This match is a decent sized skirmish match between my friend "Pockets'" and his Space Wolves and my first Wych Cult list with the new Dark Eldar. I decided to go all the way and throw in Lelith. Was it a smart thing to do? Let's find out... :)
- Battle Report Notes -
1) I use Vassal to represent games I have played at my local gaming store.
2) I use Vassal as an abstract tool to represent the battle. I use no measurements in Vassal, so one turn a unit may move 6", but only move 3" next turn, but in reality the unit moved 12" total in the 'real life' game. Just remember, this is abstract, so do not get caught up in the visuals, and just enjoy the match!
3) When a Vehicle is damaged, the number of 'explosions' on the vehicle indicates the roll on the Damage Chart. If you see 4 little explosions, that means either it was a straight 4 on the Damage Chart, or maybe a 3, but with a +1 for Open Topped or Melta.
4) As the Dark Eldar player, I cannot answer questions pertaining to what my opponent was thinking when doing certain actions. I will try my best to remember what my opponent verbally tells me, but other than that, I really do not know why my opponent does what he does.
2) I use Vassal as an abstract tool to represent the battle. I use no measurements in Vassal, so one turn a unit may move 6", but only move 3" next turn, but in reality the unit moved 12" total in the 'real life' game. Just remember, this is abstract, so do not get caught up in the visuals, and just enjoy the match!
3) When a Vehicle is damaged, the number of 'explosions' on the vehicle indicates the roll on the Damage Chart. If you see 4 little explosions, that means either it was a straight 4 on the Damage Chart, or maybe a 3, but with a +1 for Open Topped or Melta.
4) As the Dark Eldar player, I cannot answer questions pertaining to what my opponent was thinking when doing certain actions. I will try my best to remember what my opponent verbally tells me, but other than that, I really do not know why my opponent does what he does.
- 1000 Point Wych Cult -
Lelith W/ Bad ass, sexxxy good looks
9 Wyches W/ Shardnet and Impaler
Hekatrix W/ Venom Blade, Phantasm Grenade Launcher
Raider
10 Wyches W/ 2 Shardnet and Impalers
Hekatrix W/ Venom Blade, Phantasm Grenade Launcher
Raider
10 Wyches W/ 2 Shardnet and Impalers
Hekatrix W/ Venom Blade, Phantasm Grenade Launcher
Raider
10 Wyches W/ 2 Shardnet and Impalers
Hekatrix W/ Venom Blade, Phantasm Grenade Launcher
Raider
Wolf Lord W/ RA, Frost Axe, WTN, Belt of Russ
Wolf Guard W/ Combi Melta
Wolf Guard W/ Power Fist
Wolf Guard W/ Terminator Armor and Cyclone Missile Launcher
5 Wolf Scouts W/ 5 Sniper Rifles
10 Grey Hunters W/ Melta Gun, Mark of the Wolfen, Wolf Standard
Rhino
9 Grey Hunters W/ Melta Gun, Mark of the Wolfen, Wolf Standard
Wolf Guard W/ Power Weapon
Rhino
6 Long Fangs W/ 5 Missile Launchers
Sergent
Wolf Guard W/ Terminator Armor, Power Fist?
Wolf Guard W/ Combi Melta
Wolf Guard W/ Power Fist
Wolf Guard W/ Terminator Armor and Cyclone Missile Launcher
5 Wolf Scouts W/ 5 Sniper Rifles
10 Grey Hunters W/ Melta Gun, Mark of the Wolfen, Wolf Standard
Rhino
9 Grey Hunters W/ Melta Gun, Mark of the Wolfen, Wolf Standard
Wolf Guard W/ Power Weapon
Rhino
6 Long Fangs W/ 5 Missile Launchers
Sergent
Wolf Guard W/ Terminator Armor, Power Fist?
Before people give me grief, the Space Wolf army list given to me is half scribbled and full of shorthand. The Wolf Guard were thrown all over the army, and I don't really remember which ones went where. All I remember was there is a Terminator Wolf Guard with the Long Fangs, and a Wolf Guard with a unit of Grey Hunters. Don't hang me, please!
- Why I Took My (Dark Eldar) List -
I just wanted to try out a Wych Cult with the new Codex. It just so happens that this turned out to be a smaller game, so I cut out 500 points, which was just mainly my 3x Ravagers and some other stuff I forgot about.
- Pre Deployment Plan -
Get into close combat, and annihilate my opponent as quickly as possible.
- Mission and Deployment -
- Being a 1000 point game, we played on a 4x4 Battlefield.
-Annihilation. Dawn of War.
-Space Wolf won the Deployment Roll. He tells me I can go first. Later on he tells me that he thought I was going to charge his Deployment line with my Units, so he could counter assault me. Oh, he was very wrong...
- Combat Drug results in a +1 Attack for my entire army.
- I Place out Lelith in a Raider with 9 Wyches against the Deployment Line. Nothing in Reserves.
- Space Wolf deploys nothing. Nothing in Reserves.
- Space Wolf attempts to Steal the initiative, and fails.
- Post Deployment Plan -
Interesting... My plan is to hold back until I am able to assault with my entire army at once, if possible.
- Dark Eldar Turn 1 -
Raiders all come onto the board, and join up with Lelith.- Space Wolves Turn 1 -
Space Wolves enter the Battlefield in a tight, counter assault formation. He hopes to bait my units to assault his Commander, and then pop out, and either Pistol me then Charge, or just Rapid Fire Bolters in my face.
Long Fangs take up cover on the right, while the Scouts enter behind the force.
Space Wolves enter the Battlefield in a tight, counter assault formation. He hopes to bait my units to assault his Commander, and then pop out, and either Pistol me then Charge, or just Rapid Fire Bolters in my face.Long Fangs take up cover on the right, while the Scouts enter behind the force.
- Dark Eldar Turn 2 -
Dark Eldar takes the bait wholeheartedly.All Raider move forward. Wyches jump off the skiffs in anticipation that a Dark Lance shot or two will open up the Purina puppy chow cans open for them.
Raiders open fire, and Immobilize both Rhinos.
Wyches on the right charge the Long Fangs. The Shardnet and Impalers from the Wyches touch both the Wolf Guard and the Long Fang unit leader, reducing their attacks. Space Wolf is not happy with the Shardnets... To be honest, Wyches had this 'ability' before, but I guess he must have forgotten, since we haven't played together in 6 months. Now, though, Shardnets can 'target' specific models. Dropping the Unit Leader to 1 attack from 3 (touched by both Shardnets) and a Power Fist from 2 to 1 attack is pretty neato.
Wyches kill two Long Fangs. Wyches suffer no casualties, and the Long Fangs hold.
Lelith and her Wyches charge into the Wolf Lord and 3 Wolf Guard. I position my chargers in such a way that Lelith is able to just touch a regular Wolf Guard, and not the Lord. Lelith lays in with 12 attacks, and kills both Wolf Guard. The Rest of the Wyches pour attacks into the Lord, dropping him on the spot.
Space Wolf player was again not pleased that my two Shardnet wielding Wyches took away 2 Attacks from the Lord.
+2 Pain Tokens for Lelith and her Wyches.
- Space Wolves Turn 2 -
Space Wolves spring their trap. Puppies leap out of the Rhinos, and one unit rapid fires into Lelith... Feel No Pain ignores most of the wounds. Space Wolf player is not pleased with the Feel No Pain.Another Grey Hunter unit must fire into the Wyches to force a Leadership test. Enough wounds are made to force the test.
Lelith and the last remaining Wych fail their Leadership Test, and fall back!
Two more Long Fangs drop to the ground. Wyches win combat, but the Long Fangs hold.
- Dark Eldar Turn 3 -
Realizing his Rhinos are Immobilized, Dark Eldar pull their Raiders back so the Rhinos are within Dark Lance range, but out of Storm Bolter range.One Raider moves forward and unloads its Wyches.
Raiders open fire on both Rhinos, and blowing off the Storm Bolter from both Rhinos.
Wyches charge into the Grey Hunters from the upper left while Wyches charge into both the same Grey Hunters and the Scouts from between the Rhinos. Shardnet and Impalers completely negate most of the attacks the Grey Hunters would have had normally. Wyches win combat, and after combat resolution, all that is left is a single Grey Hunter and 3 Scouts.
Yes, the Space Wolf player did use his Wolf Banner, but he kept rolling 2's for his armor saves. We counted, and I noted this on paper. 8 rolls that were 2s, and only a single roll of 1, which in turn was rerolled as a 1 anyway!
Wyches on the right kill the Wolf Guard, and a lone Long Fang holds.
Grey Hunters charge out of the Rhino and into combat with two units of Wyches.I have not mentioned this, but the Space Wolf player was also pissed that he could never get his bonus for Counter Charge, nor regular Charging, because of the Wyches now "new" Defensive Grenades.
Combat ensues. Lone Long Fang is killed. Lone Grey Hunter is Killed. One Scout left. Not one Wych casualty in any of this game's close combats, thanks to the Shardnet reducing everything around them to basically nothing.
Space Wolf player calls the game.
Dark Eldar - 8 Kill Points
Space Wolves - 2 Kill Points
Victor - Dark Eldar
Space Wolves - 2 Kill Points
Victor - Dark Eldar
- Post Game Opinions -
I don't know what people are smoking yet again when talking about Wyches. The new Wyches are so vastly superior to the old wyches it isn't even comparable.
Shardnet and Impalers. Wych Weapons what? What are those? I already forgot about them. This weapon is so awesome, it defies description. The ability to move my models into base to base with a model(s) I want to lose 2 attacks with is amazing. Wolf Lord has how many attacks? No it doesn't. Now it has 2, and you have to deal with my 4++ save. Enjoy.
Phantasm Grenade Launchers. Now I know how Plague Marines feel! I love having both Defensive and Offensive Grenades rolled up into one item. Wyches used to pay the same amount for just Offensive grenades, which means Wyches got Defensive Grenades for FREE with this item!
Wyches. These are basically the same as the old Wyches, but 3 points cheaper. As mentioned above, Wyches get Defensive Grenades for free. So Wyches not only went from 13 points to 10 points, but they have new kick ass weaponry (which they had in 3rd edition, but was taken away),Defensive Grenades for free, and Feel No Pain basically for free? What more do you want? Yes, they lost their Blasters, but for me personally, Blasters never did much for me to justify them in the long run. Plus, if you are hard up for lance weaponry, just take a Blast Pistol. Yeah, sign me up!
Lelith. I am still not too sold on her, but I must admit, having 11 attacks against MEQ on the charge is pretty nice. I'll have to play more games with her, but for now, I am leaning further away from "not good" to "pretty decent". I bet after I throw her into combat with WS3 T3 models, she'll shine like no one's business!
During the game I did give Lelith the benefit of the Combat Drugs for her one round of combat. It did not make a difference, I don't think, so it isn't a big issue. I am just used to the old book, but next time I will try my best to remember the rules for Special Characters better!
In this game, my opponent was not aware that Wyches had a Feel No Pain upgrade, and Defensive Grenades. He also found out the hard way what Shardnets do. We will play a follow up game in the near future!
I must admit... It was nice playing against one of GW's little money making power armies, and taking away all their toys in combat. Dark Eldar have always been anti-MEQ, and now it seems they are anti-MEQ +++....
Coming next.... 2500 points of 'Ard Boyz goodiness as my Kabal of the Budding Lotus takes on a Tyranid Hive Fleet!
Shardnet and Impalers. Wych Weapons what? What are those? I already forgot about them. This weapon is so awesome, it defies description. The ability to move my models into base to base with a model(s) I want to lose 2 attacks with is amazing. Wolf Lord has how many attacks? No it doesn't. Now it has 2, and you have to deal with my 4++ save. Enjoy.
Phantasm Grenade Launchers. Now I know how Plague Marines feel! I love having both Defensive and Offensive Grenades rolled up into one item. Wyches used to pay the same amount for just Offensive grenades, which means Wyches got Defensive Grenades for FREE with this item!
Wyches. These are basically the same as the old Wyches, but 3 points cheaper. As mentioned above, Wyches get Defensive Grenades for free. So Wyches not only went from 13 points to 10 points, but they have new kick ass weaponry (which they had in 3rd edition, but was taken away),Defensive Grenades for free, and Feel No Pain basically for free? What more do you want? Yes, they lost their Blasters, but for me personally, Blasters never did much for me to justify them in the long run. Plus, if you are hard up for lance weaponry, just take a Blast Pistol. Yeah, sign me up!
Lelith. I am still not too sold on her, but I must admit, having 11 attacks against MEQ on the charge is pretty nice. I'll have to play more games with her, but for now, I am leaning further away from "not good" to "pretty decent". I bet after I throw her into combat with WS3 T3 models, she'll shine like no one's business!
During the game I did give Lelith the benefit of the Combat Drugs for her one round of combat. It did not make a difference, I don't think, so it isn't a big issue. I am just used to the old book, but next time I will try my best to remember the rules for Special Characters better!
In this game, my opponent was not aware that Wyches had a Feel No Pain upgrade, and Defensive Grenades. He also found out the hard way what Shardnets do. We will play a follow up game in the near future!
I must admit... It was nice playing against one of GW's little money making power armies, and taking away all their toys in combat. Dark Eldar have always been anti-MEQ, and now it seems they are anti-MEQ +++....
Coming next.... 2500 points of 'Ard Boyz goodiness as my Kabal of the Budding Lotus takes on a Tyranid Hive Fleet!
