Renegades and Heretics vs Ultramarines 1500: Combat doctrine

Another game with the renegades and heretics, and this time I’m facing against Ultramarines in a 1500 point game of purge the alien. I test out a different type of list for this game, focusing more around a heretek, so I go for a much more mechanised and mechanical force, instead of a well equipped force of reavers.

The Armies

Renegades and Heretics: Combined arms detachment

Renegade command squad – 160 (Warlord: prophet of doom)

Heretek, power axe, refractor field, melta bomb, 7 diciples, carapace armour

Rogue psyker – 35

Unnatural vigour

Renegade Platoon

Command squad – 70

Demagogue, command vox, militia training, plasma gun

Chimera – 70

Militia training, autocannon, heavy bolter

Infantry squad – 60

Militia training, 2x melta gun

Chimera – 70

Militia training, autocannon, heavy bolter

Infantry squad – 70

Militia training, 2x plasma gun

Chimera – 70

Militia training, autocannon, heavy flamer

15 mutants – 45

Horns and claws

15 mutants – 45

Horns and claws

3 Ogryn Brutes – 205

Carapace armour

2 Leman Russ Battle tanks – 300

Militia training

Heavy weapons squad – 105

4x lascannons

Defiler – 195

Total: 1500

  

Ultramarines: combined arms detachment

Librarian (warlord)

Level 2, fire shield, molten beam

Tactical squad

10 man, lascannon, flamer

Rhino

Tactical squad

10 man, multi-melta, melta gun

Rhino

5 sternguard

Razorback

Twin-linked heavy bolter

5 assault terminators

Thunder hammer/storm shield

10 assault marines

Power fist

Storm talon

Assault cannon, cyclone missile launcher

Devastator squad

10 man, 4x missile launchers

Whirlwind

Total: 1500

The mission

Deployment for the game was hammer and anvil, and the mission was purge the alien (even though we have no aliens). Rolling the dice for deployment zone I win and select the zone with the barricades and buildings to hide behind. We then roll for set up and the marines win, selecting to deploy first.

Setting up, the devastators start in the woods with good firing lines. The whirlwind hides behind the tower while the rhinos and razorback hold the centre. The assault marines hide behind the transports for some cover. As the storm talon has no choice it starts in reserve, and the terminators start in reserve via deep strike.

marine centre

renegades left flank

In order to counter this I place the two infantry inside chimera up front on my left with the ogryn and a single unit of mutants. On the building behind them I deploy the heavy weapons team so they can see the rhinos from the start. In the middle I deploy the infantry command inside their chimera, as well as the renegade command behind the building in the centre of my deployment. On the right flank I deploy the battle tanks and the defiler, as I don’t think the missile launcher are good enough to do any real damage before I can deal with them. I keep my second unit of mutants in reserve to come on later.

deployment

Night fight: No

Steal the initiative: No

The Battle

Ultramarines turn 1

All of the transports push forwards 12 inches straight for my lines, followed closely by the assault marines.

Trying to avoid as much damage as possible all three of the transports use their smoke launchers for a cover save. Firing indirectly the whirlwind attempts to hit the heavy weapons team but it scatters off and misses. Krack missies fly as the devastators target the defiler, only a single penetrating hit is made which gets a shaken result, which is ignored.

Renegades and heretics turn 1

The ogryn and mutants move towards the transports while the chimera reposition to target the oncoming marines. On my right the battle tanks crawl forwards while the defiler moves as fast as possible towards the transports.

I attempt to use unnatural vigour on the ogryn, but the imperials deny the power.

All of the chimeras attempt to strip the hull points off the rhino housing the lascannon marines but only succeed in stripping a single hull point, as the smoke prevents a couple of hits. The lascannons fire as well, and again only strip a single hull point, thanks to the damn smoke. The battle cannon from the defiler attempts to hit the damaged rhino, but it scatters off a little, and still clips the rhino, wrecking it, and hits the razorback taking off a hull point. With the infantry on the ground the battle tanks both bombard them but they only kill 3 as one shot scatters wide.

End of the turn and the defiler regains its lost hull point.

Ultramarines turn 2

Flying in from reserve the sky talon comes in to take out the defiler. I use my warlord trait to try and postpone the terminators, who fail to come in. He uses his chapter tactics to use the Tactical doctrine this turn.  Jumping over the tanks, the assault marines get ready to charge into the ogryn. The melta tactical marines get out of their rhino towards the chimera in front of them, and the razorback moves a little and drops off the sternguard and librarian.

Psychic phase and the librarian casts fire shield on the melta tactical marines, which I fail to deny.

Again the whirlwind fires at the heavy weapons and again it scatters, but this time it hits the rear of the chimera next to them and glances it. Unloading everything it has, the storm talon tries to take down the defiler, assault cannon and krack missiles fly but all fail to do any damage to it. More missiles fly from the devastators and again the defiler remains unscathed. The single lascannon from the tactical marines fires at the defiler but misses. Melta guns fire and the chimera next to them lose its autocannon. Flames from the assault marines washes over the ogryns and clips the mutants. The ogryns are too tough for such as attack but 2 mutants die in the fire. Bolt pistol fire from the assault marines does manage to steal a single wound from the ogryn. Louder bolter fire from the razorback targets the heavy weapons team and deals a single wound.

Assault phase and the assault marines charge into the ogryn. They manage to deal 4 wounds which surprised me. Fighting back the ogryns only manage to do 2 wounds and then take a further 1 from the power fist. Thank god they are fearless.

Renegades turn 2

Seeing the ogryn in trouble, the defiler and the mutants rush to their aid. The chimeras turn to face the melta marines as they are a massive threat to me now.

Battle cannons roar as the battle tanks target the devastators who go to ground, and only 2 die to the explosions. Melta guns from the back of a chimera target the meta marines rhino, but I only glance it. A plasma shot from the rear of chimera hits the razorback and shakes it. All of the chimeras target the melta tactical squad but they power armour is far too much to get past. As I didn’t really have much to deal with fliers the lascannons shoot at it, and get 1 hit, which stuns it.

Assault phase, and both the defiler and mutants charge into the assault marines. Hammer of wrath from the mutants kills off a marine, but by the end of the combat 4 more died on each side. The marines hold their ground.

Ultramarines turn 3

This time the terminators arrive and attempt to land behind the battle tanks, but they scatter and arrive on the ruins, but 1 is unfortunate enough to appear half into a wall, killing him. As the storm talon has no choice it must move forwards. The razorback pushes forwards over the hill, while the melta tacticals move next to the damaged chimera.

Delving into the warp, the librarian uses molten beam on the closest chimera and immobilises it. He then casts fire shield on the melta tactical marines.

Once again the whirlwind misses after targeting the heavy weapons team. As the assault cannon has a 360 view, it targets the rear of a chimera, and even though it’s snap firing, it gets all hits and wrecks the tank. With a lucky roll, a snap shot from the devastators glances a battle tank. Storm bolter fire from the remaining rhino kills a heavy weapon team, but they hold.

Assault phase and the melta tacticals charge into the chimera in front of it, and wreck it. In the big combat, the assault marines kill 5 mutants and the defiler kills off 3 tactical marines. The mutants run for it leaving the ogryn and defiler to combat.

Renegades turn 3

In from reserve come my mutants behind the terminators, las pistols at the ready. With the terminators behind them the tanks push forwards trying to get away.

Psychic phase and I attempt to perils the rogue psyker by casting vigour on the infantry rudely released from their chimera, but I roll 4 4-5’s and not a single 6. Its cast.

Pistol fire form the mutants somehow kills 2 terminators!! Leaving only 2 left. Chimera fire targets the flier but all the shots miss. So plasma shots from the back of a chimera target it, one gun explodes but the other hits and wrecks the flier making it plummet into the ground. Lascannon fire from the heavy weapons team wrecks the razorback. Battle cannons target the lascannon tacticals and they go to ground, so only 3 die. The infantry on foot shoot at the melta tacticals but only manage to bring 1 down.

Assault phase and the ogryn kills 1 assault marine, while the power fist immobilises the defiler.

Ultramarines turn 4

 He declares he will be using the assault doctrine this turn. Coming down from the building, the assault terminators chase after the leman russ battle tanks. The remaining rhino moves over difficult terrain but immobilises itself trying to traverse the terrain.

Once more the librarian casts fire shield on the melta tactical marines but this time perils, and takes a wound as payment.

Using their special ammunition which wounds on a 2+, the sternguard target the heavy weapons teams but they mainly miss and then fail to wound! That was lucky. This time the whirlwind targets the infantry instead of the heavy weapons, and it scatters, and manages to clip a heavy weapon team, dealing a wound to it. Melta tactical marines target the infantry in front of them with their bolt pistols and cut down 3 of them. Krack missiles fly and hit a russ in the side armour, and manage to blow off its heavy bolter.

Assault phase and the melta tacticals charge into their pray, and just kill them all with their knives. Terminators charge the battle tanks, and they both explode under the pressure of the thunder hammers. Finally in the middle of the table the defiler kills off the assault marines, but it’s a hollow victory as it can’t move anywhere, the ogryn pushes forwards though.

Renegades turn 4

Alone and angry, the ogryn moves towards the lascannon tactical squad while the infantry regroup around the melta tactical marines.

The ogryn throws a frag grenade at the tactical marines infront of them, and locks on killing 1. They run and the ogryn are stuck in the middle of nowhere. Lascannon fire at the melta tactical squad does nothing as it just bounces off their fire shield. Lasgun fire also fails to do anything at the marines.

Assault phase and the ogryn attempts to charge the marines, but needs double 6 and fails.

Marines turn 5

With little left to deal with the terminators walk back towards the action. The lascannon tacticals rally and stay away from the ogryn.

Psychic phase and yet again fire shield is cast on the tactical marines.

Shooing phase and the terminators run 6 inches back towards the mutants. A snap shot from the tactical marines lascannon targets the defiler and hits, it shakes the walker which get ignores. Whirlwind fire targets the renegade command, and locks on hitting the heretek, I decide to risk it and take the hits on the hereteks 3+ armour and he takes 2 wounds but no one is lost. Frag missiles from the devastators also pummel the command but the carapace armour holds and only a single disciple dies. This time the sternguard aren’t messing about and kill off the heavy weapons teams.

Assault phase and the melta tactics charge into the infantry and kill 5 pf them and the infantry escape, running for it.

Renegades turn 5

The final infantry jump out of the chimera to engage the melta tactical marines. Enraged, the single ogryn chases after the marines that ran from them. With the terminators coming to them, it would be rude for the mutants to do anything other than move to meet them.

Psychic phase and the witch give the ogryn fleet but fails to perils.

Pistol fire from the mutants fails to get past the terminators armour, and the command group add their fire power, again doing nothing. Covering fire from the chimera manages to down 2 of the melta tactical marines, and then infantry shoot as well, killing 3 more. Unfortunately the plasma gun explodes killing the renegade using it.

Assault phase and the mutants charge into the terminators, and with their 45 attacks they fail to do any wounds, the terminators have no such issues, kill 4 and the rest run for it. Alone the ogryn attempts to charge the marines in front of it but even with fleet, fails to make the charge.

  

We roll to see if the game goes on for another turn…

Ultramarines turn 6

Moving out of cover, the sternguard and librarian chasing after the rogue psyker. Melta tacticals go towards the chimera.

Melta shots from the tactical marines attempt to destroy the chimera but the shots miss. Overkill, but the sternguard shoot at the rogue psyker and manage to murder the psyker. The whirlwing targets the infantry, and locks on surprisingly and manage to kill off 6. After a turn of fire, the daemonic walker finally gets destroyed. Unfortunately the ogryn doesn’t get to make combat the marines he’s chasing gun him down.

Assault and the terminators charge the fleeing mutants who rally but again lose 4 and run, again. Tactical marines charge the chimera and with rather bad rolls only manage to stun it and reduce it to 1 hull point.

Renegades turn 6

The command move to attack the tactical marines, as the terminators are too hard for them to attempt to kill. The mutants run again, but the other infantry rally!

Ever one who can shoot does at the melta tactical marines and drop down 2, and they run.

And the game continues.

Ultramarines turn 7

The running marines rally and come back towards the chimera.

Again the marines attempt to wreck the chimera but fail, the devastators kill off 3 of the command and the rhino kills a single infantryman.

Assault and the tacs charge into the chimera and finally wreck it.

Renegades turn 7

All I can do is kill off all tactical marines bar the sergeant. So the heretek charges into the unit and the heretek challenges him, he survives the combat and cuts him in half!

Ultramarines: 11 (10 units killed, line breaker) – Renegades: 6 (first blood, 5 units killed)

Ultramarine victory

Post-Game

That game went downhill quickly, I thought I was doing ok for the first 2 turns but the assault marines really held up against the ogryn and defiler. That stall was an issue I wasn’t banking on. So far I am a little unimpressed with the ogryn, for the price I would expect them to do a little more. They are high strength and toughness, but for 60 points each, I don’t know, they have to do a lot in a game. It’s likely that I am just using them wrong, maybe in more of a counter role they would shine, waiting in my back field and taking on threats as they appear. Or just send them up a flank and take on weaker units.

This list in general has given me a few other ideas for the future, having the defiler without the need of an ally detachment was nice, and he gives a bit more of a punch to the list, an extra battle cannon and some power fists are always welcome. Also the heretek is quite good, the +1 toughness and 3+ armour save really helps, making him the most endurable out of all of my possible HQ units.

During the game, I made a few mistakes, I should have attacked in force, and made sure I killed a unit before moving on to the next. On my left flank I should have got all of the infantry out together and swamped the melta tactical marines and killed them in a single massive volley instead of going at them bit by bit. IT would have left me vulnerable to the whirlwind for a turn but I think it would have been worth it. I’m not sure what else I could have done about the terminators, maybe had the mutants on the table from the beginning to protect the tanks the terminators wouldn’t have been able to destroy them.

Either way I need to learn a lot more about using the renegades and heretics, but I do want to try a different kind of list next time, again an elite list but of a different kind. Hopefully I will have another battle report soon for you all to see what I mean.

Hope you enjoyed.