I've just done my 6th batrep for the IF, I'm utterly sick of the sight of yellow marines, need a break so in a few weeks time I'll get some EC games in

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Just some guy

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Played another game with the EC on Saturday against Atcho's Necrons. EC victory 2-0. Jimthewookie recorded the game and will hopefully have a report up soonish.

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Emperors Children Log

Battle Reports Thread

Had a game against fellow Adeptus Ineptus drone Karl this past sunday. I wanted to test out the hell scourge knights with a garrison/mobile retinue combo and terminators with hell talons. Karl brought his orks. Turned out to be a good game, despite a lot of failed activations. Here's what I took (from memory):

Retinue, 2 dreads, stalker, replace 4 CSM with 2 havocs and two noise marines (BTS)
Retinue, 2 dreads, stalker, replace 2 CSM with noise marines
Retinue, warlord, stalker, rhinos
Retinue, stalker, rhinos, pact
knight pack, 4 scourges
hell talon
hell talon
chosen, rhinos, pact
chosen, rhinos, pact
Terminators x5, pact
Daemon pool +3 lessors (7 total)

Opposing force was:
Warlord BreadStickSmasha's Horde, 2995 POINTS
Ghazgkhull Thraka's War Horde (NetEA Tournament Pack 2013)
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LANDA [200]
FIGHTA SKWADRON [300]
6 Fighta Bomba
FIGHTA SKWADRON [150]
3 Fighta Bomba
WARBAND (BIG) [375]
4 Nobz, 12 Boyz, 4 Grotz, Warlord, Boyz + Grotz
WARBAND [250]
2 Nobz, 6 Boyz, 2 Grotz, 2 Killa Kan
MEKBOY STOMPAMOB [435]
3 Stompa, Flakwagon, 5 Dreadnought
MEKBOY STOMPAMOB [400]
3 Stompa, Flakwagon, 4 Dreadnought
MEKBOY GUNZMOB (BIG) [360]
10 Big Gunz, 2 Oddboy, Nobz
KULT OF SPEED [375]
8 Warbike, 4 Deth Kopta, Flakwagon
STORMBOYZ WARHORDE [150]
6 Stormboyz

As mentioned above, there was some failed activations that were quite troublesome for the EC, not least of which was the knights failing to move up on turn 1. They subsequently did light damage to an infantry mob, and then really laid the hurt on the BTS stompas. Even though they're AP specialists, their lack of fire arc enabled them to sustain and break the stompas. The termies were pretty well toast when I lost strategy, but at least they distracted the big gunz MW attack from my main line. The formations of fighta bombas were able to power through the stalker AA pretty easily.

In the end it was an EC victory 2-0 (BTS and DTF) in turn 4. Overall, Karl didn't have many issues with the list, but the knights seemed kind of cheap for their characteristics. Disrupt shot spam could also be an issue, but that was a theoretical concern since we didn't see a lot of it this game. The hell scourges probably need a price bump, as 4 can pump out a lot of shots. It's also possible to be very effective without this FM being the BTS.

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Let us playtest like the Greeks of old... You know the ones I mean

Emperors Children vs. Imperial Fist
Took the EC out for a spin last Thursday at Fall In in Lancaster, PA my opponent was Matt L (m_folais).
I tried to think to the EC theme and try out a infantry heavy list.
My list was
CSM Retinue (6), Icon Bearer, 3 Rhinos, Chaos Warlord, Stalker
CSM Retinue (6), Icon Bearer, 3 Rhinos, Stalker
CSM Retinue (2), Icon Bearer, Demonic Pact, 4 Havocs
CSM Retinue (6), Icon Bearer, Demonic Pact
Chosen (4)
EC Terminators (6), Icon Bearer
Noise Marines (6), Icon Bearer, 3 Rhinos
Knight Pack 4 Hell Scourge
Hell Talons (2)
Hell Talons (2)
6 in the lesser demon pool (plus two from the demonic pact).

The Imperial Fist was(from memory):
2 Fellblads
5 Land Speeders
5 Land speeders
6 Vindicators
5 Predators
5 Predators
4 Whirlwinds
Devastator unit with land raiders and another vehicle
Tactical marines, Rhino
Scouts

I garrisoned the two CSM with Demonic Pact and the Chosen Unit. The other marines were in rhinos in the deployment zone with the Knight pack between two CSM in rhinos. The termies would teleport.
I wanted to be aggressive with the CSM and put them on overwatch in a building and a chemical plant. The Imperial fist set up some scouts within shooting distance of my garrisoned CSM.

The IF moved the vindicators forward and placed lots of blast markers on my overwatch CSM unit on the right flank. The whirlwinds then added more indirect fire on them. They didn’t break but had plenty of blast markers. I sent my Flyers in to take out some land speeders on my left flank but proved futile. I was cautious on the first turn moved carefully to get the CSM closer for assaults and to fire. I attempted to move my knights forward to take out some scouts in in cover but they faired poorly, this left in range of the fellblades and they got blasted loosing one knight, damaging another, not broken yet, they took more fire and lost another knight and were broken. I bought some CSM in rhinos on the right flank forward and fired at the vindicators taking two. The center CSM in rhinos pushed forward near the garrisoned marinies. The Noise marines wanted to go the left flank and secure a building but failed the initiative test and then the reroll also. IF land speeders on my left flank advanced in the open, they were pretty safe for the turn as my units were out of range and didn’t want to get left in the open.

Turn 2 the CSM won the initiative and send the flyers in to take out more land speeders, killed a few more but they did not break. The IF sent a predator and land speeder to support and assault on my garrisoned cSM in the center. The predators lost and were wiped out placing blast markers on the land speeders. I followed up with my CSM in rhinos to assault the land speeders in the center and wiped them out. On the left flank the Noise Marines advanced forward to some buildings and placed place markers on one fell blade. The IF tactical marines on my left moved forward near and took cover in the bunker. My second Hell talon unit took flight and took out some devastor vehicles. The devastor took off and got in range of my CSM on my right flank and fired away. Placing some a place marker on my CSM unit. I then assaulted the devastors with my CSM with demonic pact and summoned demons also. I was up in combat and won the IF broke and retreated, I followed that up with the knights taking them out at long range. The IF player was running out of activations he fired some vindicators but they managed to break one of my CSM units.

Turn 3 saw the termines teleport in and take out the whirlwinds the fell blade was close by and I did not intermingle. I wiped out the whirlwinds in Close combat and the fell blade could not retaliate and was with one blast marker. I retained and assaulted the vindicators with the CSM with demonic pact which summoed some demons(steeds of slaanesh) wiping them out in combat. The right flank was pretty secure as was the center. The flyers came in and placed some blast markers on far left marines and a fell blade.

At this point we called the game. It was 1-0 (bts) CSM wone but if it went another turn it would have been 3-0 as the IF would not be able to deny objectives and probably would not be able to do much in return.

Analysis:
I think the summoning of demons in the assault worked out great as they had first strike which helped in combat and for more units fighting. The Knights did not do much could be the way I was playing them not sure. The small units of CSM marines are tough and with rhinos increases the formation size and allows them to move quickly to take positions. The noise marines really did make much noise but they fit the them. Maybe if they were garrisoned they would have performed better.

The army was definitely designed for close assault as most long range was hitting on 5/6. I definitely wanted some fast units like bikes or heavy hitters like land raiders and predators. However the hell talons ruled the sky as they faced no AA and no other IF aircraft. Against non marines units they would have performed better with their barrage. I do like the aggressive style you can play and summoning will be a staple in my list. I will look into the thunderhawk and dreadclaw deploy next time.

Thanks Kal

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Thanks for the report, Kal. Much appreciated. I'm glad the list lends itself to aggressive play, as that was the intent. I look forward to your take on an air assault build.

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Let us playtest like the Greeks of old... You know the ones I mean

Emperors Children vs Steel Legion

I took the EC out for a spin last week against Shawns Steel Legion. I went for a drop army supplemented with thunderhawks. In keeping with the number 6 for slannesh most units were multiples of six.

CSM Retinue (6), Icon Bearer, Chaos Warlord
CSM Retinue (6), Stalker
CSM Retinue (2), Icon Bearer, Demonic Pact, Dreadclaws
CSM Retinue (6), Icon Bearer, Demonic Pact, Dreadclaws
CSM Retinue (6), Icon Bearer
EC Terminators (6),
Noise Marines (6), Icon Bearer
Chaos Thunderhawk
Chaos Thunderhawk
Hell Talons (2)
Devastation Class Cruiser
4 in the lesser demon pool (plus two from the demonic pact).

Steel Legion

Leman Russ Co
Chimera Co with vindicators and a 10 imperial guard stands
2 Baneblades, 1 Shadowsword
6 Rough Riders
4 Sentinels
1 Reaver titan

I Garrisoned the CSM with warlord and plotted the MW from the Cruiser and the dreadclaws for turn one. I only had few units on board since two were coming via drop and two via Thunderhawk and one 1 via teleport. I had a great plan to take out the titan in turn one then assault the leman russ.

I was able to take down the void shields on the titan with the MW barrage from the cruiser on turn 1 and dropped a CSM unit near the titan hoping to engage in CC. I tried to retain the initiative and failed, I rerolled with the SC on the board and failed again. This left the CSM to the mercy of the titan, they were promptly wiped out. The other dreadclaw ended near the leman russ company and they chaged they got chewed up and were wiped out. Still on turn 1 I bought in some marines on the thunderhawk and they attacked the Shadowsword and Baneblade were wiped out. The other Thunderhawk came in and tried to FF the Leman russ with the Noise Marines, lost combat but fearless kept them in the game and they retreated.

So after turned 1 ended I really had nothing left to deal with the tanks and reinforced armour. I pressed on and summoned the Terminators on turn 2 to salvage something. The charged the leman russ company and did not win caused some casualties but rolled bad for their attacks, they lost and retreated. I struggled to take anything down and we called it after turn 2, as I would be unable to salvage anything.

I learned the theme of the army while nice had nothing to deal with 4+ reinforced armour. Also the CSM where small in size definitely bump them up a little or get rhinos to increase formation. Also the thunderhawk should be full complemented with 8 stands.

I think the drop army can work but less CSM formations but bigger ones with more variety. I need the Armoured company and the knightss to deal with heavy armoured tanks

Lesson learned until next time. The emperors children have not joined the Black legion yet.

kal

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https://oxfordwargaming.blogspot.com/

Thanks for the report Kal. Sounds like a battle I fought, given your luck. I might have used the termies on the super heavies and avoided the reaver altogether, but that's personal choice. In fact, given the opposing lists in comparison, I probably would have danced around those resilient formations and played a strictly objective grabbing game, if possible.

I'd say yes, t-Hawks should be full (haven't tried bikes yet. I'm interested to see how they'd work), and one needs predators, land raiders, and/or perhaps a formation of Knights to deal with 4+ RA. It'll never be easy however, and that's not a bad thing.

The list is due for a minor revision; I think the tanks might need a price bump because the blastmasters are definitely an upgrade over the BL heavy bolters.

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Let us playtest like the Greeks of old... You know the ones I mean

The EC, like all chaos and marine armies deal with 4+ reinforced armour by prepping the unit then engaging with terminators and units in support, or summoning a raft of daemons and btb-ing and outnumbering them.... the most effective way to kill leman russes and their ilk is via hackdowns where their armour is useless

I see this view a lot that you need AT shooting to deal with stuff like leman russes, and I'm not so sure..... as a guard player myself if people want to pump precious AT shots into my 4+ RA, then mission accomplished.... they'll most likely do very little unless they catch me in a crossfire

By this rationale, tyranids and orks which tend to be very light on AT shooting (or at least wildly inaccurate in the case of the orks) would struggle, yet when I've taken russes against those armies, they almost always end up swarmed by hormagaunts and ork boyz and get hacked down.... the key is using thawks/landas/infiltrators to facilitate BTBing every tank in the formation which massively reduces their ability to fight back, their token 1-2 hits either end up on strong terminator armour or expendable grotz/nids, then you kill a couple and hack another few down....

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I'm playing my first game with EC against orks tonight,only problem is,I have no knights or fliers,except a thunderhawk,any help?

Use a proxy model or counter then if you want to field them and don't have an appropriate model painted, yet. A 40k space marine, for instance, works great as a counts-as knight

edit: to further explain, I don't even like to play test with my painted armies often as I'm stress building lists. I actually lay out a sheet of art paper and we would knock out the terrain with some markers in 5 minutes and use cut out proxy counters (I mean, after all, how many people have 4 formations of Hornets painted up! ). So in essence, don't get too caught up on the models. They're functionally no different than cardboard counters, just prettier.

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Yeah but you're some type of high powered mutant

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-I HAVE NO POINT
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-Help me make Whitescars not suck!

So what would be the ideal Knight formation? I am trying to get my head around a play style for Emps Children. They seem very different to the other two armies I have been using recently and also seem very different to the Black Legion that I am currently building.
I like the Subjugators and I am thinking of having a pair in my force (they are so quick and seem quite tasty in combat).

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beware of the subjugators, as they are war engines, they have to allocate their attacks in BTB or FF so you don't get the same 'flying power fist' effect that you do with terminators and the like, they are pretty situational (I once saw a pair of them do a combined engage on a warlord titan and chop it up in a single turn) but they do have a pair of useful battlecannons for sniping and dropping a BM at range.... personally I prefer the questor

on the knights, I've not tested the hell knights or striders, but a unit of 4-6 hell scourges is brutal against anything with a decent amount of infantry

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Army Forge List Co-ordinator

Side note: I am quite glad to hear this because offering something significantly different is the point (IMO) of having a separate list.

Kyuss is right; the Hell scourge is the one to beat. Actually I'd like to see this FM tested more to see if it's "broken"/provides too much synergy with the rest of the options on the list. So from raw stats and play testing standpoints, it's the ideal knight formation. Please report your results

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Let us playtest like the Greeks of old... You know the ones I mean