The Calypsis Conflict: a series vs 7ed Eldar update june 19

[Polythemus]

Brothers of the first Legion,

 

I bring news from the calypsis sector. herein are the battle logs of the 4th company intheir battles against the eldar. this does not make for pretty reading but for those who deal with these potent xenos and for those who haven't there are things to be learned about our anciet enemy. Read with care.

 

(this is my little goodbye to the codex, I'm also trying to get theother campaign with comic batreps finished. my apoogies if some of the terrain is in various stages of being finished as my club situation has changed and all my terrain and board are home made.)

 

 

++Redacted++ as recorded by librarian Bellerophon in the archives of the rock++Redacted++

 

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The system of Calypsis lies within the segementum tempestus. It is a productive system that is home to three planets, the hive plaent of Calypsis Prime, Urt a mine and shrine world, and the often overlooked ice world of shadow run.

 

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The Calypsis sector was quitely going about the buisness of life in the imperium when an eldar craftworld, identifying itself as the Yula-Lih, hailed the planetary govenor of  Urt demanding that the planet be evacuated in the next 48 hours and ceeded to the eldar craftworld.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Governor Avarto was unable to comply with the wishes of the eldar usurpers for two reasons. Financially in part to his tight buisness dealings with the robber barons of Calypsis prime who paid his annual annuity, and the logistical problem of there not being enough ships to evacuate the populace of migrant workers and permananent residents, the governor sent forth and immediate distress call.

 

 

 

The call was recieved by the battlegroup of the Titans Revenge, led by company master Indomiel of the 4th company. Present with Indomiel was chief librarian who at the time were +++++++++++++++++++++++. The battlegroup recieved the signal outside the system of ++++++ and made their way to Calypsis. At the time of arrival in system the eldar had already engaged with the forces of the planetary defense force, a group of hired guns that were easily dispatched by the eldar. Indomiel and Ezekiel had responded in part because unbenowst to the ministorum of terra the calypsis sector has long been a Dark angel recruiting world. Ezekiel tried to determine the nature of the eldars quest, but all that could be seen in the warp were echoes of an ancient battle that took place in the system long ago.

 

The inital landing site near the shrine of St. Tybl had to be immdiately evacuated and redeployement was undertaken to defend the Volpot hydrostation out side of Haven's landing. The eldar pushed hard towards haven's landing battering the dark angles back. Not even a susprise attack in the town of Nermuj, on route to the hive city could waylay the attackers. Through out their time it has been observed that the eldar continue to send out eldar rangers into the surrounding wilderness of the planet. It would appear that they are looking for something but what that something is has not yet been ascertained. It is rumored that the world of Urt was resettled during the great crusade when a group of eldar exodites were driven from the planet. Perhaps the Yula-lih hope to re-aquire an artifact of the long lost past.

 

After 6 weeks of heavy fighting the dark angels continue to be pushed back inspite of heavy defensive resistence. At this time the eldar have pushed into the hive city of Haven's Landing and have the 4th company and Company Master Indomiel on their heels. As the quest for the defense of the city proceeds there will be four important sites. The terraforming generators which help to keep the hive city air scrubbers functional, the Tower of Mercy which serves as the city council chamber and defense platform,  the Sanctuary of St. Apthus, and the Hercanthrex shipyard.

 

Batreps in series so far

The desecration of St. Tybl

Defense of Volpot hydrostation

Suprise attack at Nermuj

Hammerblow of Haven's Landing

 

Air Scrubbers of Haven's landing - the one component of the terraforming climate mechanism of the hive city the air scrubbers are the means to living in the oxygen poor climate on the planet Urt.

Tower of Mercy - Home to the dread defense laser of balantis the tower of mercy acts as the primary defensive structure in the southern hemisphire of Urt

Hercanthrex shipyard - initally begun as a provisional arm of the Hercanthrex weapons manufacturer, the shipyards are now the primary space dock for landing a resupply craft in this region of the planet.

Santuary of st. apthus - Named in honor of a sister of battle who gave her life leading the defense of the sanctuary while the citizens from hab sector 27 sheltered from a tyranid incursion.

[JJD]

Great bring on the bat reps

[Chaplain Lucifer]

This will be interesting!! I want to see a good farewell to the old Dex.

[shabbadoo]

You have my attention. :D

[Polythemus]

I bring a tale of utmost woe. The outer defense of the shrineworld of Urt, has been brazenly assaulted by the eldar. A craftworld describing themselves as the Yula-lih have sent a brought down a battle company led by Sek-ra a farseer of note.

The dark angels were charged with the moving the vital supplies from forward operating base Vengeance, Meanwhile terminator libraian Aggripus would assist the tacticals by employing a suprise deepstrike.

 

 

The eldar employed their wraithhost and were supported by three psykers including an eldar with powers equal to eldrad. The waveserpent held a host of wraithgaurd arms with D cannons. While servitors inside the Stronghold sent word to the fleet assets and the local imperial governor, the rest of the Dark angel battle company worked to delay the eldar. the tacticals near the the stronghold were able to entice the wraithblades to assault but the combined might of the ravenwing and deathwing were not enough to take the remaining objectives.

Librarian Aggripus who led the battle company attempted to use his force axe but a warp surge caused the power to be banished form his mind. during the battle he engaged an eldar wraithlord in combat and was able to emerge victorious only to be gunned down while charging a group of wraith guard holding out in the ruins of the imperial shrine.

 

The eldar next advance on the city of Volpot, and its hydrostation, while the imperial gaurd and the Dark angel's ready their defense.

[Polythemus]

We rejoin our heros on the planet of  Urt, were the defense is going extremely poorly. The farseer Sekra has led her craftworld brethren deep into the equitorial region. to claim the city of Volpot on the banks of the Manaus river. Blasted from orbit by relentless D-shellingthe river has also been diverted by psychic force barriers. The defenders of the city are led by Comisar Vansislav and have been augmented by marines from the Dark Angels 4th company and the company master indomiel, along with the Chief Libarian Ezekiel.

 

The dryseason has come and the eldar have decided to press their advantage. The sentry guns of the dam, once purred with life, but but the damaged dam power has been cut down by diversion of a stray D cannon shell  yet the dam's ancient structure remains intact.

 

The craftworld attackers lined up behind the giant edifice, while the defenders took refuge in the city.

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Devastors lined the roof of the abbey of St. Singeon, with the dreadnaught Elijah, while the streets below teamed with activity. The IG commander Commisar Hakkon effiently barking orders, while nusquam the primaris psyker joined with sergent Rodolphus. The ancient Janus Arpegieon patrols the streets hoping to add to his kill tally. Meanwhile Company Master Indomiel and the Chief librarian Eziekiel ready the command squad in their drop pod while orbiting in the Gladius class cruiser, Mailed Fist.

 

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The imperial force closes on the position of the eldar warhost. The devastators and the contemptor fire on the exposed solitaire, taking off a single wound. No amount of fire power can break through the wave serpent.

 

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At the end of turn 1 the Imperial Defense has not broken the lines of the eldar while the implacable advance of the xenos marches over the dam complex. The command squad continues to hold the flank while assaulted by both the solitaire and the wraithlord. The Solitaire snarls a challenge while the Co. Master Indomiel steps to meet him. Meanwhile the the eldar with only sparse shooting penetrate ezekiel's armor twice.

 

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The wraith host advances. The wave serpent unleashes a volley against exposed guardsmen.

 

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The ancient contemptor, Janus Arpegion, brings the assault cannons into range.

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Arpegion fires on the wraithlords while the wraithconstructs approach with merciless intent.

 

 

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The devastators unleash the hell fire of plasma onto the wraithblades but the fortune powered invul save proves too much to overcome.

 

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The assembled might of the guardsmen attempts to fire on the wave serpent, but guardsmen shooting is woeful, with bot las-cannon sentinels missing terribly. Sgt Rodolpho's squad unleash a plasma blast which glances, but the combi-melta cant pen the jinking waveserpent.

 

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Kaboom! the leman russes land direct hits with their battle cannons.

 

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Battle tanks crack the wave serpent, a line of Wraithguard toting D-cannons emerges.

 

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Flashlight lasguns down a single wraithguard.

 

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Unable to harm the Wraith lord Ezikiel attempts a Heroic intervention, thrusting Indomiel aside to have his chance to dance with the Solitaire. but the insane speed of the harlequin is too quick and zeke falls in, meaniwhile indomiel's iron halo wards off a blow from the wraithlord, he is all that remains of the command squad.

 

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The Solitarie celebrates his victory over the chief librarian.

 

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The wraithlords prepare for a massed assault. While the wraithblades look eagerly at the humans who they shall sacrifice to Khaine. The contemptor's ancient armor plating deflecting a pentrating  D-canon blast.

 

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Fighting over the lone objective indomiel holds his ground.

 

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Janus Arpegion battles a wraithlord who strips two hull points from him.

 

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The wraithblades have reached the lines and the guardsmen are no match.

 

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Indomiel issues a challenge and the solitaire laughing accepts, whirling he strikes and two wounds squeak though the iron halo, but Indomiel, his heart flushed with adrenline, pounces and his lightning claws fell the tiny dancing elf.

 

The defense crumbling (and the game having taken four hours at this point) Indomiel concedes the defense of the city, and orders a full retreat. Having again lost to the eldar, indomiel takes on last chance at slowing the eldar force.

 

Turning to the towering wraithlord Indomiel bellows a battle cry. The hulking Wraithlord swings with all his force, but again the iron halo holds and activating his power fist smashes the last wound from the wraithlord before departing the field.

 

Analysis:

To little mobility in the list and not enough tactical planning with my ally. Against the wraithguard more antitank weapons are needed, with the ability to either tarpit the deathstar of wraithblades or divert them.

[Master Avoghai]

But.... But .... But

 

Where are the comics? :(

[Chaplain Lucifer]

You lost but a mighty wraithlord was lost for the Eldar... :D Great work by Indomiel. Rematch with next Codex is in order. :D

[Polythemus]

two more quick and dirty batreps to come. sorry avoghai, these ones vs. eldar wont be comic style, not enough time for that these days but hopefully this little series will provide some insight into the workings and power of the eldar codex.

 

if you are lucky I may be able to get out the last two bat reps (one apoc and one comic) of the campaign for Umbral void.

 

Tactics: Dealing with the wraithblades is really obnoxious. they all have strength 6 AP power weapons, are T6 and 3+/4++ (usually rerollable) so the only way i can think to deal with them is to send dreads either standard or contemptor. Next two batreps to come later.

[Master Avoghai]

I don't want excuse I want comics! :lol:

 

More seriously, yeah indeed this can provide info against those filthy xenos.

 

But I'm looking forward to see what will be the results of our new formations

[Polythemus]

The Dark angels continue to their struggle on Urt against the craftworld of Yuula-Lith. With the assets of Company master Indomiel and his Dark Angels falling like dominoes a strike has been ordered against the eldar that have been holed up in the Nermuj Valley.

Intelligence reports that the the ruined city lies on the path to manufactorum powered by the Volpot hydronics station, and the eldar are using it as a staging area from which to prepare their assault on the regional capital. Indomiel has determined that the city must be retaken.

 

This mission we used a mission from the Dark Angels book but we tried to adapt it to maelstrom scoring. The results were interesting...

 

The eldar set up first but the DA got first turn. The DA had to start everything in reserve, with deathwing and flyers allow on T1, ravenwing T2, and all else on T3. of Course having made my list before this mission was selected i didn't have any deathwing... the mission is normally played as a t5 objective grab.

 

 

 

 

 The unsuspecting eldar lie in wait... we played with mysterious objectives, something I am not accustomed to but that seems the convention in these parts.

 

 

 The the storm eagle arrives targeting the wave serpent, and the wraith blades but the missles and multimelta can't pen due to serpent shield down grading to glance.

 

 

The wraithguard emerge and objectives are idenitfied. with the wriathlord with krak missles identifying a skyfire nexus, using it to take a single HP off the Storm eagle.

 

 

On T2 the ravenwing erge expecting to blow the rear armor of the serpent but 8 missles and 4 heavy bolters only manage a single glance! meanwhile the storm eagle cant finish off the wraithlord either.

 

 

The guided wraithguard land a D-hit on the storm eagle and bring it down!

 

 

 Mayday!

 

 

The jinking waveserpent rams the speeder squadron.

 

turn 2

 

The devastators walk on and blast away at the wraith guard.

 

 the Predator also drives on and takes an angle at the the wraith lord, taking off two wounds. Indomiel leaves the ruined Pod and flies into the ruined church.

 

The typhoons finally take off the last HP for the the waveserpent.

 

 

 The rest of the tacticals land near objective 6

 

 

the rhinos hand out from reserve,  close to object 2

 

continued on next post

[Polythemus]

Eldar 2

 

Led by the terrible Deathjester, and his farseer, the wraithblades make short work of the devastators. Meanwhile the farseer unleashes an eldritch storm against the wraithblades.

 

 

The wraithlord has come to defile this sacred relic of the imperium! suffer not the xeno in the house of the Emperor!

 

 

The rhino is blown skyhigh and the squad inside is similarly gutted by the wraith guard.

 

 

With no mobility the dark angels seek to claim the objectives they can. is there enough left to rally for a victory?

 

 

The calm before the purge...

 

 

 the typhoons had to jink to escape an edritch storm, and the fortuned wraithblades are a hard target!

 

 

The last stand of Indomiel, attempting to repeat his heroics at Volpot hydro station the Marine from the slums of Hrothswamp challenges the wraithguard but with a single swing the wraithlord knocks him out unconcious.

 

 

Does the beast every feel sorrow at his misdeeds? Can xenos express such a feeling... no matter, if it bleeds we can kill it!

 

 

Sgt rodolphus and his brother cower near the jungle objective.

 

 

 

 

the wraith blades prepare for a final onslaught. 

 

 

The wraith guard and the shadowseer prepare for take the rest of the marines as hostages! Can our heros, recover form the terrible vengeance exacted by the eldar? what is it they are seeking??

 

Stay tuned until next time...

[Polythemus]

So these are the tactical problems to be considered as a DA player in a list where you don't have allies, and don't have lots of great options. How do you solve these problems? PS this isn't a rhetorical question. Help a brother out.

 

low mobility - once those rhinos go down your walking.

 

eldar wave serpents  - are always going to carry a unit that acts as a shooting threat. This means that most of the time what ever is inside has a 27" threat range. The serpent itself of course has crazy durability.

 

wraithblade problem as stated above 

 

psychic - you're typically facing at least 2 other psykers this means that even with ezekiel you might get off one psychic power due to his ability to deny and its unlikely you;ll cancel any of his. because youre typically rolling to deny powers with two sucesses.

 

terminators may help against some targets but they need to have a target that they can effect and this usually means getting into cc. if you put em aginst rerollable invulsave with ap 2, adios.

[Polythemus]

The planet of Urt is underseige and the Dark Angels face a hard choice. Since the Invasion of the Urt began the Dark Angels have continuously lost ground.

 

 

 

The shrine of tybal and Volpot dam were lost to the forces of the eldar ensuring that the Defense lasers of the Balantis could not be adequately powered. The outer sector of Nermuj was then quickly taken. Scouting reports from orbiting servelance craft have reported that the eldar had been sending search parties led by rangers and swooping hawk aspect warriors into the wilderness. whatever they were searching for it appears not to have been fruitful. Xenos landing craft have begun landing their troops in earnest as the main force of the craftworld pushes towards the regional capital of Haven's Landing. Having suffered grevious defeat thus far Company master Indomiel and Ezekiel plan for their defense of the city.

 

 

Deployment -

 

 

 

 

 

 

DA 1

opening salvo from the typhoon squadron fires on the wraithblades, while the devastators fire on the wave serpent near the drop pod. trying to achive the obective of capturing double the number of objectives, leads to some agressive play.

 

 

 

Assault squad leaps to the top of tower of mercy, while the black knights advance behind the rhino.

 

 

ezekiel and the tact squad drop behind the waveserpent, but both combi-melta and meltagun miss.

 

 

 

 

Ezekiel attempt to mind worm the warlock in ruins, but cant get through the T7 of the artillery gun crew. all other weapons fail to wound. and the bolters fail to damage the rear armor of the waveserpent.

 

 

 

 

objective secured allows the tacts to claim the objective.

 

 

Indomiel and the assault squad claim an objective.

 

 

 

Eldar 1

 

the waveserpent unloads its cargo, while the wraithblades move towards the dark angel rhino hoping to prevent the assault squad from getting to the dark reapers.

 

 

The dark reaper exarch targets the black knights and ignoring the jink save wipe them out save one.

 

vibrocannons with the aid of  rending wounds by the guardians wipe out ezekiel and the tacticals.

 

DA turn 2

 

tacts hold the statuary and fire their meltas on the wave serpent but nothing gets through the shield.

 

 

the dreadnaught fires on the wriathblades.

Devastators fire on the dark reapers but so little damage is done the typhoons are forced to fire causing them to go to ground

 

the sergent and tacts attempt to blow the wave serpent but no pens or glances.

 

 

same story happens here. no pens or glances.

 

 

cue the jump program from the matrix.

[Polythemus]

eldar 2

The eldar advance their wraithlord towards the tacts in the center of the table and lock them in combat. the eldar then use their still living waveserpents to kill off the remainging typhoons. the jetbikes use shuriken cannons on the tacts. the vibrocannons pen the contemptor twice but the invul save of its ancient tech keeps it alive. swooping hawks drop in behind the assault squad but cant kill the squad.

 

DA 3

 

 

 

Swooping hawks are in a big mess.

 

 

contemptor fires on the guardians but they are shrouded due to psychic powers. devs are inefective. Swooping hawks flee from combat. tacts in combat with the wraithlord fail morale and flee. the last biker moves to midfield.

 

eldar 3

 

 

wraith lord prepares to engage the contemptor.

 

 

waveserpent fires on the tacticals while the farseer blasts both the contemptor and the tacticals with an on target vortex of doom, destroying both squads. the wraithknights hold the center.

 

 

DA 4

 

The lone black knight advances towards the objective near the drop pod. the working rhino also heads for the back left objective. the assault squad leads the charge on the fleeing swooping hawks, they fail morale again and are swept leading to a nice consolidation.

 

 

dark reaper is a bit more worried now. Indomiel and two members of the assault squad.

 

 

after surviving numerous wounds (like 12) the last black knight is taken out by the artillery squad.

 

eldar 4

 

the eldar destroy the rhino

 

and their waveserpent kills off the devs. the jet bikes and the guardians destroy indomiel and the assault squad to clear the table.

 

Analysis:

Phew eldar are tough. tough knowing that theres a squad that i cant do anything about (wraithblades) who usually have 3+/4+ re-rollable. only way to deal with them would be a contemptor armed with a powerfist. otherwise need to deal with the dark reapers earlier. not much to be done about the failed psy tests and poor melta gun shooting. It may also be worth it to change the devs over to all las. gotta stop the bleeding against these guys. The recruiting ground of the chapter demands it.