-From the Diary of Norki Stoki, Library of Karak-Hirn
Dwarf List(2,000 points):
Runesmith Klad Agalzi. Armed with the Staff of Emeralds (MRo Balance and Spellbreaking) and shield.
BSB Thane Grim Stoki. MRo Gromil, Ro Reistance and Cleaving.
Grim's Boys: 40 GW Warriors w FC
Ironbound: 35 Dwarf Hammerers w MRo Grungini and FC.
Norki's Eagle Eyes: 20 Quarreler Rangers w FC.
Mad Mallory: Dwarf Cannon Ro Forging / Fire. Eng with BoP
Olaf Eightfinger's Goblobber: Grudge Thrower x2 Ro Penetrating, Ro Accuracy. Eng with BoP
Gyrocopter piloted by Adi Rikenbakar
HE List (2,000 points):
Lvl 4. Archmage, Lore of Life.
Lvl 2. Mage, High Magic
BSB. Banner with d3 PD.
x2 Units 14 swordmasters
40 Sea Guard, FC
30 Phoneix Guard FC
We rolled up Dawn attack as a scenario, which is why my battleline is so shifted off to the left. The altar near my deployment zone was an Altar of Khaine, so I had some frenzied hammerers to throw around. Seeing the HE shooting was relatively light, I put the hammerers on the flank closest to the altar. Grim and Klad join them. The GW warriors stuck to the left side, with the cannon and GT in the middle. The Gyrocopter started off ahead of the warriors.
The High elves deploy in a fairly flat battleline, with the seaguard hanging out in back acting as a bunker for the BSB an archmage. The lvl 2 stuck with the right hand troop of swordmasters. I placed the quarrellers on the right side hill, hoping to catch the elves in the flank.
Elf Turn 1:
There’s a general advance of the elf forces, and the swordmasters angle toward the rangers, ready to charge next turn. I’m beginning to regret deploying them so far forward.
High elf magic is effing ridiculous with all the dice he can create. He manages throne of vines on his archmage, but I dispel flesh to stone.
Dwarf Trun 1:
I angle the GW troops slightly, and cautiously advance the hammerers. The Gyrocopter swoops across to get into firing position. Throne is dispelled.
Norki orders his rangers to unleash hell on the nearby swordmasters, and many go down to sturdy dwarven crossbow bolts. The GT scatters off, and the disciplined swordmasters do not panic. The cannon takes the only shot it has on the near swordmasters, killing 2.
Elf Turn 2:
The Sea Guard reform to shoot at the gyrocopter, and the rest of the elf force advances. The swordmasters charge the rangers, but lose two in the stand and shoot reaction.
Magic is crazy again. I need to use a dispel rune to keep flesh to stone off the far swordmasters. I think regrowth is cast on the Sea guard? The Sea Guard fires at the gyro, but the Adi barrel rolls the arrows off.
Combat doesn’t good so well for the quarrellers, who lose combat by four despite taking out two swordmasters in CC. They flee and are run down and captured.
Dwarf Turn 2:
Hammerers advance in range of the altar, and the GW warriors angle in to support. The gyrocopter moves to flank the swordmasters, and unleashes his steam gun melting 6. The Grudge thrower scatters off the mage hiding out with 3 swordmasters behind the hill. The cannon does nothing.
Elf Turn 3:
Elves move up slightly, also in range of the altar. The swordmasters begin a retreat after being significantly weakened. The Sea Guard shift around trying to find a way to support the other high elf units, but are having a tough time getting anywhere.
I let regrowth go on the swordmasters. I think flesh to stone got off on the Phoenix guard. But nothing big is cast.
Dwarf Turn 3:
The hammerers charge forward, fueled by hatred and bloodlust from the nearby altar. The warriors advance to either support with a flank charge next turn, or accept an oncoming charge from the swordmasters. The gyro continues to swoop around the poor swordmasters.
In shooting, a big rock melts 2 of the far right swordmasters and puts a wound on the mage. The gyrocopter proceeds to vaporize swordmasters with prejudice.
Combat is closer than I would like, with the phoenix guard and hammerers each inflicting 6 wounds. But the charge plus bsb means dwarfs win the fight. The guard pass their break test, but have lost their frenzy for the time being.
Elf Turn 4:
Sea Guard hook around the altar in an attempt to get at my warmachines, while the swordmasters continue their cowardly retreat. The mage and last surviving swordmaster are making a break for the nearest friendly unit to hide in.
The phoenix guard are buffed hardcore with a throne enhanced flesh to stone. He tries for dwellers on by GT but fails.
Combat is uneventful with the dwarfs having a hard time breaking through T 7 elves, and elves fighting like girls. Phoenix guard pass their break test.
Dwarf Turn 4:
Grim’s Boys charge into the Phoenix guard flank hard. It’s starting to look grim for the High Elves. The Gyrocopter does it’s thing.
In shooting, the GT misfires, and the cannon takes an oppurtunisitc shot at the archmage in the sea guard. He passes his LoS!
The Phoenix guard might be T 5, but the Hammerers take out some serious aggression on the elves. Combined with the flank charge, it’s too much and they break. The hammerers run them down, and the GW warriors reform to face the swordmasters.
Elf Turn 5:
It’s not looking good for the children of Asur. The Sea Guard reform to face the hammerers, and the swordmasters continue to get out of dodge.
Throne of vines is cast, and I can’t dispel earthblood or flesh to stone on the sea guard. They gyrocopter goes down in a hail of arrows, after I wiff three +4 AS. This puts the points at a virtual tie between us, meaning I need to take out the last swordmaster on the far right or snipe out a mage to win.
Dwarf Turn 5:
Hammerers reform but stay close to the altar to gain frenzy. The warriors attempt to wheel around the unit and give the hammerers a support charge, but are just too dang slow to get into position.
Cannon has a nice shot on the archmage, but he passes his LoS! This does negate regen on the Sea Guard, for when the GT lands a direct hit. Unfortunately, I forgot these elves are T 7, and I only manage to kill 3!
Elf Turn 6:
Movement isn’t very impressive. He decides not to charge the hammerers with the sea guard, and opts to shoot. Not really a great idea seeing as how the hammerers have a +5/++5 but so it goes. I think one dies. The mage joins the giant Sea Guard bunker. This turns out to be a pretty bad idea, as the archmage mis-casts earthblood. The mage is killed in the ensuing explosion, earning me enough points for a win.
Dwarf Turn 6:
It’s all over but the cheering at this point. I use the GT to off the final swordmaster for some additional VP as a cushion, but figure getting into CC with the hammerers would be overkill
"The archmage, bruised and bleeding from all the dwarf artillery fire came to parlay with Grim toward midday. Althorien's grand son killed, Grim agreed that the mage's ceremonial sword and estate would be sufficient compensation, along with the release of me and my dwarfs. The archmage, seeing he had little choice, agreed. We were freed at dusk, a large keg of Glowgoat amber direct from Barak Varr waiting for us. It was the best beer I've tasted."
Analysis:
This was my opponents 1st game with HE, so it’s not too surprising he stumbled a little bit. His magic combination was pretty killer, and certainly kept him in the game most of the time.
8th ed scoring almost doomed me. Even though I weakened the two swordmaster units to incapacity, I didn’t have the manuverability to wipe them out when they started to get out of dodge. The miscast really hurt the high elves that turn, and it was only cast on three dice. That was obviously a lucky break for me, but the gyrocopter failing three armor saves was pretty lucky for him.
It was a major mistake to put the quarrellers on the flank. I forgot how fast elves can move. Having them hang back in my deployment zone and use their 30” range in my favor would have probably had the same effect on the far swordmasters while saving the unit. Other than that and firing a GT at T 7 elves, I think I played a pretty mistake free game.
Gyrocopter is still awesome against high S low T elites. Burn baby, burn!
Edited by Grim Stoki, 22 January 2012 - 05:11 AM.
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