BL 3000 points:

200 HellTalons
200 Hellblades
300 Feral
300 Feral

640 (BTS) 4xChaos Termies, DP (Khorne,Wings), Pact, Icon, 3x Oblits
425 Retinue, Desecrator, Pact, DP (Warlord,Nurgle)
375 Retinue, Desecrator, Pact (Nurgle)
150 Forlorn Hope, Pact (Nurgle)
150 Forlorn Hope, Pact (Nurgle)

260 Daemon Pool: 13x LD

9 activations



Eldar 3000 points:

000 Avatar
050 Wraithgate

650 Revenants
300 Nightwings

200 Guardian Warhost (3x Heavy Wpn Platforms + 3x Support Wpn Platforms)
200 Guardian Warhost (3x Heavy Wpn Platforms + 3x Support Wpn Platforms)
200 Guardian Warhost (3x Heavy Wpn Platforms + 3x Support Wpn Platforms)

250 Falcon Troupe (4xFalcon, 1xFirestorm)
200 Windrider Host (4xJetbikes, 2x Vypers)
200 Windrider Host (4xJetbikes, 2x Vypers)
200 Windrider Host (4xJetbikes, 2x Vypers)
100 Rangers (4x)
175 Nighspinners
175 Nighspinners

12+1 activations


Terrain:

An oval of hills and some rubble surround a complex of 6 hydroponic farms in the table centre (if oyu ever picked up some Physalis fruit at the market, you´ll have a good idea as to how the farms look). Most of the flat hilltops have single ruines buildings on them.

Setup:

BL blitz went to the far right of their table, behind some ruins, Eldar blitz to the opposite corner into rubble. BL T&H went on the rightmost hydroponic farm and next to a hilled ruin on the same line as the Chaos blitz, to be replaced with the Wraithgate promptly.

Eldar T&H were put on a hill with ruins and some rubble on the leftern chaos flank, and on the leftmost farm.

BL garrisoned the Warlord´s Retinue on the rubbly leftern hill, the other retinue in a drawn out line stretching from the BL blitz towards the Wraithgate hill, ruins and rubble. The Forlorn Hopes spread out among the farms, without Scout garrisoning here would have been artillery baiting as the farms were some 10cms apart.

Rangers were put on guard around the Wraithgate in good cover.

All garrisons went on Overwatch.

Deployment:

BL puts Ferals on the leftern flank, and that´s it with the Terminators waiting to teleport.

Eldar place the Falcons and Revenants opposite of the Ferals, Nightspinners centre, a Windrider Troupe to the right of them, and 2 Guardian Warhosts in the rubble near their Blitz.

Reserves are 2 Windrider Hosts and a Guardian Host in the Webway.

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I take it the BL won the strategy roll off and so avoided corners?

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Wow, great, after spending some 20+ minutes summing up Turn1 the frigging Notebook decides to overheat and locks up.

Short version Turn1: BL is getting trashed.

BL right flank saw some success, the Blitz garrison Ret slaughtered the Rangers after a tough fight and nasty Overwatch, Eldar reinforced with the on-board WindridersNightwings and Nightspinner sustain, breaking the Ret and destroying the Desecrator, which downed a fighter. BL sent in all their air assets on ground attacks, driving of the Windriders, but there were more coming out of the gate, assaulting the now-broken Retinue. A Forlorn Hope had held its Overwatch to BM that formation and it proved to be the winning move on this flank

And getting whacked badly in the process, it was all hits to no hits in favour of BL, which dorve back the Windriders which lost 4 out of 6 for no damage on the Ret.

The other flank saw the other Forlorn hope BMing the Falcons, the Warlords Ret forced to Marshall after coming under Nightspinner fire (summoning in the process) and the Ferals doubling into the teeth of Eldar AT fire. They came close to breaking the Falcons, killing one, but the Revenants blew one of the Ferals straight to Hell even though in cover. Guardians are closing into firing range of the Warlord and remaining Feral.

The more damaged Windriders (2-strong) rallied, as did pretty much everthing but for the 4-strong Windriders which suffered repeated air attacks on the right flank.

On to Turn 2...

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They did!

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Turn 2:

The Chaos Terminators would have to go first, and do so, appearing where the Guardians were before the Double. The Chaos Wrlord is exhilarated that teleporting went perfectly and the 7-strong formation arrives with no BM!!

Eldar hold the Avatar back, it would be too far away from the Revenants to be of use since the Farseer is on the "wrong" end of the formation.

The Avatar could also be handy once the reserve Guardians in the Webway come to defend the rightmost objective near the gate.

Initiative: Eldar

The best laid plans...

Eldar sustain with the Nightspinners, killing 1 C-Termie and placing 5BM, the Guardians advanve backwards, shooting through the Revenants means few shots but a single BM is all it takes to send the C-Termies fleeing towards the rubble near the table edge, beyond the Eldar Blitz.

BL activates the Feral, which advances to fire at the Revenants and nearby Falcons (hellmouthed), the Revs remain unscathed but an unlucky Falcon goes down in Flames, reducing the formation to 3 with 2 BM.

The Warlord decides it´s "Death or Glory"-Time, summons 3 Beasts and orders an Engage on the unactivated Guardians, with the Feral in support, decimating the out-of-cover Eldar and pushing them back into the rubble, 16cms shy of the broken C-Termies.

With the Falcons in danger of breaking should the in-range Forlorn Hope choose to fire, they Marshall and move to screen the broken Guardians.

The Forlorn Hope instead shoots the unactivated Nightspinners, causing a BM, Nightspinners attempt to Marshall and shoot and have to Hold and regroup instead.

The 2nd Forlorn Hope goes on Overwatch again, aiming at the Wraithgate.

Nightwings stand down after failing to CAP.

HellBlades zoom in, strafing the broken 4-strong Windriders on the left flank, scattering them to the ... winds?


Unbroken 2-strong Windriders on that flank activate, Advance and place a BM on the Retinue near the Wraithgate.

That Retinue summons 3 LD, Marshalls and shoots at the Windriders, breaking them again.

Guardians pour out of the Gate, Advance and put a BM on the Retinue.

HellTalons strike, causing much carnage among them.

Revenants sustain at the Feral, and come within an inch of killing it (1DC left, broken)

BL rallies all, Eldar fail to rally the Guardians near the C-Termies in the rubble near the Eldar Blitz

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Typical Eldar tactics "advancing backwards!"  

Indeed!  

Turn 3:

Avatar appears close the the Guardians near the Gate

Initiative: Eldar

I thought this would pretty much spell doom for the forces of Chaos, but there were a few twists and turns ahead...

Falcons sustain on the wounded Feral, destroying it.
Revenants sustain on the C-Termies (well, mainly Oblits and DP!), killing an underwhelming single terminator stand after lousy hit and excellent saves. Trouble ahead!

C-Termies advance and fire past the Revenants at the Nightspinners behind the building, who all perish in a hail of fire from the 2 unsuppressed Oblits. A daemon shield of 4 is also summoned.

Warlord´s Ret summons a full 6 Plaguebearers and smashes into the Guardians which just "advanced backwards", which are slain to a pointy-ear in the open, though it took the SC-reroll to get going on this one.

This is quite a setback for the Eldar, which are now under threat of losing their Blitz and having the Revs assaulted next turn by the 2 most powerful BL formations if things go wrong.

The Eldar concentrate on the Gate-flank, concocting some clever tripe activation-plan to unhinge the Retinue there before it can summon. Unfortunately, that plan goes to shambles when the Windriders fail to activate form the Wraithgate and hove to Hold-move out of it, though into support positions.

Not ones to miss an opportunity, the HellTalons swoop down to soften up the somewhat exposed Guardians near that Gate, in preparation for a daring intermingling-clipping assault against the Avatar, Windrifers and Guardians.

And are forced to stand down, with no reroll left.
 

There are some rather relieved Guardians around which now pour fire into the BL Retinue, killing 2 stands and breaking them.

The remaining Nightspinners feel under threat by the Forlorn Hope in some ruins on the hill in front of the farms, and tries to sustain on them, and fails, placing a meagre BM.

The return fire kills 1, breaking the Nightspinners.

Trying to stall and use the Nightwings at some later time, the 2-strong Windriders are activated, fail and break. Eldar are getting a little unlucky here...

HellBlades appear and strafe the Windriders near the gate, killing 2. With an eye on the situation near the Blitz, the Nightwings are not called in.

The Avatar doubles after the broken Retinue, BM-killing another stand.

The other Forlorn Hope doubles to the far right edge of the Hydroponic Farms and even puts a unit into the rubble near the gate, signalling the fight is not over. A lucky missile kills a Windrider, breaking them.

Nightwings swoop down on the Warlord´s Retinue, destroying the Desecrator (which missed them) and killing a CSM stand.

Eldar rally the critically important 2/3 strength Guardians in the rubble near the Blitz, and everything else except for the remaining 2 Nightspinners.

BL fail to rally the broken "Gate"-Ret, which retreats to the BL Blitz.

On to Turn 4. BL are in a good position to take out the Revenants, with some luck they´ll claim Blitz and BTS, while the Eldar have lost their artillery but are set to sweep the right flank...

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This is why I hate those darned things :-)

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Guns don't break formations. Blast Markers break formations.

Well, they were a target-rich environment!

Turn 4:

Eldar win initiative. Again, the 3rd "6" in a row...

Triple activation upcoming, Falcons move to Crossfire the Warlord´s Retinue, breaking it, the Revenants quickly disentagle them from the trap, advance-retreating within 15cms of the Eldar Blitz and lasering into the daemons and Obliterators of the C-Termies, killing 3 LDs with 6 hits. Add +1 BM!


On the triple, the Guardians near the Gate sustain into the encroaching Forlorn Hope, killing 2 and sealing that flank´s fate.

Hoping for a miracle, the HellBlades one again go at helpless Windriders, breaking the stronger of the Windrider Hosts near the Gate (was one 4-strong and one 2-strong).

The 2-strong Windriders pass their action test and move to claim the BL Blitz.

The C-Termies summon 4 more LDs and charge the Revenants, killing one (jay!) and sending the other fleeing.

Nightwings go on CAP.

In desperation, the remaining Forlorn Hope marches towards the Gate objective, stretching out to claim both T&Hs.

The freshly rallied Guardians in the rubble double into the neighbourhood, contesting the Eldar Blitz, firing for no effect.


HellTalons try to shift the Guardians form the Gate, losing one of their number to the Nightwings but incendiary-bombing the Farseer. Not enough to break them though...

No further turn, so its down to points...

Eldar losses:

000 Avatar
050 Wraithgate

650 Revenants - 1 out of 2, H (half VPs)
300 Nightwings - 2 out of 3

200 Guardian Warhost (3x Heavy Wpn Platforms + 3x Support Wpn Platforms) - wiped out F (full VPs)
200 Guardian Warhost (3x Heavy Wpn Platforms + 3x Support Wpn Platforms) - 6 left out of 11
200 Guardian Warhost (3x Heavy Wpn Platforms + 3x Support Wpn Platforms) - 4 out of 11 H

250 Falcon Troupe (4xFalcon, 1xFirestorm) 3 out of 5
200 Windrider Host (4xJetbikes, 2x Vypers) - wiped out, F
200 Windrider Host (4xJetbikes, 2x Vypers) - 2 out of 6 H
200 Windrider Host (4xJetbikes, 2x Vypers) - 2 out of 6, H
100 Rangers (4x) - wiped out F
175 Nighspinners - wiped out F
175 Nighspinners - 2 out of 3, broken, H

1387,5 Victory Points for BL

200 HellTalons - 1 out of 2, H
200 Hellblades - 3 out of 3
300 Feral - destroyed, F
300 Feral - destroyed, F

640 (BTS) 4xChaos Termies, DP (Khorne,Wings), Pact, Icon, 3x Oblits - 5 out of 7
425 Retinue, Desecrator, Pact, DP (Warlord,Nurgle) - 4 out of 9, broken, F
375 Retinue, Desecrator, Pact (Nurgle) - 2 out of 9, broken, F
150 Forlorn Hope, Pact (Nurgle) - 2 out of 4, H
150 Forlorn Hope, Pact (Nurgle) - 4 out of 4

260 Daemon Pool: 13x LD + 2 for a "6" rolled in Turn 1. - 10 out of 15

That´s 1575 VPs for the Eldar...

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Sounds like a fun game. I'm definitely playing my Eldar next time we play :-)

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Guns don't break formations. Blast Markers break formations.

Thankfully the Eldar really wilted in Turn 3, though just not enough. Them always winning initiative was of course, somewhat detrimental. The Revenants sustained for 3 full turns before moving slightly backwards, it was ugly...

Comments:

Desecrators: Seemed okay, never shot (or did anything else) except as Flak, made the formations mixed and tempting targets. Both taken out by the Nightwings.

Aircraft: HellBlades ground attacked all the time, the Eldar fighting near the Gate had no AA and the HBs thrived on that. HellTalons concentrated there as well. Generally this battle played to their strengths, the Eldar had to keep their AA on the other flank to fight off the Ferals.

Obliterators: 85 points seems okay after all, their awesome shooting proved critical, with the new stats they are much better allrounders.

Summoning: I fail to grasp what´s wrong with the current system. The only problem I can see is when Forlorn Hopes (or reduced other formations) have more daemons then other units, this could be easily remedied by limiting the amount of daemons a formation can have to its mundane strength, e.g. 8 strong = 8 daemons, 3-strong, 3 daemons, with Icons or Champs maybe adding to the allowance.

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The Forlorn Hope can only have the Daemonic Pact. No IB, or Champion so the odds on them getting more than four daemons isn't that great (they get four on average from 2D3) and even if they do they can't retain them.

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Guns don't break formations. Blast Markers break formations.

The problem isn´t with fresh formations, what irks opponents is a freshly rallied 2 or 3-strong formation summoning 5 or 6 LDs with a lucky roll and all of a sudden turning the table on them. It is so much worse in a decimated Retinue where the Champ made it, when the 2-strong formation then goes to 10 or more it really raises eyebrows.

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Re-read it several times - a very interesting game, and the initial Objective placement was fascinating - spreading the forces of both sides (which probably played more to the Eldar strengths)

On Daemon numbers, that sounds like a reasonable idea. I also think the summoning process works in general, though with 2xD4 as PG says, you will nearly always get 3,4 or 5 daemons - and that seems slightly on the large size (though the size of the initial pool and the number of 'pacted' formations is a big factor here as well). I do agree with the comment about the Champ though.

Losing the initiative four times is unforgivable and your Warlord deserves ritual disembowling   - and obviously played a key part in the end result. So I guess you went to 'the birthday rule' in turn #1

Ok, just a random thought, but do you think the fliers are the equivalent of 4 CSM Termies and a couple of daemons? Equally, were the termies lucky or unlucky, OTT or underpowered?

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Have you seen this in games? Any formation of mine that gets beat down that badly usually isn't summoning :-)

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Guns don't break formations. Blast Markers break formations.