From the Tables... The Threads of Atelkia

So this month the league is back to 2000 points. I've been itching to pull out my Eldar for a couple weeks, and 2000 is the perfect point value. The mission was Capture and Control with Spearhead deployment. I was up against a Raptors Space Marine army featuring Captain Shrike leading ten Assault Terminators. Not a ton of pictures here, but they do follow the fate of those Terminators quite well.

* * * * *

In 947.M41 the Eldar of the Tir'Sahras Craftworld fell upon the agri-world of Atelkia Minor with no warning, and in a genocidal campaign, wiped out the Imperial population. Before every citizen was killed a distress call went out from the planet into the void. Two months later Space Marines of the Raptors Chapter arrived on the planet to investigate. After days of cat and mouse games following planetfall the Raptors eventually came to grips with their foe amid the ruins of the city of Guer. After a swift and brutal battle the Eldar disappeared from Atelkia, their purpose still unclear.

The Terminators about to get their Turn 2 charge. Shrike broke off and charged in turn 1, but failed to damage a tank and got melta'd in the face for his trouble. The Terminators with some let down here with a Fleet roll of '1'; a little higher and they would have had the charge on the disembarked Fire Dragons.

And here we see that charge. They wreck the empty Wave Serpent, but both squads of Dragons fly away unscathed. You can also see the Combat squad that is almost on my objective already.

Turn 4 I manage to pull off the combo-breaker on the Assault Terminators. Eldrad Dooms the Terminators and Guides both Fire Dragon units. 15 Fusion Guns and a Bladestorm later, ten dead Assault Terminators.

By the end of the game we both have a pretty impressive dead pile and we pull off the Draw.

Eldar home objective, held by two Combat Squads, contested by a Wave Serpent.

Raptors home objective, claimed by Dire Avengers in Falcon, contested by a Rhino.

From the Tables...When Flat Out Gets Hot

Sometimes you really have to stop a pair of Stormravens...

...and you don't.

Played my 2,500 league game this week (thankfully going down to 1750 next week) with Dawn of War, Capture and Control v. IG. My opponent conceded turn 3 after he failed to down my Stormravens at the top of turn 2 and my bottom of 2 assaults were absolutely brutal. Blood Talons are fun v. an IG blob, hadn't gotten to do that before. More fun than against an Ork mob because IG don't have a Power Klaw :p.

From the Tables... The Skorvald Incursion

Got in a 1750 point game on Superbowl Sunday to practice for an upcoming tournament, the Guardian Cup. I played versus Blood Angels with Pitched Battle and 3 objective Seize Ground using my Chaos Daemons army. I don't know if I'll actually use Daemons for the tournament, but it was certainly fun to play with them for a game.

* * * * *

Blood Angel deployment, he also has first turn.

In 732.M48 the Shrine world of Skorvald was enveloped in a large warp storm originating from the Dalmas Rift, a nearby, naturally-occuring phenomena. As Skorvald tossed and skipped on the eddies of the Warp, it drew the attention of the Changer of Ways. Mutation spread throughout the populace. The people began to lose hope, and that was almost the end of it. Some amongst the inhabitants began to worship the Dark Gods, some fully embracing Tzeentch and the mutation, others towards bloody Khorne. Eventually these warring factions broke into civil war.
As this occured in the mortal plane, Tzeentch and Khorne began to observe from on high, and made a wager. They would each send their best followers to the planet, and the winner would attain the whole planet, as well as the loyalty of the losing survivors. Tzeentch sent his representatives, while Khorne sent ten of his most powerful Bloodthirsters and Daemon Princes. Khorne was so certain of their victory he did not worry about losing the loyalty of these most powerful Daemons. For thirty days and nights the Khornate Daemons fought the followers of Tzeentch on every face of the planet, and it was torn asunder.
Khorne proved dominant in most of these battles, so it was that only small cadre of Tzeentch Daemons remained when the Blood Angels arrived. Summoned by astropathic relay, but too late to save the populace, the Sons of Sanguinius struck to the planet with red fury, falling on the Daemons as they cavorted in the corpses of the fallen. Though they suffered heavy losses, the Blood Angels were able to push the Skorvald Incursion from real space, and secure the planet for future re-population.

My initial drop. I land three Bloodletter units (with Skulltaker), Fiends, and Horrors.

I dropped a bit too close and half my Bloodletters get Furious Charged away. Skulltaker kills Mephiston 9 times out of 10, but this time I failed two of four 2+ Invulnerables and die before I can Instant Kill him on a 4+.

This game was characterized by these brutal combat phases.

Here you can see the Fiends engaged with his Devastators. You can also see what is left of his initial charge into my Bloodletters.

Again I drop a bit too close, but it is where my Icon was. My Bloodthirster mishapped and died without doing anything (didn't use the Icon with him).

My beautiful newly arrived unit is wiped out without mercy.

My Daemon Princes land on his flanks and start taking out units with Breath and assault. They were definitely MVPs of my army.

The game went a full seven turns and this is how it ended, his last five scoring models charging in and killing the last unit in my army. He had ten models left. If Skulltaker had killed Mephiston and my Bloodthirster hadn't mishapped I feel like it could have been a very different game.

Here are the army lists we used:

Mephiston
2*Priests w/ Jump Pack, Power Weapon, Melta Bombs

4*(10*Assault Marines w/ 2*Meltaguns, Power Fist)
2*(5*Devastators w/ 3*Missles)
5*Devastators w/ 4*Missles

Bloodthirster w/ Blessing of Khorne
Skulltaker
Herald of Tzeentch w/ Bolt
5*Fiends w/ Unholy Might
5*Horrors w/ Bolt, Changeling (who I forgot about)
5*Bloodletter w/ Icon
2*(12*Bloodletters)
11*Bloodletters
2*(Daemon Prince of Tzeentch w/ Bolt, Breath)

If I do end up using this army for the tournament I will be switching out the Heralds for a second Bloodthirster and switching the small Horrors and Bloodletter units for Plaguebearers, then maybe adding some Flesh Hounds or a third Prince. No way to really slice it, I just don't have the pieces for a fully competitive Daemon army.

From the Tables... Titan Goes to War

So this month the league is 2,500 points. Week 1 I played Dawn of War, Annihilation against a nasty Draigo list. This was going to be an extremely uphill battle for me, as our armies had a 19-8 KP spread, and all of his units were extremely durable. I'd have to hit hard and fast while trying to mitigate loss on my more fragile units (read: Rhino hulls). I get first turn and place nothing, my opponent places two fat blobs of Paladins with Draigo at mid table.

I rush on Turn 1 and Night Fight protects me from the Psyflemen.

I get a charge off on one of the Paladin units with the Death Company and two Blood Talon Dreadnoughts. Blood Talons are pretty good against these guys. Here you can see where I had a Stormraven blow up and kill two of my Assault Terminators.

I kill Draigo and a whole unit of Paladins without them claiming a KP. Unfortunately his Psyflemen have been eating up light vehicles in my backfield, and I'm in a big hole KP wise.

Here we see his line shifting away from me, as I have lost my mobility and long range power. He is up in KP and can simply conserve his remaining units.

Probably would have been more entertaining and in no way challenged his win if my opponent had opted to engage me for the last few turns. It got a little boring watching him move backwards and shooting at me, but his prerogative I guess.

So I lost 10-5 KPs even though my opponent only had 9 models left on the board, but I guess that is Draigowing. My opponent had a very good turn 2, where he was able to knock out both Stormravens, a Rhino (plus a key immobilization on another), and disabled both Typhoons. I was happy taking out Draigo and his Paladin unit, I just wished I had done it a little faster so that Mephiston could have gone Dreadnought hunting sooner.

Here are the army lists we used (each x is a KP that was yielded):

Draigo x
3*Venerable Psyflemen xx
10*Paladins w/ 4*Psycannon, 2*Hammers, and full wound allocation x
10*Paladins w/ 4*Psycannon, 2*Hammers, and full wound allocation
2*Psyflemen x

Mephiston
Furioso w/ Blood Talons
5*Assault Terminators w/ 3*Hammers
Priest*2
5*Assault Marines w/ Meltagun, Razorback w/ Heavy Bolter x
5*Assault Marines w/ Meltagun, Razorback w/ Assault Cannon x
5*Death Company w/ Thunder Hammer, Lemartes x
10*Assault Marines w/ 2*Meltaguns, Power Fist, Rhino xx
10*Assault Marines w/ 2*Meltaguns, Power Fist, Rhino x
Death Company Dreadnought w/ Blood Talons x
Land Speeder Typhoon w/ Heavy Flamer x
Land Speeder Typhoon w/ Heavy Flamer
Stormraven w/ Extra Armour x
Stormraven w/ Extra Armour x

From the Tables...The Purging of Kasr Sund

So this week I played a 2000 point , Spearhead, three objective Seize Ground mission against Imperial Guard. I used a balanced mechanized list. The opposition was classic MechVets. We ended up with an objective in each or our deployment zones, with the third roughly in the middle. It would be a tough time to get to the objective in the middle of his parking lot, so my objective had to be hold my own and absolutely smash the middle.
* * * * * *

In 731.M39 the planetary governor of the fortress world of Kasr Sund designated himself Chief Magnate of Sund and immediately ceased all payment of Imperial tithes. The High Lords of Terra censured the rebel planet and dispatched the Lamenters to break the command structure of the planet. A Strike Force under the auspices of the Chapters Chief Librarian landed in the heart of the capitol under suppressing firepower from the Battle Barge 'Heart of Fury'. A swift and bloody battle followed, which saw Kasr Sund justly returned to Imperial rule.

My deployment as the Vendettas Scout forward. That solid tower in
my deployment zone is impassable. This becomes relevant.

His first turn fire was decent, wrecking one 'Baal', immobilizing a Rhino, and stunning the other 'Baal'. You can see above how I was forced to swing out to the left around the stunned tank and the impassible tower. My immobilized Rhino blocked the other way.

The squad from the immobile Rhino disembark and charge into a Veteran squad.

Here you can see that Mephiston hitching a ride in the Devastators Razorback. My Devastators knocked down both Vendettas.

The frag cannon Furioso isn't great against an entirely mechanized foe, but you can see above I got hit on the side armour of two Chimeras and did some damage. The Furiosos real strength in this mission was forcing my opponent to pull units from the center back towards his lines to deal with him.

Mephiston hopped out and ate a Veteran squad in the upper left, while the Assault squad takes one out in the lower right. I blow the cannon off the Demolisher.

Here you can see the havoc the Furioso caused. Both of those disembarked units moved back a full twelve inches to get to him. Both the Furioso and the Drop Pod went on to explode with magnificent explosions, killing over half of the Veteran squad and breaking them.

They knock off the cannon, but it takes the Librarian
charging in with his Sanguine Sword to wreck it.

Mephiston bounds off and wrecks the Company Command Chimera.
My Assault squads start cleaning up the middle.

What remained of this unit after a round of rapid-fire plasma wrecked another Chimera.

Through cover and fortunate positioning, Mephisotn gets gets all the way into the IG deployment zone with three wounds remaining.

These five Cadians were the last Imperial Guardsmen near the middle,
and they didn't last long. Lamenter Objective.

Mephiston tears into the backfield, causing major disruptions. Uncontested Objective.

If you take care of business, you get to go home early. Lamenter Objective.

Here are the army lists we used:

Company Command Squad w/ 3*Meltaguns, Officer of the Fleet, Chimera
6*Sanctioned Psykers, Chimera
2*(Veterans w/ 3*Melta)
Veterans w/ 3*Melta, Chimera)
3*(Veterans w/ 3*Plasmaguns, Chimera)
2*(Vendetta)
2*(Manticore)

Mephiston
Librarian w/ Sword, Shield
Furioso w/ Frag Cannon, Heavy Flamer, Searchlight, Drop Pod
Priest
8*Assault Marines w/ Meltagun, Power Fist, Rhino
2*(10*Assault Marines w/ 2*Meltaguns, Power Fist, Rhino)
2*('Baal' Predator w/ Assault Cannon)
2*Land Speeder Typhoon w/ Heavy Flamer
5*Devastators w/ 4*Missle Launchers
5*Devastators w/ 4*Missle Launchers, Razorback

From the Tables... The Brindisi Betrayal

So this week I played a 2,000 point, Pitched Battle, Capture and Control mission against Dark Angels. I used a new double Stormraven list I liked quite a bit. This would be a tough objective mission, because the additions of Belial and Sammael, almost his entire army was Troops. My opponent got first turn and I put both Stormravens in reserve. Our objectives were both set up about in the middle of our deployment zones.

In 998.M41 the Lamenters of Strike Force Ostro encountered a Dark Angels expeditionary force on the edge of Imperial space. Not expecting to see Brothers so far abroad, the forces met on the war torn planet Brindisi. It soon became apparent that not only had the Dark Angels been seeking the Lamenters, but that they were being led by Belial, Master of the Deathwing. Belial demanded audience with the leader of the Strike Force, Chief Librarian Menoloth. Apparently Belial wished to question Menoloth about the time he spent on his pilgrimage to the Maelstrom, and about any individuals he may have met there. Menoloth, filled with rage and recklessness,took this as a threat. Menoloth refused Belial and claimed that he would sooner die than parlay with the Dark Angels. Following a bloody skirmish, the few remaining Dark Angels barely escaped the planet.

The Deathwing prepare to charge in and wreck a Rhino.

Menoloth (Mephiston) is broken from combat. My opponent could have just stayed within 6" of him and escorted him off the board, but he charged in with Sammael, who was obviously butchered.

One of my Stormravens comes in from reserve and up to midfield. It is filled with Death Company featuring Lemartes and a Blood Talon Dreadnought.

The Stormraven gets destroyed (see very top photo),
but its contents get to the Dark Angels objective.

My brave Razorback Assault squads claim my objective.

Lemartes uses his pumped up stats to clear off the Dark Angel objective.

Here are our army lists:

Belial
Sammael
10*Tactical Marines w/ Meltagun, Lascannon
10*Tactical Marines w/ Meltagun, Lascannon
10*Tactical Marines w/ Flamer, Missle Launcher, Power Fist, Rhino
5*Deathwing Terminators w/ Heavy Flamer, Apothecary, Banner, Chainfist
6*Ravenwing Bikes w/ 2*Plasmaguns
Attack Bike w/ Multimelta
Land Speeder
5*Devastators w/ 2*Heavy Bolters, Plasma Cannon, Missle Launcher
Vindicator

Mephiston
Furioso w/ Blood Talons
Furioso w/ Frag Cannon, Heavy Flamer
Priest w/ Meltabombs
5*Assault Marines w/ Meltagun, Razorback w/ Heavy Bolter
5*Assault Marines w/ Meltagun, Razorback w/ Assault Cannon
5*Death Company w/ Thunder Hammer, Lemartes
10*Assault Marines w/ 2*Meltaguns, Power Fist, Rhino
Land Speeder Typhoon w/ Heavy Flamer
Land Speeder Typhoon w/ Heavy Flamer
Stormraven w/ Extra Armour
Stormraven w/ Extra Armour

From the Tables... The Raid on Ytrexia

So I played a 2000 point, 3 objective Seize Ground, Dawn of War mission against a mechanized Dark Eldar army. I took a bunch of pics, so I'll caption those, then post the lists, after which I'll go into some of my mistakes in the game and how it was a bit closer match than one would think.

The horde rushes onto the table.

Both the Tervigons get splattered Turn 1 (I probably
should have Outflanked one with Hive Commander and not set up the other so far forward).

Five Termagants wreck a Trueborn Venom.

Ygmarls come in Turn 2 and multi-charge a pair of Venoms,
wrecking one, sending the Trueborn running.

Duke Sliscus thinks about taking on a Trygon one on
one, but dark light weaponry finished the big beast first.

A Haemoculus puts his Liquifier to
good use on my scoring units.

The Tyrant squad held the center, but I definitely didn't get value from them.

The Ygamrls are much more capable against Wyches than
normal Genestealers, but the Doom did most of the heavy lifting.

Termagants on the other hand...

Dark Eldar win by one objective.

The battle around the center, my opponent was able to kill off the last of my scoring units on Turn 6, when the game ended.

Here are our two lists:

Duke Sliscus
(Haemoculous w/ Liquifier) *3
(4*Trueborn w/ 4*Blasters in: Venom w/ 2*Splinter Cannons)*3
(9*Wyches w/ Power Weapon, Haywire Grenades in: Raider w/ Flicker Field, Grisly Trophies, Shock Prow, Torment Launchers)*3
9*Warriors in: Raider w/ Flicker Field, Grisly Trophies, Splinter Racks
(Ravager w/ 3*Dark Lances, Flicker Field)*3

Hive Tyrant w/ Scythes, Hive Commander
2*Tyrant Guard w/ Whips
Prime w/ Sword, Whip, Adrenal Glands
(8*Ygmarl Genestealers)*2
Doom of Malantai in Pod
(Tervigon w/ Catalyst, Toxin Sacs)*2
(10*Termagants)*2
(Trygon) *3

As you can see from a quick analysis of the lists, I'm was in for a very uphill battle from the beginning. Not only is his army completely mounted, but my lists eschews even the modicum of anti-tank a Tyranid list usually has. I would say off the bat that winning this match-up would require a bit of luck and near perfect generalship, but I didn't execute. I should have done different placement with my Tervigons (one outflanking w/ Hive Commander and the other behind cover of Trygons) and one of the Ygmarl units (should have been near the far objective). Of course I also think that if my opponent had been more aggressive with some of his Troop elements he could have wiped me by turn 4, so who knows.