So...Tourney Time...Let's get it on.

Kfpm · Post by **Kfpm** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:01 pm

Well, some of the GW in the Birmingham area has organized a trip to WH world for a "Friendly" inter-shop tournament. I was mainly going just to see the place, until someone happened to say this:

"We can't expect you to win much, you have Dark Elves."

Needless to say, I should do my best to prove them wrong! Not really much into the grain of writing Tourney lists so...time to bring you guys and girls in for some help. Here's one list I came up with (but by no means the only list i'll take into consideration):

2 Sorceresses,
BSB Noble with Hydra Banner and Cold one,
9 CoK,
20 Spearmen with command,
10 Corsairs,
10 executioners,
10 harpies,
War Hydra.

My plan for that list is to use the Knights as the main focus, using units like the Harpies to screen or neutralize war machines. The rest can then bring up the rear....Gigity. Of course, if I lose the knights, I’ll be pretty much done for.

So, any lists you've had a good run with in the past, or any suggestions to mine? Remember, your not just doing this for me, your doing it for the honor of the Druchii!

Thanks,
KFPM.

Grandmaster ej · Post by **Grandmaster ej** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:01 pm

this army did amazingly well for me at 1500 level in a club tourney

Noble + Enchanted Shield, SD Cloak, Heavy Armour, Lance, Crystal of Midnight, Dark Pegasus = 170
Sorceress + Level 2, Dark Steed, Dispel Scroll, Tome of Furion = 182 (Lore of Death)
Sorceress + Level 2, Dark Steed, Seal of Ghrond = 167 (lore of Death)

Noble stays near chariots, and supports charges where i can only get one chariot in, goes after lone units, main priority is chariots, sorceress flit from unit to unit, always staying at a distance, or close in out of sight for steal soul.

5 Dark Riders + RxB, Musician = 127
5 Dark Riders + RxB = 120

do the fast cav thing

2 Cold One Chariots + Spears = 194
2 Cold One Chariots + Spears = 194
5 Cold One Knights = 145

Main hammer units, chariots double up on block units, knights on the flanks in supporting role or hitting weaker units such as zombies

2 Reaper Bolt Throwers = 200

Fire Support

Total = 1499

Moloch the fallen · Post by **Moloch the fallen** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:05 pm

How many points is the tournament???

Post by **Vorchild** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:50 pm

Looks like 1500 pts to me.

The list you have is a pretty good start, but could be tweaked. First off, there's very little reason to ever have 10 harpies. 6 should be more than enough. The hydra is a decent choice, but you might seriously consider 2 RBTs instead to give yourself a fire support base and to take on large creatures. If you're going to bother with magic, my opinion is that you want to have some shooting to go along with it to increase the number of panic checks you can dish out. The big cold one knight unit I'd divide into two small units. It splits the points up, gives you better tactical diversity, and with a hydra banner BSB, you don't need that big a unit to make a significant hole in an enemy line.

Rabidnid · Post by **Rabidnid** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:24 pm

Do you have DR or shades? do you have any RXB?

i like hydras a lot, but they are took expensive for what they do. BSB is likewise good but expensive. Dropping 5 harpies, the bsb and a CoK will get you over 200 points for shades/DR or even a couple DR units.

Kfpm · Post by **Kfpm** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:59 pm

I don't have a lot of DR (Unfortunatly just 5...I know...) I was aiming for a very mobile force, hence my lack of shooting.

However, perhaps the Harpy unit IS too big, and maybe fewer Knights would be better.

Still not keen on dropping the BSB though...I really need a unit in that army to, as they say, "Lay the smack down" in a first turn of combat. A little bit of a one trick pony...but then again I’ll only be playing one game with each player.

How does this one sound (just an outline, I haven't included armor upgrades or anything)?

Sorceress with Seal and level 2,
Sorceress with level two,
BSB noble with Hydra banner on a cold one,
20 warriors with command,
10 corsairs with banner,
5 DR with xbows,
5 knights with banner and champ,
10 execs with banner,
5 harpies,
Hydra.

Dead on 1499 pts. A respectable 6 PD and 5 DD.

Grandmaster ej · Post by **Grandmaster ej** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:33 pm

if 10 was too many i recon 5 might not be enough, perhaps one more, just to compensate for shooting casualties

Post by **Vorchild** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:57 pm

if 10 was too many i recon 5 might not be enough, perhaps one more, just to compensate for shooting casualties

Exactly. 5 is the magic number at the end of the day, so you want to be sure that your opponent can't fire a bunch of bowmen at the unit and make it ineffective (or if you drop into combat and lose one).

I'm slightly confused though with the new list as you've dropped 4 knights and 5 harpies but only added on a unit of DR. Are all the other accumulated points going to command options? If so, you might want to rethink some of them.

Also, at 1500 pts, there is no reason not to give one of your sorc the cloak to get 7 dice. That 2 MMs on 2 dice each and another higher level spell on 3 dice. Means you're more than likely to get at least one spell off a turn.

Post by **Thanee** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:40 pm

Grandmaster EJ wrote:if 10 was too many i recon 5 might not be enough, perhaps one more, just to compensate for shooting casualties

No, 5 is enough.

Harpies get shot exactly once; on the 2nd turn. Afterwards they are either dead or in combat and once that is over, your opponent usually has much nastier things to worry about.

1st turn they are in cover, 2nd turn they have to be exposed some to get into charge position. When they only lose 1 (or no) model, they do not need to make a panic check and at least 4 are left (enough for max attacks against a two man warmachine crew, and still very good against three man crews). If you lose 2 or more, they are usually gone, anyways, since panic is not good for them. If you lose 2 and make the panic check, you still have 3 left, which is enough to defeat warmachine crews usually and to get max attacks on lone wizards.

There is no need to take more than 5.

Bye
Thanee

Slortor · Post by **Slortor** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:47 pm

i'd drop some of the banners - on the Ex's for example, they should be flankers so should be aiming for kills rather than toting staic res about, swap for a champion. Corsairs should lose the banner also - take a musi and thats all really. Again with that sort of unit size they wont be an anvil so dont give them banners

more later if you can post a more detailed list (i.e. magic items etc)

Kfpm · Post by **Kfpm** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:19 am

Well, had a little play testing on Tuesday...I won't say the list sucks...just that it isn't suited to my playing style. I think my main drawback was thinking I could pull off a game with little to no shooting; a more experienced player would be able to, no doubt.

With this in mind, I’ve gone back to basics, trying not to tie up more then 200 pts in a single unit:

Noble with Heavy armor, a SDC, has the crimson death,
Sorceress with level two, tome, and steed,
20 warriors with shields and command,
12 Corsairs with Champ,
5 DR with crossbows,
12 vanilla crossbow elves,
2 Chariots (Noble goes in one of these),
5 Harpies,
5 Knights with standard of murder,
2 bolt throwers,

Comes to around 1480.

Well, my main tactic would be to maximize shooting and magic using the harpies and DR as March blockers, then to use the main hammer units (Chariots and Knights) to pound down on the big units, with my other infantry bringing up the rear ready to flank or hold charges. The sorceress will zip up and down, using her spells where they may be needed, and the noble provides the chariots with less chance of stupidity, and a little failsafe incase they get charged.

Possible alterations I was thinking of was getting another steed sorceress in there, or bulking the Corsairs out to 20.

Steve tu · Post by **Steve tu** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:21 am

I take it you dont want to go down the BM/Manti route?

Post by **Thanee** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:21 am

Another Sorceress would certainly make your magic more devastating.

With just one Sorceress, I would switch the Tome out for the Darkstar Cloak, though. 5 PD is so much better than 4 PD.

Bye
Thanee

Lamekh · Post by **Lamekh** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:32 am

Have you tried EJ's List? There's a nice one for 1500 pts.
I think your magic phase is a little weak with only one sorceress, and you have absolutely no magic defense (3DD) at least try to include the SoG, also I'd try at field another unit of dark riders!

Kfpm · Post by **Kfpm** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:48 am

Well, money is a little scarce right now so I have to work with what I have in my collection, and yes, EJ's list is very nice and i've tries to include elements of it.

I'm tempted to get the noble on the Peggy, drop the corsairs entirely in favour of another Sorceress (with Seal)...or perhaps should I drop the warriors and take a corsair block? At least one ranked unit would be nice.

Lamekh · Post by **Lamekh** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:31 am

KFPM wrote:Well, money is a little scarce right now so I have to work with what I have in my collection, and yes, EJ's list is very nice and i've tries to include elements of it.

I'm tempted to get the noble on the Peggy, drop the corsairs entirely in favour of another Sorceress (with Seal)...or perhaps should I drop the warriors and take a corsair block? At least one ranked unit would be nice.

I run a similar list with 2 CoCs and Harpies and Shades instead of 4 CoCs...

Kfpm · Post by **Kfpm** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:34 am

Ahh Now you get Hugs Lamekh...I have both of those units!

Slortor · Post by **Slortor** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:55 pm

personally i'd drop the corsairs to get that extra sorceress - just a normal lvl 2 and as Thanee said i'd try to get the DSC in there. Those two sorcs should cause quite a bit of damge.