Ooooh, it seems battle report season is here...
The warrior's tale.
1.5K Battle report, vs Empire.
The sword, if that was possible, had spoken. At least, Naia had heard it.
Among a choir of moans and wails, a voice spoke louder and clear, and the voice seemed to know her, even if it was in a extremely strange way.
"Are you the crow?" the elf soul trapped inside the crystaline blade asked."The dark bird that was told me to take me to Isha's light again?"
Naia looked at her bracelet. Two black raven feathers hanged from the bronce jewel. Blackfeather was her surname, forever reminding the young maiden about her past. She stuttered.
"Wh... who told you about the crow?" Just as the sword replied "Naieth", Naia realized.
"Wait. Come BACK to Isha's light? Who are you?"
A white glean came from the sword, as if the stolen soul was ashamed of himself.
"If you must know..."
I was never too involved in the clan's affairs. Kirall was an inflexible leader, who regarded the wild hunt as the only important thing in life. I... I was young, and I was determined to know other things.
Without permission, I left the clan, and wandered through Loren. I found the secret glades of the gentle rain, a different approach to the wild hunt. I learned the ways of the shifter, and became one of them. Until one day. I was tracking the smallest herd f beastmen, when a pack of wolves attacked them. The gors retaliated, but they were too few, and the wolves killed them. The largest of the wolves, though, was badly injured, and when I approached him and saw his eyes, I was reminded of my old clan. The wolf was dying, and I had a bad feeling.
I run as fast as I could, towards my clan lands, near the Vaults of winter. I searched for days, and then I heard the hunt horns. An enemy was inside the forest. I had wondered about what my old clan would say, but there was no time for that.
I would help them first, and think about the welcome later.
The Army Lists
Asrai army: The Grey Wolf clan
Kirall Greywolf, wild rider noble and army general.
Carries the Hail of Doom arrow and rides an elven steed. Leads the Wild riders.
Lithanas, level two spellsinger
Carries Calaingor's staff and is scorted by the Beffuddlement of mischiefs.
Lore of Athel Loren: Treesinging, Fury of the forest.
Starts with the wardancers.
Kair-Vennu, alter noble.
Wears the Briarsheath and the Amber pendant. Wields a great weapon.
10 glade guards
10 glade guards
8 dryads
8 dryads
5 glade riders w/ musician.
5 wild riders, w/ full command. The unit carries the Warbanner.
7 wardancers, including first dancer and musician.
5 waywatchers
Empire army: Crimson Guild's expedition
William Tahrbeck, Empire captain and army general.
Rides a barded steed, full plate, shield. Sword of hitting on 2+. Perhaps some other stuff.
Brother Domenic, Sigmar priest.
Rides a barded steed, heavy armour, shield. Sword of Fate or something like that. (nominate an enemy model, and said model gets really screwed if the sowrd hits him: he nominates the alter noble)
Both of them join the inner circle knights.
Johann Forstrom, BSB.
Wears the armour of meteoric iron (1+ AS) and wields the sword of +1 attack. Leads the swordmen.
20~ swordmen, with full command.
Detachment: 6 crossbowmen
Detachment: 8 handgunners
20~ spearmen, with full command.
Detachment: 6 crossbowmen
Detachment: 8 handgunners
5 Inner circle knights, w/ full command. The unit carries the Warbanner.
Great Cannon.
Steam tank.
Deployment and batle thoughts.
The ruins are difficult terrain, and work as a wood regarding line of sight.
Hills are high, open ground. If you need an explanation on woods, you may reconsider what are you doing in a wood elf forum.
So. Its a small game, and thus I didn't get a treeman. Which means, I have little chances to get that steam tank. Thus, I will opt for plan B: "feed" him glade riders, and slaughter the rest of the army.
So, what is the next best thing? Lots of juicy points in a knight unit. If shooting goes well, dryads can get those spearmen, and support my shock force (alter and wild riders). I think I can treesing the central wood (my free one) so it blocks the swordmen, and I can use the wardancer as a joker: I'll use the wooded zone as a safe place for them, until I see where do I need them.
Not much more. As this is a club league match, the deffending player (empire) chooses wo goes first. And not surprisingly, he took first turn.
The battle[/i]
[b]TURN 1
Empire
Movement
The steam tank generates 4 power points, 2 of them are used to move, the other 2 to shoot its canon.
The leftmost detachment advances to make room for the steam tank. The swordmen move with them. The other handgunners move forward too, still screening the knights. The spearmen march forward. The crossbowmen stay in place.
Magic
The priest's prayer is easily stopped. From now on, I'm skipping this phase.
Shooting
The cannon overshoots the leftmost dryads, but the steam tank wounds two of them. One hit is wardsaved.
The crossbowmen on the right flank kill one dryad.
Asrai
Movement
The waywatchers fail their terror test, and run away from the ruins.
Everythings too far away to charge, so the leftmost dryads and glade riders march forward, out of the stank's charge arc. The archers advance. The rigtmst dryads march forward and towards the table edge. The wild riders move to the gap between woods, so the noble can shoot the Hail of doom. The alter marches towards the edge of the central wood, threatening many units, protected by the Briarsheath (he's out of the cannon's sight, so he cannot be shot at)
The wardancers and Lithanas move forward and to the right.
Magic
Lithanas tries FotF on the knights, but it is stopped. This means he is free to cast the beffuddlement on the handgunners, and hopefully screw the empire next movement phase.
Shooting
The leftmost archers and glade riders aim at the swordmen, and kill 4 of them, not enough to cause a panic test.
The righmost archers are just in short range, and between them and the Hail of Doom, 9 of the Empire soldiers fall. They use general's leadership and pass the panic test.
TURN 2
Empire
Movement
No charges, the stank generates 4 power points again.
The handgunners fail the stupidity test, meaning the knights won't be able to move.
digression: Kids, this is one of the reasons I don't like going overboard with alters: Ld 8 generals are not reliable.
end of digression
The spearmen keep advancing , while the swordmen move towards the woods and my combat units.
The stank moves towards the dryads and glade riders.
Shooting
The cannon aims for the dryads, and kill one of them. The stank has spent his steam points, and cannot shoot. The central crosbowmen go for the alter, but Briarsheath in woods? sorry, that's not gonna do much. The last crossbowmen go for my rightmost archers, and kill two.
Asrai
Movement
Charges!
The wild riders and alter jump at the handgunners, who flee.
Yes, I know they couldn't, because they were stupid, and thus immune to psycholgy. We forgot. My mistake.
Anyway, both the hero and the unit enemy-in-the-way charge the knights, who fail their fear test, and will hit my wild riders on sixes. Take that, hatred.
The waywatchers rally, but this time the glade riders fail their terror test and go to the hill. The dryads couldn't care less about the machine, and move towards the centre, threatening the handgun detachment and swordmen unit. Lithanas notices the wardancers are eager to fight, and leaves the unit to join the rightmost archers. The dancers move forward, inside the wood, ready to attack the swordmen or the knights, whatever seems a best option next turn
The rightmost dryads march forward, threatening a flank charge on the spearmen.
The archers on the left move to the right, to get out of stanks range. The other are in a comfortable short range of the spearmen, and out of their range, so there's no real need to move.
Magic
Fury of the forest on the stank is stopped, which means I can cast the beffuddlement on the spearmen.
Shooting
The swordmen are in short range, and that hurts 3 of them. Not enough to cause a panic test, but enough to drop a rank.
The other archers make it extra painful to the spearmen, killing 5. They fail their panic test, and run.
Close combat
The Priest challenges, and the wild hunter accepts. The wild rider is unable to wound, but the priest cannot even hit.
The alter kills one knight, And the wild riders get another. The knights and captain kill two riders, giving them the combat by one point (outnumber). The alter holds, but the wild riders break and flee (thankfully, the knights cannot pursue, and the wild riders go through the wardancers, which ignore panic)
Hmpf. It was a risk, but at least the alter held.
TURN 3
Empire
Movement
No charges, and again the stank generates 4 points.
The spearmen rally, while the handgunners keep fleeing and the swordsmen wheel to get the combat into sight, ready to help if it goes on (I doubt it)
Shooting
The great cannon tries to get some dryads but misfires and explodes.
The stank goes with the template on the dryads, but without any luck. S2, T4...
The crossbowmen on the right flank aim at my archers, killing two.
The handgunners on the left are blocked by the stank. The last unit of crossbowmen try to kill some dancers, but they need 7's to hit (long distance, skirmishers, cover) and do nothing.
Close combat
Kair-Vennu challenges, and the Empire captain accepts. Thanks to the amber pendant, the elf strikes first, and manages a wound on the general. Hitting on 2+, the captain gets one wound. The alter holds again.
Asrai
Movement
The dryads on the right flank charge the just rallied spearmen, who flee in front of the knights. The dryads fail the charge.
The wardancers and the other dryads charge the swordmen, which hold. All the dancers and two dryads are in range.
Both fleeing units rally, and the archers and watchers go closer to the action.
Magic
Since the stank is seeing the dryads, I use Cal's staff to sing the forest between them.
Beffuddlement has no good targets.
Shooting
The archers on the right get some payback killing three of the crossbowmen, who panic.
On the left flank, waywatchers go for the handgunner detachment, and kill two of them. The archers have nothing but the stank, but their arrows are like mosquito bites. It's just that metal things don't feel mosquitoes.
Close combat
The alter fails to get through the armour, and he is wounded again.
The dryads kill one of the swordmen, and the dancers display an impressive performance: 22 attacks result in 7 unsaved wounds. The swordmen cannot kill anyone, and they broke needing 3s to hold (8 wounds and a flank attack against two ranks and two "banners"). The dryads pursue, capturing both banners, but they overrun and charge the handgunners. The crossbowmen panic.
TURN 4
Empire
Movement
The empire captain leaves his unit, and charges the wardancers. The spearmen rally, as do the rightmost crossbowmen and swordmen. The rightmost handgunners keep fleeing, stopping just half an inch from fleeing the battlefield.
The stank tries to snake between the dryads and the wood using 4 its points.
Shooting
Either engaged, out of gas, or just rallied, none of his shooting units can do anything.
Close combat
The first dancer challenges and starts the 4+ ward. The Captain deals one wound, which is compensated by unit strength. The dancers musician is playing a weird song, and the captain breaks. The dancers pursue into the knights flank, even if the empire hero escapes.
And this, my friends, is why you give at least a musician to your dancers. The power of music will triumph!
The handgunner detachment is torn to pieces by the dryads, who restrain pursuit,as it'd mean going against the swordmen unit, and his mgic weapon wielding leader.
Asrai
Movement
Charge again! The dryads charge the engaged knights on the priest's flank, and the wild riders front charge the spearmen.
The other dryads move towards the ruins.
The archers on the right flank stop where they are, but the other shooting units come towards the swordmen. It isn't going to be fun.
Magic
Lithanas tries FotF on the stank, but it is stopped.
Shooting
Watchers, glade riders and archers leave the swordmen unit in just 6 members and the BSB.
The archers on the right flank shoot the crossbowmen, and kill all but two.
(I could have gone for the general, but 1+ AS is better dealt with wardancers, I think)
Close combat
The wild riders slaughter 5 of the spearmen, ho can kill no elf in return. Outnumbered by fear causers, the spearmen rout and are captured by the wild riders, who crash into the dryads and dancers party, ready to join them.
The priest challenges, to deny dryad attacks, and the noble has to accept. He deals one wound to the priest, who can do nothing against the elf.
Between killing blow dancing wardancers and wild riders, just two knights stand beside the priest, and he can do little. Outnumbered by fear causing enemies, the knight and priest break and escape my pursuing units.(wild riders do not pursue, as I want to charge the empire general if he rallies)
TURN 5
Empire
Movement
Every fleeing unit rallies.
The stank tries to generate 5 steam points, and succeeds. It uses it to move to the flank of the wild riders.
The swordmen wheel to face the dryads.
Shooting
The stank cannon overshoots the riders, but the stupid flame cannon kills two.
The rightmost crossbowmen kill one archer.
Close combat
Nu-uh.
Asrai
Movement
Well, there goes my plan to charge the empire general. Dancers, dryads and riders charge the knights. My dryads cannot move far enough from the swordmen, so I jut hope my shooting base kills them dead. Watchers last, to see if I cna get a lethal shot on the BSB.
Magic
Fury of the forest on the tank, again. It does nothing. Meh.
Shooting
The archers on the right flank remove the last crossbowmen.
On the left flank, I shoot everything I have on the swordsmen. When the dust clears, the former BSB has one wound, and the unit has been reduced to one man, and now my dryads are threatened.
Close combat
The dancers go again for killing blow, and the priest forgets to challenge. The pirest finds himself outnumbered by drayds, and flees the battlefield. My dryads and dancers restrain pursuit, but the riders are happy to leave the board and come back later.
TURN 6
Empire
Movement
In a desperate move, the general charges the wardancers.
The steam tank tries to generate 5 steam points, to destroy my rightmst archers, but it rolls a 6, and gets one wound.
The swordman and former-BSB charge the dryads.
The last detachments move far away from the dryads and dancers. Because they are fearsome.
Shooting
Nope.
Close combat
The general hits 3 times wounding 2. Both wounds are wardsaved on a 4+, and the horse doesn't even hit. The dancers S3 isn't nearly enough, but I have outnumber. Again, the Empire general breaks. I try to restrain pursuit, but the dancers hve smelt blood.
The sword of extra attacks hits and wounds 3 dryads. The last two break and lose the captured banners
Asrai
Movement
The dryads flank charge the crossbowmen detachment. The dancers leave the human hero alone, as it won't rally.
The wild riders come back to the table, and the left flank moves forward, to make the dryad-slayers pay.
The last archers move backwards, to see if I can get a quarter.
Magic
I don't cast anything. FotF is not going to kill the tank, so why should I risk a miscast? No thanks.
Shooting
10 glade guards, 3 glade riders and 5 watchers later, the last swordmen and BSB look like hedgehogs. And not the blue, emerald-collecting kind.
Close combat
The dryads kill just one handgunner. They have outnumber, so it's a draw.
And that, in the immortal words of Bugs Bunny, is all, folks.
Outcome of the game and tactical analysis
The empire player has unit and a half of dryads, the alter noble and half wild rider unit.
I have everything but the steam tank and two dettachments, 2 captured banners, 2 table quarters and a slain general.
It's a massacre for the wood elves.
Not really much to say about the game. My dice were hot, and his psy tests were horrible.
Between a couple of timely treesongs and my opponent being quite conservative, the steam tank didn't play any role on the game, and it was 1500 points of my army against 1200 of his. This is the main lesson to learn from this game: if you cannot defeat it, put a forest in his way.
Thanks to fear, the priest's hatred didn't matter much, although the inner circle knights (and their 1+AS) proved quite a tough nut to crack. Throwing all my combat units at them finally got them. Fear causers
en masse are as good a solution as any other against canned opponents.
Speaking about fear. I know the FAQ suggests that you roll a die in situations as "the sword hits on a 2+" vs a failed fear test. We just ignored both rules. Don't bother pointing that out, it was more a house rule than a mistake.
There's another thing to bear in mind when you play empire. Empire infantry drop like flies against archers. In short range, it isn't even funny.
I'm especially happy with my wardancers performance. Against a ranked unit, with two banner points (+5 CR), they alone won the combat (dryads were just icing on the cake), and after that, they defeated the empire general and helped with the knight unit. And they are crazy tatooed dancing fighters!
For less than 150 points, there are few things not to like about them.
"I lived. Lithanas found me badly wounded, but they took me to the Wolf hall, and healed my wounds.
Until he came. Kirall, the Grey Wolf himself. He didn't want a traitor amongs his kin, and was determined to kill myself right there. I owe my life to the foreign spellsinger that was looking for something in the vaults. A respected seer, even if she had no clan to call her own.
As the grey wolf drew his sword, Naieth spoke with a high voice. "You don't really want to spill the blood of another elf in a sacred place, Kirall. If you are so disgusted about him at you cannot see him, allow him to scort me into the secret chambers. I will need someone to keep me safe"
Kirall looked confused for a moment, hesitating. He agreed. And he told me not to come back to the Hall.
But the seer, and fate, had other plans for me."
To be continued...
This is, after a LOT of time, the second part of a series of reports, which I started with
this. If I get time (and I think I will), I'll try to write at least three more.
As usual, I hope you liked it. If you have any questions, criticisms or want to curse me for writing such a long report, there's nothing stopping you. (Although forum rules don't look favourably on cursing, so at least try to be original)
Elhänn.
