Plague Marines versus Space Marines / 40K Battle Report / 5th Edition / 1000 points

The Karubi Islands are a group of tropical islands in the Atlantic Ocean. They are considered to be a micro-continent. They are mostly covered with dense rainforest, habitat of many poisonous animals.

Four islands have been discovered by elven seafarers so far: Nitz Oxib Tsaq, Matzatit Binel Ja, Wazimu and Dox Dox.

I finally decided to get a copy of the current edition of the 40K rules and give them a try. So a month ago we had a farewell game to the 5th edition. (If we don't like the new edition, we will continue playing with the 5th edition, of course.)

I played Plague Marines

Chaos Lord (HQ / 150 points)

mark of nurgle, plaguebringer

9 Nurgle Plague Marines (Troops / 257 points)

2 meltaguns

plague champion with power weapon

Chaos Rhino (45 points)

twin-linked bolter, dozer blade

11 Nurgle Plague Marines (Troops / 323 points)

2 plasma guns

plague champion with power fist

3 Obliterators (Heavy Support / 225 points)

Krüger, my opponent, played Space Marines:

Captain (HQ / 130 points)

boltgun, relic blade

10 Space Marines (Troops / 195 points)

1 meltagun, 1 plasma cannon

sergeant with power weapon

Razorback (75 points)

twin-linked lascannon

10 Space Marines (Troops / 195 points)

1 flamer, 1 missile launcher

sergeant with power fist

Drop Pod (35 points)

5 Terminators (Elite / 230 points)

1 assault cannon

sergeant with power sword

1 Dreadnought (Elite / 105 points)

Drop Pod (35 points)

We have used these two lists in many games.

We diced for mission and deployment and got capture and control and dawn of war. I won the initiative and placed 11 plague marines next to the objective on my right side, a mining rig used for the extraction of green Aluthol crystals. The unit included a champion with a power fist and two plasma guns. Krüger had placed his objective all the way on his right side, a rocket which had crashed head down into the jungle. It was my intention to grab this objective with my chaos lord and a unit of 9 plague marines in a rhino. Krüger put 5 space marines next to the rocket to defend it and placed a razorback on his left side to attack the plague marines next to the mining rig.

Turn 1:

My rhino moved forward and shot down a space marine with its pintle-mounted twin-linked bolter.

Krüger decided to concentrate his troops on his right side. First a unit of 5 terminators entered on his table edge. Then a large drop pod landed close to my rhino and a dreadnought disembarked. It shot at my rhino and immobilised it.

Turn 2:

Krüger's dreadnought got stunned as the result of two meltagun shots. I killed two more space marines with the bolters on top of my rhino, causing their unit to flee off the table. (I quite like pintle-mounted twin-linked bolters.) On my right side I shot at Krüger's razorback with 2 plasma guns. I lost a plague marine because a plasma gun got hot. Krüger lost his razorback. Four space marines, a sergeant and the captain had to leave the burning vehicle. That went well.

Krüger's second drop pod landed close to my mining rig. Another unit of 9 space marines and a sergeant disembarked. Now 13 space marines, 2 sergeants and the captain shot at the plague marines defending the mining rig. Only one plague marine was killed. (I like the special rules Mark of Nurgle and Feel no Pain.) In close combat the plague champion killed Krüger's captain with his power fist. His unit fled.

Turn 3:

My obliterators arrived and fired 3 plasma cannons at Krüger's large tactical squad, killing 9 space marines. Only the sergeant survived. (I like plasma cannons.) I shot at his other unit of space marines with my plague marines. Same thing. Only a sergeant survived. Krüger's two sergeants are the heroes of this shooting phase, I think. They got into close combat with my plague marines and were killed, though. Sorry, guys!

At this point Krüger didn't have any standard units left. Thus he wasn't able to win the game anymore.

On the other side, next to the rocket, Krüger was luckier. First his dreadnought and his terminators shot down a plague marine. Then they killed 3 plague marines and my chaos lord in close combat.

Turn 4:

I lost the unit next to the rocket and Krüger started to run for the mining rig with his dreadnought and his terminators.

Turn 5:

I fired 3 lascannons and a plasma gun at Krüger's dreadnought, destroying his feared close combat weapon.

The terminators attacked my obliterators, while the dreadnought continued to run for the mining rig. I started to get nervous.

Turn 6:

Krüger lost his terminators in close combat. The dreadnought wasn't able to reach the mining rig. The game ended. I won. On my side, 2 obliterators survived and 8 plague marines, including a champion. On Krüger's side, 2 drop pods and a dreadnought. (Ok. Maybe that thing is the real hero of the game.)

It was another relaxed game, lots of fun and undecided till the end. I think I will miss the 5th edition.