Taking Down a Seer Council - err, how?

Fritz' Way of Saim Hann Seer Council ... leading the way to munching my guardsmen.

The Eldar Seer council is a particularly nasty option for guardsmen. The unit (once fortuned up) has an 88% save against most things and a 75% invulnerable save. To add to this, the S9 antitank options available to the Seer Council of Witchblades and/or Singing Spears means that you have a fast, S9 assault unit OR a fast S9 24" (12" move plus 12" shooting) tank killer unit.

This is bad news for ALL tanks AND transports as the unit is purpose built for moving up, popping the transport and then chopping up the inhabitants.

The Eldar have another trick up their sleeve though - destructor. This is basically a heavy flamer at S5 and AP4. Did I mention that each warlock can take this and assault fire ... this means that guardsmen plus commissar doompits will take horrific numbers of wounds even before combat is joined. 5 Warlocks spitting destructor would kill 25 odd guardsmen.

Oh and the obvious combo is doom for the farseer. This means that the farseer can ensure absolute killiness on every guardsman in the enemies force.

So what on earth do I do about this.

I don't have lots of 3+ armour options in my army, let alone 2+. My main strengths are my tanks (which the witchblades/singing spear mock) and my hordes (which destructor will LOL at repeatedly) ... so how do I take down this horrible unit...?

CHALLENGE

However I do it I need to work out soon. The fact of the matter is that after my overblown hyperbole in our last battle, Ant has every right to give me a damn good spanking. So in just over two weeks we face up against eachother.

I'm developing a 'cunning plan' phaze 2 ... but I'll need your help. So does anyone have any ideas??

Help me Obi-wan (and all that jazz) ...?!?

BATREP: "This Place CRAWLS sir!" Guard v Nids 1000pts

Hormagaunts plow into the Guardsmen's front line.

Scenario: "This Place Crawls sir!"

The corruption continues. Cory was up for another game of 40k and so was I. Based upon the previous game I decided to do somthing a little differently and went for a scenario based game.

The key reasons for doing this were as follows:

1. Playing a scenario takes the competitive edge off the game. You still want to win, but the scenario rules can tilt things so far against you that being 'competitive' about it ain't worth the effort.
   
2. I enticed Cory (and Dawn ... although she bugged out ... boom boom.) with an explanation of the battle as follows: Think Aliens meet Starship Troopers.
   

I was beholden to recreate a classic (albeit wonderfully cheesy) bit when the Mobile Infantry is surrounded and taking on the bugs with everything they have... so how to make it interesting.

CONCEPT

The table ... providing the guardsmen with good fire lines and a strong defensive position.

The scenario would broadly follow the Dawn of War setup rules. The only variance was in the Tyranid Deployment. The Guard would deploy an HQ and two troops choice (IE most of the army) and the Tyranids (going second) would only deploy a Lictor. The guardsmen would then have two turns of 'spook hunting' to attempt to kill the Lictor.

If the Lictor was still alive, the Tyranids would gain a reroll on EVERY reserve roll. If the Lictor died, they wouldn't. As the guard already had most of their army on the field this wasn't actually that bigger threat, but then they were pulling a gunline against a pretty nasty threat.

ARMYLIST

Kochi 20th: A stationary heavy weapon army with two mobile anti-horde tanks and lots of template and S6-7 firepower. 1000pts

• HQ: Primaris Psyker
• Troops: Infantry HQ - 4 Grenade Launchers and Powerfist in Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Flamer)
• Troops: Squad #1: Flamer and Commissar
• Troops: Squad #2: Flamer (Combined Squads)
• Troops: Special Weapon Team: 2 Flamers and a Demolition Charge
• Troops: Heavy Weapons #1: Mortars
• Troops: Heavy Weapons #2: Autocannons
• Veterans Squad: Harker with payback (relentless heavy bolter), 3 grenade launchers and a heavy bolter team.
• Fast Attack: Hellhound with heavy flamer, extra armour and heavy stubber
• Rough Riders [8] with a power weapon.

Hive Splinter Orobus: I hadn't fielded Nids in ages, and my rustiness to the rules was only matched by my forgetfulness about what a pain putting a nid force together is. All those 'per model' upgrades leads the price all over the place.

• HQ: Broodlord - Flesh Hooks and Feeder Tendrils and rending claws
  
• Elites: 'Harikari the' Lictor - Camo, Flesh Hooks, feeder tendrils and rending claws
• Elites: Tyranid Warrior Brood [3] - Devourers, Toxin Sacs, Scything Talons, Leaping and Enhanced Senses.
• Troops: Genestealers #1 [8] with flesh hooks
• Troops: Genestealers #2 [6] with flesh hooks
• Troops: Termagaunt #1 [7] with fleshborers and without number
• Troops: Termagaunt #2 [7] with fleshborers and without number
• Troops: Hormagaunts [10] with flesh hooks
• Heavy Support: Carnifex, Spine Banks, Extended Carapace, Bonded Exoskeleton, Regenerate, Barbed Strangler, Scything Talons, Tail - Mace.
• Zoanthrope: Synapse Creature and Warp Blast.

DEPLOYMENT

The Guardsmen castle up!

The Guard setup first and deployed around the central 'base' with the Autocannons in the middle. The mortars setup at the back. The Primaris deployed with the Autocannons to control firepower in the centre. In front of the 'castle' the two combined squads setup with the Commissar and in the fore of them the 6 special weapons teams deployed ready to sell themselves dearly. The Chimera took the right flanking position with the infantry command inside.

The Lictor hid in some area terrain, then Harker infiltrated with a line of sight to the Lictor.

TURN 1 or 'Its too damn quiet, shoot something!'

'Harikari' the Lictor tries not to live up to his name.

Realise that Lictor's spiky scything talons are a fire magnet ... gulp and start to not roll 1's. All the shooting of 700pts worth of army results in one wound.

TURN 2 or 'Everyone's here, where's the enemy?'

GUARD: The Guard get ALL their reserves on. The Hellhound comes on the left flank and move 18" in to threaten any bugs. The RoughRiders scoot on behind the Chimera on the right flank as it trundles forwards. Marbo arrives without an opponent and deploys out of sight behind some buildings on the far right flank. The first shooting of the turn (the Command Chimera) results in a dead Lictor. Guess this just got harder and the Guard cement their whole gunline. Harker legs it back towards the barracades and his team go 10" ... but will it be enough?

With 'Harikari' dead, Harker and his teamsprint for their gunline...

NIDS: On the reserves roll I get the Hormagaunts, the 6 monster genestealer brood, the Zoanthrope, 7 Termagaunts and the Tyranid Warriors. The Zoanthrope wobbles onto the left flank and has a pop at the hellhound - failing miserably (BS3 pah!).

The Tyranid Warriors have more luck in the middle. Sheltering behind the small shrubbery (SHRUBBERY!), they pummel the special weapon team and manage to kill three. At 50% lossed the Ld7 unit bottles it and starts pushing backwards past the heavy weapons teams. Nice.

The Tyranid Devourers (S4 reroll to wound) manage to make the special weapon squad break ... halving the Guardsmens available flamers and demolitions.

The Termagaunts come on the right flank and scrabble into the are terrain there (why am I hiding the without number troops?)

The Hormagaunts flood onto the board and hit the Commissar led gunline (my table is quite small), they cause 9 wounds in the first turn of combat and lose 2 hormagaunts in return. The Commissar shrugs, passes his Ld9 stubborn test and pushes another guardsmen into the thrashing melee. How annoying.

The Hormagaunts cause massive injuries on the Guardsmens tarpit - but the Commissar couldn't care less!

The Genestealers fleet of foot and catch Harkers team ...

*****

'Move it fellas, move it!' yelled Harker at his squad as they scrambled backwards away from the Nids. How those things had ever got so close was a shock to Harker. He'd been given the order to down the Lictor and he'd achieved his objective, but now his team was horribly exposed.

Mitch and Johansen were the first to go down. They'd dropped their heavy bolter to gain a few yards but it wasn't enough. Within seconds fleshy tendons were streaking from the darkness and impacting on their armour, Harker turned to see most of his team whipped backwards as chitinous genestealers leaped into combat.

Screaming and clawing at the ground, his men didn't put up much of a fight as flashing claws raced down, pulling arms free and crushing brittle skulls.

"Emperor's Throne!" Roared Harker. "Fek this!" grasping Payback, he levelled the mighty heavy bolter at the nids. Time seemed to slow as his gaze sharpened. Skills took over where consciousness simply shook its head in vain. Somehow he just knew. The stealer leaping from the left met 'payback' coming the other way. Flesh hooks or no, it staggered back. Harker followed up quickly, depressing the trigger he rained inaccurate fire at the other stealers as he leapt at the stunned one.

And threw his own forehead into the side of its skull. The impact twisted the stealers neck clean around. Harker himself staggered now, but he just the sense to keep his figure on the trigger, peppering the stealers and watch them shirk to cover.

Gaining his feet, Harker ran.

*****

Harker headbutts his way to victory...

Yes you read that right. The stealers killed Harkers whole team, Harker responded by killing a stealer - failed his leadership test on a minus 8, rolled a 5 (plus 3) to run and the stealers rolled a 1. Classic - Harker lives!

TURN 3 - "Unlease the hellhound!"

GUARD: The guardsmen respond accordingly. The Hellhound backs up (to hopefully avoid the Zoanthrope) and flames the stealers, the heavy stubber and Harker (running, but with a 36" range) manage to kill all but one stealer. The Autocannons and command Chimera kill two out of three Tyranid Warriors.

The Guards front line is stretched but holds and they have plenty of nasty reserves...

The Zoanthrope soaks up (and shrugs off) a bunch of fire. Marbo comes out from behind the building and hides behind the Chimera. The special weapon team are still running and the rough riders mill about waiting for a target.

The Primaris Psyker sizes up the lone genestealer and rolls a 10 for leadership on his psychic test ... doh!

Primaris Psyker ... 70 pts of shooty goodness (except when he rolls a fail on his leadership test ... doh!)

NIDS: The Hormagaunts dramatically squander their attacks over the two combats. Rolling only 1/3 to hit on a 3+ and then rolling nothing but 1,2 and 3's to wound. The guardsmen kill all but two Hormagaunts in return over the turns two combats, faced with multiple 'fearless' wounds, I heroically roll two 6's and keep the squad tied in with a single gaunt.


The Zoanthrope comes out from behind cover and takes another pop at the hellhound (and fails again). The Termagaunts skulk forward and take pop-shots at the roughriders (killing one). The single genestealer charges the autocannon teams and is beaten down mercilessly.

My reserves this turn are the other Termagaunt brood [7] and the larger Genestealer brood [8]. The Broodlord and the Carnifex are having a cup of tea, or gruel, or bio-soup (not entirely sure, but they ain't coming... yet)

With these reserves I adopt a bulletshield approach and run the termies in front of the genies.

TURN 4 - 'I think we have the situation under control sir!'

GUARD: The hellhound has a crack at the Zoanthrope, but fails to provoke 1's from its armour save.

The Roughrider use 'move move move' command (only command of the game) and run 11" across difficult terrain to gain ground on the Zoanthrope.

The Chimera moves up and prepares fires its heavy flamer and squad into Termagaunt squad 1. Killing all but one.

The mortars and autocannons focus on the genestealers and kill two. The mortars spectactularly scatter onto their own man, but he makes his armour save (and shakes his fist in rage at the mortars).

The Hormagaunt in combat is speared with a lot of bayonets. Unfortunately for the Guardsmen, they only get a 1" consolidation ... say hello to my little genies.

NIDS: Confidentally walking to my reserves tray. I point at the broodlord and roll and then point at the Carnifex and roll. A double 1 later and I'm worrying about being tabled. The single termagaunt moves up to jump into the 'tarpit of doom' against the remaining 12 guardsmen. The larger group break right and shoot up the side armour of the Chimera - no luck ...

The genestealers look to finish off what the hormagaunts began - but the commissar and two sergeants are still standing...

The Genestealers swarm forwards in attack. The single termagaunt and genestealers kill nine men (reducing the unit to just the two sergeants and the commissar. In return the three churn out 9 attacks and manage to kill 2 genestealers and the gaunt. This unit is VERY VERY hard. Needless to say, they don't run.

TURN 5 - Clean up job gone wrong.

The turn start with the hellhound racing forwards and dropping a S6 blast on my lonely Warrior. Luckily the hellhound rolls a 1 to wound (wasted shot yippee) ... but the tank commander takes a turn with the heavy stubber and kills the tyranid... oh, lack of Synapse ... hmm...

The Hellhounds Heavy Stubbber achieves what a whole flame cannon couldn't ...gotta love the hellhound.

The roughriders leg it round the corner and are now approaching walk-run-charge range for the Zoanthrope. The Autocannons have a go at the Zoanthrope. Harker leaves the board, the special weapon team rally and rejoin the fray!

With the combat tied in the middle, Marbo steps out from behind his tank and throws his demo charge at the hapless termies. I happen to mention that Cory shouldn't roll high and back towards himself. The arrow and the 10 does the rest and Marbo (subsequently renamed Bruno for his limp wristed throwing) manages to commit Seppuku.

Marbo is renamed Bruno after an absymal attack...

The heavy flamer on the Chug's more accurate and incinerate all but one of the termagaunts (helped by grenades).

The 4 remaining Genestealers remember who's the monster and kill the remaining tarpit. Finally!

NIDS: The Carnifex and Broodlord appear automatically, as does the 'without number' termagaunt brood. The Broodlord and Termies come onto the right flank, mocing into cover to threaten the Chimera. The Carnifex walks on the left flank and lets rip with its barbed strangler.

The Carnifex finally arrives and routs the Roughriders in a single shot!

The Strangler hits 4 roughriders, 2 make their saving throw, but they fail BOTH theit leadership and pinning test and run off the board. Meanwhile the freed up genestealers in the centre assault both the special weapon and the heavy weapon team and wipe them both out in a massacre. They lose one of their number and termie the surviving termagent survives the combat he'd joined. This leaves the Primaris Psyker (who'd detached earlier) contesting the objective to three genestealers and a lone termagaunt.

The Primaris Psyker is left awfully exposed as the Termagaunt and genestealers contest.

We roll for the end of game, and I roll a 1.

Final score: Central Objective contested. Killpoint 6-5 to the Tyranids. Moral victory for the monsters.

CONCLUSION: Playing this as a scenario made for a lot of fun. The Guardsmen were a real characterful force, with the like of the Primaris Psyker and Marbo fluffing while the Commissar and Harker pulled a blinder. The comedy moments were rife and it was a lot of fun.

The odds were against the Nids without the Carnifex or the Broodlord, but the horde creatures held up well. The speed of the 'unaccompanied' genestealers and hormagaunts was awesome. Bottom of turn four and top of turn five looked like game over, but the dice came true at the end.

Cory thoroughly enjoyed the game, and was content to contest a draw. If we'd both kept a closer eye on the objectives it would have been a true draw as I was one gaunt away from that.

IF the game had continued? Well the Primaris Psyker and Command Chimera would have taken the genstealers (not to mention the Hellhound) ... but the Broodlord, Carnifex and Zoanthrope would have proved a nasty combination to beat.

My money would have been on the Guard though.

Let me know what you think ... were the armies well balanced, what did you think of the drama etc. Oh and for your future distraction and entertainment ... check out the following channel on YOUTUBE: Roughnecks: Starship Trooper Chronicles...

(Not so) Tough Tactica's: Imperial Guard Swiss Army Knife

Marbo steps out of the pub after a quick half and spots some blasted Eldar swinging by ... 'glad I bought this bomb' he mutters to himself.

This post is all about one man. Marbo. For those who've played me recently, Marbo is starting to become a solid (and often the only) fixture in my 'elites' selection. Le Soldat (all should remember) is an awsome character with all the 'upgrades' to give himself a serious chance in every event.

However, as anyone who fields Lictors or Monat Crisis Suits will know, fielding an all or nothing model single model can be a fiddly thing.

STATISTICS

For a meagre 65pts you get (in the words of my previous opponent) a 'broodlord with a bomb'. Marbo's got some nice features, his statline is impressive. He has a WS, BS and I of 5 (god only knows what he's pumping?!?) and he wield 6 attacks on the charge. Ironically he only has a leadership of 7 ... but since he is immune to orders and fearless I'm guessing this is less of an issue. That said, it would make him very vulnerable to a mindwar.

SPECIAL RULES

Marbo's a bit of a who's who in special rules, he's fearless, has fleet, hit and run, move through cover and Stealth. In fact, the list is probably the best thing about him, as your opponent will start to stare in disbelief as he runs about fleeting and hitting multiple times...

KITBAG

The stuff above would be a little lame if it wasn't for the tools of his trade. Marbo comes with an envenomed blade (2+ to wound) and as any Eldar witchblade player will tell you, that's often better than a power weapon as he can force 3-4 saving throws on a MC like a Carnifex or Wraithlord. Against middling troops this can prove overwhelming. He then has a ripper pistol, allowing him to cause a wound on a 4+ on any monstrous creature - oh and that AP2 aswell. Then he's kitted out with meltabombs, frag grenades and a demolition charge.

DEPLOYMENT

Unlike other deepstrikers, Marbo's already there. When he arrives (due to the reserves roll) he is place anywhere on the board outside an inch from the enemy and he doesn't scatter. This is to represent the fact that he like a midgame infiltrator. The combination of the stealth USR means that Marbo deploying in the open is unlikely and he will usually be 'placed' in an area terrain piece. When placed, he can neither move or assault, but he can shoot. His best weapon, the demo pack.

TACTIC

The obvious tactic is to place marbo exactly 6" from the Terminators, Crisis Suits or other juicy targets and 'drop the bomb' on them. The demolition charge, backed by a BS5 means you barely ever scatter and the AP2 S8 blast template has put paid to many a bike squadron, terminator squad or broadside screen.

Now, whis tactic works about half the time. Luck has a lot to do with Marbo arriving when a juicy target is present on the board... so it's not to be assumed, but as a deep striker of a stripped down 65pts, Marbo can easily instantkill an Autarch or zap multiple Terminators or kill a bike squad. He's cheap enough to warrant this 'throw away' tactic, and doesn't force you to drop 200pts on a potentially 'dead and scattered' terminator deepstriking option.

To put the cream on the cake, Marbo also has a lot in common with roughriders. Once he's delivered his 'package', he's mostly ignored. Assuming he isn't gunned down in a moment of vengeance - he has several tactical options.

So Marbo's dropped in, in close proximity to the Tyranid front line and delivered his 'package' into the middle of a genstealer horde. The enemy now has a choice, do they waste time and effort attacking a single model (and potentially getting distracted) or do they stick to their plan and ignore the lone model in their midst - after all he's not got another demo charge, has he?

In my opinion, Marbo gives you the opportunity to be 'brave' in deployment. Marbo is a hard hitting and accurate AP2 blast, but also a wonderful distraction. Just like the Lictor, deploying him far behind enemy lines will make him the only target and in all likelihood get him killed. To keep Marbo dangerous, in contention and alive, search for a 'distraction' point. Somewhere just behind the approaching force where line of sight gives him the biggest impact.

If they turn to kill him (and remember that anything S6 will!) then that one unit not attacking your frontline. If not ... then its onto plan B.

"Where's Marbo?"

MARBO - PLAN B

After delivery is made, Marbo has four secondary choices. He is capable of the following:

• Tank Busting: Any immobilised (or stationary) tank will rue the day. Marbo can leg it up to 18" (fleet) and plant a meltabomb on their ass. BOOM!
• Dreadnought Popping: 13-18" run. WS4 dreadnought versus WS5 I5 guy with a meltabomb ... BOOM!
  
• Monstrous Creature Bashing: With his poisoned arsenal, Marbo has a better chance than most in downing a wounded Wraithlord or Carnifex. A poisoned AP2 shot gives you a 50/50 to wound followed by 3-4 forced saving throws...
  
• Throwing in his lot: Marbo's a great complimentary unit with roughriders (who, lets face it, struggle after the first turn of combat), and his delivery of 5 I5 attacks can easily finish off the work the roughriders started.

And the biggest thing with all of the above ... are any of these targets less then 65pts? Marbo is my personal 'must have' alongside mortars and roughriders - great value for money.

PLAYING AN ANAGRAM OF RAMBO

And also great fun. Marbo can turn up and turn a battle, or he can turn up and drop a bomb on his own head... that sort of 'randomness' makes Marbo a particularly fun model to play. He's always a plotline when he arrives as he'll do something spectacular and the opponent will respond accordingly. If ignored he'll do impressive damage, but if concentrated on he can be a dangerous distraction.

Remember that with Marbo, going to ground is a real option. After all, his cover save is really all he's got. He gains a 2+ cover save from GtG and with with I5, he'll usually go first if they charge.

The hardest thing about Marbo is remembering that this single model is in your reserves. Often I end up 'cradling' him in my hand like some silly mascot to try to remember to deploy him.

CONVERSION

Anyone can field Marbo as he's a very easy conversion. My Marbo is born of a catachan heavy weapon soldier, converted with a autocannon ammo pack and grenades (to build the demo pack) and a 'big knife' from an Ogre Bull (left in my bits box from the Ogyrn conversions). The standard holstered pistol and a catachan knife sleeve give him the finished look (oh plus lots more grenades)... he takes about 30mins to convert and then becomes an essential asset in every army.

So try Marbo ... he's great fun!

BATREP: Light Infantry Lives!

... or, introducing the 'Leafblower Lite' ...

The Kochi 20th Light Infantry in their new incarnation

PROLOGUE

Shadowing his eyes, Captain Sharma squinted at the beautific view before him. During the briefing the spook indoctrinator had described this world as a land of medium geological value with a potential as an agriworld. Sharma ran his eyes along the line of flashing green glinted across the hilltop and felt that 'I425' didn't really hit the right note to describe the vibrancy of the azure sky, slashed across with cumulous clouds, or the way in which the virident green grass rustled in quiet harmony. The word that refocused into Sharma's mind when he looked on this world was one said in contempt by the mechanicus indoctrinator.

Maiden.

The hills had a certain tilt of evocation, and the valleys invited exploration. The crystal stream bore fish of which the soldier had never seen. And the Kochi 20th Light Infantry were stomping their way across it with some distain. Take somewhere beautiful, place 30,000 Crystal World mining veterans on it, and watch the glow of wonder turn to sadistic grins in the moments before the drop loader has even relocated.

Maiden, easy.

Sharma didn't regret their contempt. To an extent, it kept them on-game and in focus. His command team and NCO's were perfectly aware that Sharma's skill lay elsewhere and that his glowing appreciation of the surroundings were a small price to pay for his nuanced command.

Light Infantry were a dying breed. Such a specialist force was growing rare in a conflict zone filled with monstrous tyranids, Tau technosourcery and Chaotic Space Marines. That said, they'd found themselves deployed in city fights and hive runs. Usually strategic objectives where the tank were too afraid to venture. And now they found themselves dropped into a paradise with little transport and a bunch of Eldar no doubt looking down their noses at them.

"It's a throne-gone situation, you ask me, Sharma. How you want to play it?" Growled Commissar-Lord Jact Donagrodski. Sharma turned to shine an appreciative smile at his irreverent peer. Donagrodski was still in his prime, his peppered black hair giving out to grey. His posture looked cocksided. A Tyranid warrior had taken his 'damn best sword arm' during a campaign four years before, and the mech-assists had seen fit to attach a giant servo arm. It worked in a similar fashion to Sharma's own powerfist, which he'd left back in his command tent.

"I like the view." stated the senior officer. "but I don't like what it does for our chances." The Commissar grunted in response, pushing his hand inside the folds of his cloak and retrieving a hip flask, which he offered to Sharma.

"You've seen the reports from the sappers. We've lost a good proportion of our walkers and flyers. We lost another 2 Valkyrie last night. We're being penned in."

Commissar Jact raised an eyebrow. "Reckon somethings brewing too eh?" he grumbled. "Reckon it's soon?" he glanced speculatively at the small commander's wizen and scarred face. Sharma cleared his throat.

"Yes well, I've think I may have an idea about that..."

*****

INTRODUCTION

This game is a little bit of an experiment for me. Under the old codex I used to run with a lot of heavy weapons teams and my force was designed around the concept of a light infantry. We had one hellhound and a couple of Chimeras and could call on a Leman Russ and some Sentinels - but the army was actually all about the groundpounders and the sort of pounding they could withstand.

Lets be blunt, the old codex was pretty broken. The commander could lend a Ld9 to a 'castle' 12" across with everyone getting a reroll thanks to the regimental banner. The heavy weapon teams had 6 individual models, so it took at least 4 wounds to even affect their fire power. To top it off a commissar could add an additional +1 to every leadership test, and would shoot the commander if he blinked (and then take over). It was a nasty combination, to see it in effect, check out this battle report, where the combination of this castle and a few tanks decimated Dustins tau force at GfG's.

Under the new codex, heavy weapons have taken a serious nerf. The new two wound base means that heavy weapons are particularly vulnerable to S6 instantkill fire. In another more recent game against Mark, my hellhounds ripped his heavy weapon teams apart, killing three lascannon teams in a single shot, while the other shot killed 3 autocannons and whole command squad.

But I was facing an army I'd wanted to fight in a long time ... Eldar Saim Hann.

CUNNING PLAN

The plan was a simple goal but a demanding feat, create a rubix cube that Ant (commanding the Jetbikers) couldn't crack. It would either work spectacularly or fail miserably ... what to do?

My first action was to start where I always start - the opponent. Saim Hann can field:

• ultrafast, tough (for Eldar) infantry with good saves
  
• a tough uber-killy unit in the fortuned Seer council
  
• lots of nasty lance weaponry which will make a mockery of my lovely AV14 tanks

So looking at my Army Selection Tactica I focused on the deniance and heat of both armies. Looking at the 'heat' in the Imperial Guard army (when looking from the Eldar POV) can give you a strong insight into what NOT to take. It was quickly clear that taking AV14 was wasting points. If the lance weapons would reduce everything to AV12 then AV12's what they would get.

Secondly, like the Tau, the Eldar lack lots of longrange firepower. If I could create an army which could hit him in hiding (something I see Fritz doing a lot) while offering long-range durable firepower AND the potential to ambush any Jetbikes that get too close ... that'd do it!

And that was the key thing. Jetbikes have a twin linked shuriken catapult with only a 12" range. That mean that even with a 'reverse course', the jetbikes would still be within melta or rapid fire range, Importantly they would be easily in range of my Rough Riders... so that's where I started.

ARMY LIST

The Origins of the 'Leafblower Lite' have been playing in my mind for a long time, as many of you will already be aware, I'm a big big fan of utilising Mortars. So much so that I dedicate a lot of time to their brilliance. I was also inspired by Darkwynn's 'Leafblower Armylist' that appeared in the 'Ard Boyz Tournament.

Although there are many dissentors (not least of all the vitriolic Stelek) I liked the idea of an army list in guard that had both aggressive and defensive options, and most importantly - reach. I also wanted to create a cheaper version (the BoLs boys are very forgeworld orientated), which wouldn't table anyone in turn one, but would make the Light Infantry list viable.

HQ

• Commander Sharma with Powerfist, boltpistol and refractor field. Command team with a meltagun, a regimental standard and a lascannon team in a basic Chug (Chimera).
• Commissar Lord Jact Donagrodski with a bolt pistol, refractor field and powerfist.

Elites

• Sly Marbo (le soldat): Ripper Pistol, Poisoned Blade, Demo charge, nearly every USR you can think of.

Troops

• Leftenant Grub: Powerfist and laspistol, command team with a missile launcher and two grenade launchers in a Chug.
• Squad Alpha: Sergeant with a powerweapon, Autocannon and grenade launcher. Commissar with bolt pistol and power weapon.
• Squad Beta: Sergeant with a powerweapon, Autocannon and grenade launcher.
• Squad Charlie: Sergeant with a powerweapon, Autocannon and meltagun.
• Mortar Team #1
• Mortar Team #2
• Mortar Team #3
• Mortar Team #4
• Mortar Team #5

(NB: Yes, this is the first outing of all 15 mortar teams. Woop!)

• Leftenant Holler: laspistol and powerweapon, command team with a missile launcher and two grenade launchers in a chug.
• Squad Delta: Sergeant with a powerweapon, Missile Launcher and grenade launcher.
• Squad Echo: Sergeant with a powerweapon, Missile Launcher and grenade launcher.
• Squad Foxtrot: Sergeant with a powerweapon, Missile Launcher and meltagun.

Fast Attack

• Rough Riders [5] Sergeant with a powersword
• Rough Riders [5] Sergeant with a powersword

TOTAL: 1500pts

TACTICAL DEPLOYMENT
The ideal deployment is shown below. Effectively the two infantry platoons form two nasty tarpits with lots of ablative wounds and heavy/special/power weapons. The Commissar Lord adds an additional powerfist, but also allows the deployment to shift between a stubborn Ld10 uber unit and three Ld10 units (depending on the opponent/deployment).

The Commissar shares his 6" Ld10 with both uber-units AND anyone else in range (mortar teams for example. The commander in the middle drops Ld10 test 'bring it down' and 'fire on my target' on the MLs/ACs. To top it off the enemy needs to drop 7 men in a turn to force a Ld10 test. Oh and the regimental banner gives a reroll on both the Morale and pinning tests.

With the Eldar fielding catapults, the grenade launchers and meltagun would add additional 24" firepower ... I just hope he comes in range of my lasguns ... The rough riders, with an 18-24" range give a strong pre assault unit.

Against seercouncils the ideal is to catch them with rough riders and then pile in the 28 bodies ... even a rerollable 4+ invulnerable will still result in 4 dead seercouncil. And a stubborn 30 man unit will just tarpit or kill them.

So how would this 'oldschool' army do against Saim Hann jetbikes?

SAIM HANN ARMYLIST

Ant had owned his jetbike army a long time, however they'd only seen the light of day once. As such a lot of half constructed jetbikes and vypers were removed from the box, with stands being 'recycled' as the casulaties were removed.

• Autarch: Fusion Blaster and Shining Spear on jetbike.
• 4x6 jetbikes with 2 shuriken cannons each.
• 2 Vypers with Bright Lances
• 2 Vypers with Starcannons
• 1 Vyper with scatter laser
• A Vindicator tank (pretending to be a fire prism)

The first surprise was the lack of a seer council (which was a relief) ... this would prove interesting. I'd faced Enough times to know that I shouldn't underestimate his list though, based on previous performance.

DEPLOYMENT

Don't worry about blinking ... they're not going to move!

Unluckily for Ant we rolled for Annihilation and Pitched Battle Deployment. Ant would have to 'crack' this rubix cube.

Ant won the roll and opted to go second.

Taking advantage I deployed nearly everything, while holding the powerfist infantry command squad (and Chug) and Mr Marbo in reserve. I castled up on the left flank, deploying the 30 man squads in a morass of cover at 8-12" onto the board. The mortars and command Chugs deployed behind them with the roughriders. The CommieLord deployed in a trenchline offering Ld10 to all. One of the advantages of a 30 man unit is that it can pick up a Ld10 bonus for a heavy weapon team positioned feet away!

Viewing Ant's list - I decided to place two groups of mortars away to the right, in cover in the middle of the board. These being two killpoints, I positioned the rough riders behind them.

Ant's deployment focused on lining up his deployment zone, usually dehind some cover. Ant's inexperience showed through here as I was expecting more reserve moves from his jetbikes, utilising deniance. He faced me squarely though with the 4 of the vypers, the tank and 2 jetbike squadrons facing the castle while the autarch led the other two jetbike squads and the remaining vyper against my vulnerable centre.

TURN 1

The autocannons and missile launchers let rip!

Sharma ordered the two 'uber units' to fire. The missile launchers failed to hurt the fireprism (hounded by holofields and AV12) while the autocannons managed to unarm one of the brightlances. The mortars barked across the board like a turn barrage. I suddenly realised the weakness in my plan. Due to the large bases of the bikes, I could only strike at 1-2 bikes a turn. This meant that I was scoring a maximum of 7 hits (on three hit rolls) and usually 3-5 hits. Despite this, the mortars managed to kill a couple of jetbikes in turn one and force a leadership test.

The brightlance shot out and wrecked the command tank. The crew passed their pinning test (at Ld10 with a reroll) and aimed up their lascannon. The shuriken cannons managed to down one mortar team on the right and a guardsmen on the right. Meanwhile the Prism Cannon took careful aim at the morass of guardsmen and blewa gigantic hole in the lines, hitting 8 and killing 1. Hehehe!

TURN 2

After my last tournie experience of Marbo, I was surprised when both he and the chug arrived from reserves, I dropped them into the right flank and took some brave shots at the incoming jetbikes, downing one. The autocannons, lascannons and missile launchers switched targets and focussed on the vulnerable vypers, destroying the brightlances and shaking the other group. A single missile launcher (from infantry command) managed to immobilise the FirePrism.

Meanwhile the rough riders did what they do best and made a 22" charge into the nearest Jetbike squad attempting to pummel the pointy ears. The attack ended dissapointingly with only one kill on a 4+ to hit, 3+ to wound! The Jetbikes retaliated with a kill of their own and the combat was tied.

'Oh look ... a lictor with a bomb...' muttered Ant.

Marbo meanwhile stepped out the pub door behind the Autarch and calmly threw his demo charge at the Autarch. BS5 on a demo charge is lovely, but Marbo rolled a 1 to wound the Autarch. So instead the jetbike warrior next to the Autarch died... boo!

The mortars opened up again, showing a remarkable hit rate again (I think I rolled one barrage scatter at the initial, and with Ant's dice!) This time they managed to wound, pin and then rout the rightmost jetbike squad. With this unit gone, the other jetbikes turbo boosted to the left, abandoning the castle. The Vypers followed suit, with only the Fire Prism holding fast (and shooting another 3 men). The roughriders depended on their power weaponed sergeant, and despite the T4 they managed to kill a single rider to the eldars failure. Despite this, the Eldar held.

TURN 3

Marbo stalked out from cover and moved towards the rough riders. Meanwhile the 3 Autocannons, 3 Missile Launchers and the command Lascannon gained 'bring it down' on the FirePrism. The shots pattered on the armour, but the autocannons proved to much and score another immobilised result, destroying the tank.

The Mortars fired again, peppering a few wound of the already bothered jetbikes. Marbo made it to combat and finishes off the Jetbikes single handed ('oh look a 65pt lictor with a bomb' said Ant). The roughriders wheeled about and charged the two starcannon vypers, however they needed a 6 to hit with their krak grenades... they fail.

Ant was now looking to clear up some killpoints, as I'd amassed 3 so far (two jetbike groups, a Vyper squadron) to his none. He moved forward aggressively, putting a wound on marbo (despite him going to ground) with his two starcannon vypers. Meanwhile, the Autarch shot up the Chug on the right.

Autarch epicfails at point blank range.

The Autarch failed to hit the Chug at point blank range with a fusion gun (he rolled a 1, thereby yet another example of how awesomely lucky Chugs are!), but took it out with his brightlance. The Scatter Laser on the lone vyper targetted one of the mortar squads and between it and a fast jetbikes squad they massacred a unit. The other unit remained untouched, the 'go to ground' having soaked up all the firepower Ant could muster.

TURN 4

The Heavy weapons teams tracked sideways and targetted. The Lascannon made a classic shot and snuffed out the Autarch with a single ***puff*** of smoke (he clearly needed taking out of his misery after the last turn epic fail)...

The Autocannons targetted the lone Vyper for an easy killpoint, but the combination of glancing and holofield proves frustratingly effective and it escaped with just a shaken result.

The Missile Launchers targetted the Jetbikes attacking the mortars and along with all the mortars on the board reduced this unit to a single member. Despite having a Ld8, the model stuck with the fluff and ran for his life!

The infantry command squad sidestepped the immolated Autarch and charged the Vyper. However, again the Vyper gained a six to hit and it proved too much for the Sergeant and his squad.

In retaliation, the Eldar targetted Marbo (failing to kill again, thanks 2+), the lone Eldar Vyper raced back behind lines while the Infantry squad felt exposed. Not as exposed as the rough riders who were hacked down by twinlinked shuriken fire.

TURN 5

I'd secured five killpoints to Ant's two in the last turn. Ant had a brave crack at both Marbo and the infantry squad (who'd wisely retreated back to the tank wreck for cover and gained a 3+ cover save). In retaliation I pummelled the 'hidden' jetbikes with mortar rounds and killed another couple - but to no avail.

FINAL SCORE: 5-2 to the light infantry

CONCLUSION

I don't think this proved a true representation of the anti-Saim Hann force. The potential of this many mortars is ridiculous, they comprise a lot of bases and the combination of 15 multihit, multiwound, multi-pinning indirect fire shots is great. At 300pts its a steal. I won't say they're anything stupid like autowin, but they can persistently chip away at units across the whole board.

On an objective based game, this battle would have been a lot harder. The flexibility to deploy lots of squads would have helped, but the 30 man fire base was tempting.

Half way through the game, Ant was scratching his head, trying to work out how he could possibly 'crack' this formation. Afterwards we discussed the formation and its weaknesses. He did point out that in a tournament game he would have hidden/ouranged the mortars and picked off the outlying mortars. In a tournament I would have castled up totally.

The strength of this formation is that it represents a rock and a hard place. It can hit you in hiding, or when you come out you'll face lascannon/missile launchers. Against hordes the massed mortars are far more lethal than any tank. Against mech its got plenty of durable antimech and the 'bring it down' can really hurt. Against pricey close combat specialists (like striking scorpions, harlequins, Assault marines or Terminators) the big units have enough models to make attrition a real problem. The two roughrider units are built for termie killing and can hit in waves.

The weakness is that its pretty static (which makes you vulnerable) and if your 'detterence' of melta/powerweapons and heavy weapons fail, you're wide open. The units are also only durable in cover, outside cover guardsmen die ... but that's never changed.

Marbo's an optional extra ... but as the ultimate 'swiss army knife' marbo can kill something important, distract the enemy and potentially go down fighting. Which is nice to have. He's also quite hard to kill (although only when being shot at in cover!)

FEEDBACK

Please let at it. This list isn't what I usually play and is actually quite boring to play (there's little to no risk involved), I prefer the mixed army of M&Ms (Mech and Mortars) but I was missing the old approach...

My plan is to replay Ant in a month with reversed armies ... forcing me to learn the Saim Hann.

but how would you break the cube?