Niena took a deep breath as she trekked across the field. The orks had dealt a great blow to thier forces, and most had been lucky to escape with their lives. Thankfully they were now nearing a webway portal and their escape was close at hand.
“Farseer we may have an issue.” Her comm bead chirped drawing the tiring farseer from her thoughts.
“What is it.” She snapped fearing the presence of yet more accursed greenskins, she cursed her lack of foresight having been far more concerned with survival than scanning ahead for any possible threats.
“The portal has been opened farseer but tracks show enemies nearby.”
“More greenskins?”
“Negative, they appear to be Mon keigh, no more than a dozen on foot.” Niena felt her blood run cold, Mon keigh rarely traveled alone and the warhost was far too small to fight a full engagement. Swallowing Niena attempted to remain composed as she spoke.
“Do they appear to have discovered the portal?” The ensuing pause seemed like an eternity.
“There is a possibility, though they were unable to activate it.” Small favors at least, “We have contacted the craftworld... they are aware of our plight and sending aid.” This was strange, why would they send more to this accursed planet, surely it would be better to simply leave.
“Do they send orders as well?”
“They will arrive with the reinforcements.”


Hours later Niena stood impatiently before the portal waiting for whatever was to come through. It would have been a simple matter to foresee who was to arrive, but her mind was far too distraught with the death of to accomplish such a task. FInally the portal shimmered and a figure strode through accompanied by a small retinue. He wore ebony armor, ornamented with skulls and icons of death. He had a chilling aura radiating around him that sent a shiver up Niena’s spine. The dark reapers had arrived, Exarch Duras lead his small band of acolytes onto the field. Scanning the field for a moment he conversed with his squad in hushed tones behind his bone white mask, before turning his gaze towards Niena.
“Greetings farseer.” His voice was deep and low resonating through the farseer’s jumbled mind. “I bring you reinforcements to recover your losses. There is more work to be done on this world.” Steeling herself she faced the imposing exarch.
“What must be done exarch?”
“The Mon keigh have sent in orbit above this planet, the force you have discovered are merely a scouting party. Their true warriors await in their ships to strike from above, it is our task to eliminate them.” Niena nodded, the reapers would prove useful against this foe, and Duras was well known for his unerring accuracy and ruthlessness.
“Was there anything else?” She was expecting another seer to take command, a punishment for her failure.
“Nothing farseer, the council has full faith in your abilities to command.” With that the exarch turned to rejoin his acolytes. Turning again to Niena the exarch spoke before he left, “My condolences for the loss of your pupal... was his stone recovered?” All Niena could do was shake her head. “We will recover it then, ” With that he left Niean alone, to dwell upon the battles, both in the past; and those still to come.

His list;

Belial

Azarel-Warlord trait - The hunt

5x command squad- banner of fortitude

5x tactical marine- missile launcher

5x deathwing terminator-3 dual lightning claws, 2 TH/SS

5x Deathwing terminators-Cyclone missiles, 1 TH/SS

5x Deathwing command squad-deathwing banner, assault cannon, 1 TH/SS

My list;

Farseer Niena-Singing spear, Long rifle, Runes of warding Warlord trait- Re roll 1s to wound within 12’
Powers-Guide, Prescience, Foreboding

Avengers x10- Exarch Meeran with twin catapults

Wave serpent- Scatter lasers, holo fields

Avengers x10- Exarch Jorahn with twin catapults

Wave serpent- Scatter lasers, holo fields

Rangers x8

Dark reapers x5- Exarch Duras with tempest launcher and fast shot

Warp spiders x10- Exarch Akamon with twin spinnerette rifles

Fire prism- holo fields

Fire prism- holo fields

My new list without the banshees or my spiritseer, my hope is that the reapers will fill the hole of power crunchers my banshees once did while being more survivable and ranged (plus I just love the models).

A scant hour later the warhost was assembled along the plains waiting for the inevitable attack. As expected only a small contingent of marines soon came into view, their leader cautiously advancing his small force, utilizing the rocky outcroppings for cover.
“That will save them little,” Niena said grimly as she commenced the attack. Her orders had been clear, cut down the small scouting force and keep the transports safe from the counter blows to come when their main force arrived.



The marines assembled were woefully unprepared for the searing firestorm the vengeful host wrought. Exarch Duras alone cut down three of the vile marines, his squad reaping a heavy toll on those unfortunate enough to be out in the open; their armor was little protection against the reapers deadly missiles. The rest of the assemble host moved forward and added their fire eliminating all but the enemy commander who was now severely wounded.



Before the initial volley had finished the air was rent with the cracks of lightning and smell of ozone. Standing amongst the tanks were now a dozen or so terminators. Clad in armor of bone white, Niena felt a trill of fear in her breasts, these were the human’s finest warriors clad in armor that could withstand tank blasts, terminators. Even with so few they would be nearly impossible to take down. Fortunately the defensive formation of the grav tanks had paid off, the ensuing storms of fire had little infantry to be directed towards and merely glanced off the tanks thick armor plates.



The first to respond was exarch Akamon, his warp tuned senses guided his squad to the new arrivals with unnerving accuracy. His spiders appeared around the rear-most terminators, a breath after they had. Between the brood’s fire and that of the precious dark reapers 5 of the great armored men were brought low before one could blink.
Emerging from their transports the combined host unleashed a storm of blades into the assembled terminators. Initially the volley met with success, focused fire from the prism cannons managed to fell a handful from the larger squad, their ancient armors overwhelmed from the blasts of energy. But after that the ancient armor proved effective against the small arms fire, storms of shurikens poured into the remaining terminators, their commander bellowing curses and other litanies to his men. One... two.. three of the armored behemoths fell their armor finally overwhelmed thousands of shuriken blades having simply bounced off. Now the commander stood alone his ancient armor rent in dozens of places. Taking aim Niena brought her cross hairs to bear on the mans face, it was grim, he looked to the bodies of his comrades arrayed around him as the storm of fire continued to ricochet off his armor. Exhaling she gently squeezed the trigger sending the deadly shot hurtling towards the man. The field seemed to quiet after the impact, all eyes drawn towards the man as he fell to his knees. The shot had been true, hitting the man's forehead and opening it in a shower of blood and grey matter. As the man fell amongst his comrades the few remaining terminators disappeared with a flash of light, almost as quickly as they had arrived, seeming more like ghosts than actual enemies.

With only 6 total models left on the field and not a single xenos slain my opponent decides to retreat from the field before losing more venerable warriors to the eldar guns.

Craftworld victory!


“Farseer, the sergeant appears to still be alive, shall I dispose of this human.” Exarch Akamon spoke through the comm bead.
“No exarch, leave him to me, he may give us something of use.” Quickly Niena left the rangers position and headed across the plains. The wounded man was surrounded by the spiders their weapons kept trained on his broken form, Akamon stepped aside allowing her to enter the circle. The man’s armor was rent in a dozen places, missing plates revealed wounds even a space marine would be unable to heal. But still the man drew breath eyeing the farseer with hatred as she approached.
“You will find your mind tricks will not work on me which.” He spat a glob of saliva and blood at her feet.
“Your wounds are severe sargent, even with your physique i do not expect you’ll live much longer. Before you go to see the corpse God I have an offer for you.” He gave no response merely grunting. “Tell me why you are here, what is your purpose above this planet, and why did you attack us. If i am satisfied with your answer I will return you and your comrades bodies to your ship.” She paused a moment trying to judge the humans response. “Refuse and I will not only kill you here and now, but shatter your armor and burn your stinking human corpses till nothing but dust and ashes remain.” The man lunged forward as she said this the ancient armor still managing a spark of movement. Niena simply stepped out of the lumbering man’s grasp.
“Attempt to move again human,” exarch Akamon snarled. “And I will see her promise carried out regardless of what deals you have made.” To punctuate this shot a strand of monofilament into the sergeant's leg making another pool of blood to contrast his bone white armor.
“We will hunt you, to the ends of the galaxy xenos scum.” The sergeant gritted his teeth.
“Of that I have no doubt, you humans always have.” Neina replied. “Now I will offer you one more time, what will it be?” The man considered this for a moment seeming truly torn between the options.
“I have your word?” Niena nodded. “We are here in search of a traitor to chaos, we believed your kind to be involved with their activity.” Niena sighed, moronic humans always so small minded seeing everyone as the enemy.
“Is there anything else? As there more coming?” He returned a look of pure hatred. “Tell me human or die.”
“Many more,” He sputtered again trying to lunge forward. “this planet is soon to be swarmed with the full might of the imperium.A full invasion force is on their way and once they find your pathetic craftworld it will be utterly annihilated like the scum you are .” Growing tired of the man’s deluded ranting Niena stabbed her spear into his throat silencing him forever. Turning to the assembled host who had been watching the ordeal she found the reapers and their exarch.
“Exarch Duras will you and your acolytes be able to keep up with the host?” The dark reaper nodded slowly. “Then gather your men and provide support, we will need it.”
“What are your intentions farseer?”
“We will retrieve our fallen, just as we always have. Neither filthy greenskins nor dim witted humans will stand in our way.” Before she mounted into her transport the farseer pulled one of the Mon keigh’s teleport homers from a nearby corpse and thumbed the small activation rune. Throwing the device to the ground Niena and the warhost moved off before more blood was spilt.

This game was overall an easy one mostly due to the inexperience of my opponent with the army. He’s usually an ork player and wants to move into DA so he proxied the whole list today which is fine. Afterwards we talked about the list and I made a few suggestions, like dropping Azrel and using scouts instead of marines on the ground to save points and provide long range fire support.
As for my list, I still think my snipers under performed but I’m just waiting till my jetbikes come in so they can be replaced. As for the dark reapers I really liked them, they shred marines like no ones business, though I feel like shooting at anything else is either overkill or ineffective. They will get another chance but I may think about replacing them with something(just not really sure what yet). Against marines bladestorm never ceases to amaze me, it feels negligible against most xenos or guard, but taking away 3+ or 2+ saves is just a really good ability for regular infantry.