Thursday, March 11, 2010

Experimental Kabal List: 2,000 points

HQ: The Pack
Archon w/ Agonizer, Splinter Pistol, Shadow Field, Plasma Grenades, Trophy Rack
5x Incubi w/ Plasma Grenades
2x Warriors w/ Splinter Cannons, Plasma Grenades
Raider w/ Horrorfex
Troops: Warrior Squad
Sybarite w/ Webway Portal
2x Warriors w/ Dark Lances
7x Warriors
Troops: Warrior Squad
Sybarite w/ Webway Portal
2x Warriors w/ Splinter Cannons
2x Warriors w/ Blasters
5x Warriors
Troops: Warrior Squad
2x Warriors w/ Dark Lances
8x Warriors
Troops: Warrior Squad
2x Splinter Cannons
2x Warriors w/ Blasters
6x Warriors
Troops: Raider Squad
1x Splinter Cannon
1x Shredder
3x Warriors
Raider w/ Horrorfex
Total: 1000
HQ: The White Scars
Dracite w/ Punisher, Tormentor Helm, Plasma Grenades, Wych Weapons, Trophy Rack, Combat Drugs, Animus Vitae, Xenospasm
8x Wyches w/ Wych Weapons, Plasma Grenades
Heavy Support: Ravager w/ 3x Disintegrators, Horrorfex
Fast Attack: Reaver Jetbike Squadron
Succubus w/ Trophy Rack, Power Weapon
2x Reavers w/ Blasters
Total: 1500
Fast Attack: Reaver Jetbike Squadron
Succubus w/ Trophy Rack, Power Weapon
2x Reavers w/ Blasters
2x Reavers
Fast Attack: Reaver Jetbike Squadron
2x Reavers w/ Blasters
2x Reavers
Elites: Widowmakers (Wych Team)
Succubus w/ Agonizer, Trophy Rack
8x Wyches
All models have Wych Weapons and Plasma Grenades
+Troops: + 5 Warriors for Raider Squad
Total: 2000

This list is one that I put together with what I currently have at my disposal, what I expect will arrive in the next couple weeks and what I intend to acquire and/or convert. I am considering converting the Incubi from Dark Elf Corsairs, and the Wyches will most likely be kitbashed from a variety of models, possibly with bits from other ranges as well. Of course, the Lords are going to be kitbashed as well (I don't particularly like the models Games Workshop made for them and I personally think that every leader of the Dark Eldar should look unique.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Battle Report: Black Jackal vs. Imperial Guard, 1500-points

Mission: Pitched Battle Annihilation
Guard gets first turn, Dark Eldar seize the initiative.

Guard Force:
Company Command Section with Creed, Medic, Mortar team, Master of Ordnance, Company Standard
2 5-man Stormtrooper squads
Platoon Command Section with Chenkov, Sniper Rifle
20-man combined squad with Heavy Bolters, grenade launcher, plasma gun
20-man combined squad with Autocannons, grenade launcher, meltagun
Autocannon section
50-man Conscript Platoon with Send in the Next Wave
Veteran Squad with Bastonne
Armored Sentinel with lascannon
Leman Russ with hull lascannon, sponson Heavy Bolters
Vanquisher with Pask, hull lascannon, sponson Heavy Bolters
Basilisk

Turn 1:
Dark Eldar: The Pack and one Portal squad advanced, covered by a pair of Ravagers. Deployed the first Webway Portal, 7 Guardsmen and 2 Conscripts were killed by Disintegrator fire, Ravager Horrorfexes pinned Conscripts and Autocannon combined squad. 4 Dark Lances failed to kill the Leman Russ.

Guard: Conscripts advance, nothing else moves. Combined fire from Veterans and Heavy Bolter combined squad takes out the Pack, but the Black Jackal survives. Sentinel killed a Ravager, Archon goes down from heavy fire from the Autocannon combined squad.

Score: Dark Eldar 0, Guard 2

Turn 2:
Dark Eldar: White Scars come on, advance towards Conscripts. 12 Guardsmen from Autocannon combined squad are wiped out from Disintegrator fire. Leman Russ immobilized by Dark Lance fire, Pasquisher is stunned. Second Webway Portal is deployed.

Guard: Conscripts and Autocannon combined squad advance, Autocannon squad claims a Ravager, Heavy Bolter combined squad claims another with a lucky plasma gun shot. Leman Russ claims six Warriors, Autocannon section claims a White Scar, Conscripts claim 6 more White Scars.

Score: Dark Eldar 0, Guard 4

Turn 3:
Dark Eldar: Widowmakers arrive, advance towards Conscripts. Widowmakers pin Conscripts with the Succubus' Terrorfex, Portal squad claims Autocannon combined squad. Widowmakers assault Conscripts, who fail their Morale check (even with the re-roll) and are immediately wiped out (according to my opponent, a Commissar witnessing the event ordered an artillery strike on the fleeing Conscripts as a mass field execution).

Guard: First Stormtrooper squad outflanks. Heavy Bolter combined squad claims 9 Warriors from a Portal squad, massed shooting killed 8 Wyches, wiping out the Widowmakers.

Score: Dark Eldar 2, Guard 5

Turn 4:
Dark Eldar: Dark Lances finally cause the Russ to explode, the White Scars assault the Veterans, defeating them without suffering a wound and taking four prisoners.

Guard: Massed fire finally wipes out the White Scars

Score: Dark Eldar 4, Guard 6

Turn 5:
Dark Eldar: Dark Lances finally claim the Sentinel

Guard: Next Stormtrooper squad comes on same side as the first, Pasquisher finally wipes out the forward Portal squad

Score: Dark Eldar 5, Guard 7

Turn 6:
Dark Eldar: Dark Lances claim weapon team from Autocannon section and Pasquisher

Guard: 1 Warrior from last Portal squad lost

Score: Dark Eldar 6, Guard 7

Turn 7:
Dark Eldar: Dark Lances claim Autocannon section

Guard: Firebase attempts to maneuver to hit my flank

Score: Dark Eldar 7, Guard 7

Result: Draw

Roles in the Raid, part 2: Elites

The Widowmakers and the Bloodthirsters (2x Wych Teams)
The Wych team known as the "Widowmakers" entered the arena to cheers, jeers and other assorted shouting as they briefly paraded themselves around its circumference, proudly displaying their gray armor, known as the color of grief and despair. After a single circuit, they took up positions, ready to fight. The deathmatch would begin shortly, and they intended to win at any cost.

Then, there was a brief ripple in front of them as a tunnel opened up in space and time; the Succubus recognized it as a Webway Portal. The instant the first Wych stepped out of it, resplendent in her gleaming red armor, they knew that they would be facing their long-time rivals, the Bloodthirsters. This would be a fight to remember...


Composition: 2 Teams: Succubus with Wych Weapons, Plasma Grenades, Agonizer, Splinter Pistol, Trophy Rack, Terrorfex; 8 Wyches with Close Combat Weapons, Splinter Pistols, Wych Weapons, Plasma Grenades
Function: Tarpitting, tying up enemy shooting elements

These units basically exist to tie up my opponent's shooting elements and augment my assault units, especially in larger games when I can expect a lot of bodies to hack my way through. Compared to the White Scars, these two teams are positively expendable...

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Roles in the Raid, part 1: HQ

The Black Jackal and the Pack
"Take cover!"
Sergeant Tertius sought refuge behind the hulk of a Leman Russ battle tank, destroyed in battle centuries ago, as a gunboat variant of the Eldars' light skimmer transport spewed gelatinous, glowing black death from its three deck-mounted guns at his squad. Brothers Cassius and Septimus quickly dissolved into ash when the substance splashed onto their gleaming power armor, replacing their Ultramarines colors with that of rotting flesh in mere seconds. "Return fire!" Tertius ordered, but before Brother Brutus could get a bead with his lascannon, the skimmer had already disappeared, no doubt hunting for other targets.

"Sergeant!" Brother Argus shouted, "I see something!" Tertius looked in the direction Argus was pointing and saw six figures in black advancing in their direction, too heavily armored for Eldar raiders. One of them, which he assumed was their leader, pointed a device that resembled a grenade launcher in their direction. "Take him down!" Tertius bellowed, "Do not let him fire!" but it was too late. A spherical object shot out of the tube and airbursted over his squad, but didn't seem to have any effect.

Then, his superhuman senses noticed that everything had suddenly gone quiet. Not silent, Tertius noted, but certainly reduced to almost imperceptible. He watched his squad pour shot after shot into the advancing foe, but it seemed to have no effect as they advanced implacably forward. If he were anything but a Space Marine, he would have been terrified at the sight of these Eldar completely ignoring the torrent of fire being hurled at them. He suddenly felt intense pain in his right elbow, and everything returned to normal, except that the Eldar seemed to have teleported from their previous position to suddenly being on top of them, slaughtering his battle brothers with little resistance.

He felt another sharp, stabbing pain, this time in the back of his left knee. Tertius whirled around, ready to kill his adversary in one decisive stroke, only to find himself swinging at air. Then his other knee went, and he collapsed to a kneeling position, unable to stand due to his wounds. "You're too slow, Mon-Keigh," he heard a voice say from behind him, "I've fought Orks that were a greater challenge than you were."

"Who are you?" Tertius demanded, "Show yourself!"
"We only come out into the open when we're ready to kill," the voice continued, "Jackals are scavengers, we're not the sort to fight fairly."

"This jackal must feed."


Composition: Archon with Agonizer, Splinter Pistol, Shadow Field, Combat Drugs, Plasma Grenades, Terrorfex; 4 Incubi with Punishers, Tormentor Helms, Plasma Grenades; 1 Incubus with Punisher, Tormentor Helm, Plasma Grenades, Blaster
Function: Slaughter HQ units in melee

My intent with this unit is to provide a counter-assault element to my Warrior Squads and protect them from enemy assault units until the Webway Portals are deployed, then send them off to go headhunting, killing off deathstar units and enemy HQs. I'll have to get a few games under my belt before this happens, but I think it'll work.

The White Dominatrix and the White Scars
She swiftly beheaded another Wych in a spray of crimson, then leapt to the side as another clumsily swung downwards in an attempt to cleave her in two. This one, she guessed from her opponent's equipment, was the opposing team's Succubus. This one will prove to be a worthy opponent, she thought to herself as she circled around him. She stabbed at him with her glaive, only to see him dodge with practiced Eldar grace, and then whirled around on her heel and struck a Wych closing in from behind with the haft of her weapon. She swung the blade around in a sweeping arc and took one of the Wych's legs off at the knee, the disruption field covering the blade slicing through her armor, flesh and bone with contemptuous ease. She then stabbed upwards into the female's torso from beneath the sternum and drove the blade all the way through her clavicle. Bringing the dying Eldar closer to her level, she grasped her opponent's throat with her gauntleted left hand and let the wrist tendrils do their work. The impaled female spasmed for a second, and she felt invigorated as the gauntlet drained her opponent's life force away, adding it to her own.

When the Wych's life force was gone, she ripped the bloody tendrils out from her opponent's corpse, causing a great deal of blood to spray out from the open wound onto her flesh and armor.
This contrast is still pleasing, she thought as she wrenched her glaive out of her vanquished foe's ribcage, spattering her gleaming white armor with more crimson, and then turned to face the Succubus, the last surviving member of the opposing team, as he dispatched another from her team with a brutal thrust to the neck. Before his latest victim fell to the ground with the rest of the bodies, however, she leapt at him from above, aiming a killing strike at his bare chest, but he deftly stepped to the side as she fell, forcing her to correct her swing in mid-stroke, shearing off one of his feet as she set foot on the ground again. Circling around him from behind, she made small, precise and strategic cuts along his body, severing tendons and nerves with impunity.

However, she underestimated his skill and just barely managed to dodge a swing of his sword, missing her exposed breasts by a hair and cutting a long, deep gash into her corset before she whirled around and sliced off his sword arm with one swift, clean stroke. Hearing the crowd's cheering, she turned to face the royalty box and shouted, "My lord, his life is in your hands!" The Eldar she addressed, clad in the black, plated armor typical of the inhabitants of Commorragh, extended his fist with the thumb sticking out, pointing downwards.

Turning back to her terrified, helpless victim, she smiled an evil, sadistic smile before cleaving him in two. "The score is six to nine," the announcer declared, "The White Scars win against the Death Legion!" Cheering erupted from the spectators as slaves entered the arena to clear away the bodies. Her personal slave, a female human clad in nothing but a tight-fitting net garment, dutifully took her mistress' glaive from her hands and began cleaning the blood, sweat and grime from her flesh. She looked up at the royalty box one last time, and saw the Archon stand and beckon to her with a mailed fist.

Understanding what was required of her, the Dracite known as the "White Dominatrix" turned back to the arena. "Make sure that my armor is spotless and my corset repaired," she ordered her slave, who at this time was wiping filth from her mistress' lean, toned thighs, "I have an appointment with the Jackal, and I do not want to keep my lord waiting." The slave dutifully nodded as she finished with her mistress' skin and followed the Dominatrix to her chambers to prepare her for her night of ecstasy with her master...


Composition: Dracite with Punisher, Tormentor Helm, Animus Vitae, Xenospasm, Trophy Rack, Plasma Grenades, Wych Weapons, Combat Drugs; 8 Wyches with Wych Weapons, Plasma Grenades, Splinter Pistols, Close Combat Weapons
Function: Slaughter non-vehicle units in melee

This unit is a fun one; it can take on just about anything short of a Dreadnought in close combat and forces units with fairly low strength into a slugging match that I'll most likely win due to reduced WS, fewer attacks and the Invulnerable saves that Wyches get in close combat. Combine this with the fact that the Dracite can be up to Strength 6 (with the Punisher, Animus Vitae and Combat Drugs) and this unit could probably take dedicated Assault MEQs like Khorne Berzerkers without too much trouble.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

The Founding

This is the first entry of my Warhammer 40K wargaming project log, detailing the founding and exploits of my planned Dark Eldar force, the Kabal of the Black Jackal. On this site I will post army lists, tactics, battle reports, painting and assembly updates and short pieces of fluff regarding the Kabal, in its quest for glory and power in the Dark City of Commorragh.

Why, you may ask, did I choose to play Dark Eldar instead of a more popular and regularly updated side like Space Marines? Well firstly, it seems like everyone and his brother plays some flavor of Ultramarines (which is pretty much all one can do with the current Space Marine codex), and I was never one to do the popular thing; secondly, I discovered when playing my Imperial Guard Air Cavalry build that I like to play fast and aggressive games, and Dark Eldar seem to fit the role perfectly (don't worry, I have no intention of abandoning my heroic 08th Corvis Mobile Infantry); lastly, I like rooting for the underdog. The Dark Eldar have not had a new codex since their first one in 1998 (which was later updated in 2001, but was essentially the same codex), and I like the challenge of playing such an out-of-date side.

At the time of this writing, I do not possess any of the models, although I intend to do so when I have the means. In the meantime, I will test various list builds and strategies in proxy; however, such games will not count towards or against my record.

Glory to the Jackal!