Sunday, September 13, 2015

NOVA in Review, Part 1: Invitational Bat Rep, Arachnophobia vs. Pajamapants

I'll start my battle reports with the first game of the Invitational on Thursday against Alan "Pajamapants" Bajramovic. This was probably actually the best documented game of the weekend, and I managed to take a picture of almost each player turn.

So, to begin, again my Arachnophobia list is:
  • Necron Decurion Detachment:
    • Reclamation Legion
      • Overlord
      • 2x10 Warriors
      • 5 Immortals
      • 3 Tomb Blades: Nebuloscopes, Shield Vanes
    • 4x Canoptek Harvests
      • Spyder
      • 3 Scarabs
      • 3 Wraiths
  • Eldar Aspect Host Formation (+1 BS)
    • 7 Warp Spiders: Exarch w/TL Death Spinner
    • 7 Warp Spiders: Exarch w/TL Death Spinner
    • 7 Warp Spiders: Exarch
As we showed up for the first game, we were given our packets. Round 1 would match Round 1 of the GT, which would be NOVA's version of Crusade. After checking out Alan's list, I opted for Turn-by-turn Primary scoring, My secondaries were destroy a detachment, Marked for Death on one group of Nurglings, and Linebreaker. Alan opted for end game scoring, and Heart of the Matter, Linebreaker, and Marked for Death on a Warped Spider unit. Alan's list, from memory, was:
  • Eldar Seer Council Formation
    • 2 Farseers: Spears
    • 7 Warlocks
  • Eldar Allied Detachment:
    • Farseer
    • 3 Jetbikes: Scatter Lasers
  • Daemon CAD:
    • Fateweaver
    • 2xHerald of Tzeentch: Disc, Gifts, Level 3
    • 11 Pink Horrors
    • 10 Pink Horrors
    • 2x3 Nurglings
    • 7 Screamers
Alan ended up deploying first (I believe that was my choice). He deployed with his daemons on my left, and the Eldar on the middle/right. I deployed with my Necrons centered with Warrior units to either flank, and the Warp Spiders in Deep Strike Reserve. Both of us held our Marked units in reserve. 



Alan took first turn and moved up. His psychic phase was pretty disappointing on the daemon half, with most spells failing. The council had better luck and were able to get Fortune and Invisibility off. He then turbo-boosted the council up to line the front of my deployment.



In my turn, I made my way for the Screamers with one group of Wraiths. The Spyders in the middle spawned Scarabs forward who jumped around the edge of the council and made their way for one group of Nurglings. Meanwhile, two units of Wraiths jumped through the Council and one made for an Objective. In shooting, I managed a couple wounds on Fateweaver, but he stayed in the air (thanks to his re-roll). In assault, one unit of Wraiths charged the Screamers. The Scarabs in the middle made their charge into the Nurglings, and finally 2 units of Scarabs and a unit of Wraiths ran into the council. None of the combats were very dramatic, with not much happening on either side.


In Alan's turn, he moved some horrors out to contest the right mid-board objective. In the psychic phase, he summoned two units of Daemonettes and continued casting Fortune and Invisibility, but opted to stay in combat and not cast Gate. Combats were pretty uneventful, though the council did wipe out one unit of Scarabs.



In my turn, the Wraiths on my right prepared to charge the Horrors, hoping to pick up the Butcher's Bill tertiary point. On the left I charged a group of Scarabs into one unit of Daemonettes and Wraiths into another. I was able to wipe out the Horrors on the right. The combats on the left weren't going that well, failing several 3++s on the Wraiths, breaking the Screamers out of combat.

In the top of the turn, Alan brought Fatey back in on my right and summoned a herald to contest that right middle objective again. This time the Council decided to Gate out of the combat and into their backfield. The Screamers ran over the Warrior unit on my left, while the Daemonettes dragged down the Wraiths and Scarabs, clearing out my left side.



In my turn, I cleared the Herald off one objective, and the scatter bikes on the other. I was also able to take down Fateweaver with my marked Warp Spiders, who then went into hiding. In combats, I ran a unit of Wraiths into the Screamers to slow them down, and the Scarabs finally turned the tide on the Nurglings.


In his turn, Alan summoned a couple more Disc Heralds to run across the board and slow down my scoring. He also moved out to hold a couple objectives with his remaining Objective Secured units and Daemonettes. In the bottom of turn 4, I moved two units of Warp Spiders and the Tomb Blades down Alan's board edge toward the back left,

In Alan's turn, the Screamers ran into the Immortals and Warlord and one Spyder. Meanwhile the Council engaged some Spyders and Scarabs in the middle of the board, after clearing out the Tomb Blades with Psychic Shrieks. Daemonettes charged the Warp Spiders, but didn't wipe them out and they broke out with Hit & Run.

In my turn, the Warp Spiders broke for the Nurglings, and was able to wipe them out to secure my secondary.

The game ended after 5, with me only tallying one Primary point. Meanwhile, Alan held two objectives, getting him 4 points, and earning a 12-9 Win. Some post game thoughts, I messed up picking the secondary I did, to destroy a detachment, and if I had chosen Kill Points instead, I might have been able to either pick it up or prevent Alan from sacrificing Heralds to deny objective points, getting me more in the primary. All in all, though, I was pretty happy with my play. A couple rolls go a bit different and I am able to hold up the Screamers longer and delay the collapse of the left side.

Up next will be bat reps from the GT Games, starting with going against Brian's Lictorshame list in Round 1.

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