Warfare 2018: Battle Overview- Dark Angels/Deathwatch vs Deathwatch/Astra Militarum/Dark Angels

Today I have a battle overview of one of the tournament games I played at Reading Warfare last year. I actually meant to write these up ages ago, but lost the notes on the games, so only had the photos to go by. 

It's hard to think this game was only played a year ago, as so much of the game has changed since them. 

Here are some photos of the first game, where my Dark Angels and Deathwatch took on Daniel's force of Deathwatch and Astra Militarum. This was a custom mission for Warfare. In the first two turns, you scored kill points for killing units in your opponent's army. Then in turn 3, the player with the lowest current score gets to place two objectives, and these are worth 5 points each (if I recall correctly). This meant you could be at a disadvantage for scoring big in the initial turns. 

My army consisted of:

Battalion Detachment (Dark Angels)

Azrael- Combi-Plasma, Sword of Secrets, WARLORD (Brilliant strategist Warlord trait)

Primaris Lieutenant- Master-crafted Auto Bolt Rifle, Bolt Pistol, Eye of the Unseen Relic

Primaris Ancient- Bolt Rifle, Bolt Pistol.

5 Intercessors- Bolt Rifles. Bolt Pistols.

5 Scouts- Bolters, Sergeant with Chainsword

5 Scouts- Heavy Bolter, Bolters, Sergeant with Chainsword

Devastators- Heavy Bolter, Armorium Cherub, Bolters

10 Hellblasters- Plasma Incinerators, Bolt Pistols.

Darkshroud- Heavy Bolter

Battalion Detachment (Deathwatch)

Watch Master- Guardian Spear

Watch Captain- Jump Pack, Thunder Hammer, Storm Shield, Bolt Pistol

10 Intercessors- Bolt Rifles, Bolt Pistols, Auxiliary Grenade Launcher

10 Veterans- 10 Storm Bolters, 2 Storm Shields, 8 Chainswords

6 Veterans- 2 Missile Launchers, 4 Stalker Bolters

Auxiliary Detachment (Officio Assassinorum)

Culexus Assassin

Daniel's army consisted of:

Battalion Detachment (Deathwatch)

Watch Master- Guardian Spear, The Tome of Ectoclades

Watch Captain- Jump Pack, Storm Shield, Thunder Hammer, The Beacon Angelis

Primaris Librarian- Force Sword, Bolt Pistol, Veil of Time, Might of Heroes

5 Intercessors- Bolt Rifles, Power Sword

5 Intercessors- Bolt Rifles, Power Sword

5 Intercessors- Bolt Rifles, Power Sword

Redemptor Dreadnought- Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Redemptor Fist

Redemptor Dreadnought- Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Redemptor Fist

Battalion Detachment (Astra Militarum)

Company Commander- Bolt Pistol, Chainsword

Company Commander- Bolt Pistol, Chainsword

10 Guardsmen- Lasguns, Vox-caster

10 Guardsmen- Lasguns, Vox-caster, Mortar

10 Guardsmen- Lasguns, Vox-caster, Mortar

3 Mortar Teams

3 Mortar Teams

Platoon Commander- Laspistol, Chainsword

Spearhead Detachment (Dark Angels)

Primaris Lieutenant- Power Sword, Bolt Pistol

5 Hellblaster- Plasma Incinerators

5 Hellblaster- Plasma Incinerators

5 Hellblaster- Plasma Incinerators

The deployment was Dawn of War. I put a unit on Intercessors on the left flank, with the bulk of my army in the centre; Azrael, the Ancient, Lieutenant and Hellblasters in the centre, with the Darkshroud supporting them. The Devastators held the right flank, with Deathwatch in reserve. The Scout squads went forward to threaten the enemy forces. 

I took the first turn, with my forces moving up the centre of the board to target the enemy. The forward Scout squads moved up on the Infantry squads on either side.

My firepower from the Hellblasters managed to take out a couple of the enemy Hellblaster squads. The nearby Ancient allowed them to fire back, doing some damage to the Scouts on the right flank.

I charged the Scouts into the Heavy Weapons Teams on either flank. One more Scout on the right died to the overwatch fire, meaning only the Sergeant made it in, who was then cut down doing no damage at all! The other unit of Scouts were equally ineffective.

The enemy forces replied, the Hellblasters firing in at my Hellblasters, killing a few, but saving many thanks to Azrael's invulnerable save. The Deathwatch Intercessors charged in and killed my Scouts on the left.

At the start of turn 2, I brought in my Deathwatch reserves. The Kill Team and Intercessors landed in the centre, supported by the Watch Master. They opened fire on the Infantry Squads, wiping out two of them with ease.

The Hellblasters continued to punish the enemy Hellblasters and Redemptor Dreadnoughts.

The Intercessors then made a charge on one of the Infantry Squads, killing all but two.

At the start of his turn, Daniel chose to put the objectives on my left flank, away from the bulk of my forces. A smart play that would force me to go to him.

My Intercessors were able to target the Watch Captain with an Auspex Scan, taking a few wounds off him and almost killing him with the volley!

The Dark Angels moved up on the remaining enemy units.

The Watch Master was able to take down the enemy Watch Captain, while the Dark Angels characters charged in to target the enemy characters. 

The Intercessor squad and Watch Master were able to tie up the Redemptor in combat to stop it from shooting.

The enemy Intercessors charged in to the Watch Master, hoping to take him out, but they were unable to get through his armour and were cut down in reply.

The Watch Captain moved up to kill the infantry squads and take the objective from them.

The Redemptor Dreadnought fluffed his attacks after killing the Watch Master in the previous turn, allowing the Intercessors to survive and grab the objective.

At the end of the game, I was able to grab both objectives and rack up the kill points to get a big win after my first game.