A Hero Falls: The Webway List VS Grey Knights

Well I have been rewarded this week with a great night of 40K with the gang at the FLGS. Most of the Dark Future Games crew was on hand, as well as GT from MI40K. After weeks of no 40K I finally got in a game. I broke out the Webway list once again to test the tweaks after my narrow loss to Old School Terminator in my last game. With a current record of 7 and 2 I was hoping to get a good test. I indeed found a decent test for the Webway list in the form of the Emperors finest. Grey Knights.

Tony, one of our resident Tau players, broke out his growing Grey Knights force. He has been testing his list and as he was the first person there that night I accepted his challenge. I streamlined the webway list down to 12 kill points. The left over points from the extra units were pumped into improving the wargear on my hekatrixes and haemonculi.

I was going up against a force made up mostly of purifiers lead by Castellion Crowe. They were supported by 2 Dread Knights, a venerable dreadnought and a Strike Squad. We rolled a capture and control mission with my favorite deployment type for the Dark Eldar. Dawn Of War.

I got first turn and I was able to deploy my Haemonculis with his Wrack body guard in their venom almost on top of the Grey Knights objective which was placed near the center of the table on a hill. A Razorback containing a squad of Purifiers set up behind a ruined building.

Turn 1

My venom on the board moved to the objective in the center while the second one moved on from the board edge towards my objective. The Razorwing fighter moved to the left side of the board to engage the loan Razorback on the table. Both Haemonculi and their Wrack body guards disembarked. I deployed the webway portals and took a couple of dark lance shots at the Razorback but despite being able to see could not hit.

The Grey knights moved on in force. A second Purifier squad moved to support the one that had set up on the table. Crowe moved onto the table flanked by two weapon laden Nemesis Dread Knights and the Venerable Dreadnought. The strike squad and the 10 man Purifier squad moved up on the right to engage my Haemonculis and his Wracks. I lost the lead Venom to Assault cannon fire, while most of the Wracks were mowed down by Heavy Psilencer and Psycannon fire.

Turn 2

With the webway portals deployed next to the objectives I rolled for reserves. The Beast Master Pack came howling with bestial fury from the lead portal sitting on the Grey Knight objective. The first Wych Squad sprinted out of the second portal moving towards the approaching Purifier squads moving up the left side of the board. The Razorwing managed to stun a Razorback while the Beast Master opened fire with their splinter pods and wounded the Dread Knight set up for close support. They then assaulted the Dread Knight and struck it down before it could even manage to swing its massive sword.

Crowe, Incensed seeing his brother marine struck down moved to engage the Beast Master pack. Assault cannon fire tore into the unit from the nearest Razorback as did the second Dread Knight. The Strike Squad had disembarked and added their storm bolters to the torrent of fire. The second Dread Knight and Crowe charged the Beast Masters and although a wound was dealt to both, the Pack was cut down.

Turn 3

The second Wych squad Emerged form the lead portal followed by the third. The last squad also contained the Mistress of the Cult Of Strife, finally deciding to grace the field with her presence. Lelith Hesperax strode onto the field like a hunting cat. She locked eyes with Crowe and bade him to wait his turn with a single raised finger and a malicious grin. The Haemonculus, now sans wrack body guard, joined the second Wych squad giving them 2 pain tokens in the process. Lelith and her squad moved towards the Strike squad and the remaining Dread Knight. The Second Wych squad moved to engage the Dreadnought. The first Wych squad made it to the Purifiers held up n their Razorbacks. The Razorwing managed to immobilize a Razorback while the remaining Venom manged to wound Crowe with a torrent of splinter cannon fire. Lelith hit the strike squad like a bullet while a majority of the rest of the squad engaged the Dread Knight. The second Wych squad charged the Venerable Dreadnought while the first squad charged the Razorbacks on the left flank. Lelith cut down the strike squad to a man and the last was cut down by the Wychs next to Lelith. The Dread Knight was wounded 3 times and manged to cut one Wych down. The combat lost the Dread Knight turned and although it could of stood strong, it was just to close to the board edge. The venerable Dreadnought fell to haywire grenades as did a Razorback.

The Grey Knights fought back with fury. Crowe moved to help the Purifier squad now liberated from their Razorback. The 10 man strong purifier squad closest to Lelith combat squaded and moved to engage the Wych squad the killed their venerable brother and that was now holding their objective. The Purifiers inflicted heavy casualties . The Squad forced from their transport moved and engaged the lone Venom immobilizing it and then destroying it with a Daemon hammer.

Turn 4

The Grey Knights were loosing ground fast. Lelith moved to engage the Purifiers on the objective. The Razor wing moved into optimal firing position on the Purifiers that had destroyed the Venom and unleashed its load of missiles. Crowe moved to engage Leliths squad while the remaining Razorback on the left flank tank shocked the wych unit that had destroyed its counterpart. They Wyches moved and were assaulted by the Purifiers left after the missiles barrage from the Razorwing. They were cut down and the Wyches surrounded the Razorback that had tried to run them down. Lelith killed the remaining Purifiers while the remainder of the Wych squad on the hill dispatched the rest of the squad that had assaulted them in the previous turn.

Turn 5

The remaining squad of Purifiers was unable to get out due to the wych squad surrounding their crippled Razorback. Crowe Stood alone on the field. The Wyches parted as their mistress strode forward with purpose and malice. She gestured to Crowe and charged. He struck with mercurial speed. Lelith parried and pirouetted like a deadly ballerina and separated Crowes head form his shoulders. The Razorback containing the last Purifier squad became their coffin as the wych squad, as one, primed their haywire grenades and slammed them onto the hull of the crippled vehicle. The Mon-keigh had been cleansed to the man. The humiliation Lelith had been dealt by The Master of the Deathwing had been re-payed by a fraction. The debt will only be satisfied with Belials head. Decorating her chambers.

So it ended with a near tabling. All that was left at the end of turn 5 was a razor back with no weapons and a gimped out rhino. We did not get a turn 6 so the game ended with me controlling both objectives. I have to say despite the purifiers striking at the same initiative with the wychs, thanks to force halberds, and hitting me every turn with purifying flame every turn it was not as bad as I thought it would be. The FAQ stated that it counted as a close combat attack so I get the 4+ save wyches get in close combat. This helped immensely and I am glad it was spelled out in the FAQ. After the game we went and broke down the action. Tony gained some very good insight and we discussed what to change in his list to make it more effective.

Well next time I will be discussing the new Meta that seems to be catching on again, at least at our FLGS. Foot Armies. Also I have acquired a bunch of orks from OST. The Thunder Porkas are making a comeback.

Until then.........

Blood Runs, Anger Rises, Death Wakes, War Calls............. …....WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!