NOTE—I made some corrections towards the end of the batrep.
This game I am up against another army heavy with monstrous creatures... The eldar army has a total of six Wraithlords !
WARNING—Lots of blood will be shed—Not for the squeamish !!
Primary Objective
3 Objective Markers
Deployment
Vanguard Strike
Bonus Points
First Blood - Slay the Warlord - Line Breaker
My army list is the same as the last game versus Tyranids:
Chaos Space Marines Primary Detachment
- The Black Blow Flies -
Chaos Lord (Blotust): /Warlord
Mark of Nurgle—Power Axe—Sigil of Corruption
Daemon Prince (Big Fatty):
Daemon of Nurgle—Wings—Armor—Black Mace—Spell Familiar—Level 3 Psyker
4x Plague Marine - 2x Meltagun
Champion - Combi-Melta
Rhino
4x Plague Marine - Meltagun & Flamer
Champion
Rhino
4x Plague Marine - Meltagun & Flamer
Champion
Rhino
Heldrake - Bale Flamer
Chaos Daemons Allied Detachment
- The Black Plague -
Great Unclean One ()Super Fatty):
Level 3 Psyker—2x Greater Reward
Daemon Prince (Real Fat):
Wings—Armor—Level 3 Psyker—2x Greater Reward
12x Plaguebearer
3x Nurgling
Warlord Trait, Psychic Powers & Rewards
Warlord Trait - Master of Deception (i.e., infiltrate 3 infantry units)
CSM Daemon Prince—Endurance—Iron Arm—Gift of Contagion
Great Unclean One—Haemorraghe—Enfeeble—Warp Speed • 4+ FNP & Bale Sword
CD Daemon Prince—Enfeeble—Haemorraghe—Iron Arm • +1W, IWND & Bale Sword
Here is my opponent's army list (it's double FOC so I'll roll it all into one roster):
- The Super Six -
Autarch: /Warlord
Avenger Shuricat—Power Weapon
Spiritseer:
Runes of Battle
5x Dire Avenger
Wave Serpent:
Twin Linked Starcannons—Shuricats—Holofield
5x Dire Avenger
Wave Serpent:
Twin Linked Starcannons—Shuricats—Holofield
5x Wraithguard (Wraithcannons)
Wave Serpent:
Twin Linked Starcannons—Shuricats—Holofield
5x Wraithguard (Wraithcannons)
Wave Serpent:
Twin Linked Starcannons—Shuricats—Holofield
Wraithlord #1 (Disco):
Bright Lance—Ghost Glaive—Flamers
Wraithlord #2 (Reaper):
Scatter Laser—Ghost Glaive—Flamers
Wraithlord #3 (Pun'kin Head):
Bright Lance—Flamers
Wraithlord #4 (Zit Face) :
Bright Lance—Flamers
Wraithlord #5 (Golden Boy):
Starcannon—Flamers
Wraithlord #6 (Party Animal):
Starcannon—Flamers
Warlord Trait &Psychic Powers
Warlord Trait - 1st Turn Night Fight (Strategic)
Spiritseer—Reveal|Conceal
Pre Game Analysis
Another game versus a gang of monstrous creatures... My plan is twofold:
—Use the greater daemon to lock down several Wraithlords and then charge them with the Princes, clear out then contest the objective marker in my opponent's deployment zone.
—Hold at least one of the other two objective markers with my Plague Marines and Plaguebearers while contesting the other.
The Wraithlords are outclassed in melee by the big daemons but there's six of them so they can inflict serious damage if I roll poorly for Iron Arm. If Super Fatty can lock them down for a turn and survive then I should be alright on that side of the table. My troops will have to weather some eldar shooting at some point to fulfill their task on the other side.
Deployment
Two of the objective markers are clustered close together (12" apart) close to the center of the table while the third is in a ruin within my opponent's deployment zone.
There is plenty terrain with a big line of sight blocking building in the center of the table.
My opponent wins the roll to go first and gives it to me. I deploy my two Princes out of line of sight and in ruins.
My opponent deploys his entire army as such:
One squad of Wraithguard are deployed in a building guarding an objective marker with the Spiritseer behind them tucked away on an upper level in the ruins. Four Wraithlords anchor a building right beside them and the other two are placed on his left flank for more support. The Wave Serpents are spread out, also over on his left flank.
I infiltrate my three squads of Plague Marines embarked in their rhinos. Note that the Chaos Lord is joined to one squad. Two are out of enemy line of sight over to my left of the central building while the third is out in the open over to the right of the central building - I was hoping he wouldn't seize on me... Heh .
I made one mistake during my deployment... The infiltrating rhino to right should have been placed flush beside the ruin to cut off line of sight should my opponent seize and pop it, leaving a gap to shoot through at the Nurgle Marines... But what are the chances the eldar will steal the initiative ?
I held the following in reserve, all of which would deep strike except for the Heldrake:
—Heldrake
—Great Unclean One
—Plaguebearers
—Nurglings
I plan to drop the greater daemon in terrain right in the lap of the cluster of four Wraithlords (risky). The Plaguebearers will drop in my deployment to hold an objective marker. The Nurglings will come to act as a distraction.
My opponent rolls to seize and up pops a 6 ! Ugggghhhh !! Already off to a bad start. The advantage though is I'm going second now so I'll have the last say on grabbing objectives. I wasn't planning to score First Blood anyways so I think it's an okay trade off.
Eldar—1st Turn
The Wave Serpents react to my tactical blunder and move out to surround the stranded rhino from safe range. My opponent wrecks the rhino for First Blood and snipes a couple of Plague Marines. Oh well.
Plaguewing—1st Turn
The remainder of the Plague Marine squad that lost their ride scamper back behind the ruin to deny as much enemy line of sight (LoS) as possible. My two remaining rhinos scoot forward a bit using LoS blocking terrain while the two Princes glide forward remaining out of enemy LoS as well. This turn is all about moving my forces on the table into better position to gain control over the battlefield. I've already given up First Blood so there's no reason to try making a big play at this point... Cat and mouse.
Eldar have First Blood and we both control one objective.
Eldar—2nd Turn
My opponent is wise moving his Wave Serpents into better position to target my exposed Plague Marines. Everything else holds its ground. Shooting kills one more Plague Marine bringing them down to just a pair.
Plaguewing—2nd Turn
The Plaguebearers and Heldrake both arrive from reserve... No Super Fatty this turn... I really want to get the party started. Oh well hopefully Super Fatty will arrive next turn. The lesser daemons drop into a ruin along my long table edge close by the objective marker in my deployment zone—I am hoping my opponent will concentrate a good portion of his Wave Serpents to bring them down (misdirection). The Heldrake makes a bee line straight towards the Wraithguard... It vector strikes one of the Wave Serpents and drops one hull point. The Heldrake then burninates the Wraithguard but only manages to toast three out of five.
Eldar—3rd Turn
All of the Wave Serpents react to the daemonic vessel surrounding it on three sides with a couple in the rear arc. It takes all of his shooting, including the Wraithlords, and my opponent just manages to bring it down.
The Heldrake took the heat for the rest of my army buying them another turn to move into better position.
Plaguewing—3rd Turn
In from reserve comes my last two units ! I take some risks this turn... No guts, no glory and Nurgle definitely has a lot of guts. I place Super Fatty close to the block of four Wraithlords—the Great a Unclean One scatters 8" to my right into a building but luckily both Wraithlords in there are both on an upper level... Super Fatty passes his danger our terrain test. I drop the Nurglings beside the building housing the two remaining Wraithguard and the Spiritseer—they don't scatter and pass their dangerous terrain tests as well. It's time to get the party started ! Both rhinos move inside the central ruin cutting off enemy LoS through the middle and the squad without the Chaos Lord disembarks on the back side. The two Daemon Princes both swoop across the table into ruins linking up with Super Fatty, ready to assault the next turn. The Plaguebearers move through the ruin in position to camp on the objective marker in my deployment zone. I'll have to sit through another turn of massive enemy torrent shooting... It's okay though because I have all my remaining units right where I need them.
The eldar still are holding one objective marker (in their deployment zone) and have First Blood. Chaos currently have Line Breaker. It's really starting to heat up now.
Eldar—4th Turn
I think my opponent made a fairly significant error this turn—He chose to ignore the Nurglings so he could focus fire most of his shooting at my big fat daemons... Of course that was part of the plan (wink wink). He did split off some his Wave Serpents to target my Plaguebearers though. Four of the Wraithlords move in to surround Super Fatty so they can shoot the greater daemon then follow up with a multi charge. My opponent was clever enough to position two of his Wave Serpents on the other side of the table to block off the other objective marker inside my deployment zone... I'll have to destroy at least one Serpent to reach that objective and he's got a squad of Wraithguard and Dire Avengers embarked, ready to jump out and grab it.
My Plaguebearers take some significant losses—enough that they are no longer holding the objective marker in my deployment zone. Eldar shooting also finishes off the last of the two Plague Marines from my original squad. Super Fatty then soaks up a ton of shooting and only drops a single wound. The four Wraith Lords then all charge the greater daemon... They all whiff and it's a big push—amazing.
Plaguewing—4th Turn
The remaining Plaguebearers attempt to move through the ruin to charge one of the blocking Serpent but I roll poorly and they are out of position. The squad of Plague Marines with the Chaos Lord disembark so they can lend their shooting to the other remaining squad—I position the meltaguns to the rear of the squad. Big Fatty and Real Fat both glide into the building beside their boss ready to finally rock and roll ! The Plague Marines target one of the blocking Wave Serpents and drop a hull point on the closest. Assault then ensues... The big fat daemons manage to drop three of the four clustered Wraithlords—Big Fatty cannot consolidate back into combat so legs it toward the next ruin over where the two Wraithguard remain from the first squad holding the objective marker in my opponent's deployment zone.
Mid Game Analysis
I was very lucky that Super Fatty was able to stick it out versus the four Wraithlords—that was as clutch as it gets. It would have been much better if Super Fatty would have arrived the third turn... The eldar currently are in a much better position with respect to holding objectives... I've got my work cut out to take them back and deny. The next turn could be the last and I will probably need at least a sixth turn for the win.
Eldar—5th Turn
The Autarch (Warlord) and his Dire Avengers disembark beside the Nurglings ready to torrent them along with some of the other close by eldar units. The other five man squad of Wraithguard in the Wave Serpent disembark and jump on the objective marker in my deployment zone... Remember that two Wave Serpents are between them and my Plague Marines. Eldar shooting predictably finishes off the rest of my Plaguebearers but my Plague Marines pass all their saves. A lot of eldar shooting is focus fired into the Nurglings but amazingly (mostly due to their awesome cover save) I only lose one base and another drops one wound. Some shooting targets my CSM Prince... He has Iron Arm up and is in cover as well, suffering no wounds. The Autarch and his retinue of Dire Avengers assault the Nurglings... Drawn combat. Super Fatty and Real Fat dispatch the last of the four Wraithlords, consolidating in cover to my right.
Plaguewing - 5th Turn
Big Fatty glides over towards the two remaining Wraithguard holding an objective marker in their deployment zones. Super Fatty slowly waddles over while Real Fat glides over to assault the Spiritseer. I string out one squad of Plague Marines so they are holding the central objective marker with the meltaguns up front to target a blocking Wave Serpent. Shooting sees one blocking Wave Serpent wrecked... The Plague Marines are not in range to deny the objective marker held by the Wraithguard in my deployment zone. Nurglings again draw combat with the Autarch and Dire Avengers. Big Fatty assaults the two Wraithguard and snuffs them. Real Fat then has his way with the Spiritseer and snuffs her too.
I have Line Breaker and control one objective marker. My opponent has First Blood and Line Breaker plus he controls one objective marker as well... 3-2 in favor of the eldar—if the game ends it'll be a minor victory for the eldar and I'll never hear the end of it.
My opponent's significant other rolls the dice to see if the game will continue and up pops a 4 !! Oh yeah baby, it ain't over yet and Nurgle got something to say about it too.
To Be Continued...
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