Author's note: this is an after-action report from two years ago that I somehow neglected to publish.
So I went down to the local GW today for a 1750 point pseudo-narrative tournament - 3 rounds with a rudimentary linked narrative running through all the games. The list I brought looked like this:
HQ
Librarian 175
• Terminator Armour
• Epistolary
• Vortex of Doom, The Avenger
Chaplain 130
• Jump Pack
• Meltabombs
• Digital Weapons
ELITES
Terminator Squad [5] 230
• Assault Cannon
TROOPS
Tactical Squad [10] 220
• Meltagun
• Multimelta
• Sergeant: Powerfist, Meltabombs, Teleport Homer
Tactical Squad [10] 210
• Meltagun
• Multimelta
• Sergeant: Power Sword, Meltabombs, Teleport Homer
Tactical Squad [10] 205
• Flamer
• Heavy Bolter
• Sergeant: Power Sword, Meltabombs, Teleport Homer
Scout Squad [10] 165
• 4 Combat Blades
• Heavy Bolter
• Sergeant: Combat Blade, Teleport Homer
FAST ATTACK
Landspeeder 50
• Heavy Bolter
Assault Squad [5] 135
• Plasma Pistol
• Sergeant: Power Sword, Meltabombs
HEAVY SUPPORT
Devastator Squad [10] 230
• 4 Missile Launchers
Game 1 was Seize Ground with Spearhead deployment. The Secondary objective was to "scan" each objective marker with a Troops unit; roll a D6 and on a 6 you got a point. Most points takes the secondary objective.
My opponent had a fairly balanced Eldar army: an Avatar, 10 Dire Avengers, 10 Wraithguard, 10 Guardians, 10 Swooping Hawks, 5 Dark Reapers, a Wraithlord, and 3 Warwalkers.
At the end of the game we were each sitting on one of the four objectives, but my opponent had managed to scan 3 objectives - whereas I had failed to scan any. Minor victory for the opposition.
Game 2 was Annihilation using Dawn of War deployment, with Table Quarters as the secondary objective. My opponent was a very tank-heavy Ultramarine army: a Librarian, two Tactical squads (one in a Rhino, one with a Razorback), ten Assault Terminators in a Land Raider Crusader, two Landspeeders, two Predators, and another Land Raider Crusader.
My infantry-heavy army was slaughtered almost to a man; the game ended with my opponent claiming 8 Killpoints and 2 table quarters, for a Massacre.
Game 3 was a Capture & Control mission using Pitched Battle deployment. The Secondary Objective was to end the game with units in your opponent's deployment zone. An additional twist included in the scenario was that all terrain was counted as difficult for infantry - that meant it would be a long walk for my Revilers. I faced an aggressive Salamanders army that included Vulkan and 5 Vanguard in a Land Raider Redeemer, 2 Tactical Squads in drop pods, an Ironclad Dreadnought in a drop pod, an unmounted Tactical Squad, and a squad of Assault Terminators.
This game was incredibly close - in the end, my opponent claimed one objective by an inch, but I had three units in his deployment zone. This resulted in a Minor Victory for him.
Despite losing all my games, I got to play three good games of 40k and walked out at the end of the day with the award for Best Sportsman - and $45 in GW gift certificates.
