Post by stonecutter on Jun 20, 2011 16:30:50 GMT -5
Well, the tourney is now over and I placed 1st for woodelves and just out of the running for best overall. I ended up going 4 wins and 1 draw and so I shocked not only myself but everyone else in the tourney with the performance of my woodelves. Here is a quick rundown of the battles and how they went:
Woodelves for the Win List
4th level with dispel scroll and stone of rebirth
BSB with hail of doom and magic bow
10 archers
20 archers, FC, flaming banner
3 units of 15 dryads
5 wild riders
3 treekin
treeman
Game 1 vs Gerald from Victoria with his Lizardmen
Pitched Battle
Slaan BSB, lore of light, cupped hands, steal 6s, loremaster, +1 die/casting
skink priest with scroll
2 units of ~25 saurus, FC
~20 temple guard FC
10 skinks in ranked unit
~10 chameleons
2 packs of 2 sallies
Deployment saw a very standard mirror around the deathstar with saurus on either flank and sallies out to their sides. My archers were on the right centre with dryads evenly spread out, TK on left flank, wild riders and treeman on right flank. His scouts deployed on the left so I vanguarded the WRs on the right toward the nearest sallies. Moving first, I advanced fully on the left and far right with dryads and more cautiously in the centre with the remainder of the army. The WRs moved to threaten the sallies and while I buffed the WRs to T5, I also managed to dimensional cascade my wizard and thus had a very rough start to turn 1!! During his turn, he advanced on the far left with chameleons, skinks and sallies while the sallie pack on the right moved to shoot the wild riders but ate some handlers instead. I stopped only damage spells during his magic phase so all his infantry blocks were WS10/10 and one was mv 8 after having advanced 4-6†in the centre. Shooting killed a couple dryads and turn 2 commenced. Realizing that his magic would eventually really hurt me, I knew I had to get aggressive. Charging the right flank sallies with WRs and the left flank chameleons with dryads, I pulled back in the centre but marched the right most dryads into a venomous thicket out of the nearest saurus block charge arc. Shooting killed a couple saurus at long range and combat went well. The dryads crushed the skinks, resulting in panicking the nearby sallies off the board while the WRs won combat but the sallies held since they were in the slaans leadership 9 bubble. His turn 2 advanced cautiously in the centre a small amount and the magic buffed the units again but he was forced to use the cupped hands. Combat saw the sallies finished by wild riders and the WRs down to 2 remaining.
The left flank dryads charged the last unit of skinks while the TK moved up on the left near the middle of the board. Shooting was more effective as the TM blocked the right block of saurus from charging and between strangleroot and the archers, the block was cut in half. With the 3 blocks pinned in the middle, he manoeuvred to get the TG into combat and threaten the archers with the TG and centre block of pristine saurus. A failed casting ended the magic phase early (thank goodness) , leaving the centre saurus block unbuffed. The TM charged the block on the next turn, inflicting some pain while shooting hammered away at the diminished right saurus block, cutting it down further and leaving it with only dryads to charge. Dryads managed to kill the skink priest on the left flank while the TK moved to threaten the TG flank. The TG turned to face the TK and a low dice magic phase accomplished little while the depleted saurus charged the dryads. Combat saw the TM take a wound but inflict a bunch more back while the depleted saurus were beat down to 5 models – just enough for steadfast. Tossing the TK into the front of the TG to delay them a turn to protect the archers, the free ranging dryads moved to a flanking positions in the rear while the grind continued in the centre as the TM was joined by dryads trying to finish the last saurus block before the game ended. The TK held and did well in combat, winning by 1. Turn 5 saw the major turning point as the slaan dimensional cascaded the TG, killing all but 1 and doing 2 wounds to the TK. The remaining TK killed the unit while the last saurus died and the TM and dryads prepared to finish the slaan. We called it there as a massacre. A very demanding tactical game where the woodies speed and manoeuvre really helped. Gerald was a really fun guy to play and laughed off the suicide pack of our two wizards!! Everyone but the general contributed to the win but the key was killed the flanking units quickly and then avoiding buffed units by retreating. TM gets a special honour as he killed almost the entire centre block of saurus on his own.
 
Game 2 vs Aaron from Colorado(?) with Skaven
Dawn Attack
Grey seer, plague priest on furnace, bsb
2 blocks of ~30 clan rats with wpn teams
2 blocks of slaves
2 rat ogres x 2
2 units of ~7 plague censer bearers
~25 plague monks
Hellpit
Despite my loathing of this scenario and mystical terrain, both helped during this game. The plague furnace and monks were on the left with censor bearers while the HPA, rat ogres, most of the infantry were on the centre right while the grey seer was far right. Woodies were evenly spread out except for big archer block on the left with characters and the TM & TK on the right. A large mystical monument (impassable terrain) was in the centre right of the board. Skaven failed to steal initiative so I advanced aggressively on the left and right – keeping the monument between my forces and the HPA. Shooting killed 1 weapon team and perhaps a censor bearer but not much else. We manoeuvred for a couple more turns and dreaded 13th failed to cast twice but the monks were dwellered, killing the priest and a pile of monks. On the right, the monument protected my forces from the HPA but I was channelled into a narrow area between it and the board edge. I pushed the TM forward just as the HPA was about to come blasting down and clean out the flank, hoping to delay it a couple turns. The rat ogres charged, were beaten by the TM, resulting in a panicked HPA(which was outside the BSB bubble) heading for the rear table edge. The TM charged the next turn and the HPA fled 15†off the 14†distance table edge – a major break of luck to say the least!
In the centre, the TK failed a charge against plague monks but dryads made it in, lost combat and fled while the archers blast the 2nd unit down to 1 model now that the stormbanner was done. The WRs had been busy killing some left flank slaves that were about to threaten the large archer block and eventually broke them, losing another WR in the process. Magic sucked out dispel scrolls on both sides and shooting killed a few more dryads and the last plague censor bearer. The TK, having accepted a rat ogre charge and ground them down over two turns, flanked the 2nd unit of censor bearers and crushed them completely. More importantly, the plague monks were cut down to less than 6 models, making the furnace and unit immobile. The TM had to finish off the right flank rat ogres that had rallied and a pair of successful dwellers dropped both clan rat units significantly in size although the BSB and seer still lived. The BSB and centre block was then charged and beaten with multiple charges of dryads and TK. On turn 6, the dryads charged the grey seer and his clan rats and they failed to flee far enough as the dryads ran them down. Archers killed the last plague monks to get the unit points and the game ended. Definite key was the HPA getting run off the board but dweller’s was essential in getting units depleted to the point where they could be beaten in combat.
Game3 vs Michael from Halifax with Empire
Breakpoint mission
Standard Popemobile, mounted warrior priest, BSB on foot, level 2 light caster
1 horde of spears in 10+ ranks with big detachment of swordsmen
~12 handgunners with standard as a mage meat shield
2 cannons, 2 mortars
8 inner circle knights, FC, flaming banner
This appeared from the outset to be the worst possible matchup I could face for this mission since we started only 18†apart and all 4 of my breakpoints were in one unit. My fears were realized on his turn 2 as I had hit the popemobile with the TK to delay it but was counter charged by the spear block and cavalry. With my big archer block only 10†behind, it looked grim. Combat saw the TK decimated down to a single model with 1 wound left and it looked like it would be a very fast game. The dice gods answered my prayers however as they rolled insane courage and it was at that point that the dice gods completely abandoned Michael as he missed the TM with one cannon and rolled a 1 to wound with the other while both mortars scattered wildly. The TK stuck around for two more turns, pinning the popemobile, while the TM hit the spears and killed the BSB over a couple turns and began a long grind of thunderstomping. Dryads on the right occupied a venomous thicket, giving them poison attacks as well being stubborn in the woods and deployed to block the knights. The wild riders wiped out a cannon and mortar on the left flank while archers dropped two knights with point blank fire and killed several handgunners shielding the wizard.
Remembering the mission, I moved the BSB and wizard out of the archer unit. The knights charged the dryads and killed a bunch and although I forgot to use the poison attacks, the unit held. Bad luck for Michael became worse when the mortar scattered into the knight combat killed 3 knights. The right flank archers had advanced far enough that they charged the cannon, wiped it out and overran toward the mortar which was trying to snipe my general to win the game. Eventually, the second infantry block was engaged by dryads in another venomous thicket and fear checks quickly became the bane of the Empire forces as they failed 6 of 8 over the next two turns, allowing massive casualties to both infantry units. To make matters even worse, the popemobile charged the archers, did one impact hit and failed to wound. With a rank and standard, the unit not only held but won combat by a musician. The knights were quickly being ground down as well since a 2nd unit of dryads hit their flanks and Michael could not make armour saves, rolling three 1s on 8 wounds but they held. Focusing shooting on the handgunners, the “combat archers†hit them at point blank range, dropping them to 1 plus the wizard while the hail of doom finished the wizard and the standard bearer. The infantry blocks and knights both broke and the game ended as breakpoint had been achieved. Just for laughs, Michael tried one last mortar shot at the wizard to see what would have happened if the game had gone another turn and, sure enough, he had direct hit with failed 4+ look out sir roll on my part that inflicted 3 wounds on my general! The insane courage was definitely the turning point and once this had happened, Michael’s luck went downhill in a hurry. Despite it all, he was a great sport and loads of fun to play, laughing off the bad luck as shit happens.
More to follow on Games 4 & 5 later
Game 4 vs Jeff from Washington state with Daemons
Meeting Engagement(diagonal deployment 12” apart)
The masque, nurgle BSB greater icon of despair, tzeentch herald with scroll and loremaster life,
2 units of 6 flamers (always fun for woodelves)
40+ horrors,FC, changeling
40 plaguebearers, FC
Well, good luck can’t last forever and I figured this day was going to make up for the horseshoes I had in the first three games. Not only was I playing against daemons, but Jeff is one of the top players in the US and I had several people come and wish me luck as though the lamb was already at the slaughter An ill omen also contributed to this air of gloom as I had placed my army under the table on the display board and someone else had come along and tossed a carrying case on top of it, breaking a bunch of dryad models This definitely was not a great way to start the day!
The run of less than stellar luck continued with deployment as I had to go first and my general and a unit of dryads ended up in reserve. With the diagonal going from my distant left to near right, I deployed around a central-left hill with an impassable face on one side with the big archer unit, TK, TM and two units of dryads, the WR on the far left and smaller archer unit on the centre right. Jeff deployed the large nurgle block with BSB in the centre on his board edge and a unit of flamers across from the WRs with his tzeentch herald, masque beside them and flamers across from a unit of dryads on the centre left. His horrors were in reserve. I at least got first turn and the WRs and dryads charged into the flamers. I forgot to bring my reserve dryads onto the board and my general as well although I remembered at the last minute! Magic did nothing as my wizard was too far away and I wanted to keep the general 32”+ inches away from the nearest deployment point for the daemons so I wouldn’t get missiled to death by the horrors or dwellered. Shooting wounded the masque and combat killed a few horrors but they held on. Turn 2 saw the horrors enter on the far left and get within 6” of an arcane ruin so they and the herald now got 4 channel dice each. The WRs killed another horror but were wiped out while the dryads whiffed and lost combat but the last two fled far enough to escape pursuit. My reserve dryads entered on the close left and moved forward. Magic recovered 3 dryads, allowing them to rally next turn while shooting and strangle root cut one flamer unit to 1 model and the other to 3. I had moved my TM into the open on the opposite side of the hill, hoping to draw the static plague bearers forward but they held fast. He killed a couple archers with flamers and magic ended early with a miscast that did nothing other than suck power dice from the pool and heal the wounded masque!
Turn 3 started horribly as I opted to charge the 3 flamers with the TM as the overrun path would have put him into a good flanking position on the horrors. With 10 shots that gave only 5 hits, I thought it was good but 4 wounds were caused and I saved none of them – my main combat power was gone. To add to the misery, my wizard IF a dwellers on the horror unit which resulted in losing 3 levels and all spells but regrowth. The herald lived but the unit was dropped to just under 20 models so at least there was some exchange of worth. Looking at the table, it appeared a draw might be the best I could hope for. With the TM gone, the plague bearers advanced and the leadership bomb panicked my archers as the horror unit was recovered to 2.5 models with regrowth as I had to stop the magic missiles on my archers. Rallying, I retreated the TK and archers on the right, charged 5 dryads into the flamer flank and tried to move dryads into position to hit the flank, front and rear of the horror unit. Impassable terrain protected me from the plague bearers but also made it difficult to get at the horrors. The last flamers eventually were destroyed by the 5 dryads, more retreat occurred on the right flank although the archers took a couple pot shots at the plaguebearers and magic dispelled throne of vines. The masque and plague bearers advanced to leadership bomb the archers to -5 but magic was dispelled and no damage was done. Turn 5 saw the horrors swift reform away from the approaching dryads and the plaguebearers positioned to flank any that charged the horrors. I debated suicide charging the 5 dryads into the horror flank but opted against it. The archers unleashed a blast at the masque, wounding him once and the BSB finished him off with the hail of doom. Unable to secure more VPs with anything other than incredible luck through 2 successful long distance charges from dryads on the horrors, I withdrew out of danger and we ended in a draw by 5 points with 510 points for me and 415 for Jeff. A very tactical game with a fantastic opponent where I was the one on the receiving end of the bad luck rolls. Thoroughly enjoyable match overall and a huge sigh of relief as a draw against daemons with woodelves qualifies at the very least as a morale victory.
Game 5 vs Lee with dark elves
4th level with sacrificial dagger, death hag BSB with cauldron
10 RXBs
Horde of spears with FC for the cheap power dice
~20 spears with FC
12 witchelves with banner of AP
2 units of 5 harpies
8 cold ones with standard and musician
Double hydra
Mission Impossible: Read surprise encounter in the BRB (page 389 I think).
Totally bizarre scenario where the board is divided into 6 even squares and each person makes 3 alternating deployments. A huge advantage goes to the person deploying 2nd so, of course, I ended up going first and Lee was able to position a hydra and WE to threaten the small unit of archers and the WRs, respectively. All other units are in reserve but come in RANDOMLY in one of the original 3 squares. I lost the WRs and archers on turn 1 as Lee went first. The distant left saw me lose my TM and TK to the knights and hydra respectively while I killed the one hydra with the big archer block and BSB. Over the course of the game, I kept the hydra and knights in the far left corner and tried to close in on the spear units, both in my near centre square, with 2 units of dryads. His wizard survived 2 dwellers and a dimensional cascade while the unit was cut to six models. Dryads finished the smaller spear unit in combat and I pushed my general on their own to keep within 24” and took 2 wounds from the druchii lifetaker crossbow with the sorceress. Turn 6 was the TSN turning point as he had positioned his last 6 spears so that their flee reaction would require either a 10” flee to be off the board and nearly anything more than 5” would likely cause a failed charge for my dryads. The spears fled 10”, giving full VPs and an IF dwellers saw the sorceress finally fail a die roll and die as she was on her own. This gave a small margin of victory of ~140 VPs, a swing of well over 600 VPs at the last moment!!
Woodelves for the Win List
4th level with dispel scroll and stone of rebirth
BSB with hail of doom and magic bow
10 archers
20 archers, FC, flaming banner
3 units of 15 dryads
5 wild riders
3 treekin
treeman
Game 1 vs Gerald from Victoria with his Lizardmen
Pitched Battle
Slaan BSB, lore of light, cupped hands, steal 6s, loremaster, +1 die/casting
skink priest with scroll
2 units of ~25 saurus, FC
~20 temple guard FC
10 skinks in ranked unit
~10 chameleons
2 packs of 2 sallies
Deployment saw a very standard mirror around the deathstar with saurus on either flank and sallies out to their sides. My archers were on the right centre with dryads evenly spread out, TK on left flank, wild riders and treeman on right flank. His scouts deployed on the left so I vanguarded the WRs on the right toward the nearest sallies. Moving first, I advanced fully on the left and far right with dryads and more cautiously in the centre with the remainder of the army. The WRs moved to threaten the sallies and while I buffed the WRs to T5, I also managed to dimensional cascade my wizard and thus had a very rough start to turn 1!! During his turn, he advanced on the far left with chameleons, skinks and sallies while the sallie pack on the right moved to shoot the wild riders but ate some handlers instead. I stopped only damage spells during his magic phase so all his infantry blocks were WS10/10 and one was mv 8 after having advanced 4-6†in the centre. Shooting killed a couple dryads and turn 2 commenced. Realizing that his magic would eventually really hurt me, I knew I had to get aggressive. Charging the right flank sallies with WRs and the left flank chameleons with dryads, I pulled back in the centre but marched the right most dryads into a venomous thicket out of the nearest saurus block charge arc. Shooting killed a couple saurus at long range and combat went well. The dryads crushed the skinks, resulting in panicking the nearby sallies off the board while the WRs won combat but the sallies held since they were in the slaans leadership 9 bubble. His turn 2 advanced cautiously in the centre a small amount and the magic buffed the units again but he was forced to use the cupped hands. Combat saw the sallies finished by wild riders and the WRs down to 2 remaining.
The left flank dryads charged the last unit of skinks while the TK moved up on the left near the middle of the board. Shooting was more effective as the TM blocked the right block of saurus from charging and between strangleroot and the archers, the block was cut in half. With the 3 blocks pinned in the middle, he manoeuvred to get the TG into combat and threaten the archers with the TG and centre block of pristine saurus. A failed casting ended the magic phase early (thank goodness) , leaving the centre saurus block unbuffed. The TM charged the block on the next turn, inflicting some pain while shooting hammered away at the diminished right saurus block, cutting it down further and leaving it with only dryads to charge. Dryads managed to kill the skink priest on the left flank while the TK moved to threaten the TG flank. The TG turned to face the TK and a low dice magic phase accomplished little while the depleted saurus charged the dryads. Combat saw the TM take a wound but inflict a bunch more back while the depleted saurus were beat down to 5 models – just enough for steadfast. Tossing the TK into the front of the TG to delay them a turn to protect the archers, the free ranging dryads moved to a flanking positions in the rear while the grind continued in the centre as the TM was joined by dryads trying to finish the last saurus block before the game ended. The TK held and did well in combat, winning by 1. Turn 5 saw the major turning point as the slaan dimensional cascaded the TG, killing all but 1 and doing 2 wounds to the TK. The remaining TK killed the unit while the last saurus died and the TM and dryads prepared to finish the slaan. We called it there as a massacre. A very demanding tactical game where the woodies speed and manoeuvre really helped. Gerald was a really fun guy to play and laughed off the suicide pack of our two wizards!! Everyone but the general contributed to the win but the key was killed the flanking units quickly and then avoiding buffed units by retreating. TM gets a special honour as he killed almost the entire centre block of saurus on his own.
 
Game 2 vs Aaron from Colorado(?) with Skaven
Dawn Attack
Grey seer, plague priest on furnace, bsb
2 blocks of ~30 clan rats with wpn teams
2 blocks of slaves
2 rat ogres x 2
2 units of ~7 plague censer bearers
~25 plague monks
Hellpit
Despite my loathing of this scenario and mystical terrain, both helped during this game. The plague furnace and monks were on the left with censor bearers while the HPA, rat ogres, most of the infantry were on the centre right while the grey seer was far right. Woodies were evenly spread out except for big archer block on the left with characters and the TM & TK on the right. A large mystical monument (impassable terrain) was in the centre right of the board. Skaven failed to steal initiative so I advanced aggressively on the left and right – keeping the monument between my forces and the HPA. Shooting killed 1 weapon team and perhaps a censor bearer but not much else. We manoeuvred for a couple more turns and dreaded 13th failed to cast twice but the monks were dwellered, killing the priest and a pile of monks. On the right, the monument protected my forces from the HPA but I was channelled into a narrow area between it and the board edge. I pushed the TM forward just as the HPA was about to come blasting down and clean out the flank, hoping to delay it a couple turns. The rat ogres charged, were beaten by the TM, resulting in a panicked HPA(which was outside the BSB bubble) heading for the rear table edge. The TM charged the next turn and the HPA fled 15†off the 14†distance table edge – a major break of luck to say the least!
In the centre, the TK failed a charge against plague monks but dryads made it in, lost combat and fled while the archers blast the 2nd unit down to 1 model now that the stormbanner was done. The WRs had been busy killing some left flank slaves that were about to threaten the large archer block and eventually broke them, losing another WR in the process. Magic sucked out dispel scrolls on both sides and shooting killed a few more dryads and the last plague censor bearer. The TK, having accepted a rat ogre charge and ground them down over two turns, flanked the 2nd unit of censor bearers and crushed them completely. More importantly, the plague monks were cut down to less than 6 models, making the furnace and unit immobile. The TM had to finish off the right flank rat ogres that had rallied and a pair of successful dwellers dropped both clan rat units significantly in size although the BSB and seer still lived. The BSB and centre block was then charged and beaten with multiple charges of dryads and TK. On turn 6, the dryads charged the grey seer and his clan rats and they failed to flee far enough as the dryads ran them down. Archers killed the last plague monks to get the unit points and the game ended. Definite key was the HPA getting run off the board but dweller’s was essential in getting units depleted to the point where they could be beaten in combat.
Game3 vs Michael from Halifax with Empire
Breakpoint mission
Standard Popemobile, mounted warrior priest, BSB on foot, level 2 light caster
1 horde of spears in 10+ ranks with big detachment of swordsmen
~12 handgunners with standard as a mage meat shield
2 cannons, 2 mortars
8 inner circle knights, FC, flaming banner
This appeared from the outset to be the worst possible matchup I could face for this mission since we started only 18†apart and all 4 of my breakpoints were in one unit. My fears were realized on his turn 2 as I had hit the popemobile with the TK to delay it but was counter charged by the spear block and cavalry. With my big archer block only 10†behind, it looked grim. Combat saw the TK decimated down to a single model with 1 wound left and it looked like it would be a very fast game. The dice gods answered my prayers however as they rolled insane courage and it was at that point that the dice gods completely abandoned Michael as he missed the TM with one cannon and rolled a 1 to wound with the other while both mortars scattered wildly. The TK stuck around for two more turns, pinning the popemobile, while the TM hit the spears and killed the BSB over a couple turns and began a long grind of thunderstomping. Dryads on the right occupied a venomous thicket, giving them poison attacks as well being stubborn in the woods and deployed to block the knights. The wild riders wiped out a cannon and mortar on the left flank while archers dropped two knights with point blank fire and killed several handgunners shielding the wizard.
Remembering the mission, I moved the BSB and wizard out of the archer unit. The knights charged the dryads and killed a bunch and although I forgot to use the poison attacks, the unit held. Bad luck for Michael became worse when the mortar scattered into the knight combat killed 3 knights. The right flank archers had advanced far enough that they charged the cannon, wiped it out and overran toward the mortar which was trying to snipe my general to win the game. Eventually, the second infantry block was engaged by dryads in another venomous thicket and fear checks quickly became the bane of the Empire forces as they failed 6 of 8 over the next two turns, allowing massive casualties to both infantry units. To make matters even worse, the popemobile charged the archers, did one impact hit and failed to wound. With a rank and standard, the unit not only held but won combat by a musician. The knights were quickly being ground down as well since a 2nd unit of dryads hit their flanks and Michael could not make armour saves, rolling three 1s on 8 wounds but they held. Focusing shooting on the handgunners, the “combat archers†hit them at point blank range, dropping them to 1 plus the wizard while the hail of doom finished the wizard and the standard bearer. The infantry blocks and knights both broke and the game ended as breakpoint had been achieved. Just for laughs, Michael tried one last mortar shot at the wizard to see what would have happened if the game had gone another turn and, sure enough, he had direct hit with failed 4+ look out sir roll on my part that inflicted 3 wounds on my general! The insane courage was definitely the turning point and once this had happened, Michael’s luck went downhill in a hurry. Despite it all, he was a great sport and loads of fun to play, laughing off the bad luck as shit happens.
More to follow on Games 4 & 5 later
Game 4 vs Jeff from Washington state with Daemons
Meeting Engagement(diagonal deployment 12” apart)
The masque, nurgle BSB greater icon of despair, tzeentch herald with scroll and loremaster life,
2 units of 6 flamers (always fun for woodelves)
40+ horrors,FC, changeling
40 plaguebearers, FC
Well, good luck can’t last forever and I figured this day was going to make up for the horseshoes I had in the first three games. Not only was I playing against daemons, but Jeff is one of the top players in the US and I had several people come and wish me luck as though the lamb was already at the slaughter An ill omen also contributed to this air of gloom as I had placed my army under the table on the display board and someone else had come along and tossed a carrying case on top of it, breaking a bunch of dryad models This definitely was not a great way to start the day!
The run of less than stellar luck continued with deployment as I had to go first and my general and a unit of dryads ended up in reserve. With the diagonal going from my distant left to near right, I deployed around a central-left hill with an impassable face on one side with the big archer unit, TK, TM and two units of dryads, the WR on the far left and smaller archer unit on the centre right. Jeff deployed the large nurgle block with BSB in the centre on his board edge and a unit of flamers across from the WRs with his tzeentch herald, masque beside them and flamers across from a unit of dryads on the centre left. His horrors were in reserve. I at least got first turn and the WRs and dryads charged into the flamers. I forgot to bring my reserve dryads onto the board and my general as well although I remembered at the last minute! Magic did nothing as my wizard was too far away and I wanted to keep the general 32”+ inches away from the nearest deployment point for the daemons so I wouldn’t get missiled to death by the horrors or dwellered. Shooting wounded the masque and combat killed a few horrors but they held on. Turn 2 saw the horrors enter on the far left and get within 6” of an arcane ruin so they and the herald now got 4 channel dice each. The WRs killed another horror but were wiped out while the dryads whiffed and lost combat but the last two fled far enough to escape pursuit. My reserve dryads entered on the close left and moved forward. Magic recovered 3 dryads, allowing them to rally next turn while shooting and strangle root cut one flamer unit to 1 model and the other to 3. I had moved my TM into the open on the opposite side of the hill, hoping to draw the static plague bearers forward but they held fast. He killed a couple archers with flamers and magic ended early with a miscast that did nothing other than suck power dice from the pool and heal the wounded masque!
Turn 3 started horribly as I opted to charge the 3 flamers with the TM as the overrun path would have put him into a good flanking position on the horrors. With 10 shots that gave only 5 hits, I thought it was good but 4 wounds were caused and I saved none of them – my main combat power was gone. To add to the misery, my wizard IF a dwellers on the horror unit which resulted in losing 3 levels and all spells but regrowth. The herald lived but the unit was dropped to just under 20 models so at least there was some exchange of worth. Looking at the table, it appeared a draw might be the best I could hope for. With the TM gone, the plague bearers advanced and the leadership bomb panicked my archers as the horror unit was recovered to 2.5 models with regrowth as I had to stop the magic missiles on my archers. Rallying, I retreated the TK and archers on the right, charged 5 dryads into the flamer flank and tried to move dryads into position to hit the flank, front and rear of the horror unit. Impassable terrain protected me from the plague bearers but also made it difficult to get at the horrors. The last flamers eventually were destroyed by the 5 dryads, more retreat occurred on the right flank although the archers took a couple pot shots at the plaguebearers and magic dispelled throne of vines. The masque and plague bearers advanced to leadership bomb the archers to -5 but magic was dispelled and no damage was done. Turn 5 saw the horrors swift reform away from the approaching dryads and the plaguebearers positioned to flank any that charged the horrors. I debated suicide charging the 5 dryads into the horror flank but opted against it. The archers unleashed a blast at the masque, wounding him once and the BSB finished him off with the hail of doom. Unable to secure more VPs with anything other than incredible luck through 2 successful long distance charges from dryads on the horrors, I withdrew out of danger and we ended in a draw by 5 points with 510 points for me and 415 for Jeff. A very tactical game with a fantastic opponent where I was the one on the receiving end of the bad luck rolls. Thoroughly enjoyable match overall and a huge sigh of relief as a draw against daemons with woodelves qualifies at the very least as a morale victory.
Game 5 vs Lee with dark elves
4th level with sacrificial dagger, death hag BSB with cauldron
10 RXBs
Horde of spears with FC for the cheap power dice
~20 spears with FC
12 witchelves with banner of AP
2 units of 5 harpies
8 cold ones with standard and musician
Double hydra
Mission Impossible: Read surprise encounter in the BRB (page 389 I think).
Totally bizarre scenario where the board is divided into 6 even squares and each person makes 3 alternating deployments. A huge advantage goes to the person deploying 2nd so, of course, I ended up going first and Lee was able to position a hydra and WE to threaten the small unit of archers and the WRs, respectively. All other units are in reserve but come in RANDOMLY in one of the original 3 squares. I lost the WRs and archers on turn 1 as Lee went first. The distant left saw me lose my TM and TK to the knights and hydra respectively while I killed the one hydra with the big archer block and BSB. Over the course of the game, I kept the hydra and knights in the far left corner and tried to close in on the spear units, both in my near centre square, with 2 units of dryads. His wizard survived 2 dwellers and a dimensional cascade while the unit was cut to six models. Dryads finished the smaller spear unit in combat and I pushed my general on their own to keep within 24” and took 2 wounds from the druchii lifetaker crossbow with the sorceress. Turn 6 was the TSN turning point as he had positioned his last 6 spears so that their flee reaction would require either a 10” flee to be off the board and nearly anything more than 5” would likely cause a failed charge for my dryads. The spears fled 10”, giving full VPs and an IF dwellers saw the sorceress finally fail a die roll and die as she was on her own. This gave a small margin of victory of ~140 VPs, a swing of well over 600 VPs at the last moment!!
