A kind of Chrismas card...

Ho, ho, ho... Chrismas eve has come and gone. In just a few more hours now the presents should have been opened all across the western hemisphere.

The next few days should be dedicated to relaxation with family and friends, perhaps pondering a new year's resolution or two. There are the usual health/school/work related ones, but we shouldn't miss this opportunity to set ourself a hobby-goal or two as well. I've got a handfull in mind myself, but I'll hold off a few more days before posting them in the comments below.

In the mean time, I'd like to whish you all a continued merry Christmas-season on behalf of the Team.


Stay tuned for the New Year's resolutions!
(...and do feel free to post your own.)

Dark Eldar Wyches - Christmas uppdate - ØRNULVS DECEMBER PROJECT # 2

Christmas greetings!

My progress over the last couple of weeks have not been as planned due to an increase in my work load (damn).

However I have finished to complete my 3 units of Wyches. Having used a lot of the parts from my three boxes when building my Kabalite Trueborn, it was a small “undertaking” to make due with the left over from both the Kabalite Warrior sprues and Wyches sprues.

This is how they turned out:

Wishing you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

***********

First of all, thanks for al the positive feedback guys!

After having built all the infantry models in my original “Kabalite heavy fleet list”, I realised that I also wanted to explore the close combat units (as Jørn commented). I have therefore decided to build two types of warriors regarded as Dark Eldars “close combat specialists”.

First out – 30 Wyches. I thought I should post some “in progress pictures”. This is the first squad. I build some extra models so I can field them in units of 5 – 9.

I think the models hava a great posture and they have lots of detail. The only problem I had was their legs; the models all lean forward making it difficult to “pin them to the slate”. I therefore decided to use the original design with the “cross bar”, attaching slate on each side. I think it worked out ok.

I will post more pictures as soon as the rest is built.

PS! Jørn – heeeelp, I need more slate… ;)

Dark Eldar Scourges - ØRNULVS DECEMBER PROJECT # 1

After yet another hectic period at work, I finally managed to finish my 3 units with 5 Scourges each, armed with 3 Shard Carbines and 2 Splinter Cannons.

The wings were a challenge. What colours to use? The Scourges undergo sever physical altering. Bone structure is hollowed out, steel implanted and wings attached with cylinders containing chemicals that “fuels the flight”!

Having used a rather pale grey-brown colour on the skin of my Kabalite Trueborn, I decided to use almost the same colour on the wings, trying to mimic use of organic material. I also painted details metal to implement the metal structure beneath the grown flesh and feathers.

I still haven’t been able to get hold of a new camera (or a better location) to take better photos, however I wanted to post various pictures during the paint process.

First I painted the wings and head feathers:

Then I painted the armour and gave it a wash:

The armour is dry brushed after hard lining and all the details and the base finished:

Here – all 3 squads together:

What to do next?

Dark Eldar Kabalite Trueborn - ØRNULVS NOVEMBER 2011 PROJECT # 3

Last night was a time to celebrate! After a hectic period I finally found time to finish my three units of Kabalite Trueborn and their Arcon.

Three units of five, with 4 Blasters and one Splinter Rifle. In this build, the Arcon is armed with a Blaster.

I am now looking forward to start painting my Scourges!

An old adversary

So... Trond stopped by to play a game the other day. I had been playing around with ArmyBuilder to catalogue the Tau models I had painted up from when I used to play them. A little friendly banter later I found myself having to dig out 2000 points of sci-fishmen from various transport cases and cupboards. I even had to dig around in the cardboard boxes in the storeroom, but I got out enough to field the following list:

Tau Empire army "Mon'tyr Kauyon"

Shas'O

Crisis Team (2)
Stealth Team (5)
Stealth Team (5)

Fire Warriors (10) in Devilfish (SMS++)
Fire Warriors (10) in Devilfish (SMS++)
Kroot(15) with Kroothounds (5)

Sniper Drone Team (1+3) x2
Hammerhead (Railgun+SMS++)
Hammerhead (Railgun+SMS++)

Nothing overly competitive there, but I suppose very little from the Tau Empire codex is considered 'hard' anyway. The more well-versed reader will probably already have noted a distinct lack of 'suits - Crisis and Broadsides both. I don't really care for the way they look, and never got around to ordering the Forgeworld variants in stead.

Trond was bringing a pretty typical Eldar list - with one notable exception. (Can anyone spot the missing unit?)

Farseer

Fire Dragons (5)
Fire Dragons (5)

Dire Avengers (10) in Wave Serpent
Storm Guardians (10) in Wave Serpent
Pathfinders (5)
Pathfinders (5)

Vypers (3)
Vypers (3)

Falcon
Falcon
War Walkers (3)

Deployment

We rolled up the Annihilation mission (Kill Points) and Dawn of War deployment. Not the ideal set of mission parameters, but you've just got to play the hand you're dealt - right? At least I won the initiative, so I elected to deploy one Devilfish and the Fire Warriors in it as far forward as possible. The transport idled on one side of the Shrine of the Aquilla ruin in the centre of the board and the squad spread out on the other. The idea was to deny Trond as much area as possible, just like I'd done against Ørnulv last week. I Outflanked the Kroot and let the rest come in from my table-edge turn one.

Trond responded by deploying his Pathfinder squads and Reserving everything else. The War Walkers would outflank. This was more of a gamble than what I would have tried, with no Autarchs to boost his Reserves rolls, but he probably had a plan...

Turn one

Under the cover of darkness, I moved the deployed Devilfish back and into cover behind the Shrine ruin and moved/ran the squad to meet it. The rest of my army moved in from my table edge, running as nescessary to try to get into decent fire-positions. The Fire Warriors unit that hadn't deployed move up behind the ruin

Trond didn't have anything coming in, so he just attempted to fire at my re-deploying Fire Warriors. One of the Pathfinder units even spotted them, and killed the last model in the line. The rest of the team passed their Pinning check easily enough.

Turn two

With nothing except the Pathfinders to shoot at, the Tau infantry moved and ran again. Even the Kroot arrived, on my left hand table edge. The deployed Fire Warriors re-embarked in their Devilfish, while the rest of the army tried to close to firing range without leaving cover. Unable to Run, the vehicles that could fired at the Pathfinders and caused enough casualties on one of the squad to make them take - and fail - a Break test. Off the table they went, and I was up a Kill Point.

Three out of the seven Eldar units in Reserves arrived. Both units of Fire Dragons in a Falcon each as well as the Farseer with the Dire Avengers in their Wave Serpent. Trond put them all in on my right flank. As far away from the Tau guns as possible but still within striking distance of a Devilfish. In the shooting phase, the Devilfish was quickly wrecked and the Firewarriors forced outside again.

Turn three

The Tau on my left flank that still couldn't see much besides the remaining Pathfinders spent another turn moving and running (as well as some jumping around in the assault phase). The Kroot spread out to deny as much area as possible on my left flank. The Hammerheads wrecked one of the Falcons and immobilized the other one as retaliation for the Devilfish. A Stealth Suit team that had worked their way up next to the Shrine ruin took the Pathfinders down to three, but this time Trond passed the break test.

The Wave Serpent that came in with the Falcons moved flat out to hide behind the ruin on my right flank just as the Wave Serpent with the Storm Guardians came in alongside one of the Vyper squadrons on my left flank. Trond targeted the Pathfinders' Devilfish with the Wave Serpent and Vypers, and stunned and immobilized it. The War Walkers fired at the Tau Pathfinders in the ruin next to their transport but only managed to kill half of them.

Turn four

With my Pathfinders finally in position, I got so exited about finally getting to use their Markerlights that I'd checked line of sight and fired them at the Wave Serpent before I remembered I'd forgotten to move anything at all. I decided I was in a decent enough position anyway, and could kick myself later. In stead, I used two of the three hits I'd gotten to launch the stunned and immobilised Devilfish's Seeker Missiles - while I still could. Both missiles hit, but I rolled a one and a two to penetrate so they must have been duds. The Kroot remained sationary to fire their rifles. Three hits and then three sixes to penetrate turned into one wreck, one destroyed Scatter Laser and a crew-ignores-stunned. The Crisis team rounded off the phase by blowing the turret off the Wave Serpent next to the Vypers.

The War Walkers and the second Vyper squadron both arrrived this turn. The War Walkers on my left flank behind my Kroot, where I didn't want them, and the Vypers on my right, where I didn't really understand what Trond was trying to achieve. The last few Eldar Pathfinders left their crater and hid out of sight behind the trio of vats next to it. The Wave Serpent with the Farseer and Dire Avengers zoomed further up towards my table edge. The Storm Guardians left their Wave Serpent and moved towards the Kroot, followed by two Vypers. Shooting saw a mere handful of Kroot and a couple of Tau Pathfinders biting the dust, but the Trond declared that the Guardians would forgo shooting to run - and then assault the Devilfish! They also made contact with the Kroot, but unfortunately for the Pathfinders they only managed to kill five of the avians. The Warlock did destroy the Devifish, though didn't manage to blow it up like Trond had hoped. (The evil conniving git that he is!) In return the Kroot killed six Guardians, but Trond passed the Break test.

Turn five

I didn't feel comfortable with the War Walkers in my backyard, so I moved one Pathfinder team and the Shas'O and Crisis team closer to get in range and have clear shots with 'enough' units. With the Hammerheads lending a hand, or rather their Smart Missiles to the job, all three were smoking wrecks before the phase was over. Al other shots were either out of range, had no line of sight or just plain missed. The Kroot wiped out, and settled down to eat, the last of the Guardians.

Probably sensing the battle was drawing to an end, the Farseer and Dire Avengers disembarked and moved towards a nearby Sniper Drone team. The Vypers and Wave Serpent adjusted their position a little and fired a few shots at the remaining Kroot, not even causing enough wounds to meke them take a Break test. The Dire Avengers cut the drones and their controller to oily/bloody pieces in a storm of circular blades.

- + - + - + -

With that, we decided to end the game. Tau were up four kill points (Pathfinders, Falcon, Avengers and War Walkers) to Eldar's three (Two Devilfish and a Sniper Drone team), and it didn't look like they'd be able to catch up anyway.

It was fun dusting off the Tau for once, but I don't think they'll be making a comeback just yet. I do wonder how they'd fare against Ørnulv's UltraGunline though...

Dark Eldar Kabalite Warriors - ØRNULVS NOVEMBER 2011 PROJECT # 2

Finally! The last two squads of Kabalite Warriors finished:

And then they where 40!

Time to paint Kabalite Trueborn!

Unfinished Business

Unfinished Business

Since we were unable to finish our game sunday before last, we agreed to try and get another game in as soon as possble. When we were ironing out the details of when and how many points to play, Ørnulv presentet me with the following demands of my list:
- No more that three Obliterators
- No more that six Berzerkers
- No putting Kharn in a Transport vehicle

Not wanting to refuse a challenge, I said 'Fine!', and presented him with my counterdemands:
- No more than one unit of Devastators
- No more that two Razorbacks
- No putting the Librarian in a vehicle

Odds were that Ørnulv never really ment it seriously, but I still thought I'd comply if only to be able to rub his face in it a little before he got to shoot my army off the board. At the very least I'd be able to claim moral victory if the game went south. After juggling units around in Army Builder for a while, I came up with the following list:

Coyphaus Kor Nemeses (TLord w/Twin LClaws & MoK)

4 Terminators (2 Combi-meltas, HvyFlamer, ChFist)
in Land Raider
5 Terminators (LClaws, 2 Combi-meltas, HvyFlamer, ChFist)
in Land Raider

10 CSMs (PFist, 2 Melta guns, IoCG)
in Rhino (DBlades)
10 CSMs (PFist, 2 Melta guns, IoCG)
in Rhino (DBlades)
5 CSMs (IoCG)

Obliterators (3)
Vindicator
Vindicator

2000 points, 38 models, 6 vehicles.

Playing a game every now and then without units you tend to use a lot - and may even have become a little dependent on - can be good for you. I decided to drop Kharn and the Berzerkers altogether. They really do need a delivery system if they're going to be able to do anything at all, and I saw no point in just wasting 291 points. I kept the allowed three Obliterators though. Their ability to move and fire even heavy weapons is invaluable, and their arsenal makes them useful up close as well as at a distance. I took the Vindicators along because they hadn'e been allowed out to play for a long time now, and they were a little cheaper than the Defilers I originally had in mind. They'd be flanked by the two Land Raiders filled with Terminators to present what I hoped would be too many AV13 and 14 targets for the Ultramarines to be able to take out before I hit his firing base.

As I suspected, Ørnulv was fielding his current 'satndard' list with the following Smurf villagers:

Librarian (Smite)

10 TacMarines (Melta gun, Plasma cannon)
in Razorback (Twin Lascannon)
10 TacMarines (Melta gun, Plasma cannon)
in Razorback (Twin Lascannon)
10 TacMarines (Plasmagun, Lascannon)
in Razorback (Twin Lascannon)
10 TacMarines (Plasmagun, Lascannon)
in Razorback (Twin Lascannon)

1 Land Speeder Typhoon
1 Land Speeder Typhoon
1 Land Speeder Typhoon

10 Devastators (4 Missile Launchers)
10 Devastators (4 Missile Launchers)
10 Devastators (4 Missile Launchers)

2000 points, 71 models, 7 vechicles.

Excellent!!! Moral Victory was as good as mine. Now to avoid being completely wiped off the table...

Ørnulv had a table ready for us, so we jumped right into rolling up a scenario. We got Capture and Control with three objectives. I got to place two, so I put the first one down in open terrain pretty much in the middle of the board. Ørnulv placed his off towards one long table edge, and I placed the last one toward the other and off to one side. All objectives was within 15 inches of at least one of the others, so it was rather obvious where the battle would stand. We then rolled Dawn of War deployment, and a despairing Ørnulv realized he'd have to spend the first couple of rounds moving rather than shooting me to bits. I even won the initiative, and opted to go first and deploy my five-man unit up against the centre-line to push the Ultramarines back and to the flanks. Ørnilv placed a Tactical Squad in each of the ruins on his flanks. At this point dinner was ready, so we quit the field of battle momentarilly.

Turn 1

Under the cover of darkness, my forward squad made their way back to the ruin next to the objective closest to my table edge. Their job for the remainder of the game would be to remain under cover and secure the objective so that the rest of my army could focus on claiming or contesting the other two. The Obliterator squad walked onto the table behind the same ruin, and made for a vantage point on one of the upper floors. The Land Raiders, Vindicators and Rhinos was split into two identical groups and drove onto the board on one side each of the aforementioned ruin. Since the Night Fight rule was in effect for the first turn, I decided to save the Smoke launchers for next turn.

I don't think Ørnulv fired as much as a single shot first turn either. In stead, he moved and ran to try and get all the heavy weapons into decent fire-positions. Most of the infantry looked like they still needed another turn of moving to get to where Ørnulv wanted them, but the Land Speeders that had moved Flat Out up each flank and the Razorbacks that was hiding in the backfield would probably be moving out to shoot next turn.

Turn 2

As dawn broke the Word Bearers continued to advance, although with a little more care. The Ultramarines Tactical squads that had deployed on the flanks had advanced under the cover of darkness last turn, and was looking for the Vindicators' side armour. The Vindicators hung back to try a couple of shots at extreme range while the Rhinos and Land Raiders moved another 12" towards the Ultramarines. All but one Rhino 'popped smoke'. The Obliterators got into a position where they could see a Land Speeder without the Devastators being able to se them - or so I thought. The shooting phase yielded little more than one or two dead marines. Ørnulv made nearly every single 4+ save he had to take.

While a lot of the boys in blue had to use this turn too to get to their codex-assigned camp-sites, quite a few had already attained a suitable fire-position. Ørnulv's Shooting Phase resulted in a dead Obliterator, killed instantly from a lascannon shot he failed to find cover against, and one Stunned and one Immobilized Rhino. That last result stung a little, but I knew I'd gotten off pretty easy so far so I didn't complain. Next turn, however, the full force of the firestorm would be striking my army.

Turn 3

I had pushed the battle line almost to the centre of the board by this point, and needed just one more burst to put two of three objectives behind my army. My leftmost Rhino moved at Cruising Speed into the crater with the objective in the middle of the table. The Land Raider next to it turned on the spot and fired all it had at one of the Land Speeders trying to get past it on that flank, but couldn't quite get a lock on the fast-moving target. The other Land Raider left the immobilized Rhino behind and moved forward a little to fire i vain at one of the Razorbacks cowering behind the ruin in front of it. The Vindicators advanced a little and shoot at a squad each. One shot just scattered off the unit entirely while the other hit a handfull of Devastators. All but two made their Cover saves.

With all fire lanes, all crossfire areas and kill-zones finally covered, this was going to be the turn to break the Traitors. Apart from Destroying the (smoked) Rhino on the central objective early inthe Shooting phase and killing a few of the Word Bearers extracting themselves from the wreck later, not much was achieved. Ørnulv even forgot to move one of the Land Speeders, even as the other two sped across the canal and in hid behind the pumping station next to it.

Turn 4

I had gotten off easier than I feared in the previous turn, and this was the moment to capitalize on it! Both Land Raiders churned straight over or through buildings and dispatched their cargo of Terminators right next to a couple of the Ultramarines Tactical squads covering the flanks of their central fire-position. I left the units on the flank to their own devices to focus on taking out as much of the Ultramarine Troops as I could and they Ørnulv the chance to win. The obliterators fired two Lascannon shots at the daydreaming Land Speeder, hitting and penetrating twice only to Shake and Stun it. The Terminators did their jobs, however. The squad with the Coryphaus sent a combat squad off while the other squad chased off a Tactical squad, loosing on of their own in the process.

Ørnulv moved both Razorbacks, both with a Combat Squad and one also including a Librarian, from behind the central ruin up to cover the closest objective. The Combat Squad with a Plasma cannon didn't care for the close proximity of the Terminators at all. They moved up towards the closest objective as well, running to try to get one Razorback between themselves and the Annointed. The rest of the sons of Macragge opened fire. The squad guarding the central objective was taken to below half strength. The remaining Rhino was wrecked. One Vindicator was Stunned, while the other lost its Demolisher cannon. The Terminator squad on my left also lost a model to a

Turn 5

The end of the game fast approaching, I sensed an opportunity to kill the last Tactical Combad Squads within reach of any objectives. The Land Speeders behind my lines were a worry as well, but there was little I could do with the two in hiding and the Obliterators failed -again- to take out the other one. The Terminators with the Coryphaus had trouble traversing the ruin, but the other squad positioned themselves to be able to take out both a Razorback and the Combat Squad with the Plasma Cannon. The full-sized Marine squad left the cover of their burning Rhino and advanced on the other Razorback. The two Meltaguns made short work of the transport vehicle, everyone but the Librarian was killed in the following assault. The Terminators failed to damage their assigned Razorback by shooting, but a Land Raider Immobilized it with a Lascannon shot to the rear so the squad Chain Fist carved right through to the fuel lines and detonated the tank. The ensuing explotion killed two of the loyalist marines inside and pinning the other three for a turn, as well as sending another Terminator to the ground. The Annointed with Lightning Claws only killed one of the loyalist in front of the Razorback, so they remained locked in combat while the Librarian fled past them.

Two of the Land Speeders behind the Word Bearers' lines moved up to contest the objectives Lorgar's sons had controlled almost unopposed until then. The Librarian fell back to within a quarter of an inch of the table edge and cast Hellfire at the Terminators in the ruin next to him. The ruin that had hindered their movement earlier now made up by protecting them from the sorcerous blasts. There was a few other shots fired, but the only notable results was reducing the squad on the central objective to two models and destroying the Demolisher cannon on the other Vindicator.

At this point the score was tied. All three objectives was contested, so it would come down to if we'd get to play another turn or not. Finding no third-party awake to roll for another turn, we rock-paper-scissors'ed it. I won on the second go, and then rolled high. At least one more turn to go!

Turn 6

The Terminators in the ruin moved to escort the Librarian off the table next turn, just to be safe. The Coryphaus moved to join the regular Word Bearers squad as they made sure the Devastators in the same ruin couldn't come down and contest the objective. The other Terminator squad turned on the three marines in the ruins of their Razorback and cut them down in the name of the Perfect City. On the other side of the table, both Vindicators tried and failed to ram a Land Speeder each. The last two marines on the central objective only managed to Shake the Land Speeder contesting their objective, but the combined fire of the Obliterators and the five-man squad by the last objective managed to bring down the skimmer over there.

Utilising the last few firelanes that wasn't obstructed by burning wrecks or idling tanks, the Ultramarines made one last attempt to shoot the Traitors off of the objectives. The few shots that was made proved ineffective however, and I'm not sure we even rolled for a seventh turn. The ultramarines had nothing left with which to salvage a tie.

Summary

While a Space Marine gunline army is formidable when it gets to deploy and pour fire on their opponent from turn one, its effectivity is significantly reduced when it has to spend a few turns moving into position first. Especially if the opposing army is mobile enough to take advantage of the reduced fire. I caught a break when we rolled up Dawn of War for deployment! I doubt I'll be quite so lucky next time...

As for memorable moment: The Movement phase when both my Land Raiders crashed unmolested through terrain that Ørnulv was sure I'd be spending another turn going around definitely stands out in my mind. I could hardly keep a grin off my face as I disembarked the Terminator squads and saw they were both well within Assault range.

Hunker in the Bunker

It had been a long and agonizing process... The old apartment that just wouldn't sell. The refurbishment of the new apartment by artisans of deplorable skill and stained reputation. The faulty rewiring and the ever increasing delays.

At last, we wouldn't have to listen to any more moaning about it... :P ...'cause it was time for a proper 'Battle Bunker Initiation'!!!

I got to Ørnulv's place early and got the grand tour of the new flat, as well as an up close and personal look at his new Dark Eldar warriors. I suspected his pics hadn't done them proper justice, so I took a few of my own...

Ørnulv has doen a few ajustments between then and now, but here's a couple of the models as they were at the time. You'll probably be seeing a lot more of these in the coming weeks, now that Mr. Painting-machine is shifting into gear. They're also scheduled to make their first on-table appearances early next year, so stay tuned!

After Trond and Inger Helene had arrived - and we'd all had a healthy helping of ørnulv's Cili con Carne - it was time to roll dice! We started off with a two vs two game. After about a round and a half we agreed we should have planned it out a bit instead of trying to wing it, and pulled the armies back off the table.

After talking it over we decided to just pair off, and spent the rest of the evening playing two 2000 points games side-by-side. I had the pleasure of trying to deal with Ghazghkull and about a bazillion orks howling for blood. Ørnulv got to play his rather shooty Ultramarines against Trond's speedy new toys. He'd spent the previous few days getting those Vypers in the background painted to be allowed to use them this weekend. Hopefully, he'll show them off properly before long...

I didn't really want to go to the initiation and not having played the host, so the next morning Ørnulv and I kicked off another game after breakfast. I had to leave just three rounds into the game though, and at the time it could still have gone either way. I held two objectives while Ørnulv held another. The fourth objective was up for grabs, and one of mine wasn't exactly firmly secured. I guess we'll have to settle this score at a later date.

So... All in all a pretty good way to spend the middle of the weekend! I'm still a little envious of that bunker, but I'm sure that'll pass as soon as the missus discovers that some of the cupboards have space left over... :D

Dark Eldar Kabalite Warriors - ØRNULVS NOVEMBER 2011 PROJECT # 1

After receiving some constructive feedback during initiation of my battle bunker last weekend, I decided to make alterations to my first colour scheme.

The loincloth was repainted in a lighter tone, and the sand at the base was made lighter. I also added more Tin Bitz/Chestnut ink to specific weapon parts, toned the “blood” down a bit and added, “light dots” to the lenses (using the same colour as I used on the loincloth and sand). I the hand varnished the model using Vallejo Satin Varnish mixed with water.

This is not a “dip” or “dry brush” only job, these are the colours used:

I am pleased with the result and have decided to use this colour scheme on the army (se below). The photos are still not “perfect”, but should give you an idea of the end result:

The second Kabalite Warrior squad was finished last night:

And then they where 20! 20 more to go…..

Kabalite Warriors Painting first unit - ØRNULVS OCTOBER 2011 PROJECT # 5

After a hectic period at work, I finally got around to paint my first unit of Kabalite Warriors. Early on I decided NOT to go with the ”traditional colour scheme”. The front picture on the Codex of a Warrior with splinter rifle caught my eye! Dark blue armour.

It was important for me to find a method that would enable me to paint fairly quickly. I have done a lot of mistakes during painting this trial unit, but I think they have an ok table standard, and I can paint up 10 Warriors per week, enabling me to finish the infantry models before Christmas. Anyway, this is how they turned out (the models are much darker in real life – sorry for the crappy foots).

Eldar re-visited

Now what?! What is the pantyhose guy up to?

Well, I know I know. I tend to complain about the Eldar codex and so forth, but after

invasion, I did get the confirmation I needed that playing eldar my way, wasn`t very competitive.

Unfortunately this style of play - copy paste, isn`t very exciting. So with som really nice friendly games comming up, I thought I should present my entire Biel Tan Eldar Army

It`s a mix of almost a decade of painting, playing and discussing Eldar, ups and downs and getting a complete army of 5000 points or more. What I am about to present is only Biel Tan, my Ulthwè remenants are left in storage.

Hq: The Avatar. Second ed model. Still quite stunning, and with his rules he is a good Hq choice. The best ws in the game, inspiering, but a bit slow. Farseer, mostly used for support, but is able and capable to take down a greater deamon.

Elites: Harlequins, striking scorpions, Howling banshees, and Firedragons.

As you are all well aware of used right these units can deal with almos anything they attack.

Can`t go to war with out a unit of Firedragons, and of lately Harlequins has been my favorite close combat choice. But the Banshees and Scorpiones are coming out of hiding and getting back in. Supported by doom, banshees can take down anything up to T7. Dark Eldar.... Too slow ;)

Scorpiones, infiltrate, a bit slow, but a lots of attacks. And 3+ armour save. What`s not to like? Soon I will present the rest of my army, and some more photos, but for now.. Fear the reaper;)

TSB PREE INITIATION OF ØRNULV BATTLE BUNKER

Dark Eldar (André) vs Ultramarines (Ørnulv) 2000p

Seize Ground – Pitched Battle

Finally, with the battle bunker ready, as Trond says – time to play!

DEPLOYMENT

5 objectives, one close to the centre, 2 in each deployment zone.

The marines marines (Ultramarines) took the initiative and decided to go first.

ULTRAMARINES:

The three Dev Squads took to the high grounds, mounting buildings on each flank and in centre. 4 Razorbacks with TLSc deployed in cover linking the Dev Squads. 3 Land Speeders with TMl lurking behind them. The Tactical Squads where split in two. Two Combat Squads with Pc deployed high up in the centre buildings. One Combat Squad with Lc on the ground in cover right flank, and one with Lc in a tower.

DARK ELDAR:

The dark Arcon did not want to set up facing the Ultramarines gun line, and decided only to deploy a large unit of Scourges inside a building to north vest. The rest of the army was kept in reserve (sneaky Dark Eldar).

TURN 1

ULTRAMARINES

The Ultramarines adjusted their position, well aware of that the Dark Eldar with arrives on turn two unleashing a fuselage of firepower. The question was – how many arrives at the same time? A couple of Ml had line of sight to the Scourges, managing to wound them 20 times! However, due to some pretty amazing dice rolling, only one Dark Eldar warrior died.

DARK ELDAR

The Scourges adjusted their position, making sure they where out of sight.

TURN 2

ULTRAMARINES

What to do? The Land speeders kept back, trying to avoid possible fire lines. The Razorbacks moved slightly forward, all of the popping smoke. The Scourges unit was completely out of sight, so the Ultramarines brazed them selves from the inevitable onslaught that was about to materialize!

DARK ELDAR

A Ravager entered the north west of the city, alongside “Manifactorum”, hindering most of the Ultramarines line of sight towards it. Two raiders, with Kabalite Warriors, decided to go flat out on the northwest flank, taking cower behind “Sanctum”. In the middle, a third Raider with Incubus. The Ravager opened fire on one of the Land speeders, only managing to destroy the TMl.

TURN 3

ULTRAMARINES

What to do turn # 3? Since the half of the Dark Eldar reserves had yet to enter battle, the Ultramarines felt that the partial advance was only a partial blessing. The Ultramarines adjusted their position and opened fire. The Ravager was blown to bits by the centre Dev Squad. The Incubus Raider and a raider carrying Kabalite Warriors shared the same fate. The Ultramarines fired everything they could at the Incubus and the Kabalite Warriors. Once again the Dark Eldar managed to save the waste majority of inflicted wounds.

DARK ELDAR

A raider with Incubus and Arcon entered the battle field dead centre going flat out and taking up position to the north east side of “Sanctum”. A Jet bike unit turbo busted on the fare east side of the table, moving over a Dev Squad in the “Platformum” building. The remaining Raider on the north vest flank moved south threatening the Ultramarines south vest flank. The incubus entered the “Sanctum” building ready to support them. The Kabalite Warriors leaved the wreck and took up position behind the advancing raider to the south. The Scourges (loosing 2) jumped from cower supporting them. The dark Eldar army opened fire! This time, it was the Ultramarines who managed so make their saves, and few members of the Dev Squad in the southwest and centre fell. The Jet bikes killed one Dev on the “Platformum”, loosing one in the process that crash-landed. The centre Razorback blew up from a Blaster shot, the Combat Squad hiding behind the wreck.

TURN 4

ULTRAMARINES

The Combat Squads in the 2 Razorback to the south east (Platformum) embarked preparing and opened fire on the 2 Jet bikes. The Razorbacks turned around their turrets and also opened fire, but only one where destroyed! Fortunately the remaining Jet bike lost its nerve and turned tail! The centre Razorback with the Librarian moved forward closing in on the centre objective but failed to reach it because the tracks broke when entering a crater! Damn! The centre part of the army opened fire at the Raider carrying the Incubus and Arcon, turning into a fireball! The Land speeders and PLc opened fire at the Incubus, but few fell. The Dev Squad to the south vest opened fire against the Raider in the south west, setting it on fire. The remaining guns were aimed at the Incubus who had advanced south vest. The Combat Squad who had escaped the flames when their Razorback was set on fire, rapid fired at the Kabalite Warriors covering the line of sight to the Scourges, but few fell.

DARK ELDAR

The Razor wing finally arrived the battle, opening fire with all its weapons against the south centre Dev Squad. Only 2 fell…. The Scourges did far better, bringing the Dev Squad south vest down to only two MISSl. The Incubi and Arcon moved quickly through the “Sanctum” and charged and wiped out the Combat Squad south vest. They consolidated back into the building. The remaining Raider to the north vest flew over in cover behind the Manifactorum, closing in on the objective there.

TURN 5

ULTRAMARINES

Both players knew this could be the last round, and all focus was directed towards the objectives. In an attempt to block the advance of the Incubus and Arcon towards the centre objective, two Land speeders positioned themselves in front of the objective. Behind them the Combat Squad with the Librarian left their immobilised Razorback, taking control over the objective. To the east the two Combat Squads embarked their Razorbacks, and drove forward to claim the two objectives in that sector. The centre Dev Squad blew up the last Raider partly in cover behind Manifactorum. The Kabalite Warriors inside left the wreck facing the structure. An Lc killed the Jet bike (nothing else to shoot at). Fire was concentrated against the Scourges (who was nearly wiped out) and against the Incubus and Arcon, but several of them (including the Arcon) made their saves.

DARK ELDAR

The Kabalite Warriors outside Manifactorum to the north centre entered the building, and run to the objective hidden inside behind a wall. The Kabalite Warriors Squad to the northwest moved in and took the objective behind a building. The Arcon and Incubus surged forward, fleeted around the Land speeders, and wiped out the Librarian and his Combat Squad before they could draw their close combat weapons. Fire continued to pore over the Dev Squad in centre and southeast, but it was not enough left to have a big impact.

Was it over? The guest rolled a dice. It was over.

RESULTS:

Dark Eldar held 2 objectives

Ultramarines held 2 objectives