Warhammer 40k Blood Angels: Battle Report BA vs Nids

So, I took on a large nid army for my first solo 5th edition game. Used what has now become my standard list. Dante, Honor Guard with 2 powers, Chapter Banner, a 5 man Vet Assault with 3 powers, 5 DC with Jump Packs, 10 man Dev squad with 3 Plas and 1 Laz split into 2 combat squads. 2 Plas and 1 plas/1 las. A 10 man Tac squad with a Las Cannon and a Flamer split into combat squads. Flamer and Vet Sgt. in one and Las in other. I used a Vindicator with PMSB and 2 Furioso Dreads, one Venerable, coming down in Drop Pods.

My opponent had a large army of nids. I dont know what they all are but he had 2 squads of warriors, 1 big assaulty carnifex, 1 big leader thing with wings, and one shooty monstrous thing. He had 3 brain bug things and the rest of his army was the little guys with two claws. Hormagaunts or something. The thing is, they were JACKED! They had initiative 5 and were tough!

Here is how the battle went. I won choice and deployed. The mission was take and defend bases. I placed my marker right next to a flat terrain piece, and placed my 2 Dev and 2 Tac combat squads right on top of it. I placed my assault forces on the left to make a charge for my opponents base and my Vindicator in between the two forces to be flexible in battle. My opponent set up evenly spaced accross the board for attack and defense.

I took first turn. My opponent left his boss bug exposed in his base unknowingly and I had LOS wit my heavy weapons, so I took the opportunity. I unloaded on it but only scored two wounds. The DC, VAS, HG and Dante charged up the left side taking advantage of nice cover that formed a wall. The vindicator moved up and fired, but the scatter was huge and the shot was ineffectual. It would lose its main weapon on my opponents shooting phase and be rendered to nothing more then a nuisance the rest of the game. My opponent moved his stuff into range on his turn for assault, his shooting only knocked the gun off my Vindi.

Next round, both drop pods are in. I drop in in the middle to stop the carnifex/gaunt charge, and the other close to the enemy base to help the assault. DC, Vets and HG take down a squad of gaunts with pistol shots. Dante breaks off the charge to head to the middle and take on the bugs bearing down on my base... The Furioso gets out and he, dante and the devs/tac unload on the Carnifex. 2 meltas hit but roll 1 for wound. After almost all of my guns hit it, it is down to half its wounds total. Damn thing. It was looking bleak for my base. But I was hopeful for my attack on his! His shooting didnt do a lot. Stunned my tank. But the assault was crazy. His big bug jumped from behind its base and killed 2 of my HG instantly. 3 warriors and a squad of gaunts assaulted the DC and won the combat! But most amazingly, 20 gaunts assaulted Dante... He suffered 42 attacks and when it was said and done, made 18 saves without a wound that round. He won combat but the bugs were in synapse. It was amazing. He is a machine. His interception saved the day for me and won the game. Those attacks would have made short work of my Devs/Tac.

I ended up winning the game. Dante wore down the gaunts, losing 1 wound in the process but taking down 20 of them. Only to finish the last of them and turn to see the huge winged thing charging him... It finished off the left flank, killing the last of the vets and the vindicator then turned its attention to the middle of the table. Dante accepted the challenge and his fate. It charged, and attacked first. It landed 5 wounds. Dante's Iron Halo absorbed the first 4 shots, but one got through. That was all it took.

However, the dreads opened the game up for me. The Devs/tac shot up some brain bugs, while the Dread finished off the last of them breaking synapse. The remaining gaunts turned and failed to contest my base. However, my opponent was unable to claim his own. Victory to the Blood Angels, but glory to Dante. May he sit by Sanguinius for eternity.

I LOVE my devs and dreads. I have finalized this army as my offical list, with the last question marks being the Vindicator vs the Baal Pred, and Dante vs Corbulo. Some guys have replied to my post about the Baal Pred and I am just about convinced it is a superior choice, but the Vindi is more my blasting "in your face" style of play. Next game I sub in the Baal and see how it does. As far as Dante/Corb... egads.. Furious Charge vs Preferred Enemy... The one killer is that Dante grants me the Chapter Banner and has his melta pistol.. Oh, and can handle 20 jacked up steriod gaunts alone. As of now, I think I will stay with him longer... but in the back of my mind is Corbulo riding into battle with a squad of 9 veterans in a drop pod... if only I could assault out of pods...(dreams of september)