40K Golden Throne Tournament Report: Sons of AnOrky

So, I haven’t done one of these in a while. An old school, written tournament report!

I used to do these on Dakka all the time. Quick and dirty tournament reports, just giving the main points of my games at a tournament.

So, the Golden Throne was a 1500pt, 6 round GT using book missions and rules with only minor modifications.

Here’s my list, The Sons of AnOrky!

Orks	1500pts
Unit	Description	Size	Cost
HQ
Warboss	Bike, Klaw, Cybork, Squig	1	150
Warboss	Bike, Klaw, Pole, Cybork, Squig	1	155
Farseer	Jetbike, Doom, Runes of Warding	1	125
Troops
Nob Bikers	Klaw x 2, Uge Choppa x 2, Pain Boy, Banner, Cybork Bodies	10	605
Trukk Boyz	Nob, Klaw, Eavy Armor, Pole, Trukk	13	157
Shoota Boyz	B.Shoota x 2	30	190
Grots		11	40
Jetbikes	S.Cannon	3	76
Elites
Fast Attack
Heavy Support
Fortification
Totals		70	1498

My first game was against a Draigowing/IG player.

Here’s Tony’s list:

HQ:

Primaris Psyker

Draigo

Troops:

Vets x 10: Plas x 3, Las Cannon, Chimera

Vets x 10: Las Cannon

Paladins x 10: Psybolt Ammo, Hammer x2, Halbred x4, Warding Stave, Apothecary, Psycannon x 4

Fast:

Vendetta

Mission: Dawn of War, Crusade 3x Objectives

So, right out the gates with a tough match-up. Draigowing in one of the very few units in the game I can’t fight head on with the Nob Bikers. This battle will take some strategy to win, and I am fairly certain it will come down to bonus points.

The objectives are placed in a diagonal across the table, and each of us park a scoring unit on one in our deployment zones. I bait him with the Nob Bikers going after his lone Chimera (also hoping for First Blood) hoping to pull his Draigowing to one side, and he goes for it. After a single round of shooting, he quickly realizes just how tough the Nob Bikers are and redeploys his Chimera, smartly keeping it within the range of his Paladins, preventing me from getting too close with the Nob Bikers. However, my baiting has kept him from getting into charge range of his own objective with his Paladinstar. They are forced to stay on the central objective or my Nob Bikers will take it with a Turbo Boost.

My Trukk Boyz, the Farseer and Jetbikes have gone straight for the Vets parked on his objective and kill them. He moves to retake his objective with his Mech Vets but my Trukk gets a lucky shot off and immobilizes the Chimera! That seals the game as it prevents him from killing my Boyz on his objective. I now control two objectives and have Line Breaker and First Blood.

The game ends and I take it, 8 to 3. Go Trukk! That felt good as Draigowing was one of the few armies I was worried about. The speed of the Nob Bikers and ability to threaten a large area was key in this game. Despite never actually doing anything, they prevented the Paladinstar from doing anything, either.

The Eldar were very helpful in shutting down Hammer Hand and the Primaris Psyker’s powers. Go Eldorks!

 

Game 2

This game I played Sam and his Sisters! You can see Sam’s report here, with pictures!

HQ

Celestine

Troops

Battle Sisters x 10: M.Melta, Flamer, Sister Superior, C.Flamer

Battle Sisters x 10: M.Melta, Flamer, Sister Superior, C.Flamer

Fast Attack

Seraphim x 10: Hand Flamers x 2, Sister Superior

Dominion Squad x 5: M.Gun x 2, Sister Superior, C.Flamer, Immolator: M.Melta

Dominion Squad x 5: M.Gun x 2, Sister Superior, C.Flamer, Immolator: M.Melta

Heavy Support

Retributor x 10: H.Bolter x 4, Sister Superior

Retributor x 10: H.Bolter x 4, Sister Superior

Exorcist

Mission: Hammer and Anvil, Purge the Alien

At a glance, I didn’t think this would be much of a game. I felt that on list alone, I would go right through the Sisters. How wrong I was! Haha.

Sam gave me first turn, and I went all out to try and take out his Quad gun on the first turn to hopefully get First Blood and a KP. However, I didn’t know that the TO had rules that a Quad Gun doesn’t count for First Blood. Always read the rules packet!

I made a critical error here. I put my Trukk on the table to contribute it’s Big Shoota to taking down the Quad Gun. I think I was too stoked on him winning me the game last round, haha. Between the Shoota Boyz, Nob Bikerz and Trukk I only did a single wound to the Quad Gun…a trend that was to continue this game! Sam then quite easily took First blood by destroying my Trukk. I should have presented him only with the 30 strong Shoota Boyz and Nob Bikers, ensuring that he would not be able to get First Blood from me.

Turn 2, I went forward and took out the Quad Gun and  Battle Sister Squad with my Nob Bikers, and charged another squad with my Trukk Boyz. Things started to go downhill at this point despite the fact that I was in position to destroy all the units he had on the table.

Sam played very well, and focus fired on my Nobs and I started failing saves like no one’s business. His Dominions outflanking also took their toll, destroying my entire Jetbike squad with a single Overwatch volley! And, my Trukk Boyz lost combat to the diminished Battle Sister squad as Sam made 2/3 6++ and every armor save, killed a single Ork, I failed my morale twice and they ran away! haha, the dice, they are fickle =) The nail in the coffin though was in the final turn when my Nob Bikers got wiped out (failed 12 out of 13 saves with a 4+ and a 5+ FnP! haha, hot dice!) and the Warbosses remaining failed their morale and broke. Celestine got back up on his turn to take away 2 KP from me (Warlord and her point). Also, I shot his last Battle Sister squad down to a single model and she broke denying me the charge. He could use faith to rally her in his turn.

It was a game I was just not meant to win! I had drank a bunch of beer at lunch too, which was dumb of me. I knew I wasn’t playing my best, but that is my fault. I deserve to make dumb moves on the table when I make dumb moves off of it. Congrats to Sam for winning a bad match-up! He got me 5 VP to 4.

 

Game 3: Tony’s Tau

List from memory (I feel like I am forgetting something):

HQ:

O’Shova

Elites:

Crisis Suits x 5 (I believe there were 5): Plasma, M.Pods, M.Trackers, S.Drones x 5

Troops:

Fire Warriors x 12, Marker Drone

Fire Warriors x 12, Marker Drone

Fire Warriors x 12, Marker Drone

Fire Warriors x 12, Marker Drone

Heavy:

Broadsides x 3: M.Pods, M.Trackers, S.Drones

Mission: Vanguard Strike, Big Guns Never Tire

Tony’s list has preferred enemy Orks…yikes! O’Shova’s ability here was BRUTAL! It was funny, his O’Shova even had an Ork head on a stake on his suit, very fitting! During deployment, Tony had taken a gamble and placed 2 of the 3 objectives in one deployment zone, but I got that deployment zone!

This game was really crazy, and fun. I went right at him with the Nobz and Shoota Boyz. Tony backs up and lets lose with a massive volley and with Preferred Enemy and a ton of shooting he kicks me right in the nuts. I realize I won’t survive another turn of shooting and turn tail and run for it! Haha. Orkz never lose!

Tony doesn’t have enough mobility to catch me and starts running forwards trying to get into range to contest my objectives. My Trukk Boys who had been hiding behind a building all game, pounce on one of his units of Fire Warriors (he didn’t know you could move through the walls of buildings, unfortunately) and got me first blood….on turn 4! haha, I only shot twice in this entire game as I was running like a sissy from the Tau the whole time! Running from Tau, the shame of it!

The game mercifully ended on turn 5, giving me the W despite the fact that I did almost no damage to him. I took it 7 VP to Tony’s 3.

 

Mission 4: Bobby’s Draigowing/Tau combo: “Grey Tau”

HQ:

Draigo

Shas’O: Airburst, M.Pod, Shield Drones x 2, Black Sun, FnP

Troops:

Soladin: Hammer

Paladins x 10: Apothecary, Hammer x 3, Bro Banner, Stave, M.C. Psycannon x 4, Halbred x 4

Fire Warriors x 7

Elites:

Crisis x 3: Team Leader, Twin M.Pod x 3, Flamer x 3, 2 x Shield Drones

Mission: Dawn of War, The Scouring

This was a crazy game! And I hate Random Charge Length! haha

Bobby was a super cool guy to play. All of my opponents were fun, but he was particularly nice. Half the game he and I were discussing all of the tactical options we had at every movement and comparing which would be best! haha, funny to help each other to make smart plays.

He got the 3,3,4 objectives near him, and I got the 2,2,1 near me (although one of the 2’s wasn’t that close) and we both rolled up our HQ as a scoring unit, which was huge. Draigo as a scoring unit is rough in a multiple objective mission.

Bobby was an excellent tactician and he placed his Paladinstar in the middle of the 3 high point objectives. As the Nob Bikers can’t take that unit on head-on, I had to try and use movement to win. I took his 2pt objective with the Trukk Boyz and Nobz (my 30 Boy squad sat on my 2pt objective all game, never even moved!). I was very patient and used a feigned retreat to get Bobby to split his Paladinstar and send Draigo off to hold the 4pt Objective on his own. My Eldar allies killed the Firewarriors and went after the Soladin. Seeing my only chance to take down the Paladins (without Draigo, I felt I could do it if I charged and dictated where the models went) I went in hot! I got 3.1″ away from the Paladins and rolled a 3 on my charge length….Q%*$#)*!^*!$)*!!!!!!!!!!@#$!#!!

Gah, I really don’t like that rule! But, it is what it is. Bobby then got to Overwatch me, and in his turn, shoot again and charge me, placing his models where he wanted them. He put his Stave on a Klaw, and proceeded to block EVERY SINGLE kalw attack from the entire unit…wound allocation you jerk! The guy was Dontello in a past life!

So, I lost combat quite badly but can’t be run down due to his being in Termie armor, thankfully. At this point I would have lost quite badly but my brave little Grots ran off of the 1pt objective they had been holding to contest the 4pt objective Draigo was holding. They prayed to Gork, Mork, the Emperor and whoever else would listen that the game would end on turn 6…and it did! Whew! Some crap luck followed up by some good luck and I pull a draw out. Very fun game, but unfortunately I am now out of the running to make the finals. Oh well! Now I can drink a lot of beer and not worry about making dumb moves!

The Eldar were really helpful this game in stopping Hammer Hand and such. Also, Bobby had some Ace conversions. His Crisis suits were modeled up as mini-Dreadknights with power armor Grey Knights as pilots! Very cool, wish I had some pics.

 

Mission 5: Will’s Chaos/Daemons army.

HQ:

Termie Lord: Claws, MoN

Sorcerer: Lash, MoS

Fateweaver

Elites:

Terminators x 10: MoT, Champs x 6, Fist x 4, Chainfist

Troops:

Chaos Marines x 5

Chaos Marines x 7: Rhino

Plague Bearers x 5

Heavy:

Oblits x 2

Mission: Hammer and Anvil, Emperor’s Will

My Zero Comp teammate! We always end up playing each other eventually as there are a lot of us at events, and because we tend to do fairly well. Will had been playing his list ultra aggressively the day before which accounted for his loss. He had been drinking with me and we both laughed that we wouldn’t drink at a tournament again until we had lost a game! We’ll see if we can actually stick to that! Half the fun of tournaments is drinking some beers and having a laugh with your buddies.

Will went balls to the walls and tried to win the game turn 1. He deep struck Space Chicken right next to my Farseer going for the assassination! It was a bold move, and if it worked, he’d get First Blood and take out my Psyker defense, meaning my Nobs would be at the mercy of Lash!

Big Bird swings…and he whiffs! Whew! My Farseer won’t becoming a Spawn today, thank you very much!

Over the next two turns I ground Space Chicken, and then pound him into the dirt with the Nobs. After that, Will’s Deathstar isn’t remotely as scary (he uses Big Bird to give them a reroll on their armor and invul saves). My Nobs then take them head on and we beat hell out of each other. When the dust settles, the Sons of AnOrky are triumphant! I went crazy with my saves this battle, I was making up for the game against the Sisters! I was passing like 5/6, it was crazy.

Meanwhile, my Eldar then go on to kill his 5 man Marine unit on his objective and my Trukk Boyz get beat up by his Plaguebeaerers and Meched Marines, but stop them from getting into my deployment zone for linebreaker or to contest my objective.

At the end I take my objective, stop him from scoring his, and get First Blood. I win 4-0. The Eldar again were a big help. Will and I were laughing our asses off most of the game as we were just having a really fun time talking trash to each other and goofing off.

 

Mission 6: Tony from Turn 7 Wargamming’s Nids: Hive Fleet Titan

HQ:

Flyrant: wings, H.Commander, dual devourers

Tervigon: Onslaught, Catalyst, Cluster Spines

Troops:

Termagants x 10

Tervigon: Catalyst, Cluster Spines

Heavy:

Trygon: Poison

Trygon: Poison

Dakkafex x 2

Mission: The Relic, Vanguard Strike

This was a really fun game. Tony was a super fun opponent and thankfully his army could actually fight mine as in the Relic, a lot of armies honestly stand little to no chance against Nob Bikers. I can drive up, grab the objective then just walk away with it. Not much can shoot or fight them to death. That isn’t fun, and I am thankful it was a closely fought battle as it meant we would both have fun.

Tony took first turn, and went right at the Objective, grabbing it with some spawned Gants. Unfortunately for him, both Tervies crapped out turn 1, only spawning 13 Gants between them. Ouch.

My Shoota Boys blew away the squad with the objective and then my Nobz made a long charge into the other Gants and his scoring Tervigon. I had rolled up the Warlord trait that lets me earn a VP for every challenge I win which was crazy. As Tony’s guys couldn’t refuse a challenge, and stood little to no chance of winning a combat against my Biker Bosses, I started racking up VP’s fast. By turn 2 he essentially had to table me to win. My Eldar were super helpful as they shut down FnP on Tony’s side and they killed his last Gants, meaning Tony had no way of picking up the Relic.

He still could have pulled it off though, as he went all in with a massive charge into my Nobz with everything he had (apart from the Flyrant whom I would have challenged, taken out of the fight and gotten another VP from most likely). It was a tense fight, but on the critical turn, his Fexstar whiffed, hitting with only 1 out of 7 attacks and that allowed me to win it turn 3. At the end though, I only had a single Nob Bikers with a single wound holding the Relic and a single Warboss with a single wound! It was bloody to say the least.

My Trukk Boyz had slipped into his deployment zone for Linebreaker and my Shoota Boyz had managed to ground and tar-pit his Flyrant, giving me the win 5-0. The dice definitely were with me this game and had I lost that critical turn of combat and gotten run down, Tony for sure could have tabled me and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat!

 

Closing Thoughts:

So in the end, the Sons of AnOrky went 4-1-1 in their debut appearance, taking 6th out of 54 players. Not bad! The results can be seen here.

I think I will change my list a bit though. The Truk Boyz were super useful due to their scoring status and speed, but that dang Trukk just gives up First Blood too easily. I think I will take another mob of Shoota Boyz as they are super good for their points, and more resilient. They’re just a lot slower.

I am also thinking of reducing the size of the Nob Biker unit and taking my second Warboss in Mega Armor with Mega Nobz in a Battlewagon. That gives me a second hammer unit and they can go right into Paladins and smash them. I think having two high pressure units will help a lot. The Nob Bikers are great, but they die easily to massed fire. I think the two units will overload a lot of players ability to deal with them, but I would have to give up the Eldar to do it, and they were really, really useful. Play testing, hooo!!!

Thanks to all my opponents for the fun and challenging games.