Hello all! It's Jaybie coming at you with a tournament report with the Dark eldar! I played this tournament at a different store than I usually do, which just opened near me. It was very well run, and they did some things differently than what I'm used to. Notably, that the missions were all battle point based. Each mission had a Primary objective worth 10 points, secondary worth 6 points, and tertiary worth 4 points. So, a massacre would get you 20 points.
I took the list that I detailed in my last post. It's not built to be super competitive, but it can win, and is really fun to play with. On to the games!
Game 1 vs. Daniel's Grey Knights!
His list:
Draigo
Librarian with Sanctuary, Shrouding, 2 other powers that were never used
10 Paladins with BroBanner, 4 psycannons, everyone else wound allocated out
10 Strike Squad with Master-crafted hammer, 2 psycannons
3 Psydreads
Ouch! Lots of hurt in that army. Only 25 models too, lol.
The mission:
Primary: Seize ground, 3 objectives
Secondary: Win more rounds of assault
Tertiary: Kill the most expensive enemy HQ (Draigo for him, Vect for me)
Deployment for all 3 games was pitched battle.
The Game:
I won the roll off, and took second turn. He deployed his paladins and HQs in a blob in a big piece of terrain to the right flank, all the Dreads behind them, the Strikes in reserve. Grand strategy made the 3 dreads troops. I deployed my ships behind a building opposite him. I then seized with Vect!
He began a slow advance, shooting at my vehicles. He did little damage, killing a few vehicles in the early game, and my venoms torrented his Paladins, causing a wound on ever single one. I immobilized and knocked all the weapons off of one of his dreads. However, once his Pallies got in range, my ships started popping left and right. I still had a chance to draw, or even win, but then I showed my inexperience against the GKs and charged the Pallies with my Wyches and Vect, and surrendered all three objectives in one fell swoop. The rest of the game was mostly just cleanup for him.
Result: Loss, 0/20 points.
Well, I underestimated those Paladins something fierce! Those Dreads are hard to kill, too. Daniel was a great opponent. He knew what he was doing, and made me pay for every mistake I made. He also kept a great demeanor through it all, even when he failed to penetrate my Ravager with all of his dreadnoughts!
Game 2 vs. Mark's Orks!
His list:
Ghaz
Big Mek with Kustom Force Field, heavy armor, cybork body
10 Nobz with various weapons, every damned save in the book, trukk with every upgrade
10 Ard boyz with shootas, trukk with everything
10 Boyz with Nob with power klaw, trukk with everything
Deff Dred with 4 CCWs, extra armor, grot riggers
4 bikes with power klaw
4 bikes with power klaw
3 bikes with power klaw
Mission:
Primary: Capture and Control
Secondary: Table Quarters (Control goes to whoever has most VPs in the quarter, HQs and vehicles don't count)
Tertiary: Kill your "Traitor" (Each person gives one of their models to the other person, they are ICs. I gave a warrior, he gave and Ork boy)
So, this guy is good, as he had nearly beaten some Mech BAs in the last round, and with only 2 models left! I figured I would have to use my experience against Orks to the full!
I won the roll off to go first, and let him go first. He deployed very aggressively, only leaving the boyz and their trukk with my traitor back at his objective. I deployed along my board edge. I do not attempt to seize.
The Game (You just lost it!):
He rushed everything at me, shot a little, and didn't do anything. I shuffled around, and shot down a unit of bikes, and immobilized his two trukks that were rushing up. turn 2 he Waaghed, and assaulted my vehicles. He killed my Voidraven, and a venom.
In retaliation, I assaulted both of his bike squads, one with Incubi, the other with Malys's unit, and his big Nobstar+Ghaz with Malys (Multi assaults, ftw) and Vect's unit. All targets were destroyed, with Vect himself killing Ghaz in a (not so) dramatic duel. That was basically game, but we played on. I killed the rest of his stuff, but one awesome boy squad killed my raider AND Malys in turn 6. They were then avenged by the Incubi.
Result: Win, 20/20 points.
Mark was a very crafty player, who went on to beat his own son's Tyranids in the final game. He was stunned by the amount of damage my army was able to do, but took it all in stride, like a true sportsman.
Game 3, vs. Corey's Eldar!
His list:
Avatar
Farseer with Guide, doom, Eldrich storm, spirit stones, Runes of Warding, Runes of Witnessing
10 Scorpions with exarch with the crazy weapon that makes your strength get bigger
5 Wraithguard with Warlock with some psychic power, Serpent with Missile Launcher
3 units of 10 Pathfinders (!)
5 Warp spiders with the deepstrike thing.
Fire Prism with Holo-field
Mission:
Primary: VPs (Win by 250)
Secondary: Table your opponent
Tertiary: Table your opponent by turn 5
So, a perfect mission for a grudge match between the Eldar and the Dark Eldar.
I won the roll, and chose to go second, reasoning that even if I didn't seize, his army didn't have enough firepower to scare me overmuch. He deployed his Prism on the far right, and his Avatar, Farseer, and serpent with Wraithguard to the left. I deployed centrally, in a fleet. Corey then infiltrated his scorpions and two units of pathfinders about 18" from my dudes, and his other pathfinders in a building on the right. His Spiders are in reserve, to deepstrike.
The game:
I seize (Thank you Vect!). My dudes decide to just go for it. Vect and his girls run up and fleet so as to be in assault range of his Scorpions and a unit of Pathfinders, and the Incubi disembark 1" away from some Pathfinders. The rest of my ships zerged up, ready to shoot at his stuff! In shooting, I shook both of his vehicles, and put 2 wounds on the Farseer. In Assault, the Incubi wiped the Pathfinders without a problem, and Vect alone killed 6 of the scorpions! I killed everything that I assaulted. In his turn, the Pathfinders in the building killed 4 of the Incubi, and the Klaivex passed LD.
The rest of the game was pretty much cleanup for me. He conceded turn 3, with only the Spiders in reserve left.
Result: Win, 20/20 points.
That was a terrible matchup for Corey. I got lucky on my fleet rolls to be able to get off that massive turn 1 assault. Vect was the star of the show, killing 6 Scorpions, 5 Wraithguard, and soloing the Avatar.
So, at the end of the Tournament, I have 40/60 points. Not great, but not bad either. Daniel, my round one opponent, took a tough loss to some FootDar on table one, putting him at 40 points like me. It turns out we tied for 3rd! Admittedly, I got a couple of good matchups to get me there, but doesn't everyone? At least it wasn't my usual Blood angels, then Guard, then Guard again!
So, post tournament thoughts on the Dark Eldar:
This list is fun, but if I want to win consistently, I'm going to have to make some major changes. Vect is fun, but he has to go. He's just too many points! I need more Troops, probably 6. I need more anti-tank, which means more Wyches in Raiders, maybe a 3rd squad. Malys I think I will keep for 1750, just because she is useful. Full post coming later!
So, that's it for today. Comments?
