Battle Report: Bond of Brothers

Introduction

So my roommate has decided to get into 40k and he bought a Battleforce and some other stuff last week for Space Marines. After a lot of discussion he decided upon Salamanders and to help him out I built his models and designed a list for him and finally this afternoon we went down to the local hobby shop called 'Game Vault' to play a game. I had origionally planned to run a demo game, but some gamers I had met last year wanted to get a game in so we decided to run this as a trial by fire of sorts and jumped straight into a 2000pt, 2 v. 2 game. The lists were as follows:

Team 1 Black Templars and 13th Company

Black Templars

HQ:

Emperor's Champion

Elites:

Sword Brethren (10)

Venerable Dreadnaught, Assault Cannon, Storm Bolter

Terminator Squad (6), Assault Cannons x2

Troops:

Crusader Squad (10), Power Fist, bolters, melta gun

Crusader Squad (5), Power Fist, melta gun

Crusader Squad ( 8 ), Plasma Cannon

Space Wolves 13th Company

HQ:

Wolf Lord, 4+ inv. Save thingy, power weapon of some kind, lots of nasty upgrades, very pricey... I don't know exactly what.

Wolf Priest... with herbs and balms and some other kit

Elites:

Wulfen (10)

Storm Claw Pack (9), Power Fist, Power Weapon

Troops:

Grey Slayers Pack (10), Power Fist, Melta Guns x2

Grey Slayers Pack (10), Power Fist, Melta Guns x2

Grey Slayers Pack (10), Power Fist, Melta Guns x2

Team 2 Raven Guard and Salamanders

Raven Guard 3rd Company

HQ:

Captain Balthier Vincati- Master, Master Crafted Lightning Claws, Artificer Armor, Termi Honors, Frags, Iron Halo, Jump Pack

Elites:

Veteran Assault Squad Bailien (5)- Termi Honors, Lightning Claws, Furious Charge, Plasma Pistols x2, Melta Bombs, Combat Shield

Veteran Assault Squad Farian (5)- Termi Honors, Lightning Claws, Furious Charge, Plasma Pistols x2, Melta Bombs, Combat Shield

Troops:

Tactical Squad Ordo (6)- Termi Honors, Power Weapon, Plasma Gun, Lascannon

Tactical Squad Daniard (6)- Termi Honors, Power Weapon, Plasma Gun, Lascannon

Fast Attack:

Assault Squad Reece (5)- Termi Honors, Power Fist, Combat Shield

Salamanders 2nd Company

HQ:

Salamanders Captain- Master, Power Weapon, Termi Honors, Iron Halo, Plasma Pistol, Artificer Armor, Frags

Troops:

Tactical Squad A ( 8 )- Multi Melta, Plasma Gun, Termi Honors, Power Weapon

Tactical Squad B (5)- Melta Guns x2, Termi Honors, Power Fist, Frags

Tactical Squad C (5)- Flamer

Tactical Squad D (5)- Missile Launcher

Fast Attack:

Assault Squad (5)- Termi Honors, Power Fist, Flamers x2

Heavy Support:

Devastator Squad ( 8 )- Missile Launchers x2, Heavy Bolters x2

So roughly 2000pts per side, I think Team 2 was slightly under, 13 or so points, maybe a little more or less and Team 1 was probably a little over, but whatever, nothing I couldn't handle, the trouble was teaching my roommate at the same time. But lets see what happened.

Deployment:

Team 2's deployment zone was devoid of terrain save for two buildings about 9 inches apart, a bunker on the left and ruined tower on the right. Both Raven Guard Tactical Squads and Sallies Tac D went into the bunker, the Devs went onto the ruined tower with Tac A infront of them, Tac C went infront of the bunker and Tac B in between with the Sallies Assault Squad and Assault Squad Reece. Squad Bailien and Captain Vincati went behind the bunker, squad Farian behind the tower and the Sallies Captain attatched to squad B.

Team 1 had lots of hills and things to hide behind and did so. One of the large crusader squads went on either side of a large hill in the center of the board, with a squad of Grey Slayers behind each and the 3rd Grey Slayers pack went in between. The Dread hid behind a ruined line of columbs slightly towards the right flank and the Wulfen and Storm Claws went on the right flank, the Sword Brethren went on the left flank and the Plasma Cannon squad went next to the ruined columbs with sight on the Devastators.

Captain Hannibal stared across the battlefield at the monsters arrayed against him. Traitor marines all, blinded by their narrow faith, their pointless zeal and fighting alongside creatures in the armor of the honorable Space Wolves. Who these mysterious marines were he had no idea, but they would meet the Emperor's Justice for their heresy.

Hannibal looked to his left, leaning comfortably against the cracked wall of the bunker, Captain Balthier Vincat looked rather bored, the claws of his mighty Lightning Claws sheathed. Around the captain stood a squad of hardened Veterans, calm and stoic, similarly at ease. Hannibal always felt tense before a battle, the flames of Nocturne burning within him, it was unnatural to see Astartes so calm before a fight, totally unconcerned. He knew the reputation of the Raven Guard, he supposed that their prolonged infiltration operations probably made them immune to the simple anxiety of pre-battle waiting, spending every second behind enemy lines in fear of sudden and unknown death. In many ways he was awed, but he would not let the Salamanders down. The Salamanders chapter had a long and honored history with the Raven Guard and Hannibal would not show weakness at this critical juncture. The battle would begin soon and the Salamanders would do their part, for Vulkan and the Emperor!

Let the Game Begin!!!

Turn 1

Team 2
-My roommate and I won the roll for first Turn and used it as wisely as we could. The 13th Company all ran 6" forward with their scout move. To the combined guns of the Salamanders and Raven Guard three Wulfen bit the dust as did six Sword Brethren and five Grey Slayers and not a single squad moved. The sword brethren berserked only 1 inch forward. Needless to say the Black Templars were not happy but I was by no means going to draw them closer, faster.

Team 1
-Everything but the Plasma Cannon squad ran forward, nothing had shots but the cannon which missed. Wulfen fleeted 6 Inches.

Turn 2

Team 2
-Tac squads B and C and the Sallies Assault Squad and Squad Reece all moved forward and squad Farian leaped out to attack the Wulfen. Shooting saw the Sword Brethren dropped to one marine. The Wulfen drop to 3 strong plus the Wolf Priest and multiple Grey Slayers fell to flamers and gunfire. Squad Reece dropped all 3 Wulfen with Plasma Pistols and charged the Wolf Priest. Assault Saw the Wolf Priest go down to squad Reece and take two of them with him. Though I must say the expression on the 13th Company players face when squad Reece lept out was hilarious as he had just been talking smack about how nasty the Wulfen were and how they were going to tear up the Salamanders. The Grey Slayers accompanying the Wolf Lord were wiped out in assault by Squad Reece to two cassualties in return.

Team 1
-Whispering in quiet tones about their tactics as my roommate and I simply stared in boredom Team 1 finally decided to act. Sword Brethren ran forward with the Grey Slayers behind them and charged Squad C. Everything moved forward again as before except the Plasma Cannon. This time the cannon hit well and killed 4 of the Devastators but they passed their morale. Squad Reece went down to the Wolf Lord and the Salamanders Assault Squad by Assault Cannon fire from the Black Templars, Tac Squad B suffered two cassualties in shooting and was Charged by the Wolf Lord and the three surviving Grey Slayers of the middle squad. Assault Saw two more of Squad B go down to the Wolf Lord leaving just one poor marine. Squad C suffered a charge but managed to take down the last sword brethren marine before being wiped out.

Turn 3

Team 2
-So this battle is escalating fast, but my roommate quickly picked up on the battle plan and unlike our opponents we did not spend a ton of time conversing about tactics... none actually. Instead we just acted. Squad Farian came to Captain Hannibal's rescue and Squad Bailien with Captain Vincati leapt out to deal with the out of order puppies. Shooting saw the Dread have it's gun blown off and stunned and the BT squad with the Plasma Cannon suffer four cassualties. In assault the Wulfen on the left were utterly annihilated by Captain Vincati and squad Bailien. Squad Reece took two wounds off the Wolf Lord losing two marines and Captain Hannibal inflicted a further four wounds, easily cutting down the vaunted Wolf Lord. With the death of all but three of his models the 13th Company player wandered away from the table, leaving the game to the BT player. The last of squad B finally fell and everyone consolidated apart. Gunfire from the Raven Guard took down four of the forward BT Crusader Squad.

Team 1
-Ran forward, shot a lot, absolutely no cassualties inflicted, particularly Captain Hannibal who suffered a wound to an assault cannon but took the fire from two AC and two squads of bolter fire with no additional wounds. BT player slumped his head to the table and threw in the towel. Game over.

End Results

Black Templar Cassualties
-9 Initiates
-10 Sword Brethren
-Damaged Venerable Dreadnaught

13th Company Cassualties
-27 Grey Slayers
-10 Storm Claws
-Wolf Lord
-Rune Priest
-10 Wulfen

Salamanders Cassualties
-14 Marines
-5 Assault Marines
-Wounded Captain Hannibal

Raven Guard Cassualties
-9 Assault Marines

Total Victory Points

Team 1 ~ 670
Team 2 ~ 1270
Margin ~ 600

Result- Solid Victory for the Raven Guard and Salamanders!

Captain Hannibal leaned on his Power Maul, his left hand pressed against the slash in his side where assault cannon fire from the traitors had nearly torn him in two. Regaining his breath Hannibal looked across the field, Captain Vincati kicked over the corpse of a Space Wolf and slashed it's head off, killing the wounded marine. In the field over twenty Black Templars marines were on their knees, stripped of their armor and in chains, held under the gun point of thirty marines from the Raven Guard and Salamanders. Captain Vincati saw the direction his counterpart's gaze and strode over to meet him.

"Well done Captain, we have won a great victory here today," Captain Vincati announced, sweeping one hand to indicate the battlefield and the traitor corpses being piled for burning.

"Yes, but still it seems such a waste, for loyal servants of the Imperium to face each other in battle, when there are so many other foes deserving death," Captain Hannibal replied standing straighter despite the pain.

"True enough, it is a lamentable duty but one that nevertheless must be done. Still we can rest easy knowing the Imperium is made safer by our actions," Vincati said, his gaze meating Hannibal's. "I will report the courage of you and your men Captain, your names will go down in the annals of the Raven Guard, you have proven the quality of the Salamanders yet again, it was an honor to fight by your side."

"The honor is mine Captain Vincati," Hannibal replied. "May the Emperor Guide you."

"And you," Vincati responded, turning smartly and striding back to the waiting Thunderhawk Gunships. Yes the battle had been won, the honor of Vulkan had been upheld and it was time to heal.

Vash113 End Game Thoughts
-Our opponents proved an all out rush was foolish, careful fire discipline and a strong defence strategy coupled with a powerful counter charge and lure elements drew in and then beheaded our foes, breaking the 13th Company and then leaving the Black Templars before the unyeilding guns of our forces. Text book tactics, it's lamentable that so many of the first wave of counter charge and lure forces fell but it worked and drew the enemy in nice and quick to be finished off efficiently. For such a brutal game it was over quick. It could have gone better, but not by much and my roommate learned quite a bit, a good start, a very good start.