"New slaves" was the comment from the orks, as the Assault gd pin in close combat with the dragsta then fail morale...

Behind you can see the ghost of the bike platoon's charge- just their blue order counter (fading spectrally on the read out screen in the Command Leviathan 20 clicks away...)

Pesky kaptin. 'Nuff said.

These small point battles are quite gripping affairs...I'm all keen to try a 2K battle now!

Excellent report again!  The templates showing the Dragsta field are a neat touch....though I always thought it would have been cool if GW had released a 12cm diameter clear plastic dome that we could use for them  .

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Fire bad, tree pretty - Buffy

Yeah, I've been thinking of smaller battles too after reading the last few you guys had posted. That's why the 4K Space Wolf batrep. Keep up the good work.

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My head is full of War...

[img]http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk120/Warhead40k/Tyranid%20Swarm/DSC02262.jpg[/img]

Cheers guys.

2000 points and a large table seem to make for a tense game. Also gives free cards more importance- it's bad enough with the pirates and the madboyz, but am guessing an Avatar would be worse.

And now that you've given me the idea I'll cut out some clear plastic templates for the dragstas, but will think on for a dome...

Next battle will be an AI game as the Imperials try and destroy the brudges to prevent the Orks reinforcing their victory.

Allows me to use the same terrain twice too...

Had another read since I have more time to do a proper reply. I love the terrain effect you managed for the river. That's harder to do with store bought hills and stuff so another benifit for table cloths and book hills.

What a reversal in roles. The Orks on First Fire... that one would have flummoxed me and probably cost me too. He got to bled you for a turn or two. Very un-Ork like, the bounder. I find the Orks have in some cases better ranged attacks than the Imperials Tanks. I changed my Orks to mostly 5+ to hit but better Caf or TSM or cheap units. It seemed more... Orky IMO. They only get a 4+ to hit for special (odd) weapons and some big but short ranged stuff. I can honestly say I've never seen the Kult on First Fire... I must use that one.

You do like your Bike/Assault and Tactical Rifle Companies. Ever think of using Cavalry instead of the Bike/Assault combo? I think you would do well with them. You know your stuff for assaults. Leave your Ogryn's to clear out buildings... or artillery to collapse them. Try Sentinels too, their a nice nippy unit for flanking the enemy. I hardly use Aircraft as I'm a bit of a "Sammy" when it comes to these and I always get shot to bits or they can't hit for toffee.

Another exciting game, thanks for posting.

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My head is full of War...

[img]http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk120/Warhead40k/Tyranid%20Swarm/DSC02262.jpg[/img]

Our local Ork player makes good use of their shooting ability.  I often think the KoS is just a screen to allow his Nobz Bikes to get into shooting range!  

Another nasty to try is the Evil Sunz Bonebreaker horde.  A Mob of 12-15 Bonebreakers is pretty scary....and you're never sure if they are going to sit and shoot, or go on a Deathroller rampage  

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Fire bad, tree pretty - Buffy

Ooo, that would be NASTY!  

Orks are hard to beat in such small games as you get so much for your points. Deathstrikes... it's the great equaliser.

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My head is full of War...

[img]http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk120/Warhead40k/Tyranid%20Swarm/DSC02262.jpg[/img]

I always liked to use cavalry, but thought I read somewhere that they were a unique card so have been using them sparingly. 33 stands at plus 3 is awesome...

Also tried to play without artillery- screen concept for the battle.

I also liked to use the wind rider host as light tanks, Vipers can walk away from anything pretty much and can then counter punch with two shots at 5s... Even if caught they're plus 3...

My problem in this game was sentimentality. Take your forces, commit them to where victory will be achieved and wear whatever losses are needed to ensure victory. No-one plans to fail, just fails to plan as they say.

As for aircraft, I like them, but they're brittle. I noticed a recent discussion on here about how over powered they were- perhaps if they had to pass a morale check after each strafing pass- to test appetite for small arms/ammo consumption?

rgds

m

Yeah, cavalry are tops... not sure Imperial Guard Cav are unique... I missed that one, why would they be? Imperium should be allowed to have any formation available even in quantity. There the Guard it's what they do.

I also liked to use the wind rider host as light tanks, Vipers can walk away from anything pretty much and can then counter punch with two shots at 5s... Even if caught they're plus 3...

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My head is full of War...

[img]http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk120/Warhead40k/Tyranid%20Swarm/DSC02262.jpg[/img]

Ahh, the rules. Reading them is such a novel concept.

No wonder it used to vex my old opponent- he'd have read the rules and digested them, re-read them and all, and there was I playing as if it was still 1992 and going about every 5 minutes "Ohh they've changed that have they?"

Yes I see that the Vyper is now +1, and has lost it's -1 tsm. Still two shots versus enemy cavalry is a good way to thin the horde before the jetbikes wade in...

Will buy IG cavalry companies in future without a blush. And will try sentinels that I've never used before. But need to paint them (another reason I use the same companies they're all painted more or less). But that's the downside of the nicely painted effect- I get sentimental abot red group/green group/blue group etc. Not a very sensible way to be with the Guard.

You got to take care of the men... just like Commissar Gaunt.

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My head is full of War...

[img]http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk120/Warhead40k/Tyranid%20Swarm/DSC02262.jpg[/img]

I do recommend grabbing the alternate Flyer rules off the Wiki site and trying them.  Flyers are still cool but not the near invulnerable beasts they can be under the standard V5.0 rules.  Feedback welcome.

Primarch gave the OK for Vypers to go back to 2+ CAF.  This is already reflected in the updated V5.0 list (again, on the Wiki).

Rough Riders, Guild Bikers, Wind Rider Host all made Unique to explicitly prevent dodgy builds. See:

Unique discussion

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Fire bad, tree pretty - Buffy

Yeah, ok I forgot Rough Riders... but Unique means you can have one of these companies per 3000 points... so no problems taking them. They are a perfect screening element too so fit the fluff.

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My head is full of War...

[img]http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk120/Warhead40k/Tyranid%20Swarm/DSC02262.jpg[/img]

I thought I'd caught that thread. I'll continue to use rough riders in moderation, for all that it's tempting to not!

Orc mania leant me the Gaunt's Ghost's novel, pretty good pulp really. Devoured it in a day but he hasn't leant me anything since.

Nor been on line to comment on his victory. I'd be suspicious but I know he's been neck deep in parenting for half term.

What is the link to the wiki please?