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Hi All,

After winning Call to Arms, I found myself with an invite to the very first NZ 40k Masters.
I promptly invited myself to to crash at Charlie's [Proximity] place.

After over 90 games with the pointy eared space elves, I feel i have worked out both their style of war and a useful build at 1500pts.

ELDAR 1- Dave Lewy

Avatar (1#, 155 Pts)

Striking Scorpions (8#, 180 Pts) - Exarch with Shadowstrike; Stalker; Scorpion Claw (SClaw);
Fire Dragons (5#, 80 Pts)

Dire Avengers (10#, 162 Pts) - Exarch with Defend; Power Weapon; Shimmershield
Dire Avengers (10#, 152 Pts) - Exarch with Bladestorm; 2 Avenger SC
Dire Avengers (10#, 262 Pts) - Exarch with Bladestorm; 2 Avenger SC; Wave Serpent with Spirit Stone; TL Shuriken Catapult; TL Shuriken Cannons
Pathfinders (Rangers) (5#, 120 Pts)
Guardian Squad (10#, 95 Pts) - Scatter Laser Weapon Platform @ [15] Pts

War Walker Squadron (2#, 100 Pts) - 2x Shuriken Cannon & Scatter Laser
Falcon (1#, 190 Pts) - Holo-Field; Spirit Stone; Missile Launcher; Shuriken Cannon; Pulse Laser

This was described by the TO as Dire Avenger Spam. :-)

Flying down friday night, my host told me disturbing stories of wheelchair-bound mothers, futons, incest and the Northern Territory of Australia.
I thought he was taking his metagame a bit too far but humoured him all the same.

Saturday morning we arrived and met the others, with only ten invitees and six rounds we got to play all but three opponents. In addition the level of sportsmanship was outstanding with everyone recieving full marks.

On that happy note;

Round 1 - Will Wijnveld

Chaos Terminator Lord (1#, 145 Pts) - Daemon Weapon; Terminator Armour
Summoned Greater Daemon (1#, 100 Pts)

Thousand Sons (8#, 251 Pts) - Aspiring Sorceror with Force Weapon; Wind of Chaos;
Chaos Space Marines (10#, 245 Pts) - Meltagun (x2); Chaos Glory; Aspiring Champion with Power Weapon; Rhino
Chaos Space Marines (10#, 255 Pts) - Meltagun (x2); Chaos Glory; Aspiring Champion with Power Fist; Rhino
Summoned Lesser Daemon (10#, 130 Pts)

Land Raider (1#, 220 Pts)
Obliterators (2#, 150 Pts)

Mission - Annihilation
Deployment - Pitched Battle

Will's list had me worried, Land Raiders are tough to deal with.

The terrain was a mix of buildings and craters, Will deployed in his centre, Land Raider in front, Rhinos hiding behind.
I deployed my all my army on the right flank, looking out over the terrain free route I thought he would take. My Pathfinders infiltrated to the top of a four storey building to snipe down on the Oblits.

Will's first turn; the raider and rhinos rush forward. The Oblits can see nothing but the Pathfinders. Firing two Plasma Cannons they inflict 5 wounds. I fail four 2+ cover saves. Wow, great start to this tournament.

In my turn little happens, the War Walkers stun a rhino. The Falcon moves up, with the Fire Dragons hopping out. This is where I made an error. I went a turn too soon; the distance was just too long to get within 6' with the Meltaguns. All five shots bounce off.

The raider screams 12" forward; it is now in the middle of the board protected by Smoke. The Terminator lord jumps out, charges and eats the Fire Dragons. Oddly, the marines inside the stunned rhino stay where they are. This combined with the poor terrain checks the Obliterators are making mean I only have the LR and Rhino to worry about.

I have now lost my best unit for dealing with the LR. So it is up to the Falcon and the Avatar. The Falcons' Pulse Laser misses both shots and the Avatar's Wailing Doom manages to get a pen. But Will 4+'s it away. With nothing left to lose, the Avatar charges the LR. 5 attacks, two 6's to hit, two pen. - Destroyed.

Lucky!

Start of Will's Turn 3 both the Greater Daemon and Lesser Daemons arrive. The Thousand Sons Sorceror uses wind of Chaos on the Scorpions. Mutating 5, then the Inferno Bolts finish the remnants off. With nothing within charge range, the daemons are stuck. Both rhino units now disembark and take potshots.

About this time, I remember the mission and start to go for kill points. There is no way I want either the terminator lord or either of the Daemons to charge Dire Avengers, so everything backpedals. Two DA units Bladestorm the wipe out most of a marine unit.
The defend DA do what they do best and tie up the Thousand Sons in combat. The Avatar charges the lesser Daemons and over four combat phases whittles them down. The remainder of the army put down the Greater Daemon stuck in no mans land. The Falcon kills a rhino.

Will has very little left to move, the terminator lord charges the Falcon and promptly rolls a one on his daemon weapon. In the Thousand Son combat, I kill a couple, he kills a couple.
The Walkers open up on the poor Lord, who takes 10 wounds, and fails two 2+ saves.
The Dire Avengers then wipe out the last of the Thousand Sons.

It was about this time Will graciously conceded.

Win - 15pts

Round 2 - Jack Dunn

Big Mek (1#, 88 Pts) - Choppa; Kustom Force Field; Stikkbombs; Ammo Runt; Mek's Tools
Big Mek (1#, 85 Pts) - Choppa; Kustom Force Field; Stikkbombs; Mek's Tools

Boyz (30#, 250 Pts) - Choppa & Slugga; Rokkit Launcha (x3); Nob with Power Klaw; Slugga; Bosspole
Boyz (30#, 250 Pts) - Choppa & Slugga; Rokkit Launcha (x3); Nob with Power Klaw; Slugga; Bosspole
Boyz (20#, 160 Pts) - Choppa & Slugga; Nob with Power Klaw; Slugga; Bosspole
Boyz (20#, 160 Pts) - Choppa & Slugga; Nob with Power Klaw; Slugga; Bosspole
Boyz (20#, 160 Pts) - Choppa & Slugga; Nob with Power Klaw; Slugga; Bosspole
Gretchin (13#, 46 Pts) - Runtherd with Grabba Stikk (x1); Slugga; Squig Hound

Killer Kans (3#, 150 Pts) - Rokkit Launcha (x3)
Killer Kans (3#, 150 Pts) - Rokkit Launcha (x3)

Mission - Seize Ground
Deployment - Spearhead

This list I was totally sure was to win every game and to win the tourney.

We had five objectives spread out, there was one in Jacks quarter, one centrally placed, one in the top right corner and two in my home quarter.

I won deployment and chose the quarter with the clearest approaches. I had a brainwave before the game and decided to mount up the scorpions in the wave serpent. The Pathfinders were in ruins on the right next to an objective. The guardians were nearby. War walkers were central, Three units of Dire Avengers we on the left with the Serpent and Falcon out in front.

Jacks army deployment was two 'wings' ; 3 killa Kans in front, 60 orks behind, KFF Mek in centre. They would be funneled around a central ruin.

I could have made jack deploy first, but rationalized I need the extra round of shooting more than the possible last minute grab.

My first turn was pretty simple, the scorpions mounted up and anything with strength 6 or more shot at the killa Kans.
I had decided these needed to go if I was to have a chance. I was extremely impressed with my Eldar. They caused 5 Penetrating Hits and 2 Glancing Hits.

Jack fails a single 4+ cover save. This was on a Glancing which shook a Kan.

I will be honest, Jacks first 4 turns were all the same, move forward, fire the units w. rokkits, miss and run w. units without rokkits.

I found his lack of shooting his only weakness, it allowed me to act with impunity, never worrying about losing units or shaken tanks. I would hate to have to face this kind of army with any kind of shooting. Lootas would make this list off the chart.

I moved the Serpent 24" behind his advancing horde. I had no intention of using this to contest his home objective, but needed him to split his army. He obliged with one Ork unit breaking off and RTB. I managed to knock one Kan from each unit this turn.

Jacks turn - see above [the orks did however charge the serpent and destroy the Shuriken Cannons.]

Turn three was when I had to make my move. The Fire Dragons jumped out, fragged a Kan, and immobilized the second. They then charged and meltabombed the last one. The resulting explosion nailed two of them.

The Avatar was on a mission to tie up a unit of thirty boyz. He did so. After cleaving apart 4 boyz with his Wailing Doom he took three wounds, one of which he failed. Three more boyz died to combat res. [Truly Orks are the VC of the 40k Universe]

All three DA units opened up on a 20 man and cleaned them up pretty well.
The Scorpions shot and charged a 20 man, after reducing it to 12 models, five scorpions died. Jack lost 3 three more to combat res.

Overall a pretty reasonable turn. However I still had about 80 Orks left to go!!

Jack shot down the last of the Fire Dragons with the Gretchin! Funny.


In the scorpion combat I killed of 3 more orks and was wiped out. The Avatar also chopped apart three orks. On the return, with less attacks Jack cause the same three wounds.

I failed all three saves.

This 30 Ork mob was now 20 orks. I bladestormed both units, but the stupid KFF kept the worst of the shuriken death out. The last 7 charged and wiped the floor with a Dire Avenger unit.

Meanwhile the Guardians surrendered the top right objective to a mob of thirty, fleeing back to their lines.

The War Walkers killed the second-to-last Kan, but couldn't get the final one. The next 20 man was charged by the war walkers. Jack surrounded the walkers on the counter charge. The Klaw killed one, with the last holding on.

The Defend DA move+fleet+charged the Gretchin and wiped the T2 buggers off their objective. However a poor massacre roll meant that the last Kan charged them, with my 6" counterattack taking me off the objective the Gretchin had been holding.

The last 9 of the scorpion unit; charged and immobilized the serpent which in the meanwhile had taxied a DA unit to jack's quarter.

As it stood, I had one objective held by the pathfinders.

Jack had one held by an untouched 30 mob [the top right guardian objective]

I had previously had the Gretchin/central obj. but lost it during the Kan charge

The second home objective was now lost to daisy chained orks.

Jacks' home objective was also out of my reach in turn 5 due to the immobilization of the serpent.

So in my turn five I went for a Hail Mary. The Falcon booted 24" in order to contest, This would give me the draw on objective count and it would go to VP. Of Course, I rolled a '1' and immobilized myself.

The game then ended turn 5.

All in all it was the hardest list I have ever played and the hardest game I have played.

I had to really draw on all my past experience with Eldar.

In the end if Jack had failed a few more cover saves on the Kans, I had rolled average for the Avatar's saves or if the Falcon had not immobilized it might have been mine.

Loss - 1pt

Round 3 - Peter Rundlett

Inquisitor Lord with Retinue (5#, 148 Pts) - Lord with Psychic Hood; Familiar; Heavy Bolter Gun Servitor (x3)

Assassin Operative (1#, 95 Pts) - Eversor Assassin;

Inquisitorial Stormtroopers (10#, 120 Pts) - Plasmagun (x2);
Inquisitorial Stormtroopers (10#, 120 Pts) - Plasmagun (x2);

Orbital Strike (1#, 80 Pts) - Melta Torpedo

Allies:
Tactical Squad (10#, 270 Pts) - Plasmagun (x1); Lascannon (x1); Sergeant with Power Fist; Combi-Plasmagun; Rhino with Extra Armor
Tactical Squad (10#, 265 Pts) - Meltagun (x1); Missile Launcher (x1); Sergeant with Power Fist; Combi-Meltagun; Rhino

Land Speeder Squadron (1#, 65 Pts) - Multi-Melta
Land Speeder Squadron (1#, 95 Pts) - Multi-Melta; Assault Cannon
Land Speeder Squadron (1#, 50 Pts) - Heavy Bolter

Dreadnought (1#, 105 Pts)

Daemonhunter Inquisitor and Retinue (3#, 77 Pts) - Inquisitor with Psycannon; Emperor's Tarot; Mystic (x2)

Mission – Capture and Control
Deployment – Dawn of War


Pete is a great guy to play; this was my fourth time facing him.

I honestly don’t know what the hell I was doing during this game; I remember only portions of it and must have seemed distant. I guess I was so knackered after the heavy duty thinking in the previous game.

I think my plan was to play for a draw. I did a huge amount of stupid things, this plan being one of them.
My Objective was set up in a crater near my board edge; Pete’s was in the second story of a four story building.

A Tactical Marine unit+rhino and Inq Lord were deployed. The Tac Marines split using combat squads, the lascannon half on his objective, the powerfist half in rhino pushing up. This ate up a lot of my deployment space due to pushback. The Avatar went down a far up as poss. With guardians and pathfinders on my objective.

Pete took first turn, bringing everything barr the eversor on. He then rolled double six for the Inquisitor lord’s night fight. The poor Avatar took 5 wounds and failed 3 Armour saves. The Rhino squad then failed to capitalize, muffing their four plasma shots, killing a marine and failing to wound.

The balance of my army arrived, except for the Scorpions and War Walkers. The Avatar charged and wiped out the Rhino marines, then got shot down by the Inq next turn. I killed a single Speeder.

Pete’s orbital strike arrived; it managed to clip a DA. More shooting.

The Walkers arrive, kill a single heavy bolter servitor, and die to return shots. I had moment of lucidity and moved the guardians away from the board edge.

Eversor arrives on the right board edge; with no one within 18” he is stuck.

The Scorpions appear behind the Eversor, I plan to charge him but the shuriken pistols do the jorb.
Meanwhile Pete’s next melta torp does me a favour, scattering a full 12” directly onto his empty rhino. Beautiful.

I nail another Landspeeder.
I then decide a unit of DA should go for a run, outside cover, in front of heavy bolters. Again, not the best plan.

The Guardians fire their scatter laser at the Inq Lord. Pete saves a wound a HB servitor, then fails on his inquisitor lord causing instant death.

The game was winding down; we each had killed barely anything so it looks like a draw...

The Falcon and Serpent boost 24” to Pete’s side. The Serpent is immobilized, falcon is shaken.

Looking at Pete’s objective, I realize I have to enter terrain to get within 3” [due to height of flying stand and height of building.]

Of course I have to move flat out and of course I roll a ‘One’ on the terrain check.

That is pretty much game. I have lost my only unit in range to contest, plus my most expensive unit.

It was then that the TO came wandering by. He had come over to let us know that objectives should be treated as vertical ‘columns’ This was to avoid placing objectives on top of huge buildings and gaining 12” of extra distance away from the enemy.

Pete and I discuss this; he graciously allows my Falcon to stop outside the terrain, now within 3” of the ‘column’

This is the bottom of turn 5. We roll a 3+ and have turn six.

Pete’s entire army opens up on the falcon. I survive a lascannon, two Meltaguns, two krak grenades The 4+ Coversave helps, but I still lose the pulse laser, EML and get shaken a bunch.

Not much happens in my turn, the scorpions charge the elite inq and butcher him.
Game ends

I took a miracle win from this, I played like a muppet. No coherent plan, nor was there a sembalance of Eldar synergy.

Lucky.

Win – 13pts

Round 4 - Adam Watson

Chaos Sorceror (1#, 145 Pts) - Bolt Pistol (x1); Force Weapon (x1); Lash of Submission; Wings; Mark of Slaanesh
Summoned Greater Daemon (1#, 100 Pts)

Chaos Space Marines (10#, 245 Pts) - Flamer (x2); Icon of Slaanesh; Mark of Slaanesh; Aspiring Champion with Power Weapon; Rhino
Chaos Space Marines (10#, 255 Pts) - Meltagun (x2); Icon of Slaanesh: Aspiring Champion with Power Weapon; Rhino
Noise Marines (10#, 325 Pts) - Sonic Blaster (x9); Noise Champion with Power Weapon; Doom Siren; Rhino

Raptors (10#, 280 Pts) - Meltagun (x2); Icon of Slaanesh; Mark of Slaanesh; Aspiring Champion with Lightning Claws (pair);

Obliterators (2#, 150 Pts)

Mission – Annihilation
Deployment – Spearhead


Adam defeated Jack’s Orks round 3 so I had to give him kudos. He is a thoroughly tactical player.

I will be the first to admit, I had ALOT of help with this game.

- I had played and lost to this list last round at Fields of Blood [Lost the Avatar in spectacular fashion to a Force Weapon]
- The TO gave out the draw after round 3 so I had all evening to think about tactics.
- Adam and the Christchurch Crew were half an hour late on Sunday, so with nothing to do but wait; I had the chance to peruse our table. I ranked the quarters in terms of which would be best for the Eldar.
- Spearhead is Eldar’s Fav
- There is a lack of long range firepower in Adam’s army, so he has to come to me for KP.
- Rhinos are not only my priority target, but in Annihilation they are easy KP.

Adam arrived, we said our good mornings and got started.
I won the roll off for deployment and took my #1 quarter and deployed everything.
Adam squished his rhinos up as close a possible to the centre.

My turn one saw the scorpions load up into the serpent and rest of the army unloading on the Obliterators. I managed to inflict a single wound.

Adams move was predicable, zoom forwards and pop smoke. He tried to lash the Avatar, bt rolled eleven.

In my turn, I backed up a touch to ensure no possible Greater Daemon charges.

The Falcon’s Pulse Laser stylishly cleaned up the Obliterators. The Walkers immobilized the rhino sitting in the centre of the table.

The GD of course turned up too early. He was summoned off the centre rhino squad whom then disembarked.

Everything moved up, There was no shooting, just lash on the Avatar again, which resulted in a twelve and a wound on the Sorceror.


I moved everything around to good fire positions. All the DA, guardians, Serpent, and Falcon opened up on the first CSM squad, reducing them to two members.
The War Walkers and Pathfinders combined to chip two wounds off the Greater Daemon.

The Avatar fired his Meltagun at the second CSM squad, in an act of awesomeness he penetrating sixed it. This forced the unit to disembark in the space previously occupied by the rhino, well within assault range of the Avatar.
The Wailing doom cleaved four csm apart; the squad broke and was cut down. The Avatar then massacred 5” back to where he started the turn.

It was looking pretty dire for Adam, I had the linebackers of the Falcon, Serpent and Avatar blocking for the squishy Eldar foot troops behind.
This was the bottom of turn three and I had not yet lost a single model.
Plus I had picked up three KP.

The last two CSM retreated, the Raptors set up for a charge versus the Avatar. I was a bit worried as the same Sorceror whom had pwned the avatar last game was limbering up.
The Noise marines disembarked and opened up on the Avatar causing three wounds, one failed save.

The Sorceror did not use his lash and charged in. The Greater Daemon also went in. Due to MoS he was simultaneous with the Avatar, four attacks, one hit, one six to wound.

I knew there was no way this could happen two games in a row!

Rolled my 4+ Invulnerable save, One.

That’s one dead god of war.

The Avatar took another wound off the Sorceror as he died.

The Raptors massacred one inch [too busy patting the Sorceror on the back I’d rekon]
The Daemon went a bit further and was trying to screen the Raptors.

My 4, This was the turn I committed, the scorpions jumped out and Adam raised a good point.

I tried to disembark, then move my serpent, then move the Scorpions.
Adam said that the disembark and move goes together, we consulted rulebook and the TO.

As disembarking counts as moving, you have to use your movement then or lose it.
TBH it didn’t change much, just thought it was interesting.

The War Walkers inflicted four wounds, one fail, the Daemon goes down to the Serpent’s Twin Shuricannon.

The Pathfinders couldn’t see the raptors from the top story of the building they were on so simply potshotted at the last two CSM cowering behind their rhino. Killed one, Adam passed his Pinning test, but failed the morale.

This left 2x DA, Scorpions, Guardians, Fire Dragons + Falcon into the Raptors. This killed ‘em all. Leaving the Sorceror standing by himself on one wound.
I had one DA unit left and was tossing up whether to Bladestorm or not.
On one had he was about to take a scorpion charge, so didn’t need it.
On the other, I could see his initiative six eating a lot of scorpions.

So I bladestormed. Causing 13 wounds!
Adam rolled all his 3+ saves…and made 12! Wow.

It was then I realized my mistake, the Scorpions were in range of the noise marines.

The Noise Marines, shot down four, charged and killed three. I then had to take eleven saves on the Exarch.

And made all eleven!

I was so excited until I realized that I now had stopped my entire army from shooting the last threat.

The Defend DA charged in with another DA unit to tie up that combat. Couple of rounds we each chip away at each other.
I clean up the last two Rhinos to seal the deal and the game ends with two Noise marines left.

Those last two were worth 2 bonus points, Damm.

Win - 12pts

awesome report. very informative

Round 5 - Bruce Manning

Summoned Greater Daemon (1#, 100 Pts)
Daemon Prince (1#, 155 Pts) - Mark of Nurgle; Warptime

Plague Marines (7#, 211 Pts) - Plasmagun (x2); Plague Champion with Melta Bombs;
Plague Marines (7#, 226 Pts) - Flamer (x2); Plague Champion with Melta Bombs; Rhino
Plague Marines (8#, 221 Pts) - Meltagun (x2); Rhino

Terminators (7#, 285 Pts) - Chain Fist (x1); Combi-flamer (x1); Heavy Flamer (x1); Icon of Nurgle; Mark of Nurgle; Terminator Champion

Obliterators (2#, 150 Pts)
Obliterators (2#, 150 Pts)

Mission – Seize Ground
Deployment – Dawn of War

Before this weekend, I had never actually met Bruce before despite him winning the NZ Grand Tournament this year with the above army.

Bruce had not played versus much Eldar, so I ran through my army.
We rolled up three objectives; these were all placed along the middle of the board, one centre and one to the left and right.
I won the deployment and went first, placing down the Defend DA on the left. These were in a picket line in order to push back as much as possible. The Pathfinders were deployed in a building overlooking the left and centre objective, with about a turn’s worth of movement to get onto the latter.

The Avatar was deployed between these two groups.

Bruce placed a single unit of Plague Marines and the Prince on the left as far forward as he could. The Plasma Plague Marines were deployed on a building, just shy of the right objective.

My initial plan was to hold the centre, look as though I was going for the right objective. I had hoped to draw out the Death Guard to the right and then shift everything to left and apply overwhelming force.

I had both the Scorpions and War Walkers outflank.

In my turn one everything moved on, I brought a single unit of DA in on the centre-left. Everything else on the right. The Avatar dithered around.
The Defend DA moved up towards the Plague Marines. Shot and brought down one.

Bruce brought on the 2 units of Obliterators on the right, the rhinos and last Plague Marine unit arrived on the left.

Nightfight limited shooting to the Defend DA taking a couple of casualties.

Deciding this was a losing proposition, the Defend DA hoofed it back towards the Avatar.
I knew 7 x Toughness 5 Terminator could be arriving anywhere next turn so the Avatar moved back towards the centre, to support all three units there.

On the right the War Walkers arrived.

I deployed the Fire Dragons and the third unit of Dire Avengers in range of the Plasma Plague Marines.
They opened up, combining fire with the Walkers, Falcon, Serpent & Guardians. This torrent managed to see off six, leaving the Asp. Champ on his lonesome.

In Bruce’s Turn two the Terminators stay aboard their cozy strike cruiser. Meanwhile the Asp. Champ, upon seeing his squad decimated calls to grandfather Nurgle. For his trouble he is possessed by a Greater Daemon. [Bruce was using the FW model, wow]

Bruce pushes up on the left, I retreat some more. The GD is not in range to assault so runs behind a building.

The Scorpions arrive on the right. They run towards the Obliterators. It takes them three turns to catch them.

Again, my forces on the right flank open up. This time the GD suffers their attention. The Pathfinders also contribute and the beast is slain!

My initial plan goes out the window after the luck on the right flank. I now decide to leave the Guardians in charge of the right objective, hold the centre and make Bruce come to me.

The Terminators arrive. I believe Bruce was too conservative with them. He does not Deep Strike behind me, or in range of the centre or right. He places them on the extreme left in support of the rhino squads and Prince.

The Terminators reduce the Defend DA down to two models, who then cower behind a building.
2 Obliterator Multimeltas destroy the Serpent, the DA inside hop out next to the right objective.

In my turn four, I advance the Avatar towards the Terminators. IIRC his Meltagun aces a rhino.

The Falcon’s Pulse Laser knocks a wound off the Prince from extreme range.

Then the Pathfinders, like a petulant child sick of being ignored, open up on the Prince.

5 Hits, all Fives and Sixes for AP 1 – Four Wounds. Three Failed Invulnerables. Dead Prince.

Bruce shoots and charges the Avatar with the Terminators. The surviving Rhino barrels towards the centre objective.
The Avatar strikes first and bitchslaps four termies. They do a wound in reply.

My five, I move the Dire avengers onto the Centre, the Falcon boosts 24” to lineback for them. The Scorpions catch up with one unit of Oblits, while the Fire Dragons do the other.

The Avatar slows down and only kills one Terminator. He then suffers another wound.

A unit of Six Plague Marines with Flamers jumps from their rhino, roasting a couple of DA.

The Plague Marines on the left objective, daisy chain out in order to get their meltas in range; they do and down the Falcon.

The Avatar combat continues.

My six, The Pathfinders AP 1 three times and bring down two plague marines, The DA kill another.
The Avatar finishes off the Terminators.

Game Ends.

I had one objective and was contesting the other two.

Bruce was a legend to play against, a genuinely nice guy with a sunny personality.

Win - 14pts

Thank you for your great report.

I'm amazed how people manage to remember the details they do.

Nice!! can't wait for the final round and results!

Can I ask you.. In last fight.. The Avatar were that lucky on rolls? Suffers no wound from shooting and give 4 kills from 4 attacks being charged? And termies quite unlucky

Thanks for reports.. Good reading

Round 6 – Mark Buttle

Belial, Master of the Deathwing (1#, 130 Pts) - Lightning Claws (pair)
Interrogator-Chaplain (1#, 150 Pts) - Terminator Armour; Combi-Flamer;

Belial's Deathwing Terminator Squad (5#, 240 Pts) - Lightning Claws (pair) (x3); Sergeant with Lightning Claws (pair); Deathwing Company Banner
Deathwing Terminator Squad (5#, 235 Pts) - Lightning Claws (pair) (x1); Cyclone Missile Launcher
Deathwing Terminator Squad (5#, 235 Pts) - Lightning Claws (pair) (x1); Cyclone Missile Launcher
Deathwing Terminator Squad (5#, 245 Pts) - Lightning Claws (pair) (x1); Assault Cannon

Land Raider Crusader (1#, 265 Pts) - Extra Armor;

Mission – Capture and Control
Deployment – Pitched Battle

This mission had a twist, there was a third objective added, dead centre of the table.

Mark and I were both doing well, he had a loss or two more than I, but was caning it due to comp.
We have only played each other once before, a draw. But I think we each learned valuable lessons, I need to stop the Land Raider ASAP and Mark knew the Avatar is the lynchpin of my army.

The Table was a scattering of craters dispersed around large city ruins. Iirc Mark won the deployment and made me choose. I castled around my objective on the right hand side. Mark Deployed his objective opposite mine.

I was not sure how much was going to deepstrike, so I spaced out my infantry to ensure it would be a large risk to arrive behind my Eldar.
The Pathfinders took position in a building next to the objective. Two Dire Avenger units were on the left in craters, supported by the Serpent and Scorpions. The Falcon was pushed up on the extreme right, Fire Dragons safely on board. The Guardians were picket lined in front of the Avatar.

Mark had one cyclone unit centre, to make a break for the centre. The Second was on his home objective. The Assault Cannon unit was Deep Striking. Finally Belial’s unit was in the Land Raider.

I took first turn after Mark failed to seize the initiative.
The Scorpions loaded up, the DA moved forward. The Guardians took up residence in a crater, still holding hands in their picket. The Falcon Crept forward to hide behind a building.
My shooting was okay, Mark’s armour Saves were not. 3 Terminators from the centre unit were pole axed. Soft dismissals.

After losing 60% of this unit, Mark decided he needed help, so the Assault Cannon unit deep struck in, behind the Serpent. The Land Raider moved up 6” and opened up on the Guardians. After going to ground I lost 3.

The Cyclone unit killed 4 from the Defend DA unit, but they passed their test.

I saw Mark had given me an opportunity to destroy the land raider. The Falcon flew 12”, spun around and the Dragons disembarked within 6”

The Scorpions also jumped out. They combined fire with the two other DA units, then charged the AC unit, wiping them out. Meanwhile the Serpent and Pathfinders picked off the last two members of the Cyclone unit.
This gave my complete control of the central objective.

The Fire Dragons did as well as I have come to expect. Only achieving two hits, but the result was an immobilization which was enough.

Mark was now on the backfoot, so he got aggressive. Belial and his angry mates pulped the Dragons and swept closer to my poor guardians.

Everything in my army opened up on the Death Star unit, trying thin them out. Some spectacular saves were made, only three lightning claw Terminators falling.

With no choice the Avatar charged in and inflicted two wounds on Belial. Taking two in reply.

This combat continued, eventually the Avatar dropped, leaving Belial on one wound, chaplain on one and one Terminator with the Banner.

Meanwhile the Eldar were preoccupied with the second Cyclone unit advancing. This unit took apart the War Walkers before they were whittled down and eventually destroyed.

All my units then did their best to move out of LOS to the Land Raider.

I threw the Defend DA into the Chaplain and his mate but it bounced off after killing the chaplain.

Mark now had one mobile warrior and one immobilized.

The last terminator charged a DA unit, doing his best to commit honorable seppuku he airballed with his Thunderhammer but still managed to pass 3 armour saves.

It was getting pretty late in the game, so I thought I might try actually hold an objective. The Pathfinders, moved across and down to capture my home objective.

The Terminator passed another 3 saves and pulped 2 DA, whom held.

Mark’s Last turn saw another 2 saves passed and 2 more DA downed, but again they held.

The dice came up a two for random game length.
I had one objective to none.

Win - 13pts

So I managed to pip Jack Dunn by about a Point to take First Place, with Mark Buttle taking second [and worst sports – thanks Charlie]

I would like to thank Pete Dunn, the TO for the massive amount of organization that went into this.
Gosford Gamers for maintaining the NZ tourney rankings.
Charlie St. Clair for putting me up for the weekend
And all the Masters that were there, you are an awesome bunch, it was great to meet and play across from you.

I look forward to defending my title next year.

Dave

Wow, an impressive array of powerful lists. I haven't played vs. Plaguemarines since starting Eldar, but they were part of the reason I did.

Congratulations.

Arctik_Firangi wrote:Wow, an impressive array of powerful lists. I haven't played vs. Plaguemarines since starting Eldar, but they were part of the reason I did.

Congratulations.

Thanks Mate,
it was tough going.