space Marines (Blastmaster, Mark of Slaanesh , 5 Sonic Blasters, Aspiring Champion, Power Weapon) 159 points

6 Chaos Space Marines (Blastmaster, Mark of Slaanesh , 5 Sonic Blasters, Aspiring Champion, Power Weapon) 159 points

Two squads with free Aspirings, cheap power weapons and bargain Blastmaster, they can advance or fallback whilst still maintaining great firepower and if they get jumped in close combat they should fell one or two 3+ save enemies, or two or three on the charge.  If GW packaged these without the need to purchase bits from the online shop I am sure we would see more of them on the battlefield.

6 Chaos Space Marines (Blastmaster, Mark of Slaanesh, 5 Sonic Blasters, Aspiring Champion, Powerfist) 164 points

6 Chaos Space Marines (Blastmaster, Mark of Slaanesh, 5 Sonic Blasters, Aspiring Champion, Powerfist) 164 points

Two squads with Powerfists are backing up the Power Weapon squads.  The last thing you need is for a squad to be caught fighting a Dreadnought or T6 beastie in close combat.  I always find the threat of a powerfist will keep the Dreadnoughts at bay, and against the T6 beasties well at least you can introduce it to Mr Pain ™ before the models cumple.

6 Daemonettes 90 points

My favourite unit in the previous Codex is a squad of Daemonettes; the all important deep striking, rending, death machines.  Able to deep strike,  move and assault they can take care of any vehicle that has not moved or with a decent charge angle kill four 3+ enemies on the charge and not lose any models in return as the enemy did not pile in before the dice are rolled.

Moving on to the three Heavy choices as once they are pointed I can see what is left to purchase the two Chaos Lieutenants.  We have a six-man Havoc squad and two Chaos Predators:

6 Chaos Havocs (3 Blastmasters, Mark of Slaanesh, 3 Sonic Blasters, Aspiring Champion, Power Weapon) 199 points

Chaos Predator (Twin-link Lascannon, Sponson Lascannons) 145 points

Chaos Predator (Twin-link Lascannon, Sponson Lascannons, Daemonic Possession) 165 points

Having now spent 1245 points I have 255 points to purchase my two Chaos Lieutenants.  I have limited information on both Lieutenants but having listed their equipment and options I still had a few points remaining.  Back in the day a Mark of Slaanesh gave you +1 attack as opposed to an increased initiative so I gave both LT’s Daemonic Mutation for an extra attack.  Daemonic Strength to the LT without the Dark Blade and with my final points a Melta Bombs for each LT.

Chaos Lieutenant (Bolt Pistol, Chaos Hound, Daemonic Mutation, Daemonic Speed, Dark Blade, Mark of Slaanesh, Melta Bombs) 128 points

Chaos Lieutenant (Close Combat Weapon, Combat Drugs, Daemonic Mutation, Daemonic Strength, Mark of Slaanesh, Melta Bombs, Power Weapon) 126 points

Doomrider

Back in third edition a special character for Slaanesh was created called Doomrider.  He is not listed as being an Emperor’s Child, only that he was elevated to daemonhood by Slaanesh.  A quick run through of his stats, wargear and special rules follows, hoping that I have not treaded on Games Workshops toes, or broken any copyrights…

WS    BS    S    T    W    I    A    Ld    Sv
 6        5      5    5     3     5    4    10    4+

Wargear: Chaos Space Marine Bike with twin-linked meltagun, plasma gun, bolt pistol, power weapon.

Special Rules:
Wheels of Fire: Moves as if it had a jump pack.
Invulnerable: Save treated as invulnerable.
Summoned: Arrives on table as reserves like Daemons.
He comes, He goes: On a roll of 1 he disappears from the battle.

Points: 150


Trying to convert above character to 5th edition is a near impossible task, using the 3.1 Chaos Codex I could come close to getting a similar character but with the limited options in 4.0 Chaos Codex I am struggling.  My version of Doomrider will simply be a Chaos Lord on a bike with a plasma pistol.  I could also add a combi-weapon but I feel the option of three ranged weapons a little too much, especially as it does not have Eternal Warrior or a natural Toughness of 5. 

In regards to the special rules, the Chaos Space Marine Bike has turbo-boost that could be considered to have superior movement to a jump pack.  As Doomrider is an Independent Character he has the Skilled Rider skill which should help moving through rather than over terrain.  I am still curious as to why the model is listed as only having a 4+ save when it is clearly in power armour, I will rely on my 3+/ 5++ save or I can turbo-boost for a 3++ save.  So with two ticks in my favour I will lose out on being summoned to the table, I cannot give the model Scout that would have been similar so I lose out on this uniqueness.  However I also lose out on the leaving the table halfway through the battle so I suppose it evens up.


WS    BS    S    T       W    I    A    Ld    Sv
 6        5      4    4 (5)   3    5    4    10     3+ / 5++

Wargear: Chaos Space Marine Bike, Plasma Pistol, Daemon Weapon, Personal Icon.

Points: 180

I can always run a cheaper less effective Doomrider by substituting the Daemon Weapon for a Power Weapon and dropping the Plasma Pistol, cutting down the pointage to 140 points.

Don't fail me again, Admiral.

So I was rummaging through my boxes of plenty in the loft looking for this and that and came across a Tupperware box full of Emperor’s Children Chaos Space Marines. When I say full of Emperor’s Children Chaos Space Marines what I in fact mean is numerous sprayed black or unpainted Chaos Space Marines that I decided several years ago to put to one side to create a force of Emperor’s Children that I since forgot about when I moved house a couple of years ago. Also in the box of arm-less, backpack-less, weapon-less figures are numerous second edition figures armed with Sonic Blasters or Blast Masters, which was back in the day when the Blast Master had a smaller barrel than a Sonic Blaster. I also dug out two of the very first edition Noise Marines armed with electric guitars – from their paint scheme I can only presume that I acquired these bad boys from E-bay in some distant past.

I have decided to build an Emperor’s Children/ Noise Marine force because I have never faced one in battle previously which means none of my gaming group have one either or have faced them and I see them as a challenge to play in 5th edition, 25 point models (with Sonic Blaster) that die as easily as their 15 point counterpart. Also did I mention that I have already sprayed a number of them black? Their colour scheme of pink and black brings back memories of the best there was, the best there is, the best there ever will be – Bret “the hitman” Hart, oh and will be simple to paint/ highlight and still look effective on the table.

The current Chaos Codex makes reference to the fact that not all Emperor’s Children Chaos Space Marines are Noise Marines, and also that not all Noise Marines are Emperor’s Children. With talk of a possible game of Apocalypse later in the year, the first in nearly two years for me I have decided that I want to play the Legion of Excess if this game goes ahead. I have plans for generating Noise Marine armies based on armies listed in White Dwarf from over six years ago. I will be converting them from the Chaos Codex version 3.1 to the newer 4th edition list and then seeing how they manage in the 5th edition environment, whilst I am not hopeful that they will be competitive I will be making necessary changes to rectify this.

With no Legion rules in the latest Codex, Emperor’s Children are handicapped by not being able to swap out Blastmasters for Autocannons (I am avoiding the pain of mentioning the 40 point upgrade in Noise Marine squads, no pain no gain), Bolters and Combi-bolters for Sonic Blasters (although they are more reasonably priced in Noise Marine squads) and Rending. Rending hurts the most as it is a tool that can be used to iron out any other weaknesses in the army but being unable to take Daemonettes or upgrade Possessed Chaos Marines with Daemonic Talons hits the army hardest in my opinion.

I will have to re-read all the fluff I have in the various codices from Slaves to Darkness onwards, to try to gain an insight into what makes them what they are and to see if I can create a list that is both competitive and accurate. I seem to remember in the Chapter Approved rules something about them not having many resources and limiting the army to one Dreadnought, Predator and Land Raider…