Throshi Station, Xoxigar Secondus (Mechanicus Forge World)
4.525.019.M42
There was a brief, desperate cry for help, and then silence. Throshi Station had gone dark.
In the following hours, rumours spread of a massacre. The Eldar had come from seemingly nowhere, in the middle of the night, and killed everyone in the remote mining and processing station on Xoxigar Prime. This followed the modus operandi of the perfidious Eldar - strike with surprise and excessive violence and then disappear as quickly as they had arrived... except... they didn't disappear this time. A force was holding the station for some reason, at least temporarily. Long enough for a company of the Emperor's Brethren Space Marine Chapter to mount a counter-attack!
FORCES
Aeldari Forces of the Biel-Tim Fleet
Asuryani Battalion Detachment - Beil-Tim Fleet (as Biel-Tan)
HQ
Farseer - 4 PL - War Master
Warlock - 3 PL
Troops
Dire Avengers (5) - 4 PL
Dire Avengers (5) - 4 PL
Dire Avengers (5) - 4 PL
Dire Avengers (5) - 4 PL
Elites
Howling Banshees (5) - 5 PL
Asuryani Battalion Detachment - Beil-Tim Fleet (as Biel-Tan)
HQ
Autarch (+ Warp Jump Generator) - 7PL - Warlord
Troops
Rangers (5) - 5 PL
Rangers (5) - 5 PL
Rangers (5) - 5 PL
Fast Attack
Warp Spiders (10) - 12 PL
Asuryani Spearhead Detachment - Beil-Tim Fleet (as Biel-Tan)
HQ
Warlock - 3 PL - Warlord
Elite
Wraith Guard (5) - 8 PL
Heavy Support
Wraith Lord (Bright Lance) - 6 PL
Wraith Lord (Missile launcher) - 6 PL
Wraith Lord (Scatter Laser) - 6 PL
Aeldari Total: 95 Power Level
Emperor's Brethern Space Marines
Adeptus Astartes Vanguard Detachment - Emperor's Bethern (as Ultramarines)
HQ
Captain on Bike - 6PL - Warmaster
Elites
Terminator Assault Squad (Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield) - 10PL
Dreadnought - 7PL
Dreadnought - 7PL
Dreadnought - 7PL
Heavy Support
Land Raider (+Multimelta) - 14PL
Adeptus Astartes Outrider Detachment - Emperor's Bethern (as Ultramarines)
HQ
Lieutenant - 4PL - Warlord
Fast Attack
Attack Bike Squadron (3) - 12PL
Land Speeder Typhoon - 4PL
Land Speeder Typhoon - 4PL
Heavy Support
Whirlwind - 6PL
Adeptus Astartes Battalion Detachment - Emperor's Bethern (as Ultramarines)
HQ
Librarian - 3PL - Warlord
Troops
Tactical Squad (5) - 4PL
Tactical Squad (5) - 4PL
Tactical Squad (5) - 4PL
Scouts (5) - 4PL
Astartes Total: 100 Power Level
I had picked the Pincer Attack scenario out of the rulebook, as it fitted the fluff and had picked a total power level of less than 100 so the Aeldari would be defending...
In the scenario there were four objective markers - whoever controlled the most at the end of a turn scored a victory point. If both sides controlled an equal number, the defender got a victory point. Unlike the previous scenarios, the objective markers were in predetermined locations and none of them were set up in the papers deployment zones - and the moron who set up the table didn't put any defensible terrain next to them! (Oh, wait... that was me!). ALSO taking out the enemy Warmaster gained you a victory point.
Another thing about this scenario was that the attacker got to roll D12 for initiative, but the defender only got d6!? Mind you, if the Defender ever won initiative, they got an additional d3 Command Assests!
Rolling for Warmaster traits, I got Stealth Adept - cannot be targeted at all with ranged weapon, unless it is the closest unit - which would be really handy for keeping my Warmaster alive and denying Other Tim a point if I didn't do something stupid like... say... put him in some kind of Defensible Terrain where he is considered equidistant to all edges and could be attacked in melee by anyone in contact with said building. The Space Marine Warmaster got Martial Discipline which allowed units within 6" to shoot even if they fell back. It caused a bit of confusion as it also said they could FIGHT (as in, Melee) after falling back... which isn't really possible under the normal rules as you can't end a fallback in contact with enemy.... thus wouldn't be able to actually fight...? I have a feeling that will be errata or FAQ'd in the not-too-distant future!
Vanguard Detachment with the Captain, Landraider and three dreadnoughts. The Terminators were set up in the Teleportarium to Deep Strike.
Outrider and Battalion Detachments arrived on the other side of Throshi Station to catch the perfidious Eldar in a trap!
Farseer Thymiltelyir, leader of the warhost, commands a battalion with four units of Dire Avengers and a unit of Howling Banshees. He took up position in a ruined building (Defensible Terrain... ah... whoopsie...)
Warlocks Broelwyn leads a Spirit Host Heavy Detachment with three Wraithlords and a unit of five Wraithguard.
Other Tim and the table all set up.
TURN ONE
Oh! There they are! Terminators arrive from the Teleportatium, right next to one of the objectives! Mind you, they didn't STAY next to the objective - instead they charged straight at the building to assault the xenos within! (If the slow but inexorably relentless pace of a Space Marine terminator can be called "Charging"!?)
the Land Raider and Dreadnoughts also advanced at top speed towards Throshi Station.
At the other end of the battle the Wraith Detachment was also ponderously shuffled forward, all while laying down fire on the approaching marines. (One blast marker on a the Scout Squad)
The Marine Battalion returned fire and the Librarian leading them used Psychic Scourge to put blast markers on one of the Wraithlords. I happened to have a Perils of the Warp card and played that - which put a blast marker on the Librarian.
The Marine Outrider Detachment then laid down a world of hurt... The multimeltas from the bikes put a large Blast Marker on the Wraithlord with the Bright Lance. The Landspeeders put a Large Blast Marker on the Warlock. The Whirlwind Put a blast marker on the flanking Dire Avengers. Some missile from... somewhere...? out a blast marker on the Wrraithlord with the Missile Launcher (it may have been a Command asset...? This is what I get for writing this almost a week later!)
During the Damage Phase the Scouts and Terminators and Dreadnoughts all soughed off blast markers. The Librarian was Knocked Out though! The Dire Avengers passed their save, but failed morale and left. The Farseer survived, but the Warlock leading the Wraith detachment was knocked out and two of the Wraithlords each took a wound - which we took to mean they were critically injured, but have since realized it was MORE than half wounds to be critically injured...
No one got any victory points, because no one was able to (or bothered to) get close enough to any of the Objective Markers. Now... it does say that the defender scores a victory point if both sides control an equal number of objectives... it COULD be argued that each holding zero is an equal number, but I felt that the number should be a positive integer to count... Any math/logic geeks want to weigh in on this...?
TURN TWO
The Marines got the initiative again.
My Deep-Striking Detachment of Rangers, Warp Spiders and an Autarch showed up. ON an objective! I used and Eldritch Tempest card to put a couple blast markers on a Dreadnought and another on the Landraider.
The Marine Outrider Detachment laid down the pain again, Dropping Large Blast Markers all over the place - on Rangers and two of the Wraithlords.
The Dire Avengers and Banshees stuck serious blows against the Terminator Squad. Then the rest of the Marine Vanguard detachment swooped in and joined the action!
The Marine's Captain roared up to attack Dire Avengers on his motorcycle! The Landraider fired on the Wraithlords from behind and scored hit on them (and used a Hunter Killer missile - a Command Asset Card - to score another). Other Tim played "Trophy Kill" on the Farseer and then the Terminators dropped a blast marker on him. The Dreadnoughts also poured fire into the ruin, but with little effect.
The Ranger/Warp Spider Battalion fired on elements of the Marine Outrider Detachment - hoping to keep them pinned down and away from the objectives!
The Marine Battalion Detachment advanced on one of the objectives and poured fire down on the Wraith detachment - scoring a blast marker on the Wraithguard. The Wraiths, in turn, advanced on the Marines firing and hoping to push them off of the objective.
In the Damage Phase one of the blast markers on the Terminators finally stuck - causing them one wound! Woo! Two of the Dreadnoughts were also wounded. The Attack bike squad took two wounds and was critically injured. The Space Marine Lieutenant, leading the Outrider detachment, was successfully sniped by Rangers.
The Aeldari lost their farseer to injury (+1 Victory Point for the Marines) along with a squad of Rangers and a Wraithlord. Another Wraithlord took a wound.
The Marines now l held two objectives to the Eldar's one, so they also scored a second victory point for that.
TURN THREE
Holy CARP! The Eldar won the initiative! And... one additional card...
I did have a couple of Psychic powers however so I played those and used Quicken to move some Dire Avengers (make them fall back from the Captain, actually) and DOOM to put a blast marker on the Terminators...
The Dire Avengers and Banshees went first...
firing on the captain they scored one blast marker and the combined efforts of the Banshees and other Dire Avengers in the building put one on the Terminators.
The Marine Battalion Detachment mostly shot at the Wraiths, putting blast marker on the Wraithguard.
I played Court of the Young King on the Warp Spider and blasted the Bikes good - leaving a Large Blast Marker on them. The Sniping Rangers managed to add another small one.
The Outrider Detachment fired back - missing rangers, but putting MORE blast markers on the Wraith Lords and the Whirlwind dropped more on the Dire Avengers across the table.
I used Tears of Isha to remove a damage marker from a Wraithlord and then they charged into the Marine Tactical Squad to slap their around with their great big wraith bone fists.
the Marine Vanguard detachment fought back against the Dire Avengers and Howling Banshees - while the Landraider sniped at the Warp Spider with it's long-range lascannons.
Damage Phase
Another Squad of Dire avengers was lost and the Banshees left along with the Wraithlord with the Bright Lance - and the remaining Wraithlord (with he Scatter Laser) took a wound - things were looking grim...
The Marine Captain was taken out of action, however, and the Attack Bike Squadron was rendered combat ineffective. The Terminators made all their saves, however...
This time we both held ONE objective, so, being the defender I scored a victory point, along with a second one for taking out the Marines Warmaster (the Captain on the bike). We were now tied at 2 VP each!
TURN FOUR
The Space Marines regained the initiative.
The Vanguard detachment went first and used the SHOCK ASSAULT asset card to move fast AND do a bunch of shooting on the remaining Dire Avengers.
I made note of using the Force and Guide Psychic powers... but do't recall what they did, really... there was a Large Blast Marker on the Terminators when the dust settled, however...
I used Swordwind on the other end of the table (something about scoring double hits... can't remember if it was for a unit or full detachment...? or units within 6" of the Autarch...?) It looks like it allowed the Warp Spiders to leave two large blast markers on the Whirlwind, however!
The Outrider detachment hammered back, leaving blast markers on the Warp Spiders, Wraithguard, and a Ranger squad.
The Wraith detachment failed to do much at all...
Damage Phase
The Dire Avengers holding the Objective passed their save rolls... but failed morale and left - leaving the Objective no longer contested... mind you, the Marines had also advanced away from it, so they didn't hold it either...
The Warlock was also obliged to call it a day... but one last squad of Dire Avengers - in the building - held on!!
The Terminators once again ignored all blast markers.
At the other end of the table, the Warp Spiders took a wound
The Wraithguard took two wounds - which left it critically injured.
The Whirlwind took a wound.
AS we each held one objective I scored another putting me slightly in the lead - 3-2!
Unfortunately, at this point Other Tim had to leave... Not sure how a fifth turn would have gone... I have a feeling he would have taken the round... but that would have only tied things up...
Close Game - Good Fun!
Coming Soon to Tim's Miniature Wargaming Blog:
I've since played two more games and have game reports for each of them in the works...
I have loads of stuff on the painting desk... but haven't done much work since finishing the last of the Tempest Heavy Grav-Tanks.
I'm hoping to finish up some Necromunda gangs this week - and maybe a few 40K units that are short a few to make full strength... we shall see..
A 0-0 tie for holding objectives should still give the defenders a point. A 0-0 is as much of a tie as 1-1 or 2-2. It makes the attacker actually try for at least one objective or else the defender gets free victory points.
ReplyDeleteCertainly one way of looking at it... I don't have the book handy, but I'm wondering if the wording was if both sides HOLD the same number of objectives... does not holding any count as holding the same number as someone who is also not holding anything? Do you actually have to be HOLDING SOMETHING to be holding the same number!?
DeleteI do realize I'm WAAAAAAAAAAAAY overthinking this...
cheers!
Maybe the way to think of this is that the defenders at one point occupied the entire map. Therefore they own all of the objectives when the game starts. Maybe they have a lonely security dude with a flashlight and a stun pistol occupying each one. That security guy will continue to hold that objective until the other side comes and he runs away.
ReplyDeleteBasically, it's like the Canadian army "holds" the city of Saskatoon. They don't actually need to be there to do so (assuming that there isn't an army base in Saskatoon, in which case my comparison is terrible). But if a flock of angry Canada Geese (or whatever or whoever would invade Saskatoon) were to invade and chase off the police, they would need to stay to actually occupy it. When the army arrives, they would leave a unit or two in town to run things until things return to normal.
(Now look at who's overthinking things...)
On the other hand, the assumption that the defender automatically holds an objective is also a problem in that the defender then has a massive lead in these objectives at the start of the game. I think that's the point of your argument.
ReplyDelete(Now I'm really overthinking this!)
Just go with treating 0-0 the same as 1-1 so a tie goes to the defender. They should have an advantage and it forces the attacker to do something.
I guess you are enjoying this game, eh? lol
ReplyDeleteyeah, it's pretty fun!
Delete