As promised in the last post, here comes the next episode of playtesting the Questoris Mechanicus list. This time against Argol who was playing Emperor's Children.

Got my hands on some nice Porphyrion Knights 3d models, and decided to try them out. These replaced the Dominus Knights I took last time, giving the army some much needed 45cm AA. This meant that the Baron jumped into a Paladin instead. Also took a Legio Metalica Reaver as BTS, to see if the Crippling Damage rule would make any difference. The Cerastus Lancer + Atrapos formation I took last time, and which I think is both powerful and quite fun, make a comeback in this game.

Yet again, this is a slightly different version from the one I posted yesterday, but the differences are very slight. The only thing that impacted this particular game is that the Baron is now slightly cheaper.

And as can be seen, we're playing the game on Tabletop Simulator. If that's something you're curious about, check out the Discord channel: https://discord.gg/7GT99xy

Quest for Questoris, 3000 POINTS
Questoris Mechanicus (v1.51) http://www.taccmd.tacticalwargames.net/ ... 22&t=33209
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QUESTORIS [400]
2 Knight-Paladin (Questoris Battle Cannon, 2 Hvy Stubbers, Questoris Shock Lance, Reaper Chainsword), Knight-Paladin w. Baron (Questoris Battle Cannon, 2 Hvy Stubbers, Questoris Shock Lance, Reaper Chainsword)

QUESTORIS [300]
3 Knight-Crusader (Questoris Battle Cannon, Gatling Cannon, 2 Hvy Stubbers, Icarus Autocannon)

QUESTORIS [300]
3 Knight-Errant (Thermal Cannon, Hvy Stubber, Thunderstrike Gauntlet)

CERASTUS [375]
2 Cerastus Knight-Lancer (Cerastus Shock Lance, Ion Gauntlet Shield), Cerastus Knight-Atrapos w. Seneschal (Atrapos Lascutter, Graviton Singularity Cannon, Ionic Shield)

ARMINGER [150]
4 Knight-Helverin (2 Autocannons)

ARMINGER [150]
4 Knight-Helverin (2 Autocannons)

ARMINGER [150]
4 Knight-Warglaive (Thermal Spear, Reaper Chain-Cleaver)

LEGIO METALICA REAVER TITAN [575]
1 Legio Metalica Reaver Titan

ACASTUS RELIQUAE [400]
2 Acastus Knight-Porphyrion w. Seneschal (2 Manga Lascannons, 2 Lascannons, Hyperios Missiles)

DUNE CRAWLERS [200]
2 Onager Dune Crawler with Eradication Beamer, 2 Onager Dune Crawler with Icarus Array

Pleasure & Pain, 2995 POINTS
Emperor's Children (4.1 - Approved)
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RETINUE [355]
6 Chaos Marine units, Chaos Warlord (Supreme Commander), Replace 2 chaos marine units with 2 Noise Marine units, 3 Rhino, Daemonic Pact

RETINUE [280]
6 Chaos Marine units, Sorcerer Lord, 3 Rhino, Daemonic Pact

RETINUE [330]
6 Chaos Marine units, Daemon Prince, 6 Dreadclaws, Daemonic Pact

EMPEROR'S CHILDREN TERMINATORS [300]
Chaos Lord, 4 Terminator, Daemonic Pact

CHOSEN [170]
4 Chaos Space Marine Chosen, 2 Rhino, Daemonic Pact

CHOSEN [170]
4 Chaos Space Marine Chosen, 2 Rhino, Daemonic Pact

DAEMON POOL [90]
6 Lesser Daemon

KNIGHT PACK [450]
5 Hell-Scourge

HELLBLADE SQUADRON [200]
3 Hellblade Interceptors

CHAOS THUNDERHAWK [200]

DEVASTATION CLASS CRUISER [150]

BIKE COMPANY [300]
8 Emperor's Children Bike units, Chaos Lord


Setup Complete. The Terminators deployed in the Thunderhawk. The Cruiser + the Retinue with the Daemon Prince will enter play in turn 1. Was unaware that the Daemon Prince can go in Dreadclaws actually, this is a really interesting formation.

Start of turn 1. Questoris Mechanicus wins initiative.


Turn 1, Activation 1, QM:
The Paladins with the Baron are quite concerned about the EC Spaceship and it's Pin-Point, and seeks to take cover from it in the ruins straight ahead.


Turn 1, Activation 2, QM Retain:
The Cerastus formation engages the Chosen that have been set up within range from them. OW gives the Lancers a BM going in, but they win the engage handily, with only a Rhino surviving after combat resolution.

Turn 1, Activation 3, EC:
Hellblades ground attacks the Helverins that have sheltered behind some houses, giving them a BM


Turn 1, Activation 4, QM:
Helverins on the far left doubles and fires at the Hell-Scourges, giving them 1 BM.


Turn 1, Activation 5, EC:
Hell-Scourges advances, takes cover behind the ruins, and fires back at the Helverins. Lots of shooting on sixes but they fail to hit anything, giving the Helverins a BM.


Turn 1, Activation 6, QM:
Onager Dune Crawlers doubles


Turn 1, Activation 7, EC:
Chosen summons three Daemonettes and sustains fire at the Paladin formation, giving them 1 BM.


Turn 1, Activation 8, QM:
Crusaders doubles and fires at Hell-Scourges, giving them 1 BM.

Turn 1, Activation 9, EC:
Chaos Marines with Supreme Commander doubles and fires at Crusaders, giving them 1 BM.


Turn 1, Activation 10, QM:
Errants doubles and fires at the Chosen, makes one MW hit on a Daemonette, but it makes an Invulnerable Save. Chosen takes 1 BM


Turn 1, Activation 11, EC:
Retinue summons two Fiends, doubles and gives Errants 1 BM.


Turn 1, Activation 12, EC Retain: The bike formation summons 2 Fiends and engages Errants, manages to kill 2 Knights with no damage at all in return, wins combat by 8, Errants are wiped out. Oops.

Turn 1, Activation 13, QM:
The Porphyrions advance and kills 3 Rhinos off the Retinue that just acted.


Turn 1, Activation 14, EC:
The Space Ship arrives. Argol has managed to deduce that something would be hiding in there ruins where the Paladins are, and has put the barrage right on them. The Pin-Point hits the Baron's Paladin, and he manages to save one hit with his Ion Shield, only taking 1 damage. The dreadclaw lands not far from there, and is steered towards the Paladins.


Turn 1, Activation 15, EC Retain:
The recently landed retinue with the Daemon Prince decides to engage the Paladins. The Helverins that had been on Overwatch fires at them for no damage. The Daemonettes manages to first strike 1 Paladin. Then 1 Paladin is killed in combat, with 2 CSM and 2 Daemonettes in return. The Paladins loses combat with only the damaged fearless Baron left.


Turn 1, Activation 16, QM:
Armiger Warglaives doubles and fires at Retinue w Daemon Prince. 2 CSM are killed, and the Retinue breaks.


Turn 1, Activation 17, EC:
The Thunderhawk with the Terminators engage the Cerastus formation, choosing to enter CC in order to get under the Ion Shields. 2 Lancers die, 3 terminators die, QM loses by 3. Thanks to the Bravery, Honour and Glory rule, they only take one additional damage on the Atrapos Knight. Both formations break.


Turn 1, Activation 18, QM:
The Legio Metalica Reaver advances and fires at the Bikes, kills 2 and gives 5 BM thanks to its Apocalypse Missile Launcher.


Start of turn 2, Emperor's Children wins initiative.

Turn 2, Activation 1, EC:
Retinue summons 4 Daemonettes and engages the Armiger Warglaives. Daemonettes kills three Armigers with First Strike, and the last one as well. Armigers do no damage in return. The nearby Porphorions get a BM.


Turn 2, Activation 2, EC Retain:
The lone Terminator lord summons 3 Daemonettes and engages the Onager Dune Crawlers. All Onagers are killed after two rounds of combat for no damage in return.


Turn 2, Activation 3, QM:
Knight-Crusaders sustains fire at the Hellscourges, causing 2 damage on two different WE.

Turn 2, Activation 4, QM retain:
Helverins attempts to sustain fire at Hellscourges, fails and removes BMs instead.

Turn 2, Activation 5, EC:
Chosen doubles, fires at the Reaver giving it 1BM.

Turn 2, Activation 6, QM:
Helverins attempt to sustain fire at the lone Daemon Prince, fails but fires anyway, breaking it.

Turn 2, Activation 7, EC:
Hell-Scourges attempt to marshall, fails and removes 5 BMs.


Turn 2, Activation 8, QM:
Porphyrions engage Daemon Prince with 3++ save. They are supported by both the Reaver and the Helverins. 1 Porphyrion takes 1 Damage, they only win combat by one, but Daemon Prince is fearless so nothing happens.

Turn 2, Activation 9, EC:
Hellblades ground attacks lone Knight-Atrapos with 1 damage remaining and kills it.


Turn 2, Activation 10, QM:
Lone Baron engages Retinue in ruins. Kills one Daemonette but has moved too far ahead so CSM return fire. The Baron is killed.

Turn 2, Activation 11, EC:
Chaos Bikes attempt to marshall, fails but takes a BM and moves


Turn 2, Activation 12, QM:
Legio Metalica Reaver engages the Retinue that killed the Baron, takes one damage, kills 1 Daemonette and 1 CSM, wins combat by one, retinue breaks. Questoris Mechanicus is out of activations.

Turn 2, Activation 13, EC:
Thunderhawk lands and picks up Bikes.

Turn 2, Activation 14, EC:
Lone Rhino doubles and hides behind the Pyramid.


Turn 2, Activation 15, EC:
Retinue summons 2 daemonettes, engages Helverins, Daemonettes kills 2 with FS, Retinue wins combat by 2 and kills another Armiger. One Helverin survives.


Start of turn 3. Questoris Mechanicus wins initiative.

Turn 3, Activation 1, QM:
Lone Helverin advances and break the lone Daemon Prince.


Turn 3, Activation 2, QM Retain:
Knight-Crusaders sustain at Retinue w Supreme. Since they're within 30cm, they can fire with everything they've got (which is a lot). Makes 11 hits, but only kills 1 marine and 1 rhino...sad trombone

Turn 3, Activation 3, EC:
Hellblades ground attacks Lone Armiger by QM blitz, takes 1 hit from Acastus that is saved, the Helverin breaks.

Turn 3, Activation 4, EC Retain:
Retinue marshalls and moves towards take and hold objective.

Turn 3, Activation 5, QM:
Reaver marches across the table to contest take and hold and they shall not pass.

Turn 3, Activation 6, QM Retain:
Helverins sustains at chosen, killing both their Rhinos.

Turn 3, Activation 7, EC:
Hell-Scourges doubles and fires at Porphyions, giving them 1 BM


Turn 3, Activation 8, EC Retain:
Chosen summon 4 daemonettes and engage the Porphyrions, only one damage in the entire fight, but Chosen win by 1 and Porphyrion breaks. 1 Porphyrion is killed by crit. Questoris Mechanicus has no more activations.

Turn 3, Activation 9, EC: Retinue w Supreme marshes and claims Blitz, EC wins the game by 2 objectives.

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AC for Traitor Titan Legion and Hive Fleet Dagon

A rough game for Q & M for sure, after turn 1 victory looked remote, and after turn two defeat was almost certain. Argol played the Emperor's Children very skillfully, and had some great success with the Daemonettes first strike. They're really nasty now with 20cm move.

I think I probably had too many weak formations and bad matchups on my side. On top of that I had some really bad dice, and had problems making saves, while the EC had a healthy saving average. I could probably have got a draw, or pushed the game into turn 4, had I played a better game during turn 3.

Made a last minute change to the Lancers, removing their defensive first strike on their Cerastus Shock Lance. With it, I feel they're way too strong, but without it they become a tempting target for the Thunderhawk + Terminators. But then again, the terminators paid dearly for engaging the Lancers. Still quite pleased with how this formation plays and feels. Will try another type of Cerastus Knight next time tho, there are still two more types that hasn't seen any action.

The Legio Metalica Reaver didn't really impact the game too much, but also didn't really see much action. The Titan CC weapon is quite effective for discouraging assaults.

The Porphorions didn't really have as much impact as I expected. They're AT only in their shooting, so they didn't have too much to shoot at where I placed them. They failed to kill any flyers, and only managed to pick off some Rhinos. But they also made sure that the Hell-Scourges didn't dare to enter the battlefield until at the very last moment... Still, could have had a much more useful formation in their place.

The Armigers were much better at surviving in this game compared to the last one, with one unit of Helverins staring down the EC BTS for two turns. Happy with how the Armigers play, they are a really cool formation.

A unit with only Knight-Crusaders can deliver a ridiculous amount of firepower if they get to start their turn within 30cm of a mixed formation. But with only "normal" attacks, cover and good save will still work against them.

The Onager's hasn't really done much in either of the last two games, but the potential is still there I think, and I think they give the army that "Skitarii" feel.

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AC for Traitor Titan Legion and Hive Fleet Dagon