Battle Report - Return of the Raiders
Over the past few weeks we’ve been playing games in support of Dicehead’s campaign, but last night Sindanarie and I decided to take our Disorder armies and throw them head-to-head in an Eternal War mission. The Dark Eldar would be returning to Hive Fleet Nug’s feeding grounds, planning to take Tyranid life forms back to the Commorrgh arenas.
Baron Sathonyx watched impassively from the shadows of a ruined Mon’keigh building. The last of the Imperial soldiers were being butchered like cattle, but there was little joy to be taken from their suffering. The Tyranids were methodical in a way animals should never be, and their ceaseless toil at killing was an affront to the art of murder.
Sathonyx scanned the far reaches of the battlefield, where his Haemonculus and Wracks were cutting down the last of the Imperial Guard Headquarters. The Haemonculus signaled readiness a moment later, as he slaved the Mon’keigh weapon to his control.
The Baron gazed conspiratorially around before drawing the Seer’s bones from his cloak. He cast them quickly onto the dusty floor, where they clattered to a noisy stop. He frowned as they all came up blank again. Why did the Tyranids vex his efforts so?
With a wave from their master, the Baron’s forces went into motion.
Return of the Raiders
The Mission
Purge the Alien, with Dawn of War deployment
This Dark Eldar list is using an addition Force Organization chart; they’ve been combined here for reading ease.
Combat Drugs: Splintermind
FORTIFICATION
Aegis Defense Line: Quad Gun
HQ
Baron Sathonyx: Warlord
Haemonculus
ELITES
4 Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blaster, Venom transport with two Splinter Cannons
4 Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blaster, Venom transport with two Splinter Cannons
TROOPS
10 Hellions
10 Kabalite Warriors: Splinter Cannon, Blaster, Raider transport with Dark Lance
10 Kabalite Warriors: Splinter Cannon, Blaster, Raider transport with Dark Lance
10 Kabalite Warriors: Splinter Cannon, Blaster, Raider transport with Dark Lance
10 Kabalite Warriors: Splinter Cannon, Blaster, Raider transport with Dark Lance
10 Wracks
5 Wracks: Liquifier Gun, Venom transport with two Splinter Cannons
HEAVY SUPPORT
Ravager: 3x Dark Lances
Ravager: 3x Dark Lances
Ravager: 3x Dark Lances
HQ
Hive Tyrant: Wings, 2x Twin Devourers with Brainleech Worms; The Horror, Onslaught
Tyranid Prime: Warlord; Deathspitter, Lash Whip & Bonesword
ELITES
Hive Guard Brood: two additional Hive Guard, Impaler Cannons
Zoanthrope Brood: two additional Zoanthropes; Warp Blast, Onslaught
Venomthrope Brood: one additional Venomthrope
TROOPS
Termagant Brood: twenty additional Termagants; Devourers
Tervigon: Dominion
Hormagaunt Brood: ten additional Hormagaunts
Hormagaunt Brood: ten additional Hormagaunts
FAST ATTACK
Hive Crone
Harpy: Twin Heavy Venom Cannon
HEAVY SUPPORT
Carnifex Brood: one additional Carnifex; each has Scything Talons and Heavy Venom Cannon
Pre-game
The Dark Eldar rolled from the rulebook and got the Warlord Trait that lets you reroll 1s to hit units near objectives. We both paused to mention how we cannot wait until all armies see the rulebook Warlord Charts as a thing of the past! The Tyranid Prime received Synaptic Lynchpin: his Synapse range would be 18” for this game.
The Tyranids won the roll to choose deployment zones and chose the left side of the table. The Dark Eldar deployed their Aegis on the hill in the lower right corner. The Tyranids then also won the roll for first turn, and elected to set up and go first. The Venomthropes and Hive Guard went into the small black ruin, with Zoanthropes, Hormagaunts, and the Tervigon surrounding them. The large Termagant mob was joined by the Tyranid Prime before deploying in the gap between the black ruins and the ancient rubble, with Hormagaunts on the board edge next to them. The three flying Monstrous Creatures set up in the crater behind the ancient ruins, along with the Carnifexes.
The Dark Eldar deployed the Haemonculus and the squad of ten Wracks inside the Aegis wall, and then deployed all of their remaining forces on the opposite flank. The Ravagers were lined up behind the tall ruins, with the Venoms and Raiders stacked up on the opposite side.
There would be no Night Fight the first turn. The Dark Eldar failed to Seize the Initiative, and the game was underway.
Turn One
The Hive Tyrant successfully cast Onslaught on the Hive Crone, but the Zoanthropes failed in their attempt to cast it on the Hive Guard. All units advanced toward the center of the table, with the three Flying Monstrous Creatures moving 24” toward the Aegis Line.
The Hive Crone only managed a 2” run move, but he was able to kill two of the Wracks and cause a Wound to the Haemonculus. The Hive Tyrant wounded the squad ten times, but only managed to cause two casualties through their Cover Save and Feel No Pain roll. The Harpy was the only other Tyranid in range to fire; the Heavy Venom Cannon scored a Penetrating Hit on the two nearest Ravagers. The first was Stunned, but the second passed a Cover Save for being obscure.
The Dark Eldar appeared to have emerged relatively unscathed from the fire; then, the Haemonculus and his Wracks failed their Morale check and made a Fall Back move that took them off the table.
Baron and his Hellions led the advance as the Dark Eldar maneuvered against their foe. The Hellions leapt out into the center to fire on the advancing Hormagaunts, and two of the Venoms moved their maximum distance to draw sight on the Harpy. The Ravagers repositioned to fire on the Zoanthropes, and the Raiders moved along the table edge, parallel to the Tyranid advance.
In the Shooting Phase, the Raiders moved Flat Out to the table corner in the Tyranid deployment zone, joined by one Venom loaded with Trueborn. The first Ravager fired into the Zoanthropes, but failed to get past their 3+ Invulnerable Save. The second Ravager scored a telling hit, and one of the Psykers disintegrated under the shot.
The Stunned Ravager scored a hit on the Harpy and caused a Wound. One of the Venoms was in range and scored three hits. These failed to cause any lasting damage, but sent the Harpy plummeting from the sky, causing a second wound as it crashed. The second Venom was out of range, so fired on the lead Hormagaunts instead. They had a 2+ Cover Save because of the Venomthropes, and emerged unscathed. Baron and his Hellions fired on them from a different angle, but still only managed a handful of kills.
Kill Points: Dark Eldar 0, Tyranids 2
Additional Dark Eldar Points: None
Additional Tyranid Points: First Blood
Turn One Score: Dark Eldar 0, Tyranids 3
Turn Two
The Hive Tyrant and the Zoanthropes both attempted to cast Catalyst on the Hive Guard, and BOTH FAILED! For some reason, the blind Tyranids simply weren’t getting the message…
The Crone flew into position next to the Hellions, joined by the Hive Tyrant. The Harpy advanced as well, drawing a bead on the two Venoms. The swarms of smaller creatures advanced up the center as well, while the Tervigon and the Zoanthropes bled back into the swarm, away from the Raider wall.
The Hive Crone vomited his Drool Cannon onto the Hellions, scoring seven hits and six wounds. The first five Hellions were incinerated before the roll came to the Baron himself.
It’s worth noting that several players in our group have played Dark Eldar, and we’ve all discussed the near-mythical legacy of the Shadowfield. The wargear seems capable of turning aside an army’s worth of firepower when delivered all at once. We’ve all seen Vect walk through that wall of fire before assaulting into close combat. But we also talk in whispered fear of the times when one die comes against that near-impenetrable force field. Shrugging his shoulders and laughing at our feeble superstition, Sindanarie elected not to use his Look Out Sir roll, and instead to take the hit on Baron. I wanted to remind him of Duke Sliscus in our last game, and that single wound that blew out his Shadowfield. Unfortunately, the die was already bouncing across the table.
ONE.
AGAIN.
At Strength 6, the Drool Cannon reduced the Baron to a puddle of ooze. The remaining Hellions took a few more casualties from the few Devourers in range, leaving two of their number standing. The Hive Tyrant opened fire on the nearest Ravager, but only managed to get one Glancing Hit past its Jink Save. The Hive Guard fired on the nearest Venom, but only managed one measly hit, which only caused a Weapon Destroyed result.
The Harpy patiently lined up its shot and then fired. The Venom Cannon round streaked into the space between the two Venoms and exploded, tearing them both apart in a storm of crystalline shards. The Trueborn Pinned as they fell from their ride, and the Wracks emerged intact but Shaken.
The Dark Eldar turned their attentions in, to the side of the Tyranid swarm. The Wracks moved away from their disabled Venom, to put more distance between themselves and the Tyranids. The surviving Hellions moved to fire on the Harpy as it flew overhead. The Raiders all encroached slowly, dropping ten Warriors out close to the enemy while the other tanks took shelter in the small ruin.
The Raiders and their Warriors fired on the advancing Hive Guard, cutting two of them down under the intense barrage. The Ravagers then opened fire on the Zoanthropes, finishing what they started on the first turn. The Trueborn wounded the Harpy again, joined by a wound from the Hellions a moment later. Still, the great monster remained in the sky with a final wound.
The Dark Eldar had successfully turned the flank and given the bulk of their force some breathing room, but they would have to work quickly in coming turns to eliminate the Flying Monstrous Creatures.
Kill Points: Dark Eldar 1, Tyranids 5
Additional Dark Eldar Points: Linebreaker
Additional Tyranid Points: First Blood, Slay the Warlord
Turn Two Score: Dark Eldar 2, Tyranids 7
Turn Three
The Hive Tyrant was able to successfully cast Onslaught on the Devourer Gaunts. The majority of the swarm turned toward the pocket of Dark Eldar Warriors in their deployment zone, while the nearest Hormagaunts and the Flying Monstrous Creatures continued on against the survivors.
The Hive Crone executed a Vector Strike against one of the Ravagers, destroying it, before sweeping into an attack run against the Wracks. The Harpy flew over the Pinned Trueborn, scything down the entire squad with its Vector Strike! The Hive Tyrant advanced, hunting for Raiders to target.
In the Shooting Phase, the Devourer Gaunts used Onslaught, running before firing a small volley into the lead Warriors, cutting three of them down. The Carnifexes scored a hit on their Raider, Immobilizing it. Next the Harpy fired, and again it scored hits on two Skimmers. The empty Raider and the one behind it both exploded, killing five Warriors in the process. The lone Hive Guard scored a Penetrating Hit on the limping Ravager, Wrecking it as it lost its final Hull Point. The Hive Tyrant scored an impressive five Penetrating Hits on the nearest surviving Raider, but four of these were stopped by its Jink save. The one remaining hit Immobilized the vehicle. The Crone fired his Drool Cannon across the five Wracks, wounding three. Two of them passed their Feel No Pain roll.
In the assault phase, the Hormagaunts leapt on the two Hellions. One of them was bisected with a Hellglaive, before the two warriors disappeared beneath a wall of stabbing blades.
The Dark Eldar had taken a serious beating in the first half of the turn, but they maneuvered to try and return some of the punishment. The Raiders and the final Venom skirted out of their cover, and the Warriors leapt from their Immobilized ride.
The five Warriors in the still-burning wreckage of their vehicle sprayed the Harpy with Splinter Cannon fire, and at long last the monster fell dead from the skies. The Venom and the full-strength squad on foot fired into the Hive Tyrant, bringing him crashing to the ground and removing two Wounds. The last Ravager quickly cut him apart with its Dark Lances. The rest of the Dark Eldar poured their fire into the Venomthropes; after a total of eleven Wounds, their 2+ Cover Save gave out, and they were both slain.
Analyzing the charnel house that was the battlefield, the squads quickly embarked onto their platforms, leaving the Tyranids to feast on their dead kin.
Kill Points: Dark Eldar 4, Tyranids 11
Additional Dark Eldar Points: Linebreaker
Additional Tyranid Points: First Blood, Slay the Warlord
Final Score: 5-13, Tyranid Victory
Post-Game Thoughts
A few dice rolls could have completely changed the course of this game. If the Aegis had been manned, one of my Flying Monstrous Creatures would have most likely been cut apart on that first turn response. My Shooting Phases did little damage without the input of the Harpy.
Speaking of, the Harpy was definitely the MVP of this game. Its Heavy Venom Cannon reaped a bloody tally through the Dark Eldar, and it was the only heavy weapon I had that kept pace with the Dark Eldar movement. This thing claimed five Kill Points over the course of the game, and three of them came in one turn!
I’m not sure about the Carnifexes; they played a very minimal role in the game, although I probably should’ve been more aggressive with them. The Heavy Venom Cannon seems like a minimal investment of points, and gives them something to do while they close to combat.
Look for more in the future; the Dark Eldar are too good at being villains to be defeated that easily.
Baron Sathonyx watched impassively from the shadows of a ruined Mon’keigh building. The last of the Imperial soldiers were being butchered like cattle, but there was little joy to be taken from their suffering. The Tyranids were methodical in a way animals should never be, and their ceaseless toil at killing was an affront to the art of murder.
Sathonyx scanned the far reaches of the battlefield, where his Haemonculus and Wracks were cutting down the last of the Imperial Guard Headquarters. The Haemonculus signaled readiness a moment later, as he slaved the Mon’keigh weapon to his control.
The Baron gazed conspiratorially around before drawing the Seer’s bones from his cloak. He cast them quickly onto the dusty floor, where they clattered to a noisy stop. He frowned as they all came up blank again. Why did the Tyranids vex his efforts so?
With a wave from their master, the Baron’s forces went into motion.
Return of the Raiders
The Mission
Purge the Alien, with Dawn of War deployment
Army Lists
The Baron’s Outlaws
Dark Eldar - 2,000
Combat Drugs: Splintermind
FORTIFICATION
Aegis Defense Line: Quad Gun
HQ
Baron Sathonyx: Warlord
Haemonculus
ELITES
4 Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blaster, Venom transport with two Splinter Cannons
4 Kabalite Trueborn: 4x Blaster, Venom transport with two Splinter Cannons
TROOPS
10 Hellions
10 Kabalite Warriors: Splinter Cannon, Blaster, Raider transport with Dark Lance
10 Kabalite Warriors: Splinter Cannon, Blaster, Raider transport with Dark Lance
10 Kabalite Warriors: Splinter Cannon, Blaster, Raider transport with Dark Lance
10 Kabalite Warriors: Splinter Cannon, Blaster, Raider transport with Dark Lance
10 Wracks
5 Wracks: Liquifier Gun, Venom transport with two Splinter Cannons
HEAVY SUPPORT
Ravager: 3x Dark Lances
Ravager: 3x Dark Lances
Ravager: 3x Dark Lances
Hive Fleet Nug - Assault Swarm
Tyranids - 2,000
HQ
Hive Tyrant: Wings, 2x Twin Devourers with Brainleech Worms; The Horror, Onslaught
Tyranid Prime: Warlord; Deathspitter, Lash Whip & Bonesword
ELITES
Hive Guard Brood: two additional Hive Guard, Impaler Cannons
Zoanthrope Brood: two additional Zoanthropes; Warp Blast, Onslaught
Venomthrope Brood: one additional Venomthrope
TROOPS
Termagant Brood: twenty additional Termagants; Devourers
Tervigon: Dominion
Hormagaunt Brood: ten additional Hormagaunts
Hormagaunt Brood: ten additional Hormagaunts
FAST ATTACK
Hive Crone
Harpy: Twin Heavy Venom Cannon
HEAVY SUPPORT
Carnifex Brood: one additional Carnifex; each has Scything Talons and Heavy Venom Cannon
Pre-game
The Dark Eldar rolled from the rulebook and got the Warlord Trait that lets you reroll 1s to hit units near objectives. We both paused to mention how we cannot wait until all armies see the rulebook Warlord Charts as a thing of the past! The Tyranid Prime received Synaptic Lynchpin: his Synapse range would be 18” for this game.
The Dark Eldar deployed the Haemonculus and the squad of ten Wracks inside the Aegis wall, and then deployed all of their remaining forces on the opposite flank. The Ravagers were lined up behind the tall ruins, with the Venoms and Raiders stacked up on the opposite side.
There would be no Night Fight the first turn. The Dark Eldar failed to Seize the Initiative, and the game was underway.
Turn One
The Hive Tyrant successfully cast Onslaught on the Hive Crone, but the Zoanthropes failed in their attempt to cast it on the Hive Guard. All units advanced toward the center of the table, with the three Flying Monstrous Creatures moving 24” toward the Aegis Line.
The Hive Crone only managed a 2” run move, but he was able to kill two of the Wracks and cause a Wound to the Haemonculus. The Hive Tyrant wounded the squad ten times, but only managed to cause two casualties through their Cover Save and Feel No Pain roll. The Harpy was the only other Tyranid in range to fire; the Heavy Venom Cannon scored a Penetrating Hit on the two nearest Ravagers. The first was Stunned, but the second passed a Cover Save for being obscure.
The Dark Eldar appeared to have emerged relatively unscathed from the fire; then, the Haemonculus and his Wracks failed their Morale check and made a Fall Back move that took them off the table.
Baron and his Hellions led the advance as the Dark Eldar maneuvered against their foe. The Hellions leapt out into the center to fire on the advancing Hormagaunts, and two of the Venoms moved their maximum distance to draw sight on the Harpy. The Ravagers repositioned to fire on the Zoanthropes, and the Raiders moved along the table edge, parallel to the Tyranid advance.
In the Shooting Phase, the Raiders moved Flat Out to the table corner in the Tyranid deployment zone, joined by one Venom loaded with Trueborn. The first Ravager fired into the Zoanthropes, but failed to get past their 3+ Invulnerable Save. The second Ravager scored a telling hit, and one of the Psykers disintegrated under the shot.
The Stunned Ravager scored a hit on the Harpy and caused a Wound. One of the Venoms was in range and scored three hits. These failed to cause any lasting damage, but sent the Harpy plummeting from the sky, causing a second wound as it crashed. The second Venom was out of range, so fired on the lead Hormagaunts instead. They had a 2+ Cover Save because of the Venomthropes, and emerged unscathed. Baron and his Hellions fired on them from a different angle, but still only managed a handful of kills.
Kill Points: Dark Eldar 0, Tyranids 2
Additional Dark Eldar Points: None
Additional Tyranid Points: First Blood
Turn One Score: Dark Eldar 0, Tyranids 3
Turn Two
The Hive Tyrant and the Zoanthropes both attempted to cast Catalyst on the Hive Guard, and BOTH FAILED! For some reason, the blind Tyranids simply weren’t getting the message…
The Crone flew into position next to the Hellions, joined by the Hive Tyrant. The Harpy advanced as well, drawing a bead on the two Venoms. The swarms of smaller creatures advanced up the center as well, while the Tervigon and the Zoanthropes bled back into the swarm, away from the Raider wall.
The Hive Crone vomited his Drool Cannon onto the Hellions, scoring seven hits and six wounds. The first five Hellions were incinerated before the roll came to the Baron himself.
It’s worth noting that several players in our group have played Dark Eldar, and we’ve all discussed the near-mythical legacy of the Shadowfield. The wargear seems capable of turning aside an army’s worth of firepower when delivered all at once. We’ve all seen Vect walk through that wall of fire before assaulting into close combat. But we also talk in whispered fear of the times when one die comes against that near-impenetrable force field. Shrugging his shoulders and laughing at our feeble superstition, Sindanarie elected not to use his Look Out Sir roll, and instead to take the hit on Baron. I wanted to remind him of Duke Sliscus in our last game, and that single wound that blew out his Shadowfield. Unfortunately, the die was already bouncing across the table.
ONE.
AGAIN.
At Strength 6, the Drool Cannon reduced the Baron to a puddle of ooze. The remaining Hellions took a few more casualties from the few Devourers in range, leaving two of their number standing. The Hive Tyrant opened fire on the nearest Ravager, but only managed to get one Glancing Hit past its Jink Save. The Hive Guard fired on the nearest Venom, but only managed one measly hit, which only caused a Weapon Destroyed result.
The Harpy patiently lined up its shot and then fired. The Venom Cannon round streaked into the space between the two Venoms and exploded, tearing them both apart in a storm of crystalline shards. The Trueborn Pinned as they fell from their ride, and the Wracks emerged intact but Shaken.
The Dark Eldar turned their attentions in, to the side of the Tyranid swarm. The Wracks moved away from their disabled Venom, to put more distance between themselves and the Tyranids. The surviving Hellions moved to fire on the Harpy as it flew overhead. The Raiders all encroached slowly, dropping ten Warriors out close to the enemy while the other tanks took shelter in the small ruin.
The Raiders and their Warriors fired on the advancing Hive Guard, cutting two of them down under the intense barrage. The Ravagers then opened fire on the Zoanthropes, finishing what they started on the first turn. The Trueborn wounded the Harpy again, joined by a wound from the Hellions a moment later. Still, the great monster remained in the sky with a final wound.
The Dark Eldar had successfully turned the flank and given the bulk of their force some breathing room, but they would have to work quickly in coming turns to eliminate the Flying Monstrous Creatures.
Kill Points: Dark Eldar 1, Tyranids 5
Additional Dark Eldar Points: Linebreaker
Additional Tyranid Points: First Blood, Slay the Warlord
Turn Two Score: Dark Eldar 2, Tyranids 7
Turn Three
The Hive Tyrant was able to successfully cast Onslaught on the Devourer Gaunts. The majority of the swarm turned toward the pocket of Dark Eldar Warriors in their deployment zone, while the nearest Hormagaunts and the Flying Monstrous Creatures continued on against the survivors.
The Hive Crone executed a Vector Strike against one of the Ravagers, destroying it, before sweeping into an attack run against the Wracks. The Harpy flew over the Pinned Trueborn, scything down the entire squad with its Vector Strike! The Hive Tyrant advanced, hunting for Raiders to target.
In the Shooting Phase, the Devourer Gaunts used Onslaught, running before firing a small volley into the lead Warriors, cutting three of them down. The Carnifexes scored a hit on their Raider, Immobilizing it. Next the Harpy fired, and again it scored hits on two Skimmers. The empty Raider and the one behind it both exploded, killing five Warriors in the process. The lone Hive Guard scored a Penetrating Hit on the limping Ravager, Wrecking it as it lost its final Hull Point. The Hive Tyrant scored an impressive five Penetrating Hits on the nearest surviving Raider, but four of these were stopped by its Jink save. The one remaining hit Immobilized the vehicle. The Crone fired his Drool Cannon across the five Wracks, wounding three. Two of them passed their Feel No Pain roll.
In the assault phase, the Hormagaunts leapt on the two Hellions. One of them was bisected with a Hellglaive, before the two warriors disappeared beneath a wall of stabbing blades.
The Dark Eldar had taken a serious beating in the first half of the turn, but they maneuvered to try and return some of the punishment. The Raiders and the final Venom skirted out of their cover, and the Warriors leapt from their Immobilized ride.
The five Warriors in the still-burning wreckage of their vehicle sprayed the Harpy with Splinter Cannon fire, and at long last the monster fell dead from the skies. The Venom and the full-strength squad on foot fired into the Hive Tyrant, bringing him crashing to the ground and removing two Wounds. The last Ravager quickly cut him apart with its Dark Lances. The rest of the Dark Eldar poured their fire into the Venomthropes; after a total of eleven Wounds, their 2+ Cover Save gave out, and they were both slain.
Analyzing the charnel house that was the battlefield, the squads quickly embarked onto their platforms, leaving the Tyranids to feast on their dead kin.
Kill Points: Dark Eldar 4, Tyranids 11
Additional Dark Eldar Points: Linebreaker
Additional Tyranid Points: First Blood, Slay the Warlord
Final Score: 5-13, Tyranid Victory
Post-Game Thoughts
A few dice rolls could have completely changed the course of this game. If the Aegis had been manned, one of my Flying Monstrous Creatures would have most likely been cut apart on that first turn response. My Shooting Phases did little damage without the input of the Harpy.
Speaking of, the Harpy was definitely the MVP of this game. Its Heavy Venom Cannon reaped a bloody tally through the Dark Eldar, and it was the only heavy weapon I had that kept pace with the Dark Eldar movement. This thing claimed five Kill Points over the course of the game, and three of them came in one turn!
I’m not sure about the Carnifexes; they played a very minimal role in the game, although I probably should’ve been more aggressive with them. The Heavy Venom Cannon seems like a minimal investment of points, and gives them something to do while they close to combat.
Look for more in the future; the Dark Eldar are too good at being villains to be defeated that easily.
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