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Dark Eldar vs Space Marines Kill Team in "A New Beginning"

Started by BigToof, October 02, 2016, 01:51:06 PM

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BigToof

Dark Eldar vs Space Marines Kill Team in "A New Beginning"

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KILL TEAM (AKA Bite-sized Mayhem)
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Hi All,
So, we've got the first Kill Team Batrep and it's an interesting one.

I'm bringing out the Dark Eldar to fight the Space Marines in a mobile warpath of destruction!
Can the Dark Kin actually beat someone without Venom Spam?
Are Space Marines viable without the Gladius formation?

Read on.

Best,
-BT

P.S.  Yes, fluff is there.



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The Lists
-------------------

The Mobile Arena
- Wychesx5 w/Razorflails, Hekatrix Allonia in Venom w/SCx2
- Reaversx3 w/Heatlance, Arena Champion Starsparkle
Traits: Infiltrate (Heatlance), Killer Instinct AKA Fleshbane (Razorflails), Machine Saboteur (Arena Champion), 4+seize (Hekatrix)

White Scars Bike Killteam
- Bikesx5 w/Gravgunsx2, Attack Bike w/Heavy Bolter, Sgt w/Plasma Pistol and melta bombs
Traits: Preferred Enemy (gravgun), FNP (attack bike), Ignore Cover (gravgun), 1d3+2 units outflank (Sgt)

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Mission: Forward Push (3 objectives)
DE Combat Drugs: +1 Attack
DE deploy/go first

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---------------------------
Chapter 1: The Simple Things
---------------------------
Khaine's blood, it's been a long time.

Hekatrix Allonia of the Grisly Hand Kabal leaned back on the rail of her Venom.  Wind rustled through her hair, freeing her mind for more important things.
It had been an age since she had seen the Outside without being in a cockpit.  Somehow it felt good to be a bonafide Wych again. 

And, she added to herself with more than a touch of sarcasm, it had nothing to do with the blood rage that Archon Y'stral was in.

Who cared if a bunch of Mon'Keigh said that the Craftworlders were better than the True Kin?  Everyone who mattered knew that the Dark Elder were the superior force in the universe.  Of course, trying to explain that to someone whose Ego almost eclipsed that of Lord Vect himself was a bit of a hard sell.
And she had to admit that it was nice to be away for a while.

Granted, she wasn't entirely sure where she was, but that was the whole point, wasn't it?

Looking around the small craft, she caught the sidelong glances of her Wyches.  Most of them were new, freshly cut from the arena.  None of them were threats really.  Except for the big one.

Allonia caught the sidelong look of the largest of the new girls.  Easily a head taller with bristling muscles, she was wearing one of those faceless hoods that always looked like you needed lube to squeeze your head into it.  Allonia hadn't heard her talk or banter like the other Wyches.  Which meant that she was either a poor talker or glowering was her shtick.  In either case, she wasn't a threat... yet.  Actually, that was a point of contention that always seemed to crop up.  For some reason, everyone seemed to be of rather low opinion of the denizens of the Arena.  It was a time honored tradition of strapping on bare-minimum and stabbing your opponent in the eyes with your best knives while you hoped that their aim was off.  Like all traditions, it made the most sense if you didn't think about it too hard.

Perhaps that was the reason why she hadn't seen Wyches running about the battlefield that often.  Tradition only works if there's no better alternative.  Unfortunately, one had cropped up...

There was a whirring sound that made the back of her brain itch, and Allonia winced as she heard a familiar, cheerily grating voice.

"Allonia!  Hey!  We found you!"

Sighing, she turned her head, peering over the rail to see the shimmering, smiling form of Arena Champion Starsparkle.  The slight girl was standing up on her Reaver Jetbike, waving like a complete dimwit.  Sparkling runes were etched into her bike, that shimmered in the daylight with mood-shattering effect.  Star was one of the reasons Allonia wanted to be away.  Many of the young Wyches were lining up to be Jetbike riders, having no doubt seen the escapades of the Craftworlders and their legions of Windriders.

Allonia snorted.  The Reavers were suicidal at best, throwing themselves around the battlefield, almost begging to be shot at.  It seemed sort of a cheat, having something metal in the way of stray bullets and shrapnel.  Proper Wyches counted on Khaine and the occasional leather strap.  Which, she had to add, in hindsight did sound a bit daft.  But, it was a point on her side and she didn't have very much to stand on as it was.

"Oh, it's you, Star.  What is it?"

The youngster replied back with energy frothing off every word, "You were lost!  I went to go get drinks like you said, but you never came back to the meeting!  I figured you got lost so I went and found you!  Now we can go back home!"

Gritting her teeth, Allonia leaned back against the rail.  Youth was truly wasted on the young.  How to explain this ordeal without making another blood enemy...

"Star...  It's complicated.  Don't you think that it would be better if..."

Suddenly, there was a crackle over the comms, and a holo popped up with a helmeted face.

"Forward scout reporting in.  I've found them!"

Allonia sighed, "Yes, I know.  Star's here.  You lot really..."

"Begging your pardon, Hekatrix, I'm not...  It's...  It's Space Marines.  They're ripe for the picking.  I'm just ahead, ready to engage."

Before she could respond, Starsparkle blurted out, "That's great, Nyssa!  We're on our way."

Rubbing her temples, Allonia tried to ignore Star's cheery voice.

"Did you hear that Allonia?!  Space Marines!  Now we can really have a great outing together!  Isn't Nyssa great?  She's one of my new girls.  Quiet as a shadow and she loves jumping out people at with stabby bits.  Isn't it adorable?"

Great, Allonia thought to herself as depression started to set in.  What could possibly go wrong?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sergeant.  I'm picking up some kind of long-range contact.  Moving fast."

Sergeant Bolad Khan nodded, idling his Bike to a stop.  The White Scars were acting as a scouting force on Praxis IX.  There were reports of some kind of unknown anomalies and he could practically smell the stench of the Xenos upon the world.  So it was that he and a small group of his brethren were looking for another victory to add to the long litany of the Emperor's Finest.

No doubt that any creature would rue the day they came into contact with the Space Marines.  This he swore.

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Deployment Preview!:


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Pre-Game Thoughts:
Well, that was a fast setup!  Having only a handful of models was something I could really get used to.
I had played a bit of Kill Team before, but this was my first real crack at the game.
And I was a bit dismayed to see White Scars across the table.
The very small table.
I wasn't expecting 4 x 4 to look so small...
I'm not sure what made me decide to try out Wyches again, but I figured that if anything could make them useful, Kill Team had a chance.
Not a big chance mind you, but something.
Three objectives seemed like a small number too, and it was nice to not have to think about Maelstrom.
But then again, that means that my opponent only needs to have three models left.
That's... not so good.
Still, it could be worse...
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To Be Continued!
BigToof Points:

Cammerz: 8
Waaaghpower: 1
The Man They Call Jayne: 3
Mabbz: 6
Archon Sharrek: 3

Mabbz

Gravguns against Dark Eldar? I'm calling this a win for Alliona and co. I mean, yes the heavy bolter could be dangerous, but aside from that you have the numbers and they could have some difficulty taking down the venom (possibly the only time that will ever be true)

BigToof

Quote from: Mabbz on October 02, 2016, 06:31:54 PM
Gravguns against Dark Eldar? I'm calling this a win for Alliona and co. I mean, yes the heavy bolter could be dangerous, but aside from that you have the numbers and they could have some difficulty taking down the venom (possibly the only time that will ever be true)

Thanks for the reply Mabbz!
Yeah, gravguns may not have been the best choice, but my mate just took them straight off his usual list I think.
I was actually really not sure about taking the Venom, but I suppose even I didn't have a lot faith in the Wyches...

Best,
-BT
BigToof Points:

Cammerz: 8
Waaaghpower: 1
The Man They Call Jayne: 3
Mabbz: 6
Archon Sharrek: 3

Cammerz

Quote from: BigToof on October 02, 2016, 01:51:06 PM
P.S.  Yes, fluff is there.

That's all I've ever wanted.

Kill Team can be a lot of fun, I particularly like how you can create mad lists using units that you'd never usually consider and you can hammer out three or four games in the time you'd usually manage a single 2000 pointer (or if you're against a certain Tyranid player I've encountered, you might have just about started turn 3).

They're also quite tricky to predict, a large number of shots is usually an advantage and poison will counter those pesky high-toughness opponents. Pour enough firepower into those bikers and something will break through their save. I do hope your heatlancer can line up a good shot on the turn she comes in or she might have some difficulty seeing the following turn.

Always good to see the return of characters we all know and love, hopefully luck and leather will protect Allonia from all those inevitable threats both before and behind her.

BigToof

Thank you all for the kind words and your patience.
Please let me know if you'd like more kill team or something else.
I've picked up GENESTEALER CULTS, and I'd be happy to make up a Genestealer/IG list that I've been looking into trying out.
Best,
-BT
-------------------------------------------

-------------
Interlude
-------------
Grimy drops of rain fell from the darkening sky as the Venom skimmed over the ruined plains.  Where once a thriving Mon'keigh city had once stood only the broken remains of a few buildings were strewn about, skeletal debris of a once verdant past.  And to some historians, perhaps, that would give the battle more important, but to the Dark Eldar that hung to the surface of the craft it was a sign of something more valuable: cover.

The White Scars were masters of hit-and-run tactics, diving back and forth like drugged-out Reavers.  But, unlike proper denizens of Commeraugh, they had firepower that could easily cut apart Wych and light craft with equal ease.

Some of the great Archons said that battles were won on strategy and cunning, but Allonia thought that a good solid wall was worth quite a bit more.  The Hekatrix leaned out over the hull as it set down, guns bristling and waiting like a hungry Ur'guhl waiting for an unwary victim.
And the sextet of ash-white roaring beasts nestled in the clearing ahead seemed prime for the taking.

Allonia nodded to the gunners, who grinned as they took careful, but quick aim with their Splinter Cannons.  Perhaps it would be a worthwhile day after all....

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Turn 1: Dark Eldar
----------------------
My opponent has deployed out to my left, keeping all of his bikes fairly close together.  Fair enough.
Splinter weaponry and a heatlance fire out, causing many a roll, but in the end two bikes have fallen!
I did have my first surprise of the game when I overkilled a bike with the Splinter Cannon, causing two unsaved wounds, but since each unit is just one model, only one bike went down from that particular volley.
Hmmm...  Something to get used to.
Still, the important thing is that the ignores cover biker (the bane of all special rules for the Dark Eldar) was taking a dirt nap while my bikes were able to dance away.  With any luck, I might be able to tempt them to go after a bike...



Picture Caption: Two down.  Wait... that's like 33%!

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Turn 1: White Scars
----------------------
Sgt. Bolad Khan snarled as Xenos weaponry sprang forth from the ruins.  Two of his brethren were riddled with strange alien fragments that tore them from their rides.  It took Khan a moment to realize that the Marines were not dead, but instead their chests rose and fell with a strange rhythm.  Barking at them did little to rouse them from their slumber, and Khan cursed the Xenos scum for causing them to miss a moment of glory.  No doubt the curs had some hope that they would be able to take them as captives.  Khan snorted at the idea as he raised his chainsword. 

Let them try.

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My opponent moves forwards and starts the first Marine shooting phase off with the Heavy Bolter that thankfully doesn't do too much as I have decent 4+ cover.  One of the bikes shoots at a Reaver, who jinks to safety, and then the other turbo boost forwards.


Picture Caption: So... is this bravery or desperation?

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Turn 2: Dark Eldar
---------------------
They're... charging us?

The surprise caught Allonia flat-footed for a second.  She had been out of ground warfare for so long, she had forgotten what it was like to be so close to the enemy.  Still, if they wanted a go at the best that the Arena had to offer, they need only but ask.

Gripping her knives, she nodded to the other Wyches who drew their blades with a mixture of glee and reverence.  Blood would be spilled for Khaine and glory.  Hopefully, Allonia added, that would not include her own.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Wyches bail out as the Bikes are pretty much point blank.  The Reavers move up as well.

Shooting has the last bike in the backfield fall as the Wyches and Reavers come down on the Sergeant and the lone bike.  Allonia's half includes the Killer Instinct Wych who puts a sizable number of wounds (re-rollable to hit with four attacks and 2+ wounds is pretty good...) and the Sarge goes down.  The other three Wyches fail to get a wound through the Bike's sizable armor and toughness (T5/3+ is kind of bear when you're S3...), but the Marine does nothing in return.  He hits and runs away as the Wyches consolidate back into cover.


Picture Caption: SQUAD BROKEN

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Turn 2: White Scars
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Ogedai Khan and Batbayer Khan were brothers.  Both had leaned on each other throughout their training and it was the Emperor's favor that clearly shone on them as they had been assigned to ride together on an attack bike.  They had seen many a remarkable sight in their decades of service.  Strange four-armed aliens that burst from the shadows, Heretics that rode enormous brass-clad Daemons and even skeletal monstrosities that spoke like men.

But, they hadn't yet seen a cavalcade of scantily-clad women with knives before.  Ogedai made some half-heard rude comment about not asking for dancing wenches, but Batbayer was less sure.  He had heard legends of some kind of warrior-woman cult that existed beyond the stars, but even was surprised what happened next.

The girls fell over the Sergeant with feral grace, one landing in front forcing the Marine's hands off his controls while the other sprang onto the rear of the bike with twin flails raised high.  Batbayer gave out a shout of alarm when the bladess slashed downwards with unnatural speed and severed the Marine's head from his shoulders.  Even though it was impossible to hear, Batbayer swore he could hear the clattering of the helmet as it bounced along the rubble-strewn ground.

Ogedai revved the engine, but Batbayer put a hand on his brother's shoulder.  The Xenos were fast, but they clearly came in a vehicle of their own.  All they had to do was disable it and it would be easy pickings after that...

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The White Scars pass their morale tests and pull back.  They have some choice in what to shoot at, and the Heavy Bolter opens up on the Venom, knocking a hull point off.  The last bike shoots and assaults a Reaver, but I manage to weather the attacks (or rather, he flubs his rolls), and I hit and run away.


Picture Caption: Hey!  Leave our ride alone!

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Turn 3: Dark Eldar
---------------------
"Hekatrix, do we get back on?"

Allonia turned to look at the quartet of young, eager faces, one of whom had actually put a foot up on the sparking Venom.  For a half-second, Allonia considered taking a chance on the bullet-strewn paper-thin vessel, but then common-sense hit her like a raging Grotesque.

"No.  No, no, no.  It'd be safer to charge them across..."

"You heard the Hekatrix!  Charge!"

"No," Allonia screamed, trying to stop the youngsters, "I didn't mean..."

But, it was too late as the Wyches ran screaming across the open field.  Swearing under her breath, Allonia looked back and forth from her quickly fleeting meatshield and the soon-to-be exploding craft next to her.  Cursing the lack of proper listening skills in the Arena, she took an anguished step out into far too-flat field, trying her best to put the widest girl in front of her.

How did these things keep happening to her?
------------------------------------------------------------------

I feel the Venom's life expectancy is getting very low, so I decide to play for the long game and go for points.  The bike can really only one model a turn, so I decide to go for glory.  Or rather, I decide to go for the two objectives in the Marine backfield.  Trying not to think of every World War I documentary, I pop the girls out of cover and they go screaming for the attack bike.  The Venom and Reavers open up on the last bike and bring it down.


Picture Caption: Is it madness or genius to charge a heavily armed and armoured foe with a thong and a knife?

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Turn 3: White Scars
---------------------
The Attack Bike opens up with it's heavy bolter and takes down the Venom (sadness).


Picture Caption: Man, and the Venom ALMOST survived an entire battle.

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Turn 4: Dark Eldar
---------------------
The girls get even closer.  I zoom the Reavers around, taking a pot-shot here and there, managing to force a few saves on the bike, but not much else.


Picture Caption: Hey, at least we have cover now!

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Turn 4: White Scars
---------------------
The Attack Bike pulls back again, shooting at the Wyches, but to no avail.  He tries to charge, but fails...


Picture Caption: Here it comes...

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Turn 5: Dark Eldar
--------------------
The Wyches and Reavers move in, shooting and charging.  I manage to get one wound off the Attack Bike, but it FNPs the other away.


Picture Caption: Man, that's a tough fight...

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Turn 5: White Scars
--------------------
The Bike fails it's leadership roll (twice!) and is removed from the game as it wisely leaves the battlefield.
And with that it's a...

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Result: DARK ELDAR VICTORY!
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Post-Game Thoughts
-------------------------------
Now that was a lot of fun!
I managed to get a charge off, and there's a lot to like about Kill Team.
The game went fast from deployment to the end, and there was a lot more tactical feeling coming from the whole affair.
The fact that every model mattered really gave weight to the whole situation.
And it made me realize that Venoms are actually pretty decent, as they did most of the killing work, but the Wyches did their fair share if only in keeping the center clear.
Really enjoyable match, if a bit one sided.  I think he was getting used to Kill team as well, as it was pretty obvious that he was still moving in formation and what not.  White Scars are pretty scary if he had spread out and played the long game, but then again with a Venom in play the war of attrition might not be won...
Still, we both had a blast, and I know that more Kill Team is out there if there's interest for it :)
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Epilogue
-------------

The Wyches howled insults as the lone bike sped away.  Allonia sighed as she looked back at the ruined Venom.  It was a long walk back to the nearest Webway portal, and she was sure that the mud would do a number on her shoes.  Shaking her head, she looked at the young Wyches who were prying the Marines loose from their rides and prying off spoils of war.  She didn't intervene until the Reavers came by, and the Wyches were stacking the Marines up into a pile.

"I hope you lot aren't thinking we're bringing them back," she said throwing a look at the gloating throng.

Starsparkle poked her head out of the crowd and gave out a dose of her usual positivity, "Don't worry Allonia, we'll make nets!  Since your group has to walk, then it won't take that long to drag them along."

Rolling her eyes and feeling the sarcasm drip from her tongue, Allonia said, "Thanks, Star.  That'll be much easier than you just hitching them to your bikes."

Nodding, Star smiled and said, "Yeah, I guess that's true.  See you back at the base then!"

And before she could say another word, the Reavers roared away, leaving in their wake a crowd of angry Wyches with only one source of blame.

Allonia swallowed looking at the group of rather nasty looking ladies who had gone from rivals to potential assassins.  Only a phrase of grand elegance could turn the tide from potential stabbing.

"There's still one of them out there.  If we don't hurry, he'll be back.  This time with friends.  So, if you want the glory," she said gesturing to the stack of bodies, "We have to work fast.  Together."

There was a subtle turn of heads as the youngsters looked amongst each other, and Allonia felt a wash of relief flow over her.

Ambition. 

It was sort of like hope, but it was perhaps even better as it offered up a potential future by stepping over the corpses of your enemies.  And although no Wych would dare trust her fellow, the possibility that you might be able to get one step closer to a higher rank was a temptation that they could not resist.

And so it was that Allonia was able to live another day.  Not the proudest day in her life, she thought as she struggled ankle deep through mud, but at least something she could walk away from.
BigToof Points:

Cammerz: 8
Waaaghpower: 1
The Man They Call Jayne: 3
Mabbz: 6
Archon Sharrek: 3

Mabbz

Well, that went pretty much as I expected. Too many Eldar, not enough guns to deal with them. If I could give some advice to your opponent, it'd be to give his heavy bolter biker the specialist trait that lets you split your fire among several targets (Volley Fire, I think it was?), and lose the grav guns.

Also, flamers are awesome in kill team. I got my first game of kill team in the other day, using my usual chimera veteran squad (H. flamer and meltaguns) and I managed to take out about 6 enemys in one shot from the heavy flamer.

Fluff was fun as always, although I miss your various HQ characters. Maybe they could invest in a radio?

Genestealer cults you say? I'd be interested in a report about that (kill team or otherwise)

Cammerz

Nice rep there BT, short and sweet with good fluff. Maybe a little one-sided but that happens a lot more in Kill Team as a lucky round can severely hamper your opponent.

Not sure what more I can say about the battle, you took the bikers out cleanly and efficiently, it sounds like your heat lance did it's job and you only lost the one model. So it couldn't have gone much better.

So let's move onto the fluff, always my favourite part. I do like seeing Allonia around and the neurosis associated with being in a position of power but without that strong grip on it (Y'Stral being her polar opposite in that regard) but I think one of the limitations of kill team is that you don't have much in the way of other characters for her to converse with and there's a bit less for them to converse about when Star does appear.

With that in mind, I do like the idea of a full-scale battle report over a kill team one. I like kill team and I'd be happy to see more of it, but maybe with some new/different characters. Of course if you're planning a Genestealer cult (Throne have mercy on us) then we get a whole host of new characters whichever sized battle you decide to do and I'm looking forward to whichever it might be.

Job's a good un!

BigToof

Thank you all for the kind words!

Kill Team was a nice break that I'll definitely be going to time and again, but it seems like Genestealers are next up then :)
I have no models yet, but since I do have a huge number of Orks and GI guys, I think I can make some stand ins for the moment...
Fluff-wise I think our fair Lady Jenna might be running into an odd brand of Star-Emperor worship sooner than later...

Best,
-BT
BigToof Points:

Cammerz: 8
Waaaghpower: 1
The Man They Call Jayne: 3
Mabbz: 6
Archon Sharrek: 3