Tactics vs. H*gh Elf dragon, without one of your own

[flatworldsedge]

A game I had planned for December looks possible this weekend, leaving me playing 2,000 pts vs. H*gh Elves. Very topical and all that.

I've always hated them (especially Teclis, who's ghastly ruined one of my White Dwarves two decades ago), but I've never played them. My opponent has indicated he'll bring a fighty dragon lord of some kind, eagles and Swordmasters, but that's about all I know. I used to play him as a very shooty Dwarf player, so expect bolt throwers/archers.

I'd like to keep my 2,000 pt list (see below) relatively unchanged, so would ideally not change units. Nonetheless, some tips on approaching the game would be useful. My main concern is magic. In previous test runs, and my first proper battle (report here http://druchii.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=75997) I used her maneuverability on the pegasus to take some bold advanced positions to great effect. My obvious worry is that if I do that this time around, her slender legs will be draped out of his dragon's mouth before the end of T1.

I'm thinking of switching out the DL's Cloak for Black Amulet, maybe dropping the Lv4's peg and giving her a scroll and Cold One, then putting her in the CoK bus.

Any thoughts on this dilemma and other general tips would be hugely appreciated.

Dreadlord on Cold One, SDC, Hvy, Lance, Cloak of Twilight, Charmed Shield
Master BSB on Cold One, SDC, Hvy, Shield, Lance
8x Cold One Knights

Supreme Sorceress Level 4, Life, Talisman of Preservation, Pegasus

War Hydra, Fiery Breath

24x Witch Elves

5x Dark Riders, Musician, Shields, Crossbows
5x Dark Riders, Musician, Shields, Crossbows

5x Warlocks
5x Warlocks

5x Shades
5x Shades

Hope everyone is having a stunningly good week!

[Haagrum]

A few bolt throwers aimed in his Dragon's direction should help, although I realise you don't want to adjust your list much.

Without changing up your list too greatly, you might consider putting your Sorceress into the Cold One Knights unit on a Dark Steed, and maybe taking the Lore of Beasts. It's useful in most situations and very effective against 'uge slobberin' monsters such as Dragons, particularly when your main combat unit has several characters.

[T.D.]

A Peg can match the Dragon's mobility, and unlike the Dragon cannot be cut out from under the rider.

Cloak/Dawnstone good offensive choice but may not last in a grind.

AoD/Dawnstone, GW more grinding power.

Black Amulet builds have chance of neutralising the Dragon and rider.


...on a Steed or Cold One the Giant Blade/Dawnstone build is also an offensive but risky choice.

[Sangfroid]

If your up for a small change then proxy the hydra into a kharibdyss soulblight the dragon and maybe try to get some buffs on the kharibdyss and that thing will munch through the dragon, I've only ever used one once as a proxy and it got a black dragon down to one wound in a turn of combat :-)

[Cold73]

If you are not using a fighting lord of your own, then the best way to deal with this would be to try and kill the Dragon as soon as possible. Sure the the Lord on foot might be hard to kill...but he is a lot slower and a lot better to handle.

How do you kill the Dragon. Magic is often a good idea. Doombolt from your Warlocks, should atleast do a couple of wounds to it. Combined with shooting especially from Bolt Throwers you might be able to get it down fast.
If you are positive that your opponent will use a dragon and several means of shooting.... you might consider switching the lore of your Supreme Sorceress to Lore of Heavens. The signature spell is very good against flyers..and several other spells will seriously hamper his shooting.

[flatworldsedge]

Thanks all - really useful suggestions. Especially the switch of Hydra to Kharibdyss and school suggestions. Leaning towards Beasts with the Kharibdyss, with some points freed up for addition of the dispel scroll. Any more thoughts appreciated, and of course I will have a battle report up sometime next week whatever the outcome.

[Sangfroid]

Searing doom and gehennas hounds from metal is another good option if your going down the magic route dangerous to both mount and rider and good chance to wound dragon on a 3+

[flatworldsedge]

Just wanted to post a brief update post-game, though I'll get a proper battle report up in the week.

I did move my Sorceress into the CoK on a Dark Steed and she stayed safe. My opponent's movement was excellent, and I think she'd have been killed if she'd stayed on the Peg - either by the dragon, or targeted Soul Quench.

It was a "Sun Dragon" that he took. The Kharibdyss was awesome - and I think I will permanently move it into my army in place of a hydra (I think it better compliments the list). It killed the dragon in combat, surviving his Lord's attacks (though he didn't take a magic weapon). My Dreadlord then killed his Prince on the charge.

All it I slaughtered pretty much his entire army, though all of my units except the Shades took damage, I lost a full unit of Dark Riders and 20 Witch Elves (25 odd if you count the ones I used Regrowth on)...

However, he took the win. We rolled "Watchtower" and I put my only core infantry - Witch Elves - in the tower. Some nice movement from him and an 11 on an LD roll baited them out of the building, letting his 35 Swordmasters with World Dragon and Lv4 to waltz in. I gave them too much respect, and dealt with them too late, leaving them in possession of the tower end of turn 5, where we rolled a 5 and... the slaughter on the plains outside mattered not. A fun game. Look forward to writing it up properly.

Thanks for the help though - a big part in making it competitive. Any other scenario and I think I'd have won it (though, fair play, he targeted the objective).