CHAOS SPACE MARINES versus Dark Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition, Gauntlet Tournament 2005 game 2
Opponent: Scott Waugh
Mission: Cleanse - Gamma level
1st turn: Dark Eldar
Points: 1000

Again, apologies for the quality of the photographs.

Dark Eldar

• Archon with Shadowfield, Punisher Helm, 5 Incubi, 2 Warriors with Splinter cannons in Raider
• 2 x 5 Warriors with 2 Splinter cannons in Raiders
• 5 Jetbikes
• 6 Hellions
• Ravager

Terrain and deployment
Scott won the dice off to chose table quarters, naturally, so he picked the one with lots of terrain.

Dark Eldar deployment

We had classified the domed buildings as area 3 terrain (remember that, because it crops up again later in the game), so it meant he could hide his Raiders behind them. He had his Ravager out on my left, his three Raiders pointed toward the middle of my army and his Jetbikes on my right. His Hellions started in reserve and would deep strike in.

Exigator deployment

I used Squad Abraxar as a push-back unit once again, but they couldn't see the Dark Eldar army as they were hidden behind a large terrain piece in the centre of the board. Squad Krall and squad Infractis deployed centrally on a large rocky hill. This gave me some cover to shoot out of and a decent counter charge position. I fully expected the pointy ears to rush me in the centre, so I placed my other units in supporting positions.

Squad Profuge went on the left, threatening the Ravager but also available to provide suppressing fire to the middle. I dropped Squad Imber on my extreme right, principally to face off the Jetbikes, but they could also cover the centre if required. Ferocitor started deep in my starting quarter. With his high movement, along with the Dark Eldar speed, I knew he would still contribute to the battle.

My Obliterators were to teleport in later.

Turn 1

The Dark Eldar zoom forward on turn 1

The Dark Eldar won first turn and, as I thought, rushed my lines. Fortunately for me Scott rolled appalling dice (and I rolled lucky cover saves) and I escaped with only two casualties to Squad Profuge. In a risky move, Scott skirted his Jetbikes round the central terrain to snipe at Squad Abraxar. He fluffed his rolls and they were now in clear view of my heavy bolter Havocs.

Squad Infractis counter-charges...

I blew the Dark Eldar Jetbikes out of the sky with Squad Imber and then stunned the Ravager with Squad Profuge. In the centre Squad Infractis broke cover and slaughtered the foremost Raider squad, while covering fire from Squad Krall popped their ride. I had pretty much won the game with this awesome first turn, I hoped, but I was still wary of the Archon. I have seen these Shadowfield equipped characters in action and know that they can be deadly if the dice don't come up 1's.

Turn 2

...and is massacred

Squad Infractis paid for their sally forth; they were assaulted by the Archon and Incubi and reduced to a single model who failed his morale check and ran away. This was actually fortuitous for me as it left the Dark Eldar HQ sitting out in the open in front of all my guns. It was my turn to roll poorly, though, and the Archon and a couple of Incubi survived my shooting phase. I still managed to take down the Ravager with a lascannon using Squad Profuge, though, so it wasn't all bad.

Turn 3

The Archon loses her Shadowfield in a torrent of Fury attacks

Squad Abraxar received the charge from the Archon and bodyguard but a couple of Marines survived and the Dark Eldar were locked in combat. Both my Obliterators and Furies passed their reserve rolls this turn.

I brought the Obliterators on in the Dark Eldar deployment zone, to shoot down the last Raider and claim the table quarter. The flaw in my plan was the heavy terrain. I scattered on top of a domed building, and my opponent declared I was automatically destroyed.

Remember how we classified the terrain at the start of the game? Area 3. Not impassable. I pondered for a second and then decided to pull the Oblits. This was for a couple of reasons. First, was for sportsmanship - I didn't want to get into an argument. Second, I was winning comfortably anyway and I thought I could manage without them. I hoped I wouldn't regret my decision.

I summoned the Furies off Squad Krall, and even though they scattered wildly, they still made combat with the Archon. Ferocitor hit the Incubi and wiped them out, then the Furies forced five saves on the Archon. Scott rolled a crucial 1, and the Shadowfield went out - along with any flickering hope of a Dark Eldar comeback.

Turn 4

Ferocitor delivers the killing blow

Predictably, the Archon was slaughtered by Ferocitor and the Furies moved out to capture the Dark Eldar deployment zone. Game over, pretty much, but there was one footnote.

The Hellions finally arrive...right in front of the Havocs

In a final cruel twist of fate by the Dice Gods, Scott's Hellions finally arrived on turn 4, only to scatter right in front of my Havocs. They didn't kill a single Marine with their shooting. You can probably imagine the carnage I caused in the following shooting phase.

Scott survived the game with a single Raider.

I captured the three scoring quarters and picked up another massacre.

Result: Win- You massacred 'im

Learning points

• I know how dangerous Dark Eldar can be, but I also know they depend on a good first couple of turns. They either win big or lose big, depending on the early game, and Scott had appalling luck in the first turn. He gambled on a very aggressive start and it didn't pay off. Them's the breaks.
• I was having a few bad dice rolls myself. I had lost all the rolls for table quarters and first turn, and I hadn't gotten any reserves before the third turn. With two massacres under my belt and the army playing well, I was praying for better dice in my third and final game. I would need them as I knew I'd be playing a tough army; they would also have scored two massacres and we would meet on the top table.

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Dark Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition, Gauntlet Tournament game 1
Opponent: Gary
Mission: Pitched Battle
1st turn: Dark Eldar
Points: 1000
Location: Nomolos, Kandaeon Worlds, Skolarii sector
Background: After years of investigation, Kill-Team Severus track down the base of Eldar pirate raids to Nomolos and launch an attack on the alien leader.

Dark Eldar

• Dracon (agoniser and shadow field) with 5 Incubi in Raider
• 10 Wyches with Wych Weapons
• 2x10 Warriors with 2 dark lances
• 10 warriors with 2 splinter cannons
• Ravager
• Talos
• Warp beasts

Terrain and Deployment
This game was played on what looked like a Chaos table, maybe meant to represent the Chaos Wastes in Warhammer Fantasy Battle. It was a dark black/grey/brown table with a few patches of gnarled, leafless trees and two ruined wooden buildings. We quickly classified everything as woods, so that we would at least have something to deploy our armies in and around and behind.

I set up the Stormtrooper squads to hold the centre and my right, with the Inquisitor and retinue behind, ideally placed to counter attack the inevitable Dark Eldar assault. Gary hid his fragile army largely out of sight, screened by the woods and buildings.

Unfortunately for me, I had spoken at length to Gary on the journey to the tournament and told him exactly what the weakness of my army was, and how I would play against it.

He was obviously listening...

The Game
Gary is normally a very bold player, and when playing an assault army he generally races forward and engages the enemy as soon as possible. It usually works very well for him as it can unhinge his opponents and force them to react to his plan rather than implement their own.

In this game he refused the bait and stood off, hitting me with his superior long range weaponry. I was forced to zoom the Inquisitor and Stormtroopers in their rhinos over the board while trying to hold up his troops with the Daemonhosts.

One of the Daemonhosts fell to a blaster shot from the Wyches while the other deviated away from the enemy, rolling a succession of useless powers and subsequently playing little part in the rest of the game.

Squad Matoso in the rhino actually managed to make it across the board only to botch their shooting and get assaulted by the Wyches and a Warrior squad. Scratch one Stormtrooper squad.

Meanwhile Inquisitor Severus had his rhino shot out from under him, leaving the poor fella right out in the open. The Incubi needed no further invitation and pounded him and his retinue into the ground.

We only completed five turns of the game due to time restrictions but the result was never in doubt; a Dark Eldar victory.

Result: Marginal Loss - 10 points

Favourite moment: A death cult assassin receiving a charge from the warp beasts, killing the Wych and the beasts going out of control and attacking the Talos.

Learning points

• My battle plan depended upon the enemy coming to me and when he didn’t I was in deep trouble. My force needs to be far more rounded to be able to play in different ways.
• The Daemonhosts are fickle; I got unlucky in this game and they achieved nothing. They cannot be depended upon.
• Dark Eldar are surprisingly good in the shooting phase and can make a very good all-round army in 1000pts. Fast, shooty, tough, good close combat ability - they have something of everything.
  

TAU versus Dark Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Gary
Mission: Secure and control
Level: Omega
1st turn: Dark Eldar
Points: 1500
Location: Nomolos, Sub Sector 6, Skolarii sector
Background: The following is an anecdotal account of an engagement between those Xenos aliens Tau and Dark Eldar. It was reported to rogue trader Cortez during his lengthy negotiations with a Tau member of the water caste, upon the hell-hole that is Mangalore. If this story is true then Tau have indeed infiltrated into the Skolarii sector and the Inquisition must be contacted at once. What is certain is that Imperial shipping has been disrupted in sub sector six and a number of ships have gone missing in recent months. Perhaps these Dark Eldar are involved. Navy commanders must be alerted.

The Tau mining world of Nomolos, in sub sector 6 of the Skolarii sector, has been subject to piratical attacks from Dark Eldar raiders. Supply convoys have been harassed to such an extent that less than 25% of all ships sent get through to Nomolos. Although regular sorties were made the Eldar specialised in hit and run tactics and were never caught in action. The Tau needed to stop the Dark Eldar at source and find their hidden base.

In despair, and to protect the lives of his starving workers, Colony Commander Varn'ko lured the Dark Eldar fleet into a trap. The Dark Eldar bit and attacked the lone ship, quickly overcoming its drone crew and fleeing back to their hidden base with their booty. Tracking devices had been secreted within the ship however, and a messenger drone escaped from the Dark Eldar base carrying vital co-ordinates. Eventually the drone made planetfall on Nomolos and Varn'ko led his cadre to recover it. But as they arrived the Dark Eldar suddenly appeared.

The hunter had become the hunted.

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Varn'ko
• Shas’O with plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator, hard-wired multi tracker, Shas’Vre with plasma rifle, missile pod, multitracker, bonded
• Aun’El’Tau’M’yen - Ethereal
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock - 2 Crisis battlesuits, bonded, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker, Shas’ui with flamer, missile pod, target lock
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Vemlock - Shas’ui with twin-linked plasma rifle, missile pod
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Kais’Mal’Coar - 5 stealthsuits, bonded
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan - 10 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles, bonded, Shas’ui with markerlight and hard-wired blacksun filter
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 12 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles,bonded, Shas'ui with markerlight
• Murabla - 16 Kroot, Shaper
• Shas’La’Tau’Tam’La’Mo’Town - 6 Pathfinders, photon grenades, bonded, Devilfish with decoy launchers and two seeker missiles
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang - 2 Broadside battlesuits, bonded, Shas’Ui with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and shield generator, Shas’Ui with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and target lock
• Kaikown - Krootox
• Shas’La’Tau’Or’Es’Mont’Ka - Railgun, smart missile system, multitracker, blacksun filter, decoy launchers, seeker missile

Dark Eldar

• Archon with shadow field, agoniser, splinter pistol, hell mask, combat drugs, 6 incubi, master, raider
• 14 wyches, 2 shredders, wych weapons, succubus with agoniser
• 9 wyches, 2 blasters, wych weapons, succubus with agoniser
• 5 mandrakes
• 10 warriors, 2 dark lances
• 10 warriors, 2 dark lances
• 10 warriors, 2 splinter cannons
• 5 reaver jetbikes, succubus with poisoned blades
• 1 ravager with 1 dark lance, 2 disintegrators, night shield
• Talos
  

Deployment and terrain

Six possible locations had been designated for the messenger drone, spread across the entire battlefield

The Dark Eldar warriors spring the trap. The two units with dark lances set up in each corner to create a deadly crossfire in the centre of the battlefield, while the squad with splinter cannons are ready to dash for the marker on the hill

The view from the other flank. Note the single purple figures. These are the enigmatic mandrakes, sneaking toward the Tau lines.

Meanwhile the Tau deploy in force in the centre with two squads of Fire Warriors on foot and a large unit of Kroot. In the foreground is the Devilfish containing a small Pathfinder squad.


The Pathfinders skim forward, before the game proper, toward a possible drone crash site.

Turn 1

Dark lances train on the Pathfinders Devilfish but they cannot shoot it from the sky


The Devilfish emerges unscathed from the Warrior firing

Turn 2

The first reserves arrive for the Dark Eldar in the shape of Reaver jetbikes. They use the cover of the rock formations well to avoid Tau shooting. In the centre the Warrior squad has uncovered one possible crash site and finding nothing they push forward into weapon range.

On the other flank a Warrior squad looks on as the Archon, and Incubi swoop in on their Raider. They find the drone immediately. Game on! The Talos has also arrived and drifts up behind the Warrior squad to the top right.

The view from the Dark Eldar lines. The mandrake continues its stealthy advance forward.

The Pathfinders have bailed out of their Devilfish after it was smashed out of the sky by dark lances. They race for the cover of the stream.

In the centre the Kroot enter the clinger vines, wary of the Warrior squad ahead. Shaper Murabla has encountered splinter cannons before and knows to give them proper respect. The nose of the lead reaver jetbike is visible, poking out from the rock on the left.

Turn 3

The Archon and retinue have had their Raider destroyed but retain control of the objective. The Archon lost her shadow field as she leapt clear of the wreckage. The Talos continues its advance alongside the warp beast pack which have just raced onto the battlefield. Wyches are just visible beyond them (top left).


The jetbikes break from cover to engage the Fire Warrior squad, peppering them with splinter rifle fire


The Dark Eldar mount a formidable defence. The Mandrakes are revealed and shield the Incubi squad from incoming fire, while the Archon and squad retreat toward safety. Another Wych squad displays their fleet of foot and race toward the drone. At a more stately pace the Ravager moves onto the battlefield to provide covering fire.


Contact! The jetbikes slice the Fire Warriors up in the assault while the Broadside team move onto the field of battle. Will they be next?

Turn 4

A Fire Warrior's eye view of the action. How can they prevail against such a well co-ordinated defence of the objective. Note the Warrior squad with splinter cannons to the right. They have already decimated one Fire Warrior squad and now turn their attention to the Kroot. The Kroot too are ripped apart and fall back under the hail of splinters.


Against all the odds the Fire Warriors fight off the Reaver assault (the jetbikes failed a moral high ground roll and the subsequent morale check). The Reavers fall back toward their own lines.


The Stealth team had advanced down the extreme right flank in the cover of a refinery building. They finally break cover and gun down a large Wych squad, reducing it to a quarter of its original size. The Hammerhead had moved up between the storage towers and targeted the Warrior squad with bright lances, smashing them apart with its sub munitions round. The shattered survivors fall back off the table. With a sizeable chunk of the Dark Eldar army destroyed maybe the Tau have a chance.


The Talos watches as the Tau Crisis suits jet toward the Dark Eldar. The Warp beasts are driven on to hold up the Tau advance. The Ravager has been shot down by the Tau Broadside team.

Turn 5

The Stealth team were assaulted by the remaining Wyches and won through, killing them all. They made a 15" sweeping advance that took them into the heart of the Dark Eldar position.


While the Reavers continue to fall back the Dark Eldar consolidate their position. The Wyches hold the centre along with the two survivors of the splinter cannon Warrior squad. The Archon and retinue (in white armour) can just be made out behind a rocky outcrop. The only worry for the Dark Eldar is the Stealth Team in their midst, but surely the Talos should be able to finish them off?


The Warp beasts finish off one Crisis suit team in assault and then sweep into the remaining team, Shas'o and all.


The Hammerhead angles for a shot at the Talos. Even with help from the Broadside team they could only wound it once. The Stealth Team ahead moved up into point blank range of the Archon and retinue and unloaded everything they had into them. When the dust cleared only one Incubi lay dead. Had the Tau blown it?

Turn 6

In the foreground a lone battlesuit picks off a single Incubi visible near the rock formation. The Talos had charged the Stealth Team, killing four and driving the last man off. Note the two splinter cannon Warriors who survived a sub munitions blast from the Hammerhead on the last turn!

Victory! The Archon has the objective well under control and so the whereabouts of the Dark Eldar pirate base is safe.

Result: Loss

Aftermath
So the Dark Eldar are victorious and the position of their hidden base remains a mystery to the Tau. Tau supply convoys into Nomolos continue to be disrupted and the future of the mining colony itself is threatened.

Learning points

• This sort of smash and grab raid suited the Dark Eldar down to the ground. They won the rolls to choose board edge and starting turn and made the right decision in both. Their supporting units such as the Warrior squads with bright lances and the Ravager had commanding fields of fire and they denied such positions for the Tau. Taking the first turn meant that the Eldar got reserves before the Tau, and using their famous speed they quickly uncovered three markers and discovered the messenger drone. Their incredible speed, through jet bikes and fleet of foot, also allowed the Dark Eldar to quickly redeploy their forces into the area where the drone was found. Of course, landing an awesome close combat unit in the Archon with Incubi squad on the objective helped too!
• Still, the Tau can inflict heavy damage at a distance and many of their troops could move up to 12" per turn, so the Dark Eldar could not afford to be too bullish. Sensibly the Archon retreated with her prize and used the units of mandrakes, wyches, jet bikes and warp beasts to absorb incoming fire and to disrupt the Tau advance. Men of the match in this regard were the ten man warrior squad with two splinter cannons. They advanced into the centre of the Tau army, took out half of a twelve man fire warrior squad then caused so many casualties on the kroot that they routed! They then survived a battering from the Tau in the shooting phase but passed all of their morale checks and laid down another barrage of splinter shots into a crisis suit unit, softening them up for the warp beasts to finish them off. Finally they survived a point blank shot from a railgun sub munitions shot! All this from a 100 point(ish) unit.
• The Tau are always at a disadvantage when the mission involves a lot of movement, especially when the Dark Eldar are the opposition. In this rescue mission the Tau were hoping to get the objective first and force the Eldar to come to come to them. But it was not to be and the Tau faced a stiff fight to catch the speedy foe. The Tau lost a lot of shooting effectiveness in trying to move up to the Eldar lines and were harried relentlessly by spoiling attacks from the likes of warp beasts and jet bikes. The only real ray of hope for the Tau were the Stealth suits who advanced on the far flank of the battlefield, safe from enemy fire, and suddenly emerged to all but wipe out a large wych squad. They finished the job in the Dark Eldar assault phase and then swept 15" forward, moved a further 6" in their own movement phase and had the Archon and Incubi in their sights. Their luck only ran out when they only killed a single enemy and were destroyed in turn by the Talos.
• In the end the stealth team and the Hammerhead were the only Tau units to get into the Dark Eldar lines and this seriously hampered their efforts to recapture the messenger drone. The Tau should have been more ruthless in advancing forward, taking the inevitable casualties, and hoping that an extra two or three models could have swung it for them in the last turn. Perhaps a unit of fire warriors in a devilfish would have been effective in this scenario.
• All in all though, a very enjoyable battle, hard fought and very bloody. We haven't seen the last of these Dark Eldar I wager...

CHAOS SPACE MARINES versus Dark Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Gary
Mission: Seek and Destroy
Level: Omega
1st turn: Chaos Space Marines
Points: 2000
Location: Windar, Halasus Marches, Skolarii sector
Background: Constant Dark Eldar raids upon Imperial shipping around Windar come to the attention of the Exigators renegade Space Marine chapter. They bring a large part of the Blue Storm Kabal to battle on the planet's surface and kill both enemy leaders, thus securing the space lanes for a full ten years.


Exigators Chaos Space Marines

• Chaos Lord Ferocitor, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Daemonic Stature, Daemonic Strength, Daemonic Speed, Daemonic Resilience, Daemonic Strength, Daemonic Visage, Daemonic Aura, Dark Blade, Bionics, Close combat weapon, Frag grenades, Personal Icon, Spiky Bits, Furious Charge
• 2 Obliterators
• Squad Surculus, 5 Possessed Marines with Daemonic Talons
• Squad Hotep, 9 Thousand Sons with Bolt guns, Sorceror with Power Weapon and Gift of Chaos
• Squad Infractis, 10 Chaos Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, Bolt pistols and Close combat weapons, 2 Plasma Pistols, Aspiring Champion with Power fist
• Squad Profuge, 5 Chaos Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, Bolt guns, Plasma gun, Lascannon
• Squad Abraxar, 5 Chaos Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Bolt guns, Missile Launcher, Plasma gun, Infiltrate
• Squad Krall, 5 Chaos Marines, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Bolt guns, Autocannon, Infiltrate
• 8 Furies
• 5 Raptors, Furious Charge, Flamer, Aspiring Champion with Power Weapon and Daemonic Strength
• Squad Imber, 6 Havocs, Mark of Chaos Undivided, Infiltrate, Bolt guns, 4 Heavy Bolters
• Torius, Predator with Twin-linked Lascannon and Heavy Bolter sponsons
• Atrocitor, Dreadnought with Twin-linked Lascannon
  

Dark Eldar

• Tooled up Archon with Incubi retinue in Raider
• Drachon carrying Webway portal
• Haemonculus leading 9 Grotesques in Raider
• 5 Jetbikes
• 4 Warpbeasts
• Talos
• Ravager
• 12 Wyches
• 10 Warriors with 2 Dark lances
• 10 Warriors with 2 Dark lances
• 10 Warriors with 2 Splinter cannons with Sybarite carrying Webway portal
• 6 Mandrakes
• 10 Scourges with 4 Splinter cannons

Background
Having played piddly 1000 point army lists in 10 or so games (before and during The Gauntlet tournament) Gary and I were keen to fight a larger engagement. Gary took the opportunity to switch from his Slaanesh Chaos list to the Dark Eldar. In particular he wanted to experiment with webway portals as the 4th edition vehicle rules had made Raiders death traps.

I had to seriously massage my Chaos list to reach 2000 points. I tricked out my Lord to a true Daemon Prince, weighing in at a hefty 208 points. My Dreadnought and Predator got Daemonically possessed, and I managed to finally play my Raptors as well as my Thousand Sons unit. As these additions were mainly to meet the points requirement, and not to improve the killing potential of my army, I figured I was in for a tough game.

Terrain and Deployment
We set up the table with a lot of cover, partially to help Gary's fragile Dark Eldar and partly in response to our last few games on the bare tables of Warhammer World.

I had a dense concentration of jungle on my left flank which we classified area 2 terrain, the central portion of the board had tons of ruined buildings, mostly area 2 but with one large area 3 ruin in the dead centre of the table and the right was comparatively bare, with just a few small jungle pieces.

Gary began the game with the majority of his army off the table due to escalation and the webway portals. He began with the Drachon with a portal joining a Warrior squad on my right, a Warrior squad set up centrally, and the last Warrior squad with the second portal on my left.

I tasked my Thousand Sons to hold my left flank, amongst the dense jungles. My infantry squads formed a loose skirmish line right across the board, with Squad Infractis and the possessed behind the large building in the middle, and the Obliterators on my right centre.

The Game
I won first turn and pushed Squad Infractis forward in the middle, and Squad Hotep trudged through the undergrowth on my left. Some lucky rolls meant I caused a couple of casualties on the Warrior squad with the portal on the left. Gary withdrew the squad but the Thousand Sons had the angle to shoot around the ruins and the squad was further whittled down. Worried about losing the rest of the squad and the portal with them Gary pulled the Warriors back even further, so I had effectively neutralised his attack on my left.

On my right, the Dark Eldar were faring no better. Gary pushed the Warriors and Drachon over the open ground towards my line squads but I unleashed a torrent of fire at them, killing everyone but the Dark Eldar HQ.

On the second turn my reserves began to arrive and my Dreadnought had a clear line of sight to the Drachon. One twin-linked lascannon shot later and I had denied the threat of the webway portals completely.

Gary's own reserves came on in drips and drabs, allowing me to destroy them in turn. The Reavers zoomed up my right but my bolt guns cared little for their invulnerable saves and they were shot from the sky. I had brought the Predator onto this flank too, and I rained cross table shots into the Dark Eldar centre with impunity.

Back on the right, Gary introduced the Ravager in order to attack the Thousand Sons, but the jungles gave me some useful invulnerable saves and I eventually dropped the skimmer. I pulled Squad Hotep back to preserve victory points and secure the flank.

That left a furious fight for the centre as Squad Infractis pushed forward, supported by Squad Surculus. A lucky bolt pistol shot destroyed the Archon's Raider which left them pinned for a crucial turn. From turn 3 onwards a sprawling combat ensued including the Wyches, Haemonculus, Grotesques, Archon, Incubi and Warp beasts versus Squad Infractis, Squad Surculus and Ferocitor. Although the Dark Eldar eventually triumphed I had pretty much obliterated the entire army in the process and it was just a case of mopping up after that.

The final stages had the Scourges and Raptors show up out of reserve, but playing little part in the game. This was a comfortable win for my Exigators.

Result: Win - Victorious slaughter

Imperial Control: Increased 18%

Learning points

• A surprisingly easy win for my Exigators. Winning first turn helped immensely as well as Gary's fumbled deployment of his webway portals. The squads who held them were far too fragile and couldn't advance deeper onto the table meaning Gary's hard-hitting close assault units had to arrive from his own board edge. I played cautiously, only advancing a couple of squads to use as bait, and in the end they did enough damage on their own to completely stall the Dark Eldar attack. My superior long range fire ensured there was no way back for the pointy-eared Kabalites.

IMPERIAL GUARD versus Dark Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Gary
Mission: Rescue
Location: Nomolos
Background: The Imperial Commander of Finschan is already fighting a war against Orks upon his home planet, when they are further beleaguered by Dark Eldar raids. Reluctantly, he requests aid, and it comes in the form of Captain Kennell and his Cadians. They take the battle directly to the pirates on the surface of Nomolos.
1st turn: Imperial Guard
Points: 2000

Imperial Guard

• Command Platoon 77, Captain Kennell, Junior Officer, Honorifica Imperialis, Company Standard, Medic, Missile Launcher, Sanctioned Psyker
• Commissar Yarrick
• Anti tank squad 3, Lascannons
• Sentinel Autocannon, Extra Armour, Improved Comms
• 8 Stormtroopers, Sergeant with powersword, 1 meltagun, 1 plasma gun, deep strike, infiltrate
• Inquisitor Kurven, psycannon and emperor's tarot, 2 veterans with plasma guns, plasma cannon servitor, 2 sages, mystic
• 3 Deathcult Assassins
• Infantry Platoon 1
• Command Squad 36, Junior Officer with power weapon and plasma pistol, 2 meltaguns, 2 plasma guns
• Infantry Squad 501, Missile Launcher, Grenade Launcher
• Infantry Squad 541, Missile Launcher, Grenade Launcher
• Infantry Platoon 2
• Command Squad, Missile Launcher
• Infantry Squad 609, Missile Launcher, Grenade Launcher
• Infantry Squad 812, Flamer
• 20 Conscripts
• Armoured Fist Squad Flamer, Chimera with multi-laser, Heavy Bolter, Heavy Stubber
• 5 Inquisitorial Stormtroopers, 2 meltaguns, rhino
• Sentinel Multilaser, smoke
• Sentinel Multilaser, searchlight
• Heavy Support
• Basilisk, Indirect fire
• Leman Russ, Heavy Bolter
  

Dark Eldar

• Archon with Incubi retinue in Raider
• 10 Wyches
• Haemonculus with 9 Grotesques in Raider
• Mandrakes
• Warp Beast Pack
• 2 Warrior Squads with two Dark Lances
• Warrior Squad with 2 Splinter Cannons
• 5 Reaver Jetbikes
• 8 Scourges with four Splinter cannons
• Ravager
• Talos

Terrain and Deployment
Gary had been chopping and changing his armies for weeks now, and I never knew from week to week what he would be bringing to the game. He hadn't played his Dark Eldar for so long I had almost forgotten about them, so this was a big surprise.

Things got off to a bad start for my Guardsmen when we rolled a rescue mission. The mobility of the Dark Eldar versus the static firepower of the Imperial Guard meant that Gary was the clear favourite.

The board had medium to light terrain, mostly ruined buildings with a couple of woods and a large hill on my right flank. My left flank was relatively open, with a good 24-36 inches between the cover in the Dark Eldar deployment zone and the cover in my Cadian deployment zone.

I took a chance when setting up the rescue counters by placing all of mine right along one board edge, 12" in, gambling that I would win the choice of board edge and not have to move far to pick up counters. I won the dice off. Phew.

Just a note on the mission; we play our own variant where the 'real' counter isn't revealed until the end of the game, so you never know whether you have the objective or not. We find that this keeps things interesting and encourages us to play more aggressively.

Only troop choices can be deployed at the beginning of the game, so Gary set up both his Warrior Squads with Dark Lances on the hill, and his Warriors with Splinter Cannons on the open left flank. I had sixty models spread out across the board, as well as my Sentinels. They used their Scouts ability to grab two counters before the game even began. Excellent!

The Game
I won first turn and grabbed another counter with an infantry squad on my right. I advanced up the right, behind a ruined building, with an infantry squad toward a fourth counter. In the shooting phase I threw everything at the Warriors on the left and they broke and fell back off the table.

Gary realised that he had deployed badly when he found his Dark Lances were out of range of everything on my left and my units on the right were hidden by the woods.

In my second turn ALL of my reserves showed up (thanks to a re-roll for the Leman Russ from Improved Comms). I deployed every vehicle on the left, well out of Dark Lance range, and with very good fields of fire. I captured my fourth counter with an infantry squad on the extreme left, and this also left them in terrain, with an excellent field of fire.

The Dark Eldar were already on the back foot and things only got worse when only one Raider squad and the Jetbikes arrived from reserve. In fact it took four turns for Gary to get his whole army onto the table and by that stage he had lost control of the game. Because his units arrived piecemeal they were subject to my whole army's attention and were quickly destroyed.

Those Jetbikes, for example, boosted 24" onto an objective in the centre right but were blown from the sky by several Guard squads in the vicinity. All of his Raiders were shot down on the turn they arrived. He just couldn't mount a coordinated attack.

The only other thing to add is that because of the mission, I still couldn't be sure I'd win the game. I controlled four counters, one was in no-mans land (having been dropped by the Jetbikes) and Gary claimed the other with his Talos in the fourth turn. He retreated back to his own lines, hiding the monster behind a ruined building, so I sent my Inquisitorial Stormtroopers in to retrieve it.

They zoomed up the board and on turn six dismounted and took two wounds off the Talos. My Basilisk removed the last with an exact Guess and Hit (dangerous, considering the proximity of the Stormtroopers), so I grabbed the counter. Outrageous!

Gary still had the last laugh, though, when he assaulted me with some Warriors who had marched all the way down the hill over to this side of the board. He won the combat and I failed my morale test, giving the counter back to the Dark Eldar.

We rolled a d6 to determine who had the real objective, and it turned out to be the Guardsmen on the extreme left, in the ruins.

Result: Win

Imperial Control: Increased 35%

Kennell's Commendation: Those Inquisitorial Stormtroopers get Kennell's commendation for almost snatching that fifth counter in the last turn.

Learning points

• When we rolled up the mission I thought I was screwed, but the position of the counters, our deployments, the reserve rolls, and the special abilities of my Sentinels helped me out enormously. Just goes to show, don't write off any missions as unwinnable.
• I've only ever really played the Dark Eldar on smaller tables, so the short range of the Lances never really mattered, but on larger tables it is a much more important matter. By deploying well out of range of them I virtually guaranteed my ordnance would remain unharmed throughout the game.
  

IMPERIAL GUARD and Space Marines - Space Wolves versus Chaos Space Marines - Iron Warriors and Dark Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: ?
Mission: Cleanse
Location: Eye of Terror
Background: 999.M41 In the nick of time the Cadians and Space Wolves realised they were friends, not foes, and called a truce. They joined forces to attack a Dark Eldar raiding party backed up by Chaos Space Marines of the Iron Warriors Legion.
1st turn: Imperial Guard and Space Marines - Space Wolves
Points: 1000 per army

Allies
Imperial Guard

• Command Platoon 77, Captain Kennell (Junior Officer), Company Standard, 2 Meltaguns
• Anti tank squad, 3 Lascannons
• 9 Stormtroopers, Vet sergeant with plasma pistol, 2 plasma guns, deep strike
• 8 Stormtroopers, 2 meltaguns, deep strike
• Infantry Platoon
• Command Squad 36, Junior Officer with power weapon and plasma pistol, medic, 2 plasma guns
• Infantry Squad 501, Missile Launcher, Grenade Launcher
• Infantry Squad 541, Missile Launcher, Grenade Launcher
• Infantry Platoon
• Command Squad, Missile Launcher
• Infantry Squad 609, Missile Launcher, Grenade Launcher
• Infantry Squad 812, Flamer
• Basilisk, Indirect fire

Space Marines - Space Wolves

• Wolf Priest
• Another HQ with Frostblade
• Grey hunters in razorback
• Bloodclaws in rhino
• Landspeeder tornado with multi-melta and heavy flamer
• Landspeeder with heavy bolter and heavy flamer
• Predator annihilator
• Wolf scouts with meltagun and powerfist

Enemies
Iron Warriors

• Pimped out Lord with Daemon Weapon and Wings
• Basilisk
• Dreadnought
• 2 large units with plasma guns and lascannons and aspiring champions with powerfists
• Obliterator
• Predator annihilator

Dark Eldar

• Archon and Incubi in Raider
• 2 Warrior squads in Raiders
• Ravager
• 2 units of Jet bikes

Terrain and Deployment
The battlefield was cluttered with large buildings, mostly across the centre of the board with a couple in our opponents deployment zone. Our board edge was relatively clear except for a small wood on our left and a low building on our extreme right. Most of my Guardsmen started out in the open, in the centre. Despite the buildings, they had good lines of sight to any avenues of attack. Wayne had his units hidden behind the scant cover we had, ready to counter charge.

Essentially, we set up a refused left flank, anchored by the Predator safely hull down in the wood. Between us we had four units available in reserve.

Our opponents spread their army out evenly across their deployment zone, but their heavy support was concentrated on our right, in or around a wooded hill. They only kept their single Obliterator back to deep strike.

The Game
Thank the Emperor we won the first turn!

We managed to immobilise the Dreadnought and blow it's ranged weapon off, knock a Dark Lance off a Raider with the Basilisk and rout a Dark Eldar Warrior squad off the board.

The damaged Raider raced forward 24" to stop in front of the Guardsmen, completely messing up their lines of sight. The Ravager emerged from behind the forest on our right while the Jetbikes zoomed forward on our left. Their Basilisk tore the Earthshaker gun off our Basilisk and blew the Stormbolter off our rhino.

Our priority for the turn was to take down that Raider and the Jetbikes. The Raider was duly shot from the sky to reveal a large Incubi squad and Archon. I poured all of my firepower at the survivors and reduced the squad to just the Archon, at which point the Bloodclaws, and both Space Wolf HQs charged him. Only one Jetbike squad was destroyed by the Space Wolf shooting phase, leaving the other free to wreak havoc next turn.

The Archon was reduced to a single wound as his shadowfield failed, but he managed to kill 3 Bloodclaws. The Jetbikes charged a Guard infantry squad and routed them, running them down. They swept into the command section behind but they would be vulnerable to shooting next turn. With the Dark Eldar and Space Wolf HQs stuck in combat, the Iron Warriors Lord decided he wanted a piece of the action and swooped into the melee.

It was clear that this was to be the decisive engagement of the game. If our opponents won the combat they would be in amongst our firebase, free to slaughter Guardsmen at will. If we won, we would have knocked out the significant enemy assault elements and could then bring our superior firepower to bear. We also had four units still to arrive from reserve, and would have a big manpower advantage.

In a titanic struggle the Space Wolves emerged victorious, largely due to the Stormcaller power allowing the Wolves to strike first. Then, to add insult to injury, our deepstrikers made an entrance. Wayne's Wolf scouts took out their Basilisk and I brought in my Stormtroopers to secure our lines. They killed the last of the Jetbikes together with Captain Kennell's command squad.

It was clear we would win the game but to give credit to our opponents they carried on and tried to give us a bloody nose. They dropped their Obliterator in next to Captain Kennell and flamed his squad. Only one Guardsman died, though, and in return they meltagunned the behemoth to death. Their Dreadnought went into fire frenzy twice. With only the Heavy Flamer operational it had to target the nearby Ravager and destroyed one of it's guns. This forced the Ravager out into the open to escape the crazed ally, and it got immobilised and then crashed due to a Grenade launcher krak shot.

Both Predators traded shots with each other on the isolated left flank, with the Space Wolves one coming off worse, being immobilised and losing two lascannons. The Chaos Annihilator didn't escape harm entirely, though. Those Wolf scouts assaulted a much larger Iron Warriors squad and actually killed them all. The lone survivor then swept into the Predator and tore it up with his powerfist.

On the last couple of turns our units concentrated on securing table quarters. Most of my Guardsmen were unharmed and they gave up their shooting phase to capture three quarters, and a Space Wolf 'speeder got the fourth. We didn't bother totting up victory points as we were so far ahead.

Result: Win

Kennell's Commendation: Infantry Platoon 1 who variously held the line and took out the Incubi and their Raider, Jetbikes, a Ravager, and then captured two table quarters.

Learning points

• Space Wolves and Imperial Guard make for a very tasty combination, with long range shooting complementing rock hard assault units. On the other hand our opposition was Iron Warriors and Dark Eldar who also have awesome ranged attacks coupled with vicious close combat ability.
• In the end I think our deployment swung the game, allowing us to bring our whole army to bear against only selected enemy units. By the time the rest of their army redeployed to support their attacks, the original thrust had been repulsed. They attacked piecemeal, allowing us to take their units on one at a time.
• My deep striking element worked well again, allowing me to redeploy units to wherever they were needed. They are good for grabbing table quarters as they arrive late, either taking quarters themselves or soaking up fire so that other units can do so.
• My only concern is that I lack any sort of counter-charge ability in my own army. The Wolves really helped me out in this regard, but what happens when I am on my own?
  

DAEMONHUNTERS versus Dark Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Gary
Mission: Recon
1st turn: Daemonhunters
Points: 1000

Daemonhunters

• Inquisitor Lord Kurven - Psycannon, Purity Seals, Gun Servitor, Plasma Cannon, Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Targeter, 2 x Imperial Guard Veteran, Plasma Gun, Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Targeter, 2 x Sage, Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol, 2 x mystics
• Daemonhost
• 3 x Death-Cult Assassins
• Inquisitor Lynch - Incinerator, power weapon, melta bombs, purity seals
• Squad Godirtho - 9 Storm troopers, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma pistol, 2 x meltaguns
• Squad Matoso - 9 x Inquisitorial Stormtroopers, Veteran, Bolt Pistol, Power Weapon, Targeter, 2 x Flamer, Rhino, Extra Armour, Hunter-killer Missile, Smoke
• Armoured Fist Squad (inducted Imperial Guard) - Sergeant, Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol, Flamer, Chimera, Multilaser, Heavy Bolter, Smoke Launchers
  

Dark Eldar

• Dracon - agoniser and shadow field, with 5 Incubi in Raider
• 10 Wyches with Wych Weapons
• 2x10 Warriors with 2 dark lances
• Ravager
• Talos
• Warp beasts

The game
I won the roll off and started to set up first. The battlefield had a large building in the centre of the table with smaller buildings scattered around and about. I began with my two rhinos behind the building in the centre, the chimera covering my right and Inquisitor Kurven covering the left.

On turn one I targeted both warrior squads while the rhinos moved forward. I chose not to shoot at the raiders because my opponent has had some trouble with them in his games (but more on this later). Although I forced both units to take morale checks they both passed.

He brought his two raiders up behind the building while the ravager took on the Inquisitor, killing several of his retinue. Now was the time to strike. I flung both rhinos around the building to target the raiders, an assassin hiding in the large building leapt forward to assault any survivors and Inquisitor Kurven squared up to the ravager. After 2 meltagun shots, an Incinerator and flamer shot, 3 Multilaser shots, 3 heavy bolter shots, 1 plasma cannon shot, 2 plasma gun shots and a psycannon shot I had killed precisely nothing. Zip. Zilch. I lost the entire game on this turn.

Kurven and retinue were wiped out in an assault by the Incubi, a rhino went down to the ravager, the chimera was destroyed by a warrior's dark lance and the wyches assaulted Inquisitor Lynch and squad Matoso. Although I rallied a little when the Daemonhost arrived, and managed to kill the wyches and warriors on my right, I was wiped out to a man by turn 5.

Result: Lose

Learning points

• I lost the game on turn 2 with the most appalling shooting phase ever. I hung on in there and gave the dark Eldar a bloody nose but there was no way back for the Daemonhunters.
• This Dark Eldar list is perfect for taking out my Daemonhunters army. All the dark lances can pop the rhinos while all of the dark Eldar are better than my units in combat. My only hope was to take out his mobility early on but that brings me to...
• Gary has had problems with some players in the store with his raiders. Although he carefully screens them behind tall buildings, the gigantic profile of the paper darts always leaves a bit of them sticking out. So opponents target a vehicle they can perhaps only see 1% of. I think this stinks and so does Gary. So in this game I refused to shoot at them in the first turn (even though I could maybe see 30-40% of them). Unfortunately, because of my awful shooting in turn 2, my generosity backfired big time. Ho, hum.

CHAOS SPACE MARINES versus Dark Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: ?
Mission: Night Fight
1st turn: ?
Points: 1000

Chaos Space Marines

• Forax Tork – Chaos Lieutenant, Mark of Nurgle, Plague sword, Spiky bits, Daemonic mutation, Nurgles Rot
• Evomere Incursus – Chaos Sorceror, Mark of Nurgle, Bolt pistol and close combat weapon, Warp Talisman, Wind of Chaos, Bionics
• Squad Putid- 6 Chosen, Mark of Nurgle, Aspiring Champion with Plague Banner, 2x Aspiring Champion with Meltagun, Aspiring Champion with Power Weapon, Rhino with Plague Carrier and Extra Armour
• Squad Pestis – 7 Chaos Space Marines, Mark of Nurgle, Flamer, Aspiring Champion with Bolt pistol and Close Combat Weapon
• Squad Odoratus – 7 Chaos Space Marines, Mark of Nurgle, Plasma gun, Aspiring Champion with Combi Bolter
• Squad Contagio – 7 Chaos Space Marines, Mark of Nurgle, Plasma pistol, Aspiring Champion with Power fist

Dark Eldar

• Archon and Incubi in Raider
• 2 Warrior squads in Raiders
• Ravager
• 2 five man jet bike squads
  

The game
I suckered the Incubi into attacking a forward squad with my HQ sitting behind to counter charge. The Plague banner killed five Incubi, the other men the rest, but the archon killed every man in the unit in return.

A lucky bolter shot took down a Raider killing six of the occupants and all the bikes fell in combat but I was wiped out to a man.

Result: Loss

Learning points

• Well outnumbered by a faster foe I kept my army compact with a good counter charge unit. This worked well.
• The game was closer than the first game because the enemy closed the range and went on the attack.
• Dark lances, etc decimated swathes of men at a distance, for which I had no reply.
• Archon just wouldn't fail his 2+ Shadowfield save.
  

TAU and SPACE WOLVES versus Chaos Space Marines and Dark Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Ally: Maurice
Opponents: Gary and Hugh
Mission: Recon
1st turn: Tau and Space Wolves
Points: 2000

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Ch’ien’Shi Shas’O - plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator, Hard wired multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Hemlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan - 12 Fire warriors, 10 with pulse rifles, two with pulse carbine, Shas’ui, bonded
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 12 Fire warriors, 10 with pulse rifles, two with pulse carbine, Shas’ui, bonded
• Murabla - 11 Kroot
• Kor’Vesa - 6 Gun drones
• Kor’Vesa - 6 Gun drones
• Kor’Vesa - 6 Gun drones
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang - Shas’ui with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and shield generator
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang’u’Tang - Shas’ui with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and target lock
  

Space Wolves

• Large blood claw pack in land raider crusader
• 6 blood claws with jump packs
• Venerable dreadnought
• Rune priest

Chaos Space Marines

• 5 Raptors
• Squad with lascannon
• Squad with lascannon
• Close assault squad in rhino
• Lieutenant and squad in rhino
• Dread with twin linked lascannons

Dark Eldar

• Ravager
• Drachon and six Incubi in Raider
• 4 warp beasts
• Large Wych squad
• 10 man warrior squad with two dark lances
• 10 man warrior squad with two dark lances
• 10 man warrior squad with two splinter cannons
• Talos

Terrain and deployment
4000pt battle on a 4x4 table. Yikes!

Also it was the Necron table which is heavily converted with hills, monuments and crystals. Looks great but is a devil to play on. Difficult terrain all over the place.

The game
We won first turn and only inflicted one wound on the Talos despite the majority of our armies shooting at it.

Fortunately the Dark Eldar did no better than us and we picked up in the second turn killing the Talos, stunning the Ravager, stunning the Dreadnought, immobilising a rhino, wiping out half of a warrior squad and a full marine squad.

The Crusader was first immobilised and then destroyed.

A massive close combat erupted between the wyches, Raptors, lieutenant and henchmen and the two blood claw units with the rune priest. In the centre the Incubi sped forward, had their Raider shot out from under them then assaulted the Tau firebase along with the Warp beasts.

On the right the Venerable dreadnought soaked up three turns of heavy fire and destroyed the second assault squad in the rhino. With the game in the balance, time ran out and we had to pack up.

Result: Draw (ran out of time)

Learning points

• This was a Tau army designed for pinning playing against two armies capable of being pinned and despite forcing numerous tests not one enemy unit was pinned. Aaaaarggghhhh!
• Splinter cannons did for the kroot again.
• Playing as a team is very difficult; I only targeted the Talos because my ally was frightened of it and he committed a few tactical errors. Ho hum.
• Fire warrior squads did very nicely against the DE warriors.
  

CHAOS SPACE MARINES versus Necrons

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Gary

We had played a couple of games with Gary's Necrons and he was really enjoying the change. He had won one game and drawn another and we both wondered how they would fare against a more competitive Chaos list - I had been experimenting with alternative lists (dropping staple units such as the speed Prince, Obliterators and heavy bolter havocs). This time I picked a list to specifically take out the 'bots.

Points value: 950
Mission: Recon
Level: Gamma
First turn: Necrons

Chaos Space Marines

• Lieutenant on Bike, Lightning Claw, Daemonic armour
• Lord, Daemonic stature, Daemonic speed, Daemonic resilience, Daemonic armour
  
• 8 Havocs, 2 autocannon, missile launcher
  
• 8 Marines, plasma gun, lascannon
  
• 8 Marines, infiltrate, flamer, plasma pistol, Aspiring champion with powerfist
  
• 6 Furies
  
• 6 Daemonettes

Necrons

• 10 Warriors
• 10 Warriors
• 4 Destroyers
• Heavy Destroyer
• Heavy Destroyer
• Necron Lord with Resurrection Orb and Nightmare veil
• 6 Scarab bases

Terrain and Deployment
This was a heavily terrained board. There were two area three line of sight blockers in the middle of the table - one ruined building on my left and a wood on my right. I also had some level two ruins in my central deployment zone. I refused the right flank, only putting the biker lieutenant out there. I had the las/plas squad and speed prince behind the large ruin and the havoc squad in the smaller ruins. I infiltrated the close combat squad behind the wood.

The destroyers all cowered behind the wood. One warrior squad began on each flank.

The game
The Necrons took first turn. The Lord teleported the warrior squad on my left, way over the board to my extreme right. Their shooting stripped a wound off my biker lieutenant. He charged in and clawed four of them. One stood back up then the Lord teleported them a few inches back. Again they shot the lieutenant and they removed his last wound.

Meanwhile, the destroyers killed three havocs. I pushed the infiltrators through the wood and their meltaguns dropped a heavy destroyer. My Havocs tried to kill the other but failed their target priority test and hit the scarabs instead. That meant the heavy destroyer came back online.

All the time I was pushing the speed prince and las/plas squad through the large ruin. All the destroyers turbo boosted into the far right corner, obviously worried about my advance and the prospect of the daemons. The scarabs formed up in front of the flyers as a screen.

I got my daemonettes. They summoned from the infiltrators and they had just enough movement to hit the scarabs. I continued to push up on the now deserted left flank.

The daemonettes took the scarabs down to a single base. The Necron lord tried to teleport in next to the second warrior squad to rescue them from the advancing daemons but he scattered off the board. The destroyers were now hemmed into the corner.

The daemonettes finished off the scarabs and just contacted the warriors. The Furies were summoned and also hit the warriors. Unsurprisingly the warriors were slaughtered and the two survivors ran. It meant both units of daemons were sitting targets for the destroyers, though.

I passed four out of six saves on the daemonettes and only one fury went down. That sealed the fate of the destroyers. On the last turn the daemonettes assaulted the destroyers, the furies assaulted the heavy destroyers and the speed prince caught the last warriors. The Necrons phased out.

Result: Win

Commendations
Exigators - Daemonettes
Necrons - Lord and teleporting warriors

Turning point
The lord scattering off the table.

Learning points

• This was a much tougher Chaos list, specifically designed to beat the 'bots. Although there were fewer units they could actually project more force onto the Necrons through their speed, weapon range, special deployment and summoning. I also boosted the squads up to eight models so that they could withstand a round of shooting without losing key models.
• The teleporting warrior squad is a powerful but risky unit. It paid off when they killed the lieutenant but backfired when the lord scattered off the table.

CHAOS SPACE MARINES versus Necrons

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Gary

Again I turned up with a 1500 point army and again I played a much smaller game against Necrons. Gary had enjoyed his run out with the over-excited toasters so much he went out and bought some Heavy Destroyers to add to his army. I simply added a Predator to my previous list.

Points value: 950
Mission: Seek and Destroy
Level: Alpha
First turn: Chaos

Chaos Space Marines

• Lieutenant on Bike, Lightning Claw
• 5 Marines, meltagun, heavy bolter
  
• 5 Marines, plasma gun, heavy bolter
• 5 Marines, plasma gun, lascannon
  
• 5 Marines, flamer, plasma pistol, Aspiring champion with powerfist
  
• 5 Marines, plasma gun, missile launcher
• 6 Daemonettes
• Dreadnought, twin lascannon
• Predator, twin Lascannon and Heavy Bolter sponsons
  

Necrons

• 10 Warriors
• 10 Warriors
• 4 Destroyers
• Heavy Destroyer
• Heavy Destroyer
• Necron Lord with Resurrection Orb and Nightmare veil
• 6 Scarab bases

Deployment and Terrain
The photograph below shows the terrain and deployment after the end of the first turn.


The Game
Gary won the choice of first turn but gave it to me. I moved up around the right of the pivotal wood. Long range lascannon fire dropped two Warriors.

The Necrons swept around the left of the wood. My Daemonettes summoned into the wood but failed to contact the Destroyers. The Scarabs charged in and killed them all. This in turn left them vulnerable to a charge from my close assault squad and the aspiring champion began to swat them with his powerfist.

Meanwhile, the Lord teleported and scattered to my left. I killed four Necrons and the survivors broke. They didn't run far, though, and decent We'll be Back rolls meant the squad rallied. I lost an entire squad to Destroyer fire.

The Destroyer took out the Dreadnought, too, with two sixes on the glancing chart. My Lieutenant whizzed out around the back of the woods to threaten the trailing, and so far untouched, Warrior squad. He wasn't required, though, as my close assault squad finished off the scarabs and slaughtered the Warriors in a single shattering charge.

The Necron Lord teleported right into my lines and killed several marines. They took light casualties before zipping off and reappearing behind the Predator. The vehicle exploded in another glancing 6. A las/plas squad stepped up to deliver the hurt, but they failed to do any real damage and the Lord punished them for their failure.

I now went after the Heavy Destroyers, trying to reduce the Necron scoring units. One fell to a lascannon shot then my melta gun squad flubbed its rolls to kill the other. The Lieutenant dropped him instead with some lucky combi-bolter shots.

The Lord and his Warriors shot up another of my units, while the Destroyers killed my Lieutenant. We both had a single scoring unit left at the end of the game.

Result: Draw

Commendations
Necrons - teleporting Lord
Chaos - close assault marines

Turning point
The Necron WBB and rally rolls to save the Lord's teleporting unit.

Learning points

• Gary played this game very sportingly which allowed me to draw the game. We both enjoyed the wild swings of fortune during the battle.
• The Necrons have the edge in mobility and firepower. The CSM have an assault advantage but no real way to engage in the combat. Even the Lieutenant, who had an 18" assault move, didn't get into a single scrap.

CHAOS SPACE MARINES versus Necrons

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Gary

After a couple of 'of the cuff' games against Gary's Dark Eldar I decided to sit down and write a decent army list to take on the pointy-ears. Unfortunately, on the day I didn't have enough time to play a 1500 point game so Gary suggested we play a smaller game using his Necrons. He used everything he had and the army totalled 820 points. I used loads of my units plucked out of my original lists as I didn't want to be too 'cheesy' and pick units especially good against the 'bots.

Points value: 820
Mission: Recon
Level: Gamma
First turn: Chaos

Chaos Space Marines

• Lieutenant on Bike, Lightning Claw
• 5 Marines, meltagun, heavy bolter
  
• 5 Marines, plasma gun, heavy bolter
• 5 Marines, plasma gun, lascannon
  
• 6 Marines, flamer, plasma pistol, Aspiring champion with powerfist
  
• 5 Marines, plasma gun, missile launcher
• 6 Daemonettes
  
• Dreadnought, twin lascannon
  

Necrons

• 10 Warriors
• 10 Warriors
• 2 Destroyers
• 2 Destroyers
• Necron Lord with Resurrection Orb and Nightmare veil
• 6 Scarab bases

Terrain and Deployment
We played on a 6x4 foot table. Gary had laid out the terrain in advance. We had two low hills in the centre, rocky columns and a ruined shrine on the right, and some rubble and a wood on the left. Both Warrior units began in and behind the wood with the Lord amongst them. The Scarabs started in the middle and both Destroyer units were on my wide right.

I deployed my Chaos army predominantly in the centre and left, refusing the right flank.

The Game
I won first turn. My Dreadnought rolled fire frenzy. I had a nervous moment until I realised I could just see two Warriors deep in the wood, otherwise I would have been targeting my own troops! My shooting came to nothing anyway but I managed to move four squads forward.

Both Destroyers units stayed tight on my right flank and shot at the Dread but failed to hurt it. One Warrior squad walked up through the wood but the other used the Veil to deep strike on the right flank. They deviated close to my lines. They slaughtered a las/plas squad with rapid firing.

My Daemonettes were summoned from the other las/plas squad in prime assault range of the Lord and Warriors. They charged, as did the Dreadnought. I killed eight models and the two survivors were run down by the daemons. A twenty minute discussion then ensued regarding the Resurrection Orb and whether it allowed units to re-animate outside of 6" of a similar model. In the end we said the squad was dead. The Dreadnought moved into the Lord.

I pushed the models forward on the left again and scattered fire took out a couple of Warriors in the wood. I zoomed the biker lieutenant from the left to right to help out against the Scarabs and Destroyers.

The Scarabs charged the Daemonettes, killing three for the loss of a base. The las/plas squad charged in. The biker lord tried to crash the party but fell short. The Lord teleported out of combat with the Dread over to the left flank. The Destroyers felled the Dreadnought. Awesome Necron shooting and some appalling armour saves meant I lost my assault squad with the aspiring champion, too.

Moving from the ridiculous to the sublime I passed six armour saves on my lord. That allowed him to contact the Scarabs who were overwhelmed and destroyed, though they did take the Daemonettes out with them.

On the left the Lord and Warriors won a war of attrition with my last squad and I was short of phasing the 'bots out by two models. I couldn't catch the Destroyers or shoot them due to dusk falling, so I threw a las/plas squad into the Necron deployment zone. Both Destroyer units made it into the Chaos deployment zone.

Result: Loss

Commendations

• Chaos - Daemonettes
  
• Necrons - Destroyers
  

Turning point
Failing the armour saves on the squad with the powerfist. If I had achieved combat the Necrons would almost certainly have phased out.

Learning points

• This Necron army is quick. On a large board with a small armies I just couldn't get anywhere near the Destroyers. It's another example of why I think 40k is now a game of mobile firepower.
• Have the FAQ for your codex to hand at all times. We wasted 20 minutes while we argued about the Veil during the game. Afterwards we checked the FAQ on the website and it clarified the rules (we had played it right). If we'd had the rules at the time then we could have moved on more quickly.
• Gary made some noises about playing a campaign. It's something I'm really interested in doing to get a bit more depth from out games. The only problem is the extra time and effort it takes to run one. Still, I'll start mulling things over...