Another battle Vs 'crons 1500 (Fluff list) - 1/6/2001

So my list:

 

Avatar                                                                         

10 Fire Dragons                                                          

10 Striking Scorpions                                                        

10 Howling Banshees                                             

10 Dire Avengers                                                         

10 Dire Avengers                                                         

6 Warp Spiders                                                            

6 Swooping Hawks                                                            

5 Shining Spears inc Exarch                                                             

5 Dark Reapers

 

Total 1495

 

My opponents’ list was something along the following lines
Necron Lord Warscythe, res orb

Necron Lord Warscythe, Solar Pulse

Pariahs (decent size 6-8)

Immortals (once again decent size 6-8)

10 warriors

10 warriors

10 warriors

3 wraiths

5 or so scarab swarm

5 or so scarab swarm

 

 

Board: 4x4

Mission: Annihilation

Deployment: Dawn of War

 

Deployment:

Winning the roll off I decided to go first deploying my first Dire Avenger squad behind the left building near the centre of the board, my Avatar behind it as well and my second DA squad in the woods.

 

My opponent deployed his res orb lord about centre of his board and 2 warrior squads in a long line; the lord was attached to the squad on my left.

 

Turn 1

My opponent failed to seize the initiative and so the rear of my forces had to leg it to catch up.

My Banshees entered on the left edge inside them was the warp spiders who teleported up behind the small square spire.

My Reapers came in the middle I didn’t want to risk too many turns of bad rolling to try and get them up into a building so they made their way into the crater in the middle (I figure forcing my opponent to make 4+ cover saves from turn 2 is better than risking them not shooting till turn 3 or 4).

On the right side of the Reapers were my Scorpions beside the crater. Next to them the Dragons and flying up behind the building on my right was the Hawks.
he Shining Spears turbo boosted to behind the building middle right.

 

The left Dire Avengers moved and fleeted to the top of the building, the Avatar and right Dire Avengers moved forward and took shots at the left warrior squad downing 3-4.

 

Bottom Turn 1

After WBB I think 1 warrior died.

My opponent turbo boosted his wraiths into the crater middle left and both scarabs across the middle in front of the forest and in front of the Avatar who was between the forest and the left building.

He brought the 3^rd warrior squad in behind the building in his DZ his Pariahs in the middle behind his other lord and warriors. The Immortals came in behind the right Warrior squad.

He cast Solar Pulse then shot at the Avatar the combined shooting took a wound or two off him.

 

Turn 2

My Banshees move up I figure a good fleet roll will see them into combat with the wraiths.

Warp Spiders teleport forward they are now between the spider and the centre-left building.

Scorpions move up keeping close to the Reapers in case the Wraiths survive and attack them.

Dragons stumble into the building.

Hawks fly over the building they are now between the right building and centre-right building.

I’m not sure what to do with the Shining Spears, I’m worried the Scarabs will tie my units up but at the same time I have a big gamble in mind, I fly them over the centre-right building and up in front of the 2 warrior squads in the middle.

 

Spiders and Reapers kill the wraiths.

Both DA squads shoot at the warriors w/ the lord maybe taking down 1-2.

Hawks shoot and assault the scarabs near the forest. I lost the combat but held.

Avatar shoots and assaults the scarabs in front of him. I was oddly worried about these units tying me up and being a hassle so I thought I would assault them on my own terms. I thought the Avatar would clear through them faster than he did and the Hawks role was to hold them up till the Scorpions got there.

Now for the big gamble, I did minimal shooting with the Shining Spears for fear of knocking down too many models to multi assault. This was a fairly big gamble, as I didn’t want to just throw away my Spears for another unit. So I charged both Warrior Squads I figured there was little chance all 5 would die and there’s no way Id lose on combat resolution so even if they didn’t break the warriors they’d prevent 20 odd gauss weapons coming my way. I killed something like 7 Necrons and only lost 2 in return from the Lords warscythe. Obviously winning the combat my opponent failed both Ld tests and the Shining Spears ran them down before flying away as far as the dice roll would let them.

 

Bottom of Turn 2

My opponent moved his remaining warrior squad up into the building in his DZ.

His Immortals and Pariahs who are now centre-right move towards the Shining Spears.

The Warriors shoot at my left Dire Avenger squad inflicting a couple of casualties.

The Immortals shoot at the Dire Avengers in the forest and I opt to go to ground with them – I'm a fluff player I didn’t want them dying! Besides I figure I can relieve the pressure next turn.

The Pariahs shoot at my Shining Spears killing the Exarch and one other. He’s just out of the Avatars bubble range and falls back outside of the Pariahs assault range and right into Fearless bubble range and he regroups immediately! How fortunate!

 

The Scarabs kill my Swooping Hawks – I think I lost 2 from Fearless wounds last turn. And consolidate.

 

Turn 3

My Banshees move up behind the middle-left building.

Spiders Jump over the building in between middle left building and the building in my opponents DZ in which the remaining warriors are hiding.

Dragons and Scorpions move forward The Shining Spear filled by Khaines’ blood lust heads straight back towards the Immortals.

 

Spiders and Dire Avengers in the building shoot the Warriors (DAs in the forest are still pinned).

Dragons shoot a couple of Scarabs not too many to keep them within range of the Scorpions.

Reapers take out a Pariah or two.

Scorpions charge the Scarabs that killed the Hawks. I think they held.

The Shining Spear shoots and charges the Immortals, winning the combat but they hold.

The Avatar kills his way through the Scarabs and consolidates forward.

 

Bottom of Turn 3

Warriors do some WBB rolls as they weren’t all wiped out, they have lost some numbers now though.

 

Warriors shoot the left Dire Avengers.

Pariahs shoot and charge the Avatar (Back in Feb I managed to buy a Rogue Trader era Avatar so I named him Babatar the baby Avatar) Babatar kills a few Pariahs and takes a wound in return dropping him to 1. High WS + T is good!
The Shining Spear is busy trying to kick Immortals whilst their attacks bounce harmlessly off the Jetbike.

The Scorpions finish off the Scarabs and head towards the Immortals though they are a little ways off.

 

Turn 4
Banshees move and fleet towards the Avatar and his combat.

Scorpions continue towards the Immortals the Dragons following behind.

 

Spiders and both DA squads shoot the Warriors dropping them to two.

The Reapers had no LOS.

 

Only 5 or so Banshees got into range of the combat I managed to kill several Pariahs.

The Immortals and Shining Spear continue to do nothing to each other.

 

Bottom of Turn 4

WBB brings the Warriors up to 6ish who shoot at the Warp Spiders killing 2, they fall back and land on-top of the building next to the left Dire Avengers.

 

The Immortals finally kill the Shining Spear.

Babatar and the girls kill the Pariahs, the Necron Lord makes some 4++ saves and he slays Babatar!

 

Turn 5

Spiders re-group.

Scorpions and Dragons move into range of the Immortals.

 

Dire Avengers and Spiders shoot the warriors dropping them to 1 I think.

Dragons opt to shoot a few shots at the Immortals to make sure the Scorpions are in charge range.

 

Scorpions charge the Immortals and kill them all.

The Necrons fade away….

Not the most interesting battle but the Shining Spears certainly shone brightly.

1500pts Vs Necrons 11-2-10

1500pts Vs. Necrons

Nightbringer
Necron Lord, Destroyer Body, War scythe, Resurrection Orb, Phylactery, 
10 Warriors
10 Warriors
4 Destroyers
4 Destroyers
2 Heavy Destroyers
Tomb Spyder

The board was 4x4 with 3 large L shaped ruined buildings, two in the centre and one on my left in my opponents’ deployment zone and there was two hills on opposite (diagonal) table edges.

Scenario – Annihilation, pitched battle.

I won the roll for first turn and decided to take it.

Deployment:
I deployed my Banshee/Farseer Serpent in the middle flanked by the Fire Dragon Serpent and the Shuriken Cannon Dire Avengers and I placed my two Lance Serpents on the hill to my right, due to the two buildings near the middle my whole force was relatively protected.

My opponent castled up to my left behind the ruined building in his DZ he had his Heavy Destroyers at the board edge next to them towards the middle was one squad of Destroyers towards the centre of the board, in front of those was his twenty warriors in-between them the Nightbringer the Lord was placed near the centre in front of the Destroyers. Off to my right a little isolated was the other squad of Destroyers and in front of them was the Tomb Spyder.

My opponent failed to seize the imitative and I went first.

Eldar Turn 1
I fortuned my Banshee Serpent and went flat out towards the very centre of the board in between the two buildings and behind that I went flat out with my Dragons and following that my Shuriken Dire Avengers. On my right I moved my Lance Serpents out 12” gaining LoS to the Tomb Spyder

Both Lance Serpents fired at the Spyder my opponent failed his cover save and it was killed off.

Necron Turn 1
The Lord moved out to intercept my Banshee Serpent the Nightbringer shuffled closer to the centre of the board as well.

Lots of shots were fired and I was forced to take 5 cover saves on my Banshee Serpent which thanks for Fortune I made them all.

The Necron Lord assaulted my Banshee Serpent but failed to hit it.

Eldar – 1 Necrons – 0

Eldar Turn 2
Currently looking at the board my opponent had a strong castle in the corner and with his warrior squad near the centre I wouldn’t have been able to move in close enough with my Aspects and feel safe at taking enough out in one blow without being destroyed in a counter attack so I decided to be bold and play risky.
I Doomed the Necron Warriors and I fortuned my Banshees who got out and moved up whilst their serpent with the Farseer still inside flew off to my left so he was behind the ruined building that was guarding his castle. My Dragons flew 12” and they piled out now within range to the Necron Lord whilst my Shuriken Dire Avengers went flat out to my left in case he tried to flank me. My two Lance Serpents both flew up 12”.

My Banshees were a long way out so I decided to Fleet them first, if I didn’t end up with a good enough roll I could always turn them around to assault the Necron Lord, thankfully they rolled a 6. Now with them in charge range I was able to proceed with the rest of my shooting phase. My eight Dragons unloaded onto the Necron Lord knocking him down. All my serpents that were able to shoot fired upon the Destroyers that were positioned to my right downing three.

My Banshees weren’t out of hot water yet, I didn’t really take into account how close the Nightbringer was, my girls charged in only just managing to keep from bringing the Nightbringer into CC (it was less than 1cm). He did his defenders react and found himself 2cm out of res orb range. Needless to say my Banshees decimated the Necron Warriors killing them all. Opps now they’re in the open with a Nightbringer, 10 Warriors and lots of AP 4 guns right next to them. I feel though this was the right thing to do there was no way my Dire Avengers would be able to put out enough shots to wipe the squad or even if they did they’d get WBB from the squad next to them I also didn’t want to get too close to all those gauss weapons. Not to mention it brought him 10 deaths closer to Phase Out. Looking back on this turn I had ridiculous amounts of luck first with the fleet, then not bringing the Nightbringer into the combat (he really was that close) and finally having all the Necron Warriors 2cm away from the Res Orb. I feel if any of these things had gone against me then the game would’ve played out differently.

Necron Turn 2
Res Orb + Phylactery brought the Necron Lord back to 3 wounds and one Destroyer made his WBB roll bringing the squad that was on my right back up to two models.

A little shuffling of his troops here and there not much moving.

Rapid Fire from the Necron Warriors only killed four Howling Banshees (after Fortune) a squad of Destroyers fired I went to ground and took one of the shots on my Exarch so in the end I lost another two. The rest of his shooting managed to shake one Serpent.

He assaulted my Banshees with his Nightbringer and my Dragons with his Lord. The Banshees failed their leadership roll for counter attack and the Exarch failed to wound they were all quickly eliminated.
The Necron Lord on the other hand took a fair few wounds but made all his saves though he only managed to kill two or so Fire Dragons who held their ground.

Eldar – 2 Necrons – 1

Eldar Turn 3
Now with the centre of the board opened up I was able to plan and execute my crippling blow. I doomed the large squad of Destroyers and then backed the Farseers Serpent out a bit to allow room for the Shuriken Dire Avengers to get closer (also it was the Farseers Serpent that got shaken).
So I moved my 2 Lance Serpents right up 12” and jumped one squad of Dire Avengers out the back (I couldn’t get the other squad out without exposing my Serpents rear armour so I opted against it). I moved my Shuriken Dire Avengers up so they were poking around the edge of the ruined building in my opponents DZ and I intended to move my now empty Dragons Serpent up to block the Nightbringers approach till I remembered he can move through things, so I just moved it closer to offer supporting fire.

In my shooting phase I let lose two Blade Storms onto the larger squad of Destroyers taking them all out, I fired all my shuriken serpents onto the smaller squad of Destroyers taking them all out as well. This opened a clear firing lane from my 2 lance Serpents onto the Heavy Destroyers, which killed both of them.

In the Assault phase the Fire Dragons lost another one or two but continued to fight on.

Necron Turn 3
The only things he had left on the field now were a squad of Necron Warriors the Nightbringer and the Lord. He decided to move and run the Warriors around the corner of the building to hide them whilst with the Nightbringer he flew through the ruined building and assaulted the Dire Avengers who had no way of hurting the Nightbringer so needless to say they lost the combat, they failed their moral test and fell back. The Fire Dragons once again held their ground!

Eldar - 5 Necrons – 2

Eldar Turn 4
Not much happened this turn I Doomed the Lord and Fortuned my Serpent and moved several Serpents Flat Out to gain better firing positions next turn. I had 2 Lance Serpents at the top and the Fire Dragon serpent up there as well and I moved my Farseer and my empty Shuriken Dire Avenger Serpent to the left.

Fired some Shuriken Cannons and a Lance at the Warriors who he elected to go to ground with to try and keep the Lance from whittling him down. I think he made all his saves but he was now pinned either way.

The Fire Dragons now with Doom on their side failed to do anything and were eventually killed.

Necron Turn 4
The Nightbringer follows after the Dire Avengers and he charges them they rally to meet the charge but are killed soon after.

Eldar – 5 Necrons – 3

Eldar Turn 5
This was more or less hammering the last nail into the coffin. I Doomed the Warrior squad and pummelled them with Bright Lances, Shuriken Cannons and a Blade Storm wiping the squad down to 1 guy

Necron Turn 5
If my opponent lost 3 or more models after WBB it would have phased him out, he was unable to make enough rolls and Phased Out.

I felt brimming with confidence after this battle until I started thinking deeper into it. On the table it looked very dominating for me on the last turn I still had 5 serpents 3 of which had something inside them but using kill points my opponent was only 2 kills behind so it was a lot closer than it seemed. Also as I mentioned in the Battle Report if the Banshees hadn’t have been so lucky, had the Warriors been in Res Orb range or if the Banshees didn’t make the fleet roll or worse still if the Nightbringer had been brought into the combat and used his AoE ability to knock all the girls out of CC before they managed to land any blows. If any of these things had happened it would’ve been a lot different I think.

Also my opponent said before the game that he left his box that he stores his Monoliths in at home and thus was unable to field his normal list I asked him what he normally took in 1500 and he said he drops the Nightbringer for a Monolith and spends a few more points here and there. Hopefully Ill be able to play him again another day when he’s fielding his optimum list J

Also this was my first time playing at a new store it was great to play new people and hear the bustle of lots of gamers together I'm looking forward to going out and playing again next week.