Note: This mini-battle report is to serve as a test run for my future battle reports. I hope to increase adding pictures and details.

Battle Report-
Imperial Guard vs Space Marines

One of my Brother-in-laws and I have played a couple of small 40K games recently. He is new to the game, and I am practically new, so its been good practice for us. We have been using modified Skirmish-style rules. To keep the games short we have been playing with 150 pts per side.

Per Skirmish Rules:

No 2+ Saves, No Multiple Wounds, No vehicles.

Squads could have as little as 2 models in them, and all squad restrictions removed.

We removed Morale from the earlier games we played. It just wasn't practical to potentially lose a single model, and immediately have a morale check. If a squad fell below half-strength, which would be very easy with how small the squads were, then they would never be able to regroup.

But when you remove morale completely, how do you resolve close combat? I would personally love to have Imperial Guardsmen stuck in close combat with me indefinitely, but that's not very fair to the Guardsmen. But if we decide that you can move out of close combat, that seems a little unbalanced as well. The house rule we used for this game was to take a morale check for every unit stuck in close combat, if they passed the morale check they are able to fall back from combat using the "hit and run" rules. If the morale check is failed, then the unit will remain in combat.

Army Lists:

Space Marines:

2 Tactical Marines - 16pt each

-Boltgun, Grenades

3 Assault Marines - 18pt each

-Jump Packs, CCW, Bolt Pistol, Grenades

2 Devastator Marines - 16+15pt each

-2 Missile Launchers, Grenades

Total Points 148

Imperial Guard

3 Guardsmen - 6+10pts each

-3 Heavy Bolters

17 Guardsmen - 6pts each

-Lasgun, Grenades

Total Points 150

We set up on a small (40 inches, maybe less) round table. Terrain was three buildings, with some stone rubble around. We gave the rubble 4+ cover save, area terrain. One of our last games we played ended in a stalemate because we had the buildings all AV12, when I lost my Missile Launcher all I had was Krak grenades and all I could do is repeatedly shake the occupants at best. So to avoid that, we made the buildings AV10. We had no firepoints, but a parapet large enough to accommodate one squad.

Guardsmen won the roll for first turn.

Deployment:

Guardsmen deployed in 3 squads. Two 7-man squads, and one 6-man squad. Each squad boasting a heavy bolter. All three were deployed near the ruins by their table edge. Space Marines were deployed aggressively, at the very limit of their deployment zone, with each positioned as close to building entrances as possible.

Turn 1-
Imperial Guard-

With such an "intimate" table, we were in range the moment we set up. One of the Guardsmen squads moved up to get in better position on the center tower. The squad behind cover fired at the Devastator Marines killing one. The last Guardsmen squad opened fire on the Assault Squad, dropping another Space Marine.

Space Marines-

Assault Marines used their jump packs to get into the North Keep in a hurry. The Devastator moved into the South Keep, and the Tactical Marines occupied the Tower. There was no shooting, as all units had run to get into the buildings.

Turn 2-
Imperial Guard-

At this point the Guardsmen are unbloodied. One squad moves toward the North Keep, running to get into base contact with it. The other 7-man squad moves toward the Tower, and has to run the last bit to get into base contact with it as well. The Heavy Bolter behind the rubble, lays down covering fire. The Heavy bolts glance off the Tower, shaking the Marines inside.

Space Marines-

The Assault Marines fire down on the Guardsmen, to little effect. The Marines in the Tower are unable to fire with the Heavy Bolter's rounds glancing off the stone around them. To relieve his comrades, the Devastator Marine fires a Frag missile at the firing Heavy Bolter squad and scores a direct hit. The explosion kills 5 Guardsmen.Turn 3-

Imperial Guard-

The Imperial Guard focus their fire into the North Keep and the Tower. The Guardsmen throw Krak grenades and the Heavy Bolter's fire into the buildings. The result is several glancing hits, and a couple of penetrating hits for the North Keep and the Tower. Despite all that firepower, the buildings stand, and the Marines inside keep their heads down.

Space Marines-

At the beginning of the turn, all but one of the Marines is shaken inside of a building unable to return fire. To avoid the standstill, the Assault Marines jumppack out of the North Keep and attack the Guardsmen at the base of the structure. The Tactical Marines charge out of the Tower, and join the assault on the Guardsmen. The Devastator Marine fires another Frag missile at the Guardsmen squad in the middle, but the shot goes wide and misses. The assault kills 4 of the Guardsmen.

Turn 4-
Imperial Guard-

The Imperial Guard quickly occupy the now vacant forts. The assaulted squad passes its morale check and is able to take the North Keep. All of the fortified Guardsmen are able to rapid fire down at the exposed Marines. Combined with the Heavy Bolter rounds, the Guard is able to kill one Assault Marine and one Tactical Marine.

Space Marines-

The Tactical Marine moves toward the North Keep and assaults with grenades, having no effect on the durable stone. The Assault Marine jumps to assault the exposed Heavy Bolter and Guardsman, killing the lasgun-guardsman. The Devastator fires a Krak missile at the Tower, and penetrates the stone. But only shakes the Guard inside.

Turn 5-

Imperial Guard-

The Northern Keep defends itself against the lone Tactical Marine. The Marine falls to the rapid fire lasguns and Heavy Bolter fire. The exposed Heavy Bolter gunner passes his morale check and falls back from close combat toward the South Keep. The Tower Guard keep their heads down in case there are more Krak Missiles coming.

Space Marines-

The Devastator fires a missile at the tower, causing a glancing hit that keeps the Tower's occupants in cover. The Assault Marine jumps back into close combat, but fails to cause a single wound.

Turn 6-

Imperial Guard-

The lone Heavy Bolter gunner passes his morale test and falls back from combat, this time running north toward the other Keep. The Guard in the Keep fire across the way at the South Keep, attempting to shake the Devastator, but failing to score a hit. The Guardsmen in the Tower pour out and move toward the South Keep.

Space Marines-

The Assault Marine moves toward the middle of the board and the now exposed guardsmen. The Devastator fires a Frag missile, and gets another direct hit killing 4 guardsmen. The Assault Marine charges in and kills another.

The End-

Result: At the end of turn 6, the Imperial Guard have 66pts worth of model's and wargear on the table. The Space Marines have 49pts left. Victory to the Guardsmen!