Cyandri's Raiders

Cenyu · Post by **Cenyu** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 12:20 pm

Hullo.

Yesterday I started a new campaign with our revised Druchii against my friend's ("Seb" in the following) Dwarfs. We played two games using the following rules:

* Custom Serious Injury chart (makes it more difficult to actually die but also introduces loads of new funny injuries)

* Nerfed off-hand weapon (suffers -1 to hit)

* Halved armour cost for Light, Heavy, Ithilmar and Gromril armour.

* Random Happenings

My starting warband:

Cyandri - Noble with Sword, Free Dagger, Repeater Crossbow

Phytria - Sorceress with Dagger & Free Dagger + Spell "Black Blade of Khaine"

Kaigar - Lordling with Axe, free Dagger & Repeater Crossbow

Sengai - Lordling with Axe, free Dagger & Repeater Crossbow

Athyra - Beast Mistress with Dagger & Free Dagger

Maim - Slave Hound

Navra - Witch Elf with Sword & Free Dagger

Djiin - Shade with Free Dagger, Bow

Shodan - Shade with Free Dagger, Bow

Seb's warband included:

Dwarf Noble with Dwarf Axe & Light Armour

Engineer with Crossbow

2 Slayers with Dwarf Axes

2 Thunderers with Clubs

First game: Treasure hunt.

Basically we both seearched the buildings without success and so clashed in the middle - my shooting proved quite useless apart from Djiin the Shade who managed to kill two Dwarfs with his bow! (Yay for that!)

Kaigar entered the last remaining building and grabbed the treasure but he was shot and taken out of action upon leaving the cover by Seb's engineer who had assumed sniping position with his crossbow on the second floor of a house.

The melee went quite well for me (Navra was downed but took Seb's leader OA before she succumbed) and Seb was forced to retreat voluntarily.

(We decided that I got the treasure although the carrier was taken OOA and the chest not retrieved when Seb routed but... well, a Shade was 2" next to the chest...)

Result:

Navra survived.

Kaigar suffered D6=5 rolls on the Serious Injury chart... totally crippling him but oh well...

(Amputated Leg, Bitter Enmity against Engineer, Unyielding Hatred (must charge if possible and hates all opponents upon charge), Psychosis (-1 Ld))

Phytria got a weapon skill advance (she had killed a Dog from a Random Happening)

The treasure contained a suit of Light armour -> Cyandri of course) and some coin I instantly invested in a potion of Crimson Shade for Kaigar.

(Rest was saved)

Seb lost one Thunderer and replaced him with another one wielding a crossbow. His one Slayer now "suffers" from Bitter enmity against every Dark Elf - great.

Second game: Wyrdstone Hunt

While Seb placed his shards on easily accessible positions I placed them on high ground, trying to keep them out of reach of the stunties.

I can't really recall every move - the limping Kaigar was shot down before he could enter combat.

Then carnage began in the middle of the map - Maim, Athyra and Sengai were taken out of action but I also took a heavy toll among Seb's Dwarfs - he retreated once again voluntarily when his warband was reduced to three member.

Result:

Athyra was captured and had to be ransomed for her basic gold cost - bereaving me of a great potion of the treasure I had accumulated after the first game.

Maim survived.

Kaigar survived.

Sengai survived.

Cyandri rolled a skill advance - I gave him Lightning reflexes - any other ideas?

Phytria rolled another WS/BS.. now she has WS 5, yay!

Djiin rolled a BS upgrade.

Shodan rolled "Lad's got talent" which was re-rolled to +1 Ld.

I invested mainly in Helmets and Swords for my heroes.

Seb got another couple of psychological "features" on his Slayers.

Looking forward to the next games. My Mordheim addiction has broken out once more.

Current warband:

Cyandri - Noble with Sword, Free Dagger, Repeater Crossbow, Helmet, Light Armour @ 24 XP

"Lightning Reflexes"

Kill Count: 0

Phytria - Sorceress with Sword & Free Dagger + Spell "Black Blade of Khaine" @ 17 XP

Weapon skill upped twice.

Kill Count: 2

"Lucky" Kaigar - Lordling with Axe, Sword & Repeater Crossbow @ 12 XP

Amputated Leg, Bitter Enmity, Psychosis, Unyielding Hatred

Kill Count: 0

Sengai - Lordling with Axe, Sword & Repeater Crossbow, Helm

Kill Count: 0

Athyra - Beast Mistress with Sword & Free Dagger @ 10 XP

Kill Count: 1

Maim - Slave Hound @ 0 XP

Kill Count: 2

Navra - Witch Elf with Sword & Free Dagger @ 1 XP

Kill Count: 2

Djiin - Shade with Dagger & Free Dagger, Bow

Ballistic Skill upped.

Kill count: 2

Shodan - Shade with Dagger & Free Dagger, Bow

Leadership upped.

Kill count: 0

Ansob. · Post by **Ansob.** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 2:59 pm

Wee, Black Blade of Khaine is funny, no?

Again, my condolences to the poor Lordling. That's actually quite a few models you have there.

Cenyu · Post by **Cenyu** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 4:32 pm

Indeed. Next model to get will be another Slave Hound, followed by another Witch.

Then I'm already nearing the limit of 12 models... maybe a Corsair just to have every choice at least once? We'll see.

By the way, do I get this right? Witches are able to wear Sea Dragon Cloaks?

Ansob. · Post by **Ansob.** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 7:04 pm

No, you're wrong - heroes and corsairs only, normally.

Loflar · Post by **Loflar** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 8:15 pm

Shodan rolled "Lad's got talent" which was re-rolled to +1 Ld.

ANSOB, please, could you delete the rule?

Cyandri rolled a skill advance - I gave him Lightning reflexes - any other ideas?

My "wishlist" for the Noble also includes Expert Swordsman, Fey Quickness and Stesso Tempo (how did you finally called it? Counterstrike?) - with -1 to hit for the off hand, it will give you one more attack in most turns.

I think that you are faring surprisingly well against the dwarves. Here we all (except the dwarf player) fear and hate them ;-)

Ansob. · Post by **Ansob.** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 9:10 pm

Loflar wrote:ANSOB, please, could you delete the rule?

Unfortunately, no - I'm also announcing (which those of you on the SG boards know) that it's now become standard for all elven warbands being developed (us, wood elves, high elves and shadow warriors).

Loflar · Post by **Loflar** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:05 am

That's what we call releasing djinn from the bottle.

Cenyu · Post by **Cenyu** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 4:04 pm

Yeah, I was also surprised that my Dark Elves performed so well against the Dawi - but Seb only included one missile weapon in his starting warband. I think that helped my Druchii a lot. I'll see if he stocks up on missile weapons in the course of the campaign - but I hope I have collected some gadgets to counter them until then.

ANSOB: Okay... other question: Are Witches able to wear shields & bucklers? I somehow fail to sort their armour choices out properly from the warband roster in the sticky.

Regards,

Cen

PS: I like "Long Lived". Somehow.

Ansob. · Post by **Ansob.** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 4:24 pm

Cen: light armour and a shield/buckler, if they want.

Cenyu · Post by **Cenyu** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:50 pm

Fought another 3 games against Seb's Dwarfs today:

Game 1: Surprise attack

I was the one who got attacked - only Djiin and Kaigar started on the field, the rest of my warband had to be kept in reserve. I deploxed both of them on buildings in sniper positions. Seb advanced with his Dwarfs and in my first turn with my two snipers I killed both his Engineer and his crossbow wielding Thunderer, bereaving him of all his missile support.

He immediately routed voluntarily.

Hilarious!

I bought a second Slave Hound after the game, naming him "Rend".

Game 2: Chance Encounter

This did not end so well - the game was a bloody massacre. Kaigar and my Shades were once again deployed in sniping positions but were unable to take out Seb's crossbowmen who killed Kaigar a- Shodan fell victim to a "Catacombs" random happening. On the ground floor I was overwhelmed completely in a vicious melee. Only Shodan and Sengai survived until I routed. Stupid me.

Toll: Navra and Maim died (but were replaced immediately with identical clones), Cyandri suffered a "Fear of Heights" trauma.

Kaigar survived against all odds. Yay, go, lucky Kaigar. Recovery for the rest.

Game 3: Surprise attack

Again! This time I was the attacker - but Seb rolled so well that all of his warband except his leader started on the field. His Thunderers and his Engineer once again assumed sniping positions and fired upon my warband which was advancing from the table edge - Rend and Maim charged and overwhelmed the next-best Thunderer on ground level while my warband advanced behind them shooting at the snipers - I managed to cause both his Engineer and a Thunderer to fall from their positions! Gnaha. Yet both survived ironically.

Seb's Leader was taken OOA after he ate a fruit from a randomly spawned tree. Athyra managed to strangle a Slayer to death with her new-bought Beastlash. Gnihihi. Unfortunately she was in the wrong melee and forgot to whip Rend & Maim to reason so they failed their stupidity tests and could not take out the downed Thunderer and Engineer. :-/ Navra also failed to wound the fallen Engineer.

Yet Seb was forced to rout after only his three initial snipers survived - 2 of them knocked off their feets at the time of retreat.

Bought another Witch Elf, Sinyadu, after this fight and equipped my heroes with a little more fancy stuff like helmets etc.

Cyandri's Raiders after 5 games: 4/1

3 Wyrdstone Shards and 47 gold crowns in the stash.

Heroes:

Cyandri (Noble) @ 27 Exp, Kill Count: 0

Jewelled Sword, Sword, Repeater Crossbow, Light Armour, Helmet

Lightningh Reflexes, Fear of Heights (Oy vey)

Phytria (Sorceress) @ 19 Exp, Kill Count: 3

Sword, Jewelled Dagger

Spell "Black Blade of Khaine", raised WS twice

Sengai (Lordling) @ 17 Exp, Kill Count: 1

Sword, Axe, Repeater Crossbow, Helmet

Step Aside, Fey Quickness

"Lucky" Kaigar (Lordling) @ 14 Exp, Kill Count: 1

Sword, Axe, Repeater Crossbow, Helmet

Amputated Leg, Enmity against Seb's Engineer, Unyielding Hatred, Psychosis, Bad Luck, Mace Tail, raised BS

Athyra (Beast Mistress) @ 14 Exp, Kill Count: 2

Sword, Beastlash, Helm

Counter Attack, Master of Poisons

Henchmen:

Navra (Witch Elf) @ 1 Exp, Kill Count: 2

Sword, Dagger

Sinyadu (Witch Elf) @ 1 Exp, Kill Count: 0

Sword, Dagger

Djiin "Keen Eye" (Shade) @ 1 Exp, Kill Count: 2

Free Dagger, Dagger, Bow

Raised BS, raised Strength, re-rolled "Lad's got talent"

Shodan (Shade) @ 1 Exp, Kill Count: 1

Sword, Dagger, Bow

Raised Ld

Rend & Maim (Slave Hounds) @ 0 Exp, Combined Kill Count: 4

Seb's warband consists of 9 warriors.

Noble with 2 basic attacks, Engineer with Crossbow & Quickshot, Thunderer Hero with... Crossbow & Quickshot, 2 Slayers, 4 normal Thunderers (some of them with WS 5, argh).

I know that he reads here occasionally, maybe he can post his exact warband.

Oh, by the way: Athyra can't choose from Academic skills so I traded Wyrdstone Hunter for Master of Poisons - not that the re-roll would have affected the exploration in any way.

Oh, and I think I occasionally threw two dies per Shade in the shooting phase although they were only carrying bows. Big oops, but my "battle scroll" was pretty messy and I was overwhelmed by my WHFB habits.

Sorry, Seb.

(Blame Aneutralshadeofblack, Shades should never have gotten access to Bows in the first place. Lalala.

)

€: Some questions which turned up:

Can Black Blade of Khaine be cast on a whip?

More generic:

Do warband members which were not yet deployed on the field (according to "Surprise Attack" deployment rules) gain experience for surviving? What about the leader and his additional +1 for winning?

Do promoted heroes add an exploration die in the exploration for the game after which they got promoted?

Loflar · Post by **Loflar** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:25 pm

Do promoted heroes add an exploration die in the exploration for the game after which they got promoted?

Yes. I believe that it is reason why experience is distributed before searching the ruins.

Cenyu · Post by **Cenyu** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 12:33 pm

Thanks. Maybe I should have read a bit more closely through the after-game-sequence.

Any further suggestions on the warband development?

How shall I spend the rest of my money?

Additional swords for the Witches? Well, it would be a fluffy choice but 10 gold crowns for a parry that I can't use in addition to the first? Meh. :-/ And a buckler just seems too boring - they are frenzied after all, so why bother with a small shield in one hand if you can wield a sceond weapon?

A SDC for my leader? (For show of course.

)

A crossbow pistol?

Hmm.

Ansob. · Post by **Ansob.** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 12:40 pm

Cenyu wrote:Can Black Blade of Khaine be cast on a whip?

I honestly thought you above such questions. :lol:

The answer is obviously yes, as with numerous named game effects.

On equipment: WE are modelled with sword and dagger, so no reason to do anything other than take swords and daggers. SDC would be nice, but it's pricey, and you'd best get light armour with it. Oh, and try to up your attacks so you can drop a weapon and sword and shield (if you're taking an SDC and LA), just so you have as much armour as possible.

Cenyu · Post by **Cenyu** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 1:02 pm

Just wanted to be sure. :roll:

Loflar · Post by **Loflar** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 4:13 pm

The sorceress would IMHO benefit from Warrior Wizard skill. And by giving WEs buckler, you are losing one of at least three attacks for a parry reroll. SDC alone is not much, but combined with LA and shield...

Ansob. · Post by **Ansob.** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 6:39 pm

Aye, a sorceress with Black Blade of Khaine, Warrior Wizard and some armour would make a fun thing to wield - it's one of the ideas we had in mind originally.

Cat-the-odd · Post by **Cat-the-odd** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:00 am

Why no giving some darksteel to the witchelves? A DS-dagger would do it. And you could think of nastier poisons for the WE, like Black Lotus or Dark Venom. Just to surprise the "Seb".

Cenyu · Post by **Cenyu** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:45 am

"Seb" is short for "Sebastian", it's not some kind of title, Cat.

Hmm... I thought dark steel and custom venom are only available to heroes?

Yeah, I thought about Warrior Wizard for Phytria, I mean, she is already at WS 5.

It'll definitely be a top aspirant if she rolls a skill advance.

Ansob. · Post by **Ansob.** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 11:28 am

DS and venom are available for heroes only at the start - after that, you just need to roll to find them if you want a henchman to have it. I need to fix the equipment tables at one point.

Oh, and don't forget to get her armour - warrior wizard is pointless if she doesn't have armour.

Loflar · Post by **Loflar** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 12:16 pm

Cat-the-Odd wrote:And you could think of nastier poisons for the WE, like Black Lotus or Dark Venom.

Is that possible? I have just looked in the pre-beta (aka A4) list and did not find it.

So, can WE use other poisons on their blades? And if yes, does it replace or add to the Maibd poison effects?

Ansob. · Post by **Ansob.** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 12:51 pm

Stricto senso, yes, they can, and it adds - the maibd poison is not a poison rules-wise; it's only a poison fluff-wise. Before you ask, yes, that was part of the plan.

Cenyu · Post by **Cenyu** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:00 pm

We had a plan? :shock:

Loflar · Post by **Loflar** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 7:20 pm

Speaking of that, I have a plan of the city nearby ;-)

Stricto senso, yes, they can

ANSOB, then maybe it should be explicitly noted in rules, because it could become a bit controversial topic.

Cenyu · Post by **Cenyu** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:04 am

Oh, bz the waz... since my main opponent is a Dwarf Darksteel weapons seem a bit like a waste since he ignores concussion-like special rules anyways.

Or is Wicked Edge (the 2-4 stunned part, that is) also valid against Dwarfs?

Ansob. · Post by **Ansob.** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:09 am

On that one...

...I sincerely have no clue. I would rule in our favour and say darksteel still works (since it's pointy bits, not blunt damage), but that's just me. I honestly have no clue. Since fluff has no bearing, I guess he's still immune.