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2013/11/22 17:16:58
Subject: Fraidknot's 1850 Deldar Corsairs vs Iron Hands & Raven Guard
Hey everybody! This is the first time posting a battle report here I hope you enjoy!
First off, a little about myself. I'm in Ontario Canada, and our wargaming crowd might be quiet but has a huge following with talented generals and excellent people! I've been playing for about 6 years now and today you'll see a battle report against my most frequent opponent. He's playing his pre-heresy Iron Warriors army that he's been developing. It's current form is Primary Iron Hands with a small Raven Guard ally. Its a very interesting combo. I am playing a Eldar/Dark Eldar build that is evolving from a mobility superiority mindset. The double wraithknight is new to me this game and I'm excited to try it out! The grey wraithknight in fact doesn't have a suncannon but two wraithcannons. We'll see how it goes.
BTW huge thanks to jy2 for his genius formatting skillz. May or may not use them!
Playing two BRB missions at once, reminiscent of BAO style.
Primary Mission: The Scouring
Secondary Mission: Purge the Alien
Tertiary: First Blood, Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord
Deployment: Hammer and Anvil
First Turn: Iron Hands
Night Fight: Yes
Pre Game Thoughts:
Spoiler:
Ugh Thunderfire Cannons So good! My Helions are terrified, and they are a big part of controlling the midfield. I'm looking at a long walk to deal with them as well being that its Hammer and Anvil. At least Night Fight is on my side so I can protect them somewhat. Other than the artillery though, my opponent's list feels manageable. The centurions with the tanking (and scoring!) Warlord out front will be annoying to deal with, but I hope to tie them up by forcing them to deal with other threats than my Knights. Otherwise they will demolish the big boys so easily I might as well have not paid points for em! Destroying his mobility and maintaining mine will be my main objective. If I can force him on his side of the table and objective spread is not overwhelmingly on his side, I think I should do alright.
6 Scouring objectives, 2 centrally in no man's land:
2 in each deployment zone:
SM Deployment.
Thunderfires are in the area terrain near the back of their deployment. P.S. that area terrain and the ruin with the Icarus are reinforced.
Eldar Deployment.
The Farseers and Baron attach to the helion block, and they deploy attempting to block LoS behind the central ruin. Warp Spiders take the right flank, Wraithknights double up on the left!
All 3 HQs are right behind this wall! You cant see me!
Raven Guard decline to scout as they don't want to give up their aegis + stealth save.
We flip objective markers, and 8 points go on IH side! No! That means I'll have to take the fight to the marines, otherwise they can castle and win!
I decline to seize and we begin!
Iron Hands Turn 1
Spoiler:
Start of IH Turn 1.
Only a slight shuffle from the IH, the Centurions moving to reinforce the right flank. I think he's worried about the Spiders. Contemptor moves for a better firing lane and prep for interceptor next turn.
Thinking the Spiders were safe, I forget Omniscope and the Chapter Master drops an Orbital Bombardment on them! A direct hit but two to wound means only 3 die. They pass pinning.
Rules question! Night fight is on. IH moves to within firing range with a rhino and illuminates the helions! Crap! Now, searchlights says the illuminated unit loses all benefits from Night fighting! My opponent then moves to fire his Thunderfire Cannons into the helions who are well out of 36". Does a searchlight make it possible to fire on an illuminated target outside 36"?
Either way we 4+ it and he is able to fire! I wonder what happens...
OUCH! He kills all but two helions and puts a wound on the non-warlord Farseer! They luckily pass pinning and morale.
Not a bad first turn, nearly taking out a large threatening unit and whittling some Spiders.
Eldar Turn 1:
Spoiler:
Beginning of Eldar Turn 1.
Farseers cast Invisibility on Spiders, Prescience and Fortune on their own unit, and Guide a Wraithknight.
Eldar advance.
Warp Spiders face a tough decision: fire into some Tactical marines and cause more damage or whittle down some Centurion firepower, distract them, and potentially save the Knights.
I opt for option 2, and fire into the Centurions. Through 4+ cover and T5, I take 1 down! Big deal considering that brings down 5 grav shots!
Serpent on left flank fires into a rhino and wrecks it! Gogo serpent shield! First Blood goes to Eldar!
Both wraithknights fire into the Contemptor and cause a glancing hit through 2+ cover!
Helion unit runs/turbos and Spiders bounce back to sit in area terrain to get 2+ cover.
All in all a good turn!
Iron Hands Turn 2
Spoiler:
IH point of view on Turn 2.
The Centurions don't take the bait! They and the disembarked unit move to engage the approaching Eldar on the right flank.
The Thunderfires open fire and lay into the Spiders with Ignores Cover rounds! I was hoping for a large enough bounce to get underneath that ruin and be safe, but I only jumped 4". The tactical squad and the Icarus fire into them as well. Only 3 survive the bombardment.
Centurions fire into the lead wraithknight and I feel the heat.
I pass a couple cover saves and the knight only takes 4 wounds! I feel lucky after looking at the dice, but damn, that unit hurts. I'm glad they werent prescienced...
Other units fire into the helions, but Baron tanks em all!
Overall a good turn for me, I still have my knight alive, and am going to tie up my enemy's main ability to deal with em next turn!
Eldar Turn 2
Spoiler:
My view at Turn 2. I cast Invisibility on the wounded wraithknight, fortune and prescience my own unit, and guide the unwounded knight. At this point I going to attempt to survive and continue the pressure on the left flank. We have both remaneuvered to strengthen it, I suppose we will see who wins right here!
One unit of Bikes comes in, hiding from Intercepting dreads and lascannons!
After movement. Helion unit moves to engage and tie up the Centurions, and maybe Hit & Run out next turn to get those damn cannons!
Wraithknights advance, the wounded knight hiding behind his buddy for cover! "HIDE BEHIND ME BROTHER!"
Spiders, though weakened, jump up to shoot at some troops this turn, as does the ravager and serpent backing up the right flank.
Shooting! Both Wraithknights and the rear left serpent fire into and destroy the Contemptor! I am looking to defend my backfield troops!
Right serpent fires and destroys a second rhino.
Ravager and spiders fire into some Tacticals, killing 3.
And they Run!
Baron assaults! Poor guys can't even Overwatch.
Chapter Master tanks most of the wounds! 4 wounds make it through armour, 2 on the Chapter master, 2 on the sergeant. Sergeant makes 1 feel no pain 6+! Chapter master makes TWO!
He passes morale and we lock.
Spiders Jump under the protective terrain as bikes do! Ceilings rock!
IH Turn 3
Spoiler:
IH Turn 3.
Marines rally and come back to the line! HOOOOOOLD!
Disembarked marines move to support while Raven Guard (pictured at back) move to counter attack the helions!
Thunderfires (not having any viable targets) both fire into the right Serpent and Ravager, glancing both.
Other shooting either bounces off Spider armour or off Wraithknight toughness.
Raven Guard assaults!
A challenge goes out from the Raven Guard captain, Burning Blade in hand. Baron accepts and is fine, but that leaves the Chapter Master to do his work...
After the dust settles, I do absolutely no damage, the 2+ armour defending the hardy marines. In response, the Raven Guard finish the Helions, and the Chapter Master Instant Kills the non-Warlord Farseer! Crap!
To make things worse, the Warlord and Baron fail Morale on ! Luckily for me, they make it away and they are not sweeping advanced by those angry birds! Hahaha
Eldar Turn 3
Spoiler:
Start of Eldar Turn 3.
Other unit of bikes comes in.
Surviving Farseer rallies and casts Invisibility on the wounded Wraithknight, and presciences the unwounded one.
Wraithknights advance, wounded one moving into the terrain near the objective, the full one moves to go after his warlord and centurions!
Ravager and serpent takes down all but one of the right Tac squad members. The other serpent and knight fires into the Raven Guard, causing a couple casualties.
Wraithknight fires! Kills the closest Centurion, but CM is fine! Haha dat shield.
Assaults! I am running out of units, but am dominating the board.
The WK assaults, and body checks the last Centurion to death! AND causes TWO wounds to the Chapter master! OH HELL YEAH. Takes one back from the master and they lock.
The Spiders and bikes hold! They are hiding under some ruins and ceilings to avoid the Thunders.
Iron Hands Turn 4
Spoiler:
I think my opponent is starting to feel the strategy I went with from the beginning. He moves to lock down his down objectives.
Raven Guard and captain go to secure the Icarus and objective. Also brings down the spiders to one model remaining!
Thunderfires again lay into any exposed infantry. This time into the Baron and Farseer. I escape because he finally scatters (first off target shot so far!) and I only take two wounds on my Warlord.
Back to awesome combat! The WK causes one wound through the invul of Shield Autoinclude, the Chapter master causes a wound back and regenerates 1 wound from It Will Not Die! 5 Wound Chapter Master anyone?
Eldar Turn 4
Spoiler:
Eldar Turn 4 and my tactic of locking him into his deployment zone has been effective. At this point I need to hold all my objectives, and contest one of his, and I win! I am also ahead in kill points so Im feeling ok.
Baron goes to back up some scoring jetbikes.
Farseer casts Invisibility and Prescience again (phew no perils!) and moves to contest an objective.
Invisible Wraithknight moves to engage the closest Tac Squad.
Shooting finishes off the last living Rhino, and little else.
Assault! The WK makes it in, kills a few, and takes none back. He catches them in the Initiative test and they lock.
The other combat continues. Shield holds and Chapter Master is safe. In return he deals two back! Both WK are at 2 wounds! This could turn quick.
Iron Hands Turn 5
Spoiler:
My opponent goes for the gold. Though I thought my last spider was safe, he moves to see a leg!
Needless to say, he kills it! Point for Scouring!
The Thunders fire, and destroy the Ravager.
Combat!
WK kills the Tac squad down to one remaining, he passes morale! Chapter master takes one wound! Causes one back! Oh wait, IWND kicks in again regains that lost wound 6 wound warlord ftw.
At this point, he has taken a few VPs, and is taking down my Knights. If it goes on, he could get lucky!
Eldar Turn 5
Spoiler:
Eldar Turn 5. Alright, I'm going to continue my strategy and claim some objectives!
Jetbikes move to join the Farseer who buffs the WKs again.
Other jetbikes move to claim another.
Dire Avengers disembark and run.
Alright, this is it.
One WK needs to finish off the CM, the other needs to kill a Tac Marine and consolidate into the area nearby for 2+ cover.
What happens?
NO! The Chapter Master finishes off his Wraithknight, taking no wounds in return. The other Wraithknight hits once, and rolls a to wound! ARGH.
The Chapter Master moves to take out the Wraithknight in case the game goes on.
If it does, he can finish off that knight, rescuing the tactical marine, and potentially save the game for him.
We roll, and.....
Game over.
Objectives:
Even though he did finish off the Warp Spiders, I still dominate the objectives, gaining Primary.
After the game we thought Purge the Alien went my way hard, but tallying it up the Eldar gave up 5 (helions, Farseer, Spiders, Ravager, and Wraithknight) and the IH only have up 5(3 Rhinos, Centurions and Contemptor)! There are two 1 man Tac squads alive! One hiding out of LoS on the left of this picture, and one in combat with a WK! Damnit WK! Tie on Secondary.
Eldar got First Blood (Rhino) and Linebreaker (Wraithknight and Bikes).
Major Victory to Eldar Corsairs!
Iron Hands Turn 6
Spoiler:
Sorry, ended on Turn 5.
Eldar Turn 6
Spoiler:
Sorry, ended on Turn 5.
Post Game Thoughts
Spoiler:
A Good game! Solid performance for my Eldar, and I think my strategy paid off. Forward moving aggressive units with defensive long range support. I think losing the helions almost completely made me reevaluate my movement a little, but I was happy to sacrifice them for the overall strategy to work. Damn WK! I can't believe after performing so well they fell apart at the end, but it is nice to see that they are pointed properly and are nicely balanced, while still being an extremely useful tool. I'm glad most people are coming around to realizing just how good these beastly aggressive models really are!
As far as what my opponent did, I think if he had played more aggressively he could've moved the fight to midfield rather than inside his deployment zone, I think that might've shut down my plan. Though since he had the larger point objectives there I can see why he did.
All in all a good outing. Thanks for reading.
2013/11/22 17:31:05
Subject: Re:Fraidknot's 1850 Deldar Corsairs vs Iron Hands & Raven Guard
Nice report, keep it up! I enjoy reading about Eldar lists with fewer than 3 Wave Serpents I was disappointed with the marine player's play - movement is half the game, and it seemed he just ignored that phase entirely. You played it correctly, given the values of the objectives for Scouring. Wraithknights are so hard to kill, even when they do poorly, and are perfect for your game plan. Well played!
I believe that with a searchlight, the unit targeted becomes exempt from using any sort of Night Fight rules, making your unit vulnerable to any number of ranged attacks. I could be wrong of course - I'm at work right now and don't have my rule book with me.
I was fairly certain that Searchlighting worked in the way you played it though - I've played it that way lots of times, which means absolutely squat, haha!
Thats no moon, thats a... no, wait... thats a moon.
So good! My Helions are terrified, and they are a big part of controlling the midfield. I'm looking at a long walk to deal with them as well being that its Hammer and Anvil. At least Night Fight is on my side so I can protect them somewhat. Other than the artillery though, my opponent's list feels manageable. The centurions with the tanking (and scoring!) Warlord out front will be annoying to deal with, but I hope to tie them up by forcing them to deal with other threats than my Knights. Otherwise they will demolish the big boys so easily I might as well have not paid points for em! Destroying his mobility and maintaining mine will be my main objective. If I can force him on his side of the table and objective spread is not overwhelmingly on his side, I think I should do alright.
I feel lucky after looking at the dice, but damn, that unit hurts. I'm glad they werent prescienced...
Chapter master makes TWO! 
6 wound warlord 
I was disappointed with the marine player's play - movement is half the game, and it seemed he just ignored that phase entirely. You played it correctly, given the values of the objectives for Scouring. Wraithknights are so hard to kill, even when they do poorly, and are perfect for your game plan. Well played!