2000 pts vs. CSM in Hong Kong

This game became a classic fire vs. water battle and you’ll see why after the batrep. My opponent, Chris, was the consummate professional and it was a real pleasure playing his army. (Warning: this batrep will be detailed and pic heavy)
CSM List
HQ – Daemon Prince w/ wings, Mark of Khorne
HQ – Chaos Lord w/ Mark of Khorne, Daemonic steed (juggernaut)
TR – 8 x Khorne berserkers (skull champion has pp, pf)
TR – 8 x Khorne berserkers (skull champion has pp, pw)
TR – 8 x Khorne berserkers (skull champion has pp, pw)
TR – 5 x CSM (1 m-gun, chaos glory)
FA – 8 x chaos bikers (champion has pw)
FA – 8 x lesser daemons
HS – 1 x obliterator
HS – 2 x obliterators
HS – chaos predator (TWLLC, sponson LC, TWL-bolter, daemonic possession)

GK List
HQ – Rivan w/ mc-nfw, p-cannon, si, ph & hh + 4 GKT (1 p-cannon, 1 TH&SS)
EL – Squad Remus (5 x GKTs w/ 1 ‘cinnie)
TR – Squad Armael (7 x PAGKs w/ targeter, fg)
TR – Squad Raguiel (7 x PAGKs w/ targeter, fg)
TR – Squad Uriel (7 x PAGKs w/ fg)
HS – GK dread Ancient Garius w/ TWLLC, DCCW w/ ‘cinnie, ea)
HS – LR Ira Divinus w/ ea, db, sl
HS – LR Sanctus Fidelis, w/ ea, db, sl

Mission: Annihilation
Deployment: Dawn of War
Roll-off: I won but I let my opponent go first

Turn 1

The forces of Khorne (you can see the terrain pieces are also quite awesome)

Strike Force Rivan

CSM deployment. CSM squad w/ icon settled in the ruins; CL on juggernaut right beside the ruins; rhino w/ k-berserkers behind factory drum.

The rest of his forces moved up from his board edge as shown. I can already see that his heavy hitters (bloodthirster, CL, bikers, plus inevitable lesser daemons) were going to push from his left flank while 2 (maybe 3) squads of berserkers will push in the middle.

All my forces moved up as shown since I didn't deploy anything (GKT squad in painted LR while Squad Raguiel in the other one). I intentionally deployed my units close to each other for overlapping support in anticipation of the inevitable assault from his units. Dread failed to see the rhino due to NF; both LR saw and hit, but I rolled snake eyes for penetration for both of them! (I thought if this continues…its going to be a long game) Squad Uriel ran up behind the building in front of them.
Turn 2

His left flank forces continued to move and run. Rhinos moved forward as shown and popped smoke. Obliterators and predator shot at the LRs but everything bounced off.

Squad Uriel moved towards the nearest rhino. Divinus moved up to allow Squad Armael to move closer to the center (to support Squad Uriel if necessay). Divinus shot and took out both obliterators in the ruins. Fidelis immobilized and destroyed the TWLLC on the predator. Garius shot and penetrated the rhino on the right flank but my opponent asked for a cover save. I thought I had 100% visual but I gave it anyway and he made it. Rivan and retinue had moved to the right and shot the bloodthirster, inflicting 1 wound.

Squad Uriel assaulted rhino w/c failed its cover save from smoke and it exploded. Unfortunately, all the berserkers saved while I lost 2 knights Furthermore, since they were fearless, they didn’t get pinned. This is not going to be pretty…

GK – 2 CSM – 0
Turn 3

Lesser daemons came in and CSM left flank forces continued to advance (move and run)…

…while at the center and right flank, 2nd and 3rd rhinos positioned closer. Berserker squad 1 shot w/ bolt pistols but didn’t kill any knights…(this is really not going to be pretty)

…and assaulted (we just took out the rhino since it was just a crater). I lost 4 knights vs his 2 courtesy of furious charge (I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty).

Squad Armael moved towards the melee. Rivan and retinue moved up to make room for Fidelis. Fidelis zoomed 12” to meet the left flank and popped smoke (also left the predator w/o any targets). Ancient Garius shot the 1st rhino but only stunned it. Divinus fired at the 3rd rhino but it made its cover saves. Rivan and retinue gave the bloodthirster another wound from psycannons. In the assault phase, squad Armael charged into the combat but poor rolling (again!) saw 5 of my knights go down (!!) while he only lost 1 berserker.
With the Emperor’s name on their lips, Rivan and his guard charged the personification of Khorne’s fury. The holy incense surrounding Rivan disorients the foul daemon causing it to falter in its attack. Rivan struck mighty blows with Heaven’s Honor but the daemon parries w/ its unholy blade and the clash was like a peal of thunder. Even as Rivan’s guard strike home with their holy weapons and banish the daemon, it strikes out and incapacitates Brothers Raziel and Eonwe.


End of 3rd Turn

GK – 3 CSM – 0
Turn 4

The bikers zoom towards Fidelis; the lesser daemons start moving into terrain (my opponent knows he will not have initiative if he assaults me and is hoping I would charge him in terrain); berserker squad 2 disembarks from rhino and advances toward ancient Garius; berserker squad 3 disembarks also and start making their way to the ensuing combat in the middle. The bikers fire their melta gun at Fidelis and immobilizes it.

GKT squad Remus disembarks right in front of the bikers. Rivan backs off a little to the center (for possible support against the berserkers)…

…while squad Raguiel disembarks and Garius moves to other side of the berserkers in a pincer move. In the shooting phase, Fidelis and GKT squad open up on the bikers and kills half of them. Rivan and retinue kill 3 lesser daemons. Garius and squad Raguiel incinerate most of the berserker squad 2 and Divinus kills one from the 3rd berserker squad.

In the assault phase, GKT squad piles into the bikers like a thunderbolt and…

…inflict 13 pw wounds!

Meanwhile, Garius and squad Raguiel finish off the 2nd berserker squad. In the center, the last man from squad Uriel goes down and after the combat, only Justicar Armael and the Skull champion was left.

With all his brothers dead around him, Justicar Armael squares off against the skull champion. Armael sees another squad of berserkers charging through the pass and knows only too well where his duty lies...hold the chaos scum at bay even unto his death. Opening his comlink, he addresses his general, “Grandmaster, it was an honor to have served with you. My Brothers, I will await you at the final battle. The Emperor protects…”

GK – 5 CSM – 1
Turn 5

The CL and CSM move further toward the center. Obliterator fires at divinus with and does nothing. In the assault phase, Armael strikes down the skull champion from the 1st berserker squad before he is cut down by the last berserker squad.


Garius moves towards the obliterator. Rivan moves towards the berserkers while GKT squad moves toward the lesser daemons. Garius vaporizes the obliterator. GKT squad uses holy promethium and bolters to banish all the daemons back to the warp. Rivan foregoes shooting and lets the berserkers feel his wrath and cuts them down to the last man, avenging squad Armael and Uriel.

End of 5th turn.

GK – 9 CSM – 2
Opponent concedes the game and declines to roll for extra turns.

The main key to my strategy was to score early kill points and keep my units close. It would appear to my opponent that I was falling back and being herded into a corner when in reality, I simply wanted all the combat to occur within support distance of each of my units. I was surprised the CL did not charge any of my units as it is considered cavalry and has furious charge and could possibly have taken out one unit although my nearby unit(s) would have taken it down as well. My early kill points dictated the tempo as it forced my opponent to play catch up and this allowed me to dictate where the assaults would take place.

Me and Chris (in white shirt)...two gamers from different lands who share the passion of Warhammer 40K!

Wow! Congratulation to your victory, Brother Rivan. The Chaos list was a hard one.
And we have something in common, the dices. I have the same one for my SW

Very impressive battle Report Rivan! It was looking grim at first, but your guys held firm and pushed back the hell spawn!

Really nice pictures too; your Knights look glorious! A really nice combination of Grays look so much more impressive then the typical boltgun/asurmen wash. I noticed your Justicars NFW "Glaive" conversion

Always good to enjoy a game, regardless of were you come from eh?

Thanks guys! it was a really good game from both sides actually.

@DarkBjoern: Really? I love these dice! I stumbled on the 16mm ones and looked online for the 12mm versions so I have both sizes. Come to think of it, it goes well for SW colors too huh LOL

@Nausaden: LOL, my army is actually not finished yet. Only 1 LR and Rivan + his retinue was done. The GKT squad is still WIP while the dread and PAGKs are only base coated so far. But thanks anyway!

Wow you got a really good K:D ratio. I was impressed when you hid terminators and grey knights in the land raiders, I know I probably would not have thought of it. Its a great way to present a bait target for enemy attack. I will have to try using it.

Your grey undercoat looks exactly the same colour as plastic miniatures. When I first looked at the pic I was thinking "Huh? are these forgeworld grey knights?"

Rivan, is that you in the black? if it is than i recognize you for the gateway in ontario?

Aye, your PAGK squads look like they are plastic I really look forward to seeing your entire army painted!