I've never actually played a game of Apocolypse yet. My first one will be the Lucky 13's - Scenario #2. I know the terrain (seen in the pic) and that one opponent will be bringing Chaos Marines. There might be a couple more that show up , but from the response from the store's forums, it might just be us two.
The scenario seems pretty straight forward as an objective grab. LUCKY 13's - Scenario #2 I have deveolped a force with the 95th Mordians, I'm gonna throw it out there for comments and criticism.
HQs
CCS #1 - Lascannon, Sniper Rifle, Vox, Bolt-Pistol, Master of Ord.
CCS #2 - Lascannon, Regimental Standard, Vox, Bolt-Pistol, Chimera
Commisar Yarrick
Elite
Orgyns (5), Chimera
Ratlings (3)
Stormtroopers (10), 2 Plasma Guns, PW, Airborne Assault
Troops
Veteran Squad #1 - Lascannon, 3 Sniper Rifles, Vox
Veteran Squad #2 - Lascannon, 3 Sniper Rifles, Vox
Veteran Squad #3 - Lascannon, 3 Sniper Rifles, Vox
Veteran Squad #4 - Hvy Bolter, 3 GLs, Vox
Veteran Squad #5 - Hvy Bolter, 3 GLs, Vox
Veteran Squad #6 - Bastonne, 3 Melta, Chimera, Demolitions
Hvy Support
LRBT #1 - Pask, Lascannon, HB sponsons
LRBT #2 - Lascannon, HB sponsons
LRBT #3 - Lascannon, HB sponsons
LR Exterminator - HB, HB sponsons
Baneblade
2999 points.
We have an agreement to limit the force to 1 superheavy each. I have read that having an uneven number can be very unbalancing to a game. The Chaos forces have a Shadowsword, a survivor from their Legion days.
Battle Plan
Here it is, poke some holes in it.
Force A - CCS#1 & Vet Squads 1-3 and Yarrick will be defending the HQ building. Yarrick and one of the Vet Squads will be in the building. The other two and the CCS will be set up either to one side of the minefield, in cover. The CCS will issue orders to the two squads to snipe away at any "Lash" princes out there. I have no desire to be lashed into the minefield, and as you can see from my force, I have no Anti-psycher ability other than firepower.
Force B - CCS #2 & Vet Squads #4-5, LRBT 2 & 3. This force will try to claim the objective I place in no-mans land. The Vet squads are on foot, so the CCS will be gving them the Move order from the chimera to get them into position as quick as possible.
Force C - LR Exterminator, Bastonne Vet squad, Ogryns. This force will be tasked with getting the objective my opponent places in the neutral zone. I almost put Yarrick in with the ogryns, but I think he will do more good in the HQ building to fight off the eventual storming of that building. I am curious as to how a Twinlinked Demo-Charge will work.
Force D - Stormtroopers. These will be kept in reserve, and re-roll their deepstrike when they land. They will either Drop in on the objective in my opponents zone if the game is going very well for me. Most likely they will be a count-attack force to re-take/secure one of the other objectives.
Force E - Baneblade, Pask LRBT, Ratlings - All of these guys are firesupport to be placed and shoot until they can't shoot anymore.
Target priorty will be...
1) Lash Psychers
2) Shadowsword
3) Assault troops
I'm leaning towards taking the Disruptor Beacon as the Strategic Asset. Anything deepstriking into my lines will cause me major pain. This will give me a chance to keep them away from the HQ and the neutral zone objective I place.
My other idea is to take Obstacles. This would let me place Vet squads 1,2 and the CCS #1 in the minefield, just in front of the building in 4+ cover. It would also let me place a line of razor wire along the back edge of the minefield, to prevent any Flank Marchers from walking right in the back door. But all that cover is pretty useless if a squad of termies drops in behind them.
So what do yah think? Any other ideas for strategic assets?
In the nicest possible way, I reckon you stand to take quite a pasting (as indeed, Guard really should, when facing Chaos SMs).
ReplyDeleteI think it's a cracking list, and very characterful (especially being the 95th, with all those snipers!), but going up against elite troops like CSMs with the IG version of 'elite' troops is deadly - especially if your opponent knows he'll be up against guard. Vets are just too squishy, and not elite enough. I reckon either an all-mech or infantry-heavy force could swing it, but you'll have your work cut out.
Bunkers would be great, and if he has any deep striking trrops, then the disruptor beacon is very useful.
Sorry I can't be of more help, but I always enjoy/prefer characterful/fluffy lists anyway.
Good luck!
Thanks Drax. I'll aim to prove you wrong ;) (but I think you gonna be right).
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of limited by the minis and vehicles I own. I only own 3 chimeras so the Mech line is out. And I only have about 5-10 Mordians that are not in this force, so the infantry horde is out too. I was thinking of overcoming what squishyness I could with obstacles, giving them the 4+ coversave.
I thought about Bunkers, but that would take away my ability to give orders. Bunkers are treated as vehicles and yah can't issue orders to units in vehicles. Then there is the whole only 1 unit can be in a building / bunker thing.
I was also thinking about the 4+ invuln forcefield, but that wouldn't help against deep strikers or psychers. So that put me back at obstacles or distruptor beacon.
Thanks again for the response.
Being a vet of many Apocalypse games myself, the one piece of advice I can give you when it comes to playing massive games at a store, is Keep Your Cool. Just enjoy the game and don't sweat any of the little stuff, if someone is giving you a rough time about some minor unit, just let it go. You have some D Type Weapons laying around that you can smash his more expensive unit in the next turn. ;)
ReplyDeleteJust enjoy the experince and unleash all the firepower and dice of doom you have.
For guard as far as Stratagems go, check out the Reload ones, there are some fun and wacky ones there specific to IG. As always a Jammer Beacon is always a good choice if you plan on playing a defensive battle, Outflanking is also good when you feel more offensive.
Good Luck and Enjoy! =)
I think the scheduled bombardment one is very characterful for the guard and fun to play - you have to think ahead and outguess the opponent. In my only appocalypse game we planned one to hit our one of our own objectives in the 3rd turn, the idea being that we would lure the foe into into it, then paste them. As it turned out some of our own guys got blown up but so did some of the foe, and being orks, that was all good.
ReplyDeleteIf you are looking for a serious edge, take the astropath and master of the fleet. Reserves are huge in Apocalypse. Also, your best defense against lash is an allied inquisitor with psychic hood and other anti psycher nastyness. Mystics also VERY good in apoc. They are a reason to consider squadroning tanks - they let you shoot at a deepstriker with a single UNIT - but if that unit is a squadron of leman russ, not much will survive. Or a baneblade... hmmm....
Your baneblade is the key to victory - guard it well against assault, use cover and kill the shadowsword (which if I remember rightly is a super heavy killer - take it down with the lascannons). Better that a few squads get lashed into the minefields than that you lose that gigantic template that will clear entire segments of the battlefield. Although your leman russes together will do about as much I expect...
Vets are fluffier, but a massed infantry platoon is a powerful unit - 30 guys with a commissar aren't going anywhere in a hurry with cover.
With a great opponent and great figs its sure to be a blast regardless.
CylonDave,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pointers. Our gaming group is very layed back, it takes a lot for anyone of us to get worked up over a game. But yes, very good advice for everyone. It is just a game, have fun. As for the D weapons...I seemed to have left them all at home this game. I thought for a bit about bringing an allied Eldar force with a Scorpion, which is a better match for the Shadowsword. I also thought a Farseer would help with my Anti-psycher issue. But in the end I wanted a pure guard force.
Neither one of us has a copy of Re-Loaded, although I have seen the strategems, they do look great.
Truax, Being an veteran Eldar player who runs War Walker squadrons, I can safely say I will never put my Russes in a squadron. Too many point to be lost to a glancing shot, immobilized result.
I barely own enough Mordians to field the two platoons needed for troops, no where near enough for the two 30 man squads. I do own a couple commisars...I'll paint them up eventually, but they didn't seem to fit in the theme of the army.
Even if I get tabled, I'm sure it will be a beautiful game. Chris is a great guy to play against, and have and AWESOMELY painted Chaos army.