I've seen many people scratching their heads when fighting Rats. Maybe this can help?
My list was:
41 Spears MU, SB
40 Spears MU, SB
20 Black Guard MU, SB
20 Black Guard MU, SB
20 Witch Elves MU, SB Flame Banner
5 Harpies
5 Harpies
5 Harpies
Hydra
LVL 4 death Sorc, Peg, Pok, Dispell Scroll
My idea was to use the Spear Busses to take Steadfast from the Slave Hordes (if he ran them in busses it wouldn't work, but they would be easier to avoid as well.
Deployment looked like this:
We agree to play Battle Line. I win the roll and throw out some harpies. My deployment strategy is basically to wait until he puts down the Hell Pit Abomination, and then I'll drop my Flame banner witches across from it. I put my spears across from his slaves along with 1 killy unit so that I can break them in one round of combat and get into his real points.
DE T1
Movement:
I won the roll and advanced full tilt into him with my plan of action in place. The hydra hid from the Warp lightning cannons behind a building. Harpies went right for the cannons so the hydra could come out and play.
Magic: none
Shooting: none
Combat: nope
Skaven T1
Movement:
Surprisingly, he advances. Perhaps over eager to start the bloodshed. Fine with me. The HPA comes right at the black guard. I know they are stubborn, so I'm thrilled... But he doesn't make it. Even better. He is free points next turn. The right flank black guard begin to hunt some rats.
Magic:
A single rat sails across the field and lands on his feet. He goes for a Sear, which I chuck all of my dice at and dispel.
Shooting:
A few harpies die, but I moved the sorc over their for the leadership bubble, so they were fine. A doom rocket goes off in my flank killing 7 spears.
Combat: Nope.
DE T2
Movement:
The Dark elf general shrieks, "CHARRRRGE!" But the spears and hydra ignore her, not wanting to get bogged down by slaves, and then turned into clanrats. Instead, S2 goes up to cover the flank of the black guard. The HPA is flank charged by WE. The harpies get into the flank of a cannon and overrun into the other allowing them to fight twice. Very cool. BG2 also ignore the general and opted to stay away from the Grey Seer until a more oportune moment.
Magic:
I snipe a 15 point engineer. Whoohoo!
Shooting: nope
Combat:
The HPA dies horribly with a wretched gurgling noise. Poor guy. The Lightning cannons don't enjoy their dinner with the harpies either (since they were the menu), they all overrun off the field to deny the points.
Skaven T2
Movement:
Slaves crash into the spears and the Bell Seer Commits to the left flank. The other clan rats seem to have some sort of plan against the black guard. I get more curious than nervous.
Magic:
The Bell Rings True. Elves grab their ears and a few heads explode. The Hydra loses two of his own. He goes for a Sear. This will cripple my spears and makes them unable to take away steadfast from the slaves. Can't have that. So I risk getting the 13th into my black guard, hoping he doesn't double 6 on his roll so I can Scroll it. I chuck all my dice at the Sear and dispel it handily. He then rolls up a 13th, but doesn't get his double 6 on 5 dice and 3 warp stone tokens and I pop the scroll.
Shooting:
Lots of witches die to the Ratling gun, but they don't care much. A warpfire thrower kills a slave. We laugh.
Combat:
The combat is extremely close and I realize that I vastly underestimated the power of the slaves. Without hatred next round, I will probably lose.
DE T3
Movement:
The witches charge into the flank of the Ratling Gun in order to overrun into the clannies. The Black Guard charge the clannies head on. The other unit of spears come to help their buddies and the Hydra covers their flank. The Sorc flies up to snipe a grey seer.
Magic:
The grey seer is hit by Fate of Bjuna 11 times, dies in spite a 2+ ward save VS magic and the rats flee for their lives. My opponent shakes my hand and we begin to pack up our things.
Post game thoughts:
Only having 1 character was amazing. I will never lose a fight if I plan well, so why take a BSB. I took extra care to make sure that all my units stay above 14 models so they don't get 13th. I felt like I out numbered him, which was a fun feeling. Being charcter light versus the rats really is the way to go.
MVP's. Harpies got their points back and saved the hydra's life.
The TRUE MVP was the sorceress. Death lore is too strong versus the Rats. Sniping characters, lowering the general's leadership bubble by 3. Ruining horde's killing power with -1s/-1t... Scary stuff. Purple Sun did nothing, but eh... Didn't expect it to. Didn't need it to. The HPA fell for the trap.
2000-0 victory versus rats.
