Dastardly Dark Eldar pirates have been preying on shipping lanes.  Top Admirals plan to risk the Avenger class Grand Cruiser Enif to set a trap for the pesky aliens!  Will the Dark Eldar be curtailed, or will the Imperials come up with empty nets?

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Mission: The Bait – Deep Space

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Bozeman – Dark Eldar

-Torture class cruiser Gift of Discord, Launch Bays, Mimic Engines

-Corsair class escort x2, The Knives of Sweetness, Impaler Attack Craft, Mimic Engines

-Corsair class escort x2, Needle’s Promise, Impaler Attack Craft, Mimic Engines

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Stephen – Imperial Navy

-Avenger Grand Cruiser Enif (Pursued Ship)

-Lunar Cruiser Adara

-Dominator Cruiser Avior

-Dauntless Light Cruiser Resa (Lances)

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Setup

Before the game began, the Dark Eldar took a move, thanks to Mimic Engines!

Turn 1 – Imperial Navy

The Enif goes on All Ahead Full.  No help arrives.

Turn 1 – Dark Eldar

The Knives of Sweetness Come to a New Heading to avoid the dust cloud, and the whole fleet fires Torpedoes, Impalers, and Bombers.  Total damage done to the Enif is 6, including two Engine Room Damaged results!  The Enif refuses to Brace for Impact.

Turn 2 – Imperial Navy

The rest of the Imperial fleet arrives, with the Lunar and Dauntless on All Ahead full!  A bank shot from the Dominator removes one of the Needle’s Promise escorts.  Torpedoes stop short of the Gift of Discord.

Turn 2 – Dark Eldar

Lucky torpedoes cause 2 damage to the Gift of Discord!  The Dark Eldar fleet Reloads Ordnance, except the remaining Needle’s Promise escort who disengages.  Battery fire finishes the Enif, but lucky turrets and Brace saves prevent the launched ordnance from harming the Lunar and Dominator.

Turn 3 – Imperial Navy

The surviving fleet closes in.  Failure to brace by the Gift of Discord dooms it to a drifting hulk!  The Knives of Sweetness brace and survive.

Turn 3 – Dark Eldar

The Knives of Sweetness attempt a bold boarding action!  …they lose and one of them dies.  Game ceded.

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Final Score

Imperial Navy – 325

Dark Eldar – 230

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Ugh!  I could have won had I disengaged on turn 2 (a classic Dark Eldar move) but I got greedy.  The Dark Eldar all-ordnance fleet is terrifying, but I think next time a more balanced approach could give me more options, such as Lock On with Phantom Lances and Batteries.  Stephen did what you should do in The Bait: pounce!

Next: Epic Eldar, possibly a training mission for Gothic, more Epic at Highland, and perhaps more Compendium stuff!  Stay tuned!