Hey what d'ya know? I do play this game!

GLORIOUS COMBAT!!

Yup, 14ish months after I last played 40k, I finally got in a 500 point game. It was also the battlefield debut of the Incandescent Coyotes vs. Bob's Cadians. No scenario beyond just kill each other. Small, simple, relatively quick and easy.  

Let me set the scene:

Incandescent Coyote Lieutenant: Hail intrepid Guardsmen. We are the Incandescent Coyotes, righteous and noble defenders of humanity. We have come to assist you in smiting the foul denizens of the galaxy... 

Cadian Commissar Lord: Incandescent what? (turns his head) FIRST RANK FIRE!! SECOND RANK FIRE!!

lol, yeah pretty much. 

My 'army' which includes my oft maligned nemesis-sniper scouts.

Bob's army. Whilst there was 'technically' no mission, it was obviously a case of kill the Russ before it kills me.  

Bob had the first turn though luckily I survived it unscathed. The Razorback (carrying my Lt. and the painted first claw) fired 2 lascannon shots at the Russ, Scoring one hit for four wounds, and making it very angry. The scouts took out a few guardsmen whilst my 2nd squad advanced. 

First blood goes to Bob, told ya it made the Russ angry. 

A very satisfied Bob preparing to introduce a half dozen marines to a light show the likes of which they've never seen before! Meanwhile my scouts put a few rounds into the commissar and the base coated squad killed a few more guardsmen.

Weathering the first wave of laser hell, the first claw advanced into range (barely) and having the Rapid Assault ability tossed a krak grenade and fired two melta blasts at the leman russ. I rolled a 1 and a pair of 2s. Typical. I used a CP, rerolled a meltagun and got another fucking 2. I knew that that was essentially the game, but I continued on just because.

 In the background the scouts dispatched Bob's Lord Commissar which made every model on the table happy! The 2nd Claw advanced up to cover the Lt. who was out in the wide open. It must be noted that it was a bit disheartening that my primed Lt. fit better with the table then did my painted minis. 

As you can see, the 1st claw has been erased, and the 2nd has been thinned markedly. I took out a few more guardsmen and the scouts were trying to down the platoon commander and his infernal orders, though he was proving curiously more resilient than the Commissar did.  

Predictably, the 2nd claw met the same fate as the first, though the Lt. was able to get into close combat and start squishing guardsmen with extreme prejudice with his powerfist! The Russ meanwhile rumbled past and kept blazing away at the scouts hidden in the ruins. 

How can it even see us? We're wearing snow camoufl-oh wait...

As the game wound down to it's conclusion, more guardsmen were fed into the meat grinder of close combat that the Lt. was clearly enjoying.  

Well, at least I didn't get tabled! Bob said that in our first game of 8th ed, I pasted him so I guess we're even? I dunno, I honestly don't remember but we'll go with it. In hindsight my First Claw ought to have ignored the Russ, and rather charged into the infantry horde but...ya know, meltaguns. 

Regardless this was fun and I'm looking forward to playing some more games. I think I'll keep em down to the 500 point mark for the foreseeable future (barring the annual Orks vs. Orks game if Neverness and I can ever get that nailed down).