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Wanted to test a modified Dark Eldar list, thrown it against the Blood Angels.

Dark Eldar "Coven of a 1,000 corpses" - 2,000 points

HQ


Haemonculus

Elite

3 x Kabalite Trueborn w/ Venom - 3 x blasters - Venom w/ splinter cannon
3 x Kabalite Trueborn w/ Venom - 3 x blasters - Venom w/ splinter cannon
3 x Kabalite Trueborn w/ Venom - 3 x blasters - Venom w/ splinter cannon

Troops

5 x Kabalite Warriors w/ Venom - blaster - Venom w/ splinter cannon
5 x Kabalite Warriors w/ Venom - blaster - Venom w/ splinter cannon
5 x Kabalite Warriors w/ Venom - blaster - Venom w/ splinter cannon
5 x Kabalite Warriors w/ Venom - blaster - Venom w/ splinter cannon
5 x Kabalite Warriors w/ Venom - blaster - Venom w/ splinter cannon
5 x Wracks w/ Venom - Venom w/ splinter cannon

Fast Attack

Beastmasters 3 x beastmasters, 4 x khymerae & 4 x razorwing flocks
5 x Scourges - 2 x dark lances
5 x Scourges - 2 x dark lances

Heavy Support

Ravager - flickerfield
Ravager - flickerfield
Ravager - flickerfield


Blood Angels "Wing Striker" - 2,000 points


HQ

Librarian - shield of sanguinus & unleash rage
Librarian - shield of sanguinus & unleash rage
Honour Guard w/ Razorback - 2 x flamers - Razorback w/ lascannon & twin-linked plasma gun
Honour Guard w/ Razorback - 2 x meltaguns - Razorback w/ lascannon & twin-linked plasma gun

Elite

1 x Sanguinary Priest

Troops

5 x Assault Marines w/ Razorback - 1 x flamer - sgt w/ power weapon - Razorback w/ lascannon & twin-linked plasmagun
5 x Assault Marines w/ Razorback - 1 x flamer - sgt w/ power weapon - Razorback w/ lascannon & twin-linked plasmagun
5 x Assault Marines w/ Razorback - 1 x flamer - sgt w/ power weapon - Razorback w/ lascannon & twin-linked plasmagun
5 x Assault Marines w/ Razorback - 1 x meltagun - Razorback w/ lascannon & twin-linked plasmagun
5 x Assault Marines w/ Razorback - 1 x meltagun - Razorback w/ lascannon & twin-linked plasmagun
5 x Assault Marines w/ Razorback - 1 x meltagun - Razorback w/ lascannon & twin-linked plasmagun

Heavy Support

Vindicator
Vindicator


Game: Capture and Control + Pitched Battle

Deployment

Angels won the roll off and deployed first, they castled up in the bottom right corner with Vindicators at the front and using the shrine ruin for cover. The objective was placed in a ruin nearby.

Dark Eldar deployment all armour centre of the board, in a building in the top left was the objective guarded by a unit of Wracks with Haemonculus and also a unit of Scourges. The other unit of Scourges was deployed top of the tower ruin, which the Beastmasters were hiding in the base off.







Turn 1

Dark Eldar attempt to seize the initative but fail.

Blood Angels first turn sees the Angels flank around the ruin with the bulk of their armour while three Razorbacks split off and roll up the other side of the ruin while a single Razorback carrying a flamer unit rolls through the ruin and holds the Angel objective.

Shooting Vindicators fire, one shot scatters from one Venom onto another but flickfield makes the save, other Vindicator lands on target and Venom is immobilised. Lascannons rain out blasting Ravagers, two are toasted after, a lascannon also hits a Venom and it's weapon destroyed.

Dark Eldar's first turn sees all Venoms move flat out across to the left flank to engage just the three Razorbacks while the solo Ravager floats about and Beastmasters remain in position.

Shooting, Librarians both cast shield fine first. Scourges in the ruin where the objective is manage to immobilise and shake a Razorback carrying a melta unit. Scourges in the tower blast a Razorback but miss or do nothing. Ravager fires at one of the Vindicators, shield makes the save.

Turn 2

Blood Angels move up a little bit.

Shooting, all Razorbacks on the left flank fire at the wall of skimmers, best they can do after cover saves is pop a Trueborn Venom - Trueborn are pinned and shake two Venoms. Rest of the Razorbacks and Vindicators fire at the remaining skimmers, cover saves do well for Dark Eldar but a Ravager is fragged.

Dark Eldar's turn sees most of the Venoms on the left flank move away from the Blood Angels as the Angels can assault them next turn, at least with the Venoms moving the Angels will need 4+ to hit. Two Venoms away from the main formation uses a ruin for cover and to snipe through. Beastmasters move out of terrain to tackle the Vindicators.

Shooting, Librarians cast shield fine. On the left flank Razorback carrying flamer unit with Librarian is wrecked, limited Venoms can see the squad, but 50% of the squad is lost to splinter cannons, though the squad passes morale. The other two Razorbacks get blasted by blasters which sees a melta Razorback stunned and a Razorback carrying a flamer unit and Priest shaken and weapon destroyed on the plasma gun. Blasters from the two Venoms behind the ruin and lances blast the Vindicators but best they can do is stun one of them. Scourges in the objective ruin fire at a Razorback but nothing happens or shield makes the save.

In assault Beastmasters charge the two Vindicators, the one which is stunned takes another stunned result and is also immobilised. The other Vindicator suffers weapon destroyed and loses the demolisher cannon.









Turn 3

The weapon-less Vindicator speeds forward 18" and tank shocks the Beastmasters who pass and let the Vindicatot through, it then smashes into the immobilised Venom, it cannot dodge as it's immobilised, but the Vindicator bounces off it's hull as flickerfield makes the save! With the gap now free thanks to the Vindicator, Honour Guard bail out of their tank to deal with the Beastmasters while their tank speeds off towards the D.E objective to support the flamer Honour Guard which has moved closer. The melta unit in the immobilised Razorback bail out and run towards the now empty Honour Guard Razorback. On the left flank the flamer unit and Priest bail out their Razorback as it cannot do anything and make a move ready to batter some Trueborn face in while a melta unit bails out their tank ready to blow up some Dark Eldar scum. The Librarian and flamer unit hold position as they won't reach the fight thanks to the stunned tank and wrecked Razorback blocking the way.

Shooting, melta on foot blasts a Trueborn Venom, can't remember the result but the Venom is still there unharmed. Priest's unit do not fire as they want to assault the Trueborn and start climbing up the tower ruin after, but assault range is gonna be close. Only thing left to fire is the flamer Honour Guard's Razorback which kills a single Scourge with plasma on the objective ruin, everything is is stun locked. Honour Guard fire with meltas at the Beastmasters along with support from two Razorbacks, single Beastmaster is dead and all daemon dogs are fried.

In assault Priest's unit is just out of assault. Melta unit charges the Venom and smashes the hull in, it explodes killing a single Trueborn (who pass morale but fail pinning) but the Marine unit is fine.

Dark Eldar's turn, the Beastmasters move their attention to tEh exposed Assault Squads and move towards them. I think that's all the movement.

Shooting, Librarian's cast shield again. The stunned Razorback is shot at again hoping to clear it so the Venoms can blast the squad behind, but it's only weapon destroyed after several successful shield saves. The fleet of on coming Razorbacks towards the Dark Eldar objective gets hit by blasters and dark lances, two of the Razorbacks are both shaken. Some Venoms can draw LOS to the Librarian and flamer unit, after a peppering only the Librarian remains with a single wound - he passes morale.

In assault Beastmasters multi assault the two Assault Squads, the Priest's unit get ripped to pieces by mass rending wounds (Priest dies) while the other unit takes two wounds. Blood Angels lose combat which sees the Priest's former unit fail morale and fall back while the other unit remains locked in combat with the Beastmasters.









Turn 4

The solo Librarian jumps into a empty Razorback which speeds off back towards the Angel objective, another empty Razorback follows to form a wall of armour. The Assault Squad falling back continues to do so as Dark Eldar are within 6". The weapon-less Vindicator moves 18" and attempts to ram the last Trueborn Venom, but the Venom dodges. Melta Honour Guard move towards one of the Venoms hiding behind the ruin while the trio of Razorbacks move towards the Dark Eldar objective.

I think only shooting is from the melta Honour Guard as a lot of stuff is stun locked, Venom carrying Warriors explodes, single Warrior dies the squad passes morale but fails pinning.

In assault Beastmasters rip up the Assault Squad with 6 rending wounds! They consolidate towards the melta Honour Guard who are out of assault range on the Warriors.

Dark Eldar movement turn, Venoms on the left flank hold position except the Wracks' empty one which moves into the shrine ruin to blast the falling back unit. Beastmasters move towards the Honour Guard.

Shooting, blasters fire at the two Razorbacks blocking the Angel objective - the empty one explodes and the other is weapon destroyed and shaken. The empty Venom and all others blast the falling back Assault Squad but their power armour makes all saves. Blaster and dark lances fire at the oncoming Razorbacks, nothing happens. Trueborn on foot blast the Vindicator which moved 18", it's weapon destroyed again and immobilised so just a shell.

In assault Beastmasters charge the Honour Guard and rip them up, only the Priest survives who falls back.









Turn 5

Both Blood Angel units falling back regroup, the Priest moves towards the two Assault Marines who move in front of the Librarian's Razorback to be in shield range. Out of the stunned Razorback the flamer Honour Guard bails out and moves towards the Dark Eldar objective while a shaken Razorback carrying a melta squad moves 18" through terrain twice and tank shocks the Wracks - they fail morale and fall back, very close to the board edge! Another melta unit bails out their tank ready to tackle some xeno scum.

Shooting, no fire from the Angels on the left flank or centre. On the right melta squad fails to pop a Venom after the melta misses. That's it for Angels.

Dark Eldar's turn, the Wracks' empty Venom moves flat out and lands to contest the Angel objective, passes terrain test ok btw. Other Venoms starting moving down ready to torrent the infantry with splinter cannons and the Razorback with blasters. Last operational Venom centre field moves to the ruin to blast the tank inside as a unit bails out the immobilised Venom ready to support. Wracks and Haemonculus regroup moving back into terrain.

Shooting, Librarians both cast shield. On the left flank the Librarian's Razorbacks takes two penetrating hit and a glance and saves all three with shield! Priest gets torrented with splinter cannons but the little sucker survives. The solo Scourge (others got blasted last round by the flamer Honour Guard) gets revenge and explodes the Razorback on the Dark Eldar objective thanks to a tasty rear armour shot, the exposed unit not gets blasted with splinter cannons, rifles and blasters thinning them out down to three Marines - they pass morale. A Warrior unit blasts a melta Assault Squad on foot but only kills a single Marine thanks to the blaster. The immobilised Vindicator is first stunned, then weapon destroyed and then finally explodes.

In assault Beastmasters multi charge the flamer Honour Guard and melta Assault Squad, they do little damage and end up losing combat and fall back. Wracks and Haemonculus charge the Assault Squad and beat them off the objective, Marines fall back but two Wracks die.









Turn 6

Game continues. Currently is a draw.

Assault Squad bails out the Razorback on the objective just in case bolt pistols are needed with the lucky glance. Librarian and the two units on foot supporting move forward in a desperate last charge. Marines falling back from the Wracks combat continue to do so. Flamer Honour Guard moves through terrain to get at the Wracks while the supporting melta unit moves to bust up the last Venom on that flank. Librarian bails out the tank near the Dark Eldar objective and prepares to assault a Warrior unit.

Shooting, flamers from the Honour Guard kill a single Wrack after feel no pain rolls. Melta misses the venom but the bolt pistols get lucky and stun it. One of the Razorbacks blasts the Warrior unit to soften them up for the Librarian. Bolt pistol and flamer fail to do anything to a Venom on the left flank, as does the Priests bolt pistol. Razorback on the objective blasts the empty Venom and it explodes, all Marines are ok.

In assault Honour Guard charge and batter the Wracks in combat, Haemonculus holds in there though. Melta unit charges the Venom, they end up in base contact with the Beastmasters and combat remains on. Librarian charges the Warriors, he casts unleash rage but only manages to kill two, the remaining Warriors escape and fall back. Flamer Marine along with Sgt and also the Priest charge two Venoms, flamer unit wrecks one and Warriors pass pinning but the Priest does nothing.

Dark Eldar turn, a Venom carrying a Warrior unit moves flat out onto the Angel objective but it fails terrain test and it wrecked, squad inside is gone. Trueborn bail out their skimmer and their Venom lands on the objective ok. Warriors bail out the stunned Venom by the Dark Eldar objective and move into terrain to backup the Haemonculus, single Scourge also follows.

Shooting Warriors wrecked out of their Venom kill the offending squad while Trueborn slag the Priest. Falling back Warriors give the Librarian a parting gift and slag him with a blaster.

In assault Beastmasters get a crap load of rending hits and tear up the Assault Squad. Warriors and Scourge charge the Honour Guard, Warriors lose two dudes and Honour Guard are all ok, Warriors are destroyed by sweeping advance but the Scourge and Haemonculus hold the fight.

Game ends on a draw.









Summary

The Dark Eldar has some bad luck in this game. Most times Venoms were missing 5-6 shots, which is nearly half the fire power. Dark matter weaponry could be doing better, when was penetrating was just rolling low on the chart for stunned, but it did stop the Angels firing properly for several turns.

The whole point of this game was to re-test Beastmasters and Wracks. The Wracks didn't do a fat lot and I don't think put up a huge fight in combat either, but they was against a unit of Assault Marines who were in range of a Priest. I think I will probably stick to my Warriors on these.

Beastmasters were no doubt unit of the match. I tried my old tactics which was turbo boost to one flank and get my blasters into range, this worked, like it did in my earlier games with Dark Eldar. The Beastmasters didn't reach combat until turn 3, when I used to have them with a webway portal they could be in assault by turn 2 if my dice rolls went well. In this game they killed two Assault Squads, made a Assault Squad fall back, made a Honour Guard fall back and virtually destroyed them and knocked two Vindicators out for most the game. In total this is about 765 points worth of damage - that's a lot. I know they didn't take out the Vindicators, but they weapon destroyed one which is as good as and immobilised and stunned the other which held it in position so blasters etc would get it.

I think Scourges blown up a single Razorback, blown up the Vindicator after it had suffered plenty of damage results before hand, immobilised a single Razorback and stunned/shaken others. In total they took out 200 points worth of damage and supressed several tanks.

As much as I hate to say it the Beastmasters work better in my army. I thought the Scourges would add more anti tank (which they do) but they don't do well at it. The Beastmasters just move from unit to unit claiming heads and do it nicely. Plus if my Beastmasters are in a game they take fire power instead of the Venoms. I think it's down to the Beastmasters why my earlier games had good success, so I think I'm going to switch back to my old list, which was double Beastmaster units and a webway portal.

Kinda expected angels to take this one; but well played! Draw is better than a loss

If you play your own two armies isn't it always a win ; )

Kidding aside I think the armies are looking ace Mercer great report, I think the beast packs work better when you bring multiple (you of all people should know the advantage of redundancy ha ha) but as is I still think they work as a prime threat that has to be dealt with...

Nice report. This is going to sound like sarcasm, but isn't: the bad lighting and grainy photos really added to the atmosphere of the battle. It felt like a horror movie, especially because the DE always seemed to be in shadow.

I've also toyed with Scourges for some extra anti-tank, but they seem too expensive with Dark Lances - you're paying too high a premium for the use of a Fast Attack, instead of an Elites, slot. Have you thought about giving the Scourges Heat Lances or Blasters and a squad of Trueborn Dark Lances instead? That way you don't waste the Scourges' mobility but maintain the same level of firepower.

Zid wrote:Kinda expected angels to take this one; but well played! Draw is better than a loss

Certainly is dude.

Red Corsair wrote:If you play your own two armies isn't it always a win ; )

Kidding aside I think the armies are looking ace Mercer great report, I think the beast packs work better when you bring multiple (you of all people should know the advantage of redundancy ha ha) but as is I still think they work as a prime threat that has to be dealt with...

certainly is mate.

You're totally right about Beastmasters, and you're definately right I should know that gak .

Hesperus wrote:Nice report. This is going to sound like sarcasm, but isn't: the bad lighting and grainy photos really added to the atmosphere of the battle. It felt like a horror movie, especially because the DE always seemed to be in shadow.

I've also toyed with Scourges for some extra anti-tank, but they seem too expensive with Dark Lances - you're paying too high a premium for the use of a Fast Attack, instead of an Elites, slot. Have you thought about giving the Scourges Heat Lances or Blasters and a squad of Trueborn Dark Lances instead? That way you don't waste the Scourges' mobility but maintain the same level of firepower.

Thanks man. The pictures I brightened up a bit on dakka gallery, was too dark before in some areas and you couldn't see a lot.

I could do what you suggested, but currently (in amended list) my Blastborn have quad blasters. So giving them dark lances and then say switching the Scourges for haywires or blasters wouldn't make those numbers back up again. I think I'm just gonna take the double Beastmasters and toy with a webway portal.

Good report yet again mercer
Your "Razorwing flocks" look really neat, I haven't seen anybody do them that way before.

Nice report as always merc, glad to see you using the dakka gallery and not those external image sites!

I vaguely recall a similar game you did a few months back where the BAs castled but similarily split their forces middle and left flank. I think I questioned that then and do again
Would it not have been better to go full down the left flank and clear out the Venoms, then consolidate and move to the center. With the large building between the BA forces it was almost like two mini battles going on.

Love the foliage on the buildings btw, new addition? looks great.

Gorechild wrote:Good report yet again mercer
Your "Razorwing flocks" look really neat, I haven't seen anybody do them that way before.

Thanks man. I need to get them painted. Will be simple, chainmail, black wash, brown wash and then dry brush with blood red.

Ratius wrote:Nice report as always merc, glad to see you using the dakka gallery and not those external image sites!

I vaguely recall a similar game you did a few months back where the BAs castled but similarily split their forces middle and left flank. I think I questioned that then and do again
Would it not have been better to go full down the left flank and clear out the Venoms, then consolidate and move to the center. With the large building between the BA forces it was almost like two mini battles going on.

Love the foliage on the buildings btw, new addition? looks great.

Thanks man.

I think I will start using Dakka, the only pain in the arse is that it doesn't arrange my images in sequence which can make doing the bat reps a bit harder, but I do have the pictures still on my PC and look at them through chorno order.

Yes the Angels split there force if I remember right. Reason the Angels didn't go straight down the left flank originally because there was no Venoms there, all Venoms turn 1 turbo boosted in that direction so it was a crap load of Venoms vs three Razorbacks. Angels then only had two Razorbacks which could have supported those three as the others were starting to head towards the D.E objective.

The jungle stuff is new, not finished yet. Got to add more moss to the other buildings and will be done. Board I'm going to touch up in areas, at least the water effects have dried though .

That beast squad has 27 wounds. That's only 3 fewer than your entire Troops section.

No wonder it adds a lot to your army.

Holy gak! I never thought of it like that. i recently tried double beastmasters units each unit has 34 wounds in total.

Nah, DE don't need to go first, they just need to alphastrike, if you can stay out of your opponents range and then move up to alphastrike you accomplish the same thing and get to know where they place their stuff. Night shields help with this.

And when you defer first turn, it gives you the option to reserve if you need to. Trust me, you will beat IG and SW 80% more often by defering first turn and staying out of their threat ranges.

.

couldnt agree more, 1st turn isnt always guaranteed. So all this Baron nonesense doesnt appeal to me. In fact 2nd turn gives you the last turn of the game, you can contest or capture objectives with speed dictating the out come of the game, even if it went badly - a draw could still be achieved just be contesting

I've only tried the Baron once and I didn't think he was that awesome. I can't see his bonus for deployment been a huge help.

I do like going second in objective games, but I don't like going second against long range shooting armies such as Imperial Guard.

Nice report. I don't know anything about Dark Eldar nor do i play them but from what i've seen from people who use beast masters they sound scary as hell to deal with.

Beastmasters are pretty evil. I used mine before coming out of a portal as this always gets them half way across the board, but it's the reserve rolls which can be a problem. Deploying the Beastmasters they could end up in assault turn 1 depending on deployment, if not turn 2 more than likely. Having them deployed on the table means they take fire and not the puny Venoms.

Nice.