This post is a continuation of the review of our recent Apocalypse game entitled “The Fall of Morrsleb.” In this particular post, I’ll be going over the armies that people brought and the breakdown of the teams. In total, eight players showed up of the 9 that had committed to coming. I had a feeling that one person would not show (though in the end, it was a different person that wound up skipping the event than I had originally expected), so I did have a spare 10th person on standby, but it turned out that it wasn’t necessary to bring them in order to balance the teams.
We had planned attendance in advance, and had a good idea of what armies people would be bringing:
- 5x Imperial Players (Including me, who was also toying with the idea of playing bugs)
- 1x Tyranid
- 1x Chaos
- 1x Necron
There really wasn’t a clear way to break down the teams to me, so we opted to roll randomly determine teams on the day of the game. I kind of like that method, so that people don’t do significant amount of planning together before the game starts. Granted, it’s nice to encourage people to work together and build up anticipation before the game starts, but not many people do that sort of thing, so it could potentially lead to an unfair advantage to a particular team.
The Forces of Evil:
As luck would have it, when we randomly determined teams all of the non-imperial forces were aligned together (with the exception of Sean’s smallish Eldar allied contingent). Sadly, with five predominately Imperial aligned players, one had to be banished to “Team Evil.” It turns out that he was elected to act as the side’s warmaster. His backstory was that he mistakenly thought he could control them…
Sam’s Space Marine Detachment:
HQ:
- Chapter Master in Term armor w/ Thunderhammer, Primarch’s Wrath, & Digital Weapons
- Master Librarian w/ Digital Weapons & Melta Bombs
- Master Librarian w/ Jump Pack, Melta Bombs, Digital Weapons & Armor Indomitus
- Chaplain w/ Jump Pack Melta Bombs, & Digital Weapons
- Elites:
- 10x Terminators w/ 2x Assault cannons
- Venerable Dread w/ Assault Cannon in Drop Pod w/ Deathwind
- Dread w/ Assault cannon in Drop Pod w/ Deathwind
- Ironclad Dread w/ Hammer, Melta, HK x2 in Pod w/ Deathwind
- Venerable Dread w/ Twin-linked Lascannon & Missile Launcher in Drop Pod w/ beacon
- 10x Sternguard w/ 2x Heavy Flamer, & 2x Combi Flamer in Drop Pod w/ Deathwind
- Troops
- 10x Tactical Marines w/ Power Fist, Combi Flamer, Flamer, & Lascannon in Drop Pod w/ Beacon & Deathwind
- 10x Tactical Marines w/ Power Fist, Combi Melta, Meltagun, & Lascannon in Drop Pod w/ Beacon & Deathwind
- Fast Attack:
- 10x Assault Marines w/ Jump Packs, Power Fist, & 2x Flamers
- Heavy Support:
- 10x Devastators w/ 4x Missile Launchers (w/ flakk)
- 10x Devastators w/ 3x Multi-melta & 1x Plasma cannon, power axe & combi-plasma in Drop Pod w/ Deathwind
Definitely a traditional Sam army. That guy loves his drop pods.
He did spend a week or so prior to the game working hard to get his army painted. Though he almost always plays a bunch of pods, it’s unusual to have him play a force consisting entirely of pods, and he doesn’t normally chose deathwinds, but I built them up enough before the game that he tried them out.
Well, at least that’s what I like to think. More likely, he just needed to eat up points at the end, and that was an easy way to do just that.
Blaine’s Tyranid Hive Fleet:
HQ:
- Elites:
- Malenthrope
- Malenthrope
- Zoanthrope
- Zoanthrope
- Zoanthrope
- Zoanthrope
- Zoanthrope
- Zoanthrope
- Zoanthrope
- Zoanthrope
- Zoanthrope
- Hive Guard
- Hive Guard
- Hive Guard
- Heavy Support:
- 3x Biovores
- 3x Biovores
- 3x Biovores
- Tyrannofex w/ Rupture Cannon
- Tyrannofex w/ Rupture Cannon
- Tyrannofex w/ Rupture Cannon
- Exocrine
- Exocrine
- Lords of War:
- Formations:
- Carnifex Crusher Brood w/ Adrenal Glands & Scything Talons
Blaine was in from out of town, so he wound up using my models. As I said before, I was toying with the idea of playing ‘Nids with him, but as he was building his army, it was abundantly clear that wasn’t going to happen. He started off by essentially taking every model that has Synapse that I own, and then followed it up by taking virtually every monstrous creature I owned.
Had I decided to play bugs after that, I would’ve been stuck with 3x Tervigons and a Swarmlord as my only synapse, and the only other MC’s I own are two flyers. While that might be fun enough, it would leave me with 3,000 points of little bugs, and frankly, I can’t fathom those movement phases.
Danny’s Necron Phalanx
HQ:
- Overlord w/ Catacomb Command Barge, Warscythe, Mindshackle Scarabs, Phase Shifter
- Royal Court: Necron Lords w/ Warscythe, Mindshackle Scarabs, Resurrection Orb, 5 Crypteks w/ 2 Harbingers of Destruction, 3 Harbingers of the Storm
- Destroyer Lord w/ Warscythe, Sempiternal Weave, Mindshackle Scarabs and Resurrection Orb
- Anrakyr the Traveler (Warlord)
- Elites:
- Triarch Stalker
- 8 Triarch Praetorians
- Troops:
- 5 Necron Warriors w/ Ghost Ark
- 5 Necron Warriors w/ Ghost Ark
- 5 Necron Warriors w/ Night Scythe
- 10 Immortals w/ Night Scythe
- 10 Immortals w/ Night Scythe
- Fast Attack:
- 9 Scarab Swarms
- 5 Wraiths
- Heavy Support:
- Annihilation Barge
- Annihilation Barge
- Annihilation Barge
- Lords of War:
- Transcendent C’Tan w/ Tranliminal Stride, Wave of Withering and Seismic Assault
Danny’s Transcendant C’Tan scarred (and scared) me to no end. If you haven’t seen the stats on that thing, do yourself a favor and don’t.
The thing is just disgusting. While I knew that he had purchased it and painted it up for the game, it wasn’t until the night before that I actually looked up the rules. That thing is just terrifying. So much so, that when it came to deployment, I based my entire strategy around where that thing was on the board: “Oh, he’s on that flank—let me deploy my entire army on the other side of the table.”
Egads…
Simon’s Black Legion:
HQ:
- Abaddon the Despoiler
- Be’lakor
- Sorcerer: jump pack; sigil of corruption; plasma pistol; Psyker (Mastery Level 3); force weapon; Veterans of the Long War
- Elites:
- 5 Bringers of Despair: 3× power fist; chainfist; 4× combi-bolter; heavy flamer; Mark of Khorne; Veterans of the Long War; Terminator Champion (lightning claw; gift of mutation); icon of vengeance
- 10 Chosen: 4× flamer; flamer; Veterans of the Long War; Chosen Champion (lightning claw; combi-bolter; gift of mutation; melta bombs); icon of vengeance in Rhino Chaos Rhino: dirge caster; combi-flamer; destroyer blades
- Troops:
- 10 Chaos Space Marines: plasma gun; plasma gun; Veterans of the Long War; Aspiring Champion (combi-bolter; lightning claw; gift of mutation; melta bombs); icon of vengeance in Chaos Rhino: combi-flamer; destroyer blades; dirge caster
- 10 Chaos Space Marines: plasma gun; plasma gun; Veterans of the Long War; Aspiring Champion (combi-bolter; lightning claw; gift of mutation; melta bombs); icon of vengeance in Chaos Rhino: combi-flamer; destroyer blades; dirge caster
- 35 Chaos Cultists: Cultist Champion (shotgun)
- Fast Attack:
- 6 Chaos Bikers: 2× plasma gun; Veterans of the Long War; Chaos Biker Champion (lightning claw; gift of mutation); icon of vengeance
- Heldrake: baleflamer
- Heavy Support:
- Defiler: Havoc launcher; dirge caster
- Maulerfiend
- Maulerfiend
- Lords of War:
- Khorne Lord of Skulls: skullhurler
Simon was another of those guys that spent the month working up to the game in a painting fervor. In fact, I’m not sure that any of the models in this APoc game are from his regular army (no wait, the rhinos and cultists probably are). Otherwise though, I think he painted up just about everything specific for this game, and they looked pretty snazzy.
The Forces of Good:
Somehow I got thrust into the role of Warmaster for the forces of good (and seriously, with Marneus at the lead of my army, how could I not?).
The Pride of Ultramar (Rob)
HQ:
- Marneus Calgar
- Chaplain in Terminator Armor
- Elites:
- Ironclad in Drop Pod w/ Deathwind
- Deadnought w/ Twin-linked Lascannon & H. Flamer in Drop Pod w/ Deathwind
- 5x Terminator Assault Squad w/ Thunder Hammers & Storm Shields
- 5x Sternguard w/ 2x Lascannon
- 5x Sternguard w/ 2x Missile Launchers
- 5x Sternguard w/ 2x Missile Launchers
- 5x Sternguard w/ 2x Plasma Cannons
- 5x Sternguard w/ 2x Heavy Bolters
- 5x Sternguard w/ 2x Heavy Bolters
- 5x Sternguard w/ 2x Multi-meltas
- Heavy Support:
- Techmarine w/ Thunderfire Cannon
- Techmarine w/ Thunderfire Cannon
- Techmarine w/ Thunderfire Cannon
- Fortifications:
- Aegis Defense Line w/ Quad-Gun
- Aegis Defense Line w/ Quad-Gun
- Bastion w/ Icarus Lascannon
- 2x Vengeance Weapon Batteries w/ Battlecannons
- 2x Vengeance Weapon Batteries w/ Battlecannons
- Ultramar Planetary Defense Force (IG Allies):
- 1x EarthShaker Carriage Defense Battery
- 1x EarthShaker Carriage Defense Battery
- 1x EarthShaker Carriage Defense Battery
- 1x EarthShaker Carriage Defense Battery
- 1x EarthShaker Carriage Defense Battery
- 1x EarthShaker Carriage Defense Battery
- 1x Medusa Carriage Defense Battery
- 1x Medusa Carriage Defense Battery
- 1x Medusa Carriage Defense Battery
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Autocannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
- 3x Heavy Weapons Teams w/ Lascannons
This has become a pretty-defacto standard for me in Ultramarines related Apoc games. When we were in the planning stages of the game, I had hoped to paint up all of my fortifications in order to cover our side of the board in BLOO; unfortunately, I spent the two months prior painting up the terrain for the game (more on that later).
So, I fell back on the old standbys: Long Range Firepower provided by the Imperial Guard (No, I won’t call them the Militarium Tempestus, or whatever their new name is). I was able to squeeze in five fortifications (more than everyone else combined), and between all of the little blue guys, the board did have an unmistakable cyan tint to it.
Cole’s Grey Knight Strike Force
HQ:
- Elites:
- 5 man Terminator
- 5 man Terminator
- 10 man Strike Team
- 10 man Paladin
- 5 man Paladin
- 5 man Purifier
- Dreadnought
- Heavy Support:
- StormRaven
- 10 man Interceptor team
- Dreadknight
- Dreadknight
- Inquistion Allies:
- Inquisitor Coteaz
- 6 man henchmen warband
- Land Raider
- Assassin Allies:
Ok, so it’s obvious that I don’t know the Grey Knight Codex. Are all of those different units really elites?
Anywho, Cole came out of retirement to play with his brand new codex, along with some throwbacks to the old ‘dex in the form of Inquisitors and Assassins. Most of his army seemed to deep strike down, and he definitely provided the psychic assault of our team.
Sean’s Space Wolf Company:
- HQ:
- Bjorn the Fell Handed in Drop pod w/ Deathwind
- Krom Dragongaze
- Njal Stormcaller
- Ragnar Blackmane
- Rune Priest (level 2) in power armor
- Elites:
- Venerable Dreadnought w/ Blizardshield & Axe in Drop pod w/ Deathwind
- Murderfang in Drop pod w/ Deathwind
- Troops:
- 15x Blood Claws w/ Flamer, Meltagun, & Powerfist in Stormwolf w/ Hellfrost cannon
- 15x Blood Claws w/ Flamer, Meltagun, & Powerfist
- 1x Lone Wolf
- Heavy Support:
- Land Raider Crusader
- Long Fangs x6 w/ 5x Plasmacannon
- Lords of War:
- Eldar Allies:
- Wraithknight w/ Scatter laser, Suncannon & Scattershield
- Revenant Titan w/ Missile Launcher & 2x Pulsars
- Fortifications:
- Aegis Defense Line w/ Comms Relay
In hindsight, Sean seemed to be the only person who brought models that weren’t painted. I gave him a pass because he changed jobs and moved his apartment during the build-up to the game, and he did have most of his force painted (in fact, I think he had all of the space wolves painted). Besides, he’s only been playing 40k for a year or two, so frankly, his progress is amazing.
“Harald’s Space Wolf Apocalypse Force with Gryphonicus Titan Maniple Support” (Kurt)
- HQ:
- Harald Deathwolf (lord on thunderwolf)
- Fast Attack:
- 5x Harald’s Fenrisian Wolf Pack
- 5x Harald’s Fenrisian Wolf Pack
- 5x Harald’s Fenrisian Wolf Pack
- 5x Harald’s Fenrisian Wolf Pack
- 5x Harald’s Fenrisian Wolf Pack
- 6x Thunderwolf Calvary
- 6x Thunderwolf Calvary
- Lords of War:
- Reaver Titan (Rage of Fenris) w/ Melta Cannon, Gatling Blaster, & Apoc Missile Launcher
- Warhound Titan (Wolf Strider) w/ Inferno Gun & Plasma Blastgun
- Warhound Titan (Fenrisian Strider) w/ Inferno Gun & Plasma Blastgun
In any Apoc game, Kurt has to bring more Forgeworld models than anyone. I think that guy owns every Forgeworld model that’s legal to play in a Space Wolf Force. When he ran out of marine models, he started picking up IG models—so it shouldn’t’ have been a big surprise that he unveiled his new purchase: three fully painted titans.
The looked great (except when they were falling apart on top of my army), and provided some real scale to the table.
HQ:
Warhammer 39,9999 