Blog Wars Game 2: Deathwing vs DE Part2

So guys, we've all read Venerable Game 2 Battle Report vs Deathwing, which is the account of our match up in table one war. We had a chat and felt we felt he could recount the game much better. There is still some "haze" in the later part of the game where a bit of action went on but we can't remember sequences, but the effect and intent of the report is there.

The game was a cracker, but I don't feel I can add much to his report, other than pictures, and me doing my own account will only generate the same content. However, as I say; I do have more pictures than Andy, so today I'll share some of those with a sort of "too long didn't read" report to go with it.

At the end as well I want to examine some of the mistakes and key points in the game as a learning tool. There is some stuff I could have done during the game to win, certainly. But I can only offer Ven the same hindsight chance as well - so it renders the "if I did ..." moot in my opinion. I offer them only as a learning tool, and allows me to see mistakes, that in the future I will hopefully not repeat.

The game was a blinder, and as we know came out 8-8 draw, which was a good result for both of us, between my lack of experience vs a good Dark Eldar army, and the tough match up for him. But any way lets  get to it - my "tag on" to Ven's report:


(If you've not read Ven's report - please do as I've skipped a fair whack of the details, only really explain what's going on around the photo's!)


THE GAME IN PICTURES:

This is Ven in his T1 deployment / movement. His big Hellion unit has the Baron joining him at the back. You can see him on the funky Skyboard (or the only non-pink Hellion!). This was important as the Baron couldn't get into B2B in the T2 combat, but it did give them a pain token from the Hemo for FNP.

I've walked on - I actually had a bit more space into that corner, and probably should have used it. I had a squad with the Belial command squad just inside of them, meaning the FNP/Belial squad could re-act to pretty much any threat to my lines. You can see the foot slogging trueborn that I managed to take their ride out from - they later steal either the empty Venom or the Incubi or Wych empty.

Going into the start of Turn 2

This sets the tone for the rest of the game, so less words (I hope) and you can refer to Ven's report for more detail if wanted/needed.
 

Big Combat:

Lining up the charge. You can see those Wych's fell short with their fleet.

Thats just a whole mess of people. Belial (yellow base/claws) is the start of the command squad on the left side. He had more attacks into the "normal" squad. The majority of the blob got to fight, about 6 to 8 vs Belial and about 12 vs the normal squad.

Another good angle - if I got bogged down I'd probably have looked to use pretty much the entire of my lines to join them. It would have made for much bigger a slug fest.

As per Ven's report we know that I ended up winning combat. I think I lost one or two guys, and managed to kill off 5 from Vens Hellions I believe. Which saw them running. Again I don't think winning the combat was good or bad, it was just what happened. We know that in my turn I move to push his Hellions forward, force the other wychs to run (another KP) and I believe take out another Venom - this is my last clear recollection of the kill points I got lol.

We skip to T3 now in my pictures.

At this stage you can see I've taken the lone wych squad, (forced them to run) and that inclubi is still running as well - I am posed to CC that venom. My boys had made the hellions run at the beginning of two, and the bikes in contact with the ravager would look to extend that another turn.

His fleeing mob at the end of 3.

We skip forward now into 4:

Actually this might have been T5 as there is no Belial - but basically you can see those wychs have managed to slowly work down the command squad and the support squad that were there - I was confident that even with those 5 terminators I'd win combat, and thus didn't send in that other squad on the rock. With 2 KP's there for the taking, it ended up being a big a game changer.

And that's it - down to 2 terminators from 8 (ish) He's also blasted the bikes with the venoms he's got his hands on at the moment. Netting him another KP. Around this T4/T5 was the big turning point as I really started to trip, my boys weren't getting much with shooting (only 2 CML's) and I'd committed two terminator units in against 10 wychs - and eventually lost giving up 3 KP's to none. That was huge.

Unfortunately this is where the pictures end.

But you can see (and know) what happens. The hellions in the north fell short of that table edge by 3"/4" - rallying just on a 9 to come back forward (first onto the hill though) he brings his fire to bare on the squad on the rocks, eventually dropping them. The CML's managed to kill two more venoms.

It was a corker of a game - and I only really think I made 2 "major" mistakes - one was maybe not so much a mistake, as I am not sure what Andy would have done - but the other is purely "in hindsight ... I wish". So please don't let it take anything away.

EVALUATION

So overall I am mixed about the game. On the day I was very happy, but obviously the benefit of hindsight can be a horrible thing, especially paired with both time and pictures to aid the thought process. I can't take anything away from Ven or the game, what happened happened, but I can offer what I could have done in those situations and look to do it in the future - I am sure Ven has some of the same thoughts.

The Wych Combat - this is the one that really bites me. In reality I don't think I over played it or did anything wrong. It was really his Agoniser and 4++ save that did it, I don't remember him wounding all that much normally - which is understandable 4's and 5's isn't going to get much done, but his power weapons vs 3++ were much more effective than TH vs 4++ on the day. Its how it goes sometimes. In future - I think I'd commit those other terminators straight off the bat, while it would leave another unit isolated, it would either net me the KP's or table position/eliminate scoring units - it would be the more prudent choice I feel with me being a smaller elite army that really, sometimes, can't leave protracted combat dice rolls up to chance.

Other than that, I think the only issue might have been my use of the "wrong side" bikes - I opt'd to play defensivily with them, looking to use them to stop venoms coming in around my flanks. I think a better choice would have been to turbo them right in on his board edge, and have them essentially in a position to look to shift that hellion unit off the table and go for that hemo / wracks late game. I honestly didn't think of that, and its the sort of thing I need to look at it add another dimension to my bike use. Though I think my bikes had a much better tournament this time round than Brighton, and  I've developed with them, as they are tricky, especially given they are min-units. But they really truely can be game changers/savers - not just melta-cide units.

Again it was a great game, and really got a view of Ven as a player, he's very competitive, but at the same time very enjoyable to play. We had 1 disagreement about Belials wounds, and I think we both are still sure both of us right - but that didn't sour the game one bit, though it did go his way! However, as much as I enjoyed it, I wasn't prepared for the fact we'd get drawn to play each other again in round 3 lol. Glad we managed to find a way out of that one!

Whats Next?

Well I have my Round 3 Report to come with my match up vs Marc and his Draigowing. The game was very interesting, but it will be a short report, between his 21 models and my 34 - and no pictures - there's not much to it.

I'll be covering a bit more on my Deathwing in the lead up to Brighton Warlords (in which Deathwing will rear is ugly head again) and some posts with my up coming Grey Knights force (I've settled on two lists I will be making!). Only problem is - Sisters of Battle look like they are getting a White Dwarf release and I'll be more than likely getting them as well! Urgh! No Dark Eldar later this year for me it looks like!