BIG GAME! We decided on a 2500pt City Fight to christen Gary's new bits of city terrain - we played with an amalgamation of the old Cities of Death rules and the new mission rules. Basically, we played a Cities of Death mission, with stratagems, but played using 5ed setup and deployment, seizing the initiative, moving through ruins and true line of sight rules.
Gary took his Eldar Iyanden army - we were hoping that, at bigger size games, they might become more playable. Ian took the forces of the White Scrapes Astartes Chapter - a chapter that look incredibly similar to White Scars, only they haven't got as many bikes, as I still haven't got around to converting a biker Captain yet...
PANIC'S IYANDEN ELDAR
* 4 Seer Council (inc 1 Farseer (Mindwar), 3 Warlocks (2 Destructors, 1 Enhance, 1 Singing Spear)) in a Wave Serpent (Shuriken Cannon, Bright Lances)
* 9 Warp Spiders (inc 1 Exarch with Powerblades, Twin Death Spinners, Surprise Assault, Withdraw)
* 6 Striking Scorpions (inc 1 Exarch with Biting Blade, Stalker) in a Wave Serpent (Shuriken Cannon, Starcannons)
* 5 Wraithguard (plus 1 Warlock with Singing Spear, Enhance) in a Wave Serpent (Shuriken Cannon, Starcannons)
* 10 Wraithguard (plus 1 Spiritseer with Conceal)
* 10 Wraithguard (plus 1 Spiritseer with Conceal)
* 9 Pathfinders
* 3 Dark Reapers
* 5 Dark Reapers (inc 1 Exarch with Tempest Launcher, Crack Shot)
ARBITORIAN'S WHITE SCRAPES
* 1 Chaplain (Terminator Armour, Combi-Flamer)
* 1 Librarian (Terminator Armour, Storm Bolter ) (Null Zone, Might of the Ancients)
* 10 Terminators (2 Cyclones, 2 Chainfists)
* 7 Assault Terminators (4 Lightning Claws, 3 Thunder Hammers)
* 1 Dreadnought (Multimelta)
* 10 Tactical Squad (Missile Launcher, Plasmagun, inc Sgt with Powerfist) with a Rhino
* 10 Tactical Squad (Missile Launcher, Plasmagun, inc Sgt with Powerfist) with a Razorback (Lascannons)
* 5 Scouts (3 Sniper Rifles, 1 Shotgun)
* 10 Assault Marines (2 Plasmapistols, inc Sgt with Powerfist)
* 5 Vanguard Veterans (1 Power Weapon, inc Sgt with Powerfist)
* 2 Attack Bikes (Heavy Bolters)
* 2 Vindicators
* 1 Whirlwind
DEPLOYMENT
We rolled the 'Firesweep' mission. In this, the objective is to 'plant flags' in buildings as you pass through them, claiming them as your own. If your blokes are the only people in the building, it becomes yours, so buildings can switch ownership several times during a game. Independent Characters, Dedicated Transports, and units below 25% strength are the only units that CAN'T score.
Eldar take the stratagems Deep Strike (for their Warpspiders), Ammo Dump (re-roll hits for all squads in their main firebase) and Master Snipers (no cover saves from Sniper weapons). Marines take the stratagems Sewer Rats (squads in reserve can emerge from the sewers, hence the white markers on ground level), Booby Traps (the white markers above ground level) and Master Snipers.
TURN 1
SM win the roll for first turn and elect to go second. So, the first thing is for the Seer Council to disembark their Wave Serpent and nab the western gardens for the Eldar, before running back to the cover of their transport. The three Wraithguard squads fan out into the buildings, running to get further. The two forward Wave Serpents fire their Starcannons at the two Missile-Launcher Combat Squads, killing one marine. The large Dark Reaper squad fire at the Combat Squad in the ruins, killing the remaining 4 and wiping the squad out.
The Whirlwind, Vindicators, Dreadnought and Razorback all move into better firing positions, and the Scouts climb the central building, planting a flag. Everything else holds back, in cover. The Whirlwind fires an Incendiary Castellan Missile at the Pathfinders on the Eldar firebase, ignoring their amazing cover saves and killing seven! Both Vindicators fire at the central Wraithguard squad, killing eight, and the Dreadnought follows this up with a charge. In the combat, he kills one Wraithguard, but suffers a Weapon Destroyed (
CC Weapon) from the Warlock.
End of Turn 1 - Eldar 3, Marines 2
The wraithguard fan out
But the vindicators line up on them
And the dread assaults the survivors
Meanwhile, the Dark Reapers wipe out one of the Combat Squads
TURN 2
The smallest Wraithguard unit move into their building, suffering one death from a booby trap, but planting their flag all the same. Behind them, the Seer Council get back into their Wave Serpent. The Wraithguard moving through the northern ruins open fire on the rear Vindicator, destroying it. Both central Wave Serpents move south, and fire their Starcannons at the Whirlwind, Immobilising it, Shaking it, and destoying it's Whirlwind launcher. The large Dark Reaper squad open fire again, wiping out the second Missile Launcher Combat Squad to the south. The remaining Pathfinders kill one of the Scouts.
In the
SM turn, the Vanguard Vets, Terminator Squad and Librarian all appear out of the sewers! The Vanguard Vets and the Assault Marines move in towards the northern Wraithguard squad, preparing for the assault. The Terminator squad opens fire on the small Dark Reaper squad, wiping them out. A Powerfist Combat Squad disembarks their razorback, charging the closest Wave Serpent, but fail to hit it. The Vindicator opens fire on the northern Wraithguard squad, killing three, but this leaves the Assault Squad out of charge range. Caught in the open, they run back into cover. The Vanguard Vets are still in charge range though, and assault, killing three and losing one veteran.
End of Turn 2 - Eldar 4, Marines 2
Terminators emerge from the sewers
Vanguard Vets charge the Wraithguard in the northern ruins
Wraithguard claim another building
TURN 3
The Warpspiders Deep Strike in behind the remaining
SM Vindicator and open fire, Immobilising and shaking it. The Striking Scorpions disembark their Wave Serpent in the north, and the Wave Serpent kills one of the Terminators with it's Starcannons. Finally, the Dark Reapers open fire on the Assault Marines in cover, killing three. In assault, the Scorpions charge the Terminators and Librarian. The kill one Terminator, but are wiped out in the retalitation. The Dreadnought finally kills the last Wraithguard and the Warlock flees to the north. The Vanguard Veterans kill three more Wraithguard, forcing three No Retreat saves and wiping out the squad.
The Terminator Assault Squad emerge from tunnels to the south, and the Chaplain flamers one of the nearby Wraithguard with his Combi-Flmaer. The Assault Squad and Attack Bikes rush back to counter the Warpspiders and open fire, but don't cause any wounds. The Scouts on the central building open fire on the Pathfinders, killing one more, and the Terminators advance on the main Eldar firebase, wiping out the final Dark Reaper squad within. The Attack Bikes and Assault Squad charge the Warpspiders, losing one marine and killing two spiders, but the Warpspiders teleport away at the end of the combat onto the central building. The Powefist Combat Squad, aided by the Dreadnought, destroy the southern Wave Serpent.
End of Turn 3 - Eldar 3, Marines 3
Wave Serpent is destroyed
The warp spiders get into a fight
But then they teleport away onto the central building
TURN 4
The Seer Council disembark their Wave Serpent and open fire with their Destroyers on the Assault Terminators and Chaplain, killing one. The Farseer tries Mind War, but is nullified by the Librarian. The Wave Serpent opens fire on an advancing Powerfist Combat Squad, killing two. The Warpspiders, from their new position on top of the central building, open fire on the scouts, wiping them out and claiming the building! The Seer Council then charge the Assault Terminators, but no wounds are caused on either side!
The Vindicator and Dreadnought open fire on the still-fleeing Warlock, who looks in danger of taking back another building, but his Invulnerable save protects him. The Librarian then finally remembers to cast Null Zone, which forces re-rolls of successful Invulnerable saves, and the Attack Bikes gun him down. The Assault Squad bounce after the Warp Spiders, who lose two models from shooting and one in assault, killing two marines in return, before teleporting away. The Farseer does one wound on the Assault Terminators, but because of the Null Zone the Terminators manage to inflict four wounds, injuring the Farseer and killing all the Warlocks. In the north, the Terminators charge the Wave Serpent, destroying it three or four times over.
End of Turn 4 Map - Eldar 4, Marines 2
Warp spiders wipe out the scouts and claim the building
TURN 5
In the last Eldar turn, the southern Wave Serpent kills another Powerfist Combat Squad marine, and the Warpspiders assault back into the Assault Squad, killing one marine, but losing two spiders. The Farseer dies to the Assault Terminators, who consolidate towards the western garden.
In the final Marine turn, everyone rushes to grab buildings. The Assault Terminators take the western gardens, the Attack Bikes take the eastern gardens, and the Vanguard Veterans finally catch up with the last Pathfinder, killing him and taking the main Eldar firebase.
Northern Terminators look a bit confused
Warpspiders bounce away and assault back into combat
FINAL RESULT - Eldar 2, Marines 5
So White Scrapes win by a sizeable margin. Basically, they were at an advantage all the way through, though. The Iyanden ghost warrior army has real trouble in 5th Edition, mainly because of 35pt Troops with only a 12" range. As Gary pointed out, if
GW had some new Wraithguard models to release, you can bet they would have got a bump. This means that, even in a 2500pt game, the Eldar army was quite small. Plus, the dice gods were not smiling favourably on the Eldar until at least the 4th turn, by which point most of the damage had been done....
