Counter Offensive 2: Space Wolves  by Ross Watson
Counter Offensive 2 was excellent, with lots of great players. Seemed like most folks were there just to have a good time (only one "problem player" that I could tell), and the games were a treat to watch. I witnessed a Necron horde following the Deceiver trash some footslogging Eldar (Biel-tan, perhaps), then fall underneath the Tigers of Veda's power swords. I saw Imperial Guard and Space Marines team up against Chaos and Orks and come out victorious. I even saw an incredible dust-up between Blood Angels (with only 1 Death Company!!) and Orks, with the Blood Angels victorious thanks to the Librarian with Fury of the Ancients (Best. Psychic power. Ever.). What a great event!

I got to play a game against Ken Lacy of the Warmongers, a friend of mine and a great tactician. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but seeing Ken's Sisters gave me no doubt that I would be in for a hell of a fight!

I brought the "Swift Horde" (now back to it's "Fighting Weight" of 80 models and zero bikes):

• Wolf Lord Vargr Ironbane, Belt of Russ, frost blade, frag grenades, melta bombs, Mark of the Wulfen
• Wolf Priest Einar Fangfury, healing potions and balms, melta bombs
• Rune Priest Gunnar Snowborne, Terminator armor, frost blade, combi-melta, Chooser of the Slain
• The Hunter's Guard (Storm Claws x 8), two powerfists
• The Cursed (Wulfen x12)
• Squad Crimsonclaw (Grey Slayers x 10), two meltaguns, Wolf Guard Pack Leader (WGPL) upgrade with thunderhammer, bolt pistol, and Mark of the Wulfen
• Squad Whitefang (Grey Slayers x10), two meltaguns, WGPL upgrade with powerfist, bolt pistol, and Mark of the Wulfen
• Squad Steeltooth (Long Fangs x 5), two missile launchers, two lascannons
• Squad Wolf Primus (Fenrisian Wolves x 12)
• Squad Wolf Secundus (Fenrisian Wolves x10)
• Squad Wolf Tertius (Fenrisian Wolves x10)

Ken's Inquisitor had the Liber Heresius (a.k.a., the book of "I choose table edge"), so he got to pick the side with A) more cover and B) more objective markers. This wasn't looking good at all...

The table had a set of six ruins, although only two were tall enough to hide vehicles. I had my Long Fangs in the set of ruins on my side of the table, and Ken had hidden one Rhino and his Exorcist behind the set on his side. One unit of Retributors went into that set of ruins as well, while the other set of Retributors was set up closer to the edge of the zone behind a wall. The rest of his Sisters crowded in behind that line.

Meanwhile, I deployed Primus on the left facing a set of ruins with two objective markers in them. Next, I placed Whitefang in a set of ruins in my zone, the Wulfen facing off with the Retributors behind a wall, the Storm Claws behind a bunker, and Crimsonclaw (with the Rune Priest) behind the Level 3 building. Squads Secundus and Tertius also went on the far right, facing off with the Retributors in the building with the Exorcist behind it.

My pre-game move sent everyone but my Grey Slayers (who were in good backup positions) forward. Ken sent my Long Fangs back 6" (with the Callidus's A Word in Your Ear ability), but I moved them back with my pre-game move. Nice try, Ken! Then, I won the roll for first turn! Hoody Hoo!

Turn 1
Swift Horde: All three units of Wolves bounded forward, but were still too far away to assault. The Wulfen headed for the wall and the Retributors, while the Storm Claws struggled into the Bunker in the center. Crimsonclaw gated (and scattered 8") next to the Rhino/Exorcist combination.

The Shooting Phase began with a bucketful of headaches. Not only did the Rune Priest miss with his combi-melta (rolled a 1), but Crimsonclaw's meltas also failed to hit! (rolled two 2's). I was dumbfounded as Crimsonclaw and the Rune Priest now formed a nice, juicy packed-together target for Ken's flamers. D'OH!

The Long Fangs came to the rescue (a bit) by blowing up one Sisters Rhino and shaking one of the Immolators. Whew!

Sisters: Ken was delighted with my sacrificial offering of Pack Crimsonclaw. Flamers, heavy bolters, bolters, and bolt pistols all blasted away merrily, accompanied by hosannahs and Ave Marias and prayers to the Emperor (Divine Guidance), eliminating the entire squad. The Dominions added insult to injury by toasting the Rune Priest with no less than four melta hits.

Meanwhile, one Rhino zoomed out towards the Wulfen and disembarked. Flamers, bolters, heavy bolters, and the Exorcist combined forces to wipe out my Werewolves and Wolf Priest. ACK! I was down two of my most powerful squads and characters in the first turn... this did NOT look good. Luckily, Pack Primus was nearby, salivating at the thought of all that juicy, tender female meat. Ken shook his head. "I'm not worried about your Wolves, I'm worried about your Wulfen and power weapon guys."

(Note: Ken's first mistake. Never underestimate Wolves.)

Turn 2
Swift Horde: It was time for my Wolves to show their stuff. Whitefang left the ruins and headed towards the Retributors, while the Wolf Lord and his Storm Claws moved through the bunker, intent on hitting the Sisters with bloody vengeance. Secundus and Tertius entered the ruins with little problem (rolling high on Fleets), their bionic legs more than easily navigating the broken terrain. A few shots rang out from Whitefang and the Storm Claws, to no real effect. The Long Fangs, however, proved definitely reliable - Ken had smartly smoked his transports this turn to prevent me from blowing them up, so the Long Fangs blew apart some Seraphim instead.

It was time to show my stuff - Primus leapt onto the dismounted Sisters, Secundus attacked the Seraphim, and Tertius pounced onto the Retributors in the building. Primus performed admirably, reducing the Sisters squad to four, while Secundus struggled against the higher Weapon Skill of the Seraphim. Tertius proved most deadly and dragged down several of the Retributors with no losses.

Sisters: Ken was beginning to sweat, as all three of the assaulted squads held under the onslaught - he was actually hoping some would break, thus exposing the Wolves to his deadly firepower. He even took his casualties from the veteran sisters with the book of St. Lucius to help, but it was to no avail - the Sisters were just brave enough to keep fighting! Meanwhile, he shuffled his forces around as the Dominions and the other Sisters squad were brought to bear against pack Secundus. The Exorcist, aided by the Retributors and the now-emerged Callidus, wiped out the Storm Claws and wounded the Wolf Lord. The Domionions and Sisters, aided by the Seraphim, managed to wipe out pack Secundus and retreated from the possibility of the Wolf Lord's vengeance.

Meanwhile, Primus wiped out the remaining Sisters and moved an impressive 6" on the massacre roll to move behind the wall towards the Retributors. Tertius continued to battle with the Retributors and dropped a few more as combat ground on.

Turn 3
Swift Horde: The Wolf Lord did indeed leap out of the bunker with a snarl, but I chose to take the sure path and moved Whitefang up towards the Callidus to make sure. Primus fleeted back to make sure of the charge against the Retributors.

The Long Fangs reduced the Seraphim to three models, while Whitefang decisively destroyed the Callidus with melta fire. The Wolf Lord charged the nearby Immolator, but failed to harm the swift machine. Pack Primus assaulted the Retributors (with the second Canoness), ripping many of the Sisters to shreds as feminine screams began to break out across the battlefield. Pack Tertius kept faith and destroyed even more Retributors, but Wolves were also falling to the earth as the combat wore on.

Sisters: The Immolator and Dominions turned their weapons on the Wolf Lord and destroyed him, while the last Rhino picked up the Sisters and zoomed 12" to get some more flamer hits on Pack Whitefang. The Exorcist added its firepower, reducing Whitefang to six models. The Seraphim and the Inquisitor joined the fight against Tertius, having little effect, however. The Wolves of Tertius were slowly but steadily removing Retributors from the table. The second Canoness joined her sisters of the Retributors, but even her blessed weapon and the Emperor's faith couldn't save her - the Retributors were wiped out by pack Primus (Primus saved three out of four wounds on 6’s!), and the Canoness barely escaped with her life, fleeing back towards the table edge.

Turn 4
Swift Horde: Pack Whitefang advanced towards the Dominions, while pack Primus had noticed that the survivors of the Rhino (destroyed waaaay back on Turn 1!) had snuck around and were attempting to claim two objectives in the ruins on the left. The Wolves snarled to each other in binary, clipped barks, and soon set off in pursuit.

The Long Fangs took aim at the troublesome vehicles, destroying both the Immolator and the nearby Rhino, sending several Sisters (and three Grey Slayers of pack Whitefang....oops) to their deaths in the resulting fireballs.

Whitefang charged the Dominions, slaying all but two - who fled in disarray, managing to escape the slow-footed Grey Slayers. Pack Primus charged the surviving four Sisters in the ruins on the left and wiped them out. The combat with Tertius, the Seraphim, the Inquisitor, and the Retributors was going slowly - this turn, Tertius lost combat, failed their Leadership check, but remained in the fight thanks to ATSKNF.

Sisters: Ken shook his head, as defeat loomed out of the jaws of victory. His last remaining Rhino attempted to tankshock Pack Primus, but immobilized itself. The Dominions and Canoness were rallied with faith points and leapt into combat with pack Whitefang's three survivors, even as the Exorcist blasted one apart. The Canoness's blade cleaved the last two Grey Slayers in two, but the pack leader's powerfist blurred outward in a berserk frenzy as he fell, dropping the Canoness as well. In the end, the last surviving Dominion was left standing amongst the carnage.

In a stunning display of cybernetic feral savagery, Pack Tertius eliminated the Inquisitor, all three Seraphim, and the last survivors of the Retributors! Only four Wolves were left from Pack Primus, but they had ended up destroying three entire units. Pack Primus also ate three courses of Sister with room for more!

Ken conceded, having only two scoring units left on the table - the entangled Sisters squad and the Exorcist. I owned two of the four objective markers with Pack Primus.

Ken's army put up a hell of a fight, but my Fenrisian Wolves saved the day once again. MVP goes to Pack Primus and Pack Tertius - all three of my characters died without making much of an impression, but you can bet that the warband's Wolf Priest will make notes to enhance the breeding of more Fenrisian Cyber-wolves in the future. Victory for the 13th Company!!
 

Related Pages 
Counter Offensive
Countdown to Counter Offensive 2

© Copyright Ross Watson, September 2005. Used with permission. Originally posted on the Bolter & Chainsword.
 

Top