So this afternoon I finally got in a couple of games versus Blood Angels with my dark eldar. This battle report showcases the second battle. Here is my list:
HQ
Succubus: haywire grenades, blast pistol & agonizer
Troops
10x Warrior inc. Syrabite: blaster, dark lance, venom blade & splinter pistol - raider: flickerfield
10x Warrior inc. Syrabite: blaster, dark lance, venom blade & splinter pistol - raider: flickerfield
10x Warrior inc. Syrabite: blaster, dark lance, venom blade & splinter pistol - raider: flickerfield
5x Wych - raider: flickerfield (Succubus attached to this squad)
Fast Attack
6x Reaver jetbike incl. Arena Champion: 2x heat lance & venom blade
Here is the Blood Angels army to the best of my memory:
HQ
Librarian
Troops
5x Assault Marine: flamer - razorback: lascannon & twin linked plasmagun, dozer blades
5x Assault Marine: flamer - razorback: lascannon & twin linked plasmagun, dozer blades
5x Assault Marine: flamer - razorback: lascannon & twin linked assault cannon, dozer blades
5x Assault Marine: meltagun - rhino (Librarian attached to this squad)
Heavy Support
Whirlwind
Dreadnaught: pair of twin linked autocannons
Fast Attack
Landspeeder: multi-melta & heavy flamer
Pre Game Analysis
This game was a good test in general versus a heavily mechanized army and I was interested to see how my dark eldar would perform versus the fast Blood Angels. I am an ardent Blood Angels player myself but much prefer to run DoA armies. While razorspam Blood Angels can't out maneuver dark eldar in terms of speed you do have to respect their ability to move 12" with a razorback and still fire a turret mounted weapon. This Blood Angels list has more than enough long range firepower to pop my paper airplanes. On the other hand my dark matter weapons shouldn't have much problems popping those razorbacks and the rhino. Five man assault squads shouldn't be much of a threat in close combat, even versus the Warriors since I'll always be striking first assuming the Warriors don't have to charge into difficult terrain. My plan was simple:
1> Wait to see where the enemy deploys then drop my two objectives far away from them, forcing the Blood Angels to split up if they wanted to attempt to take or contest either.
2> Focus dark matter firepower on the razorbacks and rhinos first, forcing them to foot slog.
3> The Reavers are going to target either the dreadnaught or whirlwind first - whichever is the easiest to reach. The landspeeder is a secondary target for dark matter weapons since it has a heavy flamer - it's armor is no better than my raiders so it shouldn't be a problem either.
Deployment
Dawn of War
Primary Objective
At the top of our respective second turn each player drops two objective markers which then scatter 2d6" at the beginning of their third turn. If an objective marker scatters then it can mishap. Only scoring units can hold an objective - any unit can contest. The player controlling the most objective markers at the end of the game wins. There was also one bonus point each for destroying the enemy lowest and highest point units.
I had to go second and opted to hold all units in normal reserve. I rolled for combat drugs and got +1WS... Nice as the assault Marines would only be hitting the Succubus on a 5+ in close combat (my favorite result is reroll wounds). There was plenty of terrain on the table and I pretty much require at least 25 percent when I play my dark eldar. The Blood Angels player rolled for the Red Thirst but none of his units succumbed except for the dreadnaught.
1st & 2nd Turns - BA
The Blood Angels player started with his assault Marines in the rhino (Librarian attached) up at the edge of his deployment zone. The rest of his army then rolled onto the table at the start of his first turn using their overcharged engines to move up in support of the command rhino. He then popped smoke on all of his vehicles including the dreadnaught during his second turn and he dropped his two markers in the middle of the table close to his tanks. The whirlwind hung back along his board edge hiding behind a wall. The dreadnaught moved and ran both turns so it was not that far away from his parking lot.
2nd Turn - DE
I rolled for my reserves and in came two squads of Warriors plus the Reaver jetbikes. Everything moved flat-out/turbo boosted across the table using a tall barricade to block off enemy LOS. It was a tight fit but everything was well hidden. The only real threat the following turn would be the whirlwind - I'd just have to hope for a big scatter. I dropped my two markers off to the side of the table beside where my block of dark eldar had moved into place.
3rd Turn - BA
Not much shooting for my opponent as I cut off all of his LOS. The whirlwind took a potshot at my jetbikes but the big blast marker scattered wide. All of his smoke was gone now so in could proceed to light up his armor.
3rd Turn - DE
I rolled for reserves and the rest of my army arrived. The Reavers moved out from behind cover to target the dreadnaught. The newly arrived Wychs' raider moved onto the table in position to target the landspeeder. The newly arrived Warriors' raider moved into position to target the rhino. Both of these raiders were placed such that they would have a 4++ cover save from return fire. My other two raiders moved into positions such that they could both fire the blaster and the raider pintle mounted dark lance - one targeting the razorback with the assault cannon and the other one targeting one of the laserbacks. The Reavers only managed to shake and destroy one of the autocannons on the dreadnaught - not great but not bad either. The Wychs' raider popped the landspeeder. The three mounted Warrior squadrons wrecked the rhino and stunned the razorback with the assault cannon. Note that my Wychs/Sucubbus would be in a position to assault the Librarian and his assault Marines the next turn. All in all a solid round of shooting as most of the Blood Angels transports, along with landspeeder, were either gone up in smoke or could not shoot.
4th Turn - BA
My opponent conceded the game at this point. He said I was well positioned to win the game and he had to leave so he could attend a birthday party for his brother.
Post Game Analysis
I felt like my initial plan had worked rather well - I had managed to cripple most of the Blood Angels long range shooting during the first half of the game without taking any losses in return. The second half of the game would have consisted of finishing off the last of my opponent's vehicles then shooting/assaulting his Marines. Like I said a full squad of Warriors are good match versus squads of five Marines - I can either rapid fire their splinter rifles and charge them with a second unit. The Sucubbus and her Wychs match up very well versus small squads of Marines - the Sucubbus being fairly impervious versus a Marine hitting on 4+ in close combat, her agonizer cuts right through a basic Marines due to her hitting on 3+ in assault, wounding on 4+ with the agonizer which ignores armor saves. My dice were pretty hot and my opponent's cover saves were terrible during the crucial third turn.
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