Dark Eldar strike into Virtual Realspace

It's been *forever* since I played 40k. So I decided to take out my beloved Dark Eldar out for a virtual spin. (Yay Vassal!) You see, it's been so long that I haven't actually used the new DE codex yet (it's only been a year!) 

This is the endgame of an Anhihilation Dawn Assault mission vs Tau. DE win of course (6 vs 9KP). The game hasn't really changed for the DE at all: Speed is life. All but one of those craters were DE vehicles, while 90% of the red smudges are what is left of the Tau infantry after the DE were done with them.

I lucked out on the Combat Drugs so all my combat monsters were so hopped up on drugs that they Felt No Pain, which mitigated much of the Tau shooting. I really like how the game moved from one end of the table to the other (Bottom right to top left). Power from Pain took care of the rest (represented by skulls in the image).


The Dark Eldar of the new codex are just as entertaining as the previous one, with some added durability thrown in so that the late game is still to be contested. I am absolutely statisfied with it.

Defeat, but there was nothing I could do about it

The VCs have lost the campaign! But considering what has transpired, I don't think I could have done anything to prevent defeat.

Basic strategies:

• Vampire Counts: With the lack of a lord level character, I was expecting a lot of comets to be thrown my way. My main focus was on spamming Invocations of Nehek to deal with the many Lizardmen area of effect spells.
• Lizardmen: The whole army was geared for assassination. Everything that could be thrown onto the VC General and his unit, would be. And he had a Slaan to help.
  

So here is the tempest of spells that I had to weather:

• 5x Comets of Casandora (1 was dispelled, 2 of them were 12"+ radius)
• 3x Steal Soul attempts on my General. (All ward saved)
  
• 3x Burning Alignments of at least 7" radius. (one of which was during a charge)
  
• at least 100 shots from assorted skinks, razordons, falling rocks, etc
  

Surprisingly, the whole army was still relatively intact until turn 6, at which point the invocations just couldn't keep up. Truth be told, I don't see what I could have done to better my situation aside from sacrificing more chickens to the dice gods.

The Lizardmen have won this campaign. Time to reap the fields of battle and embark on another campaign in the jungles of Lustria.

Them bones were rolled

Today was matchup #3 for the WHFB campaign between I and the Lizardmen using an adaptation of the Fantasy Battlegrounds Kingdosms rules.

The objective was to hold an objective in the center of the table woth 400VPs and units destroyed VPs were tallied.

The VCs unfortunately were massacred, but I don't think it was due to the units themselves, but to the very good maneuvering by the opponent, and the total lack of gameplan by yours truely. At the end of the game, it was 1700VP to 300VP against, quite the massacre.

The key to the lizardmen victory was one key failed charged by the Grave Guard, which allowed them to swing around and roll up the VCs flank. It didn't help that my general was part of the flank being rolled. The MVP in the game was my Caster Vampire who, with only a sword of might and her good looks, was able to kill a charging Scar Veteran. Regenerating units were also very useful as eveything else was being destroyed left and right.

Two more campaign turns left, with the Lizardmen 12 points against the VCs 6. The next game will decide if victory remains within reach for the VCs.

Victory!

After a dozen games ending in failure, I can finally announce that my Vampire Counts finally have achieved Victory vs Lizardmen! Final Score: 700 VP vs 300 in a 1900 point game.

MVP units were clearly the Black Coach for charging then neutralizing an Engine of the Gods equipped Stegadon, and the Grave Guard for running a unit of Temple Guard off the table. Honorable mention goes to the Terror causing scout vampire that was messing with the rear of the Lizard army, forcing at least 10 fear checks.

Smashed to Bits. Bones everywhere

Last weekend was played a contest at the 1000 points level. My illustrious opponent decided to field his gluttonous Ogre Kingdoms army. I, of course, fielded my underperforming Vampire Counts.

My Army:

• Casty vampire LotD L2 Wiz, Helm, Black Periapt
• Mounted Wight King BSB w/ Sword of Kings, Gem of Blood
  
• 10x Skeleton bunker for the Vamp
• 15x Ghouls w/ Ghast
• 18x Grave guard w/ HW and Shields
• 5x Fell Bats
  

His Army:

• Butcher
• Fighty Ogre Hero
  
• 2x 4-man Bull Ogres units
• 2x 2-man Cannon guys
• Gorger
  

The race was on to 600 victory points.

Turns one and two were maneuvering turns, where the Undead were attempting to bait the Ogres into charge range while staying out the massive 12" Ogre charges.

Turn three sees my Ghouls charging his cannon ogres, who flee and thus pull my Ghouls into position to be charged by a Bull Ogre unit. He maneuvers his other Bull unit into charge range of my Grave Guard. His Gorger appears directly behind my General's skeleton bunker. A tarpit of Zombies is raised to delay the Gorger, and does so for two turn. Thinking that my Vampire is safe for a turn, I spend it replacing casualties in the Grave guard block as well as adding another rank of skeletons to the bunker. I position my Fell bats to cut off the fleeing Cannon Ogres.

Turn four sees both frontline undead units charged by a Bull ogre unit. They plow through the Ghoul unit and overrun into the General's Bunker. The Grave guard unit holds surprisingly well as the Wight King carves some fat off the Butcher in a challenge. His fleeting cannon Ogres fail their leadership test and are overwhelmed by the pack of Fell Bats descending upon them.

Turn five: The vampire general is killed by the impact hits from the charging bull ogre unit. By this point, the Undead have given up close to 600 victory points to the Ogres so we call it a night.

Thoughts on the battle:

• I am happy that the Grave Guard were holding as well as they were. I usually equip them with Great Weapons, but I had a feeling that it was making the unit as a whole too brittle. This battle with HW + Shields seems to confirm this.
• Killing blow vs Ogres is ineffective. The Wight King should have been equipped with the Black Axe for more punch per round.
• Ghouls are great on the offense, but cannot take a hit. They should not be a frontline unit against high strength opposition.
• I had forgotten about the bonus from the Battle Standard. That could have saved at least half a dozen losses from Crumbling.
• At 1000 points, the Vampire Counts shouldn't make a hybrid list. It should be either all Casty, or all Fighty. Replenishing losses was a struggle for a single L2 vampire wizard.
• The MVP for this battle was without a doubt the Wight King. He is my battle tank, and seems to mess with my opponent's mind as well. No other unit that I have fielded in this or other battles inspires fear like he does.
  

There you have it. I hope you have enjoyed reading this battle report. Please don't hesitate to comment. and have a Happy Halloween!