ShortRep 1500: Blood Angels vs Eldar+Dark Eldar

Alan and I rocked up for a 1500 game. Trying to get my Blood Angels to work has been interesting. I created a variant to the list I played previously with Alan. This time I applied everything I have learnt from our previous game into the new list. 

Mephiston

Sanguinary Priest on a Bike: Combo-grav

Death Company x6: Power Fist x1

Tactical Marines x10; Sergeant with Combo Melta, Meltagunner and Heavy Flamer + Drop Pod

Tactical Marines x10; Sergeant with Combo Melta, Meltagunner and Heavy Flamer + Drop Pod

Tactical Marines x10; Sergeant with Combo Melta, Meltagunner and Heavy Flamer + Rhino with Dozer Blade

Assault Marines x5; Meltagun x2 Combo-Melta

Stormraven; TL Multi Melta; TL Assault Cannon

Alan brought an Eldar + Dark Eldar combined list with an Autarch, 5 D Scythes Wraithguard in a Wave Serpent, Night Spinner, 2 Venoms, 1 Wraithknight, 3 Groteques  and 2 units of 3 Scatter Laser Jetbikes. 

Looks like I have models to build and paint-those Ultramarines aren't mine

Abby was the one who set the table up for us and we rolled for table halves. I chose the side with all the ruins to deny Alan from being able to hide. I depended less on Cover owing to his D flamers.

We rolled for missions and chose to combine the Relic and Deadlock. Relic was worth 3VP.

I won the rolloff and let Alan deploy first.

Alan kept his Wraithknight away from my GravBikes

I played exceptionally cagey but forgot about the Marines hidden in the terrain. Genius

With minimal LOS, Alan didn't manage to do as much damage

I prioritized the Relic and went for the Wave Serpent with his Wraithguard armed with D Scythes. 

Unfortunately I did not manage to pop the Wave Serpent and now would receive payback. I did however manage to get First Blood by killing off the Venom.

In turn 2 Alan made these Marines pay for my forgetfulness

And the D Scythes toasted majority of my guys

In my turn, I poured all my firepower into the Wraithguard and managed to wipe the squad from shooting and close combat combined. In return I had little left myself

Put my remaining Meltagunner out to threaten his Wave Serpent while keeping my Sanguinary Priest hidden

In Alan's Turn 3, his flyer turned up. He tried taking my Rhino down but it survived! Seem to be living on some kind of lucky charm. Then in my Turn 3, my Stormraven turned up and managed to take his flyer down.

Aerial combat

I dropped my Tactical Marines out to toast his Jetbikes behind the ruins. This meant leaving them in the open to be charged by his Groteques which he did. He managed to take 3 out but Emperor Protects! They held.

In my Turn 3, I was caught with a conundrum. I brought Mephiston to test him against Knights, which included Wraithknights and Imperial Knights. However, I drew the Kingslayer card. The "Autarch" that led the Groteques was Alan's Warlord. I also drew Secure Objective 6 which was next to the Groteques. Freeing this unit up would allow me to score 3 VPs, including Slay the Warlord.

In the end, I dropped Mephiston next to the Groteques and charged him in. I challenged the "Autarch" and managed to gazed him down, allowing me to hit on 2+. Magically, Alan made all his Invul saves! Ah well!

Mortal combat! 

In turn 4 however I chose to Hover my Stormraven to attempt to take out the Night Spinner.

Wraithknight charges in

Mephiston destroyed the unit of Groteques and move off toward the Wraithknight. This was important to me because I really wanted to see if he could take on that behemoth and hold his own.

Wraithknight failed to take out my Stormraven 

Charged Mephiston in! 

This was it. This was the reason I brought Mephiston. Rolling the dice, Mephiston managed to get the charge in. Couldn't do the Gaze because the Wraithknight isn't a character. I failed to get get Force up (insert horrid Star Wars or Viagra joke here) but got the STR10 power off.

After a flurry of attacks, the Wraithknight took no wounds. Whaaaaaaaat?

In return, he loped the head of Mephiston with its long fingers. Lame!

At the end of Turn 4, we had come close to the 3 hour mark (tourney standard and I had to run). We decided to tally points here.

Alan got 13
I counted my cards and included all First Blood and Slay the Warlord and came up to 12!

That charge cost me the game because I didn't have to charge and risk losing my Warlord like that. Nonetheless, this was a practice game and I think it proved to me that Mephiston is not able to fulfill the function of Knight Killer.

Great game and much closer than our previous game. Really glad it worked out. Granted, Alan did bring a softer list than previous but the Knight sure made a dent to my list.

So I have modified my list a little based on this game and will be working on it. I suspect that Mephiston can't cut it in today's meta and may have to look at other characters. I will be back.