Warhammer 40,000 Battle Report #42 – Astra Militarum vs Iron Warriors

Welcome back once more! Today we’re taking a break from the regularly scheduled programming of ATC test runs, and putting through a 1,000 point campaign game in the Stulte Mors system. This game features the first game in Hutch’s return to the Astra Militarum, with my old Iron Warriors making their return with the rules of the Imperial Fists. We’re both old hands with these armies, but fairly new with the rulesets we’re using.

Stulte Mors is collapsing under the barrage of assaults it has endured, and the capital of Hive Siper is breached in many places. The outer defenses are being overrun, and the Imperials have no choice but to grit their teeth and dig in to defend these last precious defenses. If they fall in large enough numbers, the city will become prey to the roaming packs of Chaos Space Marines and xenos that endanger the planet.

For our mission, we decided to reverse the roles since our armies were somewhat designed for the other player’s mission. Hutch’s Astra Militarum represented a foot-mobile infantry company, designed to cover ground and overwhelm the enemy through sheer force of numbers. My Iron Warriors, on the other hand, were designed to represent the defenders of an artillery pit. It didn’t take us long to cook up the required story.

Sergeant Danaus had led his Iron Warriors in a charge against the enemy lines in recent weeks, shattering the defenses and taking them like any Iron Warrior veteran would against inferior opponents. As he consolidated his gains, however, he realized that the other forces of Disorder on his flanks had failed spectacularly, being driven back to their initial positions. The Imperium has now surrounded his position, planning to drive him from the hastily repaired defensive positions and into the guns of those waiting on the walls of Hive Siper itself. A company of Cadians has flanked to their rear, and will be the first to try their luck against the cut-off Iron Warriors. With an order to fix bayonets, they have launched their assault through the blasted ruin of No Man’s Land, determined to recover their own fortifications from the hated enemy.

The Armies

Cadian 32^nd

Astra Militarum – 1,000

Combined Arms Detachment

HQ

Company Command Squad: Astropath; Company Commander has Volkov’s Cane

Primaris Psyker: WARLORD

Commissar

Priest

Priest

TROOPS

Infantry Platoon

-          Platoon Command: Krak Grenades, Lieutenant has Melta Bombs

-          Infantry Squad: Krak Grenades, Sergeant has Melta Bombs

-          Infantry Squad: Krak Grenades, Sergeant has Melta Bombs

-          Infantry Squad: Krak Grenades, Sergeant has Melta Bombs

Infantry Platoon

-          Platoon Command: Krak Grenades, Lieutenant has Melta Bombs

-          Infantry Squad: Krak Grenades, Sergeant has Melta Bombs

-          Infantry Squad: Krak Grenades, Sergeant has Melta Bombs

-          Infantry Squad: Krak Grenades, Sergeant has Melta Bombs

Infantry Platoon

-          Platoon Command: Krak Grenades

-          Infantry Squad: Krak Grenades, Sergeant has Melta Bombs

-          Infantry Squad: Krak Grenades, Sergeant has Melta Bombs

FAST ATTACK

Armored Sentinel: Multi-laser

Armored Sentinel: Multi-laser

Armored Sentinel: Multi-laser

Sidirou Sto

“Iron Warriors” – 1,000

Unbound

Iron Warriors (Space Marines)

Imperial Fists Chapter Tactics

TROOPS

Chosen (Sternguard Veterans): Rhino transport

FAST ATTACK

Breacher Squad (Assault Squad): 2x Flamer, Rhino transport

HEAVY SUPPORT

Centurion Devastators: 3x Twin Lascannons, 3x Missile Launcher, Sergeant (WARLORD) has    Omniscope

Thunderfire Cannon

Mortal Contingent (Astra Militarum)

Infantry Platoon

            - Platoon Command

            - Infantry Squad: Flamer

            - Infantry Squad: Flamer

            - Heavy Weapons Team: 3x Autocannon

Field Gun (Basilisk)

After Action Review

That was PAINFUL. The Imperial Guard did what they do best, and they died in droves trying to take the position away from the Iron Warriors. However, the Iron Warriors did what they do best, and they defended against all attackers.

When we started setting up armies, I was intimidated by the sheer number of models he was bringing to the field. I didn’t have that many infantry, and I expected him to roll up my traitor guardsmen quickly and then turn the numbers game against my Iron Warriors. I knew he would struggle to ever kill the Techmarine manning the Thunderfire, and the Centurions were pretty well safe from any attack. Still, I worried that the presence of bodies would completely overwhelm my lines.

Then, the artillery fired. I forgot how brutal Thunderfire Cannons are to enemy infantry, and it did the trick in this game for sure. It almost felt like watching the opening engagement of the Battle of the Somme; the poor fools stepped out of their trenches, only to be swept away in a storm of unrelenting shrapnel.

My opponent would have benefited from some artillery, and I think he said the same as the game was drawing to a close. He spent so many points on grenades that he also hurt his numbers quite a bit; he could have had almost twice as many Guardsmen. He said that he was testing out a theory, to see if the swarms of Guardsmen could overrun enemy transports and maintain field presence. Against so much incoming lead though, it just made no difference.

The terrain didn’t do him any favors, either. Almost nothing I fired gave him cover saves, and the Sentinels were easy targets with the Centurions having nothing better to do. He simply wound up bogged down and slaughtered as fast as he could advance. The futility of frontal assaults hit me full-force during this game; I’m just glad it was only plastic toys that we were butchering.

Expect more from the Astra Militarum and the Iron Warriors soon, as the war for Stulte Mors grinds on!