Last weekend I participated in a 1500 Tourney with VPs, 30 participants and the following restrictions:
max one special character
not the same type of HQ twice
no triple of Elite, Assault or Support
I attempted a different approach this time and fielded this list around a solid CC-core:
"The Demon Hunter" (counts as Yriel)
Farseer with Doom, Fortune, RoW, Spear
7 Warlocks, 2 Embolden, 2 Enhance, Spiritseer, Spear
Serpent SC, Spirit Stones
6 Guardian Jetbikes 2SC + Embolden Spiritseer with Spear
10 Guardians with Scatterlaser + Embolden Spiritseer
5 Avengers
Falcon with EML, Holofield, Spiritstones
2 Wraithlords with Sword, Laserlance, 2 Flamers
The list was supposed to create a big area of threat with the mobile conuncil and the Wraithlords to support them in the more difficult combats and give more targets for AT-weapons.
A Falcon should provide long range support fire at the beginning and score with the Avengers lategame. The Guardians were to take objectives in my deployment area and be a neglectible nuisance the rest of the time.
The Jetbikes were required as a firepower unit that could score and support the Assault team by decimating their threats and be at the right place at the right time. As well they do have a little AT capacity.
Each unit allowed took a Spiritseer to allow free roaming for the Wraithlords.
1st game: pitched battle, 5 objectives against Demons of Chaos on ruin city terrain.
With a less mobile army now (usually playing Mech Eldar) I used the regular Demon counter: clustering up in one corner and leaving the unprotected troops in reserves. I immediately found out that he played a pure Tzeentch list
defensively with two troops to shock onto objectives later. He deepstruck far away from me onto an objective with Demon Prince (=converted wraithlord: heretic!), Horrors and those flyers. Another unit of Horrors dropped into a ruin close to me along with Flamers of Tzeentch. I went second and had to run towards him from the beginning and while they are awesome shooters (HQ-tank put down second turn) those elite demons are awful in CC. The Horrors and
Flamers were shot down by the Jetbikes and the Small Avengers team on the edge of my board while the remnants of the first unit served my council as catapult towards his main defense which was strengthened by another flyer unit with herold.
After receiving a full volley with the council I moved carefully to setup a multiple charge onto the Demon prince as well as the main Horror unit with the Changeling as I wouldn't be able to do well against another full volley.
Both got wiped out. Slight inconvenience: Yriel attacked the Demon Prince, hit once, didn't wound and got instakilled in return. :-( Lord of change dropped next to me and got multicharged with the Herold and killed by the Council again.
The Wraithlords finally got into close combat with the Flyers and eliminated them and the Jetbikes received some losses against the final unit of horrors dropping in between two objectives on the other side of the board but wiped them out in shooting and CC on turn 5 while my Guardians just came in in time to occupy the objective next to my side of the board.
Nothing demon-like left on the table with just the HQ-Serpent and the Avengers lost along with a few warlocks.
most valuable unit: the council cutting through the demons like a hot knife through butter.
disappointed by: Yriel (see above).
I wanted to put the Wraithlords herefirst, but they held the Demons at distance and allowed me to kill them unit by unit. So they took a vital indirect role here.
Lessons learnt: They shoot you? Get close and personal with them...
2nd game: Dawn of War Annihilation on a Chaos table with Warpgate and few cover against Mech-Eldar.
How many tanks you can play in 1500? 6 Serpents (1 Cheap Seer, 4 minimum Avengers, 2 minimum Fire Dragons), 2 Prisms. That didn't look well... I chose to go first and ran my wraithlords towards the center of the field, Guardians at the back board edge and Jetbikes and tanks as flank protection. This way I wanted to create the greatest possible area of threat and limiting his movement options. All his tanks were in the backfield, I went with the Jetbikes after the
Prisms on the left side by turboboosting and the 2 advancing Firedragon Serpents were rammed by my Council Serpent. Did I mention I just failed the Fortune on the council with double boxcars? I did not damage any vehilce put prevented the most dangerous ones from shooting me (except one Prism). The first Dragon unit from him got out and wasted my Serpent with one Shot. Ok, that was the risk. He didn't want to risk his second Draongs due to my Wraihtlords nearby and shot with the only remaining tank: Fire Prism hit the stranded Council in the middle reducing it to 4 total (including characters). Now it looked bleak. My Jetbikes were able to immobilize the second Prism but were shot down before they could threaten the other Serpents there. At least his lone Farseer died due to his third failed Perils test. I parted Yriel from the Council and had him take revenge on the Dragons while the council destroyed the second Dragon Serpent who could not avoid them or the Wraithlord approaching the right flank. The Wraithlord shot down the other empty Serpent along with the Falcon then, while the Avengers dropped and shurikened the Fire Dragons into oblivion. His Prism tried to get me at the left flank but we were both unable to trade damage here. The Council and Yriel joined and embarked on the Falcon now who was able to down another Serpent with a ram attack the next turn. The lone Yriel survived because he found the Falcon to be a bigger threat that time to focus the EMLs on. He withdrew his tanks from the advancing Wraithlords and so I won the game due to the victory points awarded for units destroyed completely. A KP match would have favoured me even more.
Losses: HQ-Serpent, Jetbikes, 50% of Council and Avengers.
most valuable unit: Falcon by giving a new home to the council, silencing EML-Serpents and by doing vicious tank shocks.
disappointed by: council resilience
Lessons learnt: better mobility and resilience doesn't mean success. Denying your opponent's strengths can make you bring him down.
3rd game: pitched battle against SM at jungle huts. Take opposing deployment zone and kill the general. Only Scoring units can contest.
2 Landraiders, Vindicator, Landspeeder Squad, Lazor-Razor, Assualt Termies and a few troop Marines deployed in his zone in a forward position. I countered with offensive Wraithlords and HQ-Serpent with Guardians in the backfield and the Falcon posing the distant threat. The Wraithlords ran towards him along with the HQ Serpent who stopped right in front of the Raiders. Falcon and Guardians downed one Speeder and prevented the others from shooting. Still no worthy damage dealt to me. One Lord immobilized the Vindie. Council got out and multicharged Landraider and Landspeeders, destryoing the latter immediately, the other one in his CC round. The Serpent stopped directly in front of the other Raider to prevent any charges.
Suddenly that Raider (old model) appeared to be the flamer variant. Two flamers, a deviated Vindicator shell to the non-LOS council and a standard unit fire reduced the council severely. Even worse: the old LR-model had it's exit doors more to the front and a 6 on the difficult terrain roll allowed the assault termies accompanied by the T6 Chaplain were able to charge my second wraithlord barely. I could not instakill the Chaplain but the first wraithlord destroyed the Razorback next to the Vindicator while the Council-remnants destroyed the Vindicator in vengeance. Yriel parted from the Council before and did the successful bomb on the passengers of the destroyed Raider but was shot by the Assault Cannon next turn. The bikes hunted the Missile Launcher Unit hiding at the pyramid at the right center flank, but were threatened by the Assault Terminators who just killed the Lord. The Redeemer and those Termies brought my Jetbikes below 50% and killed the Avengers who finished the ML team at the building, ensuring no scoring/contesting units are left in his deployment zone. The Wraithlord could eliminate the last scoring unit which escaped from the Razorback as well and therefore the Jetbikes took his deployment zone. I could not harm the terminators anymore, therefore it ended in a draw as he killed my General.
most valuable unit: Wraithlords/Council tandem was any vehicles doom.
disappointed by: my measuring of distances to the Redeemers (unpainted) exit. I was planning on having the termies run after me for a few turns and then gang on them.
Lessons learnt: a game can swing very easily. Do not loose concentration for a moment! He thought to be massacred after round 3 and came back by killing the council and getting the Termie charge.
4th game:take and hold pitched battle against Snikrot supported Nob Biker/Battlewaggon charge at a wood/valley table
The center of the table was limited by impassable terrain allowing only a few ways for non-flyers to get past that area. I setup in a defensive position with Guardians and Lords in a wood, the tanks placed behind it and the bikes in reserves. I got two shooting phases which did not have any effect.
I made my first big mistake by moving my HQ Serpent a bit out of the way for the 6"+ movement. I should have moved it only an inch, because it was supposed to be brought down and therefore allow my fortuned Council the charge on the bikers. This way the Bikes could charge one of my lords (and killed it), while
a the same time Snikrot made it through my table edge and got to the Guardians and the second Lord at the same time by a good difficult terrain roll. Snikky regretted it soon as he lost combat but he delayed the second lord enought that he could and the Guardians could be charged by the Bikers (and getting killed) as well.
The wounded Waaghboss left his unit and charged the Jetbikes who struck first and slayed him without Doc-Support. I do not know anymore how the Falcon was killed, I was angry about my initial error which also left me unable to exit my Council for two turns. At least the council charged the bikers and left them
running. The 20 strong-mob charged my council got surprised by the bomb and whittled down finally. Then I made another mistake by sending in my Jetbikes to chase the bossbikers off the field, while the Council could do it as well with their consolidation move of the second combat. This way the stupid wartruck with 4 boys could contest my mission objective. His Grots held his own and I could not reach them anymore therefore this game was a mediocre loss (by VP).
most valuable unit: Council which send the bossbikers running and killed a 20 boyz mob.
disappointed by: my lack of concentration: I tried to move Wraithlords and Guardians correctly to limit the danger of the Snikrot charge and forgot about the Serpent.
Lesson learnt: Against bikers you do need the charge. Sacrifice a tank (be it the one carrying your council) and all is well. Doing this right from the beginning would have put me on 2nd place of 30; now it was 11th.
Overall the troops held in reserves did not arrive when desired but it was never a game deciding situation as my other units were placed correctly and I did not rely on my reserves in planning.
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The week before there was another tourney I participated in with an Eldar mechanized list but it went absolutely dice crazy so nothing to learn about tactics and unit performance here. Some excerpts:
- The vehicle damage table can truly run crazy. 1 out of 7 of my tougher tanks was alive at the end of the game, while all his Rhino's/Razorbacks were still alive. Did I mention he fielded less Anti-Tank than me?
- Do not rely on Eldrad, Autarch and Striking Scorpion Exarch to bring down a Cybot during 5 rounds
- If the dice hate you you may loose a combat with Eldrad, CC-Autarch and a full Striking Scorpion Squad against three Combi-Melter Termies.
- Eldrad, CC Autarch and Striking Scoropion Squad can bring down a half of an Guard army on their own wading through lasgun and grenade fire.
- If you play an reserves style army, always bring an Autarch with you. The experienced Ravenwing player simply got tabled as his army arrived piece by piece and got hit by long ranged weapons and CC.
Nevertheless placed third there. :-)