Killzone: First Attempt

Not long ago I came across this wonderful little creation called Special Operations Killzone on the Blog Galaxy in Flames. I didn't think much of it at first as most small skirmish games for 40k are rather pitiful in scope or design. There's also the fact it seems most 40k players aren't at all interested in small skirmish battles, in fact, standard 1500 point games became much too small at some point. Apocalypse appeared to be all the rage suddenly. This still doesn't sit well with me as it was hard enough to get me to want to play 1500 point games. Much more than that is just out of the question.

Mordheim and Gorkamorka are the miniature games I've so far enjoyed the most, and I've had a distinct desire to be able to play 40k in such a manner, because I have to say I'm in love with the setting. Unfortunately for me, Gorkamorka and Necromunda were my only choices and they were much too narrow in scope. I don't want just one bloody race to choose from. I want several, just like in Mordheim. Killzone might be the closest I'll come to that, and I have to say I'm quite pleased with it so far.

Yesterday afternoon I set out with my friend oniakki to the nearest gaming store, which happens to be Total Escape games, with the planned purpose for testing out Killzone. I had spent several hours fiddling with various team builds during the previous week. The build I decided I was most happy with was primarily made up of Chaos Terminators. The team had one random Chaos Marine in it, basically existing for the sole purpose of reaching the minimum model size. For those who are curious, my team is as follows, built on 200 points:

Chaos Terminator 1 (Leader)-  AoE +1 Initiative
Chaos Terminator 2 (Heavy)- Reaper Autocannon, +1 AP, Power Fist
Chaos Terminator 3 & 4- (Default Wargear)
Chaos Marine- (Default Wargear)

The first game I played that night I was sweeped off the table with minimal effort by my friend's Space Wolves. We played a second game, to see if the first was a fluke, seeing as there was nothing glaringly obvious we could see that was wrong with my team build. The second game went much better and I had a lot of fun with it. It was mostly my Terminators stomping through a ruined building, firing their twin-linked bolters through the structure's windows. I picked off several of my opponent's models, but my fate was ultimately sealed after a very unfortunate assault phase that I, myself initiated. Luck, or rather, the distinct lack of it happens. I try not to be deterred by it, regardless of the alarming frequency it seems to happen with me. It was much closer this time and I was happy with that.

I eventually roped two new friends into playing the game, and I played a single game with each of them. Interestingly enough, one of them also played Space Wolves. The other played Eldar. Those two games were unfortunate repeats of the first game I played that night, and I was destroyed with ease. Between the two games my team managed to drag a single Eldar model down with them.

Despite the very sound beating I took, I overall enjoyed the feel of the game. It just seemed to work, unlike the officially created Kill-team. I'll just have to keep playing the game and building teams. One does not improve by not trying.