SABRE apocalypse battle report 11,000 points- Deployment and first turn

This is the first part of the battle report of the apocalypse game for our club’s SABRE event (two day gaming event) was to be 11,000 pts per side. On one side would be the Astra Militarum, Dark Angels and 30K heresy Death Guard vs a combined force of Tau, Eldar and Daemons. Not the fluffiest of match ups, but we work with what we have and I thought this match up would provide a decent game.

They're coming right for us!

Scenario: Final Assault

Attackers: Eldar (4500 pts), Tau (3000 pts) and Daemons (3500 pts)

Defenders: Astra Militarum (3500 pts), Dark Angels/White Scars (2500 pts) and Death Guard (5000 pts)

For the apocalypse game, we decided to play a final assault battle. In the scenario, the objectives in the defender’s deployment zone are worth double the number of strategic points, providing a good incentive for the attacker to storm the defender’s position.

I would be on the side of the defenders, who would have the benefit of 12 feet of wall to defend. The battlefield was set up as shown below, with the wall running the length of the defender’s deployment zone, with a smaller aegis buffer in front of it at the centre of the board. To the left of the attacker’s deployment zone was a small wood, to the right were some ruins to shield the attackers.

Long view of the battlefield, 12 feet by 6 feet.

 

Defence lines are set.

The defender’s deployed first. The centre line where the wall opened was fortified with the Baneblade and a large infantry squad led by Yarrick. A smaller infantry platoon took position behind the Aegis line, ready to sell their lives to stall the enemy. Behind them came the Leman Russ battle tanks. The rest of the guardsmen manned the wall, with great fields of fire over the battlefield. The Death Guard also manned the wall, with their artillery hiding behind the safety of the wall. On the right flank, the Imperial Knight was joined by several Death Guard vehicles, ready to sweep along the flank. We chose to deploy a minefield as part of our strategic cards, setting it up in front of the objective on the left flank. A large contingent of Ravenwing and White Scars bikers were held in reserve, ready to bolster the battlefield where required.

Jamie is very excited we finished deploying.

The artillery eyes up the fragile eldar ranks.

The Death Guard ready themselves.

The right flank ready to roll out.

 

The attackers then deployed. They set up in a classic refused flank, forgoing deployment on the defender’s right flank. The Daemons and Eldar deployed heavily on their right flank, the Eldar being led by the Avatar. The Tau bolstered the centre line behind the barbed wire, with good lines of fire and fully supported by the Eldar Phantom titan and Lynx superheavy. The Eldar and Tau skimmers set up in the centre, near the left flank, ready to redeploy at a moments notice.

The two armies arrayed for battle.



That's a big Titan.

The enemy skimmers are deployed.

The uneasy Eldar and Daemon alliance.

 

A rough overview. The red markers indicate the placement of the objectives.

TURN 1- ATTACKER

The assault begins.

The advance on the wall began. In an attempt to disrupt the enemy lines, two units of swooping hawks landed behind the wall next to Yarrick’s large squad. The attacker’s forces advanced on the wall, the Eldar and Daemons advancing through the minefiled on their right flank, the Hounds, Bloodthirster and Lord of Change leading the charge in the centre.

Swooping Hawks arrive to disrupt the enemy.

Greater Daemons advance.

The Eldar advance through the minefield.

The mighty Titan advances.

 

The massed psyker ranks of the Eldar and Daemons generated 26 warp charge dice. The eldritch power was used to buff the Eldar and Daemon units, the only attack coming from the Lord of Change’s beam which glanced a Leman Russ.

The first shooting phase began with the Titan, firing its cannon at the opposing Baneblade, causing 6 hull points damage. The second arm fired at the landraider, casuing 3 HP damage. The Lynx superheavy fired at the Death Guard defending the wall, wiping out a heavy weapon’s squad. The massed shooting in the centre line eliminated the Guard’s front line in a hail of fire. The Eldar on the right flank ran into the minefield to advance on the wall, their enthusiasm resulting in the death of five of their number. Their loss led them to anger, which was vented on the heavy weapons team defending the wall, eliminating them.

The Guard front rank is slaughtered.

The defenders on the wall suffer.

This slaughter opened up room for the Daemonic khorne beasts to assault the Dark Angel’s Devastators, the slaughter continuing as they killed nine for the loss of one of their number.

The attackers made great gains in the first turn, slaughtering hordes of guardsmen and marines and even making it onto the wall. They awaited the defender’s reply.

 

TURN 1- DEFENDER

The defenders reply.

With a scream of engines, the Imperial airforce arrived, a Vendetta accompanied by two Stormtalons. The Imperial Knight and Death Guard Vehicles advanced towards the attacker’s deployment zone.

The Death Guard advance on the objective.

The Defenders then opened fire on the advancing enemy troops, eager to make them pay for every step they advanced. The Guardsmen on the left of the wall fired on the Eldar, killing a handful of their number.

The Eldar pay for their advances.

 

The Wyvern targeted the newly arrived Swooping Hawks, the powerful shells wiping them out. Yarrick led his squad on the other unit, their firing proving ineffective as the blinding effects of the Hawks was slow to wear off.

The swooping hawks suffer the wrath of the wyvern.

 

The Death Guard flank targeted the Lynx, stripping the hull points from the superheavy, the death blow being landed by the Landraider. A massive explosion erupted as the superheavy went critical, killing some nearby nurglings.

The exploding superheavy takes some Daemons with it.

 

With an ear-splitting roar, the Baneblade fired at the defender’s line, killing 15 firewarriors and 4 nurgle plaguebearers with it’s main cannon. The Leman Russ tanks added their firepower to the assault against the daemons. Several hounds and plaguebearers were slaughtered. A scattering battle cannon shot also hit the eldar Titan, penetrating the armour of the vehicle and causing it to stumble. A cry rang out from the defender’s line as they saw the mighty engine of war could indeed be damaged. The newly arrived flyers targeted the rampaging Bloodthirster, causing three wounds. The Death Guard on the right flank fired on the Tau skimmers, destroying one and stunning the other.

With a roar, Yarrick led his squad on an assault of the swooping hawks. Sighting the swooping hawk exarch, Yarrick cut him down without mercy while his troopers slaughtered another 4 hawks. The survivors broke, fleeing from the onslaught.

End of turn 1.

The defender’s had exacted a heavy toll on the attacker, but would it be enough to dull the brunt of the attack?

 

Strategic Victory Points:

Attacker- 3

Defender- 7

 

The rest of the battle:
TURN 2
TURN 3
TURN 4