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Main => Campaigns and Battle Reports => Topic started by: Wyddr on February 7, 2020, 02:23:28 PM

Title: 1500 Imperial Fists Vs Craftworld Eldar: Kill Confirmed
Post by: Wyddr on February 7, 2020, 02:23:28 PM
1500 Imperial Fists Vs Craftworld Eldar: Kill Confirmed

Sergeant Katsos and his scout team moved with the shadows of early dawn, their stealth belying their size. Ahead, through the mists and gray light, the colony outpost stood empty and forlorn, only the razor-thin scars of shuriken fire to indicate what had became of the residents.

Without the need to issue instructions, Katsos's team took up firing positions in a half-ruined farmhouse and sighted down their rifles at the ghostly silhouettes of Eldar grav tanks cruising at low altitude.

"I don't understand," Mora muttered, "why would they come back? Why kill everyone in a farming village anyway?"

"Because they must have missed something." Katsos said, and then flashed a curt sign with his free hand - the sign for silence. Even though over a kilometer away, the senses of the Eldar were never to be underestimated.

There was a whimper, like an injured animal. At first Katsos thought - perversely - that one of his Scouts had made this noise out of...well, he had no idea. He had never, in all his decades training 10th Company initiates, hear someone make a sound like this. He glared back at them, but they looked as shocked as he.

The sound rose in pitch, shrill and pathetic. Mora shifted to one side and looked down - it was coming from inside an overturned cupboard. Reaching down, the scout ripped the back off the thing. Inside, cushioned within a bundle of woven fabric, was a human infant.

The scouts stared. Even Katsos was unable to understand what he was seeing. How had it survived the initial Eldar attack? He had a flash of insight - its mortal mother, face drawn thin with terror, wrapping it warmly and secreting it away, even as she heard the screams of her fellow colonists as the xenos slaughtered them. Something the Eldar had missed.

"They want the child." Katsos said.

"Should we kill it?" Mora asked.

Katsos grabbed him by the collar and hissed. "Whatever happens, no matter how much of our blood is spilled, this child lives, do you understand?"

The squad answered as one. "Yes sir."

"What do we do?" Mora asked.

"We do as Dorn would expect of us." Katsos answered. "Dig in."

In the distance, the grav tanks banked gracefully and turned their way.


Imperial Fists Reaction Force
Imperial Fists Battalion

HQ
Captain w/Relic Blade, Master-crafted Boltgun (Chapter Master, Warlord: Hand of Dorn)
Librarian w/Force Staff (Aspect of Stone, Fortify)

Troops
5-man Scout Squad "Apollo" w/Sniper Rifles
5-man Tactical Squad w/Missile Launcher
5-man Tactical Squad w/Missile Launcher
8-man Tactical Squad w/Meltagun, Powerfist, Combiflamer
10-man Intercessor Squad w/Bolt Rifles, Power Fist, 1x Grenade Launcher

Elites
Company Champion w/Purgatorus (Hero of the Chapter: The Imperium's Sword)
3 Assault Centurions w/Hurricane Bolters, 2x Twin Flamers, 1x Twin Meltaguns

Transport
Drop Pod w/Storm Bolter

Imperial Fists Spearhead

HQ
Lieutenant w/Power Sword

Heavy Support
Vindicator "Charon"
Vindicator "Karybdis"
7-man Devastator Squad w/4x Lascannons, Armorium Cherub

Craftworld Eldar Mechanized Battalion
Customized Craftworld: Mobile Fighters, Students of Vaul

HQ
Farseer Skyrunner w/Spear (Doom, Executioner, The Phoenix Gem, Warlord: Seer of the Shifting Vector)
Warlock w/Spear (Conceal/Reveal, Fateful Divergence)

Troops
12 Guardians
12 Guardians
5 Rangers

Elites
5 Fire Dragons (Exarch w/Firepike)
5 Wraithguard w/Wraithcannons

Fast Attack
8 Warp Spiders, Exarch w/Twin Spinners, Surprise Assault

Transports
Wave Serpent w/Twin Shuricannons, Shuricannon, Spirit Stones
Wave Serpent w/Twin Shuricannons, Shuricannon, Spirit Stones
Wave Serpent w/Twin Shuricannons, Shuricannon, Spirit Stones
Wave Serpent w/Twin Shuricannons, Shuricannon, Spirit Stones

Mission, Terrain, and Deployment
The board featured a fortified Imperial settlement in the SW corner with a road running from the SW corner to the North-Center of the board. The rest of the board was littered with tanglewire, tank-traps, craters, and a couple other buildings - a small ruin in the north-center, and an intact building in the SE corner. The Mission was Kill Confirmed - a Maelstrom Mission with Kill Points tacked on. We placed 6 objective (or so we thought), but somehow manage to only place 5 of them (or maybe my opponent picked one of them up).

Objective 1 was atop a building in the facility in the SW, Objective 2 was atop a defensive bunker nearby to #1, Objective 3 was board center, Objective 5 was in the small ruin in the north-center, and objective 6 was in a crater in the eastern side of the board. Deployment wound up being the ever-annoying Spearhead Assault.

My opponent's gravtanks deployed in a rough wedge at the front of his DZ, with the Fire Dragons and Wraithguard occupying the southern half and the Guardians in the north. The Farseer stood behind this wedge. Both the Warp Spiders and Rangers hid in the webway, waiting to strike. The Warlock rode with the Fire Dragons.

I dropped my scouts in the little ruin in the north center, atop objective #5. The Devastators deployed in the crater atop Objective 6. The Intercessors took the lead, crowding the front of the objective, followed by the Centurions, followed by the Chapter Master and Lieutenant and flanked by the Vindicators. The two missile tac squads occupied the wings of the DZ, to ward off potential ambushes, and the Librarian, Champion, and 8-man Tac squad ("Macedon") deployed in the Drop Pod.

Deployment
(https://i.imgur.com/AoYbXrM.jpg)

The Fists DZ (https://i.imgur.com/KZBqL45.jpg)
Pretty sure these scouts are dead meat (https://i.imgur.com/skjFtX1.jpg)
The Eldar (https://i.imgur.com/JNfJAQC.jpg)

Turn 1
Despite the Eldar getting a +1 to the roll-off, I win first turn. My first three objectives are Behind Enemy Lines (drop guys in the enemy DZ), Breach Defenses (kill units in cover, buildings, or on terrain), and Defend Objective 5 (hold it for 2 turns). Nothing the Eldar have is in cover, so that objective isn't achievable this turn. Behind enemy lines, however, is pretty easy. I bring the Drop Pod down at the very back of the Eldar DZ and disembark everyone. The Librarian gets off a weak 1-wound smite on the closest Wave Serpent. The rest of my shooting back there doesn't do very much, but I've got 4 units in the DZ, which is good for a d3 VPs at the end of the turn.

My center mass of troops rolls slowly forward, just to get things in range. The Devastators make short work of the Fire Dragons' Serpent (1 Dragon dies in the explosion) and the Vindicators obliterate the Wraithguard Serpent, even though they used their Lightning Reflexes to defend themselves (go Chapter Master Re-rolls!). The Centurions fill one of the guardian Serpents full of bolts (I hit 37 times on 36 shots - go Fists!) and does a whopping 8 wounds. A Krak missile does another 2 or so, crippling that serpent. The last Serpent catches a Krak missile as well, losing 4 wounds.

Meanwhile, the Scouts, sitting atop an objective currently worth 2 VP, use the Bolster Defenses Stratagem to boost their cover save.

In the assault phase, the Librarian and Champion both tank their charges against the Farseer, and the Champ takes a wound in overwatch. The Tac Squad charges the Wraithguard, losing 1 to overwatch, and then proceeds to tank all its attacks (I forgot about Shock Assault, unfortunately), but that's okay because the Wraithguard don't do much better.

At the end of my turn, I score 2 VP for Behind Enemy Lines and retain the other two objectives for next turn. I also get 2 VP for the two units I killed plus another 1 for First Blood.

Top of Turn 1
(https://i.imgur.com/DLGbo9W.jpg)

Current Score: Fists 5, Eldar 0

Not a graceful assault, but it'll do... (https://i.imgur.com/nbDuofO.jpg)
These two done screwed up. (https://i.imgur.com/ZQB0Ya2.jpg)
Steady Advance... (https://i.imgur.com/sAVorTJ.jpg)

In the bottom of Turn 1, the Eldar once again prove that my "diversionary Drop Pod" plan is a good one by, essentially, turning around and focusing their fire on obliterating my infiltrators. I don't quite remember what their objectives were called, but they were "use Psychic Powers," "make 3 assaults," and claim Objective 1.

Anyway, the last mobile Wave Serpent disembarked its Guardians, who took cover in a nearby crater in range to shoot at the Scouts atop Objective 5 and, thereby, deny me my objective next turn. Thing is, the Imperial Fists know a thing or two about digging in and holding a spot. I use the Pain is a Lesson Stratagem (in addition to Bolster Defenses), so even though I get shot by 24 shuricat shots and another 18 shuricannon shots from two different Wave Serpents, I only lose 1 guy.

The Farseer uses psychic shenanigans to murder my Librarian wound the champion, who was then gunned down by the other group of guardians disembarking from the crippled Serpent. The Farseer then charged the Drop Pod, just to help fulfill the objective.

The Wraithguard fell back from the Tac Squad and they and the Fire Dragons (who had moved to Objective 1) planned to obliterate them with their mega-guns, but I used Transhuman Physiology to cut my casualties back by a LOT and I only lose two guys. They are then charged by the guardians (who lose 3 to overwatch and then another 4 in assault) and the Warlock and all the fury of the Eldar is not enough to shift them. However, those two assaults get my opponent VPs - 3 for the Psychic stuff, 1 for the charge, and 1 for the objective, plus 2 for the killed characters.

Bottom of Turn 1
(https://i.imgur.com/ILOA2yc.jpg)

The View from Objective 1 (https://i.imgur.com/i7dby6y.jpg)

Current Score: Imperial Fists 5, Eldar 7

Turn 2
The new objective I drew this turn was Hold the Line--easy enough, as my missile tac squads and devastators had no interest in going anywhere. With the Wave Serpents largely out of the picture and their cargoes off-loaded, I shifted my attention to killing actual space-elves. The Vindicators and Devastators killed the Wraithguard down to 1 model while the Centurions overwhelmed the guardians threatening my scouts with their hurricane bolters (and that's a VP, thanks to them being on the crater). I also did my damnedest trying to kill the Fire Dragons with the Intercessors and some missiles, but that cursed Exarch remained stubbornly alive.

As for the diversionary Tac squad, they shot dead the Warlock with their pistols and then killed four more Guardians, leaving them engaged with only one of them. At the end of the turn, I scored 1 VP for Hold the Line, 2 VPs for Defending Objective 5, and 1 VP for Breach Defenses. Add in 2 VPs for kills, and things are going well.

Top of Turn 2
(https://i.imgur.com/5E8Qq9P.jpg)

I claim the board center as my own. (https://i.imgur.com/aOpMZSC.jpg)
Stubborn Tacs won't quit. (https://i.imgur.com/akwOPfM.jpg)
Still holding their ground! (https://i.imgur.com/5qycTew.jpg)

Current Score: Fists 11, Eldar 7

This turn sees my opponent pull a "Claim Objective 5" objective (the Eldar *really* want that farmhouse!), an objective for securing the center of the board (good luck!), and one other I don't recall. Both remaining Wave Serpents get up-close and personal with the scouts in the farmhouse and throw everything they can at them. I'm out of CPs at this point, so all they can do is hope their bolstered defenses are good enough. They are! I lose 2 scouts only. Meanwhile, the Farseer jets over and kills off the remainder of my tac squad with his psychic shenanigans. The long guardian, lone Wraithguard, and lone Fire Dragon Exarch fall back to more "defensible" positions, forgetting, of course, that there is no escape from the Sons of Dorn.

My opponent also elects not to bring in either the Rangers or the Warp Spiders this turn, though I feel he really should have--he needed the bonus firepower. He *also* forgot to discharge his Serpent Shields, which (a) are useless against the Fists anyway and (2) would have secured him Objective 5 for sure. Even still, he scores some kind of objective this turn, though I forget what, as well as a point for the kill.

Bottom of Turn 2
(https://i.imgur.com/Gsthpuh.jpg)

Uh-oh. (https://i.imgur.com/QF9x1lr.jpg)
Well, it was a good run... (https://i.imgur.com/QNGp7Ld.jpg)

Current Score: Fists 11, Eldar 9

Turn 3
As if my opponent weren't in big enough trouble as it was, I am now sitting at the center of the board with all my very powerful, 24-30" threat-range stuff. The three objectives I draw are Secure Objective 5 (still holding it!), Secure Objective 3 (board center--got it!), and Mission Critical Objective: Objective 6 (easy!). That's basically three free VPs right there. Then the guns start up again:

I kill both remaining wave serpents, one with the Centurions' meltaguns and the other with the Devastators. The Vindicators nuke the Wraithguard and the last guardian, and, try as I might, the Intercessors can't quite nail the Fire Dragon Exarch. This is a big turn--a full 7 VPs.

Top of Turn 3
(https://i.imgur.com/oZHENgE.jpg)

Current Score: Fists 18, Eldar 9

In the bottom of the turn, the Eldar need to earn 9 VPs to catch up. I don't remember what cards my opponent drew, but they were pretty solid. Anyway, he dropped in his Warp Spiders, who proceeded to blast the Intercessors, who were also then psychiced half to death by the Farseer, sniped by the Rangers (who also showed up) and charged by both the Farseer and the Spiders. In the end, I lost all but 1 guy, and that guy RAN AWAY. Can you imagine? A Son of Dorn running away? I assure you this will look very bad on his performance review. That guy's got some serious time in the Pain Glove ahead of him.

In the end, he earned another 4 VPs somehow (1 for the kill, presumably another 3 from his objectives). Good, but not enough.

Bottom of Turn 3
(https://i.imgur.com/gV5mhU3.jpg)

SURPRISE ATTACK! (https://i.imgur.com/QaONpwh.jpg)

At the end of turn 3, my opponent concedes and his forces melt into the Webway.

Final Score
Imperial Fists: 19 (+1 for Linebreaker)
Eldar: 13

Post-Mortem
Wow. Now, granted I had very good dice this game, but even still, wow. The Imperial Fists tore through the Wave Serpents like tissue paper, my guys were hard as nails to move, and the re-roll bubble of the Lieutenant and Chapter Master remains DEVASTATING. It took my opponent so long to remove my diversionary force that he literally paid zero attention to my rolling kill-box until it was too late. This, coupled with a lot of fortunate tactical objective cards, and this one was in the bag.

My opponent did make a couple mistakes--he forgot to launch his serpent shields in turn 2, which would have resulted in a 2 point swing, and he should have dropped his Warp Spiders and Rangers in Turn 2, as he desperately needed the bodies. Even still, with army-wide ignore cover, their boosted bolter rules, and a nice set of stratagems to keep them healthy, the Fists are a great, great army. Almost too good.

The Librarian didn't do anything and the Champion didn't get a chance, either. The Intercessors need Auto Bolt Rifles to be useful in the way I'm using them. Other than that? No complaints. It was a fun game, if a little one sided. Thanks for reading and thanks, as always, to my opponent!
Title: Re: 1500 Imperial Fists Vs Craftworld Eldar: Kill Confirmed
Post by: Roboknee77 on February 10, 2020, 10:02:15 AM
Wow, the high score of the game doesn't reflect how short and brutal the match was.  I was talking to McComas a couple of nights after the game and I was shocked when he said you took out two Wave Serpents in one round.  I'm feel like I'm lucky to crack one with double shooting tankbustas.

Great write-up and short story as always, Wyddr.
Title: Re: 1500 Imperial Fists Vs Craftworld Eldar: Kill Confirmed
Post by: Wyddr on February 10, 2020, 11:46:02 AM
Yeah, taking Vehicles against the Fists is unwise. Their doctrines are BRUTAL against anything in a bunker or anything in a tank or whatever. Just brutal.

That when coupled with their amazing bolter shooting makes them just insanely good against most targets. Good enough that I'm generally going to keep them as an "exhibition" army for the time being in our little group. If you guys want to face the wrath of Dorn, just ask. Otherwise, I'll stick with armies I consider more challenging to play.
Title: Re: 1500 Imperial Fists Vs Craftworld Eldar: Kill Confirmed
Post by: SKEETERGOD on February 13, 2020, 01:26:52 AM
Great read, thanks for the batrep. Of course we all know the umies "won" because the other guys didn't stick around to say different.  ;)

Unfortunately this is bad news, because now there are less of both of them for the orks to krump. ;D

Seriously though, good game! Looked brutal and a lot of fun. Great pics too! Not to mention the map graphics were good as well. Good stuff, now go make more good stuff.
Title: Re: 1500 Imperial Fists Vs Craftworld Eldar: Kill Confirmed
Post by: Irisado on April 1, 2020, 07:55:11 AM
That was certainly a very bruising defeat for the Eldar.  I can't recall a Space Marine army ever previously being able to dish out that amount of anti-tank firepower, certainly not since third edition anyway.  You certainly chose the right tools to get the job done and even if your opponent had not made those mistakes, I don't see an easy way for him to achieved victory, in view of the composition of his army.

Congratulations on your victory and many thanks for posting the report :).
Title: Re: 1500 Imperial Fists Vs Craftworld Eldar: Kill Confirmed
Post by: Wyddr on April 1, 2020, 08:25:09 AM
The FAQ has changed things so that the Imperial Fists "nuke all vehicles" rule only lasts for the first round, but even still they can really pour on the hurt and essentially ignore the Serpent Shield entirely, which makes Wave Serpents dead meat if they are anywhere near in range. No cover saves, either. Just brutal.
Title: Re: 1500 Imperial Fists Vs Craftworld Eldar: Kill Confirmed
Post by: Blazinghand on April 1, 2020, 09:23:47 PM
Interesting to see assault centurions out on the field! Looks like it was a tough time for eldar. Great batrep.
Title: Re: 1500 Imperial Fists Vs Craftworld Eldar: Kill Confirmed
Post by: Wyddr on April 2, 2020, 08:21:52 AM
Interesting to see assault centurions out on the field! Looks like it was a tough time for eldar. Great batrep.

Dude, they are a CRAZY steal for the points. The thing is that they're slow, but if you're playing the Fists and stick them next to a Chapter Master (and a Lieutenant for good measure), just give them Hurricane Bolters.

Anything midfield is going to get hit by 36 bolter shots with re-rolls and every 6 generates an additional hit. I routinely hit 40 times with them. Add in Tactical Doctrine, re-rolling 1s to wound, and, well...

They aren't super tough, granted, but they're cheap cheap cheap and nobody's been directing a lot of heavy weapons fire their way (I've built my army around a nasty diversionary attack) and they weather small arms fire just fine. If anything gets close, their assault is no joke either. Just figure out what area on the board you want to deny and have them walk slowly that direction. 
Title: Re: 1500 Imperial Fists Vs Craftworld Eldar: Kill Confirmed
Post by: Blazinghand on April 3, 2020, 09:21:53 AM
That melee out put looks like it could chew up any melee monster or vehicle easily. They're tough enough you need to dedicate serious firepower to them, too. A few shurikens won't clear them out.
Title: Re: 1500 Imperial Fists Vs Craftworld Eldar: Kill Confirmed
Post by: Wyddr on April 3, 2020, 10:05:26 PM
That melee out put looks like it could chew up any melee monster or vehicle easily. They're tough enough you need to dedicate serious firepower to them, too. A few shurikens won't clear them out.

No, they really need to be hit by a lot of mid-strength firepower with good AP or just plain old antitank weapons. Shuriken Cannons massed could do some damage, probably. Dark Reapers would be no fun. But they've got a really good save and when you throw in some of the Imperial Fist doctrines (Pain is a Lesson, for instance), they get even harder to shift.

And then, also, you've just dedicated so very much firepower to what amounts to the cost of a two units of Intercessors. It's ridiculous.