Intro and Game 1 vs Empire
Game 2 vs DE
Game 4 vs Vampire Counts
Game 5 vs DE
My list is as follows:
My list was as follows:
Supreme Sorceress, level 4, Shadow Magic, Talisman of Preservation (4+), Sacrificial Dagger, Life Taker
Sorceress, level 2, Death Magic, Dark Pegasus, PoK, Tome of Furion
Death Hag, BSB, Cauldron of Blood
20 Spearmen with shields, standard, standard of discipline (level 4 bunker)
28 Corsairs, hand weapons, musician, standard, sea serpent standard
5 Dark Riders, repeating crossbows, musician
5 Harpies
18 Repeating Crossbowmen, musician
30 Witch Elves, musician, standard, banner of murder
20 Black Guard, musician, standard, banner of eternal flame
10 Cold One Knights
5 Shades, additional hand weapons
Hydra
Hydra
There were three Dark Elf armies in the tournament (counting mine) and this game is against the third one. This is another witch cult list with Hellebron as the general. This one is set up a bit different and has huge units of witches and executioners accompanied by support units. It appeared to me that he had done pretty well in the first two games. I did find the sorceress an odd choice, as the pegasus is the same price as the carpet, with more benefits. I asked him and he told me that the small 20mm foot print allowed him to hide her better. The particulars of the list are below:
Crone Hellebron
Supreme Sorceress, level 4, shadow magic, flying carpet, not sure of other gear
Death Hag, BSB, Banner of Hag Graef
Death Hag, Cauldron of Blood
Master on Manticore, heavy armor, lance, shield, cloak, Ring of Hotek
40 Witch Elves, full command
30 (or so) Executioners, full command (Hellebron and BSB here)
5 Dark Riders, musician
5 Dark Riders, musician
5 Dark Riders, musician
5 Dark Riders, musician
Hydra
Hydra
Deployment and scenario
This scenario is battle for the pass. The board we got had some buildings with large footprints that limited deployment somewhat. My opponent brought a magic tower that provided hatred and frenzy to evil units. This, along with my arcane ruins, further clogged the board. His tower is represented by the broken wizard tower and my ruins are the altar.
With all the Dark Riders and manticore in his army, I figured my opponent was going to try and get behind me. Fortunately, I was easily able to stretch across the board and prevent that for the most part. The extra space created from this deployment type let me put shades behind him. He then turned one of the rider units with vanguard movement.
The executioner unit is positioned behind the tower, which it will have to move through to do anything. When he deployed it there, I saw this as a chance to mob it when it exits.
Turn 1
I ended up with first turn. I shuffled up the center to uncover a hydra I had to put in the back because of the limited space. The ranged units on the right move into range of the right most dark rider unit and wipe it out. The shades kill a few out of the rider unit that is most likely going to charge them next turn.
I left the peg sorceress and harpies behind my lines due to the other units of dark riders. Mass low strength shooting isn't good for either one.
Witch cult half of turn one. My opponent's line begins to push forward. Predictably, the executioner block enters the tower it is stuck behind. A unit of dark riders charges the shades and get wiped out in combat.
Pit of Shades goes off in the magic phase, scatters of one of my hydras and tags the cauldron instead. Down goes my BSB turn one.
Turn 2
With all my opponent's left flank guarding units gone, the dark riders and shades are free to get in behind him and be annoying. I'll look for an opportunity to get into his level 4, but he has her blocked in pretty well. I send the peg sorceress to try and get a hydra. The harpies fly out and this time I set them up right to block in the witch horde. If he ends up charging the harpies, he will be set up to be flanked by my corsairs and possibly a hydra. On my left flank, I reform the witches to allow the Cold One Knights enough room to pass.
During the magic phase, I manage to fire the Purple Sun through a hydra, killing it. The Ring of Hotek causes me to miscast and eats the rest of my dice.
My level 4 shows her sniper side and picks off enough dark riders with lifetaker to panic one of the two remaining units.
Witch cult half of turn 2. The manticore rider has enough distance to fly over my lines and lands near my level 4's spear bunker. Dark riders charge, forcing the peg sorceress to flee. Lucky her that she lands directly in front of the hungry manticore. My opponent moves his remaining hydra out to his left to repair the flank, and the executioners exit the building. He doesn't do anything with the witch horde, and is content to have them camp behind my harpies.
Nothing important happens in the magic phase.
Turn 3
Turn 3 is where the game swings. I complete a long charge with the Cold One Knights into the last dark rider unit still fighting and wipe them out. The Black Guard make the charge into the Hydra so they can test out the flaming banner on it. Both of my hydras move up and double flame the executioners, killing about 75% of the unit. It still has Hellebron and the BSB, but doesn't have the numbers to take on any of my larger combat blocks. I move my bunker out of the line of fire in case the level 2 can't deal with my manticore problem.
The peg sorceress gets off two key spells on the manticore. The first is doom and darkness, reducing his leadership. The second is siphon, which causes 7 wounds to the rider, killing him. Now I just have to survive a berserk manticore charge.
Witch cult half of turn 3. The executioner horde charges my left most hydra, kills it, and overruns into the harpies. This sets up a nice flank and rear charge by a corsair/hydra combo. My opponent reforms his witch horde, but doesnt have enough space to keep them in a horde and face the way he wants, so he is forced into an 8x5 formation. My Black Guard finish the hydra off. My level 2 survives the charge of the manticore and holds.
Nothing noteworthy happens with magic.
Turn 4
I still can't find a way to get around my opponent's cauldron at his sorceress with my fast units and I will lose if I charge the cauldron. They continue to shoot without much effect.
The big combat in the middle is joined as I charge in four of my heavy hitters. The executioners are crushed and a hydra overruns into the flank of the witch cult horde. I kill about half of the horde, but they are within range of the cauldron and pass the stubborn check. The peg sorceress survives the manticores attacks, pokes it for one wound, breaks it, and runs it down. Again, a naked lady on a horse is a combat beast.
The game is pretty much over at this point, but we continue to the bottom half of 4 to round out the game.
Witch cult half of turn 4. Nothing happens except for more combat with the stubborn witch unit. I can't kill them all and gain no extra points. The game is called at this point.
End of game
This game was very lopsided thanks to my being able to put his two power units at a disadvantage. I think it would have been hard for me to kill off the executioners if he could take my units one at a time. With secondary objectives considered, this game was scored as a 22-4 victory.
