Game 2 of the Campaign

Game two was again set on Beliel IV (my place). Following Game 1 the deployment zones had been predetermined. Eldar had the Northwest and Southwest, Iron Warriors had the Northeast. I was allowed to see the enemy list due to controlling the "Orb of Knowledge" after game 1. The Farseer and Autarch are at -1 leadership (ran away last game)  I decided that because the Iron Warriors had basically been removed from the battlefield, Iron Warrior mission would be the old style cleanse. Each table quarter held by the Iron Warriors at the end of the game was worth 5vp. Because the Eldar had basically won the field in the first game, Eldar vps were determined by kill points. Slay the Warlord and First Blood were also in play...

Iron Warriors deployed first and had first turn

Iron Warrior Deployment.

Eldar Deployment.

Turn 1) Iron Warriors move forward, and turn foot based units head for the Southeast quarter. The Chaos Deadnaught scatters some missile shots off of the lead Dire Avenger squad. This would be a theme for both armies, while no Daemons appeared.. The winds of Chaos blew hard on Beliel IV this night drifting many a scatter shot from both sides. Iron Warrior Havocs did manage to hit a well hidden Dark Reaper in the forest but the trees took the blow instead. 

Iron Warrior first moves.

The Eldar of Antares begin their turn and move out. Eldar score several hits knocking hull points off of several Rhinos. The Eldar Warp Hunter scores an immobilized roll on one Rhino, and The Dark Reaper Exarch uses his power to ignore cover and scores a hit to the Dreadnaught.

Eldar begin their advance.

Turn 2) Iron Warrior guns begin to find their mark. Using some infernal power of Chaos, the Dreadnaught fire frenzies into the Dark Reapers, returning a blow and killing a Dark Reaper. Iron Warrior fire also finds a Wave Serpent and the Warp Hunter removing a hull point from each. 

The Chaos Dreadnaught Fire Frenzies!

The Eldar score First Blood, as a Wave Serpent twin-linked Brighlance destroys the Iron Warrior Predator Tank and taking an Iron Warrior standing near by. The Vyper armed with Scatter Laser swoops in taking the Havoc launcher and a hull point from a Rhino. The Dark Reapers complete the turn with -1 hull point off another Rhino. 

Eldar Wave Serpent scores first blow.

Eldar score 1 vp First Blood, 1 vp kill point. 

Turn 3) The Iron Warrior Havoc squad scores the death blow to Warp Hunter, as Auto Cannons reign fire upon it. Bolter fire begins to target Dire Avengers and the Autarch closing on the Chaos Dread and units of Iron Warrior Marines near the center of the board.

The Iron Warrior heavy weapons team at work.

In the Eldar phase the Autarch, fresh from taking a wound warps at the Chaos Dread scoring a hit with it's Fusion Gun. The Vyper holds the Eldar left flank by destroying a Rhino and pinning the troops inside. The two squads of Dire Avengers now on foot, pepper Shuriken fire into Iron Warrior marines, 2 fall.

Autarch jumps at the Dread.

Eldar score 1 vp kill point.

Turn 4) Iron Warriors adjust as the Havoc squad finds it's no targets for it's deadly Auto cannons. The Squad heads up the Northeast table quarter. Heavy weapons are often placed through out Melkor's troop units and they take down a Wave Serpent. Melkor himself heads towards the Eldar right flank with his chosen squad protected in their Rhino. 

Melkor advances towards the enemy!

The Warp jump generator of the Autarch again comes to life as he reappears next to the Chaos Dread. One shot from the Fusion Gun ends the night for the Chaos Dread. The Dark Reapers use a new 6th edition trick and Focus fire killing 6 in an Iron Warrior squad, leaving the last member to die at the weapons of Dire Avengers (though he saved a volley of  7 wounds from one Dire Avenger squad!)

The Autarch has jumped back in his assault phase.

Eldar score 2 vp kill points. 

Turn 5) Melkor and his Chosen press the Eldar line, disembarking their Rhino and advancing on the remaining Wave Serpent. Their deadly fire immobilizes it. Meanwhile the remaining Iron Warrior squads focus on the Dire Avengers. A combination of Bolters and Havoc missiles kill 9 of them. The Iron Warriors score good damage in the battle at the Eldar right flank.

The Iron Warrior position holds strong.

The Eldar part of the turn includes the now immobilized Wave Serpent returns the favor to Malcore's Rhino. Dire Avengers bladestorm the Chosen squad killing all. The Dark Reaper Exarch destroys a Rhino. And the Autarch assaults a unit of Iron Warrior Marines, doing no wounds with it's power weapon.

The Autarch goes for battle glory, but does no wounds.

Eldar score 2 vp killpoints.

Turn 6) Melkor alone now... fears not, for he casts Hemorrhage on the closest Dire Avengers killing the Exarch. A well placed shot from Iron Warrior troop fire destroys the last Wave Serpent. Now facing 3 Dire Avenger squads the combined fire of the Iron Warrior units kill 7 Dire Avengers. Then, in the close combat the Iron Warriors stand tall, as one falls before the unit kill the Autarch. (my warlord trait was furious charge in enemy deployment, first time warlord trait was semi useful for me in a game!)

Melkor unleashes Chaos psychic power!

Eldar Dire Avengers in their phase kill Melkor. The Vyper destroys another Rhino, and the Dark Reapers destroy 2 from the Havoc squad. Due to a strong center position the Eldar units fan out to contest every board quarter of the table. The game ends.

Eldar 8 vp Iron Warriors 1 vp

I'm not sure if it was a fair scenario, Iron Warriors needed table quarters 5 points per, possible total of 20. I believe they had 13 available kill points. I thought going in that would be fair, but having fought for the middle with 3 troop squads. I found it easy going last, to contest all 4. To me, the game represented Iron Warriors needing to acquire a foot hold on the planet while the Eldar held position on the battle field already. A completely fair scenario? Probably not. But the campaign continues....

Craftworld Antares casualties:  15 Dire Avengers, 1 Dark Reaper, 4 Wave Serpent Crew, 1 Warp Hunter crew and the Autarch, though he regained his honor. All Spirit Stones collected.

Introducing a campaign between Eldar Craftworld Antares and Iron Warriors (Chaos). Game 1 location Beliel IV coordinates in the Eye of Terror.

1500pts. Escape from the Jaws of Hell (Crusade of Fire campaign book)

- Slay the Warlord, First Blood, Center objective control = points/Turn number (so turn 1 =1pt. turn 3=3pts.. ect.) End of every game turn add up casualties round to 5 = number of lesser Daemons deploy within 2d6 of the objective and move and assault the closest unit.
- Table quarters controlled at the end of the game determine next game deployment zones.

Iron Warriors deploy first, go first.

Eldar Deployment.

Turn 1) Iron Warriors move their Rhinos towards the center objective. Havoc's take 1 wound off the Wraithlord with Autocannons. 

The Eldar Warp Hunter fires it's D-Cannon destroying the Chaos Predator. Pathfinders score a rend ap1 hit taking out a Rhino.

Eldar score First Blood 1 vp.

A precise hit from Pathfinders hits a Rhino.

Turn 2) The Iron Warriors move a unit within 3 inches of the center objective. A Marine unit fires it's Bolters killing 1 Pathfinder.

Iron Warriors control the Orb of Knowledge. 

The Eldar Warp Hunter destroys a Chaos Rhino and 4 Chaos Space Marines. A Wave Serpent scores a hit with it's Twin Linked Brightlance destroying another Rhino. But the Eldar Farseer discovers the perils of using the warp while on a Daemon world and takes a Perils of the Warp wound.

Iron Warriors score 2 vp. Holding the objective at the end of turn 2. 5 Lesser Daemons are spawned!!

Turn 3) The newly spawned Daemons move and attack the closest unit, an unfortunate Iron Warrior Rhino pays the price.

Daemons!!

In a daring move, 2 Oblitorators deep strike next to the pesky Eldar Warp Hunter, and score a hit destroying the D-Cannon. Melkor, sorcerer of the Iron Warriors attempts a Psychic Power only to have the Eldar Ruins of Warding cause it to fail giving a wound the the Iron Warrior Spell caster. Meanwhile his unit is forced to engage the Lesser Daemons that were spawned, they dispatch 3. A second unit of Chaos Marines unload their trusty Bolters into the other 2 Daemons eliminating the squad. More accurate shooting from the Iron Warriors destroys a Shuriken Cannon on a Wave Serpent.

Oblitorators Deep Strike in the back field.

With a burst from his Fusion Gun, the Eldar Autarch eliminates 1 Oblitorator. Meanwhile 2 units of Dire Avengers deploy from their transports, setting their guns on a squad of Chaos Marines, killing the squad. A Second squad of Marines suffers 2 deaths from Dire Avenger fire. After Pathfinder fire, the Chaos unit break. They would regroup next turn. Finally an assault by the Guardians, Farseer, and Autarch take one wound off the last Oblitorator.

Dire Avengers enter the fray. 

Iron Warriors score 3 vp. Holding the objective end of turn 3, a Massive 15 Daemon squad is spawned.

Turn 4) The new Daemons attack the closest unit, which happens to the the Iron Warrior squad securing the objective. Iron Warriors are forced to deal with this new threat that materialized on the planet. But a death blow to a Guardian forces the Eldar unit to take a leadership test they fail, and retreat from the battlefield!

Daemons attack the Iron Warriors.

In the Eldar half of the turn, a Wave Serpent lays low Melkor's personal Rhino. The Oblitorator takes a precise hit from the Pathfinders ending that threat. The Wraithlord moves past the objective to assault the Lesser Daemons close to the center objective. Dire Avengers lay low 4 Chaos Marines, the second squad secures the objective.

Eldar score 4 vp. Holding the Objective end of turn 4, Iron Warriors score Slay the Warlord. More Daemons enter the battle. 

Turn 5) The Daemon horde attacks Melkor and his unit, overwhelming them. Another Iron Warrior unit decides the chaos of Daemons materializing and the unexpected arrival the the Eldar is too much, the embark the last Rhino and seek cover deep in the lower east quadrant.

These Marines decide to live to fight another day!

The Eldar Wraithlord confidently strides into the Daemon hoard. Meanwhile the Dire Avengers continue to hold the Orb of Knowledge.

Eldar score 5 vp. Holding the objective turn 5. Eldar score Kill the Warlord. Yup...another 5 Daemons arrive.

Eldar now battle the Daemons.

Turn 6) The Iron Warriors now hope to just hold their one table quarter. The Dire Avengers dispatch the Daemon unit they fight, and the Wraithlord stomps pesky Daemons that cannot hurt it. The Eldar move to contest the northeast table quarter, while holding both the Northwest and Southwest. The game ends.

Victory points Eldar 16 Iron Warriors 6, Eldar hold the Northwest and Southwest quadrants, Iron Warriors the Southeast. 

For securing a solid victory, Craftworld Antares will be shown the Iron Warrior list next game, before they make their own. The Next game they will also have a full half the board to deploy in, while Iron Warriors deploy in the South East Quadrant only.

- For running away Farseer and Autarch will have -1 leadership next game. due to the decisive victory the Eldar scored how could those cowards run off early??

Craftworld Antares casualties: 2 Guardian Defenders (a lute player, a cook) 1 Pathfinder, 1 Dire Avenger. All Spirit Stones collected. 

Finished my first Warp Hunter!

My latest modeling project is an Eldar Nightwing Fighter. I took the Dark Eldar Razorwing and added 2 Brightlances and 2 Shuriken Cannons, plus a Guardian Pilot. It's not a major conversion I know, but it will fit right in once painted in my Eldar Scheme.

Current projects include painting my Warp Hunter. I sponge Enchanted Blue, Chaos Black, and CAME color Electric Blue. This takes several attempts until it matches the scheme of my other Eldar Vehicles. The current state is one of each. I will post when the process is complete.

6th Edition and Close Combat

Having played several 6th edition games now,
I am noticing a trend. The lack of close combat in my games. I've even played a full game with no assaults at all. Now the question stands: Is this due to game mechanics or my list building?

List wise, I have moved away from assault units in transports. Once a unit could no longer disembark from a transport and charge, I shifted to only shooting units. This even holds more true with transports only allowed a 6 inch move for units to disembark.

Overwatch kills Harlequins!
One thing I've observed is light armored units such as Harlequins with their +5 inv save really take it on the chin. Basically I feel a player must use two units in an assault for these guys to be effective close quarter fighters. Gone are the days that they can charge a medium to larger sized enemy unit solo. They basically, in 6th edition, need a charge partner such as a Wraithlord to take any Overwatch fire. So the Wraithlord charges first, then the unit is locked and cannot Overwatch the second unit (i.e.) Harlequins.

Scorpions are still the class of the Eldar in assault.
Gifted with their +3 Armor, the Striking Scorpion is still the best unit an Eldar player can use in CC. Despite not having Fleet (I expect them to have it when the new codex comes out) 4 attacks on the charge at strength 4 is nothing to sneeze at. Overwatch has much less an effect on a well armored unit, meaning Scorps can still charge a enemy unit solo.

I have never built uber assault Eldar lists. I generally use a couple assault units only in a list.

A taste of my Eldar Army

Welcome!

Hello,
welcome to my blog. I'm a fanatic 40k player and avid Eldar player. My goal is to share what I'm doing in the hobby, discuss the rules and share opinion on everything Warhammer 40k. My army has grown quite large these days amassing roughly 8000 points and shows no signs of stopping.

Why Eldar? I learned the game in 3rd edition. The people who introduced me to it all chose Marine armies, so I went a different path. I looked through all the options and the look of the Eldar Falcon model hooked me. Aesthetics play a large part in my interest in armies, basically it has to look good! There are many times that I buy a new model or unit simply because the look is better.

So here we are, I plan to share pictures of what I'm doing and talk about the hobby/game. Hope you enjoy.