Battle Report: The Raid on Arcadia Secundus, Part 1

Determining that the Arcadian forces were sufficiently occupied on Arcadia Prime, the Eldar landed a small raiding force on Arcadia Secundus to begin the search for the artifact there.

Imperial Forces: Badelaire
Eldar Forces: Darkwing and SGTOM

The Forces

Imperial Arcadian Forces
Command Platoon	115
Fire Support Squad	90
Infantry Platoon with 2 Infantry Squads	195
Leman Russ Battle Tank	165
Total Points: 525

Eldar Force
Farseer	56
5 Howling Banshees	80
5 Swooping Hawks	105
Guardian Defender Squad (8)	64
Guardian Defender Squad (8)	64
Guardian Defender Squad (6)	48
Fire Prism Grav-Tank	115
Total Points:	532

Turn 1
As the Arcadian forces maneuvered through the rocks, the Eldar took up their positions in the jungle, preparing to burst out and attack the Arcadians. The Leman Russ took up position on the hill on the Arcadian's left flank. Upon first sighting movement in the trees, the Leman Russ' battlecannon barked out, but the shot destroyed little more than foliage. The Heavy Bolter and Autocannon from the Fire Support Squad tore up the trees, killing 2 Guardians, while massed lasgun fire killed one more.
The Eldar advanced, bursting from the trees, and a Fire Prism Grav Tank made itself visible, its crystal prism charged with energy. The prism cannon fired a blast at the exposed Leman Russ, but the shot was ineffective against the Leman Russ' thick front armor.
Turn 2
The Leman Russ aimed its lascannon at the now exposed Fire Prism, and a shot from it turned the Fire Prism into a flaming wreck. Now out of the trees, the Eldar had to charge across open ground into the teeth of the Arcadian fire. The Heavy Bolter opened up, killing one of the Howling Banshees, while massed lasgun and flamer fire completely annihilated one of the Guardian Defender Squads.
But now, the Eldar would get their revenge. Swooping Hawks dropped from the sky, their grenades falling upon the Imperial Guard Command HQ squad, killing one man. They then fired upon the Fire Support Squad from behind, killing one crewman. The Guardian Defenders seized the moment and sprinted forward, spraying shuriken catapult fire at the infantry squad to their front. The sudden onslaught killed three men, and the rest broke and fled.
Turn 3
The second infantry squad advanced to hit the Eldar Guardians in the flank. A mortar shot from the Fire Support Squad landed in the middle of the Eldar, killing a Guardian and a Howling Banshee. The Command HQ squad fired upon the Swooping Hawks who had landed next to them, then assaulted them in close combat. In the fray the Guard Captain was killed, but the Command Sergeant killed a Swooping Hawk in return.
The Guardians and Howling Banshees advanced on the second infantry squad. Shuriken Catapult fire killed 4 guardsmen, and the guardians and Howling Banshees charged into hand-to-hand with the survivors. The Howling Banshees cut down three more guardsmen with their power sword, but the 3 remaining guardsmen stayed to fight. The Swooping Hawks continued to fight against the command squad, and each suffered another casualty.
Turn 4
The Fire Support Squad fled off the table. The infantry platoon's command squad, seeing the Farseer slowly making he way to the Leman Russ on the hill, advanced on him. The guardsman with the meltagun took careful aim, and vaporized the Farseer. The Leman Russ then opened fire on the guardians, killing 3 of them. In the assault, the Howling Banshees killed another guardsmen, causing the two survivors to finally break and flee, only to be cut down for their trouble by the pursuing aspect warriors. The Howling Banshees then moved to support the Swooping Hawks, and together they killed the remnants of the Command HQ squad. The guardians opened fire on the Command Section, killing 4 guardsmen left, and leaving the lieutenant as the only survivor.
Turn 5
Calling a hasty retreat, the lieutenant killed one more guardian with a shotgun blast before calling it a day, while the Leman Russ covered him with a heavy bolter shot, killing one more guardian. Both sides had suffered heavy casualties, but without infantry support, the Leman Russ retired from the field, leaving it in Eldar hands.

December 21, 2002