8th Ed. 2000 point Tournament Summary vs. DE, OK, HE

I think there were two Daemon players, three LM players counting me, an Empire player, and Ogre player, a HE player, a DE player, and a VC player. I don’t remember what the other two were. I want to say it was HEs and LM but I’m not sure if my mind is papering in familiar details over the blank spot.

I’m disappointed that with so many LM players there I did not get to play a mirror matchup. Mostly selfishly because my track record in mirror matchups is very good compared to my overall average. There was one LM versus LM match that I didn't get to play, Undeath Slann for the win by a guy who usually plays Vampire Counts.

My List

Lords 741 points, Heroes 90 points, Core 512 points, Special 489 points, Rare 168 points

Slann, BSB, Standard of Discipline, Channeling Staff, Egg of Quango, Soul of Stone, Wandering Deliberations, Harmonic Convergence, Becalming Cognition

Saurus Oldblood, Armor of Destiny, Dawnstone, Sword of Might, Shield, Potion of Foolhardiness

L1 Skink Priest with Heavens and Dispel Scroll

26 Cohort Skinks with 3 Kroxigor and Full Command

13 Skink Skirmishers with Patrol Leader

13Skink Skirmishers with Patrol Leader

31 Temple Guard, with Full Command, Gold Sigil Sword, Banner of Eternal Flame

Salamander pack with Extra Snack
Salamander pack with Extra Snack

So this was a three game tournament with a battle line/watchtower hybrid for each scenario. There was a building in the center of every table that used an artillery die to scatter. If a misfire was rolled it would not scatter but it would transform into a randomly determined special feature (Elven Waystone, Sphinx, Arcane Ruins, etc). In addition, no unit may deploy within 12 inches of the building, not even Scouts. If you entered the building at least once during the battle you get 2 bonus tournament points. If you are holding it at the end of the game you get 3 points (cumulative for a total of 5 bonus points).

The chart basically gave you one point tournament point for killing 100 points of enemy units, so most of the points was from regular killing but the building provided a disincentive from stand-offish shooting strategies.

End Times percentages and the Lore of Undeath was an option for players that can meet Wizziwig, but Legion armies were not allowed and End Times magic was not used. We played closed lists.

Match One LM versus DEs

Supreme Sorceress on horse with L4 Death, Ring of Hotek, Powerstone. She had Soulblight, Purple Sun, and two hero snipes.

Master (hero fighter) on Dark Pegasus with Heavy Armor, Sea Dragon Cloak, Lance, and Cloak of Twilight

Master (hero fighter) on Dark Pegasus with Heavy Armor, Sea Dragon Cloak, Lance, Shield, and Cloak of Twilight

Master, BSB on foot, Sea Dragon Claok, Heavy Armor, Shield, Charmed Shield Sword of Might, Dawnstone, Charmed Shield

10 Dark Riders, Standard, Sheilds

26 Witch Elves, FC Banner of Eternal Flame

2 x 6 Shades with no add-ons

10 Warlock Cavalry

3 Bolt Throwers.

The building did not move nor did it morph into anything cool. My opponent got first placement and first turn. There were a few forests, hills, and fences that were mostly inconsequential though a hill gave two of the three bolt throwers a good vantage point. My Skink Priest got Harmonic Convergence

I had my Temple Guard and two Lords directly opposite the tower. The Skroxigor covered their immediate right flank. My Skirmishers took the outer wings. The Salamanders were on my center right between the Skroxigor and the right most Skirmishers. My priest joined the left most Skirmisher group.

The RBT took up reasonable firing vantage points on the back edge of the center and right edge of the table (my right). The Warlocks threatened my left flank. The mundane fast cavalry took the center pointed at the building. The Witch Elves were on my center right. The Shades were on my far right. The Sorcereress joined the Dark Riders and the BSB joined the Witch Elves. The two Pegasus riders took my center left and right flanking the tower.

DE Turn 1

The Witch Elves marched towards my Kroxigor, the Warlocks pointed at my left most skinks. The Dark Riders marched right up to the building (don’t know why, they couldn’t claim the objective). The flyers flew towards me.

The Sorceress threw diversion spells to draw out most of my dice then used the power stone to surprise me with Purple Sun when I thought my opponent lacked the power dice to cast it. She obliterated 11 Temple Guard, but miscast in the process. The Sorceress was now level one, and my opponent never had a worthwhile magic phase again.

The Shades whiffed their shooting but two Bolt Throwers killed a Salamander team who was standing near the other Salamander who panicked and ran away. The third RBT picked off a few Skinks.

LM Turn 1

I advanced my TG towards the tower. My surviving Salamander rallied near my table edge, but she was now far out of position. My left most Skinks marched to get out of the warlocks charge arc and my right most Skinks positioned to exchange fire with the Shades.

I Searing Doomed one of the Pegasus characters to death, but the rest of my magic phase was a wash.

My left most Skinks managed to kill a Warlock rider. My other Skinks killed two or three Shades and caused the survivors to run away.

DE Turn 2

The Warlocks moved to both threaten my Skinks. The Dark Riders looped around the building. The Witch Elves charged my Skroxigor losing maybe one to a Stand and Shoot. His fleeing Shades failed to rally and ran in between two RBTs while the other Shades drew back from the much larger unit of enemy Skirmishers.

I shut down his magic phase.

RBT shooting saw the other Salamander die. The Shades didn’t do anything of import.

The Witch Elves beat the Skroxigor by a respectable margin and ran them down.

LM Turn 2

My Temple Guard claimed the building. My left most Skinks kept playing keep away with the warlocks. My right most Skinks tried to move out of the Witch Elves way while still shooting at them.

Winds of magic were subpar. My attempt to Searing Doom the other Pegasus rider was shut down. Then I tried Spirit Leech, but I whiffed my Ld roll, inflicting no damage.

I shot up an insignificant number of Witch Elves. I plinked a warlock or two to death.

DE Turn 3

The Sorceress left her cavalry bunker to join the Witch Elves. The Warlocks once again turned to face my Skinks. The fleeing Shades kept fleeing. The other Shades basically quit the battle hiding behind a building out of line of sight and never coming back out to fight in later turns.

Magic phase was a wash.

The RBTs all targeted my left most Skinks and wiped them out.

LM Turn 3

Since the surviving Pegasus Master was on his last wound, I sent my Skirmishers to threaten him and hope I could beat his armor. My TG and characters held their position in the tower.

I cast Harmonic Convergence with the Skink Priest, then I tried to begin spamming low level spells, but my Slann miscast on three dice and was sucked into a vortex.

I almost killed the Pegasus character with Skink shooting.

There was no close combat.

DE Turn 4

The Pegasus Master and the Warlocks managed to corner my Skink Skirmishers. The Sorceress left her cavalry unit to join the Witch Elves. The fleeing Shades left the table.

The Warlocks managed to cast Soulblight on my Temple Guard. I was concerned with augmented Doombolt but he failed his casting roll for that.

Even with the Soulblight, the Temple Guard and Oldblood repulsed the Witch Elves easily driving them back and knocking the frenzy out of them. I killed a lot more soldiers than I lost but with all the magical casualties I took earlier, every single TG model counted

LM Turn 4

My Skirmishers couldn’t get away but they were able to set up a favorable last stand in a forest. My Temple Guard and Oldblood kept guarding the tower.

I tried to six dice Harmonic Convergence but it was dispelled.

I took a last shooting attempt to kill the Pegasus Master and failed.

DE Turn 5

The Warlocks charged my Skinks losing one or two to a stand and shoot and/or dangerous terrain tests. The Witch Elves opted NOT to attack the tower since I had a reasonable chance of killing off the unit if they tried.

Magic phase was shut down.

RBT volleys killed another TG or two.


The Warlocks predictably butchered my Skinks (there goes my Skink priest too).

LM Turn 5

I had nothing move, shoot, cast, or fight. Just an Oldblood in a tower

DE Turn 6

He did not have the guts to charge my Oldblood in the tower.

RBT and spells failed to inflict a single wound on my Oldblood.


LM Turn 6

I had nothing move, shoot, cast, or fight. Just an Oldblood in a tower

I got 2 points for entering the tower and 3 points for holding the tower. I got My opponent got 20 points for virtually tabling me. I got a few points for the Master and Shades I killed.

Match Two LM versus Ogres

Once again the center building did not move or morph into anything cool. This board had a few forests which did not matter and a few fences which kind of mattered. The fences were half the usual length and forming NE, SE, NW, SE compass points from the central tower. My Skink Priest took Iceshard Blizzard in lieu of Wind Blast.

Ogres applied the FLU strategy big time (Few Large Units). He was returning to WHF after a fairly long hiatus and was by his own admission rusty. He did not understand just how nasty Searing Doom and Spirit Leech were until it was too late.

L4 Slaughtermaster, Fencer’s Blades, Glittering Scales, Crown of Command. Spells were Bonecrusher, Brain Gobbler, Trollguts, and Bullgorger

Bruiser, BSB, Rune Maw, Heavy Armor, Great Weapon

L1 Firebelly, with great weapon and dispel scroll and Fireball

12 Irongut Death Star with FC and Standard of Discipline

4 Mournfang cavalry with FC and a dragon’s breath magic banner.

Ironblaster
Ironblaster

I placed my TG opposite the tower. The Irongut and all the Ogre characters also directly contested the tower. My Skrox took the TG’s left flank. My Salamanders formed my inner wings and my Skink Skirmishers formed my outer rings. I had my Skink Priest on the right since Mournfangs were on my right. Both my opposite center right and center left

Ogre Turn 1

The Ogre Deathstar marched forward, the two Ironblasters moved forward their regular move.

Magic phase saw him cast bubbled Trollguts. I let it through because I really couldn’t attack him in round one. Then he used up the rest of his power dice on a failed casting.

One Ironblaster misfired and rolled a cracked barrel. It wasn’t damaged but it couldn’t shoot for the rest of the game. The other killed a small number of Temple Guard.


LM Turn 1

My TG marched toward the tower. My Skroxigor advanced forward a bit, but not their full move. I didn’t want them to march into the Irongut’s charge arc. My Skinks wheeled outwards left and right hoping to get an open shot on the Ironblasters (eventually). My Salamanders turned inward both pulling behind my Temple Guard. They wanted to AVOID the Ironblasters while positioning to hit the Ironguts (eventually). The Skroxigor had positioned themselves behind a convenient fence. The Mournfangs either had a moderate charge against the Skroxigor behind the wall or an easy charge against my left most Skirmishers which would pull them out of position.

I don’t remember what spell I cast, but my first one was a miscast. The miscast damage was minimal only wounding my Skink Priest, but the power dice loss ended my phase early.

Ogre Turn 2

Mournfangs charged my Skirmishers. They took one wound, I don’t remember if it was from the Skinks attacks in close combat, the dangerous terrain tests they took leaping a fence, or from the stand and shoot. The Ironguts advanced to right next to the building. The now cannon-less Ironblast began lurching forward towards my main line (it had a long way to go).

Magic phase was pretty insignificant, I don’t remember what he did.

The Ogre player did not see the Salamanders as a serious threat and my Temple Guard (by accident) had a fence between them and the Ironblaster, so he took a shot at my Skroxigor (they were mostly covered by a fence but they had an open corner), but he overshot.

The Mournfangs predictably slaughtered my Skinks. They failed to restrain an overrun.

LM Turn 2

My Skroxigor charged the juicy flank of the Mournfangs. I needed an above average charge roll, and I got it. My Temple Guard entered the building. My Salamanders carefully marched rather than walked wanting a safe shot on the Mournfangs. My surviving Skink Skirmishers marched so as to be able to shoot at the Ironguts or the gun-less Ironblaster with minimal damage from being charged.

I managed to hit the Ironguts threatening the tower with Melkoth’s Miasma and Iceshard Blizzard. More importantly, I Spirit Leeched the BSB to death.

A few of my Skink Skirmishers could shoot at the Ironguts, I did some minor damage.

The Skroxigor inflicted a wound or two on the Mournfangs. Only one Mournfang could strike back. I lost two or three Skinks. I won by virtue of static CR bonuses. The Mournfangs held, but they failed their Ld check to make a combat reform so I maintained the flank position a while longer (and unknowingly prevented them from using their magic banner).

Ogre Turn 3

The Ironguts did not want to assault the building with WS 1 and Ice Shard Blizzard, so they held back. The gunless iron blaster continued his wide orbit around the tower. The other one positioned to shoot at my tower.

The Firebelly cast a maximum power fireball with IF. His damage roll was subpar considering I was in a building. He only killed five Temple Guard. Then he got sucked into a vortex. Since he was on the corner, and in base contact with three multi-wound models he only did relatively minor damage to his own unit. Far less nasty than when a Slann gets sucked into a vortex, but still a net gain for me. This took away his remaining dice that the Slaughtermaster could have used.

The healthy Ironblaster shot at the tower, killing one or two TG.

My rolls were less stellar with the Skroxigor. I was slightly defeated via dead Skinks. I held, but the Mournfangs now reformed. I lost my temporary situational advantage over them provided by the flanking position.

LM Turn 3

My Skink Skirmishers and two Salamander both could now find ideal safe positions to blast the Ironguts, so that’s what they did. My infantry blocks either couldn’t move or didn’t want to.

I Spirit Leeched the Slaughtermaster to death, but I rolled IF. The miscast did not hurt me much (wounded the Skink Priest) but it ended my phase prematurely.

I killed a couple Ironguts with fire and javelins.

The Skroxigor were beaten up pretty badly, but I answered back killing a Mournfang and wounding another. I lost but held with Steadfast.

Ogre Turn 4

Ironguts assaulted the tower. The gun-less Ironblaster kept advancing. The healthy one advanced to, now out of eligible targets.

No magic phase at all.

Nothing to shoot.

The Mournfangs killed most of the Skinks, I was still Steadfast (barely) so I held.

LM Turn 4

My skirmishing units repositioned slightly.

Winds of Magic were subpar. I used Spirit Leech to assassinate the Irongut unit champion. The rest of my phase was dispelled.

The Mournfangs killed most of my Skroxigor unit and ran down the remants. They now only had three models left out of four, one its last wound.

Ogre Turn 5

The Ironguts hit the tower again. He repositioned his Ironblasters and Mournfangs not exactly sure what to do with them since the damaged Mournfang finally arrived to reinforce the Mournfangs, against the unit they already killed.

No wizards left.

Ironblaster misfired, lost his shot and next round’s shot.

The Ironguts were bloodily repulsed.

LM Turn 5

My skirmishing units repositioned slightly.

I killed the remnants of the Mournfangs with Searing Doom. I inflicted a wound on the nearest Ironblaster with Spirit Leech


My shooters shot the Ironguts. My Salamanders managed to kill a whole model and panic them.

Ogre Turn 6

Ironguts rallied. Ironblasters did some pointless repositioning.

No magic, shooting, or close combat phase.

LM Turn 6

I spent the magic phase trying and failing to kill an Ironblaster with magic. Then I took some pot shots at the still numerous Ironguts in the shooting phase.

I got 15 points from killing things and 5 points for taking and holding the tower.


Match Three, LM vs HEs

My opponent was polite but he was very deliberative. Easily taking longer making decisions than my other opponents. This makes me slightly bitter because we only had time for five rounds and we were still the last ones done and I believe I could have easily turned the game around turn six because he had many units that were mostly dead.

Loremaster of Hoeth (aka the L2 Elven version of Wandering Deliberations), Talisman of Preservation, Shield, and Ogre Blade

Noble with Shrieking Blade, BSB, Heavy Armor, Shield of the Merwyrm (4+ Parry save), and Dawnstone

Handmaiden of the Everqueen, Charmed Shield, Potion of Strength, Reaver Bow, (Strength +1, Range 30, Multiple shots x 3).

12 Silver Helms with FC

2 x 5 Ellyrian Reavers with Musicians

25 Swordmasters of Hoeth with FC and the Banner of the World Dragon

3 Repeater Bolt Throwers.

15 Sisters of Averlorn

Great Eagle with no upgrades

The tower deviated towards one side of the table. My opponent one table side pick and decided he wanted the side with the building towards it even though it split up his initial deployment. My Skink Priest had Chain Lightning. My opponent was very careful about making sure his MSU army was well spaced to not allow lightning jumps even though I never cast it (well I never cast it because his spacing was so careful).

Because of the rule of not going within 12 inches of the building, my opponent had no center line during deployment. He put his Swordmasters, BSB, and general as close to the tower as allowed. The Eagle and some Reavers were on the left too. The right side had his Silver Helms, another group of Reavers. His three bolt throwers were hugging the back of the table at eight inch intervals.

My Temple Guard took the center pointed at the tower. My Skinks took the outer wings as usual. My Skroxigor was on my center right. My Salamanders were on my center right and left.

After vanguards the Reavers were basically in the center right and center left of the table.

HE Turn 1

Swordmaster block marched within five inches of the tower. The Eagle flew sideways along the back table edge. The Reavers advanced as did the Silver Helms but the Helms were very far away from my units. The Sisters moved up slightly.

I don’t remember what spell the Loremaster cast but he got IF with two dice. I think it might have been a magic missile at the Temple Guard. Then he rolled Drain magic. This was not a surprise to him. He was level 0 from this point on. He said this whole tournament he had four magic phases.

The Sisters and RBT killed a Salamander.

LM Turn 1

My TG and Skroxigor advanced. My left most Skirmishers tried to move towards the Sword Masters. My right most Skirmishers marched around the nearest pack of Reavers. My Salamander had no juicy targets remotely nearby but he did his best to march forward while trying to avoid the Reavers.

I had a very unremarkable magic phase.

My shooting phase was a wash too.

HE Turn 2

A pack of Reavers tried a long shot charge at some Skink Skirmishers. The Skinks killed four out of five of them with the Stand and Shoot. The survivor panicked and ran away through a swamp dying to a dangerous terrain test. Awesomeness. The Silverhelms charged my Salamander who fled conveniently behind a hill preventing the RBTs from blasting him.

The Swordmasters took the tower, the Silverhelms advanced, the other Reavers did something Reaverish and the Eagle advanced.

No magic phase.

Shooting saw the Reavers avenged with RBT and Sister of Averlorn fire killing my left most Skinks.

LM Turn 2

My infantry advanced. My surviving Skirmishers circled the Reavers nearby.

I shot down the Eagle with magic missiles, but the rest of my phase fell flat.

My Skinks shot up some Reavers and panicked them.

HE Turn 3

Silver Helms repositioned themselves. Reavers kept running. Not much else to move.

No magic phase

Assorted shooting plinked a few TG to death

LM Turn 3

My TG assaulted the tower. Skroxigor charged the right most RBT. Skink Skirmishers moved towards the next RBT in line.

I hit the Swordmasters with Melkoth’s Miasma and Iceshard Blizzard.

My Skink shooting fell flat.

I figured the Banner of the World Dragon, if present, would be on the Silver Helms. Turns out, Silver Helms can’t take magic banners. Everything from deployment to movement this point was on the assumption that the Silver Helms probably had the Banner of the World Dragon. Critical miscalculation on my part.

With the hexes docking the other side and flaming attacks for my non-magic weapons. My Temple Guard took a nice chunk out of the Sword Masters. Unfortunately my Oldblood and unit champion were pretty much muzzled. They managed to sneak one wound past the 2+ Ward Save.

My Skroxigor predictably butchered the RBT crew losing one Skink in the process. Unfortunately, my Skink Priest was seven inches away from the unit, so the Skroxigor overran off the table. I wish PF restraint worked with any Skink.

HE Turn 4

Reavers rallied at the table edge. The Silver Helms moved to attack the Skroxigor when they reentered the board. The Sisters pointed at the Temple Guard.

No magic phase.

All shooting concentrated on the Temple Guard. Now I had very few non-magical attacks left in that unit.

The Knights beat the Skroxigor and ran them down.

LM Turn 4

I charged the tower again while I still had a small chance of beating them. The Skroxigor returned to table I could march or charge so I angled them towards the knights so they would have to frontal charge them.

I managed to get a three point Miasma on the tower but Iceshard Blizzard was dispelled. I cast Fireball with one die at the Sisters and got a very good roll, killing enough of them to force a panic.

My Skinks shot at the nearest bolt thrower inflicting one unsaved wound. My Skroxigor threw some javelins at the Silver Helms because I always shoot when I can. They couldn’t get through the armor.

The Sword Masters rolled well butchering my rank and file TG. I threw the Egg of Quango figuring a weak special attack is better than no special attack. It killed one Elf. My Temple Guard were reduced to just the Slann, unit champion, and Oldblood. I managed to sneak a wound or two through the Ward save but I had no chance at getting the tower now.

HE Turn 5

Silver Helms and the remnants of the Reavers moved around pointlessly. Sisters rallied.

No magic phase.

RBTs fired on the Temple Guard and Oldblood unit. Killing the Temple Guard and clanging harmlessly off the Oldbloods 1+ re-rollable armor save.

LM Turn 5

My Slann exited the Temple Guard unit leaving the unit champion and Oldblood to face off against the Silverhelms in the unlikely event we played a turn 6.

My Slann tried to use Spirit Leech to kill a RBT and failed. I tried to Searing Doom the Silver Helms but it was dispelled. I flung a magic missile at the Sisters, but I either failed the casting or whiffed the damage roll.

My Skinks took the last wound off the damaged RBT they hit before.

Game over. I wish we had all six turns. I think I could have pulled this to a draw. If I had good Winds of Magic I could have killed the Silver Helms. With mediocre Winds of Magic I could have killed the Sisters of Averlorn. Either way my Skinks could have probably slain the last RBT.

I lost by about 5 points. I placed 8th or 9th out of 12 players. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners won all three of their games and had an exciting point spread of 50, 51, and 52 or something similar. Almost double what I got. The winner was my friend with the Tzeentch dominated Daemons who I played many practice games against. I was proud that the LM with the Undeath Slann placed in the top three. I don’t remember who the other upper echelon winner was. I didn't play any of the tournament winners today, but I played them in the past and I am not surprised they won.

Afterthoughts

This is my first tournament where I took Skroxigor as a Saurus Warrior replacement rather than a Saurus Warrior support unit. They did adequate. I am considering throwing in a Skink Chief next time for PF restraint and because Skink Chiefs are pretty decent fighters for their low point cost.

I might make my Skroxigor bigger and cut my Skirmishers down to ten models to pay for it. If Skink Skirmishers run around whittling things down all game, 13 beats 10 any day of the week but if I use them as cannon fodder, minimum size is better.

I need to be more careful with the Banner of the World Dragon. If I had properly diagnosed that the Sword Masters likely had it, I could have countered it by starting out every magic phase with Earthblood and Ice Shard Blizzard go reduce wear and tear on the TG, but I overcompensated against the Silverhelms.

My Salamanders were shot to pieces in two out of three of my games. I need to figure out if that’s endemic of a larger problem or a side effect of playing Elves twice in one day. Maybe I should field my Sallies in pairs rather than as two singles. That way it’s harder to lose a whole unit. I should probably use Ice Shard Blizzard on BS shooters more often. I more or less think of Ice Shard as an anti-artillery tool, but I can see it is a good tool for all shooting.

I’m not going to let my bad miscast luck sour me on magic, but this happens at my next tournament (assuming GW doesn’t kill their own game by the next tournament), I may have to go low magic.

As long as we have a 50% limit on Lords, I expect I will keep going with an Oldblood on foot with some kind of defensive build over a Scar Veteran cowboy. It has yet to really disappoint me (barring the Banner of the World Dragon...)

 

You are right. I could have restrained the overrun. oopsies.

Good catch Iaribold.