Sprue Posse mini GT battle reports PART 1:

This is a long over-due post of my battlereports from the Sprue Posse mini GT that I played in with my Dual-Autarch Jetbike Eldar (on 1/28/11). It was 5 games over 2 days and had some really good players!

My coverage and battle reports will be broken up into 3 posts. This post will contain a general overview of the tournament along with my first 2 games and the next post will contain 2 more games while the third will contain my last game along with personal thoughts, reflections and the outcome of the tournament.

The list I took was:

HQ: 310
-Autarch: Jetbike, Laser Lance, Reaper Launcher, Mandiblaster=155
-Autarch: Jetbike, Laser Lance, Reaper Launcher, Mandiblaster=155

Elites: 380
-Fire Dragons: X5=80
-Wave Serpent: Spirit Stones, twin-linked Shiruken Cannon turret=110
-Fire Dragons: X5=80
-Wave Serpent: Spirit Stones, twin-linked Shiruken Cannon turret=110

Troops: 684

-Guardian Jetbikes: X6 w/2 Shiruken Cannons=152

-Guardian Jetbikes: X6 w/2 Shiruken Cannons=152

-Dire Avengers: X5=60

-Wave Serpent: Spirit Stones, twin-linked Eldar Missile Launcher=130

-Dire Avengers: X5=60

-Wave Serpent: Spirit Stones, twin-linked Eldar Missile Launcher=130

Fast Attack: 280

-Vypers: X2 w/ Scatter Laser, Shiruken Cannon=140

-Vypers: X2 w/ Scatter Laser, Shiruken Cannon=140

Heavy Support: 345

-Fire Prism=115

-Fire Prism=115

-Night Spinner=115

The missions:

Mission 1: Dawn of War deployment (table halves) with Annihilation (kill points) as the objective.

Mission 2: Pitched Battle deployment (12" board edge) with Capture and Control as the objective (each player places an objective in their deployment zone).

Mission 3: Spearhead deployment (table quarters) with Seize Ground as the objective (5 objectives placed).

Mission 4: Pitched Battle deployment with Annihilation as the objective.

Mission 5: Pitched Battle deployment with Seize Ground as the objective (3 objectives placed).

Game 1:

My first round opponent was someone I've seen in the 'Ard Boyz finals last year so it was a treat to play him. We spoke a bit before the game and he mentioned that he wanted to take 3X longfang squads but forgot the models up north where he lived so he used some Wolf Scouts in their place. The list he took was:

HQ
-Wolf Lord (Thunderwolf Calvary, Power Fist and Stormshield, Runic Armor, Wolftail Talisman, Saga of the Bear)
-Lord (Thunderwolf Calvary, Frost Weapon and Stormshield, Runic Armor, Wolftail Talisman, Saga of the Majesty)
-Wolf Lord (Thunderwolf Calvary, Power Fist and Stormshield, Runic Armor, Wolftail Talisman, Saga of the Warrior Born)
-Wolf Lord (Thunderwolf Calvary, Frost Weapon and Stormshield, Runic Armor, Wolftail Talisman)

Elite
Wolf Scouts x8 (Melta Bombs x2, Melta Gun)

Fast Attack
Thunderwolf Cavalry x3 (Power Fist + Storm Shield and Melta Bombs x3)

Troops
Grey Hunters x5 w Razorback
Grey Hunters x5 w Razorback

Heavy Support
Long Fangs x 6 (M.Launcher x5)
Long Fangs x 6 (M.Launcher x5)

Deployment/Turn 1 movement:

I won the roll to choose first or second turn and gave my opponent first turn so that I could let him deploy wherever and I would hold my army in reserves to hopefully come on a weak flank, rack up some kill points and avoid that brick of a wolfstar.  He basically deployed as you see in the picture and moved/ran up as far as he could, hoping to get into a good position to get some shots off on me when I came on.

Turn 2: 

Opponent:

 My opponent moved one of his Wolf lords into my deployment zone hoping to be a roadblock by not dying and taking out some kill points in return while the Wolf Scouts came onto my extreme right and just hunkered down waiting to see what I'd do. 

Me:

Except for my reserves, this turn got me off to a good start as everything but my Vypers, a Guardian Jetbike squad, a Fire Dragon squad and my Night Spinner came on (yay 1s). I got my Dire Avengers and Fire Dragons out to deal with the scouts and Wolf lord. My Fire Prisms combined fire to put a S6 AP 3 shot on a Long Fang squad in the open but I scattered completely off, even with the re-roll and the rest of my army's shooting took out that Wolf lord and brought the scouts down to a few guys. I walked my Dire Avengers on so I had the option of charging the scouts if needed and I definitely did. The Dire Avengers tied the Wolf Scouts up, both squads swinging like they were armed with wet noodles.

Turn 3:

Opponent:
Seeing as how a potential 2 KP were just given away (through the Wolf lord and soon to be killed Wolf Scouts), he wanted to get his Wolfstar into position to threaten my whole army and take out some times with his Long Fangs. He managed to shake a few of my tanks, blow off a gun on a few Wave Serpents and just moved up in general.

Me:
This turn everything else came on. My Night Spinner took out some little wolves in the Wolf Star while entangling them for the next turn and the rest of my shooting was able to shake a Razorback and wipe out the Long Fang squad on my right. An Autarch came on from reserves and wiped out the Wolf Scouts holding my Dire Avengers up and I moved my Fire Dragons flat out 24" towards the Greyhunters/Razorback on the extreme left in hopes of distracting my opponent and hopefully picking up a KP or 2 from his Razorback/Greyhunters inside.

Turn 4:

Opponent:
This turn, my opponent really felt the annoyance factor of the Night Spinner when he rolled poorly on his difficult terrain roll for the Wolfstar and took a wound or two from dangerous terrain. He just ran the Wolfstar up and trudged along trying to get closer to my main army. His Razorbacks tried to take some pot shots not doing much and the Long Fangs shooting bounced off of my Fire Dragon's Wave Serpent.

Me:
Seeing as how the Wolfstar is in position to possibly get a charge off next turn I move back out of range as best I can with the majority of my army and I move my Dire Avenger Wave Serpent up 24" to try and distract the Long Fangs from my Fire Dragons (which move up to threaten the Greyhunters in their razorback on the left) and give the Wolf Star some unimportant target to charge. I spent this turn also trying to just get into a better position to take out his remaining Long Fangs and Razorbacks and managed to put some wounds on the Wolf Star taking out all of the mini wolves and instant killing another with a S10 Ap1 blast from my Prisms.

Turn 5:

Opponent:
At this point he realizes he will never get to my army with his Wolfstar so he goes for the Dire Avenger Wave Serpent and while his shooting bounces off of the tank, the powerfists from the Wolfstar down the tank and pin the Dire Avengers that get out.

Me:
I move my Fire Dragons up, get out and with the Shiruken Cannons on the Wave Serpent, I pop his Razorback forcing the Grey Hunters out and my Fire Dragons shoot and break the squad forcing them to fall back.  My Dire Avengers sit there and pray that the game ends this turn and the rest of my army moves up to take out his other Razorback while putting a few wounds on the Long Fangs.

The roll to see if the game goes on is made at this point and my Dire Avengers' prayers are answered, game ends 6 KP for the Eldar to 1 KP for the Space Wolves.

Game 2:

My second round opponent was a very good Tyranid player who brought the following list:


HQ
Hive Tyrant (wings, devourers)

Elite
Zoanthrope x3 w Mycetic Spore
Hive Guard x2
Hive Guard x3

Troops
Termagant x10
Termagant x10
Tervigon (Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs, Catalyst)
Tervigon (Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs, Catalyst)
Genestealers x14 (Toxin Sacs)
Genestealers x20 (Toxin Sacs)

Fast Attack
Gargoyles x19 (Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacs)


Deployment:

I won the roll to choose first or second turn and seeing as how this was an objective mission (capture and control), I opted to let my opponent go first and hope for the best. I then deployed everything on the table since my opponent's longest range gun was the Hive Guard at 24" and I figured I would need every shot to put a dent in his forces. After I deployed, all curled up in a corner in fetal position, my opponent infiltrated two large squads of Genestealers 18" around me. I was surrounded by Tyranids!

Turn 1:

Opponent:
My opponent started with just moving his forces up as fast as he could, right at me. He failed to get Catalyst off on his large Genestealer squad right in front of me which was HUGE for me. His shooting managed to take out an Autarch of mine and some other Jetbikes (darn s6 Devourers and a failed save from torrent of fire).

Me:
At this point I am thoroughly intimidated by the number of nids coming my way. I pull away from the Stealers on the right flank and focus on the immediate threat of the Stealers on my left. I move my tanks up to form a sort of shield wall for my Vypers and Jetbikes while I move a Fire Dragon squad up and get out in hopes of taking out the Hive Tyrant. With most of my shooting I bring the 18 man Stealer squad down to 1 Gene Stealer with a few wounds on the Gargoyles behind them from the blast of a Night Spinner. My Fire Dragons put an impressive 1 wound on the tyrant and I let out a large sigh and then proceed to put another 2 wounds on the Tyrant from my Prisms and EML armed Wave Serpents. Aside from the epic fail from my Fire Dragons ( 3 1s to wound the Tyrant was harsh), I was happy with the results and found myself with some much needed breathing room.

Turn 2:

Opponent:
With more of the guns in range, the Nid player shoots up some more of my tanks shaking a few Wave Serpents and the Tyrant shoots up some more Jetbikes taking out a few. Other than that he just moves up and the Gargoyles are barley out of charge range on my Dire Avengers and the lone Stealer charges my Fire Dragons but gets cut down after killing only one.

Me:
I move back into my corner away from the large squad of Stealers creeping my way from the right and move my tanks up on the left to get into position to grab/contest his objective while getting good fire lanes on whatever is left in his army. My Fire Dragons and Dire Avengers embark into the safety of their Wave Serpents and I move another Fire Dragon squad flat out towards his Tervigons. The rest of my shooting takes out his Tyrant, a Hive Guard and a bunch of Gargoyles who break since there isn't any synapse around. I then charge the Gargoyles hoping to wipe them out but instead he passes his LD test and we tie each other up in combat.

Turn 3-4:

I forgot to take pictures every turn so here is a condensed turn 3 and 4.

Opponent:
The Zoanthropes finally show up blow a Fire Prism up while his Hive Guard take out the Fire Dragon Wave Serpent in the middle of the table. He eventually moves up to make a dash for my objective with his remaining Stealers, a Tervigon and a ton of Gaunts he started spewing out. By the end of turn 4 he is practically on my objective and I need to hurry up and get things onto his objective while securing mine.

Me:
We are told that we are running out of time so we start to hurry up at this point. I manage to finish off the wounded Hive Guard in the middle, my squad of Fire Dragons move up and get out, failing to kill the wounded Tervigon (only had 3 wounds left prior to their shooting) and then get charged by some Gaunts the Tervigon later spews out and hold in combat. My Autarch charges in and wipes the Gargoyles that were holding up my Jetbikes. The rest of my shooting puts some more wounds on both Tervigons and whittles down the Gaunts on his objective. Eventually my lone Fire Dragon kills his wounded Tervigon but in turn gets taken out by the Mycetic Spore and I get my Dire Avenger Wave Serpent into position to contest his objective.

Turn 5:

Opponent:
Since time is short, he gets the remaining 3 Stealers from the squad he infiltrated on my right, a Tervigon and a bunch of spawned Gaunts on my objective. He takes out some more of my tanks leaving me with just a Fire Prism, Night Spinner and 2 Wave Serpents. He also has a squad of Gaunts on his objective so its up to me to see if I can pull out a tie or even a win.

Me:
My opponent failed to kill the Wave Serpent with my Dire Avengers the previous turn so I moved 12" and got out so that I was more than an inch from the gaunts on his objective but also within 3" of his objective. My shooting managed to take out all the Gaunts on his objective while the rest of my army moves up, takes out the Stealers and puts some more wounds on the Gaunts and Tervigon. At this point the Stealers are dead, the Gaunts are whittled down and the Tervigon has only 3 wounds left so I charge the Tervigon with my Autarch and the Gaunts with my Jetbikes and Dire Avengers taking out the Tervigon, a bunch of Gaunts in combat and the resulting Tervigon explosion kills a bunch more gaunts securing me my objective while my Dire Avengers are claiming my opponent's objective.

Game ends (due to time) with 2 objectives for my Eldar and none for the Tyranid player. Had the game gone on, he probably would have been able to take out my Wave Serpent but probably not my Dire Avengers on his objective and there was no way he could have taken out all of my scoring units that I had on my objective, so in hindsight, the game turned out to be a pretty solid Eldar victory regardless of the time factor. A REALLY hard fought game where both of us had to spend a lot of time thinking out our strategy and moves.

Well, this ends part 1 of my Sprue Posse mini gt battle reports, tune in for the other 3 games and final thoughts on the tournament. Feel free to post any thoughts, questions or feedback on this post, though!