Wrath of Tzeentch

Dark Angels vs. Chaos Space Marines

2000 Point

DE Mission - Kill Points, table split in thirds, the "DE" deploy 2 units in center third and rest in back third (don't recall name)

Result: 10-2 Chaos Space Marines

Dark Angels List
Belial, Apoth
Librarian

Ven Dread
5 Vets, plasma gun
w/Razorback

2 x DW sqauds (2x CMLs)
10 man Tactical, PW, Plasma gum
10 man Tactical, PW, melta
w/rhino

10 Devs, 4 ML
Land Raider

Chaos Space Marine List (as much as I can remember)
Winged Demon Prince

8 Terminators - mix of power weapons, chainfist, lightning claws

3x 8 man thousand Sons all w/mark of Tzeentch

w/ 3x Rhinos

10 Man Chaos Space Marine squad w/mark of Tzeentch and plasma gun

Vindicator

Land Raider

Synopsis

The Chaos Marines went first and moved up their transports to join the two advanced units in the table center. Their Daemonic leader followed the Land Raider closely, staying out of site. All rhinos popped smoke and the Land raider took a pot shot at the Venerable Dreadnought in cover sheering off his close combat arm.

The Dark Angels answered this with a hail of missile fire both from the Devastators and the cyclone missile launcher equipped Deathwing - Belial and his squad left the safety of the Land Raider to add their weight, which in retrospect would turn out to be a grave mistake the following turn. One Chaos Rhino was blown sky high, killing one of it's Thousand Sons occupants. Tactical Squad Alpha dispatched at least one other with bolter fire.

In the next turn (2) the Chaos Terminators (who Mike mistakenly took 8, not allowing them to use the LR, yet DS probably worked out better) deep striked with little effort not far off from Belial and his squad of terminators. The close ranged barrage of combi-plasma pinned cushioned the unprepared terminators, Belial took a wound and 4 of his brothers fell dead. The Land Raider kept it's advance, closing over difficult terrain, the Prince followed with it. The Chaos Vindicator lined up a shot, taking some Marines out that were in cover.

Licking their wounds, Belial and his lone Cyclone Missile launcher brethren mounted back into the Land Raider. Dark Angels focus turned towards the now all too close Chaos Terminator threat - perhaps a mistake, as one Thousand Sons unit was down to only 4 and should have been finished off. Dreadnought made a dash towards the Chaos Vindicator and popped smoke. Another rhino moved up in front of the advancing Chaos Land Raider and dispersed a smoke screen as well. With moves made, a torrent of fire poured into the Chaos Terminators from all sides; Devastators, Land Raider, Deathwing alike. When the dust cleared, not nearly as many as we would have liked had fallen - a reminder of just how sturdy Tactical Dreadnought Armor really is in the face of conventual weapons.

Following that the Chaos Land Raider advance again along with the Vindicator moving to line up yet another devastating shot downing more Marines. The Daemon Prince finally came out from his Armor 14 shield and assaulted the Venerable Dreadnought (I don't recall exactly who shot who from this turn). The remaining Chaos Terminators scrambled for the Land Raider and one lucky shot with a chainfist managed to penetrate the heavily armored behemoth, cleaving it's track in half and leaving it wrecked. Belial and company piled out the side hatch.

Main focus is again on the Chaos Terminators, as Belial and the single Deathwing Battle Brother make hast to let loose some volleys into them. The Devastators do the same and the Librarian and his Veteran squad, one with rapid firing plasma, follow suit. The Razorback likewise sends some heavy bolts into their position. The old "you rapid fired so you can't charge" once again bites someone in the ass as the Vets blow their load but are unable to assault (though the Libby used hellfire). Belial's "squad" are left to go it alone and though they take one with them all hope was crushed that day by a chaotic powerfist as it punched through Belial's armor. The overkill shot was too much for him to take. Though hope may have been lost, the fight was not over.

In the next turn the Landraider moved up once more and unloaded it's payload - 10 retched heretics blessed by the mark of Tzeentch, the very air around them hissed with chaotic energies as they unloaded some shots into the closest rhino, only taking off its storm bolter. Again the Vindicator made a shot, though I am unaware of how many it took with it, even one was too many at this point. All the while the Thousand Sons advanced on foot, slow and purposeful as always, taking shots where they could. A handful of times the Dark Angel Librarian was able to dispel any foul magics they may have been cooking up, but many other times he could not - so is the power of god of change.

In the face of the coming Chaos Marines, the Dark Angel Tactical Squad Bravo piled out of their in tact, yet scarred rhino. A fury of rapid fire managed to only down one or two of the enemy. This time the Librarian and his Vets did not make such a foolish mistake, as he sent a blaze of hellfire into the remaining terminators (AP 2 this time!), followed by his squads bolt pistol fire. The Chaos Terminators were finally dispatched, but surely it took to long - the advancing followers of Tzeentch were not far off. The Dreadnought danced around killing blows from the Daemon Prince like John Travolta, they stayed in combat. Oh oh oh oh staying alive...

The next few turns flowed quickly as the battle raged towards turn 7. Tactical Squad Bravo received a charge from the Chaos Space Marines after a volley of bolt/plasma fire downed a couple. Squad Bravo would be locked in combat for the next couple turns, but eventually succumbed with help from the 4 Thousand Sons which had been ignored. On the other side of the field, the Librarians Vet squad was annihilated by the AP3 shots and too late the Devastator realized that the two remaining immobilized rhinos were in fact ONLY immobilized - not kill points - though they did manage to down one by the end.

Additional chaos fire would eventually have Squad Alpha falling back and subsequently destroyed and the second squad of Deathwing reduced to one who managed to use the hulking Land Raider and newly wrecked Razorback as cover. Combined fire of the Daemon Prince and Thousand Sons also managed to reduce the Devastator squad down to a man before the game ended. Oh god do I wish it ended in 5.

DA Commentary

The only very small victory the Dark Angels managed that day was actually not getting wiped out in seven turns of a whole lot of death and destruction to them. Two things I should have done was finish off the one T-sons squad along with hit the remaining rhinos much earlier. All in all, I would have still lost, but at least I would have got a couple more KPs.