The Indomitus Crusade Begins - Cerberus

Planet: Cerberus.
Region: Cerberus Sector.
999.M41

Death Guard vs Skitarii.
2000 points.
Mission: Contact Lost.

As part of the Domitus Crusade Guilliman leads the armies of the Imperium against the Death Guard held worlds of the Cerberus sector. Too long has the Imperium reacted when it should have been acting. The primary target is the world of Cerberus itself.
The Imperial flotilla translated into real space a week beyond the borders of the system. Firing their engines once they powered down all but essential systems and drifted through the outer dust cloud, through asteroid fields and past the three vast gas giants which give the system its name. Undetected by the orbital defence platforms the Imperial fleet was able to launch a surprise attack. Opening several holes in the orbital defences and allowing assault forces through to make planetfall.
The main targets at this stage were the power generators that fed the mighty planet's defences. While elements of the space marines struck at any, the vital task of capturing genertorium X334 fell to the Cult Mechanicus. Great landers descended under heavy fire to deploy the ground forces and launch the initial attack.

Round two of our current league and one of the last 7th edition battles I'll have (though our league will continue with 7th edition until completed). My opponent this round was Chris and his Skitarii. Last time we played he crushed me with ease so I was not hopeful going into this battle but as with all things you have to give it a good try.

The game started well and we were both able to knock hull points off each other's vehicles and one or two troops died. I managed to grab a couple objectives and Chris did likewise. Come turn two however and it all went to pot. He outflanked three units of Sydonian Dragoons and in this game they proved to be my undoing. I found it hard to balance going forward with protecting my rear. I did managed to grab three objectives in one turn however but it was as good as my game got this round.

Round three and the Dragoons had my chaos marines locked in combat. In once such combat my champion defeated his infiltrator champion and was elevated to daemon prince! But even he was not able to stop the Dragoons and died two turns later. This was really where the game turned in my opponents favour. He was slowly gunning down everything I had, including my terminators, land raider and the chaos knight! My poor chaos marines being fearless couldn't leave combat so sat there hammering away impotently as his forces snatched objective card after objective card.

When the game ended Chris had one 11 points to my 4. Close enough that I was reasonably happy with the outcome. The outflanking was what hurt me most. Those dragoons are very tough to deal with but as I had expected either Belasrius Caul or a Knight Atropos, I was pleased with how my marines held up under pressure.

With the chaos lord slain the few surviving Death Guard soon fell back into the ash swamps to undoubtably regroup. The other generator facilities had fallen as well and with them now fully in Imperial hands the remaining drop ships began to deploy the mainstay of the army. Facility X334 would become the command centre for the Imperial war effort.

Worlds of the Narrative - updated

So, with the release of 8th edition and the changes to the universe of Warhammer 40K, I've updated what the narratives will be. And here are the lists of those narrative battles against specific opponents. Some are old classics but there are some new ones, and additional war zones will be added as and when needed.

Abraxes.
The world of Abraxes had already fallen to the Death Guard after a lengthy campaign. Space marines and guardsmen alike had fallen to Nurgle's gentle caress. It was then that the sorcerers felt a disruption to their connection to the Immaterium - the Shadow in the Warp! From the ruins arose a host of foul genestealers and from the void comes a terrible foe. The Death Guard have claimed this world and will not let the Great Devourer to take it from them now.
Expected Defenders: Genestealer Cult and Tyranids.

Artica.
A cold ice once that once held an ancient Cult Mechanicus stronghold. Abaddon seeks a relic from deep within the vaults and has sought aid from Typhus to recover it. Once the stronghold is located Abbadon turns on his would be allies, not wishing to share the power that hums deep beneath the surface. On the cold frozen wastelands the Black Legion and Death Guard wage war for control of a potential doomsday device.
Expected Defenders: Black Legion.

Bludhaven.
Launching an attack upon a lightly protected Imperial world the servants of Nurgle find that another foe has already taken the planet for their own. The Greenskins have decimated the planet and enslaved any survivours. The Death Guard deploy from space into the Ork lines fighting for the glory of Nurgle and their own wrath at having lost the opportunity to decimate this world themselves!
Expected Defenders: Orks.

Caseopeia.
A mining colony unlucky enough to lay in the path of Typhus' plague fleet. The traveller orders his legion to attack the Imperial mining facilities. Initially successful, the Death Guard then find themselves under alien attack from a superior raiding force of Eldar pirates. Forced into the desert badlands, Typhus must find a way to defeat the foul xenos if the Death Guard can seize the promethium supplies and return to their ships.
Expected Defenders: Aeldari Corsairs.

Cerberus.
The Domitus Crusade has begun. Guilliman leads the armies of the Imperium to war against it's enemies. One such target is a region of space known as the Cerberus sector - a region of space held by the Death Guard for over two millennia. The armies of the Imperium descend upon those stars seeking to cleanse them of the foul taint of Nurgle.
Expected Defenders: Armies of the Imperium.

Delphi Majoris.
Sometimes even the rival powers of the Warp have common interest. The newly risen Reborn of Ynnead have come to this once pristine world searching for some ancient and powerful artifact with which to upset the balance of power in the universe. In an unusual alliance, Nurgle has brokered a pact with Slaanesh, and the plaguefather has dispatched his favoured sons to stop the Aeldari before they can find the relic that they seek.
Expected Defenders: Harlequins and Ynnari.

Fandrel.
The Tau Empire's fifth great expansion has brought to an Imperial world long sought by the Empire for it's mineral wealth. They arrive only to find that the world has already fallen to the Death Guard. Still intent on capturing this world the Empire has called for aid from the empire but will help arrive before the sons of Nurgle eliminate the invaders?
Expected Defenders: Tau Empire.

Grendel.
Advancing into the frontiers of the Tau Empire, the Death Guard fall upon the world of Grendel. This world lies within the sphere of influence for the Farsight Enclaves, a worthy adversary for the sons of Mortarion. If Grendel can fall, it leaves the Death Guard within easy striking range of several other Tau systems.
Expected Defenders: Farsight Enclaves.

Hell's Landing.
A tectonically unstable death world on the edge of the Cicatrix Maledictum. <information withheld by Inquisitorial mandate>

Miridian.
The Death Guard had successfully captured the world of Miridian from the Imperium. Typhus began to turn the planet into his own place of power from which to launch attacks upon Cadia. A few weeks after the Death Guard won the planet, they came under attack from a raiding force of Dark Eldar eager for slaves and to sow confusion.
Expected Defenders: Drukhari

Oblivion.
A dark world on the fringes of Blood Angel controlled space. The Death Guard have laid siege and have successfully eradicated the human defenders. A telepathic transmission has reached the ruins of Baal and the sons of Sanguineous have come to seek righteous vengeance.
Expected Defenders: Blood Angels.

Perditia.
A world on the edge of space protected by the Dark Angels chapter. Reports have come to the Dark Angels that the so called "Voice of the Emperor" is here and have come in full chapter strength to capture him. Shortly after they arrive, the plague fleets arrive in system. Cypher's old allies from the Fall of Cadia have come to answer his summons.
Expected Defenders: Dark Angels.

Sanctum.
The world of Sanctum was once part of the mighty Aeldari empire in the days before the Fall. Drawn here by their dark master, the Death Guard seek to defile this world sacred to the alien filth. The Craftworlds cannot allow the remains of their holy sites to be defiled and burst from the webway to stop them.
Expected Defenders: Craftworld Aeldari.

Susperia.
The Ruinous Powers are fickle and forever seek to prove their dominance over their brethren. Deep in the Eye of Terror, they draw their forces, pitting them against once another in a war of ideology. Forced to fight and die for the glory of their patrons the forces of Chaos battle in a war eternal.
Expected Defenders: Chaos Daemons, Death Guard, Emperor's Children, Thousand Sons and World Eaters.

Svartos.
The Death Guard have set up a base of operations on the volcanic ice world of Svartos. Their frequent raids into Imperial space around the systems protected by the Space Wolves has brought the wrath of that chapter down upon them. Among the lava flows and ice flats, the two ancient enemies do savage battle.
Expected Defenders: Space Wolves.

Tethys Ultima.
A barren dead world long forgotten by the powers of the galaxy. The Death Guard have claimed this lost world as a base of operations for their raids into the surrounding sectors. Little do they know that below them lies a vast Necron tomb. The construction efforts on the surface have triggered ancient defence mechanisms and the machines have begun to awaken, arming to destroy the interlopers on their ancient home world.
Expected Defenders: Necrons.

Worlds of the narrative update

Due to the changes in the 40K plot/fluff with 8th edition I am considering moving my narratives forward as well as some games may not make sense with new units and characters that were not around before hand. The recent previews from Games Workshop show some major changes so I may be dropping several of the current narratives in favour of some new ones that will then be set. I know it feels a bit like a cop out, and it does me slightly as well, but like the change in rules for the game I think it will be for the best.

Vertical Envelopment - D'Then

Planet: D'Then.
Region: Perdus Rift.
990.M41

Death Guard vs Tau Empire.
2000 points.
Mission: Vertical Envelopment.

Pushed back by the superior might of the Tau military, the Death Guard have been forced into a defensive line stretched thin across the fields of D'Then's northern continent. The Tau have taken advantage if this by breaking through the lines at key points and then swinging their grav tanks around behind the chaos lines to flank them. Whittle the defenders piece by piece.

My friend Adam has been contemplating giving up 40K due to a couple reasons. I'm trying to tempt him back especially with 8th edition around the corner, so I bribed him (with a sealed XV-88 battle suit box) to give me another match against his Tau. We picked a Tau mission from Altar of War and went for it.

The mission represents exactly what the fluff blurb says. The Tau are engaging the enemy on one side while dropping or outmanoeuvring their skimmers behind the enemy lines. He deployed 9'' from the centre on his side of the table, spreading out across the board edge. Taking advice from a couple friends I decided to consolodate everything of mine behind cover in one corner. The idea being that because his skimmers and flyers must come in from my board edge they would have a harder time of it. In the end I felt he skimped out by only taking a Barracuda and no skimmers.

I decided not to steal the initiative because I felt that with night fight in play for the first turn plus everything getting a cover save he would have a wasted a turn. As it turns out his army was geared for night fighting so I lost that benefit and his markerlights removed any cover save. First shot of the game and my Land Raider went boom, forcing my Chaos Lord and his Terminators to foot slog it across the table.

My first turn and the Chaos Knight marched forward. Heavy stubber smoking one Fire Warrior while the thermal cannon took out half a squad sitting in a Tidewall gun platform. Unfortunately we couldn't find the rules in the rule book for the emplacement for a couple turns so we left it alive for a time. It did go boom eventually after we found it but the loss of that might have changed a few things. But it didn't matter as it was just a fun game anyway.

With everything else I was just too cautious. It's a kill point mission but I did not want to run the risk of giving him points by moving forward into the open. I wanted Adam to come to me which isn't going to happen with Tau.

Turn two and his Barracuda came in. Thankfully my Knight's invulnerable save kicked in and protected it from everything he threw at it. That thing was going to be a pain this game. Normally it's not such a problem but Adam had great shooting rolls all game. He then proceeded to have to follow my Knight around the table.

More shooting followed from the Tau and I lost my Predator before it could do much more than knock a wound of his Riptide. My Helbrute dropped easily to a Ghostkeel. It was only once his Crisis Battle Suits came down on my side that things changed. He wrecked by Rhino's and it allowed my Chaos Marines to assault them and lock them in combat for the rest of the game. My Raptors ended up the same way, until at the end I had one left locked in with three battle suits. None of these units were able to hurt one another which was frustrating.

By this time Adam was soaring ahead in victory points. That was about to change. He had slowly been knocking hull points of my Chaos Knight. After it had slain his Riptide with a mighty D hit from it's chainsword, it turned it's attention to the Pathfinders on a ruin. The massive overwatch fire took the last hull point and we were treated to an apocalyptic explosion. Adam had never seen this before. The blast destroyed three units plus his war lord and the Tidewall. Talk about boom!

At that point the game ended turn 5, just in time as the venue was getting ready to close for the night. Adam was well ahead on 10 victory points but that massive explosion launched me from 1 to 7 in a single roll. Well done to Adam.

Hopefully Adam will continue to play 40K after this. We also discussed replaying this mission under 8th with the same units (new points allowing) to see how it will play out now that vehicles will have toughness and wound scores.

My deployment corner after losing the Land Raider.

Sneaky Tau out on the flank.

The Barracuda swooping in from behind my lines.

8th edition detachments

I've kept quiet on recent 8th edition posts from GW because I've been largely on the fence with their AoS style rules and because other blogs will probably do a better of reviewing them than I can. But saying that we have a new one today featuring detachments.

I've always felt that 40K needed different types of detachments. The traditional combined arms detachment (CAD) is rather boring after all these years. To my knowledge other than a few recent specific ones in books like Traitor Legions, we've only had two other generic detachments - attacker and defender, from Stronghold Assault. Now, it looks like we have them in 8th for, at a guess, different point value games more than anything.

Patrol is probably the first choice for a basic or introductory game.

Battalion is probably for your 1000 point games.

Brigade I would guess is your big ass 2000 point plus game for the whole day.

I did notice that none of the three detachments presented today have either fortifications or lords of war presented. I hope that they don't just appear in larger and larger detachments. 

Sadly though formations do not get a look in. No more. I find that a real shame as I like formations due to how nice and fluffy they make each factions armies.

The post from Games Workshop does leave me with a couple questions. One, can you take multiple detachments? Could I take a Brigade detachment and a Battalion detachment together, and if so do command points stack? Secondly, can we still take allies? Our primary being one detachment and the allies being a smaller detachment? Only time will tell.