Robots vs. Birds!!! Raven Guard [30k] v. Necrons [40k]

30k, I can't quit you! This Tuesday I was able to get in a game against Alex from Modeling for Advantage, the official blog of the Left Coast Corsairs. Alex reached out to me a couple weeks back after I posted about my first 30k/40k matchup. We met up at my beloved Endgame, where the Corsairs practice, and threw down at 1000 pts on a 4' x 4' board.

Endgame has some incredible terrain, so we were able to set up a a really cool Bridge Too Far game. In this scenario the main bridge in the middle of the map was worth 3 VP, the two smaller bridges on the side got you 1 VP, and the standard secondary objectives were each worth 1 VP (Slay the Warlord [random thought: wouldn't that be an awesome band name?], First Blood, and Line Breaker). Here's the battlefield.

Alex's Necrons rose on up following a Destroyer Lord with three units of Destroyers, a Cryptek with some Warriors, Immortals, and fifteen Flayed Ones. The Raven Guard made planetfall with a Praetor (Ravens Talons FTW), a Vigilator, two squads of nine Vets from Planet Melta (combi-melta and melta gun) with one in a Rhino, a lascannon Dread, and a Deathstorm Drop Pod. Alex was on the left, I was on the right and went first. Spread it on!!!

The game was really, really fun. The 4' x 4' board, coupled with the focus on the bridges, really made this one a blood bath. My vet squads took both bridges first, only to be met with heavy resistance from the Necrons. My Praetor ended up eating through the squad of Warriors, but eventually met his demise in an epic challenge against the Destroyer Lord and a gang of Flayed Ones. At one point my fearless leader tanked through twelve wounds, making every single 2+ save. At the top of turn five my Dread was able to kill two Destroyers and take the central bridge. With five Veterans and a Vigilator holding one of the secondary bridges, things were looking up. Then they Flayed Ones charged.

Just when you thought Wraiths were good, here come the Flayed Ones. These maniacal robots had sixty five shred and preferred enemy attacks on the charge. Insane. The first thirty did seventeen wounds, and that was all she wrote. The game ended with Alex holding both secondary objectives and three VP for Slay the Warlord, First Blood, and an additional VP per the Pride of the Legion Right of War. My Dreadnought stood proudly on the central bridge, a river of blood and oil running underneath him, but it was all for naught. Alex took this one 5-3.

Games like this are why I love Warhammer (30k and 40k). A close, down to the wire match against a really fun opponent (make sure to check out Alex's blog here).When the game ended, I think we informally decided that we would start a Great Crusades campaign. Exciting! I really love building this Raven Guard army. Forge World has so deftly captured the nature of the XIXth legion, and I look forward to continuing to master their playstyle in the games to come. I'm also looking forward to adding some reinforcements soon. Can you say Darkwing Storm Eagle anyone? In the meantime, more pictures!

Until next time!