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So, we started to play this small campaign with different players holding back different parts of the 'front', so to speak, in which I decided to take a part to finally get a feel of all the GK units (seeing this army isn't exactly cheap...) and builds. I'll try to include 'lessons learned' points, though, seeing so far all my battles were against orks, these might be a bit biased. I did not tailor my army, though, or rather, the amount of tailoring was as small as possible, as I faced very wide array of builds, from completely foot orks, to Speed Freeks - and twice, I ended up taking non-GK army I didn't played before to check it out, too. So, I hope it's as objective as possible.
Also, I was trying various GK units trying to see how they perform, resulting in often strange builds (suggestions of improvement?), but my opponent (who asked me to add here 'how cool he is') plays only orks and would like any and all critique/help you can give him :P
If you have any critique/ideas/questions, feel free to post or correct us.
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The story starts with one Ordo Xenos Inquisitor, certain Eixirt, being the only notable defender of planet lying on the patch of massive ork WAAAGH! led by infamous Warboss Moonshoota. With that said...
Inquisitor finally nodded, having finished asessing the defense plans and possible units that could have implemented it. As local PDF was notoriously drunk dead, its lone Leman Russ being out of order due to driver's weak bladder, and general populace unwilling to defend themselves on their own (as it would be 'too costly' in terms of taxes) she finally realized asking locals is not the best plan she ever had, and someone else has to take a hand in dealing with the situation. But who?
One nod summoned an aide, a cogitator (named Neuescodicus) who always guessed her orders before she could even speak it. With a sigh, she grabbed an address list, containing contacts to nearest allies that would be willing to help... Only to realize half of the pages had been torn out. She was about to ask why and who defaced the holy book, until she suddenly remembered High Lords forbade any further allying with other Imperial forces ('shooting them afterwards is bad for morale', they said) thus, rendering her current position much more grave. With another loud sigh, she grabbed first sanctioned address, that or another Inquisitor, Ytirar of the Malleus, and dictated a short note to the astropath.
Nineteen hours later, just before orks could make planetfall, blood-red Imperial cruiser with unusual passengers arrived in orbit, their purpose at this stage of battle completely unknown...
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Sadly, I don't have a photo, but it was 6x4 feet, with 6 area terrains set in two lines, much like on d6 in '6' position. From my opponent's position, wagon was on the left, deffkopta in middle, boyz on the right, with my terminators on the left, dreadnought in center, strikers on the right.
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At the start, Imperial forced decided to hand initiative to the enemy, going second, in hopes orks would close into the range of all the guns they had assembled. With that decision done, Inquisitors deployed second and did not try to capture the initiative.
Turn 1
Warboss decided to send boyz to the right, hiding them behind ruin, to capture an objective there. Deffkoptas and wagon rushed forward, fring wildly, but the only gun that was even remotely in range, rokkits on 'kopta, missed 'dread by about a mile, give or take.
In response, terminators were sent forward, opening fire on closest group of deffkoptas, killing one and wounding the other among the ork protests 'umiez have too much dakka!'. Dreadnought 'tactically advanced' backwards 6", firing its guns at the wagon, penetrating armor 4 times and wrecking it.
Turn 2
Lone, wounded deffkopta pilot decided enough is enough, and fired at the 'dread, this time accurately, wrecking it in the process, causing booing from Imperial side. Other two deffkoptas fired at terminators, achieving nothing. Warboss and his nobs tried to assault strike squad, sadly failing their run move by 1".
In response, terminators opened fire at the lone 'kopta, erasing this stain at Chapter's honour, while Ordo Xenos Inquisitor ordered her unit to open fire at nobs. 21 shots, 7 wounds and 1 nob dead later, after a bit of careful deliberation strike squad assaulted both nobs and fresh, close deffkoptas, to maximize grenade usage and to deny orks their furious charge/extra attacks. Sadly, grenades didn't do much, not affecting nobs, and only lowering 'koptas attacks. After another bit of deliberation, Iquisitor cast Hammerhand, while Justicar tried to cast force weapons, to try to ID 'koptas and warboss...
...and failed :smallsigh:
Then, the attacks proceeded, with GK striking first, Inquisitor managing to wound both deffkoptas, while her Grey Knights slain 2 nobs and wounded warboss. Justicar, determined to do something after all, swung his hammer...
...and failed all 3 attacks :smallsigh:
In return, orks managed to give GK 9 wounds, killing 5 after armor saves, 'koptas using Hit & Run to disengage.
Turn 3
Warboss kunningly ordered 'koptas back into the fray, hoping they will decide matters this time. Sadly, surprised pilots only managed to notice Inquisitor turning around and bonking one of them with a grenade which caused both orks to argue which 'kopta is more fasta! (attacking themselves result on grenade roll). Afterward, the Inquisitor fired Hammer once again, with Justicar following suit...
...and failing :smallsigh:
Undaunted, the other GK and Inquisitor proceeded to attack orks, wounding 4 times and killing 2, with Justicar swinging, and...
Guess what he did :smallannoyed:
In return, orks kill two of the Emperor's Finest, and wound the Inquisitor. Having lost morale check, the nob prepares to run, only to see warboss whack him with the 'pole, making morale check, but killing his last nob in the process.
Terminators advance forward, and the combat continues with warboss finally dying, but not before orks manage to kill the remaining strikers, including their failure of a sergeant. Inquisitor fails to finish off the deffkoptas, and stands locked with them on her last wound.
...
Sadly, this is where we had to break the game due to running out of time, but I think she had a good chance of finishing them off on ork turn, and proceeding then to join the terminators, or at worst, terminators would kill them passing by on the way to ork boys. Had she joined them, I have little doubt I could have tried to pry the enemy off from objective, and possibly win. As it was, we agreed on draw, though my opponent initially insisted I could have lost due to lack of troops (and cursed after being told GK terminators are troops, too...). I liked both Inquisitors, being good 80 pts backbone of their squads, though, it's really a pity you can't take special grenades on Ordo Malleus ones. The Ordo Xeno one in particular made something on the range of Tactical Squad attack actual CC unit and hold 3 player turns, if only I had the ID weapons, too...
Having said that, I think the opinion that GK are CC units is bollocks, I did way more damage with 20 S5 ranged attacks hitting on 3+ than in any part of melee, that, and in one further game I'll describe later one unit of strikers proceeded to kill the entire enemy army with shooting. Sure, they can assault, but unless you tool for it, the results won't be pretty, force weapons or not.