Fist of the Emperor... Eldar vs Imperial fists 1850 tournament practice

This is my first practice game for my 1850 tournament that I will be attending in October, I know it’s quite late to start preparing but that’s the way it’s gone. It’s a game of Crusade with 3 objectives vs Imperial fist Space marines using Dawn of war deployment.

The Armies

I use my current 1850 point list (thanks again Yeeman)

Farseer – 115 (warlord: Fates messenger) w/Guardians

Spirit stone of Anath’lan (Guide, Doom, Executioner)

Spiritseer – 70 w/ Dark reapers

Protect, conceal

5 Wraithguard – 165

Wave serpent – 135

Twin-linked scatter laser, holo field

10 guardians – 110

Bright lance

Wave serpent – 135

Twin-linked scatter laser, holo field

10 Guardians – 110

Bright lance

Wave serpent – 135

Twin-linked scatter laser, holo field

5 rangers - 60

6 Swooping hawks – 96

8 Warp spiders – 152

Fire prism – 140

Holo field

2 War walkers – 140

Scatter laser/Bright lance

5 Dark reapers – 207

Exarch, fast shot, night vision, 4 x starshot

Defence line – 85

Lascannon

Total: 1850

And my opponent brought his Imperial fists, with a couple of proxies as he has lost some of his models or hasn’t built them yet.

Lysander – 230 (warlord) w/ terminators

Command squad – 160

3 x storm shield, power axe, champion

Razorback - 55

Tactical squad – 127

8 man, plasma gun

Rhino – 35

Tactical squad – 90

5 man, lascannon

3 Centurion devastators – 270

3 x missile launcher, 2 x lascannon, omniscope

5 Terminators – 200

5 Assault terminators – 210 (in land raider)

2 x thunder hammer/storm shield

Devastator squad – 150

4 x lascannon

Land raider – 250

Hunter – 70

Total: 1847

This isn’t the kind of list I would expect to see in the tournament but it has a lot to worry about never the less. That much 2+ armour and heavy weapons could really upset my plans. I will have to be careful and target the hard units first. Luckily only 2 troops choices so I might be able to take advantage of that.

The Mission

We roll for mission and get crusade with 3 objectives, and deployment is dawn of war. My opponent wins the roll to select deployment zone. I place down my defence line showing him where I will likely be placing my force. We then roll for first turn and he wins again, and elects to deploy and go first. He places his objectives either side of the ruin in his deployment zone. I deploy mine behind my defence line behind a bunker.

The marines deploy quite close together with the land raider on the left, devastators in the ruin then the rhino, hunter and razorback just to the right of the ruin shielding the centurions. Lysander and friend go just to the right of the tanks. Far on the right the small tactical marines hold the old temple.

I responded by placing the dark reapers and spiritseer manning the lascannon, ready to pop some rhinos. The farseer joins a unit of guardians manning the left side of the defence line opposite the land raider (so I could guide them and doom the raider). The second guardian squad goes in the ruin again opposite the land raider. The war walkers go far left. I place the rangers in the woods in my deployment zone and then the 3 wave serpents (ones a falcon proxieing for now) on the right of the woods with the wraithguard hidden inside the back one. Warp spiders hide behind the hill far right. The swooping hawks go into reserve.

Steal the Initiative: No

Night Fight: No

The Battle

Imperial Fists Turn 1

The razorback and rhino both move 12 forwards flanked by Lysander and his drinking buddies, the centurions follow behind. Going at cruising speed the land raider joins the razorback in the middle of the table.

The rain of fire begins with the hunter shooting at the fire prism (I thought I was safe from the hunter but skyfire lets you shoot at skimmers with normal BS apparently… gotta remember that one) but somehow strength 7 armourbane fails to even glance the fire prism. However the centurions fair better and wreck a wave serpent, the serpent shield stopped it exploding but still it gave up first blood. The small tactical squad’s lascannon manages to glance the wraithguard’s ride and the devastators manage to take 2 hull points off the 3^rd wave serpent. Now the real pain comes from the terminators shooting at the dark reapers, all 5 terminators hit thanks to the re-roll 1’s, 6 shots wound and I can’t get a single roll above 2… so all 5 dark reapers die and the spiritseer takes a wound. That was unfortunate, nothing I can do about that.

Eldar turn 1

Delving into the powers of the warp, the farseer casts Doom on the Land raider and guides the fire prism. On the right the warp spiders warp jump 16 inches forwards towards the lone tactical marines. Both wave serpents move forwards gaining their beautiful holo field saves. On the left the war walkers sneak forwards. The spirtseer grabs the lascannon.

Shooting starts with the war walkers on the devastator squad as they couldn’t get both walkers to see the land raider (Even after running) and mange to down 3 of the marines including the sergeant. The farseers guardians shoot at the land raider and its explodes thanks to doom allowing them to re-roll a failed penetrating roll. 1 Assault marines dies in the explosion., and the marines are pinned. The second squad of guardians shoot at the razorback and shake it. Showing how fast a unit can move the warp spiders ran 5 inches then shot at the tactical marines killing 4 of them leaving only the sergeant alive, who held his ground. Both wave serpents shoot at the rhino and only manage a glance and a pen which takes off the rhino’s storm bolter. Focusing its beam into a small blast the fire prism targets the terminators and scatters, guide lets me re-roll and it scatters less but all survive thanks to a 5+ invulnerable.

Assault phase and the warp spiders jump 8 inches forwards.

Imperial fists turn 2

Again the rhino and razorback move forwards followed by the terminators and centurions. The lone tactical marine goes after the warp spiders.

A torrent of fire targets the fire prism from the centurions, and they get 3 penetrating results, but the tank manages to jink all 3. Unfortunately the hunter is having none of it and blows the prism of it, reducing the tank to next to useless. Devastators shoot at the wraithguard’s wave serpent but again it gets jinked.

Assault phase and Lysander and chums attempt to charge the closest wave serpent and require a 9 but rolls double 1. The lone tactical marines charges into the warp spiders and dies to overwatch.

Eldar turn 2

For fun the farseer guides the spiritseer and dooms the assault terminators. Not wanting to get caught by Lysander the wraithguard wave serpent moves away in to the marines back field. The warp spiders move towards the hunter with a warp jump. The empty wave serpent moves back and the fire prism attempts to distract the enemy from the important things and fly’s straight towards them.

Shooting from the empty serpent wrecks the rhino forcing the tactical marines out.  The other wave serpent boosts away. The guided spiritseer only manages to shake (rolled a 1) the razorback reducing it to 1 hull point. Finishing their job the war walkers kill off the 2 devastators as the guardians wound a centurion. Using battle focus the warp spiders run forwards and wreck the hunter.

As they are a bit too close to the terminators the warp spiders attempt to move back but roll double 1… damn.

Imperial fists turn 3

With the fire prism right in front of them the assault terminators go after it (stops them going for the guardians). On its last legs the razorback moves 6 inches and drops off the command squad by my defence line. The tactical squad break the cover of their wrecked rhino and join them. Lysander orders his terminators back to deal with the warp spiders as they are easy prey. Slowly the centurions move to the middle ground to have a dominating position on the table.

Wanting to remove the empty wave serpent, the centurions have no difficulty in wrecking it. Double tapping their bolt guns the 8 man unit of tactical marines gun down the rangers, poor little fellows never had a chance. Using pistols the command squad kill off the spiritseer.

Assault phase and the assault terminators do what they do, exploding the fire prism and unfortunately none of them die in the explosion. Lysander and terminators charge into the warp spiders and catch them. No over watch wounds but before the marines can strike a single warp spider puts his blade though a terminators eye killing 1. I lose 7 aspect warriors to the fury of the marines and the lone guy runs for it.

Eldar turn 3

Again the farseer dooms the assault marines and attempts to guide his guardians but fails with double 6 and takes a wound for his troubles. In the sky an object can be seen plummeting towards the tactical marines, it explodes killing a single marine. The swooping hawks arrive from reserve and are placed on the right hand side to shoot at the tactical marines. The guardians move towards the tactical marines and the wave serpent again hounded by Lysander moves back towards my deployment zone.

A brilliant light comes from the hawks as they all shoot at the tactical squad with their laser weapons and 2 marines die. Focusing their skills the guardians run 5 towards the marines and shoot at the command squad killing a single member. The wave serpent adds its fire support to punish the command squad and kill another marine. Shots from the war walkers hit the assault terminators and thanks to doom 3 terminators are killed, leaving a lone survivor. Not wanting any marines to live the guardians that haven’t shot use their lance to down the last assault marine. Both the tactical marines and command squad need to take a moral test and BOTH FAIL! They both run away 10 inches giving me a little breathing room.

Imperial fists turn 4

Lysander shows how much of a stalker he is and goes behind the wave serpent. The tactical marines regroup and move towards the wave serpent, the command regroup and go behind the razorback.

Using their plasma gun on the wave serpent the tactical marines only manage to scratch the tanks pain, nothing more. Thanks to the jink save the same is true of the centurions and terminators shots.

Infuriated the tank still lives, Lysander and crew charge into the wave serpent and explode it but no one dies in the process. they then consolidate away. 

Eldar turn 4

The farseer guides his guardians. The swooping hawks skyleap off the table. The wraithguard face the terminators, hopefully they can hold them up long enough to win the game. The war walkers move forwards and the guardians both move along the defence line.

Holding their ground the wraithguard shoot at the terminators and kill a single model as Lysander tanks all the other wounds and laughs them off. The guardians wreck the razorback. Some lucky shots from the war walkers manage to kill and wound another centurion.

 Imperial fists turn 5

Lysander and terminators surround the wraithguard while the centurions go after the war walkers. Both the tactical marines and command squad go to fight the guardians.

Showing their fire power the centurions explode 1 war walker and wreck the other. Again double tapping the tactical marines shoot at the guardians but only kill 2.  

Assault phase and the command squad charge into the farseers guardians and issue a challenge to which the farseer accepts. Showing the young whelp what it means to fight the eldar the farseer dispatches his enemy with ease. No one else causes any damage and the command squad breaks, but don’t escape so hold their ground. Lysander and friends charge into the wraithguard and before all the wraithguard are destroyed one manages to kill the sergeant first. They then consolidate towards the guardians.

Eldar turn 5

The hawks drop in again but this time in the marine deployment zone. Their grenade pack fails to kill and of the tactical marines. The guardians not in combat move to support their brethren.

Shooting from the hawks fails to do anything this turn.

Assault phase and the apothecary issues a challenge and again the farseer accepts, killing this marine with as much ease. The lone model holds.

We roll to see if we get another turn (I need it)…

Imperial fist turn 6

Turning, the centurions face the hawks while the tacticals and terminators move towards the guardians.

Frag rounds and lascannon fire from the centurions kills 4 of the aspect warriors but they hold.

The tactical marines attempt to charge the guardians but fail to reach combat. Keeping his streak alive the farseer kills the last member of the command squad.

Eldar turn 6

The farseer guides his unit and dooms the tactical marines. They move up towards the tacticals while the other guardians take my objective.

The bladestorm from the guardians kill all bar 1 of the tactical marines.

I pray the game ends now… and it does.

Eldar: 4 (1 objective, line breaker) – Imperial fists: 1 (First blood)

Eldar victory.

Post-Battle

Well that was a mixed bag of a game with luck abandoning both of us at the beginning, me losing my dark reapers to storm bolter fire and him losing his land raider to a single bright lance shot. It was very close and if the game ended either turn 5 or went on to turn 7 I would have lost, so I can say this was lucky, I need to practice more with this list to get be able to use it properly. Anyway what did I learn?

·         Wave Serpents: I should hide them if I’m not going first, while the serpent shield is a great defence it won’t stop a vast bombardment of shots from just wrecking your tanks. Hide them!

·         Guardians: I don’t think the guardians out on their own was a good call, maybe they should have been in the wave serpents so they could have jumped out and killed something mid field or taken the enemy objectives. I got lucky this game with the lances so I can’t rely on that again. But the mass of lances was nice.

·         War Walkers: An odd combo on them with fewer shots but I quite liked the ability to take out heavy tanks if I needed to. Ass anti-Meq not so good as duel scatter but I will see what other uses they have.

·         Warp spiders: I love these guys and throwing them up a weak flank is defiantly the way to go. I don’t get why people deep strike them as they are fast enough to shoot turn 1 on an average roll! (6+7 jump + 3 run = 16 inches + 12 range = 28 range) and having 8 was great. I know I used fire dragons this game but I have more on their way… I promise.

Well that was a promising first game but it wasn’t exactly a tournament list, next game I will see what I can face to test the lists metal.

Don’t forget to enter my birthday competition to win a Free Games Day SpaceMarine Captain.