My Army:
HQ:
Primaris Psyker Palpatine (with Grenade Vets)
Lord Commissar Vader, Lightsaber (Powerfist) (with Flamer Vets)
Elites:
Boba Fett (Guardsman Marbo)
5 Storm Troopers, 2 Meltas, Plasma Pistol
5 Storm Troopers, 2 Meltas
Troops:
Veteran Squad, Grenadiers, 3 Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistol
-AT-AT Walker (Chimera), Multilaser, Heavy Bolter
Veteran Squad, Grenadiers, 3 Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistol
-AT-AT Walker (Chimera), Multilaser, Heavy Bolter
Veteran Squad, Grenadiers, 3 Flamers
-AT-AT Walker (Chimera), Multilaser, Heavy Flamer
Veteran Squad, Grenadiers, 2 Grenade Launchers, Flamer
-AT-AT Walker (Chimera), Multilaser, Heavy Flamer
Veteran Squad, Grenadiers, 3 Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistol
Veteran Squad, Grenadiers, 3 Grenade Launchers
Fast Attack:
3 Armored Sentinels, 3 Lascannons, 2 Hunter-Killers
3 Armored Sentinels, 3 Plasma Cannons
7 Speeder Bikes (Rough Riders)
Jason’s Army:
HQ:
Lelith Hesperax (with Blood Brides)
Elites:
5 Trueborn, 4 Blasters
-Venom, Flickerfield
5 Trueborn, 4 Blasters
-Venom, Flickerfield
9 Blood Brides, 2 Gauntlets, 1 Shardnet, Siren w/Agonizer
-Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield
Troops:
10 Wyches, Agonizer, 2 Gauntlets
-Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield
10 Wyches, Agonizer, 2 Gauntlets
-Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield
10 Kabalite Warriors, Blaster, Dark Lance
-Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield
10 Kabalite Warriors, Blaster, Dark Lance
-Raider, Dark Lance, Flickerfield
Heavy Support:
Ravager, 3 Dark Lances, Flickerfield
Ravager, 3 Dark Lances, Flickerfield
Razorwing
Mission: 3 objectives, spread with one on the left, one in the center, one on the right, all near the center-line
Deployment: Pitched Battle
Jason won the deployment roll with a mighty 2 to my 1. He elected to go first, judging (I think) that the first strike capability would be preferable to the end-of-game objective grabbing.
Deployment:
From left to right, Jason deployed a Ravager, a Venom, the Blood Brides’ Raider, a Wych Raider, the other Venom, the other Wych Raider, and the Razorwing. He put the Warriors’ Raiders in Reserve, intending to use them as objective-grabbers later.
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...loymentDEL.jpg
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...loymentDER.jpg
I opted to try something creative. I seriously considered going full-Reserves to avoid getting Lanced right away, but opted instead for a split deployment. I stacked up both Plasma Vet AT-ATs and both Sentinel squadrons in my far left corner, crammed really close together, then deployed Palpatine and his Grenade Vets in the middle and the Plasma Vets on foot on the right. Lord Vader went with the Flamer Vets’ AT-AT in Reserve, along with the Grenade/Flamers, their AT-AT, the Speeder Bikes, both Storm Trooper squads (in Deep Strike), and Boba Fett. So I had 6 units in Reserve!
I wouldn't try this against large blast templates:
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...loymentIGL.jpg
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...loymentIGR.jpg
The Plan:
1) Knock out the enemy skimmers to reduce mobility and anti-tank firepower. Unfortunately, I don’t expect my Lascannon Sentinels to survive long, but if they do, they’ll knock skimmers right out of the sky. Otherwise it’s Multilasers and Heavy Bolters versus Dark Lances. I have a slight edge in vehicle hulls and survivability, so I think I can win a prolonged shootout despite Jason’s larger number of anti-tank weapons (15 Dark Lances, 10 Blasters!)
2) If I can possibly get the Sentinels into assault, that’d be great. Lelith’s squad is the best possible choice, since they can’t actually hurt the Sentinels and will therefore either run off or be stuck fighting them literally all day. But since I need the Sentinels’ firepower early, that may or may not prove feasible.
3) My heavy Reserve element will allow me to react to the superior Eldar mobility. Once the Wyches commit, I can fling my AT-ATs in and hopefully flame down the Wyches outside combat. The Storm Troopers and Boba Fett will strike vulnerable units wherever they are, and the Speeder Bikes will strike weakened enemy units (and under almost no circumstances charge Wyches).
4) My concentrated vehicle deployment on the left will give me a very temporary local superiority of firepower. I hope Jason decides to blast them with the units he has over there, which I will then destroy with return fire. I hope to eliminate all vehicles on the left flank, then swing diagonally across the battlefield. I’ll leave one Vet Squad to hold the left objective and aim to reach the center by game’s end with my strong left flank, sweeping the Dark Eldar before me.
5) My right-hand infantry units aren’t supposed to survive. Their job is to get the Wyches to charge at them, thus exposing the Wyches to the counterattack from my AT-ATs from Reserve. Those Reserves will then secure the right-hand objective, hopefully netting me a 3-0 victory!
I tried to seize the initiative, since all those skimmers out in the open just begged to be shot, but it was not to be.
The Wych Combat Drugs rolled a 1, so they’d get 3d6 pick 1 for their Run moves.
Turn 1
Jason did some shuffling of vehicles on the left, bringing all available guns to bear and going Flat Out around a bastion tower with the Blood Brides’ Raider, which would be in Palpatine's face next turn. On the right, the other Ravager radically redeployed, going Flat Out behind a building in Jason’s center rear. The Razorwing, Venom, and Wych Raider on the right advanced on my hapless infantry.
Lelith is coming for Palpatine:
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn1DEC.jpg
Outgunned on the right, as anticipated:
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn1DER.jpg
The Shooting phase began and I gritted my teeth and hoped for poor Armor Penetration rolls. As it turned out, I got them. The only damage my vehicles on the left sustained was a Wrecked Plasma Sentinel and another Plasma Sentinel Shaken, courtesy of the Ravager. On the right, the Razorwing launched two of its missiles and between them and its lances killed only three Vets from my Plasma squad. The Venom laid into Palpatine’s squad and killed two of them. The Plasma Vets passed Morale and held on. That hadn’t been so bad!
In my turn, I advanced my Sentinels toward the enemy while standing still with the AT-ATs to get maximum fire downrange. Palpatine’s squad advanced into range of the Blood Brides’ Raider.
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn1IGL.jpg
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn1IGR.jpg
My shooting was tremendously successful with a couple of exceptions. The Plasma Sentinel that could shoot planed a template square on the left Venom, exploding it and killing two Trueborn. The Lascannon Sentinels launched their Hunter-Killers in a single tank-busting salvo, blowing up the left Ravager with a pair of penetrations. One of my AT-ATs obliterated the surviving Trueborn with Heavy Bolter and Multilaser fire, and the other knocked the Lance off the Wych Raider. Palpatine got a single penetrating hit (he only rolled 4 shots for his Lightning Arc and the Grenade Launchers were worthless) on the Blood Brides’ Raider, but it only blew off the Lance. Any other damage roll would have been preferable, as it would’ve kept Lelith and her squad off Palpatine. Oh well, that was it for the Grenade Vets for the game. The Plasma Vets made me happier on the right, as they blew up the Wych Raider there and killed 5 of the Wyches in the explosion. They lost one of their own to an overheat, but hey, nobody’s perfect!
So, at least I’d knocked down three vehicles and wiped a squad and a half. I’d also de-weaponized a pair of Raiders. Overall, I’d removed 6 Dark Lances and 4 Blasters from the anti-tank arsenal and dealt a hard blow to the Dark Eldar. I was happy with the turn.
Objectives:
IG: 0
Dark Eldar: 0
Turn 2
One Warrior Raider arrived from Reserve, coming onto the left to try to hold off my armored juggernaut. The Blood Brides sailed over Palpatine’s way, disembarking right in front of him and his squad. The weaponless Wych Raider, not wanting the Wyches to tangle with the Sentinels, went Flat Out sideways toward my more-vulnerable right flank, while the Ravager swapped with it and, along with the remaining Venom, moved to threaten my left. The Razorwing drifted a bit but kept up its aim on my Plasma Vets, and the surviving 5 Wyches hustled forward into cover.
Not a fair fight:
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn2DEC.jpg
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn2DER.jpg
Shooting was… almost totally ineffective. I lost two more Plasma Vets to another Razorwing missile and Lance volley, but they held their ground. Lance shots pattered harmlessly off the Armored Sentinels’ tough plating, rolling lots of 10s and 11s to penetrate, but a single one got through and took out one of the Lascannon Sentinels.
Lelith’s squad charged Palpatine’s Vets, Lelith singling out Palpatine for her tender affections. To her embarrassment, she scored only a single unsaved wound. A Blood Bride bailed her out by finishing him off (pity; I was holding out hope for a lucky Force Weapon hit) and the other Blood Brides killed four Veterans, took no casualties in return, and easily ran down the fleeing survivors to gain two Pain tokens.
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...Turn2DEEnd.jpg
My Reserves arrived in massive force, as everyone except the Grenade/Flamer Vets showed up! I dropped Storm Troopers next to the Ravager and in front of the Wych Raider (poor scatter there, but still in 12” range). Boba Fett popped out in a building directly above the Blood Brides, readying a Thermal Detonator. Lord Vader’s AT-AT stomped onto the field, also facing the Blood Brides and in good range to use its chin Heavy Flamer and the Flamers from inside. The Speeder Bikes came onto the left, just to the right of the Plasma Vet AT-ATs.
It's raining men:
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/.../Turn2IGDS.jpg
Surprise, Lelith!
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...urn2IGBoba.jpg
The Sentinels continued their steady advance toward the left objective, traversing their guns. On the right, I sent my remaining Plasma Vets forward into Rapid Fire range of the Wyches, figuring I’d better shoot them before they got any closer.
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn2IGL.jpg
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn2IGR.jpg
Shooting was devastating. The Storm Troopers were less than effective (one squad missed completely, the other knocked one Dark Lance off the Ravager) but the rest of my army made up for it. Boba Fett got five of the Blood Brides. Then Vader’s AT-AT and squad killed all the rest except Lelith! The Plasma Vets on the right killed two Wyches, causing the other three to fail Morale and flee without possibility of regrouping. On the left, the Plasma Sentinels obliterated the Ravager with a well-placed template, picking up the Storm Troopers’ slack. The Plasma Vets’ AT-ATs, however, didn’t do much of anything this turn. The Lascannon Sentinels gunned down the Warriors’ Raider.
There were no assaults.
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...Turn2IGEnd.jpg
Objectives:
IG: 1 (the Plasma Vets on my right were on their objective)
Dark Eldar: 0
Turn 3
The other Raider still didn’t show up. This made me a little twitchy; I’d have preferred it be on the table. On the left, the Trueborn dismounted out of assault range of the Lascannon Sentinels, while their Venom retreated to the back table edge and drew a bead on the Storm Troopers. The Wyches in their Raider coasted sideways, drawing pistol beads on the other Storm Troopers rather than jump out and risk getting mowed down post-assault. The Razorwing slid sideways, also aiming at the Storm Troopers. Lelith prepared to jump Boba Fett.
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn3DEL.jpg
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn3DER.jpg
The Venom shot up two Storm Troopers, and to my disgust the Sergeant failed to hold his squad together. They fell back a moderate distance. The other Storm Troopers were subjected to Lance shots and the last missile of the Razorwing, along with a fusillade of Splinter Pistols from the Wyches, and died to a man. The Trueborn got their act together and annihilated the Lascannon Sentinels in a pair of 6s on the damage chart. Ouch!
In assault, Lelith easily dispatched Boba Fett and consolidated behind cover (but not quite out of LOS of Vader’s AT-AT).
My remaining AT-AT arrived on field. Keeping to the plan, I moved it onto the right, between Vader’s AT-AT and the Plasma Vets on foot. It popped smoke, since it had moved 12” and wanted to remain mobile. The fleeing Storm Troopers regrouped and consolidated back toward the Venom with vengeance on their minds.
A little late to the party:
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn3IGR.jpg
The AT-ATs on my left started advancing, but only 6” so they could keep up the Multilaser barrage. The Speeder Bikes accompanied them, thinking they could charge the Trueborn if I failed to shoot them down. The two remaining Sentinels also advanced, making for some semblance of a firm battle line. On the right, I retreated with my Plasma Vets to keep out of assault range of the Wyches. Vader’s AT-AT stayed put to bring maximum fire to bear on Lelith.
Lelith was nimble and hard to hit, but as she avoided spurts of Promethium from Flamers, absorbed second- and third-degree burns without harm (Feel no Pain… sigh), and acquired a nice suntan from Lasguns, she somehow hopped directly into the path of a Multilaser beam and was blown in half. A Plasma Cannon template landed on two Trueborn and burnt them to cinders. The survivors were destroyed by more Multilaser fire from the AT-ATs on the left. The Storm Troopers avenged their comrades, shooting down the Venom.
The Dark Eldar were running pretty short of models, but they could still sting.
Objectives:
IG: 1
Dark Eldar: 0
Turn 4
Still no Reserves (Jason rolled a 1). The Warriors on the left stood their ground, hoping to knock out the Sentinels. The weaponless Wych Raider sat at the back of the field to make end-of-game contesting moves. The Wych Raider still hung back, waiting for the proper moment. The weaponless Raider formerly belonging to the Blood Brides moved into the middle of the field as a distraction.
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn4DER.jpg
The Razorwing tried and failed to harm my righthand AT-AT, rolling a pair of 2s to hit. The Warriors hit the Sentinels but couldn’t pierce their armor.
It was time to take objectives. I powered my left-hand AT-ATs onto the left objective, solidly securing it. The Speeder Bikes went with them, still hoping to charge something-or-other. The AT-AT on my right advanced on the Wyches’ Raider and the Razorwing, bringing Multilaser and Grenade Launchers (inside) on line. Vader’s AT-AT stormed ahead toward the center objective, popping smoke. The Sentinels stalked straight at the Kabalite Warriors, and the Storm Troopers (somewhat surprised to still be alive this late in a game) moved to target the weaponless Raider in the backfield.
The battleline comes together:
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn4IGL.jpg
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...2/Turn4IGR.jpg
The Storm Troopers bagged their second vehicle of the game, shooting down the Raider with a well-aimed Melta shot. The AT-AT on the right Shook the Razorwing with a glancing hit, and the Vets’ Grenade Launcher disabled the Dark Lance on the Raider. So much for anti-tank firepower; but I’d been hoping to shoot it down. The AT-ATs on the left sniped the Blood Brides’ Raider out of the sky with long-range Multilaser fire.
The Sentinels, disdaining to shoot (I didn’t want Jason to pull models within 6” as casualties), charged the Kabalite Warriors and punted one of them clean off the table. This scared the others so badly that the entire unit fled the field, leaving the Sentinels to consolidate toward the center.
Stomp and smash!
http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/...Turn4IGEnd.jpg
Objectives:
IG: 2 (left and right)
Dark Eldar: 0
Originally Posted by Atrahasis
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