 |
| It's all this guy's fault. |
Nathaniel's Craftworld Warhost (auto 6" run)
Guardian Battle Host
3 Guardians W/ Eldar Missile launchers
Farseer W/Spirit Stone of Anath'lan
1 Vaul's Wrath Support Battery W/Shadow Weaver
1 War Walker W/Shuriken Cannon
2 Vyper W/Star Cannon
5 Rangers
Seer Council (Warp charges on 3+)
2 Farseers
5 Warlocks
Ike's Test Force Medusa
Fist of Medusa Strike Force
(Logical Commander, +1 to FnP rolls and PoTMS in a 12" radius of an Independent Character)
ARMORED TASK FORCE: 355
Techmarine w/ conversion beamer, 2 servitors. 105
Whirlwind. 65 points
Predator w/ TL lascannon and invisible HB sponsons. 120
Whirlwind. 65 points
STRIKE FORCE COMMAND: 340
Chapter master w/ Jump Pack, Gorgon's chain, PF, LC, artificer armor. 250
Techmarine w/ Betrayer's Bane, 2 servitors. 90
HONORED ANCIENT: 135
Dereadnought w/ TL Lascannon, ML. 135
HONORED ANCIENT: 145
Ironclad Dreadnought w/ HB, chainfist, meltagun, Ironclad assault launchers. 145
TOTAL: 1000
Lahkers CAD
Illuminator Szeras (warlord)
Lord (Nikhyanh) w/Gauntlet of Fire, Solar Staff
2 20x Warrior blobs
5x Immortals
20x Flayed Ones (Marine proxies)
8x Triarch Praetorians w/voidblade and particle caster, in Night Scythe
Triarch Stalker
3x Tomb Blades w/particle beamer, shield vanes
2 2x Heavy Destroyers
Monolith
Warlord Traits: Divide To Conquer, Princepts of Deceit
Both Ruins within our own deployment zone were bolstered by the techmarines.
The necron themed terrain was decreed during setup to be both Difficult and Dangerous area terrain which granted a 5+ cover save to occupying models.
I deployed the Legolith at the center of my line, shielding the Stalker, with the Tomb Blades sitting behind the building. I parked both Destroyer squads in the (AV10) building, and had my Warrior blobs sit on the flanks, with the 5 Immortals bolstering the right flank. Szeras was in the right Warrior blob, the one with +1 Strength, the most meh of the three upgrades (others were +1 BS or +1 Toughness). I then Infiltrated the Flayed Ones onto the left flank, intending for them to either shield the left Warrior blob, or popping through the Legolith's Eternity Gate to grab the Relic.
I made a passing comment about instadeathing Ike's Techmarine in the ruins with my Heavy Destroyers. It was part serious, part banter. He took it absolutely seriously, as you will see soon.
Turn 1
Movement in the first turn was a fairly direct advance on out part. The Predator moved the full 12" and the rearguard whirlwind moved 6" while both dreads walked their full 6". After some psychic sparks few off from the Eldar the Chapter Master called in his Orbital Bombardment & nukes the Monolith and two warriors, with the secondary explosion for the Monolith killing two more. Strike Cruiser gunnery crew commended for excellence. The MoTF, having heard the Destroyers talking shit from across the battlefield, fired at the building they were occupying and scored a catastrophic beach which reduced the building to AV8. This opening allowed for the Eldar to breach it twice again, bringing it down to AV 7 and then AV6 for an easy finish. The buildings collapse wiped out one squad of Destroyers and damaged another forcing them to snapfire. Whirlwind barrage ineffective. The Ironclad and forward techmarine killed a combined total of three flayed ones. The Eldar had also used this turn to have their Guardians escort their Warlord to the objective at maximum warp, losing one of their own to a failed dangerous terrain roll.
As Ike describes, he and Nathaniel advanced on the Relic. Nathaniel got his Farseer squad to the Relic first and grabbed it. Nathaniel did his Psychic phase, gave his Seers in the ruins a 2+ cover save, and used Eldritch Storm to kill off 9 Flayed Ones.
We went to Shooting, and the first thing Ike did was have his Chapter Master drop his Orbital Bombardment on my Legolith. The blast scattered slightly and ended up hitting the Legolith and the building. Ike penned (obviously with the building, it was the Legolith I was concerned about) and blew up both targets. The building collapsed and killed one of the Destroyer units. I was salty about that, I'll be honest. Losing the Legolith or a Destroyer unit (both integral to my plan to keep enemies away from the Relic) would have been bad enough, losing both of them was a major blow to my morale.
That was the opposition's most successful attack during Turn 1. Further losses were nothing worse than a couple Warriors, but I had lost my only large blast weapon and half my dedicated anti-tank.
Flayed Ones and Warriors continue to advance on our right flank, with the necron Immortals on our left doing the same as the remaining Destroyers huddled in the crater where the monolith was until a moment ago. Venerable Dradnought stunned. The Necron warlord and his unit opened fire un the guardian squad holding the objective and killed 10, followed be the Stalker destroying the Guardian squads weapon platform and the jetbikes finishing off the last of the unit.
I desperately wanted revenge on the Chapter Master, but had no reliable way of hurting him (damn Gorgon's Chain). I decided to kill off anything that approached the Relic, and grab it with my Praetorians when they came on. In hindsight, I should have tried to kill the Techmarine, or the Whirlwind dropping barrages on my troops. Instead, I moved towards the Relic, wiped out the Farseer and his squad (got Slay the Warlord for the Farseer), and took 2HP off the Ironclad Dread.
Turn 2
Ironclad Dreadnought and attendant techmarine advanced through the ruins on our right side while our rearmost Whirlwind advanced a further 6". Venerable Dreadnought and Chapter Master advance on the objective while the Predator navigated the forest to better cover them. Second Whirlwind kills three Flayed Ones and two Warriors. Immortal squad wiped out by Eldar and the Flayed Ones unit is devastated. Lone survivor of hostile jetbike unit flees the battlefield. All eligible units pass their IWND rolls, units commended for fortitude.
Nathaniel's forces coasted to a stop in cover for the most part. Ike's Dreadnoughts and Chapter Master headed for the Relic. Eldritch Storm and multiple blasts killed more Flayed Ones and Warriors, Reanimation rolls saved a few. I had a laugh when Ike's lascan-missile-launcher-Dread managed to miss my Stalker completely, even with Twin-linked rerolls. The Tomb Blades were either killed at this point, or failed a morale test and ran off the board.
Flayed Ones move toward remaining Guardian squad on right flank as the Warlord's unit heads for the objective. Necron Praetorian squad drops onto the objective and loses two whole models to failed Dangerous Terrain tests. Splat! Eldar war walker destroyed be fire from Stalker and superficial hull damage sustained by all Dreadnoughts.
My turn, the Praetorians came in on the Night Scythe. I had them drop onto the Relic immediately. Another mistake; I should have dropped them back by the Whirlwind and eliminated that first. Instead, I now had my Praetorians in the middle of the board, vulnerable to everything. The Flayed Ones veered towards the Guardians in the ruins. The Stalker killed the War Walker, and the Flayed Ones charged, fought, and wiped the Guardian squad.
Turn 3
Victory is within reach, two Praetorians are killed be the Eldar's Psychic Shriek and the remainder are wiped out after their Lord refused the honor of single combat. Flayed Ones wiped out by Ironclad.
Nathaniel Periled in his Psychic phase, and his (other) Farseer lost the Eldritch Storm power. I was amused by that, and even more amused when Ike's Dreadnought failed to hit my Stalker for the second time in a row. Massed fire wore my Warriors and Flayed Ones down. The Ironclad got into my Flayed Ones and wiped them, and the Chapter Master made it into the Praetorians and I believe he wiped them out as well.
I moved in on the Relic, doomed as I was. I think I gaussed the Ironclad to death, and then focused everything on the Chapter Master. Not a single wound got through.
Turn 4
Objective taken, geneseed contaminated but successfully denied. Extraction transporter dispatched. Task Force losses minimal. Ironclad Dreadnought rendered inoperative but salvageable, occupant survival rated very likely.
Nathaniel and Ike had their turn of shooting at me, I believe I conceded at the end of their player turn. Szeras survived, at least I didn't give them Slay the Warlord.
I've run into a gunline before, and I've had it end badly before. This wasn't the worst at all, but this one hurt, right in my heart, because that damn Chapter Master had to one-shot my Legolith. Screw the Relic, my precious proxy model never got to fire a shot.
However, the fact that my biggest concern about the battle is so petty, it makes it easier to forget about it. Except for Maxkillan and the Chapter Master. There will be a day of reckoning for them.
Extra Pics:
Ike's Test Force Medusa
Fist of Medusa Strike Force
(Logical Commander, +1 to FnP rolls and PoTMS in a 12" radius of an Independent Character)
ARMORED TASK FORCE: 355
Techmarine w/ conversion beamer, 2 servitors. 105
Whirlwind. 65 points
Predator w/ TL lascannon and invisible HB sponsons. 120
Whirlwind. 65 points
STRIKE FORCE COMMAND: 340
Chapter master w/ Jump Pack, Gorgon's chain, PF, LC, artificer armor. 250
Techmarine w/ Betrayer's Bane, 2 servitors. 90
HONORED ANCIENT: 135
Dereadnought w/ TL Lascannon, ML. 135
HONORED ANCIENT: 145
Ironclad Dreadnought w/ HB, chainfist, meltagun, Ironclad assault launchers. 145
TOTAL: 1000
Lahkers CAD
Illuminator Szeras (warlord)
Lord (Nikhyanh) w/Gauntlet of Fire, Solar Staff
2 20x Warrior blobs
5x Immortals
20x Flayed Ones (Marine proxies)
8x Triarch Praetorians w/voidblade and particle caster, in Night Scythe
Triarch Stalker
3x Tomb Blades w/particle beamer, shield vanes
2 2x Heavy Destroyers
Monolith
Warlord Traits: Divide To Conquer, Princepts of Deceit
Both Ruins within our own deployment zone were bolstered by the techmarines.
The necron themed terrain was decreed during setup to be both Difficult and Dangerous area terrain which granted a 5+ cover save to occupying models.
Test Force Medusa elements deployed the Ironclad Dreadnought and Betrayer's Bane techmarine along the right flank, with our Master of The Forge and 1st Whirlwind taking up position in the central ruins of our own deployment zone, the 2nd whirlwind being placed specifically to deter Infiltrators. The Predator, Chapter Master, and Lascannon Dreadnought were deployed to the left flank, as it lacked bolstered ruins and had comparably few alien gauss sponges.
Facing us were a unit of necron Immortals to our left, along with a blob of warriors attached to Szeras. Front and center there were several Destroyers who had taken fleeting shelter in the AV 10 building right next to the Legolith, with a trio of Tomb Blades cowering behind them. The Flayed Ones infiltrated just barely outside their own deployment zone.
I deployed the Legolith at the center of my line, shielding the Stalker, with the Tomb Blades sitting behind the building. I parked both Destroyer squads in the (AV10) building, and had my Warrior blobs sit on the flanks, with the 5 Immortals bolstering the right flank. Szeras was in the right Warrior blob, the one with +1 Strength, the most meh of the three upgrades (others were +1 BS or +1 Toughness). I then Infiltrated the Flayed Ones onto the left flank, intending for them to either shield the left Warrior blob, or popping through the Legolith's Eternity Gate to grab the Relic.
I made a passing comment about instadeathing Ike's Techmarine in the ruins with my Heavy Destroyers. It was part serious, part banter. He took it absolutely seriously, as you will see soon.
Turn 1
As Ike describes, he and Nathaniel advanced on the Relic. Nathaniel got his Farseer squad to the Relic first and grabbed it. Nathaniel did his Psychic phase, gave his Seers in the ruins a 2+ cover save, and used Eldritch Storm to kill off 9 Flayed Ones.
We went to Shooting, and the first thing Ike did was have his Chapter Master drop his Orbital Bombardment on my Legolith. The blast scattered slightly and ended up hitting the Legolith and the building. Ike penned (obviously with the building, it was the Legolith I was concerned about) and blew up both targets. The building collapsed and killed one of the Destroyer units. I was salty about that, I'll be honest. Losing the Legolith or a Destroyer unit (both integral to my plan to keep enemies away from the Relic) would have been bad enough, losing both of them was a major blow to my morale.
That was the opposition's most successful attack during Turn 1. Further losses were nothing worse than a couple Warriors, but I had lost my only large blast weapon and half my dedicated anti-tank.
Flayed Ones and Warriors continue to advance on our right flank, with the necron Immortals on our left doing the same as the remaining Destroyers huddled in the crater where the monolith was until a moment ago. Venerable Dradnought stunned. The Necron warlord and his unit opened fire un the guardian squad holding the objective and killed 10, followed be the Stalker destroying the Guardian squads weapon platform and the jetbikes finishing off the last of the unit.
I desperately wanted revenge on the Chapter Master, but had no reliable way of hurting him (damn Gorgon's Chain). I decided to kill off anything that approached the Relic, and grab it with my Praetorians when they came on. In hindsight, I should have tried to kill the Techmarine, or the Whirlwind dropping barrages on my troops. Instead, I moved towards the Relic, wiped out the Farseer and his squad (got Slay the Warlord for the Farseer), and took 2HP off the Ironclad Dread.
Turn 2
Nathaniel's forces coasted to a stop in cover for the most part. Ike's Dreadnoughts and Chapter Master headed for the Relic. Eldritch Storm and multiple blasts killed more Flayed Ones and Warriors, Reanimation rolls saved a few. I had a laugh when Ike's lascan-missile-launcher-Dread managed to miss my Stalker completely, even with Twin-linked rerolls. The Tomb Blades were either killed at this point, or failed a morale test and ran off the board.
Flayed Ones move toward remaining Guardian squad on right flank as the Warlord's unit heads for the objective. Necron Praetorian squad drops onto the objective and loses two whole models to failed Dangerous Terrain tests. Splat! Eldar war walker destroyed be fire from Stalker and superficial hull damage sustained by all Dreadnoughts.
My turn, the Praetorians came in on the Night Scythe. I had them drop onto the Relic immediately. Another mistake; I should have dropped them back by the Whirlwind and eliminated that first. Instead, I now had my Praetorians in the middle of the board, vulnerable to everything. The Flayed Ones veered towards the Guardians in the ruins. The Stalker killed the War Walker, and the Flayed Ones charged, fought, and wiped the Guardian squad.
Turn 3
Nathaniel Periled in his Psychic phase, and his (other) Farseer lost the Eldritch Storm power. I was amused by that, and even more amused when Ike's Dreadnought failed to hit my Stalker for the second time in a row. Massed fire wore my Warriors and Flayed Ones down. The Ironclad got into my Flayed Ones and wiped them, and the Chapter Master made it into the Praetorians and I believe he wiped them out as well.
I moved in on the Relic, doomed as I was. I think I gaussed the Ironclad to death, and then focused everything on the Chapter Master. Not a single wound got through.
Turn 4
Nathaniel and Ike had their turn of shooting at me, I believe I conceded at the end of their player turn. Szeras survived, at least I didn't give them Slay the Warlord.
I've run into a gunline before, and I've had it end badly before. This wasn't the worst at all, but this one hurt, right in my heart, because that damn Chapter Master had to one-shot my Legolith. Screw the Relic, my precious proxy model never got to fire a shot.
However, the fact that my biggest concern about the battle is so petty, it makes it easier to forget about it. Except for Maxkillan and the Chapter Master. There will be a day of reckoning for them.
Extra Pics:
 |
| These Flayed Ones take flesh trophies, they wear flesh, like suits. Grimdark taxidermists. |
 |
| Flayed Ones attempt to buy the army some time, would have succeeded if it hadn't been for that pesky Ironclad. |
My good sir Ike I do believe that your "Brave Chapter Master" tripped on his way to the Relic and the Eldar had to come in to secure it. Always cleaning up after you dumb humans.
ReplyDeleteGreat report! I kinda liked seeing the two minds of the two sides. (although seeing more of Ike's tactics and ideas would have been cool)