Pages

NOVA Practice Game: SM vs Orks

Wednesday, August 17, 2011


I was able to get in a really great game over the weekend using my freshly painted biker list that I plan on taking to the NOVA Open next week. Following the mission objectives for the first round (details can be found here) I was up against a massive Ork horde. I unfortunately don't have an in depth battle report for this one as I'm still easing my way back into the game -- it took all my attention just to not get tabled by turn 3, lol. But I'll do my best to summarize the highlights. The worst part is I only got 2 pictures with my phone after the setup, and even those fail to capture the entire board and more importantly, the best painted Ork army (of any army for that matter) that I've ever played against. My opponent was awesome to say the least; very helpful with clarifying some rules and giving great feedback on my list throughout the game. I'll be sure to get some close ups of his fantastic army whenever I can get a rematch. Here's the second shot from my other corner:


Deployment was pitched battle and I kid you not, there was barely any open space on his side of the board by the time he was done setting up. I won the roll off and elected to go second since the primary goal was objectives, and thought with my mobility it would be good to have the chance to contest or capture on the last turn of the game (that is if I could actually survive that long...)

By turn 2, half of my bikes (and troops!) were dead due to a couple factors. One, I could have deployed better to stay out of sight of a huge group of lootas that shredded one of my squads, and then the second fell to small mob of orks that came on my opponent's turn 2, middle of the table behind my line! I was scrambling to deal with all the threats closing in on me, both in front and behind my line. Even my dice were scared, or at least they acted like it the first few turns ;)  I sent my podded Ironclad into his front line just to try and slow him down (and I don't think it would have fit anywhere else). The dread and the pod ended up killing more orks in their death than they caused alive; he rolled 6's on the damage chart for each after a round of penetrating blows. The large explosions were definitely amusing!

Most of the bikes on their way to battle

Things were looking pretty bleak for my Raven Guard at the bottom of turn 3. I needed to regroup what I had left and focus fire on the most immediate threats, so I did. I cleared out the Orks in my back field then charged my Master of the Forge into a close combat between my scouts and a group of 'ard boys that had engaged them the previous turn. Luckily, the MotF bailed them out after failing to repair a destroyed dreadnought plasma cannon after 2 rounds (he also had some late game heroics, but I'm jumping ahead). The next round I was able to shoot up another couple squads of boys till they broke. I then charged my Captain and Command squad into another half strength squad and pushed them off the objective on my left table quarter. By turn 5 this squad went balls out and tried to engage a mob of boys protecting another objective on my opponent's side. This one didn't work out so well; I shot a ton into this squad but couldn't get past the cover and then ended up being just outside of assault range. I paid for that the following turn as the orks came out of the ruins and slaughtered them.


Meanwhile on the other side of the board, a full strength squad led by a Weirdboy was closing fast on my half strength snipers, holding my objective in the ruins. I needed to try and hold them up, so I moved the MotF around to catch 6 under his flamer before charging into assault. I guess my dice were trying to make it up to me, so he ended up killing several then made a ton of saves to keep them locked in close combat. I was also lucky in that the power claw didn't wound me in that first round of combat, as I had no invulnerable save. It eventually got him the next round, but by then he had already served his purpose and kept the Orks off the scouts and far enough away to not contest my objective. My last 5 man bike squad was near the second objective on my side, but the orks were able to advance just far enough to contest this one after taking out the Captain and Command squad. The game ended with each of us controlling 1 objective and both contesting an additional one. Primary goal was a draw, so on to secondary goal, kill points. After a review of all the bloodshed and action, Orks had 8 kp's to my 7.


I'll take it! This match was great fun, full of ups & downs and truly came down to the end. I must admit though, if the game had gone on past turn 6, the Orks would have at least contested my last objective and more than likely would have seized it for a clean win on the primary goal. I had a blast and learned a lot about my list and playing against an Ork horde. I've got another practice game lined up tomorrow night against an Iron Hands army. I'll let you know how it goes!


2 comments:

  1. Meandering past this post, but a good thing to note leading into the NOVA next week is that the Kill Point goal needs to be won by a margin of 3 or greater. So, with you at 7 and your opponent at 8, you drew the Kill Point goal also!

    - Mike B, NOVA Open

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Mike, I will definitely remember that for next week!

    ReplyDelete