Consolation Game | 21st July 17.00 | Mike Brandon Vs Andrew Townley

The two players that finished top of their groups meet in the consolation game after both falling at the penultimate hurdle. Townley won through when the two met at the Semi-final stage last year following the unfortunate incident of the Bezerker's plasma pistol exploding and costing Brandon 3 VP's in sudden death. Townley may have felt lucky then, but this time it was only a disappointment after an explosive first round that denied a second successive place in the final. Brandon would be out for revenge after pulling a group win out of the hat, only to fall against an underdog.

Brandon won the first turn and opted to surge his Rhino down the centre of the table whilst a small contingent moved onto the left flank to lure part of Townley pincered forces. The rest of the Chaos infantry took up covered position in the buildings to the left and in the centre of the table. Two of the predators moved out to engage with the Ultramarine armour however there lascannons proved ineffective, as did their counterparts efforts on the left flank. The resultant Ultramarine return fire instantly damaged a predator, destroyed another and also destroyed the Rhino for good measure. Under the hail of fire the Chaos forces continued their covered advance, attempting to get out of a long range firefight. The Bezerkers along with the Night Lords commander sprang from the ruined Rhino and tore into an Ultramarine squad lurking behind the rocks. The result was brutal. However the Chaos forces engaged in the armoured firefight failed yet again do penetrate any armour. An infantry group on the left flank and also had similar success before they were near annihilated by fire form the Dreadnought and Predator. The Ultramarines firepower continued to tell although their targets were diminished as the Night Lords held cover.

With the heavy weapons of the Chaos forces both ground and armoured still failing to do any damage Brandon resorted to desperate tactics and slammed his Predator against one of Townley's. This did the trick as the Predator was annihilated in the collision and the Chaos one survived, a different outcome to the Final in 2006 when Brandon lost 2 Predators when attempting to ram an Immolator which emerged unscathed! However the lascannons still failed to harm the Land Raider which had rolled forwards. On threw Ultramarine rightthey had run out of targets as the remaining Night Lords went into hiding in the ruins to avoid certain death. However the Bezerkers continued their carnage before charging into the Ultramarine deployment zone. The Night Lords commander initiated his combat drugs and charged the Ultramarines Chaplain and reduced it to a single wound. However a pivotal moment emerged when the Land Raider targeted the combat with its Lascannon and obliterated the Chaos leader on a 50/50! The Land Raider also managed to destroy both remaining predators in the remaining turns. Desperate to claw a victory the remaining Chaos forces surrounded the Ultramarines by the Land Raider and took a heavy toll on both the Veterans and standard marines. The Bezerkers also exacted revenge by hacking apart the Chaplain. The final act for the Chaos forces was to send a Lascannon shot at the remaining Ultramarines predator, which penetrated, but only knocked off the ablative armour. . . As the dust settled and the battle drew to a close the field of playpointed to a Chaos victory. However as the points were totted up the game was a draw, but a single point in Andrew Townley's favour! To the disbelief and disdain of Brandon, Townley had defied him again to claim a victory at the last and to take the Bronze podium place. The key moment came down to the Land Raider 50/50 on the close combat which went in Townley's favour and saved him being charged by a 4 attack power fist character! There was also the little matter of Townley's armour being penetrated only twice all game, once form the Ram and another against the Ablative Armour. It may not have been pretty, but this is how battles are won in Tournaments and just like last year, Townley had taken the game by the skin of the nose and out of the hands of a certain if close Brandon victory!

Final Score - Andrew Townley 11 - 10 Mike Brandon                               [draw]