First off, I won the first round roll off. I had switched to a different list, because I really wanted to try this list out. (Release the Monsters). It seems that almost every player I show up against has lists that are designed to break dark eldar. Its not that hard to do, but I know these players do not switch their lists up for different players, they work on a single list, yet they are full of autocannons and assault cannons. This is OK, it is what they play, and it works. I enjoy playing against peoples list that I believe should slaughter me, or give me a very hard time.
I sat up to go get him. (I failed and since my raiders are not done, misplaced them thinking they were different units.) This cost me. That was messed up, and the worse part, is he was able to capitalize on it, since he seized the initiative. I expected the worse, however, I lost but a single raider, and had one immobilized and de-gunned. If I had done it correctly, I would of had 4+ cover saves on my raiders, instead I had placed the valuable webway portal carrying raiders in the front. Even though in reality I had only lost a 60pts vs a severe round 1 of shooting, I had ham stringed myself and getting to assault was going to be difficult if not impossible.
I did get the webways portals up. The game had a 5 objectives. I had been placing the objectives in the center of the game around a piece of ruins, and one portal was in the center of 3 objectives, and the other in reach of the center and one backfield objective of mine. The portals, even though they were in good objective locations, were not going to be in assault range if he did not move forward.
Talos and Cronos
This is where the Talos's succeeded the most. Not in assaulting him, although one did wipe a 5 man unit of plague marines off the board on the charge. They kept my opponent off of me, and back away from the objectives. Not once was my opponent willing to suffer being within 12" of my portals. In the end, this is what hurt him, even though he was able to shoot me up.
Asdrubael Vect and Incubi
A word about Vect and the Incubi. Against Josh, my incubi have never gotten more than a 1" run move, and hence have never been able to reach assault, even when I only need a 2" run to make that assault. A failed assault against him, means getting lashed in front of rapid firing plasma shots. Vect failed his first shadowfield save vs a plasma and died. I suppose it has really only been 3 1's rolled in a roll, but what the hell.
Possessed Vindicators
I was never able to really hit his lines which included 2 possessed vindicators and a 10 man unit of terminators. The 2 possessed Vindicators always had cover, and only a weapon was blown off of one the entire game. I kept good spreads, and the vindicator never really devastated anything but some wracks. A large blast should never really hit more than 3 models if you are paying attention and don't get lashed.
Grotesques
Grotesques also took severe punishment and survived. 5 Plasma with 2 autocannons alongside a vindicator round and other small arms fire only killing a single grotesque. The Grotesques then were able to assault him and hold off another troop choice in the last round of the game.
Raiders
Besides the Webways keeping my opponent back, I also was using raiders moving flat out to fly as fast as possible, and stand in front of my opponent. This also hampered his movement drastically throughout the game, and kept him pinned in with only odd angles that I provided, being able to shoot without granting cover saves.
Scourges
I had 5 scourges jump behind a rushing rhino and blow it up. They were covering the entirety of the back of the rhino, and 6 were able to emerge out of the blown up rhino. This put them in splinter rifle range out in the open, and got them shot down to a man, which the scourges assaulted and killed. (This removed him from being able to claim an objective last round.)
Over-all, I did win the game, 2 objectives to 0. His issues were getting forward and not being stuck in the back. Mine were that my misplacement of my raiders cost me forward placement of webways. Which means no real assaulting. Only one assault occurred until the last round. (being lashed all over the place helped preventing as well.) Good game, lots of fun, and hard fought.
I am in general more interested in unit analysis and whether or not each unit performed their role well, than round by round action, hence the poor format. I wish we would of remembered to do a video battle report. Next time I have an opponent willing to do a battle report, I will switch the format.
