As I will attend my first Grand Tournament in october, I developed a list I doing well with recently. More information and discussion can be found in my battle log, but now I need some tactical advise. To challenge myself I asked our local Empire player to bring a very hard anti-list against my list, as my list has one weakness = armour.
The list itself is set for the game, so I do not need advise how to change the list, but tactical advise how to use the components of the list against a list I know is the worst possible matchup. Maybe it is even impossible to win, but then all the advise how I can survive his list through tactics is very welcome.
The Empire player will bring at least one very big unit of knights (15 +) with several characters, LVL 4 with Life (Dwellers), two captains on pegasus, some small units of knights, two steamstanks, unit of demigryph knights etc. with 2400 points. So all has 1+ armour save, difficult to kill and deadly on the charge.
I bring the following list.
Dreadlord, Heavy Armour, Sea Dragon Cloak, Enchanted Shield, Ogre Blade, Ring of Hotek
Supreme Sorceress, LVL 4, Light Magic, Talisman of Preservation, Dragonbane Gem, Dispell Scroll, Dark Steed
Sorceress, LVL 1, Light Magic, Dark Steed -
Sorceress, LVL 1, Light Magic, Dark Steed
BSB Death Hag, Cauldron of Blood
7 Dark Riders, Musician, Shields
5 Dark Riders, Shields, Repeater Crossbows
27 Witch Elves, Full Command, Razor Standard
5 Shades, Additional Hand Weapons
5 Shades, Additional Hand Weapons
Reaper Bolt Thrower
Reaper Bolt Thrower
10 Sisters of Slaughter
5 Warlocks
Kharibdyss
One big unit of 27 witch elves with Cauldron, which I normally field in Horde formation. The Dreadlord provides 4 strength 6 (-4 armour) attacks with re-rolls + re-rolls to wound. Both Timewarp and Fury of Khaine can add more attacks. They are also LD 10, with 2+ ward save against magic (but useless against Dwellers ofcourse) and double 1 let enemy miscast. Attacks from Death Hag are -2 armour while normal Witches have -1 armour. Maybe the best thing to do is to field them as deep as possible, to maintain steadfeast instead of output of attacks, while the Dreadlord inflicts the damage.
The Sisters of Slaughter are going to be useless in the sense of inflicting damage, as they struggle a lot against heavy armour. However can are difficult to kill in combat, so maybe can lock a Steam Tank for some turns.
Warlocks provide the strong spell Soulblight, I don't know if Doombolt (still 3+ armour saves) is worth it against 1+ AS units. They can maybe take out small enemy unit of knights when charging in the flanks?
My two units of Shades and unit of Dark Riders will not have any targets as enemy is unlikely to bring any artillery, Although they have armour piercing against 1+ AS that doesn't matter so much. Dark Riders can be used to slow down enemy unit, but I have no idea how to use the Shades. I can even use the LVL 1 sorceresses as sacrifice to redirect enemy units at crucial moments.
The kharibdyss can provide some danger against enemy units with his strength 7, however he only haves 5 attacks. Can he take out a Steamtank on his own ? I do suspect him to be priority number 1 target for enemy so how can I keep him alive, should I play aggressive or defensive with him ?
Two reaper bolt throwers provide excellent answer against armour, but what should be their priority ? Steam Tanks, Demigryphs, Captains on Pegasus or Knights ?
The spells I want are Pha's Protection (-1 to hit), Speed of Light (WS and I 10), Light of Battle (Unbreakable), Banisment (2D6 STR 6 hits) and Timewarp (+1 attack, double movement) to manipulate the combats.