This was my last game of 2022, a semi-casual, semi-competitive game using the new Guard Codex against the Custodes.

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This game was at Boards and Swords in Derby.

I used the GoonHammer Tabletop Battles Beta app for this game, so the output at the bottom differs from the usual ITC app output.

Cadians 2,000 Points List

Cadian Battalion Detachment

This game uses the Nephilim GT Book.

You can view the list on Google Sheets.

Command Points

• Lead By Example Warlord Trait 1CP
• Grand Strategist Warlord Trait 1CP
• Kurov’s Aquila Relic 1CP
• Gatekeeper Battle Cannon 1CP
• Starting on 2CP

HQ

• Warlord Tank Commander Battle Cannon with Lascannon, Multi Meltas, Steel Commissar Tank Ace and Lead By Example Warlord Trait
• Tank Commander Battle Cannon with Gatekeeper Relic Battle Cannon and Grand Strategist Warlord
• Tank Commander Vanquisher with Lascannon, Heavy Bolters, Veteran Commander Tank Ace and Elite Sharpshooters Doctrine

Troops

• 3x Cadian Shock Troopers with 2x Melta Guns and Vox-Caster

Heavy Support

• 3x Battle Cannon Leman Russ with Lascannon and Multi Meltas
• 3x Plasma Executioner Leman Russ with Lascannon and Plasma Cannons

Elites

• 3x Enginseers

Cadian Secondaries

• Grind Them Down
• Engage on all Fronts
• Raise the Banners High

Custodes

Custodes Secondaries

• Grind Them Down
• Bring It Down
• Engage On All Fronts

The Mission – Abandon Sanctuaries

At the end of each player’s Command phase, the player whose turn it is, scores four victory points for each of the following conditions:

• Control one or more objective markers.
• Control two or more objective markers.
• Control more objective markers than their opponent controls.

At the end of each player’s turn, the player whose turn it is, scores two victory points if they satisfy at least one of the following conditions:

• They control the objective marker in the centre of the battlefield.
• They destroyed at least one enemy unit within 6″ of the centre of the battlefield at the start of their turn.

At the end of the battle, whichever player controls the objective marker in the centre of the battlefield scores five victory points.

Deployment

Turn 1

Astra Militarum

I got the first turn! I edged forward to try and see as many enemy units as possible, but it wasn’t easy, given the terrain. I did manage to kill a couple of bikes and Raise a Banner.

The left side went well, though, and my Battle Cannon Leman Russ only had one target, which was the anti-armour floaty tank thing the Custodes brought, it died this turn. At which point Henry announced;

Hmmm, damn – that was the only thing I really had to kill tanks.

Custodes

In this turn, I lost three Leman Russ to the Custodes units that were, I guess, by my powers of education from Henry’s previous statement, “not really for killing tanks”.

That stung with three of said tanks having a 5++ from the Tech-Priests. If I had not had that extra buff, it might have been four dead Leman Russ in turn one.

Turn 2

Astra Militarum

Things went OK this turn, but I failed to kill all three bikes and the Captain on a bike, which were the central Custodes units putting out the pain.

I got a Dreadnought down to one Wound in combat and tried to finish it with a charge from a Tech-Priest. But that failed too. I did snipe one Dreadnought with the Vanquisher. I think it got the Dreadnought down to one Wound with its main cannon and then mopped it up with its Heavy Bolters and/or Lascannon.

Custodes

Another three tanks went this turn. I did roll three out of three 5++ saves this turn, though, which was impressive. That would have been another dead Russ if I had not taken the Tech-Priests.

I still had the middle after removing two Dreadnoughts from there.

Turn 3

Astra Militarum

My last Leman Russ Tank Commander on the right ran away but failed to kill the last of the bikes; the Captain on a bike also remained.

The right side was going better; the last Dreadnought on one Wound after being charged by the Tech-Priest was removed, leaving that side open for me to move as I wanted.

Custodes

The Captain came for the last Tank Commander on the right flank, but he lived! The last other bike charged my infantry in the centre while the remaining Custodes infantry started to swing from my left towards the centre. I lost maybe 20 infantry models this turn but still held the centre.

Turn 4

Astra Militarum

I took back the centre entirely by falling back from the bike and then killing it with one shot from the Vanquisher. The Captain also died this turn.

I think it was close at this point; I thought I had lost as I was melting away, and the Custodes still had some decent infantry on that left side with Trajaan.

Custodes

And… that infantry plus Trajaa piled into the middle to finish off my infantry and take that centre objective this turn.

Turn 5

Just scoring and moping up.

Summary

I lost a lot of stuff in this game, which was a surprise. Three Leman Russ, in turn one hurt a lot, and I perhaps brought them forward too soon. That enabled turn one charges from the Custodes.

I think slowly might win the race with the new Codex. Let the enemy come to me in that first turn and then hit them hard while they are stuck in the mid-field.

Final Score

Astra Militarum – 50
Custodes – 69

Custodes Victory