Flesh Tearers Vs Space Wolves 2000pts Ambush

For our second game of 8th Edition we played a 2000pt game using the Ambush scenario with my Flesh Tearers as the attackers.

To win the Space Wolves had to get at least 1/3rd of their starting power points off my short table edge.  I just had to hold them up or destroy them.


The Lists
The Space Wolves list was:

HQ
Logan Grimnar on Stormrider
Njal Stormcaller
Ragnar Blackmane

Troops
2x 9 Blood Claws with a flamer and plasma pistol + Wolf Guard Pack Leader with combi-flamer and wolf claw in Rhinos
5 Grey Hunters with chainswords + Wolf Guard Pack Leader with bolt pistol and wolf claw

Elites
2x Dreadnought with assault cannon and Dreadnought close combat weapon with heavy flamer
Lone Wolf in Terminator Armour with storm shield and thunder hammer
Murderfang
5 Wulfen with frost claws


The Flesh Tearers list was:

HQ
Chaplain with bolt pistol and jump pack
Librarian with bolt pistol, force stave and jump pack
Sanguinary Priest with bolt pistol, chainsword and jump pack

Troops
Scout Squad with 4 boltguns and a heavy bolter
Scout Squad with 4 combat knives and Sergeant with chainsword
10 Tactical Marines with missile launcher and meltagun
10 Tactical Marines with missile launcher and plasma gun

Elites
10 Death Company with thunder hammer and power fist and jump packs
Dreadnought with Dreadnought combat weapon and storm bolter and multi-melta
4 Sanguinary Guard with 3 encarmine swords, 1 encarmine axe, 1 inferno pistol and 2 death masks
Sanguinary Guard Ancient with death mask, angelus boltgun and encarmine axe
5 man Terminator Squad

Fast Attack
10 Assault Marines with jump packs and Sergeant with power fist

Heavy Support
Vindicator


Set Up

Set Up

Set Up

I got to set up surrounding the Space Wolves, with the short table edge and then a narrow deployment area down each side.  The space wolves could set up in a 12" wide box from the opposite short table edge to the centre of the board.

I placed my two Tactical Squads and Vindicator at the back table edge as a last line of defence.  My Terminator Squad were at the back on the right hand side and both Scout squads were on the left, the bolters in a ruin on the top floor and the combat scouts behind a low wall.

The rest of my army was deployed forward on the flanks for a fast assault on the Space Wolves forces.  I planned to quickly neutralise some of the main threats in the Space Wolves army before others could move to counter and then tie up the rest while my army moved down to support or held the line against anything that got past me.  The Death Company were on my right with the Chaplain and the rest (Librarian, Sanguinary Guard and Ancient, Priest and Assault Squad) together on my left.

The Space Wolves were obviously deployed a bit closer together.  Logan and Murderfang were right at the back behind a ruin.  Both other Dreads were on the Space Wolves left with Ragnar, the Grey Hunters were in their centre and Njal was on the right.  The Wulfen were in the centre ruin and both Blood Claw Squads were deployed in their Rhinos as far forward as possible.  The Lone Wolf was held in reserve.

The Game

Flesh Tearers turn 1

I got first turn and felt I started strong.  One of my Tactical Squads moved into the lower floor of the ruin that the Scouts were in and the Vindicator moved into a better position to get a shot at the Rhinos.  Both Scout Squads held position and the Terminators started moving forward.  The Vindicator and heavy weapons shoot at the Rhinos along with my Dreads multi-melta which had moved slightly closer into range.  I managed to knock a couple of wounds off of each  I do regret not concentrating fire on just one rather than taking a few wounds off of each, but the ruins made line of sight difficult from every angle so some had to shoot at different targets.

Flesh Tearers turn 1

My two groups that were there for lightning assault had picked their targets and went for it.  The Assault Squad and Sanguine Guard went for Njal and took him out fast before he could do anything.  The 3 characters with them failed the assault rolls so were left behind.  I was glad I took Njal out early because he is a powerful psyker and I didn't want him to be able to use him powers to turn the tide of the battle so wanted him gone early and he was left in a position I could target him early.   On the other side my Death Company and Chaplain targeted one of the Dreadnoughts and again it quickly fell under the weight of attacks and the strength of the thunder hammer and power fist.

Overall I think it was a successful first turn but I'd have preferred to take out one of the Rhinos and moved my support Characters closer to the Assault Squad and Guard so the two squads weren't left without support.

Space Wolves turn 1

The Space Wolves needed to hit back hard against me to avoid being crushed early, luckily they still had some powerful special characters and elite units left.

One pack of Blood Claws left their transport and the other Rhino charged into the combat Scouts with it's Blood Claws still inside.  The other Rhino shot at the same group of Scouts and was able to kill one, which was more than the other managed in combat.

Space Wolves turn 1

Ragnar was joined by the Blood Claws and attacked the Death Company and the Chaplain.  I'd already learnt how powerful Ragnar is in combat in my last game and he proved it once again.  I managed to knock a few wounds off him and kill a couple of the Blood Claws but together they ripped through my Death Company, killing the Chaplain and leaving me with just two Death Company Marines left.

On the other side the Wulfen and Logan piled in to help the Grey Hunters against the Assault Marines and Sanguinary Guard.  Although the Grey Hunters did take a few causalities my characters were still just too far away to help buff my units and Logan and the Wulfen wiped both units out in one turn.  I already knew the Wulfen are powerful but Logan is a whole new level of evil in close combat, especially in his chariot.

The Lone Wolf came in and assaulted my Vindicator trying to take it out early in the game.  He did manage to knock a few wounds off but was mostly ineffective against it, but it did mean I would need to move the Vindicator out of combat on my next turn which would lose a turn of shooting I really needed.

Flesh Tearers turn 2

In my next turn I needed to consolidate a bit.  I carried on moving my Terminator Squad forwards into a set of ruins.  I pulled my Vindicator out of combat with the Lone Wolf and moved a Tactical Squad in the way to block him from charging it again and lay some rapid fire bolter shots into him.

My characters and Dreadnought managed to finish off the Wulfen which was a big deal for me because their combination of speed and a high number of powerful attack they were a major threat I wanted to get off the board.

I charged my other Tactical Squad into the Rhino to back up my Scout Squad, I know this was a mistake looking back on it, I should have fallen back with my Scouts and shot at it with my Tactical Marines.  I did manage to knock a couple more wounds off the Rhino though.

My Death Company were finally wiped out by Ragnar and his Blood Claws but did take another Blood Claw and one of Ragnar's wolves out with them.

I still wasn't doing as well as I'd hoped but was in a more defensive position.

Space Wolves turn 2

For the Space Wolves next turn they moved Logan, the Grey Hunters and empty Rhino into combat with my remaining Characters.  They managed to kill the Priest and Librarian and leave the Ancient on only one wound.

Space Wolves turn 2

The other squad of Blood Claws left their Rhino.  The Blood Claws that had been in combat with my Death Company started moving towards Logan to help him and Ragnar moved towards my Terminators and Assaulted them.  He made a good showing against them but their strong armour kept most of them alive.

The Lone Wolf charged my Tactical Squad but didn't fair as well as they should have.  He managed to kill one Tactical Marine but between overwatch and combat my Tactical Marines knocked him down to two wounds.

Flesh Tearers turn 3

This turn hadn't been as successful as the last round but they had still done well against my Flesh Tearers.  I'd lost two more Characters and a Dreadnought but I was more confident now than I had been.

Flesh Tearers turn 3

I had lost my attacking force but still had most of my defensive force at full strength.  I needed to concentrate on holding him up now and stopping units breaking through.

I started by breaking my Ancient out of combat and jumping him back towards my own men.  I didn't want him alone against that many powerful units.  I also pulled the the Tactical Squad out of combat with the Rhino and put them into position to intercept the Blood Claws if they tried to attack the Vindicator or make a break to escape.

The Vindicator could shoot again so fired at the closest Blood Claws and knocked a few of them out and the Terminators continued their combat against Ragnar knocking another wound off him.

Space Wolves turn 3

To start the next Space Wolves turn Logan moved forwards towards my Ancient and Scouts.  Both Rhinos pick up a Squad, one Blood Claws and one Grey Hunters.  The Dreadnought and other Blood Claws started heading up the centre.  Murderfang had been stuck at the back for the whole game and still hadn't been able to catch up with the rest of the Space Wolves moving forwards.

Space Wolves turn 3

Logan charged my Scouts and Ancient and was able to finish the Ancient off without too much trouble and take a couple of Scouts out as well.  Ragnar carried on fighting the Terminators, he had now lost both his Wolves and was down to one wound with one Terminator left against him.  The Lone Wolf was still fighting against 6 Tactical Marines and had been brought down to just a single wound as well.

I did realise we made a mistake at this point.  The Rhino with the Blood Claws charged into my Vindicator, but since it had broken off from combat with my Scout Squad in this turn should not have been able to charge, but it was only our second game of 8th Edition and neither of us noticed at the time so it doesn't matter.

Flesh Tearers turn 4

My turn 4 started and still I just needed to hold up the Space Wolves.  Now that the Grey Hunters had decided to get in a Rhino it was likely that the Wolves were going to start making a break for the end zone.

Flesh Tearers turn 4

My Scouts in the ruins with bolters carried on shooting at anything they could see within range as they had been all game.  They weren't the most successful but they were a cheap unit and the ruins made they surprisingly resilient.  My free Tactical Squad charged into the Rhino that was in combat with my Vindicator to try and destroy it, or hold it up and stop it escaping and as back up if the Blood Claws got out and tried to attack my Vindicator.

Space Wolves turn 4

Combat with the Lone Wolf carried on much as normal, a few more dead Tactical Marines but he still couldn't finish the unit of.  Ragnor and Logan did manage to finish their opponents off, both wiping out the squads they were fighting.

Space Wolves turn 4

The Grey Hunters in the Rhino and Logan both started making a break for it and heading towards escape.  The Blood Claws left their Rhino and got into combat with the Vindicator.  The other unit of Blood Claws started heading toward the Scouts in the ruins.

Murderfang was still trying to make his way forwards but was a long way off.  The other Dreadnought changed into the rear of my Tactical Squad and managed to kill half of them in short order.  Ragnar himself moved into the ruins next to the Vindicator.

Turn 5 had arrived and it was starting to get very late.  I just had to try and do what I could now, but with only a Vindicator, half a Tactical Squad, an almost destroyed Tactical Squad and a Scout Squad left it wasn't looking great.

With almost everything locked in combat there wasn't much I could do.  My Scouts fired with everything at the Blood Claws coming for them killing a few and combats carried on.

My Tactical Squads kept fighting in combat as best as they could but were seriously outnumbered at this point.

Space Wolves turn 5

For the Space Wolves turn 5 Logan and the Grey Hunters Rhino made it to within an inch or so of the short table edge.  The Blood Claws in combat with my Vindicator also jumped into their Rhino, broke from combat and headed for the way out.

The Lone Wolf finally managed to finish off the Tactical Squad and moved towards the Vindicator which was also charged by Ragnar out of the ruin.  My Scouts were charged by the remaining Blood Claws they had been shooting at.

Finally the Dreadnought took a few more of my Tactical Marines out.

The game was meant to be a random number of turns with us rolling a dice each turn after the 5th to see if we carried on but it was late and we were tired so decided to just end after the 5th.  Since none of his units had escaped at this point that meant a victory for me.

Aftermath
If the game had carried on another turn it is probable that the Space Wolves would have beaten me, they had a number of units close to escaping and we never worked out if those 3 units would have made up 1/3rd of his power points but Logan would have made up a big part of that.

The Space Wolves also could have won if they had started making a break for escape earlier in the game rather than getting distracted.

For my part I don't think I did very well, partly this could be bad dice rolls but also partly poor target selection.  The Space Wolves had some very powerful Characters and I think I wasn't sending the best units after them, more I know about them in this edition the better I will be able to pick targets.

If I was to do this mission again I'd probably leave some of my jump units in reserve and deploy everything else on my short table edge.  I'd let the Space Wolves come to me and trying and take them out as they were staggered rather than all in a group.  Then use my deep strike units to come in and attack their back-line or units that got left behind or back my own guys up where needed.