Chaos Daemons vs Ynnari, 20.07.2017

Mission: Contact Lost

Lists: 2000 points

Ynnari: 5 CP

• Vanguard Detachment
• Skyrunner Autarch: Sunburst grenades; Twin shuriken catapult; Banshee mask; Shuriken pistol; Fusion gun; Laser lance;
• 3x 5-man Wraithguard, D-scythes
• 3x Wave Serpent, Twin shuriken cannon; Shuriken cannon; Spirit stones; Star engines; Vectored engines;
• Spearhead Detachment
• Autarch with Swooping Hawk Wings: Sunburst grenades; Banshee mask; Shuriken pistol; Lasblaster; Power sword;
• Solitaire
• 3x War Walker, 2x Bright Lance
• Wraithlord: Wraithbone fists; Shuriken catapult(x2); Bright lance(x2);

Daemons: 7 CP

• Battalion Detachment
• Daemon Prince of Nurgle, wings, axe, warlord
• Epidemius
• Nurglings
• 10-man Plaguebearers
• 30-man Plaguebearers, instrument, icon
• Soul Grinder of Nurgle, warpsword
• Supreme Command Detachment
• 2x Daemon Prince of Nurgle, wings, double talons
• Herald of Nurgle
• Scabeiathrax

I told my opponent that Scabby is taking the field. I also included a Soul Grinder for further testing and toning down the list (seeing as so far it did nothing notable).

Deployment

I got to determine deployment and got table quarters, which was perfect the way my opponent placed the objectives - everything in the middle. I of course got second turn.

I set up my usual circle of Plaguebearers with everything in the middle and waited for the shooting to begin.

Ynnari, turn 1

The Eldar then did something completely unexpected and moved everything up, parking the transports right in front of my ranks.

The Solitaire also moved forward to engage the second group of Plaguebearers.

The shooting did come, as the Wave Serpents as well as the Bright Lance spam (aided by the Autarch in the back) unloaded into Scabby and the Soul Grinder. The Princes were well protected by the Plaguebearers.

I suffered 2 wounds on the Grinder and 5 on Scabby. Then the Autarch charged into one of my Princes, flying over the line of Plaguebearers. Needless to say, Heroic Intervention with Scabeiathrax...

And the Autarch died, having only inflicted 1 wound on the Prince.

Daemons, turn 1

I rarely get my enemies handed to me on a plate, so I took full advantage.

The Princes flew out of the protective circle. The Plaguebearers opened up so Scabeiathrax and the Grinder could move forward. 

I unleashed Smites as well as the shooting I had from Scabby and the Grinder.

Then I charged with everything, Scabby eating the overwatch from the first two Serpents. The point was to surround them as best as possible to kill the occupants while disembarking.

It went well, with Scabby destroying both Serpents. One had no space to disembark its occupants, killing the 5 Wraithguard instantly. The other than just lost 1 Wraithguard. Obviously one (or was it both?) exploded, causing mortal wounds across the board.

The Plaguebearers were doing a tremendously great job, as well.

Ynnari, turn 2

Wraithguard disembark.

Surviving Wave Serpent falls back.

Combined shooting inflicts wounds on the Princes, but I saved like crazy.

At this point the Eldar had no points scored, while I was leading by 3 or 4 with multiple objectives, first blood and slay the warlord.

Daemons, turn 2

Shooting and Smite annihilates the unengaged Wraithguard, melee does the rest. Princes move around, trying to protect the already wounded ones.

Plaguebearers hold out heroically.

Eldar, turn 3

At this point we were in a rush as my opponent was in a hurry. I forgot to take pictures of this turn. Nothing exceptional happened. The Eldar shot and didn't kill anything, and didn't score points.

Daemons, turn 3

Things shuffle around, with the white Prince getting in charging position.

To everybody's surprise, the Grinder shot down a War Walker. The Autarch used the Soulburst action to get out of there. But I managed to charge in and tie him up with the Nurglings.

Most things were out of range to act (except finally kill the Wave Serpent).

Except this hero Prince who started hacking at the War Walkers.

At this point I'm not sure where the turns transition into one another. I just know that I closed in with my Princes and unleashed Smite and Shooting again, leaving the Autarch all alone on the board. Everything I had was wounded, but nothing died.

The Autarch tried to get away just out of spite.

But the Plaguebearers, of all things, caught up to him.

With all the buffs from the Tally of Pestilence (especially the +1 attack), they managed to take down the already wounded Autarch, giving me victory by tabling.

Aftermath

I can't say this match was a good illustration for what the armies can do. The frontal assault of the Ynnari - instead of standing back and shooting - was a failed experiment at best, giving me the chance to annihilate half the opposing army in a single turn.

Nevertheless, I did learn stuff from my own experiments, too.

• The Soul Grinder is laughably bad. Even though it actually did something this game, I could have included another, much more cost effective, Prince for the point cost. Not enough shots, not enough attacks, and everything on 4+. I might use the Grinder in the future as a means to tone down a list.
• Princes do well. I was afraid of the double talons set up as it lacks damage and strength, but the number of attacks makes up for it.
• The Icon upgrade for infantry tends to be useless. Of the 3 games so far, it had only made up for its points cost once.

Oh, and

• Wave Serpents are ridiculously survivable, and this is coming from a Nurgle player.