40K VWMkIII - Battle #22, Round #2 - Armoured Company versus Armoured Company

[Caluin]

Please see this thread on how to participate in these games. I want to stress to everyone that the mission means everything. He who stands the best way to score Victory Points should be the winner. All missions have the Infiltration, Deep Strike, and Victory Points special rules.

Mission Type - Secure and Control

(Referee note - I was so hoping that this one would come up. Hurrah! For ease of voting, the top AC list will be referred to as "Alpha" and the bottom list will be referred to as "Beta.")

180th Karallis Prime Praetors (Armored Company) (*14/Alpha)

Doctrines
-Restricted Units: Leman Russ Vanquisher
-Restricted Units: Leman Russ Exterminator
-Skills & Drills: Ace Gunners
-Skills & Drills: Anti-Tank Rounds
-Special Equipment: Machine God's Blessing

Headquarters – 303 points
Leman Russ Exterminator Command Tank
Turret mounted twin-linked autocannon; Hull mounted Heavy Bolters; Heavy Bolter Sponsons; Pintle Heavy Stubber; Extra Armour; Searchlight; Ace Gunners; Machine God’s Blessing, Improved Comms

Elites – 530 points
Tank Ace in Leman Russ Vanquisher
Turret mounted Vanquisher Cannon, Hull mounted Lascannon; Heavy Bolter Sponsons; Extra Armour; Searchlight; Ace Gunners; Machine God’s Blessing

Storm Troopers – Ten (1 men
Seven (7) armed with Hellguns
Two (2) armed with Grenade Launchers
Sergeant: Hell Pistol and CCW
Chimera: Turret mounted Multi-laser; Hull mounted Heavy Bolter; Extra Armor; Smoke Launchers

Troops – 618 points
Leman Russ Battle Tank
Turret mounted Battle Cannon; Hull mounted Heavy Bolter; Heavy Bolter Sponsons; Extra Armour; Searchlight; Anti-tank Rounds; Machine Gods Blessing

Leman Russ Battle Tank
Turret mounted Battle Cannon; Hull mounted Heavy Bolter; Heavy Bolter Sponsons; Extra Armour; Searchlight; Anti-tank Rounds; Machine Gods Blessing

Leman Russ Battle Tank
Turret mounted Battle Cannon; Hull mounted Heavy Bolter; Heavy Bolter Sponsons; Extra Armour; Searchlight; Anti-tank Rounds; Machine Gods Blessing

Fast Attack – 168 points
Sentinel
Lascannon; Searchlight

Sentinel
Lascannon; Searchlight

Sentinel
Lascannon; Searchlight

Heavy Support – 231 points
Leman Russ Demolisher
Turret mounted Demolisher Cannon; Hull mounted Lascannon; Plasma Cannon Sponsons; Extra Armour; Searchlight; Ace Gunners; Machine God’s Blessing.

General Tactics:
The general idea is to advance on the objectives and blast any and all scoring units until they can't claim any VPs. The Leman Russ Battle Tanks (LRBT), Vanquisher, and Sentinels go tank-busting, while the Storm Troopers and Exterminator hose down infantry (preferably light and medium infantry). The battle cannons on the LRBTs will also fare well against heavy infantry, supported in that role by the Demolisher. With all the sponson weapons, the list should fare well against hordes as well, even without the battle cannons. The searchlights should ensure I maintain fire superiority in night fight scenarios.


Wargear/Doctrine Notes: Ace Gunners: Functions like Sharpshooters, but also allows the player to re-roll the scatter die for ordnance but not the distance die.

Machine God's Blessing: Negates the effect of lance weapons.

Anti-Tank Rounds: Gives a Leman Russ Battle Tank a non-ordnance shot that hits with normal BS and rolls 2d6 + Strength for armor penetration.
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45th Graian Heavy Dragoons (*18/Beta)
Armoured Company

Headquarters – 260 points
Command Tank “Regatta of Violence”
Leman Russ Exterminator: Turret mounted Twin-linked Autocannon; Hull mounted Heavy Bolters; Heavy Bolter Sponsons; Pintle Heavy Stubber; Machine God’s Blessing.

Elites – 290 points
Tank Ace “Burning Spear”
Leman Russ Vanquisher: Turret mounted Vanquisher Cannon; Hull mounted Lascannon; Heavy Bolter sponsons; Machine God’s Blessing.

Troops – 570 points
Leman Russ Battle Tank “Matilda”
Leman Russ: Battle Cannon; Hull mounted Lascannon; Heavy Bolter Sponsons; Machine Gods Blessing

Leman Russ Battle Tank “Sgt. Bash”
Leman Russ: Battle Cannon; Hull mounted Lascannon; Heavy Bolter Sponsons; Machine Gods Blessing

Leman Russ Battle Tank “Hypnodisc”
Leman Russ: Battle Cannon; Hull mounted Lascannon; Heavy Bolter Sponsons; Machine Gods Blessing

Fast Attack – 310 points
Hellhound “Napalm”
Hellhound: Turret mounted Inferno Cannon; Hull mounted Heavy Bolter; Extra Armour

Hellhound “Grillornator”
Hellhound: Turret mounted Inferno Cannon; Hull mounted Heavy Bolter; Extra Armour

Sentinel “Flimsy”
Sentinel: Lascannon, Armoured crew compartment

Heavy Support – 420 points
Leman Russ Demolisher “Razor”
Leman Russ Demolisher: Turret mounted Demolisher Cannon; Hull mounted Lascannon; Plasma Cannon sponsons; Machine God’s Blessing

Leman Russ Demolisher “Sir Killalot”
Leman Russ Demolisher: Turret mounted Demolisher Cannon; Hull mounted Lascannon; Plasma Cannon sponsons; Machine God’s Blessing

Notes:
Machine Gods Blessing – Nullifies any armour modifying effects from Bright or Dark lances or blasters, etc.
Leman Russ Vanquisher – 96” range meltagun (basically) at BS4
Leman Russ Exterminator – Spits out 14 shots a turn at BS4.
All Russes AV14 and can cover each others flanks easily using cover to hide on turn 1

Referee's Note -
The rules for Armoured Companies can be found on the UK Games Workshop site, under the Chapter Approved Articles.

[Robizzle]

2nd Armoured Company - (Beta)

I think they're both pretty balanced, but in the end the fact that there are so many more tanks in the 2nd one they have a pressing advantage.

The Sentinels are flimsy....very flimsy....if the Hellhounds open up they get 2 dice because they're open topped, as well as a heavy bolter. Also, the 2nd Lists exterminator seems to have the better targets (sentinels), whereas the 1st lists can shoot at the sentinel and maybe the hellhound, but not to very great effect.

Also, the 1st list has wasted points on those stormtroopers. All they have is granade launchers, and they can't do much until they get to the back armour.

[numberofthebeastxxx]

I also have to vote for 2nd Armoured Company - (Beta)

It has more tanks, more tank killing weapons, and will therfore win. The storm troopers will be shredded by the hellhounds and battle cannons. The sentinals will fall shorty as well. This would be an interesting game, but the second list will come out on top, in my opinion.

[TwoHats]

List Alpha

I don't know if you guys noted the Anti-Tank Rounds. Anyway, the first list has more anti-vehicle shots. The Hellhounds will kill the Storm Troopers, and then... nothing. The Alpha troop choices are effectively Vanquishers. While almost mirrored, the first list stands a better chance at taking out the things that are harmful to their tanks. It will be close, and will largely depend on who gets first turn. For list strength though, Alpha has it.

[Archetype-]

Considering the mission is Secure and Control, the Storm Troopers will fare better if the Alpha player holds them back behind area terrain until later in the game and zooms up to snag an objective. The Beta list may have a ****ton of lascannons, but the Alpha list contains the equivalent of four Vanquisher Cannons (three having a 72" range). The Beta Hellhounds will have almost nothing to shoot at from turn one. It will be close, but the anti-armor the Alpha List is packing will likey come up on top (albeit battered and barely standing). The Exterminator would do better as a flank attacker, or perhaps a Hellhound hunter. The Sentinels may be flimsy, but they have that scout move and a lascannon each. With only two vehicles lacking dedicated anti-tank weapons, all the anti-armor weapons spread out on the board for Alpha will eventually win the day.

Mission Vote to List Alpha, the 180th Karallis Prime Praetors

[Librarian Augustine]

I vote for Alpha. The anti-tank rounds will be what wins them the game.

[tiaxrulesall]

i vote alpha
-worse list in almost every way, but the vanquisher rounds win the day (hee hee, that rhymes)

[Lordofchange]

Wow, armoured company vs. armoured company. I gotta say, go armoured company!But seriously, what's Beta company made up of? Tanks and a couple of anti-troop vehicles. And what's a prevalent feature of Alpha company? Tanks, and anti-tank rounds. The hellhounds will bounce off of the leman russes while the sentinels snipe them out, and the anti-tank rounds will be perfect for knocking out the tanks(shock horror) of Beta company. The hellhounds could even be ignored while the enemy leman russes are dealt with by alpha company, and even if the sentinels go the hellhounds are screwed against the russes. Basically, the anti-tank rounds were practically made for this battle. My vote goes to:ARMOURED COMPANY ALPHALoC

[Deek]

As said before the extra antiarmour rounds will help alot and will certainly prove effective and well worth their points against another armour company. But really who ever gets the first turn will have a massive advantage.

List one Alpha numero UNO 1 gets my vote

[TheWamp]

Shoot, I misread the Alpha list. Alright, then, the slight advantage of an extra Demolisher is offset completely by the tank hunting rounds on the LRBT. Tank hunting rounds do affect battle cannons, right?

I vote Alpha list