TheChirurgeon's Road Through 2025, Part 52: The December Asgard RTT

Welcome back, Dear Reader, to my ongoing blog of competitive and hobby progress for 2025. Last time around I was doing some hobby prep and picking a list for this weekend. We're nearing the end of the road, and with the year winding down I wanted to get one more event knocked out. While the Rise of the Empire GT was a bit far away for me to really want to travel every day (and two days a bit much), another RTT was more in line with what I wanted to do.

My real goal here was to get reps in with my Vectorium List to get a feel for how it plays in more matchups, and Asgard is always really good for that. In particular, this RTT always has a chance to be brutal, in that a bunch of very good Sanctum/Forge players can always show up and you end up with an event like this one where it's only a dozen people but half of them were WCW qualifiers.

Here's the list I took:

My Vectorium list - Click to Expand

Death Guard Strike Force (2000 points) Virulent Vectorium

CHARACTERS

Daemon Prince of Nurgle (215 points) • 1x Hellforged weapons 1x Infernal cannon • Enhancement: Revolting Regeneration

Lord of Contagion (130 points) • 1x Manreaper • Enhancement: Daemon Weapon of Nurgle

Lord of Virulence (100 points) • 1x Power fist 1x Twin plague spewer

Mortarion (380 points) • Warlord • 1x Lantern 1x Rotwind 1x Silence

OTHER DATASHEETS

Deathshroud Terminators (160 points) • 1x Deathshroud Champion • 1x Icon of Despair (Aura) 1x Manreaper 2x Plaguespurt gauntlet • 2x Deathshroud Terminator • 2x Manreaper 2x Plaguespurt gauntlet

Deathshroud Terminators (160 points) • 1x Deathshroud Champion • 1x Icon of Despair (Aura) 1x Manreaper 2x Plaguespurt gauntlet • 2x Deathshroud Terminator • 2x Manreaper 2x Plaguespurt gauntlet

Foetid Bloat-Drone (100 points) • 1x Fleshmower 1x Plague probe

Foetid Bloat-Drone with Heavy Blight Launcher (120 points) • 1x Heavy blight launcher 1x Plague probe

Foetid Bloat-Drone with Heavy Blight Launcher (120 points) • 1x Heavy blight launcher 1x Plague probe

Foetid Bloat-Drone with Heavy Blight Launcher (120 points) • 1x Heavy blight launcher 1x Plague probe

Myphitic Blight-haulers (100 points) • 1x Bile spurt 1x Gnashing maw 1x Missile launcher 1x Multi-melta

Myphitic Blight-haulers (100 points) • 1x Bile spurt 1x Gnashing maw 1x Missile launcher 1x Multi-melta

Poxwalkers (65 points) • 10x Poxwalker • 10x Improvised weapon

Poxwalkers (65 points) • 10x Poxwalker • 10x Improvised weapon

Poxwalkers (65 points) • 10x Poxwalker • 10x Improvised weapon

Exported with App Version: v1.43.1 (103), Data Version: v708

There's a lot of value here. The list can shoot well, it can fight, and most importantly, it can handle both Admech hordes and Victrix Guard very well. It's got durability and it's fun to play. Lots to like. Anyways on to the games.

Round 1: vs. T's Adepta Sororitas

One of the big upsides to playing an event loaded with WCW people is that I get to play some of the coolest people I know. T was a teammate of mine when we won golden tickets in Ottawa earlier this year, and every time I play him I learn something new about the game's rules.

T's List - Click to Expand

A Chant (2000 Points)

Adepta Sororitas Army of Faith Strike Force (2,000 Points)

CHARACTERS

Daemonifuge (85 Points) • 1x Ephrael Stern ◦ 1x Bolt pistol ◦ 1x Sanctity • 1x Kyganil of the Bloody Tears ◦ 1x The Outcast’s Weapons

Dialogus (40 Points) • 1x Bolt pistol • 1x Dialogus staff

Dialogus (40 Points) • 1x Bolt pistol • 1x Dialogus staff

Ministorum Priest (50 Points) • 1x Zealot’s vindictor

Morvenn Vahl (185 Points) • Warlord • 1x Fidelis • 1x Lance of Illumination • 1x Paragon missile launcher

Saint Celestine (150 Points) • 1x Celestine ◦ 1x The Ardent Blade • 2x Geminae Superia ◦ 2x Bolt pistol ◦ 2x Power weapon

BATTLELINE

Battle Sisters Squad (105 Points) • 1x Sister Superior ◦ 1x Bolt pistol ◦ 1x Close combat weapon ◦ 1x Condemnor boltgun ◦ 1x Power weapon • 9x Battle Sister ◦ 9x Bolt pistol ◦ 7x Boltgun ◦ 9x Close combat weapon ◦ 1x Meltagun ◦ 1x Multi-melta ◦ 1x Simulacrum Imperialis

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Immolator (115 Points) • 1x Armoured tracks • 1x Heavy bolter • 1x Hunter-killer missile • 1x Twin multi-melta

Immolator (115 Points) • 1x Armoured tracks • 1x Heavy bolter • 1x Hunter-killer missile • 1x Twin multi-melta

Sororitas Rhino (75 Points) • 1x Armoured tracks • 1x Hunter-killer missile • 1x Storm bolter

OTHER DATASHEETS

Arco-flagellants (140 Points) • 10x Arco-flagellant ◦ 10x Arco-flails

Dominion Squad (120 Points) • 1x Dominion Superior ◦ 1x Bolt pistol ◦ 1x Close combat weapon ◦ 1x Condemnor boltgun ◦ 1x Power weapon • 9x Dominion ◦ 9x Bolt pistol ◦ 5x Boltgun ◦ 9x Close combat weapon ◦ 4x Meltagun ◦ 1x Simulacrum Imperialis

Mortifiers (70 Points) • 1x Anchorite Sarcophagus • 2x Heavy bolter • 1x Twin penitent buzz-blades

Mortifiers (70 Points) • 1x Anchorite Sarcophagus • 2x Heavy bolter • 1x Twin penitent buzz-blades

Paragon Warsuits (210 Points) • 1x Paragon Superior ◦ 1x Bolt pistol ◦ 1x Heavy bolter ◦ 1x Paragon grenade launchers ◦ 1x Paragon war mace • 2x Paragon ◦ 2x Bolt pistol ◦ 2x Heavy bolter ◦ 2x Paragon grenade launchers ◦ 2x Paragon war blade

Retributor Squad (120 Points) • 1x Retributor Superior ◦ 1x Bolt pistol ◦ 1x Close combat weapon ◦ 1x Condemnor boltgun ◦ 1x Power weapon • 4x Retributor ◦ 4x Bolt pistol ◦ 4x Close combat weapon ◦ 4x Multi-melta

Retributor Squad (120 Points) • 1x Retributor Superior ◦ 1x Bolt pistol ◦ 1x Close combat weapon ◦ 1x Condemnor boltgun ◦ 1x Power weapon • 4x Retributor ◦ 4x Bolt pistol ◦ 4x Close combat weapon ◦ 4x Multi-melta

Sanctifiers (110 Points) • 1x Miraculist ◦ 1x Burning hands ◦ 1x Holy fire • 1x Salvationist ◦ 1x Close combat weapon ◦ 1x Salvationist Medikit • 1x Death Cult Assassin ◦ 1x Death Cult blades • 2x Missionary ◦ 1x Holy fire ◦ 1x Ministorum flamer ◦ 1x Plasma gun ◦ 2x Sanctifier melee weapon • 4x Sanctifier ◦ 2x Close combat weapon ◦ 5x Ministorum hand flamer ◦ 2x Sanctifier melee weapon ◦ 1x Simulacrum Imperialis

Seraphim Squad (80 Points) • 1x Seraphim Superior ◦ 1x Close combat weapon ◦ 1x Plasma pistol ◦ 1x Power weapon • 4x Seraphim ◦ 4x Bolt pistol ◦ 4x Close combat weapon ◦ 4x Ministorum hand flamer

Exported with App Version: v1.45.0 (1), Data Version: v720

T's big thing is combining the Army of Faith rule to get two Acts of Faith per phase with Retributors to basically push through 12+ damage every time he shoots with them and gets meltas through. That's pretty nasty, and it means his list is more or less the one best able to just delete Mortarion without help.

The Mission: Purge the Foe + Hammer and Anvil

I'm going second on this one, and that's a pretty big help. I decide to deploy my Poxwalkers aggressively to stop T's scout moves with his Immolators, and that costs me a bit when he gets a turn 1 kill but I keep one unit of Poxwalkers back for actions and to protect my Daemon Prince. T gets a kill but only just that, and scores 2 for Locus. On my turn I'm able to score Locus and Tempting Target, sending a drone ahead to capture the objective on the south side of the table. I'm not quite able to blow up his Rhino with my Blight Hauler (damn those invulnerable miracle dice saves!), so I don't score for kill.

Because I dropped my Bloat-Drones back behind my second ruin, T opts to swing around the south side of the board, leading to an extended scrimmage on that side of the table. Celestine shrugs off an annoyingly high number of shots, so I swing Mortarion down there to finish her off. T's big break comes on turn 2 when he pulls off a lucky battle-shock on Mortarion and then is able to drop him with combined shooting from Vahl and Retributors, which I'm unable to reduce.

The big problem for me in this Matchup is Vahl. The Deathshroud are only OK into her unit and they can just run away from my Terminators if they don't want to engage with them. That's a problem as they're able to just rush past my units on the final turns and give up the middle of the table in favor of charging my home objective. That's after the Seraphim survived a volley from two different Bloat-Drones in order to complete a 6-point Sabotage action.

This one came down to the wire, with T needing a big turn on the final turn to have a shot - he more or less got it, getting off some long charges in order to make it to my home objective. Of course, big dice isn't always a tall order with Sisters, but he did need a 6 advance and a big charge to make it. Fortunately I drew Cleanse on my final turn and thanks to a sticky objective I was able to snag Kill and Hold on the final turn (but not hold more), and I held on to win this one, 87-84.

Result: 87-84, Win

A big win in a tough game. Sisters are very good and T is always a pleasure to play. We had a great game.

Round 2: vs. Chris Johnson's Astra Militarum

Chris is also amazing, and another teammate of mine from Ottawa. He was a last-minute fill for us when another player dropped and he's just a joy to be around. I love that guy.

Chris' List - Click to Expand

I will dine on the tears and lamentations of your people (1995 points)

Astra Militarum Strike Force (2000 points) Grizzled Company

CHARACTERS

Cadian Command Squad (65 points) • 1x Cadian Commander • 1x Plasma pistol 1x Power fist • 1x Cadian Veteran Guardsman • 1x Plasma pistol 1x Power fist • 1x Cadian Veteran Guardsman • 1x Close combat weapon 1x Lasgun 1x Master Vox • 1x Cadian Veteran Guardsman • 1x Close combat weapon 1x Lasgun 1x Medi-pack • 1x Cadian Veteran Guardsman • 1x Close combat weapon 1x Lasgun 1x Regimental Standard

Commissar (50 points) • 1x Plasma pistol 1x Power weapon • Enhancement: Abhuman Detail

Gaunt’s Ghosts (100 points) • 1x Ibram Gaunt • 1x Bolt Pistol 1x Gaunt’s chainsword • 1x Colm Corbec • 1x Corbec’s hot-shot lascarbine 1x Straight silver knife • 1x Elim Rawne • 1x Rawne’s lascarbine 1x Straight silver knife • 1x Hlaine Larkin • 1x Larkin’s long-las 1x Straight silver knife • 1x ’Try Again’ Bragg • 1x Bragg’s autocannon 1x Straight silver knife • 1x Oan Mkoll • 1x Lascarbine 1x Mkoll’s straight silver knife

Lord Solar Leontus (130 points) • Warlord • 1x Conquest 1x Konstantin’s hooves 1x Sol’s Righteous Gaze

Ogryn Bodyguard (40 points) • 1x Brute Shield 1x Bullgryn maul 1x Close combat weapon

Sly Marbo (55 points) • 1x Envenomed blade 1x Ripper pistol

Tech-Priest Enginseer (45 points) • 1x Enginseer axe 1x Mechanicus pistol 1x Servo-arm

BATTLELINE

Cadian Shock Troops (120 points) • 2x Shock Trooper Sergeant • 2x Close combat weapon 2x Sergeant’s autogun • 18x Shock Trooper • 18x Close combat weapon 14x Lasgun 2x Meltagun 2x Plasma gun 2x Vox-caster

OTHER DATASHEETS

Attilan Rough Riders (120 points) • 1x Rough Rider Sergeant • 1x Hunting lance 1x Lasgun 1x Laspistol 1x Steed’s hooves • 9x Rough Rider • 9x Hunting lance 9x Lasgun 9x Laspistol 9x Steed’s hooves

Attilan Rough Riders (120 points) • 1x Rough Rider Sergeant • 1x Hunting lance 1x Lasgun 1x Laspistol 1x Steed’s hooves • 9x Rough Rider • 9x Hunting lance 9x Lasgun 9x Laspistol 9x Steed’s hooves

Banesword (450 points) • 1x Armoured tracks 4x Lascannon 1x Quake cannon 5x Twin heavy bolter

Bullgryn Squad (200 points) • 1x Bullgryn Bone ’ead • 1x Brute Shield 1x Bullgryn maul 1x Close combat weapon • 5x Bullgryn • 5x Brute Shield 5x Bullgryn maul 5x Close combat weapon

Rogal Dorn Battle Tank (250 points) • 1x Armoured tracks 1x Coaxial autocannon 3x Heavy stubber 2x Multi-melta 1x Oppressor cannon 1x Pulveriser cannon

Rogal Dorn Battle Tank (250 points) • 1x Armoured tracks 1x Coaxial autocannon 3x Heavy stubber 2x Multi-melta 1x Oppressor cannon 1x Pulveriser cannon

Exported with App Version: v1.45.0 (105), Data Version: v720

Chris is testing a bold idea: Running a Banesword for his Teams list for LVOTT - he's on my team for the upcoming event. It's a solid idea given that, as defender, he'll have the pick of terrain. The Banesword is a nasty threat and huge in the mirror match, but will struggle if you can't get terrain pick. It's particularly screwed here, as it's unable to move out of the L-ruins on Layout 1. His plan is to use Leontus to redeploy it forward after deployment and hope for first turn.

The Mission: Hidden Supplies + Search and Destroy

The deployment and mission here kind of helps Chris, as having more objectives does benefit him being out. But I'm going first and that's a big help for me.

Of course I drop the ball and it all turns to shit. I drop 16 wounds on the tank round 1, then on turn 2 fail a 4" charge with Mortarion which leaves me staring it down as Chris starts up his third turn, letting him fire it a third time and taking Mortarion off the table. That's not ideal and while I've been able to kill Gaunt's Ghosts and his Bullgryn he's still got a ton of resources to work with.

On the other hand, I ended up devoting far too much of my resources to killing the Banesword and now I still have 20 Rough Riders, two Rogal Dorns, and a 27-model Cadian brick to work through. That's really bad, because the Dorns both hit super hard and can also shrug off my Deathshroud fairly easily.

One of my Deathshroud units kills off Chris' Rough Riders and collides with his Cadian unit, where they slowly kill the unit as they weather the fire from the Dorns. This game ended up coming down to the wire, and the key result was on my home objective - I had my Fleshmower go back and charge the Rough Riders coming in from reserves, where it killed six of them in combat and survived their fight back with 1 wound.

That mattered a ton - on Chris' turn, the Rough Riders failed their Battle-shock test, meaning they didn't hold my home point and couldn't score him hold 2 or hold more. I kept the lead going into the final turn, where I was able to handle the Dorns eventually with help from the Daemon Prince and the other unit of Deathshroud and I got super lucky drawing Cleans and Area Denial on the final turn to win 76-67. I definitely misplayed at the start, got lucky at the end, and didn't have to fully answer for my bad decisions.

Result: 76-67, Win

Chris was a joy and a pleasure to play and I'll admit I was a bit tilted after rolling snake eyes on that charge with Mortarion. One big mistake I tend to make when tilted is I can throw away CP on re-rolls I shouldn't, and I did that here when I shouldn't have. Things to work on.

Round 3: vs. Ultramarines

My round 3 opponent was running Blade of Ultramar.

Round 3 Ultramarines - click to Expand

pimp hands go Brrrr (2000 points)

Space Marines Ultramarines Strike Force (2000 points) Blade of Ultramar

CHARACTERS

Apothecary Biologis (95 points) • 1x Absolvor bolt pistol 1x Close combat weapon • Enhancement: Veteran of Behemoth

Lieutenant with Combi-weapon (80 points) • 1x Combi-weapon 1x Paired combat blades • Enhancement: Armour of Antoninus

Marneus Calgar (200 points) • 1x Marneus Calgar • Warlord • 1x Gauntlets of Ultramar • 2x Victrix Honour Guard • 2x Victrix power sword

Uriel Ventris (95 points) • 1x Bolt Pistol 1x Invictus 1x Sword of Idaeus

OTHER DATASHEETS

Centurion Devastator Squad (350 points) • 1x Devastator Centurion Sergeant • 1x Centurion fists 1x Centurion missile launcher 1x Twin lascannon • 5x Devastator Centurion • 5x Centurion fists 5x Centurion missile launcher 5x Twin lascannon

Centurion Devastator Squad (350 points) • 1x Devastator Centurion Sergeant • 1x Centurion fists 1x Centurion missile launcher 1x Twin lascannon • 5x Devastator Centurion • 5x Centurion fists 5x Centurion missile launcher 5x Twin lascannon

Eradicator Squad (180 points) • 1x Eradicator Sergeant • 1x Bolt pistol 1x Close combat weapon 1x Melta rifle • 5x Eradicator • 5x Bolt pistol 5x Close combat weapon 3x Melta rifle 2x Multi-melta

Infiltrator Squad (100 points) • 1x Infiltrator Sergeant • 1x Bolt pistol 1x Close combat weapon 1x Marksman bolt carbine • 4x Infiltrator • 4x Bolt pistol 4x Close combat weapon 1x Helix Gauntlet 1x Infiltrator Comms Array 4x Marksman bolt carbine

Scout Squad (70 points) • 1x Scout Sergeant • 1x Bolt pistol 1x Boltgun 1x Close combat weapon • 4x Scout • 4x Bolt pistol 4x Boltgun 4x Close combat weapon

Victrix Honour Guard (240 points) • 1x Chapter Ancient • 1x Banner of Macragge 1x Master-crafted power weapon • 1x Chapter Champion • 1x Blades of honour • 4x Victrix Honour Guard • 4x Master-crafted bolt carbine 4x Master-crafted power weapon

Victrix Honour Guard (240 points) • 6x Victrix Honour Guard • 6x Master-crafted bolt carbine 6x Master-crafted power weapon

Exported with App Version: v1.45.0 (105), Data Version: v720

The Dev Centurions are nasty, but the only thing I'm really worried about here are the Eradicators. Once they're gone, killing Mortarion becomes a real challenge, and it's unlikely one dev cents unit will get it in one turn. The Honour Guard aren't great into T7 and are positively anemic when you give them -1 damage. Morty, the Daemon Prince, and the Deathshroud are all good at dealing with them.

The Mission: Scorched Earth + Tipping Point

I win the roll-off and while normally that's not ideal here - I'd love to watch him move out full send and give me juicy targets to pick off - I can work with it. My plan is simple: The MBHs are low-value here in a game where he has no monster/vehicle targets. So I'm going to stage with Morty and the DP and put one on the middle objective early and use it to bait out his Eradicators on the other side of the wall. if he takes the bait and comes out, I'll kill them immediately and put Mortarion in his face. If he doesn't, I'll sticky that objective and jam him in his DZ another round.

So that's what I do. I'm not lucky enough to draw Locus or Area Denial, but I do OK. I pull my Poxwalkers off the north and south objectives after stickying them, advance Morty and the Daemon Prince, and pass turn.

My opponent takes the bait, dropping Oath on the Blight-Hauler and bringing out his Eradicators to kill it. That's a very fine use of 100 points for me. He also brings out his Victrix Guard, close enough that I can handle them with the Poxwalkers.

It's go time.

This is the kind of shit you do not want to see on your turn 2 against me. Morty swings to the middle where he can avoid one unit of Dev Cents, the Poxwalkers move in with the DP, and both units of Deathshroud drop on the southern point. With only Dev Cents to move up top, he'll never make it to the northwest point so I can just let that one go. I kill the Eradicators and consolidate onto the point. I get most of Uriel Ventris' unit of Victrix, plus the Scout squad.

On his turn he comes out swinging with Calgar and Dev Cents. Morty dies and explodes - this is a big help to him because I ended up doing 3 damage to my Fleshmower, which also died and kept me off 5 primary points as a result. But the DP lives and starts cutting through the Victrix with Calgar, dropping them down to Calgar + 3 models.

I'm solidly ahead at this point and dominating the table as one unit of Deathshroud make their way into the dev cents and the other are killed by Bloat-Drones. My opponent is getting fairly salty at this point and charges the Daemon Prince from the center objective. He rolls an 11 on this charge however, and has to step off the objective as a result. He tries to position a model that can touch my base out of base-to-base contact (grossly so) and I correct him and tell him that unfortunately, he has to move it the full distance to base me if he wants to move the model at all. He tells me that this doesn't matter because "I'm just going to kill you with Calgar and consolidate back onto the point."

At this point I point out to him that with T12 and 2+/4+/5++ and -1 damage it's far from given that the Daemon Prince will die, even starting at 6 wounds and affected by Oath of Moment. He bristled at this, then started rolling it out. And I got to watch as he scored six hits with Guilliman, which turned into 4 wounds (above average, given he was rolling a 4+ to wound), which became 1 unsaved wound, resulting in 2 damage, of which I scored 1 feel no pain, dropping the Daemon Prince to 5 wounds. Then the Victrix Guard (rolling 5+ to wound) scored zero damage. I think on average he was likely to knock out 3-4, but this was far from an unlikely result, and I could see him getting more upset all the while. He promptly quit the game and refused to shake my hand.

Result: 84-65, Win

That's a bit of a sour note to end on - I never like ending a game with someone not having fun - but on the plus side I won the RTT, ending my competitive experience in 2025 on a high note. That marks 100 games for me in 2025, hitting a milestone I was aiming for - but I'll talk more about that next week.

Hobby Progress

The thing that bothered me the most about that third game? Halfway through when Mortarion died as I pulled him off the table one of his little nurgling cherubs hit a terrain wall and snapped. This is catastrophic.

That chain is too small and thin to pin and regular plastic glue is never going to be sufficient. So the only real course of action I have at this point is using hot glue. The plan is to make a huge drip of the stuff, then paint it like snot.

That seems to have worked OK and I'll followed this up next by putting on some Nurgle's Rot to clean it up and give it a greenish hue.

This isn't the most amazing effect, but it works. It looks gross and appropriate and I can live with it.

This is part of a general bit of clean-up and hobby work I have to do for my Death Guard before the LVO Team Tournament. I'm going to start trying to fix these bloat-drones by replacing some of their missing spikes and I have to finally paint a third unit of Poxwalkers, so I've started on those.

None of it should take too long, which will leave me plenty of time to work on my other mountain of hobby projects plus all of the usual secret shit I can't talk about.

Next Time: The End of the Road

Well that wraps up my last battle report of the year but come back next week for my annual recap of 2025, start to finish. I'll go over my full hobby progress, compare my performance to my goals, and talk about what it all meant. So check back on Christmas Day for that one, why not.

See you next Thursday.

Have any questions or feedback? Drop us a note in the comments below or email us at contact@goonhammer.com. Want articles like this linked in your inbox every Monday morning? Sign up for our newsletter. And don’t forget that you can support us on Patreon for backer rewards like early video content, Administratum access, an ad-free experience on our website and more.