So the first part of our campaign comes to an end in this, larger battle. We actually played this a couple of weeks ago, but we've been far too busy to write it up. I've therefore forgotten most of the details, but I'll give a commentary as best I can.
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The Eldar raids had consumed resources over the whole sector, and the Marine forces were spread thinly in the outlying regions, fighting a running battle with the pirates. After years, the xenos' true target was revealed when they attacked Nova Crux itself.
In the early part of 773, with Imperial forces scattered throughout the subsector, the Eldar assaulted the spaceport of Noirreath. It was left to Inquisitor Hector Green to assemble the ragtag defenders and try to hold out long enough to report his situation to the Astartes.
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The game is a simple battle, with a simple victory condition. The Imperial defenders start in possession of the city. One unit in Inquisitor Green's army has been tasked with communicating the assault to the Astartes. It must be alive and on the board at the end of the game. The Eldar win if they can kill this unit, thus delaying the communication of the dire Imperial situation.
ArbitorIan's Ragtag Imperial Defenders * Inquisitor Lord Hector Green (3 Combat Servitors, Familiar, Seer, Great big hammer (Master Crafted Eviscerator), Hammer of the Witches) in a Rhino
* Inquisitor Parker Grove (Plasma Servitor, Multimelta Servitor, Familiar, Seer)
* 3 Death Cult Assassins
* Nova Crux PDF Platoon (Command
HQ with Plasma, Infantry Squad with Plasma/
HB, Infantry Squad with Plasma/
HB, Heavy Weapon Squad with Lascannons)
* Nova Crux PDF Platoon (Command
HQ with Missile Launcher, Infantry Squad with Plasma/
HB, Infantry Squad with Plasma/
HB, Heavy Weapon Squad with Autocannons)
* Nova Crux PDF Rough Riders
* Arbites Squad (2 Plasmaguns) in a Repressor
* Arbites Squad (2 Plasmaguns) in a Repressor
* Arbites Squad (2 Grenade Launchers) with a Arbites Judge (Priest)
* Arbites Cyber-Mastiffs (6 Arco-Flagellants)
* Arbites Exorcist
Panic and Dave's Eldar Attackers * Avatar
* Farseer
* 10 Wraithguard with Spiritseer
* Striking Scorpions with Exarch
* Striking Scorpions with Exarch
* Howling Banshees with Exarch
* Dire Avengers with Exarch and Wave Serpent (Starcannons)
* Warp Spiders with Exarch
* Falcon
* Falcon
* 2 Vypers (Shuriken Cannons
The Imperial defenders set up along the city walls, with the four Arbites vehicles in the centre blocking the gateway, and spread out to avoid deep strikes. The Death Cult Assassins infiltrated outside the walls.
The Eldar then set up as a single group to the south of the board, with the Warp Spiders in reserve
The all important task of contacting the Astartes is given to Inquisitor Parker Grove and his retinue, who sit on the high building at the back of the board.
In the first turn, a lucky shot from the Exorcist immobilises a Wave Serpent and it's crew disembark. The Vypers turn to target the Death Cultists, adn the rest of the Eldar line advances.
The Arbites vehicles move out of the gates, but one is caught by a Falcon and wrecked - the Arbites squad disembark and use it for cover.
The Imperial lines concentrate all fire on the Avatar, taking it out with the army's entire shooting phase. The Rough Riders move forward, behind the Arbites Exorcist
The Eldar take the massive risk and attempt to deep strike the Warp Spiders in at the back of the board. Miraculously, they don't scatter into an impassable wall, or off the table, and land dead on target before opening up with their Death Spinners on the Inquisitor and retinue. They kill all but two!
They then jump back into cover while a Wave Serpent full of Banshees moves through the gates directly in front of the Exoricst.
The rest of the Eldar army advances through the cover of the forest and closes on the walls
In the next Imperial shooting phase, the close ranges start to work in their advantage. The gunlines shake a Falcon and destroy a Vyper, while the Exorcist explodes the Wave Serpent directly in front of it.
The Imperials then launch their assaults. The Cyber-Mastiffs do surprisingly well against the Striking Scorpions, Inquisitor Lord Green disembarks his Rhino and assaults the last Vyper, destroying it, and the Rough Riders wipe out the Howling Banshees on the charge.
However, in the Eldar's turn, the rest of his unit is wiped out by Shuriken fire, and the Inquisitor Lord elects to fall back towards the safety of the city walls, to fight another day,
The Inquisitor runs away again, forcing the Warp Spiders to use their run move to close on him, and buying him another turn to escape into cover.
And the cyber-mastiffs, having finished off the Scorpions, turn their sights on the Dire Avengers.
However, in the fourth turn, despite taking casualites from a hasilty redeployed Guard squad, the last three Warp Spiders finally catch the Inquisitor in combat. They don't kill him, but he fails his break test and flees from the table! Eldar win the game!
2000 pts 
THE EMPRAH! 
Smurfies 5th company 
Joint Biel-Tan Army with Tortoiseer 
