So yeah I'm new here but have been checking out the boards for a couple weeks and thought this would be the best place for advice. Me and my gaming group are starting a campaign in two weeks , starting with 500 pts and adding 250 every month. My problem is I had a practice game vs. my brothers wood elves an I got tabled only killed 1 archer. My list Scar vet with glyph neck, LA and shield 20 warriors 19 skinks 5 chameleon skinks I quickly found the chameleons to be worthless even going first, hitting on 6+ sucks then he's able to turn his archers next turn and wipe them. I find these chameleons useless and would like any advice on how to use them I've seen a lot of praise for them here on the forum and can't understand why, and I would also like any advice on beating wood elves in 500 pts. I'm sure once the games get bigger it will be more even but only having 2 units vs. all his archers is insane. Thanks
First of all, if he turns around and shoots at your chameleons he will be at -3 to hit even if its at close range. That would mean 6+ to hit for wood elves and then followed by a 2+ for wounding at close range. To kill of 5 chameleons in one go that would usually require more than 30 archers. If he spends an entire turn with that many then the chameleons have allready been of great use. Other than that i would sugest that you use 2x10 skirmishers instead of 19 in one group. Salamanders are also great against all elves and will see many of them fry or flee or booth.
Yeah I thought of using a salamander , but he does have 30 archers thats his list and there only at -2 wood elves can move and shoot without a modifier. And them dying really isn't serving a purpose it only gives my slow moving warriors one extra turn, which i still have two more turns before I can charge then he stands and shoots, by then my army is wiped out
If you want a quick melee attack unit- use terradons. If you want a quick shooting unit, use chameleons. They arn't designed to fight. They are much better at shooting. Also, archers arn't the best target for them. They are a better match for warmachines and monsters. Not to say I don't use them to attack infantry but knowing what they are best at is important. When fighting infantry I scout far behind the target unit. March to 1 inch outside their movement if possible (measure it, because you can). Shoot. You should be hitting on 6's (3 natural: -1 for moving, -1 for double, maybe -1 for range). Ten shots which auto wound will make him turn to face you. He will shoot at your chameleons but will be -2. If he charges then stand and shoot. 5 chameleons are only 60pts. If they shutdown a large archer unit (WILL be more than 60) by forcing it to waste turns by shooting at chameleons or chasing them down then its a victory for you! If they decide to focus shooting on your saurus (which are in fact a better target), continue to punish him for it by double tapping him every turn. (now you only need 5's, maybe even 4's!) Now- if that doesn't appeal to you. Use terradons to quickly fly into a flank charge position. Be at long range (again, measure it). Most people deploy in two ranks only so if you flank charge you you will only need to kill two models for them to have no attacks back (no stepup on flank). If you flee because of losing the combat, hopefully you can rally rinse repeat. I don't use terradons cause I have yet to find a solution for if they turn to face you. Terradons don't do well in the front (although your best option would still be to charge). Salamanders are great. Use them always. Also- i prefer ranked up skinks with javs. Two units of 10 with javs. serve as great redirectors and speed bumps. Plus they are quick to fire so you can always stand and shoot! However, this is just my play style. I cant really comment on skirmish skinks.
yeah I understand how chameleons work and it seems pointless in this situation considering in one turn there all gone just from shooting, so I guess i 'll turn to salamanders or just a big block of warriors.
I'd honestly tell him to make a legal list or you'll quit playing him. I'm never a whiner because I love the game, but it's an illegal list at the 500pt level that gives him an unfair advantage and is just no fun to play against. Weres the fun in pointing and shooting with one block of archers lol it seems like he's more into just winning
He has a legal list. hes using two squads of archers a small squad a driads or however you spell them (the small tree skirmishers) and the cheapest hero he can. it's legal but cheesy as hell, and he admits it. He just shoots and when I get close he side steps out of my charge arc and runs, I do believe once the games get bigger he'll be out of room to run and his skirt wearers will feel the pain.
I dont play WE but a guy I played said that they could only move a small amount without penalty to shooting. So it would be -3 to hit if you position your chameleons well and then he wont be able to shoot if he fails a quickreform LD test. Or so i understand it.
Yeah I hear ya, Im going to talk to my buddy who runs my local GW and look into the rules to see whats up, but the main prob here isnt them dying its just his all around mass archer line in one corner of the field just laying into my guys then just running away like cowards, once my guys get into combat its all over but they cant get a charge off.
Yea Green the situation you are describing is best solved by salamanders like you are thinking. But still send the chameleons over. He will either shoot at your salamander (assuming normal conditions 5 to hit, 5 to wound), leaving your chameleons to shoot freely. Or turn and shoot chameleons (6 to hit, 3 to wound) giving your salamander time to get into position. Hows your saurus block?
Also you should considder using another tactic than the blunt "rush him with infantry and hope he doesnt hit me". First of all you could buy an extremely well-armoured scar-vet on a cold one to ride up and get a charge of that will be good enough to catch him if he runs. For him to wound at 6:s and you to fail and armour-save of 2+ (add a luckstone as well and you can reroll that first failed armour save, basicly giving you an extra wound) he will be hard-pressed to kill him. If he kills him anyway he will have soaked upp all damadge so that your other units (like salamanders) can have a field-day. The second tactics i will suggest is adding a stegadon to the army which once again is hard to wound and kill for archers. He has enough wounds and enough speed to get into combat quickly. The third thing that should be combined with any of the first 2 or be on its own is adding a skink priest with the plaque of tepok and lvl 2, or bare and with the signature spell. Smashing a comet down on a gunline is always funny (remember it cant be dispelled in his magic phase since it isnt a RiP). Even if you dont get the comet you will allways be able to take the signature spell which is specificly intended for armies like this. It goes through easily and will give him an extra -1 ti hitting. All of these tactics are viable and will most likely leave those pathetic elves in a bloody heap. I hope your luck turns.
I appreciate the advice and think I will try the salamanders, I would like to try the stegadon but it seems to me if I unleash it in a 500 point game my friends will no longer invite back to the campaign lol. But I will let you know how things turn out. thanks again
Wood elves were my first army so maybe i can help out. They can move fully and shoot no penalty and at str 4 for glade guard at short range no less. they are nasty to face. Everyone is saying try salamanders, this is becasue they are smart, razordons rolling to hit is a pain thoguh they do wound a tad easier and salamander's save mod does nothing to elves since they wear no armour. Greatly consider the sunstandard of chotec, it'll take alot of heat off of your saurus and make sure you don't take so many panic checks. Lastly, pray he dosent shill out the points for the hail of doom arrow on that cheap hero. if that happens your in trouble your saurus unit is looking at getting hit on 2+ wounded on 4+ with anywhere between 3 and 18 shots, this thing is a game breaker, especially in a 500 point battle. You unfortunately have the bad luck of fighting an army thats perfect for small battles.
I forgot that it was only 500p which does make it a bit harder to play but I would still suggest the mounted scar-vet. Scar-vet on Cold one shield light armour luckstone Weighs in at a bit under the maximum allowed. this guy has a 1+ rerollable armour save for the first time he fails his armour test and after that he has a regular 1+ with 2 wounds and a T of 5 and a M of 7. Charge him straight at the enemy and let them fire all their arrows at him if they want to. if they dont you can hold them in combat fro at least 2 rounds after you reach them and if they do you have a perfect chance to fry him using your salamander. And all the time your big unit of saurus are marching forward. This is what I would do but as other people have stated. WE are hard in small batles.
Oh he did. He took that arrow that turns into a ton of shots and it hurt. But I've decided to take some salamanders, just worried hes going to shoot them to pieces now but they seem some what durable and have decent attack range.
Don't worry about him shooting your salamanders. They are -1 to hit, and only 80 points. Vs. him shooting your saurus which are -0 to hit, and over 200; and they do all the heavy killing of your list! If he shoots your salamanders, take the blow and keep marching into charge range with saurus. If he shoots saurus (the better target) punish him with salamanders. Either way you are forcing the fight on him; not him forcing the fight on you. Get my drift?
another thought is taking the pendant that gives you steed of shadows and use it in the first round, suddenly your saurus are 20" closer to his army and he will not have all that time to shoot you. Just wait til the winds of magic doesnt include a 6 (giving you the advantage since he will have fewer dispel dice than you have PD) and you are almost certain to get it of.