Game 1 vs Empire
Game 2 vs Dark Elves
Game 3 vs Dark Elves
Game 5 vs Dark Elves
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
My opponent had a really well done Vampire Counts army. He brought a massive display board of a graveyard where all the characters were set up like statues on top of pillars. Really cool. I haven't played against Vampire Counts much and not at all against this style of list... usually they have a 400 point combat character. I was a bit worried about how to deal with the monsterous infantry blocks and the two terrorgheists. I was paying attention to this army the day before and saw it doing a number on the opposition. Might be a bit off, but these are the basics of the list.
Heinrich Kemmler
Mannfred the Acolyte
Necromancer, level 2, lore of vampires, dispell scroll
Necromancer, level 2, lore of vampires
30 Zombies, standard
30 Zombies, standard
25 Crypt Ghouls
25 Crypt Ghouls
7 Crypt Horrors, champion
8 Vargheists, champion
5 Dire Wolves
5 Dire Wolves
Mortis Engine
Corpse Cart
Terrorgheist
Terrorgheist
Deployment and scenario
This mission was meeting engagement. None of my army was left in reserve. My opponent wasn't so lucky and had to reserve Kemmler, a crypt ghouls unit, a zombie unit, and a dire wolves unit. I rolled to set up first and have the first turn. I set up my line where I thought the bulk of his units would have to be placed. The Black Guard and Dark Riders are guarding my right. We had to trade terrain for this, so I got to place the pit that gives -1 leadership on my side. I stuck it in the corner out out of the way.
The bulk of the Vampire army went where I thought it would, a bit back so I can't first turn charge. All three wizards on the board were on their own standing in the gap between his front line and support units. The terrorgheists went on my right flank as far as they could. The only problem for them is they can't march without a vampire close, but Kemmler should be able to come in turn one and let them fly around... hopefully they don't end up behind me. Vargheists were set apparently to control the flank of the main section of the army. My opponent put the arcane ruins in the top corner and sat Dire Wolves on it so he'd get a secondary point for controlling it.
Turn 1
My opponent fails to steal the first turn away. I push the entire line up to be within decent charge range for turn 2. I throw the harpies and peg sorceress out to block charges and redirect the ghoul and horror units at the front of his main army. On the rights, I don't see much point in throwing the Black Guard way, so I move them backwards. The Dark Riders move out to be a nice terrorgheist target.
In the magic phase I roll double 1's for power dice. I then fail to cast power of darkness with the level 4 (even with a sacrifice). I roll a 1 on power of darkness for the level 2. Oh well.
The rest of the Vampire army moves on in my opponent's half of turn 1. Kemmler moves near enough to the terrorgheists that they can march move, which they use to hug up close to the dark riders. Another Crypt Ghoul and Zombie unit move on in the center, just to the right of his main army. Vargheists rush in to fight the Hydra and from the way this lines up, if he wins this fight, the Vargheists would overrun into the flank of the witch horde (picture is slightly off).
In the magic phase, the Vampire three vampire wizards in front of the Mortis Engine grow a bunch of zombies in the unit on my left. This triggers the corpse cart and gives the main army blocks ASF. The Mortis Engine rolls double 1's and can't give improved regen to the ghould and horror units.
The terrorgheists scream the dark riders to death. In combat, the Vargheists manage 2 wounds on the Hydra. I do 4 back and win.
Turn 2
I basically charge with everything that can get in, but first, I have to clear my redirectors. The harpies have line of sight to the wizards hanging out behind the front line and their 3/4" bases fit between the units. Hoorah for flying skirmishers. I charge over the Horrors and into Mannfred.. probably should have picked one of the weaker casters. The level 2 peg sorceress charges over the ghouls and into the zombies. I figure she'll lose, maybe run way, and has a good chance of escaping. Kinda risky, but she needed to move. Witches go into the Crypt Horrors and make it. Corsairs into the Vargheists. Left side Hydra and Cold Ones charge the ghouls, but the Cold Ones fail. I continue to shuffle the Black Guard backward on the right flank, hoping for a charge opportunity.
The magic phase went better this time. Vargheists went down to strenght 2, making them fairly useless. Horrors end up with -1 to pretty much every stat they have.
In combat, I run the harpies first, hoping they'll die to clear an over run for the witches. Not only do they not die, they don't even break. The witches blow through the Horrors and overrun to the back of the harpies. The left side Hydra wipes out a little over half of the ghouls and they can't wound it. The Vargheists are reduced to 2 models. 40 or so zombies take on the peg sorceress and neither side can hurt the other. I lose due to static res and stick.
The Vampire half of turn 2 sees one charge, ghouls into the witches flank. Terrorgheists move into position to scream at the Black Guard. Everything else is pretty much static.
I end up losing 10 or so Black Guard to screaming, but there's still more than enough to take on a terrorgheist. I finish off the Vargheists and left side ghoul block, reforming for charges on my turn. The witch horde gets broken by the ghouls in the flank and is run down. Owe. Harpies are finished off. The peg sorceress loses again but sticks.
In the magic phase, vampire casters regrow some wounds and sound the corpse cart, giving ASF again to nearby units.
Turn 3
Time was running short and this would be the last game turn. As with turn 2, I charge almost everything that could. The Black Guard charge a terrorgheist, kill it, and overrun off the board to safety. I send the Corsairs into the second zombie block and wipe it out. The Ghoul unit that finished off the witches gets hit by Cold One Knights and a Hydra in the flank. They are killed off completely and the Hydra overruns into a level 2 necromancer. Mannfred eats a charge from the second Hydra, dies, and the monster overruns into the corpse cart. My peg sorceress now has one wound on her, loses combat again, and sticks.
One of the level 2 necromancers was visible due to the movement of units and ate 40 some crossbow shots. Hopefully he stays dead. Nothing important happend during magic.
None of the vampire units move in the bottom half of turn 3. The terrorgheist can't march and is too far away to scream. The Hydras manage to kill off the corpse cart and the second level 2 necromancer. Zombies go wild and actually manage three wounds on the peg sorceress, finishing her off.
End of game
This opponent was a fun guy to play against. Holding off the Vargheist charge turn 1 and the great magic phase turn 2 helped me get rolling. After secondary objectives, this one ended up something like a 19-4 win. With 4 wins in a row, I think I'll be on high score table for the last game.
