Burning Sun Craftworld (Escalation League Blog)

[WarlordGhrom]

Here is the first post in my blog as I try to step back into the Abyss of 40k after 10+ years away.  To facilitate that long step I'll be taking part in the Ordo Escalation League starting next week.  As has been my tradition since Rogue Trader days (over 20 years ago), I will only be playing Eldar.  No allies, nothing but Eldar.

 

Pre-Step - Get an Army Book

To push me into the abyss Bronson (AgentP) got me an Eldar Army book last year...

 

Step 1 - Find the Eldar!

So to start off this quest a couple weeks ago I dug through the shed of too much [big bad swear word] and found my Eldar.  Or at least I think I found all the Eldar, or at least a good fraction of them.  Here is what I was able to find:

 

Army Box 1 - Vehicles

- A couple wave serpents with magnetized weapons

- A fire prism

- A falcon

- possibly a couple vypers, but need to figure out the bits

 

Army Box 2

- A ton of painted and unpainted models

- from quick glances I have the following aspects: Hawks, Banshees, FireDragons, Scorpions, Reapers, Harlequins

- looks like some Warlocks, Farseers and some of the big guys (Fuegan, etc)

 

Army Box 3

- Lots of grunts - normal Eldar guys with weapon platforms

- More aspect warriors, harlequins

 

Army Box 3

- Found some jetbikes.  Need to inventory exactly how many put looks like 1 or 2 units

 

And that was the initial review of stuff.  From glancing at it and talking with Bronson, I am probably looking at 5-8k points of models.  So I should be good for the league.

 

More to come...

[InfestedKerrigan]

I envy your ability to use an existing army in an Escalation League.  I have never participated in an Escalation League that allowed you to use Used Models.  They've always been "buy new models for new army for new escalation league."  

[WarlordGhrom]

@ IK - It's Ordo baby, we allow you to do whatever you want unless it makes Burk cry.

[Torg]

we get extra points if we can make Burk cry… right?

 

-- I wouldn't join a league that somehow required me to buy stuff… that is just annoying.  I'll be doing much the same as you WarlordGhrom… old stuff pulled from boxes or unused (unpainted) stuff is my goal for an army.

 

-d

[InfestedKerrigan]

Ah, yeah, I just read the pre-reqs in the Ordo League.  I hadn't bothered opening the thread as I'm back down in Rogue Valley again, so making it to Ordo League Night, ya no.  

 

 

Yeah, the Leagues in Lexington at all three stores (1 GW, 2 FLGS) were must purchase new product to participate.  GW required it be an in store or mailed to store (gw direct) purchase.  The other two were a bit more flexible, as long as most of the product was from the store.  

 

Bend was the same way by time I made the transition from Decipher's SW:CCG to 40k.

[WarlordGhrom]

@ IK - yeah a lot of escalation leagues run out of stores are setup so you buy product to compete.  As Ordo is not a store we don't really have product to sell.  Though you can always buy a little time with Raindog or Burk if you ask nice (and have the dollars).

[WarlordGhrom]

Update from Week 1 Escalation League (last night).

 

So I brought the following army (from memory) which I thought would give me a chance to use different units and be pretty soft:

 

Farseer w/ Rune of Witnessing

 

10 Dire Avengers including Exarch with PW/Shimmershield

   riding a Wave Serpent with BrightLance and Cannon

10 Guardians with Scatter Laser platform

 

5 Howling Banshees

 

5 Swooping Hawks

10 Warp Spiders

 

Wraithlord with BrightLance

 

I played against Jeffrey and his Ghazghull(sp?) TRUCK OF DOOM.  As I had 6 units I had a fairly easy time to take objectives and at the end I had blown up the truck (turn 2) and about half the Ghazghull retinue.  I lost the Guardians, my Farseer and the Wraithlord.  But from a Maelstrom mission point I won 15-5 which is all that matters in this league. 

 

Next week I think I'll mix up the unit types again and try some new stuff out.  Maybe Harlequins, FireDragons, an Autaurch, Vyper, or a Fire Prism will make it into the 1100 points. 

[WarlordGhrom]

Update from week 2 game and new thoughts.

 

I played against Khan/Cahn/Kann/Cann(sp?) and his fun Genestealer Cult army last Tuesday. 

 

I brought something like the following as I don't have my list with me at the moment:

 

Farseer - runes of Witnessing

 

7 DireAvengers 7(with exarch) in WaveSerpent with tw BL/cannon upgrade

5 Rangers (which I forgot to deploy and I realized about them around turn 3)

 

10 Warpspiders with Exarch

 

6 Firedragons with Exarch in WaveSerpent with tw StarCannon/cannon upgrade

7 Scorpions with Exarch w Claw

 

There was assorted extra wargear but don't remember them off the top of my head.

 

My opponent had a big blob of termagents with assorted weapons, flying lord, small genestealer group w/ leader, the new T drop bod with nasty vehicle/mc inside, 2 zoanthropes, 1 something else that had a few wounds but did nothing (so no idea what it was).

 

I setup with Dire Avengers on my left, WarpSpiders and FDs on the right.  The Farseer was with the DAs.  He setup with the blob on my right in a building/objective, his flyrant behind the building, the 2 zoanthropes and the unknown mob in the middle.  For infiltrators I setup my Scorps middle of the table on the right.  My rangers decided to camp out in my carrying cases.

Turn one I setup and went first.  Did a wound to a Zoanthrope.  Moved the Scorpions up to a building/objective on my right (his side of table), WarpS took a hill/trees in the middle with another objective.  FDs stayed in their vehicle and moved a little.  DAs stayed in their vehicle and moved closer to another objective on my left deployment zone.  His turn his flyrant began his flying.  One Z attempted to take down a WSerpent but failed in the psychic and melee (charged) phases. 

 

Turn two I unloaded and killed both Zs.  DAs got out of their WaveS.  His turn two he brought the Genes on and took out the scorps.  He also brought on his drop bod and in turn annihilated my DAs and Farseer.  

 

Turn three I moved I was able to take out his MC with my FDs, WarpSpiders and a WaveS.  My rangers decided to walk onto the table board at this point.  Also during this period I was able to put a wound or two on his Flyrant.  His turn three his Flyrant flew into the middle of my WarpS, , FDs and the 2 remaining DAs and rolled 10, 12 and 11 on a psychic scream which killed about 10 models or so from the three units, leaving shells/husks.

 

Turn 4-5 I was able to take out his drop bod and put another wound on his Flyrant.  His blob moved out and was able to take the middle objective but left the building one unguarded which my WSerpent took after killing the lone model hiding behind a pillar. 

The game ended at that point and I had about twice the objectives/maelstrom points as he did do to being able to get to the objectives easier (Waves) and better deployment.  I had a good fun game and learned a bit more on the Eldar army and the "new" 40k from my standpoint.

 

For Week 3 if I can make it I will be taking the new Eldar WraithKnight model which AgentP just picked up for me as a belated bday gift.  Looking forward to seeing that thing in action.