The Roost of Turkadactyl

Jarrod wanted to try his Khorne army against my Adeptas Sororitas and I was happy to oblige.  I told Jarrod that I wanted to try the Repentant Host formation.  A whole lot of mouth frothing Repentia charging into combat with some Flesh Hounds.  Who came out on top?

Eternal War: The Scouring

Adepta Sororitas- Order of the Refining Fire

HQ
Saint Celestine
Uriah Jacobus (Warlord: If the unit joined has the Shield of Faith special rule the Shield of Faith saving throw is improved to 5+)
Priest- laspistol and close combat weapon
Priest- laspistol and close combat weapon

Troops
Sisters of Battle (10 models)- 2 flamers
Sisters of battle (10 models)- 2 flamers

Fast Attack
Dominions (5 models)- 4 meltaguns, Immolator with twin-linked multi-melta dedicated transport

Heavy Support
Exorcist- Exorcist missile launcher, storm bolter
Exorcist- Exorcist missile launcher, storm bolter
Exorcist- Exorcist missile launcher, storm bolter

Formation:
Repentant Host- 3+ Repentia squads (each squad must be 10 strong), 3+ Penitent Engines

Khorne Daemonkin

HQ
Herald- Juggernaut, Locus of Wrath
Herald- Juggernaut, Locus of Wrath
Bloodthirster of Unfettered Fury
Bloodthirster of Insensate Rage
Skarbrand

Troops
Cultists (8 models)
Bloodletters (10 models)

Elites
Bloodcrushers (6 models)

Fast Attack
Flesh Hounds (12 models)

Heavy Support
Soul Grinder- phlegm bombardment

I win the roll for deployment and choose to deploy first.  I hide two squads of Repentia behind the Shrine of Aquila in case Jarrod seizes the initiative.  The Shrine is located close to the middle.  He learned how hard the Repentia can hit in our game with his Necrons.  I placed two Penitent Engines with the two Repentia squads.  Uriah and a Priest are hiding in the Repentia squads.

I placed a squad of Sisters in the middle with the Saint.  Two Exorcists are placed in the middle to maximize fire lanes.  I apologize for the blurry photos.

My left flank has the third squad of Repentia with a Priest and a Penitent Engine.  They are accompanied with the third Exorcist, second squad of Sisters and the Dominions are camped in the Immolator that is hiding in the ruins.

Jarrod spreads his forces out.  A Herald is leading the Bloodcrushers on his right flank ready to charge in to Dominions and company.  The Soul Grinder and a Bloodthirster are covering the middle.  The second Herald is commanding the Fleshhounds to his left with the other Bloodthirster covering the far left flank.  Skarbrand and the Bloodletters are placed in reserve.

Jarrod scouts the Fleshhounds up the field.

Adeptas Sororitas Turn 1

Jarrod attempts to seize the initiative and falls short.  I move most of my army close to capitalize on shooting.  I remove the Priests from the all three Repentia squads.  The two Repentia squads at the Shrine were in charge range and with fleet and move through cover they had a chance to successfully charge the Fleshhounds.  Uriah and the Priests have neither rule so they leave the squads.  Uriah connects with the Battle Sisters and the Priest hides behind the Shrine to prevent first blood.

I slide all the Exorcist to line of sight on the Soul Grinder.

The Immolator gets stuck in the ruins and becomes a permanent fixture.  The Dominions disembark to get ready to fire their meltaguns.

The Sisters move up but stay out of 24 inches from the Bloodthirster in the middle.  I want a round of rapid fire before getting charged.

The Exorcists light up the Soul Grinder.  Well, try to anyways.  They manage to put one glancing hit on the beast, which in turn passes its invulnerable save.

Now the moment of truth.  I needed a ten for the first squad of Repentia to charge the Fleshhound and I make it in.  The second squad needed a nine.  I rolled a six and two.  I re-roll the two and get another two.  The successful Repentia access their faith point for a 3+ feel no pain for that round of combat.  The formation special rule allows them to re-roll failed feel no pain rolls as well as rampage.  Hot diggity dog.

The Fleshhounds lash out at the Repentia but fail to inflict a single wound.  The cries to the Emperor are heard and the Repentia gives thanks to the blessing they have received.  The Repentia hit hard.  With rage and rampage (the Repentia were outnumbered) the eviscerators powered up and would not stop the administering the justice of the Emperor.  The Fleshhounds start with twelve models and by the end of the combat they are reduced to four plus the Herald.

Khorne Daemonkin Turn 1

Jarrod cautiously moves his army forward.  After seeing the destruction of the Repentia he does not want to put himself in a vulnerable position.  The Bloodthirster in the middle moves six inches up to the Sisters and Dominions.  He wants to force the Sisters towards him.  The Bloodthirster on the left flank jumps out of the ruins and towards the Repentia locked in combat.

The Soul Grinder takes aim on the Sisters on my left.  The blast scatters back and tags some Dominions pulverizing three of them.  Two meltaguns survive due to the cover offered them.

The Bloodthirster on the left flank attempts to charge the Repentia but comes up short.  The Herald slays a one of the rapid Repentia, however, two more Fleshhounds are sent back to the warp.

Adeptas Sororitas Turn 2

I advance the two squads of Sisters towards the Bloodthirster to capitalize on rapid fire.  The Bloodthirster has the capability to charge either squad, even if I move back, so I might as well go for broke.  The two Dominions move forward and one is able to get within twelve inches.  I decide to ignore the Soul Grinder.  The first round of shooting yielded nothing.  As much as I want that battle cannon blast removed, the Bloodthirster needs to be banished.  Three Exorcists, two Battle Sister squads and one meltagun Dominion light up the Bloodthirster and when the dust settles it is left with one wound.  The thing took a lot of punishment and survived.  Ruh roh.

The Penitent Engine and Repentia on my left flank strategically fall back to lure the Bloodcrushers out.  I will not be able to make the charge and I do not want them to charge me.

The Saint leaves the Battle Sisters with the aim to join the fight against the Fleshhounds.  The Repentia that failed the charge in the first round seek repentance by charging the Bloodthirster.  They know it spells their imminent doom but in death they will receive forgiveness.  The Mistress and three Repentia are lost and put one wound on the Bloodthirster.

The Saint and a Penitent Engine make the charge into the Fleshhounds and eliminate the threat of the frothing beasts and the Herald.

Khorne Daemonkin Turn 2

Jarrod rolls for reserves.  Skarbrand comes in but the Bloodletters fail to get the invitation to the party.  Jarrod pulls a gutsy move and summons Skarbrand between the Bloodthirster and Soul Grinder.  He doesn’t have too much room for error to scatter.  The risk pays off and Skarbrand stays on target.

The Soul Grinder advances towards the Repentia.  It charges in and removes the Mistress and two Repentia.

The Bloodthirster advances towards the Sisters that are taking cover in the crater.  It proves to be the wrong decision becuase the Sisters hold on to their faith and set a trap with krak grenades.  The Bloodthirster falls for the trap and is slain before it has a chance to fell any Sister.  The Bloodcrushers attempt to charge the Dominions and fail.  They are now exposed for a counter-charge.

The Repentia lose a couple of more sisters in combat with the Bloodthirster but are fearless and will not break.

Adeptas Sororitas Turn 3

The Saint jumps over the ruins and lands beside Skarbrand.  She sets herself up as bait in hopes that Skarbrand bites.  Uriah leads his Battle Sisters towards Skarbrand.  The second squad of Sisters stay in the cover of the crater.  They, along with the three Exorcists open fire on the cursed monster and put four wounds on it.

The Penitent Engines rev up their chain blades and charge the Soul Grinder.  The weapons are too much to bear for the cursed engine and release its innards back to the warp.  One Engine consolidates towards Skarbrand and prepares for a charge in a crater.  The second Engine moves towards the ruins in preparation of a Bloodthirster attack.  The Repentia advance into the crater left behind by the Soul Grinder.

The Bloodthirster finished off the four remaining Repentia and sets it sight on the Penitent Engine.

The Immolator and Dominions open fire on the Bloodcrushers and inflict a couple of wounds.  The Penitent Engine attempts the charge and fails by an inch.  The Repentia sense an opportunity to receive forgiveness and make the charge.  They summon their faith and receive their 3+ feel no pain.  One Repentia finds solace in death.  The Herald takes a wound and two Bloodcrushers survive.

Khorne Daemonkin Turn 3

The Cultists emerge from the shadows and charge the Repentia.  The Bloodcrushers and Herald cause no damage.  The Cultists are motivated and remove five Repentia.  The Cultists are slain in combat and one Bloodcrusher is removed.  We made a mistake and the Cultists struck at initiative one.  Since the Repentia were locked in combat the Cultists should have struck at regular initiative.

Skarbrand has multiple targets to charge and chooses the Penitent Engine braced for impact in the crater.  The Engine takes a mighty swing and lops off Skarbrands head.  The other Penitent Engine is not so fortunate.  The Bloodthirster takes two wounds from the Engine but prevails and wrecks the machine.

The Bloodletters still do not arrive from reserve.

Adeptas Sororitas Turn 4

The last Bloodthirster is in the open.  Everything from my center to my right advance towards the Bloodthirster.  All weapons open fire and splatter the Bloodthirster over the ruins.

The Dominions and Penitent Engine on my left flank charge the Bloodcrushers.  The numbers prove to be too much and the beast are put in their place.  Jarrod has no more models left on the table.  The Imperium wins the day.

Final Thoughts

I really wanted to try the Repentia and Penitent Engine formation.  Wow, that formation rocks.  The formation is good for Khorne because there wasn’t too much shooting that they had to contend with.  The ability to re-roll feel no pain is incredible, especially when it is 3+ for a round of combat.  I will not include Priests in the future.  The Priests war hymns is made for the Repentia, however, they slow those girls down.  The formation is expensive on points but if most of the Repentia make into combat they will make the other army pay.

Jarrod didn’t give me too many threats to deal with.  I was able to focus on the Bloodthirsters one a time.  I also had targets out of cover and Jarrod should have charged those.  By the time Skarbrand was a threat most of the army was neutralized.  Had Skarbrand been on the table turn one it may have been a different story.  Jarrod had a low model count and his elite army didn’t have the numbers to weather the storm.

Thanks for the game Jarrod.  It was a fun game.

Next battle report will be Carcharodon’s versus Will’s Blood Angels.  This game is one of the more enjoyable games I have played recently.