Wednesday 17 May 2017

Epic 4K: Steel Legion vs Heavy Mechanised Imperial Guard

A rematch, with a revised version of the Heavy Mechanised Imperial Guard list that took my Eldar apart in one turn last week (see here). Andrew and I had made some suggestions for increased points/decreased power to better balance it compared to approved tournament lists, and these suggestions had been taken on board by the Army Champion and we gave it another run.

I decided to take another Imperial Guard list (Steel Legion), figuring that would be a good test. I chose a pretty standard competition style list (e.g. if you look at the more successful Epic UK Tournament lists here), with Infantry Companies and Shadowswords forming a core, plus some scouts, thunderbolts, and then some extras. The Warlord Titan, and Leman Russ Company  are more rarely used, given how many points they take up at 3K points. But given it was a 4K rather than 3K game I thought it would be worth trying them. At 3K two Warhounds are a very commmon choice rather than a Warlord, though I see a Warlord has even been used a few times without complete disaster even at 3K which is encouraging. It's a lot of points in one activation, but it does have some serious firepower and resilience. 

Incompertus, 4050* POINTS  (*See notes in Conclusion below!)
Steel Legion (NetEA Army Compendium v2014) 
================================================== 

REGIMENTAL HQ [550] 
Supreme Commander, 12 Infantry, 7 Chimera, Hydra

INFANTRY COMPANY [300] 
Commander, 12 Infantry, Hydra

INFANTRY COMPANY [275] 

Commander, 12 Infantry, 1 Sniper

SENTINEL SQUADRON [100] 
4 Sentinels

SENTINEL SQUADRON [100] 
4 Sentinels

SUPER-HEAVY TANK PLATOON [200] 
Shadowsword

SUPER-HEAVY TANK PLATOON [200] 
Shadowsword

SUPER-HEAVY TANK PLATOON [200] 
Shadowsword

ARTILLERY BATTERY [250] 
3 Basilisks

ARTILLERY BATTERY [250] 
3 Manticores

TANK COMPANY [650] 
10 Leman Russ

THUNDERBOLT FIGHTERS [150] 
2 Thunderbolts

WARLORD CLASS TITAN [825] 



Andrew used the Heavy Mechanised Imperial Guard list again, which has been reformulated after our feedback as described above. (The various aircraft in the army photo are standing in for Thunderbolts).


575Hvy Tank Coy, Macharius Cmd Tank, Supreme Commander, 
          2 Macharius Tanks, Commissar, Praetor Sky-Killer
475Hvy Tank Coy, Macharius Cmd Tank, Commissar, 
          2 Macharius Tanks, Praetor Sky-Killer
425Hvy Tank Coy, Macharius Cmd Tank, Commissar, 3 Macharius Tanks
450Hvy Mech Coy, Commander, Commissar, 6 Infantry, Crassus (Flame), 
          2 Macharius Tank
200Shadowsword, Commissar
200Shadowsword
200Shadowsword
4002 Praetor Assault Launchers, Commissar
250Storm Troopers, 6 Troopers, Commissar, Crassus Assault Transport
250Storm Troopers, 6 Troopers, Commissar, Crassus Assault Transport
1253 Salamander Scouts, Salamander Command
1502 Thunderbolt Fighters
1502 Thunderbolt Fighters
1502 Thunderbolt Fighters



Turn 1

Here's the setup.  Steel Legion (SL from now on) Blitz objective is near the road bottom right, and Heavy Mechanised Imperial Guard (HMIG from now on) Blitz obejctive is top left. Take and Hold Objectives are in the middle of the table, SL on the left, HMIG on the right.

I deploy my Warlord on the road so it can advance quickly to a useful position. Tank Company is central to try and soak up fire and dish it out. Shadowswords back ready to target the enemy Shadowswords primarily, but also (on my left) I deploy two of my Shadowswords to try and deal with the Assault Launchers which are exposed as targets (top left). My infantry hugs the ruins and forest to my right, garrisoning, and my Regimental HQ is deployed spread out at the back to avoid artillery. Sentinels garrison forward.

HMIG has a line of armour, slightly more concentrated on his right than left, but not by much. HMIG Shadowswords are more central.


HMIG wins Strategy Roll. Assault Launchers attempt to rain destruction on my own artillery and infantry, but the to hit rolls are terrible! The Manticores survive and the only casualty is the unlucky Commmander of an infantry company and the Commissar he was talking too. Nonetheless the suppression will limit the Manticores effectiveness this turn at least.

HMIG follows up with a Shadowsword targetting one of my own Shadowswords, but it also misses!

My Shadowsword fires back and does two damage to the enemy Shadowsword, and then my Basilisks finish it off while it is broken. Killing the Shadowswords is a priority in this game!

HMIG Macharius Heavy Tanks and SL Leman Russ tanks advance on each other and fire but the shots bounce off the hulls as they close, bar one damage to a Macharius. 

Thunderbolts wreck my Sentinel Scout screen, and kill a couple of infantry from my Regt. HQ. My own Thunderbolts refuse to activate this turn. 

My other Shadowsword on my left destroys one of the Assault Launchers, and my central Shadowsword is targeted and broken by an enemy Shadowsword after targeting it and missing first! Shadowsword duels are rather heart stopping moments...

Both HMIG Stormtrooper Platoons advance to the ruins (bottom centre of photo below). In a rather stupid move with the Warlord, I double to my left and fire upon them, doing no damage... should have just moved down the road to be set up for next turn instead.

HMIG suffers from failures to activate with two tank companies, and these just advance.

Situation after rallies... end of Turn 1. 






Turn 2

I win Strategy Roll this time. My Leman Russ sustain fire on the Stormtroopers in front of them, killing 4 infantry and the Crassus transport and breaking them.

I retain and a Shadowsword destroys the Crassus from the other Stormtrooper platoon.

HMIG tanks line up my Leman Russ, but fail to kill one!

HMIG Tanks attempt to exit the forest they have entered at high speed...

And disastrously the Crassus transport blows up killing 5 of its passengers...! The Macharius tanks kill one of my infantry.

I double forward with my Warlord and destroy a another Shadowsword. I'm out of position with it thanks to my first move and miles away from any objectives. I kind of hope that HMIG will target it rather than my other formations, but they aren't stupid and ignore it.


Macharius tanks push forward on my right, and I have little to oppose them here. Their long range fire finds a gap and manages to blow up my central Shadowsword.  One of my Shadowswords on my left breaks and falls back after it is hit by another HMIG Shawdowsword.

HMIG Thunderbolts kill a Hydra and two Manticores, and my own Thunderbolts shoot down two of the HMIG Thunderbolts.

Turn 3

HMIG win Strategy Roll. The remaining Assault Launcher is back in action and it blasts Sentinels and infantry, killing one sentinel and breaking them, and one infantry.  A HMIG Shadowsword fires and misses. 

I eventually manage to break the Salamander Scouts which are holding back any infantry advance from me (and proving surprisingly difficult to eliminate!). 

My own Shadowsword shoots and breaks anotherHMIG Shadowsword.

My Warlord also doubles yet again, and this time manages to wreck a tank company, and get into range of an objective finally.

HMIG tanks advance on my right and shoot my Basilisks but fail to damage them! Thunderbolts also fail to break them as I keep making 5+ armour saves without fail! Thunderbolts do destroy my remaining Manticore though.

On my left flank I try an engage action with my Regt HQ against the Stormtrooper Platoon in the ruins on my left, supported by the four of the Leman Russ. It goes badly though, I lose 4 Chimeras and retreat back to the woods, having killed only one Stormtrooper.

End of turn 3 and Macharius Tanks are almost at my Blitz objective, but the HMIG right flank is looking shakier.


After rallies.


Turn 4

I win Strategy Roll this time. My Shadowsword shoots and kills the Macharius tank in front of it breaking the formation. 

I retain with the Warlord which sustain fires and wrecks another Macharius Tank company.

The Macharius Tank company on my right engages in a firefight, cunningly bringing my Basilisks and a Sentinel into support range so that if I lose the firefight they will also break. This is what happens, I lose the firefight, 5 infantry from the infantry company,  and the Sentinel and Basilisks also break for being in support range of a losing combat (as they are both one blast marker off breaking). The Macharius consolidate into range of my Blitz objective to hold it. 

The two Macharius Tanks in the centre fail their activation roll, and despairingly resign themselves to loosing some long range shots at a Shadowsword - but they hit and blow it up!

I retreat an infantry company back towards my Blitz to contest it. Another Shadowsword of mine freshly rallied tries a long range shot and inflicts a point of damage on the Macharius Tank contesting my Blitz. 

Both armies are pretty exhausted, and failing activation rolls. The HMIG launcher marches to try and contest it's Take and Hold Objectives (seeing as it can't fire this turn due to slow fire ability), but my Leman Russ double over and destroy it. We are both out of activations.

End of turn I have Take and Hold, but no other Victory Conditions have been achieved by either side. The game fails to go another turn and we count victory points. SL have lost 1250, and HMIG 2500, so victory to SL!

Conclusion 

So SL won out in the end - though it was a close run thing with neither side able to achieve a really decisive tactical dominance on the table.  SL was also saved on several occasions by terrible shooting rolls by the HMIG, and some repeated activation failures with Macharius Tank formations. And, as I put up the army list for this report, I realised I was also cheating by having an extra 50 points (1.25% extra)! This came about when at the last minute I took out a Shadowsword for another artillery battery in order to avoid having a list too tuned vs the HMIG, but I forgot to lose another 50 points - oops!  Sorry Andrew! 

As to the game itself, I immediately wrecked my plan with the Warlord Titan in turn one by sacrificing tactical position to take some wasted shots at a low priority target.  It did have a certain useful area denial effect despite this. But, if you're using a Warlord Titan you really need to make sure you are thinking ahead much better than I was. Luckily it still managed to get to a position to wreck things for two turns, despite 3 turns spent foolishly doubling this way and that.

My Leman Russ also performed very well, having greater luck in exchanges than the Macharius, shrugging off all damage bar a Shadowsword hit and handing out a lot of punishment in return.

The Macharius firefight assault at the end of the game breaking 3 formations, was one highlight for them, the Crassus explosion during movement ion the forest a "lowlight". Having had that experience with Ork battlefortresses a few times, I know the pain. The HMIG Thunderbolts were also able to inflict a fair amount of damage on lightly armoured formations in the SL force.

Facing a SL list like this is likely also one of the tougher potential matchups for the HMIG given I had 4 Volcano Cannons in my list. I managed to destroy one of the Assault Launchers turn one with a Shadowsword, which was comforting. This was partly because the HMIG side of the table had fewer obvious places to hide artillery than my side of the table, especially with my Warlord Titan looking like it would power on down the road. Many other armies will no doubt struggle much more against all the heavy armour, so it is bit of a matchup specific army, like a Titan force in some ways.

Anyway, the most important point is that the HMIG list also appears to have taken a much greater leap towards being balanced than the original version. I'd say finessing rather than complete overhauling is now required to balance it vs already approved competition lists.

Wednesday 10 May 2017

Epic 4K: Biel Tan vs Heavy Mechanised Imperial Guard

Another game with Aspect heavy Biel Tan vs a new experimental Imperial Guard list Andrew wanted to try out.

My Eldar list is a rather optimistic Aspect heavy Air Assault list, which given the fragility of vampires is a risky move if you can't neutralise some enemy AA effectively.

Incompertus, 4000 POINTS
Biel-Tan Craftworld (Biel-Tan Craftworld (v4.2))
================================================== 


ASPECT WARRIOR WARHOST [400]
8 Shining Spear, Exarch, Autarch

ASPECT WARRIOR WARHOST [350]
8 Swooping Hawk, 2 Exarch

ASPECT WARRIOR WARHOST [350]
8 Dark Reapers, 2 Exarch

ASPECT WARRIOR WARHOST [350]
8 Fire Dragon, 
2 Exarch

ASPECT WARRIOR WARHOST [350]
8 Striking Scorpion, 2 Exarch

RANGER TROUPE [100]
4 Ranger

RANGER TROUPE [100]
4 Ranger

WRAITHGATE [50]

AVATAR [0]

GUARDIAN WARHOST (MOUNTED) [350]
Farseer, 4 Wave Serpents, 7 Guardians

SWORDS OF VAUL TROUPE [250]
3 Falcon, 2 Fire Storm

GUARDIAN WARHOST [150]
Farseer, 6 Guardians, Heavy Weapon Platform

NIGHTWINGS [300]
3 Nightwing Interceptors

NIGHTWINGS [300]
3 Nightwing Interceptors

VAMPIRE RAIDER [200]

VAMPIRE RAIDER [200]

VAMPIRE RAIDER [200]


Here's the new experimental list that Andrew used (landers are objectives this time).

425Hvy Tank Coy, Macharius Cmd Tank + Supreme Commander, 2 Macharius Tank, Commissar
325Hvy Tank Coy, Macharius Cmd Tank, Commissar, 2 Macharius Tanks
325Hvy Tank Coy, Macharius Cmd Tank, Commissar, 2 Macharius Tanks
325Hvy Tank Coy, Macharius Cmd Tank, Commissar, 2 Macharius Tanks
325Hvy Mech Coy, Commander, Commissar, 6 Infantry, 3 Ogryn, 2 Crassus Assault Transports
200Shadowsword, Commissar
200Shadowsword
200Shadowsword
4503 Praetor Assault Launchers, Commissar
3002 Praetor Assault Launchers
2002 Praetor Sky-Killers
2002 Praetor Sky-Killers
2002 Praetor Sky-Killers
200Storm Troopers, 6 Troopers, Commissar, Crassus Assault Transport
1253 Salamander Scouts, Salamander Command


Turn 1


Here's the setup, with Guard deployed mostly on their flank (top left of photo), Eldar mostly offboard and favouring my own right. 

Having just reviewed the stats for this new guard list, I know I'm pretty much doomed, but the best way forward is on my right making use of the ruins to try and at least gain some protection for the infantry. I know that if my infantry deploy on the board they will be nuked by the superb Guard artillery with the long walk forwards, but being in their air transports is also risky due to the excellent AA. An unhappy dilemma...

I  teleport in with Swooping Hawks in the backfield, and win Strategy Roll, engaging and destroying the Salamander Scout Screen before consolidating back into the forest. A few other stalling activations occur.

My Rangers advance on my right, and backed up by dropped Dark Reapers their total shooting breaks the StormTroopers on the Guard left.

Macharius tanks drive forward and wipe out my Rangers on my left.

Combined shooting from everything I have eventually manages to break the Macharius tanks on my right and they fall back. My Falcons are wiped out by long range Battlecannon shots, and then Assault Launchers hitting them while broken. I swoop in with Shining Spears hoping to get really lucky for the next turn, though I'm outactivated. No such luck as more Assault Launchers kill 3 of them and break the formation. 

End of turn before disengage.


In disengaging, 2 of 3 Vampires and 3 of 6 Nightwings are destroyed due to the lethal AA which has moved over to intercept. Having lost half my army already in turn 1, for paltry damage on the Guard, I concede.

Turn 2

Wait what it's over?? :)

Conclusion

Well that was the shortest game I've played! My army was mismatched and always optimistic to hope for an Eldar air assault. More to the point though, vs approved lists this new Guard army list needs  - a bit of work, shall we say. The idea of 4+ reinforced armour on all arms, which are also all war engines, with excellent firepower, requires balancing in terms of points and likely unit stats Andrew and I agreed... :)

Wednesday 3 May 2017

Epic 4K: Biel Tan vs Minervan

Another game with my Eldar vs Andrew's Minervans. I used Biel Tan this time, taking two lots of Revenants, plenty of platforms and some newly painted (old edition) war walkers.


Incompertus, 4000 POINTS
Biel-Tan Craftworld (Biel-Tan Craftworld (v4.2))
==================================================

AVATAR [0]

WRAITHGATE [50]

ASPECT WARRIOR WARHOST [400]
8 Shining Spear, Exarch, Autarch


ASPECT WARRIOR WARHOST [550] 
8 Fire Dragon, 4 Wave Serpent, 2 Exarch

GUARDIAN WARHOST [350]
Farseer, 4 Guardians, 3 Wraithguards, 3 Heavy Weapon Platform, 3 Support Weapon Platforms

GUARDIAN WARHOST [200]
Farseer, 4 Guardians, 3 Heavy Weapon Platform, 3 Support Weapon Platforms


GUARDIAN WARHOST (MOUNTED) [350] 
Farseer, 4 Wave Serpents, 7 Guardians

RANGER TROUPE [100]
4 Ranger

RANGER TROUPE [125]
5 Ranger

WINDRIDER TROUPE [200]
4 Jetbikes, 2 Vyper

WAR WALKER TROUPE [200]
6 War Walker

NIGHT SPINNER TROUPE [175]
3 Night Spinners



REVENANT TITANS [650] 
2 Revenant Titans

REVENANT TITANS [650] 
2 Revenant Titans



Here's Andrew's list below:

19th Armoured Regiment, Lunar Defence Force (counts as Minervan)


HQ Squadron (Hvy Tank Coy) [675]
3 Stormhammers, Supreme Commander, Commissar, 
Hydra, Salamander Command

2nd Squadron (Hvy Tank Coy) [575]
3 Stormhammers, Commissar, Hydra, Salamander Command

3rd Squadron (Hvy Tank Coy) [575]
3 Stormhammers, Commissar, Hydra, Salamander Command

Support Squadron (Hvy Tank Coy) [575]
2 Stormswords, Stormhammer, Commissar, Hydra, Salamander Command 

Heavy Support Squadron (Platoons)
Shadowsword, Commissar [200]
Shadowsword, Commissar [200]
Shadowsword, Commissar [200]

Attached Infantry Company (Platoons)
8 Storm Troopers, Commissar [200]
8 Storm Troopers [200]
8 Storm Troopers [200]

Attached Artillery Battery 
3 Manticores [250]

Orbital Support (Thunderbolt Fighters) [150]
2 Eagle Transporters (Space 1999)



Turn 1

Here's the setup, both of us with infantry garrisoned foward, and tanks and other units behind. My new war walkers garrison a wood in the centre of my line.


I win the strategy roll and my Snipers open fire killing some Stormtroopers, and my War Walkers also double and shoot at them placing a blastmarker. My Jetbikes engage out of the gate and wreck the Stormtroopers with a clipping assault and good rolling.

My Warwalkers are targeted by tanks, killing all but 1 of them, which dies tripping over (rolling a double one) as it flees to a wood. Not a glorious outing for the eggs on legs.

Both of us start concentrating on (my) left flank. Two shadowswords also go on overwatch to interdict my Revenants should they expose themselves. My Revenants take fire but are saved by holofields and manage to kill two superheavy tanks thanks to criticals. 


Bottom of picture is my Guardian with Wraigthguards formation, which was mangled by Manticore Artilllery in an opening salvo. I should have moved them to cover as an initial move, and it was a big mistake not to do so.

On my right, the Minervans advance some heavy tanks to support their infantry.

On the left, I sweep forward with Fire Warriors hoping to win the turn two strategy roll.


End of turn.





Turn 2

I lose the Strategy Roll! Stormhammer Super Heavy Tanks blast my Firewarriors before they can activate.

The Firewarriors lose 6 Aspect units, but no Wave Serpents and fall back to my Blitz broken. A Revenant formation is also broken by tank fire.

My summoned Avatar heroically engages another formation of Stormhammers, and thanks to them already being suppressed and more lucky rolling he kills one and breaks them.

The Avatar consolidates into firefight support range of Stormtroopers, together with some Guardians, and the Jetbikes break the Stormtroopers too.


The Minervans continue to advance though.

End of turn and the Minervans rally most formations, while I fail to rally mine.


Turn 3

I win Strategy Roll, and my Shining Spears assault the Minvervan Stormhammers. I win the fight technically but both our formations are broken as I've taken too many casualties. I have very few activations left, and I'm in trouble. 

The Minervans continue to push forward, and in one last desperate attempt to stop them my last Guardian formation assaults out of the gate towards some Stormhammers. It goes very badly, as was predictable...

With no unbroken formations left, and my Eldar unable to even get over the halfway line, the Minervans have won taking most of the objectives! 



Conclusion

One of those games where I did many things wrong. From getting my guardians shelled in the open turn 1, to assaulting Stormhammers (superb close support tanks) with Shining Spears/Guardians, to moving transports to positions where they could be shot too easily.  Combined with some poor rally rolls and failure to win Strategy Roll on turn 2, Andrew just had to play competently to win. He played well though and mopped up my Eldar by early turn 3. This despite me also having luck on some early engage actions and with critical rolls against his tanks which were blowing up more regularly than they should. Anyway well done Andrew! :)