assembling some cataphractii termies.

They're leftovers from the clath boxed set- and gonna be part of my Ultramarines experiment.

First Game with New Ultramarines (2.0) in 8th Edition

I had a quick game of 2000 points against my buddy Norm, who is awesome.

I fielded Ultramarines, and this was my list:

Lt. Thad Allen.   60
            Power fist 9
            Master Crafted Bolter 3 =72
 Librarian Lidicker. 80
            Force Stave 8.             =88
 Chapter Champion.  55
            Master C. P. Sword 6  =61
 Captain Bane.  74
            Storm Shield © 10
            Power Axe 5                =89
 Apothecary. 50                       =50
 Chaplain.  “Bill”                       =72
 Chaplain Domus.  (Term) 90
            *Benediction of Fury  =90
 Terminator Assault x5. 115
            4 Thund Hams 64
            2 Lit Claws 10
            4 Storm Shields 10      =199
 Predator Annihilator.  85
            Twin Las 40
            2 Las Spons 50
            H. Killer Missile 6        =181
 Stormraven.    192
            Stormstrike missiles 42
            Twin AssCannon 44
            Twin Multi Melta 40   =318
 Drop Pod.  63
            Storm Bolter2             =65
 Tac Squad Blue.  x5 60
            Flamer 6                      =66
 Tac Squad Green. x10 120
            Plasma Pist. 5
            Plasma Cannon 16
            Plasma Gun     11        =152
 Scouts. x5 55
            3 Snipers 6
            1 shotgun 0                 =61
 Devastator Squad x5 65
            3 Lascannon 75
            1 H. Bolter 10
            Power Sword 4           =154
 Devastator Squad x5 65
            3 Missile Launch 60
            1 H. Bolter 10              =135
 Rhino. 65
            Storm Bolter 2
            H. Killer Missile 6        =73
 Speeder 45
            Multi-Melta. 22           =67

I had a battalion and a supreme command detachment.

I spend 2CP to make the Captain a chapter master.  This was a new change, and really made a difference, especially where he was placed, but we will talk about that later.

These tomes need so much reference (especially for my poor, abused brain) that I have resorted to placing  tabs so I can find things more easily, even spotting the units quickly between the two books.  It will take some time for me to actually remember that Honor Guard and Company Champion aren't actually in the main codex.

Yup.  You heard that right.  And everything that goes with that.

I gave the Chaplain the relic that gives him +2 Strength, -2 AP and 3 Damage plus Mortal wounds.  What's it called?  BENEDICTION OF FURY.  I think it'll become a regular thing.

During the game, I forgot that it gave out Mortal wounds.  It would have helped, but we will talk about that later.  As well.  Both.

This certainly looks like a relic.  And if you got hit in the head with it, you'd probably take notice.

You know what also is a relic?  Terminator bodies from the Black Reach boxed set.

On to the game.  We deployed 9" from the center, angled back toward the deployment zone.  We had five objectives on the board.  They were worth 1 point every turn they were controlled.  Every turn a die was rolled, if it was 1-5 that objective number would be worth two points.  If we rolled a 6?  Then every objective was worth two points.

I don't know what the actual name of the mission was, I think it was from Chapter Approved 2018.  I swear I'm gonna cut those books apart and make a binder.  I also don't remember the actual deployment zone name.  I don't really care.  

This was my deployment.  Two flanking tactical squads.  The heavy guns (two dev squads, one predator annihilator) surrounded the Chapter Master Bane, the Chaplain "Bill," and He-Who-Has-Not-Yet-Been-Named Apothecary.

The Chapter Master would allow all of those heavy weapons to re-roll hits.  The Chaplain was allowing one Lascannon to hit on a 2.   This was my firebase, and turns 1 and 2 it laid out some heavy firepower.

The Stormraven dropped off assault terminators and That-Chaplain-With-A-Relic we were talking about before.  He couldn't cast litany of hate because he was on a transport.  So this is a thing:  Chaplains who are in Drop-Pods, transports, deep strike, what-have-you, are not going to buff those around them AT ALL for another whole turn.  This is huge for Chaplains, and really makes you re-think the chaplain with a jump pack.  But really, who needs a Litany of Hate when you have the BENEDICTION OF FURY?

Librarian Lidicker, the Chapter Champion, a plasma combat squad and Thad Allen drop behind the terminators like total chickens.  The combat squad slowly kills the last two sentinels over there, while Thad, the Champion, and the Librarian all move toward the Terminators, who just got charged by...

...Aberants.  These fellas were buffed as well, they stomped in and killed all five assault terminators like nothing.  LIKE NOTHING.  But he didn't target the Chaplain, which allowed him to consolidate into the chaplain and not take fire.  Because I would have lit those guys up something fierce, I tell-you-what.

Here we go, Ultramarines.  The genestealers deep strike in and charge multiple targets.  It didn't seem like that bad of an idea at the time.  But it was the table's consensus that that gosh-darn Chapter master allowed re-rolls even in Overwatch.

We overmatched with everything except the rhino, the chapter master, the chaplain, and the now-terribly-damaged Predator Annihilator.

Missle launchers can really rock if they fire well,  as well some of the other weapons when the Tactical Doctrine was enacted.  By the time we were done with overwatch only four genestealers were left.  Sure they still charged and killed five Marines with bolters, but those guys were a screen anyways.  They did their job.

THIS GUY.  Next time you see me, I'll probably talk about this guy..

The Chapter Champion, when buffed with Litanies of Hate, nearby a Lieutenant and a Librarian?  This guy becomes a BEAST.  He doesn't have a reliable way of getting through invulnerable saves, but against average-level characters (and this warlord) he was regularly making the model take 5 saves.  It was cool, and when he got charged the next turn?  Since he got charged by a character he fought first again.  He's got no invulnerable save (yet for me, I might give him a relic someday) but he's kinda bad-ass.

Especially when you play power-level.  Then he's only 3 friggin points.

This is Thad Allen against the Aberrants, and you can see that BENEDICTION OF FURY Chaplain in the background, and if you squint you can see the Chapter Champion just through that one window.  I had cast Veil of Time on Thad Allen as well, so when the Chapter Champion went first, Thad also went first with a power fist, which when charged or being charged is +1 attack, and he was getting the re-roll of 1's to wound because he's an Lt, and re-rolls to hit because of the Chaplain.

This was getting kinda gross.  

So what happened then?  We called it at bottom of 3.  The Aberrants were stuck in combat with the librarian, Thad Allen, the Terminator Chaplain and the Company Champion.  It is possible that this little super-friends team could have lasted another round or two, but they were losing wounds fast.  I wonder how many of them would have survived into round four.

My Stormraven and gun line had destroyed almost anything that could have threatened the flyer, and it was freely moving around the table eliminating units with its assault cannon.  My gun line eliminated the last of the gene stealers, and started going weapons free at any available targets.

It was looking pretty grim for the Genestealer Cult.  At the bottom of 2 we were tied at 10 points each.  At the bottom of 3 I scored Slay da' Warlord and most certainly could somehow pull off line breaker in the next turn.  Norm and I shook hands, but it was a tough game for him.  My dice were hot, and so was that new codex energy.

Sometimes.

Sometimes success is defined as: rubbing some nuln oil on 21 marines.

It's progress. Not as far as I'd prefer, but forward.

"Last Marine List"

Just a bit of fun before the next codex drops. Don't get so damn serious.

75 power level of an Outrider and Spearhead detachments.

I figure that banner and apothecary can help patch up the firebase - and the jump packs (with Lt. Thad Allen trying to catch up in a rhino) can harass the front lines.

A fragile list to be sure. But a fun hurrah before the new codex(s).

I got myself a laminator today.

What was once a wild dream in the old battletech days is now a reality.

Only a matter of time before all kinds of things will be laminated, from stat cards for Shadows of Brimstone to pages from the new Space Marine Codex.

Frostgrave wizards as well. I'll have to buy some wax pencils in bulk.