Saturday 30 November 2013

The Forest that once was Green, was Coloured Black by those Killing Machines

A while back i faced Mr Nicholas Jebson and his shiny new (at the time) force of Dark Elves. Well last Thursday it was rematch time, i would once again be putting on the wood elf general hat and face down the Dark Elves. Nick was using the list he had posted to his blog a few weeks back (presented below)


Malus Darkblade (1#, 295 pts)
1 Malus Darkblade , 295 pts

Supreme Sorceress (1#, 220 pts)
1 Supreme Sorceress , 220 pts = (base cost 185 + Level 4 Upgrade 35)
Master (1#, 165 pts)

1 Master (Battle Standard Bearer) , 125 pts = (base cost 70 + Cold One 20 + Heavy Armour 4 + Sea
Dragon Cloak 6 + Battle Standard Bearer 25)
1 Dawnstone , 25 pts
1 The Other Trickster's Shard , 15 pts

Master (1#, 150 pts)
1 Master , 100 pts = (base cost 70 + Cold One 20 + Heavy Armour 4 + Sea Dragon Cloak 6)
1 Ring of Hotek , 50 pts

Corsairs (33#, 393 pts)32 Black Ark Corsairs , 372 pts = 32 * 11 (base cost 9 + Extra Hand Weapon 2) + Musician Mus 10
+ Standard Bearer Std 10
1 Reaver , 21 pts = (base cost 19 + Extra Hand Weapon 2)
Dark Riders (5#, 130 pts)

4 Dark Riders , 100 pts = 4 * 20 (base cost 16 + Repeater Crossbow 3 + Shield 1) + Musician Mus
10 + Standard Bearer Std 10
1 Herald , 30 pts = (base cost 26 + Repeater Crossbow 3 + Shield 1)
Dark Riders (5#, 130 pts)

4 Dark Riders , 100 pts = 4 * 20 (base cost 16 + Repeater Crossbow 3 + Shield 1) + Musician Mus
10 + Standard Bearer Std 10
1 Herald , 30 pts = (base cost 26 + Repeater Crossbow 3 + Shield 1)

Cold One Knights (11#, 360 pts) 10 Cold One Knights , 320 pts = 10 * 30 (base cost 30) + Musician Mus 10 + Standard Bearer Std 10
1 Dread Knight , 40 pts

Har Ganeth Executioners (29#, 378 pts)
28 Har Ganeth Executioners , 356 pts = 28 * 12 (base cost 12) + Musician Mus 10 + Standard Bearer
Std 10
1 Draich-master , 22 pts

Reaper Bolt Thrower (3#, 70 pts)
1 Reaper Bolt Thrower , 70 pts

Reaper Bolt Thrower (3#, 70 pts)
1 Reaper Bolt Thrower , 70 pts

Reaper Bolt Thrower (3#, 70 pts)
1 Reaper Bolt Thrower , 70 pts

I was using what must be about version 3.0 of my Wood Elf list, presented below.

Highborn (1#, 240 pts)
1 Wood Elf Highborn , 145 pts
1 Sword of Might , 20 pts
1 Armour of Destiny , 50 pts
1 An Annoyance of Netlings , 25 pts

Spellweaver (1#, 335 pts)
1 Spellweaver , 250 pts = (base cost 215 + Level 4 Upgrade 35)
1 Wand of Wych Elm , 55 pts
1 Glamorweave , 30 pts

Noble (1#, 120 pts)
1 Wood Elf Noble (Battle Standard Bearer) , 90 pts = (base cost 75 + Battle Standard Bearer 15)
1 Hail of Doom Arrow , 30 pts

Spellsinger (1#, 145 pts)
1 Spellsinger , 125 pts = (base cost 90 + Level 2 Upgrade 35)
1 Ranu's Heartstone , 20 pts

Eternal Guard (20#, 320 pts)
19 Eternal Guard , 246 pts = 19 * 12 (base cost 12) + Musician Mus 6 + Standard Bearer Std 12
1 Guardian , 24 pts
1 Gaemrath - The Banner of Midwinter , 50 pts

Glade Guard (10#, 154 pts)
9 Glade Guard , 126 pts = 9 * 12 (base cost 12) + Musician Mus 6 + Standard Bearer Std 12
1 Lord's Bowman , 18 pts
1 Banner of Eternal Flame , 10 pts

Glade Guard (10#, 132 pts)
9 Glade Guard , 114 pts = 9 * 12 (base cost 12) + Musician Mus 6
1 Lord's Bowman , 18 pts

Glade Guard (10#, 132 pts)
9 Glade Guard , 114 pts = 9 * 12 (base cost 12) + Musician Mus 6
1 Lord's Bowman , 18 pts

Glade Guard (10#, 132 pts)
9 Glade Guard , 114 pts = 9 * 12 (base cost 12) + Musician Mus 6
1 Lord's Bowman , 18 pts

Dryads (10#, 120 pts)
10 Dryads , 120 pts = 10 * 12

Treeman (1#, 285 pts)
1 Treeman , 285 pts

Treeman (1#, 285 pts)
1 Treeman , 285 pts

The deployment, and terrain, went like this:



Please note that the Battle Chronicler images are 100% accurate as I am still learning how to use the software

Respective deployments below.






Turn 1 involved running the dryads into river (thanks to call of the hunt on the level 2, the only time have been pleased with the lore of Athel  Loren), advancing a Treeman  into the cover of the river ending rock face, and shooting ineffectively at one of the dark rider units. For his part Nick saw my plan to use the Dryads as warmachine hunters and made a long charge with the Executioners into the Dryads, loosing quite a few to the river and the Dryads. That didn’t matter as they managed to murder the Dryads and cause the remaining three to run away.






Wood Elf Turn 1
Dark Elf Turn 1


Turn 2 saw the remaining 3 Dryads rally (yaay) and turn to face the executioners. The Cold one knights were able to cross the river without losing a model (boooo). The Dark riders were savaged by the treeman and glade guard, with one unit being wiped out and the other being reduced to two models, and in his turn Nick retreated the damaged unit far into his deployment. For his part Nick murdered the dryads with bolt throwers and moved the executioners out of the river, the glade guard nearest the executioners tried to wipe them out but failed. This turn also saw the corsairs advance in the general direction of the treeman, and in a fit of fore shadowing, Nick cast mind razor on them, perhaps to underline that this time, the treeman's toughness and armour meant squat. Speaking of fore shadowing my level 4 lifeweaver proved that , once gain, he was worth the cost and hit the cold one unit, who were busy celebrating the casualty free crossing of the river, with Dwellers which saw them lose 7 models, this put them in a weakened state for their inevitable charge of the Eternal Guard bus (which held my Highborn, BSB and the banner of become-unbreakable-for-a-turn).




Wood Elf Turn 2

Dark Elf Turn 2



Turn 3 was the turn when Nick’s “Train ‘o Pain” hit my lines, unfortunately for Nick I had, so speak, deployed a train stop. My turn 3 consisted of sending a Treeman around the forest that the corsairs were facing, and then moved said forest into the corsairs using Treesinging. I also moved the 2 glade guard units nearest the executioners right up into the faces of the executioners hoping to short range them to death, alas this didn’t happen.  

And then it was Nick’s Turn. Before he could declare a charge I made use of the banner of midwinter on the Eternal Guard, which prevented them from moving but made them unbreakable for a turn. Nick promptly declared a charge with the  cold ones into the Eternal guard. He then charged the corsairs into the Treeman and the executioners into one of the glade guard units. Magic wise he put mind razor on the corsairs and shooting wise he hammered the 2nd glade guard unit near the executioners with repeater bolt thrower fire, so much that they all died. And then it was time for combat. The corsair and Treeman fight was one sided with the Treeman reduced to kindling. The executioner fight saw the executioners reduced to 3 models but were still able to beat the glade guard they faced. The Eternal guard combat saw the high born cut down in a challenge, with Nick rolling 3 6s to hit (for annoyance of Nettlings) and me failing 3 4+ ward saves. The BSB was cut down by Malus and the unit lost about 7 models to cold ones and their riders. However Nick had failed to destroy the unit, and I had been keeping a Treeman right next to the Eternal guard the whole game waiting for this moment. 






 
Wood Elf Turn 3
Dark Elf Turn 3
Turn 4 was the turn of regrouping what i had left. It opened with the treeman by the Eternal Guard charging the cold ones and getting right up in Malus's face. The glade guard on the right flank began backing away from the lumber jack corsairs, and the lifeweaver moved out of his unit to stand strong behind the treeman. Magic and shooting were largely ineffective except for casting shield of thorns on the eternal guard but this did nothing. In Combat the treeman made Malus Pate in exchange for 2 wounds and the cold ones and heroes finished the Eternal Guard, the treeman held, and looked angry. In Nick's turn the Corsairs began to advance towards the glade guard. His sorceress reduced said glade guard BS by one. In combat the treeman split his attacks between the BSB, the hero and the cold one unit, as both the BSB and hero were on one wound he smeared them and the musician across the floor. The remaining cold one decided it was time to turn the pain train around and fled. The treeman didn't pursue.







Wood Elf Turn 4
Dark Elf Turn 4 (unfortunately it does show the fleeing cold one)

Turn 5 and things were getting tense. The pain train had been taken out of service for repairs however my right flank and center were non existent. I moved the treeman and his lifeweaver pal towards the left flank were the glade guard closest to the corsairs were back pedaling fast.  The Magic Phase saw the treeman move the forest the eternal guard were sitting in in between him and the bolt throwers. Shooting was ineffective and not worth writing about. In his turn Nick charged the Corsairs into the glade guard and murdered them. And the bolt throwers failed to hit the treeman. (Sadly there are no more Battle Chronicler images for the rest of the game)





Turn 6 and things looked grim, i had a treeman on 4 wounds, a lifeweaver and less than 10 glade guard. Whilst Nick had his unstoppable corsair horde, 3 bolt throwers and 3 executioners. I started by moving the treeman and lifeweaver next to the glade guard. Now all 3 units stood facing the corsairs. And then it was time for magic. I got a good number of power dice and cast regrowth on the treeman, restoring him  to full life. And the a threw dwellers at the corsairs, and Nick threw everything at stopping it. He failed. Dwellers got through and killed the sorceress, the unit champion and most of the unit. The corsairs then failed their leadership test and fled of the table. That was the last major event of the game. I had pulled a draw from the jaws of defeat.



In the end it was a draw. Which surprised me as turn 3 had me thinking it was game over. But in the end magic came through and defeat was turned to a draw. I would like to thank Nick for the very close (and very fun) game and look forward to round 3 of our Dark Elf vs Wood Elf conflict. Until next time
Rex

2 comments:

  1. a hard fought game and most enjoyable. i actually thought you had the upper hand their for a long while since you were being very smart with your terrain (lucky you got to pick sides aye). I dont know what the list generator thing your using was but it put some model points askew.

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    1. The first time the deploy-able forest has ever came in use. As for the list generator i used army builder

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