Black Legion "DP horde list"
- 2x Chosen Marines (4x units)     = 970
- updgrade 2x Oblits
- upgrade pact
- upgrade Daemon Prince
3x Retinue (9 units)            = 1275
- upgrade 1x Oblit
- upgrade pact
- upgrade Daemon Prince
1x Assault company (2x Wheels) = 550 (BTS)
Daemon pool                  = 200
 10x lesser daemons   ÂÂ
                       total = 2995
The chosen are Slanesh and Khorne, the retinues are Nurgle, Tzeench and "undivided". The Daemon Prince in Retinue #2 is designated as the Supreme commander.
Marines "Drop army" list
- Reaver   ÂÂ
Warhound   ÂÂ
Space cruiser
Tacticals (drop pods)
Tacticals + Supreme commander (drop pods)
Devs + Lib (drop pod)
Devs + Lib (drop pod)
Terminators + Chaplain
Thunderhawk
Objectives
Both Blitz were placed centrally, with the T&H objectives placed symetrically 30 cms from the blitz. (Marines considered this optimal for targeted drop zones).
Garrisons
Black legion garrisoned the three retinues forwards from the T&H objectives, occupying a wood and built-up area with the third in the open
Deployment
In an attempt to avoid the Marine barrage, the Death Wheels were deployed ~50cms west  of the BL Blitx, while the Reaver and Warhound were placed 7 cms apart by the Marine Blitz
Turn #1
Teleports:-
Marines give the option of teleporting to the BL (following the recent debate on this). Chosen #1 teleport into BuA 7cms to the side and slightly in front of the Warhound, getting 2x BMs. Terminators teleport into the open ~7 cms ahead of the Reaver and Warhound also getting 2x BMs. Chosen #2 teleport into the open on the opposite side of the marine WEs ~10 cms away from the Reaver, arriving without BMs!
Strategy rolls tied, so rerolled, and the Marines uncrossed their fingers (and other parts of their anatomy
) and the terminators launch a furious assault against Chosen #2 getting into CC with 3x chosen and an Oblit. 2x Chosen and an Oblit die along with 3x Terminators, so the Reaver provides a little supporting fire . . and the second Oblit also perishes. But this is not enough to win the assault, so the last Terminator is hacked-down while the broken Chosen retreat 17cms from the Reaver.Marines retain, bringing in their planet-falling forces. The Barrage misses, and the two devastators arrive in woods 70cms East and West of the Blitz flanking the T&H objectives and placing a single BM on the BL Wheels. However, the Tacticals are targetted at the T&H objectives, so the Deathwinds from the pods catch part of Retinue #1 and #2 (all in the open), and completely cover retinue #3 (in the wood) . . . and despite something like 20 dice being rolled, the few hits that were scored were all saved (some by the Oblits and Daemon princes).
BL rouse themselves (but only after the SC reroll), and the Death Wheels roll forwards to assault Tactical #1 with the support of Retinue #1, killing all but 2x marines in the process, taking a single hit in return.
The Marines advanced Dev #2 from the Eastern table corner to fire on Retinue #3 in the woods, merely laying a single BM, and Retinue #2 doubled SE from the centre of the table the into the wood to return the favour (and thoroughly intermingling with Retinue #3), also laying just a single BM.
The Warhound sustained on Chosen #1 which was still lurking menacingly in the BuA scoring 4x normal and 1x MW hit - all of which were saved by the reinforced armour. Retinue #3 declared an assault on Dev #2, which was duely exterminated after the assault went into a second round and then the Chosen #1 raised 4x Daemons, declared an assault - and had to hold instead, removing all BMs.
To avenge the fallen Devs, Tactical #2 attempted a clipping assault on Retinue #2 which had been left a little dispersed in the wood by the departure of its friends. However 'luck was on the side of big battalions' and the single surviving tactical unit broke to join its colleagues in the BuA in front of the BL Blitz. With the Chosen now protected by Daemons, the Reaver decided to retain, doubling forwards to the centre of the table shooting at the wheels and scoring 6 hits - but due to shields and three saves, only a single point of damage on the second wheel which drunkenly rolled a little East when the hit went critical.
Retinue #1 summoned 3x Daemons which appeared inside 15cms from the Reaver, and declared a furious assault which stripped the shields and scored 3x normal and 1x MW hit resulting in 2x damage (and a critical). In return one retinue unit died, the other hits being saved on the Daemons and Oblit, resulting in the Reaver losing the assault - but the broken Reaver decided to stay put!
Finally, Dev #1 sneaked out of cover to shoot up the rear of the Wheels without effect, and the Thunderhawk came in to evacuate them also shooting without effect on the wheels.
End of Turn
The critical caused a third point of damage on the Reaver.
The Reaver and remnants of the tacticals rallied, Black legion rallied everything except Chosen #2, removing all BMS except three on the wheels and one on Retinue #1
Turn#2
Strategy roll :- Marines
The Warhound doubled forwards, shooting at Retinue #1 and breaking them. Retaining, the Reaver sustained on the Wheels, stripping the shields and scoring 2x hits (causing the wheel to roll a little further East) but leaving them unbroken. In reply, the Wheels decide to assault the remnants of the tacticals which are wiped out for no further loss.
We decided to call the game at that point as the Marines only had a Thunderhawk + Devs, which were unwilling to risk the Oblits AA, while the BL could catch the Reaver in the Centre with a massive assault and still have enough to claim all the objectives.
Result BL Win
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Analysis:-
By garrisoning the BL retinues outside the deployment zone, the BL were able to dodge much of the Drop Pod threat, while the large, upgunned BL retinues are more than a match for the naked Marine formations, and were able to maintain a grip on the centre of the table despite the attentions of the majority of the marine forces.
The Death Wheels proved surprisingly resilient (I was off-form, saving more hits than perhaps was reasonable) and in general the BL survived well, though with all the RA units around it was to be expected. Across all the formations, the BL lost 9x Retinue, 2xChosen and 2x Obliterators.
I was able to keep the "hated" formations apart - though at one point this did cause a little concern.
We did discuss how the BL army would fare against other races / setups, and TRC felt it would not do as well, especially against larger armies and where the T&H objectives are spread to opposite table edges. He also felt that the "Flapping" DP placed centrally in the Retinues would be a nasty counter to any CC threats and also provide some much needed speed in the end-game, so I will try again with other forces.
- so it would have been a little less one-sided, as the Wheels would probably have been destroyed.
, bearing in mind that the Chosen formation also had 2x Oblits and a DP (admittedly, the Oblits should have been other Chosen, which would have made it worse for the marines):-