Or how my Wraithguard never got a chance to shoot!
A battle that I most anticipated. I must confess that I succumbed to temptation and somewhat tailored my list for that game. I plead guilty.
Iyanden:
HQ: 300 Pts
-Avatar of Khaine
-Farseer: SStones, RoWarding, Fortune, Doom
ELITE: 196 Pts
-Harlies: X 7, TMaster with PWeapon, ShSeer, 5 Kisses
TROOP: 698 Pts
-Wraithguard: X 10, SSeer, Enhance
-Avengers: X 10, Exarch, Bladestorm, Defend
+ WSerpent: Twin Shurican, underslug Shurican, SStone, VEngine
HEAVY: 360 Pts
-Wraithlord: Scatter Laser, Starcannon
-WWalker: Shurican X 2
-FPrism: Underslug Shurican, Hfield, SStone
FAST: 296 Pts
-WSpiders: X 7, Exarch with 2X Deathspinner, Withdraw
-Vyper: Scatter Laser
-Vyper: Shurican
TOTAL: 1 850 Pts
Sons of Jaghatai: (Traits:Be swift as the wind & Death before dishonour)
HQ: 295 Pts
-Force Commander: Bike, THonors, LClaw, Plasma Pistol, Frags/Kraks
-Reclusiarch: Bike, THonors, Bolt Pistol, Frags
ELITE: 210 Pts
-Attack Bikes: X 3, Multi-Meltas X 3, Skilled Rider skill, Tank Hunter skill
TROOP: 1025 Pts
-Bike squad: X 5, MBombs, 2 Plasma Guns, 1 Attack bike with HBolter, Vet Sergeant with PFist & Bolt Pistol, SRider skill
-Bike squad: X 5, MBombs, 2 Plasma Guns, 1 Attack bike with HBolter, Vet Sergeant with PFist & Bolt Pistol, SRider skill
-Bike squad: X 5, MBombs, 2 Plasma Guns, 1 Attack bike with HBolter, Vet Sergeant with PFist & Bolt Pistol, SRider skill
-Scout Bikes: X 5, MBombs, Vet Sergeant with PFist & Bolt Pistol, SRider skill
HEAVY: 0 Pts
FAST: 320 Pts
-Land Speeder Tornado X 2
-Land Speeder Tornado X 2
TOTAL: 1850 Pts
-We rolled for sides and I won the roll. Rolled for mission and got Secure & Control with 3 Objective Counters (1 center left, 1 straight center, 1 center right)
The point of view is from Eldar side(south).
-Left South Quarter: Level 3 Silo Complex in corner, Lev 2 Warehouse (area) south center.
-Right South Quarter: A Lev 3 Hill in the center of quarter, Lev 2 ruined Wall extreme right center.
-Left North Quarter: A Lev 3 (12'' across) Pump Station in the left corner.
-Right North Quarter: A clutter of small building/barracks on the right corner.
-North Center, across both Quarter is a long Rocky Crest (Lev 3 hill).
-Straight Center of the board sit a large Lev 3 Hill.
Eldar Deployment: Ok, I deployed the SLaser Vyper behind the Ruined Wall on the right.
Everything else was deployed on the left corner, the War Walker and the footsluggers in or behind the Warehouse and the tanks with the other Vyper behind the Silo Complex. Most of my army was hidden exept for the Wraithlord, WWalker, Avatar and Wguard in heavy cover.
SM Deployment: He deployed all his army but 3 squads behind the long Rocky Crest in center board. 1 unit of Bikes behind the Pump Station, 1 unit of Bikes with Commander Extreme right behind the Barracks and the Scout Bikes in the open, near the central Crest.
As he had less units than me, he spread his deployment to thwart me bunching up on one side and refusing a flank. I didn't even try to do it as he was much faster than me anyway.
-We rolled for scouting moves, I won and moved my Walker slightly to the left inside the Warehouse. He moved his Scouts a full 12''torward my hidden Vyper on my right flank.
-We then rolled for first turn, he won the roll and wisely let me go first.
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... I'm so (insert generic swearing here)!
I just throwed 3 hours of painfull and carefull typing to the warp by hitting the ''Delete'' button while saving the report.
Too bad, but you will have only a short account of this one.
---TURN 1---
ELDAR: Most of my army stay in cover in & behind the Warehouse and Silo Complex. Skimmers go SMS. Shooting is mainly innefective. Take 1 wound off an Heavy Bolter Attack Bike behind the Pump Station. Pfff...
SM: His 3 squadron of Bikes Turboboost right and south. The Scouts kill the SLaser Vyper. The Attack Bikes, 2 LSpeeder squadrons go 12'' south. Between them, they manage to kill the Warwalker. Baaad...
---TURN 2---
ELDAR: Reposionning of units. Concentrated fire kill 2 Speeders, stun 1, destroy the Asscannon of another.
SM: Commander unit, Bike unit and Scout turboboost south center of the table. The damaged Speeder flee 24'', never to be seen again behind cover, sitting of the right objective. Chappy unit hide north of the big central Hill. Attack Bikes manage to stun the Serpent.
---TURN 3---
ELDAR: Reposionning of units in cover. Serpent go north and empty, the Avengers kill the stunned Speeder. Prism make 1 wound on the Attack Bikes. Wraithlord & Spiders kill 3 Bikes. Spiders lose 1 to jump back.
SM: Commander unit, Scouts & Damaged Bike unit kill only 1 Spider due to Fortune. Attack Bikes shakes the Serpent. Chappy's unit move & shoot the Avengers, failing to kill any due to cover.
---TURN 4---
ELDAR: Farseer die to PotW. Avengers remount and Serpent turboboost after the fleeing Speeder. Spiders finish off the damaged Bike squadron and jump back. Avatar and Lord takes 3 wounds on the Chaplain unit with shooting( 1 kill, 1 on the Chappy and 1 on the Attack Bike). WG & Harlies go for the left objective. Prism & Vyper kill 2 Attack Bikes, who fall back.
SM: Attack Bike regroup, drive 1'' behind the Serpent and blow it off, killing the Avengers. Chaplain unit drives off the firefight and far to the right. The Commander unit + the Scouts kill 4 Spiders by shooting, leaving the Exarch.
---TURN 5---
ELDAR: Prism kill 2 Bikes from the Chaplain unit. Vyper fail to kill the Attack Bike.
The Spider Exarch goes north to deny VP's. Wraithlord kill 1 Scout Bike. Wguard & Harlies sit on objective. Avatar goes to the center objective.
SM: Attack Bike destroy the Vyper. Scouts turboboost in the south left corner. Commander unit turboboost to the right. Chaplain unit turboboost right/south, out of sight behind central hill.
---TURN 6---
ELDAR: Spider Exarch fail Last Man Standing and flee. Avatar sit on central objective. Harlies sit on left objective. The Wraithguard goes south and left to make a wall of themselve to block incoming paths for turboboosting Scouts.
Prism kill last Attack Bike. Wraithlord kill Chaplain by cutting angles.
SM: Commander squadron turboboost to contest central objective. Scout squadron goes for the left objective but cannot get within 6'' due to Wraithguard obstruction. Damaged Speeder hold the right objective.
---END of GAME---
---RESULT: DRAW (needed 200 VPs difference to pull a victory)
----VICTORY POINTS: ELDAR: 926 VPs from kills + 1 counter worth 616 VPs.
Units left on table: -Avatar (unwounded)
-Harlies (full unit)
-Wraithguard (full unit)
-Wraithlord (unwounded)
-Prism (undamaged)
SM: 743 VPs from kills + 1 counter worth 616 VPs.
-Commander (unwounded)
-Bike squadron (full unit)
-Bike squadron (under half)
-Scout Bikes (-1 model)
-Land Speeder squadron (weapon destroyed, 1/2 unit)
Basically, he circled my army from the right, trying to avoid my firepower and try to stab me in the back (Which didn't work 'cause of my use of constraining LOS terrain and interferring Spiders) while avoiding close combat at all cost.
Myself I manoeuvered my footsluggers in a tight formation, keeping close to the board edge while possible to avoid being surrounded while my skimmers got to the hunt.
The Avatar & Wraithlord covered the Wraithguard flanks and the Harlies watched their collective back under VoT, ready to counter-charge.
The way I see it, he got scared of me very lethal close range firepower and counter charge unit (Hey! With so low a model count, he was right, I think
) Maybe he could have pulled up a victory with a massive charge but I think it improbable.
GAME NOTES: ELDAR: -Could have been more aggressive with my mobile firebase.
-Could have concentrated more my firepower.
-Putting my SLaser Vyper alone on my right flank was an error
-Losing the Avenger's Serpent by back shooting was baaad!
-Losing the Farseer to PotW was boring
-Had a LOT of 5's & 6's on dices!
-And that cost me my Farseer and Spider Exarch!
SM (IMHO): -Lost Speeders early due to rashness (and bad luck).
-Lost 2 full turn of fighting with 1/2 his army re-positionning.
-Got under average rolls for wounding and damages but good ones for armor saves.
-Got a real lucky shot with that Attack Bike fall back, putting him in position to kill the Serpent from behind!
All in all, a good and fun game and with ZERO close combat!
And know what? I forgot with his ''Death Before Dishonour'' Chapter Trait. One on two chance to have one turn more. Probably would have won me the game... bah...
Starky