Tactics: Reserve Denial

So at the Wasteland Wars 7 Tournament back in August I used a tactic called Reserves Denial for 4 out of the 5 games I played. It's a tactic a picked up a little from reading the internet and a little from playing against my good friend who was using his Drop Pods to take out make tanks before I ever got to begin my turn.

The point of Reserves Denial is to deny your opponent a turn or two of shooting. The way this works is much like the way going second in Dawn of War works. Player one is on the board, and has their entire army. Then you either have your 1 HQ and 2 Troops, or you leave them all off the board. Player one's turn then consists of moving his units, and if nothing is on the board he then losing out on a shooting phase. Leaving you the chance to come back and shoot after you come onto the board during your turn.

This tactic favors the Eldar quite a bit, as it allows their weaker units the chance to attack before they are shot at and destroyed. It also gives them a chance to either turbo boost or move flat out to get those cover saves in games with very little terrain.

The main issue with Reserves Denial is that it can leave you open for some bad rolling when it's time to bring your units onto the table. I've had a couple games where my units dribbled onto the game board leaving me wide open to taken out piece by piece.

Advantages:
- If you're not on the board, you can't die.
- If you go second, you deny your opponent 2 turns of damage against you.
- Creates a great Alpha Stike ability for your army.
- Lets you react to your opponents deployment and movement.

Disadvantages:
- Creates a chance for your forces to come in sparactically.
- Gives you less time to destroy your opponent/complete objectives.

There are three armies that can really take advantage of Reserves Denial by minimizes the disadvantages. The Eldar, Space Marines and Imperial Guard all have ways to increase the chances of your units coming on the board from reserves.

Eldar: They have the Auctarch, with the master Strategist Ability which allows you to add 1 to your rolls for reserves. Eldar also have the benefit of taking two which allows you the ability to add plus 2 to your reserves. So what are the odds of your men coming in?

Normal: Turn 2 - 50% Turn 3 - 67% Turn 4 - 83% Turn 5 - Automatically
1 Autarch: Turn 2 - 67% Turn 83% Turn 4 - 83% Turn 5 - Automatically
2 Autarchs: Turn 2 - 83% Turn 3 - 83% Turn 4 - 83% Turn 5 - Automatically

You might be wondering why it caps out at 83%, this is because a roll of a 1 always fails, and you always have a 1 in 6 chance of rolling a 1. But with 2 Autarchs you should be very confident in getting 80% of your forces on the board.

Space Marines: Have Varro Tigurius, the Chief Librarian of the Ultramarines and a Special Character. He has the ability, Gift of Presence, which allows you to re-roll any reserve rolls. His ability actually gives you a chance to re-roll that 1 on the dice, and will also allow you to re-roll passed rolls if you have something you want to stay in reserves. So what are the benefits of his re-roll?

Normal: Turn 2 - 50% Turn 3 - 67% Turn 4 - 83% Turn 5 - Automatically
Re-roll: Turn 2 - 75% Turn 3 - 89% Turn 4 - 97% Turn 5 - Automatically

Imperial Guard: Under the Regimental Advisors there is the Astropath. He has the Telepathic Relay that works exactly the same way as the Eldar Autaurch, along with a bonus of allowing you to re-roll your outflank rolls (wish the Autarch could do that). I've not yet seen any IG players do Reserve Denial because it's usually players pulling this tactic against them, but it could open up some possibilities of an outflanking army or something else if you're not playing the normal Gunline IG. Here's your odds.

Normal: Turn 2 - 50% Turn 3 - 67% Turn 4 - 83% Turn 5 - Automatically
1 Autarch: Turn 2 - 67% Turn 83% Turn 4 - 83% Turn 5 - Automatically
2 Autarchs: Turn 2 - 83% Turn 3 - 83% Turn 4 - 83% Turn 5 - Automatically

While people may not always find it fun playing against the Reserve Denial List, it's a great way to counter the Alpha Strike or Leaf Blower list that wipes you off the board Turn 1.

Doubles Tournament Background Story

Hi Everyone, I'm not sure if everyone is familiar with most of the tournaments here in the DFW area but a good majority have alot of points built into different things such as painting, display bases and carrying cases along with back ground stories.

For this one it was a bit more interesting then the ones done in the past as we had to find a way to get our two armies to fall in line with each other, and the better you explain it the more points you get.

So a brief background on the story, before I tell it to you. Me and my partner fought at the North Texas Champion Ships mid last year and my friend ended up winning and I placed second, well this time we've teamed together, and the story takes place at the end of our battle at that turnament. Hope you enjoy.

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The Enemy of thy Enemy…

The battles upon planet Hoby T’wn, had been quick and devastating. The Swordwind’s Sheath had been pitted against Dark Eldar raiders for weeks, and had also faced the worlds’ Imperial Guard regiment along with their Inquisitorial allies. The Inquisition, always viewing itself as just and righteous in all its actions, had made the mistake of getting in the way of the Eldar.

Nothing would stop the Sheath; the short-sighted humans had no idea of the terror near at hand

The Swordwind’s Sheath had taken refuge in the humans crude refineries. The Farseer hoped they would be able to hold off the enemy as well as get some much needed rest. Just as dusk began, explosive bolter volleys broke upon the Eldar defensive line and the sound of filthy and primitive engines of human machinery could be heard in the distance. Armored warriors in green armor, the Emperor’s Space Marines had arrived.

As the two armies clashed, the surrounded Eldar dug in deep, and tried their best to weather the storm. Left and right the souls of the fallen left this world filling their spirit stones.

Corpses and destroyed wargear began to litter the battlefield; Salamander Space Marines pierced by shuriken rounds or alien energy blasts, and Eldar warriors ripped to pieces by the primitive, but no less destructive, weapons brought to bear against them.

Suddenly the sounds of weapon fire stopped. In a flash of light, the Salamander Librarian, Pyriel, towered over fallen Farseer Gali’lucus. He gripped his weapon, ready to end the life of the foul xenos before him. His force staff crackling with energy, he brought the weapon back ready to strike the fatal blow.

The heavens and earth began to shake with such ferocity that the Librarian could barely hold himself upright. Seeing his chance, Gali’ reached out for his force spear and brought it to bear, the tip drawing a single drop of blood from the Librarians Neck.

The Librarian, with a shocked expression, looked down at the xenos witch, his eyes wide with anger and surprise. “Finish it you Xeno Filth,” spat Pyriel.

“Be silent human! Are you so blind that you can not see what falls upon this world?”

Librarian Pyriel raised his head to the sky, the fury of battle draining from his eyes, “It cannot be!” He stepped back, inadvertently leaving room for Gali’ to rise to his feet, his spear still at the Librarians Throat.

“Yes Human, the Devourer of Worlds is here, with your blind eyes you failed to see why we were present here,” he said scornfully.
Pyriel looked at the seer with hate in his eyes, “You are wrong witch. The sons of Vulcan will never let this world fall, not while one of us lives to fight.”

“Then there may yet still be hope human.” Gali’lucus looked at the sky, tracer rounds and energy bolts lanced into the heavens as Spore Pods rained down upon the world. The skies already turning black, the planet was rebelling against the invading foe like a living organism fighting against a viral infection.

Farseer Gali’lucus fell into himself; he walked upon the threads of fate, seeing what choices there were, where those choices led. Multiple futures appeared to him; too many were of death and further destruction. There! There was one path that may lead to victory and life. There was no other choice; if this world fell the precious lives of thousands of eldar would be lost.

“Yes, if this world falls, much will be lost, and this cannot happen. Gather what is left of your warriors, only together is there any hope of victory today, for your people and mine.” The Farseer watched as this new ally walked towards the space marine army. There was no time to mourn newly fallen, no time to collect the precious soulstones. “Human, because of your nature, many elder have fallen today, I will not soon forget this.”

Gali’ composed himself, he now had to fight with the enemy he was trying to destroy only moments ago. The Farseer began to walk over to where the marines were mustering, he paused as he felt a presence behind him. A small unit of Dire Avengers appeared out of the dust and smoke created in the short battle.

“Farseer Gali’lucus?” said the front-most aspect warrior, “We are at your command. We received word from Farseer Si’lth of your need for help, but…”

“Yes this battle is over, I must prepare what is left of my forces for the true battle. There is still time, what other forces are with you?”

He was answered not by the avenger but what he saw coming from the dust cloud. Two squads of his brave Guardians riding Jetbikes flanked not by one, but two heavy Fire Prism grav-tanks, followed by a Falcon grav-tank.

Nodding his head to the Dire Avenger, he turned and approached the space marine force with the Avengers as his side.

“This is Heresy!” Cried out Sergeant Pri’er, “We can not ally ourselves with these xenos.”

“Quite yourself Sergeant!” yelled out the Librarian. “For now we must fight the Tyranids with these eldar. Without the eldar forces this world is lost, will you have the blood of this planet’s people on your hands?”
“Farseer, it seems that you have had some help arrive. I will be aboard the Land Raider. We will wait for your word, but do not betray me witch.” With that he turned and boarded, Sergeant Pri’er turned and walked back to his waiting squad.

Gali’ joined the avengers in the Falcon”Wind Runner”, the Fire Prisms Crystalis and V’room took positions on either side of the transport. As the Jetbikes formed a perimeter around the tanks, the uneasy alliance of Eldar and Marines turned to face the approaching storm…..