TAU versus Dark Angels

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Andrew
Mission: Cleanse
1st turn: Tau
Points: 1000

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Ch’ien’ShiShas’O - plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator
  
• 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 plasma rifle, missile pod, multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Kais’Mal’Coar - 5 stealthsuits, bonded
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan - 8 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, Shas’Ui
• Shas’La’Tau’Mesme - 8 Fire warriors, 4 pulse rifles, 4 pulse carbines, EMP grenades, bonded, Shas’Ui with hard-wired drone controller and two gundrones
• Murabla - 10 Kroot
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’RangShas’Ui - Broadside with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and shield generator
  

Dark Angels

• Chaplain
• Dreadnought with assault cannon + ccw
• Whirlwind
• 5 man assault squad
• Tactical squad
• Tactical squad
  
• 3 attack bikes with heavy bolters

Background
This was my first ever battle report (played back in 2002) and my first game in a Games Workshop store. No-one fancied playing Gary's Khorne army but everyone perked up when I said I was playing Tau.

Terrain and deployment
We played on a 4x4 table (the standard size for the tiny store) with 3 large buildings and a river running down the middle with one bridge. I won choice of table edge, deployment and first turn, but it went downhill from there.

The game
I killed a single model in the first two turns. Andrew's whirlwind hit my firewarriors three turns running – ouch. The Kroot were hosed with fire and routed. My stealth suits were caught by the bikes and wiped out. My Crisis suits took out the bikes in return.

I shot at the dreadnought for five turns with the suits and only blew the assault cannon off. In the final turn it killed Chien’Shi in close combat. Andrew's chaplain used the dread as cover to advance throughout the game and wiped out a fire warrior squad in close combat when he finally reached my lines.

Fire warrior squad Han’Dan and battlesuit Yu’Rang beat the assault marines in close combat and routed them, though!

It wasn't enough. By the end Andrew controlled three table quarters and contested one.

Result: Loss

Learning points

• Not enough weapons to take out vehicles. Take more in future.
• Ordnance vs fire warriors is devastating because they are static. Take out the ordnance early or keep the Tau moving.
• Kroot were wiped out easily on the frontline. If they are intended for counter charge, keep them back.
• Not enough ap 3 weapons to take out marines. Take more in future.
• Indecisive with stealth team. Make a plan and stick to it.
• Battlesuits are pretty good in close combat.

CAMPAIGN: Phoenix campaign turn 6

Both attacks succeed; the Chaos Space Marines take the weapons testing area and the Eldar capture Emerald Ridge.

The Eldar attack Newalla Town as do the Chaos Space Marines.

CHAOS SPACE MARINES versus Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Gary
Campaign: Phoenix campaign game 6
Mission: Sabotage
1st turn: Eldar
Points: 1500
Location: Emerald Ridge (location 6), Tyro Peninsula, Kutch, Salazar systems
Background: Autarch Icareane is reeling from the Exigators attacks, so mounts a daring counter attack on Emerald Ridge. If it is successful it will hamper communications between the Chaos Space Marine forces and give the Eldar an important strategic location.

Chaos Space Marines

• Bellicus - Daemon Prince
• Ppbhuln'naks - Greater Daemon (Great Unclean One)
• Squad Krall – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory, Rhino with Extra Armour
• Squad Brakar – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory
• Squad Kanker - 7 Plague marines, plasma gun, flamer, aspiring champion with power weapon, personal icon
  
• Iideommae - 6 Lesser daemons (Daemonettes)
• Arableuerakiar - 8 Lesser daemons (Furies)
• Uuandearzao - 9 Lesser daemons (Plague Bearers)
• Squad Hotep – 9 Thousand sons, Sorceror

Eldar

• Icareane - Autarch, Swooping Hawk wings, power weapon, fusion gun
• Lauthelias - Farseer runes of warding runes of witnessing, spirit stones, doom, fortune
• 5 warlocks, enhance, embolden
• Laconfir - 8 Dire Avengers, Exarch with diresword, shuriken pistol, bladestorm
• Nazrain - 10 Guardians, starcannon
• Saduras Clearsight - 5 Rangers
• Amost - 1 Falcon, scatterlaser, holofield
• Isenrain - 9 Warpspiders, Exarch with deathspinners, powerblades, withdraw
• Lothost - 5 Firedragons, exarch with fire pike
• Sheira - 7 Howling Banshees, Exarch with executioner + wavesepent with starcannon

Terrain and deployment
We set the board up to represent Emerald Ridge. The hills showed the ridge itself and we put all the rocks beyond that to represent a steep rocky face. On the other side we placed two woods and a narrow mountain stream. The communications array was inside a small bunker smack in the middle of the table. Low walls surrounded the array.

The Eldar could choose which short table edge to attack from. The nimble Eldar chose to attack up the steep rocky slope, using the ridge for cover. The Exigators had three sentries on each side of the array.

With the Autarch carefully co-ordinating the attack, the sentries were only alerted when the Falcon and Wave Serpent flew in. By that time the Eldar infantry had advanced deep into Chaos territory.

The game
The Eldar advanced cautiously all across the battlefield. They were protected from incoming fire by the heavy terrain.

The Furies were summoned front and centre from squad Brakar. The Greater Daemon emerged from squad Krall. Squad Hotep tried to edge around the ridge but were slowed by the howling gales. Bellicus ordered the Rhino from squad Krall to get in amongst the enemy and report back their positions.

The Eldar continued to push up but still didn't launch their attack. The Rhino driver saw a chance to eliminate boith enemy HQ's in one fell swoop. He gunned his engines at the Farseer and Autarch, but Icareane calmly drew his fusion gun and fried the driver. The Rhino ground to a halt inches from the Autarch's feet.

Autarch Icareane's blood was up and he ordered the rest of his troops over the top. The Warp Spiders, Fire Dragons, Falcon and Dire Avengers inflicted heavy casualties on squad Brakar and the Furies. The Farseer and Icareane himself assaulted squad Hotep.

The Plague Bearers were called to the battlefield and charged into the Farseer and Autarch. So too did squad Krall and the Greater Daemon. This was too much for Icareane and he fell back. Farseer Lauthelias was made of sterner stuff and fought on.

Meanwhile, squad Kanker drove off the Warp Spiders with a hail of bolter shells. Nearby, the remaining furies assaulted the Dire Avengers but were cast back into the warp.

The epic fight involving the Farseer and Greater Daemon continued. All of the Farseer's retinue were killed but Lauthelias fought on regardless. He knew reinforcements were only seconds away.


The Autarch rallied and then ordered the Dire Avengers, Falcon and Fire Dragons to engage the Plague Marines. The Rangers and Howling Banshees positioned themselves to save the Farseer.

Battle was joined! Squad Krall were gutted and a single survivor fell back. The Plague Bearers were similarly mauled but fearlessly fought on.

On the other flank, the Dire Avengers became embroiled in a close assault with Kanker himself. He held out long enough for Daemon Prince Bellicus to steam in. The Avengers took casualties but bravely stayed in the fight. Meanwhile, the Fire Dragons were taking a beating from the Daemonettes in a viscious fistfight. This allowed Icareane and the Warp Spiders to move into the centre, though.

Their target was now in sight.

Autarch Icareane used his Swooping Hawk wings to fly onto the bunker. He began to attach the charges and hoped his troops would be able to occupy the Chaos forces for long enough.

Their were two decisive combats.

In the first, the Guardians charged in against the Nurgle daemons. The last Thousand Sons fell, but the Exigators were still victorious as the Greater Daemon decimated the Rangers. The Daemonettes charged in and sliced up the Farseer. The Howling Banshees quit the field, appalled at the loss of their spiritual leader to their archenemy. The Guardians shamed the Howling Banshees by sacrificing their lives to delay the daemons.

It was now down to Bellicus. Again the Avengers took a beating, but Laconfir held them firm against the onslaught.

The Eldar had done enough. A dull crump signalled the destruction of the array.

With a defiant roar, Bellicus led his surviving troops back off Emerald Ridge.

Result: Loss

Commendations

• Chaos - Greater Daemon
  
• Eldar - Autarch
  

Turning Point
The Eldar passing two morale checks near the end of the game which kept the Autarch safe while he planted the charges.

Learning points

• Gary and I disagreed about this mission. I thought the Eldar were one of the armies who would do well at it because of their speed (fast vehicles, fleet of foot) and durability (holo-fielded Falcon, Warp Spiders, Fortune), while Gary thought it was impossible for the Eldar to win because they had to advance into the teeth of the Chaos army. In the end it was tight, but the Eldar won out.
• There were numerous complicated combats in this game featuring multiple units. I really need to read the assault rules again to get the finer points fixed in my head. Then again, is it worth it with 5th edition just around the corner?
  

Experience points Including previous games

Chaos Space Marines

• +50 Bellicus - Daemon Prince
• +400 Ppbhuln'naks - Greater Daemon (Great Unclean One)
• -50 Squad Krall – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory, Rhino with Extra Armour
• -300 Squad Brakar – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory
• +460 Squad Kanker - 7 Plague marines, plasma gun, flamer, aspiring champion with power weapon, personal icon
  
• +450 Iideommae - 6 Lesser daemons (Daemonettes)
• -400 Arableuerakiar - 8 Lesser daemons (Furies)
• +350 Uuandearzao - 9 Lesser daemons (Plague Bearers)
• -150 Squad Hotep – 9 Thousand sons, Sorceror

Eldar

• +190 Icareane - Autarch, Swooping Hawk wings, power weapon, fusion gun
• +800 Lauthelias - Farseer runes of warding runes of witnessing, spirit stones, doom, fortune
• 5 warlocks, enhance, embolden
• -550 Laconfir - 8 Dire Avengers, Exarch with diresword, shuriken pistol, bladestorm
• 0 Nazrain - 10 Guardians, starcannon
• +810 Saduras Clearsight - 5 Rangers
• +950 Amost - 1 Falcon, scatterlaser, holofield
• +960 Isenrain - 9 Warpspiders, Exarch with deathspinners, powerblades, withdraw
• -600 Lothost - 5 Firedragons, exarch with fire pike
• +550 Sheira - 7 Howling Banshees, Exarch with executioner + wavesepent with starcannon

CAMPAIGN: Phoenix campaign master rosters

Now that the campaign has reached the halfway stage I thought I'd post up master rosters of the units both forces have used so far, along with the experience points they have accumulated.

Chaos Space Marines

HQ

• -100 Bellicus - Daemon Prince
  
• +450 Tchoi Guerez - Chaos Lord, Terminator armour, Lightning Claw, Combi-plasma
  
• -200 Sebastian Jaxx - Chaos Lord, bike, lightning claw
• +20 Ppbhuln'naks - Greater Daemon (Great Unclean One)

Elites

• -200 Squad Myre - 8 Chosen, 2 plasma guns, aspiring champion with powerfist
  

Troops

• +50 Squad Krall – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory, Rhino with extra armour
  
• -200 Squad Brakar – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory
• -50 Squad Hotep – 9 Thousand sons, Sorceror with warptime
• +510 Squad Kanker - 7 Plague marines, 2 plasma guns, aspiring champion with power weapon
• +200 Iideommae - 6 Lesser daemons (Daemonettes)
• -300 Arableuerakiar - 8 Lesser daemons (Furies)
• +300 Uuandearzao - 9 Lesser daemons (Plague Bearers)
  

Fast Attack

• +570 Squad Scrementor – 8 Raptors, 2 flamers, aspiring champion with power weapon
• +50 Mirescab and Witherpuke - 2 Spawn

Heavy Support

• -150 The Machine Cursed - 3 Obliterators
• -150 Torius - Predator, twin linked lascannon, heavy bolter sponsons
• -250 Squad Imber - 6 Havocs, 4 heavy bolters, icon of chaos glory
• +450 Squad Abraxar – 6 Havocs, 2 autocannon, missile launcher, icon of chaos glory

Eldar

HQ

• +900 Lauthelias - Farseer runes of warding runes of witnessing, spirit stones, doom, fortune
• 5 warlocks, enhance, embolden
• -200 Icareane - Autarch, Swooping Hawk wings, power weapon, fusion gun

Elites

• -500 Lothost - 5 Firedragons, exarch with fire pike
• +650 Sheira - 7 Howling Banshees, Exarch with executioner + wavesepent with starcannon

Troops

• -650 Laconfir - 8 Dire Avengers, Exarch with diresword, shuriken pistol, bladestorm
• -200 Nazrain - 10 Guardians, starcannon
• +250 Arroth - 8 Guardians, 2 fusion guns
• +910 Saduras Clearsight - 5 Rangers
  

Fast Attack

• +720 Isenrain - 8 Warpspiders, Exarch with deathspinners, powerblades, withdraw

Heavy Support

• +750 Amost - 1 Falcon, scatterlaser, holofield
• -200 Gilgard - 2 Warwalkers, bright lances, scatterlasers
• -100 Moradon - Wraithlord
• -200 Lothcirith - 3 Dark Reapers
  

CHAOS SPACE MARINES versus Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Gary
Campaign: Phoenix campaign game 5
Mission: Night Fight
1st turn: Eldar
Points: 1500
Location: Tyro Weapons Testing Area (location 5), Tyro Peninsula, Kutch, Salazar systems
Background: The Exigators have the Eldar on the back foot and press their advantage. They mount another attack into the weapons testing area on the peninsula in order to root the Eldar out once and for all. Guerez unleashes his most powerful and dangerous lieutenant; Bellicus the Daemon Prince.

Chaos Space Marines

• Bellicus - Daemon Prince
  
• Squad Krall – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory, Rhino with Extra Armour
• Squad Brakar – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory
• Squad Kanker - 7 Plague marines, plasma gun, flamer, aspiring champion with power weapon, personal icon
  
• Iideommae - 6 Lesser daemons (Daemonettes)
• Arableuerakiar - 8 Lesser daemons (Furies)
• Uuandearzao - 9 Lesser daemons (Plague Bearers)
• Squad Scrementor – 8 Raptors, 2 flamers, aspiring champion with power weapon
• Torius - Predator with Twin-linked lascannon with heavy bolter sponsons, extra armour

Eldar

• Lauthelias - Farseer runes of warding runes of witnessing, spirit stones, doom, fortune5 warlocks, enhance, embolden
• Laconfir - 8 Dire Avengers, Exarch with diresword, shuriken pistol, bladestorm
• Nazrain - 10 Guardians, starcannon
• Saduras Clearsight - 5 Rangers
• Amost - 1 Falcon, scatterlaser, holofield
• Isenrain - 8 Warpspiders, Exarch with deathspinners, powerblades, withdraw
• Lothost - 5 Firedragons, exarch with fire pike
• Sheira - 7 Howling Banshees, Exarch with executioner + wavesepent with starcannon
• Moradon - Wraithlord
• Gilgard - 2 Warwalkers, bright lances, starcannons

The photos aren't great in this report because I forgot my camera again and had to use my mobile phone.

Deployment and terrain
The Eldar got the choice of table quarter which meant the Chaos Marines got to place their predator front and forward, pushing the Eldar back. Bellicus' plan was to roll the Rhino up behind the Predator with the foot troops all following up behind. The daemonic units would be summoned and the Chaos army would hold the centre of the battlefield in force. The Plague Marines would hold the right flank while the Raptors would be held back to reinforce where necessary.

The Eldar deployed in a formidable gunline. The Banshees in their transport opposed the Chaos right along with the Warp Spiders. Both units could use the dense woods to close the range safely. The Rangers infiltrated on the extreme left flank.

The game
The Eldar commenced hostilities by racing toward the Chaos lines! Their shooting achieved little but the Banshees and Warp Spiders were in position to execute a strong flank attack on the right.

Bellicus ordered his units forward as he scrambled through the ruined temple. Squad Brakar took up good firing positions to his right. The Predator advanced with the smoked Rhino to it's right. The tank opened up with it's lascannon and heavy bolters. Both War Walkers crumpled and died.

The Plague Marines pulled back, wary of the Banshees and Spiders.

The Rangers had forced Bellicus into a tough decision. He could either ignore them in favour of his original plan, give up that part of the battlefield and suffer enfilading fire during the entire conflict or send the Raptors to hunt them down. That would mean he would lose his main counter assault unit from the centre for most of the fight. After some deliberation he commanded the Raptors to run down the Rangers.


Unbelievably, the Eldar kept coming on. Squad Brakar bore the brunt of the shooting and lost six Marines. Squad Krall's Rhino was destroyed, killing two , and entangling the rest. The Eldar got ready to pounce on the right.

The power of the warp waxed strong and all three daemonic units were summoned. The Plague Bearers materialised on the right but their assault fell short of the Warp Spiders. The Furies arrived more centrally and contacted the Guardians. Both units held.

The Daemonettes landed on the left, near the temple, hidden from the Eldar army.

Most of the Chaos firepower was directed at the Wraithlord which was gravely wounded. The Raptors roasted the Rangers with their flamers and began the long slog back toward the fight.

The Eldar struck back. The Warp Spiders wiped out the Plague Bearers with their Death Spinners and then brutal close combat and the Banshees hacked apart the Doomed Squad Krall. Farseer Lauthelias and his retinue attacked the Furies and eventually banished them back to the Warp. The Fire Dragons slagged the Predator. All across the line the Exigators were reeling.


Squad Brakar targetted the Wraithlord and shattered the Eldar construct with a perfect lascannon shot. Plague Champion Kanker led his squad against the Banshees. A hail of bolter rounds, plasma blasts and sheets of flame left only the Exarch standing.

The fighting was up close and personal but incredibly the Eldar were winning. They cut down the last of Squad Brakar and then set their sights on the Plague Marines. They shrugged off the firepower of the Warp Spiders and then withstood the charge of the Farseer.

Maybe there was a glimmer of hope for the Exigators. Bellicus leapt down the temple steps with a roar and attacked the Farseer. Lauthelias blocked a blow with his witch blade and dodged another with his psychic abilities but the third got through and sent his frail body spinning from the combat. The rest of the Warlocks fled in horror.

The whole Eldar force rallied to the defence of it's spiritual leader. The Fire Dragons stepped up and unloaded all they had into Bellicus. The Guardians added their firepower. The Wave Serpent got him in it's sights. The Warp Spiders took their shots.

Bellicus shrugged off their weapons with an ominous laugh. He was hideously wounded but still standing. Truly the Chaos Gods were watching.

Attack, he screamed, and led by example. He scrambled over the Rhino wreck and slaughtered the Guardians. The Plague Marines engaged the Fire Dragons in close combat and ground them down.

The Warlocks kept on running. They swept past the Raptors who swooped in to oppose the Dire Avengers. After a vicious firefight and a brutal assault the Avengers were so reduced in numbers that they could not contest the field.

The Exigators had taken the battlefield and driven the Eldar away.

Result: Win

Commendations

• Chaos - Plague Marines
  
• Eldar - Warp Spiders
  

Turning Point
Bellicus surviving a blizzard of saving throws.

Learning points

• A very dramatic game. I was really up against it but the Plague Marines took the punishment which allowed the Daemon Prince to take on the Farseer. A lucky attack got through and the Farseer was instantly killed. Next, the Daemon Prince withstood a hail of bullets to lead his army to victory. Incredible. And unlucky for the Eldar.
• I need to use the Rhino more carefully. I need to work out when to embark and disembark the occupants because I keep getting the squad entangled. More vehicles in my list would make the Rhino more survivable too.
  

Experience points Including previous games
Chaos Space Marines

• -100 Bellicus - Daemon Prince
• +50 Squad Krall – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory, Rhino with Extra Armour
• +200 Iideommae - 6 Lesser daemons (Daemonettes)
• -300 Arableuerakiar - 8 Lesser daemons (Furies)
• +300 Uuandearzao - 9 Lesser daemons (Plague Bearers)
• +570 Squad Scrementor – 8 Raptors, 2 flamers, aspiring champion with power weapon
• -150 Torius - Predator with Twin lascannon with heavy bolter sponsons, extra armour
• -200 Squad Brakar – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory
• +510 Squad Kanker - 7 Plague marines, plasma gun, flamer, aspiring champion with power weapon, personal icon
  

Eldar

• +900 Lauthelias - Farseer runes of warding runes of witnessing, spirit stones, doom, fortune5 warlocks, enhance, embolden
• -650 Laconfir - 8 Dire Avengers, Exarch with diresword, shuriken pistol, bladestorm
• -200 Nazrain - 10 Guardians, starcannon
• +910 Saduras Clearsight - 5 Rangers
• +750 Amost - 1 Falcon, scatterlaser, holofield
• +720 Isenrain - 8 Warpspiders, Exarch with deathspinners, powerblades, withdraw
• -500 Lothost - 5 Firedragons, exarch with fire pike
• +650 Sheira - 7 Howling Banshees, Exarch with executioner + wavesepent with starcannon
• -100 Moradon - Wraithlord
• -200 Gilgard - 2 Warwalkers, bright lances, starcannons

CAMPAIGN: Phoenix campaign turn 5

The Eldar are beaten back from Emerald Ridge but hold the tunnel mouth from the Chaos Space Marines.

The Eldar renew their attack upon Emerald Ridge while the Chaos Space Marines attack the weapons testing ground again.

CHAOS SPACE MARINES versus Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Gary
Campaign: Phoenix campaign game 4
Mission: Blitz
1st turn: Eldar
Points: 1500
Location: Tyro peninsula tunnel mouth (location 2b), Tyro Peninsula, Kutch, Salazar systems
Background: Having fought off the Eldar attack on Emerald Ridge, Guerez orders a lightning assault on the Tyro peninsula tunnel mouth. Lord Sebastian Jaxx, who had been found alive and had recovered from his wounds, volunteers for the mission.

Chaos Space Marines

• Chaos Lord Sebastian Jaxx - Bike, Lightning Claw, Personal Icon
• Ppbhuln'naks - Greater Daemon (Great Unclean One)
• Squad Krall – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory, Rhino with Extra Armour
• Iideommae - 6 Lesser daemons (Daemonettes)
• Arableuerakiar - 8 Lesser daemons (Furies)
• Uuandearzao - 9 Lesser daemons (Plague Bearers)
• Squad Scrementor – 8 Raptors, 2 flamers, aspiring champion with power weapon
• Mirescab and Witherpuke - 2 Spawn
• Torius - Predator with Twin lascannon with heavy bolter sponsons, extra armour

Eldar

• Lauthelias - Farseer runes of warding runes of witnessing, spirit stones, doom, fortune5 warlocks, enhance, embolden
• Laconfir - 8 Dire Avengers, Exarch with diresword, shuriken pistol, bladestorm
• Arroth - 8 Guardians, 2 fusion guns
• Saduras Clearsight - 6 Rangers
• Amost - 1 Falcon, scatterlaser, holofield
• Isenrain - 8 Warpspiders, Exarch with deathspinners, powerblades, withdraw
• Lothost - 5 Firedragons, exarch with fire pike
• Sheira - 7 Howling Banshees, Exarch with executioner + wavesepent with starcannon
• Lothcirith - 3 Dark Reapers

The photos aren't great in this report because I forgot my camera and had to use my mobile phone.

Deployment and Terrain
There was a lot of confusion before this game as Gary had a different interpretation of the set-up rules than I did. Even once we had talked things through Gary botched his hidden deployment and got no minefields or booby traps.

My plan was to use my entire army to focus on killing all the Eldar that started on the board and then turn on the Eldar reserves as they turned up. I wanted to split the Eldar up and tried to attack up both flanks.

Here's how the battlefield looked before the first turn.


The game
The Eldar took first turn but with most of my army hidden I took no casualties. My Predator and Rhino moved up on the right behind the Chosen while the Raptors and Lord pushed up the left. The Spawn began what would be a long trudge up the centre of the battlefield.


The Falcon immobilised my Predator. The Eldar got the Warp Spiders from reserve and rolled a twelve for their warp jump which killed a model but also brought them straight into the game. The Fire Dragons also showed up.

Meanwhile I got no daemons. Aaarrggh! I decided to shuffle forward and launch my attack next turn. Again, with most of my army hidden my casualties were minimal. The Banshees arrived in their Wave Serpent and zoomed up my right flank.

I was now rolling for my four units of daemonic reserves on a 3+ and still only got one. Booo! My plan was now in tatters. I was in a poor position and facing pretty much the entire Eldar army. I decided to charge on both flanks to try and overwhelm the Eldar.


My Rhino steamed up the right flank with the Chosen following. The Guardians stepped up but their fusion guns missed the Rhino, the Wave Serpent's starcannons did the same and then the Warp Spider Exarch took matters into his own hands. His Death Spinner caused a catastrophic explosion which killed four marines and left a smoking crater behind.

Finally my Daemons started to emerge from the warp. The Greater Daemon possessed the aspiring champion from squad Krall and the Daemonettes summoned from them. They crashed into the Guardians and fought furiously until my other Marines pitched in and wiped out the plucky Eldar. The counter attack came from the Banshees which eventually wiped out all of the Chaos forces on that flank.


Over on the left the battle was no less bloody. I had to sacrifice the Raptors to get the Lord into range and summon the remaining Daemons from him. The Furies, Plague Bearers and Lord crashed into the Dire Avengers and killed them all.

The Lord and Plague Bearers went on to kill the Fire Dragons while the Furies were beaten down by the Farseer. The Farseer then turned back to duel with Jaxx. After a short but vicious encounter the Chaos Lord was cast down.


The last action of the game was the remaining Spawn achieving combat with the Rangers then fluffing his attacks. It had taken him six turns to move 36 inches!

Result: Loss

Commendations

• Chaos - Plague Bearers
• Eldar - Farseer

Turning Point
My poor reserve rolls versus the Eldar's excellent rolls.

Learning points

• My plan failed because the Eldar army was all in place by turn three while I had only got one unit of daemons.
  
• I have a real lack of mobility in the army and it shows against the Eldar. I'm not convinced that daemons are the answer.
• I really need to get to grips with the Farseer and his unit. Bolters, delivered by Rhinos are the way to go, I think.

Experience points Including previous games
Chaos Space Marines

• -200 Chaos Lord Sebastian Jaxx - Bike, Lightning Claw, Personal Icon
• +20 Ppbhuln'naks - Greater Daemon (Great Unclean One)
• +150 Squad Krall – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory, Rhino with Extra Armour
• -100 Iideommae - 6 Lesser daemons (Daemonettes)
• -200 Arableuerakiar - 8 Lesser daemons (Furies)
• +400 Uuandearzao - 9 Lesser daemons (Plague Bearers)
• +270 Squad Scrementor – 8 Raptors, 2 flamers, aspiring champion with power weapon
• +50 Mirescab and Witherpuke - 2 Spawn
• -50 Torius - Predator with Twin lascannon with heavy bolter sponsons, extra armour

Eldar

• +1000 Natural Survivors Lauthelias - Farseer runes of warding runes of witnessing, spirit stones, doom, fortune5 warlocks, enhance, embolden
• -400 Laconfir - 8 Dire Avengers, Exarch with diresword, shuriken pistol, bladestorm
• +250 Arroth - 8 Guardians, 2 fusion guns
• +1010 Street Fighters Saduras Clearsight - 6 Rangers
• +750 Amost - 1 Falcon, scatterlaser, holofield
• +720 Isenrain - 8 Warpspiders, Exarch with deathspinners, powerblades, withdraw
• -400 Lothost - 5 Firedragons, exarch with fire pike
• +600 Sheira - 7 Howling Banshees, Exarch with executioner + wavesepent with starcannon
• -200 Lothcirith - 3 Dark Reapers