Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Usual Tuesday night means time with the not so tactical genius, Poddy. Poddy is getting into the realms of a real man's game and now playing 1,500 points. He still has 500 to go to make it to the big boys leagues.

I was going to play CSM tonight, but decided I am loving my Daemons so much, that I should give them a whirl.

Daemons - 1,500 points

HQ

Herald of Tzeentch - chariot of tzeentch, we are legion, master of sorcery & bolt of tzeentch
Herald of Tzeentch - chariot of tzeentch, we are legion, master of sorcery & bolt of tzeentch
Herald of Tzeentch - chariot of tzeentch, we are legion, master of sorcery & bolt of tzeentch

Elites

5 x Flamers of Tzeentch
5 x Flamers of Tzeentch

Troops

10 x Plaguebearers of Nurgle
5 x Plaguebearers of Nurgle
5 x Plaguebearers of Nurgle

Fast Attack

6 x Screamers of Tzeentch
6 x Screamers of Tzeentch

Heavy Support

Soul Grinder - phlegm
Soul Grinder - phlegm

Dark Eldar 'Kabal of the slashed gash' - 1,500 points

HQ

Haemonculus - liquifier gun

Elite

4 x Kabalite Trueborn w/ Venom - 4 x blasters - Venom w/ splinter cannon
4 x Kabalite Trueborn w/ Venom - 4 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
9 x Wyches w/ Raider - shardnet & impaler & haywire grenades - Hekatrix w/ agoniser - Raider w/ flickerfield

Fast Attack

6 x Reaver Jetbikes - 2 x heat lances

Heavy Support

Ravager - flickerfield
Ravager - flickerfield
Ravager - flickerfield

Game: Pitched Battle + Purge the Xeno - Night fighting is active

Warlord Traits - Daemons - outflanking units get acute sense & Dark Eldar - can make it night fighting

Deployment

I won the roll off for deployment side, I chose the side which has more room for Poddy to deploy in. This seems weird, but as my deep strike is aggressive, I need room to land. Poddy wins the roll off for deployment and decides to go first.

Poddy's deployment is pretty simple but effective, and it appears he has finally gathered some tactical knowledge from yours truely. He has put his Ravagers at the front long ways on, which will give a cover save to the Venoms etc behind. However, Poddy hasn't thought about my templates and his units are bunched up, that's a -1 from your tactical genius level, Poddy...





* Tactical Notes

As a shock to the system, I will try and seize the initiative and hopefully my Flamers will come down and cause mass bbq destruction. Poddy has bunched all his stuff up for me nicely; goody

Turn 1

I attempt to seize the initiative and get a 5, close but no cigar.

Poddy moves all his units flat out to my side of the table, he will now be getting +1 jink saves.

I split my waves and it all goes a bit pete tong; I get the two Soul Grinders, two 5 man Plaguebearer units and a single Herald. Oh dear.

I deep strike my units, only the unpainted Soul Grinder scatters, it lands in the centre tower ruin and I roll a 2 for dangerous terrain test; close one.

Shooting; unpainted Soul Grinder blasts a trio of Venoms, shot scatters and lands on another Venom, which is wrecked. Other Grinder unleashes dakka on the Raider, but jink save does well, though one Warrior gets blow up. Herald blasts at two Ravagers, I think both are ok if I remember right.









* Tactical Notes

Oh bugger! I got the wrong wave. Ah well, I am playing Daemons and this gak happens. I just have to deal with it. At least I got a point for first blood and a kill point.

Next turn I wouldn't be surprised if it is game over; Poddy has enough fire power to wipe me out and win this game on turn 2. Lets see!

Turn 2

Wyches Raider moves up 6" and the Wyches bail out (taken pain token) and move towards the painted Soul Grinder. Ravagers move up to the unpainted Soul Grinder while Reavers and Venoms come forward.

Shooting; dark lances blast the unpainted Soul Grinder, first barrage it survives, though loses the mawcannon and is immobilised, though second barrage finishes it off. Splinter cannons fire at Chicken-Man, he takes 7 saves and only fails one! Chicken-Man gets blasted some more and drops down to three wounds. Plaguebearers get shot at, though a large ruin gives them 4+ cover and two remain. Reavers bladevane Chicken-Man and I think he survives with a single wound. Wyches throw a haywire at the Soul Grinder, they cannot hit the broadside of a barn and totally miss.

Assault; Wyches charge the Soul Grinder and bust a cap in his ass before he even swings.

Ok, so I've got a invincible chicken and some depleted zombie daemons left. It could have been a lot worse.

I roll for reserves and everything comes in except one Herald and unit of Screamers. Eyeball Paul (warlord) lands behind the Dark Eldar vehicles. Both units of Flamers scatter, one is still in the fight while the other scatters 12" away from the bulk of the D.E force towards Poddy's table edge. Screamers deep strike by the unit of 5 Plaguebearers.

Movement; Chicken-Man holds position while two man Plaguebearers move up towards the ruin they were behind, I try to block LOS to them. Other unit moves to assault the Reavers.

Shooting; Paul splits fire and blasts two Ravagers, one is wrecked and the other just loses a hull point. Chicken-Man fails to do anything. Flamers which scattered 12" blast warpfire into the Wyches and kill three. Flamers who are in the thick of things hit multiple targets, but all they can do is take off a hull point from a Trueborn Venom. Screamers slash the Reavers (see how they like it!), and only two remain - unfortunately the Plaguebearers are now out of assault.








* Tactical Notes

Right, it's pretty close on points; Poddy has 2 and I have 3. It's a pity I couldn't cause much damage this turn, but you take the rough with the smooth.

Next turn I'll get the Screamers to multi assault the Ravagers while Heralds blast the weaker Heralds and start reducing infantry count. Plaguebearers will assault something if they are close enough, though I suspect the unit of 10 Plagues will be facing Wyches soon.

Turn 3

Reavers move to tackle the one wound Chicken-Man while Venoms move about while Ravagers just scoot a little bit. Wyches come towards the Plaguebearers while the Haemy Raider stays close.

Shooting; Flamers which scattered far get blasted to bits and are wiped out, took some serious shooting though. Wyches and Warriors on foot blast the Plaguebearers and two die. Several shots go into Chicken-Man, but this daemon is like invincible and survives everything; Reavers bladevane the dirty son of a bitch and he dies then.

Assault; Wyches charge the Plaguebearers, but needing 6+ to wound is tough and the Wyches end up losing combat after I get some good rolls to save with my Plaguebearers - Wyches fall back 6" with Plaguebearers in pursuit.

I roll for reserves and the last Herald and Screamers arrive, though the Screamers scatter and are delayed.

Movement; Paul chases after the Reavers while Plaguebearers close up on the Wyches and chase after Ravager and Venoms which just blown the Flamers away. Other Flamers bounce into terrain so can get max template hits, one takes a wound after failing dangerous terrain test and fails save. Screamers move to multi assault a Venom and supporting Trueborn Venom, they are in position where Chicken-Man was.

Shooting; Flamers bbq the one hull point Trueborn Venom and the Warrior Venom, both go down in smoke; both squads pass pinning. Heralds split fire and attempt to blow up the Raider and kill the Reavers, though the Raider only suffers weapon destroyed and the Reavers remain, though one dies and the survivor fails morale and falls back - now needs double 1 to regroup.

Assault; Screamers multi assault the Trueborn Venom and Ravager; both go boom and all Trueborn die in the blast. The now single Plaguebearer (unit of two got depleted but wasn't destroyed) charges unit of Warriors, Warriors lose combat though hold. Large unit of Plaguebearers charge the Wyches, Wyches once again lose combat and fall back - only two left so now need double 1 to pass morale.







* Tactical Notes

Wow, I've hit Poddy hard this turn and managed to double the points he has, now giving me a massive lead. Multiple vehicle destruction helped this turn and the addition of Trueborn going bye byes hasn't helped. Add salt to the wounds that both Wyches and Reaver are under 25% and need double 1 to regroup.

Next turn I'll try and get the Haemonculus, it's what I wanted the other Screamers for, slash attack and then chow down next turn. Remaining Plaguebearers will just tackle infantry. Now it is just mopping up.

Turn 4

Not a lot for Poddy this turn. He moves the remaining Trueborn into the same ruin as the Warriors vs Plaguebearers combat while the Raider backs away. The last Venom moves so it can draw LOS on both Five-Face and Paul while the unit inside bails out ready to dish pain into Five-Face.

Shooting; Trueborn do rubbish and fail to wound. Venom and Warriors in the ruin dakka Paul, but he's a tough cookie and survives after passing all saves. Warriors on foot along with Haemonculus and Raider blast Five-Face, he drops down to 3 wounds.

Daemons turn; Flamers move up to bbq the last Ravager as it is close by while Screamers move to the Trueborn while the 5 man Plaguebeaers move to support the single Plague. Larger unit of Plagues fall back to the exposed Warriors.

Shooting; Screamers which auto arrived slash attack the Warriors in the ruin and wipe them out. Shots go into the Raider, but it survives. Finaly bit of destruction is of the Trueborn when Screamers chew them up.

At this point we call it a day as Daemons have over double points over Dark Eldar.

Summary

Things started off well for Poddy, but I think he is not aggressive enough. Dark Eldar are a real glass hammer army and need to hit hard or else they will get bummed into next week.

I think the Reavers should have shot up Chicken-Man instead of bladevane, and then assault. This would at least stop the Herald from assaulting next turn.

Also the Wyches, while they did good against the Soul Grinder, they just go beat up by Plaguebearers twice. Ideally they should have jumped back into the Raider and then relocated and assaulted a Herald (pref Eyeball Paul), as they wouldn't have any issues beating face there.

Also, the Ravagers should have hung back and fired instead of moving forward. With them bunched up along with Venoms it allowed my Flamers to get multiple hits, though luckily the Flamers flopped.

But, during turn 3 Poddy has some back luck with his dice. I passed most of my saves because the Dark Eldar hardly caused any .

Man bad luck poddy! I think you did pretty well thought!

Aye, he started off pretty well as well.

I need some of those weighted dice Mercer uses...

I've learnt some more stuff that I think will put me in good stead for the next time my Dark Kin face off against daemons. I'm looking forward to our next game!

mercer wrote:Dark Eldar 'Kabal of the slashed gash' - 1,500 points

It's Kabal of the Gaping Gash you noob.

If I keep 'letting' Mercer win like this folks are going to start questioning my tactical genius...

I think its a good plan lulling Mercer into a false sense of security, then you can spring your trap when he least expects it.

I've been lulling him for almost two years now though!

His tactical genius is lying dormant like a sleeping volcano. Then... when nobody expects it. BOOM! GOES THE DYNAMITE! He wipes the floor with all faces.

well, his tactical genius is going to be lying dormant for a very, very long time

 Pilgrim Pod wrote:
I need some of those weighted dice Mercer uses...

Man, I get nervous when I start strong. It throws me off my game.