This was a 1500 point game between my Eldar and Todd's Space Marines with Tau allies. The Mission was The Emperor's Will with a Hammer and Anvil deployment type.
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| The Board |
Eldar
HQ:
- Farseer (Warlord) - 100
- Farseer on Jetbike with Mantle of the Laughing God, The Spirit Stone of Anath'lan, and Runes of
Witnessing - 185
Troops:
- 5 Dire Avengers in a Wave Serpent with Twin-Linked Scatter Lasers, Shuriken Cannon, and Holo-Fields
-210
- 5 Dire Avengers in a Wave Serpent with Twin-Linked Scatter Lasers, Shuriken Cannon, and Holo-Fields
-210
- 3 Windrider Jetbikes with a Shuriken Cannon - 61
Fast Attack:
- 3 Hornets each with 1x Brightlance and 1x Pulse Laser, 3x Holo-Fields - 285
- 5 Warp Spiders with Exarch with Fast Shot - 115
Heavy Support:
- 6 Dark Reapers with Starshot Missiles, and Exarch with Fast Shot - 248
Fortification:
- Aegis Defence Line with Icarus Lascannon - 85
Total: 1499
This list was an experiment to try out Dark Reapers. I figured that a big group of them behind a defence line with a Farseer with psychic support (Guide/Prescience and Perfect Timing specifically) would be pretty deadly and they're pretty versatile with the Starshot and Starswarm Missiles as well. Of course I had the tried and true, and sort of obligatory squads of avengers in Serpents. They're just to good to not take. I also wanted to try the Mantle on a Jetseer to see if it was as good as the Autarch. The Hornets were also something I don't normally bring. I brought them with lances and pulse lasers for lots of strength 8 and lo ap stuff, in case Todd brought some Centurions or Terminators or something.
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| Eldar minus the Warp Spiders |
Iron Hands/Tau
HQ:
- Master of the Forge with Conversion Beamer and Power Sword (Warlord) - 125
- Cadre Fireblade -60
Elite:
- Ironclad Dreadnought with Powerfist/Heavy Flamer and Seismic Hammer/Meltagun, Extra Armour, Hunter Killer Missile, in a Drop Pod - 190
Troops:
- 7 Tactical Marines with Lascannon - 118
- 7 Scouts with 6x Sniper Rifles - 83
- 11 Fire Warriors in Devilfish with Twin-Linked Smart Missile System - 189
- 12 Fire Warriors - 108
Fast Attack:
- 3 Bikes with 2x Meltaguns, Sergent with Meltabombs - 88
- 3 Bikes with 2x Grav-guns, Sergent with Meltabombs - 98
Heavy Support:
- Predator with Autocannon and Lascannon Sponsons - 115
- Predator with Autocannon and Lascannon Sponsons - 115
- Predator with Autocannon and Lascannon Sponsons - 115
Fortification:
- Aegis Defence Line with Quad Gun - 100
Total: 1504
This list didn't freak me out as much as some of the other lists Todd has brought. I was really more worried about seeing a mess of 2+ saves, but instead was faced with a wall of AV 13 tanks and a bunch of infantry. The Ironclad could be a problem, but with my Brightlances, and general mobility, it probably wouldn't be too bad. With the mission being Hammer and Anvil, I really already had an inherent advantage with my Jetbikes being able to Turbo-Boost 36" to contest last turn. All I really had to do is get First blood and hunker down with my Objective.
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| The Iron Tau |
The Game
I Started to roll all of my considerable upkeep on my Farseers and got Guide, Forwarning and Perfect Timing on the Footseer, and Guide, Doom, and Psychic Shriek on the Manseer. I got the Run +1" for my Warlord Trait, and Todd also got a running related one from the rulebook. We rolled to pick sides and I lost the roll. We then rolled for first turn and Todd won and made me go second. We rolled for night time and it was night first turn. I guess the crafty Eldar were using the cover of darkness to deploy.
Todd deployed first and stretched his Defence Line across his deployment zone up as far as he could. Mine went about halfway back from the edge of my deployment zone. He then put 2 of his Predators, his Bikes and his Devilfish behind it. One Predator went behind a building on my left flank. The Fire Warriors without a ride hid behind a building, while his Tactical Marines hid in a forest in the back of his deployment zone. The Scouts took up position around the Quad Gun.
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| Iron Tau Deployment |
In response, I put the Wave Serpents behind my Defence Line, along with the Dark Reapers and Footseer who were manning the Lascannon. The Manseer and Hornets went on the other flank. I made sure to hide everything back out 36" for nightfighting, relying on my superior mobility to allow me to move just within range if he didn't move, or back enough that unless he went for a cruise he wouldn't be able to shoot me.
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| Alaitoc Deployment |
I tried to steal the initiative, but it didn't work out. The screech of a Drop Pod fills the air, cut short suddenly by the crash of twisting metal as the Iron Clad's Drop Pod malfunctions and scatters off the table and being destroyed by the hazardous terrain behind the Eldar line. With their ancient brother destroyed, the Space Marines shuffle around in the dark, trying to draw lines of fire on the shadowy shapes on the Eldar. The Bikes on the left head behind a building to the left, while the Melta Bikes head behind a Building on my right. The Devilfish flies forwards to get behind a building. With everything too far away in the dark, nothing shoots but the Bikes and Devilfish shuffle a bit for the Flat Out cover.
The Eldar begin with their Farseers sending their minds into the Warp in an attempt to divine the future. The Footseer casts Guide on the Dark Reapers, as well as Perfect Timing. The Manseer Guides the Hornets. The Hornets and Manseer then move up to get into the edge of range. The center Wave Serpent moves forwards 12 to get a bead on the Bikes, and the other one moves over a bit to try and get some line of sight to the Devilfish.
Focussing their attention on the Devilfish, the Dark Reapers let fly with a volley of Starshot Missiles with the Farseer firing the Lascannon, and through the gloom they manage to wreck the skimmer. Only two Hornets are able to get within range, and they fire at the Predator by the building, but the cover of darkness saves it. The Solitaire Turbo-Boosts up right by the Fire Warriors behind the building.
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| End of Turn 1 |
Shooting begins with all of the Fire Warriors bar 3 or 4 from the Fireblade's squad firing into the Manseer, and after all is said and done he has taken only 1 wound, even after the Tactical Marines lend their might. The Scouts fire at the Dark Reapers, with the Sergent manning the Quad-Gun and down 2 Aspect Warriors. The right Predator shoots at the Wave Serpent that emerged from behind the Defence Line, but thanks to Holo-Fields, is unable to do anything. Both the other Predators shoot at the Hornets, as well as the Grav-Bikes, but only manage to explode one skimmer. The other Bikes Turbo-Boost. The Grav-Bikes then try and assault, but fail the distance.
Seeing a target open up, the Jetbikes come on to the field near the Grav Bikes. The Warp Spiders teleport onto the battlefield, but due to unsteady Warp eddies end up in the back corner of the Eldar zone. Once again the Farseers go to work, the Manseer foretelling the Doom of the leftmost Predator. The other Farseer guides the Dark Reapers and casts Perfect Timing. The Wave Serpent in the middle moves over towards the Grav-Bikes and the Dire Avengers get out. The Other Wave Serpent moves to try and shoot up the side of the middle Predator. The Hornets move up to target the doomed Predator and the Manseer moves right up to the Fire Warriors. The Warp Spiders run
With a blast of potent psychic energy, the Solitaire unleashes a Psychic Shriek into the Fire Warriors, Killing 4. The Dark Reapers open up on the Scouts huddled behind their Defence Line with their Starswarm Missiles and kill them all. The Hornets fire into the Predator, and blow off a Lascannon. The Wave Serpent, Dire Avenger and the Shuriken Cannon from the Jetbikes all fire into the Bikers and kill them all. The other Wave Serpent launches its shield at the center Predator and shakes it. In assault, the Manseer charges into the Fire Warriors and easily murders all of the creatures. The Warp Spiders use their generators to move forwards.
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| End of Turn 2 |
With the Scouts and Fire Warriors gone, the Tactical Marines with the Master of the Forge mover towards the Manseer. The rightmost Predator moves around the building to get a good shot at the Wave Serpent. The left Predator moves over to try and shoot up the Wave Serpent. The Last Predator charges at the Manseer, who moves out of the way. Finally, the Fireblade leads his troops around and over the Devilfish to take out the Hornets. The Melta Bikes move back to their other spot behind the other building.
Shooting starts with the Fire Warriors unloading on the Hornets and wrecking them. The Predator on the left shoots at the Wave Serpent but fails to hurt it. The Predator on the right fires at the other Wave Serpent and immobilizes it. The Marines shoot their pistols into the Solitaire, but fail to do any damage.
The Marines declare their assault and lose a Battle-Brother to overwatch. The Manseer challenges the Master of the Forge who accepts. The Seer is unable to get past the Master's armour, but the Master deals a wound in return. Seeing his disadvantage, the Jetseer disengages using Hit and Run and the Tactical Marines consolidate into what ends up being a Fireblood river, and lose a Marine to the hazardous water.
The Footseer attempts to Guide, but suffers a Perils of the Warp and must use his Ghosthelm to ward off the attack. Luckily he manages to get Perfect Timing off. The Manseer once again Dooms the left Predator. The Dire Avengers that hopped out of the Wave Serpent start to head towards their objective to claim it while their ride moves to go take down some Fire Warriors. The Warp Spiders jump forwads towards the Fire Warriors, eager to get to the battle. The Solitaire move up behind the right Predator. Launching a barrage of Starshot Missiles at the left Predator sees it explode in a hail of fire. The Wave Serpents both fire at the Fire Warriors and kill a few. The Manseer shoots at the rear armour of the right Predator, but cant do anything. The Dire Avengers continue to run to the objective.
In the assault phase, the Warp Spiders warp jump again towards the Fire Warriors. The Jetseer assaults the right Predator and blows it up with his Witchblade.
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| End of Turn 3 |
Turn 4
With the end of the game nearing and not much left to fight with, the Tactical Marines push on through the river, losing another of their number. The Predator shimmies to avoid being auto-hit by the Manseer should he come around. The Melta Bikes, seeing their chance for glory, head towards the immobilized Wave Serpent to blow it up. The Fire Warriors hustle back around the Devilfish to take out the Warp Spiders.
The Predator fires its weapons into the Wave Serpent, but fails to hurt it. The Tactical Marines take a few shots at the Manseer, but their weapons prove futile. The Bikes target the Wave Serpent with their Meltaguns and it explodes, though no Dire Avengers are harmed. The Fire Warriors blast into the Warp Spiders and kill them all.
Guide goes off on the Reapers, as well as Perfect Timing, and the Manseer Dooms the Bikes. The Manseer moves behind the building, ready to boost out and contest next turn. The Dire Avengers move towards the Fire Warriors, hoping to end them., as does the last Wave Serpent. The Dire Avengers finally make it to the Objective.
The Dark Reapers once again fire their Starshot Missiles, this time at the Bikes, and completely Annihilate them. The Dire Avengers Battle Focus forwards and kill 2 Fire Warriors and the Wave Serpent kills all but one and the Fire Blade.
At this point with no hope of Victory, the Space Marines and Tau call for a hasty retreat.
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| End of Turn 4 |
Eldar: 2 (Fist Blood, Linebreaker)
Iron Tau: 0
Post-Game Thoughts
That ended up being a very one-sided battle. Todd's Drop-Pod scattering off the Table turn 1 may have won me the game, as it gave me First Blood and allowed me to kind of just sit back and plink away. I think once he lost the Dreadnought he should have just blasted everything at my troops and tried to at least deny me my objective, as if he could have held his, he still could have won. As it was, I had both a unit of Jetbikes and my Farseer hiding out waiting to Turbo-Boost in for the denial, and he had no way of really stopping me. I also find Emperor's Will to be a very one-sided mission, with the advantage going way more to whoever can get First Blood. With only two objectives to score, it makes it very difficult to push your opponent's army completely off their objective and still hold your own.
I do think I made a few mistakes this game. I probably should have outflanked my Hornets so that they could have come in and done a lot more damage. I also probably should have dealt with the Fireblade's unit first, and then come back and fought the other unit of Fire Warriors with my Manseer. I also maybe should have held back the Warp Spiders on Turn 3 instead of charging them forwards, and used them to sort of counter attack when I needed them.
It also helped that Todd's luck was fairly poor throughout the game, as he failed to hit and wound a lot with his Fire Warriors. And of course, scattering was a huge deal too. He did forget a few of his rules as well. He forgot about his Feel no Pain on his Marines and It Will not Die on his tanks, which could have made a difference.
Still, it was a fairly fun game, and any time I get to beat up loyalists is a good time for me. Thanks for reading!
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