G&G IX: Doom in the Dunes (40K Day)

This ninth iteration of Gaming & Guinness came with some bittersweet undertones, as our host is selling his lovely Ottawa home as a result of splitting up with his wife.  I  am saddened we won't have the opportunity to return to this venue for a future G&G, but Rob did an outstanding job juggling his roles as host, home-seller and attentive dad to his off-site daughter!

Rob was also one of the original Warhammer 40,000 players back in the early 90s in Edmonton, but hasn't had an opportunity to play a battle with his own Eldar models since moving from Vancouver in 2001.

He was also quite concerned about the lack of scenery he had available, but printed out a papercraft hotel, some barriers and a handful of shipping containers that we dutifully cut and taped together that morning.  After throwing the sandy-coloured pool table cover over the ping-pong surface, and throwing some books and pool cues underneath to create some topography, we had a perfectly passable battlefield to work with.  Flipping over a wooden fruit bowl from upstairs to create an organic looking mountain or structure was the final touch.

Despite a lack of familiarity with the rules, Rob threw his Falcon grav-tanks, jetbikes and Vypers fully into the battle, led by his Avatar, a war-god behemoth with a molten heart.  Scott's own Eldar took up position close to the objectives, and the conflict began.  Island Mike's Catachan Jungle Fighters and my Valhallan Ice Warriors did our best to uphold the name and reputation of the Imperial Guard (or, as they are apparently calling them these days, the Astra Militarum).

Objective-wise, there is no disputing that the day belonged to the Eldar;. by game's end, they held two of the four objective points on the field, compared to zero for the Guardsmen.  Still, we mon-keigh took pride in a few highlights, like our company commanders, 'Iron Hand' Straken and Marshall Kratten, taking out Rob's Avatar in hand to hand!  Or when my troop of conscripted troopers rolled a 5 in order to stay in their fight with a squad of Swooping Hawk Aspect Warriors, and then not only breaking them next turn, but wiping them out before they could make their escape!  Good times, good times.

In the end though, our men and armour were not enough to overcome the Eldar's potent combination of mobility and firepower; congratulations, Scott and Rob!  

I maintain part of the problem may have been our use of jungle fighters and troops in winter camo in a desert environment, but that seems more and more unlikely as I consider it.

It was great to have these two armies meet for the first time in G&G history though, and who knows, there may be the opportunity for a rematch at G&G X, even though I could probably go another decade without facing that Avatar again.