Months back I made a post about wanting to repaint my Wave Serpents and I did that though they still need some touch ups and finishing touches I'm still very pleased with how they've turned out.
Lets hope I can get these damn pictures to work.
So here's the Howling Banshees' Serpent. I need to work on the gems some more and I want to try painting a Banshee (the mythological creature not the Eldar warrior) onto the hull. The guns and canopy need a little work too as does the large rear gem stone but I need to acquire a vallejo brass before I do that.
Here is my Fire Dragon Serpent and once again needs finishing touches onto the canopy and gem stones. The face took I think 4 days and the scales took another 3 or so. Very tedious but I love that face! My freehand is definitely improving!
Here is one of my Dire Avenger serpents. They all use a space theme which I think looks pretty nice. The Shuriken Catapults on this one are just place holders until I get off my arse figure out how to tie it in a bit better with the Dire Avengers whilst keeping it looking nice. Obviously needs work on the canopy too. Ive got an idea in mind for all of them just once again need to get off my arse.
A while back on 40k Online I posted some tips and tricks the thread didn't quite go the way I wanted and so I've decided to import my work over here so I can locate it more easily.
Name: -
Opponent: Any
Situation: A squad of Howling Banshees assaults and eliminates a unit in cover.
Tactic: If the squad comes under heavy fire going to ground becomes a good option (especially if the target you just removed was on an objective) whilst this isn't anything special what makes this tactic is the inclusion of Fortune and Acrobatic. A re-rollable 3+ cover save makes them quite sturdy and the inclusion of Acrobatic means the girls don’t care if they get assaulted. Taking the Farseer along with the assault also has some benefits.
Notes: Whilst any unit will gain from Going to Ground in cover it is the Banshees that will gain most benefit, they can take a lot of fire and your opponent is going to think twice about getting too close or assaulting as they have counter attack and Fortune going, it can create a nice hole in your opponents battle line.
Harlequins also benefit very nicely.
Name: Chasing down Combat Tactics
Opponent: Vanilla Marines
Situation: Marine squad chooses to use Combat Tactics to fall out of assault range.
Tactic: If in close proximity several Eldar units have a move in the assault phase, which can be used to jump within 6” of the Marine Squad and force them to fall back further. Warp Spiders are the best unit for this as they generally have a larger bounce move but any Eldar jetbike can do this as well. Just make sure not to expose yourself unless the risk is worth it.
Name: Grav-Tank Manoeuvres
Opponent: Any
Situation: Using grav-tanks to control the field in the movement phase.
Tactics:
1) Tank shocking units to herd them for flamers.
2) Tank shocking units to pull it closer to your assault units
3) Tank shocking to push units away or force them to move around the tank
4) Blocking movement/assault paths or to grant cover saves
5) Positioning the grav-tank directly behind a unit (that is spread out wide 4-5+ models) that is falling back. They must fall back by the shortest route so the grav-tank will wedge them a part breaking the unit coherency preventing them from regrouping later, saving time baby sitting them off the board.
Name: Dire Avenger Clipping
Opponent: Any
Situation: Dire Avengers shooting at an enemy squad that uses Rapid Fire weapons.
Tactic: This is a simple one that comes up fairly regularly. I see a lot of opponents spreading their troops out in lines, so obviously what you want to do is try and position it so your whole squad is in range to hit 1-2 of the enemy squad and positioned away from the rest of the unit. This will force your opponent to do one of two things, they can either stand and shoot getting a few additional shots from the squad members the extra 6” away in which case you will be the one putting out more offensive power (20 odd shots to your opponents 6 or however many are in range). Alternatively your opponent will move forward towards you to get into rapid-fire range only to find the majority of their squad is out of range and still offering minimal fire towards your unit. When this happens step back 6” whilst trying to position to clip again.
Clipping from multiple angles – This can be used against the Rapid Fire weapons squad or also works against any slow moving assault units (Khorne Berserkers who’ve lost their rhino for example). Try to clip the unit from opposite sides; your opponent will be forced to run towards one squad in particular so now reposition and repeat. This may mean, depending on their run roll and how close they are, that it may be beneficial for you to move towards them and charge or fleet away whilst using the second unit to shoot them in the back.
Notes. I have gotten both of these to work in several situations my opponents having cottoned on after 2-3 turns and whilst it may not seem like much that is 2-3 turns of one sided combat. When I say from multiple angles I don't mean 180 degrees because if the unit you are shooting at gets a good run roll it may put your second unit out of range so try and aim for something like 135 degrees. This allows you to be closer to each other for support whilst both being far enough to a particular side to clip successfully.
Name:
Opponent: Orks
Situation: Mechdar fighting an Ork army with Deffcoptas
Tactic: Not much of a "tricky" tactic but a realization that Deffcoptas are prime targets to Tank Shock especially if the ork player scouts them close to you first turn.
Notes: Needing to pass a Leadership test before even thinking about Death or Glory makes this great, if theres a git w/o a rocket on the deffcoptta even better and if not at least you'll get a cover save if you go fast enough. Just dont expose yourself foolhardily.
Name: Double chances to sweeping advance.
Opponent: Any.
Situation: Charging into CC with a unit with an attached IC.
Tactic: This is quite situational really. If the unit you are charging is likely to be broken and you want to increase your chances to catch it in a sweeping advance you can split off the IC in the movement phase and assault it with both units. With a few exceptions (Exarch powers, psy powers, Apothecary etc) ICs gain little from being in the squad and now if you win the combat and your opponent fails leadership and is forced to fall back both the squad and IC have a chance to catch them with a sweeping advance. Best used against other fast armies CWE/DE or SM if you don't want them getting away and leaving you in the open. The drawback to this is of course the IC cannot rejoin the squad until the start of your next turn so s/he is vulnerable to being shot and assaulted separately though there may be times when thinking outside the box may be useful and I imagine if the IC and squad could join up in the consolidation move that this would be common practice.
Notes: This came to me one time when I had previously split Jain Zar off from a squad of Banshees, both units a turn later converged onto a single Grey Hunter squad when it hit me.
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 3rd 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.
