Invasion 2013 – Ørnulv´s Bat Rap

Home again, after yet another great tournament in Kristiansand – the “Invasion tournament” held during the weekend 14.09-15.09.2013.

Of course the event started earlier for the members of Team Storm Bolter (TSB) attending, since it takes over 4 hours to drive from Oslo to Kristiansand. Inger Helene, Jørn, Trond, Linus and myself drove down on Friday, enjoying a meal and a few drinks the night before the “big bang”.

Ego; Drinks in the harbour after a 4,5 hour drive

WHAT TO PLAY?

This summer I started a massive project, rebasing the whole of my Ultramarines army (more on that in a separate post), and I had a plan to field them during the tournament using the new Codex: Space marines. Even though I tried, I just could not finish the new models in time, and where left with the choice between Tyranids (NIDS) and Dark Eldar (DE).

I play tested my DE army against Jørn two times, and Trond one time. Disaster! With those damn Hell Drakes (and Jørn is fielding two of them), and my own army without cost effective AA, I was nearly wiped out. During the preparation for the tournament Trond fielded a test army who pretty much did the same (as a side note, I think I had fare better facing the army he ended up with, but I am sure Trond will comment why so I am not going into that). Then I test played my NIDS against Jørn, and that was a much better match up. I went back and forth between the armies driving some of my fellow team members to the brink of despair, but in the end, after letting “my inner feel-god” decide, I went with my DE:

HQ:

Arcon

TROOPS:

5 X Wyches in Raider

5 X Wyches in Raider

5 X Kabalite Warriors in Raider

5 X Kabalite Warriors in Raider

5 X Kabalite Warriors in Venom

5 X Kabalite Warriors in Venom

ELITE:

4 X Kabalite Trueborn in Venom

4 X Kabalite Trueborn in Venom

4 X Kabalite Trueborn in Venom

FAST:

5 X Scourges

HEAVY:

Ravager

Ravager

Ravager    

This is obviously a 5^th edition MSU list. Yes I ended second last year (2012), but 6^th edition was relative new at that time, so I was scared I would be completely overrun, mostly due to my lack of ability to handle flyers and flying monsters. I did not feel very confident, and to be hones, I talked “down” my army. 

An old photo - The entire "Kabal of Eternal Hatred"

 

DAY ONE

Game One – NIDS – Crusade – Dawn of War

In 2012 I played a Tyranid Genestealer spam army, with lots of Gaunts, Tervigons and Hive Guard. Invasion 2012 had a different point system, I lost with one point against this list, due to first blood, but besides that the game was a draw. I have fought that battle over and over again in my mind during the last year; “Why did I not go slightly forward unleashing a hail of splinter fire instead of redeploying going for a safe draw”? And now, I actually got to play the game once more, what an opening to tournament!

This time I got it right! First turn I managed to gun down two units of Genestealers, reducing yet another two units, taking down a squad of Hive Guard, and wounding the Tervigons. As the NIDS advanced I managed to gun down almost all the Genestealers, hordes of Gaunts, but most importantly, a Tervigon (Warlord) and a flying Hive Tyrant. After having managed to save my Venoms by using Flickerfield 5 times in a row, my opponent ended the game.

I held 4 out of 5 objectives; I had First Blood, Slay the warlord and most Kill points.

DE 4 – NIDS 0

Game Two – Imperial Guard – The Scouring – Vanguard Strike

Damn. Mechanised Imperial Guard (IG) with Chimera spam, two artillery tanks, Russ with Demolisher cannon, two Vendettas and Eldar allies! I went second. Holding half of my army in reserve I hoped for an effective “punch” in turn two. It was not meant to be. My units entered from reserve one by one, and where shot to pieces, one by one. Adding injury to insult, my new dice failed me, and my Lance fire was ineffective.

I lost big time, but it was a good game against a pleasant opponent.

DE 0 – IG 4

Game Three  - Necrons - Purge the Alien – Hammer and Anvil

Once again I faced an opponent I played in 2012. One of the most polite and easygoing opponent I have ever played. I was pleased to spend yet another couple of hours of my life playing this guy.

He played Necrons last time I met him, this time he fielded two “tanks with Warriors”, units of Wraiths with Destroyer lord, Immortals with a Warlord, Death marks with Crypteck, another unit of Warriors and Battle Barges! That was a lot of models with reanimation protocols and a lot of fast moving armour with AV 13!

He got turn one. Night fight, so he went slightly forward hugging cover. I moved the whole of my army forward, opening fire with everything that had weapons that would have effect from long range. I managed to blow up one of the transports, killing most of the Warriors inside, blowing up a Battle Barge and killing of half of those damn Wraiths. He closed in on my line but had little success; my Filcher fields and Jink saves, in combination with ordinary cower, left my DE pretty unharmed. This again gave me the possibilities to bring the full weight of DE firepower to bear turn two. Another Battle Barge was downed, the Wraiths and their Destroyer lord killed. Warrior units on the ground where hurt, but not totally whipped out. The Necron army kept pushing forward, downing some Venom’s, and the Deep striking Death Marks finished of my unit of Scourges in one go! But after that, the DE army mixed Lance and Splinter fire picking of armour and infantry unit by unit. Although, the Necron army kept going, and by the end of the game the Immortals (with the Warlord) and two small warrior units was still making their presence felt.

I had first blood, Line breaker, more Kill points and held 2 table quarters.

DE 4 – Necrons 0    

Taxi, a quick cleanup, new clothes, a bear in the lobby, yet another fantastic dinner at “Mother India” restaurant, some more drinks back at the hotel, and – RIIIIING – Day two!

DAY TWO

Why do I always have to ask for extra spicy food? Well, I was all right by the start of game four.

Game Four – NIDS - The Emperor’s Will – Dawn of War

I played a well known gamer in the 40K environment that I really hit it of with. Straight away I felt that this was going to be one of those “pleasant feel god games”. None the less, my opponent had way more gaming experience than me, so I expected a nail biter!

Three Tervigons(!), tons of Gaunts, two Trygons, The Doom of Malatigh and two Winged Hive Tyrants…. I really hate those bugs….

I got turn one. Night fight. The DE adjusted position and opened fire. I managed to take one Tervigon down to one wound, killed a Trygon and one Winged Hive Tyrant! Spawning from hell – 30+ new Gaunts turn one, and they kept spawning….. The whole of the NIDS army moving forwards, the remaining Hive Tyrant (Warlord) swooped forward gunning down a Venom, with Trueborn failing their Pinning test. They where closing in, fast! Ok - keep your head cool, they are only bugs… I managed to kill a Tervigon on one flank, and sent some units up to secure the object in the NIDS deployment zone. By that time it was pretty clear my opponent used that as a decoy, going for my own object. The rest of the army focused on the majority of the NIDS army, and of course, the Flying Hive Tyrant. I opened fire, with most of my army aiming at the Hive Tyrant. You have got to be kidding me - NOTHING! Sure, I plucked some wounds of a Tervigon and killed some Gaunts, but the main target was very much alive and kicking (eh - flying….)! The NIDS kept pushing, and the damn Doom of Malatigh deep strikes straight into my line, causing havoc with those damn LD tests its presence demands. Again a Venom was downed, and two units with Warriors destroyed. Damn. I knew that if I failed during turn three, the NIDS would overrun my lines, possibly the game ending with a draw. Splinter drill; I started to kill of the Gaunts holding the objective in the NIDS deployment zone, but could not commit enough recourses there this turn in order to bolster my line in centre. This time the DE came through for me, ore should I say the dice rolled decent, I finished of the Doom of Malatigh, the Hive Tyrant and more Gaunts. Puh. Get me a beer! The NIDS kept coming, but I managed to secure the NIDS objective and contesting my own. A real nail biter, so much magic, so many models to kill. The Spawning never ended, fortunately, the game did.

I had First Blood, Slay The Warlord, one objective and more units in my enemy’s deployment zone. 

DE 4 – NIDS 0

Game Five – Daemons of Chaos – Big Guns never tire– Vanguard Strike

But I tire… I was really tired and already dreading the 4,5 hour drive back to Oslo. And to top it of I was facing an army I did not know anything about, an army that also had 3 victories behind it, including one of my fellow TSB.

After 15 minutes of rolling dice (powers and abilities I partly understood), the game started. Turn one I managed to get first blood when I blew up an armoured monstrosity. But when a large unit of screamers with 2+ Inv with re-roll failed saves on one! hit my line in combination with powerful spells turn two, I started loosing units fast. Fortunately I managed to kill of the other armoured monster, and inflicted pain on he’s infantry units. The battle became very intense, but in good spirit. I almost used my “I am old and have a hart condition so I must not get to exited, please let me know if I am sweating” trick. The battle wavered back and forth, but I felt early on that I probably would loose this game. As the game progressed it became clear to me that my opponent really hated my army and had the same feeling! I hoped for a draw. At the end, it came down to two dice rolls! I held an objective where he placed a “web portal”. I hit it with a Blaster shot. If he failed a 5+ cover save, the portal would collapse. It did not! In his last turn he spawned daemons on a 4+ from it. He rolled a 4. A daemon came and flamed the unit holding my objective, also claiming it! He held one objective. All others where contested by both armies. A nail biter, and great game!

DE 0 – Daemons 3

The last game had taken a long time, and I was desperately trying to pack my gear when the results where called. Between applauding the winners and packing my army, my name was suddenly shouted, and I realized I had won the award for best-painted army for the second year in a row! Very happy about thatJ

Gaming vice I ended #6 out of 28 (ore 26), not to bad for a 5^th edition MSU list. And as my fellow team members stated afterwards – never talk your DE army down again Ørnulv! I assure you, I will not.

 *****

 Looking forward to next year. Now, what to bring? Well, I will call Trond and Jørn, at home, ore at work, but I think I will wait at least 10 months. In the mean time, I will revert to more friendly “fluff gaming”, trying to keep in contact with new gamers I have met and had the pleasure to play against.

Looking forward to next year!

Arcon Ørnulv,

signing of