Riders of Illinill: a Druchii Tournament Blog

The main thing I have always seemed to lack when getting involved in this hobby is incentive. Without this, I generally find it very difficult to get anything done. So imagine my delight, when I was informed during a trip to my local GW that they were organising a trip to a nearby tournament, occurring on the 31st of March. This could not have come at a better time as my birthday is in December, and I had only just determined to recreate my Dark Elves as a fast cavalry-based force. So in order to make sure that I keep up a sustained effort to be ready for the Tournie, and to get advice from the experienced gamers here concerning my first tournament, I have set up this Gnoblog.

Firstly, the background behind the army. It all began with the second Batman movie, and Heath Ledger's awesome performance as the Joker. The thing that really sparked my interest was a statement made by a supporting character that the more unstable people are drawn to the service of the mad. In addition to this, I was seduced by the concept of a character that destroyed for destruction itself. This seemed to me to be a trait perfectly suited towards the Druchii. Out of this came the story of the Cet family, afflicted by a hereditary madness caused by the effects of Daemonic magic during the primeval wars of Chaos. I then affiliated them with Illinill, a capricious god of destruction that is a new addition to the Druchii pantheon. All then was set.

Now for the army list. As always, all comments and criticisms are encouraged.

LORDS
Sai'cet, Prophet of Illinill: Dreadlord with Caledor's Bane, the Armour of Eternal Servitude, a shield, a Sea Dragon cloak and the Ring of Hotek. He rides a Black Dragon.
557pts
This character will take down war machines, suppress magic and take down heavy cavalry and chariots.

HEROES
Khaela Cet: Sorceress with the Seal of Ghrond. She rides a Dark Steed.
142pts
Malekha Cet: Sorceress with 2 Dispell Scrolls. She rides a Dark Steed.
162pts
Magic blockers. Combined with the Ring of Hotek this should hopefully be enough to combat the more magic heavy lists that I expect to face. Even with focusing on magic defense, I may even be able to cast a spell or two with Power of Darkness.

CORE UNITS
Heralds of Blight: 5 Dark Riders with repeater crossbows and a Musician.
117pts
Heralds of Shadow: 5 Dark Riders with repeater crossbows and a Musician.
117pts
Heralds of Woe: 5 Dark Riders with repeater crossbows and a Musician.
117pts
These will whittle down enemy infantry, take care of light cavalry, act as flankers and, if necessary, bait.

Malekha's Pets: 6 Harpies
66pts
War machine hunters, bait and potential table-quarter takers.

SPECIAL UNITS
Knights of Blood: 6 Cold One Knights with Full Command and the Standard of Slaughter.
237pts
Knights of Chill: 6 Cold One Knights with Full Command and the Banner of Cold Blood.
217pts
The Knights will be used as blunt instruments, charging when sensible into the front of enemy infantry. The Standard of Slaughter allows one unit to potentially break a fully ranked unit of infantry from the front. The Banner of Cold Blood means that hopefully at least one of my units will not be constrained by Stupidity when the vital charge comes.

Reliquary of Illinill: Cold One Chariot
100pts
This will hold one flank. It will prove a deterrent to light cavalry and can provide excellent combat support to my knights, especially if I come across High Elves.

RARE UNITS
The White Flame: War Hydra
175pts
This will hold the other flank, again deterring flankers while aiming to support the Knights.

TOTAL: 2000pts

Ghworg

Welcome back G, haven't heard and seen you for a long time.

Now for the army list. As always, all comments and criticisms are encouraged.

LORDS
Sai'cet, Prophet of Illinill: Dreadlord with Caledor's Bane, the Armour of Eternal Servitude, a shield, a Sea Dragon cloak and the Ring of Hotek. He rides a Black Dragon.
557pts
This character will take down war machines, suppress magic and take down heavy cavalry and chariots.
Why not pendant of kaeleth? it's so much better and together with armour of darkness together with crimson death.
HEROES
Khaela Cet: Sorceress with the Seal of Ghrond. She rides a Dark Steed.
142pts
Malekha Cet: Sorceress with 2 Dispell Scrolls. She rides a Dark Steed.
162pts
If you have no magic, then drop the first sorceress and get a master for it with the seal.
give him armour and is just one as good in anti magic ( one dice less) but with the chance of a suicide charge on an enemy mage.
Els make them both Level 2
Magic blockers. Combined with the Ring of Hotek this should hopefully be enough to combat the more magic heavy lists that I expect to face. Even with focusing on magic defense, I may even be able to cast a spell or two with Power of Darkness.

CORE UNITS
Heralds of Blight: 5 Dark Riders with repeater crossbows and a Musician.
117pts
Heralds of Shadow: 5 Dark Riders with repeater crossbows and a Musician.
117pts
Heralds of Woe: 5 Dark Riders with repeater crossbows and a Musician.
117pts
These will whittle down enemy infantry, take care of light cavalry, act as flankers and, if necessary, bait.

Malekha's Pets: 6 Harpies
66pts
War machine hunters, bait and potential table-quarter takers.
Core is very okay, no problem here
SPECIAL UNITS
Knights of Blood: 6 Cold One Knights with Full Command and the Standard of Slaughter.
237pts
Knights of Chill: 6 Cold One Knights with Full Command and the Banner of Cold Blood.
217pts
The Knights will be used as blunt instruments, charging when sensible into the front of enemy infantry. The Standard of Slaughter allows one unit to potentially break a fully ranked unit of infantry from the front. The Banner of Cold Blood means that hopefully at least one of my units will not be constrained by Stupidity when the vital charge comes.
I understand this, but you need an extra unit to charge a block
Reliquary of Illinill: Cold One Chariot
100pts
This will hold one flank. It will prove a deterrent to light cavalry and can provide excellent combat support to my knights, especially if I come across High Elves.
How many high elves armies you expect? and how many S7 attacks ( just to put it in perspective)
RARE UNITS
The White Flame: War Hydra
175pts
This will hold the other flank, again deterring flankers while aiming to support the Knights.
Of course
TOTAL: 2000pts

Ghworg

Great to see you back, the list needs some tweaking but the basic looks good.

Welcome back G, haven't heard and seen you for a long time.

Good to speak to you too Lexy.

Why not pendant of kaeleth? it's so much better and together with armour of darkness together with crimson death.

I originally went with the pendant but after a lecture on beardyness by a few blokes, I decided against it. Having a near unkillable Dragon flapping around is no fun for anyone. The armour of darkness/crimson death combo would be nice, but the effect of the Ring of Hotek on Vampires (likely to be a very popular army) is too good to pass up.

If you have no magic, then drop the first sorceress and get a master for it with the seal.
give him armour and is just one as good in anti magic ( one dice less) but with the chance of a suicide charge on an enemy mage.
Els make them both Level 2

The Master with the Seal sounds good, and I'll give both a fair try. However two level 2s are not enough. The average opponent, with the vast amount of magic heavy armies around the place, is likely to take 2 wizards with a scroll caddy, meaning my 2 Sorceresses with 6 power dice (PoD could add more, but is unreliable) will be up against 4 dispell dice and 2 scrolls. Seeing as I will be in combat by turn 2/3 anyway, it just seems like a waste of points.

How many high elves armies you expect? and how many S7 attacks ( just to put it in perspective)

I had similar misgivings, but S7 attacks are not common in all armies. Wood Elves for one have very little chance to get them, and I assume the same of Empire. But this is not the main virtue of the chariot: that is twofold. Firstly, a chariot only has to be corner to corner with a unit and can still get all its attacks meaning that it is effective support for my Knights in a frontal battle. Secondly, units with S7 attacks are generally characters and suchlike. Them going after the Chariot saves my Knights from the S7.

Thanks Lexy for replying so promptly. I'm going into GW tomorrow to fine-tune my colour scheme, so hopefully model pics should be appearing soon!

Ghworg

Aout the pendant: is any of them a wood elves player that never uses annoyance of netlings?
because that one is far worse.
any have van horstmann's speculum?
Has any of them a 10+ powerdice magic fase?
4+ warmachines?
I can go on for most armies.

If you don't want cheesy, don't take a dragon.

The ring of Hotek can also be put on a cold one knight champion.
that gives you soem air on the lord.

I agree, that a chariot is good as support, as long as you use it like that.
The reason I talked about the S7 is because I don'see too many high elves, so why count er ASF?

On the sorceresses: agreed, then still a 4 dispell dice, 2 scrolls and a Ring of hotek is enough to stop a magic fase or counter it well enough.

Whoa! Welcome back Ghworg.
Lexy has said everything I would have said, only with actual expertise, so I will refrain from talking about an army I know very little about. It looks like a strong list though.

No pics as yet unfortunately. A sudden addiction to Fallout 3, a desire to read the entire Genesis of Shannara trilogy (to my mind, some of the finest books Brooks has ever written), and a lack of materials (like greenstuff) have kept me from doing much. Currently, I have fully assembled 8 Glade Rider horses, and half assembled 5 Dark Riders, a mounted Sorc, a Dragon and my Dreadlord.

So an update cleverly entwined with an apology. Hopefully this will keep the gnoblog from sliding into the dank depths of the 3rd page before I actually have stuff of interest to post.

Oh, and anyone who wants to, check out Maw Pit Sagas: I'm writing stuff for that pretty regularly.

Ghworg

actually, the empire can get S7 attacks fairly easily - cannons!

the list is looking pretty good - can't wait for your addiction to pass so that I can see the results of your....other addiction