7th Ed. 750 Lizardmen vs 750 Beastmen

[Quillum]

To help me relearn how to play the game, a staff member at GW was kind enough to help "coach" me even though he was my opponent. The match was a continuation of an event they are holding involving the Dwarven Sea fortress Barak Var. The story goes that there is a very powerful daemon that has been discovered deep underground, a daemon that's currently held prisoner. The forces of "good" are therefore attempting to keep the daemon as he is, bound and not a threat while the forces of "evil" are attempting to free said daemon.

The scenario I took part in was the good guys have learned the daemon's name and are en route to the fortress to inform the Dwarves so they can ensure the continued captivity of the daemon. The Beastmen of Chaos are attempting to intercept the envoy so they can learn the daemon's name and free it.

So, knowing that, my skink priest was the character in possession of the scroll containing the daemon's name and the rest of my army was his escort. 750 Lizardmen versus 750 Beastmen of Chaos.

My list:

Saurus Scar Veteran
Light Armor
Sword of Battle
Shield of the Mirrored Pool

Skink Priest
Level 1
Diadem of Power

Saurus Warrior Spear unit
15 models
Standard, Musician

Skink Skirmishers
10 models

Cold One Riders
5 models

Salamander Unit



I was facing off against Beastmen of Chaos. I'm not entirely sure of the breakdown for his army, since I don't know what he put on his shaman...but here's a general idea.

Bray Shaman

Beastmen Herd x 2
about 20 models in both

Minotaur
4 strong

Chariot

Deployment: Looking at the field of battle from my point of view and using the compass with the assumption that straight ahead is North...The northwest corner of the table had a house, then three small stands of forest. Going east from there were two more houses with probably 8 inches between the first and the forest, being almost directly north of me. The third house on his side was more in the northeast.
My side of the board had 3 houses as well, all three of them being mostly in the center of my edge with enough space for my Saurus warriors to be five wide with a bit of room to spare. There was also a hill in the lower right corner.

Now, if that didn't confuse you, Here's the deployment of the units.

I lost the roll on who decides to deploy first, but the staff member had me deploy first. I placed my Spear unit in between the first house and second, having my Scar Veteran in the unit. Staff member deployed his Minotaur first, between his center house and Northeast house.
Next went my Skinks which I deployed almost directly across from his Minotaur (had it in my head to try shooting them to death). He placed his Shaman's Beastherd directly across from my Spear unit. Then I placed my Cold one Riders on the hill pointing towards the Minotaur. In response to this, the GW staff member placed his chariot on the east side of the far right house, with the obvious intent of flanking me. I then placed my Salamander on the West side of the far left house with the intent to shoot up the Shaman's unit.
His final unit deployment was another herd just on his side of the forest, out of LOS of my salamander. After that, I put my skink just behind and to the right of my Saurus unit, in range of my skinks.

I won the roll to go first after that, so I went first.

Turn 1

Saurus move up a few inches, Skinks as well while my CoR angle themselves a bit more to face the Minotaur and move up a few inches as well. Salamander moves closer to the Shaman's Herd. Priest moves up as well just a few inches, remaining behind the Saurus.

Magic is a bust, I attempt to cast Portent of Far, but it gets dispelled. I save a dice for my dispell phase. Onto shooting! Skinks attempt to shoot the Minotaur but aren't in range while my Salamander takes aim at the Shaman's Herd, only to end up eating a skink instead.

Beasts:
West herd moves into the forest, still remaining out of sight of my Salamander, Shaman's herd moves closer to my Saurus spears while Minotaur move forward and angle themselves to face my CoRs. Chariot moves up its full distance without marching.

Magic: Bray Shaman attempts to cast Boils on my Saurus, I dispell it. With his last die he attempts Boils on my Scar Veteran, doesn't cast high enough.

Turn 2

Lizard: I move my CoR closer to the Minotaur, but misjudge the distance and end up moving them too close to the Minotaur. I'll regret that in a moment.
Skinks move closer to the Minotaur.
Saurus move closer to the Shaman's herd still.
Salamander moves up and angles to face the Herd that is in the forest, one model being visible to him now.

Magic: Portent of far attempt which isn't high enough.
Shooting: Skinks manage one wound on the Minotaur unit
Salamander doesn't eat a skink this time...but instead rolls a 10 on the artillery die...which means I overshoot the Western Herd almost completely. I do manage to hit and kill one Gor though, and they sadly pass their leadership test.

Beast:
Movement: Western Herd hiding in the forest declares charge on my Salamander, Minotaur declare charge on my CoR. Both are in range, Minotaur hit CoR while the Herd fail their leadership test on my Salamander after I declare that I'm standing (my gamble paid off there.)
Shaman's herd moves closer still to my Saurus.
Chariot moves forward and begins to angle for a rear charge on my CoR.

Magic: Shaman succeeds in getting off Buboes on my unit, I fail to roll high enough on the dispell attempt. He succeeds in killing off 5 of my Saurus with the spell (Not sure that my Vet's shield helps with this...I forgot about it in any case). Then he rolls for Boils on my Vet, succeeds on casting with 1 die that gets a 6. I fail to dispell that as well and Vet takes one wound after failing a Toughness test.

Close Combat: Minotaur kill off 2 CoR while they kill only one Minotaur in return. CoR make their break test.

 

[Quillum]

Turn 3
Lizardmen:
Movement. I declare a charge with my Saurus unit on the Shaman's Herd, but fail to reach them by just an inch. They are now in range of the herd's charge. Salamander moves in the opposite direction of the Western herd in the forest in case of another 10 on the artillery dice. Skinks move now towards teh shaman's herd.

Magic: Priest once again fails to get anything off (He does nothing useful all match beyond allowing me to dispell the first turn.)

SHooting: SKinks do nothing. Salamander takes aim at the Western herd again, this time rolling a decent number on artillery die and managing to cover more models with the template. However, only one wound is inflicted. ONce again they pass their leadership test.

Close Combat: CoR get to go first due to great weapons on Minotaur, however fail to land a wound. Minotaur retaliate by cutting down two more riders and leaving one left. Last rider fails his break roll and is overrun.

Beast:
Movement: Chariot moves forward, positioning now to aim for my Saurus flank. Shaman Herd declares charge on my Saraus and makes it. Western Herd is no longer in range of my salamander.

Magic: Nothing since Shaman is in CC.

Close Combat: My Scar Vet issues challenge which is answered by his unit champion instead of shaman. He fails to wound while I deal 4 wounds in return, OVERKILL! Shaman swings with his staff as a great weapon, deals one fatal wound while the remaining herd models kill only one additional model for a total of two dead on my side. My retaliation see's 5 or six models removed on his side. I win the combat resolution by a rather large amount. He flees, I catch them and destroy the unit, shaman and all. I overrun into difficult terrain.

Turn 4

Lizardmen:
Movement, skinks get closer to Western Herd. Saurus do a 180 and move no more. Salamander stays put. Priest moves only a little bit to stay in range of the Skinks.

Magic: I fail to cast Portent of Far despite him losing his shaman.

Shooting: SKinks are not in range of Herd. Salamander takes aim, similar result as before with distance, as well as only killing one model. Herd fails their panic test and run off the board, unit destroyed!

GW staff member concedes defeat and we shake hands.


Looking back at the battle, I can see I failed to use the CoR's effectively at all, might drop them for Terradons next time.

My Salamander, Scar Vet and Saurus Spear Warriors really saved my butt on that fight. Despite the Salamander only dealing 3 wounds, that panic test saved me when they failed it.

I do have one question though, does Shield of the Mirrored Pool work against Buboes and Boils? Neither spell specifically states that they are a magic missile, so despite forgetting to use it, would it have made any difference?

 

[Quillum]

Oh, one other thing, I'm quite aware that the GW staff member took it easy on me...seeing as how I saw a Doombull and Shaggoth off to the side, both of which he could have fielded instead.