I've left this far too long, and now I've realised my memmory is getting a it hazey, but all the same here is my report from Novembers Throne of Skulls as best I can recal!
Game 1 - Dan Whitten's Blood Angels - Dawn of War, the Emperor's Will
The first game saw me up against Dan's Blood Angels, his list included Mephiston, a Sanguinary Priest, three units of Assualt Marines, a Stormraven, a Vindicator and a Predator. We depoyed facing off against each other, but Dan stole the iniative and throwing caution to the wind he moved straight ahead into the open ground to closes the distance as quickly as possible, trusting in his armour and night fight to keep him safe. I opened up with everything I had, wiping out one squad, and forcing a morale check on another which had been weaken resolved. However, he passed his morale check on a 5, and descended on my lines with carnage in mind. His full strength squad worked its way through the troops on my flank - I had ignored them to focus on the other two, while Mephiston and the remains of the damaged squad went through my center. I was able to deal with the Stormraven, and Vindicator in reasonably short order, and after a couple of turns Mephiston finally bit the dust, but the intact squad and the soul survivor of the second unit kept chewing away, while the Predator dealt with my armour. By the end of the game I had lost everything, but the Blood Angels were left wth just three assault marines and the predator and held one objective. A loss, but one which was actualy very close with several critical moments which could have seen it swung either way making it a fantastic way to start the tournament.
Result - Loss
Game 2 - Tim Bland's Dark Eldar - Hammer & Anvil, Mission... can't remember
Tim is one of my regular opponents from Exeter, and I went into the game having won our past couple so Tim was really itching to put a change to that. His list included 5 venoms, four with Wyches, one with Blaster toting true born. A Ravager, a big unit of Reavers, a unit of Wracks and two Razorwings rounded out the force. My first round of shooting was fairly effective, while my casulaties were light, however with all of Tim's reserves arriving I was ut onto the back foot. The mid game went entirely Tim's way, as I seemed entirely unable to touch his transports while his missiles and slinter cannons decimated my infantry. However, the sheer number of units I had on the board paid off, as one further good round of shooting saw almost all the Venoms destroyed, leaving the occupants as easy pickings out of assault range, but very much in range of my remaining guns. I think in the end all Tim had left was the Wracks defending one objective.
Result - Win
Game 3 - Mike's Tau / Necrons - Vanguard Strike, Mission... can't remember
The final game of the day was against Mike's Tau with its substancial allied force of Necrons. Mike made no qualms, he had his eye on best Tau player hence his list which included a Crisis Commander to man a Aegis line Quad Gun, two small units of Fire Warriors, a pair of Hammerheads, backed up by a Necron Destroyer Lord leading a unit of Wraiths, two small units of Immortals mounted in Night Scythes. I really can't remember the mission on this one, mainly because shortly after turn two it simplpy became a battle for survival! Right from the start my shooting went wide, aided by night fight. Though I brought down the Wraiths, his vehicles proved immune to anything I could chuck at them - which very quickly was very little. Tabled again!
Result - Loss
Game 4 - Paul L Imperial Guard - Hammer & Anvil, The Scouring
The first game of day two was set to be my favourite of the weekend. Paul's force included a Command HQ with Straken in Chimera, Marbo, three Veteran Squads in Chimera's, and a further one on foot as well as an Executioner, Medusa, Hydra and Vendetta. Paul ended up with first turn, but his initial salvo's of fire did'nt have too much effect, my own return fire was'nt particularly effective, but slowly a trail of wrecked and immobilised Chimeras were left across the center of the board. However, I was losing untis very quickly too, and things looked particularly bad as Marbo appeared above my Command Squad and Straken and his squads made it to assault with my weakened lines. Marbo fluffed it thankfully with a wild scatter on his demo charge, he survived my return fire only to be brought down by overwatch fire when he assaulted. Straken meanwhile his squad cut down made it into combat with my own Senior Officer, the two engaged in a challenge and killed each other in single combat! Another vital conflict went on in the center of the board where a lone squad of Praetorians held on against two units of Veterans contesting an objective, while with Straken gone I was able to secure three more out right securing me the win. It was another game where things were in the balance through almost the entire game and all the better for it!
Result - Win
Game 5 - Sid Sidhu's Space Wolves - The Relic, Dawn of War
The final game was against Sid's Space Wolves which included a Wolf Lord on Thunderwolf, Wolf Priest on Bike, 3 units of Long Fangs with Missile Launchers, 3 units Grey Hunters in Drop Pods and a big unit of Fenrisian Wolves. Settled on not being able to get to the Relic first I decided to trust in my guns (which had been somewhat hit and miss!). Quickly it became apparent it would be more of the missing then the hitting once more! The Long Fangs set about pounding my lines, as did the Gry Hunters with close range bolter fire, while the Wolf Lord with the Wolves and Priest captured the objective, I came off so badly in the first exchange it could easily of been game over at that point, as Sid had the objective and could easily have taken it out of reach - instead he brought it to me and got stuck even more, making a game of it and actually giving me a chance, albeit an outside one. I dont think I ended up killing anything except the wolves in the end - and once against was tabled... hmmm I'm making a habbit of that!
Result - Loss
Another fanastic trip to Nottingham, and despite only pulling two wins I still managed to place 3rd amongst the Imperial Guard players - roll on January and the next one... when I might try and take more pictures and get those reports done sooner while I can still remember more of what happend!
