My List
Archon w/ Agonizer
5x Kabalite
5x Kabalite
5x Mandrakes
Ravager (3 DL)
Razorwing Jetfighter (Dissies)
Venom
Raider (DL)
His List
10 White Scars bikes (2 Grav guns)
1 Attack bike (multimelta)
1 Captain on bike (reroll hits aura)
1 Apothecary on bike
6 Scouts (camo cloaks + sniper rifles)
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I specifically brought this list vs one with more fire power because it had fewer drops, in hopes that I could go first. Unfortunately, my opponent brought one huge blob of bikes and got to finish setting up before me. I did get to pick the deployment zone though so I chose Hammer and Anvil and made him come across the board to get me.
His turn 1 he got EVERYTHING into cover. Most of my stuff was hidden behind walls and such so no real shooting happened.
My turn 1 I jumped out from behind the mountains and start firing. 18 splinter shots from the venom do nothing because bikes + cover = 2+ save and he makes them all. The Ravager, which is parked on an objective that I placed high on a cliff, takes down the attack bike but nothing else. D6 damage is not ideal for large squads of bikes. The Razorwing zoomed all the way across the board and into his back line to fire at the Captain, who had been left exposed from the rear. He makes all his 4+ invulnerable saves. The Mandrakes come out of deep strike (terrible idea – should have waited till turn 2 so I could re-roll their charge). They do zero mortal wounds with their 10 baleblast shots. Womp womp. I attempt to charge, one of them dies to overwatch, and I fail my charge roll.
His turn 2 he turns around and just obliterates the remaining Mandrakes with bolter fire. He softens up the venom with the rest of his guns then charges, completely surrounding it. He takes it down in CC and everyone inside dies because I can’t place them anywhere. 3 units killed + first blood = 4VP’s
My turn 2 I unload the 5 man kabalite squad from the Raider to spread out my targets a bit, and I run them behind a mountain towards an objective. I swing the Raider around and catch his Captain out of position again, so I fire the Dark Lance that failed me so many times last week. Shockingly it hits, wounds, 4+ invuln failed, and I roll a 1 for damage. I burn a command point without hesitation and reroll it to a 6 – captain is dead! Warlord kill for me = 2VP’s. I concentrate my remaining firepower (Ravager and Razorwing) on his bike squad and remove a few more models this time (3-4).
His turn 3 he decides to come after the Ravager but can’t get within charging distance because it’s up on a pretty high cliff. He fires everything he’s got at it, but it doesn’t do much. His Scouts actually manage to shave a couple wounds off the Razorwing, but it’s no big deal.
My turn 3 I polish off the remainder of the bike squad with the Ravager and Razorwing, and he concedes with nothing but his Scouts chilling on an objective to my 3 mobile vehicles. I'm already ahead on VP's and I'm going to be able to hold 3 objectives for 3 points each at the end of the mission (Big Guns Never Tire) so it's futile to continue the game.
Closing Thoughts
It seemed dicey in the beginning because so many dice did nothing to his bikes in cover, and when they were re-rolling hits from the captain they were doing so much damage. But once he was out of cover and the captain was dead, it was a pretty steep slope to victory for me. Deepstriking the Mandrakes on turn 1 was a huge rookie mistake. Should have waited for a better opportunity and minimally, the Turn 2 Power from Pain ability that would let me ensure a successful charge from them. The Razorwing was kind of meh. I spent 2 command points rerolling bad Assault D6 rolls for the missiles. I’d have much rather had 9 disintigrator shots and more flexible movement on a Ravager. I'm bringing 3 next week and I can't wait to tear stuff up.
Subject: 750pt Escalation League – DE vs White Scars 
Fri Jul 28 2017, 22:50
