Thursday, November 15, 2007

Battle Report: The Battle of Cyclades, Part 5


In an effort to take advantage of their successful repulsion of the Eldar attack, the Arcadian Planetary Defense Force pours troops into the fray to overwhelm the Eldar lines in a vicious counterattack.

Imperial Guard Forces: abyrne
Eldar Forces: Darkwing

Forces
Imperial Guard (E Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment)
Command HQ with Captain and Preacher (5)171
Command Section (5)45
Infantry Squad (10)73
Infantry Squad (10)88
Command Section (5)45
Infantry Squad (10)83
Infantry Squad (10)73
Stormtroopers (10)155
Leman Russ Battle Tank145
Leman Russ Battle Tank140
Chimera80
Total Points:1018


Eldar
Farseer (1)120
Striking Scorpions with Exarch (8)176
Fire Dragons with Exarch (6)146
Dire Avengers with Exarch (5)84
Howling Banshees (5)80
Guardian Defender Squad with Warlock (17)159
Guardian Storm Squad with Warlock (8)96
Rangers (5)95
Dark Reapers (3)111
Swooping Hawks with Exarch (6)152
Fire Prism Grav Tank170
Vyper Jetbike105
Total Points:1495


The Imperial Guard Defense LineTurn 1
The Imperial Guardsmen formed a strong right flank, five squads deep, and anchored by a Leman Russ. On the left flank was positioned another Leman Russ, supported by an anti-tank Heavy Weapons Squad and a unit of Storm Troopers. The entire army began to march forward toward the Eldar lines. Massed lasgun fire killed one of the Eldar Rangers, hiding on the rocky hill ahead. The Stormtroopers advanced on the left flank, and shots from their plasma guns hit the Eldar Fire Prism, stunning the crew. A lascannon shot followed up, stunning the crew again, and then finally the Leman Russ' battlecannon smashed the Fire Prism from the sky, a burning wreck. Other heavy weapons opened up, and an autocannon shot destroyed the Vyper Jetbike, while a heavy bolter shot killed one of the Dark Reapers.

The Eldar, with their primarly short ranged weaponry, ran forward to attack the guardsmen, with their long range shooters firing in support. The Farseer used Guide on the Dark Reapers, and their reaper launchers took down three guardsmen. The Rangers fired with their sniper rifles, killing two more guardsmen, and the Swooping Hawks, flying in support of the Striking Scorpions on the left flank, killed three more.

The Dire Avengers and Guardian Defenders advance to meet the Imperial Guard AttackTurn 2
Seeing the Eldar surge forward on their right flank, the Imperial Guard Commander ordered a slow withdrawal, so as to keep the Eldar at a distance for a little longer. Then they opened fire. The Stormtroopers on the Imperial left flank laid down a devastating barrage on the Guardian Storm Squad. That added to additional lasgun and lascannon fire completely wiped them out. A follow up barrage from the autocannons killed four of the five Howling Banshees. In the center, the three heavy bolters opened fire, killing five Guardian Defenders, and the HQ Chimera's multilaser killed one more. Lasgun fire killed one of the Fire Dragons, and then the Leman Russ' Battlecannon barked out, killing three Fire Dragons, their Exarch, and one Ranger. The last surviving Fire Dragon began to fall back, as did the three remaining Rangers.

The Eldar, having taken extremely heavy casualties, tried to pick up the pieces. The Rangers regrouped and took up positions behind a wall next to the Dark Reapers. The Dire Avengers and Guardian Defenders advanced to meet the guardsmen head on. The Dark Reapers opened fire, killing a single guardsmen, but the Swooping Hawks made up for the deficiency by killing six guardsmen and wiping out a unit. Then the Defenders opened up at close range with their Shuriken Catapults, killing seven guardsmen and wiping out another unit. The Dire Avengers fired and killed one more.

The Swooping Hawk Exarch comes under attack by the Imperial Guard reinforcementsTurn 3
On the Imperial right flank, a unit of guardsman reinforcements arrived, right next to the advancing Swooping Hawks and Striking Scorpions. Another squad arrived to the rear of the Imperial lines. The HQ Chimera advanced to meet the Guardian Defender Squad in the center, and disembarked the HQ squad, consisting of Captain Byrne and his command section, consisting of a Preacher and no less than four flamers. The four flamers disgorged gallons of flaming liquid upon the hapless Defenders, killing nine of them. The HQ squad then charged into the fray against the remnants of the unit. A Guardian struck down one of the guardsmen before they were wiped out to a man.

Other Imperial fire killed five of the Swooping Hawks, leaving the Exarch as the sole survivor. The guardsmen then charged into combat with the Exarch, who quickly cut a guardsman down. A nearby Striking Scorpion moved to help out and killed another.

The Imperial autocannons opened fire and killed two Dire Avengers, while the Leman Russ' Battlecannon killed two of the Rangers, leaving but a sole survivor.

The Dark Reapers fired their launchers at the HQ squad that had just wiped out the Guardian Defenders, and killed three of them. The Dire Avenger Exarch leapt down from his position on the rocks, fired his shuriken pistol, killing another member of the HQ squad, and then leapt into close combat with Captain Byrne. The captain held his ground and raised his power fist to strike, but the Exarch quickly struck him down with a sweep of his power sword.

On the Eldar left flank, the Striking Scorpions piled into the melee in support of the Swooping Hawk Exarch. Their chainswords killed three guardsmen while their Exarch killed two more. The guardsmen managed to kill one of the Striking Scorpions before breaking and getting annihilated as they fled.

The Dire Avenger Exarch wreaks his vengeance on Captain ByrneTurn 4
Another squad of Imperial Guard reinforcements arrived, and the HQ Chimera plowed forwards, heading directly towards the Farseer and the Dark Reapers. The Stormtroopers on the Imperial left flank continued to chase after the last survivor of the Howling Banshee Squad, as she took cover behind the wreck of the Fire Prism and some rocks in turn.

The guardsmen opened fire with another barrage, and killed three of the Striking Scorpions. One guardsman's plasma gun overheated, killing him. The Leman Russ fired its battlecannon at the Striking Scorpions, but missed and killed three guardsmen instead. The heavy bolters fire managed to kill two more Striking Scorpions. Massed lasgun fire from multiple squads succeeded in killing the Dire Avenger Exarch, who was caught alone after taking out Captain Byrne. A newly arrived guardsman squad, already having taken three casualties from friendly fire, charged into combat with the Swooping Hawk Exarch and the Striking Scorpions. They managed to kill a Striking Scorpion, leaving only the two Exarchs left. The Exarch each killed a guardsman in return.

The Farseer, seeing the Chimera driving his way, reached over his back and drew his Witchblade. He ran ahead of the Dark Reapers and leapt at the tank. With a sweep of his blade he lopped off the end of the Chimera's multilaser, rendering it useless. The Dark Reapers continued to fire, killing three more guardsmen, while in the melee, the Striking Scorpion Exarch killed two guardsmen.

The Farseer is assaulted by the Imperial Guard Command SectionTurn 5
Seeing that victory was in sight, the Arcadian Forces surged foward. The Chimera drove right through what was once the Eldar lines in an attempt to run down the Dark Reapers. The Stormtroopers had advanced far enough to see into the Howling Banshee's hiding place, and gunned her down. The Imperial Guard heavy bolters then mowed down the Dark Reapers. A Imperial Guard command section then assaulted the Farseer, wounded him, and then cut him down as he fled. Their pursuit led them into contact with the last Eldar Ranger. The Ranger cut down one of the guardsmen, and then was cut down himself.

This left only the Swooping Hawk and Striking Scorpion Exarchs. Throwing themselves into the fray, they wiped out the remainder of the guardsmen they were in combat with, and then followed up into the thick of the Imperial lines. The Swooping Hawk Exarch shot one guardsman with his Hawk's Talon, then killed another in close combat before he was surrounded and killed. The Striking Scorpion Exarch shot two down with his Scorpion's Claw, and leapt into close combat with the guardsmen, killing one more.

The last survivor, the Striking Scorpion Exarch is overwhelmed by sheer numbersTurn 6
Seeing as the Striking Scorpion Exarch was the sole survivor of the Eldar Army, the guardsmen mobbed him. Several squads charged into the fray, and the Exarch was not able to fend them off. The Colonel went into the thick of the combat and cut down the Exarch with his power sword. The field was swept clean of the Eldar.

Conclusion
With the counterattack successful, the Imperial guard only needed to push forward to completely wipe out the Eldar Warhost and force them to abandon their invasion.

February 18, 2002

No comments: