Second game with dark eldar

Today I played my second game with dark eldar versus Space Wolves again- 2000 points. Here is list:

Vect
6x Incubi w.
Klaivex: demiklaives
Raider: flickerfield

Lelith
6x Bloodbride: 2x shardnet & impaler, haywire grenades
Syren: agonizer & splinter pistol
Raider: flickerfield

10x Warrior: blaster, venom blade
Raider: flickerfield

10x Warrior: blaster, venom blade
Raider: flickerfield

10x Warrior: blaster, venom blade
Raider: flickerfield

5x Reaver jetbike: 2xcluster caltrops
Arena champion: venom blade

Voidraven: flickerfield, nightshield & shatterfield mine
Voidraven: flickerfield, nightshield & shatterfield mine


Space Wolves were running the following list:

Logan
Rune Priest: living lightning & tempest wrath
Wolf Priest

3x Wolfguard:
* 2x power fist & bolt pistol
* 1x terminator armor, stormshield, cyclone missile launcher & power fist

14x Blood Claw: flamer & power fist

9x Grey Hunter: plasmagun & power fist
Rhino

9x Grey Hunter: plasmagun & power fist
Rhino


6x Long Fang: 2x missile launcher, multi-melta, 2x heavy bolter
5x Long Fang: 2x missile launcher, 2x heavy bolter
Landraider Crusader
Whirlwind

Logan was deployed with the first pack of Long Fangs. The Rune Priest and Wolfguard terminator were attached to the second pack of Long Fangs. The Wolf Priest was attached to the Blood Claws embarked in the Crusader. Each of the other two Wolfguard joined a squad of Grey Hunters embarked in their rhinos.

I'm not sure if the landraider can be taken as an option for Wolfguard, otherwise the SW player had four choices for heavy support - no big deal as it was a friendly game and the Space Wolf army was intentionally optimized to fight dark eldar... I wanted a tough fight and I got one as you'll see.



The primary mission objective was Seize Ground with six objective markers... On the top of the third turn and following odd numbered turns you randomly removed one objective marker. Deployment was Pitched Battle. Five turns with random game length.

The SW player won the roll for deployment and opted to go first. Logan and his Long Fangs setup on the edge of their deployment zone. The landraider and two rhinos setup central to their deployment zone with the whirlwind hiding behind a building. The other Long Fang pack (Rune Priest and Wolfguard terminator) setup off to the side in cover.

I deployed all my raiders behind cover as well as one of the Voidravens. The other Voidraven was deployed deep in my corner with no cover available. I held the Reavers in reserve.

The six objectives were placed in two rows of three along the long way across the table all 12" apart.

I rolled to seize the initiative on 4+ due to Vect but failed... My dice were a bit off throughout the game. :'((

1st Turn - Space Wolves
The landraider and two rhinos moved straight out of their deployment zone towards the center of the table (two objective markers were close by in that vicinity). Logan cast Relentless on his Long Fangs pack and they moved out of their deployment zone as well. Shooting saw one Voidraven both immobilized and stunned.

Not that great a turn for the Space Wolves but at least they did something - the previous game both of Voidravens performed very well, destroying a landraider and rhino plus they were both able to perform bombing runs as well killing quite a few Space Wolves with the two void mines - that would not be the case today.

Vect taunted the Space Wolves from the bow of his raider "Hey you mangy old mutts come on out here. We need some more slaves for the arena! Heh."

1st Turn - Dark Eldar
The two raiders with Vect (attached to Incubi) and Lelith (attached to Bloodbrides) both moved flat-out dodging behind a building on the edge of the table to hide away and move into assault positions. The mobile Voidraven moved out from the rear building so it would have LOS to the landraider. The other raiders full of Warriors remained tucked away behind the rear building. Shooting saw the mobile Voidraven immobilize the landraider on a penetrating hit. Note that the landraider and one of the rhinos had popped smoke during the SW player's turn.

So not that great of a turn for the dark eldar either but stopping the landraider was quite useful.

2nd Turn - Space Wolves
The two rhinos full of Grey Hunters moved back behind the Crusader and a centrally located building for some cover while Logan and his Long Fangs were Relentless again moving into a central position with LOS to the mobile Voidraven. The Rune Priest detached from the other Long Fangs squad and headed over towards Logan... He would be out in the open for one turn. Shooting saw the mobile Voidraven destroyed and the Whirlwind wrecked one of the Warriors' raider hidden behind the rear building. The Warriors failed their morale test and ran off the table after taking a few wounds from the ensuing explosion.

So a much better turn for the Space Wolves taking out both of the Voidravens - the immobilized Voidraven was in such a position that it couldn't draw LOS through the rear building... Oh well those are the breaks.

2nd Turn - Dark Eldar
The raider full of Bloodbrides plus Lelith moved out from behind the building on the short edge of the table moving 12" so they would have the charge on the Long Fangs with the Wolfguard terminator. Vect's raider moved out as well hiding behind a small building off from the center of the table - the smaller footprint of the new raider is quite nice as you can easily hide it. The two remaining raiders full of Warriors spread out a tad but remained hidden behind the rear building for another turn. The Reavers remained in reserve. The raider carrying the Wyches fired on a rhino and wrecked it, spilling out the Grey Hunters who wisely exited out the rear of the burning metal bawx... I should have targeted the Rune Priest - my first mistake. Lelith then lead the charge into the Long Fangs and they destroyed them all except for the Wolfguard terminator who wiffed hard. The terminator failed his morale test but was caught by the Wyches and passed all of his No Retreat armor saves.

So a better turn for the dark eldar eliminating one long ranged shooting threat and popping one of the two rhinos. Except for the one remaining rhino the rest of the Space Wolves would have to foot it the rest of the game. Lelith and her Wyches were safe for now, locked in assault with the Wolfguard terminator.

3rd Turn - Space Wolves
We rolled to see which objective would vanish and it was one along the Space Wolves battle line... A little break there for the dark kin. The Rune Priest was able to reach the safety of Logan and his Long Fangs. Not much to shoot at this turn for the Space Wolves except for Lelith's empty raider which was destroyed by Logan's Long Fangs. The Whirlwind attempted to drop some barrage on  a Warriors' raider but it scattered off. Assault saw the Wolfguard terminator make all his saves and remained locked in assault with Lelith and her Wyches... That was not good at all as you'll see.

3rd Turn - Dark Eldar
The Reavers came in from reserve turbo boosting into position to make a fly over the next turn versus Logan and his Long Fangs... Unfortunately I placed them in a poor position such that the next turn they'd be in rapid fire range of the still mobile Grey Hunters... Really dumb that was. One of the Warrior squads moved out from behind the rear building so as to fire their lances at the still mobile rhino but only managed to shake it. They were still fairly well hidden except for the living lightning and Whirlwind... Oh well! Vect and his Incubj moved out again in their raider taking a safe position behind the central building. Lelith and her Wyches then finally managed to take down the Wolfguard terminator then consolidated into some cover heading towards Logan... They now had their first pain token.

4th Turn - Space Wolves
The mobile rhino moved into position so the Grey Hunters could rapid fire the Reavers and they did - two of the jet bikers survived the onslaught but broke and would be out for the rest of the game... Like I said above that was a major blunder on my part. At least that drew the squad of Grey Hunters away from any objectives as well as the center of the table where all the main action would take place. To make matters worse the Rune Priest took down one of the two remaining Warriors' raiders with living lightning then the Whirlwind dropped some more barrage on the Warriors and they broke off the table as well. Logan and his Long Fangs were Relentless yet again, shooting down all of the Wyches except for Lelith who took one wound from a heavy bolter round (I forgot to roll her FNP save, not that it would really matter that much).

So now the Space Wolves looked to be in a great position - I had lost most of my raiders, both Voidravens  (one put of action), two squads of Warriors, my Reavers plus the Wyches. I still had Vect up and running with his Incubi in their raider, Lelith and one last squad of Warriors in their mobile raider. It was time to go to work now!

4th Turn - Dark Eldar
The last raider full of Warriors moved into position beside the building in the far table corner safely tucked away and holding one objective. Lelith moved into position to charge Logan and his Long Fangs plus the Rune Priest. Vect and his posse moved their raider for a shot with the lance on the rhino that had disembarked the Grey Hunters the last turn. The lance was able to immobilize the rhino keeping that squad of Grey Hunters stranded too far away to reach any of the objectives. Lelith then charged Logan and his posse dropping four of the Long Fangs then passed all her saves keeping Logan and the remainder of his squad locked in combat... Another Long Fang died to No Retreat wounds bringing the unit down to just the pack leader, Rune Priest and Logan... Not bad for a little girl!

So now I was holding one objective with the Warriors and the Blood Claws still in the immobilized landraider held another. Tight as could be.

5th Turn - Space Wolves
We rolled again to see what other objective would vanish and it turned out to be one neither of us were in position to hold. Then I felt my opponent made his one big mistake disembarking his Blood Claws from the immobilized landraider. He did this so he could jump on two objectives versus one by running them in a conga line. I would have waited for a possible sixth turn - the worse he could do at this point was draw if the game ended here in the fifth turn... He was playing for the win though and did not want to risk it ending. The centrally located Grey Hunters hiding behind the wrecked rhino moved back towards the Blood Claws so he would have two units on one of his two held objectives. Lelith then went back to work and finished off both the Long Fang pack leader plus the Rune Priest in a very gory display of butchery. Logan then power fisted her in the face... Oh well she had killed more than her fair share of Space Wolves in splendid fashion befitting the most sublime of all Wyches.

5th Turn - Dark Eldar
My Warriors over holding my one objective stayed put playing it safe... No need to risk it with them. Finally then Vect and his Incubi dismounted. Vect split off to solo versus the Wolf Priest and Blood Claws while the Incubi lined up to charge the Grey  Hunters. If I could somehow kill both of these units then I'd be holding one objective to none. The raider moved over to pop a shot with the lance at Logan and striped him down one wound. Vect then tossed his grenade on the Blood Claws and killed eight of them in one loud boom. Next the multi charge commenced - the Incubi killed all but one Grey Hunter who by some miracle held but now I was contesting that objective so it was one to one. Vect then charged into the Blood Claws and killed three more, passing all of his shadowfield saves on the return attacks - well done indeed... Another Blood Claw died from failing a No Retreat armor save and after the pile in my opponent had one Blood Claw just within 3" of the second objective while Vect was just short by less than an inch.

We rolled for a sixth turn and up popped a one... Game over man!

So it ended in a draw on the primary mission objective. I made a couple of stupid mistakes that cost me a good chance at winning plus my dice were just crap with two squads of Warriors running off the table. All in all though I'm happy with the final results and was able to capitalize on my opponent's one big mistake. Like I said in the beginning the Space Wolf army was tailored to fight my list plus possibly he had a fourth heavy support choice, the Whirlwind, which accounted for the two squads of Warriors.

G