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2k battle vs. High Elves

original thread ↗

This game really started off on the wrong foot with deployment. I didn't do a good job early on and compounded it by moving pretty poorly throughout.

Deployment


I set up to the right, but the terrain really should have forced me a bit more central. I was worried about what type of river we would have (we agreed our guys could fit over the bridge) so I thought I might have to use those. High elves chose their side first and got the first turn.

HE 1

Swordmasters and griffon riding hero move up. Magic is 9/6 (both successfully channel bringing it to 10/7. Flesh to Stone is dispelled but elves cast Walk between worlds on the swordmasters getting them right up the ironblasters barrel. The Massive sea guard unit volley fires into my middle sabretusk who takes one wound from the 34 arrows!

Ogre 1

Right flank of ogres moves forward and begins to ford the river, which we discover is normal. The ogres reform to face the unexpected swordmasters. Magic is high (11/6) and the ogres get toothcracker on the leadbelchers and throw a bonecrusher on the tower elves - killing 2. Trollguts is dispelled. The leadbelchers take down another archer with their canons and the ironblaster levels a barrage of grapeshot into the swordmasters, killing 4.

HE 2

Swordmaster charges the ironblaster and the griffon rider and sea guard both move up. Magic is 11/6. I dispel flesh to stone, and I think he failed whatever else he tried to cast. Sorcerous portal in the middle casts a soulblight on the horde of sea guard. The swordmasters destroyed the ironblaster, but we made a bit of an error here. He rerolled his swordmaster misses, forgetting ASF & ASL cancel each other out. I don't recall how many dice were rerolled. The game would have been a bit different if that stuck around a bit longer. I forgot to put a shrine on the board there, but an altar of kaine was just behind the ogre unit, which meant the swordmasters had frenzy. They overran off the table. 

Ogre 2

My gorger doesn't show up this round. The belchers move back and the ogres turn to face the advancing sea guard. I'm planning for a multi charge there next round and move the mournfang to attach the swrodmasters when they return. The ironguts are out of position, so they move to take out the archers. Magic is only 5/3. I get a trollguts off on the ironguts. The leadbelchers take out 7 of the sea guard.

HE 3

The sea guard backed up and the swordmasters returned to the table. The griffon rider failed a charge. Magic was light (5/3). He did miscast something (can't recall what) and killed 4 of his sea guard in the process.

Ogre 3

I moved the gorger in beside the swordmasters. The hope was that he might survive the charge and get a killing blow on the named elf. My lone remianing sabretusk moved to pull the swordmasters and set them up for an MFC charge and not let them overrun into the ogres. The ironguts set up to either flank the sea guard (preferred) or charge the archers. Magic was 10/6 and we both channelled (11/7) but I could only buff my ironguts. He dispelled bonecrusher. The leadbelchers killed another 4 sea guard.

HE 4

Swordmasters and named elf both charged. Magic was 10/5. I dispelled a regrowth spell but he got arcane unforging off on the slaughtermaster, which killed the greedy fist (not that I had any hope of using it). He miscast doing it (again) and killed another 5 sea guard! He killed the gorger with one wound to spare, so no killing blow. The swordmasters obviously rolled right through the sabretusk.

Ogre 4

Match round here. The ironguts charge into the building. and the mournfange charge the swordmasters. magic is 10/6 and used to get trollguts, bullgorger on the ironguts. Leadbelchers only take out 3 sea guard. The ironguts easily kill all 7 archers in their building raid. The mournfange get 6 impact hits but are wiped out in return! Actually he killed 3 and the standard bearer did no wounds, fled, and therefore died. Again, we screwed up on the rerolls. I have to think more of these would have lived to do more return damage. He did 11 wounds with the swordmasters he had left (21). I just don't recall how many of those hits were rerolled. I know I didn't save many (2+ reduced to 4+ by strength 5 greatswords). That was the killer battle in this game. 

HE 5

Sea guard charges. Magic is only 5/4 and I dispel both spells he attempts. My BSB challenges the sea helm, does 3 wounds, all of which are saved. Battle is a draw.

Ogre 5

The map doesn't show it well, but the leadbelchers were able to charge. I got the slaughtermaster close and was able to get trollguts on everyone wit a 5/3 magic phase. Unfortunately it wasn't enough. He was able to win combat and the leadbelchers couldn't stay in the fight. we had to wrap it up after that round with a high elf victory.
Tough match! Getting that Walk off really put the hammer down on you quickly! :S

If you'd like, I'ma throw out a couple of tidbits because hey, it's the Internet and I'll throw out tidbits regardless :P ...

First of all, I know nothing about that Elatharion character. Was he riding a dragon?

Anyways, I would have personally gone for the "pick apart" method of play. He totally left his Swordmasters out on their own, which from my experience is an easy tear-apart for our guys if we do multi-charges or leadies fire. First turn I would have moved up the Ogres away from them, and then swift reformed the Leads to face the Swordmasters' flank and fill them with lead (you probably would have gotten more damage through as well, since I think they're only 5+ armor? which means no armor and only their little ward-save thingy). After that, redirects with the Sabretusk and then a multi-charge with Ogres and Mournfang, and they would've been wiped off the table.

Yeah, he'll be doing lotsa shooting, but I also think that putting the gorger in behind the seaguard to tie them up coulda helped a lot. Rear charge would only mean like 3 attacks against him, and his Killing Blow would make characters think twice about going to fight him. And if he turns the unit around to deal with the Gorger, you just bought yourself a free turn of no real shooting ;)

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Again, it's all retrospective, and I do that a lot for my own games. That's a pretty solid list your opponent ran, and since HE happens to be my most played against opponent, they're like one of the only armies I'm not scared of playing :P
38 Gnobs! Almost on my 4th Pack of Trappers! Exciting
Gibblet, Nibblet, Crunchybit, Snorti, Lullzee, Wakezee, Wardler, and Primo! (For sharing the Forum Primer to help out a new member! )

New book WLD: 21/11/3 - Got trounced by one of the "Khaine" elf armies... Stupid new rules...

The elf lord was riding a griffon.

I think you're right on taking out those swordmasters. It was my plan, I just didn't do it well! The ogres and the sabertusk were lined up for charges on either side if the ironblaster held or if he didn't overrun. In retrospect I think you're right about giving them a leadbelcher broadside along with the grapeshot might have been a better option.

Good point on the gorger. I've got to use him better, although I don't know if I'll bring him next time. I'm still exploring the pros and cons of the different units and deciding what works well for me.
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