Mann's Sanctum - 1850 pts Dark Eldar Vs Imperial Guard

Lord Commisar Scared Mann looks upon the battlefield in this forsaken sector of the citycalled Vilograd. Despite the onslaught of the Eldar offensive taxing the already overstretched Imperial defensive line, but the Inquisiton has ‘requested’ that he send his men of the Cadian 3569th into the sector to scour the city for strategic locations against the Eldar pirates. The Inquisitor has stated that the location known as Ph-879000 is the most vital of the locations of the city due to its position upon a cross-street right next to an open field, thus providing the first line of defense against the Dark Eldar raiders. 

However amongst the Imperial Guard, they know of this location as the Devil’s Field for this is where the Eldar pirates would hunt their prey and run them out into the field to wisp away those that are foolish enough to come to the location. But alas in the name of the God-Emperor, it is a duty he must do. He loves his men like how he would love his son, and his men had known him to be a stern but fair man. When he gave the mission briefing to his men, he was surprised that some of his men voiced out their opinions, caring about his safety more than their own. A truly touching sight indeed for the grizzled commissar for he had never received such a heartwarming response.

Alas they are now out in the Devil’s Field, seeing the bloated dead among the ruins and broken roads. His men are familiar with urban warfare and they proceed to take careful steps in the ruins, scouting for any sign of a strategic push…..

Pregame and deployment.

Well, it has been a while since I faced an Imperial Guard player, and being able to play with Steve is a true pleasure for me as I actually need to face against something that could outmatch me in raw attrition of firepower and durability (That sadomasochistic part of me never change whenever I want a good match) and also I had a bloodlust of wanting to wreak havoc on lots of models that are non-space marine.

Steve being a boss!

His list consists of these few things

Lord Commisar with Meltabombs, Carapece armour, Power Weapon

Infantry platoon with;

1 x Lascannon Heavy Weapons team

2 x Autocannons Heavy Weapons team

1 x Missile Launchers Heavy Weapons team

2 x Infantry squad with grenade launcher

1 x Infantry squad with plasma gun

1 x Platoon command squad with 2 sniper rifles

1x  Grenade Launcher special team

Veteran Squad with 1 meltagun, 2 plasmagunners and 1 heavy bolter in Chimera

Veteran Squad with 1 meltagun, 2 plasmagunners and 1 heavy bolter in Chimera  

1 Leman Russ

1 Leman Russ

1 Leman Russ Executioner

My list consist of;

HQ

1. Archon

Venom Blade

Haywire Grenade

Combat Drugs

Shadowfield

2. Baron Sathonyx

Custom Skyboard

Hellglaive

Splinter Pistol

Phantasm Grenade Launcher

Shadowfield

total pts: 105 pts

Elites

1. Kabalite Trueborn Squad

4 x Kabalite Trueborn with Blaster

Venom with 2 Splinter Cannon

2. Kabalite Trueborn Squad

4 x Kabalite Trueborn with Blaster

Venom with 2 Splinter Cannon

Troops

1. Kabalite Warriors Squad

4 x Kabalite Warriors

1 x Kabalite with Blaster

Venom with 2 Splinter Cannon

2. Kabalite Warriors Squad

4 x Kabalite Warriors

1 x Kabalite with Blaster

Venom with 2 Splinter Cannon

3. Kabalite Warriors Squad

4 x Kabalite Warriors

1 x Kabalite with Blaster

Raider with Nighshields

4. Kabalite Warriors Squad

4 x Kabalite Warriors

1 x Kabalite with Blaster

Raider with Nighshields

5. Wyches

8 x Wyches with Haywire Grenades

1 x Hekatrix with Venom Blade and Haywire grenades

Raider with Nighshields

Fast Attack

1. Beastmaster Pack

2 x Beasmaters

1 x Beastmaster with Venom Blade

5 x Khymeara

4 x Razorwing Flock

Heavy Support

1. Ravager

3 x Dark Lances

Nightshields

2.  Razorwing Fighter

4 x Monoscythe Missiles

2 x Dark lances

1 x Twin-linked Splinter rifle

Flickerfield

3. Razorwing Fighter

4 x Monoscythe Missiles

2 x Dark lances

1 x Twin-linked Splinter rifle

Flickerfield

I wanted to try out what happens when I take two flyers instead. It was interesting to know that the list that I wanted to use for the day is the 'right' pick against IG barring another Wych squad (Just take the second Wych squad down and I get this 1850 pts list). Interesting. 

We rolled and we got ‘The Scouring’ for our mission of the day which I personally call the mission that requires the most maneuvering and greater planning, and the deployment is Vanguard strike, which is perhaps the worst deployment zone ever second only to Dawn of War in 5 th.

The table is shown below.

He managed to get the Command trait that allowed him to move through cover, which is a boon for him while I get the useless trait of having acute sense on my outflanking things. Useful if I had something like War Walkers, but useless because I do not have any form of outflanking nonsense.

He deployed and made himself at home with the large amount of ruins, while I have to cram almost everything in the only ruin that is blocking LOS. It was not apparent here, but later in the game (about turn 4) Steve realized that some of his men are not deployed on the table as they are covered by a person’s bag which made him forgot a squad of 10 guys. As a good sport, I let them come in as reserves (It will haunt me later, but it is a friendly game after all and I just want to have a good time).

As we flipped the markers and see what are the victory points on the objectives here is what we got (note that this are all in relation to my point of view);

Bottom left a.k.a Dark Eldar Deployment Zone : 4 VP

Top left: 2 VP

Top Middle: 3 Vp

Bottom Middle: 2 VP

Top Right a.k.a IG deployment zone: 3 VP

Bottom Right: 1 VP

So with that I attempted to seize the initative to press on my advantage, but alas I failed big time.

Turn 1

Immediately a shell was fired from one of the Leman Russes, and as Lord Commisar Mann turned to see what is the Leman Russs shooting at, several flying corpses of Eldar Pirates. The pirates had come for them. “MEN, FIGHT FOR GLORY AND DEATH!!!!!!” The commissar is greeted by a great cheer and the Cadians are now waging war. The thunder of the shells from the Leman Russes could be heard, but then one of them was blown apart by the retaliatory fire by the pirates. Soon enough the ear-piercing cries of men dying a painful death could be heard. This will indeed be a violent battle…..

Imperial Guard

The Imperial Guard do not even bother to move much save for a few elements and proceed to shoot the bejesus of whatever they see which is essentially some elements of the Beastmaster squad and the Trueborn Venom. Suffice to say, the Venom is blasted to hell, and the beastmaster took some damage but are still in the fight thanks to the Baron’s Stealth and the ruin.

Dark Eldar

With that, I realized that this will be a true challenge indeed and I proceed to move to some strategic locations and try to negate the cover saves of the Leman Russes whenever possible and also get some of those heavy weapons team down. The Beastmaster proceed to sit on the objectives as marching onwards equals to a deathwish for now. My shooting went well as I managed to destroy the Leman Russ and killed off one of the Autocannon heavy weapons team. I also managed to wound one of the missile launcher heavy weapons team for my next volley. I proceed to turboboost the Wych raider closer.

Turn 2
Lord Commisar Mann soon received information that his location is now drawing some of the Eldar pirates in larger numbers. His men are the droplets of blood, and the Eldar pirates are the sharks that are now congregating upon the scent of his men. His men would have to move out to prevent themselves from being outflanked by the superior speed of the Eldar pirates while pressing on their advantage of firepower. Several of the xenos vehicle went up in flames and are crashing from the firepower of the Hammer of the Emperor. But alas it is not to last, as the screaming jets of the Eldar aircraft blasted in the air, followed soon by the chaotic cacophany of missiles whistling towards their targets and detonating, causing much havoc. 

 As he turned back, he was greeted by the sight of mutilated men, some still very much alive and will have to bear the agonies of a painful death. The Xenos weaponry is such that there is not even a single crater from the missile impacting upon its target. Techno-sorcery such as these are always the stuff of nightmares for men who are unfamiliar with them. Indeed some of his men are now running out in the open trying to gun down the Eldar boat-like skimmers but the dark sorceries of the Xenos envelops the vehicles in a shield of darkness causing his men to fire blindly into the darkness made manifest.

Imperial Guard
In his movement phase he moved his Chimera out from the alley and also some of his Guardsmen out to try and gun down my vehicles, while other elements of his army are now attempting to move to close the gap in the defenses that I have made with my opening volley. In the shooting phase he managed to gun down my Ravager (d'oh!) and immobilized one of my Raiders and also one of my Warrior Venoms.

Dark Eldar
In my turn, my Razorwings came in and with that I planned for my big offensive to come into being.  My Wych raider moved 6" and disembarked my wyches and the Archon for some beat-face moments. In the shooting phase one of the Razorwing attempted to shoot the Leman Russ but did nothing. As for the other one, it managed to wipe out the largest blob away which makes me happy. My shooting also managed to kill off the missile launchers heavy weapons team and also the Lascannon heavy weapons team. In the assault phase, I managed to pull my charge towards the last heavy weapons team and wipe it out.

Turn 3
Before long the situation has gone from bad to worse, and the Eldar are pushing even further into his defenses and he knew that they will have to fight even harder. If given a choice he would have called for a retreat, but two things prevented him from doing so; the Inquisition and the Eldar pirate's speed. His men are more important to him than his own life, but his men would not leave him as well. 

"Lord Commisar, the situation is getting from bad to worse and we need to retreat!" The young commander is a capable commander and indeed have deduced the same thing that the Commisar had thought about as well.
"No Riez, we must hold. If we run they will shoot us in the back and take us prisoners....and being captured by them is as bad as being caught by the Chaos cultists. Our men must hold." Mann's voice is calm and yet resolute. 
"Yes sir." Riez gave a crisp reply and command the rest of his men to hold their ground. Mann's only hope that there is a miracle somehow that would come their way.

Imperial Guard

As you can from this pic, this is essentially what is left at the point of the Imperial Guard at the time (barring the reserve squad that I will let Steve enter from reserves later). With his remaining men he proceed to try and shoot at as much vehicles that he could see, and he managed to gun down the other Warrior Venom.He also managed to strip two hull points from the Wych Raider, and killed a single Wych.

Dark Eldar
Seeing that victory is in my grasp I moved a few guys out from the craters and immobilized vehicles and moved them to the closest objectives while also moving my Beastmasters out to go in for the kill. Both my flayers went off the table edge and are back in reserves.

In the shooting phase, I tried to kill the Leman Russ and the Chimeras but I failed in both respects. But at least there is one thing that would make me happy; the death of the Leman Russ via haywire. And I know it will kill it too.

But fate decided to be a bitch to me and alas they failed (even with that reroll from their fleet)

Turn 4
"Sir! We have located what looked like their leader sir!" Riez's response gave the opening that the Lord Commisar needed. If he could decapitate the head, the body will surely fail. 
"Riez, give the command to kill that leader and make sure that it remains that way!!!!"
"Yes sir!" Before long a Chimera drove past them and as soon as it is in position unleashed its firepower towards the target. 

Mann wished that his gambit would work, and the cheer of his men confirmed his greatest hopes. Suddenly the flow of the battle have changed, and the other Eldar arr visibly shaken by this turn of events. This is the time, Mann said to himself.

"Alright men!!!!! Show these Xenos what we are made of!!!!!"

Imperial Guard
Well, that derpy charge is all that is needed for Steve to take advantage of and proceed to murder my Archon to death (damn you Str 6 miltilasers!!!!) but the majority of the wyches are unharmed (WTF moment for me). It is about here that Steve found his remaining men hidden behind a bag and he facepalmed at the fact. He was about to say that they are dead, but I said that they could come in as reserves for the next turn. So with that a bunch of 10 guys are now on my list of stuff to kill once they come out. Little did I know how they would have impacted the game.

Dark Eldar
My flyers are back in the game from reserves and my bunch of Beastmasters are now marching out to kill the stragglers that I have left out there intentionally so that I could leapfrog to the Top middle objective.

In the shooting phase I managed to kill another blob of infantry and also managed to kill one of the Chimeras. In the assault phase I charged the stragglers with the Beastmasters and killed so much. I consolidated towards the objective. I also charged the Leman Russ and killed it with Haywire.

Turn 5
"Are you guys in need of help?" Mann's combead sprang to life and he recognized it as that of Sergeant Ortiz, one of the platoon's most difficult sergeants to deal with. But his voice now sounded like the singing of angels to Mann's ears.
"About time! Move onto our right flank and flush them out!!!!"

Mann started to experience an euphoric feeling, one that says that he and his men are getting out of this alive. This filled him with such righteous fury that he began singing hymns of victory.

Imperial Guard
We rolled for nightfight and nightfighting is not activated.

His reserves came in and it was then I realized that I am in trouble. Those guns can now contest the objective on the top left, or even capture it. My worst fears are realized when he shot them and they managed to kill enough till only one was left. That lone Warrior ran like a little bitch after that.....Shitbiscuits for me.

He attempted to shoot down my flyers with his Veterans but did not managed to do so. His other stuff attempted to shoot at the last remaining raider, but failed to do anything.

Dark Eldar
Well, shitbiscuits. That was an unexpected drawback but one I could handle if I take the center objective which I managed to do so with the Beastmasters. With that I tried to take down both the Leman Russ and the Chimera, but I failed to so. I attempted to charge the chimera with the wyches, but a number of them died via overwatch and only one grenade went through.

At this point of the game, I have 10 VP to his 2VP and I will win by a large margin by this point.


With that we rolled to see if there is a turn 6 and to my horror.......there is a turn 6. Ok....this is when I really know when this are going downhill for me.

Turn 6
"Hurry we must make haste!!!" Mann shouted to his men and they are now running to take advantage of the unique string of events coming their way. Before long he could see that the flow is truly going in their favour.  He saw a Skimmer flying pass and he ordered his men to fire at the Xenos. He then threw his melta bomb and to his surprise his meltabomb detonated and caused the vehicle to be wrecked. As the passengers of the downed skimmer crawled out, he proceed to charge at them. His men followed him, unsure of what the Commisar is doing. But at least they are surviving better when they are with the commissar as so far his actions are falling into place as if the Emperor is there guiding his righteous fury.

Imperial Guard
Seeing that he could potentially tie this somehow, he went ahead and ran like there is no tomorrow and try to capture as much objectives as he could. In Assault phase his Command platoon and the Lord Commisar threw a meltabomb at my Raider and caused it to explode, killing the wyches along with it.

His Leman Russ and Leman Russ Executioner killed the Wych raider and also killed the Beastmasters including the Baron. Ouch.

Dark Eldar
I tried a last gambit of running my Kabalite Warriors to the central objective and try to capture it while I try to shoot the rest of his other stuff. My Razorwings managed to make the ten-man squad to buckle and make a run for it.

If we end the game now, it will be a tie. But alas the Dice gods favour Steve and gave him another turn to do stuff.

Turn 7
Like a whirling typhoon of rage the Commisar chased the retreating Eldar and shouting insults at them. His men are now energized by this sudden bloodlust and they too found the courage within themselves to roar and gun down their enemies.

"DIE YOU MOTHERFRAKKERS DIE!!!!!!!!!!!" Lord Commisar opened fire and managed to gun down one of them with his bolt pistol. As if on cue the others fired and before long, the Eldar are vapourized by the resounding fusillade of firepower. As the commissar climbed up on the hill, his men stopped to see him triumphantly roared his challenge.

"FLY BACK TO YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB YOU XENOS MOTHERFRAKKERS!!!!LET IT BE KNOWN THAT I, LORD COMMISSAR SCARED MANN IS YOUR BANE!!!!" 

The image of a triumphant Lord Commissar is made even more triumphant by the Eldar flyers flying away from him away from the battlezone into the sunset, as if they understood that messing with the Lord Commisar is unwise.

Imperial Guard
Even though none of us have anything else to shoot per se, but we still have to roll for nightfighting and we got it.....

He attempts to shoot down my flyer with the Chimera but failed to do so. He also moved his Platoon Command towards the Top Middle objective and managed to capture it.

Dark Eldar
I could not do anything but to fly away.

With that the game is over.

Post-game and Afterthoughts

In the end of the day, only seventeen men out of seventy-three men of the Cadian survived the onslaught of the Dark Eldar forces against the position that is forevermore known as Mann's Sanctum. The position was reinforced after several days and was resupplied with heavy bolters, autocannons and mortars bringing the Cadian 3569th to a 25-man understrength platoon. In accordance of the Inqusitorial Mandate; 'No one step back' Lord Commissar Man was ordered to fortify the building and defend it to the last bullet and last man. 

Supplies were brought in via the trench or by courier animals, defying the Dark Eldar air raids and techno-sorcery. Nevertheless, food and especially water was scarce and the hellish conditions of the battlefield forced the soldiers to be on their guard as the platoon was subjected to harrasing fire and audio playbacks of screaming people every night in order to try and break their resistance.The Dark Eldar attacked the building several times a day, but every time they are pushed back. It is even reported that Mann's men had to use lulls in the fighting to run out and kick over the heaped piles of Xenos corpses so that they could not be used as cover by the next round of attackers. Eventually by the 5th month, the position is relieved by the arrival of the Iron Fist chapter.

Mann's Sanctum became a symbol of incredibly stubborn and dogged resistance of the Imperial forces during the Battle of Vilograd and was rebuild after the conflict as a shrine for the fallen in the battle. Lord Commissar Mann was awarded the title of Hero of the Imperium for his actions of single-handedly holding off the flank of the defenders for the decisive victory of the Battle of Vilograd, and in extension the second phase of the Luskia Reclamation Conflict.

Results
Dark Eldar: 6 VP
Imperial Guard: 9 VP

Imperial Guard Victory!

Well, that game was epic as hell if I have to say so myself. In this game I believe that I have made a few vital mistakes;

1) Hide those Beastmasters well - During the first turn, I could have hid them much better and those casualties cost me dearly later on in the game when I have to use the unit much more aggressively to hold the top middle objective

2) Should have put in the extra effort to kill the vehicles - I was so concentrated on killing the infantry elements that I forgotten that the killer of my lists are the vehicles. They did the most damage and I should have focused my attention to them more.

3)Bad Maneuvering of the Flyers - In the last few turns I overextended my flyer's movement to the point that I am unable to do much with them. They also have a large footprint that causes problems when they are in close proximity with each other.

Of course there are the 'Derp' moments in the form of the failed charge by my Wyches and also the Random Game Length.

As for my opponent, Steve did the best he could in the position and triumphed out of it as a result of a few 'DERP' moments and profited from it. It is quite an impressive feat to go from only 2 VP in the game to a respectable 9 VP in three turns. His plan at the late phases of the game is true to the tenet of 'Play to the Mission' as he used the Secondary objectives to his advantage and took my apparent victory from my hands. Kudos to you Steve, and I would love to play against you again.

P.S: And yeah, the name of the Lord Commisar is indeed Scared Mann according to Steve. :-P