My army list is posted in the first battle report versus Salamanders. Here is my opponent's army list:
HQ
Astorath
Elites
Furioso Librarian - Wings of (WoS) & Blood Lance
Sanguinary Priest - jump pack & power sword
Furioso - frag cannon & Bloodfist, extra armor
Troops
10x assault Marine - 2x meltagun; power fist & hand flamer
10x tactical Marine - missile launcher - rhino
10x Death Company + Lemartes - 2x power sword, power fist & hand flamer
Death Company dreadnaught - pair of Blood Talons
Fast Attack
Stormraven - twin linked assault cannon, twin linked multi-melta & Hurricane bolter sponsons
Astorath and the Sanguinary Priest attached to the assault squad. The Death Company rode in the Stormraven with the Death Company dreadnaught in tow.
Mission
Capture and Control (C&C)
Deployment
Dawn of War
I won the roll for deployment and opted to go second. All units except for the Reaver jetbikes would roll onto the table the first turn - this option allows you to pull a first alpha strike and you're banking on Night Vision to be able to target some of the enemy units... That's not exactly how it played out though as I decided to move all my raiders flat out for the 4++ cover save to provide some defense versus the deep striking assault squad and the Stormraven.
My opponent deployed his tactical squad embarked in their rhino beside his C&C objective. Everything else except for Astorath and the Sanguinary Priest attached to the assault squad would roll onto the table the first turn. He elected to deep strike the assault squad.
My opponent placed his objective towards one corner of his long table edge and I placed mine in the opposite corner.
Red Thirst
Every unit that could succumbed to the Red Thirst - plenty of crazed Marines running around !!! Heh.
Pre Game Analysis
I opted to go second as you should in an objective based game and this is also a good defense versus DoA armies. I decided to use my Trueborn as bait to draw out the Stormraven. Vect and his Incubi would lead a spearhead attack into the Blood Angels shifting line while the Succubus and her Wyches would again be used as a counter assault unit to guard my C&C objective versus the deep striking Blood Angels assault squad. I wanted to use my Reaver jetbikes and my Voidraven to contest the enemy C&C objective late in the game. Reavers can turbo boost up to 36" so in just two turns they can reach any point on the table. The Voidraven can also move flat out up to 36" so it's also an excellent choice for contesting objectives.
I am very familiar with Blood Angels DoA armies having played this codex for over a year so I felt like I knew what to expect in terms of how my opponent would play his army which indeed turned out to be the case. Blood Angels armies tend to be highly mobile but dark eldar are faster and the only long range threat to my army was the Stormraven so it was my highest priority target for the beginning of the game.
1st Turn - Blood Angels
All units moved onto the table except for the assault squad which would deep strike. The Stormraven moved flat out towards a large bunker located in the center of the table. The Furioso Librarian cast WoS to jump into a position to support the Stormraven while the walking dreadnaught came in beside the rhino in support.
1st Turn - Dark Eldar
Vect's raider moved onto the table going flat out and took a defensive position behind a tower. The Succubus' raider also moved onto the table going flat out as well landing beside Vect's raider. Both of the Warriors' raiders came on settling close to my C&C objective. The Trueborn's raider came onto the table moving 12" and the squad disembarked - they were positioned along the center of the table to target the Stormraven. My Voidraven also came onto the table moving 12" to also target the Stormraven. Shooting then commenced and I was only able to shake the Stormraven - that would prevent it from firing two weapons but I was hoping for a bit more damage... Oh well.
Blood Angels control their own C&C objective; Dark eldar control their own C&C objective
2nd Turn - Blood Angels
The assault squad failed to show up this turn while the Stormraven moved into a position to launch the Death Company dreadnaught into an assault versus my Trueborn. The Furioso Librarian again successfully cast WoS and jumped up behind the large centrally located bunker. The Stormraven then targeted the Trueborn's raider with it's assault cannon using PotMS and wrecked it. Finally the Death Company dreadnaught assaulted the Trueborn and wiped them out.
2nd Turn - Dark Eldar
My Reaver jetbikes arrived from reserve and turbo boosted using Vect's and the Succubus' raiders as cover in case the Blood Angels assault squad decided to deep strike in close. The Voidraven moved 12" again over to my right while all of my remaining raiders moved into position to target the Stormraven as well. Firing solutions then commenced and this time I managed to stun the Stormraven (note it didn't have extra armor). The Succubus' raider lined up a potshot at the walking Furioso and destroyed it.
Blood Angels control their own C&C objective; Dark eldar control their own C&C objective
3rd Turn - Blood Angels
This turn Astorath and his posse decided it was time to make a showing - they landed close to my C&C objective surrounded by my dark eldar. The Furioso Librarian successfully cast WoS and hopped over the centrally located bunker to support the Death Company dreadnaught. The Stormraven then used PotMS to target my Voidraven with it's assault cannon but failed to inflict any damage. The Furioso Librarian then successfully cast Blood Lance but did not roll high enough on the distance to target the Voidraven. The assault squad fired upon one of the Warriors' raiders but also failed to inflict any damage.
3rd Turn - Dark Eldar
My Reavers started their move towards the enemy C&C objective turbo boosting 36" to a position over beside the centrally located bunker in such a manner as to avoid the charge arc of the Furioso Librarian. Vect and his Incubi disembarked beside the tightly clustered assault squad. My other raiders and the Voidraven moved a bit again to target the Stormraven and Death Company dreadnaught. My skimmers then calculated their firing solutions - shooting saw both the Stormraven and Death Company dreadnaught destroyed. Lemartes and his Death Company jumped out of the blazing wreckage. Vect then chucked his grenade pack on top of the assault Marines killing four. I then charged in to assault - Vect avoided Astorath (S6 power weapon that forces rerolls on successful invulnerable saves could insta gib the old man and didn't want any of that business on the pointy end of that sharp axe - no sir) while the Klaivex moved into base to base contact with the High Chaplain. I also made to sure to place one of the Incubi in base to base contact with the Sanguinary Priest. Vect swung first decapitating several assault Marines. The Klaivex then took a wound off of Astorath. Finally the Incubi swung simultaneously with the High Chaplain destroying the remainder of the assault Marines. Astorath swung back and killed a couple of the Incubi. Astorath then botched his No Retreat saves and died an untimely death... Three pain tokens just like that !! Vect and his surviving crew consolidated back towards their transport.
Blood Angels control their own C&C objective; Dark eldar control their own C&C objective
4th Turn - Blood Angels
The clock was starting to run down for the Blood Angels and they were running out of options to contest my C&C objective. My opponent wisely dropped back his Furioso Librarian to guard his C&C objective. The Death Company though being subject to Rage had to move towards my Voidraven kiting them away from his C&C objective.
4th Turn - Dark Eldar
Vect and his crew hopped back in their transport and moved towards the Death Company. The Voidraven came in on the far right flank to fix a firing solution on the Furioso Librarian. My Reavers turbo boosted again maintaining a safe distance from a possible rapid fire from the tactical Marines in the rhino landing beside the enemy long table edge. The Succubus and her Wyches moved on top of my C&C objective in their raider while the pair of Warriors' raiders took positions to target the Furioso Librarian as well. Shooting saw the Furioso Librarian destroyed.
Blood Angels control their own C&C objective; Dark eldar control their own C&C objective
5th Turn - Blood Angels
Again the Death Company had to move towards the Voidraven pulling them farther away from their own C&C objective. The tactical Marines launched a shot with the missile launcher at the Voidraven but missed.
5th Turn - Dark Eldar
This could possibly be my last turn so I moved the Voidraven flat out dropping right beside the Blood Angels' C&C objective. The Reavers turbo boosted up beside the enemy objective as well. The Death Company was way out of position to attack either unit and at best the tactical squad could only remove one unit. Vect's raider pulled up beside the Death Company and he hopped out with his crew. Vect's raider fired at the rhino and stunned it thus preventing the treaded transport from possibly tank shocking the Reavers away from it's objective. Vect tossed his grenade pack on top of the Death Company and killed five. He then charged them with his Incubi and destroyed the squad.
Blood Angels C&C objective contested; Dark eldar control their own C&C objective
We rolled for another turn and it was still on.
6th Turn - Blood Angels
At this point all the Blood Angels had left was the tactical squad in their stunned rhino and they weren't about to step outside with Vect and his Incubi roaming about the battlefield... Nothing much else they could do but sit there and ride the clock out now.
6th Turn - Dark Eldar
Vect and his Incubi moved and ran towards the rhino while the Reavers surrounded it to block off all the hatches. Vect's raider, the jetbikes and the Voidraven all fired into the rhino but all I could manage was another stunned result on transport.
Blood Angels C&C objective contested; Dark eldar control their own C&C objective
We rolled for the final turn and the game then ended. I won on the primary objective and also secured the tertiary objective (i.e., keep your lowest point unit alive). I was ahead of everyone else on battle points as most of the other players ended up drawing on the primary objective this round so I would be playing for a shot at Best General in the final round versus Deathwing.
Post Game Analysis
It was another game versus a Space Marine army lacking in much long ranged firepower. As planned I focused fire on the Stormraven early on shutting down most of it's threat as a shooter. Again Vect and his Incubi were monsters in melee. Dark eldar have all the speed they need to reach and contest objectives - it's all about arriving there right at the end. If the table had been turned I would have probably played for a draw on the primary objective so I give my opponent a lot of credit for taking the fight to my objective. Dark eldar are still not all that popular so I think many players are still learning how to fight them. Sometimes you have to lose a game in order to learn how to win that game... Prophetic words indeed !
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