Details about the Tournament rules and my army list are
here.
Game 2 had the following objectives:
Primary Objective: Seize Ground (3 objectives)
Secondary Objective: The Relic
My Psychic Powers:
Warlord
SS:
Veil of Tears, Laugh of Sorrows, Peal of Discord
Kiss
SS:
Veil of Tears, Shards of Light, Laugh of Sorrows
Mask solo
SS:
Psychic Shriek, Invisibility, Hallucination
His list:
Space Wolves
Primary Detachment: The Wolf Unleashed
HQ
Wolf Lord on Thunderwolf Mount w/ Armor of Russ, Black Death [warlord: Saga of the Warrior Born]
Bjorn the Fell-Handed w/ a Drop Pod
TROOPS
2x Grey Hunters (10) w/ 2x Plasma Gun, 8x Bolter, Rhino
Blood Claws (15) w/ 2x Flamer, 13x Boltgun w/ Stormwolf
FAST ATTACK
Thunderwolf Cavalry (3) w/ 3x
CCW, 3x Bolter
HEAVY SUPPORT
Long Fangs (5) w/ 4x Lascannon
Long Fangs (5) w/ 4x Missile Launcher
Night Fighting on Turn 1.
He won the right to deploy first. He set up the Lascannon Long Fangs on the right side of the board 12" W from the right board edge and 8" S of the long board edge. The Missile Launcher Long Fangs set up in a ruin 8" E of the left board edge and 10" S of the long board edge. The Wolf Lord w/ Thunderwolf Cav set up behind a building 4" S of the long board edge and down the longitudinal centerline. The Grey Hunter Rhinos set up 12" S of the long board edge between the Thunderwolves and Long Fang units on either side. The Stormwolf w/ Blood Claws went into normal reserve. Bjorn went into
DS reserve w/ the Drop Pod.
My Warlord Trait was a 4++. I deployed the Warlord Troupe w/
SS behind a tower 8" W of the longitudinal centerline and 5" N of my long board edge. The Kiss Troupe w/ DJ set up behind another tower 5" from my long board edge and 15" W of the right board edge. The Starweaver w/ Caress Troupe set up behind a tower that, combined with the Warlord's tower, formed an arch in between, with the Starweaver 6" E of the Warlord Troupe. The Skyweavers set up behind the Warlord Troupe and extending W of the Warlord position. The Voidweavers set up 12" forward and 6" W of the right board edge so they had cover from the right Long Fangs. I infiltrated the Heroes' Path.
The Solitaire set up up against a building corner 13" S of the left Rhino. The solo DJ set up in another building corner 6" W of the Solitaire. The Mask
SS set up in between, up against the same building.
I failed to steal the initiative.
TURN 1
Space Wolves
Bjorn's Drop Pod arrives on target on top of an objective in a ruin 6"
SW of the DJ's position. The right Rhino moves 12" SSE towards an objective. The left Rhino moves 5"
SW to claim the third objective. The Thunderwolves move 10" S from the other side of the tower.
In Shooting, one Skyweaver is destroyed (made morale) by the left Long Fangs and Drop Pod. The right Long Fangs shoot at the Voidweavers and cause one glancing hit. The right Rhino moves Flat Out 6" SE to claim the third objective. Everything else stays put.
No Assaults.
Harlequins
The solo DJ moves 4" NW into a forest to shoot at the left Long Fangs. The Mask
SS moves 6" NNW to get within 12" of the left Long Fangs. The Kiss Troupe moves 6" NNW towards the Rhino. The Starweaver moves 12" E towards where the Kiss Troupe started. The Voidweavers move 12" NNW to get
LoS on the right Long Fangs. The Warlord
SS moves 6" N through the arch to get range on the Thunderwolves. The Skyweavers move 12" W to get
LoS on the Drop Pod.
In the Psychic Phase, I get off
Veil of Tears on the Warlord Troupe. I try to get
Laugh of Sorrows on the Thunderwolves, but fail.
Psychic Shriek fails.
Veil of Tears is made on the Kiss Troupe.
In Shooting, the Kiss DJ shoots at the Rhino but causes no damage. The Voidweavers manage to kill all but one right Long Fang (makes Morale). The solo DJ fails to wound any of the left Long Fangs thanks to 2+ cover. The Mask
SS tries to pin the unit with the Grenade Launcher but he makes Morale despite the -2
Ld. The Skyweavers fail to do anything to Bjorn or the Drop Pod, again thanks to 3+ cover saves in a ruin. The Starweaver moves Flat Out 12" behind the building where the Kiss Troupe started.
In Assault, the Kiss Troupe makes the charge against the Rhino and wrecks it for First Blood. The Grey Hunters set up just outside it to get plenty of shots on the Kiss Troupe next turn. The Skyweavers Assault move 6" E, away from the Drop Pod.
TURN 2
Space Wolves
The Stormwolf arrives from reserve, landing 24" S of the right Long Fang position, on the right side of the wrecked Rhino. The Thunderwolves move 12" SE towards the Kiss Troupe. Bjorn moves 3" NE out of the ruin and towards the solo DJ. The left Rhino moves 12" W to get
LoS on the Mask
SS on the left side of the building.
In Shooting, the last right Long Fang and Stormwolf manage to destroy 2 Voidweavers. Bjorn fails to wound the solo DJ. The left Long Fangs kill the solo DJ. The Rhino gun actually kills the Mask
SS thanks to horrible cover save rolls. The Grey Hunters unload into the Kiss Troupe, reducing them to the Troupe Master, DJ and three Players (made Morale).
In Assault, the Thunderwolves charge the Kiss Troupe. The Wolf Lord declares a challenge and the DJ accepts. One Thunderwolf dies and another takes a wound. The Wolf Lord and rest of the unit kills off the Kiss Troupe. They consolidate 4" NNW.
Harlequins
The Solitaire moves 12" E towards the Thunderwolves. The Warlord Troupe moves 6" NNE through the arch towards the Thunderwolves. The Starweaver moves 6" NW towards the Thunderwolves, with the Caress Troupe disembarking 6" towards them so they're 6" away. The Skyweavers move 12" NNE towards the exposed Grey Hunters. The last Voidweaver moves 12" to get
LoS on the Grey Hunters.
In the Psychic Phase, all attempts to cast failed.
In Shooting, the Voidweavers shoot the S5 AP3 blast at the Grey Hunters. He makes all but one cover save. The Skyweavers shoot the Haywire Cannons at the Grey Hunters. Only one dies. The Caress Troupe shoots Neuro-disruptors to reduce the unit to the Wolf Lord and one Thunderwolf. The Warlord Troupe runs to get closer to the Wolf Lord.
In Assault, the Solitaire, Caress Troupe and Embrace Troupe all charge the Wolf Lord unit. The Wolf Lord declares a challenge and the Solitaire accepts. The unit is wiped out before the Thunderwolf unit can counter-attack. The Caress Troupe consolidates 4" E towards the S side of the wrecked Rhino. The Warlord Troupe consolidates 3" NW. The Solitaire consolidates 1" NW.
TURN 3
Space Wolves
In Movement, Bjorn moves 6" N towards the objective near the left Rhino. The left Rhino moves 12" E to reclaim that objective. The Grey Hunters move 6" WNW to get away from the Troupes S of their position. The Stormwolf hovers and discharges its Blood Claw cargo, who show up 6" S and 4" E of the Caress Troupe.
In Shooting, the Stormwolf destroys the last Voidweaver. The Blood Claws reduce the Caress Troupe to two models: the Troupe Master and one Player. The left Long Fangs and Grey Hunters destroy the Warlord Troupe. Bjorn runs 4" NE towards the objective there.
In Assault, the Blood Claws go after the Caress Troupe. Three die before the Blood Claws wipe out the unit and consolidate 3" WNW to reclaim that objective.
Harlequins
In Movement, the Solitaire moves 12" to wind up 1" E of the Grey Hunters. The Skyweavers move 12" towards the Grey Hunters. The Starweaver moves 12" to the front of the arch where the Warlord Troupe started.
In Shooting, the Skyweavers use the Star Bolas and Haywire Cannons to reduce the Grey Hunters to 4 models. The Starweaver kills 1 Blood Claw.
In Assault, the Skyweavers Assault move 12"
SW. The Solitaire charges the Grey Hunters, reducing them to one model.
TURN 4
Space Wolves
The Grey Hunters disembark from the left Rhino and moves 6" SE to get
LoS on the Skyweavers. The Rhino moves 12" SE towards the Relic. The Stormwolf moves 12" SSW to and faces the Starweaver W of its position. Bjorn moves 6" E to claim the upper left objective.
In Shooting, the Skyweavers are destroyed by the left Grey Hunters and left Long Fangs. The Stormwolf destroys the Starweaver.
In Assault, the Solitaire finishes off the right Grey Hunters and consolidates 6"
SW towards the Relic.
Harlequins
The Solitaire declares his Blitz move and moves 10" SSE towards the Blood Claws (yes, I rolled a 10 on
4d6...).
In Shooting, he fails to kill a Blood Claw.
In Assault, he charges the Blood Claws, taking no wounds on the way in. He kills 5 Blood Claws and takes no wounds. Unit stays in combat.
TURN 5
Space Wolves
The Grey Hunters get back into the Rhino, which moves 6" SE towards the Relic. Everything else stays where it is.
No Shooting.
In Assault, the Solitaire kills 3 more. The Blood Claws, reduced to 4, cause two wounds on the Solitaire. The Blood Claws make Morale. The Solitaire Hit & Runs 13" W towards the Relic.
Harlequins
The Solitaire moves 3" to claim the Relic.
He Shoots his Haywire Grenade at the Rhino 2" away, glancing it.
He charges it 2" (less than 6" total movement) and wrecks it, causing the unit inside to disembark (fails Pinning check).
Game continues.
TURN 6
Space Wolves
Everything circles to kill the Solitaire. Amazingly, he makes every save.
Harlequins
The Solitaire moves 6" ESE to get away from everything. He takes a pot shot with the Haywire Grenade at the Blood Claws but doesn't do anything.
Sadly, the game continues.
TURN 7
Space Wolves
Shooting finishes off the Solitaire.
Game Over.
SCORING
9-2, Space Wolves. I get First Blood and Slay the Warlord.
CONCLUSIONS
Horrible, horrible game. Writing this up I realize several tactical errors I made, namely to leave the left side of the board alone to focus on the Thunderwolf Cav. In truth, that unit wasn't a threat to me. I should've left the Solitaire out of it and had him go after the left Rhino, Drop Pod and Bjorn to clean up that side of the board. I admittedly didn't notice there was a unit of 15 Blood Claws in the Stormwolf, either. Not paying attention to the list I was given.
Despite all the errors I made, had the game ended on Turn 6, I would've earned a draw: He would get 4VP for Primary Objective and 1VP for Slay the Warlord. I would get 3VP for Secondary Objective, 1VP for First Blood and 1VP for Slay the Warlord. Sadly, I couldn't get that one roll to go my way.
Speaking of rolls, my dice SUCKED. My opponent called it out, too. Not much you can do about that. Still, that I was in the game with just the Solitaire left (fitting that he's the last one, huh?) demonstrates something positive. I really do need to understand tactics better in a tournament setting. I kept feeling rushed, but we were able to easily finish the game in 2.5 hours. I need to trust the potency of the Troupes in close combat and not overcommit to the destruction of one unit like I did with the Solitaire and two Troupes. In truth, the Solitaire didn't even attack that turn. He was reduced to I5 thanks to the Armor of Russ, so everything was dead before he got a chance to go.
The game also demonstrates how important it is to get off
Veil of Tears. Had I gotten it off on the Warlord Troupe before they destroyed the Wolf Lord unit, they wouldn't have been utterly destroyed by shooting like they were.
