So, after a few weeks of painting (and only two practice games) the tournament was finally here!

But, before I go into how well I performed and the games I played, there a few things to tell you first:

1. Chapter Approved 2018 happened meaning a large portion of my army went down in points allowing me to take more models (awesome).

2. We used the new missions, from Chapter Approved, which (with my poor judgement) I hadn’t even looked at.

So the revised list is fairly similar, with some new additions thrown in:

• Jump Captain with hammer

• Jump Lieutenant with hammer and shield

• Jump Librarian

• 3 x tactical squads, with Las cannon and Combi Bolter

• 3 x Venerable Dreadnoughts with twin Las cannons and missile launchers

• 3 x Devastator Centurions with Heavy Bolters and Hurricane Bolters.

Total points worked out as 1249 (thank you, Chapter Approved!)

Game One

Raven Guard Vs Tyranids

I found myself fighting against double flying Hive Tyrants, a nasty group of Hive Guard backed up with a decent swarm of Gaunts.

With my battle line prepared and guns levelled at the Xenos horde, the first turn was stolen by my opponent when all his living guns aimed and destroyed my Centurions. In return, all my firepower is focused onto the pair of flying Hive Tyrants, killing the Warlord and mortally wounding the second.

With the second Hive Tyrant closing in, and a Brood Lord waiting to charge, I did the only sensible thing and threw my Captain over the Gaunts, charging and killing the four armed beast, but getting obliterated by and Exocrine in return, whilst my injured Dreadnought 'distracted' the Hive Tyrants in combat.

Sadly, the next few turns sees several Dreadnoughts and many marines gunned down and blasted at long range and, eventually, weight of numbers drags me down to my doom.

Final score 7-2, Loss.

Highlight of the Match: My librarian exploding from perils of the warp, killing my own Dreadnought half a dozen marines.

Game Two

Raven Guard Vs Adeptus Mechanicus

With six objectives on the battle field and six objectives to seize, I felt a strong chance of doing better in my second game, as my opponents army was slower (and with significantly less troops).

Across deployment and the first turn, I managed to control four of the objectives and, going first, I managed to destroy several units, forcing my opponent onto the back foot.

My opponents first few turns were focused on killing my centurions (again), leaving only one alive, and wounding two of my venerable Dreadnoughts.

Over the next few turns, my troops started to build a lead in victory points for me, whilst my Dreadnoughts punished anything that they could see.

Final Score 13-2, Victory.

Highlight of the Match: My Captain advancing from my battle line, charging and killing three Kastalen Robots in 1 combat, having Crawl charge him in the next turn, and with his dying breath using a stratagem to have one final attack, and deliver a killing blow to his own warlord in return!

Game Three

Raven Guard Vs Space Wolves

With one objective in the middle of the battle field, that only our characters would be able to control, this mission was very different to many other missions I have played before, mostly because my army is a firepower army, whereas my opponents Space Wolves were mostly a combat army. Which meant one thing, I kill him before he gets to me, or he survives and mauls me like a rabid wolf!

In the first few turns, my firepower kills his gunship and several units of his troops that step into the open, whilst his Thunder Wolves and Characters advance out of sight. Turn three, a large squad of Wulfen armed with Thunder Hammers, Storm Shield and Wolf Claws, immerge from behind my army and the Thunder Wolves charge out from cover. Trapped between two superior combat units, my opponent successfully made both charges (one 10" and the other 11") and smashed his way through most of my troops, two characters, one Dreadnought and the Centurions.

The last few turns of the game saw a spectacular slaughter of my troops, I did manage to bring down most of the Wulfen, and one noble tactical marine punched his wolf lord in the face, causing a wound, but it was too little too late.

Final score 16-6, Loss.

Highlight of the Match: The look of shock on my opponents face when I rolled 50+ shoots at his charging Thunder Wolves, and causing no damage at all!

Final Thoughts

Three awesome games in a day, and some memorable gaming moments. I had loads of fun and I think that if I had played a few practice games, and looked a little deeper into the missions, then some of my games may have had a different result.

Now, to start planning a small campaign for the Warhammer 40k players at work . . .

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