Subjugation of Margoth, Day 1

Four of us gathered at my house to begin this campaign.  My brother in law Michael, his girlfriend Becky, and my other brother in law Nick all sat to begin this.  Michael plays space marines and chose Chief Librarian Tigurius (renamed Joe) as his commander.  Becky, playing Orks, chose a Warboss (Warboss Waaaagh) as her commander.  Nick, playing as the Tyranids, chose a hive tyrant as his first commander.  He would later switch it to a Tyranid Prime named Hades.  I chose an Epistolary, Epistolary Carrick, in full terminator armor and carrying a storm shield as my commander.

The map was set up so that each person would have a spaceport and six surrounding territories with a single territory splitting each of the four areas.  Several buildings were randomly placed, and we all rolled off to determine who picked which spaceport.  After the stage was set, we all declared our attacked and played them out.

Map laid out:

With that done, we began our games.  Nick was attacked twice, once by me and once by Michael.  Nick attacked Becky, and Becky attacked Michael.  All in all, I fought one battle, Michael fought two, Becky fought two, and Nick fought three.

My game against Nick ended in a sound victory for me.  It was a Vanguard mission from the battle missions book, so it was technically an objective based game.  I, however, tend to play straight annihilation only.  After all, I generally don't hold objectives well with a high mobility army.  Plus, an army without any models left can't very well hold objectives.

Sgt Getsum took the field as part of a tactical squad, finishing a unit of gaunts.  My commander slew two carnifexes and a trygon prime.  He ended up gaining a level, getting +1 to his attack.  Nick's commander was lost, but suffered no ill effects and returned to battle the next game.

The start of the game:

Start of Turn 2:

 Sgt Getsum's Squad against some gaunts.

Sgt Getsum's expert pistol shot:

--------------------------

Becky and Michael fought their battle, with Becky soundly defeating Michael.  Orks charging across the table into the open arms of several scout squads, a thunderfire cannon, and a dreadnought armed with a lascannon and missile launcher was quite a sight to behold.  Michael lost his commander as well, but his commander escaped any major injury and would fight in the next battle.

The start of the battle:

Needed a 2+ to wound.......


-----------------------------------------

After those two games, it was time for Nick to face Becky.  Of course, I was a genius and forgot to take pictures of this game (mostly because the pizza I ordered had arrived....mmmm....pizza....).  It was an absolute route.  Becky had to deploy in a table quarter, and Nick deployed 12" away from that quarter.  Nick went first, and by the end of Becky's turn he had nothing left...a tabling in the first turn...

Nick lost his commander, who would take severe damage and wouldn't have been able to take the field.  Nick returned him to the Hive Fleet and replaced him with Hades, a Tyranid warrior prime.

Becky's Warboss gained a level, earning the Preferred Enemy: Space Marines special rule.

-------------------------------------------

The final battle took place between Michael and Nick.  Michael ended up the victor by a narrow margin.  By the end, both held an objective, causing the game to go to victory points.  Michael won based on that.  Nick's Hades would survive the battle unscathed, and Michael's Librarian Joe gained a level, earning himself the Eternal Warrior special rule.

The beginning:

The End:

-------------------------------------------------------

After all was said and done; Michael, Becky, and I took unoccupied territories, and Nick was left to solidify his defenses.

I am the Salmon color, Becky is the Green (which looks more like yellow thanks to the flash, Michael is the Pink, and Nick is the Orange ).

Thus ended the first battles of the Subjugation of Margoth campaign.  Fluffy report for my side to follow shortly.