Quite possibly one of the most difficult victories I have ever had to pull off, this one was played againsta veteran player, with a solid, fair and collector-minded list with some really impressive conversions. When we rolled up attrition, I knew I was in for a rough ride from the get-go. In any case, I was bored, work has kept me from getting further games in, so here is a bat-rep.
Mission: Attrition (Omega)
Feral Ork Stratagems: Prelimenary Bombardment, Medicae, Sewers (Deployment)
Iyanden Eldar Stratagems: Prelimenary Bombardment, Master Snipers, Infiltrate
++ Transmission Security: Gamma-Alpha-Four
++ Ref: INQ-sc-2394t7-ELS
++ Date: 0298553.M41
++ Subject: Xenos Aggression; Medusa; Tisiphone; Cithaeron Plain
++ Transcription: Scriptorium Secundus, Librarium 23brh/57572-NJW
++ Recipient: Inquisitor Lord Mikhael Brassels, Commander, Xenos Research, Ordo Xenos
++ Brief: Xenos forces of the Feral Ork Clan under Nazdreg’s overall command clash with previously unreported Iyanden Strike Force amidst the cityscape of Devantus Prime in Tisiphone Province on 0298377.M41. Iyanden Eldar commander confirmed as Farseer NFN Ihr’Vessen; Feral Ork Clan Warboss unconfirmed. Only minor Imperial involvement with little collateral damage to report
++ See attached files: IG-Vlw.134e Eldar, Craftworld Iyanden; IAS-76.35j Ork, Feral Clans; RT/5g\r-25 Xenos Tactica; GNG-dfk-234 toposcan-Devantus Prime
Greetings, most beneficent,
The following is a report on Xenos activities within the Cithaeron Plain region of Tisiphone. The entire region has suffered greatly overall from the cataclysmic arrival and marauding activities of the Ork Warboss Nazdreg. As previous reports have stated, Imperial forces have been moderately successful in containing Xenos forces from making much headway west of the Ork landing site, as well as repelling several Eldar raids. There has been a most recent push by other Eldar forces to curb the tide of the Ork forces, their plan thus far unknown and following little discernable pattern. The Orks, for their part, had already advanced into the area and had erected a crude outpost in the middle of Saint Mitre’s Square. Iyanden forces have progressed far and fast, this specific force only recently joining the conflict.
The battle took place in the ruins of Dagros, recently the site of the Ultramarine defense against recent Eldar raids. The Iyanden forces, numbering a paltry 37 including vehicles, faced off against a Feral Ork clan with over a three-to-one numerical superiority. The apparent mutual objective was the attrition of enemy forces, which initially seemed to grossly favor the Ork forces.
Deployment
The Eldar established a defensive perimeter making use of the landing port and command base. Most of their forces were either deployed within the structures or well out of site of the forward Ork elements. Two Wraithlords took up positions on either flank, while both units of Wraithguard and transport, two Vypers and the Farseer deployed behind a structure adjacent to the landing pad, while the Warp Spiders started their hostilities from within the landing pad. The Eldar forces made use of the Fortified command base, as well as infiltrating their unit of Rangers.
The Ork forces, recently discovering and making use of the sewer systems, sent the majority of their forces into the tunnels in an attempt to swarm the Eldar forces; four units of Orks twenty-strong maneuvered the sewers, while a massive Squiggoth, the Warboss and his retinue was accompanied by the Wierdboy and a unit of Brutes. The Ork forces established a medicae facility in the ruins occupied by the Squiggoth, while deploying through the sewer systems.
Both forces made use of orbital fleet assets to attempt to disrupt the enemy forces, with only an Eldar lance shot successfully wounding the Squiggoth (for two wounds).
Note: All references to flanks and sides are from the Eldar player’s point of view.
Turn One
Having taken the initiative, the Ork forces began a move en masse towards the Iyanden forces, surely thinking that since they already outnumbered the Eldar they could defeat them prior to their kin arriving. The Warboss and his retinue bellowed a Waagh! cry as they moved towards the command base, the Wierdboy and the Brutes moving towards the Eldar’s right flank and the open quarter. The only action seen was two rounds from the Squiggoth battle cannons bouncing off the shell of the Wraithlord holding down the Eldar's left flank.
The Eldar response was swift and calculated. Using their maneuverability, they planted their forces to cover all but two of the six sewer covers and deny the Ork any means of deployment. The Farseer moved behind one of the two towers between the Squiggoth and the command base, while a Wraithlord and Wave Serpent moved to expand the left flank and cover the sewer covers. The Farseer’s Mind War attack was successful in wounding the Squiggoth (for two more wounds), before he redeployed back to the command base. The Rangers were only capable of killing two of the Warboss’s retinue. To the right flank the remainder of the units pushed out to fire on the Wierdboy and Brutes, felling the majority of the Brutes, who break under the sustained fire, while the Wierdboy lost three of his retinue and held firm.
Turn Two
Having lost themselves in the ruined sewers of the city, only one unit of Orks arrived to challenge the Eldar right flank and the open quarter. Their shots were ineffectual against the closest enemy, a Vyper, as was the Wierdboy’s attempted Foot of Gork psychic attack against the right-flank Wave Serpent. The Warboss, seeing the massed Eldar units switched his axes of advance to meet this newly acquired threat. Enraged by the wounds it was suffering the Squiggoth took aim at the only visible target, the left-flank Wraithlord, and scored two wounds.
Eldar forces again deployed to cover the majority of sewer covers. The Farseer reiterated his attacks against the Squiggoth but failed to wound due to the Medicae's patch-work surgery, while the Wraithlord’s brightlance failed to hit the lumbering behemoth. The Rangers once again caused two wounds to the Warboss’s retinue. In the open quarter, the Wraithlord flamed the newly arrived Orks for nine kills, added to by one more killed by each Vyper. The Warp Spiders remained in place to cover the sewer entrance until they saw fit to assault the horribly mauled Ork unit for another four dead, with only one wound in return. The remaining Wave Serpent moved back to allow it to fire on the Wierdboy, causing it and its retinue to flee.
Turn Three
Although the remaining three units of Orks were made available, there were only two openings available to them. The first group erupted from the same sewer as their kin the previous time, while the other group arrived from the opposite flank and took up position within the nearby ruins. The first unit attempted to fell a Wave Serpent but its missile bounced harmlessly off the prow shield. The other unit unloaded all its firepower into the Farseer, only to have the shots bounce off his armor, runes flashing brightly. The Squiggoth sends three shots into the open-quarter Wave Serpent, its shots once again bouncing off the prow shield. Having lost three members of his retinue to the Rangers, the Ork Warboss moves to exact retribution and catches a glimpse of the Eldar Farseer. The charge through the narrow streets severely limits their mob from full effect; the Eldar Farseer wounds once with no wounds received to win combat. In the open quarter, the Warp Spiders meet ferocious response and lose six of their numbers in close combat to only one Ork casualty, yet stand firm.
A Wave Serpent quickly redeployed to disembark its troops to support the beleaguered Farseer, while the other Wave Serpent and Vypers all maneuver to keep tactical advantage in the open quarter, killing another four Orks from the newly arrived group. The Warp Spiders withdrew from close combat and prepared to charge the bewildered Orks; the ensuing assault swept through the Orks. The Wraithlord from the open quarter moves in and flamed ten of the Orks before charging in and killing another two. On the left flank, the Rangers shot and killed six of the newly arrived Orks, along with six more flamed by the nearby Wraithlord, who failed to break through the ruins enough to assault the unit.
Turn 4
The last unit of Orks finally discerned from the battle noise where to exit from the sewers and did so in behind the command base, reinforced by the remainder of the other Ork unit in the nearby ruins. Both units shoot at the Rangers, their shots falling short or bouncing harmlessly off the reinforced plascrete walls. Just as effective was the Squiggoth’s cannon shots, which all harmlessly bounced off the Wave Serpent in the open near the command base. The Orks in combat with the Wraithlord lose three of their kin and are unable to wound in return, their fearlessness obviously outweighing their intelligence. The Farseer took a disabling blow from combat with the remainder of the Ork retinue and they quickly switched their efforts to consolidate into the nearby Wraithguard.
The Eldar Warp Spiders, freed up from combat, moved back in and through the landing platform to eventually help reinforce the Wraithguard in combat with the Warboss. The other Wave Serpent moved in next to the landing structure and disembarked its unit to further reinforce the battle against the Warboss. The Rangers took aim and wounded the Squiggoth leaving it precariously close to dying. The Wraithlord finally eliminated the remainder of its quarry and began a concerted move through the landing platform towards the Warboss, while the Wraithguard did enough damage to kill one more Ork from the retinue. The return hits were enough, however, to kill all but one Wraithguard and the Warlock.
Turn 5 (Final Turn)
The most recently arrived Ork unit prepared to assault the Rangers within the command base only to collectively experience some sort of visions that sent them into an apoplexy and fled. The other unit of Orks tried in vain to escape the rubble of the ruins and failed to reach the base for assault. The Squiggoth fired off several shots into the Wraithlord, which bounced off the surrounding structure and caused no wounds. The Warboss, eager to enter the fight, single-handedly finished off the remainder of the Wraightguard unit and advanced towards the Wave Serpent.
Seeing a shift in the battle and a possible way to end it, the Eldar forces converged on the Ork Warboss and his retinue. The Wraithlord broke cover and looked to reach close combat but fell just short. The Warp Spiders made a move next to the Ork Tower and fired enough shots to kill another Ork from the retinue, which was followed by another from the remaining Wraithguard. The Wave Serpent’s star cannons did no more damage, as did the Rangers whose shots either bounced off the structure the Squiggoth hid within, or was immediately repaired by the Medicae personnel.
Conclusion
With both commanders feeling bruised and battered from this conflict, both Xenos forces withdrew from the battle, the Orks thinking they had done enough damage and come through cleanly enough, while the Eldar forces obviously would have been obviously pleased with the number of Orks that lay dead among the ruins. In the end, it was the Eldar who emerged with a Solid Victory, through maneuver and denial of deployment to the Ork forces, who would have undoubtedly swarmed the Eldar forces otherwise.
It should be noted that this battle demonstrated the key strengths of each of the Xenos forces in question. The Orks succeeded in almost all efforts of close combat, causing all grievous losses of note in hand-to-hand. The Warboss and his retinue in particular form a tenacious unit that withstood a hail of range fire and withstood a fair amount of attacks in hand-to-hand. The Warboss, a veteran of several campaigns, has shown his tactical acumen and ability to read the battle and adjust to changes. The Iyanden force, although few in numbers, possesses a high degree of firepower and close combat potential. The Eldar’s and ability to use maneuver and firepower to provide the ultimate chance of success to win in close combat with so few in actual number allowed them to clear all Ork forces from the open quarter and hold the command base.
It is this servants humble opinion that both forces should be engaged with ultimate victory gained through the utter destruction of all their forces. The Orks must be contained before they break out of the province they landed within, while the Eldar must be contained before they can influence Imperial forces and efforts elsewhere.
;francois
