The first Eouk armored strike force consisted of:
-HQ-
Avatar of Khaela Mensha Khaine - 80
(this additional HQ was allowed due to the benevolence of my opponent)
-Suin Daellae, the Wailing Doom
Note- This was the only model that was untransportable and added at the last minute to help out against the fearless Wraithguard. His main purpose was to be within 12" of the assault units, thereby Inspiring them to also be fearless.
Note- if the third HQ (Avatar) was not allowed I had a slightly different HQ adding Mind War and a single spirit stone to the farseers... but this was not the case.
Idainn Ilwrath, Farseer - 86 (this farseer accompanied the first scorpions squad)
-
Fortune-Ghost Helm
-Runes of Witnessing
-Witchblade
-Shuriken Pistol
Idainn Culeagh, Farseer - 81
-
Guide-Ghost Helm
-Runes of Witnessing
-Sword
-Pistol
-Troops- 876
Esik Caman, 27 Dire Avengers, 3 Exarchs, 3 squads -
-3 Power Swords and Shuriken Pistols
-
all three exarchs with Distract-3 Wave Serpents
-Twin-linked Starcannons
-Spirit Stones
-Vectored Engines
Note- my Dire Avengers ride in style
-Elites-
Mean Tokath, 8 Striking Scorpions, 1 Exarch - 311
-Scorpions Claw
-Wave Serpent
-Twin-linked Brightlances
-Spirit Stones
-Vectored Engines
Mean Tokath, 9 Striking Scorpions, 1 Exarch - 327
-Biting Blade
-
Crushing Blow-Wave Serpent
-Twin-linked Brightlances
-Spirit Stone
-Vectored Engines
Suin Mure, 5 Howling Banshees, 1 Exarch - 125
-Executioner
-
Acrobatic-Heavy Support-
otBuanna, 4 Dark Reapers, 1 Exarch - 233
-Eldar Missile Launcher
-
Fast ShotFalcon - 195
-Pulse Laser
-Starcannon
-Holo-field
-Spirit Stones
-Vectored Engines
Falcon - 195
-Pulse Laser
-Starcannon
-Holo-field
-Spirit Stone
-Vectored Engines
Army Total - 2509 points.
And so the table was set as Badoom has told you. The biggest problem was how to approach an army that consisted (almost exclusively, save for a single warlock) of models that could kill my tanks.
To get within range of dropping my troops my off I had to either move forward maximum distance with all transports and clear the super-difficult terrain, risking 40 odd Wraithcannon the Spear of Teuthlas and six brightlances or stand back for a bit and shoot. I chose discretion as the better part of valor...
The Reapers were deployed in a small, open bunker with their Farseer and the Avatar near at hand. All were in a corner, more or less, opposite the entirety of the Iyanden force. A small stand of trees shielded the reapers from return fire as they were deployed at range. The tanks were fanned out in an L-shape with the close combat specialists to the left and the dire avengers to the right. The falcon assigned to the reapers was deployed hull down to the rightl but near at hand in case they needed to get lost in a hurry.
As the attacker in our scenario I elected to take my initial movement and -shift- around laterally with the tanks and transports so as to avoid armor penetration and the 12" range Wraithcannons. The Avatar moved forward his maximum, shielded from fire by range and the same stand of trees that shielded the reapers.
I started by firing the reapers (a slight error, they should have waited) at the only wraithlord in sight, wounding it twice. You've got to love crack missiles.
The combined fire of the falcons, two pulse lasers and a starcannon, amounting to six shots total, finished it off.
The remainder of my fire was concentrated entirely on the nearest squad of wraithguard, containing Iyanna Arienal, who shall from here on to the end of time be revered for her bravery. Six of the wraithguard were felled after conceal saves had been made. Not bad. Not bad.
I turned the dice over to my friend and awaited retaliation.
So after my terrible blunder, I hung my head in shame. He charged in with his Wave Serpents...
... And prepared for the worst. Wraithguard at short range are very difficult opponents at the best of times and this was a difficult situation.
In the first turn all but two of my grav-tanks had moved laterally and so were no closer to the objective of occupying the high ground. The only way to be expiditious was to move 24" and see what happens. The Dire Avengers, Banshees (only moved 12") and one Scorpion squad urgered their pilots forward with all haste and were rewarded by not crashing in the rocky river (vectored engines saved five of my tanks!),
but were most definitely in range of being shot by numerous Wraithcannons in the next turn. Their was no way around it. To get the troops in, I had to risk it.
My only shooting in this turn was from the reapers fire base, the hull down falcon and a serpent with lances that hung back (for lack of space!) in the armored cavalry charge. Both grav-tanks that held back
managed a single wound on the wraithlord! HOORAY!
The reapers were left with slim pickings. The only thing in sight through the mayhem of armored vehicles were a few wraithguards (three) in the back of the formation whom they duly dispatched. It is interesting to note that an independent character, a death jester, actually blocked line of sight to another wraithguard due to the characters in 6" rule!
The falcon that carried the Banshees had only moved 12" and so the Suin Mure disembarked in the movement phase and charged the first wraithguard squad in the formation (using fleet of foot 4" to cross the river). This squad had been the target of the previous turns bombardment and was severely depleted. I thought they would rip it up. But as it happened, the only thing that got ripped up was one out of four Wraithguard felled by the Exarch. Return attacks were negated by good armor saves...
And so I turned the dice over to my honorable opponent.
He had five grav-tanks and a besieged wraithguard squad in his front yard to deal with....
The response was going to be blistering.