8th Edition - First Battle - Old Grudges!

So, it's been about 8 months since I last played 40k. 2016 ended with a break for everyone as combat-fatigue set in. Two long campaigns meant everyone kind of took a break and our community didn't play much. 8th edition has reinvigorated it somewhat. It was time to grab my stuff and head out into battle once more. 

The forces:

Black Scorpions (ultramarines) with Imperial Guard allies
VS
Crimson Slaughter
2000 pts

The scenario was eternal war: Secure and Control aka capture the enemy base.


Rik had fewer units so the force of chaos went first! Firing off some melta shots they stripped 2 wounds off Chronus' tank. The heavily damaged city meant it was hard to get clean shots off at things.

The Scorpions opened fire! The leviathan dread, a contemptor mortis and two predators concentrated their fire and took down a hellbrute! Damn they are tough in 8th edition. 1st Blood! (1)

Rik brought in two 10 man squads of raptors and a lord with a jump pack. They slammed down in my back lines, melta guns ready. They quickly vaporised two ogryns. The raptors then charged 5 space marines near the ogryns. The weight of attacks was simply too much and the 5 man squad was wiped out. The lord however, was now out in the open... not engaged in a close combat and dangerously vulnerable.

 The Scorpions fired back, killing 10 cultists. With Kharn in the open, the two dreadnoughts focussed fire on him and brough him down with large calibre shells. The lord in the open stood till, a missile launcher took aim....

Trooper Clayn peered through his scope. The daemonic warlord was shouting at his fellow raptors, barking orders and obscenities. Clayn thumbed the targetter, the reticle stabilised on the daemonic form of the lord. A beep and the krak missile was primed. With a blast and thump the missile streaked down from the bastion. Clayn's vision was obsured by the smoke trail. The loud explosion sent chunks of red gore high into the sky. A blood soaked crater was all that remained. Clayn picked up a sharp piece of debris and scrath another notch into his trusty missile launcher. 

Rik's warlord failed his invul save and took 5 wounds! Killing him instantly. Slay the Warlord! (1)
Rik would later admit that this was a tactical blunder. In 7th characters followed units, now they're separate. Keeping him at the back meant that he wasn't able to charge the marines and was thus left alone after the raptors charged away.

Turn 3 saw Rik move forward with purpose. He finished off a predator with Hellbrute autocannon fire and took a 7 wounds off the Vulture Gunship with accurate fire. He was doing damage but his assault gamble was crumbling slightly.

BZZZZZT!!

 Shooting was again effective. The dreads at the back turn around and hammered the second raptor squad. In the assault phase the leviathan and ironclad wiped out the 10 man raptor squad. The ogryns, eager for blood also wiped the other 10 man squad. Strength 7, -1 ap, 2 damage brute mauls are simply nasty. Ogryns are beasts in close combat!

The Leviathan cometh!

 Rik's assault had floundered as the 2 raptor squads were wiped. His second wave of chaos marines quickly took up the assault again. The ogryns however, were proving a tough nut to crack.

 

 Rik's Forgefiend took aim at the guardsmen in my base. He was getting dangerously close to taking it. It fried 4 guardsmen. The commissar made sure they didn't run however.

The Ogryns ended up finishing off the squad of chaos marines in brutal fashion. Slabshields and Brute mauls are simply a deadly combo. Multiple wound shooting is required to get rid of them. Or power fists.

In the final round of shooting my predator, leviathan and Mortis dreadnought killed the last hellbrute.

  
Conclusion

At this point Rik conceded the game as he had a dark apostle and 9 men guarding his base of operations. I'd scored Slay the warlord and first blood. If we kept playing it was probably that I'd get linebreaker too or even table him.

Victory for the Black Scorpions!

8th edition is good. Very good. There are plenty of annoying things that don't quite make sense but overall its so much easier to play. Everything has basic stats. Cover is simple. Fighting and shooting is simple. There are a lot of rules that are now gone. No armour facings, no firing arcs, no blast templates. It means your movement is much simple and easier to do.

The key to 8th will be shielding your units from whatever unit counters that unit. I.e Terminators and multi wound models will die like bitches to spawn (they deal 2 damage per wound)

The key to today's victory was Rik gambling with his assault. It was a bold move but in the end there wasn't enough of them to make the dent he'd hoped. Vehicles and dreadnoughts are CRAZY resilient. The Leviathan siege dreadnought is a complete beast....

Squad of the match: Ogryns/bullgryns. They are just tanks! They slaughtered the raptors, then slaughtered the chaos marine squad. Love em'

Thanks for Rik for a great introduction to 8th