Deployment and Turn 1. The Dawn of War approaches.

As the game began, we eased into reading the rules on how to deploy. Quite simple really. We roll, the winner deploys his HQ and up to two Troops choices. Hehehe (sung to the voice of evil), two troop choices means 8 objective claiming units for moi. And huzzaa, didnt I win the roll. Bring on the fan fair.


Following to my "plan," I deploy the boys across the board in strong cover save giving positions. One unit in the firebase, claiming Objective four, two in the Swamp with a command section and watched over by the Command HQ.
On the left hand side two squads make to advance into the Aquila ruins and claim the main objective while on the far left the other command section flanks the last squad in the grey ruins, sitting pretty on the first objective. Majority covered, things are starting good!

Ballistic unit Theta-C7 Nintendo follows his unit into the unpainted menageri of non flying Aquila bits.




Nearer the right flank. Red Cog platoon sink in literally and wait for fire orders as the enemy approaches. Before them lies Objective three, perilously close to their deployment area and *shudder close combat.

Under the direct download guidence from Junction Magos Fenwick, Blue Cog Platoon 2nd squad deploy in the grey ruins on the left flank. Here they would enjoy that 4+ save they dreamed about weeks before. Ahhhhh.


The Enemy Deploys.

A Lord looking over his castle. Its walls made of men and its battlements fesstooned with hopeful hundreds (well around just under a hundred including command staff and mascots.). Falling foul of being ordinary in having very little to deploy, Rory decides to spread out, hunker down his troops in Rhinos and hold out amid the disappearing dusk. Sunlight was coming.


Turn 1. I get the first go!! Someone loves me Yahaaa!

Thats right! I got the first go. To the sound of rumbling earth and squeeling tracks, the big stuff rolled on. Briefly dwarfing the minor force the enemy had against them. Even though Night Fight conditions prevailed, could I get a lucky early win here??

As seen through the eyes of a Space Marine (Black Scorpion chapter.) Sergeant, the well entrenched Imperial Guard wait for dawn to shoot like hell.


"Errr. Sir, can you get in the vehicle sir, you going to get shot." The driver said, trying his best not to let his obvious derision get in the way of respect. "So?" Asked the Sergeant, putting on his best over sized sun glasses. "Im hoping to be. Get some tanning."



Blue Cog 1st Squad directs the arriving Demolisher tank to the best firing position. He would later be post humously executed for stupidity.

Moving up the centre, the two squads advanced claiming objective two for the good guys. Shooting proved to be altogether a "like watching England at the Eurovision" affair with very little in the way of well, anything. Crippling the centre Rhino was the highlight. Oh well.


Turn 1. The enemy arrives. (aka this is where I lose...)

It was at this point in the game that I realised that.

1. Rorys sadness and facial expression of worry was all faked.
2. His infantry nearly numbered as much as mine and they were all here.
   

Deploying on the left sat two Rhinos packed with Marines, flanked by a Devestator squad that quickly ran into the ruins (quickly meaning a 6 was rolled). Finally, on the right, a razor back went full speed as the two Predators went tank hunting.

Thank god for Night Fight.

In the centre, the kill-everything-in-seconds jump squad stalked behind the hill while the crippled rhino tried desperatly to repare itself. Just look at all them choppy things!!

Moving full speed meant that on the right flank I now had to worry about the squad in the razorback and the imminent threat of anti personnel fire from those two tanks! Thankfully the guardsmen were securly protected amidst their ruins, while the basalisk switched firmwear to direct fire mode.

Thankfully, Rorys shooting phase was no better than mine, seeing every shot that could see, miss.

Next turn was mine. His army mostly in the open and every trigger in my army ready to get happy.

As we rolled quickly into Turn two. The Storm Troopers got closer to deployment, artillary found their bearings and infantry lined up for enfilading fire.

Over the horizon of our already crowded battlescape, the wisps of dawn spread.