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So this is for a battle in our campaign where one of the IG commanders got smashed by the Eldar. The Eldar got a 18" deployment down the center of the table and the IG got first turn. Unbelievably it went poorly for the IG. Once I get C&C on this and a few others, I'm going to post all the campaign fluff. With no further delay:

Lieutenant Hargan put all his weight on the right foot pedal of his turret controls, fingers hovering over the triggers as he willed the long nose of his Vanquisher tank to swing into line with the delicate Eldar tank. How are they so damn fast? he wondered as sweat poured from his brow, mixing with the actinic fumes in the tank and stinging his eyes.

The Indomitable had already scored 2 kills on the light grav-tanks, all during the opening attack though. They’d had a good plan: heavy armor hit them from the right and then the Veteran Harkoni Rangers in the woods opposite the creek would surprise them as they ran. The issue was their thrice-damned speed. The Eldar grav-tanks slipped the envelopment with ease and their agile troops were among the Rangers before they could begin to lay down their highly disciplined fire. The Rangers never broke of course, but Hargan almost wished they would have…

Another hit rocked the tank's cabin and Hargan heard the Engineseer curse a foul oath. Hargan made the sign of the Mechanicus and prayed to the God-Emperor for a way out of this mess. Just then the Eldar tank made a fatal mistake, a slight rise in the ground bounced the tank a bit and slowed it just enough to sit it right in Hargan’s sights. The trigger pull was automatic and the Eldar tank peeled apart like a ripe gourd.

“Reload!”, Hargan shouted as he checked the auspex, shaking it once to get a signal. Most of the sensitive gear in the turret had been knocked loose during an engagement the past day, the auspex was tied up next to the turret visor – his only reliable way to see in the tank’s current condition. His heart skipped a beat and his stomach turned at what he saw. Nothing… He didn’t see a single Imperial blip left. Frig this, we’re getting the hell out was the next thought as he called out, “Full Reverse!”

The Indomitable’s mighty engine roared in response and the tank began its thunderous retreat through the trees. Hargan tracked the turret left and right as he constantly checked the auspex for what help it could give. The first thing he saw was the last he would have wished for. Three of the huge Eldar walkers came out of the woods, each at least 6 meters tall. He pulled the triggers again and nothing happened. Swearing and near panic he pulled once, twice, and three times before the firing mechanism responded. Smoke filled his view but as it cleared he saw one of the walkers collapsing headless. He gave a mighty whoop but his victory was fatally short lived.

One of the other walkers closed the distance, slowly drawing it's gigantic blade. Spinning its weapon, the walker stabbed its sword through the tank's chassis, trapping it like a bug. The other tore off the turret and flung it through the air. Hargan came to to the sound of a whirring blade. A slender humanoid stood before him, a chainsword in its hand. He looked around forlornly at the ruin of nearly an entire Company and once again cursed the Eldar’s speed. His last thought before the Eldar warrior cut him head to groin was, fething xenos..

I approve of this fluff. Hand over more, please.

Interesting read. <Puts on editor's hat> The second paragraph would read better if the second sentence came first, lay out the strategy, explain why it all unravelled.

I like it! Perhaps the only two things that pedantic me could suggest as a change are:

- "Sign of the Mechanicus" ... Perhaps I'm missing something, but I wasn't aware there was a gesture for the Cult Mechanicus as well? Was this some Black Library author's idea? Either way, you could of course just go with it anyways, but personally I'd regard the Sign of the Aquila as more fitting, also because the tank driver likely doesn't hail from a Forge World himself but was raised with Ecclesiarchy-approved beliefs.

- Perhaps use feet instead of meters? Just to give it that classic "British 40k flair". I'm more used to the metric system as well, but for a story this somehow sounds more ... I dunno, narrative? Just a gut feeling, tho.

yeh man the book Invictus i think it is has heavy use of leman russ crews and.they all make the sign of the mechanacis, i think its like a cog or something haha

and yeh its black library.. of course