Monday, January 3, 2011

Massive battle between Eldar and Space Wolves

Considering the size of this game, I figured it was worth getting a report out of Rob and reposting. It also has the potential to be the longest batrep that will ever be posted, at least here on our blog.

3000 point

Battle Mission: Slave Raid (Kill Points)
Details - 1 KP for wiping out a unit within 18 inches of one of your units. 1 KP for every combat you win. D6 KP for each HQ.

Outcome: SW: 27 Eldar:19

Additional Notes: Used 4 HQ slots

Army Lists
Saim-Hann Eldar

HQ:
Eldrond
Avatar
Barrahoth- Swooping Hawks Phoniex Lord Autarch on Jet Bike

Elite:
10 Harlequins

Troop:
10 Dire Avengers w/ Exarch in Wave Serpeant
10 Dire Avengers w/ Exarch in Wave Serpeant
8 Guardian Jetbikes
10 Wraithguard w/ warlock
5 Pathfinders

Fast:
6 Swooping Hawks w/ Exarch
4 Shinning Spears w/ Exarch

Heavy:
Nightspinner
Wraithlord
Dark Reapers

Space Wolves

HQ:
Bjorn Fell-Handed
Njal Stormcaller
Wolf Priest
Wolf Priest on Bike
Wolf Guard Battle Leader

Elite:
6 scouts and WG

Troops:
15 Blood Claws and WG
8 Grey Hunters and WG in a Rhino (Njal attached)
8 Grey Hunters and WG in a Rhino (WGBL attached)
8 Grey Hunters and Arjac in Drop Pod
6 Grey Hunters in a LazPlaz Razorback

Fast:
5 Swiftclaws, Attack bike and WG on bike

Heavy:
6 Long Fangs: 2 HB, ML, 2 LC
6 Long Fangs: 2 HB, 3 ML
Vindicator

Full Battle Report
*written from Rob's perspective

Deployment:
The armys have to deploy at least 9 inches from our back board edge and no more than 24 inches up. Hence we start right on top of each other. Eldar had first turn and deployed bulk of her army in her center and on her right flank. Left flank left open. SW deploy with bulk of army in center. Have rhino with WGBL protecting left flank. Put unit of LFs and bikes out on my extreme right flank. Eldrond uses redeployment to move Guardian jetbikes and Shinning Spears w/ Autarch from her right flank to here left. This puts them about 8 inches in front of my huge bike unit. I fail to seize initiative.

Eldar Turn 1:
Eldar don't move much. Vehicles jockey for better shoots at my vehicles. Wraithguard stride into the center of the filed trying to bring as many guns into range of the vindicator. A Wave serpeant moves up with them. Guardians bikers and Shinning Spear line up for a charge on the Swiftclaws.

Eldars first turn shooting turns into a shooting gallery. Dark Reapers and Pathfinders open up on the LF on my extreme right flank. The shooting kills all but one ML and LC. The unit breaks and run out of there building. A wave serpeant explodes my razorback and the nightspinner kills 3 of the 6 GHs that came pouring out. Only one wraithguard ends up in range to shoot my vindicator. This turns out to be all is needed as the one shoot destroys my vindicator. The wraithlord targets my WGBL rhino on my left flank and destroys it in one clean shot. Guardians and Shinning Spears shoot and kill 2 bikers and knock a wound of the attack bike. Both units then charge the survivors and slaughter the rest of the swiftclaws leaving a lonely but pissed off Wolf Priest. He then proceeds to kill all but the Shinning Spears exarch and passes his fearless saves.
Eldar: 5 | SW: 0

Wolves Turn 1:
Things are bad, but the wolves are made of iron and ice. Arjac drops in on my center left and his squad grab cover behind the drop pod. Only 2 out of 5 vehicles survivced the Eldar turn. Njals rhino immobolizes itself on terrain (Boo), but Bjorn bursts out of my center building looking to pulverize some wraithguard, and his accompanying Blood Claws get ready to charge the Dire Avengers should there transport get destroyed. WGBL squad moves up to melta the Nightspinner. My broken Long Fangs rally and run into a building for cover.

The unit of LFs in my center open up on the wave serpeant supporting the wraitguard. They manage to wreck it and Dire Avengers come out into charge range of my Blood Claws. The HBs on the LF kill a Dark Reaper. The GHs miss the Nightspinner with both meltas. Bjorn smashes into the wraithguard and kills 3 and another drops to fearless saves. The rest of the unit piles in but Susmita leaves a suspicious gap in between a few wraithguard. The Blood Claws do not roll high enough to charge the Dire Avengers. Amazingly, no wounds are infliced on either side of the biker combat leave every one stuck.
Eldar: 5 | SW: 2

Eldar Turn 2:
The Swooping Hawks and The Phoenix Lord arrive drop a blast that is ineffectual and then Skyleap back into the air. The Nightspinner hauls ass away from the angry Grey Hunters. The wraithlord is now about 14 inches away from the warlock as his pile in moves verse Bojrn took him out of range, and for the first time ever the wraithlord failed his wraithsight. The Wave serpent with Eldrond and Dire Avengers immobilizes itself by flying into a building. Lucky it is the building that the rest of the Eldar forces have castle up in. Dark Reapers target and kill one of the two remaining Long Fangs and the lone survivor keeps his nerve. The pathfinders kill a Long Fang from the other squad, but they pass their pinning check.

The Dire Avengers squad that survived the Wave Serpent crash and failed charge by the Blood Claws make good there escape and retreat back into cover and out of line of sight. In combat the Avatar bellows a challenge at Bjorn and charges in between the gap left by the wraithguard. He sadly whiffs and only manages to stun Bjorn. Bjorn then crushes another wraithguard tying the combat. Elsewhere, loads of Str. 6 Laserlance attacks from the Autarch continue to bounce off of one very lucky Wolf Priest. The Shinning Spears exarch is able to sneak a wound through, but then is chopped in half by the Wolf priest for his troubles. The combat is a tie, but the Priest wipes out the Shinning Spears for another KP.
Eldar: 5 | SW: 3

Wolves Turn 2:
Time for the wolves to get stuck in. The Bloodclaws and Arjac's squad move up to get involved in the ever growing combat in the middle. The WGBL squad moves up ready to charge the now inert Wraithlord. Njal and his Grey Hunters now have somewhere to disembark from their immobilized rhino and move toward the center combat. The Long Fangs target the immobilized Wave Serpent and knock its ML off. A bunch of random shots from Pods, rhinos and HBs bounce off the Dark Reapers. In combat the Bloodclaws and Arjac's friends counter charge the wraithguard and wipe out the unit. The Avatar's attacks bounce off of Bjorn's 5+ invul. The Avatar is now surrounded by way too many Space Wolves. The WGBL and Grey Hunter w/ mark of the wulfen slay the Wraithlord and consolidate toward the middle melee.
Eldar: 5 | SW: 5

Eldar Turn 3:
Things start to get very bloody this turn. The Phoenix Lord and Swooping hawks arrive and land a blast and unlaod at the WGBL and accompaning Grey Hunter and end up killing an impressive 3 or 4. Elsewhere the Harlequins (who Eldrond has fortuned) glide across all types of difficult terrain to help out the now lone Avatar. The Dire Avengers on foot continue to make there way through the building where they are taking cover. In the shooting phase the Dark Reapers kill the lone Long Fang, and the pathfinders manage to kill one of the survivors from the LazPlaz Grey Hunter Squad. The Night Spinner targets Njal and crew and manages to slay a Grey Hunter. In combat the Harlequins charge in to the swirling melee and decimate all the Grey Hunters from Arjac's Squad. The Avatar rains blow after blow upon Arjac but he suffers no wounds due to his Storm Shield. In return Arjac lands 3 wounds on the Avatar. The wolves still lose the combat. Arjac makes his Stubborn morale check and a couple of Blood Claws die do to fearless saves. The Autarch finally ends my Wolf Priest by running him through with a lance. He and the jet bike guardians consolidate behind a building.
Eldar: 7+WP | SW: 5

Wolves Turn 3:
Njal and crew slowly continue to work their way through a building intent on getting in the epic center combat. The WGBL and Grey Hunters move toward the center combat looking to even things up against the Harlequins. The last two survivors from the LazPlaz squad try to make a break for the smoking hual of the vindicator hoping to get out of line of sight. Still having the Nightspinner token from Turn 1, the Grey Hunter have to make dangerous terrain tests. Two rolls later and only the Mark of Wulfen Grey Hunter remains.

The scouts arrive and have the Guardian Jetbikes in their sights. The Long Fangs with MLs target the Nightspinner, but only blow gaping hole out of the building behind it. The Heavy Bolters and drop pod target the Dark Reapers and kill 3 out of the 4. The survivor makes his moral test. The scouts unload point blank range at the jetbikes, but as the smoke clears not a bike has been knocked out of the sky. In the combat phase the WGBL and surviving hunter charge in the middle combat ready for the murder-make.

The harlequins and Avatar set their sights on Arjac, but after an absurd number of saves the Mountain Man survives unharmed. In return Bjorn kills the Avatar and half the harlequins are wiped out. The harlequins fail their moral, but are able to get far enough away where they will have a chance to rally (and charge on the Eldar turn). Arjac, the Blood Claws, and the Grey Hunters w/ WGBL spread out and grab cover when possible. Bjorn heads straight towards the immoblised wave serpent. The scouts charge in against the jetbikes. Two bikes crash and burn for no lose to the scouts. The jetbikes hold on. Njal's Lord of the Tempest causes the last Dark Reaper to break and run back toward the Eldar board edge.
Eldar: 7+WP | SW: 7 + AV

Eldar Turn 4:
Both sides have been hemorrhaging units, but there is still plenty of units to play out an epic that the sages would be proud of. The harlequins rally, consolidate 3 inches, run, and prepare to charge the WGBL and accompanying Grey Hunters. The Swooping Hawks and Barraroth move forward to support the harlequins. The Dire Avengers on foot emerge from the side of the building to Blade Storm the Grey Hunters to soften them up before the Harlequins and Swooping Hawks charge. Autarch jumps the jetbike vs. scout combat to charge the scouts from the rear. The Dark Reaper flees toward the board edge. The pathfinders target the final survivor of the LazPlaz Grey Hunters and slay the warrior before he is able to grab cover. As it turns out the nearest Eldar unit is about 20 inches away so no KP is awarded.

The Nightspinner targets the Bloodclaws and Arjac. The shot lands right on Arjac. He laughs off the hit, but a couple of Bloodclaws die and the unit is stuck in difficult and dangerous terrain. The Dire Avengers bladestorm and Swooping Hawks unload at the WGBL and GHs. the WGBL takes a wound and a Grey Hunter or two die. The Barraroth and crew slam into the unit from the front and the harlequins hit it in the flank. Barraroth slays the WGBL in single combat and the harlequins massacre the last remaining grey hunters. The swooping hawks manage to consolidate back into the building, but the harlequins roll a 1 and are stuck ass out in the open. The Autarch charges in to save the Guardians from certain death, but sadly only kills one. in return, the scouts kill two guardians and win the combat. Both Eldar pass their moral tests.
Eldar: 8+WP+WGBL | SW: 8+Avatar

Wolves Turn 4:
The center avenue where the massive melee has occurred over 4 turns is piled with the dead at least 6 bodies deep and there is no room to maneuver so the BCs and Bjorn decide to take the fight to the enemy's base. Bjorn crashes through a wall and lets his assault cannon speak. All his shot bounce harmlessly off the haul of the Wave Serpent. The Bloodclaws advance ready to charge the Swooping Hawks. Arjac heads toward the surviving harlequins. Njal and crew advance into the corpse clogged street one of there number succumbs to dangerous terrain. Surprisingly the rhino that immobilized itself on Turn 1 is able to repair itself and is ready for action.

The Long Fangs and last pack of Grey Hunters unload heavy weapons and rapid fire bolters upon the now very exposed Harlequins, and slay all five. In combat Bjorn is able to rip massive chunks out of the immobilized Wave Serpent. In the resultant explosion 3 Dire Avengers die. Eldrond and crew pass moral and pinning checks. The BCs charge Barraroth and the Hawks. The Wolf Priest challenges Barraroth to single combat. Both combatants are able to wound the opponents. The Bloodclaws manage to slay all but one of the Swooping Hawks. The Phoenix Lord and lone companion survive the fearless saves, but hit and run and escape successfully. The Autarch does slightly better this time and slays two scouts, but the scouts have the last say and kill 3 guardians and cause the survivor to break away. The Autarch holds his ground.
Eldar: 8+WP+WGBL | SW: 12+Avatar

Eldar Turn 5:
Both sides are running out of units fast. The Dire Avengers who decided to Bladestorm on the previous turn advance on the BCs with a murderous glint to their eyes. Barraroth jumps back behind Elrond and his crew. Any Eldar who can shoot lets fly with Bladestorming Shrunken, Lasfire (Hawks) and monophilment (NightSpinner) . The pathfinders fire ineffectually at the Long Fangs. The volley reduces the once numerous and proud BCs pack to the Wolf Priest, Wolf Guard, and 3 Blood Claws. The Dire Avengers assault the BloodClaws. The BCs are expecting easy pickings, but are sorely mistaken when the exarch takes the last wound from WP and the dire avengers kill 2 Bloodclaws. The BCs found thing quite disconcerting and flub their attacks, but pass their morale test. The Autarch slays 2 scouts and has a couple of thunderhammer blows deflected off his invulnerable save.
Eldar:10+WP+WP+WGBL | SW:12+Avatar

Wolves Turn 5:
Bjorn continues his advance on the Eldar. He bathes the Dire Avengers and Swooping Hawks with promethium and large caliber rounds. He manges to slay the entitre Dire Avengers Squad and the last Swooping Hawk. Njal and crew retreat out of the open in the hopes of not becoming the Wave Serpent next victims. The Long Fangs are out of targets other than the pathfinders. 15 wounds later 2 pathfinders are dead. Arjac comes to the aid of the beleagured BCs. He and the Wolf Guard reap a heavy toll upon the Dire Avengers breaking their nerve. Arjac rolls a one for consolidation and is in a similar situation as the ill-fated harlequins. The last survivor of the BC jumps to the other side of the building and out of sight from all the Eldar... or so he thought. The Autarch finally is able to strike down the last 3 scouts.
Eldar: 11+WP+WP+WGBL | SW: 15+Avatar

Eldar Turn 6:
Eldrond moves to the opposite direction from Bjorn's advance. Barraroth jumps the building and lands next to the WG who once lead the BCs. Autarch wants to close in on Bjorn, but has to spend time in the open in front of Long Fangs to get there. He decides better of it and hides out behind a building. Eldrond targets Arjac with Mind War. Njal fails to dispell. Arjac rolls a 1+9LD= 10. Eldrond rolls 5+10LD=15. Arjac must take 5 invulnerable save. 5 rolls. 2 fails. The Mountain Man's mind is torn asunder. Barraroth charges the Wolf Guard and decapitaes him. He jumps back inside a building. His choices are face Bjorn or face the Long Fangs. He chooses Bjorn.
Eldar: 13+WP+WP+WGBL | SW: 15+Avatar

Wolves Turn 6:
All the wolves hunker down in cover except Bjorn. The Long Fangs target the pathfinders again and slay 2 more. The lone survivor passes his check. He strides, with purpose, toward Barraroth. Bjorn unleashes his assualt cannon on the immortal lord. 4 shots. 3 hits. 2 rendering and slays the Phoenix lord.
Eldar: 13+WP+WP+WGBL | SW: 15+Avatar+Barraroth

Conclusion
Now for the D6 rolls for the HQ. I roll first and I am delighted to see box cars!!!! Susmita rolls and is deflated by her 1,2,3. A Close game.

Final KP - SW: 27 | Eldar:19

*Note: when we played it was a tie in KP until we rolled. I am very positive that this is how the game unfolded, but might have missed something.