WH40k Incursion: Ultramarines vs Blood Angels

Ultramarine Battle Report

My first game of 10th Edition 40k.  I have attempted to do this as a slightly more descriptive report rather than a precise blow by blow account of the game.  That said I am sure we made some mistakes (such as first turn rapid ingress from the Death Company).

Ultramarine Armoured Division

• Techmarine
• Sniper Scouts
• Dreadnought
• Vindicator
• 2x Predator Destructor
• Ballistus Dreadnought
• Devastator Squad with Quad Lascannons

Blood Angels Death Company

• Chaplain with Jump Pack Death Company Squad
• Primaris Captain leading Bladeguard Squad
• Assault Intercessor Squad
• 2x Heavy Intercessor Squad
• Death Company "Furioso" Dreadnought
• Dreadnought
  

Setup: Scorched Earth Mission with Sweeping Engagement deployment and Secret Intel.  The Ultramarine force went for tactical missions to make use of their secret intel.  While the Angels went for Engage on all Fronts and Bring it Down.  The first suited their play style and the second seemed a good option against the vehicle heavy Ultramarines.

Round 1: The training exercise began with the Angels charging forward from the eastern side of the battlefield.  One Dreadnaught stayed to hold the home objective the Furioso Dreadnaught slogged forward through the mud trying to make it the ruins on the other side.  It did not manage to get far enough to charge into the Ultramarine scouts.

Being in an exposed position allowed the Ultramarine forces to swing north and south around the terrain to get clear lines of fire on the Furioso.  Almost the entire firepower of the Ultramarines opened up and just managed to disabling the Dreadnaught.  All that was left was Sargant Newmar's Devastators, hoping to chip a little damage off the other Angelic Dread they opened fire only to see it vaporised by laser blasts! [I got 5 & 6 on the damage rolls which also stopped the Blood Angel's scoring 7 VP on turn two since the Dreadnaught was not only holding the home objective but also that table quarter!]

Round 2: As the rest of the Ultramarines has been shooting at Dreadnaughts the scouts had spotted Chaplain Caecilius making a rapid ingress with the Death Company Squad.  Four sniper rifles opened up and the Chaplain never even made it to the ground!  Undeterred the remaining Death Company marines charged forward shooting at the scouts who went to ground avoiding any damage.  Blood Angels charged into the scouts and a tank.  Power Fists tearing into the armoured side of the tank while chainswords cut down one scout.  Making use of a Tactical Doctrine the scouts fell back and the Blood Angels force was quickly defeating in a hail of bullets.

Elsewhere in the battle the Bladguard dropped back to secure the home objective under a hail of lascannon shots while the assault marines advanced to the centre shooting at the Ballistus Dreadnought.  The Intercessor's advanced on to the northern objective chipping away at the Devastators as they did so.

Round 3: The Ultramarines called out an Oath on the Assault Marines and focused on taking hold of the central objective.  A blast from the Vindicator's Demolisher cannon took out three marines allowing the Ballistus Dreadnought to finish the last one of in melee combat.  Lascannon's took out most of the Bladeguard.  Thanks to cover the seven remaining Intercessor still had not finished off the Devastator squad!

Round 4: The Blood Angels Captain stood alone proudly holding his banner high on the home objective.  Lascannon and other powerful attacks were shrugged off by his invulnerable force field.  This finally failed when a single storm bolter from the Ballistus Dreadnought penetrated his heavy armour. [snake eyes on the armour saves].  The Vindicator blasted the uninjured Intercessor Squad while a lone Predator charged forward at full speed to reach the Blood Angel's home objective.

Round 5: The final two Intercessor's (one from each Squad) knocked gentle on the Vindicator's hull to no effect.  The tank fell back and the last two marines quickly found themselves overwhelmed by a Demolisher cannon and Ballistus firepower. 

[I know they cannot technically climb on the tank but it made for a cool picture rather than having him hide behind]

Conclusion: Ultramarine Victory 91-27 VP.  I was not quite quick enough to get to the Blood Angels home objective as it takes a full round to burn an objective marker needed for the last five points meaning I only managed 45 out of 50 for the primary objective.  Secret intel really helped with scoring secondary objectives.  I managed 7-5-4-9-11 across the five battle rounds for a total of 36 out of 40.  The Techmarine helped by just scoring objectives on his own rather than shooting, Vindicator was also great at just killing troops.

Blood Angels were hampered by poor advance rolls on turn 1 and then failing the charges turn 1 and turn 2.  Only the Death Company succussed at a charge all game but they barely managed to inflict any damage.  Having lost 3 units by the end of turn two made holding table quarters really difficult.  With most of their anti-tank being on the Dreadnaughts they did not manage to score a single point from Bring it Down.  With the Ultramarines spread out across the western edge their was limited options for their arrival but right next to a full squad of snipers was likely the wrong choice.  Having the Chaplain assassinated  before he had done anything was a devastating blow.