1st battle report!

So I went into my local store and challenged the manager to my inaugural game with this list....

I was running:

Libby - Fear, Shield
Corbulo
5 DC in Flamzorback with Fist & PW
6 RAS in TLAC Razor with 1 LC and Meltagun
6 RAS in TLAC Razor with 1 LC and Meltagun
6 RAS in Rhino with Thunder Hammer and Meltagun
2 Vindicators
Predator with AC/Las

He...for some reason only known to himself, was running:

Kantor
Librarian with Teleport and Shield
3 units of 10 Sternguard with 4 combi meltas and a fist in Pods
2 units of 5 Scouts.

The mission was Annihilation. The deployment was table edges. I won the roll off and of course went second. He deployed nothing. I deployed everything in reserve. He then deployed his 2 units of Scouts in the Dark Angel complex thingy which was in the centre of the table.

His turn 1 and his Drop Pod with Librarian and the other with Kantor came down in the midlle of the board and then ran forwards towards my table edge, with Kantor's unit doing towards the DA complex.

My turn 1 and I got 1 Razorback unit and the Rhino unit come on. The Rhino with Librarian and Corbulo inside flew forwards 18 inches down the right flank to circle round the back of the DA complex and hopefully pin the sternguard units in from behind. The TLAC Razorback came on, drove towards the Librarian's unit and opened fire with his Assault Cannon at max range in an attempt to bait him into Teleporting. The Assault Cannon killed 2 marines.

His turn 2 and his 3rd unit came down in its pod down my left flank. He opted to run and spread them out a bit. Kantor's unit ran up into the battlements of the DA building. And as I thought he couldn't resist teleporting his Sternguard next to the TLAC Razorback and popping it with combi meltas. He destroyed it and 2 of the marines inside died in the explosiion. 1-0 Codex Marines

My turn 2 and... as if by magic 2 Vindicators turned up! Needless to say they dropped a pie plate each on the Librarian and chums and reduced them to a squad of 6 as one scattered off. My RAS ran away to stand next to the Vindicators and my Rhino with Librarian and Corbs rolled next to the Vindicator to Shield them in his turn if necessary, but they were all pretty much out of range of anything. I tried to cast Fear of the Darkness on Kantor's unit and failed on an 11. 1-0 Codex Marines

His turn 3 and he teleported away with his Librarian to the far side of the DA complex building. He consolidated his Kantor unit into better firing positions in the complex and he took pot shots at my Rhino with his Scout Snipers. No joy.

My turn and my Death Company arrived. They flew forwards 18 inches towards his 3rd Sternguard unit and popped smoke. Meanwhile my 2 Vindicators took turns to drop Pie Plates on Kantor's unit killing 3 this time and again I tried to Fear of Darkness the scouts... this time I rolled a 12. Well done!

His turn 4 and he moved his 3rd Sternguard unit towards the DC Razorback and unloaded Meltaguns on it. He killed it and 5 angry Death Company marines got out just outside of his assault range. I cast Shield with my Libby. He tried to shoot at one of my Vindis with 2 of his Meltaguns from Kantor's squad at max range and failed to penetrate. Again he took 10 comedy pot shots at my rhino with his snipers. My Librarian asked if it was raining outside? 2-0 Codex Marines

My turn 4 and the 2nd TLAC Razorback arrived. The Assault Cannon blew up a Drop Pod. My Rhino drove forwards towards the Librarian and his 3 remaining buddies and popped smoke. The Vindicators again dropped pies onto Kantor and his men, this time killing another 2. And then the Death Company charged the Sternguard. They swung first and killed 6, the marine with Power Axe accounting for 3 of them. He swung back with his 3 remaining marines but the Death Company felt no pain and ignored their blows. Then the 2 Power Fists attacked. I killed 2 and he killed 1. He failed his break test rolling a 10 and so fled but was caught and remained in combat with only the sergeant remaining. 2-1 Codex Marines

His turn 5 Kantor decided to get out of his perch and attempt to get at the Marines in the Razorback nearby. He rolled a 2 to get down the building so sat tight. He fired his 1 remaining Meltagun from the Librarian unit at the Rhino but I passed my cover save. He took another 10 pot shots at the Rhino with the Snipers but they all bounced off. The Death Company butchered his last remaining Sternguard model in the 3rd unit and consolidated forwards towards their Drop Pod. His librarian cast Shield. 2-2

My turn 5 and FINALLY the Predator comes on. Another bonus of being fast is that it rolled on 6 inches and fired all of its guns decimating another drop pod. The 1st Vindicator dropped a pie plate on the Scout unit in the top of the tower but as they went to ground they gained a 2++ save. Only 1 died.The second fired at Kantor's unit but scattered off wildly hitting nothing. My TLAC Razorback also took some pot shots at Kantor's unit killing 1 marine leaving 2 and Kantor. The RAS in the Rhino disembarked with Corbulo and charged the Librarian and 1 remaining friend after taking a Meltagun shot in the face. Corbulo killed the last Sternguard and then the Librarian took a Thunder Hammer to the skull. The Death Company charged the last remaining Drop Pod and ripped it to shreds. A monstrous turn for me! 2-6 Flesh Tearers

The game continued to turn 6 and he charged Kantor out of the building but failed to make it into charge range of my Razorback. His Scouts did nothing. 2-6 Flesh Tearers

My turn 6 and I charged Kantor with my RAS after killing his buddies with an Assault Cannon and Meltagun. I moved my RAS unit with Corbulo inbetween the Scouts in the lower level of the DA building and his table edge then attempted to cast Fear of Darkness. They passed their leadership test. Pesky Stubborn! I dropped pie plates, Autocannon shells and Lascannon bolts at the Scouts, but they were cowering for their lives and passed all but one of their 2++ saves. I managed to cause zero wounds on Kantor and he in turn Killed 2 of my chaps but they were Fearless from the Red Thirst and stood firm. 2-7 Flesh Tearers

The game ended there. And it was a pretty straight forward workmanlike victory for Seth's boys. I was very happy with the ability of the Razorbacks to pop light vehicles and cause damage to infantry alike. Meltaguns causing almost a guaranteed casualty before combat is great as well for my smaller units when facing MEQs. The fast vehicles are GREAT! It meant I could stay at a safe distance knowing that it was not a problem to redeploy at any given moment if a greater weight of arms was needed somewhere else on the board. I was a bit disappointed with the Librarian, but Stubborn Space Marines pretty much negates Fear of the Darkness on average. I am looking forward to testing the list out against a more serious opponent!