It's Tuesday, and you know what that means...minis night at
Meeplemart! And that means another
WHFB.
Andrew and I took to the field once again with High Elves vs. Lizardmen, a rematch of sorts of last week's game. With an extra 500 points and some new units in both armies to try out.
Lists
Prince (General) w/ Dragon Armour, Shield and Great Weapon
Noble (
BSB) w/ Dragon Armour, Shield and Great Weapon
Mage (Fire) - Level 2 (
Fireball, Cascading Fire-Cloak
Mage (High) - Level 1 (
Shield of Saphery, Cure of Arrow Attraction, Drain Magic) w/ Silver Wand
20 Archers w/ Musician, Standard
20 Spearmen w/ Musician, Standard
20 Phoenix Guard w/ Musician, Standard
5 Ellyrian Reavers
Repeater Bolt Thrower
Slann Mage-Priest (General,
BSB) w/ Cupped Hands of the Old Ones, Focused Rumination (
Awakening the Wood, Flesh to Stone, Shield of Thorns, Regrowth)
Skink Chief on Stegadon w/ War Spear
30 Saurus Warriors w/ Full Command, Spears
20 Temple Guard w/ Full Command
5 Chameleon Skinks w/ Stalker
Initial Thoughts
Opposite to last week's game, Andrew only had a fraction of the units I tabled. He put a lot of points into two models (Slann and Steg) and two big units.
It was the first outing for the Stegadon, and we were both excited to see it on the table. I think Andrew was relieved that I was not playing Skaven, as he's afraid of cannons + Steg. Bah.
I liked how the Swordmasters chopped up the opposition last week, but I wanted to try some more sturdy Elves in the form of the Phoenix Guard.
I also wanted to try out the Reavers to see how I felt about Fast Cav (I'm thinking Pistoliers when I start Empire), and the Repeater Bolt Thrower...'cause it's just dang cool.
Anyway, we rolled up the Watchtower scenario (first time for me, second for Andrew), with him getting the start. With no small-enough Core, it began the game empty.
Set Up and Deployment
Starting the deployment, I started spacing out my guys so that his Chameleons could not deploy behind my lines.
The Reavers started on the left, beside a Mysterious Forest. Next came the RBThrower, Archers (with the High Mage), the Spearmen (with the General Prince), the Phoenix Guard (with the
BSB Noble) and finally the Fire Mage, off on his own to block Chameleon Scouting. With the first turn, I knew I would just move him into the
PG unit on the first turn.
On the Lizard side of the board there was a Wyrding Well in the corner, a Temple of Skulls nearby, and a Ghost Fence. There was also a regular Building on one side of the Watchtower, and a Mysterious Forest on the other, with an Anvil of Vaul on the far side.
The Temple Guard (with the Slann) deploy near the Ghost Fence, the Saurii near the Watchtower, and the Stegadon near the Forest (away from the RBThrower). The Chameleons chose to Scout right beside the Watchtower so they could get into it on their turn.
And off we went...
Elves 1
*Movement: After making their Vanguard move, the Ellyrian Reavers marched up further and climbed the Temple of Skulls. The Spearmen found out that that middle Forest was a Fungal Forest. The Phoenix Guard moved up just enough to allow the Fire Mage to join them.
*Magic: Mediocre Winds. I knew that Andrew's plan was to Miscast early on and use his Cupped Hands to drop the Miscast on one of my Mages. So I put the
Shield of Saphery on the High Mage and his Archer unit. The Fire Mage shot a boosted Fireball at the Saurii, roasting only a single Lizard.
*Shooting: Either the Reavers or the Archers dropped a Temple Guard to arrow fire, while the RBThrower smashed a bolt through one Saurus Warrior, but stopped at the second.
Lizardmen 1
*Movement: The Stegadon aimed at the Spearmen and...failed to Charge them, moving only 3" up. The
TG and Saurii moved up a few inches themselves. The Chameleons, of course, got into the Watchtower.
*Magic: Mediocre Winds, again. With the Spearmen in the Forest, the Slann could not waste the opportunity to
Awaken the Woods around them. After all was said and done, the unit lost four warriors. Expecting a Charge on the Saurii from the Spearmen, he put
Flesh to Stone on the Saurii.
*Shooting: 10 darts needing 6s flew at the Spearmen, and can you believe it, another two died.
Elves 2
*Movement: The Spearmen Charged into the Watchtower. The
PG moved up just below the Forest, taunting the Stegadon. The Reavers moved over behind the
TG, pulling back their bows at point blank.
*Magic: I got
Shield up again, this time on the somewhat-depleted Spearmen. I also got the
Curse off on the
TG, but a Detonation! Miscast (two 6s on only two dice! stinking boxcars) cost me three Archers and the last two dice in my pool.
*Shooting: Between the Reavers, the multi-shot RBThrower and the Archers, the
TG unit lost another two models.
*Close Combat: The Assault on the Watchower was uber successful, as the Prince and his Spearmen dispatched the Chameleons.
Lizardmen 2
*Movement: With a snort and a kick of the dirt, the Stegadon Charged...and once again failed, this time just making it into the Forest. The Saurii Charged into the Watchtower, and the
TG just flipped around to take care of the Reavers.
*Magic: A well-rolled
Awakening knocked three Reavers back to Ellyria. The Saurii's
Flesh was once again turned to
Stone.
*Close Combat: The Spearmen lost another rank to the Saurii, who lost two models in return. But the Steadfast Spearmen stayed put just fine.
Elves 3
*Movement: The Phoenix Guard, laughing at the Steg's attempt to get into combat, Charged the dinosaur themselves (because who wants a Stegadon and his War Spear to inflict Impact Hits, right?). They took one loss on the way in, thanks to the Skinks up top Standing and Shooting. The Reavers had a choice to run back to the Wyrding Well to potentially get some friend's back from the dead, or stay around and help harrass the enemy. They chose the latter, and came up behind the Saurii.
*Magic: The
Fire-Cloak, which would be cool against the Stegadon, was dispelled. But the
Shield went back on the Spearmen and the
Curse on the Saurii.
*Shooting: Sadly, only two more Saurii dropped to arrow first from three sources.
*Close Combat: The Noble and the
PG chose to attack the Stegadon itself and managed three wounds on it (not including in image). In return they took another seven hits in combat, then another one to Thunderstomp. They stayed, and reformed to gain some ranks.
Lizardmen 3
*Movement: The
TG flipped around again, and inched forward. The Saurii once again Assaulted the Watchtower.
*Magic: The Slann cast
Regrowth on the Stegadon, until we read through the spell and realised that was not legal. I let him take it back, and instead he cast
Awakening again, this time aimed at the RBThrower. No hits.
*Close Combat: Over in the Fungal Forest the Noble took advantage of the Stegadon not getting healed and chopped off his ugly big head, keeping it to later hang above his fireplace. The Phoenix Guard took care of the Skink Chief who fell off the fallen beast. In the Watchtower Assault, the Saurii lost two while the Spearmen lost another three. They stayed put, once again.
Elves 4
*Movement: Easy-peasy, the Phoenix Guard flank Charged the Saurii, keeping them away from the Watchtower for one more turn. The Reavers turned to aim at the
TG.
*Magic: The
Fire-Cloak was once again dispelled. What does Andrew have against that spell, anyhow?
I could only get the
Curse on the
TG again, and
Drain Magic.
*Shooting: Once again I could only pick off two Temple Guard after 25 re-rollable arrow shots.
*Close Combat: Hitting the Saurii in the flank, the Phoenix Guard dealt five gruesome wounds, and took none in return. Now, because I disrupted them in the flank, they were no longer Steadfast. And after calculating Combat Res, they would only stay on a 2 or 3. They failed the first roll, but the
BSB reroll saved them. It was not until later, in the next turn, that I realised I forgot to add the +1 for flanking...duh...which meant the Saurii would have Broken and Fled and possibly gotten Caught. Dangnammit! Pay attention to things like that, folks. Both parties reformed.
Lizardmen 4
*Movement: The Temple Guard
just made the necessary roll to Assault the Watchtower. It wasn't much, but getting the exact number needed is always more fun/annoying (depending on your side). For some reason I did not even consider this move, and so did not put the
Shield on the Spearmen again. Uh oh. This could be bad.
*Magic: Let me guess...
Flesh to Stone on the Saurii. Yeah? No surprise.
*Close Combat: Well, the stoney
Flesh helped as the Saurii only lost one Lizard, while killing off two Elves. Lizards win combat, but the
PG stay. The Watchtower goes just a little differently. The Prince and his Spearmen manage to deal two kills, but take a whopping SIX in return, leaving only the Prince alive. I could just imagine the Prince, alone and bleeding and battered, fighting valiantly at the top of a spiral staircase.
*Game-End Roll: No good, game continues.
Elves 5
*Movement: Needing to delay the Temple Guard for another turn, and courageously coming to the aid of their General, the Archers Charge into the flank of the Slann's unit. The Reavers, at an angle that stops them from being able to Charge anyone, just moves around and aims so that he can shoot at or Charge either Lizard unit.
*Magic: With 8 dice from the Winds, I first attemplt
Fire-Cloak, getting a 14. Guess what Andrew's dispell roll is...yeah, 14. So next I go for
Shield on the Archers, giving them some form of protection. I roll an 18. And guess what Andrew's dispell is. Yeah...18. Sonuvah! That was just mean. And possibly pay back for killing his Stegadon.
*Close Combat: From atop the Watchtower the Prince is horking loogies at the Lizards and cheering on his Elves. The Archers manage to kill a Temple Guard, but they kill three back. Both parties reform. In the other battle, things don't go so well for the scaled-ones. The
PG lose one guy, but the Saurii lose four. They stay.
Lizardmen 5
*Magic: Not surprisingly,
Flesh is once again cast on the Saurii.
*Close Combat: The Saurii manage to kill three
PG, who only killed two Lizards. Combat is tied. The Temple Guard, not surprisingly, nearly obliterate the Archers in the front-to-front fight, hacking down TEN Elves, and only losing one of their own. The Archers Break, of course, but escape.
*Game-End Roll: It's a 5 or 6, and the game ends with an Elf in the Watchtower, giving the finger, grabbing his crotch and hurling obscenities at the Lizards, who must tuck their tails between their legs and go back home.
Game End and Final Thoughts
I feel like Andrew got punk'd with his Steg, who failed two Charges and didn't perform too well (although killing eight Phoenix Guard in that first combat was pretty good). I think he could be great on the field, and hopefully this won't dissaude Andrew from bringing him back soon.
I'm glad I got to try the Watchtower scenario. Man, are those Assaults ever brutal. But it is hard to get a high-Leadership unit out of there if you can't decimate them.
I'm enjoying the Elves, that's for sure.
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it.
C&C welcome and appreciated!
N.B. For those keeping track, two important things are coming up.
1) Some of the local contingent of WHFBers who play at Meeplemart (myself, Andrew, Rob, Loy and Ilan) will be starting a Tale of 5 Gamers or "Battalion Blog" challenge in May. So look out for battles involving my Empire and Tomb Kings, Dwarfs, Dark Elves and Warriors of Chaos (respectively) coming in about a month or so.
2) My wife and I are expecting, with the due date early May. This means that I won't be able to get out and play very much over
AT LEAST the next month or more. Which, of course, gets in the way of the "Battalion Blog." Oi! Children.
