RTT with Dark Eldar: 3 Games

I'm going to do my best to make an accurate recount of my three games at the Realm RTT.  I don't have pictures or notes, so many things are going to probably be off but it should provide a "close enough" overview of each game.

Game One:
Mike D's Kan Wall Orks
2x Big Meks with KFF
3x3 Kanz with Rokkit Launchers
2 Deff Dreadz
3x11 Boyz in Trukks
2x11 Lootas

Mission: Seize Ground with 5 Objectives (4 objectives scatter before the game)
Deployment: Spearhead

My opponent wins the roll to go first and sets up his Kan Wall as close to me as he possibly can.  There was a big L.O.S blocking ruin / building in the center of the table which he used as cover for the majority of his army.  His Lootas set up in the backfield ready to pump shots into anything that made a move towards objectives.  I should note that my opponent does not play Orks regularly and only realized after the game that his Lootas have a 48" range (as opposed to the 36" he thought).  Had we realized this earlier, it would have changed the dynamic of the game to some degree - he probably would have gotten at least one or two rounds of shots off with them.  

Seeing my opponents list I castle up in the far corner hoping to make use of my mobility and superior range.  Night Shields were huge in this game - his 18" Rokkits were reduced to 12" and I could outrange his Big Shootas.  His Lootas were set up so that only one posed an immediate threat, while the other would have to be dealt with before I made a push for objectives.

Ork Turn 1:  My opponent moves up, tries to shoot but is out of range.

Dark Eldar Turn 1:  I shift my army along the short board edge away from the advancing Kanz.  I'm in position to wreck one Trukk, immobilize another, and put enough wounds into the Lootas to force a morale check - to my delight they fail and run off the board.

Ork Turn 2: My opponent moves up again, his shooting immobilizes a Venom.


Dark Eldar Turn 2: I focus my fire on the remaining Boyz and their Trukks and am able to eliminate both Trukks and 2 squads of Boyz.  My opponent only has one Boyz squad left and no mobility for them.

Ork Turn 3:  More running up, Lootas are still out of range (this is one case where his Lootas would have probably been able to shoot and potentially harm something).

Dark Eldar Turn 3:  I keep shifting away from that scary-ass Kan Wall running towards me.  With literally no dreadnaught defense on my infantry, I know I'm screwed if it reaches me.  I finish off his remaning Boyz squad and put 3 wounds on the Lootas - just enough to make them run off the board.

The game went for a full 7 turns, but my mobility and ranged attacks were just too much.  Night shields against things with an 18" range are brutal.  Many kudos to my opponent who was a great sport about it, and had a very nicely themed army (and ended up winning the Players Choice for Best Army).  It just happened to be a bad match-up for him.  Looking forward to a rematch, Mike.

Result: Win (3-0 objectives) 20 Battle Points
Tournament Standing: In a 3-way tie for first

Game Two:
Chris M's Battlewagon Orks
Gazghull
Big Mekk with KFF
3x20 Boyz in Battlewagons
3 Mega Armor Nobz in Battlewagon
5 Nobz in Battlewagon
3 Warbuggies

Mission: Modified KP (HQ are worth 3, Troops are worth 2, everything else is worth 1)
Deployment: Annihilation

This was a rematch of my first game at the Sprue Posse Grand Prix, but Chris brought a much different list.  In that game I lost sight of the objective (KP) and failed to eliminate threats completely late in the game.  I was determined to avenge my loss!

My opponent won the roll to go first and set up a full 12" in across the middle of his deployment zone.

Once again I chose a nice, cozy corner to castle up in.

This was one of those games were there was so much action, chaos and carnage that it was absolutely impossible to keep track of everything.  My opponent played it well, fanning out to essentially prevent me from escaping my corner and was in my ranks, charging vehicles on the second turn.  My Venoms and Trueborn lit up everything that came out, but I had a hard time cracking the armor of the Battlewagons.  It wasn't until I got rear shots that I was able to open a few up.  The crucial move was when I exploded a Battlewagon with the Big Mekk in it, and my opponent placed it in a location that allowed me to charge it with my Succubus and Haemonculi.  The game ended after that move, and it was just enough to give me the tie. 

By the end of the game I killed:
Big Mekk, Ghazgull, 1 Boyz Squad, 2 Nob Squads (1 Troops) and 2 Battlewagons for 13 KP's
My opponent killed:
Wrack Squad, Wych Squad, Trueborn squad, 2 Ravagers, 3 Raiders, 3 Venoms for 13 KP's

Both of my games against Chris have been absolute slaughter-fests.  He's a great general and very much a challenge to go up against.

Result: Tie - 13 Battle Points
Tournament Standing: 2nd place

Game Three:
Erick K's Imperial Guard
Company Command Squad in Chimera
4 Melta Veteran Squads in Chimera
1 Plasma Veteran Squad in Chimera
2 Vendetta
3 Hydra
Manticore
Manticore
 
Mission: Seize Ground with 3 Objectives
Deployment: Spearhead

Erick has become one of my favorite opponents to go up against, which is good because this was my third Realm RTT and my third time facing him.  We were previously 1-1 against each other, with me getting the first win using the old Dark Eldar codex and him getting the second.  This time we found ourselves on the top table ready for a winner take all game. 

My pre-game plan was simple; if I got first turn I would start everything on the table except for the Warrior Venoms and try to take out two transports ASAP.  If I got second I would reserve everything and shorten the game as much as I could.  Even before we rolled off, I was thinking that the second option would have probably been best for me.

We roll off, and I win the first turn.  I take it, and set my army up spread out just enough so that on the 16.7% chance Erick seizes, I'll avoid some pain from the Manticores.

Erick sets up castled in the corner.  He has a very nicely painted army and even though I've seen it before its quite impressive to see 6 Chimeras, 3 Hydras and 2 Manticores flanked by 2 Vendettas nestled up closely in a corner.

Erick rolls to seize, and he does!

Imperial Guard Turn 1:
The parking lot moves up.  He manages to wreck both Wrack Raiders with volleys from the Hyrdas and Manticores.  

Dark Eldar Turn 1:
Losing two vehicles hurts, but it's nothing I haven't faced before.  Heck, there were two games in the Sprue Posse Grand Prix in which I lost four on the opening round of shooting.  But at this point I did get a little down on myself for not trusting my instincts and going for the full reserve.  I fan out and move back to avoid getting shot at by the Chimeras.  My shooting drops a Lascannon off a Vendetta (woot).

Imperial Guard Turn 2:
More moving up.  He explodes a Wych Raider, killing two and causing them to be pinned.  What's worse is that since I moved them back, instead of towards an objective they were truly in no mans land.  More shooting downs a Ravager and causes a Wrack squad to be pinned.

Dark Eldar Turn 2:
My Venom comes in and shoots at a disembarked Guard squad, killing enough to force a break check but otherwise shooting is inefficient.

Imperial Guard Turn 3:
He is in a pretty good central position now - close to all the objectives, so his moving has slowed.  His shooting wrecks a Trueborn Venom and immobilizes the Warrior Venom. 

Dark Eldar Turn 3:
My Wracks move up to some terrain close to 2 objectives.  I get some side shots on a Chimera and explode it.  More shooting kills the squad inside. 

Imperial Guard Turn 4:
Erick is really starting to thin out my ranks.  Those Manticores and Hydras are good for 2 wrecked Vehicles per turn and I'm pretty sure they met their quota this game.

Dark Eldar Turn 4:
My Wracks start the mad scramble for objectives, I take pot shots where I can but don't do much. 

The game goes on for the full 7 turns.  7 turns against a shooty Imperial Guard list is a tough task for any army.  When it was all said and done I barely avoided a massacre and had one Wrack contesting an objective, with the rest of my army shot off the board.  Erick goes up 2-1 in our RTT match-ups with a well deserved win.

Result: Loss (0-2 Objectives) 7 Battle Points

When it was all said and done Erick came in first with Imperial Guard, Chris came in second with his Orks and I squeaked by with third with Dark Eldar.  Much like the last tournament at the Bunker, I got games in against the guys who finished first and second.  Makes for great practice.