First Impresssions of Deathwing

I got in my first game using Deathwing during the weekend against Peter's Chaos Marines. Not surprisingly, I got mauled and wiped off the board on Turn 5. I won't go into the details of the battle just yet, but here's a couple of things I learnt:

Good ideas:

1. Terminator Librarian with Divination powers is an excellent way to augment the killing power of Deathwing. There are few enough Terminators on the board as it is, and a little Prescience goes a long way towards making every swing of a power fist or, better yet, a smiting mace of Absolution count.
2. Deathwing Knights are excellent, and getting a charge in with them is one of very few things that can wipe out a squad of 3 Nurgle Obliterators with no losses. On top of that, the sheer intimidation value of a squad of Terminators with Storm Shields which can quite likely instakill anything they charge is inestimable. 
3. If you're not using a Land Raider to take the fight to the enemy, a Banner of Fortitude is well worth the points. After 2 Feel No Pain saves, it'll have made its points back. Also, keeping it with a Command Squad in the back line will keep the foe pressured to choose his targets very carefully between it and the squads of Terminators stomping in his direction. 

Bad ideas:

1. I tried kitting out a 7 man Terminator squad with a Heavy Flamer, then using Belial to Deep Strike in flawlessly to deliver a burst of deadly accurate toasty death. No good. The kind of thing that will suffer horribly from that kind of abuse is simply not worth the exposing a large squad of Terminators for. Better to carry a more lethal gun, like a plasma cannon or assault cannon, start from mid-range and advance steadily. 
2. Combat squads are a bad idea, simply because you CAN'T. Something to remember as I reassemble a new list... 

All in all, Deathwing is proving to be a very interesting challenge. I've another list drawn up, and I'm most keen to continue developing my skills in the ancient art of Deathwing.

In other news, painting is happening, slowly and steadily. Here's some pics of progress thus far...

Almost there... 

I'm rather pleased with the banner, seeing as this is probably the first banner of any kind I've painted. 

An ancient piece of near-forgotten lore: The original tale of the Deathwing Banner...