Warhammer 40,000 Battle Report #41 – Blood Angels vs Craftworlds

As a continued lead-up to the American Team Championship, we are still testing each new draft of the missions. This week the Blood Angels and the Craftworlds went to war.

The Armies

Knights of Baal

Blood Angels – 1,850

Unbound

HQ

Chaplain: WARLORD; Melta Bombs, Space Marine Bike

TROOPS

Tactical Squad: five additional Space Marines; Heavy Flamer, Flamer, Sergeant has Combi-          Flamer, Rhino transport

Tactical Squad: five additional Space Marines; Multi-Melta, Meltagun, Sergeant has Combi-         Melta, Rhino transport

Tactical Squad: Plasma Gun, Razorback transport with Lascannon and Twin Plasma Guns

Tactical Squad: Plasma Gun, Razorback transport with Lascannon and Twin Plasma Guns

ELITES

Furioso Dreadnought: Frag Cannon, Heavy Flamer, Drop Pod transport with Deathwind Launcher

FAST ATTACK

Space Marine Bike Squad: three additional Space Marine Bikers; 2x Grav-gun

HEAVY SUPPORT

Baal Predator: Twin Assault Cannons, Heavy Bolter Sponsons

Baal Predator: Twin Assault Cannons, Heavy Bolter Sponsons

Vindicator: Overcharged Engines, Siege Shield

Devastator Squad: five additional Space Marines; 4x Lascannon

Iybraesil

Craftworlds – 1,850

Combined Arms Detachment

HQ

Maugan Ra: WARLORD

Farseer: Eldar Jetbike, The Spirit Stone of Anath’lan

TROOPS

Windriders: Scatter Laser

Guardian Defenders: Scatter Laser

HEAVY SUPPORT

Falcon: Bright Lance, Holo-fields

Fire Prism: Shuriken Cannon, Holo-fields

Aspect Host

Swooping Hawks: one additional Swooping Hawk, Exarch

Warp Spiders: Exarch

Dark Reapers: two additional Dark Reapers, Exarch; Starshot Missiles

Dire Avenger Shrine

Dire Avengers: two additional Dire Avengers, Exarch; Wave Serpent transport with Twin Scatter Lasers and Holo-fields

Dire Avengers: two additional Dire Avengers; Wave Serpent transport with Twin Scatter Lasers and Holo-fields

Dire Avengers: two additional Dire Avengers; Wave Serpent transport with Twin Scatter Lasers and Holo-fields

After Action Review

The constant focus on Kill Points in this ATC iteration made for an interesting change to the pacing of the game. I was a big fan of the rush for Objectives as it shook things up a bit from your standard play, but this approach presented a more methodical element in eliminating the opponent while seizing ground. I still think the missions need a balance between the two, as this method seems to shift back heavily in favor of firepower-oriented armored transport forces and Imperial Knight spam.

Still, it made for a good game between these two fast armies. The Blood Angels were slightly more aggressive, and they were rewarded for it in the end. Their central presence, coupled with several Eldar grav-tanks being knocked out early on, led to a swing of initiative that the Astartes maintained until the last. The Eldar still made a decent fight of it, but with so much of the table denied to them they simply could not put it together in the late game.

Look for more ATC shenanigans in the near future!