Graham had threatened to come late but came early and threatendd to leave straight away instead. Mike, Paul and I persuaded him to stay. A decision he shortly came to reconsider.
I took the pink menace with 2 Arkalsts and a pimped up CO at double cost for CV10. Mike took Eldar (4 serpents plus carried infantry), Graham borrowed my Marine Corps (IFVs, Bikes, Grav Bike and infantry) and Paul had his Stargrunt human army(IFVs with SMs and infantry with SM upgrade).
T1
We each took a corner and used static deployment. I reminded every one that Arkalasts have Pulse. This was important. Graham headed toward the centre of the table but fell short of the BUA (cover lvl 5) in the centre. Mike headed to his left to approach Paul. Paul borowed from the Pax Arcadian Advanced Tactical Manual and set up shop in the nearest cover and gave Mike a bit of kicking as Mike tried to approach him. I headed left toward Graham and started to give him a shoeing at long range.
T2
Next turn Graham reformed his battlegroup to come and get me then promptly failed his command. Mike took cover to protect his forces. Paul re-arranged his lines in the cover. I proceeded to wipe Graham off the map. He had limited the effect of pulse but 2 Arkalasts at under half range with free opportunity fire, initiative fire and 3 command turns are very unforgiving, particularly this last roll....
T3
Unsurprisingly Grahma failed his army break and left the table. At this point Graham may well have considered going home. Mike brought some fire to bear on Paul with limited effect. Paul decided he'd had enough and wanted to take Mike down so broke cover and set up in a nice lone battle line…and failed his next comman roll. An Arkalast's wet dream, all I needed were 2 good moves to get around on to his flank. Proof positive that the Kraytonians are truelly blessed in the eyes of the creator… I rolled snake eyes and got 2 goes. Paul managed to suppress 1 Arkalast but the other had a perfect shot along the line. At this point I'd like to thank Paul Stanton for introducing us to the wonderful straight line laser that clearly showed Paul Harris' units were in for a kicking (see the red line in the picture). As it happened I destroyed very little but I did suppress most of the line and importantly those that were facing off Mike.
T4
Graham deployed his 2nd army, using MC again… and failed his first command roll. His evening was looking bad. Mike, now overjoyed that Paul was suppressed promptly swung around Paul's right flank and close assaulted him. Paul saw off 1 assault but lost the other and also lost a subsequent assault then Mike ground to a halt still facing down Paul's flank line. Recall that Paul's troops are in a big long line, at the other end of which are 2 Arkalast and me with a laser line… Paul fired off what ever was unsuppressed but to little effect then failed his command. The Arkalasts now had a field day, the live was so long I even ended up rolling 1 dice against Mike's poor infantry. Having taken both Mike and Paul to well below break I then moved to the central BUA as I knew replacement armies were coming right behind me. Sadly for me I didn't quite make it there which proved to be critical.
T5
Graham manages to get his troops moving and gets in range of my Kraytonians and more importantly shoots on their rear scoring a suppression. Mike fails break with the Eldar so leave the table. Paul with a high CV passes so send his remaining troops into cover towards me. With only 1 tank unsuppressed I turn to face Graham, as it barely twiches Graham opens up scoring hits but no suppression. I turn and waste an MC IFV but then fail command. I now have 1 tank facing Paul and the other facing Graham and in a mess as 1 of them can constantly suppress me.
T6
Graham reforms his troops, I opportunity fire and get a kill but then get suppresed as Graham amasses fire power against me. Mike arrives with new Hunter Scavengers and moves toward Paul's remaing troops. Paul fires off smart missiles at me scoring hits but no suppresion.
T7
Graham arrays his MC in a splendid line a mere 10cm from my tanks, opportunity fire knocks down another of his units but he can afford that. Electing to fire rather than assault he scores a suppression on me then fails command. Mike fails command straight off so does not move. Paul fails break so leaves the table. I turn my unsuppressed tank that was facing Paul to face Graham. Opportunity fire from Graham score hits and suppression so my go is over.
T8
The zenith of Graham's FWC gaming arrives. Under initiative he pours 32 dice needing 5s into 1 Arkalast. Scratch 1 pink menace. Under command he repeats the process but I manage to save some hits and am still on the board. Graham passes his 2nd command roll and another 32 dice say the remaing Arkalast is toastand I've no units left.
At that point we called it as it was 10.45pm and with the Kraytonians dead the evening wasn't going to get batter than that for Mike, Paul and Graham.
Great fun and we all laughed, particularly hysterical was Mike's recon roll at 5cm away… Don't roll a '1'. Take a wild guess!!
Important safety tip: Always remember Arkalasts have pulse
Oh and no blunders last night either. One double '6' but that was for Mike's break rather than a command roll. Mike and I both had a doubel '1'.
That laser line that Paul showed us at FWC bootcamp, have you got one of your own now then?
ReplyDeleteNice write up, like the new (new to me anyway) piece of rocky outpost terrain that was at the centre of the table.
I am liking the skirmish style games you do, they would work well with a small defence force type army!
Yay the pink devils got shot up!
Huzzah!!!
The centre piece is one of Paul Harries' snapdragon bit I think, it is very well painted by some chap named Rob (from Cheltenham as it happens) but he and Paul are out of touch so getting some more done is tricky.
DeleteYes, Alan was buying one so I ordered one too. Expensive bits of kit (£20) but solves hours of arguements/fun ;-)
And yes, I have a perfect small defence force in mind :-)
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