I’ve decided to use the main focus of my blog to keep a journal of my play testing to find a 2250 tournament army list I’m happy with. It’ll also include the occasional quick report on painting. Hopefully it will mean I’ll blog more often as I play more than I paint!
So without further ado….
Playtest Game 1
Points: 2250
Opponent: Luke, Wood Elves
Background Info: A game arranged at the Evesham Club, I turned up not knowing who or what I was going to face…
Army Lists: I decided to go with Version 1 Tournament list; a cavalry heavy army backed up by shooting and magic. The list was along the lines of:
Supreme Sorceress, Level 4 on Dark Steed
Sorceress, Level 2
Master BSB on Dark Steed
2 x 10 Repeater Crossbowmen
2 x 5 Dark Riders
2 x 5 Harpies
2 x 5 Cold One Knights
8 Shades
Assassin
2 x Reaper Bolt Throwers
War Hydra
Wood Elves consisted of (I think…):
2 x 10 Glade Guard
2 x 10 ish Dryads
War Dancers
Way Watchers
Treeman
Noble with nasty bow and arrows
Level 2 Mage
Level 1 Mage
And possibly some other bits…
Set up:
I set up with a long central line of Crossbowmen, 2 Bolt Throwers on a hill on the left flank supported by a unit of Harpies, with 1 unit of Dark Riders to the extreme left. On the far right flank, I placed the Hydra, 1 unit of Cold One Knights and Dark Riders. Just off right of centre went the remaining Cold One Knights and screened by a unit of Harpies. The BSB went with the central Cold One Knights, Supreme Sorceress using terrain to hide and cast using a focus familiar and the other Sorceress in with a unit of crossbows. The Shades scouted ahead and set up in a wood.
Battle Report:
I didn’t get first turn and was made to suffer. Treeman advanced towards the wood containing the shades, dryads both advanced, one unit on either flank and everything else shuffled around. WE Magic phase saw the shades take heavy causalities. WE shooting phase saw the Noble draw his magic bow and wipe out a whole unit of Cold One Knights due to wounds not allowing armour saves. Treeman shooting attack (I didn’t know they had one!) wiped out the remaining Shades and without knowing took with it the hidden assassin. Ouch!
My first turn saw a Hydra march through the now vacant wood to breath on the Treeman (surprise, Hydra’s can march through woods with no penalty!) Both units of Dark Riders flew forward and the remaining Cold One Knights moved to get a counter charge. Magic phase fizzled but managed to draw out a scroll and not much else. Shooting saw a bolt thrower do 3 wounds on the Treeman and that was about it.
I‘ll summarise the rest as it quickly spiralled into a comedy show. The second turn saw the Noble’s shooting wipe out the second unit of Cold One Knights thanks to it negating armour saves. The Hydra chased the Treeman around the wood to the background music from a Benny Hill sketch before getting bored and wandering off to eat some squishy T3 tree huggers. The Dark Riders baited and fled with the intent of leaving a charge for the now non-existent Knights. They rallied and then got charged trying to protect my Supreme Sorceress, however the overrun saw her get caught anyway. The left flank collapsed when the Dark Riders got shot to pieces and the Harpies got smashed by the Dryads and the overrun took them into my Bolt Throwers. A number of failed fear / terror / panic tests saw everything else running and wiped out before I eventually concede defeat.
Lessons learnt:
- I’m really out of touch with Warhammer. My core rules knowledge is rusty; I am out of practice and have hardly played 7th edition, I have no clue on any of the other army books and barely know what my own army is capable of. It’s going to many hours studying, reading online forums and playing different opponents to get my knowledge back up to tournament standard.
- My army list needs a good work over. There was no punch to the army, no solid core. I need to work in a couple of infantry units to provide good static combat resolution and back that up with lots of support units. I’ve got some ideas in mind so will try a different list next time. Dark Elves have the ability to put out so many different types of list that it will be a process of finding my playing style with them and tailoring an army to suit. I must get out of the headlong charge with everything Orcish mindset.
- Don’t place Shades in woods when playing against Wood Elves. This will be my lasting memory of this game. If I learn nothing else I will remember this!
- Learn to use Harpies better to protect important units from shooting. Admittedly the Noble had a really nasty killer bow but the tactic still applies to normal ranked shooting. Harpies are a perfect screen and some practice is required
- Hydra’s rock! They are T5, have a scaly skin save and can regenerate. They can march through woods and I shouldn’t be scared to throw it into combat. I will eventually learn its limitations…
- Dark Elf shooting is not as good as it appears, especially against armies not containing ranked masses. My repeater crossbows in particular are a bit more miss than hit. They also are a very static element of a very mobile army. I think I’ll revise the amount I put in to the next play test. Oh and don’t put 2 Bolt Throwers on the same hill, no matter how tempting it is for line of sight…
Playtest Game 2
Points: 750
Opponent: Kris, Wood Elves
Background Info: A quick game in an hour, not a tournament sized game but I’ll take all the practice I can get…. Even if it’s against Wood Elves…. Again….
Army Lists: I should have learnt my lesson, but I went with a cavalry based theme again! Along the Lines of:
5 Dark Riders (rpt xbow, Mus)
5 Dark Riders (Mus)
5 Harpies
5 Cold One Knights
1 Cold One Chariot
Level 2 Sorceress on Dark Steed
Wood Elves consisted of:
11 Glade Guard (Ch + Mus)
Alter Noble (Helm of Hunt, GW, LA, Sh, Annoyance of Netlings)
6x glade rider (Ch + St)
Treeman
Set up:
Harpies screening the Dark Riders on the right flank, everything else in the middle with the Sorceress in the Dark Riders and refused left flank.
Battle Report:
Wood Elves got first turn and moved the Glade Riders, Treeman and Noble forward. No magic and the WE shooting was ineffective.
Dark Elves first turn, Harpies and Dark Riders moved at full pace down the right flank to threaten the Glade Guard and everything else moved up the middle to surround the advancing Wood Elves. Magic with Lore of Fire saw Conflagration of Doom cast on the Treeman and after 2 goes caused 2 wounds on the wooden, flammale beast.
Wood Elves turn 2 saw the Noble declare a charge on the Dark Riders with Sorceress and the Treeman declare against the Cold One Knights. Dark Riders opt to flee and rolled 6 inches to escape. More than enough I thought, but to my shock and horror the Noble has an 18” charge range and catches them with an inch to spare. Ouch! The Glade Guard shoots and kills 3 Harpies but they pass their panic test. Cold One Knights against the Treeman win the combat due to resolution but it holds.
Dark Elves turn 2 sees the Cold One Chariot flank charge the Treeman and the Dark Riders charge the Glade Guard whilst the remaining 2 Harpies get out of the way. The barrage of shooting sees only the Dark Rider musician get in to combat. No magic and no shooting. Combat sees the Treeman defeated, flee and run down by the Knights. The lone musician wins combat and the Glade Guard flee without being caught!
Wood Elves Turn 3 is set up for a Noble charge into the flank of the Chariot and the Glade Riders charge the Cold One Knights. The Glade Guard rally on the board edge and prepare to be charged again. Combat between the Noble and Chariot ends in a draw. The Cold One Knights and Glade Riders trade blows but also stay locked together
The battle is in the balance…..
Dark Elves turn 3 and onwards (everything moved quite quickly fro this point onwards). The battle turns on its head with a few comedy moments; the highlight of which being the lone Dark Rider musician recharging the Glade Guard with them unable to stand and shoot this time. The combat is heading for a draw, but wait, I’ve got a musician and the Glade Guard haven’t. The archers promptly fail their break test, flee and get ridden down. The Noble eventually bites the dust with a little help from 2 Harpies charging in the flank and after a few traded blows the sole surviving standard bearer of the Cold One Knights wins the battle in the centre of the board!
A win for the Dark Elves!
Lessons learnt:
- Hatred is awesome! When you remember to use it, which I did in this game! Much to Kris’s annoyance!
- I made better use of the Harpies as a screen this time. However the Dark Riders still got shot to pieces from a stand and shoot charge reaction.
- Treemen aren’t that scary. A couple of wounds from fiery magic spells and overwhelming then in combat works. Negating their wards with magical weapons also helps
- Another surprise from the Noble magic item combo. If this is what Wood Elves can put out, how many other combinations are out there to worry about….?
I’m fed up of Wood Elves now.
I’ve already got pencilled in to play Clee’s Orc and Goblin army, Conrad’s Tomb Kings and a rematch with Kris at 2250 points. Reports on those to follow….
